1474, 1592, 2907 UNITED STATES (Tennessee / North Carolina) - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (UNESCO WHS)

1474 Map of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Posted on 01.03.2015, 18.05.2015, 18.12.2016
Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a division of the Appalachian Mountains. The border between Tennessee and North Carolina runs through the centerline of the park. Before the arrival of European, the region was part of the homeland of the Cherokees. President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, beginning the forced removal of all Indian tribes east of the Mississippi River. Many of the Cherokee left, but some hid out in the area that is now the park. Some of their descendants now live in the Qualla Boundary.

1592 Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The park is a major refuge of temperate zone flora and fauna that survived the Pleistocene glaciations. The park includes the largest remnant of the diverse Arcto-Tertiary geoflora era left in the world, and provides an indication of the appearance of late Pleistocene flora. It is large enough to allow the continuing biological evolution of this system, and its biological diversity exceeds that of other temperate-zone protected areas. The park is of exceptional beauty with virgin forest including the largest block of virgin red spruce remaining on earth.

2907 John Oliver Cabin in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

It is home to more than 3,500 plant species, including almost as many trees (130 natural species) as in all of Europe. Many endangered animal species are also found there, including what is probably the greatest variety of salamanders in the world. The park contains evidence of four pre-Columbian Indian cultures: Mississippian, Woodland, Archaic and palaeo-Indian. The early Woodland culture period is of special archaeological importance because it shows the first evidence of organized horticulture in North America. More than 150 archaeological sites have been identified within the park.

2796, 2906 UKRAINE - Traditional costume of Ukraine (2)

2796

Posted on 04.10.2016, 17.12.2016
Generally, in Ukraine are recognized six ethnographic regions: Polesia, Carpathian region, Podolia, Middle Dnieper (the Ukrainian heartland), Slobidska, and the Southern or Steppe region. It must be noted that between this ethnographic regions there are no clear boundaries, so this division is rather arbitrary. From one region to another, but also within regions, particularly in the areas of contact with other peoples, traditional costumes differ substantially, but have also some common features. The costume considered Ukrainian traditional has many elements from the Middle Dnieper region.

2906

For men, traditional dress includes shirts of differing cut (Chumachka, Strilkova), Kozhukh (a sheepskin coat for winter), Kontusz, (a long robe, usually reaching to below the knees, with a set of decorative buttons down the front, and long and loose sleeves) Żupan (a long garment, always lined) and Sharovary (pants free to hips, often with assembly at the waist, collected at the bottom near the ankles). As footwear are common, in both women and men, the boots made of red or yellow leather.

2228, 2905 CZECH REPUBLIC (South Bohemia) - Jindřichův Hradec

2905 Images from Jindřichův Hradec

Posted on 18.01.2016, 17.12.2016

Located near the Austrian border, between Bohemia and Moravia, in a countryside that gradually turns from the ponds of the Třeboň Basin into the hilly horizons of the Křemešnická Highlands, Jindřichův Hradec is a town with rich history, first mentioned in 1220. In the census following the Thirty Years' War, it was the second largest city in the Kingdom of Bohemia. A geographical attraction is that the fifteenth meridian goes right through the centre of the town.

2228 Jindřichův Hradec Castle

The oldest part of the town with the castle is reflected in the waters of two ponds called the Vajgar and the Malý Vajgar (Small Vajgar), which are fed with water from the Hamerský brook and from the left tributary stream of the Nežárka River, which flows through the town. The castle (Gothic at the beginning, then gradually rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau in the 16th century) is the third largest in the country, after those in Prague and Český Krumlov.

2904 ROMANIA (Bucharest) - Central University Library in Bucharest

When the University of Bucharest was created in 1864, there was no central university library; this role was played by the Central State Library of Bucharest until 1895. That institution was moved to and housed in the university building, and in 1867 was specially reorganised for the university's needs by the scholar August Treboniu Laurian. The present Central University Library was founded in 1895 as the Carol I Library of the University Foundation. It was built on land bought by King Carol I of Romania for the Carol I University Foundation and designed by French architect Paul Gottereau.

0865, 2903 NETHERLANDS (Netherlands / North Holland) - Traditional costume of Volendam

0865 Two little girls from Volendam
in traditional costumes

Posted on 17.11.2013, 17.12.2016
In a song is said that "anyone who wants to see the real beauty of Holland, goes to Volendam". As a result of its insulated location, but also because of the fishermen's vitality, this village preserved its character for six centuries. The characteristic small houses, which together with the canals and the drawbridges form the most picturesque spots, present the visitor an atmosphere of geniality and romance. No wonder that in the early part of the 20th century it became something of an artists' retreat, with Picasso and Renoir spending time here. Volendam is also well known for its traditional clothing, still worn by some residents.

