CastleMemory: Schloss Sanssouci
A walk down memory lane to Schloss Sanssouci,
the palace of Friedrich the Great in Potsdam,
that I visited in 2005 (obviously).
Sparkly Splendour: The Galerie d'Apollon and the French Crown Jewels at the Louvre
When you think of the Louvre, you probably think of paintings and art - but it is also home to another kind of incredible craftsmanship: The French Crown Jewels. The Palais du Louvre , of course, served as a royal residence between the 14th and 18th centuries. And it is here in the Galerie d’Apollon , a work of art in itself, where you can find a variety of tiaras and other bejeweled objects. The room owes its existence to King Louis XIV, who famously identified himself with the sun god Apollo. This gallery was one of his first building projects to represent that image. To create this masterpiece of architectural decoration, he summoned the greatest painters, gilders and sculptors of the day, who later also worked on the Hall of Mirrors at the Château de Versailles . But the focus of today's article shall be on all that glitters. Personally, I always found royal jewellery a fascinating way to learn about history as oftentimes you can trace them through various royal f...
