Inge Johnsson Photography

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  • Buildings in the old town part of Nice, France.<br />
.....<br />
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, and it is the capital of the Alpes Maritimes département. The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of about 1 million on an area of 278 sq mi. Located on the south east coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea, Nice is the second-largest French city on the Mediterranean coast and the second-largest city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region after Marseille.<br />
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The city is called Nice la Belle, which means Nice the Beautiful, which is also the title of the unofficial anthem of Nice, written by Menica Rondelly in 1912. The area of today's Nice contains Terra Amata, an archaeological site which displays evidence of a very early use of fire. Around 350 BC, Greeks of Marseille founded a permanent settlement and called it Nikaia, after Nike, the goddess of victory. Through the ages, the town has changed hands many times. Its strategic location and port significantly contributed to its maritime strength. For years it was a dominion of Savoy, then became part of France between 1792 and 1815, when it was returned to Piedmont-Sardinia until its reannexation by France in 1860.<br />
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The natural beauty of the Nice area and its mild Mediterranean climate came to the attention of the English upper classes in the second half of the 18th century, when an increasing number of aristocratic families took to spending their winter there. The city's main seaside promenade, the Promenade des Anglais (‘the Walkway of the English') owes its name to the earliest visitors to the resort. For decades now, the picturesque Nicean surroundings have attracted not only those in search of relaxation, but also those seeking inspiration. The clear air and soft light has been of particular appeal to some of Western culture's most outstanding painters, such as Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Niki de Saint Phalle and Arm
    NiceOldTown1.jpg
  • San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town. San Gimignano was founded as a small village in the 3rd century BC by the Etruscans.
    SanGimignano2.jpg
  • Gamla Stan (Old Town), Stockholm, Sweden
    StockholmSjälagårdsgatan1.jpg
  • Steeple and windows in old town Nice on the French Riviera
    NiceOldTown3.jpg
  • Iconic blue domed chapels in the town of Oia on the greek island Santorini (Thera). Santorini, classically Thera and officially Thira, is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast of Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands. The municipality of Santorini includes the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana. Santorini is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic eruption that destroyed the earliest settlements on a formerly single island, and created the current geological caldera. A giant central, rectangular lagoon is surrounded by high, steep cliffs on three sides.
    SantoriniBlueDomes2.jpg
  • Vernazza is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. Vernazza's name is derived from the Latin adjective verna meaning "native" and the aptly named indigenous wine, vernaccia ("local" or "ours"), helped give birth to the village's moniker. First records recognizing Vernazza as a fortified town date back to the year 1080. Referred to as an active maritime base of the Obertenghi, a family of Italian nobility, it was a likely point of departure for naval forces in defence of pirates. Over the next two centuries, Vernazza was vital in Genova's conquest of Liguria, providing port, fleet, and soldiers. In 1209, the approximately 90 most powerful families of Vernazza pledged their allegiance to the republic of Genova.In 1997, the Cinque Terre was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in 1999 the National Park of the Cinque Terre was born. Today the main source of revenue for Vernazza is tourism. However, as a testimony to the strength of centuries-old tradition, fishing, wine and olive oil production still continue to take place.
    VernazzaEvening1.jpg
  • "Korsvirkeshus" type house in central Ystad in the southern province of Skåne in Sweden<br />
.....<br />
Ystad is a town, and the seat of Ystad Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden, with 18,350 inhabitants in 2010. The settlement dates back to the 11th century and the town has become a busy ferryport, local administrative centre and tourist attraction. It is associated with the fictional detective Kurt Wallander whose stories, by Henning Mankell, are set primarily in Ystad and nearby communities. In 1285, the town's name was written Ystath. Its original meaning is not fully understood, but the "y" is probably related to an old word for the yew tree, while -stad is town, or place. In Danish times before 1658 the spelling was Ysted.
    YstadStreet1.jpg
  • Manarola is a small town, a frazione of the comune (municipality) of Riomaggiore, in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is the second smallest of the famous Cinque Terre towns frequented by tourists. Manarola may be the oldest of the towns in the Cinque Terre, with the cornerstone of the church, San Lorenzo, dating from 1338. The local dialect is Manarolese, which is marginally different from the dialects in the nearby area. The name "Manarola" is probably dialectical evolution of the Latin, "magna rota". In the Manarolese dialect this was changed to "magna roea" which means "large wheel", in reference to the mill wheel in the town. Manarola's primary industries have traditionally been fishing and wine-making. The local wine, called Sciacchetrà, is especially renowned; references from Roman writings mention the high quality of the wine produced in the region. In recent years, Manarola and its neighboring towns have become popular tourist destinations, particularly in the summer months. Tourist attractions in the region include a famous walking trail between Manarola and Riomaggiore (called Via dell'Amore, "Love's Trail") and hiking trails in the hills and vineyards above the town. Manarola is one of the five villages. Mostly all of the houses are bright and colourful. Manarola was celebrated in paintings by Antonio Discovolo (1874-1956)
    ManarolaFlowers1.jpg
  • Manarola is a small town, a frazione of the comune (municipality) of Riomaggiore, in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is the second smallest of the famous Cinque Terre towns frequented by tourists. Manarola may be the oldest of the towns in the Cinque Terre, with the cornerstone of the church, San Lorenzo, dating from 1338. The local dialect is Manarolese, which is marginally different from the dialects in the nearby area. The name "Manarola" is probably dialectical evolution of the Latin, "magna rota". In the Manarolese dialect this was changed to "magna roea" which means "large wheel", in reference to the mill wheel in the town. Manarola's primary industries have traditionally been fishing and wine-making. The local wine, called Sciacchetrà, is especially renowned; references from Roman writings mention the high quality of the wine produced in the region. In recent years, Manarola and its neighboring towns have become popular tourist destinations, particularly in the summer months. Tourist attractions in the region include a famous walking trail between Manarola and Riomaggiore (called Via dell'Amore, "Love's Trail") and hiking trails in the hills and vineyards above the town. Manarola is one of the five villages. Mostly all of the houses are bright and colourful. Manarola was celebrated in paintings by Antonio Discovolo (1874-1956)
    ManarolaHills1.jpg
  • Ystad is a town, and the seat of Ystad Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden, with 18,350 inhabitants in 2010. The settlement dates back to the 11th century and the town has become a busy ferryport, local administrative centre and tourist attraction. It is associated with the fictional detective Kurt Wallander whose stories, by Henning Mankell, are set primarily in Ystad and nearby communities. In 1285, the town's name was written Ystath. Its original meaning is not fully understood, but the "y" is probably related to an old word for the yew tree, while -stad is town, or place. In Danish times before 1658 the spelling was Ysted.
    YstadDoor1.jpg
  • Vernazza is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. Vernazza's name is derived from the Latin adjective verna meaning "native" and the aptly named indigenous wine, vernaccia ("local" or "ours"), helped give birth to the village's moniker. First records recognizing Vernazza as a fortified town date back to the year 1080. Referred to as an active maritime base of the Obertenghi, a family of Italian nobility, it was a likely point of departure for naval forces in defence of pirates. Over the next two centuries, Vernazza was vital in Genova's conquest of Liguria, providing port, fleet, and soldiers. In 1209, the approximately 90 most powerful families of Vernazza pledged their allegiance to the republic of Genova.In 1997, the Cinque Terre was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in 1999 the National Park of the Cinque Terre was born. Today the main source of revenue for Vernazza is tourism. However, as a testimony to the strength of centuries-old tradition, fishing, wine and olive oil production still continue to take place.
