Explore the diverse breathtaking moments From urban streets to remote landscapes across the globe

Episcopal Palace, Astorga, Antoni Gaudí, 1889-1913. When the original Palace burned in the 19th century, the bishop assigned the design of the new building to his friend. Gaudí used his personal Catalan Modernist style to create one of the three buildings by Gaudí outside Catalonia.

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Episcopal Palace, Astorga, Antoni Gaudí, 1889-1913. When the original Palace burned in the 19th century, the bishop assigned the design of the new building to his friend. Gaudí used his personal Catalan Modernist style to create one of the three buildings by Gaudí outside Catalonia.

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Malachite carving of a luohan sitting under a tree with his assistant, with an incribed poem by the Jiaqing Emperor. China, Qing dynasty, 18th-19th century

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Malachite carving of a luohan sitting under a tree with his assistant, with an incribed poem by the Jiaqing Emperor. China, Qing dynasty, 18th-19th century

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Gaudí's salamander, Park Güell, Barcelona. An iconic trencadís mosaic sculpture on the entrance staircase. The salamander symbolizes nature and Catalan mythology in Gaudí's modernist work and greets the visitors to the park. Gaudí designed this piece around 1900-1914.

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Gaudí's salamander, Park Güell, Barcelona. An iconic trencadís mosaic sculpture on the entrance staircase. The salamander symbolizes nature and Catalan mythology in Gaudí's modernist work and greets the visitors to the park. Gaudí designed this piece around 1900-1914.

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A set of ten carved jade eggplant-style snuff bottles placed in an octagonal wooden box. Qing dynasty, 18th century CE, now housed at the National Palace Museum in Taiwan

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A set of ten carved jade eggplant-style snuff bottles placed in an octagonal wooden box. Qing dynasty, 18th century CE, now housed at the National Palace Museum in Taiwan

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One of the three Roman pools of Gafsa, in Tunisia, two of which are open. Built in the 2nd century BCE, they are about five meters deep and are fed by hot water springs

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One of the three Roman pools of Gafsa, in Tunisia, two of which are open. Built in the 2nd century BCE, they are about five meters deep and are fed by hot water springs

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Japanese ivory netsuke in the shape of a man heralding the New Year, Edo period, 18th-19th century, Bern History Museum. In Japanese art, netsuke are wooden or ivory figurines used as a fastener to secure pouches or other items on the belt.

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Japanese ivory netsuke in the shape of a man heralding the New Year, Edo period, 18th-19th century, Bern History Museum. In Japanese art, netsuke are wooden or ivory figurines used as a fastener to secure pouches or other items on the belt.

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A limestone Roman funerary stele depicting a seated woman with necklaces and earrings. From Athienou in Cyprus, end of 1st century CE, now housed at the Louvre museum in Paris

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A limestone Roman funerary stele depicting a seated woman with necklaces and earrings. From Athienou in Cyprus, end of 1st century CE, now housed at the Louvre museum in Paris

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A personal changing tent, designed to provide privacy for women changing into and out of swimwear at the beach or seaside. From France, 1900 CE

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A personal changing tent, designed to provide privacy for women changing into and out of swimwear at the beach or seaside. From France, 1900 CE

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Secretary with lacca povera decoration, 18th century, National Museum of Slovenia. The figural scenes originate from a series of copper engravings on the theme of pastoral lovers, within Rococo cartouches, ladies and cavaliers passing the time in social games and making music.

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Secretary with lacca povera decoration, 18th century, National Museum of Slovenia. The figural scenes originate from a series of copper engravings on the theme of pastoral lovers, within Rococo cartouches, ladies and cavaliers passing the time in social games and making music.

