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This was taken a few years ago but it will be happening within about 1 1/2 days (1/4 & 5/2025). Big Ice storm and deep snow supposed to be on its way to Kansas.
This is where I live. Not this particular tower but another one close to the promenade. No feng shui holes here but who needs feng shui holes when you the air is free of pollution and birds are singing outside?
When this place was first built, there was absolutely nothing around the complex, and it truly felt like a paradise. But alas the space in Hong Kong is tight but very soon the development is surrounded by other buildings, including some public housing development which is seen also at the top of the capture.
# SML Data
+ Date: 2013-05-09T13:56:12+0800
+ Dimensions: 5384 x 3589
+ Exposure: 1/500 sec at f/10
+ Focal Length: 17 mm
+ ISO: 100
+ Flash: Did not fire
+ Camera: Canon EOS 6D
+ Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
+ GPS: 22°25'18" N 114°13'30" E
+ Location: 香港馬鞍山恆明街2號聽濤雅苑 Vista Paradiso, 2 Hang Ming Street, Ma On Shan, Hong Kong
+ Workflow: Lightroom 4
+ Serial: SML.20130509.6D.05679
+ Series: 建築 Architecture, 形 Forms
# Media Licensing
Creative Commons (CCBY) See-ming Lee 李思明 / SML Photography / SML Universe Limited
“聽濤望藍天 Vista Paradiso against the blue sky” / 香港住宅建築之形 Hong Kong Residential Architecture Forms / SML.20130509.6D.05679
/ #建築 #建筑 #Architecture #形 #Forms #SMLForms #CreativeCommons #CCBY #SMLPhotography #SMLUniverse #SMLProjects
/ #中國 #中国 #China #香港 #HongKong #攝影 #摄影 #photography #城市 #Urban #馬鞍山 #MaOnShan #聽濤雅苑 #VistaParadiso #住宅 #residential
On the 1st December 2013, a large tree in Bancroft Gardens in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon, was yarn bombed, forming The Remembering Tree. The Remembering Tree is a place to come together and reflect and celebrate those you love or have loved and lost. The tree is visible from many aspects of the town and will act as a colourful focal point over the festive period, giving people space and time to celebrate life in all its colours. It will in place for the duration of Christmas and into the New Year.
The "yarn bombing" was carried out by a charity called GAGA, who aim to generate growth for African children and communities devastated by HIV-AIDS and poverty, through the goodwill of people in the UK and elsewhere. You can visit the GAGA web site here:
www.gaga-uk.org/support-us/the-remembering-tree
My website www.tonysphotos.eu
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formato A5, schizzo a penna, acquerello e ink brushes, su carta pura cellulosa liscia. da fotografia
The High Level Bridge is a road and railway bridge spanning the River Tyne between Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead in North East England. It is considered the most notable historical engineering work in the city. It was built by the Hawks family from 5,050 tons of iron. George Hawks, Mayor of Gateshead, drove in the last key of the structure on 7 June 1849, and the bridge was officially opened by Queen Victoria later that year.
It was designed by Robert Stephenson to form a rail link towards Scotland for the developing English railway network; a carriageway for road vehicles and pedestrians was incorporated to generate additional revenue. The main structural elements are tied cast-iron arches.
Notwithstanding the considerable increase in the weight of railway vehicles since it was designed, it continues to carry rail traffic, although the King Edward bridge nearby was opened in 1906 to ease congestion. The roadway is also still in use, although with a weight restriction. It is a Grade I listed structure.
In 1835, the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway (N&CR) Act authorised the line to approach Newcastle to a terminus at Redheugh, on the south bank of the River Tyne, close to the end of the present-day New Redheugh Bridge. The Act also authorised a crossing of the Tyne there, giving rail access to the north shore quays. The river was shallow at this point, and the bridge would have been at a low level, only 20 ft (6.1 m) above high water. The line would then have climbed to a terminus at the Spital, near Neville Street and the east end of the present-day Newcastle Central station. The climb was to be at a gradient of 1 in 22 and would have been operated by a stationary steam engine with rope haulage.
Hitherto railways in the region had had a local focus, but now the Great North of England Railway (GNER) obtained authorising Acts to build from Newcastle to York, forming part of a continuous trunk railway network to connect to London; the project was controlled by George Hudson, the so-called Railway King. At first the GNER was content to get access to the N&CR Newcastle terminus, by connecting with the N&CR at Redheugh and running over its line across the Tyne and up to the Spital. This had the advantage of avoiding a separate, and expensive, crossing of the river, but would have meant a steep descent to Redheugh as the GNER line approached on high ground from the Team Valley, only to climb once again to the Spital. Moreover, William Brandling had made known his intention to reach Newcastle from his line by running at a high level through Gateshead. On 25 April 1837, the N&CR decided to build to their south side, low-level terminus at Redheugh, but to leave the issue of the Tyne crossing open.
Richard Grainger was a developer in Newcastle, and had acquired lands at Elswick (on the north bank of the Tyne west of the proposed Redheugh crossing). In 1836, he published a pamphlet recommending a crossing of the Tyne there, and the formation of spacious railway terminal accommodation there. Drawing attention to the limited scope for extending eastwards from the Spital, and "in the event of an Edinburgh Railway also terminating in this situation, the interchange of passengers, goods, and cattle would be greatly increased".
Grainger's plan was not adopted, and the Brandling Junction Railway reached Gateshead in 1839. The GNER ran out of money and it was superseded in Hudson's railway empire by the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway, which opened its line using the Brandling Junction Railway from the south east instead of through the Team Valley. The Brandling Junction line had a terminus in Gateshead at Greenesfield at a high level, and the N&CR line was built climbing on an inclined plane at a gradient of 1 in 23 from Redheugh to reach that. The Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway opened its line from the south to Pelaw, allowing its trains to reach Gateshead over the Brandling Junction line, in 1844. The tables had been turned, and indeed for a while Greenesfield was the de facto main station for the conurbation of Newcastle and Gateshead.
John and Benjamin Green were a father and son architectural practice active in Newcastle. In 1841 Benjamin Green had proposed a high level bridge for road traffic, substantially on the alignment of the actual High Level Bridge; and sensing the commercial climate he explained how it could be adapted for railway use. He failed to get any financial support, but in 1843 George Hudson was looking for ways to extend his railway network northwards, and the Greens' scheme fitted with his takeover of the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway; the line got its authorising Act on 22 May 1844, and the Act included the road bridge.
The Newcastle and North Shields Railway had opened in 1839 from its own terminus at Carliol Square, on the north-east edge of Newcastle. As a purely local concern, the disconnection was not important, but interest gathered in a railway to central Scotland; the "Edinburgh Railway" foreseen by Grainger. A Scottish concern, the North British Railway, had got its Act of Parliament the previous year to build as far south as Berwick (later known as Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Now Hudson was intent on capturing the line to Edinburgh for his empire, and he encouraged the development of railway plans to get there; the route such a line might take continued to generate considerable controversy. There was still ambiguity about Hudson's intentions for the bridge—an easier crossing point at Bill Quay, two miles downstream had been considered—and Newcastle Town Council sought undertakings from him. In addition, he promised a footway crossing; this was apparently not a sweetener to the Town Council, but a commercial decision, expected to bring in £250 a week. The footway crossing was later extended to include horse-drawn vehicles.
Finally, the Newcastle and Berwick Railway was authorised by Act of Parliament of 31 July 1845. The line would cross the Greens' high level bridge, starting from the Gateshead Greenesfield station, and commitments made to the building of a bridge by the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway were transferred to the Newcastle and Berwick Railway.
The bridge was to be designed by Robert Stephenson; T E Harrison did the detailed design work.
The height of the railway, at about 120 ft (37 m) above high water, was determined by the level of the Brandling Junction line in Gateshead. A double-deck configuration was selected because of road levels on the approaches, and to avoid the excess width of foundations which a side-by-side arrangement would require. The deck width was determined by the useful roadway width plus the width of structural members, which gave the railway deck the width for three tracks.
The foundations were to be difficult because of the poor ground conditions in the river, and this ruled out an all-masonry structure, so cast iron or wrought iron was inevitable for the superstructure. A tied arch (or bow-string) design was favoured because the outward thrust imposed by an arch is contained by the tie; no abutments capable of resisting the thrust could be provided here.
Stephenson had used this configuration before; he recorded that, "The earliest railway bridge on the bowstring principle is that over the Regent's Canal, near Chalk Farm, on the London and Birmingham Railway".
The arch would consist of iron ribs. Fawcett says, "The reasons for not using wrought iron was due to some engineers' distrust of rivetting, the relatively small size of wrought iron plates then available, and the higher cost… On 1 October 1845 when the Newcastle and Berwick Board instructed T E Harrison for their bridges, none of the uses of wrought iron had been developed far enough to be considered as an alternative to cast iron for the High Level Bridge. A tubular bridge might have been considered by Robert Stephenson but the distance between solid and reasonably shallow foundations would have given a span much larger than the Britannia Bridge."
The depth of rock in the riverbed resulted in a height of 140 ft (43 m) from there to the superstructure. Three river piers were permitted by the Tyne Improvement Commissioners, and therefore four river spans of 125 ft (38 m) were decided on; there were additional subsidiary spans on the shore.
The cast iron arch ribs are 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m) deep at the crown, increasing to 3 ft 9 in (1.14 m) at the springing, with 12-inch (30 cm) flanges; the flanges and webs were three inches thick; in the case of the inner ribs, and two inches for the outer ribs. The rise was 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m), determined by the desired geometry to confine the horizontal thrust within bounds. Each arch was cast in five sections, bolted together.
Stephenson described the tie bars:
The ties consist of flat wrought-iron bars, 7 inches by 1 inch of best scrap iron, with eyes of 3½ inches diameter, bored out of the solid, and pins turned and fitted closely. Each external rib is tied by four of these bars, and each internal rib by eight. The sectional area of each external tie is 28 [square] inches, and of each internal tie 56 [square] inches, giving a total area of 168 square inches. These bars were all tested to 9 tons on the square inch.
The rail deck is supported above the arches by twelve 14-inch (360 mm) square columns at 9 feet 11 inches (3.02 m) centres. Suspension rods supported the road deck, and both decks had two layers of diagonally laid three-inch deck timbers on suitable wrought iron cross girders (and rail-bearers in the case of the rail deck).
The main contractors for the ironwork were Hawks, Crawshay, and Sons, who were assisted by John Abbot and Co., of Gateshead Park Works, and Losh Wilson and Bell, of Walker Ironworks, in the production of the castings. The tender was accepted at £112,000. The contract for the bridge piers and land arches and for the Newcastle Viaduct were won by John Rush and Benjamin Lawton of York for £94,000 and £82,500 respectively. The total cost of the contracts at 1999 prices would be over £30 million.
The first masonry was laid on 12 January 1847. A temporary timber viaduct on the east side was ready on 20 August 1848.
Timber coffer dams were constructed; they were 76 ft 6 in (23.32 m) by 29 ft (8.8 m) with two skins, the space between being filled with puddle clay. James Nasmyth had a novel design of steam pile driver; it had first been used in Devonport Docks in 1845; it could deliver 60 to 70 blows a minute; the cycle time with the hand-operated pile drivers formerly in use was four minutes. The drop weight was 1½ tons and its stroke was 2 ft 9 in (0.84 m); one was purchased from Nasmyth.
The ground gave considerable trouble during construction; Stephenson recorded:
Many difficulties occurred in driving the piles which considerably retarded the progress of the work, and, among others, the peculiar effect of ebb and flow during this operation is worthy of note. At flood-tide, the sand became so hard as almost totally to resist the utmost efforts of driving, while at ebb the sand was quite loose, and allowed of doing so with facility. It was therefore found necessary to abandon the driving on many occasions during high water. The difference between high and low water is 11 feet 6 inches. Another difficulty arose from the quicksands beneath the foundations. Although the piles were driven to the rock bottom, the water forced its way up, baffling the attempts to fill in between them; this, however, was remedied by using a concrete made of broken stone and Roman cement, which was continually thrown in until the bottom was found to be secure.
The arch ribs were erected in section by travelling crane; each arch was temporarily erected at the contractor’s works. The first was placed on 10 July 1848, and the erection of the ironwork was quick.
Already on 29 August 1848, it was possible to pass a special train over the first arch, and over a temporary structure for the rest of the crossing:
The High Level Bridge Over the Tyne: This important junction between the York and Newcastle and the Newcastle and Berwick Railway has been completed, and the event was celebrated on Tuesday last. In the afternoon of that day, a train of [specially invited] passengers passed along the temporary timber viaduct from the station at Gateshead to the station at Newcastle. Mr Hudson and several other Directors of the York, Newcastle, and Berwick line, who had been visiting Sunderland ... proceeded in a special train from that town to Gateshead... Several carriages were then added to the special train, and an open truck placed at each end, in which bands of music were stationed. The shrill sound of the whistle gave the signal for a royal salute, under the booming of which the train passed along the line, the band playing, and the thousands assembled to witness the event, rending the air with joyous acclamation Upon reaching the bridge, the bands struck up the well-known local air of "The Keel Row" which they continued till the train had reached the solid ground on the northern side of the river... The train proceeded to the Newcastle and Berwick station, where the company alighted and walked in procession to the Queen’s Head Inn, where a magnificent entertainment had been provided for the Directors and their friends, by the Mayor of Newcastle.
[From the south abutment of the High Level Bridge] and the river pier on the south side, the cast iron arch and road-way are nearly completed, and the second arch will be in progress in the course of a few weeks. From the middle of the first arch, the line curves to a temporary timber viaduct erected along the west side of the intended bridge. The height of this viaduct is one hundred and twenty feet to the level of the rails; it is built upon piles, which are driven between thirty and forty feet into the bed of the river. Its stability was sufficiently tested on Monday, when Captain Leffan (sic), the Government Inspector of Railways, examined it preparatory to the opening. On that day, two powerful engines weighing upwards of seventy tons, traversed it at different degrees of speed for between two and three hours; the weight would be about one ton to a foot, being four or five times greater than the temporary structure will ever be required to bear, and the result was, in the highest degree, satisfactory.
Among the company in the train were four ladies, who are deserving of honourable mention, from the courage they displayed in accompanying it, namely, Mrs Nichs. Wood, and Miss F. Wood, Mrs I. L. Bell, and her sister, Miss Pattinson of Washington. As the train passed steadily over the bridge the anxiety of the immense multitude seemed intense, and the scene was truly exciting, yet fearful—not only from the lofty eminence occupied by the train but, from the apparent narrowness and nakedness of the platform on which it rolled along. It seemed from its noiselessness, rather an aerial flight, than the rattling sweep of the iron horse.
Ordinary traffic appears to have used the temporary single line structure after this date.
The eastern track was ready for an inspection by Captain Laffan, Inspecting Office for the Board of Trade, when he visited on 11 August 1849; a load test with four tender locomotives and eighteen wagons loaded with ballast, a total weight of 200 tons. Laffan approved the bridge:
I believe all the works of the bridge are completed, and that I believe it to be perfectly secure and safe. The Company have as yet only laid one line of rails over this structure, and I beg to recommend that permission be given to open that one line.
The first passenger train crossed the completed structure on the morning of 15 August 1849.
Queen Victoria formally inaugurated the bridge on passing through by train on 28 September 1849.
The Queen at Newcastle: Her Majesty yesterday honoured this ancient borough with her presence. The event was one of universal and all-engrossing interest... The morning, unfortunately, was dull and the weather unsettled, giving forebodings of a wet and uncomfortable day... Notwithstanding, however, the unfavourable weather dense crowds assembled at every spot in this locality, where a view of the royal carriage could be obtained, and many remained for hours exposed to the weather in order that they might retain the places which at an earlier period of the morning they had secured. The bridge was densely lined with people, and the platform was well covered, though not inconveniently crowded. A profusion of banners were displayed on this elegant and substantial structure, and from nearly all the public and many of the private buildings both in Newcastle and Gateshead. The vessels in the river hoisted their flags mast-high on the occasion, and the church bells of the two towns rung many a merry peal in honour of the royal visit... Pursuant to a request issued by the Mayor, most of the shops were closed about 11 o’clock, and the manufacturers were desired by our worthy chief magistrate "not to produce smoke between that hour and one," with which we believe, they generally complied... At precisely twenty minutes past twelve, the royal carriage appeared in sight, and when it reached the Spital, a splendid locomotive, built by the celebrated house of Stephenson and Co., gaily decorated and bearing on its front "God save the Queen" surmounted by a crown, and a suitable inscription encircling the boiler, was attached to the train. It then slowly proceeded to the centre of the colossal fabric, amidst bursts of loud and rapturous cheering from the assembled thousands, her Majesty repeatedly acknowledging these marked demonstrations of loyalty and affection from her faithful and attached subjects.
The Mayors of Newcastle and Gateshead presented a formal address. The queen travelled in the royal carriage belonging to the London and North Western Railway.
In other carriages were members of her Majesty’s suite and the directors of the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway. The engine drawing the royal train was under the direction of Mr T. E. Harrison, the resident engineer, and driven by Mr Thos. Carr... After staying altogether from five to ten minutes, the train was again put in motion, and amidst firing of artillery and rapturous plaudits from the dense throng, proceeded en route to Darlington.
The bridge and its immediate approaches had cost £243,000.
The road deck was re-opened only in a southbound (towards Gateshead) direction and carries only buses and taxis; the one-way operation is required because of width considerations after protection to the structural members was inserted. Pedestrians and cyclists use the bridge freely. Railway traffic continues in full use of the bridge, although the majority of mainline trains use the King Edward VII bridge for reasons of convenience.
File name: 07_11_001020
Title: Plant-Forms Ornamentally Treated - Dog-Tooth Violet
Creator/Contributor: Carter, Grace (artist); L. Prang & Co. (publisher)
Date issued:
Copyright date: 1874
Physical description note:
Genre: Chromolithographs; Still life prints; Illustrations
Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department
Rights: No known restrictions
Windsor (/ˈwɪnzər/) is a town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family.
The town is situated 23 miles (37 km) west of Charing Cross, London. It is immediately south of the River Thames, which forms its boundary with Eton. The village of Old Windsor, just over 2 miles (3 km) to the south, predates what is now called Windsor by around 300 years; in the past Windsor was formally referred to as New Windsor to distinguish the two.
The early history of the site is unknown, although it was almost certainly settled some years before 1070 when William the Conquerorhad a timber motte and bailey castle constructed.[2] The focus of royal interest at that time was not the castle, however, but a small riverside settlement about 3 miles (5 km) downstream, possibly established from the 7th century.
Windsor, or Windlesora as it was called in the 11th century, is first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. The name originates from old English Windles-ore, or 'winch by the riverside'. The settlement had used an earlier name, but this is unknown. From about the 8th century, high status people started to visit the site occasionally, and possibly this included royalty. From the 11th century the site's link with king Edward the Confessor is documented, but again, information about his use of the place is scant. After the Conquest of 1066 royal use of the site increased, probably because it offered good access to woodlands and opportunities for hunting – a sport which also practised military skills. By the late 12th century, and the relocation of the royal household to an enlarged castle in 1110, the site was renamed Old Windsor.
Windsor Castle is noted in the Domesday Bookunder the entry for Clewer, the neighbouring manor to Windsor. Although this might seem strange, it occurred because plans for the castle had changed since 1070, and more land had been acquired in Clewer on which to site a castle town. This plan was not actioned until the early 12th century. By 1110, meetings of the Great Council, which had previously taken place at Windlesora, were noted as taking place at the Castle – referred to as New Windsor, probably to indicate that it was a two ward castle/borough complex, similar to other early castle designs, such as Denbigh. Henry I – according to one chronicle – had rebuilt it, and this followed the Norman kings' actions at other royal sites, such as Westminster, where larger and more magnificent accommodation was thought necessary for the new dynasty. King Henry married his second wife at Windsor Castle in 1121, after the White Ship disaster. The settlement at Old Windsor largely transferred to New Windsor during the 12th century, although substantial planning and setting out of the new town (including the parish church, marketplace, bridge, hermitage and leper hospital) did not take place until c. 1170, under Henry II, following the civil war of Stephen's reign. At about the same time, the present upper ward of the castle was rebuilt in stone. Windsor Bridge is the earliest bridge on the Thames between Staines and Reading, built at a time when bridge building was rare; it was first documented in 1191, but had probably been built, according to the Pipe rolls, in 1173. It played an important part in the national road system, linking London with Reading and Winchester, but also, by diverting traffic into the new town, it underpinned the success of its fledgling economy.
