The oldest city of Hungary was known as Savaria – the capital of Pannonia. It has been an important city since the very beginning. There were built the imperial residences, public baths and amphitheater. From Roman times you can see the preserved Savaria Mithraeum shrine, which was discovered during the construction of a new shopping center in 2008.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by János Tamás

In one area of ​​excavation (Romkert Templom tér) you can find the remains of the Forum, which belonged to a civilian city. There are also fragments of the largest mosaic of the Lieutenant-Governor’s Palace. Majority of the most important Roman monuments, including remains of Roman road signs, customs, shops and the medieval castle walls, can be seen in the so-called Garden of Ruins.

Once you are in Szombathely you should visit Savaria Museum, which takes care of the fortress foundations, findings from the Mercury Temple and public baths, and almost fifty metres long part of two thousand years old Amber Road. The cellar is full of Roman altars and blue glass vials found during excavations in Savaria. The first floor of the museum provides an overview of local history, including the collection dedicated to the Romanesque church of Jak.

Jak is the nearby small village boasting a Benedictine church, which is one of the finest examples of Hungarian Romanesque architecture.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Cecilia, Lili & Krisztian

In Szombathely there is also a huge cathedral designed in 1791 by Melchior Hefele for Bishop János Szily. This Bishop’s double-towered cathedral was covered with stucco and frescoes by Franz Anton Maulbertsch and supported by large marble pillars. It is the largest Baroque church in Hungary. Its interior is decorated with frescoes, paintings and sculptures, which were, however, in 1945 seriously damaged during a bombing and are still restoring.

Those are just few of lots of sights you can see here. Szombathely is really worth a visit!

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Insights into the history
At first Bonn was the Roman military settlement. In the 13th century it had become a city and from the 16th century it was the home of Archbishops and Prince-electors of Cologne. Between 1949 and 1990 Bonn was the capital of Germany.

Historical monuments and sights
After the year of 1950, the government district grew up in Bonn, which is dominated by the 30 levels building. North of it you can see Schaumburg palace that housed the Chancellery and the Hammerschmidt Villa, which was the seat of the president. The historic center of Bonn and the government district is separated by the Koblenz Gate. Not far from it you can visit a courtyard garden. On its outskirts there is the University Museum of Art with originals and casts of ancient sculptures.

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In Bonn you can find also Poppelsdorf castle, which is used by the university. Near the castle there is a monument to the composer Robert Schumann. Very interesting is also the baroque town hall located in the centre of the city and close to it the memorial dedicated to the composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The oldest building in Bonn is a Romanesque church, built in the 11th to 12th century. The new buildings include the Municipal Theatre, built in 1964 and Beethoven’s multipurpose hall.

Tourist Attractions
City of Bonn offers a variety of sports. There is also an outdoor swimming pool, indoor pool, sports hall, stadium and other facilities. The wine experts should not miss the bars on the banks of the Rhine River that offers great view of the Seven-hills (Siebengebierge) – the area of the local wine Riesling.

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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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Castell’Arquato, Emilia-Romagna, Italy by mat’s eye

The main street in Castell’Arquato is known as Via Dante and anyone visiting the town will have to make their way up the street if they plan on reaching the castle. On your way up, you will pass a number of nice restaurants and shops. After you have climbed halfway up the hill, you will come to the Palazzo del Duca whose fountain was built back in 1292. Near the Palazzo you will find a tower from the 16th century that dominates the skyline.

Once you get to the top and before you can ever make it to the castle, you will come to the Palazzo Pretorio and Piazza Municipio which dates back to the late 1200s. During the months of July and August, the Enoteca Communale offers music and free wine tasting on Thursday nights.

Castell’Arquato, Emilia-Romagna, Italy by Benjamin Claverie

The Rocca Viscontea di Castell’Arquato is the castle in the center of the town. It is a masterpiece to say the least. You can wander through the courtyards and even visit the fortress museum. However, if you want to see the surrounding countryside around Castell’Arquato, you will need to pay a small fee to climb the stairs to the top of the castle’s tower. But before you leave the town, make sure to stop and rest in the park just outside of the castle before making your way back down to the lower parts of Castell’Arquato.

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Pavia is the capital of a fertile eponymous province known for agricultural products including wine, rice, cereals, and dairy products. The town has the peaceful atmosphere and is home to the ancient University of Pavia.

Main Pavia’s sights

• The most famous landmark of Pavia is the Certosa, or Carthusian monastery, founded in 1396 (approx. 8km north of the city)
• Cathedral of Pavia (Duomo di Pavia), the 3rd biggest dome in Italy (after St. Peter’s Basilica and Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence)
• San Michele Maggiore – Lombard-Romanesque church where the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa was crowned in 1155
• The Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro (“St. Peter in Golden Sky”), where Saint Augustine, Boethius and the Lombard king Liutprand are buried
• San Teodoro – the third romanesque basilica in the city
• The large fortified Castello Visconteo – the Castle, home to the City Museums (Musei Civici) with the park, popular attraction for children.
• The church of Santa Maria del Carmine – the second largest church in the city after the cathedral
• The renaissance church of Santa Maria di Canepanova

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Many of the small villages in the Liptov region date back to the 12th and 13th centuries. However, as a result of the construction of the important dam of Liptovská Mara which was needed in order to supply power to the growing demands of Slovakia, much of the region was flooded. In order to preserve as much of the history and culture of the region, many of the original buildings in the area were dismantled piece by piece and relocated to the Museum of Liptov Village.

Museum of Liptov Village from outside by liptovskemuzeum.sk

It was back in 1991 when the Museum of Liptov Village first opened its doors to the public. Anyone who chooses to visit the area will find a number of buildings which date back to the 12th, 13th and even 17th centuries. One of the biggest attractions within the museum is a Romanesque church that was originally built back in the 12th-century and expanded over the next four centuries. There is also an old village school complete with a teacher’s apartment which can be found within the museum complex.

One of the most interesting aspects about the Museum of Liptov Village is that it also offers a training centre in order to teach visitors more about the history of the arts and crafts that were common to the Liptov region. Here, a visitor can learn how to weave, bobbin lace, metal work as well as leather-working. Furthermore, the artesian’s from the Liptov region are also known for their wicker and basket work as well.

Museum of Liptov Village – inside the house by liptovskemuzeum.sk

There are also a number of regular events that occur within the Museum of Liptov Village throughout the whole year. Any visitor to the Museum of Liptov Village will also note that there is a zoo on the premises which is dedicated to the farm and poultry life, which was a crucial part of those living within the Liptov region. For those who like horses, and would like to go riding, there is also a horse breeding farm which is situated within the museum as well.

All in all, the Museum of Liptov Village is one of the most unique museums not just in Slovakia, but also in all Europe. As a result, every year thousands of people make their way to the Museum of Liptov Village from all over Slovakia, Europe as well as the world.

Museum is located in Pribylina village and is open all year round. The basic admission is €3. For more information visit official site of Museum of Liptov Village (in Slovak only).

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