Posts Tagged ‘medieval architecture’
Medieval architecture and beer in Freistadt, Austria
Freistadt is located in the Austrian Region of Upper Austria (Oberösterreich), the is the largest town of the Mühlviertel region. This used to be one of the last border fortresses on the route leading to Bohemia. Today, it’s just a few kilometers from the border of the Czech Republic. Freistadt has impressive medieval architecture, including…
Read MoreA spring day in seaside Sperlonga, Italy
During the Easter weekend, my kids and I had a perfect day in the beautiful beach town of Sperlonga, Italy. I’ve already written about this pretty little beach town on teh Tirrenian Sea, half-way between Rome and Naples. See my earlier post about the resort town once the favorite of Emperors. But my day-long escape…
Read MorePrague’s Old Town Square clock
Every hour on the hour in Prague’s historical center, Town Hall’s historic, astronomical clock chimes the hour as the crowds below watch. The astronomical clock, on Prague’s Old Town Square (Staromětske naměsti) stands at the base of the 14th century Town Hall. The clock itself was constructed in 1410, making it the third oldest astronomical…
Read MoreVisiting the idyllic Rožmberk nad Vltavou Castle, Czech Republic
The little town of Rožmberk nad Vltavou is a small down in southern Bohemia, close to the Austrian border and situated along the Vltava (Moldau) River. It is only a few kilometers of the pretty town of Český Krumlov, and looks like a miniature version of that town. The most famous monument in the town –…
Read MoreAutumn colors in Vitorchiano, Italy
I was staying outside this pretty medieval town in northern Lazio, north of Rome, for work for a week earlier this month. Unfortunately, we weren’t out of the conference structure much, but I did sneak out for an early morning jog each morning so that I could enjoy the town as it was waking up.…
Read MoreMore medieval Tuscany: Sarteano
Ah, more medieval Tuscany. I’ve already written to our visit to some of the small towns of Tuscany’s beuatiful Valdorcia. My son was at a track and field camp in pretty Abbadia di San Salvatore, which I’ve written about in an earlier post. But medieval towns are sprinkled all over this pretty region in the…
Read MoreMedieval and Renaissance Alpine splendor in Pescocostanzo, Abruzzo
I’m a big fan of the rugged mountainous region of Abruzzo, a region east of Rome. As an avid hiker/skier/mountain-biker, I bought a weekend home there over a decade ago, and have been doing my best to explore the region. I’ve heard often about the beautiful ‘citta’ d’arte’ of Pescostanzo, at the edge of the Maiella…
Read MoreMedieval Tuscany: Abbadia di San Salvatore
I discovered this medieval gem in Tuscany when my younger son went to a track and field camp in this little town this summer. Abbadia San Salvatore is a small town in the Valdorcia, nestled at the foot of Monte Amiata (Amiata Mountain), off of the Via Cassia between Orvieto and Sienna. It’s a beautiful spot,…
Read MoreHighlights of medieval Albi, France
We truly enjoyed our visit to beautiful Albi last year. This medieval town, 77 kilometers northeast of Toulouse, is well worth a visit on your trip to southern France. There are two highlights to the town – the thirteenth century St. Cécile – the largest brick cathedral in the world. This imposing fortress was built to symbolize the…
Read MoreMedieval Manhattan? The Cloisters
Living in Europe, when friends and colleagues ask me what to see on their visit to New York, I always get the odd look when I say to spend part of one day exploring ‘medieval Manhattan’. As Europeans know all too well, American history is remarkably short. But money can buy almost anything, as the…
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