Once upon a time, the banks of the river Seine were lined with giant floating swimming pools. In the 19th century, one could take swimming lessons next to the Pont Neuf and in the 1970s, sunbathe topless on the upper deck of the Piscine Deligny, which w…
Year: 2019
Prague’s Narrowest Street is So Narrow it Has Traffic Lights For Pedestrians
In the heart of Prague’s oldest neighborhood, the historic Mala Strana or “Little Quarter”, there is a street so narrow that it’s impossible for two people to get past each other no matter how hard they try. The street named Vinarna Certovka is …
The island of cinemas: Cuba’s faded movie theatres – in pictures
Carolina Sandretto documents the last remaining buildings in Cines de Cuba, published by Skira
Fuggerei – The German Housing Complex Where Rent Hasn’t Gone Up in 500 Years
In a time when the cost of renting a home seems to be getting higher virtually everywhere in the civilized world, the residents of an idyllic housing complex in Germany are living in an inflation-free utopia. The people of Fuggerei, a walled district on…
Urban Hacking 101: Guides & Tutorials to Transform your City
[ By SA Rogers in Travel & Urban Exploration. ] If your city isn’t meeting your needs, just hack it. Urban hacktivism is a form of creative, citizen-led problem solving that often goes behind the backs of officials and institutions to get things d…
On The Streets of New York City – 1977-1978
“The West Side Clean-Up Inc.” – Manhattan, New York City – 1978 This album from Spanish photographer Manel Armengol features some of his photographs of a trip to New York City in the 1970s, particularly in 1977 and 1978. As Manel walked the stre…
‘The Elastic Perspective’ Is A Weathered Steel Public Sculpture In The Netherlands
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Photos of a Desolate and Deserted London from 1977
Vale Royal looking towards the Ebonite Tower in 1977. Built in 1870 it was demolished in 1983. These fascinating photos were taken by John Goodman an Australian who made two trips to UK in the mid 1970s. While in, as he puts it, ‘my raw early 20s’ �…
The Enduring Legacy of Spring Break Through the Lens of Photographer Keith McManus
A photo from ‘Spring Break: Rite of Passage’ | © Keith McManus US Editor Updated: 18 April 2019 Save to wishlist Save to Wishlist Dive into a brief history of spring break in the United States, and witness the cultural phenomenon through the eyes o…
The Swiss language that few know
The Sarine River skirts the edge of Basse-Ville (lower town), dividing both the canton of Fribourg and the city of Fribourg into two sectors: German-speaking and French-speaking. The city of around 40,000 people is clearly one of duality: street signs a…
The mystery of Star Wars and Tunisia’s rundown Brutalist hotel
Did a hotel facing demolition in Tunis inspire the design of the Star Wars Sandcrawler?
An immersive art installation lets you see, smell and feel the toxic fog of polluted cities
Burnt rubber perfumes London’s air. São Paulo smells like vinegar. Beijing’s winter scent is sulfur and coal. British artist Michael Pinsky installed a different kind of horror house in the bowels of the Vancouver Convention Center during the TED c…
In pics: Temperate House of Kew Gardens in London – Xinhua
Video PlayerClose Photo taken on April 14, 2019 shows the Temperate House of Kew Gardens in London, capital of Britain. The history of Kew Gardens can be traced back to the 18th century. In the year 2003, Kew Gardens was officially inscribed as a UNESCO…
Paris in Beautiful Color Images from 1890: The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, The Panthéon, and More (1890)
The 17th and 18th centuries in England marked a period of ostentation for a growing, and increasingly wealthy, landowning class. These were also times of internal religious wars between Catholics and Protestants, a period that saw the regicide of Char…
Footloose: Canada’s Abandoned Bata Shoe Factory
[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ] The former Bata shoe factory in “Batawa” – a company town located in southern Ontario – forged fine footwear for footloose Canucks from 1939 to the year 2000. Kickoff The Bata Shoe Company was…
Vietnam’s Imperial City – Hu?
Situated on the banks of the Perfume River, sightseeing in Hu?, is filled with pagodas, tombs, glimpses of the Perfume River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the incredible Imperial City. Hu? is one of the most charming towns in Vietnam to visit. This …
Brazilian woman chooses to celebrate 113th birthday in Turkey’s Cappadocia
A Brazilian woman traveled across the world to celebrate her 113th birthday in central Turkey’s Cappadocia region, which is famous for its fairy chimneys and rich history. Cacilda Marilia Do Nascimento, who was born in 1906 and currently lives in …
Funorama: Bouncy Rainbow Net Suspended Above a Paris Shopping Center
[ By SA Rogers in Destinations & Sights & Travel. ] Shoppers at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann can climb to new heights within the building’s domed atrium, bouncing around on a suspended rainbow net and gazing up at the stained glass cupol…
The Sapeurs of Brazzaville
The Sapeurs of Brazzaville Tariq Zaidi In the Republic of the Congo, stylish individuals piece together vibrant and sophisticated outfits that function as a form of colonial resistance, social activism and peaceful protest. La Sape, Société des Ambian…
Malta, Valletta: A European Capital of Culture brand gives this Mediterranean city new energy
Malta can feel like a nation designed for pub quiz questions. Which country was governed by knights for almost 300 years before being surrendered to Napoleon? What is the nearest Commonwealth nation to Britain? What is the smallest nation in the EU? It&…