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White Sands National Monument is in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It's known for its dramatic landscape of rare white gypsum sand dunes. Trails through the dunes include the raised Interdune Boardwalk and the Dune Life Nature Trail, dotted with interpretive exhibits on wildlife and other features. Dunes Drive is a looped road from the White Sands Visitor Center to the dune field. Read the blog post - www.dvrawfiles.com/white-sands-new-mexico Watch the vlog - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhwKZVqNfiU
Saltwell Park, Gateshead
former home of the stained glass designer/manufacturer William Wailes.
"At the turn of the 19th century, Gateshead, with the exception of a couple of industrial hubs at Sherriff Hill and the quayside, was mostly made up of substantial agricultural estates.
The largest of these was Saltwell Estate which consisted of around 500 acres of land between Team Valley, Bensham and Low Fell. In 1805 this estate was broken up into a number of smaller areas including Saltwell Cottage.
Newcastle born William Wailes who was one of the19th century’s leading stained glass designers bought this area of land in 1850. He lived in South Dene Towers before it was demolished which was on the site now occupied by Gateshead Crematorium.
By 1856 Saltwell Cottage had become the Saltwellside estate and Wailes commissioned the design of a grand Victorian mansion for his family to live in. He employed builder George Brown and this was probably his biggest project. He began work on the mansion in 1859 and continued until 1871 when Saltwell Towers was finally complete.
Saltwell Towers (listed grade II) was a large mansion of striking design with red brickwork and Gothic turrets, but its dramatic exterior masked what was essentially a flawed building. It was built without foundations, with only basic sanitation and a variety of miss matched roofing levels and guttering.
While Brown was building Saltwell Towers, Gateshead was expanding and industrialising. As a result, the air pollution, poor social conditions and general shortage of clean drinking water in the town led to concern about public health and gave rise to calls for the creation of a public park.
William Wailes’s dream didn’t last long and he sold Saltwellside Park and Towers for £35,000 to the Gateshead Corporation in November 1875 when he ran into financial difficulties.
In 1876 garden designer Edward Kemp was invited to submit designs to the Corporation for the existing gardens and an area of open fields to the north. Kemp's plans were implemented over a period of years by borough surveyor James Bowyer at a cost of around £11,000.
In the Spring of 1876 there was a buzz in the year as the Park was prepared for its grand opening. The hedges enclosing the four fields were rooted out and the whole area was ploughed by a steam plough. The town Surveyor ordered one dozen metal plates marked "please keep off the grass"; and police supervision of the Park was arranged. The formal opening was planned for Whit Monday, but it never actually went ahead. Nonetheless, the public were allowed to use the park by the end of 1876 and it became the People’s Park.
In its early years, Saltwell Park showed signs of being transformed into a zoo. In June 1877 the park was home to swans, peacocks, peahens, pheasants, bantam cocks, bantam hens and ducks.
In 1880 the Chief Constable of Gateshead, John Elliott paid for the construction of an aviary, supplied birds, and in the same year he built a monkey house and provided monkeys. These, however, were not a success and in October 1880 the male monkeys were ordered to be removed ’forthwith’.
Around this time, Lord Ravensworth also presented two deer to the Park and it may have been one of these which involved the Corporation in litigation and expenses of £650 when a visitor to the Park in 1889 was attacked by a stag.
Wailes carried on as a private tenant in the Towers at a cost of £140 per year until his death in 1881. While Wailes was prepared to put up with the building problems, others were not, and there were continuing complaints about the sanitation, heating and the inconvenient size of the larger rooms.
The first tenant after Wailes was Hugh Clayton Armstrong, a Newcastle timber merchant who surrendered his tenancy when his original five year lease was up. At this time, Joseph Ainsley Davidson Shipley, a Newcastle based solicitor, approached the Council with a view to leasing the Towers.
Shipley lived in the mansion until his death in 1909 and the following year, the Towers was leased to John Henry Rowell, a local brewer, for five years for an annual rent of £120 and the Council agreed to have electricity installed at a cost of £445.
After Rowell died in August 1913, his widow kept the tenancy on until 1915 after which the house was used temporarily as a billet for soldiers and then, between 1916 and 1920, it was used as an army hospital attached to the nearby Whinney House Hospital.
There was only to be one further documented tenant and this was Harold Svendsen, a garage owner who moved into the house in 1920, again on a five year tenancy, but within two years had left, unable to pay the rent.
Around this time, Sarah’s Great Grandma went to live in the Towers to work as a nanny to care for the two sets of twins who lived there. She had been known to say it was a wonderful place to live and it was a very happy time in her life.
Sarah’s Great Grandma met her husband to be John Roberts while she was working there. John ran a business with his sister supplying agricultural feed. John was described as having perfect manners, very articulate and quite well to do. Even his own family nicknamed him Lord John.
John’s sister lived in Balmoral Terrace which was her week day town house and she spent the weekends with her younger brother who lived at the building which is now the Shepherd and Shepherdess at Beamish.
John married Sarah’s Great Grandma at Lamesley church and they moved to John Street and raised their own family there. There are memories that there was a family rift on John’s side as it was seen that he had “married out”, meaning he had married out of his class, but this didn’t stop him marrying the love of his life.
It is believed that they called their children Brenda and Pat after the children she looked after at Saltwell Towers. Sarah’s Great Grandma worked all the hours she could and Brenda, her first born became fretful, so much so, the doctor took her away and gradually weaned her back to the family once she was settled.
As business became more prosperous John tried allsorts to get Sarah’s Great Grandma to move to a new house but she liked the community she lived in and her neighbourhood and wanted to stay where she was.
Just a life was treating them well, John died suddenly at the age of 42 from a heart defect. Unbeknown to them, Brenda, their first born had the same defect and she tragically died at the tender age of 16. Sarah’s Mam was born the same year and was named Brenda after her.
Attempts to lease Saltwell Towers following Mr Svfendsen’s departure were unsuccessful and the house remained unoccupied for over ten years. Eventually, and after some debate, it was decided to turn the house into a museum.
On 8 July 1933, Saltwell Towers opened up as the Gateshead Municipal Museum and it was re-named several times to Gateshead local and Industrial Museum, Saltwell Towers Museum and Saltwell Park Museum.
Saltwell Towers had dry rot and a serious damp problem that was first identified in 1932. It never really got fixed and was only superficially resolved for the opening a year later.
The condition of building gradually declined and gradually the rooms that held the exhibits were systematically closed, due to a fear that the ceilings would collapse.
In February 1969 the Saltwell Park Museum’s closure happened quickly and very suddenly and the collection that remained in the closed building could not be moved to safer storage for another five years in 1974 when Tyne and Wear Museums was set up.
In 1999 the Towers was refurbished as part of a £9.6 million restoration project, funded collaboratively by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Gateshead Council and re-opened in 2005 as a café and visitor centre which plays host to around two million visitors each year. " www.sarahmains.com
I was delighted to discover this species' spiral style when the corolla fell off.
Extremely rare in cultivation, Nernstia mexicana is one of the most beautiful flowering plants in the world. Native to San Luis Potosí and Hidalgo, Mexico between ~1000-3600m elevation, this slow-growing shrub has tidy grey-green leaves with recurved margins and a matte finish. These serve as a perfect backdrop to its dramatic pure white trumpet flowers which emit a fantastic fragrance. This species has considerable horticultural potential and it is my hope that it will someday be available to plant collectors and gardeners in all climates suitable to its cultivation.
Nernstia mexicana belongs to the Coffee-Gardenia family (Rubiaceae) and more specifically to the Portlandiinae subtribe of the Chiococceae tribe, which means that it is a close relative to other glamorous genera such as Osa and Portlandia.
Details of the Parata, with comfortable spots to sit and relax enjoying fantastic views of the Valdorcia.
The house is full of interesting details, like the handmade flowershaped ceramic ashtrays, candle lamps, wroight iron animal shaped objects, wicker and stray baskets.
Podere al Salcio is an 18th century stone and brick country house originally built in the local tradition as a farming building, with animals in the low building on the left, haystack, granary and deposit on the ground floor of the main house. The first floor used to hosts the farmers' families.
It enjoys the most stunning views 360° degrees round, changing in colour throughout the day and seasons. Val d'Orcia is a Unesco World Heritage region for its dramatic beauty and untouched landscapes.
There is a danger of running out of superlatives when trying to describe Beverley Minster. It is not only the second finest non-cathedral church in the country but is architecturally a far finer building than most of our cathedrals themselves! It will come as a surprise to many visitors to find this grand edifice simply functions today as a parish church and has never been more than collegiate, a status it lost at the Reformaton. What had added to its mystique and wealth was its status as a place of pilgrimage housing the tomb of St John of Beverley, which drew visitors and revenue until the Reformation brought an end to such fortunes and the shrine was destroyed (though the saint's bones were later rediscovered and reinterred in the nave). That this great church itself survived this period almost intact is little short of a miracle in itself.
There has been a church here since the 8th century but little remains of the earlier buildings aside from the Saxon chair near the altar and the Norman font in the nave. The present Minster's construction spans the entirety of the development of the Gothic architecture but forms a surprisingly harmonious whole nevertheless, starting with Early English in the 13h century choir and transepts (both pairs) with their lancet windows in a building phase that stopped at the first bays of the nave. Construction was then continued with the nave in the 14th century but only the traceried windows betray the emergent Decorated style, the design otherwise closely followed the work of the previous century which gives the Minster's interior such a pleasingly unified appearance (the only discernable break in construction within can be seen where the black purbeck-marble ceased to be used for certain elements beyond the eastern bay of the nave). Finally the building was completed more or less by 1420 with the soaring west front with its dramatic twin-towers in Perpendicular style (the east window must have been enlarged at this point too to match the new work at the west end).
The fabric happily survived the Reformation intact aside from the octagonal chapter-house formerly adjoining the north choir aisle which was dismantled to raise money by the sale of its materials while the church's fate was in the balance (a similar fate was contemplated for the rest of the church by its new owners until the town bought it for retention as a parish church for £100). The great swathes of medieval glass alas were mostly lost, though seemingly as much to neglect and storm-damage in the following century than the usual iconoclasm. All that survived of the Minster's original glazing was collected to form the patchwork display now filling the great east window, a colourful kaleidoscope of fragments of figures and scenes. Of the other furnishings the choir stalls are the major ensemble and some of the finest medieval canopied stalls extant with a full set of charming misericords (though most of these alas are not normally on show).
There are suprisingly few monuments of note for such an enormous cathedral-like church, but the one major exception makes up for this, the delightful canopied Percy tomb erected in 1340 to the north of the high altar. The tomb itself is surprisingly plain without any likeness remaining of the deceased, but the richly carved Decorated canopy above is alive with gorgeous detail and figurative embellishments. There are further carvings to enjoy adorning the arcading that runs around the outer perimeter of the interior, especially the north nave aisle which has the most rewarding carved figures of musicians, monsters and people suffering various ailments, many were largely restored in the 19th century but still preserve the medieval spirit of irreverent fun.
To summarise Beverley Minster would be difficult other than simply adding that if one enjoys marvelling at Gothic architecture at its best then it really shouldn't be missed and one should prioritise it over the majority of our cathedrals. It is a real gem and a delight to behold, and is happily normally open and welcoming to visitors (who must all be astonished to find this magnificent edifice is no more than a simple parish church in status!). I thoroughly enjoyed this, my second visit here (despite the best efforts of the poor weather!).
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is a region in western Iceland known for its dramatic landscapes. At its western tip, Snæfellsjökull National Park is dominated by Snæfellsjökull Volcano, which is topped by a glacier. Nearby, a trail leads through lava fields to black-pebble Djúpalónssandur Beach. In Stykkishólmur fishing village, the 19th-century wood-frame Norwegian House is a regional museum with a craft shop.
🇬🇧 English
Lao Shan (Laoshan) is a sacred mountain on China’s eastern coast, near Qingdao, famous for its dramatic granite peaks, clear springs, and strong Taoist heritage.
It is considered one of the birthplaces of Taoism, with temples dating back over 2,000 years. Laoshan is renowned for its pure mountain water, believed to have exceptional quality, and for its rare combination of mountain landscapes and direct sea views, which is unusual in China.
The mountain has long inspired poets, philosophers, and martial artists, symbolizing harmony between nature, spirit, and the Dao.
🇨🇳 中文（简体）
崂山（Lao Shan） 位于中国山东省青岛市东部，是中国著名的道教名山之一。
崂山以奇峰怪石、清泉瀑布和临海山景而闻名，是中国少有的“海上第一名山”。这里被认为是道教的重要发源地之一，至今仍保留着大量古老的道观。
崂山的山泉水极为著名，被认为清澈甘甜，富含灵气，长期被用于茶叶和传统养生文化中。
🇭🇷 Hrvatski
Lao Shan (Laoshan) je sveta planina na istočnoj obali Kine, u blizini Qingdaoa, poznata po strmim granitnim vrhovima, čistim izvorima i snažnoj daoističkoj tradiciji.
Smatra se jednim od najvažnijih povijesnih središta taoizma, s hramovima starima više od dvije tisuće godina. Posebnost Lao Shana je rijetka kombinacija planine i mora, gdje se s vrhova pruža pogled izravno na Žuto more.
Planina simbolizira sklad prirode, duhovnosti i dugovječnosti te ima važno mjesto u kineskoj filozofiji i kulturi.
Chīori: Talk by Alex Kerr
www.japanhouselondon.uk/whats-on/2020/chiori-talk-by-alex...
Iya Valley, a secluded mountainous region in Tokushima Prefecture is often referred to as Togenkyō (lit. utopia) thanks to its dramatic landscapes and lush nature, which boasts precipitous gorges and hundreds of old thatched houses perched on its hillsides.
In this event, Japan House London dedicates an evening to explore regional revitalization and preservation of cultural traditions which have been carried over throughout centuries to the present day.
With contributions from members of Tokushima Prefecture and author Alex Kerr, this panel discussion chaired by Japan House London Programming Director Simon Wright discusses various aspects of culture in Tokushima, such as the awa-odori dance, and investigates Alex Kerr’s approach towards the renovation of Chīori (‘House of the Flute’), a wooden house with thatched roof, to help preserve the local lifestyle and the hundreds of kominka (lit. ‘old house’) in the area.
The book ‘Lost Japan’ by Alex Kerr will be available to purchase in The Shop at the Ground Floor on the day. Guests who purchase the book in The Shop have the opportunity to have their copy signed by the author during the drinks reception following this event, which features a selection of sake from Tokushima Prefecture.
About the Speaker
Alex Kerr came to Yokohama with his family as a child in 1964 and has lived in Kameoka (near Kyoto) since 1977. Alex writes in both English and Japanese, and is author of numerous books on Japan, including Lost Japan (1993), Dogs and Demons (2001), Nippon Keikanron ‘Theory of Japanese Landscape’ (2014), Another Kyoto (2016) and Kanko Bokokuron (2019).
In addition to his involvement in Japanese arts in Kyoto, Alex worked as Japan representative of American real estate developer Trammell Crow in the 1980s. He is known for his work on restoration of old houses, having restored over forty houses in towns around Japan. Alex speaks to groups across Japan about ways to revive their local economies by preserving cultural heritage and developing sustainable tourism.
Masada (Hebrew for fortress) has become one of the Jewish people's greatest symbols as the place where the last Jewish stronghold against Roman invasion stood. Next to Jerusalem, it is the most popular destination of tourists visiting Israel.
Located on a 600 x 300m plateau atop an isolated rock cliff at the western end of the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea.
