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Articles by James Baresel
The SSPX and the Importance of Technicalities
After the 1534 Act of Supremacy unequivocally declared the monarch to be the “supreme head” of the Church in England, certain friends of St. Thomas More advised him to accept the Act, leaving questions of ecclesial authority to clergy and theologians. King Henry VIII, it could be reasoned, was taking a position on the authority of the bishop of Rome within the Catholic Church, not intending to separate from it in the manner of Martin Luther.
A Devotion to Defend Against ‘Revolutionary Men’, by James Baresel (2020)
Regardless of who wins the presidency, the more “centrist” wing of the Democratic Party has taken a substantial hit in the third Congressional election year in a row. Against all media expectations, Republicans picked up congressional seats. So did the Democrats’ radical, socialistic wing that is now trying to push Joe Biden to the left of his already extreme positions under the leadership of Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the latter’s accomplices in the so-called Squad.
Le Palais de la musique catalane : chef-d’œuvre de l’Art nouveau à Barcelone
Construite pour accueillir 2 000 spectateurs, la salle de concert est la partie la plus vaste et la plus élaborée du palais. De grandes fenêtres - couvrant la majeure partie des murs et une grande partie du plafond - en font la seule salle de concert d’Europe entièrement éclairée par la lumière naturelle. Le centre jaune de la verrière ressemble à un lustre vu de côté et au soleil lorsqu’on l’observe par en dessous.
Palace of Catalan Music: Barcelona Art Nouveau
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a monument to Catalan tradition. Built for an audience of 2,000, the Concert Hall is the largest and most elaborate part of the palace. Extensive windows—covering most of the walls and much of the ceiling—make it the only European concert hall fully illuminable by natural lighting. The yellow center of the skylight resembles a chandelier from the sides and the sun from underneath.
Trump Is Right About the Mexican-American War
After more than a century and a half of virtual apologies and silence from America’s leading political figures, President Trump finally broke one of the oldest taboos in American politics by issuing a statement celebrating the 178th anniversary of America’s victory in the frequently maligned Mexican-American War.
Trump Is Right About the Mexican-American War
After more than a century and a half of virtual apologies and silence from America’s leading political figures, President Trump finally broke one of the oldest taboos in American politics by issuing a statement celebrating the 178th anniversary of America’s victory in the frequently maligned Mexican-American War.
Anklam: A Local Architectural Tradition
In this installment of ‘Return to Beautiful Architecture,’ we visit a small town devastated many times only to return to its home-grown roots. An superb example of vernacular, or local, architecture, sits within Germany’s scenic Peene River Valley. Anklam is a picturesque community 112 miles due north from Berlin and not far from the Baltic coast. Century after century, Anklam was rebuilt again and again on the basis of that local heritage.
Dresdens langer Weg aus der Asche
Zwei Jahrhunderte lang war Dresden als „Elbflorenz“ bekannt. Aufgrund ihres Status als wichtigstes Kulturzentrum Ostdeutschlands und ihrer einzigartigen Ansammlung spätbarocker Meisterwerke der Architektur wurde die Stadt auch „Schatzkästchen“ genannt. Die Stadt ist heute vielleicht eher für ihre weitgehende Zerstörung durch Brandbomben in den letzten Monaten des Zweiten Weltkriegs bekannt.
Dresden: Restoring the ‘German Florence’
In this installment of ‘Return to Beautiful Architecture,’ we visit the architectural jewel of Germany that came back to life after the destruction of WWII. For two centuries, Dresden was known as the “ Florence on the Elbe .” The city was called “The Jewel Box” because of its status as the most important cultural center of eastern Germany and home to one of the largest concentrations of late Baroque architectural masterpieces.
Potsdam: Juwel der Krone Friedrichs des Großen
Friedrich II., der „Alte Fritz“ (1712–1786), erhob das bis dahin eher unscheinbare Potsdam zum Hauptresidenzort der preußischen Monarchie. Rund zwei Jahrhunderte lang galt die Stadt daraufhin als „Deutsches Versailles“. Potsdam wurde im Zweiten Weltkrieg schwer bombardiert. Dank jahrzehntelanger Bemühungen, die Schäden zu beheben, erstrahlt die Stadt nun wieder in neuem Glanz. Die Restaurierung Potsdams gilt als eines der bemerkenswertesten Restaurierungsprojekte der Gegenwart.
