Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598 – 1680)
1 David
2 Apollo and Daphne
3 Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers)
4 Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius
5 Ecstasy of Saint Teresa
6 The Rape of Proserpina
1 David
2 Apollo and Daphne
3 Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers)
4 Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius
5 Ecstasy of Saint Teresa
6 The Rape of Proserpina
Château de Pierrefonds, France
On the edge of the Compiègne Forest in Oise, Pierrefonds Castle is remarkable for its surprising history. Built in the late 14th century by the Duke Louis d'Orléans, it was dismantled in the 17th century. It was completely abandoned and was in ruins when Napoleon I bought it. But it was not until the reign of Napoleon III that work began to rebuild it in 1858. This project was entrusted to the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who decided to turn it into a castle worthy of the Middle Ages. Although Viollet-le-Duc focussed on the Gothic style, he still gave free rein to his creativity and created a majestic castle with ramparts, loopholes, a wall walk with machicolations, a keep, towers and mysterious gargoyles, as well as footbridges, porticoes and galleries.
Inside, the rooms alternate between Gothic, Renaissance and Art Nouveau styles.
On the edge of the Compiègne Forest in Oise, Pierrefonds Castle is remarkable for its surprising history. Built in the late 14th century by the Duke Louis d'Orléans, it was dismantled in the 17th century. It was completely abandoned and was in ruins when Napoleon I bought it. But it was not until the reign of Napoleon III that work began to rebuild it in 1858. This project was entrusted to the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who decided to turn it into a castle worthy of the Middle Ages. Although Viollet-le-Duc focussed on the Gothic style, he still gave free rein to his creativity and created a majestic castle with ramparts, loopholes, a wall walk with machicolations, a keep, towers and mysterious gargoyles, as well as footbridges, porticoes and galleries.
Inside, the rooms alternate between Gothic, Renaissance and Art Nouveau styles.
Rocamadour, Lot, France
Built into a limestone cliff face, this small village in the south of France is revered for its many religious sites, trademark goat cheese and impeccable medieval architecture.
Built into a limestone cliff face, this small village in the south of France is revered for its many religious sites, trademark goat cheese and impeccable medieval architecture.