To France – Travel + Lifestyle + Architecture Blog

12 Most Beautiful Churches In Europe

Published on January 27, 2016December 29, 2016 by iamjosemanuel1 Comment

More than a symbol of man’s faith, churches(or any house of worship), are among the most relevant reflection of a civilization’s age, culture and story.

Of all the churches I have visited during my trip to Europe, here are 12 (At no particular order) with the most beautiful facade I’ve seen and an impressive setting that gave an ethereal feel of place. Though these churches may not necessarily be the grandest of grand, the selection is based on distinct exterior details and on how I was awed by standing on its presence.

The Budapest Cathedral (St. Stephen’s Basilica) of Hungary. Although this Roman Catholic Church is relatively new (completed 1905), the church impressively stands at the middle of the a crossing that its tallest towers can splendidly be seen from blocks away. It effortlessly became one of my favourites. The church also has one of the most impressive altars I have seen, to which I shall be featuring on a separate post. Architectural Style : Neo Classical

St. Stephen Cathedral (Stephansdom) of Vienna, Austria Here is another cathedral named after St. Stephen, that is amazing it its own right. The original structure was completed 1160, and underwent a number of restorations due to fire and war. However, the structural and most of its facade and details remain original. The most amazing feature of the church is probably its tiled roof with geometric patterns, that is unlike any other. Architectural Style : Gothic

St. Vitus Cathedral of Prague(The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert). Original structure completed 1344, the church completely embodies the Goth-bohemian character of Prague with its impressive exterior embellishments. The facade still has burn marks on the walls from several fire accidents of the past, to which somewhat gave the church a story to tell. Architectural Style: Gothic

The guys below the rose window were the architects of this church. Lol, It’s quite a nice idea on how to imprint a project.

St. Mary’s Basilica of Krakow, PolandSt Mary’s of Krakow is a unique Brick-Cladded church, originally built in the early 13th century. The very tall church proudly stands like two guardians. Krakow is among the most beautiful towns I have visited; And indeed, its church and square has one of the most beautiful setting. By tradition, a golden trumpet is blown every full hour from the window of the higher tower. This is still practiced until today. Architectural Style: Gothic

Barcelona Cathedral, SpainBarcelona Cathedral(Original Structure constructed 1298 to 1420) is another Gothic church with a beautiful set up, worthy of praises. The Spanish steps elevated the church to a more impressive view and an ethereal feel. Although the Sagrada Familia is the more famous, it is yet to be completed and there are cranes and lifts around its towers. Based on perfect setting, this church is the most beautiful in Barcelona. Architectural Style: Gothic

Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Original structure completed 1345 (plus several recent restorations). Notre Dame is a historic Catholic monument of French royalty. The cathedral is considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, and it is among the largest and most well-known church buildings in the world.The Notre-Dame de Paris was among the first buildings to use the flying buttress, or the additional reversed L shaped support placed on the outer side walls for further stability, and later became part of the design pattern. The box type bell towers at the front also made the church distinct from others. And who doesn’t know Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame? Architectural Style: Gothic

Le Madeleine Church, Paris (completed 1828) is somewhat a skillfully fully made revival of the Greek classical facade of the Parthenon. This church graciously stands right at the middle of a main crossroad in Paris.I must admit that the 90’s movie ‘Madeline’ did have an impact for me to like this church so much. =) Architectural Style: Neo clasical

The Pisa Cathedral, Tuscany, ItalyThe Pisa Cathedral is probably the oldest in the list (construction started 1064). The baluster-like posts at the facade are each made of solid white marble, and most of the original posts were picked by the Romans from the ruins of Greece. Behind this church is the famous leaning tower. Architectural Style: Romanesque.

Romanesque (pre-gothic time)was prevalent especially in the 11th and 12th centuries and characterized by massive walls, round arches, and relatively simple ornamentation and less window openings since structural design are yet to be further developed during that time.

Milan Cathedral, Italy Milan Cathedral, Italy (Construction started 1836). With the capacity of 40,000 pax, Milan Cathedral is the 2nd biggest, next to St. Peter’s in Vatican. And with 3,400 statues, 135 gargoyles and 700 figures in all, Milan Cathedral has the most impressive number of decorative statues. Impressive in every angle, this church easily because one of my favourites. Architectural Style: Gothic

St Mark’s Cathedral, Venice, Italy St Mark’s Cathedral (Construction started 1084). Located in the East Isles of Italy, Venice shared a lot of its history with the Turks, as such, the Byzantine Architecture is very evident on the city’s most celebrated church. The Gold facade embellishments, pointy arches and mosaic art frescos and colored glass chandeliers are among the adopted characters from the Turks, and have clearly made this catholic church a ‘one of a kind’. Architectural Style: Byzantine