Improving How Society Dresses-Dress Well, Don’t Moralize
Keeping in mind Oscar Wilde’s dictum that “fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months,” I am not about to suggest following its trends. Neither will I advocate either for or against dressing in ways calculated to make oneself the center of attention, turn heads, and so on. If you enjoy such things, by all means, indulge yourself. Otherwise, leave them to those who do.
Orsanmichele: A Medieval Ecclesial and Commerce Building
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a Florentine market that became a church after the occurrence of miracles. Orsanmichele was designed primarily as a secular building with a chapel inside. At 131 feet tall, the building features three uniform floors. Walls are made of a pietraforte, a local variety of sandstone. Their rough and rusticated appearance was a deliberate stylistic choice popular in the 14th century.
Heulebrug and Duinbergen Revive the Flemish Touch
In this installment of ‘Return to Beautiful Architecture,’ we visit two neighborhoods in Knokke-Heist, a fashionable seaside town in Belgium. For over a century, Knokke-Heist has been Belgium’s most popular and, probably, most beautiful, seaside resort town. It was a small fishing village when Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830. Rapid transformation soon introduced grand mansions and hotels in the French Second Empire style.
Victoria: Britain's Last Powerful Monarch
Queen Victoria and Her Prime Ministers: Her Life, the Imperial Ideal, and the Politics and Turmoil That Shaped Her Extraordinary Reign by Anne Somerset Knopf 640 pp., $45.00 Even Queen Victoria’s staunchest admirers will admit that she was a political novice. Her understanding of political philosophy remained fairly basic throughout her life. She was an unreliable judge of character and susceptible to flattery.
Drottningholm Palace: Sweden’s Best-Preserved Royal Residence
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a baroque masterpiece on the western outskirts of Stockholm. Situated on the banks of Lake Malaren, Drottningholm’s 700-foot-long façade exemplifies the French baroque designs that Nicodemus Tessin the Elder popularized in Sweden. Characteristics of this style can be seen in the palace’s symmetrical two-story wings as well as the tall, curved roof (mansard roof) on the building’s central section.
Tornagrain: A Gleaming White Town in Scotland
In this installment of ‘Return to Beautiful Architecture,’ we visit a new town built in the traditional style of the Scottish Highlands. Less than 10 miles east of Inverness, long known as the “Capital of the Highlands,” Tornagrain might appear to be just another of Scotland’s beautiful small towns. A few hundred small buildings are tucked next to each other, mainly with white walls and slate roofs, and most between one- and four-stories high.
La Chartreuse de Champmol, chef-d’œuvre spirituel des ducs de Bourgogne
Située aux abords de Dijon, ancienne capitale du duché de Bourgogne, la Chartreuse de Champmol incarne la puissance et le raffinement des ducs Valois. Au XVe siècle, le monastère devint un lieu de pèlerinage réputé, vitrine de l’art et de l’architecture française et bourguignonne de l’époque. En 1377, le duc Philippe le Hardi (1342-1404) acquiert le terrain afin d’y établir la nécropole de la dynastie ducale, destinée à rivaliser avec les sépultures royales françaises.
Chartreuse de Champmol: A Monument to Burgundian Art
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a Gothic monastery that was a prodigious center for the arts. After Emmanuel Crétet bought the complex in 1791, many structures at Chartreuse de Champmol were torn down and rebuilt, excluding the original water well in front of the church. Built in the Gothic Revival style, the chapel’s reconstruction with its turrets, pointed arches, and tracery, was believed to hearken back to its original structure.
Hannover’s New Town Hall: Historical Elegance With Modern Utility
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit Lower Saxony’s architectural jewel. Despite its historical and castle-like appearance, Hannover’s architecturally eclectic New Town Hall was constructed in the early 20th century. Behind the building is the Maschpark (Hannover’s first public park) and the Maschteich (artificial lake), which were constructed alongside the building.
Faith vs Experience, by James Baresel
Recently, I have been more disappointed than surprised to hear three unimpeachably faithful and admirable priests attempt in their preaching to ground Catholic belief in “experience.” One argued that reception of Communion by supporters of abortion is “incompatible with the ‘experience’ of Catholic truth,” another encouraged those “who have ‘experienced’ God’s truth” to “share the ‘experience’ with others.” I cannot remember details, but the remarks of the third were along similar lines.
