EUROPEAN TOURIST DESTINATIONS I Radmila Dluhošová Slezská univerzita v Opavě Opava, 2015 Studijní text vznikl s podporou rozvojového projektu Slezské univerzity v Opavě „Inovace jazykové výuky. Rozšíření nabídky předmětů v anglickém a německém jazyce.“ Na rok 2015. © Radmila Dluhošová, 2015 ©Slezská univerzita v Opavě, 2015 Grafické zpracování: DD Tisk: CONTENT INTRODUCTION.. 4 PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC.. 5 KINGDOM OF SPAIN.. 9 FRENCH REPUBLIC.. 19 REPUBLIC OF IRELAND.. 31 THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND.. 34 KINGDOM OF NETHERLANDS. 44 KINGDOM OF BELGIUM... 48 GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG.. 53 THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY.. 55 SWISS CONFEDERATION.. 68 ITALIAN REPUBLIC.. 73 REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA.. 84 HUNGARY.. 88 INTRODUCTION The aim of the present publication is the introduction of thirteen West European countries and the presentation of their key landmarks, prominent monuments and major attractions. A separate chapter is devoted to each country. Following a short presentation of a particular country, a brief description of its main tourist attractions will be given concerning its landscape and natural beauties, distinctive regions and most popular tourist destinations. Main attention is paid to the sites that, due to their outstanding universal value, integrity and authenticity, exceptional architectural or natural significance and remarkable quality, have been put on the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Humanity. Consequently, each site is briefly described. All of them represent an important evidence of historic development of the Earth, society, its life style and social environment in a given period from the oldest times up to present. These monuments are demonstrations of the creativity of man and bear exceptional testimony to cultural traditions and cultures. They include important examples of traditional human settlements, architectural and historical monuments, land-use, or human interaction with the environment as well as superlative natural phenomena, areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance, and examples representing major stages of Earth history. PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC Portugal, República Portuguesa in Portuguese, is located in south-western Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula. It is the westernmost country of mainland Europe, being bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east. Aside from the continental Portugal, the Portuguese Republic holds sovereignty over the Atlantic archipelagos of Azores and Madeira. The country is named after its second largest city Porto whose Latin name was Portus Cale. Portugal covers an area of approximately 92 km^2 and its population is approximately 10.5 million. Its capital and largest city is Lisbon. Portugal is a member of the United Nations, European Union, Eurozone, OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and development), NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation), WTO (World Trade Organisation), Schengen Area, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Portugal belongs to twenty most visited countries in the world, receiving an average of 8.5 million foreign tourists each year. Travel and tourism continue to be extremely important for Portugal, with visitor numbers forecast to increase significantly in the future. Apart from cultural and beach tourism, the country focuses on health, nature and rural tourism. Portugal has a rich and unique culture, attractive cities and beautiful countryside. This once one of the poorest countries in Western Europe is becoming one of the best value destinations on the Continent. This fact is based mainly on the offer of outstanding landscape diversity resulting from the north-south location of the country along the western shore of the Iberian Peninsula. This suitable position enables to travel (within a single day) from the green mountains in the North covered with vines and all varieties of trees to the rocky mountains with spectacular vast rolling plains, slopes and falls in the Centre, to a near-desert landscape in the Alentejo region and finally to the fashionable beach holiday destination of Algrave. The country is scattered with villages built in stone and keeping the old-fashioned traditions, charming towns, and cosmopolitan cities boasting historic palaces and castles, museums and monasteries. The climate combined with significant investments in the golfing infrastructure has turned the country into a golfing haven. Tourist highlights in Portugal are Lisbon, Algarve and Madeira, the “Garden Isle”, or the isolated and peaceful Azores archipelago. New tourist destinations such as the Douro Valley, the island of Porto Santo, and Alentejo are becoming more and more popular. Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the oldest in Western Europe. Ruled by several Germanic tribes from the 5 century, captured by the Moors in the 8 century, reconquered by the Crusaders in 1147 and since then being a major political and cultural centre of Portugal, the city prides Old Wall (Cerca Velha) of Visigothic origin, ruins of Roman baths, temples and theatre, Alfama district with significant Arabic influence still visible (the oldest part of Lisbon), the medieval Saint George Castle (Castelo de São Jorge) with the oldest parts dating to the 6 century, the Cathedral from the 12 century, Belém Tower and Hieronymites Monastery (Jerónimos Monastery) built in Manueline style in the 16 century, or Campo Pequeno, a bullring built in Moorish style in 1892. In the areas on the periphery of Lisbon, even megaliths and menhirs still survive. ALGARVE The region of Algrave boasts a beautiful landscape scattered with fig, almond and orange groves. Although it is mainly known for its favourable Mediterranean climate and sunny beaches such as the Navy Beach (Praia da Marinha) that is among the ten most beautiful beaches in Europe, the region boasts several other tourist attractions such as a network of golf courses, a spa town of Caldas de Monchique with healing waters known since Roman times, or the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Piety (best known as the Sovereign Mother), a Marian shrine dedicated to the patron saint of Loulé attracting thousands of Catholic pilgrims. MADEIRA Madeira, situated to the west of the mainland, is an island of volcanic origin. Featuring subtropical climate, it is a popular year-round resort attracting approximately one million tourists every year. The island is famous for endemic flora and fauna, laurel forests, Madeira wine (a kind of fortified wine), gastronomy, and mainly for beautiful sandy beaches. Whale watching has become very popular in recent years. Many species of dolphins and whales can be spotted near the coast. DOURO VALLEY The beautiful landscape of Douro Valley features terraced vineyards covering every hillside with white-washed quintas (wineries / vineyards) perched high above the Douro River. The region prides over 2000 years of winemaking tradition, especially of the famous Port wine. The area is also famous for growing olives and almonds. Although the villages are small and architectural monuments few, the area is attractive with tourists and rural tourism is being developed. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES Portugal has fifteen sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Out of them, fourteen sites are classified as cultural and one is classified as natural. Three sites are located in the Azores and Madeira archipelagos and one is transboundary and shared with Spain. Historic Centre of Guimarães. The historic town of Guimarães is associated with the emergence of the Portuguese national identity in the 12 century. It is an exceptionally well-preserved and authentic example of the evolution of a medieval settlement into a modern town. Its rich building typology illustrates the specific development of Portuguese architecture from the 15 to 19 century through the consistent use of traditional building materials and techniques. Historic Centre of Oporto. The city of Oporto, built along the hillsides overlooking the mouth of the Douro River, is an outstanding urban landscape with a 2,000 year history. Its continuous growth, linked to the sea (the Romans gave it the name Portus, i.e. port), can be seen in the many and varied monuments ranging from the cathedral with its Romanesque choir to the neoclassical Stock Exchange and the typically Portuguese Manueline-style Church of Santa Clara. The city is known worldwide for being the centre for Port Wine. Alto Douro Wine Region. Wine has been produced by traditional landholders in the Alto Douro region for approximately 2,000 years. Its main product, port wine, has been world famous for its quality since the 18 century. This long tradition of viticulture, and associated human activities, has produced a cultural landscape of outstanding beauty that reflects its technological, social and economic evolution over time. The picturesque landscape of this wine-making area is scattered with terraces where vine is gown, quintas (wine-producing farm complexes), villages, chapels, and roads. Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde. The two Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley (Portugal) and Siega Verde (Spain) located on the banks of the rivers Agueda and Côa document continuous human occupation of the area from the end of the Palaeolithic Age. Hundreds of panels with thousands of animal figures (5,000 in Côa Valley and around 640 in Siega Verde) were carved over several millennia, representing the most remarkable cave and open-air ensemble of Palaeolithic art on the Iberian Peninsula. University of Coimbra – Alta and Sofia. Coimbra, founded in 1290, is one of the oldest universities in the world. Situated on a hill overlooking the city, the University of Coimbra with its colleges grew and evolved over more than seven centuries within the old town. The University structures became a reference in the institutional and architectural development of other institutions of higher education in the Portuguese-speaking world where it also had a major influence on learning and literature. It offers an outstanding example of an integrated university city with a specific urban typology as well as its own ceremonial and cultural traditions that have been kept alive through the ages. Notable university buildings include the 12 century Cathedral of Santa Cruz, the Chapel of Saint Michael, the Royal Palace of Alcáçova, which has housed the University since 1537, the Colleges of Jesus, Holy Trinity, Saint Jerome, Saint Benedict and many others, the Joanine Library with its rich Baroque decor, and the 18 century facilities such as the Botanical Garden, the University Press, the Chemistry and other laboratories. Convent of Christ in Tomar was originally designed as a monument symbolising the Reconquest (Reconquista) of the country. The fortified Convent was founded by the Templar Knights of Tomar in the 12 century. When the order was dissolved in the 14 century, the Portuguese branch was turned into the Knights of the Order of Christ (that later supported maritime discoveries). The convent combines several architectural styles, i.e. Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and mainly Manueline. The Manueline, or Portuguese late Gothic, is a splendid Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16 century. This innovative style combines elements of Late Gothic with influences of the Spanish, Mudejar (Islamic tradition), Italian, and Flemish elements. It marks the transition from Late Gothic to Renaissance. Monastery of Batalha. The Dominican Monastery of Batalha was built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians at the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. It was to be the Portuguese monarchy main building project for the next two centuries. Here a highly original national Gothic style evolved that was greatly influenced by the Manueline art. This is demonstrated in the Royal Cloister, the masterpiece within the Monastery. Monastery of Alcobaça. The Cistercian Monastery of Santa Maria de Alcobaça, north of Lisbon, was founded in the mid-12 century by King Alfonso I. The Church and the Monastery were the first Gothic building in Portugal. Its size, the purity of its architectural style, and the beauty of the materials make this a masterpiece of Cistercian Gothic art. Cultural Landscape of Sintra. In the 19 century, Sintra became the first centre of European Romantic architecture. A ruined monastery was turned into a castle where this new architectural movement was displayed using Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance elements and in the creation of a park blending local and exotic species of trees. Other fine dwellings built in the surrounding chain of mountains created a unique combination of parks and gardens. This unique area influenced the development of landscape architecture throughout Europe. Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon. The Monastery of the Hieronymites stands at the entrance to Lisbon harbour. Its construction began in 1502 and it demonstrates the Portuguese art at its best. The nearby Tower of Belém was built to commemorate the expedition of Vasco da Gama. The Tower is a reminder of the great maritime discoveries that laid the foundations of the modern world. It is a typical example of the Portuguese unique Manueline architecture. Historic Centre of Évora. The roots of this museum-city go back to Roman times. It reached its golden age in the 15 century when it became the residence of the Portuguese kings. Its unique quality lies in the whitewashed houses decorated with azulejos (a form of Spanish and Portuguese painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework) and wrought-iron balconies dating from the 16 to 18 centuries. The monuments of Évora had a deep influence on Portuguese architecture in Brazil. Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its Fortifications. The site, extensively fortified from the 17 to 19 centuries, represents the largest bulwarked dry-ditch system in the world. Within its walls, the town contains barracks and other military buildings as well as churches and monasteries. Although Elvas contains remains dating back to the 10 century, its fortification began when Portugal regained independence in 1640. The fortifications designed by Dutch Jesuit Padre João Piscásio Cosmander represent the best surviving example of the Dutch school of fortifications anywhere. The site also contains the Amoreira aqueduct built to enable the stronghold to withstand lengthy sieges. Laurisilva of Madeira, within the Madeira Natural Park, is an outstanding relict of a previously widespread laurel forest type. The forest of the property completely covers a series of very steep V-shaped valleys. It is the largest surviving area of primary laurel forest in Europe. It contains a unique group of plants and animals, including many endemic species such as the Madeiran long-toed pigeon. Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores. Angra is situated on Terceira, one of the islands in the Azores archipelago. It was an obligatory port of call from the 15 century until the advent of the steamship in the 19 century. The 400 year old San Sebastião and San João Baptista fortifications are unique examples of military architecture. Damaged by a severe earthquake in 1980, the city was repaired and rebuilt within four years. Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture. The property covers almost 10 km^2 on the volcanic island of Pico that is the second largest in the Azores archipelago. The site consists of a remarkable pattern of long linear walls running inland from, and parallel to, the rocky shore. The walls were built to protect the thousands of small neighbouring rectangular plots from wind and seawater. Evidence of this viticulture, whose origins date back to the 15 century, is manifested in the extraordinary assembly of the fields, houses, manor houses, wine cellars, churches and ports. The exceptionally beautiful man-made landscape of the site is the best remaining area of once much more widespread practice. KINGDOM OF SPAIN Spain or officially the Kingdom of Spain, España’ or Reino de España in Spanish, is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula in south-western Europe. Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar; to the north and north-east by France, the tiny principality of Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the west and north-west by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean. Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla that border Morocco, and a number of uninhabited islands on the Mediterranean side of the Strait of Gibraltar. Furthermore, the town of Llívia is a Spanish exclave situated inside French territory. Spain covers an area of approximately 506,000 km^2 and its population is about 46.5 million people. The capital and largest city is Madrid. Spain is a constitutional monarchy with a hereditary monarch and a bicameral parliament. The head of the state is King Juan Carlos I (since 22 November 1975). The Constitution of 1978 specifies that Spain has no state religion and that all are free to practice and believe as they wish. As of November 2009, the government of Spain keeps a balanced gender equality ratio. Nine out of the 18 members of the government are women. Spain is a member of the United Nations, NATO, the European Union (1986), OECD, and WTO. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Spain belongs to most popular tourist destinations in the world. The country receives approximately 61 million tourists annually and tourism provides employment for about 2 million people. In 2013, Spain was the third most visited country in the world. The headquarters of the World Tourism Organisation are located in Madrid. Abundant historical and cultural monuments, beautiful nature, favourable climate and beneficial geographic position as well as excellent infrastructure make tourism one of the main national industries in Spain and a large source of stable employment and development. The Spanish hotel star rating system has requirements much more demanding than other European countries, so at a given rating Spanish accommodations are on a higher level. Summer tourism – beaches This type of tourism was the first to be developed in Spain, and it generates the most income for the Spanish economy today. Mild climate during the whole year and extensive sandy beaches of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean has been attracting tourists from the cold territories of Northern Europe for decades. Summer resorts are popular with Spaniards too. The Spanish coasts suitable for summer vacations include Costa Brava (Wild Coast), Costa de Valencia, Costa Blanca (White Coast), Costa Tropical, Costa del Sol (Coast of Sun), Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light) – to name at least some of the most popular. Nature and rural tourism Spain has a diverse landscape and, as a result, it is often called ‘a miniature continent’. Spain is the most mountainous country in Europe after Switzerland, 45 per cent of its mainland area is occupied by the Inner Plateau (Meseta Central) and the rest of the country is dominated by several mountain ranges, including peaks that exceed 3,000 meters. The country also features significant lowlands and a vast coast, alternating rugged cliffs with sandy beaches, bays, capes and coves. It also has two archipelagos with a variety of landscapes, the Balearic Islands with a typical Mediterranean landscape and the diverse volcanic Canary Islands. Spain has a total of 15 National Parks, of which ten are on the mainland, one on the Balearic Islands and four on the Canary Islands. Most visited is the Teide National Park on the Canary Islands crowned with the third largest volcano in the world, the Teide, (3,718 metres). The Teide is also the most visited National Park in Europe and second in the world. Winter tourism Spain, as the second most mountainous country of Europe, is full of high mountains and excellent ski resorts with famous ski slopes, including the Pyrenees, the Central System (Sistema Central), the Iberian System (Sistema Ibérico) and Sierra Nevada. The main ridge forms a massive divider between France and Spain, with the tiny country of Andorra sandwiched in between. Sierra Nevada is a popular tourist destination as its high peaks make skiing possible in one of European most southerly situated ski resorts. The city of Granada and, a little further, Almería and Málaga are located at its foothills. Cultural tourism As a crossroads of several civilisations, Spain offers a number of historical cities and towns. Major destinations include two largest Spanish cities Madrid and Barcelona that stand as two of the leading city destinations in Europe. Both offer a matchless number of attractions and their importance in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, sports and arts contribute to their status as two of the world major cities. Other first-class destinations are Seville, Granada, Oviedo, Bilbao and San Sebastian, all of them with historical landmarks and a lively cultural programme. Thirteen Spanish cities have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition, some Spanish cities have been or will be European Capital of Culture – Madrid in 1992; Santiago de Compostela in 2000, Salamanca in 2002 and San Sebastián in 2016. Many festivals are celebrated in Spain. Most festivals turn around patron saints, legends, local customs and folklore. Some of the festivals are known worldwide, and every year millions of people all over the world go to Spain to experience them. One of the most popular is San Fermín in Pamplona. Its most famous event is the encierro, or the running of the bulls, that happens at 8:00 am from 7 July to 14 July. Madrid is considered one of the top European destinations concerning art museums. Best known is the Golden Triangle of Art, located along the Paseo del Prado and comprising three museums. The most famous is El Prado, one of the most visited museums in the world that is considered to be among the greatest museums of art. El Prado, a museum and art gallery, features one of the world finest collections of European art, from the 12 to the early 19 century, and it is based on the former Spanish Royal Collection. The collection currently comprises around 7,600 paintings, 1,000 sculptures, 4,800 prints and 8,200 drawings, in addition to a large number of works of art and historic documents. It has the best collection of artworks by Goya, Velázquez, El Greco, Titian, Hieronymus Bosch, José de Ribera, Tintoretto, and Caravaggio, among others. The other two museums are the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (named after its founder), established from a mixed private collection, and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, or simply The Sofia, the national museum of the 20 century art. It is dedicated mainly to Spanish art. The highlights of the museum include excellent collections of Spanish greatest 20 century masters, i.e. Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. The Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of Juan Carlos I of Spain but it is used for official ceremonies only. This Baroque palace full of artworks is one of the largest European Royal Palaces and is characterised by its luxurious rooms and rich collections of armours and weapons, silverware, watches, paintings, tapestries and the most comprehensive collection of Stradivarius in the world. The National Archaeological Museum of Spain collection includes, among others, Pre-historic, Celtic, Iberian, Greek and Roman antiquities and medieval (Visigothic, Muslim and Christian) objects. The highlights include a replica of the Altamira cave (the first cave in which prehistoric cave paintings were discovered), Lady of Elx (an enigmatic polychrome stone bust), lady of Baza (a famous example of Iberian sculpture), and Treasure of Guarrazar (a treasure that represents the best surviving group of Early Medieval Christian votive offerings and the high point of Visigothic goldsmith work). The Museum of the Americas is a National museum that holds artistic, archaeological and ethnographic collections from the whole American continent, ranging from the Palaeolithic period to the present day. The Convent of Las Descalzas Reales resides in the former palace of King Charles I of Spain and Isabel of Portugal. Their daughter, Joan of Austria, founded this convent of nuns of the Poor Clare order in 1559. Throughout the remainder of the 16 century and well into the 17 century, the convent attracted young widowed or spinster noblewomen. Each woman brought her dowry with her. The riches quickly piled up, and the convent became one of the richest convents in all of Europe. Consequently, it boasts many fine works of Renaissance and Baroque art. UNESCO World Heritage Sites Due to its rich history resulting in numerous historical, architectural and cultural monuments, Spain prides itself as many as 44 sites that have been inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Out of them, 39 are cultural sites, three are natural sites, and two sites are of mixed cultural-natural character. Tower of Hercules has served as a lighthouse and landmark at the entrance to La Coruña harbour in north-western Spain since the late 1 century. The Romans built the 34 metre high Tower on a 57 metre high rock. Other 21 metres were added to the Tower during its restoration in the 18 century. The site also features a sculpture park, the Monte dos Bicos rock carvings from the Iron Age and a Muslim cemetery. It is the only fully preserved and functioning lighthouse of Greco-Roman antiquity. Santiago de Compostela is a famous pilgrimage site in north-west Spain. The town was destroyed by Muslims in the 10 century and rebuilt during the following century. With its Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque buildings, the Old Town of Santiago is one of the most beautiful urban areas in Europe. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is the reputed burial place of the apostle James, and the terminus of the Way of Saint James, a pilgrimage across northern Spain. The oldest monuments are grouped around the cathedral. Roman Walls of Lugo were built in the later part of the 3 century to defend the Roman town of Lucus. The entire circuit survives intact and is the finest example of late Roman military fortifications in Western Europe. Las Médulas used to be the most important gold mine in the Roman Empire. Mining activities started in the 1 century AD and the technique employed was a type of hydraulic mining that involved undermining a mountain with large quantities of water. The dramatic traces of this remarkable ancient technology are visible everywhere. Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain. A network of four Christian pilgrimage routes in northern Spain is an extension of the Route of Santiago de Compostela, a pilgrimage from the French-Spanish border to the Cathedral. The extension represents a network of almost 1,500 kilometres of the Basque Country. It includes a built heritage of historical importance created to meet the needs of pilgrims, including cathedrals, churches, hospitals, hostels and even bridges. Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias. The Kingdom of Asturias remained the only Christian region of Spain in the 9 century. It developed its own style of Pre-Romanesque art and architecture. Its highest achievements can be seen in the churches of Santa María del Naranco, San Miguel de Lillo, Santa Cristina de Lena, the Cámara Santa and San Julián de los Prados, in and around the ancient capital city of Oviedo. Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain. The property represents the peak of Paleolithic cave art that developed across Europe from the Urals to the Iberian Peninsula from 35,000 to 11,000 BC. Due to their deep galleries isolated from external climatic influences, these caves are particularly well preserved. The caves document the creativity of humans and are an exceptional testimony to cultural tradition and an outstanding illustration of a significant stage in human history. The most famous among the caves is the Cave of Altamira. Vizcaya Bridge overlaps the mouth of the Ibaizabal bay, west of Bilbao. It was designed by the Basque architect Alberto de Palacio and completed in 1893. The 45 metre high bridge spans over 160 metres using twisted steel ropes. It was the first bridge in the world to carry people and traffic on a high suspended gondola. Archaeological Site of Atapuerca. The caves in the Atapuerca Mountains contain rich fossil remains of the earliest human beings discovered in Europe dating from nearly one million years ago. The Sima de los Huesos, or the Pit of Bones, contains the world largest collection of hominid fossils. Burgos Cathedral of Our Lady was built in the Gothic style in the period between the 13 and 16 centuries. The entire history of Gothic art is summed up in its superb architecture and its unique collection of works of art, including paintings, choir stalls, reredos (altarpiece), tombs and stained-glass windows. San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries. The Monastery in Suso was founded by Saint Millán in the mid-6 century and it soon became a place of pilgrimage. A fine Romanesque church built in honour of the Holy Man still stands at the site. The Monastery is considered the birthplace of written and spoken Spanish as the Glosas Emilianenses were written here that are considered the first written examples of the Spanish and Basque languages. The newer Yuso Monastery was built in the 16 century below the older complex. Pyrénées – Mont Perdu. This outstanding mountain landscape, which spans the contemporary borders of France and Spain, is centred on the peak of Mount Perdu (3,352 metres). The site, with a total area of 306 km^2, includes two of European largest and deepest canyons on the Spanish side and three major cirque walls on the northern slopes of France. The site is also a pastoral landscape reflecting an agricultural way of life that was once widespread in the upland regions of Europe but now survives only in this part of the Pyrénées. The area is scattered with villages, farms, fields and upland pastures. Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí. Vall de Boí is a small and narrow valley at the edge of the Pyrénées surrounded by steep mountains with extensive seasonally-used grazing lands on the higher slopes. Each village in the valley, surrounded by a pattern of enclosed fields, contains a Romanesque church decorated with Romanesque murals, statues, and altars. The churches are unique for their tall, square bell towers. Works of Antoni Gaudí. Seven properties built in Modernist style by the architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) in or near Barcelona document his exceptional creative contribution to the development of architecture and building technology in the late 19 and early 20 centuries. These monuments represent a very personal style applied in the design of gardens, sculpture and all decorative arts, as well as architecture. The property includes Park Güell, Güell Palace (Eusebi Güell assigned the works to Gaudí), Casa Mila, Casa Vicens, and Gaudí’s work on the Nativity facade and Crypt of La Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló and Crypt in Colonia Güell. Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona. Both buildings were constructed in the early 20 century and designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner in the Art Nouveau style. The Palace of Catalan Music (Palau de la Música Catalana) is an exciting steel-framed structure full of light and space, and decorated by many of the leading designers of the day. The Hospital of Saint Paul (Hospital de Sant Pau) is equally bold in its design and decoration and at the same time perfectly adapted to the needs of the sick. Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco. Tárraco, modern-day Tarragona, was a prominent administrative and commercial city as well as the centre of all the Roman Iberian provinces. Many of its fine buildings have been revealed in a series of exceptional excavations. Although most of the remains are fragmentary and many are preserved beneath more recent buildings, they present a vivid picture of the grandeur of this Roman provincial capital. The Roman sights include remains of the walls, the Aqueduct, an amphitheatre, and a circus. Poblet Monastery in Catalonia was founded by Cistercians in 1151 on lands conquered from the Moors and it is one of the largest monasteries in Spain. Its centre is a church dating back to the 12 century. The majestic monastery includes a fortified royal residence and contains the pantheon of the kings of Catalonia and Aragon. La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia. This group of buildings, built in Valencia between 1482 and 1533, was originally used for trading silk. Its name La Lonja de la Seda means the Silk Exchange in English. The complex is a masterpiece of the late Gothic architecture and it demonstrates the power and wealth of Valencia as an important Mediterranean and European merchant city in the 15 and 16 centuries. Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula. The site includes over 750 examples of rock art from the late prehistoric period that feature images ranging from geometric shapes to scenes of men hunting animals. The corpus of mural paintings is the largest group of rock-art sites anywhere in Europe, and provides an exceptional picture of human life in an important period of human cultural evolution. Mudejar Architecture of Aragon developed in the 12 century and was influenced by the Islamic tradition. Applied until the early 17 century, it is characterised by an extremely refined and inventive use of brick and glazed tiles in architecture, especially in the belfries. The bell towers typically show extraordinary ornamental development and their structure is inherited from the Islamic minaret. The property includes four churches in Teruel, two churches and remains of a palace in Zaragora, and three other churches in the surroundings. Historic Walled Town of Cuenca. Built by the Moors in the heart of the Caliphate of Cordoba in the early 8 century, Cuenca is an unusually well-preserved medieval fortified city. Conquered by the Castilians in the 12 century, it became a royal town and bishopric. Its cathedral is the first Gothic cathedral built in Spain. The town is also famous for its casas colgadas, houses that hang over the edge of a cliff. University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares. Founded by Cardinal Jiménez de Cisneros in the early 16 century, Alcalá de Henares was the first planned university city in the world. It served as a model to other European universities and to Spanish missionaries in America. The city is the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, known for his contributions to the Spanish language and Western literature. Aranjuez Cultural Landscape is an entity of complex relationships between nature and human activities, between winding watercourses and geometric landscape design, between the rural and the urban, between forest landscape and the architecture of its impressive buildings. The Royal Palace of Aranjuez, a residence of the King of Spain, was developed by the Spanish royal family in the period between the 16 and mid-18 centuries and contains innovative horticultural and design ideas. The Palace is surrounded with extensive pleasure gardens built to protect its royal residents from the dust and drought. Historic City of Toledo. Toledo was founded by Romans and successively served as the capital of the Visigothic Kingdom, a fortress of the Emirate of Cordoba (in Muslim Spain), an outpost of the Christian kingdoms fighting the Moors, and temporarily the capital of Spain in the 16 century. The masterpieces of the city combine Christian, Muslim, and Jewish influence. Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid. The Escurial Monastery, standing at an exceptionally beautiful site in Castile, was built at the end of the 16 century on a plan in the form of a grill, the instrument of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence. The complex consists of a cloister, a seminary, a church and a historical residence of the King of Spain. Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct. The Roman aqueduct of Segovia, built probably about 50 AD, is remarkably well preserved. This impressive construction with two tiers of arches forms a part of the setting of the magnificent historic city of Segovia. Other important monuments include the medieval Alcázar palace from around the 11 century, and the 16 century Gothic cathedral. Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches. Founded in the 11 century to protect the Spanish territories from the Moors, this “City of Saints and Stones” and the birthplace of Saint Teresa has kept its medieval simplicity. The purity of form can be seen in the Gothic cathedral and the defensive wall from the 11 century that surrounds the original town. The fortifications, featuring 82 semi-circular towers and nine gates, are the most complete town walls in Spain. Old City of Salamanca. The city was conquered by the Carthaginians in the 3 century, then it was ruled by the Romans, and later by Moors (until the 11 century). The University of Salamanca, founded in 1218, is the oldest in Spain and among the oldest in Europe. The city centre boasts outstanding Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance, and Baroque monuments. The Plaza Mayor, with its galleries and arcades, is particularly impressive. Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde. The two Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley (Portugal) and Siega Verde (Spain) located on the banks of the rivers Agueda and Côa document continuous human occupation of the area from the end of the Palaeolithic Age. Hundreds of panels with thousands of animal figures (5,000 in Côa Valley and around 640 in Siega Verde) were carved over several millennia, representing the most remarkable open-air ensemble of Palaeolithic art on the Iberian Peninsula. Old Town of Cáceres. The history of the city is reflected in its architecture that is a blend of Roman, Islamic, Northern Gothic and Italian Renaissance styles. Out of the more than 30 towers from the Muslim period, the Torre del Bujaco is the most famous. Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe. A statue of Virgin Mary was found on the bank of the Guadalupe River in the 13 century (it had been apparently hidden there by local inhabitants from Moorish invaders in 714). A chapel dedicated to Virgin Mary of Guadalupe was built on the site of this discovery that later developed into the Royal Monastery, an outstanding testimony to four centuries of Spanish religious architecture. The Monastery symbolises two significant events in the history of the world that occurred in 1492, the Reconquest of the Iberian peninsula by the Catholic Kings and the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Americas. The statue of Virgin Mary became a powerful symbol of the Christianisation of much of the New World. Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida. The town of Mérida was founded in 25 BC as the colony called Emerita Augusta (veterans of the army of Augustus). It became the capital of Lusitania province and one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire. Mérida preserves more important ancient Roman monuments than any other city in Spain. The well-preserved remains from the Roman era include a bridge over the Guadiana River (the longest of all the existing Roman bridges), remains of the Forum including the triumphal Arch of Trajan, an amphitheatre, a theatre, or Circus Maximus. It is an excellent example of a provincial Roman capital during the empire and in the years afterwards. Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija. The property includes the mining sites of Almadén (Spain) where mercury (quicksilver) has been extracted since antiquity and Idrija (Slovenia) where mercury was first found in 1490 AD. The Spanish property includes buildings relating to its mining history including Retamar Castle, religious buildings and traditional dwellings. The site in Idrija notably features mercury stores and infrastructure, as well as miners’ living quarters. The sites bear testimony to the intercontinental trade in mercury which generated important exchanges between Europe and America over the centuries. Together they represent two largest mercury mines in the world operational until recent times. Historic Centre of Cordoba. The period of the greatest glory of the town began in the 8 century after the Moorish conquest when some 300 mosques and innumerable palaces and public buildings were built to rival the splendours of Constantinople, Damascus and Baghdad. The originally Catholic church from the 7 century was converted into a mosque, the Great Mosque of Córdoba that was restored into a Roman Catholic cathedral in the 13 century. New defensive structures, Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos and the Torre Fortaleza de la Calahorra, were also erected in that time. Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville. These three buildings form a remarkable monumental complex in the heart of Seville, and are an exceptional testimony to the civilisation of the Almohads (the dynasty that ruled southern Spain until the Reconquest) as well as that of Christian Andalusia. The Alcázar Palace complex, which was developed from a previous Moorish Palace, was built for over 500 years starting in the 12 century. Its upper levels are still used by the royal family as the official Seville residence and it is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe. The five-nave cathedral, dating to the 15 century, is the largest Gothic building in Europe and it houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus. The Giralda minaret, standing next to the Cathedral, is the masterpiece of Almohad architecture. The General Archive of the Indies (Archivo de Indias) contains valuable documents relating to the colonisation of the Americas. Doñana National Park in Andalusia occupies the right bank of the Guadalquivir River and its delta area on the Atlantic Ocean. It is notable for the great diversity of biotopes such as lagoons, marshlands, fixed and mobile dunes, scrub woodland and maquis. It is home to five threatened bird species, one of the largest heronries in the Mediterranean region and the wintering site for more than 500,000 water fowl. Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada. Rising above the modern lower town, the Alhambra and the Albaycín situated on two neighbouring hills form the medieval part of Granada. The palace and magnificent gardens of the Generalife, the former rural residence of the emirs who ruled this part of Spain in the 13 and 14 centuries, are situated to the east of the Alhambra Moorish palace and fortress complex. The residential district of the Albaycín retains the narrow winding streets of its Medieval Moorish past creating a rich and picturesque area where the local Moorish architecture harmoniously blends with the traditional Andalusian architecture. Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and Baeza. The urban shape of the two small cities of Úbeda and Baeza in southern Spain dates back to the Moorish 9 century and to the Reconquest in the 13 century. An important development took place in the 16 century when the towns were subject to renovation in accordance with the emerging Renaissance style and are among the first examples of the Renaissance civic architecture and urban planning in Spain. The most outstanding Renaissance features of Úbeda are the imposing Palace of the Chains, the Chapel of the Saviour housing the tombs of local nobility, or the Hospital of Santiago with its square bell towers. The Renaissance sights of Baeza include the Cathedral built above a former Moorish mosque, the Chapel of Saint Francis, or the seminary of Saint Philip Neri. Palmeral of Elche, a landscape of orchards of date palms with elaborate irrigation systems, was formally laid out towards the end of the 10 century when much of the Iberian Peninsula was Arab. The Palmeral (palm groves) is a unique example of Arab agricultural practices on the European continent. (Cultivation of date palms in Elche is known at least since around the 5 century BC.) The palm orchard is a typical feature of the North African landscape which was brought to Europe during the Islamic occupation of much of the Iberian Peninsula and has survived to the present day. The ancient irrigation system, which is still functioning, is of special interest. Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture. Ibiza provides an excellent example of the interaction between the marine and coastal ecosystems. The dense prairies of Posidonia oceanica (seagrass), an important endemic species found only in the Mediterranean basin, contain and support a diversity of marine life. The island also preserves considerable evidence of its long history. The archaeological sites at Sa Caleta (settlement) and Puig des Molins (necropolis) testify to the important role played by the island in the Mediterranean, particularly during the Phoenician-Carthaginian period. The fortified Upper Town (Alta Vila) is an outstanding example of Renaissance military architecture that had a deep influence on the development of fortifications in the Spanish settlements of the New World. Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana, the mountain range on the north-western coast of Majorca, has been transformed by a millennia of agricultural activities involving water management devices such as agricultural terraces and interconnected water works including water mills as well as dry stone constructions and farms. This landscape revolves around farming units of feudal origins. San Cristóbal de La Laguna in the Canary Islands has two centres – the original unplanned Upper Town, and the Lower Town that is the first ideal city-territory built according to philosophical principles. Its wide streets and open spaces have a number of fine churches and public and private buildings dating from the 16 to the 18 century. Teide National Park situated on the island of Tenerife features Mount Teide stratovolcano that is the highest Spanish peak (3,718 metres). Rising 7,500 m above the ocean floor, Mount Teide is regarded the third tallest volcano in the world. It is situated in a spectacular environment and a ‘sea of clouds’ forms an impressive background to the mountain. Garajonay National Park is situated in the centre of the island of La Gomera in the Canary Islands archipelago. Approximately 70 per cent of the park is covered by laurel forest, vegetation from the Tertiary period that disappeared from mainland Europe due to climate change. OUTSTANDING PERSONALITIES Culturally, Spain is a Western country. Because of the great strength of the Roman heritage in almost every aspect of Spanish life, Spain is often described as a Latin country. Nevertheless, there have been many influences on many aspects of Spanish life, from art and architecture to cuisine and music, from many countries across Europe and from around the Mediterranean, through its long history. Many outstanding and celebrated people have been among the most renowned of their time. Perhaps the most famous names to mention are: · Writers – Miguel de Cervantes (Don Quixote is considered the most symbolic work in the canon of literature), Lope de Vega, Federico García Lorca · Painters – El Greco (The Assumption of the Virgin, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz), José de Ribera (Mary Magdalene, Ecce Homo), Diego Velázquez (The Surrender of Breda), Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí · Music – Plácido Domingo (tenor and conductor), José Carreras (tenor), Montserrat Caballé (soprano); Spanish music is by foreigners often considered to be synonymous with flamenco, a West Andalusian musical genre, which is not widespread outside that region; the most popular traditional musical instrument, the guitar, originated in Spain · Sport – Rafael Nadal (the leading Spanish tennis player), Alberto Contador (the leading Spanish cyclist); Real Madrid C.F. and FC Barcelona are two of the most successful football clubs in the world. FRENCH REPUBLIC France, La France or République française in French, is a country located in Western Europe with several overseas regions and territories. The French mainland and Corsica form Metropolitan France which extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. Due to its shape, it is often referred to as l’Hexagone (‘The Hexagon’). From north-east to south-west, France shares borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Spain and Andorra. Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, Mayotte and French Guiana form the overseas departments and they have the same political status as metropolitan departments. These two integral groupings along with several overseas collectivities and one territory comprise what is officially called the French Republic. French overseas collectivities and territories, e.g. French Polynesia, Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy, or New Caledonia have more autonomy than the overseas departments. The European part of France covers an area of approximately 544,000 km^2 (total area is 640,700 km^2) and its population is about 65 million people (total 67 million). The capital and largest city is Paris. In the 19 and early 20 centuries, France built the second largest colonial empire of the time, ruling large portions of North America, India, Northwest and Central Africa, Madagascar, Indochina, and many Caribbean and Pacific Islands. Up to now, it retains strong political and economic influence in its former African colonies (Françafrique). France is a founding member of the United Nations, a member of the European Union, NATO, the G8, OECD and WTO. It hosts the headquarters of institutions such as the OECD, UNESCO, or Interpol. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Tourism is one of the most profitable sectors of the national economy and receiving about 85 million foreign tourists annually makes France the world top tourist destination. French culture has always been widely followed, starting in the middle ages with the Gothic style of architecture and the ideal of chivalry. In the 17 century, the court of Louis XIV and the palace at Versailles were the model for the upper classes throughout Europe. Despite subsequent wars and revolutions, France remained notable in the world of haute couture (high fashion) and fashion. In the late 19 and 20 centuries, French artists and architects were responsible for many innovations, such as impressionism, cubism, art nouveau and art deco. France features outstanding historic cities full of cultural and architectural monuments such as Paris, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Lyon, and many others. The country offers tourist a vast number (more than 43,000) of buildings protected as historical monuments including residences (castles and chateaux), religious buildings (cathedrals, basilicas, churches, etc.), numerous museums (1,200 welcoming more than 50 million people annually), but also statutes, memorials and gardens. Memorials to the battles of the First and Second World Wars are popular tourist destinations. The Memorial to the Missing of the Somme or the Douaumont ossuary (containing the remains of soldiers who died on the battlefield during the Battle of Verdun), both associated with the First World War, are among the most impressive. France also features sunny beaches with well-equipped seaside resorts, magnificent mountains with ski resorts, as well as rural regions boasting beautiful landscape scattered with small and picturesque French villages that many be enjoyed for their beauty and tranquillity. French landscape owes much of its charm to the prevalence of small-scale mixed farming using fairly traditional methods of production. Popular special interest holidays include wine-tasting tours of Burgundy and culinary short breaks for gourmets (foodies) in Normandy. The Club Mediterranean holiday village concept prevails in beach and sport tourism. Spa resorts developed on the basis of mineral springs, and the spas on the coast offer thalassotherapy (seawater treatment). Important is the religious tourism in Lourdes. Winter sports are offered in the mountain resorts of the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Massif Central, and the Jura. Popular theme parks include Disneyland Paris (Europe’s most popular theme park with about 15 million visitors a year) and Parc Astérix (a theme amusement park based on the stories of Asterix). Tourists also travel to see the annual cycle race, the Tour de France. The centre of Paris, the capital of France, consists of low-raised buildings and broad tree-lined boulevards forming a harmonious whole. The city has some of the world largest and renowned museums, including the Louvre which is the most visited art museum in the world, the Musée d’Orsay situated in a railway station revitalised as an impressive art gallery that is mostly devoted to impressionism, or Beaubourg dedicated to Contemporary art. The Louvre Museum contains more than 380,000 objects and displays 35,000 works of arts in the departments of Egyptian antiquities (the Large Sphinx, the Seated Scribe), Near Eastern Antiquities (Code of Hammurabi), Greek, Etruscan and Roman department (the Venus de Milo, the Nike of Samothrace), Islamic art, Sculpture (Daniel in the Lion’s Den), Decorative Arts, Painting (Liberty Leading the People, Mona Lisa), and the department of Prints and Drawings. The most popular tourists sites of Paris include the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur (Sacred Heart of Jesus), Centre Georges Pompidou (housing a library and the largest museum for modern art in Europe), the Gothic Holy Chapel (Sainte-Chapelle), the Baroque Les Invalides (a complex of buildings containing museums and monuments relating to the military history, a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans, the burial site for some of war heroes, notably Napoleon Bonaparte), the river Seine with its bridges and many others. The Eiffel Tower, named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, is an iron tower located on Champ de Mars (Field of Marse). The Arc de Triomphe (Triumphal Arch), situated in the centre of Charles de Gaulle Square at the western end of Champs-Élysées, honours those who fought and died for France. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris) is one of the finest examples of French Gothic. Its reliquary houses some of Catholic most important first-class relics including the Crown of Thorns, a fragment of the True Cross and one of the Holy Nails. More recently, French architects have combined both modern and old architectural styles. The examples of this effort include La Defense with the Grand Arche (France’s largest financial district with a significant number of skyscrapers) or the Louvre Pyramid (an example of modern architecture added to an older building). The Palace of Versailles, the former palace of the kings of France, is situated not far from Paris. It was put on the UNESCO List in 1979). NORMANDIE / NORMANDY The region is greatly agricultural, with livestock, dairy farming, and fruit production among its major industries. The region is the leader in the sectors of butter, fromage frais (fresh cheese), soft cheeses, cider apples, cider, leeks, turnips, and flax. It also breeds more horses than any other region in France. The region has direct ferry links to England and tourism is another major industry of the area. French largest international port Le Havre is situated there. On 6 June 1944, Allies troops (300,000) landed for the Normandy invasion on Normandy beaches which meant the beginning of the end for the Second World War in Europe. Monuments, museums, and cemeteries are a commemoration to the Battle of Normandy such as the D-Day Museum at Arromanches, one of the landing sites. The medieval abbey of Mont Saint Michel, situated on a high rocky islet connected to mainland France by a walkway, is one of the most unique heritage monuments. Surrounded by massive walls and reached by a steep climb up curving streets, it remains one of the greatest attractions in Europe and the second most visited place in France (after the Eiffel Tower). It is also known for its tides, the highest on the continent that daily separate it from the mainland France. The monastery holds daily masses in Latin. It has been included into the UNESCO List of Heritage. BRETAGNE / BRITTANY Bretagne is a fascinating mix of spectacular rugged coastline, medieval towns, magical islands and inland woods. Being a Celtic duchy for more than one thousand years before its annexation to France in 1532, the region is rich in culture including the Breton language, tradition, customs and history. Rennes, the capital of the region, features remnants of typical timbered medieval architecture. There is a cobblestone area not far from the medieval cathedral of Saint Pierre. The city also boasts the remains of town walls built from the 3 to the 12 centuries. An annual Festival Gourmande, a competition of local chefs creating special menus, is held in September. Every Saturday Rennes hosts the second biggest market in all of France. VALLÉE DE LA LOIRE / LOIRE VALLEY The Valley of the river Loire, spanning 280 kilometres, is an outstanding cultural landscape of great beauty located in central France. It is referred to as the Garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards, artichoke and asparagus fields, floral gardens and rolling green hills dotted with more than a thousand chateaux. Notable for its historic towns, architecture and wines, the central part of the valley was added to the UNESCO List. The valley is noteworthy for its historic towns such as Amboise, Blois, Chinon, Nantes, Orléans, and Tours, but in particular in its castles built by feudal nobles to mark their powers, such as the Chateau d’Amboise, Chambord, Cinon, d’Usée, Villandry and Chenonceau. The Loire Valley wine region includes several French wine regions situated along the river from the Muscadet region on the Atlantic coast to the regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé southeast of the city of Orléans. Loire wines tend to exhibit a characteristic fruitiness with fresh, crisp flavours. The caves of the Dordogne contain outstanding examples of Ice Age art. Lascaux, the most famous of them, was discovered in 1940. A replica cave has been opened to protect the original paintings, which otherwise would have worsened from the impact of visitors. POITOU-CHARENTES Poitou-Charentes is an area of sandy beaches, sunny green meadowlands, pine forests, marshlands and Romanesque churches, and mainly cognac vineyards. The area called the “golden circle” of cognac production encompasses the distilling towns of Cognac and Jarnac. Cognac, the medieval town which bears the name of the region, is attractive with its narrow medieval cobbled streets and elegant Renaissance facades. Cognac has been produced here since the 17 century. World famous firms such as Camus, Hennessy, Niartell, Otard, Prince Hubert de Polignac, Rémy-Martin, or Courvoisier are located here. Each distillery has its own secret and unique process for mixing various blends ageing in oak barrels. BOURGOGNE / BURGUNDY Burgundy is one of main wine producing areas. It is well known for both its red and white wines, mostly made from Pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes, although other grape varieties can be found, including Aligote, Pinot blanc, and Sauvignon blanc. The region is divided into the Côte-d’Or, where the most expensive and prized Burgundies are found, and Beaujolais, Chablis, Côte Chalonnaise and Mâcon. The reputation and quality of the top wines, together with the fact that they are often produced in small quantities, has led to high demand and high prices, with some Burgundies ranking among the most expensive wines in the world. Famous Burgundy dishes include coq au vin (chicken braised with wine, lardons, mushrooms and garlic), beef bourguignon (a stew prepared with beef braised in red wine, beef broth, garlic, onions, bouquet garni, pearl onions and mushrooms), and Époisses de Bourgogne cheese (pungent unpasteurised cows-milk cheese washed in the local pomace brandy, with a distinctive soft red-orange colour). Lying on both sides of the route ways connecting the Rhine and the Rhone, and thus linking Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, Burgundy played a major role in European history in the Middle Ages. Its rich cultural heritage includes the Romanesque abbeys of Citeaux and Cluny, and the historic cities of Dijon and Beaune. CHAMPAGNE Champagne region is famous for its sparkling white wine produced from grapes grown in the region following rules that demand secondary fermentation of the wine in the bottle to create carbonation. The primary grapes used in the production of Champagne are Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. There are many sparkling wines produced worldwide, yet most legal structures reserve the word champagne exclusively for sparkling wines that come from the Champagne region and are produced in accordance with the rules of the appellation and use only grapes grown according to appellation rules in specifically designated plots. Rheims, the capital of the region, is historically important as the religious capital of France. ALSACE The German-speaking Alsace is famous for its high number of picturesque half-timbered villages, churches and castles and for the various beauties of its main towns, in spite of severe destructions suffered throughout five centuries of wars between France and Germany. Main tourist destinations include Strasbourg, Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg (located on the Wine Route of Alsace in a strategic location on a rocky spur overlooking the Alsatian plain), the Maginot Line (concrete fortifications, obstacles and weapons installations constructed along the borders with Germany during the 1930s). Alsace is furthermore famous for its vineyards (especially along the 170 km of the Route des Vins d’Alsace crossing the main wine producing areas of the region) and hop gardens. Half of French beer is produced in Alsace, especially in the vicinity of Strasbourg. Strasbourg, situated at the very border with Germany, prides itself the sandstone Gothic Cathedral with astronomical clock, the Rohan Palace (former residence of the prince-bishops), or the Rhineland black and white timber-framed buildings. Surrounded by two arms of the River Ill, the Big Island (Grande Ile) is the historic centre of the town that has been included into the UNESCO List. Strasbourg has acquired a major international role as the seat of the European Parliament, Council of Europe, or Eurocorps. BORDEAUX Vine was introduced to the Bordeaux region by the Romans, probably in the mid-1 century, to provide wine for local consumption, and wine production has been continuous in the region since then. Bordeaux now has about 1,160 km^2 of vineyards, 57 appellations, 10,000 wine-producing chateaux and 13,000 grape growers. Both red and white wines are made in Bordeaux. With an annual production of approximately 960 million bottles, Bordeaux produces large quantities of everyday wine as well as some of the most expensive wines in the world. The latter include the five premier cru (first growth) red wines of Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Latour, Château Mouton Rothschild (from Médoc region), and Château Haut-Brion (from Pessac-Leognan region). The city of Bordeaux is the world wine industry capital. It is home to the world main wine fair, Vinexpo. The historic part of the city is on the UNESCO List.^ LIMOUSIN Limousin is an essentially rural region. Famed for some of the best beef farming in the world, herds of Limousin cattle (distinctive chestnut red) are a common sight in the region. It is also famed for its groves of French oak that is so much appreciated for its distinct characters and flavours in wine fermentation that the vintner Rémy Martin has had exclusive rights to its oak groves for more than a hundred years. Clafoutis is a local baked dessert of black cherries arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a thick flan-like batter. It is dusted with powder sugar and served lukewarm, sometimes with cream. Traditional Limousin clafoutis contains pits of the cherries. The pits release a wonderful flavour when the dish is cooked. If the cherry pits are removed prior to baking, the clafoutis will be milder in flavour. MASSIF CENTRAL The landscape of Massif Central includes deep limestone gorges, extensive forests and strange remnants of extinct volcanoes. Geothermal activity is evident today in large number of mineral springs, and as the result, the Massif Central contains about 40 spas. Vichy is probably the best known of French spas. RHÔNE-ALPES The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe. It stretches approximately 1,200 kilometres across eight Alpine countries, i.e. Austria, Slovenia, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, France, Monaco and Italy. The highest peak of the Mountain range is the 4,810 metres high Mont Blanc situated on the border between France and Italy. Traditional economy of the French Alps is based on pastoralism with the livestock being moved to the high pastures above the tree line in summer and back to the villages in autumn. Due to its proximity to Mont Blanc and the spectacular glacier known as the Sea of Ice (Mer de Glace), mountain climbing has been a major activity at Chamonix since the early 19 century. Lyon, the capital of the region, was founded by the Romans in the 1 century BC and became the seat of archbishops in the 4 century. It became of major importance through its silk-weaving industry and strategic location. The town is noted for its fine architectural heritage and for its culinary attraction. LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON The Languedoc-Roussillon region is dominated by almost 3,000 km^2 of vineyards (three times the combined area of the vineyards in Bordeaux) and the region has been an important winemaking centre for several centuries. Grapevines are said to have existed in the South of France since the Pliocene period (before the existence of Homo sapiens.) The Mediterranean climate and plentiful land with soil ranging from rocky sand to thick clay has always been very suitable for the production of wine. PROVENCE Numerous famous natural sites can be found in the region of Provence. The Gorges du Verdon, a river canyon that is 25 kilometres long and 700 meters deep, was formed by the Verdon River that is of a distinctive turquoise colour. The natural park of Camargue is the country of river delta with lakes, marshland, and greater flamingo, Camargue Bull, and Camargue Horse. A typical picture of Provence features large lavender fields, juniper and oaks. Provence hosts dozens of renowned historical sites. The UNESCO site Arles prides the collection of Roman Monuments including Amphitheatre, Roman forum, Thermes of Constantine (bath complex), Alyscamps (necropolis), or Roman Catholic Church of St Trophime. The Gothic Palace of Popes (Palais des Papes) is situated in Avignon, referred to as ‘The City of Popes’. Cultivation of flowers for the perfume industry at Grasse, and of fruit and vegetables is an important part of the local economy. The region is scattered with numerous hilltop villages that are reminders of the time when the coast was endangered by Saracen pirates from North Africa. Marseille was the European Capital of Culture in 2013 and Cassis, situated on the Mediterranean coastline is famous for its cliffs and white and rosé wines. CÔTE D'AZUR / FRENCH RIVIERA French Riviera in south-east France is the Mediterranean coast of eastern Provence extending approximately 200 kilometres from Toulon to the Italian border where the Maritime Alps almost reach the sea. The area is the second leading tourist destination in the country attracting about 10 million tourists a year. It benefits from 300 days of sunshine per year, 115 kilometres of coastline and beaches, 18 golf courses, 14 ski resorts and 3,000 restaurants. The largest city is Nice and the region contains famous seaside resorts such as Cannes, Nice or Saint-Tropez. FRENCH PYRENEES Winter sports play an important role in the area of French Pyrenees. It is also a region of unspoiled landscape and a number of spas. Major tourist centre of the region is Lourdes, one of the world leading destinations of religious tourism. A small market town lying at the foothills of the Pyrenees with less than 20,000 inhabitants, hosts over 6 million visitors annually. The Grotto of Massabielle is connected with Our Lady apparition, the visions of Saint Bernadette in 1858, and it became a pilgrimage site soon after. Miraculous healing powers are attributed to the spring water in the grotto. CORSICA Corsica, an island situated in the Mediterranean, is known as the island of beauty. It offers some of the most spectacular sceneries the Mediterranean. High mountains covered with forests of pine and chestnut and sweet-smelling maquis scrub rise from the deeply indented western coast. The sparsely populated interior preserved traditional lifestyles until well into the 20 century. Ajaccio, the island capital, is famous as the birthplace of Napoleon. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES The long and rich French history has resulted in abundant historical, architectural and cultural monuments. The country has 41 monuments that have been put on the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Out of them, 37 are cultural sites and three are natural sites. One more site is of mixed cultural-natural character. Belfries of Belgium and France. The property consists of twenty-three belfries in the north of France that were extended with thirty-three belfries in Belgium (originally inscribed as Belfries of Flanders and Wallonia). All the 56 belfries were inscribed as a transboundary group. Built between the 11 and 17 centuries, the belfries display the Roman, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles of architecture. Some of the belfries are parts of cathedrals or town halls. Over the centuries, they became the representation of the influence and wealth of the towns. Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin. The property is a remarkable landscape shaped over three centuries of coal extraction (1700s to the 1900s) and consists of 109 separate components over 1,200 km^2. It features mining pits, lift infrastructure, slag heaps (some of which exceed 140 m in height), coal transport infrastructure, railway stations, workers’ estates and mining villages including social habitat, schools, religious buildings, health and community facilities, company premises, owners and managers’ houses, town halls, etc. The site documents the intention to create model workers’ cities from the 19 century to the 1960s. Fortifications of Vauban consists of 12 groups of fortified buildings and sites along the western, northern and eastern borders of France. They represent the finest examples of the work of Sébastien de Vauban (1633-1707), a military engineer of King Louis XIV. The property includes towns, citadels, urban bastion walls and bastion towers. There are also mountain forts, sea forts, a mountain battery and two mountain communication structures. This property is inscribed as a witness to the peak of classic fortifications, typical of western military architecture. Amiens Cathedral, situated in the heart of Picardy, is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals of the 13 century in Europe and the largest in France. It is notable for the coherence of its plan, the beauty of its three-tier interior elevation and the particularly fine display of sculptures on the principal facade and in the south transept. Le Havre. The city of Le Havre on the English Channel in Normandy was severely bombed during the Second World War. The destroyed area was rebuilt according to the plan of a team headed by Auguste Perret from 1945 to 1964. Le Havre is exceptional among many reconstructed cities for its unity and integrity. It combines a reflection of the earlier pattern of the town and its extant historic structures with the new ideas of town planning and construction technology. It is an outstanding post-war example of urban planning and architecture. Chartres Cathedral, built at the turn the 12 and 13 century, is considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. The vast nave, the porches with fine sculptures and the magnificent original stained-glass windows, all in remarkable condition, combine to make it a masterpiece. Palace and Park of Versailles. The Palace of Versailles was the principal residence of the French kings from the time of Louis XIV to Louis XVI. Embellished by several generations of architects, sculptors, decorators and landscape architects, it provided Europe with a model of the ideal royal residence for over a century. Palace and Park of Fontainebleau. The medieval royal hunting lodge of Fontainebleau, standing at the heart of a vast forest in the Ile-de-France, was used by the kings of France from the 12 century. It was transformed, enlarged and embellished in the 16 century by Francois I who wanted to make a “New Rome” of it. Surrounded by an extensive park, the Italianate palace combines Renaissance and French artistic traditions. Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs. The fortified medieval town of Provins is situated in the former territory of the powerful Counts of Champagne. It documents the early developments in the organisation of international trading fairs and the wool industry. The urban structure of Provins, which was built specifically to host the fairs and related activities, has been well preserved. Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars. The property, situated in a very specific landscape of chalky land in north-east France, includes sites where the method of producing sparkling wines has been developed on the principle of secondary fermentation in the bottle since the early 17 century. It consists of the hillsides with vineyards, the production sites with their underground cellars and the sales and distribution centres (the Champagne Houses). These illustrate the entire champagne production process and document the development of vine growing and wine making activities. The tradition has its roots in Hautvillers and later (18 and 19 centuries) spread to the two nearest towns, i.e. to Saint-Nicaise Hill in Reims (with monumental quarry-cellars), and to Avenue de Champagne in Épernay (with the showcasing spaces of the commerce houses). The Champagne Houses have been preserving their architectural heritage, including the original decor and furniture. Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Rémi and Palace of Tau, Reims. The outstanding architectural techniques of the 13 century and the harmonious match of sculptural decoration with architecture have made Notre-Dame in Reims one of the masterpieces of Gothic art. The former abbey of Saint Rémi has preserved its beautiful 9 century nave where the Archbishop Saint Rémi (440–533) is buried (he instituted the Holy Anointing of the kings of France). The Tau Palace, a former archiepiscopal palace built in the 17 century, played an important role in religious ceremonies. Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place dʼAlliance in Nancy. Nancy, the temporary residence of the former King of Poland Stanislaus Leszczynski (later to become Duke of Lorraine) is the oldest and most typical example of a modern capital where an enlightened monarch proved to be sensitive to the needs of the public. Place Stanislas is a large pedestrian square built in 1750s by a team led by the architect Héré. It was a carefully perceived project that succeeded in creating a capital that not only enhanced the ruler’s prestige but was also functional. Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps. This serial property of 111 small individual sites includes the remains of prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from around 5000 to 500 BC on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. The settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites that create one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region. From the Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, the Production of Open-pan Salt. The Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains was active for at least 1200 years until stopping activity in 1962. The Royal Saltworks was built in 1770s (during the reign of Louis XVI), and it was the first major achievement of industrial architecture. From 1780 to 1895, its salt water travelled through 21 km of wood pipes to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans. The vast complex was designed to permit a rational organisation of work and was to have been followed by the building of an ideal city, a project that was never realised. Climats, terroirs of Burgundy. The climates are precisely delimited vineyard parcels on the slopes of the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune south of the city of Dijon. They differ from one another due to specific natural conditions as well as vine types. Over time they came to be recognized by the wine they produce. This cultural landscape consists of two parts. The first part comprises the vineyards and associated production units including villages and the town of Beaune (the commercial part of the system). The second part includes the historic centre of Dijon that symbolises the political regulatory impulse that gave birth to the climats system. The site is an outstanding example of grape cultivation and wine production developed since the High Middle Ages. Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay in Burgundy was founded by Saint Bernard in 1119. The Monastery consists of a church, cloister, refectory, sleeping quarters, bakery and ironworks and may serve as an excellent illustration of the ideal of self-sufficiency as practised by the earliest communities of Cistercian monks. Vézelay, Church and Hill. Shortly after its foundation in the 9 century, the Benedictine abbey of Vézelay acquired the relics of Saint Mary Magdalene and since then it has been an important place of pilgrimage. Saint Bernard preached the Second Crusade there in 1146 and Richard the Lion-Hearted and Philip II Augustus met there to leave for the Third Crusade in 1190. The Madeleine of Vézelay, a 12-century monastic church with sculpted capitals and portal, is a masterpiece of Burgundian Romanesque art and architecture. The historic centres of Paris, Lyons, and of Avignon with its Papal Palace and Avignon Bridge complete the List of the UNESCO World Heritage. Bourges Cathedral. The Cathedral of Saint Etienne was built between the late 12 and late 13 centuries. It is one of the great masterpieces of Gothic art and is admired for its proportions and the unity of its design. The tympanum, sculptures and stained-glass windows are particularly valuable. Apart from the beauty of the architecture, it attests to the power of Christianity in medieval France. Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe is known as the “Romanesque Sistine Chapel”. The Abbey-Church of Saint-Savin contains many beautiful and outstanding murals dating back to the 11 and 12 century which are still in a remarkable state of preservation. Port of the Moon in Bordeaux is the historical centre of the town and an outstanding Enlightenment urban and architectural ensemble with more protected buildings than any other French city except Paris. It is also recognized for its historic role as a place of exchange of cultural values over more than 2,000 years, particularly since the 12 century due to commercial links with Britain and the Low Lands. Urban plans and architectural ensembles of the early 18 century onwards place the city as an outstanding example of innovative Classical and Neo-Classical trends. Main sights include a Roman amphitheatre, Romanesque Church of the Holy Cross, town gate Porte Caillhau from the 15 century, Gothic basilica of Saint Michel, or the Rohan Palace from the 18 century. Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion is an outstanding example of historic vineyard landscape that has survived intact and in activity to the present day. Viticulture was introduced to this fertile region of Aquitaine by the Romans, and intensified in the Middle Ages. The Saint-Emilion area benefited from its location on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and many churches, monasteries and hospices were built there from the 11 century onwards. It is an exceptional landscape devoted entirely to vine-growing, with many fine historic monuments in its towns and villages. Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. Santiago de Compostela was the supreme goal for countless thousands of religious pilgrims who met there from all over Europe throughout the Middle Ages. To reach Spain, pilgrims had to pass through France. The group of important historical monuments included in this property marks out the four routes via France. Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley. The Vézère valley contains 147 prehistoric sites dating from the Palaeolithic era and 25 decorated caves. The most famous of them is the Lascaux Cave. Its discovery in 1940 was of great importance for the history of prehistoric art. The hunting scenes show some 100 animal figures, which are remarkable for their detail, rich colours and lifelike quality. Decorated Cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, is located in a limestone plateau in southern France. It contains the earliest-known and best-preserved figurative drawings in the world, dating back as early as 30,000 BP, making it an exceptional testimony of prehistoric cave art. The cave was closed off by a rock fall approximately 20,000 years BP and remained sealed until its discovery in 1994, which helped to keep it in perfect condition. It contains more than 1,000 drawings on its walls, combining a variety of animal and human motifs. They demonstrate a range of techniques including the skilful use of shading and colours, combinations of paint and engraving, anatomical accuracy, three-dimensionality and movement. The cave will never be accessible to the general public. Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the Triumphal Arch of Orange. The ancient town of Orange, situated in the Rhone valley, prides a Roman Theatre from the 1 century that is considered to be the best preserved of all the great Roman theatres. The Roman Arch built between 10 and 25 AD is one of the most beautiful and interesting surviving examples of a provincial triumphal arch from the reign of Augustus. It is decorated with low reliefs commemorating the establishment of the Pax Romana. Pont du Gard was built shortly before the Christian era to allow the aqueduct of Nîmes (which is almost 50 km long) to cross the Gard river. The Roman architects and engineers created a technical as well as an artistic masterpiece. The bridge, which stands almost 50 metres high, consists of three levels of arches, the longest measuring 275 metres. Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments. Arles is an example of the adaptation of an ancient city to the medieval European civilisation. It preserves some impressive Roman monuments, among them the arena, Roman theatre and cryptoporticus (subterranean galleries) dating back to the 1 century BC, or the baths of Constantine and the necropolis of Alyscamps from the 4 century. Situated within the city walls, Saint-Trophime with its cloister, is one of major Romanesque monuments from the 12 century. The Causses and the Cévennes, Mediterranean agro-pastoral Cultural Landscape. This property in the southern part of central France is a mountain landscape with deep valleys scattered with villages and substantial stone farmhouses on deep terraces reflecting the organisation of large abbeys from the 11 century. Episcopal City of Albi, situated in south-west France, symbolises the culmination of the medieval architectural and urban development. The Pont-Vieux (Old Bridge), the Saint-Salvi quarter and its church date back to the 10 and 11 centuries. In the 13 century, Albi became a powerful episcopal city. Then the remarkable fortified Sainte-Cécile Cathedral dominating the city was built in a unique French Gothic style from local red and orange brick. The vast bishop Palais de la Berbie surrounded by residential quarters was built in the same period. The Episcopal City of Albi forms a coherent and homogeneous ensemble of monuments and quarters that has remained largely unchanged over the centuries. Canal du Midi is a network of navigable waterways linking the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. It is 360 kilometres long and incorporates 328 structures such as locks, aqueducts, bridges, tunnels, etc. Built between 1667 and 1694, it paved the way for the Industrial Revolution. The Canal was created by Pierre-Paul Riquet. Its design and the way it blends with its surroundings turned this technical achievement into a work of art. Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne. A fortified settlement has existed on the hill where Carcassonne now stands since the pre-Roman period. In its present form it is an outstanding example of a medieval fortified town with its massive defences encircling the castle and the surrounding buildings, its streets and its fine Gothic cathedral. Pyrénées – Mont Perdu. This outstanding mountain landscape, which spans the contemporary borders of France and Spain, is centred on the peak of Mount Perdu (3,352 metres). The site, with a total area of 306 km^2, includes two of European largest and deepest canyons on the Spanish side and three major cirque walls on the northern slopes of France. The site is also a pastoral landscape reflecting an agricultural way of life that was once widespread in the upland regions of Europe but now survives only in this part of the Pyrénées. The area is scattered with villages, farms, fields and upland pastures. Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve. The nature reserve, which is a part of the Regional Natural Park of Corsica, occupies the Scandola peninsula, an impressive rock mass. The vegetation is an outstanding example of scrubland. Seagulls, cormorants and sea eagles can be found there. The clear waters, with their islets and inaccessible caves, host a rich marine life. Pitons, cirques and ramparts of Reunion Island. The property covers over 40 per cent, or 1,000 km^2, of La Réunion, an island comprising two adjoining volcanic massifs located in the south-west of the Indian Ocean. Dominated by two towering volcanic peaks, the property includes a great variety of rugged terrain and impressive ridges, forested gorges and basins creating a striking landscape. It is the natural habitat for a wide diversity of plants, presenting a high level of endemism. There are subtropical rainforests, cloud forests and heaths creating a remarkable mosaic of ecosystems and landscape features. Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems. This serial site represents the main diversity of coral reefs and associated ecosystems in the French Pacific Ocean archipelago of New Caledonia and one of the three most extensive reef systems in the world. The Lagoons are of exceptional natural beauty. They feature an outstanding diversity of coral and fish species and a range of habitats from mangroves to seagrasses with the world most diverse concentration of reef structures. The Lagoons display intact ecosystems with populations of large predators and a great number and diversity of big fish. They provide habitat to a number of emblematic or threatened marine species such as turtles, whales or dugongs whose population here is the third largest in the world. OUTSTANDING PERSONALITIES For centuries, France has been a centre of Western cultural development. Many outstanding and celebrated people have been among the most renowned of their time, and France is still recognized in the world for its rich cultural tradition. The University of Paris known as Sorbonne, founded in the mid-12 century, ranks among the oldest European universities. Perhaps the most famous names to mention are: · Painters – Camille Pissaro (The Woods at Marly), Édouard Manet (The Luncheon on the Grass), Edgar Degas (The Dance Class), Claude Monet (Water Lilies, Impression: Sunrise), Auguste Renoir (Lise Sewing, The Sisters), Paul Cézanne (The Card Players, The Bathers), Paul Gauguin (Winter Landscape), Touluse-Lautrec (At the Moulin Rouge), Henri Matisse (Woman with a Hat) · Sculptors – Auguste Rodin (The Thinker, The Age of Bronze) · Writers – Molière (Comédie-Française), Victor Hugo, Charles Baudelaire, François Rabelais, Jean de La Fontaine, Denis Diderot, Paul Verlaine, Alexandre Dumas, Jules Verne, Émile Zola, Honoré de Balzac, Guy de Maupassant, Stendhal, Antoine de Saint Exupéry · Philosophers – René Descartes, Blaise Pascal, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, Jean-Paul Sartre · Scientists – Pope Sylvester II (reintroduced the abacus, armillary sphere, introduced Arabic numerals, clocks to Europe), René Descartes (philosopher, mathematician), Blaise Pascal (mathematician, physicist), Louis Pasteur, (chemist, vaccination, pasteurisation), Pierre and Marie Curie (physicists, chemists, radioactivity · Composers – Hector Berlioz, George Bizet (Carmen), Jacques Offenbach, Claude Debussy · Singers (Chanson française) – Édith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, Mireille Mathieu · Filmmakers – Lumière Brothers (Auguste and Louis) – created cinema in 1895 (France remains a leader in filmmaking, and hosts the Cannes Festival, one of the most important and famous film festivals in the world.) REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Ireland, Éire or Poblacht na hÉireann in Irish, is located in North-Western Europe occupying about five-sixths of the island of Ireland. The country shares its only land border with Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, to the north and east. Otherwise, it is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south, Saint George’s Channel to the south-east and the Irish Sea to the east. Ireland is a parliamentary republic covering an area of approximately 70,280 km^2 and its population is about 4.6 million people. Its capital and largest city is Dublin located on the east coast of the island. The country is a member of the European Union, a founding member of the Council of Europe, OECD, and the United Nations. The country is not a member of NATO, although it does participate in Partnership for Peace. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Tourism in the Republic of Ireland is one of the most profitable sectors of the national economy with over 7.5 million people visiting the country annually and economic activities directly related to tourists employing over 200,000 people. Ireland, often called the Emerald Island, is a land of rural greenery and natural beauty. The western landscape consists mostly of rugged cliffs, hills and mountains. The central lowlands are extensively covered with significant areas of bogland and several lakes. The west coast is more rugged than the east, with numerous islands, peninsulas, headlands and bays. Ireland has a wealth of structures (surviving in various states of preservation) from the Neolithic period such as Brú na Bóinne, Poulnabrone dolmen (a portal tomb), Castlestrange stone (a granite boulder decorated with flowing spirals from 500BC), Turoe stone (a granite stone decorated in a Celtic style), and Dromberg stone circle. Christianity introduced monastic houses of Monasterboice (founded in late-5 century), Clonmacnoise (founded in 544), or Skellig Michael. Castles were built by the Normans during the late 12 century such as Dublin Castle and Kilkenny Castle (built in 1195). Surviving planned walled trading towns founded by Normans include Drogheda and Youghal. Gothic cathedrals, such as Saint Patrick’s in Dublin, were also introduced by the Normans. Franciscans established numerous abbeys around the country while elegant tower houses, such as Bunratty castle, were built by the Gaelic and Norman aristocracy. Many religious buildings were ruined with the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Ireland has long been associated with thatched-roof cottages (roof built with dry vegetation such as straw or heather), though these are nowadays considered old-fashioned. Dublin was founded by Vikings in 841. In the 9 century the settlement was captured by Danes. In 1171, they were expelled by King Henry II of England and British controlled the country for the following 750 years. From 1800, the Irish strived to gain their independence which they finally won in 1922. Dating back to the 11 century, Christ Church Cathedral is the oldest building in Dublin containing a crypt that pre-dates the Cathedral. Cathedral of Saint Patrick, founded in 1191, it is the largest church in Ireland. Dublin Castle, the former seat of British rule in Ireland, was founded as a massive stronghold in 1204 shortly after the Norman invasion. Chester Beatty Library within the Castle contains a wide selection of early books and manuscripts, including sacred texts. Trinity College, a research university, houses the Book of Kells, an illustrated manuscript created by Irish monks around 800 AD. Merrion Square, a Georgian garden square, is filled with very green grassy areas and decorative flower beds. There is a large statue of Oscar Wilde and two square marble columns covered in famous Wilde quotes. National Museum of Ireland is the national repository for all archaeological objects found in Ireland. Aran Islands are an archipelago of three small islands, the largest of them Inis Mór is only 12 by 3 kilometres in size. All are unfertile, rocky islands with some of the most beautiful sceneries in the world. The inhabitants of these three rocky islands not only built incredible stone forts that have stood for thousands of years, stone walls that crisscross every inch of the islands, but also brought greenery to lifeless rock through centuries of digging dirt from cracks and composting seaweed from the oceans. Ancient forts on the cliff tops such as Fort of Aengus and Fort of Conchobar are some of the oldest archaeological remains in Ireland. A system of ancient stone walls (1,600 kilometres) enfolds all three islands to contain local livestock. The islands are also scattered with early clocháns (dry-stone beehive huts from the early-Christian period). The Cliffs of Moher are located at the south-western edge of the country and are often visited for their beautiful scenery and castles. The cliffs boast one of Ireland most spectacular views, on a clear day the Aran Islands are visible in Galway Bay. The cliffs rank amongst the top visited tourist sites in Ireland and receive almost one million visitors a year. The Ring of Kerry is a region of typical Irish landscape with stunning scenery, dramatic coastline with windswept cliffs and unspoilt beaches, charming places with breathtaking scenery, spectacular lakes, green hills, rich flora and fauna as well as ancient monuments, romantic castles, outstanding gardens and colourful towns and villages, Here, the idealised view of Ireland comes to reality. Blarney Castle is a romantic partial ruin of a medieval stronghold built in the 15 century on a place of stone fortification that in the 12 century replaced the former timber house. It was abandoned in 1690. Some of the rooms and battlements are accessible. The Castle is surrounded with extensive gardens. The grounds include a poisonous garden with a number of poisonous plants such as mandrake, opium or cannabis. Ireland has only two sites that have been put on the UNESCO List of World Cultural and National Heritage. Both the properties are of cultural character. Brú na Bóinne – Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne. Brú na Bóinne (Palace of the Boyne) is the largest and one of the most important complexes of Megalithic sites in Europe dating to the Neolithic period. The complex is situated around a wide bend in the River Boyne about 50 kilometres north of Dublin. The site is a complex of Neolithic mounds, chamber tombs, standing stones, henges and other prehistoric enclosures, some from as early as 35 century BC. The best known sites within the Complex are the three impressive burial mounds of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, all famous for their significant collections of megalithic art. The monuments had social, economic, religious and funerary functions. Apart from the three burial mounds, the Complex comprises 90 recorded monuments and an unknown quantity of yet unrecorded sites scattered across the ridge above the Boyne and over the low-lying areas and floodplain. Sceilig Mhichíl, Skellig Michael or Great Skellig, is the larger of the two Skellig Islands. This pyramidal rock is located about 12 kilometres west off the south-west coast of Ireland. A Christian monastery was probably founded in the 7 century on the steep sides of the rocky island and remained occupied until its abandonment in the late 12 century. The Monastery illustrates the very Spartan existence of the first Irish Christians. Since the extreme remoteness of Skellig Michael has until recently discouraged visitors, the site is exceptionally well preserved. The property includes both the remains of the Monastery and most of the island itself. OUTSTANDING PERSONALITIES Ireland’s culture was for centuries predominantly Gaelic, and it remains one of the six principal Celtic nations. Following the Anglo-Norman invasion in the 12 century, and gradual British conquest and colonisation beginning in the 16 century, Ireland became influenced by English and Scottish culture. Subsequently, Irish culture, though distinct in many aspects, shares characteristics with the Anglosphere, Catholic Europe, and other Celtic regions. The Irish diaspora, one of the largest and most scattered in the world, has contributed to the globalisation of Irish culture, producing many prominent personalities in the area of art, music, and science. Many outstanding and celebrated people have been among the most renowned of their time. Perhaps the most famous names to mention include: · Literature – Jonathan Swift (Gulliver’s Travels), Bram Stoker, James Joyce (Ulysses), George Bernard Shaw (Nobel Prize laureate, 1925), William Butler Yeats, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett (Nobel Prize laureate, 1969) · Music – Enya (four Grammy Awards, Watermark, Paint the Sky with Stars, The Memory of Trees), Sinéad O’Connor · Irish traditional music has remained vibrant and retains many traditional aspects. It has influenced various music genres, such as American country and roots music, and to some extent modern rock. Ireland is famous for its performance dance (referred to as step dance) notable for its rapid leg movements, with the body and arms being kept largely stationary, characterised by a controlled upper body, straight arms, and quick, precise movements of the feet. The music became world famous due to dance shows Lord of the Dance or Riverdance. THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country located off the north-western coast of the continental Europe. The country includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another state, the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean in the north-west, the North Sea in the east, the English Channel in the south and the Celtic Sea in the south-west, the Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland. The United Kingdom consists of four countries – England (London), Scotland (Edinburgh), Wales (Cardiff) and Northern Ireland (Belfast). Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man are Crown dependencies. The United Kingdom has fourteen British Overseas Territories, e.g. Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, or Saint Helena. Collectively the overseas territories have a population of approximately 260,000 people. These are remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the late 19 and early 20 centuries, encompassed almost a quarter of the world land and was the largest empire in history. British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. The United Kingdom covers an area of approximately 242,500 km^2 and its population is about 64.5 million people. Its capital and largest city is London. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a hereditary monarch and a bicameral parliament. The head of the state is Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952). The United Kingdom is a member of the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Council of Europe, the G7, the G8, the G20, NATO, OECD, and WTO. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Tourism is very important to the British economy. With about 31 million tourist arrivals, the Kingdom is ranked among the ten major tourist destinations in the world and London has the most international visitors of any city in the world. The long and rich history of the Kingdom has left abundant historic, cultural and architectural sites thorough the country attracting tourists from all over the world, a number of magnificent cathedrals, impressive castles, picturesque towns and villages. ENGLAND is a country scattered with some of the world most iconic heritage sites such as the white cliffs of Dover, pre-historic sites at the Salisbury Plain, Hadrian’s Wall built in Northumberland by order of the Emperor Hadrian, the Roman spa in the town of Bath, famous university towns of Oxford and Cambridge, the birthplace of William Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon, Haworth where the Brontë sisters lived, the medieval walled town of Chester renowned for its covered medieval shop rows, or the oriental Royal Pavilion in the seaside resort of Brighton. The Kingdom has always been a sea power and has many famous historical ports. Plymouth was the departure port of the Pilgrim Fathers for the New World, Portsmouth displays HMS Victory (Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar) within its Historic Dockyard, and Southampton is associated with the RMS Titanic and was one of the departure points for D-Day. The country prides itself for numerous magnificent cathedrals such as the ancient cathedral of Canterbury with the oldest parts dating to the 11 century, Winchester Cathedral with the oldest parts dating back to the 7 century that is also the longest medieval church in Europe with 170 metres long nave, the Norman Durham, York and Lincoln Cathedrals from the 11 century, or the cathedrals of Norwich (12 century), Salisbury (13 century), and Exeter (14 century). The country is also scattered with abundant castles and palaces. Windsor Castle is the residence of nearly all the British kings outside London, Lincoln Castle keeps a copy of the Magna Carta, Nottingham Castle is famous for its links with the legend of Robin Hood, Winchester Castle displays a depiction of the Round Table of King Arthur in its Great Hall, Leeds Castle is a place where Anne of Bohemia spent the winter of 1381 on her way to be married to Richard II, and Hampton Court Palace is famous for beautiful gardens, an extensive maze and a Royal Tennis Court from the 16 century. The country also boasts beautiful nature such as the national parks of the rolling landscape of Peak District with valuable moorlands, the Lake District famous for its lakes, forests and mountains and its associations with the early 19 century Romantic poets, the moorlands of Dartmoor and Exmoor, the Jurassic Coast on the English Channel, the rural forest park of the New Forest created as a royal forest in the 11 century for the royal hunt, or the National Forest. London is the principal tourist destinations in the United Kingdom with the Tower of London being the single most visited attraction in the country. Tower Bridge, situated next to the Tower, became one of the most famous symbols of the city. The modern symbol of the city is the London Eye, a big wheel at the bank of the river Thames. London has been an important settlement for two millennia with history going back to its founding by the Romans who called it Londonium in 43 AD. This long and rich history has resulted in numerous valuable monuments. The oldest monuments include the Tower and Westminster Abbey both dating back to the 11 century. The Baroque Saint Paul’s Cathedral, the second largest cathedral in the world after St Peter’s in Rome, was built at the turn of the 17 and 18 centuries following the Great Fire of 1666 that destroyed almost the whole city. It is the work of the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren, and Admiral Nelson and the Duke of Wellington (who defeated Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo in 1815) are buried within the Cathedral. Buckingham Palace, built in 1703, is the residence of the reigning monarch in London since Queen Victoria’s reign (1837). A part of the Palace displaying the Royal Collection (owned by the Queen) is open to the public. A white marble Monument of Queen Victoria stands in front of the Palace. Founded in 1753, the British Museum is the largest in the world. It houses the biggest collection of all kinds of animals, minerals and rocks. There is a collection of fine and applied arts of all countries, periods and styles. Probably the most popular part is the one housing antiquities from ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, Middle East and Asia. The British Museum library houses more than 11 million printed books and manuscripts, among them the Gutenberg Bible or the Magna Charta (which limited the king’s power in 1215), or valuable original manuscripts of Charles Dickens, John Lennon, Alexander Fleming or Leonardo da Vinci. The National Gallery housing paintings by nearly all the great European artists and a large collection of British paintings and sculptures is situated at the Trafalgar Square named after Admiral Nelson’s famous victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Nelson’s Column stands in the middle of the Square. SCOTLAND is a clean, unspoilt country with beautiful landscape of Scottish Highlands with the highest peak Ben Nevis, or the famous lakes Loch Ness and Loch Lomond. The Caledonian Canal connects the Scottish east coast at Inverness with the west coast at Corpach. The Canal runs some 97 kilometres and only one third is man-made. Scotland also boasts thousands of historic sites and monuments. These include prehistoric stone circles, standing stones and burial chambers, and various Bronze, Iron and Stone Age remains. There are also many historic castles, houses, and battlegrounds, ruins and museums. Culture of Scotland is outstanding. Other significant and increasingly popular reason for visiting Scotland is golf (St Andrew), fishing (salmon), and hunting (deer, grouse). Scottish islands such as the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland are also popular tourism destinations. Scotland is known world-wide for Scotch whisky. Over a million visitors a year enjoy a tour around its Whisky distilleries. Edinburg, the capital city, is the largest tourist destination in Scotland and the second largest in the United Kingdom after London. Its major tourist attractions include Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyrood, the Royal Mile, or Arthur’s Seat, the remnant of a volcano. Stirling is a historic city in central Scotland and is generally known as the “Gateway to the Highlands” due to its geographical position between highland and lowland Scotland. Its main attractions are the Stirling Castle and Wallace National Monument. WALES attracts tourists with its varied and picturesque landscape. The small country boasts three national parks, i.e. the Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire Coast and Snowdonia offering excellent conditions for hill walking, hiking, mountain biking, climbing, canoeing and kayaking. Wales is also becoming increasingly popular for extreme sports, such as hang gliding and downhill cycling (in which Wales hosts the Dragon Downhill Series). The Museum of Welsh Life that focuses largely on the industrial past of Wales is currently the most popular tourist attraction in Wales, attracting over 600,000 visitors annually. Wales is decorated with many impressive castles, most of them built to enable or consolidate the English conquest of Wales during the reign of the English king Edward I, such as Caernarfon, Beaumaris, or Conwy. NORTHERN IRELAND, dragged down for decades by the violence and uncertainty, is today a popular tourist destination. The smallest part of the Kingdom is situated in the north-east corner of the island of Ireland. Although rather small, it offers a variety of picturesque landscape ranging from calm rolling hills, to breathtaking mountains, green valleys (glens), steep cliffs, and national parks. One of the greatest attractions of the country is the Causeway Coast with Giant Causeway (UNESCO Site), and the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (linking the mainland to the tiny island of Carrickarede). A number of historical abbeys, monasteries and convents, gardens, stately homes, and castles can be found all around the country. Northern Ireland boasts over two hundred monastic houses such as the Glynn Monastery founded in the 5 century by Saint Patrick or the Augustinian Bangor Abbey founded by Gaelic monks in the 6 century. Saint Patrick is reputed to be buried at Down Cathedral in Downpatrick, supposedly alongside Saint Brigid and Saint Columba. The Church of Saint Patrick in Newry is the first Irish Protestant church. Perched on the north Antrim coastline on a dramatic rocky promontory, Dunluce Castle is one of the most iconic historic monuments of Northern Ireland. Londonderry is the only remaining completely walled city in Ireland. The Old Bushmill Distillery is the oldest licences whiskey distillery in the world. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES There are 28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom and overseas territories. Seventeen in England, four in Scotland, three in Wales, one in Northern Ireland, and one in each of the overseas territories of Bermuda, the Pitcairn Islands, and Saint Helena. Out of them, 23 are cultural sites, four are natural sites, and one site is of mixed cultural-natural character. Heart of Neolithic Orkney. The Orkney Islands lie 15 kilometres north of the coast of Scotland. The group of Neolithic monuments consists of four sites. Skara Brae is a remarkably well-preserved settlement with stone built houses connected by narrow roofed passages. Maes Howe is a large chambered tomb. The elliptical Stones of Stenness is a ceremonial stone circle consisting of four substantial surviving standing stones and the surrounding ditch. The circular Ring of Brodgar consists of 36 surviving stones. There is also a number of associated unexcavated burial, ceremonial and settlement sites. The group constitutes a major prehistoric cultural landscape depicting life in this remote archipelago some 5,000 years ago. (Scotland) St Kilda is a tiny volcanic archipelago situated off the west coast of mainland Scotland. Its dramatic jagged landscape combines towering black cliffs (430 metres) with steep grass-green slopes. Exposure to some of the greatest wave heights and strongest wind speeds in Europe plays a major role in shaping the coastal ecology. With nearly one million seabirds present at the height of the breeding season, St Kilda supports one of the largest seabird colonies, including rare and endangered species (northern gannet, Atlantic puffin and northern fulmar). The marine environment is of unparalleled richness and colours. Although the isolated archipelago of St Kilda has had no permanent residents since 1930, it bears exceptional evidence of over two millennia of human occupation. The landscape contains remainders of built structures and field systems, the cleits (stone huts) and the traditional Highland stone houses. St Kilda is an outstanding example of how, even in the most extreme conditions of storm swept isolated island, people were able to live for thousands of years from exploiting natural resources and farming (products of birds, agriculture and sheep farming). The feral Soay sheep, a feature of the landscape, represent an ancient and rare breed (descendants of the most primitive domestic sheep found in Europe). They provide a living testament to the longevity of human occupation of St Kilda. (Scotland) The Forth Bridge is a railway bridge that spans the estuary of the Forth River in Scotland. It was the earliest great multi-span cantilever bridge in the world and it remains one of the longest (2,529 metres). It opened in 1890 and continues to carry passengers and cargo. Its distinctive industrial aesthetic is the result of a straight and simple display of its structural components. Innovative in style, materials and scale, the Forth Bridge is an important milestone in bridge design and construction during the period when railways came to dominate long-distance land travel. (Scotland) Old and New Towns of Edinburgh. The Old Town of Edinburgh, dominated by a medieval fortress, was founded in the Middle Ages, and the Neo-Classical New Town was developed from the 18 century onwards. The Old Town stretches along a high ridge from the Castle situated on the Castle Rock, the remnant of an extinct volcano, down to the Palace of Holyrood. The Old Town is characterised by the survival of the medieval “fishbone” street pattern of narrow closes and courts leading off the spine formed by the High Street. It contains many merchant and noble houses rising up to six storeys. Several fine public buildings have been preserved such as the church of Saint Giles, the City Chambers and the Law Courts. The New Town was constructed on the glacial plain to the north of the Old Town. The layout and architecture of the Georgian New Town, integrated with large green spaces, influenced European urban design in the 18 and 19 centuries. The Old and New Towns are linked across the landscape divide, the Waverley Valley with Princes Street Gardens, by the North Bridge, and by the Mound, an artificial hill. The harmonious association of the two distinct areas gives the city its unique character. Edinburgh has been the Scottish capital since the 15 century. (Scotland) New Lanark is a small 18 century village set in a beautiful Scottish landscape. In the early 19 century, the philanthropist and Utopian idealist Robert Owen bought the site and turned it into a model industrial community. The imposing cotton mill buildings, the spacious and well-designed workers’ housing, public facilities and the distinguished educational institute and school still testify to Owen’s humanism. (Scotland) Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast. The Giant’s Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea coast on the edge of the Antrim plateau in Northern Ireland. It is made up of about 40,000 joined massive black basalt columns projecting out of the sea. It was created by volcanic activity in the Tertiary period (some 50-60 million years ago). The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most are hexagonal although there are also some with four, five, seven or eight sides. The tallest are about 12 metres high and the hardened lava in the cliffs is 28 metres thick in places. (Northern Ireland) Frontiers of the Roman Empire were constructed during the 2 century AD to defend the Roman Empire from the ‘barbarians’. “Limes Romanus”, the Roman border lines, stretched over 5,000 kilometres from the Atlantic coast of northern Britain through Europe to the Black Sea and from there to the Red Sea and across North Africa to the Atlantic coast. The remains of the Limes today consist of the remnants of built walls, ditches, forts, fortresses, watchtowers and civilian settlements. Certain elements of the line have been excavated and some reconstructed. The 118 kilometres long Hadrian’s Wall was built on the orders of the Emperor Hadrian in 122 AD at the northernmost limits of the Roman province of Britannia. It is a striking example of the organization of a military zone and illustrates the defensive techniques and geopolitical strategies of ancient Rome. The Antonine Wall, a 60 kilometres long fortification in Scotland, was started by Emperor Antonius Pius in 142 AD. It constitutes the farthest north-western part of the Roman Limes. The World Heritage Site was previously listed as Hadrian’s Wall alone but was later expanded to include all the frontiers of the Roman Empire at its zenith in the 2 century, ranging from Antonine’s Wall in the north to Trajan’s Wall in Eastern Europe. (Northern England and southern Scotland) Durham Castle and Cathedral. Durham Cathedral was built in the late-11 to early-12 centuries to house the relics of Saint Cuthbert (evangeliser of Northumbria, 634-687 AD) and the Venerable Bede (672/3-735 AD). The Cathedral confirms the importance of the early Benedictine monastic community. It is the largest and finest example of the Norman architecture in England, and at the same time its vaulting indicated the arrival of Gothic architecture. The Cathedral lies within the area of the Durham Castle, an ancient Norman fortress built in the late-11 century under the orders of William the Conqueror. The Castle was the stronghold and residence of the Prince-Bishops of Durham who protected the northern boundaries of England. The Cathedral and the Castle are located on a peninsula formed by a bend in the River Wear with steep river banks constituting a natural line of the defence. (England) Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey. Before the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the mid-16 century, Fountains Abbey was one of the largest and richest Cistercian abbeys in Britain and is one of only a few that survived from the 12 century. A striking landscape was created around the ruins of the Fountains Abbey in the 18 and 19 centuries, making the area an outstanding site and one of the most spectacular water gardens. The Studley Royal Park incorporates gardens, canals, ponds, cascades, lawns and hedges, with elegant garden buildings, gateways, statues and vistas. The Park has survived to a large extent in its original design and influenced garden design in Europe. (England) Saltaire, situated in West Yorkshire, is an exceptionally complete and well-preserved industrial village of the second half of the 19 century. It was founded by a mill-owner Titus Salt as a model village for his workers. Its textile mills, public buildings and workers’ housing are built in a harmonious style of high architectural quality. The urban plan survives intact, giving a vivid impression of Victorian philanthropic approach to industrial management. (England) Derwent Valley Mills. The Derwent Valley in central England contains a series of 18 and 19 century cotton mills and an industrial landscape of high historical and technological significance. It began with the construction of the Silk Mill in Derby in 1721. In 1770s, other two water-powered spinning mills were constructed at Cromford. Hence, the Derwent Valley was a place where the modern factory system was developed and established. The construction of industrial establishments in a rural landscape required the construction of housing and other facilities for the workers in the mills, and the resulting settlements created an exceptional industrial landscape. The Derwent Valley Mills influenced North America and Europe. (England) Ironbridge Gorge. Ironbridge is known throughout the world as the symbol of the Industrial Revolution. The property contains substantial remains of mines, pit mounds, spoil heaps, foundries, factories, workshops, warehouses, iron masters’ and workers’ housing, public buildings, infrastructure, and transport systems, together with the traditional landscape and forests of the Severn Gorge. The town draws its name from the Iron Bridge spanning the deep valley. Erected in 1779, it was the first bridge in the world built from iron and had a considerable influence on developments in the fields of technology and architecture. (England) Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire is situated within a large walled romantic park created by the famous landscape gardener Lancelot “Capability” Brown. The Palace was designed by architects John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor. It was presented by the English nation to John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, in appreciation of his victory over French and Bavarian troops in 1704. Built between 1705 and 1722 and characterized by an eclectic style and a return to national roots, it is a perfect example of an 18 century princely dwelling. (England) City of Bath in south-west England was founded in the 1 century AD by the Romans who used the natural hot springs as a thermal spa. It became an important centre for the wool industry in the Middle Ages but in the 18 century under the reigns of George I, II and III it developed into an elegant spa city with neoclassical Palladian buildings. The city has preserved valuable Roman structures, especially the Temple of Sulis Minerva and the baths complex based around the hot springs at the heart of the Roman town called Aquae Sulis. Magnificent Neo-classical Palladian crescents, terraces and squares spread out over the surrounding hills and set in a green valley are an outstanding demonstration of the integration of architecture, urban design and landscape setting. (England) Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites. The property is internationally important for its complexes of outstanding prehistoric monuments situated in Wiltshire. While Avebury is the largest Neolithic stone circle in the world, Stonehenge is the most famous and architecturally sophisticated. It is distinguished by the unique use of two different kinds of stones (Bluestones and Sarsens), their size (the largest weighing over 40 tons) and the distance they were transported (up to 240 km). The two sanctuaries consist of circles of menhirs arranged in a pattern whose astronomic significance is still being explored. The purpose of the henges has been a source of speculation, with suggestions ranging from ceremonial and mortuary practices to interpreting the cosmos. Being built between circa 3700 and 1600 BC, these sanctuaries and the nearby inter-related monuments as well as their associated landscape are an incomparable testimony to prehistoric times resulting from around 2000 years of continuous use. The associated sites include Silbury Hill (the largest prehistoric mound in Europe), Beckhampton Avenue (a curving prehistoric avenue of stones, and West Kennet Avenue (an avenue of two parallel lines of stones). (England) Dorset and East Devon Coast. The cliffs that make up the Dorset and Devon coast stretch for 155 kilometres along the Channel coast in southern England. The cliffs provide an almost continuous sequence of rock formations spanning the Mesozoic Era. The area is called Jurassic Coast because it is an important site for fossils that provides a continuous record of life on land and in the sea in the area since 185 million years ago. (England) Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape. The landscapes of Cornwall and west Devon were radically reshaped during the 18 and 19 centuries by deep mining for predominantly copper and tin. The remains of deep underground mines, engine houses, foundries, smallholdings, ports, harbours, canals, railways, tram roads, and ancillary industries, along with new towns and villages reflect an extended period of industrial expansion and fruitful innovation. Together these are testimony to the sophistication and success of the early large-scale industrialised mining. The technology and infrastructure developed at Cornish and west Devon mines enabled the region to produce two-thirds of the world supply of copper and to influence mining practice around the world. (England) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Created in 1759, the prominent Kew Gardens were designed by Charles Bridgeman, William Kent, Capability Brown, and William Chambers. This historic landscape gardens feature elements that illustrate significant periods of the art of gardens from the 18 to the 20 centuries. The gardens were used to study botany and ecology and furthered the understanding of the subjects. They house botanic collections (conserved plants, living plants and documents) that have been considerably enriched through the centuries. The plant collections include the arboretum, bonsai, cacti, carnivorous, orchid, magnolia and fern collections, rose, azalea, lilac, grass, bamboo and rock gardens, and many other specialist areas. (England) Tower of London. Begun in 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, the massive White Tower is a typical example of Norman military architecture. It was built by William the Conqueror to protect London and emphasise his power. The Tower of London, built around the White Tower, is a rare survival of a continuously developing ensemble of royal buildings from the 11 to 16 centuries. It is an imposing fortress that has become one of the symbols of royalty. Originally it was a royal palace, then a prison, where many important people were imprisoned and beheaded (Queens Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, Mary Stuart, Sir Walter Raleigh). The presence of the Crown Jewels, kept at the Tower since the 17 century, is a reminder of the role of the fortress as a repository for the Royal Wardrobe. (England) Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church is a site of great historic and symbolic significance. The site has been involved in the administration of England, and later the United Kingdom, since the 11 century. Since the coronation of William the Conqueror, all English and British monarchs have been crowned at Westminster Abbey. Most of them were also married and buried in the Abbey. Westminster Palace, home to the British Parliament, is a fine example of Neo-Gothic architecture. It was built in 1840s on the site of important medieval remains. The small medieval Church of Saint Margaret, built in Gothic style, is the parish church of the Palace. Although it was rebuilt, it pre-dates the palace and was built in the 11 century. (England) Maritime Greenwich. The ensemble of buildings at Greenwich symbolises English artistic and scientific effort of the 17 and 18 centuries. The Queen’s House, part of the Royal Palace at Greenwich built by Inigo Jones, was the first Palladian building in England. The Royal Hospital for Seamen, designed by Christopher Wren and built over many decades by him and other leading architects, is among the most outstanding Baroque buildings in England. The complex of the Royal Naval College was also designed by famous Christopher Wren. Probably the most famous building in Greenwich, the Old Royal Observatory, is the work of Christopher Wren and the scientist Robert Hooke. The astronomical work of the Royal Observatory, particularly of the scientists Robert Hooke and John Flamsteed, enabled the accurate measurement of the earth movement and also contributed to the development of global navigation. The Observatory is now the base-line for the world time zone system and for the measurement of longitude around the globe as it marks the Prime Meridian. All the monuments are situated within an extensive landscape park (designed by André Le Nôtre) that exemplifies the interaction of people and nature over two centuries. (England) Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey, and St Martin’s Church. Canterbury, situated in Kent, has been the seat of the spiritual head of the Church of England for nearly five centuries. The ancient Canterbury Cathedral is an impressive mixture of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Its oldest parts date back to the 11 century. In 1170, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was murdered in the Cathedral. Following his murder and subsequent canonisation, Canterbury became the biggest pilgrimage site in the country. Other important monuments of the town are the modest Church of Saint Martin, the oldest church in England, and the ruins of the Abbey of Saint Augustine, a reminder of his role during the early stages of the introduction of Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons. (England) Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd. During the reign of Edward I of England (1272–1307), a series of castles were constructed in Wales with the aim of pacifying the local population and establishing English colonies in Wales. The four castles of Beaumaris, Conwy, Caernarfon, and Harlech, and the associated fortified towns at Conwy and Caernarfon in Gwynedd, North Wales, are the finest examples of the late-13 and early-14 century military architecture designed and directed by James of St George (c. 1230-1309), King Edward’s chief architect, and the greatest military architect of the time. These extremely well-preserved castles have survived in a surprising completeness and original state. The extensive and detailed contemporary technical, social, and economic documentation of the castles, and the survival of the neighbouring fortified towns at Caernarfon and Conwy, makes them one of the major references of medieval history. The castles of Edward I are considered the top of military architecture by military historians. (Wales) Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal is situated in north-eastern Wales. The 18 kilometre long navigable Aqueduct was built to carry the Llangollen Canal over the Valley of the River Dee. It was designed by Thomas Telford and completed during the Industrial Revolution in the early 19 century. The aqueduct is a pioneering masterpiece of engineering and monumental metal architecture. The use of both cast and wrought iron enabled the construction of arches that were light and strong as well as monumental and elegant. It is the longest and highest aqueduct in Britain. The innovative use of cast and wrought iron inspired civil engineering all over the world. (Wales) Blaenavon Industrial Landscape. In the 19 century, Wales was the leading producer of iron and coal in the world. The area around Blaenavon in South Wales provides an exceptional testimony to the international importance of Wales in this field. Blaenavon is an example of the landscape created by the industrial processes associated with the production of iron and coal. The site includes coal and ore mines, quarries, furnaces, a primitive railway system, public buildings, workers’ housing, and the social infrastructure. (Wales) Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda. Founded in 1612, St George is the oldest English town in the New World and an outstanding example of planned urban settlements established in the New World in the 17 century by colonial powers. Its associated fortifications illustrate the development of English military engineering from the 17 to 20 century. (Bermuda) Gough and Inaccessible Islands are two extraordinary uninhabited oceanic islands that preserve an ecosystem almost untouched by mankind, a protected wildlife reserve with many native species of plants and animals, and are therefore of special conservation significance. Gough Island is one of the largest cool-temperate oceanic islands in the world that remains close to pristine. Inaccessible Island houses a number of species endemic to this tiny spot in the South Atlantic Ocean. The spectacular cliffs of Gough and Inaccessible Islands towering above the ocean are free of introduced mammals and home to one of the largest colonies of sea birds in the world. They are home to Rockhopper Penguins, Petrels, Fur Seals, Elephant Seals and others. Cetaceans such as whales and dolphins live in the surrounding. (Archipelago in South Atlantic Ocean) Henderson Island is an uninhabited raised coral atoll in the south of the Pacific Ocean. Its ecology has been almost untouched by a human presence. Its isolated location provides an ideal context for studying the dynamics of evolution and natural selection. There are ten plant and four land birds native to the island. It is also home to large breeding seabird colonies. (Pitcairn Island, Pacific Ocean) OUTSTANDING PERSONALITIES From the time of the Scientific Revolution, England and Scotland, and thereafter the United Kingdom, have been prominent in the world of scientific and technological development. The Royal Society serves as the national academy for sciences, with members drawn from many different institutions and disciplines. Formed in 1660, it is one of the oldest learned societies still in existence. The United Kingdom is also prominent, influential and respected across the world in the areas of literature, music, art, theatre, media, philosophy, architecture, and many other fields. Sport is an important part of British culture; numerous sports originated in the country. The UK has been described as a ‘cultural superpower’, and London has been described as a world cultural capital. Many outstanding and celebrated people have been among the most renowned of their time. Perhaps the most famous names to mention include: · Science – Isaac Newton (laws of motion), Charles Darwin (theory of evolution), Alexander Fleming (penicillin), Francis Crick (DNA molecule), Michael Faraday (electric motor), Alexander Graham Bell (telephone), Tim Bernes-Lee (World Wide Web) · Literature – William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlow, John Milton, Daniel Defoe, Jane Austen, Mary Shelley, Brontë sisters, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, George Elliot, William Blake, Rudyard Kippling, George Orwell, Agatha Christie, Ian Fleming, J.R.R. Tolkien, Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Burns, Dylan Thomas, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wild, Bram Stoker, George Bernard Shaw · Music – The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, Bee Gees, Oasis, Spice Girls, Elton John, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Rod Steward, Amy Winehouse · Cinema – Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, Richard Burton, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Laurence Olivier, Kate Winslet, Daniel Day-Lewis · Sport – Major sports, including football, rugby, rowing, boxing, badminton, cricket, tennis, darts and golf, originated or were substantially developed in the United Kingdom and the states that preceded it. In most international competitions, separate teams represent England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and hence compete. Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland usually field a single team representing all of Ireland, with notable exceptions being association football and the Commonwealth Games. There are some sports in which a single team represents the whole of United Kingdom, including the Olympics, where the UK is represented by the Great Britain team. The 1908, 1948 and 2012 Olympic Games were held in London. Horse racing, which originated in the 17 century as the ‘sport of kings’, is popular throughout the UK with world-famous races including the Grand National, the Epson Derby, or Royal Ascot. The modern game of lawn tennis first originated at the end of the 19 century, the Championships held in Wimbledon are regarded as the most prestigious event of the global tennis calendar. KINGDOM OF NETHERLANDS The Netherlands, Nederland or Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in Dutch, is a constitutional monarchy consisting of four constituent countries (landen), i.e. the Netherlands located in north-west Europe, and Aruba, Curaçao and Saint Martin (Sint Maarten) in the Caribbean Sea. The constituent country of Netherlands consists of the European mainland and three special municipalities that are collectively called the Caribbean Netherlands. The Caribbean Netherlands consist of Bonaire, an island of mixed volcanic and coral origin, and Saba and Sint Eustatius, hilly islands of volcanic origin. The European part of the Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and it shares maritime borders with Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. It covers an area of approximately 41,500 km^2 and its population is about 17 million people. The capital and largest city is Amsterdam and the seat of the government is The Hague. The Netherlands in its entirety is often referred to as Holland. It is a founding member of the EU, G-10, NATO, OECD, WTO and a part of the trilateral Benelux economic union. The country is host to five international courts – the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Court and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The first four are situated in The Hague, as is the EU’s criminal intelligence agency Europol, most embassies and approximately 150 other international organisations. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS The Netherlands belongs to twenty most visited countries in the world, receiving an average of 13 million foreign tourists each year. The country has 20 national parks and hundreds of other nature reserves that include lakes, heathlands, woods, dunes and other habitats. In 1871, the last old original natural woods were cut down, and most woods today are planted monocultures of trees like Scots Pine and trees that are not native to the Netherlands. Windmills, tulips, wooden shoes, cheese, Delftware pottery, and cannabis are among the items associated with the Netherlands. The islands in the Caribbean with their long sandy beaches and rich nightlife are popular tourist destinations. Curacao attracts tourists also with excellent conditions for snorkelling and scuba diving at it coral reefs. Zaanse Schans, an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage situated north of Amsterdam, has a collection of well-preserved historic windmills and houses. Volendam and Marken, two former fishing villages, are popular tourist attractions. Volendan is famous for its old fishing boats and the traditional costumes still worn by the residents, and Marken for its picturesque colourful wooden houses. Alkmaar is famous for its old centre and mainly for its traditional cheese market. Muderslot (Castle Muiden) from the 13 century is one of the best known castles in the Netherlands, and Naarden is a well-preserved example of a star fort with fortification walls and a moat. Keukenhof (Kitchen Garden), situated in the town of Lisse and known as the Garden of Europe, is one of the largest flower gardens in the world. Approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted annually in the Park. The town of Delft is known for its historic town centre with canals and for the Delft Blue pottery. Amsterdam with over 4.5 million foreign tourists (and 16 million day trippers) is the most visited city of the Netherlands. Its most famous sight is the 17-century canals (Grachtengordel) located in the heart of the city. Amsterdam is home to the three most frequently visited museums of the country, The Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House and Rijksmuseum (State Museum dedicated to arts and history with a collection of about one million objects from the years 1200-2000). The National Tulip Day is organised in the city every January. The Netherlands is one of the few countries that tolerate the consumption of cannabis and have legalized prostitution. These facts have made Amsterdam a popular destination for drug and sex tourists (over 20 per cent of tourists in Amsterdam have visited cannabis coffee shops and the red light district called De Wallen). UNESCO World Heritage Sites There are nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kingdom of Netherlands. Eight of these are cultural properties and one is a natural property. Seven properties are on the European Mainland and one is in Curaçao. One of the sites is transboundary share between the Netherlands and Germany. Wadden Sea is the largest unbroken system of intertidal sand and mud flats in the world. It lies between the coast of north-western continental Europe and the range of Frisian Islands (or Wadden Sea Islands), forming a shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands. It stretches from Den Helder in the Netherlands in the southwest, past the great river estuaries of Germany to its northern boundary at Skallingen in Denmark along a total length of about 500 kilometres and a total area of about 10,000 km². The area is rich in biodiversity and transitional habitats with tidal channels, sandy shoals, sea-grass meadows, mussel beds, mudflats, salt marshes, estuaries, beaches and dunes. The region is home to numerous plant and animal species, including marine mammals such as the harbour seal, grey seal and harbour porpoise. It is also considered one of the most important areas for migratory birds in the world. The Wadden Sea is one of the last remaining large-scale intertidal ecosystems where natural processes continue to function largely undisturbed. The property is shared between the Netherlands and Germany. Ir. D. F. Woudagemaal (D. F. Wouda Steam Pumping Station) is the largest steam-powered pumping station ever built in the world. The pumping station, situated at Lemmer in the province of Frieseland, was opened by Queen Wilhelmina in 1920. It was built to pump excess water out of Friesland. In 1967, after running on coal for 47 years, the boilers were converted to run on heavy fuel oil. The pumping station is currently used to supplement the existing pumping capacity of the J. L. Hooglandgemaal (electric) in case of exceptionally high water levels in Friesland. This usually happens a few days per year. Schokland and Surroundings. Schokland was an inhabited peninsula since pre-historic times that had become an island, and an attractive settlement area, by the 15 century. Nevertheless, it was under continuous thread by floods due to the Zuider Zee (a shallow bay of the North Sea). A major flood in 1825 brought massive destruction, the island had to be evacuated and the government decided to end permanent settlement on Schokland in 1859. Schokland lost its status as an island when the Noordoostpolder was reclaimed from the sea (the Zuider Zee was drained) in 1942. It is now just a slightly elevated part above the flat land of the polder with the outlines of the former island still visible. Parts of the wall of the waterfront remain intact. Today Schokland is a popular archaeological site and the seat of the Schokland Museum. It symbolizes the struggle of the people of the Netherlands against the sea. (The struggle has lasted for more than six thousand years and still continues. Without constant care, more than half of the present area of the country would be entirely submerged or subject to periodic floods.) Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder) is the first polder in the Netherlands, a land that was reclaimed from the Lake Beemster with the water being extracted out of the lake by windmills. It was dried in the beginning of the 17 century (1609-1612) with the aim to acquire new agricultural land and space for country residences as well as to fight flooding. This cultural landscape, located north of Amsterdam, has preserved intact its geometric landscape pattern of fields, roads, canals, dykes and settlements laid out in accordance with classical and Renaissance planning principles. A grid of canals parallels the grid of roads. The pattern of roads and watercourses runs north to south and east to west, with buildings along the roads. The Beemster Polder is a masterpiece of creative planning, in which the ideals of antiquity and the Renaissance were applied to the design of a reclaimed landscape. Protected monuments include religious, residential and farm buildings from the 17 to 19 centuries, industrial buildings (a mill, a smithy, water authority buildings and bridges) as well as the five forts constructed between 1880 and 1920, which formed part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam. Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam) is a 135 km long ring of fortifications around the city of Amsterdam, the Dutch capital. It consists of 42 armed forts located between 10 to 15 kilometres from the centre, and lowlands that can easily be flooded in the time of war. The possibly flooded area extends 135 kilometres around Amsterdam. The flooding was designed to give a depth of about 30 centimetres, i.e. insufficient for boats to navigate. Any buildings within one kilometre of the line had to be made of wood, so that they could be burnt and the obstruction removed. The defence line was built between 1880 and 1920. It is the only example of fortification that is based on the principle of controlling the waters. The invention of aeroplane and tank made the forts obsolete almost as soon as they were finished. Seventeenth-Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht. Amsterdam has more than one hundred kilometres of canals, about 90 islands and 1,500 bridges. Alongside the main canals, about 1,550 monumental buildings are situated. Much of the canal system is the successful outcome of city planning. In the early part of the 17 century, with immigration rising, a comprehensive plan was put together with four main concentric half-circles of canals. The three main canals, Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht, dug in the 17 century during the Dutch Golden Age, form concentric belts around the city, known as the Grachtengordel. The fourth, outer canal, Singelgracht, was built for the purposes of defence and water management. The plan also predicted interconnecting canals, a set of parallel canals (primarily for the transportation of goods), the adaptation of an existing inner perimeter canal (Singel) from a defensive purpose to residential and commercial development, and more than one hundred bridges. Rietveld Schröderhuis (Rietveld Schröder House) in Utrecht was built by a Dutch architect Gerrit Thomas Rietveld in 1924. The house is one of the best known examples of De Stijl architecture (The Style, a Dutch artistic movement also known as neoplasticism) and probably the only true De Stijl building. This small family house with its interior constructed as a changeable open zone with a system of sliding and revolving panels allowing flexible spatial arrangement is an icon of the Modern Movement in architecture. Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout. Kinderdijk is a village in the province of South Holland about 15 kilometres east of Rotterdam. It is situated in the Alblasserwaard polder at the confluence of the rivers Lek and Noord. To drain the polder, a system of 19 windmills was built around 1740. Apart from the well-preserved windmills, the site illustrates all the typical features associated with the drainage technology, i.e. dykes, reservoirs, pumping stations, and administrative buildings. Being the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands, Kinderdijk is one of the best-known Dutch tourist sites. Van Nellefabriek was designed and built in the 1920s on the banks of a canal in the Spaanse Polder industrial zone north-west of Rotterdam. The site is one of the icons of 20 century industrial architecture. It comprises a complex of factories with facades consisting essentially of steel and glass and making large-scale use of the curtain wall principle. It was conceived as an ‘ideal factory’, open to the outside world with interior working spaces evolved according to need with daylight used to provide pleasant working conditions. Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Curaçao. Willemstad is the capital city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that forms a constituent country of the Kingdom of Netherlands. Being established as a trading settlement at a natural harbour in 1634, it is an example of a colonial trading and administrative settlement. The modern town consists of several distinct historic districts reflecting different areas of colonial town planning and development. Their architecture was influenced by Dutch colonial concepts as well as by the tropical climate and architectural styles of the Spanish and Portuguese colonial towns throughout the Caribbean region with which Willemstad engaged in trade. Punda, the oldest part of the city, was built in the 17 century and it is the only part of the city that had a defence system consisting of walls and ramparts. The other three historic districts, Pietermaai, Otrobanda and Scharloo, date from the 18 century. The houses of Otrobanda (that was not restricted by ramparts) were built on spacious lots and resemble plantation houses surrounded by galleries. The colourful buildings of Willemstad are the local tradition dating from 1817 when the previous style of white lime exterior was prohibited. Predominant colours are red, blue, yellow ochre and various shades of green. The historic area surrounds a natural deep-water harbour. OUTSTANDING PERSONALITIES · Painters – Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen, Jacob van Ruysdael, Vincent van Gogh, Piet Mondriaan, M.C. Escher, Willem de Kooning (17th century was the age of the ‛Dutch Masters’) · Philosophers – Erasmus of Rotterdam, Spinoza, René Descartes (although French, he spent most of his life in the Netherlands and all his major work was done there) · Scientists – Christian Huygens (1629–1695, discovered Saturn’s moon Titan, invented the pendulum clock), Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (was the first to observe and describe single-celled organisms with a microscope) · Writers – Joost van den Vondel, P.C. Hooft, Multatuli, Harry Mulish, Jan Wolkers, Gerard Reve, Anne Frank (Diary of a Young Girl (published after she died in the Holocaust and translated from Dutch to all major languages) KINGDOM OF BELGIUM Belgium, België or Koninkrijk België in Dutch, Belgique or Royaume de Belgique in French, Belgien or Königreich Belgien in German, is a federal monarchy in Western Europe. It borders on the North Sea and the Netherlands to north, on Germany and Luxembourg to the east, and France to the south-west. Belgium covers an area of 30.5 km^2 and its population is about 11.2 million people. Its capital and largest city is Brussels. Brussels is also the bureaucratic capital of the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), making it the multilingual home of an army of international diplomats and civil servants. Belgium is a constitutional monarchy and the head of the state is Philippe (since 2013). Belgium is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU’s headquarters as well as those of several other major international organizations. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Portugal belongs to twenty most visited countries in the world, receiving an average of 7.6 million foreign tourists each year. Belgium landscape varies from the coastal plain consisting mainly of sand dunes and polders, to inland slowly rising landscape interwoven with numerous rivers and fertile valleys, to thickly forested hills and plateaux of the rugged and rocky Ardennes. Belgium is a peaceful country where harmony with nature is present in the cities and countryside. Brussels and its surrounding areas have more green areas than any other European capital, with numerous parks and the magnificent Soignes Forest. The southern French-speaking part of the country, the Ardennes with its woods, nature reserves and network of rivers, forms the “green lung” of the country. The country is famous for its peaceful abbeys, abundant majestic castles, beautiful gardens, and historic battlefields. Belgium is famous for its numerous belfries, imposing bell-towers of medieval origin, generally attached to the town hall and occasionally to a church. The belfry in Tournai dating back to 1187 is the oldest in Belgium. The country is rich in castles and chateaux of different periods and styles. The Chateau of Beloeil from the 14 century has the largest French-style gardens in Belgium, houses an art collection with paintings from the 15 to the 19 centuries, and an outstanding library with 20,000 books. The Classical Castle of Seneffe houses the Silversmith Museum and a famous European Silver collection of objects. The Chateau of Havré consists of a large courtyard, four angle towers and a gothic chapel. It is surrounded by a moat and is home to 15,000 rosebushes planted in their original design. The Renaissance Chateau of Jehay dates back to the 16 century and houses splendid collections of furniture, silver, lace, china, tapestries, paintings and sculptures. The Castle of Reinhardstein, one of the most important medieval castles in Belgium, was built in the 14 century and houses an impressive collection of armour and tapestries. The Castle of Bouillon with its original fortifications from the 8 century is the oldest and most interesting remain of feudalism in Belgium. Brussels has a long and interesting history which is reflected in the local architecture. Grand Place, the central cobblestone square of the town built as a merchant market in the 13 century, is a masterpiece of architecture lined with Guildhouses in Flemish baroque style decorated with gilding and sculpture. The spire of the Gothic Town Hall (Hôtel de Ville), situated on the west side of the square and built in 1400s, is topped with Saint Michael slaying the devil. Pis Mannekin, the famous sculpture that has become the symbol of the city is also situated here. The Royal Palace boasts the priceless collections and decorative art originating from every continent surrounded by the Park of Brussels. Brussels prides itself numerous parks and gardens. Petit Sablon Square is an elegant and charming flower garden with beautiful fountains, surrounded by wrought-iron fences decorated with stone statuettes. Each figure represents a medieval trade or craft that brought prosperity to Brussels. The Botanical Gardens is home to 18,000 kinds of plants and various exhibitions with glasshouses designed to imitate specific regional climates. The plant life varies from medicinal to herbaceous as well as succulent and carnivorous varieties. The city boasts over 80 museums with valuable collections of art. Antwerp was noted for the wealth of its citizens, especially in the 16 century. The houses of these wealthy merchants and manufacturers have been preserved throughout the city. The Renaissance City Hall dating from 1565, is a belfry incorporating both Flemish and Italian influences. The Cathedral of Our Lady built between the 14 and 16 century has four works by Rubens. Rubenshuis, the former home and studio of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), houses his museum nowadays. The city is famous for a bustling diamond trade. Ghent is famous for its medieval architecture that remains intact and is remarkably well preserved. Its landmarks include the Saint Bravo Cathedral from the 10 century with the Ghent Altarpiece from the 15 century, the 91 metres tall belfry (the tallest in Belgium), or the impressive 12 century Gravensteen Castle. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES Belgium has eleven monuments that are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. All of them are of cultural character and one of them is transboundary. Historic Centre of Brugge is an outstanding example of a medieval historic settlement that has maintained its historic character as it has evolved over the centuries. The city has most of its medieval architecture intact. Many of its medieval buildings are notable, including the 13 century Church of Our Lady, whose brick spire reaches 122.3 metres, making it the second tallest brick tower in the world. The sculpture Madonna and Child, which can be seen in the transept, is believed to be Michelangelo’s only sculpture to have left Italy within his lifetime. The most famous landmark of the city is its 13 century belfry, housing a municipal carillon comprising 48 bells (the city still employs a full-time carillonneur who gives free concerts on a regular basis). Other famous buildings in Bruges include the Cathedral of Saint Salvator from the 10 century, the Old Hospital of Saint John from the 11 century, the Basilica of the Holy Blood from 12 the century (the relic of the Holy Blood, which was brought to the city after the Second Crusade by Thierry of Alsace, is paraded every year through the streets of the city), the Beguinage founded around 1244, the City Hall from the 14 century, the Groeningemuseum housing a collection of medieval and early modern art including a notable collection of Flemish Primitives, or the Neo-Gothic Province Court. Four old city gateways have also been preserved, i.e. the Kruispoort, the Gentpoort, the Smedenpoort and the Ezelpoort. Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum Complex. The Plantin-Moretus Museum is a museum in Antwerp honouring the famous printers Christophe Plantin and Jan Moretus. It is located in Platin Press, their former residence, printing plant and publishing house. The printing company was founded in the 16 century by Christopher Platin. After his death it was owned by his son-in-law Jan Moretus. In 1876 Edward Moretus sold the company to the city of Antwerp that transferred it into a museum. The Museum presents an exhaustive evidence of the life and work of the most productive printing and publishing house in Europe in the late 16 century. The building of the company, which remained in activity until 1867, contains a large collection of old printing equipment (two oldest surviving printing presses in the world, complete sets of dies and matrices), an extensive library, invaluable archives and works of art, among them a painting by Rubens. Flemish Béguinages. The Béguines were women who dedicated their lives to God without retiring from the world. In the 13 century they founded the béguinages, enclosed semi-monastic communities designed to meet their spiritual and material needs. The Beguines were active in Germany and the Low Countries in the 13 to 16 centuries. The Flemish béguinage comprises a courtyard surrounded by small dwellings, churches and ancillary buildings built in styles specific to the Flemish cultural region. It is often encircled by a wall and secluded from the town proper by one or two gates. The first béguinages were set up in the 12 century in what has subsequently become the French speaking part of Belgium (Liège). They are found in an area roughly corresponding with present-day Northern and North-Eastern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Western and North-Western Germany. Their success was due to a surplus of women affected by violence, war, military and semi-military operations that took the lives of many men. Great numbers of women had no option but to unite and collectively secure the aid of rich benefactors. The convents in the 12 century served similar purposes but strict rules within Cistercian and other abbeys caused many women to seek less strict surroundings. Moreover, these abbeys’ initial success required the refusal of a great many applications for admission. As an additional obstacle, in several cases a certain degree of prosperity was required as a condition for admission to a regular nunnery. La Grand-Place, Brussels. The Grand Place (Grote Markt) is the central square of Brussels. It is surrounded by guildhalls, the City Town Hall, and the Breadhouse. The square started at the end of the 11 century as an open-air marketplace set up on a dried-up marsh. At the beginning of the 13 century, three indoor markets were built on the northern edge of the Grand Place, i.e. a meat market, a bread market and a cloth market. These buildings allowed the wares to be showcased even in bad weather, but also allowed to keep track of the storage and sale of goods, in order to collect taxes. Other buildings, made of wood or stone, enclosed the Grand Place. Improvements to the Grand Place from the 14 century onwards marked the rise in importance of local merchants and tradesmen. The Brussels City Hall was built on the south side of the square between 1401 and 1455, and made the Grand Place the seat of municipal power. It towers 96 metres high, and is topped by a three-metre tall statue of Saint Michael slaying a devil. To counter this symbol of municipal power, from 1504 to 1536 the Duke of Brabant built a large building opposite the Hall as a symbol of ducal power. It became known as the King’s House (in French), though in Dutch it continues to be called the Breadhouse (Broodhuis), after the market whose place it took. Wealthy merchants and the increasingly powerful guilds of Brussels built the houses around. The Grand Place continued to serve as a market until November 19, 1959. Every two years in August, an enormous “flower carpet” is set up in the Grand Place for a few days. A million colourful begonias are set up in patterns, and the display covers an area of 1,800 square metres. Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels). The four major town houses, i.e. Hôtel Tassel, Hôtel Solvay, Hôtel van Eetvelde, and Maison & Atelier Horta are located in Brussels. Designed by the architect Victor Horta, one of the earliest creators of Art Nouveau, the houses are some of the most remarkable pioneering works of architecture of the end of the 19 century. The stylistic revolution represented by these works is characterised by their open plan, the diffusion of light, and the brilliant joining of the curved lines of decoration with the structure of the building. Stoclet House is a private mansion built by one of the leading architect of the Vienna Art Nouveau movement Josef Hoffmann between 1905 and 1911. Situated in Brussels, it was built for a banker and art lover Adolphe Stoclet. Considered Hoffman’s masterpiece, the Stoclet’s house is one of the most refined and luxurious private houses of the 20 century. It is excessively decorated inside, including works by Gustav Klimt. The mansion is still occupied by the Stoclet family and is not open to visitors. Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai. The Cathedral of Our Lady is a Roman Catholic Church built of local blue-grey stone in the first half of the 12 century. It is especially distinguished by a Romanesque nave of extraordinary dimensions, a wealth of sculpture on its capitals and a transept topped by five bell towers, all precursors of the Gothic style. In the 13 century, the original Romanesque choir was demolished and replaced with a Gothic choir of imposing dimensions, inspired by the Amiens Cathedral. Major Mining Sites of Wallonia. The Grand-Hornu, Bois-du-Luc, Bois du Cazier and Blegny-Mine sites represent the best preserved places of coal mining in Belgium from the early 19 to the second half of the 20 centuries. The Walloon Coal Basin is one of the oldest on the European continent as well as one of the most emblematic of the industrial revolution. The four sites include numerous technical and industrial remains, relating to both the surface and the underground coal mining industry, the industrial architecture associated with the mines, worker housing, mining town urban planning and the social infrastructure. Neolithic Flint Mines at Spiennes (Mons) are the largest and earliest concentration of ancient mines in Europe. The mines were active during the mid and late Neolithic (4,300-2,200 BC). They cover some 100 hectares of down land near Mons and are interesting for showing the transition between opencast and underground mining for the flint nodules. The mines illustrate the development of mining techniques employed by prehistoric populations in order to exploit large deposits of a material that was essential for the production of tools. They are also notable for the diversity of technological solutions employed. Stone-working workshops were also associated with the mines. The production aimed at the manufacture of long blades to be transformed into tools and axes used for forest clearance and for shaping wood for structural applications, such as huts and canoes. The mines are also remarkable for the fact that they are directly linked to a settlement of the same period. The Four Lifts on the Canal du Centre and their Environs, La Louvière and Le Roeulx (Hainaut). The lifts on the old Canal du Centre are a series of four hydraulic boat lifts near the town of La Louvière. Along a 7 kilometre long section of the Canal du Centre, which connects the river basins of the Meuse and the Scheld, the water level rises by 66.2 metres. To overcome this difference, the lift at Houdeng-Goegnies was opened in 1888, and the other three lifts in 1917. The elevators are double, consisting of two vertically mobile tanks or caissons, each supported in the centre by an iron column. The two columns are hydraulically linked in such a way that one caisson rises as the other descends, the weight of one counterbalancing the weight of the other. These lifts were designed by Edwin Clark. Together with the canal itself and its associated structures, they constitute a remarkably well-preserved and complete example of a late-19 century industrial landscape. Belfries of Belgium and France. The property consists of twenty-three belfries in the north of France that were extended with thirty-three belfries in Belgium (originally inscribed as Belfries of Flanders and Wallonia). All the 56 belfries were inscribed as a transboundary group. Built between the 11 and 17 centuries, the belfries display the Roman, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles of architecture. Part of the belfries are parts of cathedrals or town halls. Over the centuries, they became the representation of the influence and wealth of the towns. The belfry in Tournai which dates back to 1187 is the oldest in Belgium. GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG Luxembourg, Lëtzebuerg or Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg in Luxembourgish, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It borders on Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France to the south. Covering an area of about 2,586 km^2, it is one of the smallest sovereign states in Europe. Its population is approximately 525,000 people. The capital and largest city is Luxembourg City. Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy, the only remaining grand duchy in the world, headed by a Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg since 2000. Luxembourg is a founding member of the European Union, OECD, United Nations, NATO, and Benelux. Although small, the country has a rather varied landscape ranging from the north dominating by hills and low mountains, to the large flat central part, to the rugged rocky terrain covered with thick forests called Little Switzerland in the east. The Mossele valley, the lowest-lying region, runs along the south-eastern border of the country. Little Switzerland, also known as Mullerthal, with its rocky cliffs, thick forests, caves and streams in the east, and the mountainous Oesling (a part of the Ardennes) with hill chains cut by scenic river valleys in the north are favourite tourist destinations. Due to its geographic position, the culture of Luxembourg is a fusion of Romanic and Germanic Europe, integrating customs of each. Major destinations are historic Luxembourg City, the medieval castle of Vianden, the Roman villa and Abbey in Echternach and the wine districts of the Moselle valley. The remains of a well-preserved and extensive Celtic settlement, the oppidium at Titelberg, can be seen in the south-western part of the country. Several well-stocked tombs of Celtic aristocracy excavated in the vicinity contain a range of articles including wine carafes, lances, or oil lanterns. A number of well-preserved remains from the Roman era are scattered across the country. The best of them are Roman Baths in Mamer, Roman villa in Goeblange, and especially a huge and luxurious mansion in Echternach from about 70 AD with 60 rooms that had thermal baths, water heating system as well as additional buildings serving the surrounding farming community. The country boasts many impressive fairy-tale castles such as the Clervaux Castle and Hollenfels Castle both from the 12 century, the imposing Castle of Vianden built between the 11 and 13 centuries on the site of a Gallo-Roman castellum, the Bourscheid Castle founded in the 11 century and extended in the 14 century, or the Beaufort Castle from the 12 century that slowly fell into ruins in the 17 century when a new Renaissance castle was built nearby. Among the many religious sites one of the most remarkable is the Benedictine Abbey of Echternach founded by Saint Willibrord, the patron saint of Luxembourg. Established in the 7 century, it is the oldest Anglo-Saxon monastery in continental Europe. Its church was originally Romanesque in style but there were Gothic additions in the 14 and 16 centuries. One of the best preserved Romanesque churches in Luxembourg is the chapel in Vianden Castle. The origins of the Church of Saint Lawrence in Diekirch can be traced back to the 6 century but the present building consists of a 12 century Romanesque tower and the Gothic 15 century church. The City of Luxembourg, its Old Quarters and Fortifications, is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Duchy of Luxembourg. The Old City of Luxembourg is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers, on a very steep rocky ridge which creates a kind of a natural fortification that only needed to be completed on the west side. Due to its exceptional strategic position, the City of Luxembourg was from the 16 century until 1867 when its walls were pulled down one of the largest fortresses of modern Europe. It was constantly strengthened and repeatedly reinforced as it passed successively from one great European power to another, i.e. the Holy Roman Emperors, the House of Burgundy, the Habsburgs, the French and Spanish kings, and finally the Prussians. Until their partial demolition, the fortifications were a fine example of military architecture spanning several centuries. The City of Luxembourg originally comprised only a small fort (the castle) built shortly after the mid-10 century on an almost inaccessible rock. In the 12 century, the settlement that developed near the castle was protected by a stone fortification wall, which was extended in the 14 and 15 centuries. During the 16 and 17 centuries, the fortifications were further extended and reinforced and the site was transformed into a complete fortress that was called the Gibraltar of the North. Although the majority of the fortifications were demolished, many remnants representing all the periods remain, i.e. a number of gates, forts, bastions, citadels and casemates. The city also retains the layout of its streets and many public buildings, important testimony of its origins and development since the 10 century. Inside and at the foot of the ramparts, housing quarters with trades and craft centres have developed. Aristocratic families and the major religious communities built their mansions called “shelters” in the Upper Town (Old Town). Inside the ramparts, the narrow streets recall the minimal housing conditions of the medieval urban settlement. The main architectural monuments of the city include the Grand Ducal Palace, the official residence of the Grand Duke from the 16 century, the late Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame from the 17 century with many Renaissance elements, Place Guillaume II in the heart of the Old Town dominated by the Neo-Classical City Hall, or the Monument of Remembrance known as the Golden Lady (Gëlle Fra) after the statue crowning the obelisk in memory of those who died for their country during the First World War. The Grund is the name of the valley below the Upper Town as well as of the quarter situated there. The ancient Benedictine Abbey of Neumünster, founded in 1606, is a landmark of the quarter. The Adolphe Bridge, towering the valley, has become one of the main tourist attractions of the city. It was designed by French architect Paul Séjourné and completed in 1902. The bridge consists of a large central arch flanked by smaller arches on either side. With a span of 84.65 metres, the central arch was the largest of its day. The Luxembourg City History Museum traces the history of the city from its foundations (in the lower floors) to the present (at the top). The National Museum of History and Art displays Celtic and Roman findings including the well-preserved Vichten Mosaic depicting the Roman muses. THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY Germany, Deutschland or Bundesrepublik Deutschland in German, is located in Western-Central Europe. It borders on the North Sea, Denmark and the Baltic Sea to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands to the west. Germany covers an area of approximately 357,000 km^2 and its population is about 81 million people. Its capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany is a federal republic consisting of 16 states (Bundesländer), three of them are actually city-states, i.e. Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg. The country is a founding member of the European Union and of the Eurozone, a member of the United Nations, NATO, the Schengen Area, the G8, the G20, and the OECD. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Germany ranks among the ten most visited countries in the world, receiving an average of 31.5 million foreign tourists each year. Due to its size and location in Central Europe, Germany boasts a large variety of different landscapes. Northern Germany, comprising Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Bremen and Hamburg, is a flat landscape of North German Plain rising to wind-swept hills as well as of the coastline of the North Sea and Baltic Sea (Ostseeküste) offering kilometres of sandy beaches and resorts, and picturesque islands such as Rügen and Usedom. Western Germany consisting of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland is a wine country with modern cities and a history of heavy industry. The region is sharply cut by the magnificent Rhine Valley and Moselle Valley, important areas for vine and fruit growing. Central Germany comprising Hesse and Thuringia is the green heart of Germany of hilly rural areas where fields and forests intermingle with some of the most important historical and financial cities. It is also an area of the ancient Thuringian Forest, a continuous range of ancient rounded mountains with the highest peak Großer Beerberg (982 metres) and famous for Wartburg Castle. Eastern Germany consisting of Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, Saxony and Belin is highlighted by the eccentric and historic capital Berlin, and rebuilt historic Dresden called Florence on the Elbe. Harz, a low mountain range in the Central Uplands of Germany, is famous for its historic silver mines and for the scenic towns of Quedlinburg, Goslar with magnificent gates and ramparts, and Wernigerode, a picturesque, timber-framed town. Southern Germany consisting of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria is the country of Black Forest (Schwarzwald) that is a heaven for tourists and hikers, Franconian Switzerland (Fränkische Schweiz) with the scenery similar to Switzerland, Franconian Lake District, Bavarian Forest, Bavarian Alps with the highest German peak the Zugspitze (2,962 metres) and Lake Constance (Bodensee). Bavarian Alps (Bayerische Alpen) are the region of best skiing and snowboarding resorts in Germany. Bavaria is also home to the world famous Neuschwanstein Castle, a 19 century Neo-Romanesque castle on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau. It was an inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castle of Disneyland. Berlin, the reunified capital of Germany, is located in north-eastern Germany on the banks of the rivers Spree and Havel. First documented in the 13 century and situated at the crossing of two important historic trade routes, Berlin became the capital of the Brandenburg, the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich. During Second World War, large parts of Berlin were destroyed in the 1943-45 air raids and during the Battle of Berlin. After the War, the city was divided. East Berlin became the capital of East Germany while West Berlin became de facto West German exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989). Following German reunification in 1990, Berlin was again designated as the capital of all Germany. The landmarks of the city include the City Hall (Rotes Rathaus) built in 1860s in the style of Italian High Renaissance, the Brandenburg Gate that is an 18 century Neo-Classical triumphal arch, the Reichstag building that is the traditional seat of the German Parliament (the term Reichstag refers to the building while Bundestag refers to the institution), or Charlottenburg Palace from the 17 century surrounded with extensive gardens. Unter den Linden is a boulevard in the centre of the town lined with impressive buildings of embassies (British, Hungarian, or Russian), State Opera, Cathedral of Saint Hedwig, or Humboldt University. Palace Bridge (Schlossbrücke) connects Unter den Linden with the Museum Island. Dresden, was home to many Saxon princes and kings. Many buildings date from their reign and rich art collections are testimony to their extreme wealth. Three quarters of the historical centre were destroyed by allied bombing in 1945. Its most famous landmark, the Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche), was severely damaged and remained in ruins for many years. Now the newly rebuilt Church is topped with gold cupola donated from the United Kingdom. The historic centre was also rebuilt. Nuremberg is a typical German city with the Old Town centre (restored after the bombing) full of half-timbered houses, gothic churches within a medieval city wall, and the Gothic Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg) that was one of the most important residences of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. An important site is also the Documentation Centre and Courtroom 600, the venue of the Nuremberg Trials. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES There are 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany. Out of them, 37 are cultural sites and three are natural sites. Five of the sites are transboundary. Wadden Sea is the largest unbroken system of intertidal sand and mud flats in the world. It lies between the coast of north-western continental Europe and the range of Frisian Islands (or Wadden Sea Islands), forming a shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands. It stretches from Den Helder in the Netherlands in the southwest, past the great river estuaries of Germany to its northern boundary at Skallingen in Denmark along a total length of about 500 kilometres and a total area of about 10,000 km². The area is rich in biodiversity and transitional habitats with tidal channels, sandy shoals, sea-grass meadows, mussel beds, mudflats, salt marshes, estuaries, beaches and dunes. The region is home to numerous plant and animal species, including marine mammals such as the harbour seal, grey seal and harbour porpoise. It is also considered one of the most important areas for migratory birds in the world. The Wadden Sea is one of the last remaining large-scale, intertidal ecosystems where natural processes continue to function largely undisturbed. The property is shared between the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar. Founded in the 13 century on the Baltic coast of northern Germany, the medieval towns of Wismar and Stralsund, were major trading centres of the Hanseatic League in the 14 and 15 centuries. In the 17 and 18th centuries, they became Swedish administrative and defensive centres for the German territories. The towns contributed to the development of the characteristic building types and techniques of Brick Gothic in the Baltic region using fired brick. The bricks could also be shaped in different decorative forms, thus permitting some very elaborate architecture. This is illustrated in several important brick cathedrals, the Town Hall of Stralsund, and the series of houses for residential, commercial and crafts use, representing its evolution over several centuries. Wismar has preserved its medieval harbour basin, and the island location of Stralsund has remained unchanged since the 13 century. Hanseatic City of Lübeck. Lübeck was the leading city the Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and their market towns that hold a monopoly over the trade of the Baltic and the North Sea. Lübeck was founded in the 12 century and prospered until the 16 century as the major trading centre for northern Europe. Despite the damage it suffered during the Second World War, the basic structure of the old city and its extensive Brick Gothic architecture consisting mainly of 15 and 16 century patrician residences, public monuments, churches and salt storehouses, remain unaltered. The Old Town has kept a medieval appearance with old buildings and narrow streets. The landmarks of the city include the Dominican convent (Burgkloster) founded in the 13 century, the Lübeck Cathedral and the Church of Virgin Mary (Marienkirche) both from the 13 century, the Hospital of the Holy Spirit (Heilig-Geist-Hospital) built in 1260s, the Church of Saint Jacob from the 14 century, Holstentor and Burgtor brick gates both from the 15 century, or the Salzspeicher, i.e. the historic warehouses where salt was stored before shipment to Baltic ports, built in 16 to 18 centuries. Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus. Speicherstadt and the neighbouring Kontorhaus district are two urban areas in the centre of the port city of Hamburg. Speicherstadt originally developed on a group of narrow islands in the Elbe River between 1885 and 1927. It is one of the largest coherent historic ensembles of port warehouses in the world. It includes 15 huge warehouse blocks, six ancillary buildings and a connecting network of streets, canals and bridges. The Kontorhaus district is an area featuring eight very large office complexes built from the 1920s to the 1940s to house port-related businesses. The complex illustrates the effects of the rapid growth in international trade in the late 19 and early 20 centuries. The modernist Chilehaus office building is one of most outstanding complexes within the district. Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen, a town situated in north-west Germany, are outstanding representations of civic autonomy and market rights as they developed in the Holy Roman Empire in Europe. The Old Town Hall was built in the Gothic style in the early 15 century, after Bremen joined the Hanseatic League. The building was renovated with large rectangular windows and a high gable in so-called Weser Renaissance style in the early 17 century. An elaborate sculptural decoration in sandstone was added to the facade. The Old Town Hall is a two-storey building with the ground floor formed of one large hall with oak pillars that served for merchants and theatrical performances. The upper floor has the main festivity hall of the same dimensions. Stone statues representing the emperor and prince electors dating from the original Gothic period decorate the spaces between the windows. The underground has a large wine cellar consisting of one hall in the size of the ground floor with stone pillars. The 5.5 meter tall stone statue of Roland was erected in 1404 as a symbol of market rights and privileges of the free and imperial city of Bremen. The statue of Roland is associated with the Margrave of Brittany, a paladin of Charlemagne. A New Town Hall was built next to the old one in the early 20 century as a part of an ensemble that survived bombing during the Second World War. Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin. The five museums on the Museum Island in Berlin, built between 1824 and 1930, are the realisation of a visionary project and show the evolution of approaches to museum design over the course of the 19 and 20 centuries. Each museum was designed in accordance with the art it houses. The importance of the museum collections that trace the development of civilizations throughout the ages is enhanced by the urban and architectural quality of the buildings. The property includes the Old Museum (Altes Museum) housing collections of antiquities, the New Museum (Neues Museum) housing the Egyptian, Prehistory and Early History collection with the most famous artefact being the bust of Nefertiti, the Old National Gallery (Alte Nationgalerie), the Bode Museum displaying sculpture collections and late Antique and Byzantine art, and the Pergamon Museum containing reconstructed monumental historically significant buildings such as the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus, or the Ishtar Gate of Babylon. Berlin Modernism Housing Estates. The property consists of six housing estates, Siedlungen, that testify to innovative housing policies from 1910 to 1933, especially during the Weimar Republic, when the city of Berlin was particularly progressive socially, politically and culturally. The property is an outstanding example of the building reform movement that contributed to improving housing and living conditions for people with low incomes through novel approaches to town planning, architecture and garden design featuring technical and aesthetic innovations. The list of housing estates includes Tuschkastensiedlung (Paintbox Estate), Siedlung Schillerpark, Hufeisensiedlung (Horseshoe Estate), Wohnstadt Carl Legien, Weiße Stadt (White City), and Ringsiedlung (Ring Estate). Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin. With 500 hectares of parks and 150 buildings constructed between 1730 and 1916, Potsdam complex of palaces and parks forms a unique artistic whole. It extends into the district of Berlin-Zehlendorf with the palaces and parks lining the banks of the River Havel and Lake Glienicke. The Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin (Sanssouci) represent a self-contained ensemble of architecture and landscape gardening of the 18 and 19 centuries. This ensemble has its origin in the work of the most significant architects and landscape gardeners of their time who together with highly creative sculptors, painters, craftsmen, building workers, and gardeners, created Sanssouci, the New Garden, the Park of Babelsberg, and other grounds in the surrounding area of Potsdam a work of art of high quality. The cultural landscape was constructed in a beautiful region of rivers, lakes, and hills and is complemented with many outstanding structures such as the New Palace, the Lindstedt Palace, the Villa Henkel, the Villa Alexander, the Babelsberg Observatory, the Russian colony Alexandrowka, the artificial Italian village of Bornstedt and the artificial Swiss village in Klein-Glienicke, Loggia Alexandra, or the Glienicke Hunting Lodge. Muskauer Park / Park Mużakowski is an extensive landscaped park of 5.6 km^2 set harmoniously in the river valley of the Lusatian Neisse and on both sides of the border between Poland and Germany. It was created from 1815 to 1844. Blending harmoniously with the surrounding farmed landscape, the park pioneered new approaches to landscape design and influenced the development of landscape architecture in Europe and America. Designed as a “painting with plants”, it used local plants to enrich the natural qualities of the existing landscape. This cultural landscape extends into the town of Muskau with green passages that created urban parks surrounding areas for development. The town thus became a design component in a utopian landscape. The site, distinctive with its extraordinary simplicity, also features a reconstructed castle, bridges, forested areas and an arboretum. Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg. These places in Saxony-Anhalt are all associated with the lives of Martin Luther and his fellow-reformer Melanchthon. They include Melanchthon’s house in Wittenberg, the houses in Eisleben where Luther was born in 1483 and died in 1546, his room in Wittenberg, the local church, and the castle church where Luther posted his famous “95 Theses” in 1517 that launched the Reformation and a new era in the religious and political history of the Western world. Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz, located in Saxony-Anhalt, is an exceptional example of landscape design and planning of the Age of the Enlightenment (18 century). Its diverse components, i.e. the outstanding buildings, English landscaped parks and gardens, and finely modified areas of agricultural land served aesthetic, educational, and economic purposes in an exemplary manner. The first landscape garden in continental Europe was created here, with Wörlitz as its centre. Over a period of forty years a network of stylistic relationships was developed with other landscape gardens in the region, leading to the creation of a garden landscape on a unique scale in Europe. Agriculture as the basis for everyday life found its place in the garden landscape. Castle Wörlitz (1769-73) was the first Neo-Classical building in German architectural history. The Gothic House (from 1774) had a key influence on the development of Gothic Revival architecture in central Europe. The churches in Riesigk (1800), Wörlitz (1800s), and Vockerode (1811) were the first Neo-Classical ecclesiastical buildings in Germany, their towers enlivening the marshland, floodplain landscape in which they served as way-markers. In parts of the Baroque park of Oranienbaum, an Anglo-Chinese garden was created (now the only surviving example in Europe). The Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz is an outstanding example of the application of the philosophical principles of the Age of the Enlightenment to the design of a landscape that integrates art, education, and economy in a harmonious whole. Collegiate Church, Castle and Old Town of Quedlinburg situated in the Land of Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt) has been a flourishing trading town since the Middle Ages. The extraordinary cultural importance of Quedlinburg is based on the close link between its history and architecture. Following the coronation of Henry I (876-936), the first German King from the Saxonian dynasty, the royal residence of Quedlinburg became the capital of the East Franconian German Empire, the “metropolis of the Reich” of the first German state. Quedlinburg illustrates the typical development of a medieval town, originating from a castle village and several separate settlements. Its value is based on the preservation of the town wall of 1330, and the urban building patterns with a number of high quality timber-framed medieval and post-medieval buildings that make the town an exceptional example of a medieval European town. The Collegiate Church of Saint Servatius is one of the masterpieces of Romanesque architecture. It was built on a basilica floor plan from 1070 to 1129. Its crypt with cross vaults, capitals, tombs, and murals, is one of the most significant monuments in the history of art from the 10 to the 12 century. The town experienced an economic boom during and immediately after the Thirty Years’ War, and as a result, abundant timber-framed houses were built in the period from 1620 to 1720. Mines of Rammelsberg, Historic Town of Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management System constitutes one of the largest mining and metallurgical complexes for non-ferrous metals in Europe. Known to have existed since ancient times, it has been in continuous use since the Middle Ages, initially under the control of Cistercian monks, and in later periods under the regional princes and of the Holy Roman Empire. The Upper Harz mining water management system, lying south of the Rammelsberg silver, copper, lead and tin mines and the town of Goslar, has been developed over a period of some 800 years to assist in the process of extracting ore for the production of non-ferrous metals. Its construction was first undertaken in the Middle Ages (11 century) by Cistercian monks, and then it was further developed on a vast scale from the end of the 16 century until the 19 century. It is made up of an extremely complex and perfectly coherent system of artificial ponds, small channels, tunnels and underground drains. It enabled the development of water power for use in mining and metallurgical processes. The town of Goslar played an important part in the Hanseatic League because of the richness of the Rammelsberg metal-ore veins. From the 10 to the 12 century, it became one of the seats of the Holy Roman Empire. Its historic centre, dating back to the Middle Ages, is perfectly preserved and includes some 1,500 timber-framed houses from the 15 to 19 centuries. St Mary’s Cathedral and St Michael’s Church at Hildesheim. The ancient Benedictine abbey Church of Saint Michael, located in the north of Germany, is one of the key monuments of medieval art. It was built between 1010 and 1020 on a symmetrical plan with two apses that was characteristic of Ottonian Romanesque art in Old Saxony. Its interior, in particular the wooden ceiling and painted stucco-work, its famous bronze doors and the Bernward bronze column, are of exceptional interest as examples of the Romanesque churches of the Holy Roman Empire. The Cathedral of Saint Mary, rebuilt after the fire of 1046, still retains its original crypt. The nave arrangement, with two consecutive columns for every pillar, was modelled after Saint Michael’s but its proportions are more slender. The Church and the Cathedral contain an exceptional series of interior decoration that are rather unique. The bronze column of Saint Michael dating from around 1020, with its spiral decor inspired by Trajan Column, depicts scenes from the New Testament. The bronze doors of St Mary, dating back to 1015, represent the events from the book of Genesis and the life of Christ. These two exceptional castings are the first ones of this size since antiquity. Saint Michael also prides itself the painted stuccos of the choir screen and the amazing ceiling. Fagus Factory in Alfeld, situated in Lower Saxony, is a ten-building complex built around 1910 to the design of Walter Gropius. It is a landmark in the development of modern architecture and industrial design. Serving all stages of manufacture, storage and dispatch used by the shoe industry, the complex is still operational today. It is notable for the innovative use of walls of vast glass panels combined with reduced load-bearing structure. The Factory design bears testimony to a major break with the existing architectural and decorative values of the period, and represents a determined move towards a functionalist industrial aesthetic. Carolingian Westwork and Civitas Corvey. The Imperial Abbey of Corvey was a Benedictine abbey from the 840s until 1792 when it was dissolved and converted into a prince-bishopric. In 1803, it was secularised and consequently some of the abbey buildings were rebuilt into a palace (Schloss) and the abbey church was rebuilt Baroque. The Westwork (west front) of the abbey dominated by two bare-stone towers is the only standing structure that dates back to the Carolingian era, while the original fortified monastery district is preserved as archaeological remains documenting the development of a systematically built large Carolingian monastery with related dwelling and work areas, graveyards and chapel buildings. Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe is a unique landscape park in Kassel. The area of the extensive park is about 2.4 km^2 making it the largest European hillside park, and second largest park on a mountain slope in the world. The construction of the Bergpark started in 1696 and took about 150 years. Originally laid out in the Baroque style of the French garden, it was later re-arranged into an English landscape park. The Park stretches up to the Karlsberg Mountain with the Hercules monument on the top. The giant Hercules statue, towering over the park, is both technically and artistically the most sophisticated and colossal statue of the Early Modern era. Water runs down in a 350-meter long Grand Cascade from the Hercules monument to the Wilhelmshöhe Castle. A system of channels and waterways feeds a series of dramatic waterfalls and wild rapids, the geyser-like Grand Fountain, the lake and ponds. Wartburg Castle, hovering some 400 metres above the delightful countryside in central Germany, blends harmoniously into its forest surroundings and is in many ways “the ideal castle”. Although it contains some original sections and ornamentation from the 12 century, it acquired its current layout and appearance during the 19 century reconstructions. Nevertheless, its current state is a splendid example of what this fortress of the Landgraves of Thuringia might have been at the peak of its military and seigneurial power and the castle continues to be the symbol of the nation past and present. It was during his exile at Wartburg Castle when Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German. Classical Weimar. In the late 18 and early 19 centuries, the small Thuringian town of Weimar witnessed a remarkable cultural flowering, attracting many writers and scholars, notably Goethe and Schiller. This development is reflected in the high quality of many buildings and parks in the surrounding area. The property comprises twelve separate buildings or ensembles. A large English landscape Park on the Ilm comprising the Roman House, Goethe Garden and Garden House, a three-aisled Church of Saints Peter and Paul also known as Herderkirche from 1525, a 16 century Herder House and Old High School, Goethe House and Schiller House both built in Baroque style in 1700s, the Baroque Dowager’s Palace, the Duchess Anna Amalia Library containing over a million books and 2,000 medieval and early modern manuscripts, the Baroque Belvedere Castle and Park with a U-shaped Orangery, a three-winged Ettersburg Castle and Park, the Tiefurt Castle and Park, or the Historic Cemetery with the ducal burial chapel Princes’ Tomb (Fürstengruft) and the tombs of Goethe and Schiller. Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar and Dessau. Between 1919 and 1933, the Bauhaus School, based first in Weimar and then in Dessau, revolutionised architectural and aesthetic concepts and practices. The buildings put up and decorated by the school professors (Walter Gropius, Hannes Meyer, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy and Wassily Kandinsky) launched the Modern Movement that shaped much of the architecture of the 20 century. Component parts of the property are the Former Art School, the Applied Art School and the Haus am Horn in Weimar, and the Bauhaus Building and the group of seven Masters Houses in Dessau. The Bauhaus was a centre for new ideas and consequently attracted progressive architects and artists. The Bauhaus represents the desire to develop a modern architecture using the new materials of that time (reinforced concrete, glass, steel) and construction methods (skeleton construction, glass facades). The Bauhaus School has become the symbol of modern architecture for both its educational theory and its buildings throughout the world. Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen, situated in Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, consists of the complete infrastructure of a historical coal-mining site, with some 20 century buildings of outstanding architectural value. It constitutes remarkable material evidence of the evolution and decline of an essential industry over the past 150 years. Cologne Cathedral. The construction of this Gothic masterpiece began in 1248, took place in several stages, and was not completed until 1880. Over seven centuries, successive builders kept absolute fidelity to the original plans. Cologne Cathedral is a High Gothic five-aisled basilica (144.5 metre long) with a prominent transept (87 metre wide) and tower (157 metre high). The 19 century work follows the medieval forms and techniques faithfully, as can be seen by comparing it with the original medieval plan. The original liturgical appointments of the choir are still present to a considerable degree. These include the high altar with an enormous monolithic block of black limestone, the carved oak choir stalls (1300s), the painted choir screens (1330s), the fourteen statues on the pillars in the choir (around 1300), and the great cycle of stained-glass windows, the largest existent cycle of the early 14 century windows in Europe. There is also an outstanding series of tombs of twelve archbishops between 976 and 1612. The main relics of the Cathedral are the Gero Crucifix of the late 10 century in the Chapel of the Holy Cross, and the Shrine of the Magi that is the largest reliquary shrine in Europe. Constructed over more than six centuries Cologne Cathedral marks the zenith of cathedral architecture and at the same time its culmination. Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl. Augustusburg Castle was built by Clemens August of Bavaria, Prince-Elector and archbishop of Cologne, on the foundations of a medieval castle in 1725. It consists of three wings built of brick with rough-cast rendering and has two adjoining orangeries, one on the south side which includes an oratory, while the other to the north houses various service buildings. The Castle and the Lodge are surrounded with a large English park and ornamental garden with symmetrical flowerbeds, four fountains and the Mirror Pool with an impressive fountain and small cascade. Set in an idyllic garden landscape, Augustusburg Castle, the luxurious residence of the prince-archbishops of Cologne, and the Falkenlust hunting lodge, a small rural building, are among the earliest and best examples of the large 18 century princely residence and Rococo architecture in Germany. Aachen Cathedral, located in western Germany, was built between 790 and 815 as the Palatine Chapel of the Emperor Charlemagne. Inspired by the churches of the Eastern part of the Holy Roman Empire, the Chapel was built on an octagonal plan roofed with cupola. In 814, Charlemagne was buried here. The Gothic choir and a series of chapels were added during the Middle Ages with the Palatine Chapel creating the core of the contemporary Cathedral. The interior is decorated with columns of Greek and Italian marble, bronze doors, large mosaic of the dome, and open-arched windows. The Cathedral Treasury is regarded to be one of the most important ecclesiastical treasuries in northern Europe. The most prominent items are the cross of Lothar (about 1000 AD) made from gold and inlaid with precious stones, the dark-blue velvet chasuble with embroidered pearls, a reliquary-bust of Charlemagne made from silver and gold, and a marble sarcophagus decorated with a relief of the Abduction of Proserpine, which contains the body of Charlemagne. Upper Middle Rhine Valley. The 65 kilometre long stretch of the Middle Rhine Valley with its castles, historic towns and vineyards, demonstrates the long history of human involvement with a dramatic and varied natural landscape. It is intimately associated with history and legend and for centuries has exercised a strong influence on writers, artists and composers. The river has been an important trade route into central Europe since prehistoric times and a string of small settlements has grown up along the banks. Concentrated into a very small area, these subsequently joined up to form chains of villages and small towns. For over a 1,000 years the steep valley sides have been terraced for vineyards. With increasing wealth, the valley became a core region of the Holy Roman Empire and many castles were built. The Thirty Years’ War left many of them in ruins. The landscape is decorated with some 40 hill top castles and fortresses such as Burg Katz, Stolzenfels, Marksburg, Burg Rheinstein, or Stahleck. Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier. Trier, standing on the Moselle River, was a Roman colony from the 1 century AD and then a great trading centre. It became one of the capitals of the Tetrarchy at the end of the 3 century when it was known as the “second Rome”, or the “Rome of the North”. It was the seat of the prefects of Gaul, Germania, Britannia and Hispania, and later the seat of the vice-emperor (Caesar) of the Western Empire. The number and quality of the surviving monuments are an outstanding testimony to Roman civilization. The structures built during the first and second centuries include the Moselle Bridge still crossed by traffic (Römerbrücke), the Barbara Baths, or the Porta Nigra illustrating the richness of the city that supplied the garrison towns and fortresses on the Rhine. The combination of a fortification with the features of palace architecture make the Porta Nigra, built in grey sandstone, a unique monument. In the 11 century it was transformed into a two-storey church. The monumental buildings from the 4 century such as the Imperial Baths or the massive brick structure of Aula Palatina (Basilica of Constantine), the almost 70 metres long throne hall of the Emperor Constantine, are an expression of the imperial power and the claim of world domination. One of the oldest church buildings in the Western world, the Trier Cathedral of Saint Peter, originated in the 4 century when Constantine made Christianity a tolerated and supported religion in his Empire. Its architectural design unites elements of all the periods of classical, medieval and modern times. The Cathedral houses the relic of the Holy Robe of Jesus (said to be worn at his crucifixion). The Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche) from the 13 century is the earliest church built in French High Gothic style outside France. Völklingen Ironworks are situated in western Germany close to the border with France. Although they have recently gone out of production (1986), they are the only example of an integrated ironworks that was built and equipped in the 19 and 20 centuries and has remained intact in the whole of western Europe and North America. The overall appearance is that of an ironworks from the 1930s, since no new installations were added after the rebuilding of the coking plant in 1935. The Ironworks are a synonym for and a symbol of human achievement during the First and Second Industrial Revolutions in the 19 and beginning of the 20 centuries. Messel Pit Fossil Site, located in the German Land of Hesse, is the richest site in the world for understanding the living environment of the Eocene, between 57 million and 36 million years ago. The area was discovered through mining activities around 1900, but serious scientific excavation started only around 1970. Since then, the area has been preserved and has been the subject of important paleontological research that has greatly contributed to our knowledge of evolutionary history. It provides unique information about the early stages of the evolution of mammals and includes exceptionally well-preserved mammal fossils, rich in quantity as well as in diversity of fossils of over 1000 species of plants and animals ranging from fully articulated skeletons to feathers, skin, hair and stomach contents of animals of this period. Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch. The Abbey of Lorsch is a former Imperial Abbey, one of the most renowned monasteries of the Carolingian Empire. Even in its ruined state, its remains are among the most important pre-Romanesque buildings in Germany. Its chronicle, entered in the Lorscher Codex compiled in the 1170s, is a fundamental document for early medieval German history. The ancient entrance hall, the Königshalle or Aula Regia, built in the 9 century is the oldest and probably the most beautiful monument of Carolingian architecture. The sculptures and paintings from this period are still in remarkably good condition. Speyer Cathedral, in the southwest of Germany, is a basilica with four towers and two domes and the biggest Romanesque church in the world. It was founded as a flat-ceiling basilica by Conrad II in 1030 and remodelled at the end of the 11 century as the first and largest consistently vaulted church building in Europe. It is also the first known structure to be built with a gallery that encircles the whole building. The system of arcades added during renovations was also the first in architectural history. It was the burial place of the German emperors for almost 300 years. In its size and the richness of its sculptures, Speyer Cathedral stands out among all contemporary and later Romanesque churches in Germany, and it had a great influence on the pattern of their ground plans and vaulting. The Cathedral is one of the most significant Romanesque monuments in Europe. Maulbronn Monastery Complex is considered the most complete and best-preserved medieval monastic complex north of the Alps. Founded in 1147, the Cistercian Monastery is surrounded by fortified walls and its main buildings date back to the period between the 12 and 16 centuries. The main monastery church, built in a style transitional from Romanesque to Gothic in the 12 century, had a major influence in the spread of Gothic architecture over much of northern and central Europe. A number of other buildings, i.e. hospital, chapel, refectories, cellar, auditorium, porch, south cloister, hall, forge, inn, and mill, followed in the course of the 13 century. The west, east and north cloisters date back to the 14 century, as do most fortifications. Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square is situated in southern Germany. This magnificent Baroque palace, one of the largest and most beautiful in Germany, surrounded by wonderful gardens was created under the support of the prince-bishops Lothar Franz and Friedrich Carl von Schönborn. It illustrates the historical position of one of the most brilliant courts of Europe. The Residence was built and decorated in the 18 century by an international team of architects, painters, sculptors and stucco-workers, led by Balthasar Neumann, the official architect of the Prince Bishop. Sculptors and stucco-workers came from Italy, Flanders, and Munich. The Venetian painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo frescoed the staircase and the walls of the Imperial Hall. The residence gives a perfect testimony to the imposing court and cultural life of the feudalistic era of the 18 century. Town of Bamberg is located in southern Germany in the north of Bavaria. During the period of its greatest prosperity from the 12 century onwards, the architecture of Bamberg strongly influenced northern Germany and Hungary. Bamberg is a good example of a central European town with a basically early medieval plan and many surviving ecclesiastical and secular buildings of the medieval period. When Henry II, Duke of Bavaria, became King of Germany in 1007 he made Bamberg the seat of a bishopric, intended to become a “second Rome”. The landmarks of the town include the Old Town Hall built in the 14 century in the middle of the Regnitz River and accessible by two bridges, Romanesque Bamberg Cathedral from the 11 century with four grand towers, or the Old Palace that used to be the residence of bishops in the 16 and 17 century. Klein-Venedig (Little Venice) is a colony of picturesque fishermen’s houses from the 19 century along one side of the river Regnitz. Bamberg is also known for its smoked Rauchbier and is home to nine breweries. The most famous among them is the Schlenkerla, a brewery and tavern. The way in which the present town illustrates the link between agriculture (market gardens and vineyards) and the urban distribution centre is of particular interest. Margravial Opera House Bayreuth, a masterpiece of Baroque theatre architecture, was built between 1745 and 1750. It marks a specific point in the development of opera houses, being a court opera house located not within a palace but as an urban element in the public space. The internal layout and design of the ceremonial foyer and stage area including all existing original materials and decoration have been preserved. The bell-shaped auditorium of tiered loges built of wood and lined with decoratively painted canvas was designed by the then leading European theatre architect Giuseppe Galli Bibiena. The Opera House survives as the only entirely preserved example of court opera house architecture where Baroque court opera culture and acoustics can be authentically experienced. Old town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof. Located on the Danube River in Bavaria, the Old Town of Regensburg is an exceptional example of a central-European medieval trading centre. This medieval town contains a notable number of architectural monuments of exceptional quality that document its history from the 9 century and include ancient Roman, Romanesque and Gothic buildings. The town is remarkable as a meeting place of Imperial Assemblies and as the seat of the Imperial Diet general assemblies until the 19 century. The remains of two imperial Palatine palaces from the 9 century testimony to these functions. The 11 to 13 century architecture including the market, city hall and cathedral, still defines the character of the town marked by tall buildings, dark and narrow lanes, and strong fortifications. Numerous buildings testify to its history as one of the centres of the Holy Roman Empire such as the Patrician towers, large Romanesque and Gothic church buildings and monasteries as well as the 12 century Old Bridge connecting the Old Town and the Stadtamhof. Examples of the Romanesque style include the Old Chapel (Alte Kapelle) from the 9 century, the Lower Monastery (Niedermünster) from the 9 century and the Higher Monastery (Obermünster) from 1010. The Cathedral (Dom), founded in 1275 and completed in 1634, is an example of pure German Gothic. Gothic architecture is further represented by the Church of Saint James from the 12 century, the abbey church of Saint Emmeram, one of the few German churches with a detached bell tower, built in the 13 century, or the late-Gothic Old Town from the 14 century. In 1809, the convent buildings of Saint Emmeram were converted into a palace for the prince of Thurn and Taxis. Pilgrimage Church of Wies is located in the beautiful setting of an Alpine valley in Bavaria. The Church, built on an oval plan between 1745 and 1754, is the work of architect Dominikus Zimmermann. A unique feature is the harmony between art and the countryside. All art forms and techniques used, i.e. architecture, sculpture, frescoes, stucco decorations, carving, ironwork, etc., were created into a perfect, unified and harmonious whole of light and form. The extraordinarily well-preserved pilgrimage church built in the open countryside is a perfect masterpiece of Bavarian Rococo art. Monastic Island of Reichenau is an island in Lake Constance in southern Germany. It preserves the traces of the Benedictine monastery founded in 724 that was an important centre of remarkable spiritual, intellectual and artistic influence. The ensemble of the three churches of Virgin Mary and Marcus, of Saints Peter and Paul, and of Saint George, built between the 9 and 11 centuries, preserve elements of Carolingian, Ottonian, and Salian architecture and hence provide an illustration of the early medieval monastic architecture in central Europe. The famous artworks of Reichenau include the monumental Ottonian murals of miracles of Christ in Saint George, unique survivals from the 10 century. Frontiers of the Roman Empire were constructed during the 2 century AD to defend the Roman Empire from the ‘barbarians’. “Limes Romanus”, the Roman border lines, stretched over 5,000 kilometres from the Atlantic coast of northern Britain through Europe to the Black Sea and from there to the Red Sea and across North Africa to the Atlantic coast. The remains of the Limes today consist of the remnants of built walls, ditches, forts, fortresses, watchtowers and civilian settlements. Certain elements of the line have been excavated and some reconstructed. Limes Germanicus denotes two sections of the Limes in Germany that cover a length of 570 kilometres from the north-west of the country to the Danube in the south-east. At its height, the limes stretched from the North Sea outlet of the Rhine to near Regensburg on the Danube. These two rivers afforded natural protection from mass invasions into imperial territory and were further supplemented with at least 60 forts and 900 watchtowers. The building of the fortifications along the border was started by Augustus shortly after the devastating Roman defeat at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD. Originally there were numerous Limes walls that were later connected to form a common borderline. The World Heritage Site was previously listed as Hadrian’s Wall alone but was later expanded to include all the frontiers of the Roman Empire at its zenith in the 2 century, ranging from Antoine’s Wall in the north to Trajan’s Wall in Eastern Europe. Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany. The Ancient Beech Forests of Germany represent an outstanding examples of ongoing post-glacial biological and ecological evolution of ecosystems and are crucial to understanding the spread of the beech in the Northern Hemisphere. These undisturbed and complex temperate forests exhibit the most complete and comprehensive ecological patterns and processes of pure stands of European beech across a variety of environmental conditions and represent all altitudinal zones from seashore up to the forest line in the mountains. The World Heritage Site was previously listed as Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (comprising 293 km^2 of Slovakian and Ukrainian beech forests) but was later expanded to include Ancient Beech Forests of Germany (five forests totalling 44 km^2). Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps is a serial property consisting of the remains of 111 small individual sites (out of the about 1,000 known pile-dwelling sites in six countries around the Alps, i.e. Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia). Fifty-six of these settlements are located in Switzerland. The sites contain the remains of pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements built from around 5000 to 500 BC during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in and around the Alps on the lake shores, along rivers or in wetlands (some are now situated under water), offering exceptional conservation conditions for organic remains such as wood, textiles, plant remains or bones. Due to the exceptional wealth of findings, the pile dwellings give precise and detailed picture of the world of the early farmers in Europe giving information concerning the everyday life of these communities, the way they interacted with their environment, agriculture, animal husbandry and technical innovations over a period of more than four millennia. In view of the excellent possibilities of exact dating of the remains of wooden architectural elements, the understanding of entire prehistoric villages and their detailed spatial development over very long periods can be followed based on the best known archaeological sources for prehistoric dwellings. OUTSTANDING PERSONALITIES · Musicians – Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Händel, Ludwig van Beethoven, Felix Mendelssohn, Johannes Brahms, Richard Wagner, Richard Strauss · Painters – Albrecht Dürer, Hans Holbein, Peter Paul Rubens · Writers – Brothers Grimm (collected folk tales), Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Friedrich Schiller, Thomas Mann (Nobel Prize laureate, 1929) · Philosophers – Immanuel Kant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Arthur Schopenhauer, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Friedrich Nietzsche · Scientists – Alois Alzheimer (psychiatrist and neurologist), Gottlieb Daimler (high-speed petrol engine), Rudolf Diesel (Diesel engine), Albert Einstein, Johannes Guttenberg, Johannes Kepler, Wilhelm Messerschmitt (aircraft engineer), Heinrich Schliemann, Werner von Siemens, Levi Strauss, Ferdinand von Zeppelin SWISS CONFEDERATION Switzerland, Schweiz in German, Suisse in French, Svizzera in Italian, Svizra in Romansh and Confoederatio Helvetica in Latin, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders on France to the west, Italy to the south, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east and Germany to the north. Switzerland covers an area of about 41,300 km^2 and its population is approximately 8.2 million people. While still named the Swiss Confederation for historical reasons, modern Switzerland is a federal republic with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities, called Bundesstadt (federal city). Switzerland is the birthplace of the Red Cross (1863). The country has a long history of armed neutrality, it has not been in a state of war internationally since 1815. It joined the United Nations in 2002. The country is a founding member of European Free Trade Association but it is not a part of the European Union, nor the European Economic Area. However the country does participate in the Schengen Area and the EU single market through a number of bilateral treaties. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Switzerland belongs to twenty most visited countries in the world, receiving an average of 9 million foreign tourists each year. One of the key features of Switzerland is its distinct cultural diversity displayed rather vividly. To the northeast, it is the clean and correct, 8-to-5-working, firmer Swiss-German-speaking Switzerland. To the southwest, it is the wine drinking and laissez-faire style known from the French, and in the southeast (south of the Alps) the sun warms cappuccino-sippers strolling in Italian-style piazzas. The centre of the country is classic Swiss mountain landscape and alphorns. Binding it all together is a distinct Swiss mentality. The most obvious result of this cultural variety is the fact, that there are four different official languages, i.e. German, French, Italian and Romansh. Switzerland boasts an extraordinary abundance of natural beauties. Large part of the country is occupied by the Alps. Approximately 100 peaks are close to or higher than 4,000 meters above the sea level. There are more than 3000 km² of glaciers and firn in the mountains, the largest being Aletschgletscher (118 km^2). Unfortunately, most of the glaciers are decreasing. The alpine passes has always been important pathways between the northern and the southern part of Europe. Switzerland is also scattered with numerous lakes, from the large Lake Geneva to hundreds of tiny little lakes in the mountains. The country is known as a summer and winter sports paradise. Most famous resorts include Zermatt, a starting point for Monte Rosa and Matterhorn, St Moritz that was the host city for the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics, or Interlaken situated alongside the Aare River between Lakes Thun and Brienz. Cave-like buildings have been erected in many mountains to serve military purposes. They hold not only arms but even fighter planes. Medieval Basel, situated on the Swiss, French and German border and having suburbs in France and Germany, boasts its red sandstone Romanesque Cathedral where Erasmus of Rotterdam is buried. Geneva, the centre of the French-speaking part of Switzerland, is home to numerous international organisations including the United Nations and the Red Cross headquarters. There are 82 sites listed as Swiss national heritage such as St-Pierre Cathedral, Notre-dame, Russian Orthodox Church, Library de Geneve, University Hospital of Geneva, or Temple de la Madeleine archaeological site. Locarno is located in the Italian-speaking part of the country on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore at the foot of the Alps. The landmarks of the city are the sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso, a pilgrimage site from the 15 century, or Castello Visconteo complex from the 12 century, part of which may have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Lugano, situated in the Italian-speaking part of the country, lies on Lake Lugano and is surrounded by the mountains of the Lugano Pre-Alps. It is nicknamed Monte Carlo of Switzerland. Lucerne (Luzern) is situated in the German-speaking part in central Switzerland. Its landmark is the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), a wooden bridge built in 1333 that is the oldest covered bridge in Europe. Augusta Raurica, situated about 20 kilometres from Basel, was founded in 44 BC as the first Roman settlement on the Rhine. It is now among the most important archaeological sites in Switzerland and an open-air museum. Chateau de Chillon is an island castle located on the narrow shore of Lake Geneva, on the access to the Alpine valley of the Rhone. It was built to control the road from Burgundy to the Great Saint Bernard Pass in 1005. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES There are eleven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Switzerland. Out of them, eight are cultural sites and three are natural sites. Three sites, i.e. Monte San Giorgio, pre-historic pile dwellings in the Alps and Rhatenian raiway are transboundary. La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle, Watchmaking Town Planning. The property consists of two towns situated close to one another in a remote area in the Swiss Jura Mountains, on land not suitable for farming. They were planned in the early 19 century after extensive fires to suit the needs of watchmaking. Their layout along an open-ended scheme of parallel strips with residential housing and workshops intermingled reflects the needs of the local watchmaking culture that dates to the 17 century and is still alive today. Watchmaking space and living space co-exist in an extremely close relationship. The site presents outstanding well preserved examples of manufacturing towns entirely dedicated to a single industry. The urban planning of both towns documents the transition from the artisanal production of a cottage industry to the more concentrated factory production of the late 19 and 20 centuries. Lavaux Vineyard Terraces stretch for about 30 kilometres along the shores of Lake Geneva from the Chateau de Chillon to the eastern outskirts of Lausanne. The Terraces cover the lower slopes of the mountainside between the villages and the lake. Although there is some evidence that vines were grown in the area in Roman times, the present vine terraces can be traced back to the 11 century when Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries controlled the area. The site is an outstanding example of a centuries-long interaction between people and their environment, developed to produce a highly valued wine. The well preserved landscape and buildings, and longstanding cultural traditions specific to the Lausanne Region demonstrate the evolution and development of the area over almost a millennium. The terraces are in continuous use and well maintained. Old City of Berne. Founded in the 12 century on a hill surrounded by the Aare River, Berne developed over the centuries in several stages in line with an exceptionally coherent planning concept. The structure of the cobbled city centre is largely medieval with well-defined wide streets used for the market, regular division of built sections subdivided into narrow and deep parcels, and narrow alleys between them. Thanks to six kilometres of arcades from the 15 century referred to as Lauben, the Old Town boasts one of the longest covered shopping promenades in Europe. There are over 100 public fountains in the city of Bern. In the 16 century, eleven of them were topped with Renaissance allegorical statues such as of the statue of Justice, Messenger, Piper, Samson, or Moses. In the 17 century, many patrician houses were built of grey-green sandy limestone. The most famous sights of the Old Town include the Time Bell (Zytglogge), an elaborate medieval clock tower with moving puppets from 1220s, an impressive 15 century Gothic Cathedral (Münster) that is the tallest in Switzerland, and a 15 century Town Hall. The Federal Palace (Bundeshause), built at the end of the 19 century, houses the national parliament, government and a part of the federal administration. The Bear Garden (Bärengraben), situated outside the Old Town, was established in the 16 century to house the heraldic animals of Bern. The Rose Garden (Rosengarten), from which a scenic panoramic view of the medieval town centre can be enjoyed, is a well-kept Rosarium on a hill converted into a park from a former cemetery in 1913. The medieval atmosphere of the city with its many fountains, sandstone facades, narrow streets and historic towers is unique. Abbey of St Gall is located in the town of St Gall in the north-eastern part of Switzerland. It is an impressive architectural ensemble comprising different buildings around the main square of the Abbey. The main features of this remarkable architectural complex are the ancient abbatial church, the present cathedral, and the ancient cloister that houses the abbatial Library. The Convent of St Gall is a perfect example of a great Carolingian monastery that was, from the 8 century to its secularization in 1805, one of the most important cultural centres in Europe. It represents 1200 years of history of monastic architecture and is a typical and outstanding ensemble of a large Benedictine convent. Almost all the important architectural periods, from High Middle Ages to historicism, are represented in an exemplary fashion. The Library is one of the richest and oldest in the world and contains precious manuscripts such as the manuscripts of the 7 and 8 century, or the earliest-known architectural plan drawn on parchment. Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona in the north-eastern part of the country covers a mountainous area of almost 33 km^2 that features seven peaks rising above 3,000 metres. The area displays an exceptional example of mountain building through continental collision and features excellent geological sections through tectonic thrust, i.e. the older, deeper rocks are carried onto younger, shallower rocks. The exposures of the rocks below and above this feature are visible in three dimensions. The Glarus Alps are glaciated mountains rising dramatically above narrow river valleys and are the site of the largest post-glacial landslide in the Central Alpine region. Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch. The site provides an outstanding example of the formation of the High Alps. The impressive north wall of the High Alps, centred on the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau peaks, is a superlative scenic feature complemented with spectacular peaks, a valley system, and a great abundance and diversity of geomorphological features such as U-shaped glacial valleys, cirques, horn peaks, valley glaciers and moraines. This most glaciated part of the European Alps mountain range contains the Aletsch glacier, the largest and longest in Europe. The site is of outstanding universal value for its beauty, wide diversity of ecosystems, and the wealth of information it contains about the formation of mountains and glaciers, including the ongoing processes connected with the retreat of glaciers resulting from climate change. Three Castles, Defensive Wall and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzona. The site consists of a group of fortifications located around the town of Bellinzona in the canton of Ticino in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, south of the Alps. Situated on the Alpine foothills, the group consists of fortified walls and three castles Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbano. Castelgrande is located on a rocky peak overlooking the entire Ticino valley. A series of fortified walls running from the castle protect the ancient town and block the passage through the valley. Montebello, located on a rocky hilltop east of town, forms an integral part of the fortifications. Sasso Corbaro, the highest of the three castles was built on an isolated rocky promontory south-east of the other two castles and fortifications. The fortified ensemble of Bellinzona is an outstanding example of the late medieval defensive structure guarding a key strategic Alpine pass. Monte San Giorgio, a pyramid-shaped wooded mountain beside Lake Lugano, is regarded the best fossil record of marine life from the Triassic Period (245-230 million years ago). It records life in a tropical lagoon where diverse marine life flourished, including reptiles, fish, bivalves, ammonites, or crustaceans. The fossils remains also include land-based fossils of reptiles, insects and plants. Rhaetian Railway brings together two historic railway lines that cross the Swiss Alps through two passes. Opened in 1904, the Albula line in the north western part is 67 km long (Switzerland). It features an impressive set of structures including 42 tunnels and covered galleries and 144 viaducts and bridges. The 61 km Bernina pass line, opened in 1910, features 13 tunnels and galleries and 52 viaducts and bridges. The Railway is an outstanding technical, architectural and environmental achievements created in harmony with the landscape. Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair, located in a valley of the Grisons, was founded around 775, probably on the orders of Charlemagne. The convent comprises the Carolingian convent church and the Saint Cross Church, the residential tower of the Abbess von Planta, the ancient residence of the bishop, including two rectangular courtyards. To the west the courtyard is surrounded by cloisters, two entrance towers and agricultural buildings. The Convent is a good example of Christian monastic renovation during the Carolingian period. It houses the greatest series of figurative murals, painted around 800 AD as well as Romanesque frescoes and stuccoes. Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps is a serial property consisting of the remains of 111 small individual sites (out of the about 1,000 known pile-dwelling sites in six countries around the Alps, i.e. Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia). Fifty-six of these settlements are located in Switzerland. The sites contain the remains of pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements built from around 5000 to 500 BC during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in and around the Alps on the lake shores, along rivers or in wetlands (some are now situated under water), offering exceptional conservation conditions for organic remains such as wood, textiles, plant remains or bones. Due to the exceptional wealth of findings, the pile dwellings give precise and detailed picture of the world of the early farmers in Europe, giving information concerning the everyday life of these communities, the way they interacted with their environment, agriculture, animal husbandry and technical innovations over a period of more than four millennia. In view of the excellent possibilities of exact dating of the remains of wooden architectural elements, the understanding of entire prehistoric villages and their detailed spatial development over very long periods can be followed, giving the best known archaeological sources for prehistoric dwellings. ITALIAN REPUBLIC Italy, Italia or Repubblica Italiana in Italian, is a country located on the boot-shaped mountainous Italian or Apennine Peninsula in southern Europe. To the north, the Alps form its border with France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. Its ‘neighbours’ across the sea are Croatia, Bosnia, Albania and Greece. To the south, it consists of the entire Peninsula and the two biggest Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Sardinia, in addition to about 70 smaller islands. The sovereign, independent states of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within Italy, while Campione d’Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland separated from the rest of Italy by the Lake Lugano and mountains. Italy is washed by the Adriatic Sea on the East, Mediterranean and Ionian Sea on the South and Ligurian and Tyrhenian Seas on the West. The length of its coastline is about 7,600 kilometres. Italy covers an area of approximately 301,000 km^2 and its population is about 61 million people. The capital and largest city is Rome. Italy is a founding member of the European Union and of NATO, a part of the Eurozone, and of the EU single market. Italy hosts a broad variety of universities, colleges and academies. Founded in 1088, the University of Bologna is likely the oldest in the world. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Tourism is one of the fastest growing and profitable sectors of the national economy of Italy. With approximately 48 million international tourist arrivals, Italy is the fifth most visited country. Italy is considered to be the cradle of European civilization established by the Roman Empire and carried on by the Roman Catholic Church. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, a number of magnificent courts competed for attracting the best architects, artists and scholars, thus producing a great heritage of monuments, paintings, music and literature. Exploring Italy means facing some of the world most iconic images from this almost 3,000-year history such as the Colosseum of Ancient Rome, the medieval Leaning Tower of Pisa, the romantic canals of Venice, the playful Baroque Trevi Fountain, or Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s Venus and almost countless (an estimated 100,000) splendid monuments, i.e. palaces, churches, villas, historic houses, fountains, statues and archaeological remains. Plentiful magnificent museums and galleries display rich collections of art documenting the unique and one of the richest culture of Europe. Apart from cultural tourism, religious tourism is of a great importance in Italy. Rome, Assisi, Loreto, and Padua are most visited places for Catholic pilgrims. Turin is one of the most important pilgrimage places as the Torino linen, supposed to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ, is kept in its Cathedral. Florence was the birthplace of Renaissance and is home to great works of architecture, sculpture, and paintings. Rome, the capital of the country, preserves the outstanding architectural and artistic masterpieces of ancient civilizations. Many tourists are also attracted by the famous Italian cuisine. Rome, the capital and largest city of Italy, is the principal tourist destination of the country as well as of Europe what may be documented by a popular saying “All roads lead to Rome.” For centuries, it has been the leading political and religious centre of Western civilisation as the capital of the Roman Empire and of Christianity, and its history spans almost three thousand years since its legendary founding in 753 BC. Its significance is documented by endless number of sites that have been preserved since the ancient times. Rome is referred to as “The Eternal City” and its historic centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The sights considered to be the symbols of Rome include for example the Pantheon which is the best preserved Roman temple of ancient gods (now a Catholic church), the Colosseum which is an amphitheatre from the 1 century AD (a place of gladiatorial contests and public spectacles could hold up to 80,000 spectators), Forum Romanum for centuries the centre of Roman public life (site of triumphal processions, elections, public speeches, criminal trials, or gladiatorial matches), the 35-metre tall triumphal Trajan’s Column from 113 AD famous for its spiral bas relief describing the epic wars between the Romans and Dacians, the impressive white marble triumphal Arch of Septimus Severus consisting of a central archway and two side archways, the ancient Roman chariot racing stadium Circus Maximus, the Bath of Caracalla that are a reminder of the importance of public bathing as a recreation activity in Roman times, Via Appia which was the route taken by the Roman legions to the port of Brindisi, or Piazza del Campidoglio designed by Michelangelo Buonarroti with a riding statue of Marcus Aurelius. Rome contains the Vatican City, a tiny independent state ruled by the Pope. The main gathering place for pilgrims is Saint Peter’s Square. It provides a magnificent setting for the Renaissance Papal Basilica of Saint Peter, the largest church in the world, designed by Bramante, Bernini and Michelangelo. The Sistine Chapel in the Apostolic Palace (the official residence of the Pope) is famous for its magnificent frescoes by Michelangelo such as The Last Judgment or the ceiling frescoes depicting the scenes from the Book of Genesis. TOSCANA / TUSCANY Tuscany is located in central Italy and stretches from the Apennines to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its landscape ranges from rocky and mountainous (Chianti) to pastoral (Crete Senesi south of Siena) and flat brushed with sea breezes (Pisa). It is one of the most charming regions of Italy known for its romantic landscape characterised by rolling hills, neat fields, olive groves, and cypress-lined driveways. The picturesque landscape is home of rustic farms, ancient villages and medieval towns climbing to nearly every hill with well-preserved Romanesque and Renaissance architecture, and churches and beautiful abbeys scattered all over the country. The region is celebrated for its impressive traditions, rich history and valuable cultural heritage as well as memorable food and delicious wine from the area of Chianti. Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is regarded to be the cradle of the Italian Renaissance. Thanks to the wealth and power of its ruling dynasty, the Medicis, Florence was able to attract the best artists of the day including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli. As a result, the city can boast Europe finest collections of art such as the Uffizi Gallery, or the Pitti Palace. The best known sight of Florence is Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral known as The Duomo, a major achievement of the 15 century that dominates the city. Other famous attractions include the covered bridge known as Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo della Signoria, the Campanile (a bell tower) Michelangelo’s David, or Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Due to its valuable monuments, Florence is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Pisa is famous world-wide for its Leaning Tower, the bell tower of the Cathedral, that is a part of the complex situated on Piazza del Duomo (also known as Piazza dei Miracoli). Apart the free standing Tower, the complex also includes the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Monumental Cemetery. Pisa can also boast about twenty churches, some of them dating to the 11 century. The University of Pisa was established in the 12 century. Piazza del Duomo is a UNESCO Site. VENETIA / VENETO Veneto is located in the north-eastern part of Italy and extends from the Dolomites to the Adriatic Sea. The landscape changes from the mountains to the valley of the river Po (covering nearly 60 per cent of its area) and then to the coast around the Gulf of Venice with long sandy beaches and famous resorts. Distinctive characteristics of the Pre-Alps are the cave formations, including chasms and sink holes. The region is also rich in thermal springs. Venice, the popular honeymoon destination and capital of the Veneto region, was built on more than a hundred small islands separated by canals (about 100) and connected by bridges (approximately 400). The buildings of Venice are constructed on wooden piles, most of them still intact after centuries of submersion. The entire city together with the Venetian lagoon is UNESCO World Heritage site. Besides its unique setting, Venice is known for its exceptional architecture and artwork. The heart of Venice is Piazza San Marco where several monuments are situated such as the Basilica of Saint Mark bearing Byzantine domes, marble archways and generous gold decorations, the Venetian Gothic Doge’s Palace with extravagantly decorated chambers with carved and painted ceiling, or Campanile, the free-standing bell tower of the Basilica. The Grand Canal, the major water-street, is lined with buildings (13-18 century) demonstrating the welfare of noble Venetian families such as Palazzi Barbaro, Caʼ dʼOro, or Palazzo Dario. Rialto Bridge is another famous sight of Venice. The Venice carnival is an important part of the traditional image of the city. Verona, a lovely small city along the Adige River, is best known for the love story of Romeo and Juliet situated there by Shakespeare. The city can boast the Old Castle (Castelvecchio), a defensive fortress built in the 14 century that houses an art museum. Another interesting sight is Arena di Verona, a Roman Amphitheatre, one of the largest of its kind built around 30 AD. It is still in use and can seat up to 15,000 spectators. The town preserves a remarkable number of monuments from antiquity, the medieval and Renaissance periods, and represents an outstanding example of a military stronghold. Verona is one of the UNESCO sites. Asiago, situated at the foothills of the Alps, is home to the delicious Asiago cheese, a cow’s milk cheese that can assume different textures according to its aging. Asiago has a protected designation of origin. CAMPANIA Campania is one of the regions of Southern Italy that stretches along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is famous for its gulfs of Naples or Salerno as well as the islands of Ischia or Capri. The Neapolitan Riviera, i.e. resorts and islands of the Bay of Naples, is popular with tourists. The landscape of Campania is mostly hilly and mountainous dominated by Vesuvius. The region is subject to earthquakes and volcanic activity, and near Pozzuoli numerous hot springs, steam jets and emissions of sulphurous gases characterise the area known as the Phlegrean Fields. The Mediterranean vegetation, vine, citrus and olive trees interchange with small charming towns. Naples (Napoli), the capital of Campania, is situated on the west coast by the Gulf of Naples between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Campi Flegri. Its historic centre is the largest in Europe and is listed by UNESCO as a World heritage Site. Naples has a total of 448 historical churches, the most important among them is the Cathedral of Naples. Another landmark of the city is a medieval Castel Nuovo from 1279. Naples is synonymous with pizza that originated in the city. The islands of Capri and Ischia can be reached from Naples by ferries. Pompeii and Herculaneum, two flourishing Roman towns, were destroyed in the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD as well as many wealthy villas in the area. The streets and buildings of the two towns, covered by layer of ash for many centuries, have been gradually excavated and made accessible to the public since the mid-18 century. The site presents impressive remains of the vast area of the commercial town of Pompeii, smaller but better-preserved remains of the holiday resort of Herculaneum, and the Villa Oplontis at Torre Annunziata with superb wall paintings that give an excellent picture of the luxurious lifestyle enjoyed by the wealthy citizens of the Early Roman Empire. Due to the sudden and unexpected eruption that rapidly buried the area, the excavated site provides a complete and vivid picture of the society and daily life at a specific moment in the past unparalleled anywhere in the world. The site is listed as UNESCO World Heritage. SICILIA / SICILY Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and an autonomous region of Italy. The most prominent landmark of Sicily is Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world. The landscape of Sicily is mostly hilly and intensively cultivated wherever possible. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, olives, almonds, grapes, and pistachios are grown. The region is known for fortified Marsala wines. Palermo, noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, is the capital of the region. The sights of Palermo give evidence of its rich history and mainly the mixed influence of Oriental and European cultures. The main sights include the Cathedral from the 12 century, the Palatine Chapel with outstanding mosaics in both the Western and Eastern traditions and a number of other churches and palaces as well as well-preserved city walls. The Aeolian Islands to the northeast of mainland Sicily exhibit a volcanic complex including Stromboli. SARDEGNA / SARDINIA Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and an autonomous region of Italy. The coasts of Sardinia are generally high and rocky creating picturesque sceneries. The landscape of the island is predominantly mountainous with the highest peak Punta La Marmora, part of the Gennargentu Range, covered with dense woods with even thousand-year old trees, small desert areas and marshes inhabited by deer, mouflons, wild horses and predatory birds such as golden eagles. Megalithic building structures called nuraghes, round tower-fortresses built using huge blocks of stone and dating back to the 16-15 centuries BC, are scattered in great numbers throughout Sardinia (approximately 7,000). Su Nuraxi di Barumini is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cagliari is the capital as well as largest city of Sardinia. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES The long and rich Italian history has resulted in abundant historical, architectural and cultural monuments that are known and appreciated worldwide. With 51 inscriptions, Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country in the world. Out of them, 47 are cultural sites and four are natural sites. Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps is a serial property of 111 small individual sites (out of the merely 1,000 known archaeological pile-dwelling sites in six countries around the Alps, i.e. Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia) fifty-six are located in Switzerland) containing the remains of prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from around 5000 to 500 BC on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. The Dolomites is a mountain range in the northern Italian Alps, numbering 18 peaks that rise to above 3,000 metres. It features some of the most beautiful mountain landscapes with vertical walls, steep cliffs and abundant narrow, deep and long valleys. The site also contains glacial landforms and karst systems. It is characterised by frequent landslides, floods and avalanches. Rhaetian Railway brings together two historic railway lines that cross the Swiss Alps through two passes. Opened in 1904, the Albula line in the north western part is 67 km long (Switzerland). It features an impressive set of structures including 42 tunnels and covered galleries and 144 viaducts and bridges. The 61 km Bernina pass line, opened in 1910, features 13 tunnels and galleries and 52 viaducts and bridges. The Railway is an outstanding technical, architectural and environmental achievements created in harmony with the landscape. Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, or Sacred Mountains are nine groups of chapels, churches, religious centres and other architectural features created in the late 16 and 17 centuries that are dedicated to different aspects of the Christian faith. In addition to their symbolic spiritual meaning, they are of a great beauty based on the way of their incorporation into the surrounding natural landscape of hills, forests and lakes. They can also pride beautiful and valuable decorations, i.e. wall paintings and statues. Monte San Giorgio, a pyramid-shaped, wooded mountain beside Lake Lugano is regarded the best fossil record of marine life from the Triassic Period (245-230 million years ago). It records life in a tropical lagoon where diverse marine life flourished, including reptiles, fish, bivalves, ammonites, or crustaceans. The fossils remains also include land-based fossils of reptiles, insects and plants. Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie was built in the 15 century by Bramante. The Last Supper, an unparalleled masterpiece, was painted by Leonardo da Vinci on the north wall of its refectory (dining room) between 1495 and 1497. Crespi dʼAdda in Capriate San Gervasio is an outstanding example of the 19 and early-20 century “company towns” built in Europe by enlightened industrialists to meet the needs of workers. The site is still remarkably intact and is partly used for industrial purposes. Rock Drawings in Valcamonica, situated in the Lombardy plain, is one of the world greatest collections of prehistoric petroglyphs. More than 140,000 symbols and figures carved in the rock over a period of 8,000 years depict themes connected with agriculture, navigation, war and magic. The engravings are spread on about 2,400 rocks on both sides of an entire valley. The Longobards in Italy, Places of Power (568-774 AD) comprises seven groups of important buildings including fortresses, churches, and monasteries throughout the Italian Peninsula. They give evidence of the high achievement of the Lombards who migrated from northern Europe and developed their own specific culture in Italy where they ruled over vast territories in the 6 to 8 centuries. The Lombard architectural style marked the transition from Antiquity to the European Middle Ages and was based on the heritage of Ancient Rome, Christian spirituality, Byzantine influence and Germanic northern Europe. The serial property testifies to the major role of Lombards in the spiritual and cultural development of Medieval European Christianity. The site includes Cividale del Friuli (Episcopal complex), Brescia (Monastic complex), Castelseprio (Monastery), Spoleto (Basilica), Campello sul Clitunno (Temple), Benevento (Church complex) and Monte Santʼ Angelo (Sanctuary). Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia. Aquileia that used to be one of the largest and wealthiest cities of the Early Roman Empire was destroyed by Attila in the mid-5 century. Most of it still survives unexcavated and intact beneath the fields, and as such it creates the greatest archaeological reserve of the most complete example of an Early Roman city in the Mediterranean world. The Patriarchal Basilica, an outstanding building with an exceptional mosaic pavement, played a key role in the spread of Christianity into central Europe in the early Middle Ages. Botanical Garden in Padua was established in 1545 as the first university botanical garden in the world. The Garden still preserves its original layout. A circular central scheme that symbolises the world is surrounded by a ring of water symbolising the ocean. Later, other elements were added. Some of them are architectural such as ornamental entrances and balustrades, and some of them are practical such as pumping installations and greenhouses. The Garden continues to serve its original purpose as the centre for scientific research. Mantua and Sabbioneta, in the Po valley in Lombardy, represent two aspects of Renaissance town planning. Mantua shows the renewal and extension of an existing city in the 15 and 16 century. Its layout is irregular with parts showing different stages of its growth since the Roman period and includes many medieval structures such as an 11 century rotunda, 13 and 14 century palaces, 15 century basilica, or the Ducal Palace built between the 14 and 17 centuries. Sabbioneta represents the implementation of the period theories about planning the ideal city. Created in the second half of the 16 century, it is a single-period city and has a right angle network of streets. Both cities offer exceptional testimonies to the urban, architectural and artistic realisations of the Renaissance. Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta is a remarkable cultural landscape. The area comprises the urban centre of Ferrara and adjoining agricultural lands within the ancient and vast Po River Delta. Ferrara was the first Renaissance city developed according to a complex urban plan and a ring of defensive walls encircles the historic centre of the town. Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna. Ravenna, the seat of the last Roman Emperors in the 5 century and then of the Byzantine Empire until the 8 century, boasts a unique collection of early Christian monuments with rich mosaic decorations. All eight buildings inscribed on the List were built during the 5 and 6 centuries and include the Baptistery of Neon, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Arian Baptistery, the Archiepiscopal Chapel, the Basilica of Saint Apollinare Nuovo, the Mausoleum of Theodoric, the Basilica of San Vitale and the Basilica of Saint Apollinaire in Classe. All the monuments display a great artistic skill including a wonderful blend of Greco-Roman tradition, Christian iconography and Oriental and Western styles. Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande in Modena. Situated on Piazza Grande, the magnificent 12-century Cathedral of Modena is a supreme example of the early Romanesque art. It is the work of two great artists, a master mason Lanfranco and a sculptor Wiligelmus whose reliefs depicting prophets and patriarchs and most of the Biblical stories are a masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture. The annexed campanile, the Torre della Ghirlandina, is a five-storeyed slightly leaning tower from the beginning of the 14 century. Residences of the Royal House of Savoy in and around Turin is an outstanding complex of buildings demonstrating the power of the ruling house. A vast series of building projects was started by Emmanuel-Philibert, Duke of Savoy at the end of the 16 century, and was carried on by his successors up to the 18 century. It was designed by the leading architects and artists of the time and includes the Royal Palace as well as many country residences and hunting lodges in its surrounding countryside. Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato. This landscape, located between the Po River and the Ligurian Apennines, consists of five distinct vine-growing areas with outstanding landscapes and the Castle of Cavour, a symbolic name in the development of vineyards. It also covers the association between a diverse range of soils, grape varieties that are often native, and suitable winemaking processes. It is an area of carefully cultivated hillsides, hilltop villages, castles, Romanesque churches, farms, and cellars. The property is outstanding for its harmony and the balance between the landscapes, the architectural and historical diversity of structures associated with the wine production activities and an ancient art of winemaking that dates back to the 5 century BC. Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli in the historic centre of Genoa date back to the late 16 and early 17 centuries when the Republic of Genoa was at the top of its financial and seafaring power. The site represents the first example of an urban development project of a system of ‘public lodging’ in private residences of eminent Genoese families. Palazzi dei Rolli on the List include forty-two (of eighty) Renaissance and Baroque palaces along Strade Nuove, a public network of private residences designated to host state visits. Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto. The Ligurian Riviera between Cinque Terre and Portovenere is a cultural landscape of exceptional scenic beauty and outstanding cultural value resulting from the long and harmonious co-existence of nature and man. The continuous history of human settlement in this region over the past millennium resulted in the layout and character of the small towns and the shaping of the surrounding landscape, overcoming the disadvantages of a steep, uneven terrain. The area is an illustration of a traditional way of life that has existed for a thousand years and continues to play an important role in the life of the community. Medici Villas and Gardens, 12 villas and two gardens, spread across the Tuscan landscape bear testimony to the influence the Medici family exercised over modern European culture through its patronage of the arts. Built between the 15 and 17 centuries, they represent an innovative system of building in harmony with nature and dedicated to leisure, arts and knowledge. The villas represent a new type of princely residence that differed from both the farms owned by rich Florentines and from the military power of baronial castles. Val d’Orcia. The landscape of Val d’Orcia is characterised by gentle, carefully cultivated flat chalk plains, almost conical hills with fortified settlements on hilltops, picturesque towns and villages. It developed in the 14 and 15 centuries to reflect an idealised model of well-managed Renaissance agricultural landscapes and to create a pleasing picture. The property includes agrarian and pastoral landscape, towns, villages, farmhouses and the Roman Via Francigena and its associated abbeys, inns, shrines, bridges, etc. Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites. Assisi, a medieval town built on a hill, is closely associated with the work of the Franciscan Order since the town is the birthplace of Saint Francis. This fact made the town a famous pilgrimage site. The magnificent Basilica of San Francesco, actually two churches on one site, is an outstanding example of a type of architectural ensemble that has significantly influenced the development of art and architecture. Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia. These two large Etruscan cemeteries reflect different types of burial practices from the 9 to the 1 century BC and bear witness to the achievements of Etruscan culture. Some of the tombs are monumental, cut in rock and topped by impressive burial mounds, some are carved in rock in the shape of huts or houses, many feature carvings on their walls, and others have wall paintings of outstanding quality. Large-scale wall paintings are exceptional both for their formal qualities and for their content revealing aspects of life, death, and religious beliefs of the ancient Etruscans. Moreover, the depiction of daily life in the frescoed tombs, many of which are replicas of Etruscan houses, is a unique testimony to this vanished culture. The necropolis near Cerveteri (known as Banditaccia), contains thousands of tombs organized in a city-like plan, with streets and small squares. The necropolis of Tarquinia (known as Monterozzi) contains 6,000 graves cut in the rock. It is famous for its 200 painted tombs, the earliest of which date from the 7 century BC. Villa Adriana at Tivoli, or Hadrian’s Villa, is an exceptional complex of classical buildings created in the 2 century AD by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. The complex of over 30 buildings included palaces, temples, libraries, several baths, Maritime Theatre, and others. This masterpiece uniquely combines the best elements of the architectural heritage of Egypt, Greece and Rome. Villa dʼEste in Tivoli, a classic Renaissance villa with magnificent water gardens, is one of the most remarkable, comprehensive and refined illustrations of Renaissance culture. Its innovative design along with the architectural components in the garden such as fountains and ornamental basins make it a unique example of an Italian 16 century garden. The Villa, one of the first giardini delle meraviglie, was an early model for the development of European gardens. Royal Palace of Caserta from the 18 century, often called the Italian Versailles, is the largest royal residence in the world (some 1,200 rooms). It is surrounded by an extensive Park with splendid fountains. The Aqueduct of Vanvitelli that was built to supply the Palace with water, namely its perfectly preserved 529-metre long section bridging the valley of Maddaloni and made of three rows of arches, is also a part of the site as well as the San Leucio industrial complex designed to produce silk. Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana) is an area of great beauty and nature diversity that has been settled since the early Middle Ages. There is a number of beautiful towns on the Coast such as Amalfi and Ravello with significant architectural and artistic monuments. The rural areas show the flexibility of the inhabitants in adapting their land use to the diverse nature of the terrain that ranges from terraced vineyards and orchards on the lower slopes to wide upland pastures. The Amalfi Coast is an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape with exceptional cultural and natural values resulting from its dramatic landscape and historical evolution. Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archaeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula. Cilento was a major route for trade as well as for cultural, and political communications during the prehistoric period and again in the Middle Ages. Sanctuaries and settlements were established along its east-west running mountain ridges creating a cultural landscape of outstanding significance and quality. The National Park stretching from the Tyrrhenian coast to the foot of the Apennines is a diverse mosaic of different regions including coastal and mountain areas, wild rivers and streams, cliffs and forests with abundant wildlife as well as historical and cultural monuments. It became the UNESCO site together with the ancient Greek towns of Paestum, Velia and the Certosa di Padula. The ruins of Paestum are notable for their three well-preserved ancient Greek temples. Velia is a complex of remains of a theatre, cisterns and some other buildings, and city walls with traces of a gate and several towers. Padula is a large Carthusian monastery, the largest in Italy, dedicated to Saint Lawrence and founded in 1306 on the site of an earlier monastery. Castel del Monte is a citadel and castle built in the 13 century that is filled with symbolic significance reflected in the location, the mathematical and astronomical precision of the layout and the perfectly regular shape. This unique piece of medieval military architecture is a successful and harmonious blend of cultural elements from classical antiquity, the Islamic world and north European Cistercian Gothic. The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera is the most outstanding and intact example of a troglodyte settlement (a cave dwelling) in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem. The first inhabited zone dates from the Palaeolithic while later settlements illustrate a number of significant stages in human history. The Trulli of Alberobello, limestone dwellings, are remarkable examples of drywall (mortar-less) construction, a prehistoric building technique still in use in the region of Puglia. The trulli are made of roughly worked limestone boulders collected from neighbouring fields. Typically, they feature pyramidal, domed or conical roofs built up of corbelled limestone slabs. Isole Eolie, or the Aeolian Islands are a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily. They provide an outstanding record of volcanic island-building and destruction, and ongoing volcanic phenomena that have been studied since the 18 century. Mount Etna is an iconic site on the eastern coast of Sicily and the most active stratovolcano in the world. Its eruptive history can be traced 500,000 back years and at least 2,700 years of this activity has been documented. Its almost continuous eruptive activity influences volcanology and other Earth science disciplines. The volcano supports important ecosystems including endemic flora and fauna. Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale. The site includes a series of nine civil and religious structures dating from the era of the Norman kingdom of Sicily (1130-1194), i.e. two palaces, three churches, a cathedral, a bridge, and the cathedrals of Cefalú and Monreale. They are an example of a social-cultural syncretism between Western, Islamic and Byzantine cultures on the island which gave rise to new concepts of space, structure and decoration. They also bear testimony to the fruitful coexistence of people of different origins and religions (Muslim, Byzantine, Latin, Jewish, Lombard and French). Archaeological Area of Agrigento. Agrigento, founded as a Greek colony in the 6 century BC, was one of the chief cities of the ancient Mediterranean world. The site, preserved in an exceptionally perfect condition, is one of the most outstanding monuments of Greek art and culture. It consists of the Valley of the Temples, a row of seven monumental Greek temples in the Doric style (6-5 century) that dominate the ancient town much of which still lies intact under the contemporary fields and orchards. The excavated areas document the magnificence of the Hellenistic and Roman town as well as the burial practices of its early Christian inhabitants since the area around the Temple of Concordia was later used by Christians as a catacomb. Villa Romana del Casale at Piazza Armerina in Sicily is a supreme example of a luxury Roman villa built in the countryside as the centre of a large estate in the 4 century. The villa is one of the most luxurious of its kind and is especially remarkable for the richness and quality of the mosaics decorating almost every room. They are the finest mosaics in situ anywhere in the Roman world and are exceptional for their artistic quality and invention as well as their extent. Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (Sicily). The site includes eight towns, i.e. Caltagirone, Militello Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa and Scicli. All the towns were rebuilt after 1693 on or beside towns destroyed by an enormous earthquake that took place in that year. They were rebuilt in so called Sicilian Baroque style and represent the distinctive innovations in town planning and urban building. Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica. The site of historic Syracuse includes the core of the town founded by Greeks from Corinth on a small island Ortygia in the 8 century BC. Its landmarks include the Temple of Athena, a Greek theatre, a Roman amphitheatre, Castello Maniace (a citadel and castle), and a number of churches and palaces. The town offers a unique testimony to the development of the Mediterranean civilization over three millennia. The Necropolis of Pantalica contains over 5,000 tombs cut into the rock, most of them dating to the 13-7 centuries BC. Su Nuraxi at Barumini in Sardinia is a distinguished example of nuraghe, a special type of defensive structure (unparalleled anywhere else in the world) that developed during the late 2 millennium BC (the Bronze Age). The typical nuraghe is a truncated conical tower built of stone, with corbel-vaulted internal chambers resembling a beehive. Su Nuraxi is a settlement consisting of a 17 century nuraghe, a bastion of four corner towers and a central one, and a village that developed around it. It is the finest and most complete example of this remarkable form of prehistoric architecture. The historic centres of Rome, Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Pienza, Naples, and Urbino, Venice and its Lagoon, Piazza Del Duomo in Pisa, the City of Verona, and the City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas (apart from Vicenza, Palladio’s Villas are also scattered thorough the Veneto region) complete the List of the UNESCO World Heritage OUTSTANDING PERSONALITIES Italy has been a birthplace of many outstanding and celebrated people who influenced the world history and culture. Perhaps the most famous names to mention are: · Painters – Leonardo da Vinci (The last Supper, Mona Lisa, The Vitruvian Man), Caravaggio (Judith Beheading Holofernes, Supper at Emmaus), Titian (The Rape of Europa, Danaee, Venus and Adonis), Raphael (The Mass at Bolsena, Galatea, Sistine Madonna), or Botticelli (Primavera, The Birth of Venus, Venus and Mars) · Writers – Dante Alighieri (Divine Comedy), Giovanni Boccaccio (Decameron), Francesco Petrarcha (Sonnets), Alberto Moravia (The Woman of Rome, Two Women), Umberto Eco (The Name of the Rose, The Prague Cemetery) · Scientists – Giordano Bruno, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Guglielmo Marconi (Nobel Prize), Alessandro Volta · Musicians – Giacomo Puccini (La boheme, Madame Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, Tosca), Monteverdi (Madrigals, L’Orfeo), Vivaldi (The Four Seasons), Paganini (violinist, violist and guitarist), Enrico Caruso (tenor), Luciano Pavarotti (one of the most famous tenors of all time) REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA Austria, Österreich or Republic Österreich in German, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The territory of Austria covers almost 84,000 km^2 and its population is about 8.6 million people. Its capital and largest city is Vienna. Austria is a federal republic comprising nine federal states. In 1955, the Federal Assembly passed the Constitutional Law on Neutrality and stated that ‘in all future times Austria will not join any military alliances and will not permit the establishment of any foreign military bases on her territory’. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, Austria reconsidered its definition of neutrality, granting overflight rights for the UN action against Iraq in 1991. In 1995, it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace and subsequently participated in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia. Austria has been a member of the United Nations since 1955, joined the European Union in 1995, and is a founder of the OECD. It signed the Schengen Agreement in 1995. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Austria ranks among the ten most visited countries in the world, receiving approximately 25 million tourists each year. Visits to Austria mostly include trips to the capital city of Vienna with its abundant architectural monuments and cultural events as well as its cafés serving delicious desserts and famous taverns called Heuriger where specially licenced local winemakers serve their recent year wines. Other popular tourist destinations include Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol surrounded by the Alps, and the Danube valley with its vineyards such as the Wachau or Dunkelsteinerwald situated between Melk and Krems. In the western part of the country the province Vorarlberg reaches the Lake Constance (Bodensee), in the eastern part the Neusiedler See. The most visited landmarks of Austria is the Schönbrunn Palace with approximately 2.6 million visitors per year. Austrian Alps are a popular winter destination with a number of well-equipped winter resorts with excellent snow conditions and well-maintained ski runs and ski slopes such as Sölden, Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Wilder Kaiser, Ischgl, Kitzbühel-Kirchberg, Sankt Anton am Arlberg, Semmering or Obertauern. In summer, the Alpine area offers great opportunities for hiking, trekking and mountaineering. Tourists are also attracted by numerous Austrian lakes such as the lakes in the Salzkammergut, a resort area stretching from the city of Salzburg eastwards along the Alpine foreland to the Dachstein Mountains (Wolfgangsee or Grundlsee), or Wörthersee in Carinthia. UNESCO World Heritage Sites There are nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Austria, all of them of cultural character, and seven national parks. Two of the sites are transboundary. Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps is a serial property consisting of the remains of prehistoric pile-dwelling settlements built in Alpine Europe from around 5000 to 500 BC during the Neolithic and Bronze Age. Excavations, conducted only in some of the sites, have provided information concerning the life of these communities, the way they interacted with their environment, agriculture, animal husbandry, development of metallurgy, etc. over a period of more than four millennia. The settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites creating a very important source for the study of early agrarian societies in the region. Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg. Best associated with the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who was born in the city, Salzburg is known for its appearance that evolved over the centuries and for its outstanding valuable architectural monuments. The fact that Salzburg was a city-state ruled by a prince-archbishop of the Holy Roman Empire (from the Middle Ages to the beginning of the 19 century) together with its location at the meeting point of northern and southern Europe (where German and Italian cultures interconnected) is reflected in its blend of Gothic and Baroque style buildings. Salzburg is also noted for its attractive setting and scenic Alpine backdrop. The historic centre includes Salzburg Cathedral (the 17 century Baroque cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Salzburg), Hohensalzburg Castle (one of the largest medieval castles in Europe located atop the Festungberg Mountain), Franciscan Church (from the 13 century), St Peter’s Abbey (Benedictine monastery found in 696 by Saint Rupert), Nonnberg Abbey (Benedictine convent found around 710), Salzburg Residenz (the magnificent former residence of the Prince-Archbishops), Residenzgalerie (art museum), Mozart’s Birthplace and Residence, and many others. Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape. The property includes the towns of Hallstatt, Obertraun, Gosau, Bad Goisern and their surroundings. The appearance of the region is the result of human activity in the magnificent natural landscape of the Salzkammergut that began in the prehistoric times with the salt deposits being exploited as early as in the 2 millennium BC. The prosperity of the area since the Middle Ages up to the mid-20 century was based on salt mining. This prosperity is reflected in the fine architecture of the local towns. The area comprises numerous glacial lakes and raised bogs as well as the peaks of the Salzkammergut Mountains and the neighbouring Dachstein Mountains, the Totes Gebirge and the Upper Austrian Pre-Alps with prominent Mount Traunstein in the east. The towering mountain slopes are characterized by bright limestone (karst) and flysch rocks, their higher pastures are used for the summer grazing of sheep and cattle Apart the mountain ranges, the region is also known for many caves, the longest of the caves reaching the length of 81 kilometres. Wachau Cultural Landscape. Wachau is a 40 kilometres long valley along the River Danube between the towns of Melk and Krems. The valley was settled in prehistoric times already and has been an important area since then. The Wachau valley features abundant historical monuments such as ancient monasteries (Benedictine Abbey of Melk, Göttweig Abbey), magnificent castles (Renaissance Schallaburg Castle) and impressive ruins (Aggstein Castle), many ancient towns and villages, and picturesque ancient terraced vineyards. A well-known attraction of the Valley is Dürnstein with a ruin of the castle where King Richard the Lion-Heart was held imprisoned. Wachau is one of the most prominent tourist destinations of Lower Austria. Historic Centre of Vienna. Vienna originated in 15 BC as a Romans castrum, a fortified frontier city (on a site of an earlier Celtic settlement) called Vindobona and built to guard the Empire against Germanic tribes. Although the Romans left in the 5 century, the settlement never perished and was restored as a town in the Middle Ages. In the 12 century it became the capital of the Duchy of Austria. A university was founded in 1365 and in 1440 Vienna became the resident city of the Habsburg dynasty. A bishopric was founded in 1469. Vienna eventually grew to become the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and remained the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire comprising Austrian, Bohemian and Hungarian Lands until 1918. In the second half of the 19 century, the town walls were pulled down and the Ringstraße, a new boulevard surrounding the historical town lined with imposing public and private buildings, monuments and parks was created. These buildings include the Town Hall (Rathaus), the Imperial Court Theatre (Burgtheater), the University, the Parliament, the twin museums of natural history and fine art, or the Vienna State Opera (Wiener Staatsoper). The Hofburg Palace, the imperial palace built in the 13 century and the principal winter residence of the Habsburgs, has been expanded over the centuries and includes various residences, the Imperial Chapel (Hofkapelle / Burgkapelle), the Museum of Natural History (Naturhistorische Museum), the Museum of Art History (Kunsthistorische Museum), the Austrian National Library (Hofbibliothek), the Imperial Treasury (Schatzkammer), etc. One of the landmarks and the symbol of the city is the Cathedral of Saint Stephen (Stephansdom), the seat of Archbishop. The Romanesque-Gothic cathedral was built in the 14 century on the ruins of two earlier churches. The Romanesque Church of Saint Rupert (Ruprechtskirche) is considered to be the oldest church in the city. It was built at the turn of the 8 and 9 centuries and is dedicated to Saint Rupert of Salzburg, the patron saint of the salt merchants of Vienna. The church is located in one of the oldest parts of the city, the section of the Roman Vindobona. Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn. Schönbrunn Palace is a former 1,441-room imperial summer residence in modern Vienna. It was the residence of the Habsburg emperors from the 17 century until 1918. The palace and its vast gardens illustrate the tastes, interests, and aspirations of the successive Habsburg monarchs. This remarkable Baroque Palace was designed and built by the architects Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and later by Nicolaus Pacassi. The Palace is surrounded by a vast French garden decorated with sculptures and containing a maze, orangery, palm house, or botanical garden. Western parts were turned into an English garden. Tiergarten, a part of the complex, was founded as an imperial menagerie in 1752. This fact makes it the oldest ZOO in the world. Fertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape. Lake Neusiedel, Fertö in Hungarian, is the second largest Endorheic lake in Central Europe. (It retains water and allows no outflow to external bodies of water but instead converges into lakes or swamps, permanent or seasonal.) The Lake covers 315 km^2, 75 on the Hungarian side. It is no more than 1.8 metres deep. Most of the lake is surrounded by reeds which serve as a habitat for wildlife making the lake an important resting place for migratory birds. The Fertö / Neusiedler Lake area has been the meeting place of different cultures for eight millennia. This is demonstrated by its varied landscape, the result of an evolutionary coexistence of man and his activity and the environment. The remarkable rural architecture of the villages surrounding the lake and several 18 and 19 century palaces add to the considerable cultural value of the area. The site is shared between Austria (Burgenland) and Hungary. Semmering Railway was built in the period between 1848 and 1854. Covering 41 kilometres of high rugged mountains, Semmering is one of the greatest achievements of civil engineering of this pioneering phase of railway building. Being carried in the early days of railroad construction, the project required a number of innovations. The tunnels, viaducts and other works are still fully functional as a part of the South Railway. Semmering is commonly referred to as the first true mountain railway in the world, given the very difficult terrain and the considerable altitude that was mastered during its construction. The railway runs through a spectacular mountain landscape and there are many fine buildings designed for leisure activities along the way. City of Graz – Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg. Graz, situated in Styria, bears witness to the cultural and artistic role played by the main aristocratic families in Europe. The city is a harmonious blend of the architectural styles and artistic movements that have succeeded each other from the Middle Ages until the 18 century. Each age is represented by typical buildings that are often masterpieces. In the 14 century, Graz became the residence of the Inner Austrian line of the Habsburgs who lived in Graz for the following centuries. The Habsburgs as well as other local noble families beautified and expanded Graz over the time, leading to a city with grand buildings from different periods and in a number of different styles. Situated in a cultural borderland between Central Europe, Italy and the Balkan, Graz absorbed various influences from the neighbouring regions and received its exceptional townscape. Its Old Town is one of the best preserved centres in Central Europe. Castle Eggenberg in Graz is the most significant Baroque palace complex in Styria and counts among the most valuable cultural properties of Austria. The Old Gallery (Alte Galerie), a collection of Medieval through early Modern Period artworks spanning five centuries of European art history, is housed in the palace. Eggenberg is surrounded by an extensive landscape park with a Lapidarium of Roman stonework. OUTSTANDING PERSONALITIES Austria has always been influencing the world in all the possible areas of human activities such as science, culture, art, or architecture. Due to the long existence of Austro-Hungarian monarchy and co-existence of many different nationalities on its territory, Austrian culture has influenced and has been influenced by many other nations and cultures. Many outstanding and celebrated people have been among the most renowned of their time. Perhaps the most famous names to mention are: · Music – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, Franz List, Johan Strauss (senior and junior), Franz Schubert, Franz Lehár · Art – Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, Egon Schiele, Adolf Loos, Hans Hollein · Film – Klaus Maria Brandauer, Hedy Lamarr, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Christoph Waltz · Science and philosophy – Sigmund Freud, Ludwig Boltzmann, Christian Doppler, Wolfgang Pauli, Anton Zeilinger, Alfred Adler, Karl Popper, Ferdinand Porsche, Siegfried Marcus · Literature – Stefan Zweig, Rainer Maria Rilke, Thomas Bernhard, Georg Trakl · Sports – Hermann Maier, Annemarie Moser-Pröll, Franz Klammer, Marlies Schild (due to the mountainous terrain, alpine skiing is a prominent sport in Austria) HUNGARY Hungary, Magyarország in Hungarian, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. Hungary covers an area of approximately 93,000 km^2 and its population is about 9.9 million people. The capital and largest city is Budapest. Hungary joined the Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and has actively supported the IFOR and SFOR missions in Bosnia. It became a member of NATO in 1999, and a member of the EU in 2004, and it is also a member of WTO, OECD, Visegrád Group, and the Schengen Agreement. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Hungary is a popular tourist destination attracting 10.6 million tourists a year. Lake Balaton, the largest fresh water lake in Central Europe is situated in the country as well as the largest natural grasslands in Europe, Hortobágy. Hungary is home to the largest synagogue in Europe, the Great Synagogue in Budapest, built in 1859 in Moorish Revival style with a capacity of 3000 people. The Basilica of Virgin Mary in Esztergom is one of the largest basilicas in Europe, and the largest Early Christian Necropolis outside Italy can be found in Pécs. Hungary is a land of thermal water. The country is home to the largest thermal water cave system with hundreds of therapeutic mineral springs as well as the Lake Héviz that is the largest thermal lake in Europe. Because of its geographical location, the country features high quality thermal water on over 80 per cent of its territory. Approximately 1,500 thermal springs can be found in the country and more than 100 just in the Capital area. Approximately 450 public baths have been built based on these springs. The first age of spa was started by Romans. Remains of their bath complexes can still be seen in Óbuda (Old Buda, a part of Budapest). Spa culture was revived during the Turkish Invasion and the thermal springs of Buda were used for the construction of a number of bathhouses, some of which such as Király or Rudas Baths are still functioning. In the 19 century, the development in deep drilling and medical science provided the basis for further increase in bathing culture. Grand spas such as Gellért Baths, Lukács Baths, Margaret Island, and Széchenyi Medicinal Bath are a reflection of this renaissance in bath popularity. The Széchenyi Thermal Bath is the largest spa complex in Europe and it was the first thermal bath built in the Pest side of Budapest. This building is a noted example of modern Renaissance Style. Located on the Buda side of Budapest, the Gellért spa is the most famous and luxurious thermal complex of the capital city. UNESCO World Heritage Sites There are eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hungary. Seven of them are of cultural character and one is of natural character. Two of the sites are trounsboundary. Hungary also has 10 National Parks, 35 landscape protected areas and 145 minor nature reserves. Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst. The karst system consists of 712 caves spread out over a total area of about 560 km^2 along the border of Hungary and Slovakia in Northern Hungary. Hence, the natural site is shared between Slovakia and Hungary and includes seven components. Aggtelek, Szendrö-Rudabánya Hill and Esztramos Hill are situated on the Hungarian territory. The largest stalactite cave of Europe, the Baralda Cave, is situated in this area as well. It is 26 kilometres long (out of them 8 km are in Slovakia). The caves display an extremely rare combination of tropical and glacial climatic effects. The geological history over tens of millions of years may be studied within this karst system. Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape. Since Tokaj is a historical wine region located in north-eastern Hungary and south-eastern Slovakia, the property is a transboundary one. The region consists of 27 villages and about 112 km^2 of classified vineyards. The existence of vineyards in the Tokaj area has been documented since the 16 century but it is evident that the wine production had been introduced to the region much earlier (some experts say it was with Celts, i.e. BC, some say it was with Romans in the 3 century AD). The cultural landscape of Tokaj documents the long tradition of wine production in this region of low hills and river valleys. The pattern of vineyards, farms, villages, small towns and historic networks of deep wine cellars illustrate every aspect of the production of the famous Tokaj wines. Hortobágy National Park – the Puszta. The cultural landscape of the Hortobágy Puszta is a vast area of plains and wetlands creating an 800 km^2 national park in Eastern Hungary. It is Hungarian largest protected area and the largest semi-natural grassland in Europe. The park is a part of the Great Hungarian Plain (Alföld). Hortobágy is a steppe, a grassy plain with Hungarian Grey cattle, Racka sheep, Water Buffalo and horses looked after by herdsmen. It provides habitat for various species including approximately 340 bird species. The area is an important stopover site for migrating Common Cranes, Dotterels, and Lesser White-fronted Geese. Traditional T-shaped sweep wells dot the landscape as well as the occasional mirage of trees shimmering in the reflected heat of the Puszta. One of its most iconic sites is the Nine-holed Bridge, the longest road stone bridge (167 metres) in historic Hungary prior to 1921. Traditional forms of land use, such as the grazing of domestic animals, have been present in this pastoral society for more than two millennia. The area is also rich with folklore and cultural history. Old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings. Hollókö is a Palóc ethnographic village. The name Hollókö means ‘Raven-stone’ in Hungarian. Palóc is derived from Slavic plavec or polovec and the people were probably descendants of Cumans (Turkic nomadic people). Palócs, who settled in northern Hungary and southern Slovakia, have retained distinctive traditions including a very apparent dialect of Hungarian. The village was built in a Cserhát Mountains valley surrounded by low peaks below a 13-century castle. At the end of the Ottoman period (1683), the castle and the village were abandoned and the present village grew up below. Many of the existing houses were first built around this time (and rebuilt many times due to periodic fires). The property includes 55 village houses, ruins of the castle and the surrounding area. Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue. The property comprises parts of two originally separate cities, i.e. Buda on the promontory on the right bank of the river Danube, and Pest on the plain on the left bank. The history of the city started with a Celtic settlement that was later occupied by Romans who established a colony called Aquincum that became the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia. The archaeological site of Aquincum was turned into a museum. Pest, the first medieval urban centre, was devastated by the Tatars in the 13 century and a few years later the castle of Buda surrounded by stone walls was built on the top of the Buda hills on the right bank by King Béla IV. Nevertheless, the oldest parts of the present-day Buda Castle and palace complex of Hungarian kings were built in the 14 century. The surrounding Castle District features beautiful medieval, Baroque, and 19 century houses, churches and public buildings such as the Matthias Church from the 11 century or the Neo-Romanesque and Neo-Gothic Fisherman Bastion with seven towers representing the seven Magyar tribes that settled in the Carpathian Basin in the 9 century. The Turkish occupation of the city started in the 16 century and lasted for more than 140 years. The Turks built many fine bathing facilities, and some of them such as Rudas or Kirali Baths are still in use. The first documented use of the combined name Buda-Pest is from 1831. The Széchenyi Chain Bridge, constructed by William T. Clark and opened in 1849, is a suspension bridge that spans the river Danube and symbolises the reunification of Buda and Pest. Andrássy Avenue (Andrássy út), situated in Pest is an iconic boulevard dating back to 1872. It is lined with spectacular Neo-Renaissance mansions and townhouses featuring fine facades and interiors. At the end of Andrássy Avenue, the Square of Heroes (Hösök tere) is situated. It is one of the major squares of Budapest, rich with historic and political connotations. Its iconic statue complex, the Millennium Memorial, was completed in 1900. The statues feature the leaders of the seven tribes that founded Hungary in the 9 century and other outstanding figures of Hungarian history. Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment. The Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey, located on the top of the Mount of Saint Martin, is one of the oldest historical monuments in Hungary since it was founded by the Benedictine monks who settled here in 996. It is the second largest territorial abbey in the world after the one in Monte Cassino. The over a thousand year history of the place can be seen in the succession of architectural styles of the monastic buildings with the oldest dating from 1224. The most notable sights of the Archabbey include the Basilica with the crypt (13 century), the Cloisters, the monumental Library housing approximately 360,000 volumes, or the Baroque Refectory. The Abbey is surrounded by an Arboretum (Botanical Garden) with rare tree and bush species, and by a vineyard where the monks grow traditional local varieties of vine. The oldest surviving document written here in Hungarian and dating back to 1055 is still preserved in the library. Fertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape. Lake Neusiedel, Fertö in Hungarian, is the second largest Endorheic lake in Central Europe. (It retains water and allows no outflow to external bodies of water but instead converges into lakes or swamps, permanent or seasonal.) The Lake covers 315 km^2, 75 on the Hungarian side. It is no more than 1.8 metres deep. Most of the lake is surrounded by reeds which serve as a habitat for wildlife making the lake an important resting place for migratory birds. The Fertö / Neusiedler Lake area has been the meeting place of different cultures for eight millennia. This is demonstrated by its varied landscape, the result of an evolutionary coexistence of man and his activity and the environment. The remarkable rural architecture of the villages surrounding the lake and several 18 and 19 century palaces add to the considerable cultural value of the area. The site is shared between Austria and Hungary. Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs (Sopianae). At the beginning of the 2 century, when the contemporary western Hungary was a province of the Roman Empire named Pannonia, the Romans founded several wine-producing colonies in the area settled by Celts and Pannoni tribes. The colonies were found under the collective name of Sopinae at the area where Pécs is situated nowadays. By the 4 century, it had become the capital of Valeria province and a significant early Christian centre (Pannonia province was divided into four divisions and Valeria was one of them). In the 4 century, a remarkable series of decorated tombs were constructed in the cemetery of the town of Sopianae. These are important both structurally and architecturally since they were built as underground burial chambers with memorial chapels above the ground. The tombs are important also in artistic terms since they are richly decorated with murals of outstanding quality depicting Christian themes. OUTSTANDING PERSONALITIES Hungary may boast many outstanding learned people who are the ‘fathers’ of many inventions. Perhaps the most famous names to mention are: · Ernö Rubik invented Rubik’s Cube, 1974 · Lászlo Bíró invented Ballpoint Pen, 1938 · The English word ‘coach’ came from the Hungarian kocsi (‘wagon from Kocs’ referring to the village in Hungary where coaches were first made) · Ányos Jedlik invented the electric motor, 1827 · Albert Szent-Györgyi discovered Vitamin C, created first artificial vitamin (Nobel prize laureate, 1937) · Kálmán Tihanyi (co-) invented the modern cathode ray tube and completely electronic television called Radioscope (1928), the thermographic camera (1929) and the plasma television (1936) · Leó Szilárd hypothesized the nuclear chain reaction, patented the nuclear reactor, invented the electron microscope · Dennis Gabor invented the holography (Nobel prize laureate, 1971) · Ferenc Puskás, a Hungarian footballer is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, the top goal-scorer of the 20 century. · Music – Franz Liszt, Béla Bartók, Franz Lehár, Imre Kálmán, Sándor Veress · Traditional Hungarian folk music Hungarian folk music is a prominent part of the national identity. Ugrós is a group of old style jumping dances dating back to the Middle Ages. These include solo or couple dances accompanied by old style music, shepherd dances from Transylvania, marching dances or weapon dances. Csardás is a national dance with Hungarian embroidered costumes and energetic music including men boot slapping dances and women circle dances. Csárdás demonstrates the catching excitement of the Hungarian folk dancing still celebrated in the villages. It starts slowly and ends in a very fast tempo. Verbunkos, a solo man dance, evolved from the music and dance played during military recruiting. LITERATURE BONIFACE, B., COOPER, Ch., Worldwide Destinations: The Geography of Travel and Tourism, Oxford 2010. MOWFORTH, M., MUNT, I., Tourism and Sustainability, Routledge 1998. PATMORE, J. A., Recreational and Resources, Oxford 1983. RICHARDS, G., eds., Cultural Attractions and European Tourism, Tilburg 2001. RICHARDS, G., eds., Cultural Tourism in Europe, Tilburg 1996. 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