Thirlestane Castle, located near Lauder in the Scottish Borders, has been the ancestral home of the Maitland family since 1587. Originally a medieval fort, the site saw significant expansion in the 1670s under John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale, who transformed it into a grand residence with additions like twin towers and lavish staterooms, designed by Sir William Bruce. The 19th century brought further extensions by architects David Bryce and William Burn, making it a Scottish country mansion.
During World War II, the castle housed an evacuated girls' school, and by the mid-20th century, it had fallen into disrepair. In 1972, Captain Gerald Maitland-Carew inherited the property and oversaw extensive renovations, eventually placing it under a charitable trust in 1984. Today, Thirlestane is open to the public, featuring collections of paintings, furniture, and a historic toy collection. In 2021, plans were approved to build holiday lodges within the castle grounds, adding to its appeal as a historical and tourist destination.
The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6 since 2009. It is currently in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic.
Its history dates from the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominican monastery was founded in the medieval period, which was transformed in 1556 to a Jesuit college. In 1622 the Jesuits transferred the library of Charles University to the Klementinum, and the college was merged with the University in 1654. The Jesuits remained until 1773, when the Klementinum was established as an observatory, library, and university by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.