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Eldgjá - Ófærufoss 20210717
Ófærufoss is an extremely beautiful waterfall in the river Nyrðri-Ófæra and falls into Eldgjá in two cascades. There used to be a stone arch across the lower one up until the year 1993, when it fell into the river during spring thawing.
Ófærufoss falls into Eldgjá in Skaftártunguafréttur. Eldgjá is an approx. 40 km long eruptive fissure, approx. 600 meters wide in many places, and up to 200 meters deep. When it was formed, probably around 934, there were likely eruptions along the whole extent of it. The fissure is believed to reach under Mýrdalsjökull glacier. From Eldgjá, extensive streams of lava have flowed through Landbrot and Meðalland, reaching sea at Alviðruhamrar in Álftaver. The lava-field is believed to cover 700 km², which makes it one of the vastest lava-fields on earth in historical times, that is, after the last ice age.
Eldgjá is believed to belong to the same crater system as Katla. Eldgjá is a unique natural phenomenon and is listed as natural remnants. Plans to make Eldgjá and its surrounding area a part of Vatnajökull National Park are in place.
Theories have surfaced that suggest that the Eldgjá eruptions had even more effect in Europe then the Lakagígar eruptions. According to newly discovered evidence, crop failure, plagues and other disasters occurred in both Europe and the Middle East at that time. It has also been speculated that these eruptions caused more damage than the eruptions of Lakagígar.
Source: Visit South Iceland.
Suisse
« Entre la Jungfrau antérieure et postérieure, au midi et au couchant d'icelle se trouvent des gouffres affreux, des abîmes et des crevasses monstrueuses, qui offrent au regard l'un des déserts les plus redoutables, mélange de neige, de glace et de pierre. Entre la Jungfrau et les montagnes de l'Eiger intérieur et les monts du Valais d'autre part, il y a une vallée de glace qui tantôt se fraye un passage étroit, tantôt s'ouvre largement, et qui s'interrompt en plusieurs lieux. Une contrée sauvage et inaccessible. »
C'est en ces termes peu engageants que s'exprimait le Zurichois Johan Conrad Fasi en 1768 dans son ouvrage mentionnant le plus vaste complexe glaciaire des Alpes, le Grand Glacier d'Aletsch : « Description exacte et complète, politique et géographique de toute la Confédération helvétique ».
" Between Jungfrau previous and posterior, at the noon and at sunset of icelle are hideous abysses, abysses and monstrous cracks, which offer to the glance one of the most redoubtable deserts, the mixture of snow, ice and stone. Valais on the other hand enter Jungfrau and the mountains of internal Eiger and the mounts of, there is a valley of ice which sometimes clears itself a narrow, sometimes opens widely, and which breaks off in several places. A wild and inaccessible part of the country. "
It is in these little captivating terms that expressed himself Zurichois Johan Conrad Fasi in 1768 in his work mentioning the vastest give a complex to glacial period of the Alps, the Big Glacier D' Aletsch: " exact and complete, political and geographical Description of all Swiss Confederation ".
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Lake Tekapo
New Zealand
....there was only darkness (save for the lights from the near by town) - and in that darkness, the stars shone bright over his/her church. I am not a religous person but agnostic in the sense that I like to believe there is a supreme being watching over us who designed everything we see down to the finest yet vastest detail. Now that I'm back home, I'll get a chance to edit more images from New Zealand! It has been a great trip and we may even use the rest of our annual leave later this year to visit the rest of South Island or a first foray into North Island
Sony A7RII Astro Photography Milkyway Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography! Subtle Light Painting!
New fine art landscapes facebook:
Can you see the golden ratio, spiral, and rectangle in the above Bristlecone/Milkyway composition? Check here:
www.flickr.com/photos/herosjourneymythology45surf/2812038... :)
Golden Ratio Galaxies & Pines: For the 4th of July I headed up to the White Mountains to witness the fireworks over the ancient Bristlecone Pines @ 10,000 feet. I was the only one there, and it was the clearest I'd ever seen the Milky Way. The twisted branches of the 4,000 year old pine echoed throughout clouds of the 13 billion year old Milky Way, suggesting a common creator somewhere along the way. And so it is that the vastest, noblest things--wisdom itself--although subtle, stooped, and contorted by time, yet endures. And like the golden spiral arms of the Milky Way galaxy, the branches of the bristlecone pine also twisted in accordance with the golden ratio, while its pinecones displayed the golden ratio in the form of spirals based upon the Fibonacci Numbers, again connecting the lone pine to every spiral galaxy throughout the universe. the golden number, rectangle, and spiral!!
Subscribe to my new youtube channel and see how I used the divine section and golden rectangle, spiral, and ratio to get the cover of N-Photo Magazine with my fine-art landscape photo Sunrise at Toroweap in the Grand Canyon! And see how Ansel Adams and the great painters, photographers, and fine art masters all used the golden mean to exalt their compositions:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLlB_W3XG-k
www.youtube.com/channel/UC42cWDExI8K8stjROqOlLbQ
The golden section shows up in a lot of my surf and model photos too!
Sony A7RII Astro Photography Milkyway Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Photography! Subtle Light Painting!
Shot it with both the Sony A7RII And Nikon D810! Which do you think is better?
Join me friends!!
www.facebook.com/elliot.mcgucken
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All the best on your epic hero's odyssey! :)
Been hard at work on my books--my physics books on Dynamic Dimensions Theory (dx4/dt=ic) celebrating the hitherto unsung reality of the fourth expanding dimension which all the photons surf across the universe en route to making a photograph! Also working on an art, mythology, and photography book titled The Golden Hero's Odyssey! All the best on your Epic Hero's Odyssey! Always love hearing from y'all! :)
Sony A7RII Astro Photography Milkyway Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Photography
instagram.com/goldennumberratio
Just a bit of ligt painting! Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS E-Mount !
from a description of the Museu Nacional do Azulejo on the Lisbon Tourism Guide website, www.lisbonportugaltourism.com :
"Tile art is a common feature throughout the Mediterranean, but only Lisbon has a museum exclusively dedicated to it. It's a must-see, one-of-a-kind attraction, housed in a magnificent old convent from 1509, and with a collection featuring pieces going back to the 1400s. It explains the origins and evolution of the art in Portugal, which ended up being the country with the vastest and most innovative uses of tiles.
From the old convent remains a small Manueline (a Portuguese Gothic and Renaissance style) cloister and a stunning church, which makes the museum one of Lisbon's most beautiful sights. The church's tile panels are among the main highlights of the collection, and the gilded woodwork is one of the finest of several exceptional examples of the kind in the city."
One of my favourite mountains and the first glacier I've ever climbed..
The Basodino is the vastest, most studied and most accessible of the approximately 90 glaciers in Ticino. It represents a precious heritage of a glacier's natural evolution South of the Alps. The glaciological trail (an itinerary that requires good training) offers an insight to discover this spectacular high altitude region, an exclusive environment with very rich flora and fauna. The Alpe Robiei (Robiei Pasture) tells a remote and recent tale of Bavona: a beautiful valley that can be crossed all the way to San Carlo, departure station of the cableway that goes up to Robiei.
The cableway that leads to Robiei was designed by the hydroelectric company of Maggia. More than half a century ago the company also built the dams that accumulate the water necessary for the region's hydroelectric power plants.
The glacier of Basodino has a surface of 2 square kilometers and it is located at an altitude between 2,500 and 3,120 meters. As with most Alpine glaciers, we are witnessing a rapid reduction of their surface and volume. They are shrinking so much that, according to experts, their time is ticking. In approximately twenty years – they claim – only a few residues of ice will remain on the highest mountain crests.
The ideal time to enjoy the rich flora of the area is between the months of July and August. The region is populated by numerous animals: ibexes, chamois, groundhogs, hares, ermines (rare), country mice and numerous birds including the Royal Eagle. Some mountain huts, farmsteads and sprügh (spaces obtained under large boulders) remind us of the vital importance of pastures on these mountains. Also the glaciers exercise their charm. In fact, already at the end of the 19th century Federico Balli ordered the Hôtel du Glacier to be built in the village of Bignasco. Located at the doorstep of the valley it was meant for tourists attracted by the Alps and the perennial snows of Basodino.
source: www.ticinotopten.ch/en/trekking/robiei-glaciological-trail
from a description of the Museu Nacional do Azulejo on the Lisbon Tourism Guide website, www.lisbonportugaltourism.com :
"Tile art is a common feature throughout the Mediterranean, but only Lisbon has a museum exclusively dedicated to it. It's a must-see, one-of-a-kind attraction, housed in a magnificent old convent from 1509, and with a collection featuring pieces going back to the 1400s. It explains the origins and evolution of the art in Portugal, which ended up being the country with the vastest and most innovative uses of tiles.
From the old convent remains a small Manueline (a Portuguese Gothic and Renaissance style) cloister and a stunning church, which makes the museum one of Lisbon's most beautiful sights. The church's tile panels are among the main highlights of the collection, and the gilded woodwork is one of the finest of several exceptional examples of the kind in the city."
Exploring in Sorrento
The Valle dei Mulini, or 'Valley of Mills', in Sorrento is home to a beautifully haunting menagerie of abandoned mills, which were once part of the area's pasta production industry.
In the historical centre of Sorrento, behind Tasso Square, it is possible to admire from above – in a suggestive perspective – a natural extraordinary spectacle: The Valley of the Mills.The Valley encircles on the southeast side, the tuffaceous block of the present historical centre of Sorrento; observing it from above a characteristic rift of the rock is visible, that carves profound and transversely the platform. This incisive rift has originated from the vastest eruption which shook the Mediterranean about 35,000 years ago.
The potent eruption filled the entire calcareous valley with debris between Punta Scutolo and the Capo of Sorrento; the waters which passed through the valleys – finding them clogged up with volcanic materials – searched for a new path towards the sea cutting progressively through the volcanic tuffaceous bank.The valleys became privileged places of the human’s settlement. The pre-historic cave of the Conca (Nicolucci Cave), on the uphill of the Valley of Marina Grande and the settlement of Gaudo in Piano of Sorrento, remain two tangible traces of this phenomenon.The Valley of the Mills is incised by two streams of water: Casarlano-Cesarano and Saint Antonino. The lack of water has contributed to form very narrow gorges, only at the point where the two streams of water meet the gorge widens and forms a vast area at the foot of “La Rupe” Villa.
The name “Valley of the Mills”, derives from the existence of a mill – functioning since the beginning of the ‘900’s – used for grinding wheat. Attached to the mill, rose a sawmill which furnished chaff to the Sorrentine cabinet makers. Everything is completed by a public wash-house used by the women of the community.The creation of Tasso Square, since 1866, determined the isolation of the mill area from the sea, provoking a sharp rise of the percentage of humidity, which made the area unbearable and determined its progressive abandon.The new microclimate favoured the development of a thriving and spontaneous vegetation in which the dominant element is the Phillitis Vulgaris, a splendid and rare model belonging to the fern family.
Today it is possible to have access to the remaining part of the Deep Valley crossing antique ramps engraved into the tuff with entrance from a trapdoor near the Stragazzi parking.
Sorrentoinfo.com suggestion: Equip yourself with binoculars and camera to observe from above the remains of the mill and the splendid savage vegetation. The best position is Fuorimura Street, behind Tasso Square.
Visitors guide to Sorrento
Castello del Valentino
A text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
The Castle of Valentino (Italian Castello del Valentino) is an historic building in the north-west Italian city of Turin. It is located in Valentino Park, and is the seat of the Architecture Faculty of the Politecnico di Torino. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997.
The ancient castle was bought by Duke Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy on the advice of Andrea Palladio. The name Valentino, first mentioned in 1275, seems to derive from a saint called Valentine whose relics were venerated in a church which stood nearby.
The current structure is due to Princess Christine Marie of France (1606-1663), wife of Victor Amadeus I, who dwelt here from 1630. It has a horseshoe shape, with four round towers at each angle, and a wide inner court with a marble pavement. The ceilings of the false upper floors are clearly in transalpino (i.e. French) style. The façade sports a huge coat of arms of the House of Savoy. Works lasted until 1660.
Minor modifications were made in the early nineteenth century; at this time, too, much of the seventeenth-century furniture was carried off by French troops. For the next half century the palace was more or less abandoned and fell into a state of disrepair. Renovations were carried out in 1860 when it was selected as the seat of the engineering faculty of Turin; it has been been further restored in recent years.
Today it is the central building of the Architecture faculty of the Politecnico di Torino.
Italiani:
Il Castello del Valentino è un edificio storico di Torino, situato nell'omonimo Parco del Valentino sulle rive del fiume Po. Oggi è sede distaccata del Politecnico di Torino, ed ospita la Facoltà di Architettura.
L'antico castello fu acquistato da Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, il duca Testa di Ferro, su consiglio di Andrea Palladio. Questa struttura ospitò nobili famiglie come i Saintmerane, i Cicogna, i Pacelli ed i Calvi, che comprarono sei stanze nel castello.
L'origine del suo nome è incerta. Il primo documento in cui compare il nome Valentinium è del 1275; qualcuno fa risalire il suo nome a san Valentino perché le reliquie di questo santo, martire giovinetto del '200, sono conservate dal 1700 in una teca di cristallo nella chiesa di san Vito (sulla collina prospiciente al Parco del Valentino) qui trasferite in seguito alla distruzione di una chiesetta vicina all'attuale parco. Alcuni studiosi affermano che, in un singolare intreccio di memoria religiosa e mondanità, si soleva un tempo celebrare nel parco fluviale torinese, proprio il 14 febbraio (ora festa degli innamorati) una festa galante in cui ogni dama chiamava Valentino il proprio cavaliere.
Il castello deve la sua forma attuale ad una Madama Reale, la giovanissima Maria Cristina di Borbone-Francia (sposa di Vittorio Amedeo I di Savoia). Proprio alla Francia guarda lo stile di questo splendido palazzo: quattro torri angolari cingono l'edificio a forma di ferro di cavallo, con un'ampia corte a pavimento marmoreo. I tetti con due piani mansardati (solo dei falsi piani) sono tipicamente transalpini e tutto lo stile architettonico riflette i gusti della giovane principessa. I lavori durarono quasi 30 anni, dal 1633 al 1660 su progetti di Carlo e Amedeo di Castellamonte: la duchessa Maria Cristina vi abitò fin dal 1630 ammirando gli affreschi di Isidoro Bianchi di Campione d'Italia e gli stucchi dei suoi figli Pompeo e Francesco. E proprio a lei si deve lo scenico arco di ingresso sulla facciata con lo stemma sabaudo.
Sulla figura della nobildonna francese circolavano voci maligne, che narravano di un Castello del Valentino luogo di incontri amorosi con gentiluomini e servitù che finivano in fondo ad un pozzo gettati dalla nobile amante, la quale sembra che si fece costruire anche un passaggio sotterraneo, vera e propria galleria che attraversava anche il letto del Po, per collegare il Castello alla Vigna Reale, teatro d'incontri amorosi tra lei e il suo consigliere Filippo di Agliè.
