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Gedong Songo - Gallery

2010-05-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

Gedong Songo

2010-05-19T05:51:00.000-07:00

This is a resort on the slope of mount Ungaran, about 900 meters above sea level. Gedong Songo (nine buildings), a group of small 8th century Hindu Javanese temples, can be reached either by car or on horseback from the town. Built at about the same time as the temples of the Dieng complex, Gedong Songo is one of the most beautifully sited temple complexes in Central Java and the views alone are worth the trip. Gedung Songo ('Nine Buildings') belong to the earliest antiquities of Java, they follow up the temples on the Dieng Plateau directly, for what about time. They were also built high in the mountains in an area full with volcanic activity; and they were also from Hinduist origin. But where the temples on Dieng Plateau are somewhat squeezed into a foggy valley, Gedung Songo are spread over the higher parts of the mountains, which guarantee a splendid view. On clear days, the horizon is one long row of volcanoes, from mount Lawu in the east, towards mount Sumbing, mount Sundoro and Dieng Plateau in the west.

The temples were built between 730 and 780, the first temple excepted, which could have been built some 30 years later. Gunung Songo is not the original name and also doesn't point at the number of structures. The number nine has a special meaning in the Javanese culture, in which there is a strong attachment to numbers. The temples are located at about the same distance from each other (100 meters, 200 meters) on a naturally formed terrace of edge of a mountain

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Gedong Songo Gallery

Indonesia - Bluebird Taxi Contact Number

2010-01-18T02:33:00.000-08:00

JAKARTA

Head Office :
Jl. Mampang Prapatan Raya No. 60, Jakarta 12790
phone : 7989000, 7989111, fax : 7989102

Marketing Department :
phone : 7971222, Fax : 7971228
phone : 7985055, Fax : 7985054

Order by phone (24 hours) :
BLUE BIRD & PUSAKA, Regular Taxis : (021) 79171234 / 7941234
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Customer Care Center: (021) 797 1245
E-mail:customercare@bluebirdgroup.com

Depots :
Kemayoran : 4256666, Mampang : 7989000 ext.115-117, Ciputat : 7291234/7238888, Kramat Jati : 8091234, Cimanggis : 8701234, Radin Inten : 86607777, Penggilingan : 4603333, Kelapa Gading : 46822345, Daan Mogot : 5516677, Puri Indah : 5453350, Pondok Cabe I : 7411234 Pondok Cabe II : 7415000, Bintaro : 74863333, Halim : 8012345, Narogong : 82611111, Japos : 73451234, Kalibata : 7901234

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BALI

Jl. Raya By Pass Nusa Dua No. 4, Jimbaran - Denpasar - Bali
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Bali Cliff Resort, Bali Hyatt, Bali Padma Hotel, Bvlgari Resort & Hotel Bali, Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, Grand Hyatt, Hard Rock Hotel Bali, Nikko Bali Resort & Spa, Ramada Bintang Bali Resort, Ramada Resort Benoa, Ritz Carlton Bali Resort, The Westin Bali & Bali International Convention Center

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BANDUNG

Jl. Terusan Buahbatu No. 194, Bandung Kidul, Bandung

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Outlets :
Grand Aquila - Hyatt Regency - Holiday Inn Bandung - Sheraton Bandung

CILEGON

PUSAKA BANTEN TAKSI : Jl. Akses Tol CIlegon Timur, Kodya Cilegon Banten
phone : (0254) 393123, fax : (0254) 383111

Customer Care Center : (0254) 393 123
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LOMBOK

LOMBOK TAKSI & GOLDEN BIRD : Jl. Koperasi No. 102 Ampenan, Lombok Barat NTB.
phone : (0370) 627000, 645000, fax : (0370) 623972
E-mail : lomboktaksi@mataram.wasantara.net.id

Customer Care Center : (0370) 645000
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Outlets :
Granada Hotel, Hotel Holiday Inn Resort, Kayangan Port Newmon Port, Lembar Port, Mall Mataram, Mandalika Interchange, Nitour Hotel, Pariwisata Area of Senggigi, Senggigi Tourism Area, Sahid Legi Hotel

SEMARANG

GOLDEN BIRD : Jl. Puri Anjasmoro A IV No.1, Semarang 50144
phone : (024) 6731345, 7605334, 70207442, fax : (024) 7605334
E-mail : gbsmg@semarang.wasantara.net.id

BLUE BIRD : Jl. Brigjen Sudiarto (Majapahit) No. 492, Semarang Timur
phone : (024) 6701234

Customer Care Center : (024) 767 44 273
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SURABAYA

SURABAYA TAKSI : Jl. Platuk Donomulya XV No. 2, Surabaya 60128
phone : (031) 3721234, fax : (031) 3768888

PUSAKA SENTRA : Jl. Lakasantri No. 20, Surabaya 60211
phone : (031) 7528000, fax : (031) 7527283

PUSAKA NURI : Jl. Raya Darmo Kali No. 2-6, Surabaya
phone : (031) 5651234, fax : (031) 5621333

GOLDEN BIRD : Graha Bumi Modern Lt.5, Jl. Jend. Basuki Rachmat 106-128, Surabaya 60271
phone : (031) 5326403/06, 5311234 ext. 80158, fax : (031) 5326421
E-mail : gbsby@surabaya.wasantara.net.id

Customer Service : (031) 3720909
E-mail : customercare@bluebirdgroup.com
Hotel Outlets :
Hotel Ibis, Hotel Singgasana, Hyatt Regency Surabaya, ITC Bunguran, Majapahit Oriental Surabaya, Mercure Surabaya, Novotel Surabaya, Plaza Hotel Surabaya, Sheraton Surabaya Hotel & Tower, Somerset Hotel & Service Residence, Shangri La Surabaya

Other Outlets :
Citi of Tommorow, East Point, Graha Bumi Mandiri, Mal BG Junction, Plaza Surabaya, Royal Plaza, RS Surabaya Internasional, RS Husada Utama, RS Perak Hospital Center, Surabaya Town Square, Sogo TP IV

YOGYAKARTA

GOLDEN BIRD : Shopping Arcade Hotel Melia Purosani, Jl. Suryotomo No. 31, Yogyakarta 55122
phone : (0274) 589521 ext. 555, phone/fax : (0274) 7588185 (Office Hour), (0274) 869123 ext. 89214 (24-hour), E-mail : gb_yogya@indosat.net.id

Hotel Outlets :
Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta, Melia Purosani Hotel, Plaza Jogjakarta Hotel

MANADO

BLUE BIRD & GOLDEN BIRD : JL.Balai Kota II No.30 RT003/RW 01 Kel.Tikala Kumaraka, Kec. Wenang, Manado Sulawesi Utara
Phone : (0431) 86 1234

Indonesia : Mount Bromo

2010-01-14T20:45:00.000-08:00

Mount Bromo (2,329 metres) is easily recognized as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. It sits inside the massive Tengger caldera (diameter approximately 10 km), surrounded by the Laut Pasir (Sea of Sand) of fine volcanic sand. The overall effect is unsettlingly unearthly, especially when compared to the lush green valleys all around the caldera.

The major access point is Cemoro Lawang (also Cemara Lawang or Cemora Lawang - blame the East Javanese accent!) at the northeastern edge of the caldera, but there are also trails from Tosari (northwest) and Ngadas (southwest). The village of Ngadisari, on the road from Probolinggo about 5.5 km before Cemoro Lawang, marks the entrance to the national park. Both Cemoro Lawang and Ngadisari are rather picturesque, with brightly-painted houses and flower beds outside.

The Tenggerese
The area in and around the park is inhabited by the Tenggerese, one of the few significant Hindu communities left on the island of Java. The local religion is a remnant from the Majapahit era and therefore quite similar to that on Bali but with even more animist elements. The Tenggerese are believed to be descendents of the Majapahit prices and were driven into the hills after mass arrivals in the area of devoutly Muslim Madurese in the 19th century. These Madurese immigrants were labourers working for Dutch coffee plantation owners and the native Hindu people of the region soon found themselves outnumbered and either converted to Islam or fled to the inhospitable high mountain tops where they remain today.

The religion is quite low key though (certainly when compared to Bali) with the most visible manifestation of faith being the rather austere Poten temple in the sea of sand. The Tenggerese number about 600,000 and they reside in 30 villages scattered in and around the park with smaller communities elsewhere in East Java.

For many visitors, the sight of the angular-faced, sunburned, moustachioed Tenggerese wrapped in poncho-like blankets, trotting about on ponies with craggy mountains as the backdrop, more resembles Peru than Indonesia!

Landscape
If ever a landscape were need to demonstrate the meaning of the phrase desolate beauty, then this is surely it. Rugged, barren volcanic peaks, gravel plains and that sea of sand. Truly unworldly.

The park also includes large areas which are very lush and green fed by rivers from the high tops. The medium elevations are clad with much thinner forest before this gives way to the barren plateau and peaks.

Flora and fauna
In the parts of the park which most interest visitors (the caldera and mountain tops) flora and fauna is limited - a general lack of vegetation. At lower elevations and away from the sea of sand there are though lush green valleys with a typical tropical forest flora. The higher elevations before the tree line ends are largely clad with casuarina (cemara) forest.

Down in the valleys, a few leopard cats are present but rarely seen. Java rusa deer, muntjac, marbled cat and wild pig are amongst the mammals more likely to be glimpsed by casual visitors. This park is not so renowned for birdwatching as others in Java but up on the plateau you often see hawks and eagles soaring over the valleys below.

Climate
Temperatures are refreshingly cool during the day but outright cold at night as temperatures can drop close to zero in the summer and are rarely much above 5°C in winter. Daytime temperatures anywhere in the park never exceed 20°C with low teens being normal.

It can rain at anytime and the mean average rainfall is 6,600 mm. Most of that comes in the wet season though - November to March. During periods of heavy rain in January and February especially, many parts of the park are inaccessible due to flooding. Landslips are also a real issue at these times.

Official Tourism Offices

East Java Tourism Office, Jalan Wisata Menanggal, Surabaya, East Java, ☎ +62 31 8531815 or 8531820 (eastjava@indosat.net.id).
East Java Tourism Office, Jl Jendral Basuki Rachmat 6, Malang, East Java, ☎ +62 341 323966.
Office of the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, Jl Raden Intan No6, Malang, East Java, ☎ +62 341 491828 (tn-bromo@malang.wasan-tara.net.id).

How to Get there
By plane
The nearest major airport is in Surabaya, three to four hours away by car (and more by bus). Surabaya is well served by regular domestic flights from Jakarta and Bali and some other countries in Asia.
There is a small regional airport at Malang with flights from Jakarta only and access from here makes sense if you intend to enter the park via the Tumpang/Ngadas route.

By road
There are three established routes into the park.

The Probolinggo -> Ngadisari Route
The nearest larger town is Probolinggo, on the north coast of Java about 45 km as the crow flies from the park (but it feels a lot further). This is by far the commonest route used to access the park as it is the most straightforward (but not necessarily the most interesting). About 6 km west of Probolinggo on the main coastal highway, turn south at the village of Ketapang. From there the road snakes up for 40 km through Sukapura (not a bad idea to stay the night here as the hotels are good) to Ngadisari and finally Cemaro Lawang on the edge of the caldera. Total journey time about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

To get to Probolinggo from Surabaya, take a Damri shuttle bus from the Juanda International Airport in Surabaya to the Bungurasih bus terminal (also called Purabaya) in the city. Then take an express Patas air-conditioned bus for the 2 to 3 hour journey from Surabaya to Probolinggo.

The Pasuruan -> Tosari Route
This route is only a little harder than the Probolinggo option and Pasuruan has the benefit of being closer to Surabaya. From Pasuruan on the main north coast road between Surabaya and Probolinggo, take the road 45 km south to Tosari via Pastepan. Irregular buses ply this route or you can drive it in a regular car. From Tosari to Wonokitri it is another 3 km via a local bemo or on the back of a truck. From Wonokotri up to Bromo it is a really nice three hour 14 km trek, so you do need to start very early if you want sunrise. Alternatively you should be able to hire a 4 x 4 with a driver for that journey. There is accommodation in both Tosari and Wonokitri.

The Malang -> Tumpang Route
This route approaches from the south east and is seldom used due to the lack of facilities. Certainly the most off-the-beaten-path way to approach the park. Take a microbus from Ardosari bus station in Malang to Tumpang and then a 4WD vehicle or a heavy truck from Tumpang to Ngadas. There are no facilities to speak of at Ngadas but you will find informal accommodation in family homes in the village. At Ranupani up on the top there is very simple homestay accommodation avaiable - ask at the park office there. The route from Ngadas on to the caldera is interesting because it transverses the Sea of Sand and directly passes Mount Bromo. A dirt road leads across the flat bottom of the caldera, up to Jemplang on the southern rim and on to Ranupani where you should check in at the park office. You have to take a 4WD vehicle (unless you prefer to walk).

Do
When timing any activities in the area, bear in mind that sunset is soon after 5 PM and sunrise is correspondingly early at around 5:30 AM. This means you will usually need to get up by 3:30 AM or so to get to a watchpoint in time for dawn.

For the keen hiker, this park is a dream come true and you can make your own schedule. There are so many possibilities once you are away from the obvious well known area at Mount Bromo.

Mount Bromo edges tinged with sulphur and always bubbling, is the main sight here and sadly, for some tourists it is the only sight. To reach it on foot, pick the left fork at Cemoro Lawang's solitary crossing, then head down the ramp into the caldera and then across the caldera to the Hindu temple (Poten) at the foot of the mountain. From the temple a steep path of 250 concrete steps leads to the edge of the crater and a precarious meter-wide ledge from where you can gaze into the steaming crater. Local jeep-hirers will often try to persuade tourists that the journey to the mountain is not within walking distance in order to hire them jeeps or ponies, but the walk from the tourist centre to the top of the mountain should take no longer than 90 minutes and is about 3km.
Mount Penanjakan (2,770m), located just north of the caldera, is a mountaintop viewpoint accessible by paved road from Tosari and hence popular with jeeps and even tour buses. Most of the crowd comes to see the dawn at 5 AM and you will likely have the large concrete observation post to yourself if you arrive later in the day. A steady hike from Bromo to Batok and then around the rim to Penanjakan will take about three hours and the last ascent of about 500 metres is very stiff indeed but truly worthwhile. Ancient Javanese Hindu texts tell of how Bromo-Penanjakan-Semeru (or Mahameru as it was then) was the spiritual axis of the universe and the point of all creation. The view from Penanjakan will explain why - it is truly breathtaking. This is where most of those iconic picture postcard views are taken from. After you have had your fill of the views, a hike back across the sea of sand to Cemoro Lawang will take about two hours.
Mount Semeru can be climbed over two days but it is a venture for serious trekkers only and requires a high level of physical fitness. A permit must obtained in advance and would be climbers should be very aware that the mountain will be off-limits during periods of eruptive activity. This is a very active volcano. If you do decide you are up for this you should be able to find a guide to go at least part of the way with you at the park office in Ranupani. That office is also the best source of information for an assessment of the current state of the mountain and for hooking up with serious climbers from around the world.
Viewpoint #2, along the trail from Cemoro Lawang to Mount Penanjakan, is an excellent way to get a stunning view of the caldera without the crowds. To reach it, head west from Cemoro Lawang (past the Cemoro Indah hotel) for 6 km, passing Tenngerese farms and fields. The paved road eventually turns into a twisty mountain trail that ends with a flight of stairs on the right, and the viewpoint (with concrete shelter) is at the top. Allow 90 minutes hours for the climb up at a steady pace and bring along a flashlight if attempting this at night. From here, you can continue onto Mount Penanjakan by following the trail upwards, after which the trail merges onto the paved road to the viewpoint (total time about 60 minutes one way). If planning to return the same way, mark the spot where the trail emerges onto the road (if you pass a stone lantern on the way down you have gone too far!), and note that descending on this section can get slippery due to loose sand and rocks. As of September 2008, the direct route from Cemoro Lawang up to Penanjakan and Viewpoint #2 is severely damaged because of landslides. The path is still passable, but it can be tricky to spot the dangerous parts in the dark — each vistor should have their own flashlight.

What to see

By far the most common activity in the park is visiting the collapsed but still smouldering Mount Bromo, located in the huge, unearthly moonscape of a caldera known as the Sea of Sand (Pasir Lautan). The much photographed view of steaming Mount Bromo surrounded by the Sea of Sand, its rather serene neighbour Mount Batok and mighty Mount Semeru as the southern backdrop, is one of the great iconic images of Indonesia.
Mount Batok (2,440m) is a brown volcano at the north centre of the caldera. Unlike the other nearby peaks it is no longer active and actually has some vegetation growing on it, mostly casuarina (cemara) trees that somehow manage to survive even on volcanic ash.
The Upacara Kasodo (also Kasada) is held every year at the full moon of the 12th month of the Tenggerese calendar and it is the most demonstrable Tenggerese religious ceremony. The Tenggerese invoke the approval of the gods to ensure a successful harvest, to be spared from any natural calamities and to be cured of disease. Selected Tenggerese men climb down to precarious ledges on the Bromo crater wall and catch the offerings thrown down by their excited neighbours above. A scramble ensues for possession of the offerings and whole thing is both exciting and rather terrifying as it is not unknown in all the mayhem for a "catcher" to slip off his ledge and fall. You can check the date of the next Upacara Kasodo at the East Java Tourism Office in Surabaya (+62 31 567 7219).
Madakaripura Waterfall. These spectacular falls in the foothills of the park are easily reached by anyone visiting with their own transport. From Sukapura take the north-heading road towards Tongas and after about 6 km close to the village of Sapih the turning to the falls is signposted on your left. Continue down this small road to reach the car park for the falls. There are often lots of hawkers in the car park waiting to hire or sell you umbrellas to protect from the spray. There are actually seven waterfalls here some of which drop over the access path during the wet season, so an umbrella is not as silly as it sounds. Legend abounds here: bathing in the chill waters is said to be an elixir of life, the water is regarded as holy by the Tenggerese and is used in their important ceremonies, and the great Majapahit prime minister Gajah Madah is reputed to have meditated here. A very attractive and relaxing spot.
The Poten. This is the Tenggerese Hindu temple that sits looking eerily beautiful in the sea of sand close to Mount Bromo. There is something quite magical about this place and the frugality of its decoration and austere design seems very appropriate for the location. Easily found, you really cannot miss it.
Lakes Ranupani and Ranu Regulo. These small, serene and always misty lakes are adjacent to the village of Ranupani on the south side of the crater. The village is the usual start point for ascending Mount Semeru and there is a park office here. Most visitors to this side of the crater will be happy though to take in the beauty of the small highland lakes and leave climbing Mount Semeru to the professionals. Ranupani is an extremely mystical village even by East Javanese standards and the rather ghostly lakes only add to the feelings of spirituality here. If this side of the crater appeals to you, it should be possible to arrange some simple homestay accommodation in Ranupani - ask at the park office.

Dartmoor National Park

2009-07-05T06:38:00.000-07:00

Dartmoor isn't just wild in places, it's special too and is a wonderful place to visit all year round. With nature reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, endangered birds, rare plants and thousands of archaeological sites, including burial chambers, stone circles and menhirs - more than anywhere else in North Western Europe - there is something of interest for everyone on Dartmoor.

Weather
The weather on Dartmoor can be unpredictable and often very different from the coastal areas of Devon. Metcheck.com provide a forecast of the weather at Yes Tor (external link, opens new window) on the north moor which is very useful for walkers.

What to See and Do around Dartmoor National Park
Dartmoor has lots of attractions to enjoy including castles and historic houses, gardens, museums and heritage centres. There are also forest walks, waterfalls, animal and wildlife parks, railways, arts and crafts centres and farmers' markets. As well as places to visit you can enjoy a whole host of activities ranging from moorland walks, cycling, fishing and golf to swimming, outdoor pursuits and adventure. The link below gives you access to an interactive map showing where you can find Dartmoor's many attractions and activities including Information Centres, car parks and public toilets. Selecting the "i" button will display a list of map items together with their opening hours and useful contact details where available. Additionally there is a printable PDF map ( 846Kb)

Accommodation
If you need to book accommodation within Dartmoor National Park, the Tourist Information Centres offer a 'book-a-bed-ahead' service, both locally and nationally. A free holiday and accommodation guide is also available from the Dartmoor Partnership Ltd (formerly the Dartmoor Tourist Association). Read more in the Accommodation section.

