Jerónimos Monastery was formerly home to the Order of Saint Jerome. Construction began in 1501 and was completed nearly a hundred years later. The architectural style is Manueline, which is elaborate, ornate, draws on maritime influences and themes and also known as Portuguese late Gothic. Every corner features whimsy and layers of architectural detail. There are two floors accessible to the public and the space surrounds an inner courtyard.
Read MoreThe Fortress Wall of Seoul or Seoul City Wall surrounds the original city and runs nearly 19 kilometers around the city center. The stone borders, set along the four inner mountains of Bukhansan, Naksan, Namsan, and Inwangsan have gone through renovation efforts, though much of it remains the same.
Read MoreIt’s no wonder that tourists flock to Bali, and in particular the jungle paradise of Ubud. Walk along Jl. Monkey Forest and visitors will find massage parlors, souvenir shops, and quaint eateries. Try some fresh tropical fruit smoothies, coffee (a lot of coffee is exported from Indonesia) and local dishes.
Read MoreAs the oldest museum in Bali, the idea was dreamt up in the late 1930s by Rudolf Bonnet, a Dutch painter, and Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati, the former prince of Ubud, and his brother Tjokrda Gde Raka Sukawati as an effort to protect Balinese art and artists. The museum opened its doors in 1956 to the public.
Read MoreThe Biosphere or La Biosphère de Montréal is a museum dedicated to the environment. It sits on Saint Helen’s Island which was home of the 1967 World Fair. Surrounded by lush greenery and miles of likely maple trees, the structure should be an anomaly, and yet blends into the sky. The airiness and the conservatory nature of the geodesic dome commemorates that which it tries to teach. Being one with the environment.
Read MoreSanta Maria de Montserrat is a Benedictine abbey nestled into the Monserrrat mountains in Ministrol de Monserrat in Catalonia, Spain. A mere train ride away from bustling Barcelona, it is a wonder to behold. Founded early in the 11th century, it has since been rebuilt between the 19th and 20th century and is a working monastery with about seventy to eighty monks. Monserrat means serrated mountains, referring to the jaggedness of the natural formations.
Read MoreThe Victoria and Albert Museum or "V&A" is a staple in London, England. They claim to be the world's "leading museum of art and design" and I won't argue with that. The walls are adorned with pieces, modern and antiquated. My first brush with this place came as a school assignment back when I was studying abroad in London. I returned with friends recently as we made a pit stop in London.
Read MoreThanks to the Preservation Society of Newport County, the mansions erected during the Gilded Age are still standing and now serve as windows to the past. These museums honor the history of a budding and industrializing America. It also encapsulates the architecture of the time.
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