It’s casemate wall (two parallel walls with partitions dividing the space between them into rooms), is 1400 m. long and 4 m. wide and was built along the edge of the plateau.
Three narrow, winding paths led from below to fortified gates and the water supply was guaranteed by a network of large, rock-hewn cisterns on the northwestern side of the hill.
On the east side, the rock falls in a sheer drop of about 450 meters to the Dead Sea and on the western edge it stands about 100 meters above the surrounding terrain.
More than two thousand years have passed since the fall of the Masada fortress yet the regional climate and its remoteness have helped to preserve the remains of its extraordinary story.
Herod the Great built the fortress of Masada between 37 and 31 BC and “furnished it as a refuge for himself.”
Some 75 years after Herod’s death, at the beginning of the Revolt of the Jews against the Romans in 66 AD, a group of Jewish rebels overcame the Roman garrison of Masada and affter the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple (70 AD) they were joined by zealots and their families who had fled from Jerusalem.
For three years, they withstood the raiding and harassing Romans, but in 73 AD, the Romans established camps at the base of Masada, laid siege and having constructed a rampart of thousands of tons of stones and beaten earth against the western approaches of the fortress, in the spring of 74 AD they moved a battering ram up the ramp and breached the wall of the fortress.
Once it became apparent that Masada's walls would be breached all the Jewish defenders committed suicide rather than face the Roman conquerers.
The heroic story of Masada and its dramatic end attracted many explorers to the Judean desert in attempts to locate the remains of the fortress. The site was identified in 1842, but intensive excavations took place only in the mid-1960's.
To many Jews, Masada symbolizes the determination to be free in their own land.
The Sleeping Giant and his Charges " Federal Wesser "
The Sleeping Giant is a formation of mesas and sills on Sibley Peninsula which resembles a giant lying on its back when viewed from the west to north-northwest section of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. As one moves southward along the shoreline toward Squaw Bay the Sleeping Giant starts to separate into its various sections. Most distinctly in the view from the cliffs at Squaw Bay the Giant appears to have an Adam's Apple. The formation is part of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Its dramatic steep cliffs are among the highest in Ontario (250 m). The southernmost point is known as Thunder Cape, depicted by many early Canadian artists such as William Armstrong.
One Ojibway legend identifies the giant as Nanabijou, who was turned to stone when the secret location of a rich silver mine now known as Silver Islet was disclosed to white men.[3]
White Sands National Monument is in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It's known for its dramatic landscape of rare white gypsum sand dunes. Trails through the dunes include the raised Interdune Boardwalk and the Dune Life Nature Trail, dotted with interpretive exhibits on wildlife and other features. Dunes Drive is a looped road from the White Sands Visitor Center to the dune field.
Hanging Rock, located in central Victoria, Australia, is a striking geological formation known for its dramatic granite outcrops and eerie beauty. Rising 105 meters above the surrounding landscape, the rock is part of the Macedon Ranges and is surrounded by dense forests, making it a popular destination for hikers and nature enthusiasts. The site is culturally significant to the local Wurundjeri people, who have a deep connection to the land, and it features in many stories and traditions passed down through generations.
Hanging Rock is also famous in literary history, primarily due to Joan Lindsay's 1967 novel Picnic at Hanging Rock, which has captivated readers with its mysterious, unsettling narrative. The story, set in 1900, tells of the inexplicable disappearance of a group of schoolgirls and their teacher during a picnic at the rock, blending fiction with elements of folklore. The novel has been adapted into a film and remains a key part of Australian cultural identity, contributing to the mythos surrounding Hanging Rock as a place of mystery and intrigue.
Scotland baked in the sun today 25/5/2018, with the sun beating down it felt like a day to get out and about, I decided to revisit one of my favourite sites
Dunnottar Castle as it is located
40 minutes drive from my home in Aberdeen,a piper played as visitors and tourists arrived , what a magnificent sight.
I wandered along the base of the castle and enjoyed the bay with its calm waters and great views, after an hour or so it was time to leave and climb the numerous stairs back up the hill to the car park.
Castles History.
Dunnottar Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Fhoithear, "fort on the shelving slope" is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland, about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Stonehaven.
The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th and 16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been fortified in the Early Middle Ages. Dunnottar has played a prominent role in the history of Scotland through to the 18th-century Jacobite risings because of its strategic location and defensive strength. Dunnottar is best known as the place where the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels, were hidden from Oliver Cromwell's invading army in the 17th century. The property of the Keiths from the 14th century, and the seat of the Earl Marischal, Dunnottar declined after the last Earl forfeited his titles by taking part in the Jacobite rebellion of 1715.
The castle was restored in the 20th century and is now open to the public.
The ruins of the castle are spread over 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres), surrounded by steep cliffs that drop to the North Sea, 50 metres (160 ft) below. A narrow strip of land joins the headland to the mainland, along which a steep path leads up to the gatehouse.
The various buildings within the castle include the 14th-century tower house as well as the 16th-century palace. Dunnottar Castle is a scheduled monument, and twelve structures on the site are listed buildings.
History
Early Middle Ages
A chapel at Dunnottar is said to have been founded by St Ninian in the 5th century, although it is not clear when the site was first fortified, but in any case the legend is late and highly implausible. Possibly the earliest written reference to the site is found in the Annals of Ulster which record two sieges of "Dún Foither" in 681 and 694.
The earlier event has been interpreted as an attack by Brude, the Pictish king of Fortriu, to extend his power over the north-east coast of Scotland. The Scottish Chronicle records that King Domnall II, the first ruler to be called rí Alban (King of Alba), was killed at Dunnottar during an attack by Vikings in 900. King Aethelstan of Wessex led a force into Scotland in 934, and raided as far north as Dunnottar according to the account of Symeon of Durham. W. D. Simpson speculated that a motte might lie under the present caste, but excavations in the 1980s failed to uncover substantive evidence of early medieval fortification.
The discovery of a group of Pictish stones at Dunnicaer, a nearby sea stack, has prompted speculation that "Dún Foither" was actually located on the adjacent headland of Bowduns, 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) to the north.
Later Middle Ages
During the reign of King William the Lion (ruled 1165–1214) Dunnottar was a center of local administration for The Mearns. The castle is named in the Roman de Fergus, an early 13th-century Arthurian romance, in which the hero Fergus must travel to Dunnottar to retrieve a magic shield.
In May 1276 a church on the site was consecrated by William Wishart, Bishop of St Andrews. The poet Blind Harry relates that William Wallace captured Dunnottar from the English in 1297, during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He is said to have imprisoned 4,000 defeated English soldiers in the church and burned them alive.
In 1336 Edward III of England ordered William Sinclair, 8th Baron of Roslin, to sail eight ships to the partially ruined Dunnottar for the purpose of rebuilding and fortifying the site as a forward resupply base for his northern campaign. Sinclair took with him 160 soldiers, horses, and a corps of masons and carpenters.
Edward himself visited in July, but the English efforts were undone before the end of the year when the Scottish Regent Sir Andrew Murray led a force that captured and again destroyed the defences of Dunnottar.
In the 14th century Dunnottar was granted to William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland (d.1370), and in 1346 a licence to crenellate was issued by David II. Around 1359 William Keith, Marischal of Scotland, married Margaret Fraser, niece of Robert the Bruce, and was granted the barony of Dunnottar at this time. Keith then gave the lands of Dunnottar to his daughter Christian and son-in-law William Lindsay of Byres, but in 1392 an excambion (exchange) was agreed whereby Keith regained Dunnottar and Lindsay took lands in Fife.
William Keith completed construction of the tower house at Dunnottar, but was excommunicated for building on the consecrated ground associated with the parish church. Keith had provided a new parish church closer to Stonehaven, but was forced to write to the Pope, Benedict XIII, who issued a bull in 1395 lifting the excommunication.William Keith's descendents were created Earls Marischal in the mid 15th century, and they held Dunottar until the 18th century.
