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a feel good travel blog

12 Must-Visit Historical Sites in Krakow, Poland

7/24/2017

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Krakow is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Poland. With ancient squares and classy dressage, travelers visit Krakow year-round to explore its exquisite historical sites. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and strolling through Krakow makes you feel as if you are lost in time.
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Old Town Market Square
This is the area where most people congregate to, and once you lay eyes on the square you’ll know why. The grandiose square contains spirit of the past and the present. Small birds circle the cathedral and horse and carriage loop around the square. It is the largest medieval square in Europe, which dates back to 1257. St Mary’s Basilica is a site to see and the 14th Century Cloth Hall contains countless souvenir stands. Some claim cloth hall is the oldest “shopping mall” and the edifice dates to 1555. 
 
Explore the 10th Century St. Adalbert Church, which is a mix of pre-Roman, Roman, Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture. Explore what is left of Krakow Town Hall with its tower as the rest of the facility was demolished to open up the square. The 13th Century Town Hall Tower stands 70 meters, but leans 55 centimeters as a result of a storm in 1703. Two stone lions guard the tower, which were brought from the Classicist Palace.
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Wawel Castle
Built between the 13th and 14th Century, Wawel Castle is the most impressive landmark in the city. Fifty thousand years ago, people lived on Wawel Hill during the Paleolithic Age. In the early 16th Century, King Sigismund I the Old brought in some of the best native and foreign artists to create the castle you see today. Permanent exhibitions include the State Rooms, Oriental Art, The Lost Wawel, The Royal Private Apartments and the Crown Treasury and Armory. Don’t be in too much of a rush, and be sure to stop and smell the flowers. 

Wawel Cathedral 
Inside the Wawel Castle is the cathedral where visitors marvel and decadent artistry and architectural wonders of the 18 chapels. Most of the Polish King’s and their family members, along with the nation’s greatest heroes, bishops, two poets and four saints, are buried in the cathedral.
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Planty Garden Ring
Planty is a green belt of public parks, similar to a chain consisting of 30 gardens. Today, the area of Planty consists of 41 hectares. It takes one to two hours to walk around the Old Town district through the tree-covered pathways.
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Schindler’s Factory
The once World War II factory is now a historical museum. The factory housed the former Nazi industrialist who saved the lives of his Jewish workforce during the Holocaust. Guests will see Schindler’s desk intact to what it would look like during the war alongside with walls filled with plates, Nazi propaganda and photos of the factory workers.
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Jewish Ghetto
On March 3, 1941, the Nazi occupation created a dwelling place for Krakow Jews. Podgorze is the conception of the Jewish ghetto located on the right side of the Wisla River. The ghetto consisted of 15 streets and some 320 buildings and 3,200 rooms, completely walled off from the rest of the city. The ghetto's western edge, at Limanowskiego Street near Rynek Podgorski square was the main entrance gate to the ghetto along with another gate on Limanowskiego Street, which was solely for the entrance of German military trucks.
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http://top-poland.pl/
Wierzynek Restaurant 
This is Krakow’s oldest restaurant, which traditions date back to 1364. It’s become a landmark of its own regardless of if people actually eat. Dine in what looks like 1800’s décor and marvel at the beautiful wallpaper.  Wierzynek’s website states, “The tradition of the Wierzynek Restaurant dates back to 1364, when a wealthy merchant Mikołaj Wierzynek hosted a splendid feast for the monarchs of Europe on behalf of the Polish King Casimir the Great. Wierzynek undertook the task of hosting the feast with great care and overwhelmed his noble guests with a truly lavish welcome. The tables were groaning with food and drinks and the guests celebrated for 20 days and nights. Upon departure, the generous merchant presented each guest with a splendid gift – gold and silver tableware. At the Wierzynek Restaurant we continue this great medieval tradition of feasting until the present day by giving a royal welcome to each and every one of our guests!”
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St. Peter and Paul Church
Built between 1597-1619, this is the biggest church in Krakow in terms of seating capacity. The Baroque Jesuit church is most known for its facade, containing the 12 apostles. The church was built shortly after the arrival of the Jesuits to defend the Catholic faith after signing the Council of Trident.


This Lemon Tree article is now featured on GPSmyCity.  To download this article for offline reading or travel directions to the attractions highlighted in this article, go to 12 Must See Historical Sites in Krakow, Poland. 
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A Guide of the Best Historical Sites in Munich's Altstadt

7/10/2017

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Munich is one of Germany’s most popular tourist destinations. Steeped with history and excellent beer gardens, travelers flock to Munich to “taste” a bit of ancient Germany.

