Our beloved hometowns...

[Amapola]

This thread is a tribute to our beloved hometowns, or cities, regions etc that are dear to us for some reason. it is intended to be home of pictures, principally, but also of old illustrations, paintings, folklore tales, history, news or any personal remark.

Granada

The most emblematic Hotel of Granada since 1800... closed in 1999.


Tram in Calle Reyes Católicos.


Puerta de los Siete suelos.


Old engraving, Granada.


Bibarrabla, Granada.


Gate of the Vivarrambla. Granada


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_the_Cross


Aqueduct in el Campo de los mártires.


Campo de los Mártires


Alhambra


Bridge over the lake of the Mártires.


Fountain, Campo de los Mártires.


Fountain dedicated to Philip II, Campo de los Mártires.


Jardin de la Rosaleda, Carmen de los Mártires.



Palacio de los Mártires, excellent place for wedding celebrations.

[Amapola]

What is a Carmen?
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen_Granadino


Hotel Alhambra palace


Carmen de los catalanes.


Carmen de Ronconi


Carmen Rodríguez Acosta


Carmen de San Miguel, former dwelling of Mijáil Ivánovich Glinka.


Torres Bermejas


View from La Calle del Aire Alta


La Puerta del Sol, Granada.


Campo del Príncipe


Campo del Príncipe, with the Alhambra Palace Hotel at the background


El Cristo de los favores, Campo del Príncipe


San Cecilio, Granada.

[Eldritch]

http://www.greetings.fi/

(Click on the image to see the next one. You can also send these to a friend.)

[Stefan]

This isn't my hometown, although my hometown is now trashed, but here is the city I've lived in for about 6 years now so I guess it is a newly adopted one. The pictures were taken by me. It is alright, but I wouldn't label it as "beloved". There isn't much history to it. It is probably a good example of a small suburb.

Spoiler!

Here is a picture I've posted before of the valley. I did not take this one.

Spoiler!

Here is the town I lived my first two years, and my mother's hometown. It is much more interesting.
Here is a photo gallery filled with tons of great pictures, labelled.
http://www.jimthorpe.org/photos/JimThorpePA/index.html
A few websites.
http://www.jimthorpe.org/
http://www.jimthorpepa.com/
Wikipedia page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Thorpe,_Pennsylvania

Some more pictures from many sources.

Spoiler!

[Piparskeggr]

First settled in 1635, incorporated as a town in 1774...I've had family in the area since the mid-1640's.

Block Brook, which runs through the biggest park in town:


Part of the old Aschenbach Farm, which is adjacent to the park:


The old White Church, congregation founded in 1698, built circa 1800 - 1805; still in use as a private residence and recording studio:


Blacksmith shop on the fairgrounds in town; apprenticed there one summer.


Beerhall at our annual agricultural fair for all 6 New England States:


The early 18th century tavern on the fairgrounds where Anita and I had our wedding reception:


The Robinsons: Cathy, me, my dad Stewart, my mom Jean, Anne Marie and Leonard at my parents' 50th Wedding Anniversary in June 2006:


My parents' home; the tall, straight tree to the side is a black oak I planted the day Anita and I were engaged in 1978, other trees are sugar maples...picture is from 2006 (Leonard, dad and Anita):

[Don]

TOLEDO

(There are 16 cities sharing the name of this city, but this one is the first one, the mother one).

Located in heart of Castilla, it's history begins 4000 years ago, in the bronze ages, dwelt by one of the celtic tribes that conform the actual castilians origin and genetic basis, Carpetanos, fierous and misterious people, beheaders, whose druids worshiped the stones, trees, fountais and the forces of nature, including the death (sacrifice), and more than 300 gods and spirits. They resisted the invasion of Hannibal and romans, whose finally governed Iberia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpetani


[YOUTUBE]Kn1z5imqHAQ[/YOUTUBE]
In spanish, little reminder of their dark and misterious cults.



The visigoths stablished their capital and core of their nation in Toledo, acting as we all know, as the main Christianity expanders (and destruction of the ancient cults of these celtic and iberian cultures of the major part of the Spaniard population).



Later, came the muslims due to a treachery of the visigothic greed for power and Toledo was their main target. Most of the population fled to northern kingdoms free from islamics and the rest stayed forced to convert to islam as Mozárabes. Toledo was a great problem to Al-Andalus due to the continuous rebelions against the invaders until the liberation came from the avenging reconquistadores, who easily freed the city and their sons.

The rest of the history of Toledo is pure glory, as cultural center (La escuela de traductores, "translator school") and forge of Spain. The three cultures lived together for a while until 1492 when the 2 foreigner people were finaly kicked.

Sinagoge decorated by moor artisans in christian territory, Toledo.


Was the forge of Spain and their smiths, armors and swords, the most valued during centuries in all europe (and still are).



The amount of legends and myths about Toledo is awesome, the called Ciudad Imperial, Ciudad de las Tres Culturas o Ciudad Ancestral, is the mother that saw me born as many more before me of my family as has been doing with so many souls since 4000 years ago.


Toledo by El Greco, circa 1600.









Will we enter the city?

Vamos.


Museo de la Santa Cruz



Puerta del Sol de Toledo.


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(Sorry, I do not have a medieval photo of guardians with armor and Swords)
















Just one Toledo Street with tourists. These streets were famous for hiding in the nights of past centuries, assassins and rogues, witnesses of infinite sword and dagger duels and ambushes. Only fools or great swordmen dare to travel Toledo on night those centuries. But of course... every toledano has a great sword and is a great swordsman... ¡En guardia!



....

I forgot one element very popular in the outsides of Toledo, actual capital of Castilla La Mancha.

Yes, Don Quijote.

Well, I think is enough for now.

-Alana, he cumplido como hombre de palabra, mi tributo a la vieja ciudad que ha sido madre de una parte de mi estirpe durante generaciones perdidas en las sombras de la historia, que, aunque humilde ofrenda, baste para que los alienos a nuestra vieja y gloriosa España disfruten o languidezcan de una de tantas muestras de gloria contenida en frías imágenes.-

[The Lawspeaker]

Amersfoort (prov. Utrecht):

[Don]

mistake-

[Don]

Sorry, I duplicated.

Please, continue with this wonderful thread.

[Radojica]

(not photoshop )










(Protestant church)

(Orthodox church)

(Catholic church)




(Museum)


(the oldest brewery on the Balkans, built in 1722)




(Prison in the downtown of Pancevo )