Ireland - Traveling Thru History

Top Historic Sites in Europe, Part 6

Erin — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 08:04:19 +0000

Welcome to Part 6 of my Top Historic Sites in Europe series! I’m glad you came back to check out some more fantastic sites. So far we’ve done the top historic sites from 50 countries in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 and today you’ll get to see the last three countries along with seven bonus sites! I have really loved learning more about these countries along with the significance of some of their historic sites and I’m so excited to share this with you. With a recorded history going back over 37,000 years, there are just way too many fascinating places to see them all. That’s why I’ve partnered with other travel bloggers to find out which sites are of the most historic and significant importance for each of these countries. I hope you’ll enjoy what we’ve put together. Monaco – Monaco Palace Monaco Palace is formally known as the Prince’s Palace in Monaco and was first built as a Genoese fortress in 1191. In 1297, the Grimaldi family captured the fortress through the deception of Francois Grimaldi and made it their stronghold as feudal lords. In the 17th century, the Grimaldi family became sovereign rulers. Before becoming sovereign rulers, the Grimaldi family had to go through a series of the usual hardships of the era. During the 1330s, Charles Grimaldi the First strengthened the fortress and made it strong enough to withstand over 100 years worth of attacks from Genoa, Pisa, Venice, Naples, France, Spain, Germany, England and Provence. Between the 1340s and 1370s, the fortress frequently changed hands between the Grimaldi family and the Genoese and in the end, the Grimaldi family was able to retain ownership of the property. In the 15th century, the fortress was expanded enough to accommodate roughly 400 soldiers as well as the addition of several buildings and a large new wing that signified the beginning of the fortress becoming a palace. While Monaco Palace has been the seat of the Grimaldi family, they have not always resided there. The Grimaldi family were absentee rulers from 1662 through the mid 1700s, choosing instead to live in France at Versailles. In 1793, the family lost the Palace for a short period during the French Revolution while they were placed in exile. In 1814, the Treaty of Paris saw Monaco returned to the Grimaldi family, where it has remained ever since, though not always as a primary residence. Various descendants of the Grimaldi family have chosen to live either at the family estate of Le Marchais outside Paris or in Germany. Prince Rainier III began extensive renovations on the palace starting in 1949 and the family once again returned to the palace that has been their seat of power for over 700 years. Erin Tracy is the owner and author of this blog, Traveling Thru History, which she uses to share her love of history, culture, and travel with her readers. You can also find stories and pictures of her travels on her Facebook page. Wales – Cardiff Castle Cardiff Castle was built in the late 11th century by Norman invaders on top of a 3rd-century Roman fort. The castle was originally built with wood and stone, but in the 12th century it was rebuilt completely in stone. These stones were strong enough to withstand multiple attacks by the Anglo-Normans and the Welsh. In 1423, Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, conducted extensive renovations and added the main range on the west side of the castle along with the tall octagonal tower that is seen there today. Around the 1490s, Cardiff Castle began to have less significance as a military outpost, though it wasn’t until the 1550s that the castle began being transformed into a residential property. 1642 saw the castle change hands when Parliamentary forces overran the grounds during the English Civil War, though Royalists regained the property in 1645. The castle was again fought over during the Second English Civil War in 1648 and was almost destroyed by Parliament after the war, but it was eventually decided to garrison troops on the grounds as protection against the Scottish. In the 18th century, the Marquess of Bute. John Stuart, received the castle when he married Charlotte Jane Windsor, daughter of Thomas, Viscount Windsor. After receiving the newly created peerage title of Marquess in the mid-1770s, John Stuart began renovating Cardiff Castle. Several stone walls were removed, a hall and the knights’ houses were demolished, and the grounds were flattened to allow for turf. The main part of the castle had sections removed, two new wings added, and various features updated. The grounds had trees and greenery removed, the moat was filled, and a summer house was built. The castle remained the same until 1868 when the third Marquess of Bute decoded to remodel the castle. It had sat mostly empty since 1814 with only occasional occupants, leading to a low level of disrepair. The third Marquess of Bute added a 150-foot clock tower that contained a lavishly decorated bedroom, servant’s quarters, and smoking rooms. Various other