Europe Tour Package

Europe - Tour Package and Hotels

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:50:00 +0000

To get great deals on a Europe Tour Package, please send an e-mail to parkyank1980@gmail.com. There are many European Tour Packages available to cater to your needs, budget, and which cities you would
prefer to visit. You will also great recommendations on places to visit and sightsee.

From historical and cutural tours, to romantic getaways, many fantastic tours are available.

Hotel Plaza Athenee Paris

This majestic and opulent hotel is located in Paris.

This truly Parisian luxury property filled with elegance and charm, is ideally located between the Avenue des Champs Elysées and the Eiffel Tower, at the crossroads of fashion, entertainment and business. With fine décor “à la parisienne”, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée features 191 guest rooms including 45 suites, offering views to the chic avenue Montaigne, the Westside of the Eiffel Tower or the charming courtyard.

Ritz Hotel London

One of the world's greatest hotel, as conceived by the world's greatest hotelier. For over a century The Ritz has been the benchmark by which other hotels are measured. A London landmark at 150 Piccadilly, The Ritz has been home to the great and the good, the intelligentsia, the glitterati and thousands of discerning guests since 1906.

Construction of The Ritz began in 1905 and the building was completed remarkably quickly, in large part due to the efforts of Swedish engineer Sven Bylander who designed its steel frame, something of a rarity in European buildings at the time.

The actual design of the hotel is the work of architects Charles Mewès and Arthur Davis. Mewès, a Frenchman and London born Davis had worked with César Ritz before on the Hotel Ritz in Paris, and The Carlton in London. For The Ritz London they drew up a stunning French chateau-style masterpiece with a wealth of clever details; light wells allowed rooms with no outside windows natural light, projecting dormer windows and tall chimneys broke the skyline. Some of the details are less functional; the copper lions on the corner of the roof are purely decorative.

Hotel Ritz Madrid

A baroque palace landmark positioned at the heart of Madrid’s ‘Golden Triangle’, Hotel Ritz is within walking distance of the city’s major cultural, business, shopping and dining venues.

Built in 1910 according to the wishes of King Alfonso XIII, this iconic Orient-Express landmark established Madrid as one of the truly great European cities: it has welcomed visiting aristocracy and dignitaries in style and luxury ever since.

A lively gathering place for Spanish high society, the hotel’s restaurants and bars are a constant buzz of activity: its leafy outdoor terrace is especially popular for a traditional summer Sunday brunch following a stroll in the adjacent Retiro Park.

Europe Tour - Paris

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:25:00 +0000

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region. The city of Paris, is one of the most populated metropolitan areas
in Europe.
In 2009 and 2010 Paris was ranked among the three most important and influential cities in the world, among the first three "European cities of the future" – according to research published by the Financial Times, and among the top ten cities in the world in which to live according to the British review Monocle (June 2010). An important settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influences in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities.

Paris and its region are the most popular tourist destination in the world, with 45 million tourists annually, 27 million of whom are foreign visitors. The city and region contain numerous iconic landmarks — particularly the Eiffel Tower — as well as world-famous institutions and popular parks.

Eiffel Tower

Built in 1889, the Eiffel Tower has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tower is the tallest building in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world; millions of people ascend it every year. Named for its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower was built as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair.

The tower stands 324 metres (1,063 ft) tall, about the same height as an 81-story building. Upon its completion, it surpassed the Washington Monument to assume the title of tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years, until the Chrysler Building in New York City was built in 1930; however, due to the addition in 1957 of the antenna, the tower is now taller than the Chrysler Building. Not including broadcast antennas, it is the second-tallest structure in France after the 2004 Millau Viaduct.

The tower has three levels for visitors. Tickets can be purchased to ascend, by stairs or lift, to the first and second levels. The walk to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the walk from the first to the second level. The third and highest level is accessible only by elevator. Both the first and second levels feature restaurants.
The tower has become the most prominent symbol of both Paris and France, often in the establishing shot of films set in the city.

Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe (Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile) is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle (originally named Place de l'Étoile), at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. There is a smaller arch, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, which stands west of the Louvre. The Arc de Triomphe (in English: "Triumphal Arch") honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

The Arc de Triomphe is the linchpin of the historic axis (Axe historique) — a sequence of monuments and grand thoroughfares on a route which goes from the courtyard of the Louvre, to the Grande Arche de la Défense. The monument was designed by Jean Chalgrin in 1806, and its iconographic program pitted heroically nude French youths against bearded Germanic warriors in chain mail. It set the tone for public monuments, with triumphant patriotic messages.

The Louvre Museum

The Musée du Louvre, or in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre — is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement (district). Nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 19th century are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square metres (652,300 square feet).
The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace (Palais du Louvre) which began as a fortress built in the late 12th century under Philip II. Remnants of the fortress are still visible. The building was extended many times to form the present Louvre Palace. In 1682, Louis XIV chose the Palace of Versailles for his household, leaving the Louvre primarily as a place to display the royal collection, including, from 1692, a collection of antique sculpture. During the French Revolution, the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum, to display the nation's masterpieces.