    VernazzaAbove1.jpg
  • Vernazza is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. Vernazza's name is derived from the Latin adjective verna meaning "native" and the aptly named indigenous wine, vernaccia ("local" or "ours"), helped give birth to the village's moniker. First records recognizing Vernazza as a fortified town date back to the year 1080. Referred to as an active maritime base of the Obertenghi, a family of Italian nobility, it was a likely point of departure for naval forces in defence of pirates. Over the next two centuries, Vernazza was vital in Genova's conquest of Liguria, providing port, fleet, and soldiers. In 1209, the approximately 90 most powerful families of Vernazza pledged their allegiance to the republic of Genova.In 1997, the Cinque Terre was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in 1999 the National Park of the Cinque Terre was born. Today the main source of revenue for Vernazza is tourism. However, as a testimony to the strength of centuries-old tradition, fishing, wine and olive oil production still continue to take place.
    VernazzaEvening7.jpg
  • Vernazza is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. Vernazza's name is derived from the Latin adjective verna meaning "native" and the aptly named indigenous wine, vernaccia ("local" or "ours"), helped give birth to the village's moniker. First records recognizing Vernazza as a fortified town date back to the year 1080. Referred to as an active maritime base of the Obertenghi, a family of Italian nobility, it was a likely point of departure for naval forces in defence of pirates. Over the next two centuries, Vernazza was vital in Genova's conquest of Liguria, providing port, fleet, and soldiers. In 1209, the approximately 90 most powerful families of Vernazza pledged their allegiance to the republic of Genova.In 1997, the Cinque Terre was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in 1999 the National Park of the Cinque Terre was born. Today the main source of revenue for Vernazza is tourism. However, as a testimony to the strength of centuries-old tradition, fishing, wine and olive oil production still continue to take place.
    VernazzaAbove2.jpg
  • Vernazza is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. Vernazza's name is derived from the Latin adjective verna meaning "native" and the aptly named indigenous wine, vernaccia ("local" or "ours"), helped give birth to the village's moniker. First records recognizing Vernazza as a fortified town date back to the year 1080. Referred to as an active maritime base of the Obertenghi, a family of Italian nobility, it was a likely point of departure for naval forces in defence of pirates. Over the next two centuries, Vernazza was vital in Genova's conquest of Liguria, providing port, fleet, and soldiers. In 1209, the approximately 90 most powerful families of Vernazza pledged their allegiance to the republic of Genova.In 1997, the Cinque Terre was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in 1999 the National Park of the Cinque Terre was born. Today the main source of revenue for Vernazza is tourism. However, as a testimony to the strength of centuries-old tradition, fishing, wine and olive oil production still continue to take place.
    VernazzaAbove1.jpg
  • Vernazza is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. Vernazza's name is derived from the Latin adjective verna meaning "native" and the aptly named indigenous wine, vernaccia ("local" or "ours"), helped give birth to the village's moniker. First records recognizing Vernazza as a fortified town date back to the year 1080. Referred to as an active maritime base of the Obertenghi, a family of Italian nobility, it was a likely point of departure for naval forces in defence of pirates. Over the next two centuries, Vernazza was vital in Genova's conquest of Liguria, providing port, fleet, and soldiers. In 1209, the approximately 90 most powerful families of Vernazza pledged their allegiance to the republic of Genova.In 1997, the Cinque Terre was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in 1999 the National Park of the Cinque Terre was born. Today the main source of revenue for Vernazza is tourism. However, as a testimony to the strength of centuries-old tradition, fishing, wine and olive oil production still continue to take place.
    VernazzaEvening3.jpg
  • Vernazza is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. Vernazza's name is derived from the Latin adjective verna meaning "native" and the aptly named indigenous wine, vernaccia ("local" or "ours"), helped give birth to the village's moniker. First records recognizing Vernazza as a fortified town date back to the year 1080. Referred to as an active maritime base of the Obertenghi, a family of Italian nobility, it was a likely point of departure for naval forces in defence of pirates. Over the next two centuries, Vernazza was vital in Genova's conquest of Liguria, providing port, fleet, and soldiers. In 1209, the approximately 90 most powerful families of Vernazza pledged their allegiance to the republic of Genova.In 1997, the Cinque Terre was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in 1999 the National Park of the Cinque Terre was born. Today the main source of revenue for Vernazza is tourism. However, as a testimony to the strength of centuries-old tradition, fishing, wine and olive oil production still continue to take place.
    VernazzaEvening2.jpg
  • Vernazza is a town and comune located in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northwestern Italy. It is one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre region. Vernazza is the fourth town heading north, has no car traffic, and remains one of the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera. Vernazza's name is derived from the Latin adjective verna meaning "native" and the aptly named indigenous wine, vernaccia ("local" or "ours"), helped give birth to the village's moniker. First records recognizing Vernazza as a fortified town date back to the year 1080. Referred to as an active maritime base of the Obertenghi, a family of Italian nobility, it was a likely point of departure for naval forces in defence of pirates. Over the next two centuries, Vernazza was vital in Genova's conquest of Liguria, providing port, fleet, and soldiers. In 1209, the approximately 90 most powerful families of Vernazza pledged their allegiance to the republic of Genova.In 1997, the Cinque Terre was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in 1999 the National Park of the Cinque Terre was born. Today the main source of revenue for Vernazza is tourism. However, as a testimony to the strength of centuries-old tradition, fishing, wine and olive oil production still continue to take place.
    VernazzaBoats1.jpg
  • Frisco Heritage Museum in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon trains along the old Shawnee Trail. This trail was also used for cattle drives north from Austin. This trail later became the Preston Trail, and later, Preston Road. Preston Road is one of the oldest north-south roads in all of Texas. With all of this activity, the community of Lebanon was founded along this trail and granted a U.S. post office in 1860. In 1902, a line of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering stops were needed along the route for the steam locomotives. The current settlement of Lebanon was on the Preston Ridge and was thus too high in elevation, so the watering stop was placed about four miles (6 km) to the west on lower ground. A community grew around this train stop. Residents of Lebanon actually moved their houses to the new community on logs. The new town was originally named Emerson, but the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name as being too similar to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents chose Frisco City in honor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway on which the town was founded, later shortened to its present name. in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon
    FriscoHeritageMuseum3.jpg
  • Frisco Heritage Museum in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon trains along the old Shawnee Trail. This trail was also used for cattle drives north from Austin. This trail later became the Preston Trail, and later, Preston Road. Preston Road is one of the oldest north-south roads in all of Texas. With all of this activity, the community of Lebanon was founded along this trail and granted a U.S. post office in 1860. In 1902, a line of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering stops were needed along the route for the steam locomotives. The current settlement of Lebanon was on the Preston Ridge and was thus too high in elevation, so the watering stop was placed about four miles (6 km) to the west on lower ground. A community grew around this train stop. Residents of Lebanon actually moved their houses to the new community on logs. The new town was originally named Emerson, but the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name as being too similar to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents chose Frisco City in honor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway on which the town was founded, later shortened to its present name. in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon
    FriscoHeritageMuseum2.jpg
  • Water tower in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon trains along the old Shawnee Trail. This trail was also used for cattle drives north from Austin. This trail later became the Preston Trail, and later, Preston Road. Preston Road is one of the oldest north-south roads in all of Texas. With all of this activity, the community of Lebanon was founded along this trail and granted a U.S. post office in 1860. In 1902, a line of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering stops were needed along the route for the steam locomotives. The current settlement of Lebanon was on the Preston Ridge and was thus too high in elevation, so the watering stop was placed about four miles (6 km) to the west on lower ground. A community grew around this train stop. Residents of Lebanon actually moved their houses to the new community on logs. The new town was originally named Emerson, but the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name as being too similar to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents chose Frisco City in honor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway on which the town was founded, later shortened to its present name.
