Monasterio de El Escorial

The monastery was founded in 1567, and has been run by Augustinian monks since 1885.

A remarkable building in Spain situated on the south-eastern slope of the Sierra Guadarrama about twenty-seven miles north-west of Madrid. Its proper title is El Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo del Escorial, Escorial being the name of a small town in the vicinity. The structure comprises a monastery, church, pantheon or royal mausoleum, a palace intended as summer and autumn residence of the court, college, library, art-galleries, etc., and is called by Spaniards the eighth wonder of the world.



El Escorial was, at once, a monastery and a Spanish royal palace. Originally a property of the Hieronymite monks, it is now an Augustinian monastery.



The Building of El Escorial: When chief architect Juan Bautista de Toledo died in 1567 he was replaced by Juan de Herrera, royal inspector of monuments. The plain architectural style of El Escorial is called desornmentado, literally, "unadorned".


El Escorial, the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real (also known as the Monasterio de El Escorial or simply El Escorial) is located about 45 km (28 mi) northwest of the Spanish capital, Madrid. El Escorial comprises two architectural complexes of great historical and cultural significance: El Real Monasterio de El Escorial itself and La Granjilla de La Fresneda, a royal hunting lodge and monastic retreat about five km away. These sites have a dual nature; that is to say, during the 16th and 17th centuries, they were places in which the temporal power of the Spanish monarchy and the ecclesiastical predominance of the Roman Catholic religion in Spain found a common architectural manifestation. El Escorial was, at once, a monastery and a Spanish royal palace. Originally a property of the Hieronymite monks, it is now an Augustinian monastery.

Philip II of Spain, reacting to the Protestant Reformation sweeping through Europe during the sixteenth century, devoted much of his lengthy reign (1556-1598) and much of his seemingly inexhaustible supply of New World gold to stemming the Protestant tide. His protracted efforts were, in the long run, partly successful. However, the same counter-reformational impulse had a much more benign expression, thirty years earlier, in Philip's decision to build the complex at El Escorial.

Philip engaged the Spanish architect, Juan Bautista de Toledo, to be his collaborator in the design of El Escorial. Juan Bautista had spent the greater part of his career in Rome, where he had worked on the basilica of St. Peter's, and in Naples, where he had served the king's viceroy, whose recommendation brought him to the king's attention. Philip appointed him architect-royal in 1559, and together they designed El Escorial as a "perpetual home for the Catholic Crown of Spain".[citation needed] It has also been called "an expression in stone of Catholicism in Spain; an answer, solid and unified, to the disintegration of the Christian universe."[citation needed]

On November 2, 1984, UNESCO declared The Royal Site of San Lorenzo of El Escorial a World Heritage Site. It is an extremely popular tourist attraction, often visited by day-trippers from Madrid.

Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England.



The year he became king, 1689, William and his wife Mary bought their mansion, perfectly positioned for London socializing and country living. They brought in Sir Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor to remodel and enlarge the house, and moved in for Christmas.


Despite the small rooms, George I introduced palatial grandeur with Colen Campbell's staircase and state rooms, elegantly decorated by William Kent. Meanwhile, Queen Anne added the Orangery and annexed a chuck of royal Hyde Park, a trick repeated by George II's wife, Queen Caroline, who created the Round Pond and Long Water to complete the 110-ha (275 acre) Kensington Gardens. Today, a wide variety of trees are the backdrop for sculptures, monuments and contemporary exhibitions at the Serpentine Gallery.



On 24 May 1819, Queen Victoria was born here. She was baptized in the splendid Cupola Room, spent her childhood in rooms overlooking the gardens and on 20 June 1837, learned here she was to be queen. Later she opened her childhood home to the public. There is a permanent exhibition about Diana, Princess of Wales. London is a fascinating travel destination. Besides Kensington Palace, the Top Ten Royal London places to visit includes Regent's Park, Hampton Court, St James's Palace, Kew Palace and Queen Charlotte's Cottage, Queen's House, Royal Mews, Queen's Chapel, Clarence House and Banqueting House.

