The House of Chopard showcased impeccable craftsmanship by adding to its miniature “bestiary” with the secret Swan Lake timepiece. This unique creation is the result of more than 1,500 hours of research, development, and handcrafting. The masterpiece, made from “ethical” white and yellow gold along with titanium, is set with a scattering of gemstones totaling 35.09 carats. When the swan’s head is moved into the central position, a true mechanical performance begins: the wings, made of three movable sections, gradually spread open to reveal a tiny mother-of-pearl dial. The watch is fastened to the wrist with a satin strap adorned with white feathers and secured by a feather-shaped buckle.

Ulysse Nardin unveiled the Freak X Crystalium model. The name and the grainy texture of the dial evoke minerals, yet in reality, the surface is not crystalline at all. It is formed from a ruthenium disc, which undergoes several days of PVD treatment to create a quartz-like structure. Afterward, it is coated with a layer of rose gold. The hour hand rotates together with the golden base platform, while the entire platform, with its regulator and escapement, forms the minute hand, producing the signature “floating carousel” effect of the collection.

Tiffany & Co. once again reinterpreted the iconic 1965 brooch by Jean Schlumberger, one of the greatest jewelry designers of all time. Today, his delicate bird has flown onto the dial of the elegant ladies’ watch Bird on a Rock Legacy Tanzanite, at the center of which rests a 2.72-carat cushion-cut tanzanite. Even the prongs holding the stone resemble bird’s claws. The 36 mm case is decorated with diamonds in the intricate snow-setting technique, which takes artisans about 55 hours of work. Inlaying the golden bird with 119 diamonds and a pink sapphire requires more than a full day. A magnifying window on the caseback allows a glimpse of the stone’s hidden beauty.

The White Tiger by Konstantin Chaykin is a unique wristwatch dedicated to the extremely rare tigers that lack the typical yellow-orange coloring, as well as to the mythological Guardian of the West in Chinese cosmology. In Chinese philosophy, the White Tiger symbolizes the color white, the element of metal, and the twilight hours. That is why the creator chose titanium — a white metal — for the case of this one-of-a-kind watch. The blue eye indicators and fanged mouth, which closes at midnight and opens at dawn, create a striking and unforgettable image. Inside is a manufacture movement with a micro-rotor and an integrated Joker indication, while pictograms of the predator’s “prey” appear in its jaws — one for each day of the week. The dial is decorated with embossed guilloché and multilayer lacquer, while the upper lugs of the case are shaped like the predator’s ears.

This year, the Breguet manufacture celebrates its 250th anniversary. Among the standout anniversary editions is a new interpretation of the Marine Hora Mundi 5555 model. This version, featuring an instant time-zone switch function, comes in a 43.9 mm case made of Breguet’s proprietary gold alloy. The gold dial, with a gradient from light blue to deep navy, reproduces a nighttime view of Earth based on NASA’s Black Marble image. A sapphire crystal overlay is hand-painted: continents are rendered in enamel and pad printing, clouds in the Grand Feu technique, and cities glow with dots of phosphorescent enamel — a manufacturing method for which a patent has been filed. Each of the 50 collectors will be able to personalize the cities assigned to the 24 time zones.

Photo: press-office

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The romantic origin story of hood ornaments traces back to the figureheads of sailing ships, believed to protect the vessel, attract good fortune, serve as a personal emblem, or even intimidate enemies.

More pragmatic automotive historians, however, point to their initially utilitarian purpose. On early automobiles, it was common to refill the radiator with water frequently. The radiator had its own separate cap, located just above the grille and outside the hood. During drives, the cap could become extremely hot — so a sculpted, protruding “handle” made it easier and safer to unscrew. In some cases, the ornament itself doubled as a temperature gauge, often with a touch of artistry. One memorable example is the mascot from Oleo Magneto, a spark plug manufacturer: shaped like a human head, it would emit steam from its nostrils when the engine overheated.

Naturally, car designers couldn’t ignore such a perfect chance to give vehicles a touch of personality. These were far more than just company logos. Using artistic techniques, automakers created memorable icons — from geometric abstractions and whimsical animals to references to gods and mythological heroes.

One of the first signature hood ornaments appeared on a Rolls-Royce. In 1911, sculptor Charles Robinson Sykes created a figurine called Silver Ghost for Baron Montagu. The factory loved it so much, Rolls-Royce asked for permission to place it on all their vehicles. The female figure, with flowing garments that gave her an angelic appearance — nicknamed The Silver Lady, The Flying Lady, Emily, and most famously, The Spirit of Ecstasy — became a symbol of refined luxury.

Among the animal-themed mascots, true icons emerged: Bugatti’s Dancing Elephant, Jaguar’s Leaping Jaguar, and Hispano-Suiza’s stork — which became a tribute to French WWI ace Georges Guynemer after his death, as the company had supplied engines for planes bearing the soaring stork on their fuselages.