Altstadt, or Old Town, is the heart, or origin, of every German city and Munich is no exception to having an impressive Old Town. Altstadt is Munich’s core and though there are plenty of tourists, you’ll find room to breathe as you discover sites and landmarks around the Altstadtring circular road. Best seen on foot, get lost in the beauty of ancient buildings and traditional markets in this tour of Munich’s Old Town.

Sadly, much of Old Town got bombed during WW2, so what you see today is the reconstruction of many historic buildings. 
 
Lion Statues
Munich means, “by the monks.” Munich originated in the 800’s, settled by monks. Henry the Lion officially founded the town in 1158. Throughout Old Town, you’ll notice plenty of lion statues, which symbolizes Munich’s roots. 

Marienplatz (Mary’s Square) 
This is the origins of where the monk Benedict monk settlers came thousands of years ago. The original marketplace originated in 1158, and although the names of the markets have changed, today it is still the site of produce, meat and Christmas markets. The early market roots are seen from the fish fountain (Fischbrunnen). The fountain dates back to 1318, but the chubby fish you see today is from 1954. Check out the Virgin Mary Column (Mariensäule) in front of the new town hall. Created in 1590 and is an important part of Munich’s history where Maximillian the 1st declared Mary as a protector of the city during troubled times in 1638. 


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Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) & Glockenspiel
Between 1801 and 1861, Munich’s population increased from 40,000 to 120,000, which led to the construction of a new city hall. Construction began in 1867 and this Gothic structure took 40 years to complete. Today, travelers congregate around the largest Glockenspiel in Germany. Equipped with 43 bells, the 15-minute performance takes place every hour depicting Munich’s history with mechanical figures. The upper level shows the marriage of Duke Wilhelm the Fifth and the lower level shows the Dance of the Coppers (Schäfflertanz).

Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall)
This medieval town hall dates back to 1310 and became the city’s official government center in 1395. The tall bell tower called Valley Fort Tower’s façade contains an astrological clock. Sadly, WW2 bombings destroyed the original old town hall, so what you see today is a replica of the old building. In 1938, Joseph Goebbels gave one of his famous speeches here.

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Hofbräuhaus – Royal Court Brewhouse
This is Munich’s most popular brew house. A must visit for beer and bretzel lovers, Duke Wilhelm V started Hofbräuhaus in 1589. Instead of shipping one of his favorite beers from Hannover, Germany, this magical brewpub opened in 1607 to brew wheat beer strictly for the royal family and their guests, which included Mozart and Empress Sisi. Hitler also held meetings here during the Nazi occupation.
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Viktualienmarkt
Victuals is the Latin word for “food.” This daily market, known as “The Stomach of the City,” originated as a simple farmers market in the 1700’s known as “Green Market.” Today, there are over 100 vendors and six sections of the market including the shaded beer garden. It’s not uncommon to find men wearing lederhosen enjoying a beer on a (semi) sunny afternoon. You’ll be able to spot the start of the market by the blue and white striped maypoles. Maypoles date back to Pre-Christian roots and symbolize fertility and luck. 
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Frauenkirche – Church of our Lady
This is the largest Gothic church in the world and the largest brick church north of the Alps. The church was completed in 1488 and holds around 20,000 people. Legend has it that the architect made a deal with the devil. Wikipedia states, “The legendary ​Teufelstritt, or devil's footstep, stems from the large amount of light inside the Frauenkirche that seems to come from nowhere thanks to the large columns that block the view of the windows. According to legend, Jörg of Halspach made a deal with the devil that he could build a church that had a spot where not a single window could be seen from. From the vestibule, looking down the center aisle (as long as the high Baroque altar covered the windows at the very back of the church) there appeared to be no windows at all. The devil stamped his foot in a fit of pique, leaving his "footprint" on a paving stone immediately inside the entrance.”

Michaelskirches –Saint Michael’s Church
This is the largest Renaissance north of the Alps. Duke Wilhelm V ordered the construction in 1583, which lasted until1599. An impressive bronze sculpture of Archangel Michael fighting a demon-like Protestant, is not to be missed. 
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http://www.staedte-fotos.de
.Sendlinger Tor (Gate)
This was Munich’s first city wall. The two towers were built in 1318 and remain as one of the three oldest gates still standing.
 

Peterskirche - Peter's Church
A church with bad luck maybe a second name for this church. As Munich's first parish church, construction began in the 12th Century, damaged in a fire in 1327 and later struck by lightening in 1607. For several euros, climb the 306 steps to the top of the tower for one of the most spectacular views of the city. 

Theatinerkirche
Another Old Town favorite, this church was the result of a love story. In 1650, Elector Ferdinand married an Italian princess. They finally met after one year of being wed. After a decade of marriage, the couple still had not produced an heir. Ferdinand's wife fell deathly ill several times throughout their marriage. The couple prayed for a child and if it happened, they vowed to build a church in honor of Saint 
Cajetan of Theatine.

