Midnight Sun in Bell Sound Norway

The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon which occurs at and near to the Arctic and Antarctic circles, which means that the sun does not set during the summer months. This means that the sun can be seen 24 hours a day during fair weather.The length of time the sun is above the horizon is dependent on the proximity to the poles - it varies from 20 hours at the Arctic Circle and Antarctic Circle to 186 days at the two poles. 

Midnight Sun Print

by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of the midnight sun in Bell Sound, Norway, which was taken at the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-06255). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring this amazing vintage photochrom of the Midnight Sun.

The Honeycombs, Giant's Causeway, County Antrim

The Giant's Causeway is located in County Antrim, on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, near the town of Bushmills. It is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns which were the result of volcanic eruptions which occurred approximately 50 million years ago. 

The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although there are also some columns which have four, five, seven and eight sides. The tallest columns are about 12 metres (36 ft) high, and the solidified lava in the cliffs is 28 metres thick in places.

Giant's Causeway is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland.

The Honeycombs, Giant's Causeway, County Antrim

by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of The Honeycombs, Giant's Causeway, County Antrim in Northern Ireland, which was taken towards the end of the 19th century. The photograph shows the impressive basalt columns created by an ancient volcanic eruption. Photograph courtesy LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-09835). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring this vintage photochrom of the famous rock formation.

Windmills on the Noordendijk in the Netherlands

The Netherlands and windmills are two words that naturally go hand-in-hand in most people's minds. The Dutch built windmills for many centuries for all sorts of industrial purposes including corn milling, land drainage and saw milling.  There are approximately 1,200 windmills which have survivied to today, and many are currently in the process of being restored.
Windmills on the Noordendijk by OldeWorldGifts Vintage photomechanical print of windmills on the Noordendijk in Dordrecht, the Netherlands. The photomechanical print shows two old wooden windmills on the water's edge. Photograph courtesy LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-05794). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring this beautiful photochrom.

Emperor Wilhelm Memorial Church

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is located in Berlin and the original church was built in the 1890s. Kaiser Wilhelm II decided to name the church in honour of Kaiser Wilhelm I, his grandfather. The foundation stone was laid on Wilhelm I's birthday, 22 March 1891. 

A competition was held for the design of the church, which was won by Franz Heinrich Schwechten, who was one of the most famous German architects of his time. He prepared a design of a church with a 113 meter-high tower, retaining late Romanesque style elements.


The church was consecrated on 1 September 1895. At this time, the entrance hall in the lower section had not been completed. This was opened and consecrated on 22 February 1906. During the Second World War, on the night of 23 November 1943, the church was irreparably damaged in an air raid, with only part of the spire and the entrance hall surviving.

The new church with a foyer and a separate belfry with an attached chapel, was built between 1959 and 1963. The damaged spire of the old church has been retained and its ground floor has been made into a memorial hall.

Emperor Wilhelm Memorial Church by OldeWorldGifts Vintage photomechanical print of Emperor Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, Germany, which was taken at the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsca-00341). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring this beautiful old church.

Lourdes, Pyrenees - City and Castle

Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees in the Hautes-Pyrenees area in the Midi-Pyrenees region in south-western France. Up until 1858, Lourdes was a quiet, county-town with a population of approximately 4,000 people.

On 11 February 1858, a 14-year-old local girl, Bernadette Soubirous, said that a beautiful lady appeared to her in the remote Grotto of Massabielle. The lady appeared 18 times and identified herself as "the Immaculate Conception" and many believe she is the Blessed Virgin Mary.

By 1859, only a year following the apparitions, thousands of pilgrims were visiting Lourdes. Since then, Lourdes has become a major place of pilgrimage for Roman Catholics and there has been a number of alleged miraculous healings (The Roman Catholic Church has officially recognied 67 healings which occurred at Lourdes).

Lourdes current population is approximately 15,000 but it is estimated that it has 5 million visitors each season (from March to October). It has also been estimated that there has been approximately 200 million pilgrimages to Lourdes since 1860.

Lourdes, Pyrenees - City and Castle

by OldeWorldGifts

Photograph of Lourdes, situated in the Pyrenees in France, which was taken at the end of the 19th century. The photograph shows the city of Lourdes and castle, with the mountains in the background. Photograph courtesy LOC LC-DIG-ppmsc-05301. Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products available with this picturesque photochrom of Lourdes.

Pouhon, Spa, Liege, Belgium - A Famous Hot Spring

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, it was very popular for royalty and members of the upper classes to frequent natural hot springs to rejuvenate themselves. As a result, the towns with natural springs all over Europe became resort towns, with grandiose bathing houses for their wealthy guests.

In Belgium, the source of the hot spring was called a Pouhon and arguably the most famous pouhon was the Pouhon Pierre Le Grand. The Russian Tsar, Peter the Great visited the town in 1717, and the pouhon was named after him. In the late nineteenth century, the building in the photochrom below was built on the site of the pouhon.

 

Pouhon, Spa, Liege, Belgium

by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of a pouhon in Spa, Belgium, which was taken towards at the end of the 19th century. The photograph shows one of the most famous 'pouhons' otherwise known as a water well or water source. This pouhon is known as Pouhon Pierre Le Grand, which was named after the Russian Tsar Peter the Great who visited the town in 1717. The building where the well is situated dates from 1880. Photograph courtesy LOC LC-DIG-ppmsc-05720. Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range range of products available with the beautiful old photochrom

Schafberg Mountain in Salzburg - Hotel with a View

This hotel on Schafberg Mountain in Salzburg, Austria, could arguably have the most amazing views in the world. While this photochrom was taken in the late nineteenth century, it is still operated as a hotel today. The perfect holiday spot for those that love adventure and do not have a fear of heights!