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The costumes of kings, royal mothers and a bishop from medieval Nubia have been reconstructed by Polish scientists and designers based on 10th-13th centuries CE paintings that once decorated the walls of the cathedral in Faras, Sudan

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The costumes of kings, royal mothers and a bishop from medieval Nubia have been reconstructed by Polish scientists and designers based on 10th-13th centuries CE paintings that once decorated the walls of the cathedral in Faras, Sudan

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The Relief of Three Dancing Nymphs is a marble relief found in Libya, believed to be a Roman-period Athenian copy of a now-lost 4th-century BCE original by the sculptor Praxiteles. Now housed at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in California

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The Relief of Three Dancing Nymphs is a marble relief found in Libya, believed to be a Roman-period Athenian copy of a now-lost 4th-century BCE original by the sculptor Praxiteles. Now housed at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in California

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The Treasury seen from the Siq, Petra, 1st Century AD. One of the most elaborate rock-cut tombs in the capital of the Nabatean Kingdom, as most of the surviving buildings and tombs in the city, the facade was carved out of the cliff. This was the first glimpse of Petra on arrival...

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The Treasury seen from the Siq, Petra, 1st Century AD. One of the most elaborate rock-cut tombs in the capital of the Nabatean Kingdom, as most of the surviving buildings and tombs in the city, the facade was carved out of the cliff. This was the first glimpse of Petra on arrival...

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Chapel of San Baudelio de Berlanga, 11th century, Soria, Spain. It was built in the middle of nowhere, in lands that were frontier between Christianity and Islam. A plain stone square from outside, its palm tree shaped central column and frescoes make this church next to unique...

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Chapel of San Baudelio de Berlanga, 11th century, Soria, Spain. It was built in the middle of nowhere, in lands that were frontier between Christianity and Islam. A plain stone square from outside, its palm tree shaped central column and frescoes make this church next to unique...

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Chapel of San Baudelio de Berlanga, 11th century, Soria, Spain. It was built in the middle of nowhere, in lands that were frontier between Christianity and Islam. A plain stone square from outside, its palm tree shaped central column and frescoes make this church next to unique...

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Chapel of San Baudelio de Berlanga, 11th century, Soria, Spain. It was built in the middle of nowhere, in lands that were frontier between Christianity and Islam. A plain stone square from outside, its palm tree shaped central column and frescoes make this church next to unique...

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Winged figure riding a chariot by a building, painted in perspective, towards a portico adorned with shields, helmets and breastplates at the top. The fresco can still be seen on the original wall of the Macellum of Pompeii where it was painted...

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Winged figure riding a chariot by a building, painted in perspective, towards a portico adorned with shields, helmets and breastplates at the top. The fresco can still be seen on the original wall of the Macellum of Pompeii where it was painted...

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Magnificent stone sculptured 'umbrella' at Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple in India, it was built in the 9th century, Though the original Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple dedicated to Shiva and Parvati was built in the 9th century by the Banas, the Chola kings in the 11th century added the roof

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Magnificent stone sculptured 'umbrella' at Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple in India, it was built in the 9th century, Though the original Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple dedicated to Shiva and Parvati was built in the 9th century by the Banas, the Chola kings in the 11th century added the roof

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An ancient Chinese incense burner. Stoneware, with clear glaze and modeled dragons and lotus petals. Sui to early Tang dynasty, late 6th–7th century CE. Now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

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An ancient Chinese incense burner. Stoneware, with clear glaze and modeled dragons and lotus petals. Sui to early Tang dynasty, late 6th–7th century CE. Now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

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The 13th century CE Konark Sun Temple in Odisha, India, is designed as a 30 m high stone chariot with 12 pairs of large wheels, representing the 12 months of the year, pulled by 7 horses. The 24 wheels are functional sundials, which can be used to calculate time accurately to a minute

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The 13th century CE Konark Sun Temple in Odisha, India, is designed as a 30 m high stone chariot with 12 pairs of large wheels, representing the 12 months of the year, pulled by 7 horses. The 24 wheels are functional sundials, which can be used to calculate time accurately to a minute

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A fresco of Bishop Marianos and the Vrigin Mary, Faras Cathedral, Nubia . 11th century CE.

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A fresco of Bishop Marianos and the Vrigin Mary, Faras Cathedral, Nubia . 11th century CE.

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