Oropa Sanctuary: history and times

Oropa Sanctuary - Our journey to discover the places of pilgrimage continues this week with the Oropa Sanctuary, I went there at least a couple of times and it is absolutely worth it. Oropa Sanctuary is a twelve kilometers from Biella, in Piedmont is a Marian shrine and is dedicated to the Black Madonna. The sanctuary consists of the Sacro Monte Sacro Monte di Oropa, the original church and the present sanctuary, the one with the structures used to house the faithful visiting. From the sanctuary you can reach the refuge Savoy and Lake of Mucrone mind a cable car takes you to the summit of Monte Camino. Also remember right now that the Sacro Monte di Oropa is part of the Sacred Mountains of Piedmont and Lombardy, and since 2003 is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Oropa Sanctuary: history and origins Tradition has it that the Oropa Sanctuary was founded by St. Eusebius, Bishop of Vercelli in the fourth century in this very area where paganism worshiped the great boulders and the worship of the ancient Celtic goddesses. From the first half of the fourteenth century, in the Sanctuary of Oropa is venerated Gothic statue of the Black Madonna. Originally the statue was housed in a chapel, the place you can see it in the north wall of the ancient basilica, near a boulder. We get to the fifteenth century, here the families of Biella build several private houses to accommodate the pilgrims. But it is in the Baroque period that the Shrine expands, architecturally speaking, thanks to the interest of the House of Savoy. Oropa to intervene names like Filippo Juvarra, its the Porta Regia, Ignatius Galletti and Guarino Guarini. Around the ancient Basilica so you decide to build a shrine to house the most of the pilgrims. In the seventeenth century the plague hits hard the Piedmont, but the town of Biella vows to Our Lady of Oropa and is not touched here every year even now Biella makes a solemn procession to Oropa. Since 1620, then, in a hundred years you have the crowning of the statue of the Black Madonna. On a hill west of the Sanctuary, is then built the Holy Mount. Legend has it that the statue of the Black Madonna had been hidden by Sant'Eusebio under a boulder, to prevent it impadronissero heretics. In the early seventeenth century on this rock was built the chapel of the Roc. Then the old church of Oropa was built incorporating a second boulder, the roc 'dla life where women were pagan rubbing to propitiate the birth of children. In the nineteenth century, it was decided to build a second court to accommodate even the cemetery, while the monumental cemetery is located west of the sanctuary, near the route of the Sacred Mountain. Here you will find several esoteric symbols related to Freemasonry. In the twentieth century will begin the work to build the new church. Stumble as within the Sanctuary there is a weather-seismic observatory. There are some peculiarities related to the statue of the Black Madonna of Oropa: the statue is not worn out and there is no trace of woodworm, the foot is not consumed despite the habit of touching, on the faces of the Virgin and the Child does not stop powder. Oropa Sanctuary: times of Masses Here is the schedule of Masses at the Shrine of Oropa: Hours Holidays Ancient Basilica: 7:30 am - 9:00 to 10:30 - 16:30 to 18:15 (15:15 Rosary and Eucharistic Procession) Upper Basilica: 11.45 Hours Weekdays Ancient Basilica: 7.10 am (praise) - 7:30 to 9:00 (Saturday only) - 10.30 - 16:30 to 18:15 (Vigil) Upper Basilica: 11.30 (July and August) Confessions Ancient Basilica: 8:00 to 12:00 hours / 15:00 to 19:00 every day Upper Basilica: Holidays: half an hour before Mass Oropa Sanctuary: Getting there Oropa Sanctuary is located in via Oropa Sanctuary 480, 13900 Biella to Oropa (BI). The phone number is +39 015.25551200. Oropa Sanctuary is located 14 km from Biella on highway 144; 56 km from Vercelli on highway 230; at 87km from Turin on the A4 Turin-Milan exit Santhià; 115 km from Milan on the A4 Turin-Milan exit Carisio. Coming from Alexandria, you have to exit at Santhià and take the ss 143, while from Aosta have to take the junction Ivrea-Santhià exit Santhià. If you take the train, the train station is to Biella S. Paolo 14 km from Oropa, and buses depart from the station of Biella, line 360.

