Architecture

Saturday, 28 February 2026
18 facts about Hagia Sophia
18 facts about Hagia Sophia
The most significant work of Byzantine architecture
The Hagia Sophia's Temple, now an Istanbul mosque, was initially built as the Church of Divine Wisdom. It was the highest-ranking temple in the Byzant ...

Did you know?

Empire State Building
The record for running up to the top floor of a skyscraper belongs to Paul Crake, who managed to achieve 9 minutes and 33 seconds. He set his record in 2003.
Windsor Castle
Victoria did not consent to the introduction of era inventions to Windsor Castle.
The Queen did not like gas lighting, she preferred candles. At the end of her reign, electric lighti ...
Statue of Liberty
The author of the Statue of Liberty is Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, a French sculptor.
Bartholdi was inspired by Eugene Delacroix's painting, Liberty Leading the People. The face of the Statue of Liberty has the features of Bartholdi's mother and, reportedly, the body of his mistress.
Big Ben
The design of the Big Ben clock was selected in a competition.
The criteria were developed by Astronomer Royal Sir George Airy. It was mainly about precise time co ...
Tower of London
There are priceless specimens in the royal collections of the British Monarchy, but the most famous ones are located in the Tower of London.
The Yeomen Warders have guarded the Crown Jewels since 1303. They are, contrary to popular belief, a ...
Mont Saint-Michel
The island is an inspiration for film artists, musicians and writers.
Among others, the 1990 movie Mindwalk was set on Mont Saint-Michel. In 1996, Mike Oldfield composed ...
Krak des Chevaliers
The fortress was captured in 1099 by the troops of Raymond, Count of Toulouse, a very religious man who always wanted to die in the Holy Land.
When the pope called for a crusade, he was the first to accept the call and, at the head of a large ...
Tower of London
The Tower of London is guarded by characteristically dressed guards, called Yeomen Warders, or more popularly beefeaters.
This guard was established in 1485 by Henry VII. Only candidates from among the yeomen were engaged ...
Alcázar of Seville
The Alcázar gardens are astonishing (60.000 square meters) and have many plants (over 170 species).
Countless trees, flowers, fountains, streams, terraces, pavilions, and a garden maze. In the summer, chamber concerts are held in the gardens.
Taj Mahal
It is a spectacular mixture of Persian, Islamic, and Indian architectural styles.