The Duomo is Milan's most beautiful church by exterior, but he has a competitor for the most…read morebeautiful church by interior: San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, a former nunnery! Behind a virtually nonexistence facade, San Maurizio hides perhaps one of the most ornate church interiors and can actually compete with the famous Sistine Chapel. From the moment you step in the door - assuming you finally find the right door - you will be awed by the incredibly colorful paintings that surround you! Despite being in a small room, the vast amount of the beautiful paintings can spell-bind you for a while. Additionally, for the first time in history, you as a public member can finally pass through the partition wall into the previously restricted nunnery hall! Like the public worship hall across the wall, the nunnery hall is also filled with paintings. However, while the worship hall paintings are intended to awe the public the divine grace with vibrant colors, the nunnery hall paintings intend to invoke piety with serenely-colored examples of female saints. You can admire for a few minutes or examine for hours, but this church is certainly a sight that you should not miss! Did I miss it's free to enter? --- tl;dr version: 1) Perhaps Milan's most beautiful interior 2) Small spaces that are filled with marvelous paintings 3) Free sight that should not be missed

This is one of the most beautiful churches I have seen in Italy…read more Considered the "Sistine Chapel" of Milano, San Maurizio is overwhelmingly blessed with walls and ceilings decorated by one of the masters of frescoes Bernardino Luini and his sons. Entering through the doorway of the Archeological Museum, you walk to the left to the entrance. Once inside, your eyes are mesmerized by the frescoes of men and women dressed in flowing robes as appropriate in the mid-1500s. There is a huge organ on the second floor looming over wooden choir seats. The frescoes are on a wall separating the church where the general masses sit and the hidden portion of the church where nuns par tipster in the service. The towards the back are frescoes from passages of the Bible such as Noah's Ark, the passion of Christ, etc. The volume of art was spectacular. Having just been restored the color are so freshr-looking you could be looking at the scenes as they would have appeared when the Master artists finished their work. Entrance is free but please do tmake a donation to support this incredible treasure.

The current cathedral wasn't the original church built at this site, there had been several…read morepredecessors. The current building was built start around 1755, and is one of the last monumental Baroque buildings in Europe. Typically, in a cathedral building one would find the entrance between the two towers, but here you enter by the backside. It was fun to watch several confused people in the courtyard trying to find the entrance. Once you manage to find the entrance you will be impressed by the brightness of the white interior and amazed by the green stucco work, rose marble altars, gilded altar screen, large ceiling frescoes, and abundance of cherubs spying on you from every corner. Beneath the apse there is a small crypt, but it wasn't open. Also, there is no access to climb either of the towers. Overall, the interior took my breath away, and my eyes were always catching something new as I walked throughout the lovely church.

My love of elaborate architecture brought us to Fürstabtei Sankt Gallen, with its double spires and…read moreattractive red, blue and golden detailing. The massive structure is a massive centerpiece for St. Gallen, Pass through a narrow wooden door into the sanctuary and stand in awe: murals painted across the ceiling, iron gates clad with gold flowers, teakwood furnishings and a gigantic, three-story-tall wardrobe. No matter where I stood in this kirche, the view was breathtaking. Every position reveals a new glimpse into the decor. The best view is from the baptismal in the rear, looking forward towards the alter. The size and detail of Fürstabtei Sankt Gallen can be experienced in all its glory. Take your time walking back though; there is much to see along the way. Viewing Time: 45 minutes Cost: Free

Almost too hard to miss when beginning your street hiking in Brunate…read more 14th century build ~ unbelievable how this was constructed so long ago atop of the mountain. The sanctuary design still has you feel awe & peace when taking a moment of pause. An amazing presence for the neighborhood.

This is undoubtedly the most significant building in Mittenwald, and it is the pride of the locals…read moreand one of the most popular photo opportunities among tourists in the Karwendel Alps. The Mittenwald church is mentioned for the first time in 1315. The current church building was built in 1734-49 by the Wessobrunn master builder Joseph Schmutzer and decorated with numerous, colorful frescoes by the Augsburg artist Matthäus Günther. The landmark of Mittenwald is the church tower, completed in 1746 and painted with the church patrons Petrus and Paulus (Peter and Paul). You can spot the tower from everywhere in town. In the small square at the base of the bell tower is a monument to Matthias Klotz, who brought the art of violin-making to Mittenwald in 1683. The antique organ was restored in 1999. In summer there are many organ concerts with internationally renowned artists on the sonorous Edskes organ. In the churchyard there are two altars. One is in a beautiful grotto with votives and a Madonna back-lit from above. The other commemorates fallen German soldiers from World War II...a rare display of young Nazis discretely, yet reverently remembered.

A beautiful building located at the Piazza del Signori in Vicenza, Italy. The architecture is…read moresimply amazing. As we sat at the Piazza you can't help but admire this beautiful structure.

There is so much history in Vicenza and the Basilica is a huge part of that history…read more "The Palladian Basilica is a public building facing onto the Piazza dei Signori. Its name is linked to Andrea Palladio, who redesigned it, adding the famous loggias with serliana openings in white marble to the existing Gothic building. The building on which Palladio worked was the Palazzo della Ragione, built in Gothic style in the mid-fifteenth century. The upper floor is entirely taken up by an enormous hall with no intermediate supports, where the Council of the Four Hundred met. The copper-lined, inverted ship's-hull roof was inspired by that of the Palazzo della Ragione in Padua. The Gothic facade was originally clad with diamonds of red and straw yellow Verona marble, which are still visible behind Palladio's addition. A loggia surrounding the building was commissioned after its completion, but continually delayed due to various structural difficulties and the nature of the ground beneath. At the beginning of the sixteenth century the double order of porticoes and loggias, though not complete, collapsed. The Council called on many leading architects of the time to resolve the difficult problem of its reconstruction. They included Jacopo Sansovino, Sebastiano Serlio and Giulio Romano. The project was awarded to Andrea Palladio (1508-80) in 1549, following a competition, and he worked on it for the rest of his life. It was completed posthumously in 1614. The reconstructed building was called a basilica by Palladio himself, who had been inspired by the model of the Roman basilica for civic use." The building has three independent exhibition spaces that are used to host architecture and art exhibitions of international renown. http://www.museicivicivicenza.it/en/tbc/basilica_palladiana.php In the Summer months they offer a pass for 5euro and you can go up to the top and walk around on all the levels as often as you like. One time guests only need to pay 1euro. There's a nice bar on the rooftop and it is one of my favorite spots in the city to watch the evening sky change or a storm roll in.