History of Agios Georgios

According to myth, Mount Lycabettus was a rock which slipped from the palm of Athena’s hand as she flew over the city towards the Acropolis. She’d been intending to use the rock to help build the Acropolis, but when a raven told her some bad news, she dropped it. We’ve all been there. The other origin story of ‘Lycabettus’ is that it was once inhabited by wolves (‘lykos‘ in Greek means wolf).

Whichever version you believe, this is the tallest point in Athens at 277 metres – a dramatic limestone outcrop covered in pine trees. It is an iconic landmark of Athens, and at night is one of the few which can be seen lit up from the floor of the city.

Because of its height and craggy shape, there isn’t much history of human activity on the mountain. But there are exceptions. On the very top there is the whitewashed church of Agios Giorgos, which dates from the 19th century. Accessible via a flight of 133 stairs, it was first used for worship by the Cretan monk Emmanuel Louloudakis, who lived in the hermit cell next door.

The church is on the same spot where there once was a Byzantine Church, and before that, it is believed there was a temple dedicated to Zeus. Other historical sights nearby include a 15th century church that is carved out of a rock and a 20th century amphitheatre.

Agios Georgios today

Lycabettus is still the highest point in Athens and arguably provides the best view of the capital. As you walk up the steep circular path, you’ll see extraordinary shape of the landscape opening itself up around you: cradled by blue mountains, white buildings pour down into the basin of the city, the blue stretch of the Aegean expanding into the horizon.

If you don’t want to walk all the way to the top, fair enough. Grab a beer and sit at one of the benches half-way. The sunset looks good from this angle too. If you do want to climb all the way, there is now a viewing platform outside the church, as well as the chi-chi Orizontes Restaurant.

An outdoor theatre was constructed out of an old quarry in 1964, and has housed many iconic musical performances in Greece’s cultural history. (The dissident musician Mikis Theodorakis sang here in the 1970s following his return to Greece after being exiled, as did Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Chuck Berry). Sometimes, on a weekend, you can hear monks singing in the church as you make your way back down.

Getting to Agios Georgios

The closest station is Evangelismou. The entrance is in Kolonaki. For those who don’t want to walk at all, there is a funicular railway from the intersection at Aristippiou and Plutarchiou which takes you straight up to the top – but it’s inside, so no views on the way.

History of Alexander Nevsky Lavra

The monument’s namesake, Alexander Nevsky, was a military commander also known as Alexander of Novgorod. A brilliant leader, Nevsky’s successes on the battlefield against Germany and Sweden in the 13th century. Peter the Great had the monastery built on the spot which he thought was the site of the famous Neva Battle (1240): the eastern end of St Petersburg’s most famous street, Nevsky Prospekt. However, it turned out this site was actually about 12 miles away.

An important and vibrant holy site for Russia’s Orthodox community, Alexander Nevsky’s status as a lavra, a high accolade for a religious institution in Russia and one which it achieved in 1797, makes the monastery a popular place of worship.

The Alexander Nevsky Lavra complex includes two churches, the first built in 1712 and the second in 1724, both in a baroque style. The complex also includes the famous Tikhvin Cemetery, where many of Russia’s famous artists are buried.The Alexander Nevsky Lavra graveyard is burial site of writer Fyodor Dostoevsky, composer Peter Tchaikovsky, Prince Alexander Suvorov, linguist and scientist Mikhail Lomonosov and all the members of the musical ensemble, Group of Five. Alexander Nevsky’s remains are also found here.

Whilst much of Alexander Nevsky Lavra’s riches and original pieces have been looted and destroyed over the years, this remains a beautiful and holy site as well as one imbued with history.

Alexander Nevsky Lavra today

Alexander Nevsky Lavra is still very much a working monastery – it’s open year round with seasonal hours, and visitors are free to stroll around most of the grounds free of charge. To visit the most important graveyards (and to see the graves of Dostoevsky and Tchaikovsky), you’ll need to purchase a ticket from the kiosk to the right of the main entrance.