The town of New Windsor, as an ancient demesne of the Crown, was a privileged settlement from the start, apparently having the rights of a 'free borough', for which other towns had to pay substantial fees to the king. It had a merchant guild (known by the 14th century as the Fraternity or brotherhood of the Holy Trinity) from the early 13th century and, under royal patronage, was made the chief town of the county in 1277, as part of its grant of royal borough status by Edward I's charter. Somewhat unusually, this charter gave no new rights or privileges to Windsor but probably codified the rights which it had enjoyed for many years. Windsor's position as chief town of Berkshire was short-lived, however, as people found it difficult to reach. Wallingford took over this position in the early 14th century. As a self-governing town Windsor enjoyed a number of freedoms unavailable to other towns, including the right to hold its own borough court, the right of membership (or 'freedom') and some financial independence. The town accounts of the 16th century survive in part, although most of the once substantial borough archive dating back to the 12th century was destroyed, probably in the late 17th century.
The early history of the site is unknown, although it was almost certainly settled some years before 1070 when William the Conquerorhad a timber motte and bailey castle constructed.[2] The focus of royal interest at that time was not the castle, however, but a small riverside settlement about 3 miles (5 km) downstream, possibly established from the 7th century.
Windsor, or Windlesora as it was called in the 11th century, is first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. The name originates from old English Windles-ore, or 'winch by the riverside'. The settlement had used an earlier name, but this is unknown. From about the 8th century, high status people started to visit the site occasionally, and possibly this included royalty. From the 11th century the site's link with king Edward the Confessor is documented, but again, information about his use of the place is scant. After the Conquest of 1066 royal use of the site increased, probably because it offered good access to woodlands and opportunities for hunting – a sport which also practised military skills. By the late 12th century, and the relocation of the royal household to an enlarged castle in 1110, the site was renamed Old Windsor.
Windsor Castle is noted in the Domesday Bookunder the entry for Clewer, the neighbouring manor to Windsor. Although this might seem strange, it occurred because plans for the castle had changed since 1070, and more land had been acquired in Clewer on which to site a castle town. This plan was not actioned until the early 12th century. By 1110, meetings of the Great Council, which had previously taken place at Windlesora, were noted as taking place at the Castle – referred to as New Windsor, probably to indicate that it was a two ward castle/borough complex, similar to other early castle designs, such as Denbigh. Henry I – according to one chronicle – had rebuilt it, and this followed the Norman kings' actions at other royal sites, such as Westminster, where larger and more magnificent accommodation was thought necessary for the new dynasty. King Henry married his second wife at Windsor Castle in 1121, after the White Ship disaster. The settlement at Old Windsor largely transferred to New Windsor during the 12th century, although substantial planning and setting out of the new town (including the parish church, marketplace, bridge, hermitage and leper hospital) did not take place until c. 1170, under Henry II, following the civil war of Stephen's reign. At about the same time, the present upper ward of the castle was rebuilt in stone. Windsor Bridge is the earliest bridge on the Thames between Staines and Reading, built at a time when bridge building was rare; it was first documented in 1191, but had probably been built, according to the Pipe rolls, in 1173. It played an important part in the national road system, linking London with Reading and Winchester, but also, by diverting traffic into the new town, it underpinned the success of its fledgling economy.
The town of New Windsor, as an ancient demesne of the Crown, was a privileged settlement from the start, apparently having the rights of a 'free borough', for which other towns had to pay substantial fees to the king. It had a merchant guild (known by the 14th century as the Fraternity or brotherhood of the Holy Trinity) from the early 13th century and, under royal patronage, was made the chief town of the county in 1277, as part of its grant of royal borough status by Edward I's charter. Somewhat unusually, this charter gave no new rights or privileges to Windsor but probably codified the rights which it had enjoyed for many years. Windsor's position as chief town of Berkshire was short-lived, however, as people found it difficult to reach. Wallingford took over this position in the early 14th century. As a self-governing town Windsor enjoyed a number of freedoms unavailable to other towns, including the right to hold its own borough court, the right of membership (or 'freedom') and some financial independence. The town accounts of the 16th century survive in part, although most of the once substantial borough archive dating back to the 12th century was destroyed, probably in the late 17th century.
The Last Supper by Franz de Cleyn in the West Gallery of Windsor parish church of St John The Baptist.[3]
New Windsor was a nationally significant town in the Middle Ages, certainly one of the fifty wealthiest towns in the country by 1332. Its prosperity came from its close association with the royal household. The repeated investment in the castle brought London merchants (goldsmiths, vintners, spicers and mercers) to the town in the late 13th century and provided much employment for townsmen. The development of the castle under Edward III, between 1350–68, was the largest secular building project in England of the Middle Ages, and many Windsor people worked on this project, again bringing great wealth to the town. Although the Black Death in 1348 had reduced some towns' populations by up to 50%, in Windsor the building projects of Edward III brought money to the town, and possibly its population doubled: this was a 'boom' time for the local economy. People came to the town from every part of the country, and from continental Europe. The poet Geoffrey Chaucerheld the honorific post of 'Clerk of the Works' at Windsor Castle in 1391.
The development of the castle continued in the late 15th century with the rebuilding of St George's Chapel. With this Windsor became a major pilgrimage destination, particularly for Londoners. Pilgrims came to touch the royal shrine of the murdered Henry VI, the fragment of the True Cross and other important relics. Visits to the chapel were probably combined with a visit to the important nearby Marian shrine and college at Eton, founded by Henry VI in 1440, and dedicated to the Assumption; which is now better known as Eton College. Pilgrims came with substantial sums to spend. From perhaps two or three named inns in the late 15th century, some 30 can be identified a century later. The town again grew in wealth. For London pilgrims, Windsor was probably – but briefly – of greater importance than Canterbury and the shrine of the City's patron Saint Thomas Becket. With the closures of the Reformation, however, Windsor's pilgrim traffic died out. Henry VIII was buried in St George's Chapel in 1547, next to Jane Seymour, the mother of his only legitimate son, Edward (Edward VI). Henry, the founder of the Church of England, may have wanted to benefit from the stream of Catholic pilgrims coming to the town. His will gives that impression.
The town began to stagnate about ten years after the Reformation. The castle was considered old-fashioned and shrines to the dead were thought to be superstitious. The early modern period formed a stark contrast to the medieval history of the town. Most accounts of Windsor in the 16th and 17th centuries talk of its poverty, badly made streets and poor housing. Shakespeare's play The Merry Wives of Windsor is set in Windsor and contains many references to parts of the town and the surrounding countryside. Shakespeare must have walked the town's streets, near the castle and river, much as people still do. The play may have been written in the Garter Inn, opposite the Castle, but this was destroyed by fire in the late 17th century. The long-standing – and famous – courtesan of king Charles II, Nell Gwyn, was given a house on St Albans Street: Burford House (now part of the Royal Mews). Her residence in this house, as far as it is possible to tell, was brief. Only one of her letters addressed from Burford House survives: it was probably intended as a legacy for her illegitimate son, the Earl of Burford, later the Duke of St Albans.
Windsor was garrisoned by Colonel Venn during the English Civil War. Later it became the home of the New Model Army when Venn had left the castle in 1645. Despite its royal dependence, like many commercial centres, Windsor was a Parliamentarian town. Charles Iwas buried without ceremony in St George's Chapel after his execution at Whitehall in 1649. The present Guildhall, built in 1680–91, replaced an earlier market house that had been built on the same site around 1580, as well as the old guildhall, which faced the castle and had been built around 1350. The contraction in the number of old public buildings speaks of a town 'clearing the decks', ready for a renewed period of prosperity with Charles II's return to the Castle. But his successors did not use the place, and as the town was short of money, the planned new civic buildings did not appear. The town continued in poverty until the mid 19th century.
In 1652 the largest house in Windsor Great Park was built on land which Oliver Cromwell had appropriated from the Crown. Now known as Cumberland Lodge after the Duke of Cumberland's residence there in the mid 18th century, the house was variously known as Byfield House, New Lodge, Ranger's Lodge, Windsor Lodge and Great Lodge.
In 1778, there was a resumption of the royal presence, with George III at the Queen's Lodge and, from 1804, at the castle. This started a period of new development in Windsor, with the building of two army barracks. However the associated large numbers of soldiers led to a major prostitution problem by 1830, in a town where the number of streets had little changed since 1530. In the 18th c. the town traded with London selling the Windsor Chair which was actually made in Buckinghamshire.
A number of fine houses were built in this period, including Hadleigh House on Sheet Street, which was built in 1793 by the then Mayor of Windsor, William Thomas. In 1811 it was the home of John O'Reilly, the apothecary-surgeon to George III.
Windsor Castle was the westernmost sighting-point for the Anglo-French Survey (1784–1790), which measured the precise distance between the Royal Greenwich Observatory and the Paris Observatory by trigonometry. Windsor was used because of its relative proximity to the base-line of the survey at Hounslow Heath.
The substantial redevelopment of the castle in the subsequent decade and Queen Victoria's residence from 1840, as well as the coming of two railways in 1849, signalled the most dramatic changes in the town's history. These events catapulted the town from a sleepy medieval has-been to the centre of empire – many European crowned heads of state came to Windsor to visit the Queen throughout the rest of the 19th century. Unfortunately, excessive redevelopment and 'refurbishment' of Windsor's medieval fabric at this time resulted in widespread destruction of the old town, including the demolition of the old parish church of St John the Baptist in 1820. The original had been built around 1135.
Most of the current town's streets date from the mid to late 19th century.[5] However the main street, Peascod Street (pronunciation: /ˈpɛskɒd/) is very ancient, predating the castle by many years, and probably of Saxon origin. It formed part of the 10th-century parish structure in east Berkshire[citation needed] and is first referred to as Peascroftstret in c. 1170. The 1000-year-old royal Castle, although the largest and longest-occupied in Europe, is a recent development in comparison. "New Windsor" was officially renamed "Windsor" in 1974.
is accessible from Junction 6 of the M4 and from Slough via a 3 mile long dual carriageway. Bus services in the town are mostly provided by First Berkshire & The Thames Valley, although a park-and-rideservice and one local route are operated by Courtney Coaches.
Windsor has two railway stations. Windsor & Eton Central railway station has a shuttle service to Slough. Windsor & Eton Riverside station provides a service to London Waterloo. Both stations were time in the 19th century, as the two train companies which owned the lines both wanted to carry Queen Victoria to Windsor, with the first line opened gaining the privilege.[8] From 1883 to 1885, the London Underground's District line's westbound service ran as far as Windsor.
Windsor has frequent bus services to/from London Heathrow Airport, Victoria Coach Station in central London and Legoland Windsor Resort.
Forming a coastal defence. Warblington, Hampshire.
Built using railway sleepers from the long gone Hayling Billie railway line.
