The Hungarian Parliament It lies in Budapest, in Lajos Kossuth Square, on the bank of the Danube. The parliament is part of the world heritage. The Holy Crown of Hungary is placed here. There are altogether 242 sculptures on the walls. It is 268 m (879 ft) long and 123 m (404 ft) wide. Its interior includes 10 courtyards, 13 passenger and freight elevators, 27 gates, 29 staircases and 691 rooms (including more than 200 offices). With its height of 96 m (315 ft), it is one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest.
Budapest was united from three cities in 1873 and seven years later the diet resolved to establish a new, representative Parliament Building, expressing the sovereignty of the nation. An international competition was held, and Imre Steindl emerged as the victor. Construction from the winning plan was started in 1885 and the building was inaugurated on the 1000th anniversary of the country in 1896, and completed in 1904. About one thousand people were involved in construction, during which 40 million bricks, half a million precious stones and 40 kilograms (88 lb) of gold were used.
Eger is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Hungary. Situated in the northeast, the town is rich in history, monuments and famous for its wines and medicinal waters.
The fortress of Eger, now a protected historic monument, is the site of the Istv谩n Dob贸 Castle Museum. Permanent exhibitions cover the history of the castle, the underground fortification system (Casemates), while another exhibits the medieval forms of punishment. Carvings from the destroyed cathedral can be seen in the lapidarium.
St. Stephen, first king of Hungary, founded a bishopric in Eger sometime between 1001 and 1009 AD. The town’s ecclesiastical importance led to the construction of a stone fortress for its protection in 1248, built around a Romanesque cathedral. Over the next several hundred years, high- and late-Gothic cathedrals were built to replace this church, which had since fallen into ruin. The episcopal seat, situated within the castle precinct, enjoyed its golden age during the 15th century Renaissance, when the town was one of the country’s most important cultural centres. By the 16th century, the Turkish invasion was in full swing, with Buda falling in the 1540’s. In 1552 the Turks turned their attention to one of the biggest obstacles in the region, the fortress of Eger. The Hungarian defenders, only two thousand strong, managed to withstand a five-week siege by a force about forty times its size. This heroic show of defiance is considered to be one of the most outstanding military events in Hungarian history, and was immortalized in Géza Gárdonyi’s world-famous historical novel, Egri Csillagok (lit. “The Stars of Eger” though the English translation used the alternate title “Eclipse of the Crescent Moon”). The marble sarcophagus of István Dobó, the heroic captain of the fortress during the 1552 siege, can be found in the Heroes’ Hall. The Art Gallery, also hosted in the castle, has one of the finest art collections in Hungary with works by Dutch, Italian, Austrian, and Hungarian masters.
LOCATION It is situated nearby Ĺ iauliai, about 12 km north of this city, in northern Lithuania.
The hill of Crosses is a unique place with thousands of sacral monuments placed on one hill. The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed on the former JurgaiÄ?iai or Domantai hill fort after the 1831 Uprising. Over the centuries, not only crosses, but giant crucifixes, carvings of Lithuanian patriots, statues of the Virgin Mary and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries have been brought here by Catholic pilgrims. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but estimates put it at about 55,000 in 1990 and 100,000 in 2006. The Hill of Crosses has always been used as a place for Lithuanians to pray for peace, for their country, and for the loved ones they had lost during the Wars of Independence. The hill remains under nobody's jurisdiction; therefore people are free to build crosses as they see fit.
Short History Over the centuries, the place has come to signify the peaceful endurance of Lithuanian Catholicism despite the threats it faced throughout history. After the 3rd partition of the Polish– Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795, Lithuania became part of the Russian Empire. Poles and Lithuanians unsuccessfully rebelled against Russian authorities in 1831 and 1863. These two uprisings are connected with the beginnings of the hill: as families could not locate bodies of perished rebels, they started putting up symbolic crosses in place of a former hill fort. Most recently, the site took on a special significance during the years 1944–1990, when Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union. Continuing to travel to the Hill and leave their tributes, Lithuanians used it to demonstrate their allegiance to their original identity, religion and heritage. It was a venue of peaceful resistance, although the Soviets worked hard to remove new crosses, and bulldozed the site at least three times (including attempts in 1963 and 1973). On September 7, 1993, Pope John Paul II visited the Hill of Crosses, declaring it a place for hope, peace, love and sacrifice. In 2000 a Franciscan hermitage was opened nearby.