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RHS Garden, Wisley

2009-06-28T22:39:00.000-07:00

The Royal Horticultural Society's garden at Wisley in the English county of Surrey south of London, is one of the three most visited paid gardens in the United Kingdom alongside Kew Gardens and Alnwick Garden.[citation needed] It is one of four public gardens run by the Society, the others being Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall and Rosemoor.

Wisley was founded by Victorian businessman and RHS member George Ferguson Wilson, who purchased a 60 acre (243,000 m²) site in 1878. He established the "Oakwood Experimental Garden" on part of the site, where he attempted to "make difficult plants grow successfully". Wilson died in 1902 and Oakwood (which was also known as Glebe Farm) was purchased by Sir Thomas Hanbury, the creator of the celebrated garden La Mortola on the Italian Riviera. He gifted both sites to the RHS the following year. Since then Wisley has developed steadily and it is now is a large and diverse garden covering 240 acres (971,000 m²). In addition to numerous formal and informal decorative gardens, several glasshouses and an extensive arboretum, it includes small scale "model gardens" which are intended to show visitors what they can achieve in their own gardens, and a trials field where new cultivars are assessed.

The laboratory, for both scientific research and training, was originally opened in 1907, but proved inadequate. It was expanded and its exterior was rebuilt during World War I. It was made a Grade II Listed building in 1985.

In April 2005 Alan Titchmarsh cut the turf to mark the start of construction of the Bicentenary Glasshouse. This major new feature covers three quarters of an acre (3,000 m²) and overlooks a new lake built at the same time. It is divided into three main planting zones representing desert, tropical and temperate climates. It was budgeted at £7.7 million and opened June 26, 2007

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Sissinghurst Castle Garden

2009-06-26T05:13:00.000-07:00

The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, near Cranbrook, Goudhurst and Tenterden, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England. Indeed, some garden enthusiasts would put it first.

History
Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West, poet and gardening writer, and her husband Harold Nicolson, author and diplomat. Sackville-West was a writer on the fringes of the Bloomsbury Group who found her greatest popularity in the weekly columns she contributed as gardening correspondent of The Observer, which incidentally—for she never touted it—made her own garden famous. Sissinghurst's garden is one of the best-loved in the whole of the United Kingdom, drawing visitors from all over the world. The garden itself is designed as a series of "rooms", each with a different character of colour and/or theme, the walls being high clipped hedges and many pink brick walls.

The site is ancient— "hurst" is the Saxon term for "an enclosed wood". A manorhouse with a three-armed moat was built here in the Middle Ages.The house was given a new brick gatehouse in the 1530s by Sir John Baker, one of Henry VIII's Privy Councillors, and hugely enlarged in the 1560s by his son Sir Richard Baker, when it became the centre of a 700-acre (2.8 km2) deer park. For Sackville-West, Sissinghurst and its garden rooms came to be a poignant and romantic substitute for Knole, reputedly the largest house in Britain, which as the only child of Lionel, the 3rd Lord Sackville she would have inherited had she been a male, but which had passed to her uncle as the male heir.

After the collapse of the Baker family in the late 17th century, the building had many uses: as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Seven Years' War; as the workhouse for the Cranbrook Union; after which it became homes for farm labourers.

Sackville-West and Nicolson found Sissinghurst in 1930 after concern that their property Long Barn, near Sevenoaks, Kent, was close to development over which they had no control. Although Sissinghurst was derelict, they purchased the ruins and the farm around it and began constructing the garden we know today. The layout by Nicolson and planting by Sackville-West were both strongly influenced by the gardens of:

Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens
the earlier Cothay Manor in Somerset laid out by Nicolson's friend Colonel Reginald Cooper DSO. Cothay was later described by one garden writer as the "Sissinghurst of the West Country."
Hidcote Manor Garden, designed and owned by Lawrence Johnston, which Vita Sackville-West was instrumental in preserving.

Sissinghurst was first opened to the public in 1938.

Admission prices

Gift Aid Admission (Standard Admission prices in brackets): £9.80 (£8.80)
child £4.90 (£4.40)
family £24.50 (£22)
Groups £7.80 (only applies to booked groups)

Facilities

Parking In main car park. Drop-off point
Building Level entrance. 5 wheelchairs. Step to library. 78 steps in tower
WCs on level ground at ticket office and via ramp at restaurant
Grounds Partly accessible, some steps, uneven and narrow paths. Map of accessible route. The garden is not suitable for PMVs
Shop Level entrance
Refreshments Level entrance

Getting there

Bus services Special link from Staplehurst to Garden, Tuesday, Sunday and Bank Holidays only (telephone property for times) otherwise Arriva 5 Maidstone–Hawkhurst (Passing Staplehurst station) Alight Sissinghurst 1¼ mile (20 min walk)
Cycles NCN18, 8ml View local cycle routes on the National Cycle Network website
Bus 2 miles north east of Cranbrook, 1 mile east of Sissinghurst village on Biddenden Road, off A262
By train Staplehurst 5½ miles
On foot From Sissinghurst village, past church to footpath on left, signposted to garden. Path can get muddy

Contact details
01580 710701 (Infoline)
01580 710700
Fax: 01580 710702
Email: sissinghurst@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Warwick Castle

2009-06-23T00:38:00.000-07:00

Warwick Castle (pronounced /ˈwɒrɪk/) is a medieval castle in Warwick, the county town of Warwickshire, England. It sits on a cliff overlooking a bend in the River Avon. Warwick Castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068 within or adjacent to Anglo-Saxon burh of Warwick. It was used as a fortification until the early 17th century, when Sir Fulke Greville converted it to a country house. It was owned by the Greville family, who became earls of Warwick in 1759, until 1978

From 1088, the castle traditionally belonged to the Earl of Warwick, and it served as a symbol of his power. The castle was taken in 1153 by Henry of Anjou, later Henry II. It has been used to hold prisoners, including some from the Battle of Poitiers in the 14th century. Under the ownership of Richard Neville – also known as "Warwick the Kingmaker" – Warwick Castle was used in the 15th century to imprison the English king, Edward IV. Warwick Castle has been compared with Windsor Castle in terms of scale, cost, and status.

Since its construction in the 11th century, the castle has undergone structural changes with additions of towers and redesigned residential buildings. Originally a wooden motte-and-bailey, it was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. During the Hundred Years War, the facade opposite the town was refortified, resulting in one of the most recognisable examples of 14th century military architecture.

In the 17th century the grounds were turned into a garden. Warwick Castle was purchased by The Tussauds Group in 1978 and opened as a tourist attraction. It is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building.

Layout
The current castle, built in stone during the reign of King Henry II, is on the same site as the earlier Norman motte-and-bailey castle. A keep used to stand on the motte which is on the south west of the site, although most of the structure now dates from the post-medieval period. In the 17th century the motte was landscaped with the addition of a path. The bailey was incorporated into the new castle and is surrounded by stone curtain walls.

When Warwick Castle was rebuilt in the reign of King Henry II it had a new layout with the buildings against the curtain walls. The castle is surrounded by a dry moat on the northern side where there is no protection from the river or the old motte; the perimeter of the walls is 130 metres (140 yd) long by 82 metres (90 yd) wide. The two entrances to castle are in the north and west walls. There was originally a drawbridge over the moat in the north east. In the centre of the north west wall is a gateway with Clarence and Bears towers on either side; this is a 15th century addition to the fortifications of the castle. The residential buildings line the eastern side of the castle, facing the River Avon. These buildings include the great hall, the library, bedrooms, and the chapel.

Opening Times
4th April - 1st November 2009 10am-6pm (click here for more uptodate info)

Ticket Admission
Click here for detail Ticket Price

How to get there
By Road
The Castle is well signposted, and less than two miles from junction 15 of the M40. Our address is:

Warwick Castle
Warwick
Warwickshire
CV34 4QU

By Rail
Warwick Station is approximately one mile from the Castle. A direct service into London Marylebone (1 hour 45 minutes) or Birmingham Snow Hill is available. For information visit www.centraltrains.co.uk or www.chilternrailways.co.uk.

By Air
Birmingham International Airport is only a 40 minute drive.

By Excursion
Various operators run tours to Warwick, including:

Evan Evans from London, call for further information on 020 7950 1777.
Golden Tours from London, call for further information on 020 7233 7030.

Car Parking

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Winchester Cathedral

2009-06-17T02:54:00.000-07:00

History & Heritage
This Cathedral Church, so named because it houses the throne (or ‘cathedra’) of the Bishop of Winchester, has its origins in the seventh century, when a Christian Church was first built on the site. Since then it has played a fundamental part in the life of this ancient city, and a role in our nations history.

The site of the original CathedraBegun in 1079 in the Romanesque style, this Cathedral is at the heart of Alfred's Wessex and a diocese which once stretched from London's Thames to the Channel Islands. Its bishops were men of enormous wealth and power, none more so than William of Wykeham, twice Chancellor of England, Founder of Winchester College and New College Oxford. The chantry chapels and memorials of these great prelates are a feature of the Cathedral. These influential bishops also developed, re-fashioned and adorned this great Cathedral. There pilgrims sought the shrine of local saints, notably a former bishop, Saint Swithun, whose festival (15 July) was said to set the pattern for the weather for the next forty days.

The Cathedral was also the church of the community of Benedictine monks from its earliest days. Elements of the monastic buildings may still be traced through the Cathedral Close. Central to the life of the monks was the opus dei (the Work of God), the regular offering of prayer which they sang in the quire. The discipline of praying regularly for the world is continued today, most notably in the said morning office and the daily singing of Evensong by the Cathedral choir. Evensong still takes place in the choir of the Cathedral, the choir stalls with their magnificent gabled canopies, elaborately carved with flowers and plants, owls and monkeys, dragons, knights and green men.

Chantries & Monuments
Winchester Cathedral is famous for its chantry chapels, where daily masses were said for the bishops buried within them. The two earliest are in the nave: that of William of Edington (Bishop 1345-66) was designed to stand below the Norman arcade; William of Wykeham's soaring monument was built at the same time as his reconstructed nave. The remaining four chantry chapels stand in the retrochoir. Cardinal Henry Beaufort (1404-47) chose a site next to the final shrine of St Swithun. On a corresponding position on the north side is the chantry chapel of William Waynflete (1447-86), who was provost of Eton (1442-7) and founder of Magdalen College, Oxford. The chapel of Richard Fox (1501-28) was built during his lifetime, on the south side of the feretory platform behind the high altar. The aged, blind bishop is said to have spent much time here in prayer and meditation. His chapel is a marvellous example of the stone-carver's art. The small statues are modern; the original figures of saints were destroyed at the Reformation. The Bishop's 'cadaver' effigy facing the south aisle reminds the passer-by of the transient nature of life.

On the north side of the feretory platform, Bishop Gardiner's Chantry Chapel is an amazing hybrid of English late Gothic and Continental Renaissance style deriving ultimately from Fontainebleau. Stephen Gardiner (1531-55) was the last important Roman Catholic bishop of Winchester, during the reign of Mary Tudor (Queen Mary I). He officiated at her marriage to Philip of Spain, which took place in Winchester Cathedral. Other, smaller memorials tell their own fascinating story. In the recently refurbished 'Fishermen's Chapel' in the south transept is the grave of Izaak Walton. Outside the Lady Chapel the statue of Joan of Arc seems to ignore the nearby effigy of Cardinal Beaufort. Sir George Gilbert Scott's imposing 19th-century monument to Bishop Wilberforce (son of the social reformer) stands in the south transept. Also of interest are the tomb of Jane Austen and the statuette commemorating the 'Winchester Diver'.

Visitor Information
Worship
Open daily for worship and prayer from 7.30am until 6pm (5.30pm Sunday). There is no charge for those who come to public worship or to pray privately. Monthly service times are listed here.

Opening Times
Occasionally times may vary for special services and events, please check our closures list if making a special visit.
9am - 5pm - Monday to Saturday
12.30pm - 3pm - Sunday

Admission
There is no admission fee for those attending services or praying privately. Entrance is by donation on Sundays and certain Holy Days (Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Christmas Day)

Adults: £6
Children under 16 with family: Free
Concessions (over 65s) and groups of 10 or more: £4.80
Full time students/language schools, and unemployed: £3.50
Annual passes are available from the Cathedral for £6, we ask UK tax payers to Gift Aid where possible.

Library & Triforium Gallery Opening Times
April - October

Monday: 2 - 4 pm (last entry 3.30 pm).
Tuesday - Saturday & Bank Holiday Mondays: 10.30 am - 4 pm (last entry 3.30 pm)

November, December & March

Wednesday & Saturday: 11 am - 3.30 pm

January - February

Saturday: 11 am - 3.30pm

Contact Information
The Cathedral Office
1, The Close, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9LS.
Telephone: 01962 857200, Fax: 01962 857201
Email: cathedral.office@winchester-cathedral.org.uk

Map

Dunster Castle

2009-06-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

Dunster Castle is the historical home of the Luttrell family located in the small town of Dunster, Somerset, England (grid reference SS991434). Colonel Sir Walter Luttrell gave Dunster Castle and the greater part of its contents to the National Trust in 1976. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.

There has been a castle at the top of the hill at Dunster for more than 1,000 years. The Domesday Book records one on this location before 1066.

The castle was granted by William the Conqueror to William de Mohun, whose family lived there until the castle was sold in 1376 by Lady Joan de Mohun to Lady Elizabeth Luttrell. Lady Elizabeth's descendants owned Dunster Castle until 1976.

The castle dominates a steep hill overlooking the picturesque village of Dunster. The hill has been fortified since Saxon times, although nothing now remains of these early defences. During the early medieval period the sea reached the base of the hill offering a natural defence, and strong walls, towers, ramparts and outworks protected the other sides.

By the 15th century the sea had receded and the Luttrells created the deer park. When Sir George Luttrell inherited in 1571, the castle was dilapidated and the family were living elsewhere. In 1617, Sir George employed the architect, William Arnold, to erect a new house in the lower ward of the castle. During the Civil War, Dunster was a Royalist stronghold under the command of Colonel Wyndham. In November 1645 Parliamentary forces started a siege which lasted until an honourable surrender of the castle in April 1646. Dunster shared the fate of many other Royalist castles and had its defences demolished to prevent any further use against Parliament. All that now remains of the medieval fortifications are the impressive gatehouse and the stumps of two towers.

The house was modified and developed over the following centuries, and much of the current appearance dates from the 18th century when the park was landscaped and the Green Court, terraced grounds and follies were created. Much of the furniture in the house also dates from this period.

Dunster Castle is home to the National Plant Collection of Strawberry Trees.

The National Trust have installed solar panels behind the battlements on the roof in order to provide electricity and make the premises more environmentally friendly. This is the first time they have done this on a Grade I listed building, and is expected to save three tonnes of carbon a year.

Admission prices

Gift Aid Admission (Standard Admission prices in brackets): £8.60 (£7.80)
child £4.20 (£3.80)
family £20.50 (£18.60)
family (1 adult) £12.80 (£11.60)
Groups (£7)

Garden & park only: £4.80 (£4.30)
child £2.20 (£2)
family £11.80 (£10.60)
family (1 adult) £7 (£6.30)

Discounts available on West Somerset Railway for Dunster Castle visitors

Facilities

Shopping: NT shop
Dogs: In park only on lead
Parking: Parking, 300 yards
Education: Suitable for school groups. Live costumed interpretation. Adult study days
Families & children: Baby-changing facilities. Baby back-carriers admitted. Front-carrying baby slings for loan. Family guide. Children's guide. Children's quiz/trail. Wheel-friendly route in gardens. Buggy park. Colouring sheets. Activity days. Ghostbusters' trail. Family events
Refreshments:Variety of food available in Dunster Village (not NT)

How to get there

Bus services: First 398 Tiverton–Minehead; also 28 Taunton–Minehead (passing Taunton railway station), alight Dunster Steep, ½ mile
Cycles: View local cycle routes on the National Cycle Network website
By road: In Dunster, 3 miles south east of Minehead. NT car park approached direct from A39
By train: Dunster (West Somerset Railway) 1 mile

Contact details
01643 823004 (Infoline)
01643 821314
Fax: 01643 823000
Email: dunstercastle@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Hadrian's Wall

2009-06-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hadrian's Wall (Latin: perhaps Vallum Aelium, "the Aelian wall") is a stone and turf fortification built by the Roman Empire across the width of what is now northern England. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the middle of three such fortifications built across Great Britain, the first being from the River Clyde to the River Forth under Agricola and the last the Antonine Wall. All were built to prevent raids on Roman Britain by the Pictish tribes (ancient inhabitants of Scotland) to the north, to improve economic stability and provide peaceful conditions in Britain, and to mark physically the frontier of the Empire. Hadrian's Wall is the best known of the three because its physical presence remains most evident today.

The wall marked the northern limes in Britain and also the most heavily fortified border in the Empire. In addition to its use as a military fortification, it is thought that the gates through the wall would also have served as customs posts to allow trade taxation.

A significant portion of the wall still exists, particularly the mid-section, and for much of its length the wall can be followed on foot by Hadrian's Wall Path or by cycle on National Cycle Route 72. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England, where it is often known simply as the Roman Wall. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. English Heritage, a government organization in charge of managing the historic environment of England, describes it as "the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain".

Hadrian's Wall Path
The Hadrian’s Wall Path is a long distance footpath in the north of England, which became the 15th National Trail in 2003. It runs for 84 miles (134.5 kilometres), from Wallsend on the east coast of Great Britain to Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast. The path runs through urban areas, and over moors. For most of its length it is close to the remains of Hadrian's Wall, the defensive wall built by the Romans on the northern border of their empire. This is now recognised as a World Heritage Site.

The walking is easy, though muddy in places. The highest point on the path is only 1,000 feet (300 m), and for most of its length the path is more or less flat. Though most of the Wall runs through remote countryside, there are lengthy sections which pass through the cities of Newcastle and Carlisle. The path is well signposted. For most of the walk there are many signs of human activity, and, in summer, many other walkers. Though there are villages and farms near to the path, there are not many places to buy food and drink, especially in the middle sections. The part of the path between Chollerford and Walton is the highest and wildest part of the path; it is also the part where the Wall is most visible, and includes several important Roman forts.

An itinerary
This itinerary breaks the walk into six stages.

Wallsend to Heddon-on-the-Wall - this section is 15 miles (24 km) long. The path starts by the Swan Hunter Ship Yard. Before starting the walk, it is worth visiting the nearby site of the Roman fort of Segedunum. Most of this section runs through urban areas, including through the center of Newcastle upon Tyne, and along the banks of the Tyne. Only the last part, leading to Heddon-on-the-Wall, is in open countryside. There are occasional glimpses of the Wall.
Heddon-on-the-Wall to Chollerford - this section is 15.5 miles (24.9 km) long. This section is almost entirely through open countryside. The Wall is occasionally visible, and the Vallum (earthworks) is frequently visible on the south side.
Chollerford to Steel Rigg - this section is 12 miles (19 km) long. The Roman fort of Chesters is close to the start of this section. The path starts to rise now and the countryside becomes moor, rather than farmland. This is one of the best parts of the walk. Much more of the Wall is visible, and parts of it run along the edge of crags, giving superb views over the open countryside to the north. The path passes the Roman fort at Vercovicium (Housesteads), which has been extensively restored and contains much of interest. The Pennine Way long distance path branches off north just after this.
Steel Rigg to Walton - this section is 16.25 miles (26.15 km) long. This is another excellent section across open countryside, with the Wall occasionally visible. The Roman fort at Birdoswald has a museum. The Pennine Way long distance path joins the Hadrian’s Wall Path near the village of Greenhead. As the path approaches Walton, Lanercost Priory is a short walk to the south. Much of the Priory was built with stones taken from the Wall.
Walton to Carlisle - this section is 11 miles (18 km) long. This section of the path moves back down into farmland, and crosses the M6 motorway. Part of the path is alongside the River Eden, passing through a pleasant park and over a large footbridge.
Carlisle to Bowness-on-Solway - this section is 14.75 miles (23.74 km) long. The first part of this section is rather boring, but the walking improves once the path gets beyond the outskirts of Carlisle. Most of the path runs alongside either the River Eden or the Solway Firth. There is not much of the Wall to be seen, but the walking is open and pleasant. The path ends in the village of Bowness-on-Solway.

