The Hallgrimskirkja is a Lutheran parish church in Reykjavik, Iceland. It is located at the top of shopping street Skolavordustigur, Reykjavik. Rising 74.5 m (244 ft), Hallgrimskirkja is the tallest building in Iceland. The statue in front of the church represents Leif Eriksson, son of Erik the Red.

You can see here a part of the organ, which is composed of 5200 pipes. Between mid-June and mid-August you can hear this mighty beast in action three times per week at lunchtime/evening concerts.

It built in 1974 and structure remember a basaltic mountain. The structure in a heroic, nationalist style to replace an earlier church that was destroyed by fire.

The 18th century witnessed terrible misery among Icelanders in the wake of enormous volcanic eruptions, resulting in drastic climate changes and destruction of grazing fields.

Lulworth Cove is a cove near the village of West Lulworth southern England.West Lulworth lies near the coast between the Isle of Purbeck and Weymouth. Lulworth is included amongst England’s UNESCO sites and its World Heritage. Lulworth Cove was formed approximately 10,000 years ago by the awesome powers of a river and the sea.

At Lulworth Cove, there is the famous Fossil Forest. The area supports a remarkable array of diverse natural life, particularly butterflies. There are glauconitic sandstones, sponge chert, cyclical Chalk, oil sands, lignite, ostracods, stromatolites, crocodile and fish teeth, an oyster bed, a transgressive marine pebble bed, a fluvial channel conglomerate, phosphatic strata, carbonate breccias, charophyte limestones etc.

At the western point of Lulworth Cove is Stair Hole, a series of arches formed by the action of the sea on the soft Portland and Purbeck limestone. Also Lulworth Cove is famous with the Lulworth Crumple, Durdle Door and and Man o’War, just a short walk away over the surrounding Hills to the west.

Lulworth beach provides a great place to relax where you can swim in the cove, take a boat trip, or just take in the stunning scenery. There are pubs, restaurants, cafes and beaches all within easy walking distance!

The Church of Our Lady of the Pillar is near the River Ebro in the province of Zaragoza, west of Barcelona on the coast of Spain. It is reputed to be the first Church dedicated to Mary in history. The location is considered the birthplace of Christianity in Spain and has been the destination of pilgrims for hundreds of years.

The architecture is of baroque style, and the present building was predominantly built between 1681 and 1872. Zaragoza is some Islamic architectural influence which means there are more mosaics and more colors.

The statue and pillar have been preserved however for almost 2000 years. Numerous healings throughout the ages have been attributed to the Virgin by those visiting the site seeking her help.

According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared miraculously to Saint James the Great in the 1st century, standing on a pillar.This legend is commemorated by a famous Catholic basilica called Nuestra Señora del Pilar (”Our Lady of the Pillar”). Her feast day is also celebrated every 12th of October.
For centuries, rivers of pilgrims have continued to visit the Shrine of Saragossa.

The Giant’s Causeway is a World Heritage site, National Nature Reserve and Northern Ireland’s premier tourist attraction. It is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea.  Formed between 50 and 60 million years ago, takes its name from the legends of Finn MacCool. Known to the Irish as the 8th Wonder of the World.

There are 15 miles of footpaths along the Causeway Coastline, owned and maintained by the National Trust. The formation of the Giant’s Causeway was due to intense volcanic activity. Lava welling up through fissures in the chalk bed formed a -lava plateau.

Within the nature reserve, a series of paths run between the visitor centre at Causeway Head and Hamilton’s Seat.
Most of the columns are hexagonal, although there are also some with four, five, seven and eight sides, the tallest are about 12 metres.

Sea birds can be seen off the coast around the Causeway, with species such as fulmar, petrel, cormorant, shag, redshank guillemot and razorbill being frequently observed.

Abu Darwish Mosque is one of the nice mosques of Amman, Jordan. It was built in 1961 on top of Jebel al-Ashrafiyeh. With unmistakable alternating layers of black and white stone, inside it can pray more than 7000 people. Non-Muslims are generally not permitted inside, but the views on the way up are good. Inside the mosque there is a small Islamic Museum.