rooms were added to the castle at this time, including the Guest Tower, Arab Room, Chaucer Room, nursery, library, roof garden, Banqueting Hall and bedrooms. All of these rooms were heavily gilded with elaborate carvings, paintings, accents, and stained glass. The grounds were also heavily altered to remove any trace of medieval or Roman times and reinstall the trees and shrubberies which were previously removed. In 1921, the fourth Marquess of Bute restored the masonry to what it was in medieval times and rebuilt various gates and towers that had been part of the original castle. He allowed archaeological investigations of the property to discover Roman walls, which led to the redesign of other buildings which were restored. He also tore out the grand staircase that had been added in the 19th century. Further restorations were carried out after 1947 when the castle was handed over to the city of Cardiff. Erin Tracy is the owner and author of this blog, Traveling Thru History, which she uses to share her love of history, culture, and travel with her readers. You can also find stories and pictures of her travels on her Facebook page. Ukraine – Kiev Pechersk Lavra Kiev Pechersk Lavra is also known as the Monastery of the Caves. It is a historic Orthodox Christian monastery which gave its name to one of the city districts where it is located in Kiev. This Monastery was founded in 1051 by an Orthodox monk named Anthony who hailed from an Esphigmenon monastery on Mount Athos. He chose a cave in the Besetov Mountains overlooking the Dnieper River and was eventually granted the entire mountain by Prince Iziaslav I, at which point the monastery was built by architects from Constantinople. This monastery became the preeminent center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Eastern Europe. In conjunction with the nearby Saint Sophia Cathedral, this monastery has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main church of the monastery of Dormition Cathedral. The original monastery was built in the 11th century, but was unfortunately destroyed in 1941 when German Nazis occupied the city. There is debate about whether the Germans destroyed the monastery while taking over the city or if the Russians were responsible while enacting the Khreshchatyk explosions to blow up all the bridges in Kiev. While we many never know who was truly responsible for destroying an ancient masterpiece, the structure has been reconstructed to fit its original design. Along with the beautiful monastery, Pechersk Lavra boasts several other architectural marvels. The All Saints Church erected between 1696–1698 is a stunning example of Ukrainian Baroque architecture. Characteristic of the church facades are rich architectural embellishments. In 1905 students of the Lavra art school painted the interior walls of the church. The carved wooden iconostasis is multi-tiered and was made for the All Saints church in the early 18th century. The Gate Church of the Trinity is located atop the Holy Gates, which houses the entrance to the monastery. According to a legend, this church was founded by the Chernihiv Prince Sviatoslav II. It was built atop an ancient stone church which used to stand in its place. In 1718, a fire destroyed the church, but it was quickly rebuilt, its facades and interior walls decorated with ornate stucco work made by V. Stefaovych. In the 18th century, a new gilded pear-shaped dome was built, the facade and exterior walls were decorated with stucco-moulded plant ornaments, and a vestibule built of stone attached to the north end. In the early 20th, century the front and the walls flanking the entrance were painted by icon painters under the guidance of V. Sonin. The interior of the church also contains murals by the early 18th century painter Alimpy Galik. The Great Lavra Bell Tower was designed by Johann Gottfried Schädel. This structure is 96.5 meters in height and was the tallest free-standing bell tower at the time of its construction in 1731–1745. The refectory chambers with the Church of the Saints Anthony and Theodosius is the third in a series of temples. The original temple was built in the 12th century and no drawings or visual depictions of it remain. The second temple was built at the time of the Cossack Hetmanate and was disassembled by the Russian authorities in the 19th century. It was replaced with the current temple, often referred to as the Refectory Church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. Erin Tracy is the owner and author of this blog, Traveling Thru History, which she uses to share her love of history, culture, and travel with her readers. You can also find stories and pictures of her travels on her Facebook page. BONUS SITES We’ve hit all the countries in Europe and given some history about the top site for each country, but it’s always hard to pick just one. Here are 7 more sites you won’t want to miss. Romania – Bran Castle Bran Castle is famously known as Dracula’s Castle. It is located on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia in Romania. The first structure to sit on this site was the castle of Dietrichstein, which