Few palaces can match the sheer extravagance of France’s Château de Versailles. Sitting just outside Paris, this former residence of French kings lets visitors step into the world of royalty. The grand complex was ordered by Louis XIV, who shifted the nation’s government to Versailles in 1682 and wanted a palace worthy of his reign’s … Read more
The Tower of London has been many things over its nearly thousand-year history—a fortress, a palace, a prison, even a place of execution—standing tall on the banks of the River Thames in the heart of Great Britain. Back in the 1080s, William the Conqueror started building the White Tower as the centerpiece of his London stronghold, not long after he … Read more
UNESCO recently added several new sites of “outstanding universal value” to its prestigious World Heritage List. Among the 34 new additions (37, if you count previously recognized sites with significant boundary changes) are the Trans-Iranian Railway, Europe’s grand spa towns, a historic French lighthouse, 14th-century Italian frescoes, adobe mosques in Côte d’Ivoire, an ancient solar … Read more
Towering volcanic rock formations that look like “fairy chimneys.” A prehistoric world once ruled by dinosaurs. An underground labyrinth where gladiators and wild beasts once clashed. These are just a few of the incredible places around the world honored with World Heritage status by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). And they … Read more
Perched on hilltops across Andalusia, Spain, clusters of whitewashed villages dot the countryside. But these pueblos blancos share more than just striking architecture—they were built centuries ago to protect communities from invaders during times of conflict. Today, the battles are over, but the sense of community remains. One such village, Algar, recently started a campaign to get … Read more
Around 4,500 years ago, a massive stone structure aligned with the sun’s movements was built on England’s Salisbury Plain—by a civilization that had no metal tools, horses, or wheels. Even today, many mysteries remain about how and why Stonehenge was constructed. But thanks to modern technology, researchers are uncovering new clues about these ancient puzzles. … Read more
France’s Palace of Versailles was built to leave visitors in awe. It wasn’t just the massive scale, the endless marble, or the stunning frescoes that amazed 17th-century guests (and still dazzle eight million visitors every year). The gardens, too, were a display of Louis XIV’s dominance, showcasing the meticulous artistry that made André Le Nôtre’s jardin … Read more
On a remote peninsula in Western Australia, a 16-hour drive from the nearest city, faces carved 30,000 years ago gaze at the few visitors who make it to this wild place. These ancient human depictions are part of Murujuga, home to one of the largest collections of rock art in the world—older than Egypt’s pyramids … Read more
Back in December 2016, Vienna’s city government in Austria shared what seemed like great news: A public-private partnership had come together to construct a brand-new ice-skating rink right outside the historic Wiener Konzerthaus, a venue over a century old. If you’ve ever been to Vienna—the dazzling hometown of legends like Beethoven, Mozart, and Freud—two things … Read more