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Από τον Σεπτέμβριο του 2023 το Ζαγόρι ενεγράφη ως πολιτισμικό τοπίο στην παγκόσμια κληρονομιά της UNESCO.
From September 2023, Zagori was registered as a cultural landscape in the UNESCO world heritage.
My Board ”Balta di stringa” waterfalls on gettyimages
My board Zagori mountain on Getty Images
My photos for sale on getty images
My blog Λογεικών Logikon
Μπάλτα ντι στρίγκα
Ένας μέχρι πρό λίγων ετών άγνωστος για τους περισσοτέρους φυσικός θησαυρός της Ηπειρώτικης γής είναι οι εικονιζόμενοι καταρράκτες με το Βλάχικο όνομα Μπάλτα ντί στρίγκα ( η οβίρα=μικρή λίμνη της κραυγής) στο Ηλιοχώρι του κεντρικού Ζαγορίου.
Η ονομασία προέρχεται από έναν σχετικό μύθο για μιάν απελπισμένη ερωτικά κοπέλα η οποία εξ αιτίας του χωρισμού από τον καλό της αυτοκτόνησε στα νερά τους και από τότε ακούγονται οι κραυγές της.Στο να γίνει ο τόπος προσφάτως σχετικά,ευρύτερα γνωστός,αναμφιβόλως συνετέλεσε και η αναβάθμιση του μέχρι πρότινος δύσβατου μονοπατιού το οποίο οδηγούσε εκεί σε μια σύγχρονη και πλήρως εναρμονισμένη με το περιβάλλον ορεινή περιπατητική διαδρομή.
Το μονοπάτι διανοίχθηκε και σημάνθηκε άριστα σε,όλο το μήκος του,στρώθηκε επιμελώς με τα υλικά τα οποία βρίθουν στην περιοχή,πέτρα,χαλίκι και ξύλο με ξύλινα στηθαία όπου κρίθηκε απαραίτητο,δημιουργήθηκε χώρος προσωρινής στάσης για ανάπαυση με τρεχούμενο νερό,ακόμη και ένα εξαιρετικά καλαίσθητο ξύλινο γεφυράκιι χτίστηκε ώστε η πρόσβαση των πολλών πλέον καθημερινών επισκεπτών να γίνει όσο το δυνατόν πιο εύκολη,γρήγορη και ασφαλής.
Η σύζυγος κι εγώ είχαμε την επιπλέον χαρά να μας καθοδηγήσει ο…αυτοδιορισθείς ξεναγός του χωριού ο εικονιζόμενος εκπληκτικός,καθαρόαιμος, Ελληνικός ποιμενικός ο οποίος ακούει στο όνομα….Νταβέλης :ο))) !!! προφανώς λόγω της γιγαντόσωμης διάπλασής του.
Μας….παρέλαβε από το πρώτο πλάτωμα του χωριού στην κορυφή ,μας…παρέδωσε στον προορισμό μας στα ριζά του βουνούκαι,αφού πρώτα πήρε και το αναζωογονητικό μπανάκι του στα παγωμένα νερά,αναχώρησε προς άγραν νέων….πελατών :ο))) !!!
Το (υπερ)θέαμα σου κόβει την ανάσα παρ’όλο που το επισκεφθήκαμε καλοκαίρι κατά την διάρκεια του οποίου η ροή των υδάτων δεν είναι τόσο εντυπωσιακή σε όγκο και δύναμη όπως τις άλλες εποχές-φθινόπωρο και χειμώνα κυρίως-διότι τα νερά προέρχονται αποκλειστικά από το λιώσιμο του χιονιού και είναι τόσο καθαρά ώστε μπορεί κανείς να πιεί άφοβα απ’αυτά!
Την ανάσα σου κόβει,όμως,κυριολεκτικά και η ανηφόρα της επιστροφής(καθώς τα περισσότερα από τα 1200 μέτρα της τα κάνεις σχεδόν….κάθετα με τον ουρανό)ιδίως όταν είσαι φορτωμένος με φωτογραφικές «γκουμούτσες» σαν τις δικές μου και-κυρίως-με το…κοντέρ της ηλικίας να απέχει πλέον μόλις 4 γραμμές από τα 60!!!
Ευτυχώς περάσαμε με επιτυχία αυτό το λίγο βίαιο “τέστ κοπώσεως” και επιφυλασσόμεθα-πρώτα ο Θεός-για μιάν επόμενη σε προσφορότερη εποχή επίσκεψη.
Balta di striga
A until a few years unknown for most people natural treasure of Epirus earth are the released waterfalls with Vlachiko name Balta Di striga (the ovires = small lake scream) in Iliochori central Zagori.The name comes from a legend related to a desperate erotic girl which because of separation from her lover of suicide in their waters and then the screams heard.
To be the place recently regarding, widely known, undoubtedly contributed to the upgrading of previously inaccessible path that led there in a modern and fully harmonized with the environment ambulatory mountainous route.The path was drilled and labeled in excellent, full length, was covered thoroughly with the materials that abound in the area, stone, gravel and wood with wooden parapets where necessary, created a temporary staging area for rest with running water,even an extremely elegant wooden small bridge is built to access the many daily visitors become as easy fast and safe as possible.
My wife and I have the additional pleasure to guide us a depicted surprising, blooded, Greek shepherd who goes by the name ... .Ntavelis: o))) !!! apparently because of the giant physique.He took us the first plateau of the village at the top,μας…παρέδωσε στον προορισμό μας στα ριζά του βουνού και,αφού πρώτα πήρε και το αναζωογονητικό μπανάκι του στα παγωμένα νερά,departed chasing... new clients : o))) !!!
The attraction is breathtaking although we visited summer during which the water flow is not as impressive in size and strength as the other seasons-autumn and winter-mainly because the waters come exclusively from melting snow and is so clean that you can drink without fear of them!
But breathtaking is, literally the acclivity of turn back too (as most of the 1200 meters of this acclivity is ... almostvertical to the sky), especially when you are laden with my heavy cameras -and mainly-by ... the speedometer of age to is now just 4 lines of 60 !!!
Luckily we passed successfully this little violent "stress-test" and we reserve first-God-for a next to a more appropriate time visit.
Overview of Codex Alimentarius
by Rima Laibow, M.D.
At the request of the United Nations (UN) in 1962, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) took on the joint role of running and administering the Codex
Alimentarius Commission (CAC) to establish standards and remove barriers to trade for all food and
food products. Having declared that nutrients are toxins from which we must be protected, the CAC
has been busy establishing enforceable international guidelines for upper limits of nutritional
supplement dosing. Codex has goals that affect every person in the UN’s 170+ member nations,
including the United States. As a tool for furthering these goals, member nations are urged to adopt
Codex standards and guidelines as domestic policy. The United States has already committed itself to
doing so despite U. S. law which prohibits this compliance.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has adopted Codex as a standard for the adjudication of foodrelated
international trade disputes and has the authority to enforce Codex standards through
implementation of harsh economic sanctions on non-Codexcompliant member nations. Pre-existing
international treaty laws dictate that WTO rulings will override the domestic laws already in place in
its member nations and, in fact, the WHO has successfully taken both states and the U. S. government
to court in the U. S. to force changes in our domestic laws eleven times. This means our nation’s hard
won laws that give you access to over-the-counter, natural health supplements will become
meaningless. Codex’s original mandate to remove barriers to trade and assure a clean food supply has,
under the influence of private, economically-driven multinational pharmaceutical, agricultural and
chemical corporations, self-expanded far beyond its original mandate. The result is a body of highly
dangerous and restrictive policies that threaten to become domestic law in the U. S. and, as such, are
a threat to your health and freedom.
The FDA has stated explicitly that its goal is complete "harmonization" with Codex and, in order to
bring that about, international regulations i.e., Codex will be given preference over domestic ones!
(Federal Register, 10/ 11 /95)
If Codex gets its way, as it already has in the EU, we can expect that, ultimately, only 18 or so dietary
supplements will be available over-the-counter in doses which are, by design, far too small to have any
discernible impact on any human being since codex classifies nutrients as toxins. High potency
nutrients will not be available either with or without physician’s prescription since these molecules
and compounds will be forbidden under any circumstances. The big surprise? Once in the hands of
pharmaceutical companies, consumer supplement costs are expected to more than quadruple. This
has, in fact, been the experience in Europe where this process is already underway and micro-dose
nutrient prices have increased 10 to 100 fold or more (e.g., in Norway a bottle of zinc lozenges which
previously cost $2 now costs $54; in France 12 Vitamin C tabs of just10 mg cost $117; while 10 Vitamin
E caps of only 10 IU each cost $110).
Australia and the European Union (EU) are in the process of enacting harmonized Codex policies that
restrict consumer access to nutritional supplements. America is next. Though Americans value
personal freedom, the fact Codex meets infrequently (and almost always offshore) and is bogged
down in highly technical language that is difficult to understand has resulted in many Americans
being unaware of this threat. The nearly total media blackout on Codex and its activities helps to
keep the U. S. uninformed and therefore, pliant.
While there have been rare serious adverse reactions to nutritional supplements during the past
decades, (usually when taken far in excess of the recommended dosing), numerous severe and even
fatal reactions to drugs (usually when taken at the recommended dosing) occur every day and are the
fourth leading cause of death in hospitalized clients in the United States when properly
used. When improperly used, they are, in fact, far and away the leading cause of death in
the United States. Even so, drug deaths are very likely underreported. Drugs are
inherently dangerous; nutrients are not. This fact makes it clear why the drug culture
2
needs to eliminate all access to natural health options, including nutritional supplements,
in order to expand and intensify its influence and thus its profitability. Healthy people
take fewer drugs and thus are poor customers.
The global pharmaceutical powers -that-be have already purchased a large piece of the
lucrative global nutritional supplement pie but the considerable size of this pie keeps the
hugely profitable pharmaceutical profit -share-pie from reaching its maximum size so the
competing nutrient pie must be destroyed. Though unable to patent a natural substance,
pharmaceutical corporations can hold patents on synthetic versions of vitamins and
minerals that, unfortunately for the consumer, often do not act like their natural vitamin
counterparts in the body and often act in unpredic table and harmful ways. If Codexcompliant
Europe is any guide, the permitted micro-doses of permitted nutrients will be
only synthetic ones.
In addition to regulatory and/or administrative takeover and destruction of the dietary
supplement market and consumer access, Codex also mandates irradiation of food;
mandatory use of antibiotics, hormones and growth stimulants in all animals raised for
food, is expected to legalize the unlabeled inclusion of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) (whose
safety has never been established while their serious dangers have) into our seed and food supplies and
will increase the allowable maximum tolerated levels of pesticides, herbicides, veterinary drugs and
other dangerous industrial toxins in food, likely driving up degenerative illnesses, including cancer,
diabetes, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, MS, etc. All of these policies are made under
the guise of free and equal access to trade for all nations and protection of the public.
Some people have “Codex Anesthesia,” a state of overwhelming, numb confusion that occurs just
before people lose their health freedom. Many otherwise well-informed people from the manufacturing
and retailing sectors of natural healthcare believe that the Dietary Supplement Health and Education
Act (DSHEA), passed in 1994 to protect Americans’ access to natural healthcare substances, will still be
in place to protect them. This is not the case: Fundamental health freedoms afforded the American
public by DSHEA, which classifies supplements as food which, as such, can have no upper limit set on
their use, are now under well orchestrated legislative and/or administrative attack. Health nuts and
junk food devotees alike are not immune from this legislative attack on health freedom.
The following is a link to Dr. Laibow's website which gives a self-prompting 5-minute presentation that
tells you about Codex: http: //www.healthfreedomusa.org/aboutcodex.shtml
More in-depth information can be found on her website, www.healthfreedomusa.org, and on
the highly informative "Nutricide: the DVD" http: /
/www.healthfreedomusa.org/aboutcodex/dvd.shtml
Boho Chic Elegance: LIZIAAH Kamora Dress at Swank Events
Step into the world of effortless elegance with the LIZIAAH Kamora Dress, available at Swank Events for the Boho Chic-themed round.
Designed to complement the beauty of various body types including Maitreya, Legacy, Reborn, LaraX, GenX, and Kupra this dress blends sophisticated craftsmanship with a touch of free-spirited charm.
