The Culturist
@the_culturist_
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A new, independent culture publication ā read / support us here š
Joined May 2020
This 600-year-old painting is one of the most mysterious in history. That mirror at the back is just 3 inches wide ā yet it reflects the entire room in immense detail. Look closer at it and you'll realize nothing is as it seemsā¦ (thread) š§µ
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Why did past societies build so much "useless" beauty everywhere ā and why did we stop?. It might be a measure of a culture's health. (thread) š§µ
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The most breathtaking church from every country in Europe š§µ. 1. Germany: Cologne Cathedral, Cologne (1880) š©šŖ
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Towns and cities with the best views from above (thread):. 1. Centuripe, Italy š®š¹
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Great paintings that inspired iconic movie scenes. š§µ (continued). 1. āFallen Angelā, Alexandre Cabanel // āStar Wars: Revenge of the Sithā, directed by George Lucas
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A thread of lesser-known architectural wonders that we lost over the ages (and what happened to them). š§µ. 1. Old London Bridge - the longest inhabited bridge in Europe
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Does humanity have any greater architectural legacy than the Gothic cathedrals of Europe?
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The most breathtaking church from every state in the US - a thread š§µ. 1. New York: St. Patrick's Cathedral, NYC (1878)
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Europe's most picturesque towns and villages - a thread š§µ. 1. Freudenberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany š©šŖ
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In 1963, a man noticed his chickens disappearing through a hole in his basement. He knocked through the wall, revealing what is hard to believe: a 20,000-person city, deep below ground. It was built by Christians over 1,000 years ago. (thread) š§µ
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Is this the image of Jesus of Nazareth?. New X-ray analysis just revealed the Shroud of Turin, Christ's alleged burial cloth, to be 2,000 years old. So here's what we know ā and why it might just be real. (thread) š§µ
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The world's most beautiful (and unique) villages. š§µ. 1. Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland šØš
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The world's most beautiful towns and cities at Christmas - a thread š§µ. 1. Dresden, Germany š©šŖ
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Why did America destroy its own cities?. A thread. š§µ
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This is what great American cities looked like a century ago (thread):. 1. Buffalo, New York (1908)
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Reminder that Argentina was once as rich as the US and Buenos Aires was "the Paris of South America". So what happened?. Here's how it looked ā and what it teaches us. (thread) š§µ
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Prague is probably the world's most beautiful city. Here's why. (thread) š§µ
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Hell has 9 descending circles ā each corresponding to how severe your sins are. The deeper you go, the worse things get. This 700-year-old poem guides you through it. (thread) š§µ
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Da Vinci's Last Supper is a keystone of Christian art. It inspired centuries of awe and speculation ā over its subtle symbols and concealed messages. But there's something hidden that nearly everyone overlooks. (thread) š§µ
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This church has been under construction for 124 years. In 2026, it will become the tallest in the world. It isn't funded by the state or even the Church ā it's being built entirely by the people. And it's far more impressive than you realize. (thread) š§µ
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Yesterday, Rome turned 2,777 years old. You know the Colosseum already ā so these are its lesser-known wonders. š§µ. 1. Andrea Pozzo's "3D" ceiling:
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France has over 40,000 castles (and chĆ¢teaus) - more than any other country. These are the most breathtaking š§µ. 1. ChĆ¢teau de Pierrefonds, Oise (14th century)
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This is where Jesus is said to have been buried ā and then resurrected. But is it the real tomb? How do we know?. Well, in 2016 it was opened for the first time in centuries. (thread) š§µ
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America built some of the world's greatest architecture. and then demolished it. A thread of wonders that were lost (and why). š§µ. 1. Cincinnati Library: replaced by a parking garage
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What treasures are kept inside the Vatican?. Some of mankind's most precious artifacts have been living there for centuries. But they're nothing compared to what's underneath the Vatican. (thread) š§µ
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This mosaic is the biggest discovery since the Dead Sea Scrolls. The earliest "Jesus is God" declaration from 230 AD ā and it's just the start of what we've found. Mega thread of archaeology that supports the New Testament. š§µ
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America was supposed to be Art Deco - a thread of 10 iconic Art Deco designs š§µ. 1. "Mercury" - a streamliner passenger train which operated between 1936 and 1959
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This 500-year-old portrait may seem ordinary, but it's one of the most mysterious in history. There's so much detail that you can read every musical note on this small page. But look closer ā an unsettling secret is hiding in plain sight. š§µ
