We spend most of our time when we’re traveling focused on taking photographs of historic buildings and churches in the oldest parts of a city. While the architecture and style of these buildings are certainly quite beautiful, they aren’t always a true representation of everything about a city. Obviously, we always want to maintain the historic feel of the cities that have been around for centuries, but that doesn’t mean that the local people who live there don’t want to modernize and feel like they are part of the modern world. It is certainly a balancing act and you will often find the newer, more modern sections of a city, separated away from the old town sections in a way that almost creates a sense of two different cities, the old and the new. Obviously, most cities in the United States have skyscrapers with smooth glass windows creating unique reflections, but examples of these same styles can be found around the world. We’ll always be focused on the historic buildings when we travel, but that doesn’t mean that we won’t capture some of the new buildings as well.
Sunrise Reflecting on a Skyscraper in FrankfurtModern Hotel in La Paz, BoliviaGlass Building in CologneOne World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) in New York CityGlass Tower in AmsterdamReflections of ViennaReflections on Skyscraper in ChicagoReykjavik, IcelandGlass Building in PittsburghSunset Reflection in Cairo, EgyptLas VegasCityscape of Panama City, Panama
When visiting Seville in Spain, the Catredal de Santa Maria de la Sede, better known as the Seville Cathedral, will certainly be one of the top locations on your itinerary. It is certainly a beautiful, gothic cathedral and is one of the largest churches in the world. Just walking around and through the church is certainly worth spending an hour or two at the cathedral, but going to the top of the Giralda, or bell tower, should absolutely be part of your visit. The views of the city of Seville from the cathedral’s bell tower are absolutely stunning.
Impressive Size of the CathedralView of the Guadalquivir RiverOrgan PipesOver Looking the Alcázar PalaceThe Giraldi or Bell Tower
As you approach the cathedral, you will likely be approached by gypsy women offering you bundles of herbs or flowers. If you accept them, you will immediately be expected to give them money and they can be quite aggressive, so we avoided them. We have also heard that their can be a lot of pickpockets in the area, but we didn’t have any issues during our visit to Seville. Because it such a popular tourist location, another thing that you will find are horse-drawn carriages that will take you on tours of the city. We did take one tour at the end of our first day and it was interesting for many different reasons.
Views of SevilleHigh Ceilings in the CathedralWalking Around the Huge CathedralBeautiful FaçadeGold on Display
Standing at the viewing platform of the Giralda, the views of Seville are amazing. You get wonderful views of the Alcázar Palace, which is next to the cathedral, and is also a place that you should visit after spending time at the cathedral. The winding, narrow streets of Seville spread out before you from the height of the bell tower. The Guadalquivir river can also be seen off in the distance.
Modern City in the DistanceThe Cathedral is MassivePillars and ArchesMore Amazing Views of Seville
It is hard to miss the cathedral and the bell tower as you enter Seville. As with most gothic cathedrals, the façades around the doors are quite impressive and beautiful. After spending time at the Seville Cathedral, be sure to head into the Old Jewish Quarter, wandering the narrow streets, and shopping at the many local stores that are located there. Seville is certainly a wonderful city and seeing the cathedral will surely be one of the highlights of any visit.
Stained Glass Window and Ornate CeilingReaching Toward the SkyStatue at the EntranceWinding Streets BelowMemorial Inside of the Cathedral
The Strasbourg Cathedral, officially the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, is a gothic cathedral that is just as wonderful as its sister in Paris. With its tower that is 466 feet tall, it was once the tallest building in the world until 1874 and it is still one of the top ten tallest churches in the world. As with many cathedrals, the main entrance is stunning with all of the figures surrounding the doors. Also, the Rose stained glass window is quite impressive as the light streams in from the outside.
The Notre-Dame Cathedral Tower in StrasbourgEntrance FeaturesChristmas Market at the CathedralRose Window from the Inside of the Cathedral
Not only can the cathedral tower be seen throughout Strasbourg, it can be seen from across the countryside. In a city that still maintains much of its medieval charm, the Notre-Dame cathedral is certainly a highlight of any visit to the Strasbourg. We happened to visit during the holidays, so we were greeted to a Christmas market outside of the church and there was a wonderful nativity scene inside of the cathedral as well.
Columns and Stained GlassStanding in Line to See the Astronomical ClockLooking Up at the CathedralTapestry Hanging in the Cathedral
Looking up at the front of the Notre-Dame Cathedral is quite impressive, especially when viewed on a clear day with bright blue skies. You can certainly expect plenty of crowds as Strasbourg is a popular destination and the cathedral is on almost everyone’s itinerary, as it should be. Among the features inside of the cathedral are the ornate pulpit, pipe organ, medieval tapestries, and most importantly the astronomical clock. The astronomical clock was built in the early 1800’s and is considered to be especially accurate as it indicates leap years, equinoxes, and most importantly Easter.
Large Nativity SceneFloating Pipe OrganDome Inside of the Strasbourg CathedralOrnate Pulpit
We have visited both the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris as well as Strasbourg and they are both beautiful and unique in their own ways. There are so many features to see, both inside and outside, when visiting the cathedral, but unfortunately you may have to follow a line as you work through the inside of the cathedral. Cathedrals are centerpieces to almost every city in Europe and the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg is no exception. There are many places to see when visiting the Alsace region, in which Strasbourg resides, such as the Wine Road, Strasbourg’s Old Town, smaller towns such as Riquewihr, and there are plenty of options for tasting food and wine.
Column DetailsMore of the NativityRose Window from the OutsideSo Many Stained Glass Windows and High CeilingsDecorated Chandelier