Accommodation and services
The increasing popularity of the walk, and the lack of accommodation along the route, has made it necessary to book lodgings well in advance.

If one has a vehicle, the attractive small town of Corbridge has three hotels, and is a convenient point from which to tackle the path. There are five youth hostels near the path.

Services such as accommodation, restaurants and taxis can be best found by using the Google Maps UK site. This takes listings from the UK Yellow Pages and other sources and locates them on Google’s maps. Additional information on accommodations can be found on the National Trail website.

Click here for Bing Map

Corinium Museum

2009-06-09T11:00:00.001-07:00

Discover the treasures of the Cotswolds at the award winning Corinium Museum, in Cirencester.

Roman Britain's second city
Step through a triumphal arch to arrive in Corinium; second largest city in Roman Britain, population c. 15, 000.

Experience life as a Roman. Marvel at the stunning mosaics. Dress as a Roman soldier. Explore their engineering and artistry.

Face to face with the Saxons
Revealed to the world for the first time the Anglo-Saxons of Butler's Field, Lechlade. Re-united with their astonishing treasures. Our ancestors brought to life through forensically re-constructed heads. Look them in the eye. Wonder how life was.

Wool, wealth and war
Trace a path from the Iron Age to the English Civil War. A story of war, of wool, of royalty; of dissolved monasteries and of a local worthy's rise from rags to riches.

Explore the history of eighteenth and nineteenth century Cirencester
Investigate a computer database of our fantastic collection of historic photographs of Cirencester. Look at the model of the town and watch the buildings light up and tell you their history!

Opening Time
Mon - Sat: 10 to 5 and Sundays 2 to 5 - including Bank Holidays

Admission Prices

Adults £4.25
Senior Citizens (age 60+) £3.50
Children (5 to 16) £2.00
Students (age 16+ valid Student Card) £2.75
Families (2 adults and 2 children) £11.50
One carer per disbabled person free

Contact
email: museums@cotswold.gov.uk

Corinium Museum, Park Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 2BX
Phone: 01285 655 611

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Roman Painted House

2009-06-07T05:06:00.000-07:00

The Roman Painted House is a Roman mansio, a hostel for government officials, which was built in c. 200. It was discovered in 1970 by the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit and, as it houses some of the finest example of Roman murals in Britain (over 400 sq ft (37 m2). of painted plaster, the most extensive ever found north of the Alps), it has been called "Britain's Buried Pompeii".

Above a lower dado, of red or green, an architectural scheme of multi-coloured panels framed by fluted columns is still visible. The columns sit on projecting bases above a stage, producing a clear 3-D effect. Parts of 28 panels survive, each with a motif relating to Bacchus, the Roman God of wine. This Bacchic link, and the building's proximity to the baths, port and fort, has been said by some to suggest that the Painted House was once a brothel. However, this is entirely circumstantial evidence (frescos in brothels tended to be more explicit, as in those at Pompeii, and Bacchic motifs are very commonly found in simply domestic areas) and so most academics believe the rooms are too small to have supported this line of work and instead support its designation as a mansio.

Other features of the Painted House include the Dover Gems, a medieval cut in the floor allowing the hypocaust system to be viewed and a medieval skeleton found in the nearby St Martin-le-Grand church, nicknamed "Fred" by the volunteers who keep the museum running.

The Fort Bastion
Some decades after the fort wall was constructed by the Roman army, it was supplemented with a small number of projecting towers or 'bastions'. These strengthened the walls and provided high vantage points in terms of visability and defence.

One of the bastions was placed across the remains of rooms 5 and 6 of the Painted House; the lower 4-6 feet of the bastion still survives.

Because it was constructed some decades after the wall, the construction of the bastion is quite different in form. Its external face consists of flint and sandstone, with two courses of tiles.

Traces of the Painted House can be seen projecting from beneath the plinth of the bastion.

The Fort Wall
In A.D. 270 Roman army engineers constructed a major fort of more than 5 acres, with a masssive stone wall on all four sides, and enclosing or cutting through many earlier buildings.

The 8 foot-thick west wall of the fort (still standing to some 7 feet in height) cut through Rooms 3 and 4 of the Painted House.

The wall has been robbed in the southern part of the site, but a 16 foot length survives in the north area.

The wall was built from local materials, with the external face constructed from neatly squared blocks of calcareous tufa, and the inner face mostly of roughly squared chalk blocks. The foundation consisted of irregular masses of stone, brick and mortar -- mostly obtained from the demolition of the nearby buildings. The core of the wall was roughly constructed, containing much re-used material.

The Saxon Hut
During the excavation of Room 1, detailed examination of a large rectangular area -- associated with layers of burnt debris -- showed that in about A.D. 800, Anglo-Saxons had built a large sunken hut there.

A semi-basement, about 20 feet by 12 feet, had been excavated in the earth fill of Room 1 and a wooden hut of upright boards and posts had been built -- this is typical of the Anglo-Saxon houses (grübenhauser) of the 5th to 8th centuries.

The hut had been used for weaving, as nearly 200 circular, clay loomweights have been found -- baked hard when the house eventually burned down.

Opening Times
April - September

Sunday 1pm to 5pm.
Other days 10am to 5pm (NOT Mondays)

Last entry 4.30pm (Also open October to March for pre-booked parties.)

Ticket Price

Adults £2.00
Concessions £1 (Children, Students, OAPs).

Facilities
Trains and Buses Nearby.
FREE CAR PARKING ON FORECOURT.

Contact
Dover Roman Painted House Trust,
New Street, Dover, Kent, CT17 9AJ
Telephone: Dover ( 01304 ) 203279

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Kew Gardens - Photo Gallery

2009-06-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

Avebury

2009-06-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

Avebury is the site of a large henge and several stone circles in the English county of Wiltshire surrounding the village of Avebury. It is one of the finest and largest Neolithic monuments in Europe dating to around 5,000 years ago. It is older than the megalithic stages of Stonehenge, which is located about 32 kilometres (20 mi) to the south, although the two monuments are broadly contemporary overall. It lies approximately midway between the towns of Marlborough and Calne, just off the main A4 road on the northbound A4361 towards Wroughton. The henge is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a World Heritage Site.

Avebury is a National Trust property.

The monument
Most of the surviving structure consists of earthworks known as the dykes, consisting of a massive ditch and external bank henge 421 metres (1,381 ft) in diameter and 1.35 kilometres (0.84 mi) in circumference. The only known comparable sites of similar date (Stonehenge and Flagstones in Dorset) are only a quarter of the size of Avebury. The ditch alone was 21 metres (69 ft) wide and 11 metres (36 ft) deep, with its primary fill carbon dated to between 3400 and 2625 BC. A later date in this period is more likely although excavation of the bank has demonstrated that it has been enlarged, presumably using material excavated from the ditch. The fill at the bottom of the final ditch would therefore post-date any in an earlier, shallower ditch that no longer exists.

Within the henge is a great Outer Circle constituting prehistory's largest stone circle with a diameter of 335 metres (1,099 ft). It was contemporary with or built around four or five centuries after the earthworks. There were originally 98 sarsen standing stones some weighing in excess of 40 tons. They varied in height from 3.6 to 4.2 m as exemplified at the north and south entrances. Carbon dates from the fills of the stoneholes date between 2800 and 2400 BC.

Nearer the middle of the monument are two other, separate stone circles. The Northern inner ring measures 98 metres (322 ft) in diameter, although only two of its standing stones remain with two further, fallen ones. A cove of three stones stood in the middle, its entrance pointing northeast.

The Southern inner ring was 108 metres (354 ft) in diameter before its destruction. The remaining sections of its arc now lie beneath the village buildings. A single large monolith, 5.5 metres (18 ft) high, stood in the centre along with an alignment of smaller stones until their destruction in the eighteenth century. There is an avenue of paired stones, the West Kennet Avenue, leading from the south eastern entrance of the henge and traces of a second, the Beckhampton Avenue lead out from the western one.

Aubrey Burl conjectures a sequence of construction beginning with the North and South Circles erected around 2800 BC, followed by the Outer Circle and henge around two hundred years later and the two avenues added around 2400 BC.

A timber circle of two concentric rings, identified through archaeological geophysics possibly stood in the northeast sector of the outer circle, although this awaits testing by excavation. A ploughed barrow is also visible from the air in the northwestern quadrant.

The henge had four entrances, two opposing ones on a north by northwest and south by southeast line, and two on an east by northeast and west by southwest line.

Despite being a man-made structure, it was featured on the 2005 TV programme Seven Natural Wonders as one of the wonders of the West Country because it consists of natural components.

Getting There

Bus: Stagecoach in Swindon 49 Swindon–Trowbridge; Wiltshire and Dorset 96 Swindon–Pewsey. Both pass close Swindon
By road: 6 miles west of Marlborough, 1 mile north of the Bath road (A4) on A4361 and B4003
By train: Pewsey 10 miles; Swindon 11 miles

Facilities

Shopping: In old Granary. Museum shop also sells books on archaeology
Parking: 500 yards (pay & display) off A4361. NT and EH members free. Parking during the Summer Solstice in late June may be limited. Telephone estate office before travelling. Overnight parking prohibited
Refreshments: The Circle Restaurant (licensed). The Trust's only vegetarian restaurant, specialising in vegan and gluten-free dishes, using organic and local produce

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official web site : http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-index.htm

Tintagel Castle

2009-06-04T09:13:00.000-07:00

is a castle currently in ruins found on Tintagel Island, located near the village of Tintagel in Cornwall, England, UK. The 'Island' is in fact a peninsula subject to erosion by the sea. The site was perhaps originally a Roman settlement, though the remains of the castle that stand today date from the 13th century. The castle is traditionally linked to the legend of King Arthur and as such it is currently a popular tourist site run by English Heritage.

Ticket Price

Adult: £4.90
Children: £2.50
Concession: £4.20
Family Ticket: £12.30

Useful Information

Address: Cornwall - PL34 0HE
Road Access: On Tintagel Head, 600 metres (660 yards) along uneven track from Tintagel; no vehicles except Land Rover service, extra charge
Bus Access: Western Greyhound 594/5 from Bude, 584/594 from Wadebridge (withconnections on 555 at Wadebridge to Bodmin Parkway railway station)
Telephone: 01840 770328, Local Tourist Information: Tintagel Visitors' Centre:01840 779084; Camelford (Summer only): 01840 212954; Padstow: 01841533449

Further Info

Parking is located in the village, 600 metres away; Please note there is a steep climb up steps to reach the castle
Access to the castle is difficult for disabled visitors (via over 100 steep steps). There is a Land Rover service from the village which can take visitors to the exhibition and shop (Apr-Oct only). Contact the site for service information.
Disabled access limited. No disabled paking on site. (Land Rover service to castle Apr-Oct, extra charge). Parking (600 metres [660 yards] in the village), not English Heritage.

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Glastonbury Abbey - Photo Gallery

2009-06-02T01:42:00.000-07:00

Glastonbury Abbey

2009-06-02T00:58:00.000-07:00

Glastonbury Abbey Photo Gallery

You can find here a romantic ruins, 36 acres peaceful parkland with pounds, orchard and wildlife areas.

Also you can find unusual gift at Glastonbury Gift Shop that sit beside ticket office.
History
In 1955 Ralegh Radford's excavations uncovered Romano-British pottery at the west end of the nave.

Saxon era
A community of monks were already established at Glastonbury when King Ine of Wessex enriched their endowment. He is said to have directed that a stone church be built in 712, the foundations of which now form the west end of the nave. Glastonbury was ravaged by the Danes in the ninth century. The contemporary reformed soldier Saint Neot was sacristan at Glastonbury before he went to found his own establishment in Somerset. The abbey church was enlarged in the tenth century by the Abbot of Glastonbury, Saint Dunstan, the central figure in the tenth-century revival of English monastic life, who instituted the Benedictine Rule at Glastonbury. Dunstan became Archbishop of Canterbury in 960. Dunstan built new cloisters as well. In 967, King Edmund was laid to rest at Glastonbury. In 1016 Edmund Ironside, who had lost England to Canute but held onto the title of King of Wessex, was buried there too. King Cnut's charter of 1032 was "written and promulgated in the wooden church at Glastonbury, in the kings presence".

Medieval era
Norman conquest
At the Norman Conquest in 1066, the wealth of Glastonbury made it a prime prize. The new Norman abbot, Turstin, added to the church, unusually building to the east of the older Saxon church and away from the ancient cemetery, thus shifting the sanctified site. Not all the new Normans were suitable heads of religious communities. In 1077, Thurstin was dismissed after his armed retainers killed monks right by the High Altar. In 1086, when Domesday Book was commissioned, Glastonbury Abbey was the richest monastery in the country. Abbot Henry of Blois commissioned a history of Glastonbury, about 1125, from the chronicler William of Malmesbury, whose De Antiquitate Glastoniensis Ecclesiae is our source for the early recorded history, and much awe-inspiring legend as well. Then as now, legend worked more strongly than raw history to bring the pilgrims who sustained the Abbey's reputation and contributed to its upkeep.

King Arthur's grave
In 1184, a great fire at Glastonbury destroyed the monastic buildings. Reconstruction began almost immediately and the Lady Chapel, which includes the well, was consecrated in 1186. There is evidence that, in the twelfth century, the ruined nave was renovated enough for services while the great new church was being constructed. If pilgrim visits had fallen, the discovery of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere's grave in the cemetery in 1191 provided fresh impetus for visiting Glastonbury. According to two accounts by the chronicler, Giraldus Cambrensis, the abbot, Henry de Sully, commissioned a search, discovering at the depth of 16 feet (5 m) a massive hollowed oak trunk containing two skeletons. Above it, under the covering stone, according to Giraldus, was a leaden cross with the unmistakably specific inscription Hic jacet sepultus inclitus rex Arthurus in insula Avalonia ("Here lies interred the famous King Arthur on the Isle of Avalon").

Annexation to Bath and Wells
Five years later, in 1197, Savaric FitzGeldewin, bishop of Bath and Wells, persuaded Pope Celestine III to allow the annexation of Glastonbury Abbey to his diocese. He officially moved his Episcopal seat there, but the monks would not accept their new Bishop of Glastonbury and he was kept away from the abbey. The bishops continued to use the title Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury until finally renouncing their claim to Glastonbury in 1219. Services in the reconsecrated Great Church had begun on Christmas Day, 1213, most likely before it was entirely completed. King Edward I and Queen Eleanor attended the magnificent service at the reburial of King Arthur's remains to the foot of the High Altar in 1278.

14th century
In the 14th century, only Westminster Abbey was more richly endowed and appointed than Glastonbury. The abbot of Glastonbury kept great state, now attested to simply by the ruins of the abbot's kitchen, with four huge fireplaces at its corners. The kitchen was part of the magnificent Abbot's house begun under Abbot John de Breynton (1334–42). It is one of the best preserved medieval kitchens in Europe, and the only substantial monastic building at surviving at Glastonbury. Archaeological excavations have revealed a special apartment erected at the south end of the Abbot's house for a visit from Henry VII, who visited the Abbot in a royal progress, as he visited any other great territorial magnate. The conditions of life in England during the Wars of the Roses became so unsettled that a wall was built around the Abbey's precincts.

Dissolution of the Monasteries
At the start of the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536, there were over 800 monasteries, nunneries and friaries in England. By 1541, there were none. More than 15,000 monks and nuns had been dispersed and the buildings had been seized by the Crown to be sold off or leased to new lay occupiers. Glastonbury Abbey was once more a rich plum. In September 1539, the Abbey was stripped of its valuables and Abbot Richard Whiting (Whyting), who had been a signatory to the Act of Supremacy that made Henry VIII the head of the church, resisted and was hanged, drawn and quartered as a traitor on Glastonbury Tor on November 15, 1539.

Ruins
By Shakespeare's time, two generations later, Glastonbury was one of the "bare ruin'd choirs Where late the sweet birds sang."

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Gift Shop Opening Times

Open	Close
January	10:00am	4:30pm
February	10:00am	5:00pm
March	9:30am	5:30pm
April	9:30am	6:00pm
May	9:30am	6:00pm
June	9:00am	6:00pm
July	9:00am	6:00pm
August	9:00am	6:00pm
September	9:30am	6:00pm
October	9:30am	5:00pm
November	9:30am	4:30pm
December	10:00am	4:30pm

Useful Contact
General Information : info@glastonburyabbey.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1458 832267
Fax: +44 (0)1458 836117

Glastonbury Abbey
The Abbey Gatehouse
Magdalene Street
GLASTONBURY
Somerset
BA6 9EL
United Kingdom

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2009-06-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

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2009-06-01T11:25:00.000-07:00

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Kew Gardens

2009-05-30T06:14:00.000-07:00

Click here for Kew Gardens Photo Gallery

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to simply as Kew Gardens, are extensive gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. The director is Professor Stephen D. Hopper, who succeeded Professor Sir Peter Crane. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is also the name of the organisation that runs Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place gardens in Sussex. It is an internationally important botanical research and education institution with 700 staff and an income of £56 million for the year ended 31 March 2008, as well as a visitor attraction receiving almost 2 million visits in that year. The gardens are a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Created in 1759, the gardens celebrated their 250th anniversary in 2009.

The Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is responsible for the world’s largest collection of living plants. The organisation employs more than 650 scientists and other staff. The living collections include more than 30,000 different kinds of plants, while the herbarium, which is the largest in the world, has over 7 million preserved plant specimens. The library contains more than 750,000 volumes, and the illustrations collection contains more than 175,000 prints and drawings of plants. The Kew site includes four Grade I listed buildings and 36 Grade II listed structures in an internationally significant landscape.

History
Kew Gardens originated in the exotic garden at Kew Park formed by Lord Capel of Tewkesbury. It was enlarged and extended by Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales, the widow of Frederick, Prince of Wales, for whom Sir William Chambers built several garden structures. One of these, the lofty Chinese pagoda built in 1761 still remains. George III enriched the gardens, aided by William Aiton and Sir Joseph Banks. The old Kew Park (by then renamed the White House), was demolished in 1802. The "Dutch House" adjoining was purchased by George III in 1781 as a nursery for the royal children. It is a plain brick structure now known as Kew Palace.

The collections grew somewhat haphazardly until the appointment of the first collector, Francis Masson, in 1771. In 1840 the gardens were adopted as a national botanical garden. Under Kew's director, William Hooker, the gardens were increased to 30 hectares (75 acres) and the pleasure grounds, or arboretum, extended to 109 hectares (270 acres), and later to its present size of 120 hectares (300 acres).

The Palm House was built by architect Decimus Burton and iron-maker Richard Turner between 1844 and 1848, and was the first large-scale structural use of wrought iron. The structure's panes of glass are all hand-blown. The Temperate house, which is twice as large as the Palm House, followed later in the 19th century. It is now the largest Victorian glasshouse in existence.

Kew was the location of the successful effort in the 19th century to propagate rubber trees for cultivation outside South America. In February 1913 the Tea House was burnt down by Suffragettes Olive Wharry and Lilian Lenton during a series of arson attacks in London.

In October 1987 Kew Gardens lost hundreds of trees in the Great Storm of 1987.