    FriscoWaterTower1.jpg
  • Main Street and water tower in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon trains along the old Shawnee Trail. This trail was also used for cattle drives north from Austin. This trail later became the Preston Trail, and later, Preston Road. Preston Road is one of the oldest north-south roads in all of Texas. With all of this activity, the community of Lebanon was founded along this trail and granted a U.S. post office in 1860. In 1902, a line of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering stops were needed along the route for the steam locomotives. The current settlement of Lebanon was on the Preston Ridge and was thus too high in elevation, so the watering stop was placed about four miles (6 km) to the west on lower ground. A community grew around this train stop. Residents of Lebanon actually moved their houses to the new community on logs. The new town was originally named Emerson, but the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name as being too similar to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents chose Frisco City in honor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway on which the town was founded, later shortened to its present name.
    FriscoMainStreet5.jpg
  • Main Street and water tower in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon trains along the old Shawnee Trail. This trail was also used for cattle drives north from Austin. This trail later became the Preston Trail, and later, Preston Road. Preston Road is one of the oldest north-south roads in all of Texas. With all of this activity, the community of Lebanon was founded along this trail and granted a U.S. post office in 1860. In 1902, a line of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering stops were needed along the route for the steam locomotives. The current settlement of Lebanon was on the Preston Ridge and was thus too high in elevation, so the watering stop was placed about four miles (6 km) to the west on lower ground. A community grew around this train stop. Residents of Lebanon actually moved their houses to the new community on logs. The new town was originally named Emerson, but the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name as being too similar to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents chose Frisco City in honor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway on which the town was founded, later shortened to its present name.
    FriscoMainStreet1.jpg
  • Sculpture outside Frisco City Hall in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon trains along the old Shawnee Trail. This trail was also used for cattle drives north from Austin. This trail later became the Preston Trail, and later, Preston Road. Preston Road is one of the oldest north-south roads in all of Texas. With all of this activity, the community of Lebanon was founded along this trail and granted a U.S. post office in 1860. In 1902, a line of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering stops were needed along the route for the steam locomotives. The current settlement of Lebanon was on the Preston Ridge and was thus too high in elevation, so the watering stop was placed about four miles (6 km) to the west on lower ground. A community grew around this train stop. Residents of Lebanon actually moved their houses to the new community on logs. The new town was originally named Emerson, but the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name as being too similar to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents chose Frisco City in honor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway on which the town was founded, later shortened to its present name.
    FriscoEngine1.jpg
  • Frisco City Hall in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon trains along the old Shawnee Trail. This trail was also used for cattle drives north from Austin. This trail later became the Preston Trail, and later, Preston Road. Preston Road is one of the oldest north-south roads in all of Texas. With all of this activity, the community of Lebanon was founded along this trail and granted a U.S. post office in 1860. In 1902, a line of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering stops were needed along the route for the steam locomotives. The current settlement of Lebanon was on the Preston Ridge and was thus too high in elevation, so the watering stop was placed about four miles (6 km) to the west on lower ground. A community grew around this train stop. Residents of Lebanon actually moved their houses to the new community on logs. The new town was originally named Emerson, but the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name as being too similar to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents chose Frisco City in honor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway on which the town was founded, later shortened to its present name.
    FriscoCityHall1.jpg
  • Frisco Heritage Museum in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon trains along the old Shawnee Trail. This trail was also used for cattle drives north from Austin. This trail later became the Preston Trail, and later, Preston Road. Preston Road is one of the oldest north-south roads in all of Texas. With all of this activity, the community of Lebanon was founded along this trail and granted a U.S. post office in 1860. In 1902, a line of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering stops were needed along the route for the steam locomotives. The current settlement of Lebanon was on the Preston Ridge and was thus too high in elevation, so the watering stop was placed about four miles (6 km) to the west on lower ground. A community grew around this train stop. Residents of Lebanon actually moved their houses to the new community on logs. The new town was originally named Emerson, but the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name as being too similar to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents chose Frisco City in honor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway on which the town was founded, later shortened to its present name. in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon
    FriscoHeritageMuseum1.jpg
  • Main Street and water tower in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon trains along the old Shawnee Trail. This trail was also used for cattle drives north from Austin. This trail later became the Preston Trail, and later, Preston Road. Preston Road is one of the oldest north-south roads in all of Texas. With all of this activity, the community of Lebanon was founded along this trail and granted a U.S. post office in 1860. In 1902, a line of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering stops were needed along the route for the steam locomotives. The current settlement of Lebanon was on the Preston Ridge and was thus too high in elevation, so the watering stop was placed about four miles (6 km) to the west on lower ground. A community grew around this train stop. Residents of Lebanon actually moved their houses to the new community on logs. The new town was originally named Emerson, but the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name as being too similar to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents chose Frisco City in honor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway on which the town was founded, later shortened to its present name.
    FriscoMainStreet3.jpg
  • Main Street and water tower in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon trains along the old Shawnee Trail. This trail was also used for cattle drives north from Austin. This trail later became the Preston Trail, and later, Preston Road. Preston Road is one of the oldest north-south roads in all of Texas. With all of this activity, the community of Lebanon was founded along this trail and granted a U.S. post office in 1860. In 1902, a line of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering stops were needed along the route for the steam locomotives. The current settlement of Lebanon was on the Preston Ridge and was thus too high in elevation, so the watering stop was placed about four miles (6 km) to the west on lower ground. A community grew around this train stop. Residents of Lebanon actually moved their houses to the new community on logs. The new town was originally named Emerson, but the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name as being too similar to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents chose Frisco City in honor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway on which the town was founded, later shortened to its present name.
    FriscoMainStreet2.jpg
  • Frisco City Hall in Frisco, Texas. Frisco is a city in Collin and Denton counties in Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and is approximately 25 miles from both Dallas Love Field and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Since 2003, Frisco has received the designation "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. When the Dallas area was being settled by American pioneers, many of the settlers traveled by wagon trains along the old Shawnee Trail. This trail was also used for cattle drives north from Austin. This trail later became the Preston Trail, and later, Preston Road. Preston Road is one of the oldest north-south roads in all of Texas. With all of this activity, the community of Lebanon was founded along this trail and granted a U.S. post office in 1860. In 1902, a line of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering stops were needed along the route for the steam locomotives. The current settlement of Lebanon was on the Preston Ridge and was thus too high in elevation, so the watering stop was placed about four miles (6 km) to the west on lower ground. A community grew around this train stop. Residents of Lebanon actually moved their houses to the new community on logs. The new town was originally named Emerson, but the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name as being too similar to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents chose Frisco City in honor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway on which the town was founded, later shortened to its present name.
