Amsterdam windmills

The Netherlands is synonymous for its windmills, clogs, tulips, canals, cheese markets… practically everything that you would expect to find in a charming and utterly picturesque country. But, whatever image you associate with the lowlands, the first thing likely to come to mind is the windmill (molen). Such is the importance of these living monuments that there is even a National Windmill Day (11 May), and on festive occasions or national holidays molens are decked out in flowers, garlands, figures of angels or the Dutch flag. For centuries, windmills have helped the Dutch fight water shortages so it is little wonder that they were the first to develop ‘windmill technology.’ In the glory days, the Netherlands boasted more than 10,000 mills but the molen population today stands at a mere 1,000. Many of the remaining mills are open to the public and a couple have even been transformed into homes, but a word of warning, these are not museums!

Mikonos, Greece

Mikonos is known the world over, for its windmills.

In the old city precinct of Odense lies the house which, in all probability, was where Hans Christian Andersen, the writer of fairytales was born. This house opened as The Hans Christian Andersen Museum in 1908 – a museum devoted to the writer’s life and work – making it one of the world’s oldest writer museums.

This is a very wonderful thread. Thank you everyone. Please keep it going.

Sincerely,
Gisele

Chris, Di and Matthew in New Caledonia / Interesting Architecture



This is the roof of Le Fare at the Meridien. I couldn't see any nails. The roof appeared to be held together by rope.

I should have posted this with the other wooden churches, but I just found this beautiful church in Norway so I did not want to leave ot out of this thread.

Sogenfjord
Norway

Iolani Palace

Hawai'is Royal palace.
Official residence of King Kalakaua and Queen Lili'uokalani, the last Monarchs of Hawai'i, 1882-1893

This is the only royal palace in the United States of America.

Castelul Bran, Transylvania

Also known as Dracula's castle, built between 1377 and 1382 as a palace and military fortress, it was once the residence of Queen Maria of Romania, the granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

The Eiffel Tower
Paris, France (1887-1889)

A monumental example of frame building.
Built for the Paris Exhibition 1889

Hundertwasserhaus
Vienna, Austria

Designed by the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. After many years of planning the foundation-ceremony took place in 1983 and the first inhabitants moved into the 50 aparthents of the house in 1985

Arc de Triomphe
Paris, France.

In the middle of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the border of the 8th, 16th and 17th arrondissement stands the greatest arch in history: the Arc de Triomphe (arch of triumph).

It was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to commemorate his victories, but he was ousted before the arch was completed. In fact, it wasn't completed until 1836 during the reign of Louis-Philippe.

Sacre Coeur,
Paris, France

The Sacred-Heart is the basilica built on Montmartre. This Basilica was built to the glory of the "Holy Heart of Jesus" to redeem the Nation's sins after the 1870 bloodshed of the Commune of Paris. It overlooks Paris from the Montmartre hill.

Imagine a hotel which is built from scratch every year. A new design, new suites, a brand new reception - in fact everything in it is crisp and new.
Well, there is such a hotel; the Ice Hotel, situated on the shores of the Torne River, in the old village of Jukkasjärvi in Swedish Lapland.

There is another Ice Hotel in Quebec, Canada

A little house in the far north of Lappland where the snowqueen and the reindeer live.

Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco, USA

The Golden Gate Bridge, completed after more than four years of construction at a cost of $35 million, is a visitor attraction recognized around the world. The GGB opened to vehicular traffic on May 28, 1937 at twelve o'clock noon, ahead of schedule and under budget, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a telegraph key in the White House announcing the event.

The Sentinel Building and the Transamerica Pyramid(1972) by William Pereira and Associates.

San Francisco, CA
USA

Bridge and Opera House
Sydney, Australia

Here is another view of the beautiful
Opera House in Sydney.

Construction was started in 1959.The architect was Jorn Utzon from Denmark.

Also known as the ’Royal Pavilion’, Brighton Pavilion was built in 1784 and purchased in the early nineteenth century for the Prince Regent. Between 1815 and 1821 the Pavilion was rebuilt under the direction of the architect John Nash who employed a mixture of classical and Indian styles which have been labelled ’Hindoo-Gothic’. It is a quite unique building and well worth seeing.