In July 2003, the gardens were put on the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

Transport
Public transport
The nearest combined rail and London Underground station is Kew Gardens (District Line and London Overground) to the east of the gardens. To the north, Kew Bridge railway station is about 10–15 minutes from the main entrance, with trains to Clapham Junction and Waterloo. There are two bus route suitable for the gardens, 65 and 391

Cycle and Car
There are cycle racks located just inside the Victoria Gate, Main Gate and Brentford Gate entrances to the park. For those arriving by car there is a 300-space car park outside Brentford Gate.

Attractions

Alpine House
Chokushi-Mon
Minka House
Marianne North Gallery
Museums
The Nash Conservatory
Pagoda
Princess of Wales conservatory
Treetop walkway

Kew Gardens on Google Maps

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Tower of London

2009-05-25T03:11:00.000-07:00

This ancient fortress continues to pack in the crowds with its macabre associations with the legendary figures imprisoned and/or executed here. There are more spooks here per square foot than in any other building in the whole of haunted Britain. Headless bodies, bodiless heads, phantom soldiers, icy blasts, clanking chains—you name them, the Tower’s got them. Centuries after the last head rolled on Tower Hill, a shivery atmosphere of impending doom still lingers over the Tower’s mighty walls. Plan on spending a lot of time here.

The Tower is actually an intricately patterned compound of structures built throughout the ages for varying purposes, mostly as expressions of royal power. The oldest is the White Tower, begun by William the Conqueror in 1078 to keep London’s native Saxon population in check. Later rulers added other towers, more walls, and fortified gates, until the buildings became like a small town within a city. Until the reign of James I (beginning in 1603), the Tower was also one of the royal residences.

But above all, it was a prison for distinguished captives. Every stone of the Tower tells a story—usually a gory one. In the Bloody Tower, according to Shakespeare, Richard III’s henchmen murdered the two little princes (the sons of Edward IV). On the walls of the Beauchamp Tower, you can still read the last messages scratched by despairing prisoners. Through Traitors’ Gate passed such illfated, romantic figures as Robert Devereux, the second earl of Essex and a favorite of Elizabeth I. A plaque marks the eerie place at Tower Green where two wives of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, plus Sir Thomas More, and the 4-day queen, Lady Jane Grey, all lost their lives.

The Tower, besides being a royal palace, a fortress, and a prison, was also an armory, a treasury, a menagerie and, in 1675, an astronomical observatory. Reopened in 1999, the White Tower holds the Armouries, which date from the reign of Henry VIII, as well as a display of instruments of torture and execution that recall some of the most ghastly moments in the Tower’s history. In the Jewel House, you’ll find the tower’s greatest attraction, the Crown Jewels. Here, some of the world’s most precious stones are set into robes, swords, scepters, and crowns. The Imperial State Crown is the most famous crown on earth; made for Victoria in 1837, it’s worn today by Queen Elizabeth II when she opens Parliament. Studded with some 3,000 jewels (principally diamonds), it includes the Black Prince’s Ruby, worn by Henry V at Agincourt. The 530-carat Star of Africa, a cut diamond on the Royal Scepter with Cross, would make Harry Winston turn over in his grave. You’ll have to stand in long lines to catch just a glimpse of the jewels as you and hundreds of others scroll by on moving sidewalks, but the wait is worth it.

The presumed prison cell of Sir Thomas More is open to the public. More left this cell in 1535 to face his executioner after he’d fallen out with King Henry VIII over the monarch’s desire to divorce Catherine of Aragon, the first of his six wives. More is believed to have lived in the lower part of the Bell Tower during the last 14 months of his life, although some historians doubt this claim.

A palace inhabited by King Edward I in the late 1200s stands above Traitors’ Gate. It’s the only surviving medieval palace in Britain. Guides at the palace are dressed in period costumes, and reproductions of furniture and fittings, including Edward’s throne, evoke the era, along with burning incense and candles.

With the opening of a visitors center and the restoration of the Tower’s 13th-century wharf, the attraction is more user-friendly than ever before. To the west of the Tower is Tower Hill Square, designed by Stanton Williams, with a series of pavilions housing ticketing facilities, a gift shop, and a cafeteria.

Don’t forget to look for the ravens. Six of them (plus two spares) are all registered as official Tower residents. According to a legend, the Tower of London and the Kingdom will stand as long as those black, ominous birds remain, so to be on the safe side, one of the wings of each raven is clipped.

Admission

£15 ($27) adults
£12 ($22) students and seniors
£9.50 ($17) children
£43 ($77) family ticket for 5 (but no more than 2 adults)
free for children under 5

Schedule

Mar–Oct Tues–Sat 9am–6pm, Sun & Mon 10am–6pm
Nov–Feb Tues–Sat 9am–5pm, Sun & Mon 10am–5pm

More Info
Tower Hill, EC3.&0870/756-7070 www.tower-of-london.org.uk

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Stonehenge

2009-05-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

This huge circle of lintels and megalithic pillars, believed to be approximately 5,000 years old, is considered by many to be the most important prehistoric monument in Britain. Some visitors are disappointed when they see that Stonehenge is nothing more than concentric circles of stones. But perhaps they don’t understand that Stonehenge represents an amazing engineering feat because many of the boulders, the bluestones in particular, were moved many miles (perhaps from southern Wales) to this site. If you’re a romantic, you’ll see the ruins in the early glow of dawn or else when shadows fall at sunset. The light is most dramatic at these times, the shadows longer, and the effect is often far more mesmerizing than it is in the glaring light of midday.

The widely held view of 18th- and 19th-century Romantics that Stonehenge was the work of the Druids is without foundation. The boulders, many weighing several tons, are believed to have predated the arrival in Britain of the Celtic culture. Recent excavations continue to bring new evidence to bear on the origin and purpose of Stonehenge. Controversy surrounds the prehistoric site, especially since the publication of Stonehenge Decoded by Gerald S. Hawkins and John B. White, which maintains that Stonehenge was an astronomical observatory—that is, a Neolithic
"computing machine" capable of predicting eclipses.

Your ticket permits you to go inside the fence surrounding the site that protects the stones from vandals and souvenir hunters. You can go all the way up to a short rope barrier, about 15m (50 ft.) from the stones. A full circular tour around Stonehenge is possible. A modular walkway was introduced to cross the archaeologically important avenue, the area that runs between the Heel Stone and the main circle of stones. This enables visitors to complete a full circuit of the stones and to see one of the best views of a completed section of Stonehenge as they pass by, an excellent addition to the informative audio tour.

Insider’s tip: From the road, if you don’t mind the noise from traffic, you can get
a good view of Stonehenge without paying admission to go for a close-up encounter.
What we like to do is climb Amesbury Hill, clearly visible and lying 11⁄2 miles (2.4km) up the A303. From here, you’ll get a free panoramic view.

Wilts & Dorset (& 01722/336855; www.wdbus.co.uk) runs several buses daily (depending on demand) from Salisbury to Stonehenge, as well as buses from the Salisbury train station to Stonehenge. The bus trip to Stonehenge takes 40 minutes, and a round-trip ticket costs

£6.50 ($12) for adults
£3.25 ($5.85) for children ages 5 to 15 (4 and under ride free)
£4.50 ($8.10) seniors
£12 ($22) family ticket

At the junction of A303 and A344/A360.&01980/623108 for information.

Admission

£5.50 ($9.90) adults,
£4.10 ($7.40) students and seniors,
£2.80 ($5.05) children,
£14 ($25) family ticket

Schedule
June–Aug daily 9am–7pm;
Mar 16–May and Sept–Oct 15 daily 9am–5pm;
Oct 16–Mar 15 daily 9:30am–4pm

If you’re driving, head north on Castle Rd. from the center of Salisbury. At the first roundabout (traffic circle), take the exit toward Amesbury (A345) and Old Sarum. Continue along this road for 13km (8 miles) and then turn left onto A303 in the direction of Exeter. You’ll see signs for Stonehenge, leading you up A344 to the right. It’s 3km (2 miles) west of Amesbury.

See on Google Maps

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Ninini Beach

2009-03-01T08:01:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a good snorkeling/swimming beach off the beaten track, this small beach, consisting of two sandy coves separated by lava, is a great place to get away from the crowds. Some local residents call this Running Waters Beach due to the former irrigation runoff when sugar was in production here. Located at the northern end of Nawiliwili Harbor and hidden behind some cliffs, this beach is generally protected from the wind and currents.

However, high surf can kick up, and southern storms can charge in suddenly. The small northern sandy cove has good snorkeling and swimming most of the year. Follow the trail down from the dirt road to the beach.

Occasionally a few nudists show up here, but remember—nudity is against the law in Hawaii and you can be prosecuted (for lewd and lascivious behavior—how would you like that on your record?). We prefer the larger beach because of the gentle sandy slope (great for sunbathing) and because the sandy bottom makes for great snorkeling. When the surf does roll in here, the bodysurfers will be in the water.

How to get here
Take Ahukini Road toward the airport; when the road appears to end, veer left (still on Ahukini Rd.) and head for the ocean. When the road meets the ocean, turn right on the dirt road that circumnavigates the airport with the ocean on your left. Travel about 21⁄2 miles on this dirt road to the Nawiliwili Lighthouse. Look for the two trails down to the ocean.

Other Info
Ninini Beach has no facilities and no lifeguard.

Hokaido Image Gallery

2009-01-20T08:02:00.000-08:00

Click here for Full Gallery of Hokaido

Kalapaki Beach - Maps

2009-01-11T06:17:00.001-08:00

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Kalapaki Beach

2009-01-11T06:07:00.000-08:00

Kalapaki Beach: Kalapaki is the best beach not only in Lihue but also on the entire east coast. Any town would pay a fortune to have a beach like Kalapaki, one of Kauai’s best, in its backyard. But little Lihue turns its back on Kalapaki; there’s not even a sign pointing the way through the labyrinth of traffic to this graceful half moon of golden sand at the foot of the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club. Fifty yards wide and a quarter mile long, Kalapaki is protected by a jetty, making it very safe for swimmers. The waves are good for surfing when there’s a winter swell, and the view from the sand—of the steepled, 2,200-foot peaks of the majestic Haupu Ridge that shield Nawiliwili Bay—is awesome.

Point

Lovely sand beach
Good swimming, bodysurfing, windsurfing, boogie boarding and beginning surfing
Popular picnic area located at the adjacent Nawilwili Park
Facilities located near the Anchor Cove Shopping Center
Sailboat and surf lessons, catamaran and kayak tours available nearby

Directions
Take Highway 50 to Highway 56 into Lihu'e. Turn right on Rice Road at Mile Marker #0. Access to the beach is from the Anchor Cove Shopping Center or through the Kauai Marriott Resort.

Click here for Kalapaki Map

Parasailing

2009-01-03T19:14:00.000-08:00

Parasailing, also known as parascending, is a recreational activity where a person is towed behind a vehicle (usually a boat) while attached to a specially designed parachute, known as a parasail. The boat then drives off, carrying the parascender into the air. If the boat is powerful enough, two or three people can parasail behind it at the same time. The parascender has little or no control over the parachute.

There are six parts of a parasail. The harness attaches the pilot to the parasail, which is connected to the boat, or other speeding vehicle, by the tow rope. The activity is primarily an amusement ride, not to be confused with the sport of paragliding. There are parasailing locations all over the world.

Land based parasailing has also been formed into competition sport in Northern Europe and especially in Finland. In land based parasailing, the parasail is towed behind a car or a snowmobile. In accuracy competitions the tow-vehicle controls the speed and height, and the parascender controls the lateral movement of the parasail. The competitions consist of two parts: dropping or throwing a streamer to a target, and accuracy landing. The sport was developed at the end of the 1990s in growing rapidly. The first international competitions were held in 2004.

History
The first Parasails were developed by Pierre-Marcel Lemoigne in 1961. Lemoigne is a well known developer of ParaCommander-type of parachutes known as "ParaCommander" or PC-canopies. The date of the first towing of a parasail is not known, but one of the first mentions is a flight by Colonel Michel Tournier from France flying behind a tractor in the same year - 1961. In 1963 Jacques-André Istel from Pioneer Parachute Company bought a licence from Lemoigne to manufacture and sell the invention with a name "parasail".

Mark McCulloh of Miami, Florida is the original inventor of modern day parasailing equipment.

In 1973, McCulloh introduced the world’s first Stationary Parasailing Platform. His continued innovations, inventions and accomplishments within the parasailing industry are broad in scope with a focus on improving the safety of parasailing.

His most successful invention was called the wangboat, which he patented in 1976 and made its commercial debut in the 1980s. Riding the wangboat is a lot more pleasurable than the normal winchboat. Today nearly all commercial operators use winchboats equipped with a PTO (power-take-off), which uses the boat's engine to drive a hydraulic winch. The combination of these two designs ushered in the era of widespread commercial parasailing.

Another highlight of McCulloh’s inventions, was the Aerial Recliner and the Rider Assembly strap design, which made its debut in the mid-eighties and inspired NASA’s new X-38 Crew Rescue Vehicle.

To date, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued McCulloh the only patents ever granted related to commercial parasailing methods and equipment.

Many of McCulloh’s accomplishments have been aired on worldwide Television & Print Media, such as Good Morning America, Inside Edition, Fox News NBC, LA Times, New York Times, and the Miami Herald.

Since the early 70's, McCulloh's innovations, inventions and operating techniques continue to advance safety within the parasailing industry and has set the standards by which responsible operators follow.

Brian Gaskin, the founder of Waterbird, created some of the first parasails after experimenting with ex-military parachutes. In 1974, he created and tested the first true parasail which he named "Waterbird". Nearly all commercial parasails canopies in operation today were derived from Gaskin's original "Waterbird" design. In 1975 Gaskin founded his company "Waterbird Parakites" which is still in operation today, producing commercial and recreational parasail’s in the UK.

Papakolea Beach

2008-12-15T08:33:00.000-08:00

Also known as Green Sand Beach, Mahana Beach and, erroneously, Puʻu Mahana is a green sand beach located at South Point, in the Kaʻu district of the island of Hawaiʻi. One of only two green sand beaches in the world, the other being in Guam, the beach gets distinctive coloring from olivine crystals found in a nearby cinder cone.

The place has its problems: It’s difficult to reach; the open bay is often rough; there are no facilities, fresh water, or shade from the relentless sun; and howling winds scour the point. Nevertheless, each year the unusual green sands attract thousands of oglers, who follow a well-worn four-wheel-drive-only road for 21⁄2 miles to the top of a cliff, which you have to climb down to reach the beach. The sand is crushed olivine, a green semiprecious mineral found in eruptive rocks and meteorites. If the surf ’s up, check out the beach from the cliff ’s edge; if the water’s calm, it’s generally safe to swim.

To get to Green Sand Beach from the boat ramp at South Point, follow the four-wheel-drive trail; even if you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, you may want to walk, because the trail is very, very bad in parts. Make sure you have appropriate closed-toed footwear: tennis shoes or hiking boots. The trail is relatively flat, but you’re usually walking into the wind as you head toward the beach.

The beginning of the trail is lava. After the first 10 to 15 minutes of walking, the lava disappears and the trail begins to cross pastureland. After about 30 to 40 minutes more, you’ll see an eroded cinder cone by the water; continue to the edge, and there lie the green sands below.

The best way to reach the beach is to go over the edge from the cinder cone. (It looks like walking around the south side of the cone would be easier, but it’s not.) From the cinder cone, go over the overhang of the rock, and you’ll see a trail.

Going down to the beach is very difficult and treacherous, as you’ll be able to see from the top. You’ll have to make it over and around big lava boulders, dropping down 4 to 5 feet from boulder to boulder in certain spots. And don’t forget that you’ll have to climb back up. Look before you start; if you have any hesitation, don’t go down (you get a pretty good view from the top, anyway).

Warning: When you get to the beach, watch the waves for about 15 minutes and make sure they don’t break over the entire beach. If you walk on the beach, always keep one eye on the ocean and stick close to the rock wall. There can be strong rip currents here, and it’s imperative to avoid them.

source: wikipedia and frommer's

Leleiwi Beach Park - Photo Gallery

2008-12-13T23:43:00.000-08:00

Leleiwi Beach Park

2008-12-13T23:31:00.000-08:00

Click here for Photo Gallery
Hilo’s beaches may be few, but Leleiwi is one of Hawaii’s most beautiful. This unusual cove of palm-fringed black-lava tide pools fed by freshwater springs and rippled by gentle waves is a photographer’s delight—and the perfect place to take a plunge.

In winter, big waves can splash these ponds, but the shallow pools are generally free of currents and ideal for families with children, especially in the protected inlets at the center of the park. Leleiwi often attracts endangered sea turtles, making this one of Hawaii’s most popular snorkeling spots.

The beach is 4 miles out of town on Kalanianaole Avenue. Facilities include restrooms, showers, lifeguards, picnic pavilions, and paved walkways. There’s also a marine-life exhibit here.

Map

source: Frommer's

Kauna'oa Beach

2008-12-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

Everyone calls this gold-sand beach Mauna Kea Beach (it’s at the foot of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel), but its real name is Hawaiian for “native dodder,” a lacy, yellow-orange vine that once thrived on the shore. A coconut grove sweeps around this golden crescent, where the water is calm and protected by two black-lava points.

The sandy bottom slopes gently into the bay, which often fills with tropical fish, sea turtles, and manta rays, especially at night, when the hotel lights flood the shore. Swimming is excellent year-round, except in rare winter storms. Snorkelers prefer the rocky points, where fish thrive in the surge. Facilities include restrooms, showers, and ample parking, but there are no lifeguards.

Directions
Take Highway 19 north from Kona. Turn left at Mile Marker #68. Follow the road to the end of the road for public access and limited parking.

More Information

Manta rays sometimes frequent the area at night
Large, sandy beach
Limited parking at resort
No lifeguards on duty

Hapuna Beach - Gallery

2008-12-04T00:03:00.000-08:00

Hapuna Beach State Park

2008-12-03T23:48:00.000-08:00

Just off Queen Kaahumanu Highway, south of the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, lies this crescent of gold sand—big, wide, and 1⁄2 mile long.

In summer, when the beach is widest, the ocean calmest, and the crowds biggest, this is the island’s best beach for swimming, snorkeling, and bodysurfing. But beware of Hapuna in winter, when its thundering waves, strong rip currents, and lack of lifeguards can be dangerous.

Facilities include A-frame cabins for camping, pavilions, restrooms, showers, and plenty of parking.

Click here for Hapuna Beach Gallery

Kahaluu Beach Park - Snorkeling Gallery

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Kahalu'u Beach Park

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This is the most popular beach on the Kona Coast and one of the best snorkeling spots; these reef-protected lagoons attract 1,000 people a day almost year-round.

Kahaluu is the best all-around beach on Alii Drive, with coconut trees lining a narrow salt-and-pepper sand shore that gently slopes to turquoise pools. The schools of brilliantly colored tropical fish that weave in and out of the reef make this a great place to snorkel.

In summer, it’s also an ideal spot for children and beginning snorkelers; the water is so shallow that you can just stand up if you feel uncomfortable. But in winter, here’s a rip current when high surf rolls in; look for the lifeguard warnings.

Snorkeling
The best snorkel route is to head to the southwest, towards the lava rock breakwater (aim for the pavilion restaurant) - this keeps you swimming against the current. Swim Coral Reef at Kahaluuagainst the current on your way out, that way you are swimming with the current on your way back to shore. Try to head out to the lava rocks into as shallow water as possible - once you get into about 2-feet or less of water, the coral reef is pristine and the underwater life is spectacular. The coral reef is most prolific out here, in the shallow water adjacent the lava break water. Also, most of the tourists will stay closer to shore - so if you make it out here, it will be Colorful coral reef at Kahaluujust you, the coral, and the colorful fish! Slowly swim to the North as the current pushes you that way. As you circle through the deeper water on your way back to the beach, you will more than likely see some green sea turtles swimming. Enjoy the great snorkeling!