Prima della basilica di San Magno, la comunità legnanese faceva riferimento alla chiesa di San Salvatore, la cui costruzione risalirebbe, secondo alcuni studi, al X oppure all'XI secolo[1]. Tale edificio religioso era di stile romanico arcaico ed era situato sulla stessa area dove sorge la basilica di San Magno[1]. La chiesa di San Salvatore aveva una forma rettangolare ed il suo interno era diviso da tre navate che si concludevano con un'abside[1]. Le tre navate erano divise da colonne che erano realizzate in sassi e calce[2]. L'abside centrale, che era quella principale, era intitolata al Santo Salvatore e a San Magno dei Trincheri[3]. Il corpo principale della chiesa aveva una lunghezza di 26 metri ed una larghezza di 18 metri[1]. La chiesa di San Salvatore aveva un disposizione nord-sud con la parte absidale posizionata verso meridione[1]. L'ingresso, che era situato a nord, era prospiciente ad una stradina che portava alla "Braida Arcivescovile" grazie ad un ponte sull'Olonella[2]. In epoca medioevale Legnano[4] era divisa in due parti, l'abitato principale, che era situato sulla riva destra dell'Olona e che corrisponde all'attuale centro della città (la cosiddetta Contrada Granda, in dialetto legnanese), ed un borgo più piccolo, Legnanello, che era situato sulla riva sinistra del fiume. I terreni compresi tra i due abitati erano attraversati da una diramazione naturale dell'Olona, l'Olonella, e dal corso principale del fiume. L'Olonella si staccava dal fiume prima di Legnano e, dopo essere passata dietro al borgo principale vicino alla chiesa di San Salvatore, rientrava nell'Olona. I terreni compresi tra i due corsi d'acqua erano liberi ed erano conosciuti come "Braida Arcivescovile"[5]. L'Olonella è stata poi interrata a cavallo tra il XIX secolo e il XX secolo[6].
Gli interni della chiesa di San Salvatore erano affrescati da un pittore di epoca ottoniana[1] e la copertura superiore dell'edificio era a capriate in legno[1]. Degli interni della chiesa di San Salvatore l'unico suppellettile che è giunto sino al XXI secolo è una pala del 1490 costituita da tre tavole. È stata realizzata dal Giampietrino e nel vecchio tempio era situata nell'abside di destra[7]. È sprovvista della parte centrale e raffigura una Madonna col Bambino[7]. È conservata nella cappella centrale di sinistra della basilica di San Magno[7].
Già nel XV la chiesa di San Salvatore era minata da alcuni problemi di stabilità che erano originati dalla vetustà delle strutture e dalle infiltrazioni dell'acqua dell'Olonella che scorreva, come già accennato, poco distante[8]. A peggiorare la situazione c'erano anche le frequenti inondazioni del fiume[8]. La chiesa di San Salvatore crollò parzialmente alla fine del Quattrocento ed quindi i legnanesi ottennero dall'Arcivescovo di Milano e da Ludovico il Moro il permesso di demolire i resti del vecchio tempio e di costruire una nuova chiesa[8]. L'aspetto generale della chiesa di San Salvatore era piuttosto morigerato e quindi i legnanesi del XVI secolo decisero di edificare una chiesa che fosse più sontuosa della precedente[2]. La Legnano del XVI secolo, infatti, non era più il modesto borgo agricolo dell'epoca medioevale, ma era diventata un centro abitato benestante sede di molte famiglie nobiliari, che si era arricchito di molte dimore gentilizie.
Della vecchia chiesa di San Salvatore furono conservate le fondamenta dell'abside ed il campanile. Tale torre campanaria diventò poi il campanile della basilica di San Magno[8]. Mantenne questa funzione fino al 1752, quando crollò per due terzi e fu sostituito dall'attuale[8]. I suoi resti furono trasformati in una cappella, che è ancora visibile dietro al campanile attuale in corrispondenza del lato sud della basilica, vicino ad un passaggio coperto[8]. Tali resti sono riconoscibili per la presenza di una piccola porta e di sassi a vista.
Le origini: l'antica chiesa di San Salvatore
I resti del campanile romanico dell'antica chiesa di San Salvatore
Prima della basilica di San Magno, la comunità legnanese faceva riferimento alla chiesa di San Salvatore, la cui costruzione risalirebbe, secondo alcuni studi, al X oppure all'XI secolo[1]. Tale edificio religioso era di stile romanico arcaico ed era situato sulla stessa area dove sorge la basilica di San Magno[1]. La chiesa di San Salvatore aveva una forma rettangolare ed il suo interno era diviso da tre navate che si concludevano con un'abside[1]. Le tre navate erano divise da colonne che erano realizzate in sassi e calce[2]. L'abside centrale, che era quella principale, era intitolata al Santo Salvatore e a San Magno dei Trincheri[3]. Il corpo principale della chiesa aveva una lunghezza di 26 metri ed una larghezza di 18 metri[1]. La chiesa di San Salvatore aveva un disposizione nord-sud con la parte absidale posizionata verso meridione[1]. L'ingresso, che era situato a nord, era prospiciente ad una stradina che portava alla "Braida Arcivescovile" grazie ad un ponte sull'Olonella[2]. In epoca medioevale Legnano[4] era divisa in due parti, l'abitato principale, che era situato sulla riva destra dell'Olona e che corrisponde all'attuale centro della città (la cosiddetta Contrada Granda, in dialetto legnanese), ed un borgo più piccolo, Legnanello, che era situato sulla riva sinistra del fiume. I terreni compresi tra i due abitati erano attraversati da una diramazione naturale dell'Olona, l'Olonella, e dal corso principale del fiume. L'Olonella si staccava dal fiume prima di Legnano e, dopo essere passata dietro al borgo principale vicino alla chiesa di San Salvatore, rientrava nell'Olona. I terreni compresi tra i due corsi d'acqua erano liberi ed erano conosciuti come "Braida Arcivescovile"[5]. L'Olonella è stata poi interrata a cavallo tra il XIX secolo e il XX secolo[6].
Gli interni della chiesa di San Salvatore erano affrescati da un pittore di epoca ottoniana[1] e la copertura superiore dell'edificio era a capriate in legno[1]. Degli interni della chiesa di San Salvatore l'unico suppellettile che è giunto sino al XXI secolo è una pala del 1490 costituita da tre tavole. È stata realizzata dal Giampietrino e nel vecchio tempio era situata nell'abside di destra[7]. È sprovvista della parte centrale e raffigura una Madonna col Bambino[7]. È conservata nella cappella centrale di sinistra della basilica di San Magno[7].
Già nel XV la chiesa di San Salvatore era minata da alcuni problemi di stabilità che erano originati dalla vetustà delle strutture e dalle infiltrazioni dell'acqua dell'Olonella che scorreva, come già accennato, poco distante[8]. A peggiorare la situazione c'erano anche le frequenti inondazioni del fiume[8]. La chiesa di San Salvatore crollò parzialmente alla fine del Quattrocento ed quindi i legnanesi ottennero dall'Arcivescovo di Milano e da Ludovico il Moro il permesso di demolire i resti del vecchio tempio e di costruire una nuova chiesa[8]. L'aspetto generale della chiesa di San Salvatore era piuttosto morigerato e quindi i legnanesi del XVI secolo decisero di edificare una chiesa che fosse più sontuosa della precedente[2]. La Legnano del XVI secolo, infatti, non era più il modesto borgo agricolo dell'epoca medioevale, ma era diventata un centro abitato benestante sede di molte famiglie nobiliari, che si era arricchito di molte dimore gentilizie.
Della vecchia chiesa di San Salvatore furono conservate le fondamenta dell'abside ed il campanile. Tale torre campanaria diventò poi il campanile della basilica di San Magno[8]. Mantenne questa funzione fino al 1752, quando crollò per due terzi e fu sostituito dall'attuale[8]. I suoi resti furono trasformati in una cappella, che è ancora visibile dietro al campanile attuale in corrispondenza del lato sud della basilica, vicino ad un passaggio coperto[8]. Tali resti sono riconoscibili per la presenza di una piccola porta e di sassi a vista.
La costruzione e l'intitolazione
La basilica di San Magno nel 1901, prima della costruzione del municipio. Sulla destra l'antica canonica del Cinquecento in seguito demolita
Il progetto della basilica di San Magno venne realizzato probabilmente da Giovanni Antonio Amadeo o dal suo seguace Tommaso Rodari su disegno di Donato Bramante[9]. La prova che assegna la paternità dei disegni al celebre artista è contenuta in uno scritto del 1650 di Agostino Pozzo, prevosto di San Magno, che recita: "[…] questa fabbrica è dissegno per quello si tiene Bramante architetto de' più famosi habbi hauto la cristianità […]"[10]. La chiesa fu poi realizzata grazie al sostegno delle famiglie Lampugnani e Vismara[9].
La prima pietra fu posata il 4 maggio 1504, mentre l'edificazione si protrasse fino al 6 giugno 1513 con il completamento delle opere murarie[11]. Fu consacrata il 15 dicembre 1529 dopo una sospensione dei lavori che durò dal 1516 al 1523 per mancanza di fondi[12]. I progetti originali sono andati perduti ed il lavori di costruzione furono eseguiti sotto la supervisione dell'artista più importante della Legnano dell'epoca, Gian Giacomo Lampugnani, e di un capomastro dal nome sconosciuto[13]. Il complesso della basilica di San Magno presenta gli stessi elementi architettonici riscontrabili più tardi in alcune chiese di Lodi, Saronno, Pavia e Crema[14]. Ispirato al disegno architettonico della basilica di San Magno è il santuario di Santa Maria di Piazza di Busto Arsizio[14].
Un'ipotesi che spiega l'intitolazione della basilica a San Magno dei Trincheri si riallaccia ad alcuni avvenimenti accaduti poco dopo la caduta dell'Impero romano d'Occidente[15]. Nel 523 l'imperatore bizantino Giustino I promulgò un editto contro gli ariani. Come risposta a questo provvedimento, il re degli Ostrogoti Teodorico, che era di fede ariana, iniziò a perseguitare i cattolici uccidendo e imprigionando anche personalità religiose di rilievo. Alla morte di Teodorico, sul trono degli Ostrogoti si sedette il più tollerante Atalarico, e grazie anche all'intercessione di San Magno, Arcivescovo di Milano, molti prigionieri furono liberati. Dato che queste persecuzioni toccarono anche Legnano, i suoi abitanti decisero di intitolare a San Magno prima l'abside centrale dell'antica chiesa di San Salvatore, e poi la nuova basilica.
