FEATURE image: July 1984. Marienplatz, Munich, Germany. 7.91mb 91%

Photographs and text by John P. Walsh.

Paris and London; Canterbury— (December 1976-January 1977):

Choosing Paris and London

Each year the senior class at Benet Academy spent Christmas break in London. In September 1976, the travel agent—“The World Is Your Schoolhouse,” as I recall—offered an alternative: replace some of the week in London with two nights in Paris. The group voted, and Paris won.

First Encounter with Gothic Architecture

In Paris, our first stop from Orly was Notre‑Dame Cathedral. Walking inside my first Gothic interior, my jaw simply dropped. That moment set the tone for what it meant to me to travel in Europe.

Chaperones and Ground Rules

We were chaperoned by two English teachers and their wives. The rule was simple: you could stay up all night if you wished, but you had to be at breakfast the next morning for that day’s touring.

Touring Paris

We visited the Louvre, Jeu de Paume, Eiffel Tower, the exterior of the soon‑to‑open Pompidou Center, the Arc de Triomphe, Sacré‑Cœur, and wandered the oldest streets of the Latin Quarter in search of its street life, medieval architecture, and student canteens. It whetted my appetite for future European travel.

Crossing to England

In the morning we took a charter bus to Calais, ferried across the English Channel to Dover, and stopped in Canterbury, arriving late afternoon on December 28—the eve of St. Thomas Becket’s feast day, marking his martyrdom in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, a major pilgrimage center since the 12th century. By nightfall we reached London.

London’s Theatrical Immersion

What struck me most in London was the sheer amount of theatre we chose to see: A Chorus Line, Equus, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Tom Stoppard’s new production of Jumpers. It was an unexpected cultural overload, and a defining part of the trip for me.

Food and Local Experiences

A group of us tried a medieval feast in a London hotel and later an East End Indian restaurant, widening our sense of the city’s food culture. Some of us even made speeches at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park.

Historic Sites and City Landmarks

We visited Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, watched the changing of the Horse Guard at Buckingham Palace, and shopped at Harrods and Selfridge’s on Oxford Street.

Lessons in Travel

From this trip I learned several principles for fitting international travel into a busy life:

1. Keep it short.
2. Go off‑season when possible.
3. Be well prepared, and return to the same destination if it rewards repetition — as Samuel Johnson put it, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
4. Work on the airplane

Europe—England, Wales, & Ireland (August 1978):

Knappogue Castle (1487), Co. Clare.

Three Weeks Across England, Wales, and Ireland (1978)

In 1978, I spent three weeks in England, Wales, and Ireland with my family on an American Express tour. London offered more theatre—Paul Scofield, Robert Morley—along with the British Museum, Westminster Abbey, Hampton Court, the Tube, and other staples of the city.

England and Wales: Castles, Cathedrals, and Cities

We visited Warwick Castle, Bath, Oxford, Bristol, Coventry, Stratford‑upon‑Avon, Salisbury, Chester, Liverpool, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll (the longest place name in Wales), and Holyhead, among many others.

Crossing to Ireland

We crossed the Irish Sea by ferry to Dún Laoghaire and continued to Jurys Hotel in Ballsbridge, where we stayed several days.

Touring Ireland

Our route took us south to Glendalough, New Ross (the Kennedy family homestead), Wexford, Waterford, Cork, the Blarney Stone, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, and the Dingle Peninsula—including beach locations used in Ryan’s Daughter. We continued to the Cliffs of Moher, Cong and its surroundings (The Quiet Man locations), Limerick, and more.

Ireland—Dublin (Summer 1979):

Trinity College (1592)

A Modernist Landmark at Trinity College

Opened in 1967, the Berkeley Library stands at Trinity College, Ireland’s oldest university, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. Located in the heart of Dublin, the building is a clear example of Brutalist architecture—exposed concrete, a monochrome palette, steel, timber, and glass—reflecting a mid‑20th‑century move away from nostalgic styles in the United Kingdom.

Naming and Intellectual Legacy

The library was named for George Berkeley (1685–1753), the 18th‑century philosopher whose ideas on perception and reality anticipate aspects of Albert Einstein’s work. Berkeley had been a Trinity fellow and, fittingly, a former librarian of the college. He is also the namesake of the University of California, Berkeley and Berkeley College at Yale University.

Renaming in 2023

In 2023, Trinity’s governing board removed Berkeley’s name from the library after acknowledging his role as a slave owner and defender of slavery. The decision marked a significant reassessment of institutional commemoration.

Research in 1979

In 1979, while researching Irish history from the 13th to 16th centuries, I used both the Berkeley Library and the Old Library (begun in 1712), along with the nearby National Library of Ireland (1877) on Kildare Street. see https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/05/09/berkeley-name-dropped-trinity-college-library – retrieved October 5, 2023.

O’Donoghue’s Bar on Merrion Row (1789; 1934)

Jury’s Hotel (1963)

July 1979 — The original Jury’s Hotel (later the Ballsbridge Hotel) on Pembroke Road in Ballsbridge, Dublin, built in 1963 as a joint venture with Aer Lingus to serve as the city’s premier modern Intercontinental‑class hotel. Rebranded as Jury’s in the early 1970s, the property became a landmark of Dublin’s first wave of post‑war functionalist modernism—its tall, modular, concrete‑gridded guestroom wing rising on the left. The b lining the parking dividers evoke the unmistakable aesthetic of John Hinde‑era postcards, while the dense lineup of 1970s European family cars—saloon cruisers and a bright yellow hatchback centered in the frame—anchors the scene firmly in the mid‑to‑late decade.

The hotel closed permanently in 2019 and was purchased by the U.S. Department of State. The entire 4.2‑acre brutalist complex was subsequently demolished, and the U.S. government is now investing to construct a new, highly secure embassy compound on the site. The palm trees, the concrete modernist façade, and the mid‑century hospitality landscape captured in this photograph are gone—replaced by a fortified American diplomatic zone.

July 1979 — Signage on the foot path commute from Sandymount to Trinity College.

St. Stephen’s Green (1163; 1880)

Restricted Access in the Early 19th Century

In the early nineteenth century, St. Stephen’s Green was reserved exclusively for the gentry. An iron gate installed in 1815 was kept locked, with keys issued only to local residents. Working‑class Dubliners and the poor were barred entirely.

Opening the Green to the Public

Access remained restricted until 1877, when Lord Ardilaun (Arthur Guinness, 1840–1915) secured legislation in Parliament to open the Green to the public. He also funded the redesign and layout of the park in 1880, giving it the form recognizable today.

A Cross‑Section of Dublin Life

Nearly a century later, in 1979, the Green drew a broad cross‑section of Dubliners—university students, professionals, tradesmen, families, and visitors—a democratic contrast to its earlier exclusivity.

U.S. Embassy (1964)

A Modernist Landmark in Ballsbridge

Known officially as the Chancery Building at 42 Elgin Road, the U.S. Embassy occupies one of Dublin’s most prestigious addresses and stands as one of the city’s signature modernist structures. It opened in May 1964 on a triangular plot between Elgin and Pembroke Roads in Ballsbridge. I walked past it daily in the summer of 1979 on my way from Sandymount to Trinity College and the National Library.

Design and Symbolism

Designed by John M. Johansen (1916–2012), a Harvard professor, and Irish architect Michael Scott (1905–1989), the embassy’s circular form was conceived as an homage to ancient Celtic monuments—especially Newgrange—as well as round stone forts and Martello towers. Its geometry also referenced the original Stars and Stripes, with 13 stars symbolizing the original states.

Security and Expansion

By 2024, the embassy had erected tall perimeter gates and purchased the former Jurys Hotel site to begin constructing a new, larger embassy, marking a significant expansion after sixty years at the Elgin Road location.

Historic Postal Strike Parade, O’Connell Street (1979)

Start of the 1979 Strike

The strike by the Irish Post Office Workers Union began on February 19, 1979 and lasted 18 weeks. The 1979 Irish postal strike was the longest in the country’s history and the first major national postal dispute since the 1922 Postal Strike. Mail delivery stopped entirely, so during that early summer I could neither send nor receive correspondence normally to and from the U.S. Slowly we found ways around the stoppage: handing correspondence to American contacts returning stateside who could post them there— effective for outbound mail, but useless for anything coming the other way.

