Photographer Amos Chapple has captured amazing aerial photographs of European cities. By attaching a camera to a small drone, he was able to get to places that most people can't. Now not only pilots, but also "non-flying birds" can see Europe from a bird's eye view. Amos visited such countries as: Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Armenia. Look down on Europe :-) with us.
14 PHOTOS
1. Barcelona, Spain.
The Eixample district, in the center of which is visible the Sagrada Familia (Sagrada Familia), the famous project of Antono Gaudi. (Photo: Amos Chapple).
2. Trieste, Italy Vittoria Light or Victory Lighthouse is an active lighthouse in the Gulf of Trieste. This is the highest lighthouse in the world, its height is 68 meters. (Photo: Amos Chapple).
3. Bourtange, The Netherlands. Fort in the form of a star in the town of Bourtange. The last cannon shot was fired here three centuries ago, now this place is a museum and the center of a "sleepy town" in East Holland. (Photo: Amos Chapple).
4. Abkhazia. Russian vacationers on the beach. According to the photographer, he usually tries not to shoot in places where there are a lot of people. But there was such a brisk trade on the beach that no one even paid attention to the noise made by the drone. (Photo: Amos Chapple).
5. Katskhi Pillar, Georgia. For the past twenty years, a Georgian hermit lived there, who wanted to be "closer to God." (Photo: Amos Chapple).
6. Yerevan, Armenia. Giant statue of Mother Armenia. The photographer likes to work in places where there are few tourists, and he came to Armenia to visit his best friend. (Photo: Amos Chapple).
7. Paris, France Sacré-Cœur in fog at dawn. (Photo: Amos Chapple).
8. Tbilisi, Georgia. The winding Kura River winds its way through the capital. (Photo: Amos Chapple).
9. Budapest, Hungary. Buda Castle on Saint Stephen's Day, which is a national holiday in Hungary (August 20). (Photo: Amos Chapple).
10. Magdeburg, Germany A barge floats on a water bridge over the Elbe in eastern Germany. (Photo: Amos Chapple).
11. Barcelona, Spain. Temple Templo Expiatorio del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, which is located on top of the Tibidabo mountain in Barcelona. (Photo: Amos Chapple).
12. Istanbul, Turkey. 13. Budapest, Hungary. 14. Peterhof, Russia. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Peterhof - "Russian Versailles". (Photo: Amos Chapple).
Amos Chapple started his career as a newspaper photographer in New Zealand. Later, he worked on a UNESCO project - he photographed objects inscribed on the World Heritage List. Currently, Amos is a freelancer and specializes in photography of unknown and beautiful corners of the world.
Barcelona is the second most populous city in Spain. The population is 1.6 million people. Capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia. The suburbs are home to 3.2 million people, while the provinces have 5 million inhabitants. Barcelona is one of the most important tourist destinations in European routes - the main tourist pearl of Spain.
Barcelona is located on the Mediterranean Sea, 120 km from the French border.
Eixample or "New City" is the most populated area of Barcelona. The rectilinear layout was first applied in Barcelona and remains one of its attractions.
The straight and wide streets of the Eixample, in accordance with the project of the architect Ildefons Cerda, form rectangular blocks with characteristic beveled corners. This layout of the streets allows transport to move freely and provides good lighting and ventilation. Thanks to the octagonal shape of the blocks, improved visibility at intersections is achieved, and currently the additional free space at the corner of each block is used for short-term parking of cars.
Diagonal Avenue - a street that crosses the city diagonally from the border with the municipality of Esplugues de Llobregat to the sea.
Gran Via is one of the most important streets in Barcelona. The Gran Vía is about 13.1 kilometers long, making it the longest street in all of Spain.
The main attraction of Barcelona - Sagrada Familia, also known as the Sagrada Familia (Sagrada Família) The main creation of Antoni Gaudí.
The temple has been built on private donations since 1882, which makes it one of the most famous long-term construction projects in the world.
Passion facade. The towers of the Sagrada Familia culminate in ceramic-finished pinnacles and hide spiral staircases inside.
According to Gaudí's plan, the temple will be crowned with eighteen towers. Twelve of them, four on each facade, from 98 to 112 meters high, will be dedicated to the twelve apostles.