Teutonic Knights built out of wood in 1212. This castle was destroyed by Mongols in 1242. In 1377, Louis I of Hungary gave Saxons permission to build a stone castle on the site, which was eventually used in defense against the Ottoman Turks in 1438-1442. When it wasn’t being used defensively, the castle was a customs post for those who traveled the mountain pass between Transylvania and Wallachia. In 1533, the City of Brasov took possession of the castle as payment for outstanding loans made to King Vladislas of Hungary. From that time forward, the castle played a militarily strategic role up to the mid-18th century. The next notable event in the castle’s history was in 1920 when the Treaty of Trianon granted Transylvania to Romania, along with Bran Castle, which became the royal residence in Romania. Queen Marie ordered extensive restoration work on the castle to bring it back to its medieval splendor. During WWII, the castle was used as a hospital before it was seized by the communist regime in 1948. At this time the royal family was exiled from Romania. It wasn’t until 2005 that the castle was returned to the Habsburg family who then carried out further restorations before opening the castle as the first private museum in Romania in 2009. Erin Tracy is the owner and author of this blog, Traveling Thru History, which she uses to share her love of history, culture, and travel with her readers. You can also find stories and pictures of her travels on her Facebook page. Greece – Erechtheion The Erechtheion (also called Erechtheumis) an ancient Greek temple on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens in Greece. The Persians had destroyed much of the city during an invasion, so Pericles, the general of Athens from 461-429 BC, commissioned two men to restore the damaged buildings atop the Acropolis. Along with restoring the sacred religious building the Persians had destroyed, Pericles also requested that they build another building, The Erechtheion. The purpose for the Erechtheion is...

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Top Historic Sites in Europe, Part 5

Erin — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 02:30:37 +0000

Welcome to Part 5 of my Top Historic Sites in Europe series! I’m glad you came back to check out some more fantastic sites. So far we’ve done the top historic sites from 40 countries in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 and today you’ll get to see 10 more in Part 5! I have really loved learning more about these countries along with the significance of some of their historic sites and I’m so excited to share this with you. With a recorded history going back over 37,000 years, there are just way too many fascinating places to see them all. That’s why I’ve partnered with other travel bloggers to find out which sites are of the most historic and significant importance for each of these countries. I hope you’ll enjoy what we’ve put together today. Austria – Melk Abbey Melk Abbey is a Benedictine abbey that was founded in 1089 when Leopold II gave one of his castles to a monk from Lambach Abbey. It was used as an abbey until the 12th century when it was converted to a monastic school. Over the centuries, Melk Abbey became renowned for the extensive manuscript collection housed there and for the monastery’s production of manuscripts. This abbey is also known for being the center of the Melk Reform movement in the 15th century. Unfortunately, the original Melk Abbey no longer stands. Sometime in the 16th century, the abbey was torn down and in 1702, the current Baroque structure was built. It took 34 years to finish the abbey and adorn it with medieval frescoes, after which it was filled with the current collection of medieval manuscripts. In the late 1780s, Austria underwent a period when the Emperor begane dissolving abbeys around the country. Because of its notoriety and academic standing, the abbey was spared. Melk Abbey was also threatened during the Napoleonic Wars, but it wasn’t until the Anschluss in 1938 that the abbey was ever taken over. The Austrian State closed the school at Melk Abbey and took over several buildings in the complex. It wasn’t until after WWII that the school returned to the abbey, where it still resides today. Erin Tracy is the owner and author of Traveling Thru History, which she uses to share her love of history, culture, and travel with her readers. You can also find stories and pictures of her travels on her Facebook , Instagram, and Twitter pages. Cyprus – Stavrovouni Monastery Stavrovouni Monastery was founded by Saint Helena, the mother of Byzantine Emperor Constantine I, around 327–329 AD and is one of the oldest monasteries in the world. During Saint Helena’s pilgrimage to find the cross Jesus Christ was crucified on, as told in the Stavelot Triptych, she is said to have found the three crosses Jesus Christ and the two thieves had been hung on. After excavating them and beginning her journey back to Constantinople, she was shipwrecked in Cyprus and the Holy Cross miraculously transported to the top of the mountain where a bright light was being emitted. Saint Helena attempted