Il caffè prende il nome dal suo proprietario greco (greco in italiano) che lo aprì nel 1760. Personaggi storici tra cui Stendhal, Goethe, Arthur Schopenhauer, Bertel Thorvaldsen, Mariano Fortuny, Byron, Franz Liszt, Keats, Henrik Ibsen, Hans Christian Andersen, Felix Mendelssohn, Wagner, Levi, María Zambrano, Lawrence Ferlinghetti e persino Casanova hanno preso il caffè lì. Per più di due secoli e mezzo, il Caffè Greco è rimasto un rifugio per scrittori, politici, artisti e personaggi illustri a Roma. Trenta secoli fa una colonia greca si stabilì intorno a Piazza di Spagna e vi fondò il "Caffè Greco". A quei tempi la piazza era un lago, come lo diventa ancora nei giorni di pioggia. Romolo e Remo, quando furono sazi del latte di lupa, sorseggiarono allegramente la bevanda fuligginosa, che un cameriere del Caffè Greco portava loro di nascosto. Casanova, Goethe, Gogol, Stendhal, Byron, Andersen e altri grandi personaggi frequentavano la bottega fondata dagli Elleni. Nel 1918 nasce l'intenzione di istituire un circolo di studi in alcuni spiriti eletti. Tre volte si radunarono in una polverosa biblioteca, ma era filosofico ei concetti che impregnavano l'aria oscuravano tanto quegli spiriti, da mortificare la loro primitiva divisione. Discordanti e disperati si separarono, finché una voce si levò di nuovo a raccoglierli. The café was named after its Greek (Greco in Italian) owner, who opened it in 1760. Historic figures including Stendhal, Goethe, Arthur Schopenhauer, Bertel Thorvaldsen, Mariano Fortuny, Byron, Franz Liszt, Keats, Henrik Ibsen, Hans Christian Andersen, Felix Mendelssohn, Wagner, Levi, María Zambrano, Lawrence Ferlinghetti and even Casanova have had coffee there. For more than two centuries and a half, the Caffè Greco has remained a haven for writers, politicians, artists and notable people in Rome. Thirty centuries ago a Greek colony took up residence around Piazza di Spagna and founded the "Greek Coffee" there. In those days the square was a lake, as it still becomes on rainy days. Romulus and Remus, when they were sated with she-wolf milk, happily sipped the sooty drink, which a waiter from the Caffè Greco brought them secretly. Casanova, Goethe, Gogol, Stendhal, Byron, Andersen and other great people frequented the shop founded by the Hellenes. In 1918 the intention of setting up a circle of studies was born in some chosen spirits. Three times they gathered in a dusty library, but it was philosophical and the concepts which impregnated the air so darkened those spirits, as to mortify their primitive division. Discordant and desperate they parted, until a voice rose again to gather them.

Il Caffè Florian fu aperto il 29 dicembre 1720 a Venezia in Piazza S.Marco da Floriano Francesconi con il nome di “Alla Venezia Trionfante”, ma ben presto la clientela prese l’abitudine di chiamarlo “Florian”. Nei quasi tre secoli di vita il Florian è stato meta di incontro di artisti, scrittori, intellettuali, politici e personaggi illustri come Lord Byron, Goethe e Casanova. Simbolo di stile e qualità il brand Florian propone una selezione di prodotti esclusivi e prestigiosi che rappresentano l’arte di vivere con eleganza. La gamma Gourmet, la linea Lifestyle e la collezione Design si distinguono per la raffinatezza dello stile italiano e l’eccellente qualità dei prodotti. Disponibili nei corner presso i Florian di Venezia, Firenze e Londra. Caffè Florian first opened its doors in St. Mark’s Square, Venice in 1720, baptised “Alla Venezia Trionfante” by its owner Floriano Francesconi, but the clientele soon took to calling it simply “Florian”. For nearly three centuries Florian has also been the meeting-place of famous artists, writers, intellectuals and politicians such as Lord Byron, Goethe and Casanova. The symbol of style and quality, the Florian brand name offers a selection of exclusive and prestigious products representing the art of elegant living. The Gourmet range, the Lifestyle line and the Design collection are characterized by refined Italian taste and the excellent quality of the products.

Il Pedrocchi è uno dei simboli di Padova, luogo eletto per la degustazione del caffè e della cucina. Riconosciuto come la sede più esclusiva del centro della città dove realizzare gli eventi più importanti e spettacolari. Senza nome, del prato senza erba e del caffè senza porte”: la Basilica di S. Antonio, detta “del Santo”‚ il Prato della Valle, fino all’800 privo d’erba, e il Caffè Pedrocchi, “senza porte” perché rimase aperto giorno e notte dall’inaugurazione nel 1831 fino al 1916. La presenza a Padova di un Gran caffè internazionale si deve ad Antonio Pedrocchi, famoso caffettiere, citato da Stendhal ne “La certosa di Parma”. Ai primi dell’800 nei numerosi caffè si mescolavano nobili e borghesi, intellettuali e popolani. Antonio Pedrocchi sognava un caffè monumentale, dall’architettura rappresentativa e funzionale, situato proprio al centro della città, di fronte all’Università e alla Gendarmeria Austriaca e chiamò a realizzarlo Giuseppe Jappelli, famoso architetto ed ingegnere di idee illuministe e profondo conoscitore del gusto asburgico che lo inaugurò nel 1831. Divenne presto crocevia di intellettuali e letterati “luogo dove nascevano le idee”, dove si organizzavano feste, balli, riunioni massoniche e persino trattative commerciali, un punto di riferimento per i padovani, ma anche per i viaggiatori e gli uomini d’affari provenienti da tutta la Penisola che in quest’imponente edificio neoclassico trovavano sempre accoglienza e ristoro. Il successo fu immediato e il caffè divenne ritrovo di studenti, artisti e letterati come Ippolito Nievo o Giovanni Prati, ma anche di patrioti, come Arnaldo Fusinato. Tra gli ospiti illustri oltre a Stendhal, si ricordano Alfred De Musset, George Sand, Téophile Gauthier, Gabriele d’Annunzio, Eleonora Duse, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti e molti altri. Lasciato in dono al Comune di Padova, con l’impegno “di promuovere e sviluppare tutti quei miglioramenti che verranno portati dal progresso dei tempi, mettendolo a livello di questi e nulla trascurando, onde nel suo genere possa mantenere il primato in Italia”, il Caffè Pedrocchi ha ormai conquistato una posizione privilegiata nel centro e nel cuore di Padova. Pedrocchi is one of the symbols of Padua, a place chosen for tasting coffee and cooking. Recognized as the most exclusive venue in the city center where the most important and spectacular events are held. Without a name, of the lawn without grass and of the café without doors: the Basilica of S. Antonio, known as "del Santo"‚ the Prato della Valle, up to the 19th century without grass, and the Caffè Pedrocchi, "without doors" because it remained open day and night from its inauguration in 1831 until 1916. The presence in Padua of a great international coffee is due to Antonio Pedrocchi, famous coffee maker, mentioned by Stendhal in "La Certosa di Parma". At the beginning of the 19th century, nobles and bourgeois, intellectuals and commoners mixed in the numerous cafés. Antonio Pedrocchi dreamed of a monumental café, with a representative and functional architecture, located right in the center of the city, in front of the University and the Austrian Gendarmerie, and he called Giuseppe Jappelli, famous architect and engineer of Enlightenment ideas and profound connoisseur of Habsburg taste to build it. who inaugurated it in 1831. It soon became a crossroads for intellectuals and writers "a place where ideas were born", where parties, dances, Masonic meetings and even commercial negotiations were organized, a point of reference for Paduans, but also for travelers and businessmen from the whole peninsula which always found welcome and refreshment in this imposing neoclassical building. Success was immediate and the café became a meeting place for students, artists and writers such as Ippolito Nievo or Giovanni Prati, but also for patriots, such as Arnaldo Fusinato. In addition to Stendhal, the illustrious guests include Alfred De Musset, George Sand, Téophile Gauthier, Gabriele d'Annunzio, Eleonora Duse, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and many others. Left as a gift to the Municipality of Padua.

