In the year 250AD, Christians throughout the Roman empire were being persecuted. According to legend, seven men were accused of accepting Christianity. Rather than fighting the charges, they donated all their worldly possessions and retreated to a cave to pray. The men fell asleep, and Roman authorities sealed the entrance. Two hundred years later, long after Christianity be...
The Piazza Navona was built in 1644 over the exact area where Domitian’s Stadium used to stand and where games and horse racing took place from 86 CE. Now full of lusciously painted buildings, two fountains by Bernini, cafes and restaurants around its sides and artists selling their work in the centre, it is an attractive place to while away the hours or build up stamina for a visit to the Panth...
The precursor to the modern mall, Istanbul's Grand Bazaar (or Kapalıçarşı) is among the largest covered markets in the world. It has been an important trading center since the mid-fifteenth century. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent oversaw a vast enlargement of the bazaar in the 16th century. Today there are more than 5,000 shops attracting 250,000 visitors daily. Even if you...
Contrary to popular belief, the Great Wall is not visible from the moon, or even Earth’s orbit. Nevertheless, it is one of mankind’s great engineering achievements. The various kingdoms of ancient China had been no stranger to walled fortifications, and when the Qin Dynasty was established in 221 BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered several existing walls to be merged together. ...