View allAll Photos Tagged Limit 8
August 8, 2014 - North of Odessa Nebraska US
Some of my best severe weather photography came out of this night supercell. This was a storm to remember in 2014.
This storm cell was at first, a very slow mover moving southeast about 9-10mph before it even reached northern Buffalo County. I had to work late and I was considering not to even go out. Glad I made an effort to do so....
Most of these captures were north of Odessa Nebraska US, and some in the city limits of Kearney,
*** Please NOTE and RESPECT the Copyright ***
Copyright 2014
Dale Kaminski @ NebraskaSC Photography
All Rights Reserved
This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.
#ForeverChasing
#NebraskaSC
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, 28 miles (45 km) north of Miami. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people at the 2015 census.
The city is a popular tourist destination, with an average year-round temperature of 75.5 °F (24.2 °C) and 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. Greater Fort Lauderdale which takes in all of Broward County hosted 12 million visitors in 2012, including 2.8 million international visitors. The city and county in 2012 collected $43.9 million from the 5% hotel tax it charges, after hotels in the area recorded an occupancy rate for the year of 72.7 percent and an average daily rate of $114.48. The district has 561 hotels and motels comprising nearly 35,000 rooms. Forty six cruise ships sailed from Port Everglades in 2012. Greater Fort Lauderdale has over 4,000 restaurants, 63 golf courses, 12 shopping malls, 16 museums, 132 nightclubs, 278 parkland campsites, and 100 marinas housing 45,000 resident yachts.
Fort Lauderdale is named after a series of forts built by the United States during the Second Seminole War. The forts took their name from Major William Lauderdale (1782–1838), younger brother of Lieutenant Colonel James Lauderdale. William Lauderdale was the commander of the detachment of soldiers who built the first fort. However, development of the city did not begin until 50 years after the forts were abandoned at the end of the conflict. Three forts named "Fort Lauderdale" were constructed; the first was at the fork of the New River, the second at Tarpon Bend on the New River between the Colee Hammock and Rio Vista neighborhoods, and the third near the site of the Bahia Mar Marina.
The area in which the city of Fort Lauderdale would later be founded was inhabited for more than two thousand years by the Tequesta Indians. Contact with Spanish explorers in the 16th century proved disastrous for the Tequesta, as the Europeans unwittingly brought with them diseases, such as smallpox, to which the native populations possessed no resistance. For the Tequesta, disease, coupled with continuing conflict with their Calusa neighbors, contributed greatly to their decline over the next two centuries. By 1763, there were only a few Tequesta left in Florida, and most of them were evacuated to Cuba when the Spanish ceded Florida to the British in 1763, under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763), which ended the Seven Years' War. Although control of the area changed between Spain, United Kingdom, the United States, and the Confederate States of America, it remained largely undeveloped until the 20th century.
The Fort Lauderdale area was known as the "New River Settlement" before the 20th century. In the 1830s there were approximately 70 settlers living along the New River. William Cooley, the local Justice of the Peace, was a farmer and wrecker, who traded with the Seminole Indians. On January 6, 1836, while Cooley was leading an attempt to salvage a wrecked ship, a band of Seminoles attacked his farm, killing his wife and children, and the children's tutor. The other farms in the settlement were not attacked, but all the white residents in the area abandoned the settlement, fleeing first to the Cape Florida Lighthouse on Key Biscayne, and then to Key West.
The first United States stockade named Fort Lauderdale was built in 1838, and subsequently was a site of fighting during the Second Seminole War. The fort was abandoned in 1842, after the end of the war, and the area remained virtually unpopulated until the 1890s. It was not until Frank Stranahan arrived in the area in 1893 to operate a ferry across the New River, and the Florida East Coast Railroad's completion of a route through the area in 1896, that any organized development began. The city was incorporated in 1911, and in 1915 was designated the county seat of newly formed Broward County.
Fort Lauderdale's first major development began in the 1920s, during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. The 1926 Miami Hurricane and the Great Depression of the 1930s caused a great deal of economic dislocation. In July 1935, an African-American man named Rubin Stacy was accused of robbing a white woman at knife point. He was arrested and being transported to a Miami jail when police were run off the road by a mob. A group of 100 white men proceeded to hang Stacy from a tree near the scene of his alleged robbery. His body was riddled with some twenty bullets. The murder was subsequently used by the press in Nazi Germany to discredit US critiques of its own persecution of Jews, Communists, and Catholics.
When World War II began, Fort Lauderdale became a major US base, with a Naval Air Station to train pilots, radar operators, and fire control operators. A Coast Guard base at Port Everglades was also established.
On July 4, 1961 African Americans started a series of protests, wade-ins, at beaches that were off-limits to them, to protest "the failure of the county to build a road to the Negro beach". On July 11, 1962 a verdict by Ted Cabot went against the city's policy of racial segregation of public beaches.
Today, Fort Lauderdale is a major yachting center, one of the nation's largest tourist destinations, and the center of a metropolitan division with 1.8 million people.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lauderdale,_Florida
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Fort Lauderdale /ˌfɔərt ˈlɔːdərdeɪl/ (frequently abbreviated as Ft. Lauderdale) is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, 28 miles (45 km) north of Miami. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people at the 2015 census.
The city is a popular tourist destination, with an average year-round temperature of 75.5 °F (24.2 °C) and 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. Greater Fort Lauderdale which takes in all of Broward County hosted 12 million visitors in 2012, including 2.8 million international visitors. The city and county in 2012 collected $43.9 million from the 5% hotel tax it charges, after hotels in the area recorded an occupancy rate for the year of 72.7 percent and an average daily rate of $114.48. The district has 561 hotels and motels comprising nearly 35,000 rooms. Forty six cruise ships sailed from Port Everglades in 2012. Greater Fort Lauderdale has over 4,000 restaurants, 63 golf courses, 12 shopping malls, 16 museums, 132 nightclubs, 278 parkland campsites, and 100 marinas housing 45,000 resident yachts.
Fort Lauderdale is named after a series of forts built by the United States during the Second Seminole War. The forts took their name from Major William Lauderdale (1782–1838), younger brother of Lieutenant Colonel James Lauderdale. William Lauderdale was the commander of the detachment of soldiers who built the first fort. However, development of the city did not begin until 50 years after the forts were abandoned at the end of the conflict. Three forts named "Fort Lauderdale" were constructed; the first was at the fork of the New River, the second at Tarpon Bend on the New River between the Colee Hammock and Rio Vista neighborhoods, and the third near the site of the Bahia Mar Marina.
The area in which the city of Fort Lauderdale would later be founded was inhabited for more than two thousand years by the Tequesta Indians. Contact with Spanish explorers in the 16th century proved disastrous for the Tequesta, as the Europeans unwittingly brought with them diseases, such as smallpox, to which the native populations possessed no resistance. For the Tequesta, disease, coupled with continuing conflict with their Calusa neighbors, contributed greatly to their decline over the next two centuries. By 1763, there were only a few Tequesta left in Florida, and most of them were evacuated to Cuba when the Spanish ceded Florida to the British in 1763, under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763), which ended the Seven Years' War. Although control of the area changed between Spain, United Kingdom, the United States, and the Confederate States of America, it remained largely undeveloped until the 20th century.
The Fort Lauderdale area was known as the "New River Settlement" before the 20th century. In the 1830s there were approximately 70 settlers living along the New River. William Cooley, the local Justice of the Peace, was a farmer and wrecker, who traded with the Seminole Indians. On January 6, 1836, while Cooley was leading an attempt to salvage a wrecked ship, a band of Seminoles attacked his farm, killing his wife and children, and the children's tutor. The other farms in the settlement were not attacked, but all the white residents in the area abandoned the settlement, fleeing first to the Cape Florida Lighthouse on Key Biscayne, and then to Key West.
The first United States stockade named Fort Lauderdale was built in 1838, and subsequently was a site of fighting during the Second Seminole War. The fort was abandoned in 1842, after the end of the war, and the area remained virtually unpopulated until the 1890s. It was not until Frank Stranahan arrived in the area in 1893 to operate a ferry across the New River, and the Florida East Coast Railroad's completion of a route through the area in 1896, that any organized development began. The city was incorporated in 1911, and in 1915 was designated the county seat of newly formed Broward County.
Fort Lauderdale's first major development began in the 1920s, during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. The 1926 Miami Hurricane and the Great Depression of the 1930s caused a great deal of economic dislocation. In July 1935, an African-American man named Rubin Stacy was accused of robbing a white woman at knife point. He was arrested and being transported to a Miami jail when police were run off the road by a mob. A group of 100 white men proceeded to hang Stacy from a tree near the scene of his alleged robbery. His body was riddled with some twenty bullets. The murder was subsequently used by the press in Nazi Germany to discredit US critiques of its own persecution of Jews, Communists, and Catholics.
When World War II began, Fort Lauderdale became a major US base, with a Naval Air Station to train pilots, radar operators, and fire control operators. A Coast Guard base at Port Everglades was also established.
On July 4, 1961 African Americans started a series of protests, wade-ins, at beaches that were off-limits to them, to protest "the failure of the county to build a road to the Negro beach". On July 11, 1962 a verdict by Ted Cabot went against the city's policy of racial segregation of public beaches.
Today, Fort Lauderdale is a major yachting center, one of the nation's largest tourist destinations, and the center of a metropolitan division with 1.8 million people.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
"An Eye Pressed to Heaven's Window"—The Milky Way under Sky's the Limit Observatory in 29 Palms, near Joshua Tree National Park. I perched my camera on a tripod, opened the shutter for a long time, and then walked around lighting the observatory with a handheld LED light. Photos, books, workshops: www.kenleephotography.com (Plate 5765) Pentax K-1/15-30mm f/2.8 lens. September 2025. #kenlee #nightphotography #lightpainting #LightPaintingPhotography #YourShotPhotographer #mylensrental #astrophotography #astrophoto #nightsky #nightscaper #LongExposure #humanmade #ShootPentax #Pentax #PentaxK1 #Nikon
Lever de soleil depuis les vignes entre Grisolles et Fronton ( Limite Tarn et Garonne - Haute-Garonne au matin du 8 Mai 2015
Artículo en Wikipedia: Cortiguera
Tomada a 686 m.s.n.m.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
GRUPOS COMENTADOS CON NIVELES:
Hit for 6 ()
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FAV 21 - 50 ()
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DSLR Autofocus Level 1 [5] (6) ✔️
DSLR Autofocus Level 2 [5] (7) ✔️
DSLR Autofocus Level 3 [5] (8) ✔️
DSLR Autofocus Level 4 [5] ()
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
LMF:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LMF España (Spain) (P1/C3) (2)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LMF de 2010 a 2019 (from 2010 to 2019) (P1/C3) (4) ✔️
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
GRUPOS SIN NIVELES:
Recorriendo España () ⏳
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flickr en Español
Landscapes Only
Strictly GeoTagged (no 30/60 limit)
Today's Flickr
Wikimedia Commons
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
(0) Invitados - (0) Eliminados
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pasos:
400, 500, 800, 9000
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Field test walk with Panasonic GF1 and Olympus 45mm f/1.8
I like that GF1 got those early mirrorless limits, this makes me think more about the scene, this leads to more funky funny pictures. Out of my comfort zone.
I only miss smaller single center focus point for the sake of accuracy (after writing this I found how to change size of the single focus point to a tiny one and I am really happy now).
JARDIN DEL PRINCIPE DEL PALACIO REAL DE ARANJUEZ
Este jardín, situado entre el río Tajo y la Calle de la Reina, es el más extenso de todos los de Aranjuez, con un perímetro de 7 km y una extensión de 150 hectáreas, de las cuales sólo son visitables aproximadamente la mitad. En la parte norte, que es la que da al río, está protegido por un dique de piedra llamado Malecón de Solera, mientras que en su cara sur, lo limita una larga verja sobre un zócalo de piedra de Colmenar y pilares de ladrillos, ornamentados por artísticas piedras. El jardín está formado por gran variedad de especies de árboles diferentes, como: plátanos, ahuehuetes, pacanos, caquis de Virginia, cipreses, liquidámbares, pinos, castaños de indias, tilos, fresnos, robles, cafeteros, magnolios, arces, carpes, árboles del amor, de Júpiter,...
Origen
Tiene su origen en la llamada Huerta Grande de Don Gonzalo y en un pequeño jardín mandado crear por Fernando VI en la zona del embarcadero sobre el río. El proyecto del nuevo jardín fue trazado en 1763 por Pablo Boutelou (nieto de Esteban Boutelou I).1 No es hasta el 3 de octubre de 1772 que el futuro Carlos IV, que en aquel momento ostentaba el título de Príncipe de Asturias, manda su construcción. Se finalizaron los trabajos en 1804.
Entrada
La entrada principal de este jardín, situada en la Calle de la Reina, justo detrás del Palacio de Godoy, se realiza a través de una puerta de hierro, obra de Juan de Villanueva, con dos basamentos de piedra, con cuatro columnas cada uno y coronadas por cornisas de orden jónico. En lo alto, están rematadas por geniecillos de piedra con flores, aunque anteriormente estaban adornadas por las esculturas de Palas y Pomona, que ya estuvieron en la Fuente de Hércules e Hidra del Jardín de la Isla y que hoy están en el Museo del Prado.
Embarcadero
Posee un embarcadero fortificado (mandado crear por Carlos IV), muy usado durante las estancias de los Reyes en Aranjuez, en las que organizaban paseos por el Tajo a bordo de lujosas falúas. Dichas embarcaciones se conservan todavía en el Museo de Falúas Reales o Casa de Marinos, que se encuentra al lado. También encontramos en la zona un castillo de piedra, de construcción inacabada, y que fue usado como depósito de leña. Actualmente alberga un restaurante.
Hay una sección del jardín llamada Anglochina, en la que encontramos las hermosas fuentes de Narciso y de los Cisnes.
Fuente de Narciso
La primera, obra de Joaquín Dumandre, muestra al hermoso Narciso junto a su perro, asomándose a un hermoso tazón sobre el que se encuentra en lo alto de un pilar, a punto de caer en él. Sujetan el tazón cuatro robustos Hércules. Al resultar gravemente dañada en la Guerra de la Independencia Española, fue reconstruida por Esteban de Ágreda en 1827 según el diseño de Isidro González Velázquez.
Fuente de los Cisnes
La Fuente de los Cisnes es también obra de Joaquín Dumandre, inspirada en otra de La Granja. Presenta un peñasco con dos figuras de niños de mármol que agarraban un cisne, por cuyo pico salía el agua. Dañada en la Guerra de la Independencia Española. Sólo se conservaba el pilón y el peñasco central, pero en 2009 se llevó a cabo la restauración de las figuras de los niños y el cisne.
Fuente de Apolo
Más allá, la Fuente de Apolo, en mármol de Carrara, muestra al dios de la belleza en lo alto de un pedestal. Mandada crear por Carlos IV, no fue terminada hasta el reinado de su hijo Fernando VII, con diseño de Isidro González Velázquez. Detrás, con forma semicircular, seis columnas coronadas con otros tantos patos lo escoltan. A ambos lados, encontramos dos columnas cuadradas, con dos tazones en lo alto. La estatua de Apolo fue comprada por Felipe V y situada en La Granja. Carlos IV la mandó traer a Aranjuez. Actualmente la estatua presente en el Jardín del Príncipe es una reproducción, pues la original fue devuelta en 2000 a La Granja.
Estanque de los Chinescos
El Estanque de los Chinescos, lago artificial bordeado por una pequeña baranda, con tres islas, sobre las cuales encontramos un templete o kiosco de estilo griego, otro de tipo chinesco y un mausoleo de granito egipcio. El pabellón griego es obra de Juan de Villanueva, con una serie de ocho columnas de orden jónico que sujetan el techo, coronado por una piña de bronce pintada de color mármol (aunque originalmente poseía un dragón dorado). Entre cada columna existieron unos vasos canopos egipcios, ahora desaparecidos. Por otro lado, el templete chinesco original resultó gravemente dañado en la Guerra de la Independencia Española y reconstruido por Fernando VII más bien como un kiosco de estilo turco, con vivos colores verde, rojo y dorado.
Montaña Rusa
Muy cerca, se construyó una montaña artificial, la llamada Montaña Rusa, aunque su verdadero nombre es Montaña Suiza, coronada por un templete de madera, desde las cuales se pueden contemplar hermosas vistas de todo el jardín.
Casa del Labrador
Finalmente, su extremo más oriental se encuentra la Casa del Labrador, edificación mandada construir por Carlos IV y de gran riqueza por su colección de estatuas y relojes.
En este jardín viven en libertad faisanes y pavos reales, así como ardillas y otros animales similares.
PALACIO REAL DE ARANJUEZ
Los antecedentes del primer acto, antes de que aparezca el Rey Felipe II como protagonista, nos advierten de la pertenencia de estas tierras a la militar Orden de Santiago, cuya propiedad parece arrancar de los días mismos de la Reconquista. Pero los datos más certeros se refieren al otoño de la Edad Media, entre 1387 y 1409, cuando la Orden construyó aquí su Casa Maestral, justo en el solar del actual Palacio, dándole ya un uso de recreo. Del mismo modo, datan de entonces las primeras obras hidráulicas sobre el Tajo para asegurar el riego a las tierras de labor, no descartándose la idea de la existencia de algún jardín en las inmediaciones de la Casa-Palacio, con lo cual tendríamos el esquema del futuro Aranjuez real. Este hecho es tan fuerte, en la historia física de Aranjuez como Real Sitio, que la Casa Maestral estuvo en pie y comunicada con la parte del Palacio hecha por Felipe II hasta su demolición en el siglo XVIII, una vez que Felipe V decidió continuar las obras para terminar el Palacio.
En grandes líneas, el episodio siguiente correspondería al reinado de los Reyes Católicos, cuando la política de sujeción de las órdenes militares convierte a Fernando el Católico en administrador vitalicio de las mismas, entre ellas la de Santiago y, por tanto, la posesión de Aranjuez. La certeza de la estancia de los Reyes Católicos en Aranjuez, alojados en la Casa Maestral, y gozando de los jardines que desde muy pronto debió haber en la lsla inmediata sobre el Tajo, quiere verse recordada en el Salón plantado de plátanos que lleva el nombre de aquellos Monarcas.
Bajo Carlos V de acuerdo con la bula pontificia de 1523 dada por Adriano VI, se produjo la agregación perpetua a la Corona de Castilla de la Orden de Santiago, con lo que Aranjuez quedó para siempre vinculada a los bienes de la Corona. El Emperador visitó en varias ocasiones la antigua Casa Maestral y mucho debió satisfacerle el lugar cuando, en 1534, creó el Real Bosque y Casa de Aranjuez, procediendo a la compra de varias tierras limítrofes, al tiempo que daba instrucciones en 1543 para nuevos plantíos: «Se ordena que en el Soto de Siruela se planten nísperos entre los espinos; en el Orzagal, Matalonguilla e Isla de la Huerta se deben plantar sauces, mimbreras, chopos y otros árboles silvestres que sean apropiados. Se establece que las moreras que están en la Huerta se trasplanten...». Como prueba de que en tiempos de Carlos V ya se había consolidado un cierto ambiente cortesano en Aranjuez, tenemos noticia de la boda celebrada aquí, en 1548, entre María, hija del Emperador, y su primo Maximiliano, Rey de Bohemia, representándose entonces una obra de Ariosto en los jardines.
Estos antecedentes hacen más comprensible y natural la predilección del Rey Felipe Il por Aranjuez, pues, en la línea de lo que había hecho su padre, siguió aumentando la extensión del Real Bosque y Casa de Aranjuez, iniciando una obra de gran alcance como es toda la infraestructura hidráulica de presas, canales y acequias, que permitiría regar las tierras y plantíos, alimentar los juegos de agua de las fuentes y, en definitiva, convertir aquello en un prodigioso vergel. Así, las tomas de agua del Tajo, tanto por su margen izquierdo, como por la derecha, llevaron el agua por el caz de 12 Azuda en dirección AL Picotajo, o bien por el caz del Embocador, que coge el agua en la presa de este mismo nombre para regar la margen izquierda del río, sin olvidar la traída de aguas desde el Mar o Estanque de Ontígola para alimentar las fuentes del jardín de la Isla. En toda esta inteligente obra de ingeniería se verían involucrados los nombres propios de Juan Bautista de Toledo y Juan de Herrera, a los que luego se citará come artífices del Palacio, pero a su vez, esto no era sino un, parte del más ambicioso plan de Felipe II para hacer navegable el río Tajo, bien hasta Toledo, bien hasta la misma Lisboa, es decir, dando a Aranjuez salida al Atlántico Esta parte del sueño no pudo cumplirse, pero en cambio, sí llegó a ser una hermosa realidad el conjunto de Palacio y jardines, con sus puentes, paseos y acceso, desde Madrid, Toledo y Ocaña que, como mágica en crucijada, plasmó Jean L'Hermite en la primera vista de Aranjuez conocida y celosamente guardada en la Biblioteca Real de Bruselas.
EL PALACIO DE FELIPE II
Decidido Felipe II a construir el nuevo Palacio, después de las vicisitudes señaladas en la Introducción, se sirvió el Monarca del nuevo arquitecto contratado en Italia, Juan Bautista de Toledo. Su nombre va unido, como es de justicia, al proyecto del Monasterio de El Escorial, pero no es menos cierto que antes de trazar una sola línea para la gran empresa escurialense, Juan Bautista de Toledo ya estaba trabajando en diversos cometidos en Aranjuez, desde 1559, año en que llega a España, y concretamente en el Palacio, cuya simbólica primera piedra no se colocaría hasta el primer día del año de 1565; eso sí, después de haber oído misa. Pero para entonces ya se habían hecho todos los tanteos previos, las trazas y los modelos del nuevo Palacio, el replanteo del edificio sobre el terreno e incluso se había terminado una parte de la cimentación del conjunto.
La primera piedra del Monasterio de El Escorial se había colocado, también simbólicamente, en la cimentación del refectorio, en 1563, después de todas las labores de preparación del terreno, de tal modo que Aranjuez y El Escorial son obras hermanas de unos mismos años e hijas de un mismo padre, Juan Bautista de Toledo, y resultado de una misma voluntad real: la de Felipe II. Todo lo cual explica de modo natural la semejanza que existe entre el Palacio Real de Aranjuez y la Casa del Rey en la cabecera del Monasterio de El Escorial, como se verá más adelante.
En este punto no puede olvidarse que Juan Bautista de Toledo fue llamado a Italia «para que ahora y de aquí adelante, para en toda vuestra vida, seáis nuestro Arquitecto y como tal nos hayáis de servir y sirváis en hacer las trazas y los modelos que os mandáremos y en todas nuestras obras, edificios y otras cosas dependientes del dicho oficio de Arquitecto», es decir, Felipe II tiene en proyecto no sólo El Escorial, sino otras muchas obras reales nuevas en Aranjuez o Madrid, además de terminar las iniciadas en Toledo o en El Pardo por su padre, Carlos V De toda esta actividad, ciertamente, El Escorial es la obra más comprometida y de mayor envergadura, que servirá de telón de fondo a los pocos años de vida que las Parcas le dieron a Juan Bautista de Toledo en nuestro suelo, pues llegado a España en 1559, el arquitecto falleció en 1567.
Hasta ese momento, Juan Bautista de Toledo no dejó de asistir a la obra del Palacio de Aranjuez, pues el Rey tenía gran empeño en avanzar los trabajos, si bien los menguados recursos financieros no le dejaron adelantar estos al ritmo que el Monarca hubiera querido. La estrecha vinculación biográfica del arquitecto con la obra de Aranjuez es tal que queda de manifiesto al revisar la actividad de Juan Bautista de Toledo en los días finales de su vida. Así, sabemos que después de haber visitado las obras en febrero de 1567, y deseoso el Monarca iniciar las obras de la Capilla del Palacio, el arquitecto estuvo unas semanas del mes de marzo en Aranjuez, dando ya muestras evidentes de falta de salud.
Con todo, fue un tiempo fructífero para la obra y para el proyecto en general, pues dejó nuevas trazas, definió los detalles de la cantería y, de alguna forma, se es pecificaron pormenores de acabado, sin duda no resueltos hasta entonces, dando instrucciones para la organización de la obra a sus ayudantes que, en ese momento, eran los aparejadores Gaspar de Landeras, para la cantería, y Domingo Sánchez y Gaspar Hernández, para la parte de albañilería. Sobre estos, tenía a su cargo la dirección de la obra un italiano, muy afín a Juan Bautista de Toledo, que fue Gerónimo Gili. Con estos hombres, y dadas las instrucciones pertinentes, el arquitecto se volvió a Madrid, pero en mayo de aquel mismo año de 1567 le notificaron la necesidad de sustituir al aparejador de cantería Gaspar de Landeras, que había fallecido tras unas cuartanas. El 12 de mayo Toledo señaló como sustituto a un cantero vizcaíno que ya estaba en la obra, y una semana más tarde el propio arquitecto entregaba su alma a Dios en Madrid. De este modo, bien puede afirmarse que la preocupación por Aranjuez y su Palacio, efectivamente, le acompañó hasta su lecho de muerte, habiendo sido providencial para el futuro de las obras su estancia en aquella primavera de 1567.
La sustitución de Juan Bautista al frente de las obras reales era un problema aún mayor, y en Aranjuez la confianza del Monarca en el más cercano colaborador de Toledo, el mencionado Gerónimo Gili, hizo que éste se hiciese cargo de la obra. Su nombre lo habría sugerido el propio Toledo en un Memorial dirigido al Monarca que dejó preparado antes de morir y que se menciona en el codicilo firmado el mismo día de su fallecimiento. Allí «se trata de las personas que son suficientes [apropiadas] para servir a S.M. en las obras y edificios» que el arquitecto dejaba en construcción, donde aparecería el nombre de Gili, colaborador y amigo muy próximo a Toledo, pues no en vano firmó como testigo en la apertura de su testamento.
Sin embargo, Gili tuvo muchos problemas con los aparejadores de la obra, y si bien da nuevas instrucciones y trazas sobre el modelo de Juan Bautista de Toledo, Felipe II introdujo poco a poco en la obra a Juan de Herrera hasta que éste quedó como máximo y único responsable del Palacio de Aranjuez en 1575. Sin embargo, una vez más, la escasez de recursos económicos paralizó las obras definitivamente, entre 1584 y 1585, hasta que en el siglo XVIII se reiniciaron bajo los Borbones.
¿Cuál y cómo era el Palacio de Felipe II, proyectado por Toledo y construido por Gili y Herrera? La respuesta no es sencilla, pues de una parte, en el incendio del Alcázar de Madrid, en 1734, se debieron de perder los proyectos originales y los modelos que, nos consta, se conservaban allí, y, por otro lado, la formidable obra llevada a cabo en el siglo XVIII oculta la vieja fábrica de Felipe II. Sin embargo, contamos con otras fuentes que permiten tener una idea muy precisa de lo que fue el Palacio filipino y, diríamos más, sin conocerlas difícilmente puede entenderse la génesis del Palacio que hoy visitamos.
Afortunadamente, el Palacio que dejó inconcluso Felipe II fue utilizado y reformado por los Austrias menores, especialmente por Felipe IV lo que generó nuevos planos e informes que son, para nosotros, fuentes exquisitas de información. Así, en 1626, el arquitecto Juan Gómez de Mora copió los planos originales de Juan Bautista de Toledo, proponiendo nuevos usos y distribuciones, según puede comprobarse en el Memorial manuscrito guardado en la Biblioteca Vaticana. A su vez, se conserva en El Escorial una bellísima vista del Palacio de Aranjuez, hecha sin duda sobre el modelo en madera original, donde puede medirse el interés de este proyecto no acabado en sus días y retomado ahora, pues no en vano el anónimo autor de esta obra, que durante algún tiempo se atribuyó a Jusepe Leonardo, escribió los nombres de Felipe II y Felipe IV en la fachada. El pintor, sin duda, tuvo ante sí los suficientes datos como para dar una idea cabal del desarrollo tridimensional del Palacio y de su entorno, dejándonos ver con fidelidad fotográfica el comienzo de las Casas de Oficios, arboledas, huertas y plantíos, viejas construcciones en la parte posterior del Palacio y el puente de madera que lleva a la margen derecha del río, así como el jardín de la Isla, con sus correspondientes parterres y cenadores.
Esta vista ideal del Palacio, muy conocida y reproducida, se complementa con la conservada en el Museo del Prado, igualmente anónima, de hacia 1630, donde además de verse el enclave general del Sitio deja ver mento, eran los aparejadores Gaspar de Landeras, para la cantería, y Domingo Sánchez y Gaspar Hernández, para la parte de albañilería. Sobre estos, tenía a su cargo la dirección de la obra un italiano, muy afín a Juan Bautista de Toledo, que fue Gerónimo Gili. Con estos hombres, y dadas las instrucciones pertinentes, el arquitecto se volvió a Madrid, pero en mayo de aquel mismo año de 1567 le notificaron la necesidad de sustituir al aparejador de cantería Gaspar de Landeras, que había fallecido tras unas cuartanas. El 12 de mayo Toledo señaló como sustituto a un cantero vizcaíno que ya estaba en la obra, y una semana más tarde el propio arquitecto entregaba su alma a Dios en Madrid. De este modo, bien puede afirmarse que la preocupación por Aranjuez y su Palacio, efectivamente, le acompañó hasta su lecho de muerte, habiendo sido providencial para el futuro de las obras su estancia en aquella primavera de 1567.
La sustitución de Juan Bautista al frente de las obras reales era un problema aún mayor, y en Aranjuez la confianza del Monarca en el más cercano colaborador de Toledo, el mencionado Gerónimo Gili, hizo que éste se hiciese cargo de la obra. Su nombre lo habría sugerido el propio Toledo en un Memorial dirigido al Monarca que dejó preparado antes de morir y que se menciona en el codicilo firmado el mismo día de su fallecimiento. Allí «se trata de las personas que son suficientes [apropiadas] para servir a S.M. en las obras y edificios» que el arquitecto dejaba en construcción, donde aparecería el nombre de Gil¡, colaborador y amigo muy próximo a Toledo, pues no en vano firmó como testigo en la apertura de su testamento.
Sin embargo, Gili tuvo muchos problemas con los aparejadores de la obra, y si bien da nuevas instrucciones y trazas sobre el modelo de Juan Bautista de Toledo, Felipe II introdujo poco a poco en la obra a Juan de Herrera hasta que éste quedó como máximo y único responsable del Palacio de Aranjuez en 1575. Sin embargo, una vez más, la escasez de recursos económicos paralizó las obras definitivamente, entre 1584 y 1585, hasta que en el siglo XVIII se reiniciaron bajo los Borbones.
Toledo había pensado en un Palacio de amplia fachada y torres en los extremos, disponiendo a su espalda y en torno a un patio central los apartamentos del Rey, al Sur, y de la Reina, al Norte, en dos alturas, para ocupar la baja en verano y la alta en invierno. La simetría de la composición y la presencia de unos jardines privados de acompañamiento, como parte integrante del proyecto arquitectónico, completarían la semejanza que Aranjuez tiene con el Palacio de Felipe II en la cabecera del Monasterio de El Escorial, tal y como advirtiera Fernando Chueca en su día.
¿Qué es lo que, en realidad, se llegó a construir del proyecto de Felipe II? Cuantitativamente, algo menos de la mitad, y cualitativamente, lo más importante, es decir, la Capilla palatina que alberga la única torre construida, al Sur, la llamada Torre de la Capilla, y las estancias del Rey abiertas al jardín que lleva su nombre. De la fachada sólo se hizo el paño entre la mencionada Torre de la Capilla, rematada por una sencilla cúpula, y el primer eje de los cinco que tendría el cuerpo central, algo más elevado, con sus tres alturas en lugar de las dos plantas que tiene el resto del Palacio. Piedra caliza blanca para basas, pilastras, cornisas, remates, así como para la embocadura de los huecos, y paramentos de ladrillo «cocido a la manera de Flandes», harían que el Palacio se asemejara a la intervención de Herrera en el Alcázar de Toledo y, más aún, a la Casa de Contratación de Sevilla. Estilísticamente hablando la obra es muy sobria, acusando las fachadas unos disciplinados órdenes apilastrados, con tableros de piedra que cubren las superficies más amplias y desnudas de ladrillo, en la idea de alcanzar un cálido equilibrio cromático, como convenía al carácter del edificio, todo muy lejos del granítico rigor escurialense.
Curiosamente, todos estos aspectos se pueden reconocer todavía no sólo en las partes construidas bajo Felipe II sino en el resto, añadido en el siglo XVIII. En efecto, a pesar de ser de origen francés e italiano, los arquitectos que continuaron las obras dos siglos después, y bajo una dinastía distinta, la obra de terminación y ampliación del Palacio parece una consecuencia natural del primitivo, sin estridencia alguna, conservando el espíritu filipino, la idea básica de Juan Bautista de Toledo y el carácter añadido por Herrera. Todavía distinguimos muy bien la Torre de la Capilla, aunque en el interior desapareciera su uso religioso para acomodar allí unas habitaciones en la reforma de Sabatini. Es evidente que la piedra blanca y el ladrillo siguen dando color y textura al Palacio, en la misma proporción que en el siglo XVI. El recuerdo de Herrera, tópicamente asimilado a las esféricas bolas vistas en El Escorial, corona igualmente toda la obra nueva como lo hacía en la antigua, y así, sucesivamente, podríamos ir desgranando todo cuanto los nuevos constructores tomaron de la obra vieja como punto de partida, en una lección de arquitectura bien trabada por encima del tiempo y de los posibles personalismos de sus autores o de sus comitentes.
Entre las muchas cosas que se conservaron del Palacio del siglo XVI, se encuentra el jardín del Rey, al Sur del Palacio, jardín privado y cerrado, al que se abría el pórtico que, luego, en el siglo XVIII, acabaría cegándose para convertirlo en piezas de otro uso. Con todo, allí está el jardín, arquitectónicamente definido en el siglo XVI, dentro del proyecto de Toledo, modificado en el siglo XVII, alterado más tarde y recuperado en nuestros días. Hay que decir que este jardín del Rey tenía su homólogo en el de la Reina, en el lado norte, que nunca se llegó a hacer, y que ambos, a su vez, estaban comunicados por detrás del Palacio, por un jardín común, igualmente cerrado, donde hoy crece el llamado del Parterre, que ha conocido muchos cambios hasta su forma actual, alcanzada a lo largo del siglo XIX.
Pero volviendo al proyecto original, diremos que el Palacio veía a sus pies jardines cerrados, secretos, con caminos de baldosas de cerámica y unas fuentes, de las que podemos formarnos una idea por la que centraba el jardín del Rey, de la que sólo conocemos que fue labrada en jaspe por Roque Solario. Unas hornacinas con asientos, abiertas en los muros de cerramiento, ofrecían la comodidad del descanso en la posición más favorable respecto al sol.
En los años de Felipe IV se alteró el aspecto del jardín, cuyos antiguos paseos de cerámica se vieron sustituidos por andenes de piedra y cuadros de guijo, tal y como se recuperaron en las recientes obras de restauración (1986). El propio Felipe IV envió, en 1622, una importante colección de esculturas que estaban en el Alcázar de Madrid, para decorar el Palacio de Aranjuez, colocándose algunas de ellas en el jardín del Rey. En concreto, se distribuyeron en los nichos referidos una docena de bustos en mármol de emperadores romanos -hoy en la Casa de Labrador- y se colocó, presidiendo desde el lado occidental del jardín, una escultura en mármol de Felipe II, firmada por Pompeo Leoni en 1568. En su pedestal se puso la siguiente inscripción: «El Rey Nuestro Señor Don Felipe IV mandó adornar este jardín con las estatuas que en él hay, siendo gobernador Don Francisco de Brizuela. Año de MDCXXIII».
Desde entonces fue frecuente referirse a este jardín como «el de las estatuas». A uno y otro lado del retrato real, se colocaron entonces los formidables relieves, también en mármol y de los Leoni, de Carlos V y la Emperatriz Isabel de Portugal, que actualmente podemos admirar en el Museo del Prado. Con aquel programa iconográfico quedaba clara la estirpe imperial de este Jardín del Rey, en el que Felipe IV recuerda a su abuelo y bisabuelos, sin omitir la referencia al poder imperial encarnada por los césares romanos.
El jardín, comunicado con el Parterre desde el siglo XVIII, tras la eliminación de su cerramiento occiden- tal, ha perdido el primitivo carácter de jardín reservado y secreto, si bien aún es posible rehacer por lo dicho 1 imagen original de este bello rincón del Palacio de Felipe II. El jardín de la Reina no pasó nunca de su fase de proyecto, pero, lógicamente, hubiera sido una réplica del descrito, comunicando ambos por sendas puerta con el jardín común, a Oriente del Palacio, que sí se llegó a definir en una parte, según se desprende de la mencionada vista conservada en el Museo del Prado.
En este lienzo de nuestra primera pinacoteca puede verse, igualmente, la Casa de Oficios en pleno proceso de construcción, formando parte del conjunto palacial. En efecto, la Casa de Oficios se une al Palacio a través de un brazo porticado que, en escuadra, comunicaba bajo el pórtico o por encima de la terraza ambos edificios, siendo la solución porticada el elemento de lineal, sutura entre uno y otro. La Casa de Oficios se contemplaba ya en el proyecto inicial de Juan Bautista de Toledo, siendo objeto de una nueva consideración por parte de Juan de Herrera, quien, en 1584 y a instancias del Rey, hace los «apuntamientos» o memoria, con las condiciones de obra, entregando unas plantas a Lucas de Escalante y Antonio de Segura, para iniciar la obra. La Casa de Oficios se situaría entre la llamada Plaza de la Parejas, al Sur del Palacio Real, y la futura Plaza de San Antonio, viéndose recrecida y alargada con la adición, e el siglo XVIII, de la Casa de Caballeros.
