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Brückenschläge und Schlagworte

Schlagwort: guest post

Guest Post: Jenni’s Top 5 Museums in Armenia

Jenni and I started talking on twitter in the realms of our respective rotation curation of the @i_amGermany account. Her blog on museums, Museum Diary, is insightful and thorough and a true joy to read. You should also follow her on twitter @jennifuchs. Thank you so much, Jenni, for writing for me about Armenia – a country I personally cannot wait to visit!

Hello, my name is Jenni, and I write a blog all about museums. Many thanks to Mariella for asking me to guest post here. I want to share with you my favourite museums in Armenia, a country I had the privilege of visiting for the first time last year.

The Yerevan “Cascade”

The Yerevan “Cascade”, as it is known, is part of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts. It is the most impressive sculpture park I have every come across, and  it’s easy to see where it gets its nickname from – set against a staircase with 570 steps and a 15 degree incline, a series of plateaus and fountains seem to literally cascade down the hillside, continuing into a park at the foot of the staircase. If all those steps are too much for you, there also escalators inside that will take you most of the way to the top. And it’s worth it – the views of the city are fantastic!

Yerevan Cascade, Armenia“Matenadaran” – Ancient Manuscript Museum

Located in central Yerevan near the “Cascade”, “Matenadaran” means “depository of ancient manuscripts” in Armenian and is home to one of the world’s richest collection of medieval manuscripts and books. The subjects span a broad range,both in Armenian as well as in many other languages. The displays include not only many precious books, but also maps and calendars, as also some displays on the restoration of books, and on the plants and minerals used to create inks and paints used in the illumination of manuscripts.

Matenadaran, ArmeniaArmenian Genocide Museum

Although it covers a rather grim episode of 20th century history, to gain an understanding of Armenia and its people the Armenian Genocide museum is not to be missed. The museum opened in 1995 to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Remembrance Day for all victims of the Genocide, and stands alongside the Armenian Genocide Memorial which overlooks the city of Yerevan. Be prepared for an emotional visit.

Genocide Museum, ArmeniaEchmiadzin Treasury Museum

Echmiadzin is located in Armavir Province in Central Armenia, about 20km from Yerevan, and is home to Echmiadzin Cathedral, the spiritual and administrative headquarters of the worldwide Armenian Apostolic Church. The cathedral, dating back to the 4th century AD, is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world and worth a visit itself. Right next door to it is the Treasury Museum, which displays rare and precious treasures of the Armenian Apostolic Church throughout history. One of the highlights of the collection is an alleged piece of Noah’s Ark (though sadly this was on loan elsewhere when I visited).

Echmiadzin, ArmeniaZvarnots Historical and Cultural Museum Reserve

Another beautiful cathedral I was introduced to, this time from the 7th century, was sadly destroyed by an earthquake, but it’s ruins were discovered and excavated in the early 20th century. The Zvarnots Historical and Cultural Museum Reserve tells its story. As well as visiting the ruins themselves, you will find out about the architecture and construction techniques of the cathedral, its artistic decorations, and its excavation and reconstruction (on a model scale). There’s also a small display about Armenian architectural history and influences across the country.

Zvarnots Cathedral, ArmeniaTo find out more about these and other museums in Armenia, as well as museums in the rest of the world, please feel free to check out my blog, Museum Diary

Guest Post: The Bridge That Screams Lucerne

One of the most enriching and beautiful contacts I have made since I first got into the travel blogosphere more intensely is my friend Aggy of DreamExploreWander. We got into talking on twitter and I think she was the first person I ever met online to become someone I consider a friend before having met them. Her beautiful travel blog is both a treat for the eyes, with its gorgeous layout and beautiful pictures, and for the travel-itching soul. Aggy’s posts tell stories of travel with such passion and verve and such a genuine sense of emotion that even if you haven’t yet come to know her, you wil certainly want to be friends with her upon reading her posts, just like I did. In order to do that, you should subscribe to her blog DreamExploreWander, like her facebook page and follow her on twitter. I am honored and happy that Aggy decided to write a guest post for me on a bridge she recently discovered in Lucerne, Switzerland.

I love the concept of a bridge, connecting two ends. This is why I love Mariella’s mission. Ever since I discovered her enchanting blog and become good friends with her, I now unconsciously look for bridges whenever I travel. This particular bridge I want to share with you caught my attention during my recent trip to Lucerne. Kapellbrücke Bridge is the bridge people look for once they arrive in Lucerne. I honestly didn’t know much about this pretty town, when I told some friends I was coming here in the weekend, they mostly reacted by saying “You HAVE to see Kapellbrücke bridge!”. I was thinking, “what’s the big deal with this bridge anyway?!”.

