Prince's Palace: Official Residence of the Prince of Monaco

The official residence of the Prince of Monaco, the Prince's Palace, has been the home of the Grimaldi family since the end of the 13th century. It was founded in 1191 as a Genoese fortress but was captured by Francois Grimaldi and his men on January 8, 1297. Francois Grimaldi disguised as a monk and asking for shelter, managed to get inside by an unwitting guard and led the attack from there. The Grimaldi's, an aristocratic family of Genoa, were ousted some time before of their home during a conflict about the authority of Pope Innocent IV. The statue of Francois Grimaldi dressed as a monk is standing in front of the palace.
The Prince's Palace is open for visits from April 2 to October 31. During your visit you can see the State Apartments, the royal courtyard, 16th-century Genovese frescoes, a spectacular double-revolution staircase and much more. The changing of the guards takes place daily at 11:55 in the Palace Square.

View location in Monaco-Ville, Principality of Monaco.

The Magnificent De Haar Castle in the Netherlands

The medieval Castle De Haar in Utrecht is one of the largest castles of the Netherlands. Since 1391 a castle was standing at the current location. During the centuries it changed owners several times and was damaged severely. In 1892, Baron Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt, who had inherited the castle, started to rebuilt it. Under guidance of Holland's most famous architect Dr PHJ Cuypers, Castle de Haar was brought back to its former glory.

The park surrounding the castle was created by Henri Copijn after 1895. It has a rose garden, a Roman garden, a labyrinth, large ponds and is an excellent place for a picnic.

Castle De Haar is now a museum and is open to the public. It can be visited on guided tours, these can take up to one hour. During the month of September the castle is closed when the Van Zuylen van Nijevelt family comes back for their month long stay.

View location in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Box Trees Sculptures in Parc des Topiaires

The Parc des Topiaires in Durbuy has a collection of mainly box trees trimmed in all possible forms. More than 250 sculptures are located in an area of 10.000 m². Some of these beautiful shaped plants are almost 120 years old. They received their current form after 20 years of patient trimming. The park is located on the banks of the Ourthe River, from here you have also a great view of the castle and the centre of Durbuy.

View location in Durbuy, Belgium.

Durbuy, the smallest city in the world

Durbuy is a Belgian city in the province of Luxembourg. It is located on the banks of the Ourthe River in the Ardennes region. Durbuy describes itself as being the smallest city in the world. They lost claims to this title when it joined with a number of surrounding communities into a single commune in 1977. According to the Guinness Book of World Records the smallest city in the world today is Hum in Croatia.
Nevertheless, Durbuy is a popular destination in Belgium for its adventure activities like kayaking, rock-climbing, cave exploration and many more. Main attraction in the centre is the Parc des Topiaires, a garden with beautiful shaped box trees. The city has also a castle(last photo) which is not open for visitors.

View location of Durbuy, Belgium.

Beautiful Architecture in Prague

Walking through the streets of Prague is a real pleasure. The mix of architecture makes Prague a great city to discover. Here is a small collection of some beautiful buildings in the centre. More great architecture can be found on my other posts.

View location of Prague, Czech Republic.

Prague's Magnificent Old Town Square

Located between Vltava River and Wenceslas Square, the Old Town Square is the heart of old Prague. The square is surround by many beautiful buildings like the Old Town Hall with the Astronomical Clock, the Church of Our Lady before Týn and St. Nicholas Church. In the centre of the square you can see the statue of Jan Hus, a religious reformer who was burned at the stake for his beliefs. The statue was erected on the 500th anniversary of his death at July 6 1915, it was made by Ladislav Saloud.
In the summer the Old Town Square is packed with tourists enjoying refreshment at the many terraces the square has to offer. During the year it is the place where many events, protests or celebrations are held.

View location in Prague, Czech Republic.