​What's your favorite place to visit in Munich? 

This Lemon Tree article is now featured on GPSmyCity.  To download this article for offline reading or travel directions to the attractions highlighted in this article, go to A Guide of the Best Historical Sites in Munich's Altstadt 
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5 Best Historical Sites to See in Seattle (Before it Gets Wiped Out)

7/3/2017

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Seattle’s landscape is changing as quickly as your one-hour Amazon shipping for goods that would take you 20-minutes to buy at your local Bartell’s. The west coast is fairly new in terms of history, but the reality is that our landscape is now doped up on chronic hits of modernism botox.

Luckily, there are some buildings that are protected, but it wouldn’t surprise me if one day these places face their fate (or face lift like the space needle receiving modern qualities).  Oh well, it’s the way of the world and all I can do is to express my voice and hope that others can enjoy what’s left of our once beautiful city. 
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Pike Place Market
The Pike Place Market opened August 17, 1907. The original idea bridged the gap between soaring food prices placed by the wealthy farmers and the averaged-waged consumers who fished, logged or built ships – you know the peasants who make society. The market in the 20’s and 30’s experienced a flock of struggling artists, eccentrics, wanna-be poets and radicals, which rings true still to this day.  While here, visit the Gum Wall located in Post Alley, nearby the entrance.

It’s a place to wander and explore, and don’t forget to rub, or donate to, Rachel the Pig, a 550-pound bronze statue that sits in front of the most famous seafood stand in the city. 

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​Space Needle
The space needle is Seattle’s icon. This 605-foot alien-looking observation tower was created for the 1962 World’s Fair. Something that you may not know is that the needle’s center of gravity lays five feet above ground. That’s a bit unnerving while standing on the observation deck, 520 feet above ground. Sadly, the space needle is getting a face-lift, so enjoy it now before the glass flooring goes in. I guess it’s one way to get over your fear of heights? 
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expedia
Pioneer Square
Pioneer Square is Seattle’s “Old Town” or the original city since 1852. Many of the old buildings remain, while the city squeezed in one or two bullshit glass boxes, some of which are apartments available for up to $3,000 / month for a one-bedroom. Pioneer Square is where Underground Seattle conducts their tours. Here you’ll discover ghosts and ghoulish legends about the other original city that is underground.  It’s a cool tour to learn about our historical roots. One of the most popular buildings is the Arcade Building (see below). 

Wandering Pioneer Square is like hiking through the red dirt in Utah or Hawaii. The beauty of the red brick inspires creativity and showcases the heart of real Seattle. 

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expedia.ca
The Grand Central Arcade Building
No kids this is not a video-game arcade center. The Arcade is a place where local artists once sold their goods. Today, a yoga studio and used book store still survive, alongside with the Grand Central Bakery, which is a must visit.

​The Arcade was once Squire’s Opera House erected in 1879, which burnt down in the Great Fire and rebuilt in 1890 as the Squire-Latimer Building. According to a shop owner, the owner of the Arcade is from and lives in Japan. He kicked out the independent artists in hopes to create a grocery store, preferably a Trader Joes. I am not sure he can succeed in this task because the building is protected, but now the Arcade joins the fellow ghosts that rule this neighborhood, wandering the streets with unfinished business, pissed about #WTF is happening to this city. 

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Ballard Locks
Completed in 1917, the Ballard Locks are the heart and the soul to this city. Ballard, once it’s own separate city, was founded and created by hardworking, middleclass fishermen. Completed in 1917, the locks link Seattle’s three bodies of water: Lake Union, The Puget Sound and Lake Washington.  The ten to 15-minute process of dropping boats 26 feet to get boats in level with the Sound is interesting especially since there is an exchange between salt and fresh water. Even kayakers must use the locks. The locks are popular with locals and tourists alike, and there’s no better way to get to know the city than by visiting the locks.
 
Now, don’t get me wrong. Seattle is a beautiful city, but many of us who’ve been here for a while are feeling the change. There is much more history to explore beyond these five places, some of which are now amazing parks. Discover more spots on the following blogs.
 

9 Shockingly Beautiful Urban Viewpoints in Seattle
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Seattle's 7 Best Sunset Spots to Fall in Love With
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10 Seattle Parks You Must Visit Today (especially for Photography)

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Discover Seattle without getting lost! This Lemon Tree article is now featured on GPSmyCity.  To download this article for offline reading or travel directions to the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Best Historical Sites to See in Seattle. 
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    Elizabeth Rae Kovar is a Fitness Trainer, Author of Finding Om, Presenter, Yogi, Vegan & lover of the World. View her portfolio at www.elizabethkovar.comor health-based blog at mindbodysoul-food.com

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