L'attività della ditta Mulassano comincia nella seconda metà dell'800, con apertura di una bottiglieria in via Nizza 3. L'allora proprietario, Amilcare Mulassano, era titolare anche della rinomata Distilleria Sacco, produttrice del famoso sciroppo di menta. Nel 1907, il locale fu poi trasferito nella più centrale piazza Castello luogo che non ha più lasciato. Nel corso dei primi anni il locale si trasformò in Caffè. Angela Nebiolo era andata sposa bambina a Detroit, negli Stati Uniti, dove il marito e i cognati gestivano ristoranti e locali notturni. Aveva 15 anni. Il lavoro non la spaventava: l'appassionava quel mondo nuovo e frenetico: scoprì l'automobile, prese la patente giovanissima. Ma, nel cuore, le batteva forte la nostalgia: avrebbe dato l'America intera pur di tornare a Torino, la sua città natale. E così fu: nel 1925 Angela e Onorino Nebiolo, che nel frattempo avevano avuto due figli, tornarono in Italia con il proposito di gestire un locale tutto loro. In quei mesi la famiglia Mulassano aveva messo in vendita il proprio scrigno prezioso: il caffè Mulassano. Ai coniugi non parve vero e con i risparmi accumulati in America, comprarono il locale. La spesa: 300 mila lire di allora per la sola licenza. Con l'intento di ridare vigore agli affari del locale, cercarono di ideare delle nuove proposte da accompagnare all'aperitivo. Avevano portato con sé dagli States una macchina che tostava il pane: così importarono, per primi a Torino, il toast. Non paghi di questa innovazione, pensarono di utilizzare quel pane morbidissimo, usato per i toast, senza tostatura e con una speciale e più intensa farcitura: fu così che il signor Onorino inventò il tramezzino. Dapprima lo serviva in accompagnamento agli aperitivi, poi, visto il successo, lo propose per lo spuntino di mezzogiorno dei tanti impiegati e delle sartine di via Roma e via Po. Alcuni anni più tardi, Gabriele D'Annunzio gli diede il nome che ora conosciamo: "tramezzino". Furono anni intensi e di grandi successi; la buvette divenne popolarissima, come è oggi. Ci andava un giovane studente in medicina allora sconosciuto: Achille Mario Dogliotti; ci tornò spesso anche da affermato chirurgo. Per l'aperitivo venivano Luigi Spazzapan e Italo Cremona, Gigi Chessa e Giacomo Grosso, Gigetta Morano e Caterina Boratto. La Torino dell'arte e del cinema oltre che la Torino d'ogni giorno. Fra i più assidui Mario Soldati e Gianandrea Gavazzeni che hanno frequentato il Mulassano per decenni. Nel 1938 i coniugi Nebiolo vendettero il locale per andare a gestire alcuni cinematografi della periferia e il locale, con la guerra conobbe un periodo di declino. I suoi tesori sparirono sotto la calce. Negli anni '70 il Mulassano è tornato quello del commendatore Amilcare e di Onorino grazie ad un accurato restauro che l'allora titolare, Antonio Chessa, svolse con grande pazienza e sapienza. La nipote di Antonio Chessa, Vanna, insieme a un nuovo socio Patrizio Abrate, ne conserva oggi la tradizione e la cura, illuminati da quella passione per la quale lo zio ha dedicato una vita. Oggi il locale è come fu pensato da Antonio Vandone e rimane patrimonio della città di Torino e di chi ne vuole godere la bellezza. The activity of the Mulassano company began in the second half of the 19th century, with the opening of a bottle shop in via Nizza 3. The then owner, Amilcare Mulassano, was also the owner of the renowned Sacco Distillery, producer of the famous mint syrup. In 1907, the restaurant was then moved to the more central Piazza Castello, a place it has never left. During the first few years the place was transformed into a café. Angela Nebiolo had gone as a child bride to Detroit, in the United States, where her husband and in-laws ran restaurants and nightclubs. He was 15. Work did not scare her: she was passionate about that new and frenetic world: she discovered the car, got her driving license very young. But nostalgia beat strongly in her heart: she would have given the whole of America to return to Turin, her hometown. And so it was: in 1925 Angela and Onorino Nebiolo, who in the meantime had had two children, returned to Italy with the intention of running their own place. In those months the Mulassano family had put their precious treasure chest up for sale: Mulassano coffee. To the spouses it didn't seem real and with the savings accumulated in America, they bought the place. The cost: 300 thousand lire at the time for the license alone. With the intention of reviving the business of the place, they tried to come up with new proposals to accompany the aperitif. They had brought with them from the States a machine that toasted bread: so they were the first to import toast in Turin. Not satisfied with this innovation, they thought of using that very soft bread, used for toast, without toasting and with a special and more intense filling: this was how Mr. Onorino invented the sandwich. At first he served it as an accompaniment to aperitifs, then, given its success, he proposed it for the midday snack of the many employees and tailors of via Roma and via Po. A few years later, Gabriele D'Annunzio gave it the name we now know: "sandwich". They were intense and successful years; the buvette became hugely popular, as it is today. A young medical student then unknown went there: Achille Mario Dogliotti; he also often returned as a well-known surgeon. For the aperitif came Luigi Spazzapan and Italo Cremona, Gigi Chessa and Giacomo Grosso, Gigetta Morano and Caterina Boratto. The Turin of art and cinema as well as the Turin of every day. Among the most assiduous Mario Soldati and Gianandrea Gavazzeni who have frequented the Mulassano for decades. In 1938 the Nebiolo couple sold the place to go and manage some cinemas in the suburbs and the place, with the war experienced a period of decline. His treasures disappeared under the lime. In the 1970s Mulassano returned to that of Commendatore Amilcare and Onorino thanks to an accurate restoration that the then owner, Antonio Chessa, carried out with great patience and wisdom. Antonio Chessa's niece, Vanna, together with a new partner Patrizio Abrate, today preserves the tradition and care, enlightened by that passion for which the uncle dedicated a life. Today the place is as it was thought by Antonio Vandone and remains the heritage of the city of Turin and of those who want to enjoy its beauty.

La storia inizia nel 1763 a Torino, quando l’acquacedratario Giuseppe Dentis apre la sua piccola bottega nell’edificio di fronte all’ingresso del Santuario della Consolata. Il locale all’epoca era arredato semplicemente, con tavole e panche di legno. Nel 1856, su progetto dell’architetto Carlo Promis, viene edificato l’attuale palazzo e in questa sede il caffè assume l’elegante forma che oggi possiamo apprezzare: le pareti vengono abbellite con boiseries di legno decorate da specchi e lampade e fanno la loro comparsa i caratteristici tavolini tondi di marmo bianco, il bancone di legno e marmo e le scaffalature per i vasi dei confetti. Alla fine dell’Ottocento viene posta esternamente la devanture in ferro, con le vetrinette ai lati, le colonnine e i capitelli in ghisa. In questo ambiente viene svolta l’attività di confetteria e di caffè-cioccolateria. L’invenzione del bicerin è stata, senza alcun dubbio, la base del successo del locale e, più che invenzione, fu evoluzione della settecentesca bavareisa, una bevanda allora di gran moda che veniva servita in grossi bicchieri e che era fatta di caffè, cioccolato, latte e sciroppo. Il rituale del bicerin prevedeva all’inizio che i tre ingredienti fossero serviti separatamente, ma già nell’Ottocento vengono riuniti in un unico bicchiere e declinati in tre varianti: pur e fiur (simile all’odierno cappuccino), pur e barba (caffè e cioccolato), ‘n poc ‘d tut (ovvero “un po’ di tutto”), con tutti e tre gli ingredienti. Quest’ultima formula fu quella di maggiore successo e finì per prevalere sulle altre, arrivando integra ed originale ai nostri giorni e prendendo il nome dai piccoli bicchieri senza manico in cui veniva servita (bicerin, appunto). La bevanda si diffuse anche negli altri locali della città, diventandone addirittura uno dei simboli di Torino. Stefani-Mondo scrive: “...è la bibita prediletta della mattina: ministri, magistrati, professori, negozianti, fattorini, cestaie, venditori e venditrici ambulanti, campagnuoli ecc, tutti spendono volentieri i loro tre soldi per rifocillarsi economicamente lo stomaco“. Il prezzo di tre soldi, cioè 15 centesimi di lira, venne mantenuto dalla metà dell’Ottocento fino al 5 dicembre del 1913, quando passò a 20. “…per venti soli centesimi si aveva il classico bicchierino che costituisce un nutritivo spuntino…“. La storia del Bicerin, come questo locale venne nel tempo a essere semplicemente chiamato dai torinesi per il successo della sua bevanda, nel tempo si intreccia saldamente a quella della “Consolà”. La nuova miscela era infatti il sostegno ideale per i fedeli che, avendo digiunato per prepararsi alla comunione, cercavano un sostegno energetico appena usciti dalla chiesa. Ugualmente era molto gradita in tempo di Quaresima poiché, non essendo la cioccolata calda considerata “cibo”, poteva essere consumata senza remore durante il digiuno prescritto. The story begins in 1763 in Turin, when the acquactress Giuseppe Dentis opens his small shop in the building opposite the entrance to the Sanctuary of the Consolata. At the time, the place was simply furnished, with wooden tables and benches. In 1856, based on a project by the architect Carlo Promis, the current palace was built and here the café takes on the elegant shape that we can appreciate today: the walls are embellished with wooden boiseries decorated with mirrors and lamps and make their own the characteristic round white marble tables, the wooden and marble counter and the shelves for the confetti jars appeared. At the end of the nineteenth century the devanture was placed externally in iron, with the showcases on the sides, the columns and capitals in cast iron. In this environment the confectionery and coffee-chocolate shop is carried out. The invention of the bicerin was, without any doubt, the basis of the success of the place and, more than an invention, it was the evolution of the eighteenth-century bavareisa, a drink at the time very fashionable that was served in large glasses and was made of coffee, chocolate, milk and syrup. The bicerin ritual initially provided for the three ingredients to be served separately, but already in the nineteenth century they were combined in a single glass and declined in three variants: pur and fiur (similar to today's cappuccino), pur e barba (coffee and chocolate), 'n poc' d tut (or “a bit of everything”), with all three ingredients. This last formula was the most successful and ended up prevailing over the others, arriving intact and original to our days and taking its name from the small glasses without handles in which it was served ( bicerin, in fact). The drink also spread to other places in the city, even becoming one of the symbols of Turin. Stefani-Mondo writes: “...it is the favorite drink of the morning: ministers, magistrates, professors, shopkeepers, messengers, baskets, street vendors and vendors, country men, etc., all willingly spend their three sous to economically refresh their stomach". The price of three soldi, that is 15 cents of a lira, was maintained from the mid-nineteenth century until December 5, 1913, when it passed to 20. "...for only twenty cents you had the classic glass which is a nutritious snack...". The history of Bicerin, as this place came over time to be simply called by the Turinese for the success of its drink, over time is firmly intertwined with that of the "Consolà". The new blend was in fact the ideal support for the faithful who, having fasted to prepare for communion, sought energetic support as soon as they left the church. It was also very welcome in time of Lent since, not being the hot chocolate considered "food", it could be consumed without hesitation during the prescribed fast.

