During our time abroad, we both visited castles in our respective countries, however they describe different aspects of each culture. While at one point each building represented a rich empire, today they are as tourist attractions that allow us to analyze the history of a country.

In France, Chiara visited Versailles. When so much of French history is embedded in the feats of their architecture, the Versailles estate reminds us not to run away from our ugly pasts, but appreciate the physical beauty, while acknowledging the horrors and inequalities that happened.

In Portugal, Natalia visited the Castelo de São Jorge. From the Roman ruins that the castle is built upon, to the home inside the walls that dates back to the Islamic rule of the Iberian peninsula, the castle tells the story of Lisbon and Portugal. Today it serves as a reminder to all  of what was once the Portuguese Empire.