Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seattle's Waterfront
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The chapel of Queen Mary's heart near Transylvania's Bran Castle.
Little known, but invaluable in beauty, is the Church of the Heart of Queen Mary of Bran
hides an extremely beautiful story about Queen Mary.
A faithful replica of the Stella Maris church from the town of Walsik, which was granted by Romania after World War II in Bulgaria, was built in Byzantine style at the request of Princess Eleana in memory of her mother, Queen.
History says that one of Queen Mary's greatest pleasures was spending time in Balchik's chapel and her wish was to bury her heart there after she died. Because this was no longer possible, the princess demanded the construction of a chapel very close to Bran Castle. The box containing the queen's heart was temporarily deposited in the wooden church of Bran Castle and after a year was transferred to a crypt dug into the rock of Bran Maggiore, awaiting the completion of the church.
In 1947, however, it was the abolition of the monarchy in Romania by the communist regime, so although the chapel was completed in time, it was no longer sanctified and Queen Maria's heart remained hidden in the rock for 27 years! It was not until 1968 that the director of the Bran Museum, together with others, opened the crypt and the sarcophagus and found the golden box containing the queen's heart. Inside the gold box was another silver box wrapped in English and Romanian flags, as well as platinum and gemstones. Since then, Queen Maria's heart is in the National Museum of Romanian History
Παρεκκλήσι η καρδία της Βασίλισσας Μαρίας κοντά στο κάστρο Μπράν της Τρανσυλβανιας.
Λίγο γνωστό, αλλά με ανεκτίμητη ομορφιά, η Εκκλησία της Καρδιάς της Βασίλισσας Μαρίας του Bran
αποκρύπτει μια εξαιρετικά όμορφη ιστορία για τη Βασίλισσα Μαρία.
Πιστό αντίγραφο της εκκλησίας Stella Maris από την πόλη Βάλτσικ , που παραχωρήθηκε από τη Ρουμανία μετά τον Δεύτερο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο της Βουλγαρίας, χτίστηκε σε βυζαντινό ύφος, κατόπιν αιτήματος της πριγκίπισσας Eλεάνας, στη μνήμη της μητέρας της ,Βασίλισσας Μαίρη.
Η ιστορία λέει ότι μία από τις μεγαλύτερες απολαύσεις της Βασίλισσας Μαρίας ήταν να περάσει ο χρόνος στο παρεκκλήσι του Bάλτσικ και η επιθυμία της ήταν να θάψει την καρδιά της εκεί μετά που πέθανε. Επειδή αυτό δεν ήταν πλέον δυνατό, η πριγκίπισσα απαίτησε την κατασκευή ενός παρεκκλησίου πολύ κοντά στο Κάστρο του Μπράν. Το κουτί που περιείχε την καρδιά της βασίλισσας ήταν προσωρινά κατατεθειμένο στην ξύλινη εκκλησία του Κάστρου Bran και μετά από ένα χρόνο μεταφέρθηκε σε μια κρύπτη που έσκαψε στο βράχο του Bran Maggiore, περιμένοντας την ολοκλήρωση της εκκλησίας.
Το 1947, ωστόσο, αποτελούσε την κατάργηση της μοναρχίας στη Ρουμανία από το κομμουνιστικό καθεστώς, οπότε αν και το παρεκκλήσι ολοκληρώθηκε εγκαίρως, δεν ήταν πλέον αγιασμένο και η καρδιά της Βασίλισσας Μαρίας παρέμεινε κρυμμένη στο βράχο για 27 χρόνια! Μόνο το 1968 ο διευθυντής του Μουσείου Μπραν μαζί με άλλους άνοιξαν την κρύπτη και τη σαρκοφάγο και βρήκαν το χρυσό κουτί που περιείχε την καρδιά της βασίλισσας. Στο εσωτερικό του χρυσού κιβωτίου υπήρχε ένα άλλο κιβώτιο από ασήμι τυλιγμένο σε σημαίες της Αγγλίας και της Ρουμανίας, καθώς πλατίνα και πολύτιμοι λίθοι. Έκτοτε, η καρδιά της Βασίλισσας Μαρίας βρίσκεται στο Μουσείο Εθνικής Ιστορίας της Ρουμανίας.