Nel XIX secolo il castello subì piccoli cambiamenti architettonici e di connessione nel tessuto urbano cittadino, ma venne anche depredato del suo splendido arredo secentesco dai soldati francesi napoleonici.
Seguirono anni di abbandono e di degrado, quando nel 1860 venne scelto per la facoltà di Ingegneria torinese. L'abbandono del castello, però, ne è stato paradossalmente la sua fortuna: alcune infiltrazioni d'acqua hanno rovinato alcuni affreschi ma nel complesso il disinteresse per il palazzo ne ha conservato intatto il patrimonio di fregi e affreschi delle sale, tutti originali del '600. Oggetto di restauri in questi ultimi anni, il Castello sta ritrovando l'antico splendore. Le sale del primo piano vengono riaperte una ad una e ospitano uffici di rappresentanza della Facoltà di Architettura. Il 12 maggio 2007 ha riaperto la splendida sala dello Zodiaco, col suo affresco centrale che raffigura mitologicamente il Fiume Po con le fattezze di Poseidone.
Caratteristica peculiare della II Facoltà di Architettura, riconoscibile anche come Architettura e Ambiente, è educare alla cura dell'inserimento del costruito nell'ambiente, rispettando e valorizzando il patrimonio architettonico, urbanistico e ambientale. Un'ampia scelta di percorsi formativi. caratterizza la II Facoltà attraverso la diversificazione dei percorsi didattici volti all' approfondimento delle competenze culturali e operative rispondenti alle richieste della società odierna in materia di progetti di edilizia e infrastrutture, alla scala di intervento architettonico, urbanistico, nel rispetto del costruito, del territorio e del paesaggio, attraverso percorsi di conoscenza, conservazione e valorizzazione del patrimonio storico architettonico, sia antico che contemporaneo per l'utilizzo di tecnologie innovative per la gestione e valorizzazione del patrimonio storico culturale.
La Facoltà offre più percorsi formativi nel campo dell'architettura, che portano a lauree triennali e a lauree magistrali con possibilità di iscrizione in specifici albi professionali.
Tutti i percorsi e differenti gradi di specializzazione, dalle lauree triennali alle lauree magistrali permettono l'iscrizione in specifici albi professionali.
I corsi di laurea attivati sono: Architettura per il progetto nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino e le Ex Officine Ferrroviarie) e nella sede di Mondovì-Breo; Storia e Conservazione dei Beni Architettonici e Ambientali nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino); Pianificazione Territoriale Urbanistica e Ambientale nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino).
I corsi di laurea magistrale attivati sono: Architettura nella sede di Torino; Architettura per l'Ambiente e il Paesaggio nella sede di Mondovì-Breo; Architettura per il Restauro e la Valorizzazione dei Beni Architettonici e Ambientali nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino); Progettazione di giardini, parchi e paesaggio (laurea interateneo Facoltà di Architettura/ Facoltà di Agraria dell'Università degli studi di Torino).
La II Facoltà di Architettura è da anni coinvolta negli scambi tra Università di diversi paesi europei, previsti dal Programma Socrates, il cui settore Erasmus è dedicato alla mobilità degli studenti e dei docenti a livello universitario; a tale proposito sono in atto scambi con numerose Università in Belgio, Germania, Spagna, Francia, Grecia, Polonia, Portogallo, Gran Bretagna, Austria, Finlandia, Lettonia, Lituania e Ungheria.
Oltre ai programmi di scambio Socrates la II Facoltà offre la possibilità di conseguire il doppio titolo di laurea internazionale, frequentando parte degli insegnamenti sia presso atenei europei, l'Ecole d'Architecture de Marseille Luminy, l'Ecole d'Architecture de Grenoble, sia internazionali, quali la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad de Belgrano di Buenos Aires; inoltre l'Universidad Central de Venezuela e la ITU Mimarlik Fakultesi di Instanbul.
Tra i molti Master di I e II livello istituiti sono attualmente attivi: Piani e progetti per le città del terzo mondo: formazione di esperti e Management dei beni culturali e ambientali.
Un ulteriore livello di studi permette di accedere ai Dottorati di Ricerca e alla Scuola di Specializzazione in Storia, analisi dei beni architettonici e ambientali.
La II Facoltà di Architettura è attualmente frequentata da oltre 3.500 studenti, di cui 1.350 a Mondovì. Gli insegnamenti tenuti sono oltre 200 gestiti da un corpo docente costituito da 58 professori e 51 ricercatori. Sono oltre 400 i laureati ogni anno.
La II Facoltà di Architettura condivide con la I Facoltà di Architettura la fruizione dei laboratori didattici (CISDA, CesMO, CESIT) e del Sistema Bibliotecario di Ateneo.
Valentino Park, the biggest park in Turin central area. This park is situated along the Po river and in its area you can find the Valentino Castle, and the Medieval Village (Borgo Medievale).
Its origins ...
This celebrated park extends along the left bank of the river Po at the foot of the hills, between the King Umberto I and Princess Isabella bridges. It is very close to the centre of town, and about one kilometre from the Porta Nuova main railway station.
It no longer is Turin vastest park, as its some 500,000 square metre area now ranks second after the 840,000 square metre Pellerina Park, Italy's most extended urban green area.
The origins of its name are rather uncertain. The first document bearing the name Valentinium is dated 1275; some trace it back to Saint Valentine, as the remains of this young 13th Century martyr Saint had been preserved in a crystal container in the Church of Saint Vitus on the hill facing the Valentino Park since the 18th Century before being transferred here following on the destruction of a small church close to today's green area.
Some experts claim that the 14th of February (Saint Valentine's today) was celebrated in a peculiar mixture of religious remembrances and mundane entertainment with a party in which each lady called her Cavalier Valentino.
The park was opened in 1630 on a project by Carlo Cognengo di Castellamonte and later completed by the designer's son Amedeo in 1660. In 1864 it was partially redesigned by French designer Barillet with a better layout of avenues and lanes, little woods, artificial dales, a small riding-track and a mini-lake, later dried out and used as skating rink during the Winter season.
The great International Exhibitions of 1884, 1898, 19021, 1922, and 1928 were held in the park grounds. A pleasantly flowered dale crossed by streams and full of flowers beds, with a nearby rock garden was created for the 1961 Exhibition. The rose garden was created in 1965 and was later enlarged for the Flor 62 Flower Show.
The park contains a host of prestigious buildings:
The Botanical Gardens
This is the seat of the Department of Vegetal Biology of Turin University. It was enlarged in 1894 with the addition of the Arboretum.
The Gardens are one of the main study centres of Italian botany. The herbarium contains some 700,000 specimens (the second largest collection after the one at Florence).
The story of the plant life studied here is contained in the 65 volumes of the Iconografia Taurinensis, that includes 7640 water-coloured tables made between 1752 and 1868. The green houses, gardens and alboretum, scientific laboratories and its rich library of 500,000 volumes together with Italy's most important collection of 700 specialised publications make Turin's Botanical Gardens rank among the most internationally famous.
The Castle
It is no doubt the whole park's most famous building. Its origins date from the early 26th Century. Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy acquired it in 1564. Later Carlo Emanuele I (the Iron Head's son) bequeathed it to Marie Christine of France (the Madama Reale) who used it as her favourite residence and lived there at length with her court.
The Castle was completely refurbished from 1621 to 1669, first by Carlo di Castellamonte and later by his son Amedeo. The building presents two different façades: the main one towards Turin has the same architectural features as French 17th castles and contains elements of the Italian building baroque style; the other facing the river Po is brickwork. The halls, particularly the Central Hall and the Hunting Room on the first floor (accessed by two stairways) preserve traces of the old 17th Century splendour, with rich stuccoes and allegorical memorial frescoes. The pavement of the large courtyard is chiaroscuro stonework and contains its original design motifs.
Battles were fought around the Castle, agreements and armistices stipulated and alliances signed. Its vaults record the most salient dates of Piedmont's history, as those at Palazzo Madama. Today it is the seat of Turin Polytechnic's Faculty of Architecture.
Medieval Castle and Village
This magnificent complex consists of the Medieval Village and the fortified Stronghold or Castle. It rises close to the Principessa Isabella bridge and is also accessed by a boat service from the Murazzi. Its crenellated walls, many-towered castle, drawbridge, fortified houses, narrow streets and lively artisan shops are a faithful replica of a 15th Century Village.
It was built for the 1884 Turin International Exhibition mostly on designs by the eclectic Alfredo d'Andrade, a naturalised Italian Portuguese artist, a great connoisseur of the Piedmontese Middle Ages and restorer of many castles and abbeys in Piedmont.
The Torino Esposizioni and Underground Pavilion Complex
This is a venue for prestigious events. It was the seat for the International Motor and Industrial Vehicles Shows until 1990 (when they were transferred to the Lingotto Exhibition grounds). The complex also houses the Teatro Nuovo and the Ice Palace.
Società Promotrice delle Belle Arti
The Society was founded in 1842. It lies to the right of the Castello del Valentino and is used for temporary art exhibitions.
Villa Glicini
Villa Glicini is the headquarters of the Turin Fencing Club, founded in 1879. Many international foil, sabre and sword fencing competitions are held here annually. Italy's first Society of Gymnastics was founded here in 1884.
Parco del Valentino
Il Parco del Valentino (in piemontese Ël Valentin) è un famoso parco pubblico cittadino di Torino, situato lungo le rive del Po. Posizionato, come Torino, in diagonale da Nord-Est a Sud-Ovest ha come confini: ad Est il corso del fiume Po, a Nord-Est Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, dove formalmente terminano i Murazzi, a Nord-Ovest Corso Massimo D'Azeglio. A Sud si restringe, seguendo Via Francesco Petrarca e il suo continuo Corso Sclopis, e continuando lungo il corso del fiume Po e di Corso Unità d'Italia con una lingua che si perde verso Moncalieri. Ha un'estensione di 421.000 m2.
È sicuramente il parco cittadino più conosciuto del capoluogo piemontese ed è stato assunto a simbolo della città al pari della Mole Antonelliana.
L'origine del nome non è conosciuta con precisione: alcuni ipotizzano che sia di origine romana; altri che sia stata originata dal fatto che nel luogo sorgesse in tempi antichi una cappella intitolata a San Valentino.
Statua di Cesare Battisti
Il nucleo iniziale del Parco trae le sue origini dal Castello del Valentino, che prese il nome dal Parco. Venne iniziato nel XVI secolo, ma solo nell'XIX iniziarono i lavori che in seguito hanno plasmato il Parco vero e proprio, secondo il progetto romantico del paesaggista francese Barrillet-Dechamps.
In occasione dell'Esposizione Generale Italiana del 1884 venne realizzato il cosiddetto borgo medievale, ovvero la ricostruzione di uno scorcio completo dei principali caratteri stilistici ed architettonici delle opere piemontesi e della Val d'Aosta del Medioevo, con tanto di Rocca visitabile.
Mentre nel borgo medievale sono allestite periodiche mostre, nel Parco sono state realizzate nel corso degli anni numerose mostre floreali (come Flor 1961, allestita in occasione del centenario dell'Unità d'Italia), di cui restano a ricordo ampie aiuole fiorite, il Giardino roccioso ed il Giardino montano, con cascatelle, fontane e piccoli corsi d'acqua.
Da visitare anche la fontana del Ceppi (inaugurata nel 1898), detta dei "Dodici Mesi", grande vasca rococò circondata da statue rappresentanti i dodici mesi dell'anno.
Negli ultimi anni il Parco è stato fortemente riqualificato ed è meta, al tramonto, di molti appassionati di jogging e bicicletta.
from a description of the Museu Nacional do Azulejo on the Lisbon Tourism Guide website, www.lisbonportugaltourism.com :
"Tile art is a common feature throughout the Mediterranean, but only Lisbon has a museum exclusively dedicated to it. It's a must-see, one-of-a-kind attraction, housed in a magnificent old convent from 1509, and with a collection featuring pieces going back to the 1400s. It explains the origins and evolution of the art in Portugal, which ended up being the country with the vastest and most innovative uses of tiles.
From the old convent remains a small Manueline (a Portuguese Gothic and Renaissance style) cloister and a stunning church, which makes the museum one of Lisbon's most beautiful sights. The church's tile panels are among the main highlights of the collection, and the gilded woodwork is one of the finest of several exceptional examples of the kind in the city."
from a description of the Museu Nacional do Azulejo on the Lisbon Tourism Guide website, www.lisbonportugaltourism.com :
"Tile art is a common feature throughout the Mediterranean, but only Lisbon has a museum exclusively dedicated to it. It's a must-see, one-of-a-kind attraction, housed in a magnificent old convent from 1509, and with a collection featuring pieces going back to the 1400s. It explains the origins and evolution of the art in Portugal, which ended up being the country with the vastest and most innovative uses of tiles.
From the old convent remains a small Manueline (a Portuguese Gothic and Renaissance style) cloister and a stunning church, which makes the museum one of Lisbon's most beautiful sights. The church's tile panels are among the main highlights of the collection, and the gilded woodwork is one of the finest of several exceptional examples of the kind in the city."
The Basodino is the vastest, most studied and most accessible of the approximately 90 glaciers in Ticino. It represents a precious heritage of a glacier's natural evolution South of the Alps. The glaciological trail (an itinerary that requires good training) offers an insight to discover this spectacular high altitude region, an exclusive environment with very rich flora and fauna. The Alpe Robiei (Robiei Pasture) tells a remote and recent tale of Bavona: a beautiful valley that can be crossed all the way to San Carlo, departure station of the cableway that goes up to Robiei.
The cableway that leads to Robiei was designed by the hydroelectric company of Maggia. More than half a century ago the company also built the dams that accumulate the water necessary for the region's hydroelectric power plants.
The glacier of Basodino has a surface of 2 square kilometers and it is located at an altitude between 2,500 and 3,120 meters. As with most Alpine glaciers, we are witnessing a rapid reduction of their surface and volume. They are shrinking so much that, according to experts, their time is ticking. In approximately twenty years – they claim – only a few residues of ice will remain on the highest mountain crests.
The ideal time to enjoy the rich flora of the area is between the months of July and August. The region is populated by numerous animals: ibexes, chamois, groundhogs, hares, ermines (rare), country mice and numerous birds including the Royal Eagle. Some mountain huts, farmsteads and sprügh (spaces obtained under large boulders) remind us of the vital importance of pastures on these mountains. Also the glaciers exercise their charm. In fact, already at the end of the 19th century Federico Balli ordered the Hôtel du Glacier to be built in the village of Bignasco. Located at the doorstep of the valley it was meant for tourists attracted by the Alps and the perennial snows of Basodino.
source: www.ticinotopten.ch/en/trekking/robiei-glaciological-trail
Michel CHEVRAY, former student of the school of the fine arts of Lorient, the tree of Caylar was its first important sculpture. Outlined in 1987, the sculpture was carried out in 2000 hours in 1988 and 1989, of April to September. _The "CAUSSE du LARZAC" is vastest and southernmost of "GRANDS CAUSSES", large causses.