    FriscoCityHall2.jpg
  • Statue of Mother Mary and the Jesus Child overlooking old town Nice in France.<br />
.....<br />
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, and it is the capital of the Alpes Maritimes département. The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of about 1 million on an area of 278 sq mi. Located on the south east coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea, Nice is the second-largest French city on the Mediterranean coast and the second-largest city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region after Marseille.<br />
<br />
The city is called Nice la Belle, which means Nice the Beautiful, which is also the title of the unofficial anthem of Nice, written by Menica Rondelly in 1912. The area of today's Nice contains Terra Amata, an archaeological site which displays evidence of a very early use of fire. Around 350 BC, Greeks of Marseille founded a permanent settlement and called it Nikaia, after Nike, the goddess of victory. Through the ages, the town has changed hands many times. Its strategic location and port significantly contributed to its maritime strength. For years it was a dominion of Savoy, then became part of France between 1792 and 1815, when it was returned to Piedmont-Sardinia until its reannexation by France in 1860.<br />
<br />
The natural beauty of the Nice area and its mild Mediterranean climate came to the attention of the English upper classes in the second half of the 18th century, when an increasing number of aristocratic families took to spending their winter there. The city's main seaside promenade, the Promenade des Anglais (‘the Walkway of the English') owes its name to the earliest visitors to the resort. For decades now, the picturesque Nicean surroundings have attracted not only those in search of relaxation, but also those seeking inspiration. The clear air and soft light has been of particular appeal to some of Western culture's most outstanding painters, such as Marc Chagall, Henri Matiss
    NiceOldTown2.jpg
  • Denver is the largest city and capital of the State of Colorado. Denver is nicknamed the Mile-High City because its official elevation is exactly one mile (5,280 feet) above sea level, making it one of the highest major cities in the United States. Denver is ranked as a beta world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. With a 2013 estimated population of 649,495, Denver ranks as the 22nd-most populous U.S. city.<br />
<br />
Denver City was founded in November 1858 as a mining town during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush in western Kansas Territory. That summer, a group of gold prospectors from Lawrence, Kansas, had arrived and established Montana City on the banks of the South Platte River. This was the first settlement in what was later to become the city of Denver. The site faded quickly, however, and by the summer of 1859 it was abandoned in favor of Auraria (named after the gold mining town of Auraria, Georgia), and St. Charles City.
    DenverMNS2.jpg
  • Denver is the largest city and capital of the State of Colorado. Denver is nicknamed the Mile-High City because its official elevation is exactly one mile (5,280 feet) above sea level, making it one of the highest major cities in the United States. Denver is ranked as a beta world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. With a 2013 estimated population of 649,495, Denver ranks as the 22nd-most populous U.S. city.<br />
<br />
Denver City was founded in November 1858 as a mining town during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush in western Kansas Territory. That summer, a group of gold prospectors from Lawrence, Kansas, had arrived and established Montana City on the banks of the South Platte River. This was the first settlement in what was later to become the city of Denver. The site faded quickly, however, and by the summer of 1859 it was abandoned in favor of Auraria (named after the gold mining town of Auraria, Georgia), and St. Charles City.
    DenverMNS1.jpg
  • Town square on Rue Grand in Saint-Paul-de-Vence.  Saint-Paul or Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. One of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera, it is well known for its modern and contemporary art museums and galleries such as Fondation Maeght which is located nearby. It was probably between the 10th and 12th century that a settlement formed around the ancient church of Saint Michel du Puy to the south, and near the castle on the highest part of the hill. In the Middle Ages, the region was administered by the Counts of Provence. In the 13th century, Count Charles II granted more privileges to St. Paul, including the right to hold a weekly market. At the beginning of 14th century, St. Paul acquired more autonomy and became a prosperous city of merchants and nobility. In 1388, the County of Nice broke off from Provence to reattach itself with the states belonging to the Count of Savoy. These new circumstances gave St. Paul a strategic position: the city becomes a border stronghold for five centuries. St. Paul went through its first fortification campaign in the second half of 14th century: the north gate of the city, called "Porte de Vence," dates back to the medieval wall. At the time of the wars of Italy, Provence was invaded twice by the troops of Charles V. Considering the low side of the border of Provence and the obsolescence of the medieval fortifications in Saint-Paul, Fran�ois 1st decided in 1538 to build the new city walls, able to withstand the power of the artillery. This fortified wall, built between 1543 and 1547, is preserved in its entirety. On its northern and southern fronts four solid bastions protect both the city gates. In the 17th century, Saint-Paul experienced a religious period through the influence of Antoine Godeau, Bishop of Vence. The church was elevated to college, and was expanded and embellished. St. Paul also saw an urban revival thanks to the families of nobility, wh
    StPaulSquare1.jpg
  • Denver is the largest city and capital of the State of Colorado. Denver is nicknamed the Mile-High City because its official elevation is exactly one mile (5,280 feet) above sea level, making it one of the highest major cities in the United States. Denver is ranked as a beta world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. With a 2013 estimated population of 649,495, Denver ranks as the 22nd-most populous U.S. city.<br />
<br />
Denver City was founded in November 1858 as a mining town during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush in western Kansas Territory. That summer, a group of gold prospectors from Lawrence, Kansas, had arrived and established Montana City on the banks of the South Platte River. This was the first settlement in what was later to become the city of Denver. The site faded quickly, however, and by the summer of 1859 it was abandoned in favor of Auraria (named after the gold mining town of Auraria, Georgia), and St. Charles City.
    DenverMNS4-2.jpg
  • Denver is the largest city and capital of the State of Colorado. Denver is nicknamed the Mile-High City because its official elevation is exactly one mile (5,280 feet) above sea level, making it one of the highest major cities in the United States. Denver is ranked as a beta world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. With a 2013 estimated population of 649,495, Denver ranks as the 22nd-most populous U.S. city.<br />
<br />
Denver City was founded in November 1858 as a mining town during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush in western Kansas Territory. That summer, a group of gold prospectors from Lawrence, Kansas, had arrived and established Montana City on the banks of the South Platte River. This was the first settlement in what was later to become the city of Denver. The site faded quickly, however, and by the summer of 1859 it was abandoned in favor of Auraria (named after the gold mining town of Auraria, Georgia), and St. Charles City.
    DenverMNS3.jpg
  • Town square on Rue Grand in Saint-Paul-de-Vence.  Saint-Paul or Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. One of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera, it is well known for its modern and contemporary art museums and galleries such as Fondation Maeght which is located nearby. It was probably between the 10th and 12th century that a settlement formed around the ancient church of Saint Michel du Puy to the south, and near the castle on the highest part of the hill. In the Middle Ages, the region was administered by the Counts of Provence. In the 13th century, Count Charles II granted more privileges to St. Paul, including the right to hold a weekly market. At the beginning of 14th century, St. Paul acquired more autonomy and became a prosperous city of merchants and nobility. In 1388, the County of Nice broke off from Provence to reattach itself with the states belonging to the Count of Savoy. These new circumstances gave St. Paul a strategic position: the city becomes a border stronghold for five centuries. St. Paul went through its first fortification campaign in the second half of 14th century: the north gate of the city, called "Porte de Vence," dates back to the medieval wall. At the time of the wars of Italy, Provence was invaded twice by the troops of Charles V. Considering the low side of the border of Provence and the obsolescence of the medieval fortifications in Saint-Paul, Fran�ois 1st decided in 1538 to build the new city walls, able to withstand the power of the artillery. This fortified wall, built between 1543 and 1547, is preserved in its entirety. On its northern and southern fronts four solid bastions protect both the city gates. In the 17th century, Saint-Paul experienced a religious period through the influence of Antoine Godeau, Bishop of Vence. The church was elevated to college, and was expanded and embellished. St. Paul also saw an urban revival thanks to the families of nobility, wh
    StPaulSquare1-2.jpg
  • Gordes is a commune in the Vaucluse département in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.<br />
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The residents are known as Gordiens. The nearest big city is Avignon, smaller are Cavaillon, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Apt.