Das Schloß Neuschwanstein wurde ab 1869 für den bayerischen Märchenkönig & Schöngeist Ludwig II. als idealisierte Vorstellung einer Ritterburg aus der Zeit des Mittelalters errichtet. Die Entwürfe stammen von Christian Jank, die Ausführung übernahmen Eduard Riedel und Georg von Dollmann. Der König lebte nur wenige Monate im Schloss, er starb noch vor der Fertigstellung der Anlage.
Neuschwanstein ist das berühmteste der Schlösser Ludwigs II. und eine der bekanntesten Sehenswürdigkeiten Deutschlands. Es wird jährlich von etwa 1,5 Millionen Touristen besucht - jetzt auch von mir. Hier eine klassische Ansicht der Südseite von der Marienbrücke zur Blauen Stunde, die einige Geduld seitens des Fotografen erforderte, bis die Brücke endlich menschenleer war und sich nur noch kaum bewegte.
Neuschwanstein was built in 1869 for King Ludwig II. of Bavaria erected as an idealized idea of a knight’s castle from the time of the Middle Ages. The designs were created by Christian Jank, the design was taken over by Eduard Riedel and Georg von Dollmann. The king lived only a few months in the castle, he died before the completion of the plant. Neuschwanstein is the most famous of the castles of Ludwig II. and one of the most famous sights in Germany. It is visited annually by about 1. 5 million tourists – now also by me. Here is a classic view of the south side from the Marienbridge at the blue hour, which required some patience on the part of the photographer until the bridge was finally deserted and barely moved.
Website: www.heiko-roebke-photography.de
Thank you so much for your visit..!
Great blues nest building. I believe all the nest are completed. Seeing some egg rolling. Swatara creek, Hummelstown, Pennsylvania.
1/125 sec. f/6.3 552mm ISO100
Royal palace Stockholm
This royal residence has been in the same location by Norrström in the northern part of Gamla stan in Stockholm since the middle of the 13th century when the Tre Kronor Castle was built. In modern times the name relates to the building called Kungliga Slottet. The palace was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger and erected on the same place as the medieval Tre Kronor Castle which was destroyed in a fire on 7 May 1697. Due to the costly Great Northern War which started in 1700, construction of the palace was halted in 1709, and not recommenced until 1727—six years after the end of the war. When Tessin the Younger died in 1728, the palace was completed by Carl Hårleman who also designed a large part of its Rococo interior. The palace was not ready to use until 1754, when King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika moved in, but some interior work proceeded until the 1770s. No major conversions have been done in the palace since its completion, only some adjustments, new interiors, modernization and redecorating for different regents and their families, coloration of the facades and addition of the palace museums. The palace is surrounded by the Lejonbacken and the Norrbro to the north, the Logården (known as the Shot Yard in English)[3] and Skeppsbron in the east, the Slottsbacken and the Storkyrkan in the south, and the outer courtyard and Högvaktsterrassen in the northwest.
Palacio Real Estocolmo
The Sinan Pasha Mosque (Turkish: Sinan Paşa Camii) is an Ottoman mosque located in a densely populated district of Beşiktaş, in Istanbul, Turkey. The mosque was endowed by the Ottoman admiral Sinan Pasha who was the younger brother of the grand vizier Rüstem Pasha. The mosque was designed by the imperial architect Mimar Sinan. Sinan Pasha died in 1554 and work began after his death. The gilded Arabic foundation inscription above the arched gateway of the mosque records the completion date as November/December 1555. The 12.6 metres (41 ft) dome is supported on six arches with two free-standing hexagonal piers.
Text Ref: Wikipedia
With a construction period that was disrupted by the First World War the Calais town hall took thirteen years to build before completion in 1925. Perhaps I should have waited two years to upload a centenary image.
The world over. town halls were built as a show of civic pride. This of course is a fine and elaborate example and one of many that spring too mind. Leeds being another and in America state capitol buildings do the same. Helena in Montana being another first class example.
This photo goes back to one of many regular cross channel trips we made either side of the millennium. This particular trip dates to 2002.
