VISIT TO EUROPE - BELGIUM - BRUSSELS - MINI EUROPE - II

CHAPPIDI ABHIRATH REDDY
C/O COL GKS REDDY

Secunderabad - 500015

Visit Brussels - 22 Sep 2013

On Arrival at Brusseles International Zuid Railway Station

Brussels

          Brussels (French: Bruxelles, [bʁysɛl] ( listen); Dutch: Brussel, [ˈbrʏsəɫ] ( listen)), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (French: Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest), is the capital of Belgium and de facto the capital of the European Union (EU). It is also the largest urban area in Belgium, comprising 19 municipalities, including the municipality of the City of Brussels, which is the de jurecapital of Belgium, in addition to the seat of the French Community of Belgium and of the Flemish Community. 

          Brussels has grown from a 10th-century fortress town founded by a descendant of Charlemagne to a sizeable city.[10] The city has a population of 1.2 million and a metropolitan area with a population of over 1.8 million, both of them the largest in Belgium. 

          Since the end of theSecond World War, Brussels has been a principal centre for international politics. Hosting principal EU institutions and the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the city has become the polyglot home of numerous international organisations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants. 

          Historically Dutch-speaking, Brussels has seen a major shift to French since Belgian independence in 1830. Today, although the majority language is French, the city is officially bilingual. All road signs, street names, and many advertisements and services are shown in both languages. Linguistic tensions remain and the language laws regarding some municipalities surrounding Brussels are an issue of considerable controversy in Belgium.

Visit Mini Europe (Brussels) - Contd


          Mini-Europe is a miniature park located in Bruparck at the foot of the Atomium in Brussels, Belgium. Mini-Europe has reproductions of monuments in the European Union on show, at a scale of 1:25. Roughly 80 cities and 350 buildings are represented. The models cost as much as €350,000 to make (the Brussels Grand-Place).

          The park contains live action models (train, mills, eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Airbus, cable cars, etc.). A guide gives the details on all the monuments. At the end of the visit, the “Spirit of Europe” exhibition gives an interactive overview of the European Union in the form of multimedia games.

          The park is built on an area of 24,000 m². The initial investment was of €10 million in 1989, on its inauguration by Prince Philip of Belgium.

We visited Mini Europe on 22 Sep 2013, after visiting the Atonium Building at Brussels.

United Kingdom

West Minister Palace Complex, London

Big Ben at the Northern End of West Minister Palace, London

The Lonleat House, The Country Estate of the Marquis of Bath, is an Unique 

example of Elizebethan Architecture. The Castle was built in 1570 - 1580

The Model of a Typical English Village, UK

The Royal Crescent by John Wood Junior is a Swung Parabolic Row of 30 Houses

 The Circus is an 19th Century Master Piece by

Messers John Wood Senior and Son, built to Emulate

the Roman Amphitheatre, located at Bath City

 The Jumbo Ferry - The Pride of Dover, Links Calais (France)

To Dover (UK). It makes 27 Tripsacross English Channel in a day

and carries 2290 passengers in a trip

The Dover Castle - Originally constructed in Normandy Style, it was frequently rebuilt in

 later centuries. At the centre of the Extensive Fortress lies the "Great Keep" 

 (1180 AD), an impressive building which some what resembles the Tower of London

France

Eiffel Tower, Paris

The Arc De Triomphe - Stands in the middle of Place Charles

De Gaulle, in Paris. The 50 m high Triumphal Arch was built in 1806

by Napolean to Glorify the Empire

  

 The Sacre - Coeur is a favorite of both Parisans and Tourists, due

to its beautiful location on Top of the Montmartre Hill. Though the

Construction of this Basilica commenced 

in 1875, after the franco Russian War, it was completed in 1914. 

A closer view of Basilica Sacre - Coeur, Paris

 The Saline Royal (Salt Works) is the complex of the Former

Royal Salt works of Arc Et Senans. It is a fine example of 18th

Century Industrial Architecture

A close up of the Workers Homes and Factory Buildings at Saline Royal

Castle of Chenoceaux - The 16th Century Castle is situated

in the middle of the River Cher. Women played a leading Role

in the History of the Castle, earning it the nickname of "

Chateau des Dames"The village of Chenoceaux is located in

Loire valley of France

Another view of the Chenoceaux Castle

ARIANE 5 - Designed by the European Space Agency and marketed by Ariane E - Space, 

can send up 12000 Kg Satellites. More than 130 launches have been carried out since 1984

Portugal

 The Torre De Belem - Was built at the start of 16th Century

to Protect the Lisbon Harbour. The Fortress is constructed in

Two Parts,the Tower and an Octagonal Bastion, which 

juts out over the Tage like the Prow of a ship

 Cais Da Ribeira - With its fine old Stone Built Houses characterised

by their Tiles is the most Original place in Porto, Portugal

 The Guimaraes Castle- Is the Cradle of Portugal, as Alfonso

Henriques,the First King of the Country was born in the Medieval

Castle. The citywas the capital of the Dukedom of 

Portugal, (Hence the name of the country).

Spain

 El Escoril - The Royal Monastery, is located 30 Miles from Madrid,

in the Mountains at an altitude of 1000 Metres. Phillippe II had this

Royal Monastery built to commemorate 

the defeat of the French Troops in 1557, on St Lawrence's Day

 Plaza De Toros - Sevelle, is primarily famous for its Bull

Fights. Work for construction of 

the Arena at Sevelle commenced in 1760. 

La Mancha - The Desolate Landscape of La Mancha recalls

Don Quixote and his faithful companion Sancho Panza. Cervantes

set this adventure of Don Quixote in the 

Red-brown sandy - coloured plains

 Santiago De Compostela - The cathedral was built on the site, where

the Mortal Remains of the Apostle Santiago el Mayor were found

and which are still revered today

Malta

 Mnajdra - The Temple of Mnajdra was created 3400

years BC and 800 years before the 

Great Pyramid and Stonehenge

Italy

 The great Romanesque Cathedral of pisa was built in

11th – 13th Century toCelebrate the 

Victory of the Pisan Fleet over the Palemo. 

 The Baptistery near the Cathedral. This Chapel

which is also faced with marble shows 

Gothic designs in its upper section

 The Piazza del Duomo or Campo del Miracoli is the major attraction

of Pisa. The Tower, 55 Metres in height, which is better known as

"The Leaning Tower" has never beenstraight since construction. 

It has recently been stabilised after undergoing intensive work

 Mount Vesuvius - glimmering above the Bay of

Naples, is the only remaining active 

Volcano on the European Continent 

 Palazzo Publico - The elegant 1287 - 1355

Town Hall of Siena with its 102 Metre 

high Torre Del Mangla on the left. 

The Palazzo Ducale, Venice - This 14th - 15th Century Palace is an example par 

excellence of Vennetian Gothic Architecture. Until 1797, the Palace served as 

the Residence of the Doge (Duke)

Villa Rotonda at Vicenza - Just outside Vicenza, surrounded by beautiful landscape, 

lies the temple House. This 16th Century building conceals the complexity of its design. 

Perfect Symmetry has been achieved by constructing an identical porch with 

a monumental stairway on all four sides of the building

Note:- The information about the places visited has been Extracted from Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia