Giethoorn is a small village in the east of Netherlands near the city Steenwijk. It is the most popular tourist site in Netherlands especially for Chinese tourists due to its fairytale and idyllic landscape with numerous bridges and canals. Giethoorn has a reputation of “Dutch Venice” as well. The village has only two thousands habitants but it receive over 1 million tourists each year. It’s really a great achievement for such a small place.
Giethoorn is located inside the National Park De Weerribben-Wieden. For tourists the easiest way to get there is to take bus No.70 or walk from the train station of Steenwijk. When I arrived, it was a rainy day in September 2020 and it was a bit cold outdoor. Although Steenwijk is just a stopover, I still had half-forgotten memory of its street view, especially its high cathedral tower and the neat brick-paved roads. It was a cloudy morning with patchy drizzle. I dragged my feet along the wet sidewalks. Only very few cyclists passed by and the whole town was so quiet that I could hear my foot steps clear.
On my way to Giethoorn, I accidently passed by one delicately decorated villa. It has flamboyant features of Art Nouveau like the colorful stained glass windows, curve formed doorway and its unsymmetrical design. This building was built in 1899 as a residence house of wealthy Tromp Meester family and now it becomes a museum for visiting. There is a beautiful English style garden in front of the villa and behind the villa it is a 10-hectare park. This area is spacious, really a suitable place for relaxing and breathing fresh air.
In the south of Steenwijk, there is a large piece of wetland full of vegetation like reeds, and quaking bogs. This land is the national park of Weerribben Wieden and its area is 100 square kilometers. It is a perfect place of feeling the breathtaking nature of Netherlands. It owns a typical Dutch landscape like wide lakes, stretching waterways, and sheep browsing on grass.
When I stepped on the National park, I was on this way in the photo straight towards Giethoorn. This famous village was just 3km ahead of me. The weather today was not very good but it did not affect my mood too much. Most people don’t like walk in their trips because they could not tolerate the unexpected bad weather or the exhaustion because of strenuous marches. However for me I think travel on foot is the only way to be close to your destination with zero distance and it’s the easiest and most direct way to discover the unknown beautiful world that only existed in other’s photo albums before.
Along the way towards Giethoorn, I found many private houses. The local people in this area all lived in this kind of triangle roof house. There is no fences or wall protecting the houses so I guess that social security in Netherlands should be very good. This kind of rural life is really admirable. The house is surrounded by trees and meadows. Everyday the people living here could see greenery and colorful flourishing flowers just outside the windows.
This is another private house hiding amid the forest. This area belongs to the village of Giethoorn but it is not at the crowded tourist site. Only when you walk to the village, you could find it on the way surprisingly. It is an ideal residential place with wonderful nature environment. The house perches exactly at one cape surrounded by waterways with reeds. At the beginning of autumn, the silent surface of water is padded with freely dispersed small lily pads. A slow breeze causes gentle ripples across the still surface. It forms a perfect rural landscape of Netherlands in my heart.
I walked around 1 hour in the light rain until I arrived at the entrance of the village. All the bus or cars can only stop here because the village is only accessible by foot or boat. The canal connect the small waterways in the village. There is one lift bridge over the canal. When boat passes by, the bridge will lift up automatically. This is the first time to see traffic light in the canal. It’s quite interesting!
The village consists of canals and small islands which are inter-connected by 176 bridges to the mainland. This is the service area of the village with more modern houses. Tourists could rent a boat to travel the village. There are some tourist shops and restaurants here. Because there are so many Chinese tourists every year, I can even find a Chinese beef noodle restaurant here. All the way towards the end, there is a small bridge which will lead the tourists towards east or west of the village.
I was standing on this old bridge which could be regarded as the entrance of the village center. From here the tourists could view the best picturesque landscape of Giethoorn. Behind me it was the most representative house here that appear on travel magazines for many times.
The center of the village is just a small area where the local residents live now. The tourists assemble in this area usually and take around 2 to 4 hours to visit every part of it. Its iconic landscape is the thatched roof farmhouses which are built in the 18th and 19th centuries. The houses are used as barn historically and surrounded by green well-kept lawns with beautiful flowering hydrangeas.
Although Giethoorn is called the Venice of Netherlands, it is obviously different with Venice. The waterway and canal here is not large as the Grand canal of Venice. Small boats cruising through the canal could only occupy two or four people. The verdant rural landscape with traditional thatched huts is different with the cultural renaissance palace in Venice as well. Giethoorn is a water village where people could embrace the nature fully. It is in fact more like a small piece of exquisite emerald which is not fully carved and polished.
Tourists could also visit Giethoorn on foot along the canal. On one side of the canal, it’s the path for bicycle and pedestrian. The footpath is very narrow and only allows one person to pass by. On the other side of the canal, they are the private houses of local people. Each house has one small bridge connecting to other side. Tourists could take a beautiful picture on the bridge but not disturb the life of the residents. In this village it’s easy to find some mini docks near the resident houses. Small private boats are just left there unattended under the autumn rain. What a leisurely and pleasant life!
On the small bridges it was easy to observe the panoramic view of the village. Historically, this village could only be accessed by water. The canal was the main gateway to connect it with the world outside. Obviously it was quite narrow as it’s the main transportation route. If there are many tourists, it will be too crowded on the water. I was fortunate enough to visit it at a suitable time. At this moment, only a few boats traversed to and fro under the bridges.
Most of the time I was travelling along the axis of the village which name is called Binnepad. The village has a long and narrow shape and is separated by three tiny settlements: Noordeinde, Middenbuurt and Zuideinde. The Dorpsgracht is the central canal that connects these separate settlements. Punter is a kind of traditional flat bottom boat similar to Gondola that is used for transportation over the canals. Some visitors prefer to rent such a boat to drift around the village under the wooden bridge one by one. And some visitors troll around on foot like me.
Although the village is very small, it still has one museum to record the local history. There are some renovated farmhouses which are the Giethoorn ‘t Olde Maat Uus museum. inside the museum, Visitor can discover how the local people lived more than 100 years ago and how they cut peat and built small boats at that time. There is also a fishing house and a boat house in the yard. It allows you to know how they live difficultly in the history and how they strived for the admirable life nowadays.
村子虽小仍有一座博物馆记录着当地的历史。一些经过翻新的农舍是 Giethoorn ‘t Olde Maat Uus 博物馆。在博物馆内，游客可以了解100多年前当地人的奋斗历程，以及当时他们是如何开采泥炭和建造小船的。院子里还有渔屋和船屋让游客了解历史上的艰难困苦以及如何争取出如今令人羡慕的生活。
The village was built on peatland historically. It was cut into many pieces by the workers and the small islands are formed in this way. The bultrugboerderij is a common type of old farm houses with chimney in Giethoorn. The canals are built to transport peat and the farmers lived in these neatly arranged houses since 16th century. It was really a serene place and what you could hear was only the quacking of a ducks and whispers of wind.
Giethoorn is not large but it’s recommended to visit it in a slow pace so that you can observe every its detail with your eyes. At noon, I enjoyed to take some time sitting at waterside under willows. Slight raindrops soaked my sleeves and a gust of not-so-cold wind stirred the willow twigs and blew my face at the same time. I kept my eyes on the every plants and animal. Lovely wild ducks filed in a row at the river bank and looked for food. It was really a natural environment to combine human beings and nature perfectly. You will easily be assimilated into it.
The major color style of this fairytale village must be green as there are so many luxuriantly green vegetation all around the village. However it’s not so monotonous since the greenery is always interspersed with some colorful flowers. Giethoorn is famous for hydrangeas or Hortensia. This kind of gorgeous purple and pink flowers bloom in the summer until the end of September. The life here is as beautiful like summer flowers.
Occasionally I found this is the flag of the village. As the its name Giethoorn states, it has a goat horn on the flag. Giethoorn’s name originates from the first inhabitants’ discovery of hundreds of goat horns (gietehorens) in the marshland in the 10th century.
I continued to walk forward until I arrived at this area, it was the end of the village. Of course, you could continue to move but the landscape is not as beautiful as the center area of the village. Here is a campsite where visitors could rent camping pods for two people or a wooden log cabin for family. Although the village is extremely small, it still provides enough facilities to spend a nice holiday.
I took around 3 hours to finish the visit of the whole village of flowers and trees. Every corner of this village was worth of taking photo. In the early autumn, the flourishing flowers brought special charm to the village. A blow of cool wind flew through flowers with dewdrops and several petals dropped down and floated on the flat surface of flowing water. It was undoubtfully a romantic place but it was only pity that the weather is not so good. All the photos taken appear to be too somber. So before you come it is necessary to check the weather forecast. I believe that rowing in Giethoorn on a sunny day will provide an unforgettable experience to travelers definitely.
Den Haag is a city on the west coast of Netherlands bordering the North Sea. It’s well known for the International Court of Justice of the United Nations. The city’s name originates from the name ‘des Graven hage’ in the 15th century which means “The Count’s Wood”. When you travel in Netherlands, you could take one day to look at it. The city is not large and its public transportation is very convenient. Most people know that Amsterdam is the capital of Netherlands but they may not know that Den Haag is the royal capital and the seat of government.
I took the RandstadRail tram from Rotterdam to Den Haag central station in the sunny morning of September 7th 2020. It’s an historical city perfectly combined with modernity and history. The train station is in the city center, just a stone’s throw away from the area of government office. This area has an old history. Faraway at this side of road I could see some pedestrians walking slowly across the ancient arches. Occasionally, at the street corner, some trolley cars passed by me with a soft silvery tinkling. Here I could really feel a tinge of the old past.
When I travelled in European city, I always paid attention to every statue erected in public square. The figures that could not speak represented the history of the city or the country perfectly. The bronze equestrian statue of King William II at the square Buitenhof is a replica of the equestrian statue of King William II by the French sculptors Antonin Mercié and Victor Peter, which was erected in Place Guillaume II in Luxembourg in 1884. During the reign of King William II, the Netherlands became a parliamentary democracy with the new constitution of 1848. Behind the statue, it is the lake called Hofvijver. The houses around the square were the lovely traditional Belgium triangle houses.
The most representative and inviting view of this city is the lake Hofvijver. In the middle of the lake, there is a small island with plants and trees. These ancient buildings with numerous small chimneys at the waterside are the government complex of Dutch republic since 1584. The city of Den Haag has a history of more than 700 years. Opposite to the lake, there is a piece of green land with long benches. Travelers could take a short rest under umbrage and look at the historical buildings in the surrounding. They kept the original appearance in medieval times.
Another historic building in the lakeside is the art museum, Maurituis. The museum houses the Royal Cabinet of Paintings which consists of 854 objects, mostly Dutch Golden Age paintings. It was the residence of count John Maurice, the governor of Dutch Brazil, and the Prince of Nassau-Siegen in the 17th century.
The most famous oil painting of this museum is the ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’. It was created by the Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer in 1665. It depicts a European girl wearing an exotic dress, an oriental turban, and a very large pearl as an earring. This painting is as famous as the ‘Mona Lisa’ since both young girls in each painting have an enigmatic smile on their beautiful faces. Vermeer has a wonderful mastery of light effect and he used chiaroscuro rather than line to create form. The reflection on her lips and on the earring show the effect of light on different surfaces. This painting is no doubt the centerpiece of the museum. Even faraway from the museum, the banner of this painting could be seen clearly.
Alongside the Mauritshuis, there is an ancient path of bricks leading towards the quiet inner courtyard of Binnenhof. The Binnenhof is a series of government complex. It houses the meeting place of both houses of the States General of the Netherlands and the Ministry of General Affairs. The houses look like the medieval gothic castles. They were built in 13th century and were the oldest Parliament buildings in the world. Even nowadays they are still in use and the North Wing is still the meeting place of the Upper House. The coat arm of Dutch Republic and the House of Nassau is a blue checkered shield with a lion grasping a sword in one hand and a bundle of arrows in the other. This kind of lion could be observed frequently in the Dutch royal building, for example on the lintel of the arch.
This area has been the center of Dutch politics for many centuries. The cathedral like building in the inner court yard is called Ridderzaal or Hall of Knights. It was completed in 1280 and used for festival occasions in the history. Only in the 20th century, the Hall of Knights was repaired and became the main venue used for the congress and important meetings. The interior is decorated delicately with nineteen wall hangings bearing the arms of the twelve Dutch provinces and the overseas parts of the Kingdom. The Dutch parliamentary democracy consists of three parts: execution, legislation, and jurisdiction. For legislation, the Dutch parliament is made up of two chambers: the 150-seat, directly-elected lower house (House of Representatives) and the 75-seat upper house (Senate). Both houses traditionally meet in the hall of Ridderzaal on the third Tuesday of September.
At the moment I was standing on the brick paved ground. Behind me, it’s the north wing of the government parliament. It has a beautiful arcade of renaissance style. There is small gate called Stadhouderspoort leading to the outside. It was a beautiful sunny morning in autumn and some Dutch people took bicycles and passed through the gate cozily. In the history, the gate was only available for the chief magistrate (stadholder) and after 1795 it was allowed to be used by everyone.
The political system of the Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy, similar to Great Britain. King acts as the head of state. Noordeinde Palace is one of the three official palaces of the Dutch royal family. It was used as the official workplace of King Willem-Alexander since 2013. The palace originated as a medieval farmhouse, which was converted into a spacious residence in 1533. This neoclassical palace looks modest and simple, hiding among the residential houses and shops. After the restoration in 1984, the Palace became the Dutch Monarch’s workplace and office. When I arrived, the flag at the back of the house was raised. It means that the King was working in the office that day.
