"The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World" was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States and is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886. It was designated as a National Monument in 1924. Employees of the National Park Service have been caring for the colossal copper statue since 1933. In 1865, a French political intellectual and anti-slavery activist named Edouard de Laboulaye proposed that a statue representing liberty be built for the United States. This monument would honor the United States' centennial of independence and the friendship with France. French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi supported de Laboulaye's idea and in 1870 began designing the statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World." While Bartholdi was designing the Statue, he also took a trip to the United States in 1871. During the trip, Bartholdi selected Bedloe's Island as the site for the Statue. Although the island was small, it was visible to every ship entering New York Harbor, which Bartholdi viewed as the "gateway to America." In 1876, French artisans and craftsmen began constructing the Statue in France under Bartholdi's direction. The arm holding the torch was completed in 1876 and shown at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The head and shoulders were completed in 1878 and displayed at the Paris Universal Exposition. The entire Statue was completed and assembled in Paris between 1881 and 1884. Also in 1884, construction on the pedestal began in the United States. After the Statue was presented to Levi P Morton, the U.S. minister to France, on July 4, 1884 in Paris, it was disassembled and shipped to the United States aboard the French Navy ship, Isère. The Statue arrived in New York Harbor on June 17, 1885, and was met with great fanfare. Unfortunately, the pedestal for the Statue was not yet complete and the entire structure was not reassembled on Bedloe's Island until 1886. Once the pedestal was completed in 1886, the Statue was reassembled with surprising speed by a fearless construction crew - many of whom were new immigrants. The first piece of the Statue to be reconstructed was Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel's iron framework. The rest of the Statue's elements followed without the use of scaffolding - all construction materials were hoisted up by steam driven cranes and derricks. In order to sculpt the Statue's skin Eiffel used the repoussé technique developed by Eugene Viollet-le-Duc. This technique was the process of molding light-weight copper sheets by hammering them onto the Statue's hallowed wooden framework. The last section to be completed was the Statue of Liberty's face which remained veiled until the Statue's dedication. Although Fort Wood remained on Bedloe's Island, it was not an obstacle in the design, construction, or reassembly of the Statue of Liberty. Instead, the star-shaped structure became a part of the Statue's base - the pedestal sits within its walls. On October 28, 1886, the statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World" was officially unveiled. The day's wet and foggy weather did not stop some one million New Yorkers from turning out to cheer for The Statue of Liberty. Parades on land and sea honored the Statue while flags and music filled the air and the official dedication took place beneath the colossus "glistening with rain." When it was time for Bartholdi to release the tricolor French flag that veiled Liberty's face, a roar of guns, whistles, and applause sounded. In 1982, four years before the Statue's centennial anniversary, President Ronald Reagan appointed Lee Iacocca, the Chairman of Chrysler Corporation, to head the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation. The Foundation was created to lead the private sector effort and raise the funds for the renovation and preservation of the Statue for its centennial in 1986. The Foundation worked with the National Park Service to plan, oversee, and implement this restoration. A team of French and American architects, engineers, and conservators came together to determine what was needed to ensure the Statue's preservation into the next century. In 1984, scaffolding was erected around the exterior of the Statue and construction began on the interior. Workers repaired holes in the copper skin and removed layers of paint from the interior of the copper skin and internal iron structure. They replaced the rusting iron armature bars (which joined the copper skin to the Statue's internal skeleton) with stainless steel bars. The flame and upper portion of the torch had been severely damaged by water and was replaced with an exact replica of Bartholdi's original torch. The torch was gilded according to Bartholdi's original plans. The restoration was completed in 1986 and the Statue's centennial was celebrated on July 4 with fireworks and fanfare. On July 5th, a new Statue of Liberty exhibit opened in the base of the pedestal.

The Great Living Chola Temples were built by kings of the Chola Empire, which stretched over all of south India and the neighbouring islands. The site includes three great 11th- and 12th-century Temples: the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram. The Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram, built by Rajendra I, was completed in 1035. Its 53-m vimana (sanctum tower) has recessed corners and a graceful upward curving movement, contrasting with the straight and severe tower at Thanjavur. The Airavatesvara temple complex, built by Rajaraja II, at Darasuram features a 24-m vimana and a stone image of Shiva. The temples testify to the brilliant achievements of the Chola in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting. The great Cholas established a powerful monarchy in the 9th CE at Thanjavur and in its surroundings. They enjoyed a long, eventful rule lasting for four and a half centuries with great achievements in all fields of royal endeavour such as military conquest, efficient administration, cultural assimilation and promotion of art. All three temples, the Brihadisvara at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara at Gangaikondacholapuram and Airavatesvara at Darasuram, are living temples. The tradition of temple worship and rituals established and practised over a thousand years ago, based on still older Agamic texts, continues daily, weekly and annually, as an inseparable part of life of the people. These three temple complexes therefore form a unique group, demonstrating a progressive development of high Chola architecture and art at its best and at the same time encapsulating a very distinctive period of Chola history and Tamil culture. The Brihadisvara temple at Tanjavur marks the greatest achievement of the Chola architects. Known in the inscriptions as Dakshina Meru, the construction of this temple was inaugurated by the Chola King, Rajaraja I (985-1012 CE) possibly in the 19th regal year (1003-1004 CE) and consecrated by his own hands in the 25th regal year (1009-1010 CE). A massive colonnaded prakara with sub-shrines dedicated to the ashatadikpalas and a main entrance with gopura (known as Rajarajantiruvasal) encompasses the massive temple. The sanctum itself occupies the centre of the rear half of the rectangular court. The vimana soars to a height of 59.82meters over the ground. This grand elevation is punctuated by a high upapitha, adhisthana with bold mouldings; the ground tier (prastara) is divided into two levels, carrying images of Siva. Over this rises the 13 talas and is surmounted by an octagonal sikhara. There is a circumambulatory path all around the sanctum housing a massive linga. The temple walls are embellished with expansive and exquisite mural paintings. Eighty-one of the one hundred and eight karanas, posed in Baharatanatya, are carved on the walls of second bhumi around the garbhagriha. There is a shrine dedicated to Amman dating to c.13th century. Outside the temple enclosure are the fort walls of the Sivaganga Little Fort surrounded by a moat, and the Sivaganga Tank, constructed by the Nayaks of Tanjore of the 16th century who succeeded the imperial Cholas. The fort walls enclose and protect the temple complex within and form part of the protected area by the Archaeological Survey of India. These temples represent the development of Dravida architecture from Chola period to Maratha Period. All three monuments have been in a good state of preservation from the date of the inscription of the property and no major threats affect the World Heritage monuments. These monuments are being maintained and monitored by the Archaeological Survey of India. The tradition of temple worship and rituals established and practiced over a thousand years ago, based on still older Agamic texts, continues daily, weekly and annually, as an inseparable part of life of the people.

En 1900, cuando se inició la construcción del Park Güell, Barcelona era una metrópolis moderna y cosmopolita que basaba su economía en la potencia de su industria y que superaba el medio millón de habitantes. Ya hacía casi medio siglo que se habían derribado sus murallas y la ciudad nueva, el Ensanche proyectado por el ingeniero Ildefons Cerdà, había crecido de manera espectacular a partir de 1860. Fue la mayor operación urbanística del siglo XIX en Europa. Eusebi Güell encargó a Gaudí el proyecto de hacer una urbanización para familias acomodadas en una gran finca que había adquirido en la zona conocida popularmente como la Montaña Pelada. Su situación era inmejorable, en un entorno saludable y con unas espléndidas vistas del mar y la llanura de Barcelona. En la urbanización se preveían unas 60 parcelas con forma triangular, con una compleja red de caminos, viaductos y escaleras que salvaban la topografía del terreno. Güell quería recrear los parques residenciales británicos y por ese motivo lo llamó Park Güell, en inglés. Gaudí respetó la vegetación existente en la antigua finca, como los algarrobos y los olivos. En cuanto a la introducción de nuevas especies, optó por plantas mediterráneas con baja demanda de agua. Asimismo, ideó diversos sistemas de captación y almacenamiento de agua a partir de los sistemas de riego que conocía del entorno rural de su niñez. De esa manera, tanto la vegetación como la gestión de los recursos hídricos contribuían a evitar la erosión del terreno ocasionada por las torrenciales lluvias mediterráneas, al tiempo que ayudaban a cubrir las necesidades de agua de los habitantes de la urbanización. Las complejas condiciones de la venta de las parcelas, mediante antiguos contratos enfitéuticos, la falta de un transporte adecuado y el carácter muy exclusivo de la urbanización la hicieron inviable. A falta de compradores, las obras se abandonaron en 1914. Solo se habían construido dos de las 60 casas previstas. El parque se convertía así en un gran jardín privado, que Güell cedía para actos públicos, mientras empezaba a aparecer en las guías turísticas de Barcelona como uno de los puntos de atracción de la ciudad. Eusebi Güell murió en su casa del Park Güell en 1918, y sus herederos ofrecieron al parque al Ayuntamiento, que acordó su compra en el pleno municipal celebrado el 26 de mayo de 1922. En 1926 se abrió como parque municipal. La casa de la familia Güell se habilitó como escuela pública, que adoptó el nombre del pedagogo catalán Baldiri Reixac, y la zona situada a la izquierda de la entrada se destinó a vivero de flores ornamentales para el Ayuntamiento. El Park Güell se convirtió así en un parque público muy apreciado por los barceloneses y en un importante foco de atracción de visitantes. Fue reconocido como monumento artístico en 1969 y fue declarado Patrimonio Cultural de la Humanidad por la UNESCO en 1984.