Four 120-meter towers above the crossroads in honor of the Evangelists will surround the central 170-meter tower of Jesus, and a slightly smaller bell tower of the Virgin Mary will be located above the apse. With the construction of the central tower, the church should become the tallest in the world.
Facade of the Nativity
The rapid completion of construction is hampered by the difficulty of manufacturing stone blocks that form the eccentric forms of the structure. According to computer model, each of them requires individual processing and fitting. In addition, difficulties arose due to the fact that Gaudi worked without drawings. According to the Spanish government, it will not be possible to fully complete the cathedral until 2026.
Gaudí himself dedicated 40 years of his life to the temple. When asked if he was afraid of not having time to finish the Cathedral during his lifetime, he answered: “I have a lot of time, since my main customer is the Lord, and he is in no hurry.”
Until the end of his life, even leaving architectural practice, Gaudí continued to build a temple, considering this the main thing in his biography. At the end of his life, Gaudí became very eccentric on the basis of religious fanaticism. He practically did not leave his workshop. The distraction of the architect led him to death under the wheels of a tram.
Mila's house. Residential building built in 1910 by Antoni Gaudí. This was Gaudí's last secular work before he devoted himself entirely to work on the Sagrada Familia. In 1984, Mila House became the first building of the 20th century to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Street Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, which rests on the Plaza of Spain
Agbar Tower A 34-storey skyscraper on Diagonal Avenue. Outside, the entire building is covered with rectangular glass panels that can move on signals from temperature sensors on outside towers.
Hotel "W Barcelona" Slightly reminiscent of the Burj Al Arab in Dubai)
Barcelona Olympic Port
Balmins Beach
Stadium "La Monumental" In this stadium in 2011 was held the last bullfight in the history of Catalonia. The authorities decided to ban the age-old tradition under pressure from animal rights activists.
Camp Nou is the largest stadium in Europe. Its capacity is 99,354 spectators. It is the home stadium of FC Barcelona.
Olympic Stadium. Lewis Companys It was the main arena of the 1992 Summer Olympics. Capacity: 70,000 spectators
Olympic Village
After Moscow views from the Ostankino TV tower, today we will look at another city from above - Barcelona. Compare architecture.
This is the main tourist gem of Spain and the second largest city in the country, the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia. Barcelona has a population of 1.6 million, making it the tenth city in the European Union. It is worth adding that 3.2 million people live in the suburbs, and the province has 5 million inhabitants.
Of course, for the majority, Barcelona is inextricably linked with the name of the architect Antoni Gaudí.
Photos and text by Slava Stepanov
Barcelona is located on the Mediterranean Sea, 120 km from the French border.
2
Eixample or "New City" is the most populated area of Barcelona. The rectilinear layout was first applied in Barcelona and remains one of its attractions:
3
The straight and wide streets of the Eixample, in accordance with the project of the architect Ildefons Cerda, form rectangular blocks with characteristic beveled corners. This layout of the streets allows transport to move freely and provides good lighting and ventilation. Thanks to the octagonal shape of the blocks, improved visibility is achieved at intersections, and currently the additional free space at the corner of each block is used for short-term car parking:
4
Diagonal Avenue - a street crossing the city diagonally from the border with the municipality of Esplugues de Llobregat to the sea:
5
Gran Via is one of the most important streets in Barcelona. The length of the Gran Via is about 13.1 kilometers, which makes this street the longest in all of Spain:
6
The main attraction of Barcelona - Sagrada Familia also known as the Sagrada Fam "ilia". The main creation of Antonio Gaudi:
7
The temple has been built on private donations since 1882, which makes it one of the most famous long-term construction projects in the world:
8
Passion facade. The towers of the Sagrada Familia culminate in ceramic-finished pinnacles and hide spiral staircases inside:
9
According to Gaudí's plan, the temple will be crowned with eighteen towers. Twelve of them, four on each facade, from 98 to 112 meters high, will be dedicated to the twelve apostles.
