Category Archives: Travel Guides
The Most Beautiful Villages Of The Loire
Usually associated with Renaissance chateaux and historical monuments, the Loire valley is in fact a place of much greater richness and interest than the image of popular perception. The river itself is the longest in France and passes through a succession of landscapes, many of them of a richness which suggests that this is truly
Coptic Egypt – The Egyptians of the Nile
Egypt has been home since the time of Christ to an ancient sect of Christians called the Copts. According to legend, Mark the Evangelist founded their first church in Alexandria in the 1st century ad, when Egypt was under Roman rule and practised polytheistic religions. Though Egypt long ago became a Muslim nation, the Copts
The Most Beautiful Country Towns of Provence
The outstanding beauty and distinction of the small towns of Provence have proved irrestibly attractive to visitors from other parts of Europe and from America for the best part of a century. From the hills and mountains of the Alps and the Luberon, to the rich vine-growing country of the Var, to the delightful resorts
Gaudi – Builder of Visions
Antoni Gaudi and his inimitable fluid, organic style, is inextricably linked with the city of Barcelona. His spectacular buildings – among them the Guell Palace and the monumental La Sagrada Familia – are eternal symbols of the city. This little book by Philippe Thiebaut invites the reader to explore the visual richness of Gaudi`s creations
Tibet – Turning the Wheel of Life
The name Tibet traditionally conjures up a kaleidoscope of timeless images: extraordinary and dramatic landscapes, snow-capped mountains, Buddhist monks and monasteries. But stark new images have now been created by the tide of political events: Chinese soldiers outside the Potala Palace, young Tibetan refugees, the struggles of a nation in exile. This new title in
Aboriginal Art
In the 18th century, as European colonization proceeded apace, one continent remained to be discovered, the mythical Terra Australis incognita. This, the largest island-continent, had been inhabited for over 60,000 years by the Aborigines, who were described by the first explorers as the `miserablest people in the world`. This perception was the beginning of a
The Pyramids at Giza – Facts, Legends and Mysteries
The Pyramids of Giza are the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World that still stands today. Defying the centuries, these gigantic tombs, built more than 4,500 years ago by three great pharaohs of the 4th Dynasty, have long been objects of wonder, speculation and mystery, but it was not until the archaeological
The City of London. A Companion Guide
This new edition of “The City of London” is a handy-sized companion guide which invites you to explore the famous Square Mile of the City of London and to discover its incomparable architectural heritage, from the remains of the Roman wall to the 21st-century. “One New Change” by Jean Nouvel. Each chapter features a specially
Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England
This book – an astonishing achievement following five years of detailed and original research – presents the first systematic survey of the fifty most important medieval parish church towers and spires in England, covering a period of some five hundred years. The introduction provides an overview of the technological and aesthetic development of towers and
Ornament and Decoration in Islamic Architecture
Surface decoration has always played a fundamental role in Islamic architecture. As human representation is forbidden in Islamic religious monuments, designers employed mosaics, stucco, brickwork and ceramics, and the vigorous use of brilliant colour to reach unparalleled heights of expression. It is this ornamental dimension of Islamic architecture that is explored in this magnificent volume.
Architecture Inside + Out: 50 Iconic Buildings in Detail
From ancient palaces and glorious cathedrals, to futuristic homes and striking skyscrapers, architecture continues to play an important role in the development of history and culture. Architecture Inside + Out examines fifty of the world’s most impressive buildings and uncovers their structural secrets through detailed illustrations, while clear and accessible text places each building in
Tower Bridge: History * Engineering * Design
Tower Bridge, close to the Tower of London, is one of the best-known and most recognizable bridges in the world. Opened on 30 June 1894, this combined suspension and bascule bridge was designed by architect Sir Horace Jones and engineer Sir John Wolfe Barry. This new book, published to mark the 125th anniversary of its
The Incas: Empire of Blood and Gold
When Francisco Pizarro disembarked in Peru in 1532 he found a vast empire seemingly overflowing with gold and silver. Ruled by monarchs claiming direct descent from the sun itself, its inhabitants built roads, bridge and terraced fields in the precipitous Andes, and made brilliant textiles and dazzling jewelry – all without possessing either writing or
The Wisdom of the Buddha
In the 6th-century BC, a prince from Northern India left family and fortune in search for answers to the great questions of life and death. Known as Buddha, his teaching soon spread over the world. This book explores the life, teachings and philosophy of this man.
Mughal India – Splendours of the Peacock Throne
The Mughal Empire dominated India for three centuries. Under enlightened patrons such as Akbar the Great in the 16th century and Shah Jahan in the 17th century, this vast Muslim empire, which ranged from Kashmir and Afghanistan to the Deccan at its height, produced paintings and architecture of exceptional quality, such as the Taj Mahal.
Secrets of the Universe: How We Discovered the Cosmos
How did our universe come to exist? Why do stars shine? Is there life beyond the Earth? For millennia, humans have looked to the celestial sphere to explain the cosmos,first recording the movements of the Moon 25,000 years ago. Since the Enlightenmentand the dawn of the space age, scientists have been unravelling cosmic mysteries, andraising
Food: The History of Taste
Surveys the history of changing tastes in food and fine dining ‘“ what was available for people to eat, and how it was prepared and served ‘“ from prehistory to the present daySince earliest times food has encompassed so much more than just what we eat ‘“ whole societies can be revealed and analysed by
The Mediterranean in History
The Mediterranean has been the meeting-place of the cultures of Europe, Asia and Africa, the battleground of races and nations and the focus of three great religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. David Abulafia, doyen of Mediterranean scholars, has brought together a team of leading specialists from many countries to tell this enthralling and complex story
The Origins of the Anglo-Saxons
Who are the English? Their language and culture have had an impact on the modern world out of all proportion to the size of their homeland. But what do we really understand about their ancestry? Traditionally they have been seen as the descendants of those Germanic peoples who poured into Britain after the Roman legions
The Age of Empires
Empires evoke potent images: Stanley, Livingstone and the colonial gallery of great explorers; the Spanish Conquistador`s quest for gold and silver; and the Dutch heritage of trade in the East Indies. For over 500 years empires have been a feature of the political landscape and – a generation or more after the final collapse of
