This is the Tower of Hercules, in Spain — the oldest lighthouse in the world.

But when the Romans built it 2,000 years ago, they didn't come up with the design by themselves.

They copied the world's first lighthouse, all the way from Egypt... 🧵 First, with the city itself: Alexandria.

Founded by none other than Alexander the Great himself, in 331 BC.

The story goes that there was no chalk to draw the city plans, so Alexander used grains of barley instead.

You've seen it a thousand times before.

It's the Acropolis of Athens, in Greece.

You know the Parthenon, but the real story lies with everything around it... (thread) 🧵 The Acropolis you see today isn't what early, ancient Greeceks would have seen 2,500 years ago.

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

Pericles.

The Romans built some of the world's greatest wonders.

Like the Pantheon, Appian Way and Colosseum.

But there was one Roman wonder in particular that came head and shoulders above the rest... 🧵 The Segovia Aqueduct is the arguably the greatest example of Roman engineering outside of Italy.

It was built almost 2,000 years ago and stretched for 17 kilometers (11 miles) to the very heart of Segovia.

Architecture is the body of cities, the heart of cultures and the soul of the people.

Here's one wonder from every major architectural style... 🧵

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

Michelangelo was arguably the greatest artist of the Renaissance.

But he also sculpted David, designed St. Peter's Basilica and painted the Creation of Adam.

Here's a deep dive into his most extraordinary architectural works... 🧵 1. Sistine Chapel, Vatican City (1473)

The "Last Judgement" is arguably Michelangelo's greatest masterpiece.

But when he was first offered the opportunity to paint the chapel, he almost refused.

He was a sculptor, not a painter, after all...

I asked my followers what their favorite medieval building was.

Here's what they said (in no particular order)...

1. Sainte-Chapelle, France (1248) 2. Lincoln Cathedral, England (1072)

This was once the tallest building in the world, even surpassing the Pyramid of Giza, until it's central tower in the 14th century.

Why does Beaux-Arts matter?

Because it makes ordinary architecture look extraordinary.

So here are 21 of the greatest Beaux-Arts masterpieces that everyone must know about... 🧵

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.

Art Deco built America.

Here are the most extraordinary wonders of this Golden Age...🧵

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

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

Most castles in Europe were built to keep people out.

Now, they’re the very thing people travel continents to see.

Here are 17 surreal examples that look straight out of a fairytale... 🧵

1. Lichtenstein Castle, Germany (1842) 2. Marienburg Castle, Germany (1858)

King George V of Hanover gifted this castle to his wife, Queen Marie, as a birthday present.

Unlike many examples on this list, it was abandoned during the king's lifetime, in 1866, and the royal family went into exile.

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.

In 1939, America spent $1.5 billion on building the world's most iconic architecture.

But how is it that one country can produce all of this?

Here are the greatest wonders of the decade... 🧵

1. The Empire State Building (1931) Perhaps as the most impressive building of the entire country (and list), it once stood as the tallest building in the world at the time of its completion.

Even more impressive is the fact that it was built in just 410 days - an unprecedented speed for its time.

This is the Royal Palace of Naples, in Italy, built 167 years ago.

It feels ancient. Roman. Or maybe even Greek. That's intentional — because this is Neoclassical architecture.

Here's a journey through some of the most breathtaking examples... 🧵 1. Walhalla, Donaustauf, Germany (1842)

What you are looking at feels like it's from the Renaissance.

But it isn't.

Most people don’t know this, but Florence Cathedral's façade is just as old as the Eiffel Tower... 🧵 Today, the Florence Cathedral stands as one of the most recognizable architectural marvels from the Renaissance.

But 200 years ago, you wouldn’t be surprised to find its façade completely bare.

That’s right, for centuries, Florence’s magnificent cathedral stood unfinished…

You've heard of the Palace of Versailles. But you've probably never seen the Palazzo Colonna.

17 palaces us that remind us that architecture is a form of art... 🧵 1. Buckingham Palace, London, UK (1837)

The first monarch to live here was Queen Victoria but she wouldn't have recognized the iconic East Front.

What most people know from postcards was only added in 1913.

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.

You've never seen ancient engineering like this before.

This is Pont du Gard, in France, built 2,000 years ago — without any cement.

Here is a look into the breathtaking world of Roman aqueducts...🧵 1. Pont Du Gard, Gard, France (60 AD)

The most famous of all Roman aqueducts and rightly so — it's held up by the precise cutting in the stone and gravity alone.

All of this while carrying 44 million gallons of water, daily, to the city of Nîmes.

Look Up.

This is what a great ceiling looks like — it's St. Mary's Basilica in Kraków, Poland.

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

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.

This may look like an ordinary temple but everything you see here was carved entirely by hand, 1,200 years ago.

Where? How? Why?

First, here's the twist: it's not unique — the ancient world was littered with wonders like this... 🧵 This is Kailasa Temple, in Maharasha, India.

And it may look like any ordinary ancient wonder, but this is the largest monolithic building in the world.

Meaning it was built in its entirety from just a single piece of rock...

Everybody knows about Gothic and Classical architecture. But what about Baroque?

From Italy to India, here are 18 masterpieces that prove it is much grander than you think... 🧵

1. Royal Palace of Caserta, Italy (1752) 2. Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France (1682)

Rome may not have been built in a day.

But its legacy began today, exactly 2,778 years ago.

Here are its greatest masterpieces... (thread) 🧵

1. The Pantheon (128AD) The Pantheon is, without a doubt, Rome's best preserved monument.

It is home to the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world — even today, after almost 2,000 years since it was built.