Inge Johnsson Photography

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  • Bethesda Terrace and Fountain overlook The Lake in New York City's Central Park. The fountain is located in the center of the terrace. Bethesda Terrace is on two levels, united by two grand staircases and a lesser one that passes under Terrace Drive to provide passage southward to the Elkan Naumburg bandshell and The Mall, of which this is the architectural culmination, the theatrical set-piece at the center of the park. The upper terrace flanks the 72nd Street Cross Drive and the lower terrace provides a podium for viewing the Lake. The mustard-olive colored carved stone is New Brunswick sandstone, with a harder stone for cappings, with granite steps and landings, and herringbone paving of Roman brick laid on edge.<br />
<br />
Bethesda Terrace became a site for an outdoor luncheon restaurant at the end of the 1960s, then became a congregating spot for the Hair generation before devolving into a drug-trafficking venue in the 1970s. The fountain, which had been dry for decades, was restored in its initial campaign, 1980–81, by the Central Park Conservancy as the centerpiece of its plan to renovate Central Park.[1] The Terrace, designed by Vaux with sculptural decoration by Mould, was restored in the following season, its stonework disassembled, cleaned, deteriorated surfaces removed, restored and patched and reset.
    NYC_CentralParkTrees2.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-8.jpg
  • Beautiful public drinking fountain on the Montmartre butte in central Paris, France.  Wallace fountains are public drinking fountains designed by Charles-Auguste Lebourg that appear in the form of small cast-iron sculptures scattered throughout the city of Paris, France, mainly along the most-frequented sidewalks. They are named after the Englishman Richard Wallace, who financed their construction. A great aesthetic success, they are recognized worldwide as one of the symbols of Paris.
    ParisWallaceFountain1.jpg
  • Sarlat-la-Canéda, or simply Sarlat, is a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. The town of Sarlat is in a region known in France as the Périgord Noir (the Black Périgord, as opposed to the Green Périgord, the White Périgord, and the Purple Périgord).<br />
<br />
Sarlat is a medieval town that developed around a large Benedictine abbey of Carolingian origin. The medieval Sarlat Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Sacerdos.<br />
<br />
Because modern history has largely passed it by, Sarlat has remained preserved and one of the towns most representative of 14th century France. It owes its current status on France's Tentative List for future nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage site to the enthusiasm of writer, resistance fighter and politician André Malraux, who, as Minister of Culture (1960–1969), restored the town and many other sites of historic significance throughout France. The centre of the old town consists of impeccably restored stone buildings and is largely car-free.
    Sarlat4.jpg
  • The Royal Palace of Madrid (Spanish: Palacio Real de Madrid) is the official residence of the Spanish royal family at the city of Madrid, although now only used for state ceremonies. The palace has 135,000 square meters of floor space and contains 3,418 rooms. It is the largest functioning royal palace and the largest by floor area in Europe. King Felipe VI and the royal family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the significantly more modest Palace of Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid. The palace is owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional, a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency. <br />
<br />
The palace is located on the site of a 9th-century Alcázar ("Muslim-era fortress"), near the town of Magerit, constructed as an outpost by Muhammad I of Córdoba and inherited after 1036 by the independent Moorish Taifa of Toledo. After Madrid fell to King Alfonso VI of Castile in 1083, the edifice was only rarely used by the kings of Castile. In 1329, King Alfonso XI of Castile convened the cortes of Madrid for the first time. King Felipe II moved his court to Madrid in 1561. The old Alcázar was built on the location in the 16th century. After it burned 24 December 1734, King Felipe V ordered a new palace built on the same site. Construction spanned the years 1738 to 1755 and followed a Berniniesque design by Filippo Juvarra and Giovanni Battista Sacchetti in cooperation with Ventura Rodríguez, Francesco Sabatini, and Martín Sarmiento. King Carlos III first occupied the new palace in 1764.<br />
<br />
The interior of the palace is notable for its wealth of art and the use of many types of fine materials in the construction and the decoration of its rooms. It includes paintings by artists such as Caravaggio, Juan de Flandes, Francisco de Goya, and Velázquez, and frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Corrado Giaquinto, and Anton Raphael Mengs. Other collections of great historical and artistic importance preserved in the building include the
    MadridPalacioReal4.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower4.jpg
  • Beautiful staircase at home in Guanajuato, Mexico<br />
------<br />
Guanajuato is a city and municipality in central Mexico and the capital of the state of the same name. It is part of the macroregion of Bajío. It is in a narrow valley, which makes its streets narrow and winding. Most are alleys that cars cannot pass through, and some are long sets of stairs up the mountainsides. Many of the city’s thoroughfares are partially or fully underground. The historic center has numerous small plazas and colonial-era mansions, churches and civil constructions built using pink or green sandstone.<br />
<br />
The origin and growth of Guanajuato resulted from the discovery of minerals in the mountains surrounding it. The mines were so rich that the city was one of the most influential during the colonial period. One of the mines, La Valenciana, accounted for two-thirds of the world’s silver production at the height of its production.<br />
<br />
The city is home to the Mummy Museum, which contains naturally mummified bodies that were found in the municipal cemetery between the mid 19th and 20th centuries. It is also home to the Festival Internacional Cervantino, which invites artists and performers from all over the world as well as Mexico. Guanajuato was the site of the first battle of the Mexican War of Independence between insurgent and royalist troops at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas. The city was named a World Heritage Site in 1988.