The Tournai Cathedral, or Cathedral of Our Lady (French: Notre-Dame de Tournai, Dutch: Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Doornik), is a Roman Catholic Church, see of the Diocese of Tournai in Tournai, Belgium. It has been classified both as a Wallonia's major heritage since 1936 and as a World Heritage Site since 2000. There was a diocese centered at Tournai from the late 6th century and this structure of local blue-gray stone occupies rising ground near the south bank of the Scheldt, which divides the city of Tournai into two roughly equal parts. Begun in the 12th century on even older foundations, the building combines the work of three design periods with striking effect, the heavy and severe character of the Romanesque nave contrasting remarkably with the Transitional work of the transept and the fully developed Gothic of the choir. The transept is the most distinctive part of the building, with its cluster of five bell towers and apsidal (semicircular) ends. The nave belongs mostly to the first third of the 12th century. Prefiguring the Early Gothic style, it has a second-tier gallery between the ground-floor arcade and the triforium. Pilasters between the round-arched windows in the clerestory help support the 18th-century vaulting that replaced the original ceiling, which was of wood, and flat. The transept arms, built in about the mid-12th century, have apsidal ends, a feature borrowed in all probability from certain Rhenish churches, and which would appear to have made its influence felt in the northeast of France, as at Noyon and Soissons. The square towers that flank the transept arms reach a height of 83 metres (272 ft). They vary in detail, some of the arcade work with which they are enriched being in the round-arched and some in the pointed style. West portico. Bishop Gautier de Marvis (1219-1252) had the earlier Romanesque choir demolished in the 13th century, in order to replace it with a Gothic choir of much grander dimensions, inspired by the likes of Amiens Cathedral. The construction of the new choir began in 1242, and ended in 1255. The rest of the cathedral was supposed to be rebuilt in the same style as the choir, but this was never attempted, the only later additions being the western porch, and a large Gothic chapel which was built alongside one of the side aisles, whose original walls and windows disappeared in the process. The rood screen is a Renaissance masterpiece by Flemish sculptor Cornelis Floris and dates from 1573. The cathedral was damaged by a severe tornado on the 24 August 1999. Assessment of the damage revealed underlying structural problems and the cathedral has been undergoing extensive repairs and archaeological investigation ever since. The Brunin Tower was stabilised in 2003. In recognition of Tournai cathedral's cultural value, UNESCO designated the building a World Heritage Site in the year 2000.

The Mir castle complex is a unique monument of the national culture of Belarus, included in 2000 in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. On the territory of the complex there are the Mir Castle of the 16th – 20th centuries, the church-burial vault of the princes Svyatopolk-Mirsky, the watchman's house, the ruins of the palace of the last owners, an outhouse, a roadside chapel, an English landscape park with a pond, the remains of an Italian garden, earthen ramparts with bastions. The museum has 39 exposition and exhibition halls. Along with sightseeing and thematic excursions, theatrical ones are also provided, and the ceremony "Wedding in the Mir Castle" will make the happy day in your life unforgettable. Mir Castle is an object with a developed infrastructure: two conference rooms for holding high-level events, a hotel with 16 rooms, a restaurant of ancient cuisine, a souvenir shop with products of Belarusian craftsmen. Mir Castle Complex of XVI–XX centuries in a small town Mir is a historical and cultural value of national importance and UNESCO World Heritage. For the first time Мir was mentioned in 1434 when it becomes a private estate of Senko Gedygoldovich. According to his will in 1451 Mir passes to Anna Butrimovna, his foster daughter. In 1476 Anna gives Mir as possession for life to Senko’s wife Milokhna, and after her death – to her cousin Yury Ilinich, who started building the castle. The owner of Mir had strong reasons for erecting such a mighty fortification building. At the beginning of the 16th century Crimean Tatars attacked these lands more frequently. Unstable political situation was worsened by the hostility among the feudal groups inside the country. In particular, the Iliniches were in confrontation with a very powerful and influential prince Mikhail Glinsky. Nevertheless there was one more important reason for building the castle. Yury Ilinich aspired to get a title of a count of the Holy Roman Empire and one of the necessary conditions for this was having a stone castle. This was the first case when such a mighty fortress was built on the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by a private owner. At the first stage of construction five towers were erected. They were connected with walls whose thickness at the foundation was up to three meters. All the towers were planned as independent centers of resistance. They were erected in such a way that it was convenient to deliver flanking fire along the walls and to hit an approaching target. Each tower was about 25 meters in height and had five fighting storeys with loopholes and a complex system of inner passages. The builders used three-layer laying – the inner and outer parts of the walls were made of brick and huge stones and the space between them was filled with small stones and broken bricks. Although all the towers may seem to have the same construction, each of them has its own architectural peculiarities. The lower tetrahedral part of the towers becomes octahedral at different heights slightly losing in its size. The decoration of the towers’ fronts also varies. The owners of the castle – the Iliniches – didn’t manage to accomplish the construction. Their family died away within forty years. Shortly before his decease Yury Ilinich Junior, the grandson of the founder, bequeathed Mir County to his cousin Prince Mikolaj Krzysztof Radziwill nicknamed the Orphan. Over the next three centuries the castle was owned by the representatives of a powerful dynasty of the Radziwills. Having acquired the ownership rights for Mir County in 1569, Prince Mikolaj Krzysztof Radziwill nicknamed the Orphan decided to make the castle one of his residences. At his behest three-storey living palaces were erected along the northern and eastern walls of the castle, the three adjacent towers were rebuilt and a barbican at the Entrance tower appeared. Earth mounds with bastions at the angles were raised around the castle. A fosse filled with water was dug behind the earth mounds. At the end of the 16th century the bastion fortifications lost their importance. The reasons why Mikolaj Krzysztof Radziwill decided to stop further modernization of Mir Castle are still unknown. After the construction of a mighty castle in Nesvizh at the end of the 16th – beginning of the 17th centuries the princely residence moved there. Mir Castle became something like a country seat. The walls of the palace and towers were plastered and painted pink. The window and door portals were made from grey sandstone imported from Galicia. The basement and the ground floor of the palace incorporated housekeeping facilities and storerooms; the administration of Mir County, a municipal court and a clerical office were located on the first floor, the second floor was intended for the owners whose living accommodation was situated there. At the beginning of the 17th century an Italian garden was laid out near the castle. After these massive transformations the castle had seen a peaceful lifetime which was broken off by a war between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Tsardom of Muscovy. In 1655 Mir Castle was ravaged by Cossacks of Ivan Zolotorenro and Russian troops of voivode Aleksey Trubetskoy. The castle fell into oblivion for around 30 years. And it wasn’t until 1680 that Katarzyna (Ekaterina) Radziwill from the Sobiesky family initiated restoration works in Mir Castle after her husband Mikhail Kazimierz had died. But the Great Northern War of 1700–1721 suspended her undertakings for many years. In April 1706 Mir was invaded by the troops of Charles XII. The whole township with the castle was on fire, everything that had been restored was destroyed. The castle regained its former grandeur thanks to a new owner – Prince Mikhail Kazimierz Radziwill nicknamed the Rybonka. The chambers of the fourth princely floor were replanned. The rooms of a similar layout, predominantly of a square type, were replaced by a suite of halls of different sizes. For this purpose the internal partitions were rearranged, the stairs line was changed. The Stateroom as well as the Portrait and Dance Halls were decorated with oak parquet floors, gilded ceilings, superb furniture, tapestry, paintings, chinaware and delftware. A lot of valuable and refined objects were produced at the Radziwills’ manufactories. In 1891 Mir estate and the castle were purchased by a Cossack chieftain of the Don Troops, Prince Nikolay Svyatopolk-Mirsky. Apparently, the prince was attracted by the name of the estate. When he came to Mir he immediately got down to work with great enthusiasm. An alcohol plant and a two-storey palace, which became the main composition center of the palatial and park complex, were built opposite the castle. A water reservoir with islands was made in front of the new palace instead of five ponds and a cut down garden. In 1922 Nikolay’s son Mikhail started to restore Mir Castle. The works had lasted for 16 years. During this period a part of the Eastern palace and two southern towers were restored. During the Great Patriotic War from May to August 1942 the castle served as a ghetto where Hitler’s forces imprisoned around 800 local Jews. In summer the prisoners organized a resistance group. On August 9, 1942 over 250 Jews managed to escape. Three days later those who stayed in ghetto were shot by fascists in the forest not far from Mir. After the liberation of Belarus in July 1944 dwellers of Mir whose houses had been ruined found refuge in the castle. The last family moved out from the castle in 1962. The restoration works in Mir Castle began only in 1983. In 2000 it was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. On December 16, 2010 an official opening of Mir Castle took place.

