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In response to the thread about what historical sites people would like to visit, I thought it would be nice for people to provide a few thoughts on the sites they have visited so those who desire to see those same places would get some flavor of them.
Here's my list:
1. Rome - Despite the choking commercailization of many of the major sites, its still one of the neatest place I have ever visited. I felt like I was marinating in history the entire 3 days I spent there. It is impossible to visit the eternal city without learning something.
2. Verdun - The size and scale of the battlefield, and the fact you could still see the scars in the landscape 70 years later ( I visited in the 1980's), and the overflowing cemetaries had a huge impact on me.
3. Philadelphia - Visiting all the important revolutionary war sites in the Metro area helped me appreciate what a unique idea this country was at the time of its founding and how many of the political ideas we take for granted today were so extraordinary when they were introduced in the 18th century. Gave me a new level of appreciation for the founding fathers.
In response to the thread about what historical sites people would like to visit, I thought it would be nice for people to provide a few thoughts on the sites they have visited so those who desire to see those same places would get some flavor of them.
Here's my list:
1. Rome - Despite the choking commercailization of many of the major sites, its still one of the neatest place I have ever visited. I felt like I was marinating in history the entire 3 days I spent there. It is impossible to visit the eternal city without learning something.
2. Verdun - The size and scale of the battlefield, and the fact you could still see the scars in the landscape 70 years later ( I visited in the 1980's), and the overflowing cemetaries had a huge impact on me.
3. Philadelphia - Visiting all the important revolutionary war sites in the Metro area helped me appreciate what a unique idea this country was at the time of its founding and how many of the political ideas we take for granted today were so extraordinary when they were introduced in the 18th century. Gave me a new level of appreciation for the founding fathers.
I really enjoyed the battlefield at Vicksburg. Did you know Vicksburg fell the same day of Gettysburg.
the strategic value of Vicksburg was much greater then Gettysburg
I would recommend none since all the ones i've visited are disgusting tourist traps filled with old, rich, white americans and europeans being led around like cattle. Historical significance loses its value when the site is surrounded by chain restaurants and plush hotels. Also, when you can drive to the site and you hear men and women from your own country bitching about heat, walking and "weird" natives, it really shows you how ridiculous the tourism industry has become.
The best historical places to go are ones that you've never heard of in a book or from any mainstream travel guides. Go find them on your own.
Generally, I have no interest in visiting historical sites because being there imparts nothing to me to raise my understanding of the history. But I have been to some, either accidentally, or because I was accompanied by a traveler who wanted to go there. In the order that I think of them.
Lanse aux Meadows, Newfoundland.
Ba'albek, Lebanon
Custer Battlefield, Montana
Great pyramid and sphynx, Egypt.
Karnak, Egypt
Petra, Jordan
Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
Stonehenge, England
Polguk Sa, Korea
Troy, Turkey
Louvre Museum, France
Way of the Cross, Jerusalem
Bethlehem, Palestine
Auschwitz, Poland
DMZ, Vietnam
Chichen Itza, Mexico
Teotihuacan, Mexico
Opera House, Manaus, Brazil
Barbed Wire Museum, Kansas
Chalmette Battlefield, Louisiana
Bear Flag Building (I worked in the building), Cannery Row, Monterey, California
Wahconah Field, Pittsfield, Mass. (Only baseball park where sun sets in batters eyes)
Labatt's Field, London, Ontario (Oldest continuously used baseball diamond in the world)
Newfoundland Margarine Company, built on site of landing field used for Alcock and Brown's transatlantic flight.
Cabot Tower, Newfoundland, where Marconi heard first translantic broadcast of human voice.
State Capital, Louisiana, site of assassination of Huey Long.
Carlsberg Brewery tour, Denmark
I have visited some. I like the impressive architectural ones, they tend to be the most interesting to me. This is what I can think of off the top of my head
Chichan Itza, Mexico
Tower of London, England
Stonehenge, England
Greenwich observatory, England
Houses of Parliament, England
Montjuic Castle, Spain
Sagrada Familia, Spain
San Juan National Historic site, US
Borobudur, Indonesia
Prambanan, Indonesia
Gettysburg, and other battlefields, US
St. Augustine, and other forts, US
Dodge city and other cow/wild west towns, US
All the main sites in London like The Tower, Buckingham Palace, etc
Roman Baths, Bath, England
Skipton Castle, Skipton, England
Tatton House, Cheshire, England
Bakewell, England (home of the Bakewell Tart)
Conwy Castle, Wales
All of main sites of Edinburgh, Scotland (Edinburgh Castle, Holyroodhouse Palace, St Anthony's Chapel (in ruins), Scott Monument)
Rosslyn Chapel, Roslin, Scotland
All the main sites of Pisa, Italy (Leaning Tower, Cathedral, Cemetery, Baptistery, etc)
Lucca, Italy (inside the walls, the whole town in historical)
All the main sites of Prague, Czech Republic
All the main sites of Barcelona, Spain
Quin Abbey, County Clare, Ireland
Newtown Castle, County Clare, Ireland
Stone Age Tomb, The Burren, County Clare, Ireland
Knappogue Castle, County Clare, Ireland
Doonagore Castle, County Clare, Ireland
Fonthill Museum, Bucks County, PA
All the historical sites of Philadelphia
And finally, I was married in Aldie Mansion, Doylestown, PA
And finally, I was married in Aldie Mansion, Doylestown, PA
Oh, wait---I was married in the St. Louis Cathedral in the New Orleans French Quarter. Back in the days when you could walk in and say "We have a marriage license, is there a priest who's not busy?" Actually, I was also married in The Kirk, in St. John's, Newfoundland, which is on the Canada Registry of Historic Places. Don't ask me how many non-historic places I've been married.
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