POINT OF INTERESTS
CANARY ISLAND, SPAIN
GÁLDAR
Painted Cave of Gáldar
The cave, discovered in the 19th century, is a magnificent example of the artistic representations of the ancient aborigines of Gran Canaria. It is a cave on volcanic material, whose walls are decorated with geometric motifs. Archaeologists believe that, due to their regular distribution (usually in series of twelve), they could be a kind of calendar. There are also remains of houses in which all kinds of utensils have been found. The site, in the heart of the city of Gáldar, plays an essential role in understanding the final stage of pre-Hispanic Canary Islands, before the conquest and incorporation of the island into the Crown of Castile. The Cueva Pintada Museum and Archaeological Park in Gáldar was reopened on July 26, 2006, after more than 20 years of recovery work on the site. Until then, only a reproduction of the paintings could be seen in the Canarian Museum of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Camino de santiago
The Camino de Santiago de Gran Canaria is a route that connects the south with the northwest of the island and proposes a journey towards the interior of the island to discover its essence. This route crosses the island from south to north through the summits of the island and offers travelers the opportunity to appreciate the landscape, flora, fauna, gastronomy, historical and ethnographic heritage, and the rich island network of trails and paths. In addition, it recreates the journey that, according to oral tradition, some Galician sailors made in the 15th century carrying the image of Santiago “the boy” from the Oasis of Maspalomas to build a hermitage in the highlands of Tirajana. This route allows you to admire many of the hidden values of Gran Canaria and delve into the European and Jacobean culture of the city of Gáldar, which has been linked to the Jacobean tradition since before the completion of the conquest.
Museo Antonio Padrón
The Casa-Museo Antonio Padrón is a cultural institution located in Gáldar, Gran Canaria. The building is a typical 17th-century Canarian house that was restored and converted into a museum to house the collection of the Canarian artist Antonio Padrón. The museum exhibits works by Padrón and other Canarian artists, such as paintings, engravings, and sculptures. Antonio Padrón was very interested in archaeological heritage, and it is said that the Cueva Pintada, an archaeological site in Gáldar, was a great influence on his work because the Mexican indigenists who also inspired him advocated that, to create their own art, it was necessary to first investigate their indigenous origins and then adapt them to a modern language. The museum has a library specializing in Canarian art and a temporary exhibition hall. In addition, the Casa-Museo Antonio Padrón offers workshops and cultural activities to encourage creativity and knowledge of Canarian art.
Sardina del norte
Among greenhouses and banana plantations, and with the waves of the sea as a backdrop, we arrived at this particular and abrupt coastal enclave. Sardina was one of the many doors of the island through which agricultural production was channeled in the past. Its dock still retains great charm and its surroundings endow it with unparalleled beauty. This coastal strip is characterized by being largely unexploited and displaying thousands of almost virgin corners. It is hidden between cliffs and is frequently battered by the trade winds and strong waves. The location of Sardina del Norte was considered strategic by the Spanish conquerors. Being in front of Gáldar, at that time the seat of the guanartemes of the island, made them think that it would be opportune to reach the political center of pre-Hispanic Gran Canaria. After the conquest, it was in Gáldar where the first capital of Gran Canaria was also located under the name of Real Ciudad de Gáldar.
Archaeological site of Galdar
La Guancha: This is the largest and most complex sector of the archaeological zone. It contains six aboriginal houses, several tumulus constructions, and a large enclosure identified by some as the Palace of Justice. The La Guancha tumulus is the largest and most complex on the island and in the archipelago, and contains the remains of 43 individuals. There are also new houses discovered in the latest excavations that show a much more complex urbanism. This sector is currently enclosed by a perimeter fence. El Agujero: This sector contains a group of aboriginal houses with a cross-shaped tendency, divided in two by a road that affected the site. It is possible that this group was larger, and some of the original houses have been semi-buried by current buildings. Parts of the group have been completely emptied during the conditioning of the farms that were in operation.Bocabarranco: This sector contains several houses of the ancient Canarians, but the structures observed today are the result of various reuses and recreations that were made in the 1950s. In the latest excavations, a new structure with large walls that seems to envelop part of the enclosure has been identified. Recently, several Carbon-14 dates have been obtained for this area, highlighting one from the 7th century AD.