Schafberg Mountain in Salzburg
by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of Schafberg Mountain in Salzburg, Austria, which was taken towards the end of the 19th century. The photograph shows a hotel, with arguably the best views in the world, located at the very peak of the mountain before a sheer drop. Photograph courtesy LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-09269). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the range of products featuring this photochrom.

Latest News from OldeWorldGifts

This week OldeWorldGifts has been searching through the beautiful old photochrom prints for Italy and has started adding some of these images to the store.

The first additions have been from the region of Campania and have included the Island of Capri, Naples and Pompeii. There are some amazing pictures in this selection, such as the Blue Grotto on the Island of Capri,the harbour at Naples and Street of the Tombs in Pompeii.

The latest additions have been from the region of Liguria and more specifically from Sanremo in the Italian Riviera, such as the Chapel St Ampeglio, Sanremo Promenade and Sanremo Harbour.

New images are being added daily, with the focus this week on the beautiful Italian towns and cities. Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring an extensive selection of vintage images from around the world.

Tower Bridge, London, England

In the second half of the 19th century it was determined that another crossing of the Thames River was required. In 1876 a Committee was formed to come up with a solution. The Committee asked for submissions from the public, however it was not until 1884 when a submission from the city architect, Horace Jones, was approved. Interestingly, Horace Jones was also one of the judges.

Construction of Tower Bridge began in 1886 and took eight years to build. It was officially opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales (the future King Edward VII and his wife, Alexandra of Denmark) on 30 June 1894.

Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge. Originally the bascule was operated hydraulically using steam power (from coal burners and water from the river). Today it uses oil and electricity.

Tower Bridge is over referred to wrongly as London Bridge, which is the next bridge upstream. It was referred to as TowerBridge long before its construction began, mainly due to it being located near the Tower of London. After its construction, it kept the name of Tower Bridge, as it is known today.

Tower Bridge I, London, England by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of the Tower Bridge in London, England, which was taken towards the end of the 19th century. The photograph shows the famous bridge closed to traffic to allow a boat to pass under as it travels along the Thames River. (LOC: LC-DIG-ppmsc-08567).

Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the range of products featuring this vintage photomechanical print of Tower Bridge.

Porlezza, Lombardy, Italy

Porlezza is a town in the province of Como in Lombardy, Italy about 60 km north of Milan and is situated on the edge of the Swiss/Italian lake, Lake Lugano.

Porlezza is considered to be a typical medieval town with a number of baroque works important locally for their artistic content. St Maurizio is a Romanesque church which was buried for centuries and was dug out in the 19th century. St Maria dei miracoli which was built in the 16th century is also one of the highlights of the town.

Porlezza City View, Lombardy, Italy by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of Porlezza in Lombardy, Italy, which was taken towards the end of the 19th century. The photograph features the old architecture of this picturesque town with Lake Lugano in the background. (LOC: LC-DIG-ppmsc-06587).

Visit Olde World Gifts to see the full range of products featuring this beautiful vintage photograph.

Tivoli Park, Copenhagen, Denmark

Tivoli Gardens is a famous amusement park in Copenhagen, Denmark which opened on 15 August 1843. It is the second oldest amusement park in the world, after Dyrehavsbakken in nearby Klampenborg.

Tivoli Gardens was created by Georg Carstensen (1812 - 1857), who obtained approval from King Christian VIII by telling him that "when the people are amusing themselves, they do not think about politics".

From it's inception, Tivoli gardens included a variety of attractions: a theatre, band stands, restaurants and cafés, and beautiful flower gardens. In the evenings, coloured lamps illuminated the gardens. It also included amusement rides such as a merry-go-round and a scenic railway.

Walt Disney visited Tivoli Park, which became the inspiration for his Disneyland.

Tivoli Park Entrance Copenhagen by OldeWorldGifts

Photomechanical print of the entrance to Tivoli Park in Copenhagen, Denmark, which was taken at the end of the 19th century.

Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring this picture of the entrance to Tivoli Gardens.

The Beauty of County Dublin I

County Dublin, called Contae Átha Cliath in Gaelic, is located on the east coast of Ireland in the province of Leinster and is known today as the Dublin Region. County Dublin was one of the first Counties of Ireland to be formally structured in the 12th century by King John of England.

The Dublin Region includes the city of Dublin, which is the capital of Ireland as well as the largest city in Ireland. It also includes the modern counties of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin.

The city of Dublin, known as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliathis in Gaelic, is situated near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey.

Dublin was originally founded as a Viking settlement about 841 and became the island's primary city following the Norman invasion. Following the partition of Ireland in 1922, it became the capital of the Irish Free State and since 1949 is the capital of the Republic of Ireland.

 

Dublin City View by OldeWorldGifts

This is a photomechanical print of a street view of the city of Dublin which was taken towards the end of the 19th century. The photograph shows people in Dublin going about their daily routines - either walking or travelling via trams or horse and carriage on Sackville Street and O'Connell Bridge. (LOC - LC-DIG-ppmsc-09876).

Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products available with this amazing old picture of Dublin.

Welcome to Olde World Gifts

Welcome to Olde World Gifts - the place where we can travel to days gone by around the world via images. Through the use of old photographs and images, we can see how the world once was and learn about its history and its people - it is a rich and vibrant place.