Visitors to Alexander Nevsky Lavra can also see the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Look out for the bread sold in Alexander Nevsky Square which is baked daily by the monks.

Getting to Alexander Nevsky Lavra

The monastery is at the far eastern end of Nevsky Prospekt. The nearest metro station is Ploschad’ Aleksandra Nevskogo 1/2, which is the intersection of Green Line 3 and Orange Line 4. Realistically it’s 3-4km from most of St Petersburg’s other major tourist sites, so if you don’t feel comfortable navigating the metro (the Cyrillic can be a challenge), you’ll need to hop in a taxi.

All Hallows by the Tower history

Originally built around 675, the church of All Hallows was initially constructed on top of earlier Roman buildings, remains of which can still be viewed today. Over time the church was renovated and reconstructed several times, with the exterior largely dating to the 15th century, and the interior rebuilt in the 1940s after serious damage was inflicted during a World War II bombing raid.

The central position of All Hallows by the Tower saw it witness some of the most important moments of the city’s history. Standing alongside the Tower of London, the bodies of many inmates of the infamous prison were brought here shortly after their execution – including Henry VIII’s infamous Lord Chancellor Thomas More. Other notable figures connected with the church include Samuel Pepys, who watched the Great Fire of London from the church tower in 1666.

All Hallows by the Tower even has an American connection, with William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, baptised here in 1644 and John Quincy Adams, sixth President of the United States, married here in 1797.

All Hallows by the Tower today

Today visitors can admire the church’s 15th century exterior and beautifully rebuilt interior, also featuring a surviving Saxon-era archway, before delving into the crypt below. Saxon coffins and mosaic flooring from a 2nd century Roman villa can be viewed, while the crypt’s altar is made from stone taken from Richard the Lionheart‘s Crusader castle at Atlit in the Holy Land.

In the crypt there is also a small museum examining the church’s history and that of London. Largely ignored by the masses, the church of All Hallows by the Tower is one of London’s hidden gems and well worth a visit.

Getting to All Hallows by the Tower

All Hallows by the Tower is located in the City of London near Tower Hill. The nearest underground station is Tower Hill Station, a 5-minute walk away, while the nearest bus stop is Great Tower Street (Stop TT), a 3-minute walk away.

All Souls Church history

All Souls Church was designed to provide an eye-catching monument for the spot where Nash’s newly laid out Regent Street took an abrupt bend towards Portland Place. It was completed in December 1823 at a cost of £18,323, and consecrated by the Bishop of London the following year.

Being a Commissioner’s church, it was given a grant of £12,819 by the Church Building Commission towards the cost of building works. Unlike much of Nash’s architecture in London however, including the sweeping terraces of York Gate, Marble Arch, and Clarence House, it wasn’t met with universal praise. Writing in The Mirror of Literature, Amusement and Instruction in 1828, a reviewer said “To our eye, the church itself, apart from the tower, (for such it almost is) is perhaps, one of the most miserable structures in the metropolis”. Ouch!

Modern visitors look upon All Souls Church in a far more favourable light, admiring its quirky spiked design and ornate galleried hall.

All Souls Church today

Today All Souls hosts 4 services every Sunday and is open most days for visitors. Designed in the Regency style, the church features a stunning interior space accentuated by gilded faux-marble columns and classical decorations, with a striking white and gold colour scheme. Many find it to be it a place of calm and tranquility in the bustling city, with music from its vast organ often heard throughout.

Its historic exterior also cuts a sharp outline against the modern buildings surrounding it, beguiling passers-by for years. Built of Bath stone, the Grade I listed building is perhaps most famous for its peculiar 12-panelled spire surrounded at the base by a peripteros of Corinthian columns.

Getting to All Souls Church

All Souls Church is located at the top of Regent Street in London. It is a 5-minute walk from Oxford Circus Underground Station, and its nearest bus stop is Margaret Street Oxford Circus (Stop RD), 1 minute away. The nearest train station is a 15-minute walk away at Piccadilly Circus.

