Savonlinna sights

Savonlinna is a beautiful city situated on four islands between the lakes Haapavesi and Pihlajavesi. For many years it has been one of the most visited cities in Finland. Steeped in history and surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, Savonlinna has a lot to offer, whether you’re looking for a quiet escape from the bustle of the city – spend time and rejuvenate in the spa, enrich yourself with cultural and historical experiences – or do something more energetic, like cycling, hiking, kayaking, canoeing or even diving. In fact, there is so much to see and do here that many tourists return again and again!

Olavinlinna Castle is one of the best preserved medieval castles in Scandinavia. It houses two museums that present its history and a rich collection of traditional exhibits. Next to the museums are anchored three beautiful historic ships, Mikko, Salama and Savonlinna, each with their own exhibitions. The inner courtyard of the castle each year becomes the site of the world-famous Opera Festival, where throughout July each year, opera performances attract thousands of spectators and are among the best in the world.

Construction of Olavinlinna Castle began in 1475 on the then frontier between the Swedish and Russian territories of Finland. By 1639, Savonlinna was incorporated as a town by the grace of Earl Per Brahe the Younger. The town began to flourish in 1856 with the construction of the Saimaa Canal.

Savonlinna is ideal for cruises that depart from its busy harbor. You can choose a short tour around the castle or a much longer boat trip around the archipelago. The Lake Saimaa archipelago is also home to the rare Saimaa Seal, one of the endangered seal species. Less than 300 individuals of this beautiful animal have survived, most of them inhabiting lakes Pihlavesi, Haukivesi and Joutenvesi. The Savonlinna region is also home to two other protected species: the white-backed woodpecker and corncrake.

Fans of outdoor activities will be pleasantly surprised by the variety of choices. There are two national parks, Kolovesi and Linnansaari, which are great for hiking and biking in the heart of Finland’s largest lake system.

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Overview

Gruyere is a tiny town in the Republic of Switzerland, where everything is permeated with the spirit of the Middle Ages. It used to belong to the Counts of Gruyere. The family coat of arms depicts a crane, which has become an integral symbol of the city. The city was named after the bird, because Grue means “crane” in French.

The Gruyere Castle, which is another symbol of the city and Switzerland, was built in the 11th century in the southern part of the canton of Fribourg (the distance from Geneva 116 km, and 68 km from the capital – Bern). On an area of about 28.5 square kilometers live just over 2 thousand people.

The legend of the origin of the Gruyere town

The founder of the settlement is considered to be Gruerius – the Vandal chief. He was looking for fertile land where he could establish a town. As he walked up the banks of the Sarina River, he saw a beautiful place surrounded by mountains and generously sunlit. The land was uninhabited, however, Gruerius decided to lay the walls of the castle here.

According to legend, when construction was completed, a snow-white crane descended from the sky. The chief saw this as a good omen and from that day on the emblem of Gruyérius and the modern town of Gruyere was adorned by a crane.

The picturesque landscape of Gruyere in Switzerland is bewitching and inspiring. The mountain lake is considered one of the most beautiful in the country and on its shores the Fribourg cows graze, which give fragrant milk for the production of cheese and desserts.

In addition to the interesting sights that span eight centuries, the city has quite a busy life – guests are invited to restaurants that serve fondue, raclette and, of course, desserts with thick cream.

Gruyere is a gastronomic region of Switzerland, here you can see how the cheese is made. Those with a sweet tooth can enjoy a tour of the Cailler chocolate factory in nearby Broca.

What to do in the summer

The mountainous scenery attracts hikers, lovers of biking trails. There are many hiking trails, walking along which you can hear fascinating local legends. There is a trail on which there are preserved sculptures carved out of stone with a chainsaw.

In summer in Gruyere (Switzerland) tourists are offered a lot of active entertainment:

• bobsled rides;
• scooter rides;
• mini golf.

What to do in winter

Near the town of Gruyere is the largest ski area Moleson, the height of the slopes up to 2003 meters. There are 8 ski elevators and 35 km of ski runs of varying difficulty levels, including those for families. On the top of the mountain there is an observatory.

Vacationers go up the elevator to Charmey – a resort area, where in addition to skiing, you can enjoy a vacation in the hot thermal springs.

