- Rīgas Doms - Riga Cathedral
The Cathedral and the Cathedral Square (Rīgas Doms and Doma laukums). - The Christmas market
The Christmas spirit at the Christmas market in the Dome Square. Even the recycling bins are in festive mood :-) - Christmas tree
Wonderful Christmas tree in the Town Hall square. - House of Blackheads
Originally built in 1334 for the city's guilds. The facade was was added in 1500s and the four statues of Neptune, Mercury, Unity and Peace were added in 1896. - St. Peter's Church
St. Peter's Church (Rīgas Sv. Pētera baznīca). Founded in 1209 and rebuilt in the 15th century. The three entrances were added in the 17th century. The current steeple, which is 123 m tall, was built in 1973. - National Library
The new building was opened in 2014. The architect was Gunnar Birkerts (1925-2017), inspired by Castle of Light and Glass Mountain. - Ilha do Baleal
Northern tip of Ilha do Baleal and Ilha de Fora. - R. do Pôr do Sol
The street name says it all: sunset street. - Peniche from Baleal
Sunset in Baleal. What a wonderful place. And yes, I saw some dolphins there as well. - Ilha do Baleal
There are some oddly specific signs in Baleal... - Óbidos
Calcada da Misericordia - Óbidos
View of the town from the castle walls. - Óbidos
13th century castle, and one can walk on the walls. - Corsica
Monte d'Oro (2389 m) and Monte Rotondo in clouds (2622 m). - Corsica
Monte Cinto (2706 m) and Monte Padro (2390 m) on Corsica. - Chiessi
Do we always sit on the same rock? - Rio nell'Elba
Almost perfect reflections in the wash house. - Rio nell'Elba
Public wash house in Rio. And a secret tip: behind the building is probably the best water spring on the whole island. - Cima del Monte
Portoferraio, as seen from Cima del Monte. Capo Bianco can also be seen behind Forte Falcone. - Cima del Monte
View towards Lacona - Cima del Monte
View from the top towards Porto Azzurro and Capoliveri. And Montecristo in the back. - Towards Cima del Monte
The path (the wild boar family now gone) towards Cima del Monte (515 m). - Volterraio
Castello di Volteferraio and Moby ferry in the background. I feel we know all the ferries by now. - Wild boar family!
In broad daylight. Mum with a bunch of squeakers. - Wild boar family!
There is seven of them! Plus the mum, of course. - Portoferraio and Castello del Volterraio
Hike up the Cima del Monte (515 m). A wonderful path with views of Portoferraio and Castello del Volterraio. - Monte Renoso
Wonderful view of the mountains of Corsica. I think this is Monre Renoso (2352 m). - Piazza del Campo
How?!? Mine look nothing like this. - Fonte Gaia
The original statues are kept in a museum, these are some (old) copies. - Fonte Gaia
The first fountain was built in 1342, this one was made in 1419 by Jacopo della Quercia. - Palazzo Pubblico
- Loggia della mercanzia
- Loggia della mercanzia
Frescoes by Lorenzo Rustici (1553-1563). - Siena Cathedral
A lion on the exterior of the cathedral. I am a bit intrigued by his eyes... - Siena Cathedral
Ceiling of the Piccolomini Library, painted by Pinturicchio (1503). - Siena Cathedral
Some details on the ceiling of Piccolomini Library. - Siena Cathedral
More interesting details on the ceiling of the Piccolomini Library. - Siena Cathedral
Piccolomini coat of arms: a blue cross with five crescent. - Siena Cathedral
Floors in the Piccolomini Library. - Siena Cathedral
The frescoes tell the story of cardinal Enea Silvio Piccolomini (Pope Pius II). These two are: Pius II canonizes Saint Catherine of Siena in 1461 and Pius II arrives in Ancona to launch the crusade. - Siena Cathedral
Detail of Pinturicchio's Mount of Wisdom (1505): Crates of Thebes who is throwing jewels into the sea. - Siena Cathedral
The divine interior of the Cathedral. - Siena Cathedral
The Hellespontine Sibyl (detail) by Neroccio di Bartolomeo. She was known for her prediction of Crucifixion. The wolf and the lion represent Siena and Florence. - Siena Cathedral
A detail of something. I cannot possibly remember where I took this picture. - Siena Cathedral
A wonderful ceiling, but these heads are a bit creepy. - Siena Cathedral
One of the scenes on pulpit: Massacre of the Innocents - Siena Cathedral
Detail of Liberation of Bethulia, made in 1473 possibly by Urbano da Cortona. This is the story about Judith and Holofernes. - Siena Cathedral
- Siena Cathedral
- Siena Cathedral
Pulpit by Nicola Pisano (1268). The panels narrate the Life of Christ and the central column shows Seven Liberal Arts: Grammar, Dialectica, Rhetoric, Philosophy, Arithmetic, Music, and Astronomy. - Siena Cathedral