Faith vs Experience
Recently, I have been more disappointed than surprised to hear three unimpeachably faithful and admirable priests attempt in their preaching to ground Catholic belief in “experience.” One argued that reception of Communion by supporters of abortion is “incompatible with the ‘experience’ of Catholic truth,” another encouraged those “who have ‘experienced’ God’s truth” to “share the ‘experience’ with others.” I cannot remember details, but the remarks of the third were along similar lines.
Potsdam: Jewel in the Crown of Frederick the Great
In this series, ‘Return to Beautiful Architecture,’ we visit Potsdam, which once again has become the ‘German Versailles.’ Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great (1712–1786), transformed Potsdam, Germany, from a minor suburb of Berlin to the seat of the Prussian monarchy. For the next 200 years, it was known as the “German Versailles.” The city was heavily bombed during World War II. Now, thanks to decades of effort to reverse the damage, the city’s beauty and grandeur is reviving.
Le Palais de Dolmabahçe : un joyau architectural d’Istanbul | Epoch Times
Situé sur les rives du Bosphore, à Istanbul, le palais de Dolmabahçe demeure la plus vaste résidence palatiale de Turquie. Édifié sur près de 11 hectares, l’ensemble comprend pas moins de 285 pièces, 46 salons, 68 salles d’eau et six hammams. Véritable prouesse architecturale, l’édifice conjugue avec éclat influences occidentales et tradition orientale, mêlant baroque, rococo et néoclassicisme, rehaussés de la touche ottomane.
Dolmabahce Palace: Istanbul’s Architectural Landmark
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a European style palace from the Ottoman Empire’s glory days. FacebookXTruthGettrLinkedInTelegram 9/7/2025Updated: 9/7/2025 Located on Istanbul’s Bosporus strait, Dolmabahce Palace is the largest palatial residence in Turkey. The 11-acre structure features 285 rooms, 46 halls, 68 washrooms, and six Turkish baths.
A First: American College of the Building Arts
In this series, ‘Return to Beautiful Architecture,’ we visit a unique institution of higher learning that trains traditional craftsmen. FacebookXTruthGettrLinkedInTelegram 8/31/2025Updated: 8/31/2025 In 2004, the first class of students entered the accredited degree program of the American College of the Building Arts (ACBA), based in Charleston, South Carolina. The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 1968 Whitehill Report inspired the creation of this unique academic institution.
A Paris Makeover: Le Plessis-Robinson and Marne-lá-Vallée
In this series of ‘Return to Beautiful Architecture,’ we visit extensive renovations in and around the City of Lights. FacebookXTruthGettrLinkedInTelegram 8/14/2025Updated: 8/14/2025 In 1853, Prefect Georges-Eugéne Haussmann of France’s Department of the Seine initiated one of history’s most massive and brilliant urban rebuilding projects—the renovation of Paris. This renovation was a masterpiece of French classicism.
Peles Castle: The Royal Estate of Sinaia
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a multi-cultural, neo-Renaissance palace in Romania. FacebookXTruthGettrLinkedInTelegram 8/4/2025Updated: 8/4/2025 Perched near the southern edge of the Carpathian Mountains, Peles Castle in Sinaia exemplifies the best of Romania’s architectural heritage. Originally the country residence of King Carol I, the castle’s construction (1873–1883) coincided with the nation’s founding.
Le palais du Golestan : opulence de la dynastie Qajar | Epoch Times
Ayant servi pendant des siècles de palais royal aux shahs (rois) persans, le palais du Golestan est l’une des œuvres architecturales les plus magnifiques d’Iran et l’un des plus anciens monuments historiques de la ville de Téhéran. Signifiant littéralement « Palais de la roseraie » en farsi, le Golestan a commencé sa transformation en palais royal avec la construction d’une citadelle sous le règne de Tahmasp Ier Shah (1524-1576).
The Golestan Palace: Qajar Dynasty Opulence
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a historic, royal complex that blends Persian and European architecture. 7/9/2025Updated: 7/9/2025 Serving for centuries as a royal palace for Persian Shahs (kings), the Golestan Palace is one of Iran’s most magnificent architectural works and among the oldest historic monuments in the city of Tehran.
Leon Krier: Modern Architect of Traditional Architecture
In this series of ‘Return to Beautiful Architecture,’ we honor a contemporary leader of architectural classicism. 7/3/2025Updated: 7/3/2025 “I don’t build because I am an architect. I can create true architecture because I do not build.” Paradoxical as they may seem, the meaning behind those words captures one man’s simple but profound principles. It was during those years of establishing himself as an architectural theorist that Krier said he did not build because he was an architect.
