Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: Patrimoni Mundial

Drottningholm Palace is located just outside the city borders of Stockholm on an island (Lovön ) in Lake Mälaren. The palace is the official home of the Swedish royal family since 1981. Drottningholm (= Queen’s island) is dating back to the late 16th century, when King Johan III built a palace for his wife. In 1661 the palace was destroyed by a fire. One year later the building on a new palace - as it still is nowadays - began. Drottningholms slott is surrounded by a French formal garden (PiP 1) and a more natural English style park (PiP 2) with ponds and lawns. In 1991 Drottningholm Palace was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List.

‘La Catedral de Sevilla’ (or ofiicially‘Catedral de Santa María de la Sede’) has a lenght of 126 metres and a width of 83 metres. Its maximum height in the centre of the transept is 37 metres. The total surface of the building is 23.500 square metres. Measured by area Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral and the third-largest church all over the world. The cathedral is built on the site of Seville’s main mosque. This Almohad Mosque was consecrated as a cathedral in the year of 1248. The construction of thee Gothic cathedral began in 1434 and was finished early 16th century. Seville's cathedral was built to demonstrate the power and wealth of the city after the Reconquista. The huge interior of the cathedral, with a central nave and four side aisles, is richly decorated. It also contains the tomb of Christopher Columbus. In the center of the church is the choir (main picture), which has elaborate 15th-century choir stalls. Seville Cathedral was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

Amsterdam has more than one hundred kilometers of canals, about 90 islands and 1500 bridges. The ‘Grachtengordel’ (Canal Ring Area) does exist of the Singel - in the Middle Ages a moat around the oldest parts of the city - and the main canals Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht. These three canals - dug in the 17th century during the so called Dutch Golden Age - form a concentric belt around the city. The area around the city's main canals is an international icon of urban planning and architecture, which is still intact after four centuries. The area is known for its small bridges going over the canals and 17th-century canal homes. UNESCO added the Canal Ring Area in August 2011 to the World Heritage List. Pictures: main photo: façades of canal houses along de Prinsengracht, nearby Brouwersgracht note 1: Herengracht note 2: Prinsengracht note 3: Keizersgracht For more information: www.canalsamsterdam.com

In the past - when the most frequently way to visit Karlskrona was by water - Kungsbron (Kingsbridge) was the front door to the city. The residents of Karlskrona once gathered at Kungsbron to welcome kings and other guests. The pink and white building is the residence of the county governor. The view from Kungsbron over the nearby islands is enchanting.

Úbeda became more and more important during Moorish rule. The town was by Abd ar-Rahman II (822–852), who called it Medinat-Ubbadat Al-Arab (which means Úbeda of the Moors). The town was captured from the Moors in 1233 by King Fernado III. Úbeda (and neighboring city of Baeza) benefited from extensive patronage in the early 16th century, resulting in the construction of a series of Renaissance style palaces and churches. In 2003, UNESCO declared the historic cores and monuments a World Heritage Site. Although the ‘Sacra Capilla del Salvador del Mundo’ (Sacred Chapel of the Saviour)looks like a church, the building is a funerary monument and was created to be used as mausoleum of local nobility (nowadays there are religious services). Both interior and exterior are richly decorated; the main façade (picture) with relief work and statues. The building is considered to be one of the finest examples of Andalucian architecture from te Renaisance period. Construction of the chapel started in 1536 by the architect Diego de Siloé; a second phase, four years later, was directed by Andrés de Vandelvira. In 1559 it was consecrated.

The Plaza del Pópulo is the most beautiful square of Baeza; it is also known as Plaza de los Leones , referring to the fountain of the same name. The square is surrounded by impressive buildings dating back to the heyday of Baeza. The name Plaza de Pópulo refers to the Virgen del Pópulo, the patron saint of the city . La Antigua Carnicería dates from the 16th century. This old butchers shop (Antigua Carniceria) stood about 100 metres from its present spot and was moved stone by stone to the Plaza de los Leones. The façade on the upper floor shows the coat of arms of Emperor Carlos V, a double-headed eagle. The building has been used as municipal slaughter house until late in the20th century, but nowadays houses a court of law. Fuente de los Leones is an archaeological monument that once stood in the Roman city of Cástulo . The Fountain of the Lions is a symbol of Baeza, expressing the pride of the city after being chosen as heir of Cástulo with the same features, such as capital and seat of a bishopric.

Palacio de Jabalquinto (Jabalquinto Palace) is a late 15th century palace and is considered te be one of the landmarks of Baeza. This former palace of Juan Alfonso de Benavides is a fine example of flamboyant Spanish Renaissance Gothic with Mudéjar influences. The beautiful façade with Moorish influences is the work of Juan Guas and Enrique Egas and illustrates the fondness of the former nobility for ornate decorations with pineapples, flower shapes, garlands and decorative turrets. The two columns with the balconies are conspicuous. Palacio de Jabalquinto has a courtyard in Renaissance style with a monumental baroque staircase. Nowadays the building belongs to the International University of Andalusia "Antonio Machado".

In the year of 1900 Gaudi started planning a residential complex for businessman and politician Eusebi Güell. However the lack of interest shown by the upper class of Barcelona for Güells’s and Gaudi’s project led to suspension of the work in 1914. On that moment only two houses of the sixty planned houses and the community areas were finished. In 1922 the city council of Barcelona acquired the complex and transformed it into a public park. Unesco recognized the artistic value and declared it in 1984 a World heritage Site. The large square, situated on top of the market place with its 96 impressive columns, was inaugurated in1909. It is outlined by a serpentine bench with a length of 110 metres. Most likely it is the longest work of art in the world. The long bench was one of the last works carried out in the park. Gaudi’s collaborator architect Josep Maria Jujol, used for the trencadís on the bench broken ceramics, tiles and bottles of all kinds of colours.