Lambeth Palace

Lambeth Palace has been the official residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury since 1207, when it was called Lambeth House and was the home of Stephen Langton (c. 1157-1228). The oldest surviving part of the palace is the crypt, which dates from the 13th century; the chapel was built soon afterwards. The palace has been extended and modernized on various occasions over the centuries, including in 1553 when Queen Mary ordered that it should be refurbished for Cardinal Pole (1500-58); strangely enough, they died within hours of each other in 1558.



Drama was played out in the Guard Room in 1543 when Thomas More was interrogated by Thomas Cromwell after he refused to sanction Henry VIII's decision to appoint himself head of the Church. When the English Civil War broke out in 1642, Lambeth House, as it was still called, was taken over for public service and became a prison during the Commonwealth, with the chapel being used for dances. Naturally, the building was greatly damaged, and after the Restoration in 1660 the Great Hall was rebuilt under Archbishop Juxon(1582-1663).



Today, the Great Hall is a library that contains the leather gloves that Charles I is alleged to have handed to Archbishop Juxon on the scaffold, shortly before his execution in January 1649. The library also houses the medical reports of George III, whose life was blighted so severely by what is believed to have been porphyria.


Few cities celebrated the new millennium with as much verve as London. Known for its pomp, pageantry and colourful history, the dawn of the year 2000 saw the British capital looking forward rather than back. The regeneration of the Thames' riverbanks and the completion of major public projects were then the settings for further celebrations during the Queen's Golden Jubilee throughout 2002.



Whole areas of the capital have been revitalized. London's new additions range from imaginatively transformed buildings to dramatic fresh architecture, epitomized by Tate Modern and the British Airways London Eye. The first is a brilliant example of renovation, the second a masterpiece of engineering technology, but both capture the public's imagination in very different ways.

Trim Castle

Trim Castle, Trim, County Meath, Ireland has an area of 30,000 m². It is the remains of the largest Norman castle in Europe. It was built primarily by Hugh de Lacy and his son Walter.

It was England's King Henry II who encouraged Hugh de Lacy, his first Lord Lieutenant in Ireland, to construct castles. Henry perceived Richard de Clare, also known as "Strongbow", who led the Norman invasion of Ireland, as a threat to the throne, and wanted to keep his rival in check. Trim Castle became de Lacy's base. From here, he could guard movement along the River Boyne, receive supplies directly into the castle from the port of Drogheda and control the region as far west as Athlone, which overlooked the River Shannon.



After withstanding an assault on the castle by Connaught's High King, Rory O'Connor, in 1173, de Lacy recognized the weaknesses in the ringwork's timber defences. He swiftly embarked on a building programme that ultimately converted the simple stronghold into a formidable enclosure castle. In its final form, Trim Castle consisted of a triangular curtain wall, its southernside fitted at intervals with D-shaped towers. The blocky Dublin gateway and barbican also faced southwards, towards Ireland's capital city. The main gatehouse bisected the western curtain wall, and the now ruined eastern side, which commanded the river, supported the royal mint, three square towers, an impressive great hall and storage facilities. Two watergates opened to slipways and allowed access to the river below.



Planted inside the ringwork castle's earthen embankments, Trim's imposing Norman keep exacts attention. A variant of the classic rectangular keep, this massive cruciform building is the only one of its kind in Ireland. Centred by a 23m high square core that stretches 19.8m across, the remarkable structure featured four square towers, each of which projected outwards midway along each side. When completed, the great keep was three storeys high, contained living quarters with fireplaces, a chapel and a hall on the third floor which was accessed by a wooden stairway.

A deep ditch carved from the underlying bedrock provided a substantial obstacle to any enemy attempt to undermine the keep. Direct assault was possible only if attackers managed to breach the heavily defended main gateway, cross the drawbridge that spanned the ditch and then storm the forebuilding, which opened into the first storey of the keep.

History of Trim Castle

Situated on the southern bank of the River Boyne, Trim Castle in Country Meath casts a medieval shadow over its urban surroundings. Encompassing 3 acres of land, Ireland's largest Norman fortress attests to the strength of the invaders' grip on the kingdom of Meath. Aptly described as Ireland's "King of castles", King John's Castle symbolizes the dramatic changes imposed by the Normans as they expanded their kingdom across the Irish Sea.