16th century rebuilding
Through the 16th century the Keiths improved and expanded their principal seats: at Dunnottar and also at Keith Marischal in East Lothian. James IV visited Dunnottar in 1504, and in 1531 James V exempted the Earl's men from military service on the grounds that Dunnottar was one of the "principall strenthis of our realme".
Mary, Queen of Scots, visited in 1562 after the Battle of Corrichie, and returned in 1564.
James VI stayed for 10 days in 1580, as part of a progress through Fife and Angus, during which a meeting of the Privy Council was convened at Dunnottar.
During a rebellion of Catholic nobles in 1592, Dunnottar was captured by a Captain Carr on behalf of the Earl of Huntly, but was restored to Lord Marischal just a few weeks later.
In 1581 George Keith succeeded as 5th Earl Marischal, and began a large scale reconstruction that saw the medieval fortress converted into a more comfortable home. The founder of Marischal College in Aberdeen, the 5th Earl valued Dunnottar as much for its dramatic situation as for its security.
A "palace" comprising a series of ranges around a quadrangle was built on the north-eastern cliffs, creating luxurious living quarters with sea views. The 13th-century chapel was restored and incorporated into the quadrangle.
An impressive stone gatehouse was constructed, now known as Benholm's Lodging, featuring numerous gun ports facing the approach. Although impressive, these are likely to have been fashionable embellishments rather than genuine defensive features.
Civil wars
Further information: Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
In 1639 William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal, came out in support of the Covenanters, a Presbyterian movement who opposed the established Episcopal Church and the changes which Charles I was attempting to impose. With James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, he marched against the Catholic James Gordon, 2nd Viscount Aboyne, Earl of Huntly, and defeated an attempt by the Royalists to seize Stonehaven. However, when Montrose changed sides to the Royalists and marched north, Marischal remained in Dunnottar, even when given command of the area by Parliament, and even when Montrose burned Stonehaven.
Marischal then joined with the Engager faction, who had made a deal with the king, and led a troop of horse to the Battle of Preston (1648) in support of the royalists.
Following the execution of Charles I in 1649, the Engagers gave their allegiance to his son and heir: Charles II was proclaimed king, arriving in Scotland in June 1650. He visited Dunnottar in July 1650, but his presence in Scotland prompted Oliver Cromwell to lead a force into Scotland, defeating the Scots at Dunbar in September 1650.
The Honours of Scotland
Charles II was crowned at Scone Palace on 1 January 1651, at which the Honours of Scotland (the regalia of crown, sword and sceptre) were used. However, with Cromwell's troops in Lothian, the honours could not be returned to Edinburgh. The Earl Marischal, as Marischal of Scotland, had formal responsibility for the honours, and in June the Privy Council duly decided to place them at Dunnottar.
They were brought to the castle by Katherine Drummond, hidden in sacks of wool. Sir George Ogilvie (or Ogilvy) of Barras was appointed lieutenant-governor of the castle, and given responsibility for its defence.
In November 1651 Cromwell's troops called on Ogilvie to surrender, but he refused. During the subsequent blockade of the castle, the removal of the Honours of Scotland was planned by Elizabeth Douglas, wife of Sir George Ogilvie, and Christian Fletcher, wife of James Granger, minister of Kinneff Parish Church. The king's papers were first removed from the castle by Anne Lindsay, a kinswoman of Elizabeth Douglas, who walked through the besieging force with the papers sewn into her clothes.
Two stories exist regarding the removal of the honours themselves. Fletcher stated in 1664 that over the course of three visits to the castle in February and March 1652, she carried away the crown, sceptre, sword and sword-case hidden amongst sacks of goods. Another account, given in the 18th century by a tutor to the Earl Marischal, records that the honours were lowered from the castle onto the beach, where they were collected by Fletcher's servant and carried off in a creel (basket) of seaweed. Having smuggled the honours from the castle, Fletcher and her husband buried them under the floor of the Old Kirk at Kinneff.
Meanwhile, by May 1652 the commander of the blockade, Colonel Thomas Morgan, had taken delivery of the artillery necessary for the reduction of Dunnottar. Ogilvie surrendered on 24 May, on condition that the garrison could go free. Finding the honours gone, the Cromwellians imprisoned Ogilvie and his wife in the castle until the following year, when a false story was put about suggesting that the honours had been taken overseas.
Much of the castle property was removed, including twenty-one brass cannons,[28] and Marischal was required to sell further lands and possessions to pay fines imposed by Cromwell's government.
At the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, the honours were removed from Kinneff Church and returned to the king. Ogilvie quarrelled with Marischal's mother over who would take credit for saving the honours, though he was eventually rewarded with a baronetcy. Fletcher was awarded 2,000 merks by Parliament but the sum was never paid.
Whigs and Jacobites
Religious and political conflicts continued to be played out at Dunnottar through the 17th and early 18th centuries. In 1685, during the rebellion of the Earl of Argyll against the new king James VII, 167 Covenanters were seized and held in a cellar at Dunnottar. The prisoners included 122 men and 45 women associated with the Whigs, an anti-Royalist group within the Covenanter movement, and had refused to take an oath of allegiance to the new king.
The Whigs were imprisoned from 24 May until late July. A group of 25 escaped, although two of these were killed in a fall from the cliffs, and another 15 were recaptured. Five prisoners died in the vault, and 37 of the Whigs were released after taking the oath of allegiance.
The remaining prisoners were transported to Perth Amboy, New Jersey, as part of a colonisation scheme devised by George Scot of Pitlochie. Many, like Scot himself, died on the voyage.
The cellar, located beneath the "King's Bedroom" in the 16th-century castle buildings, has since become known as the "Whigs' Vault".
Both the Jacobites (supporters of the exiled Stuarts) and the Hanoverians (supporters of George I and his descendents) used Dunnottar Castle. In 1689 during Viscount Dundee's campaign in support of the deposed James VII, the castle was garrisoned for William and Mary with Lord Marischal appointed captain.
Seventeen suspected Jacobites from Aberdeen were seized and held in the fortress for around three weeks, including George Liddell, professor of mathematics at Marischal College.
In the Jacobite Rising of 1715 George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal, took an active role with the rebels, leading cavalry at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. After the subsequent abandonment of the rising Lord Marischal fled to the Continent, eventually becoming French ambassador for Frederick the Great of Prussia. Meanwhile, in 1716, his titles and estates including Dunnottar were declared forfeit to the crown.
Later history
The seized estates of the Earl Marischal were purchased in 1720 for £41,172, by the York Buildings Company who dismantled much of the castle.
In 1761 the Earl briefly returned to Scotland and bought back Dunnottar only to sell it five years later to Alexander Keith, an Edinburgh lawyer who served as Knight Marischal of Scotland.
Dunnottar was inherited in 1852 by Sir Patrick Keith-Murray of Ochtertyre, who in turn sold it in July 1873 to Major Alexander Innes of Cowie and Raemoir for about £80,000.
It was purchased by Weetman Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray, in 1925 after which his wife embarked on a programme of repairs.
Since that time the castle has remained in the family, and has been open to the public, attracting 52,500 visitors in 2009.
Dunnottar Castle, and the headland on which is stands, was designated as a scheduled monument in 1970.In 1972 twelve of the structures at Dunnottar were listed.
Three buildings are listed at category A as being of "national importance": the keep; the entrance gateway; and Benholm's Lodging.
The remaining listings are at category B as being of "regional importance".[39] The Hon. Charles Anthony Pearson, the younger son of the 3rd Viscount Cowdray, currently owns and runs Dunnottar Castle which is part of the 210-square-kilometre (52,000-acre) Dunecht Estates.
Portions of the 1990 film Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson and Glenn Close, were shot there.
Description
Dunnottar's strategic location allowed its owners to control the coastal terrace between the North Sea cliffs and the hills of the Mounth, 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) inland, which enabled access to and from the north-east of Scotland.
