Visit to the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

We are finally backed from our trip in Spain. It was a long and tiring trip we had but it was all worth-it. It was again another dream came true when I visited Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia region. This city is also the second largest in Spain after Madrid. This is another interesting city I visited in Europe. A day trip in this city is not enough to see everything. This is also the reason why I would love to visit it again in the future.

One of the sights we visited was the Sagrada Familia. This famous architecture  commissioned by Antonio Gaudi is now listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site since November 2010. This architecture is truly amazing. Called as Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family or Basílica y Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia in Spanish, this is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona.

I am still quite tired from our Spain trip. For now, I would just like to share some images taken from Barcelona. More travel stories and updates to come in my other travel blogs below;

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View of the Nativity façade during our day trip to Barcelona last July 14, 2012.

a detail of the  Nativity part of Sagrada Familia. 

The style of la Sagrada Familia is variously likened to Spanish Late Gothic, Catalan Modernism and to Art Nouveau or Catalan Noucentisme. While the Sagrada Família falls within the Art Nouveau period, Nikolaus Pevsner points out that, along with Charles Rennie Macintosh in Glasgow, Gaudí carried the Art Nouveau style far beyond its usual application as a surface decoration. wikipedia.

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St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest, Hungary

It was already my second visit to Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. The first time I visit this city was in summer 2011. During my second visit lately, I was with friends who are touring Europe. It was a lot of fun and I believed a very memorable trip for all of us.

One of the sights we visited was St. Stephen's Basilica.It is a Roman Catholic basilica in honour of Stephen, the first King of Hungary (c 975–1038), whose mummified fist is housed in the reliquary.

St. Stephen's Basilica is one of the most important tourist spots in Hungary. It is also the third highest building in Hungary.

After taking some photos of this  building, we proceeded our walk to Buda castle.

 The rear view of the Basilica taken during our trip last June 3, 2012.

St. Stephen's Basilica has a width of 55 metres (180 ft), and length of 87.4 metres (287 ft). It was completed in 1905 after 54 years of construction, according to the plans of Miklós Ybl, and was completed by József Kauser.

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Visit to Strasbourg Cathedral, France

I chose randomly again the place that I will be featuring in this Europe travel blog. This time I want to introduce Strasbourg, the capital of the Alsace region of France. Some hours sightseeing is not enough to see everything in this city but I am glad that I was there and was able to experience some of its sights. One of it is the famous Strasbourg Cathedral.

Also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg and called in French as Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg, in German as Liebfrauenmünster zu Straßburg, is a Roman Catholic Cathedral in this city. It is considered to be one of the finest example of late Gothic architecture. Some of its parts are in Romanesque architecture. It's construction started in 1015 and was completed in 1439.

Don't miss to go inside once you are there and take a look of its 18-metre astronomical clock, one of the largest in the world.

The Strasbourg Cathedral during our visit last December 2010.

the interior of the Cathedral.

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I'm Going Back to Spain!

I did not expect that I can go back to Spain soon. Yes, I already had a confirmation of my plane ticket. Thanks to a friend's connection who gave me the chance to be there. I did not believed that within a span of three months I can go back there again. My first trip to Spain was last December 2011 and next month I will be there again. This time it will be a work and travel adventure. With my one and a half months stay there, I wish to explore more of Spain. I am very happy when my friend told me that my trip was confirmed already. I am quite excited about it. I am more excited because I will be staying in Spain's capital city of Madrid. Imagine that? God always finds a way in making all my dreams and wishes slowly coming true. Thank you dear Lord for all your goodness to me. Thank you so much for everything!

the Almudena Cathedral during our visit last December 10, 2011.

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Cruising in Danube by Esztergom, Hungary

Our cruise in Danube river from Esztergom to Visegrad was included in our Hungary trip last August 2011. It was a wonderful cruise seeing beautiful landscapes and nature around. Don't you know that Danube River, called in German as Donau is the second longest river in Europe next to Volga? Yes, it is and I am happy and contented to once again experience a cruise in this famous river of Europe.

Esztergom, a city in northern Hungary. It is a historical city located 46 km north-west of the capital Budapest. It is known to be the capital of Hungary from the 10th till the mid-13th century when King Béla IV of Hungary moved the royal seat to Buda.

Danube river in Esztergom, Hungary. The image here is the Esztergom Basilica, the largest church cathedral in Hungary. This was taken during our cruise last August 2011.

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The Westminster Abbey in London, England

I might not be able to witness personally the wedding of Prince William and Kate today, April 29, 2011 in London, England but I am appy to see once in my life the church where their wedding took place.

The Westminster Abbey, also called as The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster is a church with a Gothic architecture. It is located in Westminster, London, England (UK), located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster.