LA ÉPOCA DE LOS BORBONES
Tanto el Palacio como los jardines de la Isla no conocieron nada importante hasta la llegada de la nueva dinastía de los Borbones, siendo el nombre del nuevo Monarca, Felipe V el que muy pronto aparece interesado en la terminación del Palacio, además de impulsar el ambicioso proyecto de Aranjuez no sólo como Palacio y Jardín, sino como Real Sitio. El Palacio presentaba entonces un aspecto modesto, pero que cumplía a satisfacción y ocasionalmente su cometido de grata residencia en las jornadas estivales. Esto es lo que viene a decirnos Juan Álvarez de Colmenar en sus ya citadas Délices de l' Espagne, cuando en 1707, esto es, antes de que se emprendan las nuevas campañas de obras, escribe: «La casa real, aunque es bastante hermosa, es lo que actualmente está más descuidado. Sólo está amueblada cuando el Rey acude; hay algunos cuadros de calidad, y un salón muy agradable en verano a causa del frescor, todo de mármol, y sustentado por columnas del mismo material». A continuación nos proporciona alguna información que nos retrotrae a los años del Felipe IV pues de entonces debe datar el traslado de la estatua en bronce de Carlos V y el Furor, de Leoni, actualmente en la rnda del Museo del Prado, al Palacio de Aranjuez, dónde Álvarez de Colmenar la vio «en el gran patio, cuadrado y pavimentado de mármol», junto a una fuente.
Lo cierto es que, en 1715, Felipe V encargó a Pedro Caro Idrogo, del que Ceán dice que era «carabinero de los reales ejércitos y ayuda de Furriera de Felipe V» -sirviendo en la plaza de maestro mayor y aparejador de las obras reales del Palacio de Madrid, desde su nombramiento como tal en 1712- que estudiara la continuación de las obras del Palacio, teniendo muy probablemente ante sí todavía los planos antiguos del proyecto original y, desde luego, los citados proyectos de Mora. El hecho es que en 1719 Idrogo ya había comenzado a mover la obra, lo cual requería el derribo previo de la Casa Maestral que hasta entonces había estado unida al Palacio de Felipe II, haciendo avanzar la construcción en la zona norte, por Real Orden de 2 de mayo de 1727, de acuerdo con los planos y fechas que se recogen en los proyectos conservados, tanto en el Archivo General de Palacio como en el Servicio General del Ejército (1728). Idrogo recuperó la idea inicial de la fachada torreada, cuyos cimientos se abrieron en 1728, llegando a proponer soluciones nuevas para la escalera principal, así como una distinta distribución de usos y espacios, de acuerdo no sólo con la nueva etiqueta cortesana de los Borbones, sino con la ocupación de parte del Palacio por las oficinas y despachos de algunos ramos de la Administración como las Secretarías de Hacienda, Guerra e Indias, todo ello en torno al patio central de Palacio. Esto coincide con el comentario que sobre el Palacio hace el viajero Étienne de Silhouette cuando, al visitar España en 1729-1730, dice que «la casa real es bastante bella, y cuando pasé por allí estaban trabajando en una ampliación».
Idrogo debió tener algunas diferencias de criterio con el Gobernador y Superintendente de la obra, Juan Antonio Samaniego, que presentó en 1731 unos pliegos contra la obra del arquitecto. Éste no pudo replicar puesto, que falleció al año siguiente, en 1732, y a Caro Idrogo, al que Bottineau llama «ingeniero militan», le sucedieron otros dos ingenieros militares franceses: Étienne Marchand y Léandre Bachelieu, de los cuales el primero murió también enseguida, en 1733, por lo que muy poco pudo hacer. Bachelieu, en cambio, adelantó mucho la obra, llegando a terminar la fachada principal en 1739, sobre la que se puso, según Ceán, una inscripción latina que este autor transcribe, recordando que aquella opus magnum se había hecho merced a Felipe V y se había terminado en la fecha indicada.
Pero a esta etapa protagonizada por los ingenieros franceses sucedió la de los arquitectos italianos, y así nos encontramos con Giacomo Bonavía, de Piacenza, y más adelante, con Francesco Sabatini, de Palermo, a quienes se debe el aspecto general y dominante del edificio, tanto interior como exteriormente, desde su fachada principal hasta la gran escalera o la nueva Capilla. Bonavía entró primero como ayudante de Bachelieu, luego siguió como tracista, en 1744, de la gran escalera de honor, y, finalmente, tras su nombramiento el 29 de septiembre de 1745, como director principal al frente de las obras del Palacio de Aranjuez, hasta su fallecimiento en 1759. Esto por no referirnos a su responsabilidad en la obra más amplia del Real Sitio, desde los aspectos estrictamente urbanos hasta los arquitectónicos, como pudiera ser la deliciosa Capilla de San Antonio presidiendo desde el fondo la gran Plaza que lleva su nombre en Aranjuez, en la que arquitectura y ciudad se solapan de modo ejemplar. En efecto, si bien estos cometidos de gran responsabilidad no son ahora el objeto de las presentes líneas, no se puede olvidar la febril actividad desplegada por Bonavía durante estos años, a la vez que se ocupaba del Palacio de Aranjuez.
La intervención de Bonavía en el Palacio tiene, además, un largo alcance, pues de un lado, a falta de culminar la obra gruesa del proyecto de 1715 -que no vería su fin hasta 1752-, él se dedicó a los interiores, de los que resulta pieza excepcional la gran escalera de honor con su espectacular desarrollo, así como la cuidada decoración de los apartamentos reales de Felipe V e Isabel de Farnesio. Pero es que, por otra parte, Bonavía hubo de hacer frente a los daños causados por el incendio fortuito que se produjo en 1747, en una labor de reconstrucción muy importante.
Las noticias documentadas desde su nombramiento en 1745 se refieren, en efecto, a los acabados de pavimentos y mobiliario, donde los pagos a tallistas, adornistas y doradores, como Juan Arranz, Matías Pérez, Manuel Corrales y Próspero de Mórtola, entre otros, ponen de manifiesto que la obra de amueblamiento se estaba finalizando, y quedaba constancia de que en los meses de noviembre y diciembre se hacían los últimos trabajos en el Gabinete de la Reina.
Precisamente, por las habitaciones de la Reina se inició el terrible incendio que asoló el Palacio en la madrugada del 16 de junio de 1748, lo cual forzaría a Bonavía a desempeñar un nuevo protagonismo en el edificio real, pues además de intentar terminarlo de una vez, tenía que hacer frente a la reconstrucción de buena parte de la zona norte. En aquella fecha los Monarcas residían en Palacio, si bien ya no eran Felipe V fallecido en 1746, e Isabel de Farnesio, que se encontraba en el Palacio de La Granja, sino Fernando VI y Bárbara de Braganza, la hija de Juan V de Portugal, que no sufrieron daños, pero que se trasladaron inmediatamente a Madrid, al Palacio del Buen Retiro.
El que sí quedó muy dañado fue el Palacio de Aranjuez, tanto por el fuego como por la precipitación con que se le quiso atajar. Nuevos proyectos afectaron, en lo arquitectónico, a la fachada principal, a la que se le dio definitivamente el aspecto que hoy tiene, en sus tres alturas y ático de remate, donde se resume la agitada historia del edificio mediante la representación y nombre de sus Monarcas.
En efecto, rematando el hastial central aparecen las esculturas labradas por Pedro Martinengo, según modelos de Olivieri, que representan, de derecha a izquierda a Felipe II, Fernando VI -algo más elevada- y a Felipe V. El formidable escudo con las armas reales, dibujado por Bonavía y ejecutado por Arranz, se terminó también en 1752, cuando se pueden dar por finalizadas las obras, según recuerda la inscripción que, sobre dos cartelas, se incluye también en este ático:
PHILIPPUS II. INSTITUIT FERDINANDUS VI. PIUS FELIX
PHILIPPUS V PROVEXIT CONSUMMAVIT AN. MDCC1,ll
Esta fachada principal, muy respetuosa en su arquitectura con el espíritu de la obra de Felipe II en cuanto a contención formal, materiales y color, añadió, como todo, licencia, el pórtico avanzado de la planta baja y unos sencillos frontones curvos y triangulares sobre los balcones: y ventanas de las plantas principal y alta, dando lugar, un noble y palaciego frontis. Sin embargo, y frente a la interpretación lógica que del interior se pudiera hacer, a contemplar esta hermosa fachada desde fuera, no existe detrás de aquel plano estancias reales; no se encuentra e Salón del Trono, ni siquiera una sala de aparato, sino que en realidad, todos aquellos numerosos balcones y venta mas iluminan la gran escalera que, diseñada por Bonavía, en 1744, había sido uno de los elementos de más lente definición a lo largo de la historia constructiva del Palacio Así como en el proyecto de Toledo, por lo que conocemos, no existe una gran escalera de aparato, única, abierta, sino excusadas entre muros, y la pensada por Gómez de Mora tiende a vincularla con el patio central, de donde recibe sus luces, al igual que haría Idrogo sacrificando la cuarta crujía del patio central, Bonavía convierte en une caja monumental todo el espacio entre la fachada y el patio. Asegura así una generosa iluminación natural por su, dos frentes, y desarrolla una escalera colosal, de múltiple, accesos en su arranque, que se encuentran en una meseta desde la que, por un único tiro, se alcanza el rellano siguiente, bifurcándose en dos desde aquí para acceder a la planta alta. Todo este movimiento se ve acompañado de una excelente baranda en hierro forjado y toques dorados, de un bello estilo rococó, mientras que unos magníficos bustos, debidos a Antoine Coysevox y firmados en 1683, observan al recién llegado desde sus pedestales. Sin duda, la nueva dinastía borbónica quiso recordar aquí los suyos, al igual que Felipe IV lo había hecho en el Jardín de las Estatuas, pues en la escalera se ven los retratos de Luis XIV de María Teresa de Austria, y del hijo de ambos, el Delfín de Francia y padre de Felipe V a quien se debe la decisión de terminar el Palacio de Aranjuez. Sin embargo, en esta escalera tan solemne y teatral, digna del mejor Palacio europeo de su tiempo, se echa en falta el apoyo cromático de unas pinturas murales que dieran color a su bóveda, desprovista hoy de este inexcusable aliento.
Todavía se ha de mencionar la campaña final del edificio, pues muerto Fernando VI en 1759, el mismo año del fallecimiento de su arquitecto Bonavía, el nuevo Monarca, Carlos III, estimó muy reducida la capacidad del Palacio, y pequeñas algunas de sus piezas, bien fuera la vieja capilla de Felipe II, bien el teatro bajo la torre norte. Para ello dio una Real Orden, el 13 de junio de 1770, por la que se comunicaba a través del Marqués de Grimaldi, Primer Secretario de Estado y del Despacho, su deseo de que en « el Palacio de este Sitio [Aranjuez] se añadiesen dos cuerpos de edificio a los ángulos de la principal hacia poniente, bajo los planos diseñados y dirección de Sabatini», mandando sacar a subasta las obras de acuerdo con las condiciones fijadas por el mencionado arquitecto, adjudicándose la obra a Kearney y Compañía por presentar la oferta más ventajosa para la Real Hacienda.
Sabatini concibió este «aumento», con cuyo nombre se conocía la obra nueva, con dos alas perpendiculares a la fachada principal del Palacio, dando lugar a una plaza de armas o cour d'honneur, de tal forma que al tiempo que la población del Real Sitio iba creciendo a sus espaldas hacia Oriente, el Palacio miraba cada vez más fijamente en dirección contraria, a través de la localidad que forzadamente le proporcionaban los dos brazos paralelos de Sabatini. Éste prolongó el carácter dominante del Palacio existente, haciendo un ejercicio de natural injerto en el viejo cuerpo y reservando para el interior los cambios y novedades. Entre ellas, son de gran entidad la inclusión de una nueva Capilla palatina en el extremo del ala Sur, en sustitución de la antigua, así como el proyecto -luego desvirtuado- del teatro cortesano en el ala norte, sin que desde el exterior se pueda percibir la singularidad de estos dos espacios. Las obras se llevaron a buen ritmo, de tal manera que, como nos recuerdan sendas inscripciones sobre las fachadas que miran a la nueva plaza de armas, entre 1772 y 1777, se hizo lo principal de esta ampliación bajo el reinado de Carlos III.
Por último, añadiremos que no sólo el Palacio, sino que, tanto el jardín de la Isla como los más inmediatos alrededores del Palacio, en una operación de sutura con el entorno, conocieron mejoras, reformas y adiciones bajo los Borbones en el siglo XVIII. De forma muy abreviada cabe recordar que el propio Bonavía realizó obras en los muros de protección de la Isla, pensó nuevos puentes de exclusivo uso real y proyectó algunas arquitecturas para el jardín de la Isla, como el conocido cenador de 1755 que acompañaría o sustituiría a otros preexistentes, algunos de los cuales aparecen en las más conocidas vistas de Aranjuez. Al mismo tiempo, los nuevos jardineros franceses al servicio del Rey habían incorporado el novedoso gusto de las broderies, como hizo Esteban Boutelou en el jardín de flores proyectado en 1748 para la isla, del que apenas queda nada sino el lugar que ocupó, presidido hoy por una Fuente de Diana.
Probablemente el cambio más notable producido en los alrededores del Palacio fue la incorporación del Parterre, bajo su fachada Sur, tal y como se ve de modo perfecto en la vista del Palacio Real pintada por Antonio Joli, que se conserva en el Palacio Real de Nápoles, en los dos excelentes lienzos de Francesco Battaglioli, hoy en el Museo del Prado, y que muestran dos aspectos de la fiesta de San Fernando en 1756, en los que el Parterre es elemento capital de los cuadros, o en la amplia vista grabada en 1773 por Domingo de Aguirre. El recordar estas bellas imágenes, ejecutadas por pintores y grabadores, no tiene más finalidad que recordar, al mismo tiempo, el aspecto original que en su día tuvo el Parterre, proyectado por Marchand en 1728, y muy distinto del que hoy ofrece.
El hecho de plantear este jardín en la parte posterior del Palacio deriva, seguramente, del hecho de situar sobre esta fachada los dormitorios del Rey y de la Reina, después de los cambios producidos en la nueva distribución interior del Palacio. De este modo, a los pies de sus balcones se vería un jardín a la francesa, diseñado por un francés para el nieto de Luis XIV de Francia, a la vez que, más allá del cerramiento del Parterre, se vería el frondoso arbolado de la calle de la Reina, así como la del Príncipe y futura de las infantas, formando un tridente convergente hacia el Parterre y Palacio. Es decir, más allá de su esencia como mero jardín, el Parterre fue una charnela múltiple en un lugar clave en la ordenación del Real Sitio, en relación con el Palacio, población y acceso desde Madrid a través del Puente de Barcas.
El Parterre fue concebido como una composición muy plana, sin apenas relieve, dominado por las broderies y el gazon, con leves filas de tilos, y animado con sencillos juegos de agua, todo muy leve, como conviene a la concepción de un parterre. Sin embargo, esta misma fragilidad fue su peor enemigo, pues todo cuanto después se hizo, especialmente en el siglo XIX, alteró profundamente aquel jardín, cuando se cambió el diseño de los caminos, se plantaron poderosas especies como coníferas y magnolios, que dieron porte y sombra a un jardín que se alejaba para siempre de lo pensado por Marchand. Obras notables que ya contribuyeron a las primeras alteraciones del tranquilo Parterre fueron el foso o canal de agua que lo bordea, debido al arquitecto francés Marquet y realizado bajo Carlos III, según aparece ya en el conocido cuadro de Paret, así como la incorporación, en 1827, de la Fuente de los Trabajos de Hércules o de Hércules y Anteo, diseñada por Isidro Velázquez, ya en época de Fernando VII, con esculturas de Juan Adán, entre otros artistas.
Asimismo, hay otra serie de fuentes notables y esculturas, de procedencia diversa, como la de Ceres y los grupos de niños con canastillos de flores, debidos a Robert Michel, o las más pequeñas de las Nereidas, en plomo, obra de Joaquín Dumandre, y que llegarían hasta aquí procedentes del Palacio de Valsaín. Unas magníficas copas o jarrones en mármol de Carrara, labrados en el siglo xviii, se suman a los elementos escultóricos de este Parterre dieciochesco de romántico aroma.
DE PALACIO A MUSEO
Después de doscientos años de obras y proyectos, de cuatro siglos de uso y de dos dinastías reinantes, el Palacio de los Austrias y Borbones ha encontrado un nuevo destino como museo de sí mismo. El recorrido por sus estancias palaciegas, que en este largo tiempo han ido cambiando de nombre y de función, es el mejor modo de adentrarnos en un pasado que nos retrotrae, especialmente, al siglo xviii, sin menoscabo de todo aquello que el siglo xix incorporó al mobiliario y decoración de sus salas, que no fue poco. Perdidos los ambientes interiores de los Austrias, la visita al Palacio de Aranjuez hoy es, sobre todo, una amable introducción al arte de la Corte de los Borbones en España, donde lo italiano y lo francés logran un cierto equilibrio, pues si bien la gran pieza de porcelana o los techos llevan sello italiano, lo francés, a través del estilo Imperio, manda sobre gran parte del mobiliario.
Las estancias con mayor interés y personalidad se encuentran en la planta alta, haciendo aquí una breve mención de las más importantes que componían los apartamentos de la Reina, ocupando, aproximadamente, la mitad norte del Palacio, y las del Rey situadas en la zona Sur. Una y otra zona tenían, en el comienzo de su recorrido, una sala o cuerpo de guardia interior, a cargo de la Guardia de Corps. La de la Reina, con entrada desde la escalera principal, conserva una buena colección de cuadros de Lucas Jordán con episodios de la vida del Rey Salomón, además de porcelana y relojes de procedencia francesa. A esta sencilla pieza sigue la Saleta de la Reina que, igualmente, cuenta con lienzos de Jordán, y mobiliario de estilo Imperio, con tres excelentes consolas de estilo Luis XVI.
Así como todos los estamentos tenían acceso hasta la Saleta de la Reina para ser recibidos por el Monarca, el protocolo sólo permitía acceder a la siguiente sala, llama da Antecámara de la Reina, a la jerarquía eclesiástica, embajadores, autoridades y personas de una determinada condición social. Inmediatamente después, y completando las tres piezas que la etiqueta del siglo XVIII contemplaba, se encuentra la Cámara de la Reina, con luces sobre el jardín de la Isla, en la que se guarda el piano inglés regalado por la Emperatriz Eugenia de Montijo a Isabel II.
El Anteoratorio y Oratorio, por el contrario, se abren al patio central, y siendo muy notables las pinturas, como, la que representa a San Antonio de Padua, de Giaquinto el reloj de Hoffmeyer y las bellísimas composiciones en mosaico ejecutadas en los talleres de piedras duras del Vaticano, nuestro interés busca en el Oratorio la intervención de Villanueva. En efecto, esta pieza nos lleva a recordar las pequeñas intervenciones de Carlos IV en Aranjuez en esta ocasión encargando a Juan de Villanueva, el arquitecto del Museo del Prado, la transformación de esta estancia en Oratorio, con nobles materiales y habilísimos artífices. Mármol, estuco y bronce dorado, bien trabajado por los hermanos Ferroni, y los frescos del pintor de Cámara, Francisco Bayeu, firmados en 1790, garantizan el interés del Oratorio que, como tal, cuenta con un retablo en el que Mariano Salvador Maella pintó una Inmaculada.
El Salón del Trono está situado en la crujía norte. Sus tres balcones dan al jardín de la Isla. El ambiente y su mobiliario denotan su pertenencia a la época de Isabel II, cuando se pinta la bóveda por Vicente Camarón (1851) y se amuebla con formidables consolas y espejos característicamente isabelinos. La sillería, arrimada a los zócalos de apariencia marmórea, pero que son de excelente estuco imitando serpentina, pertenece igualmente a esta época, siendo los sitiales del trono de estilo Luis XVI. Como conviene al Salón del Trono, en su bóveda se exalta a la Monarquía, acompañada por las Virtudes, las Artes y la Industria.
Entre el Salón del Trono y la excepcional Saleta de Porcelana se encuentra el llamado Despacho o Cámara Oficial de la Reina, pieza reservada para el recibo de la más alta nobleza y jerarquía civil y religiosa. Cuenta con una excelente sillería neoclásica, de la época de Carlos IV en caoba y limoncillo con incrustaciones de ébano, cuyo diseño se ha atribuido a Dougourc. La decoración de la bóveda se debe a Mariano Salvador Maella.
La Saleta o Gabinete de Porcelana es, sin duda, la obra más singular de todo el Palacio, y un ejemplo de aquel interés del siglo XVIII por lo oriental, por lo exótico y pintoresco; en una palabra, por lo que se ha definido como la «chinoiserie», en el sentido de extravagante y llamativo, como contraste con la cultura y gusto occidentales. Todo esto es lo que, en efecto, despierta la contemplación de semejante pieza, después de haber pasado por las anteriores. Sin duda el efecto sorpresa y estupor se apoderan, hoy como ayer, de todos cuantos visitan Aranjuez, al llegar a este rincón del Palacio. Su incorporación se debe a las reformas emprendidas por Carlos III, quien tuvo aquí su sala preferida para las reuniones más íntimas.
Se trata de una intervención temprana en el Palacio, mucho antes de pensar en su ampliación con Sabatini, pues el encargo de la obra data de 1760. Ésta se hizo en la Real Fábrica de Porcelana que el Rey, nada más llegar a la Corte, mandó establecer en 1759 en el Buen Retiro de Madrid, a imitación de la que había dejado en Capodimonte, en el reino de Nápoles. Carlos III se trajo a modeladores y técnicos que, como Giuseppe Gricci y Scheppers, dieron feliz término a esta obra en 1765, para iniciar, a continuación, la Sala de Porcelana que el mismo Carlos III introdujo en el Palacio Real de Madrid, si bien ésta es considerablemente más pequeña que la de Aranjuez. Sobre grandes placas de cerámica, sujetas a un armazón de madera, se recogen motivos tópicos orientales de China y Japón, donde vendedores de papagayos, samurais, músicos, mandarines y escenas familiares de padres e hijos prestan un argumento al fondo general, compuesto por una malla de guirnaldas, frutos y pájaros que recorren muros y bóveda. De ésta pende una lámpara con los mismos elementos formales, igualmente en porcelana, como en porcelana son los marcos de los espejos que reflejan y multiplican todos estos motivos en una imagen de ensueño, donde el espacio no tiene límites reales. El color, en sus ricas tonalidades cerámicas, contribuye a realzar esta joya del arte rococó europeo del siglo XVIII.
Las dos últimas salas vinculadas a la Reina son su Dormitorio y el Tocador, ambos con balcones sobre el Parterre. El primero tiene la singularidad de conservar el mobiliario ofrecido por Barcelona a Isabel II con motivo de su boda con Don Francisco de Asís de Borbón, hecho en todas sus piezas en aquella ciudad con excelentes maderas y aplicaciones de bronce y taracea. Aquel estilo recargado, con acentos rococó, especialmente visible en los copetes y remates de la cama, del reclinatorio, o en las galerías del cortinaje, parece aletear bajo la bóveda pintada por Zacarías González Velázquez, donde se desarrolla una nueva alegoría de la Monarquía, acompañada por la justicia, las Ciencias, las Virtudes y la Ley.
De Don Vicente Camarón es, en cambio, la pintura de la bóveda del Tocador de la Reina, con la representación de las Cuatro Estaciones. Su más desenfadado carácter acompaña bien a este caprichoso espacio, vestido en seda talaverana, donde el mobiliario y aderezo general revelan el gusto de los años de Isabel II.
Los apartamentos de la Reina y del Rey están separados hoy por el Salón de Baile, situado en el centro de la fachada sobre el Parterre, en el eje del Palacio. Su ambiente responde al siglo XIX, presidido por los retratos de Alfonso XII y Alfonso XIII, pintados por Ojeda y Garnelo, respectivamente.
Gran parte de estas salas, que actualmente conocemos con determinado nombre, tuvieron en otro tiempo un uso diferente. Así, el que llamamos Comedor de Gala, inmediato al Salón de Baile pero abierto al interior, al patio central, fue Sala de conversación bajo Fernando VI hasta que Carlos III le dio el nuevo destino. Es la pieza que mejor conserva lo que pudo haber sido la imagen del Palacio rococó, pues desde el piso hasta la bóveda, pasando por los cuadros pintados expresamente para esta estancia por Giaquinto, con la Historia de José, todo, obedece a un programa decorativo y a un mismo espíritu tardobarroco. El suelo es de un excelente estuco debido a Carlos Antonio Bernasconi. Representa en su centro un apretado grupo de trofeos militares, acompañado de amplias bandas de formas abiertas, muy expresivamente rococó. Con análogo espíritu, la bóveda de la Sala está enmarcada por unos estucos blancos, en cuyos ángulos se ven las cuatro partes del mundo. En el paño central del techo aparece una alegoría que exalta las Virtudes de la Monarquía, acompañada por la justicia, la Religión, la Abundancia, la Munificencia y la Paz. Su autor fue el pintor de Cámara de Fernando VI, Santiago Amiconi, que la ejecutó entre 1750 y 1752.
En la parte más antigua del Palacio, aunque muchas veces alterada, se encuentran las estancias del Rey, a las que se tiene acceso desde la escalera principal, después de pasar por la amplia y desnuda Sala de Guardias del Rey. Pequeñas estancias, resultado de divisiones posteriores, alojan las que se llaman Habitación de pinturas chinas, el Antedespacho o Sala de trabajo del Rey, el Despacho del Rey, y el Salón de espejos, las cuatro con sus balcones hacia el jardín del Rey, mirando al Sur. La primera habitación recibe aquel exótico nombre por el hecho de decorar ordenadamente sus muros una colección de doscientos pequeños cuadros, de apenas veinte centímetros de alto, con escenas chinas pintadas a la acuarela sobre papel de arroz, muy probablemente a finales del siglo XVIII. Su técnica es de gran preciosismo descriptivo, con un dibujo y una paleta de color de gran finura que revelan una maestría excepcional por parte de su anónimo autor. Parece que se trata de un obsequio del Emperador de China a la Reina Isabel II, y de entonces debe datar la lámpara que busca un elemental aspecto orientalizante a tono con la decoración de los cuadros. En esa misma línea encontramos en el centro de la Sala el velador de gusto oriental, bien acompañado por la excelente sillería barroca y dieciochesca, lacada en blanco y tapizada en seda, que probablemente procede de la Sala de Porcelana antes mencionada. Zacarías González Velázquez fue el pintor que hizo las escenas campestres bajo los medios puntos de la bóveda.
El Antedespacho del Rey cuenta con una buena colección de pinturas, desde la tela de Mayno, en la que se representa al evangelista San Mateo, pasando por las dos vistas de Mazo, hasta llegar a la serie grande del Hijo pródigo, por Romanelli. El mobiliario mezcla piezas de Carlos III y Carlos IV La lámpara de cristal que pende de la bóveda, cuya decoración en estilo pompeyano se viene atribuyendo al pintor Juan Duque, procede de la Real Fábrica de La Granja. Este mismo artista pintó la alegoría de las Artes Liberales en la bóveda del contiguo Despacho del Rey, pequeña habitación que contiene notables pinturas atribuidas a Furini, Solimena, Magadán y Laguna, si bien la serie de muebles es la que llama más la atención por su calidad y belleza. Siendo magníficas la sillería y la mesa de trabajo del Monarca, de la época de Fernando VII, nuestra atención se centra en el excepcional escritorio arrimado a la pared que, en raíz de olivo y placas de mármol sobre las que se recortan aplicaciones de bronce dorado, hizo el ebanista francés Jacob Desmalter. Sobre él van colocados dos jarrones de porcelana, en el mismo estilo Imperio, flanqueando un biscuit del Buen Retiro con el célebre grupo del Toro Farnesio. Entre otras muchas piezas singulares cabe recordar el reloj de dos esferas sobre la chimenea, firmado por Fernández de la Peña; o el reloj de pie, inglés, firmado por John Shelton, de la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII.
El Salón de los espejos, llamado también Salón de vestirse, está situado en el ángulo formado por la facha da al jardín del Rey y la que mira al Parterre, por lo que los espejos, fabricados en La Granja y cubriendo todo: los muros, multiplican las luces procedentes de dos planos en ángulo, creando la esperada imagen que se refleja y repite de modo infinito. La Sala se concibió, en si estado actual, en la época de Carlos IV sirviéndose pare ello de su arquitecto Juan de Villanueva, quien dio modelos y dirigió la obra entre 1790 y 1795. En el mobiliario trabajó el ebanista de Cámara José López, y la pintura de la bóveda, como las anteriores, es de Juan Duque, alquier las terminaba en 1803.
Al llegar al Dormitorio del Rey vemos el espíritu neo clásico y equilibrado que le proporciona su mobiliario es tilo Imperio, pero que no concuerda bien con el carácter espectacular de la bóveda pintada por Amiconi dentro de la tradición barroca de fingidas arquitectura: en perspectiva, dotando a la estancia de una monumentalidad sólo aparente pero muy efectista. El rompimiento central permite ver las alegorías de la Paz y de la justicia pintadas por Bartolomé Rusca, sobrevolando la estancia Uno de los mejores cuadros del Palacio de Aranjuez permanece colgado aquí, sobre la cabecera de la cama, esto es, el Cristo en la cruz, pintado expresamente entre 1761 y 1769 para el Dormitorio Real por Antonio Rafael Mengs, pintor que fue de Cámara de Carlos III. Mengs inició otras pinturas en la ampliación del Palacio llevada cabo por Sabatini, como el techo del que iba a ser salón de fiestas, pieza que desapareció como tal salón grande al quedar dividido por las reformas llevadas a cabo por Villanueva para alojar al Príncipe de Parma.
Inmediato al Dormitorio Real se encuentra una de las salas más sorprendentes del Palacio. Nos referimos a Gabinete árabe o Salón de fumar, pieza característicamente romántica de la época de Isabel II, iniciada en 1855 por Rafael Contreras, restaurador entonces del Patio de los Leones de la Alhambra de Granada, con cuyos interiores quiere, presuntamente, enlazar. De la vistosa cúpula de mocárabes pende una lámpara de calamina, y bajo ella un velador, de bronce, cristal y tablero de porcelana, en el que se representa la escena del abandono de la Alhambra por Boabdil el Chico, obra de Robert y obsequio del Rey de Francia, Luis Felipe, a la Reina María Cristina durante la minoría de edad de la futura Isabel II.
El Anteoratorio, el reducido Oratorio privado del Rey y la Cámara del Rey, abiertas hacia el patio central, cierran esta breve exposición de las estancias más significativas del Palacio, desde donde se puede rememorar la existencia de otros Reales Sitios a través de las bellísimas vistas pintadas por Fernando Brambilla, sobre El Escorial y La Granja.
Si bien tanto el Rey como la Reina contaron con sus oratorios privados, carecían, sin embargo, de una capilla pública, después de la transformación sufrida por la de Felipe II. Para compensar esta carencia, se concibió una excelente Capilla en el brazo Sur de la ampliación de Sabatini, con acceso desde el exterior y que se consagró en 1799. Su interior es de un moderado clasicismo, con un orden apilastrado toscano y una bella cúpula, pintada por Francisco Bayeu. Sobre la cornisa cabe ver angelotes sosteniendo pesadas guirnaldas y un grupo escultórico sobre el altar mayor, todos ellos debidos al escultor francés Robert Michel. Desde el altar mayor una Inmaculada de Mariano Salvador Maella preside esta regia Capilla, tocada de dorados bronces labrados por Fabio Vendetti.
CORRIENTES (Argentine).
Pas besoin d'aller aussi loin cet été pour pratiquer le croquis aquarellé. Un exemple pouvant être un motif "moteur" à croquer lors des journées " BALADES ET BONNE MINE" dans le sud ouest. Rencontres autour du croquis sur un parcours champêtre ou semi-urbain selon le temps . Participation GRATUITE à ces rencontres d'une journée devenant internationales ( Participants venant des USA, Australie, Brésil, Ukraine, Angleterre, Allemagne, Espagne, Belgique) )
Organisation chaque vendredi du 03 juin au 02 Septembre aux environs de Tonneins (lot et Garonne).
Réservation Conseillée car groupe limité à 8 personnes ( Pour une meilleure assistance artistique de ma part selon les besoins).
Envoi sur demande du programme détaillé (Fournir E-mail par message privé)
Exemple of watercolor sketch with CORRIENTES ( Argentina)
I organize many courses of "Hike-sketch" in the southwest of France. Free participation during one day (From June to September included). A mixture of limited hike and many sketches. Necessary reservation because it's FREE !
Detailed files with schedules can sended to the requests.(Please give me your Email by private message)
A different kind of anemone, for my Wildflowers of Crete set.
Captured at Gious Kampos (Γιους Κάμπος), near Spili, in Rethymno prefecture.
Best viewed Large, On Black (definitely!)
Have a wonderful week :-)
quasi. SUZUKI Ignis III, 2020 ff. specs
nano SUV for life
micro-SUV
SUB, B-Segment
1.2 Dualjet (83 PS) Mild-Hybrid
Vierzylinder
Innengeräusch 100 km/h
70 dB(A) (5.Gang)
Innengeräusch 130 km/h
74 dB(A) (5.Gang)
Kraftstoffverbrauch Suzuki Ignis 1.2 DUALJET HYBRID:
kombinierter Testzyklus 4,9 l / 100km;
Mild-Hybrid:
35-50 Nm, 3.1 hp
Full Lithium Battery,
helps on smart acceleration between ~ 2.000 and 3.900 rpm in every gear!
5th gear up to 140 km/h
0-100 km/h:
11:68 Second
15" alloy, tyres
0- 100 about 11.8 s ( Suzuki says 12.5s)
0-80 about 8.3 s other tests: 7.9s
0-60 about 5.8 s
This car sounds like a sports car.
Motor muss gut warm sein!
Drehfreudig:
4000 rpm
bis über 5500 rpm* hochdrehen, dann geht noch mehr!
Mildhybrid, Batterie voll!
ps
kleinere Räder:
15 " ist besser für die Beschleunigung
als 16"
Mehrverbrauch, wenn die Felgen und Reifen
größer werden.
bei 16" oder mehr,
aber schneller am Ziel!
(ps. Focus Puma Datenblatt zeigt das deutlich)
E-Boost 35Nm
Vmax 170 km/h gps
11.3 s -- 0-100 km/h CVT
10.2 s -- 0-100 km/h 5 Gang Hybrid System (full pull start)
Was bedeutet das Wort Pull?
„pull“: noun
Ziehen, Zerren Zug, Ruck
Drehzahl schon hoch beim Start.
....
at full rpm
*Das automatische Getriebe (CVT) geht auch bis 6.000 rpm,
meist 5.500 rpm, bevor hoch geschalten wird.
Luftdruck: Winterreifen 2,7 Atü
how u squeeze the 83 ps to its limits.
1. Gang - bis 40 km/h
2. Gang - bis 80 km/h
3. Gang - bis 120 km/h
4. Gang - bis 165 km/h
5. Gang - bis fast 180 Tachometer
GPS bereinigt, ja nach 15" oder 16 " Felgen
8 km/h bzw. 4 km/h abzüglich
Super 100plus ROZ 100! Bessere Performance!
Vmax: 172 km/h per GPS abgesichert, 15" Zoll Felgen!
Vmax: 176 km/h per GPS abgesichert, 16" Zoll Felgen!
Tacho geht nicht umsonst bis 200 km/h
CO₂-Ausstoß: kombinierter Eco Testzyklus:
110 g/km, entspricht 4,4 Liter.
Türen öffnen fast 90° Grad an den Seiten
Kofferraum:
Und über 185 cm hoch, hinten zum drunter stehen
Perspektive gestrecht
13mm Weitwinkel zugeschnitten und korrigiert
Suzuki - Ignis - IGNIS 1.2L DUALJET HYBRID
Plug-in-Hybrid Benzin, BJ 2021, 61 kW (83 PS),
Schaltgetriebe
1.2 Dualjet (83 PS) Mild-Hybrid 16V
VVT-i - dual-Jet
Valve timing is most valuable thing which effects on engine performance !
Variable valve timing explained
Variable Ventilsteuerung mit Intelligenz ist eine von Toyota entwickelte Technologie zur variablen Ventilsteuerung in Kraftfahrzeugen.
VVTI ist das Beste in Bezug auf den Kraftstoffverbrauch und die Leistung bei niedrigen und hohen Geschwindigkeiten und ist sehr leise.
VVTI es el mejor mejor consumo y potencia en vajas y altas y es muy silencioso
Die Ventilsteuerung ist der wichtigste Faktor, der sich auf die Motorleistung auswirkt!
Alfa Romeo was the first manufacturer to use a variable valve timing system in production cars (US Patent 4,231,330). The 1980 Alfa Romeo Spider 2.0 L.
The system was first used in 1999 Toyota Celica with 2ZZ-GE.
Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i ), is an automobile variable valve timing technology developed by Toyota.
Mehrpunkteinspritzung
DOHC - Double Overhead Camshaft =>
Hubkolben-Viertaktmotors bei dem die Ventile von zwei oben liegenden Nockenwellen je Zylinderbank gesteuert werden.