Click here for Snorkeling Gallery

Hamakua Coast

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Tourist Attractions

Akaka Falls. Up-mountain (mauka) from highway 19, on highway 220, is a beautiful waterfall in an even more beautiful state park.
Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. Located just a few miles North of Hilo, the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is a gem nestled in the tropical rainforest that is part of Onomea Bay. The aforementioned section of Old Mamalahoa Highway leads to it.
World Botanical Gardens / Umauma Falls. One of the most beautiful waterfalls in Hawai'i is best viewed from the newly formed World Botanical Gardens. The bridge on highway 19 allows for a beautiful shot of the Falls with Mauna Kea in the distance.
Kolekole Beach Park. A park located at the bottom of an erosional ravine on the edges of route 19. The park is downstream from Akaka Falls, and boast an additional waterfall that drops directly from a small cliff into the main stream, leading to Kolekole Stream. The setting underneath the highway viaduct is magnificent.

Transportation
Hawaii Belt Road (HI 19) runs from one end of the Hamakua coast (Hilo) to the other (Honoka'a). For a considerable portion of the way, an older highway (Old Mamalahoa Highway) follows a more scenic, but twisted route that resembles the more famous Road to Hana in Maui.

Waimea (Kamuela)

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This old upcountry cow town on the northern road between the coasts is set in lovely country: rolling green pastures, wide-open spaces dotted by puu (hills), and real cowpokes who ride mammoth Parker Ranch, Hawaii’s largest working ranch.

Waimea Map

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The town is also headquarters for the Keck Telescope, the largest and most powerful in the world. Waimea is home to several affordable B&Bs, and Merriman’s restaurant is a popular foodie outpost at Opelo Plaza.

source: Frommers

Kohala Coast

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is homes to the area's premier golf courses and seaside resorts. Kohala Coast divide into South and North Kohala.

The natural habitats in Kohala range across a wide rainfall gradient in a very short distance - from less than 5 inches a year on the coast near Kawaihae to more than 150 inches a year near the summit of Kohala Mountain, a distance of just 11 miles. Near the coast are remnants of dry forests, and near the summit is a montane cloud forest, a type of rain forest so called because it obtains some of its moisture from "cloud drip" in addition to precipitation.

Kona Coast

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Kona is synonymous with great coffee and big fish—both of which are found in abundance along this 70-mile-long stretch of blacklava-covered coast.

The Kona Coast has an amazingly diverse geography and climate for such a compact area. The oceanfront town of Kailua-Kona, a quaint fishing village that now caters more to tourists than boat captains, is its commercial center. The lands of Kona range from stark, black, dry coastal
desert to cool, cloudy upcountry where glossy green coffee, macadamia nuts, tropical fruit, and a riotous profusion of flowers cover the jagged steep slopes. Among the coffee fields, you’ll find the
funky, artsy village of Holualoa.

Higher yet in elevation are native forests of giant trees filled with tiny, colorful birds, some perilously close to extinction. About 7 miles south of Kailua-Kona, bordering the ocean, is the resort area of Keauhou, a suburban-like series of upscale condominiums, a shopping center, and million-dollar homes.

Kona means “leeward side” in Hawaiian—and that means full-on sun every day of the year. This is an affordable vacation spot; an ample selection of midpriced condo units, peppered with a few
older hotels and B&Bs, lines the shore, which is mostly rocky lava reef, interrupted by an occasional pocket beach. Here, too, stand two world-class resorts: Kona Village, the site of one of the best luaus in the islands, and the extravagant Four Seasons at Hualalai.

Away from the bright lights of the town of Kailua lies the rural South Kona Coast, home to coffee farmers, macadamia-nut growers, and people escaping to the country. The serrated South Kona
Coast is indented with numerous bays, from Kealakekua, a marinelife preserve that’s the island’s best diving spot, down to Honaunau, where a national historic park recalls the days of old Hawaii.

Accommodations in this area are mainly B&Bs. This coast is a great place to stay if you want to get away from crowds and experience peaceful country living. You’ll be within driving distance of beaches and the sites of Kailua.

Map

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source: frommer hawai guide

Paris: Entry Requirements & Custom

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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
All non-French nationals need a valid passport to enter France (check its expiration date). The French government no longer requires visas for U.S. citizens, provided they’re staying less than 90 days. For longer stays, they must apply for a long-term visa, residence card, or temporary-stay visa. Each requires proof of income or a viable means of support in France and a legitimate purpose for remaining in the country.

Where to find the applications
Consulate Section of the French Embassy
4101 Reservoir Rd., NW, Washington, DC 20007
Ph: 202/944-6000

Visa Section of the French Consulate,
934 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10021
Ph: 212/606-3680

Visas are required for students planning to study in France even if the stay is less than 90 days.
Citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Japan, and European Union countries do not need visas.

If your passport is lost or stolen, go to your consulate as soon as possible for a replacement.
For information on how to get a passport, and for an up-to-date country-by-country listings of passport requirements around the world, go to the website of the U.S. State Department at http://travel.state.gov

CUSTOMS
WHAT YOU CAN BRING INTO FRANCE
Customs restrictions differ for citizens of European Union (EU) countries and non-EU countries.
For Non-EU Nationals

You can bring in, duty-free, 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of smoking tobacco.
You can also bring in 2 liters of wine and either 1 liter of alcohol over 22 proof or 2 liters of alcohol under 22 proof.
In addition, you can bring in 60cc (2 oz.) of perfume
a quarter liter of eau de toilette
250cc (8.5oz.) of coffee
200 grams of tea
Visitors 15 and over may bring in other goods totaling 175€ ($201); Visitors 14 and under is 90€ ($104)

(Customs officials tend to be lenient about general merchandise, realizing the limits are unrealistically low.)

For EU Citizens Visitors from European Union countries can bring into France any amount of goods as long as they’re intended for their personal use—not for resale.

WHAT YOU CAN TAKE HOME FROM PARIS
Returning U.S. citizens who have been away for at least 48 hours are allowed to bring back, once every 30 days, $800 worth of merchandise duty-free. You’ll be charged a flat rate of 4% duty on the next $1,000 worth of purchases. Be sure to have your receipts handy. On mailed gifts, the duty-free limit is $200. With some exceptions, you cannot bring fresh fruits and vegetables into the United States. For specifics on what you can bring back, download the invaluable free pamphlet Know Before You Go online at www.customs.gov. Or contact the U.S. Customs Service, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20229 Ph. 202/354-1000) and request the pamphlet.

For a clear summary of Canadian rules, write for the booklet I Declare, issued by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency Ph. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca). Canada allows its citizens a C$750 exemption, and you’re allowed to bring back duty-free one carton of cigarettes, 2.2 poundsof tobacco, 40 imperial ounces of liquor, and 50 cigars. In addition, you’re allowed to mail gifts to Canada valued at less than C$60 a day,
provided they’re unsolicited and don’t contain alcohol or tobacco (write on the package “Unsolicited gift, under $60 value”). All valuables should be declared on the Y-38 form before departure from Canada, including serial numbers of valuables you already own, such as expensive foreign cameras. Note: The C$750 exemption can only be used once a year and only after an absence of 7 days.

Citizens of the U.K. who are returning from a European Union (EU) country will go through a separate Customs Exit (called the “Blue Exit”) especially for EU travelers. In essence, there
is no limit on what you can bring back from an EU country, as long as the items are for personal use (this includes gifts) and you have already paid the necessary duty and tax. However, customs law sets out guidance levels. If you bring in more than these levels, you may be asked to prove that the goods are for your own use. Guidance levels on goods bought in the EU for your own use are 3,200 cigarettes, 200 cigars, 400 cigarillos, 3 kilograms of smoking tobacco, 10 liters
of spirits, 90 liters of wine, 20 liters of fortified wine (such as port or sherry), and 110 liters of beer. For more information, contact HM Customs & Excise at Ph. 020/8929-0152, or consult their website at www.hmce.gov.uk.

The duty-free allowance in Australia is A$400 or, for those under 18, A$200. Citizens can bring in 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of loose tobacco, and 1,125 liters of alcohol. If you’re returning
with valuables you already own, such as foreign-made cameras, you should file form B263. A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at Ph. 02/6275-666, or log on to www.customs.gov.au.

The duty-free allowance for New Zealand is NZ$700. Citizens over 17 can bring in 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco (or a mixture of all three if their combined weight doesn’t exceed 250g); plus 4.5 liters of wine and beer, or 1.125 milliliters of liquor. New Zealand currency does not carry import or export restrictions. Fill out a certificate of export, listing the valuables you are taking out of the country; that way, you can bring them back without paying duty. Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17–21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington Ph. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786 in New Zealand; www.customs.govt.nz).

Paris Visitor Information

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The main headquarters
25-27 rue des Pyramides, 1er (Métro: Palais Royal/Musée du Louvre).
Open Apr to Oct daily 9am to 8pm; off season daily 11am to 6pm.

Branch offices
Opéra-Grands Magasins, 11 rue Scribe, 9e (Métro: Opéra)
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 6:30pm

Gare de Lyon, 20 bd. Diderot, 12e (Métro: Gare de Lyon)
Open Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm

Gare du Nord, 10e 2 (Métro: Gare du Nord)
Open daily 12:30 to 8pm

Montmartre Tourist Office, 18 rue de Dunkerque, 10e (Métro: Abbesses),
daily 10am to 7pm.

For information over the phone, call & 08-92-68-30-00, which costs .35€ (40¢) per minute. The website can be accessed at www.paris-touristoffice.com

The branches will make hotel reservations. The service charge is free for hostels; 2€ ($2.30) for one-star hotels; 4€ ($4.60) for two-star hotels; and 6€ ($6.90) for three-star hotels. Stars refer to government ratings, rather than those used in this guide. Offices are very busy in summer, so you’ll have to wait in line.

Hotel de Ville - Gallery

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Hôtel de Ville - Map

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Hôtel de Ville

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In English mean "City Hall", is the building housing the City of Paris's administration. Standing on the place de l'Hôtel de Ville (formerly the place de Grève) in the city's IVe arrondissement, it has been the location of the municipality of Paris since 1357. It serves multiple functions, housing the local administration, the Mayor of Paris (since 1977), and also being a venue for large receptions.

History
In July 1357, Étienne Marcel, provost of the merchants (i.e. mayor) of Paris, bought the so-called maison aux piliers ("House of Pillars") in the name of the municipality on the gently sloping shingle beach which served as a river port for unloading wheat and wood and later merged into a square, the Place de Grève (French for "Square of the Strand"), a place where Parisians often gathered, particularly for public executions. Ever since 1357, the City of Paris's administration has been located on the same location where the Hôtel de Ville stands today. Before 1357, the city administration was located in the so-called parloir aux bourgeois ("Parlour of Burgesses") near the Châtelet.

In 1533, King Francis I decided to endow the city with a city hall which would be worthy of Paris, then the largest city of Europe and Christendom. He appointed two architects: Italian Dominique de Cortone, nicknamed Boccador because of his red beard, and Frenchman Pierre Chambiges. The House of Pillars was torn down and Boccador, steeped in the spirit of the Renaissance, drew up the plans of a building which was at the same time tall, spacious, full of light and refined. Building work was not finished until 1628 during the reign of Louis XIII.

During the next two centuries, no changes were made to the edifice which was the stage for several famous events during the French Revolution (notably the murder of the last provost of the merchants Jacques de Flesselles by an angry crowd on July 14, 1789 and the coup of 9 Thermidor Year II when Robespierre was shot in the jaw and arrested in the Hôtel de Ville with his followers). Eventually, in 1835, on the initiative of Rambuteau, préfet of the Seine département, two wings were added to the main building and were linked to the facade by a gallery, to provide more space for the expanded city government.

During the Franco-Prussian War, the building played a key role in several political events. On October 30, 1870, revolutionaries broke into the building and captured the Government of National Defence, while making repeated demands for the establishment of a communard government. The existing government was rescued by soldiers who broke into the Hôtel de Ville via an underground tunnel built in 1807, which still connects the Hôtel de Ville with a nearby barracks. On January 18, 1871, crowds gathered outside the building to protest against speculated surrender to the Prussians, and were dispersed by soldiers firing from the building, who inflicted several casualties. The Paris Commune chose the Hôtel de Ville as its headquarters, and as anti-Commune troops approached the building, Commune extremists set fire to the Hôtel de Ville destroying almost all extant public records from the French Revolutionary period. The blaze gutted the building, leaving only a stone shell.

It is located near the metro station: Hôtel de Ville.

Click here for Hotel de Ville Map
Click here for Hotel de Ville Gallery

Conciergerie - Gallery

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Conciergerie - Map

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Conciergerie

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The Conciergerie (French: La Conciergerie) is a former royal palace and prison in Paris, located on the west of the Île de la Cité, near the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. It is part of the larger complex known as the Palais de Justice, which is still used for judicial purposes. Hundreds of prisoners during the French Revolution were executed on the guillotines at La Conciergerie.

The Middle Ages: Le Palais de la Cité
The Île de la Cité was occupied by the Romans during late antiquity. Later, the west part of the island was the site of a Merovingian palace; and from the 10th to the 14th centuries was the seat of the medieval Kings of France. Under Louis IX (Saint Louis) (1226-1270) and Philippe IV (Philippe the Fair) (1284–1314) the Merovingian palace was extended and more heavily fortified.

Louis IX added the remarkable Sainte-Chapelle and associated galleries, while Philippe IV created the towered facade on the river side and a large hall. Both are excellent examples of French religious and secular architecture of the period. The Sainte-Chapelle, built in the French royal style, was erected to house the crown of thorns brought back from the crusades, and to serve as royal chapel. The "Grande-Salle" (Great Hall) was one of the largest in Europe, and its lower story, known as "La salle des gens" survives: 209 feet (64 m) long, 90 feet (27 m) wide and 28 feet (8.5 m) high. It was used as a dining-room for the 2,000 staff who worked in the palace. It was heated with four large fireplaces and lit by many windows, now blocked up. It was also used for royal banquets and judicial proceedings. The neighboring Salle des Gardes was used as an antechamber to the Great Hall immediately above, where the king held his lit de justice (a session of parliament in the king's presence).

The early Valois kings continued to improve the palace in the 1300s, but the royal family abandoned the palace in 1358, moving across the river to the Louvre. The palace continued to serve an administrative function, and still included the chancellery and French Parliament. In 1391 the building was converted for use as a prison. Its prisoners were a mixture of common criminals and political prisoners. In common with other prisons of the time, the treatment of prisoners was very dependent on their wealth, status and connections. The very wealthy or influential usually got their own cells with a bed, desk and materials for reading and writing. Less well-off prisoners could afford to pay for simply-furnished cells called pistoles, which would be equipped with a rough bed and perhaps a table. The poorest, known as the pailleux from the hay (paille) that they slept on, would be confined to dark, damp, vermin-infested cells called oubliettes (literally "forgotten places"). In keeping with the name, they were left to die in conditions that were ideal for the plague and other infectious diseases which were rife in the insanitary conditions of the prison.

Three towers survive from the medieval Conciergerie: the Caesar Tower, named in honor of the Roman emperors; the Silver Tower, so named for its (alleged) use as the store for the royal treasure; and the Bonbec ("good beak") Tower, which obtained its name from the torture chamber that it housed, in which victims were encouraged to "sing". The building was extended under later kings with France's first public clock being installed around 1370. The current clock dates from 1535. The concierge or keeper of the royal palace, gave the place its eventual name.

The Conciergerie and the French Revolution
The Conciergerie thus already had an unpleasant reputation before it became internationally famous as the "antechamber to the guillotine" during the Reign of Terror, the bloodiest phase of the French Revolution. It housed the Revolutionary Tribunal as well as up to 1,200 male and female prisoners at a time. The Tribunal sat in the Great Hall between 2 April 1793 and 31 May 1795 and sent nearly 2,600 prisoners to the guillotine. Its rules were simple. Only two outcomes existed — a declaration of innocence or a death sentence — and in most cases the latter was chosen. The most famous prisoners (and victims) included Queen Marie Antoinette, the poet André Chénier, Charlotte Corday, Madame Élisabeth, Madame du Barry and the Girondins, who were condemned by Georges Danton, who was in turn condemned by Robespierre, who was himself condemned and executed in a final bout of bloodletting. En route to the tumbrils, the victims walked through the Salle Saint-Louis, (Saint Louis Room), which acquired the nickname of the Salle des Perdus, the "Room of the Doomed".

After the Restoration of the Bourbons in the 19th century, the Conciergerie continued to be used as a prison for high-value prisoners — most notably the future Napoleon III. Marie Antoinette's cell was converted into a chapel dedicated to her memory. The Conciergerie and Palais de Justice underwent major rebuilding in the mid-19th century, totally altering their external appearance. While the building looks like a brooding medieval fortress, this appearance actually only dates from about 1858.

The Conciergerie was decommissioned in 1914 and was opened to the public as a national historical monument. It is today a popular tourist attraction, although only a relatively small part of the building is open to public access — much of it is still used for the Paris law courts.

Hours
Open everyday
1 March to 31October : 9.30 am to 6 pm
1 November to 29 February : 9 am to 5 pm
Cashdesks close 30 minutes earlier

Closed on January 1, May 1 and December 25

Admission

Adults : 6,50 €
Concessions (18 to 25) : 4,50 €
Rate for groups (minimum 20 people) : 5,30 €
Free admission for children under 18

How to get there

Metro: lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14
Bus: 21, 24, 27, 38, 58, 81, 85 and Balabus
RER: lines B and C
Follow the Seine banks to Ile de la Cité

Click here for Conciergerie Map
Click here for Conciergerie Gallery

Arènes de Lutèce

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The most important remains from the Gallo-Roman era in Paris (formerly known as Lutèce in French or Lutetia in Latin), together with the Thermes de Cluny. Lying in what is now the Quartier Latin, this amphitheater could once seat 15,000 people, and was used to present gladiatorial combats.

Constructed in the 1st century AD, this amphitheater is considered the longest of its kind constructed by the Romans. The sunken arena of the amphitheater was surrounded by the wall of a podium 8.2 feet (2.5m) high, surmounted by a parapet. The presence of a 135-foot (41.2m) long stage allowed scenes to alternate between theatrical productions and combat. A series of nine niches aided in improving the acoustics. Five cubbyholes were situated beneath the lower bleachers, of which three appear to have been animal cages that opened directly into the arena. Historians believe that the bleachers, which surrounded more than half of the arena's circumference, could accommodate as many as 17,000 spectators.

Upper bleachers were relegated to slaves, the poor, and women — while the lower seats were reserved for Roman dignitaries. For comfort, a linen awning sheltered spectators from the hot sun. Circus acts showcased wild animals. From its vantage point, the amphitheater also afforded a spectacular view of the Bièvre and Seine rivers.

When Lutèce was sacked during the barbaric invasions of 280 A.D., some of the structure's stone work was carted off to reinforce the city's defenses around the Île de la Cité. Subsequently, the amphitheater became a cemetery, and then it was filled in completely following the construction of Philippe Auguste's walls (ca. 1210).

Centuries later, even though the surrounding neighborhood (quartier) had retained the name les Arènes, no one really knew exactly where the ancient arena had been. It was discovered by Théodore Vaquer during the building of the Rue Monge between 1860-1869, when the Compagnie Générale des Omnibus sought to build a tramway depot on the site.

Spearheaded by the author Victor Hugo (1802-1885) and a few other intellectuals, a preservation committee called la Société des Amis des Arènes undertook to save the archaeological treasure. After the demolition of the Couvent des Filles de Jésus-Christ in 1883, one-third of the arena was uncovered. The Municipal Council dedicated funds to restoring the arena and establishing it as a public square, which was opened in 1896.

After the tramway lines and depot were dismantled in 1916 and line 10 of the Paris Métro was constructed, the doctor and anthropologist Jean-Louis Capitan (1854-1929) continued with additional excavation and restoration of the arena toward the end of World War I. The neighboring Square Capitan, built on the site of the old Saint-Victor reservoir, is dedicated to his memory. Unfortunately, a portion of the original arena — opposite the stage — was lost to buildings which line rue Monge.

Standing in the center of the arena one can still observe significant remnants of the stage and its nine niches, as well as the grilled cages in the wall. The stepped bleachers are not original, but historians believe that 41 arched openings punctuated the façade.

