Author: Ms. R.

When the Wainwright State Office Building was completed in 1891, it towered ten floors over the city of St. Louis and won the praise of critics and passersby alike. The exterior of the building is composed of terra cotta. The design was the brainchild of  Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan. Commissioned by Ellis Wainwright, who was a St. Lous brewer,  the building was designed as an office space. A major aspect of the building is that it was one of the first skyscrapers……

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Until 1976, the extent of this Iron Age hill fort at the summit of Sunnyhill near Clun in Shropshire, England was unknown. When a massive storm in 1976 removed many of the trees at the summit, the importance of the site was revealed. Multiple rings of ditches and embankments were revealed and heightened the historic significance of the fort. Another storm during the 1980s unearthed more of the fort’s remains.  The site was created during the first millennium CE…….

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A stroll through the historic town of Kingston upon Thames, now part of London, may lead curious visitors to a dozen phone boxes leaning against one another like a set of dominoes.  This art installation is known as “Out of Order” by David Mach and was installed in 1989. While it’s not quite as iconic as its inspiration, the red telephone box designed by Giles Gilbert Scott, this public art installation has since become one of Kingston’s most iconic……

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Edouard Pignon was a French painter whose artwork explored interwoven subjects such as the working class, boat-sails, tree trunks, and the horrors of war. Many of his works are considered commentaries on social and political issues. A close friend of painter Pablo Picasso, Pignon frequently exhibited his work in France and abroad. In 1976 in the city of Lille near the Belgian Border, he created a monumental mural composed of ceramics entitled, “The Minotaur.” The work of art was……

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The Old and New Town districts of Edinburgh are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. As of 2020, they are two of 27 cultural areas in Great Britain to be given this honor. The city was bestowed with this significant distinction in 1995. It’s not surprising that millions of visitors flock here every year to wander the cobblestone streets of Scotland‘s capital. Visitors are treated to many sights as they wander this living museum of a metropolis. From the……

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In 1895, the Collinsworth family of Plano, Texas hosted a traveling salesman in their home. He left the next morning after mentioning he felt unwell. Unfortunately, the salesman was ill with smallpox and infected the family with the disease. First, one of the daughters fell ill and died, then more family members succumb to the disease. Although medical help was sought early, doctors did not have the knowledge to treat the affliction.  A cemetery was created on the farm……

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The first Roman emperor, Augustus, began construction on his mausoleum soon after returning from Egypt in 28 BCE. The tomb was crafted with a circular plan that may have been inspired by Hellenistic mausoleums such as the tomb of Alexander the Great. The structure, located in the center of Rome near the Tiber river, consists of various concentric rings and was originally topped by a conical roof and possibly a statue of Augustus. Two obelisks once guarded the entrance……

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