End of the 1979 Strike

When the strike ended in late June, postal workers received an average raise of £10. Although deliveries resumed on June 18, the system remained backlogged for months.

Delayed Acceptance of Mail

First‑class mail was not accepted again until July 9, and packages not until July 18. For all practical purposes, the service stayed functionally disabled throughout the entire sojourn.

In summer 1979, we went frequently to E. Borza Fish and Chips in Sandymount, across from Sandymount Green. The busy Borza family shop at 5 Sandymount Green, run for many years by Bruno and Angela Borza, served generations of locals for more than fifty years before closing permanently in early 2019. The takeaway began frying fresh fish and hand‑cut Maris Piper potatoes at this location in 1965. An archival television segment filmed in 1979 showed the Borzas buying fresh whiting at the morning Dublin fish market to supply their popular trade.

Glendalough, 6th century

Functions and Structure of the Tower

The tower served multiple purposes: bell tower, lookout (two of its four compass‑point windows mark this), marker for visitors, storehouse, and refuge during attack. Rising nearly 100 feet, it has an entrance set about five feet above ground level. Built of mica‑slate and granite, it once contained six timber floors, with its four stories connected by a network of ladders and windows. The conical rooftop, rebuilt in 1876, used the original stones.

Two Visits, Two Experiences

In 1978, I visited the monastic settlement in relative ease and comfort with my family. The following year was entirely different. My roommate and I hitchhiked from Sandymount in Dublin to Enniskerry, slept outdoors near Powerscourt, and then walked much of the way into the wilderness of Sugar Loaf Mountain along the Old Military Road, built by the British during Wolfe Tone’s 1798 rebellion. Alone among sheep and peat bogs—the Liffey’s source lies here—we finally caught a ride to Laragh, stopped at Patsy’s for tea and scones, and continued to the hostel at the monastic site. After a beautiful first day, rain arrived that evening and stayed. We took the bus back to Dublin, showered, changed at the chalets, and later walked with two friends to Sandymount House on a busy Sunday night, settling in for talk and a couple of unforgettable Guinness pours.

St. Kevin of Glendalough

St. Kevin—my younger brother’s namesake—lived in the 6th century and is often compared to St. Francis of Assisi. Like Francis, Kevin wore rough clothing, slept on stones, ate sparingly, went barefoot, and devoted himself to prayer. He shared an extraordinary closeness to nature; animals and birds were his regular companions. St. Kevin of Glendalough was canonized in 1903 by Pope Pius X.

Galway City

Galway City to the Aran Islands

Inishmore (Aran Islands)

Dun Aengus (1100 B.C.), Inishmore

Inis Mór: The Largest Aran Island

Inis Mór, the largest of the three Aran Islands in Galway Bay, covers 12 square miles and has a population of under 1,000. It is part of the official Gaeltacht, where Irish remains the predominant language of the home.

Landscape and Local Life

The photograph shows the island’s typical rocky terrain, a defining feature of the Aran landscape. Late in a long day of touring, I stopped into a busy pub filled with locals for a Guinness. I was eventually after unsuccessfully catching the bartender’s eye for a while—an unhurried rhythm befitting the island.

Dún Aengus

The prehistoric hill fort of Dún Aengus, perched on the cliffs of Inis Mór, is one of Ireland’s most dramatic archaeological sites. Roughly half of the circular fort has fallen into the Atlantic Ocean 330 feet below. Excavations show that the fort dates back to at least 1100 B.C., anchoring the island’s human history deep in the prehistoric era.

Italy – May 1983:

Florence

Michelangelo’s David in Florence

Michelangelo’s David, carved c. 1501–1504, has stood in the Galleria dell’Accademia since 1873.

Symbol of Florentine Liberty

The biblical David became a civic emblem for Florence, representing the defense of civil liberties embedded in the 1494 republican constitution — an independent city‑state resisting pressure from larger regional powers and the ambitions of the Medici family.

Rome

La Dolce Vita, 1960

Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1960) features an ensemble cast led by Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg. According to Ekberg, the famous Trevi Fountain scene was filmed in late January. Mastroianni’s character, Marcello Rubini, is a tabloid journalist drifting through Rome in a fruitless search for its “sweet life.” The news photographer Paparazzo (played by Walter Santesso) gave rise to the modern term paparazzi for intrusive celebrity photographers.

Three Coins Tradition

“The tradition is that you throw one coin if you want to return to Italy, two coins for romance, or three coins if you want to get married.”

Three Coins in the Fountain, 1954

Filmed in De Luxe color and Cinemascope, Sol Siegel’s Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) follows three American women finding romance in Rome. Shot on location, it won Academy Awards for Best Cinematography (Milton Krasner) and Best Song (Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn). Though narratively thin, it was a major box‑office success. Nominated for Best Picture, the film starred Dorothy McGuire, Maggie McNamara, Jean Peters, Rossano Brazzi, Louis Jourdan, and Clifton Webb. Variety praised it for “warmth, humor, a rich dose of romance and almost incredible pictorial appeal.”

Europe— Summer 1984:

France.

Eiffel Tower (1889)

Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais (1900)

Fontaine des Mers (1840)

Notre Dame (1163)

Germany.

Munich

Dachau Concentration Camp, 1933-1945

The Camp’s Iconic Gate

Dachau’s entrance bore the iron slogan “Arbeit Macht Frei,” a phrase used across several Nazi camps. The gate became one of the site’s most recognizable symbols of coercion and deception. In 2014, the original gate was stolen, later recovered, and replaced with a replica to preserve the memorial landscape.

Memorial to the Prisoners of Dachau

The sculpture below by Yugoslav artist Nandor Glid (1924–1997) honors the prisoners held at Dachau from 1933 to 1945. A Holocaust survivor himself, Glid had been a forced laborer; his father and most of his family were murdered at Auschwitz.

Neuschwanstein Castle, 1869-1886

Royal Project in the Alps

Neuschwanstein Castle was built from 1869 to 1886 for King Ludwig II as a personal retreat shaped by his fascination with medieval legend and Wagnerian opera.

A Fairy‑Tale Silhouette

Its white limestone façades, tall towers, and cliff‑edge perch above Hohenschwangau create the theatrical, storybook profile that later inspired countless romantic castle designs, including Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle, completed in 1955.

Interiors of Myth and Pageantry

Inside, the rooms follow the same staged aesthetic, with murals drawn from Germanic myth and elaborate neo‑Romanesque and neo‑Gothic detailing.

Switzerland.

Lucerne.

Austria.

Vienna

Salzburg.

Schloss Hellbrunn (1613-1619)

At the Trick Fountain

I stand at left with Dr. Len Biallas seated beside me and his wife Martha nearby.

A Prince‑Archbishop’s Villa

Built between 1613–19 as the Prince‑Archbishop of Salzburg’s daytime retreat, the palace sits ten minutes by car—or under an hour on foot—from the city center.

Jeux d’Eau

The schloss is famed for its watergames, including this dining tableau where jets hidden in the stone seats spray unsuspecting guests.

Mythological Program

Greek and Roman themes shape the fountains throughout the grounds, a vivid expression of the Mannerist imagination.

Halstaat

The Hallstätter See and steep slopes of the Dachstein massif. The town lies on the national road linking Salzburg and Graz in the Salzkammergut region.

Belgium.

Brussels

Guild Houses on the Grand’ Place

The buildings in the photograph — Le Roy d’Espagne, La Brouette, Le Sac, La Louve, Le Cornet, and Le Renard — are among the historic guild houses that define the square’s architectural ensemble.

Six Centuries of Construction

The Grand’ Place evolved over roughly 600 years, from the 1000s to the 1600s, creating the dense mix of medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque façades seen today.

Destruction and Rebuilding After 1695

During the Nine Years’ War, French bombardment in 1695 destroyed most of the square. The guild houses were rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries, giving the Grand’ Place its present appearance.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998, the Grand’ Place is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful urban squares in the world.

Italy.

