Roman and Romanesque in Tarragona, Spain
Just an hour from Barcelona, Tarragona’s historic center spills down the hillside to the sea. As the former capital of the Roman Empire’s largest province,…
Romanesque
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…
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…
Lucca and Pisa: a Tale of Two Romanesque Cities
Once upon a time, two Tuscan city-states grew rich from trade. They used their wealth to build a slew of cathedrals, towers, piazzas, and palaces…