Stourhead's Fascinating History, Facts, Gems, & Tourist Information

Stourhead 

 

What is Stourhead?

Stourhead is an eminent British stately house that, though lies presently in the Wiltshire countryside, the National Trust now manages it. Stourhead is renowned for its incredible 2,650-acre park and gardens that draw tens of thousands of tourists annually.

History of Stourhead

Although a lot of the home goes back to the early eighteen-century, an unforeseen destructive fire caused great damage in 1902 to the house's main block, so what you see now is a combination comprising both restored and original construction, though designed to completely mirror the original design.

The Stourhead property initially belonged to the Stourton family, but in 1714, they sold Stourhead estate to Sir Thomas Meres, who then sold it to Henry Hoare, sometime later.

Henry Hoare dismantled the original manor home and had an entirely new one built, but designed in a different manner, the Palladian style through the architect Colen Campbell, and then constructed by Nathaniel Ireson, who finished building it in 1725. However, Henry died prior to its completion, but his surviving son, Henry II Hoare ordered additional modifications.

A lot of the layout and adornment still reflects the actual life of Mr. Richard Colt Hoare, who was the grandson of the property’s original owner, or Henry Hoare II. Tourists can peek into the former life of a person stricken by sadness after losing both his wife and child. As a scholar and worldly man, he invested much of his life and spirit in his Wiltshire house, enhancing its stature stunningly. Highlights of the estate include an impressive picture gallery and library, all arranged overlooking a fine artificial lake.

But after an agricultural depression that took place in the 19th century, this forced the family to organize a notable property sale in order to raise much needed funds in the year 1883, plus a lot of the collection of paintings and other related items had to be sold off. Then a fire occurring in 1902 devastated a great deal of the home, destroying the collections stored on the higher floors.

The Stourhead house finally received the National Trust badge in 1946, and since then have been operated by it.

But the real beauty of Stourhead is not concealed in its luxurious interior but instead lies in the least expected place: the garden, and here the site fully takes up its own "character." The gardens, being a work-of-progress lasting decades, reveal the evolving artistic attitudes which bore numerous prominent British gardens during the later 18th and earlier 19th centuries, luring visitors not only to see but also to come and experience first-hand.

The gardens which, classified as classical, and coming into existence from inspired enlightenment, remind one of ancient Rome's perceived dignity, at each turn calling forth visuals of Vergil’s Aneid, Apollo and Flora, many grottos, boasting temples to a Romanesque Pantheon. In addition, historians have frequently remarked on the gardens’ religious implications, implying that those pilgrims taking this walkway view it like a modern type of Eden: A heaven bestowed, lost and restored.

Stourhead Now

Though Stourhead’s gardens are wildly popular the whole year, autumn is especially lovely as the leaves take on a rather rich golden-brown color. A loop that goes around the lake usually takes one hour to finish and is quite even underfoot, meaning you could sight many temples, one grotto, and of course, the Gothic Cottage spread around the lake, and accessible generally all the time. In fact, the Temple of Apollo site was used for a filming place for the 2005 classical movie Pride and Prejudice. 

The home makes for a nice tour, and though the structure is beautiful a good deal of the current collections came imported from elsewhere. Do not miss a visit to the kitchen garden, loaded with familiar vegetables, fruits, and herbs.

The Stourhead village lies at the base of the hill, where you'll find a cafe, plant shop, pub, and little art gallery, all on site. King Alfred’s Tower, which was constructed to honor George lll's accession to the throne following the termination of the Seven Years’ War, actually is a three-mile walk via forest, plus a fine place for exploring, particularly if you want to spend the day.

Visiting Stourhead

Stourhead is truly accessible by car only. Though automobile parking is now available on the site, it's rather limited. It is probably best visited early in autumn or the summer to avoid the crowds.

You'll find the closest bus stop at Zeals, only a bit more than a mile away, and on a route that continues between Mere and Salisbury. The closest train stations include Bruton and Gillingham, each being about seven miles away.