Yasawa Islands sits majestically to the north of the Mamanucas Archipelago, and are much less commercially orientated than their southern cousins. They are consisting of 16 larger islands and dozen of smaller ones. They are impressive islands, with breathtaking beaches and enchanting fishing villages, which provide an opportunity to observe the traditional way of life. These islands offer plenty for everybody, from fabulous beaches and clear lagoons to exclusive resorts for the well-heeled. Photo by: msdstefan

The islands have been a popular cruise destination from the 1950s, but land-based tourism was forbidden. Since then the popularity of the islands has been growing and they moved from back-packer heaven to mainstream destination. New development is unavoidable, but the wonderful island scenery has not been touched and there is more than enough coastline to go around. Resort are tend to be isolated. most of the island villages are without electricity or running water. But there is fresh water everywhere, so the locals know how to survive. Photo by: ryanocerous1979

Indeed many of the resort are owned and operated by friendly islanders, retaining a rustic charm that combines with the majestic scenery to ensure the visitors Yasawas feel because they discover the real ‘South Pacific’. Photo by: Alasdair Milne

When to go: Any time, there is no specific period hot and dry conditions predominate, with cool nights. Population: 6,000. Getting there: From Lautoka by fast catamaran (2-4 hours) or seaplane (20 minutes). Arrange it all upon arrival at Nadi International Airport. Photo by: ryanocerous1979

Hallstatt is a small picturesque village around 80 km away from Salzburg and is one of the most visited towns in Austria (beside Salzburg and Vienna). Surrounded by steep mountains, situated on the shores of Lake Hallstatt, it is described as one of the most picturesque towns in all of Europe. Since more than 7000 years people are living here. It’s a major archeological landmark and since 1996 is recognized by the UNESCO as world heritage.

 
Visitors to Hallstatt and vicinity will find ancient salt mines, ice caves, culture museums and more. Hallstatt can be walked end-to-end in about 15 minutes, so choices of restaurants are limited, but for a traditional meal of schnitzel, knudel, and local bier try the Hetthaler. There are many Things to do: visit the Salt mine and Ice caves, see the bone chamber, go for hikes, enjoy a quiet night in a pension beside the lake.

The Museum of Quai Branly is a hybrid museum mixing post-colonial and postmodern. The museum is an attempt to merge art and ethnography. It is neither the Louvre nor the Musée de l’Homme. Quai Branly plays a role in transmission not only of knowledge, but also of testimony and emotion, offering visitors a choice of possibilities for taking part in a dialogue of cultures.

The museum boasts with an unusual profile from Jean Nouvel’s sienna-toned cubes piercing the postured exterior to the anti-gravitational plant wall by Patrick Blanc,. Entering through a Jurassic garden, the visitor commences on a winding tour through Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.

Shows, music salons, master classes… the museum of Quai Branly is ready to transport you to all four corners of the world, from Morocco to Brazil, from India to Mexico, to discover other cultures and unique artists. As well as a school for documentary filmmaking in the tradition of the direct cinema of Jean Rouch, Richard Leacock and Fred Wiseman, Varan proposes an evening of screenings every three months at the museum.

The gallery installation (one critic dubbed the spotlit cases “monster lighting”) can be disorienting, swiftly shifting between tribes and continents with hidden text panels and interactive stations. That said, the 3,500 objects (out of a total 30,000) on permanent display are incredible. With a little perseverance, you might actually learn about them.

Getting there: The location of the museum Rue 37 Quai Branl 75007 Paris and there is easy access to the museum, by car/metro/bus. Entry to the museum is via rue de l’Université or via Quai Branly.

Suomenlinna or Viapori (Finnish), or Sveaborg (Swedish), is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands, today within Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The Sea fortress Suomenlinna is a unique architectural monument, a popular recreation area and museum. Although the island is located off the coast of Helsinki, it is part of the city. The Fortress was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage in 1991!