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Saint Eustache - Gallery

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Saint Eustache - Map

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Saint Eustache

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L'église Saint-Eustache is a church in the Ier arrondissement of Paris, built between 1532 and 1632.

Situated at the entrance to Paris’ ancient markets (Les Halles) and the beginning of the famous rue Montorgueuil, the Église de Saint-Eustache is another Parisian gothic gem. The church’s reputation was strong enough of the time for it to be chosen as the location for a young Louis XIV to receive communion. Mozart also chose the sanctuary as the location for his mother’s funeral. Among those baptised here as children were Richelieu, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, future Madame de Pompadour and Molière, who was also married here two decades later. The last rites for Anne of Austria, Turenne and Mirabeau were pronounced within its walls. Marie de Gournay is buried there.

History
Situated in Les Halles, an area of Paris renowned for fresh produce of all kinds, the church became a parish in 1223, thanks to a man named Alais who achieved this by taxing the baskets of fish sold nearby. To thank such divine generosity Alais constructed a chapel dedicated to Sainte-Agnès, a Roman martyr. The construction of the current church began in 1532, the work not being finally completed until 1637. The name "Saint-Eustache" refers to Saint Eustace, a Roman general who was burned along with his family for converting to Christianity.

According to tourist literature on-site, during the French Revolution the church was (like most churches in Paris) desecrated and looted, and used for a time as a barn. However, several impressive paintings by Rubens remain in the church today. Each summer, organ concerts commemorate the premieres of Berlioz’s Te Deum and Liszt’s Messiah here in 1886.

Description
The church is an example of a Gothic structure clothed in Renaissance detail, and has been attributed to Italian-born architect Domenico da Cortona. The church is relatively short in length at 105m, but its interior is 33.45m high to the vaulting. At the main façade, the left tower has been completed in Renaisance style, while the right tower remains a truncated stump. The front and rear aspects provide a remarkable contrast between the comparatively sober classical front and the exuberant rear, which integrates Gothic forms and organization with Classical details. The L'écoute sculpture by Henri de Miller appears outside the church, to the south. A Keith Haring sculpture made of silver stands in a chapel of the church in memory of the epidemic of AIDS deaths during the 1980s.

Organ
With 8000 pipes, the organ is reputed to be the largest pipe organ in France, surpassing the organs of Saint Sulpice and Notre Dame de Paris. The organ was originally constructed by Ducroquet and later modified under the direction of Joseph Bonnet. The present instrument was designed under the direction of Titular Organist Jean Guillou and dates from 1989 and was built by the Dutch firm of Van den Heuvel retaining a few ranks of pipes from the former organ.

Click here Saint Eustache gallery

located near the metro station: Les Halles.
Click here for Saint Eustache Map

St-Etienne-du-Mont - Gallery

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Saint-Étienne-du-Mont

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Saint-Étienne-du-Mont

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Saint-Étienne-du-Mont is a church in Paris, located on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève in the Ve arrondissement, near the Panthéon. It contains the shrine of St. Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris. The church also contains the tombs of Blaise Pascal and Jean Racine.

Renowned organist, composer, and improviser Maurice Duruflé held the post of Titular Organist at Saint-Étienne-du-Mont from 1929 until his death in 1986.

History

6th century - first chapel was formed from the crypt of St. Geneviève Abbey
13th century - separate church built on the north side of chapel
1491 - bell tower was built
1537 - chancel was built
1545 - gallery was built (see image of church interior)
1580 - vaults of the nave and the transept were built
1624 - bell tower was raised
1807 - demolition of the Abbey church

Hours

Mon noon-7:30pm
Tue-Fri 8:45am-7:30pm
Sat 8:45am-noon and 2-7:45pm
Sun 8:45am-12:15pm and 2:30-7:45pm

Admission
Free

How to get there
Address
1 place Ste-Geneviève, 5e
Phone 01-43-54-11-79

Transportation
Métro: Cardinal Lemoine or Luxembourg

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Basilique de Saint-Denis - Gallery

2008-11-17T01:12:00.000-08:00

Basilique Saint-Denis - Map

2008-11-17T00:42:00.000-08:00

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Basilique de Saint-Denis

2008-11-17T00:36:00.000-08:00

In English The Basilica of Saint Denis, is the burial site of almost all the French monarchs since Clovis I (465-511). Saved and restored by the architect Viollet le Duc, the basilica is located in Saint-Denis, now a northern suburb of Paris.

It was not used for the coronations of kings, this role being designated to the Cathedral of Reims; however, queens were commonly crowned there.

Saint Denis is a patron saint of France and, according to legend, was the first bishop of Paris. A shrine was erected at his burial place. There Dagobert I, king of the Franks, who reigned from 628 to 637, founded the Abbey of Saint Denis, a Benedictine monastery. The shrine itself was created by Eligius, a goldsmith by training. It was described in the early vita of Saint Eligius:

Above all, Eligius fabricated a mausoleum for the holy martyr Denis in the city of Paris with a wonderful marble ciborium over it marvelously decorated with gold and gems. He composed a crest [at the top of a tomb] and a magnificent frontal and surrounded the throne of the altar with golden axes in a circle. He placed golden apples there, round and jeweled. He made a pulpit and a gate of silver and a roof for the throne of the altar on silver axes. He made a covering in the place before the tomb and fabricated an outside altar at the feet of the holy martyr. So much industry did he lavish there, at the king's request, and poured out so much that scarcely a single ornament was left in Gaul and it is the greatest wonder of all to this very day.

None of this work survives.

Architecture
he church is an architectural landmark as it was the first major structure partially built in the Gothic style , although only part of the original Gothic ambulatory at the chevet, or east end remains. The narthex of the Gothic church was begun in 1136 and finished in 1140 by the Abbot Suger (1081-1155). The choir was begun in 1140 and was consecrated on the 11th of June 1144 after only four years of work. The majority of the present day structure, however, is a later construction that was begun in 1231 in the Rayonnant Gothic style. The church is also important architecturally due to the fact that it is considered the first church built in the Rayonnant style. Among other innovative features at St. Denis are the stained glass windows in the chevet, the rose window on the facade, and the statue columns (now destroyed but known from Montfauchon's drawings) flanking the portals on the west facade.

Burial site
The abbey is where the kings of France and their families were buried for centuries and is therefore often referred to as the "royal necropolis of France". All but three of the monarchs of France from the 10th century until 1789 have their remains here. The abbey church contains some fine examples of cadaver tombs. The effigies of many of the kings and queens are on their tombs, but during the French Revolution, these tombs were opened by workers under orders from revolutionary officials. The bodies were removed and dumped in two large pits nearby. Archaeologist Alexandre Lenoir saved many of the monuments from the same revolutionary officials by claiming them as artworks for his Museum of French Monuments.

The bodies of the beheaded King Louis XVI, his wife Marie Antoinette of Austria, and his sister Madame Élisabeth were not initially buried in Saint-Denis, but rather in the churchyard of the Madeleine, where they were covered with quicklime. The body of the Dauphin, who died of an illness, was buried in an unmarked grave in a Parisian churchyard near the Temple.

Napoleon Bonaparte reopened the church in 1806, but allowed the the royal remains to be left in their mass graves. During Napoleon's exile in Elba, the restored Bourbons ordered a search for the corpses of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The few remains, a few bones that were presumably the king's and a clump of greyish matter containing a lady's garter, were found on January 21, 1815, brought to Saint-Denis and buried in the crypt. In 1817 the mass graves containing all the other remains were opened, but it was impossible to distinguish any one from the collection of bones. The remains were therefore placed in an ossuary in the crypt of the church, behind two marble plates with the names of the hundreds of members of the succeeding French dynasties that were interred in the church duly recorded.

King Louis XVIII, upon his death in 1824, was buried in the center of the crypt, near the graves of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The coffins of royal family members that died in between 1815 and 1830 were also placed in the vaults. Under the direction of architect Viollet-le-Duc, famous for his work on Notre-Dame de Paris, church monuments that were taken to the Museum of French Monuments were returned to the church. The corpse of King Louis VII, who had been buried at the Abbey at Saint-Pont and whose tomb had not been touched by the revolutionaries, was brought to Saint-Denis and buried in the crypt. In 2004 the mummified heart of the Dauphin, the boy that would have been Louis XVII, was sealed into the wall of the crypt.

Hours

Apr-Sept Mon-Sat 10am-6:15pm, Sun noon-6:15pm
Oct-Mar Mon-Sat 10am-5:15pm, Sun noon-5:15pm

Season Closed Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25

Transportation
Métro: St-Denis

Admission

6.50€ ($8.45) adults
4.50€ ($5.85) seniors and students 18-25
free for children under 18

Location
2 rue de Strasbourg
Phone 01-48-09-83-54
Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, St-Denis

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Musée Rodin - Map

2008-11-15T09:42:00.001-08:00

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Musée Rodin

2008-11-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

The Musée Rodin in Paris, France, is a museum that was opened in 1919 in the Hôtel Biron and surrounding grounds. It displays works by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin.

Rodin used the Hôtel Biron as his residence from 1908, and subsequently donated his entire collection of sculptures (along with paintings by Vincent van Gogh and Pierre-Auguste Renoir that he had acquired) to the French State on the condition that they turn the building into a museum dedicated to his works.

The Musée Rodin contains most of Rodin's significant creations, including The Thinker and The Kiss. Many of his sculptures are displayed in the museum's extensive garden. The museum is one of the most accessible museums in Paris. It is located near a Metro stop, Varenne, in a central neighborhood and the entrance fee is very reasonable. The gardens around the museum building contain many of the famous sculptures in natural settings. Behind the museum building is a small lake and casual restaurant.

Additionally, the Metro stop, Varenne, features some of Rodin's sculptures on the platform.

The museum has also a room dedicated to works of Camille Claudel.

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Musée Picasso - Map

2008-11-15T09:12:00.000-08:00

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Musée Picasso

2008-11-15T09:01:00.000-08:00

Is an art gallery located in the Hôtel Salé in rue de Thorigny, in the Marais district of Paris. The hôtel particulier that houses the collection was built between 1656 and 1659 for Pierre Aubert, seigneur de Fontenay, a tax farmer who became rich collecting the gabelle or salt tax (the name of the building means "salted"). The architect was Jean Boullier from Bourges, also known as Boullier de Bourges; sculpture was carried out by the brothers Gaspard and Balthazard Marsy and by Martin Desjardins. It is considered to be one of the finest historic houses in the Marais.

The mansion has changed hands several times through both sales and inheritances. The occupants have included the Embassy of the Republic of Venice (1671), then François de Neufville, duc de Villeroi; it was expropriated by the State during the Revolution; in 1815 it became a school, in which Balzac studied; it also housed the municipal Ecole des Métiers d'Art. It was acquired by the City of Paris in 1964, and was granted historical monument status in 1968. The mansion was restored by Bernard Vitry and Bernard Fonquernie of the Monuments Historiques between 1974-1980.

The Hotel Salé was selected for the Musée Picasso after some contentious civic and national debate. A competition was held to determine who would design the facilities. The proposal from Roland Simounet was selected in 1976 from amongst the four that were submitted. Other proposals were submitted by Roland Castro and the GAU (Groupement pour l'Architecture et l'Urbanisme), Jean Monge, and Carlo Scarpa. For the most part, the interior of the mansion (which had undergone significant modifications) was restored to its former spacious state.

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Musée national Eugène Delacroix - Gallery

2008-11-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

Musée National Eugène Delacroix‎ - Map

2008-11-14T01:32:00.000-08:00

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Musée national Eugène Delacroix

2008-11-14T01:11:00.000-08:00

The Musée national Eugène Delacroix, also known as the Musée Delacroix, is an art museum dedicated to painter Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863) and located in the 6th arrondissement at 6, rue de Furstenberg, Paris, France. It is open daily except Tuesday; an admission fee is charged.

The museum is located in painter Eugène Delacroix's last apartment; he moved to this location on December 28, 1857, and remained until his death on August 13, 1863. In 1929 the Société des Amis d'Eugène Delacroix was formed to prevent the building's destruction, which in 1952 acquired the apartment, studio, and garden, and in 1954 donated the property to the French government. In 1971 the site became a national museum, and in 1999 its garden was renovated.

Today the museum contains Delacroix's memorabilia and works, including works from nearly every phase of his career, including the artist's only three attempts at fresco from Valmont (1834); the Education of the Virgin painted in Nohant in 1842; and Magdalene in the Desert exhibited at the 1845 Salon. It also contains:

Drawings, primarily studies for paintings in the Chapelle des Saints-Anges at the Église Saint-Sulpice, but also drawings by some of Delacroix's friends and colleagues (Lassalle-Bordes, Huet, Poterlet, Saint-Marcel, Colin).
Notes, sketches, and souvenirs for Delacroix's Morocco trip in 1832, including burnooses, haiks, caftans, djellabas, jewelry, sabers, cushions, slippers, boots, and ceramics.
Studio items, including easel, palettes, painting tables, a glass he used for washing up, a small group of decorated faiences, and a pair of candlesticks.
Photographs of Delacroix toward the end of his life, and letters to or from Delacroix.
A library and documents concerning Delacroix and entourage, with more than 1,000 works (monographs, exhibition catalogues, research, etc.).

Hours

Open daily except Tuesday, 9:30 am to 5 pm (tickets sold until 4:30 pm).
Closed on January 1, May 1 and December 25.

Admission

Full ticket price: €5
Guided visits for groups, full price: €100
Guided visits for groups, reduced price: €80 (Carte Louvre Jeunes card-holders, active teachers, students, job-seekers)
Guided visits for schoolchildren: €53

Free: for children under 18, university students and students of public art schools, teachers, members of the Friends of the Musée Eugène Delacroix and Friends of the Louvre, professional artists, journalists holding a press card, job-seekers, Carte Louvre Jeunes card-holders—and for everyone, the first Sunday of every month as well as July 14.

Because of the small size of the museum's rooms, we must limit groups to 25 people (including the guide) and schedule them at separate times. Reservations are required for groups of seven people or more

How to get there

Métro: Saint-Germain-des-Prés (line 4), Mabillon (line 10)
Bus: 39, 63, 70, 86, 95, 96
Parking lots: Rue des Saints-Pères (opposite the Medical School) Intersection of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and rue de Rennes
Taxis: Intersection of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and rue de Rennes

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Musee de Cluny - Gallery

2008-11-13T21:19:00.001-08:00

Musée de Cluny - Map

2008-11-13T20:24:00.000-08:00

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Musée de Cluny

2008-11-13T20:11:00.000-08:00

Officially known as Musée National du Moyen Âge, is a museum in Paris, France. It is located in the 5th arrondissement at 6 Place Paul Painlevé, south of the Boulevard Saint-Germain, between the Boulevard Saint-Michel and the Rue Saint-Jacques.

This museum houses a variety of important medieval artifacts, in particular its tapestry collection, which includes La Dame à la Licorne (The Lady and the Unicorn) from the tapestry cycle of the same name, consisting of a series of six.

Other notable works stored there include early Medieval sculptures from the seventh and eighth centuries. There are also works of gold, ivory, antique furnishings, and illuminated manuscripts.

The Hôtel de Cluny
The structure is perhaps the most outstanding example still extant of civic architecture in medieval Paris. It was formerly the town house (hôtel) of the abbots of Cluny, started in 1334. The structure was rebuilt by Jacques d'Amboise, abbot in commendam of Cluny 1485-1510; it combines Gothic and Renaissance elements. In 1843 it was made into a public museum, to contain relics of France's Gothic past preserved in the building by Alexandre du Sommerard. It no longer possesses anything originally connected with the abbey of Cluny.

Originally the hôtel, was part of a larger Cluniac complex that also included a building (no longer standing) for a religious college in the Place de la Sorbonne (just south of the present day Hôtel de Cluny along Boulevard Saint-Michel). Although originally intended for the use of the Cluny abbots, the residence was taken over by Jacques d'Amboise, Bishop of Clermont and Abbot of Jumièges, and rebuilt to its present form in the period of 1485-1500.(Horne 2004:62). Occupants of the house over the years have included Mary Tudor, who was installed here after the death of her husband Louis XII by his successor Francis I of France in 1515 so he could watch her more closely, particularly to see if she was pregnant. Seventeenth-century occupants included several papal nuncios including Mazarin. (Horne 200$:65).

In 1793 it was confiscated by the state, and for the next three decades served several functions. At one point it was owned by a physician who used the magnificent Flamboyant chapel on the first floor as a dissection room. (Michelin at 265-266).

In 1833 Alexandre du Sommerard moved here and installed here his large collection of medieval and Renaissance objects. (Album de Museé at 5). Upon his death in 1842 the collection was purchased by the state and opened in 1843, with his son as the museum's first curator. The present gardens, opened in 1971, include a "Forêt de la Licorne" inspired by the tapestries.

The Hôtel de Cluny is partially constructed on the remains of Gallo-Roman baths dating from the third century (known as the Thermes de Cluny ), which are famous in their own right and which may still be visited. In fact, the museum itself actually consists of two buildings: the frigidarium ("cooling room"), where the remains of the Thermes de Cluny are, and the Hôtel de Cluny itself, which houses its impressive collections.

Hours

Every day except Tuesday, from 9:15 to 5:45
Desk closes at 5:15
Closed 1 January, 1 May and 25 December

How to get here

Métro Cluny-La Sorbonne / Saint-Michel / Odéon
Bus 21 - 27 - 38 - 63 - 85 - 86 - 87
RER line C Saint-Michel / line B Cluny - La Sorbonne

Parking areas
Rue de l'Ecole de Médecine, rue Soufflot and Parc Saint-Michel (entrance via place Saint-André-des-Arts)

Admission

Full price: 7,50 €
For the 18-25 years: 5,50 €
Under 18 years: free admission

(Audioguide included in the price)

The first Sunday of the month: free admission (Audioguide: 1 €)

Useful Links

Musée Jacquemart-André - Gallery

2008-11-13T08:16:00.000-08:00

Musée Marmottan Monet - Map

2008-11-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

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Musée Marmottan Monet

2008-11-13T07:54:00.000-08:00

Musée Marmottan Monet is located at 2, rue Louis Boilly in the XVIe arrondissement of Paris. It features a collection of a hundred Impressionist works by Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, as well as the Wildenstein Collection of illuminated manuscripts.

History
Originally a hunting lodge for the Duke of Valmy it was purchased by Jules Marmottan in 1882 who later left it to his son Paul Marmottan. Marmottan moved into the lodge and with an interest in the Napoleonic era he expanded his father's collection of paintings, furniture and bronzes. Marmottan bequeathed his home and collection to the Académie des Beaux-Arts. The Académie opened up the house and collection as the Museum Marmottan in 1934. Important works have been donated to the museum over the years, most notably by Michel Monet, who left the museum his father Claude Monet's painting from the home in Giverney, creating the world's largest collection of Monet paintings.

Hours
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day
Open the evening of tuesday to 9 pm
Closed Mondays, 1st January, 1st May, 25th December
The registers close at 5.30 p.m and the tuesday at 8.30pm

Admission
Full price: 9 €
Reduced price: 5,50€
(students under 25, Friends of the Louvre…)
Free for children under 8

Access
Métro Muette (Ligne 9 : Pont de Sèvres - Mairie de Montreuil)
RER Boulainvilliers (ligne C)
Autobus

22 Opéra (rue Gluck) - Porte de St-Cloud
32 Gare de l'Est - Port de Passy
52 République - Pont de St-Cloud
63
P.C. Petite Ceinture

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Musée Jacquemart-André - Map

2008-11-13T06:56:00.000-08:00

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Musée Jacquemart-André

2008-11-13T06:50:00.000-08:00

The Musée Jacquemart-André is a public museum located at 158 Boulevard Haussmann in Paris, 8th arrondissement. The museum was created from the private home of Édouard André (1833 - 1894) and Nélie Jacquemart to display the art they collected during their lifetimes.