Brief History of Trim Castle
1172 - Hugh de Lacy, first Lord of Meath, begins ringwork
1173 - Rory O'Connor, King of Connaught, burns castle
1210 - After king's visit, castle known as King John's Castle
1224 - Masonry castle withstands seven week siege
1250s - Ceoffrey de Geneville acquires castle upon marrying Maud de Lacy
1301 - Roger Mortimer, first Earl of March, gains castle by right of marriage to Joan, the de Geneville heiress
1399 - Prince Hal, the future Henry V, and his brother, Humphrey, stay at castle
1460 - Royal mint established
15th and 16th centuries - Construction of mantlet, well, corner tower, wash-house with drain and cobbled floors, forebuilding extended.
1534 - Thomas Fitzgerald('Silken Thomas'), 10th Earl of Kildare, besieges castle
17th century - Addition of gun emplacements, lead-smelting hearths and blacksmith's forge
1647 - Catholic Conference forces storm castle
1650 - Parliamentarians seize castle
1970s and 1990s - Archaeological excavations identify ringwork



Trim's great cruciform keep was probably built in two separate phases, beginning in about 1200. The powerful structure could function as a self-sufficient unit in wartime and as a comfortable home in peacetime.

Death Valley

Scotty's Castle is a two-story Spanish Villa located in northern Death Valley National Park, California, USA. It is also known as Death Valley Ranch. Scotty's Castle is not a real castle, and it did not belong to the "Scotty" from whom it got its name.



By far the single biggest visitor attraction in Death Valley is both manmade and totally incongruous. At the far northern end of the valeey, just off Highway 257 close to Ubehebe Crater, a flamboyant rogue and sometime prospector, nicknamed Death Valley Scotty, persuaded Chicago millionaire Albert Johnson to build an extravagant Spanish-style mansion in the desert. Scotty had orignially lured Johnson out here with bogus tales of a gold mine. Johnson, however, found that the climate suited his fragile health, forgave Scotty and the two became lifelong friends.




The 25-room house has a 15m high living room, a music room with a 1600 pipe organ, and even indoor waterfalls that acted as air-conditioners in the summer. The house is now administered by the National Park Service.



Death Valley holds many wonderful surprises for the visitor, from castles to craters, from beautiful sunsets to singing sands. In spite of its forbidding name, very few people have actually died here. It was Christmas Day 1849 when the first white man gazed down at Death Valley. What has become known as the Death Valley Party consisted of four families and a group of young men. They were on their way from Salt lake City looking for an easy way across the Sierra Nevada to the newly discovered gold fields in the San Joaquin Valley. Twenty-six wagons went into Death Valley but only one made it out. One person died and it is said that the valley was given its name when one of the party looked back as they were leaving and said,"Goodbye, death valley."




Today Death Valley is a national park with over 805km of well-maintained roads and nearly all the attractions only a short walk away. Death Valley is unique among desert valleys, not only because of its size and variety of scenery, but also because of its extremes. It has the lowest point in the western hemisphere at 86m below sea level, but Telescope Peak rises to over 3353m not far away. Only 97km to the west is Mount Whitney, at 2218m the highest peak in continental US outside Alaska. In 1913 a record high air temperature of 57 degree celsius was recorded and summer temperatures regularly exceed 49 degrees celsius, making it undoubtedly one of the hottest places on earth.

California is blessed with the most diverse scenic national parks in the USA. Towering coastal redwoods in the north, bubbling mud at volcanic Mount Lassen, giant rock faces at Yosemite, sand dunes of Death Valley, it would be a great destination for vacations.

Photographs of Richmond Palace

Richmond Palace was a royal residence from 1327 to 1649 on The Green, Richmond, United Kingdom. The first, pre-Tudor version of the palace was known as Sheen Palace. Once one of the great medieval royal palaces, all that remains now of Richmond Palace is the old gatehouse on the south side of Richmond Green, and a trio of houses in Old Palace Yard, which date from the reign of the Tudors. Old engravings of the palace show a sprawling building of several stories, with many turrets and chimneys, standing on the banks of the Thames.