Eventually, mascot design evolved into an art form of its own. They were cast in metals like brass, zinc, or bronze, often chrome- or silver-plated. Some were made of plastic or even glass. Starting in 1925, famed glassmaker René Lalique designed about 30 hood ornaments, the most famous being Cinq Chevaux (“Five Horses”) for Citroën. He even created a lighting system with colored filters to make the glass mascot glow as the car moved.

Among Soviet-era designs, the most iconic was the leaping deer on the GAZ-21 Volga, though enthusiasts also recall the bison on the MAZ-200 and the bear on the YAAZ-200 truck.

Mascots peaked in popularity during the 1920s and 1930s and continued to appear on hoods through the late 1950s. But as cars got faster, safety concerns grew: in collisions with pedestrians, rigid hood ornaments could cause serious injuries.   There was no official ban, but manufacturers gradually phased them out in favor of flat emblems.

Some luxury brands, however, retained their signature look with retractable or folding versions: today, Rolls-Royce’s silver lady disappears into a hidden compartment beneath the hood, while the Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star folds backward. Still, custom mascots remain popular, and auto shows feature an endless array of imaginative interpretations. Unsurprisingly, mascots have also become prized collectibles — ranging from rare, high-end creations sold at auction for hundreds of thousands of dollars to mischievously stolen trophies taken under the cover of night — preserving the spirit of a bygone era when high aesthetics and functionality still went hand in hand.

Photo: Vostock Photo

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Frida Kahlo

She is probably the most famous and recognizable female artist in the world today. Although the first memorial museum — the Blue House in her native Mexico City — opened in 1955, just a few years after her death, her name for nearly half a century remained a matter of national rather than global interest, as did her art filled with Mexican folklore.

Her rise to the art Olympus began in the new century, when in 2000, a documentary about her appeared in the series Great Women Artists. Soon after, a world tour of her drawings, paintings, and personal belongings began. Thus, the world learned of her tragic life story and her vivid, pain-soaked surrealist canvases (as André Breton himself defined them). The retrospective revealed not only her creative path but also her turbulent, restless life: each exhibition was filled with artifacts that told of her difficult childhood, hospital stories — consequences of illness and a severe accident — and, of course, her passionate and tumultuous love affair with Diego Rivera, her mentor and husband. But the numbers speak most eloquently: while in 2016 Kahlo’s auction record was $8 mln, in 2021 her Diego and I sold at Sotheby’s for $34.9 mln.

Diego Rivera

By the time he married 22-year-old Frida Kahlo, Rivera was already a well-established 43-year-old artist and, in her own words, the man who “blessed her to pursue art.” He had studied at the National School of Fine Arts in Mexico City, lived in Paris (where he befriended Picasso and other avant-garde artists and had a daughter with Russian painter Marevna), and developed his own avant-garde style rooted in Cubism and national identity. He became a founder of Mexico’s school of monumental painting, which flourished after the local revolution, decorated dozens of public buildings, and gained hundreds of students and followers. He also became a staunch communist and visited the USSR for the 10th anniversary of the Revolution. By the 1930s, he was celebrated even in the United States: despite his leftist ideas, he created murals in several major cities, and his retrospective at the newly opened Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York brought him worldwide fame. Today, his works are housed in major museums across the globe.

Tarsila do Amaral

Tarsila do Amaral is one of the main stars of 20th-century Latin American art. She is often called “the founder of Brazilian modernism,” which, in all its forms — from painting and design to architecture and literature — remains influential today: it is honored at the Venice Biennale and celebrated in major museums from the Centre Pompidou in Paris to the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. Occasional discoveries of her forgotten paintings in old Brazilian mansions excite the art world as much as the rediscovery of a Caravaggio or Rubens.

Like many artists of the early 20th century, she sought her artistic identity in Paris. She studied at the famous Académie Julian, learned Cubist techniques from Fernand Léger and other masters. But she longed to live only in her homeland. Upon returning to Brazil, she spent years searching for her own style while traveling across the country — and she finally found it in an innovative blend of European avant-garde principles and Brazilian folk sensuality.

Fernando Botero

In a recent interior design magazine, Hollywood star of Colombian origin Sofía Vergara spoke about a large Botero painting, Matador, adorning her Los Angeles living room: “I saw it as a child at an exhibition in Bogotá and fell in love! And I recently bought it at auction.” This is just one of hundreds of stories about the journeys of the artist’s paintings and sculptures around the world. Today, his works can be found in Sydney, Paris, London, Beijing — and even in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where his monumental bronze sculptures with their instantly recognizable exaggerated forms are displayed in both the Pushkin Museum and the Hermitage.

