The ultimate guide to visiting Palácio da Bolsa

Imagine working in a world of gilded splendor and royal magnificence. You are here every day, stepping gracefully across the interesting exotic wood floors, guarded by various statues and oil paintings, you have a desk made of the finest wood such as mahogany or rosewood and dozens of painted portraits of former presidents smiling at you (ok, that might be awkward..). Would you like to work in such a place?

The Palácio da Bolsa is a neoclassical building built in the 19th century on the site of the fire-ruined Convent of S. Francisco. Due to its long duration and quality required, the construction of the Palácio da Bolsa became a true school for the artists who worked there. It took 67 years until the works and decorations of this palace were considered completed, in 1909, shortly before the proclamation of the Republic. To this day, the building is still home to the Chamber of Commerce in Porto, and open to the public.

Courtyard of Nations, Palácio da Bolsa
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AU, HU – Vienna vs Budapest – Two cities in five days, p2

In case someone is wondering if five days were enough to visit these two cities Vienna and Budapest, the answer is not, 5 days is way too little to visit them, but I think it is enough get a glimpse of a great heritage of Austro-Hungarian Empire. You can read here the first part of this post. Today I will continue, and talk a bit about food, Danube River and churches.

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CU, Havana: Best of Old Havana in pictures

 

In my previous post I was telling you about various facets of Havana. Now, I will show you the Old Havana.

El Morro Castle
El Morro Castle – The guarding fortress standing out at the entrance of Havana bay. Built originally to guard the city from pirates, the castle is a witness of history in Havana

Stopping point for Spanish ships, La Habana Vieja has a history of about 500 years. With 2 fortresses to defend the city, one on each side of the Havana Bay, the city became a safe place since 16th century. Continue reading

CU, Havana: The city where “si, se puede”

Land of so many wonders, Cuba remains home of many broken promises, of lost hopes, and deluding propaganda. In a world full of divergent information, controlled media, and biased interests, people hardly know what to think unless they live through the system, to truly understand it. And not even then.

Sandy beach 2 Continue reading