TRAVEL THE WORLD - ISTANBUL, TURKEY

Hagia Sophia is a familiar landmark of Istanbul. The cathedral was built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian between 532 and 537 and is considered the prime example of Byzantine architecture. It is famous for its huge dome. After Byzantium was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the city became Muslim and Hagia Sophia became a mosque. It was very dark inside. My main impression was of its immense size and the incredible height of the roof. There are some beautiful mosaics as well. I believe it has now become a museum.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - LONDON, ENGLAND

Westminster Abbey, photographed in 1997, is a very familiar London landmark.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - SALISBURY, ENGLAND

In 1984, my mother and I had a holiday in England. One of the best things we did was to visit Salisbury cathedral. A nice man who was a very knowledgeable volunteer spent an hour or so taking us around to explain the wonders of the cathedral. The second photo shows the cathedral cloisters, while the first features the cathedral itself.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - BAYEUX, FRANCE

The cathedral of Bayeux, photographed in 1997, is a fine example of the many wonderful Gothic cathedrals of France. Bayeux itself is also famous for the Bayeux tapestry which is located in a special museum in the city. The tapestry is an embroidered cloth depicting the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England and the invasion itself. It is beautiful and very interesting.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - YORK, U.K.

One of the most intense joys of traveling is experienced when you come upon something wonderful that is totally unexpected. This is what occurred in 1982 when my mother and I were walking in the Shambles, a district in the oldest part of the City of York. We rounded a corner and suddenly the facade of York Minster was immediately before us, so close it was impossible to photograph from that vantage point. This photo is from 1982. Later, in 1994, my husband and I visited York and had an extensive tour of the Minster including the crypt where you can see Roman remains in an underground area created in the 1960's during an excavation to stabilize the central tower of the cathedral.

TRAVEL THE WORLD, LONDON, U.K.

These 1997 photos are of St. Paul's Cathedral in London, U. K. This beautiful cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1710. The importance of St. Paul's to the city and the country cannot be exaggerated. Since its opening, many of the most important funerals and celebrations in the country have been held in the cathedral and it remains London's most important landmark. It is all the more incredible that St. Paul's survived the wreckage that London suffered during the Blitz in World War II.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - FLORENCE, ITALY

Here in 1994 is the famous dome of the Florence cathedral. Designed and built by Brunelleschi, it was one of the foremost architectural achievements of the Renaissance. The cathedral complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The dome posed major technical challenges which Brunelleschi managed to resolve. Construction was from 1420 to 1436.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS, FRANCE

While the interior of Notre Dame is not the most beautiful medieval cathedral we have seen, it is certainly one of the most important landmarks in Paris, and the exterior will stand up to comparison with any other cathedral. Notre Dame lends its character beautifully to the surrounding area making it a pleasant and enjoyable place for a stroll.