I had a wonderful trip in England last Autumn 2008 and one of the sights I enabled to visit was the historical Westminster Abbey. More updates to come soon!

Lastly, best wishes to the newly wed, Prince William and Kate. Thanks to the live program of ZDF. I was able to watch almost the whole ceremony.

taking a pose at Westminster Abbey in London, England. I was there!

The Westminster Abbey is a traditional place of coronation and burial site for English, later British and later still (and currently) monarchs of the Commonwealth realms. The abbey is a Royal Peculiar and briefly held the status of a cathedral from 1546 to 1556.

taken during my three weeks vacation in England last 2008. I am happy to be there! Thanks to my friend Dae Loy for taking pictures of me. truly appreciated!

The wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine "Kate" Middleton began at Westminster Abbey on Friday, 29 April 2011 at 11:00 am BST (UTC+1). Prince William, who is second in the British line of Succesion to Queen Elizabeth II, first met Middleton in 2001, while both were students at the University of St Andrews. Their engagement, which began on 20 October 2010, was announced on 16 November 2010. wikipedia.

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The Regensburg Cathedral in Bavaria, Germany

The Regensburger Dom or Regensburg Cathedral is a prime example of Gothic architecture in southern Germany. It is dedicated to St. Peter and considered to be the famous landmark of the city Regensburg in the state of Bavaria, Germany.

view of Regensburg Cathedral in the foreground the Donau or Danube River. taken during our visit last August 2010.

The Cathedral is also the burial place of important bishops, including Johann Michael von Sailer (1829-1832, memorial built by Konrad Eberhard in the south chancel), Georg Michael Wittmann (1832-1833, memorial also by Konrad Eberhard in the north chancel), and Archbishop Michael Buchberger (1927-1961, likewise in the north chancel). In the western part of the central nave stands a bronze memorial for the Prince-Bishop Cardinal Philipp Wilhelm (d. 1598), the brother of Duke Maximilian I of Bavaria. wikipedia

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Sightseeing in Kallmünz, Bavaria, Germany

Kallmünz is a municipality in the district of Regensburg in the state of Bavaria, Germany. It is a beautiful small medieval town situated at the Naab river. It is situated around 15 kilometers from Hohenfels, where the JMRC training of the U.S. Army is located.

The image below was taken as we were on our way to the castle ruins in Kallmünz. You can also see the tower of St. Michael's Church on the right side. River Naab is also visible on the background. The ruins of the Kallmünz Castle is the main attraction in this area.

this image was taken during our visit last May 2010.

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St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Czech Republic

Let's go travel again in Europe. I am trying to remember our trip to Prague, Czech Republic last three years ago. It was a very short trip but at least we were able to see a lot in this city. Prague is the capital and largest city of Czech Republic.

One of the sights we visited was the Cathedral of St. Vitus. It is a Roman Roman Catholic cathedral and has an excellent example of Gothic architecture. It is located within Prague castle. Its full name is St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral. The present day Gothic Cathedral was founded on 21st of November, 1344, when the Prague bishopric was raised to an archbishopric.

St. Vitus Cathedral is situated entirely within the Prague Castle complex.
This was taken during our trip last September 2008.

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St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria

It is more than three years now since I had a trip in Vienna, Austria with a friend. It was actually an adventure which is full of excitement. One of the sights we visited in Vienna is the St. Stephen Cathedral. It is one of the city's most recognizable symbols and is really worth to visit.

taken last June 2007 during our trip in Vienna, Austria.

The church was dedicated to St. Stephen, who was also the patron of the bishop's cathedral in Passau, and so was oriented toward the sunrise on his feast day of 26 December, as the position stood in the year that construction began. Built of limestone, the cathedral is 107 meters (350 ft) long, 40 meters (131 ft) wide, and 136 meters (445 ft) tall at its highest point. Over the centuries, soot and other forms of air pollution accumulating on the church have given it a black color, but recent restoration projects have again returned the building to its original white. wikipedia.

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My Euro Travel in Passau, Germany

Passau is a also known as the City of Three Rivers. It is located in Lower Bavaria, Germany. This city is very historical considering that in 5000 BC, the earliest evidence of human habitation was found in Passau region. Its historical old town also reflects the beauty of this city.

I had been to this city thrice and if given the chance to visit it again, I will surely do. Here are some images I took during our visit last November 2009. Never miss to have a boat trip when you visit Passau.

This is a part of the Domplatz (Cathedral Square) in Passau's Stephansdom

The New Residence (Neue Residenz in German) on the left side, served as a palace of the prince bishops since its completion in 1730. The building with towers in the middle is the St. Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral) with its Gothic architecture. The fountain in front is called the Wittelsbacher Fountain.

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St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican, Rome, Italy

I felt honored everytime I remember our visit to Rome especially at the St. Peter's Basilica. It was truly an overwhelming feeling. Here are some information and images of this famous religious architecture.

