Beautiful Places

Wawel

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:33:00 +0000

Wawel is situated on a limestone rock, 228 above sea level, on the bank of the Vistula river. Here you can find Wawel Cathedral and next to it the Wawel Castle. It was the residence of Polish rulers but now is a national cultural institution. There are four parts you can visit in Wawel: the Representative State Rooms, Royal Private Apartments, Crown Treasury with Armoury and the Cathedral. You have to buy tickets for each part you want to visit and you can't take any photos inside. Wawel Hill is close to the centre of Krakow, on walking distance from the main square.

The Kosciuszko Mound

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 15:31:00 +0000

The Kosciuszko Mound is situated outside the centre of Krakow, 333 m above sea level. It is the symbolic burial place of General Tadeusz Kosciuszko, Polish and American national hero. Soil from Polish and North American battlefields where Kosciuszko fought was placed here. The result is a 34,1 meter high mound, seen from almost every where in Krakow. From the top you can enjoy one of the best views on the city.

The Wieliczka Salt Mine

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:55:00 +0000

This UNESCO World Heritage Site you can find close to Krakow, about 10 km from the centre. It was one of the world's oldest operating salt mines. It reaches down to a depth of 327 meters and is over 300 km long. To enter the mine visitors have to descend the stairs with 380 steps. Going up is more easy, here you can use the lift that brings you back up from a depth of 135 m. The walk in the salt mine is 3,5 km long and will show you chapels cut in salt, underground lakes and many sculptures from salt. This salt mine is a must see when you are in Krakow.

Zakopane

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:06:00 +0000

Zakopane is located in the south of Poland, about 100 km from Krakow. It's a good place to go for a beautiful panorama on the Tatra mountains. The cable train down at Krupowki Street will take you to the Gubalowka summit at 1120 m. Here are some restaurants and souvenir shops that can be a bit crowded on some days, but the views over the mountains are impressive. You can return by a walk down through the woods or by chair lift. There are two different lifts going down. Just follow the road on the top to the left, the first one is 15 min walking and the second one is just a bit more far. Keep in mind that if you arrive down by chair lift there is a not so nice walk back to the centre on a busy road.

The Parish Church of St. Family in Zakopane, it was contructed in 1877-1896 in Neo Roman style.

Barcelona

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:18:00 +0000

Placa d'Espanya: One of the most important squares in Barcelona. Here you can see the beautiful fountain on the roundabout and the Venetian Towers.

Palau Nacional: Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

View on Port Vell

Dona i ocell, 1983
Made by Joan Miró, this you can find in Parc de Joan Miró

Art in the streets of Barcelona

The Poble Espanyol: On the photo is you see the entrance to the Spanish village. It has buildings built in different styles of Spanish architecture. It was constructed for the 1929 World Exposition.

Montjuic Tower: symbol of a sportsman with the Olympic flame

View on Barcelona from the sea

The Rose Garden in Szczecin

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:15:00 +0000

The Rose Garden in Szczecin is located in Park Kasprowicza. Here are more than 99 different kinds of roses and more than 9000 roses in total. One of the attractions here is the birds fountain. It was recreated to look like the original that was here in 1928.

Brussels

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 14:27:00 +0000

The Saint Nicholas Church

Statue of King Albert I

The Royal square with the statue of Godfry of Bouillon and the Saint James church in the background

The Museum of Musical Instruments

Rue de Bouchers

St. Hubert Gallery

Stock market in Brussels

Brussels Expo

Royal Palace

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:05:00 +0000

The Royal Palace in Brussels is not the official residence of the King and Queen, but King Albert II has his offices here and it is used for state receptions, royal audiences and court ceremonies. Each year during summer months, the Royal Palace opens its doors to the public. The admission is free.

European Parliament

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 21:20:00 +0000

The official seat of the European Parliament is in Strasbourg, but the one in Brussels serves for preparatory meetings and complementary, non-plenary sessions. It is located in the European quarter of Brussels, close to the Leopoldpark.

Royal Military Museum

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:27:00 +0000

The Royal Military Museum you can find in the northern hall of the Triumphal Arch. It has a collection of 10 centuries military history. Admission for the museum is free.

The Triumphal Arch

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:07:00 +0000

This arch was built to serve as a monument to illustrate the glorious past of Brussels. The arch was planned for the world exhibition of 1880 but was completed in 1905. It is possible to go to the top of the Arch and have a view on the city. In the large halls on both sides of the arch are museums. The northern hall houses the Royal Military Museum and the southern hall houses the Autoworld museum.

