Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A.

When Gods House

Becomes an Abode of Terror

Than God has to delete the file

Rectify the error

radicalism

dessiminating hatredness

anti Islam

children who come to study

men women

toting guns

Islamic Truth Brotherhood

standard bearer

destroying

Allah s name

in a Reign of Terror

 

photo courtesy Nd Tv..

 

Islamabad, July 3 (Xinhua) The chief cleric of the controversial Lal Masjid here Tuesday declared jihad after an exchange of fire between students and Pakistani security forces, Dawn News channel reported.

   

He also ordered Lal Masjid militants to launch attacks on forces.

 

Witnesses verified that Lal Masjid militants destroyed some posts set up by government security forces. Some government buildings were also under attack from the religious students.

 

At least three policemen were reported injured after Lal Masjid students exchanged fire with security forces.

 

Hundreds of students took to the street in protest, chanting pro-jihadi slogans. Security forces opened fire that triggered retaliations from the students.

 

Pakistan had Monday deployed more forces near the mosque to tighten security around it, Dawn newspaper reported Tuesday.

 

The move has brought the total number of Rangers deployed around the mosque to 1,500, with 500 police commandos in support.

 

The newspaper, quoting informed sources, said the authorities of the mosque have also reinforced security of its brigade, which is equipped with advanced weapons and wireless systems, and threatened to raid more massage centres in the city.

 

–Xinhua

  

ISLAMABAD: Parents and close relatives of the students of Jamia Hafsa and Jamia Faridia on Wednesday criticised Lal Masjid chief cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz and his deputy Abdur Rashid Ghazi for endangering the lives of their children in the name of jihad.

 

Talking to Daily Times, the concerned parents said they would never allow their children to return to the madrassas run by Lal Masjid and opposed the two clerics’ declaration of jihad.

 

A large number of parents and relatives were seen waiting at Aabpara bus station on Wednesday to take their children back to their hometowns. They were asked to contact Aabpara police station to facilitate contact with their children.

 

Students started coming out of the madrassa by midday and they numbered over 800 by evening. The government facilitated their meeting with the parents and arranged buses and coaches to safely transport them to their respective homes.

 

Thirty-five buses had sent over 290 males and 82 female students home by evening. Officials said each student had been paid Rs 5,000, as announced by President Musharraf, adding that any students who had surrendered to the security forces were not arrested.

 

The students who surrendered were unsure of the exact number of students still in the mosque. One female student said the mosque administration was imparting training for jihad to the remaining students. However, she added that female students were not forced to participate in the training.

 

“We would never let anyone use our children for vested interests,” said a parent, adding that he would never allow his daughter to return to Jamia Hafsa. Another parent said the declaration of jihad by the mosque administration made no sense, while a female student’s brother said if anyone wanted to participate in jihad, they should join the people fighting in Kashmir.

 

Agencies add: A female student told Geo News that 6,500 to 7,000 female students were still in the madrassa.

 

Several parents termed the government action just and one Qari Liaquat Ali said the government should be praised for exercising restraint. He said the madrassa administration had not allowed him to retrieve his daughter before the operation.

 

A 17-year-old student, Raheela, said many female students were being forced to remain on premises and were being used as shields. “I came here for religious education but the brand of Islam propagated by the administration was horrendous,” she added.

 

Several students said they would never return to the madrassa, even if conditions return to normal. “Though jihad is good, we are not here to fight,” said Zabia, a young student from Jamia Hafsa.

 

A top-level government official, on condition of anonymity, told APP that male students were being detained for questioning before they were allowed to depart while female students were being released into their parents’ custody promptly.

 

www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=200775\story_5-7-2007_pg7_14

 

Lal Masjid cleric in Pak military net

4 Jul 2007, 2310 hrs IST,PTI

  

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan military personnel surrounding the Lal Masjid here arrested Maulana Abdul Aziz, one of the two radical clerics of the mosque, when he tried to escape wearing a burqa on Wednesday, Dawnnews TV said.

 

Aziz, along with his younger brother Abdul Rashid Ghazi, was leading the militant students of the madrasas run by the Lal Masjid in their standoff with the government.

 

Chief Police Commissioner of Islamabad, Tariq Pervez, confirmed Aziz's arrest, saying that he was captured when he came out along with several burqa-clad women.

 

His identity was established during the screening, he told reporters here.

 

Aziz tried to sneak out in burqa when the troops guarding the area permitted 50 odd parents of students holed up in the mosque to go in to persuade their wards to surrender.

 

His arrest could perhaps help the government to end the stand-off as he could be effectively used to negotiate the surrender of the rest of the several hundred heavily armed militants headed by his brother Ghazi and holed up in the mosque.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Pakistan/Lal_Masjid_cle...

 

Mosque leader foresees end of siege

Kansas City.com

 

Posted on Thu, Jul. 05, 2007print email Digg it del.icio.us AIM

Mosque leader foresees end of siege

By MUNIR AHMAD

Associated Press Writer

 

PTV

An image taken from the Pakistan Television shows on Thursday, July 5, 2007, the chief cleric of radical Lal mosque Maulana Abdul Aziz, who was arrested by police, Wednesday in Islamabad, Pakistan, removing his veil. The chief cleric of a radical mosque was arrested and more than 1,000 of his followers surrendered Wednesday as troops backed by armored vehicles and helicopters tightened their siege of the complex, officials said. Female police officers searching women fleeing the mosque's seminary discovered Maulana Abdul Aziz under a black head-to-toe veil, said Khalid Pervez, the city's top administrator.

A radical cleric arrested while fleeing his government-besieged mosque in a woman's burqa and high heels said Thursday that the nearly 1,000 followers still inside should flee or surrender.

 

The comments by Maulana Abdul Aziz raised hopes that the standoff could end without further bloodshed, but his brother remained inside the mosque with followers and said there was no reason to surrender.

 

Gunfire erupted repeatedly around the Red Mosque, or Lal Masjid Aziz, but no large-scale fighting was reported. Four helicopters hovered over the area, from which journalists were barred.

 

At least 16 people, including eight militants, have been killed and scores injured in the standoff between Pakistan's U.S.-backed government and Aziz, who has challenged President Gen. Pervez Musharraf with a drive to impose Taliban-style Islamic law in the city.

 

The bloodshed in the heart of the capital has added to a sense of crisis in Pakistan, where Musharraf faces emboldened militants near the Afghan border and a pro-democracy movement triggered by his botched attempt to fire the country's chief justice.

 

Aziz's brother, Abdul Rashid Ghazi, remains inside the mosque and an Interior Ministry official estimated that the cleric had about 30 diehard supporters with him. Intelligence officials said there could be as many as 100.

 

The official, Javed Iqbal Cheema, said Ghazi was using women and children as "human shields," something which Ghazi denied in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

 

"Why should we surrender? We are not criminals. How can we force those out who don't want to leave?" Ghazi, the mosque's deputy leader, said by telephone.

 

Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azim said some of the more than 1,100 supporters who had fled the mosque and an adjoining girls' madrassa told them that Ghazi had retreated to a cellar along with 20 female "hostages" and that the holdouts had "large quantities of automatic weapons."

 

Azim said there would be no more negotiations with Ghazi.

 

"Enough time has already been wasted. It has to be total, unconditional surrender," he said.

 

Still, he said security forces were holding back from storming the complex to avoid civilian casualties.

 

"As long as there are women and children inside, I don't think that we will go in," he said.

 

Aziz was nabbed Wednesday evening after a female police officer checking women fleeing the mosque tried to search his body, which was concealed by a full-length black burqa. Azim, the deputy information minister, said the cleric had also been wearing high-heeled shoes.

 

In an interview with state-run Pakistan Television after his arrest, the gray-bearded Aziz, still dressed in a burqa, appeared calm as he said his mosque has "a relationship of love and affection with all jihadist organizations" but no actual links with them.

 

"We have no militants, we only had students. If somebody came from outside, I have no information on that," said Aziz, despite past vows to launch suicide attacks if authorities attack the mosque.

 

Security forces were sent to the mosque after the kidnapping of six Chinese women alleged to be prostitutes, a brief abduction that drew a protest from Beijing and proved to be the last straw in a string of provocations by the mosque stretching back six months.

 

Militant students streamed out of the mosque to confront the government forces, leading to a daylong battle on Tuesday.

 

On Wednesday, the Pakistani army surrounded the mosque, determined to end the actions by the clerics and students.

 

Aziz said that as many as 700 women and about 250 men remained inside the mosque compound and an adjacent women's seminary, some armed with more than a dozen AK-47 assault rifles provided by "friends."

    

Associated Press reporters Sadaqat Jan, Zarar Khan and Stephen Graham in Islamabad contributed to this report.

www.kansascity.com/449/story/177892.html

  

update

july 10 2007

Pakistani forces storm besieged Red Mosque

Pakistani forces have stormed Islamabad's Red Mosque after talks to end a week-long stand-off with radical militants holed up inside broke down. The assault took place in the early hours of the morning. Dozens of militants and several soldiers have reportedly been killed, but it is reported some 20 children were rescued. Sporadic fire rang out over the capital and thick smoke was seen rising from the compound which also houses a religious school and a library.

 

An unknown number of women and children were believed to be held inside, to be used as human shields. The Red Mosque has been a centre for militancy for years and in recent months was used as a stronghold by radical students who wanted to install Sharia law in the city.

 

On Monday, at the behest of President Pervez Musharraf, a delegation of Muslim scholars had gathered outside the mosque and attempted to discuss with the militants by loudspeaker, but to no avail. "We have done everything which was possible on the end of the government," said Pakistani Information minister Mohammed Ali Durrani. "And we are really disappointed by the behaviour on the other end."

 

The radical cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi who is leading the opposition movement said no one was being held against their will. He and his fighters were ordered to surrender or die.

euronews.net/index.php?page=info&article=431987&l...

  

Up to 50 dead as Pakistanis storm mosque

Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:10AM BST

Kamran Haider

 

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani forces stormed a mosque compound in the capital on Tuesday, killing up to 50 militants as they fought their way through an Islamic school where women and children were feared to be hiding.

 

While militants mounted a last stand in the basements of the madrasa, commandos had yet to encounter any women and children, with more than two-thirds of the complex cleared.

 

However, military spokesman Major-General Waheed Arshad said rebel cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi was barricaded in a basement, using women and children as human shields.

 

Three soldiers were killed and many more people wounded, while 50 militants were arrested, Arshad said.

 

But he said these were initial casualty reports and the assault to end a week-long standoff at Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, was still in progress eight hours after it began.

 

Women and children were feared to be in areas of the compound security forces had still to clear.

 

"They have yet to be encountered." Arshad said.

 

Nearly 30 loud blasts rocked the heart of Islamabad for an hour beginning at around 9.30 a.m. (0430 GMT). There was no sound of gunfire

uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKISL25141320070710?src=...

 

40 militants killed in Lal Masjid attack

10 Jul 2007, 0950 hrs IST,PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani troops stormed the Lal Masjid complex in the capital early Tuesday morning after talks with radicals to end the week-long standoff broke down, triggering a heavy gunbattle, which left 40 militants and three security personnel dead.

 

Heavy gunfire erupted and loud blasts were heard as Operation Silence was launched at 4 am with commandos surrounding the mosque, where militants are believed to be holding 150 hostages, from three sides.

 

Twenty children escaped as the operation started and were taken in the care of security forces. Fierce fighting raged at the religious school and library in the compound where hundreds of women and children were believed to be present.

 

Deputy Administrator of the Masjid Abdul Rashid Ghazi and his supporters are believed to have taken shelter in the bunkers built in the basement of the mosque are putting up a stiff resistance, Defence Ministry Spokesman Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad told reporters.

 

"The militants are using small arms and grenades. They are in the basement," he said adding "we are facing resistance from the basement. Such an operation could take three or four hours".

 

"According to my information part of the mosque has been cleared but heavy fighting was on in madrassa," he said.

 

The militants are believed to be armed with machine guns, rocket launchers, hand grenades and petrol bombs.

 

Arshad said three security force personnel and 40 militants have so far been killed in the operation.

 

As the explosion began rocking the besieged mosque complex, Ghazi spoke briefly to TV channels and blamed the government for the failure.

 

Ghazi said he was ready to leave as suggested by the government but at the same time insisted that clerics and media should visit the mosque complex to prove his claim that no foreign militants or heavy weapons were there.

 

"It is the final push to clear the mosque of armed militants," Arshad said.

 

He said he has no information about the claim of Ghazi that his mother has been killed.

 

Asking the residents of the capital not to come out or go onto their terraces, he said they could be hit by shrapnel and stray bullets.

 

He said estimates are that about 200 to 300 militants were holed up in the complex and the troops hope to finish it as early as possible.

 

Emergency has been declared in all the hospitals in Islamabad and nearby Rawalpindi and doctors and other medical staff were kept on stand by before the operation began.

