German-born princess Sophie Friederike Aguste was destined for greatness. Sophie was married to Grand Duke Peter, the Heir to the Russian throne. Upon her arrival in Russia in 1744, Sophie was given the title of Grand Duchess Catherine Alekseyevna. What seemed to be a royal fairytale on paper, couldn’t have been further from the truth.
Peter made life incredibly difficult for Catherine due to his erratic and neurotic behavior. We think it is safe to say that their marriage was strained at the very least. In 1762, Catherine ascended to the throne as the Empress of Russia alongside her husband.
Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar was a political leader who liberated Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Panama from the Spanish Empire. Bolívar was lauded for also laying the foundations for democracy for all of Latin America. He was hailed ‘El Libertador’ – the Liberator. After a string of successful military campaigns, Bolívar became the president of Gran Colombia in 1821, (a state covering several Latin American countries, recently liberated from the Spanish).
On December 17, in the year 1830, Simón Bolívar died of tuberculosis. He was only 47 years old. His remains were transferred from Santa Marta to Caracas and then subsequently buried in the cathedral of Santa Marta. In 1876, he was moved to a monument set up for his interment at the National Pantheon of Venezuela.
Long Live the Liberator
Looking at a re-imagined CGI image of Simón Bolívar, you would think it's a real live person. Alas, it is not. The CGI reconstruction is a result of over a year's research and digital sculpture that was done by a forensic imagery team. The team, with minimal help from the Venezuelan government, sifted through thousands of images and historical documents to bring Simón Bolívar to life.
If these results are a true depiction of the real Bolívar, then it's reasonable to say that he was rather easy on the eyes. This image, aside from being far more realistic, is much more aesthetically pleasing than previously painted depictions that always seemed a little cartoonish. The reconstruction was unveiled on the 229th anniversary of the political legend's birth and currently sits in central Caracas.
Truly Great
In the face of her tumultuous marital struggles, Catherine's unwavering intellect, captivating charm, and unyielding ambition proved to be the catalysts that propelled her toward greatness. Her indomitable spirit led her to orchestrate a daring coup, overthrowing her husband and assuming the reins of power. With resolute determination, she single-handedly steered Russia into a remarkable era of Enlightenment, marked by progressive reforms and intellectual growth.
Additionally, Catherine's visionary leadership resulted in the expansion of Russia's territories, solidifying its status as a formidable global power. Here, we behold a mesmerizing wax-figure recreation of the formidable Empress, her luminous blue eyes gleaming with a brilliance that rivals even her captivating diamond jewelry.
Dante Alighieri
Alighieri has been immortalized as one of the most iconic poets of the middle ages. Born in modern-day Italy, Dante wrote the Divine Comedy or Comedìa. While his work stood the test of time, unfortunately, he didn't. After a scandalous period of accusations of corruption and exile, Dante died of what is believed to be malaria.
He was buried in Ravenna at the Church of San Pier Maggiore (later called Basilica di San Francesco). Bernardo Bembo, the praetor of Venice, erected a tomb for him in 1483. Dante lived to the age of 56 and died in the year 1321. His work has survived centuries and is until this day an inspiration for writers and artists. He certainly left quite the legacy.