This twenty-four year old statue is not only beautiful, but it is also incredibly fascinating. It stands in the square near the Pivonijos market in Ukmergė. Ukmergė, once known as Vilkmergė, is a town nestled in the heart of Lithuania. However, what makes this place stand out to lots of visitors is the Wolf Maiden (This is referenced in the former name of the town, Vilk meaning wolf, and Merge meaning maiden). The sculptor V. Ketvirtis created it. The statue reminds everybody the fact that in the past the name of our town was Vilkmergė which was later shortened and became Ukmergė. However, the name Vilkmergė is very popular nowadays – it is the name of a restaurant, the river, the street, shops and other items.
Some of the stories regarding this seem to vary. Some indicate that the woman shown here was a girl raised by wolves. Another says she was a priestess who lived in the dark forest and could drive attacking wolves away. Sometimes people called her Sacrifice Girl (sacrifice means auka) , because she sacrificed herself. So UkmergÄ— not very long was AukmergÄ—.
But another describes her as a witch who obeyed the kings of the forest, even if those kings happened to be wolves. . .
WAWEL LOCATION Wawel Castle is situated in one of the biggest and the most famous Polish cities – Cracow. It is in the south of Poland, on the left bank of the Vistula river at an altitude of 228 metres above the sea level. GENERAL INFORMATION
As in 1138, Kraków became the capital of Poland and the Wawel’s Cathedral became the coronation place of the Polish kings, the castle became their most important residence. Three dynasties made their home at Wawel. First the dynasty of Piast. The last of the Piast – Casimir III the Great (1310-1370), who built tens of defensive castles throughout Poland, developed Wawel into the biggest Polish castle. Then the Angevins and the Jagiellons made the castle the centre of their powerful state. Wawel consists of a number of structures situated around the central courtyard. It is a royal residence with an area of 7,040 m² of 71 exhibition halls. You can find there: representation royal chambers , private royal apartments , crown treasury, armoury.
SHORT HISTORY After the fire of 1499 destroyed Wawel, king Sigismundus I The Old invited Italian architects, Polish, Italian, German and Dutch artists to build Wawel. They rebuilt the place as we see it today – a splendid Renaissance royal residence, with its impressive volume placed high on the hill, beautiful courtyard. When King Sigismund III of the Vasa dynasty moved the capital of Poland from Cracow to Warsaw in 1609, Wawel lost its importance. However, the castle remained the coronation place and the Royal Treasury seat. After the third partition of Poland in 1795, the city of Kraków belonged to the Austrian Empire. The Wawel castle became Austrian army caserne and served as such until 1905. In 1930, the National Museum has been established on the Wawel hill. Today Wawel is an interesting museum with several exhibitions open permanently to the public. According to the legend, a huge dragon spiting with fire used to live and to terrorize the Krakow’s population. A shoemaker poisoned the dragon giving him to eat the sheep staffed with sulfur. The thirsty dragon, crawled out of the cave, drank tons of water from the Vistula River and burst into pieces. the shoemaker married the prince’s daughter and became the prince on the Wawel hill himself.
POZNANSKI’S PALACE LOCATION
The Poznański’s Palace along with its garden is located in the northern part Lodz, in the close neighbourhood of factory buildings and labourers’ houses .Lodz is one of the biggest Polish cities situated 120 km from the capital – Warsaw. GENERAL INFORMATION
The Poznanski’s Palace is known as one of the largest and greatest residences. The Palace, built in 19th century, was bought by a Jewish factory-owner Izrael Poznanski in 1877. The effort of many architects , designers and artists resulted in the present shape of the building, which is much more decorative than others in Lodz. The front of the palace is very interesting: it is decorated with copulas, pinnacles, and shields with monogram "P", garlands of fruit and other architectural details. The palace was functionally connected with a huge cotton production plant, a housing estate for workers and other buildings. In 1975, the main part of the building was adapted by Museum of the City of Lodz.
SHORT HISTORY The corner-storeyed brick house gave the beginning of this monumental building. The property has changed over time in the palace-garden complex, repeatedly transformed as the changing social status of the Poznanski's family. The financial failure of the Poznanski’s company, which began with World War I and deepened because of the global crisis in the 20s of the 20th century, led to changes in the company management. The palace, still formally owned by Poznanski, had new users, and the family was not interested in its maintenance. Since World War I, the residence was rebuilt many times and often changed its owners. In September of 1939, the palace was occupied by the Germans. After the war, the palace became the seat of the Regional Office, and since 1950 - the Regional Bureau of the National Council. Since October 1975, it is home to the Museum of the City of Lodz. Next to the palace, in the former factory buildings, the biggest shopping and entertainment centre in Lodz was built. It is called Manufaktura. It offers a variety of attractions (cinemas, restaurants, museums, shops) and has become a meeting place for young people.
