Landmarks

Durham Castle and Cathedral :: Durham, England

August 3, 2010 By Chris Blecha Leave a Comment

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…] about Durham Castle and Cathedral :: Durham, England

Buda Castle :: Budapest, Hungary

July 25, 2010 By Chris Blecha Leave a Comment

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…] about Buda Castle :: Budapest, Hungary

Bergenhus Fortress :: Bergen, Norway

July 21, 2010 By Chris Blecha Leave a Comment

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…] about Bergenhus Fortress :: Bergen, Norway

Acropolis of Athens :: Athens, Greece

July 17, 2010 By Chris Blecha Leave a Comment

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…] about Acropolis of Athens :: Athens, Greece

Sanssouci Palace :: Potsdam, Germany

July 13, 2010 By Chris Blecha Leave a Comment

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…] about Sanssouci Palace :: Potsdam, Germany