City Orientation Walk

Transcription

1 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 - City Orientation Walk Annecy is a charming town with rich history that is reflected in its magnificent buildings, streets, bridges, gates and parks. There is a fascinating story associated with each house of the town. The following walking tour will help you discover the most prominent landmarks of Annecy. Guide Location: France» Annecy # of Attractions: 14 Tour Duration: 2 hour(s) Travel Distance: 2.2 km Please note: This walk is also featured in the ios app "GPSmyCity: Walks and Articles with Offline Maps" on itunes App Store and the Android app "Annecy Map and Walks" on Google Play. The apps provide GPS navigation to guide you from one tour stop to the next, so you will never be lost. The apps offer additional walking tours in Annecy. Check them out! GPSmyCity offers self-guided walking tours in over 1,000 city around the world. Please visit gpsmycity.com for more walking tour offers. List of attractions included in this self-guided walking tour: A) Notre Dame de Liesse Church B) Saint Peter's Cathedral C) The Old Town D) The Morens Bridge E) The Palais de l'isle F) The Castle (Musée-Chateau D'Annecy) G) Saint François Church H) The Saint François de Sales Memorial I) Saint Maurice Church J) Hotel de Ville K) European Gardens L) Berthollet Statue M) Bridge of Love N) Prefecture of Haute Savoie Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 -

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3 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 - A) Notre Dame de Liesse Church The Notre Dame de Liesse Church was built in the middle of the 19th century on the site of the 13th century Marist sanctuary. The church features typical neo-classical period look derived from the masterly design by architect François Justin. Some Gothic features of the church, such as the 16th century clock tower, arch windows and an old wall, have been preserved as a reminder of the ancient sanctuary. Address: Place Notre Dame, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and louis-garden B) Saint Peter's Cathedral Saint Peter's Cathedral was built by Jacques Rossel in the 16th century. At the time of the French revolution, the old complex served as a temple of Goddess. Prior to that, it had served as a chapel for the Franciscan Order. In 1822, it became the Roman Catholic cathedral and today, together with the Château d'annecy, it represents the symbol of the town and is listed as a French national monument. The façade of the church is a fine example of Renaissance architecture, while its interior features rich Gothic art ornamentations and designs. Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 3 -

4 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 - Address: Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 15, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Manu25 C) The Old Town Annecy has a preserved medieval old town often known as the Venice of Alps. Built around a 14th Century Chateau the area is dissected by small canals and streams running out of Lac Annecy, which is clean, fresh and a wonderful azure colour. The Old Town, mostly free of cars, is full of bars, restaurants and shops. There is a wonderful market on a Sunday that spreads through the smallest streets. Address: Quai de l'évêché, Annecy, France Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Fraselpantz. Sight description based on wikipedia D) The Morens Bridge The name of the Morens Bridge comes from the word "murenches", which means fortifications of the city formed of houses. At the end of the 13th century the locals called it the Stone Bridge, as it was the only bridge in town not to have been constructed of wood. The solid stone composition of the Morens Bridge allowed heavier carts to be transported, making it an important hub of the town. Address: The Morens Bridge, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Flickr and Daniel E) The Palais de l'isle (must see) One of the oldest constructions in Annecy, Palais de l'isle was built in Its triangular shape washed by the waters of the town canal is reminiscent of the galley ship. Throughout its long history, the building is known to have served as a residence of the Lord of Annecy, a courthouse, a prison, and administrative quarters of the Counts of Geneva. Today, the listed historic monument, Palais de l'isle houses a museum that provides a detailed insight into the town's history and architectural heritage. Address: Palais de l'ile, Annecy, 74000, France Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 4 -