2903 People from Volendam in traditional costumes

The women's costume of Volendam is one of the most recognizable of the Dutch traditional costumes, and is often featured on tourist postcards (although now there aren't more than 50 women wearing the costume in their daily lives). There are three variants of the costume: the everyday costume, the Sunday go to Market costume, and the costume for special occasions, called the Bruiloftsgast (wedding guest), which is the most common these days. The foundation is a  sleeveless chemise, which don't seen when the costume is completed, and a striped petticoat, long to the ankles.

2902 MONTENEGRO - The flag of the country

The flag of Montenegro, officially adopted with the Law on the state symbols and the statehood day of Montenegro on 13 July 2004, is a red banner with broader golden edges all around the red field with the coat of arms of Montenegro in its center. The charge is a two-headed eagle which is a symbol of Byzantine and ultimately Roman origin. It symbolises dual authority, such as that over the church and state. The motif was used by medieval rulers of Zeta - the House of Crnojević, as well as various other European dynasties.

2901 UNITED STATES (California) - Downtown San Francisco

San Francisco's Downtown area saves the city from being seen simply as a series of villages. With a high concentration of cultural attractions and a substantial shopping district, its cosmopolitan character exceeds its modest size, yet the compact urban center is easy navigate on foot. To the east, the Financial District has been San Francisco's business and banking hub since the 1849 Gold Rush. The area is marked by the cluster of high-rise towers in the triangular area east of Kearny Street, south of Washington Street, west of the Embarcadero that rings the waterfront, and north of Market Street.

2899, 2900 FRANCE (Île-de-France) - Bouquinistes on the banks of the Seine - part of Paris, Banks of the Seine (UNESCO WHS)

2899 Bouquinistes on the banks of the Seine,
with Notre Dame de Paris in background

The Bouquinistes of Paris are booksellers of used and antiquarian books who ply their trade along large sections of the banks of the Seine: on the right bank from the Pont Marie to the Quai du Louvre, and on the left bank from the Quai de la Tournelle to Quai Voltaire. The Seine is thus described as "the only river in the world that runs between two bookshelves". This tradition began around the 16th century with little market peddlers. Under pressure from booksellers, a settlement of 1649 prohibited stalls and the display of books on the Pont Neuf.

2900 Bouquinistes on Tournelle Quai,
with Notre Dame de Paris in background

 

The traditional emblem of the second-hand booksellers is "a lizard looking at a sword" In 1859, concessions were implemented by the city of Paris and the bouquinistes are permitted to be established at fixed points. The openings are from sunrise to sunset. Finally, in 1930 the dimensions of the boxes were fixed. Installed along more than three kilometres of the Seine, the 240 bouquinistes make use of 900 green boxes to house some 300,000 old books and a very great number of journals, stamps and trading cards.

2898 GERMANY - German wine grapes varieties

German wine is primarily produced in the west of the country, along the river Rhine and its tributaries, with the oldest plantations going back to the Roman era. Approximately 60% of the wine production is situated in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, where 6 of the 13 regions for quality wine are situated. Germany is the eighth largest wine-producing country in the world, and white wine accounts for almost two thirds of the total production. Perhaps the most distinctive characteristic of German wines is the high level of acidity in them, caused both by the lesser ripeness in a northerly climate and by the selection of grapes which retain acidity.

2897 MALAYSIA (Sabah) - Vulcan Steam Locomotive in Sabah

The 1880's had brought about a great change in Borneo under the British Government. With the establishment of the British North Borneo Company, the so-called 'White Rajahs' as known by locals, were enabled to obtain parts of North Borneo from the Sultan of Sulu. Soon, experimental land cultivation for coffee, coconuts, tobacco, ramin and cocoa received full support from the Company and this prompted the development of better infrastructure facilities.

2896 GERMANY (Saarland) - Ludwigskirche in Saarbrücken

Ludwigskirche in Old Saarbrücken is a Lutheran baroque-style church. It is the symbol of the city and is considered to be one of the most important Protestant churches in Germany, along with the Dresden Frauenkirche and the St. Michael's Church, Hamburg. Ludwigskirche and the surrounding Ludwigsplatz (Ludwig's Square) were designed as a "complete work of art", in the sense of a baroque place royale, by Friedrich Joachim Stengel on the commission of Prince William Henry.

2894 GERMANY (Rhineland-Palatinate) - Marksburg - part of Upper Middle Rhine Valley (UNESCO WHS)

The Marksburg is a castle above the town of Braubach, the only one of the 40 hill castles which was never destroyed. The fortress was used for protection rather than as a residence for royal families. It has a striking example of a bergfried designed as a butter-churn tower, and is guarded by a series of authentic gates and drawbridges.Its Great Hall, which dates back to 1239, was constructed in the Romanesque architectural style, and its lavish state apartments now house the German Castle Association’s offices. Over two thousand years of weaponry is on display at the castle armory.