Captured in a breathtaking natural setting, the Kamora Dress shines in its Jade variation, harmonizing beautifully with the lush greenery and cascading waterfall in the backdrop.
Featuring a daring high slit and a delicately textured top with a cut-out design, this piece is both alluring and graceful perfect for those who love timeless fashion with a contemporary twist.
Express yourself with the Kamora Dress in a selection of enchanting hues, including Blanco, Black, Lemon, and Oat.
Whether you’re embracing earth-toned neutrals or making a statement with deep or vibrant shades, there’s a color to match your mood and style.
Don’t miss the chance to elevate your wardrobe with this mesmerizing piece at Swank Events. Boho chic has never looked this refined.
Bixby Bridge, Big Sur, California
The Bixby Bridge is one of California's iconic bridges. Completed in 1932 as part of the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur, it has a single concrete arch that spans 98 meters (320 feet) and is 85 meters (280 feet) above Bixby Creek. Concrete was used instead of steel to avoid corrosion problems from the salty ocean air and to harmonize with the area's existing rock faces.
Here we see a light trail from a single car heading south. Notice that the brake lights went on when the driver realized that the roadway took a sharp right at the end of the bridge.
im still learning how to take good nightshot lol..
BTW,honest opinions and constructive criticisms are always welcome
(From Wikipedia):
Rainbow Bridge (レインボーブリッジ, Reinbō Burijji?) is a suspension bridge crossing northern Tokyo Bay between Shibaura Wharf and the Odaiba waterfront development in Minato ward, in Tokyo, Japan. Construction started in 1987 and was completed in 1993, the bridge is 798 metres (2,618 ft) long with a main span of 580 metres (1,903 ft). Officially called the 'Shuto Expressway No. 11 Odaiba Route Tokyo port connector bridge', the name 'Rainbow Bridge' was decided by the public and is colloquially known as 'RB'.
The towers supporting the bridge are white in color, designed to harmonize with the skyline of central Tokyo seen from Odaiba. There are lamps placed on the wires supporting the bridge, which are illuminated into three different colors, red, white and green every night using solar energy obtained during the day.
The towers supporting the bridge are white in color, designed to harmonize with the skyline of central Tokyo seen from Odaiba. There are lamps placed on the wires supporting the bridge, which are illuminated into three different colors, red, white and green every night using solar energy obtained during the day.
The bridge can be accessed by foot from Tamachi Station (JR) or Shibaura-futō Station (Yurikamome) on the mainland side.
Time for another *photage* as I like to call these compositions,
as they are not a collage, since photographic images are carefully combined to harmonize with one another, creating a message at the same time.
•In the upper left is a gorgeous New Year's greeting from my dearest, oldest (in flickr years) friend, Yu-Fen from Taiwan!
•The wooden carved figures sit atop our new stove, wondering about the little dodad (which is actually an oven light button!)
•The lower right is a *doodle* from Richard, with an attempt to write some Tibetan characters with a left-handed nib (although he is right-handed) . . .
•The silk autumn leaves are just that!
Enjoy!
The Chinese Garden at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, is a stunning representation of classical Suzhou-style gardens. Officially named Liu Fang Yuan (流芳园), the Garden of Flowing Fragrance, it spans over 15 acres and was inspired by the literati gardens of the Ming dynasty. Designed in collaboration with Chinese artisans, the garden opened in 2008 and has since undergone multiple expansions, making it one of the most authentic and largest Chinese gardens outside of China. It embodies the traditional principles of Chinese landscape design—harmonizing water, rocks, plants, and architecture to create a serene and contemplative space.
This photograph captures a tranquil moment within Liu Fang Yuan, where a still lake mirrors traditional Chinese pavilions adorned with intricate woodwork and gracefully upturned eaves. An elegant arched stone bridge spans the water, symbolizing harmony and transition. Weeping willows drape over the edges, while meticulously placed Taihu rocks lend a sculptural depth to the landscape. In the background, a pavilion stands framed by blooming lotuses and wisteria, evoking a sense of timeless beauty. The soft interplay of light and shadows enhances the meditative atmosphere, inviting visitors into a space where nature and architecture exist in perfect balance.
Through this image, the essence of Liu Fang Yuan is preserved—a place where artistry, philosophy, and tranquility converge, offering a glimpse into the rich heritage of classical Chinese gardens.
Back to Elk Island. Not sure how many I will post from there as I am not sure that my images are showing up for everyone. I have contacted Flickr a couple of times recently and although they are sympathetic, they assured me that they are working on it.
I am not crazy how it is paddling away from me I really liked the National Park-like colours and how the reflections harmonize with the colours of the Drake.
Motion Picture Herald, November 11, 1939:
“Forming a striking architectural feature of the new Sandra theatre, Wichita, Kansas, is the luminous sign tower rising above the marquee and lighted in six pastel shades to harmonize with the color scheme of the building front.”
Heron Harmonization - Nest Building
Photographed in low, flat light at ISO 1600.
Other photos from this series below in comments.
Space Coast Photo #9
6 year old Thoroughbred broodmare. Take a look at her pedigree and you'll see that her female line traces back to the most influential broodmare of the 20th century, La Troienne:
www.pedigreequery.com/brokerage+account
From Wikipedia...
"She produced fourteen foals and 12 of them raced. 10 of those 12 were winners. The first of these was the Champion Black Helen, by Black Toney, born in 1932. Black Helen won the American Derby, the Florida Derby, the Maryland Handicap, and the Coaching Club American Oaks. The second was born in 1934, Biologist, by Bubbling Over who won the 1926 Kentucky Derby. The third was Baby League, born in 1935, again by Bubbling Over, who became the dam of four stakes winners: the great Hall of Fame filly Busher, as well as Mr. Busher, Striking, and Harmonizing. Her fourth winning foal was Big Hurry, another Black Toney filly, born in 1936, and the dam of five stakes winners: Be Fearless, Bridal Flower, The Admiral, Great Captain, and Searching. La Troienne also brought forth the great Hall of Fame colt Bimelech, born in 1937. By Black Toney, Bimlech won the Belmont Stakes, the Preakness Stakes, and placed in the 1940 Kentucky Derby. Big Event came next in 1938, a Blue Larkspur filly and dam of stakes winner Hall of Fame. In 1939, she dropped Businesslike who was the dam of two stakes winners: Busanda (who was the dam of Buckpasser) and Auditing. Then came Besieged by Balladier in 1940, Broke Even in 1941, a colt by Blue Larkspur, Back Yard in 1942, a gelding by Balladier, and in 1944 Bee Ann Mac by Blue Larkspur. Belle Histoire came along in 1945, once more by Blue Larkspur. Belle Histoire was the dam of stakes winner Royal Record. La Troienne's last two foals were Belle of Troy in 1947, again by Blue Larkspur, and the gelding Trojan War in 1948 by Shut Out.
Les Brinsfield, a pedigree expert, wrote: "Anyone who wants can take any daughter of La Troienne (or all of them) and trace them through pedigrees to today's stars. It will be a rare week when there is no stakes winner linebred to La Troienne.""
The Rainbow Bridge (レインボーブリッジ Reinbō burijji) is a suspension bridge crossing northern Tokyo Bay between Shibaura Pier and the Odaiba waterfront development in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Construction started in 1987 and was completed in 1993. The bridge is 798 metres (2,618 ft) long with a main span of 580 metres (1,903 ft).'Rainbow Bridge" was decided by the public.
The towers supporting the bridge are white in color, designed to harmonize with the skyline of central Tokyo seen from Odaiba. There are lamps placed on the wires supporting the bridge, which are illuminated into three different colors, red, white and green every night using solar energy obtained during the day.(Wikipedia)
Um candeeiro de rua tradicional é uma peça de iluminação pública que se encontra em muitas cidades históricas, como Lisboa. Estes candeeiros têm um design elegante e clássico, que se harmoniza com a arquitetura e o ambiente da cidade. Os candeeiros de rua tradicionais são geralmente feitos de ferro fundido ou bronze, com uma forma alongada e curva, com uma lâmpada na ponta. Alguns candeeiros, como este, têm também ornamentos ou brasões que representam a identidade da cidade ou do bairro.
A traditional street lamp is a piece of street lighting found in many historic cities, such as Lisbon. These lamps have an elegant, classic design that harmonizes with the architecture and atmosphere of the city. Traditional street lamps are usually made of cast iron or bronze, with an elongated, curved shape and a bulb at the end. Some lamps, like this one, also have ornaments or coats of arms that represent the identity of the city or neighborhood.
Die Meierei wurde 1790 bis 1792 zur Versorgung der Hofgesellschaft gebaut. Eine erste Erweiterung durch das Aufsetzen eines Obergeschosses und eines Turms erfolgt 1843/44. Und schließlich wurde 1861 noch ein Pumpenhaus zur Parkbewässerung mit einem hohen Schornstein angebaut. Nach 1918 wurde im Gebäude eine Gaststätte eingerichtet, die nach einer langen Unterbrechung seit 1945 infolge von Kriegsschäden und der Lage im abgesperrten Grenzgebiet zu Westberlin 2003 wiedereröffnet wurde.
The Dairy was built between 1790 and 1792 to supply the court society. A first extension by adding an upper floor and a tower was made in 1843/44, and finally, in 1861, a pump house with a high chimney was added for park irrigation. After 1918 a restaurant was set up in the building, which was reopened in 2003 after a long interruption since 1945 due to war damage and its location in the closed-off border area to West Berlin where no visitors were allowed.
Der 102,5 ha große Neue Garten liegt im Norden Potsdams am Jungfernsee. Über das Wasser hinweg bestehen gestalterische Verbindungen zu den Gärten von Sacrow, Pfaueninsel, Glienicke und Babelsberg, wodurch er eine zentrale Rolle in der Gartenlandschaft erhält. Trotz Überformung durch Lenné hat er noch sentimentale Einzelpartien aus der Entstehungsphase vor 1800 bewahrt.
Seine Geschichte fängt mit dem Ankauf eines zentralen Grundstückes durch den Kronprinzen Friedrich Wilhelm (II.) an. Im Jahre 1787, ein Jahr nach dem Regierungsantritt, begann die Anlage des Neuen Gartens, der seinen Namen programmatisch in der Abkehr vom alten Barockpark Sanssouci erhielt. Als Gestalter wurde der Wörlitzer Gärtner Johann August Eyserbeck verpflichtet, was die Umsetzung der an englischen Gärten orientierten Idealvorstellung Friedrich Wilhelms garantierte.
Ungünstig für den einheitlichen Charakter des Gartens war der sich über mehrere Jahre hinziehende Grundstücksankauf. Neben einbezogenen ehemaligen Wohnhäusern entstanden zwischen 1787 und 1792 wichtige neue Bauten im Garten, von denen heute noch viele bestehen: Marmorpalais, Küche in Form einer römischen Tempelruine, Gotische Bibliothek, Schindelhaus, Orangerie, Grotte, Meierei, Pyramide (Eiskeller) und das holländische Etablissement. Vor letzterem verläuft, begleitet von Pyramidenpappeln (seit 1864 Pyramideneichen), ein Musterstück für den preußischen Chausseebau. In der Gartenanlage entstand eine Fülle von Partien unterschiedlicher sentimentaler Prägung, die von den jeweiligen Bauten oder Pflanzungen in ihrem Charakter bestimmt werden. 1816 überarbeitete Peter Joseph Lenné im Auftrag des Thronfolgers den zugewachsenen und unmodern gewordenen Garten. Unter Erhalt vieler Bereiche und Entfernung zu dichter Gehölze bekam der Neue Garten große Sichten und Wiesenräume, gefälligere Wegeführung und vor allem die Blickverbindungen zu den Nachbargärten (Sacrow, Pfaueninsel, Glienicke, Babelsberg, Potsdam, Pfingstberg). Trotz kleinerer Veränderungen zur Kaiserzeit und durch Rücknahme von Einbauten aus der Zeit der russischen Nutzung (1945–1954) hat sich noch immer die von Lenné geplante Grundstruktur bewahrt.