The site is accessed via a steep, 800-metre (2,600 ft) footpath (with modern staircases) from a car park on the coastal road, or via a 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) cliff-top path from Stonehaven. Dunnottar's several buildings, put up between the 13th and 17th centuries, are arranged across a headland covering around 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres).
The dominant building, viewed from the land approach, is the 14th-century keep or tower house. The other principal buildings are the gatehouse; the chapel; and the 16th-century "palace" which incorporates the "Whigs' Vault".
Defences
The approach to the castle is overlooked by outworks on the "Fiddle Head", a promontory on the western side of the headland. The entrance is through the well-defended main gate, set in a curtain wall which entirely blocks a cleft in the rocky cliffs.
The gate has a portcullis and has been partly blocked up. Alongside the main gate is the 16th-century Benholm's Lodging, a five-storey building cut into the rock, which incorporated a prison with apartments above.
Three tiers of gun ports face outwards from the lower floors of Benholm's Lodging, while inside the main gate, a group of four gun ports face the entrance. The entrance passage then turns sharply to the left, running underground through two tunnels to emerge near the tower house.
Simpson contends that these defences are "without exception the strongest in Scotland", although later writers have doubted the effectiveness of the gun ports. Cruden notes that the alignment of the gun ports in Benholm's Lodging, facing across the approach rather than along, means that they are of limited efficiency.
The practicality of the gun ports facing the entrance has also been questioned, though an inventory of 1612 records that four brass cannons were placed here.
A second access to the castle leads up from a rocky cove, the aperture to a marine cave on the northern side of the Dunnottar cliffs into which a small boat could be brought. From here a steep path leads to the well-fortified postern gate on the cliff top, which in turn offers access to the castle via the Water Gate in the palace.
Artillery defences, taking the form of earthworks, surround the north-west corner of the castle, facing inland, and the south-east, facing seaward. A small sentry box or guard house stands by the eastern battery, overlooking the coast.
Tower house and surrounding buildings
The tower house of Dunnottar, viewed from the west
The late 14th-century tower house has a stone-vaulted basement, and originally had three further storeys and a garret above.
Measuring 12 by 11 metres (39 by 36 ft), the tower house stood 15 metres (49 ft) high to its gable. The principal rooms included a great hall and a private chamber for the lord, with bedrooms upstairs.
Beside the tower house is a storehouse, and a blacksmith's forge with a large chimney. A stable block is ranged along the southern edge of the headland. Nearby is Waterton's Lodging, also known as the Priest's House, built around 1574, possibly for the use of William Keith (died 1580), son of the 4th Earl Marischal.
This small self-contained house includes a hall and kitchen at ground level, with private chambers above, and has a projecting spiral stair on the north side. It is named for Thomas Forbes of Waterton, an attendant of the 7th Earl.
The palace
The palace, to the north-east of the headland, was built in the late 16th century and early to mid-17th century. It comprises three main wings set out around a quadrangle, and for the most part is probably the work of the 5th Earl Marischal who succeeded in 1581.
It provided extensive and comfortable accommodation to replace the rooms in the tower house. In its long, low design it has been compared to contemporary English buildings, in contrast to the Scottish tradition of taller towers still prevalent in the 16th century.
Seven identical lodgings are arranged along the west range, each opening onto the quadrangle and including windows and fireplace. Above the lodgings the west range comprised a 35-metre (115 ft) gallery. Now roofless, the gallery originally had an elaborate oak ceiling, and on display was a Roman tablet taken from the Antonine Wall.
At the north end of the gallery was a drawing room linked to the north range. The gallery could also be accessed from the Silver House to the south, which incorporated a broad stairway with a treasury above.
The basement of the north range incorporates kitchens and stores, with a dining room and great chamber above. At ground floor level is the Water Gate, between the north and west ranges, which gives access to the postern on the northern cliffs.
The east and north ranges are linked via a rectangular stair. The east range has a larder, brewhouse and bakery at ground level, with a suite of apartments for the Countess above. A north-east wing contains the Earl's apartments, and includes the "King's Bedroom" in which Charles II stayed. In this room is a carved stone inscribed with the arms of the 7th Earl and his wife, and the date 1654. Below these rooms is the Whigs' Vault, a cellar measuring 16 by 4.5 metres (52 by 15 ft). This cellar, in which the Covenanters were held in 1685, has a large eastern window, as well as a lower vault accessed via a trap-door in the floor.
Of the chambers in the palace, only the dining room and the Silver House remain roofed, having been restored in the 1920s. The central area contains a circular cistern or fish pond, 16 metres (52 ft) across and 7.6 metres (25 ft) deep, and a bowling green is located to the west.
At the south-east corner of the quadrangle is the chapel, consecrated in 1276 and largely rebuilt in the 16th century. Medieval walling and two 13th-century windows remain, and there is a graveyard to the south.
First of the 47 Titan 1 to fly at Cape Canaveral missile A-3 awaits its dramatic
first flight success on Feb.6, 1959.
Famed for its dramatic rapids and canyons, the Colorado is one of the most desirable whitewater rivers in the United States A section of the river above Moab, known as the Colorado "Daily" or "Fisher Towers Section", is the most visited whitewater run in Utah, with more than 77,000 visitors in 2011 alone.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_River
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_...
At the Time 100 Gala, Doja Cat wowed the audience in a stunning Valentino gown. In the striking, multicoloured dress with the plunging neckline and oversized sleeves, the singer and rapper attracted attention. The dress featured a train and a flowing skirt that contributed to its dramatic look.
Doja Cat finished off her appearance with understated jewellery and cosmetics, making the dress the main attraction of her ensemble. Her elegant updo brought attention to her chandelier earrings.
Doja Cat, who is renowned for her outlandish and daring design choices, was the ideal candidate for the Valentino gown. On the red carpet, she has been seen sporting everything from bright wigs to skimpy ensembles, and this most recent appearance was no exception.
Doja Cat, one of the year's awardees for the magazine, was present at the Time 100 Gala. Elon Musk, Simone Biles, and Dolly Parton were among the names on this year's list of the most important people in the world, which is honoured annually.
One of the many outstanding looks from the occasion, which included a variety of gorgeous outfits from some of the finest fashion designers in the world, was Doja Cat's striking Valentino dress.
trendbursts.com/doja-cat-stuns-in-valentino-dress-at-time...
Westmorland Dales In The Yorkshire Dales National Park
This is an area of tremendous history and there are stone circles, remains from the romans and medieval villages to be found.
In the Mallerstang valley you will find the atmospheric ruins of Pendragon Castle with its reputed connection to Uther Pendragon – the father of King Arthur. Towering over the castle is Wild Boar Fell where Sir Richard de Musgrave is thought to have killed the last wild boar in Britain. There could be something in this as his tomb is in Kirkby Stephen church and, when it was examined, in addition to his bones there were two wild boar tusks.
More modern history was created by the building of railways. The Settle to Carlisle railway cuts through the Westmorland Dales as part of its dramatic journey through the Dales with its stunning examples of Victorian engineering. There was also Stainmore Railway which was built to bring coal from the Tees Valley over to Cumbria for use in making iron. Although this railway closed in the 1960s it has left some tremendous reminders of its existence such as the viaducts over Podgill and Smardale and the station at Kirkby Stephen East.
The beautiful and now tranquil setting of Augustinian Lanercost Priory belies an often troubled history. Standing close to Hadrian's Wall, it suffered frequent attacks during the long Anglo-Scottish wars, once by Robert Bruce in person. The mortally sick King Edward I rested here for five months in 1306-7, shortly before his death on his final campaign.
The east end of the 13th-century church survives to its full height, housing within its dramatic triple tier of arches some fine monuments.
More photos of Lanercost Priory here: www.flickr.com/photos/davidambridge/albums/72157624989399623
Kirkjufell, or 'Church Mountain', is a distinctly shaped peak found on the north shore of Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula, only a short distance away from the town of Grundarfjörður. It is often called ‘the most photographed mountain in Iceland’ due to its dramatic formation and perfect coastal location.