Casa Batlló se sitúa en el número 43 de Paseo de Gracia, una calle que antiguamente unía la ciudad con la Villa de Gracia, hoy plenamente integrada como barrio de la ciudad. Originalmente, el edificio fue construido en 1877 por Emilio Sala Cortés (uno de los profesores de arquitectura de Gaudí), cuando en Barcelona todavía no había luz eléctrica. En 1903 lo adquirió D. Josep Batlló y Casanovas, un industrial textil propietario de varias fábricas en Barcelona y destacado hombre de negocios. D. Josep Batlló concedió total libertad creativa a Antoni Gaudí, encargándole unas obras que en principio consistían en derribar el edificio. Sin embargo, gracias la audacia de Gaudí, se descartó el derrumbe de la Casa, llevando a cabo una reforma integral entre 1904 y 1906. El arquitecto cambió completamente la fachada, redistribuyendo la tabiquería interior, ampliando el patio de luces y haciendo de su interior una auténtica obra de arte. Además de su valor artístico, la obra reviste una enorme funcionalidad, más propia de nuestro tiempo que del pasado. Incluso hay quien ve en ella elementos precursores de las vanguardias arquitectónicas de finales del s. XX. La Casa Batlló dejó de pertenecer a la familia Batlló en la década de los 50. Tras acoger diferentes empresas y particulares, desde la década de los 90 el edificio está en manos de los actuales propietarios, la familia Bernat, quien ha restaurado íntegramente la casa. En 1995 la familia abre la casa a la sociedad y presenta esta joya arquitectónica al mundo, ofreciendo el espacio para eventos. A partir de 2002, coincidiendo con el Año Internacional Gaudí, Casa Batlló acoge también visitas culturales. Ambas actividades se desarrollan en la actualidad innovando constantemente en su oferta y contenidos. Actualmente, Casa Batlló es Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO y un icono de Barcelona, una parada imprescindible para conocer la obra de Gaudí y el modernismo en su máxima expresión. También es uno de los atractivos culturales y turísticos mejor valorados, acogiendo a 1 millón de visitantes al año.

The Bukhara Museum was established in November 8, 1922. Since 1945, the museum has been situated in the Ark citadel, the former residence of the Bukharan emirs. And that’s where the main office of the museum is located. In 1985, the museum got the status of the Bukhara State Art-Architectural Museum-Preserve. The museum-preserve consists of six branches, including 18 permanent exhibitions placed in the architectural monuments. In the depositories of the museum-preserve, there are over 100000 objects, representing material and spiritual culture of the region. Bukhara is one of the most famous and picturesque cities in Central Asia. This is an amazing museum city, where a large number of cultural and architectural monuments from different eras are concentrated - in total, there are more than 140 structures and buildings from the Middle Ages alone. The historical center of Bukhara, along with its sights, is included in the list of World Heritage Sites, compiled by UNESCO. For 100 years, within the walls of the museum, wonderful collections of archeological items, numismatics and epigraphy, arts and crafts, books and documents, everyday life and ethnography, a collection of paintings, graphics and sculptures, etc. have been collected and carefully kept. All these items are exhibited in numerous expositions and exhibitions of the museum-reserve and reflect the richest history of Bukhara. The collection of the Bukhara Museum-Reserve is represented by primary sources and material evidence of the history of the Bukhara oasis and covers almost all spheres of public life in the region. The closest analogues of the Bukhara Museum-Reserve are the museums of Novgorod, Vladimir-Suzdal, Venice, Athens, Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum, the State Hermitage.

This magnificent building is the oldest surviving from the Great Exhibition era that is still operating as an exhibition hall. Standing strong in Carlton Gardens, the Royal Exhibition Building is beautiful inside and out—a true landmark of Melbourne. In 1879 the somewhat unkempt Carlton Gardens were redeveloped with grand avenues, decorative fountains and parterre garden beds, creating an ornamental pleasure garden for the new Exhibition Building. Designed by Joseph Reed and built by David Mitchell for the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition, the Exhibition Building epitomised the wealth, opulence, excitement, energy and spirit of Marvellous Melbourne. Together the 1880 and 1888 International Exhibitions attracted over three million visitors, brought cultures, technology and ideas from across the world to Melbourne, and were a place to see and be seen. The Exhibition Building cemented its status Melbourne’s leading event venue and a tourist icon on 9 May 1901, hosting the opening of Australia’s Federal Parliament. Since that time baby shows, home shows, motor shows, bicycle races and pole sitting competitions are just some of the events that have found a home in the Exhibition Building. More than just a setting for events the Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens have been at the heart of many of Melbourne’s stories. People delight in remembering childhood visits to Australia’s first aquarium or marvelling at the view over Melbourne from the dome. Recalling the building’s use as a makeshift hospital and morgue during the 1919 Spanish Influenza pandemic and the aquarium fire in 1953 prompt sombre reflections. Memories of the building filled with rows of desks and the sound of pens quietly scratching away during exams still strikes fear into the hearts of past and current Victorian students. While as a migrant reception centre in the 1950s its stories were ones of new beginnings and hope. In 1980 the Exhibition Building became the lead character in this never ending series of stories when Princess Alexandra bestowed the Royal title on the building and program of restoration works commenced. The 1 July 2004 was the start of yet another a new chapter in the history of the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens with the site inscribed onto the World Heritage List. It’s outstanding value the result of it being the only International Exhibition Place of Industry, with its garden setting, to survive largely intact and still be used as an exhibition and event venue. Today, as in the 1880s, events take over both the building and gardens and draw international crowds. First held in 1995 the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere attracting over 100,000 visitors in 5 days. While the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival continues the tradition of drawing the most fashion forward and stylish to the building and gardens to see and be seen, whether on the runway or promenading on the plaza.

Creatività, stile, sperimentazione e innovazione convivono con tutti gli elementi della tradizione nelle perle della ditta S.U.V. fondata nel centro storico di Venezia durante gli anni ‘40 da Umberto Scognamiglio, consolidata dal genero Oscar Sito, il cui figlio Salvatore ne è oggi titolare assieme alla moglie Antonella. Nello storico laboratorio artigianale si respira ancora l’aria dell’autenticità dei prodotti, manufatti artistici di esperti perleri in cui il vetro si mescola e si confonde ad altri materiali preziosi. La lavorazione adottata dal laboratorio è principalmente “a lume”, una tecnica che permette di modellare una canna vitrea facendo raggiungere al vetro una temperatura tale da renderlo “morbido” e quindi modellabile. Con tale tecnica si creano innumerevoli nuances di colore, mescolando a caldo canne differenti e personalizzando ogni singolo pezzo con decori realizzati con finissime vette colorate, fuse sull’elemento di base, o mediante l’accorpamento ad esso di murrine, graniglia in vetro, foglie d’oro o d’argento. Oltre all'attività artigianale di lavorazione a lume, questi artigiani conservano un enorme archivio di perle e usano proprio il vetro storico per le loro creazioni, anche eseguite su misura, perché ne hanno una quantità infinita. Creativity, style, experimentation and innovation coexist with all the elements of tradition in the pearls of the SUV company founded in the historic center of Venice during the 1940s by Umberto Scognamiglio, consolidated by his son-in-law Oscar Sito, whose son Salvatore is today the owner together with wife Antonella. In the historic artisan workshop you can still breathe the air of the authenticity of the products, artistic artifacts by perleri experts in which glass mixes and merges with other precious materials. The process adopted by the laboratory is mainly "lamp-based", a technique that allows you to model a glass rod by making the glass reach a temperature that makes it "soft" and therefore modelable. With this technique, countless shades of color are created, by hot mixing different rods and personalizing each single piece with decorations made with very fine colored peaks, fused on the base element, or by combining it with murrine, glass grit, gold or silver leaves. In addition to the artisan activity of lampworking, these artisans keep an enormous archive of pearls and use historical glass for their creations, even made to measure, because they have an infinite quantity of them. If you are looking for those big antique glass beads but also want to compose something unique of yours with an infinity of other glass objects, this is the right place for you! In addition to the artisan activity of lampworking, these artisans keep an enormous archive of pearls and use historical glass for their creations, even made to measure, because they have an infinite quantity of them. If you are looking for those big antique glass beads but also want to compose something unique of yours with an infinity of other glass objects, this is the right place for you! In addition to the artisan activity of lampworking, these artisans keep an enormous archive of pearls and use historical glass for their creations, even made to measure, because they have an infinite quantity of them.

The Blaenavon World Heritage Centre is situated within the former St. Peter’s Church School which was founded in 1816 by Sarah Hopkins to provide free education for children whose parents worked for the Blaenavon Company. Like its historic predecessor, learning lies at the very heart of the World Heritage Centre. The Blaenavon World Heritage Centre aims to create a world-class learning resource helping people to understand the Outstanding Universal Value of the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site. It aims to become a centre for education of the sciences, technology, engineering, maths, innovation and development, using the story of Blaenavon’s Industrial Landscape. It will provide access for all to a wide range of learning opportunities, both formal and informal, and will inspire people to relate to their place in the global culture. Blaenavon’s Industrial landscape became a World Heritage Site in December 2000. It is a landscape shaped by human hand, dating from the early days of the Industrial Revolution - a significant stage in human evolution, when the iron and coal industries of South Wales were of global importance. The Blaenavon Industrial Landscape is an important place of study of the Industrial Revolution. It is an ideal venue for schools studying changes in people’s daily lives in the 19th century, as well as changes that happened in Wales, Britain and the wider world between 1760 and 1914. It provides an excellent case-study for students studying urban decline and economic regeneration. The Blaenavon World Heritage Centre was established to provide a focal reference point to the area’s rich industrial legacy, telling the story of the people who have shaped this landscape from the earliest days of the Industrial Revolution to the present day using a range of media including film, audio, graphics and interactive displays. The Blaenavon World Heritage Centre currently houses a resource room with items covering a wide range of topics relevant to the Blaenavon World Heritage Site. There is an interactive display in the main exhibition space, with touch screens hosting both adult and child-friendly programs to explore key information relevant to the World Heritage Site. A new Victorian replica classroom and learning facility has recently been created in the World Heritage Centre with costumes, slates, and other props and toys of a 19th century Schoolroom. The Centre also has many educational resources, covering the history through time of the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape. The Blaenavon World Heritage Centre works in close partnership with learning staff at Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon Ironworks and Natural Resources Wales to deliver education across the World Heritage Site. The Blaenavon World Heritage Centre is a logical starting point for visits into the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape. The former heavy industries left their mark on the environment, which is full of hidden treasures, making it an ideal location for outdoor educational visits that can be facilitated by staff. In order to maximise the educational benefit of a visit, we recommend that you take advantage of one or more organised activities or workshops led by an experienced education officer. Blaenavon’s Industrial landscape became a World Heritage Site in December 2000. It is a landscape shaped by human hand, dating from the early days of the Industrial Revolution - a significant stage in human evolution, when the iron and coal industries of South Wales were of global importance. The Blaenavon Industrial Landscape is an important place of study of the Industrial Revolution and is an ideal venue for schools studying changes in people’s daily lives in the 19th century and changes that happened in Wales, Britain and the wider world between 1760 and 1914. It is also an excellent case-study for students of urban decline and economic regeneration. The Blaenavon World Heritage Site now boasts three visitor attractions which offer full-time, dedicated educational services: The Blaenavon World Heritage Centre is based in the former St Peter’s School founded in 1816 to educate the ironworker’s children. Now it offers an overview of the World Heritage Site and offers educational workshops for all age groups, focusing on the lives of local people from the early Celts through to modern days. It is also the starting point for a number of outdoor activities. Big Pit National Coal Museum offers guided underground tours conducted by former coal miners. The restored pithead baths features displays and interactive exhibitions enabling visitors to learn about the history of coal mining, and the people who lived and worked in coal mining communities in Wales. Blaenavon Ironworks is the most significant historical feature within the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape. Today you can view the extensive remains of the blast furnaces, cast houses and iconic water-balance tower, and gain a fascinating insight into the social history of the Industrial Revolution at the reconstructed company ‘truck’ shop, 19th century workers’ cottages and the newly interpreted cast houses.

