Alte Oper in Germany

Alte Oper  in Germany

Alte Oper, or Old Opera, was an opera house and is today a concert venue, home to the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. Designed by Richard Lucae in the Renaissance style, the opera house opened in 1880 and is known for its impressive architecture.

During World War II, a bomb was dropped on the city in 1944, destroying the Alte Oper. Years later, there were plans for new construction on the site, but the people of Frankfurt fought to have the Alte Oper reconstructed. The Alte Oper, using parts of its original façade, was rebuilt and opened its doors on August 28, 1981.

Though Frankfurt has a new opera house, the Alte Oper still operates as a venue for concerts, performances, and plays.

Churche of Chiloe in Chile

Churche of Chiloe (UNESCO World Heritage) in Chile

The Churches of Chiloé are a group of churches located in the  Chiloé Archipelago within Chile, constructed from native wood, in a fusion of indigenous and European cultural traditions. The ecclesiastical architecture used in the Churches of Chiloé stems from the tradition from the Jesuit Peripatetic Mission of the 17th and 18th centuries, and later in 19th century carried on by the Franciscans.

The Churches of Chiloé exemplify the blending of nature and architecture, with the use of natural materials to remain in harmony with the natural landscapes. Jesuit missionaries of the Society of Jesus arrived in the Chiloé Archipelago around 1608, sending members to evangelize to the native people and eventually began constructing these churches for its missionaries. The structures the Jesuits built were in the tradition of the indigenous people, using materials and methods found in the region, whose people were farmers and fishermen. The Jesuits were expelled in 1767, and the missionary work was taken over by the Franciscan order, until colonial rule ended.

Over 100 of these churches were constructed, though only 50 to 60 remain today. The churches are built along the shores of Chiloé Archipelago, which stretches from Chacao Canal to the Corcovado Gulf. The architecture is remarkable for the porticos, tower façades, and hints of Classical, Renaissance, and Baroque architectural styles, incorporating the indigenous traditions as well.

Windsor Castle, England

Windsor Castle, England – The official residence of the Queen of England

The magnificent 900-year-old Windsor Castle is the official residence of the Queen and the world’s largest working castle. It was built by William the Conqueror.

The state apartments in particular house some of the rarest collections of art and paintings in the world. The works of legends of the stature of Rembrandt, Rubens, Holbein and Dyck adorn the parapets, and are nicely complimented by stunning British furniture and chinaware.

The St. George’s Chapel built by Edward IV is a great piece of Gothic architecture. The St. George’s Hall too is a wonderful place to visit, which has been fully restored post the 1992 fire. Every year, the Queen resides at Windsor Castle for a month during the month of Easter. The Queen also resides here during the month of June for a week to attend the Order to the Garter as well as the prestigious Royal Ascot Race.

As far as state visits are concerned, the Windsor Place is the ultimate venue where the Queen hosts the traditional State Banquet at the grandiose St. George’s Hall. It is a scene to behold. The manner is which foreign Heads of State are driven to this magnificent Castle in regal horse drawn carriages where a spectacular military guard of honor awaits the dignitary. The majestic St. George’s Chapel does not owe allegiance to the archbishop though prayers and services are conducted.. Instead, the chapel is directly under the sovereign.

Being a working castle, there are quite a few people belonging to the exclusive Castle Community who reside within the castle’s premises. For instance, the titular head of the castle community, the castle constable, Governor and Dean of the Castle to name just a few are residents of the castle.

Apart from witnessing the magnificent royal décor in the interiors of the castle, visitors can also see the grand spectacle of “changing of the guards” that takes place every day from April to June and every alternate day from July to March.

Most visitors to the castle are intrigued by the riveting Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House. It is an amazing doll’s house which is all of six feet high and the interiors are stacked with chinaware, glassware, skillfully embroidered linen, mini furniture, etc.

Mesa Verde National Park in US

Mesa Verde National Park at Colorado , US

Mesa Verde National Park is a UNESCO Heritage Site and a US National Park. What makes this special? Spread over more than 52,000 acres in the Montezuma County in southern Colorado in the US, the park preserves the cliff dwellings of the ancestral Puebloan people known as the Anasazi.

Mesa Verde in Spanish translates into “green table”. The cliff dwellings constitute some of the best preserved archeological sites in the country. The Anasazi lived in the Mesa Verde region between 450 CE and 1300 CE. Over 600 of these dwellings are recorded in the national park including the famous Balcony House, Square Tower House, and Cliff House. In all the national park protects over 5,000 archeological sites and others are continually being discovered. The south-west Colorado plateau on which the Mesa Verde National Park is located is at an altitude of about 8,500 feet and over 572,000 visitors head to the national park each year.

The Mesa Verde villages were initially discovered in 1874. The rock-cut dwellings were soon pillaged by collectors and treasure hunters. By 1889, much of the artifacts in the region were sold – in 1889 collectors held a large pottery sale. At about this time, archeologists started to study and excavate the remains. By 1906, the site come under the protection of the Federal Antiquities Act and has been well-preserved ever since.