BRAN CASTLE
LOCATION Town: Bran County: Brasov ●During Queen Marie's time, Bran Castle witnessed a period of glory as a royal residence. The domain of Bran Castle was extended by the Queen by purchasing or transferring the meadows around the castle into her property.
GENERAL INFORMATION ●Bran Castle is a national monument and landmark in Romania. Commonly known as "Dracula's Castle", it is marketed as the home of the titular character in Bram Stoker's Dracula. There is, however, no evidence that Stoker knew anything about this castle. ●The castle is now a museum open to tourists, displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie. At the bottom of the hill there is a small open air museum park exhibiting traditional Romanian peasant structures (cottages, barns, etc.) from across the country.
●In 1957, ten years after the beginning of the communist regime, Bran Castle became a museum, which was comprised of three sections: the Castle Section, which included items from the collection of royal objects; the Medieval Customs Section, which is currently undergoing restoration; and the open-air Ethnography Section, which is located in the Castle Park.
SHORT HISTORY ●The first documented mentioning of Bran Castle is the act issued by Louis of Hungary on November 19, 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Braşov) the privilege to build the stone citadel on their own expense and labor force; the settlement of Bran began to develop nearby. ● In 1438–1442, the castle was used in defense against the Otoman Empire and later became a customs post on the mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia. It is believed the castle was briefly held by Mircea the Elder of Wallachia during whose period the customs point was established.
●The Wallachian ruler Vlad Ţepeş (Vlad the Impaler) 1448–1476 does not seem to have had a significant role in the history of the fortress, although he passed several times through the Bran Gorge. Bran Castle belonged to the Magyar Kings but due to KingVladislas’s failure to repay loans, the city of Brasov gained possession of the fortress in 1533. Bran played a militarily strategic role up to the mid-18th century. ●In 1920, the castle became a royal residence within the Kingdom of Romania. It became the favorite home and retreat of Queen Marie. The castle was inherited by her daughter Princess Ileana and was later seized by the communist regime with the expulsion of the royal family in 1948.
THE CHINDIA TOWER
LOCATION Town: Targoviste County: Dambovita
● The Chindia Tower, the most important tourist attraction in Târgovişte, is considered the city's symbol. ● The tower elements are present in the city's emblem, at the top and also at the bottom. ● As a monument, the tower now houses an exhibition of documents, weapons and objects which belonged to Vlad the Impaler. GENERAL INFORMATION ● The Chindia Tower was built in the 15th century. The tower was begun during the second reign of Prince Vlad III the Impaler over Valahia, taking its final form during the 19th century. ● It initially had a military purpose, but during history it has been used as a guard point, a fire spotter and for storing and protecting the state treasury. ● Between 1847 and 1851, the Chindia Tower was completely restored by Gheorghe Bibescu, who added 5 meters (16 ft) to its height. ● The building in its current form has a height of 27 meters (89 ft) and a diameter of 9 meters (30 ft).
SHORT HISTORY ●There are two contrasting hypotheses on the origin of the name of the tower, neither of them fully recognized; the first argues that the area around the tower was the site of many large feasts and festivals, known in Romanian as chindia. ●It has also been suggested that the name originates from the word chindia, an archaism which means "sunset"( the tower is also called “The Sunset Tower”), the period of the day in which the guard had the obligation to give the curfew signal, before closing the city's five gates. After this time, people were prohibited from entering or leaving the city throughout the night, and residents were required not to pass through the streets and not to maintain outdoor fires that would have made the town visible from the distance.
●Chindia Tower’s architecture differs from that of other buildings belonging to the Royal Court. The tower is distinguished by its cylindrical shape. Access to the top of the tower is made through a drawbridge. ●Chindia Tower is built of brick and stone. Access to upper floors (three in number) is through an interior wooden staircase spiral. Works during the Prince George Bibescu and the reign of Barbu Stirbei were influenced by the neo-Gothic style, which can be seen in this case. Moreover, the tower presents balconies supported by stone. At the lower floor you can see the presence of empty spaces, so it is assumed that they would have served as places of drawing.