Richmond Palace started life as a manor house in the 12th century. At the time, the area was known as Shene and was a popular hunting ground. Henry I acquired the manor house in 1125, although Edward III was the first king to spend a lot of time there and he also lavished plenty of money on the place. Edward died there in June 1377, dependent on his ambitious mistress, Alice Perrers, who had persuaded the servants to wrench the rings from his fingers. Edward's grandson, Richard II, inherited the throne and, with it, Shene Palace. It was his favourite summer residence, where he and his first wife, Anne of Bohemia (1366-1394), entertained with lavish generosity. However, medieval summers always brought the plague, and the disease killed Anne in June 1394. Richard experienced such intense grief that he ordered the destruction of Shene Palace. Nevertheless, some parts of it were left standing and were used by Henry V as the basis for a major programme of restoration.



Shene was a particular favourite of Henry VII, and he had the palace rebuilt in grand style after it burnt down in 1499. It was at this point that its name was changed to Richmond, after Henry's earldom in Richmond, Yorkshire. Two of Henry VIII's children by Katherine of Aragon were born and died here, and in 1554 his daughter, Mary I, spent part of her honeymoon here after her marriage to Phillip of Spain. In March 1603, the dynasty of the Tudors ended with Elizabeth I died in Richmond Palace.



Richmond Palace passed to the Stuart kings and was therefore the inevitable casualty of the Civil War of the 1640s. Most of the palace was destroyed after the execution of Charles I in 1649, and although Charles II later had it restored for his mother, she found it too bleak. The palace gradually fell down, until more memories than stones remained.



London is an excellent city for walkers. Although it is much more spread out than most European capitals, many of the main tourist attractions are fairly close to each other. There several walk routes planned by the tourist board and local history societies too. These include footpaths along canals and the Thames, and the Silver Jubilee Walk. A about 90 minutes walk around Richmond and Kew begins in historic Richmond by the remains of Henry VII's once-splendid palace and ends at Kew. There are many cafes, pubs and tearooms in Richmond too.

London Best

When the British Empire was at tits apogee during Queen Victoria's late nineteenth century reign, London was the largest city on Earth, as well as the entire world's financial, cultural and social leader. The Houses of Parliament, overlooking the River Thames and crowned by the tower containing Big Ben, were the world's focal point.

In its youth, London was a vital center for the Romans and later the Saxons, who founded St. Paul's Cathedral in 604 AD. Following the Norman conquest of 1066, William I the Conqueror built the imposing White Tower, the Tower of London's centerpiece, as the seat of his power. After fire swept through London in 1136, buildings of stone and tile appeared in the rebuilding. Henry VIII (1509-1566) oversaw the reconstruction of the five royal hospitals, established at dockyard at Deptford, converted the York Palace into Whitehall and built St. James' Palace. Meanwhile, Westminster's noblemen were building their homes on the Strand, but only after the great fire of 1666 was London united to its surrounding townships like Westminster.



Saint James's Palace, in Westminster, London, England, on St. James's Street and fronting on Pall Mall: St. James's Palace is one of London's oldest palaces, with a long history as a Royal residence. It is situated on Pall Mall in London, just north of St. James's Park. It is often in use for official functions and is not open to the public.




St. James's Palace: Built by Henry VIII in the late 1530s on the site of a former leper hospital, it was a primary royal residence only briefly, mainly during the reign of Elizabeth I and during the late 17th and early 18th century. In 1952 Queen Elizabeth II made her first speech as queen here, and foreign ambassadors are still officially accredited to the Court of St. James's. Its northern gatehouse, seen from St James's Street, si one of London's most evocative Tudor landmarks. Behind it the palace buildings are now occupied by privileged Crown servants. The beloved Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) ruled with London's "militia, its money and its love." Sir Christopher Wren, the great architect, is immortalized in the city's great buildings, including the flawless St. Paul's cathedral.


Westminster Abbey:The abbey is world-famous as the resting place of Britain's monarchs, and as the setting for coronations and other great pageants.