For your information. The oldest ski resort in Switzerland is St. Moritz.

Gruyere cheese and cheese museum

A visit to the attraction is a must on a trip to the town of Gruyere. The cheese factory is a few minutes from the train station.

You can observe the production during certain hours:

• 9-00 to 11-00;
• from 12-30 to 14-30.

Many tourists recommend planning a tour in the morning – until 9-00, to catch the process of cooking the product. The museum is equipped with interactive video stands, but the experience, of course, not as vivid as a visit to the factory.

In the first hall you can smell the aromas of mountain grass, which the cows feed on. Audio guide will tell you that the animal eats up to 100 kg of grass every day and gives up to 25 liters of milk.

There are four vats with a total capacity of 4,800 liters of milk in the showroom. One tank produces 12 heads of cheese, each weighing 35 kg. Before pouring the milk into the tank, experts always take a sample.

They mix the milk from the morning and evening milk yields, heat it, add yeast and a special enzyme to start the evaporation process, which lasts about 50 minutes. The formed clot is sliced with the help of knives, located in vats, and heated again at 60 degrees for 45 minutes.

The mass is then placed in special molds, using a blue hose for this purpose. A container is placed under the mold, where the whey drains and is fed to the piglets.

Perfect cleanliness is maintained on the premises, and each vat is washed thoroughly as soon as the cheese mass is removed. All heads of cheese are identified and stamped with the date of production and the number of the cheese dairy. They are then covered in molds and sent under the press for 15-16 hours. The weight of the press is 300 kg, but gradually it increases up to 900 kg. This is not the end of the process, after which the product is soaked in a salt solution for 20 hours.

The final stage is maturation in a special chamber, where a certain temperature regime is maintained. The characteristic crust appears after three months, after which the cheese is moved to a room where the temperature is kept no higher than 15 degrees. Here it is kept until sale.

Château Grüyer

Gruyere Castle in Switzerland is considered the second most visited in the country. The first is the Chillon Palace near Montreux. The castle in Gruyere is built on the slopes of a hill with a beautiful view of the Alps.

Over the years, Gruyere Castle was successively occupied by the Counts who built it, the bailiffs of Fribourg and then the Bovey and Balland families of Geneva, before it was bought by the Canton of Fribourg and opened to the public in 1938.

There are many legends associated with this place, but historians have not yet clarified the origins of the castle and the county. It is believed that the count’s family settled here in the 11th century, but paintings in one of the halls of the Gruyere Castle tell about the events of the year 400.

The Counts of Gruyere lived in the castle only until the 16th century, when the family became impoverished and the structure became the residence of officials. At that time, the exterior and interior decoration changed – elements characteristic of Baroque appeared. Elegant stone galleries with wide windows replaced part of the wooden galleries, a stair tower joined the main block, and a chapel was installed in the former defense tower.

In the 19th century, Gruyere Castle was almost ruined and was about to be demolished, but it was bought by a wealthy local resident – Mr. Bovey. The new owners carried out major repairs. The construction work was overseen by Daniel Bovey, who changed the organization and theme of every room in the building. He invited his artist friends from France and Geneva to the summer residence, and all took part in creating the new decorations. The grounds surrounding the castle were also restored.

At the beginning of the last century, the Château de Gruyere became once again the property of the Swiss canton and was transformed into a museum. Guests are offered the use of an audio guide. In addition, exhibitions of contemporary art are held in the castle.

At the end of the 20th century, numerous artists and illustrators exhibited their works in the castle. This gallery presents a selection of their works, most of which depict Gruyere and its château.

Various rooms have been preserved in the palace:

• The count’s hall;
• the kitchen;
• chapel;
• dormitory;
• music hall;
• hunting room;
• the room of the count’s mistress.

There is another legend connected with this room – the count fell in love with a simple girl and even put her in his castle. However, the legend is silent as to what count’s lawful spouse reacted to this fact.

Near the castle there is a French garden, but it is better to visit in summer. The castle leaves a pleasant, cozy feeling, and you want to return here again.