10
Four 120-meter towers above the crossroads in honor of the Evangelists will surround the central 170-meter tower of Jesus, and a slightly smaller bell tower of the Virgin Mary will be located above the apse. With the construction of the central tower the church should be the tallest in the world.
11
Nativity Facade:
12
The rapid completion of construction is hampered by the difficulty of manufacturing stone blocks that form the eccentric forms of the structure. According to the computer model, each of them requires individual processing and fitting. In addition, difficulties arose due to the fact that Gaudi worked without drawings. According to the Spanish government, it will be possible to fully complete the cathedral no earlier than 2026.
13
Gaudí himself dedicated 40 years of his life to the temple. When asked if he was afraid of not having time to finish the Cathedral during his lifetime, he answered: “I have a lot of time, since my main customer is the Lord, and he is in no hurry.”
14
Until the end of his life, even leaving architectural practice, Gaudí continued to build a temple, considering this the main thing in his biography. At the end of his life, Gaudí became very eccentric on the basis of religious fanaticism. He practically did not leave his workshop. The distraction of the architect led him to death under the wheels of a tram.
15
House Mila. Residential building built in 1910 by Antoni Gaudí. This was Gaudí's last secular work before he devoted himself entirely to work on the Sagrada Familia. In 1984, the Mila House became the first building of the 20th century to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List:
16
Street Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, which rests on Plaza de España:
17
18
Agbar Tower. 34-storey skyscraper on Diagonal Avenue. From the outside, the entire building is covered with rectangular glass panels that can move on signals from temperature sensors on the outside of the tower:
19
W Barcelona Hotel. Slightly reminiscent of the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai) Also read the article "Burj Al Arab - the most luxurious hotel in the world":
20
Barcelona Olympic Port:
21
Balmins Beach:
22
Stadium "La Monumental". The last bullfight in the history of Catalonia was held in this stadium in 2011. The authorities decided to ban the age-old tradition under pressure from animal rights activists:
23
Camp Nou stadium is the largest stadium in Europe. Its capacity is 99,354 spectators. It is the home stadium of FC Barcelona:
24
Olympic Stadium. Lewis Companys. It was the main arena of the 1992 Summer Olympics. Capacity: 70,000 spectators:
25
Olympic Village.
Barcelona is the second most populated city in Spain, the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia. Barcelona has a population of 1.6 million, making it the tenth city in the European Union. It is worth adding that 3.2 million people live in the suburbs, and the province has 5 million inhabitants. Barcelona is one of the most important tourist destinations in European routes - the main tourist pearl of Spain.
Of course, for the majority, Barcelona is inextricably linked with the name of the architect Antoni Gaudí, who created a unique image of the city. Most of his creations are concentrated in Barcelona.
Barcelona is located on the Mediterranean Sea, 120 km from the French border.
Eixample or "New City" is the most populated area of Barcelona.
The rectilinear layout was first applied in Barcelona and remains one of its attractions.
The straight and wide streets of the Eixample, in accordance with the project of the architect Ildefons Cerda, form rectangular blocks with characteristic beveled corners. This layout of the streets allows transport to move freely and provides good lighting and ventilation. Thanks to the octagonal shape of the blocks, improved visibility at intersections is achieved, and currently the additional free space at the corner of each block is used for short-term parking of cars.
Diagonal Avenue - a street that crosses the city diagonally from the border with the municipality of Esplugues de Llobregat to the sea.
Gran Via is one of the most important streets in Barcelona.
The Gran Vía is about 13.1 kilometers long, making it the longest street in all of Spain.
The main attraction of Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia, also known as the Sagrada Familia (Sagrada Família)
The main creation of Antonio Gaudi.
The temple has been built on private donations since 1882, which makes it one of the most famous long-term construction projects in the world.
Passion facade.
The towers of the Sagrada Familia culminate in ceramic-finished pinnacles and hide spiral staircases inside.
According to Gaudí's plan, the temple will be crowned with eighteen towers.
Twelve of them, four on each facade, from 98 to 112 meters high, will be dedicated to the twelve apostles.
Four 120-meter towers above the crossroads in honor of the Evangelists will surround the central 170-meter tower of Jesus, and a slightly smaller bell tower of the Virgin Mary will be located above the apse.