London's importance as a commercial centre grew as the British Empire expanded. The wealth from the British East India company (1599) as well as trade with much of the world, nourished London's cultural character. Theater, literature and music bloomed for centuries. London was also technologically in the lead. By 1812, gas lights illuminated London's streets, omnibuses began running in 1829, rail carriages followed within a decade, and the world's first underground railway, powered by electricity, was completed in 1890.

While the nineteenth century Victorian Age brought in social reforms that modernized the city and eased the pressures of London's increasing population, growth nevertheless continued unchecked, swelling the population to 4.2 million in 1890. Culturally, London was immortalized by its many brilliant scholars and writers, like Charles Dickens. London also hosted the Olympic Games in 1908 and again in 1948.

Today, although the British Empire is defunct, London remains the United Kingdom's capital, housing a population of 6.7 million. The royal family reigns from Buckingham Palace, which has housed England's monarchs ever since Queen Victoria took up residence in 1837.


London's Best: Museums and Galleries

Every coronation of an English monarch has taken place at Westminister Abbey since William the Conqueror was crowned there in 1066. Within its walls can be seen some of the most glorious examples of medieval architecture in London. It also contains one of the most impressive collections of tombs and monuments in the world. Half national church, half national museum, the abbey occupies a unique place in the British national consciousness. London's museums are filled with an astonishing diversities of treasures from all over the world. It is definitely a hot destination for family vacations or couples. If you need any travel resources, Blogline might have what you want to search for.

Spain

Palacio de Linares

Spain, in southwestern Europe, covers the greater part of the Iberian Peninsula. The third largest country in Europe, it includes the Canary Islands in the Atlantic and the Balearics in the Mediterranean, and two small territories in North Africa. Its capital, Madrid, lies geographically in the centre of the country. Madrid boasts an exceptional number of world-class museums and galleries. Heading the list are the Prado, with the world's largest collection of Spanish art, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, which traces the development of Western art from the 14th century, and Reina Sofia, with its outstanding display of modern art. Other smaller museums includes the Museo Lazaro Galdiano.


Palacio Real

Within the autonomous region of Spain called Catalonia, Barcelona, the capital, acts as a living gallery of modernist and Art Nouveau architecture and decor. The temples and buildings of architect Antonio Gaudi, medieval churches, Roman wall remnants and well-loved promenades and plazas -- all produce a distinctive atmosphere. Called "the Paris of Spain" by Hans Christian Andersen for its soulful beauty and its rich cultural heritage, Barcelona has regained some of its youthful glory through recent autonomy and an acceptance of Catalonian culture within Spanish borders. Madrid's Top tourist attractions are Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Parque del Retiro, Museo Lazaro Galdiano, Museo Thyssen-Boornemisza, Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Palacio Real and also Museo del Prado. Book for Hotels in Madrid in advance to get the best accomodation that you like. Visit Madrid to see the best museums and galleries in Madrid. See the many great diversity of great architectural style of the buildings in Madrid.


Montjuïc castle

Barcelona is more than the capital of Catalonia. It is the main city on the Spanish mainland from which to reach the Balearic Islands. In culture, commerce and sports it not rivals in Madrid, but also considers itself on a par with the greatest European cities. In Barcelona, there are many shops, cafes and hotels. Places of interests includes places like Casa Lleo Morera, Palau Guell, Montjuïc castle and Palau de la Musica Catalana. Flights are run by Iberia. It is wise to book your flights and Hotels in Barcelona in advance. If you choose to fly between Barcelona and Madrid, the duration is just 1 hour 15 minutes. Air Europa fly from Barcelona airport, terminal B. They now arrive in the new terminal 4 at Madrid Barajas. The check in for the Barcelona to Madrid flight is at desks Desks B44 to B58. The flights depart daily and food is available on board! Barcelona to Madrid flights are from 07:00 - 23.50, and they operate frequently throughout the day.



Barcelona Cathedral

Castles in Vienna

Berlin, the former capital of the kingdom of Prussia, became the capital of the German Empire upon its creation in 18781. Ever since then, Berlin has been important to German political history. The city achieved international prominence under Frederick William the Great Elector and Frederick II the Great in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and exuded a magnetic force in the nineteenth, when East Berlin's Humboldt University attracted great minds like Georg Hegel and influential theorists like Karl Marx. In the same way that Berlin's architecture is punctuated by dazzling buildings and art collections, Berlin's history has been punctuated by intense and fully implemented movements.