    ProvenceGordes1.jpg
  • Place Rossetti in old town Nice on the French Riviera
    NicePlaceRossetti1.jpg
  • Old door in the town of Chora on Patmos island in Greece. Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. One of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex, it has a population of 2,998 and an area of 34.05 km2 (13.15 sq mi). The Municipality of Patmos, which includes the offshore islands of Arkoi, Marathos, and several uninhabited islets, has a total population of 3,047 and a combined land area of 45.039 square kilometres (17.390 sq mi). It is part of the Kalymnos regional unit.<br />
<br />
Patmos' main communities are Chora (the capital city), and Skala, the only commercial port. Other settlements are Grikou and Kampos. The churches and communities on Patmos are of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. In 1999, the island's historic center Chora, along with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse, were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The monastery was founded by Saint Christodulos. Patmos is also home to the Patmian School, a notable Greek seminary.
    ChoraDoor1.jpg
  • Chapel in the town of Chora on Patmos island in Greece. Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. One of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex, it has a population of 2,998 and an area of 34.05 km2 (13.15 sq mi). The Municipality of Patmos, which includes the offshore islands of Arkoi, Marathos, and several uninhabited islets, has a total population of 3,047 and a combined land area of 45.039 square kilometres (17.390 sq mi). It is part of the Kalymnos regional unit.<br />
<br />
Patmos' main communities are Chora (the capital city), and Skala, the only commercial port. Other settlements are Grikou and Kampos. The churches and communities on Patmos are of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. In 1999, the island's historic center Chora, along with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse, were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The monastery was founded by Saint Christodulos. Patmos is also home to the Patmian School, a notable Greek seminary.
    PatmosChora4.jpg
  • Santa Maria Church lies in the heart of the coastal town of Åhus, which is a few miles to the south and east of Kristianstad. The oldest parts of the church date back to the twelfth century. The church is a fairly grand affair, which is testament to the town’s prosperity and ecclesiastical significance (it was the seat of an Archbishop) during the medieval period. The font of the church is as old as the building itself.
    ÅhusStreet2.jpg
  • Santa Maria Church lies in the heart of the coastal town of Åhus, which is a few miles to the south and east of Kristianstad. The oldest parts of the church date back to the twelfth century. The church is a fairly grand affair, which is testament to the town’s prosperity and ecclesiastical significance (it was the seat of an Archbishop) during the medieval period. The font of the church is as old as the building itself.
    ÅhusStreet1.jpg
  • House fronts at Stortorget square in Stockholm's Old Town, Sweden
    StockholmStreet2.jpg
  • House fronts at Stortorget square in Stockholm's Old Town, Sweden
    StockholmStreet1.jpg
  • San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town. San Gimignano was founded as a small village in the 3rd century BC by the Etruscans.
    SanGimignanoTowers2.jpg
  • San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town. San Gimignano was founded as a small village in the 3rd century BC by the Etruscans.
    SanGimignano1.jpg
  • San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town. San Gimignano was founded as a small village in the 3rd century BC by the Etruscans.
    SanGimignanoHills.jpg
  • San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town. San Gimignano was founded as a small village in the 3rd century BC by the Etruscans.
    SanGimignano3.jpg
  • Kyrkhult church is the primary place of worship for the Kyrkhult congregation and is located in the center of Kyrkhult town in Blekinge province, Sweden. The church was built from a design of the architect F.G.A. Dahls and was inaugurated in 1865.
    KyrkhultChurch1.jpg
  • Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 and named after Prince Frederick of Prussia. Old-time German residents often referred to Fredericksburg as Fritztown, a nickname that is still used in some businesses. The town is also notable as the home of Texas German, a dialect spoken by the first generations of German settlers who initially refused to learn English. On October 14, 1970, the Fredericksburg Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas.<br />
<br />
The Vereins Kirche, or Peoples Church, was designed by Friedrich Schubbert (aka Friedrich Armand Strubberg) and became the first public building in Fredericksburg in 1847. It served as a non-denominational church, school, town hall and fort. Locals refer to it as the Kaffeemühle (The Coffee Mill) Church for its shape.
    Fredricksburg2.jpg
  • House fronts at Stortorget square in Stockholm's Old Town, Sweden
    StockholmStortorget3-2.jpg
  • Flowers at the market in old town Nice ,France.  This market is called "Marche aux Fleur" or "Cours Saleya".
    NiceFlowerMarket1.jpg
  • Les Baux-de-Provence is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France, in the province of Provence. It has a spectacular position in the Alpilles mountains, set atop a rocky outcrop crowned with a ruined castle overlooking the plains to the south. Its names refers to its site — in Provençal, a baou is a rocky spur. The village gives its name to the aluminium ore Bauxite which was first discovered there in 1821 by geologist Pierre Berthier.
    LesBaux1.jpg
  • Chapel in the town of Chora on Patmos island in Greece. Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. One of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex, it has a population of 2,998 and an area of 34.05 km2 (13.15 sq mi). The Municipality of Patmos, which includes the offshore islands of Arkoi, Marathos, and several uninhabited islets, has a total population of 3,047 and a combined land area of 45.039 square kilometres (17.390 sq mi). It is part of the Kalymnos regional unit.<br />
<br />
Patmos' main communities are Chora (the capital city), and Skala, the only commercial port. Other settlements are Grikou and Kampos. The churches and communities on Patmos are of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. In 1999, the island's historic center Chora, along with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse, were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The monastery was founded by Saint Christodulos. Patmos is also home to the Patmian School, a notable Greek seminary.
    PatmosChora1.jpg
  • Chapel in the town of Chora on Patmos island in Greece. Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. One of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex, it has a population of 2,998 and an area of 34.05 km2 (13.15 sq mi). The Municipality of Patmos, which includes the offshore islands of Arkoi, Marathos, and several uninhabited islets, has a total population of 3,047 and a combined land area of 45.039 square kilometres (17.390 sq mi). It is part of the Kalymnos regional unit.<br />
<br />
Patmos' main communities are Chora (the capital city), and Skala, the only commercial port. Other settlements are Grikou and Kampos. The churches and communities on Patmos are of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. In 1999, the island's historic center Chora, along with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse, were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The monastery was founded by Saint Christodulos. Patmos is also home to the Patmian School, a notable Greek seminary.
    PatmosChora2.jpg
  • Home in the town of Chora on Patmos island in Greece
    ChoraDoor2.jpg
  • Chapel in the town of Chora on Patmos island in Greece. Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. One of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex, it has a population of 2,998 and an area of 34.05 km2 (13.15 sq mi). The Municipality of Patmos, which includes the offshore islands of Arkoi, Marathos, and several uninhabited islets, has a total population of 3,047 and a combined land area of 45.039 square kilometres (17.390 sq mi). It is part of the Kalymnos regional unit.<br />
<br />
Patmos' main communities are Chora (the capital city), and Skala, the only commercial port. Other settlements are Grikou and Kampos. The churches and communities on Patmos are of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. In 1999, the island's historic center Chora, along with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse, were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The monastery was founded by Saint Christodulos. Patmos is also home to the Patmian School, a notable Greek seminary.