 

The operation was launched as soon as ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) President Shujaat Hussain in a brief nationally televised press conference said talks to find out a peaceful solution to the stand-off had failed.

 

Hussain said he was never disappointed so much in life as an agreement could not be reached even after the government showed maximum flexibility.

    

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/40_militants_killed_in_Lal_Ma...

  

The Castllo de San Marcos was once known as Fort Marion, and was declared a historical monument in 1924, centuries after it was built to defend the City of St. Augustine in 1695. There were wooden forts in various areas, and another, smaller fort down river that was the first bastion of defense if ships attempted to head north up the Matanzas River into the city.

 

This is one of the oldest structures in the United States, since we are still a young country by comparison to the ones who sent explorers out to discover this new land. The war and tear on the building is visible. Made of coquina blocks, a stone that is mostly made up of tiny shells, it was stronger than you might think, as well as being very attractive and textural. Here is a link that tells a little about this interesting material: www.nps.gov/foma/learn/historyculture/upload/Coquina.pdf

 

What you are looking at here is one of the gun turrets where the soldiers would shoot from. The walls have areas where canons would be rolled up and fired from, like the area on the mid, right side of the photo. There were wide walkways all along the perimeter of the top of the fort, and stairs leading down to a courtyard area, and rooms which housed the soldiers, or had ammunition supplies, etc. It is definitely worth a trip to visit if you are in the area!

At the tip of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula, lies the first known evidence of European presence in the Americas.

Here, a Norse expedition sailed from Greenland, building a small encampment of timber-and-sod buildings over 1000 years ago.

Some fascinating archaeological remains of the Viking encampment, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. (Source: Parks Canada)

The process of making a Tin Hau wooden statue.

Saturday landscape

Meadowvale nature park

Splitters Creek

Bundaberg Australia

 

Meadowvale Nature Park was declared in 1988 to help celebrate Australia's Bicentenary. It encompasses 63 hectares of relatively untouched vegetation, comprising open eucalypt forest, riparian vegetation along Splitter's Creek, small areas of rainforest, and heath known as "Wallum". Rare plants species include Melaleuca cheelii and the vulnerable Acacia attenuata. The Park is a botanist's dream, with over 125 species recorded, including herbs, creepers, shrubs, sedges, native grasses and orchids. At certain time of the year, masses of wildflowers bloom, providing a burst of colour throughout the understory.

Splitters Creek runs along the southern boundary of the Park and is one of the few tributaries of the Burnett River where salt and freshwater mix naturally. This is essential for the life cycle of many native fish species, including popular recreational species such as Bass and Mullett. The distinctive Queensland Lung Fish (Neoceratodus forsteri) has been seen in this creek. The area is also considered to be a potential nesting environment for the vulnerable southern snapping turtle (Elseya albagula).

 

Platypus

Visitors to Meadowvale can sometimes see the famously shy Platypus (Omithorhynchus anatinus) in Splitters Creek. Platypus love the deep water in this part of the Creek and the banks are perfect for their burrows.

 

The Constitution of Norway was signed at Eidsvoll on May 17 in the year 1814. The constitution declared Norway to be an independent kingdom in an attempt to avoid being ceded to Sweden after Denmark–Norway's devastating defeat in the Napoleonic Wars.

 

The celebration of this day began spontaneously among students and others from early on. However, Norway was at that time in a union with Sweden and for some years the King of Sweden and Norway were reluctant to allow the celebrations. For a few years during the 1820s, King Karl Johan actually banned it, believing that celebrations like this were in fact a kind of protest and disregard — even revolt — against the The king's attitude changed after the Battle of the Square in 1829, an incident which resulted in such a commotion that the king had to allow commemorations on the day. It was, however, not until 1833 that public addresses were held, and official celebration was initiated near the monument of former government minister Christian Krohg, who had spent much of his political life curbing the personal power of the monarch. The address was held by Henrik Wergeland, thoroughly witnessed and accounted for by an informant dispatched by the king himself.

 

After 1864 the day became more established when the first children's parade was launched in Christiania, at first consisting only of boys. This initiative was taken by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, although Wergeland made the first known children's parade at Eidsvoll around 1820. It was only in 1899 that girls were allowed to join in the parade for the first time. In 1905, the union with Sweden was dissolved and Prince Carl of Denmark was chosen to be King of an independent Norway, under the name Haakon VII. Obviously, this ended any Swedish concern for the activities of the National Day.

By historical coincidence, the Second World War ended in Norway nine days before that year's Constitution Day, on May 8, 1945, when the occupying German forces surrendered. Even if The Liberation Day is an official flag day in Norway, the day is not an official holiday and is not widely celebrated. Instead, a new and broader meaning has been added to the celebration of Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17.

 

A noteworthy aspect of the Norwegian Constitution Day is its very non-military nature. All over Norway, children's parades with an abundance of flags form the central elements of the celebration. Each elementary school district arranges its own parade with marching bands between schools. The parade takes the children through the community, often making stops at homes of senior citizens, war memorials, etc. The longest parade is in Oslo, where some 100,000 people travel to the city centre to participate in the main festivities. This is broadcast on TV every year, with comments on costumes, banners, etc., together with local reports from celebrations around the country. The massive Oslo parade includes some 100 schools, marching bands, and passes the royal palace where the royal family greet the people from the main balcony.

(Wikipedia)

 

We love our flag and everyone who has a flag will use it today, either in their hand, in the garden or on the house.

And we are all crying Hurray and singing our nationalsong "Ja vi elsker dette landet" ("Yes we love this country"

✨🎉✨

Lol, we are indeed fond of our country and its flag 💖

 

Hand over another Ice Cream, thank you!

😁😂

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLjIyL4gWtg

The Meziad Cave, declared a natural monument and a speleological reservation, is located in The Western Carpathian (Apuseni) Mountains, more specifically in Padurea Craiului Mountains.

The Meziad Cave is one of the longest caves in Romania, with a length of nearly five kilometres, features an enormous opening, and it is split into three levels.

Overview of Codex Alimentarius

by Rima Laibow, M.D.

At the request of the United Nations (UN) in 1962, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and

Agriculture Organization (FAO) took on the joint role of running and administering the Codex

Alimentarius Commission (CAC) to establish standards and remove barriers to trade for all food and

food products. Having declared that nutrients are toxins from which we must be protected, the CAC

has been busy establishing enforceable international guidelines for upper limits of nutritional

supplement dosing. Codex has goals that affect every person in the UN’s 170+ member nations,

including the United States. As a tool for furthering these goals, member nations are urged to adopt

Codex standards and guidelines as domestic policy. The United States has already committed itself to

doing so despite U. S. law which prohibits this compliance.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has adopted Codex as a standard for the adjudication of foodrelated

international trade disputes and has the authority to enforce Codex standards through

implementation of harsh economic sanctions on non-Codexcompliant member nations. Pre-existing

international treaty laws dictate that WTO rulings will override the domestic laws already in place in

its member nations and, in fact, the WHO has successfully taken both states and the U. S. government

to court in the U. S. to force changes in our domestic laws eleven times. This means our nation’s hard

won laws that give you access to over-the-counter, natural health supplements will become

meaningless. Codex’s original mandate to remove barriers to trade and assure a clean food supply has,

under the influence of private, economically-driven multinational pharmaceutical, agricultural and

chemical corporations, self-expanded far beyond its original mandate. The result is a body of highly

dangerous and restrictive policies that threaten to become domestic law in the U. S. and, as such, are

a threat to your health and freedom.

The FDA has stated explicitly that its goal is complete "harmonization" with Codex and, in order to

bring that about, international regulations i.e., Codex will be given preference over domestic ones!

(Federal Register, 10/ 11 /95)

If Codex gets its way, as it already has in the EU, we can expect that, ultimately, only 18 or so dietary

supplements will be available over-the-counter in doses which are, by design, far too small to have any

discernible impact on any human being since codex classifies nutrients as toxins. High potency

nutrients will not be available either with or without physician’s prescription since these molecules

and compounds will be forbidden under any circumstances. The big surprise? Once in the hands of

pharmaceutical companies, consumer supplement costs are expected to more than quadruple. This

has, in fact, been the experience in Europe where this process is already underway and micro-dose

nutrient prices have increased 10 to 100 fold or more (e.g., in Norway a bottle of zinc lozenges which

previously cost $2 now costs $54; in France 12 Vitamin C tabs of just10 mg cost $117; while 10 Vitamin

E caps of only 10 IU each cost $110).

Australia and the European Union (EU) are in the process of enacting harmonized Codex policies that

restrict consumer access to nutritional supplements. America is next. Though Americans value

personal freedom, the fact Codex meets infrequently (and almost always offshore) and is bogged

down in highly technical language that is difficult to understand has resulted in many Americans

being unaware of this threat. The nearly total media blackout on Codex and its activities helps to

keep the U. S. uninformed and therefore, pliant.

While there have been rare serious adverse reactions to nutritional supplements during the past

decades, (usually when taken far in excess of the recommended dosing), numerous severe and even

fatal reactions to drugs (usually when taken at the recommended dosing) occur every day and are the

fourth leading cause of death in hospitalized clients in the United States when properly

used. When improperly used, they are, in fact, far and away the leading cause of death in

the United States. Even so, drug deaths are very likely underreported. Drugs are

inherently dangerous; nutrients are not. This fact makes it clear why the drug culture

2

needs to eliminate all access to natural health options, including nutritional supplements,

in order to expand and intensify its influence and thus its profitability. Healthy people

take fewer drugs and thus are poor customers.

The global pharmaceutical powers -that-be have already purchased a large piece of the

lucrative global nutritional supplement pie but the considerable size of this pie keeps the

hugely profitable pharmaceutical profit -share-pie from reaching its maximum size so the

competing nutrient pie must be destroyed. Though unable to patent a natural substance,

pharmaceutical corporations can hold patents on synthetic versions of vitamins and

minerals that, unfortunately for the consumer, often do not act like their natural vitamin

counterparts in the body and often act in unpredic table and harmful ways. If Codexcompliant

Europe is any guide, the permitted micro-doses of permitted nutrients will be

only synthetic ones.

In addition to regulatory and/or administrative takeover and destruction of the dietary

supplement market and consumer access, Codex also mandates irradiation of food;

mandatory use of antibiotics, hormones and growth stimulants in all animals raised for

food, is expected to legalize the unlabeled inclusion of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) (whose

safety has never been established while their serious dangers have) into our seed and food supplies and

will increase the allowable maximum tolerated levels of pesticides, herbicides, veterinary drugs and

other dangerous industrial toxins in food, likely driving up degenerative illnesses, including cancer,

diabetes, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, MS, etc. All of these policies are made under

the guise of free and equal access to trade for all nations and protection of the public.

Some people have “Codex Anesthesia,” a state of overwhelming, numb confusion that occurs just

before people lose their health freedom. Many otherwise well-informed people from the manufacturing

and retailing sectors of natural healthcare believe that the Dietary Supplement Health and Education

Act (DSHEA), passed in 1994 to protect Americans’ access to natural healthcare substances, will still be

in place to protect them. This is not the case: Fundamental health freedoms afforded the American

public by DSHEA, which classifies supplements as food which, as such, can have no upper limit set on

their use, are now under well orchestrated legislative and/or administrative attack. Health nuts and

junk food devotees alike are not immune from this legislative attack on health freedom.

The following is a link to Dr. Laibow's website which gives a self-prompting 5-minute presentation that

tells you about Codex: http: //www.healthfreedomusa.org/aboutcodex.shtml

More in-depth information can be found on her website, www.healthfreedomusa.org, and on

the highly informative "Nutricide: the DVD" http: /

/www.healthfreedomusa.org/aboutcodex/dvd.shtml

In Marbury v. Madison, the U.S. Supreme Court in 1803 declared it had the power to nullify legislative laws and executive branch actions as unconstitutional. Although that was not a power given the Judicial Branch in the U.S. Constitution, the Judicial Branch ruling that gave its courts such federal power stuck.

 

The worry was that by giving this federal branch final power to overrule the other branches it would set up the judicial branch as the most powerful branch in the federal government. In essence, the cosmos would revolve around the Supreme Court. In the Federalist Papers (1787-1788) number 78, Alexander Hamilton's answer in anticipation of this problem was, no way. He explained that the judicial branch was the weakest of the three federal branches. "The judiciary, on the contrary, has no influence over either the sword or the purse; no direction either of the strength or of the wealth of the society; and can take no active resolution whatever," wrote Hamilton. The House could reduce the funding of the courts. Besides nominating candidates that he likes, the President could stop nominating judges altogether. Or, the Senate could stop its consent of those nominated. The executive branch could also refuse to enforce a federal court's judgment altogether. "It may truly be said to have neither FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgment; and must ultimately depend upon the aid of the executive arm even for the efficacy of its judgments."

