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European Travel

Built between 180 and 193 C.E., the column depicts the battles of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, with more than 2,000 highly detailed figures spiraling around the shaft.

Archaeologists Are Using Lasers to Clean Decades of Grime Off a Towering 1,800-Year-Old Marble Column in Rome

Standing 154 feet tall, the column of Marcus Aurelius is located in the Piazza Colonna and intricately decorated with gruesome scenes of warfare

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These Five Photos of Germany’s Natural Wonders Will Inspire Your Wanderlust

From protected biospheres and shimmering lakes to towering peaks and tranquil shores, adventure awaits for those who seek it in Germany

An exterior view of the famous window and balcony that robbers entered in October

Louvre Robbers Escaped With Less Than a Minute to Spare Due to Major Security Fumbles

An investigation ordered by France’s culture ministry highlighted a number of security failures that made October’s brazen heist possible

Tourists take pictures of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa during the Louvre's reopening following a daylight jewel heist in October.

Weeks After a Brazen Heist, the Louvre Increases Ticket Prices for Non-E.U. Visitors by 45 Percent

Officials say the fee hike will help fund a much-needed overhaul of the museum’s security systems and infrastructure

Hyper-realistic reconstructions of Australopithecus afarensis (Lucy foreground, Selam background) by Élisabeth Daynès in the National Museum’s “People and Their Ancestors” exhibition, Prague

Meeting Lucy: How a World-First European Exhibition Brought Visitors Face to Face With the Fossil That ‘Shrinks Time’

Two Australopithecus fossils named Lucy and Selam made a rare trip out of Ethiopia for a 60-day display at the National Museum in Prague

Made with more than 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers, artist Dale Chihuly created Fiori di Como, this colorful ceiling of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. 

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

These 15 Gorgeous Photographs Capture the Beautiful Art of Blown and Stained Glass

From cathedrals to train stations to museums, these masterful displays showcase the remarkable talent that goes into creating the fragile art form

View of construction underway on Barcelona's Sagrada Familia in September 2025

Coastal Cities of Europe

Still Unfinished After 143 Years, Barcelona’s Dazzling Sagrada Familia Is Now the Tallest Church in the World

Last week, a new addition to the basilica—designed by architect Antoni Gaudí—brought its height to 534 feet, breaking a record set by Germany’s 530-foot-tall Ulm Minster

The People’s Salvation Cathedral stands more than 410 feet tall.

The World’s Largest Christian Orthodox Church Is Now Open in Romania

The People’s Salvation Cathedral in Bucharest is covered in stunning frescoes and mosaics. At 410 feet tall, it cost more than $300 million and took 15 years to build

Père Lachaise Cemetery sprawls across 110 acres. “You don’t feel anymore that you are in Paris,” Benoît Gallot, the conservator, says. “All of your references fall away.”

Why Paris Designed Its Peculiarly Popular Grand Graveyards to Evoke a Celebration of Life Amid All the Death

Cemeteries that inspired parks serve as unlikely tourist attractions in the City of Light and prove that the end of the line is just the start of a new story

French police officers stand by the ladder that robbers used to enter the Louvre on October 19.

Burglars Just Broke Into the Louvre and Stole Historic Crown Jewels in a Daring Daylight Heist

In a matter of minutes, thieves climbed a ladder and smashed display cases before fleeing the scene with eight valuable artifacts. The jewels had been housed just 270 yards from the “Mona Lisa”

The Passage of Commodus was used by Roman emperors.

You Can Now Walk Through the Colosseum’s Secret Tunnel Once Used by Ancient Roman Emperors

Experts say the notorious emperor Commodus may have survived an assassination attempt inside this tunnel, which is now open to the public following extensive restorations

The museum is housed in the 17th-century Hotel Salé.

A Free Outdoor Sculpture Park Dedicated to Pablo Picasso Is Coming to Paris

The Picasso Museum will build the open-air park by 2030. The nearly $60 million expansion will also include a new wing designed to house temporary exhibitions

The Louvre has stopped offering its Nintendo 3DS museum guides.

The Louvre Stops Renting Out Nintendo 3DS Consoles, Which Helped Visitors Navigate the Massive Museum for 13 Years

Available since 2012, the handheld gadgets are being retired in favor of a new system—but so far, the Paris museum hasn’t revealed any details about the replacement

A matador and bull stand center stage as attendees look on during the San Fermín festival in Pamplona.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

See 15 Spectacular Photographs That Show Off Scenes From Spain

These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest celebrate the Iberian nation

Located nearly 60 feet below the surface, the statue is cleaned every year.

See How Divers Clean This Statue of Jesus Christ Submerged Nearly 60 Feet Below the Surface of the Mediterranean

Located off the coast of northern Italy, “Christ of the Abyss” was installed in 1954 to commemorate lives lost at sea. The statue receives a routine cleaning every year

Kayaking in Norway

Here’s How a Trip to the Nordics Can Inspire a More Meaningful Way to Travel

In the Nordics, travel becomes a soul-stirring adventure—where sustainability, culture, and nature converge to create lasting benefits for travelers, local communities, and the planet.

Sweden's fans wave IKEA flags before a soccer game between Austria and Sweden in Vienna in 2023.

Sweden Releases an Official Cultural Canon That Features IKEA and ‘Pippi Longstocking’—but Not ABBA

Critics of the list, which features 100 artworks and other cultural creations from before 1975, say the selections are exclusionary

As the sun rises over the horizon, the Castle of Rocca Calascio emerges from the peaks of the Abruzzo Apennines.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Explore 15 Captivating, Cool and Classic Castles

These images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest capture the grandeur of the historic fortresses

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Zagreb’s Backyard Wilderness Is Calling—Here’s How to Experience It

Just outside Croatia’s capital, Medvednica Nature Park invites travelers into a year-round world of alpine trails, rich biodiversity, hearty mountain fare, and deep-rooted history

Italian officials with the five stones and brick fragment

Italian Police Catch Tourist Stealing Stones From the Ancient City of Pompeii

According to legend, travelers who remove artifacts from the historic Italian city are cursed to endure hardship. Many have even returned the stolen items years later

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