Dunnottar Castle, Scotland

Dunnottar Castle is a ruined medieval castle which is located on the north-east coast of Scotland near Stonehaven, on a rocky headland with steep cliffs that drop to the North Sea 50 metres below.


The site is believed to have been an early fortress of the Dark Ages, however the surviving buildings are mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries. 


From the Middle Ages, Dunnottar Castle played an important strategic role throughout Scotland's history due to its location. It overlooked the shipping lanes to northern Scotland and was situated on a narrow coastal terrace that controlled access via land to the south coast dueing the medieval period.

Dunottar Castle, Stonehaven, Scotland by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of Dunottar Castle in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which was taken at the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy of LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-07682). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring this beautiful vintage print.

Castle Street, Aberdeen, Scotland

A view of Castle Street in Aberdeen Scotland - which shows the old municipal buildings, the Market Cross and the back of the statue of the Fifth Duke of Gordon.

This area would be filled with market stalls and throngs of people coming to buy all that they need. It was the hub of all activity in the town. Today, Castle Street continues to be a thriving part of Aberdeen with businesses, bars and restaurants.

Castle Street, Aberdeen, Scotland by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of Castle Street and Municipal Buildings in Aberdeen, Scotland, which was taken at the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy of LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-07513). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring this beautiful vintage print.

Balmoral Castle, Scotland

Balmoral Castle is well known as the summer royal residence for Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. It has been a royal residence since 1848, when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert leased it from the trustees of Sir Robert Gordon, who had died in 1847. In 1852, they paid approximately £30,000 for full ownership of the estate. 

Prince Albert, with William Smith, made immediate plans to extend the existing castle. The new castle was partly designed by Prince Albert and was built close to the original castle.

Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone on 28 September 1853, which can be found at the foot of the wall, adjacent to the west face of the entrance porch. Before the stone was laid, a bottle containing a parchment signed and dated by Queen Victoria and each of the current coins of the realm, was inserted into a cavity below the stone. Balmoral Castle was completed in 1856.

Balmoral is privately owned by the Queen and is not part of the royal estate which is owned by the English Government. Following the abdication of Edward VIII, his brother, King George VI, had to buy Balmoral in order to keep them as residences of the monarch.

Balmoral Castle, Royal Deeside, Scotland by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of Balmoral Castle in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which was taken at the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy of LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-07532). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring this beautiful vintage print.

Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Piedmont, Italy

Isola Bella is one of the Borromean Islands in Lake Maggiore in Piedmont, Italy. It is 320 metres long and 400 metres wide and is entirely occupied by the Palazzo Borromeo and its surrounding gardens. The island is situated approximately 400 metres from the town of Stresa.


Prior to 1632 the island, then known as isola di sotto or l'isola inferiore, was a rocky crag with a small fishing village. In 1632, Carlo III of the House of Borromeo began construction of a palace dedicated to his wife, Isabella D'Adda. The island is now named after this Isabella.


The Milanese architect, Angelo Crivelli, was responsible for the construction of the palazzo, as well as the planning of the gardens. The palazzo was not completed due to an outbreak of the plague in the Duchy of Milan around the middle of the century. 


Building of the palace resumed when the islands were passed onto Carlo's sons, Cardinal Gilberto III and Vitaliano VI. The completion of the works were the responsibility of the Milanese architect Carlo Fontana. The completed palace became a place of parties and theatrical events for the nobility of Europe.


Gilberto and Vitaliano left the completion of the gardens to their nephew, Carlo IV, which were inaugurated in 1671. The island continued to be a place to visit for the nobility right through to the middle of the nineteenth century.

Isola Bella III, Lake Maggiore, Piedmont, Italy by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore in Piedmont, Italy, which was taken towards the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-06533). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring this beautiful vintage print.

The Arch of Peace, Milan, Italy

The Arch of Peace, Arco della Pace in Italian, is located in the Piazza Sempione in Milan. It was contructed at the request of Napolean to signify his triumphant victory in 1801 when the walls around the Castello Sforzesco were destroyed.

The construction of the Arch started in 1807 under the supervision of the neoclassicist architect Luigi Cagnola, who was inspired by the Arch of Settimo in Rome. The arch was only two-thirds completed when Napolean was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, at which time the construction stopped.

In 1826 Franz I of Austria ordered that construction of the arch be finished in dedication to the European Peace which was reached in 1815. The Arch was finished by Francesco Peverelli and Francesco Londonio following the death of Cagnola in 1833. It was inaugurated by Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria on 10 September 1838.

The Arch of Peace is one of the best examples of Milanese Neoclassical art. It is a structure of four columns with two isolated boxes at each side. It is decorated with bas-reliefs and scenes illustrating the many events before the fall of Napoleon.

The Arch of Peace, Milan, Lombardy, Italy by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of the Arch of Peace in Milan, Lombardy, Italy, which was taken at the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy of LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-06554). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the range of products available with this vintage print of the Arch of Peace.

Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy

The Trevi Fountain, Fontana di Trevi in Intalian, is the largest Baroque fountain in Rome. In 1732, Pope Clement XII commissioned Nicola Salvi to create a large fountain in Trevi Square. Previously Gian Lorenzo Bernini had undertaken the construction of a fountain which did not continue after the death of Pope Urban VIII. Salvi's design carried many features of the Bernini fountain. Salvi died before the fountain was completed. The Trevi Fountain was finally finished in 1762 by Giuseppe Pannini.


Legend has it you will return to Rome if you throw a coin into the water. You should toss it over your shoulder with your back to the fountain.

Trevi Fountain, Rome, Lazio, Italy by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of Trevi Fountain in Rome, Lazio, Italy, which was taken towards the end of the 19th century. The Photograph courtesy LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-06614).

Bellagio I, Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy

Bellagio, also known as "the pearl of Lake Como", is a town located on Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy. It is well known for its location on the intersection of the three branches of the Y-shaped lake - with Bellagio located on the tip of the peninsula which separates the lake's two southern arms.

There is evidence which suggests that there was a human presence in Bellagio and surrounding areas in the Paleolithic Period (about 30,000 years ago), in the 7th to 5th centuries BC there was a place of worship and trade for the many small villages along the side of the lake.

During Roman times, Lake Como took on an important role. Olive trees and the laurel were introduced to the area by the Romans, which are still found in abundance on the shores of Lake Como.


The Romans were responsible for the town's development as a holiday resort which has continued to this day. In letters by Pliny the Younger (c61AD - 112AD), he describes the time he spent in his Bellagio villa where he enjoyed the pleasures of hunting and fishing.

Bellagio I, Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy by OldeWorldGifts

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Vintage photomechanical print of Bellagio on Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy, which was taken at the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy of LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-06439). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the range of products featuring this beautiful vintage photochrom.

Interior of the Church of the Annunciation in Genoa, Italy

The Church of the Annunciation, known as the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato in Italian, is a Catholic Cathedral located in Genoa, Liguria, Italy. 

The church was first begun in 1520 by the Franciscan monks on a site where the small church, Santa Maria del Prato, previously stood. Work on the church was stopped in 1537, then in 1591 the construction was continued.

The Cathedral employed the major baroque artists in Genoa in the early 17th century for its amazing decoration, with Andrea Ansaldo in charge of completing the works.


The Neoclassicist facade of the church dates to the early to mid 18th century and was designed by Carlo Barabino. 


During World War II the church was damaged during bombings by the Allied forces, and the restoration of the church continues to this day.

Church of the Annunciation, Genoa, Liguria, Italy by OldeWorldGifts

Create your own Custom postcard with zazzle

Vintage photomechanical print of the interior of the Church of the Annunciation in Genoa, Liguria, Italy, which was taken at the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy of LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-06516). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products featuring this incredible vintage photochrom.

Latest News from OldeWorldGifts

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

The first additions have been from Aberdeenshire and have included Aberdeen, Banff, Stonehaven and Banchory. There are some amazing pictures in this selection, such as those shown below.

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

University of Glasgow, Scotland

The University of Glasgow is located in Glasgow, is one of Scotland's four ancient universities and the fourth oldest university in theEnglish-speaking world.

The university was founded in 1451 by a papal bull issued by Pope Nicholas V. It is one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the world and is ranked amongst the top ten British universities for teaching quality.

Glasgow University Print

by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of the University of Glasgow, Scotland, which was taken at the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-07600). Visit OldeWorldGifts to see the full range of products available featuring this picturesque vintage photochrom of Glasgow Univeristy in Scotland.

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.

The Wheel, Laxey, Isle of Man, England

The Laxey Wheel is a large waterwheel in the village of Laxey on the Isle of Man in England. It was designed by Robert Casement and built in 1854 to pump water from the mineshafts.

It is the largest working waterwheel in the world and is also known as the Lady Isabella Wheel, named after the wife of Lieutenant Governor Hope who was the island's Governor at that time.  

The Wheel, Laxey, Isle of Man, England by OldeWorldGifts

Vintage photomechanical print of the Wheel at Laxey, Isle of Man, England, which was taken towards the end of the 19th century. Photograph courtesy LOC (LC-DIG-ppmsc-08676). Visit Olde World Gifts to see the full range of products this amazing photograph is available on.

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.