- Vézelay Abbey
Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine was under repair, so we only saw a part of it. - Château de Chenonceau
Every room had its own fireplace, making the castle rather cosy. This is a detail on the fireplace in Chambre de François Ier. - Château de Chambord
The residences of François Ier include a large wardrobe and closet. They surely dressed ... royally. - Château de Chambord
Wallpaper in the 18th century apartments. - Palazzo Ghini, Cesena
Coat of Arms of Pope Pius VI with Boreas the North Wind blowing on a lily, symbolizing his Swedish (northern) origin and the bending without breaking of the pure Church. - Biblioteca Malatestiana, Cesena
You could read the books but were not allowed to borrow them. - Titus Lucretius Carus - De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things)
Biblioteca Malatestiana in Cesena. Unfortunately I don't know how old this copy is. - Neume initial
Biblioteca Malatestiana, Cesena. - Jabir ibn Aflah (Geber) - Correction of the Almagest
Original is from the 12th century. Biblioteca Malatestiana in Cesena. - Etymologiae by Isidore of Seville
Originally from the 7th century. This is a copy from the 8th century in Carolingian minuscule script. In Biblioteca Malatestiana in Cesena. - Via Fantaguzzi, Cesena
- Contrada Uberti, Cesena
- Pilgrimage by Giovanni del Leone
Giovanni del Leone - Pellegrinaggio della Compagnia del Crocifisso a Loreto in occasione della peste del 1523. Pilgrimage of the Compagnia del Crocifisso in Loreto during the plague in 1523. Sansepolcro in the background. In Museo Civico, Sansepolcro. - The Resurrection by Piero della Francesca
The Resurrection by Piero della Francesca. A detail. Museo Civico, Sansepolcro. - Andrea della Robbia workshop - Nativity
Andrea della Robbia workshop - Nativity and Adoration of the Shepherds from 1485. Glazed terracotta. Museo Civico, Sansepolcro. - Andrea della Robbia workshop - Nativity
Andrea della Robbia workshop - Nativity and Adoration of the Shepherds from 1485. Detail. Museo Civico, Sansepolcro. - Santi di Tito - Detail
Santi di Tito - Detail. Museo Civico, Sansepolcro. - Sansepolcro Cathedral
- Luca Pacioli, Sansepolcro.
Fra Luca Bartolomeo de Pacioli. The Father of Accounting and Bookkeeping was born in Sansepolcro. - Orvieto Cathedral
Orvieto Cathedral (1290-1590). On average a 14th century cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. In rain. - Zebra church: basalt and travertine stones
Orvieto. - Bas-relief - The Last Judgement
Installed around 1331. Orvieto cathedral. - Bas-relief - New Testament
Below it is Abraham sleeping. Orvieto cathedral. - The rose window by Orcagna
The rose window by Orcagna (1354-1380) Orvieto cathedral. - Interior of Orvieto cathedral
Only the bottom is made of black and white stones, the rest is painted black. Really? - Interior of Orvieto cathedral
The nave of Orvieto cathedral - Life of Mary by Ugolino di Prete Ilario
Life of Mary by Ugolino di Prete Ilario (1370), detail. Orvieto cathedral. - Life of Mary by Ugolino di Prete Ilario
Life of Mary by Ugolino di Prete Ilario (1370), detail. Orvieto cathedral. - San Brizio Chapel, Orvieto Cathedral
- Chapel of the Corporal, Orvieto Cathedral
Chapel of the Corporal, Orvieto Cathedral - Chapel of the Corporal, Orvieto Cathedral
Chapel of the Corporal, Orvieto Cathedral - Orvieto Cathedral
Orvieto Cathedral was built in 1290-1591. - Orvieto Cathedral
Zebra church - Orvieto Cathedral (1290-1591). - Corsica quarter, Orvieto
Orvieto is still divided into four districts, this one obviously being Corsica. - Todi, Piazza del Popolo
With Palazzo dei Priori (1334-1347), Palazzo del Popolo (1213-1228) and Palazzo del Capitano (1293) in the background. - Todi Cathedral
Todi Cathedral (12th to 14th century). Dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary - The Last Judgment
The Last Judgment (1594-99) by Ferraù Fenzoni. Counterfaçade of the Todi cathedral - Todi cathedral - the altar
