Tag Archives: UNESCO
Giving torch-wielding putti the side eye in the Chapel of the Blessed Giovanni Orsini, Trogir
Okay, so I didn’t pay much attention during mass at the Cathedral of St. Lawrence in Trogir, Croatia. I mean, I sat quietly still and was passably respectful, but my face surely resembled that of a flounder: The reason for my flounder face? I was straining with all my power to get a look at the Chapel of […]
Lamplight and cobblestones in Mostar
Here’s my advice for visiting Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Don’t miss it. Spend the night. Climb a minaret. Pet the cats and avoid feral dogs. Wear practical footwear. It was early evening when Alisa, our B&B host, picked us up from the bus station in Mostar. She brought along a friend for the ride, and within minutes […]
Weights and measurements in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is pretty….pretty touristy. And there’s a legit reason for that: Hordes of people come to Dubrovnik because it looks like this. Visiting in late November, we avoided the belched-out-by-cruise-ships crowds while relishing the sunny, windy weather that perfectly showcased Dubrovnik’s sparking water and austere architecture. Still, there’s a sort of dead feeling to the old […]
Just sleeping in Diocletian’s Palace, no big deal
This is where we’re sleeping tonight in Split, Croatia: Up a steep flight of stairs, on the left, is our room tonight— inside Diocletian’s Palace. Diocletian–just your run of the mill nasty Roman emperor–retired here in the early 300’s AD. As a lover of classical architecture, I’m pretty stoked about it. But not as stoked […]
I may or may not have broken the house rules in Trogir
This morning we took an early bus down the coast of Croatia, with this stunning view of the Zagreb archipelago out our window. Our destination? Trogir, the UNESCO World Heritage zone and, you might say, kind of a pretty town. Trogir is essentially an island jammed with medieval and Renaissance architecture. 13th century cathedral. Mr. wine-pressing man, […]
The unanticipated side effects of a picnic at Pont Valentré, Cahors
Want to visit a unique city nestled inside a bend in a river, an authentic and non-touristy town with highly-cultivated gastronomy? Yes? Then Cahors is for you. But wait until you get a look at this bridge—now you’re sold, aren’t you? The Southwestern region of France is teeming with medievalist catnip, and Cahors’ Pont Valentré is […]
Palazzo Schifanoia: boredom sucks, why not take a ride on a swan boat?
One day at work I made friends with an intern. His cube was across from mine and when I was walking by his desk I noticed this artwork as the background image on his computer: “Oh hey” I belted out “that’s from Palazzo Schifanoia!” You should have seen this intern’s face. “You know about Palazzo Schifanoia?!?!?!” As it […]
San Martín church in Frómista: Romanesque pilgrimage perfection and a figurine of a one-armed hobo
San Martín church in Frómista, Spain is the archetype of a Romanesque pilgrimage church. Obviously I’m crazy about the place. It’s the clarity of the structure I love most of all. Notice the precision of the architectural elements and the way the building cleanly meets the plaza. San Martín was built quickly—in about 15 years […]
The finest Romanesque mustaches are at Moissac Abbey
This church. The elegant forms. The fantastic creatures. The visionary composition. The mustaches. Moissac Abbey is one of the great Romanesque churches (and admittedly deserves much better photos than what we managed with our crappy camera). The South portal, created 1120 – 1135, and the tympanum are a masterful sculptural illustrations of the vision of […]
Do not wear a tube top when visiting Voroneț Monastery
Listen up people: the stunning Voroneţ Monastery was built in only three months and three weeks in the year of 1488. And if that wasn’t remarkable enough, it’s colorful exterior frescoes are magically well-preserved. This is a world famous UNESCO World Heritage Site and you absolutely should not visit while wearing a tube top and jeans shorts. SHOW SOME […]
Picnic at the Cathedral 