Jaap van 't Veen's photos

A number of canyons within the borders of the Navajo Reservation in Arizona form the National Monument Canyon de Chelly. “Canyon de Chelly” is the translation of the Navajo word “Chéyi”, which means “inside the rock” or “canyon”. The area received the status of National Monument due to the many archaeological finds that have been made. There is evidence that people have lived here almost continuously for 5.000 years. Canyon de Chelly is not only interesting because of its rich human history, but also because of its impressive nature. As a matter of fact the National Monument consists of four large canyons and many small side canyons. The shallow muddy Chinle Wash flows through the canyons; the constant presence of water ensures that there is always a lot of vegetation. In the west, the cliffs are less than 10 meters high, but further east the canyons become deeper and deeper. In the east the walls rise about 300 meters above the bottom of the canyons. Canyon de Chelly is still inhabited by the Navajo Indians and visitors are not allowed to go everywhere. Main image: bottom of the canyon with the Chinle Wash PiP1: Canyon de Chelly, seen from one of the overlooks along the South Rim Drive PiP2: Spider Rock is the most famous monolith in Canyon de Chelly. PiP3: White House - a Puebloan village built into a sheer 500 foot sandstone cliff - was occupied between 1060 AD and 1275 AD. One can visit the ruins through the White House Trail; the only trail by which visitors may enter the canyon without a permit or an official Navajo guide.

The Konitsa or Aoos bridge was built (although it looks older) by architect and stone-master Zioga Frontzou. The work started in 1823 and was finished in 1870. The single arch has a width of 40 meters and a height of 20 meters and is one of the biggest stone bridges in the Balkan. It’s not only the bridge, but also the location with the Aoos river flowing under the arch and an incredible view into the canyon with the natural beauty of the green mountains of the Vikos - Aoos National Park in the background. Konitsa bridge is built on the place where the Aoos is narrowing with also some good rocks on both sides of the river. Therefore an one and only arch of big radius could steadily cover the distance, avoiding bigger and more expensive constructions. When the Turks left Konitsa in 1913 they tried to blow the bridge, but they did not succeed. Under the arch hangs a little bell, which warned crossing local people for strong winds. The bell was lost, but replaced in 1975.

The church of Saint Demetrius is named and devoted after the patron saint of Thessaloniki: Saint Demetrius or Agios Dimitrios. It is by far the most important church of the city for religious, historical and artistic reasons. The first chapel on the current spot was constructed in the early 4th century AD, replacing a Roman bath. A century later this little chapel was replaced by a larger, three-aisled basilica. Repeatedly gutted by fires, the church eventually was reconstructed as a five-aisled basilica in 629–634; the form of the church much as it is today. During the Ottoman occupation of Thessaloniki the church was turned into a mosque. Frescoes were plastered, which were again revealed after the 1913 Greek reconquest of the city. Due to a great city fire in 1917 it took decades to restore the church. After restoration, the church was reconsecrated in 1949. Nowadays the cathedral is still a fine sample of Byzantine religious architecture. It is one of the largest – if not the largest - churches in Greece. Since 1988 the church is - with other Palaeochristian and Byzantine Monuments in Thessaloniki - on the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

Arches National Park has more than 2.000 natural stone arches. Nowhere else in the world are so many natural rock arches found, as within the boundaries of the park. In addition to the arches the park also offers many other amazingly shaped rock formations, like soaring pinnacles, massive fins and giant balanced rocks. The arches and rock formations have created a red-rock wonderland. Main picture: Landscape Arch, the longest arch is with a span of 88 meters. PiP1: Wall Arch, collapsed August 4 2008, just weeks after I took this image. PiP2: Double Arch, two arches with a common end. PiP3: Balanced Rock, total height of 39 meters PiP4: Park Avenue PiP5: Courthouse Towers

When the city of Salta was founded in1582 by the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Lerma, some estates where gifted to the Franciscan monks. The first church on this place dates back to the year of 1625, although its instability made it necessary to built a new building in 1674. After a devastating fire Iglesia San Francisco (St. Francis Church) was rebuilt in 1759. The church became its current exterior and façade in 1872. Five years later the construction of the impressive bell tower started; with a height of 54 meters it is the highest in South America. The belfry houses a bronze bell made from the cannons used in the Argentine War of Independence. Nowadays Iglesia San Francisco - with its vivid colours and white pillars - is one of the most famous landmarks of Salta. A statue of St. Francis of Assisi stands in front of the church. In 1941 the church was declared a National Historical Monument.

