Brussels, Belgium

Brussels (French: Bruxelles, [bʁysɛl] Dutch: Brussel, [ˈbrɵsəl]), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (French: Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest), is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels which is the de jure capital of Belgium.The Brussels-Capital Region is a part of both the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community.

Since the end of the Second World War, Brussels has been a major centre for international politics and has become the polyglot home of numerous international organizations, politicians, diplomats and civil servants. Brussels is the de facto capital of the European Union as it hosts a number of principal EU institutions The secretariat of the Benelux and the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are also located in Brussels. Historically a Dutch-speaking city, it has seen a language shift to French from the late 19th century onwards. Today the majority language is French, and the Brussels-Capital Region is an officially bilingual enclave within the Flemish Region.

Brussels (Bruxelles), Belgium, Europe.

The Atomium – Giant stainless steel atom, particles connected by escalators, with exhibitions & views from 92m. The Atomium in Brussels was originally constructed for Expo 58, the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak, it stands 102 m (335 ft) tall. Its nine 18 m (59 ft) diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. The name is a combination of atom and aluminium.

The Atomium – Giant stainless steel atom, particles connected by escalators, with exhibitions & views from 92m. The Atomium in Brussels was originally constructed for Expo 58, the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak, it stands 102 m (335 ft) tall. Its nine 18 m (59 ft) diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. The name is a combination of atom and aluminium.

National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg. Basilique Nationale du Sacré-Cœur à Koekelberg. Bruxelles, Belgium. Europe.

Children playing at the Charles Buls Fountain. Charles Buls or Karel Buls (13 October 1837 – 13 July 1914) was a Belgian politician and mayor of the City of Brussels. Bruxelles, Belgium, Europe.

La Maturite. Bruxelles Belgium.

Royal Square. Place Royale. Former site of Brussels’ main market & original royal palace, built to a design by Barnabe Guimard. Bruxelles, Belgium.

St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral, Brussels, Place Sainte-Gudule, Brussels, Belgium.

St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral, Brussels, Place Sainte-Gudule, Brussels, Belgium.

People laze on the grass in front of St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral, Brussels, Place Sainte-Gudule, Brussels, Belgium.

Two girls shopping at the Godiva Belgian chocolate store at Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen. The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (French) or Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen (Dutch) is a glazed shopping arcade in Brussels that preceded other famous 19th-century shopping arcades such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and The Passage in St Petersburg. Like them it has twin regular façades with distant origins in Vasari’s long narrow street-like courtyard of the Uffizi, Florence, with glazed arcaded shopfronts separated by pilasters and two upper floors, all in an Italianate Cinquecento style, under an arched glass-paned roof with a delicate cast-iron framework.

Window shopping at Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen. The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (French) or Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen (Dutch) is a glazed shopping arcade in Brussels that preceded other famous 19th-century shopping arcades such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and The Passage in St Petersburg. Like them it has twin regular façades with distant origins in Vasari’s long narrow street-like courtyard of the Uffizi, Florence, with glazed arcaded shopfronts separated by pilasters and two upper floors, all in an Italianate Cinquecento style, under an arched glass-paned roof with a delicate cast-iron framework.

Famous pissing boy at Godiva Belgian chocolate store at Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen. Manneken Pis (little pee man in Flemish) is a Belgian icon created by Jerome Duquesnoy. The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (French) or Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen (Dutch) is a glazed shopping arcade in Brussels that preceded other famous 19th-century shopping arcades such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and The Passage in St Petersburg. Like them it has twin regular façades with distant origins in Vasari’s long narrow street-like courtyard of the Uffizi, Florence, with glazed arcaded shopfronts separated by pilasters and two upper floors, all in an Italianate Cinquecento style, under an arched glass-paned roof with a delicate cast-iron framework.

Guildhalls on the Grand Place, Brussels City Museum, Brussels, Belgium. De Gulden Boot – Grote Markt. Huge city square completely encircled by elegant historic buildings dating back to the 14th century.

Evening view at Grand Place, Bruxelles, Belgium. Huge city square completely encircled by elegant historic buildings dating back to the 14th century.

Panoramic evening view at Grand Place, Bruxelles, Belgium. Huge city square completely encircled by elegant historic buildings dating back to the 14th century.

Panoramic evening view at Grand Place, Bruxelles, Belgium. Huge city square completely encircled by elegant historic buildings dating back to the 14th century.

 

To view rest of the images in high resolution images please visit: http://www.photonicyatra.com/Destinations/Belgium-Brussels/

 

Vienna (Wien), Austria

Vienna (Wien), the capital of Austria, lies in the country’s east on the river Danube. Its artistic and intellectual legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence. In the MuseumsQuartier district, historic and contemporary buildings display works by Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt and other artists. The city’s roots lie in early Celtic and Roman settlements that transformed into a Medieval and Baroque city, and then the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It is well known for having played an essential role as a leading European music centre, from the great age of Viennese Classicism through the early part of the 20th century. The historic centre of Vienna is rich in architectural ensembles, including Baroque castles and gardens, and the late-19th-century Ringstraße lined with grand buildings, monuments and parks. Between 2005 and 2010, Vienna was the world’s number-one destination for international congresses and conventions. It attracts over 3.7 million tourists a year.

Vienna (Wien), the capital of Austria, lies in the country’s east on the river Danube.

Panoramic view of Schönbrunn Palace. 18th-century summer palace with tours of lavish rococo ceremonial rooms, plus gardens with a maze. Vienna, Austria.

 

Statues outside the Austrian Parliament Building, Vienna, Austria.

 

Albertina, Vienna, Austria.

 

Statues at Albertina, Vienna, Austria.

 

Statues at Albertina, Vienna, Austria.

 

Statues outside Vienna State Opera, Vienna, Austria.

 

Vegetables and fresh fruits on sale in Vienna, Austria.

Austrian Parliament Building, imposing neoclassical building. Vienna, Austria.

Inside St Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna, Austria.

Inside St Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna, Austria.

Public parks of Vienna, Austria.Public parks of Vienna, Austria.

Statues outside the Austrian Parliament Building, Vienna, Austria.

 

Statues outside the Austrian Parliament Building, Vienna, Austria.

Attendant at the State Opera House, Vienna, Austria.

Streets of Vienna, Austria.

Entrance to Austrian National Library at Heldenplatz. Country, Vienna, Austria.

 

Rest of the images can be viewed at: http://www.photonicyatra.com/Destinations/Austria-Vienna/

 

 

BTW Mag’s January 2011 Issue on Bali

Article in BTW Mag‘s January 2011 Issue on Bali. Text by Arundhathi and images by Suchit Nanda.

The high resolution images may be viewed at: BTW Mag’s January 2011 Issue on Bali

 

 

Taj Mahal (Agra) – a love story

The Taj Mahal (Hindi: ताज महल Persian/Urdu: تاج محل) is a love story between the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his begam (wife) Mumtaz Mahal. An icon of eternal love. The Taj is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Islamic, Indian and Persian architectural styles. The principal mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. Taj Mahal is located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh state (UP), North India.

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You are welcome to see the images as a slide show at:
http://www.photonicyatra.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=12417480&AlbumKey=pQumv
or individually as: http://www.photonicyatra.com/Destinations/Taj-Mahal-Agra-UP-India

All images shot on Nikon D3S with a mix of lens: 14-24 mm, 24-70 mm and 70-200 mm f/2.8.

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