Posts tagged: sculptures

Lille, the City’s Citadel, the Fine Arts and Boutiques

Lille is a city in northern France. The city is considered a good destination for shoppers tired of big cities, and is the ideal destination to relax in a typically French and enjoy the many boutiques.

Lille stands out as a city dedicated to science, culture and art. In this city was born the famous scientist Louis Pasteur, who invented the pasteurization process and was one of the pioneers of the vaccines. In Lille is the scientific research institute that bears his name, the Institut Pasteur. In this scientific institute found the first vaccine against tuberculosis, known as the Bacille Calmette et Guérin.

The city is full of interesting cultural buildings. Some of the many Citadelle, or citadels, were designed by Vauban dating from the seventeenth century. La Citadelle de Lille, is a citadel that is shaped like a pentagon. The citadel dates back to 1668 and is known as the queen of citadels. The Opéra de Lille was built in 1923. Many buildings have curious architectural style flamenco; including residential buildings are closer to the architecture of the Netherlands to the French architecture.

Other places of interest are highlighted in this city the palace of General Charles de Gaulle, also known as the Grand Place. The building is known for its impressive facade, and its proximity to the Vieille Bourse. Column of the Goddess, also known as The Memorial to the Siege of Lille, is a column that is in the center of the city. The statue was built in 1842 to commemorate the resistance during the French Revolution and the siege of Lille. The column is located near the Grand Place and since 1990 a fountain decorates the base of the spine.

With the opening of Eurostar and the extension of the TGV, the city became the heart of the triangle that connects three of the major cities of Europe, Paris, London and Brussels. The city center has become a much visited because of its geographical and economic situation. There are Notable buildings and Tower Euratechnologies Lille Europe. The Port of Lille is also an important center in the city.

One of the most important monuments of the city is the Cathedral of Lille, known as the Basilique-cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille de Lille. This cathedral is one of the largest in the country, which was begun in the nineteenth century and takes its name from a statue of the Virgin Mary XII century. Also, here is the Bishop of Lille.

The city is noted for his love of nature, as it has several botanical gardens, such as El Jardin Botanique of the Faculté de Pharmacie part of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Lille 2 Universided. This botanical garden has many trees and plants that come from all over the world. There are thousands of species of plants, and the territory of the garden there is also a tropical greenhouse. This garden dates from the 1970s.

According to historical records, the city had botanical gardens since 1596. The Jardin des Plantes de Lille, 11 acres, and the Jardin Botanique Nicolas Boulay, are two extremely important botanical gardens. The Jardin des Plantes de Lille is a park full of different plants, many of them coming from the Mediterranean.

The Palais des Beaux Arts de Lille, the Palacio de Bellas Artes de Lille is without doubt one of the most important museums throughout France and one of the jewels of the city and built according to the current architecture of the Belle Époque. The palace began to be built under Napoleon I in the early nineteenth century. During that time, thousands of works of art were confiscated from the churches and some territories occupied by French troops. All these works ended up in major museums in the country and confiscated works continue to attract thousands to the palace devoted to art. Highlight many of the works of such influential artists and painters such as Raphael, Donatello, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Goya and Delacroix. The museum also has a large collection of statues and sculptures.

Lille is full of small markets and shopping streets such as Notable former Place du Concert markets and the Vieille Bourse. In the oldest part of the city, recognizable by its stone streets, numerous boutiques hidden in the houses traditional flamenco style. The Grand Chaussée is one of the most important streets of the city center. This city is one of the best cheese shops in the country, among many other delightful gourmet shops.

Buddhist Temple in Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang is the second largest city in Laos, and until 1975 was the nation’s capital. The city is also a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

In the natural landscape of this city you can find the waterfalls of Kuang Si. One of the most visited places in the city, and offers a breathtaking natural spectacle. The main waterfall is 55 meters while the smallest are between 3 to 4.5 meters.