Rome

Forum

Temple of Hadrian

The Temple of Hadrian was begun in 121 under Emperor Hadrian (76–138) and inaugurated by him in 135. Construction was completed in 141 by Emperor Antoninus Pius (86–161).

The Colosseum

The Colosseum held between 50,000 and 85,000 spectators. Its construction began in 72 under Emperor Vespasian (9–79) and was finished in 80 A.D. under Emperor Titus (39–81).

Temple of the Dioscuri

It was a very hot day. The three distant columns are the remains of the Temple of the Dioscuri, dedicated to the mythological twins — the Gemini, sons of Jupiter (Zeus) and Leda. Their cult reached Rome from Greece by way of Sicily, where Greek culture has deep roots.

House of the Vestals

Statues from the House of the Vestals stand in the foreground.

Venice

Piazzetta San Marco and Its Columns

Between the Palazzo Ducale and the Biblioteca Marciana, the Piazzetta San Marco links St. Mark’s Square to the lagoon. The original pair of granite columns, erected in 1268 (these are modern copies), carry St. Theodore on one and the winged lion of St. Mark on the other.

View Toward San Giorgio Maggiore

Across the lagoon stands San Giorgio Maggiore, designed by Andrea Palladio (1508–1580) and built between 1566 and 1610.

Vantage Point

The photograph was taken from the upper story of St. Mark’s Basilica.

Rialto Bridge, July 1984

Newlyweds on the Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy. I was photographing from the city’s oldest bridge — built 1588–1591 — when, by sheer chance, I recognized a fellow Loyola Academy teacher standing there. Phil S. was with his wife, celebrating their honeymoon.

Florence

My Visit

This was one of the first places I tried to see upon arriving in Florence, but it was closed for repairs — and this vantage point was as close as I could get.

Pazzi Chapel, Early Renaissance Florence

In 1429, Andrea Pazzi—whose wealth rivaled the Medici—assembled the funds to build this chapel. Its geometrical design is attributed to Filippo Brunelleschi (1377–1446), with construction beginning in 1442 and finishing in 1478.

Setting and Significance

The Pazzi Chapel, set in the cloister on the south side of the Franciscan Basilica di Santa Croce (consecrated 1443), is regarded as an early Renaissance masterpiece.

The one bridge to have been spared destruction in World War II. A bridge has crossed the Arno at this point since Ancient Roman times. 43%

Assisi

Europe— Summer 1985:

France.

Beaune

Italy.

Sicily

Torino

Spain.

Madrid

Iceland.

Gullfoss

Europe— France, Belgium, Netherlands (December 1989):

Belgium.

Brugges

Belfort of Bruges

The 272‑foot‑tall Belfort, dating to the 13th century, is one of Europe’s earliest surviving works of medieval urban public architecture.

Later Additions

Its tallest octagonal upper stage was added in the 1480s, and in the 16th century the tower received its carillon, completing the profile that dominates Bruges today.

Netherlands.

Haarlem

France.

Beaune

Strasbourg

Construction and Materials (1686–1690)

The barrage, built of pink Vosges sandstone, stretches 390 feet and rests on 13 arches. It was constructed between 1686 and 1690 by French engineer Jacques de Tirade (1646–1720), following plans drawn by his colleague, the military engineer Vauban (1633–1707).

Military Purpose

The structure’s primary function was defensive. In wartime, it acted as a lock, raising the river’s water level so that land outside Strasbourg would flood, rendering approaches to the city impassable to enemy forces.

Use in the Franco‑Prussian War

This tactic was employed again during the Franco‑Prussian War in 1870, demonstrating the barrage’s continued strategic value long after its 17th‑century construction.

Europe— France, Low Countries, Germany (February-March 1992):

Germany.

Aachen.

Market Day Before Lent

A fruit and vegetable market on Aachen’s Katschhof square in March 1992 took place on the eve of Ash Wednesday.

Carolingian Axis of Power

The Katschhof sits between Aachen Cathedral and the town hall and becomes a public stage for festivals, markets, and civic events.

In Charlemagne’s era, the square formed the link between his palace hall and St. Mary’s Church, the site that contains his throne and his tomb.

Bones of a Tall, Thin Emperor

Prüm

Prüm and Its Monastic Origins

This was the site of Prüm Abbey, a Benedictine foundation established in the 8th century. Behind me stands the Sankt‑Salvator‑Basilika, completed in 1721. The surviving monastery buildings beside it now serve as a high school.

Relics and Early Power

Mentioned by Pepin (714–768) in a 762 deed, the church preserves the relic of the sandals of Jesus Christ, a gift Pepin received from the pope. Over the following centuries, the monastery grew wealthy, though not without reversals. Its abbot held the rank of prince of the Holy Roman Empire, ruling dozens of towns, villages, and hamlets — a status that drew increasing attention from secular powers eager to control it.

Strife, Resistance, and Decline

Despite internal disputes and external pressure — even from the pope — Prüm’s more than 50 abbots refused to submit to outside authority until the late 16th century. Afterward, the abbey came under the archbishops‑electors of Trier, entering another period of prosperity that lasted until the French Revolution.

Revolution, Dissolution, and Modern Era

In 1794, French troops occupied Prüm and annexed it to France. Soon after, Napoleon Bonaparte dissolved the monastery and sold its assets. During the 19th century, Prüm became part of modern Germany within Rhineland‑Palatinate. In World War II, most of the town was destroyed by bombing and ground combat.

In 2014, scientists announced that decades of study on the tomb’s bones and fragments suggested that, if they are Charlemagne’s, the 66‑year‑old emperor was tall and slender. See- https://www.archaeology.org/news/1782-140131-charlemagne-bones-sarcophagus – retrieved October 6, 2023.

The Netherlands.

Amsterdam

Belgium.

Tournai

Romanesque Row on Rue Barre‑Saint‑Brice

These late‑12th‑century houses (c. 1175–1200) in Tournai are among the oldest surviving private Romanesque burgess dwellings in Western Europe, built entirely of thick local blue limestone.

Hallmarks of Romanesque Civil Architecture

Their round‑arched windows, divided by slender stone colonnettes, and their heavy masonry walls make them rare, intact examples of Romanesque domestic construction rather than ecclesiastical work.

Survival Through Wartime Bombing

Despite severe bombing of Tournai by German forces in 1940 and Allied forces in 1944, this row endured largely because, in addition to pure luck, its massive stone construction resisted destruction far better than the timber‑framed buildings around it.

Chapel of the Ladrerie du Val d’Orcq (1153)

Romanesque Origins on the Road to Lille

Situated along the old road to Lille, the church’s Romanesque chevet was built in 1153. The structure was enlarged in the 1690s, but its medieval profile remains intact.

Rubble‑Stone Construction

Built of rubble stone and roofed with tiles set on stone corbels, the chapel has retained its original appearance and continues to serve as an active parish.

Legacy of the Bonne Maison du Val

The building stands as the last witness to the large medieval Bonne Maison du Val leper colony, once dependent on the Tournai magistrate and cathedral chapter, and destroyed under Louis XIV.

West Portal and Bell Tower

The small west‑front portal, with its harped jambs and basket‑handle arch, is topped by a niche of matching form. The nave roof is crowned by a square bell tower with a pyramidal cap.

Historic Monument Status

The sanctuary was officially classified as a historic monument in 1936, securing its preservation.

Ghent

Antwerp

Rubens’s Transformation of a Flemish House

A short walk from Antwerp’s center, the Rubens House began as an older Flemish residence that Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) purchased in 1610 and reshaped into an Italianate palazzo. Its plan combined the family home, the artist’s studio, a monumental portico, and the interior courtyard on today’s Wapper street.

Courtyard and Baroque Garden

The courtyard, pictured above, opens into the Baroque garden designed by Rubens himself, completing the palazzo’s blend of Flemish domestic architecture and Italian Renaissance influence.

Family Life and Loss

Rubens married Isabella Brandt (1591–1626) in 1610, and the couple had three children before Isabella died of plague at age 34.

From Private Residence to Public Museum

Centuries later, Antwerp acquired the house in 1937 and opened it to the public in 1946, preserving Rubens’s home and studio as a civic museum.

