Daniel Rossall Valentine (born in England in 1975) is an expert communicator, an experienced, imaginative and humorous speaker and a published historian with a focus on local history, who is experienced in talking to diverse groups about local history, cultural history, and architecture.

Daniel studied at the Universities of Oxford, St. Andrews, and King’s College London. Daniel’s communication career began when he served with the reserve forces in the Royal Corps of Signals, the combat arm that provides communications throughout the command system of the British Army. Since then Daniel has worked for, and consulted with, some of the world’s leading organisations. Daniel is a qualified educator, with a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) from Edge Hill University. He is a Member of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Daniel’s talks are carefully designed to engage with all levels of audience understanding and motivation, to ensure that they satisfy those seeking intellectual stimulation and those who like to be entertained. His presentations are rich with visual and intellectual stimuli and Daniel’s method of audience engagement allows him to quickly adapt to different audiences.

Architecture and beauty.
Why do we find some buildings more beautiful than others? Why do some buildings leave us cold whilst others energise and inspire us? In this highly visual presentation, Daniel will show the secret rules of design that make some buildings special, and will identify the most beautiful buildings in the world.

The Medieval Castle
Castles are iconic landmarks of European history. We can learn so much about the past by visiting these impressive and magical monuments. In this highly visual presentation, Daniel will talk about castle defences, castle design and the development of castles over time as they evolved from military barracks to royal palaces.

Gothic Architecture.
Gothic architecture is Europe’s most precious cultural asset. Europe has a legacy of thousands of beautiful gothic cathedrals and churches, such as Notre Dame, Westminster Abbey and Cologne Cathedral. This talk will explain how the Gothic style emerged, explore the evolution of the style, and describe the most important examples.

Classical Architecture.
The buildings of ancient Greece and Rome have had a profound influence on architecture for the last 2000 years. Nearly every country on earth contains buildings made to classical designs. This talk will explain the elements of classical architecture and demonstrate the most important examples.

Neo-Classical Architecture.
Emerging in Europe in the 1750s, neo-classical architecture rediscovered classical restraint and rejected baroque and rococo excesses. Neo-classical architecture has had a major impact on many cities including Washington DC, London, Lisbon, Paris and St. Petersburg. This talk will explain the elements of neo-classical architecture and demonstrate the most important examples.

Baroque Architecture.
This highly visual talk covers European architecture from 1600 to 1750, the “Golden Age” of European civilisation, a period which produced the first global stye of architecture and many of Europe’s most beautiful buildings. St Paul’s Cathedral, St Peter’s Basilica and Santiago de Compostela are just three of the buildings we will examine as we explore the evolution of architecture over the period.

Renaissance Architecture

Romanesque Architecture

Art Nouveau and Art Deco Architecture

The Architecture of Cathedrals

The Architecture and History of Monasteries

RCL - Brilliance of the Seas from Amsterdam to Barcelona sailing on September 4 - 14, 2019.
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P&O - Britannia (B218)
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