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La Sacra di San Michele és una abadia ubicada dalt del cim Pirchiriano, de 936 metres, que tanca la vall de Susa al Piemont, i obre les vistes a la plana de Torí.
A la seva falda, des de la qual es pot contemplar la vertiginosa altura, tant de la muntanya com dels edificis, s'hi troben la petita localitat de Ciusa, conquerida per Carlemany entre els anys 773 i 774, abans d'envair la plana de Torí. Aquest monestir benedictí, que els torinesos anomenen simplement La Sacra, és un dels edificis més famosos i més excepcionals del romànic a Europa. Per a accedir al complex monàstic s'han de pujar 243 graons esgotadors, però una vegada al cim es pot gaudir d'unes vistes sorprenents dels voltants.
La massissa arquitectura del monestir, que sembla una fortificació, deixa una petjada profunda. Les roques es fonen amb els fonaments i amb les escales de les tres capelles que constitueixen el complex, junt amb l'església de Sant Miquel. En el segle VII o en el VIII ja existia en la roca un petit oratori, abans que arribés el duc Hug von Montoissier, l'any 999, i ordenés construir un monestir i un alberg per a pelegrins. El conjunt es consagrà a l'arcàngel sant Miquel, l'àngel que custodia les altures i les profunditats. De la mateixa manera que les altres esglésies i monestirs dedicats a sant Miquel, aquest complex també es troba en un lloc que entranya perill: l'ascens a les esferes celestials és costerut i la caiguda amenaça ser profunda.
La Sacra va viure el seu floriment en els segles XI i XII, ja que es troba en l'encreuament de tres camins de peregrinació medievals: la via Francigena, de Canterbury a Roma, el camí de Sant Jaume i el camí de Sant Miquel, des del mont Saint-Michel a Bretanya, fins al monte Sant'Angelo, a la regió de la Pulla (Itàlia). Encara avui arriben pelegrins d'arreu del món, que aprofiten l'hospitalitat dels monjos i troben en aquest lloc un centre d'espiritualitat molt especial.
En el segle XX es donà a conèixer la Sacra di San Michele arreu del món mercès a la novel·la El nom de la rosa, d'Umberto Eco, el qual s'inspirà en aquest impressionant monestir per escriure la seva obra. Tot i la imposant abadia de la Sacra, el film es va rodar al monestir cistercenc d'Eberbach (Alemanya), molt més accessible. Umberto Eco va quedar tan descontent de la pel·lícula que va renunciar a vendre els drets de cap més novel·la seva.
*** *** ***
I'm stampolina and I love to take photos of stamps. Thanks for visiting this pages on flickr.
I'm neither a typical collector of stamps, nor a stamp dealer. I'm only a stamp photograph. I'm fascinated of the fine close-up structures which are hidden in this small stamp-pictures. Please don't ask of the worth of these stamps - the most ones have a worth of a few cents or still less.
By the way, I wanna say thank you to all flickr users who have sent me stamps! Great! Thank you! Someone sent me 3 or 5 stamps, another one sent me more than 20 stamps in a letter. It's everytime a great surprise for me and I'm everytime happy to get letters with stamps inside from you!
thx, stampolina
For the case you wanna send also stamps - it is possible. (...I'm pretty sure you'll see these stamps on this photostream on flickr :) thx!
stampolina68
Mühlenweg 3/2
3244 Ruprechtshofen
Austria - Europe
* * * * * * * * *
beautiful stamp 13c USA Liberty Bell USA postage 13c United States of America timbre stamp selo franco bollo Stamp USA United States of America timbre États-Unis u.s. postage selo Estados Unidos sello USA francobolli USA Stati Uniti d'America почтовая марка США pullar ABD 邮票 美国 Měiguó USA Briefmarken 郵便切手 切手 アメリカ डाक टिकटों अमेरिका γραμματόσημα ΗΠΑ แสตมป์ ประเทศสหรัฐอเมริกา Damga pulu pulları ABD poštové známky Spojené štáty americké 우표 미국 perangko perangko Amerika Serikat בולי דואר ארצות הברית
Thanks to Mija and a lot of free photo editors,Opatija was one of the best places with gentle people on my way to Pulla ( Istria)
Pilli: "Simsalabim! A rabbit out of a hat!"
Pulla; "A stuffed rabbit out of the Mad Hatter's hat! That's really magical!"
(Toy Sunday: Magic)
No muíño
Xa dá voltas o rodicio;
xa a moega tringuilea sin cesar;
xa escomenza o reboldicio;
xa está empezada a tarea pra muiñar.
(...)
I entrementres as pullas dos mozos
i os contos das vellas se deixan ouir,
as rapazas, buscando algueireo,
rebrincan e troulan á lus do candil.
Emprincipia o rebumbio
da trangallada,
i a mocedá tolea
porque hai ruada.
¡Ei polo eixe!
Xa andan mozos e mozas
todos nun feixe.
Mézcrase o traque traque
do tanguedoiro
coa risotada franca
do brincadoiro.
Troulan as nenas...
¡Queira Dios que esas troulas
non traian penas!
Eladio Rodríguez González, Folerpas, 1894.
MÚSICA: Mari Boine Persen - Vuoi Vuoi Mu
Este género está formado por infinidad de especies, algunas de ellas bastante similares y seguramente haya pendientes de describir para la ciencia, Panamá es especialmente rico en especies de Argia.
Castel del Monte, Andria, Puglia, Italia.
Castel del Monte, Andria, Apulia, Italy.
Romànic, Gòtic, Musulmà
CATALÀ
El Castel del Monte és un edifici del segle XIII construït per Frederic II, a Pulla, a la ciutat d'Andria, prop de Santa Maria del Monte.
El seu origen se situa oficialment el 29 de gener de 1240, quan Frederic II Hohenstaufen va ordenar que es preparessin els materials i tot el necessari per construir un castell prop de l'església de Santa Maria de Monte (ja desapareguda). Aquesta data, però, no és acceptada per tots els estudiosos: segons alguns, de fet, la construcció del castell en aquell moment ja havia arribat a les teulades.
No queda clara l'atribució a un determinat arquitecte: alguns l'atribueixen a Richard Lentini, però molts sostenen que la construcció del disseny és del mateix Frederic II. Sembla que va ser construït sobre les ruïnes d'una fortalesa anterior, primer Llombarda i després Normanda. Probablement a la mort de Frederic II (que va tenir lloc a 1250) l'edifici encara no estava acabat.
Fou rarament utilitzat en celebracions, tot i així, el 1246 va haver-hi el casament de Violant, la filla il·legítima de Richard i Bianca Lancia amb el comte de Caserta Riccardo Caetani.
A partir del segle XVII va patir un llarg període d'abandonament, durant el qual el castell va ser espoliat de mobles i decoracions de marbre parietal (les restes encara són visibles, només per darrere dels capitells) i es va convertir així en una presó i en un refugi per als pastors, bandits i refugiats polítics. El 1876 el castell, en condicions de conservació summament precàries, va ser comprat finalment (per la suma de 25.000 £) per l'Estat italià, que en va preparar la restauració a partir de 1928. El 1936 va ser declarat monument nacional.
El 1996, la UNESCO l'ha inscrit a la llista de Patrimoni per la perfecció de les seves formes i per l'harmoniosa unió dels elements culturals del nord d'Europa i el món islàmic de clàssic, típic exemple d'arquitectura militar medieval.
