Europa attraksjoner

Eiffeltårnet ble bygget av Gustave Eiffel i anledning verdensutstillingen i 1889, som ble holdt for å markere hundreårsdagen for revolusjonen. Eiffeltårnet (Tour Eiffel) var med sine 320 meter verdens høyeste konstruksjon frem til Chrysler Building sto ferdig på Manhattan. Eiffeltårnet møtte motstand blant byens aristokratiske og litterære elite, og ble nesten revet i 1909. Tårnets redning kom da det viste seg å være en ideell plattform for antennene som måtte opp i forbindelse med den nye teknologien radiotelegrafi. I dag er høydepunktet av et besøk til Eiffeltårnet utsikten over Paris. Når du er ferdig med å stirre opp i bærebjelkene, kan du dra videre til en av de tre etasjene som er åpne for besøkende. Like sørøst for Eiffeltårnet ligger en gressplen hvor de første ballongferdene én gang i tiden tok av fra. Nå blir den brukt av tenåringer med rullebrett og av aktivister som sier sitt om tingenes tilstand i Frankrike.

Verdensberømte Colosseum ble bygget i 80 e.kr for at de romerske keiserne kunne holde gladiatorturneringer og jakte på og drepe ville dyr – mens befolkningen var publikum til de voldelige kampene. Det var gratis inngang, men tilskuerne ble plassert etter sosial rang og rikdom. Gladiatorturneringene ble forbudt i 438 e.kr, men jakten på ville dyr fortsatte til år 523. Colosseum er fantastisk og har en kompleks og avansert arkitektur og byggeteknikk. Til tross for at Colosseum har blitt brukt som byggemateriale til forskjellige tider i historien, er amfiteateret fortsatt stort sett intakt. Du kan se de etasjedelte sitteplassene, korridorene og de underjordiske rommene der dyrene og gladiatorene ventet på sin skjebne. I dag brukes Colosseum som modell for alle moderne stadioner – den eneste forskjellen er at dagens lagspillere overlever kampene.

The popes were among the very first royalty to open their vast art collections to public viewing. Pope Julius II (1443 - 1513) began collecting sculpture during the Renaissance and, ever since, most popes have taken an active interest in art and in commissioning the best artists of their time. Today you can view the Vatican's incredible collection while touring the so-called 'Vatican Museums', a huge complex of galleries and museums showcasing painting, sculpture, frescoes, tapestries and classical antiquities including Roman, Greek and Egyptian. There are, of course, also collections of religious art, papal portraits and, less obviously, carriages and automobiles. Any visit to the Vatican should also include the famous Sistine Chapel and Raphael's Rooms. Leave plenty of time for winding your way through the museums and the narrow connecting corridors and staircases.

Noe av grunnen til at kapellet er så kjent, er at det er direkte koblet til pavemakten. Det er her kardinalene samles for å velge en ny pave (konklave). Men hovedgrunnen til berømmelsen er kunsten: takfreskoen som ble malt av Michelangelo mellom 1508 og 1512. Den enorme freskoen viser skapelsen og er et imponerende kunstverk– til tross for at det oftest er stappfullt i kapellet – som er fremhevet av nylige renovasjoner som har gitt kunstverket tilbake de opprinnelige fargene og dybden. Michelangelo kom tilbake til Det sixtinske kapell mellom 1537 og 1541 for å male den fantastiske altertavlen som viser Dommens dag. Det er få som kan gå ut fra Det sixtinske kapell uten å bli berørt av Michelangelos kunst. Selve kapellet er oppkalt etter pave Sixtus IV som renoverte et gammelt kapell og bestilte de første kunstverkene. I kapellet er det viktige verker av kjente renessansekunstnere som Raphael, Bernini og Botticelli.