Sony A7RII Astro Photography Milkyway Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Landscape Photography! Subtle Light Painting!
New fine art landscapes facebook:
Can you see the golden ratio, spiral, and rectangle in the above Bristlecone/Milkyway composition? Check here:
www.flickr.com/photos/herosjourneymythology45surf/2812038... :)
Golden Ratio Galaxies & Pines: For the 4th of July I headed up to the White Mountains to witness the fireworks over the ancient Bristlecone Pines @ 10,000 feet. I was the only one there, and it was the clearest I'd ever seen the Milky Way. The twisted branches of the 4,000 year old pine echoed throughout clouds of the 13 billion year old Milky Way, suggesting a common creator somewhere along the way. And so it is that the vastest, noblest things--wisdom itself--although subtle, stooped, and contorted by time, yet endures. And like the golden spiral arms of the Milky Way galaxy, the branches of the bristlecone pine also twisted in accordance with the golden ratio, while its pinecones displayed the golden ratio in the form of spirals based upon the Fibonacci Numbers, again connecting the lone pine to every spiral galaxy throughout the universe. the golden number, rectangle, and spiral!!
Subscribe to my new youtube channel and see how I used the divine section and golden rectangle, spiral, and ratio to get the cover of N-Photo Magazine with my fine-art landscape photo Sunrise at Toroweap in the Grand Canyon! And see how Ansel Adams and the great painters, photographers, and fine art masters all used the golden mean to exalt their compositions:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLlB_W3XG-k
www.youtube.com/channel/UC42cWDExI8K8stjROqOlLbQ
The golden section shows up in a lot of my surf and model photos too!
Sony A7RII Astro Photography Milkyway Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Photography! Subtle Light Painting!
Shot it with both the Sony A7RII And Nikon D810! Which do you think is better?
Join me friends!!
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All the best on your epic hero's odyssey! :)
Been hard at work on my books--my physics books on Dynamic Dimensions Theory (dx4/dt=ic) celebrating the hitherto unsung reality of the fourth expanding dimension which all the photons surf across the universe en route to making a photograph! Also working on an art, mythology, and photography book titled The Golden Hero's Odyssey! All the best on your Epic Hero's Odyssey! Always love hearing from y'all! :)
Sony A7RII Astro Photography Milkyway Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Dr. Elliot McGucken Fine Art Photography
instagram.com/goldennumberratio
Just a bit of ligt painting! Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS E-Mount !
Castello del Valentino
A text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
The Castle of Valentino (Italian Castello del Valentino) is an historic building in the north-west Italian city of Turin. It is located in Valentino Park, and is the seat of the Architecture Faculty of the Politecnico di Torino. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997.
The ancient castle was bought by Duke Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy on the advice of Andrea Palladio. The name Valentino, first mentioned in 1275, seems to derive from a saint called Valentine whose relics were venerated in a church which stood nearby.
The current structure is due to Princess Christine Marie of France (1606-1663), wife of Victor Amadeus I, who dwelt here from 1630. It has a horseshoe shape, with four round towers at each angle, and a wide inner court with a marble pavement. The ceilings of the false upper floors are clearly in transalpino (i.e. French) style. The façade sports a huge coat of arms of the House of Savoy. Works lasted until 1660.
Minor modifications were made in the early nineteenth century; at this time, too, much of the seventeenth-century furniture was carried off by French troops. For the next half century the palace was more or less abandoned and fell into a state of disrepair. Renovations were carried out in 1860 when it was selected as the seat of the engineering faculty of Turin; it has been been further restored in recent years.
Today it is the central building of the Architecture faculty of the Politecnico di Torino.
Italiani:
Il Castello del Valentino è un edificio storico di Torino, situato nell'omonimo Parco del Valentino sulle rive del fiume Po. Oggi è sede distaccata del Politecnico di Torino, ed ospita la Facoltà di Architettura.
L'antico castello fu acquistato da Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, il duca Testa di Ferro, su consiglio di Andrea Palladio. Questa struttura ospitò nobili famiglie come i Saintmerane, i Cicogna, i Pacelli ed i Calvi, che comprarono sei stanze nel castello.
L'origine del suo nome è incerta. Il primo documento in cui compare il nome Valentinium è del 1275; qualcuno fa risalire il suo nome a san Valentino perché le reliquie di questo santo, martire giovinetto del '200, sono conservate dal 1700 in una teca di cristallo nella chiesa di san Vito (sulla collina prospiciente al Parco del Valentino) qui trasferite in seguito alla distruzione di una chiesetta vicina all'attuale parco. Alcuni studiosi affermano che, in un singolare intreccio di memoria religiosa e mondanità, si soleva un tempo celebrare nel parco fluviale torinese, proprio il 14 febbraio (ora festa degli innamorati) una festa galante in cui ogni dama chiamava Valentino il proprio cavaliere.
Il castello deve la sua forma attuale ad una Madama Reale, la giovanissima Maria Cristina di Borbone-Francia (sposa di Vittorio Amedeo I di Savoia). Proprio alla Francia guarda lo stile di questo splendido palazzo: quattro torri angolari cingono l'edificio a forma di ferro di cavallo, con un'ampia corte a pavimento marmoreo. I tetti con due piani mansardati (solo dei falsi piani) sono tipicamente transalpini e tutto lo stile architettonico riflette i gusti della giovane principessa. I lavori durarono quasi 30 anni, dal 1633 al 1660 su progetti di Carlo e Amedeo di Castellamonte: la duchessa Maria Cristina vi abitò fin dal 1630 ammirando gli affreschi di Isidoro Bianchi di Campione d'Italia e gli stucchi dei suoi figli Pompeo e Francesco. E proprio a lei si deve lo scenico arco di ingresso sulla facciata con lo stemma sabaudo.
Sulla figura della nobildonna francese circolavano voci maligne, che narravano di un Castello del Valentino luogo di incontri amorosi con gentiluomini e servitù che finivano in fondo ad un pozzo gettati dalla nobile amante, la quale sembra che si fece costruire anche un passaggio sotterraneo, vera e propria galleria che attraversava anche il letto del Po, per collegare il Castello alla Vigna Reale, teatro d'incontri amorosi tra lei e il suo consigliere Filippo di Agliè.
Nel XIX secolo il castello subì piccoli cambiamenti architettonici e di connessione nel tessuto urbano cittadino, ma venne anche depredato del suo splendido arredo secentesco dai soldati francesi napoleonici.
Seguirono anni di abbandono e di degrado, quando nel 1860 venne scelto per la facoltà di Ingegneria torinese. L'abbandono del castello, però, ne è stato paradossalmente la sua fortuna: alcune infiltrazioni d'acqua hanno rovinato alcuni affreschi ma nel complesso il disinteresse per il palazzo ne ha conservato intatto il patrimonio di fregi e affreschi delle sale, tutti originali del '600. Oggetto di restauri in questi ultimi anni, il Castello sta ritrovando l'antico splendore. Le sale del primo piano vengono riaperte una ad una e ospitano uffici di rappresentanza della Facoltà di Architettura. Il 12 maggio 2007 ha riaperto la splendida sala dello Zodiaco, col suo affresco centrale che raffigura mitologicamente il Fiume Po con le fattezze di Poseidone.
Caratteristica peculiare della II Facoltà di Architettura, riconoscibile anche come Architettura e Ambiente, è educare alla cura dell'inserimento del costruito nell'ambiente, rispettando e valorizzando il patrimonio architettonico, urbanistico e ambientale. Un'ampia scelta di percorsi formativi. caratterizza la II Facoltà attraverso la diversificazione dei percorsi didattici volti all' approfondimento delle competenze culturali e operative rispondenti alle richieste della società odierna in materia di progetti di edilizia e infrastrutture, alla scala di intervento architettonico, urbanistico, nel rispetto del costruito, del territorio e del paesaggio, attraverso percorsi di conoscenza, conservazione e valorizzazione del patrimonio storico architettonico, sia antico che contemporaneo per l'utilizzo di tecnologie innovative per la gestione e valorizzazione del patrimonio storico culturale.
La Facoltà offre più percorsi formativi nel campo dell'architettura, che portano a lauree triennali e a lauree magistrali con possibilità di iscrizione in specifici albi professionali.
Tutti i percorsi e differenti gradi di specializzazione, dalle lauree triennali alle lauree magistrali permettono l'iscrizione in specifici albi professionali.
I corsi di laurea attivati sono: Architettura per il progetto nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino e le Ex Officine Ferrroviarie) e nella sede di Mondovì-Breo; Storia e Conservazione dei Beni Architettonici e Ambientali nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino); Pianificazione Territoriale Urbanistica e Ambientale nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino).
I corsi di laurea magistrale attivati sono: Architettura nella sede di Torino; Architettura per l'Ambiente e il Paesaggio nella sede di Mondovì-Breo; Architettura per il Restauro e la Valorizzazione dei Beni Architettonici e Ambientali nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino); Progettazione di giardini, parchi e paesaggio (laurea interateneo Facoltà di Architettura/ Facoltà di Agraria dell'Università degli studi di Torino).
La II Facoltà di Architettura è da anni coinvolta negli scambi tra Università di diversi paesi europei, previsti dal Programma Socrates, il cui settore Erasmus è dedicato alla mobilità degli studenti e dei docenti a livello universitario; a tale proposito sono in atto scambi con numerose Università in Belgio, Germania, Spagna, Francia, Grecia, Polonia, Portogallo, Gran Bretagna, Austria, Finlandia, Lettonia, Lituania e Ungheria.
Oltre ai programmi di scambio Socrates la II Facoltà offre la possibilità di conseguire il doppio titolo di laurea internazionale, frequentando parte degli insegnamenti sia presso atenei europei, l'Ecole d'Architecture de Marseille Luminy, l'Ecole d'Architecture de Grenoble, sia internazionali, quali la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad de Belgrano di Buenos Aires; inoltre l'Universidad Central de Venezuela e la ITU Mimarlik Fakultesi di Instanbul.
Tra i molti Master di I e II livello istituiti sono attualmente attivi: Piani e progetti per le città del terzo mondo: formazione di esperti e Management dei beni culturali e ambientali.
Un ulteriore livello di studi permette di accedere ai Dottorati di Ricerca e alla Scuola di Specializzazione in Storia, analisi dei beni architettonici e ambientali.
La II Facoltà di Architettura è attualmente frequentata da oltre 3.500 studenti, di cui 1.350 a Mondovì. Gli insegnamenti tenuti sono oltre 200 gestiti da un corpo docente costituito da 58 professori e 51 ricercatori. Sono oltre 400 i laureati ogni anno.
La II Facoltà di Architettura condivide con la I Facoltà di Architettura la fruizione dei laboratori didattici (CISDA, CesMO, CESIT) e del Sistema Bibliotecario di Ateneo.
Valentino Park, the biggest park in Turin central area. This park is situated along the Po river and in its area you can find the Valentino Castle, and the Medieval Village (Borgo Medievale).
Its origins ...
This celebrated park extends along the left bank of the river Po at the foot of the hills, between the King Umberto I and Princess Isabella bridges. It is very close to the centre of town, and about one kilometre from the Porta Nuova main railway station.
It no longer is Turin vastest park, as its some 500,000 square metre area now ranks second after the 840,000 square metre Pellerina Park, Italy's most extended urban green area.
The origins of its name are rather uncertain. The first document bearing the name Valentinium is dated 1275; some trace it back to Saint Valentine, as the remains of this young 13th Century martyr Saint had been preserved in a crystal container in the Church of Saint Vitus on the hill facing the Valentino Park since the 18th Century before being transferred here following on the destruction of a small church close to today's green area.
Some experts claim that the 14th of February (Saint Valentine's today) was celebrated in a peculiar mixture of religious remembrances and mundane entertainment with a party in which each lady called her Cavalier Valentino.
The park was opened in 1630 on a project by Carlo Cognengo di Castellamonte and later completed by the designer's son Amedeo in 1660. In 1864 it was partially redesigned by French designer Barillet with a better layout of avenues and lanes, little woods, artificial dales, a small riding-track and a mini-lake, later dried out and used as skating rink during the Winter season.
The great International Exhibitions of 1884, 1898, 19021, 1922, and 1928 were held in the park grounds. A pleasantly flowered dale crossed by streams and full of flowers beds, with a nearby rock garden was created for the 1961 Exhibition. The rose garden was created in 1965 and was later enlarged for the Flor 62 Flower Show.
The park contains a host of prestigious buildings:
The Botanical Gardens
This is the seat of the Department of Vegetal Biology of Turin University. It was enlarged in 1894 with the addition of the Arboretum.
The Gardens are one of the main study centres of Italian botany. The herbarium contains some 700,000 specimens (the second largest collection after the one at Florence).
The story of the plant life studied here is contained in the 65 volumes of the Iconografia Taurinensis, that includes 7640 water-coloured tables made between 1752 and 1868. The green houses, gardens and alboretum, scientific laboratories and its rich library of 500,000 volumes together with Italy's most important collection of 700 specialised publications make Turin's Botanical Gardens rank among the most internationally famous.
The Castle
It is no doubt the whole park's most famous building. Its origins date from the early 26th Century. Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy acquired it in 1564. Later Carlo Emanuele I (the Iron Head's son) bequeathed it to Marie Christine of France (the Madama Reale) who used it as her favourite residence and lived there at length with her court.
The Castle was completely refurbished from 1621 to 1669, first by Carlo di Castellamonte and later by his son Amedeo. The building presents two different façades: the main one towards Turin has the same architectural features as French 17th castles and contains elements of the Italian building baroque style; the other facing the river Po is brickwork. The halls, particularly the Central Hall and the Hunting Room on the first floor (accessed by two stairways) preserve traces of the old 17th Century splendour, with rich stuccoes and allegorical memorial frescoes. The pavement of the large courtyard is chiaroscuro stonework and contains its original design motifs.
Battles were fought around the Castle, agreements and armistices stipulated and alliances signed. Its vaults record the most salient dates of Piedmont's history, as those at Palazzo Madama. Today it is the seat of Turin Polytechnic's Faculty of Architecture.
Medieval Castle and Village
This magnificent complex consists of the Medieval Village and the fortified Stronghold or Castle. It rises close to the Principessa Isabella bridge and is also accessed by a boat service from the Murazzi. Its crenellated walls, many-towered castle, drawbridge, fortified houses, narrow streets and lively artisan shops are a faithful replica of a 15th Century Village.
It was built for the 1884 Turin International Exhibition mostly on designs by the eclectic Alfredo d'Andrade, a naturalised Italian Portuguese artist, a great connoisseur of the Piedmontese Middle Ages and restorer of many castles and abbeys in Piedmont.
The Torino Esposizioni and Underground Pavilion Complex
This is a venue for prestigious events. It was the seat for the International Motor and Industrial Vehicles Shows until 1990 (when they were transferred to the Lingotto Exhibition grounds). The complex also houses the Teatro Nuovo and the Ice Palace.