    GuanajuatoSanRoque1.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower5.jpg
  • Motorcycle on a picturesque street in the historic center of Guanajuato, Mexico<br />
------<br />
Guanajuato is a city and municipality in central Mexico and the capital of the state of the same name. It is part of the macroregion of Bajío. It is in a narrow valley, which makes its streets narrow and winding. Most are alleys that cars cannot pass through, and some are long sets of stairs up the mountainsides. Many of the city’s thoroughfares are partially or fully underground. The historic center has numerous small plazas and colonial-era mansions, churches and civil constructions built using pink or green sandstone.<br />
<br />
The origin and growth of Guanajuato resulted from the discovery of minerals in the mountains surrounding it. The mines were so rich that the city was one of the most influential during the colonial period. One of the mines, La Valenciana, accounted for two-thirds of the world’s silver production at the height of its production.<br />
<br />
The city is home to the Mummy Museum, which contains naturally mummified bodies that were found in the municipal cemetery between the mid 19th and 20th centuries. It is also home to the Festival Internacional Cervantino, which invites artists and performers from all over the world as well as Mexico. Guanajuato was the site of the first battle of the Mexican War of Independence between insurgent and royalist troops at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas. The city was named a World Heritage Site in 1988.
    Guanajuato4.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-6.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-5.jpg
  • Typical colorful street in Guanajuato, Mexico with its Spanish colonial buildings.<br />
------<br />
Guanajuato is a city and municipality in central Mexico and the capital of the state of the same name. It is part of the macroregion of Bajío. It is in a narrow valley, which makes its streets narrow and winding. Most are alleys that cars cannot pass through, and some are long sets of stairs up the mountainsides. Many of the city’s thoroughfares are partially or fully underground. The historic center has numerous small plazas and colonial-era mansions, churches and civil constructions built using pink or green sandstone.<br />
<br />
The origin and growth of Guanajuato resulted from the discovery of minerals in the mountains surrounding it. The mines were so rich that the city was one of the most influential during the colonial period. One of the mines, La Valenciana, accounted for two-thirds of the world’s silver production at the height of its production.<br />
<br />
The city is home to the Mummy Museum, which contains naturally mummified bodies that were found in the municipal cemetery between the mid 19th and 20th centuries. It is also home to the Festival Internacional Cervantino, which invites artists and performers from all over the world as well as Mexico. Guanajuato was the site of the first battle of the Mexican War of Independence between insurgent and royalist troops at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas. The city was named a World Heritage Site in 1988.
    GuanajuatoSanRoque4.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-18.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-6.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-5.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-16.jpg
  • Montmartre is a hill (the butte Montmartre) which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district. The other, older, church on the hill is Saint Pierre de Montmartre, which claims to be the location at which the Jesuit order of priests was founded. Many artists had studios or worked around the community of Montmartre such as Salvador Dalí, Amedeo Modigliani, Claude Monet, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh. Montmartre is also the setting for several hit films. This site is served by metro line 2 stations of Anvers, Pigalle and Blanche and the line 12 stations of Pigalle, Abbesses, Lamarck - Caulaincourt and Jules Joffrin.