Schönbrunn Palace was the main summer residence of the Habsburg rulers, located in Hietzing, Vienna. The name Schönbrunn (meaning “beautiful spring”) has its roots in an artesian well from which water was consumed by the court. The 1,441-room Rococo palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historic monuments in the country. The history of the palace and its vast gardens spans over 300 years, reflecting the changing tastes, interests, and aspirations of successive Habsburg monarchs. It has been a major tourist attraction since the mid-1950s. In 1569, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II purchased a large floodplain of the Wien river beneath a hill, situated between Meidling and Hietzing. The former owner, in 1548, had erected a mansion called Katterburg. The emperor ordered the area to be fenced and put game there such as pheasants, ducks, deer and boar, in order for it to serve as the court's recreational hunting ground. In a small separate part of the area, “exotic” birds such as turkeys and peafowl were kept. Fishponds were also built. Das kaiserliche Lustschloß Schönbrunn, Ehrenhofseite by Bernardo Bellotto, 1759-1760 During the next century, the area was used as a hunting and recreation ground. Eleonora Gonzaga, who loved hunting, spent much time there and was bequeathed the area as her widow's residence after the death of her husband, Ferdinand II. From 1638 to 1643, she added a palace to the Katterburg mansion, while in 1642 came the first mention of the name “Schönbrunn” on an invoice. The origins of the Schönbrunn orangery seem to go back to Eleonora Gonzaga as well. The Schönbrunn Palace in its present form was built and remodelled during the 1740–50s during the reign of empress Maria Theresa who received the estate as a wedding gift. Franz I commissioned the redecoration of the palace exterior in the neoclassical style as it appears today. Franz Joseph, the longest-reigning emperor of Austria, was born at Schönbrunn and spent a great deal of his life there. He died there, at the age of 86, on 21 November 1916. Following the downfall of the Habsburg monarchy in November 1918, the palace became the property of the newly founded Austrian Republic and was preserved as a museum. After World War II and during the Allied Occupation of Austria (1945—55), Schönbrunn Palace was requisitioned to provide office space for both the British Delegation to the Allied Commission for Austria, and for the headquarters for the small British Military Garrison present in Vienna. With the reestablishment of the Austrian republic in 1955, the palace once again became a museum. It is still sometimes used for important events such as the meeting between U.S. president John F. Kennedy and Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev in 1961. Since 1992 the palace and gardens have been owned and administered by the Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur-und Betriebsges.m.b.H., a limited-liability company wholly owned by the Republic of Austria. The company conducts preservation and restoration of all palace properties without state subsidies. UNESCO catalogued Schönbrunn Palace on the World Heritage List in 1996, together with its gardens, as a remarkable Baroque ensemble and example of synthesis of the arts.

Palazzo Salis é rimasto attraverso i secoli sempre di proprietà dei Conti Sertoli Salis. Si sviluppa su una struttura che presenta una facciata di stile tardo-cinquecentesco, fiancheggiata da due torri, con un portale centrale barocco realizzato su disegno del Vignola. La lunga e complessa storia dei Salis prosegue come Conti Sertoli Salis a partire dal 1800, quando il Conte Ing. Ulisse Salis, eroe del Risorgimento, e sua moglie Teresa Calvi, ebbero una sola figlia femmina, Rita. Con la contessa Rita Salis, sposata al patrizio sondriese Don Francesco Sertoli di Sondrio, prosegue la storia dei Conti Sertoli Salis, con i 3 figli di Rita e Francesco, ovvero Cesare (primogenito Conte), Pietro (padre dello storico N.H. Dott.Renzo Sertoli Salis) e Ulisse. Quest’ultimo, nobiluomo avvocato, fu un illuminato pioniere dei viaggi intorno al mondo degli inizi del '900, lasciando in eredità alla famiglia splendidi album di scatti unici, che hanno dato vita alla mostra fotografica “I viaggi dello Zio Ulisse”. Dal Conte Cesare discendono in linea diretta i nipoti Cesare Virgilio, illuminato imprenditore scomparso prematuramente nel febbraio del 2005 a soli 52 anni, e Francesco, attuale e principale proprietario del palazzo. Oggi palazzo Salis di Tirano si colloca come una delle mete culturali e turistiche di maggior interesse di tutta la Valtellina, visitabile tutto l’anno con visite guidate per piccoli e grandi gruppi. E' una meta di visita ideale per le scuole e gli amanti della storia ed architettura del 600 e 700, ma anche per gli appassionati della natura, dello sport e dell’enogastronomia valtellinese, per un completamento di grande soddisfazione del loro week-end o della settimana di vacanza. Palazzo Salis has remained through the centuries always owned by the Conti Sertoli Salis. It develops on a structure with a late-fifteenth-century façade, flanked by two towers, with a central baroque portal built on the design of the Artchitect 'Vignola'. The long and complex history of the Salis family continues as “Conti (Counts) Sertoli Salis” in 1800, with the Count Engineer Ulisse Salis, hero of the “Risorgimento”, becoming father of a girl, Rita. Countess Rita married a nobleman Francesco Sertoli and received a special permission to continue the family line as Counts Sertoli Salis. 3 sons were born, Cesare (grandfather of the present owners of Palazzo Salis in Tirano), Pietro and Ulisse. The youngest son Ulisse became a lawyer and enjoyed travelling around the world beginning of 1900, thus leaving beautiful pictures of a fascinating and, sad to say, almost disappeared world. From Count Cesare derives in direct line the two nephews, Cesare, admired Entrepreneur that died in 2005 at the age of only 53, and his younger brother Francesco, present main owner of the Palazzo. Today Palazzo Salis represents one of the most important and attractive cultural and turistic destinations of the region and can be visited by groups all over the year. Perfectly responding to those looking for a cultural trip, like schools and historical experts, or lovers of the splendid architecture of the 17th and 18th century, the visit will lead you through 500 years of history and splendid decorated rooms.

Situated at Badi Choupad, Pink City of Jaipur, Hawa Mahal was built in 1799. It has 953 windows on the outside walls. The honeycomb shaped and beautifully carved windows allow breeze to blow through the palace and makes it a perfect summer palace. It was built as an extension to the City Palace nearby. See below for more information about Hawa Mahal. In 1799, the Kachhwaha Rajput ruler, Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh ordered Lal Chand Usta to construct an extension to the Royal City Palace. The Purdah system at the time was strictly followed. Rajput royal ladies should not be seen by strangers or appear in any public area. The construction of Hawa Mahal allows the royal ladies to enjoy from every day street scenes to royal processions on the street without being seen. The five-stores palace was built in the form of Krishna’s crown because Sarai Pratap Singh was devoted to Krishna, the Hindu god. The mahal has a total of 953 small casements each with small lattice worked pink window, balconies and arched roofs with hanging cornices. This allows cool breeze blow through the mahal and keep it cool and airy in summer. Despite the large number of windows, each of them are size of a peephole such that the royal ladies were not to be seen by the public. The top three storeys are a single room thick, namely Vichitra Mandir, Prakash Mandir and Hawa Mandir. The Maharaja worshipped the Krishna at the Vichitra Mandir. While the Prakash Mandir provides an open terrace to both sides. Worth noting is that there are no steps to the upper floors but ramps. They are for the palanquin of the royal ladies. The autumn celebrations took place on the Sharad Mandir on the first floor. Don’t miss out on the colourful glassworks on Ratan Mandir on the second floor. In contrast to the rich decoration of the exterior, the interiors of the mahal is much simpler. But it is also where you will find the best view of the city of Jaipur.

