Schloss Oberhofen is a postcard-perfect historic castle with a toe in the water of the lovely Thunersee near Bern in Switzerland. Oberhofen Castle, directly on the shores of Lake Thun, is a popular subject for postcards and tourist brochures advertising the beauty of Switzerland. This historic castle even has a small, much photographed tower inside the lake itself. The … [Read more...]
Schloss Spiez is an interesting historic castle beautifully located on the shores of the Thunersee near Bern and Interlaken in Switzerland.
Castle Spiez is a small romantic castle with lovely gardens, a fine Romanesque church, and spectacular views of Lake Thun and Alpine peaks of the Berner (Bernese) Oberland region of Switzerland. The castle has a history going back to … [Read more...] The magnificent Gothic Rouen Cathedral has the tallest church spire in France and a wealth of art, history, and architectural details.
Rouen Cathedral (La cathédrale primatiale Notre-Dame de l'Assomption de Rouen) is one of the most impressive Gothic churches ever built. Construction dragged on for three centuries allowing all forms of the Gothic spectrum from early to … [Read more...] The Carolingian and Romanesque wall paintings in the abbey church of St Johan in Müstair are the greatest series of medieval figurative murals in Switzerland. The church architecture of this UNESCO World Cultural Heritage-listed site in Graubünden is still predominantly Carolingian despite later Gothic additions. However, the cycle of Carolingian wall paintings featuring the … [Read more...] The convent of St John's in Müstair in Graubünden is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage listed site mostly visited for its magnificent Carolingian and Romanesque frescoes, the most important cycle of figurative murals in Switzerland. Also worth seeing are the Carolingian architecture of the church and Holy Cross Chapel, the oldest multistory fortress in the Alps and a small … [Read more...] The imperial throne and tomb of Charlemagne in a gilded shrine are top attractions to see in the Carolingian Aachener Dom in Germany.
Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom) is one of the most famous and most interesting historic buildings in Germany. It was originally the palatine chapel of Charlemagne and for almost six centuries the church where German kings were crowned. … [Read more...] Aachen Cathedral’s core was built by Charlemagne but later additions enlarged the palatine chapel that became the coronation church of German kings.
Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom) in western Germany is one of the oldest continuously in use buildings in Germany. The octagonal core of the church was built by Charlemagne as a Mary chapel attached to his palace in … [Read more...] Aachen Cathedral blends original Carolingian elements with later mostly Gothic decorations and additions as well as modern Byzantine-style mosaics.
Aachen Cathedral is one of the shiniest cathedrals in Germany. The interior shows an unusual amount of gold while the Byzantine-style mosaics add color and bling to what is in part a fairly dark building. The core of the … [Read more...] The marble throne and shrine of Charlemagne in the Aachener Dom can only be seen when on a guided tour of the historic Aachen Cathedral.
The marble throne of Charlemagne (Karl der Grosse / Charles the Great), where 30 German kings were crowned, can be seen only on a guided tour of the Aachener Dom in Germany. Similarly, only visitors on the guided tour may enter the … [Read more...] The choir of the Aachener Dom contains the shrine of Charlemagne, further relics, and magnificent Ottonian and Romanesque art.
The magnificent choir area of the Aachen Cathedral in western Germany has the remains of Charlemagne (Karl der Grosse / Charles the Great) in a large gilded early 13th-century shrine (Karlsschrein). The Mary shrine (Marienschrein) from the same … [Read more...] The Aachener Domschatz is one of the most important treasuries in Europe with art related to Charlemagne, German royal coronations, liturgy, and relics.
The Aachen Cathedral Treasury (Aachener Domschattz) is one of the largest and most important treasuries of medieval Christian artworks in Europe. The treasury has over a hundred works that are exhibited in a large museum … [Read more...] Cathédrale Notre Dame d’Amiens in Picardie is the largest Gothic church in France and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage listed site.
Amiens Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre Dame d’Amiens) is an early 13th-century Gothic masterpiece of superlatives. It is the largest Gothic cathedral in France with the highest nave of any completed medieval church in the country. A very short … [Read more...]Visit Schloss Spiez Castle on Lake Thun in Switzerland
Visit Rouen Cathedral – Gothic at its Best in Normandy
See Carolingian Frescoes in St John’s in Müstair
St John’s Convent with Carolingian Wall Paintings in Müstair, Switzerland
Visit Aachen Cathedral to See Charlemagne’s Throne and Shrine
The Building and Exterior of Aachen Cathedral
The Interior of Aachen Cathedral
See the Throne of Charlemagne (Karlsthron) in Aachen Cathedral
See the Gothic Choir of Aachen Cathedral
See the Aachen Cathedral Treasury in Germany
Visit Amiens Cathedral – the Largest Gothic Church in France
