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During the 19th century, many European nations pursued the construction of opulent cemeteries with elaborate architectural features and multitudes of mausolea. One of the grandest European cemeteries from this period is the Addolorata Cemetery on the island of Malta, which was part of the British Empire during most of the 19th century. This cemetery was […]
Walking through Erbil’s Arab quarter, it’s not immediately obvious what has left the buildings mostly abandoned. Erbil is not a war-torn city. Unlike Mosul just 50 miles away, it was never bombed by the United States during the 2000s invasion, and not taken over by ISIS in the 2010s. As part of Iraqi Kurdistan, a […]
From when the Knights of St. John controlled the islands of Malta in 1530 to after they were removed by Napoleonic forces in 1798, they embarked on multiple construction projects across the archipelago. Some of these projects focused on municipal buildings for the general populace, while others were defensive fortifications. The Knights of St. John […]
Luxembourg may not be the first country to come to your mind when thinking of Roman heritage, but there are quite a number of ruins and sites across the grand duchy, even in its capital city. For instance, there is an unassuming house standing in a corner on Rue du Saint-Esprit at No. 12, with […]
This 18th-century windmill produces pigments the old-fashioned way: with wind power. The windmill has a fascinating history tied to the Dutch Golden Age when the Netherlands was not only a maritime power but also a center for fine arts, supplying vibrant pigments to the likes of Rembrandt and Vermeer. A windmill was initially built at […]
Connaught Place is a bustling shopping district that no visitor to New Delhi can miss, but it should come as no surprise that its labyrinthine circles hide a number of little-known gems. Located on the outer circle, the Heritage Charkha Museum is one such obscure attraction. Founded in 2017, the Charkha Museum is a tiny museum […]
Built in the 1280s by King Edward I, Conwy Castle is widely considered one of the finest fortifications of medieval Europe, worthy of its World Heritage status. Adjacent, spanning the River Conwy, is a magnificent suspension bridge with big castellated towers similar in style with the castle. But wait—a suspension bridge of such size can’t […]
No one knows precisely when the Patan Dhoka was first constructed, but it was likely sometime during the Malla period (13th – 18th centuries). It has been refurbished many times over the centuries, including after the infamous 1934 earthquake when it was severely damaged. Most recently, it received a facelift in 2018 when it was repainted to […]
Ahlat Selçuklu Mezarlığı is, as the locals will proudly tell you, the largest Islamic cemetery in Turkey and the fourth-largest in the world. Sandwiched between Lake Van to the south, Mount Suphan to the east, and Mount Nemrut towering to the west, the setting is stunning. But the decorated gravestones are the real attraction; standing […]
For the vast majority of Somali history, a massive body of cultural heritage was preserved only orally. It was not that Somali society had never developed writing; archeological work has uncovered ancient stone inscriptions spanning thousands of years. The written word was just not a popular invention, seemingly ill-suited for a historically nomadic people. Thus […]