La Pedrera, también conocida como Casa Milà, es el edificio civil más emblemático de Antoni Gaudí, tanto por su innovación constructiva y funcional, como por las soluciones decorativas y ornamentales. Es un edificio Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO y también la última obra civil del arquitecto. La Pedrera es el único centro de interpretación de Gaudí en Barcelona, imprescindible para conocer la totalidad de la obra del arquitecto y su inspiración. En 1900 el Paseo de Gracia era la avenida más importante de la ciudad, donde se empezaron a construir edificios emblemáticos, se instalaron los mejores teatros y cines y las tiendas, restaurantes y cafeterías más exclusivas. Fue también donde los burgueses más adinerados y con más empuje decidieron edificar sus casas y, en una carrera de osadía y exhibicionismo, encargaron los proyectos a los arquitectos más prestigiosos del momento. En 1905 Pere Milà y Roser Segimon contraen matrimonio. Atraídos por la fama del Paseo de Gracia, compran una torre con jardín que ocupa una superficie de 1.835 metros cuadrados y le encargan al arquitecto Antoni Gaudí la construcción de su nueva residencia con la intención de ocupar el piso principal y alquilar el resto de las viviendas. Construida entre 1906 y 1912, el edificio se compone de una sucesión de muros de piedra en su exterior. Mientras, el interior consta de distintos patios pintados, columnas y diversas habitaciones. La fachada, ondulada, está abierta con grandes ventanales y balcones de hierro forjado. Por su parte, en la azotea se sitúan las chimeneas, verdaderas esculturas dignas de ser admiradas, desde donde se puede contemplar una vista espléndida sobre toda Barcelona. Después de muchos años de abandono, La Pedrera fue declarada Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO en 1984. En 1996, fue restaurada y abierta al público como centro cultural. Actualmente, desde enero de 2013, el edificio es la sede de la Fundación Catalunya La Pedrera y aloja un importante centro cultural de referencia en la ciudad de Barcelona por el conjunto de actividades que organiza y por los diferentes espacios museísticos y de uso público que aloja. Uno de los proyectos de la Fundación es “La Pedrera inédita”, que contribuye a ampliar el conocimiento de este edificio de más de 100 años de historia.

As one of the country’s largest military installations, Charles Fort has been part of some of the most momentous events of Irish history. During the Williamite Wars, for example, it withstood a 13-day siege before it fell. Later, in the Civil War of the early 1920s, anti-Treaty forces on the retreat burned it out. Charles Fort is a massive star-shaped structure of the late seventeenth century, well-preserved despite its history. William Robinson, architect of the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, Dublin, is credited with designing it. Its dimensions are awe-inspiring – some of the outer defences are 16 metres high. The view from the ramparts looking out over Kinsale Harbour is spectacular. The waterside location of Charles Fort is, without question, captivating. The ramparts and walks of the magnificent fortress provide for leisurely strolls – a great way to view the picturesque town of Kinsale and enjoy the fantastic scenery out to sea. Revel in the architectural magnificence of this star-shaped fortification, inspired by the French military engineer Vauban. Bastions, barracks, turrets and moats will transport you back to the seventeenth century, an era rocked by warfare and siege. Walk in the footsteps of the great military commanders associated with Charles Fort. Learn about the Williamite War and the bloody turbulence of 1690. Find out how, John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough, laid siege to Charles Fort from high ground; and how the garrison held out for 13 days before finally surrendering to the Williamite forces. Charles Fort was a British Army barracks for 200 years. Visit our state-of-the-art multimedia exhibition centre and learn about the harsh realities of life in Charles Fort for the enlisted soldier. Find out about the day-to-day routines in the married soldier’s quarters and discover the austere experience of those who devoted their lives to duty and discipline. Listen to the haunting legend of the White Lady of Charles Fort, who is said to have hurled herself from the parapets on her wedding night after her new husband, Sir Trevor Ashurst, was shot dead for falling asleep at his watch post. The White Lady is reputed to walk the battlements of Charles Fort with the train of her ghostly wedding dress floating eerily behind her. Could you be the next person to catch a glimpse of her?

No less a figure than St Brendan the Navigator was born in the Ardfert area in the sixth century. He founded a monastery there not long before embarking on his legendary voyage for the Island of Paradise. It was Brendan’s cult that inspired the three medieval churches that stand on the same site today. The earliest building is the cathedral, which was begun in the twelfth century. It boasts a magnificent thirteenth-century window and a spectacular row of nine lancets in the south wall. One of the two smaller churches is an excellent example of late Romanesque architecture. The other, Temple na Griffin, is named for a fascinating carving inside it – which depicts a griffin and a dragon conjoined. Anyone with a passion for architecture will find Ardfert Cathedral well worth a visit. Take a guided tour of the sublime cathedral building. As you explore, listen to exciting stories associated with St Brendan, who founded a monastery here in the sixth century. Find out all about Brendan’s legendary voyage in search of the Island of Paradise how he became known as ‘The Navigator’. On display in the transept are a selection of impressive stone effigies and carvings, as well as an ancient ogham stone. Observe the magnificence of the Romanesque West Door and remark on its parallels with Cormac’s Chapel on the Rock of Cashel. There are two smaller churches at Ardfert that you won’t want to miss. The Romanesque Temple na Hoe, adjacent to the cathedral, is an excellent example of late Romanesque architecture. See the fifteenth-century Temple na Griffin with its bell-cote which was removed in the seventeenth century and recently replaced.

Ejmiadzin, which means the «The Descent of the Only Begotten Son» is an ancient capital of Armenia. According to legend, Jesus Christ descended from heaven and indicated the spot for a church to be built. Holy Ejmiatsin Cathedral was erected at that site in the 4th century (301-303), at the dawn of the Christian conversion of the country by King Trdat III and Saint Gregory the Illuminator. The Cathedral was built on top of the pagan temple of Vagharshapat, after it was destroyed by King Trdat. As you return to the cathedral on the northern face, you can see the different strata of construction, beginning with the main wall, which has blocks of stone from the original 301-303 AD edifice, inscribed in Greek, the language used before the adoption of the Mashtots Armenian Alphabet (ca. 405 AD). You can also see angled cornices in the upper wall, which show where the original roofline was. Armenia was the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as its state religion. Ejmiatsin is the residence of the Supreme Catholicos of all Armenians and the center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Every seven years, the rite of blessing of holy chrism is held here; thousands of believers come to Ejmiatsin as pilgrims from different parts of the world for this ceremony. Hripsimeh Vank is located 2 kilometers east of Komitas Hraparak on Mashtots Poghots, and is the first stop by tourists visiting Ejmiatsin from Yerevan. Hripsimeh's martyrdom, as well as those of Gayaneh and 37 other Roman maidens precipitated King Trdat's madness and later conversion to Christianity. As such, Hripsimeh is often sited as the determining factor in the conversion of the nation. Trdat attempted to persuade Hripsimeh to marry him. However, Hripsimeh became more and more eloquent in her refusals, finally declaring she could not wed one when she was already promised to another. Furious, Trdat demanded to know her suitor. «Christ», was the reply, and in a rage Trdat had Hripsimeh and the rest of her entourage beheaded, their bodies buried in a common burial site. The original martyrion was built in the 4th century over Hripsimeh's burial site and was reconstructed in the 5th century as a two-story monument (a 5th-6th centuries picture of the monument can be found carved on the southeast stele at Odzun Vank in Northern Armenia). Visiting Ejmiatsin we can not neglect Astvatsatsin also called the «village» or «peasant» church. Astvatsatsin is in the heart of Ejmiatsin. It houses a beautiful Rococo style altar, the only of its kind in Armenia and hold one of the most elegant altars in Armenia, a work of Italianate art in itself. Ejmiatsin is the most popular destination in Armenia. In addition Ejmiatsin lies in the heart of Armenia's Cradle of Civilization, an area that gave birth to the first bronze and iron civilizations in the ancient world.

