#863 Verona Arena, Italy

Because I went to Verona when I was only 12, the only thing that I remember is the Roman ampitheatre, one of the best preserved that exists in the world and one that is still used for concerts today. What I remember is that it was spectacular!

commons.wikipedia.org

Built in 30 C.E. outside of what was then the city in pink and white Valpolicella marble, it was almost destroyed in a 1117 earthquake. The Renaissance saw a revival of its use as a theater due to its excellent acoustics, and it has had a continuous summer season of concerts since 1813, except during the world wars. No electronic sound system was used until 2011, although the rock concerts of many famous bands probably used their own speakers -- Pink Floyd, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Deep Purple, The Who, Dire Straits, Mike Oldfield, Rod Steward, Sting, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, and Muse.

www.guardian.co.uk

www.telegraph.co.uk

en.wikipedia.org

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verona_Arena

#873 Petra, Jordan

Probably on everyone's bucket list, Petra is one of the most amazing sites in the world and really deserves that place on the must-see list. Some would say that it was made famous by Indiana Jones, but it has been a wonder for millenia ever since the Nabataens built it in the centuries before Christ. Whether it is your first glimpse of the Treasury between the narrow slabs of rock (lit up in the morning sun, or in the afternoon shadows), or the hike up to the Monastery high above the valley floor, its grandeur, its seemingly perfect architecture, symmetry and form and its beautiful pink and red hues are only the beginning of the wonder. 

An enormous city complete with large ampitheatre, houses, government buildings, temples, and other structures, it was no doubt also filled with many temporary structures that form puzzle pieces long gone. The wind has softened many a line, fires lit by sheltering Bedouin have colored many a ceiling, and pathways have changed and been worn by many a donkey. It is beautiful architecture in its own right, but its magnificence is in that instead of being built up, it has been carved out of sold rock, and to enter a room that was once sold and to feel the space shows just what a feat of engineering it was. Oh, what a spectacular place it must have been!

The walk up the mountain to the sacrificial platform was fascinating -- something that no doubt many visitors would be happier to ignore. It was also not the natural formations that were so important -- the control of the water supply was what allowed the city to gain its strength. There are Greek, Syrian and Egyptian influences. Like so many other delights, it was hidden and unknown to the western world until 1812 

I dream of visiting its lesser-known cousin Medain Salah just over the border in Saudi Arabia. One day, I will!

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra

#911 Vienna, Austria

Literally and historically the heart of Europe, Vienna is a fantastic place, with palaces, museums, churches, galleries, architectural wonders, and amazing food and nightlife. With one of the lowest price indexes in all of the EU, it's reasonable and easy to visit.

1. The first amazing thing to see is Stephansdom, the enormous gothic church that dominates central Vienna. With it's gorgeous zigzag roof, majestic interior and spooky bone-filled crypt, it awakens every medieval dream and nightmare. The views from it's tower are super.

2. Ruling most of Europe for centuries, the Hapsburgs had their main base here, and the Hofburg palace is just one relic of their glory. The beautiful Belvidere gardens and a majestic timeless palace  buildings that could have fallen out of a fairy tale -- except their ultimate ending was far from happily ever after. The Museums here are never ending!

Heldenplatz - part of the Hofburg complex (Neue Burg)

Roman ruins on Michaelerplatz

3. Hundertwasser, the Austrian architect with fanciful curves, bright colors and a hodge podge of design has his famous Hundertwasser Haus in Vienna and other glorious and colorful designs with flowing rolling lines and divided fragments mixed with greenery.

3. Another of the things I loved about Vienna is the Ringstrasse -- a wide tree lined boulevard encircling the inner city along the lines of the old city walls. Parks!!

So order a coffee, sit on the grass, enjoy some sausages and good beer and enjoy this cultural hub!

Source: Lonely Planet Vienna 4th Edition

#912 Volubilis (Oualli), Morocco

When I first moved to Morocco, I was still quite naive and my knowledge of history rather limited. Thus, I was rather astonished to discover that there was an important Roman city in the middle of the Moroccan heartland, close to the imperial Islamic cities of Fes and Meknes. Lying in a rich green inland valley not far from the Islamic village of Moulay Idriss, close to the main train line from Casablanca lies the ruins of Volubilis. 

My history professor at Al Akhawayn University wryly said that the reconstruction was of a poor quality, such as the 'neon-signage' of the main archway -- he insisted it would be imbedded rather than awkwardly on top, but alas, this was done in the 1930s.

Dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries, although originally settled by Carthaginians, Volubilis was a producer of wheat and olives for the province of Mauretania Tingitana, but was insecure due to the surrounding Berber tribes and it's general isolation at the south-west corner of the empire. Eventually it fell to tribesmen in 285, but continued to be inhabited for another 700 years, first as a Christian city, then as an Islamic settlement. Muslim rulers eventually moved their capital to Fes, and both before and after an earthquake in the 18th century, much of the stone was used to build the capital of Meknes.

The floor mosaics were especially impressive -- very complete with strong colors considering the open-air exposure and many centuries when it was unlikely to have been a well-maintained site! I was impressed with the underfloor heating system as well that can be clearly seen.

Apologies for the photo quality. As with most of the other Morocco posts, these are film images printed and scanned with poor quality.

Source: Lonely Planet Morocco 6th Edition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volubilis