İZMİR, TURKEY
BERGAMA
The Ancient City of Pergamon
The name Pergamon roots from “Perg” or “Berg”, which means “fortress” or “fortified location”;. In 283 BC, Philetairos established his kingdom as the founder of the Attalid dynasty of Pergamon which continued to be a strong Kingdom politically, economically, and culturally for 150 years. Upon King of Pergamon Attalos III’s will, the city, which was dominated by Rome in 133 BC, became the capital of the province of Asia. The author and philosopher Pilinius Secundus, who lived in the 1st century BC in Pergamon described the ancient city as “the most famous and respected city of Asia Minor”. Pergamon represents the most magnificent example of Hellenistic city planning with its monumental architecture built by making the finest use of the topography. The city, which has one of the most famous and well-known sculpture schools of the Hellenistic Period, created the Altar of Zeus in the second century BC.
Asclepion
The healing centres built in the name of Asclepius were called “Asclepion”. The rod of Asclepius, a snake-entwined staff, remains a symbol of medicine today. Asclepion in Bergama gained prominence under the Romans in the 2nd century AD, but a sacred site existed here as early as the 4th century BC. The remains of Asclepion mostly belong to the arrangements promoted by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. The entrance to the Sanctuary was led through Via Tecta (the Sacred Way). At the end of the road, there is the monumental entrance (Propylon). Following the entrance there is a large courtyard surrounded by colonnaded galleries. The library, theatre, temples, pools, fountains, underground tunnel, and sleeping rooms can be seen on the site. It is also the city of Galenos, the founder of pharmacy and the Roman Empire's court physician.
Red Courtyard
Built in the second century AD in the name of Egyptian gods and known today as Kızılavlu, the temple stands in the middle of the city in all its glory. The temple which was built during the Roman Empire is one of the largest Roman structures still surviving. The temple is thought to have been used for the worship of the Egyptian gods specifically Isis and/or Serapis. The temple was built on top of the River Selinus. The river was channelled into two tunnels passing diagonally for a distance of about 150 metres. The temple was converted by the Byzantines into a Christian church dedicated to Saint John. Today the ruins of the main temple and one of the side rotundas can be visited, while the other side rotunda is still in use as a small mosque.
Archaeology Museum
Most of the findings in the museum consist of artefacts from various periods unearthed during excavations in Bergama and its vicinity. Among the artefacts exhibited in the museum; are the bust of Diadoros Pasporos who was the leading statesman and benefactor at Pergamon, and the relief slabs of his tomb monument, the statue of the Roman Emperor Hadrianus, the statue of Nike, which has become the symbol of Pergamon, the sarcophagus, figured steles reflecting the burial traditions of the ancient period, the statue of Nymph from the rescue excavation of Allianoi, a statue of a young man (Kuros) from the Archaic period, a mosaic with the head of Medusa, and Hellenistic terracotta figures attract attention. In the ethnography section of the museum, local clothes of the old tribes, bridal and daily clothes, carpets, rugs, and saddlebags of Bergama are worth seeing.
Old Town
Bergama bazaar was formed by the gathering of different guilds, namely bootmakers, shoemakers, drapers, saddlers, and agricultural merchants in the 14 th -15th centuries onwards. Inns and bedesten (built for the sale of valuable goods) were added to the bazaar to facilitate commercial activities. Many mosques built by the Seljuks and Ottomans have turned the city centre into an open-air museum. Bergama has traditional houses which play a great role in understanding and recognizing the identity, culture, and prosperity level of the inhabitants in the past. The neighbourhood of Kale is an urban heritage area where the masonry houses were inherited from the Greeks. The shops selling traditional rugs and carpets, the recently restored synagogue, the Roman Bridge, and historical Turkish baths constitute the other cultural heritages. As well as cheese, pine nuts, olives, and olive oil, Bergama’s most well-known local delicacy is the “Çığırtma” dish made of eggplants grown in the region.
Berlın, germany
weddıng
Humboldthain
The Humboldhain twin Flak Towers, dating back to World War II, were originally built as air raid shelters and fortifications against aircraft. You can go to the top for an amazing view, or you join a guided tour by the Berliner Unterwelten e. V. inside the tower, exploring tunnels and rooms.
Siedlung Schillerpark
The Schillerpark Settlement was built in the 1920s according to the plans of the architect Bruno Taut. Since July 2008, the settlement has UNESCO World Heritage status. It is characterized by its predominantly red brick buildings and extensive green areas designed for communal use.
Luisenbad
Luisenbad, was a spa house in Gesundbrunnen, giving the area its name. Construction in 1862 reduced the water flow and just a few years later the spring got fully buried. The few parts of the former bathhouse were repurposed into a library.
Schinkels Vorstadtkirchen
Designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in the 1830s. The Nazareth Church and the Paul’s Church share an identical, simple concept. the Nazareth Church remained almost unchanged, the St. Paul’s Church received a church tower in 1890. They are samples of the early industrial city extension of Berlin.
