Teheran, Iran Persia is arguably the world’s oldest, most continuous state. Since the days of the Medes in the 1st Millenium BC, a procession of nations has existed in this neighborhood that roughly conform to Iran’s modern-day borders. Despite conquests by the Greeks, Arabs and Mongols, Persia’s geography has remained more or less intact. In the ensuing twenty five … [Read more...]
TOPKAPI PALACE
Istanbul, Turkey The Islamic world has a long tradition of honoring its famous dead, and many mosques have at their heart a mausoleum or tomb containing the relics of important Muslims, religious, political, literary or otherwise. What is not common in the Islamic world is the preservation of important religious objects, with at least one major exception: The Sacred Trusts, … [Read more...]
ALHAMBRA PALACE
Granada, Spain When the monarchs of medieval Europe still dwelt in dim, brooding castles, the Moors of Spain were building light and airy pleasure palaces the likes of which hadn’t been seen in Europe since Roman times. After most of the Moorish kingdoms fell to the Reconquista, the Alhambra survived well into the 1400s. For centuries the Alhambra was the greatest royal … [Read more...]