Minimundus and Burg Hochosterwitz

On Thursday, my fiancé, Michi Schmieder, and I went to visit his mother, who lives in Klagenfurt.  After we arrived at his mother's apartment, we decided to spend the evening at Minimundus (miniature world in English).  The park has approximately 150 models of famous structures, trains, and ships.  We were able to travel around the world in a single day!  We strolled around the park visiting different countries and observing many miniature structures, such as the Sydney Opera House, Eiffel Tower, and Taj Mahal.  I was even able to travel back to America as I stood in front of the Statue of Liberty, the Hollywood sign, and the White House.  Below is a full list of the monuments displayed throughout the park:

The models have been constructed with close attention to the smallest details on a scale of 1:25.  In most cases, the models have been created from their original materials, like sandstone, basalt lava, and marble.  The models were made with precision, in attempts to resemble as much of the original structures as possible.  Even the smallest details from shutters to street lamps are accurate.  

The next morning, Michi and I drove about 30 minutes from Klagenfurt to visit a castle situated on a 150-meter limestone rock near Sankt Georgen am Längsee.  Burg Hochosterwitz (Hochosterwitz Castle) is considered to be one of Austria's most impressive medieval castles.   The castle was first mentioned in a 860 deed and has been possessed by the Khevenhüller family since the 15th century, according to Carinthia.at.  The castle consists of thick walls and high towers with 14 fortified gates, each equipped with different treacherous methods of protection.  Tourists can walk the 620-meter long pathway through the gates up to castle or take a lift straight up to the castle.  It was an eye-opening experience being in such an old structure and observing the architecture of that century.  On a clear day, the castle can be seen from 30 km (19 mi) away, but unfortunately, the weather did not permit this when we visited.  It was a foggy day and we could not see much, but luckily, we were able to view the entire landmark on a miniature scale at Minimundus the day before! 

Burg Hochosterwitz at Minimundus