The Cabildo de Salta is the oldest (colonial) government building in the city of Salta. It housed headquarters of the authorities from 1626 to 1888. The cabildo was rebuilt in 1676. The construction of the current building began around 1780 and was finished around 1783. Its tower was built several years later. The cabildo housed the police and the seat of the Government House until 1880. Nine years later it was sold at public auction to individuals, being occupied by owners, tenants, business premises and a hotel. Later it was partially demolished. In 1945 it was restored and it is considered being the most complete and best preserved town hall in Argentina. In 1937 the building was declared a National Historical Monument. Nowadays it houses the Museo Histórico den Norte .

Bryce Canyon is not really a canyon, but a series of strange, naturally formed amphitheatres, carved into the edge of a high plateau. Its walls consist of sixty different layers of sand, limestone and slate. In the amphitheatres there are countless very irregular shaped rock formations in all kinds of shades, varying from white, pastel pink, fiery orange and red to dark red. These spires of rocks (called hoodoos) are caused by erosion.

The Koepelkerk (Domed Church) is the first church in the Netherlands specially built for Protestant worship and therefore the building became a model for many later Protestant churches. Construction began in 1597 and took ten years. Prince Maurits van Oranje supported the construction of the church with 7000 florins, on condition that it would be built either ound or octagonal shape. The church was built without of chapels and side aisles; not the altar, but the pulpit had to be the centre point. The Koepelkerk was heavily damaged in World War II )November 1944), during artillery shellings of the Allies. Willemstad has rebuilt and restored the church over the years. The church is now used by the PKN Reformed Church and is a national monument.

D’Orangemolen (d'Orange Mill) is a round brick smock mill. The flour mill was built in 1734 by order of the Nassause Domeinraad for 8.000 florins. The mill was owned by the Princes of Orange. Prins Maurits leased the mill to the miller who offered the most. It was called the ‘compulsive mill’ because all local farmers were obliged to use d'Orangemolen for grinding their grain. The mill was restored in 1999 and the wings were also reinstalled. In 2004 the mill was in operation again after 40 or 50 years. Nowadays the mill is privately owned and used as a home Willem van Oranje (William of Orange) gave his name to the town of Willemstad. Yet the town does not owe its existence to him but to the marquis of Bergen op Zoom, Jan IV of Glymes. He ordered that some salt marshes should be drained and surrounded by dykes. That’s were the village of Ruygenhil came into being in 1565. In 1582 the Province of Brabant gave the village to prins Willem van Oranje in compensation for what he had spent and lost in the “cause of freedom”. After his dead in 1584 his son Prince Maurits named the town Willemstad (William’s Town), as we call it in Dutch.

Rabenstein Castle ( Burg Rabenstein ) lies in the heart of Franconian Switzerland, nestled on a rock high above the valley of the river Ailsbach. It is situated along the so called (famous) “Castle Road’, which connects more than 90 castles in Germany. The castle was first mentioned in the year of 1188. The castle owners changed many times over the centuries and the original building was reconstructed, extended and redesigned. The castle came - after 300 years - again into the ownership of the Rabensteins in 1557. Daniel von Rabenstein let it be redesigned into a three-winged Renaissance complex, which was destroyed in the Thirty Years' War (1618 - 1648). After he lineage died out in 1742 the castle was bought by the counts von Schönborn. On the occasion of a visit of the Bavarian King Ludwig I and his wife the half ruined complex was restructured into a baroque castle in 1830. The estate remained in the possession of the counts von Schönborn until 1975. In 2004 the property was bought by a commercial company and nowadays it houses a 22-room hotel. The castle is also used for events, conferences and weddings. Parts of the castle can be visited by a guided tour.

