- Vézelay Abbey
The ones who have not yet received the Word of God are not quite human: some are dwarfes... - Vézelay Abbey
... and some have elephant ears. - 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 vaulted ceilings in the 2nd floor: F as the initials of François Ier and plenty of salamanders, some eating the good fire and others putting out the bad fire. Just don't know which are which. - Bayeux Cathedral
One of the many 12th century carvings in the cathedral. This one depicts a man with a monkey. - Bayeux Cathedral
Imagine being a 12th century mason and you have to/are allowed to include such faces into the cathedral walls. - Bayeux Cathedral
Another grotesque creature, which surely had a meaning. - Pomposa Abbey
The front facade of the church, showing two griffins eating the fruits from the tree of life. - The Orthodox Baptistery
The next layer beneath the mosaics and between the windows are stucco reliefs of the 16 prophets of the Old testament. They used to be coloured! - The Orthodox Baptistery
All of the prophets carry either books or scrolls. I love how their feet are hanging over the frame. - The Orthodox Baptistery
Above the prophets' heads there are other biblical scenes. Here Christ on the throne is giving the cross to Saint Peter. The scallops in between symbolise the resurrection. - Classe
The later sarcophagi were decorated with simpler patterns, like these immortal peacocks drinking from the fountain of life. - Cathedral
- Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
Capital with Daniel and the Lions by Master von Cabestany (12th century). - Giotto's Campanile
These hexagonal panels depict (from left): Gionitus (Astronomy), the Art of Building, Medicine, and Hunting. By Andrea Pisano and his workshop, and Nino Pisano. - Fountain
A relief on an early Renaissance water basin with the coat-of-arms of the monastery. - Claustro Real
The royal cloister was built by architect Fernão de Évora in 1448-1477. - Mafra furniture
What a lovely detail in one of the plate cabinets. - Museo Arcivescovile
Throne of Maximianus, the old testament. Here Joseph is taken from the well and a goat is killed. - Museo Arcivescovile
Throne of Maximianus, old testament, showing the life of Joseph and his tricks with cups in the grain. - Museo Arcivescovile
More old testament scenes, depicting the story of Joseph. The central shows the reunion of Joseph and Jakob and the bottom the Pharaoh's dream. - Sarcophagus of Captain Eudemos in Olympos
Dating from II. century AD. The ship is a merchant ship with Aphrodite in the front. - The Garland sarcophagus, Olympos
Dating from the second half of the 3rd century AD. There is a long inscription but the interesting part is: "I, Lyciarch Marcus Aurelius Archepolis from Olympos [....] (constructed) this grave for my dear father [...] and my dear brother Marcus Aurelius Menodoros [...] and for myself and for the persons that I determined in my will. There will be no permission for any other person to be buried in it. Otherwise the burying person will pay 2,000 silver coins to the Sacred Treasury of the Empire”. - Sarcophagos of Antimachos (2nd century AD)
Was he really called Anti-macho? :-) - Termessos
- Termessos. The tomb of Alcetas, 320 BC.
- Hadrian's Gate or Üçkapılar in Antalya (130 AD)
- 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. - Basilica di San Marco
Another detail from the Basilica's facade. - Detail on Palazzo Ducale
Palazzo Ducale: a detail on one of the columns (the same column as the Judgment of Solomon). - Porta della Carta
Built in 1438–43, probably by Giovanni and Bartolomeo Bon. Doge Francisco Foscari is kneeling before the Lion. - Scuola Grande di San Marco
A trompe-l'oeil archway detail on the facade. - Basilica di Santa Maria Degli Angeli
The side of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels, located in the plain at the foot of the Assisi hills. Constructed between 1569 and 1679. - San Rufino Cathedral
Two hungry lions at the entrance. - San Rufino Cathedral
Spider-dog! On the Assisi Cathedral! I wonder what the official explanation is. - The Last Judgement
Bas-relief of the Last Judgement was installed around 1331. - Cathedral
Insanely beautiful details on the facade. - Old Testament
Stories from the Old Testament, starting with The apple. - Old Testament
A very surgical removal of Adam's rib. - Palazzo del Popolo
Is this a dog with a helmet? And a cow sitting on top of it? - San Salvatore
The Lombards took the columns, capitals etc from the Romans, and assembled them into a new church ;-) Unfortunately, the church was quite damaged in the 2016 earthquake and is closed for visitors now. - Chiesa di San Pietro Extra Moenia
The two panels indicating the contrast between posthumous fates of a righteous man (above) and of a sinner (below). - Chiesa di San Pietro Extra Moenia
The main portal with the reliefs of a peacock pecking grapes (top), a grazing cow (middle), and a man driving a yoke of oxen, while his dog jumps up in front (bottom). - Chiesa di San Pietro Extra Moenia
