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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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Top 5 Temples in Bangkok

Erin — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 15:00:17 +0000

Bangkok: A city filled with wonder and an idea that brings to mind an ancient world of foreign fantasy. The very name inspires thoughts of curly-toed shoes, golden headdresses and elaborately-designed tunic dresses or exotic, towering temples covered in gold. Just about everyone dreams of visiting Bangkok and experiencing that ancient world for themselves. It’s no wonder that this fascinating city has such a hypnotic pull on citizens from all over the world. Bangkok was first recorded as existing in the early 15th century, though it is speculated to be much older than that. The problem with having that much history and that much time to create enchanting structures to honor the past and the present is that there is just too much to do in one trip. Too many temples, too many museums and too many shrines. How is one to know which are worth visiting and which can be put off until a future visit? To help you with this question I have compiled a list of temples that will give the discerning traveler a wide variety of cultural experiences while visiting Bangkok. We were in Bangkok for five days and visited 14 temples along with many other sites in that time. We were up before dawn, back at the hotel after dark and going non-stop every single day. We wanted to see as much as we possibly could! Since this mode of travel is not for everyone, I decided to share with you my top temple picks for having an enjoyable, leisurely trip to the most visited city in the world. Wat Arun, The Temple of the Dawn If there is no other temple you visit while in Bangkok, visit Wat Arun. Wat Arun has been around since around 1768. Before the temple that is currently there, there were two other temples, Wat Makok and Wat Chaeng, which is what some of the locals still call this magnificent structure. It was an early morning walk by the ruins of the previous Wat Chaeng that inspired King Taksin to design Wat Arun in 1768. In the mid-1800s, Kings Rama II and Rama III made modifications to the temple to make it as it appears today. HOURS – 8:30 to 5:30. PRICE – 50 Baht LOCATION – There are several ways to get to Wat Arun. The easiest would be to take a taxi, but if you want to get there a more unique way, you can take a river boat from Sapphan Taksin boat pier to pier 8. From here you can hop a small shuttle boat to get to the other side of the river. Or, you can do a Chao Phraya River Tour and either have that boat dock at the Wat Arun pier or just get off there. There is a 20 baht fee to alight at the Wat Arun pier. Wat Traimit, The Temple of the Golden Buddha Wat Traimit is pretty cool. This temple was built in 2010 specifically to house the world’s largest solid gold statue which is estimated to have been made around the 13th-14th centuries. This temple doesn’t have the same ‘awe factor’ as some of the older temples do since it is so much newer, but it’s hard to press that point when inside lies something of a marvel in and of itself. The golden statue enshrined in Wat Traimit stands 9.8 ft tall and is valued at about $250 million. Good luck trying to steal it, though. The statue weighs 5.5 tons. HOURS – 8:30 to 5:00. PRICE – 40 Baht for the temple and 100 baht for an exhibition about the history of the Golden Buddha on the second floor. We opted not to do that, so I cannot say whether or not the exhibit is worth the price. Several reviews on TripAdvisor say it is interesting and informative, so it could be, depending on how much you like learning about history. 😉 LOCATION – The easiest way to get to Wat Traimit is by taxi or tuk-tuk. Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan and Loha Prasat Monastery, The Temple of the Royal Niece and The Metal Castle This temple was a bit of a fluke visit. We passed it on the way back from Wat Saket and were fascinated by the 118 foot tall structure, which turned out to be a monastery. The temple portion of this complex was begun in 1846, but it wasn’t completed until during the early 20th century and received it’s name because it was built by King Rama III for his niece, Princess Mom Chao Ying Sommanus Wattanavadi, the future wife and queen consort of King Rama IV. The monastery was begun shortly thereafter and was originally intended to be a small temple, but it blossomed into the magnificent meditation chamber and residence for the monks that it is today. Atop the monastery there are 37 spires which represent the 37 virtues toward enlightenment. As the brochure for Loha Prasat states, there were only three monasteries ever built with metal roofs and this one is the last remaining. What is really fascinating about the monastery (aside from the architecture) is the maze of corridors inside. They really are fun to wander around and down each hallway is something new and interesting, whether it be beautiful shrines, a variety of statues, text carved into the walls or plaques telling interesting facts. We had a lot of fun wandering around this ‘castle’ and visiting the temple on the grounds. In 2005 Loha Prasat was submitted to UNESCO for consideration of becoming a future UNESCO Heritage Site. HOURS – 8:30 to 5:00. PRICE – The temple grounds are free, but there is a 20 baht ‘donation’ box by the entrance. There was nobody watching it when we were there, but I’d recommend donating since the entire complex is well worth the donation. LOCATION – Wat Ratchanatdaram Worawihan can be found at the intersection between Ratchadamnoen Klang and Maha Chai Road. There is no public transit stop