El Castillo de Santa Bárbara se encuentra ubicado sobre el monte Benacantil, mole rocosa de 166 m. de altitud lindante con el mar, lo que le confería un enorme valor estratégico, ya que desde la misma se divisa toda la bahía de Alicante y sus alrededores terrestres. Llamada esta roca Banu-lQatil por el geógrafo musulmán Al-Idrisi (s. XII), hay historiadores que datan el origen del topónimo en las palabras "bena", transcripción al árabe de "pinna", peña en latín, y de "laqanti", adjetivo que proviene de "Laqant", Alicante para los árabes. En sus laderas se han encontrado restos arqueológicos de la Edad del Bronce, ibéricos y de la época romana, si bien el origen de la actual fortaleza hay que buscarlo a finales del siglo IX cuando la dominación musulmana. Adquiere este castillo el nombre de Santa Bárbara porque el día de su festividad, 4 de diciembre de 1248, la tomó a los árabes el infante Alfonso de Castilla, futuro rey Alfonso X el Sabio. En 1296 se posesiona de todo el recinto y para la corona de Aragón Jaime II, que ordena su remodelación. Casi un siglo después Pedro IV el Ceremonioso manda sea rectificado el recinto y el rey Carlos I ordenará su fortificación a comienzos del siglo XVI. Hasta el reinado de Felipe II no se produce la gran reforma del castillo, con la construcción de las dependencias que en su mayoría hoy contemplamos. Duraron las obras de 1562 a 1580, según proyectos de Juan Bautista Antonelli y Jorge Palearo "El Fratín". Los bombardeos que sufrió Alicante en 1691 por la escuadra francesa y las acciones bélicas llevadas a cabo contra el castillo durante el período 1706-1709, cuando la guerra de Sucesión, en que estuvo en poder de los ingleses, afectaron gravemente a todo el recinto que sufrió la última acción militar en 1873 cuando la fragata acorazada "Numancia", en manos de rebeldes cantonalistas de Cartagena, lanzó sus proyectiles sobre la población y su castillo, que sería desartillado veinte años después. Hasta 1963, en que fue abierto al público, estuvo en una situación de abandono. Fue en ese año cuando se inauguraron los dos ascensores que hacen un recorrido por dentro de la montaña de 142,70 metros y a los que se accede por un túnel de 204,83 m. de longitud que nace en la avenida de Jovellanos, frente a la playa del Postiguet. Se divide este castillo en tres recintos bien diferenciados. El primero de ellos es el más alto, se le conoce por "La torreta", al encontrarse en él la vieja Torre del Homenaje, y tiene los vestigios más antiguos de toda la fortaleza, unos basamentos de los siglos XI al XIII. En este recinto contemplamos, entre otros, el llamado Baluarte de los Ingleses, así como otras dependencias: Parque de Ingenieros, Sala Noble, que fuera hospital, Casa del Gobernador, etc. La explanada más elevada es conocida por "Macho del Castillo" y allí estuvo la antigua alcazaba. El recinto intermedio corresponde a las dependencias más importantes concluidas en 1580: Salón Felipe II, antiguo Cuerpo de la Tropa frente al amplio Patio de Armas a cuyas espaldas se hallan las ruinas de la ermita de Santa Bárbara, Cuerpo de Guardia, Baluarte de la Reina, entre otras. Del siglo XVIII data el recinto inferior donde encontramos el Revellín del Bon Repós, que hace actualmente las funciones de aparcamiento y en el que se ubica el monumento al ilustre militar alicantino Félix Berenguer de Marquina que fuera capitán general de Filipinas y virrey de Nuevo México. El gran escudo de mármol blanco (s. XVIII) que hay sobre la puerta de acceso al segundo recinto se hallaba en el Real Consulado del Mar, edificio destruido por una explosión.

The Carnavalet-History of Paris Museum is the oldest City of Paris museum.It opened to the public on February 25, 1880, in the Carnavalet mansion (Hôtel Carnavalet) located in the Marais, a Paris district where the architectural heritage was particularly well-preserved. Since 1880, the museum has been substantially enlarged, with the construction of new buildings and the annexation of the Le Peletier de Sant-Fargeau mansion in 1989. The museum’s architecture now offers a history spanning more than 450 years. For over 150 years, the continuously enriched museum collections have told the story of Paris, from prehistory to the present. Located at 23 Rue de Sévigné, the Hôtel des Ligneris (known as “Carnavalet”) is one of the rare examples of Renaissance architecture in Paris, along with the Louvre’s Cour Carrée. Built in the mid-16th century (1548-1560) for Jacques des Ligneris, President of the Paris Parliament, it is one of the oldest Marais District private mansions in Paris. The mansion was sold in 1578 to Françoise de la Baume, wife of Chevalier Kernevenoy, who was called “Monsieur de Carnavalet”. This deformation of “Kernevenoy” became the established name. Starting in 1660, the celebrated architect François Mansart raised the mansion’s porch on what is now Rue de Sévigné and created two new wings. Madame de Sévigné, the writer, lived there from 1677 to 1694. Finally, following a suggestion by Prefect Haussmann during the major renovation of Paris (1853-1870), the mansion was purchased by the City of Paris in 1866 and made into the capital’s historical museum. An extension of the museum was immediately decided upon and included two-tiered galleries. The façades opening on the garden feature elements from demolished Parisian buildings: the Nazareth Arch from the 16th century, the Pavillon des Drapiers from the 17th century, and the Pavillon de Choiseul from the 18th century. Several sculptures have also been transplanted from their original site to the museum, such as the statue of King Louis XIV by Antoine Coysevox, the bas-relief of Henry IV by Lemaire (formerly found at Paris City Hall), and the statue of Victory by Louis-Simon Boizot (from Place du Châtelet). Inside, the exhibition pathway includes painted ceilings and sculpted panels, as well as decorative wood paneling from Parisian interiors. The Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau is located at 29 rue de Sévigné. It was built between 1688 and 1690 for Michel Le Peletier de Souzy (1640-1725), according to plans made by Pierre Bullet (1639-1716), Architect of the King and the City, and has a remarkable orangery. These buildings were annexed to the museum in 1989. This was also the time when Fouquet’s Jewelry Shop by Alphonse Mucha, the dining room of the Café de Paris by Henri Sauvage and the ballroom of the Wendel Mansion by José-Maria Sert were installed. In October 2016, the museum was closed to the public for a major renovation carried out by François Chatillon, Chief Architect for Historical Monuments. This major cultural heritage site has been justifiably protected as a Historical Monument since 1846 and has been included in the Marais Protection and Promotion Plan since 1965. Showcased in an exceptional historical setting and within the reach of all types of audiences, the Carnavalet-History of Paris Museum now opens again. With the growth of Paris, the idea of a museum dedicated to the history of the city became popular during the Second Empire (1852-1870). In 1866, the municipality acquired the Carnavalet mansion on the initiative of Seine Prefect Haussmann, perhaps as a way of compensating for the partial destruction of Paris. It was meant to house a new institution designed to document Paris, while paying particular attention to how the collections would be presented. Since the beginning, the museum has been dedicated to collecting authentic objects “having belonged to” a well-known person and with a strong individual and collective emotional resonance. The Carnavalet Museum features, among others, the campaign kit belonging to Napoleon I, mementos of the French royal family and the revolutionaries, Zola’s watch and the bedroom and personal affairs of Marcel Proust. Two pioneering missions that aimed to document the transformations of Paris also provide a solid framework for the museum. Supervision of diggings and demolitions thus added nearly 10,000 archeological items to the museum, while commissions for paintings or photographs of streets and neighborhoods have been included in the collections. Donations are the main means of acquisition. Since the museum’s creation, tens of thousands of donors have contributed to building and enriching the collections, currently divided among ten departments. The first donors (Jules Cousin, Théodore Vacquer and Alfred de Liesville) even worked for the Carnavalet Museum! Outstanding donations include Georges Clemenceau’s gift in 1896 of a painting that had belonged to his father. Entitled Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, it is attributed to Jean-Jacques Le Barbier. In 1902, Empress Eugénie, the widow of Napoleon III, donated the crib designed for the Imperial Prince by Victor Baltard. Today the Carnavalet-History of Paris Museum contains over 618,000 items dating from prehistory to the present. Paintings, sculptures, scale models, shop signs, drawings, engravings, posters, medals and coins, historical objects and souvenirs, photographs, wood paneling, interior decorations and furniture combine to present the history and tell the unique story of the capital. The singular spirit of the site ensures a rich, emotion-filled experience.

Esistono registri storici relativi al Castello Ruspoli, datando dal 847. All’epoca, si trattava di una rocca fortificata. Durante il pontificato di Leone IV (847–855) la rocca venne trasformata in convento destinato ai monaci Benedettini, così rimanendo fino al 1081. Dal 1169, il castello divenne oggetto di una lunga disputa tra la Chiesa e le famiglie Aldobrandini, Orsini e Borgia, che durò fino al XVI secolo. Nel 1531, Papa Clemente VII donò il castello a Beatrice Farnese Baglioni. La figlia di questa, Ortensia venne data in matrimonio ad Ercole Sforza Marescotti, per favori concessi a Papa Paolo III. Ortensia portava in dote il castello di Vignanello che, da allora, si chiamò Castello Marescotti. Il nome Ruspoli, antica famiglia fiorentina trasferita a Siena, venne incorporato a quello dei Marescotti nel 1704, a seguito del matrimonio dell’ultima ereditiera, Vittoria, con Sforza Vicino Marescotti. Ortensia Farnese trasformò la rocca in residenza pur mantenendo le caratteristiche architettoniche della fortezza. Il progetto fu dell’architetto Sangallo il Giovane e lo studio degli spazi esterni, tra cui la fontana centrale del giardino e l’ingresso originale, sono attribuiti a Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. The first traces of Ruspoli Castle date back to 847, when the structure was first built on the cliff where it lies. When Leo IV was Pope (847-855), this structure was converted into a monastery for the Benedictine monks, and was used as such until 1081. In about 1169, the castle became the source of a long-standing dispute between the Church and the Aldobrandini, Orsini, and Borgia families, which continued until the 16th century. In 1531, Pope Clement VII gave the castle to Beatrice Farnese Baglioni. Her daughter, Ortensia, was betrothed to Ercole Sforza Marescotti by Pope Paul III Farnese and the Castle Vignanello, as it was called at that time, was part of her dowry. From that point on, it was referred to as Castle Marescotti. The name Ruspoli comes from an ancient Florentine family that moved to Siena and was united with the Marescotti family in 1704, when the family’s youngest heir, Vittoria, was given away in marriage to Sforza Vicino Marescotti. Ortensia Farnese converted the structure into a residence, while still maintaining the original characteristics of the cliff fortification. The state was designed by an architect named Sangallo il Giovane; however, the ideas for the exterior, including the garden, central fountain, and original entrance, are credited to Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. The garden, considered one of the most important in Italy, was created in 1611. Marcantonio Marescotti (3rd Earl of Vignanello and Parrano) was married to Ottavia Orsini, daughter of Vicino Orsini, creator of the sacred garden of Bomarzo. She planned and supervised the creation of the Renaissance garden parterre of Castello Ruspoli. Thanks to the restoration and preservation promoted by the family, it is known in Europe as one of the most well preserved gardens of that time.