to remove the Holy Cross several times, but it would not come out. Once she decided to leave a piece of it there and build a chapel around it, the Holy Cross removed from the mountain. After the chapel was built, a group of Orthodox monks began living there. They were the caretakers of the Holy Cross until it disappeared during the 1500s. It is assumed the Ottoman Turks took it or destroyed it during their occupation of the island, with it being noted the cross was gone in 1598. The Turks took control of Cyprus and banned the monks from the monastery from the 16th to the 19th centuries. A fire almost destroyed the church, iconostasis, and monks’ cells during a fire in 1888 when it was reinhabited, but it took less than a year to repair the damage and get the monastery up and running again. Unfortunately, the only ancient relic that still exists is a silver cross that houses a small sliver of the Holy Cross that once stood there. Since the 1890s, Stavrovouni Monastery has become the spiritual center of Cyprus. Monks are trained at Stavrovouni Monastery and then sent to struggling monasteries in the region to help them grow. Because of its popularity and success, the monastery was restored in the 20th century and is now adorned with frescoes and icons that tell the legend of its founding. Erin Tracy is the owner and author of Traveling Thru History, which she uses to share her love of history, culture, and travel with her readers. You can also find stories and pictures of her travels on her Facebook , Instagram, and Twitter pages. Poland – Auschwitz Auschwitz-Birkenau has to be one of the saddest places we have even been. What was once a Polish Army Barracks was turned into one of the most notorious Nazi Concentration Camps of WWII. Auschwitz I was originally constructed to house Polish political prisoners before becoming one of the biggest extermination camps with the building of Auschwitz II-Birkenau a few kilometres away. The first trains carrying Jewish men, women and children arrived at Birkenau in September 1941 where they were unloaded and selected for either work at the camp or where sent to the gas chambers that were onsite. The Auschwitz I barracks or ‘blocks’ were also used to do medical experiments on some of the prisoners that came through the camps. Dr Joseph Mengele was one doctor that did hideous experiments on people especially twins while he was at the camp. It is believed that over 1.3 million Jews were murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau from its opening until late 1944 where the remaining prisoners were left to either starve at the camp or led on a death march as the liberating armies approached. Auschwitz II-Birkenau was finally liberated by the Red Army on the afternoon of the 27th of January, 1945 with Auschwitz one being reached a few hours later. I believe visiting here gives you a greater sense of the loss and the scale in which it was reached. The barracks are now places that tell the stories of the camp, the unspeakable things that happened there. It is a home to some peoples possessions that were left at the camp when it was liberated and a reminder that it should never, ever happen again. Bec Wyld of Wyld Family Travel and her family are from a small country town in Victoria, Australia. They juggle full-time jobs, school, a mortgage, and life with fitting as much travel and day trips in as possible, all of which they share on their Facebook page along with fun, affordable attractions and destinations. Czech Republic – Prague Astronomical Clock In Prague’s Old Town Square stands one of the most unique clocks in the world. It is made of three parts: an astronomical dial, a set of clockwork figures called “The Walk of the Apostles,” and a calendar dial with medallions representing the months of the year. A popular legend in the city says that if the clock is neglected and is unable to operate well, the city will suffer, but it is unknown if the city did suffer during the many times the clock stopped working. The first part of the clock created was the mechanical clock and astronomical dial in 1410. It is believed the calendar dial was added in 1490 and the gothic sculpture facade was added around the same time. Another legend surrounding the clock tells that the Prague Councillors ordered that the clockmaker, Hanus, be blinded so he couldn’t repeat his work. As revenge, he disabled the clock and it took over a hundred years for anyone to figure out how to fix what he’d done. The next change after the clock was repaired in 1552 came in 1629 when wooden statues were added to the clock. Major repair work was carried out from 1787 to 1791 and that was when the figures of the Apostles were added. Later, during repair work in 1865, the golden rooster was added. In May 1945, during WWII, the Germans fired on Czechs who were resisting the occupation and damaged the clock. Buildings in the square were burned as well as the wooden sculptures on the clock and the original calendar dial face from 1490. It took three years to repair the damage and restore wooden Apostle sculptures on the clock. Since 1948, the clock has only stopped working