Old city of Bern, Switzerland.

The Old City is the medieval city center of Bern, SwitzerlandIts. Its compact layout has remained essentially unchanged since its construction during the 12th to the 15th. century. Despite a major fire in 1405, after which much of the city was rebuilt in Sandstone ,  and substantial construction efforts in the 18th. century, Bern’s old city has retained its medieval character. Old City of Bern, Switzerland is a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site since 1983 due to the compact and generally intact medieval core and is an excellent example of incorporating the modern world into a medieval city. Numerous buildings in the Old City have been designated as Swiss Cultural Properties of National Significance, as well as the entire Old City. 

 

Atop Jungfrau

This week’s Photo Challenge Atop. In response of the same, a photograph  atop  Jungfrau Glacier of Switzerland is shared.

 

Nostalgia Venezia

WPC : Nostalgia

 

Bandel Church

The Basilica of the Holy Rosary commonly known as Bandel Church is one of the oldest Christian Churches in India, situated in a small town “Bandel”, in Hoogly district of West Bengal. Now, Bandel is a suburban town of Calcutta which is well connected by local as well as Express train services from Howrah. It takes about one hour by local train.

This church stands as a memorial to the Portuguese settlement in Bengal. Founded in 1599, it is dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Rosário, Our Lady of the Rosary. It also serves as  a Parish Church,  ( means, in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, often allowing its premises to be used for non-religious community events.)  It is one of the most prominent historical churches in West Bengal as well as in India.

Prayer Hall

Around the middle of the 16th century, the Portuguese began using Bandel as a port. During or around 1571, they were given permission by Akbar, the Mughal Emperor, to build a town in Hoogly. As they began settling around the area, their Priests began to baptise the natives – and by 1598,  Catholics in Hooghly numbered around five thousand, including natives and mixed races.

In 1579, the Portuguese built a port on the banks of the River Hoogly, as well as a Fort. The following year, Captain Pedro Tavares obtained the emperor’s full permission to preach the Catholic faith publicly, and erect churches. Thus this Portuguese memorial was constructed in 1599, after a century of Vasco Da Gama landed in India, in 1498.

This first church was burnt down during the sacking of Hooghly by the Moors in 1632. A newer church, constructed by Gomez de Soto (also spelt John Comes de Soto), was built over the ruin in 1660. The key stone of the older church can still be seen on the eastern gate of the monastery, bearing the date 1599.

On November 25, 1988, Pope John Paul II declared the Bandel Church as a minor Basilica.

 

Break

My Blogging will have a break,

calling western part of the country,

Rajasthan, for tourism sake.

While discovering beauty of the land,

I will certainly miss you all, amidst

Palaces, lakes, temples, hills & sand.

 

 

 

WPC : Wall (Florence)

David of Florence, Italy. This photograph was published earlier in my other blog. For the sake of this week’s photo challenge theme (Wall), being it a fitting entry, republished it again for my follower/ friends. Hope, you may like it.

 

WPC : Wall

Wall

 

WPC : Sign

This sign in Hindi (Indian language) for the Indian tourists was found in a Cable Car station on the mount TITLIS, Switzerland. It means, please remain seated (in the car), do not get down here. Obviously, the sign meant for the Indian tourists. Sometimes people make mistake by getting down from the car, thinking that they have reached their destination. After momentary stop, the cable car starts moving again. This necessitated ‘Swiss Tourism’ to put such a sign.

This happens while getting down from the top of the mount Titlis in a intermediate station. Whoever gets down by mistake, just can seat back again before the car starts moving again. Helping people are always there but still it happens. In case anybody gets down and misses a car he/she has to wait for the next car to accommodate him/her. But all cars comes fully loaded from the top. It is difficult to get a seat here. He or she has wait for somebody to commit the same mistake like him/her and to grab that opportunity to put in the.car. 🙂 To avoid such situation, Swiss authorities have put up a sign in Hindi.Cable Car of Mount Titlis for 6 people.

 

The great Fest in the corner

Kumartuli, a place in Kolkata where artisans are making idols of God & Goddesses for generations,  was visited on 30th Sept’12 to find out how the work is going on there  at this juncture of time when only 18 days are left for Durga Puja. Artisans at Kumartuli are working day night to finish the orders in time at their studios/ workshops. To know about this great Fest of India which is also celebrated through out the world, wherever Indians are there, please click to the link of my page “Durga Puja Album“.

The above pics are showing the semi finished idols. The finished idols will be posted after few days.