    ChoraAlley1-Light.jpg
  • Chapel in the town of Chora on Patmos island in Greece. Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. One of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex, it has a population of 2,998 and an area of 34.05 km2 (13.15 sq mi). The Municipality of Patmos, which includes the offshore islands of Arkoi, Marathos, and several uninhabited islets, has a total population of 3,047 and a combined land area of 45.039 square kilometres (17.390 sq mi). It is part of the Kalymnos regional unit.<br />
<br />
Patmos' main communities are Chora (the capital city), and Skala, the only commercial port. Other settlements are Grikou and Kampos. The churches and communities on Patmos are of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. In 1999, the island's historic center Chora, along with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse, were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The monastery was founded by Saint Christodulos. Patmos is also home to the Patmian School, a notable Greek seminary.
    PatmosChora3.jpg
  • House fronts at Stortorget square in Stockholm's Old Town, Sweden
    StockholmStortorget3.jpg
  • San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town. San Gimignano was founded as a small village in the 3rd century BC by the Etruscans.
    SanGimignanoAbove.jpg
  • San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town. San Gimignano was founded as a small village in the 3rd century BC by the Etruscans.
    SanGimignanoFortressDoor1.jpg
  • San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town. San Gimignano was founded as a small village in the 3rd century BC by the Etruscans.
    SanGimignanoArchway.jpg
  • Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 and named after Prince Frederick of Prussia. Old-time German residents often referred to Fredericksburg as Fritztown, a nickname that is still used in some businesses. The town is also notable as the home of Texas German, a dialect spoken by the first generations of German settlers who initially refused to learn English. On October 14, 1970, the Fredericksburg Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas.<br />
<br />
The Vereins Kirche, or Peoples Church, was designed by Friedrich Schubbert (aka Friedrich Armand Strubberg) and became the first public building in Fredericksburg in 1847. It served as a non-denominational church, school, town hall and fort. Locals refer to it as the Kaffeemühle (The Coffee Mill) Church for its shape.
    Fredricksburg1.jpg
  • San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town. San Gimignano was founded as a small village in the 3rd century BC by the Etruscans.
    SanGimignanoTowers1.jpg
  • Pienza, a town and comune in the province of Siena, in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany (central Italy), between the towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino, is the "touchstone of Renaissance urbanism"
    PienzaDuomo1.jpg
  • Hvar is a city and port on the island of Hvar, part of Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. It is situated on a bay in the south coast of the island, opposite from the other nearby towns of Stari Grad and Jelsa.<br />
<br />
The city of Hvar has a long and distinguished history as center for trade and culture in the Adriatic. An independent commune within the Venetian Empire during the 13th to 18th centuries, it was an important naval base with a strong fortress above, encircling town walls and protected port. <br />
The port of Hvar, set in a picturesque natural bay, with the Pakleni Otoci island chain protecting it to the south, is a safe haven for boats year round. The city is a popular port of call for yachts sailing around the Adriatic, especially in the summer months. There are regular catamaran ferry services from the port between Hvar and Split, Brač, Korčula, Lastovo, and Vis.
    HvarTownPanorama1.jpg
  • Hvar is a city and port on the island of Hvar, part of Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. It is situated on a bay in the south coast of the island, opposite from the other nearby towns of Stari Grad and Jelsa.<br />
<br />
The city of Hvar has a long and distinguished history as center for trade and culture in the Adriatic. An independent commune within the Venetian Empire during the 13th to 18th centuries, it was an important naval base with a strong fortress above, encircling town walls and protected port. <br />
The port of Hvar, set in a picturesque natural bay, with the Pakleni Otoci island chain protecting it to the south, is a safe haven for boats year round. The city is a popular port of call for yachts sailing around the Adriatic, especially in the summer months. There are regular catamaran ferry services from the port between Hvar and Split, Brač, Korčula, Lastovo, and Vis.
    HvarTownPanorama2.jpg
  • Pienza, a town and comune in the province of Siena, in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany (central Italy), between the towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino, is the "touchstone of Renaissance urbanism"
    PienzaBuildings1.jpg
  • Pienza, a town and comune in the province of Siena, in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany (central Italy), between the towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino, is the "touchstone of Renaissance urbanism"
    PienzaArchway.jpg
  • Pienza, a town and comune in the province of Siena, in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany (central Italy), between the towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino, is the "touchstone of Renaissance urbanism"
    PienzaDuomo2.jpg
  • Pienza, a town and comune in the province of Siena, in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany (central Italy), between the towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino, is the "touchstone of Renaissance urbanism"
    PienzaDuomo3.jpg
  • Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村; pinyin: Hóngcūn; literally: "Hong village") is a village in Hongcun Town (宏村镇), Yi County, Huangshan City in the historical Huizhou region of southern Anhui Province, China, near the southwest slope of Mount Huangshan.<br />
<br />
The village is arranged in the shape of an ox with the nearby hill (Leigang Hill) interpreted as the head, and two trees standing on it as the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs whilst the houses of the village form the body. Inside the “body”, the Jiyin stream represents the intestines and various lakes such as the “South Lake” (Nanhu) form the other internal organs.<br />
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The architecture and carvings of the approximately 150 residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties are said to be among the best of their kind in China.[citation needed] One of the biggest of the residences open to visitors, Chenzhi Hall, also contains a small museum.<br />
<br />
Together with Xidi, the village became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed on location in Hongcun.
    _Y6A4973-Edit.jpg
  • Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村; pinyin: Hóngcūn; literally: "Hong village") is a village in Hongcun Town (宏村镇), Yi County, Huangshan City in the historical Huizhou region of southern Anhui Province, China, near the southwest slope of Mount Huangshan.<br />
<br />
The village is arranged in the shape of an ox with the nearby hill (Leigang Hill) interpreted as the head, and two trees standing on it as the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs whilst the houses of the village form the body. Inside the “body”, the Jiyin stream represents the intestines and various lakes such as the “South Lake” (Nanhu) form the other internal organs.<br />
<br />
The architecture and carvings of the approximately 150 residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties are said to be among the best of their kind in China.[citation needed] One of the biggest of the residences open to visitors, Chenzhi Hall, also contains a small museum.<br />
<br />
Together with Xidi, the village became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed on location in Hongcun.
    _Y6A4932-HDR-Edit.jpg
  • Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村; pinyin: Hóngcūn; literally: "Hong village") is a village in Hongcun Town (宏村镇), Yi County, Huangshan City in the historical Huizhou region of southern Anhui Province, China, near the southwest slope of Mount Huangshan.<br />
<br />
The village is arranged in the shape of an ox with the nearby hill (Leigang Hill) interpreted as the head, and two trees standing on it as the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs whilst the houses of the village form the body. Inside the “body”, the Jiyin stream represents the intestines and various lakes such as the “South Lake” (Nanhu) form the other internal organs.<br />
<br />
The architecture and carvings of the approximately 150 residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties are said to be among the best of their kind in China.[citation needed] One of the biggest of the residences open to visitors, Chenzhi Hall, also contains a small museum.<br />
<br />
Together with Xidi, the village became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed on location in Hongcun.