After its completion in the early 16th century, Seville Cathedral supplanted Hagia Sophia as the largest cathedral in the world, a title the Byzantine church had held for a thousand years. The Gothic section alone has a length of 126 m (413 ft), a width of 76 m (249 ft), and a central nave height of 36 m (118 ft) (40 m (130 ft) at the crossing). The total height of the Giralda tower from the ground to the weather vane is 104.5 m (342 ft 10 in). The Archbishop's Palace is located on the northeastern side of the cathedral.
Seville Cathedral was the site of the baptism of Infante Juan of Aragon in 1478, only son of the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. Its royal chapel holds the remains of the city's conqueror, Ferdinand III of Castile, his son and heir, Alfonso the Wise, and their descendant, King Peter the Cruel. The funerary monuments for cardinals Juan de Cervantes and Pedro González de Mendoza are located among its chapels. Christopher Columbus and his son Diego are also buried in the cathedral.
Yes, it's another Cuddly Couple! The point was to show off Din's magnificent feathery collar, but I somehow dominated the scene nonetheless. No light without shadows, and it is the same for me with Din: he is an essential part of my existence, without which I would scatter and dissolve. When I am tired of shining, I can cloak myself in his darkness and rest.
A long day of dumping rail along the Century Branch is almost finished with the completion of remaining rail being offloaded. The train is turned utilizing Allegheny Metallurgical's Century Mine loop track to face east again for the return trip to Grafton, WV. With sun nearly setting the train, now facing to the east slowly glides down the 2.5% grade ramp leading out of the mining complex. Seeing the Appalachian and Ohio power on this branch is not a frequent sight, usually only reserved for maintenance extras.
The St Patrick's Basilica or Oamaru Basilica, as it is popularly known because of its style of architecture, is a church in Oamaru, New Zealand. It was designed by the prominent New Zealand architect Francis Petre and is one of his most celebrated works. It is one of the most important historic buildings of Oamaru and of the North Otago region. The Basilica's classical portico and three domes are an admired feature of the Oamaru townscape and the building is particularly noted for the high quality of the stone carving and fine plasterwork of its architectural features. The Basilica "must surely have one of the most noble church interiors in the country. Built entirely of Oamaru stone the exterior has weathered more than one would have expected, but inside the church glows with reflected light from the creamy stone which is virtually in its original state."
The inspiration and effort behind the building of St Patricks came from Father (later Monsignor) John Mackay, who became Parish Priest in Oamaru on 3 March 1890. He wished to build a Church that would suit the needs of his congregation and began fundraising. By April 1893 he was had enough money to start on the building. On an earlier trip to Europe, he had seen buildings he considered would suit the needs of the Oamaru Parish and he had commissioned Francis Petre to put his observations and ideas into a practical design. The laying of the foundation stone coincided with the silver jubilee of ordination of Mackay, who was parish priest of Oamaru for 36 years (1890-1926) and who supervised the construction of the Basilica from its commencement in 1893 until its final completion 25 years later in 1918. The foundation stone was laid on Trinity Sunday 1893, by Bishop Moran of Dunedin. The successful tender for the construction of the church had been made by D.W. Woods: £3,460 exclusive of the sanctuary and dome. The whole building was to be of Oamaru stone, cut from the nearby quarry at Weston, Mr Joseph Kelly of Weston being the Quarry contractor. - From Wikipedia
The General Post Office is a heritage-listed landmark building located in Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The original building was constructed in two stages beginning in 1866 and was designed under the guidance of Colonial Architect James Barnet. Composed primarily of local Sydney sandstone, mined in Pyrmont, the primary load-bearing northern façade has been described as "the finest example of the Victorian Italian Renaissance Style in NSW" and stretches 114 metres along Martin Place, making it one of the largest sandstone buildings in Sydney.
The building served as the headquarters of Australia Post from its completion until 1996 when it was privatised and refurbished. The scaled back day-to-day counter postal services are now located on the George Street frontage and the outlet is known as the Sydney GPO Post Shop. The old General Post Office post boxes and Poste restante services are now located in the Australia Post site in the Hunter Connection, on the corner of George Street and Hunter Street. Despite significant internal alterations and additions, the façade has remained virtually unchanged and is listed both on the Commonwealth Heritage List and the New South Wales State Heritage Register, as recognition of its architectural and social significance to the history of Australia.