GERMANY (Rhineland-Palatinate / Hesse) - Upper Middle Rhine Valley (UNESCO WHS)

The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, popular named Rhine Gorge, is a 65 km section of the River Rhine between Koblenz and Bingen. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites for a unique combination of geological, historical, cultural and industrial reasons. Its strategic location as a transport artery and the prosperity that this engendered is reflected in its sixty small towns, the extensive terraced vineyards and the ruins of castles that once defended its trade. It is intimately associated with history and legend and for centuries has exercised a powerful influence on writers, artists and composers.

2893 HONDURAS - Sunrise in Roatán

Roatán (formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan) is an island in the Caribbean, the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras, located between Útila and Guanaja. It is approximately 77km long, and less than 8km across at its widest point. The island rests on an exposed ancient coral reef, rising to about 270m above sea level. Most habitation is in the western half of the island. The most populous town is Coxen Hole, located in the southwest. The easternmost quarter of the island is separated by a channel through the mangroves that is 15m wide on average.

2895 UNITED STATES (California) - Chief Lemee from Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Valley was a protected area (at least theoretically) since 1864, but even in the early 20th century was very little visited, due to the  transport difficulties. In order to encourage families to visit, many activities were planned in 1920's, among which was the presentation of Indian culture through dance performances in traditional dress, basket-making demonstrations and sales, and a event called Indian Field Days. During this period Chris Brown began his dances, under the name Chief Lemee.

0093, 0223, 0774, 1330, 2892 UNITED KINGDOM (England) - Stonehenge - part of Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites (UNESCO WHS)

2892 Stonehenge during a storm

Posted on 08.01.2012, 26.05.2012, 30.07.2013, 09.11.2014, 05.12.2016
I don't know if Stonehenge is the most important megalithic construction which survived the history, but certainly is the best known and most intensively researched. Located in the county of Wiltshire, at about 13km north of Salisbury, in the middle of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds, Stonehenge assembly consists of four concentric circles made of standing stones set within earthworks.

2892 Stonehenge during a storm (left)

 

The outer circle (Sarsen Circle), about 33m in diameter, was originally comprised of 30 neatly trimmed upright sandstone blocks (of which only 17 are now standing), above which were placed as lintels some other blocks, circular arc-shaped. Inside is another circle of eggplant stone blocks. They surround a horseshoe-shaped arrangement, built also of eggplant stone, within which is a sandstone slab mecacee called the Altar Stone.

2892 Stonehenge during a storm (center)

The whole construction is surrounded by a circular ditch measuring 104m in diameter. Inside stands a sandbank which contains 56 tombs, known as the Aubrey holes (named after the discoverer). The embankment and the ditch are intersected by a processional path 23m wide and almost 3km long, Stonehenge Avenue, which connects Stonehenge with the River Avon, and the small henge on its bank, discovered in 2008, at West Amesbury. 

2892 Stonehenge during a storm (right)

Near the entrance to the Avenue is Slaughter Stone (a fallen sarsen that once stood upright with one or two other stones across the entrance causeway), and on the other side is the Heelstone, a single huge unshaped sarsen boulder. The main axis of the stones is aligned upon the solstitial axis. At midsummer, the sun rises over the horizon to the north-east, close to the Heel Stone. At midwinter, the sun sets in the south-west, in the gap between the two tallest trilithons, one of which has now fallen.

0223 Stonehenge at sunset

With regard to construction's purpose, opinions are divided, the most important theories circulated claiming that Stonehenge have served as a burial ground, as a place of healing, as part of a ritual landscape or have a celestial observatory function. Even I'm not historian, may have my own opinion, isn't it? Personally I believe that the people who have built it (between 3100 and 1600 BC) just don't thinking like us, ie they not separate the sides of existence as we do, but they viewed things globally.

0774 Stonehenge in summertime

Surrounding universe didn't have for them a sacred dimension and a profran one, but life, death, nature, cosmos, divinity was closely entwined, forming a inseparable whole. As a result I don't think there was a space where they worshiped gods, another in which they buried the dead, another in which they made astronomical observations and so on, but there was only one site (like Stonehenge) which served all these types of activities. Anyway, many aspects of Stonehenge remain subject to debate.

1330 Stonehenge in springtime

 

Throughout the 20th century, Stonehenge began to be revived as a place of religious significance, this time by adherents of Neopagan and New Age beliefs, particularly the Neo-druids. The historian Ronald Hutton would later remark that "it was a great, and potentially uncomfortable, irony that modern Druids had arrived at Stonehenge just as archaeologists were evicting the ancient Druids from it." The first such Neo-druidic group to make use of the megalithic monument was the Ancient Order of Druids, who performed a mass initiation ceremony there in August 1905.

0093 Stonehenge in wintertime

Between 1972 and 1984, Stonehenge was the site of the Stonehenge Free Festival, culminating with the summer solstice on or near June 21. It emerged as the major free festival in the calendar after the violent suppression of the Windsor Free Festival in August 1974. After the Battle of the Beanfield in 1985, this use of the site was stopped for several years and ritual use of Stonehenge is now heavily restricted. Some Druids have arranged an assembling of monuments styled on Stonehenge in other parts of the world as a form of Druidist worship.