Das Schloss Cecilienhof, 1913–1917 für den Kronprinzen erbaut, fügt sich sehr harmonisch ein. Eine 13 ha große Fläche, die 1960-1990 als Grenzgebiet zerstört war, ist inzwischen wieder hergestellt worden.
www.spsg.de/schloesser-gaerten/objekt/neuer-garten
The New Garden, which covers 102.5 hectares, lies at Jungfernsee Lake in the northern part of Potsdam. Creative viewing connections extend across the water to the gardens of Sacrow, Peacock Island, Glienicke and Babelsberg, evidencing the park’s central role in this overall garden landscape. Despite its having been reshaped by Lenné, the garden has nevertheless preserved individual, emotive areas that date from the phase of its creation before 1800. The garden’s history begins with the purchase of a central piece of land by Crown Prince Frederick William (II). In 1787, a year after his ascension to the throne, the laying out of the grounds commenced at the New Garden, the name being programmatic for the abandonment of the old baroque park at Sanssouci. Wörlitz gardener Johann August Eyserbeck was charged with its creation, a decision that ensured a transformation in alignment with Frederick William’s ideals oriented towards English gardens.
What undermined the uniform character of the garden was the fact that it had taken several years to purchase the land. In addition to the former private houses that were included, important new buildings were constructed in the garden between 1787 and 1792, many of which still exist today: the Marble House, the kitchen in the shape of a Roman temple ruins, the Gothic Library, Shingle House, orangery, grotto, dairy, pyramid (ice house) and the Dutch houses. In front of the latter, we find a prime example of Prussian country road construction lined with pyramid-shaped cottonwood poplars (now, since 1864, pyramid-shaped oaks). On the garden grounds, a number of areas were created, whose characters were emotively shaped by the respective buildings or plantings to varying degrees.
In 1816, Peter Joseph Lenné was commissioned by the successor to the throne to rework the overgrown garden, which no longer conformed with the contemporary taste. By preserving many areas while removing copses that had become too dense, the New Garden was provided with new perspectives and meadow spaces, more pleasing pathways and above all, with viewing connections to the neighboring gardens (Sacrow, Peacock Island, Glienicke, Babelsberg, Potsdam, Pfingstberg Hill). Despite the smaller changes made during Imperial times and owing to the removal of installations dating from the time the garden was used by the Russians (1945 –1954), Lenné’s basic structural design has been retained up to this day. Cecilienhof Country House, built for the Crown Prince from 1913 to 1917, harmonizes in this setting. In the meantime, an area of 13 hectares has been restored, which had been destroyed during its use as part of the border zone from 1960 to 1990.
Le bâtiment Richard Meier, d'un blanc éclatant, se dresse au cœur de la nature environnante. Que les visiteurs se réjouissent : là où l'art et le nouveau bâtiment du musée s'harmonisent, ils seront les gagnants. Ici, pas de compétition pour occuper la vedette, mais un lieu empreint d'art, un lieu qui révèle sa vraie nature et offre un écrin aux œuvres de l'artiste-mécène du musée ainsi qu'à l'art contemporain.
« Mon architecture ouverte et transparente crée des transitions fluides entre l'intérieur et l'extérieur et reflète le même lien avec la nature que celui exprimé dans les œuvres de Hans Arp. »
En tant que l'un des plus grands architectes de musées internationaux, Richard Meier se réfère dans son architecture aux principes du modernisme classique, un style qui a connu son apogée au début du XXe siècle. Cette époque a également façonné l'œuvre du duo d'artistes Hans Arp et Sophie Taeuber-Arp. Le bâtiment de Meier est baigné de lumière et semble emmener les visiteurs hors de leur quotidien. Ici, les œuvres trouvent un espace propice à leur épanouissement.
The dazzling white Richard Meier Building stands out in the heart of the surrounding nature. Visitors can rejoice: wherever art and the new museum building harmonize, they will be the winners. Here, there's no competition for the spotlight, but a place imbued with art, a place that reveals its true nature and provides a showcase for the works of the museum's artist-patron as well as contemporary art.
"My open and transparent architecture creates seamless transitions between indoors and outdoors and reflects the same connection with nature expressed in the works of Hans Arp."
As one of the greatest international museum architects, Richard Meier refers in his architecture to the principles of classical modernism, a style that reached its peak in the early 20th century. This era also shaped the work of the artist duo Hans Arp and Sophie Taeuber-Arp. Meier's building is bathed in light and seems to transport visitors away from their everyday lives. Here, the works find a space conducive to their development.
„The light of love, the purity of grace, The mind, the music breathing from her face, 19 The heart whose softness harmonized the whole,— And oh, that eye was in itself a soul!“ — George Gordon Byron, book The Bride of Abydos Canto I, Stanza 6; this can be compared to: "The bloom of young Desire and purple light of Love", Thomas Gray, The Progress of Poesy I. 3, line 16; also: "Oh, could you view the melody / Of every grace / And music of her face", Richard Lovelace, Orpheus to Beasts; "There is music in the beauty, and the silent note which Cupid strikes, far sweeter than the sound of an instrument", Thomas Browne, Religio Medici, Part ii, Section ix. The Bride of Abydos (1813)
Source: quotepark.com/quotes/995841-george-gordon-byron-the-light...
Listen: alfred23harthonkse.bandcamp.com/releases
In early 2008 I again had started a kind of work-in-progress of solo recordings, called "micro_saxo_phone" which album title refers to the fact that I am using a sax of course + microphone (contact mics etc) of course for feeding devices as the Kaoss Pad or others + using the possibilties of my laptop. Together with this equipment I could give live performances which – for several reasons – did not happen often so far, though more probable within performances with others, as in the duo "Gift Fig" together with the American composer Carl Stone e.g.
"micro_saxo_phone, edition II", CDR Laubhuette Production M10 from 2008 gave an overview about what I was trying to state within the traditional course of my former solo recording on Side A of the LP "Plan Eden" from 1986/7 where I had begun to use electronic devices & effects in combination with solo tenor sax besides using a harmonizer here & there in the early years. On "micro_saxo_phone, edition II" I used baritone sax, tenor sax, alto sax, soprano sax, bass clarinet, breathe & saliva noise multi phonics and even bowed the saxes’ bodies (con arco) during blowing and doing percussion with the instrument’s keys.
On "micro_saxo_phone.edition III" I extended the language by means of using the sounds of the key springs which create a kind of meditative Asian feel and also through texts.
I searched for finding a way to voice words during blowing (e.g. at the beginning of "doublespeak" and tracks 14 and 15), or underlined words (and other stuff) that I had recorded on cassette in 1972 or by dubbing an interview with Japanese art photographer Nobuyoshi Araki which I had recorded in 1998 in a kind of double voicing. The same track also contains a sample of Korean gagok which is a kind of fake classical music - from some decades ago - made in Korea. "doublespeak" is the exception - as a composition – within the solos, as is "chukyo" using some of my electric guitar recordings (as well as track 3). There are also some "classical" solos (without all effects or edits): track 9, 10 (underlined alto sax solo from 1972) and 13.
With that title "doublespeak" I also refer to George Orwell’s term "doublethink", which means the ability to believe contradictory ideas simultaneously. And there are more doublespeak titles here, as "surplussed", "twonky" (software designers’ jargon inspired by a 1953 sci-fi film starring Hans Conried and Gloria Blondell about a TV that is really an alien life form) etc. Other titles refer to themes and authors that I am also dealing with these days (e.g. Ray Kurzweil, Terence McKenna,) . "chukyo" is a dedication to Chukyo University in Nagoya, Japan, where I had been invited by the above mentioned Carl Stone to lecture and had met Fomal Haut, a great artist & pioneer of computer graphics.
A23H, December MMX
Review by Massimo Ricci: touchingextremes.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/alfred-23-harth...
Germany, Hamburg, "Planten un Blomen"…a real „Blue Hour” harmonised with the colour of the fountains over the lake & the park area.
The Park is an approximately 47 hectare park in the centre of Hamburg.
The name "Planten un Blomen" is in the North German dialect & it means “Plants & Flowers”. The founder & first director of the botanical garden in the Hamburg walls, Johann G. C. Lehmann, planted a plane tree in November 1821, the first tree in the park. The tree is located still today at the Dammtor train station entrance between the large tropical glasshouse & the Congress Centre, the tree is a natural symbol representing the beginnings of the gardens.
The park is a popular destination for the inhabitants in the Hamburg metropolitan area & tourists; it is part of a green zone that stretches horizontally through the whole nearly 2 million city down to the harbour.
The park is famous for its water-light concerts, public theatre & music performances. In addition to the gardens, there is a large playground in the southern park area; the park is open all year round there is no entrance fee.
📌...From May to September, the water-light concerts are presented daily at 10 pm with a bi-weekly changing 30 minutes program. The fountain & lighting is operated by three technicians during the show & tuned to harmonize with the music. Every evening several hundreds of people, with or without a picnic, sit on the lawns around the lake to watch the intense spectacle...unless it rains, the water games still take place.
👉 One World one Dream,
🙏...Danke, Xièxie 谢谢, Thanks, Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Obrigado, Arigatô, Dhanyavad, Chokrane to you & over
17 million visits in my photostream with countless motivating comments
Germany, Hamburg, "Planten un Blomen" is an approximately 47 hectare park in the centre of Hamburg.
The name "Planten un Blomen" is in the North German dialect & it means “Plants & Flowers”. The founder & first director of the botanical garden in the Hamburg walls, Johann G. C. Lehmann, planted a plane tree in November 1821, the first tree in the park. The tree is located still today at the Dammtor train station entrance between the large tropical glasshouse & the Congress Centre, the tree is a natural symbol representing the beginnings of the gardens.
The park is a popular destination for the inhabitants in the Hamburg metropolitan area & tourists; it is part of a green zone that stretches horizontally through the whole nearly 2 million city down to the harbour.
The park is famous for its water-light concerts, public theatre & music performances. In addition to the gardens, there is a large playground in the southern park area; the park is open all year round there is no entrance fee.
📌...From May to September, the water-light concerts are presented daily at 10 pm with a bi-weekly changing 30 minutes program. The fountain & lighting is operated by three technicians during the show & tuned to harmonize with the music. Every evening several hundreds of people, with or without a picnic, sit on the lawns around the lake to watch the intense spectacle...unless it rains, the water games still take place.
👉 One World one Dream,
🙏...Danke, Xièxie 谢谢, Thanks, Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Obrigado, Arigatô, Dhanyavad, Chokrane to you & over
17 million visits in my photostream with countless motivating comments
Germany, Hamburg, "Planten un Blomen" is an approximately 47 hectare park in the centre of Hamburg.
The name "Planten un Blomen" is in the North German dialect & it means “Plants & Flowers”. The founder & first director of the botanical garden in the Hamburg walls, Johann G. C. Lehmann, planted a plane tree in November 1821, the first tree in the park. The tree is located still today at the Dammtor train station entrance between the large tropical glasshouse & the Congress Centre, the tree is a natural symbol representing the beginnings of the gardens.
The park is a popular destination for the inhabitants in the Hamburg metropolitan area & tourists; it is part of a green zone that stretches horizontally through the whole nearly 2 million city down to the harbour.
The park is famous for its water-light concerts, public theatre & music performances. In addition to the gardens, there is a large playground in the southern park area; the park is open all year round there is no entrance fee.
📌...From May to September, the water-light concerts are presented daily at 10 pm with a bi-weekly changing 30 minutes program. The fountain & lighting is operated by three technicians during the show & tuned to harmonize with the music. Every evening several hundreds of people, with or without a picnic, sit on the lawns around the lake to watch the intense spectacle...unless it rains, the water games still take place.
👉 One World one Dream,
🙏...Danke, Xièxie 谢谢, Thanks, Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Obrigado, Arigatô, Dhanyavad, Chokrane to you & over
17 million visits in my photostream with countless motivating comments
(I want to point and say this photo was done by Abel Kryon. He is an amazing photographer and Beyond brilliant. Please go check out his work.)
Queen Bee
Ivanna strides onto the runway, exuding confidence and grace as the Queen Bee, her presence commanding the attention of every eye in the room. Draped in a stunning ensemble inspired by the intricate beauty of a beehive, she embodies the elegance and significance of these remarkable creatures. Bees, often hailed as the unsung heroes of our ecosystem, play a crucial role in pollinating plants, ensuring the production of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Their tireless work supports biodiversity, sustains our food supply, and maintains the balance of nature. Ivanna's regal entrance not only celebrates her own stature but also pays homage to the vital contributions of bees to our world.
