TravelswithCharie

The Market Gate of Miletus at the Pergamon Museum was rebuilt around 1925-1929 from hundreds of tons of fragments excavated in the ancient city of Miletus and shipped to Berlin by German archaeologists. The original gate dates back to the 2 nd century AD and was at the northern entrance to the southern agora or market. It was destroyed by an earthquake in the 10 th or 11 th centuries and suffered damages during World War II. On each side of the center door are statues, one of which is believed to be that of Hadrian (with a vanquished slave). The columns supporting the gate are Corinthian in style and the gate itself was originally constructed from marble. However, this reconstructed gate now consists of brick, cement, steel and the fragments from the excavation. On the floor in front of the gate is a mosaic taken from a private home in Miletus . It depicts Orpheus with his lyre. According to classical Greek mythology, Orpheus could charm all living things with h

Ishtar Gate It was a 2 hour wait just to get inside the Pergamon Museum . Luckily, the sun was shining and it was comfortable standing outside with just a light jacket and medium heel espadrilles. The Pergamon is undergoing renovations and a section of it will be closed after September 2014. The main entrance is now closed and visitors must enter from a side entrance in the courtyard bounded by the Neues Museum , the Alte Nationalgalerie and the Pergamon on Museum Island . I bought the area ticket worth € 18 which may be used to enter a number of other museums within the same day of purchase.  What I should have done though was buy the €25 annual basic membership Staatliche Museen zu Berlin ticket so I could have skipped the line. Well next time I know better. This was my second visit to the Pergamon. I was quite impressed with the Gate of Ishtar the first time around which is why it was on my bucket list on this trip and the reason why I endured the long wait. I wa

The Bulldog Amsterdam has always thrived on its notoriety which has brought many visitors eager to see its offbeat attractions such as the Red Light district. Another popular curiosity is The Bulldog (The Name with a Heart!) which, as the sign on its colorful façade indicates, has been around since 1975 serving some things you wouldn't normally see on a regular café menu. They claim to be the first coffee shop in Amsterdam where they now have several locations including this one at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 132 in the Red Light District. And to quote their Palace branch website, "If there is more than coffee or juice you crave, The Bulldog cafes have all the offerings". Yes, they have Karaoke too! (lol) The Bulldog has also branched into the hotel business both in Amsterdam and in Canada.  The Night Watch, Rembrandtsplein The Night Watch is considered one of Rembrandt's masterpieces and it's possibly the most precious painting in the Rijksmuseum.

Behind this nondescript door is an enclave in the center of Amsterdam. This was once the home of the Beguines, single women whose mission was to care for the sick. The first recorded document of the Begijnhof dates back to 1346 when a certain Cope van der Laene gave the Beguines the Beghijnhuis (house of Beguines). Courtyard of the Begijnhof The door from the Spui leads into a courtyard surrounded by traditional 17th-18th century houses which were completely renovated between 1984-1987. It's a different world as you cross the threshold. But for the noise created by the visitors, it feels as if Amsterdam is miles away. Though just outside the door, depending on the day of the week, there are outdoor cafés and musicians playing to the crowd. Or if it's the weekend, there might be a book or art fair on the Spui.  Het Houten Huys, 1528 One of the oldest houses in Amsterdam, the Houten Huys (black façade) dates back to 1528. Many of the earlier buildings

17th century canal houses During the Dutch Golden Age, wealthy merchants built magnificent homes along the canals of Amsterdam. Today we associate Amsterdam with its 17th century canal houses. But a walk around this compact city reveals a healthy dose of Art Deco, Dutch Art Nouveau, and modern structures. Amsterdam is a city that embraces diversity (in more aspects than one) with aplomb. Eye Film Institute Netherlands Across the Ij River and easily accessed by a free ferry, the Eye Film Institute reigns as the principal attraction of the Overhoeks urban district. It is the Dutch film culture and heritage museum which opened in April 2012. The EYE was designed by a Viennese architectural firm, Delugan Meissl Associated Architects. An article on April 10, 2012 in the ArchDaily described the EYE building as follows: " On the interface between land and water, between historic centre and modern development area, the building adopts many faces from each viewpoint, th

In the years following the Alteration in 1578 when power was transferred from Catholics to Protestants, an ordinance was passed in Amsterdam prohibiting Catholics from openly celebrating the mass. Jan Hartman, a rich merchant, bought property on Oudezijds Voorburgwal in 1661 and started rebuilding the three houses on that property to accommodate a hidden church on its top floors.  View of the organ from the first gallery Ludovicus Reiniers, a priest, acquired the property in 1739 and kept the church open for worship. Our Lord in the Attic remained the parish church of Catholics living in the area for over 200 years until St. Nicholas Church (in front of the Central Station) was consecrated in 1887. Soon after a group of Catholics bought the property to save it from demolition. It was reopened in 1888 as a museum, one of the oldest museums in Amsterdam. Masses are still celebrated on first Sundays of the month from October to May at 11 a.m. (Check their website for da

I know very well that to take the perfect photo of the iconic I amsterdam   slogan, I must wake up at 5:30 a.m. and run over to Museumplein (at the back of the Rijksmuseum) before the tourists and visitors arrive in droves. But it was too cold to get up that early and besides, I kept late nights with friends sipping my favorite fresh mint tea leaves in one of many cafés on the Leidseplein and Rembrandstplein. So I shouldn't be disappointed at all with the images below since these were taken in late afternoon at the height of the King's Birthday weekend celebrations. 5:30 p.m.  Everyone is hanging out in front of the slogan or should I say, all over the slogan. There's absolutely no way of getting a clear view of it. Notice the colorful orange accessories worn by many. It's the theme color of the House of Orange from whence the new King descended. These folks had been partying on the streets of Amsterdam all day long. I have an almost unobstructed