 

Alexander Hamilton also wrote in the same essay of the strength of including the judicial branch in watching the Constitutionality of legislation. "It is not otherwise to be supposed, that the Constitution could intend to enable the representatives of the people to substitute their WILL to that of their constituents. It is far more rational to suppose, that the courts were designed to be an intermediate body between the people and the legislature, in order, among other things, to keep the latter within the limits assigned to their authority."

I'd stood quietly watching this and several other bullfinches, yellowhammers, 20+ reed buntings and a small flock of redwings and fieldfares in the nearby hawthorns for nearly an hour, when I was approached at speed, by a man with the field skills of a rampaging rhino and a jacket that sounded like it was made from a thousand crisp packets. I could hear him rustling long before he came into view. He stomped towards me, right past the birds (who all disappeared) and declared very loudly "nothing about is there". !

A shot from the wedding in Jhelum! =D

 

We found this house which was under-construction and decided to shoot in it. :D Here I was standing on the "Chaar-paai", where the bride happily sat to get photographed! That is when she declared that we are as loony as her! xD

  

Facebook fanpage | Twitter. | Formspring | My website | blog

Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_Kwun:

 

Tai Kwun, or the Former Central Police Station Compound (CPS Compound) includes three declared monuments in Central, Hong Kong: the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Surrounded by Hollywood Road, Arbuthnot Road, Chancery Lane, and Old Bailey Street, the compound underwent a heritage revitalisation and reopened to the public on 29 May 2018[1] as Tai Kwun (Chinese: 大館), a centre for heritage and arts.

 

The Former Central Police Station Compound (FCPSC), built between 1841 and 1925, comprises 16 historic buildings grouped under the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Most of the city's historic colonial architecture had been bulldozed for development before the British government handed it back to China in 1997.

 

The first building in the FCPSC is the Magistrate's House, with jail blocks, which were built in 1841. In 1899, the former Central Prison was renamed to Victoria Prison (or Victoria Gaol). The site underwent numerous expansions and reconstruction over the next century. In 1862, the number of prisoners increased to 650, and the government decided to develop the land nearby. The series of compounds hence formed Tai Kwun. Victoria Prison was decommissioned in 2006.

 

In 2008, the government of Hong Kong partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to conserve and revitalise the complex, which turned into one of the most significant and expensive revitalisation projects in the territory, costing HK$1.8 billion; work began in 2011.

 

The conversion was completed in phases. Work faced a setback when a wall and roof collapsed in 2016. The Buildings Department prosecuted a subcontractor it deemed responsible for the accident, which was reportedly triggered by the failure of a brick pier that had been structurally undermined. Tai Kwun partially reopened to the public in May 2018.

 

A Former Central Police Station (CPS) Revitalisation Project was established to conserve and revitalise the heritage site for reuse. The project was operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and took eight years and HK$3.8 billion or about US$480M in 2018.

 

Tai Kwun, named after the historical colloquial name of the compound, is a mix of heritage and contemporary architecture. 16 heritage buildings have been restored for reuse. An additional two new buildings have been constructed, featuring designs inspired by the site's historic brickwork.

 

As early as the 1880s, the name Tai Kwun has been recorded in news articles in reference to the Former Central Police Station.

 

In 2018, Time listed Tai Kwun in its "World's Greatest Places 2018" list.

 

In 2019, Tai Kwun was awarded "Award of Excellence" from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

Shot for Macro Mondays, theme "Natural Shells".

 

Luckily I had this shell in my collection, so I did not have to go to the beach to look for one.

 

HMM everybody

Canfield Casino and Congress Park is a 17-acre (6.9 ha) site in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It was the site of the former Congress Spring Bottling Plant and the former Congress Hall, a large resort hotel, which together brought Saratoga Springs international fame as a health spa and gambling site. At the peak of its popularity it was a place where the wealthy, major gamblers and stars of the entertainment world mingled. The park's artwork includes a statue by Daniel Chester French and a landscape design by Frederick Law Olmsted, among others.

 

It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987

Casino-Congress Park-Circular Street Historic District

260

Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_Kwun:

 

Tai Kwun, or the Former Central Police Station Compound (CPS Compound) includes three declared monuments in Central, Hong Kong: the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Surrounded by Hollywood Road, Arbuthnot Road, Chancery Lane, and Old Bailey Street, the compound underwent a heritage revitalisation and reopened to the public on 29 May 2018[1] as Tai Kwun (Chinese: 大館), a centre for heritage and arts.

 

The Former Central Police Station Compound (FCPSC), built between 1841 and 1925, comprises 16 historic buildings grouped under the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Most of the city's historic colonial architecture had been bulldozed for development before the British government handed it back to China in 1997.

 

The first building in the FCPSC is the Magistrate's House, with jail blocks, which were built in 1841. In 1899, the former Central Prison was renamed to Victoria Prison (or Victoria Gaol). The site underwent numerous expansions and reconstruction over the next century. In 1862, the number of prisoners increased to 650, and the government decided to develop the land nearby. The series of compounds hence formed Tai Kwun. Victoria Prison was decommissioned in 2006.

 

In 2008, the government of Hong Kong partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to conserve and revitalise the complex, which turned into one of the most significant and expensive revitalisation projects in the territory, costing HK$1.8 billion; work began in 2011.

 

The conversion was completed in phases. Work faced a setback when a wall and roof collapsed in 2016. The Buildings Department prosecuted a subcontractor it deemed responsible for the accident, which was reportedly triggered by the failure of a brick pier that had been structurally undermined. Tai Kwun partially reopened to the public in May 2018.

 

A Former Central Police Station (CPS) Revitalisation Project was established to conserve and revitalise the heritage site for reuse. The project was operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and took eight years and HK$3.8 billion or about US$480M in 2018.

 

Tai Kwun, named after the historical colloquial name of the compound, is a mix of heritage and contemporary architecture. 16 heritage buildings have been restored for reuse. An additional two new buildings have been constructed, featuring designs inspired by the site's historic brickwork.

 

As early as the 1880s, the name Tai Kwun has been recorded in news articles in reference to the Former Central Police Station.

 

In 2018, Time listed Tai Kwun in its "World's Greatest Places 2018" list.

 

In 2019, Tai Kwun was awarded "Award of Excellence" from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.

 

In December 1994, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee officially declared the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area over the Scenic Rim (including nearly all of Lamington and Springbrook national parks and most of Main Range and Mount Barney national parks) and the rainforests of northern and central New South Wales.

  

© Chris Burns 2016

__________________________________________

 

All rights reserved.

 

This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.

It was declared a National Historic monument.

It was a property of Juan Narbona who exploited it like limekiln.

In the year 1738 there was constructed an oratory and a chapel that were the only ones between Montevideo and Villa Soriano

The Estancia de Narbona, (Narbona’s Farm), built by Don Juan de Narbona in 1732, is an archeological relic. Its Chapel and Oratory were the only ones that existed at those times between Montevideo and Villa Soriano. They were related to the Camacho family, and they are near the Camacho Bridge, surrounded by a beautiful park.

 

www.elobservador.com.uy/una-guardiana-que-dice-ser-la-ult...

 

farsouthtravels.blogspot.com/2009/05/estancia-narbona-mon...

 

www.focoblanco.com.uy/2011/03/maria-julia-en-capilla-narb...

 

blogs.montevideo.com.uy/blognoticia_1216_1.html

  

lomioesamateur.wordpress.com/mas-ficciones/estancia-y-cap...

Excerpt from www.amo.gov.hk/en/historic-buildings/monuments/new-territ...:

 

The Residence of Ip Ting-sz, built around 1908, is modelled on Dr Sun Yat-sen’s residence in Cuiheng Village 翠亨村, Zhongshan 中山. Ip Ting-sz (1879-1943), alias Tin-fat 天發, also known by his literary name, Kwong-san 廣新, was the 8th generation ancestor of the Ip clan in Lin Ma Hang, Sha Tau Kok. He went to Thailand at an early age to work as an apprentice tailor and later set up a garment factory there to manufacture military uniforms.

 

According to information from the Chinese Association in Thailand, Dr Sun Yat-sen founded the Chinese Club in Thailand 泰國中華會所 (later the Chinese Association in Thailand 泰國中華會館) in 1907 to rally support among overseas Chinese for his revolutionary activities. Ip Ting-sz was one of the originators and co-founders of the Chinese Association. He was later appointed president of the Tong Meng Hui 同盟會 (Chinese Revolutionary Alliance) Siam Branch and a revolutionary newspaper. Ip was active in promoting the development of the Tong Meng Hui in the territory and contributed funds for the revolutionary campaign. In 1936, Ip Ting-sz and his family returned to Lin Ma Hang, where he passed away in 1943.

 

The Residence of Ip Ting-sz is a three-bay, two-storey building fronted by a covered porchway, with columns supporting the balcony. The building is constructed principally of grey bricks and timber, with a traditional pitched roof. Murals of auspicious Chinese motifs are found over the front doors, while the balcony is decorated with ceramic vase-shaped balusters, demonstrating a blend of Chinese and Western architectural features.

 

The Residence of Ip Ting-sz was declared a monument in 2009.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a 164-year-old tropical garden located at the fringe of the Orchard Road shopping district in Singapore. It is one of three gardens, and the only tropical garden, to be honoured as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Botanic Gardens has been ranked Asia's top park attraction since 2013, by TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards. It was declared the inaugural Garden of the Year by the International Garden Tourism Awards in 2012.

Excerpt from www.amo.gov.hk/en/historic-buildings/monuments/kowloon/mo...:

 

Kowloon Union Church, one of the earliest inter-denominational churches in Hong Kong, was built by the London Missionary Society with financial support from Sir Paul Chater. The foundation stone was laid on 27 May 1930 by the then Colonial Secretary, W.T. Southorn, and the church was officially opened on 10 April 1931 by the then Governor Sir William Peel. During the Japanese Occupation, the church ceased to function and the building was converted into a horse stable by the Japanese army and suffered severe looting and damage. The church was opened again for public worship with a rededication service held on 19 October 1947 and continues to serve the community until now.

 

The church possesses “Perpendicular Gothic” architectural features, with pitched Chinese-tiled roof, red load-bearing brick walls and contrasting grey granite steps and window surrounds. A semi-circular apse and an attached three-storey battlemented tower are built at the two ends of the church respectively.

 

The square battlemented tower with pointed arch doorway surround and foundation stone at the base is designed to serve as the main entrance to the church. It is of fair-face red brickwork with carved granite ornaments and trimmings. There is also a concrete flat roof topped with a crenelated low parapet wall.

 

The windows of the church are set in decorative granite framing in the form of trefoil-headed tracery. The window frames are of wrought-iron and there are angular carved hoods above the windows. The windows of top floor of the battlemented tower are with stone louvers. The elegant double hammer-beam timber roof trusses with carved granite corbel supports are a rare and dominant feature of the spacious interior of the main hall of the church.

Kowloon Union Church was declared a monument in 2017.

I will have to start rationing flickr uploads as Brisbane has just been declared a National Level Hotspot with a three day emergency lockdown starting tonight. Of course, there has been immediate panic buying and toilet paper has no doubt run out already, even though shopping is permitted. Apparently the lines at supermarkets are way long - will people not listen and learn? In fact, as I write this my wife has shown me an online news story of supermarkets in Brisbane stripped bare.

 

A Quarantine Hotel worker tested positive to the new, more transmittable UK mutant of the virus and before symptoms, caught trains, went shopping etc. etc. So we are now suddenly the centre point of Australian COVID focus with borders locked all over the country to Queenslanders and who would blame them? One just has to look at the Melbourne lesson and what is happening with utter chaos and high death rates in the UK right now. Do the right thing, protect yourself. This thing does not take prisoners, especially among the vulnerable.

 

National Cabinet has decided that return overseas travel numbers are to be reduced with some 46000 Australians still waiting to come home, many from the UK and pre-flight testing and quarantine protocols to be enhanced. We have suddenly many people in isolation with the UK variant from returned travellers.

 

We should have expected it, this is a smart and deadly disease and just a molecular amount will start a forest fire.

 

Meanwhile, back at the farm, a photo jaunt for tomorrow with friends has been cancelled. Mind you, it's raining, windy, inclement at the moment but we will never knock rain.

 

These ducks make their home at College's Crossing on the Brisbane River near Ipswich, no doubt all rather oblivious to the world at war around them.

Toledo is a city and municipality located in central Spain; it is the capital of the province of Toledo and the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. Toledo was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 for its extensive monumental and cultural heritage.

 

Toledo is known as the "Imperial City" for having been the main venue of the court of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and as the "City of the Three Cultures" for the cultural influences of Christians, Muslims and Jews reflected in its history. It was also the capital from 542 to 725 AD of the ancient Visigothic kingdom, which followed the fall of the Roman Empire, and the location of historic events such as the Visigothic Councils of Toledo. Toledo has a long history in the production of bladed weapons, which are now popular souvenirs of the city.

