Rome. A Tour through Ancient Rome in 320 C.E. Rome in a nutshell - HD - travel guide of italy. Early Christian Catacombs - Rome, Italy. The Early Christian catacombs are one of the most interesting and most popular sights in Rome. Forming an underground maze in the outskirts of the city, the catacombs provide a rare glimpse into the earliest centuries of Christianity. In addition to the countless burial chambers that line the tunnels, the catacombs are home to some of the earliest examples of Christian art. History The burial custom of most ancient Romans tended to be cremation, with ashes stored in urns. But Christian belief in the bodily resurrection led the early Christians to reject this practice and bury their dead instead.
This method requires significantly more space, of course, and the early Christians did not own much land. The catacombs had other advantages as well: they were an ideal way to strengthen the sense of Christian community (both in life and death) and they provided quiet, out-of-the-way places for memorial ceremonies and displaying Christian symbols.
What to See Map of Early Christian Catacombs Map. Villa d'Este, Tivoli. Villa d'Este, Tivoli The Villa d'Este in Tivoli, with its palace and garden, is one of the most remarkable and comprehensive illustrations of Renaissance culture at its most refined. Its innovative design along with the architectural components in the garden (fountains, ornamental basins, etc.) make this a unique example of an Italian 16th-century garden. The Villa d'Este, one of the first giardini delle meraviglie , was an early model for the development of European gardens. La Villa d'Este à Tivoli avec son palais et son jardin est un des témoignages les plus remarquables et complets de la culture de la Renaissance dans ce qu'elle a de plus raffiné.
La Villa d'Este, de par sa conception novatrice et l'ingéniosité des ouvrages architecturaux de son jardin (fontaines, bassins, etc.), est un exemple incomparable de jardin italien du XVIe siècle. فيلاّ ديستي، تيفولي source: UNESCO/ERI 提沃利城的伊斯特别墅 提沃利城的伊斯特别墅及其宫殿和花园，全面系统而鲜明地反映了最精致的文艺复兴文化。 Вилла д`Эсте в Тиволи Villa d’Este (Tívoli) ティヴォリのエステ家別荘. Ostia Antica: The Ancient Port City of Rome. Ostia Antica Chapter 1: An Introduction and Overview. Ostia Antica Chapter 6: Baths and Bathing.
Florence. Piazza della Signoria, Florence. The origin of the square goes back to the thirteenth century, when the area was owned by the Uberti Family, at the time the most powerful family in Florence. The Uberti supported the Ghibellines (a pro-imperial faction) while their main opponents, the Buondelmonti family, supported the Guelphs (a pro-papal faction). The two parties tried to gain control for centuries, with the Ghibellines gaining the upper hand. In 1266 however, after the defeat of the imperial army at the Battle of Benevento, the Guelphs expelled the Uberti family and all their properties were razed.
As a symbol of victory, the rubble was not cleared for more than a decade, after which it became an open square. Construction of a new building for the city council started at the end of the thirteenth century. While the square is not as large as some other Tuscan cities like Siena, it is very lively thanks to the many sights nearby. In 1533 another statue was added to the square, Hercules, created by Baccio Bandinelli. Duomo di Firenze, Florence. The Duomo di Firenze, the Florence Cathedral, was built between 1296 and 1436. The cathedral is one of the largest in the world. Its imposing dome, attributed to the Florentine architect Filippo Brunelleschi, still dominates the city. Cathedral Florence Cathedral The Cathedral of Florence, officially known as Cattedrale Santa Maria del Fiore but better known as the Duomo, was originally planned in 1296 as a Gothic cathedral by Arnolfo di Cambio.
The new cathedral symbolized Florence's growing importance and was to be significantly larger than its predecessor. Front facade Francesco Talenti, who lead the construction of the cathedral from 1351 on increased its size even more by expanding the apses and extending the nave. Construction of the church would last until 1436 when it was consecrated by pope Eugene IV. Ceiling fresco The cathedral's interior is less colorful and decorations were kept to a minimum. The dome Dome The campanile Campanile Baptistery Baptistery Ceiling mosaics Gates of Paradise. Nice, France - 1080HD Travel Video. Barcelona Attractions. Sagrada Família, Barcelona. The Sagrada Família, Antoni Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece, is one of Barcelona's most popular tourist attractions. Construction on this church will continue for at least another decade, but it has already become Barcelona's most important landmark.
A New Church Sagrada Família The idea for the construction of a new church was launched by a devout organisation whose goal was to bring an end to the de-christianisation of the Barcelonese, which had started with the industrialization and was caused by the increasing level of education of the Catalan population. The organisation purchased a plot of land in the new Eixample district in 1877.
Antoni Gaudí's Design One year later, the modernist architect Antoni Gaudí took over as lead architect at the age of 31. Instead of sticking to the original plans, Gaudí changed the design drastically. Two of the towers Detail of theNativity Facade one facade (the Nativity Facade), one tower, the apse and the crypt were finished. Eighteen Towers Construction.
Plaça de Catalunya, Barcelona. The Plaça de Catalunya, a large plaza surrounded by monumental buildings, is Barcelona's busiest square. It is located between the old city (Ciutat Vella) and the nineteenth century Eixample district. Plaça de Catalunya Two of Barcelona's most famous streets, the Rambla (a wide promenade in the old city) and the Passeig de Gràcia (a grand showcase of modernist architecture in Eixample) start at the Plaça de Catalunya. Even though the square is enormous in size, it is constantly crowded with people walking to and from one of the nine streets emanating from the square. History Until the middle of the nineteenth century the Plaça de Catalunya was a rural area just outside the city walls. Eixample Masterplan The first place was awarded to a design by Rovira i Trias, which consisted of a plan with streets radiating from the historic Barri Gòtic neighborhood.
