The Decorative Chimneys of Hampton Court Palace

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Back in the middle ages, a heated home was a luxury that the majority did not have. Most people huddled around an open hearth in the center of the room for warmth, over which they also cooked their meals, while smoke filled their houses and their lungs. Chimneys were a new thing then, and belonged only to the most princely of dwellings. Continue reading

The Bolwoningen Apartments

The Bolwoningen which can be translated as either “ball” or “bulb” apartments were built in 1984 by artist and sculptor Dries Kreijkamp. He created an experimental settlement consisting of houses that resemble extraterrestrial buildings in the neighborhood of medium-sized town Den Bosch in the Netherlands. Continue reading

The Catacombs of Odessa

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Underneath the city of Odessa, in Ukraine, is an extensive network of tunnels believed to be the largest catacomb system in the world. Largely unmapped and spread haphazardly under the city, the huge maze of underground passages extends for over 2,500 kilometers. If it were laid out in a straight line the tunnels would reach all the way to Paris. Continue reading