The Louvre may be the world's greatest art museum. Don't be daunted by its size and overwhelming richness; if you have even the merest interest in the fruits of human civilization from antiquity to the 19th century, then visit you must. The former fortress began its career as a public museum in 1793 with 2,500 paintings; now some 30,000 are on display. The most famous works from antiquity include the Seated Scribe, the Jewels of Rameses II, and the armless duo - the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo. From the Renaissance, don't miss Michelangelo's Slaves, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and works by Raphael, Botticelli, and Titian. French masterpieces of the 19th century include Ingres' La Grande Odalisque, Géricault's The Raft of the Medusa, and the work of David and Delacroix. The Grand Louvre project has rejuvenated the museum with many new and renovated galleries now open to the public.

In Ancient Rome, the Forum was the centre of the Roman Empire. Until the 4th century AD, a thousand years of decisions affecting the future of Europe were made here. When Roman soldiers were out conquering the world in the name of the Emperors, temples, courts, markets, and government buildings were thriving in the Forum. Located between two of Rome's famous hills, the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, it is now a collection of ruins having spent centuries as a quarry for marble and a cow paddock. The Forum became a very dense collection of buildings in its time but mostly all that remains today is columns, arches, and some scattered marbles so it can be difficult to make sense of it all. Ongoing archaeological work continues, and getting a map or a guide can really bring the bustle of the ancient site to life. You can get a great view over the Forum from the overlooking hills in the Farnese Gardens and from Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio.

Paris lies 277 miles (445 km) from the river mouth and the slow-moving river is navigable up to 348 miles (560 km) inland from Le Havre, to Paris and beyond. This made it a lucrative trading route and Paris a prosperous city even back in the days of the Roman Empire. In Paris, many bridges cross the Seine, the oldest being the Pont Neuf dating from 1607 and the newest the Pont Charles de Gaulle completed in 1996. The river forks in central Paris creating two islands: the Ile de la Cité which is one of the most expensive districts to live, and the Ile Saint-Louis. Many of Paris's famous landmarks are beside the Seine: Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Musée d'Orsay.

Stonehenge er et av verdens største uløste mysterier, og folk har undret på hvem som bygget den – og hvorfor og hvordan. Sirkelen av massive, stående steiner midt i en grønn eng er ca. 3500 år gammel, og vil kanskje alltid være innhyllet i mysterier – noe som gjør det til et enda mer spennende sted å besøke. Ta en titt på den imponerende strukturen og lytt til de ulike teoriene som har utviklet seg om Stonehenge.

The Moulin Rouge is the world famous cabaret venue which opened in 1889. This was the time known as the Belle Epoque - France was not at war for a change, a century was coming to an end, creativity was blooming, and people were filled with the joys of life. What better time to launch a dance-hall of beautiful showgirls? The fact that Toulouse-Lautrec was obsessed with drawing them didn't hurt either. Opened by Joseph Oller and Charles Zidler, who were confident their place would outshine everywhere else, the Moulin Rouge had a huge dance floor, mirrors everywhere, and an atmosphere of total euphoria. Here aristocrats came to mingle with the riffraff and women of easy virtue. There were even donkeys for the ladies with an adventurous spirit. Today there are no donkeys, but the euphoria continues. Oller and Zidler were right.

The Auschwitz concentration camp was established in April 1940 in the prewar Polish army barracks on the outskirts of Oświęcim. Originally intended for Polish political prisoners, the camp was 'repurposed ' as a dedicated center for the genocide of the Jews of Europe. For this purpose, the much larger camp at Birkenau (Brzezinka), also referred to as Auschwitz II, was built 2km west of the original site in 1941 and 1942, and another in Monowitz, several kilometers to the west. It is now estimated that this death factory eliminated some 1.6 million people of 27 nationalities, including 1.1 million Jews, 150,000 Poles and 23,000 Roma.Auschwitz was only partially destroyed by the fleeing Nazis, and many of the original brick buildings stand to this day as a bleak testament to the camp's history. Some 13 of the 30 surviving prison blocks now house museum exhibitions, either general or dedicated to victims from particular countries or races that lost citizens at Auschwitz.

