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Between steel, symbolism and beach
Sometimes the world is at its most beautiful when it makes you question: are you looking at art, nature, or something in between? These Geotreasures lead you past a bunker sawn in half, a magical Tarot garden, and a circle of steel framing the Tuscan landscape.
Halved group shelter
In 1940, a bunker was built on the Diefdijk in Culemborg as a group shelter. The bunker was split in two in 2010 by sawing off and removing a section approximately one meter wide. The sawing work, using a diamond saw to cut through meters of thick reinforced concrete, took four weeks. Now you can walk between the two halves. The sawn-in-half bunker is also known as Bunker 599 and Group Shelter 599. By revealing the interior of the bunker, a different perspective is offered on the seven hundred remaining concrete structures. The Diefdijk Line is also part of the eighty-kilometer-long New Dutch Waterline, a military defense line that, from 1815 to 1940, defended Muiden, Utrecht, Vreeswijk, and Gorinchem by flooding the area. A staircase from the dike leads to a path that runs through the bunker and over the water. The height of the posts on either side indicates the water level in the event of a flood. The design is by the Dutch artist collective RAAAF.
Landscape halo
Tuscany, where the most beautiful Renaissance cities are interspersed with dark green cypresses and endless vineyards, is a source of inspiration for many artists. For example, sculptor and environmental artist Mauro Staccioli (1937-2018) created an upright circle in a wheat field near Volterra as a frame for his native land. He calls the circular sculpture a "place of experience." First steps, 2009, corten steel, 805 x 1300 x 40 cm, SR68 Km c/o Tenuta MonteRosola Winery, Volterra.
Tarot garden
The town of Pescia Fiorentina, not far from Porto Ercole, is perhaps the most magical place in Tuscany. This is partly due to the unique sculpture garden created there by the French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002). Inspired by Parc Güell in Barcelona, where Gaudí created a cheerful fantasy world, she conceived the idea of a tarot garden. A project that would last a full twenty years. During the garden's construction and the sculptures' installation, Niki lived in one of her creations: an enormous pink woman with a black face and blue hair. From there, she had a good view of the progress. Niki's main goal was for visitors to be as delighted with the garden as she was. And anyone who walks past the tarot sculptures can't help but feel cheerful.
Hanging valleys
The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail takes you along the picturesque Algarve coast. Along the way, you'll encounter stunning cliffs, caves, and hidden beaches. This spectacular coastal walk is approximately six kilometers long (one way). It doesn't seem like much, but take your time, as you'll often stop to enjoy the view and descend to a small beach to cool off in the water.
Golden horn
Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) in Croatia is a beach that seems straight out of a fairytale. This beautiful white pebble beach is shaped like a horn and constantly changes with the currents, waves, and wind. What's more, one side of the island is always calm. Take a dip in the azure seawater or relax in the shade of one of the many pine trees.