France.

Auchonvillers: Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial

Preserved World War I Trenches

The grass‑covered depressions are actual preserved World War I trenches, left untouched since the end of the war. They still mark the front lines as they were on July 1, 1916, when there was fierce fighting during the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Newfoundland Regiment’s Losses

At this sector, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was nearly destroyed in the opening morning of the July 1 assault. That day remains the bloodiest in the history of the British Army, with 57,470 casualties — including 19,240 dead — recorded. The regiment’s near‑total loss stands as the battle’s worst single‑unit catastrophes and among the highest proportional casualty rates suffered by any individual unit in the entire war.

Scottish Units from Beaumont

From nearby Beaumont, Scottish battalions joined the attack; by nightfall, roughly 90% of these men were dead, a measure of the battle’s ferocity.

Russia & Finland — January 1993:

Moscow

Memorial to Belarusian Partisans, 1941–1944

Below the ceiling molding in the passageway stands a statue depicting Belarusian partisans who resisted Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1944, carrying out military and political operations under direction from Moscow. January 1993 — 35%

Lenin’s Mausoleum, Moscow

The structure is the mausoleum of Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924), whose preserved body has been on public display since shortly after his death in January 1924. Within days, Soviet architect Alexey Shchusev (1873–1949) was tasked with creating a building suitable for public viewing.

The 1930 Constructivist Design

In 1930, Shchusev completed the mausoleum seen today, built of marble, porphyry, granite, and labradorite. From 1953 to 1961, the embalmed body of Joseph Stalin (1878–1953) was placed beside Lenin, then removed by Nikita Khrushchev (1894–1971) and reburied in the nearby Kremlin Wall cemetery.

Architectural Character

While drawing on forms from ancient mausoleums, the tomb’s design is an experiment in early Constructivism, expressing Soviet modernism through strict geometry and monumental massing. 35%

GUM on Red Square

GUM is the principal department store in cities of the former Soviet Union and, during the Soviet era, operated as the State Department Store with a single vendor — the State.

Origins and Construction, 1890–93

The best‑known GUM is the Red Square complex, built from 1890 to 1893 by architect Alexander Pomerantsev (1849–1918) and engineer Vladimir Shukhov (1853–1939) as the Upper Trading Rows. By 1917, the building held roughly 1,200 stores.

Architecture and Influence

The trapezoid‑shaped structure, with its steel framework and glass roof, is Moscow’s answer to London’s Crystal Palace (1851) and later influenced elements of La Samaritaine in Paris (1907).

Earlier Trading History

The site has been a planned commercial zone since the reign of Catherine II (1729–1796). Its earlier buildings, designed by Giacomo Quarenghi (1744–1817), were destroyed in the 1812 Fire of Moscow during Napoleon’s invasion.

Soviet Period and Reopening

After 1917, GUM was nationalized, then closed in 1928 and converted into office space under Stalin. It did not reopen as a consumer goods store until after 1953. 50%

Novoslobodskaya Station, 1952

The station, known for its 32 stained‑glass panels, opened on January 30, 1952 on the Koltsevaya Line, between Belorusskaya and Prospekt Mira. Though the man at center is an American tourist, the surrounding men on the platform are Russian.

Post‑Soviet Aftermath

After the fall of the Soviet Union, a broad sell‑off followed — uniforms, insignia, and other state effects were dispersed into private hands. 55%

Detsky Mir on Lubyanka Square

On Lubyanka Square in central Moscow stands Detsky Mir (“Children’s World”), Russia’s largest toy and children’s goods store.

Construction and Opening, 1957

Architect Alexey Nikolayevich Dushkin (1904–1977) — known for his Moscow Metro and railway designs — spent three years building Detsky Mir in an eclectic blend of post‑Stalin Soviet architectural styles. The children’s emporium opened on June 6, 1957.

A Curious Neighbor: The KGB

Across the square stood the massive KGB headquarters, fronted by a 15‑ton monument to its Bolshevik founder Felix Dzerzhinsky (1877–1926). Sculpted in 1958 by Yevgeny Vuchetich (1908–1974), the statue was torn down on August 22, 1991, leaving an empty pedestal — now gone as well.

Post‑Soviet Changes and Reopening

Detsky Mir was the first Soviet building to install escalators. After a nearly decade‑long reconstruction, it reopened in 2015 as Russia’s central children’s store. 60% see – https://www.rbth.com/history/335795-soviet-children-store-detsky-mir
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2273462.stm

Opening and Design, 1825

The Bolshoi (“Big”) Theatre opened on January 18, 1825. Its main building — rebuilt and renovated many times — is one of Moscow’s defining landmarks. Architect Joseph Bové (1784–1834) designed the original structure while overseeing Moscow’s reconstruction after the Fire of 1812 during the Napoleonic Wars.

Imperial Aesthetic Rules

During a visit to the city, Czar Alexander I (1777–1825) ordered that Moscow’s rebuilt architecture use only pale, limited colors, a decree reflected in the Bolshoi’s exterior.

Sculptural Program

The quadriga — a chariot drawn by four horses atop the portico — was sculpted by Peter Clodt von Jürgensburg (1805–1867), adding a signature neoclassical element to the façade.

Stage History

The Bolshoi premiered Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake in March 1877, anchoring its reputation as a major center of Russian ballet and opera.

Institutional Legacy

The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera remain among the world’s oldest and most renowned performing companies. 50%

Cathedrals Square

Just east of the Great Kremlin Palace lies Cathedrals Square.

Assumption Cathedral

Facing the river, the cathedral served as the coronation church of the czars and the burial place of the patriarchs.

 Napoleon’s Occupation

In 1812, Napoleon’s forces used the church as stables, burned icons for firewood, and stole more than 1,000 pounds of gold and silver.

Fioravanti’s Design

Built 1475–79 by Ridolfo “Aristotele” Fioravanti of Bologna, the five‑dome, six‑column structure is the Kremlin’s largest church.

Vladimir–Suzdal Style

Its curved zakomara gables and mid‑wall column belt reflect traditional Russian forms from the Vladimir–Suzdal princedom.

Later Frescos

The interior frescos date from 1500 and 1642.

 Late‑Imperial Restorations

The cathedral underwent major restoration campaigns in the 1890s and 1910s.

Bolshevik Closure

After the 1917 Revolution, the new government closed all Kremlin churches and converted the cathedral into a museum.

Final Easter Service

Lenin permitted one last Easter service in 1918 before full secularization.

Return to the Church

In 1991, the cathedral was restored to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Kremlin Museums

Both the church and Cathedrals Square now form part of the Kremlin Museums. Once eleven churches stood within the Kremlin; today six remain.

The Robe of the Theotokos

The relic, first recorded in 473 A.D., was believed to protect Constantinople in the 9th century and Moscow in the 15th; it is preserved today in Zugdidi, Western Georgia.

Patriarch’s Chapel

The Church of the Deposition of the Robe originally served as the private chapel of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus’.

Royal Possession

In the mid‑17th century, the Russian royal family assumed control of the church.

Archangel Dedication

Named for St. Michael the Archangel, the cathedral was built 1505–09 by Alevisio Novi of Milan, invited to Moscow by Ivan III.

Burial Cathedral

It served as the burial place of Muscovite rulers from Ivan Kalita (died 1341) to Aleksey Mikhailovich (died 1676).

Italian Renaissance Detail

Its Northern Italian decorative program was widely copied across 16th‑century Russia.

Rublev Attribution

Inside, the icon of the Archangel Michael is attributed to Andrei Rublev.

Moskovskaya Square is A major square in St. Petersburg, formerly Leningrad.

House of Soviets

Built 1936–41, the building was described by Stephen Sennott as “the purest form of totalitarian monumentality.”

Trotsky’s Architecture

Architect Noy Trotsky adapted his constructivist background to Stalin’s preferred neoclassicism.

Unrealized Plans

A Palace of Youth, a Palace of the Red Army and Navy, and triumphal arches were planned but halted by World War II.

Lenin Monument

A Lenin statue on a granite pedestal was installed in front of the House of Soviets in 1970.