In front of the palace it is the bronze statue of William I of Orange. This statue was erected in 1845 and designed by a French sculptor. William the prince of Orange was the founder of the House of Orange-Nassau. He played a critical role in the independence of the Netherlands. He organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule during the Eighty Years’ War and was assassinated for many times due to this reason. Several members of the Orange-Nassau house reigned the Netherlands Republic as governor or stadholder. After 1815, the Netherlands Republic became a monarchy under the House of Orange-Nassau.
The iconic building in Den Haag is the Peace Palace. It houses the International Court of Justice which is the principal judicial body of the United Nations. In 1903, the American steel magnate Andrew Carnegie donated US$1.5 million to build it. Laterally, an eternal peace flame was installed in front of its gates to reminder people the importance of peace. During the 19th century, the idea of peace flourished in the world. The “First Peace Conference” was hold in Den Haag to call for global disarmament, international jurisdiction and arbitration through the establishment of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and International Court of Justice. The Peace palace was built to house these organizations under the environment. Although it is an UN building, you could still book a tour online to visit the inside.
In the city center of Den Haag, I could still find some historical buildings although most of items are so modern. The New church is a Dutch Baroque Protestant church built in 1649 after the Great Church was too small to hold so many devotees. The church has an abundance of wood carvings from the 17th century, an oak roof construction and stained glass windows. Maybe because of Protestant belief, the outlook of this church is not like the traditional church, it has a weird hexagon shape instead.
From 1588 to 1672, it was a great period for Netherlands called The Dutch Golden Age. During this period, Dutch trade, science, and art were among the most acclaimed in Europe. The most important Dutch philosopher at that time must be Spinoza. In his book Ethics, Spinoza discusses his beliefs of three kinds of knowledge, the knowledge of experiences, the knowledge involves reasoning plus emotions, and the knowledge of God. His philosophy system is called Spinozism. If I didn’t come here, I would not know that such a great person was buried in this church. The Greek letters on his grave are ‘Terra hic Benedicti de Spinoza in Ecclesia Nova olim sepulti ossa tegit’ which means ‘The earth here covers the bones of Benedictus de Spinoza once buried in the New Church.’
1588 年到 1672 年间，这是属于荷兰的一个伟大时期，被称为荷兰黄金时代。 在这期间，荷兰的贸易、科学和艺术在欧洲广受赞誉的。当时最重要的荷兰哲学家一定是斯宾诺莎。斯宾诺莎在他的《伦理学》一书中讨论了他对三种知识的信仰，即经验知识、涉及推理和情感的知识以及对上帝的认识。他的哲学体系被称为斯宾诺莎主义。如果我不是恰巧路过这里，也就不会知晓这位伟大的哲学家就埋葬在这个教堂里。 他坟墓上的希腊字母是“Terra hic Benedicti de Spinoza in Ecclesia Nova olim sepulti ossa tegit”，意思是“这片土地覆盖了曾经埋葬在新教堂的斯宾诺莎的骸骨。”
Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk
The oldest building in Den Haag must be the Great church built in 13th century. Most of its structure are made of brick. It has a symbolic six-sided high tower up to 93 meter. On the top of the tower, the big bells’ history could be traced back to 17th century. Nowadays this church is not used for religious activities, except for royal baptisms and weddings. Members of the House of Orange-Nassau like King Willem-Alexander and his daughter Princess Catharina-Amalia have been baptized there. It was three o’clock in the afternoon at the moment of my arrival. I still remember that I passed by the church and looked up the brown tower against the blue sky in the autumn. Den Haag is not a city famous of tourism but it will still leave something in my memory.
The city hall today used today is a very modern building which is a bit boring however it’s recommended to visit the Old City Hall which is a Renaissance style building near the Great Church. It is the former seat of the city’s government, and still keeps a place where residents hold wedding ceremonies, and where the Royal family register their family births. On the façade, there is letter ANNO 1565 which means the city hall was built in 1565. The 5 statues on the roof top depict “Faith”, “Hope”, “Love”, “Strength”, and “Justice”. They were made by the Hague sculptor Jan Baptist Xavery before 1742.
如今使用的海牙市政厅是一座非常现代的建筑略显沉闷所以特别建议到大教堂附近的这座文艺复兴风格老市政厅参观。这里曾是市政府所在地，至今仍保留着居民举行婚礼和皇室登记出生的功能。它的正面有ANNO 1565字样，意思是市政厅建于1565年。屋顶上的5尊雕像分别代表了“信仰”、“希望”、“爱”、“力量”和“正义”。 它们由海牙雕塑家 Jan Baptist Xavery 在 1742 年之前陆续制作。
The city center of Den Haag is just a small area for travel. In the afternoon, I wandered around the outskirt of the city. Netherlands has perfect city plans. There are so many public parks and open spaces in the suburb. The life here is more comfortable compared to other crowded metropolis in the world. As we know, New York has a large central park but it only serves better the rich people living around it. The urban design in Netherlands is much better since everyone could easily visit the park which is near their houses and relax themselves fully on the weekend.
Clingendael park is one of the most beautiful park located between The Hague and Wassenaar. Since the sixteenth century, various garden and landscape architects have contributed towards its look and atmosphere. In the 19th century the garden architect Zocher replaced the garden’s original French design by the English landscape style. ‘Clingendael’ is the name of the 17th-century manor house in this picture. It means valley in the dunes. Nowadays the manor houses the Clingendael Institute.
This park is extremely spacious. Behind the manor, there is a large playground and field where children play and families enjoy picnics. Large pieces of meadows allow the lambs browsing on grass freely and leisurely. The world in Netherlands is placid and peaceful. I can always discover some wild animals living together with human beings harmoniously.
This is one street view of Den Haag. There are not so many tourist attractions in this city so I have plenty of time to observe how the local people live. Like other cities in Netherlands, bicycle is one important transportation for them. Also, Dutch people are friendly and can speak English very well. In deed, English is widely used in this country. For tourists, they will not feel difficult when they come here. Although there is nothing special in this city, I think it is still recommended to visit it in a relaxing manner and enjoy one common leisure day in the midst of your rushed trip.
Rotterdam is an important harbor connecting to North Sea. Unfortunately, it was completely destroyed in the World War II and rebuilt totally based on a modernist urban plan after the war. For tourists, if you want to explore the landscape of medieval city, it would not be your best choice definitely. It’s true that Rotterdam’s urban landscape is totally different from other cities in the Netherlands. However, in this city you could discover how it revived from the damages of the war tenaciously and how the architects modernists reinvented this city in the past 70 years.
I visited Rotterdam in September 2020 after my trip of windmills in Kinderdijk. This is my first view of the city from the south bank of Nieuwe Maas which is a distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River. Rotterdam has the nicknames ‘Gateway to Europe’ because the river Nieuwe Maas connects the North Sea and the heart of Western Europe （like the highly industrialized area Ruhr) directly. Most of the buildings at the riverside are closed aligned skyscrapers. Rotterdam is famous for the excellent urban design and plan. In 2015, it was crowned the best urbanized city in Europe.
The icon of city landscape is of course the Erasmus bridge stretching over the river. It is named by the city’s famous scholar Desiderius Erasmus and has a nickname ‘the swan’ due to its elegant shape. The bridge was designed by the Dutch architect Ben van Berkel and completed in 1996. It is a masterpiece of the urban modernism. The most awe-inspiring element is the span of the bridge, totally 802 meters.
It is a combined cable-stayed and bascule bridge. I walked from the southside of the river to the northside through the bridge enthusiastically. Under my feet, it is the busy water way for thousands of boats passing everyday. It has two platforms for pedestrians to have a rest and overlook the city. I took this picture under the bridge’s blue pylon which is extremely high, up to 139 meters. This single pylon is positioned on southside of the river with a backward lean and supported by 16 pairs of front stay cables and 2 sets of back stay cables.
In the north of the Erasmus bridge, it is the Maritime District of the city. Here the tourists could experience why Rotterdam was the most important harbor in the world. Dutch Republic used to be a maritime superpower in the 16th and 17th century. The Maritime museum that records the origin of Dutch navigation is also located in this district. This ancient brigantine harbored in the Leuvenhaven which is the commercial port nowadays represents the glorious history of this maritime empire who ruled South America (modern Guiana and Brazil), south Africa, west Africa (modern Ghana), and North America (New York) in the 17th century.
There are numerous boats, cargo ships, and gantry cranes at the pier. You could even get a Water taxi service like taking a bus normally. Overseas trade was always a traditional cornerstone of the Dutch economy. Rotterdam acted as a key role of connecting Netherlands with other parts of the world. From 1962 until 2004, it was the world’s busiest port by annual cargo tonnage. The port stretches over a distance of more than 40 kilometers so when you stood at the pier at the Maritime District and stared at the far west end, you could catch the view of hustle and bustle of those dockworkers under the glow of the setting sun.
In Netherlands, when you are free, you could always take your time to stroll along the river banks. The cities and villages in this countries are intersected by numerous canals and rivers. The Maritime District is also a piece of land divided by some artificial water ways. The new port and old port are connected with each other by the water ways. There are different types of boats wandering on the occupied river, barges, dinghies, and fishing boats assembling on this narrow water way. For Rotterdam, the life on water is so busy as well!
Although most of the old buildings are destroyed during the war, you could still find traces of past in the Oude Haven, i.e. old port. Many historic ships with stained and spotted hulls were narrating the origin of the city silently. The old port is the place where history and modernity fully unite. The building white glazed bricks at the background is the ‘White House’ built between 1897 and 1898 in the Art Nouveau style. At that time, it was the tallest building in the Netherlands. Also it was the only building remaining in the Oude Haven after the bombardment of German air force. In comparison with the surrounding uniform modernity, it is indeed a unique existence.
The old port is a popular place for locals to meet and have a fun night life. There are so many bars and restaurants here with which the tourists will feel difficult to choose. I was sitting at the terrace of one of the restaurants at the waterside and enjoyed the panoramic view of the port. The ripples under the sunsets and the reflected shadows were so appealing.
Another building surviving in the second world war is this bridge called Regentesse. When you traverse the waterways in the Maritime District, you will notice this bridge which architecture style is obviously different with the surroundings. This bridge made of Granite, cast iron, and sandstone was built in 1898. At that time, Art Nouveau was booming and the architecture style would approach modernism gradually however it still kept some decorative elements of the past. For example, you could easily find the sculpture of a small dolphin on each pillar of the bridge. In addition, the candlesticks invested with copper and the four bronze lions impressed me as well. When I walked on the bridge and touched the historical balustrade, I felt that It was really a miracle that it could withstand the damage of bombs and live until today.
Rotterdam’s modernism in architecture could be well reflected by some ‘bizarre’ and creative designs in the city center. When you pass by them occasionally, you will utter an ‘omg’ exclamation definitely. The yellow Cube Houses in the photo are one of the city’s most iconic attractions that impress the tourists all around the world. These cubes designed by architect Piet Blom are tilted 54.7 degrees and are optimized to create the available space. The design represents a village within a city, where each house represents a tree, and all the houses together, a forest. They are still the private houses. If you are really curious of its interior, you may explore the Show Cube Museum.
Another striking building to be mentioned must be the Markthal or market hall. Look at its ostentatious appearance! It has a shiny steel façade covered with glass that makes it look like a huge mirror. The shape is designed like a tennis racket. You could hardly imagine that this huge building which size is 40 m high, 70 m wide and 120 m long is just a indoor market. It is similar to the San Miguel Market in Madrid but it is really too large with more than 100 stalls selling from fresh bread to delicious cheese, fish, vegetable and poultry and even flowers and plants. Tourists could taste the local foods here and experience the exciting local life.
The vaulted interior is covered by a large mural painting, consisting of many small glass mosaics. Its theme is cornucopia which represents a symbol of plenty consisting of a goat’s horn overflowing with flowers, fruit, and corn in the Greek mythology. This modern art work is designed by artists Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam. It shows colorful images of so many foods and fruits alongside flowers and insects. The enlarged images are composed by Pixar software and printed onto perforated aluminum panels.
市场的拱形内部覆盖着一幅巨型壁画，它由许多玻璃小马赛克组成。它的主题就是希腊神话中代表着丰盛象征的开满了鲜花、水果和玉米的山羊的角。这件现代艺术作品由艺术家 Arno Coenen 和 Iris Roskam 设计。它展示了许多色彩缤纷的食物和水果以及鲜花和昆虫的图像。这些放大的图像由 Pixar 软件合成并打印在穿孔铝板上。
Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk
Although Rotterdam is a modernized city, there are still a few historic buildings in the city center. The Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk is a Protestant church built between 1449 and 1525. It is the only remnant of the medieval city of Rotterdam. It’s close to the market hall, its high tower is easy to be identified. This church is a special symbol of Rotterdam’s history. In the Middle Ages, citizenship of Rotterdam could be purchased by contributing 3000 stones to the construction of the church tower. It also represents the resilience of Rotterdam’s people who rebuilt this city from the rubbles of the second World War.
Behind the church it is a small square full of dense greenery. Dutch urban plan is really fantastic. Although it’s a populated country with limited land space, I could always find some lawns and trees in every corner of the city. It was a warm afternoon. Many people walked leisurely around this area.
In this square I found this bronze statue dedicated to Desiderius Erasmus, the Dutch philosopher who is considered one of the greatest scholars of the northern Renaissance. He lived in the time of European religious Reformation in 16th century and promoted syncretism, involving the merging or assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion. His most notable work is ‘In Praise of Folly’ which attack on superstitions and on the Western Church satirically. This statue was designed by the Dutch sculptor Hendrick de Keyser in 17th century.
