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The Place de la Concorde is one of the major public squares in Paris, France. In fact, in terms of area, its 8.64 hectares (21.35 acres) make it the largest square in the French capital. It is located in the city's eighth arrondissement, at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées. The Place was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel in 1755 as a moat-skirted octagon between the Champs-Élysées to the west and the Tuileries Gardens to the east. Decorated with statues and fountains, the area was named Place Louis XV to honor the king at that time. At the north end, two magnificent identical stone buildings were constructed. Separated by the rue Royale, these structures remain among the best examples of Louis XV style architecture. Initially, the eastern building served as the French Naval Ministry. Shortly after its construction, the western building became the opulent home of the Duc d'Aumont. It was later purchased by the Comte de Crillon, whose family resided there until 1907. The famous luxury Hôtel de Crillon, which currently occupies the building, took its name from its previous owners; it was the headquarters of the German High Command during World War II. During the French Revolution the statue of Louis XV of France was torn down and the area renamed "Place de la Révolution". The new revolutionary government erected the guillotine in the square, and it was here that King Louis XVI was executed on 21 January 1793. Other important figures guillotined on the site, often in front of cheering crowds, were Queen Marie Antoinette, Princess Élisabeth of France, Charlotte Corday, Madame du Barry, Georges Danton, Camille Desmoulins, Antoine Lavoisier, Maximilien Robespierre, Louis de Saint-Just and Olympe de Gouge.
Beechworth.
Hume and Hovell explored near the site of Beechworth in 1824. In 1839 the first white pastoralist took up land here. Mr Reid expanded his Tarrawingee leasehold run along Eldorado Creek but no attempts were made to pasture livestock here. After the discoveries of gold in Central Victoria in late 1851 a shepherd of David Reid named Meldrum set off looking for gold. He found it in February 1852 and began the rush to Beechworth district. Beechworth gold fields were not in the league of Bendigo, Castlemaine or Ballarat but it was one of the more successful gold fields of Victoria. The early gold as alluvial gold found in Reid’s Creek, Woolshed Creek, Spring Creek and Eldorado Creek etc. Riches were discovered by many. Eight thousand were on the Beechworth fields by late 1852. The Chinese came to Beechworth late from around 1857. Gold was safely escorted fortnightly to the assay offices in Melbourne. The North East goldfields, including Rutherglen and Chiltern produced about four million ounces of gold up to 1866.
The town of Beechworth began to emerge overnight in 1852 with several hotels opening in addition to the canvas town. General stores soon followed. Beechworth was surveyed and declared a town in 1853 when the name was changed from May Day Hills or Spring Creek to Beechworth. The temporary Post Office opened as Spring Creek but its name was changed to Beechworth in 1854. The heyday of the alluvial goldfields declined by 1857 but by then Beechworth was well established. The first public buildings erected by the government were a Courthouse (1853) and the gaol (rebuilt 1859) as goldfields always attracted criminals and disturbances of the peace were common. A town cemetery was also established in 1854. In 1855 Captain Robert O’Hara Burke arrived as the first Police Superintendent. By the late 1850s Beechworth had Methodist, Presbyterian (1856) and Anglican churches (1859) -the first church was a temporary wooden Methodist Church erected in 1854. It also had several hotels, its own newspaper, a flourmill, a district hospital (1857), Council Offices (1858), a powder magazine to store the explosives needed by the miners and a permanent Post Office which was completed in 1859 and a Telegraph Station (1858). The 1859 Post Office was rebuilt as a grand Victorian structure in 1867. Across the street from the Post Office is another fine Victorian era building – the Bank of Victoria completed in 1867 with a solid classical appearance to inspire confidence in the bank. It still retains its original vault for storing gold.