    ParisMontmartreStairs1.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-3.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-5.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower5.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower4.jpg
  • The Manhattan Beach Pier is a pier located in Manhattan Beach, California, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The pier is 928 feet long and located at the end of Manhattan Beach Boulevard. An octagonal Mediterranean-style building sits at the end of the pier and houses the Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab & Aquarium. Surfers can be seen below the pier and sometimes weave in and out of the mussel-covered pilings. The pier is popular with locals, tourists, photographers, and artists and for fishing. It offers sunsets and vantage points from the shore and hillside. In 1897, the Potencia Company was incorporated to develop land in the area and proposed a seaside resort with wharves and piers. The area was named Potencia, but the city of Manhattan was incorporated in 1912 with the word "Beach" being added in 1927. The name was chosen by land developer John Merrill[disambiguation needed], a native of New York. A pier is believed to have been one of the first features built when the Manhattan Beach community was developed. Two wooden piers were built in 1901, one at Center Street (later renamed Manhattan Beach Boulevard) and one at Marine Avenue called Peck's Pier and Pavilion.
    ManhattanPier1.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-14.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-6.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-5.jpg
  • The Eiffel Tower (French: La Tour Eiffel, nickname La dame de fer, the iron lady) is a puddled iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris, named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair, it has become both a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world; 7.1 million people ascended it in 2011. The third level observatory's upper platform is at 279.11 m the highest accessible to public in the European Union and the highest in Europe.<br />
The tower stands 320 metres (1,050 ft) tall, about the same height as an 81-story building.
    ParisEiffelTowerNight1.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower1.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower4.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower6.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-16.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-11.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-5.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-4.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower1.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower3.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-11.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-8.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-4.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth's Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-6.jpg
  • Seattle's iconic downtown market in the evening
    SeattlePikePlaceMarket2.jpg
  • The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, central Italy, initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. Seen here above the Tiber River in Rome, Italy.
    _A1A3646.jpg
  • The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, central Italy, initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. Seen here above the Tiber River in Rome, Italy.
    _A1A3635.jpg
  • The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, central Italy, initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. Seen here above the Tiber River in Rome, Italy.
    _A1A3227.jpg
  • Forsyth Park is a large city park that occupies 30 acres in the historic district of Savannah, Georgia. The park is bordered by Gaston Street on the North, Drayton Street on the East, Park Avenue on the South and Whitaker Street on the West. It contains walking paths, a children's play area, a Fragrant Garden for the blind, a large fountain, tennis courts, basketball courts, areas for soccer and Frisbee, and home field for Savannah Shamrocks Rugby Club. From time to time, there are concerts held at Forsyth to the benefit of the public.<br />
<br />
The fountain at the north end of the park was added in 1858 and is reminiscent of fountains in the Place de la Concorde in Paris and in Cuzco, Peru. At this time, Parisian urban planning was centered on the development of residential neighborhoods radiating out from a central green space. The Parisian model of developing large city parks was emulated by large cities in the United States, with even smaller cities, such as Savannah, asserting their own cosmopolitan image.
    ForsythPark4.jpg
  • Sarlat-la-Canéda, or simply Sarlat, is a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. The town of Sarlat is in a region known in France as the Périgord Noir (the Black Périgord, as opposed to the Green Périgord, the White Périgord, and the Purple Périgord).<br />
<br />
Sarlat is a medieval town that developed around a large Benedictine abbey of Carolingian origin. The medieval Sarlat Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Sacerdos.<br />
<br />
Because modern history has largely passed it by, Sarlat has remained preserved and one of the towns most representative of 14th century France. It owes its current status on France's Tentative List for future nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage site to the enthusiasm of writer, resistance fighter and politician André Malraux, who, as Minister of Culture (1960–1969), restored the town and many other sites of historic significance throughout France. The centre of the old town consists of impeccably restored stone buildings and is largely car-free.
    SarlatRueAlbusse1.jpg
  • Sarlat-la-Canéda, or simply Sarlat, is a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. The town of Sarlat is in a region known in France as the Périgord Noir (the Black Périgord, as opposed to the Green Périgord, the White Périgord, and the Purple Périgord).<br />
<br />
Sarlat is a medieval town that developed around a large Benedictine abbey of Carolingian origin. The medieval Sarlat Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Sacerdos.<br />
<br />
Because modern history has largely passed it by, Sarlat has remained preserved and one of the towns most representative of 14th century France. It owes its current status on France's Tentative List for future nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage site to the enthusiasm of writer, resistance fighter and politician André Malraux, who, as Minister of Culture (1960–1969), restored the town and many other sites of historic significance throughout France. The centre of the old town consists of impeccably restored stone buildings and is largely car-free.