In the city center, another old building surviving the second world war is the city hall of Rotterdam. It was built between 1914 and 1940 as per Queen Wilhelmina’s request. It has a symmetrical design like a French palace and is designed in a Renaissance style that is not the typical style of Dutch city halls. The most impressive part of the building is the 70-meter high tower including a clock, a bell, and an angel of peace at the top. Tourists could enter the court yard through the arch entrance and look at the surroundings.
Close to the city center, I passed by a small piece of park with ornate gardens by the water. Het park is designed in 1852 by Dutch architect Zocher who was inspired by the English country style. There are small small pavilions and BBQ spots here. It’s a perfect place for family having a outdoor party. The park is at the corner of the observation tower Euromast.
Euromast is a modernism tower with height of 184.6 meters. It used to be the highest building of the Netherlands. Tourists could take lifts to the top of the tower and enjoy the panoramic view of Rotterdam. All the landscapes of row-upon-row skyscrapers, slender Erasmus bridge, scenic Het park, gushing Mass river are within my eyes. Indeed, from aerial view of city’s skyline, all the buildings no matter near or faraway are so modern!
I have spent one day in Rotterdam. Before I left the city, I remembered one more charming layout of this city is the canal lined with lawns on each side. The Westersingel is located near the Central Station and it’s a short canal decorated with old trees and vegetations. I could enjoy the view of modernism sculptures along this pretty canal and walk all the way towards the train station. During the second half of the nineteenth century, the city became overpopulated and the environment was unhealthy to live in. The Westersingel canal was dug as part of a water project in order to improve the quality of the surface water in the city. This was an effective way of tackling deadly diseases such as cholera.
At the end of the Westersingel canal, it’s the central station of Rotterdam under feet of high-rises and it’s the time to say goodbye to this lovely city. Compared with the black-and-white photos taken 100 years ago, all the things, buildings, and landscapes have experienced a total metamorphosis except the big clock on the front façade and the letters ‘Centraal Station’. Indeed, war had inflicted pains and damages on the old city but also gave a rebirth to the vibrant new city. The modern Rotterdam is like a volant phoenix, reviving from burnt ashes.
Before I visit Europe, in my mind, Netherlands is a distant country at the other end of the continent which is famous of tulip and windmill. I never imagine that one day I will have a chance to visit this wonder land like Alice visiting the world that exists in the imagination. Netherlands also means ‘lower country’ due to to its low elevation. Only about half of its land is above sea level. Canal and wetland spread over the whole country and this forms an unique idyllic landscape that you can not find in other places.
In September 2020, after I finished the trip in Brussels, I took the train towards Netherlands directly. My first stop is Dordrecht. It is a small city near Rotterdam. Actually urbanization in Netherlands has reached a high extent so there is not too much difference between city and rural area. The most common scene in the city of Netherlands is the interleaving of canals flowing through many small bridges.
I got off the train at the station of Dordrecht in this cool morning as it is the nearest place towards my dreamed destination Kinderdijk. This is my first time of visiting Netherlands so I was curious of every thing here. I didn’t stay a long time in Dordrecht but I still tried record what I had seen in my camera. There are not many high rise buildings in this city and most of the mansions and resident house look quite modern and new.
Next in a short while, I took the direct bus from Dordrecht to Kinderdijk and began this fantastic trip. The name Kinderdijk in Dutch stands for “Children dike”. The windmills of Kinderdijk are one of the best-known Dutch tourist sites. Tourists could rent boats to visit this village. It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 since it represents the Dutch outstanding technology of handling water. From far away, their silhouettes against the sun light are really amazing, like the giants waving lance in the novel of Don Quixote.
Kinderdijk is a fascinating village with rural landscape of a total of nineteen 18th-century windmills. These ‘giants’ dancing in the wind are always the icon of Netherlands. These windmills are built to pump excess water into a reservoir from the polder and pump water from the reservoir into river when water level is low. Polder is a piece of low-lying land reclaimed from the sea. Its level will be below the surrounding water level in the long run due to the ground subsidence. As a result, it is a priority for Dutch people to get rid of water from the polder. Even today, this complex system composed of windmills, dykes, reservoirs, pumping stations are still used.
Among the 19 windmills, two of them are built as museum and open for visit. This Nederwaard Museum in the center of this photo was a wooden windmill built in 1738. If you observe closely, you could find the word ‘Anno 1738’ on the white plaque of the mill. You’ll feel like a time-traveler when you enter through the ancient small wooden gate and stare at those remaining black-and-white photos and items used by real miller families. In the creak of the antiquated wheel axis, everything here breathes the atmosphere of ages past.
Kinderdijk is situated in the Alblasserwaard polder at the south side of the river Lek. There is a visiting center at the entrance of the village. I walked along the canal from the entrance towards south. There is no need to buy any tickets if visitors just walk on the footpath at the both banks of the canal. 19 windmills are distributed evenly southwards. The distance between each windmill is quite large so I could just take picture with only one of them. Now I was standing at one small pier. It’s like a platform protruding from the path and is suitable for taking a perfect picture.
On the way, I met a group of local people riding bicycles. Unlike other countries, cycling is a very common mode of transport in the Netherlands. Dutch have built a vast network of cycle paths even in the villages around the country. In Kinderdijk, there are some small bridges connecting both banks. They are convenient for the bicycle riders and me as well to cross the canal.
The wide footpath is paved by bitumen flatly. It is well designed for both cyclists and pedestrians. On the road sides, reeds are planted and grow in exuberance. Here is a world away from the hubbub of city life and everything is so refreshing. The weather in Netherlands is not so good compared to the sunny Mediterranean coast. It has a typically moderate marine climate so in September, it is usually rainy everyday. I was fortune enough to see blue sky over this land on the day of my trip.
Dutch culture is closely interwoven with the water. It is easy to find small rivers or canals or ponds in the country. The local people like to walk at the riverside or shuttle back and forth in the canals on small boat. This kind of landscape is extremely close to the southeast of China at the side of Yangtze river. At the start of Autumn, numerous dead reed leaves fall all over the sandbar, and the shallow cold water flows and hits the bank silently.
Netherlands will give people an impression of a country with green, flat landscapes and grazing cows. Of course when I stepped on this land, I would know that such a porotype impression is 100% true. In the south of Kinderdijk, there is a large area of meadow where hundreds of cows live in. Cows do not like soggy meadows so it’s important to exclude the extra water and keep the meadow dry. The cows in Netherlands has a more free and better life as well. Based on statistic, 71 percent of Dutch dairy cows were allowed to graze in the meadow. They are fed by grass of high quality in this land. Holstein Friesians is one famous breed of dairy cattle that originates in Netherlands.
I definitely believe Kinderdijk is an heaven for animals. Many pieces of lands are reclaimed from the sea and lined out for raising livestock. One horse family was browsing on the meadow silently beside the sluiceway. Their territory is separated by the fences so that no one will disrupt their peaceful life. I like the idyllic landscape here. Every creatures could live well in harmony.
I gave a close-up shot to one of the horses browsing grass. Horse is one of my favorite animals because my Chinese zodiac belongs to horse. I believe that horses will bring luck to me but I did not have chance to observe closely at them before. It’s possible that this horse is the breed of The Dutch Warmblood. It is an athletic breed of competition horse with better stamina and courage.
I took around 2 hours to finish my trip in the country side of Kinderdijk. I seemed to gain endless energy from this magic land. Followingly, I walked around their residence area in Alblasserdam without any rest. The rural areas of Netherlands including their houses and streets really impressed me. These small canals which surfaces are interspersed with water lily pads extend to every corner of the neighborhoods. Small mansions with span-new walls and windows are lined up neatly along both banks.
The urban landscaping in the community is fantastic. There are always many trees, meadows, and water ponds. I love the cozy environment here. Under the umbrage of willows, I could tranquilly observe the ripples on the water, the frolics of swans, and overhear the whispers of the wind.
In the afternoon, I bade farewell to the windmills in Kinderdijk and headed towards my next destination Rotterdam. The public transport system in Netherlands is really convenient. Boat or called water bus is one main mode of transportation is well. In the water bus station Alblasserdam, travelers could take the waterbus No.20 towards Rotterdam Erasmusbrug. In Netherlands, you just need to buy one OV chipcard then you can go anywhere with just one card. It covers all the public transport like metro, bus, ferry, water bus and even train.
Lastly I would like to highlight that Kinderdijk is a really fantastic and worthy place to see the beautiful landscape of windmills but it is not the only one. Zaanse Schans is also one recommended place to see the similar scenery. As for which one is better, I could not make comments easily. It depends on your personal experience when you explore them by yourselves in reality. After that definitely like Alice you will find a new world that only existed in your dream before.
Brussels is the capital of European union and it is the first stop of my graduation trip in Low countries in September 2020. This was my first time of visiting Belgium and I had quite a high expectation of it. I took Flix Bus from Lille and it took around 1.5 hour to arrive at the city center of Brussel. When I was a child, I knew the legend story of the ‘Peeing Boy’. This time on my way, I really could not hold up the excitement in my heart.
Brussel is famous of its architecture art. When I walked around the central boulevards, I took notice of its buildings which were somewhat similar of Paris. The first one is the former Brussels Stock Exchange building built in 1873. It combines the neo-Renaissance and Second Empire architectural styles. The Ionic column and entablature decorated with bas-relief is always my favorite. There is one interesting point: the two monumental lion sculptures on each side of the main entrance’s staircase represent the two stock market trends “bull and bear”.
In each city of Belgium, the unique city square in the city center justifies the aesthetic wealth and highly successful blending of architectural and artistic styles that characterizes the culture and society of Low countries. The square in Brussel called Grand place has been a marketplace since the 12th century. It is an enclosed area and surrounded by guild houses and market halls, which are still mostly built of wood. It is highly recommended to have a drink at the cafeteria in the square and admire the splendid beauty at the same time. The square has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.
It is a cobbled rectangular market square, surrounded by Baroque guildhalls in the west and the city’s Town Hall in the south, and the Brussels City Museum in the north. In this picture, the neo-Gothic building with steep-sloping roof and spires is the King’s House in 1860 which houses the Brussels City Museum. It collects paintings, sculptures, and tapestries from medieval times. It is called the King’s house because the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V was crowned King of Spain in 1516. This building has a neoclassical arched portal and is decorated with the baroque style’s small elliptical oeil-de-boeuf windows. Many green-colored bronze statues are easy to be identified and have a stark contrast with the grey color of the main body.
This square is called the ‘Grand place’ but obviously it is not so large. At this moment, I was standing in the center of the square on the historical stone-paved ground. Usually this place is extremely crowded however during this special period of coronavirus, most tourists are forbidden to coming Europe and I seemed to be the only one existence here. Behind me, a number of guildhalls and a few private houses are reconstructed after the bombardment of 1695. Their stylish golden facades with their rich sculptural decoration including pilasters and balustrades and lavishly designed gables are based on my favorite Italian Baroque with some Flemish influences. I enjoyed the special feeling of standing or sitting in squares and looking around the old buildings like I have done it before in Venice, Paris, Florence etc. Feeling the culture of the city is the meaning of travel.
The tallest building in the square is the town hall which was built between 1401 and 1455. It is very large building and is difficult to take the picture of its whole appearance. I tried to zoom in and record the numerous small statues on the façade clearly in my camera. These statues represent the local nobility and saints. The most spectacular thing is the 96 meters tall tower and is capped by a 2.7 meters statue of Saint Michael slaying a demon. Saint Michael is the patron saint of the city.
When I was in the square, I was so busy in scrutinizing the every details of the buildings of different styles that I felt only two eyes were not enough for me. On the eastern side of the square, it’s one building close to French style, the House of the Dukes of Brabant. It is actually a set of seven guild-houses combined behind the same monumental façade and named after the nineteen busts of dukes of Brabant on the facade’s pilasters. It currently houses a restaurant and the square’s only hotel. Visitors could find the golden seals of the merchant trades that worked here centuries ago so it represents “Recovery of Trade and Industry.”
In the south east corner of the square, there is a block of houses named in French. The house with a golden statue of a rider mounting on a horse is named of L’arbre d’or which means the tree of gold. It is House of the Corporation of Brewers dated from 1698 and is now converted into a brewery museum. Another houses at the right side of the L’arbre d’or is named of Le Cygne which is a romantic name, means swan. However, in the history of 17th century, it was the House of the Corporation of Butchers. It is very famous because Karl Marx wrote the Manifesto of the Communist Party in this house.
The house at the rightest side is the Maison de l’Étoile which means the house of the star. At the archway of this houses towards the square, the monument of Everard t’Serclaes can be found on its wall. It was created in memory of Everard t’Serclaes, a Belgian hero, who led the local people dispelling the Flemish troops out of the city. He breathed his last breath and died in the Maison de l’Étoile. It is said that touching the hand of his statue brings good luck and health so don’t miss it when you visit Brussel.
上图最右边的房子是 Maison de l’Étoile，意思是星辰居。 在这栋房屋通往广场的拱门处，可以在墙上发现 Everard t’Serclaes 的纪念碑。 它是为了纪念英雄 Everard t’Serclaes 带领当地人民将佛兰德军队驱赶出城市。 他生前最后的弥留时刻就是在星辰居。 据说触摸他的雕像的手会带来好运和健康，所以访问布鲁塞尔时一定不要错过它。
The Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert
Brussel is good place of shopping as well. In the city center, there is one shopping arcades which is similar to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. The Galleries Royal is a long gallery of two upper floors designed by Belgian architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer, and established in 1846 as a fashionable place for shopping and chocolate tasting. Belgium is very famous for its chocolate so around this area you can find many stores of the most prestigious Belgian chocolate brands for example Pierre Marcolini.