From the time that the National Socialists(Nazis) came to power in 1933 until the end of World War II, Berlin was a focal point of German nationalism -- as interpreted by the Nazis. After Germany's defeat in 1945, Germany was divided into four occupation zones by the victorious powers. Berlin was also divided. In 1949, the three western zones became the Federal Republic of Germany(West Germany), with Bonn as its capital; the Soviet Zone became the German Democratic Republic(East Germany), with the eastern part of Berlin as its capital. In 1990, the Federal Republic took over the management of all of Germany and a reunited Berlin. Berlin became the capital of a reunited Germany, with Bonn remaining the administrative capital.


Schloss Charlottenburg

Berlin is one of the historic landmarks of our age. The city is the seat of the German Government and has regained its former political and cultural importance. At Berlin, Schloss Charlottenburg is one of finest buildings which is dedicated to Queen Sophie Charlotte. Berlin is endowed with an abundance of museums and many are centered on a man-made island between the Spree river and its canal. The Pergamon museum is perhaps the most interesting and it should not be missed.

The distance from Vienna to Berlin is about 525 kilometers or 326 miles or 283 nautical miles
Vienna is the capital of Austria and is by far the largest city in Austria as well as its cultural, economic and political centre. Holiday vacations flying between Vienna and Berlin can always begin with booking for accomodation in these two places.


Schoenbrunn Castle

Vienna is at the centre of Austria's wine-growing country and is surrounded by historic castles and churches, among which nestle picturesque wine-producing towns and villages. All the sights are accessible by bus or train and trips. At Vienna, another beautiful castle you can visit is Schonbuhel Castle which stands on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube.


Schonbuhel Castle

Schloss Hohenschwangau

Schloss Hohenschwangau is located in the German village of Schwangau near the town of Füssen, part of the county of Ostallgäu in southwestern Bavaria, very close to the border with Austria.

Hohenschwangau is a village in the municipality of Schwangau, Ostallgäu district, Bavaria, Germany. Hohenschwangau is bordered by the Alpsee in the West. Every year, about 2 million people visited this place. There are hotels, shops and restaurants. Hohenschwangau Castle is a short walk up from the village of Hohenschwangau.

Hohenschwangau Castle (Castle of the High Swan County) was the childhood residence of King Ludwig II of Bavaria and was built by his father, King Maximilian II of Bavaria. Ludwig spent his childhood here, dreaming of building his own romantic castle nearby. It is the castle that King Ludwig II stayed in while watching over the building of Neuschwanstein. It has a clear view of Neuschwanstein.

Schloss Hohenschwangau is an impressive castle. Hohenschwangau castle means swan area on a hill,High altitude. It is a castle of the Neo-Gothic style which is close to the town Hohenschwangau. The castle has a beautiful and romantic environment. It looks out over the Alpsee, where there are lots of swans. The Castle grounds consists of fountains, rose gardens, and fabulous views.

Schloss Hohenschwangau is the most famous and most visited of King Ludwig II's three palaces. King Ludwig II was the King of Bavaria in the 19th century. He was born on August 25, 1845 in Munich. He became the King of Bavaria at the age of eighteen but died in the lake mysteriously at forty one.

The Hohenschwangau castle was reconstructed by Maximilian II spending 4 years of 1832-1836. He was the father of Ludwig II who built the Neuschwanstein castle. Originally, a king of Schwangau built it in the 12th century but because the heir of the king family stopped and it became ruins, and then afterwards Maximilian II bought it and rebuilt. It is said that Ludwig II spent most of his life in this castle. Ludwig II seemed to have looked up at the construction of the Neuschwanstein castle from this castle.

Hohenschwangau is where you get tickets to visit Newschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles. Hohenschwangau Castle is open all through the year (except for Christmas). Opening hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (April through September) and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (October through March). Guided tours are provided in German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Czech, Slovene and Japanese.