HB-ZTW, Kaman K-MAX K-1200 (CN A94-0041) owned by Rotex Helicopter AG. Following the successful completion of a lift job in the Scottish Highlands, the crew pack up their equipment for the return journey to home to Balzers, Liechtenstein. The KMAX can operate largely autonomously, with a cargo bay located in the aircraft body accommodating lift equipment and spares when travelling. A member of the PDG ground team gets a close up look at this unusual but incredibly effective design.
Basilica cattedrale di Maria SS Assunta di Palermo - The Cathedral Basilica of the Most Holy Assumption of Virgin Mary of Palermo
E' il principale luogo di culto cattolico della città di Palermo e sede arcivescovile della stessa arcidiocesi metropolitana.
In essa si celebra il culto della Santa Vergine Maria Assunta e della Santa Patrona di Palermo, Santa Rosalia alla quale è dedicata una cappella laterale sul lato meridionale della cattedrale.
Dal 3 luglio 2015 è Patrimonio Mondiale dell'Umanità nell'ambito della Palermo arabo - normanna assieme alle cattedrali siciliane di Cefalù e Monreale.
Il suo fondatore fu Gualtiero Ophamil e la costruzione del sacro edificio iniziò nel 1185 con successivi completamenti in epoca medievale e con aggiunte nel XVIII secolo.
Gli stili architettonici che la contraddistinguono sono: bizantino, romanico normanno, islamico, gotico, rinascimentale, barocco e neoclassico.
La cattedrale di Palermo, dalla sua costruzione fino ad epoca moderna, ha avuto un'epoca normanna, una aragonese, una spagnola e una asburgico - borbonica.
Nella cattedrale sono sepolti i reali: Enrico VI di Svevia (1197), Costanza d'Altavilla (1198); Costanza d'Aragona (1222), Ruggero II di Sicilia (1154), Federico II di Svevia (1250), Guglielmo d'Aragona (1338).
Si tratta ovviamente una cattedrale che possiede una enorme quantità di capolavori pittorici, sculture e monumenti sacri ed è visitabile anche sui tetti dai quali si gode di una vista impareggiabile della città di Palermo.
It is the main Catholic place of worship in the city of Palermo and the seat of the archbishop of the metropolitan archdiocese.
It celebrates the cult of the Holy Virgin Mary of the Assumption and the Patron Saint of Palermo, Santa Rosalia, to whom a side chapel on the southern side of the cathedral is dedicated.
Since July, 3rd 2015, it's a World Heritage Site in the context of Arab-Norman Palermo together with the Sicilian cathedrals of Cefalù and Monreale.
Its founder was Walter Ophamil and the construction of the sacred building began in 1185 with subsequent completions in the medieval era and additions in the 18th century.
The architectural styles that distinguish it are: Byzantine, Norman Romanesque, Islamic, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical.
The cathedral of Palermo, from its construction to the modern era, has had a Norman, Aragonese, Spanish and Habsburg-Bourbon era.
The cathedral is the burial place of the following royals: Henry VI of Swabia (1197), Constance of Hauteville (1198); Constance of Aragon (1222), Roger II of Sicily (1154), Frederick II of Swabia (1250), William of Aragon (1338).
It is obviously a cathedral that has an enormous quantity of pictorial masterpieces, sculptures and sacred monuments and can also be visited on the roofs from which you can enjoy an unparalleled view of the city of Palermo.
© Riccardo Senis, All Rights Reserved
This image may not be copied, reproduced, republished, edited, downloaded, displayed, modified, transmitted, licensed, transferred, sold, distributed or uploaded in any way without my prior written permission.
Excerpt from www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/community/art_archi_wanchai.html:
Art in station architecture
Artwork Title:
This is Wan Chai
Artist Name:
Jevan Chowdhury
Location:
Wan Chai Station
Artwork Completion Date:
March 2020
Concept:
“This is Wan Chai” is an observation of the theatrical stage that everyday life presents, as seen through the lens of magical realism. Images of Wan Chai’s iconic heritage are enriched by the performances of over 40 principal, soloist, coryphée and corps de ballet dancers from the Hong Kong Ballet as well as members of the public. Spanning a length of approximately 150 metres, the artwork reimagines and reinvents the station as a public space at the heart of the local community. In this way, the station is transformed into a living stage of choreographed street scenes that commuters play their part in as they pass through.