K12D
"Flame Orange Pearl Metallic /
Super Black Pearl Roof /
1.2 DUALJET engine
Ignis-1.2-dualjet-engine
1.2 DUALJET engine offers both powerful response and high fuel efficiency.
16V
This high-level balance is made possible by a number of advances including an electric intake VVT (variable valve timing), a variable displacement oil pump and electric piston cooling jets (PCJ).
tags:
################
0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,113,114,115,116,117,118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133,134,135,136,137,138,139,140,141,142,143,144,145,146,147,148,149,150,151,152,153,154,155,156,157,158,159,160,161,162,163,164,165,166,167,168,169,170,171,172,173,174,175,176,177,178,179,180,181,182,183,184,185,186,187,188,189,190,191,192,193,194,195,196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204,205,206,207,208,209,210,211,212,213,214,215,216,217,218,219,220,221,222,223,224,225,226,227,228,229,230,231,232,233,234,235,236,237,238,239,240,241,242,243,244,245,246,247,248,249,250,251,252,253,254,255,256,257,258,259,260,261,262,263,264,265,266,267,268,269,270,271,272,273,274,275,276,277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284,285,286,287,288,289,290,291,292,293,294,295,296,297,298,299,300,301,302,303,304,305,306,307,308,309,310,311,312,313,314,315,316,317,318,319,320,321,322,323,324,325,326,327,328,329,330,331,332,333,334,335,336,337,338,339,340,341,342,343,344,345,346,347,348,349,350,351,352,353,354,355,356,357,358,359,360,361,362,363,364,365,366,367,368,369,370,371,372,373,374,375,376,377,378,379,380,381,382,383,384,385,386,387,388,389,390,391,392,393,394,395,396,397,398,399,400,401,402,403,404,405,406,407,408,409,410,411,412,413,414,415,416,417,418,419,420,421,422,423,424,425,426,427,428,429,430,431,432,433,434,435,436,437,438,439,440,441,442,443,444,445,446,447,448,449,450,451,452,453,454,455,456,457,458,459,460,461,462,463,464,465,466,467,468,469,470,471,472,473,474,475,476,477,478,479,480,481,482,483,484,485,486,487,488,489,490,491,492,493,494,495,496,497,498,499,500,501,502,503,504,505,506,507,508,509,510,511,512,513,514,515,516,517,518,519,520,521,522,523,524,525,526,527,528,529,530,531,532,533,534,535,536,537,538,539,540,541,542,543,544,545,546,547,548,549,550,551,552,553,554,555,556,557,558,559,560,561,562,563,564,565,566,567,568,569,570,571,572,573,574,575,576,577,578,579,580,581,582,583,584,585,586,587,588,589,590,591,592,593,594,595,596,597,598,599,600,601,602,603,604,605,606,607,608,609,610,611,612,613,614,615,616,617,618,619,620,621,622,623,624,625,626,627,628,629,630,631,632,633,634,635,636,637,638,639,640,641,642,643,644,645,646,647,648,649,650,651,652,653,654,655,656,657,658,659,660,661,662,663,664,665,666,667,668,669,670,671,672,673,674,675,676,677,678,679,680,681,682,683,684,685,686,687,688,689,690,691,692,693,694,695,696,697,698,699,700,701,702,703,704,705,706,707,708,709,710,711,712,713,714,715,716,717,718,719,720,721,722,723,724,725,726,727,728,729,730,731,732,733,734,735,736,737,738,739,740,741,742,743,744,745,746,747,748,749,750,751,752,753,754,755,756,757,758,759,760,761,762,763,764,765,766,767,768,769,770,771,772,773,774,775,776,777,778,779,780,781,782,783,784,785,786,787,788,789,790,791,792,793,794,795,796,797,798,799,800,801,802,803,804,805,806,807,808,809,810,811,812,813,814,815,816,817,818,819,820,821,822,823,824,825,826,827,828,829,830,831,832,833,834,835,836,837,838,839,840,841,842,843,844,845,846,847,848,849,850,851,852,853,854,855,856,857,858,859,860,861,862,863,864,865,866,867,868,869,870,871,872,873,874,875,876,877,878,879,880,881,882,883,884,885,886,887,888,889,890,891,892,893,894,895,896,897,898,899,900,901,902,903,904,905,906,907,908,909,910,911,912,913,914,915,916,917,918,919,920,921,922,923,924,925,926,927,928,929,930,931,932,933,934,935,936,937,938,939,940,941,942,943,944,945,946,947,948,949,950,951,952,953,954,955,956,957,958,959,960,961,962,963,964,965,966,967,968,969,970,971,972,973,974,975,976,977,978,979,980,981,982,983,984,985,986,987,988,989,990,991,992,993,994,995,996,997,998,999,1000,1001,1002,1003,1004,1005,1006,1007,1008,1009,1010,1011,1012,1013,1014,1015,1016,1017,1018,1019,1020,1021,1022,1023,1024,1025,1026,1027,1028,1029,1030,1031,1032,1033,1034,1035,1036,1037,1038,1039,1040,1041,1042,1043,1044,1045,1046,1047,1048,1049,1050,1051,1052,1053,1054,1055,1056,1057,1058,1059,1060,1061,1062,1063,1064,1065,1066,1067,1068,1069,1070,1071,1072,1073,1074,1075,1076,1077,1078,1079,1080,1081,1082,1083,1084,1085,1086,1087,1088,1089,1090,1091,1092,1093,1094,1095,1096,1097,1098,1099,1100,1101,1102,1103,1104,1105,1106,1107,1108,1109,1110,1111,1112,1113,1114,1115,1116,1117,1118,1119,1120,1121,1122,1123,1124,1125,1126,1127,1128,1129,1130,1131,1132,1133,1134,1135,1136,1137,1138,1139,1140,1141,1142,1143,1144,1145,1146,1147,1148,1149,1150,1151,1152,1153,1154,1155,1156,1157,1158,1159,1160,1161,1162,1163,1164,1165,1166,1167,1168,1169,1170,1171,1172,1173,1174,1175,1176,1177,1178,1179,1180,1181,1182,1183,1184,1185,1186,1187,1188,1189,1190,1191,1192,1193,1194,1195,1196,1197,1198,1199,1200,1201,1202,1203,1204,1205,1206,1207,1208,1209,1210,1211,1212,1213,1214,1215,1216,1217,1218,1219,1220,1221,1222,1223,1224,1225,1226,1227,1228,1229,1230,1231,1232,1233,1234,1235,1236,1237,1238,1239,1240,1241,1242,1243,1244,1245,1246,1247,1248,1249,1250,1251,1252,1253,1254,1255,1256,1257,1258,1259,1260,1261,1262,1263,1264,1265,1266,1267,1268,1269,1270,1271,1272,1273,1274,1275,1276,1277,1278,1279,1280,1281,1282,1283,1284,1285,1286,1287,1288,1289,1290,1291,1292,1293,1294,1295,1296,1297,1298,1299,1300,1301,1302,1303,1304,1305,1306,1307,1308,1309,1310,1311,1312,1313,1314,1315,1316,1317,1318,1319,1320,1321,1322,1323,1324,1325,1326,1327,1328,1329,1330,1331,1332,1333,1334,1335,1336,1337,1338,1339,1340,1341,1342,1343,1344,1345,1346,1347,1348,1349,1350,1351,1352,1353,1354,1355,1356,1357,1358,1359,1360,1361,1362,1363,1364,1365,1366,1367,1368,1369,1370,1371,1372,1373,1374,1375,1376,1377,1378,1379,1380,1381,1382,1383,1384,1385,1386,1387,1388,1389,1390,1391,1392,1393,1394,1395,1396,1397,1398,1399,1400,1401,1402,1403,1404,1405,1406,1407,1408,1409,1410,1411,1412,1413,1414,1415,1416,1417,1418,1419,1420,1421,1422,1423,1424,1425,1426,1427,1428,1429,1430,1431,1432,1433,1434,1435,1436,1437,1438,1439,1440,1441,1442,1443,1444,1445,1446,1447,1448,1449,1450,1451,1452,1453,1454,1455,1456,1457,1458,1459,1460,1461,1462,1463,1464,1465,1466,1467,1468,1469,1470,1471,1472,1473,1474,1475,1476,1477,1478,1479,1480,1481,1482,1483,1484,1485,1486,1487,1488,1489,1490,1491,1492,1493,1494,1495,1496,1497,1498,1499,1500,1501,1502,1503,1504,1505,1506,1507,1508,1509,1510,1511,1512,1513,1514,1515,1516,1517,1518,1519,1520,1521,1522,1523,1524,1525,1526,1527,1528,1529,1530,1531,1532,1533,1534,1535,1536,1537,1538,1539,1540,1541,1542,1543,1544,1545,1546,1547,1548,1549,1550,1551,1552,1553,1554,1555,1556,1557,1558,1559,1560,1561,1562,1563,1564,1565,1566,1567,1568,1569,1570,1571,1572,1573,1574,1575,1576,1577,1578,1579,1580,1581,1582,1583,1584,1585,1586,1587,1588,1589,1590,1591,1592,1593,1594,1595,1596,1597,1598,1599,1600,1601,1602,1603,1604,1605,1606,1607,1608,1609,1610,1611,1612,1613,1614,1615,1616,1617,1618,1619,1620,1621,1622,1623,1624,1625,1626,1627,1628,1629,1630,1631,1632,1633,1634,1635,1636,1637,1638,1639,1640,1641,1642,1643,1644,1645,1646,1647,1648,1649,1650,1651,1652,1653,1654,1655,1656,1657,1658,1659,1660,1661,1662,1663,1664,1665,1666,1667,1668,1669,1670,1671,1672,1673,1674,1675,1676,1677,1678,1679,1680,1681,1682,1683,1684,1685,1686,1687,1688,1689,1690,1691,1692,1693,1694,1695,1696,1697,1698,1699,1700,1701,1702,1703,1704,1705,1706,1707,1708,1709,1710,1711,1712,1713,1714,1715,1716,1717,1718,1719,1720,1721,1722,1723,1724,1725,1726,1727,1728,1729,1730,1731,1732,1733,1734,1735,1736,1737,1738,1739,1740,1741,1742,1743,1744,1745,1746,1747,1748,1749,1750,1751,1752,1753,1754,1755,1756,1757,1758,1759,1760,1761,1762,1763,1764,1765,1766,1767,1768,1769,1770,1771,1772,1773,1774,1775,1776,1777,1778,1779,1780,1781,1782,1783,1784,1785,1786,1787,1788,1789,1790,1791,1792,1793,1794,1795,1796,1797,1798,1799,1800,1801,1802,1803,1804,1805,1806,1807,1808,1809,1810,1811,1812,1813,1814,1815,1816,1817,1818,1819,1820,1821,1822,1823,1824,1825,1826,1827,1828,1829,1830,1831,1832,1833,1834,1835,1836,1837,1838,1839,1840,1841,1842,1843,1844,1845,1846,1847,1848,1849,1850,1851,1852,1853,1854,1855,1856,1857,1858,1859,1860,1861,1862,1863,1864,1865,1866,1867,1868,1869,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019,2020,2021,2022,2023,2024,2025,2026,2027,2028,2029,2030,2031,2032,2033,2034,2035,2036,2037,2038,2039,2040,2041,2042,2043,2044,2045,2046,2047,2048,2049,2050,2051,2052,2053,2054,2055,2056,2057,2058,2059,2060,2061,2062,2063,2064,2065,2066,2067,2068,2069,2070,2071,2072,2073,2074,2075,2076,2077,2078,2079,2080,2081,2082,2083,2084,2085,2086,2087,2088,2089,2090,2091,2092,2093,2094,2095,2096,2097,2098,2099,2100,2101, 2019,2020, 2021, 2022,2023,2024,
6 Liter Verbrauch auf 100 km, sehr sportliche Fahrweise!
- www.kevin-palmer.com - It felt like a slap to the face the second I stepped outside. That first lungful of -26°F air is always a shock to the system. But it certainly woke me up. After covering up my face and everything else, my body adjusts and it’s really not that bad. There’s always something that drives me to get outside on the coldest morning of winter. Pushing my limits and putting my gear to the test is one reason. And interesting things always happen in temperatures far below zero. Deer scattered as I walked through the woods, and trees spontaneously cracked and popped as the sap inside froze. The river was mostly frozen over, but there’s always open water somewhere. When I found it, the swirling steam made it look like a hot spring. Intricate frost crystals covered the surface of the ice. In a winter so mild a cold snap like this seemed unlikely to happen.
Tasmania's remote west coast country is home to the Tasmanian Devil, now endangered due to the spread of a deadly mouth cancer. Vehicle impacts are bad news too, with speed limits, warning signs and rumble strips in place to limit losses.
HD PENTAX-D FA 24-70mm f2.8
++++++ from Wikipedia ++++++
Taipei (/ˌtaɪˈpeɪ/), officially known as Taipei City, is the capital city and a special municipality of Taiwan (officially known as the Republic of China, "ROC"). Sitting at the northern tip of the island, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City. It is about 25 km (16 mi) southwest of the northern port city Keelung. Most of the city is located on the Taipei Basin, an ancient lakebed bounded by the two relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung and Xindian rivers, which join to form the Tamsui River along the city's western border.[5] Formerly known as Taipeh-fu during Qing era and Taihoku under Japanese rule, Taipei became the capital of the Taiwan Province as part of the Republic of China in 1945 and recently has been the capital[a] of the ROC since 1949, when the Kuomintang lost the mainland to the Communists in the Chinese Civil War.
The city proper is home to an estimated population of 2,704,810 in 2015,[6] forming the core part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area which includes the nearby cities of New Taipei and Keelung with a population of 7,047,559,[6][7] the 40th most-populous urban area in the world—roughly one-third of Taiwanese citizens live in the metro district. The name "Taipei" can refer either to the whole metropolitan area or the city proper.
Taipei is the political, economic, educational, and cultural center of Taiwan island, and one of the major hubs of Greater China. Considered to be a global city,[8] Taipei is part of a major high-tech industrial area.[9] Railways, high-speed rail, highways, airports, and bus lines connect Taipei with all parts of the island. The city is served by two airports – Taipei Songshan and Taiwan Taoyuan. Taipei is home to various world-famous architectural or cultural landmarks which include Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Dalongdong Baoan Temple, Hsing Tian Kong, Lungshan Temple of Manka, National Palace Museum, Presidential Office Building, Taipei Guest House, Ximending, and several night markets dispersing over the city. Its natural features such as Maokong, Yangmingshan, and hot springs are also well known to international visitors.
As the capital city, "Taipei" is sometimes used as a synecdoche for the Republic of China. Due to the ongoing controversy over the political status of Taiwan, the name Chinese Taipei is designated for official use when Taiwanese governmental representatives or national teams participate in some international organizations or international sporting events (which may require UN statehood) in order to avoid extensive political controversy by using other names.
Contents
1 History
1.1 First settlements
1.2 Empire of Japan
1.3 Republic of China
2 Geography
2.1 Climate
2.2 Air quality
2.3 Cityscape
3 Demographics
4 Economy
5 Culture
5.1 Tourism
5.1.1 Commemorative sites and museums
5.1.2 Taipei 101
5.1.3 Performing arts
5.1.4 Shopping and recreation
5.1.5 Temples
5.2 Festivals and events
5.3 Taipei in films
6 Romanization
7 Government
7.1 Garbage recycling
7.2 Administrative divisions
7.3 City planning
8 Transportation
8.1 Metro
8.2 Rail
8.3 Bus
8.4 Airports
8.5 Ticketing
9 Education
9.1 Chinese language program for foreigners
10 Sports
10.1 Major sporting events
10.2 Youth baseball
11 Media
11.1 Television
11.2 Newspapers
12 International relations
12.1 Twin towns and sister cities
12.2 Partner cities
12.3 Friendship cities
13 Gallery
14 See also
15 Notes
16 References
17 External links
History
Main article: History of Taipei
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a famous monument and tourist attraction in Taipei.
Prior to the significant influx of Han Chinese immigrants, the region of Taipei Basin was mainly inhabited by the Ketagalan plains aborigines. The number of Han immigrants gradually increased in the early 18th century under Qing Dynasty rule after the government began permitting development in the area.[10] In 1875, the northern part of the island was incorporated into the new Taipeh Prefecture.
The Qing dynasty of China made Taipeh the temporary capital of Fujian-Taiwan Province in 1886 when Taiwan was separated from Fujian Province.[11][12] Taipeh was formally made the provincial capital in 1894.
Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 under the Treaty of Shimonoseki after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taihoku (formerly Taipeh) as its capital, in which the city was administered under Taihoku Prefecture. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links. A number of Taipei landmarks and cultural institutions date from this period.[13]
Following the Japanese surrender of 1945, control of Taiwan was handed to the Republic of China (ROC) (see Retrocession Day). After losing mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the ROC in December 1949.[14][15] In 1990 Taipei provided the backdrop for the Wild Lily student rallies that moved Taiwanese society from one-party rule to multi-party democracy. The city is today home to Taiwan's democratically elected national government.
First settlements
The region known as the Taipei Basin was home to Ketagalan tribes before the eighteenth century.[16] Han Chinese mainly from Fujian Province of Qing dynasty China began to settle in the Taipei Basin in 1709.[17][18]
In the late 19th century, the Taipei area, where the major Han Chinese settlements in northern Taiwan and one of the designated overseas trade ports, Tamsui, were located, gained economic importance due to the booming overseas trade, especially that of tea export. In 1875, the northern part of Taiwan was separated from Taiwan Prefecture and incorporated into the new Taipeh Prefecture as a new administrative entity of the Qing dynasty.[13] Having been established adjoining the flourishing townships of Bangka, Dalongdong, and Twatutia, the new prefectural capital was known as Chengnei (Chinese: 城內; pinyin: chéngnèi; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siâⁿ-lāi), "the inner city", and government buildings were erected there. From 1875 (still Qing era) until the beginning of Japanese rule in 1895, Taipei was part of Tamsui County of Taipeh Prefecture and the prefectural capital.
In 1885, work commenced to create an independent Taiwan Province, and Taipei City was temporarily made the provincial capital. Taipei officially became the capital of Taiwan in 1894.[citation needed] All that remains from the Qing era is the north gate. The west gate and city walls were demolished by the Japanese while the south gate, little south gate, and east gate were extensively modified by the Kuomintang (KMT) and have lost much of their original character.[19]
Empire of Japan
The Taihoku Prefecture government building in the 1910s (now the Control Yuan)
As settlement for losing the First Sino-Japanese War, China ceded the island of Taiwan to the Empire of Japan in 1895 as part of the Treaty of Shimonoseki. After the Japanese take-over, Taipei, called Taihoku in Japanese, was retained as the capital and emerged as the political center of the Japanese Colonial Government.[13] During that time the city acquired the characteristics of an administrative center, including many new public buildings and housing for civil servants. Much of the architecture of Taipei dates from the period of Japanese rule, including the Presidential Building which was the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan.
During Japanese rule, Taihoku was incorporated in 1920 as part of Taihoku Prefecture. It included Bangka, Twatutia, and Jōnai (城內) among other small settlements. The eastern village of Matsuyama (松山庄, modern-day Songshan District, Taipei) was annexed into Taihoku City in 1938. Upon the Japanese defeat in the Pacific War and its consequent surrender in August 1945, the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) assumed control of Taiwan. Subsequently, a temporary Office of the Taiwan Province Administrative Governor was established in Taipei City.[20]
Republic of China
With President Chiang Kai-shek, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower waved to a crowd during his visit to Taipei in June 1960.
In 1947 the KMT government under Chiang Kai-shek declared island-wide martial law in Taiwan as a result of the February 28 Incident, which began with incidents in Taipei but led to an island-wide crackdown on the local population by forces loyal to Chiang. Two years later, on December 7, 1949, Chiang and the Kuomintang were forced to flee mainland China by the Communists near the end of the Chinese Civil War. The refugees declared Taipei to be the provisional capital of a continuing Republic of China, with the official capital at Nanjing (Nanking) even though that city was under Communist control.[14][15]
Taipei expanded greatly in the decades after 1949, and as approved on December 30, 1966 by the Executive Yuan, Taipei was declared a special centrally administered municipality on July 1, 1967 and given the administrative status of a province.[18] In the following year, Taipei City expanded again by annexing Shilin, Beitou, Neihu, Nangang, Jingmei, and Muzha. At that time, the city's total area increased fourfold through absorbing several outlying towns and villages and the population increased to 1.56 million people.[18]
The city's population, which had reached one million in the early 1960s, also expanded rapidly after 1967, exceeding two million by the mid-1970s. Although growth within the city itself gradually slowed thereafter[20] — its population had become relatively stable by the mid-1990s — Taipei remained one of the world's most densely populated urban areas, and the population continued to increase in the region surrounding the city, notably along the corridor between Taipei and Keelung.
In 1990 Taipei's 16 districts were consolidated into the current 12 districts.[21] Mass democracy rallies that year in the plaza around Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall led to an island-wide transition to multi-party democracy, where legislators are chosen via regularly scheduled popular elections, during the presidency of Lee Teng-Hui.
Geography
The city of Taipei, as seen from Maokong.
Taipei City is located in the Taipei Basin in northern Taiwan.[22] It is bordered by the Xindian River on the south and the Tamsui River on the west. The generally low-lying terrain of the central areas on the western side of the municipality slopes upward to the south and east and especially to the north,[5] where it reaches 1,120 metres (3,675 ft) at Qixing Mountain, the highest (inactive) volcano in Taiwan in Yangmingshan National Park. The northern districts of Shilin and Beitou extend north of the Keelung River and are bordered by Yangmingshan National Park. The Taipei city limits cover an area of 271.7997 km2,[23] ranking sixteenth of twenty-five among all counties and cities in Taiwan.
Two peaks, Qixing Mountain and Mt. Datun, rise to the northeast of the city.[24] Qixing Mountain is located on the Tatun Volcano Group and the tallest mountain at the rim of the Taipei Basin, with its main peak at 1,120 metres (3,670 ft). Mt. Datun's main peak is 1,092 metres (3,583 ft). These former volcanoes make up the western section of Yangmingshan National Park, extending from Mt. Datun northward to Mt. Caigongkeng (菜公坑山). Located on a broad saddle between two mountains, the area also contains the marshy Datun Pond.
To the southeast of the city lie the Songshan Hills and the Qingshui Ravine, which form a barrier of lush woods.[24]
Climate
Taipei has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate[25][26][27] (Köppen: Cfa).[28] Summers are long-lasting, hot and humid, and accompanied by occasional heavy rainstorms and typhoons, while winters are short, generally warm and generally very foggy due to the northeasterly winds from the vast Siberian High being intensified by the pooling of this cooler air in the Taipei Basin. As in the rest of Northern Taiwan, daytime temperatures of Taipei can often peak above 26 degrees Celsius during a warm winter day, while they can dip below 26 degrees Celsius during a rainy summer's afternoon. Occasional cold fronts during the winter months can drop the daily temperature by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius, though temperatures rarely drop below 10 degrees Celsius.[29] Extreme temperatures ranged from −0.2 °C (31.6 °F) on February 13, 1901 to 39.3 °C (102.7 °F) on August 8, 2013, while snow has never been recorded in the city besides on mountains located within the city limit such as Mount Yangmingshan. Due to Taiwan's location in the Pacific Ocean, it is affected by the Pacific typhoon season, which occurs between June and October.
Air quality
When compared to other Asian cities, Taipei has "excellent" capabilities for managing air quality in the city.[31] Its rainy climate, location near the coast, and strong environmental regulations have prevented air pollution from becoming a substantial health issue, at least compared to cities in southeast Asia and industrial China. However, smog is extremely common and there is poor visibility throughout the city after rain-less days.
Motor vehicle engine exhaust, particularly from motor scooters, is a source of air pollution in Taipei. There are higher levels of fine particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the mornings because of less air movement; sunlight reduces some pollution.[32] Occasionally, dust storms from Mainland China can temporarily bring extremely poor air quality to the city.[33]
Cityscape
Taipei viewed from Tiger Mountain, with Taipei 101 on the left.
Demographics
Taipei City is home to 2,704,810 people (2015), while the metropolitan area has a population of 7,047,559 people.[6] The population of the city has been decreasing in recent years while the population of the adjacent New Taipei has been increasing. The population loss, while rapid in its early years, has been stabilized by new lower density development and campaigns designed to increase birthrate in the city. The population has begun to rise since 2010.[6][34][35]
Due to Taipei's geography and location in the Taipei Basin as well as differing times of economic development of its districts, Taipei's population is not evenly distributed. The districts of Daan, Songshan, and Datong are the most densely populated. These districts, along with adjacent communities such as Yonghe and Zhonghe contain some of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the world.[34]
In 2008, the crude birth rate stood at 7.88% while the mortality rate stood at 5.94%. A decreasing and rapidly aging population is an important issue for the city.[34] By the end of 2009, one in ten people in Taipei was over 65 years of age.[36] Residents who had obtained a college education or higher accounted for 43.48% of the population, and the literacy rate stood at 99.18%.[34]
Like the rest of Taiwan, Taipei is composed of four major ethnic groups: Hoklos, Mainlanders, Hakkas, and aborigines.[34] Although Hoklos and Mainlanders form the majority of the population of the city, in recent decades many Hakkas have moved into the city. The aboriginal population in the city stands at 12,862 (<0.5%), concentrated mostly in the suburban districts. Foreigners (mainly from Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines) numbered 52,426 at the end of 2008.[34]
Economy
As the center of Taiwan's largest conurbation, Taipei has been at the center of rapid economic development in the country and has now become one of the global cities in the production of high technology and its components.[37] This is part of the so-called Taiwan Miracle which has seen dramatic growth in the city following foreign direct investment in the 1960s. Taiwan is now a creditor economy, holding one of the world's largest foreign exchange reserves of over US$403 billion as of December 2012.[38]
Despite the Asian financial crisis, the economy continues to expand at about 5% per year, with virtually full employment and low inflation. As of 2013, the nominal GDP per capita in Taipei city is lower than that in Hong Kong by a narrow margin according to The Economist(Nominal GDP per capita in HK is US$38181 in 2013 from IMF).[39] Furthermore, according to Financial times, GDP per capita based on Purchasing Power Parity(PPP) in Taipei in 2015 is 44173 USD, behind that in Singapore(US$48900 from IMF) and Hong Kong(US$56689 from IMF).[40]
Taipei and its environs have long been the foremost industrial area of Taiwan, consisting of industries of the secondary and tertiary sectors.[41] Most of the country's important factories producing textiles and apparel are located there; other industries include the manufacture of electronic products and components, electrical machinery and equipment, printed materials, precision equipment, and foods and beverages. Such companies include Shihlin Electric, CipherLab and Insyde Software. Shipbuilding, including yachts and other pleasure craft, is done in the port of Keelung northeast of the city.
Services, including those related to commerce, transportation, and banking, have become increasingly important. Tourism is a small but significant component of the local economy[42][43] with international visitors totaling almost 3 million in 2008.[44] Taipei has many top tourist attractions and contributes a significant amount to the US$6.8 billion tourism industry in Taiwan.[45] National brands such as ASUS,[46] Chunghwa Telecom,[47] Mandarin Airlines,[48] Tatung,[49] and Uni Air,[50][51] D-Link [52] are headquartered in Taipei City.
Culture
Tourism
See also: List of tourist attractions in Taipei
Tourism is a major part of Taipei's economy. In 2013, over 6.3 million overseas visitors visited Taipei, making the city the 15th most visited globally.[53] The influx of visitors contributed $10.8 billion USD to the city's economy in 2013, the 9th highest in the world and the most of any city in the Chinese-speaking world.[54]
Commemorative sites and museums
The National Palace Museum
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a famous monument, landmark and tourist attraction that was erected in memory of General Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China.[55] The structure stands at the east end of Memorial Hall Square, site of the National Concert Hall and National Theater and their adjacent parks as well as the memorial. The landmarks of Liberty Square stand within sight of Taiwan's Presidential Building in Taipei's Zhongzheng District.
The National Taiwan Museum
The National Taiwan Museum sits nearby in what is now 228 Peace Memorial Park and has worn its present name since 1999. The museum is Taiwan's oldest, founded on October 24, 1908 by Taiwan's Japanese colonial government (1895-1945) as the Taiwan Governor's Museum. It was launched with a collection of 10,000 items to celebrate the opening of the island's North-South Railway.[56] In 1915 a new museum building opened its doors in what is now 228 Peace Memorial Park. This structure and the adjacent governor's office (now Presidential Office Building), served as the two most recognizable public buildings in Taiwan during its period of Japanese rule.[56]
Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines
The National Palace Museum is a vast art gallery and museum built around a permanent collection centered on ancient Chinese artifacts. It should not be confused with the Palace Museum in Beijing (which it is named after); both institutions trace their origins to the same institution. The collections were divided in the 1940s as a result of the Chinese Civil War.[57][58] The National Palace Museum in Taipei now boasts a truly international collection while housing one of the world's largest collections of artifacts from ancient China.[58]
The Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines stands just 200 metres across the road from the National Palace Museum. The museum offers displays of art and historical items by Taiwanese aborigines along with a range of multimedia displays.
The Taipei Fine Arts Museum was established in 1983 as the first museum in Taiwan dedicated to modern art. The museum is housed in a building designed for the purpose that takes inspiration from Japanese designs. Most art in the collection is by Taiwanese artists since 1940. Over 3,000 art works are organized into 13 groups.
The National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall near Taipei 101 in Xinyi District is named in honor of a founding father of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen. The hall, completed on May 16, 1972, originally featured exhibits that depicted revolutionary events in China at the end of the Qing Dynasty. Today it functions as multi-purpose social, educational, concert and cultural center for Taiwan's citizens.[59]
Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, aka "old city hall"
In 2001 a new museum opened as Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei. The museum is housed in a building that formerly housed Taipei City government offices.[60]
Night view of a fully lit Taipei 101
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 is a 101-floor landmark skyscraper that claimed the title of world's tallest building when it opened in 2004, a title it held for six years before relinquishing it to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners and constructed by KTRT Joint Venture, Taipei 101 measures 509 m (1,670 ft) from ground to top, making it the first skyscraper in the world to break the half-kilometer mark in height. Built to withstand typhoon winds and earthquake tremors, its design incorporates many engineering innovations and has won numerous international awards. Taipei 101 remains one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world and holds LEED's certification as the world's largest "green" building. Its shopping mall and its indoor and outdoor observatories draw visitors from all over the world. Taipei 101's New Year's Eve fireworks display is a regular feature of international broadcasts.
Performing arts
Taiwan's National Concert Hall at night
The National Theater and Concert Hall stand at Taipei's Liberty Square and host events by foreign and domestic performers. Other leading concert venues include Zhongshan Hall at Ximending and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall near Taipei 101.
A new venue, the Taipei Performing Arts Center, is under construction and slated to open in 2015.[61][62] The venue will stand near the Shilin Night Market[63] and will house three theaters for events with multi-week runs. The architectural design, by Rem Koolhaas and OMA, was determined in 2009 in an international competition.[64] The same design process is also in place for a new Taipei Center for Popular Music and Taipei City Museum.[65]
Shopping and recreation
Main article: Shopping in Taipei
Taipei is known for its many night markets, the most famous of which is the Shilin Night Market in the Shilin District. The surrounding streets by Shilin Night Market are extremely crowded during the evening, usually opening late afternoon and operating well past midnight. Most night markets feature individual stalls selling a mixture of food, clothing, and consumer goods.
The busy streets of Ximending at night
Ximending has been a famous area for shopping and entertainment since the 1930s. Historic structures include a concert hall, a historic cinema, and the Red House Theater. Modern structures house karaoke businesses, art film cinemas, wide-release movie cinemas, electronic stores, and a wide variety of restaurants and fashion clothing stores.[66] The pedestrian area is especially popular with teens and has been called the "Harajuku" of Taipei.[67]
Eastern district at night
The newly developed Xinyi District is popular with tourists and locals alike for its many entertainment and shopping venues, as well as being the home of Taipei 101, a prime tourist attraction. Malls in the area include the sprawling Shin Kong Mitsukoshi complex, Breeze Center, Bellavita, Taipei 101 mall, Eslite Bookstore's flagship store (which includes a boutique mall), The Living Mall, ATT shopping mall, and the Vieshow Cinemas (formerly known as Warner Village). The Xinyi district also serves as the center of Taipei's active nightlife, with several popular lounge bars and nightclubs concentrated in a relatively small area around the Neo19, ATT 4 FUN and Taipei 101 buildings. Lounge bars such as Barcode and nightclubs such as Spark and Myst are among the most-visited places here.
Eslite Bookstore in Xinyi District
The thriving shopping area around Taipei Main Station includes the Taipei Underground Market and the original Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store at Shin Kong Life Tower. Other popular shopping destinations include the Zhongshan Metro Mall, Dihua Street, the Guang Hua Digital Plaza, and the Core Pacific City. The Miramar Entertainment Park is known for its large Ferris wheel and IMAX theater.
Taipei maintains an extensive system of parks, green spaces, and nature preserves. Parks and forestry areas of note in and around the city include Yangmingshan National Park, Taipei Zoo and Da-an Forest Park. Yangmingshan National Park (located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the central city) is famous for its cherry blossoms, hot springs, and sulfur deposits. It is the home of famous writer Lin Yutang, the summer residence of Chiang Kai-shek, residences of foreign diplomats, the Chinese Culture University, the meeting place of the now defunct National Assembly of the Republic of China, and the Kuomintang Party Archives. The Taipei Zoo was founded in 1914 and covers an area of 165 hectares for animal sanctuary.
Bitan is known for boating and water sports. Tamsui is a popular sea-side resort town. Ocean beaches are accessible in several directions from Taipei.
Temples
Built in 1738, Longshan Temple is one of the oldest temples in the city.
Street corner shrine, Taipei 2013
Taipei is rich in beautiful, ornate temples housing Buddhist, Taoist, and Chinese folk religion deities. The Longshan Temple, built in 1738 and located in the Wanhua District, demonstrates an example of architecture with southern Chinese influences commonly seen on older buildings in Taiwan.
Xinsheng South Road is known as the "Road to Heaven" due to its high concentration of temples, shrines, churches, and mosques.[68][69] Other famous temples include Baoan Temple located in historic Dalongdong, a national historical site, and Xiahai City God Temple, located in the old Dadaocheng community, constructed with architecture similar to temples in southern Fujian.[70] The Taipei Confucius Temple traces its history back to 1879 during the Qing Dynasty and also incorporates southern Fujian-style architecture.[71]
Besides large temples, small outdoor shrines to local deities are very common and can be spotted on road sides, parks, and neighborhoods. Many homes and businesses may also set up small shrines of candles, figurines, and offerings. Some restaurants, for example, may set up a small shrine to the Kitchen god for success in a restaurant business.[72]
New Year's Eve fireworks at Taipei 101
Festivals and events
Many yearly festivals are held in Taipei. In recent years some festivals, such as the Double Ten Day fireworks and concerts, are increasingly hosted on a rotating basis by a number of cities around Taiwan.
When New Year's Eve arrives on the solar calendar, thousands of people converge on Taipei's Xinyi District for parades, outdoor concerts by popular artists, street shows, round-the clock nightlife. The high point is of course the countdown to midnight, when Taipei 101 assumes the role of the world's largest fireworks platform.
The Taipei Lantern Festival concludes the Lunar New Year holiday. The timing of the city's lantern exhibit coincides with the national festival in Pingxi, when thousands of fire lanterns are released into the sky.[73] The city's lantern exhibit rotates among different downtown locales from year to year, including Liberty Square, Taipei 101, and Zhongshan Hall in Ximending.
On Double Ten Day, patriotic celebrations are held in front of the Presidential Building. Other annual festivals include Ancestors Day (Tomb-Sweeping Day), the Dragon Boat Festival, the Ghost Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival).[73]
Taipei regularly hosts its share of international events. The city recently hosted the 2009 Summer Deaflympics.[74] This event was followed by the Taipei International Flora Exposition, a garden festival hosted from November 2010 to April 2011. The Floral Expo was the first of its kind to take place in Taiwan and only the seventh hosted in Asia; the expo admitted 110,000 visitors on February 27, 2011.
Taipei in films
Romanization
The spelling "Taipei" derives from the Wade–Giles romanization T'ai-pei.[75] The name could be also romanized as Táiběi according to Hanyu Pinyin and Tongyong Pinyin.[76][77]
Government
Taipei City is a special municipality which is directly under the Executive Yuan (Central Government) of ROC. The mayor of Taipei City had been an appointed position since Taipei's conversion to a centrally administered municipality in 1967 until the first public election was held in 1994.[78] The position has a four-year term and is elected by direct popular vote. The first elected mayor was Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party. Ma Ying-jeou took office in 1998 for two terms, before handing it over to Hau Lung-pin who won the 2006 mayoral election on December 9, 2006.[79] Both Chen Shui-bian and Ma Ying-Jeou went on to become President of the Republic of China. The incumbent mayor, Ko Wen-je, was elected on November 29, 2014 and took office on December 25, 2014.[80]
Based on the outcomes of previous elections in the past decade, the vote of the overall constituency of Taipei City shows a slight inclination towards the pro-KMT camp (the Pan-Blue Coalition);[81] however, the pro-DPP camp (the Pan-Green Coalition) also has considerable support.[82]
Ketagalan Boulevard, where the Presidential Office Building and other government structures are situated, is often the site of mass gatherings such as inauguration and national holiday parades, receptions for visiting dignitaries, political demonstrations,[83][84] and public festivals.[85]
Garbage recycling
Taipei City is also famous for its effort in garbage recycling, which has become such a good international precedent that other countries have sent teams to study the recycling system. After the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) established a program in 1998 combining the efforts of communities, a financial resource named the Recycling Fund was made available to recycling companies and waste collectors. Manufacturers, vendors and importers of recyclable waste pay fees to the Fund, which uses the money to set firm prices for recyclables and subsidize local recycling efforts. Between 1998 and 2008, the recycling rate increased from 6 percent to 32 percent.[86] This improvement enabled the government of Taipei to demonstrate its recycling system to the world at the Shanghai World Expo 2010.
Administrative divisions
Taipei City is divided up into 12 administrative districts (區 qu).[87] Each district is further divided up into urban villages (里), which are further sub-divided up into neighborhoods (鄰).