twice. The first time was in 2005 when the statues and lower calendar ring were restored and nets were added to keep the pigeons off the clock. The second time ws in July 2017 when additional renovations were carried out on the tower. Erin Tracy is the owner and author of Traveling Thru History, which she uses to share her love of history, culture, and travel with her readers. You can also find stories and pictures of her travels on her Facebook , Instagram, and Twitter pages. Iceland – Hólar í Hjaltadal Hólar Cathedral is a small and well-known church high up in the mountains of Iceland. While this is one of the oldest churches in Iceland, it isn’t the first church to sit on this site. Six previous churches stood in its place and none were fated to last very long. The first church on this site built in 1050. That one was destroyed a few decades after it was finished and another was built in the late 11th century. The second church fared no better and was rebuilt in the early 12th century. This church lasted until the end of the 13th century and the fourth was built in 1300. That church lasted around 90 years and was rebuilt around 1394. The sixth, and final church, was erected in 1757. Once the present church was completed in 1763, it was consecrated a cathedral. Hólar lost its standing in 1801 when the Diocese of Hólar was dissolved and combined with the Diocese of Iceland. This was short-lived and the church was once again consecrated a cathedral in 1909 when the Diocese of Hólar was reestablished. While the red stone church may seem small and unassuming, it is very interesting and important to the people of Iceland. Hólar is the oldest stone church in the country and one of the best known historic sites in Iceland. The red color of the stones used to build the church were mined from the mountains above the city. Another item of note is that a copy of the first Icelandic Bible from 1584 is on display inside the church. As for the tower beside the church, this free-standing tower was built in 1950 in honor of Bishop Jon Arason, the last Catholic bishop of Iceland. He and his sons were beheaded in 1550 when the nation changed the national religion from Catholicism to Lutheranism. Erin Tracy is the owner and author of Traveling Thru History, which she uses to share her love of history, culture, and travel with her readers. You can also find stories and pictures of her travels on her Facebook , Instagram, and Twitter pages. Luxembourg – Vianden Castle The site where Vianden Castle stands was first inhabited in the late 10th century. The castle was built in the early 11th century on the site of an ancient Roman watchtower and is one of the largest fortified castles west of the Rhine. The first structures built were a keep, a kitchen, a chapel, and residential rooms, which indicate an aristocratic family lived there. During the early 12 century, modifications were carried out. A new residential tower and a decagonal chapel were added while the palace keep was extended. In the 13th century, the palace keep was demolished and a new, two-story, structure was added along with a lavish gallery that attached it to the church. These renovations were made because the Count of Vianden wished to rival the House of Luxembourg in power and prestige. Having a grand palace and impressive castle fortress were one of the ways the Count of Vianden chose to do this. Over the years, Vianden Castle was renovated and modified,...

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Top Historic Sites in Europe, Part 2

Erin — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 09:58:19 +0000

Welcome to Part 2 of my Top Historic Sites in Europe series! I’m glad you came back to check out some more fantastic sites. Europe is a region that has had human activity for over 37,000 years and is just full of history. Last week we looked at 10 famous sites in Europe and why they’re worth visiting. Today we’re looking at 10 more of the amazing places around Europe that you really shouldn’t miss. England – Tower of London The Tower of London has had a lively history in the thousand years it has been standing and has been used for a variety of purposes over the years, ranging from a royal residence, a prison for the elite, an armory, a menagerie, home of the Royal Mint, a public record office, home of the Crown Jewels, and, most recently, a museum. The hill on which the Tower of London sits was first settled in 1066 when the Norman’s, led by William the Conqueror, conquered England. The White Tower, the most prominent building in the fortress and where the fortress draws its name, was built around 1078. The buildings around the White Tower was added during the 1190s by Richard the Lionheart, and a wharf was built in 1285 by Edward I. The Tower of London was the home of England’s royalty until the year 1547. After that, the Tower of London was only used by royalty during the few days before the coronations of Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. By the time Charles II was crowned in 1660, the castle fortress’s royal accommodations were in such disrepair that he opted to forgo the tradition of