Construction of the Linderhof Palace began in 1870 under the leadership of Georg Dollmann and was completed in 1878 as a memorial to the absolute monarchy of the French kings. The castle was built in the Rococo style according to the style of Bourbon kings. Linderhof Palace is the only building constructed by Ludwig II. It was also his favorite residence until his tragic death in 1886.

The entrance hall is surrounded by a red marble pilasters, and there is an equestrian statue of Louis XIV. It is a copy of the statue from the Place Vendôme (square in Paris) which was made by Francois Girardon. Visiting a Palace is really a great experience, especially the Hall of Mirrors which is the most richly decorated room in Linderhof Palace.

The palace includes also the park with an area of ​​198 acres. There is even a waterfall and fountain with Neptune, or a classic circular temple with a marble statue of Venus.

Around the Linderhof Palace you can find romantic structures like Venus Grotto, Hunding’s Hut, Gurnemanz Hermitage, Moorish Kiosk or Moroccan House.

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In front of the palace you can see a column of the Immaculate, which was built in 1856 by Pope Pius IX. to commemorate the dogma of the immaculate conception. The column dates back to the ancient times, it was found in excavations in 1777, under a monastery. It is now topped with a statue of Virgin Mary.

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On the south side of the Piazza di Spagna there is the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide, the seat of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

In the middle of the Piazza di Spagna rises Fontana della Barcaccia built in 1629 by Pietro Bernini. From this fountain you can step up Baroque Scalinata della Trinita dei Monti (the Spanish Steps), which were built in the years 1723-1726 at the request of a French diplomat Stephen Gouffiera. The architects were Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi. The elegant staircase consists of 137 steps and has an irregular albeit symmetric structure. It is beautiful especially in May, when it is decorated with azaleas. The steps are usually very crowded; it attracts tourists as well as locals who use it as a gathering place.

Stairs lead to the French church Trinita dei Monti, built from 1495 to 1585 with the support of the French kings. In front of the church you can see the obelisk of 1788 which is the smallest of Rome’s obelisks. It is an ancient copy of Egyptian original, which formerly stood in the Gardens of Sallust.

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The City of Tournai has a rich history, the Celts settled here already in 1st century BC. The first Christian church was built here by the Franks in 431. In the 6th century it was the seat of a bishop, later incorporated into the West-Frankish kingdom. In the 13th century the city belonged to the French kings, and just in the 16th century it became the part of the Netherlands. Only in 1830 the city became a part for Belgium.

Tournai is one of the most important cultural sites in Belgium and it is the 2nd oldest city in Belgium – after Tongeren. The city is designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

What to see in Tournai?
You can start at the heart of city – in Grand Place, which consists of Renaissance and Baroque houses with 72-meter high watch tower – Beffroi – built in the 1200. If you look from the tower across the square, you can see the Romanesque church from the late 12th century Cathédrale St. Quentin. In the middle of the square stands the memorial to Christine de Lalaing d Epinoy – heroine who defended the city during the Spanish siege. Not far from the square there are five huge towers of Cathedral of Notre Dame (Cathedral of the Virgin Mary) that you can see from all parts of the city. Cathédrale Notre Dame is one of the finest Romanesque buildings in Belgium.

Another place of interest is the 13th-century Scheldt bridge (Pont-des-Trous). You can also visit the numerous museums such as museum of tapestries, or ethnographic museum documenting life in the 17th century.

Interesting tourist destinations near Tournai are Brussels or Bokrijk – Museum in the nature

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