Seehof Palace ( Schloss Seehof ) was built from 1686 as a summer residence for the Bamberg Prince-Bishops. The palace is often Marquardsburg after its founder called Marquard Sebastian von Schenk von Stauffenberg. This Prince-Bishop loved the rural area around Memmelsdorf , about 5 km’s from Bamberg. He ordered the Franconian builder Antonio Petrini to replace a local estate with a baroque palace. Lothar Franz von Schönborn, elected Prince-Bishop of Bamberg in 1693, designated an area of 21 ha of land with adjacent lakes and forests to be made into gardens. The palace hill was reshaped into precise terraces and the gardens divided into six large sections. During the 18th century, the palace garden was one of the most famous Rococo gardens in Germany After secularization - early 19th century - it fell into disrepair and by the end of the 20th century extensive renovation work was necessary. Among the features reflecting the splendour of the former garden are the restored cascade with its waterworks and some of the original sandstone sculpture. Nowadays most of the building is occupied by the Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection. But nine restored rooms of the Prince-Bishop’s apartment are open to the public; the spacious gardens and fountains can be visited free of charge.

The White Tower is the most well known monument of Thessaloniki and a famous landmark of the city. The tower, which once guarded the eastern end of the city's sea walls, was for many years attributed to Venice, to which the Byzantines ceded Thessaloniki in 1423. It is now known that the tower was constructed by the Ottomans sometime after their army captured Thessaloniki in 1430. The Tower was used by the Ottomans successively as a fortress, garrison and a prison. In 1826 here was a massacre of the rebellious prisoners. After that the tower acquired the name "Tower of Blood" or "Red Tower". When Thessaloniki became a part of Greece in 1912 the tower was whitewashed as a symbolic gesture of cleansing and it was named “White Tower”. The Tower has now a buff colour, but has retained its name. The tower is located on Thessaloniki's waterfront boulevard at the Thermaic Gulf. Nowadays it houses a museum dedicated to the history of Thessaloniki.

The Arch of Galerius - locally known as Kamara - is certainly one of the most important monuments in Thessaloniki. The arch was probably built by the city of Thessaloniki between 298 and 305 A.D. to commemorate Galerius’ victorious campaign against the Persians. Originally it was a triple arch and four main and four supporting pillars. The central arched opening was 9,7 meters wide and 12,5 meters high; the secondary openings on the other side were 4,8 meters wide and 6,5 meters high. Only parts of the masonry symbols of the arches and three of the eight pillars survived. The reliefs on the two pillars depict scenes from Galerius’ victories against the Persians in 297 A.D. Among others one can see scenes of war, mounted battles and victories, triumphs and ceremonies, separated by relief flowers and branches. The arch - standing right in the middle of the city along Egnatia Street - is one of the landmarks of Thessaloniki.

Franconian Switzerland ( Fränkische Schweiz ) is a well known tourist area between the cities of Nürnberg, Bayreuth and Bamberg. The region is a natural wonderland featuring soft rolling forested hills, steep cliffs and green river valleys. It is a backdrop for medieval castles, monasteries, churches and quaint villages with half-timbered houses. One of the most picturesque villages is (at least for me) Tüchersfeld, where it looks if the houses are dropped at random at the rocky pinnacles. Until the Thirty Years' War (1618 – 1648) there were even two castles in the village, the Upper and Lower Castle. From the Upper Tüchersfeld Castle only a view remains have survived. The Lower Castle was destroyed and rebuilt several times, till it was completely destroyed in 1691. Around 1700 a Jewish settlement was established in the remaining ruins. The Jewish settlement was destroyed by fire in 1758, but the remains of the old buildings were included in the newly constructed buildings. Till around 1870 Jewish families lived in Tüchersfeld. In 1959 the remaining buildings, known as the "Jew's Court" ( Judenhof , were bought by a private person and after a complete restoration it now houses the Franconian Switzerland Museum ( Fränkische Schweiz-Museum ).

