Barcelona’s Ruta del Modernisme: a Self-Guided Walking Tour
There’s no better place to experience Art Nouveau architecture than in Barcelona. The dynamic forms, innovative materials, and exquisite craftsmanship acquired a deep significance in…
Architecture
The Striped Cathedrals of Orvieto and Siena
Most of us associate medieval European architecture with bare stone, limited colors, and above all, solemnity. The cathedrals of Siena and Orvieto are a delightful…
The Stendhal Syndrome: How to Avoid Sensory Overload in Florence
I’m not sure what to make of the Stendhal Syndrome. Dr. Graziella Magherini coined the term in 1979 after documenting over 100 cases of visitors to…
Brunelleschi's Hospital of the Innocents and San Lorenzo: the First Buildings of the Renaissance
Most people associate Brunelleschi with his dome for Florence’s cathedral, perhaps the most iconic structure of the Renaissance. Not many realize that, with just a…
The History of Sainte-Chapelle: Paris's Stained Glass Temple
Stepping into Paris’s Sainte-Chapelle is like entering a jewel. The upper level has almost no walls, just swathes of light in myriad colors washing through…
Paris's Saint-Denis and the Birth of Gothic Architecture
Too many visitors miss out on Saint-Denis simply because it’s not centrally located in Paris – or because it’s not as famous as Notre Dame. And…
Nimes and the Pont du Gard, where Ancient Rome Lives on
Anthony and Cleopatra may never have set foot in Nîmes, but the city’s abundance of crocodiles bears testament to their legacy. Veterans of Augustus’s victory in…
Barcelona's Hospital de Sant Pau: an Art Nouveau Landmark
Seeking medical care nearly always involves stress, and most facilities don’t help with their bland interiors. In fact, hospital décor has turned into a cliché:…
Norman Sicily: The Cathedrals of Cefalù and Monreale
When Richard the Lionheart and the Crusaders stopped in Sicily en route to Jerusalem, they found a startlingly cosmopolitan society. Christian women wore the latest…