    HongcunBuildings4.jpg
  • Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村; pinyin: Hóngcūn; literally: "Hong village") is a village in Hongcun Town (宏村镇), Yi County, Huangshan City in the historical Huizhou region of southern Anhui Province, China, near the southwest slope of Mount Huangshan.<br />
<br />
The village is arranged in the shape of an ox with the nearby hill (Leigang Hill) interpreted as the head, and two trees standing on it as the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs whilst the houses of the village form the body. Inside the “body”, the Jiyin stream represents the intestines and various lakes such as the “South Lake” (Nanhu) form the other internal organs.<br />
<br />
The architecture and carvings of the approximately 150 residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties are said to be among the best of their kind in China.[citation needed] One of the biggest of the residences open to visitors, Chenzhi Hall, also contains a small museum.<br />
<br />
Together with Xidi, the village became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed on location in Hongcun.
    HongcunBuildings2.jpg
  • Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村; pinyin: Hóngcūn; literally: "Hong village") is a village in Hongcun Town (宏村镇), Yi County, Huangshan City in the historical Huizhou region of southern Anhui Province, China, near the southwest slope of Mount Huangshan.<br />
<br />
The village is arranged in the shape of an ox with the nearby hill (Leigang Hill) interpreted as the head, and two trees standing on it as the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs whilst the houses of the village form the body. Inside the “body”, the Jiyin stream represents the intestines and various lakes such as the “South Lake” (Nanhu) form the other internal organs.<br />
<br />
The architecture and carvings of the approximately 150 residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties are said to be among the best of their kind in China.[citation needed] One of the biggest of the residences open to visitors, Chenzhi Hall, also contains a small museum.<br />
<br />
Together with Xidi, the village became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed on location in Hongcun.
    HongcunBuildings1.jpg
  • Amagertorv (English: Amager Square), today part of the Strøget pedestrian zone, is often described as the most central square in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Second only to Gammeltorv, it is also one of the oldest, taking its name from the Amager farmers who in the Middle Ages came into town to sell their produce at the site.<br />
<br />
Now the square is a central junction in the heart of Copenhagen, dominated by its Stork Fountain and a number of buildings, the oldest of which dates back to 1616. In opposite directions, Strøget extends towards Kongens Nytorv and the City Hall Square, the two largest squares in Copenhagen, to the northwest Købmagergade leads to Nørreport, the busiest railway station in Denmark, and to the southeast Højbro Plads connects to Slotsholmen across Højbro Bridge, and from there onwards to Christianshavn and Amager on the other side of the harbour.<br />
<br />
The paving is from 1993 and was designed by Bjørn Nørgaard. It consists of a pattern of pentagonal granite stones in five colours.
    _Y6A4903.jpg
  • Amagertorv (English: Amager Square), today part of the Strøget pedestrian zone, is often described as the most central square in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Second only to Gammeltorv, it is also one of the oldest, taking its name from the Amager farmers who in the Middle Ages came into town to sell their produce at the site.<br />
<br />
Now the square is a central junction in the heart of Copenhagen, dominated by its Stork Fountain and a number of buildings, the oldest of which dates back to 1616. In opposite directions, Strøget extends towards Kongens Nytorv and the City Hall Square, the two largest squares in Copenhagen, to the northwest Købmagergade leads to Nørreport, the busiest railway station in Denmark, and to the southeast Højbro Plads connects to Slotsholmen across Højbro Bridge, and from there onwards to Christianshavn and Amager on the other side of the harbour.<br />
<br />
The paving is from 1993 and was designed by Bjørn Nørgaard. It consists of a pattern of pentagonal granite stones in five colours.
    _Y6A4899.jpg
  • Amagertorv (English: Amager Square), today part of the Strøget pedestrian zone, is often described as the most central square in central Copenhagen, Denmark. Second only to Gammeltorv, it is also one of the oldest, taking its name from the Amager farmers who in the Middle Ages came into town to sell their produce at the site.<br />
<br />
Now the square is a central junction in the heart of Copenhagen, dominated by its Stork Fountain and a number of buildings, the oldest of which dates back to 1616. In opposite directions, Strøget extends towards Kongens Nytorv and the City Hall Square, the two largest squares in Copenhagen, to the northwest Købmagergade leads to Nørreport, the busiest railway station in Denmark, and to the southeast Højbro Plads connects to Slotsholmen across Højbro Bridge, and from there onwards to Christianshavn and Amager on the other side of the harbour.<br />
<br />
The paving is from 1993 and was designed by Bjørn Nørgaard. It consists of a pattern of pentagonal granite stones in five colours.
    CopenhagenAmagerSquare2.jpg
  • Iconic sunset in the town of Oia on the greek island Santorini (Thera). Santorini, classically Thera and officially Thira, is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast of Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands. The municipality of Santorini includes the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana. Santorini is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic eruption that destroyed the earliest settlements on a formerly single island, and created the current geological caldera. A giant central, rectangular lagoon is surrounded by high, steep cliffs on three sides.
    SantoriniSunset6.jpg
  • Iconic sunset in the town of Oia on the greek island Santorini (Thera). Santorini, classically Thera and officially Thira, is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast of Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands. The municipality of Santorini includes the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana. Santorini is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic eruption that destroyed the earliest settlements on a formerly single island, and created the current geological caldera. A giant central, rectangular lagoon is surrounded by high, steep cliffs on three sides.
    SantoriniSunset7.jpg
  • Iconic blue domed chapel in the town of Oia on the greek island Santorini (Thera). Santorini, classically Thera and officially Thira, is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast of Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands. The municipality of Santorini includes the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana. Santorini is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic eruption that destroyed the earliest settlements on a formerly single island, and created the current geological caldera. A giant central, rectangular lagoon is surrounded by high, steep cliffs on three sides.
    SantoriniBlueDome1.jpg
  • Positano is a village and comune on the Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana), in Campania, Italy, mainly in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast. <br />
<br />
Positano was a port of the Amalfi Republic in medieval times, and prospered during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, the town had fallen on hard times. More than half the population emigrated, mostly to America.<br />
<br />
Positano was a relatively poor fishing village during the first half of the twentieth century. It began to attract large numbers of tourists in the 1950s, especially after John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in Harper's Bazaar in May, 1953: "Positano bites deep", Steinbeck wrote. "It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone."
    PositanoChurch1.jpg
  • Positano is a village and comune on the Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana), in Campania, Italy, mainly in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast. <br />
<br />
Positano was a port of the Amalfi Republic in medieval times, and prospered during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, the town had fallen on hard times. More than half the population emigrated, mostly to America.<br />
<br />
Positano was a relatively poor fishing village during the first half of the twentieth century. It began to attract large numbers of tourists in the 1950s, especially after John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in Harper's Bazaar in May, 1953: "Positano bites deep", Steinbeck wrote. "It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone."
    PositanoCoast1.jpg
  • Positano is a village and comune on the Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana), in Campania, Italy, mainly in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast. <br />
<br />
Positano was a port of the Amalfi Republic in medieval times, and prospered during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, the town had fallen on hard times. More than half the population emigrated, mostly to America.<br />
<br />
Positano was a relatively poor fishing village during the first half of the twentieth century. It began to attract large numbers of tourists in the 1950s, especially after John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in Harper's Bazaar in May, 1953: "Positano bites deep", Steinbeck wrote. "It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone."
