Sweden, Gothenburg - Viking Sailing Ship and Lipstick Building
Gothenburg will always be remembered by me as the first city in Europe where I stayed. But the distinction for being the first European city I ever visited belongs to Copenhagen. Located in south-western Sweden, Gothenburg is a coastal city with direct maritime access to the North Sea. This photograph of Gothenburg's Harbour was taken on my first visit to the city. It shows the harbour's two famous landmarks; the Barken Viking and the Lilla Bommen. The Barken Viking was and still is the Nordic's largest sailing ship (387 feet). Launched in 1906 as part of Denmark's merchant fleet, the ship was decommissioned in 1950. It is now both a hotel and a restaurant. The distinctive building with the red-coloured top to the right of the photograph is the Lilla Bommen. With its unique red-coloured upper floors, it is more popularly known as "The Lipstick Building". Gothenburg Harbour, Gothenburg, Sweden (2000)