French Crown Jewels in the Galerie d'Apollon

The French Crown Jewels displayed in the Galerie d’Apollon at the Louvre Museum in Paris are among the most dazzling reminders of France’s royal past. They glitter beneath gilded ceilings once meant to glorify kings, yet today they belong to the people - symbols of artistry, power, and the sweeping drama of French history.

The Galerie d’Apollon itself feels like a jewel box. Built in the 17th century under the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King, it was designed to embody divine light and royal grandeur. The architect Louis Le Vau began the work, while Charles Le Brun, the king’s chief painter, filled the vaulted ceiling and arches with mythological imagery celebrating Apollo, the god of the sun and the arts. 

Later, in the 19th century, Eugène Delacroix added the spectacular painting Apollo Slaying the Python, which crowns the gallery today. Every inch of the space glows with gold and colour, reflecting both sunlight and the radiance of the jewels within it. It is no wonder that this room, once a royal showcase, became the perfect home for France’s surviving Crown Jewels.

The story of these jewels begins with King François I in 1530, who declared that certain treasures should belong not to the monarch personally but to the French state. 

This decision established the tradition of the Crown Jewels of France, meant to represent the continuity of the monarchy. Over the centuries, kings and queens added to the collection: diamonds, pearls, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires gathered from across the world. These were not just ornaments - they were instruments of image and influence, worn at coronations, weddings, and state ceremonies to project wealth and divine right.

Among the most celebrated of these gems is the Regent Diamond, discovered in India and purchased for the French crown in 1717. Its 140 carats of flawless brilliance made it one of the most famous diamonds in the world. It has graced royal crowns, the hilt of Napoleon Bonaparte’s sword, and even the admiration of jewelers centuries later. 

Another storied stone, the Sancy Diamond, has a pale yellow hue and a mysterious past, having passed through the hands of European princes before joining the French royal treasury. The collection also includes the Côte de Bretagne, a striking red spinel carved into the form of a dragon, said to have once belonged to Anne of Brittany.

During the French Revolution, the jewels were seized as property of the nation. In 1792, thieves broke into the royal treasury and made off with much of the collection in a daring heist. Some of the treasures were later recovered, but others vanished into private collections, never to be seen again. Decades later, under the Third Republic, the government decided to auction off most of what remained. In 1887, the bulk of the jewels were sold to private buyers, in an effort to erase the last symbols of monarchy. It was a controversial move that many historians still regret.

Fortunately, a few of the most important pieces were saved for the nation. These survivors now sparkle in the Galerie d’Apollon, displayed in glass cases beneath the gilded vaults that once echoed with royal footsteps. The Regent Diamond still catches the light like a captive sun. The Sancy sits beside it, glowing softly under the glass. The Côte de Bretagne spinel gleams crimson, a relic of the Renaissance. Nearby, the emerald and sapphire parures of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, showcase the elegance of 19th-century design.

To stand in the Galerie d’Apollon today is to feel the weight of centuries compressed into a single shimmering space. The jewels that once symbolized royal power now embody something larger - the artistry and enduring heritage of France. Their beauty, once meant to awe subjects and foreign courts, now belongs to everyone. Visitors move quietly through the gallery, faces lit by the reflections of diamonds and gold leaf, feeling the same mixture of wonder and reverence that once surrounded the kings and queens of France.

TWA Hotel at JFK International in New York City

Nestled within the iconic TWA Flight Center at John F. Kennedy International Airport, the TWA Hotel stands as a remarkable fusion of history, architecture, and hospitality in New York City. 

Opened in May 2019, the hotel transports visitors back to the golden age of air travel, combining mid-century modern design with contemporary luxury. Designed by the celebrated architect Eero Saarinen, the original TWA Flight Center opened in 1962 and quickly became a symbol of innovation and elegance, with its winged roof, sweeping curves, and expansive glass walls embodying the optimism of the Jet Age. 