Società Promotrice delle Belle Arti
The Society was founded in 1842. It lies to the right of the Castello del Valentino and is used for temporary art exhibitions.
Villa Glicini
Villa Glicini is the headquarters of the Turin Fencing Club, founded in 1879. Many international foil, sabre and sword fencing competitions are held here annually. Italy's first Society of Gymnastics was founded here in 1884.
Parco del Valentino
Il Parco del Valentino (in piemontese Ël Valentin) è un famoso parco pubblico cittadino di Torino, situato lungo le rive del Po. Posizionato, come Torino, in diagonale da Nord-Est a Sud-Ovest ha come confini: ad Est il corso del fiume Po, a Nord-Est Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, dove formalmente terminano i Murazzi, a Nord-Ovest Corso Massimo D'Azeglio. A Sud si restringe, seguendo Via Francesco Petrarca e il suo continuo Corso Sclopis, e continuando lungo il corso del fiume Po e di Corso Unità d'Italia con una lingua che si perde verso Moncalieri. Ha un'estensione di 421.000 m2.
È sicuramente il parco cittadino più conosciuto del capoluogo piemontese ed è stato assunto a simbolo della città al pari della Mole Antonelliana.
L'origine del nome non è conosciuta con precisione: alcuni ipotizzano che sia di origine romana; altri che sia stata originata dal fatto che nel luogo sorgesse in tempi antichi una cappella intitolata a San Valentino.
Statua di Cesare Battisti
Il nucleo iniziale del Parco trae le sue origini dal Castello del Valentino, che prese il nome dal Parco. Venne iniziato nel XVI secolo, ma solo nell'XIX iniziarono i lavori che in seguito hanno plasmato il Parco vero e proprio, secondo il progetto romantico del paesaggista francese Barrillet-Dechamps.
In occasione dell'Esposizione Generale Italiana del 1884 venne realizzato il cosiddetto borgo medievale, ovvero la ricostruzione di uno scorcio completo dei principali caratteri stilistici ed architettonici delle opere piemontesi e della Val d'Aosta del Medioevo, con tanto di Rocca visitabile.
Mentre nel borgo medievale sono allestite periodiche mostre, nel Parco sono state realizzate nel corso degli anni numerose mostre floreali (come Flor 1961, allestita in occasione del centenario dell'Unità d'Italia), di cui restano a ricordo ampie aiuole fiorite, il Giardino roccioso ed il Giardino montano, con cascatelle, fontane e piccoli corsi d'acqua.
Da visitare anche la fontana del Ceppi (inaugurata nel 1898), detta dei "Dodici Mesi", grande vasca rococò circondata da statue rappresentanti i dodici mesi dell'anno.
Negli ultimi anni il Parco è stato fortemente riqualificato ed è meta, al tramonto, di molti appassionati di jogging e bicicletta.
Michel CHEVRAY, former student of the school of the fine arts of Lorient, the tree of Caylar was its first important sculpture. Outlined in 1987, the sculpture was carried out in 2000 hours in 1988 and 1989, of April to September. _The "CAUSSE du LARZAC" is vastest and southernmost of "GRANDS CAUSSES", large causses.
Il vallone dei mulini
Nel centro storico di Sorrento, alle spalle di Piazza Tasso, c'è la possibilità di ammirare dall'alto - in una suggestiva prospettiva - uno spettacolo naturale straordinario: il Vallone dei Mulini. Il Vallone circonda, sul lato sud-est, il blocco tufaceo dell'attuale centro storico di Sorrento; osservandolo dall'alto è visibile una caratteristica ferita della roccia, che incide in profondità la piattaforma tufacea in senso trasversale. Questa incisiva ferita è stata originata dalla più vasta eruzione che sconvolse il Mediterraneo circa 35.000 anni fa.
La potente eruzione colmò di detriti l'intera conca calcarea tra Punta Scutolo e Capo di Sorrento; le acque che attraversavano le valli - trovandole ostruite dai materiali vulcanici - cercarono una nuova strada verso il mare incidendo, progressivamente, il banco tufaceo. I valloni divennero luoghi privilegiati degli insediamenti umani. La grotta preistorica della Conca (Grotta Nicolucci), sulla risalita del Vallone di Marina Grande, e l'insediamento del Gaudo a Piano di Sorrento restano due tangibili tracce di tale fenomeno.
Il Vallone dei Mulini è intagliato da due corsi d'acqua: Casarlano-Cesarano e S. Antonino. La scarsità d'acqua ha contribuito a formare gole strettissime, solo nel punto di incontro dei due corsi d'acqua la gola si allarga e forma una vasta area ai piedi della villa "La Rupe".
Il nome Vallone dei Mulini, deriva proprio dall'esistenza di un mulino - in funzione fino agli inizi del '900 - usato per la macinazione del grano. Annesso al mulino era sorta una segheria che forniva segati pregiati agli ebanisti sorrentini. Il tutto era completato da un lavatoio pubblico usato dalle donne del popolo.
La creazione di Piazza Tasso - a partire dal 1866 - determinò l'isolamento dell'area dei mulini dal mare, provocando un brusco innalzamento del tasso di umidità, che rese invivibile l'area e ne determinò il progressivo abbandono.
Il nuovo microclima favorì lo sviluppo di una rigogliosa vegetazione spontanea il cui elemento dominante è la Phillitis Vulgaris, uno splendido e raro esemplare appartenente alla famiglia delle felci.
Oggi è possibile accedere alla parte residua del Vallone attraverso antiche rampe intagliate nel tufo con ingresso da una botola presso il parcheggio Stragazzi.
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La struttura dei valloni
Il Vallone dei Mulini fa parte di un sistema di cinque valloni che solcavano una volta la penisola sorrentina delimitando i territori dei paesi che la compongono. Oggi solo alcuni di essi si possono ancora scorgere ed in parte visitare.Del Vallone di S. Agnello è rimasta la parte a valle, che termina in una spiaggetta sul mare, attualmente in possesso delle Suore Salesiane, che vivono presso l'antica Villa Crawford, dove le navi un tempo vi trovavano sicuro riparo dalle tempeste marine .Infatti, sulla facciata anteriore si legge ancora: "In tempestate securitas". Il Vallone che separa Meta da Piano si avvia alla stessa fine nella zona centrale, in quanto, solo la parte a monte, chiamata Vallone della Tomba (per la presenza di una lapide che indica il luogo dove furono sepolte le vittime della peste dell'800), si conserva nel suo aspetto naturale. Invece la parte a valle, che termina sul mare con una spiaggetta, ha subito e subisce ancora profonde e continue trasformazioni ad opera dell'uomo.
Il vallone a Sorrento
Di tutti i valloni, quello conservato meglio è il Vallone dei Mulini a Sorrento, che è la parte centrale di un sistema di tre valloni, integri solo in epoca romana. Quando Piazza Tasso non era stata ancora costruita, il primo vallone cominciava dal Vallone dei Mulini e si estendeva fino alla zona Marina Piccola, formando così un suggestivo porto.Il secondo vallone, detto "Prossimo", partiva dal Vallone dei Mulini e giungeva fino all'Ospedale Civile, Porta Parsano, per proseguire fino a Marina Grande con una stretta gola. Oggi, questo secondo vallone, è in parte colmato fino alla Porta degli Anastasi; infatti è sottostante la parte finale di Via degli Aranci.Il terzo vallone saliva dalla Villa "La Rupe" verso le colline, passava per l'ex macello, tra aranceti e limoneti, per poi biforcarsi all'altazza della contrada "Tigliana" e perdersi, sotto forma di ruscelli,verso la contrada
mulino 1819.jpg (17520 byte)
Storia del Vallone dei Mulini
Nel lontano '500 i valloni di Sorrento appartenevano alla famiglia Tasso. Più tardi, durante il XVI secolo, essi furono venduti, con i mulini e gli orti contigui, alla famiglia Correale. All'inizio del secolo XVII, infatti, Onofrio Correale, sulla parte terminale del Vallone dei Mulini, fece costruire il porto di Marina piccola, un tempo chiamato Capo Cervo e poi mutato in Capo di Cerere, per la presenza di un tempio romano dedicato a Cerere, che fu distrutto allorchè il vallone franò nel 1580 e poi nel 1604.Il Vallone dei Mulini deve il suo nome ad un mulino nel suo fondo di cui attualmente sono appena visibili i ruderi mal conservati perché ricoperti dalla vegetazione non solo erbacea ma anche arborea.
Sulle vicende di questo mulino non è stato possibile sapere molto; è certo, però, che è stato in funzione fino ai primi anni di questo secolo e che vi macinavano tutti i tipi di grano necessari alla popolazione sorrentina. Al mulino era ammessa anche una segheria alimentata dalle acque correnti, provenienti dalle colline, e dalle acque sorgive. Sono, infatti, ancora visibili una serie di grotte nelle quali erano stati scavati dei pozzi, che fornivano l'acqua ai sorrentini. Anzi, pare che dalle pareti di queste grotte fosse estratto anche il tufo con cui sono state costruite molte case prima dell'avvento del cemento armato.La segheria forniva segati di qualsiasi spessore e di qualunque legno, come ciliegio, ulivo e noce, agli ebanisti sorrentini che, con la produzione di manufatti artigianali ricchi di un significato artistico di grande bellezza, hanno creato un'attività che ancora oggi li fa conoscere in tutto il mondo. Accanto al mulino ed alla segheria era annesso anche un lavatoio pubblico, dove si recavano le donne del popolo per lavare i panni. Tutto questo è desumibile solo dalle fotografie e dalle stampe, fatte con varie tecniche, perché di registrato dalle cronache del tempo non si è trovato nulla.
www.penisola.it/sorrento/vallone-mulini.php
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In the historical centre of Sorrento, behind Tasso Square, it is possible to admire from above - in a suggestive perspective - a natural extraordinary spectacle: The Valley of the Mills.The Valley encircles on the southeast side, the tuffaceous block of the present historical centre of Sorrento; observing it from above a characteristic rift of the rock is visible, that carves profound and transversely the platform. This incisive rift has originated from the vastest eruption which shook the Mediterranean about 35,000 years ago.
The potent eruption filled the entire calcareous valley with debris between Punta Scutolo and the Capo of Sorrento; the waters which passed through the valleys - finding them clogged up with volcanic materials - searched for a new path towards the sea cutting progressively through the volcanic tuffaceous bank.The valleys became privileged places of the human's settlement. The pre-historic cave of the Conca (Nicolucci Cave), on the uphill of the Valley of Marina Grande and the settlement of Gaudo in Piano of Sorrento, remain two tangible traces of this phenomenon.The Valley of the Mills is incised by two streams of water: Casarlano-Cesarano and Saint Antonino. The lack of water has contributed to form very narrow gorges, only at the point where the two streams of water meet the gorge widens and forms a vast area at the foot of "La Rupe" Villa.
The name "Valley of the Mills", derives from the existence of a mill - functioning since the beginning of the '900's - used for grinding wheat. Attached to the mill, rose a sawmill which furnished chaff to the Sorrentine cabinet makers. Everything is completed by a public wash-house used by the women of the community.The creation of Tasso Square, since 1866, determined the isolation of the mill area from the sea, provoking a sharp rise of the percentage of humidity, which made the area unbearable and determined its progressive abandon.The new microclimate favoured the development of a thriving and spontaneous vegetation in which the dominant element is the Phillitis Vulgaris, a splendid and rare model belonging to the fern family.
Today it is possible to have access to the remaining part of the Deep Valley crossing antique ramps engraved into the tuff with entrance from a trapdoor near the Stragazzi parking.
Sorrentoinfo.com suggestion: Equip yourself with binoculars and camera to observe from above the remains of the mill and the splendid savage vegetation. The best position is Fuorimura Street, behind Tasso Square.
Michel CHEVRAY, former student of the school of the fine arts of Lorient, the tree of Caylar was its first important sculpture. Outlined in 1987, the sculpture was carried out in 2000 hours in 1988 and 1989, of April to September. _The "CAUSSE du LARZAC" is vastest and southernmost of "GRANDS CAUSSES", large causses.
Castello del Valentino
A text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
The Castle of Valentino (Italian Castello del Valentino) is an historic building in the north-west Italian city of Turin. It is located in Valentino Park, and is the seat of the Architecture Faculty of the Politecnico di Torino. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997.
The ancient castle was bought by Duke Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy on the advice of Andrea Palladio. The name Valentino, first mentioned in 1275, seems to derive from a saint called Valentine whose relics were venerated in a church which stood nearby.
The current structure is due to Princess Christine Marie of France (1606-1663), wife of Victor Amadeus I, who dwelt here from 1630. It has a horseshoe shape, with four round towers at each angle, and a wide inner court with a marble pavement. The ceilings of the false upper floors are clearly in transalpino (i.e. French) style. The façade sports a huge coat of arms of the House of Savoy. Works lasted until 1660.
Minor modifications were made in the early nineteenth century; at this time, too, much of the seventeenth-century furniture was carried off by French troops. For the next half century the palace was more or less abandoned and fell into a state of disrepair. Renovations were carried out in 1860 when it was selected as the seat of the engineering faculty of Turin; it has been been further restored in recent years.
Today it is the central building of the Architecture faculty of the Politecnico di Torino.
Italiani:
Il Castello del Valentino è un edificio storico di Torino, situato nell'omonimo Parco del Valentino sulle rive del fiume Po. Oggi è sede distaccata del Politecnico di Torino, ed ospita la Facoltà di Architettura.
L'antico castello fu acquistato da Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, il duca Testa di Ferro, su consiglio di Andrea Palladio. Questa struttura ospitò nobili famiglie come i Saintmerane, i Cicogna, i Pacelli ed i Calvi, che comprarono sei stanze nel castello.
L'origine del suo nome è incerta. Il primo documento in cui compare il nome Valentinium è del 1275; qualcuno fa risalire il suo nome a san Valentino perché le reliquie di questo santo, martire giovinetto del '200, sono conservate dal 1700 in una teca di cristallo nella chiesa di san Vito (sulla collina prospiciente al Parco del Valentino) qui trasferite in seguito alla distruzione di una chiesetta vicina all'attuale parco. Alcuni studiosi affermano che, in un singolare intreccio di memoria religiosa e mondanità, si soleva un tempo celebrare nel parco fluviale torinese, proprio il 14 febbraio (ora festa degli innamorati) una festa galante in cui ogni dama chiamava Valentino il proprio cavaliere.
Il castello deve la sua forma attuale ad una Madama Reale, la giovanissima Maria Cristina di Borbone-Francia (sposa di Vittorio Amedeo I di Savoia). Proprio alla Francia guarda lo stile di questo splendido palazzo: quattro torri angolari cingono l'edificio a forma di ferro di cavallo, con un'ampia corte a pavimento marmoreo. I tetti con due piani mansardati (solo dei falsi piani) sono tipicamente transalpini e tutto lo stile architettonico riflette i gusti della giovane principessa. I lavori durarono quasi 30 anni, dal 1633 al 1660 su progetti di Carlo e Amedeo di Castellamonte: la duchessa Maria Cristina vi abitò fin dal 1630 ammirando gli affreschi di Isidoro Bianchi di Campione d'Italia e gli stucchi dei suoi figli Pompeo e Francesco. E proprio a lei si deve lo scenico arco di ingresso sulla facciata con lo stemma sabaudo.
Sulla figura della nobildonna francese circolavano voci maligne, che narravano di un Castello del Valentino luogo di incontri amorosi con gentiluomini e servitù che finivano in fondo ad un pozzo gettati dalla nobile amante, la quale sembra che si fece costruire anche un passaggio sotterraneo, vera e propria galleria che attraversava anche il letto del Po, per collegare il Castello alla Vigna Reale, teatro d'incontri amorosi tra lei e il suo consigliere Filippo di Agliè.
Nel XIX secolo il castello subì piccoli cambiamenti architettonici e di connessione nel tessuto urbano cittadino, ma venne anche depredato del suo splendido arredo secentesco dai soldati francesi napoleonici.
Seguirono anni di abbandono e di degrado, quando nel 1860 venne scelto per la facoltà di Ingegneria torinese. L'abbandono del castello, però, ne è stato paradossalmente la sua fortuna: alcune infiltrazioni d'acqua hanno rovinato alcuni affreschi ma nel complesso il disinteresse per il palazzo ne ha conservato intatto il patrimonio di fregi e affreschi delle sale, tutti originali del '600. Oggetto di restauri in questi ultimi anni, il Castello sta ritrovando l'antico splendore. Le sale del primo piano vengono riaperte una ad una e ospitano uffici di rappresentanza della Facoltà di Architettura. Il 12 maggio 2007 ha riaperto la splendida sala dello Zodiaco, col suo affresco centrale che raffigura mitologicamente il Fiume Po con le fattezze di Poseidone.
Caratteristica peculiare della II Facoltà di Architettura, riconoscibile anche come Architettura e Ambiente, è educare alla cura dell'inserimento del costruito nell'ambiente, rispettando e valorizzando il patrimonio architettonico, urbanistico e ambientale. Un'ampia scelta di percorsi formativi. caratterizza la II Facoltà attraverso la diversificazione dei percorsi didattici volti all' approfondimento delle competenze culturali e operative rispondenti alle richieste della società odierna in materia di progetti di edilizia e infrastrutture, alla scala di intervento architettonico, urbanistico, nel rispetto del costruito, del territorio e del paesaggio, attraverso percorsi di conoscenza, conservazione e valorizzazione del patrimonio storico architettonico, sia antico che contemporaneo per l'utilizzo di tecnologie innovative per la gestione e valorizzazione del patrimonio storico culturale.
La Facoltà offre più percorsi formativi nel campo dell'architettura, che portano a lauree triennali e a lauree magistrali con possibilità di iscrizione in specifici albi professionali.
Tutti i percorsi e differenti gradi di specializzazione, dalle lauree triennali alle lauree magistrali permettono l'iscrizione in specifici albi professionali.
I corsi di laurea attivati sono: Architettura per il progetto nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino e le Ex Officine Ferrroviarie) e nella sede di Mondovì-Breo; Storia e Conservazione dei Beni Architettonici e Ambientali nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino); Pianificazione Territoriale Urbanistica e Ambientale nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino).
I corsi di laurea magistrale attivati sono: Architettura nella sede di Torino; Architettura per l'Ambiente e il Paesaggio nella sede di Mondovì-Breo; Architettura per il Restauro e la Valorizzazione dei Beni Architettonici e Ambientali nella sede di Torino (presso il Castello del Valentino); Progettazione di giardini, parchi e paesaggio (laurea interateneo Facoltà di Architettura/ Facoltà di Agraria dell'Università degli studi di Torino).
La II Facoltà di Architettura è da anni coinvolta negli scambi tra Università di diversi paesi europei, previsti dal Programma Socrates, il cui settore Erasmus è dedicato alla mobilità degli studenti e dei docenti a livello universitario; a tale proposito sono in atto scambi con numerose Università in Belgio, Germania, Spagna, Francia, Grecia, Polonia, Portogallo, Gran Bretagna, Austria, Finlandia, Lettonia, Lituania e Ungheria.
Oltre ai programmi di scambio Socrates la II Facoltà offre la possibilità di conseguire il doppio titolo di laurea internazionale, frequentando parte degli insegnamenti sia presso atenei europei, l'Ecole d'Architecture de Marseille Luminy, l'Ecole d'Architecture de Grenoble, sia internazionali, quali la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad de Belgrano di Buenos Aires; inoltre l'Universidad Central de Venezuela e la ITU Mimarlik Fakultesi di Instanbul.
Tra i molti Master di I e II livello istituiti sono attualmente attivi: Piani e progetti per le città del terzo mondo: formazione di esperti e Management dei beni culturali e ambientali.
Un ulteriore livello di studi permette di accedere ai Dottorati di Ricerca e alla Scuola di Specializzazione in Storia, analisi dei beni architettonici e ambientali.
La II Facoltà di Architettura è attualmente frequentata da oltre 3.500 studenti, di cui 1.350 a Mondovì. Gli insegnamenti tenuti sono oltre 200 gestiti da un corpo docente costituito da 58 professori e 51 ricercatori. Sono oltre 400 i laureati ogni anno.
La II Facoltà di Architettura condivide con la I Facoltà di Architettura la fruizione dei laboratori didattici (CISDA, CesMO, CESIT) e del Sistema Bibliotecario di Ateneo.
Valentino Park, the biggest park in Turin central area. This park is situated along the Po river and in its area you can find the Valentino Castle, and the Medieval Village (Borgo Medievale).
Its origins ...
This celebrated park extends along the left bank of the river Po at the foot of the hills, between the King Umberto I and Princess Isabella bridges. It is very close to the centre of town, and about one kilometre from the Porta Nuova main railway station.
It no longer is Turin vastest park, as its some 500,000 square metre area now ranks second after the 840,000 square metre Pellerina Park, Italy's most extended urban green area.
The origins of its name are rather uncertain. The first document bearing the name Valentinium is dated 1275; some trace it back to Saint Valentine, as the remains of this young 13th Century martyr Saint had been preserved in a crystal container in the Church of Saint Vitus on the hill facing the Valentino Park since the 18th Century before being transferred here following on the destruction of a small church close to today's green area.
Some experts claim that the 14th of February (Saint Valentine's today) was celebrated in a peculiar mixture of religious remembrances and mundane entertainment with a party in which each lady called her Cavalier Valentino.
The park was opened in 1630 on a project by Carlo Cognengo di Castellamonte and later completed by the designer's son Amedeo in 1660. In 1864 it was partially redesigned by French designer Barillet with a better layout of avenues and lanes, little woods, artificial dales, a small riding-track and a mini-lake, later dried out and used as skating rink during the Winter season.
The great International Exhibitions of 1884, 1898, 19021, 1922, and 1928 were held in the park grounds. A pleasantly flowered dale crossed by streams and full of flowers beds, with a nearby rock garden was created for the 1961 Exhibition. The rose garden was created in 1965 and was later enlarged for the Flor 62 Flower Show.
The park contains a host of prestigious buildings:
The Botanical Gardens
This is the seat of the Department of Vegetal Biology of Turin University. It was enlarged in 1894 with the addition of the Arboretum.
The Gardens are one of the main study centres of Italian botany. The herbarium contains some 700,000 specimens (the second largest collection after the one at Florence).
The story of the plant life studied here is contained in the 65 volumes of the Iconografia Taurinensis, that includes 7640 water-coloured tables made between 1752 and 1868. The green houses, gardens and alboretum, scientific laboratories and its rich library of 500,000 volumes together with Italy's most important collection of 700 specialised publications make Turin's Botanical Gardens rank among the most internationally famous.
The Castle
It is no doubt the whole park's most famous building. Its origins date from the early 26th Century. Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy acquired it in 1564. Later Carlo Emanuele I (the Iron Head's son) bequeathed it to Marie Christine of France (the Madama Reale) who used it as her favourite residence and lived there at length with her court.
The Castle was completely refurbished from 1621 to 1669, first by Carlo di Castellamonte and later by his son Amedeo. The building presents two different façades: the main one towards Turin has the same architectural features as French 17th castles and contains elements of the Italian building baroque style; the other facing the river Po is brickwork. The halls, particularly the Central Hall and the Hunting Room on the first floor (accessed by two stairways) preserve traces of the old 17th Century splendour, with rich stuccoes and allegorical memorial frescoes. The pavement of the large courtyard is chiaroscuro stonework and contains its original design motifs.
Battles were fought around the Castle, agreements and armistices stipulated and alliances signed. Its vaults record the most salient dates of Piedmont's history, as those at Palazzo Madama. Today it is the seat of Turin Polytechnic's Faculty of Architecture.
Medieval Castle and Village
This magnificent complex consists of the Medieval Village and the fortified Stronghold or Castle. It rises close to the Principessa Isabella bridge and is also accessed by a boat service from the Murazzi. Its crenellated walls, many-towered castle, drawbridge, fortified houses, narrow streets and lively artisan shops are a faithful replica of a 15th Century Village.
It was built for the 1884 Turin International Exhibition mostly on designs by the eclectic Alfredo d'Andrade, a naturalised Italian Portuguese artist, a great connoisseur of the Piedmontese Middle Ages and restorer of many castles and abbeys in Piedmont.
The Torino Esposizioni and Underground Pavilion Complex
This is a venue for prestigious events. It was the seat for the International Motor and Industrial Vehicles Shows until 1990 (when they were transferred to the Lingotto Exhibition grounds). The complex also houses the Teatro Nuovo and the Ice Palace.
Società Promotrice delle Belle Arti
The Society was founded in 1842. It lies to the right of the Castello del Valentino and is used for temporary art exhibitions.
Villa Glicini
Villa Glicini is the headquarters of the Turin Fencing Club, founded in 1879. Many international foil, sabre and sword fencing competitions are held here annually. Italy's first Society of Gymnastics was founded here in 1884.
Parco del Valentino
Il Parco del Valentino (in piemontese Ël Valentin) è un famoso parco pubblico cittadino di Torino, situato lungo le rive del Po. Posizionato, come Torino, in diagonale da Nord-Est a Sud-Ovest ha come confini: ad Est il corso del fiume Po, a Nord-Est Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, dove formalmente terminano i Murazzi, a Nord-Ovest Corso Massimo D'Azeglio. A Sud si restringe, seguendo Via Francesco Petrarca e il suo continuo Corso Sclopis, e continuando lungo il corso del fiume Po e di Corso Unità d'Italia con una lingua che si perde verso Moncalieri. Ha un'estensione di 421.000 m2.
È sicuramente il parco cittadino più conosciuto del capoluogo piemontese ed è stato assunto a simbolo della città al pari della Mole Antonelliana.
L'origine del nome non è conosciuta con precisione: alcuni ipotizzano che sia di origine romana; altri che sia stata originata dal fatto che nel luogo sorgesse in tempi antichi una cappella intitolata a San Valentino.
Statua di Cesare Battisti
Il nucleo iniziale del Parco trae le sue origini dal Castello del Valentino, che prese il nome dal Parco. Venne iniziato nel XVI secolo, ma solo nell'XIX iniziarono i lavori che in seguito hanno plasmato il Parco vero e proprio, secondo il progetto romantico del paesaggista francese Barrillet-Dechamps.
In occasione dell'Esposizione Generale Italiana del 1884 venne realizzato il cosiddetto borgo medievale, ovvero la ricostruzione di uno scorcio completo dei principali caratteri stilistici ed architettonici delle opere piemontesi e della Val d'Aosta del Medioevo, con tanto di Rocca visitabile.
Mentre nel borgo medievale sono allestite periodiche mostre, nel Parco sono state realizzate nel corso degli anni numerose mostre floreali (come Flor 1961, allestita in occasione del centenario dell'Unità d'Italia), di cui restano a ricordo ampie aiuole fiorite, il Giardino roccioso ed il Giardino montano, con cascatelle, fontane e piccoli corsi d'acqua.
Da visitare anche la fontana del Ceppi (inaugurata nel 1898), detta dei "Dodici Mesi", grande vasca rococò circondata da statue rappresentanti i dodici mesi dell'anno.
Negli ultimi anni il Parco è stato fortemente riqualificato ed è meta, al tramonto, di molti appassionati di jogging e bicicletta.
Michel CHEVRAY, former student of the school of the fine arts of Lorient, the tree of Caylar was its first important sculpture. Outlined in 1987, the sculpture was carried out in 2000 hours in 1988 and 1989, of April to September. _The "CAUSSE du LARZAC" is vastest and southernmost of "GRANDS CAUSSES", large causses.
As I gently rose from my brief slumber I had this sense of wonder for what the moment held-indescribable, uncontainable bliss saturated my being.
Many chase after a drug to mimic the affect I felt the moment my power nap ended. How could it be that I, a normal everyday man, could feel so delightfully blessed? The feeling was beyond comprehension as I just sat in it, at surely the vastest point of human experience, or so it seemed.
I'm even slightly embarrassed as to how simple and not-noteworthy these findings are. They're not that dazzling really. But, they do describe honestly why I felt so good. Times of bliss are so desirable we want to bottle them. We can't always feel this way. We have to come back to earth at some point. But there's no reason why we can't feel in sync with life and at harmony with our souls. Forever value and treasure the precious gift of life by nourishing and expanding its potential. Commit to a life of learning.
Taken: Paya II, Kaghan Valley, Mansehra, NWFP, Pakistan
Enjoy the Bliss of Music: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p17BlsbB9Gs or the same one at www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Nxhaw_tZ4
« Entre la Jungfrau antérieure et postérieure, au midi et au couchant d'icelle se trouvent des gouffres affreux, des abîmes et des crevasses monstrueuses, qui offrent au regard l'un des déserts les plus redoutables, mélange de neige, de glace et de pierre. Entre la Jungfrau et les montagnes de l'Eiger intérieur et les monts du Valais d'autre part, il y a une vallée de glace qui tantôt se fraye un passage étroit, tantôt s'ouvre largement, et qui s'interrompt en plusieurs lieux. Une contrée sauvage et inaccessible. »
C'est en ces termes peu engageants que s'exprimait le Zurichois Johan Conrad Fasi en 1768 dans son ouvrage mentionnant le plus vaste complexe glaciaire des Alpes, le Grand Glacier d'Aletsch : « Description exacte et complète, politique et géographique de toute la Confédération helvétique ».
" Between Jungfrau previous and posterior, at the noon and at sunset of icelle are hideous abysses, abysses and monstrous cracks, which offer to the glance one of the most redoubtable deserts, the mixture of snow, ice and stone. Valais on the other hand enter Jungfrau and the mountains of internal Eiger and the mounts of, there is a valley of ice which sometimes clears itself a narrow, sometimes opens widely, and which breaks off in several places. A wild and inaccessible part of the country. "
It is in these little captivating terms that expressed himself Zurichois Johan Conrad Fasi in 1768 in his work mentioning the vastest give a complex to glacial period of the Alps, the Big Glacier D' Aletsch: " exact and complete, political and geographical Description of all Swiss Confederation ".
