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Panoramic photo by
Kyrre Andersen
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Kongsberg Church |
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Kongsberg church is located in the centre of Kongsberg and was finished in 1761. It is the largest and most beautiful baroque church in Norway, seating 2400 worshippers. The church is elaborately furnished with baroque and rococo furnishings, and the church is also known for its three beautiful and enormous chandeliers from Nøstetangen glass factory. The great Gloger-organ from 1765 is newly renovated. Today the organ has become a national treasure and it is the largest historic instrument in Scandinavia, with a total of 42 stops.
On top of the Knutenfjellet (Mountain of the Knuten) close to Kongsberg you can find several small wa...
On top of the Knutenfjellet (Mountain of the Knuten) close to Kongsberg you can find several small wa...
On top of the Knutenfjellet (Mountain of the Knuten) close to Kongsberg you can find several small wa...
Komnes bridge: a suspension bridge with a span of 99 m over the river Lågen. It is said that when the...
Europe is generally agreed to be the birthplace of western culture, including such legendary innovations as the democratic nation-state, football and tomato sauce.
The word Europe comes from the Greek goddess Europa, who was kidnapped by Zeus and plunked down on the island of Crete. Europa gradually changed from referring to mainland Greece until it extended finally to include Norway and Russia.
Don't be confused that Europe is called a continent without looking like an island, the way the other continents do. It's okay. The Ural mountains have steadily been there to divide Europe from Asia for the last 250 million years. Russia technically inhabits "Eurasia".
Europe is presently uniting into one political and economic zone with a common currency called the Euro. The European Union originated in 1993 and is now composed of 27 member states. Its headquarters is in Brussels, Belgium.
Do not confuse the EU with the Council of Europe, which has 47 member states and dates to 1949. These two bodies share the same flag, national anthem, and mission of integrating Europe. The headquarters of the Council are located in Strasbourg, France, and it is most famous for its European Court of Human Rights.
In spite of these two bodies, there is still no single Constitution or set of laws applying to all the countries of Europe. Debate rages over the role of the EU in regards to national sovereignty. As of January 2009, the Lisbon Treaty is the closest thing to a European Constitution, yet it has not been approved by all the EU states.
Text by Steve Smith.