Kirkjufell takes its name from its resemblance to a church steeple, sharpened at the top with long curved sides. From other angles, the mountain has been compared to a witch’s hat or even a freshly scooped ice cream.
Fallen Roof Ruin, with its dramatic evidence of Ancestral Puebloan habitation, Bears Ears National Monument, southern Utah, USA
Breakfast at Podere al Salcio's delightful panoramic breakfast in the verandah, with biscuits, cappuccino, tea, fruit juices, fresh fruit, cereal and yoghurt.
Podere al Salcio is an 18th century stone and brick country house originally built in the local tradition as a farming building, with animals in the low building on the left, haystack, granary and deposit on the ground floor of the main house. The first floor used to hosts the farmers' families.
It enjoys the most stunning views 360° degrees round, changing in colour throughout the day and seasons. Val d'Orcia is a Unesco World Heritage region for its dramatic beauty and untouched landscapes.
After its dramatic start (amidst a blizzard and thus zero visibility) on 13 May 2008 and several months of awesome fireworks (an ideal "tourist eruption), the latest eruption of Mount Etna in Sicily has been largely forgotten by the rest of the world and also by quite a few Sicilians. Yet, it is still continuing, now after nearly 9 months, which makes it one of the longest continous eruptive events at Etna in the past fifteen years (only the February-November eruption near the Southeast Crater lasted still a bit longer). Often invisible due to bad weather in the winter, occasional glimpses of the lava flow are still spectacular, especially with Etna being covered deeply in snow. The active lava flow is actually quite small, just a few hundred meters long. Yet the view was worth the effort to climb up the "Mulino Vecchio (Old Mill) hill" in the center of my home town Trecastagni on the southeast flank of Etna, at nightfall on 2 February 2009, to take a number of time exposures. The ruin of the Old Mill is seen at right, a similar image has been posted here four weeks ago, see flickr.com/photos/etnaboris/3177867094/. Photo taken at 18.05 h local time (GMT + 1), looking approximately north-northwest. Lights in middle ground are of a part of Trecastagni.
St Fin Barre’s Cathedral. This is without doubt one of the most striking buildings in the region with its history rooted in the people of Cork and of course its dramatic architecture.
The location of the current Cathedral has been a place of Christian worship since the 7th century. This is said to be the actual location where St Finn Barre (Corks Patron Saint) founded his original monastery and thereby creating the first settlement in what is now Cork.
The current church being consecrated in 1870 in Victorian/ Gothic style. In the intervening centuries various buildings have come & gone but the original structure by St Fin Barre was said to have been one of the main centres of scholastic learning until the 10th century.
is a canyon system of the Caprock Escarpment located in the Texas Panhandle near the city of Amarillo, Texas, United States. As the second largest canyon in the United States, it is roughly 193 km (120 mi) long and has an average width of 10 km (6.2 mi), but reaches a width of 32 km (20 mi) at places. Its depth is around 250 m (820 ft), but in some locations it can increase up to 304 m (997 ft). Palo Duro Canyon has been named "The Grand Canyon of Texas" both for its size and for its dramatic geological features, including the multicolored layers of rock and steep mesa walls similar to those in the Grand Canyon.
One of the most amazing places that I have ever seen! The Lighthouse Trail was awesome and unforgettable!
More information:
English: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Duro_Canyon
German: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Duro_Canyon
Don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media
without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved.
Dag 11: Nagar and Hopper Valleys - Ganish village.
Nagar Valley - Chief of the Nagar Kingdom.
Nagar Valley is a stunning high-altitude region in Gilgit-Baltistan, known for its dramatic mountains, glaciers and rich cultural heritage.
Kirkjufell, or 'Church Mountain', is a distinctly shaped peak found on the north shore of Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula, only a short distance away from the town of Grundarfjörður. It is often called ‘the most photographed mountain in Iceland’ due to its dramatic formation and perfect coastal location.
Kirkjufell takes its name from its resemblance to a church steeple, sharpened at the top with long curved sides. From other angles, the mountain has been compared to a witch’s hat or even a freshly scooped ice cream.
The Amalfi Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Italy’s Campania region, is renowned for its dramatic cliffs, colorful seaside villages, and Mediterranean charm. Stretching along the Sorrentine Peninsula, it includes iconic destinations such as Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi town.
Sorrento, perched above the Bay of Naples, offers sweeping views of Mount Vesuvius and serves as a gateway to the coast. Positano is famed for its pastel-hued houses cascading down steep hillsides to pebble beaches and turquoise waters. Amalfi, once a powerful maritime republic, is known for its historic cathedral, lively piazza, and lemon-based delicacies like limoncello.
The region’s narrow, winding roads and scenic boat routes connect these destinations, making the Amalfi Coast one of the world’s most picturesque coastal journeys.
The Sleeping Giant is a formation of mesas and sills on Sibley Peninsula which resembles a giant lying on its back when viewed from the west to north-northwest section of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. As one moves southward along the shoreline toward Squaw Bay the Sleeping Giant starts to separate into its various sections. Most distinctly in the view from the cliffs at Squaw Bay the Giant appears to have an Adam's Apple. The formation is part of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Its dramatic steep cliffs are among the highest in Ontario (250 m). The southernmost point is known as Thunder Cape, depicted by many early Canadian artists such as William Armstrong.
One Ojibway legend identifies the giant as Nanabijou, who was turned to stone when the secret location of a rich silver mine now known as Silver Islet was disclosed to white men.[3]
CATHEDRAL GORGE STATE PARK -- parks.nv.gov/cg.htm -- Cathedral Gorge State Park is known for its dramatic, carved cliffs and canyons, remnants of a Pliocene-era lakebed. Visitors from around the world enjoy hiking trails to explore the formations and cathedral-like spires. Miller Point, a scenic overlook, offers excellent views of the scenic canyon. Hiking, picnicking, camping, nature study, photography and ranger programs are the most common activities at the park. Facilities open all year include a 24-unit campground, RV dump station, restrooms with showers, a group use area and a day use picnic area. Cathedral Gorge is 165 miles northeast of Las Vegas, via Interstate 15 North, and easy access off U.S. Highway 93 two miles north of Panaca.
East window by Charles Eamer Kempe, c1885.
All Saints in Pavement, York is distinguished by its dramatic octagonal tower, a major landmark of the city and masterpiece of late medieval architecture. The church itself is of mainly 14th/15th century date, though lost its chancel in the following centuries. The west window contains reset late 14th century panels depicting the Passion.
This church is generally open and welcoming to visitors.
Welcome Islands Light House in the Foreground.
The Sleeping Giant is a formation of mesas and sills on Sibley Peninsula which resembles a giant lying on its back when viewed from the west to north-northwest section of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. As one moves southward along the shoreline toward Squaw Bay the Sleeping Giant starts to separate into its various sections. Most distinctly in the view from the cliffs at Squaw Bay the Giant appears to have an Adam's Apple. The formation is part of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Its dramatic steep cliffs are among the highest in Ontario (250 m). The southernmost point is known as Thunder Cape, depicted by many early Canadian artists such as William Armstrong.
One Ojibway legend identifies the giant as Nanabijou, who was turned to stone when the secret location of a rich silver mine now known as Silver Islet was disclosed to white men.[3]
Pilgrim sculptures (in metal with glass inserts) by Helen Whittaker, installed in 2004 as part of the enhancement of the retrochoir.
www.helenwhittakerart.com/portfolio/beverley-minster-east...
There is a danger of running out of superlatives when trying to describe Beverley Minster. It is not only the second finest non-cathedral church in the country but is architecturally a far finer building than most of our cathedrals themselves! It will come as a surprise to many visitors to find this grand edifice simply functions today as a parish church and has never been more than collegiate, a status it lost at the Reformaton. What had added to its mystique and wealth was its status as a place of pilgrimage housing the tomb of St John of Beverley, which drew visitors and revenue until the Reformation brought an end to such fortunes and the shrine was destroyed (though the saint's bones were later rediscovered and reinterred in the nave). That this great church itself survived this period almost intact is little short of a miracle in itself.