The town library or Athenaeum, which is now the Burke Museum, was built in 1857. After the tragic loss of Burke and his party trying to cross to the Gulf of Carpentaria the Burke Museum was added to the Athenaeum in 1863. The Victorian hero was to be the cause of one of the first provincial museums in Victoria and it is still a museum honouring Burke and his expedition. The first government school or National School in Beechworth opened in 1858. It was to operate in competition with the Methodist, Anglican and Catholic schools of the town. A new stone school was erected in 1865 in Loch Street and it is now a gallery. The most famous student off this school was Sir Isaacs Isaacs who became the first Australian born Governor General of Australia. Yet another new school was built in 1875 near the Botanical Gardens. But perhaps the finest and most fascinating old building in Beechworth is the Ovens Goldfields Hospital built in amazing Palladian classical style in 1857. It took several years to complete and was finally finished in 1864. Injured diggers from the entire region came to this hospital and in the first five years it treated 3,600 patients in its 100 beds. Sadly the hospital closed in 1940 and it was dismantled except for the façade. Local service clubs made it safe and it still stands today as the façade is built in granite and will last for centuries.
In 1862 the citizens of Beechworth petitioned the government for the first time for a railway. Nothing came of this. But in 1874 tenders were called for the construction of a railway from Wangaratta to Beechworth. The line opened in 1876. No wonder the government was reluctant to do this as the relatively short line required 33 bridges and 45 culverts. Alas the last train left Beechworth in 1977 and track were removed a year later.
view National Concert Hall (left) and National Theater Hall (right) at rosy dawn after summer shower.
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a Taiwanese national monument, landmark and tourist attraction erected in memory of Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China.
The monument, surrounded by a park, stands at the east end of Memorial Hall Square. The structure is framed on the north and south by the National Theater and National Concert Hall.
Taipei, Taiwan.
2016/6/30
f82940L
拍攝資訊：全幅機，EF8-15mm f/4L鏡頭，焦距15，B快門，ƒ/8.0，113.7秒，ISO:250，AWB，2016:06:30 04:29:37。日出時間05:07，方位角64度。
A quieter, more intimate angle of San Francisco’s iconic Palace of Fine Arts reveals a dramatic yet serene interplay of scale, detail, and symmetry. Designed by Bernard Maybeck for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, this Beaux-Arts structure mimics ancient Roman ruins with a distinctly Californian romanticism. Here, we stand in a cloistered section near the edge of the rotunda, framed by monumental urns, towering fluted Corinthian columns, and ornate entablatures.
The photograph draws the eye along a gravel path toward the sculptural frieze of garland-bearing women encircling the rotunda base—an artistic homage to classical mythology and human beauty. The positioning of the urns atop rusticated plinths adds layers of vertical rhythm, echoed by the fluted lines of the columns. Light filters in from the overcast sky, softening the monument’s tan-hued faux-stone texture and allowing its intricate detailing to emerge without harsh contrast.
This section of the palace was conceived as a contemplative space, and today it retains that intended mood. Benches nestled under the trees and planters dotting the perimeter enhance the feeling of retreat from the city's chaos. Every sculptural element—from the meditative postures of the figures to the ornamental latticework over the modest service door—contributes to Maybeck’s masterful theatrical illusion of timeless decay.
Photographers, wedding parties, and architecture lovers alike find magic here, often missing by those rushing toward the central rotunda or lagoon. This corner invites you to pause, breathe, and look up—always up—at one of San Francisco’s most beloved architectural follies.
The Parthenon in HDR.
One of the most beautiful buildings in the world, with no strait lines at all, this masterpiece is a feast to the eyes, don't you think?
The Academy of Athens (Ακαδημία Αθηνών, Akadimía Athinón) is Greece’s national academy, and the highest research establishment in the country. It forms part of the so-called “Neoclassical Trilogy” of the City of Athens: Academy – University – Library and is one of the major landmarks of Athens.
Three Caryatids out of three.
Former seat of Ludwik Geyer's Stock Company, Piotrkowska 74. Geyer was one of the main pioneers of the city's textile industry. Built in 1881-1886.