    Sarlat5.jpg
  • The Royal Palace of Madrid (Spanish: Palacio Real de Madrid) is the official residence of the Spanish royal family at the city of Madrid, although now only used for state ceremonies. The palace has 135,000 square meters of floor space and contains 3,418 rooms. It is the largest functioning royal palace and the largest by floor area in Europe. King Felipe VI and the royal family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the significantly more modest Palace of Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid. The palace is owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional, a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency. <br />
<br />
The palace is located on the site of a 9th-century Alcázar ("Muslim-era fortress"), near the town of Magerit, constructed as an outpost by Muhammad I of Córdoba and inherited after 1036 by the independent Moorish Taifa of Toledo. After Madrid fell to King Alfonso VI of Castile in 1083, the edifice was only rarely used by the kings of Castile. In 1329, King Alfonso XI of Castile convened the cortes of Madrid for the first time. King Felipe II moved his court to Madrid in 1561. The old Alcázar was built on the location in the 16th century. After it burned 24 December 1734, King Felipe V ordered a new palace built on the same site. Construction spanned the years 1738 to 1755 and followed a Berniniesque design by Filippo Juvarra and Giovanni Battista Sacchetti in cooperation with Ventura Rodríguez, Francesco Sabatini, and Martín Sarmiento. King Carlos III first occupied the new palace in 1764.<br />
<br />
The interior of the palace is notable for its wealth of art and the use of many types of fine materials in the construction and the decoration of its rooms. It includes paintings by artists such as Caravaggio, Juan de Flandes, Francisco de Goya, and Velázquez, and frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Corrado Giaquinto, and Anton Raphael Mengs. Other collections of great historical and artistic importance preserved in the building include the
    MadridPalacioReal2.jpg
  • The Royal Palace of Madrid (Spanish: Palacio Real de Madrid) is the official residence of the Spanish royal family at the city of Madrid, although now only used for state ceremonies. The palace has 135,000 square meters of floor space and contains 3,418 rooms. It is the largest functioning royal palace and the largest by floor area in Europe. King Felipe VI and the royal family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the significantly more modest Palace of Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid. The palace is owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional, a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency. <br />
<br />
The palace is located on the site of a 9th-century Alcázar ("Muslim-era fortress"), near the town of Magerit, constructed as an outpost by Muhammad I of Córdoba and inherited after 1036 by the independent Moorish Taifa of Toledo. After Madrid fell to King Alfonso VI of Castile in 1083, the edifice was only rarely used by the kings of Castile. In 1329, King Alfonso XI of Castile convened the cortes of Madrid for the first time. King Felipe II moved his court to Madrid in 1561. The old Alcázar was built on the location in the 16th century. After it burned 24 December 1734, King Felipe V ordered a new palace built on the same site. Construction spanned the years 1738 to 1755 and followed a Berniniesque design by Filippo Juvarra and Giovanni Battista Sacchetti in cooperation with Ventura Rodríguez, Francesco Sabatini, and Martín Sarmiento. King Carlos III first occupied the new palace in 1764.<br />
<br />
The interior of the palace is notable for its wealth of art and the use of many types of fine materials in the construction and the decoration of its rooms. It includes paintings by artists such as Caravaggio, Juan de Flandes, Francisco de Goya, and Velázquez, and frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Corrado Giaquinto, and Anton Raphael Mengs. Other collections of great historical and artistic importance preserved in the building include the
    MadridPalacioReal1.jpg
  • Bethesda Terrace and Fountain overlook The Lake in New York City's Central Park. The fountain is located in the center of the terrace. Bethesda Terrace is on two levels, united by two grand staircases and a lesser one that passes under Terrace Drive to provide passage southward to the Elkan Naumburg bandshell and The Mall, of which this is the architectural culmination, the theatrical set-piece at the center of the park. The upper terrace flanks the 72nd Street Cross Drive and the lower terrace provides a podium for viewing the Lake. The mustard-olive colored carved stone is New Brunswick sandstone, with a harder stone for cappings, with granite steps and landings, and herringbone paving of Roman brick laid on edge.<br />
<br />
Bethesda Terrace became a site for an outdoor luncheon restaurant at the end of the 1960s, then became a congregating spot for the Hair generation before devolving into a drug-trafficking venue in the 1970s. The fountain, which had been dry for decades, was restored in its initial campaign, 1980–81, by the Central Park Conservancy as the centerpiece of its plan to renovate Central Park.[1] The Terrace, designed by Vaux with sculptural decoration by Mould, was restored in the following season, its stonework disassembled, cleaned, deteriorated surfaces removed, restored and patched and reset.
