Nîmes - Nemausus - The colonia Nemausus was founded in 27 BC by Augustus. During the Augustan era the city got its walls, a forum with temples, Nymphaem, and later in the Flavian era an amphitheatre. Today the city still has many Roman (and some other) remains - Thread 🧵 🧵🧵


Augustan gate - 16 BC - in and outgoing gates for carts and people in foot. Two bulls head decorate the large arches while the smaller arches are topped by an empty space where presumably statues were located

Skopje - the capital of North-Macedonia is an interesting combination of very recent national monuments (Skopje 2014), Ottoman heritage, and the most important Byzantine church from the twelfth-century. A small 🧵 of Skopje in five threads/posts


The fortress of Skopje towers over the Ottoman bazaar, built in the 6th century and used by various rulers since, inside there are way older remains that led to local riots

https://x.com/jehanhillen/status/1967913246469616048?t=3H6ixWbYQPhwvbaZQDcqOQ&s=08

Ohrid - once an ancient city named Λυχνιδόσς subsequently the capital of the first Bulgarian empire and later a flourishing merchant town under various rulers (Byzantines, Bulgarians, Serbians, Normans, and Ottomans). A 🧵 on the heritage of Ohrid (please share) We start with the most picturesque church in Ohrid, st. John in Kaneo

https://x.com/jehanhillen/status/1966201830561792408?t=JrpeFSImAYwDWR9VrPpTsQ&s=08

Between 2010-2014 the centre of Skopje was completely renovated. The goal? Making Skopje more resistant to earthquakes and promoting the (North) Macedonian national identity; especially the latter led to much controversy. A 🧵 on Skopje 2014 as of September 2025 (please share!)


In the 'Women Warrior park' we find statues commemorating the fallen heroes of Macedonia, the Antifascist Assembly for the National Liberation of Macedonia, a sculpture honoring the fallen soldiers of the 2001 insurgency, and the founders of the Macedonian revolution society

Saint Panteleimon - Nerezi (nearby Skopje) - This twelfth century church built by the Constantinopolitan Angelos family contains the most important Byzantine frescoes of the twelfth-century. A thread on this hidden gem in North-Macedonia 🧵 🧵 🧵 (please share!)


The church was built and decorated in 1164 by Alexios Angelos, a Constantinopolitan elite family who in 1184 managed to obtain the throne of Byzantium until 1204 and after that the crown of the empire of Thessaloniki. This information can be found in an inscription above the door

The oldest part of Skopje can be found in the former Ottoman Bazaar where the Ottomans built mosques, hamams, Han's, and a Bezisten from the fifteenth century onwards - a 🧵 on the Bazaar of Skopje with many of its monuments (but not all!).


Daut Pasha Hamam - built in the fifteenth century with fifteen rooms (!) and thirteen domes, the two largest ones concern the changing rooms after which the visitor (male and female separated) transversed a series of small rooms.

'Vedi Napoli e poi muori' - Goethe - Want to visit Naples and the adjacent archeological sites in 7 days? Read this (long) thread 🧵🧵🧵 detailing 3 days in Naples and 4 days in it's amazing surroundings (Pompei, Herculaneum, Paestum & Caserta) - Please share 🧵 (1/24)


Start underground in the early Christian catacombs of San Gennaro & San Gaudioso

https://x.com/jehanhillen/status/1912919910709158103?t=7FwioMj3AwLfRV3TH-JVIA&s=08

Granada is well known for the Alhambra and being the last Islamic city on the Iberian peninsula. Besides the Alhambra the city has many more Islamic remains from different periods. Thread of Islamic Granada including but not limited to the world famous Alhambra - please share 🧵





I was surprised arriving in Granada to see that the Islamic heritage is something that is valued here and explicitly focused upon (tourism plays a large role in this obviously but still it is a noticable thing if you arrive)

https://x.com/jehanhillen/status/1797288751187497320?t=SAh6bMpg4EP7ltm1L7n1jw&s=08

Gedächtniskirche - Berlin - Neo-Romanesque church built in the late 19th century including neo-Byzantine mosaic. Damaged in WO II and rebuilt in a postmodern manner (not a fan). Small thread (1/5)





The facade is all that remains from the original church. See the reconstructions for the former church. Onze the tower was the highest tower in Berlin! (103m) (2/5)

Audience targeting occurred on the reverses of Roman coins, but did it also occur after the monetary standardization of Diocletian? Yes, but no longer on the reverse. Audiences were targeted by changing the representation and role of the emperor on the obverse, thread 🧵(1/10) Two examples stand out, first the soldier emperor. Military representations of the emperor occurred almost exclusively on solidi, and some late Roman miliarensi struck in the late fifth and early sixth century. These coins were primarily used to pay soldiers,which makes it (2/10)

Byzantine Rome - Rome is a city with ancient Roman remains and baroque churches. Most people, however, forget Rome's Byzantine past, a past that should not be forgotten! Byzantine Rome (6th-13th century) - see separate thread for 4th/5th centuries! (Byzantine = Byzantine style)





Starting off with a hidden gem close to the Forum Romanum. San Teodoro, a sixth-century church possibly built on a circular temple with a 6th century apse mosaic (since 2000 in use by the Orthodox community of Rome)

https://x.com/jehanhillen/status/1648753656106213393

Early Christian Rome – Besides Roman heritage, Rome is well-known for its many churches, however, most people only visit some baroque churches and miss out on many early Christian treasures that can be found in the city. Thread of early Christian remains in Rome (4th-5th century)





Before venturing into the post-313 Christian churches and other remains, I must mention the Roman catacombs. These +-40 underground graveyards contain an abundance of early Christian frescoes from the 3rd/4th century. Pictures are not allowed, but do visit at least one of them!

Rome is a city with ancient Roman remains and baroque churches. Most people, however, forget Rome's Byzantine past, a past that should not be forgotten! Byzantine Rome (6th-13th century) - separate thread will be posted for 4th/5th centuries! (Byzantine = Byzantine style) 🧵🧵🧵 Starting off with a hidden gem close to the Forum Romanum. San Teodoro, a sixth-century church possibly built on a circular temple with a 6th century apse mosaic (since 2000 in use by the Orthodox community of Rome)

https://x.com/jehanhillen/status/1648753656106213393

Thessaloniki contains an astonishing 12 UNESCO heritage Byzantine churches. This thread links to my posts about each of them including two other Byzantine churches that did not get the UNESCO status. Please share 🧵🧵🧵 Starting small - Sotir!

https://x.com/jehanhillen/status/1781369846397047257?t=aPiUaCrbzNu671gBOsxXwQ&s=08

Mezquita - Cordoba - former mosque of the Ummayyad Emirate and Caliphate which was converted to a church after the reconquista of 1236. Extremely interesting, well-preserved, and unique building. The highlight of the heritage of Al-Andalus. Thread 🧵🧵🧵(please share!)


Before the Islamic conquest a Visigothic church dedicated to Vincent of Zaragoza stood here, some remains of which are shown inside the current cathedral-mosque. As well as the old mosaic floor below the current floor (picture 4).

Alcazar (Al Qasr) - Sevilla (Ishbilya) - royal residence of the Spanish kings since 1248 before that it was the residence of the Almohad Caliphs. Thread on this Mudejar-Gothic palace complex in Sevilla (share if you like) 🧵🧵🧵


The entrance to Alcazar exists out of the lion gate with an Azulejo tile image of a Lion holding a cross and a flag. A scroll is attached to the chest of the lion with the inscription; Ad Utrumque [paratus] (for one thing and another). Formerly known as Puerta de la Monteria