The magnificent Dohany street Great Synagogue in Budapest
Built in 1859, the Dohany street Great Synagogue is the largest Synagogue of Europe and the second largest in the world. This Synagogue can accommodate up to 3000 people . The architects Frigyes Feszl and Ludwig Förster were inspired by Moorish style. It is richly decorated with glass windows, gold ornaments, painted ceiling, chandeliers… It is…
Jemaa El Fna square in Marrakech
For more information : http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/fr/RL/lespace-culturel-de-la-place-jemaa-el-fna-00014
Wandering in the souks of Marrakech
Walking in the souks of Marrakech is a pleasant change of scenery. The souks means in Arabic “markets”. It is very lively and colorful. It is a myriad of tiny streets, a real labyrinth ! There are various souks ; each souk is specialized in one type of products (tannery, slippers, blacksmiths, carpets…). About 40…
The Saadian tombs in Marrakech
The Saadian tombs (discovered in 1917) were built under the reign of the Sultan Ahmed el Mansour in the 16th century. It was a burial site for himself and his descendants. About two hundred members of the Saadian dynasty were buried there. The Saadian (or Zaydanides) are a cherifian Arab dynasty coming from the Draâ…
Le jardin Majorelle : An oasis of colours in Marrakech
The French painter Jacques Majorelle (1886-1962) created this wonderful botanic garden in the 1920’s. Passionate about botany, he brought back exotic plants from his travels (cacti, palm trees, bamboo, coconut palms, jasmine, agaves, bougainvilleas…). He uses the famous Majorelle blue to paint his villa and the garden : an ultramarine, a cobalt blue. He wanted…
The Palio of Siena, Italy
The Palio of Siena is the most famous celebration of the Sienese tradition. It is a famous horse race. Siena (city in Tuscany) is divided in 17 Contrade (districts) ; the inhabitants are very attached to their contrade. Each Contrade faces with the others during the Palio (“horse race” in Italian). The rivalty between the…
The Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest, Hungary
When i visited the beautiful city of Budapest in Hungary in 2011, i was especially stunned by the Fisherman’s bastion. We can reach it by taking a funicular ; it is on the castle’s hill. The architecture and the view from the Fisherman’s are magnificent. The Fisherman’s Bastion was built between 1895 and 1902. It…