Memorial Plötzensee
The Plötzensee Memorial serves as a reminder of the crimes committed by the Nazis. It is located on the grounds of a Prison. In September 1943, more than 200 persons lost their lives during the ‘Blood Nights of Plötzensee.’ More than a third of all judicial executions were carried out here.
Sardınıa, ıtaly
alte marmılla
The Monte Arci Geo- Museum
Obsidian Park, located in the southern part of Monte Arci, is a significant historical site with thousands of years of history. It houses the largest obsidian deposit in the Mediterranean region and has historical roots dating back to the pre-Nuragic era, invoking ancient customs and legends. Six thousand years after Neolithic communities first used it, the site was repurposed for perlite extraction in the 1950s, with quarries and open-pit excavations established. Today, this ancient mining site offers a captivating display of light and color. The path leading to the main quarry is the first attraction, covered in numerous small black stone fragments, remnants of obsidian. These fragments are washed down from Monte Arci to the valley by heavy winter rains, making the site inaccessible for several months each year, typically from November to March. Recognized for its vital role in Neolithic societies as a versatile tool, hunting weapon, and valuable trade item, obsidian is aptly nicknamed “Sardinia’s black gold.”
Antonio Gramsci
Following the Region’s acquisition of Antonio Gramsci’s birth house in Ales, the idea of establishing an association to preserve and enhance this historical site began to take shape within the village. After a dedicated effort spanning five months, a core group of no fewer than 113 members came together to form the Antonio Gramsci Birthplace Association on November 18, 1989. The association’s statute was duly approved at this time. In March of that same year, the association was granted permission by the Region to use Antonio Gramsci’s birthplace. Within this space, they set up an archive, a library, a meeting room for gatherings and cultural events, as well as a small office. Since 1990, the association has consistently organized commemorations on January 22, which marks the anniversary of Gramsci’s birth in 1891. Prior to this, such celebrations had been infrequent and irregularly observed.
Academy of Baradili
The COI Accademia Enogastronomica was founded with the purpose of representing Sardinia’s rich food and wine traditions and its warm hospitality. Established in 2010, the academy orchestrates a variety of activities such as initiatives, meetings, studies, conferences, debates, events, and seminars. These endeavors are designed to raise awareness among consumers, institutions, and businesses about the exceptional quality of Sardinian cuisine. The academy’s primary focus is to showcase the region’s outstanding products on an international stage, boosting the visibility of the cultural and environmental heritage that is closely intertwined with Sardinian cuisine. Additionally, it plays a pivotal role in training and nurturing young talents, empowering them to take a leading role in revitalizing the local food culture and native production. Furthermore, the academy lends support to initiatives aimed at establishing new ventures in the food and hospitality sector. It achieves this through training, retraining, and vocational guidance programs both within Sardinia and worldwide. The academy is also actively engaged in creating local networks within the food and wine industry, fostering the development and growth of this sector at the regional level.
Su corongiu de Fanari
About 2 kilometers away from Masullas, along the road to Gonnostramatza, there is a remarkable geological formation known as the Mega Pillow. This formation was created during intense marine volcanic activity in Sardinia during the Miocene era. It gets its name from the pillow-like structures that developed when lava rapidly cooled during underwater eruptions. Typically, these lava pillows are 1 to 1.5 meters in size, but in this case, we’re talking about a massive pillow that measures 12 meters in length and 8 meters in height, hence the name ‘mega.’
The front view of this geological wonder resembles a large rosette with a central core radiating outward, while above it, it’s possible to see the distinctive globular structure resulting from the rapid cooling and solidification of magma in contact with the Miocene seabed’s water. Due to its exceptional preservation and size, it has been designated as a Regional Natural Monument.
Il Paese dei Balocchi
The municipal administration of Ales, in collaboration with the Cultour Società Cooperativa Sociale Onlus, prepares Il Paese dei Balocchi (Toyland) every summer, a festival in which the museum is transformed into a magical place, a refuge dedicated to the preservation of the rich cultural heritage of traditional Sardinian games. Imagine a glittering afternoon, full of joy and participation, where every detail is designed to engage you deeply. This event is steeped in the values of the past, that golden age that the Museo del Giocattolo ardently wishes to preserve and pass on to future generations. But there’s more! Children are invited to participate in a special workshop, and here comes the magic touch. Each little participant is encouraged to bring along a neglected toy, abandoned in some corner of their bedroom. And what will happen to these toys? They will be exchanged and shared with other children, creating a special bond between friends of different ages. This symbolic gesture of sharing and giving makes the event even more special and touches the hearts of everyone present.