布鲁塞尔也是一个购物天堂。 在市中心，有一个类似于米兰维多利亚长廊的购物商场。 这个皇家画廊是由比利时建筑师让-皮埃尔·克鲁伊森纳设计的两层长廊，建于 1846 年，是游客购物和品尝巧克力的绝佳场所。 比利时以其巧克力而闻名天下，畅游此地遍寻例如 Pierre Marcolini等众多负有盛名的比利时巧克力品牌。
Here is the end of the gallery. We can find many Italian Renaissance architecture elements here, for example, the utilization of columns, pilasters, and entablatures as an integrated system. It has one arched glass-paned roof which allows sufficient sunlight coming in.
There are so many architecture master pieces in Brussels. However, when we talk about this city, the first impression will be this famous statue called Manneken Pis which means little pissing man. It is a naked little boy urinating into the fountain’s basin. The statue was designed by the sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy and put in place in 1618. The Manneken Pis is located in the corner of one street, just a stone’s throw away from the Grand Place. It originates from the legend in the 14th century. Brussels was under siege by a foreign army who conceived of a plan to place explosive charges at the city walls. A little boy named Julianske happened to discover the plot. He urinated on the burning fuse and thus saved the city. Manneken Pis is dressed in different costumes and changed several times each week. It is an unique feature of this city. Honestly saying, at the first glance, I was a bit disappointed because the statue was too small and always surrounded by tourists…
After several hours’ walk, I decided to find a place to fill my stomach. This restaurant is called Nooedzee, Mer du Nord is a bit different with the usual ones. It has a very large blue name plaque with a symbol of fish on it so people will think that it is fish shop. All the tables are outside the store maybe because of coronavirus. Their menu is written in French on the blackboard by hands. People just order at the counter and tell them your names. Then the food is served based on your names. I tasted the fish soup with cheese, oyster with lemon and fried cod which is suggested by the staff. The food ingredient is extremely fresh but the amount is too small. Anyway this is my first taste in Belgium and it’s always imporatnt to keep a good mood..
几个时辰的奔波后，我决定找个地方大快朵颐一番。 这家名为Nooedzee, Mer du Nord的海鲜餐厅与通常的海鲜餐厅有些不同。它有一个很大的蓝色牌匾，上面有一个巨大的鱼的标志，路人们也许会误判它为鱼店。可能因为新冠疫情它所有的桌子都陈列在餐厅外面。 他们的菜单是用法语手写在黑板上的。 人们只是在柜台订购并告知店员你的名字。 然后根据姓名上菜。 我品尝了工作人员推荐的搭配奶酪的鱼汤、牡蛎和炸鳕鱼。 这里的食材确实非常新鲜，不过分量略少。 不管怎么，这是我在比利时的第一次的品尝, 保持好的心情才是最重要的。
The Place des Martyrs
In every city of Europe, there are many squares with hundred years history. You don’t need to look for them intentionally. When you pass by them occasionally, you will be amazed by their elegances. ThePlace des Martyrs is a historic square which name represents the martyrs of the September days of the Belgian Revolution of 1830. It symbolizes the sacrifice of 466 persons who died in the fights of September 1830 for the independence of Belgium from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. This neoclassical square was designed in 1773. It is paved by cobble stone. Walking around the square, I could discover some monuments memorizing the heroes of Belgium.
Next, I was travelling along one street called Royale Street. There are many historical buildings relating to the creation of Belgium Kingdom and the royal family on this street. The first one is this high rising column that looks like Trajan’s Column in Rome. It commemorates the creation of the Belgian Constitution by the National Congress of 1830. It was erected between 1850 and 1859 according to a design by Joseph Poelaert. At the top of the column is a statue of Belgium’s first king Leopold I and at its base, the pedestal is surrounded by bronze statues personifying the four freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution including freedom of education, association, worship, and press. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier with an eternal flame lies at its foot. Brussel is the capital of Belgium so there will be some landmarks relating to government.
Neoclassical architecture is very popular in Belgium during the period of Austrian occupation in the mid-18th century and existed through periods of French and Dutch occupation, until the birth of Independent Belgium. This royal square is a typic neoclassical architecture and built between 1775 and 1782. The Governor of the Austrian Netherlands, Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine proposed to build it like the Place Stanislas in Nancy so its design follows the Place Stanislas with a statue in the center of the rectangular and symmetrical square surrounded by pavilions in the corner. The statue represents Godfrey of Bouillon the leader of the First Crusade waving the standard.
During the period of constructing the Royal square, Brussels Park is another part of the urban project as well. It is formerly known as the Royal Park because it lies on the site of the gardens of the former Palace of Coudenberg. This entrance is directly opposite to the Royal Palace of Brussels. It has a monumental fountain.
The royal palace of Brussels is just in the south of royal square. This area is the location of old Coudenberg Palace, a very old palatial that dated back to the Middle Ages but was ruined in a fire. The new palace is built on its original site. It is the official palace of the King and Queen of the Belgians and houses the services of the Grand Marshal of the Court, the King’s Head of Cabinet, the Head of the King’s Military Household and the Intendant of the King’s Civil List. The Palace is also the location of receptions of foreign Heads of State during official visits. However the king and his family don’t live here. Their residence is in the Royal Palace of Laeken in northern Brussels.
This building has an impressive façade. Its main color is gray with classical decoration and its style especially the flat roof really looks like a French building. The entrance of the palace is free and it’s worth of visiting it that records the history of Belgium. I enjoyed the cozy environment in this area. There are many open spaces. I could walk around freely and take the pictures in the preferred angle.
In this old royal district, there are many museums. The most representative one is the Royal Museums of Fine Arts. It collects over 20,000 drawings, sculptures, and paintings, which date from the early 15th century to the present. The museum was founded in 1801 by Napoleon Bonaparte. On its façade, 4 sculptures of figures atop the four main piers represent 4 forms of arts: Music, Architecture, Sculpture, and Painting. The three rondels represent the greatest Belgian artist at that time: Rubens, Van Ruysbroek, and Jean de Bologne.
The museum is famous of collection of Early Netherlandish painting. This is one of the Netherlandish master piece drawn by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The theme of this painting derives from one famous Greek mythology. In the story, Icarus flies with wings made by his father Daedalus who uses feathers secured with beeswax. However he ignores his father’s warnings and flies too close to the sun, melting the wax, and falls into the sea and drowns. In this picture, his legs can be seen in the water just below the ship.
When I continued to walk along the Royal street, I passed by one small garden and took a short break inside it. Opposite the garden, there is one cathedral called the Church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon. It was built in the 15th century with a Brabantine Gothic exterior and two Baroque chapels. Numerous small turrets and pinnacles make it different with other churches. In Europe, there are so many churches so most of time tourists could only pass by and leave a glimpse on them.
The urban design in the low countries is superb. Even in this limited space in the city center, there is one small garden with benches for people to rest. This small garden called Square of Petit Sablon was built in 1890. It is surrounded by a wrought-iron balustrade, decorated with 48 bronze statuettes which represent the ancient crafts once practiced in Brussels. There are ten statues decorating the rear of the park, illustrating the country’s celebrated scholars and humanists the 16th century. The statues of the Counts of Egmont and Hornes in the fountain symbolize the fight against Spanish tyranny in the 16th century. The pedestal is decorated with the coats of arms of their families. The travel in Brussel is interesting. I just walked slowly and stopped when I found the new attractive elements.
At the end of the Royal street, there is a huge building standing on the high land of 20 meters’ height. It was the Palace of Justice, built between 1866 and 1883. It was the largest building constructed in the world in the 19th century. It’s a court building including the Belgium’s supreme court of law. This magnificent building suffered heavy damage during World War II even today most part of it is under renovation. Its dome and façade is covered in scaffolding.
Even from far way, I could still distinguish this immense grey building with a large golden dome. Its style is a mixture of different styles. The interior of the building is decorated lavishly. It has a monumental marble staircase with Roman columns. The statues at the two flanks are Demosthenes, the famous orator of ancient Athens and Lycurgus, lawgiver of Sparta who established the military-oriented reformation of Spartan society.
Brussel is a large city with so many travel attractions that I had to take two days to visit them. My first day trip focuses on historical buildings in the city center. My second day trip includes some parks, gardens and private houses in the suburb. It was a sunny morning. Firstly, I visited this botanical garden. It’s an Italian garden with an orangery of a French geometry and a rotunda of French baroque style with dome and columns. The middle terrace in an Italian style, has a star-shaped rose garden and an Iris garden. I like this kind of green landscape interspersed in the crowded city.
In the east of city, there is a district of middle-class residential area. There are some gardens around this area. Marie Louise square is one of the elegant gardens with ducks swimming in the pretty tree-lined pond surrounded by greenery. A jet of fountain water comes out of a small island in the center of the pond. The garden is named by the French queen Marie-Louise, the wife of Napoleon.
There are numerous eclectic style mansions around the park. In front of the houses, there is a large surface of lawn decorated with bronze statues. I believe that the residents in these house must have a pleasant life every day when they open the window and face the greeneries and beautiful view outside.
Then I passed by a series of common resident houses of Art Nouveau style. Nouveau means new in French so it means new art or modern art. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and flowers. This house only has three floors. Each block is separated by a rail fence. Although the court yard is very small, there is still a small area left for planting roses. Green moss leaves marks on the upper step and the rose vine looks like a green curtain in the yard. The small balconies are designed in different forms and their walls are painted in different colors. This kind of house is more interesting compared with the monotonous high-rise condominiums in Asian countries.
Continuing towards the east of the city, at noon I arrived at another landmark of Brussels, the Cinquantenaire Park which means the Fiftieth Anniversary. It is comprised of a set of gardens dotted with monuments and museums and dominated by a U-shaped triumphal arch with three arches. At this moment, I was standing at the large esplanade in front the arch, a very good place of taking pictures.
The most notable building in the park is of course this arcade. At its top, there’s a bronze quadriga entitled of Brabant Raising the National Flag and several sculptures representing the major cities and province of Belgium like Antwerp, Liege, Namur… This monument was built in 1880 for the 50th anniversary of the independence of Belgium. The pedestal in both directions bears the inscription: “This monument was erected in 1905 for the glorification of the independence of Belgium”. (One direction is in French and another direction is in Dutch.)
In the suburb of Brussels, there are some Art Nouveau style private houses which are listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. They illustrate the outstanding local architecture arts to the utmost. The Stoclet Palace is a private mansion in the east of Cinquantenaire Park, very far away from the city enter. It was designed by the Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann for the Belgian financier Adolphe Stoclet between 1905 and 1911. It is built in the Vienna Secession style. I have never seen this kind of style before. The artistes of this style resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists in protest against its support for more traditional artistic styles. It is a kind of transition from Art Nouveau toward modernism. This house has a tower of stacked cubic forms with minimum ornament on the façade. Of course from my view I could not get its aesthetical value but it is listed as UNESCO heritage site in 2009 due to its influence on modernism in architecture. This house is still a private house owned by the Stoclet family and not open for visit.
Before I visited Belgium, the only private residence that I visited was the house designed by Gaudi. This time, I was standing in front if the house of Victor Horta’s former house and workshop. Horta was an excellent Belgian architect and designer, and one of the precursors of the Art Nouveau movement. Four of his designed houses in Brussels are listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Among the 4 houses, this museum is the most important with display of furniture, utensils and art objects designed by Horta. He has a great reputation of brilliant joining of the curved lines of decoration which can be expressed in his design of the balcony.
This is the living room of Horta’s house built in 1898. Horta is good at using steel frames , large windows, and skylights above stairways to bring light into the structures. His style is totally different with Gaudi. He prefers the single plain color theme in his design. The design like wooden floor, wooden door frame, and metallic doorknob is a bit closer to the modern interior decoration.
This is his bedroom. The wall and carpet is in dark blue which has a contrast with the yellow furniture. Horta is a great designer who designed large projects like Brussels central station. However all the furniture in his house like chairs and wardrobes are designed by him as well. Generally his room is arranged in relatively simple way. He like the big glass window that looks like a modern floor-to-ceiling window as well. Due to his great ideas of open floor plan, sunlight could come into the house easily and create a cozy environment.
Brussels is large city and it has a perfect urban development plan with a good transportation system as well. For tourists it is easy to travel all the sites that I mention above in two days. Belgian city is not so famous compared with France and Italy. But there are different elements like parks, museums, palaces, squares and private houses for you to explore the history of Belgium. The trip could also widen your visions especially if you have not any ideas of the Art Nouveau. So don’t miss it as your next travel destination after the coronavirus ends.
In the morning of September 10th, 2020, I was on my way back to France from Amsterdam. My planned trip was from Amsterdam to Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, then Lille. In September, the weather in Low countries is usually rainy. I was really favored by the God that when I arrived at Antwerp, it was a sunny day with little breeze. I could bask in the warm morning sunlight freely when I just stepped out of the gate of station.
Antwerp station was one of the most beautiful train stations in the world. I was stunned by its elegant designs when I got off the train. The architecture style of the station is eclecticism. It knits together the materials of the past (stone and marble) and the present(metal and glass). It was constructed in 1895. Its façade combines the neo-classical architectural elements characterized by the simple geometric forms and the Doric columns and the neo-renaissance architectural elements characterized by order and symmetry.