At 25 kilometers from the city we can find the caves of Pak Ou. The cave of Tham Ting, the lower cave and Tham Theung cave, the cave top, form a group of caves which are only accessible by river. Inside the caves you can find sculptures of Buddha, the great majority of them made of wood and brought by pilgrims over the centuries. The statues cover the entire floor and walls, and represent different positions of meditation, peace and nirvana. In the cave of Tham Ting statues are around 2500 while in 1500 there is Theung Tham.

Take a look at the Royal Palace, known as Haw Kham, built in 1904 for King Sisavang Vong during the French colonial era. The palace retains its original appearance, and in the courtyard you can find a waterproof full of lotus flowers and the Phra Bang, a statue of Buddha 83 inches tall. The Buddha statue represents the power to rule Laos, and the former capital is named after the revered statue made of bronze and covered with gold.

Also worth a visit the Wat Xieng Thong, a Buddhist temple built in 1560, during the reign of King Setthathirath. This temple, called the Temple of the Golden City, contains images of Buddha at the time, as well as several statues.

Petra, the City of Archeology

The city of Petra is one of the most famous cities in Jordan. The city of Petra, founded centuries ago, is known for its incredible buildings and tombs carved directly from stone.

Petra is considered one of the wonders of the world. The city was known as a lost city in the western world, until it was rediscovered in 1812. Petra is located near the town of Wadi Musa in the desert where the sand creates a contrast with traces of red rocks. The city is known for its natural geological structures, and the distinctive red color of the stone.

The historic archaeological VI century BC, and is considered the symbol of Jordan. The town is considered World Heritage by UNESCO. In the West, no one knew anything about this city until a Swiss explorer; Johann Ludwig Burckhardt discovered the great city of mysterious red stone.

Al-Siq is the main gateway to the ancient city, a corridor formed naturally due to water erosion. The entrance is very narrow and the hallway, about 1.6 kilometers long, reaches Al Khazneh and cash flow. Near the entrance is a reservoir, which looks much like another dam built centuries ago by the Nabataeans. Even today some old ruins are preserved in a huge arc that was in this place. Formerly, caravans used this post to enter Petra, and have found two huge sculptures of two merchants carrying a camel each.

Al Khazneh is the treasury, one of the most elaborate buildings of the ancient city. The structure is carved directly from the rock of the mountain. A curious aspect of the building is its architectural style, reminiscent of the buildings of ancient Greece. This building, over 2000 years old, also has its own legend that many centuries ago; pirates hid their treasure on the second floor of Al Khazneh. There are still more elaborate sculptures of human beings in the local mythology figures representing life after death. Inside the building there are several tombs.

Qasr al Bint is a temple dating from the time of the Nabataeans, dedicated to his God Dushara. The temple has three parts, and the roof is accessible by a staircase in the back of the building. The building is the best preserved in the city of Petra.

There is also a former theater carved directly into the mountain, which was rebuilt by the Roman and could hold more than 7,000 people. Al Deir, the monastery is located in the western part of the city. To reach the building you have to climb 800 steps, but the effort is worthwhile. From the top we can see magnificent views across the ancient city, including the Lions Triclinium and Wadi Araba.

In the Deir Qattan the remains of water pipes. The walls are full of Nabataean inscriptions. Still kept what appeared to be remains of an old bathroom. The Triclinium of the Lions is another smaller temple with an elaborate facade decorated with two enormous statues of two lions. Inside the temple there are two graves.

In Petra there are several museums dedicated to history and archeology. Highlights include the Museum Al Habees and Petra Archaeological Museum. There are also a large number of tombs, though some are only ruins. Some of the tombs include the Obelisk Tomb, near the Siq and the Tomb of the Palace.

The city, located in the desert and near several settlements of the Bedouin, was the intersection of several trade routes in the time of the Nabataeans. The place, full of history, has several buildings of historical interest that were carved from the mountains directly. Near the city there are several settlements of the Bedouin. From the other side of Petra magnificent open views towards the mountains.

In this area are often organized excursions by camel. About Petra there are other places like Jerash, an ancient Roman city that was built in 300 AD. Amra Cheese is a castle built in the desert, dating from the eighteenth century and still retains its beautiful murals and an old hammam.