Once used as a base for Italian and German submarines during World War II, Bassins de Lumières, or “Basins of Light,” serves a far different purpose today. Located in Bordeaux, France, the over 13,000-square-meter space will open to the public in April of 2020 as the world’s largest digital art center.
One of the most compelling figures to emerge from World War II wasn’t a military hero or a world leader. It was a young Jewish girl with a front-row seat to the Holocaust, who kept a diary of her most candid thoughts and observations. Her story serves as a reminder of the horrors of antisemitism, racism, and discrimination, even today.
Just on the fringe of the Arctic Circle, the Finnish city of Rovaniemi is an idyllic setting for the “home” of one of the world’s most universally beloved figures: Santa Claus himself. Surrounded by rolling hillsides and crisp, clean air, Rovaniemi seems to have leaped straight off the cover of a postcard.
For years, Santa Claus has been busy “making his list and checking it twice,” but the man in the red suit has come a long way from his humble beginnings to the Santa the world knows and loves today.
Christmas trees are a beloved tradition for people all over the world, symbolizing the end of the year and the joy of the holiday season. Long thought of as a religious symbol, it may come as a surprise that the earliest origin of the Christmas tree dates back to ancient, paganistic rituals.
The Renaissance influenced much of the world’s most acclaimed art. From the feminine muses of John William Waterhouse and William-Adolphe Bouguereau to the dignified portraits of Hans Holbein the Younger, the beautiful images of these skilled master artists are some of the most recognizable in the world.
Memories are powerful healers. They help soothe the loss of a loved one and offer a glimmer of joy in the midst of heartache. One young British seamstress has found a sweet way to bring potent memories to grieving people all around the world.
The story of Troy dates back 3,000 years. It has been told time and time again through legends, books, theater, and film throughout the centuries. The Greek poet Homer wrote about it in the eighth century B.C. and ancient Greek and Roman artists captured its intrigue on canvas and in clay.
German seamstress Agnes Emma Richter was 51 years old when she was admitted in 1895 to the Hubertusberg Psychiatric Institution near Dresden, Germany. Richter was initially transferred to a mental institution near her home after her neighbors lodged several complaints about her “erratic behavior.”
Halloween is one of the most popular days of the year – when revelers dress up in clever costumes and gorge themselves on candy and delicious fall treats. It is not just another modern holiday, however. It can be traced back over 2,000 years to a supernatural Celtic festival called “Samhain.”
