Hints Archives ⋆ Page 18 of 240 ⋆ The Passenger

October 1, 2023October 29, 2023

Sameba

The Sameba cathedral at თბილისი (also called Holy Trinity Cathedral) is a vast modern church in the city quarter Avlabari, located on Elias hill. It was built until 2004 and is the largest church building in Transcaucasia. The church itself is vast, but it is already special by its surroundings: the nine hectares large park around it, the stairs leading from the main gate to the church accompanied by columns showing Christian history. It consists of a campanile and nine chapels dedicated to saints, apostles and archangels. Most beautiful is the impressive mosaic behind the altar.

October 1, 2023October 29, 2023

Metechi

The historic center of თბილისი is a rock next to river Mtkwari and todays Europe square. On top you will find the Metechi church, an orthodox church from the 13th century surrounded by a nice garden with many pomegranate trees. While it is today standing alone on top of the rock it was formerly surrounded by the royal palace of თბილისი. The Russians converted the palace into a jail that was also used to incarcerate dictator Joseph Stalin (born at Gori close to Tbilisi). In 1937 the buildings were demolished leaving only the church in this location.

October 1, 2023October 24, 2023

Presidential palace

In 2003 the Revolution of Roses occurred at Georgia, removing president Eduard Shevardnadze and replacing him by the leader of the opposition, Mikheil Saakashvili. In the upcoming years Saakashvili successfully fought corruption and developed the country. He brought western architects to თბილისი and built modern elements like the Bridge of Peace, the Rike Concert Hall or the new presidential palace at Avlabari, high above river Mtkwari.

October 1, 2023October 23, 2023

თბილისის საერთაშორისო აეროპორტი

The international airport of თბილისი (TBS) is also the largest airport of Georgia. It has two runways and two terminals; it serves more than three million passengers every year. German passengers will see this airport only at night: Lufthansa lands here always at 4 am to be able to start again at 5 am and be back in central Europe for normal flight times after 9 am. That feels a bit odd, but the airport is fully operational at night.

September 10, 2023September 17, 2023

Wasserdorn

When you’re leaving the main railway station of Mannheim, Germany, to the northeast you’ll reach a nice park with fountains and flowers next to the city center. Main feature of this place is the Wasserturm (or Wasserdorn), an icon of the city. It was the first tower created to assure the water supply of the city and it was built from 1886 on. The tower is 60 meters high and was used until the year 2000 (at least as a reserve).

September 10, 2023September 24, 2023

Völklinger Hütte

If you’re interested in industrial heritage you need to visit the Saarland, close to France and Luxembourg. At Völklingen, west of the capital city Saarbrücken, you can discover the historic iron works Völklinger Hütte – an impressive UNESCO world heritage site. It was founded in 1873 and produced iron using continuously improved techniques until 1986. Many parts like the Eisenschrägaufzug (transporting the iron 27 meters up into the melting ovens) date back to the 1910s. And already when you’re standing at the railway station of Völklingen you’re overwhelmed by the vast size of this former factory.

September 9, 2023September 14, 2023

Calypso

In need for a break while being at Saarbrücken, Germany? Close to the Deutsch-Französischer Garten (DFG) you can find the Calypso Bade- & Saunawelt; a nice spa and sauna. Families will enjoy the bathing section with a special children’s area, a diving section with a reef and a sunken submarine and a wild river. The sauna part of the Calypso offers relaxation in different kinds of saunas, a nice outdoor pool and at the great bar located within.

September 9, 2023September 13, 2023

Deutsch-Französischer Garten

The Saarland is a border region in Germany that is very close to France and Luxembourg. From the city center of Saarbrücken it is a distance of less than five kilometers to our French friends. Half way you can find a nice park, the Deutsch-Französischer Garten (DFG) or Jardin Franco-Allemand. It was opened in 1960 by chancellor Konrad Adenauer and prime minister Michel Debré. It is a park used by French and German visitors to relax.

September 9, 2023September 13, 2023

Ludwigskirche

What is the most iconic building of Saarbrücken, Germany? In former times it might have been the castle with its towers and thick walls – but these structures are only barely visible these days. It came even worse in 1939 when the Wehrmacht destroyed multiple memorial towers (including the iconic Winterbergdenkmal) and church towers to irritate allied pilots during air raids. The most famous landmarks of the city are lost forever.

September 9, 2023September 12, 2023

Historisches Museum Saar

If you want to learn about the history of the Saarland then the Historisches Museum Saar, located at the Schlossplatz of Saarbrücken, will leave no questions unanswered. The Saarland is not only the smallest federal state of Germany, it also has a special history: it was created in 1920 caused by the Treaty of Versailles and became a separate state for 15 years under the coordination of the League of Nations.