Picturesque Goa

Picturesque Goa
NOSTALGIA - Articles,Poems & Photos

TONFERNS CREATIONS

TONFERNS CREATIONS
TONFERNS CREATIONS - Tony's Art & Hobbies

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Castle at Obidos, Portugal


The Castle of Óbidos
 is a well-preserved medieval castle
located in the civil parish of Santa Maria,
São Pedro e Sobral da Lagoa,
in the municipality of Óbidos,
Portuguese district of Leiria.

Monday, April 24, 2017

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Bridges on the Douro River, Porto/Gaia Crossings, Portugal

The Unique Bridges of Porto

Porto is a beautiful city. It is the second largest city of Portugal. Famous for its colourful houses along the cobbled alleyways, it has long history. It is rich in its culture and most of all famous for its bridges spanning across the River Douro, connecting Porto on the north with Gaia on the south. It is known as the City of Bridges. Apparently the people of Porto and Gaia are equally proud of them all with their given names. The best way to see them is to take a river cruise, bask in the panorama and click away. The appear here from the west (coastal) to the east (interior). 'Ponte' is bridge in Portuguese.
The Douro is one of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, flowing from its source near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province across northern-central Spain and Portugal to its outlet at Porto.
 Ponte Da Arrabida

 Ponte Dom Luis I

Ponte do Infante

 Ponte Maria Pia

 Ponte Sao Joao

Ponte do Freixo

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Monastery of Serra do Pilar, Portugal


Part of the area classified by UNESCO as World Heritage in December 1996, the Monastery of Serra do Pilar is the architectural landmark of Gaia. The interesting church and cloisters are laid out according to a circular design unique in Portugal.

The convent built in the 16th century belonged to the Order of Saint Augustine. The church is characterised by a circular shape, a replica of the Church of Santa Maria Redonda in Rome, and is covered by a hemispheric vault with a narrow balcony running its full extent. It took 72 year to complete due to the lack of funding and the political turmoil of those times – with the kingdom of Portugal having fallen to neighbouring Spain. One legacy of that event was the adoption of a Spanish saint for the monastery, Our Lady of Pilar.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Dom Luis I Bridge, Porto, Portugal



The Dom Luís I Bridge is a double-deck metal arch bridge that spans the River Douro between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal. At its construction, its 172 metres span was the longest of its type in the world.

Monday, April 17, 2017

Santa Maria de Vitoria, The Monastery of Batalha


Monastery - Santa Maria de Vitoria, The Monastery of Batalha (Portuguese: Mosteiro da Batalha), literally the Monastery of the Battle, is a Dominican convent in the civil parish of Batalha, in the district of Leiria, in the Centro Region of Portugal. Originally, and officially known, as the Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory (Portuguese: Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória), it was erected in commemoration of the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota.

Sunday, April 16, 2017

The Alcobaça Monastery, Lisbon, Portugal


The Alcobaça Monastery (Portuguese: Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça) is a Mediaeval Roman Catholic monastery located in the town of Alcobaça, in Oeste Subregion. It was founded by the first Portuguese King, Afonso Henriques, in 1153, and maintained a close association with the Kings of Portugal throughout its history.

The church and monastery were the first Gothic buildings in Portugal, and, together with the Monastery of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, it was one of the most important of the mediaeval monasteries in Portugal. Due to its artistic and historical importance, it was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1989

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Lisbon, Portugal


Elevador Santa Justa (Elevator Lift Lisbon).

The Santa Justa Lift (Portuguese: Elevador de Santa Justa, also called Carmo Lift (Portuguese: Elevador do Carmo, is an elevator, or lift, in the civil parish of Santa Justa, in the historical city of Lisbon, Portugal. Situated at the end of Rua de Santa Justa, it connects the lower streets of the Baixa with the higher Largo do Carmo (Carmo Square).

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Monday, April 10, 2017

Lisbon by Night, Portugal


Lisbon by night.
View of Castelo of Sao Jorge
Castle of Saint George
 from Elevador Santa Justa
 (Elevator Lift Lisbon).

Sunday, April 09, 2017

Sintra, Portugal



Sintra National Palace, Sintra, Portugal is the best-preserved medieval royal palace in Portugal and was a favourite with the Portuguese nobility. The minimalistic gothic exterior of the palace hides a wonder of decorative state rooms and the national palace is a highly recommended attraction while visiting Sintra.

Friday, April 07, 2017

Sintra, Portugal


Sintra Hillside

Sintra is both a town and a municipality in the Estoril Coast region of Portugal. While most tourists will come to visit the town and its spectacular setting, the municipality is much larger. This article is about the town; for other destinations in the municipality, see the listings below. Sintra is only 28km away from Lisbon, and is primarily known because of the Pena Palace (Palácio de Pena), built in the 19th century in an eclectic style by the Portuguese king-consort Dom Fernando II. Close by, the Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle) is also an important landmark and a popular tourist destination. The town of Sintra itself boasts the medieval Sintra National Palace and several 19th century estates. Sintra and its surrounding mountains (Serra de Sintra) are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a popular destination for day-trippers, and can be easily explored while staying in Lisbon.

Saturday, April 01, 2017

St. Jeronimos Monastery, Lisbon, Portugal






Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (Jeronimos Monastery), Lisbon. The church and the monastery, like the nearby Torre de Belém and Padrão dos Descobrimentos, symbolise the Portuguese Age of Discovery and are among the main tourist attractions of Lisbon. In 1983, UNESCO formally designated the Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém as a World Heritage Site. Construction of the Jeronimos Monastery began in 1501, on the orders of King Manuel I. Chosen as the royal pantheon and financed by the monumental wealth brought back from India, this monumental construction is a brilliant synthesis of European late-Gothic and early renaissance trends.