Jaunted - Tag: Churches

Kutna Hora: Visiting The Church of Bones in Prague

amandak — 2009-04-14T12:31:19-05:00

Some tourists head to Prague for the Czech beer. Others, apparently, head to a spot nearby Prague instead, for the piles of bones.

We first heard about the Church of Bones--formally known as the Kostnice Ossuary--when Ewan McGregor stopped in here during his Long Way Round motorbike odyssey. It's a creepy collection of over 40,000 human skeletons, with all these bones carefully arranged by monks to decorate a small Catholic chapel. The skeletons are thought to be remains of people who died in the 14th and 15th centuries, but no matter how old they are, seeing the skulls staring out at you all around the church is more than a little disconcerting.

But it's fascinating, and easy to get to on a day trip out of Prague to a town called Kutna Hora. You can take the hour-long bus trip from central Prague for about $6 return and once you get there, admission costs 50 Czech crowns ($2.50). We recommend not souveniring any bones on this trip; a 500-year-old skull might be quite hard to explain at customs.

Related Stories:
· Church of Bones - Kostnice Ossuary [Official Site]
· Czech Beer Still Tasty After NYT Treatment [Jaunted]
· Ewan McGregor Completes 20 Country Motorcycle Tour [Jaunted]

[Photo: lyng883]

Santa Monica: The Church Where Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen Got Married?

juliana — 2009-02-27T08:31:11-05:00

To "All the single ladies"...who thought Tom Brady was going to break up with Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen, we have some bad news. He did put a ring on it but it wasn't your finger.

Nope. Tom and Gisele, after much speculation and gossip, got married at the St. Monica Catholic Church in Santa Monica, Calif. yesterday, Us Weekly reports.

The bride, 28, donned a form-fitting ivory lace strapless gown with a trumpet skirt, scalloped edges, long train and a floor-length veil with attached handmade satin roses and attached satin headband, all by Dolce & Gabbana. Her three dogs also wore matching Dolce & Gabbana floral lace collars.

News From All Over

pbb — 2008-11-24T17:05:19-05:00

It's a frenetic week in the US as cube drones and tourists alike gear up for a busy travel week, so forgive us if today's afternoon linkage is a bit scattershot. (Also: We're still recovering from hearing about the Speidi wedding.)

In Australia, the tourism officials are making preparations for movie-loving tourists. In Minnesota, Northwest flight attendants are getting their new (Delta) uniforms. Meanwhile an old Jaunted hand took a trip with Porter Airlines while the TSA compared airport troublemakers to sharks. And we're always game for an interesting church!

Related Stories:
· Australia.com Relaunches in Time for Kidman Flick [BT]
· Northwest Attendants Preview Delta Look [Saint Paul Pi-Press]
· Porter Airlines: In a League of Its Own [Spendthrift Shoestring]
· TSA: Family Lanes Calm Checkpoints, Make Sharks Apparent [CNN]
· Dutch City Turns Church into Experience [CNN]

[Photo of Maastricht's cool church: FaceMePLS]

Molise: Temporary Church Travel: Not Italy's Most Impressive Cathedral

pbb — 2008-08-11T12:00:09-05:00

Feeling a little sinful after lusting after that bikini babe on an Italian beach? Look for this blow up chapel on the Adriatic coast in Molise and pop in for some prayer!

In addition to daytime services, there will also be a nighttime mass, which organizers hope will draw parishioners who otherwise might just hit the bars.

On Italy's Left Coast, a group of nuns has decamped to the beach near Naples to pray with vacationers who stop by the altar they've set up. Priest Antonio Rungi helped spearhead the effort, but if you can't make it to the spiaggia this summer, Father Rungi will still reach you: He recently started sending out SMSs to the faithful who sign up on his website.

Related Stories:
· Blow Up Church Looks to Lure Beachgoers [Reuters, via]
· Churches coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Telegraph]

Columbus: Eero Saarinen Travel: What to Do on Sunday

kjb — 2008-07-24T10:50:22-05:00

As we continue to explore the works of Eero Saarinen and his architectural adventures, we move to Indiana. Like his father, Eliel Saarinen, who created the First Christian Church in Columbus, Indiana, the younger Saarinen designed the North Christian Church there as well. Completed in 1964, the church was the last building he designed before his death.

Pisa: Tourist Trap Travel: The Leaning Tower's Finally Stable

pbb — 2008-05-28T12:00:01-05:00

After centuries of non-stop wobbling, the Leaning Tower of Pisa has finally been saved. Engineers tasked with stabilizing the off-kilter campanile, which has lurched over Pisa since about 1180, say they've finally finished their work:

"All of our greatest expectations have been met," said head engineer Michele Jamiolkowski, "We can now say that the tower will be stable for at least the next 300 years."

Now that the angle of the tower's lean has been reduced, visitors can enjoy a view that was impossible to see for the past 73 years. Looking straight up, you'll be able to see all seven floors--and even beyond through a skylight at the top.

To get a cool view of the night sky--and really channel that Galileo vibe--visit after dark. From June 17 till September 5, the tower's open to visitors until 11 pm.

Related Stories:
· The Leaning Tower of Pisa [Official Site]
· The Tower Is Saved, No Longer Moving [CdS, in Italian]
· Pisa's Tower Said to Be Safe for 300 Years [Reuters UK]
· Tourist Attractions coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: tiseb]

San Giovanni Rotondo: Padre Pio Travel: Where is San Giovanni Rotondo?

pbb — 2008-04-24T13:00:01-05:00

Catholic saint and Capuchin monk Padre Pio has been exhumed and put on display in the town where he spent most of his life, San Giovanni Rotondo. Why dig him up now? Today is the 40th anniversary of his death.

His remains are on view at a massive church designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect and fellow Italian Renzo Piano. With enough indoor space for 30,000 worshippers, it's the second-largest church in the country after St. Peter's in Rome. (Which, if you wanna get technical, is in the Vatican City, not Italy.)

Canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2002, Padre Pio was famous for bearing the stigmata and he is among the faith's most-loved saints. Be ready for a crowd if you head to San Giovanni Rotondo: Officials expect more than 15,000 pilgrims today alone.

Related Stories:
· Padre Pio's Body Goes on Public Display [UK Times]
· Who Was Padre Pio? [Reuters]
· Churches coverage [Jaunted]