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Voortrekker Monument -- Its Towering Significance to South Africa

Voortrekker Monument

Voortrekker Monument stands South of Pretoria, South Africa. More specifically, the huge granite building eminently situated on a hilltop, was constructed to honor the Voortrekkers, leaving the Cape Colony during the years 1835 and 1854.

The whole concept to erect Voortrekker Monument to demonstrate respect to God, was initially communicated on December 16, 1888, when the then South African President Paul Kruger was present on the Day of the Covenant Celebrations at Blood River in Natal. But the genuine movement to construct Voortrekker Monument just began in 1931 at the time the Sentrale Volks Monument Komitee (SVK) was created to cause this idea to materialize.

Construction commenced on July 13, 1937, with SVK chairman Ernest George Jansen performing a sod turning ceremony, which later was regarded as Monument Hill. On December 16, 1938, three of the Voortrekker leaders' descendants laid the cornerstone; they included Mrs. J.C. Preller, Mrs. K.F. Ackerman, and Mrs. J.C. Muller. 

Voortrekker Monument was inaugurated by the then prime minister Malan on December 16, 1949. The whopping construction expense of the Monument was approximately £ 360,000, of which the majority was provided by the government of South Africa.

A big Amphitheater, seating about 20,000 people, was built and completed by 1949, standing to the North-East of Voortrekker Monument.

The Cenotaph, located in the heart of the Cenotaph Hall, happens to be the monument's main focus. Besides being observable from the Hall of Heroes, it could also be viewed from the Dome as if standing on the structure's "roof," and from where a lot of Voortrekker Monument's Interior could be seen. Via an opening in the Dome, a streak of sunlight flows, at 12:00 on December 16 yearly, landing onto the midpoint of the Cenotaph. Calling out 'Ons vir Jou, Suid-Afrika' (Afrikaans for 'Us for you, South Africa'). In fact, the streak of sunlight is believed to symbolize God's grace on the lives as well as the efforts of the Voortrekkers. December 16, 1838, was the actual date of the Battle of Blood River, honored in South Africa prior to 1994 as the Day of the Vow.

The Cenotaph Hall which is adorned with the flags representing various Voortrekker Republics, contains many showcases with Great Trek artifacts and wall tapestries that depict the Voortrekkers. Against the Hall's northern wall is a niche where lies a lantern and in which a flame has continuously been burning since 1938. It was precisely in this year which the symbolic Ox Wagon Trek began in Cape Town, ending at Monument Hill, where the laying of the monument's foundation stone occurred.

At the base of the Voortrekker Monument, you'll see standing Anton van Wouw's, a bronze-molded sculpture of a Voortrekker woman with her two children, offering tribute to the bravery and fortitude of the Voortrekker women. On the two sides of the sculpture black-colored Wildebeest are engraved into the monument's walls. Symbolically, the Wildebeest narrates Africa's perils as well as their symbolic flight means that the woman, bearer of Western Civilization, is victorious.

On every outer corner found on the Voortrekker Monument you'll see a statue, appropriately representing personalities such as Hendrik Potgieter, Andries Pretorius, Piet Retief. Every statue weighs about 6 tons.

On the monument's eastern corner, where its entry is, you'll find the Foundation Stone, and under it, was buried a copy of the Trekker Vow on the year December 16, 1838, a copy of the anthem "Die Stem," and a copy of the Land Deal between the Trekkers under Piet Retief and the Zulus under King Dingane.

 

Years after its construction, the entire monument complex saw expansion many times, today including:

1) An indigenous lovely garden surrounding Voortrekker Monument.

2) The Wall of Remembrance in dedication to everyone losing their lives when serving in the South African Defence Force.

3) Fort Schanskop, a close by Fort that the South African government constructed in 1897, following the Jameson Raid. Today a museum.