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Why do American cities feel less "alive" than their European counterparts?. It's because of something called the "missing middle". A century ago, American cities looked completely different. (thread) š§µ
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"The mother art is architecture.". Here are 10 examples of paintings that vividly imagine architectural wonders and impossibilities š§µ
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You've seen this before: Mont-Saint-Michel ā the Wonder of the Western World. But did you know it has a twin, 200 miles away, also named after St. Michael?. That's where things get really strange. (thread) š§µ
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This is what American cities looked like a century ago. Everything you see here was demolished. Why? This is what happened. (thread) š§µ
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The world's (second) oldest Christian country is not in the Middle East or Europe ā it's Ethiopia. There are centuries-old churches there that most people don't know about. These were not "built", but carved directly into the rockā¦ (thread) š§µ
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Why is there so much ugly public art these days?. And why it matters. (thread) š§µ
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Every aspect of life is being stripped of color. Many have noticed this trend ā but why exactly is it happening?. Something deeper is going onā¦ (thread) š§µ
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Today in 1521, Spanish forces captured Tenochtitlan (Mexico City), thus ending the Aztec Empire. They had discovered a city of unimaginable wealth and beauty ā but harboring a dark secret. Here's what they found. (thread) š§µ
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America was supposed to be Art Deco. Marvels of American Art Deco design - a thread š§µ. 1. Union Terminal, Cincinnati, OH (1933)
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This building is nearly 2,000 years old. How can something so ancient, of such scale, still be standing?. The answer might surprise you. (thread) š§µ
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Many of Europe's greatest architectural wonders were lost to history ā or willingly demolished. Here are some you haven't heard of. š§µ. 1. Neue ElbbrĆ¼cke Bridge: torn down to add an additional lane
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The most uplifting architectural revival happening today is in Budapest. The city is reclaiming its identity after decades of communist rule. Here's what's going on. (thread) š§µ
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15 of the most unusual and spectacular churches around the world ā¬ļø
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Art Deco skyscrapers were the ultimate expression of American optimism. These are the best: š§µ. 1. The American Radiator Building, NYC (1924)
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10 masterworks of painting that inspired iconic movie scenes - a thread š§µ. 1. āThe Kissā by Gustav Klimt - āShutter Islandā, directed by Martin Scorsese
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800 years ago, Italy had a city of skyscrapers ā it's known as the "Manhattan of the Middle Ages". So what happened to them all? š§µ
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Whenever they tell you it can't be done in the modern age, show them Dresden. Everything you see in the bottom image was rebuilt in the last 20 years. (thread) š§µ
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This painting is over 500 years old, but looks like it could have been made yesterday. It might seem like an acid trip - it's actually the greatest warning about sin ever painted. (thread) š§µ
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How is it that one person can produce all of this?. That person lived 500 years ago ā so why hasn't humanity produced another talent like him in all the time since? š§µ
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The mightiest castles ever built - a thread š§µ. 1. ChĆ¢teau de Pierrefonds, Oise, France š«š·
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Imagine being able to make stone translucent. When artists sculpted the impossible ā a thread. š§µ
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The most astonishingly lifelike sculptures ever produced - a thread š§µ. 1. āDavidā, marble - Michelangelo (1504)
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Reminder: Tolkien hated Disney. He called them "hopelessly corrupted" and knew they'd ruin any story they touched. Why? Tolkien's storytelling philosophy was profoundly differentā¦ (thread) š§µ
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The 12 Apostles risked their lives to spread Christianity across the globe. All but one were murdered for doing so ā brutally. Here's what happened to them, starting with Judas. (thread) š§µ
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How did a 23-year-old produce sculptures like this?. Not only that ā he saved Christian art in the process. Here's how he did it. (thread) š§µ
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On this day in 1880, Cologne Cathedral was finally completed ā 632 years after work began. But do you ever wonder why it was built?. Well, an extremely curious treasure is kept inside. (thread) š§µ
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The world's most astonishing church (and chapel) ceilings - a thread š§µ. 1. Sainte-Chapelle, Paris, France š«š·
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Why did America demolish the world's most beautiful train station?. And what it says about us. (thread) š§µ
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There is no rope in this image. This is carved from a single block of marble. Is there a person alive today who could do this?
