Chateau Chambord
History The Chambord Chateau was originally built as a hunting lodge for King Francois I, so he could escape the politics and everyday life of Paris as well as be close to his mistress, the Comtesse de Thoury. Her family's coat of arms can be seen in carved decorations throughout…
Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel is located on the Northwest coast in Normandy, France. It is situated approximately a half mile from the coast on a rocky island. Originally, the island was used as fort to guard against invading armies, but has transformed to the Mont Saint-Michel Monastery. History The island was formed…
Versailles
King Louis XIII originally visited Versailles while on a hunting trip with land owner Albert de Gondi. King Louis XIII was so impressed with the location, he acquired the land from the de Gondi family and in 1623 he had a hunting lodge built at the location. He and his…
Louvre
History The Louvre was originally built as a fortress under the rule of King Phillip II in the late 12th century. Sections of the original fortress can be seen in the basement of the Louvre. During the Middle Ages, King Charles V used the palace as a place of residence.…
Channel Tunnel
History The design for a tunnel joining England to France wasn't original when England started boring the tunnels in late 1987, and the concept of a tunnel joining the two countries wasn't original when the Channel Tunnel Study Group proposed the dual tunnel system in 1960. The earliest recorded design…
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower was originally designed and built as the entrance to the World's Fair in 1889, but has since become a French icon of beauty and charm. History A competition was held to design and construct an entrance to 1889 World's Fair. The winning design would have a 20…
York Minster
History While Christian presence had been n York since 300 A.D., the first church structure was built in 627 A.D. to baptize King Edwin of Northumbria. The wooden structure was quickly replaced for a more solid church made out of stone. The new church was completed in 637 A.D. and…
Buckingham Palace
History Buckingham Palace is located in the city of West Minster and opened in 1703. The first recorded house located at the site was called the Goring House. It was constructed and owned by Sir William Blake in 1624, which was then sold to Lord Goring in 1633. He designed…
Tomb of Mausolus
Also known as the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Tomb of Mausolus was built for Mausolos, ruler of Halicarnassus . The tomb was constructed with gleaming marble and the numerous levels of the tomb were adorned by intricate statues of animals and people. It also incorporated Mausolus' passion for Greek architecture.…
Temple of Artemis
History The city of Ephesus was one of the largest Greek port cities located on the west coast of Asia Minor. Its current location is in modern day Turkey. During the Roman occupation of Ephesus, the city swelled to over 250,000 people, making it the 2nd largest city in the…