Map District Population
(Jan. 2016) Area
(km2) Postal
code
Beitou 北投區 Běitóu Pei-t'ou Pak-tâu 257,922 56.8216 112
Da'an 大安區 Dà'ān Ta-an Tāi-an 312,909 11.3614 106
Datong 大同區 Dàtóng Ta-t'ung Tāi-tông 131,029 5.6815 103
Nangang 南港區 Nángǎng Nan-kang Lâm-káng 122,296 21.8424 115
Neihu 內湖區 Nèihú Nei-hu Lāi-ô͘ 287,726 31.5787 114
Shilin 士林區 Shìlín Shih-lin Sū-lîm 290,682 62.3682 111
Songshan 松山區 Sōngshān Sung-shan Siông-san 209,689 9.2878 105
Wanhua 萬華區 Wànhuá Wan-hua Báng-kah 194,314 8.8522 108
Wenshan 文山區 Wénshān Wen-shan Bûn-san 275,433 31.5090 116
Xinyi 信義區 Xìnyì Hsin-yi Sìn-gī 229,139 11.2077 110
Zhongshan 中山區 Zhōngshān Chung-shan Tiong-san 231,286 13.6821 104
Zhongzheng 中正區 Zhōngzhèng Chung-cheng Tiong-chèng 162,549 7.6071 100
City planning
The city is characterized by straight roads and public buildings of grand Western architectural styles.[88] The city is built on a square grid configuration, however these blocks are huge by international standards with 500 m (1,640.42 ft) sides. The area in between these blocks are infilled with lanes and alleys, which provide access to quieter residential or mixed-use development. Other than a citywide 30 kilometres per hour (19 mph) speed limit, there is little uniform planning within this "hidden" area; therefore lanes (perpendicular to streets) and alleys (parallel with street, or conceptually, perpendicular to the lane) spill out from the main throughways. These minor roads are not always perpendicular and sometimes cut through the block diagonally.
Although development began in the western districts (still considered the cultural heart of the city) of the city due to trade, the eastern districts of the city have become the focus of recent development projects. Many of the western districts, already in decline, have become targets of new urban renewal initiatives.[88]
Transportation
Platform of Wende Station on the Taipei Metro system.
Public transport accounts for a substantial portion of different modes of transport in Taiwan, with Taipei residents having the highest utilization rate at 34.1%.[89] Private transport consists of motor scooters, private cars, and bicycles. Motor-scooters often weave between cars and occasionally through oncoming traffic. Respect for traffic laws, once scant, has improved with deployment of traffic cameras and increasing numbers of police roadblocks checking riders for alcohol consumption and other offenses.
Taipei Station serves as the comprehensive hub for the subway, bus, conventional rail, and high-speed rail.[41] A contactless smartcard, known as EasyCard, can be used for all modes of public transit as well as several retail outlets. It contains credits that are deducted each time a ride is taken.[90] The EasyCard is read via proximity sensory panels on buses and in MRT stations, and it does not need to be removed from one's wallet or purse.
Metro
Main article: Taipei Metro
Taipei's public transport system, the Taipei Metro (commonly referred to as the MRT), incorporates a metro and light rail system based on advanced VAL and Bombardier technology. There are currently five metro lines that are labelled in three ways: color, line number and depot station name. In addition to the rapid transit system itself, the Taipei Metro also includes several public facilities such as the Maokong Gondola, underground shopping malls, parks, and public squares. Modifications to existing railway lines to integrate them into the metro system are underway.
In 2017 a rapid transit line was opened to connect Taipei with Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taoyuan City. The new line is part of the new Taoyuan Metro system.
Taipei Railway Station front
Rail
Main articles: Taiwan High Speed Rail and Taiwan Railway Administration
Beginning in 1983, surface rail lines in the city were moved underground as part of the Taipei Railway Underground Project.[91] The Taiwan High Speed Rail system opened in 2007. The bullet trains connect Taipei with the west coast cities of New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Chiayi, and Tainan before terminating at Zuoying (Kaohsiung) at speeds that cut travel times by 60% or more from what they normally are on a bus or conventional train.[92] The Taiwan Railway Administration also runs passenger and freight services throughout the entire island.
Bus
An extensive city bus system serves metropolitan areas not covered by the metro, with exclusive bus lanes to facilitate transportation.[41] Riders of the city metro system are able to use the EasyCard for discounted fares on buses, and vice versa. Several major intercity bus terminals are located throughout the city, including the Taipei Bus Station and Taipei City Hall Bus Station.[93]
Taipei Songshan Airport
Airports
Main articles: Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport
Most scheduled international flights are served by Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in nearby Taoyuan City. Songshan Airport at the heart of the city in the Songshan District serves domestic flights and scheduled flights to Tokyo International Airport (also known as Haneda Airport), Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, and about 15 destinations in the People's Republic of China. Songshan Airport is accessible by the Taipei Metro Neihu Line; Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is accessible by the Taoyuan International Airport MRT system.
Ticketing
In 1994, with the rapid development of Taipei, a white paper for transport policies expressed the strong objective to "create a civilised transport system for the people of Taipei." In 1999, they chose Mitac consortium, which Thales-Transportation Systems is part of. Thales was then selected again in 2005 to deploy an upgrade of Taipei's public transport network with an end-to-end and fully contactless automatic fare collection solution that integrates 116 metro stations, 5,000 buses and 92 car parks.[citation needed]
Education
West Site of National Taiwan University Hospital
24 universities have campuses located in Taipei:
National Taiwan University (1928)
National Chengchi University (1927)
National Defense Medical Center (1902)
National Defense University (1906)
National Taipei University (1949)
National Taipei University of Business (1917)
National Taipei University of Education (1895)
National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science (1947)
National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (1974)
National Taipei University of Technology (1912)
National Taiwan College of Performing Arts (1957)
National Taiwan Normal University (1946)
National Yang-Ming University (1975)
Taipei National University of the Arts (1982)
University of Taipei (2013)
Tamkang University (1950)
Soochow University (1900)
Chinese Culture University (1962)
Ming Chuan University (1957)
Shih Hsin University (1956)
Shih Chien University (1958)
Taipei Medical University (1960)
Tatung University (1956)
China University of Technology (1965)
National Taiwan University (NTU) was established in 1928 during the period of Japanese colonial rule. NTU has produced many political and social leaders in Taiwan. Both pan-blue and pan-green movements in Taiwan are rooted on the NTU campus. The university has six campuses in the greater Taipei region (including New Taipei) and two additional campuses in Nantou County. The university governs farms, forests, and hospitals for educational and research purposes. The main campus is in Taipei's Da-An district, where most department buildings and all the administrative buildings are located. The College of Law and the College of Medicine are located near the Presidential Building. The National Taiwan University Hospital is a leading international center of medical research.[94]
National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU or Shida) likewise traces its origins to the Japanese colonial period. Originally a teacher training institution, NTNU has developed into a comprehensive international university with demanding entrance requirements. The university boasts especially strong programs in the humanities and international education. Worldwide it is perhaps best known as home of the Mandarin Training Center, a program that offers Mandarin language training each year to over a thousand students from dozens of countries throughout the world. The main campus in Taipei's Da-An district, near MRT Guting Station, is known for its historic architecture and giving its name to the Shida Night Market, one of the most popular among the numerous night markets in Taipei.
Chinese language program for foreigners
Taiwan Mandarin Institute (TMI) (福爾摩莎)
International Chinese Language Program (ICLP) (國際華語研習所) of National Taiwan University
Mandarin Training Center (MTC) (國語教學中心) of National Taiwan Normal University
Taipei Language Institute (中華語文研習所)
Jökulsárlón ("lagune fluviale glaciaire") est un grand lac glaciaire situé au sud du parc national du Vatnajökull, en Islande. Situé à la tête du Breiðamerkurjökull, il s'est transformé en lac après le début du recul du glacier à la fin du XIXe siècle. Depuis, le lac a connu une croissance variable en raison de la fonte des glaciers. Le front glaciaire se trouve maintenant à environ 8 km du bord de l'océan et couvre une superficie d'environ 25 km². En 2009, il était considéré comme le lac le plus profond d'Islande, avec plus de 284 m de profondeur, le recul glaciaire ayant étendu ses limites. Sa superficie a quadruplé depuis les années 1970. Riche d'icebergs bleus lumineux, Jökulsárlón a servi de décor à quatre films hollywoodiens : "Dangereusement vôtre", "Meurs un autre jour", "Lara Croft : Tomb Raider" et "Batman Begins", ainsi qu'à la série de télé-réalité "The Amazing Race".
Jökulsárlón ("glacial river lagoon") is a large glacial lake located south of Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland. Situated at the head of Breiðamerkurjökull, it became a lake after the glacier began to retreat in the late 19th century. Since then, the lake has grown at varying rates due to glacial melting. The glacial front is now about 8 km from the ocean's edge and covers an area of about 25 km². In 2009, it was considered the deepest lake in Iceland, at over 284 m deep, as glacial retreat has extended its boundaries. Its surface area has quadrupled since the 1970s. Full of luminous blue icebergs, Jökulsárlón has served as the setting for four Hollywood films: "A View to a Kill," "Die Another Day," "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," and "Batman Begins," as well as the reality TV series "The Amazing Race."
pour les amateurs d'arts de la rue, voici une série de 8 clichés, portraits féminins croisés à Marseille ...
faites moi donc votre quinté du WE !
on ne gagne rien, si ce n'est ma reconnaissance , pour ne pas vous limiter au dernier cliché déposé ! ;-)
++++++ from Wikipedia ++++++
Taipei (/ˌtaɪˈpeɪ/), officially known as Taipei City, is the capital city and a special municipality of Taiwan (officially known as the Republic of China, "ROC"). Sitting at the northern tip of the island, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City. It is about 25 km (16 mi) southwest of the northern port city Keelung. Most of the city is located on the Taipei Basin, an ancient lakebed bounded by the two relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung and Xindian rivers, which join to form the Tamsui River along the city's western border.[5] Formerly known as Taipeh-fu during Qing era and Taihoku under Japanese rule, Taipei became the capital of the Taiwan Province as part of the Republic of China in 1945 and recently has been the capital[a] of the ROC since 1949, when the Kuomintang lost the mainland to the Communists in the Chinese Civil War.
The city proper is home to an estimated population of 2,704,810 in 2015,[6] forming the core part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area which includes the nearby cities of New Taipei and Keelung with a population of 7,047,559,[6][7] the 40th most-populous urban area in the world—roughly one-third of Taiwanese citizens live in the metro district. The name "Taipei" can refer either to the whole metropolitan area or the city proper.
Taipei is the political, economic, educational, and cultural center of Taiwan island, and one of the major hubs of Greater China. Considered to be a global city,[8] Taipei is part of a major high-tech industrial area.[9] Railways, high-speed rail, highways, airports, and bus lines connect Taipei with all parts of the island. The city is served by two airports – Taipei Songshan and Taiwan Taoyuan. Taipei is home to various world-famous architectural or cultural landmarks which include Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Dalongdong Baoan Temple, Hsing Tian Kong, Lungshan Temple of Manka, National Palace Museum, Presidential Office Building, Taipei Guest House, Ximending, and several night markets dispersing over the city. Its natural features such as Maokong, Yangmingshan, and hot springs are also well known to international visitors.
As the capital city, "Taipei" is sometimes used as a synecdoche for the Republic of China. Due to the ongoing controversy over the political status of Taiwan, the name Chinese Taipei is designated for official use when Taiwanese governmental representatives or national teams participate in some international organizations or international sporting events (which may require UN statehood) in order to avoid extensive political controversy by using other names.
Contents
1 History
1.1 First settlements
1.2 Empire of Japan
1.3 Republic of China
2 Geography
2.1 Climate
2.2 Air quality
2.3 Cityscape
3 Demographics
4 Economy
5 Culture
5.1 Tourism
5.1.1 Commemorative sites and museums
5.1.2 Taipei 101
5.1.3 Performing arts
5.1.4 Shopping and recreation
5.1.5 Temples
5.2 Festivals and events
5.3 Taipei in films
6 Romanization
7 Government
7.1 Garbage recycling
7.2 Administrative divisions
7.3 City planning
8 Transportation
8.1 Metro
8.2 Rail
8.3 Bus
8.4 Airports
8.5 Ticketing
9 Education
9.1 Chinese language program for foreigners
10 Sports
10.1 Major sporting events
10.2 Youth baseball
11 Media
11.1 Television
11.2 Newspapers
12 International relations
12.1 Twin towns and sister cities
12.2 Partner cities
12.3 Friendship cities
13 Gallery
14 See also
15 Notes
16 References
17 External links
History
Main article: History of Taipei
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a famous monument and tourist attraction in Taipei.
Prior to the significant influx of Han Chinese immigrants, the region of Taipei Basin was mainly inhabited by the Ketagalan plains aborigines. The number of Han immigrants gradually increased in the early 18th century under Qing Dynasty rule after the government began permitting development in the area.[10] In 1875, the northern part of the island was incorporated into the new Taipeh Prefecture.
The Qing dynasty of China made Taipeh the temporary capital of Fujian-Taiwan Province in 1886 when Taiwan was separated from Fujian Province.[11][12] Taipeh was formally made the provincial capital in 1894.
Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 under the Treaty of Shimonoseki after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taihoku (formerly Taipeh) as its capital, in which the city was administered under Taihoku Prefecture. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links. A number of Taipei landmarks and cultural institutions date from this period.[13]
Following the Japanese surrender of 1945, control of Taiwan was handed to the Republic of China (ROC) (see Retrocession Day). After losing mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the ROC in December 1949.[14][15] In 1990 Taipei provided the backdrop for the Wild Lily student rallies that moved Taiwanese society from one-party rule to multi-party democracy. The city is today home to Taiwan's democratically elected national government.
First settlements
The region known as the Taipei Basin was home to Ketagalan tribes before the eighteenth century.[16] Han Chinese mainly from Fujian Province of Qing dynasty China began to settle in the Taipei Basin in 1709.[17][18]
In the late 19th century, the Taipei area, where the major Han Chinese settlements in northern Taiwan and one of the designated overseas trade ports, Tamsui, were located, gained economic importance due to the booming overseas trade, especially that of tea export. In 1875, the northern part of Taiwan was separated from Taiwan Prefecture and incorporated into the new Taipeh Prefecture as a new administrative entity of the Qing dynasty.[13] Having been established adjoining the flourishing townships of Bangka, Dalongdong, and Twatutia, the new prefectural capital was known as Chengnei (Chinese: 城內; pinyin: chéngnèi; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siâⁿ-lāi), "the inner city", and government buildings were erected there. From 1875 (still Qing era) until the beginning of Japanese rule in 1895, Taipei was part of Tamsui County of Taipeh Prefecture and the prefectural capital.
In 1885, work commenced to create an independent Taiwan Province, and Taipei City was temporarily made the provincial capital. Taipei officially became the capital of Taiwan in 1894.[citation needed] All that remains from the Qing era is the north gate. The west gate and city walls were demolished by the Japanese while the south gate, little south gate, and east gate were extensively modified by the Kuomintang (KMT) and have lost much of their original character.[19]
Empire of Japan
The Taihoku Prefecture government building in the 1910s (now the Control Yuan)
As settlement for losing the First Sino-Japanese War, China ceded the island of Taiwan to the Empire of Japan in 1895 as part of the Treaty of Shimonoseki. After the Japanese take-over, Taipei, called Taihoku in Japanese, was retained as the capital and emerged as the political center of the Japanese Colonial Government.[13] During that time the city acquired the characteristics of an administrative center, including many new public buildings and housing for civil servants. Much of the architecture of Taipei dates from the period of Japanese rule, including the Presidential Building which was the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan.
During Japanese rule, Taihoku was incorporated in 1920 as part of Taihoku Prefecture. It included Bangka, Twatutia, and Jōnai (城內) among other small settlements. The eastern village of Matsuyama (松山庄, modern-day Songshan District, Taipei) was annexed into Taihoku City in 1938. Upon the Japanese defeat in the Pacific War and its consequent surrender in August 1945, the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) assumed control of Taiwan. Subsequently, a temporary Office of the Taiwan Province Administrative Governor was established in Taipei City.[20]
Republic of China
With President Chiang Kai-shek, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower waved to a crowd during his visit to Taipei in June 1960.
In 1947 the KMT government under Chiang Kai-shek declared island-wide martial law in Taiwan as a result of the February 28 Incident, which began with incidents in Taipei but led to an island-wide crackdown on the local population by forces loyal to Chiang. Two years later, on December 7, 1949, Chiang and the Kuomintang were forced to flee mainland China by the Communists near the end of the Chinese Civil War. The refugees declared Taipei to be the provisional capital of a continuing Republic of China, with the official capital at Nanjing (Nanking) even though that city was under Communist control.[14][15]
Taipei expanded greatly in the decades after 1949, and as approved on December 30, 1966 by the Executive Yuan, Taipei was declared a special centrally administered municipality on July 1, 1967 and given the administrative status of a province.[18] In the following year, Taipei City expanded again by annexing Shilin, Beitou, Neihu, Nangang, Jingmei, and Muzha. At that time, the city's total area increased fourfold through absorbing several outlying towns and villages and the population increased to 1.56 million people.[18]
The city's population, which had reached one million in the early 1960s, also expanded rapidly after 1967, exceeding two million by the mid-1970s. Although growth within the city itself gradually slowed thereafter[20] — its population had become relatively stable by the mid-1990s — Taipei remained one of the world's most densely populated urban areas, and the population continued to increase in the region surrounding the city, notably along the corridor between Taipei and Keelung.
In 1990 Taipei's 16 districts were consolidated into the current 12 districts.[21] Mass democracy rallies that year in the plaza around Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall led to an island-wide transition to multi-party democracy, where legislators are chosen via regularly scheduled popular elections, during the presidency of Lee Teng-Hui.
Geography
The city of Taipei, as seen from Maokong.
Taipei City is located in the Taipei Basin in northern Taiwan.[22] It is bordered by the Xindian River on the south and the Tamsui River on the west. The generally low-lying terrain of the central areas on the western side of the municipality slopes upward to the south and east and especially to the north,[5] where it reaches 1,120 metres (3,675 ft) at Qixing Mountain, the highest (inactive) volcano in Taiwan in Yangmingshan National Park. The northern districts of Shilin and Beitou extend north of the Keelung River and are bordered by Yangmingshan National Park. The Taipei city limits cover an area of 271.7997 km2,[23] ranking sixteenth of twenty-five among all counties and cities in Taiwan.
Two peaks, Qixing Mountain and Mt. Datun, rise to the northeast of the city.[24] Qixing Mountain is located on the Tatun Volcano Group and the tallest mountain at the rim of the Taipei Basin, with its main peak at 1,120 metres (3,670 ft). Mt. Datun's main peak is 1,092 metres (3,583 ft). These former volcanoes make up the western section of Yangmingshan National Park, extending from Mt. Datun northward to Mt. Caigongkeng (菜公坑山). Located on a broad saddle between two mountains, the area also contains the marshy Datun Pond.
To the southeast of the city lie the Songshan Hills and the Qingshui Ravine, which form a barrier of lush woods.[24]
Climate
Taipei has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate[25][26][27] (Köppen: Cfa).[28] Summers are long-lasting, hot and humid, and accompanied by occasional heavy rainstorms and typhoons, while winters are short, generally warm and generally very foggy due to the northeasterly winds from the vast Siberian High being intensified by the pooling of this cooler air in the Taipei Basin. As in the rest of Northern Taiwan, daytime temperatures of Taipei can often peak above 26 degrees Celsius during a warm winter day, while they can dip below 26 degrees Celsius during a rainy summer's afternoon. Occasional cold fronts during the winter months can drop the daily temperature by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius, though temperatures rarely drop below 10 degrees Celsius.[29] Extreme temperatures ranged from −0.2 °C (31.6 °F) on February 13, 1901 to 39.3 °C (102.7 °F) on August 8, 2013, while snow has never been recorded in the city besides on mountains located within the city limit such as Mount Yangmingshan. Due to Taiwan's location in the Pacific Ocean, it is affected by the Pacific typhoon season, which occurs between June and October.
Air quality
When compared to other Asian cities, Taipei has "excellent" capabilities for managing air quality in the city.[31] Its rainy climate, location near the coast, and strong environmental regulations have prevented air pollution from becoming a substantial health issue, at least compared to cities in southeast Asia and industrial China. However, smog is extremely common and there is poor visibility throughout the city after rain-less days.
Motor vehicle engine exhaust, particularly from motor scooters, is a source of air pollution in Taipei. There are higher levels of fine particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the mornings because of less air movement; sunlight reduces some pollution.[32] Occasionally, dust storms from Mainland China can temporarily bring extremely poor air quality to the city.[33]
Cityscape
Taipei viewed from Tiger Mountain, with Taipei 101 on the left.
Demographics
Taipei City is home to 2,704,810 people (2015), while the metropolitan area has a population of 7,047,559 people.[6] The population of the city has been decreasing in recent years while the population of the adjacent New Taipei has been increasing. The population loss, while rapid in its early years, has been stabilized by new lower density development and campaigns designed to increase birthrate in the city. The population has begun to rise since 2010.[6][34][35]
Due to Taipei's geography and location in the Taipei Basin as well as differing times of economic development of its districts, Taipei's population is not evenly distributed. The districts of Daan, Songshan, and Datong are the most densely populated. These districts, along with adjacent communities such as Yonghe and Zhonghe contain some of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the world.[34]
In 2008, the crude birth rate stood at 7.88% while the mortality rate stood at 5.94%. A decreasing and rapidly aging population is an important issue for the city.[34] By the end of 2009, one in ten people in Taipei was over 65 years of age.[36] Residents who had obtained a college education or higher accounted for 43.48% of the population, and the literacy rate stood at 99.18%.[34]
Like the rest of Taiwan, Taipei is composed of four major ethnic groups: Hoklos, Mainlanders, Hakkas, and aborigines.[34] Although Hoklos and Mainlanders form the majority of the population of the city, in recent decades many Hakkas have moved into the city. The aboriginal population in the city stands at 12,862 (<0.5%), concentrated mostly in the suburban districts. Foreigners (mainly from Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines) numbered 52,426 at the end of 2008.[34]
Economy
As the center of Taiwan's largest conurbation, Taipei has been at the center of rapid economic development in the country and has now become one of the global cities in the production of high technology and its components.[37] This is part of the so-called Taiwan Miracle which has seen dramatic growth in the city following foreign direct investment in the 1960s. Taiwan is now a creditor economy, holding one of the world's largest foreign exchange reserves of over US$403 billion as of December 2012.[38]
Despite the Asian financial crisis, the economy continues to expand at about 5% per year, with virtually full employment and low inflation. As of 2013, the nominal GDP per capita in Taipei city is lower than that in Hong Kong by a narrow margin according to The Economist(Nominal GDP per capita in HK is US$38181 in 2013 from IMF).[39] Furthermore, according to Financial times, GDP per capita based on Purchasing Power Parity(PPP) in Taipei in 2015 is 44173 USD, behind that in Singapore(US$48900 from IMF) and Hong Kong(US$56689 from IMF).[40]
Taipei and its environs have long been the foremost industrial area of Taiwan, consisting of industries of the secondary and tertiary sectors.[41] Most of the country's important factories producing textiles and apparel are located there; other industries include the manufacture of electronic products and components, electrical machinery and equipment, printed materials, precision equipment, and foods and beverages. Such companies include Shihlin Electric, CipherLab and Insyde Software. Shipbuilding, including yachts and other pleasure craft, is done in the port of Keelung northeast of the city.
Services, including those related to commerce, transportation, and banking, have become increasingly important. Tourism is a small but significant component of the local economy[42][43] with international visitors totaling almost 3 million in 2008.[44] Taipei has many top tourist attractions and contributes a significant amount to the US$6.8 billion tourism industry in Taiwan.[45] National brands such as ASUS,[46] Chunghwa Telecom,[47] Mandarin Airlines,[48] Tatung,[49] and Uni Air,[50][51] D-Link [52] are headquartered in Taipei City.
Culture
Tourism
See also: List of tourist attractions in Taipei
Tourism is a major part of Taipei's economy. In 2013, over 6.3 million overseas visitors visited Taipei, making the city the 15th most visited globally.[53] The influx of visitors contributed $10.8 billion USD to the city's economy in 2013, the 9th highest in the world and the most of any city in the Chinese-speaking world.[54]
Commemorative sites and museums
The National Palace Museum
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a famous monument, landmark and tourist attraction that was erected in memory of General Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China.[55] The structure stands at the east end of Memorial Hall Square, site of the National Concert Hall and National Theater and their adjacent parks as well as the memorial. The landmarks of Liberty Square stand within sight of Taiwan's Presidential Building in Taipei's Zhongzheng District.
The National Taiwan Museum
The National Taiwan Museum sits nearby in what is now 228 Peace Memorial Park and has worn its present name since 1999. The museum is Taiwan's oldest, founded on October 24, 1908 by Taiwan's Japanese colonial government (1895-1945) as the Taiwan Governor's Museum. It was launched with a collection of 10,000 items to celebrate the opening of the island's North-South Railway.[56] In 1915 a new museum building opened its doors in what is now 228 Peace Memorial Park. This structure and the adjacent governor's office (now Presidential Office Building), served as the two most recognizable public buildings in Taiwan during its period of Japanese rule.[56]
Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines
The National Palace Museum is a vast art gallery and museum built around a permanent collection centered on ancient Chinese artifacts. It should not be confused with the Palace Museum in Beijing (which it is named after); both institutions trace their origins to the same institution. The collections were divided in the 1940s as a result of the Chinese Civil War.[57][58] The National Palace Museum in Taipei now boasts a truly international collection while housing one of the world's largest collections of artifacts from ancient China.[58]
The Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines stands just 200 metres across the road from the National Palace Museum. The museum offers displays of art and historical items by Taiwanese aborigines along with a range of multimedia displays.
The Taipei Fine Arts Museum was established in 1983 as the first museum in Taiwan dedicated to modern art. The museum is housed in a building designed for the purpose that takes inspiration from Japanese designs. Most art in the collection is by Taiwanese artists since 1940. Over 3,000 art works are organized into 13 groups.
The National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall near Taipei 101 in Xinyi District is named in honor of a founding father of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen. The hall, completed on May 16, 1972, originally featured exhibits that depicted revolutionary events in China at the end of the Qing Dynasty. Today it functions as multi-purpose social, educational, concert and cultural center for Taiwan's citizens.[59]
Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, aka "old city hall"
In 2001 a new museum opened as Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei. The museum is housed in a building that formerly housed Taipei City government offices.[60]
Night view of a fully lit Taipei 101
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 is a 101-floor landmark skyscraper that claimed the title of world's tallest building when it opened in 2004, a title it held for six years before relinquishing it to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners and constructed by KTRT Joint Venture, Taipei 101 measures 509 m (1,670 ft) from ground to top, making it the first skyscraper in the world to break the half-kilometer mark in height. Built to withstand typhoon winds and earthquake tremors, its design incorporates many engineering innovations and has won numerous international awards. Taipei 101 remains one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world and holds LEED's certification as the world's largest "green" building. Its shopping mall and its indoor and outdoor observatories draw visitors from all over the world. Taipei 101's New Year's Eve fireworks display is a regular feature of international broadcasts.
Performing arts
Taiwan's National Concert Hall at night
The National Theater and Concert Hall stand at Taipei's Liberty Square and host events by foreign and domestic performers. Other leading concert venues include Zhongshan Hall at Ximending and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall near Taipei 101.
A new venue, the Taipei Performing Arts Center, is under construction and slated to open in 2015.[61][62] The venue will stand near the Shilin Night Market[63] and will house three theaters for events with multi-week runs. The architectural design, by Rem Koolhaas and OMA, was determined in 2009 in an international competition.[64] The same design process is also in place for a new Taipei Center for Popular Music and Taipei City Museum.[65]
Shopping and recreation
Main article: Shopping in Taipei
Taipei is known for its many night markets, the most famous of which is the Shilin Night Market in the Shilin District. The surrounding streets by Shilin Night Market are extremely crowded during the evening, usually opening late afternoon and operating well past midnight. Most night markets feature individual stalls selling a mixture of food, clothing, and consumer goods.
The busy streets of Ximending at night
Ximending has been a famous area for shopping and entertainment since the 1930s. Historic structures include a concert hall, a historic cinema, and the Red House Theater. Modern structures house karaoke businesses, art film cinemas, wide-release movie cinemas, electronic stores, and a wide variety of restaurants and fashion clothing stores.[66] The pedestrian area is especially popular with teens and has been called the "Harajuku" of Taipei.[67]
Eastern district at night
The newly developed Xinyi District is popular with tourists and locals alike for its many entertainment and shopping venues, as well as being the home of Taipei 101, a prime tourist attraction. Malls in the area include the sprawling Shin Kong Mitsukoshi complex, Breeze Center, Bellavita, Taipei 101 mall, Eslite Bookstore's flagship store (which includes a boutique mall), The Living Mall, ATT shopping mall, and the Vieshow Cinemas (formerly known as Warner Village). The Xinyi district also serves as the center of Taipei's active nightlife, with several popular lounge bars and nightclubs concentrated in a relatively small area around the Neo19, ATT 4 FUN and Taipei 101 buildings. Lounge bars such as Barcode and nightclubs such as Spark and Myst are among the most-visited places here.
Eslite Bookstore in Xinyi District
The thriving shopping area around Taipei Main Station includes the Taipei Underground Market and the original Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store at Shin Kong Life Tower. Other popular shopping destinations include the Zhongshan Metro Mall, Dihua Street, the Guang Hua Digital Plaza, and the Core Pacific City. The Miramar Entertainment Park is known for its large Ferris wheel and IMAX theater.
Taipei maintains an extensive system of parks, green spaces, and nature preserves. Parks and forestry areas of note in and around the city include Yangmingshan National Park, Taipei Zoo and Da-an Forest Park. Yangmingshan National Park (located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the central city) is famous for its cherry blossoms, hot springs, and sulfur deposits. It is the home of famous writer Lin Yutang, the summer residence of Chiang Kai-shek, residences of foreign diplomats, the Chinese Culture University, the meeting place of the now defunct National Assembly of the Republic of China, and the Kuomintang Party Archives. The Taipei Zoo was founded in 1914 and covers an area of 165 hectares for animal sanctuary.
Bitan is known for boating and water sports. Tamsui is a popular sea-side resort town. Ocean beaches are accessible in several directions from Taipei.
Temples
Built in 1738, Longshan Temple is one of the oldest temples in the city.
Street corner shrine, Taipei 2013
Taipei is rich in beautiful, ornate temples housing Buddhist, Taoist, and Chinese folk religion deities. The Longshan Temple, built in 1738 and located in the Wanhua District, demonstrates an example of architecture with southern Chinese influences commonly seen on older buildings in Taiwan.
Xinsheng South Road is known as the "Road to Heaven" due to its high concentration of temples, shrines, churches, and mosques.[68][69] Other famous temples include Baoan Temple located in historic Dalongdong, a national historical site, and Xiahai City God Temple, located in the old Dadaocheng community, constructed with architecture similar to temples in southern Fujian.[70] The Taipei Confucius Temple traces its history back to 1879 during the Qing Dynasty and also incorporates southern Fujian-style architecture.[71]
Besides large temples, small outdoor shrines to local deities are very common and can be spotted on road sides, parks, and neighborhoods. Many homes and businesses may also set up small shrines of candles, figurines, and offerings. Some restaurants, for example, may set up a small shrine to the Kitchen god for success in a restaurant business.[72]
New Year's Eve fireworks at Taipei 101
Festivals and events
Many yearly festivals are held in Taipei. In recent years some festivals, such as the Double Ten Day fireworks and concerts, are increasingly hosted on a rotating basis by a number of cities around Taiwan.
When New Year's Eve arrives on the solar calendar, thousands of people converge on Taipei's Xinyi District for parades, outdoor concerts by popular artists, street shows, round-the clock nightlife. The high point is of course the countdown to midnight, when Taipei 101 assumes the role of the world's largest fireworks platform.
The Taipei Lantern Festival concludes the Lunar New Year holiday. The timing of the city's lantern exhibit coincides with the national festival in Pingxi, when thousands of fire lanterns are released into the sky.[73] The city's lantern exhibit rotates among different downtown locales from year to year, including Liberty Square, Taipei 101, and Zhongshan Hall in Ximending.
On Double Ten Day, patriotic celebrations are held in front of the Presidential Building. Other annual festivals include Ancestors Day (Tomb-Sweeping Day), the Dragon Boat Festival, the Ghost Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival).[73]
Taipei regularly hosts its share of international events. The city recently hosted the 2009 Summer Deaflympics.[74] This event was followed by the Taipei International Flora Exposition, a garden festival hosted from November 2010 to April 2011. The Floral Expo was the first of its kind to take place in Taiwan and only the seventh hosted in Asia; the expo admitted 110,000 visitors on February 27, 2011.
Taipei in films
Romanization
The spelling "Taipei" derives from the Wade–Giles romanization T'ai-pei.[75] The name could be also romanized as Táiběi according to Hanyu Pinyin and Tongyong Pinyin.[76][77]
Government
Taipei City is a special municipality which is directly under the Executive Yuan (Central Government) of ROC. The mayor of Taipei City had been an appointed position since Taipei's conversion to a centrally administered municipality in 1967 until the first public election was held in 1994.[78] The position has a four-year term and is elected by direct popular vote. The first elected mayor was Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party. Ma Ying-jeou took office in 1998 for two terms, before handing it over to Hau Lung-pin who won the 2006 mayoral election on December 9, 2006.[79] Both Chen Shui-bian and Ma Ying-Jeou went on to become President of the Republic of China. The incumbent mayor, Ko Wen-je, was elected on November 29, 2014 and took office on December 25, 2014.[80]
Based on the outcomes of previous elections in the past decade, the vote of the overall constituency of Taipei City shows a slight inclination towards the pro-KMT camp (the Pan-Blue Coalition);[81] however, the pro-DPP camp (the Pan-Green Coalition) also has considerable support.[82]
Ketagalan Boulevard, where the Presidential Office Building and other government structures are situated, is often the site of mass gatherings such as inauguration and national holiday parades, receptions for visiting dignitaries, political demonstrations,[83][84] and public festivals.[85]
Garbage recycling
Taipei City is also famous for its effort in garbage recycling, which has become such a good international precedent that other countries have sent teams to study the recycling system. After the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) established a program in 1998 combining the efforts of communities, a financial resource named the Recycling Fund was made available to recycling companies and waste collectors. Manufacturers, vendors and importers of recyclable waste pay fees to the Fund, which uses the money to set firm prices for recyclables and subsidize local recycling efforts. Between 1998 and 2008, the recycling rate increased from 6 percent to 32 percent.[86] This improvement enabled the government of Taipei to demonstrate its recycling system to the world at the Shanghai World Expo 2010.
Administrative divisions
Taipei City is divided up into 12 administrative districts (區 qu).[87] Each district is further divided up into urban villages (里), which are further sub-divided up into neighborhoods (鄰).
Map District Population
(Jan. 2016) Area
(km2) Postal
code
Beitou 北投區 Běitóu Pei-t'ou Pak-tâu 257,922 56.8216 112
Da'an 大安區 Dà'ān Ta-an Tāi-an 312,909 11.3614 106
Datong 大同區 Dàtóng Ta-t'ung Tāi-tông 131,029 5.6815 103
Nangang 南港區 Nángǎng Nan-kang Lâm-káng 122,296 21.8424 115
Neihu 內湖區 Nèihú Nei-hu Lāi-ô͘ 287,726 31.5787 114
Shilin 士林區 Shìlín Shih-lin Sū-lîm 290,682 62.3682 111
Songshan 松山區 Sōngshān Sung-shan Siông-san 209,689 9.2878 105
Wanhua 萬華區 Wànhuá Wan-hua Báng-kah 194,314 8.8522 108
Wenshan 文山區 Wénshān Wen-shan Bûn-san 275,433 31.5090 116
Xinyi 信義區 Xìnyì Hsin-yi Sìn-gī 229,139 11.2077 110
Zhongshan 中山區 Zhōngshān Chung-shan Tiong-san 231,286 13.6821 104
Zhongzheng 中正區 Zhōngzhèng Chung-cheng Tiong-chèng 162,549 7.6071 100
City planning
The city is characterized by straight roads and public buildings of grand Western architectural styles.[88] The city is built on a square grid configuration, however these blocks are huge by international standards with 500 m (1,640.42 ft) sides. The area in between these blocks are infilled with lanes and alleys, which provide access to quieter residential or mixed-use development. Other than a citywide 30 kilometres per hour (19 mph) speed limit, there is little uniform planning within this "hidden" area; therefore lanes (perpendicular to streets) and alleys (parallel with street, or conceptually, perpendicular to the lane) spill out from the main throughways. These minor roads are not always perpendicular and sometimes cut through the block diagonally.
Although development began in the western districts (still considered the cultural heart of the city) of the city due to trade, the eastern districts of the city have become the focus of recent development projects. Many of the western districts, already in decline, have become targets of new urban renewal initiatives.[88]
Transportation
Platform of Wende Station on the Taipei Metro system.
Public transport accounts for a substantial portion of different modes of transport in Taiwan, with Taipei residents having the highest utilization rate at 34.1%.[89] Private transport consists of motor scooters, private cars, and bicycles. Motor-scooters often weave between cars and occasionally through oncoming traffic. Respect for traffic laws, once scant, has improved with deployment of traffic cameras and increasing numbers of police roadblocks checking riders for alcohol consumption and other offenses.
Taipei Station serves as the comprehensive hub for the subway, bus, conventional rail, and high-speed rail.[41] A contactless smartcard, known as EasyCard, can be used for all modes of public transit as well as several retail outlets. It contains credits that are deducted each time a ride is taken.[90] The EasyCard is read via proximity sensory panels on buses and in MRT stations, and it does not need to be removed from one's wallet or purse.
Metro
Main article: Taipei Metro
Taipei's public transport system, the Taipei Metro (commonly referred to as the MRT), incorporates a metro and light rail system based on advanced VAL and Bombardier technology. There are currently five metro lines that are labelled in three ways: color, line number and depot station name. In addition to the rapid transit system itself, the Taipei Metro also includes several public facilities such as the Maokong Gondola, underground shopping malls, parks, and public squares. Modifications to existing railway lines to integrate them into the metro system are underway.
In 2017 a rapid transit line was opened to connect Taipei with Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taoyuan City. The new line is part of the new Taoyuan Metro system.
Taipei Railway Station front
Rail
Main articles: Taiwan High Speed Rail and Taiwan Railway Administration
Beginning in 1983, surface rail lines in the city were moved underground as part of the Taipei Railway Underground Project.[91] The Taiwan High Speed Rail system opened in 2007. The bullet trains connect Taipei with the west coast cities of New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Chiayi, and Tainan before terminating at Zuoying (Kaohsiung) at speeds that cut travel times by 60% or more from what they normally are on a bus or conventional train.[92] The Taiwan Railway Administration also runs passenger and freight services throughout the entire island.