1962 Ivo Dotto costruisce per hobby il primo trenino su rotaia azionato da motore. Il fascino e il successo di tale trenino sono confermati dai sempre più numerosi bambini che ogni giorno si fermano col naso incollato al recinto per vederlo in movimento, speranzosi di poter fare un giretto. Nasce il primo trenino su pneumatici. Il 1966 rappresenta una svolta molto importante nella tradizione dei trenini, fino ad allora concepiti soltanto su rotaia. “Liberare” il trenino dal vincolo del binario significò rendere versatile un mezzo di trasporto che da quel momento venne utilizzato per gli scopi più diversi. Nasce il primo trenino su pneumatici per il trasporto di adulti. Quello che era nato come un'attrazione per bambini diviene ora un mezzo di trasporto all'interno dei parchi e non solo. I treni Dotto ben presto iniziano ad essere venduti anche al di fuori dei confini nazionali. Nasce il primo treno elettrico L’attenzione per l’ecologia e l’ambiente ha portato DOTTO TRAINS a realizzare la linea Muson River in versione elettrica, per riscoprire l’emozione di viaggiare a contatto con la natura, gustando la varietà dei paesaggi che ci circondano. Il treno TM970, dal design aerodinamico è adatto anche alle città più moderne. Per soddisfare mercati sempre più esigenti, DOTTO TRAINS progetta e realizza modelli sempre più evoluti e sofisticati tecnologicamente, capaci di circolare in qualsiasi tipologia di ambiente. Nuova linea di treni: Funny Trains Sono treni molto colorati, dal simpatico design che sembrano usciti dai fumetti. Questa linea è stata studiata principalmente per i parchi divertimento, ma ben si adattano anche in villaggi turistici e Resort. I treni elettrici Dotto nel rispetto dell'ambiente. Nasce Dottobus, ecologico per natura. L’attenzione per l’ecologia e l’ambiente che da sempre contraddistingue la filosofia aziendale di DOTTO TRAINS, ha portato alla realizzazione di diverse linee di treni elettrici, senza rinunciare alla consueta affidabilità, manegevolezza ed efficienza che contraddistinguono DOTTO TRAINS. Dottobus Enclosed Euro 6 Shuttle bus dal design moderno, con motore Euro 6 a basse emissioni, può essere decorato con grafica personalizzata. Ben si presta come transfer aeroportuale e come bus urbano. Dotato di riscaldamento e aria condizionata, è ideale sia nelle località con clima rigido che torrido. Dottobus Enclosed in versione elettrica Shuttle bus elettrico dal design moderno, ecologico al 100%, può essere decorato con grafica personalizzata. Ben si presta come transfer aereoportuale e come bus urbano. Dotato di riscaldamento e aria condizionata, è ideale sia nelle località con clima rigido che torrido. BIG BOY La nuova locomotiva made in Dotto La nuova potente locomotiva 4x4 con motore Turbo Diesel Euro VI è in grado di affrontare percorsi in salita fino ad ora ritenuti inacessibili, con pendenze anche del 25%. In 1962 Ivo Dotto built the first engine driven train on rails as a hobby. The allure and success of this little train were proved by the increasing number of children who stopped and glued their noses to the fence every day to watch it in action, ever hopeful that they might be lucky enough to have a ride. he first road train was launched 1966 marked a very important turning point in the history of these small trains, which had only run on rails until now. “Freeing” the train from its tracks transformed it into a completely versatile means of transport that could now be used for an amazingly wide range of different purposes. The first road train for adults was launched. What initially began as a children’s attraction now became a means of transport used in parks and many other places. It wasn't long before Dotto trains began to be sold outside of Italy as well. The first electric train was launched Understanding the importance of environmental awareness and protection led DOTTO TRAINS to build an electric version of the Muson River line so you can rediscover the thrill of travelling through the countryside while savouring the rich and varied landscapes around us. The TM970 is launched, a train with an aerodynamic design also perfect for modern cities. Over the last years DOTTO TRAINS has designed and built more advanced and technologically sophisticated models, that suit every type of setting, meeting the needs of increasingly demanding markets. A new line: Funny Trains The brightly coloured trains with fun, appealing designs that look just like cartoon characters. This line was primarily designed for amusement parks but Funny Trains are also ideal for holiday villages and resorts. Dotto's eco-friendly electric trains. The new Dottobus. Eco-friendly by nature. Environmental awareness and protection has always been a key part of the DOTTO TRAINS philosophy and this led to the creation of different lines of electric trains that maintained the same reliability, easy handling and efficiency for which DOTTO TRAINS is renowned. The first Dottobus Enclosed Euro 6 was launched. The Euro 6 low emission shuttle bus, with a modern design, can be decorated with customized graphics. It is suitable as an airport shuttle and city bus. Fitted with heating and air conditioning, it is ideal for places with cold or hot climates. Dottobus Enclosed electric model The 100% eco-friendly electric shuttle bus with a modern design can be decorated with customized graphics. It is suitable as an airport shuttle and city bus. Fitted with heating and air conditioning, it is ideal for places with cold or hot climates. BIG BOY The new locomotive made in Dotto. The new powerfull 4x4 locomotive, with Euro VI Turbo Diesel engine, will be able to climb slopes of even 25% getting to peak never thinked before.

Ten years to the day after Nelson Mandela’s release from prison on 11 February 1990, the Nelson Mandela Museum opened its doors. Nelson Mandela insisted that it was not just to be a static collection and tribute to him, but a living memorial to his values and vision. It was to inspire and enrich all who visit it, serve as a catalyst for development and should share the heritage resources linked to him. The Department of Arts and Culture took his words to heart and pledged funding for the Nelson Mandela Museum as part of its series of national legacy projects that honour South Africa’s liberation heroes. The Nelson Mandela Museum is more than a place; it is an experience that allows visitors to follow the footprints of a man whose long walk to freedom began in the foothills that rise from the banks of the Mbhashe River. His journey took him back to the village of Qunu, where he put down roots and grew tall and strong. The young man listened to and learned from his elders, moved by their stories of battles for their land. His battle for liberation would be waged a long way from the rural landscape of his birth. It would take him from studying at the University of Fort Hare in Alice to the mines in Johannesburg; and from the capital cities of the world to a prison cell on Robben Island, before he emerged from his long imprisonment, unbowed and victorious on a summer day in February 1990. His gift is a living one – one that embodies his commitment to the principles of human rights, freedom, peace and democracy. This constantly evolving legacy is housed in the Nelson Mandela Museum, with its two main sites: the Nelson Mandela Youth and Heritage Centre in Qunu, and the Bhunga Building in Mthatha. A third site, Mvezo, is not currently operated by the museum. Here there are exhibitions that celebrate his life and his journey, including Gift to the Nation, which showcases the gifts he has received from the people, institutions and governments around the world, and a collection of images and artefacts that illustrate and illuminate his life. The Nelson Mandela Museum is situated on the N2 highway and is the gateway to the Wild Coast. It offers a memorable cultural experience that gives insight into the life of Nelson Mandela, with guided tours and a heritage trail that follows his in his footsteps.

The Castle of Good Hope is known locally as "The Castle". Its Dutch name is "Kasteel de Goede Hoop" and is a bastion fort built in the 17th century in Cape Town, South Africa. The Castle was originally located on the coastline of Table Bay but, following reclamation, the fort is now located a short distance inland within the Central Business District. The Castle was declared a historical monument (now a provincial heritage site) in 1936. Following restoration work in the 1980s, it is considered the best preserved example of a 17th century architectural structure in the entire world. In 1652, the Dutch East India Company (DEIC) settled on the shores of Table Bay to establish a refreshment base for ships en route from Europe to East Asia and to maintain its monopoly over the Spice Trade. Built by the DEIC between 1666 and 1679, the Castle of Good Hope is the oldest existing colonial building in South Africa. It replaced an older fort called the Fort de Goede Hoop which was constructed from clay and timber and built by Jan van Riebeeck, the first Commander of the Cape. During 1664, tensions between Britain and the Netherlands rose amid rumours of war. That same year, Commander Zacharias Wagenaer, successor to Jan van Riebeeck, was instructed by Commissioner Isbrand Goske to build a pentagonal fortress out of stone. The first stone was laid on 2 January 1666. Work was interrupted frequently because the DEIC was reluctant to spend money on the project. On 26 April 1679, the five bastions were named after the main titles of William III of Orange-Nassau: Leerdam to the west, with Buuren, Katzenellenbogen, Nassau, and Oranje clockwise from it. In 1682 the gated entry replaced the old entrance, which had faced the sea. A bell tower, situated over the main entrance, was built in 1684—the original bell, the oldest in South Africa, was cast in Amsterdam in 1697 and weighs just over 300 kilograms (660lb). It was used to announce the time, as well as warning citizens in case of danger, since it could be heard 10 kilometres away. It was also rung to summon residents and soldiers when important announcements needed to be made. The fortress housed a church, bakery, various workshops, living quarters, shops, and cells, among other facilities. The yellow paint on the walls was originally chosen because it lessened the effect of heat and the sun. A wall, built to protect citizens in case of an attack, divides the inner courtyard, which also houses the De Kat Balcony – now with the “Kings of the Castle” statues in front of it. The original balcony was built in 1695, but rebuilt in its current form between 1786 and 1790. From the balcony, announcements were made to soldiers, slaves and burghers (town inhabitants) of the Cape. During the Second Boer War (1899–1902), part of the castle was used as a prison, and the former cells remain to this day. The Castle acted as local headquarters for the South African Army in the Western Cape, and today houses the Castle Military Museum and ceremonial facilities for the traditional Cape Regiments. The Castle is also the home of the Cape Town Highlanders Regiment, a mechanised infantry unit.