The story about the lion and the woodcutter. - Chiesa di San Pietro Extra Moenia
The reliefs depicting Christ washing Peter's feet (top) and the calling of Peter and Andrew on the Sea of Galilee (bottom) - Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
A pulpit outside the church. - Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
The mosaic portraying Christ giving a Benediction, signed by Solsternus (1207). Let that sink in. 1207. - Street sign
- Cathedral
Perugia Cathedral and La Fontana Maggiore in the front. - 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. - La Fontana Maggiore
The Original Sin and the expulsion from Eden. - La Fontana Maggiore
The fountain was built in 1275-1278. And it's still standing in the main square. Here we see: The she-wolf that fed Romulus, Remus and their mother Rea Silvia; Two of Aesop's fables (the fox and the crane and the wolf and the lamb); January (a gentleman and his wife at the hearth - Aquarius) - La Fontana Maggiore
Here we see: May (two Knights on Falconry - Gemini); June (the harvest and flailing - Cancer); July (the threshing and the division of wheat - Lion). - La Fontana Maggiore
Here we see: The Lion Guelph and the Griffin of Perugia; with a bit of December on the left and a bit of Grammar and Dialectic on the right. - 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
One of the scenes on pulpit: Massacre of the Innocents - Siena Cathedral
A detail of something. I cannot possibly remember where I took this picture. - Siena Cathedral
A lion on the exterior of the cathedral. I am a bit intrigued by his eyes... - Loggia della mercanzia
- Fonte Gaia
The first fountain was built in 1342, this one was made in 1419 by Jacopo della Quercia. - Fonte Gaia
The original statues are kept in a museum, these are some (old) copies. - Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
The exterior is full of funny creatures. - Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
Capital with Daniel and the Lions by Master von Cabestany (12th century). - Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
Another lovely creature on the church. - Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
- Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
I did say a lot of strange creatures, right? - 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? - Pozzo dei Grifi e dei Leoni
Two griffons and two lions holding the Medici coat of arms. - Palazzo Vecchio
A lion in the Palazzo Vecchio. No, this time we didn't enter it, just walked around the palace a bit. - Founder's Chapel
The chapel was built in 1426-1434 by Huguet to become the first royal pantheon in Portugal. - Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory
What an insane attention to detail! - Claustro Real
- Capelas Imperfeitas
Insanely beautiful detail. - Capelas Imperfeitas
Ah, the famous Unfinished Chapels, commissioned in 1437 by Dom Duarte. - Capelas Imperfeitas
The portal was originally Gothic and transformed by Mateus Fernandes into Manueline style (1509). - Capelas Imperfeitas
- Capelas Imperfeitas
King Manuel I dedicated this portal to King Edward and the motto "Leauté faray tam yaserei" means "I will always be loyal". - Convento de Cristo in Tomar
The Romanesque round church was built in the second half of the 12th century by the Knights Templar. - Convento de Cristo in Tomar
São Cristóvão - Saint Christopher (1484-1500) - Janela do Capítulo
The famous Manueline Window of the Chapter House (1510-1513). - Refectory
Pulpit in the Refectory, which was build in 1535-1536. Royal coat of arms... and some strange faces. - Claustro de Santa Bárbara
And one of the many cloisters in the Monastery, this one was built in the 16th century. - Marble Hallway
- Doors in one of the cloister
I don't quite get these doors, to be honest. - Cloister
What a lovely cloister this is. - Palácio Nacional de Mafra
One of the largest royal palaces, this one was commissioned by João V and built in 1717-1755. And yes, there is wildfire smoke in the background. - Monserrate
In 1846, Francis Cook, the 1st Viscount of Monserrate, built this Gothic-Indian-Moorish-shiny-pretty palace. - Convento dos Capuchos
This wonderful convent was founded in 1560 and inhabited until 1834. - Convento dos Capuchos
The Door of Death is the entrance to the monastery. - Cascais
Not quite sure what to think of this place. Diverse or messy? Eclectic or mismatched? This certainly was a wonderful place. Now - not so much. - Court of the Lions
The Court was built by Muhammad V around 1380. - Vézelay Abbey
The portal on the exterior of the church. - Vézelay Abbey
A lovely detail on the facade indicates the grandeur inside. - Vézelay Abbey
St Paul the Hermit's burial. Saint Anthony burying Saint Paul, with two lions digging the grave. - Bayeux Cathedral
One of the more unusual capitals in the crypt.