1817 Items Tagged

Sacred Spaces

The group known as Turma do Índio—one of the oldest and most respected—in Guadalupe.

In Praise of Bate-Bola, Rio's Seductive, Scary Alternative Carnival

Garish costumes, masked clowns, and favela funk.

Lucy Bryson February 28, 2019

Gnomon of Saint-Sulpice

This 18th-century sundial was designed to calculate the date of Easter each year.

A pretzel detail from the Bakers' Window in Freiburg Minster, Germany.

The 1970s Movement to Reclaim Pretzels for God

"Pretzels for God" even took as its patron the first Native American saint.

Shoshi Parks February 28, 2019

The Tower of Joan of Arc rising over Rouen.

Tower of Joan of Arc

This medieval tower is all that remains of the castle where Joan of Arc was held before being burned at the stake.

Interior of the Sedlec Ossuary.

Czechia’s ‘Bone Church’ Is Getting a Good, Thorough Cleaning

A team of experts will be restoring four decorative pyramids, made of human remains.

Jonathan Carey February 26, 2019

Garments on Eej Khad.

Sergelen, Mongolia

Eej Khad (Mother Rock)

Buddhist pilgrims journey to this sacred rock to leave offerings and have their wishes granted.

Dozens of people zip around the rink with smiles on their faces, dancing to Michael Jackson.

At the Church of 8 Wheels, Roller-Skating Fans' Prayers Have Been Answered

This former house of worship in San Francisco is now a hotspot for skaters of all ages.

Santi Elijah Holley February 25, 2019

Oxford, England

Martyr's Mark

The spot where three Protestant clergymen were burned at the stake during the reign of "Bloody Mary."

Church of 8 Wheels.

San Francisco, California

Church of 8 Wheels

This 19th-century church is now a popular roller rink.

Round Church of Geoagiu.

Geoagiu, Romania

Round Church of Geoagiu

This 11th-century structure is one of the oldest churches in Romania.

The Daraga Church was built in the Philippines by the Franciscans in the 1770s.

How Building Churches Out of Egg Whites Transformed Filipino Desserts

What else are you going to do with all those yolks?

Richard Collett February 22, 2019

The murals on the open chapel.

Actopan, Mexico

Open Chapel Murals of Actopan

These nearly 500-year-old scenes are largely faded by the ravages of time, yet still maintain their power to horrify.

The Perpetual Calendar tracks 4,000 years with nine rolls and a hand-operated crank.

This Perpetual Calendar Hidden in an Italian Chapel Is a Mathematical Marvel

The 19th-century device accurately tracks 4,000 years with nine cylinders and a crank.

A. J. Oliveira February 22, 2019

A plaque within the cave.

Preacher’s Cave

The site of the earliest colonial settlement in the Bahamas started as a place of religious refuge.

Hodovytsya, Ukraine

All Saints Church

The ruins of an abandoned church loom within a picturesque Ukranian village.

Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts

Martha's Vineyard Gingerbread Houses

This candy-colored storybook village originated as a 19th-century Methodist campground.

Le Stryge

This demon atop the Notre-Dame de Paris looks utterly bored.

Winchester, England

Wayfarer's Dole

Ask nicely, and stewards of a centuries-old charitable tradition will give you free bread and beer.