Our Lord in the Attic Chapel seats 150 people and has served the local Catholic parish for over 200 years. Today Amstelkring Museum provides guided tours of this attic and of the rest of the house, with exhibits of many Christian artefacts, paintings and silver.

Amstelkring Museum history

In 1578, Amsterdam changed allegiances from the Roman Catholic King Philip II of Spain to William I of Orange in what is known as the Alteratie. This rebellion not only led to the Eighty Years’ War, but Catholic Mass was outlawed in the city by Protestant authorities. However, Amsterdam enjoyed some degree of religious tolerance, as clandestine Catholic churches were silently accepted within private homes.

In 1661, a wealthy Catholic merchant, Jan Hartman, bought a grand canal house along with the 2 behind it. His son had been studying for the priesthood when Catholicism was banned in Amsterdam, and so Hartman built a beautiful chapel within his new property. The secret church took over the entire top floor of the 3 houses, and was known as ‘the Hart’, likely after the owner’s name and the stag statue outside.

The home and chapel underwent renovations in 1739 when the property was bought by a priest, Ludovicus Reiniers. He rebuilt the facade and introduced a new stairway. Reiniers also removed the stag, and so the church became ‘Our Lord in the Attic’. In 1887, a large church near the train station was dedicated as the new local parish church, but a group of Catholics purchased the attic chapel to preserve it for posterity. It was opened to the public in April 1888.

Amstelkring Museum today

Today, the Church of Our Lord in the Attic is a museum, but continues to host Catholic services every first Sunday of the months and occasionally weddings. The museum boasts many 17th century religious artefacts, as well as preserving the attic chapel itself.

The temporary exhibitions currently explore 19th century Catholic women’s fashion, as well as providing an exhibition space for fashion students of the brand Cruèl. After exploring the attic chapel and more, stop in the light and airy museum cafe for a snack.

Getting to Amstelkring Museum

Located on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal on the canal front, the easiest way to travel Amsterdam is on foot or by bicycle. Via public transport, the nearest stop is Dam only 5 minutes walk away, serving tram lines 4 and 14, as well as bus routes N85, N86 and N87.

Barcelona Cathedral history

It was over the crypt of this church that construction of the current Barcelona Cathedral began in 1298 and continued through the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, accounting for its gothic architecture. Whilst most of the cathedral was finished by 1450, parts of Barcelona Cathedral, most notably its gothic façade, were only completed in 1890.

At the end of the 19th century, the Barcelona industrialist, Manuel Girona i Agrafel, offered to pay for the work on the façade and its two side towers, which was carried out according to the plans of the architect Josep O. Mestres, inspired by the initial project that had already been drawn in the 15th century. Mr. Girona’s children completed their father’s business with the construction of the dome, completed in 1913.

The cathedral is dedicated to Eulalia of Barcelona, the city’s co-patron saint who Catholics believe was a virgin horrifically martyred during the Roman era. The fact that she was martyred at the age of thirteen is marked by the thirteen geese that are kept in Santa Eulalia’s cloisters.

Barcelona Cathedral today

Barcelona Cathedral is an absolutely stunning building, with dramatic vaulted ceilings, golden pillars and a tower which visitors can climb for great views. It also contains numerous religious and historical artefacts, such as a cross once born by a ship that fought in the sixteenth century Battle of Lepanto.

The San Ivo entrance is a perfect example of the Catalan Gothic style. The interior naves are practically all of the same height, which gives the visitor the impression of being in a single space. The side chapels have an upper gallery, which affords the whole building a greater sense of brightness and space. The interior of the lantern is faced with wood coffering.

Getting to Barcelona Cathedral

The Cathedral is easily accessibly by public transport, the nearest metro stops are Catalunya on the yellow line and Liceu on the green line.