Occasionally used as a hunting lodge under Manfred of Sicily, the castle become a state prison under the latter's victor, Charles I of Anjou: here Manfred's sons Henry, Azzo and Enzo were kept as prisoner after 1266, as well as other Hohenstaufen supporters[3]
The main wall is 25 m high and the eight bastions each 26 m. The sides of the main octagon are 16.5 m long and those of the octagonal towers each 3.1 m. The castle has a diameter of 56 m. Its main entrance faces east.
ENGLISH
Because of its relatively small size, it was once considered to be no more than a "hunting lodge", but scholars now believe it originally had a curtain wall and did serve as a citadel.[2] Frederick was responsible for the construction of many castles in Apulia, but Castel del Monte's geometric design was unique.The fortress is an octagonal prism with an octagonal tower at each corner. The towers were originally some 5 m higher than now, and they should perhaps include a third floor.[3] Both floors have eight rooms and an eight-sided courtyard occupies the castle's centre.[6] Each of the main rooms has vaulted ceilings. Three of the corner towers contain staircases. The castle has two entrances, an unobtrusive service entrance and an ornate main entrance. Frederick's main entrance featured elements from classical design, and may have been influenced by Frederick's interest in Greco-Roman architecture.
The octagonal plan is unusual in castle design. Historians have debated the purpose of the building and it has been suggested that it was intended as a hunting lodge.[7] Another theory is that the octagon is an intermediate symbol between a square (representing the earth) and a circle (representing the sky). Frederick II may have been inspired to build to this shape by either the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, which he had seen during the Sixth Crusade, or by the Palace Chapel of Aachen Cathedral.
In 1996 Castel del Monte was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which described it as "a unique masterpiece of medieval military architecture”
WIKIPEDIA
Amtrak train #291, the Ethan Allen Express, pulla out the station in downtown Rutland, VT on its way to Burlington.
Castel del Monte, Andria, Puglia, Italia.
Castel del Monte, Andria, Apulia, Italy.
Romànic, Gòtic, Musulmà
CATALÀ
El Castel del Monte és un edifici del segle XIII construït per Frederic II, a Pulla, a la ciutat d'Andria, prop de Santa Maria del Monte.
El seu origen se situa oficialment el 29 de gener de 1240, quan Frederic II Hohenstaufen va ordenar que es preparessin els materials i tot el necessari per construir un castell prop de l'església de Santa Maria de Monte (ja desapareguda). Aquesta data, però, no és acceptada per tots els estudiosos: segons alguns, de fet, la construcció del castell en aquell moment ja havia arribat a les teulades.
No queda clara l'atribució a un determinat arquitecte: alguns l'atribueixen a Richard Lentini, però molts sostenen que la construcció del disseny és del mateix Frederic II. Sembla que va ser construït sobre les ruïnes d'una fortalesa anterior, primer Llombarda i després Normanda. Probablement a la mort de Frederic II (que va tenir lloc a 1250) l'edifici encara no estava acabat.
Fou rarament utilitzat en celebracions, tot i així, el 1246 va haver-hi el casament de Violant, la filla il·legítima de Richard i Bianca Lancia amb el comte de Caserta Riccardo Caetani.
A partir del segle XVII va patir un llarg període d'abandonament, durant el qual el castell va ser espoliat de mobles i decoracions de marbre parietal (les restes encara són visibles, només per darrere dels capitells) i es va convertir així en una presó i en un refugi per als pastors, bandits i refugiats polítics. El 1876 el castell, en condicions de conservació summament precàries, va ser comprat finalment (per la suma de 25.000 £) per l'Estat italià, que en va preparar la restauració a partir de 1928. El 1936 va ser declarat monument nacional.
El 1996, la UNESCO l'ha inscrit a la llista de Patrimoni per la perfecció de les seves formes i per l'harmoniosa unió dels elements culturals del nord d'Europa i el món islàmic de clàssic, típic exemple d'arquitectura militar medieval.
Occasionally used as a hunting lodge under Manfred of Sicily, the castle become a state prison under the latter's victor, Charles I of Anjou: here Manfred's sons Henry, Azzo and Enzo were kept as prisoner after 1266, as well as other Hohenstaufen supporters[3]
The main wall is 25 m high and the eight bastions each 26 m. The sides of the main octagon are 16.5 m long and those of the octagonal towers each 3.1 m. The castle has a diameter of 56 m. Its main entrance faces east.
ENGLISH
Because of its relatively small size, it was once considered to be no more than a "hunting lodge", but scholars now believe it originally had a curtain wall and did serve as a citadel.[2] Frederick was responsible for the construction of many castles in Apulia, but Castel del Monte's geometric design was unique.The fortress is an octagonal prism with an octagonal tower at each corner. The towers were originally some 5 m higher than now, and they should perhaps include a third floor.[3] Both floors have eight rooms and an eight-sided courtyard occupies the castle's centre.[6] Each of the main rooms has vaulted ceilings. Three of the corner towers contain staircases. The castle has two entrances, an unobtrusive service entrance and an ornate main entrance. Frederick's main entrance featured elements from classical design, and may have been influenced by Frederick's interest in Greco-Roman architecture.
The octagonal plan is unusual in castle design. Historians have debated the purpose of the building and it has been suggested that it was intended as a hunting lodge.[7] Another theory is that the octagon is an intermediate symbol between a square (representing the earth) and a circle (representing the sky). Frederick II may have been inspired to build to this shape by either the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, which he had seen during the Sixth Crusade, or by the Palace Chapel of Aachen Cathedral.
In 1996 Castel del Monte was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which described it as "a unique masterpiece of medieval military architecture”
WIKIPEDIA
What is better than a sidekick? Two sidekicks! Or maybe not...
Pulla: "I'm number one sidekick, I'll carry the big bucket!"
Pilli: "No! I'm number one! Give me the bucket! You can carry the bucket of worms!"
Monni: "Stop fighting, you idiots! All the worms are escaping!"
(Toy Sunday: Sidekick)
Orville Spencer
Early 1950s
Oil on wood
20th Finnish-American Festival, Naselle, Washington.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The obscure primitive artist Orville Spencer was the Brueghel of the mid-20th century logging industry.
I recently came across paintings by an obscure and very local artist. The occasion was the 20th Finnish American Festival at the school in historic Naselle, Washington. The place was a classroom full of logging memorabilia, where six or so yellowing paintings on board rested against the wall behind a rope line of plastic chains.
I will let this 1971 article about the artist from the Longview Daily News of Longview, Washington, speak for itself:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Where is artist Orville Spencer?"
By Richard Spiro
Daily News Staff Writer
NASELLE - Where is Orville Spencer now?
He was a logger. a decade or more ago in the Deep River area. A logger, and something more - Spencer was also an artist who took the scenes that were part of his everyday life and painted them on wood. Those familiar with such things refer to his work as "primitive .. style, and it is probable that he had no formal training. Yet he painted in great detail, as a camera would record the scene.
Varnished to preserve them, a half dozen of his works hang on the walls of the Naselle Cafe. Owner Larry Howell said Spencer had turned out the paintings in the early 1950s and that he had been offered $500 for just one of them.
His paintings are there but Orville Spencer has vanished. Some who knew him say he retired and moved to Astoria, but a check of various municipal records failed to locate him. And someone else in Naselle thought he had gone East.
The fact is we didn't locate anyone who was very familiar with this logger-painter. But if matters run true to form, this account might just turn up any number of people who know all about him.
Perhaps even Spencer himself.
Longview Daily News , Longview, Washington. Monday 15, November 15, 1971.
====================
The Finnish American Folk Festival celebrates its 40th year and 20th festival this July, having been held every other year since 1982 – and it’s all thanks to Finnish linguist Pertti Virtaranta and graduate student Hanelle Johnsson Korhola.
Curious about common word usage in Finnish communities, the researchers traveled across Canada and the American Midwest, then to Grays Harbor and the Lower Columbia region, where they interviewed Finnish residents.
At the time, Sue Pakenen Holway was already collecting historic photographs and writing down stories from local immigrants.
Korhola encouraged her to continue the work and expand her contacts. Holway, alongside others in Naselle who were intrigued with Finnish heritage, thought an outdoor festival displaying arts, music, crafts and food might be an appealing way to share their findings.
A group of interested organizers in the region soon applied for a grant from Humanities Washington, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts. They then recruited more than 60 volunteers to create a single-day event in 1982 at a local school.
They expected that perhaps a few hundred people might attend the new festival, but were astounded that over 3,000 partook in revelries that lasted until midnight. Thus, Naselle’s Finnish American Folk Festival was born.
This year’s festivities began at 10 a.m. on Friday with films, cultural programming and workshops in the commons of the Naselle School building. Welcome ceremonies and Maypole dancing were held at noon.
Late afternoon on Friday was filled with performances, including from the Soittorasia Finnish-American Trio. The group honored Wilho Saari, a late kantele player. Later, author Karl Marlantes and singer-songwriter Eeppi Ursin each took the stage.
“We are so excited to have Eeppi Ursin with us (on) both Friday and Saturday nights,” Barb Swanson, one of the festival’s organizers, said.
A flurry of events were scheduled for Saturday, starting early with a Pannukakku pancake breakfast and “Paavo Nurmi” run and walk at 8 a.m. Also slated were competitive games such as the wife-carry contest, boot toss and Nokia phone toss. An opening ceremony began at 10 a.m., when contest winners were announced.
“There’s so much to do. There will be special activities for kids, the tori marketplace with so many things to buy and eat,” Swanson said. “There also will be food demonstrations all day making Finnish specialties like pancakes, rye bread, flat bread or cinnamon rolls and exhibits of vintage items and art,” she added.
Grays River Grange sponsored a salmon dinner from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, while more musical performances were held at the Grabenhorst-Hall Fieldhouse. Performances from the Nordic Viking Scandia Dancers and the Katrilli Dancers followed.
“We’ll have seven class reunions going on during festivities,” Swanson said. She noted that the reunions are a festival tradition.
More Saturday evening entertainment was slated later, including violinist Kim Angelis and pianist Jennifer Goodenberger.
On Sunday, a nondenominational worship service was held at Rueben Penttila field. Coffee and pulla were served afterwards.
Who knew that a professor from Helsinki, Finland, and his curious assistant would spawn such a delightful event?
www.discoverourcoast.com/coast-weekend/coastal-life/20-ye...
Select your chillis.
These are:
Piquin (little flea)
De Arbol
Facing Heaven Szechuan
Xuan Horn
Serrano
Pulla
20th Finnish-American Festival, Naselle, Washington.
These charming books are probably part of the collection of the historical society in the Finnish-American community of Naselle, Washington.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It seems unlikely that researching the use of simple words and phrases like “log truck,” “coffee” and “baking” would evolve into a multi-day festival, but that’s what happened in Naselle, Washington.
The Finnish American Folk Festival celebrates its 40th year and 20th festival this July, having been held every other year since 1982 – and it’s all thanks to Finnish linguist Pertti Virtaranta and graduate student Hanelle Johnsson Korhola.
Curious about common word usage in Finnish communities, the researchers traveled across Canada and the American Midwest, then to Grays Harbor and the Lower Columbia region, where they interviewed Finnish residents.
At the time, Sue Pakenen Holway was already collecting historic photographs and writing down stories from local immigrants.
Korhola encouraged her to continue the work and expand her contacts. Holway, alongside others in Naselle who were intrigued with Finnish heritage, thought an outdoor festival displaying arts, music, crafts and food might be an appealing way to share their findings.
A group of interested organizers in the region soon applied for a grant from Humanities Washington, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts. They then recruited more than 60 volunteers to create a single-day event in 1982 at a local school.
They expected that perhaps a few hundred people might attend the new festival, but were astounded that over 3,000 partook in revelries that lasted until midnight. Thus, Naselle’s Finnish American Folk Festival was born.
This year’s festivities began at 10 a.m. on Friday with films, cultural programming and workshops in the commons of the Naselle School building. Welcome ceremonies and Maypole dancing were held at noon.
Late afternoon on Friday was filled with performances, including from the Soittorasia Finnish-American Trio. The group honored Wilho Saari, a late kantele player. Later, author Karl Marlantes and singer-songwriter Eeppi Ursin each took the stage.
“We are so excited to have Eeppi Ursin with us (on) both Friday and Saturday nights,” Barb Swanson, one of the festival’s organizers, said.
A flurry of events were scheduled for Saturday, starting early with a Pannukakku pancake breakfast and “Paavo Nurmi” run and walk at 8 a.m. Also slated were competitive games such as the wife-carry contest, boot toss and Nokia phone toss. An opening ceremony began at 10 a.m., when contest winners were announced.
“There’s so much to do. There will be special activities for kids, the tori marketplace with so many things to buy and eat,” Swanson said. “There also will be food demonstrations all day making Finnish specialties like pancakes, rye bread, flat bread or cinnamon rolls and exhibits of vintage items and art,” she added.
Grays River Grange sponsored a salmon dinner from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, while more musical performances were held at the Grabenhorst-Hall Fieldhouse. Performances from the Nordic Viking Scandia Dancers and the Katrilli Dancers followed.
“We’ll have seven class reunions going on during festivities,” Swanson said. She noted that the reunions are a festival tradition.
More Saturday evening entertainment was slated later, including violinist Kim Angelis and pianist Jennifer Goodenberger.
On Sunday, a nondenominational worship service was held at Rueben Penttila field. Coffee and pulla were served afterwards.
Who knew that a professor from Helsinki, Finland, and his curious assistant would spawn such a delightful event?
www.discoverourcoast.com/coast-weekend/coastal-life/20-ye...
Caballito del Diablo / Purple dancer (Argia pulla)
con ácaros acuáticos parásitos / with parasitic water mites (Arrenurus sp.)
Castel del Monte, Andria, Puglia, Italia.
Castel del Monte, Andria, Apulia, Italy.
Romànic, Gòtic, Musulmà
CATALÀ
El Castel del Monte és un edifici del segle XIII construït per Frederic II, a Pulla, a la ciutat d'Andria, prop de Santa Maria del Monte.
El seu origen se situa oficialment el 29 de gener de 1240, quan Frederic II Hohenstaufen va ordenar que es preparessin els materials i tot el necessari per construir un castell prop de l'església de Santa Maria de Monte (ja desapareguda). Aquesta data, però, no és acceptada per tots els estudiosos: segons alguns, de fet, la construcció del castell en aquell moment ja havia arribat a les teulades.
