The gardens of ancient Egypt, Greece & Rome: Functional, recreational & ornamental paradises
Gardens in the ancient world had special meaning, function, and design. Sometimes it was a place to rest and relax, other times a place for growing and cultivating particular plants. Nevertheless, it was a significant place in the lifestyle of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. The descriptions of the Garden of Eden correspond to the […]
The Renaissance masterpiece that Michelangelo called the Gates of Paradise
The Italian city of Florence is known as a place of rebirth, where many famous writers, architects, painters, and philosophers left their marks and started the movement known as the Renaissance. Amongst them was the sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti, the creator of the magnificent Renaissance masterpiece The Gates of Paradise. The Gates of Paradise are the […]
Montpelier – home of James Madison, father of the American constitution and fourth president of the United States
Montpelier was the lifelong home of and the working plantation belonging to James Madison, the “Father of the American Constitution” and fourth president of the United States, located in Orange, Virginia. Much is speculated about the origin of the name, but most agree it is named after the city in France, Montpelier, which was a famous resort. […]
A brief history of the fireplace
For thousands of years, mankind has used fire to provide heat, cook, and stay warm in a cold weather. Ancient fire pits were the first form of what we know today as a fireplace. They were usually built in the center of a hut which had a hole in the roof to allow smoke to […]
Mirabell Palace and Gardens: the location where several scenes from the famous musical The Sound of Music were filmed
Mirabell Palace, or Schloss Mirabell, is a Baroque palace with the world-famous Mirabell Gardens, situated on the eastern banks of the Salzach River, in Salzburg, Austria. Its name comes from Italy and is a combination of ‘mirabile’ meaning ‘wonderful’, and ‘bella’ meaning ‘beautiful.’ The construction of the Palace is connected with a love story between a […]
Jardin Majorelle – a magical garden in Morocco, preserved by the fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent
The Majorelle Garden is a tranquil garden in Marrakesh, Morocco. It is one of the most famous sites north of the Sahara. The garden was created and named by the French painter Jacques Majorelle, but another Frenchman’s name is also connected to the garden: the fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent. After visiting Marrakesh for the first time, […]
Rembrandthuis: home of the famous Dutch painter Rembrandt
Rembrandt is considered to be one of the greatest painters in European history. The house that he owned and lived in, between 1639 and 1660, still stands in the heart of Amsterdam, and today is a famous museum. It was constructed in 1607 in Sint Antoniesbreestraat, present-day Jodenbreestraat, and owned by the wealthy Pieter Belten of […]
The Home of Thomas Jefferson: The controversial but influential President of the USA
Monticello was the house and plantation estate of the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. [the_ad id=”5″] It is located on top of a hill in Albemarle County, Virginia. Monticello comes from the Italian for ‘little mountain’ and it was originally 5,000 acres. The reverse side of the United States five-cent coin pictures […]