Botero himself, like his art, can be called a “citizen of the world” — he lived, studied, and worked for long periods in Medellín and Bogotá, Madrid and Paris, Florence and New York. Yet he always called himself “the most Colombian artist in the world.” And that statement rings true: the complexity and conceptual depth of his themes — beloved by collectors, curators, and the general public alike — are always expressed through simple, naive forms and cozy, corpulent figures that became his unmistakable signature.

Alfredo Jaar

In 1981, 25-year-old architect and artist Alfredo Jaar left Chile amid the height of Pinochet’s military dictatorship. It seemed he had left for good. But, as it turned out, his lifelong artistic mission to confront global injustices would eventually lead him back — returning as a hero to a very different country. In 2013, he represented Chile in the national pavilion at the Venice Biennale with one of the event’s most memorable installations: a giant mechanical model of Venice slowly being flooded by water. With this work, he drew attention to global warming and the threat of submerging one of the world’s most beautiful cities.

Jaar has become renowned as an unrelenting researcher and one of the most uncompromising, persuasive, and innovative contemporary artists. Each of his projects begins with the identification and study of a critical issue, and culminates in a powerful, visually striking artwork that brings it to public awareness. For this, he is valued not only by museum curators but also by city governments around the world — frequently invited to address urban problems through artistic means, from revitalizing disadvantaged neighborhoods to creating memorials.

Vik Muniz

Brazilian provocateur and political activist, artist and photographer Vik Muniz is a regular participant in major international exhibitions, including the Venice, São Paulo, Sharjah, and Sydney Biennales. He became famous for his so-called photographic appropriations, which he began creating at the turn of the 21st century: using found garbage, he reconstructed famous paintings by both Old Masters and modern artists, then photographed them on film to achieve a painterly effect. For example, his Botticelli-style Venuses emerged from shards of broken dishes, his Caravaggio Medusa from pasta and red sauce, and his life-sized Vatican frescoes from assorted trash collected at Rio de Janeiro’s largest landfill. The true material of these visual “puzzles” can only be discerned when viewed up close. These optical illusions became a global sensation, touring museums worldwide; in 2007, they were shown in Moscow at the Photo Biennale in the Manege. Today, the artist has returned to his roots as a sculptor — creating small-scale replicas of old private houses and abandoned shacks, inviting reflection on the theme of memory.

Photo: Vostock Photo

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Sunset at a château among vineyards. A yacht marina that has witnessed the world’s finest sailing regattas. Ancient monasteries and cathedrals… Are we talking about the French Riviera? Majorca? Sardinia? No. About Shandong Province in eastern China. It is not yet as familiar to travelers as Beijing, Shanghai, or the tropical island of Hainan. All the more fascinating and surprising!

The sailing capital of the country

In Qingdao, the province’s largest city (though its capital is Jinan), comes the first break of expectations. The main attraction of this metropolis of over 9 million people, along with the Zhanqiao Bridge stretching into the Yellow Sea (not really a bridge but a pier built in 1892, just a year after the city’s founding), is St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral. A symbol of the German chapter in Qingdao’s history. Germany received the strategic seaport as a concession in the late 19th century and controlled it until World War I. Many buildings were erected then in the historic Shinan district, where one can almost feel like being in Munich. The cathedral was built in the 1930s, and services are still held there today.

Qingdao’s yacht marina carries a Mediterranean vibe. In 2008, during the Beijing Olympics, the world’s best sailors competed here. Several times, yachts from the prestigious round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race (now The Ocean Race) docked in Qingdao. Fast catamarans of the global sailing tournament Extreme Sailing Series skimmed across the smooth waters of Jiaozhou Bay. Qingdao proudly — and deservedly — bears the title of China’s sailing capital.

West vs East

Do the Chinese appreciate these constant associations with Europe? Apparently, yes. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be building hotels in Penglai, on the shores of the Yellow Sea, in the style of European royal palaces. Nor would they style their wineries as French châteaux.

Shandong Province, especially around the city of Yantai, is China’s premier wine region: a Chinese Bordeaux, Tuscany, Napa Valley, and Krasnodar Territory rolled into one.

In the Qiu Shan Valley, the Rothschilds built their Long Dai estate. And here one can notice movement in the opposite direction as well. The West quotes the East — in its own interpretation. Forty hectares of terraces where Cabernet Sauvignon and Marselan grapes grow. Right there, “sunk” into the slopes, are elegant, minimalist buildings with hieroglyphs on the walls, wooden ceilings, and columns reminiscent of Daoist temples.

At one of the wineries in the same valley near Mount Qiu, Professor Pascal Durand, former dean of the Burgundy University School of Winemaking, oversees vines, harvests, and fermentation. Travelers are invited to stay in a hotel with panoramic views of the vineyards. It is no surprise that the World Wine Tourism Organization has chosen Yantai as the host of its global summit in 2025.