Tra il 1760 e il 1763 il conte Vittorio Amedeo Costa di Carrù e Trinità, che fu governatore di Novara e poi vicerè di Sardegna, dava incarico all’architetto Birago di Borgaro per la costruzione del suo palazzo affacciato su via San Francesco da Paola. Al palazzo venne successivamente annesso il complesso detto “delle Cascine”, frutto di acquisti di case da reddito che si affacciavano sulle attuali vie Giolitti e Accademia Albertina. Nel 1837 nella proprietà delle Cascine venne a collocarsi il Ricovero delle figlie della Misericordia, istituzione assistenziale fondata in connessione con le Dame della Carità di san Vincenzo de’ Paoli, da Luigia Alfieri che ne affidò il funzionamento alle Figlie della Carità; l’opera venne proseguita dopo la sua morte da Luisa Costa, moglie di Cesare Alfieri, e da Costanza Alfieri marchesa Tapparelli d’Azeglio. Nel 1882 moriva la contessa Costanza Luserna di Rorà, vedova del conte Costa di Carrù e Trinità, che a sua volta aveva fondato il “Ritiro Carrù” e che con testamento segreto lasciava precise disposizioni sull’utilizzo del palazzo di via Accademia. Nel 1882 il conte Carlo Alfieri affidò, in accordo con Paolo Costa della Trinità, l’amministrazione provvisoria del Ritiro Alfieri, al quale era di fatto unito il Ritiro Carrù, all’ing. Melchiorre Pulciano. A questi il conte Costa dà incarico, tra il 1892 e il 1896, per «opere di sistemazione del fabbricato». Nel 1896 avvenne la fusione ufficiale dei due ritiri in un unico Istituto che funzionava come educandato per fanciulle cattoliche di non agiata condizione. Negli anni della seconda Guerra mondiale l’edificio ospitò altre istituzioni, come l’Educatorio della Provvidenza e un ospedale del Sovrano Militare Ordine di Malta provvisto di ambulatorio medico chirurgico e pediatrico. Subì gravi danni alle coperture e all’ultimo piano che furono interamente rifatti. Nella seconda metà del secolo scorso l’Istituto fu trasformato in convitto femminile con 75 posti letto sostituendo le originarie camerate in camere a due letti. All’inizio del 2003 venne elaborato un progetto di ristrutturazione e restauro conservativo che venne sottoposto alla Compagnia di San Paolo e alla Fondazione CRT che si fecero carico dei lavori di ristrutturazione. Between 1760 and 1763, Count Vittorio Amedeo Costa di Carrù e Trinità, who was governor of Novara and then viceroy of Sardinia, commissioned the architect Birago di Borgaro to build his palace overlooking via San Francesco da Paola. The complex called “delle Cascine” was subsequently annexed to the palace, the result of the purchase of income-generating houses that overlooked the current via Giolitti and Accademia Albertina. In 1837 on the property of the Cascine the Shelter of the Daughters of Mercy was placed, a welfare institution founded in connection with the Ladies of Charity of St. Vincent de 'Paoli, by Luigia Alfieri who entrusted its operation to the Daughters of Charity; the work was continued after his death by Luisa Costa, wife of Cesare Alfieri, and by Costanza Alfieri marquise Tapparelli d'Azeglio. In 1882 Countess Costanza Luserna di Rorà died, widow of Count Costa di Carrù and Trinità, who in turn had founded the “Carrù Retreat” and who with a secret will left precise provisions on the use of the building in Via Accademia. In 1882 Count Carlo Alfieri entrusted, in agreement with Paolo Costa della Trinità, the provisional administration of the Retiro Alfieri, to which the Retiro Carrù was in fact joined, to Eng. Melchiorre Pulciano. To these Count Costa gave assignment, between 1892 and 1896, for "works to refurbish the building". In 1896, the two retreats were officially merged into a single institute that functioned as a boarding school for Catholic girls of not well-off conditions. In the years of the Second World War the building housed other institutions, such as the Educatory of Providence and a hospital of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta equipped with a medical, surgical and pediatric clinic. It suffered serious damage to the roofs and the top floor which were entirely redone. In the second half of the last century, the Institute was transformed into a boarding school with 75 beds, replacing the original dormitories with two-bed rooms. At the beginning of 2003 a renovation and conservative restoration project was elaborated which was submitted to the Compagnia di San Paolo and to the CRT Foundation which took charge of the renovation works.

Francesca Guicciardini nasce a Firenze nel 1978 da una storica famiglia fiorentina, qui studia presso l’istituto d’arte di Porta Romana, seguendo lezioni di decorazione e grafica. Durante questi anni inizia a sperimentare la pittura murale, prima direttamente sui muri di casa propria, poi per piccoli committenti fiorentini. Nel 1997 si diploma e si rasferisce a Roma, dove inizia a studiare computer grafica, alternando gli studi a decorazioni per committenze in giro per l’Italia. Lavora per un paio d'anni come grafica per l’artista romani Matteo Basilè, segue un corso di montaggio video presso Cinecittà per realizzare documentari durante i suoi lunghi viaggi nel sud del mondo, dove si porta sempre dietro l’occorrente per realizzare gli acquarelli che ispirano i suoi lavori di decorazione. Dal 1999 ad oggi ha decorato svariati muri, ville, casali e locali pubblici in giro per il mondo, specializzata nella decorazione “classica” (molto in voga nelle ville toscane del xix secolo), Francesca ha saputo coniugare gli studi di grafica, all’arte orientale conosciuta durante i viaggi in Asia, senza dimenticare il Rinascimento fiorentino che l’ha circondata e ispirata durante la sua formazione artistica. As a young girl, raised in one of the oldest Florentine families, Francesca began by painting the walls of her mother's home, and it was while still at the Art Institute that she began to receive her first commissions. Over the years, she has applied her talent as an artist and eye for design to walls all around Italy. She always prefers to work closely with her commissioner and since her days as a young student, she has painted Florentine apartments, ancient Roman villas, Tuscan country homes, and public spaces. After her studies, she moved to Rome, where her talent was nurtured by her work for the Roman artist Matteo Basilè. At the same time she was also specializing in graphic design and editing, and it was her capacity in her studies that bought her to Cinecitta' where she directed small documentaries based on her voyages around the world. Francesca's passion for travel has bought her to some of the most remote and beautiful places in the world. Her travels could last up to a whole year if she felt inspired. The result of these travels has been an extraordinary collection and study of the various decorative themes and ornaments she encountered along the way. Today Francesca specializes in combining the knowledge she has acquired over the years, and during her travels, to work on some of the most important walls in Europe. Her main passion remains classical decoration, a reminder of the Italian Renaissance that surrounded her most of her life, but her originality comes from joining this innate passion with her knowledge as a designer and avid traveler.

El Hostal de los Reyes Católicos es un edificio que fue construido en el año 1492. En 1501, este edificio fue destinado por los Reyes Católicos para atender a los enfermos y peregrinos del divino Xacobe, según se puede leer en la inscripción latina que recorre el friso superior de la portada. El proyecto de las obras se debe al arquitecto real Enrique Egas. Delante de la fachada se puede ver una fuerte cadena del siglo XVI sostenida por pilares esmeradamente tallados que delimita la propiedad del hospital y que tiene su origen en las disputas de propiedad entre el Ayuntamiento y las autoridades del hospital. Cuenta con una hermosa portada plateresca, obra de los maestros franceses Martín de Blas y Guillén de Colás. En las pilastras de esta portada podemos ver de abajo arriba, las figuras de Adán, Santa Catalina y San Juan Bautista en la izquierda y las de Eva, Santa Lucía y María Magdalena en la derecha. En el friso de la puerta, estructurada a modo de arco triunfal romano, aparecen alineadas las figuras de los doce apóstoles. En las pechinas sobre el arco se pueden ver los medallones que recogen los bustos de los reyes Isabel y Fernando. Sobre el friso, en el cuerpo superior se abre la ventana del Aposento Real, reservado para hospedar a los monarcas cuando acudieran a Compostela, esta parte se encuentra bordeada por las imágenes de Cristo, la Virgen, Santiago, San Juan Evangelista, San Pedro y San Pablo. Dos grandes escudos, con las armas de Castilla flanquean así mismo, la portada. Recorriendo todo el frente del edificio vemos los balcones diseñados por fray Tomás Alonso, apoyados en ménsulas muy trabajadas que representan figuras fantasiosas. La cornisa se decora con una minuciosa cadena en la que sobresalen grotescas y obscenas gárgolas. El espacio interior está estructurado en una planta rectangular con cuatro patios. El más artístico de estos patios es el que se encuentra de primero al entrar del lado izquierdo, en el que destaca sobre todo, la puerta que conduce a la antigua sala de San Luis. El interior del Hostal alberga una hermosa capilla ojival, declarada Monumento Nacional en 1912. La parte más interesante de esta capilla de planta de cruz latina, situada entre los cuatro patios, es el crucero al que se accede a través de un enrejado de hierro de hermosa factura, obra del cerrajero francés Guillén. La bóveda del crucero, confeccionada en piedra litográfica de Coimbra, es de una bellísima filigrana.

La Catedral de Santiago de Compostela es una construcción medieval que se encuentra ubicada en la capital de Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, al noreste de España. Esta construcción fue iniciada en el año 1075, bajo el reinado de Alfonso VI y promovida por el obispo Diego Peláez. Inicialmente, el edificio contaba con tres naves y una planta de cruz latina, que abarcaba una superficie de 8.300 metros cuadrados. Aunque la estructura medieval se ha mantenido en lo fundamental, a lo largo de los siglos la Catedral ha ido variando su fisonomía con construcciones como la del Claustro y sus espacios anejos durante el Renacimiento. Así como la construcción de la capilla mayor, los órganos, el cierre de la cabecera o la fachada del Obradoiro, entre otras importantes actuaciones que se realizaron durante la época del Barroco. Durante el Neoclasicismo se realizó la nueva fachada de la Azabachería y en los últimos cien años se han seguido realizando diversas actuaciones. Por esta razón, hoy en día la edificación reúne diversos estilos arquitectónicos tales como el románico, el gótico, el barroco, el plateresco y el neoclásico. La entrada principal es conocida como el Pórtico de la Gloria y fue construida por el Maestro Mateo en el 1188. En ella se albergan dos centenares de figuras alusivas al Apocalipsis, dentro de las cuales destaca la figura del Apóstol Santiago que parece dar la bienvenida a los peregrinos. La fachada del Obradoiro de la Catedral es obra de Fernando de Casas y Novoa, y está considerada como una de las expresiones máximas del barroco español. El Altar Mayor es de estilo barroco, debajo del cual se encuentra la cripta del Apóstol Santiago. La catedral de Santiago de Compostela se ha convertido en un atractivo turístico y religioso ya que es el final del viaje de los peregrinos que deciden realizar el “Camino de Santiago”, recorrido que parte desde distintos lugares de Europa. Este trayecto, es conocido como el Primer Itinerario Cultural Europeo y Patrimonio de la Humanidad, y es una de las más antiguas y principales vías de peregrinación de la cristiandad. Desde el descubrimiento del sepulcro del Apóstol Santiago, innumerables peregrinos se han puesto en camino hacia la Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, para venerar sus reliquias, conformando así toda una cultura jacobea a lo largo de Europa. Como atractivo turístico, también se encuentra el Museo Catedral de Santiago que le permite a los visitantes profundizar su conocimiento en la historia y el arte de la Catedral, a través de sus diferentes espacios y las exposiciones temporales que se organizan con regularidad.