    NYC_BethesdaTerrace5.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-11.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower6.jpg
  • The Seattle Great Wheel is a giant Ferris wheel at Pier 57 on Elliott Bay in Seattle, Washington, United States. With an overall height of 175 feet, it became the tallest Ferris wheel on the west coast of the United States when it opened on June 29, 2012. Seattle was the third city in North America to offer a wheel of this design, following the Niagara SkyWheel at Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls, Canada, which is also 175 feet tall, and the larger Myrtle Beach SkyWheel in South Carolina, which is 187 feet tall. The Seattle wheel is the only one of the three to be built over water. The Seattle Great Wheel has 42 climate-controlled gondolas, each able to carry up to eight passengers (except the "VIP" gondola, seating four), giving a maximum capacity of over 300. The 12-minute ride extends 40 feet out over Elliott Bay. Seattle businessman and waterfront developer Hal Griffith has envisioned a Ferris wheel on Elliott Bay for nearly 30 years. Along with his family, he is the owner of the Pier 57 upon which the Seattle Great Wheel is located. In addition to the wheel, the pier is the location of Miner's Landing, which consists of souvenir gift shops, tourist attractions, and variety of seafood restaurants. During the 1980s, Griffith began developing plans to ensure the perpetual existence and success of the family's business ventures on the pier. His plans had long included continual development of the waterfront on Puget Sound to provide entertainment and recreational opportunities for tourists and local residents. His goal was to drive success through innovative ideas, staying a step ahead of the competition. Griffith often met logistical and political roadblocks that inhibited development on the waterfront, but he was determined to build the Ferris wheel on Pier 57, located adjacent to the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
    GreatWheel2.jpg
  • The Seattle Great Wheel is a giant Ferris wheel at Pier 57 on Elliott Bay in Seattle, Washington, United States. With an overall height of 175 feet, it became the tallest Ferris wheel on the west coast of the United States when it opened on June 29, 2012. Seattle was the third city in North America to offer a wheel of this design, following the Niagara SkyWheel at Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls, Canada, which is also 175 feet tall, and the larger Myrtle Beach SkyWheel in South Carolina, which is 187 feet tall. The Seattle wheel is the only one of the three to be built over water. The Seattle Great Wheel has 42 climate-controlled gondolas, each able to carry up to eight passengers (except the "VIP" gondola, seating four), giving a maximum capacity of over 300. The 12-minute ride extends 40 feet out over Elliott Bay. Seattle businessman and waterfront developer Hal Griffith has envisioned a Ferris wheel on Elliott Bay for nearly 30 years. Along with his family, he is the owner of the Pier 57 upon which the Seattle Great Wheel is located. In addition to the wheel, the pier is the location of Miner's Landing, which consists of souvenir gift shops, tourist attractions, and variety of seafood restaurants. During the 1980s, Griffith began developing plans to ensure the perpetual existence and success of the family's business ventures on the pier. His plans had long included continual development of the waterfront on Puget Sound to provide entertainment and recreational opportunities for tourists and local residents. His goal was to drive success through innovative ideas, staying a step ahead of the competition. Griffith often met logistical and political roadblocks that inhibited development on the waterfront, but he was determined to build the Ferris wheel on Pier 57, located adjacent to the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
    GreatWheel3.jpg
  • Seattle's iconic downtown market in the evening
    SeattlePikePlaceMarket1.jpg
  • Urban buildings in Karlskona, Sweden<br />
.....<br />
Karlskrona is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's only remaining naval base and the headquarters of the Swedish Coast Guard. The city of Karlskrona is spread over 30 islands in the eastern part of Blekinge archipelago, Trossö being the main one; another is Saltö. The islet of Stumholmen was formerly property of the Navy and today it houses the National Naval Museum (Marinmuseum). Outside the city lies the archipelago of Karlskrona, the most southern of the Swedish archipelagos. Several islands are connected to the city by ferries. The city was founded in 1680 when the Royal Swedish Navy was relocated from the Stockholm area to the Trossö island which had up until then been used chiefly for farming and grazing. At the time Sweden was the dominant military power in the Baltic sea region, but needed a better strategic location against Denmark, since southern parts of Sweden had been conquered only a few decades ago (see the Torstenson War). The Swedish fleet tended to get stuck in the ice during winter while located to Stockholm and was therefore moved south. The island had a very strategic position with short sailing distances to the German and Baltic provinces. The city name means Karl's Crown in honour of King Karl XI of Sweden, the name being inspired by the name of the city Landskrona.
