I’ve just spent a very pleasant hour at Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, where the effect of seemingly endless sheets of medieval stained glass is to make you feel like you’ve wandered into Paradise. It may be my favourite building in the world… what’s yours?
St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. It’s literally breathtaking, both inside and out. Followed very closely by the Vatican museum, the White Tower at the Tower of London, and the Celsus Library at Ephesus!
It is almost impossible to pick one, but if I had to, I would say Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn, in Kent. It is a beautiful building and set in the lush green countryside. There is a real sense of history about it. You can see Anne's room, her Book of Hours., and everything is beautifully restored and maintained. But what I also love about it is the journey to get there. The two times I have visited, I went from London by train. It is not that far from London, but it feels like a world away. The closest train station to the castle is about a mile or so away. The walk is through fields and green meadows. It is quiet and peaceful. and you can almost feel like you have stepped back in time for a few moments. It is always a bit of an adventure as well as a beautiful place to visit.
Notre Dame, hands down. I went to Sainte-Chapelle And while it’s absolutely gorgeous, it just doesn’t have the magic that Notre Dame had. In fact, the whole time I was in Paris, I kept finding my way back to Notre Dame because I just couldn’t stay away. there was just something about the place. When it burned, I sobbed for hours.
Here’s hoping that the reconstruction restores that magic foe centuries to come.
My absolute favourite building in the world is Caernarfon Castle. The history, the views and being scared stiff going up and down the spiral staircases. It is a beautiful building and it holds special memories for me going there when I was little with my parents. I try to get there at least once a year with my sons nowadays.
Rievaulx Abbey - The ruins are a stunning place to walk round, though being a Yorkshire lad I am biased. I popped over during the lockdown when Bojo opened up the travel. Walked from Helmsley Castle to Rievaulx (obviously shut) and back in a round walk passing through farmland that once was a medieval village. Even the rain didn't spoil the day.
It does make you cry though, when you see Sainte-Chapelle and think all that England lost in the Reformation and then later under the Protectorate...
St Thomas ' shrine would probably still be there in all its gaudy glory...
And to stand in Lincoln Cathedral in the middle of all the stained glass Gothic glory after climbing the Steep Hill. You would definitely think you'd entered Paradise...
Union Terminal in Cincinnati Ohio. It was built in 1933, it used to be a railroad station. It was transformed into a museum 1991 called the Cincinnati Museum Center. I know it's not very old compared to buildings in Europe lol. As a bonus, the design is the basis for the Hall of Justice for the Superfriends cartoons!
Mine is somewhat more modern - I adore the Natural History Museum in London - a true cathedral to science and the natural world... Utterly gorgeous architecture in true Victorian bonkers style...
Hey Dan, I’m glad you’re having a nice time. My favourite must be the Pantheon in Rome. It is so cool and I must visit, at least quickly, each time I visit Rome. I know practically every inch by now.
The Alhambra - just think it is completely magical and atmospheric. I tried to see Sainte Chapelle once - got the train out of Paris and then it was shut. Really need to try again!
Wells Cathedral is beautiful inside and out. There's something about the atmosphere in there that makes the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. Religious buildings are awesome, quite literally.
Sainte Chapelle is right up there for me. I did a year long London history course with a different walking tour each week (via City Lit if anyone is interested); one thing that blew me away was Norman crypt under the Priory Church of St John. I also loved St John's Gate, Wren's practice run at a dome on St Stephen Walbrook, Temple Church and Hawksmoor's St Mary Woolnoth.
Hard one... I think either Westminster Abbey, St George's Chapel Windsor, Dover Castle, St Paul's Cathedral or Canterbury. I adore the stained glass in all these buildings but the history in them is amazing. I'd go back and see them all again and again. Mind Bamburgh Castle is also a favourite as is Arundel Castle
Easy to escape the hustle and bustle of modern tourism and listen to the stones sigh and whisper their history to you, the light on the warm stones and the wind whipping across the site- can’t wait to visit again.
My favorite building is Independence Hall formally the Pennsylvania State House located in the city of Philadelphia. This is where the Second Continental Congress met, where American independence was debated, where the Declaration of Independence was adopted, and signed, and where the Constitutional Convention was held. If only those walls could talk, the stories they could tell.
I live about 30 minutes from the city of Philadelphia and have visited Independence Hall many times, and each time I visit I can’t help but feel emotional about all that took place in that building 200 years ago. Independence Hall and the city of Philadelphia will always hold a special place in my heart because of the great influence it has had on my love of history.
