Istanbul, Turkey

Yedikule Dungeon from the ages of Byzantium and Ottoman Empire

Photos by Zeynep

History of Yedikule Dungeon

The Yedikule (Seven Towers) Castle which has a special place in the Ottoman history and which had undergone a restoration during the reign of Fatih Sultan Mehmet was a place where mostly high-level people used to be imprisoned.

Shanghai, China

Helsinki, Finland

Photos by Hannu

Brief Information about Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland. It is located in the southern part of Finland on the shore of the Gulf of Finland,.The population of the city of Helsinki is 562,570 (31.06.2006). The Helsinki urban region contains the neighboring cities of Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen, which are together called the Capital Region. This area has a total population of about 992,836 citizens. The Greater Helsinki area contains several more neighboring cities and has a population of about 1,293,093, this means one out of every four Finns lives in the Greater Helsinki area.

Moscow, Russia

Red Square

Cool and historical city!

Photos by Sergej

Brief History of Moscow

The capital and largest city of Russia, in the west-central part of the country on the Moscow River, flowing about 499 km (310 mi) eastward to the Oka River. First mentioned in 1147, Moscow became the capital of the principality of Muscovy and by the 15th century was the capital of the Russian state and the seat of the metropolitan (later patriarch) of the Russian Orthodox Church. The capital was transferred to St. Petersburg in 1712 but was returned to Moscow by the Soviets in 1918. Population: 10,100,000.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Photos by Van Dick

Brief History of Amsterdam

Amsterdam, the greatest planned city of northern Europe, has always been a well-known name in world history and played a central role in the history of the Netherlands. In the 17th century Amsterdam was the centre of world economy, and nowadays the city is known for its tolerant character.

Prague, Czech Republic

Photos by Jenne

Brief History of Prague

Prague was one of the most beautiful European cities since the Middle Ages and has had many nicknames as “ City of 100 towers”, “ Heart of the Europe”, “ Golden Prague”. It was a crossroad, where many merchant, artists and scientists met. First mentions about initial inhabitants of Vltava valley goes to very deep history, when Celtic tribe come in 500 BC. First Slavonic tribe had arrived to Bohemia in about 500 AD. Prince Borivoj established the Prague Castle; in 10thcentury fortress Vysehrad was built on the rock upon the Right Bank of the river Vltava. Both fortresses have become very important places of Czech rulers. Prince Wenceslas, which was one of them, was in 935 murdered, later was canonised and then become Bohemian saint patron.

Prague visited many prominent personalities for centuries. Some of them were W.A.Mozart, L. van Beethoven, P.I. Čajkovskij, O.Kokoschka, the British Queen Elisabeth II, Pope John Paul II and many others. Writers Jan Neruda, Jaroslav Hašek Jaroslav, Seifert Franz Kafka got inspired by Prague, as their native town, mentioned it in their work.

Prague is a complex of historical monuments and shows all artistic styles. The historical centre of Prague is situated on both banks of the river Vltava. Historical centre consists from the 6 quarters, which once were independent cities and were put together in 18th century. Those are Old Town, Jewish Quarter - Josefov (there is a well preserved part of Old Jewish Town, today part of Old Town), New Town, Little Quarter, Hradcany and Vysehrad. There are cumulated many museums, galleries, and historical buildings. Prague, Main City of the Czech Republic is the most significant city historical reservation. Since 1992 is Prague historical centre put to the list of world culture and nature heritage register UNESCO.

Florence, Italy

Florence; The art capital of the world

Photos by Francesco

History of Florence

Florence (Italian: Firenze) is the capital city of the region of Tuscany, Italy.
From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. Florence lies on the Arno River and has a population of around 400,000 people, plus a suburban population in excess of 200,000 persons. The greater area has some 956,000 people. A center of medieval European trade and finance, the city is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and was long ruled by the Medici family. Florence is also famous for its fine art and architecture. It is said that, of the 1,000 most important European artists of the second millennium, 350 lived or worked in Florence. In fact, the city has also been called the Athens of the Middle Age.

Zurich, Switzerland

Hauptbahnhof

Photos by Anders

Athens, Greece

Photos by Konstantinoue

Istanbul, Turkey

Yoros Castle of Byzantium that controls the Bosphoros entrance

Photos by Osman

Brief Information about Istanbul

"There, God and human, nature and art are together, they have created such a perfect place that it is valuable to see." Lamartine's famous poetic line reveals his love for Istanbul, describing the embracing of two continents, with one arm reaching out to Asia and the other to Europe.Istanbul, once known as the capital of capital cities, has many unique features. It is the only city in the world to straddle two continents, and the only one to have been a capital during two consecutive empires - Christian and Islamic. Once capital of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul still remains the commercial, historical and cultural pulse of Turkey, and its beauty lies in its ability to embrace its contradictions. Ancient and modern, religious and secular, Asia and Europe, mystical and earthly all co-exist here.
Its variety is one of Istanbul·s greatest attractions: The ancient mosques, palaces, museums and bazaars reflect its diverse history. The thriving shopping area of Taksim buzzes with life and entertainment. And the serene beauty of the Bosphorus, Princes Islands and parks bring a touch of peace to the otherwise chaotic metropolis.