Lookon

Located in the central Italian region of Lazio, Anagni Cathedral is a magnificent Romanesque edifice that should be more famous than it is. In addition to imposing castle-like architecture, it contains a crypt covered in beautifully-preserved medieval frescoes of biblical stories, saints and scientific diagrams. Christianity arrived fairly early in Anagni as a result of its proximity to Rome. Later legends mention St. Peter visiting Anagni in the first century, but this has no historical basis. A bit more reliable [...]

This hike is accessible from Akan-kohan or from Lake Onneto and Meakan Youth Hostel. You could for example start from the Meakan-onsen. This onsen is accessible by bus from Akan-Kohan only between July 1st and August 31st, that’s why Sanji is so right when he said a car is your best asset to visit the park. You can even have an earlier start by staying at the nearby Youth Hostel. However it is strongly recommended you double-check with the Tourist [...]

The oldest temple in Chiang Mai town, Wat Chiang Man was built in 1296 by King Mengrai, the founder of Chiang Mai. The temple is famous for its Lanna-style chedi supported by rows of elephant-shaped buttresses and an ancient and invaluable Buddha image named Phra Kaeo Khao. Wat Chiang Man is situated off of Ratchapakhinai Road in the northeast corner of the old city.

Lying in the Gubeikou Town northeast of Miyun County about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Beijing, the Simatai Great Wall stretches about five kilometers (three miles) from the Wangjinglou Tower in the east and connects to the Jinshanling Great Wall in the west. It has 35 beacon towers. Constructed under the supervision of Qi Jiguang, a famous general in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it is the only part of the Great Walls that still has the original appearance of the [...]

The sacred objects of worship, such as statues, are displayed in the main hall. Main halls are called kondo, hondo, butsuden, amidado or hatto in Japanese.

Innn the department of Magdalena, just 34 km from the lovely city of Santa Marta, lies the Tayrona National Park – a sanctuary of nature and archaeological remains that invite an encounter with oneself. Mangrove swamps, corals, algae prairies, thorny scrubland, and magical dry, humid, and cloud forests proliferate and are home to a surprising variety of vegetal and animal species that bear witness to life. These 12,000 land and 3,000 marine hectares were proclaimed in 1969 for their great [...]

The Cathedral of St. Andrew, Amalfi is a highly unique cathedral full of interesting sights. Built in the early 1200s, the cathedral features a dramatic location atop a steep flight of stairs, an Arab-influenced exterior, and the relics of St. Andrew the Apostle in its crypt. Connected to the cathedral is an older basilica (now a small museum) and the fascinating Cloister of Paradise, both containing medieval murals. There has been a church on this site in Amalfi since 596 [...]

Founded by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1232, Altamura Cathedral is a Late Romanesque-Early Gothic edifice with the most intricately carved portal in Puglia. Altamura Cathedral was founded by Emperor Frederick II of Swabia in 1232. It is one of the four Palatine cathedrals of Puglia (the others are San Nicola in Bari, Barletta Cathedral, and Acquaviva Cathedral). It was renovated by Robert of Anjou after partial destruction in the earthquake of 1316 and the celebrated main portal was added [...]

The Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Sicily, is a magnificent collection of seven ancient Greek temples from the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Located just south of the modern city of Agrigento, the temples are nestled among olive trees on a ridge near the sea. An eighth Classical temple can be seen embedded in a medieval church in town. Akragas (or Ackragas) was founded in 580 BC by Greek colonists from nearby Gela (Sicily), who had come from Rhodes [...]

Located in a picturesque village, the Abbey of Fossanova (Abbazia di Fossanova) is a Cistercian abbey with a beautiful church and peaceful cloisters. Begun in 1163, Fossanova is considered a magnificent example of Cistercian architecture, reflecting that of Clairvaux. The village of Fossanova is part of the town of Priverno and not far from the Abbey of Casamari, which is better known but (we think) not as interesting or beautiful as this one. The first monastery on this site was [...]