There has been a church here since the 8th century but little remains of the earlier buildings aside from the Saxon chair near the altar and the Norman font in the nave. The present Minster's construction spans the entirety of the development of Gothic architecture but forms a surprisingly harmonious whole nevertheless, starting with Early English in the 13h century choir and transepts (both pairs) with their lancet windows in a building phase that stopped at the first bays of the nave. Construction was then continued with the nave in the 14th century but only the traceried windows betray the emergent Decorated style, the design otherwise closely followed the work of the previous century which gives the Minster's interior such a pleasingly unified appearance (the only discernable break in construction within can be seen where the black purbeck-marble ceased to be used for certain elements beyond the eastern bay of the nave). Finally the building was completed more or less by 1420 with the soaring west front with its dramatic twin-towers in Perpendicular style (the east window must have been enlarged at this point too to match the new work at the west end).
The fabric happily survived the Reformation intact aside from the octagonal chapter-house formerly adjoining the north choir aisle which was dismantled to raise money by the sale of its materials while the church's fate was in the balance (a similar fate was contemplated for the rest of the church by its new owners until the town bought it for retention as a parish church for £100). The great swathes of medieval glass alas were mostly lost, though seemingly as much to neglect and storm-damage in the following century than the usual iconoclasm. All that survived of the Minster's original glazing was collected to form the patchwork display now filling the great east window, a colourful kaleidoscope of fragments of figures and scenes. Of the other furnishings the choir stalls are the major ensemble and some of the finest medieval canopied stalls extant with a full set of charming misericords (though most of these alas are not normally on show).
There are suprisingly few monuments of note for such an enormous cathedral-like church, but the one major exception makes up for this, the delightful canopied Percy tomb erected in 1340 to the north of the high altar. The tomb itself is surprisingly plain without any likeness remaining of the deceased, but the richly carved Decorated canopy above is alive with gorgeous detail and figurative embellishments. There are further carvings to enjoy adorning the arcading that runs around the outer perimeter of the interior, especially the north nave aisle which has the most rewarding carved figures of musicians, monsters and people suffering various ailments, many were largely restored in the 19th century but still preserve the medieval spirit of irreverent fun.
To summarise Beverley Minster would be difficult other than simply adding that if one enjoys marvelling at Gothic architecture at its best then it really shouldn't be missed and one should prioritise it over the majority of our cathedrals. It is a real gem and a delight to behold, and is happily normally open and welcoming to visitors (who must all be astonished to find this magnificent edifice is no more than a simple parish church in status!). I thoroughly enjoyed this, my second visit here (despite the best efforts of the poor weather!).
Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim + Fuji RVP 50 + Xpro
One Congress Plaza, located in the heart of downtown Austin and sitting on an entire city block, captures the essence of the city with its unique stair-step design and bold neon blue lights around its perimeter. Its dramatic views of Hill Country, downtown, the capitol building and Town Lake expose Austin's different terrains, and bring the city's high-tech, but low-key vibe to the surface.
A little contemporary, a little Art Deco, we adore the look of the Draco rug because its dramatic and intense. Hair-on leather is used to create this luxurious carpeting that is perfect for the opulent home.
To Explore Our Rug Collection:
Sam Pho Khong #instago #ig_nesia #iphone4s #instagood #instagram #iphonesia #instagramhub #its_dramatic #iphoneography #all_shots #photooftheday #gang_family #b_ig #hdr #hdrpro #hdr_arts #hdreality #hdrmaster #hdr_lovers #hdrepublic #hdrpotters #hdroftheday #hdrstyles_gf #hdr_indonesia #str8hdr
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The sweeping white-sand crescent of Bondi is one of Australia’s most iconic beaches. Reliable waves draw surfers while, nearby, hardy locals swim in the Icebergs ocean pool year-round. Trendy, health-conscious Sydneysiders head to laid-back cafes around Hall Street, while hip backpackers frequent the area's casual pubs. Walkers and joggers use the clifftop Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, with its dramatic scenery.
White Sands National Monument is in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It's known for its dramatic landscape of rare white gypsum sand dunes. Trails through the dunes include the raised Interdune Boardwalk and the Dune Life Nature Trail, dotted with interpretive exhibits on wildlife and other features. Dunes Drive is a looped road from the White Sands Visitor Center to the dune field. Read the blog post - www.dvrawfiles.com/white-sands-new-mexico Watch the vlog - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhwKZVqNfiU
CATHEDRAL GORGE STATE PARK -- parks.nv.gov/cg.htm -- Cathedral Gorge State Park is known for its dramatic, carved cliffs and canyons, remnants of a Pliocene-era lakebed. Visitors from around the world enjoy hiking trails to explore the formations and cathedral-like spires. Miller Point, a scenic overlook, offers excellent views of the scenic canyon. Hiking, picnicking, camping, nature study, photography and ranger programs are the most common activities at the park. Facilities open all year include a 24-unit campground, RV dump station, restrooms with showers, a group use area and a day use picnic area. Cathedral Gorge is 165 miles northeast of Las Vegas, via Interstate 15 North, and easy access off U.S. Highway 93 two miles north of Panaca.
Watching our private recital at St. Fin Barre's Cathedral in Cork, Ireland.
St Fin Barre’s Cathedral. This is without doubt one of the most striking buildings in the region with its history rooted in the people of Cork and of course its dramatic architecture.
The location of the current Cathedral has been a place of Christian worship since the 7th century. This is said to be the actual location where St Finn Barre (Corks Patron Saint) founded his original monastery and thereby creating the first settlement in what is now Cork.
The current church being consecrated in 1870 in Victorian/ Gothic style. In the intervening centuries various buildings have come & gone but the original structure by St Fin Barre was said to have been one of the main centres of scholastic learning until the 10th century.
Redmond, Oregon
Listed 10/30/2013
Reference Number: 13000859
Petersen Rock Garden, which has state-wide significance, is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C in the areas of Art and Landscape Architecture, as a folk art environment, for its significance as an exceptional work of art that combines architecture, landscape, art, and sculpture in a unified whole. Located approximately eight miles southwest of Redmond, Oregon, the work recalls European and American grotto traditions, juxtaposed with American iconography and vernacular folk art traditions, through the creativity and artistry of Danish immigrant Rasmus Christian Petersen. Petersen, who began constructing the garden after finishing his education in Danish and American culture at Nysted Folk High School in Nebraska and three successful decades of farming, was also influenced by his homestead's setting in central Oregon, with its dramatic views of the Cascade range . Creation of the garden represents the last chapter in Petersen's life. The gardens are all the more remarkable for their unexpectedness in the desert landscape and their lack of precedent in their creator's life. The Period of Significance for the site is 1927, the date of construction of the Petersen's residence, to 1952, the date of Petersen's death. The gardens and property as a whole retain excellent integrity and easily convey the reasons for their significance.
National Register of Historic Places Homepage
Smailholm Tower is a peel tower at Smailholm, around five miles west of Kelso in the Scottish Borders. Its dramatic situation, atop a crag of Lady Hill, commands wide views over the surrounding countryside.
Video by DOSEprod Design Studio, Edinburgh. UK
Drone: DJI Mavic Air 2
Music by Music composer Bobby Cole
Date: September 2021
The Sleeping Giant is a formation of mesas and sills on Sibley Peninsula which resembles a giant lying on its back when viewed from the west to north-northwest section of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. As one moves southward along the shoreline toward Squaw Bay the Sleeping Giant starts to separate into its various sections. Most distinctly in the view from the cliffs at Squaw Bay the Giant appears to have an Adam's Apple. The formation is part of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Its dramatic steep cliffs are among the highest in Ontario (250 m). The southernmost point is known as Thunder Cape, depicted by many early Canadian artists such as William Armstrong.
