Mountain range at the southeastern end of the Carpathians. The mountains, which rise to 2505 m (8218 ft), are renowned for the fantastic shapes of their eroded summits. The slopes are used for skiing.
Bucharest (Bucuresti)
Known as 'The Paris of Eastern Europe', Bucharest has been the capital of the Romanian state since its formation in 1862. It is a green and pleasant city of spacious parks, broad, tree-lined boulevards, terrace cafes and restaurants, and handsome 19th and 20th-century public buildings. The main thoroughfare of the 'Parisian' area is the elegant Calea Victoriei (Victory Road), which was originally built in 1702.
It is bounded by the Operetta Theatre; the Stavropoleos church with its beautifully decorated walls and carved doors; the History Museum of Romania with its magnificent displays of gold models, jewellery, precious stones, plates, goblets and weapons - some of them dating from the 4th century BC; the early 18th-century Cretulescu church and the former Royal Palace, now the National Art Gallery. Nearby is the Park of Culture and Rest, spread over 210 hectares (470 acres), and containing a superb folk museum housing some 70 farmsteads, water mills, windmills and rural homes from all over the country.
Bucharest, which lies on a tributary of the River Arges, is said to have been founded in the 15th century by a shepherd named Bucur. In 1659 Bucharest became the permanent capital of the Ottoman province of WALACHIA, taking over from the previous capital - the nearby city of TIRGOVISTE.
Bucharest's old town contains the ruins of the 15th-century Princely Palace and the fine 16th-century Curtea Veche (old church).
Since the end of the Second World War (1945) Bucharest has expanded rapidly; its modern outer suburbs bristle with high-rise apartment blocks. Under a controversial project, buildings in a large area of the town centre, including several 18th-century historic churches, have been demolished to make room for a new administrative centre.
Bucharest is the country's most important economic centre. Its industries include power stations, engineering and chemical plants, food processing, textiles and furniture.
Locals hypothesize that the legacy of Italian blood and culture in Cologne, colonized by the Romans more than 1500 years ago, makes the people more jovial and lighthearted. Cologne is the largest city on the Rhine.
Kolsch is not only the dialect spoken here but, also the name of their own top-fermented beer. There are more than 4,000 pubs, restaurant's and brewery taverns in Cologne.
Unlike many of the world's large cities, Cologne, with a population of over a million, gets better every day, there are more things to do and see, more new and innovative buildings... more
Travel is an opportunity to learn, whether geography, languages, history or other subjects.
Cologne is situated on the beautiful Rhine River.