The Eight Immortals

Chinese emperors once came to the northeastern tip of the Shandong Peninsula — where Penglai, Yantai’s resort district, now lies — in search of eternal youth. For it was from here, legend says, that the Eight Immortals — revered Daoist saints — set off on their sea voyage. Before departure, each immortal bestowed their supernatural power upon the ship. But perhaps some drops of it remained on shore?

From Penglai’s waterfront, a monumental sculpture gazes out to sea, depicting the immortals’ departure. Another striking attraction is the vast Sanxianshan complex of temples and parks, built in modern times. Here, Buddhism and Daoism coexist with traditional Chinese architecture, calligraphy, and landscape design arts from different regions of the country. Inside the Jade Buddha Temple lies a massive statue weighing 108 tons. In the river, against the backdrop of red pagodas, white and black swans glide while visitors row boats. And suddenly, artificial mist descends, turning everything around into the scenery of a Chinese fairy-tale film.

Sacred mountains

From stage scenery — to historic places. Mount Laoshan, 30 km from Qingdao, is considered one of the birthplaces of Daoism. Today, it is a national park, where, among green slopes and waterfalls, stands the Temple of Supreme Purity from the Ming dynasty, surrounded by blooming camellias and peonies, with statues of emperors, warriors, and deities of heaven, earth, water, and lightning. It is also called the Lower Temple. There is also the Upper one — the 14th-century Temple of Great Purity.

If you have the time and desire to travel inland from the coast to Jinan and Tai’an (about 350 km from Qingdao), you can visit Mount Taishan, sacred to Daoists and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Legends tell of the mountain spirit ruling the realm of the dead, of saints and immortals. Emperors of various eras and dynasties built palaces and defensive walls here, holding ceremonies and rituals. At the summit, rulers addressed Heaven to thank it for power, and at the foot they thanked Earth for the harvest.

At the mountain’s peak — the 1,545 m Jade Emperor Summit — stands a temple. For centuries, pilgrims climbed there on foot, with 7,200 steps carved into the rock. Now it’s simpler: one only has to queue for the cable car cabins. For the strong in spirit and body, a hike upward is still possible — about two hours up the steps. The reward is a breathtaking view and the foremost of the 22 temples now standing on Mount Taishan — the Temple of the Mountain Deity with its magnificent Palace of Heavenly Blessings, built in 1008. A mural on the temple wall tells of how the mountain deity descended to the human world on an inspection. One wonders what the results of such an inspection would be today.

Photo: Shutterstock.com, en.chateau9peaks.com

The post Chinese Surprise appeared first on CityWorld.

Minsk group

The capital of Belarus instantly impresses with its spotless cleanliness and an air of profound calm. The cobbled streets of old suburbs coexist effortlessly with monumental Soviet avenues, while airy church domes and Gothic spires blend with imposing Stalinist architecture.

The heart of the city is Independence Square, one of the largest in Europe. It is like “Minsk in miniature”: the grand House of Government, a masterpiece of Constructivism; the red-brick Church of Saints Simon and Helena; and next to them, the monumental Main Post Office, a striking example of Stalinist Classicism. But to feel the true spirit of the Old Town, head to Trinity Suburb and the Upper Town. These restored quarters with tiled-roof houses, a town hall, the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and cozy cafés instantly transport visitors to the 18th–19th centuries, while festive lights adorn them on dark evenings. In winter, Freedom Square hosts a bustling Christmas market with crafts by Belarusian artisans — and sometimes even Father Frost himself, visiting from his residence in Belovezhskaya Pushcha! But Minsk’s largest Christmas fair traditionally takes place next to Trinity Suburb. From mid-December to mid-January, on the banks of the winding Svisloch River near the Sports Palace, guests enjoy rides, concerts, and festivities, are treated to hot chocolate and spiced mulled wine, and can buy holiday souvenirs in tiny wooden chalets.

The most active visitors can explore both indoor and outdoor skating rinks in Minsk and go skiing or snowboarding — right within the city at the Sunny Valley training center, or at the Silichi National Ski Complex just half an hour away: 11 slopes, the country’s greatest vertical drop, ski lifts, cafés, and a restaurant.

Feast and Mir

Perhaps the best way to experience the European flavor of Belarus is through its numerous medieval castles. One of them is the Mir Castle, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, located in the southwest of the country, in a settlement called Mir. Yury Ilyinich, a high-ranking noble of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, began building this grand defensive complex to protect against frequent raids by the Crimean Tatars. However, neither Yury nor his descendants managed to complete the construction of the fortress, and it only acquired its final appearance in the mid-16th century under the Radziwiłł family, who gave the Gothic structure Renaissance features. They also surrounded the castle with a moat, laid out an Italian garden behind the northern rampart, and erected a three-story palace in the inner courtyard. The mighty and majestic Mir Castle was not just the residence of the Radziwiłł magnates but also a true guardian of the surrounding lands. This, however, did not save it from devastation during the Great Northern War — for about 80 years after the war ended, it remained in ruins, serving as a refuge for wild animals and wandering strangers.