The Stripe Church of Monterosso, Cinque Terre in Liguria, ItalyThe Stripe Church of Monterosso (Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista – Church of St John Baptist, Monterosso al Mare, 14th Century). Standing at the Seaside town of Monterosso, Ligurian Region of Italy, the church is really a stand out on this list for its Stripe black and white walls and impressive rose window. Though the relatively unknown of the group, the seaside church (and the whole Cinque terre, infact) is worth a visit. Architectural styles: Renaissance architecture

Florence Cathedral, of TuscanyWith such intricately detailed exterior, Florence Cathedral honestly got my spot for most beautiful facade on this list. The Photo does not give enough justice, as this church is truly ethereal and stunning in actual (nakaka-lula in tagalog). Living up to the principles of Renaissance art, the cathedral itself is an a masterpiece of when Italian art and knowledge was at its most glorious days. Architectural styles: Renaissance architecture

Travelogue 2015

Published on January 1, 2016November 5, 2016 by iamjosemanuelLeave a comment

As a new year tradition(and hopefully I can keep it up), I am sharing these simple travelogue postcards of beautiful cities I’ve visited the past year. All shots were taken by me with my Sony. Feel free to share. =)

A Peek Inside the Louvre (And tips on visiting one of the world’s richest museums)

Published on September 2, 2015September 2, 2015 by iamjosemanuelLeave a comment

“I spent 8 hours in the Louvre, and it wasn’t enough!” That is how I replied when once asked about my visit to the famous museum.

It is no secret that the Louvre is one of the world’s largest museums and a historic central landmark in Paris, France. The Louvre houses vast collection of art and architecture from all corners of the world. What made the Louvre Museum more interesting is on how the galleries are presented with a chronological order; From the Persian and Mesopotamian collection to the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Renaissance, to the contributions of Monet, among other 19th/20th century iconic artists. As the galleries somewhat bring visitors back in time, a full day in the Louvre definitely isn’t enough, especially for the art and architecture junkies.

paris201524 — Mowdelling sa Louvre. Walang kokontra

Here are some tips when planning to visit the Louvre,

Entrance Ticket is at 15 Euro for a full day visit. Assessing how much art the museum houses, 15 Euro (750 pesos) is already worth every penny. There are packaged passes for multiple museums for 45 to 72 Euro, but I opt not to avail such pass since I only intend to visit the Louvre.
The iconic glass pyramid is the museum’s main entrance, and lines at this point of entry almost always go crazy long. As advised by experienced friends, I bought my ticket at Carrousel du Louvre, which is the basement mall connected to the Louvre Museum. The Mall also connects the museum to the Paris Metro Rail. As soon as you exit the metro station and enter the Mall, the ticket booth/souvenir shop is at the left side. Very much lesser line here, as compared to the main entrance.
As blogs mentioned, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the lease busy days. But still, expect to fall in line prior to entering for security check up. I visited the museum on a Thursday morning at the opening hour(10 am); Fell in line for just around 15 minutes.
For visitors with longer time, I recommend to start with the Persian and Greek on the Left Wing, going up the loop. The Galleries are presented via timeline, making it a much easier experience.
For visitors with limited time, refer to the free booklet given at the entrance to go straight to the most iconic galleries, such as the Mona Lisa.
Unlike other museums, visitors may bring bottled water and some light snacks if intended to stay long. They are not strict on that, or at least during my visit.
Visiting hours are listed at www.louvre.fr/en

Anyways, here is how I spent my visit to the famous museum. More photos to follow =)

paris201523 — Also fun to observe and judge other tourists, especially the Chinese and their funny poses. lol

paris201548 — As recommended, I visited the Louvre on a Thursday at the opening hour(10 AM). Timing di busy at that day.

DSC05460-1 — Persian Art Collection – Stone wall frescos dating back 300 BC

DSC05459-1 — A revived stone carved column from a Persian palace of the ancient times

paris201541 — Statue of the Nike (The Winged Victory at Samothrace), estimated to have been created around 200–190 BC., from a 19th century expedition in Greece. Described as “the greatest masterpiece of Hellenistic sculpture.”

DSC05420-1 — Venus de Milo, is an ancient Greek statue created between 130 and 100 BCE, and regarded as one of the finest Classical sculptures in existence

DSC05345-1 — Most of the Roman statues are carved from blocks of marble, thus maintaining its pale white appearance through centuries.

DSC05431-1 — An authentic hieroglyph block from the ancient Egyptian times.

DSC05407-1 — An authentic Egyptian Sphynx, carved from whole block of granite, this is part of Napoleon Bonaparte’s collection

paris201540 — Egyptian Sarcophagus (Coffin)

The lavish hallways of Napoleon Bonaparte's Parisian apartment. — The lavish hallways of Napoleon Bonaparte’s Parisian apartment.

paris201542 — The Crystal Chessboard of Napoleon Bonaparte

paris201543 — The actual living apartment of Napoleon Bonaparte in the Louvre.

paris201544 — A quirky French Renaissance painting. The French are quite playful with their art sometimes

A View of Venice during the ancient times

paris201545 — Me at the Renaissance galleries.

