A devastating forest fire has broken out within roughly one kilometre of the Château de Fontainebleau, near Paris, forcing the closure of the palace gardens as two blazes in the surrounding forest have now burned some 1,920 hectares. / READ MORE /
You may well know William Morris as the designer of the most beloved wallpaper patterns from Victorian Britain. But did you know that his outrage at the botched restoration of a church led him to found the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in 1877? A true ‘heritage hero’ from the past and a radical Victorian who taught Europe to restore its old buildings with respect. / READ MORE /
Europe’s medieval historic castles were built for power and permanence not for comfort. But their thick stone walls, shaded courtyards, and forest parks make them among the coolest places. These ten castles and palaces offer genuine relief from the heat, alongside world-class architecture, gardens, and interesting culture. 1. Bouzov Castle – Czech Republic Deep in... / READ MORE /
Versailles is extraordinary. But it is also extremely crowded. The good news is that the Île-de-France and its neighbouring departments contain dozens of historic châteaux that see a fraction of the crowds, and sometimes tell stories Versailles cannot. Within 90 minutes of Paris, these five reward the detour. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte The story of Vaux-le-Vicomte... / READ MORE /
Germany's official presidential palace, Schloss Bellevue, has opened its historic state rooms to the public for the first time as a contemporary art exhibition, weeks before the building closes for a multi-year restoration. / READ MORE /
Eight bottles of nineteenth-century Château d'Yquem have been restored after spending decades hidden beneath the floor of a Czech castle chapel. The wine, part of a 136-bottle collection left behind by a noble family fleeing Czechoslovakia at the end of the Second World War, will go on public display for the first time following a fundraising campaign by the castle. / READ MORE /
