I have looked at it from a distance for close to twenty-five years but somehow never found time to visit. My collection of UNESCO World Heritage sites should have listed Statue of Liberty somewhere in the first dozen chronologically, given that it is geographically the closest site to where I…
This is not my kind of place. A cemetery. I can recall a few instances of touring a cemetery on past travels, but in each case it was either part of a larger guided city tour (so I did not have a choice in the matter) or was right there…
As people who have been following this blog for a while might be aware, we have seen our share of royal palaces all over Europe. Some impress us more, others less so. Because we started practically with the grandest of them all – Versailles – one might argue that we…
Of hundreds fjords that pierce the landscape in Western Norway only two are explicitly recognized on the UNESCO World Heritage list, as a single site even though they are not near each other. Both represent the comparatively small appendages of the bigger parent fjords, and both are sited for their…
Bryggen is one of the most impressive recent additions to my growing collection of World Heritage sites. Picturesque, full of historic significance, and able to retain many of its original features, this old wharf is recognized by UNESCO for being the only remaining preserved outpost of Hanseatic League as well…
The imposing Kronborg Castle in 16th-18th centuries controlled the narrowest part of the naval gateway to the Baltic which ensured its place in the history of Northern Europe, forming the basis for its UNESCO recognition. It is also a fine example of Renaissance architecture and, for some people most importantly,…
As I posited a number of times on these pages, I combine secular attitudes with healthy dose of admiration for religious architecture. Due to the European-centric nature of my travels to-date, a few synagogues and Mezquita aside, most of such architecture that I encounter is of ecclesiastical nature. Since I…
Québec City is the only town in North America to have preserved its defensive ramparts and its historic center presents one of the best examples of a fortified colonial city. That gives the city a shade of a European feel which is quite welcome by these particular europhiles. Here is…
At the conclusion of my recent day-trip to Brussels I had about 15 minutes to expand my portfolio of pictures taken on the magnificent Grand-Place. Here is a selection:
If you recall from this post, I took a day-trip to Brussels from Amsterdam on my recent Dutch journey. That allowed me not only to spend time with my eldest child who was studying in Brussels at the time, but also to take a look at UNESCO World Heritage sites…
Van Nelle Factory is the newest Dutch addition to the UNESCO list, having been inscribed just last year. Its recognition stems from its pioneering place in industrial architecture. The couple of interior pictures at the official link above suggest elements of interest but I doubt I would come here at…
Windmills. I suspect this is the likeliest image to form in anyone’s head after hearing the word “Holland”. Not surprisingly, there is a World Heritage site in Netherlands which is mainly about windmills. Kinderdijk is recognized by UNESCO as yet another example of Dutch ingenuity in the art of water…
Rietveld Schröder House is a small family house, built in 1924, that is recognized as one of the icons of the Modern Movement in architecture. It is one of the smallest – if not the smallest – UNESCO World Heritage sites you can see, but it definitely leaves an impression.…
Schokland is technically another polder (or part thereof), but it has a different history and a different look to what we earlier saw at Beemster. To an unsuspecting eye, it looks like a nature preserve, part woods, part fields, with a few minor points of interest. In its past, it…
Another testament to the Dutch conquest of their watery homeland, Wouda Steam Pumping Station is the largest installation of its kind and has been in operation for almost a century. Recognized by UNESCO as the engineering and architectural masterpiece, it can still carry out its functions of managing the excess…
As I decided to cover all World Heritage sites in Netherlands on my recent trip, I could not bypass Wadden Sea. It would be my first UNESCO site in the “Nature” category – I admit that I am more architecturally- and culturally-inclined and my travel destinations are almost never nature-centric.…
Having had my fill of boisterous city scene in Amsterdam, I spent the last few days in Netherlands driving around the country in pursuit of my World Heritage obsession – and more serene locales. Netherlands, as the name implies, has a large portion of its territory barely above or even…
Brussels is within the speed-train-enabled day-trip range from Amsterdam and I used one of the days on my recent trip to hop on the train to meet up with my eldest, who had been studying in Brussels for all of the spring semester. Since I am now a self-proclaimed opportunistic…
One day while in Amsterdam, I rented a bicycle and rode an hour out of town in search of my next UNESCO World Heritage site. Defense Line of Amsterdam is recognized on the UNESCO list as the unique system of fortifications based on water control. The ring of 40-plus armed…
One of the main reasons Netherlands was chosen as the destination for my recent photographic trip was the fact that Amsterdam had been among the worst-photographed major cities on my past travels (as lamented in my favorite sights Amsterdam entry several years ago). Wandering all over the city for several…