Welcome to Wikipedia

,

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

263,530 active editors
7,242,755 articles in English

From today's featured article

The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck

Early Netherlandish painting is the body of work by artists active in the Burgundian and Habsburg Netherlands during the 15th- and 16th-century Northern Renaissance. Their output follows the International Gothic style and begins approximately with Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck (painting pictured) in the early 1420s, and lasts until at least the death of Gerard David in 1523 or to the start of the Dutch Revolt in 1566 or 1568. Other major figures include Rogier van der Weyden, Dieric Bouts, Petrus Christus, Hans Memling, Hugo van der Goes and Hieronymus Bosch. They made significant advances in natural representation and illusionism, and typically incorporated complex iconography. Their subjects were usually religious scenes or small portraits. Painted works are generally in oils on panel, either as single panels or complex altarpieces in the form of diptychs, triptychs or polyptychs. The era is further noted for its sculpture, tapestries, illuminated manuscripts, stained glass and carved retables. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know ...

Cold spot (blue) on the lunar surface

... that cold spots (pictured) have only been found on the Moon, but scientists expect to discover them on Mercury too?
... that soprano Lucia Turcano was made an American citizen through federal legislation in 1954, but returned to communist Romania in 1963?
... that the Deniliquin Ute Muster set two Guinness World Records: for the largest parade of legally registered utes, and for the most people in blue singlets?
... that Sydney Towle modeled at Miami Swim Week despite living with terminal cancer?
... that technocracy is often seen as a threat to democracy because it grounds political legitimacy in expertise rather than popular representation?
... that Omani parliamentarian Talib Al Mamari received a human rights award while imprisoned for his activism against industrial pollution?
... that the 2026 Mumbai Indians, the joint-most successful team in the Indian Premier League, won their opening game for the first time since 2012?
... that the killing off of Tendai Rinomhota's character in Emmerdale has been described as one of the soap's most memorable deaths?
... that Walt Disney's weenie might be a tree, a castle, or a whale shark?

In the news

Tilcayo

An attack on a police complex in Kohat, Pakistan, leaves at least 31 people dead.
The tilcayo (pictured), a new species of tiger cat, is formally identified.
Former leader of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi is sentenced to 25 years in prison for war crimes during his leadership of the Kosovo Liberation Army.
At the Primetime Emmy Awards, Widow's Bay wins Outstanding Comedy Series, and The Pitt wins Outstanding Drama Series.

On this day

September 21: International Day of Peace; Yom Kippur (Judaism, 2026)

The Great Fire of New York

1776 – American Revolutionary War: The Great Fire of New York (depicted) broke out during the British occupation of New York City, destroying up to 1,000 buildings.
1937 – J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy children's novel The Hobbit, which later served as a prelude to The Lord of the Rings, was first published.
1965 – Portugal accepted a diplomatic mission from Southern Rhodesia despite objections by Britain, which had required the colony to implement black majority rule as a condition of independence.
1999 – The first chapter of Naruto, later one of the best-selling manga series, was published.
2001 – America: A Tribute to Heroes was broadcast by over 35 network and cable channels, raising over $200 million for the victims of the September 11 attacks.

Andrew II of Hungary (d. 1235)
Charles Nicolle (b. 1866)
Virginia Tango Piatti (b. 1869)
Héctor Alterio (b. 1929)

More anniversaries:

From today's featured list

Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart's 36-year acting career began with live stage productions in New York in 1920. After the completion of his military service in the United States Navy, Bogart began working in theatrical productions. His debut as a theater actor was in the 1922 play Drifting. His body of stage work includes more than a dozen plays, and lasted a little over a decade. He began to pursue a career in film by 1928, first appearing in the short film The Dancing Town. Bogart appeared in 75 feature films, including The Maltese Falcon, To Have and Have Not, Key Largo, and Casablanca, the last of which earned Bogart his first nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Bogart won the award on his second nomination, for his 1951 performance in The African Queen. In addition to his film work, Bogart guest-starred in numerous radio and television programs, primarily reprising his film roles. He died of cancer in 1957. (Full list...)

Recently featured:

Today's featured picture

Vertumnus is a 1591 oil painting by the Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo, depicting Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, as Vertumnus, the Roman god of changing seasons, gardens, fruit trees, and plant growth. Rudolf's portrait is composed of fruits, vegetables and flowers, and combines visual humour with political allegory, presenting him as a ruler possessing harmony with and power over nature. Seized by Swedish forces after the Thirty Years' War, the painting is now held at Skokloster Castle in Sweden.

Painting credit: Giuseppe Arcimboldo

Recently featured:

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – The central hub for editors, with resources, links, tasks, and announcements.
Village pump – Forum for discussions about Wikipedia itself, including policies and technical issues.
Site news – Sources of news about Wikipedia and the broader Wikimedia movement.
Teahouse – Ask basic questions about using or editing Wikipedia.
Help desk – Ask questions about using or editing Wikipedia.
Reference desk – Ask research questions about encyclopedic topics.
Content portals – A unique way to navigate the encyclopedia.

Wikipedia's sister projects

Wikipedia is written by volunteer editors and hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other volunteer projects: