"Some nine million people from all over the world flock to the Louvre each year to enjoy its incomparable art collection. Yet few of them are aware of the remarkable history of that place and of the buildings themselves-a fascinating story that historian James Gardner elegantly chronicles in the first full-length history of the Louvre in English. More than 7,000 years ago, men and women camped on a spot called le Louvre for reasons unknown; a clay...

The New York Times bestselling, award winning story of the construction of the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence and the Renaissance genius who reinvented architecture to build it.
On August 19, 1418, a competition concerning Florence's magnificent new cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore was announced: "Whoever desires to make any model or design for the vaulting of the main Dome....shall do so before the end of the month of...

From Mona Lisa's smile to Napoleon's plundered treasures and I. M. Pei's controversial glass pyramid, Louvre: Portrait of a Museum presents one of the world's greatest and most popular museums not as a sum of its masterpieces, but as a living, changing institution that reflects the artistic, political, and social history of the western world. It features 650 magnificent reproductions, previously unpublished archival plans and documents, and lively...

In White House, young readers will explore this American landmark and its historic and political significance. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage emergent readers as they explore this important site. A labeled diagram helps readers identify important rooms in the White House, while a picture glossary reinforces new vocabulary. Children can learn more about the White House online using our safe search engine that provides...

In this short, spellbinding book, international bestselling author Ken Follett describes the emotions that gripped him when he learned about the fire that threatened to destroy one of the greatest cathedrals in the world--the Notre-Dame de Paris. Follett then tells the story of the cathedral, from its construction to the role it has played across time and history, and he reveals the influence that the Notre-Dame had upon cathedrals around the world...

In Statue of Liberty, young readers will explore this American landmark and learn about its historic significance. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage emergent readers as they explore this important site.

For many, the French Quarter is New Orleans, yet how much do they really know about the Vieux Carré? Truman Capote wrote, "Of all secret cities, New Orleans... is the most secretive... [Its] architecture deliberately concocted to camouflage, to mask, as at a Mardi Gras Ball, the lives of those born to live among these protective edifices." Through striking photographs and polished prose, The Majesty of the French Quarter opens the locked door and...

The original publication about the Florida Governor's Mansion, 700 North Adams Street, was edited by First Lady Rhea Chiles and published in 1997 by the Florida Governor's Mansion Foundation. This publication commemorates the Golden Anniversary of the Florida's Governor's Mansion. It is a lively chronicle of both the residence and the lives of the families whose tenures at the residence coincide with the years 1956-2006. As many of the governors,...