It is said that already in 1071 a chapel have stood on the place of the present basilica. In 1240 the chapel was converted into a spacious church dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The earliest official mention of a church in Gößweinstein however can be found in 1308 in the will of Gottfried von Schlüsselberg. The Schlüsselberg family is considered to be the founder of the first church, which became a pilgrimage church. The medieval church – although expanded several times - was soon unable to cope with the many pilgrims. A new and much bigger church was built (1730 – 1739) during the reign of Prince-Bishop Friedrich Carl von Schönborn of Bamberg by the famous architect and builder Balthasar Neumann. He designed the floor plan, a Latin cross, and created what has come to be considered a baroque masterpiece. The magnificent art depicting biblical stories on the walls and ceiling inside the church was not complete until 1768 and it is quite breathtaking. There are also several highly decorated altars around the church. The basilica is one of the most important pilgrimage churches in Germany. Especially in the spring and fall of each year, thousands of religious pilgrims come to the basilica to pray before the Gnadenbild , the basilica’s Statue of Mercy. The church was elevated to a Basilica minor in 1948 by Pope Pius XII.

Kastoria is partly built on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Orestiada at an altitude of about 630 meters. The small city is tucked away in the mountains of Macedonia. The place was first mentioned in the 1st century AD as Celerum, a town which was captured by the Romans during their war against Phillip V of Macedon in 200 BC. The name Kastoria was first referred to in the late 10th century, when it was held by Bulgaria during the Byzantine-Bulgarian wars. Most probably Kastoria derives from the Greek word kástoras , meaning beaver. Trade in the fur was traditionally an important element of Kastoria’s economy. The trade in beaver skins, which began over a thousand years ago, gave rise to the towns chief industry. When the beavers from the lake ran out, the town imported furs. Nowadays Kastoria still is an (international) center for the fur trade and offers many fur and leather shops/showrooms. Kastoria is well known for its many churches and monasteries. From the 72 Byzantine and medieval churches there are still 52 in and around the city. Many of them have frescoes that are in very good shape. One of the most beautiful and interesting is Monastery Panagia Mavriotissa ( www.ipernity.com/doc/294067/47511956 ), located on the shores of Lake Orestiada. Lake Orestiada (or Lake Kastroria), the promenade and forests offer a perfect shelter for all kind of bird species. The lake is home for 200 different species, among them some rare and endangered ones. The most typical species are cormorants, pelicans, herons, swans, wild ducks and herons. Lake and surrounding wetlands also house frogs and Greek turtles.

The Fethiye Mosque is located in Its Kale , the inner castle in the walled city of ancient Ioannina. It was built immediately after the conquest by the Ottomans in 1430, near the ruins of an early 13th-century Byzantine church. Originally it was a wooden structure, which was replaced in 1611 by a stone building. The mosque was extensively remodeled in 1795 by Ali Pasha, an Albanian born cruel despot, who made it the main mosque of his palace. The tomb of Ali Pasha and his family is located before the mosque, protected by a solid metal fence. The mosque has a square plan, with a minaret at the western corner. The prayer hall, covered with a hemispherical dome, has a wooden balcony supported on stone columns. Interior decoration is preserved and the mihrab is particularly striking. The mosque can be visited, not free of charge as it is part of the Byzantine Museum.

There is quite a story - don’t know if it is true - around the construction of the old town hall (,i>Altes Rathaus): the bishop of Bamberg refused to allocate land to the city’s residents for the construction of a town hall. This prompted the townsfolk to ram stakes into the river Regnitz to create an artificial island, on which they built the town hall they wanted. The town hall was built in 1386, originally influenced by Gothic, it became Baroque and Rococo elements in the middle of the 18th century. The murals on the exterior walls were painted by Johann Anwander. The frescoes never fail to impress as they lend the facades a three-dimensional quality achieved with trompe d'oeil architecture. The combination with traditional timber framing makes the building unique. For a good reason the old town hall is Bamberg’s landmark and (most probably) its most photographed building. Today the building houses a museum with the so called Ludwig Collection.