“This is Wan Chai” is part of the “Moving Cities” series. Commissioned by MTR Corporation and jointly initiated with Hong Kong Design Centre, it was made in collaboration with Hong Kong Ballet, Treacle Media, UK’s Department for International Trade and Conran + Partners. Moving Cities is part of an on-going global inventory of film and photographic work in which world cities are transcribed through dance.
the new school is rapidly getting near completion - HWW!
this week saw installation of the brand new playground
The beautiful Church of St Mary and All Saints at Fotheringhay in Northamptonshire is noted for containing a mausoleum to leading members of the Yorkist dynasty of the Wars of the Roses.
The work on the present church, which sits on a slight hill overlooking the River Nene, was begun by Edward III who also built a college as a cloister on the church's southern side. After completion in around 1430, a parish church of similar style was added to the western end of the collegiate church with work beginning in 1434. It is the parish church which still remains.
The present Grade I-listed church is named in honour of St Mary and All Saints, and has a distinctive tall tower dominating the local skyline. The church is Perpendicular in style and although only the nave, aisles and octagonal tower remain of the original building it is still in the best style of its period. I particularly like the delicate flying buttresses. The church is regarded by Simon Jenkins as one of England's Thousand Best Churches.
The chancel was pulled down after the college was dissolved in 1553 following the Dissolution of the Monasteries. A grammar school was founded in its place which lasted until 1859.
This historic courthouse is located in Warrensburg, Missouri, county seat of Johnson County. It was built between 1896 and 1898, and is a 2½ story, Romanesque Revival style sandstone building. It has a cross-gabled building with a square tower rising from a central base. The building features the central tower's octagonal, ogee-shaped dome, plus four corner towers or pavilions with domes and finials. It replaced the Old Johnson County Courthouse on Old Public Square. It was designed by architect, George E. McDonald of Omaha, Nebraska. John M. Anderson from Emporia, Kansas was selected as the contractor for the project. McDonald and Anderson frequently clashed over the construction of the courthouse and that is one reason why the completion of the project took so long. This courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on April 7, 1994.
Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D5200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
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info:
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States, stretching 5,989 feet (1825 m) over the East River, connecting the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Upon completion in 1883, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, the first steel-wire suspension bridge, and the first bridge to connect to Long Island.
Originally referred to as the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, it was dubbed the Brooklyn Bridge in an 1867 letter to the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and formally so named by the city government in 1915. Since its opening, it has become an iconic part of the New York skyline. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge
I signed up with zenfolio yesterday. You can see more of my New York photos there (Still many more to come):
explore #1 - thanks!
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Excerpt from www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/community/art_archi_wanchai.html:
Art in station architecture
Artwork Title:
This is Wan Chai
Artist Name:
Jevan Chowdhury
Location:
Wan Chai Station
Artwork Completion Date:
March 2020
Concept:
“This is Wan Chai” is an observation of the theatrical stage that everyday life presents, as seen through the lens of magical realism. Images of Wan Chai’s iconic heritage are enriched by the performances of over 40 principal, soloist, coryphée and corps de ballet dancers from the Hong Kong Ballet as well as members of the public. Spanning a length of approximately 150 metres, the artwork reimagines and reinvents the station as a public space at the heart of the local community. In this way, the station is transformed into a living stage of choreographed street scenes that commuters play their part in as they pass through.
“This is Wan Chai” is part of the “Moving Cities” series. Commissioned by MTR Corporation and jointly initiated with Hong Kong Design Centre, it was made in collaboration with Hong Kong Ballet, Treacle Media, UK’s Department for International Trade and Conran + Partners. Moving Cities is part of an on-going global inventory of film and photographic work in which world cities are transcribed through dance.
Viewed from The Empire State Building
At 1,046 feet (319 m), it is the tallest brick building in the world with a steel framework, and was the world's tallest building for 11 months after its completion in 1930.Originally a project of real estate developer and former New York State Senator William H. Reynolds, the building was constructed by Walter Chrysler, the head of the Chrysler Corporation. The construction of the Chrysler Building, an early skyscraper, was characterized by a competition with 40 Wall Street and the Empire State Building to become the world's tallest building. Although the Chrysler Building was built and designed specifically for the car manufacturer, the corporation did not pay for its construction and never owned it; Walter Chrysler decided to fund the entire cost personally so his children could inherit it. An annex was completed in 1952, and the building was sold by the Chrysler family the next year, with numerous subsequent owners.