After ceasing operations in 2001, the terminal faced an uncertain future, but landmark designations and preservation efforts ensured its survival. In 2015, plans to transform the terminal into a hotel were finalized, culminating in the grand opening of the TWA Hotel in 2019.

The hotel encompasses 512 guest rooms distributed across two seven-story wings—the Saarinen Wing and the Hughes Wing—which flank the historic terminal. These wings are connected to the Flight Center through red-carpeted passageways that echo the glamour of 1960s travel. Inside, the hotel honors its roots through carefully curated mid-century modern furnishings, brass light fixtures, and rotary phones, while the restored split-flap departure board continues to display flight information, maintaining a tangible connection to its past. Every detail, from the décor to the ambient soundscape, contributes to an immersive experience that allows guests to step into a bygone era while enjoying modern comforts.

Among the hotel’s most striking features is its rooftop infinity pool, which offers sweeping views of JFK’s runways. Open year-round and heated for colder months, the pool is complemented by The Pool Bar, where visitors can enjoy cocktails while gazing over the bustling airport below. Aviation enthusiasts are drawn to the Connie Cocktail Lounge, located inside a fully restored Lockheed L-1649A Constellation aircraft. Guests can sip classic cocktails surrounded by authentic airline memorabilia, effectively combining history and leisure in a unique setting. Dining options at the TWA Hotel are equally compelling, with the Paris Café by Jean-Georges offering French-inspired cuisine, the Sunken Lounge preserving the retro elegance of the original TWA lounge, and the TWA Food Hall providing diverse quick-service selections to accommodate travelers’ needs.

The hotel also caters to business and event travelers, featuring 50,000 square feet of meeting and event space capable of hosting up to 1,600 attendees. The underground conference center is outfitted with state-of-the-art technology, making it ideal for conferences, weddings, and large gatherings. For guests seeking recreation, the hotel includes a 10,000-square-foot fitness center, ensuring that routines can be maintained even during travel. Beyond its role as lodging, the TWA Hotel functions as a living museum, celebrating aviation history and the Jet Age. Guests can explore artifacts such as vintage flight attendant uniforms, airline ephemera, and a scale model of a TWA airport operation center from the 1960s, all of which provide context and depth to the story of mid-century air travel.

Its location within JFK Airport adds a practical convenience that complements its historical and aesthetic appeal. Accessible via the AirTrain, the hotel connects seamlessly to all airport terminals, with particular proximity to Terminal 5, home to JetBlue Airways. This makes it an ideal option for travelers seeking both luxury and accessibility before or after flights. Visitors frequently praise the TWA Hotel for its unique ambiance and ability to transport them to a different era, noting that the meticulous design and attention to detail create an immersive experience unlike any other. While some reviews mention that certain rooms are smaller than expected or that dining options may not fully align with the premium pricing, the overwhelming response celebrates the hotel as a destination in its own right.

The TWA Hotel offers more than accommodations; it provides an experiential journey into the history and glamour of air travel. From the moment guests enter the Flight Center, the sense of stepping back in time is immediate, yet the integration of modern amenities ensures comfort and convenience. The hotel’s blend of historic preservation, architectural elegance, and immersive storytelling makes it a standout in the landscape of luxury hotels and airport accommodations alike. Whether it is lounging by the rooftop pool, enjoying a cocktail inside the Connie aircraft, or simply wandering through the corridors of a building that once represented the pinnacle of aviation design, visitors are reminded of an era when air travel was not just a mode of transportation, but an experience imbued with style, sophistication, and optimism.

The TWA Hotel at JFK is, in essence, a bridge between the past and present. It captures the spirit of the Jet Age while offering modern luxury, allowing guests to relive history without sacrificing contemporary comforts. Its preservation of the iconic Flight Center serves as a testament to the value of architectural and cultural heritage, and its unique combination of design, amenities, and storytelling ensures that it remains a destination for both travelers and history enthusiasts. In a city known for its fast pace and constant evolution, the TWA Hotel offers a rare opportunity to pause, reflect, and experience the glamour and innovation of a bygone era, all within the bustling heart of one of the world’s busiest airports.