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About 90 minutes on the train, this ancient Italian city is much smaller and far less touristy than Florence. Look for the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro, oval in shape because the houses are built into the walls of the Roman amphitheatre. Here in 56BC Julius Caesar, Pompey and Crassus formed the First Triumvirate (coalition government) to rule Rome. Also look out of the train at the previous stop, Montecatini Terme, to see the modernist Mussolini era station.
www.turismo.provincia.lucca.it/en/
Frequent trains on the Florence - Pisa line. www.trenitalia.com
Google map: bit.ly/ZDdXEv
I went on the Post Olympic architect tour from these guys, I thoroughly recommend it. I am very interested in architecture - this tour was led by someone who was very knowledgeable about the architecture of the Olympic buildings. The guide told me they mostly do tours for architecture students and professionals, but if you are interested in architecture it beats any other walking tour hand down!
www.artchitectours.co.uk
+44(0)20 33 18 21 53
This short drive of around 30 miles takes you to the heart of the ancient wine-growing region of Ribeiro through rolling vine-terraced hills and some of the most interesting villages in the area. You can also visit one of the many wine–cellars or bodegas although it is always wise to phone or check with the Tourist Information Office before doing so. Stop off in Beade to admire its medieval parish church, situated on a promontory with spectacular views, and the quirky architecture of its well-preserved pazos, mansions owned by the nobility. Then drive past Leiro and on to Pazos de Arenteiro for more traditional architecture, river walks and captivating views of the surrounding countryside and the river. On the way back stop to admire the Cistercian monastery of San Clodio and have lunch there or at the restaurant in the beautiful square.
www.monasteriodesanclodio.com
+34 902 93 24 24
Take the OU 209 out of Ribadavia heading for Leiro. Leiro, Beade, Pazos de Arenteiro and San Clodio are all well signed from this road. You can pick up a large scale map from the Tourist Information Office in the Plaza Mayor, Ribadavia, to help you find your way around.
Google map: bit.ly/UOH1FB
British Raj churches litter the lanes and streets of Kolkata, ancient cemeteries house gigantic mausoleums, and the fabulous crumbling mansions of the old empire's mandarins dot the city. In various stages of disrepair, these nostalgic reminders of an earlier time are squeezed between twentieth century concrete and glass houses, offices and shops. Overlooking the BBD Bagh, the ornate Writers Building, home to the Secretariat of West Bengal Government, is one of the city's best. It was built in 1790 to house the clerks of the ubiquitous East India Company; now its heroic red and cream façade dominates the area, and is the office of current day paper pushers.
Biplabi Trailakya Sarani, BBD Bagh, Kolkata
Google map: bit.ly/TaF5at
Conceived by Lord Curzon, and built long after the British had already moved their capital to Delhi, the Victoria Memorial was opened in 1921. Some describe it as India's modern day rival to the Taj Mahal. The interior is bland (if you want to see inside, avoid Mondays) but for two rupees you can walk round the formal grounds in which it stands. It's an imposing piece of late Victoriana in white marble, extremely well tended – not a crisp packet or plastic bottle in sight – and cleverly showcased among the gardens and lakes. Although impressive, its voluptuous curves don't quite match the splendour of the Taj Mahal.
www.victoriamemorial-cal.org/
1 Queen's Way, Kolkata (Calcutta), India
+91 33 2223 1890
Google map: bit.ly/T5MxRR
Built by King Thirumalai Nayak circa 1636, outside holds little promise: bland walls showing signs of endless neglect, surround the complex. But once inside, a vast rectangular quad is ringed by monumental decorative colonnades of palest peach, vanilla, apricot, and cream. Restoration has begun on the smooth-stoned floors, and the decorative ceilings are elaborately painted with intricate designs. Pale creamy backgrounds are picked out in maroon, blue and emerald green. Further inside is the even larger Swarga Vilasa (celestial pavilion). With a dome rising to 25m at its centre, the palace is a perfect blend of Islamic and Italianate architecture and taste.
The Archaeological Survey of India started restoration work when the local courts finally vacated the building in 2009 and has declared the complex a protected site.
Opening times: 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM
Sound & Light Show Time: 6.45 PM to 7.35 PM in Tamil. 8.00 PM to 8.50 PM in English
The enormous temple, stretching over 45 acres, is a sixteenth century homage to Dravidian architecture in all its rumbustious colour and form. Fourteen gopurams (towers) – the tallest of which is about 170ft – dominate the city skyline. Made of granite, wood and stucco, every inch of each structure is covered in brightly painted multicoloured representations of gods and heavenly bodies.