Bonjour Paris: A One Day D.I.Y. Walking Tour

Published on September 1, 2015September 23, 2017 by iamjosemanuel2 Comments

At last, napost na din first blog ko from my recent Europe Trip. Sorry natagalan, busy eh, kailangan mag effort sa work. Daming ganap sa Europe, sobra. Sharing those memories will take me ’til December cguro to blog (considering my pace in uploading, hihi).

This is my first post, and what better way to share my experience than to start with Bonjour Paris! Just a recap, my entry and exit point in Schengen Area was Paris, since it was the cheapest way I found to enter Europe. Will upload another article re the detailed itinerary on Paris with fare and all. But for the meantime, share ko muna ung ginawa kong tour route that we followed kasi excited ako. Pinag hirapan ko to eh. Pag bigyan nah. Hope you all enjoy my photos=)

Here’s our one day ‘do it yourself’ walking tour to most of the spots and architectural landmarks of Paris. We paid no entrance fees for these stops, photo op lang and coffee and food trip along the way. It is free to go inside the churches and the Pompidou Bldg. Unless you go inside the museum or climb um Eiffel then that’s the time you pay.
This was the route me and an accountant friend Mary Annilou Bravo did in Paris. Commending her for the patience to walk 6:30 am to 7pm, and bear with my energy. hihi. After Eiffel, which was the last stop, we took the metro na back to our place, took our bags and head to the airport by public bus around 10pm, haha and we slept there. Imagine the hirap para maka laag lang jud and tipid.

This walking tour takes around 12 hours, including the stops. If this would be too kakapagod for you then the Bus Hop on Hop off is the best choice for around 27 to 30 Euro (1500 pesos).

Our route covers most tourist spots and interesting architectural icons that are located along (or near) Le Siene River, making it easy to navigate. When visiting Paris on a thrift, work up those legs and feel free to follow our walking route =)

We stayed at Young and Happy Youth Hostel, which is very near Place Monge Metro Station. This area, known as the latin quarters of Paris, offers fairly cheaper accommodations, that are still considerably near the city center. An overnight stay was around 1,350 pesos/night for a bed in a shared Attic room; very Princess Sarah Feels, lol. The price comes with a continental breakfast (basic bread, jam, cereals and coffee).

paris20151 — The Parisian Latin Quarters at night.

paris20153 — Inside Young and Happy Hostel with that Hippie Vibe.

paris20150 — The dorm bed at the attic. Not for the maarte and mayabang but the bed was clean.

We started the walking tour at 6:30 AM. Our first stop was the Pantheon (1), which was just around 15 minutes leisurely walk from were we stayed in Place Monge. The Pantheon and its surrounding buildings are great examples of Classic Revival Architecture. It houses the tombs of famous Frenchmen; Victor Hugo to name one.

paris20155 — The Pantheon itself. We were not able to go in the tombs kasi it was around 7 am pa. Wala macyadong tao dito kaya perfect for video2x feels, which I shall upload later =)

paris20154 — A Parisian Summer Morning feels.

After having photo ops at the Parthenon, we walked towards Le Siene River to see the majestic Notre Dame Cathedral(2) . We got there around 8, just as soon as the church opened. Crowds flock in around 9, as a local mentioned. Along the way we also got some coffee and patisserie from Hure Bakery, which was located, just before crossing the bridge to Notre Dame.

paris201515 — Pastries of Hure créateur de plaisir (Bakery) are relatively affordable in Paris. A Framboise (raspberry filling) costs 2 Euro (100 pesos) This is as big as my face. can be shared by two

paris201514 — Eclairs in Paris may be pricey ( around 250 pesos) but there are really huge and topped with fresh fruits. Minsan sayang kainin kasi they are super pretty.

paris201517 — Coffee to go for the Char !

paris20156 — The Majestic Notre Dame Cathedral. Imagine Disney’s Quasimodo ringing the bell para fairy tale ung feels.

Building work began way back 12th century, it was not until some 300 years later construction finally came to an end. Several renovations have been done in the recent centuries due do damages of fire and war, but the original structure has been maintained. Notre Dame until these days is considered one of the most iconic churches in Europe. Getting in the church is free of charge. Unless you go up the tower then that’s the time to pay.

Architectural styles: French Gothic architecture

paris20158 — Details of Notre Dame Facade.

paris201512 — The cathedral’s Vaulted Ceiling.

paris20159 — Cathedral’s Gothic interiors. Imagine walking on this grounds that once held so much France’s history.