No queda clara l'atribució a un determinat arquitecte: alguns l'atribueixen a Richard Lentini, però molts sostenen que la construcció del disseny és del mateix Frederic II. Sembla que va ser construït sobre les ruïnes d'una fortalesa anterior, primer Llombarda i després Normanda. Probablement a la mort de Frederic II (que va tenir lloc a 1250) l'edifici encara no estava acabat.
Fou rarament utilitzat en celebracions, tot i així, el 1246 va haver-hi el casament de Violant, la filla il·legítima de Richard i Bianca Lancia amb el comte de Caserta Riccardo Caetani.
A partir del segle XVII va patir un llarg període d'abandonament, durant el qual el castell va ser espoliat de mobles i decoracions de marbre parietal (les restes encara són visibles, només per darrere dels capitells) i es va convertir així en una presó i en un refugi per als pastors, bandits i refugiats polítics. El 1876 el castell, en condicions de conservació summament precàries, va ser comprat finalment (per la suma de 25.000 £) per l'Estat italià, que en va preparar la restauració a partir de 1928. El 1936 va ser declarat monument nacional.
El 1996, la UNESCO l'ha inscrit a la llista de Patrimoni per la perfecció de les seves formes i per l'harmoniosa unió dels elements culturals del nord d'Europa i el món islàmic de clàssic, típic exemple d'arquitectura militar medieval.
Occasionally used as a hunting lodge under Manfred of Sicily, the castle become a state prison under the latter's victor, Charles I of Anjou: here Manfred's sons Henry, Azzo and Enzo were kept as prisoner after 1266, as well as other Hohenstaufen supporters[3]
The main wall is 25 m high and the eight bastions each 26 m. The sides of the main octagon are 16.5 m long and those of the octagonal towers each 3.1 m. The castle has a diameter of 56 m. Its main entrance faces east.
ENGLISH
Because of its relatively small size, it was once considered to be no more than a "hunting lodge", but scholars now believe it originally had a curtain wall and did serve as a citadel.[2] Frederick was responsible for the construction of many castles in Apulia, but Castel del Monte's geometric design was unique.The fortress is an octagonal prism with an octagonal tower at each corner. The towers were originally some 5 m higher than now, and they should perhaps include a third floor.[3] Both floors have eight rooms and an eight-sided courtyard occupies the castle's centre.[6] Each of the main rooms has vaulted ceilings. Three of the corner towers contain staircases. The castle has two entrances, an unobtrusive service entrance and an ornate main entrance. Frederick's main entrance featured elements from classical design, and may have been influenced by Frederick's interest in Greco-Roman architecture.
The octagonal plan is unusual in castle design. Historians have debated the purpose of the building and it has been suggested that it was intended as a hunting lodge.[7] Another theory is that the octagon is an intermediate symbol between a square (representing the earth) and a circle (representing the sky). Frederick II may have been inspired to build to this shape by either the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, which he had seen during the Sixth Crusade, or by the Palace Chapel of Aachen Cathedral.
In 1996 Castel del Monte was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which described it as "a unique masterpiece of medieval military architecture”
WIKIPEDIA
The tag on this reads: Maxillaria nibrio pulla x striata - uncertain if it is correct. A search does not respond to this ID. In any case, another very beautiful orchid. (First photo (posted) taken with my new camera - a Canon EOS 5D)
20th Finnish-American Festival, Naselle, Washington.
A Finnish-American resident of Naselle, Washington, likely brought this scarf home from the Olympic Games that were held in Helsinki in 1952. It is one of a several commemorative scarves produced for the event.
The landmarks in the four corners are identified in Finnish, Spanish and English. They are the National Museum (bottom left), the Parliament Building (upper left), the Cathedral (upper right) and the Olympic Stadium (bottom right).
The design below the image of the National Museum is the he "coat of arms of Helsinki, drawn by the heraldist A. W. Rancken in 1951." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Helsinki
Under the Stadium in the lower right is the "coat of arms of Finland is a crowned lion on a red field, the right foreleg replaced with an armoured human arm brandishing a sword, trampling on a sabre with the hindpaws. The coat of arms was originally created around the year 1580. " en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Finland
=======================================================
It seems unlikely that researching the use of simple words and phrases like “log truck,” “coffee” and “baking” would evolve into a multi-day festival, but that’s what happened in Naselle, Washington.
The Finnish American Folk Festival celebrates its 40th year and 20th festival this July, having been held every other year since 1982 – and it’s all thanks to Finnish linguist Pertti Virtaranta and graduate student Hanelle Johnsson Korhola.
Curious about common word usage in Finnish communities, the researchers traveled across Canada and the American Midwest, then to Grays Harbor and the Lower Columbia region, where they interviewed Finnish residents.
At the time, Sue Pakenen Holway was already collecting historic photographs and writing down stories from local immigrants.
Korhola encouraged her to continue the work and expand her contacts. Holway, alongside others in Naselle who were intrigued with Finnish heritage, thought an outdoor festival displaying arts, music, crafts and food might be an appealing way to share their findings.
A group of interested organizers in the region soon applied for a grant from Humanities Washington, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts. They then recruited more than 60 volunteers to create a single-day event in 1982 at a local school.
They expected that perhaps a few hundred people might attend the new festival, but were astounded that over 3,000 partook in revelries that lasted until midnight. Thus, Naselle’s Finnish American Folk Festival was born.
This year’s festivities began at 10 a.m. on Friday with films, cultural programming and workshops in the commons of the Naselle School building. Welcome ceremonies and Maypole dancing were held at noon.
Late afternoon on Friday was filled with performances, including from the Soittorasia Finnish-American Trio. The group honored Wilho Saari, a late kantele player. Later, author Karl Marlantes and singer-songwriter Eeppi Ursin each took the stage.
“We are so excited to have Eeppi Ursin with us (on) both Friday and Saturday nights,” Barb Swanson, one of the festival’s organizers, said.
A flurry of events were scheduled for Saturday, starting early with a Pannukakku pancake breakfast and “Paavo Nurmi” run and walk at 8 a.m. Also slated were competitive games such as the wife-carry contest, boot toss and Nokia phone toss. An opening ceremony began at 10 a.m., when contest winners were announced.
“There’s so much to do. There will be special activities for kids, the tori marketplace with so many things to buy and eat,” Swanson said. “There also will be food demonstrations all day making Finnish specialties like pancakes, rye bread, flat bread or cinnamon rolls and exhibits of vintage items and art,” she added.
Grays River Grange sponsored a salmon dinner from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, while more musical performances were held at the Grabenhorst-Hall Fieldhouse. Performances from the Nordic Viking Scandia Dancers and the Katrilli Dancers followed.
“We’ll have seven class reunions going on during festivities,” Swanson said. She noted that the reunions are a festival tradition.
More Saturday evening entertainment was slated later, including violinist Kim Angelis and pianist Jennifer Goodenberger.
On Sunday, a nondenominational worship service was held at Rueben Penttila field. Coffee and pulla were served afterwards.
Who knew that a professor from Helsinki, Finland, and his curious assistant would spawn such a delightful event?
Monni: "Look what a cool fish I caught!"
Pilli: "Oooh..."
Pulla: "...fabulous!"
Monni: "You should have seen the one that got away."
(Toy Sunday: Fab!)
Adult female, first I thought that it was A. pulla, but actually the female of this species is very different, now I would bet for A. oculata...
Hembra adulta, pensaba que se trataba de A. pulla, pero en realidad la hembra de esta especie es parda y muy diferente, ahora apostaría a que es A. oculata...
20th Finnish-American Festival, Naselle, Washington.