The Tower of London, founded by William the Conqueror in 1066, is one of the world’s most famous fortresses, and one of Britain’s most visited historic sites. Despite a grim reputation for a place of torture and death, there are so many more stories to be told about the Tower. This powerful and enduring symbol of the Norman Conquest has been enjoyed as a royal palace, served as an armoury and even housed a zoo! An intriguing cast of characters have played their part: including the dastardly jewel-thief Colonel Blood, tragic Lady Jane Grey and maverick zookeeper Albert Cops. The Tower of London played an important role in the First and Second World Wars. From training WWI recruits in the Tower moat including the Royal Fusiliers (whose headquarters and museum still exists at the Tower of London today), to guarding the infamous Nazi prisoner of war Rudolph Hess, during each devastating conflict the Tower returned to its former role as a military store, barracks and prison. And it became, once again, a grim place of execution for enemies of the state. A total of 12 spies were executed behind the Tower's walls. In 2014 and again in 2018, The Tower of London commemorated the centenary of WWI with two major installations. In 2014, ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ marked Britain’s first full day of involvement in the war by filling the moat with 888,246 ceramic poppies while in 2018, ‘Beyond the Deepening Shadows: The Tower Remembers’ saw the moat filled with thousands of flames that commemorated those who lost their lives. Within days of Britain's announcement to enter WWI, young men who worked near the Tower in the City answered the call to enlist. Some formed volunteer brigades with friends or work colleagues. 1300 men who worked for city firms joined the City of London Battalion, pictured here in the Tower moat, waiting to swear the oath of allegiance. By the turn of the 20th Century the Tower of London was seen as a tourist attraction, but the Tower never formally dissolved its function as a garrison, prison and execution site. The fortress actively carried out all three roles during the war, even as it remained open to visitors.

Taos Pueblo is the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. The multi-story adobe buildings have been continuously inhabited for over a 1,000 years. The Pueblo is 3 miles northeast of Taos Plaza. Archaeologists say that ancestors of the Taos Indians lived in this valley long before Columbus discovered America and hundreds of years before Europe emerged from the Dark Ages. Ancient ruins in the Taos Valley indicate our people lived here nearly 1000 years ago. The main part of the present buildings were most likely constructed between 1000 and 1450 A.D. They appeared much as they do today when the first Spanish explorers arrived in Northern New Mexico in 1540 and believed that the Pueblo was one of the fabled golden cities of Cibola. The two structures called Hlauuma (north house) and Hlaukwima (south house) are said to be of similar age. They are considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States. The Pueblo is made entirely of adobe – earth mixed with water and straw, then either poured into forms or made into sun-dried bricks. The walls are frequently several feet thick. The roofs of each of the five stories are supported by vigas – large timbers hauled down from the mountain forests. Smaller pieces of wood – pine or aspen latillas – are placed side-by-side on top of the vigas; the whole roof is covered with packed dirt. The outside surfaces of the Pueblo are continuously maintained by re plastering with thin layers of mud. Interior walls are carefully coated with thin washes of white earth to keep them clean and bright. The Pueblo is actually many individual homes, built side-by-side and in layers, with common walls but no connecting doorways. In earlier days there were no doors or windows and entry was gained only from the top.

For almost 100 years, Monticello has been maintained and kept open to the public by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc., which owns over 2,500 acres of Jefferson's 5,000-acre plantation. As a private, nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation, the Foundation receives no ongoing federal, state, or local funding in support of its dual mission of preservation and education. Monticello is the autobiographical masterpiece of Thomas Jefferson—designed and redesigned and built and rebuilt for more than forty years—and its gardens were a botanic showpiece, a source of food, and an experimental laboratory of ornamental and useful plants from around the world. Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s plantation near Charlottesville, Va., was the center of his world. To understand Jefferson, one must understand Monticello; it can be seen as his autobiographical statement. Monticello encompassed a house, an ornamental landscape, a farm, a plantation, a small mountain, and a large and diverse community. It encapsulated the interests, talents, ideals, ambitions, and realities of its creative and complex owner. In 1923, Monticello was purchased by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, a private nonprofit corporation and was opened as a public attraction in 1924. Since then, the Foundation has instituted numerous research and educational programs and major restoration and renovation projects, and Monticello has attracted more than 27 million people. Today, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation remains committed to a twofold mission: preservation – to conserve, protect, and maintain Monticello in a manner which leaves it enhanced and unimpaired for future generations – and education – to interpret and present Thomas Jefferson to the widest possible audiences, including scholars and the general public. Monticello is a National Historic Landmark, an international Site of Conscience, and the only presidential house in the United States designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation seeks to bring history forward into national and global dialogues. The Foundation seeks to facilitate conversations and to use its extensive research and knowledge to stimulate interactions on a variety of topics that were of keen interest to Jefferson, the most powerful of which are liberty and self government. Through virtual, off-site and on-site engagement, the Foundation seeks to excite the world about Jefferson’s relevance today and ignite a passion for history.

"The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World" was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States and is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886. It was designated as a National Monument in 1924. Employees of the National Park Service have been caring for the colossal copper statue since 1933. In 1865, a French political intellectual and anti-slavery activist named Edouard de Laboulaye proposed that a statue representing liberty be built for the United States. This monument would honor the United States' centennial of independence and the friendship with France. French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi supported de Laboulaye's idea and in 1870 began designing the statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World." While Bartholdi was designing the Statue, he also took a trip to the United States in 1871. During the trip, Bartholdi selected Bedloe's Island as the site for the Statue. Although the island was small, it was visible to every ship entering New York Harbor, which Bartholdi viewed as the "gateway to America." In 1876, French artisans and craftsmen began constructing the Statue in France under Bartholdi's direction. The arm holding the torch was completed in 1876 and shown at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The head and shoulders were completed in 1878 and displayed at the Paris Universal Exposition. The entire Statue was completed and assembled in Paris between 1881 and 1884. Also in 1884, construction on the pedestal began in the United States. After the Statue was presented to Levi P Morton, the U.S. minister to France, on July 4, 1884 in Paris, it was disassembled and shipped to the United States aboard the French Navy ship, Isère. The Statue arrived in New York Harbor on June 17, 1885, and was met with great fanfare. Unfortunately, the pedestal for the Statue was not yet complete and the entire structure was not reassembled on Bedloe's Island until 1886. Once the pedestal was completed in 1886, the Statue was reassembled with surprising speed by a fearless construction crew - many of whom were new immigrants. The first piece of the Statue to be reconstructed was Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel's iron framework. The rest of the Statue's elements followed without the use of scaffolding - all construction materials were hoisted up by steam driven cranes and derricks. In order to sculpt the Statue's skin Eiffel used the repoussé technique developed by Eugene Viollet-le-Duc. This technique was the process of molding light-weight copper sheets by hammering them onto the Statue's hallowed wooden framework. The last section to be completed was the Statue of Liberty's face which remained veiled until the Statue's dedication. Although Fort Wood remained on Bedloe's Island, it was not an obstacle in the design, construction, or reassembly of the Statue of Liberty. Instead, the star-shaped structure became a part of the Statue's base - the pedestal sits within its walls. On October 28, 1886, the statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World" was officially unveiled. The day's wet and foggy weather did not stop some one million New Yorkers from turning out to cheer for The Statue of Liberty. Parades on land and sea honored the Statue while flags and music filled the air and the official dedication took place beneath the colossus "glistening with rain." When it was time for Bartholdi to release the tricolor French flag that veiled Liberty's face, a roar of guns, whistles, and applause sounded. In 1982, four years before the Statue's centennial anniversary, President Ronald Reagan appointed Lee Iacocca, the Chairman of Chrysler Corporation, to head the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation. The Foundation was created to lead the private sector effort and raise the funds for the renovation and preservation of the Statue for its centennial in 1986. The Foundation worked with the National Park Service to plan, oversee, and implement this restoration. A team of French and American architects, engineers, and conservators came together to determine what was needed to ensure the Statue's preservation into the next century. In 1984, scaffolding was erected around the exterior of the Statue and construction began on the interior. Workers repaired holes in the copper skin and removed layers of paint from the interior of the copper skin and internal iron structure. They replaced the rusting iron armature bars (which joined the copper skin to the Statue's internal skeleton) with stainless steel bars. The flame and upper portion of the torch had been severely damaged by water and was replaced with an exact replica of Bartholdi's original torch. The torch was gilded according to Bartholdi's original plans. The restoration was completed in 1986 and the Statue's centennial was celebrated on July 4 with fireworks and fanfare. On July 5th, a new Statue of Liberty exhibit opened in the base of the pedestal.