    KarlskronaTrosso7.jpg
  • Picturesque scene in the historic center of San Miguel de Allende, exico<br />
------<br />
San Miguel de Allende is a city and municipality located in the far eastern part of the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico. It is part of the macroregion of Bajío. Historically, the town is important as being the birthplace of Ignacio Allende, whose surname was added to the town’s name in 1826, as well as the first municipality declared independent of Spanish rule by the nascent insurgent army during the Mexican War of Independence. However, the town waned during and after the war, and at the beginning of the 20th century was in danger of becoming a ghost town. Its Baroque/Neoclassical colonial structures were "discovered" by foreign artists who moved in and began art and cultural institutes such as the Instituto Allende and the Escuela de Bellas Artes. This gave the <br />
This attracted foreign art students, especially former U.S. soldiers studying on the G.I. Bill after the Second World War. Since then, the town has attracted a significant amount of foreign retirees, artists, writers and tourists, which is shifting the area’s economy from agriculture and industry to commerce catering to outside visitors and residents. The main attraction of the town is its well-preserved historic center, filled with buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries. This and the nearby Sanctuary of Atotonilco have been declared World Heritage Sites in 2008.
    SanMiguel1.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-3.jpg
  • The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, central Italy, initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family.
    RomeCastelStAngelo2.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-14.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-11.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-3.jpg
  • The dome of Sacre Coeur seen from a backsteet in Paris' Montmartre area
    ParisMontmartreBackstreet1-2.jpg
  • Street in Arles, France
    ArlesStreet1.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-4.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-6.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-3.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower1.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower2.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-6.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-5.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-6.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-5.jpg
  • Stockholm, Sweden wth City Hall silhouetted against the sunset sky
    StockholmSky1.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-4.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-3.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-12.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-8.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-6.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-3.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower4.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower3.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower1.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-16.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-3.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-2.jpg
  • The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, central Italy, initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. Seen here above the Tiber River in Rome, Italy.
    _A1A3656.jpg
  • The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, central Italy, initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. Seen here above the Tiber River in Rome, Italy.
    _A1A3643-HDR.jpg
  • Sarlat-la-Canéda, or simply Sarlat, is a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. The town of Sarlat is in a region known in France as the Périgord Noir (the Black Périgord, as opposed to the Green Périgord, the White Périgord, and the Purple Périgord).<br />
<br />
Sarlat is a medieval town that developed around a large Benedictine abbey of Carolingian origin. The medieval Sarlat Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Sacerdos.<br />
<br />
Because modern history has largely passed it by, Sarlat has remained preserved and one of the towns most representative of 14th century France. It owes its current status on France's Tentative List for future nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage site to the enthusiasm of writer, resistance fighter and politician André Malraux, who, as Minister of Culture (1960–1969), restored the town and many other sites of historic significance throughout France. The centre of the old town consists of impeccably restored stone buildings and is largely car-free.
    Sarlat7.jpg
  • The Royal Palace of Madrid (Spanish: Palacio Real de Madrid) is the official residence of the Spanish royal family at the city of Madrid, although now only used for state ceremonies. The palace has 135,000 square meters of floor space and contains 3,418 rooms. It is the largest functioning royal palace and the largest by floor area in Europe. King Felipe VI and the royal family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the significantly more modest Palace of Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid. The palace is owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional, a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency. <br />
<br />
The palace is located on the site of a 9th-century Alcázar ("Muslim-era fortress"), near the town of Magerit, constructed as an outpost by Muhammad I of Córdoba and inherited after 1036 by the independent Moorish Taifa of Toledo. After Madrid fell to King Alfonso VI of Castile in 1083, the edifice was only rarely used by the kings of Castile. In 1329, King Alfonso XI of Castile convened the cortes of Madrid for the first time. King Felipe II moved his court to Madrid in 1561. The old Alcázar was built on the location in the 16th century. After it burned 24 December 1734, King Felipe V ordered a new palace built on the same site. Construction spanned the years 1738 to 1755 and followed a Berniniesque design by Filippo Juvarra and Giovanni Battista Sacchetti in cooperation with Ventura Rodríguez, Francesco Sabatini, and Martín Sarmiento. King Carlos III first occupied the new palace in 1764.<br />
<br />
The interior of the palace is notable for its wealth of art and the use of many types of fine materials in the construction and the decoration of its rooms. It includes paintings by artists such as Caravaggio, Juan de Flandes, Francisco de Goya, and Velázquez, and frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Corrado Giaquinto, and Anton Raphael Mengs. Other collections of great historical and artistic importance preserved in the building include the
    MadridPalacioReal7.jpg
  • The Spokane clock tower was once part of a Great Northern Railway depot that once occupied the site.  Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County, of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 92 miles (148 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the Washington–Idaho border, and 230 miles (370 km) east of Seattle.