The luxury design of the entrance hall of the station was really amazing. The staircase is decorated with marble balustrade like a Baroque palace. The big clock installed on the semi-circular glass panel is decorated with the gilded coat of arms of the city. There are many columns and arcades that makes me feel like that I was inside a renaissance building in Florence. The vast dome above the waiting room hall was designed by Louis Delacenserie and the vast (185 meters long and 44 meters high) iron and glass trainshed was designed by Clement van Bogaert. The principal designer Louis Delacenserie drew the inspiration from Lucerne Station in Switzerland. If I have a chance to visit Lucerne in the future, I will compare the difference and similarity of both stations firstly.
车站的入口大厅的豪华设计令人闻之瞠目。楼梯上装饰着大理石栏杆，宛如一座巴洛克式的宫殿。安装在半圆形玻璃面板上的大钟装饰着镀金的安特卫普城市徽章。众多柱子和拱廊仿佛将我置身于佛罗伦萨的一座文艺复兴时期的建筑中。 候车室大厅上方的巨大圆顶由 比利时建筑师Louis Delacenserie 设计，巨大的（185 米长和 44 米高）钢铁玻璃候车棚由 Clement van Bogaert 设计。 车站首席设计师 Louis Delacenserie 从瑞士的卢塞恩车站汲取灵感设计了本站。 愚以为若以后有机会去卢塞恩旅游，首先就会比较两个站的不同和相似处。
The most spectacular architecture of the hall is the 75-metre-high dome decorated with different types of marbles. The huge dome of the hall remind me of the Pantheon in Rome. At this moment, I felt like I was standing under the cupola of a cathedral.
Outside the train station, there is a district of China town. As a Chinese, I was excited to see this Chinese style golden Pagodepoort (which means pagoda gate or paifang) in the land out of China. The Chinese character on the gate means the Chinese market in Antwerp. Another traditional Chinese element is the pairs of stone lions at the gateway. Antwerp Chinatown’s archway was the second Chinatown archway in Europe.
Antwerp is famous of Flemish arts. The most well-known local painters are David Teniers and Peter Paul Rubens. Their statues in the city square of Antwerp are worshipped by visitors all around the world. Near the train station, the first statue that was seen immediately was the statue of David Teniers. He was a Flemish Baroque painter, born in Antwerp in 1610. He is an innovators of painting and remembered as the leading Flemish genre painter of his day. From this statue, I was walking towards a notable pedestrian street called Meir with many shops and historical sites and started my trip in Antwerp.
安特卫普以佛拉芒艺术而闻名世界。 当地最著名的画家是大卫·特尼尔斯和彼得·保罗·鲁本斯。 他们的雕像自然在安特卫普的城市广场上接收各地游客的膜拜。 火车站附近，第一眼映入眼帘就是大卫·特尼尔斯的雕像。 他是一位佛拉芒巴洛克风格画家，1610 年出生于安特卫普。他是巴洛克绘画的创新者，被世人铭记为引领潮派的佛拉芒流派画家。 从这座雕像出发，我走向一条名为 Meir 的有众多商店和历史遗迹的著名步行街，开启了我的安市之旅。
Paleis op de Meir
The historical city center is just in the west of the train station so it was convenient to visit all the monuments within few hours. The first famous building on this street is called palace in Meir. It is a beautiful rococo palace with three wings around a small courtyard. This building traced back to 18th century is used for reception of important rulers such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Willem I of the Netherlands and it is also used as the Belgian Royal House. Nowadays after so many years, it becomes a museum but when I arrived the museum was closed temporarily.
历史悠久的老城区就坐落于火车站的西边，几个小时以内就可方便地参观所有的古迹。 这条街上第一座著名的建筑叫做梅厄宫(Paleis op de Meir)。 这是一座美丽的洛可可式宫殿，三翼环绕着一个小庭院。 这座建于 18 世纪的建筑曾用于接待拿破仑·波拿巴、荷兰威廉一世等重要统治者，它也被用作比利时王室驻地。 如今时过境迁，它已经摇身一变成为了博物馆，遗憾的是，在我造访之日博物馆暂时关闭了。
Rubenshuis
Another well-known building in the Meir street is this ordinary-looking residential house. When we talked about the painting of Belgium, the painters that we can first remember must be Rubens and Van Dyck. Peter Paul Rubens is definitely the forever pride of this city. His house Rubenshuis not fat away from the royal palace is well preserved. Rubens purchased the house in 1610 and renovated it on the basis of designs by himself. After the renovations, the house had the outlook of an Italian palace, which reflected the unique artistic ideals of Rubens.
Rubens is regarded as the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition. His Baroque style painting emphasized on movement, color, and sensuality. He ran a big art workshop in Antwerp so he had very close relationship with this city. Most of his works are history painting which are conserved in the reception room of his house. This photo shows his self portrait. From these artworks, you could get the insights into his talent heart even after 400 years.
Through the entrance of the house, there is a Roman arch of triumph leading to a garden. This is the place where the artist, who acted as the official diplomatic role at the court of the Spanish Netherlands, grew his plants. Rubens designed everything of the house by himself based on Italian Renaissance palace architecture so we can find many elements of renaissance here. As an admirer of Renaissance building, I appreciated his design of Italian style which gave me a similar resonance.
Rubens created most of his works in this studio in the picture. There are many bas-reliefs and pillars on the façade of the studio. It looks like the palace in the street of Garibaldi in Genova. Outside the studio, it is the garden designed by Rubens based on his painting “Strolling in the Garden” . It’s an oasis of quiet in the bustling city. Rubens planted sunflowers, orange and fig trees in his garden. He could sit down at the window side and watch the shadows of garden in his spare time. After visiting this place, I think Rubens really had an admirable life. He could live in his own world leisurely and enjoyed the life in his own way. If you are interested in Flemish art or his life, Rubens house will definitely be a wonderful place to visit.
Rubens is so famous that his bronze statue is placed on the Groenplaats place since 1843. There are numerous bars, cafes and fast food restaurants around this historical square. It is recommended to have a cup of coffee here and stare at the high rising cathedral in the back of the square.
It is weird that Rubens’ figure is depicted as one Roman cavalry instead of a painter. He hold a sword around his waist and wore his iconic wide-brimmed hat and kept a gesture of fighting. There are several Latin words CIVI OLIM SUO – S.P. Q.A. – SUMPTIB. PUBL. ET PRIV. – P. – MDCCCXXXX on the base of the statue. It reminds me of the statues of Roman Emperors.
尤为奇怪的是，鲁本斯的形象被描绘成一位罗马骑士而不是画家。 他戴着标志性的宽檐帽，腰间手握一把剑，保持着战斗姿势。几个拉丁字母 CIVI OLIM SUO – S.P. Q.A. MDCCCXXXX 刻在雕像的底座上，不由得让我想起了罗马皇帝的塑像。
The Cathedral of Our Lady
In the photo above, it is the most famous church in Antwerp called The Cathedral of Our Lady. The church has a very tall bell tower, up to 123 meters. In Belgium, one of the special view points to be noticed by the travelers is the bell tower (belfry) in the city center. The belfry of this cathedral is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites however when I arrived, it was under restoration and forbidden to visitors.
It took totally 169 years to complete this church, from 1352 to 1521. It is really a miracle to build the highest building in the low countries at that time. It shows the ultimate gothic architecture art in the mean time. Also this church contains the superb Baroque art. Visitors could wander in this artistic mecca and focus on the magnificent large altar paintings by Rubens. On this photo, the painting in the choir above the main altar is called ‘The Assumption of the Virgin’. Rubens has a wonderful master of the colors in this painting.
Don’t forget that this church has an awesome dome. In the palace or church in Europe, the paintings on their ceilings always impress me. In the tower of this church, there is a huge circular painting on the ceiling as well. This beautiful painting’s diameter of 5.8 meters is created by Cornelis Schut. Its name is also ‘The Assumption of the Virgin’. Antwerp Cathedral is dedicated to the mother of Christ – the Virgin Mary so many artworks in the church is related with her. This painting depicts the story of Mary ascending into heaven.
Another stylish church in Antwerp is the St. Charles Borromeo Church. This church has a very beautiful façade of Baroque style. Rubens contributed a lot to the decoration and design of the church. It was built between 1615 and 1621 by the Jesuits. There are many small sculpture of Jesus and the saints in the niches on the façade. The emblem of the Jesuits ‘IHS’ etched on a crucifix was at a conspicuous position above the entrance. ‘IHS’ is called a ‘Christogram’ and is an ancient way of writing the word ‘Jesus Christ’. This emblem hold by angels was designed Rubens.
Rubens has designed the altar surrounded by black marble as well. There is a pulley system to hang religious paintings on the altar. The Antwerp Jesuits used this system to change paintings periodically. Nowadays the paintings will be changed on important days like Easter Monday and the Feast of the Assumption.
Behind the St. Charles Borromeo Church, there is a building with Dutch letters ‘stadsbibliotheek’. Many European languages are similar so I could roughly guess out the function of this building is city library. It is named after the Flemish writer Hendrik Conscience and the statue in this photo is him. Visitors could walk in freely and find out Antwerp’s history. Here there are more than 1 million collections of books about Dutch literature and the cultural history of Flanders.
The city center of Antwerp is steeped in history. In Belgium, another special viewpoint to be noticed by visitors is the triangle roof house in the grand squares. These old houses are the guild houses in medieval times. They are used by guilds for meetings historically. The Low Countries used to have guildhalls in every city, like Brussel, Antwerp, and Ghent.
If you want to look for the remnant of the sealed history, please move to the guild houses of Sint-Joris and de Valk that can be found in the Grote Market. It is a big square situated in the heart of the city quarter near the Scheldt river. It means Great Market Square. Historically many English merchants would come here and do business with merchants from the Hanseatic cities in north Germany. From the end of the fifteenth century, Antwerp overtook Bruges as the most prominent city of the Low Countries. This square is the most representative place of Antwerp. The city hall of Antwerp is located in this square.
In the center of square, there is a bronze statue of a man throwing a huge severed hand. The statue was designed by the Belgian sculptor Jef Lambeaux and inaugurated in 1887. This statue is tribute to the great soldier Silvius Brabo. According to legend, there was a giant who built a fortress along the Scheldt River. The giant forced passing boats to pay a toll, If the travelers refused, the giant would cut off one of their hands and tossed it into the river. When Brabo arrived, he dueled with the giant bravely and chopped off the giant’s hand, which he threw into the river just like the giant once did. The name of the city ‘Antwerpen’ in Flemish also means ‘hand throwing’.
When tourists continue walking towards west, there is a castle standing at the riverside of Scheldt. It was built between 1200 and 1225, which was Antwerp’s oldest building. At that period, Antwerp belongs to county of Flanders, which was subordinate to the king of France. The name Het Steen in Dutch stands for ‘The Rock’. In history, Het Steen became the museum of archeology and maritime history as well. At the entrance, there is a bas-relief of Semini, above the archway. Semini is the Scandinavian God of youth and fertility. In medieval time, people have realized the importance of fertility. More population means stronger strength for one country.
The museum of archeology and maritime history was moved to this building in the recent years. The Museum aan de Stroom was open in 2011. It was obvious a modern building which looked totally different compared to the old buildings in the city center. This postmodern Art Deco building was made of Indian red sandstone and curved glass panel. It collects mostly the maritime documents of international trade and shipping, art and culture work of the port of Antwerp.
近年来，考古和海洋历史博物馆搬到了途中这座建筑。 Museum aan de Stroom 博物馆于 2011 年开放。很明显，与市中心的古老建筑相比，这是一座完全迥异的现代风格的建筑。 这座后现代装饰艺术风格的建筑由印度红砂岩和弧形玻璃面板制成。 它主要收集了安特卫普港的国际贸易和航运、艺术和文化的海事文件。
When I arrived at the port of Antwerp, I was far away from the historical city center and there is nothing more special to mention. Antwerp is linked to the North Sea through the River Scheldt so it is one of the most important port in the world, second largest port in Europe. It is a quite influential city and is famous of diamond industry as well. For tourists who are interested in diamond, they can visit the diamond district in Antwerp.
However for me I just enjoyed a pleasant half day in the city area which was good enough. If people asked me about this city, I would tell them excitedly that in one summer morning, I have visited the house where Rubens had lived and walked through the alleys with many towers and the medieval court yards. Of course, no matter what happens, travel in a good mood is always the most important because the golden year does not come again and it is difficult to return to the morning of yesterday.
Time has passed fast. This is my first blog in the new year of 2022.Now due to the spreading of covid-19, I have to stay in Singapore but I always miss my trips in the last two years. During my graduation trip in 2020, I have visited many fairy-tale cities in Europe. Ghent is one attractive, ancient and splendid city in north Belgium which is a tale of the Flemish Region. It owns numerous medieval buildings that are now still well preserved and restored. The belfry and town hall, were listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1999. Its name derives from Ganda, the Celtic word which means ‘confluence’.
I took the train from Antwerp and got off at the station Gent-Dampoort which was the nearest station to the city area. Illuminated by the warm sunlight of September, the River Leie reflected the silhouette of the colorful houses arranged orderly along the river side. This is my first glimpse of this ancient city. I will say I would love it at the first sight. In the first half of the 20th century, this section of riverside was known as a favorite place for numerous painters.
