I will be studying abroad in London, Paris, and Barcelona during the month of June as my Capstone Project to finish my Masters in Business Administration from Davenport University in Strategic Management. I will be visiting, and the ones discussed in this entry are the main ones on which I have performed some research. Feel free to read & learn along with me on this journey to becoming a more globally competent person through an awesome adventure to Europe!
The Tower of London was founded by
William the Conqueror in 1066 as a source for Norman power. It is noted as
being the central hub for security and protection of London. It is located on
the bend of the Thames River, and it was the doorway to the capital and
commerce center of London. It provides a glimpse into the medieval times of
England’s Monarchy. It was considered a place for the storage of official
documents including the Crown Jewels and other Royal Wardrobe Garments. The
armor and weaponry of King Henry the VIII as well as beheading equipment is
present. Notable executions that took place at the tower include Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Jane Grey. The
English Queen Elizabeth I was supposed to be executed as well but was able to
escape. The imprisonments and executions that took place in the tower
shaped English History as well as the Reformation. The Tower of London is steeped in history, and
it will be fascinating to experience this step back in time (Tower of London,
2013).
Westminster Abbey is a majestic place where the kings
of England have been crowned since 1066, and many kings and queens are buried
in the abbey. In addition, many other good people are buried or memorialized
there including statesmen and politicians, lawyers, warriors, clerics, writers,
artists and musicians (Westminster Palace,
Westminster Abbey, St. Margaret's Church, 2013). Westminster Abbey is a
part of the Church of England and holds daily worship services in accordance
with the tradition established by Benedictine monks in the tenth century. It is
a Gothic building begun by Henry III in 1245 and is full of paintings, stained
glass, pavements, textiles, and other artifacts. The tombs and memorials amount
to the largest collection of monumental sculpture in the United Kingdom. The abbey
also houses important archives, books, manuscripts, and is a hub for study and
research on the history of the United Kingdom. It is a sight I have seen on
television multiple times, but I’m looking forward to exploring it when we
visit (History, 2013).
Parliament
is a governing body composed of the House of Commons and House of Lords. It is
responsible for evaluating the government’s work, reaching compromise and
passing all legislation, and allowing tax increases. There are four types of
committees involved in the Parliament: select, joint, general, grand. Select
committees work in both the House of Commons and Lords and report on the
appropriate areas from government procedures to economics. Joint
committees are composed of Members of Parliament and Lords. General committees
are in the House of Commons, and they investigate proposed legislation. There
are three Grand Committees explore questions on Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland. Some of the essential people are the Speaker, Commons Deputy Speakers,
The Lord Speaker, The Lord Chancellor, Leader of the House of Commons, Whips,
Leader of the House of Lords, Clerk of the House and Chief Executive, Clerk of
the Lords, Seargant of Arms at Arms, and Black Rod. The Black Rod is the
Queen’s representative; whereas, the rest of the people serve in the Houses themselves
(About Parliament, 2013).
Windsor
Castle is where the Queen resides, and it has been a home for the royalty for
over 900 years. In the castle, the queen works, relaxes, and hosts events. It
was chosen by William the Conqueror to be above the River Thames and is a day’s
march from the Tower of London. In 1992, the castle was damaged by a fire, and
it has been restored as a result. The 59.2 million dollar renovation was
completed in 1997. This is also the location of the changing of the guards
ceremony which takes place each day outside the castle. In the state apartments
of the castle there is art by: Canaletto, Holbein, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyck. In
addition, there is a large collection of armor. St. George’s Chapel is where
the prestigious garter ceremony takes place as well as some royal wedding
pre-ceremonial events. Recently, during Prince William and Princess Kate’s
wedding celebrations, the blessing took place in the chapel (Windsor Castle,
2013).
Stonehenge is a legendary prehistoric monument that
has become a tourist hotspot. There are four stages in the development of it. During
the first stage, around 3100 BC, it was a ditch and bank with Aubrey holes.
These holes are round-shaped pits in the chalk. During the second stage, around
2150 BC, 82 bluestones from the mountains of Preseli were brought there. The
stones weighed 4 tonnes each, and the journey was 240 miles long, mostly by
water travel. The third stage, in 2000 BC, was when Sarsen stones were brought
25 miles south to Stonehenge. These stones weighed 50 tonnes, and they were not
able to be hauled by water; but men pulled them with sledges and ropes in
collaborative efforts. These stones formed an outer circle. After 1500BC, the
final stage was carried out including the rearrangement of the 60 bluestones
into a horseshoe pattern some of which remain today. Furthermore, it is
utilized for some ceremonial events (Stonehenge History, 2013).