The Alhambra is the name of a palace and fortress complex that forms one of the most popular tourist attractions of Spain. It is situated on the southeastern border of the city of Granada. It was built by the Nasrid rulers of Granada, in order to serve as a fortress for military purposes. Later, mainly with the arrival of Mohammed ben Al-Hamar, it was transformed into the royal residence.
It is a massive castle constructed over many centuries. It consists of gardens, fortifications and sumptuous palaces. The architecture of Alhambra, as it stands today, is a blend of Islamic (initial) as well as 16th century Christian (later additions) styles.
Interesting Facts about The Alhambra The complete name of Alhambra is "Qal'at al-Hambra", which means "The Red Fortress". The strategic location of Alhambra allows a view over the whole city as well as the meadow (la Vega). Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, got a Palace of Charles V erected within Alhambra, in 1527. Though the buildings of Alhambra were initially whitewashed, they are now seen as reddish today. A part of Alhambra was blown up during French domination, but the repair and restoration was carried out as late as 19th century. Nowadays it receives 8,000 visitors per day and is Spain's most visited monument. The Alhambra is considered by some to be one of the 7 wonders of the world. The walls are full with beautiful tiles and words from The Koran.
The Cathedral of Malaga, dedicated to the incarnation of the Virgin, is one of the richest Renaissance Baroque style cathedrals that exist in Spain and the most representative monument of the city.
It is situated in the historic centre of the town. The building sits where a mosque-Moorish quarter once existed. Work began in the first half of the 16th century, in the Gothic style, ordered by the Catholic Monarchs, and continued in the 17th and 18th centuries. It has its own gardens and a magnificent courtyard.
Most noteworthy are the choir stalls (17th century) in the central nave and, especially, the sculptural works by Pedro de Mena. The two organs are magnificent musical instruments, rare examples of 18th century pieces that have over 4,000 pipes and are still in good working condition.
The south tower and the main faรงade are unfinished. Nevertheless, this fact has, over time, become an original feature that is the origin of its being nicknamed La Manquita (onearmed).
Mount Nemrut ( A World Heritage site by UNESCO)
It’s near AdĹyaman in southeastern part of Turkey
Aside from the statues, the conical shape of the mountain where Nemrut Dagi stands is also something unique. Watching the sunrise and sunset from the summit is a great way to enjoy.
It was built by Antiochos the First one of the kings of the Kommagene dynasty which ruled that area from 80 BC to 72AD. Antiochus the First built the site as a debt of gratitude to the gods and to his ancestors and as an example of his piety to his people. Discovered quite by chance in 1838 by a German officer serving in the Ottoman army. In the 1880s books were written about the site but restoration did not begin there until the 1980's. The site was declared a national park in 1989. Once you get to the top you an see the amazing massive stone statues overlooking the terraces containing the heads of the gods. These statues are said to be in honor of Antiochos' ancestors. The heads of the gods (some of whom have toppled over) are as follows: ďƒž Apollo/Mithras
Artagnes/Herakles
ďƒž Zeus/Oromasdes
Hera/Teleia
ďƒž Helios/Hermes Their names are given in Greek and Persian showing the comingling of religions at that time. The gods were headgear in the Persian fashion and the goddess
Didim, home of the antique city of Didyma with its ruined Temple of Apollo, is a small town, popular seaside holiday resort and district of Ayd覺n Province on the Aegean coast of western Turkey, 123 km (76 mi) from the city of Ayd覺n.
This coast has become a very popular holiday resort and is genuinely attractive with its long sandy beaches, clear blue sea, ancient ruins to visit, and its own microclimate, benefitting from hundreds of days of sun a year and warm winters, allowing residents to enjoy the famous beaches and watersports even in January. Perhaps the most attractive bays are the smaller quieter ones further from the centre, such as Haydar, along a dirt road around the shore of Akb羹k.(white bay).
Short history
Didyma means "twin" and refers to the twins Apollo and Artemis, who were born to Zeus and Leto. The Temple of Artemis was in the nearby city of Miletus, while the much more important Temple of Apollo was in Didyma. Didyma was an important sacred site in the ancient Greek world. The earliest fragments of the temple found far date to the end of the 8th century BC. Its famous oracle and Temple of Apollo attracted crowds of pilgrims and was second in importance only to Delphi. Today, the temple's magnificent ruins still attract thousands of visitors .The modern name of the town is Didim.
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