Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: trees

Agia Theodora (Church of Holy Virgin Martyr Theodora) is a small Byzantine church with 17 trees - 200 years old - growing on its roof; most of them are taller than 20 metres. Only one single root can be seen above the entrance. No roots can be seen anywhere else, not even inside the church. The walls are 70 cm thick. Underneath the church is the source of a river whose water feeds the trees. Inhabitants of the region have built the church in the 12th century. Nowadays the church is a popular place of pilgrimage. Believers are said to have received numerous miracles. In 1965 the church was declared a monument. Theodora grew up in Vasta, where the family would send the sons to fight in the army against the enemy. Having no boys in the family, Theodora decided to join the army to save her father from having to do so. Disguising herself as the soldier Theodore, she soon became one of the most valiant and brave soldiers. A woman soon developed lustful feelings for “Theodore” and claimed that he had impregnated her. Theodora was commanded to either marry the woman or be condemned to death. Doing nothing to prove her innocence (as easy as this would be) Theodora placed her hope in God. Being condemned to death, before her execution, she prayed, “Let my body become a church, my blood a river, and my hair the trees.” On the spot where she was martyred, a spring gushed forth which flooded to become a river which still exists today. The 17 trees on the roof of the church are symbolizing Theodora's age at the time of death.

Wildemanshofje (the almshouses of Wildeman) is one of more than a hundred courtyards with almshouses in the Netherlands. It was named after the founder Gerrit Wildeman (1627-1702). As a shipowner and trader of colonial goods he was one of the wealthiest men in Alkmaar. By the end of his life his wife and two children had died. In his will he stipulated that his inheritance had to be spent on a new provenhuis : a free housing for elderly widows, who also got “money, butter and peat” four times a year. The start of construction was postponed until spring 1713 and took a year. It was supervised by two 'city carpenters. Wildemanshofje has a high gatehouse at the front with a regent's room on the top floor. Above the entrance a stone statue of a wild man refers to the generous benefactor “Wildeman” (PiP1). The four wings of the complex with a total of 24 houses surround a courtyard garden. There are two old wells where water used to be fetched for laundry. The lime trees in the symmetrically landscaped courtyard were planted in 1758 to protect the houses from the sun. Nowadays there still live women in the renovated and modernized houses. Unlike in the past, they now have to pay rent.

Kasteel Eijsden (Castle Eijsden) is a Dutch state monument. The castle is located on the banks of the river Meuse nearby where the small river Voer flows into it. The picture shows a long driveway with stately trees on the east side of the complex, leading up to a Maria chapel.

Park Zypendaal (also called "Zijpendaal") is a city park on the north side of Arnhem. The park is situated on a lateral moraine that was pushed up by glaciers in the penultimate ice age (about 150 million years ago) at the southern edge of the Veluwe. As a result, there are quite large height differences for the Netherlands. The park is named after the water that “sijpelt” (seeps) from the ground in some places. The Sint Jansbeek has its source in the park and flows via ponds and waterfalls 35 metres lower into the river Rhine. Park Zypendaal is designed by landscape architect Eduard Petzold and dates from 1864. The park is sloping and wooded with pine and deciduous trees and meadows in the north. Huis Zypendaal - a beautiful 18th century country estate - is situated in the park.

Vlieland has a number of scattered forests, although these did not originally belong to the island. They are now over 100 years old; planted at the beginning of the 20th century. At that time, 300 ha of the dunes on Vlieland were converted into woodland. The main purpose was to get a grip on the shifting sand. On the highest points of the island, maritime pines were planted (this species can withstand dryness). Furthermore, Corsican, Austrian, and mountain pines were planted. Each pine was given its own place.

Wildemanshofje is one of more than a hundred courtyards with almshouses in the Netherlands. It was named after the founder Gerrit Wildeman (1627-1702). As a shipowner and trader of colonial goods he was one of the wealthiest men in Alkmaar. By the end of his life his wife and two children had died. In his will he stipulated that his inheritance had to be spent on a new provenhuis : a free housing for elderly widows, who also got “money, butter and peat” four times a year. The start of construction was postponed until spring 1713 and took a year. It was supervised by two 'city carpenters. Wildemanshofje has a high gatehouse at the front with a regent's room on the top floor. The four wings of the complex with a total of 24 houses surround a courtyard garden. There are two old wells where water used to be fetched for laundry. The lime trees in the symmetrically landscaped courtyard were planted in 1758 to protect the houses from the sun. Nowadays there still live women in the renovated and modernized houses. Unlike in the past, they now have to pay rent.

San Lorenzo (or officially Villa San Lorenzo) is an enchanting green village located in the Lerma Valley at the foor of the mountains of Salta. It’s a tranquil village with a relaxed atmosphere about 10 kilometers away from the colonial city of Salta , which is easily accessible by car or bus. It has a small center; don’t know if it is the same as during our visit, but you can get an impression in PiP1. Many inhabitants of Salta have built their (weekend) houses or mansions in this green enchanting suburb with its unusual subtropical micro climate. San Lorenzo has typical leafy roads lined with impressive trees. See main image and PiP2. The Quebrada de San Lorenzo (PiP3) is located just outside the village. This gorge offers walks through a green landscape with a crystal clear river and lush vegetation in a mountainside Yungas forest (a mix of mountain jungle and Andean forests).

The palm forest of Vai, is considered being one of the most beautiful natural sights in Crete. Vai is not the only natural palm forest in Crete, but with an area of approximately 250.000 square metres and about 5.000 palm trees it is certainly the largest, even in Europe. Scientists have proven that the Vai palm trees are an endemic species known as Phoenix theophrasti, or Cretan Date Palm. There have been palm trees in Crete since ancient times, as historical sources attest. The name Vai comes from ‘vayia’, the Greek word for palms. Vai beach has fine golden sand and pebbles at its north end. A viewing platform offers a panoramic view of the palm forest and beach of Vai. The palm forest and surrounding area is owned by the powerful Toplou Monastery, which is the largest landowner in eastern Crete.

Clemenswerth Castle (Schloss Clemenswerth) was erected as a hunting lodge for Elector Clemens August I of Bavaria. It was built between 1737 and 1747 in baroque style. The complex consists of a main building (which was only used by the elector), surrounding lodges for guests, a chapel (PiP’s) with monastery and a large kitchen. Clemenswerth (meaning Island of Clemens) is the only remaining star-shaped hunting complex in the world and is considered being one of the most unique castles in Germany. The buildings are surrounded by a baroque garden with flowerbeds, hedges and avenues with imposing trees. Nowadays 18th century Clemenswerth Castle houses the Emslandmuseum and numerous events take place in the buildings and grounds.

The road between Gustow on Rügen and Stralsund is part of the first segment - Rügen to Reinsberg - of the Deutsche Alleenstraße (German Avenue Road), which was inaugurated in the year of 1993. The scenic German Avenue Road is a 2.900 kilometres long tree-lined holiday route between the Baltic Sea and Lake Constance.

Muir Woods National Monument: redwoods

Grove of trees on the golf course of the Veluwse Golf Club. PiP's: During winter (and snow) no golf players but children using their sleds.

St. Gallenkirch - Montafon - Vorarlberg: snow covered pine trees along a skirun nearby Garfrescha. (picture taken with a Rollei Prego 90 > scanned)

Oranjepark: hoarfrost on the trees.

Oranjepark: hoarfrost with low sun and backlight.