Crossing the Notre dame by bridge to the northern banks will bring you straight to Hotel de Ville (3), housing the city’s local administration. This is also an iconic architectural landmark for the French. When Vietnam was under the french rule, they built an administrative building in Saigon, patterned and also naming it ” Hotel de Ville “.

Architectural styles: French Renaissance architecture, Renaissance Revival architecture

A short walk from Hotel the Ville stands Pompidou Building(4). Built during the late 60’s, this center is an iconic landmark especially for architects as this is among the most recognised post modernist structure that paved way for the acceptance of such form. Getting in the building is free, (and there is a sports center at the basement). Entrance fee is asked for the museum floors.

Architectural styles: Postmodern architecture, High-tech architecture

Rue de Temple ( which is the street next to Pompidou) is also a destination for Parisian Nightlife for the Yuppie crowds.

After the side trip to Pompidou, we walked back to the riverbanks since our next stops are located there. Prior to getting to the Louvre Museum, we stopped at Pont Neuf (5), a bridge that also has the iconic lovelocks of Paris. The Original lovelocks at Pont du Arts have been towed away already when we got there. Even so, French people are trying to revive the culture na today at Pont Neuf.

paris201521 — at an area near Pont Neuf. Its impossible to miss this as long as you walk near the riverside. This is also super near to the Notre Dame

paris201522 — Palakihan daw ng locks para walang iwanan. Bet?

Next stop is the iconic Louvre Museum (6). Photo Op lang kami nito sa labas, which was around 11 AM na; And you can also go in the main lobby located at the Carrousel du Louvre, which is an underground shopping mall in Paris. I went inside the Museum on another day, kasi it will take you hours to enjoy the galleries, which houses one of the biggest collection of history and art in the world. Will upload another article re Louvre. Entrance is around 12 Euro (15 Euro kung sa agencies). Nasa 600/750 pesos lang. Sobrang mura na to for a museum to house vast riches from all corners of the world.

Yung kasama ko had lunch at the Carrousel du Louvre, madami naman fastfood dun. When in such touristic place in Paris, expect to spend 10 Euro (500 Pesos) at least for lunch.

Moving onward, we just had a leisurely walk along the riverside, and we got to see a lot of spots like the Jardine de Tuileries, the Place de Concorde. Though not along the riverbank area, I recommend visitors to check La Fayette Shopping Center (7). You can either have lunch here or coffee. And the shopping center has a nice roof deck with a good view of Paris. Just opposite the shopping center is the Paris Opera House.

paris201549 — Inside the shopping center. Amazing isn’t it ?

As soon as you had your rest na sa mall, walk back towards the riverbank. On your way, you will pass by Le Madeleine Church . Famous to for the kids of the 90’s kasi ung movie na Madeline.

Walking back to the riverside, you will also pass by Laduree Pastry Shop, famous for their prettiest Macarons. mga isang piraso, 2″ ang laki, nasa 150 pesos. Laban?

After the Madeleine Church, nasa riverbanks ka na ulit nyan, you may opt to walk towards the Eiffel along the Le Seine River (9), which is about 1 hour and 30 minutes on a slow pace. or pwede rin naman mag train ka na or mag bus. There are tourist kiosks in Paris, should you need assistance. As for me, I’ll definitely walk the afternoon up, because it is when i get to see and really experience the Parisian streets, and those cute details everywhere. I also get to see a lot of cafe interiors to get inspiration from.

DSC00564_Fotor — The view of Le Seine on the way to Eiffel.

paris201531 — Some green building that i personally liked.

DSC00567_Fotor — Toilets are no worries in Paris. These on the street are free. Although sometimes these cubes get busy, you have to wait 30 minutes more. Bet?

paris201525 — May issue si kuya. This is a common detail you see along buildings.

Paris is and Art City, with buildings that are generally renaissance/classical revival. Tourists will never run out of details to see. Finally around 5 pm we reached the Eiffel (10) Park. Thou in all honesty, it is difficult to find a good angle for a shot as the grounds are packed with tourist. As per blogs, the best shots are taken from Trocadero, which is just across the river by bridge. Tourist enjoy the Eiffel grounds free of charge. You only have to pay the moment you go up the tower, which is a hefty 15 Euro (750 pesos), not to mention the cue. Sobrang daming tao. So we opt to stay on ground nlang and enjoy the cool breeze. Beware of pickpockets specifically in this area. They are as swift as rabbits.

paris201534 — The Obligatory Eiffel Shot. Simple lang.

You can also spend your time here in Eiffel ’til evening to see the light show. That is free. =)

And that was how our one day walking tour happened. After Eiffel, we head back to our place in Latin Quarters by metro to Place Monge Station. Train Ride wont cost you more than 2 Euro (100 pesos). I will upload another article on the complete D.I.Y. tour with costing. Wait lang ha? Hope you guys enjoyed this. Excuse nyo lang my imperfect grammar haha. But, Kebs =)