Kapellbrücke

Spanning across the Reuss River, which is a gorgeous river, this bridge really does attract attention. The bridge is truly one of the prettiest and the most unique I have ever seen. Made from wood and with a roof covering the whole way from one end to the other. I have seen pictures of this bridge in the spring/summer where the side of the bridge is filled with brightly-coloured flowers which intensifies its beauty. Sadly, I was there in the cold winter but nevertheless the wooden structure of the bridge awed me. It is said that it is the oldest bridge in Europe with this kind of roofed structure.

In the past, this bridge acted as a connection between the new and old city of Lucerne. In the middle of it, there is a Wasserturm or a water tower – called this way as the tower looks as if it is standing in the water of Reuss river. From the bridge you can get a peaceful view of the river.

In 1993, the bridge was caught on fire and due to its wooden architecture, it destroyed almost all parts of it. The fire also destroyed the original paintings inside the bridge. They successfully rebuilt it although evidence of the fire still exists. The paintings were also recovered, which is great as you can now still see gorgeous paintings inside the bridge. Each painting is telling a different story, so it’s always nice to take some time inside the bridge to try to understand the meaning behind each picture.

Kapellbrücke 2

The trip to Lucerne was another solo trip for me. In this particular solo trip, I found myself to be more relaxed and confident in travelling alone, the city of Lucerne certainly helped me. I have always found rivers and lakes a peaceful place to contemplate life. As I crossed Kapellbrücke Bridge, I felt like I was inside a museum and a gallery at the same time. The beautiful paintings captivated me. I stopped for quite sometimes at the edge of the bridge to stare at the calming stream of Reuss River. With the amazing landscape and standing in a bridge which has been through so much history, I felt a strong calmness towards me.

This bridge definitely defines the city of Lucerne and it is also the first roofed-bridge I have been. The paintings, the architecture, the water tower, the calming Reuss river – combinations which make this bridge more than just an ordinary bridge and one worth to take time to absorb its beauty.

If you have read My Mission statement, you know why I love bridges. To me they are the most universal symbol of connection, of bringing people together and overcoming anything that may seperate us. I want to present to you pictures of bridges that I really love in places that I really love on my blog every Sunday. If you have a picture of a bridge that you would like to share with my readers as a guest post, feel free to contact me!

Guest Post: Triple Bridge in Ljubljana, Slovenia

This week’s Bridges on Sundays brings you the first guest post ever on my blog. I have the great honor to present to you my friend Sarah from Wake up Mona, a blog you should most definitely check out. Sarah is an art teacher in the US currently planning her six month RTW which will start this summer. She blogs about her previous travels in stunning photo essays and shares her thoughts on the power of travel in a strong and genuine voice. She and I share a deep love for Eastern Europe. Please follow Sarah on twitter, like her facebook page and keep up to date as she embarks on her journey through Central America, the former Yugoslavia, Greece and Egypt.

Today, Sarah brings to you a bridge that is unique, yet threefold.

Triple Bridge, Ljubljana, SloveniaLjubljana is a city of bridges, each with its own story to tell. A river of the same name (Ljubljanica) flows through the city, making bridge-crossing a necessary and eventually a very natural occurrence. One of my favorites was the Tromostovje, or Triple Bridge, located at the entrance to old town. There are three individual pedestrian bridges to choose from, but I found myself always venturing to the sides; I’ve always hated being in the middle. The middle bridge is the oldest, built in 1842. It stood as a lonely single bridge for nearly 90 years until the two side ones were added in 1931. It’s impossible to know that by looking at it today, all three bridges unify as one.

Triple Bridge, Ljubljana, SloveniaBut it’s easy to overlook its architectural uniqueness. Perfectly situated, connecting old and new, Ljubljana castle on one side and lively Preseren’s square on the other, Triple Bridge is the heart of Ljubljana. No visit to this lovely city would be complete without crossing it at least once, preferably three times. 🙂

If you have read My Mission statement, you know why I love bridges. To me they are the most universal symbol of connection, of bringing people together and overcoming anything that may seperate us. I want to present to you pictures of bridges that I really love in places that I really love on my blog every Sunday. If you also have a picture of a bridge that you would like to share with my readers as a guest post, feel free to contact me!