In the late eighteenth century, royal art collections across Europe were being nationalized and put on display for the public. The British were late to the party and calls for the establishment of a national art gallery went unfulfilled. The spectacular painting collection of former Prime Minister Robert Walpole wound up sold to Russia in 1777. Finally, in 1824, the National Gallery was establis...
Located in the center of Beirut, Martyr’s Square (also known as Place de Canons and the Burj, so named for the Burj al Kachaf that occupied the square until 1874) is loaded with history. In 1908 it was called Liberty Union Square to commemorate the declaration of the Constitution. In 1916 it became Martyr’s Square in memory of Syrian-Lebanese nationalists who were executed by the Ottomans. A bulle...
Situated at the confluence of the Klang River and the Gonbak River, where Kuala Lumpur was founded, the Masjid Jamek is the oldest mosque in the city. Before 1965, it was the city’s main mosque. It was designed by British architect Arthur Benison Hubbock, who also designed the city’s former railway station. The architecture is inspired by the mosques of Mughal India, where Hubbo...
Address: 108 Nausyrbaj Batyra, Almaty Phone: + 7 (3272) 61 73 01 Website: This museum gives a haunting walkthrough of the periods of civilian oppression and unrest during various eras – the Civil War, Famine, Terrorism, Revolts and Protests, and other acts of authoritarian violence. Exhibits contain mostly photographs and documents, though there are also a considerable number of pain...