When the Chrysler Building opened, there were mixed reviews of the building's design, ranging from views of it as inane and unoriginal to the idea that it was modernist and iconic. Perceptions of the building have slowly evolved into its now being seen as a paragon of the Art Deco architectural style.
The Chrysler Building is considered a leading example of Art Deco architecture.It is constructed of a steel frame in-filled with masonry, with areas of decorative metal cladding. Approximately fifty metal ornaments protrude at the building's corners on five floors reminiscent of gargoyles on Gothic cathedrals.
The Chrysler Building uses bright "Nirosta" stainless steel extensively in its design, an austenitic alloy developed in Germany by Krupp (a German acronym for nichtrostender Stahl, meaning "non-rusting steel"). It was the first use of this "18-8 stainless steel" in an American project, composed of 18% chromium and 8% nickel.Nirosta was used in the exterior ornaments, the window frames, the crown, and the needle.The steel was an integral part of Van Alen's design, as E.E. Thum explains: "The use of permanently bright metal was of greatest aid in the carrying of rising lines and the diminishing circular forms in the roof treatment, so as to accentuate the gradual upward swing until it literally dissolves into the sky...."
The Chrysler Building is renowned for, and recognized by, its terraced crown, which is an extension of the main tower.Composed of seven radiating terraced arches, Van Alen's design of the crown is a cruciform groin vault of seven concentric members with transitioning setbacks, mounted one behind another. The entire crown is clad with Nirosta steel, ribbed and riveted in a radiating sunburst pattern with many triangular vaulted windows, reminiscent of the spokes of a wheel. The windows are repeated, in smaller form, on the terraced crown's seven narrow setbacks. Due to the curved shape of the dome, the Nirosta sheets had to be measured on site, so most of the work was carried out in workshops on the building's 67th and 75th floors. According to Robinson, the terraced crown "continue[s] the wedding-cake layering of the building itself.
Hagia Sophia is a mosque and former church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively erected on the site by the Eastern Roman Empire, it was completed in 537 CE. The site was a Greek Orthodox church from 360 CE to 1453, except for a brief time as a Latin Catholic church between the Fourth Crusade and 1261. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, it served as a mosque until 1935, when it became a museum. In 2020, the site once again became a mosque.
The current structure was built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I as the Christian cathedral of Constantinople for the Byzantine Empire between 532 and 537, and was designed by the Greek geometers Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. It was formally called the Church of God's Holy Wisdom and upon completion became the world's largest interior space and among the first to employ a fully pendentive dome. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture[8] and is said to have "changed the history of architecture". The present Justinianic building was the third church of the same name to occupy the site, as the prior one had been destroyed in the Nika riots. As the episcopal see of the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, it remained the world's largest cathedral for nearly a thousand years, until the Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520. Beginning with subsequent Byzantine architecture, Hagia Sophia became the paradigmatic Orthodox church form, and its architectural style was emulated by Ottoman mosques a thousand years later. It has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as an architectural and cultural icon of Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox civilization.
The religious and spiritual centre of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly one thousand years, the church was dedicated to the Holy Wisdom. It was where the excommunication of Patriarch Michael I Cerularius was officially delivered by Humbert of Silva Candida, the envoy of Pope Leo IX in 1054, an act considered the start of the East–West Schism. In 1204, it was converted during the Fourth Crusade into a Catholic cathedral under the Latin Empire, before being returned to the Eastern Orthodox Church upon the restoration of the Byzantine Empire in 1261. Enrico Dandolo, the doge of Venice who led the Fourth Crusade and the 1204 Sack of Constantinople, was buried in the church.
After the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453, it was converted to a mosque by Mehmed the Conqueror and became the principal mosque of Istanbul until the 1616 construction of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Upon its conversion, the bells, altar, iconostasis, ambo, and baptistery were removed, while iconography, such as the mosaic depictions of Jesus, Mary, Christian saints and angels were removed or plastered over. Islamic architectural additions included four minarets, a minbar and a mihrab. The Byzantine architecture of the Hagia Sophia served as inspiration for many other religious buildings including the Hagia Sophia in Thessaloniki, Panagia Ekatontapiliani, the Şehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, the Rüstem Pasha Mosque and the Kılıç Ali Pasha Complex. The patriarchate moved to the Church of the Holy Apostles, which became the city's cathedral.