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The city of Vancouver taken from Stanley Park with a long exposure.
British Columbia has been beautiful beyond imagination. While it rained nearly every day, its one of the greenest, vastest and most diverse places i've seen.
from a description of the Museu Nacional do Azulejo on the Lisbon Tourism Guide website, www.lisbonportugaltourism.com :
"Tile art is a common feature throughout the Mediterranean, but only Lisbon has a museum exclusively dedicated to it. It's a must-see, one-of-a-kind attraction, housed in a magnificent old convent from 1509, and with a collection featuring pieces going back to the 1400s. It explains the origins and evolution of the art in Portugal, which ended up being the country with the vastest and most innovative uses of tiles.
From the old convent remains a small Manueline (a Portuguese Gothic and Renaissance style) cloister and a stunning church, which makes the museum one of Lisbon's most beautiful sights. The church's tile panels are among the main highlights of the collection, and the gilded woodwork is one of the finest of several exceptional examples of the kind in the city."
from a description of the Museu Nacional do Azulejo on the Lisbon Tourism Guide website, www.lisbonportugaltourism.com :
"Tile art is a common feature throughout the Mediterranean, but only Lisbon has a museum exclusively dedicated to it. It's a must-see, one-of-a-kind attraction, housed in a magnificent old convent from 1509, and with a collection featuring pieces going back to the 1400s. It explains the origins and evolution of the art in Portugal, which ended up being the country with the vastest and most innovative uses of tiles.
From the old convent remains a small Manueline (a Portuguese Gothic and Renaissance style) cloister and a stunning church, which makes the museum one of Lisbon's most beautiful sights. The church's tile panels are among the main highlights of the collection, and the gilded woodwork is one of the finest of several exceptional examples of the kind in the city."
"Mamá Sara, mother of Sofi, who had the vastest repertoire of polka dotted dresses that I have ever known, she had them all."
In Maštal Magazine 6/2013 'Good Old Days' together with more illustrations and photos of mine ♥
Please check it out:
issuu.com/mastal-magazine/docs/mastal6#
Publicado en la hermosa Maštal Magazine 6/2013 'Good Old Days' junto a otros dibujos y fotos mías ♥
This must be one of the vastest and most impressive paste ups I have ever seen. This picture does not fully convey the size even with the doors and bikes in the frame for a sense of scale, it is huge.
GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION:
Lessinia is formed by a degrading plateau towards the Po plain, of trapezial shape, furrowed by five valleys: Valpolicella, Valpantena, Val Squaranto, Val d' Illasi and Val d' Alpone. Part of the Veneto PreAlps, between the rivers Adige (west side) and Chiampo (east side), between Val di Ronchi and the group of Varega Mountains to the nort, and the Po plain to the south. Lessinia is divided between the provinces of Verona (which includes the vastest part of it), Vicenza and Trento.
SETTLEMENTS IN LESSINIA:
The first setttlement in the Lessinian area can be considered the preistorical castellar, formed by dry walls and semicircular terracings. The real ancient houses, sometimes constructed on plain rock, are dated back approximately to the XIII century, but only in the successive century these houses have been organized in courts, (territorial divisions in which the houses enclose and protect a space in which to preserve the usual everyday activities). The court, locatable overall in western and central Lessinia, at middle-low heights, normally presents a "colombara" (a watchtower with small windows), an access arc, external walls and a paved threshing floor. The facades of the houses are directed to the south to take advantage from the solar energy. During the XVII-XVIII century the accesses to the court have been ulteriorly fortified with openings (rifleman) in the walls of the houses towards the entrance arc. Unfortunately today a deep devastation of the landscape with the building of small houses and villas that have replaced the terrazzati fields has ruined the area. New roads have replaced the old ones, made by dry stone bulwarks, and disposed as a fish thorn. One of the must popular construction material, that has given a particular touch to the lessinian landscape, is the "lastrame", commonly known as "Lessinia Stone" as in this zone there are many stone quarries, dating back to the Advanced Cretaceous Period, excavated in galleries in the past, and openair nowdays.
THE LESSINIA STONE MINING:
Since the Iron Age Lessinia Stone has been used in the construction of the castellars on the lessinian ridges: the external walls of the village, the pavements and the roofs of the huts, were all built with slabs of stone. This way of building continues nowdays in the civil buildings of high Lessinia, think, for example, of the fantastc complex of Gorgusello in Val di Fumane, of the settlements of Prun and Fane (Romanesque age), of XIII century's complex around the church of S. Paolo di Pun, and of Cerna, Vaggimal and Giare centres. The first mention of a stone quarry dates back to 1024 and it refers to the territory of Capavo, near Torbe:Armenardino and Zugno de Capavo are quarreling "de quadam predaraet terra ET nemus". In the early 1300, with the increase of commerce, the Lessinia stone's market developes. During the years 1360/70 some tenents in Torbe take to the monastery of S. Zeno "palustra scalinorum and pedes scalinorum" - finished material used "ad canipam revolti monasterii" and moreover a" seclarium lapidis... de quo makes you scalini I placed to you to revoltum manasterii "In the 1400's and the 1500's, with the spread of the rinascimental art and the diffusion of a crescent sensibility for the elegance of the signorile dwelling, the exploitation and the commerce of the local stone material bagin a greater development. Some stonedressers accumulate high capitals, that soon they invest in land and caves near Torbe: in 1589 Torbe is controlled by "messer Peter Burlani lapicida" that possesses a huge house right in the centre of the village "in summitate Zovecli", next to Negrar; another messere, "messer Antonio lapicida" , is known at the same time as land-owner in another village, near Mazzano.
from a description of the Museu Nacional do Azulejo on the Lisbon Tourism Guide website, www.lisbonportugaltourism.com :
"Tile art is a common feature throughout the Mediterranean, but only Lisbon has a museum exclusively dedicated to it. It's a must-see, one-of-a-kind attraction, housed in a magnificent old convent from 1509, and with a collection featuring pieces going back to the 1400s. It explains the origins and evolution of the art in Portugal, which ended up being the country with the vastest and most innovative uses of tiles.
From the old convent remains a small Manueline (a Portuguese Gothic and Renaissance style) cloister and a stunning church, which makes the museum one of Lisbon's most beautiful sights. The church's tile panels are among the main highlights of the collection, and the gilded woodwork is one of the finest of several exceptional examples of the kind in the city."
Rayon de soleil sur les murs de la cathédrale Saint-Pierre, rue de la Taconnerie
Fondée au IVe siècle, sous le vocable de Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens, par référence à la basilique romaine, elle fut reconstruite entre les XIIe et XVe siècle. En 1535, suite à la Réforme, elle devint l'église protestante principale de Genève et son nom fut simplifié en "Saint-Pierre".
Le portail date du XVIIIe siècle (et ne figure pas sur cette photo).
28 cloches (dont la fameuse Clémence datant de 1407 et un carillon de 19 cloches) se répartissent entre les deux tours et la flèche.
Son ensemble de chapiteaux romans et gothiques (environs 300 éléments) est le plus vaste de Suisse.
Ray of sun in the rue de la Taconnerie
The cathedral was founded during the 4th century under the name of "Saint Peter in Chains" (in honour of the Roman basilica).
It was reconstructed between the 12th and 15th centuries. In 1535 it became the main church of the Protestant Geneva and its name was simplificated in Saint Peter.
The portal is 18th century (and not on the picture).
Two towers and a spire divide up 28 bells (among the is the Clémence / the Clemency - 1407).
It has the vastest collection of Roman and Gothic capitals of Switzerland (about 300 pieces)
29 décembre 2009 à 15h37
I used Wikipedia to help me on the historical elements
from a description of the Museu Nacional do Azulejo on the Lisbon Tourism Guide website, www.lisbonportugaltourism.com :
"Tile art is a common feature throughout the Mediterranean, but only Lisbon has a museum exclusively dedicated to it. It's a must-see, one-of-a-kind attraction, housed in a magnificent old convent from 1509, and with a collection featuring pieces going back to the 1400s. It explains the origins and evolution of the art in Portugal, which ended up being the country with the vastest and most innovative uses of tiles.
From the old convent remains a small Manueline (a Portuguese Gothic and Renaissance style) cloister and a stunning church, which makes the museum one of Lisbon's most beautiful sights. The church's tile panels are among the main highlights of the collection, and the gilded woodwork is one of the finest of several exceptional examples of the kind in the city."
The Baths of Antoninus, located in Carthage, Tunisia, are the vastest set of Roman baths built on the African continent and one of three largest built in the Roman Empire. The baths are also the only remaining in Carthage the era of the Roman Empire. The archaeological excavations started during the Second World War and concluded by the creation of an archaeological park for the monument.
The Baths of Antoninus, located in Carthage, Tunisia, are the vastest set of Roman baths built on the African continent and one of three largest built in the Roman Empire. The baths are also the only remaining in Carthage the era of the Roman Empire. The archaeological excavations started during the Second World War and concluded by the creation of an archaeological park for the monument.
The Baths of Antoninus, located in Carthage, Tunisia, are the vastest set of Roman baths built on the African continent and one of three largest built in the Roman Empire. The baths are also the only remaining in Carthage the era of the Roman Empire. The archaeological excavations started during the Second World War and concluded by the creation of an archaeological park for the monument.
The Baths of Antoninus, located in Carthage, Tunisia, are the vastest set of Roman baths built on the African continent and one of three largest built in the Roman Empire. The baths are also the only remaining in Carthage the era of the Roman Empire. The archaeological excavations started during the Second World War and concluded by the creation of an archaeological park for the monument.
from a description of the Museu Nacional do Azulejo on the Lisbon Tourism Guide website, www.lisbonportugaltourism.com :
"Tile art is a common feature throughout the Mediterranean, but only Lisbon has a museum exclusively dedicated to it. It's a must-see, one-of-a-kind attraction, housed in a magnificent old convent from 1509, and with a collection featuring pieces going back to the 1400s. It explains the origins and evolution of the art in Portugal, which ended up being the country with the vastest and most innovative uses of tiles.
From the old convent remains a small Manueline (a Portuguese Gothic and Renaissance style) cloister and a stunning church, which makes the museum one of Lisbon's most beautiful sights. The church's tile panels are among the main highlights of the collection, and the gilded woodwork is one of the finest of several exceptional examples of the kind in the city."
The Baths of Antoninus, located in Carthage, Tunisia, are the vastest set of Roman baths built on the African continent and one of three largest built in the Roman Empire. The baths are also the only remaining in Carthage the era of the Roman Empire. The archaeological excavations started during the Second World War and concluded by the creation of an archaeological park for the monument.
Sorry weak quality photos, taken according to slides.
Désolé faible qualité photos,prises d'après diapositives.
Sanctuaire exceptionnel et méconnu ce site sacré de Po Win Daung constitue la plus vaste collection de peintures rupestres d’Asie du Sud-Est réalisées entre le XIVe et le XVIIIe.
Exceptional and underestimated sanctuary this Po Win Daung's sacred site constitutes the vastest collection of rock paintings of South-East Asia realized between the XIVth and the XVIIIth.
Valentino Park, the biggest park in Turin central area. This park is situated along the Po river and in its area you can find the Valentino Castle, and the Medieval Village (Borgo Medievale).
Its origins ...
This celebrated park extends along the left bank of the river Po at the foot of the hills, between the King Umberto I and Princess Isabella bridges. It is very close to the centre of town, and about one kilometre from the Porta Nuova main railway station.
It no longer is Turin vastest park, as its some 500,000 square metre area now ranks second after the 840,000 square metre Pellerina Park, Italy's most extended urban green area.
The origins of its name are rather uncertain. The first document bearing the name Valentinium is dated 1275; some trace it back to Saint Valentine, as the remains of this young 13th Century martyr Saint had been preserved in a crystal container in the Church of Saint Vitus on the hill facing the Valentino Park since the 18th Century before being transferred here following on the destruction of a small church close to today's green area.
Some experts claim that the 14th of February (Saint Valentine's today) was celebrated in a peculiar mixture of religious remembrances and mundane entertainment with a party in which each lady called her Cavalier Valentino.
The park was opened in 1630 on a project by Carlo Cognengo di Castellamonte and later completed by the designer's son Amedeo in 1660. In 1864 it was partially redesigned by French designer Barillet with a better layout of avenues and lanes, little woods, artificial dales, a small riding-track and a mini-lake, later dried out and used as skating rink during the Winter season.
The great International Exhibitions of 1884, 1898, 19021, 1922, and 1928 were held in the park grounds. A pleasantly flowered dale crossed by streams and full of flowers beds, with a nearby rock garden was created for the 1961 Exhibition. The rose garden was created in 1965 and was later enlarged for the Flor 62 Flower Show.
The park contains a host of prestigious buildings:
The Botanical Gardens
This is the seat of the Department of Vegetal Biology of Turin University. It was enlarged in 1894 with the addition of the Arboretum.
The Gardens are one of the main study centres of Italian botany. The herbarium contains some 700,000 specimens (the second largest collection after the one at Florence).
The story of the plant life studied here is contained in the 65 volumes of the Iconografia Taurinensis, that includes 7640 water-coloured tables made between 1752 and 1868. The green houses, gardens and alboretum, scientific laboratories and its rich library of 500,000 volumes together with Italy's most important collection of 700 specialised publications make Turin's Botanical Gardens rank among the most internationally famous.
The Castle
It is no doubt the whole park's most famous building. Its origins date from the early 26th Century. Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy acquired it in 1564. Later Carlo Emanuele I (the Iron Head's son) bequeathed it to Marie Christine of France (the Madama Reale) who used it as her favourite residence and lived there at length with her court.
The Castle was completely refurbished from 1621 to 1669, first by Carlo di Castellamonte and later by his son Amedeo. The building presents two different façades: the main one towards Turin has the same architectural features as French 17th castles and contains elements of the Italian building baroque style; the other facing the river Po is brickwork. The halls, particularly the Central Hall and the Hunting Room on the first floor (accessed by two stairways) preserve traces of the old 17th Century splendour, with rich stuccoes and allegorical memorial frescoes. The pavement of the large courtyard is chiaroscuro stonework and contains its original design motifs.
Battles were fought around the Castle, agreements and armistices stipulated and alliances signed. Its vaults record the most salient dates of Piedmont's history, as those at Palazzo Madama. Today it is the seat of Turin Polytechnic's Faculty of Architecture.
Medieval Castle and Village
This magnificent complex consists of the Medieval Village and the fortified Stronghold or Castle. It rises close to the Principessa Isabella bridge and is also accessed by a boat service from the Murazzi. Its crenellated walls, many-towered castle, drawbridge, fortified houses, narrow streets and lively artisan shops are a faithful replica of a 15th Century Village.