 

People who were born or have lived in Toledo include Brunhilda of Austrasia, Al-Zarqali, Garcilaso de la Vega, Eleanor of Toledo, Alfonso X, Israeli ben Joseph, Halevi and El Greco. As of 2015, the city had a population of 83,226 and an area of 232.1 km2.

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

España - Murcia - Real Casino

 

***

 

ENGLISH:

 

The Royal Casino of Murcia is one of the most emblematic buildings of the city of the same name, capital of the Region of Murcia (Spain). It is located in the center of it, on Calle Trapería, not far from the cathedral. The building, whose construction began in 1853, is a mixture of different artistic currents that coexisted in the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century in Spain and was declared a national historical-artistic monument in 1983, which is why it is currently considered an Asset of Cultural Interest, with the category of "monument".

 

The building is the headquarters of the institution of the same name, which functions as a private club. It is open to tourist visits and other events, it is the most visited civil building in the Region of Murcia and, counting only organized groups, an average of 150,000 people visit it annually, of which 25,000 are foreigners.

 

The building has been extensively restored between 2006 and 2009. On the occasion of the completion of the restoration works, King Juan Carlos I of Spain granted the Casino de Murcia the title of "Royal".

 

***

 

ESPAÑOL:

 

El Real Casino de Murcia es uno de los edificios más emblemáticos de la ciudad del mismo nombre, capital de la Región de Murcia (España). Se encuentra en el centro de la misma, en la calle Trapería, no lejos de la catedral. El edificio, cuya construcción comenzó en 1853, es una mezcla de distintas corrientes artísticas que coexistieron en la segunda mitad del siglo xix y principios del siglo xx en España y fue declarado monumento histórico-artístico nacional en 1983, por lo que en la actualidad está considerado Bien de Interés Cultural, con la categoría de «monumento».

 

El edificio es la sede de la institución del mismo nombre, que funciona como un club privado. Abierto a visitas turísticas y otros eventos, es el edificio civil más visitado de la Región de Murcia​ y, contando solamente los grupos organizados, lo visitan anualmente un promedio de 150 000 personas, de las que 25 000 son extranjeras.

 

El edificio ha sido profundamente restaurado entre los años 2006 y 2009. Con motivo de la finalización de las obras de restauración, el rey Juan Carlos I de España concedió al Casino de Murcia el título de Real.

 

The earliest historical record of the area dates back to 1593, becoming an independent Augustinian parish in 1686. Building of the present church was started in 1694 by Augustinian friar Father Antonio Estavillo, completed in 1710 and rededicated in 1896. Some portions of the church was damaged in the 1865 and 1885 earthquakes but was later restored under the initiative of former First Lady Imelda Marcos.

 

It is declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government in 1973 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the collective group of Baroque Churches of the Philippines in 1993.

 

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paoay_Church

 

Scanned slide, photo taken in mid April 1998

Drought declared in Cambridge area with temperatures forecast to reach 35 °C this weekend.

Matera is a city and a province in the region of Basilicata, in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Matera and the capital of Basilicata from 1663 to 1806. The town lies in a small canyon carved out by the Gravina.

Known as "la Città Sotterranea" (the Subterranean City), Matera is well known for its historical center called "Sassi", considered World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1993, along with the Park of the Rupestrian Churches.

On October 17, 2014, Matera was declared Italian host of European Capital of Culture for 2019.

As the Mughal Empire crumbled, various regional leaders declared their independence from the empire and established their autonomous principalities. The Sikhs in the northwestern region of the empire became self-governing, yet competitive rulers. Maharajah Ranjit Singh united the quarreling Sikh fiefdoms and established the Sikh Empire in 1799 with Lahore being its capital. The Sikh Empire came to an end in 1849, after being defeated and annexed by the British Empire.

 

Ath Dar means eight entrances/gates/doorways, and this is where Maharajah Ranjit Singh held court inside the Lahore Fort. In his quest to develop a modern country, Ranjit Singh recruited the services of European advisers, as well as religious scholars from various major religions.

 

The unique feature of this structure is that it uses a combination of white marble and red Jaipur Sandstone within the same building, which became a defining feature of Sikh architecture.

Pasaż św. Huberta z 1847 r. ze sklepami, galeriami, kafejkami i restauracjami. 8 kwietnia 2008 zgłoszony na listę światowego dziedzictwa UNESCO. /

Passage St. Hubert from 1847. With shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants. April 8, 2008 declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Leaning Tower of Pisa and Pisa Cathedral

 

Schiefer Turm von Pisa und Dom zu Pisa

 

The Piazza dei Miracoli (Italian: [ˈpjattsa dei miˈraːkoli]; English: Square of Miracles), formally known as Piazza del Duomo (English: Cathedral Square), is a walled 8.87-hectare area located in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy, recognized as an important centre of European medieval art and one of the finest architectural complexes in the world.Considered sacred by the Catholic Church, its owner, the square is dominated by four great religious edifices: the Pisa Cathedral, the Pisa Baptistry, the Campanile, and the Camposanto Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery). Partly paved and partly grassed, the Piazza dei Miracoli is also the site of the Ospedale Nuovo di Santo Spirito (New Hospital of the Holy Spirit), which houses the Sinopias Museum (Italian: Museo delle Sinopie) and the Cathedral Museum (Italian: Museo dell'Opera del Duomo).

 

The name Piazza dei Miracoli was coined by the Italian writer and poet Gabriele d'Annunzio who, in his novel Forse che sì forse che no (1910), described the square as the "prato dei Miracoli", or "meadow of miracles". The square is sometimes called the Campo dei Miracoli ("Field of Miracles"). In 1987, the whole square was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: torre pendente di Pisa), or simply, the Tower of Pisa (torre di Pisa [ˈtorre di ˈpiːza; ˈpiːsa], is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of Pisa Cathedral. It is known for its nearly four-degree lean, the result of an unstable foundation. The tower is one of three structures in the Pisa's Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo), which includes the cathedral and Pisa Baptistry.

 

The height of the tower is 55.86 metres (183 feet 3 inches) from the ground on the low side and 56.67 m (185 ft 11 in) on the high side. The width of the walls at the base is 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in). Its weight is estimated at 14,500 tonnes (16,000 short tons). The tower has 296 or 294 steps; the seventh floor has two fewer steps on the north-facing staircase.

 

The tower began to lean during construction in the 12th century, due to soft ground which could not properly support the structure's weight. It worsened through the completion of construction in the 14th century. By 1990, the tilt had reached 5.5 degrees. The structure was stabilized by remedial work between 1993 and 2001, which reduced the tilt to 3.97 degrees.

 

Architect

 

There has been controversy surrounding the identity of the architect of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. For many years, the design was attributed to Guglielmo and Bonanno Pisano, a well-known 12th-century resident artist of Pisa, known for his bronze casting, particularly in the Pisa Duomo. Pisano left Pisa in 1185 for Monreale, Sicily, only to come back and die in his home town. A piece of cast bearing his name was discovered at the foot of the tower in 1820, but this may be related to the bronze door in the façade of the cathedral that was destroyed in 1595. A 2001 study seems to indicate Diotisalvi was the original architect, due to the time of construction and affinity with other Diotisalvi works, notably the bell tower of San Nicola and the Baptistery, both in Pisa.

 

Construction

 

Construction of the tower occurred in three stages over 199 years. On 5 January 1172, Donna Berta di Bernardo, a widow and resident of the house of dell'Opera di Santa Maria, bequeathed sixty soldi to the Opera Campanilis petrarum Sancte Marie. The sum was then used toward the purchase of a few stones which still form the base of the bell tower. On 9 August 1173, the foundations of the tower were laid. Work on the ground floor of the white marble campanile began on 14 August of the same year during a period of military success and prosperity. This ground floor is a blind arcade articulated by engaged columns with classical Corinthian capitals. Nearly four centuries later Giorgio Vasari wrote: "Guglielmo, according to what is being said, in the year 1174, together with sculptor Bonanno, laid the foundations of the bell tower of the cathedral in Pisa".

 

The tower began to sink after construction had progressed to the second floor in 1178. This was due to a mere three-metre foundation, set in weak, unstable subsoil, a design that was flawed from the beginning. Construction was subsequently halted for the better part of a century, as the Republic of Pisa was almost continually engaged in battles with Genoa, Lucca, and Florence. This allowed time for the underlying soil to settle. Otherwise, the tower would almost certainly have toppled. On 27 December 1233, the worker Benenato, son of Gerardo Bottici, oversaw the continuation of the tower's construction.

 

On 23 February 1260, Guido Speziale, son of Giovanni Pisano, was elected to oversee the building of the tower. On 12 April 1264, the master builder Giovanni di Simone, architect of the Camposanto, and 23 workers went to the mountains close to Pisa to cut marble. The cut stones were given to Rainaldo Speziale, worker of St. Francesco. In 1272, construction resumed under Di Simone. In an effort to compensate for the tilt, the engineers built upper floors with one side taller than the other. Because of this, the tower is curved. Construction was halted again in 1284 when the Pisans were defeated by the Genoese in the Battle of Meloria.

 

The seventh floor was completed in 1319. The bell-chamber was finally added in 1372. It was built by Tommaso di Andrea Pisano, who succeeded in harmonizing the Gothic elements of the belfry with the Romanesque style of the tower. There are seven bells, one for each note of the musical major scale. The largest one was installed in 1655.

 

History following construction

 

Between 1589 and 1592, Galileo Galilei, who lived in Pisa at the time, is said to have dropped two cannonballs of different masses from the tower to demonstrate that their speed of descent was independent of their mass, in keeping with the law of free fall. The primary source for this is the biography Racconto istorico della vita di Galileo Galilei (Historical Account of the Life of Galileo Galilei), written by Galileo's pupil and secretary Vincenzo Viviani in 1654, but only published in 1717, long after his death.

 

During World War II, the Allies suspected that the Germans were using the tower as an observation post. Leon Weckstein, a U.S. Army sergeant sent to confirm the presence of German troops in the tower, was impressed by the beauty of the cathedral and its campanile, and thus refrained from ordering an artillery strike, sparing it from destruction.

 

Numerous efforts have been made to restore the tower to a vertical orientation or at least keep it from falling over. Most of these efforts failed; some worsened the tilt. On 27 February 1964, the government of Italy requested aid in preventing the tower from toppling. It was, however, considered important to retain the current tilt, due to the role that this element played in promoting the tourism industry of Pisa.

 

Starting in 1993, 870 tonnes of lead counterweights were added, which straightened the tower slightly.

 

The tower and the neighbouring cathedral, baptistery, and cemetery are included in the Piazza del Duomo UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was declared in 1987.

 

The tower was closed to the public on 7 January 1990, after more than two decades of stabilisation studies and spurred by the abrupt collapse of the Civic Tower of Pavia in 1989. The bells were removed to relieve some weight, and cables were cinched around the third level and anchored several hundred meters away. Apartments and houses in the path of a potential fall of the tower were vacated for safety. The selected method for preventing the collapse of the tower was to slightly reduce its tilt to a safer angle by removing 38 cubic metres (1,342 cubic feet) of soil from underneath the raised end. The tower's tilt was reduced by 45 centimetres (17+1⁄2 inches), returning to its 1838 position. After a decade of corrective reconstruction and stabilization efforts, the tower was reopened to the public on 15 December 2001, and was declared stable for at least another 300 years. In total, 70 metric tons (77 short tons) of soil were removed.

 

After a phase (1990–2001) of structural strengthening, the tower has been undergoing gradual surface restoration to repair visible damage, mostly corrosion and blackening. These are particularly pronounced due to the tower's age and its exposure to wind and rain. In May 2008, engineers announced that the tower had been stabilized such that it had stopped moving for the first time in its history. They stated that it would be stable for at least 200 years.

 

Earthquake survival

 

At least four strong earthquakes have hit the region since 1280, but the apparently vulnerable tower survived. The reason was not understood until a research group of 16 engineers investigated. The researchers concluded that the tower was able to withstand the tremors because of dynamic soil-structure interaction (DSSI): the height and stiffness of the tower, together with the softness of the foundation soil, influences the vibrational characteristics of the structure in such a way that the tower does not resonate with earthquake ground motion. The same soft soil that caused the leaning and brought the tower to the verge of collapse helped it survive.