History
Edouard André, the scion of a Protestant banking family, devoted his considerable fortune to buying works of art which he then exhibited in his new mansion, built on the new Boulevard Haussmann, in 1869 by the architect Henri Parent, and completed in 1875.

He married a well-known society painter, Nélie Jacquemart, who executed Edouard's portrait 10 years earlier. Every year, the couple would travel in Italy, amassing one of the finest collections of Italian art in France as they went. When Edouard André died, Nélie Jacquemart completed the decoration of the Italian Museum and travelled in the Orient to add more precious works to her collection. Faithful to the plan agreed with her husband, she bequeathed the mansion and its collections to the Institut de France as a museum, which opened to the public in 1913.

What to see

The State Apartments The State Rooms were designed by the André's for their most splendid receptions. They reflect their fascination for the French school of painting and 18th century decorative art.
The informal Apartments The André's would receive their business relations in a series of smaller, more informal salons. These were decorated in a refined style, testifying to their talents as collectors.
The winter garden The Winter Garden is remarkable on more than one count and testifies the artistic skill of the architect Henri Parent, who was seeking to surpass Charles Garnier, the builder of the then new Opéra Garnier.
The Italian museum The Sculpture Gallery houses collections of 15th and 16th century Italian sculpture, with masterpieces by Francesco Laurana, Donatello, Luca Della Robbia and others. The Florentine Gallery is both a place of worship, containing works on religious themes — choir stalls, reredos and funerary monuments — and a picture gallery focusing on the Florentine school, with works by Botticelli, Botticini and Perugino, and Ucello's celebrated St George and the Dragon. The Venetian Gallery attests to the André's love of 15th century Venetian artists. Dominated by a coffer ceiling attributed to Mocetto, paintings by Mantegna, Bellini or Carpaccio recreate the typical setting of a Venetian Palazzo.
The Private Apartments Occupying part of the mansion's ground floor, the André's private apartments give the museum the feel of a family home.

Hours
Open daily throughout the year, without exception, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Jacquemart-André Café is open daily from 11.45 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Admission

Individual Full rate 10€
Individual Concessions 7,3€
Groups rate 7,3€
School Group rate 4.7€

Children under 7: free.
Concessions (children aged 7-17, students, registered disabled, unemployed)

Access

RER Charles de Gaulle - Etoile
Metro Miromesnil or Saint Philippe du Roule
Bus : 22, 28, 43, 52, 54, 80, 83, 84, 93

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Centre Pompidou - Access Map

2008-11-12T22:06:00.000-08:00

Centre Pompidou - Map

2008-11-12T22:00:00.000-08:00

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Centre Pompidou

2008-11-12T21:55:00.000-08:00

Centre Georges Pompidou (constructed 1971–1977 and known as the Pompidou Centre in English) is a complex in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near Les Halles and the Marais.

It houses the Bibliothèque publique d'information, a vast public library, the Musée National d'Art Moderne, and IRCAM, a centre for music and acoustic research. Because of its location, the Centre is known locally as Beaubourg. It is named after Georges Pompidou, who was President of France from 1969 to 1974, and was officially opened on 31 January 1977 by the then-French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.

Architecture
The Centre was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, the British architect couple Richard Rogers and Sue Rogers, Gianfranco Franchini, the British structural engineer Edmund Happold (who would later found Buro Happold) and Irish structural engineer Peter Rice. The project was awarded to this team in an architectural design competition, whose results were announced in 1971. Reporting on Rogers' winning the Pritzker Prize in 2007, the New York Times noted that the design of the Centre "turned the architecture world upside down" and that "Mr. Rogers earned a reputation as a high-tech iconoclast with the completion of the 1977 Pompidou Center, with its exposed skeleton of brightly colored tubes for mechanical systems. The Pritzker jury said the Pompidou “revolutionized museums, transforming what had once been elite monuments into popular places of social and cultural exchange, woven into the heart of the city.”

How To Get There

Nearby Métro stations: Rambuteau, Les Halles
RER Châtelet - Les Halles

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Hours
open every day from 11am to 10pm, except Tuesdays and May 1.

Admission
Museum & exhibitions ticket

Low Rate: €10 (Regular Fee), €8 (Concessionary)
High Rate: €12 (Regular Fee), €9 (Concessionary)

Shows, concert €18 (Regular Fee), €14 (Concessionary)
Cinemas €6 (Regular Fee), €4 (Concessionary)
Children’s Screen €3 (Regular), €2 (Concessionary)

under 18s, members, disabled visitors, unemployed people . Proof of status required.(others)Museum free for all visitors on the first Sunday of the month.

High Rate from May 7 to August 11, 2008: Opening of the Gallery 1 (exhibition Traces du Sacré). Low Rate from August 11, 2008: closure of the Gallery 1.

Eiffel Tower - Gallery

2008-11-12T06:55:00.000-08:00

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Eiffel Tower - Map

2008-11-12T06:16:00.001-08:00

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Eiffel Tower

2008-11-12T06:09:00.000-08:00

(French: Tour Eiffel, /tuʀ ɛfɛl/) is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars beside the Seine River in Paris. The tower has become a global icon of France and is one of the most recognizable structures in the world.

Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in Paris. More than 200,000,000 have visited the tower since its construction in 1889, including 6,719,200 in 2006, making it the most visited paid monument in the world. Including the 24 m (79 ft) antenna, the structure is 325 m (1,063 ft) high (since 2000), which is equivalent to about 81 levels in a conventional building.

When the tower was completed in 1889 it was the world's tallest tower — a title it retained until 1930 when New York City's Chrysler Building (319 m — 1,047 ft tall) was completed. The tower is now the fifth-tallest structure in France and the tallest structure in Paris, with the second-tallest being the Tour Montparnasse (210 m — 689 ft), although that will soon be surpassed by Tour AXA (225.11 m — 738.36 ft).

The metal structure of the Eiffel Tower weighs 7,300 tonnes while the entire structure including non-metal components is approximately 10,000 tonnes. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7 in) because of thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun. The tower also sways 6–7 cm (2–3 in) in the wind. As demonstration of the economy of design, if the 7300 tonnes of the metal structure were melted down it would fill the 125 meter square base to a depth of only 6 cm (2.36 in), assuming a density of the metal to be 7.8 tonnes per cubic meter. The tower has a mass less than the mass of the air contained in a cylinder of the same dimensions, that is 324 meters high and 88.3 meters in radius. The weight of the tower is 10,100 tonnes compared to 10,265 tonnes of air.

The first and second levels are accessible by stairways and lifts. A ticket booth at the south tower base sells tickets to access the stairs which begin at that location. At the first platform the stairs continue up from the east tower and the third level summit is only accessible by lift. From the first or second platform the stairs are open for anyone to ascend or descend regardless of whether they have purchased a lift ticket or stair ticket. The actual count of stairs includes 9 steps to the ticket booth at the base, 328 steps to the first level, 340 steps to the second level and 18 steps to the lift platform on the second level. When exiting the lift at the third level there are 15 more steps to ascend to the upper observation platform. The step count is printed periodically on the side of the stairs to give an indication of progress of ascent. The majority of the ascent allows for an unhindered view of the area directly beneath and around the tower although some short stretches of the stairway are enclosed.

Maintenance of the tower includes applying 50 to 60 tonnes of paint every seven years to protect it from rust. In order to maintain a uniform appearance to an observer on the ground, three separate colors of paint are used on the tower, with the darkest on the bottom and the lightest at the top. On occasion the colour of the paint is changed; the tower is currently painted a shade of brownish-grey. On the first floor there are interactive consoles hosting a poll for the colour to use for a future session of painting. The co-architects of the Eiffel Tower are Emile Nouguier, Maurice Koechlin and Stephen Sauvestre.

Restaurants
The tower has two restaurants: Altitude 95, on the first floor (95 m, 311 ft, above sea level); and the Jules Verne, an expensive gastronomical restaurant on the second floor, with a private lift. This restaurant has one star in the Michelin Red Guide. In January 2007, a new multi-Michelin star chef Alain Ducasse was brought in to run Jules Verne.

Hours
The Eiffel Tower is open every day all year long,

from 9:30am to 11:00pm, January 1 to June 12 and September 1 to December 31
from 9:00am to midnight, June 13 to August 31

During Easter weekend and the spring vacation the Tower will remain open until midnight.

Admission

for more about admission visit this link

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Sainte-Chapelle - Image Gallery

2008-11-11T10:51:00.001-08:00

Sainte-Chapelle - Map

2008-11-11T09:13:00.001-08:00

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Sainte-Chapelle

2008-11-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

In English mean The Holy Chapel is a Gothic chapel on the Île de la Cité in the heart of Paris, France. It is perhaps the high point of the full tide of the rayonnante period of Gothic architecture.

History
The Sainte-Chapelle, the palatine chapel in the courtyard of the royal palace on the Île de la Cité, was built to house precious relics: Christ's crown of thorns, the Image of Edessa and thirty other relics of Christ that had been in the possession of Louis IX since August 1239, when it arrived from Venice in the hands of two Dominican friars. Unlike many devout aristocrats, who swiped relics, the saintly Louis bought his precious relics of the Passion, purchased from the Latin emperor at Constantinople, Baldwin II, for the exorbitant sum of 135,000 livres, which was paid to the Venetians, to whom it had been pawned. The entire chapel, by contrast, cost 40,000 livres to build. In 1241 a piece of the True Cross was added, and other relics. Thus the building, consecrated 26 April 1248, was like a precious reliquary: even the stonework was painted, with medallions of saints and martyrs in the quatrefoils of the dado arcade, which was hung with rich textiles.

At the same time, it reveals Louis' political and cultural ambition, with the imperial throne at Constantinople occupied by a Count of Flanders and with the Holy Roman Empire in uneasy disarray, to be the central monarch of western Christendom. Just as the Emperor could pass privately from his palace into Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, so now Louis could pass directly from his palace into the Sainte Chapelle.

The Royal chapel was a prime exemplar of the newly developing culminating phase of Gothic architectural style called "Rayonnant" that achieved a sense of weightlessness. It stands squarely upon a lower chapel which served as parish church for all the inhabitants of the palace, which was the seat of government (see "palace"). The king was later granted sainthood by the Catholic Church as Saint Louis.

The most visually beautiful aspects of the chapel, and considered the best of their type in the world, are its stained glass for which the stonework is a delicate framework, and rose windows added to the upper chapel in the fifteenth century.

No designer-builder is directly mentioned in archives concerned with the construction, but the name of Pierre de Montreuil, who had rebuilt the apse of the Royal Abbey of Saint-Denis and completed the façade of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is sometimes connected with the Sainte Chapelle.

Much of the chapel as it appears today is a recreation, although nearly two-thirds of the windows are authentic. The chapel suffered its most grievous destruction in the late eighteenth century, during the French Revolution, when the steeple and baldachin were removed, the relics dispersed, and various reliquaries, including the grande châsse, were melted down. The Sainte-Chapelle was requisitioned as an archival depository in 1803. Two meters' worth of glass was removed to facilitate working light, and destroyed or loosed upon the market. Its well-documented restoration, completed under the direction of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in 1855, was regarded as exemplary by contemporaries and is faithful to the original drawings and descriptions of the chapel that survive.

The Sainte Chapelle has been a national historic monument since 1862.

A replica of the Sainte Chapelle can be found in Chicago, Illinois. The St. James Chapelle of Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary, located on 103 E. Chestnut St, was built in the early 1900s under the direction of George Cardinal Mundelein in founding the high school seminary.

Hours
Open every day
1 Mar to 31 Oct : 9:30 am to 6 pm
1 Nov to 29 Feb : 9 am to 5 pm
Cashdesks close 30 minutes earlier

Closed
on January 1 May 1 and December 25

Admission

Adults 7,50 €
Concessions (18 to 25) 4,80 €
Rate for groups (minimum 20 people) 5,70 €
Free admission for children under 18

Click here for Map of Sainte-Chapelle
Click here for Sainte-Chapelle Image Gallery

D'Orsey Transport - Parking - Access Info

2008-11-09T01:18:00.000-08:00

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Musée d’Orsay

2008-11-09T00:56:00.001-08:00

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Musée d'Orsay

2008-11-09T00:51:00.000-08:00

The Musée d'Orsay is a museum in Paris, France, on the left bank of the Seine, housed in the former railway station, the Gare d'Orsay. It holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography, and is probably best known for its extensive collection of impressionist masterpieces by such painters such as Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Cezanne. Many of these works were held at the Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume prior to the museum's opening in 1986.

History
The museum building was originally a railway station, Gare d'Orsay, constructed for the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans and finished in time for the 1900 Exposition Universelle to the design of three architects: Lucien Magne, Émile Bénard and Victor Laloux. It was the terminus for the railways of southwestern France until 1939.

By 1939 the station's short platforms had become unsuitable for the longer trains that had come to be used for mainline services. After 1939 it was used for suburban services and part of it became a mailing center during World War II. It was then used as a set for several films, such as Kafka's The Trial adapted by Orson Welles, and as a haven for the Renaud-Barrault Theatre Company and for auctioneers, while the Hôtel Drouot was being rebuilt. The station's hotel closed on 1 January 1973.

Hours

Open from 9.30am to 6pm daily, except Mondays
Thursdays until 9.45pm
Museum cleared at 5.30pm (9.15pm Thursdays)
Group visits, pre-booked only, Tuesday to Saturday, 9.30am to 4pm (Thursdays until 8pm)
Closed on Mondays, on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December
Last tickets sold at 5pm (9pm Thursdays)

Admission

€ 9.50 for admission to the permanent collections and exhibitions
€ 7 for 18 to 30 year-olds, for everyone from 4.15pm (except Thursdays), for everyone on Thursday evenings, from 6pm
Free for Under 18s, Carte blanche and MuséO cardholders, members of the Société des Amis du Musée d'Orsay and disabled visitors with one extra person, for everyone on first Sunday of the month

Click here for Transport, Parking, Disable Parking, Individual Access, Group Access

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Musée du Louvre - Map

2008-11-07T03:08:00.000-08:00

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Musée du Louvre

2008-11-07T02:39:00.000-08:00

The Louvre Museum (French: Musée du Louvre), located in Paris, is the world's most visited art museum, a historic monument, and a national museum of France. It is a central landmark, located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement (neighbourhood). Nearly 35,000 objects from the 6th millennium BCE to the 19th century CE are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square metres.

The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace (Palais du Louvre) which began as a fortress built in the 12th century under Philip II. Remnants of the fortress are still visible. The building was extended many times to form the present Louvre Palace. In 1674, Louis XIV chose the Palace of Versailles for his household, leaving the Louvre primarily as a place to display the royal collection. During the French Revolution, the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum, to display the nation's masterpieces.

The museum opened on 10 August 1793 with an exhibition of 537 paintings, the majority of the works being confiscated church and royal property. Because of structural problems with the building, the museum was closed in 1796 until 1801. The size of the collection increased under Napoleon when the museum was renamed the Musée Napoléon. After his defeat at Waterloo, many works seized by Napoleon's armies were returned to their original owners. The collection was further increased during the reigns of Louis XVIII and Charles X, and during the Second Empire the museum gained 20,000 pieces. Holdings have grown steadily through donations and gifts since the Third Republic, except during the two World Wars. As of 2008, the collection is divided among eight curatorial departments: Egyptian Antiquities; Near Eastern Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; Islamic Art; Sculpture; Decorative Arts; Paintings, and Prints and Drawings.

Museum Plan

How to get there

Métro Palais-Royal-Musée du Louvre station.
Bus The following bus lines stop in front of the Pyramid: 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81, 95, and the Paris Open Tour bus.
Car An underground parking garage is available for those coming by car. The entrance is located on avenue du Général Lemonnier. It is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Batobus Get off at the Louvre stop, quai François Mitterrand.
From Orly Airport Take the RER C train, direction Champs de Mars-Tour Eiffel, and get off at Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame. Walk to the place Saint-Michel and take bus no. 27, direction Saint-Lazare. Get off at the Louvre, in front of the Pyramid.
From Charles de Gaulle Airport Take the RER B train, direction Massy-Palaiseau, and change at Châtelet-les-Halles to line 14, direction Saint-Lazare. Get off at Pyramides station and walk to the Louvre from there (3 minutes). Alternatively, take Métro line 1 at Châtelet-les-Halles, and get off at Palais-Royal / Musée du Louvre.

Click here for the map

Hours and Admission

Museum Opening Hours
The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Tuesday and the following holidays: January 1st, May 1st, November 11 and December 25, 2008. The permanent collection and temporary exhibitions will close at 5 p.m. on December 24 and 31, 2008 (Wednesday).

The museum is open until 10 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday evenings except on Friday, August 15, 2008 (open until 6 p.m.).

Admission to the Louvre is free on the first Sunday of every month.

The Pyramid and Galerie du Carrousel entrances are open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., except Tuesday.
The Passage Richelieu is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Tuesday.
The Porte des Lions entrance is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Tuesday and Friday.

Admission
Tickets for the Permanent Collections

€9: This ticket provides full-day access to the Louvre, except for temporary exhibitions in the Hall Napoléon. It is also valid for the Musée Eugène Delacroix.
€6: (from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.) This ticket provides access to the Louvre, except for temporary exhibitions in the Hall Napoléon, on Wednesday and Friday evenings.

Free admission to the museum on July 14, 2007 (Saturday).

Tickets for Exhibitions in the Hall Napoléon

€9.50: This ticket is valid for temporary exhibitions in the Hall Napoléon.
Free admission to the museum on the first Sunday of every month does not include the exhibitions in the Hall Napoléon.

Combined Ticket

€13: The combined ticket provides access to the permanent collections, as well as all temporary exhibitions in both the Louvre and the Musée Eugène Delacroix.
€11: (from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.) The evening combined ticket provides access to the permanent collections, as well as all temporary exhibitions in the Louvre on Wednesday and Friday evenings.

Useful Links
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Les Invalides - Gallery

2008-11-06T01:45:00.000-08:00

Les Invalides Plan

2008-11-06T01:16:00.000-08:00

Les Invalides - Map

2008-11-06T01:06:00.000-08:00

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Les Invalides

2008-11-06T01:00:00.000-08:00

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Les Invalides in Paris, France, is a complex of buildings in the city's 7th arrondissement containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans, the building's original purpose. The buildings house the Musée de l'Armée, the military museum of the Army of France, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs, and the Musée d'Histoire Contemporaine, as well as the burial site for some of France's war heroes.

Click here for Les Invalides Map
Click here for Les Invalides Plan

How to get there
Access
North Reception desk: by the Esplanade des Invalides
South Reception desk: by the Place Vauban
Metro stops: Line 8, Latour-Maubourg, Invalides Line 13, Saint-François-Xavier, Invalides, Varenne
RER : line C, "Invalides" stop
Bus : 28, 63, 69, 80, 82, 83, 87, 92, 93, Balabus
Parking : esplanade des Invalides
Taxis : boulevard de Latour-Maubourg

Hours and Admission
Opening hours
Open every day of the year, except for the first Monday of every month, and January 1st, May 1st, November 1st and December 25th.
Open from 10:00 to 17:00, from Oct 1st to mar 31st,
and from 10:00 to 18:00, from Apr 1st to Sep 30st.

The Dome Church (Napoleon's tomb) is opened until 6.45 pm in July and in August.

The ticket offices closed 30mn prior to the closing time of the Museum.

Evening openings every tuesday until 9 pm :
reduced admission fee for everybody from 5.30 pm ;
free under 26 years from 5 :30 pm.

Admission

Full fee : 8 €
Discount fee: 6 € (students under 26 years old, groups of at least 15 persons over 60 years old, war veterans)
Free for children under 18 years old.

One single ticket gives access to the Musée de l'Armée, to the Tomb of Napoleon I, to the Historial Charles de Gaulle (closed on Mondays), the Scale-Models Museum and to the Order of the Liberation Museum.