With the construction of the central tower, the church should become the tallest in the world.
Facade of the Nativity
The rapid completion of construction is hampered by the difficulty of manufacturing stone blocks that form the eccentric forms of the structure. According to the computer model, each of them requires individual processing and fitting. In addition, difficulties arose due to the fact that Gaudi worked without drawings.
According to the Spanish government, it will not be possible to fully complete the cathedral until 2026.
Gaudí himself dedicated 40 years of his life to the temple.
When asked if he was afraid of not having time to finish the Cathedral during his lifetime, he answered: “I have a lot of time, since my main customer is the Lord, and he is in no hurry.”
Until the end of his life, even leaving architectural practice, Gaudí continued to build a temple, considering this the main thing in his biography. At the end of his life, Gaudí became very eccentric on the basis of religious fanaticism. He practically did not leave his workshop. The distraction of the architect led him to death under the wheels of a tram.
Mila's house.
Residential building built in 1910 by Antoni Gaudí. This was Gaudí's last secular work before he devoted himself entirely to work on the Sagrada Familia. In 1984, Mila House became the first building of the 20th century to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Street Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, which rests on the Plaza of Spain
Agbar Tower
34-storey skyscraper on Diagonal Avenue. From the outside, the entire building is covered with rectangular glass panels that can move on signals from temperature sensors on the outside of the tower.
W Barcelona Hotel
Slightly reminiscent of the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai)
Barcelona Olympic Port
Balmins Beach
Stadium "La Monumental"
The last bullfight in the history of Catalonia was held in this stadium in 2011.
The authorities decided to ban the age-old tradition under pressure from animal rights activists.
Camp Nou is the largest stadium in Europe.
Its capacity is 99,354 spectators. It is the home stadium of FC Barcelona.
Olympic Stadium. Lewis Companys
It was the main arena of the 1992 Summer Olympics. Capacity: 70,000 spectators
Olympic Village
Telecommunication tower of Montjuic
The 136-meter tower is installed in the center of the Olympic Park and depicts an athlete holding a torch with the Olympic Flame.
Columbus Square
In the center of the square is the monument to Columbus.
It was built for the 1888 World's Fair and is located where Columbus returned from his first voyage to America.
It's hard to get lost in Barcelona...
...although it does happen.
transport interchange
The seaport of the capital of Catalonia has a 2000-year history!
During this time, he managed to turn into one of the most important seaports in Europe, ranking 9th among the largest ports in Europe.
The Port of Barcelona covers almost 8 square kilometers and is divided into 3 main areas: Port Vell (Old Port), Commercial Port and Logistics Port.
Among the ocean liners, I saw here Roman Abramovich's yacht "Eclipse", which is the largest private motor vessel in the world.
For all questions regarding the use of photographs, write to e-mail.
Barcelona is one of the best destinations for an educational trip and a relaxing holiday. Seeing what Barcelona looks like from a bird's eye view is worth a lot. This old City in Spain is filled with interesting architecture. Medieval buildings sit next to neo-Gothic structures, and the winding streets contrast with the strict geometry of the New District quarters.
Travel to Barcelona
Travelers love this city due to the long beach season. In the very center is the famous Barceloneta beach.
Barcelona is one of the major cities in Spain. It is located on the Mediterranean coast. The city is famous for its mild climate, rich architecture and many kilometers of beaches.
City museums deserve special attention. The city has many galleries and exhibition complexes. Wherein beach holiday can be combined with viewing masterpieces.
Advice!There are two airports in the vicinity of Barcelona: El Prat and Girona. From El Prat to the city center can be reached by train. This is a budget option. You can also get there by bus.
Top Attractions
The main values of Barcelona are the creations of the great architect Gaudí. To get a complete picture of them, it is worth visiting the following four sites:
- The Sagrada Familia is a cathedral of rare beauty.
- Park Guella.
- Batllo's house.
- Mila building.
View of the city from Park Güell 
The city hosts many exciting events, and museums organize days open doors. Some museum complexes can be visited absolutely free of charge, but you need to know the visiting time:
- On the first Monday of the month, you can visit the Science Museum for free.
