Tag Archives: Landmarks

Views: Retiro Park & Paseo Del Prado In Madrid, Spain

UNESCO has added Madrid’s historic Paseo del Prado boulevard and Retiro Park to its list of world heritage sites.

The Buen Retiro Park, Retiro Park or simply El Retiro is one of the largest parks of the city of Madrid, Spain. The park belonged to the Spanish Monarchy until the late 19th century, when it became a public park. In 2021, Buen Retiro Park became part of a combined UNESCO World Heritage Site with Paseo del Prado.

The Paseo del Prado is one of the main boulevards in Madrid, Spain. It runs north–south between the Plaza de Cibeles and the Plaza del Emperador Carlos V (also known as Plaza de Atocha), with the Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo (the location of the Fuente de Neptuno, and of the Ritz and Palace five-star hotels) lying approximately in the middle. The Paseo del Prado forms the southern end of the city’s central axis (which continues to the north of Cibeles as the Paseo de Recoletos, and further north as the Paseo de la Castellana). It enjoys the status of Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC), and as part of a combined UNESCO World Heritage Site with Buen Retiro Park.

Walks: Neuschwanstein Castle, Füssen, Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century historicist palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and in honour of Richard Wagner. 

Channel Island Views: Monuments Of Jersey

Famous for its Jersey Royals, honey-coloured cows and international finance industry, Jersey is perhaps less well known for its rich history and distinct culture. Evidence of human activity dates back 250,000 years (the caves at La Cotte de St Brelade are associated with mammoth hunting) and its more recent Norman links give it a very French feel.

Country Life, July 17, 2021

Electric bikes, available to rent, are an ideal way to explore the landscape, as you look out for a glimpse of a bottle-nosed dolphin, red squirrel or puffin, or you could simply take to your feet to stroll around the island and drink in the magnificent views.

Read and see more at Country Life Magazine

Irish Estates: A History Of Stormont Castle, Belfast

The Stormont estate was attractive because of its proximity to Belfast and the prominent building site that it offered overlooking the city. Entirely incidental to the purchase, but part and parcel of it, was a substantial 19th- century house called Stormont Castle. There was local opposition to demolition so it was spontaneously absorbed into this developing governmental landscape.

John GoodallJuly 11, 2021

In 1922, the castle became the official residence of Sir James Craig, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. That function ceased in 1940, when it became simply the Prime Minister’s office and was additionally occupied by the Cabinet Secretariat and the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. From 1972, following the establishment of direct rule from Westminster, the castle became the headquarters of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and, since 1998 and the Good Friday Agreement, it has accommodated the offices of the First and Deputy Ministers of Northern Ireland.

Read more at Country Life UK

Views: Colosseum In Rome Opens Up Substructure

Visitors will be able to walk in the footsteps of Roman Gladiators in the same areas where they prepared to fight to the death. The Colosseum is opening up its deepest depths to the public. Chris Livesay reports.

The Colosseum is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world today, despite its age. 

Night Walks: ‘Yasaka Tower’, Kyoto, Japan (5K)

Hokanji is a temple of the Rinzai sect Kenninji school in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City. Located near Kiyomizu Temple. The five-storied pagoda is commonly known as the “Yasaka Tower” and is a landmark in the surrounding area.

Video timeline: 00:00 タイトル(Title) 00:13 一念坂(Ichinenzaka Slope) 01:17 二年坂(Ninenzaka Slope) 03:33 産寧坂(Sanneizaka Slope) 06:32 清水坂(Kiyomizuzaka Slope) 08:52 八坂の塔(Yasaka pagoda)

Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, is a city on the island of Honshu. It’s famous for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses. It’s also known for formal traditions such as kaiseki dining, consisting of multiple courses of precise dishes, and geisha, female entertainers often found in the Gion district.