5 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 - Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Emmanuel Boutet F) The Castle (Musée-Chateau D'Annecy) (must see) The Château d'annecy is a restored castle which dominates the old French town of Annecy. It was bought by the town, restored and transformed into a museum, le musée-château d'annecy. The castle is listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture. The Tour de la Reine (Queen's Tower) is the oldest part of the castle, dating from the 12th century. Its walls are over 4 m (13 ft) thick. At the bottom of the courtyard, the tower and the Logis Perrière date from the 15th century. Other notable parts of the castle are: the Vieux Logis, the Logis Nemours, the Logis Neuf. From the castle terrace there is a view over the old town with its narrow streets and decorated roofs. The museum is installed in the Logis Vieux and the Logis Nemours. The observatory is in the Tower and the Logis Perrière. Of particular note is the Museum of Alpine Popular Art (Musée d'art populaire alpin) with numerous regional sculptures and paintings. There is an important collection of vernacular furniture, dating from the 15th century onwards, sculpted objects, photographs and models of Alpine chalets. Opening hours: 1 October 31 May : Monday Sunday except Tuesday: 10 am 12 pm and 2 pm -5 pm 1 June 30 September : Monday Sunday: 10:30 am 6 pm "(The above description is based on Wikipedia under Creative Common License)" Address: Place du Chateau, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Emmanuel BRUNNER G) Saint François Church (must see) Saint François Church was built in 1614 by the most prominent religious characters of the town, founders of the Visitation Order, St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal. During the French Revolution the church was converted into barracks and later used as a workshop. It was not until the end of the 19th century that the church was finally restored and started serving as an Italian parish church. Saint François Church has been the focal point of many religious pilgrimages. Address: Place Saint-François de Sales, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Flickr and John Schrantz Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 -

6 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 - H) The Saint François de Sales Memorial The Saint François de Sales Memorial was placed in honor of the Bishop of the Church Saint Francis de Sales. He was born in 1567 close to Annecy in a religious family. He studied successfully in Paris and Padua. Having completed the studies he returned to his beloved Annecy and became a priest. Then, Francis and his trusted companion Louis started their religious journey full of dangers that resulted in the conversion of over seventy thousand Calvinists. Address: Rue des Marquisats, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Brücke-Osteuropa I) Saint Maurice Church (must see) Saint Maurice Church was build by the Dominican Order in the 15th century in a flamboyant Gothic style. The numerous chapels of the lower side of the church were added later by several noble families of the town. Saint Maurice Church is also popular for its beautiful old paintings, especially the centerpiece "trompe l'oeil". Address: Quai Eustache Chappuis, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Flickr and John Schrantz J) Hotel de Ville Hotel de Ville, known locally as the Town Hall, is situated right in font of the beautiful European Gardens. The building itself is a fine example of Neo-classical architectural style, with charming arches surrounding the main entrance doors and stunning white columns above. The Town Hall was built in Address: Quai Eustache Chappuis, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Brücke-Osteuropa Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 -

7 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 7 - K) European Gardens The European Gardens is a large beautiful park, made in 1863 after the Savoie became part of Annecy. This attractive place has always been a popular tourist attraction for its huge variety of plants. The park also has gorgeous flower compositions, attractive fountain and comfy benches placed all around. On top of that, it provides spectacular views of the Annecy lake. Address: European Gardens, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Flickr and miragelin L) Berthollet Statue In 1863, the statue of Berthollet was placed on the eastern side of the European Gardens, in honor of famous French chemist Claude Louis Berthollet. He was born in December of 1748 in Talloires, near Annecy. Berthollet was one of the first chemists to have documented the process of a reverse reaction. Today, a strong oxidizer Potassium Chlorate is also known as Berthollet s Salt. Address: European Gardens, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Flickr and ROBERTFROST1960 M) Bridge of Love (must see) Beautifully named The Bridge of Love (Le pont des Amours) is placed across the Canal du Vasse to provide access to the European Gardens from the park. This lovely iron bridge is a fine example of the early 20th century architecture. Today, The Bridge of Love is one of the most prominent landmarks in Annecy. Address: Bridge of Love, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Semnoz Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 7 -

8 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 8 - N) Prefecture of Haute Savoie Prefecture de Haute Savoie is a beautiful historic building situated near the waterfront park. Classical straight lines of the building s façade are typical of Neo-classical architectural design. The complex serves as a Civic Centre of the Haute Savoie district and is open to public. Address: Avenue d'albigny, 1, Annecy, 74000, France Image Courtesy of Flickr and Pierre-No Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 8 -