 

Technical information

 

Elevation of Piazza del Duomo: about 2 metres (6 feet, DMS)

Height from the ground floor: 55.863 m (183 ft 3+5⁄16 in),[37] 8 stories

Height from the foundation floor: 58.36 m (191 ft 5+1⁄2 in)

Outer diameter of base: 15.484 m (50 ft 9+5⁄8 in)

Inner diameter of base: 7.368 m (24 ft 2+1⁄16 in)

Angle of slant: 3.97 degrees[40] or 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in) from the vertical

Weight: 14,700 metric tons (16,200 short tons)

Thickness of walls at the base: 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in)

Total number of bells: 7, tuned to musical scale, clockwise:

1st bell: L'Assunta, cast in 1654 by Giovanni Pietro Orlandi, weight 3,620 kg (7,981 lb)

2nd bell: Il Crocifisso, cast in 1572 by Vincenzo Possenti, weight 2,462 kg (5,428 lb)

3rd bell: San Ranieri, cast in 1719–1721 by Giovanni Andrea Moreni, weight 1,448 kg (3,192 lb)

4th bell: La Terza (1st small one), cast in 1473, weight 300 kg (661 lb)

5th bell: La Pasquereccia or La Giustizia, cast in 1262 by Lotteringo, weight 1,014 kg (2,235 lb)

6th bell: Il Vespruccio (2nd small one), cast in the 14th century and again in 1501 by Nicola di Jacopo, weight 1,000 kg (2,205 lb)

7th bell: Dal Pozzo, cast in 1606 and again in 2004, weight 652 kg (1,437 lb)

Number of steps to the top: 296

About the 5th bell: The name Pasquareccia comes from Easter, because it used to ring on Easter day. However, this bell is older than the bell-chamber itself, and comes from the tower Vergata in Palazzo Pretorio in Pisa, where it was called La Giustizia (The Justice). The bell was tolled to announce executions of criminals and traitors, including Count Ugolino in 1289. A new bell was installed in the bell tower at the end of the 18th century to replace the broken Pasquareccia.

 

The circular shape and great height of the campanile were unusual for their time, and the crowning belfry is stylistically distinct from the rest of the construction. This belfry incorporates a 14 cm (5+1⁄2 in) correction for the inclined axis below. The siting of the campanile within the Piazza del Duomo diverges from the axial alignment of the cathedral and baptistery of the Piazza del Duomo.

 

Guinness World Records

 

Two German churches have challenged the tower's status as the world's most lopsided building: the 15th-century square Leaning Tower of Suurhusen and the 14th-century bell tower in the town of Bad Frankenhausen. Guinness World Records measured the Pisa and Suurhusen towers, finding the former's tilt to be 3.97 degrees. In June 2010, Guinness World Records certified the Capital Gate building in Abu Dhabi, UAE as the "World's Furthest Leaning Man-made Tower"; it has an 18-degree slope, almost five times more than the Tower of Pisa, but was deliberately engineered to slant. The Leaning Tower of Wanaka in New Zealand, also deliberately built, leans at 53 degrees to the ground.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Pisa Cathedral (Italian: Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale di Santa Maria Assunta; Duomo di Pisa) is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, in the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa, Italy, the oldest of the three structures in the plaza followed by the Pisa Baptistry and the Campanile known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The cathedral is a notable example of Romanesque architecture, in particular the style known as Pisan Romanesque. Consecrated in 1118, it is the seat of the Archbishop of Pisa. Construction began in 1063 and was completed in 1092. Additional enlargements and a new facade were built in the 12th century and the roof was replaced after damage from a fire in 1595.

 

History

 

Construction on the cathedral began in 1063 (1064 according to the Pisan calendar of the time) by the architect Buscheto, and expenses were paid using the spoils received fighting against the Muslims in Sicily in 1063. It includes various stylistic elements: classical, Lombard-Emilian, Byzantine, and Islamic, drawing upon the international presence of Pisan merchants at that time. In the same year, St. Mark's Basilica began its reconstruction in Venice, evidence of a strong rivalry between the two maritime republics to see which could create the most beautiful and luxurious place of worship.

 

The church was erected outside Pisa's early medieval walls, to show that Pisa had no fear of being attacked.[citation needed] The chosen area had already been used in the Lombard era as a necropolis and at the beginning of the 11th century a church had been erected here, but never finished, that was to be named Santa Maria.[citation needed] Buscheto's grand new church was initially called Santa Maria Maggiore until it was officially named Santa Maria Assunta.

 

In 1092 the cathedral was declared primatial church, archbishop Dagobert having been given the title of Primate by Pope Urban II. The cathedral was consecrated in 1118 by Pope Gelasius II, who belonged to the Caetani family which was powerful both in Pisa and in Rome.

 

In the early 12th century the cathedral was enlarged under the direction of architect Rainaldo, who increased the length of the nave by adding three bays consistent with the original style of Buscheto, enlarged the transept, and planned a new facade which was completed by workers under the direction of the sculptors Guglielmo and Biduino. The exact date of the work is unclear: according to some, the work was done right after the death of Buscheto about the year 1100, though others say it was done closer to 1140. In any case, work was finished in 1180, as documented by the date written on the bronze knockers made by Bonanno Pisano found on the main door.

 

The structure's present appearance is the result of numerous restoration campaigns that were carried out in different eras. The first radical interventions occurred after the fire of 1595, following which the roof was replaced and sculptors from the workshop of Giambologna, among whom were Gasparo Mola and Pietro Tacca, created the three bronze doors of the facade. In the early 18th century began the redecoration of the inside walls of the cathedral with large paintings, the "quadroni", depicting stories of the blesseds and saints of Pisa. These works were made by the principal artists of the era, and a group of citizens arranged for the special financing of the project. Successive interventions occurred in the 19th century and included both internal and external modifications; among the latter was the removal of the original facade statues (presently in the cathedral museum) and their replacement with copies.

 

Other notable interventions include: the dismantling of Giovanni Pisano's pulpit between 1599 and 1601 that only in 1926 was reassembled and returned to the cathedral (with some original pieces missing, including the staircase); and the dismantling of the monument to Henry VII made by Lupo di Francesco that was found in front of the door of San Ranieri and later substituted by a simpler, symbolic version.

 

Description

 

The original building plan was a Greek cross with a grand cupola at the crossing, but today the plan is a Latin cross with a central nave flanked by two side aisles on each side, with the apse and transepts having three naves. The inside offers a spatial effect similar to that of the great mosques thanks to the use of raised lancet arches, the alternating layers of black and white marble, and the elliptical dome, inspired by the Moors. The presence of two raised matronea in the nave, with their solid, monolithic columns of granite, is a clear sign of Byzantine influence. Buscheto welcomed Islamic and Armenian influence.

 

Exterior

 

The rich exterior decoration contains multicolored marble, mosaic, and numerous bronze objects from the spoils of war, among which is the griffin. The arrival of the griffin in Pisa has been attributed to numerous Pisan military victories of the 11th and 12th centuries, including the 1087 Mahdia Campaign and the 1113-1115 Balearic Expedition. The griffin was placed on a platform atop a column rising from the gable above the apse at the east end of the roof, probably as continuation of the original construction that started in 1064. In the early 19th century the original sculpture, which can now be seen in the cathedral museum, was removed from the roof and replaced with a copy. The high arches show Islamic and southern Italian influence.Ref? The blind arches with lozenge shapes recall similar structures in Armenia. The facade of grey and white marble, decorated with colored marble inserts, was built by Master Rainaldo. Above the three doorways are four levels of loggia divided by cornices with marble intarsia, behind which open single, double, and triple windows.

 

The cathedral was heavily damaged by a fire in 1595. The heavy bronze doors of the façade were newly designed, executed and completed in 1602 by sculptors around Giambologna on the expense of Ferdinando I de' Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. At the top there is a Madonna and Child and, in the angles, the four evangelists. The tomb of Buscheto is found to the left of the north door of the facade.

 

Contrary to what might be thought, from the beginning the faithful entered the cathedral through the Gate of Saint Rainerius, found in the south transept of the same name, which faces the bell tower. For townsfolk approaching by via Santa Maria it was the shortest way to enter the cathedral. The door wings were cast about 1180 by Bonanno Pisano, and it is the only door not destroyed in 1595. The 24 bronze reliefs show stories of the New Testament. This bronze portal is one of the first produced in Italy during the Middle Ages, and is a forerunner of the bronze doors created by Andrea Pisano for the Baptistery in Florence (1329–1336).

 

Of further interest

 

At the end of the 10th century Pisa established March 25 as the beginning of its new year. This date was considered very important because it is both the Feast of the Annunciation (occurring nine months before Christ's birth on December 25) and it falls very close to the spring equinox. To mark the beginning of the Pisan new year a system was devised in the cathedral whereby a beam of light shines through a round window on the south side of the nave and, precisely at noon on March 25, lands on the same spot every year: on top of a shelf affixed to a pylon on the opposite side of the church. This shelf rests on a marble egg, a symbol of birth and new life. In 1750 the first day of the new year was officially changed to January 1, but this event is still celebrated every year accompanied by solemn religious and civic celebrations.

The lamp at the center of the nave is called Galileo's lamp, because a legend says that the great scientist formulated his theory of isochronism of the pendulum while watching its oscillations from the roof of the nave. The original, however, smaller and very different than this one, is found today in the Camposanto.

On the north side, to the left side of the facade in front of the Camposanto at about eye level, is an original piece of Roman marble (as testified to by its decoration that can still in part be seen), on which are a series of small black marks. Legend says that these marks were left by the devil when he climbed up to the dome attempting to stop its construction, and so they are referred to as the scratches of the devil. (The legend also says that out of spite the number of scratches always changes when counted.)

Legend has it that the amphora placed on a small column on the right side of the apse was used by Christ at the wedding feast of Cana when he turned water into wine.

Pope Gregory VIII is buried in the cathedral.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Piazza dei Miracoli (italienisch Platz der Wunder), wie die Piazza del Duomo im Volksmund auch genannt wird, ist der Domplatz der toskanischen Stadt Pisa. Der Name stammt vom italienischen Dichter und Schriftsteller Gabriele D’Annunzio. Er beschrieb in seinem Buch Forse che sì forse che no den Platz als Wiese der Wunder. Die Piazza dei Miracoli ist eine Grünfläche nahe der Stadtbefestigung im nordwestlichen Teil der Altstadt. Die dezentrale Lage am Rande des Historischen Stadtkerns ist ungewöhnlich. Auf dem Platz steht das berühmte Ensemble, bestehend aus dem Baptisterium als größte Taufkirche der Welt, dem Friedhof Camposanto Monumentale und dem kreuzförmigen Dom Santa Maria Assunta mit seinem Campanile, dem Schiefen Turm. Sie gehören zu den Meisterwerken der mittelalterlichen Architektur und hatten einen großen Einfluss auf die monumentalen Kunst in Italien vom 11. bis zum 14. Jahrhundert. Seit 1987 gehört der Platz zum UNESCO-Welterbe.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Schiefe Turm von Pisa (italienisch Torre pendente di Pisa) ist das wohl bekannteste geneigte Gebäude der Welt und Wahrzeichen der Stadt Pisa in Italien.

 

Der Turm war als freistehender Glockenturm (Campanile) für den Dom in Pisa geplant. 12 Jahre nach der Grundsteinlegung am 9. August 1173, im Jahr 1185, als der Bau bei der dritten Etage angelangt war, begann sich der Turmstumpf in Richtung Südosten zu neigen. Daraufhin ruhte der Bau rund 100 Jahre. Die nächsten vier Stockwerke wurden dann mit einem geringeren Neigungswinkel als dem bereits bestehenden gebaut, um die Schieflage auszugleichen. Danach musste der Bau nochmals unterbrochen werden, bis 1372 auch die Glockenstube vollendet war.

 

Der Grund für seine Schieflage liegt in dem Untergrund aus lehmigem Morast und Sand, der sich unter dem Gewicht verformt. Neuesten Ausgrabungen zufolge steht der Turm am Rande einer ehemaligen Insel direkt neben einem antiken, zur Bauzeit bereits versandeten Hafenbecken. Die Schieflage des Turms beträgt nach dem Ende der Sanierungsarbeiten rund vier Grad, entsprechend einer Auslenkung an der Spitze von 3,9 m (bei rund 55,8 m Höhe). Im Inneren des Turmes hängt ein Pendel, das oben in der Mitte befestigt ist und durch die Schieflage unten beinahe die Seitenwand berührt.

 

Der Legende nach hat der aus Pisa stammende Galileo Galilei bei Fallversuchen vom Turm die Fallgesetze entdeckt.

 

Im Jahre 1987 wurde das Ensemble auf der Piazza del Duomo aus dem Turm, dem Dom, dem Baptisterium und dem Camposanto von der UNESCO zum Weltkulturerbe erklärt.

 

Architektur

 

Der 56 Meter hohe und 12 Meter durchmessende Campanile besteht aus 14.500 Tonnen weißen Carrara-Marmors und hat sieben Glocken, die aber längere Zeit wegen der Einsturzgefahr nicht läuten durften. Er sollte der Höhepunkt der ganzen Anlage der Piazza dei Miracoli sein. Er unterscheidet sich von den üblichen quadratischen Türmen Mittelitaliens und steht in einem großen Gegensatz zu den spitz zulaufenden Türmen des nördlichen Europa. Er ruht auf einem spiralförmigen Fundament aus 700 m³ Bruchstein und Mörtel. Neben dem Eingang sind Monat und Jahr des Baubeginns eingemeißelt: August 1173. In Urkunden wird jedoch stets 1174 genannt, denn für die Pisaner begann nach damaligem Kalender das neue Jahr bereits am 25. März. Giorgio Vasari bezeichnete Bonanno Pisano und einen gewissen Guglielmo als ursprüngliche Architekten des Turms.