It was built for the 1884 Turin International Exhibition mostly on designs by the eclectic Alfredo d'Andrade, a naturalised Italian Portuguese artist, a great connoisseur of the Piedmontese Middle Ages and restorer of many castles and abbeys in Piedmont.
The Torino Esposizioni and Underground Pavilion Complex
This is a venue for prestigious events. It was the seat for the International Motor and Industrial Vehicles Shows until 1990 (when they were transferred to the Lingotto Exhibition grounds). The complex also houses the Teatro Nuovo and the Ice Palace.
Società Promotrice delle Belle Arti
The Society was founded in 1842. It lies to the right of the Castello del Valentino and is used for temporary art exhibitions.
Villa Glicini
Villa Glicini is the headquarters of the Turin Fencing Club, founded in 1879. Many international foil, sabre and sword fencing competitions are held here annually. Italy's first Society of Gymnastics was founded here in 1884.
Parco del Valentino
Il Parco del Valentino (in piemontese Ël Valentin) è un famoso parco pubblico cittadino di Torino, situato lungo le rive del Po. Posizionato, come Torino, in diagonale da Nord-Est a Sud-Ovest ha come confini: ad Est il corso del fiume Po, a Nord-Est Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, dove formalmente terminano i Murazzi, a Nord-Ovest Corso Massimo D'Azeglio. A Sud si restringe, seguendo Via Francesco Petrarca e il suo continuo Corso Sclopis, e continuando lungo il corso del fiume Po e di Corso Unità d'Italia con una lingua che si perde verso Moncalieri. Ha un'estensione di 421.000 m2.
È sicuramente il parco cittadino più conosciuto del capoluogo piemontese ed è stato assunto a simbolo della città al pari della Mole Antonelliana.
L'origine del nome non è conosciuta con precisione: alcuni ipotizzano che sia di origine romana; altri che sia stata originata dal fatto che nel luogo sorgesse in tempi antichi una cappella intitolata a San Valentino.
Statua di Cesare Battisti
Il nucleo iniziale del Parco trae le sue origini dal Castello del Valentino, che prese il nome dal Parco. Venne iniziato nel XVI secolo, ma solo nell'XIX iniziarono i lavori che in seguito hanno plasmato il Parco vero e proprio, secondo il progetto romantico del paesaggista francese Barrillet-Dechamps.
In occasione dell'Esposizione Generale Italiana del 1884 venne realizzato il cosiddetto borgo medievale, ovvero la ricostruzione di uno scorcio completo dei principali caratteri stilistici ed architettonici delle opere piemontesi e della Val d'Aosta del Medioevo, con tanto di Rocca visitabile.
Mentre nel borgo medievale sono allestite periodiche mostre, nel Parco sono state realizzate nel corso degli anni numerose mostre floreali (come Flor 1961, allestita in occasione del centenario dell'Unità d'Italia), di cui restano a ricordo ampie aiuole fiorite, il Giardino roccioso ed il Giardino montano, con cascatelle, fontane e piccoli corsi d'acqua.
Da visitare anche la fontana del Ceppi (inaugurata nel 1898), detta dei "Dodici Mesi", grande vasca rococò circondata da statue rappresentanti i dodici mesi dell'anno.
Negli ultimi anni il Parco è stato fortemente riqualificato ed è meta, al tramonto, di molti appassionati di jogging e bicicletta.
Valentino Park, the biggest park in Turin central area. This park is situated along the Po river and in its area you can find the Valentino Castle, and the Medieval Village (Borgo Medievale).
Its origins ...
This celebrated park extends along the left bank of the river Po at the foot of the hills, between the King Umberto I and Princess Isabella bridges. It is very close to the centre of town, and about one kilometre from the Porta Nuova main railway station.
It no longer is Turin vastest park, as its some 500,000 square metre area now ranks second after the 840,000 square metre Pellerina Park, Italy's most extended urban green area.
The origins of its name are rather uncertain. The first document bearing the name Valentinium is dated 1275; some trace it back to Saint Valentine, as the remains of this young 13th Century martyr Saint had been preserved in a crystal container in the Church of Saint Vitus on the hill facing the Valentino Park since the 18th Century before being transferred here following on the destruction of a small church close to today's green area.
Some experts claim that the 14th of February (Saint Valentine's today) was celebrated in a peculiar mixture of religious remembrances and mundane entertainment with a party in which each lady called her Cavalier Valentino.
The park was opened in 1630 on a project by Carlo Cognengo di Castellamonte and later completed by the designer's son Amedeo in 1660. In 1864 it was partially redesigned by French designer Barillet with a better layout of avenues and lanes, little woods, artificial dales, a small riding-track and a mini-lake, later dried out and used as skating rink during the Winter season.
The great International Exhibitions of 1884, 1898, 19021, 1922, and 1928 were held in the park grounds. A pleasantly flowered dale crossed by streams and full of flowers beds, with a nearby rock garden was created for the 1961 Exhibition. The rose garden was created in 1965 and was later enlarged for the Flor 62 Flower Show.
The park contains a host of prestigious buildings:
The Botanical Gardens
This is the seat of the Department of Vegetal Biology of Turin University. It was enlarged in 1894 with the addition of the Arboretum.
The Gardens are one of the main study centres of Italian botany. The herbarium contains some 700,000 specimens (the second largest collection after the one at Florence).
The story of the plant life studied here is contained in the 65 volumes of the Iconografia Taurinensis, that includes 7640 water-coloured tables made between 1752 and 1868. The green houses, gardens and alboretum, scientific laboratories and its rich library of 500,000 volumes together with Italy's most important collection of 700 specialised publications make Turin's Botanical Gardens rank among the most internationally famous.
The Castle
It is no doubt the whole park's most famous building. Its origins date from the early 26th Century. Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy acquired it in 1564. Later Carlo Emanuele I (the Iron Head's son) bequeathed it to Marie Christine of France (the Madama Reale) who used it as her favourite residence and lived there at length with her court.
The Castle was completely refurbished from 1621 to 1669, first by Carlo di Castellamonte and later by his son Amedeo. The building presents two different façades: the main one towards Turin has the same architectural features as French 17th castles and contains elements of the Italian building baroque style; the other facing the river Po is brickwork. The halls, particularly the Central Hall and the Hunting Room on the first floor (accessed by two stairways) preserve traces of the old 17th Century splendour, with rich stuccoes and allegorical memorial frescoes. The pavement of the large courtyard is chiaroscuro stonework and contains its original design motifs.
Battles were fought around the Castle, agreements and armistices stipulated and alliances signed. Its vaults record the most salient dates of Piedmont's history, as those at Palazzo Madama. Today it is the seat of Turin Polytechnic's Faculty of Architecture.
Medieval Castle and Village
This magnificent complex consists of the Medieval Village and the fortified Stronghold or Castle. It rises close to the Principessa Isabella bridge and is also accessed by a boat service from the Murazzi. Its crenellated walls, many-towered castle, drawbridge, fortified houses, narrow streets and lively artisan shops are a faithful replica of a 15th Century Village.
It was built for the 1884 Turin International Exhibition mostly on designs by the eclectic Alfredo d'Andrade, a naturalised Italian Portuguese artist, a great connoisseur of the Piedmontese Middle Ages and restorer of many castles and abbeys in Piedmont.
The Torino Esposizioni and Underground Pavilion Complex
This is a venue for prestigious events. It was the seat for the International Motor and Industrial Vehicles Shows until 1990 (when they were transferred to the Lingotto Exhibition grounds). The complex also houses the Teatro Nuovo and the Ice Palace.
Società Promotrice delle Belle Arti
The Society was founded in 1842. It lies to the right of the Castello del Valentino and is used for temporary art exhibitions.
Villa Glicini
Villa Glicini is the headquarters of the Turin Fencing Club, founded in 1879. Many international foil, sabre and sword fencing competitions are held here annually. Italy's first Society of Gymnastics was founded here in 1884.
Parco del Valentino
Il Parco del Valentino (in piemontese Ël Valentin) è un famoso parco pubblico cittadino di Torino, situato lungo le rive del Po. Posizionato, come Torino, in diagonale da Nord-Est a Sud-Ovest ha come confini: ad Est il corso del fiume Po, a Nord-Est Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, dove formalmente terminano i Murazzi, a Nord-Ovest Corso Massimo D'Azeglio. A Sud si restringe, seguendo Via Francesco Petrarca e il suo continuo Corso Sclopis, e continuando lungo il corso del fiume Po e di Corso Unità d'Italia con una lingua che si perde verso Moncalieri. Ha un'estensione di 421.000 m2.
È sicuramente il parco cittadino più conosciuto del capoluogo piemontese ed è stato assunto a simbolo della città al pari della Mole Antonelliana.
L'origine del nome non è conosciuta con precisione: alcuni ipotizzano che sia di origine romana; altri che sia stata originata dal fatto che nel luogo sorgesse in tempi antichi una cappella intitolata a San Valentino.
Statua di Cesare Battisti
Il nucleo iniziale del Parco trae le sue origini dal Castello del Valentino, che prese il nome dal Parco. Venne iniziato nel XVI secolo, ma solo nell'XIX iniziarono i lavori che in seguito hanno plasmato il Parco vero e proprio, secondo il progetto romantico del paesaggista francese Barrillet-Dechamps.
In occasione dell'Esposizione Generale Italiana del 1884 venne realizzato il cosiddetto borgo medievale, ovvero la ricostruzione di uno scorcio completo dei principali caratteri stilistici ed architettonici delle opere piemontesi e della Val d'Aosta del Medioevo, con tanto di Rocca visitabile.
Mentre nel borgo medievale sono allestite periodiche mostre, nel Parco sono state realizzate nel corso degli anni numerose mostre floreali (come Flor 1961, allestita in occasione del centenario dell'Unità d'Italia), di cui restano a ricordo ampie aiuole fiorite, il Giardino roccioso ed il Giardino montano, con cascatelle, fontane e piccoli corsi d'acqua.
Da visitare anche la fontana del Ceppi (inaugurata nel 1898), detta dei "Dodici Mesi", grande vasca rococò circondata da statue rappresentanti i dodici mesi dell'anno.
Negli ultimi anni il Parco è stato fortemente riqualificato ed è meta, al tramonto, di molti appassionati di jogging e bicicletta.
Royal Abbey of Fontevraud
Founded in 1101 by Breton reforming monk Robert of Arbrissel. The abbey of Fontevraud, of Gothic style, was erected as both abbey and royal necropolis by Henri II Plantagenêt king of England, independent of all monastic orders, but of benedictine inspiration. It was the most powerful abbey of France, and one of the vastest in Europe.
The Baths of Antoninus, located in Carthage, Tunisia, are the vastest set of Roman baths built on the African continent and one of three largest built in the Roman Empire. The baths are also the only remaining in Carthage the era of the Roman Empire. The archaeological excavations started during the Second World War and concluded by the creation of an archaeological park for the monument.
A small part of the Ódáðahraun, Desert of Misdeeds, along the Ring Road, east Iceland.
Ódáðahraun, the Desert of Misdeeds, with its 6000 km², is the vastest lava desert in the world, forged by ten millennia of volcanic eruptions.
It could be easily understood why the area was used for training by the Apollo 11 crew as Earth's nearest approximation to the moon:
The day Neil Armstrong set his foot on Iceland
The title is inspired by the words an Icelandic woman said to me at the end of my journey.
--
VIDEO → THE WORLD AT THE END OF THE WORLD
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Nature, travel, photography: MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
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The Baths of Antoninus, located in Carthage, Tunisia, are the vastest set of Roman baths built on the African continent and one of three largest built in the Roman Empire. The baths are also the only remaining in Carthage the era of the Roman Empire. The archaeological excavations started during the Second World War and concluded by the creation of an archaeological park for the monument.
OK, so I am a system builder, folks... did buy some Throwbots (slizer) as a kid (so affordable :D)
when I saw the first glimpse of bionicle as an early order on the back of the mania magazine, it had zero appeal to me. then my stupid best friend calls and says "which toa are you getting?" that set me on the mask collectingest, most ridiculous drawn out bionicle spree. thankfully my brothers and I each picked a single color and stuck with it, so i don't have the vastest collection ever.
I ended up picking up one of those amazing 'leftover parts buckets' that were available at toys r us - crazy 500 part for $20 deal. at the same time, the accompanying story had introduced the 'dark hunters', a bounty hunter organization in the bionicle universe. the concept thrilled me, and I put use to my new wealth of bulk parts and built some characters, intended to be defectors to aforementioned group, that I'm not ashamed to show off ;)
crossbow is functional, but not particularly well engineered.
I was originally building the model for an official 'rahi' (bionic wildlife) building contest, didn't submit in time, because I couldn't devise decent legs.
A view over the Ódáðahraun, along the Ring Road, north-east Iceland.
Ódáðahraun, the Desert of Misdeeds, with its 6000 km², is the vastest lava desert in the world, forged by ten millennia of volcanic eruptions.
It could be easily understood why the area was used for training by the Apollo 11 crew as Earth's nearest approximation to the moon.
--
VIDEO → THE WORLD AT THE END OF THE WORLD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nature, travel, photography: MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK, so I am a system builder, folks... did buy some Throwbots (slizer) as a kid (so affordable :D)
when I saw the first glimpse of bionicle as an early order on the back of the mania magazine, it had zero appeal to me. then my stupid best friend calls and says "which toa are you getting?" that set me on the mask collectingest, most ridiculous drawn out bionicle spree. thankfully my brothers and I each picked a single color and stuck with it, so i don't have the vastest collection ever.
I ended up picking up one of those amazing 'leftover parts buckets' that were available at toys r us - crazy 500 part for $20 deal. at the same time, the accompanying story had introduced the 'dark hunters', a bounty hunter organization in the bionicle universe. the concept thrilled me, and I put use to my new wealth of bulk parts and built some characters, intended to be defectors to aforementioned group, that I'm not ashamed to show off ;)
crossbow is functional, but not particularly well engineered.
I was originally building the model for an official 'rahi' (bionic wildlife) building contest, didn't submit in time, because I couldn't devise decent legs.
The five-story stone pagoda of Chongrim Temple in Puyo, South Korea, was built in the first half of the 7th century. Puyo belonged to the Paekche kingdom of ancient Korea.
____________________________________________
BUYEO KINGDOM
Buyeo or Puyŏ (Korean: 부여; Hanja: 夫餘 Korean pronunciation: [pujʌ]) was an ancient kingdom located in parts of southern Manchuria and northern Korea, from around the 2nd century BC to 494. Its remnants were absorbed by the neighboring kingdom of Goguryeo in 494. Both Goguryeo and Baekje, two of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, considered themselves its successor nation.
