TRAVEL SPECIAL. A HERITAGE VACATION

TRAVEL .. A HERITAGE VACATION  IF YOU WISH TO SKIP THE MAINSTREAM PLACES AND EXPLORE INTERESTING PLACES IN EUROPE, THEN DO VISIT SOME OF THESE UNESCO HERITAGE SITES BELGIUM  La Grand-Place, Brussels The architecture at La GrandPlace in Brussels gives an insight into the social and cultural life of the people in the 17th century. The Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) is a famous landmark here. In 1695 during the War of the League of Augsbourg, the place was bombarded for three days by the French army. The place has a unique blend of Gothic, opulent baroque, neoclassical and neogothic architecture. BULGARIA  Old site of Nessebar Located 36 kilometers northeast of Burgas on the Black Sea coast, the ancient town of Nessebar is connected to mainland by a narrow isthmus, it was declared “a museum-town, an archaeological and architectural reserve“ in 1956. What makes the city interesting is that it has preserved its architectural monuments. The site has a unique combination of ancient history, ancient ruins and Revival architecture. This is one of the oldest towns in Europe and was founded 3,200 years ago.You can visit a number of churches such as the St.Sofia, known as the Old Metropolitan church, the church of Virgin Eleusa, the church of St. John the Baptist and St.Stephen's church. The narrow cobbled street is now a place for romantic walks with a number of shops selling souvenirs for the tourists. Pirin National Park Located in southwest Bulgaria and nestled between the Pirin Mountains is the sprawling Pirin National Park. The park hosts 1,315 types of plants of which 182 are medicinal plants. The park is home to more than 2,000 invertebrate species and more than 200 vertebrate species. It is divided into a number of regions: Sinanitsa, Bayuvki Dupki, Vihren, Bezbog and Kamenitsa, part of which includes the Three Rivers region. There are a number of forest trails and tourist activities available, just make sure you do your research before you visit this place. Make sure you check the weather forecast before visiting the park. It is advis able to consult an experi enced guide available at the park's center before you venture in. The Cathedral of St James in Sibenik Situated on the Dalmatian coast, The Cathedral of St James in Sibenik is witness to the exchange of arts between Northern Italy, Dalmatia and Tuscany in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Cathedral was built by three architects--Francesco di Giacomo, Georgius Mathei Dal maticus and Niccolò di Giovanni Fiorentino. The structure is built entirely from stone; there is a remarkable frieze decorated with 71 sculptured faces of men, women and children, which is believed to be a depiction of the 15th century citizens. FINLAND  Fortress of Suomenlinna Only a short ferry away from Helsinki is the sea fortress, which is an interesting example of the European military architecture, built by Sweden on a group of islands at the entrance of Helsinki's harbour in the second half of the 18th century. The fortress of Suomenlinna is spread over six islands and hosts museums, workspaces and restaurants, offering something for people of all ages. The fortress was built to serve as an army base and de fend the King dom of Swe den against the Russian Empire. After the World War II, the military role decreased and in 1973 it was decided to use it for civilian purposes. Petäjävesi Old Church Petäjävesi Old Church is a typical example of the architecture tradition of the wooden churches which is unique to eastern Scandinavia. The church is located on a peninsula at Lake Solikkojärvi and is surrounded by agricultural landscapes with lakes and forests.Despite being made of wood, the church is in a good condition and also hosts concerts during summer. MALTA Megalithic Temples of Malta There are seven megalithic temples on the islands of Malta and Gozo: two temples of Ggantija on the island of Gozo which are known for gigantic Bronze Age structures, along with the temples of Hagar Qin, Mnajdra and Tarxien which are all popular tourist destinations and architectural masterpieces. Some of these structures were built in 4th millennium BC and the 3rd mennium BC, making them one of the first free-standing stone structures.
Pooja Mahimkar

 Sep 27 2017 : Mirror (Mumbai)