Near the English village of Witley, a sprawling, 9,000-acre estate plays host to one of Britain’s most unique structures. Hidden beneath one of the property’s three artificial lakes, lies an ornate underwater smoking room and parlor with an elaborate “ballroom” dome as its focal point. The only indication that something may rest below the surface is an ornate statue of Neptune that stands guard above the hidden structure.
There was a time when you’d have to be mad to take a swig from a bottle of absinthe. However, the once-forbidden anise-flavored spirit has experienced a resurgence in popularity and is now the go-to tipple for many partygoers – from bachelorette parties to golden wedding anniversaries. But how did it get here?
Fabrice Wittner is an artist with a cause. Well known for his interest in raising awareness and prevention for climate change, the French artist and photographer found a way to bring together two of his passions: art and activism. Through a combination of environmentally friendly leatherette stencils atop low-pollution prints, Wittner turns breathtaking photos of the Northern Lights into an homage on Inuit iconography.
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.