The central government prevailed and the new Eixample district was designed according to Cerdà's design. Final Design La Deessa The Square. Montjuïc, Barcelona. The Montjuïc is a hill located near the center of Barcelona. It features a large number of attractions including the Spanish Village, the Magic Fountain and MNAC, one of the city's most important museums. Sardana Monument, Montjuïc Several thousand years ago, Iberic Celts settled on the Montjuïc, a 213 meter high hill southeast of Barcelona's current city center. The hill was later used by the Romans as a ceremonial place. Today the Montjuïc is a mostly recreational area with a large number of sights and attractions, most of them originating from two major events that took place here: the 1929 International Exhibition and the 1992 Olympics. Palau Nacional Palau Nacional One of these sights is the Palau Nacional (National Palace), originally built as the central pavilion for the International Exhibition. Magic Fountain Magic Fountain Mies van der Rohe Pavilion Mies van der Rohe Pavilion Poble Espanyol Poble Espanyol Anella Olímpica MontjuïcTelecommunicationsTower Montjuïc Gardens Castell de Montjuïc.
Parc Güell, Barcelona. Parc Güell is one of the world's most intriguing parks. The park's colorful main staircase and the fanciful pavilions that were designed by Antoni Gaudí look like they belong in some fairy tale. This popular park started out as a development project. Eusebi Güell, a well known Catalan industrialist, acquired a seventeen hectare (42 acres) large hilly plot in the Gràcia district, just north of Barcelona. He wanted to turn the area into a residential garden village based on English models. Sixty housing units as well as several public buildings were planned. Pavilion In 1900 Güell commissioned his friend and protégé Antoni Gaudí with the development of the project. In 1918 the city of Barcelona acquired the property and in 1922 it opened to the public as a park. Two houses were completed as well as pavilions for visitors and park keepers. A connecting flight of stairs leads to another famous feature of the park: the Gran Placa Circular.
Our Lady of the Pillar, Zaragoza. Top Ten Attractions in Madrid. Segovia. Parque del Retiro, Madrid. The Parque del Buen Retiro is the most popular park in Madrid. It can get crowded during weekends when many Madrilenian families go for a stroll in the park and street musicians, sidewalk painters, fortune tellers, jugglers and street performers animate the crowd. A Royal Park The Retiro Park was created as a royal park; it belonged to the Real Sitio del Buen Retiro palace. In 1632, the palace was built by King Philips IV as a retreat for the Royal family. Retiro stands for retreat, hence the name of the park and palace. At the time the park was well outside the city walls, but now Madrid has completely enclosed the Retiro park. The 130ha or 320acre large royal park opened to the public in 1868. Is partially laid out in a formal French style, while other parts are more natural. Museo del Ejército Of the original palace, only two buildings survived, the rest was destroyed during the Napoleonic wars.
Alfonso XII Monument is the cross that Columbus took with him to the New World. The Lake Satan. Puerta del Sol, Madrid. The Plaza Puerta del Sol is the perfect starting point to explore Madrid. This bustling, centrally located square is one of the city's most lively places. Now the heart of Madrid's historic center, this site used to be on the eastern border of the city.
The plaza's name originates from the eastern city gate located here in the 15th century. The gate was probably called after a sun drawn on it, hence the name Puerta del Sol or 'Sun Gate'. The current semi-oval square was created in the 19th century. Today the mostly car-free square is constantly bustling with people.
Casa de Correos nearby such as the Plaza Mayor, the Opera House and the Plaza de Cibeles. In the middle of the Puerta del Sol is a large equestrian statue of King Carlos III, installed here in 1997. Kilometer 0 In the 19th century the building housed the Interior Ministry. In front of the Casa de Correos, on the pavement, is the 'kilometer 0' plaque, marking the center of the Spanish road network. El Oso y El Madroño. Almudena Cathedral, Madrid. Madrid's cathedral, The Cathedral de la Almudena, took more than 100 years to complete. It was finally consecrated by pope John-Paul II in 1993.
Soon after King Philips II made Madrid the capital of Spain in 1561, he wanted a cathedral for his new capital. Partly due to political turbulences and strong opposition by the powerful archdiocese of the then larger city Toledo, the construction was constantly postponed. Finally in 1868 a congregation devoted to Virgin Almudena, the female patron saint of Madrid, received the permission from the archdiocese in Toledo to construct a new church dedicated to the patron saint. In 1883 construction finally starts and one year later, Madrid becomes a diocese thanks to Pope Leo XIII. This made it possible to build a cathedral instead of a church. Consequently, the project is updated to reflect the higher status of the building.
Construction progressed slowly and even came to a complete halt during the civil war in the 1930s. Main nave Pope John-Paul II. Plaza de Cibeles, Madrid. Possibly the most beautiful of the many grand squares in Madrid is the Plaza de Cibeles. The unfortunately heavily trafficed square is surrounded by majestic buildings.
At its center is the Fuente de la Cibeles. This fountain, named after Cibele (or Ceres), roman goddess of nature, is seen as one of Madrid's most important symbols. The Cibeles fountain depicts the goddess in a chariot pulled by two lions. The fountain was built between 1777 and 1782 by Ventura Rodriguez. The most prominent of the buildings at the Plaza de Cibeles is the Palacio de Comunicaciones or Communications Palace. Postal and Telegraphic Museum until 2007 when the landmark building became Madrid's official city hall (Ayuntamiento de Madrid).
Across the Paseo de Prado from the city hall is the Banco de España, Spain's central bank headquarters. Banco de España stores its gold. Opposite the Banco de España is the Palacio de Linares. Madrid, Spain: Side-trip to El Escorial. El Escorial.