- To the center modern culture You can come to Barcelona on Sunday from 3 pm to 8 pm.
- The Picasso Museum will have free admission on the first Sunday of the month.
- The Palau Güell is open to the public on the first Sunday of the month, as well as on May 8 and April 23.
- Free admission is always to the Wirreina Palace Complex.
The old districts are considered the decoration of the city, this is the Gothic Quarter with La Rambla.
In Barcelona, tourists can see spectacular events. These include the parade of giant figures. The city has the largest aquarium in Spain and even in Europe.
Advice! Many travelers advise visiting flamenco evenings. However, tickets must be purchased in advance. It is believed that to return to Barcelona you need to drink a sip of water from the Canaletes spring, which is located at the end of La Rambla.
La Rambla Boulevard
You can start exploring the city from the Rambla promenade, which originates from the Columbus monument in the Old Port. Street dancers, actors and artists meet on the boulevard. In ancient times, a river flowed on the site of the boulevard. Currently, this is reminiscent of wavy lines on tiles.
The appearance of the street has remained unchanged since the 18th century.
On the boulevard worth a visit:
- Palace Guell.
- Pedestrian bridge.
- Canaletas fountain.
- Opera theatre.
- Mosaic by Joan Miro.
- Boqueria Market.
Advice!If you go to the city in September, you can get to the fun street festival La Merce. This holiday is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, who saved it from locusts. Theatrical performances take place on the square, and music plays everywhere.
Sagrada Familia
One of the famous attractions is the Sagrada Familia Catholic Church. This is an architectural creation of Antonio Gaudi, which was built for more than a century and a half. The facade of the composition is filled with scenes from the life of Christ. The building is supported by bizarre supporting columns. The construction of the cathedral was stopped in 2008, as the architects stated that each block of the temple required precise and expensive computer processing. But the construction of this object is planned to continue.
On the territory of the complex you can visit the museum and climb the tower.
Advice!It is worth visiting the Agbar tower, which glows with many lights at night.
Be prepared for the fact that at the entrance to the temple you will see a huge queue. Every day, thousands of tourists try to get into the Sagrada. Don't let the queue length scare you. After a maximum of 45 minutes you will already be inside.
Gothic Quarter and Cathedral
The Gothic Quarter is one of the oldest sights in Barcelona. It is famous for merchant buildings, churches, medieval streets and colossal architectural objects. The quarter was erected on the ruined Roman buildings.
There are many areas in this area. These are King's Square, Sant Jaume, St. James, Royal and Pine Square. From the ancient buildings you can see the museum complex of Frederic Mares, Roman columns, a large number of ancient temples and the famous Cathedral. This temple is made in gothic style back in the 15th century. The building is decorated with exquisite details - slender columns, towers - spiers and a magnificent "rosette". The dome offers a great view of the city.
Advice!Barcelona is not considered a completely safe place, so you need to carefully monitor your belongings. The backpack should not be carried on the back, especially on the subway. You should not wear a camera around your neck, as it can be torn off in a crowd. Particular vigilance should be exercised at the airport and railway stations.
famous houses
In the city center you can see a unique architectural landmark. This is Gaudí's house, which is called Cassa Mila. The building has no corners. The building does not bearing walls and supports, it rests on columns in the style of Gaudí. Partitions can be rearranged wherever you like. In addition, the building provides ingenious ventilation.
Casa Batlló is considered another architectural masterpiece. It translates as the house of bones. Its balconies are made in the form of a skull, and the columns look like bones.
The house is also equipped with technology that was unique for its time. The luminous flux and ventilation are designed in such a way that the rooms are always fresh and light.
Notable is the facade of the building with a contrasting ceramic cladding and the interior of the rooms, furnished with furniture designed by Gaudí.
Another unusual house was designed by the architect Joseph Puij. It's called the house of thorns. The building was erected in the era of modernism and differs from the style of Gaudí.
The house got its name because of the towers on which the spiers are located. The building has a hexagonal shape and contains elements of European Gothic.
Advice! The highest mountain is Tibidabo. It has an observation deck and an amusement park. To get to it, you need to take the Blue Tram, and then transfer to the funicular.