Although records are sparse and contradictory, it is speculated that in 86 BC, Dongbuyeo (Eastern Buyeo) branched out, after which the original Buyeo is sometimes referred to as Bukbuyeo (Northern Buyeo). Jolbon Buyeo was a small tribal state situated in north of the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. According to Samguk Sagi, in 504, the tribute emissary Yesilbu mentions that the gold of Buyeo can no longer be obtainable for tribute as Buyeo has been driven out by the Malgal and the Somna and absorbed into Baekje. It is also shown that the Emperor Shizong wished that Buyeo would regain its former glory. In 538, long after the fall of Buyeo, Baekje renamed itself Nambuyeo (Southern Buyeo).
"Buyeo" may also refer to a Baekje surname or Buyeo County in South Korea.
HISTORY
BUKBUYEO
EARLY HISTORY
The founder of Buyeo kingdom was probably Dongmyeong, having no relations with Jumong who founded Goguryeo. After its foundation, Hae Mo-su (解慕漱：the son of heaven) brought the royal court to his new palace, and they proclaimed him King. Hae Mo-su called his new kingdom "Buyeo" to show that he was the true successor to the Kings of Buyeo. Generally, This Buyeo is often known as "Bukbuyeo" (Northern Buyeo).
Jumong is described as the son of Hae Mo-su and Yuhwa (柳花), who was a daughter of the Habaek (河伯).
UNDER ATTACK
In early 3rd century, Gongsun Du, a Chinese warlord in Liaodong, supported Buyeo to counter Xianbei in the north and Goguryeo in the east. After destroying the Gongsun family, the northern Chinese state of Cao Wei sent Guanqiu Jian to attack Goguryeo. A squad of the expeditionary force led by Wang Qi (王頎), the Grand Administrator of the Xuantu commandery, was welcomed by Buyeo. It brought detailed information of the kingdom to China.
After that, Buyeo was torn between big powers, and ravaged during the waves of movement of northern nomadic peoples into China. In 285 the Murong tribe of the Xianbei, led by Murong Hui, invaded Buyeo, pushing King Uiryeo (依慮) to suicide, and forcing the relocation of the court to Okjeo. Considering its friendly relationship with Jin Dynasty, Emperor Wu helped King Uira (依羅) revive Buyeo.[citation needed]
Goguryeo's attack sometime before 347 caused further decline. Having lost its stronghold near Harbin, Buyeo moved southwestward to Nong'an. Around 347, Buyeo was attacked by Murong Huang of the Former Yan, and King Hyeon (玄) was captured.
FALL
A remnant of Buyeo seems to have lingered around modern Harbin area under the influence of Goguryeo. Buyeo paid tribute once to Northern Wei in 457-8,[5] but otherwise seems to have been controlled by Goguryeo. In 494, Buyeo were under attack by the rising Wuji (also known as the Mohe, 勿吉, 물길), and the Buyeo court moved and surrendered to Goguryeo.
DONGBUYEO
According to the Samguk Sagi and other accounts, the kingdom of Dongbuyeo (86 BC – 22 AD) branched out to the east of Bukbuyeo, near the land of Okjeo. Bukbuyeo's King died, and his brother Hae Buru succeeded him and became the king of Bukbuyeo.
Hae Buru found a golden frog-like child under a large rock. Hae Buru named the child Geumwa, meaning golden frog, and later made him crown prince.
Geumwa became king after Hae Buru's death. Geumwa met Yuhwa, the daughter of Habaek, and brought her back to his palace. She was said to have been impregnated by sunlight and to have laid a golden egg. Geumwa made many attempts to destroy the egg, but failed, and returned the egg to Yuhwa. From the egg hatched Jumong, who later founded the kingdom of Goguryeo. Jumong later fled to Jolbon Buyeo after numerous assassination attempts by the seven sons of King Geumwa.
Geumwa's eldest son Daeso became the next king. Daeso attacked Goguryeo during the reign of its second King Yuri. Goguryeo's third king Daemusin attacked Dongbuyeo and killed Daeso. After internal strife, Dongbuyeo fell, and its territory was absorbed into Goguryeo.
Contrarily, Gwanggaeto stele mentioned Dongbuyeo as a vassal state of Goguryeo, even long after its destruction. Since the chronology is inconsistent with the Samguk Sagi, the Dongbuyeo mentioned in the stele is widely speculated by historians to have been a revival movement of Dongbuyeo, formed around 285.
JOLBON BUYEO
Many ancient historical records indicate the "Jolbon Buyeo" (卒本夫餘, 졸본부여), apparently referring to the incipient Goguryeo or its capital city.
In 37 BC, Jumong became the first king of Goguryeo. Jumong went on to conquer Okjeo, Dongye, and Haengin, regaining some of Buyeo and former territory of Gojoseon.
CULTURE
The Buyeo were agricultural people who occupied the vastest plain in Manchuria. Their manners and customs were mostly recorded in Sanguo Zhi (Records of Three Kingdoms), ancient Chinese historical text. They already maintained a complex social structure and named official titled after animals.
LANGUAGE
The Buyeo languages are a hypothetical language family that would relate the language of Buyeo with the languages of Goguryeo and Baekje, and possibly place them together as a family under the hypothetical Altaic family. However, the hypothetical is unverified and thought unproven. According to Chinese historical records, the language of Buyeo is similar to that of Goguryeo, but their languages are completely different from Malgal.
The Buyeo language itself is unknown except for a small number of words, but thought to have been similar to languages of Gojoseon, Goguryeo and Eastern Okjeo.
LEGACY
In the 1930s, Chinese historian Jin Yufu developed a linear model of descent for the people of Manchuria and northern Korea, from the kingdoms of Buyeo, Goguryeo, and Baekje, to the modern Korean nationality. Later historians of Northeast China built upon this influential model.
Goguryeo and Baekje, two of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, considered themselves successors of Buyeo. King Onjo, the founder of Baekje, is said to have been a son of King Dongmyeongseong, founder of Goguryeo. Baekje officially changed its name to Nambuyeo (남부여, 南夫餘 "South Buyeo") in 538.
WIKIPEDIA
Time, atoms by Swami, Vedas, modern science
Reet
From ancient time to today the humanity has searched the answer: what is time? On the view of Cosmic Consciousness every minute, second, day is always new. In the stream of the time it is Atma, which is ever remains the same. The time is as a link to measure lives, deaths, events, aspirations... The timeless Atma is as a dumb dispassionate witness of Divine Cosmic play, characterised by time, space, atoms, whatsoever expressions of life and energy vibrations.
"The Cosmos is controlled by God;
God is subject to Truth
That Truth is subject to the authority of
sacred and noble beings."
(Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. The Divine Discourse: "Transform Yourselves and Transform the World." 01. January 1998, Prasanthi Nilayam).
From times of the deep past the humanity measures time. Various methods based on the motion cycles of planets, moon, sun as though comparing to their movement with humans lives which are parts of the Uniform circulation of fields of Nature on the arena of Creature.
Modern science does not exactly know what time is. In fact, one of the hottest themes in theoretical physics is whether time itself is illusory. This standpoint is so near to the Vedic wisdom and Swami's Teaching). There are many hypotheses about time. The last of them is that time consists in atoms. (Lee Smolin. Atoms of Space and Time Scientific American.com. Jan 2004). From ancient times some philosophers and scientists had supposed that if matter were broken up into small enough bits, it might turn out to be made up of very tiny atoms. The granularity is the characterisation of whatsoever matter.
In recent decades, physicists and mathematicians have asked if space is also made of discrete pieces? Is it continuous, as we learn in school, or is it more like a piece of cloth, woven out of individual fibres? If we could probe to size scales that were small enough, would we see "atoms" of space, irreducible pieces of volume that cannot be broken into anything smaller?
And what about time: Does nature change continuously, or does the world evolve in series of very tiny steps, acting more like a digital computer? Not finding the clear answer what is time and space through many scientific theories science at last reached to the atoms of time.
Here is significant to remember Swami's explanation, done earlier than scientists have reached to their hypothesis. "Today scientists are propagating various theories to the world. Spiritualists are also propagating about divinity in various ways. However, the mankind is not able to understand what the scientists and the spiritualists are saying. Ultimately, we can conclude that the world is made up of molecules and atoms. There can be no world without the atoms. ...The universe is a combination of atoms. The Vedantins (Vedic scholars) say: Anoraneeyan Mahato Maheeyan (Brahman is subtler than the subtlest and vaster than the vastest). It is because of the coming together of the atoms that we find the five elements, human beings, various objects and activities in this world. The atoms are all pervasive. The world is composed of atoms and nothing else. Brahman does not have a specific form. Brahman is subtler than the subtlest, vaster than the vastest. He is the eternal witness and pervades the entire universe in the form of atoms."
(Excerpts from: Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. The Divine Discourse: "Atom - The Subtlest Form Of Divinity" 23 October 2001, Prasanthi Nilayam).
(Certainly these atoms are not the same that chemical elements by Mendeleyev have. They are the subtlest particles as carriers of energy, vibrations).
American physicist John F. Wheeler explains that matter (atoms) is like 'Quantum foam'. It likely floats as quanta (vibration) of energy on the surface of an underlying ocean of the cosmic energy (Atma, Brahman) from which all the five kinds of energies* have been born. (*five elements by Vedas and Swami). On this primordial level it is impossible to differentiate among light, matter, space and time. By my views such is core of Atmic reality through the expressions of modern science.
It seems that essence of time and space is hidden in spiritual awareness what brings a human being closer to Atmic unity.
Below is a tiny collection of Swami's quotations about time:
"All things happen according to the dictates of Time;
Both good and bad depend on Time;
Prosperity and poverty likewise depend on Time;
Time is the determinant of all things,
There is none who is not subject to Time
In this entire world; that's the Truth."
(Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol. 24. Chapter 1).
"What you think exists, is not real.
What you think does not exist, is the Reality.
God is the only Reality
And there is nothing in the world
Which is not pervaded by God..." (Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol. 24. Chapter 12).
"Of all the gifts of God, Time and Love are the most precious. Man has to make proper use of time in order to experience Divine love. But today everyone, be it a student or a householder or an ascetic, is wasting three-fourths of his time in worldly pursuits. Then how can he expect to have noble thoughts!" (Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. The Divine Discourse: "Glory of Womanhood." 25 Dec. 1999, Prashanti Nilayam).
"All things in the Cosmos, moving and unmoving, are permeated by God. Hence. God is characterised as Kaalagarbha (the One who holds Time in the womb)....
The word Kaalam (Time) is derived from Kaa+alam. This means that God, embodiment of Time, is the One who rewards people according to their deserts. God does not submit to worldly offerings, worldly authority or worldly power. He responds only to spiritual aspirations." (Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol. 24. Chapter 1).
Veda describes Kaalam:
Kala (Kaalam)
AV XIX, 54
1. From Time came into being the Waters,
from Time the Holy Word, Energy, and the regions.
By Time [each day] the Sun arises,
in Time he goes to rest again.
2. By Time blows the cleansing Wind,
through Time the vast Earth has her being.
The great Heaven has his post in Time.
3. Their son Time long ago engendered
the things that were and that shall be.
From Time came Scripture into being
and formulas for Sacrifice.
4. By Time was Sacrifice inaugurated,
inexhaustible oblation to the Gods.
In Time live the spirits ant the nymphs.
Upon Time all the worlds repose.
5. In Time are set this Angiras
and Atharvan who came from Heaven,
both this world and the world above,
all holy worlds and holy interspaces.
6. Having conquered the worlds by Holy Word,
Time, the God supreme, goes on.
Reference:
www.himalayanacademy.com/books/vedic_experience/Part2/VEP...
Swami characterises the Vedas:
"The Veda is the Mother of all the Sastras. The Veda emanated from God Himself as inhalation and exhalation. The great sages, who were the embodiments of the treasure gained by long ascetic practices, received Veda as a series of sounds and spread it over the world by word of mouth from preceptor to pupil."
(Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Sathya Sai Vahini. Eternal Truths).
Jugas are as pinpointers of time by Swami and Vedas for humans. Characteristics of jugas by Swami are following.
"You have heard about four aeons called KritaYuga, Treta Yuga, Dwarapa Yuga and Kali Yuga. These are not distinct from each other.... According to the conduct of the people at the time, the name is given for the Yuga... Hence one of the names bestowed on God is Yugadi (One from whom the Yuga begins)." (Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol. 24. Chapter 1).
"In giving the duration of the different yugas and estimating the life of Brahma (the Creator) in terms of the yugas, the scriptures have given the life-span of Brahma as extending over many crores of years.... The scriptures have described Brahma as Anaadi (without beginning).... God has been envisaged as the embodiment of Time. He is the source of Yugas. He presides over Time. He is the Time-Spirit and the Kaalagarbha (container of Time). Time is the devourer of the physical. The Lord is the devourer of Time itself. When there is faith in God, man transcends the physical." (Sri Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol. 24. Chapter 4).
Poetical Vedic hymn to time what proceeds all jugas.
Purnah kumbhah
AV XIX, 53
1. Time drives like a horse with seven reins,
a thousand-eyed unaging Stallion.
Him the inspired poets mount.
All beings are his chariot wheels.
2. Time draws this chariot with seven wheels.
Seven are the hubs; its axle is nondeath.
At the head of all beings Time proceeds
unceasingly, the first among the Gods.
3. Above Time is set a brimful vessel.
Simultaneously we see Time here, there, everywhere.
Set face to face with all existences,
Time is throned, men say, in the loftiest realm.
4. Time has gathered together all beings that are;
he has passed through all the gathered beings.
He who was father has become their son.
There is no glory higher than his.
5. Time generated the Sky above
and this vast Earth. The passing moments
present and future, by him set swinging,
are reckoned out in due proportions.
6. Time brought forth fate-filled chance.
In Time the Sun shines and burns.
In Time the eye spies from afar.
In Time all existences are.
7. In Time is consciousness and life,
In Time is concentrated name
By Time, when he draws close at hand,
all creatures are with gladness filled.
8. In Time is energy, in Time the highest good.
In Time is the Holy Utterance.
Time is the Lord of all that is,
the Father, he, of the Creator.
9. Sent forth by him, from him all this
was born . On him is it established.
So soon as he has become Brahman,
Time supports the highest Deity.
10. Time created the creatures.
Time created in the beginning the Lord of creatures.
From Time comes the Self-Existent.
Energy likewise from Time derives.
Reference:
www.himalayanacademy.com/books/vedic_experience/Part2/VEP...
Time for human beings is like a Divine black box, what gathers together all existed and existing humans' and cosmic activities, actions, experiences as a basis for the next cycle of Creation... continuation of the Divine Play. To look into the box and to enjoy the Cosmic Truth through Beauty of Harmony and Order (for human sense as Love, Peace in mind) is possible through glasses of Divine Love alias through Swami's Teaching, His Message to humanity.
Namaste - Reet
Press "L" to see the fire lookout tower (a very small silver-ish rectangle) at the highest point. The tower was somehow spared from the 2017 Sprague Fire that threatened the Lake McDonald Lodge Historic District and the rest of West Glacier where it crested the mountain. The vastest damage from the fire was on the far side of the mountain, where the historic Sperry Chalet was destroyed (and is now being rebuilt).
Viewed from the Lake McDonald camp store parking lot.