The remains of the Romanesque Abbaye de Jumièges are amongst the most beautiful ruins in all of France. It is fine day trip from Rouen in Normandy. The ruins of the former Benedictine Abbey of Jumièges in Seine-Maritime in Upper Normandy are considered by many to be the finest ruins in France. This enormous Romanesque … 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 … 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 … 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 … 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 lives … 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 … 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 … Read more
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 … Read more
Schloss Thun, an authentic medieval castle, towers over the old town high above the Aare River and the Thuner See. Visiting Schloss Thun is fun. Visiting the castle requires more of a physical than mental workout with many stairs, prime views, and only a few exhibitions. The white, square castle dates from the late twelfth … Read more
Den Gamle By in Aarhus in Denmark is a large family-friendly open-air museum with typical historic old town buildings from the 1700s to the mid-1970s. Around 75 buildings in Den Gable By combine to show Danish town life in bygone years. Buildings range from poorhouses to noble town palaces with many open to visitors and … Read more