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The valley of the Elbe River – it is in this picturesque place that the city of Colin stands. The very first Slavic peoples have lived here since the sixth century AD. However, at that time there was no city – only a small settlement was formed in this place. From the ninth to the twelfth century, the area was actively settled. The construction of the city took place under the colonial scheme.

Already in the 15th century the town of Kolín became a true epicenter of prosperity and wealth in Bohemia. The king granted it all sorts of privileges. But the Thirty Years’ War swallowed up all the success, leaving poverty and ruin. After the fighting, it took a long time for the inhabitants to rebuild their hometown. Colin was saved by its advantageous location at the crossroads of trade routes. It gradually became one of the most economically prosperous Czech towns again.

Handicrafts, trade and industry actively developed in Kolín at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The railroad line appeared in Kolín. The center of Kolín was decorated by huge Charles Square with numerous Gothic buildings and an ancient reservoir. Nowadays Kolín is a major administrative center with a developed chemical industry and mechanical engineering. There are also a lot of printing companies, which have been successfully operating for several years.

Interestingly, there has always been a Jewish community in Colin. In the fifteenth century, the Jews had a special influence in this area. Tourists often visit the ancient Jewish cemetery, which was founded at the end of the fifteenth century. In 1942, a huge number of Jews were deported from the city. Few of them survived the onslaught of the Nazis. The knowledge and cultural values accumulated over the centuries were irretrievably lost. The town of Kolín is a privileged area of the Czech Republic. It has a fairly high standard of living and well-developed infrastructure.

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Kennecott, Alaska

Not all that glitters is gold, but gold isn’t the only way to make a fortune. Hardy diggers began streaming into this remote corner of Alaska in the 1900s, after a couple of prospectors stumbled on a $200 million pile of copper ore.

In 1903, the Utah Copper Company was formed, and it turned this place into a self-contained working-class community with a tennis court and an ice rink. By 1938, however, the copper deposits were running low, and the mines had to be closed. Today the abandoned village of Kennecott is a U.S. National Historic Landmark and part of Rangel St. Elias National Park.

St. Elmo, Colorado

Once a pompous city of gold miners and a popular stop for railroad travelers to the Pacific Coast, St. Elmo was founded in 1880.
It used to have two thousand residents and 150 mines, as well as hotels, breweries, brothels and the best discotheques of the day. In 1910, the Alpine railroad tunnel was closed. Prices for precious metals had already dropped by that time, and rail service was discontinued in 1922.

Now there’s not much left here: a small house where you can stay, and a store for all occasions, open from summer to October, weather permitting, where you can buy all sorts of antiques and rent an all-terrain vehicle.

Virginia City, Montana

An old gold mining town (founded in 1863), home of Calamity Jane, a famous character in American Wild West stories and a participant in the Indian Wars. Virginia City had a bad reputation, there were no law enforcement, no court system, and as a result no one was surprised by murders and robberies, gangs were on the roads and in 1863-1864 no less than 100 people were killed in Virginia City alone.

For a time the city was the capital of the Montana Territory (before Montana became a state) with a population of about ten thousand. About half of the buildings of that time have been preserved and restored, and now Virginia City is a popular tourist destination, an open-air museum of the Wild West.

Batstow Village, New Jersey

Named for the Swedish word “batstu” (bath, sauna), Batstow Village was once a bustling ironworks center serving the needs of the Continental Army during the American Civil War.

Today about 40 buildings remain from the town, founded as early as 1766, including an industrialist residence, sawmill, blacksmith shop, icehouse, dairy, carriage house, stables and a department store. A postcard can be sent from the post office – it is open and working. The buildings are fully restored and maintained as a historical landmark. There is a museum and tourist information center.

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History of Dodge – City

“The most vicious little town in the West” was officially born in 1872 and grew up around the sod home of a local cattleman.Dodge City was a major stop on the historic Santa Fe route, a large trade route between Franklin, Missouri, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, which was used until 1880. This prairie town was also the buffalo capital of the United States for three years until massacres decimated the herds. During the decade ending in the mid-1880s, the town was a major cattle ranching site. With so many vagrants, buffalo hunters, ex-soldiers and gunfighters flocking to town. Dodge City became legendary for its lawlessness. In 1876, Dodge’s population was only 1,200 and it boasted 19 establishments that served liquor! Famous peacemakers from Kansas eventually made their way to town, including Bath Masterson and Wyatt Earp, bringing with them the long arm of the law and much fodder for old West glory stories. Today, Dodge City thrives on tourism based on cowboy mystique and Old West legends. For those intrigued by the life of the gunslinger, this is a must stop during your Kansas vacation.

