Ten years have passed since the world lost David Bowie on 10 January 2016, two days after his 69th birthday and the release of his final album, Blackstar. Across Europe, fans continue to honor the legacy of the musician, actor, and style icon, with several locations serving as pilgrimage sites for those wishing to pay tribute.

Bowie was born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 at 40 Stansfield Road in Brixton, London. He lived there until age six before moving to suburban Bromley. Nearby, Stockwell Primary School remains a quiet reminder of his early years. Fans also visit the Brixton Road mural painted by Australian artist Jimmy C in 2013, which became a spontaneous shrine after Bowie’s death, with thousands leaving flowers and tributes. Lambeth Council has committed to protecting the mural for the long term.

Music enthusiasts often make their way to Heddon Street in London, famously captured on the cover of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. A commemorative plaque at 23 Heddon Street marks the location. For those who prefer a social setting, The Ship bar on Wardour Street in Soho remains a place where Bowie gave interviews and mingled with London’s music scene.

Bowie’s time in Berlin from 1976 to 1979 was pivotal to his artistic reinvention. Seeking to overcome drug addiction and distance himself from the United States, he lived in the city’s Schöneberg district with Iggy Pop. Hauptstraße 155, where he resided, now features a plaque commemorating the period. Nearby Café Neues Ufer, once Anderes Ufer, is one of Berlin’s oldest gay bars and retains images of Bowie and Iggy Pop. Hansa Studios, where Bowie recorded Heroes, and the punk club SO36 on Oranienstraße, remain popular stops for fans retracing his steps in the city.

Switzerland also played a key role in Bowie’s life. From 1982, he lived near Montreux in Blonay, raising his son Zowie (now Duncan) and maintaining a residence until 1982, followed by a stay at Château de Signal in Lausanne. Bowie married his second wife, Iman, in Lausanne in 1992 before returning to the United States in 1998.

Paris has joined the list of European Bowie landmarks with the inauguration of Rue David Bowie in the 13th arrondissement in 2024, near Gare d’Austerlitz. Jérôme Coumet, mayor of the district, noted Bowie’s affection for France and the city’s avant-garde culture, which influenced his visual style.

For fans seeking a more enigmatic connection, Norway offers Ørmen, the village referenced in the Blackstar video. Some interpret it as a metaphorical space, while others treat it as a physical pilgrimage site, symbolizing mortality and transformation, themes central to Bowie’s final work.

Across Europe, these locations provide fans the opportunity to reflect on Bowie’s music, style, and influence. From London to Berlin, Lausanne to Paris, and even Ørmen in Norway, the late artist’s impact continues to resonate, a decade after his passing.

Donald Trump that the United States could annex the autonomous Danish territory, calling for dialogue and respect for international law.

“That’s enough now,” Nielsen wrote on Facebook late Sunday. “No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation. We are open to dialogue. We are open to discussions, but this must happen through the proper channels and with respect for international law.”

Trump has renewed his calls to bring Greenland under U.S. control, citing its strategic location in the Arctic. While aboard Air Force One, he told reporters, “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it… We’ll worry about Greenland in about two months… let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days.”

The remarks drew swift criticism from Copenhagen. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, “It is absolutely absurd to say that the United States should take control of Greenland.” She stressed that Greenland, as part of the Kingdom of Denmark, is a NATO member protected by the alliance’s security guarantees.

Tensions have intensified following a high-profile U.S. military operation in Venezuela, which Trump has said gives the United States a permanent presence in the region. European leaders have expressed concern that Greenland’s sovereignty could be threatened. French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said, “Borders cannot be changed by force. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the Danes, and it is up to them to decide what to do with it.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz echoed the sentiment in June 2025, emphasizing the inviolability of borders under international law, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated that territorial integrity is a fundamental principle. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also avoided backing Trump’s annexation claims, focusing instead on Arctic security and the strategic importance of Greenland without endorsing any transfer of sovereignty.

Trump’s push to acquire Greenland is not new. He first floated the idea in August 2019, prompting Denmark to cancel his state visit and describe the proposal as “absurd.” Since winning re-election in 2024, Trump has renewed the plan, appointing Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy to Greenland in December 2025. U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited Pituffik Space Base in March 2025, criticizing Denmark for underinvesting in the island’s people and security.

Greenland has been under Danish control since the early 18th century and gained home rule in 1979. The island holds vast mineral resources, including rare earth elements vital for advanced technologies, and occupies a strategically important position in the Arctic.

In response to Trump’s latest remarks, Nielsen emphasized that Greenland’s future will be decided through proper international channels, not social media or unilateral assertions. “There is neither reason for panic nor for concern,” he wrote. “Our country is not for sale, and our future is not decided by social media posts.”

Rising temperatures and shrinking snowfall are prompting Europe’s ski resorts to reconsider how they operate, as the effects of climate change increasingly impact winter sports. With the Winter Olympics set to open in Milan-Cortina on February 6, some slopes in the Dolomites remain covered in snow, but in many areas, natural snowfall is unreliable. Resorts now depend heavily on artificial snow, a costly and environmentally taxing solution that is driving up ski pass prices and putting skiing out of reach for many Europeans.

Italy’s Belluno province, home to some of the country’s most famous slopes, illustrates the challenge. Scientists and Olympic officials warn that warming temperatures are affecting the entire Alpine region. A 2021 study by the University of Waterloo found that if global warming reaches four degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, only four former Winter Olympic sites worldwide would remain suitable for snow sports by mid-century. Even if global warming is limited to two degrees Celsius, half of current Alpine locations would struggle to host winter events.

Europe’s winter tourism industry, which generated roughly €180 billion in 2022, is concentrated in the Alps, spanning five EU countries, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. Germany has the most ski resorts in Europe, with 498, followed by Italy with 349 and France with 317. A 2023 study published in Nature Climate Change estimates that 53 percent of European resorts are at very high risk of insufficient snow under a 2°C warming scenario, with almost all resorts in southern Europe, including the Pyrenees and Apennines, at severe risk.

Artificial snow is being used to supplement natural snowfall, but it comes with high costs. Producing snow on a one-kilometer slope can cost €30,000 to €40,000, while water and electricity consumption are considerable. Snowmaking for one hectare of slope requires about one million liters of water, roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of 1,500 households. Across Europe, operating artificial snow systems for all Alpine resorts would consume around 600 GWh of electricity, comparable to the yearly usage of 130,000 four-person households.

These expenses contribute to rising ski costs. In the past decade, the price of a daily ski pass has increased by an average of 34.8 percent, with the steepest hikes in Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. For example, a Dolomiti Superski pass now costs up to €86 per day, up from €67 in 2021, while in Livigno, prices have risen from €52 to €72 over the same period. Rising costs, combined with the need for equipment and clothing, are making skiing increasingly unaffordable for most local families.

Experts warn that resorts able to maintain snow will likely attract wealthier international tourists, from countries such as the United Kingdom, Spain, and Greece. While this may provide economic benefits, it also raises environmental concerns, as additional travel increases greenhouse gas emissions, further fueling climate change.

François Hugues, a researcher at the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, says, “Even resorts less impacted by warming need to rethink their business models and adapt to global warming, balancing economic survival with environmental sustainability.”