The Musée Jacquemart-André has the finest private collection of art works in Paris, combined with the atmosphere of a large nineteenth-century residence. The Jacquemart-André Museum contains collections worthy of the greatest museums: works from the Italian Renaissance, works by great Flemish masters, French works from the 18th century. Built at the end of the nineteenth century in Haussmann’s new Paris by Edouard André and his wife Nélie Jacquemart, a couple of major collectors, this private mansion (hôtel particulier) enables visitors to discover genuine nineteenth-century rooms and temporary exhibitions that are international in scope. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Dominique André, Edouard’s grandfather, moved to Paris and collaborated with François Cottier, who assisted him with the business of the Banque André. Both men decided that it would be a good idea to unite their families through the marriage of their children: Ernest André and Louise Mathilde Cottier. Edouard was the couple’s only child. At the age of eighteen, he was admitted to Saint-Cyr, from which he graduated as an officer in one of the elite corps responsible for Napoleon III’s protection. But, with his preference for the splendour of the Cour des Tuileries, he decided to leave his post. In 1864, he took up his father’s seat as a member of the National Assembly and lead a very Parisian life. In 1860, Napoléon III entrusted the Prefect, Haussmann, with the implementation of a vast urban planning programme that fundamentally altered the physiognomy of Paris: entire districts were razed to the ground and rectilinear axes were traced out from the periphery to the centre. Between 1869 and 1876, Henri Parent created a vast and beautiful building that was greatly inspired by classical models, with its perfectly symmetrical layout and the decorative elements on its facades. The building is set back from the Boulevard Haussmann, creating a break in the alignment that draws the eye. In 1876, the inauguration of the mansion was a major event: the invitees discovered the double spiral staircase, with its improbable equilibrium, and the sumptuousness of the materials. They praised this monumental building just as they had the foyer of the Opera House that Charles Garnier had just completed. In 1881, Edouard and Nélie got married, a marriage of convenience between two very different persons, as he was a Protestant Bonapartist, and she a Catholic living in a royalist milieu. Their union turned out to be a great success. They never had any children and devoted themselves entirely to their shared passion: their collection of works of art. One year after their marriage, Nélie decided to have her husband accompany her on a series of trips around Italy, which gave them a chance to visit auction houses and antique dealers. They also went on several trips to the Near East. During this time, they had furnishing and decorative work done on their mansion, in preparation for the installation of the works they bought. Edouard André passed away at the age of sixty, leaving his wife distraught. The pain of her loss was exacerbated by an entirely unexpected situation: a lawsuit filed by her husband’s family to recuperate his fortune. Edouard’s cousins had been careful, at the time of the marriage, to prepare a ‘separation of marital property’ contract, which would ensure that the family fortune could be recuperated. But, shortly before his death, Edouard drew up a will that bequeathed all of his property to his wife. Accused of misappropriating the heritage, she won the case. Nélie continued to add to the collections on her own. In 1902, she embarked on a trip around the world. She even travelled to the Indies. She was about to go to China and Japan, but when she learned that the royal Abbey of Chaalis was up for sale, she interrupted her travels and her dearest wish came true when she acquired the property. Nélie passed away on 15 May 1912. The mansion became the property of the Institut de France, through a legacy made by the owner several months earlier. In her will, she stated her wish that the collections be made available to the broadest possible public and exhibited to the crowds of visitors. A highly practical woman, Nélie Jacquemart had thought of every detail, going so far as to stipulate in her will the conditions of the Museum’s inauguration and the exact locations of each work. She asked the Institut de France, as her legatee, to respect these arrangements to the letter. On 8 December 1913, the Museum was inaugurated with great pomp and ceremony by the President of the Republic in person, Raymond Poincare. It was an immediate success, which echoed the fame of the Andrés. Eight hundred visitors attended the Museum the next day, and 1,700 the following Sunday. The Institut de France entrusted Culturespaces with promoting and running the heritage of the Museum, which reopened the same year. The company holds two major temporary exhibitions each year. Culturespaces produces and holds temporary exhibitions that are international in scope, with the support of major cultural institutions.

Le Musée national Picasso-Paris a, depuis sa réouverture en 2014, axé une partie de son projet scientifique et culturel sur la création de réseaux de partenaires. Ces réseaux, d’ampleur internationale, visent d’une part, à renforcer les liens du musée avec les autres musées Picasso et musées de beaux-arts du XX siècle, et d’autre part, à mener des recherches approfondies autour de sujets liés à Pablo Picasso, à l’occasion notamment de projets d’exposition. À l’occasion du centième anniversaire du voyage de Picasso en Italie, le Musée national Picasso-Paris a lancé en 2017 « Picasso-Méditerranée », manifestation qui s’est développée selon cinq axes essentiels : scientifique avant tout, mais aussi patrimonial, contemporain, pluridisciplinaire et multiforme. Le projet a consisté à donner une impulsion scientifique et à fédérer autour d'une thématique commune, tissant ainsi un véritable réseau de recherches picassiennes. Le Musée national Picasso-Paris s’est mis à la disposition de soixante-dix institutions culturelles partenaires pour la construction des projets - prêt d'œuvres, gestion d'un site internet, communication visuelle et graphique de la manifestation – tout en permettant à chacun de garder sa singularité. À travers cette manifestation d’une envergure hors du commun, le musée a souhaité avant tout créer un réseau d’institutions culturelles, collaborant pour programmer une série exceptionnelle d’expositions. À cette fin, le musée a largement ouvert sa collection aux prêts, dans une volonté de faire voyager les œuvres de Picasso dans toute la Méditerranée, aire géographique si chère à l’artiste. Le rôle du musée a ainsi été avant tout celui d’un prêteur volontaire, dans une politique dynamique de diffusion de ses collections, pour des expositions de types très variés : monographiques, thématiques, en dialogue avec des contemporains de Picasso ou des artistes d’aujourd’hui, centrées sur une technique, une période, un lieu de vie ou de création, elles ont toutes offert une approche singulière et renouvelée de l’œuvre picassienne sous le prisme méditerranéen. Since its reopening in 2014, the Musée national Picasso-Paris has focused part of its scientific and cultural project on the creation of networks of partners. These international networks aim, on the one hand, to strengthen the museum's links with other Picasso museums and 20th century fine arts museums, and on the other hand, to conduct in-depth research on related subjects. To Pablo Picasso, notably on the occasion of exhibition projects. On the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of Picasso's trip to Italy, the Musée national Picasso-Paris launched “Picasso-Méditerranée” in 2017, an event that developed along five essential axes: scientific above all, but also heritage, contemporary, multidisciplinary and multifaceted. The project consisted in giving a scientific impetus and federating around a common theme, thus weaving a real network of Picassian research. The Musée national Picasso-Paris made itself available to seventy partner cultural institutions for the construction of projects - loan of works, management of a website, visual and graphic communication of the event - while allowing each to keep its uniqueness. Through this event of an extraordinary scale, the museum wanted above all to create a network of cultural institutions, working together to program an exceptional series of exhibitions. To this end, the museum has widely opened its collection to loans, in a desire to make Picasso's works travel throughout the Mediterranean, a geographical area so dear to the artist. The role of the museum was thus above all that of a voluntary lender, in a dynamic policy of dissemination of its collections, for exhibitions of very varied types: monographic, thematic, in dialogue with contemporaries of Picasso or artists of today, centered on a technique, a period, a place of life or creation, they have all offered a unique and renewed approach to Picassian work through the Mediterranean prism.

The musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac is the heir to 200 years of history, enrichment, study and conservation of public collections. It conserves almost 370,000 works originating in Africa, the Near East, Asia, Oceania and the Americas which illustrate the richness and cultural diversity of the non-European civilisations from the Neolithic period (+/-10,000 B.C.) to the 20th century. A public institution under the dual supervision of the Ministry of Culture and Communication and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac is both a museum and a center of teaching and research: a forum open to the world presenting artistic, cultural and scientific events, with varied levels of interpretation and approach. From international conferences to more intimate encounters in the Jacques Kerchache Reading Room, from lectures at the Université Populaire du quai Branly (Branly Open University) to debates with contemporary artists, the nature and history of the museum collections continue to address issues at various levels. Due to the very nature of its collections, the musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac has an international vocation and pursues an active policy of cooperation with the countries from which its collections originate. The museum has built up a culture of exchange based on scientific, cultural and technical cooperation. The museum also has a media library specializing in the areas of ethnology and the history of non-European art. With the development of economic exchanges and the first colonial expansion, non-European collections began to accumulate in private collections, culminating in the 18th century in the creation of venues dedicated to their preservation and representation: cabinets of curiosities combining natural history specimens and archaeological, historical and ethnographic accounts. Following the French Revolution, the national museums were created and non-European ethnographic collections were transferred to them. Initially presented at the musée du Louvre, these principally American collections gradually found their place in specific museums within the musée du Louvre, called in turn the "Musée Dauphin", "Musée de Marine" and "Musée ethnographique". In parallel with this development, the collections were enhanced by means of instructions for the collection of objects given to the sailors and scientists who undertook voyages around the world. In 1878, echoing the Universal Exhibition in Paris, the “musée d'Ethnographie du Trocadéro” was created, causing the museums’ missions to be reorganized: "At the Louvre: the domain of art, at the Trocadéro: the history of manners and customs without distinguishing between periods." As colonial conquests accelerated during the second half of the 19th century, major African collections among others were added to the Parisian collections of the “musée d'Ethnographie du Trocadéro” and many museums in other French towns and cities. Local learned societies were often the initiators and leaders of this network of regional museums. An extensive exchange of ethnographic objects took place between national and regional museums and the numerous ethnographic museums which were established throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Colonial and Universal exhibitions stimulated emulation by these institutions and a permanent colonial exhibition with both political and economic missions was established in Paris. It led to the birth of the Colonial Museum, which opened in parallel with the Colonial Exhibition of 1931. Created in 1937, the “musée de l'Homme” took over from the musée d'Ethnographie du Trocadéro, which had fallen into disuse in the first half of the 20th century. Redesigned on scientific principles, the museum was enhanced by a large number of expeditions aimed at drawing up an inventory of the material cultures of the world. In parallel, and in line with the political development of the colonial territories, the Colonial Museum was transformed in 1935 into the “Musée de la France d’Outre-mer” (Museum of French Overseas Territories). Private collections, and particularly those of artists such as Picasso and André Breton, invited the visitor to perceive the works from an aesthetic perspective. With the independence movements of the second half of the 20th century, and under the direction of André Malraux, the artistic view of non-European civilisations was confirmed, and in 1961 the Colonial Museum became the Museum of African and Oceanian Art, then in 1990 the National Museum of African and Oceanian Art. Opening in 2006, the musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac contains the collections of its double inheritance: those of the “musée de l'Homme” and of the “musée national des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie” (National Museum of African and Oceanian Art). With more than 370,000 objects, 700,000 iconographical pieces and more than 200,000 reference works, the musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac is one of the richest European public institutions dedicated to the study, preservation and promotion of non-European arts and civilisations.

My name is Glorymar Hernandez, but I prefer to be called “Glory”. I was born in the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, and grew up amid the crowds of the city, the tranquility of the Andean mountains and the joy of the Caribbean coast. A mixture that has taught me to enjoy wherever I am, that aroused my curiosity to know the world, and that has helped me to adapt, with relative ease, to changes. I have a degree in Philosophy, my research works are in Philosophy of Language. Since 2019 I have been working as a Spanish teacher. I decided to start teaching my mother tongue thanks to my experience learning other languages. I had the opportunity to live for a year in Ireland, where I went to learn English and, currently, I am in Italy, where I have had the opportunity to learn Italian. These experiences allowed me to realize that, although seeking perfection when trying to “speak like a native” is the ideal, what really matters is being able to communicate, make ourselves understood and be open to the experience of knowing other cultures and understand that there are many different points of view. Professionally, I have had the opportunity to work in different contexts such as banking, outsourcing consular procedures, and teaching at university level. The biggest lesson I learned from these experiences is that I am not an office person. I prefer to own my time and have the freedom to work wherever I am. For this reason, I have decided to dedicate myself to teaching Spanish online and to enter the digital world. I consider myself a very curious and versatile person, that is why in my free time I enjoy handcrafting (such as sewing or knitting), volunteering, being in contact with nature, and trying to learn new things, like playing the guitar. Regarding my geographical preferences, the beach and the mountains are my main refuges, because I can escape from the noise of the city and connect with myself. That is why I would like to be able to live with my husband on a mountain, not far from the sea.

El Museo Art Nouveau y Art Déco es en esencia un museo de artes decorativas que propone un recorrido temporal que abarca desde las últimas décadas del siglo XIX hasta la II Guerra Mundial. Este periodo de poco más de sesenta años es sin duda uno de los más fecundos de las artes aplicadas. El grueso de las obras que se pueden ver en el museo son objetos utilitarios concebidos bajo unos cuidados criterios estéticos. Esta dualidad, que los hace muy interesantes como documento de una época y de una manera de vivir, hace que muchos de ellos no hayan llegado hasta nuestros días, ya que su uso ha hecho que no hayan perdurado en el tiempo. A través de sus diecinueve colecciones, el recorrido por sus salas muestra al visitante la producción de los talleres europeos de artes decorativas de los periodos Nouveau y Déco. Joyas de Masriera o Faberge, vidrios iridiscentes de los talleres Loetz, Kralik, Pallme König o de la escuela de Nancy con piezas de Émile Gallé, los Hermanos Daum o Paul Nicolas. Muebles de Homar, Majorelle, Busquets. Porcelanas de Rosenthal, Royal Copenhagen, Mariano Benlliure, Gustave Guetant o Zuloaga. Los fondos que atesora la Casa Lis muestran la trayectoria de autores tan importantes como Émile Gallé con sus vidrios de capas superpuestas y sus exquisitos muebles o la evolución de Rene Lalique que partiendo de la joyería Art Nouveau orienta su creatividad al diseño del vidrio en las décadas posteriores. Destaca la colección de muñecas de porcelana francesas del s. XIX, que ha sido definida por los expertos como la mejor colección expuesta al público a nivel mundial, o la muestra de criselefantinas de Demetre Chiparus o Ferdinand Preiss, pequeñas esculturas que combinan el metal para las vestimentas y el marfil para las partes desnudas del cuerpo como la cara o las manos y que se han convertido en icono del Art Déco.

Cuando hablamos de la Catedral de Salamanca nos estamos refiriendo concretamente a dos templos unidos entre sí. Por una parte, está la Catedral Vieja del siglo XII-XIII y, por otro lado, la Nueva del siglo XVI. La Catedral Vieja, dedicada a Santa María de la Sede, fue construida a lo largo de los siglos XII y XIII. Se presenta como un templo con planta basilical de tres naves y crucero desarrollado en planta y altura, conformando una cruz latina. De factura románica en su conjunto, el edificio se remata con bóvedas de transición al gótico. Entre los maestros que dirigieron la obra, los documentos conservados en el Archivo Catedral mencionan los siguientes: Florín de Pituenga, Casandro Romano, Alvar García, Pedro de la Obra, Juan el Pedrero, Sancho Pedro, Juan Franco o Petrus Petri. La nave central de la Catedral Vieja muestra un instante de transición al gótico, al estar cubierta con arcos apuntados y bóvedas de crucería, recibidas sobre soportes preparados para sostener en un primer momento una bóveda de cañón apuntado con arcos fajones, lo que obligó a la final introducción de otros elementos, como los mensulones en los que descansan los nervios, para acomodar adecuadamente la nueva solución. Los capiteles y repisas se hallan decoradas con figuras de personajes bíblicos, animales, decoración vegetal y mascarones. Las estatuas-nervio ubicadas sobre los mensulones de la bóveda son ejemplos singulares que destacan en el interior de la iglesia vieja. La Catedral Nueva, adosada a la Vieja, se comenzó a construir en 1513, inaugurándose en agosto de 1733. En la promoción inicial intervinieron los Reyes Católicos, a petición del Cabildo Catedral, quien, con los obispos sucesivos, actuó siempre como principal promotor. Entre los grandes maestros arquitectos que dirigieron las obras de la Catedral Nueva durante casi dos siglos y medio figuran, entre otros, Juan y Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón, Juan de Álava, Juan Setién Güemes, Pantaleón Pontón, los hermanos Churriguera y Juan de Sagarbinaga. Se comenzó a construir en estilo tardogótico y, aunque goza de la utilización de algunos otros estilos posteriores, conservará hasta el final una unidad estilística en este arte, impuesta y querida por el Cabildo. Se trata de una iglesia de planta rectangular, compuesta por tres naves y capillas hornacinas entre contrafuertes. Se cubre por bóvedas de crucería con terceletes y combados dibujando complejos y hermosos diseños estrellados, en los que brillan especialmente las claves. En el crucero se yergue un magnífico cimborrio formado por cuerpo ochavado sobre pechinas con monumentales relieves de los misterios marianos, sobrepasado por un luminoso tambor cilíndrico liberado merced a los amplios ventanales y cúpula semiesférica. La Iglesia recibe la luz de casi un centenar de vidrieras, procedentes originariamente de Flandes aquellas que muestran un episodio bíblico. En sus muros también se extienden dos galerías corridas, en dos alturas, numerosos medallones con bustos de profetas, evangelistas, personajes de las Sagradas Escrituras y doctores, y otros tantos escudos catedralicios con el búcaro de azucenas.

