medieval meditation at The Cloister Garden

If you know wonder | wander | women, you know that we are fascinated with the medieval period of Europe. Whether it's the incorrectly named "Dark Ages" of England that everyone pictures at the word medieval, the golden years of tapestry in France, or the intellectual and diverse Islamic period of Spain, we are willing devotees of the art, architecture and history of the period.

Entrance to the Priory of St. John and its Cloister Garden

So we were thrilled to discover the Museum of the Order of St. John, the 900-year-old charity still existing in London. The Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem originated with the Knights Hospitaller, formed in the 12th century during the Crusades. The mission of the order is "to prevent and relieve sickness and injury, and to act to enhance the health and well-being of people anywhere in the world."

The Memorial Gallery seen from the garden

the bells of Notre Dame

Devastated at the news of the Notre Dame disaster. It's difficult to believe that just a few weeks ago wonder | wander | women were in Paris to pay tribute to that iconic silhouette.

Art sanctuary: the Met Cloisters

As we've maybe hinted at once or twice in this blog, wonder | wander | women love churches, cathedrals, and other architecture of worship that reminds us of our Catholic upbringing. In New York we found a truly sacred spot: that place of pilgrimage for medieval art lovers, the Met Cloisters.

the Church aesthetic: setting the scene

Around London it's the big churches that grab the attention: Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral, St. Bartholomew. But even on everyday walks we're arrested by the gorgeous architecture and looming belltowers of the hundreds of small but beautiful churches that are scattered through London.

silence

Our lives are full of 'one more thing'. We're always chasing something, catching up, keeping busy, keeping up. Where is the pause?

St. Pancras Old Church and Gardens

the doors of islington

Living near two of the busiest London boroughs can be noisy and disruptive, but we find it endlessly stimulating! Just going about our daily routine we find small surprises, like this Invader artwork outside a busy fast food joint...

Glittery rainbow tiles - maybe Invader was celebrating Pride!

the doors of Westminster Abbey

Visitors to London usually flock to Westminster Abbey first. Its massive double doors are a favourite subject with tourists, photographers, and lovers of history and architecture.

Westminster Abbey's Great North Door
Photo courtesy of The Enchanted Manor

But wonder | wander | women recently walked through with some friends, and since doors are our obsession, we noticed some much smaller but intriguing doorways and wanted to share them here.

London: night walks

A walking culture generally thrives in any large city, and London's is one of the oldest and most fanatic. Here where the sun sets early half the year, long walks at night seem almost as common as in the daytime. Many books have been written about the subject, from Charles Dickens' Night Walks to the newest non-fiction hardbacks.

canterbury tales

Weather is no obstacle to the wonder | wander | women : even the wettest seasons won't stop us from going on adventures.

So when a friend invited our London contingent to come along to Canterbury for a day trip, this Chaucer fan didn't hesitate to say yes.

Florence: let there be art!

In our last post on Florence, we talked about the city itself, its architecture, features and the beautiful statues in the piazzas. It was amazing to see the churches and museums, but we were also privileged to go inside and see the incredible work that went into Florentine interiors.

Saints flanking the altar at San Miniato

Gorgeous medieval paintings decorating the Cardinal of Portugal Chapel

Restorers were actually doing on-site work in the Basilica di Santa Croce. On one hand the chancel was no longer very photogenic, but we were fascinated by the work and wished we could have a closer look.

Florence: at the feet of the Masters

We have been saving Florence because it was the most beautiful of the places we visited. We were completely overwhelmed by the craft and care that had gone into every part of this Renaissance city. We already know we will have to post another blog for more details on church interiors and gardens.

Even before we arrived in the city proper, a long avenue of well-kept shrubs and walls of vertically growing greenery advertised the Florentine's dedication to beautiful environments.

Siena: get medieval

Last spring, this mother-daughter artist duo were handed the most incredible opportunity: to visit that famous hub of the Renaissance, Italy! In May we flew out to Tuscany with our family.

I was coming from London and Mom from New Jersey. It was her first time in Europe and we were so excited to spend this holiday together!

A view of the medieval district from the modern side,
featuring the Torre del Mangia.

Our first tourist visit was to the medieval centre of Siena, a city famous for its patron saint Catherine and for the artists who created the rich brown pigment that bears its name.