Amalienborg is the winter home of the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It consists of four identical classicizing palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard (Danish: Amalienborg Slotsplads); in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's founder, King Frederick V.
Amalienborg was originally built for four noble families; however, when Christiansborg Palace burnt down on 26 February 1794, the royal family bought the palaces and moved in. Over the years various kings and their families have resided in the four different palaces.
Gyeongbok-gung palace in Seoul.
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San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts radiates elegance across its reflecting lagoon, where a central fountain offers a gentle splash beneath an overcast sky. The iconic rotunda, with its coral-pink Corinthian columns and classical reliefs, stands as a monument to timeless beauty. Surrounded by layers of lush greenery—including ferns, tall trees, and manicured lawns—the architecture feels both grand and grounded. The wide, curved path and sculptural landscape frame the scene naturally, inviting a moment of pause and quiet appreciation. Even on a cloudy day, the symmetry, scale, and serenity of this historic landmark continue to captivate.
Now thats a door frame!
Seen in the 18th century Heaton Hall in Heaton park, Manchester, UK.
The house is slowly undergoing restoration. To the left of the photo you can see a large crack in the plaster, this is due to subsidence from local coal mining activities.
The Porch of the Caryatids - part of the Erechtheion temple on the summit of the Acropolis of Athens, Greece. The statues here are replicas, with the originals in the nearby Acropolis Museum.
Miscellaneous Composition; Untermyer Gardens and Park, Yonkers, New York; (c) Diana Lee Photo Designs
Le miroir d'eau face à la Place de la Bourse à Bordeaux, un beau jour de septembre.
The mirror - Bordeaux, south-west France, September 2006.
Part of a series titled "Pillars of Society" (check out the rest of the series).
A closeup study of detail in the side of a pillar in the magnificent portico of Rome's Pantheon. I often see the world as fractal in nature, I think this illustrates it quite well - columns within a column.
The end of this narrow gorge known as "The Siq", in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a dramatic moment planned that way by the ancient Nabateans to impress their visitors. At its terminus the soft curves of the gorge reveal a sunlit strip of extraordinary classical architecture, "Al Khazneh"......the Treasury. The first impression of Al-Khazneh is spectacular and made all the more thrilling because it can be glimpsed only at the very end of this half-mile long twisting trail that narrows in some places to just a few yards.
The face of Al-Khazneh gleams as the sun slides across its chiseled facade illuminating its majestic columns. Archaeologists believe that the Treasury was probably built as a tomb for the Nabataean King Aretas III in 1 BCE and that the figures on its exterior represent Alexandria and the goddess Isis. Aretas III was king from 87 to 62 BCE and during his reign extended the Nabataean kingdom to cover what now forms the northern area of Jordan, the south of Syria and part of Saudi Arabia. Under his leadership Nabataea reached its greatest territorial extend.
Wadi Mousa is the small town closest to the archaeological site of Petra. It means "Valley of Moses" in Arabic and is said that the prophet Moses passed through this valley and struck water from the rock for his followers .
© Andy Brandl (2016) // PhotonMix Photography
--> Andy Brandl @ Robert Harding
Tucked beneath the soaring classical columns of San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts, this intricately carved frieze features a procession of sculpted female figures garlanded in flowing robes. Designed by architect Bernard Maybeck for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the Palace evokes ancient Roman ruin with theatrical grandeur. The relief in this image shows the allegorical “weeping women,” part of sculptor Ulric Ellerhusen’s original decorative program. Their bowed heads and ceremonial postures symbolize reflection and the ephemeral nature of beauty—an echo of the fair’s fleeting presence and a memento mori wrapped in Beaux-Arts elegance.
