Igreja de São Roque (Church of Saint Roch) in Lisbon, Portugal

On April 9, 2024April 11, 2024 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn PortugalLeave a comment

There are several wonderful churches and basilicas in Lisbon, but after seeing some images online, we made going to Igreja de São Roque something that was high on our list. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful churches in Lisbon and certainly one of the most fascinating churches that we have seen. The details within the church are quite stunning and extremely ornate. During our visit in person, the details were overwhelming, and we’ve absorbed more looking at our photographs after returning home.

The church was originally built in the 16th century and was one of the few structures in Lisbon to survive mostly intact after the earthquake of 1755. At the time that it was built, it was likely one of the most expensive churches that had been built at that time, which is certainly understandable when you see all of the features within it. It was built in the Baroque style, but the outside of the church is very simple in comparison to the beauty of all of the amazing features of the interior.

The painted ceiling is the first thing that you notice as you enter the church and it is certainly interesting as it is a wooden ceiling, which has been painted with scenes from the bible. The church’s organ is also quite beautiful, but the many chapels that surround the main chamber are the real stars of the visit. We had seen conflicting information regarding the hours that the church was open. Some sites stated it was only open on Monday afternoon, but we’re pretty sure that it is open every day, although we ended up visiting on a Monday.

Church Towers and Skyscrapers Rising towards the Sky

On July 17, 2023July 17, 2023 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Chicago, Colorado, New YorkLeave a comment

We really enjoy seeing historic churches throughout the world and most of them can be found in the old town areas of the cities. There are times, though, when modern cities with skyscrapers surround the old churches and the images can be just as striking. Seeing the bell towers reaching towards the sky in parallel with the glass towers is quite a juxtaposition of images. Obviously it goes in direct opposition to the desire to have the churches and cathedrals be the tallest buildings in a city where people could see them from all of the surrounding areas as they ventured towards the city. Here are some of our favorite examples of churches and skyscrapers.

Bell Tower and Skyscraper Perfectly Parallel

Church Tower and Modern Buildings in Frankfurt

The Fascinating Rila Monastery Near Sofia, Bulgaria

On January 10, 2023January 10, 2023 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Bulgaria3 Comments

We took a day trip from Sofia to visit the Rila Monastery, which is located about two hours away in the Rila Mountains southwest of the capital of Bulgaria. The monastery was first founded in the 10th century and gets its name, as does the mountainous region, from the hermit Ivan of Rila who founded it. Although the monastery bears some resemblance to the fortified churches that we saw in Romania a few years back, it did not serve the same purpose as the mountains were fortification enough. The Rila Monastery is considered to be one of Bulgaria’s most important cultural, historical and architectural sites and therefore does attract a fair number of visitors every year.

The main church of the monastery was built in the middle of the 19th century and is still in use today. The paintings on the exterior walls are quite dramatic and tell a variety of biblical stories. Next to the main church is the clock tower, which is more of a fortress tower than an actual clock tower, but it is quite dramatic to see as it looks over the entire monastery complex. Surrounding the church in the walls are the quarters where the monks of the monastery would live and work when not at the church for prayers. There are only two gated entrances to the Rila Monastery, one near the parking area where visitors arrive and the other that leads to a small village with a restaurant that is on the opposite side of the main entrance.

View of the Quarters and Working Areas of the Rila Monastery

Artwork at the Ceiling of the Church Entrance

Village and Restaurants Outside of the Gate

Details Outside of the Monastery Quarters

When visiting Sofia, taking a day trip to the Rila Monastery is certainly worthwhile and can be combined with a wine tasting in the same region. For those who enjoy hiking, there are also several hiking trails in the area and many local people visit the mountains simply to enjoy the natural surroundings and beautiful scenery. Just like visiting any other religious site, dressing appropriately is always recommended and women should have their knees and shoulders covered. We definitely enjoyed our time at the monastery as well as lunch at a local restaurant on the river in a village along the road to and from the monastery.