Where to go in the spring, in Limassol on Cyprus

Limassol, 100,000 people who become 200,000 when considering its vicinity, is the second largest city by population of the island of Cyprus, but it is one that at the moment is the most dynamic and international accomplices trade and tourism, which made what was once a sleepy fishing village, an internationally known tourist center. Its main attraction is the historic castle, where the medieval museum. According to tradition, where today stands the fortress, once stood the Byzantine church where Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre May 12, 1191, becoming the ephemeral king of Cyprus, before selling the island to the Knights Templar and the Lusignan. Aware of the economic importance of tourism, lately the Cypriot authorities are catching the old port and the small historic city center, which is filling the shops full of sponges of all shapes and sizes, and restaurants for tourists and bathers, with the latter's return from the beaches of the Governor, sandy, or from Lady's Mile, mixed sand and pebbles, but with the attractiveness of small restaurants overlooking the sea. Do not miss a visit to the magnificent archaeological site of Kourion, which never fails to impress with its amphitheater and mosaics, as well as the beautiful natural landscape in which it is immersed. If we have time, near Kourion is also the Temple of Apollo, little known but well restored. The traditional shopping streets are Ayios Andreas and via Anexartisias, antique flavor, while the "rub" Akti Olympion now on the seafront, 7 km of walkway between the municipal gardens and the old port. Many clubs and pubs where to spend the afternoon or evening, but if you want to stay on the traditional, must enter into a traditional buzukia, more or less our restaurant.

What to see in New York: Harlem

If you're planning a trip to New York, between your tours in the city you should definitely include the neighborhood of Harlem, the heart of the African American community in the Big Apple. For years considered an outcast because peripheral ghetto and dangerous, a few years of operation restyling is recovering in the sixth district to make it more attractive to tourists. Actually Harlem has always been a tourist area, but for a niche tourism, for lovers of jazz music that vibrates here in plenty of venues around the neighborhood or to attend a real Mass Gospel. The neighborhood of Harlem is located in the north of Manhattan, up to Central Park. And 'different from other parts of the city: here still have not arrived the enormous skyscrapers - although some modern construction begins to peep - and the streets are lined with trees and characterized by buildings built with traditional bricks that are very New York. Former Dutch colony in 1600 - Harlem is in fact the name of a city of Holland - for over two hundred years Harlem was inhabited by the Dutch, until the second half of the nineteenth century, when we begin to get the first emigrants Irish, British, German and African Americans, who have taken control of the neighborhood in the early twentieth century, because of lower rents. So Harlem became the center of black culture, who still lives in the streets of the neighborhood and the local historians, such as the Apollo Theater and the Cotton Club. Until the eighties, if you asked a taxi driver to take you to Harlem, this refused the ride, to avoid passing in one of the then considered dangerous. Today, however, you can easily stroll around Harlem and enjoy the freshness and originality of the area. In unmissable details of your tour list: Lenox Avenue, the main street of the neighborhood, with its traditional restaurants; Columbia University, one of the most renowned universities in the States; Cathedral St. John the Divine, famous for being the largest church in the world in the Gothic Revival style. And again: Riverside Church, a Gothic structure with 21 floors high, where inside houses the largest carillon in the world; the Abyssinian Baptist Church, where you can listen to an authentic gospel Mass with a lot of songs, dances and songs; the Studio Museum, where you can see many exhibitions of African-American artists; the Apollo Theater, the theater district famous for having hosted musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin and Duke Ellington. If you love jazz, the Cotton Club is the temple of this music, historical place in the days of Prohibition: here you can attend a concert while enjoying hearty meals of soul food, the traditional cuisine of the African-American population.

What to see in Rome: The moon over the Colosseum

Rome is a magical city and fascinating on any day of the year. So rich in history, art, monuments and life, the Capital is able to impress with its beauty not only the many tourists who visit, but also the Romans themselves. For an even more magical, that will allow you to see Rome as you've never seen, is coming "The Moon of the Coliseum in 2015," Roman initiative that opens the doors of the Flavian Amphitheatre at night, with guided tours underground, illuminated by the moonlight. The initiative starts on April 23 and will run until October 10, 2015 and is a unique opportunity to discover the Flavian Amphitheatre during the night. The tour will also include a tour of the underground of the Colosseum, the discovery of tunnels and arches inside the monument, obviously passing through the arena, the heart of the monument. You will know the history of the amphitheater, its uses, all made more impressive by the lighting in the evening. The reservation at the Coliseum Twilight is mandatory: the visits take place every Monday, Thursday and Saturday from 20:10 to 24:00 (last admission 22:40). There are also educational visits in Italian at 20:50, 21:50, 22:20, 22:40. The ticket price of the tour is 25 euro (reduced 18 € for children 6-12 years); to book, contact phone numbers 06 / 85.30.17.58 Fax 06 / 85.30.17.56 or send an email to service@romeguide.it.