=======================================================
I fell in love with the Art Nouveau butterfly design on this 1915 calendar plate that bears the name of a long-deceased resident of the hamlet of Naselle. Washington.
I wonder whether I could possibly find another one, since this example is in a museum collection.
My quest for information in newspaper archives about Thomas G. W. O'Connor yielded some interesting facts. To my disappointment, I was never able to ascertain from the newspapers why Mr. O'Connor issued calendar plates in 1915.
Census records show that O'Connor was born in California in 1871 to parents born in Ireland. They further indicate he was a farmer and bookkeeper. In that case, perhaps Mr. O'Connor ordered the plates as Christmas presents for friends and loved ones.
In an item in 1922 about the fall in the wholesale purchase price for berries, the Chehalis Bee-Nugget reported that O'Connor owned land on the Naselle River that produced 40 tons of wild berries when the price was 8 cents per pound and could be expected to yield 60 tons if and when the price paid by buyers justified the harvest.
September of 1925 saw Mrs. Thomas G. W. O'Connor in Chehalis visiting old time friends.
In 1926 we learn from the Tacoma Daily Ledger that Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. W. O'Connor and their daughter were guests of Mrs. K. E. Butts of 905 Tacoma Avenue before setting off for Chicago.
Mrs. O'Connor's 1930 obituary informs readers that she was the daughter of Lewis County, Washington, pioneers Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Collins. She taught school there for several years and had many local friends. Mr. Thomas G. W. O'Connor survived her, as did their two daughters, Catherine and Genevieve and two sons, Francis and Charles. Wedding announcements and obituaries are two of the rare sources in that era that published married women's first and maiden names. Mrs. O'Connor's was Clara Collins.
When Mr. O'Connor passed away in 1945 at the age of 74, he had 14 grandchildren.
An article published in Tacoma in 1919 sheds light on the Pacific County community's response to what was then a serious public health threat, tuberculosis. The piece reports on the annual meeting of the Anti-Tuberculosis Society of South Bend, Washington. It deals exclusively with the society's new leadership, including its board of directors. Almost every town and hamlet was represented, including some that no longer exist or whose names are unknown to me. Mrs. Thomas G. W. O'Connor was appointed to represent "Nasel," known today as "Naselle."
Clipped from
The News Tribune
Tacoma, Washington
16 May 1919, Fri • Page 4
=======================================================
It seems unlikely that researching the use of simple words and phrases like “log truck,” “coffee” and “baking” would evolve into a multi-day festival, but that’s what happened in Naselle, Washington.
The Finnish American Folk Festival celebrates its 40th year and 20th festival this July, having been held every other year since 1982 – and it’s all thanks to Finnish linguist Pertti Virtaranta and graduate student Hanelle Johnsson Korhola.
Curious about common word usage in Finnish communities, the researchers traveled across Canada and the American Midwest, then to Grays Harbor and the Lower Columbia region, where they interviewed Finnish residents.
At the time, Sue Pakenen Holway was already collecting historic photographs and writing down stories from local immigrants.
Korhola encouraged her to continue the work and expand her contacts. Holway, alongside others in Naselle who were intrigued with Finnish heritage, thought an outdoor festival displaying arts, music, crafts and food might be an appealing way to share their findings.
A group of interested organizers in the region soon applied for a grant from Humanities Washington, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts. They then recruited more than 60 volunteers to create a single-day event in 1982 at a local school.
They expected that perhaps a few hundred people might attend the new festival, but were astounded that over 3,000 partook in revelries that lasted until midnight. Thus, Naselle’s Finnish American Folk Festival was born.
This year’s festivities began at 10 a.m. on Friday with films, cultural programming and workshops in the commons of the Naselle School building. Welcome ceremonies and Maypole dancing were held at noon.
Late afternoon on Friday was filled with performances, including from the Soittorasia Finnish-American Trio. The group honored Wilho Saari, a late kantele player. Later, author Karl Marlantes and singer-songwriter Eeppi Ursin each took the stage.
“We are so excited to have Eeppi Ursin with us (on) both Friday and Saturday nights,” Barb Swanson, one of the festival’s organizers, said.
A flurry of events were scheduled for Saturday, starting early with a Pannukakku pancake breakfast and “Paavo Nurmi” run and walk at 8 a.m. Also slated were competitive games such as the wife-carry contest, boot toss and Nokia phone toss. An opening ceremony began at 10 a.m., when contest winners were announced.
“There’s so much to do. There will be special activities for kids, the tori marketplace with so many things to buy and eat,” Swanson said. “There also will be food demonstrations all day making Finnish specialties like pancakes, rye bread, flat bread or cinnamon rolls and exhibits of vintage items and art,” she added.
Grays River Grange sponsored a salmon dinner from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, while more musical performances were held at the Grabenhorst-Hall Fieldhouse. Performances from the Nordic Viking Scandia Dancers and the Katrilli Dancers followed.
“We’ll have seven class reunions going on during festivities,” Swanson said. She noted that the reunions are a festival tradition.
More Saturday evening entertainment was slated later, including violinist Kim Angelis and pianist Jennifer Goodenberger.
On Sunday, a nondenominational worship service was held at Rueben Penttila field. Coffee and pulla were served afterwards.
Who knew that a professor from Helsinki, Finland, and his curious assistant would spawn such a delightful event?
www.discoverourcoast.com/coast-weekend/coastal-life/20-ye...
Day Three ... after lunch we went to the nearby Minneriya National Park.
From Wikipedia -
Minneriya National Park is a national park in North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The area was designated as a national park in 1997, having been originally declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1938.
The reason for declaring the area as protected is to protect the catchment of Minneriya tank and the wildlife of the surrounding area. The tank is of historical importance, having been built by King Mahasen in third century AD. The park is a dry season feeding ground for the elephant population dwelling in forests of Matale, Polonnaruwa, and Trincomalee districts.
The park's fauna includes 24 species of mammals, 160 species of birds, 9 species of amphibians, 25 species of reptiles, 26 species of fish, and 75 species of butterflies.
The park is an important habitat for the two endemic monkeys of Sri Lanka: purple-faced langur and toque macaque. Large herbivorous mammals such as Sri Lankan sambar deer and Sri Lankan axis deer frequent the park. Rare and endangered species such as Sri Lankan leopard and Sri Lankan sloth bear inhabit in Minneriya. Minneriya is one of the areas where the gray slender loris is reportedly found in Sri Lanka.
The Minneriya reservoir is an important habitat for large water birds such as lesser adjutant, painted stork, and spot-billed pelican. Minneriya is a dormitory for many resident as well as migrant bird species. Flocks of 2000 little cormorants have been reported. Great white pelican, ruddy turnstone, and grey heron are the other water birds here. Among the endemic birds are Sri Lanka junglefowl, Sri Lanka hanging parrot, brown-capped babbler, Sri Lanka grey hornbill, black-crested bulbul and crimson-fronted barbet. The number of threatened birds recorded from this national park is 11.
Amphibians of Fejervarya pulla and Polypedates cruciger have been recorded from the area. There are eight species of endemic reptiles, and all of them are considered threatened. Painted-lip lizard and Lankascincus fallax are among them. Saltwater crocodile, Indian python, Asian water monitor, and Bengal monitor are among the other reptiles. Four of the fresh water fishes recorded from Minneriya are endemic to Sri Lanka.
