At Checkpoint Charlie 1685: Edict of Potsdam Berlin’s history as a cultural capital began in 1685, when the far-sighted Great Elector announced in the Edict of Potsdam that around 20,000 Huguenots would be taken in by Berlin. Many were excellent craftsmen and scientists, who, having fled Catholic France because of their Protestant beliefs, brought a … Read more

Berliner Dom Berlin Cathedral, the largest and most lavish church in town, was reopened in 1993, after almost 40 years of restoration. Designed by Julius Raschdorf in 1894–1905, the building reflects the empire’s aspirations to power. In particular, the imperial stairs, made from black marble, are a manifestation of the proximity of the Hohenzollern town … Read more

The spiritual and political heart of the city, the Palace of Westminster was built here a thousand years ago as a royal household, seat of government and abbey. The square was planned as part of the rebuilding programme following a fire that destroyed the Palace in 1834. Usually known as the Houses of Parliament, the … Read more

London’s great riverside fortress is usually remembered as a place of imprisonment, but it also has a more glorious past. Originally a moated fort, the White Tower was built for William I (the Conqueror) and begun around 1078. Enlarged by later monarchs – including Henry VIII, who famously sent two of his wives to their … Read more

Tower Prisoners Sites of imprisonment Bishop of Durham The first political prisoner to be held in the White Tower was Ralph de Flambard, Bishop of Durham. Locked up by Henry l in 1100, he was seen as responsible for the unpopular policies of Henry’s predecessor, William ll. Henry Vl During the Wars of the Roses, … Read more

Musée du Louvre French and Italian sculpture, Greek and Roman antiquities and paintings from the 12th to the 19th centuries are just some of the highlights of the world’s largest museum . Mona Lisa, Musée du Louvre Musée Carnavalet Housed in a grand Marais mansion, this museum presents the history of Paris. The collection includes … Read more

Musée d’Orsay Musée d’Orsay Musée Picasso A favourite of Parisians and visitors alike. The beautifully restored Hôtel Salé in the Marais is a splendid setting for this extensive collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings and other works by Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), including works from his Cubist period. Large sculptures also adorn the garden and courtyard. The … Read more

Metropolitan Museum of Art It would take weeks to take in all the treasures of this mammoth, ever-changing museum that includes a collection of more than 3,000 European paintings. The Greek, Roman, Cypriot, and Asian halls attract many of the museum’s visitors, and the Joyce and Robert Menschel Hall for Modern Photography is also well … Read more

Gagosian Expect big names and equivalent price tags at this blue-ribbon gallery with three locations, one uptown and two Chelsea addresses with the lofty spaces necessary for exhibiting large-scale art. Damien Hirst, Anselm Kiefer, Richard Serra, and Cy Twombly are among the contemporary artists represented. 980 Madison Ave (& Chelsea: 555 West 24th St & … Read more

1630: Boston Founded Under the leadership of John Winthrop, English Puritans moved from overcrowded Charlestown and colonized the Shawmut Peninsula. Permission was granted from its sole English inhabitant, Anglican cleric William Blaxton. Their city on the hill was named Boston in honor of the native English town of their leaders. 1636: Harvard Created Boston’s Puritan … Read more

John Winthrop (1587–1649) Acting on a daring plan put together by English Puritans in 1629, Winthrop led approximately 800 settlers to the New World to build a godly civilization in the wilderness. He settled his Puritan charges at Boston in 1630  and served as the governor of the new Massachusetts Bay Colony until his death. … Read more

Art Gallery of Ontario Reflecting some 600 years of human creative endeavor, the gallery’s permanent collection contains more than 68,000 works in all media. The Canadian collection is particularly impressive . Royal Ontario Museum Canada’s foremost museum offers an excellent balance of art, archeology, science, and nature, and has more than six million artifacts in … Read more

BCE Place Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava designed the striking atrium of this 1990 office complex. Its steel-and-glass canopy creates enchanting patterns of light and shadow. Façades of 19th-century buildings have been preserved in the Yonge Street frontage. 181 Bay St Toronto-Dominion Centre Two austere, perfectly proportioned towers and a single-story pavilion of glass and black … Read more

Sagrada Família Dizzying spires and intricate sculptures adorn Gaudí’s magical masterpiece. Construction began at the height of Modernisme, but is still in progress more than a century later. La Pedrera This amazing apartment block, with its curving façade and bizarre rooftop, has all of Gaudí’s architectural trademarks. Especially characteristic are the wrought-iron balconies and the … Read more

Plaça Reial The arcaded Plaça Reial, in the heart of the Barri Gòtic, is unique among Barcelona’s squares, with its old-world charm, gritty urbanization and Neo-Classical flair. It is home to majestic, mid-19th-century buildings, Gaudí lampposts, a slew of happening bars and clubs, and an entertaining and colourful crowd of inner-city denizens. . Plaça de Catalunya … Read more

Seafair A parade along 4th Avenue in early July kicks off Seafair, a celebration of maritime and aviation history highlighted by the aerodynamic “derring-do” of the Navy’s Blue Angels F/A-18 fighter pilots, an All Nations Pow Wow at Daybreak Cultural Center, hydroplane races on Lake Washington, and battleships open to the public on the waterfront. … Read more

Seattle Art Museum Jonathan Borofsky’s 48-ft (15-m) tall, black metal Hammering Man stands at the entrance of Seattle’s largest art museum . SAM’s permanent collection of approximately 23,000 objects includes European, Asian, African, and Northwest Coast Native American works. 100 University St 206 654 3100 Closed for refurbishment until spring 2007 Adm (free 1st Thu … Read more

Schloss Nymphenburg Enclosed by a wall, this 2-km- (1-mile-) wide park extends west from the palace 1.5 km (1 mile). Picturesque pavilions and follies are scattered throughout the park, which has been declared a nature reserve to protect the 300-year-old trees . Englischer Garten With 373 hectares (922 acres), the Englischer Garten is the largest … Read more

St Maria in Ramersdorf Visitors should view church interiors only when no services are taking place. Artists buried in St Georg’s cemetery include Liesl Karstadt, Erich Kästner, Oskar Maria Graf, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and others. Frauenkirche Munich’s 15th-century cathedral dominates the city silhouette with its twin . Emperor’s tomb, Frauenkirche Frauenkirch Asamkirche Dedicated to St … Read more

National Museum of Mexican Art The largest Latino museum in the US explores the culture sin fronteras (without boundaries), showcasing works from both Mexico and Mexican-American communities. Pre-Columbian ceramics, Day of the Dead candelabras, and prints by such luminaries as Diego Rivera are highlights of the permanent collection. 1852 W. 19th St 10am–5pm Tue–Sun Free … Read more