 

Der Campanile hatte – außer dass er die Glocken tragen sollte – noch eine andere Funktion. Bei äußerer Gefahr flüchtete damals der Klerus in den Turm. Maueröffnungen und -vorsprünge im Zylinderschacht machten es möglich, bei Bedarf in jedem Stockwerk Gebälk und Fußböden einzuziehen.

 

Jedes Stockwerk hat eine Tür hinaus auf die Säulengalerie, die aus jeweils 30 Säulen besteht. Auf der Südseite führen oben sechs Stufen zur Glockenstube hinauf, auf der Nordseite nur vier. Die Treppe zur obersten Aussichtsterrasse soll Brunelleschi inspiriert haben, einen ähnlichen Aufgang zur Laterne auf der Kuppel des Doms in Florenz zu bauen.

 

Vom 7. Januar 1990 an musste der 14.500 Tonnen schwere Turm für Besucher gesperrt werden, da die Schräglage zu gefährlich wurde. Es gab eine weltweite Aufforderung an Baustatiker, die besten Lösungen zur Stabilisierung auszuarbeiten und einzureichen.

 

Nach 13-jährigen Sanierungsmaßnahmen, bei denen der Turm wieder um 44 Zentimeter aufgerichtet wurde, ist er seit Dezember 2001 wieder für Touristen geöffnet. Besucher können gegen Entgelt den Turm in Gruppen von maximal 40 Besuchern für eine Dauer von 15 Minuten besteigen.

 

Der Schiefe Turm von Pisa ist nicht das schiefste Gebäude bzw. der schiefste Turm der Welt, wie häufig vermutet wird. Dennoch gehört er zu den schiefsten Bauwerken, die – aufrecht geplant – unabsichtlich in eine Schieflage geraten sind.

 

Glocken

 

Die sieben Kirchenglocken des Domes werden aus statischer Vorsicht nur noch mittels innenliegender elektromagnetischer Schlaghämmer angeschlagen, und zwar mittags um 12 Uhr und jeweils vor den Messen.

 

Zuvor wurden die Glocken entsprechend ihrer Namen liturgisch eingesetzt, so etwa die Terza zur Terz, der dritten Stunde des liturgischen Tages, also um 9 Uhr vormittags, oder die Vespruccio zur Vesper, 18 Uhr. Das Läuten erfolgte von Hand; an Festtagen wurden die Glocken voll – a slancio – ausgeschwungen.

 

Die kleinste Glocke von 1501, Vespruccio genannt, hat eine sehr schlanke, zuckerhutartige Form. Die Glocke Del Pozzo ist ein originalgetreuer Nachguss der Vorgängerin, 1606 von Nicolaus Castellum gegossen.

 

Sanierungsmaßnahmen

 

Versuche im Mittelalter, den Bau durch besondere Baumaßnahmen wie geneigte Böden sowie dünnere und leichtere Mauern auf der überhängenden Seite zu retten, zeigten keine ausreichende Wirkung, so dass von den ursprünglich geplanten 100 Metern Höhe nur 54 Meter gebaut wurden.

 

Seit dem Beginn exakter Messungen 1911 nahm die Neigung stetig zu, und die Rate der Zunahme verdoppelte sich von den 1930er-Jahren bis 1990. In diesem Jahr betrug die jährliche Zunahme der Neigung 6 Bogensekunden. Außerdem zeigte die Vermessung, dass es sich um eine Rotationsbewegung handelte, wobei das Zentrum des Kreises in Höhe des Bodens der ersten Galerie senkrecht über dem Mittelpunkt des Turms auf Bodenebene liegt, der selbst keine vertikale Bewegung ausführte. Bei zwei heftigen Starkregenereignissen konnte 1995 eine Neigungszunahme in der Größenordnung einer Bogensekunde in wenigen Stunden festgestellt werden. Daraus wurde geschlossen, dass die Ursache nicht – wie üblicherweise angenommen – im Kriechen der weichen marinen Tonschicht (Horizont B ab einer Tiefe von etwa 10 m bis zu einer Tiefe von 40 m, wo Horizont C mit dichtem marinen Sand beginnt) lag, sondern an dem darüberliegenden Horizont A (Sand, sandige und tonige Schluffe), in der regelmäßig im September bis Dezember auftretende Unwetter mit heftigen Niederschlägen eine verstärkte Rotationsbewegung auslösten.

 

Seit der vorübergehenden Schließung 1990 waren diverse Sanierungsmaßnahmen unternommen worden. Im Mai 1992 wurde der Campanile mit Stahlreifen im zweiten Geschoss gesichert, da sich dort gefährliche Risse im tragenden Marmor gezeigt hatten. Insgesamt wurden 18 dieser Reifen angebracht. Zusätzlich wurden im Juli 1993 im Fundament 600 Tonnen Bleibarren als Gegengewicht auf der Nordseite eingelagert. Dadurch konnte die Schieflage des Turmes 1993 um eine Bogenminute verringert werden. 1995 wurden weitere Sanierungsmaßnahmen (Bodenvereisung und Stahlkabel-Verankerung) durchgeführt, da man die Bleigewichte als störend empfand. In der Folge erhöhte sich dabei allerdings die Neigung. Daraufhin wurde die höhere Seite des Fundaments an seinem Vorsprung außen am Turm im September 1995 erneut, diesmal mit 900 Tonnen Bleibarren, beschwert (siehe Bild), was die Neigung stoppte.

 

Ein Komitee internationaler Fachleute, das über die Sanierungsmaßnahmen des Turmes befinden sollte (1990 bis 2001 unter Leitung von Michele Jamiolkowski), konnte sich auf keine bestimmten Maßnahmen festlegen und wurde deshalb zum Ende 1996 von der italienischen Regierung aufgelöst. Nach dem großen Erdbeben vom September 1997 wurde das Komitee jedoch wieder eingesetzt. Man einigte sich im Herbst 1998 mehrheitlich auf eine neue Maßnahme zur Sanierung des Campanile, die sogenannte Bodenextraktions-Methode (geplant von John Burland nach einer Idee des Ingenieurs Fernando Terracina aus dem Jahr 1962). Dazu wurden im folgenden Jahr schräge Löcher in den Boden (Tiefe rund 4 bis 5 m, innerhalb von Horizont A) unter dem nördlichen Teil des Turmes gebohrt, so dass etwa 50 m³ Material entfernt wurde. Das Erdreich sackte langsam nach, schließlich auch der Boden des Turmes, und der ganze Turm richtete sich zunehmend nach Norden auf. Die Gesamtneigung des Turmes wurde von 5,5 Grad vor dem Beginn der Sanierungsarbeiten (um 1990) auf etwa vier Grad verringert. Damit ist der Turm voraussichtlich für die nächsten 300 Jahre gesichert. Nach dem Abschluss der Sanierungsmaßnahmen wurde der Turm am 15. Dezember 2001 wieder zur Besichtigung freigegeben.

 

Zur Sicherung während dieser Arbeiten wurde der Turm 1998 mit zwei starken Stahlseilen von 103 Metern Länge so befestigt, dass er nicht durch unerwartete Bewegungen einstürzen konnte.

 

Bei Bauarbeiten zur Sicherung des Gebäudes ist eine alte Römerstraße entdeckt worden, die noch in alten Plänen verzeichnet war, außerdem ein mittelalterliches Grab samt vollständigem Skelett.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Der Dom Santa Maria Assunta (italienisch Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale di Santa Maria Assunta) ist eine Kirche in Pisa, zu der der weltweit berühmte Schiefe Turm von Pisa gehört. Sie ist die Kathedrale des Erzbistums Pisa.

 

Der Dom steht auf dem weitläufigen Rasenplatz der Piazza del Duomo, auf dem sich auch die drei dazugehörenden Bauwerke Baptisterium, Camposanto Monumentale und der Campanile („Der Schiefe Turm von Pisa“) befinden. Dieser Platz wurde vom Dichter D’Annunzio als Piazza dei Miracoli (Platz der Wunder) bezeichnet und wird noch heute so genannt. Trotz einer Bauzeit von über 200 Jahren wurde durch den gleichbleibenden Baustoff Carrara-Marmor und die einheitliche Fassadengestaltung ein zusammenhängendes Bild geschaffen. Der Dom wurde zum Vorbild für spätere Dombauten wie z. B. in Florenz und Siena und galt jahrhundertelang als monumentalster Bau der christlichen Geschichte.

 

Papst Gelasius II. weihte 1118 den damals noch unvollendeten Dom ein. Er trägt das Patrozinium der Himmelfahrt Mariens.

 

Baugeschichte

 

Buscheto di Giovanni Giudice begann mit dem Bau des Doms im Jahre 1063 auf dem Schwemmboden vor der alten Stadtmauer. Finanziert wurde das Bauwerk mit den im gleichen Jahr von den Sarazenen vor Palermo eroberten Schätzen. Durch den weichen Untergrund sank auch der Dom im Osten leicht ein. Die kreuzförmige Grundfläche des Doms war zu diesem Zeitpunkt in Italien neu. Über der Vierung der fünfschiffigen Basilika mit dem dreischiffigen Querhaus erhebt sich eine elliptische Kuppel mit einem oktogonalen Ansatz. Sie wurde erst 1380 durch Lupo di Gante und Puccio di Gadduccio im gotischen Stil nachträglich hinzugefügt.

 

Die Fassade wurde am Ende des 12. Jahrhunderts von Rainaldo geschaffen und wurde als Pisaner Romanik in der gesamten Toskana zum Vorbild. Bei der westlichen Fassade erheben sich über den sieben Blendarkadenbögen im Erdgeschoss mit seinen drei Portalen vier Galerien mit insgesamt 52 Säulen. Auf dem Giebel der 35,5 m breiten und 34,2 m hohen Fassade steht eine Madonna mit Kind von Andrea Pisano. An ihrer Seite stehen Engel, die zusammen mit den beiden Evangelisten auf der ersten Galerie durch Schüler von Giovanni Pisano entstanden. Das mittlere Portal ist dem Leben Marias gewidmet. Im linken Bogen der Fassade ist das Grab des ersten Dombaumeisters Buscheto mit einer antiken Sarkophagspolie und einer langen Huldigung in die Wand eingefasst.

 

Die drei Bronzetore aus dem 17. Jahrhundert ersetzen die von Bonanno Pisano geschaffenen Tore von 1180, die bei einem schweren Feuer 1595 zerstört wurden. Die neuen Türen mit umfangreichen Reliefszenen wurden bis 1602 durch Schüler Giambolognas, Francavilla, Mocchi und Tacca, in loser Anlehnung an das alte Vorbild gegossen. Die Porta di San Ranieri am südlichen Seitenschiff ist dem Campanile zugewandt. Hier ist das restaurierte Original des Meisters Bonanno Pisano von 1186 noch erhalten. Es ist nach dem Schutzpatron Pisas benannt und stellt u. a. Szenen aus dem Leben Christi dar.

 

Am gesamten Gebäude findet man vielfach zusammenhanglose Zeichen auf den Außenwänden. Der Grund dafür liegt darin, dass man antike Baumaterialien wiederverwendete oder Materialien aus eroberten Städten holte.

 

Datierungsprobleme

 

Im Hinblick auf die Datierung des Baus und die historische Herleitung ihrer einzelnen Bauformen gibt es in der Forschung seit langem unterschiedliche Ansichten. Eine verbreitete Theorie nennt konkrete Zahlen und die Namen verschiedener Baumeister. Andere Kunsthistoriker halten diese Geschichten für bereits im Mittelalter erfundene Legenden.

 

Nach der ersten Theorie war der Seesieg bei Palermo über die damals im Mittelmeer herrschenden Sarazenen im Jahr 1063 Anlass zum Bau der Gesamtanlage. In Venedig spielten diese sarazenischen Seeräuber ebenfalls eine Rolle. Auch dort war die Abwendung dieser Gefahr Anlass gewesen, den Markusdom neu zu bauen, und zwar im selben Jahr 1063, in dem die Anlage in Pisa möglicherweise begonnen wurde. Auch die Pisaner hatten durch diesen Seesieg reiche Beute gemacht und den Ertrag zur Glorifizierung ihrer Stadt genutzt; Pisa war im 11. Jahrhundert die mächtigste Stadt der Toskana.

 

Nach der zweiten Ansicht ist lediglich erwiesen, dass im Jahr 1118 die Kathedrale im Bau befindlich war. Das sei das einzige zuverlässige Datum. Man habe damals die eher zufällige Anwesenheit des Papstes Gelasius II. genutzt, um eine angemessene Weihe zu vollziehen. Der Bau musste für diesen Fall schon weit genug fortgeschritten gewesen sein, so dass sich die angesetzten Entstehungszeiten der beiden Theorien nicht wesentlich unterscheiden.

