- Basilica di San Marco
A detail on the southern facade of the Basilica - Piazzetta di San Marco
The Piazzetta between the Doge's Palace and Jacopo Sansovino's Biblioteca with the two columns with Saint Theodore and the winged lion. - Campanile
Built in the 10th-16th century, and rebuilt in 1902 after the original one collapsed. Originally a watchtower and a "lighthouse". - Palazzo Ducale
- San Giorgio Maggiore
The church was designed by Andrea Palladio, built between 1566 and 1610. - Piazza San Marco
Piazza in the times of Covid, wonderfully empty. - Basilica di San Marco
From the 11th century, inspired by Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. - Scuola Grande di San Marco
Originally one of the Scuole Grandi of Venice, now the city's hospital. Finished around 1500 by Pietro Lombardo. - Scuola Grande di San Marco
More great optical illusions on the facade. - Procuratie Vecchie
Procurator of Saint Mark was the second most prestigious title (after the Doge). This was their office. - Procuratie Vecchie
The facade is made of Istrian limestone. - Procuratie Vecchie
Built in the beginning of the 16th century. - Campo Manin
And another lovely building... - Campanile di Santo Stefano
Well, that is a very tilted bell tower. - Canal Grande
As seen from the Ponte dell'Accademia. - Piazza San Marco
- Ca d'oro
Ca d'oro or the Golden house. One of the best examples of Venetian Gothic architecture. It used to be gilded, therefore its name. - Etrurian Temple of Belvedere
Remains of an old Etrurian Temple. A wonderful windy location at the top of the cliff. - Pozzo di San Patrizio
This well was commissioned in 1527 by Pope Clement VII and designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. - Pozzo di San Patrizio
There are 70 windows in the well. - Pozzo di San Patrizio
The well has is 62 m deep and has double-helical stairs around it. - Palazzo del Popolo
Is this a dog with a helmet? And a cow sitting on top of it? - Piazza del Popolo
Well, now ... There must be another way of renovating windows, right? - 12-sided bell tower
Coat of arms on the 12-sided bell tower, next to Chiesa di Sant'Andrea. - Piazza Pianciani
- Palazzo dei Priori
Palazza dei Priori (1293-1443) - Etruscan Arch
One of the two remaining Etruscan gates: constructed in the 3rd century BC and restored by Augustus in 40. - Etruscan Arch
The loggia was added in the 16th century. - View of Perugia
- 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. - 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 Rognosa and Torre Chigi
The tall one (52 m) is Rognosa (1200) and the small one is Chigi (1280). - Piazza del Duomo
Piazza del Duomo with the dome and one of the two twin towers (Torri dei Salvucci). - Palazzo Tolomei
Palazzo was built in 1270-1275. It used to be a bank... and it still is. - Loggia della mercanzia
This loggia for merchants was constructed in 1417-1444. - Loggia della mercanzia
Frescoes by Pastorino dei Pastorini (1549-1552). - 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. - Piazza del Campo
- 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. - Siena Cathedral
Piccolomini coat of arms: a blue cross with five crescent. - Loggia della mercanzia
Frescoes by Lorenzo Rustici (1553-1563). - Palazzo Pubblico
- Palazzo Comunale
In 1405 Pope Pius II renamed his home town Corsignano to Pienza and rebuilt it in 1459 as an ideal Renaissance town. Once a town, it needed a town hall. - Palazzo Comunale
The entrance to the Palazzo Comunale. - Palazzo Avignonesi
Built between 1542 and 1572 by Jacopo Barozzi, known as the Vignola. Now a hotel. - Palazzo Bucelli
The bottom part of this palace is decorated with plenty of Etruscan and Roman remains. Some are quite interesting. - Palazzo Bucelli
I wonder what's the story behind these donkey's ears... Disclaimer: they of course may not be donkey's ears at all. - Palazzo Bucelli
A fish biting a pegasussnake? - Torre di Pulcinella
This 17th century Pulcinella from Naples strikes the time. The funny thing is that no-one knows how and when it got here ;-) - Torre di Pulcinella
Look at the top! - Palazzo Cervini
- Some tall buildings
These are some tall buildings! - Italian charm
This is a charming and inviting entrance. - Palazzo Comunale
Built in 1440 by Michelozzo, inspired by the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. - Palazzo Comunale
Now this was the highlight of my trip: climbing possibly the tiniest stairs I've ever seen. And I have climbed some dodgy towers in my life. - Palazzo Comunale
And the higher you go, the smaller they become. - Palazzo Nobili-Tarugi
Piazza Grande in rain. And Palazzo Nobili-Tarugi (left) built in the 16th century by either Antonio da Sangallo the Elder or possibly by Jacopo Barozzi from Vignola. - Palazzo Comunale
