What can I say about Fez, Morocco? It is a place that can only be experienced by walking the narrow labyrinth of its historic medina. One must squeeze through tiny alleys, breathe in the fumes of its ancient tanneries, and … Continued
The highlight of the Alhambra is the Nasrid Palace. This 13th century palace is the pinnacle of Spanish Islamic architecture. Even after the Reconquista at the end of the 15th century, the Spanish monarchies maintained the architectural details of the … Continued
To Ottoman sultans and their courts Topkapi Palace was home in Istanbul. This large palace complex includes royal living quarters, meeting and consultation rooms, libraries, a harem, and much more. In the Ottoman tradition, the rooms are all spectacularly decorated. … Continued
Blue Mosque Facing Hagia Sophia and built in part of the hippodrome is Istanbul’s most spectacular mosque. The Blue Mosque isn’t the largest, but perhaps the most significant in Istanbul. Built in the first two decades of the 17th century, … Continued
Many years ago, in my historic furnishings and architecture class I was introduced to Hagia Sophia. This Byzantine architecture of a massive building that still survived and was used 1,500 years later intrigued me more than any of the Gothic … Continued
I honestly didn’t know what to expect of my day layover in Kiev, Ukraine other than cold. I thought I would see some cool churches, the site of protests from a few years ago, and the LDS temple in the … Continued
Udaipur is a city pocked with palaces. In addition to the princess gardens, there is the large and magnificent City Palace on the hill over the lake’s edge; the Monsoon Palace on top of the nearby mountain (used as a … Continued