That's like asking to pick your favourite song lol. Although it's one of our less elaborate cathedrals from the outside, Winchester holds special memories as it was where I attended University. Corfe Castle is also a childhood local favourite.
Westminster Abbey. So much history! Kings and Queens Crowned and burried there and all the drama in a magnificent Gothic styled Church. It is truely magnificent! So many poets and luminaries honoured there to.. I also love that Mary Queen of Scots is entombed near Elizabeth I and she too is next to her Sister Mary! I bet Liz is thinking Karma is defo a bitch! It also has Eleanor of Castile there and some of her children in an unmarked casket that even the guides are not aware of.
Kings College Chapel. Beautiful! I love the vaulted ceiling and the forgotten bits to Anne Bolyn, that Henry VIII forgot to get removed on the rood screen. The in-your-face Tudor propaganda in the symbolism is off the charts for me, plus the stained glass.
Fountains Abbey - the setting.. You can just see why that place was chosen.. Beautiful and peaceful.. Enough said on that place! Defo a favourite
Hardwick Hall is my happy place 😊 Also really love Little Moreton hall in Cheshire, it's like a little time capsule because it's hardly been touched since I think the 16th or 17th century and it's full of amazing little details
Impossible just one: Santa Maria dei Fiore , Saint. Denis,cappella Sistina, Alhambra, Jaipur Palace ,Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sofia, el Escorial, and Reims Cathedral.
Sainte-Chepelle would be in my top 5, along with Notre-Dame, Fontainebleau outside of Paris, and Castle Howard outside of York. I’d add the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, except I’m not sure it can be called a “historical” building since it isn’t even finished yet.
It's a very difficult question to answer. We've been to quite a number of historical buildings of all shapes and sizes. One place we love in particular is Chepstow castle. It is steeped in history, plus the town of Chepstow is lovely too. We keep going back there as it's not too far from us. Another one which we have been to numerous times is Raglan castle, again has a lot of history! PS that is an amazing photo!!!
So many. I can't go past Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and Linlithgow Palace. However, my favourite, for many reasons, is Dunnottar Castle. It is a magnificent ruin.
it's really hard to beat St Chapelle. I'm going to say S.Maria della Vittoria in Rome. So unassuming from the outside, but then inside it's a jewel box and you're sitting there, probably alone, with Bernini's St Teresa having her ecstatic experience right in front of you. S Maria in Trastevere, runner up.
Kings College Cambridge is up there, majestic yet unassuming.
The Cathedral of Christ the Savious in Moscow is truly spectacular.
I had the privilege of working on the 47th and 49th floors of One Canada Square (Canary Wharf) for about 10 years. Whilst not the most beautiful building to look at, I had a window seat, which faced West over London. The panoramic view fascinated me everyday and it was the highest view point you could get in London for free. Even more spectacular was when the sun set over London and on foggy days when there was blue sky and we could look down on the fog over the City.
While the huge abbeys, cathedrals, castles etc all are beyond description, the Dupath Wells Holy Well in Cornwall near my home is the most special place - hidden and feels like it’s there just for you.
If I had to choose (and death not being an option) I would pick Westminster Abbey--the breadth of English/British history--monarchy, literature, military--because none of us gets out of this alive--is truly awesome. And humbling.
Exeter Cathedral. It is beautiful, and haunting. Every time I visit England, I make sure to spend a few hours there. My father was a choir boy there many years ago but we have never spoken about it (it was a condition on marrying my Catholic mother 55+ years ago that he never discuss religion with, or try to influence the religion of, his children). I found a photo of him on a recent trip. <3
Chapel of the Holy Blood — The Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges, Belgium. The church houses a relic of the Holy Blood allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders.
Mausoleum of Santa Costanza in Rome. Built in the shape of round Etruscan tombs, filled with the most stunning 4th century mosaics whose iconography beautifully demonstrates an Empire in transition from pagan to Christian, converted to a church in the 13th century, and used a site for initiation rites in the 16th century by a group of Dutch artists. All the layers of Rome packed into 1 building that still stands after 17 centuries. Splendid in every way!
Linlithgow Palace in Scotland! Big Mary Stuart fan, so seeing where she was born was life changing. Plus, I live in Florida and we don't have any cool castle ruins, so that made it even more special.
Ah, some many to chose from! Westminster Abbey in London, King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, Karnak in Luxor, Basilica San Vitale in Ravenna, the Acropolis in Athens, more or less anything Gothic in France or England….
In order to be able to pick one (as per Dan’s brief) I’d have to ask myself: where was I at my happiest due to the surroundings?
