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.

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.

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.

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.

Set just off the Ontario coast in Lake Huron, Manitoulin Island is the largest freshwater island in the world (2,800 sq km). A wonderful place of petit villages, rolling pasture, forests and lakes, its edges are fringed with long beaches and white cliffs.

The first nations Oijbwa people, the island’s original inhabitants believed that when the Great Spirit, Gitchi Manitou, created the Earth he kept the best bits and made Manitoulin his home. In 1648 a group of French Jesuits became the first Europeans to settle on Manitoulin Island, which they named Isle de Ste. Marie.

Unfortunately they brought with them new disease that rapidly devastated the Ojibwa population. Marauding Iroquois bands, then drove out those who remained, leaving the island uninhabited for over a hundred years. During the 19th century, the island’s beauty attract the attention of white settlers who, after first giving Manitoulin to other native bands, then revoked all treaties and claimed for themselves.

Nowadays Manitoulin and the waters around it serve as Ontario’s summer playground with boats and all kinds of weaving in and out of its many bays and filing its large inland lakes. Hiking is popular and the island has a well signposted system of trails. Every August the Ojibwa Band holds one of Canada’s biggest powwows, a celebration of life through dance, storytelling and displays of arts and crafts.

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.

The Cathedral of Basil the Blessed, is a Russian Orthodox cathedral erected on the Red Square in Moscow in 1555–1561. The Monument to Minin and Pozharsky is made of bronze. Not particularly large, it consists of nine chapels, built on a single foundation. According to legend, however, it was built by an Italian architect who was blinded so that he could never create anything that was similar or equal. The St. Basil’s Cathedral, along with the Red Square were inscribed by Unesco as World Heritage Sites in 1990!

The Cathedral was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century to commemorate a military victory.Victory came on the feast day of the Intercession of the Virgin, so the Tsar chose to name his new church the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin on the Moat, after the moat that ran beside the Kremlin.

St. Basil’s original construction involved a total of nine pillars or churches, replacing the former wooden churches, situated on a single foundation. A tenth pillar was added (1588) after the death of St. Basil and stands over his burial site.

The inside of St. Basil’s is a maze of narrow, dimly lit corridors connecting the different chapels. Each of the painted domes differs in design and colour.

Nemrut is a 2,150 meters high mountain in Turkey, located near the province of Adiyaman. At the top of the mountain, King Antiochus I Theos (69-36 B.C.) built his tomb-sanctuary along with huge statues (8-9 m high) – two lions and two eagles, and various Greek and Persian gods. Mt. Nemrut was designated a World Heritage Site in 1987. The nearby town of Ad?yaman is a popular place for car and bus trips to the site, and one can also travel by helicopter. Tourists typically visit Nemrut during June through August.

Of the hundreds of churches on the island of Montreal, Notre-Dame’s interior is the most stunning with a exquisite detail. This 19th Century Basilica is in the historic district of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada. Basilica was opened in 1829, making it the largest religious edifice in North America at the time. It is a very beautiful, interesting and cultural attraction!
According to records, it took two years to erect the walls of the basilica and the facade up to the base of the towers. Much of the interior is carved from rare woods – which are gilded or painted and large rose windows. It is filled with hundreds of intricate wooden carvings and several religious statues. The eastern tower of the Notre- Dame Montreal holds a ten-bell carillon, while the western tower, named Temperance, holds a single bell, the Jean-Baptiste bell. This ten ton bell is only rung on special occasions and can be heard 25km away. There’s also a chapel in the back which is just as amazing.
The original church, designed by Father François Dollier de Casson sufficed for the first 150 years. Then a New York architect named James O’Donnell was brought to Montreal to build a new church.
This striking interior is the work of architect Victor Bourgeau, who transformed the originally stern interior into the current design between 1874 and 1880. The great organ is a Casavant and the recitals held in the church throughout the year are very popular. The basilica offers musical programming of choral and organ performances.

It sounds little weird, however one of the best place for relax in the centre of Copenhagen is cemetery -park Assistens Kirkegard. Initially the ground was intended for the poor to be buried. During the years passing by became a trendy resting place for the wealthy and famous, like physician Niels Bohr and world-renowned writers H.C. Andersen, M. A. Nexo and Soren Kierkegaard.

I would say that the cemetery is a local advantage these days. Locals using it as a picturesque park; in warm weather, expect to see people sunbathing and students studying nestled in between the rare trees and the graves. So bring a carpet, newspaper, boombox, and lay out in the verdant surroundings. Fittingly, the place never gets overcrowded.