La Sagrada Familia is no doubt the most iconic structure in Barcelona. The church, located in L'Eixample, has been a fixture in Barcelona since construction commenced in 1882 and as building continues on today the structure's fame only grows. Though still a work in progress, the church already is an amazingly intricate structure. Antoni Gaudí spent 43 years on this project and, since his death in 1926, the duty to finish it has been passed on to several architects. Though the responsibility continues to change hands over the years, the architects have all respected Gaudí's vision and have made additions with his design in mind. Inside the church has an impressive stained glass windows line the main room and a lift takes visitors up one of the towers to enjoy the view. Smaller rooms hold exhibits detailing the history and future of the structure. La Sagrada Familia is projected to be completed in 2026, the 100th anniversary of Gaudí.

The Chateau de Versailles was the creation of Louis XIV. He took his father's hunting lodge and transformed it into the château, then moved the whole court and government of France from Paris to Versailles in 1682. The next two French kings added their own special touches but eventually it all became too much for the starving French people and in 1789 they revolted. After the French Revolution, Versailles was no longer the seat of power and after 1830 it became the Museum of the History of France. Any visit to Versailles must include seeing the Hall of Mirrors, the King's Grand Chambers, the Grand Trianon, the extensive formal gardens and Marie-Antoinette's famous estate.

Siena's magnificent Tuscan Gothic cathedral is not to be missed. And if you're in Siena you can't miss it because it dominates the place. Rising high with its magnificent white and greenish black stripes, it has a bit of red thrown in on the front facade and lots of detailing - including scrolls, biblical scenes and gargoyles. In the centre is the huge rose window designed by Duccio di Buoninsegna in 1288. Statues of prophets and philosophers by Giovanni Pisano which used to adorn the facade are now housed indoors at the nearby Museo Dell'Opera. Inside the place is equally impressive with art by Donatello, Bernini and early Michelangelo. Some of the best pieces such as Duccio di Buoninsegni's Maesta have been moved next door to the Museo Dell'Opera. Unlike other cathedrals where you are craning your neck to see magnificent ceilings and frescoes, here you need to look down at the mosaic floor. The whole floor is tiled and is one of the most impressive in Italy.

Windsor Castle is the largest working castle in the world, meaning it is still occupied by royalty. For over 900 years, since William the Conqueror built a wooden fortress here, this has been a royal home and fortress. Queen Elizabeth spends a month at Easter, a week in June and most weekends at Windsor. This is also where she often hosts State Dinners for international dignitaries and entertains those she has knighted into the Order of the Garter.

St Peter's Basilica was built between 1506 and 1590, when the dome was finally completed. It is on the site of the tomb of St. Peter; his relics were finally found and authenticated in the middle of the 20th century. Before the current grand basilica, a 4th-century church built by Emperor Constantine stood here. This is a church like no other. It is huge and full of significant artworks and tombs, including that of Pope John Paul II. One of the most beautiful pieces is the marble Pieta by Michelangelo just inside the door on the right. It is now behind bullet proof glass after being attacked by an art-hating lunatic in 1972. If you can time your visit with a Mass, you will see the most important hierarchy of the Catholic Church come to worship in their red robes and hats. Climbing to the top of the dome gives a wonderful view over the piazza and Bernini's enclosing colonnade below, and across Rome.

Gullfoss is a massive waterfall on the river Hvita which originates in the glacial lake Langjokull. Gullfoss means 'golden falls' because the glacial sediment in the water turns the falls golden in the sunlight. The water falls 105 feet (32 meters) in two steps. As you approach, you hear the falls before you see the wild, tumbling water as the river valley is a deep, dramatic crevasse. You can stand at the top or walk down the path to the bottom. During the first half of the 20th century, the then-owners of the waterfall and surrounding land leased it to foreign investors who were keen to build a hydroelectric plant but their plans fell through. Then it was sold to Iceland but even then there was talk of harnessing the power of the river. Legend has it that local landowner Sigridur Tomasdottir loved the place so much that she threatened to throw herself into the falls in protest, and then walked to Reykjavik barefoot in protest, thus making her point heard.