The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter (Latin: Basilica Sancti Petri), officially known in Italian as the Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St. Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. St. Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people. It is regarded as one of the holiest Catholic sites. It has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".

view of St. Peter's Square and you can see St. Peter's Basilica at the backgound.

In Catholic tradition, the basilica is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession. Tradition and some historical evidence hold that Saint Peter's tomb is directly below the altar of the basilica. For this reason, many Popes have been interred at St Peter's since the Early Christian period. There has been a church on this site since the 4th century. Construction of the present basilica, over the old Constantinian basilica, began on April 18, 1506 and was completed on November 18, 1626.

the Dome of the Basilica. It was brought to completion by Giacomo della Porta and Fontana.

In Catholic tradition, the basilica is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession. Tradition and some historical evidence hold that Saint Peter's tomb is directly below the altar of the basilica. For this reason, many Popes have been interred at St Peter's since the Early Christian period. There has been a church on this site since the 4th century. Construction of the present basilica, over the old Constantinian basilica, began on April 18, 1506 and was completed on November 18, 1626.

there were a lot of people during our visit. It took us about two hours to go inside and climb the top of the dome. If you have fear in heights or close space and heart problems, be careful when climbing the 320 steps or you better not.

St. Peter's is famous as a place of pilgrimage, for its liturgical functions and for its historical associations. It is associated with the papacy, with the Counter-reformation and with numerous artists, most significantly Michelangelo. As a work of architecture, it is regarded as the greatest building of its age. Contrary to popular misconception, Saint Peter's is not a cathedral, as it is not the seat of a bishop. It is properly termed a papal basilica. The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral church of Rome. continue here

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St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, Rome, Italy

It was a dream come true visiting another beautiful city in Europe. Vatican City, a city within a city is where you can see the famous St. Peter's Basilica. I can't believed it myself when I see this historical place in person. I thought it was only in my dream but that dream came true. This is one of the cities in the world that I always wanted to visit. I am very grateful that I was finally there!

The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter, known in as the Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano, has a Late Renaissance architecture. It is a famous place for pilgrimage. You can also see in this cathedral the famous work of art of Michelangelo.

Here are some images I took during our visit last August 2010.

Saint Peter's Square and the St. Peter's Basilica in the background in Vatican City in Rome, Italy.

the Cupola or the Dome of Saint Peter's Cathedral. taken during our trip to Rome from August 11-14, 2010. We climbed the top of the cupola. It has 551 steps to reach it.

The interior of St. Peter's Basilica.
An amazing architecture!

In Catholic tradition, the basilica is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession. Tradition and some historical evidence hold that Saint Peter's tomb is directly below the altar of the basilica. For this reason, many Popes have been interred at St Peter's since the Early Christian period. There has been a church on this site since the 4th century. Construction of the present basilica, over the old Constantinian basilica, began on April 18, 1506 and was completed on November 18, 1626. more here

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St. Mary's Chapel in Würzburg, Germany

St. Mary's Chapel, called in German as Marienkapelle is a Gothic architecture in Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany. It is located in the Market Square in this city. It was built between 1377 and 1440. You can find the grave of Balthasar Neumann (1687-1753), a famous Baroque architect in the church.

taken during my second visit in Würzburg last August 2010.

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Danube River by Regensburg, Germany

It seems that the sky is so cloudy in my image here. The river that you see in the photo below is called Danube, also known as Donau in German. It is considered to be the longest river that flows the European Union countries and the second longest in the whole of Europe next to Volga. Danube River also flows in many of Germany's cities and towns. Some of which include Regensburg, Passau, Kelheim, Donauwörth, Deggendorf , Neuburg an der Donau, Ehingen, Tuttlingen, Munderkingen, Straubing and some other more.

The image I took below is the Danube river that flows in Regensburg, a city in Bavaria, Germany. You can also see the towers of the famous landmark of Regensburg which is the Cathedral of St. Peter. The historical bridge on the right side of the image is considered to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Danube River that flows along Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany

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St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic

Let's go travel Europe again! I am done sharing some places from Germany, Paris, London, Austria and etcetera. I guess this time, let's go to Prague again. I shared some images from Prague, Czech Republic in my previous entries here. I am sharing today about St, Vitus Cathedral, a Roman Catholic cathedral in Prague, and the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. We had a visit in this capital city of Czech Republic last September 2008. This Cathedral is located within Prague Castle. It is a Gothic architecture and considered to be the biggest and most important church in this country.