Ivanna's outfit from Irresistible is a masterclass in cohesive elegance, seamlessly integrating every detail to draw attention to her striking frame. The ensemble includes not only a meticulously crafted dress but also complementary hair , shoes, and accessories that harmonize to enhance her silhouette. Adorned with intricate bees and honeycomb jewelry, the outfit celebrates the beauty of nature's design, while the spinning bees add a refined, dynamic touch. Each element, from the golden hues to the delicate craftsmanship, culminates in a look that is both sophisticated and captivating, making Ivanna the epitome of the Queen Bee.
Ivanna feels an immense sense of pride and joy in her role as the Queen Bee, a title that resonates deeply with her appreciation for the vital work bees perform in our world. As she embodies this regal persona, she reflects on how bees tirelessly pollinate plants, contributing to the growth of our food supply and the preservation of biodiversity. This indispensable labor ensures the health of ecosystems and the sustenance of countless species, including humans. Ivanna’s pride stems not only from her own accomplishments but also from honoring the diligent bees whose efforts are crucial for life on Earth. It is this profound connection to their work that fills her with joy and a sense of purpose, reinforcing the significance of her role.
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Outfit: irrISIStible To Bee or not to Bee ( Outfit comes with hair piece, shoes, honeycomb tat, most bees attachment, and siut and skirt.)
Jewelry: Bracelet: Finesmith HoneyBee Bracelet
Necklace: @rOrO Bee Jewelry
Rings: Livia Honeycomb Rings
Nails: Livia Honeycomb Nails
Makeup: Eyeshadow: ChirppieBird Hive Queen
Lips: Opulein Glamourama Lipstick Black
Flower Petals: Persefona Floating Rose Petals (White)
Bees: SKBW Brain Full o' Bees Brown
Eyes: Opuleinm Cristiana Eyes (Honey)
Leaning Tower of Pisa and Pisa Cathedral
Schiefer Turm von Pisa und Dom zu Pisa
The Piazza dei Miracoli (Italian: [ˈpjattsa dei miˈraːkoli]; English: Square of Miracles), formally known as Piazza del Duomo (English: Cathedral Square), is a walled 8.87-hectare area located in Pisa, Tuscany, Italy, recognized as an important centre of European medieval art and one of the finest architectural complexes in the world.Considered sacred by the Catholic Church, its owner, the square is dominated by four great religious edifices: the Pisa Cathedral, the Pisa Baptistry, the Campanile, and the Camposanto Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery). Partly paved and partly grassed, the Piazza dei Miracoli is also the site of the Ospedale Nuovo di Santo Spirito (New Hospital of the Holy Spirit), which houses the Sinopias Museum (Italian: Museo delle Sinopie) and the Cathedral Museum (Italian: Museo dell'Opera del Duomo).
The name Piazza dei Miracoli was coined by the Italian writer and poet Gabriele d'Annunzio who, in his novel Forse che sì forse che no (1910), described the square as the "prato dei Miracoli", or "meadow of miracles". The square is sometimes called the Campo dei Miracoli ("Field of Miracles"). In 1987, the whole square was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
(Wikipedia)
The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: torre pendente di Pisa), or simply, the Tower of Pisa (torre di Pisa [ˈtorre di ˈpiːza; ˈpiːsa], is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of Pisa Cathedral. It is known for its nearly four-degree lean, the result of an unstable foundation. The tower is one of three structures in the Pisa's Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo), which includes the cathedral and Pisa Baptistry.
The height of the tower is 55.86 metres (183 feet 3 inches) from the ground on the low side and 56.67 m (185 ft 11 in) on the high side. The width of the walls at the base is 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in). Its weight is estimated at 14,500 tonnes (16,000 short tons). The tower has 296 or 294 steps; the seventh floor has two fewer steps on the north-facing staircase.
The tower began to lean during construction in the 12th century, due to soft ground which could not properly support the structure's weight. It worsened through the completion of construction in the 14th century. By 1990, the tilt had reached 5.5 degrees. The structure was stabilized by remedial work between 1993 and 2001, which reduced the tilt to 3.97 degrees.
Architect
There has been controversy surrounding the identity of the architect of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. For many years, the design was attributed to Guglielmo and Bonanno Pisano, a well-known 12th-century resident artist of Pisa, known for his bronze casting, particularly in the Pisa Duomo. Pisano left Pisa in 1185 for Monreale, Sicily, only to come back and die in his home town. A piece of cast bearing his name was discovered at the foot of the tower in 1820, but this may be related to the bronze door in the façade of the cathedral that was destroyed in 1595. A 2001 study seems to indicate Diotisalvi was the original architect, due to the time of construction and affinity with other Diotisalvi works, notably the bell tower of San Nicola and the Baptistery, both in Pisa.
Construction
Construction of the tower occurred in three stages over 199 years. On 5 January 1172, Donna Berta di Bernardo, a widow and resident of the house of dell'Opera di Santa Maria, bequeathed sixty soldi to the Opera Campanilis petrarum Sancte Marie. The sum was then used toward the purchase of a few stones which still form the base of the bell tower. On 9 August 1173, the foundations of the tower were laid. Work on the ground floor of the white marble campanile began on 14 August of the same year during a period of military success and prosperity. This ground floor is a blind arcade articulated by engaged columns with classical Corinthian capitals. Nearly four centuries later Giorgio Vasari wrote: "Guglielmo, according to what is being said, in the year 1174, together with sculptor Bonanno, laid the foundations of the bell tower of the cathedral in Pisa".
The tower began to sink after construction had progressed to the second floor in 1178. This was due to a mere three-metre foundation, set in weak, unstable subsoil, a design that was flawed from the beginning. Construction was subsequently halted for the better part of a century, as the Republic of Pisa was almost continually engaged in battles with Genoa, Lucca, and Florence. This allowed time for the underlying soil to settle. Otherwise, the tower would almost certainly have toppled. On 27 December 1233, the worker Benenato, son of Gerardo Bottici, oversaw the continuation of the tower's construction.
On 23 February 1260, Guido Speziale, son of Giovanni Pisano, was elected to oversee the building of the tower. On 12 April 1264, the master builder Giovanni di Simone, architect of the Camposanto, and 23 workers went to the mountains close to Pisa to cut marble. The cut stones were given to Rainaldo Speziale, worker of St. Francesco. In 1272, construction resumed under Di Simone. In an effort to compensate for the tilt, the engineers built upper floors with one side taller than the other. Because of this, the tower is curved. Construction was halted again in 1284 when the Pisans were defeated by the Genoese in the Battle of Meloria.
The seventh floor was completed in 1319. The bell-chamber was finally added in 1372. It was built by Tommaso di Andrea Pisano, who succeeded in harmonizing the Gothic elements of the belfry with the Romanesque style of the tower. There are seven bells, one for each note of the musical major scale. The largest one was installed in 1655.
History following construction
Between 1589 and 1592, Galileo Galilei, who lived in Pisa at the time, is said to have dropped two cannonballs of different masses from the tower to demonstrate that their speed of descent was independent of their mass, in keeping with the law of free fall. The primary source for this is the biography Racconto istorico della vita di Galileo Galilei (Historical Account of the Life of Galileo Galilei), written by Galileo's pupil and secretary Vincenzo Viviani in 1654, but only published in 1717, long after his death.
During World War II, the Allies suspected that the Germans were using the tower as an observation post. Leon Weckstein, a U.S. Army sergeant sent to confirm the presence of German troops in the tower, was impressed by the beauty of the cathedral and its campanile, and thus refrained from ordering an artillery strike, sparing it from destruction.
Numerous efforts have been made to restore the tower to a vertical orientation or at least keep it from falling over. Most of these efforts failed; some worsened the tilt. On 27 February 1964, the government of Italy requested aid in preventing the tower from toppling. It was, however, considered important to retain the current tilt, due to the role that this element played in promoting the tourism industry of Pisa.
Starting in 1993, 870 tonnes of lead counterweights were added, which straightened the tower slightly.
The tower and the neighbouring cathedral, baptistery, and cemetery are included in the Piazza del Duomo UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was declared in 1987.
The tower was closed to the public on 7 January 1990, after more than two decades of stabilisation studies and spurred by the abrupt collapse of the Civic Tower of Pavia in 1989. The bells were removed to relieve some weight, and cables were cinched around the third level and anchored several hundred meters away. Apartments and houses in the path of a potential fall of the tower were vacated for safety. The selected method for preventing the collapse of the tower was to slightly reduce its tilt to a safer angle by removing 38 cubic metres (1,342 cubic feet) of soil from underneath the raised end. The tower's tilt was reduced by 45 centimetres (17+1⁄2 inches), returning to its 1838 position. After a decade of corrective reconstruction and stabilization efforts, the tower was reopened to the public on 15 December 2001, and was declared stable for at least another 300 years. In total, 70 metric tons (77 short tons) of soil were removed.
After a phase (1990–2001) of structural strengthening, the tower has been undergoing gradual surface restoration to repair visible damage, mostly corrosion and blackening. These are particularly pronounced due to the tower's age and its exposure to wind and rain. In May 2008, engineers announced that the tower had been stabilized such that it had stopped moving for the first time in its history. They stated that it would be stable for at least 200 years.
Earthquake survival
At least four strong earthquakes have hit the region since 1280, but the apparently vulnerable tower survived. The reason was not understood until a research group of 16 engineers investigated. The researchers concluded that the tower was able to withstand the tremors because of dynamic soil-structure interaction (DSSI): the height and stiffness of the tower, together with the softness of the foundation soil, influences the vibrational characteristics of the structure in such a way that the tower does not resonate with earthquake ground motion. The same soft soil that caused the leaning and brought the tower to the verge of collapse helped it survive.
Technical information
Elevation of Piazza del Duomo: about 2 metres (6 feet, DMS)
Height from the ground floor: 55.863 m (183 ft 3+5⁄16 in),[37] 8 stories
Height from the foundation floor: 58.36 m (191 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Outer diameter of base: 15.484 m (50 ft 9+5⁄8 in)
Inner diameter of base: 7.368 m (24 ft 2+1⁄16 in)
Angle of slant: 3.97 degrees[40] or 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in) from the vertical
Weight: 14,700 metric tons (16,200 short tons)
Thickness of walls at the base: 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in)
Total number of bells: 7, tuned to musical scale, clockwise:
1st bell: L'Assunta, cast in 1654 by Giovanni Pietro Orlandi, weight 3,620 kg (7,981 lb)
2nd bell: Il Crocifisso, cast in 1572 by Vincenzo Possenti, weight 2,462 kg (5,428 lb)
3rd bell: San Ranieri, cast in 1719–1721 by Giovanni Andrea Moreni, weight 1,448 kg (3,192 lb)
4th bell: La Terza (1st small one), cast in 1473, weight 300 kg (661 lb)
5th bell: La Pasquereccia or La Giustizia, cast in 1262 by Lotteringo, weight 1,014 kg (2,235 lb)
6th bell: Il Vespruccio (2nd small one), cast in the 14th century and again in 1501 by Nicola di Jacopo, weight 1,000 kg (2,205 lb)
7th bell: Dal Pozzo, cast in 1606 and again in 2004, weight 652 kg (1,437 lb)
Number of steps to the top: 296
About the 5th bell: The name Pasquareccia comes from Easter, because it used to ring on Easter day. However, this bell is older than the bell-chamber itself, and comes from the tower Vergata in Palazzo Pretorio in Pisa, where it was called La Giustizia (The Justice). The bell was tolled to announce executions of criminals and traitors, including Count Ugolino in 1289. A new bell was installed in the bell tower at the end of the 18th century to replace the broken Pasquareccia.
The circular shape and great height of the campanile were unusual for their time, and the crowning belfry is stylistically distinct from the rest of the construction. This belfry incorporates a 14 cm (5+1⁄2 in) correction for the inclined axis below. The siting of the campanile within the Piazza del Duomo diverges from the axial alignment of the cathedral and baptistery of the Piazza del Duomo.