Bus
An extensive city bus system serves metropolitan areas not covered by the metro, with exclusive bus lanes to facilitate transportation.[41] Riders of the city metro system are able to use the EasyCard for discounted fares on buses, and vice versa. Several major intercity bus terminals are located throughout the city, including the Taipei Bus Station and Taipei City Hall Bus Station.[93]
Taipei Songshan Airport
Airports
Main articles: Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport
Most scheduled international flights are served by Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in nearby Taoyuan City. Songshan Airport at the heart of the city in the Songshan District serves domestic flights and scheduled flights to Tokyo International Airport (also known as Haneda Airport), Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, and about 15 destinations in the People's Republic of China. Songshan Airport is accessible by the Taipei Metro Neihu Line; Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is accessible by the Taoyuan International Airport MRT system.
Ticketing
In 1994, with the rapid development of Taipei, a white paper for transport policies expressed the strong objective to "create a civilised transport system for the people of Taipei." In 1999, they chose Mitac consortium, which Thales-Transportation Systems is part of. Thales was then selected again in 2005 to deploy an upgrade of Taipei's public transport network with an end-to-end and fully contactless automatic fare collection solution that integrates 116 metro stations, 5,000 buses and 92 car parks.[citation needed]
Education
West Site of National Taiwan University Hospital
24 universities have campuses located in Taipei:
National Taiwan University (1928)
National Chengchi University (1927)
National Defense Medical Center (1902)
National Defense University (1906)
National Taipei University (1949)
National Taipei University of Business (1917)
National Taipei University of Education (1895)
National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science (1947)
National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (1974)
National Taipei University of Technology (1912)
National Taiwan College of Performing Arts (1957)
National Taiwan Normal University (1946)
National Yang-Ming University (1975)
Taipei National University of the Arts (1982)
University of Taipei (2013)
Tamkang University (1950)
Soochow University (1900)
Chinese Culture University (1962)
Ming Chuan University (1957)
Shih Hsin University (1956)
Shih Chien University (1958)
Taipei Medical University (1960)
Tatung University (1956)
China University of Technology (1965)
National Taiwan University (NTU) was established in 1928 during the period of Japanese colonial rule. NTU has produced many political and social leaders in Taiwan. Both pan-blue and pan-green movements in Taiwan are rooted on the NTU campus. The university has six campuses in the greater Taipei region (including New Taipei) and two additional campuses in Nantou County. The university governs farms, forests, and hospitals for educational and research purposes. The main campus is in Taipei's Da-An district, where most department buildings and all the administrative buildings are located. The College of Law and the College of Medicine are located near the Presidential Building. The National Taiwan University Hospital is a leading international center of medical research.[94]
National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU or Shida) likewise traces its origins to the Japanese colonial period. Originally a teacher training institution, NTNU has developed into a comprehensive international university with demanding entrance requirements. The university boasts especially strong programs in the humanities and international education. Worldwide it is perhaps best known as home of the Mandarin Training Center, a program that offers Mandarin language training each year to over a thousand students from dozens of countries throughout the world. The main campus in Taipei's Da-An district, near MRT Guting Station, is known for its historic architecture and giving its name to the Shida Night Market, one of the most popular among the numerous night markets in Taipei.
Chinese language program for foreigners
Taiwan Mandarin Institute (TMI) (福爾摩莎)
International Chinese Language Program (ICLP) (國際華語研習所) of National Taiwan University
Mandarin Training Center (MTC) (國語教學中心) of National Taiwan Normal University
Taipei Language Institute (中華語文研習所)
Photo André Knoerr, Genève. Reproduction autorisée avec mention de la source.
Utilisation commerciale soumise à autorisation spéciale préalable.
Le 20 février 2018 n'a pas été une bonne journée pour le réseau tramway anversois.
Tout d'abord la motrice PCC 7163 s'est renversée sur le flanc droit dans la boucle au départ du terminus P+R Wommelgem de la ligne 8.
Un peu plus tard la motrice PCC 7107 de la ligne 10 a percuté frontalement un autobus sur un carrefour à Deurne.
Ces accidents se soldent heureusement par un bilan humain très limité.
La motrice PCC 7163, encore sur ses pattes, mène un convoi de la ligne 7.
17980
Waterford 8-10-05 I was stood on the small overbridge here when 086 came round the curve from Waterford station on empty beet wagons and the sun broke through the layers of cloud to illuminate it. I had to try a zoom shot even though it was pushing the technology to its limits
Sony ILCE-7R
300mm F2.8
The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is a large duck native to Mexico, Central, and South America. Small wild and feral breeding populations have established themselves in the United States, particularly in Florida and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas as well as in many other parts of North America, including southern Canada. Feral Muscovy ducks are found in New Zealand, Australia, and in parts of Europe.
They are large ducks, with the males about 76 cm (30 in) long, and weighing up to 7 kg (15 lb). Females are considerably smaller, and only grow to 3 kg (6.6 lb), roughly half the males' size. The bird is predominantly black and white, with the back feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. The amount of white on the neck and head is variable, as well as the bill, which can be yellow, pink, black, or any mixture of these. They may have white patches or bars on the wings, which become more noticeable during flight. Both sexes have pink or red wattles around the bill, those of the male being larger and more brightly colored.
Although the Muscovy duck is a tropical bird, it adapts well to cooler climates, thriving in weather as cold as −12 °C (10 °F) and able to survive even colder conditions. In general, Barbary duck is the term used for C. moschata in a culinary context.
The domestic breed, Cairina moschata domestica, is commonly known in Spanish as the pato criollo ("creole duck"). They have been bred since pre-Columbian times by Native Americans and are heavier and less able to fly long distances than the wild subspecies. Their plumage color is also more variable. Other names for the domestic breed in Spanish are pato casero ("backyard duck") and pato mudo ("mute duck").
All Muscovy ducks have long claws on their feet and a wide flat tail. In the domestic drake (male), length is about 86 cm (34 in) and weight is 4.6–6.8 kg (10–15 lb), while the domestic hen (female) is much smaller, at 64 cm (25 in) in length and 2.7–3.6 kg (6.0–7.9 lb) in weight. Large domesticated males often weigh up to 8 kg (18 lb), and large domesticated females up to 5 kg.
The true wild Muscovy duck, from which all domesticated Muscovys originated, is blackish, with large white wing patches. Length can range from 66 to 84 cm (26 to 33 in), wingspan from 137 to 152 cm (54 to 60 in) and weight from 1.1–4.1 kg (2.4–9.0 lb) in wild Muscovys. On the head, the wild male has short crest on the nape. The bill is black with a speckling of pale pink. A blackish or dark red knob can be seen at the bill base, and the bare skin of the face is similar to that in color. The eyes are yellowish-brown. The legs and webbed feet are blackish. The wild female is similar in plumage, but is also much smaller, and she has feathered face and lacks the prominent knob. The juvenile is duller overall, with little or no white on the upperwing. Domesticated birds may look similar; most are dark brown or black mixed with white, particularly on the head. Other colors such as lavender or all-white are also seen. Both sexes have a nude black-and-red or all-red face; the drake also has pronounced caruncles at the base of the bill and a low erectile crest of feathers.
C. moschata ducklings are mostly yellow with buff-brown markings on the tail and wings. For a while after hatching, juveniles lack the distinctive wattles associated with adult individuals, and resemble the offspring of various other ducks such as Mallards. Some domesticated ducklings have a dark head and blue eyes, others a light brown crown and dark markings on their nape. They are agile and speedy precocial birds.
The drake has a low breathy call, and the hen a quiet trilling coo.
The karyotype of the Muscovy duck is 2n=80, consisting of three pairs of macrochromosomes, 36 pairs of microchromosomes, and a pair of sex chromosomes. The two largest macrochromosome pairs are submetacentric, while all other chromosomes are acrocentric or (for the smallest microchromosomes) probably telocentric. The submetacentric chromosomes and the Z (female) chromosome show rather little constitutive heterochromatin (C bands), while the W chromosomes are at least two-thirds heterochromatin.
Male Muscovy ducks have spiralled penises which can become erect to 20 cm (7.9 in) in one third of a second. Females have cloacas that spiral in the opposite direction that appear to have evolved to limit forced copulation by males.
Visit Us Here
♡ { Limit 8 } ♡
▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼
@ Limit 8 - January 18th 2018
*Fits Slink
*Fits Maitreya
*Unrigged
*Includes Texture
Change HUD
$388 L
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-largest in the Southwestern United States. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city, known primarily for its gambling, shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife, with most venues centered on downtown Las Vegas and more to the Las Vegas Strip just outside city limits. The Las Vegas Valley as a whole serves as the leading financial, commercial, and cultural center for Nevada. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had 641,903 residents in 2020, with a metropolitan population of 2,227,053, making it the 25th-most populous city in the United States.
The city bills itself as the Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous for its luxurious and extremely large casino-hotels. With over 40.8 million visitors annually as of 2023, Las Vegas is one of the most visited cities in the United States. It is a top-three U.S. destination for business conventions and a global leader in the hospitality industry, claiming more AAA Five Diamond hotels than any other city in the world. Las Vegas annually ranks as one of the world's most visited tourist destinations. The city's tolerance for numerous forms of adult entertainment has earned it the nickname "Sin City", and has made Las Vegas a popular setting for literature, films, television programs, commercials and music videos.
Las Vegas was settled in 1905 and officially incorporated in 1911. At the close of the 20th century, it was the most populated North American city founded within that century (a similar distinction was earned by Chicago in the 19th century). Population growth has accelerated since the 1960s and into the 21st century, and between 1990 and 2000 the population nearly doubled, increasing by 85.2%. As with most major metropolitan areas, the name of the primary city ("Las Vegas" in this case) is often used to describe areas beyond official city limits. In the case of Las Vegas, this especially applies to the areas on and near the Strip, which are actually in the unincorporated communities of Paradise and Winchester.
Additional Foreign Language Tags:
(United States) "الولايات المتحدة" "Vereinigte Staaten" "アメリカ" "美国" "미국" "Estados Unidos" "États-Unis"
(Nevada) "نيفادا" "内华达州" "नेवादा" "ネバダ" "네바다" "Невада"
(Las Vegas) "لاس فيغاس" "拉斯维加斯" "लास वेगास" "ラスベガス" "라스베이거스" "Лас-Вегас"
Pointed arches were an important characteristic of Gothic architecture that could give the impression of soaring height and more practically they could support heavier loads than the earlier round arches. Wikipedia, Barcelona (/ˌbɑːrsəˈloʊnə/ ⓘ BAR-sə-LOH-nə; Catalan: [bəɾsəˈlonə] ⓘ; Spanish: [baɾθeˈlona] ⓘ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within city limits,[8] its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the province of Barcelona and is home to around 5.3 million people,[3] making it the fifth most populous urban area of the European Union after Paris, the Ruhr area, Madrid and Milan.[3] It is one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea, located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs, bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range.
Barcelona
City and municipality
Skyline of Barcelona
Sagrada Família
Torre Glòries
Arc de Triomf
Edificio Colón and La Rambla
Venetian Towers and Palau Nacional
La Barceloneta
Casa Milà
Flag of Barcelona
Flag
Coat of arms of Barcelona
Coat of arms
Nicknames: Ciutat Comtal (Catalan)
Ciudad Condal (Spanish)
"Comital City" or "City of Counts"
Cap i Casal de Catalunya (Catalan)
'Head and Hearth of Catalonia'
Abbreviation(s):
Barna, BCN
Map
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Location of Barcelona
Barcelona is located in CataloniaBarcelonaBarcelona
Show map of Catalonia
Show map of Spain
Show map of Europe
Show all
Coordinates: 41°23′N 2°11′E
Country
Spain
Autonomous community
Catalonia
Province
Barcelona
Comarca
Barcelonès
Districts
10 districts
Government
• Type
Ajuntament
• Body
City Council of Barcelona
• Mayor
Jaume Collboni[1] (PSC–PSOE)
Area[2]
• City
101.4 km2 (39.2 sq mi)
Elevation (AMSL)
12 m (39 ft)
Population (2018)[5]
• City
1,620,343
• Rank
2nd
• Density
16,000/km2 (41,000/sq mi)
• Urban
4,840,000[3]
• Metro
5,474,482[4]
Demonyms
Barcelonan, Barcelonian
barceloní, -ina (Catalan)
barcelonés, -esa (Spanish)
GDP[6]
• Metro
€159.8 billion (2020)
Postal code
080xx
Area code
+34 (E) 93 (B)
INE code
08 0193
City budget (2023)
€3.6 billion[7]
Official language
Catalan and Spanish
Main festivity
La Mercè
Patron saint
Eulalia of Barcelona
Website
www.barcelona.cat Edit this at Wikidata
According to tradition, Barcelona was founded by either the Phoenicians or the Carthaginians, who had trading posts along the Catalonian coast.[9] In the Middle Ages, Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona. After joining with the Kingdom of Aragon to form the confederation of the Crown of Aragon, Barcelona, which continued to be the capital of the Principality of Catalonia, became the most important city in the Crown of Aragon and the main economic and administrative centre of the Crown, only to be overtaken by Valencia, wrested from Moorish control by the Catalans, shortly before the dynastic union between the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon in 1492. Barcelona became the centre of Catalan separatism, briefly becoming part of France during the 17th century Reapers' War and again in 1812 until 1814 under Napoleon. It was the capital of Revolutionary Catalonia during the Spanish Revolution of 1936, and the seat of government of the Second Spanish Republic later in the Spanish Civil War, until its capture by the fascists in 1939. After the Spanish transition to democracy in the 1970s, Barcelona once again became the capital of an autonomous Catalonia.
Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination. Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner, which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is home to two of the most prestigious universities in Spain: the University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University. The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean are located in Barcelona. The city is known for hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as world-class conferences and expositions. In addition, many international sport tournaments have been played here.
Barcelona is a major cultural, economic, and financial centre in southwestern Europe,[10] as well as the main biotech hub in Spain.[11] As a leading world city, Barcelona's influence in global socio-economic affairs qualifies it for global city status (Beta +).[12]
Barcelona is a transport hub, with the Port of Barcelona being one of Europe's principal seaports and busiest European passenger port,[13] an international airport, Barcelona–El Prat Airport, which handles over 50-million passengers per year,[14] an extensive motorway network, and a high-speed rail line with a link to France and the rest of Europe.[15] The name Barcelona comes from the ancient Iberian Baŕkeno, attested in an ancient coin inscription found on the right side of the coin in Iberian script as Barkeno in Levantine Iberian script,[16] in Ancient Greek sources as Βαρκινών, Barkinṓn;[17][18] and in Latin as Barcino,[19] Barcilonum[20] and Barcenona.[21][22][23]
Other sources suggest that the city may have been named after the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca, who was supposed to have founded the city in the 3rd century BC,[9][24] but there is no evidence its name in antiquity, Barcino, was connected with the Barcid family of Hamilcar.[25] During the Middle Ages, the city was variously known as Barchinona, Barçalona, Barchelonaa, and Barchenona.
An abbreviated form sometimes used by locals for the city is Barna. Barça is only applied to the local football club FC Barcelona, not to the city. Another common abbreviation is 'BCN', which is also the IATA airport code of the Barcelona-El Prat Airport.
The city is referred to as the Ciutat Comtal in Catalan and Ciudad Condal in Spanish (i.e., "Comital City" or "City of Counts"), owing to its past as the seat of the Count of Barcelona.[26]
History
Main article: History of Barcelona
For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Barcelona.
See also: Street names in Barcelona
See also: Jews of Catalonia
Legendary founding
The origin of the earliest settlement at the site of present-day Barcelona is unclear. The ruins of an early settlement have been found, including different tombs and dwellings dating to earlier than 5000 BC.[27][28] In Greek mythology, the founding of Barcelona had been attributed to the mythological Hercules.
Punic Barcelona
According to tradition, Barcelona was founded by Punic (Phoenician) settlers, who had trading posts along the Catalonian coast.[9][29][30] In particular, some historians attribute the foundation of the city directly to the historical Carthaginian general, Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who supposedly named the city Barcino after his family in the 3rd century BC,[9][31] but this theory has been questioned.[25] Archeological evidence in the form of coins from the 3rd century BC have been found on the hills at the foot of Montjuïc with the name Bárkeno written in an ancient script in the Iberian language[citation needed]. Thus, we can conclude[clarification needed] that the Laietani[citation needed], an ancient Iberian (pre-Roman) people of the Iberian peninsula, who inhabited the area occupied by the city of Barcelona around 3–2 BC[clarification needed], called the area Bàrkeno, which means "The Place of the Plains" (Barrke = plains/terrace).[32][better source needed]
Roman Barcelona
See also: Roman Sepulchral way and Roman walls of Barcelona
A marble plaque in the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat de Barcelona, dated from around 110–130 AD and dedicated to the Roman colony of Barcino
In about 15 BC, the Romans redrew the town as a castrum (Roman military camp) centred on the "Mons Taber", a little hill near the Generalitat (Catalan Government) and city hall buildings. The Roman Forum, at the crossing of the Cardo Maximus and Decumanus Maximus, was approximately placed where current Plaça de Sant Jaume is. Thus, the political centre of the city, Catalonia, and its domains has remained in the same place for over 2,000 years.
Under the Romans, it was a colony with the surname of Faventia,[33] or, in full, Colonia Faventia Julia Augusta Pia Barcino[34] or Colonia Julia Augusta Faventia Paterna Barcino. Pomponius Mela[35] mentions it among the small towns of the district, probably as it was eclipsed by its neighbour Tarraco (modern Tarragona), but it may be gathered from later writers that it gradually grew in wealth and consequence, favoured as it was with a beautiful situation and an excellent harbour.[36] It enjoyed immunity from imperial burdens.[37] The city minted its own coins; some from the era of Galba survive.
Important Roman vestiges are displayed in Plaça del Rei underground, as a part of the Barcelona City History Museum (MUHBA); the typically Roman grid plan is still visible today in the layout of the historical centre, the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter). Some remaining fragments of the Roman walls have been incorporated into the cathedral.[38] The cathedral, Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Barcelona, is also sometimes called La Seu, which simply means cathedral (and see, among other things) in Catalan.[39][40] It is said to have been founded in 343.
Medieval Barcelona
The city was conquered by the Visigoths in the early 5th century, becoming for a few years the capital of all Hispania. After being conquered by the Umayyads in the early 8th century, it was conquered after a siege in 801 by Charlemagne's son Louis, who made Barcelona the seat of the Carolingian "Hispanic March" (Marca Hispanica), a buffer zone ruled by the Count of Barcelona.[41]
The remaining section of the medieval walls
The Counts of Barcelona became increasingly independent and expanded their territory to include much of modern Catalonia, although in 985, Barcelona was sacked by the army of Almanzor.[42] The sack was so traumatic that most of Barcelona's population was either killed or enslaved.[43] In 1137, Aragon and the County of Barcelona merged in dynastic union[44][45] by the marriage of Ramon Berenguer IV and Petronilla of Aragon, their titles finally borne by only one person when their son Alfonso II of Aragon ascended to the throne in 1162. His territories were later to be known as the Crown of Aragon, which conquered many overseas possessions and ruled the western Mediterranean Sea with outlying territories in Naples and Sicily and as far as Athens in the 13th century.
Barcelona also had a substantial Jewish community at the time, then the largest Jewish community in the Crown of Aragon. Called "the Call," for the many small streets that defined the area, it later became enclosed. Montjuïc or Montjuich, in medieval Latin and Catalan, meaning "Jewish Mountain" and the birthplace of the city, is the site of a medieval Jewish cemetery, Jews continued to live in Barcelona until the Massacre of 1391 diminished their numbers. The Spanish Inquisition forced the remaining Jews who refused to convert to Christianity to be burned at the stake, or sell their property and leave.
Barcelona was the leading slave trade centre of the Crown of Aragon up until the 15th century, when it was eclipsed by Valencia.[46] It initially fed from eastern and Balkan slave stock later drawing from a Maghribian and, ultimately, Subsaharan pool of slaves.[47]
The Bank or Taula de canvi de Barcelona, often viewed as the oldest public bank in Europe, was established by the city magistrates in 1401. It originated from necessities of the state, as did the Bank of Venice (1402) and the Bank of Genoa (1407).[48]
Barcelona under the Spanish monarchy
Barcelona in 1563 by Anton van den Wyngaerde
In the beginning of the Early Modern period, Barcelona lost political primacy, but the economy managed to achieve a balance between production capacity and imports.[49]
In the context of the wider early recovery of Catalonia from the 17th-century crisis in the second half of the century, increasing maritime activity since 1675 doubled traffic in the port of Barcelona compared to figures from the beginning of the 17th century.[50]
In the late 17th and early 18th century, Barcelona repeatedly endured the effects of war, including the 1691 bombing, the sieges of 1697, 1704, 1705, 1706, and the 1713 blockade and ensuing 1714 siege and assault.[51]
In the 18th century, the population grew from 30,000 to about 100,000 inhabitants, as the city became one of the key mercantile centres in the Western Mediterranean, with inland influence up to Zaragoza, and to the south up to Alicante.[52] A fortress was built at Montjuïc that overlooked the harbour.
Much of Barcelona was negatively affected by the Napoleonic wars, but the start of industrialization saw the fortunes of the province improve.
Transforming the city
In the mid-1850s, Barcelona was struggling with population density as it became an industrial, port city and European capital. The city's density was at 856 people per hectare, more than double that of Paris. Mortality rates were on the rise and any outbreaks of disease would devastate the population. To solve the issue, a civil engineer named Ildefons Cerdà proposed a plan for a new district known as the Eixample. The citizens of Barcelona had begun to demolish the medieval wall surrounding and constricting the city. Cerdà thought it best to transform the land outside the walls into an area characterized by a scientific approach to urbanization. His proposal consisted of a grid of streets to unite the old city and surrounding villages. There would also be wide streets to allow people to breathe clean air, gardens in the centre of each street block, integration of rich and poor giving both groups access to the same services, and smooth-flowing traffic. Urban quality, egalitarianism, hygiene, sunlight, and efficiency were all major keys for Cerdà's vision. Not everything he imagined would be realized within the Eixample district, but the iconic octagonal superblocks with chamfered corners for better visibility are his direct brainchild and remain immensely helpful even 170 years later. The district and its ideals were not appreciated at the time. The city council awarded the design of the extension plan to another architect. The Spanish government was the one to step in and impose Cerdà's plan, laying the groundwork for many more tensions between the Spanish and Catalan administrations. Regardless, some of the upper class citizens of Barcelona were excited by the new plan and began a race to build "the biggest, tallest, most attractive house" in the district. Their interest and money fueled the rich diversity that we now see in the district's architecture. In the end, Cerdà's ideas would have a lasting impact on Barcelona's development, earning it international recognition for its highly efficient approach to urban planning and design.[53][54]
The Spanish Civil War and the Franco period
Woman training for a Republican militia by Gerda Taro, Somorrostro beach (1936)
Barcelona was the capital of the Republic of Spain from November 1937 until January 1939.[55][56] During that Spanish Civil War period, both Barcelona and Madrid were still under the rule of the republic. In the image Azaña and Negrín on the city outskirts.
During the Spanish Civil War, the city, and Catalonia in general, were resolutely Republican. Many enterprises and public services were collectivized by the CNT and UGT unions. As the power of the Republican government and the Generalitat diminished, much of the city was under the effective control of anarchist groups. The anarchists lost control of the city to their own allies, the Communists and official government troops, after the street fighting of the Barcelona May Days. The fall of the city on 26 January 1939, caused a mass exodus of civilians who fled to the French border. The resistance of Barcelona to Franco's coup d'état was to have lasting effects after the defeat of the Republican government. The autonomous institutions of Catalonia were abolished,[57] and the use of the Catalan language in public life was suppressed. Barcelona remained the second largest city in Spain, at the heart of a region which was relatively industrialized and prosperous, despite the devastation of the civil war. The result was a large-scale immigration from poorer regions of Spain (particularly Andalusia, Murcia and Galicia), which in turn led to rapid urbanization.
Late twentieth century
In 1992, Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics. The after-effects of this are credited with driving major changes in what had, up until then, been a largely industrial city. As part of the preparation for the games, industrial buildings along the sea-front were demolished and 3 km (2 mi) of beach were created. New construction increased the road capacity of the city by 17%, the sewage handling capacity by 27% and the amount of new green areas and beaches by 78%. Between 1990 and 2004, the number of hotel rooms in the city doubled. Perhaps more importantly, the outside perception of the city was changed making, by 2012, Barcelona the 12th most popular city destination in the world and the 5th amongst European cities.[58][59][60][61][62]
Recent history
Main articles: History of Barcelona and Timeline of Barcelona
Supporters of Catalan independence in October 2019
Protest against independence in October 2017
The death of Franco in 1975 brought on a period of democratization throughout Spain. Pressure for change was particularly strong in Barcelona, which considered that it had been punished during nearly forty years of Francoism for its support of the Republican government.[63] Massive, but peaceful, demonstrations on 11 September 1977 assembled over a million people in the streets of Barcelona to call for the restoration of Catalan autonomy. It was granted less than a month later.[64]
The development of Barcelona was promoted by two events in 1986: Spanish accession to the European Community, and particularly Barcelona's designation as host city of the 1992 Summer Olympics.[65][66] The process of urban regeneration has been rapid, and accompanied by a greatly increased international reputation of the city as a tourist destination. The increased cost of housing has led to a slight decline (−16.6%) in the population over the last two decades of the 20th century as many families move out into the suburbs. This decline has been reversed since 2001, as a new wave of immigration (particularly from Latin America and from Morocco) has gathered pace.[67]
In 1987, an ETA car bombing at Hipercor killed 21 people. On 17 August 2017, a van was driven into pedestrians on La Rambla, killing 14 and injuring at least 100, one of whom later died. Other attacks took place elsewhere in Catalonia. The Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, called the attack in Barcelona a jihadist attack. Amaq News Agency attributed indirect responsibility for the attack to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).[68][69][70] During the 2010s, Barcelona became the focus city[citation needed] for the ongoing Catalan independence movement, its consequent standoff between the regional and national government and later protests.[71]
In July 2023, Barcelona was announced as the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for the 2024–2026 term. This means it will be the hub for discussion around global challenges including culture, heritage, urban planning and architecture. In addition to being the capital through 2026, it will also host the UIA World Congress of Architects for that year. The honour is befitting of Barcelona, as its history is peppered with architectural achievement and various iconic styles and influences. From its ancient Roman roots, to the Gothic and Modernisme movements, Barcelona has thrived through the way it ties together architecture and culture.[72]
Geography
A panoramic view of Barcelona
Location
Barcelona as seen by the European Space Agency's Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission
Map of Barcelona metropolitan area
Barcelona is located on the northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula, facing the Mediterranean Sea, on a plain approximately 5 km (3 mi) wide limited by the mountain range of Collserola, the Llobregat river to the southwest and the Besòs river to the north.[73] This plain covers an area of 170 km2 (66 sq mi),[73] of which 101 km2 (39.0 sq mi)[74] are occupied by the city itself. It is 120 km (75 mi) south of the Pyrenees and the Catalan border with France.
Tibidabo, 512 m (1,680 ft) high, offers striking views over the city[75] and is topped by the 288.4 m (946.2 ft) Torre de Collserola, a telecommunications tower that is visible from most of the city. Barcelona is peppered with small hills, most of them urbanized, that gave their name to the neighbourhoods built upon them, such as Carmel (267 m or 876 ft), Putxet (es) (181 m or 594 ft) and Rovira (261 m or 856 ft). The escarpment of Montjuïc (173 m or 568 ft), situated to the southeast, overlooks the harbour and is topped by Montjuïc Castle, a fortress built in the 17–18th centuries to control the city as a replacement for the Ciutadella. Today, the fortress is a museum and Montjuïc is home to several sporting and cultural venues, as well as Barcelona's biggest park and gardens.
The city borders on the municipalities of Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Sant Adrià de Besòs to the north; the Mediterranean Sea to the east; El Prat de Llobregat and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat to the south; and Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Sant Just Desvern, Esplugues de Llobregat, Sant Cugat del Vallès, and Montcada i Reixac to the west. The municipality includes two small sparsely-inhabited exclaves to the north-west.
Climate
Main article: Climate of Barcelona
According to the Köppen climate classification, Barcelona has a hot summer Mediterranean climate (Csa), with mild winters and warm to hot summers,[76] while the rainiest seasons are autumn and spring. The rainfall pattern is characterized by a short (3 months) dry season in summer, as well as less winter rainfall than in a typical Mediterranean climate. However, both June and August are wetter than February, which is unusual for the Mediterranean climate. This subtype, labelled as "Portuguese" by the French geographer George Viers after the climate classification of Emmanuel de Martonne[77] and found in the NW Mediterranean area (e.g. Marseille), can be seen as transitional to the humid subtropical climate (Cfa) found in inland areas.
Barcelona is densely populated, thus heavily influenced by the urban heat island effect. Areas outside of the urbanized districts can have as much as 2 °C of difference in temperatures throughout the year.[78] Its average annual temperature is 21.2 °C (70.2 °F) during the day and 15.1 °C (59.2 °F) at night. The average annual temperature of the sea is about 20 °C (68 °F). In the coldest month, January, the temperature typically ranges from 12 to 18 °C (54 to 64 °F) during the day, 6 to 12 °C (43 to 54 °F) at night and the average sea temperature is 13 °C (55 °F).[79] In the warmest month, August, the typical temperature ranges from 27 to 31 °C (81 to 88 °F) during the day, about 23 °C (73 °F) at night and the average sea temperature is 26 °C (79 °F).[79] Generally, the summer or "holiday" season lasts about six months, from May to October. Two months – April and November – are transitional; sometimes the temperature exceeds 20 °C (68 °F), with an average temperature of 18–19 °C (64–66 °F) during the day and 11–13 °C (52–55 °F) at night. December, January and February are the coldest months, with average temperatures around 15 °C (59 °F) during the day and 9 °C (48 °F) at night. Large fluctuations in temperature are rare, particularly in the summer months. Because of the proximity to the warm sea plus the urban heat island, frosts are very rare in the city of Barcelona. Snow is also very infrequent in the city of Barcelona, but light snowfalls can occur yearly in the nearby Collserola mountains, such as in the Fabra Observatory located in a nearby mountain.[80]
Barcelona averages 78 rainy days per year (≥ 1 mm), and annual average relative humidity is 72%, ranging from 69% in July to 75% in October. Rainfall totals are highest in late summer and autumn (September–November) and lowest in early and mid-summer (June–August), with a secondary winter minimum (February–March). Sunshine duration is 2,524 hours per year, from 138 (average 4.5 hours of sunshine a day) in December to 310 (average 10 hours of sunshine a day) in July.[81]
museumPASSmusees 2020 - CENTRALE for contemporary art
CENTRALE for contemporary art
L'ambition premiere de la CENTRALE for contemporary art est de faire decouvrir et sensibiliser un public le plus large possible aux creations artistiques contemporaines d'artistes bruxellois, et ce, dans une perspective internationale.
La CENTRALE propose une reflexion sur la creation contemporaine et son lien avec la societe. Sa programmation a pour vocation la presentation d'oeuvres d'art qui questionnent les limites de l'art plutot que d'imposer une lecture unique de la creation.
La CENTRALE met en valeur le foisonnement de l'art actuel dans une perspective internationale a travers des expositions thematiques, des duos d'artistes bruxellois et internationaux, des collaborations avec des ecoles d'art bruxelloises, des projets participatifs d'artistes belges en residence, des collaborations avec d'autres lieux defendant la creation contemporaine et l'ouverture aux autres formes d'art (danse, performance, musique, litterature,...).
PANORAMA
La CENTRALE presente l'exposition Xavier Noiret-Thome & Henk Visch PANORAMA, ode a la peinture et a la sculpture.
Xavier Noiret-Thome, artiste francais base a Bruxelles, offre des peintures et assemblages d'une rare diversite qui se nourrissent de savoir, d'experience et d'influences assumees. Il a choisi d'inviter le sculpteur, dessinateur et peintre hollandais Henk Visch, dont les sculptures tantot monumentales, tantot miniatures, s'apparentent selon lui a la pensee humaine.
Leurs oeuvres, intenses et directes, parfois teintees d'humour, depeignent le reel et tentent de cerner le processus de creation et son impact sur la vie.
Pour cette exposition, les deux artistes ont concu un parcours qui se decline en cinq chapitres, de la pensee a la metaphysique. Ce cheminement permet la decouverte de leurs oeuvres respectives, prenant le contre-pied de la presentation classique de la peinture et de la sculpture, tout en permettant une lecture du processus de creation artistique et de la reflexion qu'il suscite.
Des artistes, performeur.ses, musicien.ne.s de jazz, animatrice d'ateliers intergenerationnels, offriront un autre regard sur le duo.
L'exposition s'accompagne d'une collaboration exceptionnelle avec De Garage a Malines qui presentera l'exposition No more, no less du 19.09 au 22.11.2020.
Xavier Noiret-Thome - Henk Visch. Panorama
03.09.2020 > 17.01.2021
GOOD LOST CORNERS - places that appeal to me
Il s'agit d'histoires personnelles mais pour le lecteur, le contenu ne sera pas si different. Elles pourraient etre les histoires de n'importe qui. ' - SPOT SPOTS - Prologue due to circumstances, 2017 - Artist book, Self-published - Max Kesteloot
Depuis plus de 10 ans, Max Kesteloot (1990, Gand, vit et travaille a Ostende) capture ses observations sur photo. Au cours de promenades ou de voyages, il se concentre principalement sur son contexte urbain environnant, constitue d'elements architecturaux souvent banals. Ses images sont depourvues de personnes et ne se referent qu'indirectement a une presence ou une action potentielle. Le travail de Kesteloot semble porter sur la facon dont nous absorbons notre environnement, et comment cela se traduit par des impressions fragmentees et des souvenirs associes.
Dans l'exposition GOOD LOST CORNERS - places that appeal to me, les visiteurs peuvent entendre une voix constante qui se refere a des lieux qui ont ete photographies par l'artiste, puis utilises comme source pour realiser des oeuvres visuelles. Pour les spectateurs, il est impossible de savoir quel texte appartient a quelle image, mais c'est exactement ce qui rend interessant l'exploration de l'oeuvre.
( 170 musees
Des maintenant, vous pouvez visiter tous les musees participants pendant un an. Pas une fois, mais aussi souvent que vous le souhaitez !
267 expositions )
Avon Park is a city in Highlands County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 8,836, and in 2018 the estimated population was 10,695. It is the oldest city in Highlands County, and was named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
The first permanent settler in Avon Park was Oliver Martin Crosby, a Connecticut native who moved to the area in 1884 to study the wildlife of the Everglades. By 1886, enough people had followed that the town of "Lake Forest" was founded. As president of the Florida Development Company, he recruited settlers to the area, many of whom were from England, including many from the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, who gave the town its name.
In 2006, then-mayor Thomas Macklin proposed City Ordinance 08-06, which would have blocked the issuance or renewal of city licenses to businesses that hired illegal aliens, fined any property owner who rented and leased property to illegal aliens, and established English as the city's official language, banning the use of other languages during the conduct of official business except where specified under state or federal law. The ordinance was defeated by the city council, on a 3–2 vote.
Avon Park is located in northwestern Highlands County at 27°35′40″N 81°30′12″W (27.594418, -81.503437). 27/98 is the main highway through the city, leading north 23 miles (37 km) to Lake Wales and south 10 miles (16 km) to Sebring. Florida State Road 17 (Main Street) leads east through the center of Avon Park, then south 10 miles to the center of Sebring. Florida State Road 64 leads west from Avon Park 19 miles (31 km) to Zolfo Springs.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Avon Park has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21.2 km2), of which 7.1 square miles (18.5 km2) are land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2), or 12.43%, are water.[3] The city is located in a karst landscape underlain by the limestone Florida Platform, and numerous circular lakes are either within the city limits (Lake Tulane, Lake Verona, and Lake Isis) or border the city (Lake Anoka, Lake Lelia, Lake Glenada, Lake Lotela, Lake Denton, Little Red Water Lake, Pioneer Lake, Lake Brentwood, Lake Byrd, Lake Damon, and Lake Lillian).
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avon_Park,_Florida
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
El Herrerillo Común es uno de nuestros pájaros más encantadores. En los primeros días de buen tiempo, cuando el macho se lanza en vuelo nupcial desde la copa de un árbol, utilizando sus azuladas alas como si fueran un paracaídas, su plumaje, pecho amarillo azufre y capirote azul. El Herrerillo Común se limita aún más que el Carbonero Común a los árboles de hoja caduca y suele evitar los bosques sombríos de coníferas. Desde febrero la cavidad del nido, frecuentemente muy estrecha, es elegida y defendida contra los otros parus.
Silenciosos en verano, sobre todo en los países mediterráneos donde sólo se les oye a primeras horas de la mañana, los herrerillos comunes vuelven a hacerse vivaces en septiembre. En esta época se registran con frecuencia grandes bandos de estas aves. Estas migraciones son irregulares, según los años y los sectores geográficos en cuestión. Disminuyen en invierno, tiempo de hambre para el Herrerillo Común, que es sobre todo insectívoro y que busca entonces, encarnizadamente, larvas y ninfas ocultas bajo las cortezas y las hojas caídas.
Su costumbre de utilizar cajas para anidar ha motivado que su nidificación se haya visto notablemente favorecida.
Identificación: Alas, cola y capirote azules; mejillas blancas; dorso verde y partes inferiores amarillas; sexos iguales.
Nidificación: Cría en agujeros de árboles, cajas para anidar o huecos en muros; ambos sexos reúnen musgo, hierbas, pelo y lana para material del nido; puesta, de abril a mayo, de 8 a 15 huevos blancos con puntos pardo rojizos; incubación, sólo por la hembra, alrededor de 14 días; ambos progenitores alimentan a las crías, que vuelan después de unos 19 días.
Alimentación: Sobre todo pulgones, orugas y otros insectos; algunos frutos, granos y semillas.