The castle’s former glory returned only in 1891, when it came into the possession of the princes Svyatopolk-Mirsky. During their time, a large-scale reconstruction of the building and surrounding grounds was carried out. This period also gave rise to numerous legends. For instance, it is said that the present pond was dug on the site of an old apple orchard, in May, when the trees were in full bloom. Since then, the dead apple trees have been taking revenge on people — every year, someone drowns in the lake. Another legend claims that a ram’s head was immured in one of the castle’s walls. It is believed that if the head is ever removed, Mir Castle will instantly collapse into a heap of stones!

A visit to Mir is usually complemented by a trip to Nesvizh, located just half an hour away. This charming little town, with its Jesuit-built Farny Church, landscaped parks, and many historic buildings, is famous for its luxurious 16th-century Baroque castle, which also belonged to the Radziwiłłs, the wealthiest family of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The castle served both residential and defensive purposes, so its stern towers, ramparts, and deep moat combine here with the splendor of interior decorations. Like Mir, this castle is protected by UNESCO. Reopened after restoration in 2012, it is now part of the National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve. And only in winter — from November until the end of February — can the Nesvizh Castle be visited on a night tour, conducted by lantern light!

In the City of Grodno

It is Grodno, located very close to the borders with Poland and Lithuania, that is rightly considered the most European and multicultural city in Belarus. Here, too, stands its own castle on a high bank of the Neman River — it was almost completely rebuilt, replacing the ruins of the once glorious residence of the powerful ruler Stephen Báthory. Today, it is a modern museum with a decent exhibition and a panoramic platform set up on one of the towers. Opposite it rises the Baroque New Castle of the 18th century, which later acquired features of Stalinist Empire style — this is also a museum.

Though in fact, the entire historic center of Grodno could well be called a museum. Here is the unique Kalozha (Sts Boris and Gleb) Church — one of the oldest churches in Eastern Europe, its walls decorated with majolica tiles, and with ceramic resonators built into them, giving the interior special acoustics. Here is the Farny Church with its magnificent altar — the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, once a Jesuit temple, today considered a minor basilica. Here is the Great Synagogue — one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. And here is Sovetskaya Street, a cobblestone pedestrian street — despite its name, it is a showcase of architecture from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, making it a favorite spot for locals and tourists alike to soak up the New Year’s atmosphere. One piece of advice — after walking around and getting chilled, stop by the local Dzhezva café, where they recently started serving their signature St. Hubert’s Coffee (named after the patron saint of Grodno): coffee, Jägermeister, a mix of spices, and alternative milk. After such a drink — both invigorating and heartwarming — you’ll want to share your delight from a winter journey through Belarus with the whole world. Or at least with your best friends!

Photo: shutterstock.com, depositphotos.com

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The Yucatán Peninsula is especially interesting from the perspective of the colonial history of Mexico’s states. In pre-Columbian times, this land was home to the flourishing Maya empire, and after the conquest, it grew wealthy from the production of sisal — a fiber extracted from agave leaves, used to make ropes for ships. From the era of wealthy agave plantation owners, Valladolid, founded in 1543, inherited many architectural landmarks.

In most old Mexican cities, the main square sits in front of the cathedral, but Valladolid is an exception: here, a park spreads out instead. Once, there was a square here too, crowned by a Maya pyramid. The conquistadors dismantled the pyramid stone by stone and built the San Servacio Cathedral, which still dominates the city center. The façade of the church, with its twin towers, combines baroque and renaissance styles, while the interior is rather austere. Every evening, except Monday, an audiovisual projection show is staged on the façade, telling the story of Valladolid, its culture, and traditions.

Across the street from San Servacio lies the city park with tall palms and evergreen Yucatecan trees, colorful wooden carts selling souvenirs and sweets, vendors in short-brimmed sombreros, and women in traditional white blouses embroidered with bright floral patterns. The park is named after General Francisco Cantón Rosado, who founded it in 1900 and even paid for its fence out of his own pocket. At its center stands the La Mestiza fountain, depicting a Yucatecan woman in the traditional terno dress — a work by sculptor Manuel Cachón Sima that symbolizes the blending of Maya and Spanish cultures. Small double benches, placed face-to-face in a checkerboard pattern, are commonly referred to as “kissing benches.”