Guinness World Records
Two German churches have challenged the tower's status as the world's most lopsided building: the 15th-century square Leaning Tower of Suurhusen and the 14th-century bell tower in the town of Bad Frankenhausen. Guinness World Records measured the Pisa and Suurhusen towers, finding the former's tilt to be 3.97 degrees. In June 2010, Guinness World Records certified the Capital Gate building in Abu Dhabi, UAE as the "World's Furthest Leaning Man-made Tower"; it has an 18-degree slope, almost five times more than the Tower of Pisa, but was deliberately engineered to slant. The Leaning Tower of Wanaka in New Zealand, also deliberately built, leans at 53 degrees to the ground.
(Wikipedia)
Pisa Cathedral (Italian: Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale di Santa Maria Assunta; Duomo di Pisa) is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, in the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa, Italy, the oldest of the three structures in the plaza followed by the Pisa Baptistry and the Campanile known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The cathedral is a notable example of Romanesque architecture, in particular the style known as Pisan Romanesque. Consecrated in 1118, it is the seat of the Archbishop of Pisa. Construction began in 1063 and was completed in 1092. Additional enlargements and a new facade were built in the 12th century and the roof was replaced after damage from a fire in 1595.
History
Construction on the cathedral began in 1063 (1064 according to the Pisan calendar of the time) by the architect Buscheto, and expenses were paid using the spoils received fighting against the Muslims in Sicily in 1063. It includes various stylistic elements: classical, Lombard-Emilian, Byzantine, and Islamic, drawing upon the international presence of Pisan merchants at that time. In the same year, St. Mark's Basilica began its reconstruction in Venice, evidence of a strong rivalry between the two maritime republics to see which could create the most beautiful and luxurious place of worship.
The church was erected outside Pisa's early medieval walls, to show that Pisa had no fear of being attacked.[citation needed] The chosen area had already been used in the Lombard era as a necropolis and at the beginning of the 11th century a church had been erected here, but never finished, that was to be named Santa Maria.[citation needed] Buscheto's grand new church was initially called Santa Maria Maggiore until it was officially named Santa Maria Assunta.
In 1092 the cathedral was declared primatial church, archbishop Dagobert having been given the title of Primate by Pope Urban II. The cathedral was consecrated in 1118 by Pope Gelasius II, who belonged to the Caetani family which was powerful both in Pisa and in Rome.
In the early 12th century the cathedral was enlarged under the direction of architect Rainaldo, who increased the length of the nave by adding three bays consistent with the original style of Buscheto, enlarged the transept, and planned a new facade which was completed by workers under the direction of the sculptors Guglielmo and Biduino. The exact date of the work is unclear: according to some, the work was done right after the death of Buscheto about the year 1100, though others say it was done closer to 1140. In any case, work was finished in 1180, as documented by the date written on the bronze knockers made by Bonanno Pisano found on the main door.
The structure's present appearance is the result of numerous restoration campaigns that were carried out in different eras. The first radical interventions occurred after the fire of 1595, following which the roof was replaced and sculptors from the workshop of Giambologna, among whom were Gasparo Mola and Pietro Tacca, created the three bronze doors of the facade. In the early 18th century began the redecoration of the inside walls of the cathedral with large paintings, the "quadroni", depicting stories of the blesseds and saints of Pisa. These works were made by the principal artists of the era, and a group of citizens arranged for the special financing of the project. Successive interventions occurred in the 19th century and included both internal and external modifications; among the latter was the removal of the original facade statues (presently in the cathedral museum) and their replacement with copies.
Other notable interventions include: the dismantling of Giovanni Pisano's pulpit between 1599 and 1601 that only in 1926 was reassembled and returned to the cathedral (with some original pieces missing, including the staircase); and the dismantling of the monument to Henry VII made by Lupo di Francesco that was found in front of the door of San Ranieri and later substituted by a simpler, symbolic version.
Description
The original building plan was a Greek cross with a grand cupola at the crossing, but today the plan is a Latin cross with a central nave flanked by two side aisles on each side, with the apse and transepts having three naves. The inside offers a spatial effect similar to that of the great mosques thanks to the use of raised lancet arches, the alternating layers of black and white marble, and the elliptical dome, inspired by the Moors. The presence of two raised matronea in the nave, with their solid, monolithic columns of granite, is a clear sign of Byzantine influence. Buscheto welcomed Islamic and Armenian influence.
Exterior
The rich exterior decoration contains multicolored marble, mosaic, and numerous bronze objects from the spoils of war, among which is the griffin. The arrival of the griffin in Pisa has been attributed to numerous Pisan military victories of the 11th and 12th centuries, including the 1087 Mahdia Campaign and the 1113-1115 Balearic Expedition. The griffin was placed on a platform atop a column rising from the gable above the apse at the east end of the roof, probably as continuation of the original construction that started in 1064. In the early 19th century the original sculpture, which can now be seen in the cathedral museum, was removed from the roof and replaced with a copy. The high arches show Islamic and southern Italian influence.Ref? The blind arches with lozenge shapes recall similar structures in Armenia. The facade of grey and white marble, decorated with colored marble inserts, was built by Master Rainaldo. Above the three doorways are four levels of loggia divided by cornices with marble intarsia, behind which open single, double, and triple windows.
The cathedral was heavily damaged by a fire in 1595. The heavy bronze doors of the façade were newly designed, executed and completed in 1602 by sculptors around Giambologna on the expense of Ferdinando I de' Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. At the top there is a Madonna and Child and, in the angles, the four evangelists. The tomb of Buscheto is found to the left of the north door of the facade.
Contrary to what might be thought, from the beginning the faithful entered the cathedral through the Gate of Saint Rainerius, found in the south transept of the same name, which faces the bell tower. For townsfolk approaching by via Santa Maria it was the shortest way to enter the cathedral. The door wings were cast about 1180 by Bonanno Pisano, and it is the only door not destroyed in 1595. The 24 bronze reliefs show stories of the New Testament. This bronze portal is one of the first produced in Italy during the Middle Ages, and is a forerunner of the bronze doors created by Andrea Pisano for the Baptistery in Florence (1329–1336).
Of further interest
At the end of the 10th century Pisa established March 25 as the beginning of its new year. This date was considered very important because it is both the Feast of the Annunciation (occurring nine months before Christ's birth on December 25) and it falls very close to the spring equinox. To mark the beginning of the Pisan new year a system was devised in the cathedral whereby a beam of light shines through a round window on the south side of the nave and, precisely at noon on March 25, lands on the same spot every year: on top of a shelf affixed to a pylon on the opposite side of the church. This shelf rests on a marble egg, a symbol of birth and new life. In 1750 the first day of the new year was officially changed to January 1, but this event is still celebrated every year accompanied by solemn religious and civic celebrations.
The lamp at the center of the nave is called Galileo's lamp, because a legend says that the great scientist formulated his theory of isochronism of the pendulum while watching its oscillations from the roof of the nave. The original, however, smaller and very different than this one, is found today in the Camposanto.
On the north side, to the left side of the facade in front of the Camposanto at about eye level, is an original piece of Roman marble (as testified to by its decoration that can still in part be seen), on which are a series of small black marks. Legend says that these marks were left by the devil when he climbed up to the dome attempting to stop its construction, and so they are referred to as the scratches of the devil. (The legend also says that out of spite the number of scratches always changes when counted.)
Legend has it that the amphora placed on a small column on the right side of the apse was used by Christ at the wedding feast of Cana when he turned water into wine.
Pope Gregory VIII is buried in the cathedral.
(Wikipedia)
Die Piazza dei Miracoli (italienisch Platz der Wunder), wie die Piazza del Duomo im Volksmund auch genannt wird, ist der Domplatz der toskanischen Stadt Pisa. Der Name stammt vom italienischen Dichter und Schriftsteller Gabriele D’Annunzio. Er beschrieb in seinem Buch Forse che sì forse che no den Platz als Wiese der Wunder. Die Piazza dei Miracoli ist eine Grünfläche nahe der Stadtbefestigung im nordwestlichen Teil der Altstadt. Die dezentrale Lage am Rande des Historischen Stadtkerns ist ungewöhnlich. Auf dem Platz steht das berühmte Ensemble, bestehend aus dem Baptisterium als größte Taufkirche der Welt, dem Friedhof Camposanto Monumentale und dem kreuzförmigen Dom Santa Maria Assunta mit seinem Campanile, dem Schiefen Turm. Sie gehören zu den Meisterwerken der mittelalterlichen Architektur und hatten einen großen Einfluss auf die monumentalen Kunst in Italien vom 11. bis zum 14. Jahrhundert. Seit 1987 gehört der Platz zum UNESCO-Welterbe.
(Wikipedia)
Der Schiefe Turm von Pisa (italienisch Torre pendente di Pisa) ist das wohl bekannteste geneigte Gebäude der Welt und Wahrzeichen der Stadt Pisa in Italien.
Der Turm war als freistehender Glockenturm (Campanile) für den Dom in Pisa geplant. 12 Jahre nach der Grundsteinlegung am 9. August 1173, im Jahr 1185, als der Bau bei der dritten Etage angelangt war, begann sich der Turmstumpf in Richtung Südosten zu neigen. Daraufhin ruhte der Bau rund 100 Jahre. Die nächsten vier Stockwerke wurden dann mit einem geringeren Neigungswinkel als dem bereits bestehenden gebaut, um die Schieflage auszugleichen. Danach musste der Bau nochmals unterbrochen werden, bis 1372 auch die Glockenstube vollendet war.
Der Grund für seine Schieflage liegt in dem Untergrund aus lehmigem Morast und Sand, der sich unter dem Gewicht verformt. Neuesten Ausgrabungen zufolge steht der Turm am Rande einer ehemaligen Insel direkt neben einem antiken, zur Bauzeit bereits versandeten Hafenbecken. Die Schieflage des Turms beträgt nach dem Ende der Sanierungsarbeiten rund vier Grad, entsprechend einer Auslenkung an der Spitze von 3,9 m (bei rund 55,8 m Höhe). Im Inneren des Turmes hängt ein Pendel, das oben in der Mitte befestigt ist und durch die Schieflage unten beinahe die Seitenwand berührt.
Der Legende nach hat der aus Pisa stammende Galileo Galilei bei Fallversuchen vom Turm die Fallgesetze entdeckt.
Im Jahre 1987 wurde das Ensemble auf der Piazza del Duomo aus dem Turm, dem Dom, dem Baptisterium und dem Camposanto von der UNESCO zum Weltkulturerbe erklärt.
Architektur
Der 56 Meter hohe und 12 Meter durchmessende Campanile besteht aus 14.500 Tonnen weißen Carrara-Marmors und hat sieben Glocken, die aber längere Zeit wegen der Einsturzgefahr nicht läuten durften. Er sollte der Höhepunkt der ganzen Anlage der Piazza dei Miracoli sein. Er unterscheidet sich von den üblichen quadratischen Türmen Mittelitaliens und steht in einem großen Gegensatz zu den spitz zulaufenden Türmen des nördlichen Europa. Er ruht auf einem spiralförmigen Fundament aus 700 m³ Bruchstein und Mörtel. Neben dem Eingang sind Monat und Jahr des Baubeginns eingemeißelt: August 1173. In Urkunden wird jedoch stets 1174 genannt, denn für die Pisaner begann nach damaligem Kalender das neue Jahr bereits am 25. März. Giorgio Vasari bezeichnete Bonanno Pisano und einen gewissen Guglielmo als ursprüngliche Architekten des Turms.
Der Campanile hatte – außer dass er die Glocken tragen sollte – noch eine andere Funktion. Bei äußerer Gefahr flüchtete damals der Klerus in den Turm. Maueröffnungen und -vorsprünge im Zylinderschacht machten es möglich, bei Bedarf in jedem Stockwerk Gebälk und Fußböden einzuziehen.
Jedes Stockwerk hat eine Tür hinaus auf die Säulengalerie, die aus jeweils 30 Säulen besteht. Auf der Südseite führen oben sechs Stufen zur Glockenstube hinauf, auf der Nordseite nur vier. Die Treppe zur obersten Aussichtsterrasse soll Brunelleschi inspiriert haben, einen ähnlichen Aufgang zur Laterne auf der Kuppel des Doms in Florenz zu bauen.