    SpokaneClocktower2.jpg
  • The Seattle Great Wheel is a giant Ferris wheel at Pier 57 on Elliott Bay in Seattle, Washington, United States. With an overall height of 175 feet, it became the tallest Ferris wheel on the west coast of the United States when it opened on June 29, 2012. Seattle was the third city in North America to offer a wheel of this design, following the Niagara SkyWheel at Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls, Canada, which is also 175 feet tall, and the larger Myrtle Beach SkyWheel in South Carolina, which is 187 feet tall. The Seattle wheel is the only one of the three to be built over water. The Seattle Great Wheel has 42 climate-controlled gondolas, each able to carry up to eight passengers (except the "VIP" gondola, seating four), giving a maximum capacity of over 300. The 12-minute ride extends 40 feet out over Elliott Bay. Seattle businessman and waterfront developer Hal Griffith has envisioned a Ferris wheel on Elliott Bay for nearly 30 years. Along with his family, he is the owner of the Pier 57 upon which the Seattle Great Wheel is located. In addition to the wheel, the pier is the location of Miner's Landing, which consists of souvenir gift shops, tourist attractions, and variety of seafood restaurants. During the 1980s, Griffith began developing plans to ensure the perpetual existence and success of the family's business ventures on the pier. His plans had long included continual development of the waterfront on Puget Sound to provide entertainment and recreational opportunities for tourists and local residents. His goal was to drive success through innovative ideas, staying a step ahead of the competition. Griffith often met logistical and political roadblocks that inhibited development on the waterfront, but he was determined to build the Ferris wheel on Pier 57, located adjacent to the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
    GreatWheel2.jpg
  • The Seattle Great Wheel is a giant Ferris wheel at Pier 57 on Elliott Bay in Seattle, Washington, United States. With an overall height of 175 feet, it became the tallest Ferris wheel on the west coast of the United States when it opened on June 29, 2012. Seattle was the third city in North America to offer a wheel of this design, following the Niagara SkyWheel at Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls, Canada, which is also 175 feet tall, and the larger Myrtle Beach SkyWheel in South Carolina, which is 187 feet tall. The Seattle wheel is the only one of the three to be built over water. The Seattle Great Wheel has 42 climate-controlled gondolas, each able to carry up to eight passengers (except the "VIP" gondola, seating four), giving a maximum capacity of over 300. The 12-minute ride extends 40 feet out over Elliott Bay. Seattle businessman and waterfront developer Hal Griffith has envisioned a Ferris wheel on Elliott Bay for nearly 30 years. Along with his family, he is the owner of the Pier 57 upon which the Seattle Great Wheel is located. In addition to the wheel, the pier is the location of Miner's Landing, which consists of souvenir gift shops, tourist attractions, and variety of seafood restaurants. During the 1980s, Griffith began developing plans to ensure the perpetual existence and success of the family's business ventures on the pier. His plans had long included continual development of the waterfront on Puget Sound to provide entertainment and recreational opportunities for tourists and local residents. His goal was to drive success through innovative ideas, staying a step ahead of the competition. Griffith often met logistical and political roadblocks that inhibited development on the waterfront, but he was determined to build the Ferris wheel on Pier 57, located adjacent to the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
    GreatWheel3.jpg
  • Beautiful staircases at homes in Guanajuato, Mexico<br />
------<br />
Guanajuato is a city and municipality in central Mexico and the capital of the state of the same name. It is part of the macroregion of Bajío. It is in a narrow valley, which makes its streets narrow and winding. Most are alleys that cars cannot pass through, and some are long sets of stairs up the mountainsides. Many of the city’s thoroughfares are partially or fully underground. The historic center has numerous small plazas and colonial-era mansions, churches and civil constructions built using pink or green sandstone.<br />
<br />
The origin and growth of Guanajuato resulted from the discovery of minerals in the mountains surrounding it. The mines were so rich that the city was one of the most influential during the colonial period. One of the mines, La Valenciana, accounted for two-thirds of the world’s silver production at the height of its production.<br />
<br />
The city is home to the Mummy Museum, which contains naturally mummified bodies that were found in the municipal cemetery between the mid 19th and 20th centuries. It is also home to the Festival Internacional Cervantino, which invites artists and performers from all over the world as well as Mexico. Guanajuato was the site of the first battle of the Mexican War of Independence between insurgent and royalist troops at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas. The city was named a World Heritage Site in 1988.