The Famine Years
Dungarvan, which was in a noted potato-growing area, suffered greatly during the famine years 1845-50. Following severe rises in food prices, the Dungarvan Relief Committee was established in January 1846, with the aim of distributing Indian-meal at subsidized prices. On 28th September 1846, the scarcity and price of food, and the shortage of work, resulted in the Dungarvan riots where grain stores on Dungarvan Quay were looted.
Pressure on the workhouse steadily increased, which had 650 inmates by 19th December 1846, rising to 739 by January 1st, and 766 by January 16th. Diseases such as typhus fever and dysentery were widespread. Attempt were made to reduce numbers by giving out-relief to the healthier inmates. A number of auxiliary workhouse buildings were set up. Government-sponsored soup-kitchens were set up during the first half of 1847, but the scheme ended in July. A few public-works schemes were also instigated. However, things got worse throughout 1847. What relief measures were proposed were hampered by lack of funds — rate-collectors found it very difficult to collect rates, and in some instances needed police protection.
The misery continued through 1848 and into 1849. At the start of January 1849, the total number of workhouse inmates stood at 2,751 and rose to over 3,000 by the end of that month. At the start of February, the situation was compounded by the first cases of a cholera epidemic that would last for several months.
Famine Graveyards
A stark reminder of the scale of the deaths during the famine years comes in the shape of the famine graveyards in which famine victims were buried in unmarked graves. From the end of 1847, the dead from Dungarvan workhouse went to the Slievegrine graveyard at Pulla. Prior to this, the old graveyard at Kilrush was used.
La Sacra di San Michele és una abadia ubicada dalt del cim Pirchiriano, de 936 metres, que tanca la vall de Susa al Piemont, i obre les vistes a la plana de Torí.
A la seva falda, des de la qual es pot contemplar la vertiginosa altura, tant de la muntanya com dels edificis, s'hi troben la petita localitat de Ciusa, conquerida per Carlemany entre els anys 773 i 774, abans d'envair la plana de Torí. Aquest monestir benedictí, que els torinesos anomenen simplement La Sacra, és un dels edificis més famosos i més excepcionals del romànic a Europa. Per a accedir al complex monàstic s'han de pujar 243 graons esgotadors, però una vegada al cim es pot gaudir d'unes vistes sorprenents dels voltants.
La massissa arquitectura del monestir, que sembla una fortificació, deixa una petjada profunda. Les roques es fonen amb els fonaments i amb les escales de les tres capelles que constitueixen el complex, junt amb l'església de Sant Miquel. En el segle VII o en el VIII ja existia en la roca un petit oratori, abans que arribés el duc Hug von Montoissier, l'any 999, i ordenés construir un monestir i un alberg per a pelegrins. El conjunt es consagrà a l'arcàngel sant Miquel, l'àngel que custodia les altures i les profunditats. De la mateixa manera que les altres esglésies i monestirs dedicats a sant Miquel, aquest complex també es troba en un lloc que entranya perill: l'ascens a les esferes celestials és costerut i la caiguda amenaça ser profunda.
La Sacra va viure el seu floriment en els segles XI i XII, ja que es troba en l'encreuament de tres camins de peregrinació medievals: la via Francigena, de Canterbury a Roma, el camí de Sant Jaume i el camí de Sant Miquel, des del mont Saint-Michel a Bretanya, fins al monte Sant'Angelo, a la regió de la Pulla (Itàlia). Encara avui arriben pelegrins d'arreu del món, que aprofiten l'hospitalitat dels monjos i troben en aquest lloc un centre d'espiritualitat molt especial.
En el segle XX es donà a conèixer la Sacra di San Michele arreu del món mercès a la novel·la El nom de la rosa, d'Umberto Eco, el qual s'inspirà en aquest impressionant monestir per escriure la seva obra. Tot i la imposant abadia de la Sacra, el film es va rodar al monestir cistercenc d'Eberbach (Alemanya), molt més accessible. Umberto Eco va quedar tan descontent de la pel·lícula que va renunciar a vendre els drets de cap més novel·la seva.
Des del nivell de l'entrada a l'abadia s'arriba a l'església a través de l'àmplia Escalinata dels Morts, construïda a mitjans del segle XII. Darrere dels primers esglaons, queda a l'esquerra un pilar de més de 18 metres que sosté el paviment de l'església situada a sobre; a la dreta sorgeix un espigó de roca que es perd al mur situat al davant.
Al nínxol central i fins al 1936 es custodiaven alguns esquelets de monjos, d'aquí el nom que rep. Aquest “atri” va ser força utilitzat un temps com a sepultura d'homes il·lustres, abats i persones meritòries del monestir. Algunes de les tombes que albergava, estaven cobertes de marbre, altres emblanquinades i pintades: d'aquestes actualment en queden només cinc.
Un cop arribat al final de l'escalinata es travessa el Portal del Zodíac (1128-30), obra romànica esculpida pel Mestre Nicolau, famós arquitecte i escultor de Piacenza. Es diu així perquè els estípits de la façana orientada cap a l'escalinata, estan esculpits a la part dreta amb els dotze signes zodiacals ia la part esquerra amb les constel·lacions australs i boreals.
Històricament la part més important és la zona central de l'estípit dret segons s'enfila, sobre el qual, a la vora d'una escena de caça a la llebre, hi ha dos versos escrits en llatí i que acaben amb la signatura de l'autor.
with Flavoparmelia caperata and Xanthoparmelia pulla,
dry slopes near Neubamberg, Rheinland-Pfalz, on porphyr
Castel del Monte, Andria, Puglia, Italia.
Castel del Monte, Andria, Apulia, Italy.
Romànic, Gòtic, Musulmà
CATALÀ
El Castel del Monte és un edifici del segle XIII construït per Frederic II, a Pulla, a la ciutat d'Andria, prop de Santa Maria del Monte.
El seu origen se situa oficialment el 29 de gener de 1240, quan Frederic II Hohenstaufen va ordenar que es preparessin els materials i tot el necessari per construir un castell prop de l'església de Santa Maria de Monte (ja desapareguda). Aquesta data, però, no és acceptada per tots els estudiosos: segons alguns, de fet, la construcció del castell en aquell moment ja havia arribat a les teulades.
No queda clara l'atribució a un determinat arquitecte: alguns l'atribueixen a Richard Lentini, però molts sostenen que la construcció del disseny és del mateix Frederic II. Sembla que va ser construït sobre les ruïnes d'una fortalesa anterior, primer Llombarda i després Normanda. Probablement a la mort de Frederic II (que va tenir lloc a 1250) l'edifici encara no estava acabat.
Fou rarament utilitzat en celebracions, tot i així, el 1246 va haver-hi el casament de Violant, la filla il·legítima de Richard i Bianca Lancia amb el comte de Caserta Riccardo Caetani.
A partir del segle XVII va patir un llarg període d'abandonament, durant el qual el castell va ser espoliat de mobles i decoracions de marbre parietal (les restes encara són visibles, només per darrere dels capitells) i es va convertir així en una presó i en un refugi per als pastors, bandits i refugiats polítics. El 1876 el castell, en condicions de conservació summament precàries, va ser comprat finalment (per la suma de 25.000 £) per l'Estat italià, que en va preparar la restauració a partir de 1928. El 1936 va ser declarat monument nacional.
El 1996, la UNESCO l'ha inscrit a la llista de Patrimoni per la perfecció de les seves formes i per l'harmoniosa unió dels elements culturals del nord d'Europa i el món islàmic de clàssic, típic exemple d'arquitectura militar medieval.
