The Château de Chantilly is a historical location in Chantilly, France, that can be found just a few dozen miles from Paris. It was built around 1560 for Anne de Montmorency, an honorary British knight, and is currently owned by the Institut de France. The location is open to the public and contains some of the most incredible railings you’ll ever see.
The château has hosted many famous and highly successful individuals and groups. It has recently received a complete makeover in 2008, thanks to a hefty donation from the World Monuments Fund. This picture contains just a small example of the beautiful art that’s hidden in plain sight there. If you’re even in the Paris area, make sure to give this one a visit.
This Abandoned Piano
In 2008, a picture was uploaded online that showed this piano with a tree coming out of it. The picture gained a lot of traction online, as people were highly confused about what they were looking at. It was found in a forest near the California State University in Monterey Bay, USA.
After much discussion and speculation online, the truth behind this strange landmark was discovered. It was found that the tree didn't actually grow through the piano but was actually there for many years before. A student named Jeff placed the piano there as an art experiment. The piano has since been destroyed, but luckily these pictures capture what a thought-provoking art piece it was.
This Sewing Machine from 1867
Sewing machines were originally invented by American inventor Elias Howe Jr. back in 1790. They have been one of the leading revolutionary pieces of machinery in the clothing industry and provided countless men and women with the ability to produce clothes rapidly.
This machine is a rare remnant of the sewing machines used in the late 19th century. It uses the original mechanism devised by Elias Howe less than eighty years prior. Sewing machines have since been greatly improved. With today’s technologies, clothing only costs mere cents to produce, but back in the day, this machine allowed the greatest reduction in clothing prices ever seen.
This Stone Head is From One of the Most Ancient Civilizations on Earth
The Olmec were a society of villagers that lived along the Gulf Coast of Mexico. These people were mostly known for the special statues they carved out of stone, often weighing around 20 tons each. These stone heads were carved to commemorate their rulers, and are still well preserved today.
The boulders were brought by the Olmecs from the Sierra de los Tuxtlas mountains in Veracruz. The heads they sculpted out of them were arranged in lines at important Olmec locations. Like many archaeological mysteries, it remains unknown just how they managed to move these massive boulders from one place to another.
This 18th-Century Door
People were much more artistic back in the 19th century. Everything had to be made by hand, and a lot of craftsmen used this as an opportunity to create beautiful art. Even doors were often custom-made to represent beautiful historical and biblical images.
This door was created in Germany by a talented woodworker over 200 years ago. It probably took many hours to make, as it featured an incredible portrait of a young girl and her two parents. Many of these designs migrated from Germany into America during the late colonial period, as Germans migrated to the United States in droves back then.