Dodge City is the windiest city in the United States with an average daily wind speed of over 22 miles per hour. In Dodge City, Kansas, spitting on the sidewalk is illegal. It is still recorded in the law books that all businesses must provide a horse drinker in that city. In the three years 1872-1874 about 850,000 buffalo hides were shipped out of Dodge City.

This Kansas City is rich in landmarks, including the 38-foot cross of Coronado, which marks the spot where this famous Spanish explorer crossed the Arkansas River in 1541 in search of his “Golden Cities.”

Attractions

Dodge City Raceway Park

Dodge City Raceway Park is an exciting place for avid race fans. The 3/8 mile dirt track attracts thousands of spectators each summer. The National Sprint Car Tour is held here. Hornet, Stock, Modified, Sport Modified and NAPA Thunder class cars compete at the racetrack.Every year, Dodge City Raceway hosts a Rock and Race Festival, combining rousing musical entertainment with the noise and excitement of production car racing. There are special raffle prizes and themed events at the race track, including a Harley Davidson night.

Gunfighter’s Wax Museum

This unique Kansas City landmark is adorned with life-size wax figures of Wild West heroes. Meet Sitting Bull, Buffalo Bill, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and Davy Crockett. There is also an exhibit of members of the television series “Gunsmoke,” as well as other fictional characters from the western. The Gunfighter Wax Museum is located above the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame, the first of its kind in the United States and another great stop during your Dodge City vacation. It’s open seven days a week from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Boothill Museum

Reenactments of gunfights, saloon shows and chuck wagon dinners are part of the appeal of the Boothill Museum. This attraction includes historic Front Street and the Kansas Cowboys Hall of Fame. The museum recreates “The Most Vicious Little Town in the West” of the late 1800s. Along Front Street are the Long Branch Saloon, Booth Hill Cemetery (where many Kansas natives, heroes and outlaws now rest), the Bank, the Funeral Home and many other Dodge City establishments. Excellent exhibits and films focus on the Native American peoples of the plains, the American buffalo saga, the Santa Fe Trail, and the history of railroads in Kansas. The Boot Hill Museum depicts the brutal reality of lawlessness that was Dodge City before the city turned.

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What is so surprising about Kernavė? Kernavė, first mentioned in chronicles in the 13th century, is a unique place, a kind of the cradle of the Lithuanian people. Archaeological research that has been and is still being conducted in Kernavė has proved that people have been settling in this area for ten thousand years before the first written records. The hills of Kernavė and the artifacts found on the territory of the former city have become the main part of the reserve, which the Lithuanian authorities created in order to preserve the unique environment. Today the Kernave reserve covers more than 200 hectares. The uniqueness of the first center of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania has been noted by UNESCO, which included Kernavė in the list of world cultural heritage.

The preserve also includes the territory of Kernavė town itself. Tourists can see the picturesque neo-Gothic Kernavė Church, built in the 30s of the 20th century to commemorate the five hundredth anniversary of the Lithuanian Prince Vitovt. It was reconstructed in place of the former 14th-century church, the remains of which were discovered during excavations and which was named after the great Lithuanian prince.

One of the main exhibits in Kernav is his museum. The museum is located in the building of the former elementary school. It has a rich collection of archaeological, ethnographic and photographic exhibits. They show the historical milestones that took place in the fate of Kernavé. At the moment the museum is closed for restoration. It is planned to reopen in 2009.

For several decades Kernavė has been a traditional venue of various festivals; celebrations devoted to Lithuanian history and Lithuanian rituals. Most of the festivals are held in summer. For example, on July 6, Kernavė becomes the national center of the state holiday of Lithuania; the Coronation Day of the Prince Mindovg. Kernavė hosts one of the largest archaeological festivals in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe – the Days of Living Archaeology – as part of the Coronation Day celebrations.

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