The choir of the medieval churches was usually reserved for the clergy and separated from the churchgoers with a more or less closed screen. Rarely were there two screens – one at both ends of the church, but the Naumburg Cathedral is one of them. It is even rarer that the screens have survived reformationContinue reading “Upstairs, Downstairs – at the Naumburg Cathedral”
Category Archives: Worlds
Over-the-top Baroque
The interiors of the Baroque churches in Palermo seem to have been created by people with a clear ’horror vacui’, fear of emptiness. Every surface has been filled with statues, paintings and ornamentation. From a North European viewpoint, the Sicilian Baroque is really something else. Saints and biblical stories naturally dominate the narrative of theContinue reading “Over-the-top Baroque”
Normans in Sicily
As is well known, Normans (i.e. descendants of Vikings from Northern France) conquered Sicily from 999 onwards. They established the Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo as their headquarters and built this originally Arab defensive fortress into a royal palace (title picture and below). Obviously later occupants have expanded and changed it considerably. Some of theContinue reading “Normans in Sicily”
Scipione Borghese’s art
If you are an art lover, it helps to get a collection going if your uncle is the pope and nepotism is the order of the day. Becoming a cardinal, getting the necessary income and influence happen just like that – and before you notice, you have a huge collection, a large villa and aContinue reading “Scipione Borghese’s art”
Paquebots in Nantes
The ’Normandie’ was the pride of French naval construction, so it is no wonder that it is the star of an exhibition on ocean liners at the Nantes Art Museum. In the 1930s, ocean liners were the epitome of luxury travel and were outfitted in the decorative styles of their time. The Normandie reflected lateContinue reading “Paquebots in Nantes”
Clermont-Ferrand – Between Vercingetorix and Michelin
If you want to know more about pneumatic tyres than you ever wanted to, visit the L’Aventure Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand, which tells the story of the local firm from tyres to restaurant and travel guides. Bibendum, the Michelin Man, is omnipresent, including a fountain (below left) that used to grace a swimming pool. However, theContinue reading “Clermont-Ferrand – Between Vercingetorix and Michelin”
St Kilda – life at the edge
A rocky island in the middle of the Atlantic, with fewer than 100 people, hunting birds and eggs for living – any takers? Didn’t think so, and in the end there were none. St Kilda is an archipelago to the west of Scotland, about 60 kilometres northwest of the Outer Hebrides. The islands rise outContinue reading “St Kilda – life at the edge”
The Golden Fleece – still kicking
All self-respecting medieval princes needed a prestigious chivalric order that they could bestow to their friends and allies – the best known of these is the Order of the Garter, bestowed by the English monarchs. The Dukes of Burgundy, for their part, had the Order of the Golden Fleece (below left, the chain of theContinue reading “The Golden Fleece – still kicking”
Monastery leftovers
In the Middle Ages, Europe was full of monasteries, one mightier than the other. Since then, reformation, revolutions and modernity have put an end to most of these, leaving at times behind impressive ruins. The charterhouse in Villeneuve-lez-Avignon was once the largest in France, with three cloisters (the main one is below left), a papalContinue reading “Monastery leftovers”
Aigues Mortes, dead waters
Aigues Mortes has preserved its medieval character because it was important back then, but not afterwards. It was the only Mediterranean port of the Kingdom of France in mid-13th century, and king Louis IX and his knights left for their crusades from here. The name of the town is Occitan and comes from the marshyContinue reading “Aigues Mortes, dead waters”
Rails, wines, worlds 