Seat of City Governance

The building housed the Soviet of People’s Deputies, then the city’s main legislative body; it remains St. Petersburg’s largest office building and one the largest in Russia..

Monumental Scale

The main facade is 721.78 feet long and 164.04 feet high, while the RSFSR emblem on the roof stands 36.09 feet tall.

Siege of Leningrad

The House of Soviets stood on the front line when Nazi forces invaded and besieged the city in 1941.

St Petersburg.

Rastrelli’s Imperial Winter Residence (1754–1762)

The Winter Palace, built between 1754 and 1762, served as the winter residence of the Russian czars until the early 20th century. It was designed by Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli (1700–1771), an Italian architect born in Paris who moved to St. Petersburg in 1716. Rastrelli also designed the Smolny Convent (1748–1764). The palace’s interior has been repeatedly redesigned by various architects over the centuries.

The Alexander Column (1830–1834)

At the center of Palace Square rises the Alexander Column, designed by Auguste de Montferrand (1786–1858) and constructed between 1830 and 1834, during the same period he was building St. Isaac’s Cathedral (1816–1858). The column, made of red Finnish granite, stands 154 feet high and weighs roughly 700 tons. It commemorates Russia’s victory over Napoleon in the War of 1812. The angel at the top bears the face of Czar Alexander I (1777–1825) and symbolizes peace in Europe after Napoleon’s defeat.

Symbol of Imperial Power

To ordinary Russians, the Winter Palace long represented the visible power of the empire. It became the stage for several watershed events in modern Russian history:

• Bloody Sunday in 1905,
• the opening of the first State Duma in 1906,
• and the capture of the palace by revolutionaries in 1917, after which it became part of the public Hermitage Museum.

Site and Purpose

The Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ in Saint Petersburg stands on the spot where Czar Alexander II (1818–1881) was assassinated in March 1881. Built between 1883 and 1907 in the Russian Revival style, it was commissioned by the Romanov family as a memorial to the slain ruler.

Alexander II and the Political Climate

Alexander II freed the serfs in 1861 and abolished capital punishment, yet his government remained autocratic, resisting liberal reforms. Beginning in 1879, he became the target of repeated assassination attempts, culminating in the fatal attack of March 1881.

The Assassination, March 1881

While riding near the Griboyedov Canal, a bomb was thrown beneath the czar’s carriage, killing a Cossack guard and injuring others. Alexander II survived the blast, but a second attacker — Ignatiy Grinevitsky — detonated a bomb at close range. Mortally wounded, the czar was taken to the Winter Palace (today’s Hermitage), where he died.

The People’s Will and Aftermath

The radical group The People’s Will (Narodnaya Volya) claimed responsibility. They sought political liberty and land reform from the autocratic regime. Although Alexander II had signed an order establishing a Duma, his successor Alexander III (1845–1894) rescinded it and renewed repression through the Okhrana, the Imperial secret police.

A Landmark of Saint Petersburg

Richly decorated and architecturally elaborate, the church remains one of Saint Petersburg’s best‑known landmarks. 50% See – http://www.saint-petersburg.com/rivers-and-canals/griboedov-canal/ – retrieved January 18, 2024.

Tram and Manufacturer

The tram numbered 8148 is an articulated LVS‑86 (ЛВС‑86) unit, built in 1991 by the Petersburg Tram Mechanical Plant (PTMZ) and assigned to Tram Depot No. 8.

Street Architecture

On the right side of the street stands a neoclassical building marked by grand columns and arched windows—features typical of the imperial architectural vocabulary found throughout central Saint Petersburg.

Pushkin

Origins Under Catherine I (1718)

The palace at Tsarskoe Selo (“Tsar’s Village”)—today Pushkin, fifteen miles south of St. Petersburg—was begun in 1718 by Johann Friedrich Braunstein for Catherine I Alekseevna Mikhailova (1684–1727), the second wife and consort of Peter the Great. Catherine I succeeded him as Empress of Russia from 1725 to 1727, establishing the site as an imperial residence.

Expansion Under Empress Elizabeth (1740s–1750s)

During the reign of Peter the Great’s daughter, Empress Elizabeth (1709–1762), the palace was dramatically enlarged. Imperial architect Mikhail Zemtsov (1688–1743) designed a new structure beginning in 1744. In 1745, his pupil Andrey Vasilievich Kvasov (c.1720–c.1770), working with Savva Ivanovich Chevakinsky (1709–c.1774), expanded the building further.

Rastrelli’s Baroque Masterpiece

The palace reached its full expression under Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who completed it in a full‑blown Baroque style. The exterior stretched 326 yards, articulated with double columns and abundant statuary—an unmistakable statement of imperial grandeur.

Catherine the Great’s Summer Residence

Catherine the Great (1729–1796) used the palace every summer. She commissioned architect Charles Cameron (1745–1812) to remodel several rooms in the neoclassical style, creating the refined interiors associated with her reign.

Destruction and Restoration

Much of the palace and its contents were lost during World War II, with restoration proceeding slowly in the decades that followed. Today’s Catherine Palace is the result of extensive postwar reconstruction layered atop its 18th‑century foundations.

France — Burgundy (September 1993):

Cluny

Founding and Early Influence

Founded in 910, Cluny Abbey grew into one of Europe’s most powerful Benedictine centers, influencing not only monastic but general church life through its strict liturgical discipline and far‑reaching network of dependent houses.

Construction of Cluny III

The abbey’s third and final church, Cluny III, was begun in 1088 under Abbot Hugh of Semur (1024–1109). Designed by Hézelon de Liège, it expanded Cluny’s architectural ambition into a monumental basilica of unprecedented scale.

Architectural Dominance

For centuries, Cluny III stood as the largest church in Europe, a physical expression of monastic authority and centralized organization. Its dominance lasted until the 16th century, when the new St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome surpassed it.

When Cluny III Was Destroyed

Cluny III — the vast Romanesque church begun in 1088 — survived until 1790, when the French Revolution targeted monastic institutions as symbols of aristocratic and ecclesiastical power. Revolutionary authorities sacked the abbey, seized its property, and sold much of the structure as building stone.

What Happened to the Building

After 1790, the abbey church was systematically demolished. Only fragments of Cluny III survive today — a small portion of the transept, some monastic buildings, and archaeological remains.

Cluny Abbey

Historic Cluny Abbey stands in the town of Cluny in Saône‑et‑Loire, Burgundy.

Eau Bénite Tower and Clock Tower (both c. 1095)

The octagonal Eau Bénite Tower—capping the south transept—is one of the few surviving original elements of Cluny III.

Beneath the tower’s right side sits the smaller, rounded medieval Clock Tower.

Scale of Cluny III

At its destruction during the French Revolution, Cluny III was the second‑largest church in Christendom after St. Peter’s in Rome.

18th‑Century Abbey Buildings

The multi‑winged complex with red‑tiled roofs in the foreground represents the 18th‑century classical abbey buildings and monastic palace.

Tour des Fromages (11th century) Viewpoint

The photo was taken from the top platform of the 11th‑century Tour des Fromages, a former watchtower offering a panoramic view over the abbey roofs toward the Burgundy hills.

Château de Bussy-Rabutin

Medieval Foundations and Early Rebuilding

The castle was founded in the 12th century by Renaudin de Bussy and rebuilt in the 14th century, establishing the core medieval structure that still anchors the site.

Renaissance Additions

In the 1520s, Renaissance galleries were added, giving the château its first major stylistic expansion. Further alterations followed during the reigns of Henri II (1547–1559) and Louis XIII (1610–1643), layering new architectural ambitions onto the older estate.

Bussy‑Rabutin’s Exile

Roger de Rabutin, Comte de Bussy (1618–1693), fell into disgrace at court and was ordered by Louis XIV to withdraw to his estate. During this enforced exile, he wrote his Histoire amoureuse des Gaules, a chronicle of courtly love affairs that generated even more scandal. The book earned him a stay in the Bastille, after which he was released on the condition that he return to silence and self‑exile at the château—where he lived for the next 17 years.