I secoli successivi
La basilica di San Magno nel 1937
Fino al 1610 l'ingresso alla basilica era situato verso palazzo Malinverni e quindi, rispetto all'odierno, era ruotato di 90° verso nord. Poi l'ingresso fu spostato nella posizione attuale. Nell'occasione, furono aperte anche due nuove porte laterali[16]. Questa modifica fu opera del Richini. Nel 1611 vennero invece consacrate due nuove campane dal cardinale Federico Borromeo[16].
Fin dal medioevo, in corrispondenza dell'attuale piazza San Magno, era ubicato il cimitero principale di Legnano, che era utilizzato per seppellire le salme della gente comune. I nobili, infatti, inumavano i propri defunti all'interno delle chiese, mentre le salme del popolo venivano seppellite nei pressi dei templi. Il camposanto citato fu utilizzato già da prima della costruzione della basilica di San Magno. Successivamente, per il medesimo scopo, fu realizzata una grande stanza sotterranea. Questo cimitero era conosciuto come "il foppone" e venne utilizzato fino al 1808[17][18].
Durante la sua storia, la basilica di San Magno non fu mai oggetto di modifiche sostanziali[17]. Nel 1840 fu realizzata l'attuale porta principale. Nell'occasione vennero eseguiti anche dei lavori di consolidamento e fu demolita la casa del sacrestano, che era situata verso l'attuale municipio[16]. Nel 1888 fu realizzato un primo restauro, che venne seguito da un'altra restaurazione che durò dal 1911 al 1914[19]. Durante quest'ultima risistemazione, che fu necessaria per rimediare ai danni causati da un ciclone che colpì Legnano il 20 luglio 1910, vennero realizzati dei lavori importanti che coinvolsero l'intera della basilica. Fu allungato l'atrio principale, vennero rifatti il tetto e la facciata, e furono realizzati i timpani sulle porte[19]. Nell'occasione, furono anche realizzati i graffiti della facciata[19]. Nel 1909 fu invece edificata la nuova sacrestia[19]. La basilica fu restaurata nuovamente dal 1963 al 1964[19].
La piazza di fronte alla basilica, intitolata in un primo momento ad Umberto I (re d'Italia dal 1878 al 1900), fu dedicata a San Magno dopo la seconda guerra mondiale[20].
Il 29 marzo 1950, con una bolla, Papa Pio XII elevò la chiesa a basilica romana minore[21].
ArchitetturaModifica
La chiesa
La facciata ed il campanile della basilica di San Magno
La pianta della basilica è tipicamente rinascimentale. Essa non ricalca più la tipica forma rettangolare allungata verso l'altare delle chiese medioevali, ma presenta una pianta centrale ad ottagono che permette una visione prospettica verso tutte le direzioni[22]. Il visitatore, in ogni posizione, può infatti trovare angoli prospettici, scorci e spazi architettonici che appagano la visuale. Nel medioevo, invece, la prospettiva era tutta incentrata sull'altare maggiore[22]. Le chiese bramantesche non possiedono una facciata principale attorno la quale "ruotano" dei volumi secondari, ma hanno una serie di simmetrie e di spazi prospettici dotati circa della stessa importanza che formano, nel complesso, l'insieme della struttura[22]. La pianta ad ottagono della basilica di San Magno presenta un corto transetto che fornisce alla chiesa una forma a croce. Sugli angoli di quest'ultimo sono poi presenti quattro piccole cappelle.
Il campanile
Il campanile originario che serviva la basilica era quello dell'antica chiesa di San Salvatore. Non avendo problemi strutturali, si salvò infatti dalla demolizione. Tale torre campanaria fu allungata nel 1542, mentre nel 1611 fu ristrutturata e irrobustita per poter permettere la collocazione delle campane consacrate da Federico Borromeo, che erano più grandi e pesanti[17]. Nel 1638 venne eseguita un'altra opera di rafforzamento della torre[17]. A metà del Settecento l'antico campanile crollò per due terzi, e quindi il 2 dicembre 1752 iniziarono i lavori di costruzione di una nuova torre campanaria[23]. Come già accennato, i resti di quella vecchia furono trasformati in una cappella, che è ancora visibile dietro al campanile della basilica di San Magno in corrispondenza del lato sud dell'edificio, nei pressi di un passaggio coperto[8]. Il progetto del nuovo campanile fu opera di Bartolomeo Gazzone. Il nuovo campanile venne realizzato con una struttura in mattoni che sostituì quella in sassi della torre campanaria precedente. L'altezza supera i 40 metri[17]. Vennero previste, lungo le pareti, delle lesene[17].
La canonica
I resti dell'antica canonica cinquecentesca
Sul lato destro della basilica era presente, fino al 1967, un'antica canonica cinquecentesca[24]. Tale edificio fu ingrandito nel Seicento per volere di Federico Borromeo, e nuovamente nel Settecento in occasione della costruzione del nuovo campanile. Già alla fine dell'Ottocento parte della struttura fu demolita. Il resto degli edifici, come già accennato, sono stati abbattuti nel 1967 per poter permettere la costruzione del nuovo centro parrocchiale, che è stato inaugurato nel 1972 dall'arcivescovo di Milano Giovanni Colombo[19]. La nuova canonica fu fabbricata in stile moderno.
OpereModifica
La facciata e le porte d'ingresso
Inizialmente la facciata e le altre pareti esterne della basilica erano in mattoni a vista. L'aspetto cambiò radicalmente nel 1914, quando furono realizzati gli intonaci a graffiti[17]. Nell'occasione, furono sostituite anche le finestre.
Le tre porte in bronzo vennero invece donate alla basilica in occasione del settimo centenario della battaglia di Legnano grazie ad una sottoscrizione popolare. Furono benedette il 30 maggio 1976 dall'arcivescovo Giovanni Colombo[25]. Le raffigurazioni delle tre porte sono ispirate alla battaglia di Legnano ed alle tradizioni culturali della città[25].
Il pavimento, l'organo ed il coro
Il pavimento, in marmo rosso, bianco e nero, fu posato nel Settecento[26]. I cori in legno di noce vennero realizzati nel Cinquecento e furono opera dei fratelli Coiro[26]. L'organo venne invece realizzato nel 1542 dalla famiglia Antegnati e fu oggetto di restauri in due occasioni (una nell'Ottocento e l'altra nel XX secolo). Venne collocato nell'attuale posizione nel 1640[16].
La volta della chiesa e la cappella principale
La prima opera decorativa realizzata nelle basilica fu eseguita nel 1515 da Gian Giacomo Lampugnani, che affrescò la volta della chiesa a grottesca. Lo storico dell'arte Eugène Müntz definì tale decorazione "la più bella grottesca della Lombardia"[14]. Dietro l'altare maggiore è conservato un polittico di Bernardino Luini del 1523 raffigurante la Madonna col Bambino, cinque angeli musicanti ed alcuni santi. Tale opera è affiancata da un Padre Eterno raffigurato in un timpano[27].
La volta e le pareti della cappella maggiore furono dipinti da Bernardino Lanino tra il 1562 ed il 1564. Il pittore raffigurò sull'arco trionfale Gesù Cristo e San Magno accostati da San Rocco e San Sebastiano. Sul cornicione dipinse invece i quattro evangelisti ed i primi quattro dottori della Chiesa, cioè Sant'Ambrogio, Sant'Agostino, San Girolamo e San Gregorio[27].
Le cappelle laterali
La cappella di San Pietro Martire, che situata vicino all'entrata, è stata affrescata nel 1556 da Evangelista Luini, figlio di Bernardino[27]. Rappresentavano il martirio di San Pietro attorniato da Dio e da alcuni santi[27]. In seguito questi dipinti furono perduti e vennero rifatti tra il XIX ed il XX secolo da Beniamino e Gersam Turri[27].
La cappella grande laterale di sinistra è dedicata al Santo Crocifisso. È stata affrescata nel 1925 con alcune raffigurazioni di scene bibliche[28]. La cappella contiene un prezioso Cristo ligneo deposto, un crocifisso e due statue di cartapesta raffiguranti l'Addolorata e la Maddalena[28]. Gli affreschi sono invece del 1925[28]. La cappella situata sul lato opposto, che è chiamata dell'Assunta o dell'Immacolata, ospita la citata pala del Giampietrino del 1490. Gli affreschi sono invece del Seicento e raffigurano l'Assunzione di Maria ed alcuni santi[28].
La cappella di San Carlo e San Magno, che è la terza sulla sinistra, è stata invece affrescata nel 1924 con la raffigurazione di figure varie di puttini. Contiene una reliquia di San Magno e due quadri del XVII secolo che raffigurano San Carlo[28]. Gli stucchi sono dello stesso periodo[28]. La cappella dell'Andito, che si trova di fronte, non è stata decorata da quasi nessuna pittura per dare l'idea di come fosse disadorna la basilica prima della realizzazione delle opere pittoriche dell'inizio del XX secolo[28]. L'unico affresco presente è una raffigurazione Secentesca della Madonna[28].
La cappella del Sacro Cuore si trova invece sulla sinistra dell'altare maggiore. Tale cappella presenta degli affreschi del 1862 di Mosè Turri e delle decorazioni del medesimo pittore che sono state eseguite nel 1853. È anche conservato un prezioso quadro del Seicento raffigurante la deposizione di Cristo, che è opera di Giovanni Battista Lampugnani. Nella cappella è anche presente un'antica fonte battesimale in marmo rosso della metà del Seicento[29].
La cappella del Santissimo Sacramento, che è dedicata a San Pietro e San Paolo, si trova invece a destra dell'altare maggiore. Sono presenti degli affreschi del 1603 opera di Giovan Pietro Luini (detto "il Gnocco") che raffigurano degli angeli e delle decorazioni del 1925 di Gersam Turri[26]. La cappella contiene anche una tela del Seicento opera dei fratelli Lampugnani che raffigura la crocifissione di Gesù Cristo ed un quadro del 1940 rappresentante Santa Teresa del Bambin Gesù[26].
All'entrata, sulla sinistra, è presente la cappella di Sant'Agnese. I due affreschi che la decorano sono Cinquecenteschi e sono opera di Giangiacomo Lampugnani. Uno raffigura la Madonna con il Bambino, Sant'Agnese, Sant'Ambrogio, San Magno e Sant'Orsola, mentre l'altro rappresenta la Natività. Sulle colonne sono invece raffigurati San Gerolamo ed Origene.
Affiche de l'exposition "Formes utiles" organisée en 1949-1950 par l'Union des Artistes Modernes (UAM)
Musée des arts décoratifs, Paris
musearti.hypotheses.org/tag/formes-utiles-objets-de-notre...
