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Mar 7, 2024 17 tweets 6 min read Read on X
They said it was the Dark Ages, yet Europe was igniting architectural wonders that continue to mesmerize the world to this day.

Let's delve into these timeless masterpieces. 🧵⤵️ Image
1. Aachen Cathedral, built in 796 AD, crowned Charlemagne and symbolized the Holy Roman Empire's power. By Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas or alternatively © CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34481376
2. St. Peter's Basilica - The original church was built in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine, the Roman empire’s first Christian emperor, on the spot where St. Peter was thought to be buried. The new church was constructed between 1506 and 1626.
Fresco showing cutaway view of Constantine's St. Peter's Basilica as it looked in the 4th century.
The new St. Peter's Basilica
3. Hagia Sophia, completed in 537 AD, transformed into a mosque in 1453, marking the Ottomans' triumph over Constantinople. By Arild Vågen - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24932378
4. The Monastery of San Juan de la Peña, from the 9th century, allegedly protected the Holy Grail against Muslim conquest. San Juan de la Peña.
5. St. Mark's Basilica, initially erected in 828 AD, gained fame when Venice acquired Saint Mark's relics, boosting its religious clout. Image
6. Mont Saint-Michel, established in 966 AD, repelled an English siege in 1433, showcasing French defiance in the Hundred Years' War. Image
7. The Viking raid on Lindisfarne Priory in 793 AD, founded in 634, signaled the dawn of the Viking Age. By Kim Traynor - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33863202
8. Santa Maria in Cosmedin, built in the 8th century, became known for the Mouth of Truth, enveloped in legends. By globustut.by - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60479722
9. St. Michael's Mount, with its monastery from the 8th century, is tied to myths of Archangel Michael's appearance in 495. By Marktee1 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17318191
10. The Rock of Cashel, rooted in the 4th century, is where St. Patrick reputedly used a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. By David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada - Rock of Cashel, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=96704425
11. Ravenna's 5th and 6th-century monuments stood at the heart of empire transitions, reflecting its changing fortunes. Basilica of San Vitale By Commonists - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113592919
12. St. Gall Monastery, founded in 719 AD, preserved medieval knowledge in its library through turbulent times. By A.Savin - Own work, FAL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=134255831
13. Bobbio Abbey, established in 614 AD, became a center of learning, safeguarding classical texts during the Middle Ages. Image
14. The Glosses of San Millán, from the 6th-century San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries, are among the earliest examples of Spanish and Basque languages. By Cenobio - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3834838
15. The Basilica of Saint Denis, with origins in the 7th century, became the burial site for French kings, linking it closely with France's monarchical history. Image
These buildings not only exemplify architectural mastery but also stand as silent witnesses to pivotal moments that shaped Europe.

What other structures did I miss that were built between 500 AD and 1000 AD. Reichsburg Cochem was built in 1000 AD Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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More from @CultureExploreX

Feb 1
“Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her.”
– G. K. Chesterton.

Rome’s art doesn’t just impress—it overwhelms, with frescoed ceilings, opulent marble halls, and masterpieces that leave you breathless. 🧵 Doria Pamphilj Gallery Insta: @avanicastrophoto
1. Vatican Museums

Home to rooms like the Raphael Rooms and the Gallery of Maps, where walls and ceilings explode with color and detail, leaving you stunned by the sheer scale of human creativity.

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Jan 31
War isn’t just fought on battlefields.

It’s immortalized on canvas, revealing both horror and glory.

These wartime paintings lay bare history’s most brutal and haunting moments. 🧵 The destruction of the Ottoman fleet on 7 July Jacob Philipp Hackert
1. The Battle of Alexander at Issus (1529) by Albrecht Altdorfer at the Alte Pinakothek, Munich

What if Alexander had lost the Battle of Issus—would the Persian Empire have crushed his ambitions and rewritten the course of history? Image
2. Battle of Chesma at Night (1848) by
Ivan Aivazovsky at the Central Naval Museum, St. Petersburg Image
Read 21 tweets
Jan 30
She was a teenage girl who led armies, defied kings, and was burned alive at 19.

But Joan of Arc didn’t vanish in the flames—she became immortal. 🧵 Joan of Arc by John Everett Millais in Private Collection (1865)
Joan of Arc's story begins in 1412, in the small village of Domrémy, France.

At 13, she began experiencing visions, claiming that saints instructed her to support Charles VII and help expel the English from France. Jeanne d'Arc écoutant les voix by Eugène Thirion (1876) at the Notre Dame Church, Ville de Chatou
Determined, Joan approached local officials, seeking an audience with Charles VII.

Initially met with skepticism, her persistence paid off.

She convinced Charles of her divine mission, and he allowed her to accompany the army to Orléans. Joan of Arc Enters Orléans by Jean-Jacques Scherrer (1887) at the Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans.
Read 14 tweets
Jan 29
Germany hides towns so breathtaking they seem taken from fantasy—places where medieval legends, secret treasures, and cinematic beauty come alive.

Yet, many have never even heard of some of them. 🧵 Known for its porcelain, Meissen was the birthplace of Europe’s first true porcelain in 1710, a craft that had eluded the continent for centuries. But here’s something even more fascinating—beneath the town, there’s an intricate network of tunnels, rumored to be ancient escape routes or secret paths used during conflicts. Some even say they were used by alchemists trying to transform base metals into gold! It’s this mix of medieval magic and craftsmanship that makes Meissen far more than just a porcelain capital.  Credit: @_TraveltheEarth
1. Rothenburg ob der Tauber

It looks straight out of a fairy tale because it is.

The town’s medieval charm influenced the visual design of Godric’s Hollow in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

Do you know which famous animated Disney film drew inspiration from its dreamy medieval streets?Image
2. Bad Wimpfen

Before it became a spa town, Bad Wimpfen was home to one of the largest Romanesque imperial palaces in Germany.

But it's true treasure?

The saltwater springs, revered for their healing properties since Roman times. Image
Read 23 tweets
Jan 27
"Paris isn’t just a city—it’s a universe of its own." — King Francis I.

And you know what? He was right.

Let’s wander through its streets and uncover why Paris stands in a league of its own. 🧵 Beneath Arc de Triomphe, lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, added in 1921 to honor unidentified soldiers who died during World War I. The eternal flame, which burns continuously, was the first of its kind to be installed in Western Europe after the Great War. What many don't realize is that this flame has never been extinguished—not even during the Nazi occupation of Paris in World War II. It is rekindled every evening in a solemn ceremony, a tradition that has remained unbroken for over a century. Credit: Breezechai
1. Sainte-Chapelle

This 13th-century Gothic jewel dazzles with its stained-glass and once held relics of Christ's Passion.

Do you know which French king commissioned the construction of Sainte-Chapelle to house relics of Christ’s Passion, including the Crown of Thorns?

A) Louis IX
B) Charlemagne
C) Philip IV
D) Francis ICredit: @JeremyTate41
2. Palais Garnier

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Jan 26
Modern art is becoming classical again!

These sculptors prove that classical techniques are thriving and turning heads worldwide. 🧵 Kris Kuksi's Tribulation (2015) is a breathtakingly intricate sculpture that feels like a dystopian cathedral come to life.
1. Jago (Jacopo Cardillo)

Jago’s been called the ‘modern Michelangelo’—do you agree?

His marble sculptures are so raw and lifelike, they almost seem to breathe
2. Benjamin Victor

When your work ends up in the U.S. Capitol, you know you're doing something right.

Victor’s sculptures bring classical artistry to modern icons, packed with emotion and dignity. Image
Read 23 tweets

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