The complex remained a mosque until 1931, when it was closed to the public for four years. It was re-opened in 1935 as a museum under the secular Republic of Turkey, and the building was Turkey's most visited tourist attraction as of 2019.
In July 2020, the Council of State annulled the 1934 decision to establish the museum, and the Hagia Sophia was reclassified as a mosque. The 1934 decree was ruled to be unlawful under both Ottoman and Turkish law as Hagia Sophia's waqf, endowed by Sultan Mehmed, had designated the site a mosque; proponents of the decision argued the Hagia Sophia was the personal property of the sultan. The decision to designate Hagia Sophia as a mosque was highly controversial. It resulted in divided opinions and drew condemnation from the Turkish opposition, UNESCO, the World Council of Churches and the International Association of Byzantine Studies, as well as numerous international leaders, while several Muslim leaders in Turkey and other countries welcomed its conversion into a mosque.
The River Taff and bridges at Pontypridd on 14 May 2024.
A view upstream on the River Taff at Pontypridd, with the Victoria Bridge of 1857 nearer and behind it the William Edwards Bridge of 1756. The older bridge is Grade 1 Listed and scheduled as an ancient monument. At the time of its completion, its 140ft / 43 m arch was the longest in Britain (and one of the longest in the world), and remained such for forty years.
On the left behind the bridges is the Pontypridd Museum, opened here in 1986 in what had been the Tabernacle Welsh Baptist Chapel that was built in 1861. Much of the interior, including the organ, remains in place.
For further information see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Bridge,_Pontypridd
my polytunnel
handover, completion, but the work for me starts now.
7 tonnes of soil ordered (& compost for top dressing too) - i am avoiding doing the calculation of how many wheelbarrows to push that this represents ..better just to start and then pace myself
paths need landscape fabric covering put in place - my knees and back will also feel this.
1 metre weed exclusion by landscape fabric all round the outside.
This is going to be a daily workout for my old joints and muscles over coming weeks I think.
R.E.M. - Finest Worksong
A week ago Friday I posted a shot of this house under construction last May, before any siding went on. Here it is getting what I assume are the finishing touches for occupancy this summer.
The new building was designed by the British architect Norman, Lord Foster and civil & structural engineers Ove Arup & Partners with service design by J. Roger Preston & Partners, and was constructed by Wimpey International. From the concept to completion, it took seven years (1978–1985). The building is 180 metres high with 47 storeys and four basement levels. The building has a modular design consisting of five steel modules prefabricated in the UK by Scott Lithgow Shipbuilders near Glasgow, and shipped to Hong Kong. About 30,000 tons of steel and 4,500 tons of aluminium were used.
The original design was heavily inspired by the Douglas Gilling designed Qantas International Centre in Sydney (currently known as Suncorp Place).
The new Lobby and its 2-part Asian Story Wall were designed by Greg Pearce, of One Space Limited. Pearce was also the Principal Architect of the Hong Kong Airport Express (MTR) station. Conceived as a minimalist glass envelope, the new lobby is designed to be deferential to Foster's structure and appears almost to be part of the original.
The building is also one of the few to not have elevators as the primary carrier of building traffic. Instead, elevators only stop every few floors, and floors are interconnected by escalators.
The main characteristic of HSBC Hong Kong headquarters is its absence of internal supporting structure.
Another notable feature is that natural sunlight is the major source of lighting inside the building. There is a bank of giant mirrors at the top of the atrium, which can reflect natural sunlight into the atrium and hence down into the plaza. Through the use of natural sunlight, this design helps to conserve energy. Additionally, sun shades are provided on the external facades to block direct sunlight going into the building and to reduce heat gain. Instead of fresh water, sea water is used as coolant for the air-conditioning system.
All flooring is made from lightweight movable panels, under which lies a comprehensive network of power, telecommunication, and air-conditioning systems. This design was to allow equipment such as computer terminals to be installed quickly and easily.