Avec René Herbst, Pierre Chareau et Eileen Gray, Charlotte Perriand est un des membres fondateurs de l'UAM (Union des artistes modernes) en 1929, présidée par l'architecte Mallet-Stevens.
Although not intended to be pretty, the turntable elegantly solves a problem: how to turn the small locomotive round so that it can pull the coaches back up the track.
Today the Hereios of the We’re Here! Group are shooting Pretty Pictures of Ugly Things.
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Abarth, Abarth-Fiat, AC, Alfa Romeo, Allard, Antas, Alpine, Alvis, Aston Martin, Audi, Austin, Austro V, Auto Union, AWE, Bentley, Bizzarrini, BMW, Borgward, Bristol, Bugatti, Byers, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Cisitalia, Citroen, Colani, Cooper, CR Salmson, Dacia, Datsun, Denzel, De Tomaso, DKW, Devin, Ermini, Ferrari, Fiat, Ford, Filandi, Faralli Mazzanti, FMR, GAZ, ГАЗ, Giannini, Gilco, Ginetta, Gordini, Healey, Horch, HRG, IMP, Intermeccanica, Iso, Italia, Jaguar, HWM Jaguar, Lagonda, Lamborghini, Lada, Lancia, Lea Francis, Lotus, March, Marcos, Maserati, Mazda, Mazzanti, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Messerschmitt, MG, Mini, Morgan, Morris, Maybach, NSU, OM, Opel, Osca, Peugeot, Plymouth, Porsche, Puch, Railton, Reliant, Renault, Riley, Rolls-Royce, Saab, Salmson, Siata, Skoda, Squire, Stanguellini, Steyr, Steyr-Puch, Talbot, Tatra, Triumph, Uragano, Veritas, Volkswagen, Volvo, Wanderer,
Design, Bizzarrini, Bertone, BAT, Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica, Bizzarrini Giotto, Felice Mario Boana, Carrozzeria Castagna, Carrozzeria, Carrozzeria Colli, Carrozzeria Fissore, Italdesign Giugiaro, Callum Ian, Dallara Gianpaolo, Miura, De Tomaso Pantera, De Tomaso Alejandro, Gandini Marcello, Lamborghini Miura, Countach, De Simon, Diablo, Lancia Stratos, Carrozzeria Francis Lombardi, Carrozzeria Marazzi, Carrozzeria Scaglietti, Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, Carrozzeria Varesina, Maserati Khamsin, Friedrich Indra, Fuhrmann, Gamine, Giugiaro Giorgio, Carrozzeria Ghia, Maserati Bora, Pininfarina, Scaglietti, Modena, Christian Nell, Stanzani Paolo, Bugatti EB110, Campogalliano, Touring Milano, Vignale, Zagato, Pedrazza, Werner Zinke,
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driver legends, Champions, Fahrer, driver, Legenden, Rauno Aaltonen, Carlo Abarth, Markku Alén, Michele Alboreto, Chris Amon, Mario Andretti, Richard Attwood, Derek Bell, Gerhard Berger, Jo Bonnier, Jack Brabham, Tony Brooks, Eric Carlson, Francois Cevert, Chapman, David Coulthard, Patrick Dempsey, Mark Donohue, Vic Elford, Michael McDowel, Bruce McLaren, De Filippis, Maria Teresa de Filippis, Emerson Fittipaldi, Nanni Galli, Peter Gethin, Jo Gartner, Jim Hall, Mike Hawthorn, Brian Henton, Hans Hermann, Phil Hill, Günther Huber, Denis Hulme, Gerad Larrousse, Niki Lauda, Umberto Maglioli, Nigel Mansell, Helmut Marko, Jochen Mass, Jo Siffert, Stirling Moss, Gino Munaron, Alfred Neubauer, Jackie Oliver, Johannes Ortner, Henry Pescarolo, Gunther Phillip, Teddy Pilette, David Piper, Dieter Quester, Joaquin Jo Ramirez, Jochen Rindt, Walter Röhrl, Pedro Rodríguez, Jean Sage, Jody Scheckter, Peter Schetty, Stuck, Marc Surer, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, Jarno Trulli, Nino Vaccarella, Sebastian Vettel, Luciano Viaro, Jo Vonlanthen, Peter Westbury, Björn Waldegard, Mark Webber, Jo Willenpart, Franz Wittmann, Alexander Wurz, Franz Wurz, Rudi Stohl, Ecurie Vienne, Walter Wolf, Helmut Zwickl,
Audi Sport Quattro Rallye Blomqvist Akropolis Rally 1985 (c) 2010 Bernhard Egger :: ru-moto images 3652
Henry Moore - Form and Material - Museum Beelden aan Zee - The Hague
In collaboration with the Henry Moore Foundation, Museum Beelden aan Zee has made a selection of works from the artist's substantial oeuvre. Around 70 objects and sculptures portray the artistic vision and creative process of one of the most important innovators of modern sculpture. The exhibition in Beelden aan Zee focuses on the influence of nature on his work and his growth and development as a sculptor. From promoting direct carving – carving without using preparatory sketches and studies – to experimenting with casting in lead and bronze. Henry Moore (1898-1986) is one of the most important British artists of the twentieth century. His sculptures balance on the boundary between figurative and abstract art and continue to be a source of inspiration to artists. His work has a recognisable and characteristic formal language. Important themes in his oeuvre are ‘mother and child’ and his reclining figures, which he explored extensively.
From the 1920s, Moore participated in countless British and international exhibitions, with solo as well as group exhibitions, he sold work on a regular basis, and so made a name for himself as an important modernist sculptor. However, the Second World War called a halt to these positive developments. Henry Moore left his teaching post and took up a commission as a war artist. It was in this capacity that he produced his deeply moving Shelter Drawings of Londoners crowding the city's underground stations sheltering from the Blitz. In the 1950s he created larger groups of figures. The prices for his works increased considerably and his fame as an international artist continued to grow. In later years he served as a trustee at both the Tate Gallery and the National Gallery and he was the recipient of a large number of prizes and honours.
Worlds End pub sign , Knaresborough Yorkshire showing Mother Shipton it sited across the road from Mother Shiptons Cave near to the River Nidd where there is a petrifying well which has been a tourist attraction since 1630
Ursula Southeil (c. 1488 - 1561) , the legendary soothsayer and prophetess who exhibited prophetic and psychic abilities from an early age, writing prophecies in the form of poems, not much different than the cryptic Quatrains of Nostradamus
The first publication of her prophecies, which did not appear until 1641, eighty years after her death, contained a number of mainly regional predictions. this was followed by another edition in 1684. This stated that she was born in Knaresborough in a cave and was reputed to be hideously ugly. The woman who delivered Ursula', spoke of a smell of sulphur and a great crack of thunder as the child came into the world.
In 1512 aged 24 she married Toby Shipton, a local carpenter, near York Some say she had bewitched him, as she was too hideous for him to be attracted to her. They lived in Knaresborough, he died 2 years later.
Ursula had told fortunes and made predictions throughout her life. They lived in Knaresborough, but had no children, Her power to see into the future made her well known not only in her home town but throughout England.
Her legend was passed on through oral traditions, perhaps sometimes embellished. Many of her visions came true within her own lifetime
In subsequent centuries her predictions alluded to the tthe defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 , he Great Fire of London in 1666 - Samuel Pepys whilst surveying the damage to London caused by the Great Fire, in the company of the Royal Family, discussed her prophecy of the event.
She also prrdicted the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This led to the redistribution of the wealth and land held by the monasteries to the emerging middle class and the existing noble families.
Also modern technology - planes, submarines, telephone / internet etc
"Then upside down the world shall be and gold found at the root of tree
All England's sons that plough the land shall oft be seen with Book in hand
The poor shall now great wisdom know great houses stand in farflung vale all covered o'er with snow and hail
A carriage without horse will go, disaster fill the world with woe.
in London, Primrose Hill shall be In centre hold a Bishop's See
Around the world men's thoughts will fly quick as the twinkling of an eye.
And water shall great wonders do how strange. And yet it shall come true.
Through towering hills proud men shall ride no horse or ass move by his side.
Beneath the water, men shall walk shall ride, shall sleep, shall even talk.
And in the air men shall be seen in white and black and even green
A great man then, shall come and go for prophecy declares it so.
In water, iron, then shall float as easy as a wooden boat
Gold shall be seen in stream and stone
In land that is yet unknown. and England shall admit a Jew
You think this strange, but it is true
The Jew that once was held in scorn shall of a Christian then be born.
A house of glass shall come to pass in England. But alas, alas
A war will follow with the work where dwells the Pagan and the Turk
These states will lock in fiercest strife and seek to take each others life.
When North shall thus divide the south and Eagle build in Lions mouth
Then tax and blood and cruel war shall come to every humble door.
Three times shall lovely sunny France be led to play a bloody dance
Before the people shall be free three tyrant rulers shall she see.
Three rulers in succession be each springs from different dynasty.
Then when the fiercest strife is done England and France shall be as one.
The British olive shall next then twine In marriage with a german vine.
Men walk beneath and over streams fulfilled shall be their wondrous dreams.
For in those wondrous far off days the women shall adopt a craze to dress like men, and trousers wear and to cut off their locks of hair
They'll ride astride with brazen brow as witches do on broomstick now.
And roaring monsters with man atop does seem to eat the verdant crop
And men shall fly as birds do now and give away the horse and plough.
There'll be a sign for all to see be sure that it will certain be.
Then love shall die and marriage cease and nations wane as babes decrease
And wives shall fondle cats and dogs and men live much the same as hogs.
In nineteen hundred and twenty six build houses light of straw and sticks.
For then shall mighty wars be planned and fire and sword shall sweep the land.
When pictures seem alive with movements free when boats like fishes swim beneath the sea,
When men like birds shall scour the sky then half the world, deep drenched in blood shall die.
For those who live the century through in fear and trembling this shall do.
Flee to the mountains and the dens to bog and forest and wild fens.
For storms will rage and oceans roar when Gabriel stands on sea and shore and as he blows his wondrous horn old worlds die and new be born.
A fiery dragon will cross the sky six times before this earth shall die
Mankind will tremble and frightened be for the sixth heralds in this prophecy.
For seven days and seven nights Man will watch this awesome sight. The tides will rise beyond their ken to bite away the shores and then the mountains will begin to roar
And earthquakes split the plain to shore. and flooding waters, rushing in will flood the lands with such a din
That mankind cowers in muddy fen and snarls about his fellow men. He bares his teeth and fights and kills and secrets food in secret hills and ugly in his fear, he lies to kill marauders, thieves and spies.