The British
Museum was designed in the 19th Century, and it has four wings
designed by Sir Robert Smirke, a round domed-ceiling reading room, and The
Great Court designed by Norman Foster. The building is designed according to
the Greek revival style with columns and a pediment. The museum was designed to
fit its purpose. The southern side has stair, columns, and pediment; whereas, the
east and west areas, the simple design demonstrates its purpose of housing
employees. The museum was the first public building to be lit with electricity.
The King Edward VII galleries feature Roman characteristics rather than Greek
and include the royal coat of arms and sculptures of crowns and lions heads.
The Duveen gallery was designed by the American Architect John Russel Pope, the
designer of the National Gallery in Washington D.C. The Great Court houses
Parthenon Structures and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000. Current exhibits
feature: Chinese ceramics, clocks and watches, Europe AD 1050-1540, and the
Tomb-Ancient Egyptian Life and Death (About Us, 2013).
Wimbledon is the home of the Tennis Championship taking
place this year from June 24th-July 7th. One can visit
the court and museum. The museum houses Championship trophies, film and video
footage, and tennis memorabilia. In 1868, the All-England Club was formed and
in 1877, the first championships were played. In 1884, the first Ladies’
Championships were played. In `1908, the Olympic Games were held at Wimbledon.
In 1937, the first television coverage of Wimbledon was broadcasted. Wimbledon
often receives royal visits, and it is a prestigious honor to attain the
privilege to play on the court in front of the whole world. In 2012 in the Men’s Tournament, Roger
Federer won his seventh singles title, and Frederik Nielsen and Jonathan Marray
won the doubles. On the women’s side, Serena Williams won her fifth singles title
before winning the doubles title with her sister Venus. It is a sacred ground
filled with a vast history of glorious victories and heartbreaking defeats (Visit,
2013).
Greenwich Mean Time
stems from Greenwich, England and has been effective since 1884. It is measured
from the Greenwich Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory in the town of
Greenwich, and it is the place from which all time zones are measured. Around
the world, clocks change in the spring to move forward and backward in the
fall, but the Greenwich Mean Time is a constant and remains the same regardless
of the time of year. The Prime Meridian is longitude of zero degrees and is the
starting point of every time zone in the world. The GMT is the mean or average
time that the earth takes to rotate from noon-to-noon. The exact location of
Greenwich is as follows: Longitude 0° 0' 0", Latitude 51° 28' 38"N. Greenwich
time is not only utilized on the Earth’s surface, but it is also used by the
International Space Station. It is also used by the military as precision time
also known as “Zulu Time” (Greenwich Organizations, 2013).
The Eiffel Tower was built as a part of the
World’s Fair in 1889 marking the 100-year anniversary of the French Revolution.
It was originally intended to be a temporary structure, but city officials
opted to save it as it was a good radio and telegraph station. During World War
II, Hitler declared a mission to destroy it, but it never came to fruition;
during the German occupation, French fighters cut the Eiffel Tower’s elevator
chords so the Nazis were forced to climb the stairs. In recent times, the tower
has been the site of stunts, ceremonies, and other celebrations. There are more
visitors to the tower than any other paid monument in the world with around 7
million people a year, and it is kept running by over 500 employees(Eiffel
Tower, 2013). The tower construction took 2 years 2 months 5 days, and it is 1,062 feet tall. It has 1,710 steps
to the top and has 108 stories. It is the best overlook in the city of Paris,
and I am excited to experience it for the second time (Eiffel Tower Facts,
2013).
La Sagrada Familia is a cathedral in Barcelona, Spain which
began construction in 1882 and is estimated to be completed in 2041. Architect
Anonti Gaudi dedicated over 40 years of his life to this cathedral and his last
15 years were spent on this alone. He tragically died in a tram accident, and
he is buried in the Basilica. It is a
Roman Catholic Basilica and will have 18 towers of which the tallest will reach
a height of 560 feet. The tallest tower is topped
by a lamb representing Jesus, the Lamb of God. The four shorter towers are to
be topped by animal symbols attributed to the four evangelists with a fifth
representing the Virgin Mary. Each tower will be full of beautiful mosaics. The
three facades are Passion, Nativity, and Glory each of which has a portal to
represent faith, hope, and love (Symonds, 2010). From the towers, one can view
a picturesque overview of Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea.