Magnificent Park Güell
The park was created in 1914 by the architect Gaudí. It is made in a fabulous style and covers an area of 15 hectares. It houses the house of the great architect, which has now become a museum. And House Güell is a public school.
On the territory of the park, it is worth seeing fabulous houses, the main staircase in the Salamander mosaic, a wavy mosaic bench, a hall with a hundred columns and a central square.
Advice! The park is located on a mountain where you can see the famous lizard statue. At the highest point of the hill there is an observation deck.
famous aquarium
In Barcelona you can see the famous aquarium, which is also a center for the study of fauna in the Mediterranean. The exposition consists of different tropical systems. You can observe the inhabitants of the Red Sea, the Great Barrier Reef, and also see small aquariums with small marine inhabitants.
You can walk along the long tunnel of the aquarium and see how sharks swim overhead.
Advice! Near the entrance to the Rambla is the Boquería market. Here you can buy a variety of fruits and vegetables, meats, as well as snacks or freshly squeezed juices.
Unique museums
The Picasso Museum exhibits authentic paintings by the great artist. In the halls of the museum you can see more than three thousand works of the artist and his friend Sabartes. In addition, the museum presents an exhibition of ceramics, which was made by the widow of Picasso.
The museum often hosts various temporary exhibitions. Paintings by other artists who contributed to the development of art in the city are also exhibited.
The collections are housed in five gigantic mansions that were built in the 13th century.
The collections include more than 600 exhibits. These are various sarcophagi, things of the pharaohs, objects of cult life and amulets with papyri. Also on the territory of the museum complex is a scientific library, in the halls of which more than 5 thousand volumes are stored.
Montjuic
On its territory you can see a dancing and singing fountain, which shimmers with various colors.
On the hill is the Spanish Village, which is an architectural museum. In it you can see a copy of the gates of the city of Avila and other unusual buildings. Nearby is the Palace of Sports and the stadium, which were built for the 1992 Olympic Games.
Advice! In Barcelona, you should find an institution where they perform a real Catalan rumba. This is a spectacular dance that was brought from Liberty Island and then modified by local gypsies.
beautiful monasteries
In the vicinity of the city you can visit the monastery of San Miguel del Fay. It is a structure carved into the rock. Its walls and roof are made of rock. Currently, the monastery is a unique monument with grottoes, caves and waterfalls.
Also away from Barcelona is the monastery of Montserrat. It is visited not only by pilgrims, but also by thrill-seekers. You can visit the top of the mountain and make a wish at the Madonna statue. The construction of the temple began after a statue of the Madonna was found in a cave in 880. After the Napoleonic wars, the temple was destroyed. Currently, on the territory of the restored temple there is a museum with works by Caravaggio and Salvador Dali.
Funicular to the monastery Advice! The funicular takes you up the hill. And you can get to the Montserrat monastery by train.
Where to go with children?
Most of the attractions that may be of interest to children are concentrated within the city.
The following amazing places are worth visiting:
- Aquarium with the famous tunnel.
- Statue of Columbus, which can be reached by elevator.
- Museum on the Ramblas wax figures and living sculptures at the Drasanes metro station.
- Next to the aquarium is an unusual IMAX cinema.
- The Port Montjuic cable car starts from Barceloneta beach.
- Near the port there is a zoo where you can watch wild animals and dolphin shows.
- It is worth visiting the Ciutadella Park, where there is a castle of three dragons and a zoological museum.
- On the mountain of Montjuic, you can see the castle and the cannons surrounding it.
- The interest of the child can cause a museum of science. There is a laboratory here where you can test the laws of physics with your own hands.
- You can visit the museum of the Barcelona football club, which is located at the famous Camp Nou stadium.
Advice!Architectural monuments are not of particular interest to children, but some buildings such as the Sagrada Familia or Gaudí's houses can really please. There are special audio guides for children.
A variety of attractions will allow you to spend time in Barcelona with interest and benefit. In addition, the city is designed for traveling with the whole family. Choosing the best attractions will make the trip fabulous and unforgettable. Of course, you won’t be able to see them all even in a week. But who said that you can only come here once?