The museum opened on 10 August 1793 with an exhibition of 537 paintings, the majority of the works being royal and confiscated church property. The size of the collection increased under Napoleon and the museum was renamed the Musée Napoléon. After the defeat of Napoléon at Waterloo, many works seized by his armies were returned to their original owners. The collection was further increased during the reigns of Louis XVIII and Charles X, and during the Second French Empire the museum gained 20,000 pieces. Holdings have grown steadily through donations and gifts since the Third Republic, except during the two World Wars.

As of 2008, the collection is divided among eight curatorial departments: Egyptian Antiquities; Near Eastern Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; Islamic Art; Sculpture; Decorative Arts; Paintings; Prints and Drawings.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame de Paris (French for Our Lady of Paris), also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Catholic cathedral.

Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in France and in Europe, and the naturalism of its sculptures and stained glass are in contrast with earlier Romanesque architecture. The first period of construction from 1163 into the 1240's coincided with the musical experiments of the Notre Dame school.

Notre Dame de Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress (arched exterior supports). The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses around the choir and nave. After the construction began and the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher, stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedral's architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued the pattern. The cathedral was essentially complete by 1345.

Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles, the Île-de-France region of France. In French, it is known as the Château de Versailles.

When the château was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however, it is a suburb of Paris, some twenty kilometres southwest of the French capital. The court of Versailles was the centre of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime.

Tuileries Garden

The Tuileries Garden is a public garden located between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. Created by Catherine de Medicis as the garden of the Tuileries Palace in 1564, it was first opened to the public in 1667, and became a public park after the French Revolution. In the 19th and 20th century, it was the place where Parisians celebrated, met, promenaded, and relaxed.

The College de Sorbonne

The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris. Nowadays, it houses several higher education and research institutions such as Panthéon-Sorbonne University, Sorbonne Nouvelle University, Paris-Sorbonne University, Paris Descartes University, the École Nationale des Chartes and the École pratique des hautes études.

Europe Tour - London

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:16:00 +0000

London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport
all contributing to its prominence. It is the world's largest financial centre alongside New York, has the largest city GDP in Europe and is home to the headquarters of more than 100 of Europe's 500 largest companies.It is the most visited city by international tourists in the world. London Heathrow is the world's busiest airport by number of international passengers. London's 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutions in Europe. In 2012 London will become the first city to host the Summer Olympics three times.The same year it will host the Paralympic Games for the first time.

London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; Kew Gardens; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church; and the historic settlement of Greenwich. Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, 30 St Mary Axe ("The Gherkin"), St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Square.

London is home to numerous museums, galleries, libraries, sporting events and other cultural institutions including the British Museum, National Gallery, British Library, Wimbledon and 40 theatres. London's Chinatown is the largest in Europe.The London Underground network is the oldest underground railway network in the world.

Tower of London

The Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The castle was used as a prison since at least 1100, although that was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence. As a whole, the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. There were several phases of expansion, mainly under Kings Richard the Lionheart, Henry III, and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Kew Gardens

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to simply as Kew Gardens, are 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. It is an internationally important botanical research and education institution with 700 staff and an income of £56 million for the year ended 31 March 2008, as well as a visitor attraction receiving almost 2 million visits in that year.

The Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is responsible for the world's largest collection of living plants. The organisation employs more than 650 scientists and other staff. The living collections include more than 30,000 different kinds of plants, while the herbarium, which is the one of the largest in the world, has over 7 million preserved plant specimens.

Royal Observatory, Greenwich

The Royal Observatory, Greenwich (formerly the Royal Greenwich Observatory or RGO), in London, England played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation, and is best known as the location of the prime meridian. It is situated on a hill in Greenwich Park, overlooking the River Thames.

The observatory was commissioned in 1675 by King Charles II, with the foundation stone being laid on 10 August. At this time the king also created the position of Astronomer Royal (initially filled by John Flamsteed), to serve as the director of the observatory and to "apply himself with the most exact care and diligence to the rectifying of the tables of the motions of the heavens, and the places of the fixed stars, so as to find out the so much desired longitude of places for the perfecting of the art of navigation." The building was completed in the summer of 1676. The building was often given the title "Flamsteed House".

The scientific work of the observatory was relocated elsewhere in stages in the first half of the 20th century, and the Greenwich site is now maintained as a tourist attraction.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a rallying point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis.

Originally known as Buckingham House, the building which forms the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1705 on a site which had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was subsequently acquired by George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte, and known as "The Queen's House". During the 19th century it was enlarged, principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, forming three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the East front which contains the well-known balcony on which the Royal Family traditionally congregate to greet crowds outside. However, the palace chapel was destroyed by a German bomb in World War II; the Queen's Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection.

The state rooms, used for official and state entertaining, are open to the public each year for most of August and September, as part of the Palace's Summer Opening.

Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus is a famous road junction and public space of London's West End in the City of Westminster, built in 1819 to connect Regent Street with the major shopping street of Piccadilly. In this context, a circus, from the Latin word meaning "circle", is a round open space at a street junction.

