Trafalgar Square, England

Trafalgar Square (/ˌtrəˈfælɡər/ trə-fal-gər) is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, built around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. It is situated in the City of Westminster. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of commemorative statues and sculptures in the square, while one plinth, left empty since it was built in 1840, The Fourth Plinth, has been host to contemporary art since 1999. The square is also used for political demonstrations and community gatherings, such as the celebration of New Year's Eve.

The name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, a British naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars over France and Spain which took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar in Los Canos de Meca, a town in the municipality of Vejer de la Frontera(in the municipality of Barbate since 1940), Cadiz, Spain. The original name was to have been "King William the Fourth's Square", but George Ledwell Taylor suggested the name "Trafalgar Square".

In the 1820s George IV engaged the architect John Nash to redevelop the area. Nash cleared the square as part of his Charing Cross Improvement Scheme. The present architecture of the square is due to Sir Charles Barry and was completed in 1845.

Trafalgar Square is owned by the Queen in Right of the Crown and managed by the Greater London Authority, while Westminster City Council owns the roads around the square, including the pedestrianized area of the North Terrace. It forms part of the Northbank business improvement district.

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National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington DC, United States

National Mall and Memorial Parks (also known as National Capital Parks-Central) is an administrative unit of the National Park Service encompassing many national memorials and other areas in Washington, D.C. Federally owned and administered parks in the capital area date back to 1790, some of the oldest in the United States. In 1933, they were transferred to the control of the National Park Service. These parks were known as the National Capital Parks from their inception until 1965. The NPS now operates multiple park groupings in the D.C. area, including: National Capital Parks-East, Rock Creek Park, President's Park, and George Washington Memorial Parkway. National Mall and Memorial Parks also provides technical assistance for the United States Navy Memorial.

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Times Square, New York, United States

Times Square is a major commercial intersection and a neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the junction of Broadway (now converted into a pedestrian plaza) and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets. Brightly adorned with billboards and advertisements, Times Square – iconified as "The Crossroads of the World", "The Center of the Universe", and "The Great White Way" – is the hub of the Broadway Theater District, one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections, and a major center of the world's entertainment industry. Times Square is one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, hosting over 39 million visitors annually. Approximately 330,000 people pass through Times Square daily, many of whom are either tourists or people working in the area.

Formerly Longacre Square, Times Square was renamed in April 1904 after The New York Times moved its headquarters to the newly erected Times Building – now called One Times Square – site of the annual ball drop on New Year's Eve, a tradition which began on December 31, 1907 and continues today, attracting thousands to the Square every New Year's.

The northern triangle of Times Square is technically Duffy Square, dedicated in 1937 to Chaplain Francis P. Duffy of New York City's "Fighting 69th" Infantry Regiment; a memorial to Duffy is located there, along with a statue of George M. Cohan, and the TKTS discount theatre tickets booth. The stepped red roof of the TKTS booth also provides seating for various events. The Duffy Statue and the square were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

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Louvre Museum, Paris, France

The history of the Louvre Museum dates back to the late 12th century. The royal collection in the museum today began when King Francois I invited Leonardo da Vinci in regards to a work opportunity a few years before his death. As a result, subsequent royals continued this tradition and began to make room for antiquities inside the palace. It was King Louis XVI, who planned on opening a museum in the palace after acquiring several important paintings of the Spanish and Dutch schools.
 

 

The collections of the Louvre Museum first opened to the public on August 10, 1793. It is not possible to view all collections in the museum in just a single day. Hence, visitors are advised to spread their visit over several days. The layout of the museum can make navigating confusing, but it is otherwise an extremely visitor-friendly attraction. Moreover, the color-coded maps that are provided for by the museum make it easier for the visitors to plan and locate the departments, making it simple for them to know where the most famous exhibits are kept.

The galleries inside the Louvre Museum are quite spacious, but there are exceptions when it comes to extremely famous paintings such as the Mona Lisa, which attracts packed crowds.

The collections of the museum are divided into eight departments such as Paintings, Prints and Drawings, Greek, Etruscan, Roman Antiquities, etc. They are strategically distributed over four floors and three wings (Denon, Sully, and Richelieu).

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Mont Saint-Michel, France

The timeless treasure of Mont Saint-Michel rises from the sea like a fantasy castle. This small island, located off the coast in northern France, is attacked by the highest tides in Europe. Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, built the small church at the request of the Archangel Michael, chief of the ethereal militia. A small church was dedicated on October 16, 709.

The Duke of Normandy requested a community of Benedictines to live on the rock in 966. It led to the construction of the pre-Romanesque church over the peak of the rock. The very first monastery buildings were established along the north wall of the church. The 12th century saw an extension of the buildings to the west and south. In the 14th century, the abbey was protected behind some military constructions, to escape the effects of the Hundred Years War. However, in the 15th century, the Romanesque church was substituted with the Gothic Flamboyant chancel.

The medieval castle turned church has become one of the important tourist destinations of France. The township consists of several shops, restaurants, and small hotels.

Travel Tips

• Remember that the tides here are very rough.
• Do not try to walk over sand as it is dangerous.
• Get the help of a guide if you wish to take a stroll over the tidal mudflats.
• The Mount has steep steps; climb carefully.
  
     

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