Canterbury | United Kingdom | St Peter’s Street | Week 23

Canterbury [old german: Kanterburg; welsh: Caergaint], first recorded (BC) as the main settlement of the celtic cantiaci tribe, became a Roman City as Durovernum Cantiacorum in the 1st century AD. Situated 80 km east of London and about 200 km west of Brussels on the shores of the river Stour.

Population: 55.000 [2011] | 43.000 [2001] | 24.000 [1931] | 25.000 [1901]

Canterbury was a capital for the celtic Cantiaci and for the Jute Kingdom of Kent, however its most prominent role has been in church history. Here the oldest church of the english speaking world can be found (St Martin’s Church), St Augustine started his apostle work and the christianisation of England here and the archbishop of Canterbury is the Primate of the Church of England. St Augustine’s Abbey, Canterbury Cathedral and St Martin’s Church form an UNESCO world heritage site. The city is also home to the world’s oldest School, the King’s School. Today the city has one of the strongest economies in the region and is one of the UK’s most visited tourist destinations.

The panorama above shows one of the cities major non-religious landmarks, the Old Weavers House, at the right edge. It was used by the Huguenots and is one of the (still numerous) timber framed 16th and 17th century houses that survived the german Blitz bombings in world war II. St Peter’s street is named after St Peter’s church, which we see a little bit in the back on the left edge. The street connects the High Street at its east end with the Westgate in the west.

To find more published streetline views from the UK visit our United Kingdom archive.

Click for larger view:

Canterbury Cityscape UK Panorama Image

For classic view and more infos about the streetview:

Canterbury Panorama Foto

We have captured some more streetviews in Canterbury a few of which we present here in unfinnished previews:

Canterbury Panorama Buttermarket Cathedral Gate

Cathedral Gate | Buttermarket | Burgate

Canterbury Preview

Great Stour | Westgate Grove

Canterbury High Street

High Street | Royal Museum

Kalovy Vary | Czech Republic | Stará Louka | Week 18

Karlovy Vary [english: Carlsbad; german: Karlsbad], assumed to be founded by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and Czech King around 1350, lies about 120 km west of Prague and 150 km south of Leipzig at the confluence of the rivers Ohre and Teplá. 20th largest city in the Czech Republic.

Population: 50.000 [2014] | 56.000 [1991] | 55.000 [1930]

Emperor Charles IV, who appraised the healing power of the hot springs in the area, gave city privileges to the town, which was subsequently named after him. From 1526 Bohemia including Karlovy Vary belonged to the Habsburg Monarchy. In the 18th and 19th century Karlsbad gained more and more importance as the foremost spa town in central europe. Its visitors included Tsar Peter the Great, Goethe, Karl Marx, Morzart, Richard Wagner, Atatürk, Bach, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud amongst others. After World War II the german majority population was expelled from Karlsbad and the Czech Republic. Since 1989 the city is regaining its former spa town status, attracting international tourists, especially a large number of russian visitors.

The Stara Louka (german: Alte Wiese which means old meadow) lies at the centre of the Spa Area of the city along the Teplá river. It is regarded its most picturesque street and main esplanade. Here the valley is very narrow and the hills start right behind these buildings with a popular viewpoint pavillon seen above. A little further to the left the Art Nouveau Grandhotel Pupp is situated on this street, the major setting of the James Bond movie „Casino Royale“.

Find more material from Karlovy Vary in our Czech Republic overview.

Click for larger view:

Foto Karlsbad Alte Wiese Tschechien

For classic view and more infos about the street (german link):

Karlovy Vary Stara Louka

An alternative view of the Stara Louka as a classic panorama:

Karlovy Vary Stara Louka

Another street view (work in progress) from Carlsbad:

Kalrsbad Panorama Preview