Man flees in terror from the floods and kills, and rapes and lies in blood And spilling blood by mankinds' hands will stain and bitter many lands
And when the dragon's tail is gone, Man forgets, and smiles, and carries on to apply himself - too late, too late for mankind has earned deserved fate.
His masked smile - his false grandeur, will serve the Gods their anger stir. and they will send the Dragon back to light the sky - his tail will crack upon the earth and rend the earth
And man shall flee, King, Lord, and serf.
But slowly they are routed out to seek diminishing water spout And men will die of thirst before the oceans rise to mount the shore. And lands will crack and rend anew You think it strange. It will come true.
And in some far off distant land some men - oh such a tiny band , will have to leave their solid mount and span the earth, those few to count,
Who survives this (unreadable) and then begin the human race again. But not on land already there but on ocean beds, stark, dry and bare
Not every soul on Earth will die as the Dragons tail goes sweeping by. Not every land on earth will sink but these will wallow in stench and stink of rotting bodies of beast and man
Of vegetation crisped on land.
But the land that rises from the sea will be dry and clean and soft and free of mankinds' dirt and therefore be the source of man's new dynasty.
And those that live will ever fear the dragons tail for many year
But time erases memory You think it strange. But it will be.
And before the race is built anew a silver serpent comes to view and spew out men of like unknown to mingle with the earth now grown Cold from its heat and these men can enlighten the minds of future man to intermingle and show them how to live and love and thus endow
The children with the second sight. a natural thing so that they might grow graceful, humble and when they do the Golden Age will start anew.
She also said ” The world shall end when the High Bridge is thrice fallen”. flic.kr/p/bb8R48
The High Bridge at Knaresborough has fallen twice so far….
Formed of four cars, 305515 rests in platform 9 at Manchester Piccadilly after arrival with a service from Manchester Airport on March 5th 1994.
The last examples of the well-worn Class 305 fleet operating around the Manchester area were withdrawn in 2000.
This cloud is part of a thunderstorm brewing up in Baltimore. This picture was taken from Fort Smallwood in Pasadena, Maryland.
I just love this guy - this was in Dr Duncans in Liverpool tonight 16/3/09.
I remembered when I I was developing (I think processing is the wrong word tonight, makes it seem so disconnected) this image what I got into photography for - it's not personal gain (apart from the joy of shooting), there's no real agenda, it's not to please anyone else, it's for me and hopefully anyone out there who likes to check in now and again (and of course my long suffering wife).
I'm going to take a break from flickr for a while (not long) so I can contemplate my 'form' just as this fine gentleman with his walkman blaring it's tinnitus enhancing rasp is doing.
Anon
Oh yeah - best viewed largest
The design of the Merewether Memorial employs the form of an Eleanor Cross and is in the English Medieval style. There are spires which could have served as a basis for the design of this memorial; for example, St. Mary at Bloxham, St. Peter at Kettering, St. Peter at Raunds and Meven St. Mary at Oxford. In fact, each one may have provided an ingredient or two for the design of this fine memorial tower.
Building designers of the time had become increasingly aware of the capabilities of Indian craftsmen, thus the skill and craftsmanship which has been available to medieval builders was also at Strachan's disposal. Strachan was no doubt aware of the intricate carving executed by native craftsmen for the baserellets designed by Kipling for the Crawford Markets and the then under construction Victoria Terminus. The Memorial shows a heightened sensitivity to detailing and an emphasis on carving and decoration, more then my other building designed by Strachan. Whereas the Empress Market's tower is a little squat, the Merewether Tower is elegant and tall, evoking memories of medieval England.
It was named for Merewether, who served as 'Commissioner-in-Sindh' from 1868 to 1877. Richard Burton, on his last visit to Karachi, paid a tribute to his friend while describing the Government House: " It is at present occupied by General Sir William L. Merewether, K.C.S.I. etc.etc.etc. an officer who, by entire devotion to the interests of his province, the scene of his distinguished career during the last thirty-three years, has made epoch' and history" (Burton 1877:1.76) Burton's opinion of Merewether's services were no doubt shared by others. Initially, a pier had been named in memory of the former 'Commissioner-in-Sindh'. Constructed by the Karachi Harbour Board, which had been formed in 1880, the Merewether Pier had cost three lakh rupees (1882). However, it was later decided that a worthy and visible memorial was in order - a memorial tower of such "prominence as to dominate the skyline of the city" to be built by public subscription. The Tower was placed at the confluence of McLeod and Bunder Road, at the extreme western end of the Serai Quarter, an area which was developed into a thriving commercial center concurrently with the rising fortunes of the city. The Memorial took eight years to complete, and was handed over to the Municipality in 1892 by 'Commissioner-in-Sindh' Evan James. The total cost of the structure and its clock was merely Rs. 37,178 compared to the Rs. 180,000 lavished on the much bigger memorial to Bartle Frere, Frere Hall.
The Memorial Tower stands on a platform 44 feet square and rises to a height of 102 feet. It prominently displays the clock placed at the base of the spire, 70 feet from the ground. Each of the clock's four faces is seven feet in diameter. The large bell installed at the time weighed three hundred weight and struck at every hour, while the smaller bells weighed one hundred weight each and marked every quarter of an hour.
Volcan de Lemptégy : La couleur des scories dans le volcan peut fortement varier du gris sombre à un rouge brun : cela dépend du niveau d'oxydation du fer qu'elles contiennent. À haute température (peut-être plus de 600 °C), près de la cheminée, le fer est plus oxydé (sous la forme Fe2O3) ce qui donne une teinte rouge-brun : les volcanologues appellent cette zone « cœur de cône ». Un peu plus loin de la cheminée, à plus basse température (peut-être moins de 600 °C), le fer est moins oxydé (sous forme FeO) et il donne une teinte plutôt grise aux scories : cette zone est dite « bas de cône ».
Durgapuja is a four-day celebration of the greatest Religious Festival of Bengal. During this time Kolkata turns into a vibrant city of art and culture reflecting the true spirit of Bengal. I hereby share a few glimpses of the fact with you. Hope you will appreciate.
The Meaning of ‘Durga’.
Durga, meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible", is a popular fierce form of the Hindu Goddess or Devi. She is depicted with multiple arms, carrying various weapons and riding a ferocious lion( in Bengal). She is pictured as battling or slaying demons, particularly Mahishasura, the buffalo demon.
Her triumph as Mahishasura Mardini, Slayer of the buffalo Demon is a central episode of the scripture Devi Mahatmya. Her victory is celebrated annually in the festivals of Durga Puja.
History
The word ‘Shakti’ means divine energy/force/power, and Durga is the warrior aspect of the Divine Mother/Brahman(Supreme Absolute Godhead).
As a goddess, Durga's feminine power contains the combined energies of all the gods. Each of her weapons was given to her by various gods: Rudra's trident, Vishnu's discus, Indra's thunderbolt, Brahma's kamandalu, Kuber's Ratnahar, etc.
According to a narrative in the Devi Mahatmya story of the Markandeya Purana text, Durga was created as a warrior goddess to fight an asura (demon) named Mahishasura. Brahma had given Mahishasura the power not to be defeated by a male. Mahishasura had unleashed a reign of terror on earth, heaven and the nether worlds, and he could not be defeated by any man or god, anywhere. The gods were helpless. Shiva, realizing that no man or god (male) can defeat Mahishasura, made a request to his wife Parvati(Durga) to take the role of a female goddess warrior in order to slay the demon. Parvati took his request and went to the Ashram of priest disciple named Katyayan to assume the role of a warrior. Meanwhile, the gods went to Brahma for help and, with Brahma, then made their way to Vaikuntha—the place where Vishnu lay on Ananta Naag. They found both Vishnu and Shiva, and Brahma eloquently related the reign of terror Mahishasur had unleashed on the three worlds. To save the worlds, Vishnu, Shiva and all of the gods emitted beams of fierce light from their bodies. The blinding sea of light reached Parvati at the Ashram of the priest Katyayan and Durga emerged from this pool of light. The goddess Durga took the name Katyaayani from the priest. She introduced herself in the language of the Rig-Veda, saying she was the form of the supreme female aspect of Brahman (Prakriti) who had created all the gods. Now she had come to fight the demon to save the three Worlds. They did not create her; it was her lila that she emerged from their combined energy. The gods were blessed with her compassion.
To combat the evil Mahishasura, she had appeared in a great blinding light, to combat this demon and end it for all to be in peace. The terrible Mahishasura rampaged against her, changing forms many times. First he was a buffalo demon, and she defeated him with her sword. Then he changed forms and became an elephant that tied up the goddess's lion and began to pull it towards him. The goddess cut off his trunk with her sword. The demon Mahishasur continued his terrorizing, taking the form of a lion, and then the form of a man, but both of them were gracefully slain by Durga.
Then Mahishasur began attacking once more, starting to take the form of a buffalo again. When Mahishasur had half emerged into his buffalo form, he was paralyzed by the extreme light emitting from the goddess's body. The goddess then resounded with laughter before cutting Mahishasur's head down with her sword.
Thus Durga slew Mahishasur, thus is the power of the fierce compassion of Durga. Hence, Mata Durga is also known as Mahishasurmardhini—the slayer of Mahishasur.
The goddess, as Mahishasuramardini, appears quite early in Indian art. The Archaeological Museum in Matura has several statues on display including a 6-armed Kushana period Mahisasuramardhini that depicts her pressing down the buffalo with her lower hands. A Nagar plaque from the first century BC - first century AD depicts a 4-armed Mahisamardhini accompanied by a lion. But it is in the Gupta period that we see the finest representations of Mahisasuramardhini. The spear and trident are her most common weapons. A Mamallapuram relief shows the goddess with 8 arms riding her lion subduing a buffalo-faced demon; a variation also seen at Ellora. In later sculptures show the goddess having decapitated the buffalo demon.
Durga Puja (Worshiping Durga)
The four day long (Saptami to Dashami) Durga Puja is the biggest annual festival in Bengal, Assam, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Nepal, where it is known as Dashain. It is celebrated likewise with much fervour in various parts of India, especially the Himalayan region, but is celebrated in various forms throughout the Hindu universe.
The day of Durga's victory is celebrated as Vijayadashami (Bengali), Dashain (Nepali) or Dussehra (Hindi) - these words literally mean "the Victory Tenth" (day).
The actual period of the worship however may be on the preceding nine days (Navaratri) followed by the last day called Vijayadashami in North India or five days in Bengal (from the sixth to tenth day of the waxing-moon fortnight)..