One Ojibway legend identifies the giant as Nanabijou, who was turned to stone when the secret location of a rich silver mine now known as Silver Islet was disclosed to white men.[3]
**Calhan Paint Mines Archeological District** - National Register of Historic Places Ref # 00000783, date listed 7/14/2000
Approx. 0.5 mi. SE of jct. S. Calhan Rd. and Paint Mine Rd.
Calhan, CO (El Paso County)
The Calhan Paint Mines archaeological district is located in an area of white sandstone and colored clay features southeast of Calhan, Colorado, approximately 31 miles northeast of Colorado Springs. The area is composed of gullies and drainages that resemble “badlands” formations. The same erosional processes that have stripped some areas within the Paint Mines of soils, producing its unique geological features, have also worked to bury cultural deposits in other parts of the district, recording a complex archaeological record of human activity. (1)
Paint Mines Interpretive Park is a unique natural open space in Calhan, CO, featuring four miles of trails, including a main loop commonly referred to as the Paint Mines Interpretive Trail. The park is known for its dramatic, colorful geological formations, or "hoodoos" and spires, created by erosion of iron-oxide-rich clays and sandstone. (Google AI)
References (1) NRHP Nomination Form catalog.archives.gov/id/84130078
Wednesday 20th October
We drove round locally, moving up the coast to Bamburgh and its dramatic castle.
Rouken Glen Park is a historic park located next to Thornliebank, Giffnock and Newton Mearns.
It contains a range of features and facilities including the pavilion visitor centre which hosts various exhibitions throughout the year ranging from health awareness days to old photo exhibits of the park and surrounding areas, play area, walled garden, the Glen with its dramatic water falls and woodland paths, and a boating pond. There is also a garden centre, café and restaurant and art gallery located in the park.
Throughout the year the park hosts many events ranging from local Community Gala Days to national events like Armed Forces Day.
Always listed as one of Italy's premier examples of Gothic architecture, Siena's cathedral owes its dramatic first impression to the genius of Giovanni Pisano, who designed its façade and sculpted most of the statues and reliefs that adorn it. The alternating stripes of dark and light marble that cover most of the church and its tall campanile contrast not only with each other, but with the predominating red brick of the rest of Siena's buildings. The cathedral has more masterpieces and art treasures than many prestigious museums, or in fact, many entire cities, with multiple works by both Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, Donatello, Bernini, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Pinturicchio, Iácopo della Quercia, Giovanni di Turino, Vecchietta, and others. The works that decorate the walls, ceilings, and floors, and fill the chapels, crypt, library, and museum constitute one of Italy's outstanding assemblies of frescoes, sculptures, stone and wood carving, paintings, gold and silver work, illuminated manuscripts, mosaics, and stained glass art.
This photo can be used copyright free, attribution only is requested.
Front view of a Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis "Fagot B"
The Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau emerged in the early Cold War era as a key designer of Soviet jet fighters, most notably the MiG-15. First flown in 1947, the MiG-15 answered Joseph Stalin’s call for an advanced, high-altitude day interceptor. With its dramatic deployment in the Korean War, the MiG-15 impressed westerners with its speed, maneuverability, and heavy armament. While a unique Soviet design, it used an adaptation of the Rolls Royce Nene jet engine, produced by the Soviets as the RD-45.
During the Korean War, the MiG-15 challenged U.S. F-80 and F-86 jet fighters for air dominance. It was the first operational Soviet swept-wing jet fighters equipped with a pressurized cockpit and ejection seat. The MiG-15 series is believed to be the most widely produced jet fighter, with around 17,000 variants. This MiG-15 operated as a Chinese F-2. The Smithsonian acquired the aircraft in 1985.
Wingspan:
10.1 m (33 ft 2 in)
Length:
10.1 m (33 ft 2 in)
Height:
3.4 m (10 ft 10 in)
Weight, empty:
3,523 kg (7,767 lb)
Weight, gross:
5,405 kg (11,916 lb)
Top speed:
1,050 km/h (652 mph)
Engine:
RD-45F centrifugal flow turbojet, 2,270 kg (4,994 lb) thrust
Armament:
One NS 37 mm and two NS 23 mm cannons
Manufacturer:
Mikoyan-Gurevich
For more info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-15
This stunning head with its wonderful representation of a complex hair style was yet another treasure from this great museum. Powerful and evocative I personally found this piece very moving, not just because of its dramatic representative power, but alss because of its intimate portrait of a woman of long ago.
Smailholm Tower is a peel tower at Smailholm, around five miles west of Kelso in the Scottish Borders. Its dramatic situation, atop a crag of Lady Hill, commands wide views over the surrounding countryside
There is a danger of running out of superlatives when trying to describe Beverley Minster. It is not only the second finest non-cathedral church in the country but is architecturally a far finer building than most of our cathedrals themselves! It will come as a surprise to many visitors to find this grand edifice simply functions today as a parish church and has never been more than collegiate, a status it lost at the Reformaton. What had added to its mystique and wealth was its status as a place of pilgrimage housing the tomb of St John of Beverley, which drew visitors and revenue until the Reformation brought an end to such fortunes and the shrine was destroyed (though the saint's bones were later rediscovered and reinterred in the nave). That this great church itself survived this period almost intact is little short of a miracle in itself.
There has been a church here since the 8th century but little remains of the earlier buildings aside from the Saxon chair near the altar and the Norman font in the nave. The present Minster's construction spans the entirety of the development of Gothic architecture but forms a surprisingly harmonious whole nevertheless, starting with Early English in the 13h century choir and transepts (both pairs) with their lancet windows in a building phase that stopped at the first bays of the nave. Construction was then continued with the nave in the 14th century but only the traceried windows betray the emergent Decorated style, the design otherwise closely followed the work of the previous century which gives the Minster's interior such a pleasingly unified appearance (the only discernable break in construction within can be seen where the black purbeck-marble ceased to be used for certain elements beyond the eastern bay of the nave). Finally the building was completed more or less by 1420 with the soaring west front with its dramatic twin-towers in Perpendicular style (the east window must have been enlarged at this point too to match the new work at the west end).
The fabric happily survived the Reformation intact aside from the octagonal chapter-house formerly adjoining the north choir aisle which was dismantled to raise money by the sale of its materials while the church's fate was in the balance (a similar fate was contemplated for the rest of the church by its new owners until the town bought it for retention as a parish church for £100). The great swathes of medieval glass alas were mostly lost, though seemingly as much to neglect and storm-damage in the following century than the usual iconoclasm. All that survived of the Minster's original glazing was collected to form the patchwork display now filling the great east window, a colourful kaleidoscope of fragments of figures and scenes. Of the other furnishings the choir stalls are the major ensemble and some of the finest medieval canopied stalls extant with a full set of charming misericords (though most of these alas are not normally on show).
There are suprisingly few monuments of note for such an enormous cathedral-like church, but the one major exception makes up for this, the delightful canopied Percy tomb erected in 1340 to the north of the high altar. The tomb itself is surprisingly plain without any likeness remaining of the deceased, but the richly carved Decorated canopy above is alive with gorgeous detail and figurative embellishments. There are further carvings to enjoy adorning the arcading that runs around the outer perimeter of the interior, especially the north nave aisle which has the most rewarding carved figures of musicians, monsters and people suffering various ailments, many were largely restored in the 19th century but still preserve the medieval spirit of irreverent fun.
To summarise Beverley Minster would be difficult other than simply adding that if one enjoys marvelling at Gothic architecture at its best then it really shouldn't be missed and one should prioritise it over the majority of our cathedrals. It is a real gem and a delight to behold, and is happily normally open and welcoming to visitors (who must all be astonished to find this magnificent edifice is no more than a simple parish church in status!). I thoroughly enjoyed this, my second visit here (despite the best efforts of the poor weather!).