Page 147 - Off the Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 1 of 2)

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ARCHITECTURAL MARVELS

ABOVE Gleaming steel spheres of the Atomium, Brussels, the striking showpiece of the city’s 1958 World’s Fair
LEFT Sinuous design of the Fred and Ginger building, Prague, recalling the movement of a pair of dancers

FRED AND GINGER BUILDING, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC Also called The Dancing ATOMIUM, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM The Atomium in Brussels’ Heysel Park was built for
House, Frank Gehry’s building beside the Vlatva river, finished in 1996, really does the 1958 World’s Fair. Resembling a giant executive toy, it represents an iron crystal
resemble a man and woman dancing together. In the sinuous shapes of the facade molecule, with each of the nine steel spheres symbolizing individual atoms. The spheres,
known as “the glass dress,” Ginger, leaning against her more upright partner, is more each 59 ft (18 m) in diameter, are connected by tubes containing escalators, and the
evident than Fred. The irregularly spaced windows appear to be doing a dance of their topmost one, at a height of 335 ft (102 m), offers visitors a panoramic view over the city
own and, as the sun reflects off the glass, the whole building seems to be moving, which and surrounding area. The structure underwent renovation in 2006, financed in part by
may explain its local nickname: The Drunk House. selling as souvenirs pieces of the metal sheeting that originally covered the spheres.

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL, BERLIN, SHIBAM, YEMEN Anyone stumbling unexpectedly on Shibam, glimmering in the sun,
GERMANY Unveiled in May 2005, 60 years might think they were seeing a mirage. Set in the Valley of Hadhramaut this city of
after the end of World War II, Peter Eisenman’s skyscrapers, known as the Manhattan of the Desert, has stood here for around 2,000
monument comprises 2,711 concrete slabs, years, although most of the buildings date from the 16th century. The narrow streets are
bearing no names or dates. Some are tiny, lined by six-story, mud-built houses embellished with finely engraved wooden doors
some towering, and the effect, seen from and latticed windows. Although it is UNESCO-protected, this is not a museum but a
above, is that of a gently swelling sea. living city, home to around 7,000 people, whose families have lived here for generations.

ENNIS HOUSE, CALIFORNIA, USA Used MADRASAH MIR-I-ARAB, BUKHARA, CASA BATLLÓ, BARCELONA, SPAIN SHUKHOV TOWER, MOSCOW, RUSSIA
as a backdrop for several films, including UZBEKISTAN Built around 1535 in the With its sinuous curves and swirling shapes, Erected in the 1920s, this broadcasting
Blade Runner, Frank Lloyd Wright’s pre-cast historic center of Bukhara, the madrasah Casa Batlló looks like a fairytale castle. tower should have been 1,150 ft (350 m)
concrete house sits in the Santa Monica is named after the Yemeni sheikh who While the balconies and pillars are said to tall, but never made it past 490 ft (150 m)
mountains overlooking Los Angeles. Built financed it, and whose tomb lies under resemble skulls and bones, the overall due to a shortage of steel during the Civil
in 1924, its design is heavily influenced by its northern dome. In the Shaybanid style effect of the facade is far from gloomy. War. Its designer, Vladimir Shukhov, was
ancient Mayan temples, with great halls, (the dynasty descended from Genghis Built in the 19th century, it was remodeled the first engineer to use the lattice-style
monumental columns, and recurring Khan), its facade is dominated by two in 1905–7 by Antoni Gaudí, one of the technique to make the steel shell subject
geometrical decoration. It has recently luminous blue-tiled domes. It remained a fathers of Catalan Art Nouveau, and some to minimum wind load, the main design
been restored after earthquake damage. working Islamic school until 1920. consider it his masterpiece. challenge for high-rise structures.

CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS, BELO CN TOWER, TORONTO, CANADA Built AACHEN CATHEDRAL, GERMANY
HORIZONTE, BRAZIL Oscar Niemeyer’s in 1976 as a communications tower, the Dating from AD 805, Aachen is the oldest
glistening white church, with four CN Tower is a structure of superlatives. At cathedral in Northern Europe, and a
parabolic arches, commands a striking 1,815 ft (555 m) it is the tallest freestanding worthy celebration of Charlemagne’s
position on Pampulha Lake. It was finished structure in the Americas, has the world’s coronation as Roman Emperor – his
in 1943 but consecrated only in 1959, due longest metal staircase, and its second throne is just one of its medieval treasures.
to opposition from the archbishop, who highest public observation deck. It also The capella vitrea (glass chapel), built in
described it as “the devil’s bomb-shelter.” holds the dubious distinction of having the early 15th century to accommodate
A tiled mural on the north façade depicts been struck by lightning more times than vast numbers of pilgrims, is flooded with
scenes from the life of St. Francis of Assisi. any other building in Toronto. light from its colored glass windows.

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