4) The Schanskop out-of-doors amphitheater, seating for only 357 people, became officially open on January 30, 2001.

5) A Garden of Remembrance.

6) A nature Reserve was announced in 1992 on 3.41 km² surrounding Voortrekker Monument. Game seen on the Reserve range from zebras, mountain reedbuck, Blesbok, impala, to springbok.

7) A Wall of Remembrance was built in 2009 near Voortrekker Monument in 2009 in order to honor the courageous soldiers belonging to the South African Defence Force, dying while serving their country during 1961 and 1994 time period.

8) Afrikaner Heritage Centre, constructed for preserving the Heritage of the South African population slice, the Afrikaans-speaking citizens as well as their historical contribution to the country. 

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Blyde River Canyon -- See the World's Third Largest Canyon

Blyde River Canyon, South Africa

 

Blyde River Canyon, sometimes also called the Motlae Canyon, lies at the convergence of the Treur and Blyde rivers. Blyde River Canyon is a stunning geological jewel, enhance and further beautified by the excessive and intoxicating greenery which sticks to its walls.

Blyde River Canyon’s mysterious mist-covered rock formations rise over the lush canyon slopes, offering superb vistas of this river below. It is without a doubt one of the world's most lovely canyons as well as one of South Africa’s most spectacular natural attractions.

Almost every person alive today already knows about Arizona’s incredible Grand Canyon—perhaps the planet’s best geological wonder without rival. And those who have yet not seen this natural wonder in person are aware of its mind-blowing depth, its many layers of color, and, of course, its international fame. Still, just as Olympic athletes winning silver and bronze medals frequently feel eclipsed by those who win the gold, so also are the smaller canyons frequently overshadowed by the United States’ greatest natural attraction.

However, despite the Grand Canyon claiming first place, doesn’t mean either silver and bronze runner-ups are far behind.

Spend a week or longer in the eastern provinces of South Africa and, be sure to pull over somewhere by the Blyde River Canyon before continuing to other popular attractions like Kruger National Park. 

It's a sight to die for! The Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve expands almost 30,000 hectares as far as the eye can see in the northern province of Mpumalanga, at the outskirts of the Drakensberg escarpment. The canyon winds its way in a nearly zigzag fashion via red sandstone cliffs which are covered in greenery. It's certainly a must-see highlight, particularly if you are going to Kruger.

Top Attractions in Blyde River Canyon

The Blyde River Canyon is home to a number of excellent lookout angles that would be a crime to miss. Every sight is distinct and breathtaking. By including a good range of them during a visit to Blyde River canyon, you will admire the geological diversity everywhere, brimming with verdant mountainsides, unique rock formations, and stratifications of color.

Some of Blyde River canyon’s best attractions consist of God’s Window, the Three Rondavels and Pinnacle Rock.

• God’s Window

Explore the routes near the canyon rim, weaving via the thick vegetation so you may see the gorge below.

From God’s Window, the canyon's harsh cliffs plummet more than 700 meters into the lowveld. But from the escarpment, amazing views of the prevailing scenery stretch outward and towards Kruger Park, going then into Mozambique.

With time and a little luck, if the clouds part, from God's Window you'll catch a jaw-dropping panoramic view. Take in fully the canyon views for two or three minutes. But do not lose yourself here, if you also plan on visiting the other world-renowned lookout points prior to sunset.

• The Three Rondavels

The Three Rondavels comprise three round and grass-dusted mountaintops which are thought to resemble the conventional rondavel huts that dot the whole South African countryside. They make up one of the Blyde River Canyon’s best-ranking attractions, plus could be seen from a viewing place which happens to branch off the R-532.

• Pinnacle Rock

Pinnacle Rock is yet another major attraction located in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve. Just behind the rock spire, you'll observe a waterfall pouring into a majestic, lush valley below.

