Guernica, officially Gernika in Basque, is a town in the province of Biscay, in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, Spain. The town of Guernica is one part (along with neighbouring Lumo) of the municipality of Gernika-Lumo, whose population is 16,224.
The village is situated in the region of Busturialdea, in the valley of the Oka river. The river ends in an estuary that gives its name to the village of Guernika.
The town of Guernica was founded by Tello Alfonso, Lord of Biscay, on April 28, 1366. The strategic importance of the site was increased by the fact that it lay on a major river estuary, where vessels could dock at the port of Suso.
On a small hillock in the town, stands the Meeting House and the Tree of Gernika. By ancient tradition, Basques, and indeed other peoples in Medieval Europe, held assemblies under a tree, usually an oak, to discuss matters affecting the community.
In Biscay, each administrative district (known as a merindad) had its appointed tree, but over the...
The Taiwan Provincial City God Temple, situated in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District, serves as a prominent Taoist shrine dedicated to the City God (Chenghuang), the revered deity who acts as the divine guardian of the city, enforcer of justice, and protector of the people’s spiritual and moral well-being.
Originally established after Taiwan’s retrocession as a provincial-level temple to honor this important figure, it features grand traditional architecture with intricate carvings, vibrant murals, ornate statues, and richly decorated halls that blend Minnan stylistic elements with symbolic motifs of protection, prosperity, and enlightenment.
The main altar enshrines the City God alongside other deities including various Buddhas, Guanyin, Guan Yu, and the City God’s wife, creating a multifaceted spiritual space where worshippers come to pray for guidance, justice, and blessings while reflecting on moral living.
The temple regularly comes alive during its signature parades and processions, most ...
The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) stands as Taiwan’s premier professional baseball circuit. It was established on October 23, 1989, following a campaign led by Brother Hotel chairman Hung Teng-sheng, with the inaugural season launching in 1990 featuring four teams: the Brother Elephants, Mercuries Tigers, Uni-President Lions, and Wei Chuan Dragons. The league’s first game saw the Lions defeat the Elephants 4-3 before a packed crowd at the old Taipei Municipal Baseball Stadium.
Over the years, the CPBL expanded and faced challenges, including competition from the Taiwan Major League (TML) in the late 1990s, which it eventually absorbed in 2003. Today, with six teams, it thrives as a beloved national pastime blending intense competition, passionate fan culture, and community engagement, drawing strong attendance especially in modern venues.
The Wei Chuan Dragons and CTBC Brothers represent two of the league’s most storied franchises with deep roots. The Dragons, one of the ...
The most well known temple in Taiwan, the Mengjia Longshan Temple was built in 1738 by settlers from Fujian as a gathering place for Chinese settlers. Located in the old village part of Taipei, Wanhua District, this temple has stood the test of time and lasted through several natural disasters and wars.
During World War II, the temple was badly damaged by American bombers during the Raid on Taipei after an accusation the Japanese were hiding arms inside the temple.
Since the construction of the temple, Taipei residents have continuously renovated and improved the temple and the surrounding grounds, with the temple coming to represent the pride of Taiwanese temples and worship houses, worshipping a mixture of Buddhist, Taoist and deities like Mazu.
Located one block to the east of the temple is the historic Bopiliao 剝皮寮 a walking street with Qing Dynasty architecture and a museum.
Longshan Temple is one of largest and oldest temples in Taiwan.
The name Mengjia is a reference to the old name ...