Suomenlinna Sea Fortress was built over 250 years ago and once had a population of 4600, larger than the population of Helsinki at the time. The Swedish crown commenced the construction of the fortress in 1748 as protection against Russian expansionism. All the effort didn’t hinder the Russians taking over in 1808. Finally in 1918 the Fortress became Finnish. Nowadays it is a popular park with museums, interesting flora and beaches.

Today, the island is inhabited by 1000 residents and so you will see some kids biking around. There is a big Visitor Center, which has a 25 minute “multi-vision show” and computers about the fortress.

There are plenty of nice spots for a picnic and you can also swim and sunbathe in various locations on the island – be prepared to walk a bit though. The trip to the fortress in Suomenlinna could be carried out by using the inter-island connecting motor boat from the Port in Katajanokanlaituri.

Cocos Islands are discovered in 1609, they were settled and owned by a single family from 1872 until the Australian Government acquired them in 1978. A pristine white beach is so typical of the beautiful Cocos Islands. The 27 coral islands are formed into two large, heavily vegetated atolls. They are the only atolls that Darwin ever visited but the coral ecosystem remains intact – and you can still see in their pristine conditions, exactly why they played such an important part in his theory of evolution.

North Keeling, set apart from the other islands, isn’t even inhabited, but you can come across extreme rarities like the Cocos buff-banded rail, robber land crabs, and both green and hawksbill turtles among other wonders, under its protection as Pulu Keeling National Park.

The Cocos islanders live on Home and West Islands, both given over to copra and coconut plantations that only add to their tropical glamour. There is no tourist industry at all. Wild place populated with divers and kite-surfers. However there are facilities for visitors, sponsored by the islanders who take in personal interest everyone who come. If you happen to be there, you are welcome to participate in the school fete, sports day or concert night. The tradition of hospitality is both, Australian and Malay.

The islanders, as much as the islands themselves, have retained a form of unpolluted innocence, and share a mutual respect that visitors immediately respond to. These islands are a dreamscape worthy to travel for.
When to go: Year-round. The winds last from April to September. But between that period the islands is second home for professional kite maniacs. Rain is most intense between March and July and usually falls in the evening after long sunny day. Population: 446. Getting there: By air, from Perth, to West Island, Cocos Islands. Photos by: Christian Bartens

Wachau is one of the most prominent tourist destinations of Lower Austria , located precisely between the towns of Melk and Krems. It is 30 km in length and was already settled in prehistoric times. It preserves in an intact and visible form many traces – in terms of architecture, urban design, and agricultural use, principally for the cultivation of vines. The Wachau was added to the UNESCO list of world heritage sites in recognition of its architectural and agricultural history.

The Wachau with its mighty Baroque Abbey Melk and the collegiate church of Dürnstein with its famous blue tower.

The Wachau is an excellent example of a river landscape surrounded by hills, where the material evidence of the long history of development is still preserved to an astonishing degree.

Human settlement in the Wachau started already during Palaeolithic times, which is documented by a number of cultural founds. From the 1st to the 5th century the Danube formed the northern border of the Roman Empire.

The new extravagant hotel Roomz is a fresh spot for nightlife and meeting point for modern people who want to experience dynamic, sophisticated and affordable city life whether travelling for business or pleasure. In “Roomz” you will find a cool design in spatial dynamics, innovative architecture and ingenious functionality, as well as a multitude of amenities for a reasonable price.   

The hotel has 312 beds with ideal location in the heart of the new Wiener Gasometers business and office centre. The “Roomz Vienna” offers extraordinary holiday for business travellers with relaxing atmosphere and a lot of comfort. The hotel offers excellent travel connections, high-speed internet access, air conditioning, flat-screen televisions in the rooms and a large parking garage – amenities required by today’s travellers.

The hotel was built in nine months. Dynamic times naturally lead to dynamic developments. This factor is reflected in the astonishing pace of construction of the “Roomz Vienna”. On 6 June 2007, less than a year after breaking ground, the hotel was opened with highly motivated and keen personnel. The hotel will absolutely pique the senses of “people in motion”, thanks to the archisphere architects group – architects & designers with Gabriel  Kacerovsky.

