Category Archives: Landmarks

Africa Travel: The ‘Ksars’ Of Djado, Northern Niger

FRANCE 24 (June 5, 2023) – A long trek across the desert of northeastern Niger brings visitors to one of the most astonishing and rewarding sights in the Sahel: fortified villages of salt and clay built on rocks, besieged by the Sahara sands.

Generations of travelers have stood before the “ksars” of Djado,  wandering their crenellated walls, watchtowers, secretive passages and wells, all of them testifying to a skilled but unknown hand.

The now ruined city Djado is located on the southern end of the Djado Pleateau in the Sahara in northern Niger. It is not clear who built the complex of fortified mud buildings (ksars). The city was a part Trans-Saharan trading network of the Kanuri people whose Kanem-Bornu Empire was founded before 1000 CE and at its greater extent covered what is now Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, southern Lybia and Eastern Niger.

It is not clear what caused the abandonment of the city after the 1860s: increased desertification, conflict or even a mosquito infestation have been proposed as possible causes. Since then it has been used by Toubou nomads for the cultivation of dates. The site also contains rock drawings and carvings from 12,000 to 6,000 BCE, depicting the fauna that roved the prehistoric Sahara. The Djado Plateau was added to the UNESCO Tenative List in 2006.

Niger or the Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin and Burkina Faso to the southwest, Mali to the west, and Algeria to the northwest.

#Niger #lostcity #Sahara

Mediterranean Travel: An Aerial Tour Of Malta (4K)

Gaëtan Piolot Films (June 3, 2023) – Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean between Sicily and the North African coast. It’s a nation known for historic sites related to a succession of rulers including the Romans, Moors, Knights of Saint John, French and British. It has numerous fortresses, megalithic temples and the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a subterranean complex of halls and burial chambers dating to circa 4000 B.C.

Locations: Blue Grotto, St Peters Pool, Marsaxlokk, Blue Lagoon, Comino, St Paul’s Cathedral, Medina, Gozo Island, and Valletta.

Paris Views: A Walking Tour Of The Île de la Cité

ART VISION TV (May 23, 2023) – Ile de la Cité, once known as Lutetia, is the oldest settlement in Paris, and boasts more than its fair share of Paris sights: the Pont Neuf, the Pont de l’Archevêché and Notre Dame cathedral, to name only three.

Its location bang in the middle of Paris, with Châtelet to the north and Saint-Germain-des-Prés to the south, makes it the central crossroads of the city, which grew outwards from here. When you’ve finished visiting all the sights, take one last admiring look at the magnificent facade of Notre Dame, then stroll along the banks of the Seine and stop to watch improvised concerts by wandering musicians, for whom this area is a prime performance venue.

Ile de la Cité is also the perfect place for a riverside picnic. At night, the bridges are beautifully lit, and there is a feeling of midsummer magic.

#PARIS#PARIS4K#WALKINPARIS#ILEDELACITÉ#PARISCITÉISLAND

Travel: A Guided Tour Of Castle Howard, England

House & Garden Films (May 19, 2023) – House & Garden presents Houses with History from Castle Howard, home to Netflix’s hit series ‘Bridgerton’.

Join interior designer Remy Renzullo as we tour Castle Howard, designed by Sir John Vanbrugh and home to the Carlisle branch of the Howard family for over 300 years. Remy takes us on a tour of the castle that is featured in popular TV shows — most notably as Clyvedon castle in Bridgerton — showing us private spaces usually unseen by the public, including the beautiful Temple of the Four Winds, as well as giving us his take on the spectacular 18th-century state rooms.

The Flatiron Building: Its Beaux-Arts Design To Now Iconic And ‘Vacant’ Status

The B1M (May 3, 2023) – DESPITE standing just 22-storeys tall on an island full of massive skyscrapers, New York’s Flatiron Building managed to endure as a cake-slice shaped icon of this city since 1902.

That unusual triangular shape has captured the eyes of photographers, tourists and directors for decades. 

But in recent years, this world-famous structure has sat empty and under scaffolding only for a New York court to then order it be put up for grabs at auction in early 2023 – an auction that seems to have turned into a bit of a farce.

It’s the latest uncertain chapter in the long story of this building – a building that’s seen so much of New York’s history unfold and endured so much already.

This is how one of the city’s strangest towers came to be, how it went on to become iconic and why the current struggles around its sale will probably only make it more famous.

Travel: A Walk In Siem Reap To Angkor Wat, Cambodia

The Walk Street Videos (May 1, 2023) – Siem Reap, a resort town in northwestern Cambodia, is the gateway to the ruins of Angkor, the seat of the Khmer kingdom from the 9th–15th centuries. Angkor’s vast complex of intricate stone buildings includes preserved Angkor Wat, the main temple, which is pictured on Cambodia’s flag. Giant, mysterious faces are carved into the Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom. 

Earthquake Engineering: The Golden Gate Bridge Is Preparing For ‘The Big One’

The B1M (April 26, 2023) – The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is getting a huge earthquake upgrade.

IT’S the world’s most recognisable bridge and an icon of America. Defying incredible odds during its four years of construction, the Golden Gate has stood for over 80 years, and remains a critical piece of infrastructure — not just a pretty sight.

Today, it’s almost impossible to imagine San Francisco without this engineering marvel on its skyline. But that is now a very real possibility thanks to a threat that has loomed large over California for decades — a massive earthquake known as ‘The Big One’.

The iconic Golden Gate Bridge may not survive this unless it’s given some serious upgrades. Fortunately, that’s just what it’s getting with a huge seismic retrofit project that should see it stand for many more decades to come.

“It’s vitally important that we protect this icon, not just so people can come and take photos, but so our region can continue to function after a major seismic event,” Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz, director of public affairs for The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, said.

Walking Tours: The Tower Of London, England (4K)

London Walking Tours (Uploaded April 22, 2023) – Tower of London, byname the Tower, royal fortress and London landmark. Its buildings and grounds served historically as a royal palace, a political prison, a place of execution, an arsenal, a royal mint, a menagerie, and a public records office.

It is located on the north bank of the River Thames, in the extreme western portion of the borough of Tower Hamlets, on the border with the central City of London.

Museums: A Tour Of The Humboldt Forum In Berlin

DW Travel (April 19, 2023) – Have you heard of Berlin’s newest tourist attraction? It’s the Humboldt Forum right in the heart of the German capital. With high-profile exhibitions around art and culture, it aims to be a place for discussion and exchange.

But the prestigious building in the reconstructed Berlin Palace has itself been the subject of controversy from the start. Not least because art from former colonies in Africa is on display. DW’s Hannah Hummel checks out the Humboldt Forum to see whether is worth a visit. We can tell you one thing in advance: The great view from the roof terrace is a must-see.

The Humboldt Forum is a museum dedicated to human history, art and culture, located in the Berlin Palace on the Museum Island in the historic centre of Berlin. It is in honour of the Prussian scholars Wilhelm and Alexander von Humboldt.

Swiss Views: A Walk Along Lake Geneva To Château de Chillon In Montreaux

Walk It (Uploaded April 18, 2023): Montreux is a traditional resort town on Lake Geneva. Nestled between steep hills and the lakeside, it’s known for its mild microclimate and the Montreux Jazz Festival, held in July.

Video timeline: 00:00 Lake Geneva 01:00 Riverside Montreux 45:08 Castle of Chillon

The town’s promenade is lined with flowers, sculptures, Mediterranean trees and grand Belle Époque buildings. Offshore is a medieval island castle, Château de Chillon, with ramparts, formal halls and a chapel with 14th-century murals.