Hasta que no se coge en la mano no se aprecia bien la brillantez del color azul del píleo, alas y cola del Herrerillo Común, Cyanistes caeruleus. El diseño facial con una estrecha lista negra que atraviesa los ojos, naciendo en la base del pico muy corto y cónico, es característico. En la parte posterior de la cabeza hay una tenue mancha blanca sobre el negro azulado de la nuca y desde aquí parte un estrecho collar negro azulado al principio y más ancho y negro a partir de los blancos carrillos y en el mentón y la garganta. La frente es blancuzca y bordeando el píleo hay una ancha franja blanca que alcanza la nuca. La espalda es verdosa y el obispillo verdoso amarillento. Las partes inferiores son amarillas, pero existe considerable variación en la tonalidad. Muchos herrerillos tienen el centro del pecho y el vientre blanquecinos y siempre se descubre una línea central oscura negro-azulada desde el bajo pecho. El color azul de las alas y la cola es, en muchos, de gran intensidad. Sobre todo en las plumas cobertoras y en los bordes de las primarias.
En los herrerillos que se observa durante la reproducción se destaca bien una línea blanca formada por los bordes claros de las cobertoras y una zona gris negruzca alrededor de la base del pico, variable en extensión y que en algunos alcanza considerable tamaño, llegando hasta la parte inferior de los ojos. En parte este color puede deberse a suciedad de las plumas, puesto que el Herrerillo, de pico tan corto, tiene que hurgar con dificultad entre la corteza y los huecos de los árboles. Este plumaje es adquirido por muda completa entre agosto y octubre. El desgaste hace que los colores se acentúen, en especial el azul del píleo, alas y cola y el negro de la garganta. Sin embargo, siempre que los jóvenes herrerillos en agosto, cuando están empezando a adquirir los tonos azules, muestran ya una riqueza incomparable e incluso la intensidad del azul es tal que más parece un tinte cobalto puro. El plumaje de las hembras es algo más apagado y las líneas menos marcadas. Las plumas primarias y secundarias están casi siempre teñidas de verdoso y no son tan brillantemente azules. El pico es negro con bordes laterales gris-azulados, muy fuerte y agudo a pesar de su tamaño; los tarsos y los pies azulados o azul pizarra. El iris de los ojos es pardo oscuro.
Los jóvenes herrerillos tienen amarilla o blancuzca la franja que, naciendo en la frente, también amarilla, bordea el píleo. Este es pardo verdoso. Los carrillos son amarillos, igual que las partes inferiores. Falta en ellos el color azul de los adultos y las alas son verdosas, lo mismo que la espalda, pero al extenderlas ya hay en las primarias un tono azulado.
Es una especie típica de la campiña, que no duda en vivir en pleno bosque lo mismo que en sotos, zonas de campo abierto con árboles dispersos, carrizales, parques, huertos de frutales, etc.
De conducta muy inquieta, se mueve incesantemente por entre el ramaje, posándose en cualquier postura y siendo realmente un pájaro acrobático. Picotea continuamente la corteza, las ramas y el dorso de las hojas. Su agudo pico pronto da cuenta de cualquier minúsculo insecto en una grieta o intersticio de la madera. Levanta el líquen de los troncos buscando diminutas cochinillas de la humedad, larvas, arañas, etc. Estas actividades las acompaña con chillidos continuos y siempre formando grupos más o menos numerosos. Es gregario en otoño e invierno y con frecuencia vaga por la campiña en compañía de otros páridos y agateadores. Los agujeros en árboles y en muros de cercas o edificios le atraen especialmente y en ellos entra y sale continuamente. Durante los primeros días del otoño los herrerillos vagan en grupos familiares o en parejas, puesto que, en general, en la campiña es sedentario, pero, con la llegada del frío, muchos que viven en bosques y los que llegan de otros países europeos se concentran y pueden llegar a formar bandos de considerable tamaño. Estos son rara vez observados en la campiña y casi siempre se concentran en marismas, donde entre las espadañas Typha y los plumeros de los carrizos Phragmytes encuentran abundante alimento. Otros vagan por plantaciones de frutales y huertos. Son pájaros agresivos y para su tamaño muy fuertes, manejando con extraordinaria habilidad las pinzas, que no otra cosa es su pico. Pero también las patas son muy robustas y las uñas afiladas, lo que les facilita el andar cabeza abajo colgados de ellas y comiendo y picoteando con la misma facilidad que en postura normal. También se posa en los troncos de los árboles como si fueran pájaros carpinteros. Normalmente efectúan sólo cortos vuelos de un árbol a otro, pero también lo hacen a lo lejos y entonces se aprecian marcadas ondulaciones. En el suelo, donde también se posan a menudo, caminan a saltos y revuelven entre la hojarasca. Durante la noche se ocultan en grietas de árboles, agujeros, huecos de muros, etc.
Su repertorio vocal es muy variado y resulta imposible dar aquí ni siquiera una ligera idea de las voces que un Herrerillo Común puede emitir, aunque nunca tan variadas y fuertes como las del Carbonero Común Parus mayor. El canto es un trino rápido y agudo que comienza con dos o tres notas y se prolonga en un siseo en tono alto ¡¡tsi-tsi-tsi...tsi-hi-hi-hi-hi!! También un agudo y muy alto ¡¡tsi-tsi-tsi-tsissip!! y un más corto ¡¡tsi-tsi-uit, tsi-tsi-uit!! Sus notas de llamada son agudas y de un gran poder de transmisión, escuchándose bien a 200 metros. Cuando vuelan de un árbol a otro o entre arbustos se llaman con continuos ¡¡tsi-tsi-tsi!!
La dieta alimenticia es muy extensa. Principalmente en la primavera come innumerable cantidad de insectos y alimenta a sus pollos con muchas orugas verdes. Pero también durante el otoño e invierno, por donde pasa limpia de larvas e insectos las cortezas y los líquenes. Recorre las ramas de los árboles y picotea el dorso de las hojas donde se ha concentrado considerable número de pulgones. Como el Carbonero común ataca al Pulgón Lanígero, Eriosoma lanigerum, y al Cortabrotes, Rhynchites caeruleus. Debajo de la corteza extrae muchas cochinillas de la humedad y tijeretas Forficula auricularia. La mayor parte de las orugas que come son de pequeño tamaño, pero no menos dañinas que las grandes. Posiblemente varios millares de larvas son necesarias para sacar adelante una nidada de cinco-siete pollos. Come también arañas y ciempiés. A la vez no desdeña la fruta y picotea manzanas y peras muy maduras y destroza numerosos brotes y yemas de árboles frutales. La búsqueda en el interior de las flores de los frutales, durante la primavera, de pequeños insectos, provoca la caída de aquéllas. De ahí el nombre popular en algunos lugares: Cortaflor. Frutos silvestres, frutos secos como castañas, avellanas y nueces, cereales como maíz y trigo, a la vez que innumerables pequeñas semillas, son objeto de su atención en el otoño e invierno. En inviernos duros se concentran sobre alimentos artificialmente colocados en jardines y parques y picotean sebo y semillas oleaginosas o cortezas de coco. Muchos herrerillos, habitantes de bosques de coníferas, comen semillas de estos árboles valiéndose de su fuerte pico. En la Cordillera Cantábrica los bandos se congregan en los hayedos, donde comen las semillas de los hayucos.
El emparejamiento parece producirse para toda la vida. Así resulta ahora demostrado claramente por el anillamiento. De este modo, pronto empiezan las manifestaciones del celo, volando los machos con las alas bien extendidas, como si de murciélagos se tratara. Posados en una rama cerca de la hembra erizan el píleo, formando entonces como una cresta y entreabren las alas, dejándolas colgando y sometidas a una vibración intensa. No es difícil observar estas representaciones, pero hay que convenir que el Herrerillo Común no las prodiga mucho.
A partir de la mitad de abril muchos herrerillos han empezado la construcción de sus nidos, que pueden estar completamente terminados después del día 20. Nidos en la primera semana de abril son muy raros, ocasionales a finales de marzo, normales a primeros de mayo y extremadamente escasos en el otoño. Bernis (1960) cita el caso de dos nidos con pollos en la provincia de Jaén (término municipal de Rus) en el mes de noviembre. La construcción del nido es efectuada por la hembra con mucho aporte de material, de forma que el agujero o hueco donde es construido queda medio ocupado por gran cantidad de musgo, lana, hierba seca y plumas. A menudo colocan este nido contra un rincón, no en el suelo plano de la oquedad y, cuando la puesta comienza, los huevos son ocultados y en la práctica enterrados entre la lana y las plumas hasta que se inicia la incubación. Lugar favorito para la construcción de los nidos es el agujero de un árbol, pero no menos querencioso es el hueco o agujero de un muro, un mechinal de la pared exterior de un edificio, grieta en un paredón, muro de contención, talud, nidos de Avión común, etc. También en cajas nido colocadas en jardines y bosques. A ellas tiene gran querencia y en la práctica parece preferirlas a lugares naturales. Jourdain cita sitios insólitos como el túnel de un Martín Pescador, Alcedo atthis, en el interior de nidos de otras especies, en la base de nidos de aves de presa, buzones de correos, etc. Rara vez, sin embargo, son construidos al exterior. De acuerdo con Perrins (1975), nunca se ve al macho de Herrerillo Común llevar material para la construcción de los nidos. Siempre la hembra efectuaba sola el trabajo aunque aquél se acercaba con frecuencia, y aun entraba en el nido, pero sin conducir material alguno. Parece claro que hay error en quienes aseguran que ambos sexos trabajan en la construcción de los nidos. La dificultad de distinguir machos de hembras es a veces grande si no se cogen los pájaros en la mano, Barnes (1975) asegura, sin lugar a dudas, que en todos los páridos la hembra construye el nido sola y únicamente; en ocasiones el macho entra en él, pero sin aportar material.
Cada puesta está formada por seis-trece huevos, normalmente siete-nueve y ocasionalmente doce-trece o quince. No es infrecuente que en un nido haya más de quince huevos, pero ello se debe con seguridad a que dos hembras están poniendo en el mismo. En jardines y parques con alta densidad de parejas estas confusiones son frecuentes en hembras de Herrerillo Común, y relatar aquí algunos de los muchos casos curiosos que los ornitólogos de toda Europa han observado se saldría de los límites de este breve trabajo. Los huevos son blancos, algunas veces sin marcas, pero casi siempre con un punteado muy fino de color rojizo o castaño y que con frecuencia se acumula en el extremo más ancho, Jourdain, para cien huevos colectados en Gran Bretaña, obtuvo un promedio de 15,4 x 11,89 mm., con un máximo de 16,8 x 12 mm. y un mínimo de 14,3 x 11,2 mm. D'Almeida, para 10 del norte de Portugal, obtuvo una media de 15,6 x 12 mm., con extremos entre 14,1 a 16,9 x 11,7 a 12,6 mm. Solamente la hembra incuba y en el interior del nido es cebada por el macho. La incubación comienza normalmente cuando todavía la puesta no está completa, pero casi nunca faltan por poner más de dos huevos. Hasta entonces la hembra los oculta entre el material del nido y están tan bien tapados que resulta difícil y delicado manejar uno de estos nidos si no se conoce previamente esta costumbre del Herrerillo Común. La incubación es muy variable y desde doce hasta dieciséis días se dan todos los períodos. Normalmente debe durar trece-catorce días (Jourdain, trece-catorce; Harrison, doce-dieciséis; Verheyen, doce-trece días). Los pollos al nacer tienen plumón en la cabeza y los hombros, corto y de color blanco grisáceo. El interior de la boca es naranja-rojizo y no hay puntos oscuros en la lengua; las comisuras son de color amarillo pálido. Alimentados por ambos adultos permanecen en el nido entre dieciséis y veintidós días. Algunos hasta veinticuatro días, pero esto no es frecuente y, en general, depende mucho de las condiciones meteorológicas. Días lluviosos retrasan el crecimiento, quizá por mayor dificultad en los padres para encontrar alimento. Muchas parejas crían dos veces en cada temporada.
Cyanistes caeruleus se reproduce por toda Europa, excepto en el norte de Escandinavia y en Islandia. Su densidad es muy alta en todas partes y la protección que generalmente se le dispensa con millones de cajas nido instaladas y una constante alimentación en comederos situados en jardines privados y parques públicos contribuyen en no pequeña medida a que este pájaro pueda resistir los rigores del invierno. Las poblaciones más septentrionales son migradoras y en el otoño, desde octubre, descienden hacia Alemania, Países Bajos, Bélgica, Francia y España. Previamente a esta migración hay una dispersión de los jóvenes, que forman bandos a veces muy numerosos. Movimientos a gran escala son frecuentes en la zona costera del noroeste de Alemania occidental, Holanda y Bélgica entre la mitad de agosto y los primeros días del invierno en determinados años. Las irrupciones de herrerillos no son tan espectaculares como las de carboneros comunes, pero se producen muy de tarde en tarde. Para Lack las inesperadas llegadas de estos pájaros en países del centro-oeste de Europa sugieren escasez de alimento en su hábitat normal como último factor que obliga al desplazamiento, pero anterior a él puede estar el de una sobrepoblación.
En la Península Ibérica el Herrerillo Común es una especie numerosa, en general, y localmente abundante. Es rara o falta en zonas no arboladas, llanuras y terrenos áridos. Rehúye bosques densos de coníferas y prefiere sus linderos y claros para reproducirse. La falta de lugares adecuados donde anidar le obligan a desertar zonas en las que fue abundante. En Iberia es netamente sedentario, moviéndose muy poco de su lugar de nacimiento, como se ha comprobado por el aniIlamiento. Una pareja de estos pequeños pájaros puede permanecer toda su vida en un estrecho valle. Si cogiéndolo se le aleja más de cinco kilómetros de él, pierde el sentido de la orientación y no vuelve. A menor distancia retorna casi siempre. En todas las recuperaciones habidas de los muchos anillados en la campiña asturiana, ninguno se había alejado del lugar y varias parejas ocuparon la misma caja nido consecutivamente por tres años. La llegada a España de herrerillos extrapirenaicos es fácilmente comprobable todos los años en los lugares de paso en las provincias de Guipúzcoa y Navarra. Pero el contingente es variable de unos años a otros y los mayores bandos se concentran en carrizales.
Vaurie (1959) incluye en el grupo caeruleus las subespecies o razas que habitan la Península Ibérica, pero distinguiendo: Parus c. caeruleus en las montañas Cantábricas con los tonos verdosos de la espalda, el azul de las alas, cola y cabeza y el amarillo de las partes inferiores muy contrastados, pasando gradualmente en el sur de Galicia a la subespecie ogliastrae, que ocupa Portugal y el resto de España, y quizá tenga ligeramente menor tamaño y el azul de las alas sea más verdoso cuando el plumaje está gastado, pero más fuertemente azul en los bordes de aquéllas. Para Mallorca separó Von Jordans, admitiéndola Vaurie, Parus c. balearicus, de coloración ligeramente más pálida por encima y debajo que la típica raza caeruleus. Su color azul es más claro y se nota más blanco en el abdomen.
Muchas de estas apreciaciones son realmente banales y no obedecen más que al examen de unos pocos ejemplares con los que es difícil y peligroso acertar a exponer toda la problemática de una supuesta raza. Los factores geográficos, de biotopo y de clima, influyen grandemente en la coloración. En general la coloración de los que viven en la zona Cantábrica y en los Pirineos, incluyendo sus vertientes meridionales, poseen un plumaje más acusadamente matizado y oscuro que los herrerillos sometidos a influencia mediterránea y de la Meseta sur. Las medidas alares y sus promedios obtenidos en Asturias y Guipúzcoa difieren mucho de las mismas dadas por Witherby para los herrerillos de las Islas Británicas asignados por Vaurie a la raza obscurus (?? 60-65 mm; ?? 57-64 mm).
Hábitat: Parques y jardines.
Copyright © juansaturno_5 , All rights reserved. This artwork can't be used without written consent from its author. Esta obra no puede ser utilizada sin el consentimiento por escrito del autor.
Kuwait City (Arabic: مدينة الكويت, transliteration: Madīnat al-Kūwait), is the capital and largest city of Kuwait. It has an estimated population of 63,600 (2006 estimate) within city limits and 2.38 million in the metropolitan area. Located at the heart of the country on the shore of the Persian Gulf, and containing Kuwait's parliament (Majlis Al-Umma), most governmental offices, the headquarters of most Kuwaiti corporations and banks, it is the indisputable political, cultural and economic center of the emirate.
The Liberation Tower (2nd highest building on the right of the photo) is the highest structure in Kuwait. Construction of the tower commenced before the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. It was meant to be called The Kuwait Telecommunications Tower. When the invasion took place, construction, which was almost half-way complete, was put on hold. However, the structure received no damage, and construction resumed after Saddam Hussein's forces were expelled on February 27, 1991. Upon completion in 1993, the tower was renamed the Liberation Tower, symbolizing Kuwait's liberation from Iraq. The tower contains a revolving restaurant and observation platform (in the first disc-shaped pod; now closed to the public for security reasons), and also houses radio and other telecommunications offices. The structure stands at 372 meters high (1,220 ft) at its pinnacle. The roof of the second pod on the tower is 308 meters high (1,010 ft). It is similar to the CN Tower because both contain a revolving restaurant, observation platform, telecommunications equipment and the same look.
As in all Middle East, the city skyline is constantly changing also in Kuwait City . The tower on the very right is a new addition to the city scape. Weather across Middle East has changed in last few days and Kuwait is experiencing humidity over 80% from its usual 10%. Change of weather has brought some clouds to Kuwaiti sky, which beautifully enhance colors in the evening sky.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM
Focal Length: 17mm
Aperture: f/22.0
Shutter Speed : 6 Seconds
ISO: 50
Exposure: Manual
Berlin (/bərˈlɪn/, German: [bɛɐ̯ˈliːn] ( listen)) is the capital of Germany, and one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.5 million people,[4] Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union.[5] Located in northeastern Germany on the banks of Rivers Spree and Havel, it is the centre of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Region, which has about six million residents from over 180 nations.[6][7][8][9] Due to its location in the European Plain, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. Around one-third of the city's area is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers and lakes.[10]
First documented in the 13th century, Berlin became the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (1417-1701), the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), the German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) and the Third Reich (1933–1945).[11] Berlin in the 1920s was the third largest municipality in the world.[12] After World War II, the city was divided; East Berlin became the capital of East Germany while West Berlin became a de facto West German exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989).[13] Following German reunification in 1990, the city was once more designated as the capital of all Germany, hosting 158 foreign embassies.[14]
Berlin is a world city of culture, politics, media, and science.[15][16][17][18] Its economy is based on high-tech firms and the service sector, encompassing a diverse range of creative industries, research facilities, media corporations, and convention venues.[19][20] Berlin serves as a continental hub for air and rail traffic and has a highly complex public transportation network. The metropolis is a popular tourist destination.[21] Significant industries also include IT, pharmaceuticals, biomedical engineering, clean tech, biotechnology, construction, and electronics.
Modern Berlin is home to renowned universities, orchestras, museums, entertainment venues, and is host to many sporting events.[22] Its urban setting has made it a sought-after location for international film productions.[23] The city is well known for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife, contemporary arts, and a high quality of living.[24] Over the last decade Berlin has seen the emergence of a cosmopolitan entrepreneurial scene.[
History
Etymology
The origin of the name Berlin is uncertain. It may have its roots in the language of West Slavic inhabitants of the area of today's Berlin, and may be related to the Old Polabian stem berl-/birl- ("swamp").[26] Folk etymology connects the name to the German word for bear, Bär. A bear also appears in the coat of arms of the city.[
12th to 16th centuries
The earliest evidence of settlements in the area of today's Berlin are a wooden rod dated from approximately 1192[28] and leftovers of wooden houseparts dated to 1174 found in a 2012 digging in Berlin Mitte.[29] The first written records of towns in the area of present-day Berlin date from the late 12th century. Spandau is first mentioned in 1197 and Köpenick in 1209, although these areas did not join Berlin until 1920.[30] The central part of Berlin can be traced back to two towns. Cölln on the Fischerinsel is first mentioned in a 1237 document, and Berlin, across the Spree in what is now called the Nikolaiviertel, is referenced in a document from 1244.[28] The former (1237) is considered to be the founding date of the city.[31] The two towns over time formed close economic and social ties. In 1307 they formed an alliance with a common external policy, their internal administrations still being separated.[32][33]
In 1415, Frederick I became the elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg, which he ruled until 1440.[34] During the 15th century his successors would establish Berlin-Cölln as capital of the margraviate, and subsequent members of the Hohenzollern family ruled until 1918 in Berlin, first as electors of Brandenburg, then as kings of Prussia, and eventually as German emperors. In 1443, Frederick II Irontooth started the construction of a new royal palace in the twin city Berlin-Cölln. The protests of the town citizens against the building culminated in 1448, in the "Berlin Indignation" ("Berliner Unwille").[35][36] This protest was not successful, however, and the citizenry lost many of its political and economic privileges. After the royal palace was finished in 1451, it gradually came into use. From 1470, with the new elector Albrecht III Achilles, Berlin-Cölln became the new royal residence.[33] Officially, the Berlin-Cölln palace became permanent residence of the Brandenburg electors of the Hohenzollerns from 1486, when John Cicero came to power.[37] Berlin-Cölln, however, had to give up its status as a free Hanseatic city. In 1539, the electors and the city officially became Lutheran.[
17th to 19th centuries
The Thirty Years' War between 1618 and 1648 devastated Berlin. One third of its houses were damaged or destroyed, and the city lost half of its population.[39] Frederick William, known as the "Great Elector", who had succeeded his father George William as ruler in 1640, initiated a policy of promoting immigration and religious tolerance.[40] With the Edict of Potsdam in 1685, Frederick William offered asylum to the French Huguenots.[41] By 1700, approximately 30 percent of Berlin's residents were French, because of the Huguenot immigration.[42] Many other immigrants came from Bohemia, Poland, and Salzburg.[43]
Since 1618, the Margraviate of Brandenburg had been in personal union with the Duchy of Prussia. In 1701, however, the dual state formed the Kingdom of Prussia, as Frederick III, Elector of Brandenburg now crowned himself as king Frederick I in Prussia. Berlin became the capital of the new Kingdom. This was a successful attempt to centralise the capital in the very outspread state, and it was the first time the city began to grow. In 1709 Berlin merged with the four cities of Cölln, Friedrichswerder, Friedrichstadt and Dorotheenstadt under the name Berlin, "Haupt- und Residenzstadt Berlin".[32]
In 1740, Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great (1740–1786), came to power.[44] Under the rule of Frederick II, Berlin became a center of the Enlightenment.[45] Following France's victory in the War of the Fourth Coalition, Napoleon Bonaparte marched into Berlin in 1806, but granted self-government to the city.[46] In 1815, the city became part of the new Province of Brandenburg.[47]
The Industrial Revolution transformed Berlin during the 19th century; the city's economy and population expanded dramatically, and it became the main railway hub and economic centre of Germany. Additional suburbs soon developed and increased the area and population of Berlin. In 1861, neighboring suburbs including Wedding, Moabit and several others were incorporated into Berlin.[48] In 1871, Berlin became capital of the newly founded German Empire.[49] In 1881, it became a city district separate from Brandenburg.[50]
20th to 21st centuries
In the early 20th century, Berlin had become a fertile ground for the German Expressionist movement.[51] In fields such as architecture, painting and cinema new forms of artistic styles were invented. At the end of World War I in 1918, a republic was proclaimed by Philipp Scheidemann at the Reichstag building. In 1920, the Greater Berlin Act incorporated dozens of suburban cities, villages, and estates around Berlin into an expanded city. The act increased the area of Berlin from 66 to 883 km2 (25 to 341 sq mi). The population almost doubled and Berlin had a population of around four million. During the Weimar era, Berlin underwent political unrest due to economic uncertainties, but also became a renowned center of the Roaring Twenties. The metropolis experienced its heyday as a major world capital and was known for its leadership roles in science, technology, the humanities, city planning, film, higher education, government, and industries. Albert Einstein rose to public prominence during his years in Berlin, being awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921.
In 1933, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power. NSDAP rule effectively destroyed Berlin's Jewish community, which had numbered 160,000, representing one-third of all Jews in the country. Berlin's Jewish population fell to about 80,000 as a result of emigration between 1933 and 1939. After Kristallnacht in 1938, thousands of the city's persecuted groups were imprisoned in the nearby Sachsenhausen concentration camp or, starting in early 1943, were shipped to death camps, such as Auschwitz.[52] During World War II, large parts of Berlin were destroyed in the 1943–45 air raids and during the Battle of Berlin. Around 125,000 civilians were killed.[53] After the end of the war in Europe in 1945, Berlin received large numbers of refugees from the Eastern provinces. The victorious powers divided the city into four sectors, analogous to the occupation zones into which Germany was divided. The sectors of the Western Allies (the United States, the United Kingdom and France) formed West Berlin, while the Soviet sector formed East Berlin.[54]
All four Allies shared administrative responsibilities for Berlin. However, in 1948, when the Western Allies extended the currency reform in the Western zones of Germany to the three western sectors of Berlin, the Soviet Union imposed a blockade on the access routes to and from West Berlin, which lay entirely inside Soviet-controlled territory. The Berlin airlift, conducted by the three western Allies, overcame this blockade by supplying food and other supplies to the city from June 1948 to May 1949.[55] In 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany was founded in West Germany and eventually included all of the American, British, and French zones, excluding those three countries' zones in Berlin, while the Marxist-Leninist German Democratic Republic was proclaimed in East Germany. West Berlin officially remained an occupied city, but it politically was aligned with the Federal Republic of Germany despite West Berlin's geographic isolation. Airline service to West Berlin was granted only to American, British, and French airlines.
The founding of the two German states increased Cold War tensions. West Berlin was surrounded by East German territory, and East Germany proclaimed the Eastern part as its capital, a move that was not recognized by the western powers. East Berlin included most of the historic center of the city. The West German government established itself in Bonn.[56] In 1961, East Germany began the building of the Berlin Wall between East and West Berlin, and events escalated to a tank standoff at Checkpoint Charlie. West Berlin was now de facto a part of West Germany with a unique legal status, while East Berlin was de facto a part of East Germany. John F. Kennedy gave his "Ich bin ein Berliner" – speech in 1963 underlining the US support for the Western part of the city. Berlin was completely divided. Although it was possible for Westerners to pass from one to the other side through strictly controlled checkpoints, for most Easterners travel to West Berlin or West Germany was prohibited. In 1971, a Four-Power agreement guaranteed access to and from West Berlin by car or train through East Germany.[57]
In 1989, with the end of the Cold War and pressure from the East German population, the Berlin Wall fell on 9 November and was subsequently mostly demolished. Today, the East Side Gallery preserves a large portion of the Wall. On 3 October 1990, the two parts of Germany were reunified as the Federal Republic of Germany, and Berlin again became the official German capital. In 1991, the German Parliament, the Bundestag, voted to move the seat of the (West) German capital from Bonn to Berlin, which was completed in 1999. Berlin's 2001 administrative reform merged several districts. The number of boroughs was reduced from 23 to 12. In 2006, the FIFA World Cup Final was held in Berlin.
Geography
Topography
Berlin is situated in northeastern Germany, in an area of low-lying marshy woodlands with a mainly flat topography, part of the vast Northern European Plain which stretches all the way from northern France to western Russia. The Berliner Urstromtal (an ice age glacial valley), between the low Barnim Plateau to the north and the Teltow Plateau to the south, was formed by meltwater flowing from ice sheets at the end of the last Weichselian glaciation. The Spree follows this valley now. In Spandau, Berlin's westernmost borough, the Spree empties into the river Havel, which flows from north to south through western Berlin. The course of the Havel is more like a chain of lakes, the largest being the Tegeler See and Großer Wannsee. A series of lakes also feeds into the upper Spree, which flows through the Großer Müggelsee in eastern Berlin.[58]
Substantial parts of present-day Berlin extend onto the low plateaus on both sides of the Spree Valley. Large parts of the boroughs Reinickendorf and Pankow lie on the Barnim Plateau, while most of the boroughs of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Tempelhof-Schöneberg, and Neukölln lie on the Teltow Plateau.
The borough of Spandau lies partly within the Berlin Glacial Valley and partly on the Nauen Plain, which stretches to the west of Berlin. The highest elevations in Berlin are the Teufelsberg and the Müggelberge in the city's outskirts, and in the center the Kreuzberg. While the latter measures 66 m (217 ft) above sea level, the former both have an elevation of about 115 m (377 ft). The Teufelsberg is in fact an artificial hill composed of a pile of rubble from the ruins of World War II.
Climate
Berlin has an Maritime temperate climate (Cfb) according to the Köppen climate classification system.[59] There are significant influences of mild continental climate due to its inland position, with frosts being common in winter and there being larger temperature differences between seasons than typical for many oceanic climates.
Summers are warm and sometimes humid with average high temperatures of 22–25 °C (72–77 °F) and lows of 12–14 °C (54–57 °F). Winters are cool with average high temperatures of 3 °C (37 °F) and lows of −2 to 0 °C (28 to 32 °F). Spring and autumn are generally chilly to mild. Berlin's built-up area creates a microclimate, with heat stored by the city's buildings. Temperatures can be 4 °C (7 °F) higher in the city than in the surrounding areas.[60]
Annual precipitation is 570 millimeters (22 in) with moderate rainfall throughout the year. Snowfall mainly occurs from December through March.
Cityscape
Berlin's history has left the city with a highly eclectic array of architecture and buildings. The city's appearance today is predominantly shaped by the key role it played in Germany's history in the 20th century. Each of the national governments based in Berlin — the Kingdom of Prussia, the 1871 German Empire, the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, East Germany, and now the reunified Germany — initiated ambitious (re-)construction programs, with each adding its own distinctive style to the city's architecture.
Berlin was devastated by bombing raids, fires and street battles during World War II, and many of the buildings that had remained after the war were demolished in the post-war period in both West and East Berlin. Much of this demolition was initiated by municipal architecture programs to build new residential or business quarters and main roads. Many ornaments of pre-war buildings were destroyed following modernist dogmas. While in both systems and in reunified Berlin, various important heritage monuments were also (partly) reconstructed, including the Forum Fridericianum with e.g., the State Opera (1955), Charlottenburg Palace (1957), the main monuments of the Gendarmenmarkt (1980s), Kommandantur (2003) and the project to reconstruct the baroque facades of the City Palace. A number of new buildings is inspired by historical predecessors or the general classical style of Berlin, such as Hotel Adlon.
Clusters of high-rise buildings emerge at e.g., Potsdamer Platz, City West and Alexanderplatz. Berlin has three of the top 40 tallest buildings in Germany.
Architecture
The Brandenburg Gate is an iconic landmark of Berlin and Germany. The Reichstag building is the traditional seat of the German Parliament, was remodeled by British architect Norman Foster in the 1990s and features a glass dome over the session area, which allows free public access to the parliamentary proceedings and magnificent views of the city.
The East Side Gallery is an open-air exhibition of art painted directly on the last existing portions of the Berlin Wall. It is the largest remaining evidence of the city's historical division.
The Gendarmenmarkt, a neoclassical square in Berlin the name of which derives from the headquarters of the famous Gens d'armes regiment located here in the 18th century, is bordered by two similarly designed cathedrals, the Französischer Dom with its observation platform and the Deutscher Dom. The Konzerthaus (Concert Hall), home of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, stands between the two cathedrals.
The Museum Island in the River Spree houses five museums built from 1830 to 1930 and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Restoration and the construction of a main entrance to all museums, as well as the reconstruction of the Stadtschloss is continuing.[65][66] Also located on the island and adjacent to the Lustgarten and palace is Berlin Cathedral, emperor William II's ambitious attempt to create a Protestant counterpart to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. A large crypt houses the remains of some of the earlier Prussian royal family. St. Hedwig's Cathedral is Berlin's Roman Catholic cathedral.
Unter den Linden is a tree-lined east–west avenue from the Brandenburg Gate to the site of the former Berliner Stadtschloss, and was once Berlin's premier promenade. Many Classical buildings line the street and part of Humboldt University is located there. Friedrichstraße was Berlin's legendary street during the Golden Twenties. It combines 20th-century traditions with the modern architecture of today's Berlin.
Potsdamer Platz is an entire quarter built from scratch after 1995 after the Wall came down.[67] To the west of Potsdamer Platz is the Kulturforum, which houses the Gemäldegalerie, and is flanked by the Neue Nationalgalerie and the Berliner Philharmonie. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a Holocaust memorial, is situated to the north.[68]
The area around Hackescher Markt is home to the fashionable culture, with countless clothing outlets, clubs, bars, and galleries. This includes the Hackesche Höfe, a conglomeration of buildings around several courtyards, reconstructed around 1996. The nearby New Synagogue is the center of Jewish culture.
The Straße des 17. Juni, connecting the Brandenburg Gate and Ernst-Reuter-Platz, serves as the central East-West-Axis. Its name commemorates the uprisings in East Berlin of 17 June 1953. Approximately half-way from the Brandenburg Gate is the Großer Stern, a circular traffic island on which the Siegessäule (Victory Column) is situated. This monument, built to commemorate Prussia's victories, was relocated 1938–39 from its previous position in front of the Reichstag.
The Kurfürstendamm is home to some of Berlin's luxurious stores with the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at its eastern end on Breitscheidplatz. The church was destroyed in the Second World War and left in ruins. Nearby on Tauentzienstraße is KaDeWe, claimed to be continental Europe's largest department store. The Rathaus Schöneberg, where John F. Kennedy made his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner!" speech, is situated in Tempelhof-Schöneberg.
West of the center, Schloss Bellevue is the residence of the German President. Schloss Charlottenburg, which was burnt out in the Second World War is the largest historical palace in Berlin.
The Funkturm Berlin is a 150 m (490 ft) tall lattice radio tower at the fair area, built between 1924 and 1926. It is the only observation tower which stands on insulators and has a restaurant 55 m (180 ft) and an observation deck 126 m (413 ft) above ground, which is reachable by a windowed elevator.
Demographics
On 31 December 2014, the city-state of Berlin had a population of 3,562,166 registered inhabitants[4] in an area of 891.85 km2 (344.35 sq mi).[69] The city's population density was 3,994 inhabitants per km2. Berlin is the second most populous city proper in the EU. The urban area of Berlin comprised about 4 million people making it the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union.[5] The metropolitan area of the Berlin-Brandenburg region was home to about 4.5 million in an area of 5,370 km2 (2,070 sq mi). In 2004, the Larger Urban Zone was home to about 5 million people in an area of 17,385 km2 (6,712 sq mi).[9] The entire Berlin-Brandenburg capital region has a population of 6 million.[70]
National and international migration into the city has a long history. In 1685, following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in France, the city responded with the Edict of Potsdam, which guaranteed religious freedom and tax-free status to French Huguenot refugees for ten years. The Greater Berlin Act in 1920 incorporated many suburbs and surrounding cities of Berlin. It formed most of the territory that comprises modern Berlin and increased the population from 1.9 million to 4 million.
Active immigration and asylum politics in West Berlin triggered waves of immigration in the 1960s and 1970s. Currently, Berlin is home to about 200,000 Turks,[71] making it the largest Turkish community outside of Turkey. In the 1990s the Aussiedlergesetze enabled immigration to Germany of some residents from the former Soviet Union. Today ethnic Germans from countries of the former Soviet Union make up the largest portion of the Russian-speaking community.[72] The last decade experienced an influx from various Western countries and some African regions.[73] Young Germans, EU-Europeans and Israelis have settled in the city.[
International communities
In December 2013, 538,729 residents (15.3% of the population) were of foreign nationality, originating from over 180 different countries.[76] Another estimated 460,000 citizens in 2013 are descendants of international migrants and have either become naturalized German citizens or obtained citizenship by virtue of birth in Germany.[77] In 2008, about 25%–30% of the population was of foreign origin.[78] 45 percent of the residents under the age of 18 have foreign roots.[79] Berlin is estimated to have from 100,000 to 250,000 non-registered inhabitants.[80]
There are more than 25 non-indigenous communities with a population of at least 10,000 people, including Turkish, Polish, Russian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Serbian, Italian, Bosnian, Vietnamese, American, Romanian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Austrian, Ghanaian, Ukrainian, French, British, Spanish, Israeli, Thai, Iranian, Egyptian and Syrian communities.
The most-commonly-spoken foreign languages in Berlin are Turkish, English, Russian, Arabic, Polish, Kurdish, Vietnamese, Serbian, Croatian and French. Turkish, Arabic, Kurdish, Serbian and Croatian are heard more often in the western part, due to the large Middle Eastern and former-Yugoslavian communities. English, Vietnamese, Russian, and Polish have more native speakers in eastern Berlin.
Religion
More than 60% of Berlin residents have no registered religious affiliation.[82] The largest denominations in 2010 were the Protestant regional church body of the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO) (a church of united administration comprising mostly Lutheran, and few Reformed and United Protestant congregations; EKBO is a member of the umbrellas Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) and Union Evangelischer Kirchen (UEK)) with 18.7% of the population,[83] and the Roman Catholic Church with 9.1% of registered members.[83] About 2.7% of the population identify with other Christian denominations (mostly Eastern Orthodox)[84] and 8.1% are Muslims.[85] 0.9% of Berliners belong to other religions.[86] Approximately 80% of the 12,000 (0.3%) registered Jews now residing in Berlin[84] have come from the former Soviet Union.
Berlin is the seat of the Roman Catholic archbishop of Berlin and EKBO's elected chairperson is titled bishop of EKBO. Furthermore, Berlin is the seat of many Orthodox cathedrals, such as the Cathedral of St. Boris the Baptist, one of the two seats of the Bulgarian Orthodox Diocese of Western and Central Europe, and the Resurrection of Christ Cathedral of the Diocese of Berlin (Patriarchate of Moscow).
The faithful of the different religions and denominations maintain many places of worship in Berlin. The Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church has eight parishes of different sizes in Berlin.[87] There are 36 Baptist congregations (within Union of Evangelical Free Church Congregations in Germany), 29 New Apostolic Churches, 15 United Methodist churches, eight Free Evangelical Congregations, six congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an Old Catholic church, and an Anglican church in Berlin.