Occasionally used as a hunting lodge under Manfred of Sicily, the castle become a state prison under the latter's victor, Charles I of Anjou: here Manfred's sons Henry, Azzo and Enzo were kept as prisoner after 1266, as well as other Hohenstaufen supporters[3]
The main wall is 25 m high and the eight bastions each 26 m. The sides of the main octagon are 16.5 m long and those of the octagonal towers each 3.1 m. The castle has a diameter of 56 m. Its main entrance faces east.
ENGLISH
Because of its relatively small size, it was once considered to be no more than a "hunting lodge", but scholars now believe it originally had a curtain wall and did serve as a citadel.[2] Frederick was responsible for the construction of many castles in Apulia, but Castel del Monte's geometric design was unique.The fortress is an octagonal prism with an octagonal tower at each corner. The towers were originally some 5 m higher than now, and they should perhaps include a third floor.[3] Both floors have eight rooms and an eight-sided courtyard occupies the castle's centre.[6] Each of the main rooms has vaulted ceilings. Three of the corner towers contain staircases. The castle has two entrances, an unobtrusive service entrance and an ornate main entrance. Frederick's main entrance featured elements from classical design, and may have been influenced by Frederick's interest in Greco-Roman architecture.
The octagonal plan is unusual in castle design. Historians have debated the purpose of the building and it has been suggested that it was intended as a hunting lodge.[7] Another theory is that the octagon is an intermediate symbol between a square (representing the earth) and a circle (representing the sky). Frederick II may have been inspired to build to this shape by either the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, which he had seen during the Sixth Crusade, or by the Palace Chapel of Aachen Cathedral.
In 1996 Castel del Monte was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which described it as "a unique masterpiece of medieval military architecture”
WIKIPEDIA
Tikkupullaa. Nam! #tikkupulla #juhannus #herkku #pulla #ruoka #jokamies #bakery #baking #sokeri
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Deutschlands flora in abbildungen nach der natur
Nurnberg :Gedruckt auf kosten des verfassers,1798-[1862]
National Botanical Garden, Mirpur 1216, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Hoplobatrachus tigerinus, the Indus Valley bullfrog or Indian bullfrog, popular name Asian bullfrog, Asean bullfrog or Asia bullfrog, is a large species of frog found in Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nepal.
The Indian Bullfrog (Hoplobatrachus tigerinus) may not look like much, but its appearance can change dramatically. During most of the season, both genders are a rather dull kaki-olive-green, but once the mating season comes around, things change drastically: males put on their good suits to impress all the ladies!
They turn yellow, except for the vocal sacks, which turn blue. It’s not exactly clear how this works, but it’s believed that the brighter the colour, the more attractive the male is. Another interesting fact about the Indian Bullfrog is that when threatened (or when it really wants), it can jump on the surface just as it would jump on land, despite being a relatively large frog.
The species inhabits wetlands of South and South East Asia, inhabiting holes and bushes near permanent waters. It’s mostly a nocturnal animal, and its diet consists of insects, and occasionaly small mammals and birds. Breeding takes place during the monsoon season, which is why it hasn’t really been studied until recent years. The Indian Bullfrog has been farmed in Thailand since the 1990s for food.
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Day Three ... after lunch we went to the nearby Minneriya National Park.
From Wikipedia -
Minneriya National Park is a national park in North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The area was designated as a national park in 1997, having been originally declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1938.
The reason for declaring the area as protected is to protect the catchment of Minneriya tank and the wildlife of the surrounding area. The tank is of historical importance, having been built by King Mahasen in third century AD. The park is a dry season feeding ground for the elephant population dwelling in forests of Matale, Polonnaruwa, and Trincomalee districts.
The park's fauna includes 24 species of mammals, 160 species of birds, 9 species of amphibians, 25 species of reptiles, 26 species of fish, and 75 species of butterflies.
The park is an important habitat for the two endemic monkeys of Sri Lanka: purple-faced langur and toque macaque. Large herbivorous mammals such as Sri Lankan sambar deer and Sri Lankan axis deer frequent the park. Rare and endangered species such as Sri Lankan leopard and Sri Lankan sloth bear inhabit in Minneriya. Minneriya is one of the areas where the gray slender loris is reportedly found in Sri Lanka.
The Minneriya reservoir is an important habitat for large water birds such as lesser adjutant, painted stork, and spot-billed pelican. Minneriya is a dormitory for many resident as well as migrant bird species. Flocks of 2000 little cormorants have been reported. Great white pelican, ruddy turnstone, and grey heron are the other water birds here. Among the endemic birds are Sri Lanka junglefowl, Sri Lanka hanging parrot, brown-capped babbler, Sri Lanka grey hornbill, black-crested bulbul and crimson-fronted barbet. The number of threatened birds recorded from this national park is 11.
Amphibians of Fejervarya pulla and Polypedates cruciger have been recorded from the area. There are eight species of endemic reptiles, and all of them are considered threatened. Painted-lip lizard and Lankascincus fallax are among them. Saltwater crocodile, Indian python, Asian water monitor, and Bengal monitor are among the other reptiles. Four of the fresh water fishes recorded from Minneriya are endemic to Sri Lanka.
Castel del Monte, Andria, Puglia, Italia.
Castel del Monte, Andria, Apulia, Italy.
Romànic, Gòtic, Musulmà
CATALÀ
El Castel del Monte és un edifici del segle XIII construït per Frederic II, a Pulla, a la ciutat d'Andria, prop de Santa Maria del Monte.
El seu origen se situa oficialment el 29 de gener de 1240, quan Frederic II Hohenstaufen va ordenar que es preparessin els materials i tot el necessari per construir un castell prop de l'església de Santa Maria de Monte (ja desapareguda). Aquesta data, però, no és acceptada per tots els estudiosos: segons alguns, de fet, la construcció del castell en aquell moment ja havia arribat a les teulades.
No queda clara l'atribució a un determinat arquitecte: alguns l'atribueixen a Richard Lentini, però molts sostenen que la construcció del disseny és del mateix Frederic II. Sembla que va ser construït sobre les ruïnes d'una fortalesa anterior, primer Llombarda i després Normanda. Probablement a la mort de Frederic II (que va tenir lloc a 1250) l'edifici encara no estava acabat.
Fou rarament utilitzat en celebracions, tot i així, el 1246 va haver-hi el casament de Violant, la filla il·legítima de Richard i Bianca Lancia amb el comte de Caserta Riccardo Caetani.
A partir del segle XVII va patir un llarg període d'abandonament, durant el qual el castell va ser espoliat de mobles i decoracions de marbre parietal (les restes encara són visibles, només per darrere dels capitells) i es va convertir així en una presó i en un refugi per als pastors, bandits i refugiats polítics. El 1876 el castell, en condicions de conservació summament precàries, va ser comprat finalment (per la suma de 25.000 £) per l'Estat italià, que en va preparar la restauració a partir de 1928. El 1936 va ser declarat monument nacional.
El 1996, la UNESCO l'ha inscrit a la llista de Patrimoni per la perfecció de les seves formes i per l'harmoniosa unió dels elements culturals del nord d'Europa i el món islàmic de clàssic, típic exemple d'arquitectura militar medieval.