A Life and Legacy at the Château

Bussy‑Rabutin died at the château in 1693. Along with the setting, his remarkable collection of portraits—depicting historical and contemporary French figures—was a highlight of our visit, each image serving as a visual prompt for the stories he told and the world he inhabited.

Restoration and State Ownership

The château was restored in the 19th century and acquired by the French state in 1929, securing its preservation and opening its layered history to modern visitors.

Pontigny, 12th century

Bourges

Nevers

Paray-le-Monial

September 1993— Chapel of the Apparitions, Paray-le-Monial, France.

Setting and Monastic Background

Located in southern Burgundy’s Charolais‑Brionnais region, Paray‑le‑Monial reflects more than a thousand years of monastic influence. A Benedictine abbey was founded here in 973, and the Cluniac monks served as lords of the town until the 1789 Revolution, leaving the region dense with Romanesque churches and monastic architecture.

The Pilgrimage Center

Visitors often gravitate to the 12th‑century Basilica and the 16th‑century Tour Saint‑Nicolas, but the spiritual core for pilgrims is the Chapel of the Apparitions at the Convent of the Visitation Sainte‑Marie. Here, Margaret Mary Alacoque received four major visions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, establishing the chapel as an international pilgrimage site.

Pilgrimage Experience

During our two‑day stay, we lodged with pilgrims from several countries. Meals were taken in common, conversations moved across languages, and reflections were shared within a living devotional tradition that has persisted for centuries.

The Visitation Community

The Visitation nuns of 17th‑century Paray‑le‑Monial—many from aristocratic families—belonged to an order founded by Jeanne de Chantal (1571–1641), emphasizing gentleness, interior devotion, and service to the sick and poor. Margaret Mary, of humble origins from nearby Verosvres, entered the convent on May 25, 1671, and professed final vows on November 6, 1672. Among the roughly forty nuns, some had little interest in mystical experiences, and few welcomed visionaries.

The Visions (1673–1676)

Between 1673 and 1676, Christ appeared to Margaret Mary in this chapel, presenting His heart and requesting a feast in its honor on the Friday after Corpus Christi. Each vision carried a distinct message. In late 1674, Christ promised her an understanding spiritual director. In 1675, the convent received Père Claude de la Colombière (1641–1682), a young Jesuit from Paris—shrewd, brilliant, and decisive. He confirmed her path and maintained contact with La Mère de Saumaise, the prudent convent superior who ordered Margaret Mary to record her experiences in letters that survive today.

In one letter, Margaret Mary recounts Christ’s assurance of a faithful guardian angel placed at her side: “Ma fille, ne t’afflige pas, car je te veux donner un gardien fidèle qui t’accompagnera partout et t’assistera dans toutes tes nécessités intérieures…”

Formation of the Devotion

By 1686, as novice mistress, Margaret Mary instructed her novices to place images of the Sacred Heart on the altar. The practice spread through the community, giving visual form to a devotion that would eventually become global.

Later Recognition

Margaret Mary died in 1690 at age 43. She was beatified in 1864 by Pius IX and canonized in 1920 by Benedict XV. Claude de la Colombière was beatified in 1929 by Pius XI and canonized in 1992 by John Paul II.

Auxerre

Gallo‑Roman Origins

Auxerre began as the flourishing Gallo‑Roman center Autissiodorum. The Via Agrippa, a major first‑century road, ran directly through the settlement and crossed the Yonne, anchoring the town in the imperial transportation network.

Rise of a Christian Center

Auxerre became a bishop’s seat in the 200s and later a provincial capital of the Roman Empire. By the 400s, it had developed into a cathedral town, marking its transition from Roman administrative hub to Christian stronghold.

Medieval Expansion

A “modern” Auxerre emerged in the 11th–12th centuries, defined and protected by a state‑of‑the‑art fortified wall. This medieval enclosure shaped the town’s footprint and still influences its street plan.

The Clock Tower

In the Old Town, the Clock Tower has been marking time since the 15th century. It began life as a prison before becoming a clock and belfry. A chamber attached to the tower houses the mechanism installed in 1483, crafted by a clockmaker known only as Jean.

A Dual‑Time Mechanism

The clock features two hands: The clock has a solar hand that goes around the face in 24 hours and a lunar hand which is three-quarters slower compared to the other. This gives the passerby both sun and moon times. see – https://www.ot-auxerre.com/destination-lauxerrois/destination-history/must-see-monuments/the-clock-tower-ans-its-astronomical-clock/ – retrieved Aug. 20, 2025.

Autun

Autun Cathedral Sculpture

The artist executed the decoration of Autun Cathedral, including these capitals. Here, Deb views three kings sleep beneath their counterpane, roused by an angel’s single touch.

Romanesque to Gothic Transition

When the cathedral’s sculptural program was completed around 1135, church architecture was beginning its shift toward the Gothic, the style that would define medieval French building for the next 250 years — including Notre‑Dame de Paris in 1163.

Autun Below

The city spreading out below the towers is Autun, looking northwest toward the Arroux River valley and the distant hills.

Cathedral Facade Towers

The stone towers at the right edge of the frame belong to the facade of Autun Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint‑Lazare d’Autun).

Romanesque Style

These twin towers are Romanesque, marked by rounded arches, heavy masonry, and the sturdy forms typical of medieval Burgundy.

12th‑Century Construction

Ground broke around 1120, and the core building campaign concluded around 1146.

Vézelay

Vézelay and the Long Road to Sainte‑Marie‑Madeleine

It took 24 years for me to reach this Burgundian hilltown. I first learned of its Romanesque Basilica of Sainte‑Marie‑Madeleine, built in 1120, from Kenneth Clark’s Civilisation book and television series in 1969. I tried to visit in 1985 as a day trip from Dijon, but the route wasn’t direct.

Arrival at Last, 1993

In 1993, we rented a car and finally made the drive, staying at this relais just below the hill. The basilica — long imagined — was now just up the road.

L’Espérance and Marc Meneau

One afternoon we had an extraordinary meal at L’Espérance, in the Vézelay countryside. Within its easy formal atmosphere, its graceful and exacting service, and its supra‑creative courses, I learned what it means to dine in a three‑star Michelin restaurant: to order, receive, and appreciate a culinary work of art.

Marc Meneau (1943–2020) oversaw everything — the kitchen, the room, the rhythm — and afterward received our thanks with quiet generosity. It was clear why he was counted among the great chefs of the world.

Because Vézelay Abbey holds some of the most celebrated Romanesque sculpture in Europe—especially its vast 12th‑century narthex tympanum of the Mission of the Apostles—we spent significant time in the basilica. Vézelay is a cradle of medieval faith and a historic launching point for the Second Crusade as well as the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.

On March 31, 1146, Saint Bernard delivered his fiercest sermon outside the gates of Vézelay Abbey, calling Europe to the Second Crusade. Standing on a hillside beside King Louis VII and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, he drove thousands of knights to enlist. The crowd’s fervor ran so high that they ran out of cloth for crusader crosses, and Bernard tore strips from his own monastic robes to supply more.

Quarré-les-Tombes

St. George’s Church

The Church of St. George stands at the center of historic Quarré‑les‑Tombes in Burgundy, on a sanctuary site dating to the 7th or 8th century.

18th‑Century Reconstruction

In the 18th century, Curé Blaise Bégon led a major renovation that enlarged the nave and transept and completely rebuilt the bell tower.

19th‑Century Facade

Further work under Curé Henry in the 19th century gave the church its final neo‑Romanesque facade.

Merovingian Sarcophagi

Seen over the low wall are ancient Merovingian limestone sarcophagi surrounding base of the church—over 112 coffins dating from the 8th to 10th centuries.

Empty Burials

Historically, as many as 2,000 sarcophagi crowded the churchyard; when excavated, all were found completely empty.

Reims

Archbishop’s Palace Beside the Coronation Cathedral

The Palais du Tau served as the residence of the Archbishop of Reims, standing directly beside Notre‑Dame de Reims, the cathedral where the kings of France were crowned. Its history is inseparable from the monarchy: French kings stayed here the night before their coronation and returned afterward for the ceremonial banquet.