Harrods
Department Store attracts customers from around the world because of its
first-class quality and service. It began in 1834 as a grocer and tea merchant,
but now it carries a great diversity of goods across 7 floors and through 330
departments ranging from pet outfits to fine glass and luxurious goods. It also
has 27 restaurants (Harrods Department Store, 2013). In 1898, it became the
first building to have an escalator in London. The building itself is
impressively designed with domed ceilings and decorative walls. The Food Hall,
Egyptian Hall, and Crystal Rooms are very uniquely designed and are must-sees.
Harrods’ success brought other upscale shops to the area; and as a result, the
surrounding area has become an upscale district. It is just down the road from
one of the most famous shopping streets in London, Sloane Street. Harrods is a
significant source of positive economic impact in London and is a symbol of the
prestige London seeks to portray (Harrods, 2013).
London
Eye is a giant ferris wheel that is 135 meters large. It is the world’s largest
cantilevered observation wheel. It was launched in 2000, and it has won over
eighty-five awards in the areas of national tourism, international tourism, and
quality in design and engineering. It was built in 7 years by hundreds of
people from five countries, and from the top one can see 25 miles in distance
on a clear day. Each year an average of 3.5 million visitors ride the Eye with
a capacity of 800 passengers per flight. It takes 30 minutes to fulfill a
round. It is one of London’s modern attractions in the midst of much of London
which is very old and historical. Each observation area looks like a giant
globe, and one is able to see out on all sides. In addition, the London Eye
offers interactive guides, audio guides, and a 4D Experience (Experience,
2013).
The
Louvre Museum was originally a fortress built to protect Paris, and its
location is right on the banks of the Seine River. In the middle of the
fourteenth century, Paris expanded and the city walls of protection did as
well, so the Louvre was no longer a protective barrier. It transitioned into a
palace residence for French royalty followed by its current use as the Louvre
Museum. In 1989, the glass pyramid, as featured in the movie the Da Vinci Code,
was dedicated, and is the entrance welcoming guests to the experience of
enjoying some of the world’s best art. Some of the most famous paintings
featured at the Louvre include: The Mona Lisa, The Wedding Feast at Cana, St.
Mary Magdalene. Other collections include: Egyptian, Islamic, Greek,
Decorative, Prints and Drawings, Africa, Oceana, Asian. With the vast variety
of art available to explore, a visit to the Louvre will give one a greater
awareness of French history in regards to art and architecture as well as the
Medieval Times (Plan Your Visit, 2013).
The Globe
Theater is a short distance from its original location, but the reconstruction
which opened in 1997 looks to be every bit as magnificent. It attracts visitors
from all over the world to attend workshops, educational lectures, and staged
readings. Additional features include tours of the theatre and productions. The
Globe Theatre was the home to a few play writers and actors, but the most
famous of them was William Shakespeare. Many of his plays were debuted at the
second Globe Theatre. The current Globe Theatre is based off of the panoramas
and details known about the original. The reconstruction materials are the
closest to what was used back in the sixteenth century. Plays and productions
were an important part of the culture of London, and they are still a significant
destination (About Us The Globe, 2013). I read a great deal of Shakespeare’s
works and learned about the Globe Theatre in British Literature class, and I’m
looking forward seeing it brought to life.
The
Notre Dame Cathedral is located in Paris, France, and is the official seat of
the Archbishop of France. It was designed in the 12th and 14th
centuries, and it has Gothic architecture including flying buttresses, statues,
and stained glass windows. The cathedral has one of the world’s largest organs
and numerous church bells. The most distinct bell in the south tower is called
Emmanuel and weighs over 13 tons. The organ has 7800 pipes, and is now
computerized. The cathedral draws around 13 million visitors from around the
world every year. This cathedral is known as being the place of worship for
many French, and it is a significant cultural icon in Paris. Its location is
picturesque on the Seine River. Despite the many fires and destruction, it has
been maintained and reconstructed to preserve its beauty (Chavis, 2013). I have
visited this cathedral once before, and I remember it as being one of the
highlights of the city because of its location and gorgeous architecture and
stained-glass windows.
Works Cited
About Parliament. (2013). In Parliament. Retrieved May 2,
2013, from www.parliament.uk
Greenwich Organizations. (2013). In Greenwich Mean Time. Retrieved
May 7, 2013, from
Harrods Department Store. (2013). In Visit London. Retrieved May 8,
2013, from
History. (2013). In Westminster Abbey. Retrieved
May 2, 2013, from
Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey, St.
Margaret's Church. (2013). In United
Nations Educational Scientific
and Cultural Organization.
Retrieved May 1, 2013, from http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/426
Windsor Castle. (2013). In Royal-Windsor. Retrieved May 6,
2013, from
http://www.royal-windsor.com/windsor-castle.htm
