Kilkenny Castle in Ireland

On February 18, 2021February 18, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Ireland8 Comments

During our trip to Ireland, we really enjoyed visiting Kilkenny Castle in the quaint city of Kilkenny. We were staying in Dublin and hired a guide to take us to a variety locations as we headed from Dublin to the coast. Seeing this wonderful castle was certainly the highlight of the tour, but just driving through the countryside made the trip worthwhile. Construction began on the castle in the twelfth century and it is truly a magnificent residence. You are able to take a self-guided tour of the interior and exterior of the castle and it is well worth taking a couple of hours to visit the beautiful castle and gardens.

It may have been a cloudy day during our visit to Kilkenny, but that didn’t distract from the beauty of the historic home. It was the home of the Butler family from 1391 to 1967 when it was granted to the people of Kilkenny. The rooms have been preserved to show the day-to-day living of the previous residents and provide a glimpse into the lives of the wealthy inhabitants. They are decorated so well that you could truly imagine that someone was still living in the castle.

The views from the castle’s rooms as well as the lawns are spectacular. The River Nore runs next to the castle and leads towards the heart of the city, where, in the distance, the cathedral towers dominate the skyline over the heart of Kilkenny. We visited many castles all throughout Europe and Kilkenny Castle is definitely one of the best preserved castles and was well worth taking the time to visit.

Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna

On February 16, 2021February 16, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Austria9 Comments

We saw many beautiful and historic buildings during our trip to Vienna, Austria, but the Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) was by far the most amazing. Even during winter, the grounds, fountains, and exterior of the palace are quite beautiful and seeing the palace is certainly a highlight of any visit to Vienna. During the time that we were there, they were preparing for a Christmas Market on the grounds of the palace, however it wasn’t set to open for another week. Since we went to several other markets in Vienna, that certainly wasn’t an issue.

We did the Grand Tour of the palace, which is an audio tour that takes you through forty of the magnificent rooms within. It was a cold and snowy Saturday, so we think a lot of people had the same idea as us to do something indoors as the lines were horrific as we snaked our way from room to room, but it did not lessen the grandeur of the lavish decorations and furniture. The history of the palace is a little overwhelming and there were a few surprises, such as Marie Antoinette having been the daughter of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, as well as Empress Maria Theresa both grew up in the palace.

There is no mistaking the similarity between Schönbrunn Palace and Versailles Palace. The palaces share many similarities and are both stunning in their beauty. Schönbrunn means “beautiful spring”, which couldn’t have been further than the weather the day we arrived, so we will definitely plan a return visit someday during the summer when the gardens are in full bloom and perhaps there are some rays of sunshine. We can’t complain about the weather too much, though, it may not have been perfect for sight-seeing, but it did make the Glühwein much more inviting 😀.

Catherine’s Gate and St. Nicholas Church in Brasov, Romania

On February 8, 2021February 8, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Romania2 Comments

Brasov is a wonderful town in the Carpathian mountains of Transylvania in Romania. For the people of Romania it is a destination to get away and, depending on the season, either go hiking or go skiing at one of the resorts nearby. There are several interesting sites to see when visiting Brasov and among them are Catherine’s Gate and St. Nicholas Church. They are both located in the same part of the historic area of Brasov and each features some fascinating architectural details.

Turrets and the Coat of Arms on Catherine’s Gate

Walking Toward St. Nicholas Church and It’s Gated Wall

We walked from our hotel that was located on the town square into the historic area of Brasov in order to see Catherine’s Gate. The gate was built in 1559 after the original gate was destroyed by a flood. St. Catherine’s Monastery was previously on the site, which is how the gate received its name. As with most medieval towns, the gate was there to protect the town from invaders as well as to collect taxes from citizens who entered into the town. The four small corner turrets that surround the central turret symbolize the fact that they had an autonomous judicial system and self-rule. Above the gate is the town’s coat of arms, which is a crown on an oak tree with the roots exposed.

Murals on the Stone Wall Inside of the Church Gate

We continued on to see St. Nicholas Church, whose bell tower could be seen throughout the old town area. The church sits atop a small hill that is just large enough to let it rise above the other nearby buildings. To get to the church, you pass through a gated wall with murals painted on the inner wall. The church itself was originally established in 1292 and the stone church was erected in the late 1400’s. Above the main door and just below the actual bell tower, is a colorful mural of St. Nicholas, for whom the church is named. Adjacent to the church is a large cemetery with many large headstones.

We really enjoyed our time in Brasov and took the time to get into the countryside to see many interesting historic sites. The people of the town were extremely friendly and we enjoyed walking the streets and eating at some of the many restaurants located there. If you get the opportunity to visit Brasov, you should definitely take time to see Catherine’s Gate and St. Nicholas Church.