If you like the Colosseum, then you'll love Roman architecture.

Here are some of the greatest examples... 🧵

1. Aqueduct of Segovia, Spain (112 AD)

It was built without any sort of cement and carried water to the city, all the way up to 1973. 1. Appian Way - Rome, Italy (312 BC)

One of the earliest and most strategically important roads of the Republic and Empire, ending at Brindisi, in southeast Italy.

Believe it or not, this isn't a medieval castle.

In fact, we only discovered it 5 years ago — and it's still being built as we speak.

That's all because this is a prime example of something we call Revivalism... 🧵 We often think of medieval castles as relics of a forgotten era — symbols of feudal power or romantic ruins.

Yet, in the modern world, visionaries are building wonders inspired by this very period.

This is Stobnica Castle.

You've seen it a thousand times before.

It's the Acropolis of Athens, in Greece.

You already know about the Parthenon, but what about all the other buildings surrounding it?

Well, that's where it gets interesting... 🧵 The Acropolis you see today isn't what early, ancient Greece would have seen 2,500 year ago.

And it wasn't made by accident either; this was the result of a deliberate effort led by one man:

Pericles.

If you like the Parthenon, then you'll love ancient Greek architecture.

2,500 years ago, it produced some of the greatest wonders the world has ever seen.

Here are the best ones.. 🧵

1. Temple of Concordia, Sicily, Italy (430 BC) 2. Theater of Epidaurus, Argolis, Greece (4th century BC)

Designed by architect Polykleitos the Younger, this 14,000-seat theater is renowned for its nearly flawless acoustics; even a whisper on stage reaches the highest tier.

Art Deco displayed the greatest era of American culture.

And was aptly named the "golden age" of architecture and design for decades to come.

Here are the masterpieces that built this America... (thread) 🧵

1. The American Radiator Building (1924) 2. The Chrysler Building, NYC (1930)

A stunning feat of engineering topped of with a 185-foot spire - which was hoisted up in just 90 minutes.

Its gargoyles, on the 31st floor, were modeled after Chrysler hood ornaments, symbolizing the great automotive age.

Look Up.

This is what a great ceiling looks like.

It's St. Mary's Basilica in Kraków, Poland, built 700 years ago.

But that's just one breathtaking example, so here are 21 more... 🧵 1. Sainte-Chapelle, Paris, France (1248)

This is not a microchip — it's the Forbidden City, in China.

What makes it so special?

600 years ago, it had exactly 9,999 rooms, not a single structure you see here was built with a nail and 40% of the Forbidden City is still "forbidden"... 🧵 The true scale is unprecedented.

That's because it's larger than the White House, Buckingham Palace and Vatican City combined but took just 14 years to build.

So it's amazing but what actually is it?

This is not the ceiling of the Taj Mahal, Notre-Dame or La Sagrada Familia.

It's the Palau de la Música Catalana, in Barcelona

But that's only one architectural wonder of Spain, so here are 21 more... 🧵 1. Casa Battló, Barcelona (1906)

A masterpiece by Antoni Gaudí.

The building’s facade mimics the scales of a dragon.

This may look like an ordinary church, but in reality, it holds an extraordinary secret.

It was built without a single nail, has multiple dragon heads — and is over 800 years old.

It sounds impossible, but this is only where the story begins... 🧵 The Borgund Stave Church, in Norway is one of the most remarkable wooden buildings in existence

It was built in 1180 and is an interesting example of medieval architecture: it has weathered timbers, tiered roofs...

and of course multiple dragon heads, near the top.

The Alhambra isn't really a palace — it's more like a small city.

It was built on Roman ruins and is home to a fountain of 12 lions that can actually tell the time.

So the Alhambra is quite incredible, but that's just the tip of the iceberg... 🧵 There's something interesting about the Alhambra.

That's because it's one of the few examples of Moorish architecture, ever built in Europe.

We begin in Roman ruins, in the 9th century but then nothing happens...until the 13th century, where the story really begins...

You've seen incredible forts before, but not like this.

This is Bourtange Fort in the Netherlands, built just 431 years ago.

And it's a breathtaking example of what we call a "star fort." Here's everything you need to know... 🧵 For centuries, traditional medieval castles, with their towering walls and battlements were ideal for protecting yourself against an invading army.

But in the 15th century, a new problem arose in warfare: gunpowder.

The most beautiful winter towns and cities in the world - a thread 🧵

1. Prague, Czech Republic 2. Grindelwald, Switzerland

If you like winter spirit, then you'll love Christmas Markets.

Here are the world's most beautiful ones... 🧵

1. Cologne, Germany 2. Aachen, Germany

Architecture is the body of a city, the heart of a culture and the soul of the people.

So here's one wonder from every major architectural style... 🧵

1. Gothic — Strasbourg Cathedral, France (1439) 2. Classical — The Erechtheion, Athens, Greece (406 BC)

Why do castles matter?

Because in reality, they stand as some of the most impressive buildings known to man.

Here are the best ones... 🧵

1. Chateau de Pierrefonds, France (1857) 2. Neuschwanstein Castle, Schwangau, Germany (1869)

A fairy-tale castle built by King Ludwig II, renowned for its picturesque setting in the Bavarian Alps.

No. This is not a spaceship going to Mars.

It's the Hallgrimskirkja, in Iceland.

It is only 38 years old but might just be the greatest masterpiece ever built in modern times... 🧵 Towering over Reykjavik, stands Hallgrimskirkja — a church named after the Icelandic poet and cleric Pétursson.

When you look at it, the first thing that strikes out at you is the incredible 240-foot spire.

Why? Because it might even seem quite familiar…

Why does Beaux-Arts matter?

Because it makes ordinary architecture look extraordinary.

So here are 21 of its greatest masterpieces that you must see at least once in a lifetime... 🧵

1. Palais Garnier, Paris, France (1875) 2. Gare du Nord, Paris, France (1865)

The busiest railway station in Europe and a masterpiece of the 19th century.

Its façade is finished with 23 sculptures symbolizing each of the cities served by the station.

The world's greatest library may not have been in Alexandria but in a faraway city of the East...

That stood as the pinnacle of civilization for 500 years.

But when it was destroyed in 1258, so much knowledge was lost that its river ran black with ink... 🧵 In the heart of the Abbasids, stood Baghdad — a center of trade and knowledge, attracting scholars, merchants, and thinkers from across the world.

But the 8th century was only the beginning of its glory...

One of the world's greatest architectural gems has risen again today.

It took 182 years to build, but almost burned down in just one night in 2019.

Here's everything you need to know about Notre-Dame de Paris.... 🧵 Notre Dame is a resurrection of one of humanity's great cultural treasures.

It wasn't merely about rebuilding the beautiful interior — it all comes back to preserving a sanctuary of beauty, faith and rich history...

What has stood for 1,000 years, can stand for 1,000 more.

Here are 21 forgotten wonders of ancient architecture that everyone must know about... 🧵

1. The Library of Celsius at Ephesus, Turkey (117 AD) 2. The Erechtheion, Athens, Greece (406 BC)

Known for its unique asymmetrical design, this temple features columns sculpted as maidens — the iconic 4 Caryatids

Would you believe me if I told you this castle was built just 155 years ago?

It has everything and anything you could imagine... from central heating and flushing toilets to an artificial cave.

And it completely changes the way we look at medieval castles... 🧵 This is Neuschwanstein Castle, in Germany — one of the most majestic "fairytale" castles you will ever find.

And it's a masterpiece of fantasy, blending Gothic and Romanesque architecture to create a setting that is dream-like...