Blog - Photations

Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve

The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (Spanish: Reserva de Biosfera de la Mariposa Monarca) is a World Heritage Site that contains most of the wintering places for the eastern population of the monarch butterfly. The reserve is located in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests ecoregion, on the border of Michoacán and the State of Mexico, 100 km (62 miles) northwest of Mexico City. Millions of butterflies arrive in the reserve each year.

April 11, 2026 No Comments

Reichenau Island

Reichenau Island (German: [ˈʁaɪçənaʊ]) is an island located in Lake Constance in southern Germany. It is positioned almost directly west of the city of Konstanz, between two parts of Lake Constance called Gnadensee and Untersee. The island has a total land area of 4.3 square kilometers (1.7 square miles) and a distance around its edge of 11 kilometers (6.8 miles).

April 11, 2026 No Comments

Sanahin Monastery

Sanahin Monastery (Armenian: Սանահին վանք, romanized: Sanahin vank’) is an Armenian monastery established in the 10th century in Sanahin, a village in the Lori Province of Armenia. The name Sanahin means “this one is older than that one” in Armenian, suggesting it may have been built before the nearby Haghpat Monastery, which is located about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) to the east. Together, Sanahin and Haghpat form a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

April 11, 2026 No Comments

Horezu Monastery

The Horezu Monastery, also called the Hurezi Monastery, was built in 1690 by Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu in the town of Horezu, Wallachia, Romania. It is known as a masterpiece of the “Brâncovenesc style,” which is recognized for its simple and balanced design, detailed carvings, how religious scenes are arranged, images of people who made promises, and colorful paintings. The monastery has been added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.

April 11, 2026 No Comments

Geghard

Geghard (Armenian: Գեղարդ, meaning “spear”) is an old monastery in the Kotayk province of Armenia. Part of it is carved into the nearby mountain, and it is surrounded by tall cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has special protection.

April 11, 2026 No Comments

Batalha Monastery

The Monastery of Batalha (Portuguese: Mosteiro da Batalha) is a Dominican convent located in the municipality of Batalha, within the historical Beira Litoral province of Portugal’s Centro region. It was originally named the Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory (Portuguese: Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória) and was built to honor the 1385 Battle of Aljubarrota. The monastery served as the burial church for the 15th-century Aviz dynasty of Portuguese royalty.

April 11, 2026 No Comments

Mir Castle Complex

The Mir Castle Complex is a historic castle and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Belarus. It is located in the town of Mir, in the Karelichy District of Grodno Oblast, 29 kilometers (18 miles) northwest of Nesvizh Castle, another World Heritage Site. The castle is 164 meters (538 feet) above sea level.

April 11, 2026 No Comments

Pannonhalma Archabbey

The Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey, also known as the Territorial Abbey of Saint Martin on Mount Pannonhalma, is a medieval building in Pannonhalma, Hungary. It is one of the oldest historical monuments in the country. Founded in 996, the abbey is located near the town on a hill that is 282 meters high.

April 11, 2026 No Comments

Kinderdijk windmills

The Kinderdijk windmills are a group of 19 historic windmills located in the Alblasserwaard polder, in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. Most of the windmills are part of the village of Kinderdijk, which is in the municipality of Molenlanden. One windmill, called De Blokker, is in the municipality of Alblasserdam.

April 11, 2026 No Comments

Miguasha National Park

Miguasha Provincial Park (French: Parc national de Miguasha) is a protected area near Carleton-sur-Mer on the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec, Canada. The Government of Quebec created the park in 1985. In 1999, it was named a World Heritage Site because of its many fossils, which show an important time in the history of life on Earth.

April 11, 2026 No Comments