A Millennium of Coronation Banquets

The first recorded coronation banquet at the palace took place in 990, and the last in 1825, marking nearly nine centuries of royal ritual anchored to this building.

Medieval Chapel and Gothic Reconstruction

The palace chapel, dating from 1207, is the principal medieval survivor. The rest of the palace was rebuilt in Gothic style between 1498 and 1509, reshaping the structure to match the cathedral’s architectural language.

Baroque Transformation

Between 1671 and 1710, Jules Hardouin‑Mansart (1646–1708) and Robert de Cotte (1656–1735) transformed the palace into its present Baroque form, giving the Palais du Tau the monumental appearance seen today.

France—Paris (December 1996):

France—Paris & Versailles (March 2002):

Versailles.

Paris.

Louvre Museum (1793)

Pont Marie (1635)

View Toward the Right Bank

Looking from the Île Saint‑Louis toward the Right Bank, one sees one of Paris’s oldest surviving stone bridges. It was the first bridge built after early‑17th‑century aristocrats pushed for development of the island to extend their neighborhood across the Seine.

Pont Marie: Early 17th‑Century Construction

The Pont Marie, begun in 1614 and opened in stages through the 1630s, is among the oldest bridges in Paris. In its early decades, houses stood directly on the bridge, a common practice before modern traffic and safety concerns made such construction impractical.

Connection to the Left Bank

The Pont‑de‑la‑Tournelle, which continued the line of the Pont Marie, was completed in 1654, linking the Île Saint‑Louis to the Left Bank and completing the island’s integration into the city’s circulation.

Enduring Structure

The bridge’s structure has remained substantially unchanged since the 18th century. Each pedimented arch is distinct, and the niches in the abutments—designed to hold statuary—have always remained empty, giving the Pont Marie its slightly austere, unfinished character.

Opéra

France—Paris & Versailles (October 2002):

Paris.

Le Marais

Palais-Bourbon

La Pagode (1895)

A Parisian Pagoda Born of Japonisme

In 1895, M. Morin, an executive at Le Bon Marché, sought a distinctive gift for his wife. By then, japonisme—the influence of Japanese art and aesthetics on French fine and popular arts—had been flourishing since the 1860s and was at its height in the 1890s. Building a real pagoda beside their Paris home became a fashionable and logical expression of that cultural moment.

Design, Construction, and Setting

Materials were shipped from Asia and reassembled in Paris under the direction of architect Alexandre Marcel (1860–1928). The pagoda rose at 57 bis, rue de Babylone, on the corner with rue Monsieur in the 7th arrondissement, an unexpected sight in the middle of a residential neighborhood. It featured an array of Japanese elements—stone figures of dragons, lions, buddhas, and birds, along with distinctive Asian‑style rooflines.

Cinema and Later History

In 1930, the pagoda was converted into a 400‑seat cinema, later becoming an art‑house theatre in the 1970s. After 85 years of operation, it closed in 2015, ending one of Paris’s most unusual architectural afterlives.

Sources: 1000 Buildings of Paris, Kathy Borrus (2003), p. 275; cinematreasures.org (retrieved January 4, 2023).

France— Paris, Versailles, Île-de-France, Centre-Val de Loire (May 2005):

Versailles.

Paris.

Musée d’Orsay (1900; 1986)

Going in to see Le néo-impressionnisme, de Seurat à Paul Klee, from March 15 to July 10, 2005. The large show made clear to me that there may be many disciples – here, painters of trendy 1890’s Pointillism – but few masters. 65%

Medici Fountain (1630)

Medici’s Palace and Early Construction (1623–1630)

Alongside the Left Bank palace built for Marie de’ Medici (1575–1642) by architect Salomon de Brosse (1571–1626) between 1623 and 1630, a fountain and grotto were created as part of the same program. The work was likely executed by Tommaso Francini (1571–1651), an Italian water‑works engineer invited to France in 1598 by Henry IV, who married Marie in 1600.

Decline Through the 18th and Early 19th Centuries

By the 19th century, after passing through several owners, the fountain had fallen into disrepair—its neglect accelerated by the court’s relocation to Versailles, shifting tastes, and the upheavals of the French Revolution.

Napoleonic Restoration

Under Napoleon I (1769–1826), attention returned to the site. The grotto was restored, marking the first significant intervention after decades of decline.

Mid‑19th‑Century Changes

By the 1850s, the old orangerie behind the fountain was demolished, along with its adjoining arcades. Urban planning soon reshaped the area further: in 1864, Baron Haussmann (1809–1891) pushed Rue de Médicis through the neighborhood, requiring the fountain to be moved roughly 90 feet deeper into the park.

Transformation of the Basin and New Sculpture (1866)

The original simple basin and water spout were replaced with an elongated basin. In 1866, a dramatic sculptural group—Polyphemus surprising Acis and Galatea, by Auguste Ottin (1811–1890)—was added, giving the fountain its present theatrical centerpiece.

Addition of the Fontaine de Léda

A second fountain, the Fontaine de Léda, built in 1806 under Napoleon and relocated from another neighborhood, was installed directly behind the Medici Fountain. The two structures now form mutually supporting stone walls, creating the layered architectural effect seen today.

Maintenon.

Château de Maintenon

Medieval Core and Later Additions

The château developed between the 13th and 18th centuries, beginning with its square keep in the 1200s and later augmented by round towers as the complex expanded over subsequent centuries.

Royal Purchases and Rebuilding

In the early 16th century, the estate was purchased by Jean Cottereau, treasurer to Louis XII (1462–1515). It was later acquired in 1674 by Madame de Maintenon (1635–1719)—first the king’s mistress, then his secret second wife—who rebuilt and reshaped the property. Louis XIV once remarked, “Madame de Maintenon knows how to love. There would be great pleasure in being loved by her.” Historians accept that their secret marriage occurred sometime between October 1683 and January 1684.

Cour d’Honneur, Moat, and Gardens

The château’s wings frame a formal cour d’honneur, beyond which lies a moat fed by the Eure. Past the moat stretch the parterre and park, culminating in an aqueduct designed by Vauban that crosses the Canal de l’Eure and transports water to the fountains at the Palace of Versailles.

A Literary Retreat

In later centuries, the château became a favored retreat of François‑René de Chateaubriand (1768–1848), who admired its distinctive atmosphere.

Chenonceaux.

Château de Chenonceau

Renaissance Construction Over the Cher

Built between 1514 and 1522 on the foundations of an old mill, the château was later extended across the river Cher in two major phases: the bridge (1556–1559) designed by Philibert de l’Orme, and the gallery (1570–1576) designed by Jean Bullant.

Diane de Poitiers and the Gardens

Diane de Poitiers (1500–1566), mistress of Henry II, occupied Chenonceau after the king gifted it to her. She commissioned the bridge and laid out the château’s formal gardens, shaping much of its early Renaissance character.

Catherine de’ Medici’s Takeover

After Henry II’s unexpected sudden death in a ceremonial joust, Catherine de’ Medici (1519–1589)—his queen and mother of three future kings—swiftly seized Chenonceau and expelled Diane, making the château her own political and architectural stage.

Châteaudun.

Château de Châteaudun (c. 1170)

First Castle of the Loire

The Château de Châteaudun is often called the “first castle of the Loire Valley” for travelers arriving from Paris.

12th‑Century Keep

Perched 60 meters above the Loir River, the circular tower—built c.1170–1180 for Thibaut V of Blois—is the oldest and most intact part of the fortress.

Fortress Engineering

The keep’s thick limestone walls contain two ring corridors lined with arrow loops; it originally had no ground‑floor entrance, accessible only by a removable ladder to a doorway 10 meters above the ground.

Jean de Dunois

In 1439, Charles of Orléans granted the county to his half‑brother Jean de Dunois, famed companion of Joan of Arc during the lifting of the Siege of Orléans.

Flamboyant Gothic Wing

After the wars, Dunois transformed the fortress into a princely residence, adding a Flamboyant Gothic wing in the 1450s–1460s.

Sainte‑Chapelle and Keep Apartments

Between 1451 and 1454, Dunois built a private Gothic chapel—one of only seven surviving Sainte‑Chapelles in France—housing surviving twelve life‑size 15th‑century painted statues. He also converted the top floor of the 12th‑century keep into his private library and residential apartments.