Le château du Clos Lucé : la maison d’été des rois de France | Château | Epoch Times
Le château du Clos Lucé, où Léonard de Vinci a vécu ses trois dernières années, est aujourd’hui un musée qui lui est consacré. Il compte parmi les plus beaux des centaines de châteaux de la vallée de la Loire, en France. Construit en 1471 par Hugues d’Amboise, le château réunit des éléments des traditions gothique et Renaissance française.
Château du Clos Lucé: Summerhouse of the French Kings
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a Loire Valley château that was Leonardo da Vinci’s last home. 6/22/2025Updated: 6/22/2025 Remembered primarily as Leonardo da Vinci’s home during the last three years of his life, the Château du Clos Lucé now serves as a museum dedicated to his life and work. It is among the loveliest of the hundreds of châteaux in France’s Loire Valley.
Poundbury : le classicisme formel se lie à la tradition locale | architecture | Epoch Times
En 1988, le principal défenseur de l’architecture traditionnelle en Grande-Bretagne était le prince de Galles, devenu le roi Charles III. Avec son soutien, le conseil du district du West Dorset, dans le sud-ouest de l’Angleterre, a décidé d’agrandir la capitale rurale de Dorchester en s’inspirant de sa vision. L’extension, connue sous le nom de Poundbury, a été le programme de construction le plus important et le plus influent de la fin du XXe siècle, fondé sur des principes traditionnels.
Poundbury: Formal Classicism Bonds With Local Tradition
In this series of ‘Return to Beautiful Architecture,’ we visit an expansion of the county capital of Dorchester, England. 6/7/2025Updated: 6/7/2025 In 1988, the leading advocate of traditional architecture in Britain was the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III. With his support, the West Dorset District Council, in southwestern England, decided to expand the country capital of Dorchester based on his vision.
L’église Saint-Charles-Borromée : le trésor d’Anvers | Epoch Times
Cette église belge a été qualifiée de « huitième merveille du monde » à l’époque de sa construction. L’église Saint-Charles-Borromée est l’une des plus magnifiques églises du début de l’ère baroque, et l’une des premières construites dans ce style dans le nord-ouest de l’Europe. Elle a coûté si cher que ses constructeurs, les Jésuites d’Anvers, en ont été réduits à prendre des mesures d’austérité. Commencée en 1615, l’église s’inspire du siège des Jésuites à Rome.
Church of St. Charles Borromeo: Antwerp’s Treasure
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,' we visit a highlight of the Northern Baroque style. 5/25/2025Updated: 5/25/2025 This Belgian church was called the “Eighth Wonder of the World” at the time of its construction. Saint Charles Borromeo church is among the most magnificent churches of the early Baroque era, and among the first built in that style in northwestern Europe.
Brandevoort : une nouvelle architecture classique | Epoch Times
En l’an 98, l’empereur Trajan a accordé à ce qui est aujourd’hui Nimègue (la plus grande ville de Gelderland) le statut de ville impériale romaine, dont les citoyens étaient égaux à ceux de Rome. Près de 2000 ans plus tard, les travaux ont commencé sur le véritable chef-d’œuvre d’expansion urbaine de la Hollande en plus d’un siècle.
Avila Cathedral: A Medieval Fortress-Church
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit Spain’s first Gothic cathedral. 5/12/2025Updated: 5/12/2025 In 1144, France unveiled the first structure that became the worldwide model for Gothic architecture—the Basilica of Saint-Denis. A quarter century later, the new style reached the margins of European culture. In Avila, Spain, the circa 12th-century Cathedral of the Saviour became Spain’s first Gothic masterpiece.
Le château Borromée : un chef-d’œuvre d’architecture médiévale | château de Borromée | Epoch Times
Le château Borromée, également connu sous le nom de Rocca d’Angera, est situé sur une falaise rocheuse surplombant la ville d’Angera, dans la région de Lombardie, au nord de l’Italie. Offrant une vue panoramique sur le lac Majeur et les Alpes, le château fortifié était stratégiquement situé pour se défendre contre les incursions des troupes suisses et impériales (byzantines). Le château Borromée est l’un des chefs-d’œuvre les mieux conservés de l’architecture médiévale italienne.