Vom 7. Januar 1990 an musste der 14.500 Tonnen schwere Turm für Besucher gesperrt werden, da die Schräglage zu gefährlich wurde. Es gab eine weltweite Aufforderung an Baustatiker, die besten Lösungen zur Stabilisierung auszuarbeiten und einzureichen.
Nach 13-jährigen Sanierungsmaßnahmen, bei denen der Turm wieder um 44 Zentimeter aufgerichtet wurde, ist er seit Dezember 2001 wieder für Touristen geöffnet. Besucher können gegen Entgelt den Turm in Gruppen von maximal 40 Besuchern für eine Dauer von 15 Minuten besteigen.
Der Schiefe Turm von Pisa ist nicht das schiefste Gebäude bzw. der schiefste Turm der Welt, wie häufig vermutet wird. Dennoch gehört er zu den schiefsten Bauwerken, die – aufrecht geplant – unabsichtlich in eine Schieflage geraten sind.
Glocken
Die sieben Kirchenglocken des Domes werden aus statischer Vorsicht nur noch mittels innenliegender elektromagnetischer Schlaghämmer angeschlagen, und zwar mittags um 12 Uhr und jeweils vor den Messen.
Zuvor wurden die Glocken entsprechend ihrer Namen liturgisch eingesetzt, so etwa die Terza zur Terz, der dritten Stunde des liturgischen Tages, also um 9 Uhr vormittags, oder die Vespruccio zur Vesper, 18 Uhr. Das Läuten erfolgte von Hand; an Festtagen wurden die Glocken voll – a slancio – ausgeschwungen.
Die kleinste Glocke von 1501, Vespruccio genannt, hat eine sehr schlanke, zuckerhutartige Form. Die Glocke Del Pozzo ist ein originalgetreuer Nachguss der Vorgängerin, 1606 von Nicolaus Castellum gegossen.
Sanierungsmaßnahmen
Versuche im Mittelalter, den Bau durch besondere Baumaßnahmen wie geneigte Böden sowie dünnere und leichtere Mauern auf der überhängenden Seite zu retten, zeigten keine ausreichende Wirkung, so dass von den ursprünglich geplanten 100 Metern Höhe nur 54 Meter gebaut wurden.
Seit dem Beginn exakter Messungen 1911 nahm die Neigung stetig zu, und die Rate der Zunahme verdoppelte sich von den 1930er-Jahren bis 1990. In diesem Jahr betrug die jährliche Zunahme der Neigung 6 Bogensekunden. Außerdem zeigte die Vermessung, dass es sich um eine Rotationsbewegung handelte, wobei das Zentrum des Kreises in Höhe des Bodens der ersten Galerie senkrecht über dem Mittelpunkt des Turms auf Bodenebene liegt, der selbst keine vertikale Bewegung ausführte. Bei zwei heftigen Starkregenereignissen konnte 1995 eine Neigungszunahme in der Größenordnung einer Bogensekunde in wenigen Stunden festgestellt werden. Daraus wurde geschlossen, dass die Ursache nicht – wie üblicherweise angenommen – im Kriechen der weichen marinen Tonschicht (Horizont B ab einer Tiefe von etwa 10 m bis zu einer Tiefe von 40 m, wo Horizont C mit dichtem marinen Sand beginnt) lag, sondern an dem darüberliegenden Horizont A (Sand, sandige und tonige Schluffe), in der regelmäßig im September bis Dezember auftretende Unwetter mit heftigen Niederschlägen eine verstärkte Rotationsbewegung auslösten.
Seit der vorübergehenden Schließung 1990 waren diverse Sanierungsmaßnahmen unternommen worden. Im Mai 1992 wurde der Campanile mit Stahlreifen im zweiten Geschoss gesichert, da sich dort gefährliche Risse im tragenden Marmor gezeigt hatten. Insgesamt wurden 18 dieser Reifen angebracht. Zusätzlich wurden im Juli 1993 im Fundament 600 Tonnen Bleibarren als Gegengewicht auf der Nordseite eingelagert. Dadurch konnte die Schieflage des Turmes 1993 um eine Bogenminute verringert werden. 1995 wurden weitere Sanierungsmaßnahmen (Bodenvereisung und Stahlkabel-Verankerung) durchgeführt, da man die Bleigewichte als störend empfand. In der Folge erhöhte sich dabei allerdings die Neigung. Daraufhin wurde die höhere Seite des Fundaments an seinem Vorsprung außen am Turm im September 1995 erneut, diesmal mit 900 Tonnen Bleibarren, beschwert (siehe Bild), was die Neigung stoppte.
Ein Komitee internationaler Fachleute, das über die Sanierungsmaßnahmen des Turmes befinden sollte (1990 bis 2001 unter Leitung von Michele Jamiolkowski), konnte sich auf keine bestimmten Maßnahmen festlegen und wurde deshalb zum Ende 1996 von der italienischen Regierung aufgelöst. Nach dem großen Erdbeben vom September 1997 wurde das Komitee jedoch wieder eingesetzt. Man einigte sich im Herbst 1998 mehrheitlich auf eine neue Maßnahme zur Sanierung des Campanile, die sogenannte Bodenextraktions-Methode (geplant von John Burland nach einer Idee des Ingenieurs Fernando Terracina aus dem Jahr 1962). Dazu wurden im folgenden Jahr schräge Löcher in den Boden (Tiefe rund 4 bis 5 m, innerhalb von Horizont A) unter dem nördlichen Teil des Turmes gebohrt, so dass etwa 50 m³ Material entfernt wurde. Das Erdreich sackte langsam nach, schließlich auch der Boden des Turmes, und der ganze Turm richtete sich zunehmend nach Norden auf. Die Gesamtneigung des Turmes wurde von 5,5 Grad vor dem Beginn der Sanierungsarbeiten (um 1990) auf etwa vier Grad verringert. Damit ist der Turm voraussichtlich für die nächsten 300 Jahre gesichert. Nach dem Abschluss der Sanierungsmaßnahmen wurde der Turm am 15. Dezember 2001 wieder zur Besichtigung freigegeben.
Zur Sicherung während dieser Arbeiten wurde der Turm 1998 mit zwei starken Stahlseilen von 103 Metern Länge so befestigt, dass er nicht durch unerwartete Bewegungen einstürzen konnte.
Bei Bauarbeiten zur Sicherung des Gebäudes ist eine alte Römerstraße entdeckt worden, die noch in alten Plänen verzeichnet war, außerdem ein mittelalterliches Grab samt vollständigem Skelett.
(Wikipedia)
Der Dom Santa Maria Assunta (italienisch Cattedrale Metropolitana Primaziale di Santa Maria Assunta) ist eine Kirche in Pisa, zu der der weltweit berühmte Schiefe Turm von Pisa gehört. Sie ist die Kathedrale des Erzbistums Pisa.
Der Dom steht auf dem weitläufigen Rasenplatz der Piazza del Duomo, auf dem sich auch die drei dazugehörenden Bauwerke Baptisterium, Camposanto Monumentale und der Campanile („Der Schiefe Turm von Pisa“) befinden. Dieser Platz wurde vom Dichter D’Annunzio als Piazza dei Miracoli (Platz der Wunder) bezeichnet und wird noch heute so genannt. Trotz einer Bauzeit von über 200 Jahren wurde durch den gleichbleibenden Baustoff Carrara-Marmor und die einheitliche Fassadengestaltung ein zusammenhängendes Bild geschaffen. Der Dom wurde zum Vorbild für spätere Dombauten wie z. B. in Florenz und Siena und galt jahrhundertelang als monumentalster Bau der christlichen Geschichte.
Papst Gelasius II. weihte 1118 den damals noch unvollendeten Dom ein. Er trägt das Patrozinium der Himmelfahrt Mariens.
Baugeschichte
Buscheto di Giovanni Giudice begann mit dem Bau des Doms im Jahre 1063 auf dem Schwemmboden vor der alten Stadtmauer. Finanziert wurde das Bauwerk mit den im gleichen Jahr von den Sarazenen vor Palermo eroberten Schätzen. Durch den weichen Untergrund sank auch der Dom im Osten leicht ein. Die kreuzförmige Grundfläche des Doms war zu diesem Zeitpunkt in Italien neu. Über der Vierung der fünfschiffigen Basilika mit dem dreischiffigen Querhaus erhebt sich eine elliptische Kuppel mit einem oktogonalen Ansatz. Sie wurde erst 1380 durch Lupo di Gante und Puccio di Gadduccio im gotischen Stil nachträglich hinzugefügt.
Die Fassade wurde am Ende des 12. Jahrhunderts von Rainaldo geschaffen und wurde als Pisaner Romanik in der gesamten Toskana zum Vorbild. Bei der westlichen Fassade erheben sich über den sieben Blendarkadenbögen im Erdgeschoss mit seinen drei Portalen vier Galerien mit insgesamt 52 Säulen. Auf dem Giebel der 35,5 m breiten und 34,2 m hohen Fassade steht eine Madonna mit Kind von Andrea Pisano. An ihrer Seite stehen Engel, die zusammen mit den beiden Evangelisten auf der ersten Galerie durch Schüler von Giovanni Pisano entstanden. Das mittlere Portal ist dem Leben Marias gewidmet. Im linken Bogen der Fassade ist das Grab des ersten Dombaumeisters Buscheto mit einer antiken Sarkophagspolie und einer langen Huldigung in die Wand eingefasst.
Die drei Bronzetore aus dem 17. Jahrhundert ersetzen die von Bonanno Pisano geschaffenen Tore von 1180, die bei einem schweren Feuer 1595 zerstört wurden. Die neuen Türen mit umfangreichen Reliefszenen wurden bis 1602 durch Schüler Giambolognas, Francavilla, Mocchi und Tacca, in loser Anlehnung an das alte Vorbild gegossen. Die Porta di San Ranieri am südlichen Seitenschiff ist dem Campanile zugewandt. Hier ist das restaurierte Original des Meisters Bonanno Pisano von 1186 noch erhalten. Es ist nach dem Schutzpatron Pisas benannt und stellt u. a. Szenen aus dem Leben Christi dar.
Am gesamten Gebäude findet man vielfach zusammenhanglose Zeichen auf den Außenwänden. Der Grund dafür liegt darin, dass man antike Baumaterialien wiederverwendete oder Materialien aus eroberten Städten holte.
Datierungsprobleme
Im Hinblick auf die Datierung des Baus und die historische Herleitung ihrer einzelnen Bauformen gibt es in der Forschung seit langem unterschiedliche Ansichten. Eine verbreitete Theorie nennt konkrete Zahlen und die Namen verschiedener Baumeister. Andere Kunsthistoriker halten diese Geschichten für bereits im Mittelalter erfundene Legenden.
Nach der ersten Theorie war der Seesieg bei Palermo über die damals im Mittelmeer herrschenden Sarazenen im Jahr 1063 Anlass zum Bau der Gesamtanlage. In Venedig spielten diese sarazenischen Seeräuber ebenfalls eine Rolle. Auch dort war die Abwendung dieser Gefahr Anlass gewesen, den Markusdom neu zu bauen, und zwar im selben Jahr 1063, in dem die Anlage in Pisa möglicherweise begonnen wurde. Auch die Pisaner hatten durch diesen Seesieg reiche Beute gemacht und den Ertrag zur Glorifizierung ihrer Stadt genutzt; Pisa war im 11. Jahrhundert die mächtigste Stadt der Toskana.
Nach der zweiten Ansicht ist lediglich erwiesen, dass im Jahr 1118 die Kathedrale im Bau befindlich war. Das sei das einzige zuverlässige Datum. Man habe damals die eher zufällige Anwesenheit des Papstes Gelasius II. genutzt, um eine angemessene Weihe zu vollziehen. Der Bau musste für diesen Fall schon weit genug fortgeschritten gewesen sein, so dass sich die angesetzten Entstehungszeiten der beiden Theorien nicht wesentlich unterscheiden.