Its interior includes a central nave opening up to two chapels. It sits across from the Recoleta Cemetery, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Basilica de Nuestra Senora Del Pilar History

Construction of the church was authorised in 1716 by royal decree of Felipe V of Spain. Merchant Juan de Narbona sponsored the building of the work under the condition that the church remain under the dedication to the Virgin of Pilar in memory and tribute to his hometown of Zaragoza Spain.

It is believed that Italian Jesuit Andrés Bianchi was the original architect on the project. The first cloister was finished in 1718 and the second in 1721. In 1725 the church was completed and the San Antonio de Padua bell was placed on the belfry in 1731. The 30-meter tower was completed and the church was inaugurated on 12 October 1732. It is the oldest church in the city, preserved in its original Baroque style. The Franciscan Bishop of Asunción de Paraguay consecrated the church on 30 May 1734.

In 1821, Governor Martín Rodríguez and his Minister of Government Bernardino Rivadavia expelled the Recollect friars and expropriated their property. The convent was closed for years and the Recoleta Cemetery was created on the site that had been its garden. The Recoleta Cultural Centre was created on the site of other monastic dependencies. On 18 November 1829, it became a parish and Pope Pius XI elevated it to the dignity of a minor basilica in 1936.

Basilica de Nuestra Senora Del Pilar was declared a National Historic Monument in 1942. In 1994, a restoration project of the church began, recovering the white colour on its façade, as the enhancement of each altar.

Basilica de Nuestra Senora Del Pilar Today

Inside the building, there is a small museum area home to religious vestaments, paintings, writings and artefacts. There are views of the Recoleta cemetery and in the courtyard, as you enter, a tiled artwork depicts 1794 Buenos Aires.

Getting to Basilica de Nuestra Senora Del Pilar

The Basilica is situated in Recoleta district in the Barrio Norte area, to the immediate right of the Recoleta Cemetery. The Agüero and Facultad de Medicina underground stations are both in walking distance.

Santa Maria in Cosmedin history

The site of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, within the locality of the Forum Boarium, was already home to a charitable food distribution centre and an ancient temple dedicated to Hercules Invictus, which was itself reconstructed in the 2nd century BC.

Yet it was not until the 8th century AD that Santa Maria in Cosmedin was built under the Byzantine Papacy. Because the church was nestled in an area full of Byzantine structures it was called de Schola Graeca. The building was decorated by Greek monks escaping persecution around 782 AD. As a result of its beauty, the church was given the name ‘cosmedin’ meaning ornate.

While the church was damaged during the 1084 Sack of Rome by Norman troops, a substantial restoration was undertook by Alfanus under Pope Callixtus II. After a period of decay, the church was refurbished in the Baroque style (later removed).

Santa Maria in Cosmedin today

Today, the church’s 12th century belfry is the tallest medieval bell-tower in Rome and an easily identifiable landmark in the modern city. While inside the church looks bare, interesting features include the floor mosaics, medieval choir stands and a glass shrine holding the skull of St Valentine. Entry is free.

The unlikely star of the show at Santa Maria in Cosmedin is an ancient plaque known as the Bocca della Verità or ‘Mouth of Truth’. The origins of this ancient Roman block with its lion’s face is unclear – it is usually thought to have been a sewer drain cover or part of a fountain – but it is said that the lion’s mouth will close on anyone’s hand who lies. Line up to test the theory!

Getting to Santa Maria in Cosmedin

Located at the Piazza della Bocca della Verita, the easiest way of reaching Santa Maria in Cosmedin is on buses 23, 44, 81, 95, 160, 280, 628, 715 and 716.

Bath Abbey history

The first church to be built on the site of Bath Abbey was a 7th century Anglo-Saxon convent, followed by a monastery renown for its beautiful architecture. After the Norman invasion however, this was torn down in 1090 and replaced by a grand Norman cathedral, with the Bishopric of Bath soon established.