I had to agree to so many terms and conditions before I was allowed to climb ;-) - Giotto's Campanile
Giotto stared building this tower in 1334. He combined white marble from Carrara, green marble from Prato, and red marble from Siena. The tower was completed in 1359. - DSC 9615
- Palazzo Vecchio
Officially, such decorations are called grotesque. - Palazzo Vecchio
Grotesque or not, I like them a lot. - Medusa
Medusa's head from the statue Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Benvenuto Cellini (1545-1554) located in the Loggia dei Lanzi. - Ponte Vecchio
THE brige across Arno. Built/destroyed several times. This one is from 1345 and still holds. Butchers used to have their shops here, but were replaced with goldsmiths because of the smell. - Porta San Niccolò
Stone gate in fortification walls from 1324. The walls are gone now, but the entrance tower remains. - View from Piazzale Michelangelo
- Palazzo Vecchio
This court is full of Austrian towns, painted in 1565 by Giorgio Vasari for the wedding celebration of Francesco I de' Medici to Archduchess Johanna of Austria. This is obviously Vienna, with Stephansdom. - Palazzo Vecchio
Another one of the many Austrian towns: Graz. - Room of discoveries
Ceiling in the Room of Discoveries by Bernardo António de Oliveira Góis (c. 1770-c. 1820) and Cyrillo Volkmar Machado (1748-1823). - Marble Hallway
- Cloister
What a lovely cloister this is. - Monserrate
In 1846, Francis Cook, the 1st Viscount of Monserrate, built this Gothic-Indian-Moorish-shiny-pretty palace. - 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. - 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. - Mentzendorff house
Built in 1695. - House of Blackheads
Originally built in 1334 for the city's guilds. This wonderful building was bombed in WWII, and completely rebuilt in 1999. - Rīgas Doms - Riga Cathedral
The cloister of the Dome. The courtyard was closed, however, due to snow. - Rīgas Doms - Riga Cathedral
This Lutheran church was founded in 1211, but (re)built several times, so it's got Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque elements. And there was this guy tuning the piano, so I had my own private concert! Pure magic. - Kažun
Typical Istrian dry stone huts. - Kažun
The interior of one of these stone huts. Surprisingly spacious. - Kažun
Typical dry stone huts in Istria, these are close to Vodnjan. - Church of St. Michael (Sv. Mihovil)
The "new" church was built from the remains of the old one. - Capilla Real
The Royal Chapel was built in the 16th century (1505-1521) as the burial site for Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand. - 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. - El Bañuelo
These baths are very similar to the Alhambra baths. - El Bañuelo
Lovely baths, but this reminds me of some Star Wars helmet... - El Bañuelo
These 11th century Arab baths are a lovely place to chill on a warm day. - Granada
View from the El Maristan. the first hospital in Granada. The hospital was built in the 14th and destroyed in the 19th century, now being renovated. These houses could also use a bit of renovation. - Roman Theatre
Dating from the 1st and used until the 3rd century, the theatre was discovered in 1951! Parts of the theatre were used to build Alcazaba. - Beaune
What a lovely sign above the O'100dwich sandwicherie in Beaune :-) - Beaune
Remparts de la Comédie, the ramparts around the town is actually a street with some charming houses. - Beffroi de Beaune
Belfry, dating from the 13th-14th century, renovated and repaired multiple times after that. - Basilique Notre-Dame de Beaune
The porch dates from the mid-13th century. A great place that protects you from the elements. - Basilique Notre-Dame de Beaune
A 12th century romanesque basilica in Beaune. - Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune
The reason why we came to Beaune: The hospices. Founded in 1443 as a hospital for the poor by Phillip the Good was in use until 1971. - Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune
Trente-trois. Trente-trois. Trente-trois... Thirty three. Thirty three. Thirty three... Oui, oui, oui, oui, oui... - Christ of Pity
A 15th century sculpture of Christ of Pity sculpted from one oak trunk. The craftsmanship on the crown of thorns and ropes is wonderful! - Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune
The ceiling in the Room of the Poor is an upside-down boat-skiff shape. - Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune
Such lovely beams under the ceiling. I think the inscription says Seule * as seule etoile, meaning the founder's wife.