Die Kathedrale gehört zusammen mit dem Markusdom in Venedig zu den ersten Monumentalbauten des mittelalterlichen Italiens. Daher stellt sich die Frage, auf wen die entscheidenden Bauideen zurückgehen. Die Stadt Pisa popularisierte schon sehr früh eine eigene lokalpatriotische Version, die dem Baumeister die gesamte Anlage als geniale, völlig eigenständige Idee zuschrieb, ohne dass fremde Einflüsse eine Rolle spielten. Demzufolge soll der erste Baumeister der Kathedrale Buscheto gewesen sein, über den nur sehr wenig bekannt ist. Vasari berichtet in seinen Vite, "Busketos" sei griechischer Herkunft gewesen – also kein geborener Pisaner. Dies wird mancherorts bestritten und vor allem lokal dadurch unterstrichen, dass man ihn „Buscheto Pisano“ nennt. Belegt ist seine Eigenschaft als Prokurator der Pfarre und als Mitglied der Dombauhütte.
Keine Einigkeit besteht in der Forschung, wer die Idee zu der Kathedrale hatte und was seine stilistischen Vorbilder waren. Pisa hatte – wie Venedig – als Seemacht intensive Handelsbeziehungen im östlichen Mittelmeer. Deshalb liegt es nahe, dass die östliche Baukunst hier Einfluss ausüben konnte. Auf jeden Fall war der Baumeister mit dem byzantinischen Kulturraum vertraut. Seine Baukunst nimmt Anleihen auf bei persischen Moscheen und bei frühchristlichen Kirchen in Armenien und Georgien. Zudem vereint sie Elemente der italienischen Romanik mit Motiven aus der Stadtmauer von Kairouan. Inschriften im Dom belegen die Mitarbeit von Heiden: Türken, Afrikanern, Persern und Chaldäern.
Auch wenn sich die Bauzeit des Pisaner Doms lange hinzog, ist der Gesamteindruck einheitlich. Der ersten Theorie zufolge verlief die weitere Entwicklung folgendermaßen: Vor Fertigstellung des Doms habe der neue Baumeister Rainaldus um 1100 den ursprünglichen Grundriss geändert. Er ließ das Langhaus verlängern, den Obergaden erhöhen – die ursprüngliche Höhe ist noch am Querhaus erkennbar – und das untere Geschoss der Fassade errichten. Vollendet worden soll der Bau bis 1160 durch den Innsbrucker Meister Wilhelm gen. Guglielmus (auch Guilielmus)., der um diese Zeit auch die erste Kanzel für den Dom schuf.
Rechts über dem mittleren Portal der Westfassade sind zwei Inschriften in die Wand eingelassen, deren erste Rainaldo als Bauherrn rühmen. Als demütige Replik folgt ein Bibelzitat aus der Vulgata (Psalm 21, Vers 22):
Hoc opus eximium tam mirum tam pretiosum
Rainaldus prudens operator et ipse magister
constituit mire sollerter et ingeniose
De ore leonis libera me domine et
a cornibus unicornium humilitatem meam
Dieses hervorragende Werk, ebenso wunderbar wie kostspielig,
errichtete Rainald, der kluge Erbauer und selbst [Bau]meister,
in wundervoller, kunstvoller und erfinderischer Weise.
Aus dem Rachen des Löwen befreie mich, o Herr,
und von den Hörnern der Einhörner meine Niedrigkeit.
Bedeutung der Fassade für die Datierung
Die Westfassade des Doms stellt für die abendländische Architekturgeschichte eine entscheidende Neuerung dar, den Übergang von der glatten Wand zur plastisch gestalteten Schaufläche. Daher ist auch die Frage ihrer genauen Datierung wichtig, denn ähnlich gestaltete Fassaden wurden auch andernorts gebaut, etwa in Lucca an der Kathedrale San Martino, dessen Baumeister Guidetto da Como, der auch in Pisa tätig war, auf der Fassade mit dem Datum 1204 verewigt wurde.
Die kritischere zweite Theorie akzeptiert lediglich, dass in der zweiten Hälfte des 12. Jahrhunderts im Westen des Hauptschiffes drei Joche angefügt und die heutige Fassade begonnen wurden. Namen werden in dieser Theorie nicht genannt. Demnach könnte die gesamte Fassade auch erst um 1200 fertig und möglicherweise von Anfang an in ihrer heutigen Form geplant gewesen sein. Andere Schätzungen nehmen sogar erst die Mitte des 13. Jahrhunderts an – also hundert Jahre nach dem Datierungszeitraum der ersten Theorie.
Trotzdem spricht viel dafür, dass man zwei verschiedene Phasen in der Entwicklung des Dekorationssystems unterscheiden kann. Die ursprüngliche Konzeption hätte demnach vorgesehen, die Außenmauern im Erdgeschoss durch folgende Elemente zu gliedern: erstens durch Blendbögen, sodann durch waagerechte Streifen aus farbigem Marmor – nach dem Vorbild des Baptisteriums in Florenz – und durch eingelegte Ornamente und Medaillons. Dieses Schema gilt für das ganze Kathedraläußere, an den Seitenwänden auch für die oberen Geschosse. Doch in den über dem Erdgeschoß liegenden Etagen der Westfassade übertraf man diesen Formenreichtum noch um ein Vielfaches. Statt flächiger Aufblendung ließ man in vier Galerien übereinander eine plastische Dekorationsschicht aus Säulen und verzierten Bögen vor der eigentlichen Kirchenmauer deutlich hervortreten.
Legenden
Im Hauptschiff hängt ein bronzener Leuchter von Vincenzo Possenti aus dem Jahre 1587, der Entwurf stammt aber von Giovanni Battista Lorenzi. Es gibt die Geschichte, dass an dem Leuchter Galileo Galilei die Gesetze der Pendelschwingung gefunden haben soll. Sollte es ein Leuchter in dieser Kirche gewesen sein, der ihn auf das Gesetz brachte, kann es allerdings nicht dieser Leuchter gewesen sein, da Galileo Galilei das Gesetz um 1584 veröffentlicht hat.
Zwischen dem nördlichen Seitenschiff und der westlichen Fassade findet man an der Außenwand des Doms an einem Pfeiler einen Stein mit vielen schwarzen Punkten. Von diesem Stein erzählt man sich, dass er vom Teufel sei. Zählt man zweimal hintereinander die Punkte nach, so kommt man jeweils auf ein anderes Ergebnis.
(Wikipedia)
Machu Picchu 20221127
Machu Picchu sits in an impressive geographical area full of mountains. One of its characteristics is its beautiful and solid architecture that has kept it in good condition after more than 600 years. Its walls have an anti-seismic inclination that better resist telluric movements. Its windows and niches are polished to amazing perfection. The entire architectural complex harmonizes with the landscape. Currently, the Inca city is recognized as one of the 7 wonders of the modern world.Machu Picchu was built in the midst of the Inca expansion, under the command of Emperor Pachacutec in 1450, approximately.
For the execution of such a majestic work, the work of thousands of men from the peoples recently conquered by the empire, who were called ‘mitimaes’, was needed.
The construction of Machu Picchu obeys a dominating and commercial desire with the peoples of the jungle region.
The place was chosen for its scenic beauty, the strategic commercial point, the high location for proper surveillance but, it should be noted, for the presence of a large stone bench ideal for the construction of walls, enclosures and terraces. Even today it is possible to appreciate the stones that were used for the construction of the Inca city.
Before starting any building, the Incas made sketches, plans, scale models and models using measurement systems, such as: arms, elbows, feet, steps, spans, etc.
Machupicchu was planned to house between 300 and 1000 people. To supply themselves, they built a large chain of platforms as well as paths that connected them with other important sites and more groups of platforms. Today, a part of this route is known as the famous ‘Inca Trail’.
Museum of Ethnography Budapest Hungary
Architects: NAPUR Architect
Area : 34000 m²
The new building of the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest City Park (Városliget) was opened 2022. The award-winning new museum building – which is part of Europe’s largest urban-cultural development called Liget Budapest Project has dynamic yet simple lines simultaneously harmonized with the park environment and communicating with the surrounding urban area.
The collection, which comprises 250.000 items from the Carpathian Basin and from every corner of the world, has been hosted by various facilities since its establishment in 1872, but never in its history did it operate in a building designed specifically to cater to its needs. The project was one of over 1700 entries from 115 countries. According to the decision of an international jury, the competition was won by the Hungarian architectural studio, Napur Architect (beating leading world-class architect studios such as Zaha Hadid, BIG), whose building is distinguished by a dynamic yet simple design harmonized with the natural environment of the park while communicating with the urban texture of its surroundings. The gently curving lines enable the building to function as a gateway and a passage linking the city and the park. Sixty percent of the structure is under ground level, and thanks to the landscaped roof and the transparency of the sections over the ground, the new museum is adapted to its environment in its scale too. The grass-covered roof area will be a pleasant community space awaiting visitors to Városliget.
The spectacular trademark of the building is the glass curtain wall surrounding the landscaped roof garden, reminiscent of two intertwined hillsides, with a unique characteristic, consisting of nearly half a million pixels, a raster made by metal grid based on ethnographic motifs selected from the museum's Hungarian and international collections.
The new functions and flexible spaces of the modern and state-of-the-art museum building will facilitate the understanding of the historical heritage embodied by the collection as well as the various aspects of contemporary society. Besides passing down this historical heritage, the realization of more recent professional and research themes and perspectives continues to be among the priority objectives of the museum, as confirmed by its mission. The creatively built spaces will open up new opportunities to communicate with visitors, enabling the presentation of the everyday objects, phenomena, and ideas of the past and the present side by side.
at placa mayor in palma, the morning light plays a silent concert of contrasts. a lone walker, her form just a whisper against the architecture, moves through the symphony of shadows and beams. the city breathes in monochrome, each corner a potential story, each window a silent witness to the steady rhythm of steps on stone. this is a moment where light, space, and solitude harmonize in the quiet theatre of the everyday.
One of my favorite perches sits down a local side road. The coloring on the post harmonizes with the color of the bird, and the color of the weeping willow in the background.
Created for Photoshop Contest ~ Week 1060 ~ Sunflowers
Thanks to Brillianthues for starter image.
All work completed in Photoshop Beta 2025
BEST VIEWED LARGE
"Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta, commonly called black-eyed Susan, is a North American flowering plant in the sunflower family, native to Eastern and Central North America and naturalized in the Western part of the continent as well as in China." - Wikipedia
Thanks for visiting, enjoy each day.
Osaka, Japan
Going thru my photo bank and I'm wondering if street scenes like these give comfort and hope? I feel hopeful that we can enjoy each others company soon and wish you comfort & health. GOD BLESS ALL YOU REAL-LIFE HEALTH CARE DOCTORS & NURSES... YOU ARE ALL ROCKSTARS! CHEERS.
Sony A7R III | Sony 55mm ZA
ZONSER GRIND | RHINE, GERMANY
It started snowing through the night... a cold, icy morning made up for some epic mood and light, harmonizing perfectly with the heavily flooded Rhine.
Downside is, that all our normal walks are flooded too. So this here depicts the end of the way, we could take. A mere 10 minutes away. :)
Le bâtiment Richard Meier, d'un blanc éclatant, se dresse au cœur de la nature environnante. Que les visiteurs se réjouissent : là où l'art et le nouveau bâtiment du musée s'harmonisent, ils seront les gagnants. Ici, pas de compétition pour occuper la vedette, mais un lieu empreint d'art, un lieu qui révèle sa vraie nature et offre un écrin aux œuvres de l'artiste-mécène du musée ainsi qu'à l'art contemporain.
« Mon architecture ouverte et transparente crée des transitions fluides entre l'intérieur et l'extérieur et reflète le même lien avec la nature que celui exprimé dans les œuvres de Hans Arp. »
En tant que l'un des plus grands architectes de musées internationaux, Richard Meier se réfère dans son architecture aux principes du modernisme classique, un style qui a connu son apogée au début du XXe siècle. Cette époque a également façonné l'œuvre du duo d'artistes Hans Arp et Sophie Taeuber-Arp. Le bâtiment de Meier est baigné de lumière et semble emmener les visiteurs hors de leur quotidien. Ici, les œuvres trouvent un espace propice à leur épanouissement.
The dazzling white Richard Meier Building stands out in the heart of the surrounding nature. Visitors can rejoice: wherever art and the new museum building harmonize, they will be the winners. Here, there's no competition for the spotlight, but a place imbued with art, a place that reveals its true nature and provides a showcase for the works of the museum's artist-patron as well as contemporary art.