I am not so sure if we will be visiting this church again this coming summer. We will see and of course I will share about it here. Here is the south view of St. Vitus Cathedral taken during our visit last 2008. Feel free to click the image for a bigger view.
St. Vitus, The Gothic Cathedral

The present day Gothic Cathedral was founded on 21st of November, 1344, when the Prague bishopric was raised to an archbishopric. Its patrons were the chapter of cathedral (led by a Dean), the Archbishop Arnost of Pardubice, and, above all, Charles IV, King of Bohemia and a soon-to-be Holy Roman Emperor, who intended the new cathedral to be a coronation church, family crypt, treasury for the most precious relics of the kingdom, and the last resting place cum pilgrimage site of patron saint Wenceslaus. The first master builder was a Frenchman Matthias of Arras, summoned from the papal palace in Avignon. Matthias designed the overall layout of the building as, basically, an import of French Gothic: a triple-naved basilica with flying buttresses, short transept, five-bayed choir and decagon apse with ambulatory and radiating chapels. However, he lived to build only the easternmost parts of the choir: the arcades and the ambulatory. The slender verticality of Late French Gothic and clear, almost rigid respect of proportions distinguish his work today. wikipedia

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Easter Decos in St. Ullrich Church, Hohenfels in Bavaria, Germany

Good day everyone! The month of April is finally here! Since it is Easter week, I would like to share these pictures taken in St. Ullrich Church, Hohenfels in Bavaria, Germany. I took this image when I went to the bank last Tuesday which is located near the church. I also went inside the church to lit some candles and offered some prayers.

In Europe, Easter Bunny and Easter egg hunts have beocme part of the holidays's modern celebrations by many Christians as well as non-Christians. There are also some Christian denominations who do not celebrate Easter.

the Easter Egg decoration near the Forrelenbachtal and St. Ullrich Church in Hohenfels

the amazing frescos of the Church's ceiling is one of the features of the Church. It was painted by the famous [painters Asam brothers.

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My Euro Travel in Venice, Italy

It has been almost four years now since the last time I visited Venice or Venezia in Italy. I had been to this city twice already. The first time was in October 2005 and the second time was in April 2006. I don't have much pictures that time because I was still not a camera or photo addict until 2007. I have here a picture of St. Mark Cathedral or San Marco Basilica as it is called by Italian. Please find below a little history of this Cathedral.

picture I took during my second visit in Venice, Italy last April 2006

The building of St. Mark's Cathedral

The first St Mark's was a temporary building in the Doge's Palace, constructed in 828, when Venetian merchants stole the supposed relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria. This was replaced by a new church on its present site in 832; from the same century dates the first St Mark's Campanile (bell tower). The new church was burned in a rebellion in 976, rebuilt in 978 and again to form the basis of the present basilica since 1063. The basilica was consecrated in 1094, the same year in which the body of Saint Mark was supposedly rediscovered in a pillar by Vitale Faliero, doge at the time. The building also incorporates a low tower (now housing St Mark’s Treasure), believed by some to have been part of the original Doge's Palace. Within the first half of the 13th century the narthex and the new façade were constructed, most of the mosaics were completed and the domes were covered with higher wooden, lead-covered domes in order to blend in with the Gothic architecture of the redesigned Doge's Palace. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mark%27s_Basilica

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The Biggest Cathedral Organ in St. Stephan's Cathedral in Passau, Germany

Have you seen the biggest Church Organ outside of United States? If not this is the chance for you to see it now. I visited Passau twice already and St. Stephan's Cathedral is one of our target. St. Stephan's Cathedral, or "Dom St. Stephan" in German, is a baroque church from 1688 in Passau, Germany. It is the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Passau and the main church of his diocese.

I was amazed by the architecture of this Church especially the inside part of it. Watch out for more pictures next time.

Behind me is the biggest Church Organ outside of US and the biggest Cathedral Organ in the world.

Since 730, there have been many churches built on the site of the current cathedral. The current church, a baroque building around 100 metres (328 ft) long, was built from 1668 to 1693 after a fire in 1662 destroyed its predecessor, of which only the late gothic eastern side remains. The cathedral's overall plan was made by Carlo Lurago, its interior decoration by Giovanni Battista Carlone, and its frescos by Carpoforo Tencalla.

Over time, the Passau Cathedral has acquired the largest organ outside of the United States. It is also the largest cathedral organ in the world. The organ currently has 17,774 pipes and 233 registers, all of which can be played with the five-manual general console in the gallery.

The cathedral has eight large bells in the bell rooms in the north and south towers. The heaviest,"Pummerin" at 7550 kg cast in 1952 and "Sturmerin" weighing 5300 kg cast in 1733 hang in the south tower. The other six bells hang in the north tower. They include: "Misericordia" weighing 6000 kg, the Angelus bell, "Predigerin", "Elfuhrglocken", the Choir bell, and "Dignitar". A ninth bell, the "Zeichenglocke" hangs near the sacristy door. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Stephan%27s_Cathedral,_Passau

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