The Circus is close to major shopping and entertainment areas in the West End. Its status as a major traffic intersection has made Piccadilly Circus a busy meeting place and a tourist attraction in its own right.

The Circus is particularly known for its video display and neon signs mounted on the corner building on the northern side, as well as the Shaftesbury memorial fountain and statue of an archer popularly known as Eros (sometimes called The Angel of Christian Charity, but intended to be Anteros). It is surrounded by several noted buildings, including the London Pavilion and Criterion Theatre. Directly underneath the plaza is Piccadilly Circus tube station, part of the London Underground rapid transit system.

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is a square in central London, England. With its position in the heart of London, it is a tourist attraction, and one of the most famous squares in the United Kingdom and the world. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. Statues and sculptures are on display in the square, including a fourth plinth displaying changing pieces of contemporary art. The square is also used as a location for political demonstrations and community gatherings, such as the celebration of New Year's Eve in London.

The name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), a British naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars. The original name was to have been "King William the Fourth's Square", but George Ledwell Taylor suggested the name "Trafalgar Square".

The northern area of the square had been the site of the King's Mews since the time of Edward I, while the southern end was the original Charing Cross, where the Strand from the City met Whitehall, coming north from Westminster. As the midpoint between these twin cities, Charing Cross is to this day considered the heart of London, from which all distances are measured.

St. Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral dedicated to Paul the Apostle. It sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The present building dates from the 17th century and was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. It is generally reckoned to be London's fifth St Paul's Cathedral, all having been built on the same site since AD 604. The cathedral is one of London's most famous and most recognisable sights. At 365 feet (111m) high, it was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1962, and its dome is also among the highest in the world.

Important services held at St Paul's include the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill; Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria; peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars; the launch of the Festival of Britain and the thanksgiving services for both the Golden Jubilee and 80th Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen. The Royal Family holds most of its important marriages, christenings and funerals at Westminster Abbey, but St Paul's was used for the marriage of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer. St Paul's Cathedral is still a busy working church, with hourly prayer and daily services.

Europe Tour - Madrid

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:09:00 +0000

Madrid is the capital and largest city in Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million (as of December 2009).

While Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of
many of its historic neighbourhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the Royal Palace of Madrid; the Teatro Real (Royal theatre) with its restored 1850 Opera House; the Buen Retiro park, founded in 1631; the 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain's historical archives; an archaeological museum; and three art museums: Prado Museum, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a museum of modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace.

Royal Palace of Madrid

The Palacio Real de Madrid (The Royal Palace of Madrid), also known as the Palacio de Oriente (The Orient Palace, or Far East Palace), is the official residence of the King of Spain in the city of Madrid, but it is only used for state ceremonies. King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the more modest Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid. The palace is owned by the Spanish State and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional, a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency. The palace is located on Bailén Street, in the Western part of downtown Madrid, East of the Manzanares River, and is accessible from the Ópera metro station. The palace is partially open to public, except when it is being used for official business.

Museo del Prado

The Museo del Prado is a museum and art gallery located in Madrid, the capital of Spain. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection. Founded as a museum of paintings and sculpture, it also contains important collections of more than 5,000 drawings, 2,000 prints, 1,000 coins and medals, and almost 2,000 decorative objects and works of art. Sculpture is represented by more than 700 works and by a smaller number of sculptural fragments. The painting collection comprises about 7,800 paintings, of which only about 1,300 are at public display, mainly because of the museum's lack of space. A new, recently opened wing enlarged the display area by about 400 paintings, and it is currently used mainly for temporary expositions. El Prado is one of the most visited sites in the world, and it is considered to be among the greatest museums of art.

The best known work on display at the museum is Las Meninas by Velázquez. Velázquez not only provided the Prado with his own works, but his keen eye and sensibility was also responsible for bringing much of the museum's fine collection of Italian masters to Spain.

Teatro Real

The Teatro Real (literally Royal Theatre) or simply El Real (as it is known colloquially), is a major opera house located in Madrid, Spain.

From 1867 it housed the Madrid Royal Conservatory until 1925 when a Royal Order on 6 December called for eviction owing to the damage that the construction of the Metro de Madrid had caused to the building). The theatre reopened in 1966 as a concert theatre and the main concert venue of the Spanish National Orchestra and the RTVE Symphony Orchestra. In 1969, the 14th Eurovision Song Contest was held at the theatre, featuring an onstage metal sculpture created by surrealist Spanish artist, Salvador Dalí.

The theatre stages around seventeen opera titles (both own productions and co-productions with other major European opera houses) per year, as well as two or three major ballets and several recitals. The orchestra of the Teatro Real is the Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid. The current general director is Gerard Mortier.