Answer: it’s a toss-up between the Divinity School, Oxford, and the cloister of Gloucester Cathedral. All you can do there is sit and stare, for as long as you want, preferably unencumbered by company. Just imagine who has spent time there through the centuries, walking, sitting, dreaming, doing business, studying, meeting up with others, laughing, gossiping…
Isn't that like asking someone, which is your favourite offspring? I love The Hunchback Of Notre Dame so Notre Dame is probably my favourite. It's exactly as Victor Hugo described it all those years ago. I got a little emotional when I saw it for the first time.
Trim castle in County Meath, Ireland- mainly for sentimental reasons. It’s the first castle that I ever visited during a day trip outside of Dublin back in 2014. Plus, the cruciform three story keep is impressive.
Stunning glass- in Britain my favorite building is Westminster Abbey. In Florence my favorite building is the Medici Chapel, in Egypt the Cairo Museum….everything thing else is on my bucket list which is very very long
Two favourites: In Cholula, Puebla, Mexico is The Lady of our Remedies 16th century church that sits atop the grand pyramid of Cholula. You can explore both the phenomenal architecture above and the 3rd-9th century pyramid below. It is a visceral experience of time and cultural syncretism. Another journey in time through buildings is Jarlshof, Shetland where one explores site and building remains from the Mesolithic through the 17th century, all in one stroll.
I've not had the privilege of visiting anywhere outside of the western United States, so my experience is limited. I absolutely love the California Missions. They range from 1769 to 1824. I've been able to visit 14 of the 21 buildings. My favorite is San Carlos de Carmelo. That one is extra cool since Father Junipero Serra, the founder of missions, is buried there. He died in 1784.
The library at Trinity College Dublin.
Mine is Hagia Sophia.
Tintagel castle in Cornwall has to be my favourite place it just has absolutely amazing views and is just breath taking.
St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. It’s literally breathtaking, both inside and out. Followed very closely by the Vatican museum, the White Tower at the Tower of London, and the Celsus Library at Ephesus!
It is almost impossible to pick one, but if I had to, I would say Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn, in Kent. It is a beautiful building and set in the lush green countryside. There is a real sense of history about it. You can see Anne's room, her Book of Hours., and everything is beautifully restored and maintained. But what I also love about it is the journey to get there. The two times I have visited, I went from London by train. It is not that far from London, but it feels like a world away. The closest train station to the castle is about a mile or so away. The walk is through fields and green meadows. It is quiet and peaceful. and you can almost feel like you have stepped back in time for a few moments. It is always a bit of an adventure as well as a beautiful place to visit.
Notre Dame, hands down. I went to Sainte-Chapelle And while it’s absolutely gorgeous, it just doesn’t have the magic that Notre Dame had. In fact, the whole time I was in Paris, I kept finding my way back to Notre Dame because I just couldn’t stay away. there was just something about the place. When it burned, I sobbed for hours.
Here’s hoping that the reconstruction restores that magic foe centuries to come.
My absolute favourite building in the world is Caernarfon Castle. The history, the views and being scared stiff going up and down the spiral staircases. It is a beautiful building and it holds special memories for me going there when I was little with my parents. I try to get there at least once a year with my sons nowadays.
I do love the Tower of London, not very original I know. I also love the Foro Romano in Rome
Rievaulx Abbey - The ruins are a stunning place to walk round, though being a Yorkshire lad I am biased. I popped over during the lockdown when Bojo opened up the travel. Walked from Helmsley Castle to Rievaulx (obviously shut) and back in a round walk passing through farmland that once was a medieval village. Even the rain didn't spoil the day.
It does make you cry though, when you see Sainte-Chapelle and think all that England lost in the Reformation and then later under the Protectorate...
St Thomas ' shrine would probably still be there in all its gaudy glory...
And to stand in Lincoln Cathedral in the middle of all the stained glass Gothic glory after climbing the Steep Hill. You would definitely think you'd entered Paradise...
Union Terminal in Cincinnati Ohio. It was built in 1933, it used to be a railroad station. It was transformed into a museum 1991 called the Cincinnati Museum Center. I know it's not very old compared to buildings in Europe lol. As a bonus, the design is the basis for the Hall of Justice for the Superfriends cartoons!
Mine is somewhat more modern - I adore the Natural History Museum in London - a true cathedral to science and the natural world... Utterly gorgeous architecture in true Victorian bonkers style...
The V&A would also come high up my list too...