Manneken Pis

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:08:00 +0000

This famous little boy stands close to the Grote Markt on the corner of the Stoofstraat and the Eikstraat. On some days you can find him there naked but very often he's wearing one of more than 600 costumes. These costumes you can see in the City Museum. There are several stories why Manneken Pis is standing here. According to one of them a little boy had watered against the door of a witch who lived where the fountain now stands. The witch was so angry that she turned the little boy into a statue. Whatever the real reason is today this statue is one of the most famous landmarks in Brussels.

Mini Europe

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Wed, 07 May 2008 18:19:00 +0000

Mini Europe is located in Brupark next to the Atomium. Here you can have a look at some of the most famous monuments and cities in the European Union. A guide will give you all the information on all the models. A recommended place to visit when you are in Brussels.

If you plan a trip to Brussels and are looking for accommodation, have a look here: Brussels Accommodation

Atomium

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Sat, 03 May 2008 07:31:00 +0000

The Atomium was built for the Expo in 1958. It is a 102 metres tall and forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. It has nine spheres of which you can visit 5. An elevator will bring you to the top for a beautiful view on the city. Here you can also find the highest restaurant in Belgium. After that the elevator bring you back down and you can have a look at the other four spheres.

The Grote Markt in Brussels

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:52:00 +0000

The Grote Markt is the central market square of Brussels. It is surrounded by guild houses, the Town Hall(3rd photo) and the Bread House(2nd photo). This square is the most memorable and most visited landmark in Brussels. It was named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1998. Every 2 years in August this square is coverd by a flower carpet, a great event to see when you're in the city.

Places in Szczecin

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:38:00 +0000

Radisson SAS Hotel

The Grumbkov Palace, also known as Under the Globe.

The Flora statue, representing the Roman Goddess of plenty and spring.

The Baroque Fountain with eagle sculptures.

Brama Królewska, build in 1725-1728.

New buildings is the Old Town.

The Flag Staff of the steamer Captain K. Maciejewicz build in 1929, placed here in 1990.

Waly Chrobrego

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:15:00 +0000

The Chrobry Embankment is the trademark of the city. From here you have a view on the Odra River and the port in Szczecin. Here you can also find the Marine Museum, the Maritim Academy, the Modern Theatre and the Province Office. It's a nice place to enjoy the view from the benches or take the stairs down and walk along the river.

Park Kasprowicza

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 05:36:00 +0000

This is the largest city park in Szczecin and a peaceful place for a walk. The monument with the three eagles symbolise three generations of Poles. You can also see the summer amphitheatre where the festivals or concerts are organized. It also has a statue of Pope John Paul II(first photo), who was from Poland.

Cathedral of St. Jacob

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:23:00 +0000

The Cathedral of St. Jacob is the second biggest temple in Poland and the highest building in Szczecin. It was almost completely destroyed in the war but has been restored to a beautiful cathedral.

Old Town Hall

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:08:00 +0000

The Old Town Hall was build in the 13th century and reconstructed in the 15th century with Gothic elements. Today you can find in here a popular restaurant and the city museum.

Pomeranian Dukes' Castle

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:35:00 +0000

This castle in Szczecin was destroyed in World War II and rebuilt after. Now it became the seat of administrative and cultural institutions. Some parts are open for visitors and from the Bell Tower (last photo) you can enjoy the view on the city. From the many benches on the bailey you can rest and have a look at the Clock Tower (first photo) dating back to the 16th century.

Edinburgh

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:59:00 +0000

A few photos to say goodbye to Edinburgh... We had a great time here and hope to see it again some day.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:56:00 +0000

The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh is the Queen's official residence in Scotland. It was founded in 1128 as a monastery. It stands at the end of the Royal Mile and is open for visitors.

Edinburgh Architecture

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 16:40:00 +0000

I don't know the name of these buildings and didn't had enough time to have a closer look. But the architecture is really great. If you have some information about them you can always let me know.

Calton Hill

noreply@blogger.com (juka14) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 10:15:00 +0000

Calton Hill is a peaceful place in Edinburgh and give you a beautiful view on the city. It has a few monuments on it. One of them is the National Monument, this is the unfinished acropolis you see on the 3rd photo. The photos below show you the view from the hill on Edinburgh.