- Todi Cathedral crypt
A Harry-Potteresque bishop - Volta pinta
Volta pinta (1556) - Loggia under Palazzo del Comune in Assisi. The frescoes are inspired by Nero's Domus Aurea in Rome. Painted probably by Raffaello Coda da Rimini. - Volta pinta
Volta pinta (1556) - Loggia under Palazzo del Comune in Assisi. The frescoes are inspired by Nero's Domus Aurea in Rome. Painted probably by Raffaello Coda da Rimini. - Volta pinta
Volta pinta (1556) - Loggia under Palazzo del Comune in Assisi. The frescoes are inspired by Nero's Domus Aurea in Rome. Painted probably by Raffaello Coda da Rimini. - Volta pinta
Volta pinta (1556) - Loggia under Palazzo del Comune in Assisi. The frescoes are inspired by Nero's Domus Aurea in Rome. Painted probably by Raffaello Coda da Rimini. Honestly, I don't know how to feel about this image... - Volta pinta (1556) - Loggia under Palazzo del Comune in Assisi
The frescoes are inspired by Nero's Domus Aurea in Rome. Painted probably by Raffaello Coda da Rimini. Inspired by Nero probably explains it. - Volta pinta (1556) - Loggia under Palazzo del Comune in Assisi
Volta pinta (1556) - Loggia under Palazzo del Comune in Assisi. The frescoes are inspired by Nero's Domus Aurea in Rome. Painted probably by Raffaello Coda da Rimini. Yes, Nero. - Basilica di San Francesco, Assisi (1228-1367)
- Basilica di San Francesco
Basilica di San Francesco, Assisi (1228-1367) - Basilica di San Francesco
Basilica di San Francesco, Assisi (1228-1367). No photos allowed inside, so just a lot of photos from outside :-) - Etruscan well in Perugia
Strange reflections on the water. I don't quite understand them but they look great. - Fontana Maggiore
Fontana Maggiore (1275-1278), Perugia. Romulus and Remus and their wolf-mother. - Fontana Maggiore
Fontana Maggiore (1275-1278), Perugia. Harvest in the month of June. - Fontana Maggiore
Fontana Maggiore (1275-1278), Perugia. A man with thorn in the month of March. - Fontana Maggiore
Fontana Maggiore (1275-1278), Perugia. The fountain decorated by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano. Palazzo dei Priori (1293-1443) in the background. - Palazzo dei Priori, Perugia
Portale delle Arti (1346), Palazzo dei Priori, Perugia. The doorway of the palace represents vices and virtues. - Palazzo dei Priori, Perugia
Portale delle Arti (1346), Palazzo dei Priori, Perugia. The doorway of the palace represents vices: killing a child and a dog biting its owner. - Triptych of Justice
Triptych of Justice (1475) by Bartolomeo Caporali and Sante di Apollonio del Celandro. A member of the confraternity. But why is he having a black circle on the back?!? Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, Perugia. - Floor tiles in the gallery
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, Perugia. - Dragon underneath San Crescentino in front of the cathedral, Urbino
San Cresentino is the patron saint of Urbino. - Madonna with Child
Madonna with Child (1440s) by Michele di Giovanni da Fiesole. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Saint Blaise
Saint Blaise (1448) by Fra Marino Angeli. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Saint Blaise
Saint Blaise (1500s) by Girolamo di Benvenuto. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Madonna with Child
Madonna with Child (1476) by Alvise Vivarini. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Madonna with Child
Madonna with Child, Saint John the Baptist and Saint Anna (1470s) by Giovanni Bellini. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Madonna with Child
Madonna with Child, Saint John the Baptist and Saint Anna (1470s) by Giovanni Bellini. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Madonna of Senigallia
Madonna of Senigallia (1474) by Piero della Francesca. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Flagellation of Christ
