Palau, an island nation in Micronesia with around 340 islands, has a rich tradition of communal architecture all embodied in the bai—ceremonial meeting houses that form the social and political heart of each village. This bai, located at the Belau…
Commissioned by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and completed in 1673, the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore represents the high points of Mughal imperial architecture. At the time of its construction, it was the largest mosque in the world, capable of accommodating…
Nakhql Fort is a fortified spur of rock that watches over a wadi (seasonal river) in the Batinah region of Oman. It’s position controls the most important resource in the desert, water. The wadi is sustained by seasonal waters that…
Stave churches embody a key moment in Scandinavian history—the transition from Norse paganism to Christianity around the 10th–11th centuries. Borgund Stave Church, built circa 1200, is among the best preserved examples, with its multi-tiered roofscape and intricate timber construction. Constructed…
Lake Ohrid is one of Europe’s oldest and deepest lakes, its shores lined with settlements with rich Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman history. The town of Ohrid, the principal settlement, became a major religious and cultural centre during the medieval period…
The Gidan Rumfa (Emir’s Palace) in Kano, Nigeria, is the historic residence of the Emir of Kano. Kano is one of the great historic cities of Nigeria (and its second largest today) and grew wealth as a major commercial centre…