Industrialist Josep Batlló hired Gaudí in 1907 to give his plain building a facelift. He ended up with a fantastic yet functional abode. I’ll let the images do most of the talking. Gaudí designed a new undulating façade of glass, stone and mosaics, complete with curvy windows and wavy balconies. Like the facade, the interior […]
Archive | See RSS feed for this section
La Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Barcelona, or La Seu
Barcelona’s stunning 15th-century Gothic cathedral is dedicated to local martyr Santa Eulàlia, whose tomb rests in a crypt below the high altar. The cathedral sits on the site previously occupied by a Roman temple and a Christian basilica. The neo-Gothic façade is relatively new, having been completed in the 19th century. I didn’t get to […]
Palau Güell, Barcelona
Antoni Gaudí left his modernisme mark all over Barcelona. His very unique, very imaginative architectural and design style enlivens a number of buildings around town. Palau Güell is an example of Gaudì’s early work, when he was cultivating his own expression of form and space. Industrialist Eusebi Güell commissioned Antoni Gaudì to construct this unique, […]
Castello Sforzesco, Milan
Milan’s most important Renaissance building was originally a 14th-century fortress, complete with massive fortifications, a moat, barracks, a prison and a courtyard, before being converted to a residence by then-duke Franceso Sforza. Upcoming artist Leonardo da Vinci frescoed many of the rooms. The tower and much of the building is rebuilt and the courtyard, Cortile […]
Duomo di Milano
In Milan, most main streets lead straight to the enormous cathedral and the ones that don’t, encircle it. Such a layout is a tip-off to the important role the Duomo has always held. This is Europe’s third largest cathedral (St. Peter’s and the cathedral in Seville are bigger). Work began in the 14th century but […]
Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio, Milan
This basilica was founded in 379 AD by Milan’s patron saint, Saint Ambrose. It remains one of the few remaining examples of medieval Lombard architecture, though it underwent numerous restorations and reconstructions throughout the years. One showpiece is the decorative canopy supported by four ancient Roman columns. Under the canopy is an elaborate 9th-century gold […]
Chiesa di San Lorenzo Maggiore, Milan
This 4th-century octagonal basilica is the oldest church in Milan. It was substantially rebuilt in the 11th century after a devastating fire and numerous earthquakes, heavily renovated in the 16th century and completely restored in the 1930s. Since it was built on unstable, marshy ground, the entire structure sits on enormous blocks of foundation taken […]
Museo Poldi-Pezzoli, Milan
Museo Poldi-Pezzoli is my favorite art museum in Milan, mostly because it’s an outstanding collection and partly because I love viewing other people’s art in the context of their homes. 19th-century art collector Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli lived here. Pezzoli collected Italian Renaissance paintings and decorative arts such as porcelain, textiles and jewelry. Pezzoli’s family […]
Santa Maria delle Grazie and Cenacolo Vincianzo, Milan
The last time I visited Milan, I didn’t have the foresight to get tickets for the Last Supper in advance. This time, being much older and a little wiser, I planned ahead and bought tickets online about a month in advance. It was worth it! No photos were allowed inside the refectory, which houses the […]
Domkirche St Rupert, Salzburg
This 17th-century Baroque cathedral is the third iteration to sit on this site, replacing two that were destroyed in fires. The first cathedral was built in the 8th century. The cavernous interior has beautiful ceiling frescoes, especially elaborate around the dome, and the small side chapels have intricate stucco work and cherubs. Inside is the […]