Europe Tour - Ibiza

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:57:00 +0000

Ibiza is considered a popular tourist destination, especially due to its legendary and at times riotous nightlife centered around two areas:pito Ibiza Town, the island's capital on the southern shore and Sant
Antoni
to the West. Well-known nightclubs are Privilege, Eden, Es Paradís, Amnesia, Space, Pacha, Underground, Gala Night and DC10. During the summer, the top producers and DJs in dance come to the island and play at the various clubs, in between touring to other international destinations. Some of the most famous DJs run their own weekly nights around the island. Many of these DJs use Ibiza as an outlet for presenting new songs within the house, trance and techno genres of electronic dance music.
Since 2005 live music event Ibiza Rocks has helped to redefine the Ibiza party landscape. Bands such as Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Prodigy and the Kaiser Chiefs have played in the courtyard of the Ibiza Rocks Hotel.

The season traditionally begins at the start of June with Space and DC10's opening parties and finishes on the first weekend of October with the Closing Parties. A typical schedule for clubbers going to Ibiza includes waking at noon, early evening naps, late night clubbing, and "disco sunrises". Also well-known is Café del Mar, a long-standing bar where many tourists traditionally view the sunset made famous by José Padilla. That and other bars close by have become an increasingly popular venue for club pre-parties after sunset, hosting popular DJ performers.

Sant Antoni de Portmany

Sant Antoni de Portmany or, in Spanish, San Antonio Abad is a town on the western coast of Ibiza. However, the first form is the official, while most English-speakers still refer to it as San Antonio. It is the second-largest town and municipality in Ibiza; an island long considered by clubbers to be the clubbing capital of the world. It is situated on Sant Antoni Bay on the west coast of the island, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands.

For two thousand years, Sant Antoni was a small fishing village, but it began to grow in the late 1950s when many hotels and tourist resorts were built as part of a mass tourism initiative which took place across Spain.

Young British clubbers make up the vast majority of visitors to the area, mostly attracted by programmes such as the Ibiza Uncovered series on Sky TV as well as the laid-back Ibiza lifestyle. Ibiza is home to some of the biggest nightclubs in the world including Pacha, Privilege, Space, Amnesia and Eden and Es Paradis - The latter two situated in Sant Antoni.

Cala d'Hort Beach

Cala d'Hort is a small, beloved beach with a fantastic view of the mysterious island of Es Vedra, which lies only several hundred meters from the shore. The beach itself is sandy to one side, more pebbly to the other, and in summer is extremely popular.

Backed by cliffs, it is situated at the end of a steep road. So if you're a nervous driver you may not want to attempt it as during busy times the road is reduced to single track due to the number of parked vehicles.

There is also a small boutique open in high summer selling designer beachwear.

Europe Tour - Istanbul

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:48:00 +0000

Istanbul is one of the most important tourism spots not only in Turkey but also in the world. There are thousands of hotels and other tourist-oriented industries in the city, catering to both vacationers
and visiting professionals. Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, has a number of major attractions derived from its historical status as capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. These include the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the "Blue Mosque"), the Hagia Sophia, the Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Galata Tower, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, and the Pera Palace Hotel. Istanbul has also recently became one of the biggest shopping centers of the European region by hosting malls and shopping centers, such as Metrocity, Akmerkez and Cevahir Mall, which is the biggest mall in Europe and seventh largest shopping center in the world. Other attractions include sporting events, museums, and cultural events.

Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern, is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul (formerly Constantinople), Turkey. The cistern, located 500 feet (150 m) southwest of the Hagia Sophia on the historical peninsula of Sarayburnu, was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.

The enlarged cistern provided a water filtration system for the Great Palace of Constantinople and other buildings on the First Hill, and continued to provide water to the Topkapi Palace after the Ottoman conquest in 1453 and into modern times.

The cistern was used as a location for the 1963 James Bond film From Russia with Love. In the film, it is referred to as being constructed by the Emperor Constantine, with no reference to Justinian. Its location is a considerable distance from the Soviet (now Russian) consulate, which is located in Beyoğlu, the "newer" European section of Istanbul, on the other side of the Golden Horn.

Obelisk of Theodosius

The Obelisk of Theodosius (Turkish: Dikilitaş) is the Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Tutmoses III re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople (known today as At Meydanı or Sultanahmet Meydanı, in the modern city of Istanbul, Turkey) by the Roman emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century AD.

The pedestal's east face bears an inscription in five Latin hexameters. This is slightly broken at the bottom but it was transcribed in full by travellers in the 16th century. It reads:

"This column with four sides which lay on the earth, only the emperor Theodosius dared to lift again its burden; Proclos was invited to execute his order; and this great column stood up in 32 days."

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople, except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Patriarch of Constantinople of the Western Crusader established Latin Empire. The building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1931, when it was secularized. It was opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.

Famous in particular for its massive dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have "changed the history of architecture." It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520. The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian and was the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site, the previous two having both been destroyed by rioters. It was designed by the Greek scientists Isidore of Miletus, a physicist, and Anthemius of Tralles, a mathematician.

Europe Tour - Bucharest

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:35:00 +0000

Bucharest (Romanian: Bucuresti) is the capital city, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.

Economically, Bucharest is the
most prosperous city in Romania and is one of the main industrial centres and transportation hubs of Eastern Europe. The city has a broad range of convention facilities, educational facilities, cultural venues, shopping arcades and recreational areas.

