Carcassonne, the fortress city
The Cité de Carcassonne on the right bank of the Aude is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The medieval fortification is unique in Europe in terms of its size and state of preservation. The Cité is enclosed by a double ring of walls. Inside, the count’s castle (château comtal) was
Canal du Midi and Languedoc
The Languedoc in the Occitanie region is France’s largest wine-growing area with a vineyard area of about 250,000 hectares. We cycled along vineyards for hours. As some of them had just been harvested, we could see the huge machines used to do this. One of the farmers was kind enough
La Poste, from old to new.
In 2010, La Poste unveiled its new logo. It should better reflect its ambitions within the society. The new logo was meant to convey a “more dynamic and contemporary face” and the idea of a stronger company. They were not quite sure about this everywhere and preferred to leave the
Narrow lanes in Montpellier
In Montpellier’s historic city centre, called Écusson because of its shape, it is easy to get lost in the maze of old passages and narrow streets. The old town is traffic-calmed, so you can stroll past the elegant town houses, trendy shops and restaurants at your leisure. Unlike many other
Renaissance Town Torgau
Torgau in Saxony is a beautiful little Renaissance town and former royal seat on the Elbe. It is over a thousand years old. I have a personal history with it, as Hartenfels Castle was used as a prison by the Nazis, who imprisoned my grandfather here. Information about taking this
Two Denominations One Church
As early as around the year 1000, Count Eido von Rochlitz had a first parish church built on the site of today’s cathedral. Some parts of the church are still preserved from this time. After the Reformation, the cathedral became Germany’s first simultaneous church (Roman Catholic and Lutheran) in 1524.
St. Mary’s Church in Pirna
Built at the beginning of the 16th century, St Mary’s Church is one of the largest late Gothic hall churches in Saxony, where the Reformation was introduced in 1539. As the church vault was only completed afterwards, the first Evangelical Lutheran pastor was able to influence the painting of the
Kuckuckstein Castle
Kuckuckstein Castle in Saxony is situated on a rocky outcrop above the Seidewitz river valley at a very favourable location for controlling a medieval trade route. To this day, the metre-thick walls of the more than 1000-year-old masonry are full of secrets. The current form of Kuckuckstein Castle is considered
View over the Charles Bridge to Hradčany
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The Charles Bridge
Charles Bridge is a historically significant bridge over the Vltava River in Prague. It connects Prague’s Old Town with the Lesser Town. It is the oldest preserved bridge over the Vltava River and one of the oldest stone bridges in Europe. The foundation stone of Charles Bridge was laid in