Vatican City was created in 1929 and run by the Pope (who is the supreme monarch!). The official population is a little over 800 and it covers an area of 110 acres (44 hectares). Within the walls of the city are St Peter's Basilica, St Peter's Square, the Vatican Museums, the residence of the Pope and offices of the Catholic Church. Being a separate state, the Vatican has its own postage stamps, and the official language is Latin (as well as Italian). It has its own bank and the world's only ATM with instructions in Latin! Although it uses the euro, the Vatican does issue its own coins. The economy revolves around tourism, printing, mosaics and manufacturing uniforms (who knew!). There are two forces for law and order; one is the Gendarmerie, who keep order, the other is the Swiss Guard (notable for their crazy yellow, blue and red uniforms) the Pope's personal bodyguard since 1506. All 134 members are indeed from Switzerland.

If Paris has a heart, then this is it. The cathedral of Notre Dame (Cathédrale de Notre Dame de Paris) is not only a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture, but has also been Catholic Paris' ceremonial focus for seven centuries. The cathedral's immense interior, a marvel of medieval engineering, holds over 6,000 people and has spectacular rose windows. Although Notre Dame is regarded as a sublime architectural achievement, there are all sorts of minor anomalies, the result of centuries of aesthetic intervention. These include a trio of main entrances that are each shaped differently, and are accompanied by statues that were once coloured to make them more effective as Bible lessons for the masses. The interior is dominated by a 7,800-pipe organ that was restored but has not worked properly since.

Iceland is spectacular and so is the Golden Circle Route. The wide open landscapes are like nothing you've ever seen before. Actively volcanic, this inland route is a mass of waterfalls, glaciers, geysers, lava fields, and, of course, those volcanoes. The first stop is Thingvellir National Park, the spectacular site of Iceland's first parliament and the place where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet - and are moving apart. There is a widening fissure in the ground where the planet is literally opening up. Next it's on to Gullfoss waterfall, a huge fall of water. From here you can see a glacier off to one side. And then it's geysers. The sheer power of water and steam erupting from the ground due to the build up of extreme heat is awesome and really makes you realize how alive the ground is beneath our feet.

The landmark Geysir Geyser might be the world’s most famous and the one after which all others are named, but its neighbor, Strokkur, is equally impressive. Despite only rising to heights of 60 to 100 feet (compared to Geysir’s 150 to 200 feet), Strokkur still erupts several times an hour (unlike Geysir, which remains largely dormant thanks to its clogged conduit) offering visitors a good chance of witnessing the natural spectacle. Opened up by an earthquake in 1789 and reactivated by human intervention in 1963 after being blocked by a second earthquake, Strokkur has been erupting regularly ever since. Cradled in a 3-meter wide crater, Strokkur’s highly anticipated eruptions begin with the formation of a pulsing bubble of hot water, which reaches temperatures of around 200 °C before a rush of steam breaks through and shoots into the air.

Located on the vibrant street of Spaccanapoli, which cuts through the heart of Naples’ centro storico, the ethereal Cappella Sansevero had its origins in the tail end of the 16th century, when it was the mausoleum of the patrician Di Sangro dynasty. The name translates into English as the ‘alchemist’s chapel’ and it was extended by the eccentric Raimondo di Sangro, the seventh Prince of Sansevero, who lived between 1710 and 1771; he was an extraordinarily gifted man but as a Mason, he was considered by contemporary Neapolitans to have made a pact with the devil. Clad in ghostly white marble, with a multi-colored marble floor and ceiling frescoes of almost frenzied ornateness by Francesco Maria Russo, the chapel is stuffed with works by some of the greatest names on the 18th-century Naples art scene – among its treasures are Giuseppe Sanmartino’s amazingly realistic sculpture Cristo Velato (The Veiled Christ).

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most famous structures in the world – not because of its gently rising series of arches, but because of its legendary tilt. Constructed as the bell tower to accompany the cathedral, the tower began to shift on its foundations in 1178, before the architect, Bonanno Pisano, had completed the first three tiers. Fortunately, the lean has now been halted, due to tricks with cables and counter-subsidence. The tower now leans on an angle of 4.1 meters (13 feet), rather than the previous 5 meters (16 feet). It’s well worth paying the extra to climb the spiral stairs leading to the top of the Leaning Tower for views across Pisa. Make sure you book ahead as reservations are compulsory and numbers are limited.