nearby, so the best way to get here is by using a taxi or a tuk-tuk. Wat Saket, The Golden Mount Wat Saket is possibly the oldest temple complex in all of Bangkok. This temple dates back to the Ayutthaya period, which lasted from 1350-1767. The temple has been renovated several time with the most recent being in the early 1900s. We really enjoyed visiting this temple. The walk up the hill (213 steps) provides some beautiful views of Bangkok along with various little gems along the way. There are several nooks and crannies in the wall supporting the structure filled with a variety of mini shrines, statues, carvings and flora. If you pay attention, you will find a few short pathways that lead off the main path and provide some pretty scenery and nice views. One of the really nice things about this temple is the feeling of peace and serenity that pervades the grounds. You will also love the panoramic views of the city. HOURS – 8:30 to 5:00. PRICE – The temple grounds are free, but there is a donation box at the top of the hill. Nobody monitors if you put in a donation or not, but it would be polite to put some baht in there as a thank you for letting visitors in. LOCATION – The easiest way to get to Wat Saket is by taxi or tuk-tuk, though you can also take a water taxi, which will drop you a short 5-minute walk from the temple. Wat Phra Kaew, The Temple of the Emerald Buddha The final temple on my list is found inside the Grand Palace complex. The Grand Palace was built in 1782 with Wat Phra Kaew being finished in 1785. The Emerald Buddha was brought to the Grand Palace when it was completed in 1782 and then moved to the temple when it was finished. There are various legends surrounding the Emerald Buddha with no concrete date as to when it was actually made, though some of the legends place it as being made in India 500 years after Lord Buddha reached nirvana, though nobody knows exactly when that was. Another legend shows it as existing in the lands that are now Cambodia during 457AD. During the proceeding centuries, it changed hands several times before landing in present-day Laos for several hundred years before Rama I became king of what is now Thailand and brought the statue to Wat Phra Kaew. There are several disputations to these legends, some say it was made in Sri Lanka while other say it was made in Thailand in the 14th century. Will we ever know for sure where it came from? Probably not. It’s still fun to think about, though. Another tidbit about the statue: it is not actually made of emerald. It’s true stone is jade. Why is it called emerald? Well, because the word emerald in Thai means deep green color. The actual complex of Wat Phra Kaew is quite grand. There are over 100 buildings and each is very ornate and beautiful. We spent several hours wandering around and taking it all in. I think one of my favorite parts of the temple was the scaled model of Angkor Wat. Very neat. There are other fascinating sights at Wat Phra Kaew and I recommend setting aside at least two hours to visit this temple. We were there for two and a half hours and didn’t get to see it all, but that’s because we were trying to photograph just about everything and didn’t realize it was as big as it was. Eventually, it closed and we had to leave. So, if you just like to go and wander without taking many pictures, about two hours should be fine. If you like to take lots of pictures, maybe give yourself three or more hours. HOURS – 8:30 to 3:30 – We arrived around 1pm and it was VERY crowded. I’d recommend arriving in the morning as soon as it opens. PRICE – The cost for this temple and the palace grounds is 400 baht. This price also include a ticket to The Pavilion of Regalia and a ticket for the Vimanmek Mansion Museum, which is offsite and can be used within 7 days. LOCATION – You can take the BTS skytrain to the Saphan Taksin station or you can take the Chao Phraya Express Boat (no flag, an orange flag, or a green flag) to Pier 9 (Tha Chang). If you don’t want to worry about the hassle of figuring out which boat or dealing with train changes, you can always ride a tuk-tuk or take a taxi. TIPS FOR VISITING THE GRAND PALACE They are very strict about respectful attire and will refuse to let you in if you are wearing shorts, a short skirt, a sleeveless and/or see-through shirt. If you are wearing anything like that, you will be required to either change or rent appropriate coverings. We didn’t like the price of the sarongs inside the grounds, so we went outside to where there were shops and people on the street renting clothes. I would not recommend doing this. If you want to buy something from a shop, go for it, but be wary of people on the side of the street renting clothing. We rented some pants for Troy and received a numbered ticket to receive our 100 baht deposit back, but when we came out after the temple closed, she was long gone. So, you should either dress appropriately or bring something to cover up with. They also require you to be wearing socks when walking around the complex, no bare feet allowed. Conclusion and GPS My City Giveaway Bangkok truly does have many fascinating and enchanting temples and a trove of cultural history. I wish everyone could see all of the beautiful temples Bangkok has to offer. On a short trip, though, these are my recommendation for must-see spots. The temples I have listed are the ones I feel will provide a person with the greatest opportunity to experience a variety of architectural styles as well as the possibility of learning the most about the Thai people, their history and their love of their Buddhist culture. Another way you can make sure you’re maximizing your experience is by...

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