Hey Dan, I’m glad you’re having a nice time. My favourite must be the Pantheon in Rome. It is so cool and I must visit, at least quickly, each time I visit Rome. I know practically every inch by now.
The Alhambra - just think it is completely magical and atmospheric. I tried to see Sainte Chapelle once - got the train out of Paris and then it was shut. Really need to try again!
Wells Cathedral is beautiful inside and out. There's something about the atmosphere in there that makes the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. Religious buildings are awesome, quite literally.
Don’t know if you can call it a building, but the king graves in Petra, Jordan are my absolute favourite. And the Hagia Sophia!
Sainte Chapelle is right up there for me. I did a year long London history course with a different walking tour each week (via City Lit if anyone is interested); one thing that blew me away was Norman crypt under the Priory Church of St John. I also loved St John's Gate, Wren's practice run at a dome on St Stephen Walbrook, Temple Church and Hawksmoor's St Mary Woolnoth.
Hard one... I think either Westminster Abbey, St George's Chapel Windsor, Dover Castle, St Paul's Cathedral or Canterbury. I adore the stained glass in all these buildings but the history in them is amazing. I'd go back and see them all again and again. Mind Bamburgh Castle is also a favourite as is Arundel Castle
Carcassone citadel.
Easy to escape the hustle and bustle of modern tourism and listen to the stones sigh and whisper their history to you, the light on the warm stones and the wind whipping across the site- can’t wait to visit again.
My favorite building is Independence Hall formally the Pennsylvania State House located in the city of Philadelphia. This is where the Second Continental Congress met, where American independence was debated, where the Declaration of Independence was adopted, and signed, and where the Constitutional Convention was held. If only those walls could talk, the stories they could tell.
I live about 30 minutes from the city of Philadelphia and have visited Independence Hall many times, and each time I visit I can’t help but feel emotional about all that took place in that building 200 years ago. Independence Hall and the city of Philadelphia will always hold a special place in my heart because of the great influence it has had on my love of history.
That's like asking to pick your favourite song lol. Although it's one of our less elaborate cathedrals from the outside, Winchester holds special memories as it was where I attended University. Corfe Castle is also a childhood local favourite.
So many! I have 3 favourites
Westminster Abbey. So much history! Kings and Queens Crowned and burried there and all the drama in a magnificent Gothic styled Church. It is truely magnificent! So many poets and luminaries honoured there to.. I also love that Mary Queen of Scots is entombed near Elizabeth I and she too is next to her Sister Mary! I bet Liz is thinking Karma is defo a bitch! It also has Eleanor of Castile there and some of her children in an unmarked casket that even the guides are not aware of.
Kings College Chapel. Beautiful! I love the vaulted ceiling and the forgotten bits to Anne Bolyn, that Henry VIII forgot to get removed on the rood screen. The in-your-face Tudor propaganda in the symbolism is off the charts for me, plus the stained glass.
Fountains Abbey - the setting.. You can just see why that place was chosen.. Beautiful and peaceful.. Enough said on that place! Defo a favourite
Hardwick Hall is my happy place 😊 Also really love Little Moreton hall in Cheshire, it's like a little time capsule because it's hardly been touched since I think the 16th or 17th century and it's full of amazing little details
Impossible just one: Santa Maria dei Fiore , Saint. Denis,cappella Sistina, Alhambra, Jaipur Palace ,Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sofia, el Escorial, and Reims Cathedral.
Sainte-Chepelle would be in my top 5, along with Notre-Dame, Fontainebleau outside of Paris, and Castle Howard outside of York. I’d add the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, except I’m not sure it can be called a “historical” building since it isn’t even finished yet.
It's a very difficult question to answer. We've been to quite a number of historical buildings of all shapes and sizes. One place we love in particular is Chepstow castle. It is steeped in history, plus the town of Chepstow is lovely too. We keep going back there as it's not too far from us. Another one which we have been to numerous times is Raglan castle, again has a lot of history! PS that is an amazing photo!!!
So many. I can't go past Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and Linlithgow Palace. However, my favourite, for many reasons, is Dunnottar Castle. It is a magnificent ruin.
it's really hard to beat St Chapelle. I'm going to say S.Maria della Vittoria in Rome. So unassuming from the outside, but then inside it's a jewel box and you're sitting there, probably alone, with Bernini's St Teresa having her ecstatic experience right in front of you. S Maria in Trastevere, runner up.
Kings College Cambridge is up there, majestic yet unassuming.
The Cathedral of Christ the Savious in Moscow is truly spectacular.