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Reminder that Socrates was executed for "corrupting the youth" ā by teaching them to think for themselves. Here's what he said. (thread) š§µ
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"Every high civilization decays by forgetting obvious things." - G.K. Chesterton. The greatest apocalyptic paintings in history (thread):
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This is what American cities looked like a century ago (and what happened to them). š§µ. 1. Saratoga Springs, New York (1915)
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An architectural fantasy in art is known as a "capriccio". These are the most vivid and imaginative examples ever painted (thread) š§µ
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Reminder that the US built some of the greatest train stations ever seen. These are the most beautiful (thread) š§µ
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America was supposed to be Art Deco. Here's how an age of optimism sparked a golden age of design. And why it's coming back. (thread) š§µ
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There are great sculptors, and then there are those whose abilities to transform stone border on the divine. These are 15 of the most astonishingly lifelike marble sculptures ever created š§µ
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Whenever they tell you it can't be done in the modern age, show them Dresden. What's been achieved in Dresden is the most inspiring architectural feat for decades. Everything you see in the bottom image was built, from scratch, in the last 20 years. The city was a gem of German
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The Pyramids of Giza are enigmas that may never be solved. We've found thousands of hieroglyphs across Egypt - not one mentions how they were built or how the ancients cut stone. 10 facts that will blow your mind (thread) š
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Where did this depressing architecture come from?. Is it really designed to demoralize us as @TuckerCarlson says?. A thread. š§µ
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Why are there thousands of paintings of Jesus and Mary, but none of Muhammad?. How art became a gateway to the divine. (thread) š§µ
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Over 1,500 years ago, this church was hewn into a vertical cliff face 650 feet above ground - and it's still in use today. A thread of churches in astonishing places. š§µ
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The world's most enchanting bookstores (thread) š§µ. 1. Livraria Lello, Porto šµš¹
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A thread of Europe's most spectacular (and unusual) castles. š§µ. 1. Hohenzollern Castle, Germany
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How much human knowledge has been lost to history?. Well, this ancient wonder was razed by the Mongols in 1258 ā it's said the Tigris River ran black with ink. Here's what was inside. (thread) š§µ
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"Every high civilization decays by forgetting obvious things." - G.K. Chesterton. 10 iconic paintings of apocalypse and destruction š§µ
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This was built during what they told you were the Dark Ages.
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Only one sculptor in history ever came close to Michelangelo. In some peoples' eyes, his technical mastery even surpassed the Renaissance genius. The greatest works of Gian Lorenzo Bernini - a thread š§µ . 1. The Abduction of Proserpina (1622)
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The Trevi Fountain is a symphony in stone. But there's a lot more than meets the eye ā have you ever wondered what's behind it?. Its hidden details hold the key Rome's power and prosperity. (thread) š§µ
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This is what angels look like according to the Bible. A thread explaining the 9 types, and why they say when they appear:. "Be not afraid". š§µ
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Romanian castles are something straight out of a fairytale. These are the greatest of all. (thread) š§µ
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A thread of towns and cities that look spectacular from above š§µ. 1. Madrid, Spain šŖšø
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Very few artists in history have mastered the art of carving translucent veils from solid stone. These are the 10 greatest examples ever sculpted š§µ
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Ancient Greek thinkers like Socrates and Plato hated democratic elections. They saw democracy as part of an endless cycle of regimes ā destined to slip into mob rule. But Polybius knew how to break the cycle. (thread) š§µ
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A thread of monumental buildings that were planned but never realized. š§µ
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I often post wonders from the distant past. What about the churches we still build today?. These will surprise you (all built in the last 20 years). š§µ
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Annual reminder that in 1956, New York lit up with crosses on Good Friday. A powerful image of a city that is quite different today.
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Why does everywhere look exactly the same?. The death of local architecture, and why it matters. (thread) š§µ
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Reminder that the world's largest mosaic was completed in 2020. This is the "new Hagia Sophia" ā unveiled just months after the original was converted into a mosque. And it's the greatest church built for centuries. (thread) š§µ
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Staircases should be works of art - a thread š§µ. 1. The grand staircase at the Palais Garnier, Paris š«š·
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How can something built 2,000 years ago still be standing today?. The most enigmatic Roman engineering wonders - a thread š§µ. 1. The Pantheon, Rome, Italy (c.128 AD)
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There is no rope in this image. This is carved from a single block of marble. The artist dedicated 7 years of his life to sculpt it - but what on earth inspired him to do that?. A thread. š§µ
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Reminder that The Lord of the Rings is a Christian story. Tolkien was forthcoming on this: āThe Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work.ā. These are some of its (many) theological themes. š§µ
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A thread of 20 ancient sites and wonders brought to life by virtual reconstructions š§µ. 1. The Colossus of Rhodes, Rhodes, Greece (c.280 BC)
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Germany was once home to some 25,000 castles (and palaces), roughly half of which still exist today. These are the 15 most breathtaking examples š§µ. 1. Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria (19th century)
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This is a hotel in Mexico City. Here's why it's aptly named the "City of Palaces". š§µ
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This aqueduct has stood for 2,000 years. There is no mortar holding it together ā the stones are held in perfect balance by nothing but gravity. So what are the other best-preserved Roman wonders? A thread. š§µ
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One masterpiece from each major movement of Western architecture - a thread š§µ. 1. Classical Greek: The Erechtheion, the Acropolis of Athens, Greece (c.406 BC)
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One iconic artwork from every country in Europe - a thread š§µ. 1. Germany: "Wanderer above the Sea of Fog" - Caspar David Friedrich (1818) š©šŖ
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A thread of 21st century architectural revivals that will restore your faith in humanity: š§µ. 1. Frauenkirche, Dresden, Germany
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