Warsaw the capital and the largest city in Poland is located on the Vistula River. The mixture of the architectural styles reflects the turbulent history of the city. Warsaw’s Old Town displays richness of color and architectural details. The Royal Castle, example of mannerist architecture, has a great collection of paintings, among them Rembrandt’s ‘The Scholar at the Lectern’ and ‘The Girl in a picture frame.’ Krasinski Palace and Wilanow Palace are great examples of Baroque architecture. Wilanow Palace is a place of cultural events and concerts, including Summer Royal Concerts in the Rose Garden and the International Summer Old Music Academy. Czapski Palace, Palace of the Four Winds, and Visitationist Church are impressive examples of rococo architecture. Palace on the Water is a neoclassical palace with rich interior and beautiful garden. The Solomon Room is one of the largest interiors with a series of six paintings depicting the “History of Solomon.” Palace of Culture and Science is an example of contemporary architecture and the tallest building in Poland. Botanic Garden and the University Library Garden have extensive botanical collections of rare domestic and foreign plants.
Warsaw's Old Town
Vienna the capital and the largest city of Austria is home to many major international organizations, such as UN and OPEC. The city is ranked worldwide at the top of the list for quality of life and culture of innovation. It is often used as a case study by urban planners. Vienna is the cultural capital of Europe. It is home to many opera houses. Hofburg Palace holds the imperial jewels of the Habsburg dynasty. At the Sisi Museum the imperial apartments and the silver cabinet can be visited. Kunsthistorisches Museum displays many painting by old masters. Museumsquartier is a quarter with many museums. The Liechtenstein Palace is home to one of the largest private art collections of Baroque art in the world. Vienna is also a city of many architectural styles, but many of those building are low-rise. The city is about preserving green spaces to preserve world cultural heritage.
Vienna's park
London the capital and the largest city of England and UK is a leading global city. It is the largest financial centre with NYC in the world and has the largest city GDP in Europe. Home to number of headquarters of Europe’s 500 companies. It is the world’s most visited city by international tourists, due to a fact that it has a lot to offer. Among most visited sites are the Tower of London, Kew Gardens with Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and St. Margaret’s Church, Greenwich with Royal Observatory, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circle, 30 St Mary Axe, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, and Trafalgar Square. It is home to many museums, including British Museum – one of the largest museums in the world with one of the most diverse collections.
London's Palace of Westminster with Big Ben Tower
Budapest the capital and the largest city of Hungary is situated on the river Danube. The city is one of the most beautiful in Europe. The Millennium Underground Railway is the second oldest in the world. The highlights of the city include the 80 geothermal springs, the world’s largest thermal water cave system, the second largest synagogue, Dohany Street Synagogue. A breathtaking neo-Gothic Parliament building contains Hungarian Crown Jewels and is the third largest Parliament building in the world (once the largest). Vajdahunyad Castle, partially is a copy of Transylvania Castle (Romania), is a beautiful mix of different architectural styles: Roman, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque. The Hungarian State Opera House is a neo-Renaissance masterpiece with richly decorated elements of Baroque. Esztergom Basilica is the third largest church in Europe, and the second largest Baroque castle in the world.
Parliament building
Madrid the capital and the largest city of Spain is one of the world’s major global cities. The Royal Palace is partially opened to public and worth visiting. Prado Museum is home to the world’s finest art collections, mostly paintings including Velazquez. Other highlights of the city include Teatro Real (major opera house), Buen Retiro park, National Library (archaeological museum), Canalejas Square, Plaza de Cibeles and Plaza Mayor.
Madrid's Royal Palace
Lisbon the capital and the largest city of Portugal is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is beautifully situated on the hills with white houses and red roofs overlooking blue waters. Belem Tower is a fortified tower located by the Tagus River. During the Age of Discovery, the tower played major role as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. Nearby stands magnificent Hieronymites Monastery. Navigator Vasco da Gama prayed here with his men before departing for India in 1497. Today it’s a home to his tomb.
Lisbon's Hieronymites Monastery
Rome is the capital and the largest and most populated city in Italy. Rome is one of the richest cities in history spanning over 2,500 years. For a period of time, once home to Michelangelo, Bramante, Bernini and Raphael who contributed to the architecture of Renaissance and Baroque. Most visited sites are Vatican Museum, Colosseum , Pantheon with Catacombs, and Trevi Fountain with Spanish Steps. Other remarkable buildings include Castel Sant’Angelo, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Basilica of St. John Lateran and many other basilicas.
Rome's Castel Sant' Angelo
Vatican City is a walled enclave governed by a pope (about 110 acres) composed of St. Peter’s Basilica, Apostolic Palace, Sistine Chapel, museums and gardens with fountains and sculptures. St. Peter’s Basilica is a renowned work of Renaissance architecture by Bramante, Michelangelo, and Bernini among others. The Sistine Chapel is famous for its frescos done among others by Botticelli, Raphael, and Michelangelo’s Last Judgment. The Vatican Library and Museum are of the highest historical, scientific and cultural importance.
Vatican City
Berlin the capital and the largest city of Germany is recognized for its festivals and diverse architecture. The Fernsehturm (TV tower) is the tallest structure in the city that offers the view of the city. The Red City hall is a beautiful brick building displaying Renaissance style that was modeled on the Old Town Hall in Torun, Poland, and the tower on the Notre-Dame de Laon, France. Reichstag is a parliament building with a dome offering panoramic view of the city. The Gendarmenmarkt neoclassical square is a site of French and German Cathedrals and also Konzerthaous (concert hall). A breath-taking Berlin Cathedral is a mixture of different architectural styles: Renaissance, Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical, located on Spree Island. Also on the Spree Island or Museum Island there is a museum with gardens, Lustgarten. Schloss Charlottenburg is the largest surviving historical palace in Berlin.
Brandenburg Gate an iconic landmark of Berlin and Germany