Getting there: It is located near the Gasometer, an architecturally interesting residential and shopping complex housed in gigantic old gas containers, so guests won’t feel so isolated out here in Simmering. But no worries, the subway takes you straight into the heart of the city.

The Kirche St. Leopold is an extraordinary monument, which sits high atop the Baumgartner Hohe at the city outskirts. Locals people jokingly say to this splendid site as ‘Mount Lemon‘, because of the church’s shining gilded dome that beckons from afar. This new masterpiece was built by architect Otto Wagner from 1903–07 on the grounds of Vienna’s Steinhof psychiatric hospital. Planned for the use of patients, many of the church’s salient design features fascinatingly address the special concern for hygiene prevalent at the time.

The church interior was entirely cloth in tiles to allow for easy cleaning; the pews were given rounded edges to minimize injuries; and holy water dispensed by a drip rather than the traditional stoup, for fear of infection.

The ornamentation of the Kirche St Leopold encapsulates the quintessential spirit of the Jugendstil, while Otto Wagner’s open floor plan foreshadows the onset of modernism. You will never miss the beautiful stained glass windows and mosaics by artist Koloman Moser, one of the founders of the Vienna Secession.

Islands, islands everywhere – hundred of them in the Mindanao Island group, of which is the largest by far is ‘big daddy’ Mindanao at 97,500 sq km. Mindanao is the centre of Islam in the Philippines, though it is now the island’s minority religion. Even so the struggle to secure an independent Muslim state on the island has been taking place for centuries and continues to these days. Photo by: frankeys creation

Mindanao is located at the mos southerly and easterly point in the Philippines. The island has a unique character that makes it seem very different from the rest of the Philippines. It is also a land between modern and traditional. Photo by: sweetcaroline?

The thriving industrial centre that is Davao City certainly belongs to the 21st century, as do the many intensive agri-businesses producing commodities like pineapples and meat. But once away from centres of population in the largely unspoiled back country, adventurous visitors will find themselves in a nature – lovers paradise and will be fascinated by the timeless way of life. Rich flora and fauna, astonishing attractions, stunning coastlines and islands, white sand beaches, crystal water, different ethnic communities with colourful festivals – all combine to make Mindanao a popular tourist destination. Photo by: anggebarcelona

There is more than enough of Mindanao to go round, but despite awareness of the importance of eco -tourism, some of the new facilities will seem intrusive to those who prefer things just the way they were. Photo by: rempleo (in a cocoon)

When to go: Any time – there is no significant wet or dry season and the climate is pleasant all year round. Population: 18,134,000. Getting there: Fly in to the recently upgraded Davao City international airport. You should know: Davao City is the world’s largest by area, at the last count sprawling out over 2,450 sq km and still growing. Photo by: Storm Crypt

Centrale Bibliotheek (OBA) in Amsterdam is not just an ordinary library. Sure it has everything that one bibliotheek should have – an extensive collection of books, a quiet atmosphere and plenty of places to study or read. Yet, the largest library in the Benelux offers much, much more.

Very close to the Central Station, the Central Library opened its doors in 2007, and become the most visited cultural organization in Amsterdam with 2.5 million visitors a year. You can easily spend the whole day here: study at one of the 600 computers (or use the free wireless internet); have a drink at one of the coffee corners while enjoying a magazine or paper from the extensive selection; check out the art exhibitions in the spacious hall; or go the restaurant on the top floor—breathtaking views included in every meal.

The library has 7 floors, creatively designed by Jo Coenen. With its 28,000 square meteres, it offers the perfect opportunity to escape the hustle of the city and soak up some well-deserved knowledge.

How to get there: the Central Library can be reached by public transport, using all metros, trams and buses terminating at Amsterdam Central Station or by bike via the bicycle bridge (left by the pedestrian quay to Nemo). You will see the library at the end of the bridge. Just past the library, you will see the secure bicycle storage.