Because of the urgency to finish the project, the construction of the building relied heavily on off-site prefabrication; components were manufactured all over the world. For example, the structural steel came from Britain; the glass, aluminium cladding and flooring came from the United States while the service modules came from Japan.
The inverted 'va' segments of the suspension trusses spanning the construction at double-height levels is the most obvious characteristic of the building. It consists of eight groups of four aluminium-clad steel columns which ascend from the foundations up through the core structure, and five levels of triangular suspension trusses which are locked into these masts.
Source: Wikipedia
The lights of Melbourne glimmer in the background as Metro Trains ECOM consist 633M-634M-EV120-586M-585M slowly rolls out of the Western Portal of the Metro Tunnel near South Kensington as test train 7641 to Sunshine, marking the completion of their first trip through the tunnel in a 5-car configuration.
The train had previously travelled through the Tunnel as a 7-car consist with EV120 at the rear (flic.kr/p/2qEJwbZ) prior to the Comeng sets being modified to allow operation with EV120 in the centre of the train, including removal of trailer cars 1167T & 1143T (I think making them the first two carriages that have travelled through the Metro Tunnel and since been scrapped). 12/7/25
I just finished participating in November 16th's Macro Mondays challenge, "Keyhole," where I viewed and commented on multiple hundreds of images of orphaned keyholes (there were no keys allowed). This left me feeling a bit unsettled. Locks and keys go together like peanut butter and jelly; love and marraige, a horse and carriage... (you know the song). So, I felt compelled to create an image of a complete lock/key combination so I could go back to being able to sleep at night.
Strobist/technical info:
The lock was staged on a piece of glass with a black fabric background. Two Nikon SB900 speedlights were placed 90-degress CL and CR, 18" away and 24" above subject, pointing down at 45-degree angles. They were each fired in Manual mode through 24" x 24" Neewer soft boxes. The CL strobe was fired @1⁄4 power; CR @ 1⁄8 power. A third speedlight, a Nikon SB700 with Gary Fong 5th Gen Lightsphere attached, was placed CR at camera level and aimed directly at subject for fill. It was placed in Manual mode and fired @ 1⁄8 power.
The SB900's were triggered by three PocketWizard Plus X's; the SB700 was placed in SU-4 mode and triggered by the other strobes.
Lens: AF - S DX VR Zoom - Nikkor 18 - 200mm f / 3.5 - 5.6G IF - ED with a 20mm extension tube attached.
After years of unsuccessful attempts to have a road providing access for the crofters at the north end of the Isle of Raasay, Calum MacLeod decided to build a road himself to replace the old narrow footpath. Over 10 years (1964 to 1974), using little more than a shovel, pick and wheelbarrow, he constructed close to a two mile stretch of road between Brochel Castle and Arnish. Several years after its completion, the road was finally adopted and surfaced by the local council. His task is well-documented in the book 'Calum's Road' by Roger Hutchinson, and is well worth the read.
On the day I finally managed to visit, we walked the length of the road in the cold and rain, to get a small taste of the difficulties that Calum would have had to contend with during the construction.
It is Half Nekkid Thursdays and I am happy about that. Not because I get to show my ass again, but because by tomorrow my home addition will be 1 week away from completion. WOOOHOOO! I will once again be able to run around half naked and not worry about "workers" in my house.
Explore -- #9 on Monday, April 28, 2008
Here is the poem titled Daisy, written and performed by six-year-old Phoebe Wells at the recent Australian Poetry Slam Regional Heat. Slam host and spoken word artist, Miles Merrill, was reciting this poem the next day and Phoebe's performance nearly brought down the house (library) with applause. Phoebe placed lots of emphasis on the rhyming words followed by a pause for effect. Daisy
Once upon a time
there was a daisy
It was crazy.
It's name was Mayzie.
It was very lazy That little daisy.
And here is a link to the Arts OutWest October newsletter that features a photo of all the poetry slam entrants: www.artsoutwest.org.au/artspeak/issue65_October2007.pdf
(The above poem replaces earlier poem.... Pull my Daisy is a poem which has been published in many different forms and stages of development and completion.
It was written by Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassady in the late forties in a similar way to a Surrealist “exquisite corpse” game, one person writing the first line, the other writing the second, and so on sequentially with each person only being shown the line before.)