Sights Archives ⋆ Page 21 of 149 ⋆ The Passenger

August 20, 2023September 8, 2023

Akershus festning

The fortress of Oslo doesn’t look like one big fortress; it is incorporated into the surrounding city and today used for different purposes. But you can still today visit the different buildings, follow the walls and fortifications, pass through its stone gates and enjoy views from the uppermost platform of the hill it is standing on. Akershus festning was created between 1287 and 1300 CE and always played an important role in protecting the city. It was besieged and conquered multiple times, used as a prison; during World War II it was occupied by Nazi forces.

August 12, 2023August 16, 2023

Petersberg

I’ve been to Erfurt multiple times, I’ve visited the Domplatz and the cathedral and I’ve always ignored the citadel next to it on the 231 meters high Petersberg mountain. I’ve not even seen it. Don’t do the same mistake as the fortification offers nice views on the city and different beer gardens to enjoy life. The Zitadelle Petersberg was created from 1665 on to prevent resistance against the Electorate of Mainz (whom the city belonged to after the Peace of Westphalia) and to suppress protestant forces.

July 30, 2023August 14, 2023

Pfaueninsel

The German capital city Berlin stands for history, politics, art, culture and party. For tall buildings, monuments and endless streets. There are the rivers Spree and Havel; you can find many parks, but to relax in nature you also never need to ride very far. A good option for this is the Pfaueninsel (‘peacock island‘), a river island within the Havel close to the ‘border’ to Potsdam. It is since 1990 part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage at Berlin and only accessible by ferry boat.

July 30, 2023August 14, 2023

Viktoriapark

The Kreuzberg is with 66 meters height the highest elevation of Berlin. Since the 15th century this ‘mountain’ was used to grow wine grapes. Today it is covered by a nice park that many Berliner use for a walk. On its top you’ll find the Prussian National Monument for the Liberation Wars – it was erected in 1821 after the victory against Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815. Initially it was planned to create a vast church in Gothic-style to commemorate this, but it was to costly.

July 30, 2023August 7, 2023

Flakturm Humboldthain

The Volkspark Humboldthain is a beautiful garden in the north of Berlin. Construction works started in 1869 at the 100. anniversary of the birth of Alexander von Humboldt. It includes a nice rose garden and since 1942 a massive amount of concrete: with the use of forced labor a high-rise bunker with an anti-aircraft warfare position was built, the Flakturm Humboldthain. Flak is an abbreviation for Flugabwehrkanone meaning anti-aircraft gun.

July 29, 2023August 7, 2023

Zitadelle Spandau

Everyone who has ever travelled by highspeed train to Berlin knows Spandau: It is the last stop before you reach Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Not too many tourists leave the train there, but there would be a good reason: the city has one of the oldest fortresses of the high renaissance period, the Zitadelle Spandau. It is located in the northeast of the historic city center within river Havel.

July 28, 2023August 6, 2023

Rosengarten

The Rosengarten (rose garden) of Göttingen is a forgotten place close to the new town hall building and the city center, just behind the Wallanlagen. Some people might walk from the Cheltenhampark via the Albanifriedhof to the Rosengarten and discover lots of beautiful roses there – but it is typically not a place you’re visiting on purpose. Younger citizens might remember that school’s out parties where once celebrated there, others might have been at this place because it is the schoolyard of the Bonifatiusschule.

July 10, 2023July 24, 2023

Glanni

Ready for a last waterfall before returning to the capital city of Iceland? The Glanni is a smaller waterfall close to Bifröst. After leaving the ring road you’ll discover a parking area and a short walk will bring you to a viewing platform close to the waters. If you don’t only want to look from up above a tiny path leads you through the forest down to the water.

July 10, 2023July 24, 2023

Volcano climbing

Shortly before reaching the village Bifröst on the ring road of Iceland you’ll see the high Grábrók crater next to the road. It is an excellent opportunity for a rest as the former volcano is part of a nature protection zone and nice wooden steps lead you up into the crater. Well, it is a bit painful but it looks more horrible than it really is – and the views on the area are beautiful from up there.

July 10, 2023July 24, 2023

Kolugljúfur

The northwest of Iceland is a region with only a few touristic sights. Between Akureyri and Reykjavík you normally drive long passages without many stops. A good opportunity for a rest and maybe a picnic is the Kolugljúfur canyon. It only needs a short detour from the ring road on road 715. There the Víðidalsá river is running through a deep canyon and the Efrifoss waterfall (which is part of the Kolufossar) sends its waters into the deep.