Be Inspired

Monks and beer have a long history that finds its best example in the brewing activity of the Trappist abbeys of Belgium. Today, these abbeys produce some of the best beers in the world, contributing to Belgian beer culture, which has been listed as a UNESCO intangible heritage site since 2016.

Greatness and splendour have not always featured sacral architecture, especially when it was intended to be discreet. Throughout history, all over Europe, minority religions have had to build normal-looking buildings of worship to escape repression.

Today, monarchies in Europe are few, but centuries of reign have left lasting traces on our heritage, especially churches since European monarchies were legitimised by their proximity to the divine. These 10 churches, closely linked to European monarchies, are important to understand the traditions and beliefs of our ancestors.

As a devoted Harry Potter fan, you may have made your pilgrimage from platform 9 3/4 of King's Cross Station to Edinburgh, where JK Rowling invented the famous wizard. But in order for your journey to be complete, you need to make a visit to these following churches… all of which appeared in the Harry Potter movies.

Most of our familiar stone churches were built on wooden churches, once common in Europe. Fires, invasions and the development of new architectural styles made these churches increasingly rare to the point where they are now found only in a few European regions. From Norway to Romania, here are eight areas where this fragile heritage can still be admired.

Once home to the largest Jewish community in the world, Poland has had many synagogues built on its territory since the 16th century. Unfortunately, most of these synagogues were destroyed during the Pogroms of the Interwar period and, even more radically, during the Second World War.

Decaying Victorian mansions and cemeteries fill our imaginations when it comes to Halloween, but churches are not to be outdone in providing a sometimes spooky atmosphere, as you are about to see with the following ten examples.

A paragon of modern culture, TV series often showcases cultural heritage elements, including religious heritage buildings. As a watermark of the episodes, these buildings appear as landmarks with a decorative or active role in the unfolding of the story.

Mudéjar art is inherent in Spain. Influenced by Islamic tradition, it reflects various contemporary European styles, particularly Gothic. Present until the early 17th century, it is characterised by an extremely refined and inventive use of bricks and glazed tiles in architecture, particularly in belfries.

From the 12th to the 17th century, an association of northern trading towns known as the Hanseatic League governed trade in Europe. From Belgium to Estonia, these wealthy cities created a distinctive architectural style: brick Gothic, which inspired the construction of the following 12 religious buildings.