The National Village Museum of Romania- a taste of Romanian rural life

Since life in Romania was a rural one between the years  1930-1950, a visit to this museum situated in the heart of Bucharest ,offers the tourist a great insight into Romanian traditional life.

 

One of the greatest outdoor museums in the Balkans was inaugurated in May 1936, by Royal Decree in the presence of  King Carol the Second.

 

 

 

The best time to see it is in spring or summer, since this open air ethnographic museum lies on 15 hectares and you will need a few good hours to see it .

Situated on Herastrau lakeside, it contains 272 authentic peasants farms, annexes,houses, windmills, ancient gates, wooden boats, watermills, churches , sheep folds and cowsheds. The monuments and the artefacts, the folk equipment and the embellishing objects depict the abundance and the creative side of the peasant life.

 

 

 

There are guild accompanying each building . The park is divided into several areas and it contains authentic houses relocated from the rural areas of Romania.

 

 

 

 

There are even earth houses from Straja, dug into the ground and covered with thatched roofs. Most of the houses have their floors made of battered dirt.

 

 

The columns, beams or rails of the houses are sculptured with Romanian motifs. Most of these dwellings can be visited inside. Here you can see the beds, furniture and the cooking facilities. Others can be seen only from outside , but you can look on the windows.

The museum has a nice souvenir shop and a restaurant.

 

Prague, the city of a hundred spires

Placed on the Vltava river, lies one of the best preserved historic city centres of Europe,Prague.  The historic buildings of this city   belong to a great variety of architectural styles- Gothic , Baroque, Renaissance and Art Nouveau

Along with the historic  side, there are many modern and abstract sculptures can be seen here.

Due to its charm , the city is best seen if you are on foot. The Prague Castle (Hradčany) is now ,the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic.

Within the castle walls, are a number of Prague’s most popular tourist sites, including St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George’s Basilica,  the Powder Tower, the Old Royal Palace, and the Golden Lane.

Make sure ,to also spend time in the Royal Garden, dating back to 1534 ,home to a number of superb buildings including the Ball Game Pavilion, the Royal Summer House with its Singing Fountain, and the Lion’s Court.

One of the most famous old bridges in Europe, the magnificent Charles Bridge (Karlův Most) boasts 32 unique points of interest along its 520-meter span. Built in 1357, it  is famous for its many fine old statues. Among the most important are that of Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and that of John of Nepomuk, the country’s most revered saint, unveiled in 1683 (a more recent superstition involves rubbing the plaque at the base of the statue for  a wish).

 

The  Roman Catholic St. Vitus Cathedral (Katedrala St. Vita) is the Czech Republic’s largest and most important Christian church. Seat of the Archbishop of Prague, is also home to the tombs of numerous saints and three Bohemian kings.

The cathedral was started in 1344 and took more than 525 years to complete, resulting in a mix of modern Neo-Gothic and 14th-century Gothic styles, along with Baroque and Renaissance influences. Highlights include stunning stained glass windows depicting the Holy Trinity, a mosaic from 1370 (The Last Judgment), and the St. Wenceslas Chapel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Dancing House  is a modern architectural creation,built between 1992 and 1996 and it was  designed by Frank Gehry. Consisting of two adjoining towers, this splendid structure features unique curves that resemble two dancing figures, an effect heightened by the fact one of the towers is shaped like a woman wearing a skirt ( the nickname is”Fred and Ginger” ).

While the building consists largely of offices, great views can be enjoyed from the top floor restaurant (a café is also located on the main level).

 

 

 

 

The historic center of Prague, the Old Town (Staré Město), is where you’ll find the splendid Old Town Square , one of the best places to begin exploring the city. Here you’ll find the Tyn Church and the Clementinum, along with numerous other fine old churches, as well as splendid old architecture dating back as far as the 11th century.

 

The wonderful early 15th-century Astronomical Clock is maybe the greatest attraction : each hour, it springs to life as the 12 Apostles and other figures appear and parade in procession across the clock face.

 

 

 

Prague’s Jewish Quarter is a pleasant area to stroll and includes the Jewish Museum in Prague an important attraction that consists of the Maisel Synagogue, the Spanish Synagogue, the Pinkas Synagogue, the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Ceremonial Hall, and the Klaus Synagogue.

The Jewish Quarter, Josefov, is  the place, the ghetto where you will find old synagogues and a an old cemetery.

The winding streets  full of taverns lead you to modern parks, church towers and  museums that will make you discover the spirit of this city of 1.3 million people.

 

 

One of Prague’s most recognizable buildings is the Church of Our Lady before Týn (Kostel Matky Boží před Týnem).. Another splendid old church worth visiting is the Baroque Church of the Virgin Mary with its famous statue of the infant Jesus, said to have been responsible for miracles and still a point of pilgrimage.

 

Kafka Museum is a place that can be included in your tour.

 

Dusseldorf,the city along the Rhine

The capital of North Rhine Westphalia, the seventh most populous city of Germany welcomes you to enjoy  a diversity of things and places. SO , why  not give it the chance of a city break? The advice is to go during summer because the temperatures are quite low.
Known as an international and financial important place , Dusseldorf is also famous for its fashion and touristic attractions.

Rheinuferpromenade  is the promenade on the right bank of the Rhine river. The walkway is positioned so that it gets sunshine all day long, and bends from the Parliament down to the harbour.

In summer the scene is almost Mediterranean, in the way the facades glow in the sun at sunset, and long rows of restaurant and cafe terraces are full of people chatting.  You can have the traditional Rheinish dishes: pea soup or mustard roast pork.

 

 

 

Konigsallee, or KO is a famous shopping boulevard , either side of a canal lined with plane trees.

Stadterhebungsmonument  is an ensemble of bronze sculptures cast in 1988 to celebrate 700 years since Düsseldorf was granted city privileges.

On the left , it is a scene from the Battle of Worringen, one of the largest battles staged in Europe in the middle ages, fought between Archbishop Sigfried II of Cologne and Duke John I of Brabant.

The Altstadt or the Old City has an interesting history.  Although it was almost completely destroyed during World War 2, it was perfectly rebuilt according to historic plans . Nowadays it looks amazing.  Walking around here makes you feel the historic flavour of the place.There are also more nightspots than you could ever hope to visit.

At the southern end of the Rheinuferpromenade are Düsseldorf’s docks, which were built at the end of the 19th century.

 

The tallest building in Düsseldorf, unveiled in 1981 is on the east side of the Medienhafen, climbing to 240 metres.

 

Palaces, castles, parks, shops, museums and many other attractions are here.  Go and have a look! There is something for you,as well!