Versailles - Normandy

Summer Holiday 2009, Versailles and Normandy
Palace of Versailles The gate is closed and you can't get in :). : France, Pariisi, Ranska, kesäloma, summer holiday Palace of Versailles A bit closer general view of the palace, from Cour d'Honneur Palace of Versailles The galerie des glaces (Hall of Mirrors in English), is perhaps the most celebrated room in the château of Versailles. Setting for many of the ceremonies of the French Court during the Ancien Régime, the galerie des glaces has also inspired numerous copies and renditions throughout the world. The construction started in 1678. : France, Pariisi, Ranska, kesäloma, summer holiday Palace of Versailles A vase close to the Palace : France, Pariisi, Ranska, kesäloma, summer holiday
Palace of Versailles The palace seen from the Gardens : France, Pariisi, Ranska, kesäloma, summer holiday Palace of Versailles Located on the east-west axis just west and below the Parterre d’Eau, is the Bassin de Latone. Designed by André Le Nôtre, sculpted by Gaspard and Balthazar Marsy, and constructed between 1668–1670, the fountain depicted an episode from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Latona and her children, Apollo and Diana, being tormented with mud slung by Lycian peasants, who refused to let her and her children drink from their pond, appealed to Zeus who responded by turning the Lycians into frogs. Between 1686 and 1687, the Bassin de Latone, under the direction of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, was rebuilt. It is this final version of the fountain that one sees today at Versailles : France, Pariisi, Ranska, kesäloma, summer holiday Palace of Versailles Statue of Diana the Huntress Palace of Versailles Cherub and Sphinx at the entrance to the side garden : France, Pariisi, Ranska, kesäloma, summer holiday
Palace of Versailles Nymphe à la perle, sculpted in 1684 by Lehongre Etienne (1628-1690) Palace of Versailles Arch of statues in the garden Sword Beach A memorial for Canadian and British soldiers who se responsibility it was to capture "Sword beach". : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Sword Beach A memorial for fallen Canadian soldiers on Sword beach. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history
Sword Beach A memorial for fallen British soldiers and local civilians. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Sword Beach 50 mm German antitank gun : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, gun, historia, history, tykki Sword Beach Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer On D-Day the infantry of the North Shore Regiment of New Brunswick landed there, and were backed up by the armour of the Fort Garry Horse (also known as the 10th Armoured Regiment). Le Régiment de la Chaudière of Quebec came ashore in reserve. About 100 defenders garrisoned the town and they were largely unaffected by the preparatory barrage. As such they were able to put up heavy resistance at the beach and in the town as the Canadians pushed inland. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Juno beach Juno or Juno Beach was one of five beaches of the Allied invasion of German occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during the Second World War. The beach spanned from Courseulles-sur-Mer, a village just east of the British beach Gold, to Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, just west of the British beach Sword. The objectives of the 3rd Division on D-Day were to cut the Caen-Bayeux road, seize the Carpiquet airport west of Caen, and form a link between the two British beaches of Gold and Sword on either side of Juno Beach. Taking Juno was the responsibility of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, and commandos of the Royal Marines, all under the command of British I Corps, with support from Naval Force J, the Juno contingent of the invasion fleet, including the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The beach was defended by two battalions of the German 716th Infantry Division, with elements of the 21st Panzer Division held in reserve near Caen. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history
Juno beach One of the persons dressed as WWII figures on the beach. As we were visiting the area they were celebrating the 65th anniversary of the D-Day. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Juno beach Jeeps and Brits on Juno beach parking lot. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Juno beach Info regarding of Canadian assault on Juno beach : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Juno beach Tank blockers : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history
Juno beach Memorials of Juno beach fallen. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Juno beach The older man is wearing a WWII Airborne Uniform for 507/508 (American, of course). The second one might be Canadian, but I'm not sure. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Juno beach The Canadian Monument at Juno Beach : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Omaha Beach Omaha Beach was the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II. Omaha is located on the coast of Normandy, France, facing the English Channel, and is 8 km long, from east of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to west of Vierville-sur-Mer on the right bank of the Douve River estuary. Landings here were necessary in order to link up the British landings to the east at Gold with the American landing to the west at Utah, thus providing a continuous lodgement on the Normandy coast of the Bay of the Seine. Taking Omaha was to be the responsibility of United States Army troops, with sea transport and naval artillery support provided by the U.S. Navy and elements of the British Royal Navy. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history