El Museo Sefardí se encuentra ubicado en el interior de la Sinagoga de Samuel ha-Leví o como popularmente se conoce Sinagoga del Tránsito. Sin embargo, desde sus orígenes, esta sinagoga ha sido objeto de diversos vaivenes y modificaciones, ofreciéndonos un apasionante testimonio de la historia de nuestro país. El origen de este espectacular edificio se remonta al siglo XIV, momento en que fue mandado erigir por Samuel ha-Leví, importante figura de la época, que ocupó diversos cargos de gran relevancia en la corte del rey Pedro I de Castilla, como por ejemplo, Oidor de la Audiencia, Diplomático o Tesorero real. Con la expulsión de los judíos en 1492, los Reyes Católicos cedieron la Sinagoga a la Orden de Calatrava a cambio de algunas de sus posesiones, como fueron el Alcázar y los Palacios de Galiana con su iglesia de Santa Fe. Dos años más tarde, el edificio pasó a formar parte del Priorato de San Benito. En este momento se producen las primeras modificaciones y se emplean la zona que ocupaba la escuela rabínica y la Galería de Mujeres como hospital y asilo a los caballeros calatravos, y la Gran Sala de Oración pasa a ser templo cristiano y lugar de enterramiento, apareciendo en la documentación como Iglesia de San Benito. Durante el siglo XVI, dejó de ser hospital y asilo para convertirse exclusivamente en iglesia. En esta época se produjeron varias modificaciones arquitectónicas, construyéndose una puerta de entrada a la sacristía, así como un arcosolio empotrado utilizado para dar culto a una imagen de la Virgen, ambos de estilo plateresco. Se adosó un retablo al cuerpo central del antiguo hejal y se colocó el altar principal sobre el primitivo suelo de la sinagoga. La antigua Galería de Mujeres se tapió y pasó a ser utilizada como vivienda. Asimismo, se colocó un entarimado de madera para el coro en el lado Oeste. En 1877 fue declarada Monumento Nacional y desde entonces y hasta 1910 se llevaron a cabo una serie de restauraciones para paliar el mal estado del edificio. En 1910, se confía la antigua Sinagoga al Patronato del Museo del Greco, regido por el marqués de la Vega-Inclán, que procede a su restauración según los criterios de la época. Así, desde 1910 a 1968, la Sinagoga estuvo bajo la protección y custodia de las Fundaciones Vega-Inclán, realizándose en los años 60 la última restauración, antes de su inauguración como Museo, en la que se hizo desaparecer la antigua sillería coral colocada en la época del Marqués, se repararon yeserías, solados, carpintería y se añadió a las paredes una tapicería en seda que imita tejidos del Monasterio de las Huelgas en Burgos. En 1968 el Museo Sefardí fue declarado “Museo Nacional de Arte Hispanojudío”, y en 1969 la Sinagoga del Tránsito se desvinculó de las Fundaciones Vega-Inclán, organismo que la había gestionado desde principios del siglo XX, comenzando su trayectoria como centro independiente. En 1971 el museo abrió sus puertas al público y desde entonces ha sido objeto de varias mejoras, llevándose a cabo un plan de remodelación integral del edificio para adaptarlo a las necesidades museológicas actuales, así como un nuevo proyecto museológico y museográfico. Por ello se han ido realizando obras arquitectónicas, restauraciones de las yeserías y artesonado, y excavaciones arqueológicas, con el fin de paliar la diversidad de actuaciones sufridas por el edificio a lo largo del tiempo y permitir que la Sinagoga forme parte del nuevo Museo como la principal pieza de su colección.

Muchos lo consideran uno de los templos góticos más bellos de España. Concebido como el lugar donde se enterrarían los Reyes Católicos, su majestuosidad no deja indiferente a nadie. Pasear por el interior de sus muros es empaparse de la historia de nuestro país y descubrir la entrega de los monarcas a San Juan. La vida monacal en San Juan de los Reyes es una de sus señas de identidad. El silencio y tranquilidad que se respiran en todas sus estancias ayudan a abstraerse de la bulliciosa ciudad. El monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes fue mandado construir por los Reyes Católicos en la ciudad de Toledo, en acción de gracias por la victoria en la batalla de Toro de 1476. En ella quedó zanjada definitivamente la guerra por la sucesión al trono a favor de la princesa Isabel, hermana del rey difunto Enrique IV, ya casada con Fernando, frente a los partidarios de Juana, la hija del matrimonio ilegítimo del rey, su sobrina y ahijada de bautismo. Isabel defendió hasta el final su derecho al trono por cuestiones de legitimidad y conveniencia para Castilla. En 1479 el monasterio recibe el nombre de “San Juan de Portalatyna”, una particular advocación de san Juan Evangelista, quien según su leyenda sufrió martirio por orden de Domiciano, en una tina de aceite hirviendo frente a la Puerta Latina de Roma. La reina solicitó y obtuvo del papa un jubileo especial para el día de San Juan ante Portam Latinam. Después pasó a llamarse de los santos Juanes. Con el tiempo, al haber sido una empresa impulsada por la reina, San Juan de la Reina. Finalmente, el monasterio ha pasado a la historia como San Juan de los Reyes. El claustro acoge un jardín síntesis del paraíso terrenal poblado de especies que originalmente buscaron evocar el Jardín del Edén. Hoy, arrayanes, ciprés, naranjo, granado y otras especies perfuman el aire con sus aromas y proporcionan a la piedra atractivas notas de color. Dividido en cuatro partes, reflejo de las cuatro partes del mundo y en el centro el pozo de agua, rememora hortus conclusus o huerto cerrado medieval, alegoría de la virginidad de María. A finales del siglo XIX, a instancias del gobierno estatal, se emprende una restauración integral dirigida por el arquitecto Arturo Mélida, quien también dará las trazas para la Escuela de Artes en el solar del segundo claustro desaparecido. Arquitecto, pintor, escultor y diseñador, Mélida reemprenderá una subjetiva restauración, desde la admiración al monumento, en un neogótico con tintes del romanticismo historicista. El paseo sosegado por sus pandas regala toda la belleza de sus filigranas en piedra y reserva numerosas sorpresas en representaciones humorísticas de animales: dragones, simios, aves fantásticas… talladas por el escultor toledano Cecilio Béjar, quien también trabajó hasta 1967 en la restauración de las imágenes de los santos que pueblan el claustro bajo. Especial ingenio se despliega en las gárgolas, ejemplares únicos y llenos de fantasía.

Aunque este magnífico edificio civil, construido entre 1541 y 1551, se venía utilizando como espacio expositivo, al menos, desde comienzos del pasado siglo XX (vale la pena recordar que en la Lonja se celebró en 1919 una Exposición Hispano-Francesa de Bellas Artes que reunió, entre otros, nombres tan destacados como los de Beruete, Domingo, Iturrino, Nonell, Picasso, Regoyos, Vázquez Díaz, Zuloaga, Mariano Benlliure, Clará, Gargallo, Julio Antonio, Macho; y de 1942 a 1945 las muestras del Salón Internacional de Otoño de Fotografía, que sigue vigente desde 1925; y durante los años 1943 a 1955 la mayoría de las trece ediciones del Salón de Artistas Aragoneses), será desde comienzos de los años 70 de dicha centuria cuando, con exposiciones como la de Manuel Viola en 1972 y la de Pablo Serrano en 1975, el uso habitual de la Lonja como sala de exposiciones comience a tomar verdadera carta de naturaleza, convirtiéndose en permanente y exclusivo desde mitad de la década siguiente. La Lonja, por sus características, emplazamiento y ya consolidada trayectoria, viene siendo considerada la primera y principal sala de exposiciones de Aragón, como consecuencia de lo cual es permanente espacio de referencia para acoger los más destacados y ambiciosos proyectos expositivos de carácter público que se realizan en nuestra Comunidad (tanto los propios del Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza como los de aquellas otras instituciones y entidades con las que colabora), circunstancia que asegura la proyección y el éxito de todos ellos, pero da lugar a que las sucesivas programaciones anuales deban conciliar muy diferentes aspectos y dar cabida a temáticas y contenidos también muy diversos, lo que, por otra parte, corresponde perfectamente al carácter y titularidad de la sala. Haciendo de la necesidad virtud, a lo largo de los últimos veinticinco años la programación se ha venido caracterizando por la presencia de grandes muestras de carácter histórico, dedicadas a presentar visiones actuales de distintas culturas o periodos históricos (entre las más recientes citaremos El oro de América. Tesoros precolombinos de Costa Rica; Egipto milenario; Hispania. El legado de Roma; Los mayas; Bhután; Una mirada al siglo XX en Aragón; La Ilustración y el proyecto liberal; Tuareg; El teatro romano. La puesta en escena; Siete mil años de arte persa; Africa. La figura imaginada; Tesoros del Museo Nacional de Escultura) junto a monográficas de grandes figuras del arte universal ya clásico o contemporáneo (como las de Gargallo, Tàpies, Genovés, Condoy, Aguayo, Zuloaga, Pablo Serrano, Ibarrola, Broto, Miró, Picasso, Lagunas, Orús, Luis Berdejo, Fernando Botero, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Chillida) y un importante número de exposiciones colectivas dedicadas a ofrecer diferentes visiones, a veces más generales y en ocasiones muy específicas, del arte de nuestro tiempo en sus diversas disciplinas y especialidades, tanto el correspondiente a los ámbitos españoles, como a los internacionales.

Desde su inauguración en el año 1997, el Guggenheim Bilbao y el perro Puppy -la escultura floral de Jeff Koons situada en el exterior del edificio- se han convertido en el símbolo más internacional de Bilbao. Forman parte de la colección las obras de grandes figuras del mundo artístico: David Salle, Chillida, Jeff Koons, Louis Bourgeois y Robert Rauschenberg son algunos ejemplos. El Guggenheim también ofrece una serie de actividades para todos aquellos visitantes que deseen ampliar sus conocimientos artísticos. El Museo Guggenheim Bilbao es obra del arquitecto canadiense-americano Frank Gehry y representa un magnífico ejemplo de la arquitectura más vanguardista del siglo XX. Con 24.000 m² de superficie, de los que 9.000 m² están destinados a espacio expositivo, el edificio representa un hito arquitectónico por su audaz configuración y su diseño innovador, conformando un seductor telón de fondo para el arte que en él se exhibe. En conjunto, el diseño de Gehry crea una estructura escultórica y espectacular perfectamente integrada en la trama urbana de Bilbao y su entorno. Una vez en el Vestíbulo, que sirve de distribuidor, el visitante accede al Atrio, auténtico corazón del Museo y uno de los rasgos distintivos del diseño arquitectónico de Frank Gehry. Se trata de un gran espacio diáfano de volúmenes curvos que conectan el interior y el exterior del edificio mediante grandes muros, cortina de vidrio y un gran lucernario cenital. Los tres niveles del Museo se organizan en torno a este Atrio central y se conectan mediante pasarelas curvilíneas, ascensores de titanio y cristal, y torres de escaleras. El Atrio, que también funciona como espacio expositivo, sirve como eje que ordena las 20 galerías que alberga el Museo, algunas de aspecto más clásico y líneas ortogonales y otras de volumetrías más orgánicas e irregulares. El juego de volúmenes y perspectivas permite disponer de espacios interiores en los que, sin embargo, el visitante no se siente en absoluto desbordado.