 

Die Kathedrale gehört zusammen mit dem Markusdom in Venedig zu den ersten Monumentalbauten des mittelalterlichen Italiens. Daher stellt sich die Frage, auf wen die entscheidenden Bauideen zurückgehen. Die Stadt Pisa popularisierte schon sehr früh eine eigene lokalpatriotische Version, die dem Baumeister die gesamte Anlage als geniale, völlig eigenständige Idee zuschrieb, ohne dass fremde Einflüsse eine Rolle spielten. Demzufolge soll der erste Baumeister der Kathedrale Buscheto gewesen sein, über den nur sehr wenig bekannt ist. Vasari berichtet in seinen Vite, "Busketos" sei griechischer Herkunft gewesen – also kein geborener Pisaner. Dies wird mancherorts bestritten und vor allem lokal dadurch unterstrichen, dass man ihn „Buscheto Pisano“ nennt. Belegt ist seine Eigenschaft als Prokurator der Pfarre und als Mitglied der Dombauhütte.

 

Keine Einigkeit besteht in der Forschung, wer die Idee zu der Kathedrale hatte und was seine stilistischen Vorbilder waren. Pisa hatte – wie Venedig – als Seemacht intensive Handelsbeziehungen im östlichen Mittelmeer. Deshalb liegt es nahe, dass die östliche Baukunst hier Einfluss ausüben konnte. Auf jeden Fall war der Baumeister mit dem byzantinischen Kulturraum vertraut. Seine Baukunst nimmt Anleihen auf bei persischen Moscheen und bei frühchristlichen Kirchen in Armenien und Georgien. Zudem vereint sie Elemente der italienischen Romanik mit Motiven aus der Stadtmauer von Kairouan. Inschriften im Dom belegen die Mitarbeit von Heiden: Türken, Afrikanern, Persern und Chaldäern.

 

Auch wenn sich die Bauzeit des Pisaner Doms lange hinzog, ist der Gesamteindruck einheitlich. Der ersten Theorie zufolge verlief die weitere Entwicklung folgendermaßen: Vor Fertigstellung des Doms habe der neue Baumeister Rainaldus um 1100 den ursprünglichen Grundriss geändert. Er ließ das Langhaus verlängern, den Obergaden erhöhen – die ursprüngliche Höhe ist noch am Querhaus erkennbar – und das untere Geschoss der Fassade errichten. Vollendet worden soll der Bau bis 1160 durch den Innsbrucker Meister Wilhelm gen. Guglielmus (auch Guilielmus)., der um diese Zeit auch die erste Kanzel für den Dom schuf.

 

Rechts über dem mittleren Portal der Westfassade sind zwei Inschriften in die Wand eingelassen, deren erste Rainaldo als Bauherrn rühmen. Als demütige Replik folgt ein Bibelzitat aus der Vulgata (Psalm 21, Vers 22):

 

Hoc opus eximium tam mirum tam pretiosum

Rainaldus prudens operator et ipse magister

constituit mire sollerter et ingeniose

De ore leonis libera me domine et

a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam

Dieses hervorragende Werk, ebenso wunderbar wie kostspielig,

errichtete Rainald, der kluge Erbauer und selbst [Bau]meister,

in wundervoller, kunstvoller und erfinderischer Weise.

Aus dem Rachen des Löwen befreie mich, o Herr,

und von den Hörnern der Einhörner meine Niedrigkeit.

 

Bedeutung der Fassade für die Datierung

 

Die Westfassade des Doms stellt für die abendländische Architekturgeschichte eine entscheidende Neuerung dar, den Übergang von der glatten Wand zur plastisch gestalteten Schaufläche. Daher ist auch die Frage ihrer genauen Datierung wichtig, denn ähnlich gestaltete Fassaden wurden auch andernorts gebaut, etwa in Lucca an der Kathedrale San Martino, dessen Baumeister Guidetto da Como, der auch in Pisa tätig war, auf der Fassade mit dem Datum 1204 verewigt wurde.

 

Die kritischere zweite Theorie akzeptiert lediglich, dass in der zweiten Hälfte des 12. Jahrhunderts im Westen des Hauptschiffes drei Joche angefügt und die heutige Fassade begonnen wurden. Namen werden in dieser Theorie nicht genannt. Demnach könnte die gesamte Fassade auch erst um 1200 fertig und möglicherweise von Anfang an in ihrer heutigen Form geplant gewesen sein. Andere Schätzungen nehmen sogar erst die Mitte des 13. Jahrhunderts an – also hundert Jahre nach dem Datierungszeitraum der ersten Theorie.

 

Trotzdem spricht viel dafür, dass man zwei verschiedene Phasen in der Entwicklung des Dekorationssystems unterscheiden kann. Die ursprüngliche Konzeption hätte demnach vorgesehen, die Außenmauern im Erdgeschoss durch folgende Elemente zu gliedern: erstens durch Blendbögen, sodann durch waagerechte Streifen aus farbigem Marmor – nach dem Vorbild des Baptisteriums in Florenz – und durch eingelegte Ornamente und Medaillons. Dieses Schema gilt für das ganze Kathedraläußere, an den Seitenwänden auch für die oberen Geschosse. Doch in den über dem Erdgeschoß liegenden Etagen der Westfassade übertraf man diesen Formenreichtum noch um ein Vielfaches. Statt flächiger Aufblendung ließ man in vier Galerien übereinander eine plastische Dekorationsschicht aus Säulen und verzierten Bögen vor der eigentlichen Kirchenmauer deutlich hervortreten.

 

Legenden

 

Im Hauptschiff hängt ein bronzener Leuchter von Vincenzo Possenti aus dem Jahre 1587, der Entwurf stammt aber von Giovanni Battista Lorenzi. Es gibt die Geschichte, dass an dem Leuchter Galileo Galilei die Gesetze der Pendelschwingung gefunden haben soll. Sollte es ein Leuchter in dieser Kirche gewesen sein, der ihn auf das Gesetz brachte, kann es allerdings nicht dieser Leuchter gewesen sein, da Galileo Galilei das Gesetz um 1584 veröffentlicht hat.

 

Zwischen dem nördlichen Seitenschiff und der westlichen Fassade findet man an der Außenwand des Doms an einem Pfeiler einen Stein mit vielen schwarzen Punkten. Von diesem Stein erzählt man sich, dass er vom Teufel sei. Zählt man zweimal hintereinander die Punkte nach, so kommt man jeweils auf ein anderes Ergebnis.

 

(Wikipedia)

Beautiful scenery which can be found in every direction of Argentina's Parque Nacional Los Glaciares.

 

Parque Nacional Los Glaciares is a national park in the Santa Cruz Province, Patagonia. It comprises an area of 4459 km². In 1981 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

 

We had hiked to the base of the highest summit Mount Fitzroy in the Fitz Roy Massif, getting extremely wet in the process. Less than 30 minutes later the sun and the clouds disappeared and I was able to get this shot. Anyone who has visited Patagonia know's just how well the weather can suddenly change from the coldest of rain to the hottest of sun.

 

Argentina

 

February 2009

Plitvice lakes, Croatia,

were declared as a national park in 1949. The area of Plitvice lakes is situated in a valley where are sixteen marvellus lakes with very intensive blue-green water. Lakes are fed by small brooks and spill into each other in many cascades and waterfalls.

The area is open for tourists. The footpath on a wooden trail leads through the park, around the lakes and below the cascades and waterfalls.

The Plitvice lakes were entered in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.

 

best view in Large

 

Palmeral de Elche, declared in 2000 by the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a palm grove that is a tourist attraction. It is made up of hundreds of thousands of palms cultivated with care since the Carthaginian era and irrigated by a network of brackish channels; Most plants exceed 20 meters in height and have a century of life.

-------------------------------------

Palmeral de Elche, dichiarato nel 2000 dall'UNESCO patrimonio dell'umanità, grandissimo palmeto che costituisce un'attrazione turistica. È formato da centinaia di migliaia di palme coltivate con cura fin dall'epoca cartaginese e irrigate da una rete di canali salmastri; la maggior parte delle piante supera i 20 metri d'altezza e ha un secolo di vita.

  

Hudde's stone

The horizontal line on that stone indicates the highth of the sea-dykes around the city in those days. The average high-water level of the (tidal) Zuyderzee by those dykes became the benchmark for the waterlevel in the city's canals - nine ft and five inches below that benchmark. Protection against floods and drainage of dirty canal-water were the main reasons for setting a benchmark for watercontrol. Mayor Hudde had designed a system of locks, watermills and measuring stones with which the Amsterdammers could keep their feet dry and did not become ill from the stench and pollution of the canals. Originally therte were 9 measuring stones, the one in the unicorn lock is the only one that survives. It is a very important stone, because the waterlevel it indicates became the benchmark for all the controlled waterlevels in the country and in most other European countries.Weathered and partly hidden behind a lock door of the Unicorn lock, there is a stone that, together with the entire lock, was declared a municipal historic monument in 2005. It was placed there in 1683, commisioned by mayor Joannes Hudde as a measuring benchmark for the waterlevels in the city.

 

This week, our independence is declared as the lads and I descend on Europe once again for another full scale Urbex War!

The itinerary is bold! Our gear and equipment at the ready. In a matter of days, whilst others sleep, we strike!

Thank you in advance to all of our good friends abroad that have helped us plot our course of action. Stay clear of the drama, and you will find true generousity out there.

 

In the meantime, I leave you with this shot.

Much thanks to B who put the work in to make this location happen! Only one thing would've made this day more epic, and you know what that is! "Excuse me miss, but might I..."

The nave of Parroquia de la Inmaculada Concepción at Av. Independencia 910.

 

Its history dates back to 1727, when the Bishop of Buenos Aires, Pedro de Fajardo, presided over a meeting of knights, including the governor of the Río de la Plata, Mauricio Bruno de Zavala, to secure a donation of land at the intersection of present-day Independencia and Tacuarí streets for the construction of a chapel.

 

The first baptisms were celebrated in 1737, and in 1749 it was named a vice-parish of the Cathedral, and declared a parish in 1769.

 

After several modifications, the building took on its current appearance in 1865.

 

In 1978, with the widening of Independencia Avenue, it lost its atrium.

Excerpt from www.amo.gov.hk:

 

Aberdeen Reservoir, comprising the Upper Reservoir 香港仔上水塘 (1931) and the Lower Reservoir 香港仔下水塘 (1932), was built to augment Pok Fu Lam Reservoir 薄扶林水塘 for solving the water shortage problem in the western part of Hong Kong Island. It became the last reservoir ever built on Hong Kong Island, after Pok Fu Lam 薄扶林水塘, Tai Tam 大潭水塘群 and Wong Nai Chung 黃泥涌水塘.

 

Declared Monuments:

 

LEFT: Dam and Valve House (1931) of the Aberdeen Upper Reservoir.

CENTRE: Bridge (1931) of the Aberdeen Upper Reservoir.

RIGHT: Dam (1932) of the Aberdeen Lower Reservoir.

Declared a national park in 1954, the Parque Nacional de las Cañadas del Teide includes an enormous volcanic crater 48 km in circumference, out of which rises Mount Teide at a staggering 3,718 metres, making it the highest mountain in the whole of Spain. The park itself lies at around 2000 metres above sea level and in winter snow falls, gale winds blow and the roads are sometimes closed off. During the summer months this arid landscape which gives the impression of having walked into a cowboy movie, can reach temperatures above 40C.

 

(Six photos stiched together - don't be a fool and go for the big version!)

Se trata del edificio más representativo de la ciudad. Su construcción comenzó en 1221 siguiendo los patrones góticos franceses y fue concluida en 1260. Tuvo importantísimas modificaciones en los siglos XV y XVI (agujas de la fachada principal, capilla del Condestable, cimborrio del crucero; estos elementos del gótico avanzado dotan al templo de su perfil inconfundible). Entre sus visitantes es muy popular por inusual el reloj del Papamoscas. Fue declarada en 1984 Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la UNESCO.

En 2011, la catedral recibió un total de unos 380 000 visitantes. En 1994 comenzaron las obras de restauración. En total, se llevan invertidos 30 millones de euros, lo que le convierte en el monumento europeo que más fondos ha recibido para su restauración y que más se ha prolongado en el tiempo, se espera que esté totalmente restaurado para el año 2021, en su 8.º centenario.

 

es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgos

es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catedral_de_Burgos

 

Construction on Burgos' Gothic Cathedral began in 1221 and spanned mainly from the 13th to 15th centuries. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The west front is flanked by towers terminating in octagonal spires covered with open stonework traceries. The middle section, which serves as an entrance, has three alabaster pilasters, the intercolumnar spaces bearing panel-pictures representing the martyrdom of saints. The façade possesses ornate and fantastic surface decoration.