Longueville Wing

His descendants, the Dukes of Longueville, expanded the complex in the 16th century, adding large windows and decorative open‑loggia staircases, overlooking a courtyard.

Later Turmoil and Modern Restoration

The castle served as refuge after the 1723 town fire, was ransacked during the Revolution, used as barracks, and damaged by Prussian troops in 1870. The French State acquired the property in 1938 and launched a major restoration, preserving this castle between medieval defense and Renaissance luxury.

Pontlevoy.

Pontlevoy Abbey

Historic Pontlevoy Abbey stands in the commune of Pontlevoy in Loir‑et‑Cher, Centre‑Val de Loire.

Saint‑Pierre Steeple

The prominent stone steeple on the left belongs to Église Saint‑Pierre; its masonry dates to the 11th–12th centuries, with the upper bell tower partly rebuilt in the 15th century.

19th‑Century Spire

The tall stone spire crowning the tower was added in the 19th century.

Monastic Complex

The larger buildings with grand mansard and slate roofs form the historic Benedictine monastery and college grounds.

11th‑Century Foundation

A Benedictine abbey was founded here in the 11th century by a local knight, along with its early Gothic church.

Richelieu’s Abbacy

In the early 17th century, Cardinal Richelieu—no mere honorary abbot—ordered repairs, updates, and a reinforcement of the monastic community.

Royal Military Academy

By the 1770s, the small monastery school was elevated by Louis XVI into one of France’s royal military academies, operating until the Revolution.

Cedar of 1776

The great cedar was planted in 1776 in honor of the new king, Louis XVI. 65%

Post‑Revolution College

In 1792, the revolutionary government abolished the military academy, and the complex became a private secular college rather than a stone quarry. Throughout the 1800s, Pontlevoy operated as a competitive, conservative boarding school for the wealthy, producing provincial officials, scholars, priests, and soldiers.

Village Expansion

Its popularity led affluent families to build the large slate‑roofed houses that still frame the village streets.

1944 Fire Damage

As German forces retreated in 1944, they set fire to the site; the blaze caused heavy damage, though the main chapel and major 18th‑century wings survived. After the war, the Marquis de Vibraye family sold the property to private investors involved in international education.

Study Abroad Campus

Today, the 18th‑century complex serves as an international study‑abroad hub, hosting European and American university students for language, history, and cultural programs.

1034 Vow and Foundation

The Church of St. Peter stands within the Pontlevoy Abbey complex. The site’s spiritual origin dates to 1034, when Gelduin of Chaumont vowed to build a monastery after surviving a shipwreck.

Romanesque Core

Heavy rounded arches and robust stone columns in the lower nave preserve the early Romanesque structure.

14th‑Century Damage

English forces damaged the Romanesque church in the mid‑14th century, prompting major reconstruction.

Gothic Reconstruction

Builders added pointed ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and carved foliage capitals atop older Romanesque supports.

18th‑Century Reduction

In the late 18th century, the nave wall was dismantled, leaving the choir and transept as the parish church.

Revolution, 1944 Survival, Monument Historique

The monks were expelled during the Revolution; in 1944, retreating German troops set fire to the abbey, though the church’s core survived, preserving its historic interior columns, old wooden gallery balcony, and 12th-century chapel architecture. Today, the church is a classified French Monument Historique.

Pointoise.

Romanesque Foundations (Early 12th Century)

The apse, built in the early 12th century, is fully Romanesque in massing and profile. By the mid‑to‑late 12th century, the vault of the ambulatory and the transept windows introduced the first Gothic elements, marking the church’s gradual architectural transition.

Gothic Development (15th Century)

The flamboyant Gothic façade, added in the 15th century, reshaped the western front with its characteristic tracery and vertical emphasis.

Expansion of the North Aisle (1525)

In 1525, the north aisle was replaced by a double aisle bordered by chapels, and a new portal was opened onto the Place du Grand‑Martroy, extending the church’s urban presence.

Lemercier and the Western Tower (1552)

In 1552, Pierre Lemercier—first in a distinguished line of Pontoise architects—undertook the completion of the western façade tower by constructing its dome, establishing the silhouette recognizable today.

South Aisle and Structural Reinforcement (16th Century)

Throughout the 16th century, the south aisle was bordered by a belt of chapels. Large columns replaced the thinner medieval supports, and the upper windows were rebuilt, strengthening the structure while updating its lighting scheme.

Chancel Reconstruction (1585)

In 1585, the pillars of the chancel were rebuilt, completing a century of structural and stylistic modernization.

Elevation to Cathedral Status (1966)

By the time Saint‑Maclou became a cathedral in 1966, when Pontoise was elevated to diocesan status, the church had already accumulated seven centuries of architectural evolution. see – https://ville-pontoise.fr/la-cathedrale-saint-maclou – retrieved March 5, 2025.

Houdon.

Origins of the Houdan Chicken

The Houdan chicken, an old French breed, rose to prominence when its breeders became the royal suppliers to the French kings at Versailles, beginning under Louis XIII (1601–1643). Its reputation for quality made it a staple of courtly cuisine.

Peak Production in the 19th Century

With the arrival of the railroads, demand surged. Records from 1872–1873 note more than 600,000 Houdan chickens sold—an industrial‑scale success for a bird that had once been a regional specialty.

Decline and Revival

World War I nearly erased the breed; large breeders vanished, and the Houdan chicken almost disappeared entirely. It was reintroduced in 1927, restoring a small but enduring lineage.

A Gastronomic Stop: La Poularde

We ate a memorable déjeuner at La Poularde, a gastronomique destination that still serves the historic French repast built around this storied bird—proof that culinary heritage sometimes survives more wars than the chickens themselves. see – see – https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/houdan-chicken/ – retrieved March 5, 2025.

Bièvres.

A Visit to Bièvres

We visited Bièvres, about eight miles southwest of Paris, because of its association with the Symbolist artist Odilon Redon (1840–1916). The village rises gently from a crossroads, and locals still recall Redon’s summer stays there after 1909—proof that even Symbolists leave footprints.

Lunch at the Tabac de Mairie

Before exploring, we had a leisurely déjeuner at Tabac de Mairie, the sidewalk café at 2 Rue Léon Mignotte, just off to the left of the photograph. The meal was excellent, the service brisk, and the atmosphere very much “small French town that knows exactly who it is.”

Redon and Camille in Bièvres

Redon and his wife Camille Falte (1860–1925) are interred together in the village cemetery. When Redon’s natal home of Peyrelebade was sold in 1897, the couple adopted Villa Juliette in Bièvres—acquired from Camille’s half‑sister—as their retreat from Paris. It became their refuge, their summer base, and occasionally their escape hatch from the Paris art world.

Retreats and Return

During World War I, Redon withdrew for long stretches to his native Southwest France. But in the end, he returned to Bièvres—at least in the way artists often do: by being brought back after death. Camille lived nine years longer than Redon, outlasting him before joining him there in the cemetery of the village they had made their second home.

FRANCE. “NOTRE DAME IS ON FIRE!”: architectural history of the 12th century Gothic cathedral and its shocking blaze of April 15, 2019.

FRANCE. Thirty miles west of Paris, the 1000-year-old fortified royal town of MONTFORT L’AMAURY, showcases its 11th century crusaders’ castle, 16th century flamboyant Gothic church with 37 intact Renaissance stained-glass windows and homes of 20th century composer Maurice Ravel and playwright Jean Anouilh.

FRANCE. My Art Photography: Cathédrale de Chartres, ROYAL (WEST) PORTAL (12th century), anonymous, Chartres, France.

LOW COUNTRIES. POST-IMPRESSIONISM. My 2005 Visit to Auvers-Sur-Oise, France, where VINCENT VAN GOGH’s final paintings and drawings were made between May to July 1890 assuring his role in artistic modernism.

BELGIUM. My Architecture & Design Photography: 11th century COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF ST. GERTRUDE, in Nivelles, Belgium, designed by an anonymous architect, is named for the patron saint of cats, gardeners, and travelers.