History
Louis XIV initiated the project by an order dated November 24, 1670, as a home and hospital for aged and unwell soldiers: the name is a shortened form of hôpital des invalides, the hospital for invalids. The architect of Les Invalides was Libéral Bruant. The selected site was suburban in the seventeenth century. By the time the enlarged project was completed in 1676, the river front measured 196 metres and the complex had one hundred and fifty courtyards, the largest being the cour d'honneur ("court of honour") for military parades.

Then it was felt that the veterans required a chapel. Jules Hardouin Mansart assisted the aged Bruant, and the chapel was finished in 1679 to Bruant's designs after the elder architect's death. The chapel is known as Eglise Saint-Louis des Invalides. Daily attendance was required.

Shortly after the veterans' chapel was completed, Louis XIV had Mansart construct a separate private royal chapel, often referred to as the Église du Dôme from its most striking feature (ill. right). Inspired by St. Peter's Basilica in Rome (left) the original for all Baroque domes, it is one of the triumphs of French Baroque architecture. Mansart raises his drum with an attic storey over its main cornice, and employs the paired columns motif in his more complicated rhythmic theme. The general programme is sculptural but tightly integrated, rich but balanced, consistently carried through, capping its vertical thrust firmly with a ribbed and hemispherical dome. The domed chapel is centrally placed to dominate the court of honour. It was finished in 1708.

The interior of the dome (illustration, below right) was painted by Charles Le fredrickLe Brun]]'s disciple Charles de La Fosse (1636 - 1716) with a Baroque illusion of space seen from below (sotto in su perspective, the Italians were calling it). The painting was completed in 1705.

Tombs
The most notable tomb at Les Invalides is that of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). Napoleon was initially interred on Saint Helena, but King Louis-Philippe arranged for his remains to be brought to St Jerome's Chapel in Paris in 1840. A renovation of Les Invalides took many years, but in 1861 Napoleon was moved to the most prominent location under the dome at Les Invalides.

A popular tourist site today, Les Invalides is also the burial site for some of Napoleon's family, for several military officers who served under him, and other French military heroes such as:

Henri Gratien, Comte Bertrand (1773 - 1844), army general during the First French Empire who accompanied Napoleon to Elba and then St Helena. He brought Napoleon's body back to France in 1840.
Joseph Bonaparte (1768 - 1844), Napoleon's elder brother.
Jérôme Bonaparte (1784 - 1860), Napoleon's youngest brother.
Napoleon II (1811 - 1832) son of Napoleon.
Thomas Bugeaud (1784 - 1849), Marshal of France and conqueror of Algeria.
François Canrobert (1809 - 1895), Marshal of France.
Geraud Duroc (1774 - 1813), general who fought with Napoleon.
Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle (1760 - 1836), army captain, author of France's national anthem, La Marseillaise.
Ferdinand Foch (1851 - 1929), Marshal of France, Allied Supreme Commander in the First World War.
Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne (1611 - 1675), better known as Turenne, Marshal General of France under Louis XIV and one of France's greatest military leaders.
Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban's heart (1633 - 1707), designer of Louis XIV's military fortifications.
Pierre Auguste Roques (1856 - 1920), founder of the French Air Force and Minister of War in 1916.
Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque (1902 - 1947), Marshal of France, hero of World War II, commander of the famous 2nd Armored Division.
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny (1889 - 1952), Marshal of France, commander of the French First Army during World War II.

Arc De Triumph - Gallery

2008-11-05T11:37:00.000-08:00

Cathédrale de Notre-Dame - How to get there

2008-11-05T03:58:00.000-08:00

Métro
Ligne 4 Station Cité or Saint-Michel
Ligne 1, 11 Station Hôtel de Ville
Ligne 10 Station Maubert-Mutualité or Cluny – La Sorbonne
Lignes 7, 11 et 14 Station Châtelet

RER
Ligne B Station Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame
Ligne C Station Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame

Vélib’
In the Île de la Cité :
Station 4001 : 10 rue d’Arcole
Station 4002 : place Louis Lépine
Station 4003 : 1 quai au Fleurs

Rive Gauche :
Station 5009 : 6 rue du Fouarre
Station 5008 : 9 rue Dante

Rive Droite:
Station 4017 : 10 place de l’Hôtel de Ville
Station 4016 : 3 rue Lobau

Bus RATP
Lines n°21, 38, 47, 85, 96 Stop Cité - Palais de Justice
Line n°47, Balabus Stop Cité - Parvis de Notre-Dame
Lines n°24, 47 Stop Notre-Dame - Quai de Montebello
Lines n°24, 47 Stop Petit Pont
Lines n°24, 27, Balabus Stop Pont Saint-Michel – Quai des Orfèvres
Lines n°24, 27, 96, Balabus Stop Saint-Michel
Lines n°21, 27, 38, 85, 96 Stop Saint-michel – Saint-Germain

Taxi Stations
Parvis Notre-Dame at the corner of the Hôtel-Dieu (4th arrondissement)
Place Saint-Michel (5th arrondissement)
Place Maubert (5th arrondissement)

Tour bus
Les Cars Rouges: Opposite 19 Rue d’Arcole (4th arrondissement)

L’Open tour:
Stop Notre-Dame : 6, rue de la Cité (opposite the Police Headquarters / Préfecture de Police)
Stop Petit-Pont : 4 rue du Petit-Pont

Parkings
Notre-Dame Car Park
Place du Parvis Notre-Dame (4th arrondissement)
Open 24/7
Accès véhicules : Rue la rue de la Cité (IV° arrondissement)
Pedestrian access: Parvis Notre-Dame - Lift

Lutèce - Cité Car Park
Boulevard du Palais (4th arrondissement)
Open 24/7
Vehicle access: Boulevard du Palais (4th arrondissement)
Pedestrian access: Place Louis Lépine

Hôtel de Ville Car Park
Parvis de l’Hôtel de Ville (4th arrondissement)
Open 24/7
Vehicle access: 3 rue de la Tacherie (4th arrondissement)
Pedestrian access: Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, Rue de Rivoli side Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, Quai de Gesvres side Avenue Victoria

Lobau - Rivoli Car Park
Rue Lobau (4th arrondissement)
Open 24/7
Vehicle access: Rue Lobau (4th arrondissement)
Pedestrian access: Rue Lobau

Place Saint-Michel Car Park
Rue Hautefeuille (5th arrondissement)
Open 24/7
Vehicle access: Rue Hautefeuille (5th arrondissement)
Pedestrian access: opposite 9 Boulevard Saint-Michel

Lagrange Car Park
Opposite 15 Rue Lagrange (5th arrondissement)
Open 24/7
Vehicle access: 15 Rue Lagrange (5th arrondissement)
Pedestrian access: 10 Rue Lagrange
15 Rue Lagrange

Maubert – Saint-Germain Car Park
FOpposite 37 Boulevard Saint-Germain (5th arrondissement)
Open 24/7
Vehicle access: Opposite 37 Boulevard Saint-Germain (5th arrondissement)
Pedestrian access: 46, 38, 28, 24bis and 18 Boulevard Saint-GermainParis

Cathédrale de Notre-Dame - Map

2008-11-05T03:53:00.001-08:00

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Cathédrale de Notre-Dame

2008-11-05T03:46:00.000-08:00

Notre Dame de Paris is a Gothic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in Paris, France, with its main entrance to the west. It is the cathedral of Paris and the seat of the Archbishop of that city. Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. It was restored and saved from destruction by Viollet-le-Duc, one of France's most famous architects. The name Notre Dame means "Our Lady" in French. Notre Dame de Paris was one of the first Gothic cathedrals, and its construction spanned the Gothic period. Its sculptures and stained glass show the heavy influence of naturalism, giving them a more secular look that was lacking from earlier Romanesque architecture.

Notre Dame de Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress [arched exterior supports]. The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses around the choir and nave. After the construction began and the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher, stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedral's architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued as such.

The cathedral suffered desecration during the radical phase of the French Revolution in the 1790s, when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. During the 19th century, an extensive restoration project was completed, returning the cathedral to its previous state.

Hours and Admission
The cathedral is open every day of the year from 8:00 am to 6:45 pm (7:15 pm on Saturdays and Sundays).

Access to the cathedral is open and free of charge ever day of the year, during the opening hours.

How to get there
Click here
click here for map

The organ
Though several organs were installed in the cathedral over time, the earliest ones were inadequate for the building. The first noteworthy organ was finished in the 1700s by the noted builder François-Henri Clicquot. Some of Clicquot's original pipework in the pedal division continues to sound from the organ today. The organ was almost completely rebuilt and expanded in the 19th century by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll.

The position of titular organist at Notre-Dame is considered as one of the most prestigious organist posts in France, along with the post of Saint Sulpice in Paris, Cavaillé-Coll's largest instrument.

The organ has 7,800 pipes, with 900 classified as historical. The organ has 109 stops, five 56-key manuals and a 32-key pedalboard. In December 1992, work was completed on the organ that fully computerized the organ under 3 LANs (Local Area Networks).

Among the best-known organists at Notre Dame was Louis Vierne, who held this position from 1900 to 1937. Under his tenure, the Cavaillé-Coll organ was modified in its tonal character, notably in 1902 and 1932. Pierre Cochereau initiated further alterations (many of which were already planned by Louis Vierne), including the electrification of the action between 1959 and 1963 (the original Cavaillé-Coll console, which is now located in the south tower entrance to the tribune), was replaced by a new console in Anglo-American style) and the addition of further stops between 1965 and 1972, notably in the pedal division, the recomposition of the mixture stops, and finally the adding of three horizontal reed stops "en chamade". After Cochereau's sudden death in 1984, four new titular organists were appointed at Notre Dame in 1985: Jean-Pierre Leguay, Olivier Latry, Yves Devernay (who died in 1990), and Philippe Lefebvre. This was reminiscent of the 18th-century practice of the cathedral having four titular organists, each one playing for three months of the year. Beginning in 1989, another restoration to the instrument was undertaken, which was completed in 1992.

The bells
There are five bells at Notre Dame. The great bourdon bell, Emmanuel, is located in the South Tower, weighs just over 13 tons, and is tolled to mark the hours of the day and for various occasions and services. There are four additional bells on wheels in the North Tower, which are swing chimed. These bells are rung for various services and festivals. The bells were once rung manually, but are currently rung by electric motors. The bells also have external hammers for tune playing from a small clavier.

Construction
In 1160, because the church in Paris had become the "parish church of the kings of Europe", Bishop Maurice de Sully deemed the current Parisian cathedral unworthy of its lofty role, and had it demolished shortly after he assumed the title of Bishop of Paris. According to legend, de Sully had a vision of a glorious new cathedral for Paris, and sketched it in the dirt outside of the original church. To begin the construction, the bishop had several houses demolished and had a new road built in order to transport materials for the rest of the cathedral.

Construction began in 1163, during the reign of Louis VII, and opinion differs as to whether Maurice de Sully or Pope Alexander III laid the foundation stone of the cathedral. However, both were at the ceremony in question. Bishop de Sully went on to devote most of his life and wealth to the cathedral's construction.

Construction of the west front, with its distinctive two towers, began circa 1200, before the nave had been completed, contrary to normal construction practice. Over the construction period, numerous architects worked on the site, as is evidenced by the differing styles at different heights of the west front and towers. Between 1210 and 1220, the fourth architect oversaw the construction of the level with the rose window and the great halls beneath the towers. The towers were completed around 1245, and the cathedral was completed around 1345.

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur - Map

2008-11-04T19:48:00.000-08:00

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Basilique du Sacré-Cœur

2008-11-04T19:43:00.000-08:00

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The Sacré-Cœur Basilica (French: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, "Basilica of the Sacred Heart") is a Roman Catholic basilica and popular landmark in Paris, France, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sacré-Cœur is pronounced [sakʁe kœʁ]. The basilica is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre (Montmartre butte), the highest point in the city.

Basilique du Sacré Cœur
The purpose of making a church dedicated to the Sacred Heart, with its origins in the aftermath of the French Revolution among devout Catholics and legitimist royalists, developed more widely in France after the Franco-Prussian War and the ensuing radical Paris Commune of 1870-71. Though today it is asserted to be dedicated in honor of the 58,000 who lost their lives during the war, the decree of the Assemblée nationale, 24 July 1873, responding to a request by the archbishop of Paris by voting its construction, specifies that it is to "expiate the crimes of the communards". Montmartre had been the site of the Commune's first insurrection, and many hard-core communards were forever entombed in the subterranean galleries of former gypsum mines where they had retreated, by explosives detonated at the entrances by the Army of Versailles. Hostages had been executed on both sides, and the Communards had executed Georges Darboy, Archbishop of Paris, who became a martyr for the resurgent Catholic Church. His successor Guibert, climbing the Butte Montmartre in October 1872, was reported to have had a vision, as clouds dispersed over the panorama: "It is here, it is here where the martyrs are, it is here that the Sacred Heart must reign so that it can beckon all to come".

In the moment of inertia following the resignation of the government of Adolphe Thiers, 24 May 1873, François Pie, bishop of Poitiers, expressed the national yearning for spiritual renewal— "the hour of the Church has come"— that would be expressed through the "Government of Moral Order" of the Third Republic, which linked Catholic institutions with secular ones, in "a project of religious and national renewal, the main features of which were the restoration of monarchy and the defense of Rome within a cultural framework of official piety", of which Sacré-Cœur is the chief lasting triumphalist monument.

The decree voting its construction as a "matter of public utility", 24 July, followed close on Thiers' resignation. The project was expressed by the Church as a National Vow (Voeu national) and financial support came from parishes throughout France. The dedicatory inscription records the Basilica as the accomplishment of a vow by Alexandre Legentil and Hubert Rohault de Fleury, ratified by Joseph-Hippolyte Guibert, Archbishop of Paris. The project took many years to complete.

Construction
In 1873 the city council of Paris voted a law of public utility to seize land at the summit of Montmartre for the construction of the basilica. Architect Paul Abadie designed the basilica after winning a competition over 77 other architects. With delays in assembling the property, the foundation stone was finally laid 16 June 1875. Passionate debates concerning the Basilica were raised in the Conseil Municipal in 1880, where the Basilica was called "an incessant provocation to civil war" and it was debated whether to rescind the law of 1873 granting property rights, an impracticable proposition. The matter reached the Chamber of Deputies in the summer of 1882, the Basilica being ably defended by Archbishop Guibert and Georges Clemenceau expressing the view that the Basilica sought to stigmatise the Revolution. The law was rescinded, but the Basilica was saved by a technicality and was not reintroduced in the next session. A further attempt to halt the construction was defeated in 1897, by which time the interior was substantially complete and had been open for services since 1891.

The overall style of the structure shows is a free interpretation of Romano-Byzantine feature, an unusual architectural vocabulary at the time, which was a conscious reaction against the neo-Baroque excesses of the Opéra Garnier, which was cited in the competition. Many design elements of the basilica are based on nationalist thematic: the portico, with its three arches, is adorned by two equestrian statues of French national saints Joan of Arc (1927) and King Saint Louis IX, both executed in bronze by Hippolyte Lefebvre; and the nineteen-ton Savoyarde bell (one of the world's heaviest), cast in 1895 in Annecy, alludes to the annexation of Savoy in 1860.

Abadie died not long after the foundation had been laid, in 1884, and other architects continued with the work. The Basilica was not completed until 1914, when war intervened; the basilica was formally dedicated in 1919, after World War I, when its national symbolism had shifted.

Construction costs, entirely from private donations, estimated at 7 million French francs, were expended before any above-ground visible structure was to be seen. A provisional chapel was consecrated 3 March 1876, and pilgrimage donations quickly became the mainstay of funding. Donations were encouraged by the expedient of permitting donors to "purchase" individual columns or other features as small as a brick. It was declared by the National Assembly that the state had the ultimate responsibility for funding. Construction began in 1875 and was completed in 1914, although consecration of the basilica was delayed until after World War I.

Muted echoes of the Basilica's "tortured history" are still heard, modern historian David Harvey has noted. In February 1971 demonstrators pursued by the police took refuge in the Basilica and called upon their radical comrades to join them in occupying a church "built upon the bodies of communards in order to efface that red flag that had for too long floated over Paris" as their leaflets expressed it.

The Basilica
Sacré-Cœur is built of travertine stone quarried in Château-Landon (Seine-et-Marne), France. This stone constantly exudes calcite, which ensures that the basilica remains white even with weathering and pollution.

A mosaic in the apse, entitled Christ in Majesty, is among the largest in the world.

The basilica complex includes a garden for meditation, with a fountain. The top of the dome is open to tourists and affords a spectacular panoramic view of the city of Paris, which is mostly to the south of the basilica.

Arc de Triomphe - Map

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Arc de Triomphe

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The Arc de Triomphe is a monument in Paris, France that stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, also known as the Place de l'Étoile. It is at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. The triumphal arch honors those who fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. On the inside and the top of the arc there are all of the names of generals and wars fought. Underneath is the tomb of the unknown soldier from World War I.

The Arc is the linchpin of the historic axis (L'Axe historique) — a sequence of monuments and grand thoroughfares on a route which goes from the courtyard of the Louvre Palace to the outskirts of Paris. The monument was designed by Jean Chalgrin in 1806, and its iconographic program pitted heroically nude French youths against bearded Germanic warriors in chain mail and set the tone for public monuments, with triumphant nationalistic messages, until World War I.

The monument stands 49.5 metres (162 ft) in height, 45 metres (148 ft) wide and 22 meters (72 ft) deep. It is the second largest triumphal arch in existence. Its design was inspired by the Roman Arch of Titus. The Arc de Triomphe is so colossal that three weeks after the Paris victory parade in 1919, marking the end of hostilities in World War I, Charles Godefroy flew his Nieuport biplane through it, with the event captured in a newsreel.

History
The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It was commissioned in 1806 after the victory at Austerlitz by Emperor Napoleon at the peak of his fortunes. Laying the foundations alone took two years, and in 1810 when Napoleon entered Paris from the west with his bride Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria, he had a wooden mock-up of the completed arch constructed. The architect Jean Chalgrin died in 1811, and the work was taken over by Jean-Nicolas Huyot. During the Restoration, construction was halted and would not be completed until the reign of King Louis-Philippe, in 1833–36 when the architects on site were Goust, then Huyot, under the direction of Héricart de Thury. Napoleon's body passed under it on 15 December 1840 on its way to its second and final resting place at Les Invalides.

Shanghai Visitor Information

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National Tourist Offices

Don’t expect the information CNTO provides to always be accurate or up-to-date.

CNTO office addresses (http://www.cnto.org)

United States
350 Fifth Ave., Suite 6413, New York, NY 10118
Phn 212/760-8218; fax 212/760-8809
Email ny@cnta.gov.cn

600 W. Broadway, Suite 320, Glendale, CA 91204
Phn 818/545-7505; fax 818/545-7506
Email la@cnta.gov.cn

U.K.
4 Glentworth St., London NW1 5PG
Phn 020/7935-9787; fax 020/7487-4842
Email london@cnta.gov.cn

Australia
Level 19, 44 Market St., Sydney NSW 2000
Phn 02/9299-4057; fax 02/9290-1958
Email sydney@cnta.gov.cn

Canada (http://www.tourismchina-ca.com)
Suite 806, 480 University Ave., Toronto, ONT M5G1V2
Phn 416/599-6636; fax 416/599-6382

SHÀNGHÂI ONLINE
The best way to receive fairly up-to-date information on Shànghâi before departure is on the Internet, though it’s best to surf a variety of websites so you can compare information. Treat with some skepticism those that only sell travel services—they are a dime a dozen on the Web and there is no guarantee of reliability.

The Shànghâi Tourist Information Service Center (www.shanghai tour.net) offers an introductory overview to the city as well as links to accommodations, restaurants and sights (though at press time they were having problems with their English language link).

Some useful website

A Shànghâi search engine
http://www.sh.com

Shànghâi’s English-language newspaper, Shanghai Daily
http://www.english.eastday.com

The online edition of the glossy English-language monthly that’s Shanghai
http://www.thatsShanghai.com

City Weekend
http://www.cityweekend.com.cn

Post your shanghai related question here
www.shanghai-ed.com

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