staying in the Tower of London the night before his coronation, then ending the tradition. After the royal residence was moved from the fortress, the most famous use of the Tower of London began: that of a prison and execution ground for nobility. Though, the Tower prison was a bit more comfy than our modern view of a medieval prison. The prisoners here were mainly members of the royal family and wealthy nobility who were able wander the grounds at times and to also purchase comforts such as tapestries and higher-quality food. There were cases of torture during the Tower’s reign as a prison, but during the roughly 200 years the Tower was used as a prison, there are only 48 documented cases of torture being used. As for executions, only 7 people are known to have been executed inside the fortress walls between 1066 and the First World War. The 112 other known executions took place on a hill adjacent to the fortress, which is known as Tower Hill. And then there are all those who went ‘missing’ from the Tower, but that’s another story. Another famous use for this site is as the home of the Crown Jewels. The Crown Jewels have been housed at the Tower of London since the reign of Henry III in the 13th century. The Jewel House was destroyed in 1669 and the Crown Jewels were moved to Martin Tower, where Colonel Thomas Blood constructed an elaborate, but failed, plot to steal them. The Crown Jewels have been housed in various locations around the Tower of London until 1994, when the Crown Jewels were moved to the Jewel House inside the Waterloo Block, which is behind the White Tower. The most unique and unknown historic fact about the Tower of London is that a Royal Menagerie was once kept inside the fortress. King John first brought lions to the Tower during the late 12th or early 13th century and until 1830, a wide range of exotic animals, such as leopards, hyenas, baboons, wolves, bears, elephants, and tigers, were kept on the grounds. Now, all that is left are wire sculptures of wild animals and six live ravens. These are kept due to a prophecy that says the city of London will fall once ravens leave the Tower. Erin Tracy is the owner and author of this blog, Traveling Thru History, which she uses to share her love of history, culture, and travel with her readers. You can also find stories and pictures of her travels on her Facebook page. Slovakia – St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral Often described as the easternmost Gothic cathedral in Europe, St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral in Košice is Slovakia’s largest church and, together with the nearby St. Michael’s Chapel and Urban’s Tower, a National Cultural Monument. Construction of the cathedral was done in five staves beginning in the late 14th century and finishing in the early 16th century, at which time it was dedicated to a Hungarian saint (today’s Slovakia was part of the Hungarian empire). The cathedral consists of five naves, two towers, and three chapels, and is adorned with some of the finest Gothic stonework, altarpieces, windows, and frescoes. The main St. Elizabeth altar includes one of Europe’s largest sets of Gothic paintings, of which there are 48 total. The church’s architectural significance rests in how the central nave and the transept have the same length, forming a Greek cross. This also creates a large indoor space, and allows for three large decorative gables outside. St. Elizabeth follows the style of many other medieval cathedrals in that it has its own crypt, which houses many famous remains. The most famous are the remains of Francis II Rakoczi, the Hungarian nobleman and national hero who led an 18th century independence uprising against the Habsburgs. The cathedral also boasts several legends. The most popular holds that somewhere within the walls there is a hollow building stone, which, if removed, would cause the entire cathedral to collapse. Another says the only non-zoomorphic gargoyle, that of a woman holding a goblet and a bottle, is the alcoholic wife of a builder who immortalized her thusly in revenge for her tarnishing his name. Yet another legend has it that the St. Matthias lantern has the power to absolve the criminal guilt of anyone who can climb into it. St. Elizabeth’s is very dear to the people of Košice. They view this cathedral as the city’s crown jewel and unofficial symbol. It was the first of its Seven Wonders, as voted by a poll of the city’s residents in 2009. The best time to visit are outside of mass, which times can be found here. On sunny days, climbing to the top of Sigismund Tower rewards visitors with a 360-degree view of the historic Košice downtown and surrounding areas. Peter Korchnak is a Košice native and an author. He blogs at Where Is Your Toothbrush?, a food travel website, and several other outlets while sharing his adventures on Facebook. Latvia – Riga Cathedral Located in the heart of Riga’s Old Town, Riga Cathedral stands proudly for all to see. The Cathedral is the biggest medieval church and one of the oldest religious buildings in Latvia and also the whole Baltic region. While the original foundation stone was laid