Whispers of a magical day.
Palácio da Bolsa, Portugal, MMXXI.
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Kitchen in the castle-palace of the Girona Bishops in La Bisbal de l'Empordà (Comarques Gironines, Catalonia).
This castle-palace is a beautiful example of civilian Medieval architecture. It was built in the 12th century, with additions in the 16th and 17th centuries. In this kitchen, you can see the Renaissance fireplace.
Photo by medievalismes on Instagram and Tiktok.
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Gatchina Palace
The House Where Nicholas II Grew Up.
Gatchina Palace, located about twenty-five miles from Saint Petersburg, was built by Catherine the Great for her favorite, Count Grigory Orlov. When Orlov died, Catherine bought the estate from his heirs and gave it to her son Paul. Gatchina would go on to become Paul's favorite residence. He arranged everything to his taste.
When Paul died, the Romanovs continued to use Gatchina. Nicholas I and his consort loved to hunt and relax at Gatchina. Alexander II liked to conduct state affairs while hunting at Gatchina. After the assassination of his father, his advisors told Alexander III that he would be safer at Gatchina than at the Winter Palace. Alexander III spent most of his life at Gatchina Palace. He signed decrees and held diplomatic receptions, theatrical performances, masquerades, costumed balls, and other events and entertainment. Alexander III introduced technological modernizations new to Russia at the Gatchina Palace, such as indoor heaters, electric lights, a telephone network, non-freezing water pipes, and a modern sewage system. His children, including the future Tsar Nicholas II, spent their youth at Gatchina Palace.
Alexander III and his family stayed in the Arsenal Wing; they did not inhabit the luxurious spaces used for official business; the rooms they used for daily life had low ceilings and were small. In December 1844, after the Court had spent two long autumn months in the Gatchina Palace, the Emperor signed a decree ordering to rebuild the Kitchen Wing. Reconstruction of the Arsenal Wing began in 1846.
Gatchina became famous for its paintings, sculptures, furniture, and fine china collection. Gatchina lost a large part of its treasure during the revolution and another part when the palace was looted and badly damaged by the Nazis during WWII. Restoration work on the palace's interiors continues to this day.
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Shell Grotto in Margate, Kent
Despite lot of history and secrets this is most adorable places to visit. The design and arrangement of shells so perfectly over many years is quite amusing.
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Chemist's shop built in the 17th century in the Hospital de Santa Caterina in the city of Girona (Comarques Gironines, Catalonia).
The chemist's can be accessed from the old hospital's patio and consists of two 70 m2 rooms: the shop (photos 1-3) and the laboratory (photos 4-6).
The shop's ceiling is decorated with 19th century paintings that represent women picking fruits and medicinal herbs. Crossing the little door next to the counter, you access the laboratory, where they prepared the formula for the Hospital's ill people from the 17th century until the year 2004. Since 2004, the pharmacy is taken care of by Girona's Art Museum (Museu d'Art de Girona).
The chemist's also had a collection of 239 volumes written between the 17th and 20th centuries that were used as reference by the chemists who prepared the medicine. Nowadays, they are kept in the Administrative Archive of the Government of Catalonia in Girona, which is located inside the building of the old hospital.
Photos by Jordi Borràs Abelló, published in La Mira.
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