Borromeo Castle: A Medieval Architectural Masterpiece
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit one of the few preserved fortified medieval castles. 4/27/2025Updated: 4/27/2025 The Borromeo castle, also known as Rocca d'Angera, sits on a rocky cliff overlooking the town of Angera in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. With panoramic views of Lake Maggiore and the Alps, the fortified castle was strategically located to defend itself against the incursions of Swiss and Imperial (Byzantine) troops.
Palais Rohan : un chef-d’œuvre du baroque | palais Rohan | Epoch Times
Visitons un exemple remarquable d’architecture résidentielle baroque en Alsace. Le palais Rohan est l’une des œuvres les plus importantes de l’architecture baroque française. Construit de manière idyllique à côté de la cathédrale de Strasbourg, le palais a d’abord été une nouvelle résidence pour les évêques de la ville.
Brandevoort: New Classical Architecture
In A.D. 98, Emperor Trajan granted what is now Holland’s Nijmegen (the largest city in Gelderland) the status of a Roman imperial city—one whose citizens were equal to citizens of Rome. Almost two millennium later, work commenced on Holland’s true masterpiece of urban expansion in over a century. Located outside the small city of Helmond, Brandevoort’s recently built planned neighborhood is a vital reconnection with the Dutch architectural tradition that evolved out of that millennia old heritage.
Paul Véronèse : les vertus de Lucrèce et de Suzanne | Epoch Times
Aucune femme de l’antiquité préchrétienne n’a été autant célébrée pour sa beauté et sa chasteté que l’israélite Suzanne et la romaine Lucrèce. Ces deux femmes sont célèbres pour leur réaction lorsqu’elles ont été contraintes de choisir entre l’adultère ou la mort et le déshonneur. Pendant des millénaires, ces femmes ont été représentées dans l’art. Mais il y a un paradoxe : les artistes ont rarement souligné les qualités morales de ces femmes jusqu’à Paul Veronese (1528-1588).
Belvoir Castle: A Gothic Revival Masterpiece
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a faux historic castle in Leicestershire, England. 3/26/2025Updated: 3/26/2025 Belvoir Castle’s faux fortress dates back to 1801. Under the influence of his new wife Elizabeth Howard, John Manners, fifth Duke of Rutland, rebuilt the existing structure in the romantic Gothic Revival style. Since 1067, three castles—a Norman castle, Tudor manor, and a country house—stood on the spot where Belvoir Castle remains today.
Paolo Veronese: The Virtues of Lucretia and Susanna
No two women of pre-Christian antiquity have been as celebrated for their beauty and chastity as the Hebrew Susanna and the Roman Lucretia. Both women are famous for their responses to being forced to choose between adultery or death and disgrace. For millennia, the women have been depicted in art. But there is a paradox: Artists rarely emphasized the women’s moral qualities until Paolo Veronese (1528 –1588).
In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a uniquely English country house. 3/12/2025Updated: 3/12/2025 Situated in a park in Birmingham, England, Aston Hall’s magnificent 17th-century mansion was designed by English architect John Thorpe and built for Sir Thomas Holte between 1618 and 1635.
How "Democracy" Lost Its Meaning
From across the spectrum of opinion, politicians at every level of office and their staff members, pundits, academics, think tank staffers and neighbors who turn their yards into forests of campaign signs all agree on one thing—democracy is in imminent danger. Yet democracy in the literal sense—government by “the many”—is hardly endangered, not even by most of the blatant and egregious efforts to thwart the will of the people.
Le palais d’Augustusburg : un chef-d’œuvre rococo | palais d'Augustusburg | Epoch Times
Construit entre 1725 et 1768, le château d’Augustusburg en Bavière est l’un des premiers exemples d’architecture rococo en Allemagne. Le palais est situé dans l’un des paysages les mieux préservés du milieu du XVIIIe siècle et est l’un des rares manoirs de style rococo que l’on peut encore voir dans son environnement d’origine. Le château d’Augustusburg avait été commandé par l’archevêque de Cologne, Clemens August of Wittelsbach.
Feminism and the Destruction of Hierarchy, by James Baresel
Late in the 19th century, when the question of votes for women was controversial even among those well on the left side of political opinion, Lord Salisbury—the longest serving prime minister of the Victorian era and leader of its staunchest conservatives—had no objection to female suffrage.
Feminism and the Destruction of Hierarchy
Late in the 19th century, when the question of votes for women was controversial even among those well on the left side of political opinion, Lord Salisbury-the longest serving prime minister of the Victorian era and leader of its staunchest conservatives-had no objection to female suffrage.
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