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Barcelona is the capital and largest city of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. Barcelona is the sixth most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, London, Madrid, the Ruhr area and Milan.

It is a colourful city with fanciful architecture. Barcelona is one of the world’s leading tourist, economic, trade fair and cultural centres. Lets have a look at some of the tourist spots.

La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familia is a large unfinished Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. The Basilica of the Sagrada Familia was the inspiration of a bookseller, Josep Maria Bocabella, founder of Asociacion Espiritual de Devotos de San Jose. This giant Basilica that has been under construction since 1882, and it’s not expected to be completed for some time yet.

Park Guell

The Park Guell is a public park in Barcelona, designed by famous architect Antonio Gaudi. The Park Guell was not originally planned to be a park, but was meant for a modern housing estate but was officially opened as a public park in 1926. This park is now composed of gardens and architectonic elements located on Carmel Hill.

Casa Batllo

Casa Batllo is a building in the center of Barcelona. It was designed by Antoni Gaudi, and is considered one of his masterpieces. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a legend of architecture and design. While looking at its design, it seems that the goal of the designer was to avoid straight lines completely. Much of the facade is decorated with a mosaic made of broken ceramic tiles of mostly golden orange and greenish blue colours.

The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (National Art Museum of Catalonia) is situated on Montjuic hill. It has an outstanding collection of romanesque church paintings, and for Catalan art and design from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including modernisme and noucentisme. The major attractions are: Romanesque art, Gothic art collection, Renaissance and Baroque art collection, The Cambo Bequest, Thyssen Bornemisza collection, Modern art collection, The Carmen Thyssen Bornemisza collection and the Cabinet of drawings and prints.

Sunaya Paison
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright

Architecture

Europe is a sod for architecture allure. Lets have a glimpse at the European architectural styles.

Conciergerie

The Conciergerie is situated in Paris, Frnce. Conciergerie was formerly a prison but presently used mostly for law courts. The present monument forms only a part of the former palace of the Capetian dynasty. At the end of the 18th century, many prisoners detained by the Revolutionary Tribunal were held in the Conciergerie, including Marie-Antoinette. The buildings which form this prison still retain the hideous character of feudal times. only a relatively small part of the building is open to public access, this monument attains a great tourist attraction.

Aqueduct of Segovia


The Aqueduct of Segovia or aqueduct bridge is a Roman aqueduct in Segovia, Spain. It was built during the second half of the 1st century A.D. under the rule of the Roman Empire. This is a water-conveyance structure. The first section of the aqueduct contains 36 semi-circular arches, when rebuilt in the 15th century. Organized in two levels, the line of arches is decorated simply. The aqueduct is built of unmortared, brick-like granite blocks. The aqueduct is the city’s most important architectural landmark.

Pantheon

The Pantheon is a former Roman temple, now a church, in Rome, Italy. Even 2000 years after its construction, Pantheon is a remarkable monument to see. The building is circular with a portico of large granite Corinthian columns under a pediment. It is one of the best-preserved of all Ancient Roman buildings. In Greek, the word Pantheon means “honor all Gods” hence it is considered to be a temple to all gods.

Chillon Castle

Chillon Castle is an island castle located on Lake Geneva. This castle is the result of several centuries of constant building, adaptations, renovations and restorations, and one among the most visited castles in Switzerland and Europe. During the 16th century Wars of Religion, it was used by the dukes of Savoy to house prisoners. The history of the castle was influenced by three major periods: The Savoy period, the Bernese period and the Vaudois period. Visiting the Chillon Castle is like going back in time!

Sunaya Paison
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright

Lifestyle Travel

Malta, the extremely beautiful Southern European island country, is an archipelago made of three major islands. Officially known as the Republic of Malta, It lies 80 km (50 mi) south of Italy, 284 km (176 mi) east of Tunisia,[12] and 333 km (207 mi) north of Libya. Malta is the world’s tenth smallest and fifth most densely-populated country. Valletta, the capital of Malta is the smallest national capital in the European Union.

“Malta is a sod of a place” – David Niven (Actor and Novelist)

Malta is known for its historic sites related to a succession of rulers including the Romans, Moors, Knights of Saint John, French and British. Numerous bays along the indented coastline of the islands provide good harbours. The landscape consists of low hills with terraced fields. Malta is a popular tourist destination, with 1.2 million tourists per year. In recent years, Malta has advertised itself as a medical tourism destination,[27] and a number of health tourism providers are developing the industry.

Sunaya Paison
Photo Courtesy: Binoy Krishna