Omaha Beach Omaha Beach was the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II. Omaha is located on the coast of Normandy, France, facing the English Channel, and is 8 km long, from east of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to west of Vierville-sur-Mer on the right bank of the Douve River estuary. Landings here were necessary in order to link up the British landings to the east at Gold with the American landing to the west at Utah, thus providing a continuous lodgement on the Normandy coast of the Bay of the Seine. Taking Omaha was to be the responsibility of United States Army troops, with sea transport and naval artillery support provided by the U.S. Navy and elements of the British Royal Navy. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Omaha Beach In Remembrance. A cross on the beach. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Courseulles-sur-Mer A lot of people dressed up as WWII soldiers getting ready for the parade. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Normandy American Cemetery The cemetery is located on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach (one of the landing beaches of the Normandy Invasion) and the English Channel. It covers 70 ha, and contains the remains of 9,387 American military dead, most of whom were killed during the invasion of Normandy and ensuing military operations in World War II. Included are graves of Army Air Corps crews shot down over France as early as 1942 and three American women. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history
Normandy American Cemetery The cemetery is located on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach (one of the landing beaches of the Normandy Invasion) and the English Channel. It covers 70 ha, and contains the remains of 9,387 American military dead, most of whom were killed during the invasion of Normandy and ensuing military operations in World War II. Included are graves of Army Air Corps crews shot down over France as early as 1942 and three American women. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Visiting friends One of the veterans came to pay his respect to his fallen friends. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Ranska, WW2, historia, history Crosses This gives some kind of idea how vast this area really is and how many died during the war. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Normandy American Cemetery, Ranska, WW2, historia, history James R. Sarchet One of the victims of war. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Normandy American Cemetery, Ranska, WW2, historia, history
Unknown soldier A grave of an unknown soldier. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Normandy American Cemetery, Ranska, WW2, historia, history John T. De Pree Another fallen. He still had some family or friends who had visited his grave and brought some flowers. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Normandy American Cemetery, Ranska, WW2, historia, history The Memorial The names of 1,557 Americans who lost their lives in the Normandy campaign but could not be located and/or identified are inscribed on the walls of a semicircular garden at the east side of the memorial. This part consists of a semicircular colonnade with a loggia at each end containing maps and narratives of the military operations. At the center is a 6.6 m bronze statue entitled The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves. Facing west at the memorial, one sees in the foreground the reflecting pool, the mall with burial areas to either side and the circular chapel beyond. Behind the chapel are allegorical figures representing the United States and France. An orientation table overlooks the beach and depicts the landings at Normandy. The Memorial faces the United States at its nearest point to the cemetery; a point between Eastport and Lubec, Maine. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Normandy American Cemetery, Ranska, WW2, historia, history The Memorial The names of 1,557 Americans who lost their lives in the Normandy campaign but could not be located and/or identified are inscribed on the walls of a semicircular garden at the east side of the memorial. This part consists of a semicircular colonnade with a loggia at each end containing maps and narratives of the military operations. At the center is a 6.6 m bronze statue entitled The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves. Facing west at the memorial, one sees in the foreground the reflecting pool, the mall with burial areas to either side and the circular chapel beyond. Behind the chapel are allegorical figures representing the United States and France. An orientation table overlooks the beach and depicts the landings at Normandy. The Memorial faces the United States at its nearest point to the cemetery; a point between Eastport and Lubec, Maine. : 2. maailmansota, France, Normandia, Normandy, Normandy American Cemetery, Ranska, WW2, historia, history