    GuanajuatoSanRoque2.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-18.jpg
  • Urban buildings in Karlskona, Sweden<br />
.....<br />
Karlskrona is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's only remaining naval base and the headquarters of the Swedish Coast Guard. The city of Karlskrona is spread over 30 islands in the eastern part of Blekinge archipelago, Trossö being the main one; another is Saltö. The islet of Stumholmen was formerly property of the Navy and today it houses the National Naval Museum (Marinmuseum). Outside the city lies the archipelago of Karlskrona, the most southern of the Swedish archipelagos. Several islands are connected to the city by ferries. The city was founded in 1680 when the Royal Swedish Navy was relocated from the Stockholm area to the Trossö island which had up until then been used chiefly for farming and grazing. At the time Sweden was the dominant military power in the Baltic sea region, but needed a better strategic location against Denmark, since southern parts of Sweden had been conquered only a few decades ago (see the Torstenson War). The Swedish fleet tended to get stuck in the ice during winter while located to Stockholm and was therefore moved south. The island had a very strategic position with short sailing distances to the German and Baltic provinces. The city name means Karl's Crown in honour of King Karl XI of Sweden, the name being inspired by the name of the city Landskrona.
    KarlskronaTrossö7.jpg
  • Typical colorful street in Guanajuato, Mexico with its Spanish colonial buildings.<br />
------<br />
Guanajuato is a city and municipality in central Mexico and the capital of the state of the same name. It is part of the macroregion of Bajío. It is in a narrow valley, which makes its streets narrow and winding. Most are alleys that cars cannot pass through, and some are long sets of stairs up the mountainsides. Many of the city’s thoroughfares are partially or fully underground. The historic center has numerous small plazas and colonial-era mansions, churches and civil constructions built using pink or green sandstone.<br />
<br />
The origin and growth of Guanajuato resulted from the discovery of minerals in the mountains surrounding it. The mines were so rich that the city was one of the most influential during the colonial period. One of the mines, La Valenciana, accounted for two-thirds of the world’s silver production at the height of its production.<br />
<br />
The city is home to the Mummy Museum, which contains naturally mummified bodies that were found in the municipal cemetery between the mid 19th and 20th centuries. It is also home to the Festival Internacional Cervantino, which invites artists and performers from all over the world as well as Mexico. Guanajuato was the site of the first battle of the Mexican War of Independence between insurgent and royalist troops at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas. The city was named a World Heritage Site in 1988.
    GuanajuatoSanRoque3.jpg
  • Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth most populous city in the United States, located in Southeast Texas near the Gulf of Mexico. Houston was founded in 1836 on land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou (now known as Allen's Landing) and incorporated as a city on June 5, 1837. The city was named after former General Sam Houston, who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded and won at the Battle of San Jacinto 25 miles  east of where the city was established. The burgeoning port and railroad industry, combined with oil discovery in 1901, has induced continual surges in the city's population.
    HoustonSkyline1.jpg
  • The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, central Italy, initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. Seen here above the Tiber River in Rome, Italy.
    CastelSanAngeloBridge2.jpg
  • Piazza di Santa Maria and Basilica di Santa Maria in the Trastevere part of Rome, Italy
    RomePiazzaDiSantaMaria1.jpg
  • Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, in Eastern Washington United States. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.  In December Leavenworth puts on the ultimate Christmas Festival: Leavenworth’s Town and Tree Lighting.
    LeavenworthXmas-16.jpg
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