French President Emmanuel Macron praised on Friday the more than 1,000 craftspeople who helped rebuild Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral in what he called "the project of the century", five-and-a-half years after fire gutted the Gothic masterpiece. The 12th-century cathedral, one of the French capital's most beloved and visited monuments, will reopen its doors next week to tourists and to the Catholic faithful. "Never before have we seen such a construction site. You all had your share in the project of the century," Macron told a gathering that included carpenters, stonemasons, art restorers, firefighters and donors. French President Emmanuel Macron during a visit to Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris, France, 29 November 2024. CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON/Pool via REUTERS "The burn...
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travel articles and news about Europe
Since I first moved here, Berlin has evolved from “poor but sexy”, as former Mayor Klaus Wowereit dubbed it in 2003, to an increasingly assertive - and pricey - capital city. It still has the edgy club scene it has long been known for, but slick developments have been built over former squats, and rents have soared as Germany’s capital has attracted investors. That includes both big companies like Tesla - the U.S. electric vehicle maker’s first manufacturing plant in Europe opened here in 2022 - and enough startups for some to refer to it as Europe’s Silicon Valley. As a Brit who studied German at university, I first worked for Reuters in Berlin as an intern in 2005, when Angela Merkel was campaigning to become chancellor. I went on to become an economics reporter during the years o...
Read MorePterosaurs were cousins of the dinosaurs Newly identified species is named Skiphosoura bavarica It fills a gap in understanding of pterosaur evolution Aloft over the landscape of Bavaria some 147 million years ago was a pterosaur - an ancient flying reptile - with a wing span of about 7 feet (2 meters), a bony crest on front of its snout and a mouthful of sharp teeth, searching for a lizard or another nice morsel to eat. Scientists have unearthed a well-preserved fossil skeleton of this newly identified species, named Skiphosoura bavarica, in a discovery that fills a major gap in the understanding of the evolution of pterosaurs - creatures that were important components of ecosystems during the age of dinosaurs. Skiphosoura lived toward the end of the Jurassic Period. I...
Read MoreThe ancient Roman Colosseum will be the venue of gladiator fights — albeit staged — for the first time in two millennia under a $1.5 million sponsorship deal with Airbnb that aims to promote “a more conscious tourism.” But some visitors to the monument Thursday, as well as housing activists, were skeptical about the value of the arrangement, citing ongoing controversies in many cities over the role of short-term rental platforms in fueling overtourism and limiting affordable housing for residents and students. Under the deal announced by Airbnb and the Colosseum on Wednesday, the sponsorship by the short-term rental giant will cover the renewal of an educational program inside the ancient Roman amphitheater covering the history of the structure and gladiators. FILE PHOTO: A gener...
Read MoreA flip of the switch, some oohs and ahhs from a crowd of onlookers, and a giant decorated Christmas tree went up in lights on Vienna’s town hall square as the Yuletide season got rolling in Austria’s capital on Saturday evening. Mulled wine was poured, frosted gingerbread cookies dangled from the roofs of vendors’ stalls, kiddies rode a carousel and a brass band tooted out Johann Strauss II’s “The Blue Danube” waltz as the holiday merriment set in. Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig joined the ceremonial illumination of the 30-meter (about 100-foot) spruce that bedecked the square in front of town hall, which also was bathed in light. This year Vienna upped the ante by decorating the tree with 2,000 LED lights and 1,000 Christmas baubles at the market, which drew 3.3 million visitor...
Read MoreSwiss chocolate giant Lindt serves up Middle Eastern flavors Hundreds of curious shoppers, some equipped with camping stools and rain gear, lined up for hours on a drizzly Thursday in the western German city of Aachen. They weren’t waiting for the latest phone or luxury handbag release: they were after a taste of a new chocolate bar. Swiss chocolate giant Lindt has drawn the crowds with a new treat — a confection known as “Dubai chocolate” that features a crunchy mixture of chocolate, pistachio cream and knafeh, a crispy filo dough that is better known for its use in baklava. Lindt executives want to show the nearly 180-year-old Swiss chocolatier can mix it up with a product first concocted by an Emirati upstart and expand the boundaries of a centuries-old industry largely do...
Read MoreThe application comes as Visit Sweden looks to prevent travel mix-ups among tourists Sweden is making a bold (and slightly cheeky) move to trademark its name, putting an end to travel mix-ups. The home of cinnamon rolls and fika has applied to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to protect its name from international duplicates that might confuse unsuspecting travellers who want to experience the original Sweden and is calling on people around the world to support its application via an online petition. The trademark application addresses a common problem travellers face with name-alike locations – with eight places around the world called "Sweden", multiple Germanys, dozens of Americas, and 34 Londons globally, it's not hard to see why a little brand clarity...
Read MoreTourists and locals will be able to see Rome's Trevi Fountain from a new angle by walking across a footbridge erected while it undergoes maintenance work. The metal bridge, which will give visitors a closer look at the fountain's intricate facade, will be up for about two months while work is in progress. Tourists take pictures on an elevated walkway as Trevi Fountain undergoes maintenance work in Rome, Italy, November 9, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli "(We) wanted to give everybody the opportunity to admire the fountain and to do this from a unique perspective," Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri told Reuters at the opening of the bridge on Saturday. "Normally you would never be able to see what you can see from the walkway ... so it's actually a unique opportunity." Restoration of ...
Read MoreThe ancient Roman archaeological park of Pompeii in southern Italy said on Friday it would cap daily visitor numbers at 20,000 as a response to its surging popularity. The change, effective from Nov. 15, comes after a peak of more than 36,000 daily entrances on a free-admission Sunday, the park said in a statement. The park's director, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, said that reducing human pressure on the ancient site was important for conservation and safety reasons. A detail of a richly decorated but uncommonly small house with finely preserved frescoes of mythological scenes is pictured in the archaeological site in Pompeii, Italy, in this handout photo obtained by Reuters on October 24, 2024. Parco Archeologico di Pompei/Handout via REUTERS The new limit follows attempts by other t...
Read MoreAs dusk falls over the City of Light, a new spectacle is illuminating Saint-Sulpice church, a monument whose interiors are even larger than Notre Dame’s — and arguably just as breathtaking. The cavernous walls of the neoclassical gem on Paris’ Left Bank are coming alive with 360-degree video projections, sparkling cutting-edge technology and actors, all telling the story of the church and its place in French history. Video projections are seen Thursday Oct.31, 2024 at the Saint-Sulpice church in Paris. (AP Photo/Marine Lesprit) Blending centuries of intrigue, revolution and family drama, the show reimagines the Saint-Germain district during the Fronde, the 17th-century civil war, and the lead-up to the French Revolution. “Paris Cœur de Lumières” (Paris Chancel of Lights), whic...
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