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Cango Caves -- Africa's Greatest Attraction -- First in Many Things

Cango Caves, South Africa

 

In fact, the Cango Caves have become Africa's biggest show caves as well as one of the Seven Wonders situated in Southern Africa, and which causes the Cango Caves to be a historical and archaeological attraction of the Klein Karoo.

Cango Caves lie 29 kilometers from Oudtshoorn precisely in the beautiful Cango Valley, plus is located in a limestone ridge which runs alongside to the famous Swartberg Mountains and moreover, here you’ll see the lovely dripstone caves, with their vast far-reaching halls and very high limestone formations in a wide range of colors.

Previously, it was believed to be just around 1 kilometer long, except the caves now have been confirmed to stretch normally for way over 5 kilometers, but it can be somewhat longer, bigger and even more puzzling than recent estimations. You could visit about 1/4 of the whole 5 kilometers system of interconnecting tunnels. The remainder is currently shut for conservation purposes.

Experience the Cango Caves

While entering the caves, an immediate splash of warm humidity and temperature will greet you. The chambers are well lit so you can admire all the raw and natural charm of the cave chambers.

From the entry point, a set of stairs takes you below to the massive Van Zyl’s Hall, an unbelievable cave that’s 107 meters in length, 54 meters at its broadest and reaching as high as 17 meters. Also, you could anticipate finding other formations such as the 10-meter-tall Cleopatra’s Needle, the Organ Pipes, the Ballerina and the Frozen Waterfall.

The Cango Caves pioneered the following:

• It’s today South Africa’s earliest tourist attraction. Actually, the first tour here happened in 1891, becoming an instant hit and a favorite tourist attraction.
• It was really the first cave to get serious attention by the government, which then led to the cave receiving protection by environmental legislation. Lord Charles Somerset in 1820 published the very first Caves Regulation, which went on to become the first law drafted to protect a rare environmentally related resource situated in South Africa. It even went so far as banning the accumulation of souvenirs and penalizing anyone discovered harming the cave’s formations.
• It’s also the first to come up with a full-time tourist-like guide. Several of the most important discoveries in the Cango Caves occurred through the hands of its first full-time tourist guide, Johnnie van Wassenaar, employed for 43 years, beginning from 1891 to his retirement in the year 1934. Johnnie opened several side chambers, introducing the first wave of people to tour through the caves.

• It's even the first show cave given a radio communication system which permits the tourist guides to communicate freely with the world through these radios, meaning that whatever happens during the tours are communicated at once to the outside, plus anything needed to be addressed could be done literally in only seconds, helping to make the overall journey much safer as well as more comfortable.

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Daily tours

The Cango Caves now offer a fair range of daily tours that are conducted by accredited, knowledgeable, and experienced cave guides. Moreover, tours are provided in English. Also, languages such as Afrikaans, German, French are now available. 

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Pagsanjan Falls -- a Natural Wonder in the Philippines

  Pagsanjan Falls

Pagsanjan Falls, also called Cavinti Falls, and locally, Magdapio Falls, is one of the Philippines' most famous waterfalls. Gracefully descending in a nearly magical site, it's without a doubt a very early tourist attraction in the Philippines, that was introduced to the outside world via an American missionary visiting it in 1902. And it was this early tourist who initially gave it that name, "Pagsanjan Falls," although its name was originally Magdapio Falls. A legend exists giving credence to all this name business, told by Dr. Gregorio Zaide, narrating Magdapio who, after losing his brother in a drought, grew sad and roamed through the lush gorges searching for water. But locating none, he screamed to the gods. Sympathizing with him, the gods made a waterfall to start pouring out in what is today the renowned waterfall. However, the name Pagsanjan derives from the Tagalog term “Pinagsangahan” that translates to “where it branches," which refers to two rivers, Balanac and Bumbungan, branching off.