Victoria Falls presents a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, forming the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was described by the Kololo tribe living in the area in the 1800s as ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ – ‘The Smoke that Thunders’. In more modern terms, Victoria Falls is known as the greatest curtain of falling water in the world. Columns of spray can be seen from miles away as, at the height of the rainy season, more than five hundred million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge, over a width of nearly two kilometres, into a gorge over one hundred meters below. The wide, basalt cliff over which the falls thunder, transforms the Zambezi from a placid river into a ferocious torrent cutting through a series of dramatic gorges. Facing the Falls is another sheer wall of basalt, rising to the same height, and capped by mist-soaked rain forest. A path along the edge of the forest provides the visitor, prepared to brave the tremendous spray, with an unparalleled series of views of the Falls. One special vantage point is across the Knife-edge Bridge, where visitors can have the finest view of the Eastern Cataract and the Main Falls as well as the Boiling Pot, where the river turns and heads down the Batoka Gorge. In 1851, Livingstone first heard of the great waterfall, but it was only in 1855 that he set out to visit it. He spent the night on Kalai Island a few kilometers upstream of the Falls, having come down river by foot, and the next morning set off in a small canoe to approach the thundering smoke. He landed on the biggest island on the lip of the falls, now called Livingstone Island and from there obtained his first view of the Falls.

Vredefort Dome, approximately 120 km south-west of Johannesburg, is a representative part of a larger meteorite impact structure, or astrobleme. Dating back 2,023 million years, it is the oldest astrobleme yet found on Earth. With a radius of 190 km, it is also the largest and the most deeply eroded. Vredefort Dome bears witness to the world’s greatest known single energy release event, which had devastating global effects including, according to some scientists, major evolutionary changes. It provides critical evidence of the Earth’s geological history and is crucial to understanding of the evolution of the planet. Despite the importance of impact sites to the planet’s history, geological activity on the Earth’s surface has led to the disappearance of evidence from most of them, and Vredefort is the only example to provide a full geological profile of an astrobleme below the crater floor. The Vredefort Dome is 120 km south west from Johannesburg. The property represents a unique geological phenomenon formed about 2 023 million years ago and is the oldest and largest known meteorite impact structure on earth. Within the area, geological strata comprising the middle to upper zones of the earth’s crust, developed over a period of more than 3 200 million years are exposed. All the classical related characteristics of a large astrobleme are found in the property. This multi-ring structure formed by the impact scar illustrates the effect of shock metamorphism of rocks, transformation of crystal structures and shatter cones of the immense force created by the impact. Vredefort Dome is the oldest, largest, and most deeply eroded complex meteorite impact structure in the world. It is the site of the world’s greatest single, known energy release event. It contains high quality and accessible geological (outcrop) sites which demonstrate a range of geological evidences of a complex meteorite impact structure. The rural and natural landscapes of the serial property help portray the magnitude of the ring structures resulting from the impact. The serial nomination is considered to be a representative sample of a complex meteorite impact structure. A comprehensive comparative analysis with other complex meteorite impact structures demonstrated that it is the only example on earth providing a full geological profile of an astrobleme below the crater floor, thereby enabling research into the genesis and development of an astrobleme immediately post impact.

Located in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa, Pilgrim’s Rest is a small town with a very colorful and exciting history. In 1873 the town and surrounding area was densely populated with prospectors all hoping to make their fortunes in the second of the Transvaal gold fields. It was estimated that in the beginning of 1874 there were some 1500 prospectors working around 4000 claims. As so often happens when an influx of potential customers increases the population of a town, no matter how temporarily, businesses appear overnight to take advantage of the boom, charging outrageous prices that the many hopefuls will pay in order to get the items they need to keep working their claims and survive another week or two. The 1870 gold rush was not the first time the area had been the site of digging. Evidence of mining of the quartz reefs in ancient times were revealed during the most recent efforts to retrieve the gold buried within the soil of the town and surrounding area, as well as other parts of South Africa. Though who the ancient miners were is unknown, it has been established that the region of Mpumalanga was part of a transit corridor that moved gold from South Africa to Arabia, India and Phoenicia. Today, the town is a tourist location that takes visitors back in time to the days of the gold rush in the 1870’s. When it first became a tourist attraction in 1970 it was changed very little from its heyday and is now a protected historical site. In 1986 the town was declared a National Monument and since then a concerted effort has been made by curators, historians, architects and other interested parties to ensure the integrity of its history is preserved at all times. It is said that there is still gold in the ground, which is exciting for visitors to contemplate as they stand on the very site where 150 years earlier men, women and children were frantically digging and panning for the elusive solid nuggets that would make them instantly rich beyond their wildest dreams. The scars of the frantic digging for gold by many prospectors are still obvious despite the passage of time, and are just a part of what makes the town unique and interesting.

Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 kilometres west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, north of Cape Town, South Africa. It takes its name from the Dutch word for seals, hence the Dutch/Afrikaans name Robbeneiland, which translates to Seal Island. Robben Island Museum is a testament of the Triumph of the Human Spirit Over Adversity. Robben Island Museum is responsible for managing and maintaining the assets of the Island. These include the Maximum and Medium Security Prison Complexes, Robert Sobukwe’s House, the Curio and Village Shops, the Village Precinct and associated recreational facilities, the Helipad and runway on the Island, World War II memorials, power generation and water processing plants, Jetty 1 and the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V & A Waterfront, the Mayibuye Archives, the three (3) ferries that transport people to the Island and the fleet of buses used by tourists on the Island. Robben Island is a complex, sensitive eco-system and as such is protected by South African Law as a nature conservation area. In addition to this it is designated a World Heritage Site and has to balance additional stringent conservation requirements in line with RIM’s mission of ensuring public access to the Island’s heritage. The Island’s complex and sensitive ecosystem includes Birdlife, Natural Vegetation, Marine and Wildlife, Geology and Cultural Conservation sites. The Island provides shelter and a safe haven for about 132 species of birds including some endangered species. The variety of species includes sea birds, water birds and terrestrial birds. The Chauker Partridge and Guinea Fowl were introduced to the Island by humans. Many of the birds use the Island for breeding and roosting. Some birds from the mainland such as the Crowned Cormorant and Black Crowned Night Herons breed on the Island in large colonies. The boat trip to the Island provides an opportunity to see a wide spectrum of seabirds and mammals including Cape Fur Seals, Southern Right Whales, Dusky and Heaviside Dolphins. On the Island there are about 23 species of mammals such as Bontebok, Springbok, Steenbok, Fallow Deer and Eland. Ostriches, Lizards, Geckos, Snakes and three species of Tortoises can also be found on the Island. The Island is the summit of an ancient, now submerged mountain. It is linked by an undersea saddle to Blouberg. Its lower strata consist of Malmesbury shale forming a rocky and somewhat inhospitable coastline. Above this lies a thick limestone and calcrete deposit covered by windblown sands and shell fragments. The Island is low-lying with the highest point also known as Minto’s Hill (named after the 19th century Surgeon-Superintendent of the General Infirmary) being 24 metres above sea-level. The Island favours a Mediterranean climate, but unlike nearby Cape Town, it experiences stronger winds and comparative extremes in temperature. Robben Island has important places of commemoration that include the built fabric, routes and paths, gardens, views and vistas. It has within it many and varied layers of history that are at times contested. Furthermore it is an island of many voices, including that of the disadvantaged, the oppressed, the sick, the privileged few, the religious, the imprisoned and the free. Its conservation therefore poses unique challenges. Most of Robben Island’s rich archival resources are housed at the Mayibuye Archives at the University of Western Cape. Mayibuye’s collections include artefacts, historical documents, photographs, art work and audio visual materials relating to the struggle for freedom and democracy; Robben Island; imprisonment under apartheid and South African culture making it one of the largest archives in the country that contains liberation struggle material. These include recordings of interviews with ex-political prisoners, former exiles and political activists; Radio Freedom broadcasts; unique recordings of speeches and lectures; and historical papers archive. The historical papers section includes more than 350 collections of personal and organizational records of major political events and turning points that culminated in the unbanning of political organizations in the 1990s. The Robben Island Political Prisoner’s General Recreation Committee records is also a collection of particular significance. It dates back to the 1960’s and serves as a wonderful testimony to the creative capacity of the human spirit to survive great hardship.

Newgrange is the best known Irish passage tomb and dates to c.3,200BC. The large mound is approximately 80m in diameter and is surrounded at its base by a kerb of 97 stones. The most impressive of these stones is the highly decorated Entrance Stone. The flat-topped cairn is almost 0.5 hectares in extent. It is roughly circular and is estimated to weigh 200,000 tonnes in total. It is made up of water-rolled stones from the terraces of the River Boyne. Excavations showed that white quartz stones from quartz veins in Co Wicklow and round granite boulders from the Mourne and Carlingford areas were used to build the revetment wall above the kerb along the front or south side of the mound. The mound covers a single tomb, which consists of a long passage and a cross-shaped chamber. The passage points to the southeast and is just less than 19 m long. It leads in to a chamber with three recesses. A corbelled roof covers the chamber. To construct the roof, the builders overlapped layers of large rocks until the roof could be sealed with a capstone, 6 metres above the floor. After 5000 years, the roof at Newgrange is still water proof. These basins which are on the floor of each of the recesses held the remains of the dead. The remains of at least five people were recovered during excavation, although originally much more bone may have been placed there. Most of the bones found were cremated, although small amounts were unburned. Grave goods of chalk and bone beads and pendants as well as some polished stone balls were placed with the dead. The entrance stone at Newgrange and Kerbstone 52 at the back of the mound are highly accomplished pieces of sculpture, regarded as some of the finest achievements of European Neolithic art. Many more of the kerbstones are also carved, some of them with carving on the side facing inwards. In the passage, some of the stones are beautifully carved particularly the 19th stone on the left, has a design which some visitors say reminds them of a stylised face. In the chamber in the back recess on the right hand side is the world famous tri-spiral design. A circle of standing stones also surrounds Newgrange. Its purpose is unclear, although recent research indicates that it could have had an astronomical function. The Stone Circle was erected sometime after 2000BC since excavation have shown that one of the stones of the circle lies directly on top of the Early Bronze Age Pit Circle. Originally there may have been more stones in the circle. Possibly some were broken up over the years. This was the final phase of building at Newgrange.