Shoes and socks must be removed before entering the incense-filled interior, but the ancient stone floor is warm underfoot. As a non Hindu I was not allowed into the inner sanctums of the two golden domed shrines of Meenakshi and Shiva, but there are plenty of deities, carvings and columns in the labyrinth of corridors and chambers open to the public. Get there early to avoid the worst of the crowds, although during festivals it is heaving all day.
www.maduraimeenakshi.org
Arulmighu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple,
Madurai 625 001
+91 452 2344360
Google map: bit.ly/U63vRl
Casa Loma, or “Hill House”, is a grand Gothic mansion built in the early 1900s. Located in downtown Toronto, “Canada’s Castle” and its gardens are open to visitors year-round. Self-guided audio tours are available where you can visit the property at your leisure. The tour can take up to two hours. There is also a 22 minute documentary on Sir Henry Pellatt and Casa Loma included with admission.
This former estate of Canadian financier Sir Henry Pellatt consists of 98 rooms, including many decorated suites, secret passages (my favourite part!), an 800-foot tunnel, towers, stables, and beautiful gardens.
It took about 300 men nearly three years to complete Casa Loma, and the cost was just over $3 million. Sir Henry enjoyed Casa Loma for just 10 years before financial loss forced him to move out. Today, the property is owned by the City of Toronto.
www.casaloma.org
1 Austin Terrace, Toronto, Canada
+1 416 923 1171
Google map: bit.ly/Okvey1
Go to Spadina subway station and take the Davenport 127 bus to Davenport & Spadina Avenue, climb the stone steps (about 110 of them) until you reach the top of the hill.
* Giulia is our Been there local for Toronto. You can see her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/canada/toronto/index.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/GiuliaFalsetti
The Asamkirche is a small and highly ornate church, alongside the original home of the two brothers who designed it, in Sendlingerstrasse, in the old centre of Munich. It was built initially as a private church between 1733 and 1746 by the Asam brothers who were obliged (quite rightly) by the church authorities to open it for public worship.
It's a short walk from Marienplatz, in the old city centre, and is an essential item on any visit to Munich. The interior of the church is an extreme example of late Baroque (or Rococo?) design, with curly columns, statues and carvings climbing up the walls and attempting to gain a foothold on the ceiling; painted decorations of all kinds and inscriptions. The high altar offers the climax to the entire extravaganza.
The church was carefully restored between 1975 and 1982. It is unique.
I attended a two-hour organ recital there on my first visit to Munich a few years ago. The pews naturally face forward, towards the altar; the organ however is at the back of the church. As a result of facing the altar for two hours I was obliged to study every detail of it. I think I can still draw the entire thing from memory.
Sendlinger Straße 32, 80331 München, Germany
+49 89/23687989
Google map: bit.ly/PkW1M6
These houses are known as casas de malicia because they were designed to deceive.
The story behind this is that when it was decided in 1561 by Felipe II to move the royal court to Madrid, thereby making Madrid the official capital of Spain, there was insufficient space in Madrid (which at that time was just a small town) to house all of the people which made up his royal court. To solve this problem an edict was drawn up by Felipe II which stated that families who lived in houses with more than one floor had to give up one of the floors of their house to members of his royal court. This would ensure that all of his royal court had somewhere to live in Madrid. Naturally this edict was not received by the citizens of Madrid with great joy as they saw this edict merely as an abuse of power by Felipe II. So in order to avoid having to give up a floor of their house many families altered their houses by moving their rooms up to the higher floors of their dwelling, making false floors between the levels of the house, or moving the windows on the outside of the house around thus making it difficult to establish from street level how many floors the house actually had. Unfortunately a lot of the casas a la malicia in Madrid have disappeared but the best two examples still remain on calle del Toro and calle del Conde (both near the cathedral and the viaduct over calle de Segovia)
Google map: bit.ly/UCpxiU
An arch marking one of the main points of entry into Madrid from the western parts of Spain decorated with motifs and topped with regal statues. It is just as impressive as the Puerta de Toledo.
Nearest metro station: Príncipe Pío
Exit the metro station onto Cuesta San Vicente and the arch is on the roundabout in front of Príncipe Pío train station.
Google map: bit.ly/SPctPX
Two hours out of Berlin, taking the train from Hauptbanhof, is the city of Dessau, home to the Bauhaus School in the years between the decline of the Weimar republic and the rise of Nazi Germany. A testament to changing times and attitudes, the buildings represent a style of building established many years later. Turn right out of Dessau station and the main school buildings are five minutes’ walk away. Here you can stop for a tour and find out more about the work that inspired architects and designers for years to come, as well as grab a beer and something to eat in the basement restaurant; but there is much more with the masters’ houses a few minutes away and then a stylish restaurant on the banks of the Elbe a further ten minutes walk. All over the city are examples of the work of members of the school, with also the delight of taking one of the city’s trams to see the southern suburbs. The city is a must for the architectural history enthusiast as well as the social historian.
Deassau Station has a regular service direct from Berlin Hauptbanhof.
Google map: bit.ly/Sp9oLu
"Brush with the devil in the 'other' Frankfurt."
On the easternmost frontier of Germany and separated from Poland by the Oder river is the other Frankfurt. An hour by train from Berlin this is the birthplace of Heinrich von Kleist, the C18th playwright and author of Prinz Friedrich von Homburg. Magnificent, red brick Gothic buildings dominate this old Hanseatic outpost. The Marienkirche church includes unique and incredible C14th stained glass windows depicting the life of the very normal looking antichrist and his pack of demons. Wander over the river to Slubice, part of Frankfurt until 1945, for lunch in Poland.