The Municipal Palace next to the park was built in the 16th century as a replica of the Royal Palace in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. The building houses the city administration, but it’s worth visiting for the art gallery on the second floor, where paintings by Yucatecan artist Manuel Lizama depict key moments in the city’s history.

Another landmark worth seeing is the San Bernardino de Siena convent, one of the main Franciscan strongholds of the New World. Built in 1560, it includes not only the main complex but also several chapels and a garden, beneath which lies a cenote — a natural limestone well filled with fresh water. Inside the convent, a museum displays frescoes and other works of art dating back to the 16th century.

To learn more about the history of the city and the state of Yucatán, visit the San Roque Museum, housed in the former church of the same name, which at various times also served as a hospital and even a power plant. Its four exhibition halls preserve archaeological artifacts, archival documents, and traditional handicrafts.

Art lovers will appreciate the private Casa de los Venados gallery. Its name translates from Spanish as “House of the Deer,” but in fact it is a play on the surname of the owner, American John Venator. The former chairman of a large retail company, upon retirement, bought an old building in Valladolid, restored it, and opened his personal art collection, which he had been assembling for 35 years.

One of the peninsula’s greatest natural treasures are the cenotes — natural wells filled with fresh water from underground springs. Many of them, both cave cenotes and open ones, are equipped for swimming. One such cenote, Zací, is located in the center of Valladolid, while two others — Suytun and Ka’ape — are just a 15-minute drive from the city. The water in the cenotes is crystal clear and always cool, surrounded by lush tropical greenery — a perfect escape from the heat.

From Valladolid, you can reach two of the most important Maya archaeological sites: Chichén Itzá in 45 minutes and Tulum in about an hour and a half. The ancient city of Chichén Itzá, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that flourished in the 8th–9th centuries, is famous for the nine-tiered Pyramid of Kukulkán, whose symbolism is closely tied to the Maya calendar and the movement of celestial bodies.

Tulum, once the main Maya stronghold on the Caribbean coast in neighboring Quintana Roo, is now known as a chic seaside resort with eco-styled designer hotels. This winter, from December 31 to January 9, Tulum will host the famous Zamna Music Festival, featuring performances by David Guetta, Adriatique, and DJ Francis Mercier, along with ANTS, No Art, and Keinemusik parties.

Photo: Vostock Photo

The post Heart of Yucatán appeared first on CityWorld.

Recently, during a meeting with Vladimir Putin, DOM.RF CEO Vitaly Mutko announced that your company has begun developing a master plan for Veliky Ustyug. Could you please explain what this concept means?

The topic of master planning is regularly raised by the head of state. At his instruction, more than 40 such documents have already been completed, 15 of them prepared by DOM.RF. That was the focus of the recent meeting.

A master plan is a comprehensive document for urban development that combines economic and urban-planning visions for the next 20 years. It answers not only what and where will be built, but also who will finance it. In other words, a master plan is the foundation for dialogue between residents, business, and government.

In addition, many cities are currently experiencing population decline. The ultimate goal of master plans is to inspire people who once left to return home.

So how does a master plan differ from a traditional general plan?

A master plan is easier to understand than a general plan or a strategy. It’s presented in a user-friendly format, with intuitive maps and visualized key projects. For example, if the master plan proposes to improve a park, it includes not only technical parameters but also visualizations of how it will look after renovation.

Do you take into account the opinions of the city’s residents?

When developing master plans, we always organize sessions with local residents and launch an online portal to collect public feedback. Discussions about the city’s development and its future are held not only at the final stage — as is common with general plans — but right from the start of the project. Residents have more opportunities to positively influence the future of their city.

Do you already have successful examples of master planning?

Let’s take the city of Grozny, for instance. According to the 2023 master plan, roads are being expanded and new residential districts are under construction — the first phase of the Putin District and the Administrative Quarter have already been completed. After the successful start of Grozny’s master plan, we created a similar document for the entire Chechen Republic. By presidential directive, more than 200 master plans for cities and agglomerations across the country must be developed by 2030. We’re ready — DOM.RF has already prepared over 60 such projects.

DOM.RF is also involved in restoring cultural heritage sites, including those in poor condition. How do you approach this issue?

By 2030, with DOM.RF’s involvement, at least 1,000 cultural heritage sites must be restored — this is the goal set by the President. We created the platform nasledie.dom.rf, where we publish information about these buildings. Together with Rosimushchestvo, we identify unused, inefficiently used, or deteriorating historic buildings and transfer them to investors through public auctions — including opportunities for preferential financing. Since 2018, we’ve sold over 130 properties — private and rental houses, estates, mansions, industrial, administrative, and other buildings constructed between the 17th and mid-20th centuries. Nineteen of these sites have already been restored.   Regional authorities have also added their properties to our platform, and we assist investors both with purchasing and with obtaining preferential loans for restoration.