The octagonal chapel of the Condestable, in florid, thus highly sculpted, Gothic design, has a roof finished with balustraded turrets, needle-pointed pinnacles and statues. In the lower portion, coats of arms, shields and crouching lions have been worked into the ensemble. The exterior of the sacristy is decorated with carved traceries, figures of angels and armoured knights. The elaborate tabernacle is composed of two octagonal sections in Corinthian style.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgos

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgos_Cathedral

 

Prince Albert National Park in central Saskatchewan, Canada and is located 200 kilometres north of Saskatoon. Though declared a national park March 24, 1927, it had its official opening ceremonies on August 10, 1928 performed by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. The park is open all year but the most visited period is from May to September.

On the sleek, eco-friendly Dublin Bus 123 zipping toward Marino, a rogue ice cream display has declared itself the star of the commute. Perched inexplicably near the driver’s cab, this glowing shrine of frozen treats taunts passengers with its frosty swirls of vanilla and chocolate. Every time the bus hums to a stop, the display’s neon sign flickers like it’s winking, whispering, “Forget your diet, Seamus, grab a cone!” Commuters, torn between their 9 a.m. meetings and the siren call of a 99 Flake, clutch their bus passes tighter, wondering if Marino’s got a secret ice cream paradise they’ve been sleeping on.

 

Meanwhile, the driver, a grizzled Dub with a heart of gold, is fed up with the display’s antics. “Bleedin’ thing’s brighter than me headlights,” he mutters, adjusting his cap as the electric bus glides silently through Drimnagh. Legend has it the ice cream case was meant for a corner shop but got loaded onto the 123 during a depot mix-up. Now it’s a mobile temptation, with kids pressing their noses against the glass and pensioners debating whether a sneaky cornetto counts as breakfast. The display, smug in its refrigerated glory, just hums along, knowing it’s the coolest thing on four wheels.

 

By the time the 123 hits Marino, the ice cream display has sparked a full-blown bus rebellion. A teenager in a tracksuit declares he’s skipping school to “liberate the Magnums,” while an office worker drafts a petition for Dublin Bus to make ice cream stops official. The electric bus, ever the silent accomplice, charges on, its zero-emission engine purring as if in on the joke. As passengers disembark, they cast longing glances at the untouched display, wondering if tomorrow’s commute might finally bring a lick of that forbidden frost. Spoiler: it won’t, but the 123’s ice cream dream will live on in Dublin lore.

 

EW54

Summerhill Garage

Route 123

  

One of the spots of look for puffins was near Elliston, a small town on the Bona Vista peninsula in Newfoundland.

 

Elliston declared itself the "Root Cellar Capital of the World" in July 2000.

A root cellar is a structure that was built in the days before electricity in order to keep vegetables from freezing in the winter months and to keep its contents cool during the warm summer months.

There are about 130 of these structures left in the Elliston area.

A little bit like hobbit homes.

Pendrechtse molen

 

History of the Pendrechtse Mill

 

Probably the polder Nieuw-Pendrecht was inaugurated in 1580 and a mill was also built directly at the polishing. From archives it appears that this has been a wiping mill. This wooden mill has kept the polder dry for 150 years. In 1731 this was replaced by the current, round, stone upper crucible.

In 1842 the mill's millroom was converted into a house. Next to the mill was a secret and a barn with oven built. In 1904 the house was declared uninhabitable in the mill.

In 1859 the wooden upper axle was replaced by a cast iron version. In 1875 the wood shovel was replaced by an iron. Then in 1876 and 1886 the wooden rows were replaced by iron copies. This is done because wood roots go on average a year or ten, one above the top, and shovel a year or thirty and it became increasingly difficult to get quality wood. Ultimately, the iron-clipped rows were replaced by steel-welded rows only after the displacement in 1993 and the upper axle is still in use.

If the agrarian company sets ever higher demands on the water level, the dependence on the wind will be an ever bigger problem. To solve this, a motor was placed in the mill in 1924, which drives a pump outside the mill. The miller had been instructed to use the engine only if it could not otherwise.

It turns out that the polder board is not satisfied with this engine, as it was decided in 1933 to put Dekker streamline system on the wicker cross.

At the end of 1957 the mill was left out of use because the water level in the Koedood was reduced to polder level: the mill loses its drain to the river. At that time, the Pendrechtse Mill has long been the only remaining windmill of the island of IJsselmonde, where there once stood fifty. After this the mill is sold to the Charloisse dentist Jungerius. He knocks out the mill on the outside and replaces the Dekkerwieken through a so-called old Dutch witch cross. The inside of the mill is emptied and converted into a second dwelling.

In 1973, the municipality of Rotterdam buys the mill: the mill is restored to the next 5 years. There is a new hood and going on work with a wooden shipwreck. A volunteer miller regularly operates the mill.

At the beginning of the nineties, the mill was severely affected: around the mill began to set up a business park. The planners think of the mill to take into account, but it is very insufficient. A windmill needs undisturbed wind to turn well and for this purpose 100m unbuilt area is not enough.

The search is for a new place with enough wind and sufficient water. This is found in 1993 slightly less than three kilometers to the east in the southern Randpark in Barendrecht. IJsselmonde Nature and Recreation Company buys the mill for the symbolic amount of one guilder. This guarantees that the mill will be opened to the public. In addition, the function of the mill continues to be maintained, as it is now possible to grind the water in the Southern Rand Park. In 1994, the mill is restored, returning the original colors and also the deck system. Since then, the mill has been turning three times a week and the wicker cross makes more than half a million revolutions each year.

Listen Gustav Mahler - Adagietto Sinfonia º 5

 

The first inhabitants in the region were Iberians; Girona is the ancient Gerunda, a city of the Ausetani. Later, the Romans built a citadel there, which was given the name of Gerunda. The Visigoths ruled in Girona until it was conquered by the Moors. Finally, Charlemagne reconquered it in 785 and made it one of the fourteen original countships of Catalonia. Thus it was wrested temporarily from the Moors, who were driven out finally in 1015. Guifré I incorporated Girona to the countship of Barcelona in 878. Alfonso I of Aragón declared Girona to be a city in the 11th century. The ancient countship later became a duchy (1351) when king Pere III d' Aragó gave the title of Duke to his first-born son, Joan. In 1414, King Ferran I in turn gave the title of Prince of Girona to his first-born son, Alfons. The title is currently carried by Prince Felipe, Prince of Asturias, the first Borbón to do so.The 12th century saw a flourishing of the Jewish community of Girona, with one of the most important Kabbalistic schools in Europe. The Rabbi of Girona, Moshe ben Nahman Gerondi (better known as Nahmanides or the Ramban) was appointed Great Rabbi of Catalonia. The history of the Jewish community of Girona ended in 1492, when the Catholic Kings expelled all the Jews from Spain. Today, the Jewish ghetto or Call is one of the best preserved in Europe and is a major tourist attraction. On the north side of the old city is the Montjuïc (or hill of the Jews in medieval Catalan), where an important religious cemetery was located.

Girona has undergone twenty-five sieges and been captured seven times. It was besieged by the French royal armies under Marshal Hocquisicourt in 1653, under Marshal Bellefonds in 1684, and twice in 1694 under de Noailles. In May, 1809, it was besieged by 35,000 French Napoleonic troops under Vergier, Augereau and St. Cyr, and held out obstinately under the leadership of Alvarez until disease and famine compelled it to capitulate, 12 December. Finally, the French conquered the city in 1809, after 7 months of siege. The defensive city walls were demolished at the end of the 19th century to allow for the expansion of the city. In recent years, the missing parts of the city walls on the eastern side of the city have been reconstructed. Called the Passeig de la Muralla it now forms a tourist route around the old city.

 

In Wordpress In Blogger photo.net/photos/Reinante/ In Onexposure

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 6:35

I Sassi, declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1993, are the historic center of the city of Matera , with their particular twist of caved used as houses, alley, stone churches, terraces, gardens, tunnel, are a great example of an architectural complex perfectly matching with the natural environment.

I Sassi are divided into two districts, the Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso. The Sasso Barisano, the biggest, is characterized by the presence of shops, restaurants and hotels while the Caveoso is the oldest neighborhood that best preserves the appearance of the cave city.

To appreciate in full their uniqueness let visit I Sassi on foot, lost in the alleys, stairs and panoramic squares from which to enjoy the beautiful landscape.

Excerpt from www.discoverhongkong.com/ca/explore/unmissable-adventures...:

 

Hip Tin Temple at Shan Tsui

 

Originally a temple dedicated to Kwan Tai, this temple in Shan Tsui Village was rebuilt and renamed to Hip Tin Temple during the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty in 1894-1895. The reconstruction was funded by the village alliance, which also operated a bazaar known as the Tung Wo Market in the present-day Hengtou Street in Sha Tau Kok. Hip Tin Temple witnessed the economic development of the Sha Tau Kok area in the late 19th century, and is one of the few surviving temples associated with the Tung Wo Market. In the early 20th century, the temple served as a village school for the children of Shan Tsui. In 1959, it became the school office and classrooms of the then newly established Shan Tsui Public School. No longer used for teaching these days, it was declared a monument in 2021.

St John's Church was closed in 2010 and declared redundant. After renovation, the building was reopened in 2016 as a community centre and events venue, and is also used by the nearby St John primary school. A registered charity operates the building under the name St John's Place.

 

The church opened in 1861 and was designed by T.H. Wyatt in 13th century style, using local limestone and greensand stones. It was to serve as the parish church as St Andrew's, 250 metres away, was too small. Finance came from Robert Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke and from American admirers of George Herbert.

 

There is one large bell cast by Mears in 1860. The stained glass is from various 19th-century dates, including an early window by Kempe, 1878. Pevsner writes that the interior has "a multitude of well carved naturalistic foliage capitals". Restoration in 1896 by C.E. Ponting included the installation of a fine oak reredos. The building was recorded as Grade II* listed in 1952

Excerpt from www.amo.gov.hk:

 

Being one of the five surviving pre-war lighthouses in Hong Kong, Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse was declared a monument on 3 March 2006.

 

Situated at the southeast of Hong Kong Island, Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse, the first of its kind built in Hong Kong, was put into service on 16 April 1875. The existing structure is a round stone tower, 9.7 metres high and white in colour. The tower base, the arched doorway and the circular staircase are of fine masonry. The door is made of iron with geometric decoration on top.

 

As a result of the operation of Waglan Island Lighthouse in 1893, Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse became superfluous, and was discontinued in 1896. The disused first-order light was removed from Cape D'Aguilar and, together with the light apparatus, was subsequently transferred to Green Island in 1905 to replace the fourth-order light. It was not until 1975 that the lantern of Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse was re-lit and automated.

 

Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse once played an important role in the maritime history of Hong Kong. It is now under the management of Marine Department.

 

Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_Kwun:

 

Tai Kwun, or the Former Central Police Station Compound (CPS Compound) includes three declared monuments in Central, Hong Kong: the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Surrounded by Hollywood Road, Arbuthnot Road, Chancery Lane, and Old Bailey Street, the compound underwent a heritage revitalisation and reopened to the public on 29 May 2018[1] as Tai Kwun (Chinese: 大館), a centre for heritage and arts.

 

The Former Central Police Station Compound (FCPSC), built between 1841 and 1925, comprises 16 historic buildings grouped under the former Central Police Station, the Former Central Magistracy, and the Victoria Prison. Most of the city's historic colonial architecture had been bulldozed for development before the British government handed it back to China in 1997.

 

The first building in the FCPSC is the Magistrate's House, with jail blocks, which were built in 1841. In 1899, the former Central Prison was renamed to Victoria Prison (or Victoria Gaol). The site underwent numerous expansions and reconstruction over the next century. In 1862, the number of prisoners increased to 650, and the government decided to develop the land nearby. The series of compounds hence formed Tai Kwun. Victoria Prison was decommissioned in 2006.

 

In 2008, the government of Hong Kong partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to conserve and revitalise the complex, which turned into one of the most significant and expensive revitalisation projects in the territory, costing HK$1.8 billion; work began in 2011.

 

The conversion was completed in phases. Work faced a setback when a wall and roof collapsed in 2016. The Buildings Department prosecuted a subcontractor it deemed responsible for the accident, which was reportedly triggered by the failure of a brick pier that had been structurally undermined. Tai Kwun partially reopened to the public in May 2018.

 

A Former Central Police Station (CPS) Revitalisation Project was established to conserve and revitalise the heritage site for reuse. The project was operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and took eight years and HK$3.8 billion or about US$480M in 2018.

 

Tai Kwun, named after the historical colloquial name of the compound, is a mix of heritage and contemporary architecture. 16 heritage buildings have been restored for reuse. An additional two new buildings have been constructed, featuring designs inspired by the site's historic brickwork.

 

As early as the 1880s, the name Tai Kwun has been recorded in news articles in reference to the Former Central Police Station.

 

In 2018, Time listed Tai Kwun in its "World's Greatest Places 2018" list.

 

In 2019, Tai Kwun was awarded

.