Berlin has 76 mosques (including three Ahmadiyya mosques), 11 synagogues, and two Buddhist temples, in addition to a number of humanist and atheist groups.
Government
City state
Since the reunification on 3 October 1990, Berlin has been one of the three city states in Germany among the present 16 states of Germany. The city and state parliament is the House of Representatives (Abgeordnetenhaus), which currently has 141 seats. Berlin's executive body is the Senate of Berlin (Senat von Berlin). The Senate of Berlin consists of the Governing Mayor (Regierender Bürgermeister) and up to eight senators holding ministerial positions, one of them holding the official title "Mayor" (Bürgermeister) as deputy to the Governing Mayor.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) and The Left (Die Linke) took control of the city government after the 2001 state election and won another term in the 2006 state election.[88] Since the 2011 state election, there has been a coalition of the Social Democratic Party with the Christian Democratic Union, and for the first time ever, the Pirate Party won seats in a state parliament in Germany.
The Governing Mayor is simultaneously Lord Mayor of the city (Oberbürgermeister der Stadt) and Prime Minister of the Federal State (Ministerpräsident des Bundeslandes). The office of Berlin's Governing Mayor is in the Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall). Since 2014 this office has been held by Michael Müller of the SPD.[89] On 26 August 2014, Wowereit announced his resignation as of 11 December 2014.[90]
The total annual state budget of Berlin in 2007 exceeded €20.5 ($28.7) billion including a budget surplus of €80 ($112) million.[91] The total budget included an estimated amount of €5.5 ($7.7) bn, which is directly financed by either the German government or the German Bundesländer.[
Boroughs
Berlin is subdivided into twelve boroughs (Bezirke). Each borough contains a number of localities (Ortsteile), which often have historic roots in older municipalities that predate the formation of Greater Berlin on 1 October 1920 and became urbanized and incorporated into the city. Many residents strongly identify with their localities or boroughs. At present Berlin consists of 96 localities, which are commonly made up of several city neighborhoods—called Kiez in the Berlin dialect—representing small residential areas.
Each borough is governed by a borough council (Bezirksamt) consisting of five councilors (Bezirksstadträte) including the borough mayor (Bezirksbürgermeister). The borough council is elected by the borough assembly (Bezirksverordnetenversammlung). The boroughs of Berlin are not independent municipalities. The power of borough administration is limited and subordinate to the Senate of Berlin. The borough mayors form the council of mayors (Rat der Bürgermeister), led by the city's governing mayor, which advises the senate. The localities have no local government bodies.
Sister cities
Berlin maintains official partnerships with 17 cities.[93] Town twinning between Berlin and other cities began with sister city Los Angeles in 1967. East Berlin's partnerships were canceled at the time of German reunification and later partially reestablished. West Berlin's partnerships had previously been restricted to the borough level. During the Cold War era, the partnerships had reflected the different power blocs, with West Berlin partnering with capitals in the West, and East Berlin mostly partnering with cities from the Warsaw Pact and its allies.
There are several joint projects with many other cities, such as Beirut, Belgrade, São Paulo, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Johannesburg, Mumbai, Oslo, Shanghai, Seoul, Sofia, Sydney, New York City and Vienna. Berlin participates in international city associations such as the Union of the Capitals of the European Union, Eurocities, Network of European Cities of Culture, Metropolis, Summit Conference of the World's Major Cities, and Conference of the World's Capital Cities. Berlin's official sister cities are:
Capital city
Berlin is the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany. The President of Germany, whose functions are mainly ceremonial under the German constitution, has his official residence in Schloss Bellevue.[97] Berlin is the seat of the German executive, housed in the Chancellery, the Bundeskanzleramt. Facing the Chancellery is the Bundestag, the German Parliament, housed in the renovated Reichstag building since the government moved back to Berlin in 1998. The Bundesrat ("federal council", performing the function of an upper house) is the representation of the Federal States (Bundesländer) of Germany and has its seat at the former Prussian House of Lords.
Though most of the ministries are seated in Berlin, some of them, as well as some minor departments, are seated in Bonn, the former capital of West Germany. Discussions to move the remaining branches continue.[98] The ministries and departments of Defence, Justice and Consumer Protection, Finance, Interior, Foreign, Economic Affairs and Energy, Labour and Social Affairs , Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Food and Agriculture, Economic Cooperation and Development, Health, Transport and Digital Infrastructure and Education and Research are based in the capital.
Berlin hosts 158 foreign embassies as well as the headquarters of many think tanks, trade unions, non-profit organizations, lobbying groups, and professional associations. Due to the influence and international partnerships of the Federal Republic of Germany as a state, the capital city has become a venue for German and European affairs. Frequent official visits, and diplomatic consultations among governmental representatives and national leaders are common in contemporary Berlin.
Economy
In 2013, the nominal GDP of the citystate Berlin experienced a growth rate of 1.2% (0.6% in Germany) and totaled €109.2 (~$142) billion.[99] Berlin's economy is dominated by the service sector, with around 80% of all companies doing business in services. The unemployment rate reached a 20-year low in June 2014 and stood at 11.0% .[100]
Important economic sectors in Berlin include life sciences, transportation, information and communication technologies, media and music, advertising and design, biotechnology, environmental services, construction, e-commerce, retail, hotel business, and medical engineering.[101]
Research and development have economic significance for the city. The metropolitan region ranks among the top-3 innovative locations in the EU.[102] The Science and Business Park in Adlershof is the largest technology park in Germany measured by revenue.[103] Within the Eurozone, Berlin has become a center for business relocation and international investments.[
Companies
Many German and international companies have business or service centers in the city. For some years Berlin has been recognized as a center of business founders in Europe.[105] Among the 10 largest employers in Berlin are the City-State of Berlin, Deutsche Bahn, the hospital provider Charité and Vivantes, the local public transport provider BVG, and Deutsche Telekom.
Daimler manufactures cars, and BMW builds motorcycles in Berlin. Bayer Health Care and Berlin Chemie are major pharmaceutical companies headquartered in the city. The second largest German airline Air Berlin is based there as well.[106]
Siemens, a Global 500 and DAX-listed company is partly headquartered in Berlin. The national railway operator Deutsche Bahn and the MDAX-listed firms Axel Springer SE and Zalando have their headquarters in the central districts.[107] Berlin has a cluster of rail technology companies and is the German headquarter or site to Bombardier Transportation,[108] Siemens Mobility,[109] Stadler Rail and Thales Transportation.[
Tourism and conventions
Berlin had 788 hotels with 134,399 beds in 2014.[111] The city recorded 28.7 million overnight hotel stays and 11.9 million hotel guests in 2014.[111] Tourism figures have more than doubled within the last ten years and Berlin has become the third most-visited city destination in Europe.
Berlin is among the top three congress cities in the world and home to Europe's biggest convention center, the Internationales Congress Centrum (ICC) at the Messe Berlin.[19] Several large-scale trade fairs like the consumer electronics trade fair IFA, the ILA Berlin Air Show, the Berlin Fashion Week (including the Bread and Butter tradeshow), the Green Week, the transport fair InnoTrans, the tourism fair ITB and the adult entertainment and erotic fair Venus are held annually in the city, attracting a significant number of business visitors.
Creative industries
Industries that do business in the creative arts and entertainment are an important and sizable sector of the economy of Berlin. The creative arts sector comprises music, film, advertising, architecture, art, design, fashion, performing arts, publishing, R&D, software,[112] TV, radio, and video games. Around 22,600 creative enterprises, predominantly SMEs, generated over 18,6 billion euro in revenue. Berlin's creative industries have contributed an estimated 20 percent of Berlin's gross domestic product in 2005.[
Media
Berlin is home to many international and regional television and radio stations.[114] The public broadcaster RBB has its headquarters in Berlin as well as the commercial broadcasters MTV Europe, VIVA, and N24. German international public broadcaster Deutsche Welle has its TV production unit in Berlin, and most national German broadcasters have a studio in the city including ZDF and RTL.
Berlin has Germany's largest number of daily newspapers, with numerous local broadsheets (Berliner Morgenpost, Berliner Zeitung, Der Tagesspiegel), and three major tabloids, as well as national dailies of varying sizes, each with a different political affiliation, such as Die Welt, Neues Deutschland, and Die Tageszeitung. The Exberliner, a monthly magazine, is Berlin's English-language periodical focusing on arts and entertainment. Berlin is also the headquarters of the two major German-language publishing houses Walter de Gruyter and Springer, each of which publish books, periodicals, and multimedia products.
Berlin is an important centre in the European and German film industry.[115] It is home to more than 1000 film and television production companies, 270 movie theaters, and around 300 national and international co-productions are filmed in the region every year.[102] The historic Babelsberg Studios and the production company UFA are located outside Berlin in Potsdam. The city is also home of the European Film Academy and the German Film Academy, and hosts the annual Berlin Film Festival. With around 500,000 admissions it is the largest publicly attended film festival in the world.
Infrastructure
Transport
Berlin's transport infrastructure is highly complex, providing a diverse range of urban mobility.[118] A total of 979 bridges cross 197 km (122 mi) of inner-city waterways. 5,422 km (3,369 mi) of roads run through Berlin, of which 77 km (48 mi) are motorways ("Autobahn").[119] In 2013, 1.344 million motor vehicles were registered in the city.[119] With 377 cars per 1000 residents in 2013 (570/1000 in Germany), Berlin as a Western global city has one of the lowest numbers of cars per capita.
Long-distance rail lines connect Berlin with all of the major cities of Germany and with many cities in neighboring European countries. Regional rail lines provide access to the surrounding regions of Brandenburg and to the Baltic Sea. The Berlin Hauptbahnhof is the largest grade-separated railway station in Europe.[120] Deutsche Bahn runs trains to domestic destinations like Hamburg, Munich, Cologne and others. It also runs an airport express rail service, as well as trains to several international destinations, e.g., Vienna, Prague, Zürich, Warsaw and Amsterdam.
Public transport
Airports
Flights departing from Berlin serve 163 destinations around the globe
Berlin has two commercial airports. Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL), which lies within the city limits, and Schönefeld Airport (SXF), which is situated just outside Berlin's south-eastern border in the state of Brandenburg. Both airports together handled 26.3 million passengers in 2013. In 2014, 67 airlines served 163 destinations in 50 countries from Berlin.[122] Tegel Airport is an important transfer hub for Air Berlin as well as a focus city for Lufthansa and Germanwings, whereas Schönefeld serves as an important destination for airlines like easyJet.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) will replace Tegel as single commercial airport of Berlin.[123] The new airport will integrate old Schönefeld (SXF) facilities and is scheduled to open not before 2017. Because of the rapid passenger growth at Berlin airports the capacities at the BER are already considered too small for the projected demand.
Cycling
Berlin is well known for its highly developed bicycle lane system.[124] It is estimated that Berlin has 710 bicycles per 1000 residents. Around 500,000 daily bike riders accounted for 13% of total traffic in 2009.[125] Cyclists have access to 620 km (385 mi) of bicycle paths including approximately 150 km (93 mi) of mandatory bicycle paths, 190 km (118 mi) (120 miles) of off-road bicycle routes, 60 km (37 mi) of bicycle lanes on roads, 70 km (43 mi) of shared bus lanes which are also open to cyclists, 100 km (62 mi) of combined pedestrian/bike paths and 50 km (31 mi) of marked bicycle lanes on roadside pavements (or sidewalks).[
Denver & Rio Grande Western K-28 #477 takes a Durango-bound mixed train through the most famous stretch of track on the 45-mile Silverton Branch, that being the highline horseshoe curve at about Milepost 469.4. Here, the train is creeping along under a permanent slow order, as it runs along the rock shelf, a couple of hundred feet above the Animas River, which is visible on the right side of the frame.
This image was captured during an October 2024 photo shoot on Colorado's Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which featured K-28 Locomotive #473, re-lettered as one of her long-lost sisters, the #477. The original 477 was scrapped after hard wartime service in Alaska in the 1940s. Although the crew is making a dark exhaust plume for the cameras, the locomotive is actually loafing here, as the speed limit is only 5 mph, for obvious reasons. A derailment here would have serious consequences. In fact, there is guard rail installed along most of the horseshoe, as can be seen just in front of the cow-catcher pilot. This is one of the few photos that I have taken since the railroad converted to oil-firing, in which the lack of a coal bunker is really pretty obvious.
from Wikipedia:
Big Sur is a sparsely populated region of the Central Coast of California where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande", meaning "the big south", or from "el país grande del sur", "the big country of the south". The terrain offers stunning views, making Big Sur a popular tourist destination. Big Sur's Cone Peak is the highest coastal mountain in the contiguous 48 states, ascending nearly a mile (5,155 feet/1571 m) above sea level, only three miles (4.8 km) from the ocean.
Although Big Sur has no specific boundaries, many definitions of the area include the 90 miles (140 km) of coastline from the Carmel River south to the San Carpoforo Creek, and extend about 20 miles (32 km) inland to the eastern foothills of the Santa Lucias. Other sources limit the eastern border to the coastal flanks of these mountains, only three to 12 miles (19 km) inland. Another practical definition of the region is the segment of California State Route 1 between San Simeon and Carmel.
The northern end of Big Sur is about 120 miles (190 km) south of San Francisco, and the southern end is approximately 245 miles (394 km) northwest of Los Angeles.
Artículo en Wikipedia: Gallinero de Rioja
Tomada a 806 m.s.n.m.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
LMF:
LMF Edificios religiosos (P1/C2) (2) ✔️
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
# LMF 0v-0f-0c (P1/C,F3) (3) ✔️
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- (1) Eliminados
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++[1]
OTROS GRUPOS (CON):
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
PhotoGem Level 1 [4] (3)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- (0) Eliminados
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++[1]
OTROS GRUPOS (SIN):
El Tren de los Rincones de España (1) ✔️
España en fotos ()
FLICKR ()
flickr (unofficial) ()
Lenguas de Europa ()
PLANET EARTH BACK IN THE DAY ()
------------------------------------------------------------
All Panoramio friends together
Amateurs
Flickr en Español
FOTOS DE ESPAÑA Y PORTUGAL
Photography
Strictly GeoTagged (no 30/60 limit)
Today's Flickr
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
(7) Invitados - (0) Eliminados
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++[20]
Pasos:
100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 1000
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++[8]
ESP, R
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++[[30]]
The Jacquard Jumper and fur skirt is now available at the latest round of LIMIT 8.
This oversized sweater comes in an assortment of patters and colors, and can be paired with the ADD-ON fur skirt also available for purchase.
Each purchase includes a graphic version and solid version of each jumper.
Be sure to be one of the first 100 to grab the LIMIT8 Exclusive jacquard jumper.
The FatPack includes all 16 Jumpers and 2 exclusives.
Sizing includes Maitreya, Slink Hourglass, and Freya.
Please Try a DEMO :)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is sometimes considered a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it is usually identified as a completely separate body of water.
The name Mediterranean is derived from the Latin mediterraneus, meaning "inland" or "in the middle of the land" (from medius, "middle" and terra, "land"). It covers an approximate area of 2.5 million km² (965,000 sq mi), but its connection to the Atlantic (the Strait of Gibraltar) is only 14 km (8.7 mi) wide. In oceanography, it is sometimes called the Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea or the European Mediterranean Sea to distinguish it from mediterranean seas elsewhere.[3][4]
The Mediterranean Sea has an average depth of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) and the deepest recorded point is 5,267 m (17,280 ft) in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea.
It was an important route for merchants and travellers of ancient times that allowed for trade and cultural exchange between emergent peoples of the region. The history of the Mediterranean region is crucial to understanding the origins and development of many modern societies.
Name
The term Mediterranean derives from the Latin word mediterraneus, meaning "in the middle of earth" or "between lands" (medi-; adj. medius, -um -a "middle, between" + terra f., "land, earth"): as it is between the continents of Africa, Asia and Europe. The Greek name Mesogeios (Μεσόγειος), is similarly from μέσο, "middle" + γη, "land, earth").[5]
The Mediterranean Sea has historically had several names. For example the Romans commonly called it Mare Nostrum (Latin, "Our Sea"), and occasionally Mare Internum (Sallust, Jug. 17).
In the Bible, it was primarily known as הים הגדול (HaYam HaGadol), the "Great Sea", (Num. 34:6,7; Josh. 1:4, 9:1, 15:47; Ezek. 47:10,15,20), or simply "The Sea" (1 Kings 5:9; comp. 1 Macc. 14:34, 15:11); however, it has also been called the "Hinder Sea", due to its location on the west coast of the Holy Land, and therefore behind a person facing the east, sometimes translated as "Western Sea", (Deut. 11:24; Joel 2:20). Another name was the "Sea of the Philistines" (Exod. 23:31), from the people occupying a large portion of its shores near the Israelites.
In Modern Hebrew, it has been called HaYam HaTikhon (הַיָּם הַתִּיכוֹן), "the Middle Sea", reflecting the Sea's name in ancient Greek (Mesogeios), Latin (Mare internum) and modern languages in both Europe and the Middle East (Mediterranean, etc.). Similarly, in Modern Arabic, it is known as al-Baḥr [al-Abyaḍ] al-Mutawassiṭ (البحر [الأبيض] المتوسط), "the [White] Medium Sea", while in Islamic and older Arabic literature, it was referenced as Baḥr al-Rūm (بحر الروم), or "the Roman/Byzantine Sea." In Turkish, it is known as Akdeniz,[6] "the White Sea" since among Turks the white color (ak) represents the west.
History
Several ancient civilizations were located around its shores; thus it has had a major influence on those cultures. It provided routes for trade, colonization and war, and provided food (by fishing and the gathering of other seafood) for numerous communities throughout the ages.[7]
The sharing of similar climate, geology and access to a common sea led to numerous historical and cultural connections between the ancient and modern societies around the Mediterranean.
Two of the most notable Mediterranean civilizations in classical antiquity were the Greek city states and the Phoenicians. When[citation needed] Augustus founded the Roman Empire, the Mediterranean Sea began to be called Mare Nostrum (literally:"Our Sea") by the Romans.
Darius I of Persia, who conquered Ancient Egypt, built a canal linking the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. Darius's canal was wide enough for two triremes to pass each other with oars extended, and required four days to traverse.[8]
The western Roman empire collapsed around AD 476. Temporarily the east was again dominant as the Byzantine Empire formed from the eastern half of the Roman empire. Another power soon arose in the east: Islam. At its greatest extent, the Arab Empire controlled 75% of the Mediterranean region.
Europe was reviving, however, as more organized and centralized states began to form in the later Middle Ages after the Renaissance of the 12th century.
Ottoman power continued to grow, and in 1453, the Byzantine Empire was extinguished with the Conquest of Constantinople. Ottomans gained control of much of the sea in the 16th century and maintained naval bases in southern France, Algeria and Tunisia. Barbarossa, the famous Ottoman captain is a symbol of this domination with the victory of the Battle of Preveza. The Battle of Djerba marked the apex of Ottoman naval domination in the Mediterranean. However, as naval prowess of the European powers grew, they confronted Ottoman expansion in the region when the Battle of Lepanto checked the power of the Ottoman Navy. This was the last naval battle to be fought primarily between galleys.
The Barbary pirates of North Africa preyed on Christian shipping in the western Mediterranean Sea.[9] According to Robert Davis, from the 16th to 19th century, pirates captured 1 million to 1.25 million Europeans as slaves.[10]
The development of oceanic shipping began to affect the entire Mediterranean. Once, all trade from the east had passed through the region, but now the circumnavigation of Africa allowed spices and other goods to be imported through the Atlantic ports of western Europe.[11][12][13] The Malta president described the Mediterranean sea as a "cemetery" due to the large amounts of migrants who drown there.
Geography
With its highly indented coastline and large number of islands, Greece has the longest Mediterranean coastline.
The Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar in the west and to the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, by the Dardanelles and the Bosporus respectively, in the east. The Sea of Marmara is often considered a part of the Mediterranean Sea, whereas the Black Sea is generally not. The 163 km (101 mi) long man-made Suez Canal in the southeast connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
Large islands in the Mediterranean include Cyprus, Crete, Euboea, Rhodes, Lesbos, Chios, Kefalonia, Corfu, Limnos, Samos, Naxos and Andros in the eastern Mediterranean; Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, Cres, Krk, Brač, Hvar, Pag, Korčula and Malta in the central Mediterranean; and Ibiza, Majorca and Minorca (the Balearic Islands) in the western Mediterranean.
The typical Mediterranean climate has hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Crops of the region include olives, grapes, oranges, tangerines, and cork.
Extent
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Mediterranean Sea as follows:[15]
Stretching from the Strait of Gibraltar in the West to the entrances to the Dardanelles and the Suez Canal in the East, the Mediterranean Sea is bounded by the coasts of Europe, Africa and Asia, and is divided into two deep basins:
Western Basin:
On the west: A line joining the extremities of Cape Trafalgar (Spain) and Cape Spartel (Africa).
On the northeast: The West Coast of Italy. In the Strait of Messina a line joining the North extreme of Cape Paci (15°42'E) with Cape Peloro, the East extreme of the Island of Sicily. The North Coast of Sicily.
On the east: A line joining Cape Lilibeo the Western point of Sicily (37°47′N 12°22′E), through the Adventure Bank to Cape Bon (Tunisia).
Eastern Basin:
On the west: The Northeastern and Eastern limits of the Western Basin.
On the northeast: A line joining Kum Kale (26°11'E) and Cape Helles, the Western entrance to the Dardanelles.
On the southeast: The entrance to the Suez Canal.
On the east: The coasts of Syria, Israel, Lebanon, and Gaza Strip.
Oceanography
Being nearly landlocked affects conditions in the Mediterranean Sea: for instance, tides are very limited as a result of the narrow connection with the Atlantic Ocean. The Mediterranean is characterized and immediately recognised by its deep blue colour.
Evaporation greatly exceeds precipitation and river runoff in the Mediterranean, a fact that is central to the water circulation within the basin.[16] Evaporation is especially high in its eastern half, causing the water level to decrease and salinity to increase eastward.[17] This pressure gradient pushes relatively cool, low-salinity water from the Atlantic across the basin; it warms and becomes saltier as it travels east, then sinks in the region of the Levant and circulates westward, to spill over the Strait of Gibraltar.[18] Thus, seawater flow is eastward in the Strait's surface waters, and westward below; once in the Atlantic, this chemically distinct Mediterranean Intermediate Water can persist thousands of kilometres away from its source.
Coastal countries
Twenty-two countries have a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. They are:
Northern shore (from west to east): Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece and Turkey.
Eastern shore (from north to south): Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Flag of Palestine.svg Palestine (limited recognition).
Southern shore (from west to east): Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt.
Island nations: Malta, Cyprus, Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg Northern Cyprus (limited recognition).
Several other territories also border the Mediterranean Sea (from west to east): The British overseas territory of Gibraltar, the Spanish autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla and nearby islands, and the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus
Major cities (municipalities) with populations larger than 200,000 people bordering the Mediterranean Sea are:
CountryCities
AlbaniaDurrës
AlgeriaAlgiers, Annaba, Oran
CroatiaSplit, Rijeka
EgyptAlexandria, Port Said
FranceMarseille, Nice
GreeceAthens, Patras, Thessaloniki
IsraelAshdod, Haifa, Tel Aviv
ItalyBari, Catania, Genoa, Messina, Naples, Palermo, Rome, Taranto, Trieste, Venice
LebanonBeirut, Tripoli
LibyaBenghazi, Khoms, Misrata, Tripoli, Zawiya, Zliten
MoroccoTétouan, Tangier
SpainAlicante, Badalona, Barcelona, Cartagena, Málaga, Palma, Valencia
State of PalestineGaza City
SyriaLatakia
TunisiaBizerte, Sfax, Tunis
TurkeyAntalya, İskenderun, İzmir, Mersin
Subdivisions
According to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the Mediterranean Sea is subdivided into a number of smaller waterbodies, each with their own designation (from west to east):[15]
the Strait of Gibraltar;
the Alboran Sea, between Spain and Morocco;
the Balearic Sea, between mainland Spain and its Balearic Islands;
the Ligurian Sea between Corsica and Liguria (Italy);
the Tyrrhenian Sea enclosed by Sardinia, Italian peninsula and Sicily;
the Ionian Sea between Italy, Albania and Greece;
the Adriatic Sea between Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania;
the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey.
Other seas
Although not recognised by the IHO treaties, there are some other seas whose names have been in common use from the ancient times, or in the present:
the Sea of Sardinia, between Sardinia and Balearic Islands, as a part of the Balearic Sea
the Sea of Sicily between Sicily and Tunisia,
the Libyan Sea between Libya and Crete,
In the Aegean Sea,
the Thracian Sea in its north,
the Myrtoan Sea between the Cyclades and the Peloponnese,
the Sea of Crete north of Crete,
the Icarian Sea between Kos and Chios
the Cilician Sea between Turkey and Cyprus
the Levantine Sea at the eastern end of the Mediterranean
Other features
Many of these smaller seas feature in local myth and folklore and derive their names from these associations. In addition to the seas, a number of gulfs and straits are also recognised:
the Saint George Bay in Beirut, Lebanon
the Ras Ibn Hani cape in Latakia, Syria
the Ras al-Bassit cape in northern Syria.
the Minet el-Beida ("White Harbour") bay near ancient Ugarit, Syria
the Strait of Gibraltar, connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain from Morocco
the Bay of Gibraltar, at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula
the Gulf of Corinth, an enclosed sea between the Ionian Sea and the Corinth Canal
the Pagasetic Gulf, the gulf of Volos, south of the Thermaic Gulf, formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula
the Saronic Gulf, the gulf of Athens, between the Corinth Canal and the Mirtoan Sea
the Thermaic Gulf, the gulf of Thessaloniki, located in the northern Greek region of Macedonia
the Kvarner Gulf, Croatia
the Gulf of Lion, south of France
the Gulf of Valencia, east of Spain
the Strait of Messina, between Sicily and the toe of Italy
the Gulf of Genoa, northwestern Italy
the Gulf of Venice, northeastern Italy
the Gulf of Trieste, northeastern Italy
the Gulf of Taranto, southern Italy
The Adriatic Sea contains over 1200 islands and islets.
the Gulf of Salerno, southwestern Italy
the Gulf of Gaeta, southwestern Italy
the Gulf of Squillace, southern Italy
the Strait of Otranto, between Italy and Albania
the Gulf of Haifa, northern Israel
the Gulf of Sidra, between Tripolitania (western Libya) and Cyrenaica (eastern Libya)
the Strait of Sicily, between Sicily and Tunisia
the Corsica Channel, between Corsica and Italy
the Strait of Bonifacio, between Sardinia and Corsica
the Gulf of İskenderun, between İskenderun and Adana (Turkey)
the Gulf of Antalya, between west and east shores of Antalya (Turkey)
the Bay of Kotor, in south-western Montenegro and south-eastern Croatia
the Malta Channel, between Sicily and Malta
the Gozo Channel, between Malta Island and Gozo
Sea temperature
Mean sea temperature (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecØ/Year
Marseille[21]13131314161821222118161416.6
Venice[22]11101113182225262320161417.4
Barcelona[23]13131314172023252320171517.8
Valencia[24]14131415172124262421181518.5
Málaga[25]16151516172022232220181618.3
Gibraltar[26]16151616172022222220181718.4
Naples[27]15141415182225272522191619.3
Athens[28]16151516182124242421191819.3
Heraklion[29]16151516192224252422201819.7
Malta[30]16161516182124262523211819.9
Larnaca[31]18171718202426272725221921.7
Limassol[32]18171718202426272725221921.7
Antalya17171718212427282725221921.8
Alexandria[33]18171718202325262625222021.4
Tel Aviv[34]18171718212426282726232022.1
Geology
The geologic history of the Mediterranean is complex. It was involved in the tectonic break-up and then collision of the African and Eurasian plates. The Messinian Salinity Crisis occurred in the late Miocene (12 million years ago to 5 million years ago) when the Mediterranean dried up. Geologically the Mediterranean is underlain by oceanic crust.
The Mediterranean Sea has an average depth of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) and the deepest recorded point is 5,267 m (17,280 ft) in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea. The coastline extends for 46,000 km (29,000 mi). A shallow submarine ridge (the Strait of Sicily) between the island of Sicily and the coast of Tunisia divides the sea in two main subregions (which in turn are divided into subdivisions), the Western Mediterranean and the Eastern Mediterranean. The Western Mediterranean covers an area of about 0.85 million km² (0.33 million mi²) and the Eastern Mediterranean about 1.65 million km² (0.64 million mi²). A characteristic of the Mediterranean Sea are submarine karst springs or vruljas, which mainly occur in shallow waters[35] and may also be thermal.
Tectonic evolution
The geodynamic evolution of the Mediterranean Sea was provided by the convergence of European and African plates and several smaller microplates. This process was driven by the differential seafloor spreading along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which led to the closure of the Tethys Ocean and eventually to the Alpine orogenesis. However, the Mediterranean also hosts wide extensional basins and migrating tectonic arcs, in response to its land-locked configuration.
According to a report published by Nature in 2009, some scientists think that the Mediterranean Sea was mostly filled during a time period of less than two years, in a major flood (the Zanclean flood) that happened approximately 5.33 million years ago, in which water poured in from the Atlantic Ocean and through the Strait of Gibraltar, at a rate three times the current flow of the Amazon River.[37] However, the sea basins had been filled for many millions of years before the prior closure of the Strait of Gibraltar.
Eastern Mediterranean
In middle Miocene times, the collision between the Arabian microplate and Eurasia led to the separation between the Tethys and the Indian oceans. This process resulted in profound changes in the oceanic circulation patterns, which shifted global climates towards colder conditions. The Hellenic arc, which has a land-locked configuration, underwent a widespread extension for the last 20 Ma due to a slab roll-back process. In addition, the Hellenic Arc experienced a rapid rotation phase during the Pleistocene, with a counterclockwise component in its eastern portion and a clockwise trend in the western segment.
Central Mediterranean
The opening of small oceanic basins of the central Mediterranean follows a trench migration and back-arc opening process that occurred during the last 30 Myr. This phase was characterised by the anticlockwise rotation of the Corsica-Sardinia block, which lasted until the Langhian (ca.16 Ma), and was in turn followed by a slab detachment along the northern African margin. Subsequently, a shift of this active extensional deformation led to the opening of the Tyrrenian basin.
Western Mediterranean[edit]
The Betic-Rif mountain belts developed during Mesozoic and Cenozoic times, as Africa and Iberia converged. Tectonic models for its evolution include: rapid motion of Alboran Domain, subduction zone and radial extensional collapse caused by convective removal of lithospheric mantle. The development of these intramontane Betic and Rif basins led to the onset of two marine gateways which were progressively closed during the late Miocene by an interplay of tectonic and glacio-eustatic processes.
Paleoenvironmental analysis
Its semi-enclosed configuration makes the oceanic gateways critical in controlling circulation and environmental evolution in the Mediterranean Sea. Water circulation patterns are driven by a number of interactive factors, such as climate and bathymetry, which can lead to precipitation of evaporites. During late Miocene times, a so-called "Messinian Salinity Crisis" (MSC hereafter) occurred, where the Mediterranean entirely or almost entirely dried out, which was triggered by the closure of the Atlantic gateway. Evaporites accumulated in the Red Sea Basin (late Miocene), in the Carpatian foredeep (middle Miocene) and in the whole Mediterranean area (Messinian). An accurate age estimate of the MSC—5.96 Ma—has recently been astronomically achieved; furthermore, this event seems to have occurred synchronously. The beginning of the MSC is supposed to have been of tectonic origin; however, an astronomical control (eccentricity) might also have been involved. In the Mediterranean basin, diatomites are regularly found underneath the evaporite deposits, thus suggesting (albeit not clearly so far) a connection between their geneses.
The present-day Atlantic gateway, i.e. the Strait of Gibraltar, finds its origin in the early Pliocene. However, two other connections between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea existed in the past: the Betic Corridor (southern Spain) and the Rifian Corridor (northern Morocco). The former closed during Tortonian times, thus providing a "Tortonian Salinity Crisis" well before the MSC; the latter closed about 6 Ma, allowing exchanges in the mammal fauna between Africa and Europe. Nowadays, evaporation is more relevant than the water yield supplied by riverine water and precipitation, so that salinity in the Mediterranean is higher than in the Atlantic. These conditions result in the outflow of warm saline Mediterranean deep water across Gibraltar, which is in turn counterbalanced by an inflow of a less saline surface current of cold oceanic water.
The Mediterranean was once thought to be the remnant of the Tethys Ocean. It is now known to be a structurally younger ocean basin known as Neotethys. The Neotethys formed during the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic rifting of the African and Eurasian plates.
Paleoclimate
Because of its latitudinal position and its land-locked configuration, the Mediterranean is especially sensitive to astronomically induced climatic variations, which are well documented in its sedimentary record. Since the Mediterranean is involved in the deposition of eolian dust from the Sahara during dry periods, whereas riverine detrital input prevails during wet ones, the Mediterranean marine sapropel-bearing sequences provide high-resolution climatic information. These data have been employed in reconstructing astronomically calibrated time scales for the last 9 Ma of the Earth's history, helping to constrain the time of past Geomagnetic Reversals.[38] Furthermore, the exceptional accuracy of these paleoclimatic records have improved our knowledge of the Earth's orbital variations in the past.
Ecology and biota
As a result of the drying of the sea during the Messinian salinity crisis,[39] the marine biota of the Mediterranean are derived primarily from the Atlantic Ocean. The North Atlantic is considerably colder and more nutrient-rich than the Mediterranean, and the marine life of the Mediterranean has had to adapt to its differing conditions in the five million years since the basin was reflooded.
The Alboran Sea is a transition zone between the two seas, containing a mix of Mediterranean and Atlantic species. The Alboran Sea has the largest population of Bottlenose Dolphins in the western Mediterranean, is home to the last population of harbour porpoises in the Mediterranean, and is the most important feeding grounds for Loggerhead Sea Turtles in Europe. The Alboran sea also hosts important commercial fisheries, including sardines and swordfish. The Mediterranean monk seals live in the Aegean Sea in Greece. In 2003, the World Wildlife Fund raised concerns about the widespread drift net fishing endangering populations of dolphins, turtles, and other marine animals.
Environmental threats
Biodiversity
Invasive species
The Reticulate whipray is one of the species that colonised the eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal.
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 created the first salt-water passage between the Mediterranean and Red Sea. The Red Sea is higher than the Eastern Mediterranean, so the canal serves as a tidal strait that pours Red Sea water into the Mediterranean. The Bitter Lakes, which are hyper-saline natural lakes that form part of the canal, blocked the migration of Red Sea species into the Mediterranean for many decades, but as the salinity of the lakes gradually equalized with that of the Red Sea, the barrier to migration was removed, and plants and animals from the Red Sea have begun to colonise the Eastern Mediterranean. The Red Sea is generally saltier and more nutrient-poor than the Atlantic, so the Red Sea species have advantages over Atlantic species in the salty and nutrient-poor Eastern Mediterranean. Accordingly, Red Sea species invade the Mediterranean biota, and not vice versa; this phenomenon is known as the Lessepsian migration (after Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French engineer) or Erythrean invasion. The construction of the Aswan High Dam across the Nile River in the 1960s reduced the inflow of freshwater and nutrient-rich silt from the Nile into the Eastern Mediterranean, making conditions there even more like the Red Sea and worsening the impact of the invasive species.
Invasive species have become a major component of the Mediterranean ecosystem and have serious impacts on the Mediterranean ecology, endangering many local and endemic Mediterranean species. A first look at some groups of exotic species show that more than 70% of the non-indigenous decapods and about 63% of the exotic fishes occurring in the Mediterranean are of Indo Pacific origin,[40] introduced into the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. This makes the Canal as the first pathway of arrival of "alien" species into the Mediterranean. The impacts of some lessepsian species have proven to be considerable mainly in the Levantine basin of the Mediterranean, where they are replacing native species and becoming a "familiar sight".
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature definition, as well as Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Ramsar Convention terminologies, they are alien species, as they are non-native (non-indigenous) to the Mediterranean Sea, and they are outside their normal area of distribution which is the Indo-Pacific region. When these species succeed in establishing populations in the Mediterranean sea, compete with and begin to replace native species they are "Alien Invasive Species", as they are an agent of change and a threat to the native biodiversity. In the context of CBD, "introduction" refers to the movement by human agency, indirect or direct, of an alien species outside of its natural range (past or present). The Suez Canal, being an artificial (man made) canal, is a human agency. Lessepsian migrants are therefore "introduced" species (indirect, and unintentional). Whatever wording is chosen, they represent a threat to the native Mediterranean biodiversity, because they are non-indigenous to this sea. In recent years, the Egyptian government's announcement of its intentions to deepen and widen the canal have raised concerns from marine biologists, fearing that such an act will only worsen the invasion of Red Sea species into the Mediterranean, facilitating the crossing of the canal for yet additional species.
Arrival of new tropical Atlantic species
In recent decades, the arrival of exotic species from the tropical Atlantic has become a noticeable feature. Whether this reflects an expansion of the natural area of these species that now enter the Mediterranean through the Gibraltar strait, because of a warming trend of the water caused by Global Warming; or an extension of the maritime traffic; or is simply the result of a more intense scientific investigation, is still an open question. While not as intense as the "lessepsian" movement, the process may be scientific interest and may therefore warrant increased levels of monitoring.
Sea-level rise
By 2100, the overall level of the Mediterranean could rise between 3 to 61 cm (1.2 to 24.0 in) as a result of the effects of climate change.[42] This could have adverse effects on populations across the Mediterranean:
Rising sea levels will submerge parts of Malta. Rising sea levels will also mean rising salt water levels in Malta's groundwater supply and reduce the availability of drinking water.[43]
A 30 cm (12 in) rise in sea level would flood 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi) of the Nile Delta, displacing over 500,000 Egyptians.[44]
Coastal ecosystems also appear to be threatened by sea level rise, especially enclosed seas such as the Baltic, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. These seas have only small and primarily east-west movement corridors, which may restrict northward displacement of organisms in these areas.[45] Sea level rise for the next century (2100) could be between 30 cm (12 in) and 100 cm (39 in) and temperature shifts of a mere 0.05-0.1°C in the deep sea are sufficient to induce significant changes in species richness and functional diversity.