Bucharest has a large number of landmark buildings and monuments. Perhaps the most prominent of these is the Palace of the Parliament, built in the 1980s during the reign of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. Currently the largest building in Europe and the second-largest in the world, the Palace houses the Romanian Parliament (the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate), as well as the National Museum of Contemporary Art. The building also boasts one of the largest convention centres in the world.

Another well-known landmark in Bucharest is Arcul de Triumf (The Triumphal Arch), it was built in its current form in 1935 and modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. A newer landmark of the city is the Memorial of Rebirth, a stylized marble pillar unveiled in 2005 to commemorate the victims of the Romanian Revolution of 1989, which overthrew Communism.

The Romanian Athenaeum building is considered to be a symbol of Romanian culture and since 2007 is on the list of the Label of European Heritage sights.

Other cultural venues include the National Museum of Art of Romania, Museum of Natural History "Grigore Antipa", Museum of the Romanian Peasant (Muzeul Ţăranului Român), National History Museum, and the Military Museum.

Palace of the Parliament

The Palace of the Parliament (Romanian: Palatul Parlamentului) in Bucharest, Romania is a multi-purpose building containing both chambers of the Romanian Parliament. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Palace is the world's largest civilian administrative building, most expensive administrative building, and heaviest building.

The Palace was designed and nearly completed by the Ceauşescu regime as the seat of political and administrative power. Nicolae Ceauşescu named it the House of the Republic (Casa Republicii), but many Romanians call it the People's House (Casa Poporului).

Since 1997, the building has housed Romania's Chamber of Deputies, which had previously been housed in the Palace of the Patriarchy; the Romanian Senate joined them there in 2005, having previously been housed in the former Communist Party Central Committee building. The Palace also contains a massive array of miscellaneous conference halls, salons, etc. used for a wide variety of other purposes.

National Museum of Art of Romania

The National Museum of Art of Romania (Romanian: Muzeul Naţional de Artă al României) is located in the former royal palace in Revolution Square, central Bucharest, Romania, completed in 1937. It features notable collections of medieval and modern Romanian art, as well as the international collection assembled by the Romanian royal family.

In 2000, part of the museum reopened to the public, housing the modern Romanian collection and the international collection; the comprehensive Medieval art collection, which now features works salvaged from monasteries destroyed during the Ceauşescu era, reopened in spring 2002.

The modern Romanian collection features sculptures by Constantin Brâncuşi and Dimitrie Paciurea, as well as paintings by Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Theodor Pallady, Gheorghe Petraşcu, and Gheorghe Tattarescu.

The international collection includes works by Old Masters such as Domenico Veneziano, El Greco, Tintoretto, Jan van Eyck, Jan Brueghel the Elder, Peter Paul Rubens, and Rembrandt, plus a smattering of works by impressionists such as Claude Monet and Alfred Sisley. Among the most famous Old Master works in the collection are Jacopo Amigoni's portrait of the singer Farinelli, a Crucifixion by Antonello da Messina, and Alonso Cano's Christ at the Column.

The Romanian Athenaeum

The Romanian Athenaeum (Romanian: Ateneul Român) is a concert hall in the center of Bucharest, Romania and a landmark of the Romanian capital city. Opened in 1888, the ornate, domed, circular building is the city's main concert hall and home of the "George Enescu" Philharmonic and of the George Enescu annual international music festival.

In 1865, cultural and scientific personalities such as Constantin Esarcu, V. A. Urechia, and Nicolae Creţulescu founded the Romanian Atheneum Cultural Society. To serve its purposes, the Romanian Athenaeum, a building dedicated to art and science, would be erected in Bucharest.

The building was designed by the French architect Albert Galleron, built on a property that had belonged to the Văcărescu family and inaugurated in 1888, although work continued until 1897. A portion of the construction funds was raised by public subscription in a 28-year long effort, of which the slogan is still remembered today: "Donate one leu for the Ateneu!"

Europe Tour - Munich

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:19:00 +0000

Munich is the capital city of Bavaria (Bayern), Germany. It is located on the River
Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg. There are about
1.35 million people living within city limits.
Munich hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics and is a candidate city for the 2018
Winter Olympics.
The city's motto is "München mag Dich" (Munich likes you). Before 2006, it was
"Weltstadt mit Herz" (Cosmopolitan city with a heart). Its native name, München, is
derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The
city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city;
hence the monk depicted on the city's coat of arms. Black and gold—the colours of
the Holy Roman Empire—have been the city's official colours since the time of
Ludwig the Bavarian.
Modern Munich is a financial and publishing hub, and a frequently top-ranked
destination for migration and ex-patriate location in livability rankings.
Munich is noted for its architecture and culture, and the annual Oktoberfest beer
celebration is world famous. Munich's cultural scene is second to none in
Germany, with the museums even considered by some to outrank Berlin in quality.
Many travelers to Munich are absolutely stunned by the quality of the architecture.
Although it was heavily damaged by allied bombing during World War II, many of its
historic buildings have been rebuilt and the city center appears mostly as it did in
the late 1800s.