I had the privilege of working on the 47th and 49th floors of One Canada Square (Canary Wharf) for about 10 years. Whilst not the most beautiful building to look at, I had a window seat, which faced West over London. The panoramic view fascinated me everyday and it was the highest view point you could get in London for free. Even more spectacular was when the sun set over London and on foggy days when there was blue sky and we could look down on the fog over the City.
Mine would be Westminster Abbey or Abu Simbel
While the huge abbeys, cathedrals, castles etc all are beyond description, the Dupath Wells Holy Well in Cornwall near my home is the most special place - hidden and feels like it’s there just for you.
If I had to choose (and death not being an option) I would pick Westminster Abbey--the breadth of English/British history--monarchy, literature, military--because none of us gets out of this alive--is truly awesome. And humbling.
That is gorgeous! I really like Rosslyn Chapel. I love all the intricate stone carvings and the new stained glass window.
Is the crowm of yhotnx of Christ relic trell7 still there?
Exeter Cathedral. It is beautiful, and haunting. Every time I visit England, I make sure to spend a few hours there. My father was a choir boy there many years ago but we have never spoken about it (it was a condition on marrying my Catholic mother 55+ years ago that he never discuss religion with, or try to influence the religion of, his children). I found a photo of him on a recent trip. <3
Spellbound by Westminster Cathedral. Will keep going back to wonder at its beauty and sitting quietly in reverence for those buried there.
Would like to see The Little Chapel in the Bailiwick of Guernsey and Rosslyn Chapel.
Chapel of the Holy Blood — The Basilica of the Holy Blood in Bruges, Belgium. The church houses a relic of the Holy Blood allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders.
Mausoleum of Santa Costanza in Rome. Built in the shape of round Etruscan tombs, filled with the most stunning 4th century mosaics whose iconography beautifully demonstrates an Empire in transition from pagan to Christian, converted to a church in the 13th century, and used a site for initiation rites in the 16th century by a group of Dutch artists. All the layers of Rome packed into 1 building that still stands after 17 centuries. Splendid in every way!
Tower of London
Linlithgow Palace in Scotland! Big Mary Stuart fan, so seeing where she was born was life changing. Plus, I live in Florida and we don't have any cool castle ruins, so that made it even more special.
Sacre Coeur basilica in Paris
Ah, some many to chose from! Westminster Abbey in London, King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, Karnak in Luxor, Basilica San Vitale in Ravenna, the Acropolis in Athens, more or less anything Gothic in France or England….
In order to be able to pick one (as per Dan’s brief) I’d have to ask myself: where was I at my happiest due to the surroundings?
Answer: it’s a toss-up between the Divinity School, Oxford, and the cloister of Gloucester Cathedral. All you can do there is sit and stare, for as long as you want, preferably unencumbered by company. Just imagine who has spent time there through the centuries, walking, sitting, dreaming, doing business, studying, meeting up with others, laughing, gossiping…
After careful deliberation, it's an Oxford win.
St Patricks Cathedral in Dublin or the tiny little Chapel in Swords Castle
Isn't that like asking someone, which is your favourite offspring? I love The Hunchback Of Notre Dame so Notre Dame is probably my favourite. It's exactly as Victor Hugo described it all those years ago. I got a little emotional when I saw it for the first time.
Impossible to choose just one - Hagia Sophia, Alhambra, Tower of London and Hampton Court
Groovey man! And the buildings people post - wow! You have an amazing following. Thank you guys posting. I learn a lot from you
Trim castle in County Meath, Ireland- mainly for sentimental reasons. It’s the first castle that I ever visited during a day trip outside of Dublin back in 2014. Plus, the cruciform three story keep is impressive.
Stunning glass- in Britain my favorite building is Westminster Abbey. In Florence my favorite building is the Medici Chapel, in Egypt the Cairo Museum….everything thing else is on my bucket list which is very very long
Two favourites: In Cholula, Puebla, Mexico is The Lady of our Remedies 16th century church that sits atop the grand pyramid of Cholula. You can explore both the phenomenal architecture above and the 3rd-9th century pyramid below. It is a visceral experience of time and cultural syncretism. Another journey in time through buildings is Jarlshof, Shetland where one explores site and building remains from the Mesolithic through the 17th century, all in one stroll.
I've not had the privilege of visiting anywhere outside of the western United States, so my experience is limited. I absolutely love the California Missions. They range from 1769 to 1824. I've been able to visit 14 of the 21 buildings. My favorite is San Carlos de Carmelo. That one is extra cool since Father Junipero Serra, the founder of missions, is buried there. He died in 1784.