It is a pleasure to walk along the Scheldt and Leie Canals that surround the city center. The handrails on the river bank are decorated with beautiful flowers. The high rising ancient steeple-roofed castles just stand in the other side of water silently. This castle named Geeraard de Duivelsteen was built in the 13th century and was named after the knight Geeraard Vilain. It served as defense of the city’s port for hundreds years.
This castle has a grim and intimidating appearance. Through the centuries in the medieval time, it has been used as an arsenal, a monastery, and a bishop’s seminary. In 1623, it became a madhouse for the mentally ill people. This anecdote creates a quaint and eccentric atmosphere to this building with name of devil (Duivelsteen in Dutch means devil).
During my trip in Europe, I was always interested in the statues of celebrity because they usually represent one brilliant piece of story of the city. At the end of the canal, there was a bronze statue of Lieven Bauwens. He was a Belgian entrepreneur and industrial spy who brought a spinning mule and skilled workers to Belgium during the booming industrial revolution. He was largely respected by the Flanders because he started textile plants in Ghent in 1800 and promoted the textile industry in the area.
Most medieval buildings concentrate in the city center. Among them, the tallest is this Saint Bavo Cathedral. The construction of the Gothic church began around 1274. It has two high spires with height up to 89 meters. We can find the two interesting posters on the wall of entrance, stating: Lam gods is here. Van Eyck is here. The cathedral is noted for the famous religious art piece Ghent Altarpiece created by Hubert and Jan van Eyck. It is also called The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.
In Flanders area, Dutch is the most language used. The Ghent Altarpiece is called Het Lam Gods in Dutch. The famous Flemish painters and brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck completed this masterpiece in 1432. It consists of twelve interior panels which measures 5.2m x 3.75 m. It depicts the scenes of the God flanked by the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. The central panel of the lower shows a religious ceremony of an adoration of the Lamb. Lamb of god is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. In that part, John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. So it is why the art piece is called Lamb Gods.
在佛兰德地区，荷兰语是使用最多的语言。 根特祭坛画在荷兰语中被称为 Het Lam Gods（就是海报里的Lam Gods）。 著名的佛兰德画家休伯特和扬·范·艾克兄弟于1432 年完成了这幅杰作。它由 12 个内部面板组成，尺寸为 5.2 米 x 3.75 米。 它描绘了上帝，和两侧的圣母玛利亚和施洗约翰。 下部的中央面板显示了崇拜羔羊的宗教仪式。 神的羔羊是约翰福音书中的对耶稣的称呼。 在那个章节，施洗约翰看到耶稣并感叹道：“看，神的羔羊，除去了世人的罪孽。这就是为什么这件艺术品被称为神的羔羊。
The Belfry
There are three medieval towers overlooking the old city center. Another extremely tall building is the belfry of Ghent. It is the symbol of the city, memorizing the city’s independence. In north France and Belgium, there are numerous bell towers with the similar style. They represent the architecture arts of Flanders and Wallonia under the influence of the former County of Flanders. The construction of the tower began in 1313. There is a gilded dragon installed at the top of the building in 1377. At medieval time, the ringing bell was to remind the citizens of Ghent of enemy or a battle won.
Now I was standing in the square of Sint-Baafsplein which was the heart of the city. In Europe, square is always the cultural and historical place for leisure and assembly. From this square, visitors could sit at the terrace of cafeteria and look up at the top of the bell tower. This is very popular place for tourists. There are some small shops selling postcard around the square. The gothic building adjoining the belfry is the Cloth Hall. It used to be the meeting place of the wool and cloth traders. It is really an amazing experience to sit in the square under the warm sun light peacefully and keep my eyes on the flowing fountain and the roaring trams passing by.
Under the belfry’s shade, the tourists could have a drink in front of the Gent theatre. Its façade contains some beautiful sculptures in the niche and some colorful frescos. The theatre NTGent is the home of the Royal Dutch Theatre. It is the ideal place for the classic music lover. In the center of the square, the fountain with the statue of Jan-Frans Willems is just in front of the theatre. As a cofounder of the Flemish Movement, Jan-Frans Willems opposed the government’s language policy in favor of the French-speaking people.
I enjoyed relaxingly walking around the city center with so many old buildings in this cozy afternoon. Without notice, I passed by their city hall where parked many bicycles. It is one historical monument of the city and reflects the brilliant history and evolution of the city starting from the late 15th century until present. It combines many architectural styles like Gothic ornaments and Renaissance design elements. It has a unique rooftop with many triangle windows. The city hall is indeed an impressive building but my attention was drawn by the man blowing bubbles. In the small cities in Europe, I could always see some people playing instruments leisurely or having fun in the street. The rhythm of carefree life style in these cities is totally different compared with the metropolis that I have lived.
Next I followed the track of tram and stepped on this arch stone bridge. I had to say that this city always gave me infinite surprise. Along the river bank, there was an amazing view close to the fairy-tale world that I always imagined in my mind. From the Saint Michael’s Bridge, I could see many stylish houses, the Ghent’s iconic bell tower and the massive Gothic church.
The history of this magnificent church called Saint Michael could be traced to 11st century. The construction of the current Gothic church started from 1440. Due to a series of delays and fund deficiency, the tower could not be finished. Until 1828, a flat roof was built over the unfinished tower. The church includes many paintings by Baroque artists like van Dyck. It was located at the west of the Saint Michael’s Bridge. Many boats passed through the bridge and arrived at the famous Graslei.
The most iconic view of Ghent must be the Graslei which is always displayed on postcard. Graslei is a vibrant quay in the right bank of river Leie. It’s a medieval port which history dated back to fifth century when Ghent was the center of the wheat trade in the County of Flanders. It is a well known landscape of the well preserved medieval houses with stepped gable and cafeteria. Most local people prefer to relax at the riverbank, dangling their legs over the quay comfortably and bask themselves in the pleasant sunlight. It is definitely a romantic experience to sit down here with the lover appreciating every detail of the city, isn’t it?
It is recommended to take a boat trip from the Graslei. Along the Leie River, you must admire the Flemish Renaissance buildings at the banks. Most of them are the guild houses in the medieval times. The canal in Ghent is not so long compared to the Grand canal in Venice so the boat trip usually takes just 40 minutes.
In the north of Graslei, there is a little bridge called Grasbrug. It’s an intersection of waterway here. Visitor could stand on the bridge at dusk and take the pictures of the appealing façade of the buildings along the Graslei. You could totally immerse yourself in this poetic ambiance of the misty scene.
Following the babbling river, next I stopped in front of one castle built at the river side. At its top I could find the yellow dragon flag of the Flanders county. The Gravensteen which means Castle of the Counts was a medieval castle dating from 1180. It was a unique castle with the style of Syrian crusader. It was the residence of the Counts of Flanders until 1353 and subsequently converted to prison and cotton factory. It is now a museum. The castle is fortified by an oval-shaped enceinte with 24 small round watch towers.
The castle overlooks this small square called Sint-Veerleplein. This square was a marketplace but also the site of executions and burnings of the victims of the Inquisition in the medieval time. Now visitors could have a rest in the cafés and taste the pancakes here. The architecture of the surrounding is quite exceptional.
Everyone will no doubt notice this extraordinary building with Neptune sculpture. It is the old fish market, built in 1689. The two reliefs at the gateway depict allegorically the two main rivers in the city, Scheldt (male) and Leie (female). In the city’s history, fishmongers sold their goods here. The old Ghent people seem to be reminiscent of their passes. The poster at the gate is an advertisement in Dutch saying: Toch zomerbar oude vismijn which means still the summer bar, the old fish market.
大家无疑都会注意到这座装饰有海王雕塑的神奇建筑。 这其实是旧鱼市，建于1689年。门口的两幅浮雕寓意着城市中的两条主要河流，Scheldt和Leie。 在根特的历史上，鱼贩在这里出售他们的商品。老根特人似乎很怀旧, 门口赫然可见的是荷兰语的广告：Toch zomerbar oude vimijn，意思是这里是夏日酒吧，曾经的老鱼市。
Kraanlei
Kraanlei is a riverbank at where the fish market is located. It took its name from a wooden crane (kraan). In the 16th century, it was used for unloading barges. At that time, the region of Flanders is one of the most prosperous in Europe. There are frequent commerce in the riverbank. Ghent is also called Mediaeval Manhattan during that period.
At Kranlei, there are two stylish baroque houses ‘The Flute Player’ and ‘the Seven Works of Mercy’. The two fresco decorated houses stand with each other. There is a red relief of flute player at the top of the gable of the house at right. For the house at left, only six paintings are created on the façade. They represent 7 compassionate acts in Catholic belief. It is said that since this was originally an inn, the fourth work (hosting the strangers) was done in the building itself.
Next I arrived at a large square which is not far away from the Kraanlei. Every Friday morning the square is filled with market stalls. It is a local tradition dating back to 1199 so this square is called Vrijdagmarkt which means Friday market in Dutch. In the center of square, it is the statue of Jacob van Artevelde. He was a Flemish statesman and political leader, known as The Wise Man and the Brewer of Ghent during the Hundred Years’ War. He was remembered due to his exploit of revitalizing the trade and industry of Ghent.
In Europe there is a pilgrims’ way leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James in Santiago de Compostella, Spain. There are many churches dedicated to St James in different countries. They become meeting places for local residents and pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostella. This Saint James church in Ghent is one of them which history could be traced back to 11th century. This church contains many Baroque elements and art. It locates near the Vrijdagmarkt.
Except the old buildings, city parks in Ghent worth a visit as well. Most parks are in the south of the city. The King Albert Park was a neo-baroque park built on the former Gent-Zuid train station in 1930. After the death of King Albert I, it was officially called King Albert Park. In the center of square, it is the War memorial.
The last place I visited in Ghent is this Citadelpark which is extremely near the Gent-Sint-Pieters station. At the last moment, I just sat here cozily and waited for the arrival of the train. I enjoyed its relaxing environment, the white swans swimming in the lake and the doves pecking on the green grass. Ghent is not a well-known travel place but it has its unique charm and elegance that deserves to be explored by travelers. Even today I still immerse myself in the memory of this city full of aesthetic feeling. There is no need to look for its beauty specifically. Its pulchritude exists in every corner of the city.
Au sud de France, le rivage méditerranéen des Pyrénées dans la région Occitanie est célébré pour les criques rocheuses, les charmants ports de pêche et la mer calme. La Côte Vermeille est le nom de cette zone prolongeant de la plage du Racou jusqu’à la frontière espagnole Port-Bou. Près de la frontière espagnole se trouve un petite village avec le paysage pittoresque qui s’appelle Collioure.
Le train TER entre Perpignan et Port-Bou dessert la petite station de Collioure. La signalétique de la station est marquée de deux langue Français et Catalan parce que le village est extrêmement proche de Catalogne.
佩皮尼昂和波港之间的 TER 列车在科利乌尔的小车站停靠。因为该村距离加泰罗尼亚地区非常接近，车站的指示牌上便标有法语和加泰罗尼亚语两种语言。
Le style architecture catalan se caractérise par un équilibre entre excentricité et élégance.Les maisons Collioure au bord de la mer sont multicolores. Les murs anciennes des maisons sont en pierre, en adobe, en ciment ou chaux. La hauteur de ces maisons ne dépasse pas quatre étages. Les toits des maisons sont voûtés et en briques de couleurs vives.
Quand je flânais dans les rues pavées d’ardoise, j’appréciais les plantes en pot devants les maisons. La façade multicolore et la porte en bois rustique sont les premiers éléments que je découvrais. C’est une culture français de cultiver quelques plantes devant les maisons. Des fleurs et les plantes grimpants sur les murs contribuent à améliorer le cadre de vie. Les bégonias et abélies à grandes fleurs plantés dans les pots sont les plantations faciles à vivre. Le long des rues de Collioure, les fleurs odorantes m’a dit ‘bonjour!’.
Collioure est un village paisible, baigné par la Méditerranée. J’ai passé une bonne journée paisible au soleil chaud au printemps de 2020 ici. Il y a une digue de protection étendue autour du port pour le protéger de la marée montante. Derrière moi, c’était la symbole du village – l’église Notre-Dame-des-Anges. Au lointain, c’était la chapelle Saint-Vincent. Les deux bâtiments sont au nord du port.
L’église Notre-Dame-des-Anges a été construite entre 1684 et 1691. L’ancien phare de l’époque médiévale est transformé en clocher. La vue de l’église depuis le plage de pécheur était fantastique. J’aime la mer cristalline qui reflète vaguement la silhouette du clocher d’une coupole. Le plage était semé des galets poli par les vagues sous le soleil de la Méditerranée. Je me détendais en regardant silencieusement les changements de marée sur la plage. La vie est aussi comme ça. Shakespeare a écrit qu’il y a une marée dans les affaires des hommes.
Selon la légende locale, Saint Vincent est un saint martyr du IVe siècle. Il est devenu le saint patron de Collioure. On a dit que ses reliques se trouvent à Collioure. La petite chapelle a été construite en 1701 pour abriter les reliques. La chapelle Saint Vincent se situe à l’extrémité du cap de Collioure. Une grande croix de bois portant un Christ martyr se tourne vers la mer. Les touristes peuvent la visiter par le chemin sur la digue.
Le port de Collioure est spécialisé dans la pêche des poissons par exemple sardines, thons, et anchois. Les petites barques rapportent les anchois fraîchement pêchés du mois de mai au mois d’octobre. Les poissons attirent aussi les mouettes tournant à la plage. Au bord du port, j’écoutais le vacarme des mouettes et le souffle de la mer. De l’autre côté, les villas et les forts sur la montagne s’étirent le long de l’ondulation de l’eau vive. Quel charmant paysage!