This image captures a quiet corner of the rotunda where the ornate urn-topped pedestal becomes a stage for these neoclassical figures. Their draped garments and downward glances contrast with the vertical energy of the fluted columns behind them, while a lone pigeon below offers a modern, living counterpoint to the monumentality of the stonework. Just beyond, greenery softens the scene, highlighting the Palace’s function as both architectural relic and living park. Located in the Marina District, the Palace of Fine Arts has endured through time, fire, and urban change—its beauty now a beloved fixture of engagement shoots, tourist strolls, and cinematic dreamscapes. Whether viewed up close or across the reflecting lagoon, this masterpiece of San Francisco's architectural heritage continues to captivate with its blend of melancholic artistry and monumental form.
Bathed in soft daylight filtering through elegantly draped Palladian windows, the Librarian of Congress’s office is a masterpiece of traditional design and symbolic authority. Located in the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., this distinguished space blends the dignity of government with the warmth of scholarly pursuit. The room showcases the architectural gravitas that defines America's largest and most prestigious library, where every detail—from the polished mahogany desk to the ornate gilded molding—whispers of legacy and intellectual leadership.
The commanding central desk, crafted from richly figured wood with carved drawers and raised panels, anchors the room with executive weight. Paired with a tufted leather chair, it signals both comfort and seriousness—a working seat of national literary stewardship. Behind it stands the American flag, boldly striped and unfurled, next to the distinctive Library of Congress flag, its seal emblazoned in white against a rich blue. These twin standards frame the office’s role in preserving the cultural memory of the United States.
Bookshelves lining the rear walls hold carefully curated volumes and framed photographs, speaking to a personal connection to literature and history. Their presence is a reminder that this office is not just a ceremonial space, but one of active scholarship and policy. Nearby, a plush high-backed yellow chair and matching settee echo Gilded Age aesthetics, their curves contrasting with the room's rectilinear symmetry. The tailored rug in dusty blue softens the visual tone, grounding the room in a stately calm.
Overhead, the ceiling reveals golden coffered detailing and mural panels, nodding to classical ideals of knowledge, beauty, and civic responsibility. Painted spandrels depict symbols of enlightenment and mythology, celebrating the arts and sciences with Renaissance flourish. The warm tones of oak, gold, and brass create a rich palette that envelops visitors in a sense of gravitas and respect.
Though not open to the general public, this office is an architectural and cultural gem. It encapsulates the mission of the Library of Congress: to serve as a beacon of knowledge, an archive of national memory, and a home for democratic values in literary form. For those fortunate enough to see it in person, it inspires reverence for both the institution and the idea that leadership should be rooted in learning.
Captured in impeccable light and detail, the photograph invites viewers to step into a space where decisions about the nation’s intellectual heritage are made. Whether viewed as an office of high function or a sanctuary of thought, it remains one of the most iconic workspaces in the American capital.
© Ben Heine || Facebook || Twitter || www.benheine.com
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I took this photo at the Ancient Greek Agora in Athens. I just spent 10 days in Greece. I took more than 5000 pictures in this wonderful country. I'll share the best of them in the coming weeks. Thanks for watching.
The above photo has been shot with the Samsung NX10
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For more information about my art: info@benheine.com
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Framed by soaring Corinthian columns and the monumental arches of Bernard Maybeck’s rotunda, this view inside San Francisco’s iconic Palace of Fine Arts captures a moment of calm, geometry, and grandeur. Designed for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the structure remains one of the city’s most photogenic landmarks, beloved for its theatrical evocation of Roman ruins. Here, from the interior looking outward, the fluted columns rhythmically draw the eye upward while the arches open like doorways into an imagined antiquity.
Urns perched like sentinels atop pedestal walls echo the symmetry and reinforce the Palace’s ornamental detailing. Trees just beyond soften the otherwise monumental scale and add a sense of serenity to this classical stage. Above, tucked between the arches, sculpted female figures from Ulric Ellerhusen’s program stand watch—evoking themes of reflection, creativity, and melancholy. What was once a temporary fair pavilion has become an enduring icon of San Francisco’s cultural and architectural identity, reborn in concrete after its original plaster began to deteriorate in the decades following the exposition.