By the late 15th century, the upkeep of the Norman cathedral became too onerous, causing it to fall into disrepair. In 1499, a new church was thus ordered to be built by Bishop Oliver King, from which the modern day church derives. Only a few years after its completion however, Bath Abbey was ruined during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII in 1539. Much of the building was stripped, including its roof and windows, and left to decay.

The restoration of Bath Abbey soon took place under Queen Elizabeth I, when it was established as the parish church of Bath. Further restorative works were undertaken in the 19th century, in which the design of the towers was changed and flying buttresses were added, along with new galleries and extra seating inside. In 1863, the wooden ceiling was replaced by the magnificent stone fan vaulting seen today.

Bath Abbey today

Today, Bath Abbey represents a mixture of its many different restorative projects over the years. A number of its 16th century features may still be viewed on its west front, such as the ornately carved West Door and large arched window. Inside, much of the 19th century restoration efforts may be viewed, including the beautifully detailed vaulted ceiling overhead.

With a total of 52 windows that occupy around 80% of its wall space, Bath Abbey can’t help but exude a bright and illustrious atmosphere, particularly when the sun shines through its vast amounts of stained glass.

For those with a strong stomach, visitors can also climb the 212 steps of Bath Abbey’s tower, stand behind its clock face, and enjoy fantastic views of the city. For those who prefer to stay on solid ground, guided tours are available, lasting approximately 45-50 minutes.

Getting to Bath Abbey

Bath Abbey is located in Bath, following the A46 off the M4. The nearest carpark is at the Podium in Northgate Street, a 5-minute walk away, while Bath also operates a Park and Ride service into the centre. The closest bus stop is at Guildhall, a 1-minute walk away, while Bath Spa train station is also a 10-minute walk away.

As well as serving as the headquarters for this group, the Bethel Baptist Church was a key site during the 1961 Freedom Ride. The church building was also attacked 3 times by extremists, in 1956, 1958 and 1962. Today the Bethel Baptist Church holds a small museum to the Civil Rights movement.

Bethel Baptist Church history

The Bethel Baptist Church was built in 1926 but was organised in 1904. It was not until the 1950s, however, that the church gained notoriety as an organising space for the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. The ACMHR was a civil rights organisation that coordinated boycotts and sponsored lawsuits aimed at dismantling segregation. The organisation was established in May 1956 by the then pastor of Bethel Baptist Church, Fred Shuttleworth, who served as president until 1969.

Shuttleworth was also one of the founding group of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which included Martin Luther King Jr and Ella Baker. Resultantly, Shuttleworth alienated some congregation members by dividing his time – unevenly – between activism and church ceremonies such as weddings and daily church functions.

During his time at Bethel Baptist Church, several attempts on his life and to destroy the church by white supremacists (including members and supporters of the Ku Klux Klan) were made. On one such occasion in 1958, a nearby church goer saw the bomb placed by the church and moved it to the street before it went off. The police and Klan supporters often allowed for mob violence to attack civil rights activists.

In 1961, Shuttleworth and the Bethel Baptist Church congregation played a momentous role in the Freedom Rides. The activists taking part challenged the racist status quo by riding the interstate buses in mixed racial groups. The Freedom Rides bolstered the Civil Rights movement and attracted so much attention that the Supreme Court ruled to desegregate public transport.

In 2005, the church was added to the National Register of Historical Places and declared a National Historic Landmark.

Bethel Baptist Church today

Today, Bethel Baptist Church is still open for services as it remained since 1904 and throughout the civil rights conflicts of the 1950s and 60s. The damage and general wear the church has sustained led to further buildings being added to the complex, but the original church still stands and is open for visitors to take tours of the historic church which you should book in advance.

The Bethel Baptist Church is also part of a wider tour that provides a comprehensive history of the church’s role within the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham.

Getting to Bethel Baptist Church

Located at the intersection of 33rd Street North and 29th Avenue North, Bethel Baptist Church is easily found via public transport around Birmingham. The bus stop on the corner is along the 23 bus route. For those driving from outside Birmingham, the church is off routes 20, 59 and 31. There is parking just outside.