L’anchois de Collioure mariné est une cuisine locale. L’anchois cuit dans la saumure et vinaigre excite l’appétit et facilite la digestion. Sur le plage de pécheur se trouvent quelque restaurants. Les touristes peuvent goûter l’anchois ici. C’est un bon site de regarder le paysage ensoleillé au printemps face à la mer.
Le château de Collioure est un monument historique important du village. Il est un point stratégique à l’époque Wisigothique. L’ensemble architectural visible a été érigé à partir du XIIIe siècle. Collioure est sous le règne de la monarchie espagnole après l’alliance de Aragon et Castille mais il est occupée de 1475 à 1481 par le roi de France Louis XI. Son propriétaire a changé à plusieurs reprises donc le style de construction n’est pas fixe.
Le château se situe sur une pointe de terre au sud du port qui s’avance dans la mer. Il est une site touristique populaire en été. Les grands remparts et douves sont bien conservé. Il mérite une randonnée dans le château pour connaitre l’histoire intéressante à l’époque médiévale.
Le château ancien est un témoignage de l’histoire de Collioure. Au fil des siècles, il est utilisé comme une forteresse et subisse des modifications depuis le Royaume de Majorque jusqu’au la dynastie Bourbons. Après la guerre de Trente Ans, la France annexe le territoire de la Côte Vermeille y compris Collioure selon le traité des Pyrénées en 1659.
Les touristes peuvent monter les grands remparts et faire une randonné sur les chemins en pierre. L’architecte militaire français Vauban lui avait apporté des éléments défensifs supplémentaires. Une demi-lune en forme de “V” est utilisé à couvrir la courtine et les bastions. Vauban améliore le système de défense avec une surélévation systématique des remparts et les réaménagements des trois bastions.
Je pouvais faire une vue panoramique de la mer sur le rempart du château. Il y avait une très légère brise de printemps et la mer était calme avec de petites vaguelettes. La mer était limpide et d’une couleur bleue-pâle mais un peu différent de la Côte d’Azur de couleur saphir bleu. On doit s’émerveille de la clarté de l’eau. Les récifs étaient même visible dans l’eau profond.
La baie est bordée d’une promenade des palmiers de style tropique. Des villas et maisons sont construit le long de la montage verdoyant. Le fort Saint-Elme se dresse sur le sommet à 170 mètres d’altitude. Le fort est un fort militaire construit entre 1538 et 1552. Au XVIe siècle, Collioure est le territoire du royaume d’Espagne. La forteresse est modifiée à l’adaptation à l’artillerie sous l’ordre de Charles Quint de Habsbourg. Sur la colline, on voit aussi un moulin au-dessus de la ville. Le moulin de la Cortina est construit en 1337 pour servir à moudre du grain mais il est aujourd’hui abandonné.
Collioure est réellement un petit village mais il est recommandé de passer des vacances ici. Les touristes peuvent imprégner dans l’ambiance catalane et profiter du paysage de la Méditerranée et de l’air vivifiant des montagnes. Quoi de plus agréable qu’un moment de détente face à la vaste mer sous le ciel bleu infini?
En France, il y a deux villes qui s’appellent Tarascon. Un de deux Tarascon est situé au bord de la rivière Rhône dans la région Provence. La ville est une jonction importante entre la ligne de Paris-Lyon-Marseille. Tarascon est située dans le centre de triangle formé par Avignon, Arles et Nîmes. Chaque fois je prenait le train entre Marseille et Montpellier, je était attiré par le paysage de la ville.
J’ai visité la ville avec seulement 12,000 habitants le 29 october 2019 en train TER. C’est la vue typique du Château de Tarascon depuis un pont enjambant la rivière Rhône. Quand les visiteurs prennent le train à travers de la rivière lentement, ils peuvent profiter de cette vue pittoresque de la vallée du Rhône. Sur le côté ouest de la Rhône, c’est la ville Beaucaire et Tarascon est sur le côté est de la Rhône. Au l’automne froid, le mistral violent et froid souffle le visage au long de la Vallée du Rhône.
我在2019 年 10 月 29 日乘坐 TER 火车游览了 这座只有12000居民的小城。这是从横跨罗纳河的桥上遥看塔拉斯孔城堡的经典画面。当游客乘坐火车缓缓过河时，可以欣赏到罗纳河河谷的风姿。罗纳河的西岸是博凯尔镇，塔拉斯孔位于河的东岸。猛烈而寒冷的密斯特拉信风迎面吹过罗纳河谷，却道天凉好个秋。
La Tarasque
La symbole de la ville est une statue de la Tarasque, au pied du château de Tarascon. La Tarasque est un animal du folklore provençal. Elle ressemble à une tortue avec un torse d’un bœuf et un visage d’un homme. Selon la légende de Tarascon, la Tarasque est un dragon amphibie qui vivait sur le rocher où a été construit le château de Tarascon. Elle attaquait habituellement les voyageurs passant le Rhône mais était finalement domptée par la sainte Marthe. Chaque année, fin juin, les habitants revêtissent ses habits médiévaux et traditionnels pour célébrer les fêtes de la Tarasque. La fête à Tarascon ont étée proclamées, par l’UNESCO, comme un patrimoine oral et immatériel de l’humanité.
Le monument historique le plus remarquable est le château de Tarascon construit à partir de 1400. Il était une forteresse et à la même temps un palais résidentiel du roi René. Le château d’hauteur de 45 m est bâti sur un îlot rocheux en bordure du Rhône. Il est accessible par un pont de pierre. Dans l’histoire de France, la forteresse assurait la sécurité de la frontière occidentale de la Provence en raison de l’emplacement stratégique militaire. De nos jours, ses douves ont perdu la fonctionne de protection militaire parce que l’eau dans les douves est été drainé.
此处最引人瞩目的历史古迹当属建于 1400 年的塔拉斯孔城堡。它曾经是一座堡垒，同时也是雷内国王的住宅。这座 45 m 高的城堡建在罗纳河边缘的岩石小岛上。可通过石桥进入。在法国历史上，这座要塞因其战略位置为普罗旺斯西部边境的安全提供了保障。如今护城河中的水已经抽干，也已经失去了其军事防御的功能。
Le château de la style mélangée de gothique et renaissance est constitué d’une muraille de 4 m d’épaisseur avec deux tours rondes. La muraille est surmontée de crénelage. Les fenêtres sur la muraille sont fermée avec une clôture de fer. Je prenais une photo sur le cour d’entrée. Derrière moi, c’était la tour de l’Horloge.
这座融合了哥特式和文艺复兴式风格的城堡由一堵 4 m 厚的城墙和两座圆塔组成。城墙顶部是锯齿状的雉堞。墙上的窗户被铁栅栏封死。我在前院拍了一张照片，身后是城堡的钟楼。
La cour d’honneur
Au centre du château se trouve la cour d’honneur autour de laquelle s’élèvent les bâtiments d’habitation. Ils sont desservis par des jolies escaliers à vis, une typique décoration de renaissance. La tour des chapelles se situe aussi sur la cour. Les fenêtres de la chapelle sont décorées de rosace de fer forgé. La cour pavée d’ardoise couverte de mousse me rappelait à l’époque de Duc d’Anjou au XVe siècle.
Il y a une terrasse grande au sommet de la tour. J’aimais faire un arrêt court sur la terrasse sous les rayons du soleil chaud de l’automne et m’appuyer solitairement sur une balustrade en regardant lointainement. Elle offert un panorama exceptionnel sur la Rhône, la ville de Tarascon, les montagnes au loin de l’horizon. En ce moment, la brise caressait doucement mon visage. La rémanence du soleil à l’après-midi de Provence est si agréable.
La terrasse surplombant la ville me permet de profiter pleinement de la vue panoramique sur la Collégiale royale Sainte-Marthe au sud du château. L’église Sainte-Marthe fut érigée aux XIe et XIIe siècles en l’honneur de Marthe de Béthanie qui est la sainte patronne de la ville de Tarascon. Selon le Nouveau Testament, Marthe de Béthanie est une disciple de Jésus-Christ. Elle dompta la Tarasque avec un vase d’eau bénite.
La façade latérale de l’église était affiché de le portrait de sainte-Marthe. L’église catholique avait un portail méridional magnifiant et un clocher haut. Le portail du XIIe siècle est décoré de frises d’oves et des chapiteaux du portail, avec frise de feuilles d’acanthe. L’église légendaire abritait aussi le tombeau de sainte Marthe.
Il n’y pas beaucoup de spécialités à visiter à Tarascon. J’errais solitairement dans les rues pavées étroites au soleil du matin. J’appréciais les volets au fenêtre et le labyrinthe des maisons de style provençale.
Regardez les maisons anciennes à Tarascon! Les arcades des voûtes basses et les fenêtres multicolores méritent un intérêt particulier. Les murs de brique cassés s’écaillaient sous l’érosion du temps. En flânant dans le quartier vieux, je pouvais apercevoir la vie unique de Provence à travers les interstices entre les portes. Ces marques anciennes racontent le passé glorieux, laissant une trace d’arrière-goût.
Dans chaque ville française, l’hôtel de ville mérite une visite. L’hôtel de ville de Tarascon est un bâtiment symbolique de style de Louis XIII. Je le rencontre dans un coin d’une ruelle étroit. La façade est décorée d’un balcon à encorbellement, d’un buste de Marianne (une figure symbolique de la République française), et d’une niche contenant la statue de Sainte-Marthe et de la Tarasque. Il y a des cloches et un horloge grand au sommet. La construction de l’hôtel date de XVIIe siècle. Il représente l’architecture splendide de Provence.
D’autre bâtiment historique est le théâtre. Le Théâtre de Tarascon est l’un des plus remarquables théâtres à l’italienne de la région Provence. Le théâtre à l’italienne est un style architectural concernant l’organisation des volumes intérieurs des théâtres dont les premiers exemples remontent à la fin du XVIe siècle en Italie. Les caractéristiques qui le distinguent des théâtres précédents incluent la forme de la salle de spectacle, la séparation entre scène et public, et la disparition des gradins, remplacés par les galeries et les loges. Le théâtre ancien fut détruit par un incendie et le bâtiment actuel fut inauguré par la comédie du « Barbier de Séville » de Rossini en 1888.
Il faut plus de 3 heures pour visiter le centre de la ville, qui est un témoignage de l’histoire de Tarascon. Avant de partir, je jetais un œil dernière sur la porte avec une statue dorée de sainte Marthe. Elle représente la tradition et la culture de la ville. Je crois que la culture est le stimulant pour des voyages. Voir les paysages et la vue unique du monde. C’est la signification de voyage!
La Provence est une région extraordinaire de sud de France. Plusieurs poètes ont exalté sans relâche sa beauté incroyable, sa lumière claire, l’atmosphère silencieuse… Elle possède aussi une campagne étonnante avec une vue pittoresque. Quand vous flâniez à travers des ruelles romantiques, vous pouviez goûter la douceur de la vie.
Dans ce pays du soleil en l’été, le champ parfumé de lavande pourpre est sans doute connu par tout le monde. Le champ continu avec une vue époustouflante s’étend à l’infini sur la terre de Valensole. Chaque année la floraison se produit seulement entre fin juin et début juillet donc il faut y visiter avant la récolte.
Les champs denses se colorent de pourpre et l’odeur unique de la lavande se répand partout. La lavande est une espèce de sous-arbrisseaux de la famille des Lamiaceae qui est appréciée pour la qualité olfactive de son huile essentielle. Elle est utilisée dans les parfums, savons et autres produits cosmétiques. L’odeur agréable de la lavande attire toujours plusieurs abeilles bourdonnantes.
Lavande préfère les emplacements ensoleillés et les sols calcaires drainés et secs donc les zones montagneuses et ensoleillées de Méditerranée sont les lieux d’origine. Je me faisais plaisir dans l’océan de fleurs en ce moment. Mes yeux se remplissent des fleurs épanouies. Je m’émerveillais de la paysage magnifique que je n’ai jamais vu dans ma vie. Je pense que la Provence sans champs de lavande est comme un corps sans âme.
Valensole se situe dans le parc naturel régional du Verdon. Le parc naturel riche de végétation s’étend sur 188 000 hectares et comporte les paysages touristiques différents. Le long de la route 957, le paysage le plus commun à mes yeux est la falaise verticale et les plantes verdoyantes qui poussent en falaises abruptes à l’aise.
Les gorges du Verdon et le lac de Sainte-Croix sont deux sites splendides dans le parc naturel. Le gorge est creusé par la rivière Verdon bordé des arbres typiques de Provence comme le buis, le chêne vert, et le Genévrier.
J’aimais le moment d’embrasser la nature. J’avais le loisir de voir des espèces de fleur de Provence comme la violette de jordan et la fraxinelle blanche le long des sentiers de randonnée. Ici je profitais une vue extraordinaire sur le lac de bleu cristallin.
Les Gorges du Verdon s’étirent sur environ 100 km et est le plus grand canyon en Europe. C’est la vue panoramique du lac et de la embouchure du gorge depuis le Pont du Galetas. La rivière Verdon serpente dans le canyon et se verse sur le lac de Sainte-Croix ici. Le gorge long est un lieu parfait de pratique du canoë-kayak.