Pollution
Pollution in this region has been extremely high in recent years.[when?] The United Nations Environment Programme has estimated that 650,000,000 t (720,000,000 short tons) of sewage, 129,000 t (142,000 short tons) of mineral oil, 60,000 t (66,000 short tons) of mercury, 3,800 t (4,200 short tons) of lead and 36,000 t (40,000 short tons) of phosphates are dumped into the Mediterranean each year.[47] The Barcelona Convention aims to 'reduce pollution in the Mediterranean Sea and protect and improve the marine environment in the area, thereby contributing to its sustainable development.'[48] Many marine species have been almost wiped out because of the sea's pollution. One of them is the Mediterranean Monk Seal which is considered to be among the world's most endangered marine mammals.[49]
The Mediterranean is also plagued by marine debris. A 1994 study of the seabed using trawl nets around the coasts of Spain, France and Italy reported a particularly high mean concentration of debris; an average of 1,935 items per km². Plastic debris accounted for 76%, of which 94% was plastic bags.
Shipping
Some of the world's busiest shipping routes are in the Mediterranean Sea. It is estimated that approximately 220,000 merchant vessels of more than 100 tonnes cross the Mediterranean Sea each year—about one third of the world's total merchant shipping. These ships often carry hazardous cargo, which if lost would result in severe damage to the marine environment.
The discharge of chemical tank washings and oily wastes also represent a significant source of marine pollution. The Mediterranean Sea constitutes 0.7% of the global water surface and yet receives seventeen percent of global marine oil pollution. It is estimated that every year between 100,000 t (98,000 long tons) and 150,000 t (150,000 long tons) of crude oil are deliberately released into the sea from shipping activities.
Approximately 370,000,000 t (360,000,000 long tons) of oil are transported annually in the Mediterranean Sea (more than 20% of the world total), with around 250-300 oil tankers crossing the Sea every day. Accidental oil spills happen frequently with an average of 10 spills per year. A major oil spill could occur at any time in any part of the Mediterranean.
Tourism
With a unique combination of pleasant climate, beautiful coastline, rich history and diverse culture the Mediterranean region is the most popular tourist destination in the world—attracting approximately one third of the world's international tourists.
Tourism is one of the most important sources of income for many Mediterranean countries. It also supports small communities in coastal areas and islands by providing alternative sources of income far from urban centres. However, tourism has also played major role in the degradation of the coastal and marine environment. Rapid development has been encouraged by Mediterranean governments to support the large numbers of tourists visiting the region each year. But this has caused serious disturbance to marine habitats such as erosion and pollution in many places along the Mediterranean coasts.
Tourism often concentrates in areas of high natural wealth, causing a serious threat to the habitats of endangered Mediterranean species such as sea turtles and monk seals. Reductions in natural wealth may reduce incentives for tourists to visit
Overfishing
Fish stock levels in the Mediterranean Sea are alarmingly low. The European Environment Agency says that over 65% of all fish stocks in the region are outside safe biological limits and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, that some of the most important fisheries—such as albacore and bluefin tuna, hake, marlin, swordfish, red mullet and sea bream—are threatened.[date missing]
There are clear indications that catch size and quality have declined, often dramatically, and in many areas larger and longer-lived species have disappeared entirely from commercial catches.
Large open water fish like tuna have been a shared fisheries resource for thousands of years but the stocks are now dangerously low. In 1999, Greenpeace published a report revealing that the amount of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean had decreased by over 80% in the previous 20 years and government scientists warn that without immediate action the stock will collapse.
Aquacultur
Aquaculture is expanding rapidly—often without proper environmental assessment—and currently accounts for 30% of the fish protein consumed worldwide. The industry claims that farmed seafood lessens the pressure on wild fish stocks, yet many of the farmed species are carnivorous, consuming up to five times their weight in wild fish.
Mediterranean coastal areas are already over exposed to human influence, with pristine areas becoming ever scarcer. The aquaculture sector adds to this pressure, requiring areas of high water quality to set up farms. The installation of fish farms close to vulnerable and important habitats such as seagrass meadows is particularly concerning.
PENTAX K-1 • FF Mode • 100 ISO • Pentax HD DA* 11-18 mm F2.8 ED DC AW
Playa de la Barceloneta • Barcelona • España
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona
Barcelona is a city in Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within city limits, its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the Province of Barcelona and is home to around 4.8 million people, making it the sixth most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, London, Madrid, the Ruhr area and Milan. It is one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea, located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs, and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range, the tallest peak of which is 512 metres (1,680 feet) high.
Founded as a Roman city, in the Middle Ages Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, Barcelona continued to be an important city in the Crown of Aragon as an economic and administrative centre of this Crown and the capital of the Principality of Catalonia. Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination. Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner, which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean are located in Barcelona. The city is known for hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as world-class conferences and expositions and also many international sport tournaments.
Barcelona is one of the world's leading tourist, economic, trade fair and cultural centres, and its influence in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. It is a major cultural and economic centre in southwestern Europe, 24th in the world (before Zürich, after Frankfurt) and a financial centre. In 2008 it was the fourth most economically powerful city by GDP in the European Union and 35th in the world with GDP amounting to €177 billion. In 2012 Barcelona had a GDP of $170 billion; and it was leading Spain in employment rate in that moment.
In 2009 the city was ranked Europe's third and one of the world's most successful as a city brand. In the same year the city was ranked Europe's fourth best city for business and fastest improving European city, with growth improved by 17% per year, and the city has been experiencing strong and renewed growth for the past three years. Since 2011 Barcelona has been a leading smart city in Europe. Barcelona is a transport hub, with the Port of Barcelona being one of Europe's principal seaports and busiest European passenger port, an international airport, Barcelona–El Prat Airport, which handles over 50 million passengers per year, an extensive motorway network, and a high-speed rail line with a link to France and the rest of Europe.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museu_Nacional_d%27Art_de_Catalunya
The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (English: "National Art Museum of Catalonia"), abbreviated as MNAC, is the national museum of Catalan visual art located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Situated on Montjuïc hill at the end of Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, near Pl Espanya, the museum is especially notable for its outstanding collection of romanesque church paintings, and for Catalan art and design from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including modernisme and noucentisme. The museum is housed in the Palau Nacional, a huge, Italian-style building dating to 1929. The Palau Nacional, which has housed the Museu d'Art de Catalunya since 1934, was declared a national museum in 1990 under the Museums Law passed by the Catalan Government. That same year, a thorough renovation process was launched to refurbish the site, based on plans drawn up by the architects Gae Aulenti and Enric Steegmann, who were later joined in the undertaking by Josep Benedito. The Oval Hall was reopened in 1992 on the occasion of the Olympic Games, and the various collections were installed and opened over the period from 1995 (when the Romanesque Art section was reopened) to 2004. The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (Museu Nacional) was officially inaugurated on 16 December 2004. It is one of the largest museums in Spain.
33/365
My new lens arrived today, a Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX Macro!
I've wanted a macro for a long time and finally decided to take the plunge. I've had my eye on the Nikkor 105mm, but at almost $900, I couldn't talk myself into it. So, I consulted with Mrs. Macro and she said she liked her Sigma 150; that was all the convincing I needed!
I've only used it once, but so far I really like it. It is a huge lens; the biggest one I own. It is heavy and my Gorillapod SLR barely holds up under the weight. It comes with it's own carrying case and strap, which is nice. The focus seems really fast and the focus limiter switch is really nice to prevent unnecessary searching.
At first I was surprised when the aperture read > 2.8 when doing close up shots. I thought there was something wrong with the lens. It turns out that this is normal and the smaller aperture is the "effective" value.
Camera: Nikon D90 | Sigma 150mm ƒ/2.8 | ƒ/4.5 | ISO 200 | 1/200s
Strobist: Nikon SB-24 @ 1/16 through 43" Westcott, approx. 3' above subject, triggered via Cactus v4's.
Twitter: @ericmmartin
Project 365: A daily collection of photos tagged "project365" on Flickr
Vienne (prononcé /vjɛn/ ; Wien [viːn] en allemand Prononciation du titre dans sa version originale Écouter, Wean en austro-bavarois, Bécs en hongrois) est la capitale et la plus grande ville de l'Autriche. Elle est aussi un des neuf Land (État fédéré) du pays (en allemand Bundesland Wien).
Elle est située dans l'est du pays, et traversée par le Danube (Donau). Elle fut la capitale du Saint-Empire romain germanique ainsi que de l'Archiduché d'Autriche, de l'Empire d'Autriche (1804–1866) et plus tard de la double monarchie, communément appelée Autriche-Hongrie
Vienna (Listeni/viˈɛnə/;[8][9] German: Wien, pronounced [viːn] ( listen)) is the capital and largest city of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.8 million[1] (2.6 million within the metropolitan area,[4] nearly one third of Austria's population), and its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 7th-largest city by population within city limits in the European Union. Until the beginning of the 20th century, it was the largest German-speaking city in the world, and before the splitting of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I, the city had 2 million inhabitants.[10] Today, it has the second largest number of German speakers after Berlin.[11][12] Vienna is host to many major international organizations, including the United Nations and OPEC. The city is located in the eastern part of Austria and is close to the borders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. These regions work together in a European Centrope border region. Along with nearby Bratislava, Vienna forms a metropolitan region with 3 million inhabitants. In 2001, the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sevilla es un municipio y una ciudad de España, capital de la provincia homónima y de la comunidad autónoma de Andalucía. Cuenta con 689 434 habitantes en 2017,6 por lo que es la ciudad más poblada de Andalucía, la cuarta de España después de Madrid, Barcelona y Valencia y la 32.ª de la Unión Europea. El municipio tiene una extensión de 140,8 km². El área metropolitana de Sevilla está compuesta por 46 municipios, incluye a una población de 1 535 379 habitantes (INE, 2016), y ocupa una superficie de 4905,04 km².
Su casco antiguo es el más extenso de España y el sexto más grande de toda Europa tras los de Roma, Nápoles, Venecia, Florencia y Génova, con 3,94 kilómetros cuadrados, y su casco histórico uno de los más grandes de España (nótese la diferencia entre casco antiguo, que solo incluye la zona histórica anterior a la Revolución Industrial, y casco histórico, que abarca estadios posteriores). Su patrimonio histórico y monumental y sus diversos espacios escénicos y culturales la constituyen en ciudad receptora de turismo nacional e internacional, en efecto se trata de la tercera capital más visitada de España, tras Barcelona y Madrid.11 Entre sus monumentos más representativos se encuentran la catedral (que incluye la Giralda), el Alcázar, el Archivo de Indias y la Torre del Oro, de los que los tres primeros han sido declarados Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la Unesco de forma conjunta en 1987.
El puerto de Sevilla, situado a unos 70 km del océano Atlántico, es el único puerto marítimo de España en una ciudad de interior, pues el río Guadalquivir es navegable desde su desembocadura en Sanlúcar de Barrameda hasta la capital hispalense, aunque el tamaño de los barcos que acceden a la ciudad está limitado por una esclusa con un calado máximo de 8,5 m y el puente de circunvalación del Centenario que limita el calado aéreo a 42 m.
Sevilla dispone de una red desarrollada de transporte por carretera y ferrocarril, así como de un aeropuerto internacional. Es destacable la presencia histórica de la industria aeronáutica en la ciudad, así como de la industria militar.
Con la celebración de la Exposición Iberoamericana de 1929, la ciudad experimentó un gran desarrollo urbanístico marcado por la creación de parques y la construcción de edificios proyectados para dicho acontecimiento, como el parque de María Luisa o la plaza de España. La Exposición Universal de 1992 dejó como legado en la ciudad una importante mejora de la infraestructura, principalmente en las comunicaciones terrestres y aeronáuticas, entre las que destaca el acceso ferroviario del AVE a la estación de Santa Justa. Asimismo, el área de la Expo de 1992 se adaptó como sede del Parque Tecnológico Cartuja 93, sedes de la Universidad de Sevilla y el parque temático y de ocio Isla Mágica.
En 2014 se llevaron a cabo importantes proyectos en la ciudad, como la Torre Cajasol, el proyecto del Puerto Delicias o el Acuario Nuevo Mundo, algunos de ellos objeto de polémica debido a su posible impacto visual.
La Universidad de Sevilla, fundada en 1505, tiene más de 65 000 estudiantes. Asimismo, la Universidad Pablo de Olavide, cuenta más de 10 000 estudiantes. Son miles los estudiantes extranjeros que se matriculan en los programas Erasmus y cursos de español en la Universidad de Sevilla, que en 2006 fue una de las diez más visitadas de Europa junto con otras ocho universidades españolas.
Sevilla ha despertado desde antiguo, y especialmente durante la época del Romanticismo, la evocación de los artistas europeos, que ven en ella un lugar pintoresco y maravilloso. Tras los últimos estudios, se ha llegado a identificar un total de 150 óperas ambientadas en esta ciudad, como La fuerza del destino, Carmen, El barbero de Sevilla, Don Giovanni o Las bodas de Fígaro.
Seville (/səˈvɪl/; Spanish: Sevilla [seˈβiʎa]) is a Spanish city, the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir River, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Seville has a municipal population of about 690,000 as of 2016, and a metropolitan population of about 1.5 million, making it the largest city in Andalusia, the fourth-largest city in Spain and the 30th most populous municipality in the European Union. Its Old Town, with an area of 4 square kilometres (2 sq mi), contains three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Alcázar palace complex, the Cathedral and the General Archive of the Indies. The Seville harbour, located about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the Atlantic Ocean, is the only river port in Spain. Seville experiences high temperatures in the Summer, with daily maximums routinely above 35 °C (95 °F) in July and August.
Seville was founded as the Roman city of Hispalis. It became known as Ishbiliyya after the Muslim conquest in 712. During the Muslim rule in Spain, Seville came under the jurisdiction of the Caliphate of Córdoba before becoming the independent Taifa of Seville; later it was ruled by the Muslim Almoravids and the Almohads until finally being incorporated into the Christian Kingdom of Castile under Ferdinand III in 1248. After the discovery of the Americas, Seville became one of the economic centres of the Spanish Empire as its port monopolised the trans-oceanic trade and the Casa de Contratación (House of Trade) wielded its power, opening a Golden Age of arts and literature. In 1519, Ferdinand Magellan departed from Seville for the first circumnavigation of the Earth. Coinciding with the Baroque period of European history, the 17th century in Seville represented the most brilliant flowering of the city's culture; then began a gradual economic and demographic decline as silting in the Guadalquivir forced the trade monopoly to relocate to the nearby port of Cádiz.
The 20th century in Seville saw the tribulations of the Spanish Civil War, decisive cultural milestones such as the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929 and Expo '92, and the city's election as the capital of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia.
A New Hope & Ivyland Santa Steam Spectacular train clear the Yard Limits of New Hope, PA and continues on its way to Lahaska as it rolls alongside the Aquetong Creek.
I took this shot already some days ago when it got very cold here in Finland (-25°C / -13°F). For those who might find it an odd scene, it's an ice hole where people go to swim from the sauna. It sure looks terribly cold in the picture with the icicles and all, but it's really a relaxing experience that many here do, sometimes on a daily basis. Though, I do have to admit that stepping down in to cold water does exceed a bit my own personal threshold of comfort, but it has always been a very positive experience when I've actually done it – this time I got to stay behind the camera.
As you have probably noticed, I've used the ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 a lot during the couple of weeks. Why is that you may wonder and I've been wondering this same question. One reason behind this preference is most probably the fact I used to shoot a lot with Nex-5N & SEL 50/1.8 OSS (equivalence of 75mm on a full frame) and my way of looking things is kind of 'hardwired' to this focal length. A bit of tele-compression but not too much. Lots of potential for bokeh and not too skewed lines even if position of the camera differs from the parallax-axel. It's a very nice focal length which offers loads of possibilities, though I find the difference between 75mm and 85mm to be more than I thought – it takes a bit to get used to take few more steps back.
Another reason favoring the Batis 1.8/85 comes from the lens itself. The first thing many have noticed when shooting with this lens is the sharpness it delivers already from wide open at f/1.8. Now, before I continue I have to add that I find the existing 'sharpness-race' to be a little bit constrained since many modern lenses are already sharp enough and much of the absolute sharpness never materializes in those mediums that people use for their photographs (screens and relatively small photographic papers). Sure, it provides a crude way to separate lenses from each other in product competition, but we never seem to stop and think what is enough. However, having said all this I have to admit that I am indeed pretty impressed with the sharpness that Batis 1.8/85 brings wide open. While it's beautiful performance from the technological point of view, I like even more a certain confidence that it brings to my photography. To understand where I'm coming from with this, you have remember that I spent years shooting with the Nex-5N & SEL 50/1.8 OSS. While the SEL 50/1.8 is still a great lens on its own right, I always had to careful to use it wide open at f/1.8 since it lost much of the sharpness & contrast at that aperture (stop it down to f/2.2 and it gets a lot better). With the Batis 1.8/85 I simply don't need to think about the technological limits of the lens at all, which means more freedom and confidence to me. I believe this is, together with the optical image stabilization, one thing that makes me like this lens a lot. As paradoxical it sounds the optical performance of the Batis 1.8/85 is great because I don't have to think about it all when using it.
If you have read any reviews regarding the Batis 1.8/85 this is probably no surprise to you as many others have already reported similar findings regarding the sharpness. To me this confidence of the optical performance definitely describes one trait of this lens and getting to know other aspects as well is the key to understanding its characteristics in total. And the Batis 1.8/85 definitely has other traits as well, most probably one of them being bokeh, but I'm unlocking this lens slowly and taking my time with it – as I do have almost one full year to go. It seems that the Batis 1.8/85 is my first favorite of the setup I'm using, but I'm in no hurry and I want to enjoy the ride to the fullest.
Days of Zeiss: www.daysofzeiss.com
Colors after Sunset, at 2340 m. (Helmos mt.)
Photography and Licensing: doudoulakis.blogspot.com/
My books concerning natural phenomena / Τα βιβλία μου σχετικά με τα φυσικά φαινόμενα: www.facebook.com/TaFisikaFainomena/
flickriver.com/photos/javier1949/popular-interesting/
Taller y Oficina de Coordinación (en parte de la antigua nave 8)
Arquitecto: Arturo Franco 2010
Espacio de uso polivalente dedicado a la formación y la producción artística (El Taller), al Archivo Matadero y a oficina y sala de reuniones (Oficina de Coordinación). La intervención ha consistido en la introducción en el espacio interior de tejas planas y aparejadas previamente recuperadas de una cubierta en mal estado, la restitución de la cubierta de teja, el reforzamiento estructural del conjunto y el acabado del interior con maderas viejas que aíslan el conjunto para dar servicio a los nuevos usos de las salas. Pero lo más innovador es que se trata de un proyecto bioclimático, porque la teja contribuye al confort térmico, acústico y sostenible del edificio, que ha sido reinventado, con elementos pertenecientes a su entorno.
MATADERO MADRID - CENTRO DE CREACIÓN CONTEMPORÁNEA Antiguos Matadero y Mercado Municipal de Ganados
Pº de la Chopera, 2 a 14 C/V a Pza. de Legazpi 8, Vado de Santa Catalina y Av. del Manzanares. Madrid.
Actuación inicial: Luis Bellido González, arquitecto y José Eugenio Ribera Autaste, ingeniero. 1910 (Proyecto) 1910-1925 (Obras).
Matadero de aves y gallinas: Luis Bellido González y Francisco Javier Ferrero Llusiá: 1926 (Proyecto) 1932-1933 (Obras).
Acondicionamiento de la Casa del Reloj, Nave de Terneras y pabellones de acceso para Junta Municipal del Distrito de Arganzuela y salas culturales y deportivas: Rafael Fernández-Rañada Gándara: 1983 (Proyecto) 1983-1984 (Obras).
Rehabilitación de la “nave de patatas” para Invernadero-Palacio de Cristal, antiguo parque del matadero y consolidación estructural de naves del recinto sur: Guillermo Costa Pérez-Herrero: 1990 (Proyecto) 1990-1992 (Obras).
Adaptación de naves para sedes del Ballet Nacional y Compañía Nacional de Danza: Antonio Fernández-Alba y José Luis Castillo-Puche Figueira 1990 (Proyecto) 1993-1999 (Obras)
Vestíbulo y Espacio Intermediae. (nave 17c) Arquitectos Arturo Franco y Fabrice Van Teslaar en colaboración con el arquitecto de interiores Diego Castellanos 2006-07
Naves del Español (naves 10, 11 y 12) Arquitectos Emilio Esteras 2007-10 y Justo Benito 2009-10
Central de Diseño (nave 17) Arquitecto José Antonio García Roldán 2007
Taller y Oficina de Coordinación (parte de la nave 8) Arquitecto Arturo Franco 2010
Calle y Plaza Matadero Arquitectos Ginés Garrido, Carlos Rubio y Fernando Porras 2011
ESCARAVOX Andrés Jaque Arquitectos 2012
Depósito de especies y nuevo acceso por Legazpi. BCP Ingenieros -Luis Benito Olmeda y Francisco Calderón- con María Langarita y Víctor Navarro arquitectos. 2011
Nave 16 Arquitectos: Alejandro Vírseda, José Ignacio Carnicero e Ignacio Vila Almazán, 2011
Nave de Música (Nave 15) Arquitectos: María Langarita y Víctor Navarro, en colaboración con el diseñador mexicano Jerónimo Hagerman, 2011
Cineteca y Cantina Archivo Documenta (nave 17 c, d, e y f) Arquitectos: José María Churtichaga y Cayetana de la Quadra Salcedo 2011
Casa del Lector. Centro Internacional para la Investigación, el Desarrollo y la Difusión de la Lectura de la Fundación Germán Sánchez Ruipérez. (naves 13 y 14, 17b y tres crujías de la nave 17. Arquitecto Antón García Abril. Diseño gráfico y señalización: Alberto Corazón. Interiorismo Jesús Moreno y Asociados 2012
El arquitecto Joaquín Saldaña resulta ganador del concurso convocado por el Ayuntamiento de Madrid el año 1899 para la realización de los nuevos matadero y mercado municipal de ganados en la Dehesa de La Arganzuela, junto al Manzanares, si bien, finalmente las obras se realizan de acuerdo con el proyecto redactado en 1910 por Luis Bellido, arquitecto de propiedades del Ayuntamiento, con la colaboración de J. Eugenio Ribera, ingeniero de reconocido prestigio. El conjunto arquitectónico se compone de 48 edificios agrupados en cinco sectores de producción: dirección y administración, matadero, mercado de abastos, mercado de trabajo y sección sanitaria, cuenta además con viviendas para el personal y capilla; también de sistema de circulaciones y ferrocarril propios... una autentica ciudad laboral.
Sigue el sistema alemán de pabellones aislados, relacionados por medio de viales y presididos por un edificio administrativo, la "Casa del Reloj" situado sobre el eje principal de la composición. Por sus características arquitectónicas y por su escala es uno de los conjuntos edificados más significativos de Madrid. Se advierte en él una unidad estilística y constructiva derivada del uso racional en sus fábricas de tres materiales esenciales ladrillo, mampostería y cerámica, y una cuidadosa introducción de elementos metálicos en la estructura; además de otros aspectos significativos como el empleo de un lenguaje de inspiración neomudéjar muy atenuado, habitual en la arquitectura industrial de la época. El matadero de Madrid sirve de modelo para la construcción en España de este tipo de edificios.
Para el crítico González Amezqueta "Es un ejemplo de gran calidad de arquitectura industrial perfectamente insertado en los procedimientos del ladrillo, con derivaciones hacia el neomudéjar. La mecánica funcional de los procesos laborales no impide discretas acentuaciones ornamentales, ya que todo el proceso constructivo es estrictamente artesanal, con predominio de las técnicas fabricadas del ladrillo en las partes más acertadas".
En 1926, en zona próxima al Vado de Santa Catalina, proyecta Bellido el matadero de gallinas y aves, siendo realizadas las obras, entre 1932 y 1933, bajo la dirección de Francisco Javier Ferrero con la introducción de una clara y cuidada estructura de hormigón pionera en la ciudad y en la que reside uno de sus valores principales.
A partir de 1940 se llevan a cabo diferentes remodelaciones y ampliaciones, entre ellas la de la nave de patatas, el pabellón de autopsias y los abrevaderos.
En la década de 1980, perdida su función original, el Departamento de Conservación de Edificios del Ayuntamiento comienza la rehabilitación sistemática de los edificios del conjunto para su uso como contenedores de actividades culturales, sociales, deportivas y administrativas propias del Ayuntamiento; primero bajo la dirección de Rafael Fernández-Rañada, que acondiciona la Casa del Reloj para Junta Municipal del Distrito de Arganzuela y la nave de terneras para sala cultural y deportiva, y después, de Guillermo Costa que realiza el Palacio de Cristal (rehabilitación de la nave de patatas para invernadero) y el parque del matadero, con la colaboración del ingeniero, también municipal, M. Ángel Martínez Lucio.
Desde 1996 Costa continúa la consolidación estructural de fachadas y cubiertas de 7 naves del recinto sur, sin un uso predeterminado y en distintas fases, a la espera de la realización del proyecto para su adecuación a nuevas actividades de carácter cultural, comercial o de ocio. Finalmente, el conjunto edificado se incluye en el catálogo de bienes a conservar dentro del Plan General de Ordenación Urbana de 1997.
En el extremo norte parte de las antiguas naves de estabulación son cedidas al Instituto Nacional de Artes Escénicas y de la Música (INAEM) para establecer en ellas las sedes del Ballet Nacional de España y de la Compañía Nacional de Danza, según proyecto de Fernández Alba y Castillo-Puche, concluyéndose las obras de adaptación en 1999.
En 2005 se aprueba la modificación del Plan Especial de Intervención, Adecuación Arquitectónica y Control Urbanístico-Ambiental de Usos del recinto del antiguo matadero municipal, que incrementa el uso cultural hasta el 75% del total.
A partir de 2006 el Ayuntamiento se plantea rehabilitar en distintas fases, mediante proyectos derivados de concursos de arquitectura, este inmenso contenedor de casi 150.000 m2, para albergar multitud de eventos y encuentros, fomentando la creatividad de artistas de múltiples especialidades. El conjunto se convierte en un núcleo de actividad cultural que alberga las más importantes citas de la ciudad. Así, se inician actuaciones para convertir el recinto en centro de apoyo a la creación, en campo de experimentación de la nueva arquitectura, pero siguiendo los criterios de intervención del Plan Especial, que establece la preservación de la envolvente de las naves. La línea maestra que ha guiado las intervenciones es la reversibilidad, de modo que los edificios pueden ser fácilmente devueltos a su estado original. Las actuaciones mantienen expresamente las huellas del pasado para reforzar el carácter experimental de las nuevas instituciones que alojan. Se ha buscado el equilibrio entre el respeto máximo al espacio, y una dotación específica, que lo distinga, a través del uso limitado de materiales industriales directos y que, al mismo tiempo, dé servicio a los diferentes usos que pueda albergar.
En 2012, tras la visita del jurado de los premios FAD a Matadero Madrid, decidió reconocer la labor en conjunto de todos los arquitectos que han participado en el proceso de reforma. El fallo valora “tanto la actitud global de la propuesta, que apuesta de una forma valiente por la experimentación y el respeto a los espacios de libertad gestionados desde la sociedad civil, como la conceptualización del proyecto, desde su inicio en el 2007 con la rehabilitación del vestíbulo y el espacio Intermediae, hasta las recientes intervenciones de la Nave 16 y la Nave de Música finalistas en la presente edición de los Premios FAD”. Así mismo, el jurado destacó de Matadero Madrid “la inteligencia colectiva, la unidad que le viene inferida por la arquitectura industrial preexistente, y que con un mínimo de protagonismo exterior de las nuevas intervenciones, en el interior resuelve con rigor y autenticidad las diversas necesidades del extenso programa del centro, buscando no sólo mantener los espacios arquitectónicos y formas estructurales, sino también el carácter, la atmósfera y sobre todo el irrepetible paso del tiempo”.
Ese mismo año el Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Madrid otorgó uno de sus premios a las intervenciones en la Cineteca y Archivo Documenta, y en la Nave 16. Por último, destaca la interconexión de Matadero Madrid y Madrid Río mediante la urbanización de los espacios públicos -Calle y Plaza Matadero- por el mismo equipo de arquitectos -Ginés Garrido, Carlos Rubio y Fernando Porras- que proyectó Madrid Río. Está previsto además que dicha conexión, gracias a dos nuevos accesos, se amplíe entre diciembre de 2012 y julio de 2013. Madrid Río ha recibido, entre otros premios, el International Architecture Award 2012 del Chicago Athenaeum of Architecture and Design y el European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, el Premio de Diseño Urbano y Paisajismo Internacional otorgado por el Comité de Críticos de Arquitectura CICA, en el marco de la XIII Bienal de Buenos Aires; o el Premio FAD de Ciudad y Paisaje 2012, entre otros galardones.
I'm making the most of that $5 rose (3 shots so far). Blood is not real - although I was so lazy this morning it would have been easier to just prick myself than mix this stuff. Hard part was getting the drop as it was about to fall. PP in Adobe Lightroom.
Oh yes, the thorn is naturally red in colour - I didn't do anything to it and it's not covered in "blood".
Strobist info:
SB-24 @ 1/8 power in DIY softbox at camera left and the same at camera right. I thought about doing something to get rid of the shadow in the center of the stem, but I really liked it so I kept it that way.
Fort Lauderdale /ˌfɔərt ˈlɔːdərdeɪl/ (frequently abbreviated as Ft. Lauderdale) is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, 28 miles (45 km) north of Miami. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people at the 2015 census.
The city is a popular tourist destination, with an average year-round temperature of 75.5 °F (24.2 °C) and 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. Greater Fort Lauderdale which takes in all of Broward County hosted 12 million visitors in 2012, including 2.8 million international visitors. The city and county in 2012 collected $43.9 million from the 5% hotel tax it charges, after hotels in the area recorded an occupancy rate for the year of 72.7 percent and an average daily rate of $114.48. The district has 561 hotels and motels comprising nearly 35,000 rooms. Forty six cruise ships sailed from Port Everglades in 2012. Greater Fort Lauderdale has over 4,000 restaurants, 63 golf courses, 12 shopping malls, 16 museums, 132 nightclubs, 278 parkland campsites, and 100 marinas housing 45,000 resident yachts.
Fort Lauderdale is named after a series of forts built by the United States during the Second Seminole War. The forts took their name from Major William Lauderdale (1782–1838), younger brother of Lieutenant Colonel James Lauderdale. William Lauderdale was the commander of the detachment of soldiers who built the first fort. However, development of the city did not begin until 50 years after the forts were abandoned at the end of the conflict. Three forts named "Fort Lauderdale" were constructed; the first was at the fork of the New River, the second at Tarpon Bend on the New River between the Colee Hammock and Rio Vista neighborhoods, and the third near the site of the Bahia Mar Marina.
The area in which the city of Fort Lauderdale would later be founded was inhabited for more than two thousand years by the Tequesta Indians. Contact with Spanish explorers in the 16th century proved disastrous for the Tequesta, as the Europeans unwittingly brought with them diseases, such as smallpox, to which the native populations possessed no resistance. For the Tequesta, disease, coupled with continuing conflict with their Calusa neighbors, contributed greatly to their decline over the next two centuries. By 1763, there were only a few Tequesta left in Florida, and most of them were evacuated to Cuba when the Spanish ceded Florida to the British in 1763, under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763), which ended the Seven Years' War. Although control of the area changed between Spain, United Kingdom, the United States, and the Confederate States of America, it remained largely undeveloped until the 20th century.
The Fort Lauderdale area was known as the "New River Settlement" before the 20th century. In the 1830s there were approximately 70 settlers living along the New River. William Cooley, the local Justice of the Peace, was a farmer and wrecker, who traded with the Seminole Indians. On January 6, 1836, while Cooley was leading an attempt to salvage a wrecked ship, a band of Seminoles attacked his farm, killing his wife and children, and the children's tutor. The other farms in the settlement were not attacked, but all the white residents in the area abandoned the settlement, fleeing first to the Cape Florida Lighthouse on Key Biscayne, and then to Key West.
The first United States stockade named Fort Lauderdale was built in 1838, and subsequently was a site of fighting during the Second Seminole War. The fort was abandoned in 1842, after the end of the war, and the area remained virtually unpopulated until the 1890s. It was not until Frank Stranahan arrived in the area in 1893 to operate a ferry across the New River, and the Florida East Coast Railroad's completion of a route through the area in 1896, that any organized development began. The city was incorporated in 1911, and in 1915 was designated the county seat of newly formed Broward County.
Fort Lauderdale's first major development began in the 1920s, during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. The 1926 Miami Hurricane and the Great Depression of the 1930s caused a great deal of economic dislocation. In July 1935, an African-American man named Rubin Stacy was accused of robbing a white woman at knife point. He was arrested and being transported to a Miami jail when police were run off the road by a mob. A group of 100 white men proceeded to hang Stacy from a tree near the scene of his alleged robbery. His body was riddled with some twenty bullets. The murder was subsequently used by the press in Nazi Germany to discredit US critiques of its own persecution of Jews, Communists, and Catholics.
When World War II began, Fort Lauderdale became a major US base, with a Naval Air Station to train pilots, radar operators, and fire control operators. A Coast Guard base at Port Everglades was also established.
On July 4, 1961 African Americans started a series of protests, wade-ins, at beaches that were off-limits to them, to protest "the failure of the county to build a road to the Negro beach". On July 11, 1962 a verdict by Ted Cabot went against the city's policy of racial segregation of public beaches.
Today, Fort Lauderdale is a major yachting center, one of the nation's largest tourist destinations, and the center of a metropolitan division with 1.8 million people.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lauderdale,_Florida
*******************************************************************************
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is a town in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 6,056. It is part of the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010 census.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
Cleethorpes Pier opened in 1873 on August Bank Holiday, it originally cost £8,000 and was financed by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (later the Great Central Railway).
The original pavilion was destroyed by fire in 1903 but in 1905 a new one was built, halfway along the pier, and also a cafeteria and shops at the entry from the promenade. The pavilion offered a venue for dances and concerts.
Originally 1,200 feet (370 m) in length to span the unusually large distance between low and high tide limits, the pier comprised a timber deck and pavilion (constructed in 1888) supported on iron piles. A section was cut out of the pier during the Second World War to impede its use in any German invasion attempt.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London
London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom. Standing on the River Thames in the south-east of England, at the head of its 50-mile (80 km) estuary leading to the North Sea, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. Londinium was founded by the Romans. The City of London, London's ancient core − an area of just 1.12 square miles (2.9 km2) and colloquially known as the Square Mile − retains boundaries that follow closely its medieval limits. The City of Westminster is also an Inner London borough holding city status. Greater London is governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.
London is considered to be one of the world's most important global cities and has been termed the world's most powerful, most desirable, most influential, most visited, most expensive, innovative, sustainable, most investment friendly, most popular for work, and the most vegetarian friendly city in the world. London exerts a considerable impact upon the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transportation. London ranks 26 out of 300 major cities for economic performance. It is one of the largest financial centres and has either the fifth or sixth largest metropolitan area GDP. It is the most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the busiest city airport system as measured by passenger traffic. It is the leading investment destination, hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city. London's universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe. In 2012, London became the first city to have hosted three modern Summer Olympic Games.
London has a diverse range of people and cultures, and more than 300 languages are spoken in the region. Its estimated mid-2016 municipal population (corresponding to Greater London) was 8,787,892, the most populous of any city in the European Union and accounting for 13.4% of the UK population. London's urban area is the second most populous in the EU, after Paris, with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census. The population within the London commuter belt is the most populous in the EU with 14,040,163 inhabitants in 2016. London was the world's most populous city from c. 1831 to 1925.
London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; Kew Gardens; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and St Margaret's Church; and the historic settlement in Greenwich where the Royal Observatory, Greenwich defines the Prime Meridian, 0° longitude, and Greenwich Mean Time. Other landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square and The Shard. London has numerous museums, galleries, libraries and sporting events. These include the British Museum, National Gallery, Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, British Library and West End theatres. The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground
The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground, or by its nickname the Tube) is a public rapid transit system serving London, England and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom.
The Underground has its origins in the Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground passenger railway. Opened in January 1863, it is now part of the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines; the first line to operate underground electric traction trains, the City & South London Railway in 1890, is now part of the Northern line. The network has expanded to 11 lines, and in 2017/18 carried 1.357 billion passengers, making it the world's 11th busiest metro system. The 11 lines collectively handle up to 5 million passengers a day.
The system's first tunnels were built just below the surface, using the cut-and-cover method; later, smaller, roughly circular tunnels—which gave rise to its nickname, the Tube—were dug through at a deeper level. The system has 270 stations and 250 miles (400 km) of track. Despite its name, only 45% of the system is underground in tunnels, with much of the network in the outer environs of London being on the surface. In addition, the Underground does not cover most southern parts of Greater London, with fewer than 10% of the stations located south of the River Thames.
The early tube lines, originally owned by several private companies, were brought together under the "UndergrounD" brand in the early 20th century and eventually merged along with the sub-surface lines and bus services in 1933 to form London Transport under the control of the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB). The current operator, London Underground Limited (LUL), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London (TfL), the statutory corporation responsible for the transport network in Greater London. As of 2015, 92% of operational expenditure is covered by passenger fares. The Travelcard ticket was introduced in 1983 and Oyster, a contactless ticketing system, in 2003. Contactless card payments were introduced in 2014, the first public transport system in the world to do so.
The LPTB was a prominent patron of art and design, commissioning many new station buildings, posters and public artworks in a modernist style. The schematic Tube map, designed by Harry Beck in 1931, was voted a national design icon in 2006 and now includes other TfL transport systems such as the Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, Crossrail (which is officially called Elizabeth Line) and Tramlink. Other famous London Underground branding includes the roundel and Johnston typeface, created by Edward Johnston in 1916.