Pagsanjan Falls Tour

Despite the waterfalls itself belongs to the jurisdiction of the nearby Cavinti town, the boat ride to the falls, an extremely important part of the experience, is in Pagsanjan town. From this point, you can book your trip with whichever tour guide provided by resorts. As of the year 2007, the going rate was at P660 (or $56.49) due to so much haggling. In addition, there's a toll fee which goes to the town. Then you have to pay another P90, or $10.00, to rent the bamboo raft which takes you quite close to the falls so that you can even feel them descending and splashing. Permit at least a budget of P1,000 ($150) for the whole experience, plus a small tip to offer the boatman, which is customary there.

Make no mistake: the “shooting the rapids” tour is an exciting adventure filled with visual rewards. Many years ago, the whitewater travel of Cagayan de Oro and then Chico River got developed, and skilled boatmen navigated their bancas right through the rough rapids of the wild Bumbungan River. In fact, this has grown into a sort of art, but today a license is even needed for certifying your skill. An additional incredible bonus is the Pagsanjan Gorge that lies on two sides of the river. Since the forests are still much the way they always were, you can catch monkeys everywhere across the river. A word of caution: tourists may be required to put on helmets on account of monkeys throwing rocks at people. A side trip to consider is Talahib Falls, which can be taken before going to the Pagsanjan Falls. When it rains other waterfalls begin to swell and thus become highlights as well: Wedding Veil Falls, Kalukuy Falls, and other waterfalls.

And finally, the raft trip to the Pagsanjan Falls starts, as the trip's climax. Usually a bamboo raft and a skilled boatman will take visitors through the waterfalls to get uncommonly close to the Devil’s cave. This adventure, along with the "shooting the rapids," puts Pagsanjan Falls in an entirely different category from the other waterfalls to continue to be the most sensational waterfall experience found in Luzon. 

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Temppeliaukio Church -- One of Finland's Most Popular Attractions

Temppeliaukio church often stuns tourists seeing it for the first time with its unusual and distinctive appearance as if from an earlier era. Half a million visitors come here to tour through this interesting-looking building.

Sitting in the center of Helsinki, Finland, Temppeliaukio church's construction was completed in 1969. It's quite distant from the more conventional structures which churches are often connected with. Temppeliaukio church has been excavated straight into bedrock and receive natural light which enters via the glazed dome. Because of its superb acoustics it has become a popular locality for concerts.

Known as Rock Church, a copper dome covers Temppeliaukio church, and its walls in the interior are made of rugged rock. In fact, its unique architecture has been attracting not only ordinary people but also of architects everywhere.

After upgrading its lighting system to a more efficient one, a wireless lighting control system, the improvement helped significantly reduce the total usage of electricity, now only using 15% of electric consumption. 

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Glenfinnan Viaduct -- Scotland's Stunning Piece of Architecture

Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland

Glenfinnan Viaduct, built during the years 1897 and 1901, is essentially a railway viaduct that acts like a bridge for trains, traveling in Glenfinnan along the West Highland Line. In fact, Glenfinnan Viaduct is a 19th-century derivation from the ancient Roman aqueducts, and that is why several early viaducts have a series of arches, mostly of equal length. Since Glenfinnan Viaduct is 380 meters long, it's Scotland's longest railway bridge of concrete, crossing the River Finnan at the amazing height of 30 meters.

But today a lot of people recognize it as "the Harry Potter bridge" because of being filmed in the Harry Potter's movie. Glenfinnan Viaduct is an indisputably impressive work of architecture and even the breathtaking nearby scenery only adds to the overall impression. 

Viaduct Defined

If you are uncertain what the word means, viaduct is a sort of bridge, but one which especially stands out on account of its arrangement of columns, piers, and arches that support a lengthy elevated stretch of road or railway.

Generally, a viaduct is constructed in order to permit transport across a river or a low-lying valley or another type of hindrance, by linking two points of about equal elevation. It's common to find a structure constructed with a succession of arches of approximately equal length, the evenness of which could frequently look extraordinary.

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