Travel Photography by Matt Castle
The Bridge of Tiberius is a Roman bridge spanning the river Marecchia in Rimini, Italy. It was completed in 20AD under the rule of Emperor Tiberius and is a symbol of strength and longevity having survived multiple attempts of its destruction during the war. As the sun set on the far side of the bridge the warm light caught the inside of the arches, added to the reflection from the river it created some beautiful golden rings.
The Louvre, one of the largest museums in the world and probably the most famous. Home to Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of Mona Lisa, the Nike of Samothrace sculpture and over 50,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts it’s not hard to see why the Louvre is the most visited museum on the planet. Visitors queue in a line that snakes out of the central glass pyramid waiting to see the Louvre’s treasures. It is said that you would need a solid 3 to 4 days to appreciate every work and exhibition housed inside the Louvre!
Copenhagen, capital of Denmark, a city crammed with culture and history. Exploring the outskirts of the city I came across this cathedral beside a lake, the reflection making for a nice capture.
The ancient Mayan ruins of Palenque are located deep in the jungles of southern Mexico in the state of Chipas. I took a day to explore the ruins on Christmas eve. Only 10% of the ruins have been uncovered, the rest lie hidden in the deep forest surrounding the site.
The Pont d’Avignon is a medieval bridge spanning the Rhone river in the town Avignon in the south of France. Built in 1185 the bridge originally spanned 900m and consisted of 22 arches. Today though only 4 of the arches survive, the rest collapsing due to catastrophic floods. The bridge leads into the Palais des Papes, Palace of the Popes, residence to many Popes during the 1300′s.
The Ancient Theatre of Orange is one of the best preserved Roman theatres in Europe and is also a UNESCO world heritage listed site. Construction of the theatre started around 100BC and was completed about 45 years later. Roman theatres were renowned for their acoustics, something the 10,000 patrons packed into the theatres terraces would have been quite appreciative of. I sat on the upper levels and watched as the sun rose and lit the green and red limestone stage. This place would have been magical back in its day.
The Eiffel Tower, it makes Paris what it is. So recognisable, such an iconic monument, 384 metres of solid steel towering into the sky. No wonder then that it’s the most visited monument in the world, steel is sexy right? Perhaps I’m not the only one that thinks so, but I like this structure. I have climbed it twice now and admired many of its fancy light shows. This time though instead of the usual ‘postcard’ photo I positioned myself at the base of the tower looking straight up into the guts of it. The patterns the steel form, the symmetry and the lighting all add to the towers beauty. I could come back to Paris again in another 10 years and still be in awe at the Eiffel Tower. Paris, I love you.
Paul the Apostle must have been a pretty special bloke to have such a cathedral built in his name. St. Pauls Cathedral is an impressive structure, standing inside looking up at the massive dome is quite a sight. It is such an icon of London, and what’s even more impressive is how it still stands after being targeted during The Blitz of 1940. The modern Millenium Bridge spanning the River Thames leads you to the doors of St. Pauls, new and old connecting each other.
The Pantheon in Paris is up there with the most interesting buildings I have visited. I was about to call it a church, but that would be incorrect, as some time ago it was changed to a secular mausoleum. The interior is amazing, so much colour and detail. The main feature for me though is the 67 metre pendulum which hangs from top of the central dome. This pendulum demonstrates the Earths rotation, as it swings along its plane our planet rotates underneath it. It completes a full rotation in around 32 hours. The Pantheon is also home to an elaborate crypt and is resting place for such recognisable people as Victor Hugo and Jean Moulin.
Latest comments…