The Great Living Chola Temples were built by kings of the Chola Empire, which stretched over all of south India and the neighbouring islands. The site includes three great 11th- and 12th-century Temples: the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram. The Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram, built by Rajendra I, was completed in 1035. Its 53-m vimana (sanctum tower) has recessed corners and a graceful upward curving movement, contrasting with the straight and severe tower at Thanjavur. The Airavatesvara temple complex, built by Rajaraja II, at Darasuram features a 24-m vimana and a stone image of Shiva. The temples testify to the brilliant achievements of the Chola in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting. The great Cholas established a powerful monarchy in the 9th CE at Thanjavur and in its surroundings. They enjoyed a long, eventful rule lasting for four and a half centuries with great achievements in all fields of royal endeavour such as military conquest, efficient administration, cultural assimilation and promotion of art. All three temples, the Brihadisvara at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara at Gangaikondacholapuram and Airavatesvara at Darasuram, are living temples. The tradition of temple worship and rituals established and practised over a thousand years ago, based on still older Agamic texts, continues daily, weekly and annually, as an inseparable part of life of the people. These three temple complexes therefore form a unique group, demonstrating a progressive development of high Chola architecture and art at its best and at the same time encapsulating a very distinctive period of Chola history and Tamil culture. The Brihadisvara temple at Tanjavur marks the greatest achievement of the Chola architects. Known in the inscriptions as Dakshina Meru, the construction of this temple was inaugurated by the Chola King, Rajaraja I (985-1012 CE) possibly in the 19th regal year (1003-1004 CE) and consecrated by his own hands in the 25th regal year (1009-1010 CE). A massive colonnaded prakara with sub-shrines dedicated to the ashatadikpalas and a main entrance with gopura (known as Rajarajantiruvasal) encompasses the massive temple. The sanctum itself occupies the centre of the rear half of the rectangular court. The vimana soars to a height of 59.82meters over the ground. This grand elevation is punctuated by a high upapitha, adhisthana with bold mouldings; the ground tier (prastara) is divided into two levels, carrying images of Siva. Over this rises the 13 talas and is surmounted by an octagonal sikhara. There is a circumambulatory path all around the sanctum housing a massive linga. The temple walls are embellished with expansive and exquisite mural paintings. Eighty-one of the one hundred and eight karanas, posed in Baharatanatya, are carved on the walls of second bhumi around the garbhagriha. There is a shrine dedicated to Amman dating to c.13th century. Outside the temple enclosure are the fort walls of the Sivaganga Little Fort surrounded by a moat, and the Sivaganga Tank, constructed by the Nayaks of Tanjore of the 16th century who succeeded the imperial Cholas. The fort walls enclose and protect the temple complex within and form part of the protected area by the Archaeological Survey of India. These temples represent the development of Dravida architecture from Chola period to Maratha Period. All three monuments have been in a good state of preservation from the date of the inscription of the property and no major threats affect the World Heritage monuments. These monuments are being maintained and monitored by the Archaeological Survey of India. The tradition of temple worship and rituals established and practiced over a thousand years ago, based on still older Agamic texts, continues daily, weekly and annually, as an inseparable part of life of the people.

En 1900, cuando se inició la construcción del Park Güell, Barcelona era una metrópolis moderna y cosmopolita que basaba su economía en la potencia de su industria y que superaba el medio millón de habitantes. Ya hacía casi medio siglo que se habían derribado sus murallas y la ciudad nueva, el Ensanche proyectado por el ingeniero Ildefons Cerdà, había crecido de manera espectacular a partir de 1860. Fue la mayor operación urbanística del siglo XIX en Europa. Eusebi Güell encargó a Gaudí el proyecto de hacer una urbanización para familias acomodadas en una gran finca que había adquirido en la zona conocida popularmente como la Montaña Pelada. Su situación era inmejorable, en un entorno saludable y con unas espléndidas vistas del mar y la llanura de Barcelona. En la urbanización se preveían unas 60 parcelas con forma triangular, con una compleja red de caminos, viaductos y escaleras que salvaban la topografía del terreno. Güell quería recrear los parques residenciales británicos y por ese motivo lo llamó Park Güell, en inglés. Gaudí respetó la vegetación existente en la antigua finca, como los algarrobos y los olivos. En cuanto a la introducción de nuevas especies, optó por plantas mediterráneas con baja demanda de agua. Asimismo, ideó diversos sistemas de captación y almacenamiento de agua a partir de los sistemas de riego que conocía del entorno rural de su niñez. De esa manera, tanto la vegetación como la gestión de los recursos hídricos contribuían a evitar la erosión del terreno ocasionada por las torrenciales lluvias mediterráneas, al tiempo que ayudaban a cubrir las necesidades de agua de los habitantes de la urbanización. Las complejas condiciones de la venta de las parcelas, mediante antiguos contratos enfitéuticos, la falta de un transporte adecuado y el carácter muy exclusivo de la urbanización la hicieron inviable. A falta de compradores, las obras se abandonaron en 1914. Solo se habían construido dos de las 60 casas previstas. El parque se convertía así en un gran jardín privado, que Güell cedía para actos públicos, mientras empezaba a aparecer en las guías turísticas de Barcelona como uno de los puntos de atracción de la ciudad. Eusebi Güell murió en su casa del Park Güell en 1918, y sus herederos ofrecieron al parque al Ayuntamiento, que acordó su compra en el pleno municipal celebrado el 26 de mayo de 1922. En 1926 se abrió como parque municipal. La casa de la familia Güell se habilitó como escuela pública, que adoptó el nombre del pedagogo catalán Baldiri Reixac, y la zona situada a la izquierda de la entrada se destinó a vivero de flores ornamentales para el Ayuntamiento. El Park Güell se convirtió así en un parque público muy apreciado por los barceloneses y en un importante foco de atracción de visitantes. Fue reconocido como monumento artístico en 1969 y fue declarado Patrimonio Cultural de la Humanidad por la UNESCO en 1984.

Casa Batlló se sitúa en el número 43 de Paseo de Gracia, una calle que antiguamente unía la ciudad con la Villa de Gracia, hoy plenamente integrada como barrio de la ciudad. Originalmente, el edificio fue construido en 1877 por Emilio Sala Cortés (uno de los profesores de arquitectura de Gaudí), cuando en Barcelona todavía no había luz eléctrica. En 1903 lo adquirió D. Josep Batlló y Casanovas, un industrial textil propietario de varias fábricas en Barcelona y destacado hombre de negocios. D. Josep Batlló concedió total libertad creativa a Antoni Gaudí, encargándole unas obras que en principio consistían en derribar el edificio. Sin embargo, gracias la audacia de Gaudí, se descartó el derrumbe de la Casa, llevando a cabo una reforma integral entre 1904 y 1906. El arquitecto cambió completamente la fachada, redistribuyendo la tabiquería interior, ampliando el patio de luces y haciendo de su interior una auténtica obra de arte. Además de su valor artístico, la obra reviste una enorme funcionalidad, más propia de nuestro tiempo que del pasado. Incluso hay quien ve en ella elementos precursores de las vanguardias arquitectónicas de finales del s. XX. La Casa Batlló dejó de pertenecer a la familia Batlló en la década de los 50. Tras acoger diferentes empresas y particulares, desde la década de los 90 el edificio está en manos de los actuales propietarios, la familia Bernat, quien ha restaurado íntegramente la casa. En 1995 la familia abre la casa a la sociedad y presenta esta joya arquitectónica al mundo, ofreciendo el espacio para eventos. A partir de 2002, coincidiendo con el Año Internacional Gaudí, Casa Batlló acoge también visitas culturales. Ambas actividades se desarrollan en la actualidad innovando constantemente en su oferta y contenidos. Actualmente, Casa Batlló es Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO y un icono de Barcelona, una parada imprescindible para conocer la obra de Gaudí y el modernismo en su máxima expresión. También es uno de los atractivos culturales y turísticos mejor valorados, acogiendo a 1 millón de visitantes al año.

The Bukhara Museum was established in November 8, 1922. Since 1945, the museum has been situated in the Ark citadel, the former residence of the Bukharan emirs. And that’s where the main office of the museum is located. In 1985, the museum got the status of the Bukhara State Art-Architectural Museum-Preserve. The museum-preserve consists of six branches, including 18 permanent exhibitions placed in the architectural monuments. In the depositories of the museum-preserve, there are over 100000 objects, representing material and spiritual culture of the region. Bukhara is one of the most famous and picturesque cities in Central Asia. This is an amazing museum city, where a large number of cultural and architectural monuments from different eras are concentrated - in total, there are more than 140 structures and buildings from the Middle Ages alone. The historical center of Bukhara, along with its sights, is included in the list of World Heritage Sites, compiled by UNESCO. For 100 years, within the walls of the museum, wonderful collections of archeological items, numismatics and epigraphy, arts and crafts, books and documents, everyday life and ethnography, a collection of paintings, graphics and sculptures, etc. have been collected and carefully kept. All these items are exhibited in numerous expositions and exhibitions of the museum-reserve and reflect the richest history of Bukhara. The collection of the Bukhara Museum-Reserve is represented by primary sources and material evidence of the history of the Bukhara oasis and covers almost all spheres of public life in the region. The closest analogues of the Bukhara Museum-Reserve are the museums of Novgorod, Vladimir-Suzdal, Venice, Athens, Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum, the State Hermitage.