Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
The Tower of London, United Kingdom is a fortification in the center of the city. It contains a castle surrounded by two walls and it has been used over the centuries as a royal safe-harbour, prison, zoo, museum and armoury. It has been built in the 11th century CE for William the Conquerer and is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988.
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Concerning the royal family the most important church in London, United Kingdom is Westminster Abbey, located close to the Houses of Parliament. The kings and monarchs are crowned and buried here. The abbey was built from 1045 on and the current church was begun in the year 1240. The towers have been added by Sir Christopher Wren from the year 1722 on.
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A hugh bell in one of the towers of the Houses of Parliament in London, United Kingdom is called Big Ben – but people tend to use the name for the whole tower. The correct name since the crown jubilee in 2012 is Elizabeth tower. It is now named after Queen Elizabeth – and another tower of the parliament is named after her mother Victoria.
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Le Mont-Saint-Michel is a town with 41 inhabitants and 3.5 million visitors a year close to Pontorson, France. It is the most visited tourist spot outside Paris and consists of a magically placed church on a small island at the Atlantic, surrounded by a small town and walls. In earlier days you could only get there at low tide, nowadays you can walk or take a shuttle bus the whole day. Continue reading “Church, mountain, island”
The Grote Markt is the main market place of Bruges, Belgium and a good starting point for a visit of the town. Directly attached to it you’ll find the Belfort and many old houses. Within this wonderful place there are also shops for Belgian chocolate and you can get the best Belgian fries. Continue reading “Grote Markt”
At the Grote Markt of Bruges, Belgium you can find a big tower called the Belfort, integrated into other buildings. It is 83 meters high and was built during the 13th century CE. It is a symbol for the power of the citizens and still today no building is allowed to be higher then the Belfort. Continue reading “The Belfort”
The Museum der Moderne is a museum of modern art in Salzburg, Austria. It is devided into two parts: the main museum is located in the Rupertinum in the city center and the second part is up on the Mönchsberg with wonderful view down on Salzburg. Continue reading “Museum der Moderne”
The Basler Münster is the most important church in Basel, Switzerland. It is made of red freestone and is easily recognizable because of the geometric forms on its muticolored roof. The town lean towers can be seen from many parts of the city. It has been built between the years 1019 and 1500 CE in gothic style. Today it is used for protestant devine service. Continue reading “Cathedral of Basel”
When the temperatures rise in summer, the inhabitants of Basel, Switzerland have their own idea how to cool down again: they pack their stuff in waterproof packs sold throughout the city and jump into river Rhein, often close to Solitudepark. They drift through the city center and you can often watch people walk back in swimming cloth and fully wet through the center.
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The Casa Batlló in the center of Barcelona, Spain is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city and designed by Antoni Gaudí. It has been built in 1877 and is especially famous for its multi-colored façade. The building depicts the legend of Sant Jordi and the different parts of the house symbolize the dragon, the holy George is supposed to have slain. Continue reading “Casa Batlló”