Visitors today wander this colonnade to pose for wedding photos, enjoy quiet moments by the nearby lagoon, or simply marvel at the craftsmanship of a bygone architectural ambition. This angle—underneath the rotunda and looking through its arches—reveals not just the Palace’s design brilliance, but its function as a portal: between past and present, ruin and rebirth, imagination and form.
When overly confident people meet, confrontation often is inevitable. Everyone assumes their views are the right ones as different worlds collide. However, if everyone thinks this way, common contact points are minimal. Yet, in such a manner, one can only live side by side at best.
But if you want to live together, you should realize that your ego seldomly really is your friend. Only mutual understanding and respect let the magic of compromising happen. Instead of claiming to know the truth, liberating yourself and listening to what others have to say can be very enlightening for everybody.
The National Central Library of Florence (Italian: Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze, BNCF) is a public national library in Florence, the largest in Italy and one of the most important in Europe, one of the two central libraries of Italy, along with the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale of Rome.
The library was founded in 1714 when scholar Antonio Magliabechi bequeathed his entire collection of books, encompassing approximately 30,000 volumes, to the city of Florence. By 1743, it was required that a copy of every work published in Tuscany be submitted to the library.
Originally known as the Magliabechiana, the library was opened to the public in 1747. Its holdings were combined with those of the Biblioteca Palatina Lorenese in 1861, and by 1885, the library had been renamed as the National Central Library of Florence, or the BNCF. Since 1870, the library has collected copies of all Italian publications
A view over some of the archaeological sites of the ancient city of Petra, from the mountain path leading to the Monastery.
Don´t redistribute - don´t use on webpages, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.
© Andy Brandl (2016) // PhotonMix Photography
--> Andy Brandl @ Robert Harding
Standing tall at 801 Market Street, the Pacific Building is a masterwork of early 20th-century Beaux-Arts commercial architecture in downtown San Francisco. Completed in 1907, just a year after the devastating earthquake and fire, the structure symbolizes the city’s rebirth—an embodiment of resilience rendered in brick, terra cotta, and marble. Designed by the renowned firm Reid & Reid, the same brothers behind many of San Francisco’s grand post-1906 reconstructions, the Pacific Building’s ornate façade bridges the energy of the Edwardian era with the enduring strength of neoclassical form.
The building’s symmetrical façade commands attention with its vertical rhythm of red brick pilasters and white terra cotta trim. Every detail of its composition—modillions, garlands, dentils, and cartouches—reflects the opulent Beaux-Arts style that flourished in the aftermath of the city’s rebuilding. At street level, a grand arched entrance framed in carved marble leads the eye upward to a magnificent clock cresting the central bay, a subtle reminder of San Francisco’s forward momentum through time.
Inside, the Pacific Building originally housed offices for shipping companies, insurance firms, and other enterprises critical to the city’s commercial revival. Over the decades, its interior adapted to changing needs, but the exterior has remained remarkably intact—a tribute to the craftsmanship and permanence that defined early skyscraper design. The deep red brick façade, punctuated by pairs of arched windows and layered ornamentation, stands as a living document of urban evolution and historic preservation.
Architecturally, the Pacific Building holds its own among Market Street’s more famous landmarks such as the Flood Building and Call Building (now Central Tower). Its proportions are deliberate, its decorative elements restrained yet confident. The rhythm of the fenestration, alternating with crisp terra cotta detailing, creates a sense of vertical elegance while grounding the structure in classical order.
Photographed under clear morning light, the building’s warm textures and intricate masonry are heightened by shadow and contrast. The golden entrance doors glint softly against the pale stone, while reflections from adjacent modern structures play across the street—a quiet conversation between past and present.
As San Francisco continues to evolve, the Pacific Building endures as a monument to architectural grace and civic optimism. Its Beaux-Arts embellishment, balanced with the dignity of structure, captures a moment when architecture was both art and aspiration—a cornerstone of the city’s architectural identity that still inspires awe more than a century later.