The dome is topped with Bernini's gilded lantern. - Siena Cathedral
Detail of Pinturicchio's Mount of Wisdom (1505): Fortuna, holding a horn of plenty and a wind-swollen sail. She, standing on a sphere and a boat with a broken mast, brought the wise men to the island. - Siena Cathedral
She-wolf of Siena, surrounded with emblems of confederate cities, dating from 1373. - Siena Cathedral
The oldest bell in the tower is from 1149. - Siena Cathedral
Built in 1196-1215. - Palazzo Pubblico
A statue in the courtyard of Palazzo Publico. - Torre del Mangia
The tower was built in 1338-1348. Its height is exactly the same ad the height of the cathedral, indicating equal powers of the church and the state. - Piazza del Campo
This is the central water drain in the square, called gavinone. - Piazza del Campo
- Palazzo Pubblico
Palazzo Publico (town hall) in the Piazza del Campo. The palace is from 1297 and the tower (Torre del Mangia) from 1338-1348. - Siena souvenirs
Unfortunately they didn't have the right size ;-) - Loggia della mercanzia
Frescoes by Pastorino dei Pastorini (1549-1552). - Loggia della mercanzia
This loggia for merchants was constructed in 1417-1444. - Palazzo Tolomei
Palazzo was built in 1270-1275. It used to be a bank... and it still is. - Via Banchi di Sopra
These are very strange bouquets of light bulbs. - Piazza Salimbeni
The statue of Sallustio Bandini (1677-1760) by Tito Sarrocchi (1880). Bandini was an archdeacon, economist, and politician. - Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico
It does look strangely empty. - Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico
Now this is a wonderful window! - Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico
There were several flags in the church, including this one with an angry-looking fish. Actually, the flags represent different districts (contrada) of Siena. This one represents Onda, a district of carpenters. And that is a dolphin. - Love will save the world
Detail of the statue by Andrea Roggi. - Siena Cathedral
- Love will save the world
L'Amore salva il Mondo by Andrea Roggi (2017). - Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico
The church dates from 1226-1265, but was enlarged in the 14th century. - Siena Cathedral
View of the Cathedral from Via Bruno Bonci. - San Gimignano
- Assembled Italy
Assembled Italy. Actually two of them. - Palazzo Comunale
The courtyard of Palazzo Comunale was built in 1323. The cistern was arranged in 1361. - Piazza della Cisterna
- Piazza della Cisterna
This 13th century square was at a crossroad: Via Francigena and the road connecting Pisa-Siena. The cistern is from 1287. - Piazza del Duomo
Piazza del Duomo with the dome and one of the two twin towers (Torri dei Salvucci). - San Gimignano
View from the park of Rocca di Montestaffoli, a 14th century fortress. - San Gimignano
View over the towers of San Gimignano. There are 14 of them in total. - Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta
The last judgement by Taddeo di Bartolo (1393). The hellish part. - Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta
- Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta
The last judgement by Taddeo di Bartolo (1393). The lower part is Saint Sebastian by Benozzo Gozzoli (1465). - Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta
New Testament by Barna da Siena and/or Lippo Memmi (~1345). - Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta
The ceiling was painted with lapis lazuli. - Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta
Old Testament by Bartolo di Fredi (~1360). - Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta
The Dome dates from the 12th century. Its 14th century interior is simply divine. - Torre Rognosa and Torre Chigi
The tall one (52 m) is Rognosa (1200) and the small one is Chigi (1280). - Palazzo Vecchio del Podestà
Interesting coat of arms on the town hall walls. - Palazzo Comunale
The palace was built in between 1289 and 1298. The tower (Torre Grossa) from 1300 is the tallest in town (54 m). - Torre del Diavolo
San Gimignano is known for its medieval towers. This one is called Devil's because ... apparently ... the owner got home one day finding the tower taller than it was before. Riiiight. All the balconies and terraces are now missing. - Via San Giovanni
A street lamp just behind the 13th century Porta San Giovanni. - Civita di Bagnoregio
What an interesting location for a town. - View of Orvieto
- View of Orvieto
- Orvietto
- 12-sided bell tower
Coat of arms on the 12-sided bell tower, next to Chiesa di Sant'Andrea. - Chiesa di Sant'Andrea