    Positano2.jpg
  • Flower market in old town, Vielle Ville, part of Nice on the French riviera
    NiceCoursSaleya1.jpg
  • Street scene in the "Vielle Ville" (old town) part of Nice on the French riviera
    NiceVielleVilleStreet.jpg
  • Residential buildings in the Vielle Ville (old town) part of Nice in the Cote d'Azur region of the southern France riviera
    NiceAlley1.jpg
  • Patio with a view in the town of Thira on the greek island Santorini (Thera). Santorini, classically Thera and officially Thira, is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast of Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands. The municipality of Santorini includes the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana. Santorini is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic eruption that destroyed the earliest settlements on a formerly single island, and created the current geological caldera. A giant central, rectangular lagoon is surrounded by high, steep cliffs on three sides.
    SantoriniPatio1.jpg
  • Iconic blue domed chapel in the town of Thira on the greek island Santorini (Thera). Santorini, classically Thera and officially Thira, is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast of Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands. The municipality of Santorini includes the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana. Santorini is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic eruption that destroyed the earliest settlements on a formerly single island, and created the current geological caldera. A giant central, rectangular lagoon is surrounded by high, steep cliffs on three sides.
    SantoriniChapel1.jpg
  • Chapel in the town of Chora on the greek island of Patmos
    _A1A7758.jpg
  • Stortorget in Stockholm Old Town
    StockholmStortorget3-3.jpg
  • Street scene in the Vieille Ville (old town) part of Nice on the French Riviera (Cote d'Azur)
    NiceLaTrappa1.jpg
  • Street scene in the Vieille Ville (old town) part of Nice on the French Riviera (Cote d'Azur)
    NiceLampAndWindows.jpg
  • Torre del Mangia towering above of the Palazzo Pubblico<br />
<br />
The Torre del Mangia is a tower in Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy. Built in 1325-1344, it is located in the Piazza del Campo, Siena's premier square, adjacent to the Palazzo Pubblico (Town Hall). When built it was one of the tallest secular towers in mediaeval Italy.
    SiennaTorreDelMangia1.jpg
  • Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村; pinyin: Hóngcūn; literally: "Hong village") is a village in Hongcun Town (宏村镇), Yi County, Huangshan City in the historical Huizhou region of southern Anhui Province, China, near the southwest slope of Mount Huangshan.<br />
<br />
The village is arranged in the shape of an ox with the nearby hill (Leigang Hill) interpreted as the head, and two trees standing on it as the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs whilst the houses of the village form the body. Inside the “body”, the Jiyin stream represents the intestines and various lakes such as the “South Lake” (Nanhu) form the other internal organs.<br />
<br />
The architecture and carvings of the approximately 150 residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties are said to be among the best of their kind in China.[citation needed] One of the biggest of the residences open to visitors, Chenzhi Hall, also contains a small museum.<br />
<br />
Together with Xidi, the village became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed on location in Hongcun.
    HongcunCourtyard4.jpg
  • Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村; pinyin: Hóngcūn; literally: "Hong village") is a village in Hongcun Town (宏村镇), Yi County, Huangshan City in the historical Huizhou region of southern Anhui Province, China, near the southwest slope of Mount Huangshan.<br />
<br />
The village is arranged in the shape of an ox with the nearby hill (Leigang Hill) interpreted as the head, and two trees standing on it as the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs whilst the houses of the village form the body. Inside the “body”, the Jiyin stream represents the intestines and various lakes such as the “South Lake” (Nanhu) form the other internal organs.<br />
<br />
The architecture and carvings of the approximately 150 residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties are said to be among the best of their kind in China.[citation needed] One of the biggest of the residences open to visitors, Chenzhi Hall, also contains a small museum.<br />
<br />
Together with Xidi, the village became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed on location in Hongcun.
    HongcunBuildings10.jpg
  • Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村; pinyin: Hóngcūn; literally: "Hong village") is a village in Hongcun Town (宏村镇), Yi County, Huangshan City in the historical Huizhou region of southern Anhui Province, China, near the southwest slope of Mount Huangshan.<br />
<br />
The village is arranged in the shape of an ox with the nearby hill (Leigang Hill) interpreted as the head, and two trees standing on it as the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs whilst the houses of the village form the body. Inside the “body”, the Jiyin stream represents the intestines and various lakes such as the “South Lake” (Nanhu) form the other internal organs.<br />
<br />
The architecture and carvings of the approximately 150 residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties are said to be among the best of their kind in China.[citation needed] One of the biggest of the residences open to visitors, Chenzhi Hall, also contains a small museum.<br />
<br />
Together with Xidi, the village became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed on location in Hongcun.
    _Y6A4971.jpg
  • Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村; pinyin: Hóngcūn; literally: "Hong village") is a village in Hongcun Town (宏村镇), Yi County, Huangshan City in the historical Huizhou region of southern Anhui Province, China, near the southwest slope of Mount Huangshan.<br />
<br />
The village is arranged in the shape of an ox with the nearby hill (Leigang Hill) interpreted as the head, and two trees standing on it as the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs whilst the houses of the village form the body. Inside the “body”, the Jiyin stream represents the intestines and various lakes such as the “South Lake” (Nanhu) form the other internal organs.<br />
<br />
The architecture and carvings of the approximately 150 residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties are said to be among the best of their kind in China.[citation needed] One of the biggest of the residences open to visitors, Chenzhi Hall, also contains a small museum.<br />
<br />
Together with Xidi, the village became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed on location in Hongcun.
    HongcunBuildings7.jpg
  • Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村; pinyin: Hóngcūn; literally: "Hong village") is a village in Hongcun Town (宏村镇), Yi County, Huangshan City in the historical Huizhou region of southern Anhui Province, China, near the southwest slope of Mount Huangshan.<br />
<br />
The village is arranged in the shape of an ox with the nearby hill (Leigang Hill) interpreted as the head, and two trees standing on it as the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs whilst the houses of the village form the body. Inside the “body”, the Jiyin stream represents the intestines and various lakes such as the “South Lake” (Nanhu) form the other internal organs.<br />
<br />
The architecture and carvings of the approximately 150 residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties are said to be among the best of their kind in China.[citation needed] One of the biggest of the residences open to visitors, Chenzhi Hall, also contains a small museum.<br />
<br />
Together with Xidi, the village became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed on location in Hongcun.
    HongcunBuildings6.jpg
  • Hongcun (Chinese: 宏村; pinyin: Hóngcūn; literally: "Hong village") is a village in Hongcun Town (宏村镇), Yi County, Huangshan City in the historical Huizhou region of southern Anhui Province, China, near the southwest slope of Mount Huangshan.<br />
<br />
The village is arranged in the shape of an ox with the nearby hill (Leigang Hill) interpreted as the head, and two trees standing on it as the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs whilst the houses of the village form the body. Inside the “body”, the Jiyin stream represents the intestines and various lakes such as the “South Lake” (Nanhu) form the other internal organs.<br />
<br />
The architecture and carvings of the approximately 150 residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties are said to be among the best of their kind in China.[citation needed] One of the biggest of the residences open to visitors, Chenzhi Hall, also contains a small museum.<br />
<br />
Together with Xidi, the village became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed on location in Hongcun.
    HongcunCourtyard5.jpg
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