If you’re holidat trip is time-limited, you can explore the cemetery as a shortcut to outer Norrebro by strolling through the dazzling mainway Poppel Alle. And don’t be scared if you suddenly find yourself far away from the main entrance—Assistens has several exits.

Las Lajas Cathedral, built in 1916, is located in remote southwest Colombia, deep down in a gorge of the Guaitara River. An example of Gothic revival architecture, the cathedral is memorably framed by stark mountains and 100 feet waterfalls. The name Laja comes from the name of a type of flat sedimentary rock similar to floor tiles found in the Andes Mountains.

The church was built to commemorate the appearance of the Virgin which legend has it, her image appeared on an enormous vertical rock 45m above the river. Apparently, an image of Virgin of Las Lajas was painted on the side of the cliff. As a result, the altar is located here and the rest of the church is built jutting outwards  from the cliff.

The story of the cathedral’s creation is that in 1754 an Amerindian named “Maria Mueces” and deaf-mute daughter “Rosa” were caught up by a very strong storm. They found refuge between the gigantic Lajas.

This image was imprinted on the rocks of a gorge above the Guaitara River. The image is situated inside a cave very high in the mountains, and was completely unknown until it was discovered in the mid-18th century by an Indian.

In parts of this island, it seems that time has stood still for a thousand of years – many villagers still wear traditional costumes, follow the customs of their ancestors and shun all the trappings of modern life. Tanna is a small but interesting island in Vanuatu. Photo by: Tony_Rush

Captain Cook was the first European to arrive in 1774, attracted by a glowing volcano in the night. Cook was followed by traders and missionaries, but the latter had little success in weaning the islanders off their old beliefs. Even today outsiders are only welcome in rural villages if traveling with a local guide. Photo by: canvas of light

Tanna Island is trying to encourage tourism to supplement the traditional farming and fishing activities. There are a limited number of low-key resorts and bungalow accommodation on the west and east coasts, with wild trekking a majoractivity in the south around the island’s highest mountain. Tourists can approach the world’s most accessible active volcano. It is near Sulphur Bay and one-day volcano tours are the most common tourist activity. Photo by: volcanodiscovery

Tanna also has beautiful white beaches and tropical vegetation of many Pacific islands, but retains an atmosphere that will delight the traveler who dislikes wholesale modern development. There are still places in the world, that still allow adventurous travelers to feel that they’re discovered the idyllic back of beyond. Photo by: jo-jo-jo

This ex-residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur is now a luxury hotel, which was awarded by “Conde Nast Traveller” as one of The Best Hotel in Asia. The interior of the palace was refurbished in keeping with its historical heritage, providing a glimpse into the lifestyle of the royals. The Rambagh Palace is indeed a magnificent palace spread over 47 acres of gardens and offers its guests a taste of royal living – a luxury and extravagance that was once the sole preserve of kings.

There are plenty of activities: tennis and squash courts, golf, horse riding, croquet, swimming pool, fitness centre with a sauna, steam bath and Jacuzzi. Taj Spa offers the best in Indian rejuvenation therapies ranging from Indian aromatherapy massages, time-honored Indian treatments, body scrubs and wraps. Signature Taj Spa experiences offer guests the essence of traditional wellness experiences.
 

Off the eastern shores of Lake Malawi lies Likoma Island and its smaller neighbour Chizumulu, making up a tiny piece of Malawian territory in Mozambican waters. Likoma has remained largely untouched since Scottish missionaries discovered in the 1880s and it became the headquarters of the University Mission to Central Africa – Livingstone’s mission. This led to the islands being retained by Malawi when the lake was divided politically after World War II. Photo by: Jondice

Likoma commands breathtaking views of the mountains and wilderness of Mozambique, just kilometers away. Likoma’s main town is overshadowed by the mighty Cathedral of St Peter, built in 1903 with elegant stained glass and carved soapstone. The rest of the island is simpler – mainly grassland scattered with mango and baobab trees. Photo by: firesika

Lake Malawi covers a fifth of the country’s total area – about 590 km long and 85 km wide. Usually gentle by nature, winds from the north and south can whip the lake up into a frenzy. Below the surface the lake bubbles with fish and fishing villages along its shores reap the benefits. The best and easiest way to get around Likoma is on foot. At the southern tip of the island, beyond the boabab plains, lies a crescent – shaped beach of the finest golden sand, framed by mango trees. The island is rich in history and also in silence. Photo by: Jondice

When to go: Best to visit in the dry season from late April to November. Mat to August are cooler and dry, but September and October can get hot and humid. Population: 9,000. How to get there: Flights from Lilongwe or boats from the port of Nkhata Bay. Dhows cross between the two islands. Photo by: Jondice