Is the number of investors interested in cultural heritage properties increasing?

Yes, interest is strong. Both large companies and private individuals are considering such purchases. For some, it’s a profitable investment; for others, a chance to leave their mark in history. These projects always generate significant public attention and approval.   People now see them as opportunities to create something unique and valuable — a restaurant, hotel, or creative space… With the rise of domestic tourism, such locations will become increasingly in demand.

What other types of real estate does DOM.RF sell besides heritage properties?

We handle federally owned assets that are underused or misused. Some land plots and property complexes are put up for auction. Investors can use them for residential construction, commercial development, production, storage, and more. Other unused federal properties, by decision of the government commission, are transferred to regional authorities for building schools, kindergartens, sports, and medical centers, etc. Some plots are granted to large families for private home construction.

We’ve discussed how to buy through DOM.RF — but can someone sell something as well?

Yes, recently we’ve started acting as an agent for private properties. So, if a person wants to sell something, they can come to us, and we’ll help them to find a buyer for a commission fee. Our database of potential investors includes tens of thousands of contacts.

You’re quite a serious agent!

The most serious.

One more question — about rental housing. DOM.RF positions itself as one of the leaders in developing this market. What progress have you made?

Our CEO has repeatedly pointed out that not everyone in Russia can afford a mortgage — around 40% of citizens couldn’t buy quality housing even with a zero-percent interest rate. That’s why rental housing will always be in demand. This sector in Russia remains largely informal. It’s in the public interest to make the rental market transparent and civilized. To achieve that, we need to set high standards for housing quality, comfort, service, and safety.

To better understand how the program should work, I personally lived for two years in our first rental building, Liner, in Moscow. Together with the first tenants, I learned what was missing, what services were needed, and how to manage them properly — and now we’ve developed a standard model that can be replicated. Today, our portfolio includes more than 1 mln square meters of rental housing in 19 regions. These include various types — commercial, student, and corporate rentals.

We’re also running subsidized programs such as “Affordable Rental Housing in the Far Eastern Federal District,” implemented under a presidential mandate. Of 11,500 apartments, more than 1,500 are already occupied. This gives the Far East a real competitive advantage in attracting professionals. Thanks to federal and regional subsidies, tenants pay only about one-fourth of the market rent. Among them are young professionals, teachers, doctors, and other in-demand workers. Regional governments compile the lists of participants in the program.

Population mobility is increasing, and so is the demand for quality housing and services. This means demand for rental housing is unlikely to decline. But in the medium term, the market should become transparent and well-regulated. And we’re doing our best to bring that future closer.

Photo: Philipp Goncharov, Press office

The post Cities to live appeared first on CityWorld.

Bonhams
Lady Glenconner: My Life in Objects
November 18, London

Just as the title of Lady Glenconner’s memoir — Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown — reflects the incredible decades this 93-year-old socialite spent at court, the set of her belongings at auction tells the story of her personal relationships with Britain’s leading figures. Among the lots, for example, are a gold Cartier box gifted to her by Queen Elizabeth II, their joint portraits by Cecil Beaton, a folding silver mirror presented by Elizabeth’s mother, as well as furniture and interior pieces made in royal workshops at various times.

Osenat
Tableaux Anciens
November 30, Fontainebleau

Jean-Pierre Osenat, the owner of the Paris auction house Osenat, has been remarkably fortunate: over the past ten years, he has acquired museum-level masterpieces — from a large pastel by Edgar Degas, once part of the Louvre collection, to still lifes by Chardin. Last year, while sorting through the contents of a family mansion in a bourgeois district of Paris, he discovered a painting, Christ on the Cross, which turned out to be a long-lost work by Peter Paul Rubens, missing for four centuries. A year was spent on restoration, laboratory analysis, provenance research, and authentication — the latter confirmed by renowned expert Nils Büttner. Now, this sizable work (105.5 × 72.5 cm) will be offered at public auction on November 30 at the firm’s Fontainebleau branch. The starting estimate is two million euros.

Artcurial
80 Years of ELLE: Celebrating Women in Art
November 14, Paris

The iconic French magazine ELLE — now a global brand and a pioneer in the women’s empowerment movement — celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. As a fashion and lifestyle publication that has always paid great attention to art, ELLE invited female artists from every continent to participate in a charity auction benefiting the international humanitarian organization CARE, which fights for women’s rights worldwide. Among the offerings are a sculpture by Joana Vasconcelos (€8,000), paintings by Mia Chaplin (€3,000) and Marion Charlet (€3,000), and works by Sasha Floch-Polyakoff, Ileana Magoda, and thirty more artists.