Google map: bit.ly/SpaC9I
Even with the wealth of architecture to see in Berlin, it's good to get out of the city and visit a small town in former East Germany that was so influential in development of craft, art and design.
Dessau was the home of the Bauhaus from 1926 to 1932, with such 'masters' as Kandinsky and Klee, and designers like Josef & Anni Albers. There are numerous groundbreaking white concrete-faced buildings around town, but the highlight is Gropius' Bauhaus building, with its stylish balconies and wealth of workshops inside.
From Berlin, trains are only 90 minutes from Hauptbahnhof, costing around £35 return. Once in Dessau, all of the buildings are free to visit, and there are frequent guided tours in English and German.
You will get to see the Masters' Houses decorated just as when they lived in them, and a short tram ride away is an entire estate of 1930s workers housing, some of which you can visit or even stay in!
www.dessau-rosslau-tourismus.de/kulttour/en/home/index.html
Google map: bit.ly/Sp9oLu
The town hall of Alcalá de Henares is almost eclipsed by the tower of the former Santa María church and the statue of Miguel Cervantes in the square named after him but it is worth a look over. It is topped by a clock which is never wrong.
Plaza de Cervantes
The Toronto Society of Architects hosts three different guided walking tours on weekends where visitors can learn more about some of the city’s architecture.
From May 12th until October 7th, 2012, guides will show you some of Toronto’s most notable buildings, both old and new, giving details on their design and special features, as well as providing interesting and informative stories. These outdoor walking tours last approximately two hours.
Whether it’s the Art & Performance Tour, showcasing some of Toronto's buildings relating to art, theatre, and cinema, the Culture & Campus Tour, featuring museums, cultural centres, and various buildings on the University of Toronto Campus, or the Towers Tour, consisting of buildings making up Toronto’s downtown skyline, each session promises to be both informative and entertaining.
Tickets are $20 CDN for adults and $15 CDN for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, visit tsa-events.eventbrite.com. Exact meeting locations are given when you purchase your tickets. Tours always end very near a subway station.
* Giulia is our Been there local for Toronto. You can see her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/canada/toronto/index.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/GiuliaFalsetti
Walking through the historical centre of Lecce is a unique experience. The central square 'Piazza Sant 'Oronzo' is on a Roman amphitheatre, part of which is still uncovered and visible from the piazza. Within walking distance from here can be found the Chiesa Santa Croce: one of the most beautiful examples of southern baroque buildings, with its picturesque pattern of statues on limestone. A few yards away again it opens up the breathtaking monumental Piazza Duomo: a sequence of building creating a theatre-like space formed by the cathedral, the Bishop's Palace and the bell tower. Walking on the piazza you cannot help but feel you are entering one of the most beautiful corners of the Italian architectural landscape.
www.comune.lecce.it/
Google map: bit.ly/OMSPqj
Eusebi Guell's model industrial village built in 1890 to house occupants of the textile industry. The highlight is one of Antonio Gaudi's key works - the unfinished church crypt. The crypt features brilliant use of leaded stained glass, brick and ceramics.
www.barcelonaturisme.com/Gaudi-crypt
Carrer de Claudi Güell, 6, 08690 Santa Coloma de Cervelló, Spain
+34 936 30 58 07
Google map: bit.ly/MIalHa
For me the highlight of Catalonia is a person – or perhaps the places he created. Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece is usually considered to be Barcelona Cathedral, Sagrada Familia. But I prefer his more human scale creations: the Park Güell and the Casa Milà were the highlights of our visit to Barcelona. The former is a wonderful garden built on a hillside, providing splendid panoramic views of Barcelona. Within the garden are several intriguing structures and sculptures designed by Gaudi, who lived in a house by the park entrance (now a museum). Casa Milà is an amazing apartment block, constructed without a single straight line. The public are admitted to much of the building and on to the roof terrace – the high point of a visit in more senses than one.
www.gaudidesigner.com/uk/index.html
Google map: bit.ly/NciPvT
At 2800 metres, the Pont de Normandie was the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world when it was completed in 1995. Then the Japanese built a longer one in 1999. But that doesn't diminish the impact of this spectacular example of the French ability to meld engineering design with art. For one of the best views in Normandy, take the ferry to Le Havre, and don't forget your bicycle; the bridge, which is seldom busy, has its own cycle lane. The steep hump in the middle will keep you on your toes, but the panorama from the top is worth it. At the end of the 25km journey, you'll be able to sup calvados or cidre beside Honfleur’s pretty harbour.
To fully enjoy the scenery, travel during daylight, and remember to go off season to avoid the hordes. If you go by car, it's still great.
Across the Seine, between Le Havre and Honfleur, on the A29 coastal road.
Toll bridge: €5.10 (cars) €5.90 (car with caravan)
Google map: bit.ly/MabqqN
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