historic site

Coney Island

javier — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:01:32 +0200

Coney Island was an island in the borough of Brooklyn in New York, but it is now a peninsula which is renowned for its amusement parks with more than 35 different attractions. The most popular park on Coney Island is Astroland which is home to the world's most famous rollercoaster, the Cyclone. This ride was opened in 1927 and is still open today and has been copied throughout the world.

Apart form Astroland theme park you can also visit the New York Aquarium which is home to around 350 species of aquatic life. There is also a museum and a promenade, circus, Go-Kart City and the headquarters for the baseball team the Cyclones.

There are lots of restaurants and fast food stands on Coney Island, the most famous of which is Nathan's hotdog stand which opened in 1916 and quickly became the symbol of the peninsula with an annual hotdog competition on 4 July.

Grand Central Station

javier — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:52:47 +0200

87 E 42nd Street
New York

Grand Central Station is the largest and busiest train station in the world and it was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1976. On the main facade of the building you will see a statue of Mercury, Hercules and Minerva which are all symbols of Greek mythology and some of the most impressive features of this 20th century building are its gold marble arches and the blue dome ceiling.

New York Guide | Historical Buildings in New York

Parc del Laberint d'Horta

sonia.chaves — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:38:21 +0200

Carrer Germans Desvalls and Passeig dels Castanyers
Barcelona

Designed at the end of the 18th century using the neoclassical style of that period is the Parc del Laberint d'Horta which is the oldest garden in Barcelona and is situated in the north of the city. There are various levels to the garden and it is lined with flowerbeds, trees and there is also a canal. The most impressive part of the garden is the lower lever where you can find a maze made from around 750 metres of trimmed cypresses.

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There are also a number of ’must-sees' in the 22 acre garden, such as the small sculptures and fountains. In the past, Carlos IV, Fernando VII and Alfonso XIII used the garden for royal receptions and it has also been the venue for theatrical performances and the setting for films such as El Perfume.

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Parc Güell

sonia.chaves — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:41:39 +0200

Carrer d'Olot
Barcelona

Located in the Gràcia district is Parc Güell which was designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and was built between 1900 and 1914. It was initially planned as a housing development for the rich, however, the project was a commercial failure and so abandoned and the park fell into the hands of the government. It was converted into a municipal garden which today is home to one of the longest benches in the world, as well as one of the main icons of Barcelona, Gaudí's multicoloured mosaic dragon which welcomes visitors at the entrance of the park.

Park Güell is another modernist emblem of the city. It is surrounded by a wall and there are two small houses located at the entrance which were the former houses of the caretakers of the park. A staircase divided by the famous dragon leads to a chamber with 86 stone columns. These columns support the Plaça Gran del parque situated above the chamber. This area is without doubt the focal point of the park as it offers spectacular views of the city, as well as being home to the famous bench that snakes the whole way round the outside of the gallery.

Some of the most important features in the park are the bird's nests which form part of the terrace walls, not to mention Gaudí's house which is made of multicoloured mosaics. Entrance to the park is free.

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