Occasionally used as a hunting lodge under Manfred of Sicily, the castle become a state prison under the latter's victor, Charles I of Anjou: here Manfred's sons Henry, Azzo and Enzo were kept as prisoner after 1266, as well as other Hohenstaufen supporters[3]
The main wall is 25 m high and the eight bastions each 26 m. The sides of the main octagon are 16.5 m long and those of the octagonal towers each 3.1 m. The castle has a diameter of 56 m. Its main entrance faces east.
ENGLISH
Because of its relatively small size, it was once considered to be no more than a "hunting lodge", but scholars now believe it originally had a curtain wall and did serve as a citadel.[2] Frederick was responsible for the construction of many castles in Apulia, but Castel del Monte's geometric design was unique.The fortress is an octagonal prism with an octagonal tower at each corner. The towers were originally some 5 m higher than now, and they should perhaps include a third floor.[3] Both floors have eight rooms and an eight-sided courtyard occupies the castle's centre.[6] Each of the main rooms has vaulted ceilings. Three of the corner towers contain staircases. The castle has two entrances, an unobtrusive service entrance and an ornate main entrance. Frederick's main entrance featured elements from classical design, and may have been influenced by Frederick's interest in Greco-Roman architecture.
The octagonal plan is unusual in castle design. Historians have debated the purpose of the building and it has been suggested that it was intended as a hunting lodge.[7] Another theory is that the octagon is an intermediate symbol between a square (representing the earth) and a circle (representing the sky). Frederick II may have been inspired to build to this shape by either the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, which he had seen during the Sixth Crusade, or by the Palace Chapel of Aachen Cathedral.
In 1996 Castel del Monte was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which described it as "a unique masterpiece of medieval military architecture”
WIKIPEDIA
La Sacra di San Michele és una abadia ubicada dalt del cim Pirchiriano, de 936 metres, que tanca la vall de Susa al Piemont, i obre les vistes a la plana de Torí.
A la seva falda, des de la qual es pot contemplar la vertiginosa altura, tant de la muntanya com dels edificis, s'hi troben la petita localitat de Ciusa, conquerida per Carlemany entre els anys 773 i 774, abans d'envair la plana de Torí. Aquest monestir benedictí, que els torinesos anomenen simplement La Sacra, és un dels edificis més famosos i més excepcionals del romànic a Europa. Per a accedir al complex monàstic s'han de pujar 243 graons esgotadors, però una vegada al cim es pot gaudir d'unes vistes sorprenents dels voltants.
La massissa arquitectura del monestir, que sembla una fortificació, deixa una petjada profunda. Les roques es fonen amb els fonaments i amb les escales de les tres capelles que constitueixen el complex, junt amb l'església de Sant Miquel. En el segle VII o en el VIII ja existia en la roca un petit oratori, abans que arribés el duc Hug von Montoissier, l'any 999, i ordenés construir un monestir i un alberg per a pelegrins. El conjunt es consagrà a l'arcàngel sant Miquel, l'àngel que custodia les altures i les profunditats. De la mateixa manera que les altres esglésies i monestirs dedicats a sant Miquel, aquest complex també es troba en un lloc que entranya perill: l'ascens a les esferes celestials és costerut i la caiguda amenaça ser profunda.
La Sacra va viure el seu floriment en els segles XI i XII, ja que es troba en l'encreuament de tres camins de peregrinació medievals: la via Francigena, de Canterbury a Roma, el camí de Sant Jaume i el camí de Sant Miquel, des del mont Saint-Michel a Bretanya, fins al monte Sant'Angelo, a la regió de la Pulla (Itàlia). Encara avui arriben pelegrins d'arreu del món, que aprofiten l'hospitalitat dels monjos i troben en aquest lloc un centre d'espiritualitat molt especial.
En el segle XX es donà a conèixer la Sacra di San Michele arreu del món mercès a la novel·la El nom de la rosa, d'Umberto Eco, el qual s'inspirà en aquest impressionant monestir per escriure la seva obra. Tot i la imposant abadia de la Sacra, el film es va rodar al monestir cistercenc d'Eberbach (Alemanya), molt més accessible. Umberto Eco va quedar tan descontent de la pel·lícula que va renunciar a vendre els drets de cap més novel·la seva.
Des del nivell de l'entrada a l'abadia s'arriba a l'església a través de l'àmplia Escalinata dels Morts, construïda a mitjans del segle XII. Darrere dels primers esglaons, queda a l'esquerra un pilar de més de 18 metres que sosté el paviment de l'església situada a sobre; a la dreta sorgeix un espigó de roca que es perd al mur situat al davant.
Al nínxol central i fins al 1936 es custodiaven alguns esquelets de monjos, d'aquí el nom que rep. Aquest “atri” va ser força utilitzat un temps com a sepultura d'homes il·lustres, abats i persones meritòries del monestir. Algunes de les tombes que albergava, estaven cobertes de marbre, altres emblanquinades i pintades: d'aquestes actualment en queden només cinc.
Un cop arribat al final de l'escalinata es travessa el Portal del Zodíac (1128-30), obra romànica esculpida pel Mestre Nicolau, famós arquitecte i escultor de Piacenza. Es diu així perquè els estípits de la façana orientada cap a l'escalinata, estan esculpits a la part dreta amb els dotze signes zodiacals ia la part esquerra amb les constel·lacions australs i boreals.
Històricament la part més important és la zona central de l'estípit dret segons s'enfila, sobre el qual, a la vora d'una escena de caça a la llebre, hi ha dos versos escrits en llatí i que acaben amb la signatura de l'autor.
Day Three ... after lunch we went to the nearby Minneriya National Park.
From Wikipedia -
Minneriya National Park is a national park in North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The area was designated as a national park in 1997, having been originally declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1938.
The reason for declaring the area as protected is to protect the catchment of Minneriya tank and the wildlife of the surrounding area. The tank is of historical importance, having been built by King Mahasen in third century AD. The park is a dry season feeding ground for the elephant population dwelling in forests of Matale, Polonnaruwa, and Trincomalee districts.
The park's fauna includes 24 species of mammals, 160 species of birds, 9 species of amphibians, 25 species of reptiles, 26 species of fish, and 75 species of butterflies.
The park is an important habitat for the two endemic monkeys of Sri Lanka: purple-faced langur and toque macaque. Large herbivorous mammals such as Sri Lankan sambar deer and Sri Lankan axis deer frequent the park. Rare and endangered species such as Sri Lankan leopard and Sri Lankan sloth bear inhabit in Minneriya. Minneriya is one of the areas where the gray slender loris is reportedly found in Sri Lanka.
The Minneriya reservoir is an important habitat for large water birds such as lesser adjutant, painted stork, and spot-billed pelican. Minneriya is a dormitory for many resident as well as migrant bird species. Flocks of 2000 little cormorants have been reported. Great white pelican, ruddy turnstone, and grey heron are the other water birds here. Among the endemic birds are Sri Lanka junglefowl, Sri Lanka hanging parrot, brown-capped babbler, Sri Lanka grey hornbill, black-crested bulbul and crimson-fronted barbet. The number of threatened birds recorded from this national park is 11.
Amphibians of Fejervarya pulla and Polypedates cruciger have been recorded from the area. There are eight species of endemic reptiles, and all of them are considered threatened. Painted-lip lizard and Lankascincus fallax are among them. Saltwater crocodile, Indian python, Asian water monitor, and Bengal monitor are among the other reptiles. Four of the fresh water fishes recorded from Minneriya are endemic to Sri Lanka.