As peace and quiet are key to an ascetic life, monasteries are often set in scenic and secluded spots, far from the distractions of bustling cities and towns. In the search for solitude, monks founded monasteries in remote and hard to reach regions to encourage spiritual contemplation and introspection. As they were established centuries if… Continue Reading

Back before most churches existed, early Christians would gather in neighbourhood homes known as house churches. In fact, the word ‘church’ was also used to describe the Christian community as a whole – the word itself means ‘assembly’ in Greek. By the 1st-century AD, there were already several religious centers in the Holy Land but… Continue Reading

At its zenith, the Roman Empire stretched from Morocco and Portugal in the west all the way to Egypt and Armenia in the east. Founded in 27 BC, the empire and its later continuation – the Byzantine Empire – finally collapsed in 1453 AD when the great city of Constantinople was lost to the Ottomans…. Continue Reading

Rising dramatically above the cities around them, cathedrals and their lofty spires make for some of the most visible and recognisable landmarks around. Sometimes built not only centuries but millennia ago, these monumental buildings symbolised God’s power and might. Their belltowers also served a practical purpose as they called people to worship from the surrounding… Continue Reading