What to see in the Marche, the temple of Valadier in Genga

Sitting right in a high mountain cave near Genga Marche, the Temple of Valadier stands out with its striking silhouette against the neoclassical rough square edges of the surrounding walls of the natural cave; as if the temple itself was looking a shelter inside the cave. In fact it was the local population that for hundreds of years has found refuge within the walls of these caves. Surely at least the tenth century, when the local people took refuge there to hide from looting and violent attacks than running around our peninsula. Remains of these acquaintances were found during the construction of the temple started in 1828 by Pope Leo XII, elected to the papal throne in 1823, aka Hannibal Girolamo Francesco Clemente Melchiorre Nicola Sermattei, and born in Genga, that all ' era was part of the Papal States. The church, covered with a lead roof, was built according to a plant-shaped octagonal. Inside originally was a Madonna and Child, carved by the workshop of Antonio Canova, which today has been moved to the Museum of Genga; in its place was installed a copy. Next to the temple is Santa Maria infra Saxa, a hermitage which is partly dug directly in the rocks, documented since 1029, which started as a cloistered monastery for Benedictine nuns. Not far from the temple of Valedier, are then the Frasassi, karst caves in the municipality of Genga, and lots of trails for hiking and meadows where to make a nice picnic; in short, an excellent destination for next Easter.

What to do in Milan in three hours

What can you do in Milan in three hours? I would say anything, because Milan is a big city, with many different tourist attractions, much of the city's business and shopping that we imagine. But so that we may not have time to switch the Expo, and we might have only three hours before returning home by plane or train. In this case it might come in handy advice that Krisanne posted on Condé Nast. No matter if it is the first or the fifteenth time you visit the Duomo di Milano; the cathedral will never fail to amaze. This magnificent Gothic cathedral is the most famous landmark of the city, with its more than 3,500 statues, about two-thirds of which are lined up on the roof. So it is almost a must climb the 150 steps leading to the roof, where you can enjoy a closer view of the famous 'Madonna' and a spectacular view of the city. The walk from the Duomo to Piazza della Scala, lasted just five minutes, but only if you walk slowly. The walk through the great Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the oldest commercial emporiums of the world, where there is also the Town House, the only 7-star hotel in Italy. Short stop to crush the balls of Taurus, and it continues to get on one of the most beautiful squares in Milan: Piazza Della Scala. To the north, the iconic La Scala and at noon, Palazzo Marino, the town hall of Milan. You can spend the rest of the time exploring one of the two buildings, better yet, sit and admire the monument of Leonardo in the center of the square. And in the tourist center of the city, if you know where to look, you can also find a handful of great restaurants. A few steps from the Cathedral, there is the Michelin star Restaurant Cracco: one of the best in the city and a must for foodies. Conducted by Alain Ducasse, the dishes are delicate and beautiful to see, in a fusion of classic Milanese and trendy ingredients. Here the advice is to skip the menu-tasting and ordered the risotto with saffron (alternatively the risotto with squid ink) and the famous Milanese veal. Excellent desserts are seasonal, but anything with chocolate is a safe bet.

St. Peter Stiftskeller, Restaurant Salzburg since '803

The history of St. Peter Stiftskeller Salzburg in Austria, can be traced back all'803, when it was used as a meeting place for merchants and bishops, and even if its customers, its interiors, the owners and the menus have changed Over the centuries, in fact, is still in operation and this is considered the oldest eatery in Central Europe. Stiftskeller then, in 1803 acquired the right to produce beer, which is served by that year to its customers, together or as an alternative to its production of wine. Today, the restaurant, which prides itself in offering a real feast for all 5 senses, allows you to sit in different rooms: from severe and historical Prälatenzimmer, the more informal banquet room, being able to choose from a wide selection of dishes Traditional Austrian to the international cuisine. And between courses and the other, the discreet presence of string quartets that fill the air of the classics of Mozart and classical music of all time. An elegant and refined environment, however, is always busy, so reservation becomes almost mandatory. Salzburg is not so great, so to stay in the History lunch or dinner at the St. Peter Stiftskeller should then be combined with a walk in the Getreidegasse, the street where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived his youth, now the shopping street Salzburg.