Buckingham Palace :: London, England

Buckingham Palace is a part of the legacy carried from Britain’s Kings and Queens who built this official Royal Residence to be held in trust for future generations. It was intended to be a home for the members of the Royal family, working buildings of the official royal staff, entertaining official guests, and also for hosting formal events and ceremonies. Since 1837, the Buckingham Palace has remained one of the most famous icons of Britain and today it serves to be the central administrative headquarters of the country. Read more

Devils Tower :: Hulett, Wyoming

For many people around the world, five little musical notes will always bring to mind this awesome formation. That’s because Devils Tower in Hulett, Wyoming was the featured backdrop to the 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Who doesn’t remember Richard Dreyfuss making little mashed potato sculptures of it?‽! What many people do not know is that this massive 1,267 foot behemoth resting about one third of a mile from the Belle Fourche River was the nation’s very first national monument. Consistently ranked as one of the most beloved presidents of all time, Theodore Roosevelt made it his mission to protect many of America’s most fragile and beautiful natural wonders. It is clear why in 1906 this was his first. Read more

Christ the Redeemer :: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro is home to the world’s largest Art Deco statue that overlooks the city from the peak of the Corcovado Mountain and is one of Rio’s most famous sights, Christ the Redeemer (O Cristo Redentor). With the idea for a statue at the top of the mountain first suggested in the mid-1850s, it wasn’t until a second proposal made in 1921 by the Catholic Circle of Rio that construction of this amazing monument was approved. Completed and opened in 1931, for decades the statue has graced the skyline and been the focal point of a great many postcards and photos of Rio de Janeiro. Read more

Tower of Hercules :: Galicia, Spain

As the great Dan Deacon once said, “Lighthouses rule. If you don’t like the lighthouse, you suck”. This statement is all the more true when you are blessed enough to have visited the Tower of Hercules, otherwise known by its Spanish name, Torre de Hércules. Perched on a rocky peninsula on the coast of Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain, the Tower of Hercules has been safeguarding ships since the late 1st century AD. Among the more magnificent structures erected by the Roman Empire, local legend has it that Hercules cut off the head of Medusa’s grandson Geryon, buried it where he stood, and built the lighthouse as a monument to his victory. In reality, researchers have conjectured that the tower was actually designed by the architect Gaius Sevius Lupus and commissioned by Emperor Trajan in his efforts to “Romanize” the area then known as Brigantium due to its prime port location. Read more

Durham Castle and Cathedral :: Durham, England

The city of Durham in England is home to an amazing Norman castle that has been occupied by and used by University College, Durham since 1840. Although Durham Castle is a working castle and home to over 100 students, it is open to the general public for guided tours through this amazing historical landmark. The castle sits atop a hill over the River Wear on the opposite end of another famous landmark, Durham Cathedral. In 1986 Durham Castle and Cathedral were inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list as fine examples of Norman architecture in England. In 2008, Palace Green, the small area of grass that separates the castle and cathedral was added to the existing UNESCO listing. Read more

Buda Castle :: Budapest, Hungary

First completed in 1265, Buda Castle (also called Royal Palace & Royal Castle) in Budapest is the historical castle complex of the Hungarian kings. Buda Castle is located on the southern edge of Castle Hill near the old Castle District famous for its medieval, Baroque and 19th century homes and buildings. The castle is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site list that inscribed “Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue” and is visited by thousands of tourists every year. The oldest section of the present day palace, Stephen’s Tower, was completed in the 14th century by Prince Stephen, younger brother of King Louis I of Hungary. During the long reign of King Sigismund of Hungary the castle was expanded into one of the largest Gothic palaces of the late Middle Ages. The final massive expansion of the castle occurred under King Matthias Corbinus in the late 1400s and stood until the medieval palace was destroyed during the siege of 1686. A new Baroque styled palace was built between 1714 and 1723 by King Charles III of Habsburg. This castle was also mostly destroyed by the great fire of 1810 as well as during an attack. Read more

Bergenhus Fortress :: Bergen, Norway

Once the capitol of Norway, the city of Bergen holds many unique and exciting experiences for those looking to see a different side of Europe. Among the more beautiful stop over points is Bergenhus Fortress. One of the best preserved castles in Norway, this 13th Century masterpiece was once the home of Viking royalty. Today only two of the original medieval structures are still standing (King Håkon’s Hall and the Rosenkrantz Tower) however there were continual additions to the site over the years and much remains to see and do. Though the rainiest place in the country (getting about 89 inches of precipitation a year), the warm, welcoming spirits of the people will guarantee that your spirits are not dampened on your trip. Read more

Acropolis of Athens :: Athens, Greece

Although there are many in Greece, when someone mentions “The Acropolis” it is known that they are speaking of the Acropolis of Athens, the most famous in the world. Formally proclaimed the pre-eminent monument on the European Cultural Heritage list in 2007, the Acropolis was also inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1987. A city on a flat topped rock that rises 490 feet above sea level in Athens, the Acropolis is loaded with amazing ancient monuments. Since 1975 a project has been underway to restore and reverse the centuries of decay, wear and tear and damage from misguided past restorations. All restorations are being made using as much original material as possible along with titanium dowels so that it is completely reversible if future experts decide to change things. Read more

Sanssouci Palace :: Potsdam, Germany

Germany is full of amazing historical sites and the city of Potsdam is loaded with them. Sanssouci Palace, former summer home of Frederick the Great, is one of these architectural masterpieces. Often used as an example of buildings in Germany that rival the Palace of Versailles, this much smaller yet beautiful palace is built in the warmer Rococo style. Designed between 1745 and 1747 by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff to fulfill King Fredericks need for a private residence where he could relax away from the nearby Berlin court, the palace’s own name, a French phrase, even translates loosely to “carefree”. King Frederick was intimately involved in the palace design, so much so that its style is characterized as “Frederician Rococo”. Read more

Independence National Historic Park :: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

On Chestnut Street between 5th and 6th streets sits an amazing United States national landmark that is pictured on the back of the US $100 bill, Independence Hall. Independence Hall is famous for being the place that both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and adopted. It was also the main meeting place for the Second Continental Congress and the site of the Constitution Convention of 1787. The hall is part of Independence National Historic Park and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1979, as it is a bastion of the history and culture of the United States. Independence Hall was also the original home of the Liberty Bell and currently holds in its bell tower a Centennial Bell created for the United States Centennial Exposition in 1876. Read more

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