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24.7.11

The Acropolis and the Parthenon Greece

The Acropolis is right in the center of Athens and reaching it is quite easy. The routes that you may follow are very pleasant since the large avenues which border the south and west of the site, Apostolou Pavlou in Thission and Dionissiou Areopagitou in Makriyianni, have been turned into giant pedestrian streets with cafes and restaurants. You can also reach the Acropolis from Plaka and Monastiraki by walking uphill from wherever you are. This way you will find the Acropolis when you reach the top. You can´t miss it.








Since its apogee two and a half thousand years ago, the Acropolis of Athens has remained one of the world´s most venerated historical sites. The magnificent marble temples and civic buildings that grace the ancient sanctuary, renowned for the beauty of their proportions and their fine details, have been a constant inspiration for architecture and the fine arts. 
The first thing that you see when you reach the top of the hill is the Propylaia, or the entrance of the monument designed by Mnesicles which was an architect. Moving on, you will have the opportunity to look at the Erechtheion, the temple of Athena Nike or the Parthenon and the Caryatids.










The Parthenon of Athens has probably received more attention from archaeologists, historians, architects, painters and poets than any other structure on earth. Words and photographs however, can offer but slight tribute to this extraordinary creation. Iktinos and Kallicrates were responsible for its construction and architectural refinements.

A visit to the Acropolis should definitely be accompanied by another one to the new Acropolis museum where some of the original sculptors that were found in Acropolis are presently housed in order to be protected against erosion. Copies of them have been placed to their former position so if you would like to see how the original ones looked like, the do pay a visit to the museum which is one of the most important museums of Athens and one of the most famous all over the world.

The new Acropolis museum opened its doors to the public in summer 2009 and it is located on the foot of Acropolis. It is considered to be a great architectural achievement and what makes it special is the fact that the visitors face the Parthenon no matter which side of the museum they are standing.


10.7.11

Florence, The Duomo and The Ponte Vecchio Italia

The heart of Florence, stretching from the Piazza del Duomo south to the Arno, is as dense with artistic treasures as anyplace in the world. Its churches, medieval towers, Renaissance palaces, and world-class museums and galleries contain some of the most outstanding achievements of Western art history.
Florence, The Duomo and The Ponte Vecchio
Florence, The Duomo and The Ponte Vecchio
Florence, The Duomo and The Ponte Vecchio
Florence, The Duomo and The Ponte Vecchio
 Florence, The Duomo and The Ponte Vecchio
 Florence, The Duomo and The Ponte Vecchio
 

4.7.11

The Hassan II mosque Morocco

Morocco Travel | Akabar Tours
If you love architecture you will be in your element here viewing the exciting modern landmarks, the older homes with run down facades and other pieces of history such as the Hassan II mosque. Taking pictures on the Morocco vacation ...
En Route: The Glass Half Full (of sand)
Well it's been about three weeks since the beginning of my independent study period, and i've taken advantage of the "free" time I've had to see a lot of Morocco that I've been wanting to see, namely the desert, which I've been desperate to get to since I arrived in Morocco. But I'll get to that in a little. I started ISP with some friends in Essaouira, a beach town in the south known for its history as a Portugese ... Me and Nate in Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca ...
The Hassan II mosque 
The Hassan II mosque
The Hassan II mosque
The Hassan II mosque
The Hassan II mosque
The Hassan II mosque
 

The frescoes of the Sixtin church Vatican

The frescoes of the Sixtin church
The frescoes of the Sixtin church
The frescoes of the Sixtin church
The frescoes of the Sixtin church
The frescoes of the Sixtin church
 The frescoes of the Sixtin church
 

2.7.11

The Kilauea and the Hawaii volcanoes United States of America

Kilauea the world’s most active volcanic mass, located on the southeastern part of the island of Hawaii, Hawaii state, U.S. The central feature of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea (“Much Spreading” in Hawaiian), is an elongated dome built of lava eruptions from a central crater and from lines of craters extending along east and southwest rifts, or fissures. The volcano’s 4,090-foot (1,250-metre) summit has collapsed to form a caldera, a broad shallow depression nearly 3 miles (5 km) long and 2 miles (3.2 km) wide with an area of more than 4 square miles (10 square km). Kilauea’s slopes merge with those of the nearby volcano Mauna Loa on the west and north.
The Kilauea and the Hawaii volcanoes
The Kilauea and the Hawaii volcanoes
The Kilauea and the Hawaii volcanoes
The Kilauea and the Hawaii volcanoes
The Kilauea and the Hawaii volcanoes
The Kilauea and the Hawaii volcanoes

The Buddhist temple of Borobudur Indonesia

Borobudur,  is a 9th century Mahayana Buddhist monument near Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.
The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely Kāmadhātu (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the  orld of formlessness). During the journey the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades.
The Buddhist temple of Borobudur