The Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela

1 December 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  7 minutes

Bete Giyorgis © Bernard Gagnon/cc-by-sa-3.0

Bete Giyorgis © Bernard Gagnon/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela are monolithic churches located in the Western Ethiopian Highlands near the town of Lalibela, named after the late-12th and early-13th century King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela of the Zagwe Dynasty, who commissioned the massive building project of 11 rock-hewn churches to recreate the holy city of Jerusalem in his own kingdom. The site remains in use by the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church to this day, and it remains an important place of pilgrimage for Ethiopian Orthodox worshipers. It took 24 years to build all the eleven rock hewn churches. The site of the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela was first included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978.   read more…

Paris Observatory

1 November 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month, Paris / Île-de-France, Universities, Colleges, Academies Reading Time:  8 minutes

© flickr.com - Fred Romero/cc-by-2.0

© flickr.com – Fred Romero/cc-by-2.0

The Paris Observatory (French: Observatoire de Paris), a research institution of the Paris Sciences et Lettres University, is the foremost astronomical observatory of France, and one of the largest astronomical centers in the world. Its historic building is on the Left Bank of the Seine in central Paris, but most of the staff work on a satellite campus in Meudon, a suburb southwest of Paris. The Paris Observatory was founded in 1667. Construction was completed by the early 1670s and coincided with a major push for increased science, and the founding of the Royal Academy of Sciences. King Louis XIV’s minister of finance organized a “scientific powerhouse” to increase understanding of astronomy, maritime navigation, and science in general. Through the centuries the Paris Observatory has continued in support of astronomical activities, and in the 21st century connects multiple sites and organizations, supporting astronomy and science, past and present.   read more…

Outletcity Metzingen

1 October 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month Reading Time:  7 minutes

© Stefan Fussan/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Stefan Fussan/cc-by-sa-3.0

More than 500 premium and luxury brands in Metzingen and in the online shop have come together under the term Outletcity Metzingen (as of August 2021). The focus of the offer is on clothing. Beauty and home products are also offered. The Outletcity Metzingen is managed by Holy AG.   read more…

Sagrada Família in Barcelona

1 September 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  8 minutes

© Bernard Gagnon/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Bernard Gagnon/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Basílica de la Sagrada Família (Spanish: Basílica de la Sagrada Familia; ‘Basilica of the Holy Family‘), also known as the Sagrada Família, is a large unfinished Roman Catholic minor basilica in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Designed by the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926), his work on the building is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On 7 November 2010, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church and proclaimed it a minor basilica.   read more…

New Frankfurt Old Town

1 August 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month Reading Time:  8 minutes

© Silesia711/cc-by-sa-4.0

© Silesia711/cc-by-sa-4.0

The New Frankfurt Old Town (also known as the Dom-Römer Quarter) is the centre of the old town of Frankfurt am Main, which was reconstructed from 2012 to 2018 as part of a major urban development project called the Dom-Römer Project (German: Dom-Römer-Projekt). The project redesigned and developed a 7,000 square meter property between Römerberg in the west and Domplatz in the east, delimited by Braubachstrasse in the north and the Schirn Kunsthalle in the south, in an effort to remake the old city centre, the Altstadt (old town) of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, which was severely damaged during World War II, in the style of the pre-war architecture.   read more…

Faneuil Hall in Boston

1 July 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month, Shopping Reading Time:  2 minutes

© flickr.com - Kevin Rutherford/cc-by-sa-2.0

© flickr.com – Kevin Rutherford/cc-by-sa-2.0

Faneuil Hall is a marketplace and meeting hall located near the waterfront and today’s Government Center, in Boston, Massachusetts. Opened in 1743, it was the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams, James Otis, and others encouraging independence from Great Britain. It is now part of Boston National Historical Park and a well-known stop on the Freedom Trail. It is sometimes referred to as “the Cradle of Liberty”. In 2008, Faneuil Hall was rated number 4 in “America’s 25 Most Visited Tourist Sites” by Forbes Traveler.   read more…

Bauhaus Archive Museum of Design

1 June 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Architecture, Berlin, House of the Month, Museums, Exhibitions Reading Time:  7 minutes

© janine pohl/cc-by-sa-2.5

© janine pohl/cc-by-sa-2.5

The Bauhaus Archive (German: Bauhaus-Archiv) is a state archive and Museum of Design located in Berlin. It collects art pieces, items, documents and literature which relate to the Bauhaus School (1919–1933), and puts them on public display. Currently, the museum is closed due to construction works and will reopen in 2022. It has a temporary space at Knesbeckstr. 1-2 in Berlin-Charlottenburg.   read more…

Bank of America Tower in New York City

1 May 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month, New York City Reading Time:  8 minutes

New York Public Library Main Branch and Bank of America Tower in the background © Tdorante10/cc-by-sa-4.0

New York Public Library Main Branch and Bank of America Tower in the background © Tdorante10/cc-by-sa-4.0

The Bank of America Tower is a 1,200 ft (365.8 m) skyscraper in the Midtown neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is located at One Bryant Park, on Sixth Avenue between 42nd and 43rd Streets diagonally opposite Bryant Park. The $1 billion project was designed by COOKFOX Architects. Work on the building started in 2004 and it was completed in 2009. The building was appraised in July 2019 at over $3.5 billion, ranking it among the most valuable office buildings in the city. The Bank of America Tower is advertised to be one of the most efficient and ecologically friendly buildings in the world. It is the eighth tallest building in New York City, after One World Trade Center, 432 Park Avenue, 30 Hudson Yards, and the Empire State Building, and the seventh tallest building in the United States.   read more…

JW3 in London

1 April 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month, London Reading Time:  8 minutes

© jw3.org.uk

© jw3.org.uk

JW3, also known as Jewish Community Centre London, is an arts, culture and entertainment venue, an educational facility and a social and community hub in north London. It is located at 341–351 Finchley Road, London, and opened on 29 September 2013. “Describing itself as a new postcode for Jewish life”, the name “JW3” is a wordplay on its postal address, which is in the NW3 postcode area. Vivien Duffield, whose idea it was, contributed £40m of the project’s £50m cost – over the 10 years it took to bring it to reality – through the Clore Duffield Foundation. It was inspired by her 2003 visit to the Jewish Community Centre in Manhattan, New York City.   read more…

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