in 1211, the actual construction wasn’t get underway until 1215. Riga Cathedral was originally envisioned as a basilica, but the design was later changed and a hall church was built instead. One of the most unique construction features for this cathedral is that the materials changed over time from natural stone to brick. At the beginning of the 15th century, the hall church was enlarged by building the western cross-nave and side chapels. The tower of the Cathedral can be first seen in a cosmography dating back to 1559, so it is estimated the tower was added during the early . According to records, Riga Cathedral Tower was the highest spire in the whole city of Riga at that time. The cathedral was damaged by a city-wide fire in 1547 and the Gothic spire burned down entirely. A new tower was built in 1595, and the famous Riga Cathedral Rooster, which visitors today see a replica of, can be dated back to this post-fire reconstruction. The Gothic spire was demolished in 1775 due to structural concerns and was replaced with the Baroque style present-day tower. Riga Cathedral has undergone numerous renovations throughout the 20th century. At one point from the late 1950s, the Cathedral was converted into a concert hall as religious ceremonies were prohibited under Soviet rule. The Cathedral has since been restored to replace the altar and the seating. Today, visitors can appreciate the beautiful brick architecture combining Romanesque, early Gothic, Baroque, and Art Nouveau influences. The Cathedral serves as a busy cultural hub for performance, worship, and art – and don’t forget to wave to the Rooster high atop its perch! Lisa and Eric of Penguin and Pia are a German and Canadian travel couple brought together by Instagram. Now, they travel the world, inspire others to waddle, and tell stories in two languages, which you can follow on their Facebook page. Turkey – Hagia Sophia The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul has quite a history, both culturally and architecturally. It was first a Greek Orthodox patriarchal basilica, then it was a Roman Catholic cathedral, then it was a Greek Orthodox patriarchal basilica, again, then an imperial mosque, and now it is a museum. Hence, if there was one place in Istanbul that combines the different stages of Turkish history, it is definitely the Hagia Sophia. Constructed in 537 AD, Hagia Sophia was once the seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople. For a short period between 1204 and 1261 it was converted into a Roman Catholic cathedral by the invading Crusaders, but after they left it resumed its function as a Greek Orthodox patriarchal basilica. In 1453, Hagia Sophia became an Ottoman mosque and remained a mosque until 1931, when it underwent renovations to make it into a museum. The museum opened in 1935 and, since then, has been a popular site for tourists travelling to Istanbul. Not only is Hagia Sophia located in an area that is perfect for anyone who would like to visit mosques and get an insight into Istanbul’s history, but it is also a truly magical place. One of the most striking features of Hagia Sophia is the massive dome. This feature is striking both the interiorly and exteriorly. Such a feat was considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have literally “changed the history of architecture.” That’s just the exterior. The interior of the dome is striking in its adornment of beautiful mosaics and stunning marble pillars. When visiting Hagia Sophia, visitors can explore two floors. When entering through the Imperial Gate, visitors will be wowed by Byzantine relics and stunning mosaics. Then, as you start making your way into the upper gallery, you will enter the nave and find several mosaics and runic graffiti. This is the best place to have a look at the dome. The dome is one of the most interesting parts of Hagia Sophia and still drives many art historians, architects and engineers crazy as it has a very innovative way compared to what the original architects actually envisioned for the dome. The first few domes placed on top of Hagia Sophia collapsed due to poor design and natural disaster, but ancient architects finally found a way to make this one stay, in spite of natural disasters, which continues to baffle those who study it. Aside from the dome, Hagia Sophia has other unique design elements. Apart from typical elements that you can find in most churches or mosques, such as Christian mosaics and Islamic minarets, the Hagia Sophia hosts some very special features: figurative decorations of Christ, prophets, and historical figures that were added during the second half of the 9th century. The list of things to see at Hagia Sophia is endless you’ll want to set aside several hours to take it all in properly. Clemens Sehi and Anne Steinbach found the online travel magazine, Travellers Archive, which combines detailed travel documentaries and in-depth travel guides to mostly unexplored destinations. You can follow their adventures on Facebook. Bosnia & Herzegovina – Mostar Bridge The Mostar Bridge (a.k.a Old Bridge/Stari...

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