Sotheby’s
Leonard A. Lauder, Collector
November 18, New York

The passing of cosmetics magnate Leonard Lauder this summer caused quite a stir. The public was moved by the news of his gift to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art: the institution received the world’s largest collection of Cubist works — led by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque — valued at one billion dollars and soon to go on display. Collectors and museum professionals, meanwhile, were abuzz about the sale of his major collection of top-tier European artists. Sotheby’s won the battle among auction houses for the right to sell it — the evening sale will inaugurate its new flagship building in New York.

The star of the collection, expected to fetch at least $150 million, is Gustav Klimt’s dazzling Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer. In addition, two magnificent Klimt landscapes, paintings by Edvard Munch and Picasso, and a collection of Henri Matisse bronzes — considered the largest in private hands — will also be offered.

Sotheby’s
The Cindy and Jay Pritzker Collection
November 20, New York

Another great collection has likewise gone to Sotheby’s — the Impressionist and Modern holdings of Cindy and Jay Pritzker, founders of the influential Pritzker Prize. Among the announced highlights are Vincent van Gogh’s still life Yellow Books, Henri Matisse’s triptych Leda and the Swan, Wassily Kandinsky’s In Violet, and works by Gauguin, Pissarro, Vallotton, Miró, and others. The collection is expected to bring in no less than $120 million.

Photo: Bonhams, Osenat, Artcurial, Sotheby’s

The post Unique Lots appeared first on CityWorld.

Guests can choose from seven exclusive facial rituals, including the flagship spa treatment The Ritz Signature, featuring a massage with rare dumortierite stones known for their calming properties. Beauty experts have also catered to men: The Ritz Signature Men’s Facial is a sensory treatment with deep detox and massage using a Kansa Wand, while The Ritz Tech Enhanced Men’s Facial includes ultrasonic cleansing, atomization technology for enhanced ingredient activation, and masks from the White Caviar collection. Each treatment is customized to individual skin needs, ensuring maximum results. At the heart of all the rituals are La Prairie’s unique formulas with caviar extracts, platinum, gold particles, and innovative molecules. Combined with signature massage techniques and the use of precious stones, these ingredients work wonders. The menu also features a body scrub with La Prairie sea salt.

More than just a spa, the Ritz Club & Spa is a true holistic wellness space created for ultimate relaxation and rejuvenation. Its modern interiors reflect the favorite flowers of remarkable women connected to the history of the Ritz Paris. A private entrance from 17 Place Vendôme is a rare privilege even among Paris’s finest hotels.

Photo: press-office

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Nature is the prime inspiration for Boucheron’s newest jewelry masterpieces. Just as the company founder, Frederic Boucheron, reflected on the life of nature’s little creatures in the late 19th century, the Maison’s serving Creative Director Claire Choisne delves into the essence of life, divining the Creator’s design. Her latest collection, Impermanence, features 28 unique High Jewelry pieces organized into six botanical compositions, each frozen in its fleeting beauty. It is important for the jeweler to go beyond the lifelike realism of plants and creatures, capturing the flow of life itself. Claire drew inspiration from the Japanese art of flower arrangement, ikebana, which literally translates as “making flowers alive”, and its philosophy of wabi-sabi, which is about accepting transience and imperfection.

Light is the keynote running through Impermanence. Ubiquitous in the beginning, it gradually fades, dissolving into complete darkness, suggesting the end of a natural cycle. Composition No. 6—tulip, eucalyptus, dragonfly—is literally flooded with light, while Composition No. 1—poppy, sweet pea, butterfly—is entirely immersed in near-total darkness.

It took the creative director and Boucheron’s jewelers four years and 18,000 hours of painstaking handwork to breathe life into their philosophical reflections on the transience of everything living. The traditional gold and diamonds are accorded a rather modest place in the collection. In these lifelike compositions, they are joined on an equal footing by ceramics, aluminum, titanium, and sapphire glass overlaying a film of mother-of-pearl. The search for innovative materials led to the idea of working in the medium of borosilicate glass. Unlike conventional rock crystal, it can be blown and sandblasted before being encrusted with diamonds. This is the first time plant-based resin is used in 3D printing for High Jewelry.

Each of these fine, delicate pieces lends itself to most wondrous metamorphoses, making it suitable for wearing in a different manner. Thanks to an ingenious pivoting mechanism, the sweet pea can become either a bracelet or a brooch. The poppy stem becomes a hair ornament, and the butterfly can sit in the hair for decoration. The magnolia transforms into a collar necklace, while the wisteria features a comb for wearing in the hair or on clothing. The caterpillar brooch is flexible: bend the insect body in any way you want using a tiny mechanism…

Beauty is fragile and evanescent in all manifestations, not solely in the form of jewelry artworks, even those of the finest quality. All Impermanence jewelry will be offered as full sets, each in its own display case. Place one on your desk like a precious ikebana piece to remind you of the evanescence of beauty.

Photo: press-office

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