The Frauenkirche

The Frauenkirche (full name Dom zu unserer lieben Frau, "Cathedral of Our Dear
Lady") is a church in the Bavarian city of Munich that serves as the cathedral of the
Archdiocese of Munich and Freising and seat of its Archbishop. It is a landmark
and is considered a symbol of the Bavarian capital city.
The church towers are widely visible because of local height limits. The city
administration prohibits buildings with a height exceeding 109 metres (358 ft) in the
city center. Since November 2004, this prohibition has been provisionally extended
outward and as a result, no buildings may be built in the city over the
aforementioned height. The south tower is open to those wishing to climb the stairs
and offers a unique view of Munich and the nearby Alps.
The Frauenkirche was constructed from red brick in the late Gothic style within only
20 years. The building is designed very plainly, without rich Gothic ornaments.

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is a 16-18 day festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany,
running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most
famous events in Germany and the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million
people attending every year. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian
culture. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled
after the Munich event.
The Munich Oktoberfest, traditionally, takes place during the sixteen days up to
and including the first Sunday in October. In 1994, the schedule was modified in
response to German reunification so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the
1st or 2nd, then the festival will go on until October 3 (German Unity Day). Thus,
the festival is now 17 days when the first Sunday is October 2 and 18 days when it
is October 1. In 2010, the festival lasts until the first Monday in October, to mark
the 200-year anniversary of the event. The festival is held in an area named the
Theresienwiese (field, or meadow, of Therese), often called Wiesn for short, located
near Munich's centre.
Visitors eat large amounts of traditional fare such as Hendl (chicken),
Schweinebraten (roast pork), Schweinshaxe (grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch
(grilled fish on a stick), Würstl (sausages) along with Brezn (Pretzel), Knödel
(potato or bread dumplings), Kasspatzn (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato
pancakes), Sauerkraut or Blaukraut (red cabbage) along with such Bavarian
delicacies as Obatzda (a spiced cheese-butter spread) and Weisswurst (a white
sausage).

BMW Museum

The BMW Museum is located near the Olympiapark in Munich and was established
in 1972 shortly before the Summer Olympics opened. It deals with the history of the
automobile manufacturer BMW. In connection with the construction of the BMW
Welt, directly opposite the museum, it was renovated from 2004 to 2008. The
museum reopened on June 21, 2008.
The museum shows BMW's technical development throughout the company's
history. It contains engines and turbines, aircraft, motorcycles, and vehicles in a
variety of possible variations. In addition to actual models there are futuristic-
looking, even conceptual studies from the past 20 years.
The use of headphones and clever, often indirect lighting, lend the exhibition a
largely peaceful atmosphere. The emphasis is on technical development and
benefits of modernity. The building blends in with the exhibition concept.

Europe Tour - Amsterdam

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:02:00 +0000

Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, with an urban population of 1,209,419 and a metropolitan population of 2,158,592. The city is in the province of North Holland in the west of
the country. It comprises the northern part of the Randstad, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in Europe, with a population of approximately 8.1 million according to larger estimates.

Its name is derived from Amstellerdam, indicative of the city's origin: a dam in the river Amstel. Settled as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age, a result of its innovative developments in trade. During that time, the city was the leading centre for finance and diamonds.In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city expanded, and many new neighbourhoods and suburbs were formed. The 17th-century canals of Amsterdam (in Dutch: 'Grachtengordel'), located in the heart of Amsterdam, were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2010.

The city is the financial and cultural capital of the Netherlands.

The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, the oldest stock exchange in the world, is located in the city centre. Amsterdam's main attractions, including its historic canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, Hermitage Amsterdam, Anne Frank House, its red-light district, and its many cannabis coffee shops draw more than 3.66 million international visitors annually.

Magere Brug

The Magere Brug ("Skinny Bridge") is a bridge over the river Amstel in the city centre of Amsterdam. It connects the banks of the river at Kerkstraat (Church Street), between Keizersgracht (Emperors' Canal) and Prinsengracht (Princes' Canal).

A story told to tourists about the origins of the 1691 version of the bridge is that it was built by two wealthy sisters who lived on opposite sides of the Amstel river and wanted to be able to visit one another every day (and were presumably too busy, or not in good enough health, to go the long way round via another bridge, of which there must surely have been at least one). In one variant of the story the sisters, although wealthy, were not quite wealthy enough to afford a bridge of adequate width for general use and so built a very narrow bridge, hence its name. In another variant of the story the sisters' last name was Mager, hence the bridge's name (rather than from its narrowness).

The bridge can be seen in a number of films, such as the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever from 1971.

Red Light District

De Wallen is the largest and best-known red-light district in Amsterdam and a major tourist attraction. It is located in the heart of the oldest part of Amsterdam, covering several blocks south of the church Oude Kerk and crossed by several canals. De Wallen is a network of alleys containing approximately three hundred tiny one-room cabins rented by prostitutes who offer their sexual services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights. The area also has a number of sex shops, sex theatres, peep shows, a sex museum, a cannabis museum, and a number of coffee shops that sell marijuana.

De Wallen, together with the prostitution areas Singelgebied and Ruysdaelkade, form the Rosse Buurt (red light areas) of Amsterdam.

Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands, with the exception of street prostitution. While health and social services are readily available, sex workers are not required to undergo regular health checks. Brothel owners and room operators often require health certificates before employing or leasing rooms.

Dam Square

Dam Square, or simply the Dam (Dutch: de Dam) is a town square in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the most well-known and important locations in the city.

Dam Square lies in the historical center of Amsterdam, approximately 750 meters south of the main transportation hub, Centraal Station. It is roughly rectangular in shape, stretching about 200 meters from west to east and about 100 meters from north to south. It links the streets Damrak and Rokin, which run along the original course of the Amstel River from Centraal Station to Muntplein (Mint Square) and Munttoren. The Dam also marks the endpoint of other well-traveled streets, Nieuwendijk, Kalverstraat and Damstraat. A short distance beyond the northeast corner lies the main red-light district, de Wallen.

On the west end of the square is the neoclassical Royal Palace, which served as the city hall from 1655 until its conversion to a royal residence in 1808. Beside it are the 15th-century Gothic Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) and the Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. The National Monument, a white stone pillar designed by J.J.P. Oud and erected in 1956 to memorialize the victims of World War II, dominates the opposite side of the square. Also overlooking the plaza are the NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky and the upscale department store De Bijenkorf. These various attractions have turned the Dam into a tourist zone. The square abounds with city pigeons, popular for birdfeeding.

Europe Tour - Budapest

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 06:48:00 +0000

Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it serves as the
country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation
centre.

Cited as one of
the most beautiful cities in Europe, its extensive World Heritage
Site includes the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, Andrássy Avenue,
Heroes' Square and the Millennium Underground Railway, the second oldest in the
world. Other highlights include a total of 80 geothermal springs, the world's largest
thermal water cave system, second largest synagogue, and third largest Parliament
building. The city attracts about 2.3 million tourists a year.

Danube River

The Danube is Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is notable for being
classified as an international waterway.
The river originates in the Black Forest in Germany as the much smaller Brigach
and Breg rivers which join at the German town of Donaueschingen. After that it is
known as the Danube and flows southeastward for a distance of some 2850 km
(1771 miles), passing through four Central and Eastern European capitals, before
emptying into the Black Sea via the Danube Delta in Romania and Ukraine.
The Danube's watershed extends into many other countries. Many Danubian
tributaries are important rivers in their own right, navigable by barges and other
shallow-draught boats.

Andrassy Avenue

Andrássy Avenue is an iconic boulevard in Budapest, Hungary, dating back to
1872. It links Elizabeth Square with the City Park. Lined with spectacular Neo-
renaissance mansions and townhouses featuring fine facades and interiors, it was
recognised as a World Heritage Site in 2002. It is also one of Budapest's main
shopping streets, with fine cafes, restaurants, theatres, and luxury boutiques.

Notable Spots on Andrassy Avenue:

    * Hungarian State Opera House
    * Drechsler House
    * The Pest Broadway: a junction with four exquisite theatres at its four corners
    * Franz Liszt square: a square with the Academy of Music and a multitude of

cafés
    * Oktogon: junction with Grand Boulevard
    * House of Terror (Terror Háza): commemorating the two main oppressing

regimes in Hungary, Fascism and Communism, and their victims (website, ÁVH)
    * Franz Liszt Memorial House and the old Academy of Music
    * Zoltán Kodály Memorial House
    * College of Fine Arts
    * Ferenc Hopp East-Asian Art Museum
    * Heroes' Square: the entrance of the City Park, with the Millennium Monument,

the Palace of Art (Budapest), the Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest)
    * Recently opened world famous luxury fashion shops like Dolce & Gabbana,
Louis Vuitton, Armani, Gucci and more.

Matthias Church

Matthias Church (Hungarian: Mátyás-templom) is a church located in Budapest,
Hungary, at the heart of Buda's Castle District. According to church tradition, it was
originally built in Romanesque style in 1015. The current building was constructed
in the florid late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was
extensively restored in the late 19th century. It was the second largest church of
medieval Buda and the seventh largest church of medieval Hungarian Kingdom.
Officially named as the Church of Our Lady, it has been popularly named after king
Matthias, who ordered the transformation of its original southern tower. In many
respects, the 700 year history of the church serves as a symbol (or perhaps a
reminder for Hungarians) of the city's rich, yet often tragic history. Not only was the
church the scene of several coronations, including that of Charles IV in 1916 (the
last Habsburg king), it was also the site for King Matthias' two weddings (the first to
Catherine of Podiebrad and, after her death, to Beatrice of Aragon).
Inside, visitors tend to head straight for the Ecclesiastical Art museum which
begins in the medieval crypt and leads up to the St. Stephen Chapel. The gallery
contains a number of sacred relics and medieval stone carvings, along with replicas
of the Hungarian royal crown and coronation jewels.

Europe Tour - Berlin

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 06:31:00 +0000

Berlin is the capital city of Germany, and is one of the sixteen states of Germany. It has a population of 3.4 million people, and is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the eighth
most populous urban area in the European Union. Located in northeastern Germany, it is the center of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region, comprising nearly 6 million people from over 190 nations. Geographically embedded in the European Plains, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. Around one third of the city's territory is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers and lakes.

Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate (German: Brandenburger Tor) is a former city gate and one of the main symbols of Berlin and Germany. It is the only remaining gate of a series through which Berlin was once entered. One block to the north stands the Reichstag building. The gate is the monumental entry to Unter den Linden, the renowned boulevard of linden trees which formerly led directly to the city palace of the Prussian monarchs. It was commissioned by King Frederick William II of Prussia as a sign of peace and built by Carl Gotthard Langhans from 1788 to 1791. Having suffered considerable damage in World War II, the Brandenburg Gate was fully restored from 2000 to 2002 by the Stiftung Denkmalschutz Berlin (Berlin Monument Conservation Foundation). Today, it is regarded as one of Europe's most famous landmarks.

Lustgarten

The Lustgarten ("Pleasure Garden") is a park on Museum Island in central Berlin, near the site of the former Berliner Stadtschloss (Berlin City Palace) of which it was originally a part. At various times in its history, the park has been used as a parade ground, a place for mass rallies and a public park.

The area of the Lustgarten was originally developed in the 16th century as a kitchen garden attached to the Palace, then the residence of the Elector of Brandenburg, the core of the later Kingdom of Prussia

A movement to restore the Lustgarten to its earlier role as a park began once Germany was reunified in 1991. The Lustgarten now features fountains and is once again a park in the heart of a reunited Berlin.

Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie (or "Checkpoint C") was the name given by the Western Allies to the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War.

The Soviet Union prompted the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961 to stem the flow of Eastern Bloc emigration westward through what had become a "loophole" in the Soviet border system, preventing escape over the city sector border from East Berlin to West Berlin. Checkpoint Charlie became a symbol of the Cold War, representing the separation of east and west, and—for some East Germans—a gateway to freedom. Soviet and American tanks briefly faced off at the location during the Berlin Crisis of 1961.

After the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc and the reunification of Germany, the building at Checkpoint Charlie became a tourist attraction. It is now located in the Allied Museum in the Dahlem neighborhood of Berlin.

Europe Tour - Warsaw

noreply@blogger.com (ParkYank) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 06:18:00 +0000

Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River roughly 260 kilometers (162 mi) from the Baltic Sea and 300 kilometers (186 mi) from the Carpathian Mountains.

Warsaw's
name in the Polish language, Warszawa (also formerly spelled Warszewa and Warszowa), means "belonging to Warsz", Warsz being a shortened form of the Slavic male name Warcisław. Folk etymology attributes the city name to a fisherman Wars and his wife Sawa. According to legend, Sawa was a mermaid living in the Vistula River who Wars fell in love with.

Warsaw's mixture of architectural styles reflects the turbulent history of the city and country. During WWII, Warsaw was razed to the ground by bombing raids and planned destruction. After liberation, rebuilding began as in other cities of the communist-ruled PRL. Most of the historical buildings were thoroughly reconstructed. However, some of the buildings from the 19th century that had been preserved in reasonably reconstructible form were nonetheless eradicated in the 1950s and 1960s (e.g. Leopold Kronenberg Palace). Mass residential blocks were erected, with basic design typical of Eastern bloc countries. Warsaw's current urban landscape is one of modern and contemporary architecture.

St. John's Cathedral

St. John's Cathedral is a Catholic church in Warsaw's Old Town, one of 3 cathedrals in the Polish capital. St. John's stands immediately adjacent to Warsaw's Jesuit church, and is one of the oldest churches in the city and the main church of the Warsaw archdiocese. St. John's Cathedral is one of Poland's national pantheons. Along with the city, the church has been listed by UNESCO as of cultural significance.

Warsaw Uprising Museum

The Warsaw Uprising Museum (Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego, officially translated into English as the Warsaw Rising Museum), located in the district of Wola in Warsaw, Poland, is a museum dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. The institution of the Museum was established in 1983, but no construction work took place for many years, and the museum finally opened on July 31, 2004, marking the 60th anniversary of the Uprising.

The Museum sponsors research into the history of the Uprising, and the history and possessions of the Polish Underground State. It collects and maintains hundreds of artefacts, ranging from weapons used by the insurgents to love letters, in order to present a full picture of the people involved. The Museum's stated goals include the creation of an archive of historical information on the Uprising and the recording of the stories and memories of the still living Uprising participants.

Ujazdow Castle

Ujazdów Castle (Polish: Zamek Ujazdowski) is a castle in the historic Ujazdów district, between Ujazdów Park (Park Ujazdowski) and the Royal Baths Park (Łazienki Królewskie), in Warsaw, Poland.

The castle currently houses Centre for Contemporary Art, with some permanent and temporary exhibitions, concerts, shows and creative workshops. The centre also develops unique art programs that correlated with the reconstruction and organization of the Ujazdów Castle architectural spaces. The Centre of Contemporary Art currently realizes about 500 projects a year. The director is the Italian Fabio Cavallucci.