Flagellation of Christ (1460) by Piero della Francesca. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Flagellation of Christ
Flagellation of Christ (1460) by Piero della Francesca. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Institution of Eucharist
Institution of Eucharist (1473-1476) by Joos Van Wassenhove (Giusto di Gand) and Corpus Domini predella (1467-1468) by Paolo Uccello. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Annunciation by Giovanni Santi
Annunciation (1485) by Giovanni Santi. Giovanni Santi is the father of Raphael. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Madonna with Child by Vincenzo Pagani
Madonna with Child and Saints Martin, Michael and George (1529) by Vincenzo Pagani. Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Portrait of a Lady by Raphael
Portrait of a Lady, La Mutta (1505-1509) by Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino). Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Remains of a Roman sarcophagus
Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Napoleon's villa
First French Empire coat of arms with an eagle holding thunderbolts. - Napoleon's villa
Bathroom - Napoleon's villa
Drawing of "Casa Napoleone" by Charlote Napoleon - Demidoff Gallery in Napoleon's villa
Demidoff was Count Anatolio Demidoff, husband of Napoleon's neice Matilde di Monfort. This is a map of Elba by Ferdinando Bertelli from the 1560s. - Church of the Madonna della Neve
The original building dates back to the Romanesque-Pisan period of the 12th century, the rest is mostly from the 16th century. - Santo Stefano alle Trane
- Teviot Row House
- Monasterio de San Jerónimo
A very very busy renaissance church. - Mexuar
Tiles on the wall of the Mexuar Council Hall, which served as the entrance to the Nasrid palace. Plus Ultra was the motto of king Charles V. - Mosaic in Nasrid palace
- Hall of the Ambassadors
The Nasrid palaces are very crowded. Very crowded indeed. - Hall of the Ambassadors
Wall decorations in the Salón de los Embajadores, which is the largest room in Alhambra. The inscriptions are Qur'anic verses and poems. - Hall of the Ambassadors
Detail on the Hall walls, part of a larger inscription in Kufic script. One can still see traces of blue colour, as these arabesque and geometric motifs were originally painted with bright colours. - Court of the Myrtles
Patio de los Arrayanes is the center of the Comares Palace. The reflective pool is 34 m long! - More mosaic
Mosaic in Comares Palace, part of the Nasrid Palaces. Begun by Isma'il in the early 13th century and modified by Yusuf I and Muhammad V. - Court of the Myrtles
Court of the Myrtles with the Comares Tower in the background. The name of the Court comes from the myrtle hedges. Built in the 14th century. - Court of the Lions
The Lion Fountain that gives the name to the Court. On the rim of the fountain, there's a poem by Ibn Zamrak, describing the beauty of the fountain. - Court of the Lions
The Court was built by Muhammad V around 1380. - Hall of the Abencerrajes
The ceiling in the Hall of Abencerrajes. The decorations are called muqarnas, and in the museum is a very instructive exhibition on how such a ceiling was made. Basically a lot A LOT of tiny pieces (alveoles) put together. - Court of the Lions
One of the pavillions in the Court. - Ornaments
- Another ceiling
Ceiling in one of the side halls, covered in muqarnas. - Zellij in Alhambra
More wonderful zellij pattern in the palace. - Stucco in Alhambra
Detail of stucco on the wall indicating that the decorations were indeed colourful. - View from Alhambra
Wonderful view towards Albaicin and Sacromonte. - Church of Santa María de la Alhambra
The only way to take pictures without the crowds it so hide them behind the bushes :-) - Puerta de la Justicia
The southern entrance to Alhambra palace, built in 1348 by Yusuf I. - Alhambra hammam
Ceiling in the Alhambra's public hammam, constructed under Muhammad III.