"My open and transparent architecture creates seamless transitions between indoors and outdoors and reflects the same connection with nature expressed in the works of Hans Arp."
As one of the greatest international museum architects, Richard Meier refers in his architecture to the principles of classical modernism, a style that reached its peak in the early 20th century. This era also shaped the work of the artist duo Hans Arp and Sophie Taeuber-Arp. Meier's building is bathed in light and seems to transport visitors away from their everyday lives. Here, the works find a space conducive to their development.
Shot at the Quinta da Regaleira Palace, Sintra
We walked around the gardens for hours, so many ancient structures hidden and harmonized with the wild nature, giant trees and twisted lakes. Truly a sight to be hold.
In the heart of Austria's picturesque winter wonderland, the Tauern Railway becomes a mesmerizing stage for nature and engineering to harmonize. Against a backdrop of snow-draped mountains that touch the sky, a robust freight train emerges from the mouth of a tunnel, a testament to human ingenuity seamlessly woven into this alpine tapestry.
The train, laden with cargo, gracefully navigates its path through the majestic peaks, disappearing into the heart of the mountain, only to reemerge on the other side. As the locomotive pushes forward, its rhythmic chug resonates with the tranquil stillness of the snow-clad landscape, creating a symphony of contrasts.
Each carriage bears witness to the journey's tale, every boxcar echoing stories of commerce and connection. Amidst the pristine white surroundings, the train forges ahead, a symbol of human determination and the union of civilization with the unspoiled natural world.
This photograph captures not just a freight train, but a harmonious coexistence between human ambition and the serene grandeur of the Alps, a moment where industry and nature embrace in a dance of breathtaking beauty.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tauern_Railway_Tunnel?fbclid=IwAR1g...
Tromso is a fairly new town and in strong growth. It's a challenge to get new buildings to harmonize with the surroundings. Is there a goal that architecture should harmonize? Or provoke? Should we allow everyone to build his signature building? We have to live with it for 100 years! Anyway, we photographers can enjoy contrasts in shapes and colours to make exciting pictures.
Excerpt from the plaque:
Container #5 and Container #3 by Joiri Minaya: Containers is a series of photographs in which Minaya wears bodysuits with tropical prints and interacts with landscapes that seem natural but are manufactured, echoing the constructed aspect of her fabric encasings. The series reflects on how femininity is constructed in male gaze that demands leisure and pleasure, and tends to be foreign and patriarchal. Minaya was forced to adopt the pose dictated by the shape in which the bodysuit is sewn. These poses were created in response to images found by the artist during a Google search for “Dominican women”. Examining the performativity of these poses, we see that Minaya`s Containers recall art historical tropes and the conventions of ethnographic photography, which in turn evolved into photographing people for tourism marketing, again casting individuals as available for Western consumption. This series raises critical dialogues about visual traditions – painting, photography, and advertisement – and through Minaya`s work she reflects upon the action of inhabiting these pre-conceived roles in order to sabotage them.
Photographed in the National Botanical Gardens of Santo Domingo, Container #5 evokes the façade of wilderness, exposed through the slivers of concrete floor where the artist stands. In this photograph, natural sunlight appears controlled like studio lighting, an effect that emphasizes the contrast between nature and construction. The bodysuit, which features palm leaves, a pattern associated with jungles that harmonize with foliage in the background. With hands sewn to the thighs, this bodysuit forces the artist to be in an awkward pose – partially but not fully standing. Yet the artist looks down upon us with a gaze that is assertive.
Die alten Tatra Straßenbahnen harmonieren hervorragend mit den alte Häuserzeilen als Fotomotiv. Tw 8284+8286 auf der Linie 22 an der Wendeschleife Dlabacov. Hier starten auch die Fahrten der Museums-Tram.
Sound on sound through Prague
The old Tatra trams harmonize perfectly with the old rows of houses as a photo opportunity. Tw 8284+8286 on line 22 at the Dlabacov turning loop. The museum tram rides also start here.
Excerpt from www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=9727:
Sited in a landscaped garden amongst mature trees in a residential Gravenhurst neighbourhood, Bethune House is an attractive L-shaped, timber structure. Its gable roof is steeply pitched, while the clapboard exterior features bay windows, ornamental verge boards and a verandah. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Bethune House is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.
Bethune House is very closely associated with the early life of Dr. Norman Bethune in Canada. His birthplace acts as a memorial to his career and is a monument to social justice and human welfare, convictions held by Dr Norman Bethune. An internationally renowned figure, he became a strenuous advocate of socialized, easily available medical care. His achievements include several developments in the treatment of tuberculosis and in thoracic surgery, refinements in medical instruments, and the first practical use of a mobile blood transfusion unit.
Bethune House is a good example of a typical middle-class residence found throughout Canada in the late 19th century. The influence of the picturesque is seen in the steeply pitched roof, the vertical emphasis of the massing and its asymmetrical plan. It exhibits good functional design and craftsmanship.
Bethune House is compatible with the present character of its residential setting and is familiar to those visiting the region.
The character-defining elements of Bethune House should be respected.
Its good quality materials and craftsmanship, as evidenced in:
- the two-storey, asymmetrical, L-shaped plan;
- the steeply-pitched gable roof, the ornamental verge-boards and the brick chimneys;
- the clapboard exterior walls, the symmetrical arrangement of the windows, the bay windows and the verandah;
- the centre hall plan with informal layout of rooms and the interior details.
The manner in which Bethune House is compatible with the present character of the residential setting and is a familiar local landmark, as evidenced by:
- its overall picturesque appearance which complements the landscaped grounds and harmonizes with the residential structures on John Street;
- its role as an interpretive memorial that make it familiar to the community.
Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art of using placement to harmonize energy and create good luck. It can be applied to virtually anything, from cities, buildings and parks, right down to where you place the couch in your living room. I used to scoff at such notions, but as with many things, I've come to take it more seriously as time goes by. For ancient rituals to persists so long into the modern era, I can't help but wonder if there isn't some kernel of truth in the old wisdom. I find this the case with ancient health remedies and even astrology and numerology. I don't live by these things but I also don't discount them. Anyway Feng Shui is really something worth reading up on, and perhaps even reviewing the layout of your house (and the objects contained therein) just to see if there are any problem areas. For me it's not so much about creating good luck rather eliminating sources of bad luck or misfortune. Could be you just need to rearrange a few things or change the color of your front door. Other times the fix may not be quite as easy. One tenet of Feng Shui that has stayed with me all these years is the conflicts that a when a house sits astride a T intersection as in the case of this photo. Here the intersecting road faces directly toward the house. The presents a continuous flow of bad energy toward the house and its occupants. Take note of this as you drive around; you may find that such house (or other buildings) are problematic. Sometimes they have a high turnover rate, continually attract hard luck dwellers, or house businesses that tend to be unsuccessful. It's not an automatic out; I'm sure other forces are at play, and perhaps some people have personalities that magnify the problem will others minimize it. Certainly the bad energy can be mitigated. Sometimes simply hanging a crystal in the front-facing window can deflect the bad energy. Not sure abut any of that. But I do watch for buildings located at the top of T intersections, and pretty sure I would not purchase one. This shadowy and moody house seems to be badly in need of a window crystal. I captured this from a moving vehicle as part of my rural "drive-by shooting" series. As I've noted in prior posts, these completely random compositions sometimes turn up very dark places. Perhaps they are channeling the bad Shui.
Le bâtiment Richard Meier, d'un blanc éclatant, se dresse au cœur de la nature environnante. Que les visiteurs se réjouissent : là où l'art et le nouveau bâtiment du musée s'harmonisent, ils seront les gagnants. Ici, pas de compétition pour occuper la vedette, mais un lieu empreint d'art, un lieu qui révèle sa vraie nature et offre un écrin aux œuvres de l'artiste-mécène du musée ainsi qu'à l'art contemporain.
« Mon architecture ouverte et transparente crée des transitions fluides entre l'intérieur et l'extérieur et reflète le même lien avec la nature que celui exprimé dans les œuvres de Hans Arp. »
En tant que l'un des plus grands architectes de musées internationaux, Richard Meier se réfère dans son architecture aux principes du modernisme classique, un style qui a connu son apogée au début du XXe siècle. Cette époque a également façonné l'œuvre du duo d'artistes Hans Arp et Sophie Taeuber-Arp. Le bâtiment de Meier est baigné de lumière et semble emmener les visiteurs hors de leur quotidien. Ici, les œuvres trouvent un espace propice à leur épanouissement.
The dazzling white Richard Meier Building stands out in the heart of the surrounding nature. Visitors can rejoice: wherever art and the new museum building harmonize, they will be the winners. Here, there's no competition for the spotlight, but a place imbued with art, a place that reveals its true nature and provides a showcase for the works of the museum's artist-patron as well as contemporary art.
"My open and transparent architecture creates seamless transitions between indoors and outdoors and reflects the same connection with nature expressed in the works of Hans Arp."
As one of the greatest international museum architects, Richard Meier refers in his architecture to the principles of classical modernism, a style that reached its peak in the early 20th century. This era also shaped the work of the artist duo Hans Arp and Sophie Taeuber-Arp. Meier's building is bathed in light and seems to transport visitors away from their everyday lives. Here, the works find a space conducive to their development.
Gestern Abend beim Vorbeifahren habe ich im Augenwinkel entdeckt, das sich in Schönwalde rekonstruiertes mit verlassenem und verfallenem trifft und auch irgendwie harmoniert.
Yesterday evening at the preliminary, I discovered in the corner of the eye, which meets in Reconstructed with abandoned and decayed meets and somehow harmonizes.
the moment of equinox is 16:57 universal time thursday march 20th
so its at 12:57 on the east coast of the americas and 9:57 on the west
here's here's how to find the time where YOU are, relative to universal time
(its at dawn here in hawai'i :)
may this moment of earth's perfect balance in darkness and in light bring its harmonizing grace to each of us *
rays of warmth to You, dear friends ~~
≈ ❀ ≈
A man receiving blessing from high monks after his food offering...Blessing came in the form of an harmonized tune.
To see my scenic shots only : CLICK HERE.
It is literally known as "source of the lake " in Bhutia language. Just about 40 kms. away from Gangtok, the capital of the state, this serene lake is situated at an altitude of 12,000 ft on the Gangtok Nathu La highway. It falls in the restricted area and hence an inner line permit is required by Indians to visit this place. Foreign nationals are not permitted to visit this lake without special permission. The lake is about 1 km. Long, oval in shape, 15 meters deep and is considered sacred by the local people. It is also a home of brahminy ducks. It's cool, placid water harmonizes with the scenic beauty around. A small temple of lord Siva is constructed on the lakeside . This placid lake remains frozen during the winter months up to mid-May.
Between May and August it is possible to see a variety of flowers in blooms, including the rhododendrons, various species of primulas, blue and yellow poppies, irises etc. It is also an ideal habitat for the red panda and various species of birds.
I found myself thinking about the differences between photographing with black and white film versus with color film. Over the years I have shifted more toward the use of b&w film. Whereas a decade ago I was probably 75-25 in favor of color, these days it is probably closer to a 50-50 split.
I suppose I could say there are several reasons why I enjoy using black and white film. Part of it is always going to be the fact that I see in color and therefore black and white film sees a different world than I am able to. I appreciate that. But I also that by stripping out the color in an image, or looking past the color I should say, the attention that gets paid to what remains is pleasing. I like noticing scale and texture, or light and shadow. I like the sense of timelessness that comes with b&w.
But I really think it is about the simpler nature of b&w, which is not the same as saying it is simple. It is anything but really. But the world does become a bit simpler in some way I struggle to describe when viewed in shades of gray. It is quieter too in a sense. Or... I dunno, maybe more peaceful. Color is so often louder. Not that contrast cannot be equally loud, but at least a contrasty b&w image only has one loud voice clamoring for attention.
Anyway, I was browsing through my images curating a selection for a project and this image of Comet Falls jumped out at me because I had this train of thoughts on repeat in the background of my brain. This image harmonized with those thoughts and in its own ways demonstrates some of the qualities I love about b&w film.
Hasselblad 500C
Kodak Tri-X