凡尔登大峡谷绵延约 100 公里，是欧洲最大的峡谷。从这里的加莱塔桥（Pont du Galetas）可以一览圣十字湖和峡口的全景。凡尔登河蜿蜒穿过峡谷，由此处注入圣十字湖。这片悠远绵长的峡谷是划独木舟的好地方。
Le lac de Sainte-Croix
Le lac entouré de plage et forêt est un centre de tourisme estival. Les touristes peuvent louer pédalos, bateaux électriques et canoës pour découvrir la vue imprenable du lac. Mes amies et moi y avions fait un pique-nique après un court séjour sur le plage ensoleillé. Je pouvais toucher la terre caillouteuse, les grains de sable par mes mains et me ressentait la chaleur de la Provence. Les ombres d’arbre abritent les touristes de l’exposition au soleil. C’est sans doute un bon site pour passer un week-end en camping avec les familles.
Deux villages idylliques Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon et Bauduen se trouvent au bord du lac. Ce village typique de Provence – Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon domine le Lac de Sainte-Croix. Les visiteurs peuvent profiter une vue imprenable sur le lac et sa vallée au coté de village. J’apprécie des aménités environnementales des village telles qu’un paysage verdoyant, la montagne escarpée, la lumière et le calme de nature.
Au loin, des vestiges de vieux château et petits villages sont niché dans les montagnes. Le lac de bleu cristallin s’étend si vastement jusqu’au fin de ciel. On regarde le ciel bleu et respire de l’air frais. Il y a des temps où l’on pleure les plaisirs perdus. La vie est si belle!
Bauduen est un village au riche passé historique, adossé à la colline du Défens au sud du Lac de Sainte-Croix. J’admirais la porte médiévale et les maisons de pierre. Il y a seulement 302 habitants dans le village, avant une vie insouciante. A l’après-midi au soleil, je flânais au bord de la rive gauche du lac. Lors du voyage, je me suis ressenti le charme unique du village qui est isolé de l’extérieur.
Je visitais ensuite une région qui s’appelle Luberon. D’autre fameux village perché sur le rocher est Gordes. Il est situé au Parc naturel régional du Luberon sur les monts de Vaucluse. Il est classé l’un des plus beaux villages de France. De la première vue, je m’émerveillais du plan local d’urbanisme de ce village. Les maisons en ‘pierre sèche’ s’étagent le long des crêtes verdoyantes de la montagne. La pierre sèche est une pierre locale fabriquée sans mortier et sans joints apparents. Le château et l’église de Gordes se lèvent dans la cime en haut. Vous pouvez l’imaginer comme un village dans le ciel.
Le village est accessible par la route Cavaillon. En route, il y a une point de vue parfaite sur la vallée. C’est une terrasse offrant un paysage fantastique du coucher de soleil. J’y prenais la photo la plus mémorable de mon voyage à Provence.
Avant le coucher du soleil, je prenais une heure de faire randonnée dans ses vielles rues du village. L’architecture le plus remarquable dans le village est le château de Gordes. Le château d’époque médiévale et Renaissance est construit à partir de XI siècle. Je m’approchais lentement le mur du château et observais à courte portée les détails architecturaux subtils. Le château comporte de nombreux éléments de style Renaissance, par exemple les fenêtres à croisillon et l’escalier à vis.
La façade nord est flanquée de deux tours rondes à mâchicoulis hautes de 20 m. La couronne de mâchicoulis supporte une terrasse pour l’artillerie. La tour de trois étages est ouverte à visite. La forme de tour ressemble la pièce dans le jeu d’échec.
城堡北面两侧是两座高 20 m 的圆塔。塔楼的突堞支撑着布置大炮的炮台。这座三层的塔楼也对游客开放。塔的形状特别神似国际象棋中的车。
L’Abbaye de Sénanque
L’architecture en pierre autour de Gordes est très formidable. A 4km de Gordes, on trouve un monastère cistercien fondé en 1148. L’abbaye de Notre Dame de Sénanque est l’un des sites touristiques les plus connus du Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon. Bien-sur, à mon avis, le paysage inoubliable est son joli champ de lavandin fleuri devant l’abbaye.
L’abbaye ancienne est édifiée en calcaire et les toitures sont couvertes de lauzes. Ce clocher couronné par un toit en pierre de taille est typique de l’architecture romane cistercienne. Une partie de l’abbaye est ouverte pour visite. La vie monastique dans la vallée paisible est calme et sobre.
Quand la cloche de l’abbaye avait sonné à l’heure du crépuscule, cela marquait la fin du voyage inoubliable cette fois. Au retour, j’ai fait un dernier coup d’œil sur le champ de lavandin avec souvenir. A l’été de 2020, la couleur splendide de lavande m’ont laissé une impression indélébile dans mon cœur. A l’avenir, j’espère que ma vie soit belle comme les fleurs d’été de Provence.
Au sud de France, il y a une petite ville Orange qui s’appelle la « Cité des Princes ». Au Moyen Âge, elle est la capitale de la principauté d’Orange depuis 1181 mais annexée par la France dans les traités d’Utrecht en 1713. Pendant cette période, Orange était toujours un état vassal du Saint-Empire romain germanique et avait un lien fort avec la Pays-Bas. Elle est aussi une ville importante de l’Empire romaine qui se situe à un carrefour de passages au nord d’Avignon.
J’ai visité la ville en l’automne de 2019. La Meyne est une rivière que j’ai vu après la sortie de la gare. La rivière traverse la ville d’Orange et se jette dans le Rhône. C’est un matin sombre et les paysages sont obscurs sous les nuages. Malgré le lugubre de l’automne, les fleurs provençales ne perdent jamais les couleurs resplendissant.
En route ver le center ville, je trouve une sculpture sur le Cours Pourtoules. Le monument aux morts sur la place plantée de mûriers blanc et platanes est érigé pour souvenir les morts dans la guerre franco-prussienne en 1870. Il est établi en 1894 et fabriqué en bronze. L’emblème tricolore avec deux lettres RF représente la république francaise.
Le monument le plus important de la ville est le Théâtre antique d’Orange. Le Théâtre antique et l’Arc de Triomphe d’Orange sont inscrits au répertoire des monuments mondiaux de l’UNESCO depuis 1981. Quand je suis promené dans le center historique, je m’apercevais le muraille grande fabriqué en brique. Le mur extérieur du Théâtre antique est long de 104 m et haut de 35 m. « C’est la plus belle muraille de mon royaume », Louis XIV a dit lors d’une visite de la ville.
Orange est une colonie romaine nommée Arausio après la conquête de Gaule. Le théâtre est construit sous le règne d’Auguste au 1er siècle avant J.-C. et il est un des théâtres romains les mieux conservés au monde. Le théâtre est un bâtiment culturel important de l’empire romain. En raison de la restauration et la conservation, l’aspect original du théâtre est montré au monde. Je me suis tenu sur les gradins et faisais une vue panoramique du théâtre. La statue de l’Empereur Auguste est placée dans la niche centre. La cavea pouvait accueillir 9 000 spectateurs répartis selon leur rang social.
Le mur de scène de longueur 35 m était décoré de statues, frises (une bande décorative, souvent horizontale) et colonnes de marbre. Je pouvais voir quelques vestige de colonnes sur le mur ancien. En 2006, un toit de scène a été ajouté afin de protéger le mur et de permettre l’accrochage des éclairages. Malgré l’érosion du temps, les murs cassés et les scènes sont toujours utilisé pour les concerts et spectacles.
剧院35 m 长的舞台后墙上装饰着雕像、檐壁饰带和大理石柱。我仍然可以在古老墙面上发现一些柱子的残余物。 2006年，官方增加了舞台屋顶以保护墙壁并添加了悬挂照明设施。尽管饱受岁月的侵蚀，支离破碎的墙壁和舞台如今仍然用于音乐会和表演。
Depuis un portique semi-circulaire connectant le théâtre, je suis arrivé sur une espace ouverte contenant les vestiges d’un temple et de son autel. Le Théâtre et l’édifice en hémicycle constituaient un augusteum qui est un site du culte impérial de la Rome antique. Maintenant les touristes pouvaient seulement voir le soubassement excavé, les graviers et les débris.
Le temple établi sur un podium mesure 24 mètres de large et 35 mètres de long. Il est dévasté par les guerres et les ruines sont parsemées des mousses vertes. Le temple et le théâtre antique sont adossé à la colline Saint-Eutrope. D’habitude, le théâtre qui s’inspire de Grèce présente la particularité d’être adossé à une colline.
Face au théâtre antique, il y a une petite musée, la Musée d’Art de d’Histoire d’Orange qui abrite une riche collection retraçant l’histoire d’Orange, de l’Antiquité jusqu’au 19e siècle. Le Musée est installé dans l’hôtel de Georges Van Cuyl qui était responsable des munitions du château des princes d’Orange au 17e siècle. L’hôtel a conservé son escalier, ses fenêtres, ses plafonds à la française et une cheminée en gypserie.
在古剧院对面，有一个小型博物馆即奥朗日历史艺术博物馆，馆内收藏了追溯奥兰治从古代到 19 世纪的历史的藏品。博物馆位于 荷兰人Georges Van Cuyl 的公馆内，他曾负责 17 世纪奥朗日王子城堡的弹药供给。这座建筑保留了当时的楼梯、窗户、法式天花板和灰泥壁炉。
Dans le musée je visitais quelques salles. La salle des cadastres est la salle plus grande qui présente les fragments de 3 cadastres romains gravés sur des plaques de marbre. Ces cadastres romains découverts en 1949 sont les mieux conservés au monde. Des sculptures de sphinx et chapiteaux sont affichée dans la salle. Les antiques du Ier siècle proviennent de la décoration du mur de scène du Théâtre. Il est très rapide de finir la visite du musée. L’entrée est gratuit si vous avez acheté le ticket du Théâtre antique. Ici, l’histoire riche de la ville a laissé des traces visibles et souvenirs de son passé.
Orange est également dédiée à l’art. Prés du Théâtre antique, je trouvais un théâtre ‘plus moderne’. C’est le Théâtre Municipal d’Orange, construit en 1882. Son architecte est l’architecte avignonnais André-Jean Boudoy. Sur la façade, trois bustes de Pierre Corneille, Molière, et Félicien David sont individuellement installés dans les niches. Ils symbolisent trois formes de spectacle : le tragédie, l’opéra, la comédie.
A l’époque de l’Empire romain, Arausio est une ville de la province romaine Gaule narbonnaise. Cet arc de triomphe s’est situé au nord de Cardo maximus (axe nord-sud) d’Arausio. Il est l’entrée nord de la ville sur la Via Agrippa, une via importante des réseaux de voies romaines connectant Arles, Avignon, Orange, Lyon. L’arc est érigé entre les années 20 et 25 et mesure 19,57 m de long et 8,40 m de large. Malgré l’érosion du temps, les reliefs de la façade sud sont lisibles en raison de la restauration de l’architecte Auguste Caristie.
La façade du côté est est décorée de trophées (un motif de décoration, formé d’armes groupées en panoplie autour d’une cuirasse et d’un casque) et de panneaux sculptés en haut-relief délimités par des colonnes corinthiennes. Les panneaux montrent des vêtements, casques, enseignes, trompettes de la IIe légion romaine. Les reliefs au pied représentent les captifs enchaînés au combat. L’arc de l’histoire plus de 2000 ans marque les éclatantes victoires du général romain, Germanicus. La gloire de la vie n’est rien d’autre que cela！
Outre les monuments romains, les maisons anciennes de center ville peuvent vous faire connaitre l’histoire d’Orange. En 1163, l’Empereur Frédéric Barberousse élève Orange au rang de Principauté. La ville est ensuite sous la règne de la famille Nassau.
La cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth est une ancienne cathédrale catholique romaine dans le center ville. Il est le siège du diocèse d’Orange durant le haut Moyen Âge jusqu’à la Révolution. La construction de la cathédrale commence à partir de 12 siecles. Le clocher haut est aujourd’hui bien conservé. En 1544, Guillaume 1er de Nassau, la Prince d’Orange devient le fondateur des Pays-Bas. Après il y a des brutales guerres de religion entre les catholiques et les protestantes pour le contrôle de la ville. Quelque parties de la cathédrale sont détruites.
C’est une voie depuis le center ville à la colline Sainte Eutrope. En 1620, Maurice de Nassau a construit une grande forteresse sur la colline mais la forteresse est détruite sur l’ordre de Louis XIV à la fin du 17ème siècle après le rattachement de la Principauté au royaume de France. Les ruines de la forteresse sont de nos jours couvertes par un joli parc où offre un magnifique panorama sur la ville.
Après 1713, la famille de Nassau perde en effet le contrôle d’Orange mais garde toujours le titre honorifique de prince d’Orange. Dans les Armoiries du royaume des Pays-Bas, il y a un texte en français ‘Je maintiendrai’. C’est la devise nationale du royaume des Pays-Bas, aussi la devise de la ville d’Orange.
Guillaume 1er d’Orange-Nassau explique sa devise « Je maintiendrai » comme ci:
« Je maintiendrai la vertu et noblesse. Je maintiendrai de mon nom la hautesse. Je maintiendrai l’honneur, la foi, la loi de Dieu, du Roi, de mes amis et moi. »
La ville Orange et Pays-Bas est actuellement de la même origine. Il est intéressé que l’orange est aussi la couleur nationale de Pays-Bas, portée par l’équipe de football. Néanmoins pour les résidents d’Orange, la gloire de passé avait dissipée dans la rivière de l’histoire. Seulement les murs romains se levaient dans les rues de la ville et racontaient silencieusement cette anecdote intéressante aux touristes.
Gone like the wind 