In North India, the tenth day, signifying Rama's victory in his battle against the demon Ravana, is celebrated as Dussehra - gigantic straw effigies of Ravana are burnt in designated open spaces (e.g. Delhi's Ram Lila grounds), watched by thousands of families and little children. In Bangladesh also the four-days long Sharadiya Durga Puja (Bengali: শারদীয়া দুর্গা পুজো, ‘autumnal Durga worship’) is the biggest religious festivals for the Hindus and celebrated across the country with Vijayadashami being a national holiday. Source: Wikipedia.
‘Durgotsava’ - My Personal feelings :
To me worshiping goddess Durga encompasses so many deeply seated aspects of human lives and nature. The imagination of such a Goddess-form has its age old story depicted in the Hindu Puranas and that had been fabricated by the wisdom of ages as a symbolic one for Bio-Geo-Socio-Economic-Cultural and Aesthetical upliftment of humankind and its relationship with nature, through the practice of worshiping.
Once in a year She, The Mother Durga, is thought to come from her abode at mount Kailash in Himalaya to the land of Bengal at the time of Autumn, the finest of all six seasons when Bengal turns into a nature’s paradise. The snow white clouds against the deep azure of the sky, the gentle cool breeze carrying the sweet fragrance of flowers, the turning colors of the leaves, the golden sunlit lush green paddy fields and the waving clusters of dazzling white inflorescence of Kash dramatically prepare the minds of Bengal apt for celebration of life. Artists of versatile talents from Bengal and other states culminate their finest ever skill and efforts for making the idols of Durga using conventional natural resources like clay, wood, organic colors, that are all biodegradable. The pandals( the temporary abodes of Devi Durga) all over Bengal, especially in urban cities turn into the finest galleries of art and culture covering an unimaginably wide range of form and traditions, represented by Bengal and neighboring states of India. Durga puja becomes a wide open opportunity to discover and re-discover the art and artistry of Bengal, and not only that this is the biggest festival of Bengal that provides a great competitive platform for innumerable artists and workers to learn and earn.
The time of Puja is the time for togetherness, is the time for sharing and caring. The traditional concept of making the idols of Durga, her four children and her husband Lord Shiva against a single background structure( which is in Bengali: Ek chalchitra) seems to me a very symbolic one! It implicates to me a strong bondage between the family members, or in a greater sense the relationships between individuals. An example of unity in diversity.
To save the worlds, Brahmma(the god of creation), Vishnu( the god of sustenance), Moheshwara/ Shiva(the god of destruction) and all of the gods emitted beams of fierce light from their bodies. The blinding sea of light reached Parvati, and Durga emerged from this pool of light. This is very symbolic. I see durga as a domain where there have been convergence of all form of energies; she is the symbolic epitome of unified force, as it is the most cherished theory of modern-day physics- “the unified field theory”. And therefore, She is the Symbolic epitome of concentrated knowledge and wisdom. She can create(sristi), She can sustain( sthiti), and She can destroy(loy). She comes over here to create all good things and to sustain them on this earth, and to destroys all evil power, as depicted by triumph over Mahisasura.
Her four children are very symbolic to me for four aspects of socio-economic- cultural upliftment. These are the four aspects to create a balanced nation or a person as an individual.
“Lakhsmi”, her elder daughter, is a symbol of wealth. She carries with her a bunch of ripe paddy and a container of vermilion. Ripened paddy is the symbol of agricultural success. And vermilion is the symbol of peaceful marriage in Hindu custom.
“Swaraswati”, her younger daughter, is a symbol of art and culture. She carries with her a sitar, a classical Indian instrument depicting music, which is the highest form of the faculty of art.
“Kartika”, her elder son, is the commander-in-chief of the gods for war. He is the warrior and protector from enemies. He carries a bow and arrows. He knows how to target an enemy. And he is the symbol of leadership qualities.
“Ganesha”, her youngest son. He is the symbol of knowledge and wisdom.
And the Mother is the creator of all her four children, the four faculties associated with biological, social, cultural and intellectual evolution of man.
Therefore, She is the idealistic epitome of Gunas (qualities), that we all her children should acquire for. And there lies the true meaningfulness of worshiping our mother, Durga.
On the tenth day after the triumph, the day of Vijaya Dashami, mother along with her family sets her journey back to her final adobe in himalaya, leaving the earthly world behind. The clay idol is thus immersed in the holy water of Ganges to symbolize her journey. And thus the whole celebration comes to an end.
Pale form of Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo). Until recently, the buzzard was only found in the north and west of the country due to severe population declines. Over the last couple of decades, however, it has been doing very well and can now be found almost everywhere in the UK. Listen out for its cat-like,'kee-yaaa' calls as it soars in high circles over grassland, farmland and woodlands. buzzards eat small birds, mammals and carrion, but will also eat large insects and earthworms when prey is in short supply.
How to identify
Buzzards are the most frequently seen medium-sized birds of prey. They have broader wings and shorter tails than the harriers or Red Kite. Their plumage can vary from a uniform dark brown to much paler shades. Photo by Nick Dobbs, Bournemouth, Dorset 12-12-17
Icicles formed by the sprinkler in the tree, Foley, Al. 1/10/10
Hi everyone! It's hard to believe these additions to the ice tree series were taken only two days ago...the high was around 60 here today, under a sunny sky...all that remains of the ice display is a pile of ice on the shaded ground...after I finish this series, I PROMISE I'll fill your viewing with flowers, sunshine and anything unwinterlike!!! Have a wonderful evening...and stay warm! : )
昭和新山（しょうわしんざん）, a popular destination close to Lake Toya. This "new mountain" was formed in 1945 when it erupted in that year.
Here ya go Knight. You in military lego form lol. I kind of went with a desert themed camo pattern on this one because you were right when photos of these guys are sort of hard to come by. I slightly remember you mentioning the colors of the Beret were different than grey and black but once again when I was looking up photos the only pictures I found of the were wearing this Beret, or an olive drab bandanna. Regardless I hope you like it and maybe the emblem with your initials on the beret and the arm patch will make up for the discrepencies lol. Also I am just getting used to my new camera and light tent so bare with me everyone! Thanks! Decals by Eclipsegrafx.
It's become very fashionable to take photos of the graffiti (sorry, "street art") in the so-called "Baltic Triangle" (Bermuda Triangle?).
Where did that name come from? - surely not from the Baltic Fleet pub, which isn't even in the area?
I took lots of photos in 2009 (some are tagged "Baltic") and wondered how many still look the same (or not) 13 years later.
As I'm not as mobile as I used to be I'm using Google Streetview to show up-to-date views.
Luckily, this building is more or less the same, except that the ghost lettering has been covered up.
July 2009 photo.
?????LESS SHOP & MIXED PROVENDERS.
Provender is dry food for cattle.
*Up to 1936 at least this building was 22 to 26 Jamaica Street.
An 1890 map shows it to be Porter & Wilson, cow stables.
By 1900 James Porter & Sons were there, plus 1911, so Porter must be at the beginning of the ghosted lettering?
DCR's 60055 Thomas Barnado hauls 24 well-loaded boxes forming 6Z24 Bristol Freightliner terminal to Willesdon through Bradford-on-Avon station.
The organisation founded by Thomas Barnado in 1866 and it's aims and purposes should be no secret to anyone nor should the reason for my choice of title for this image come as any surprise.
Something that is of interest though, I discovered whilst reading abour Dr Barnado that it was proposed in 1970 that Barnado was a possible suspect in the Whitechapel murders in London's east end between 1888 and 1891, the notion that Thomas Barnado could have been Jack the Ripper was posited again in 2005.
Another track 1 side 1, this time from the Stones 1969 album "Let it Bleed".
Being a late-comer to the majority of the Rolling Stones output (hard not to be as they've been going for so long now), I actually first came across this track when it was used in a 1995 advert for the AA - the motoring association not the fellowship dedicated to abstinence from alcohol (pretty sure they don't do TV adverts).
The former pilots' lookout tower, now turned into a hotel. The restaurant to the right is run by the same establishment.
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Lotstornet Logi & Restaurang Svedtiljas
Landsort is a Swedish village with a lighthouse on the island of Öja. It is the southernmost point of the Stockholm archipelago.
The island has had a pilot station from the 16th century onwards, first in the northern end of Öja, when ships generally used the inner waterway, but later in Landsort after larger ships began using the outer waterway. Pilot ships are still stationed in Landsort, but the pilots have moved inland and go by taxi to wherever they are needed.
During World War II and the Cold War, Landsort was a military base for the Swedish coastal artillery.
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Landsort är en by med en fyr på ön Öja söder om Torö i Torö socken i Nynäshamns kommun och i Stockholms södra skärgård. Landsort förekommer även som namn på hela ön. Den är smal och långsträckt, cirka 700 meter bred och fem kilometer lång. Dess norra delar har täta skogsområden med buskmarker. I södra delen ligger Landsorts by.
Redan i Nordens första segelbeskrivning från 1200-talet finns platsen omnämnd som Landsort och Båken. Landsort var i begynnelsen ett säsongsfiskeläge som i skrift står omnämnt 1644. På Öja har huvuddelen av befolkningen annars inte direkt varit fiskare, utan lotsar, fyrtjänstemän, tullare och telegrafister. De flesta yrkesarbetande har haft statlig tjänst. Statliga verksamheter har kontinuerligt bedrivits på Öja alltsedan 1600-talet och den militära verksamheten är den sista.
En lotsplats låg redan under 1500-talet på öns norra del där Stockholms inomskärsled tog sin början. När allt större fartyg togs i bruk i slutet på 1800-talet omlades farleden, vilket medförde att lotsarnas bostäder och verksamhet flyttade ner till Landsort. Naturliga hamnbassänger finns på både östra och västra sidan, däremellan löper en sänka på vars sidor bebyggelsen ligger grupperad. Här finns äldre knuttimrade stugor och en mångfald av bryggor, uthus och bodar. Söder om bykärnan finns modernare bostäder. Ett enkelt träkapell som är skänkt av Helge Ax:son Johnson 1939 står norr om byn.
På Landsort byggdes i slutet på 1960-talet en lotsutkik, ett torn på cirka 25 meter, som tillsammans med fyren präglar Öjas silhuett. Lotsen lades ner i slutet på 1980-talet och lotsutkiken används numera som utsiktstorn och vandrarhem. Landsort används fortfarande som angöring för fartyg som behöver lots och därför finns en mindre station med lots på ön.
Källa: Wikipedia