View allAll Photos Tagged modulation

I became curious whether I could reverse-engineer and recreate the IR signal that my ST-E2 wireless flash transmitter produces. So, I put a photosensor on my roommate's oscilliscope to see what I could find.

His scope isn't quite up to the job. It's an older analog scope, with no memory. So I ended up setting up my camera in front of it to try and record the trace. Here's the result. I tried a bunch of different settings, but there's still more experimenting to be done. Each successful capture takes about 5 tries, to get everything aligned right. The scope here is set to 0.5V/div (not zeroed vertically), and 1ms/div. The photosensor pulls low when it sees light.

Looks to me like pulse modulation, something like 64 bits, 10KHz. Of course, it has to be pulse modulation; the transmitter transmits by firing a little flashbulb. I think I might have enough here to recreate at least the signal for the pilot button. Tomorrow.

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

another victory on ebay. it was museum quality, as mint as I could imagine from this era. it weighs a ton and is so full of metal, it rivals the HP funct generator that I also recently bought.

 

the only thing wrong with this one was that the top 'a' segment of the leds were intermittant. 2 hours of troubleshooting led me to the cause: the one controller chip inside was in a very cheap IC socket and some pins were not making good contact (after all these decades). I could not get the socket to spring back BUT there was enough clearance inside to let me stack another machine-pin socket on top of the cheap one. this mated well with both the chip and the old socket. problem solved!

 

the display is a bit of fun; I was playing with the AM modulation and the scop triggering and I could get the display to show some of the amplitude modulated waves, in an interesting super-imposed way.

 

also, the SIZE of that function generator! its about the same width AND depth as the scope! what a monster ;)

 

This is a close-up shot of the circuit layout.

 

This project uses an Arduino to drive a miniature "segway" balancing robot.

 

A pair of Lego Mindstorm NXT motors are used to drive the robot wheels. An Arduino is used to control the motors. An ADXL335 3-axis accelerometer is used to determine robot orientation. An L293D H-Bridge is used to allow the Arduino to interface with the Lego NXT motors using pulse-width modulation signals. A proportional-integral-derivative (PID) algorithm was used to determine the logic for wheel movement. Programmed in C++.

 

Unfortunately, the robot required "human assistance" to stand up on its own for any length of time. I wish I had a bit more time on this project to continue tweaking the PID algorithm to improve this.

 

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

Pretty sure these two ladies were discussing this 34-meter antenna's frequency modulation and bandwidth capabilities at NASA's Deep Space Network in Goldstone, CA.

 

© Jason Major

Having owned the 2008 Kona Sutra for ten months, and just completed the first chain/cassette replacement, I thought it was about time for a long term review, to give other people an idea of what living with the Sutra has been like. My previous post explains why I chose the Sutra - I came up with what I thought was an impossibly eclectic list of requirements from a bicycle, and the Sutra ticked every single box.

  

Here's some specs, for the statophiles out there: Frame size C54cm Frame tubing Dedacciai COM 12.5 Butted Cromoly Fork Kona P2 700c TB Disc w/Lowrider Headset TH Crankarms FSA Gossamer MegaExo Chainrings 30/39/50 B/B FSA MegaExo Pedals Shimano PD-M520 SPD - Silver Chain Shimano HG53 --> Shimano HG93 XT Freewheel Shimano Deore (11-32, 9 Spd) --> Shimano XT M760 (11-32, 9spd) F/D Shimano Tiagra Triple R/D Shimano XT Shadow Shifters Shimano Bar-Con Handlebar FSA RD30 0S Stem FSA OS-190LX Grips Velo Wrap with Gel Brakes Avid BB7 Road Disc Brake Levers Shimano BLR-600 Front Hub Shimano M525 Disc Rear Hub Shimano M525 Disc Spokes DT Stainless 14g Tires Continental Contact 700 x 32C --> Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700x38c Rims Mavic A 317 Disc Saddle Selle Italia XO SE --> Brooks B17 Seatpost FSA SL-280 Seat Clamp Kona Clamp Rear Rack Tubus Logo Panniers Bikebins Computer Sigma DTS 1606 L Fenders SKS Chromoplastic

  

My primary (i.e. 99% of the time) use of the Sutra has been for commuting. I have covered over 2700 miles (4500km) in the time I have owned it. My commuting route through London is pretty tough on bikes - the roads south of the Thames are awful and full of potholes, through the City there is broken glass all over the place, and further north of the river there are speedbumps everywhere. When I first got the Sutra she was wearing Continental Contact tyres, and they were pretty poor for commuting. They punctured easily and transmitted the bumpiness of the road right up into my forearms. Not much fun. After one puncture too many I replaced the tyres with Schwalbe Marathon Pluses, in their largest diameter, and the difference was marked. The increased volume of air provides a lot more cushioning for the arms, and I have not had a single puncture yet, despite having pulled 6mm long pieces of glass out of the tyre surfaces. The tyres are relatively heavy, but then so is the rest of the bike, and extra weight makes you stronger!

  

The original rear rack was pretty flimsy, and it did not allow the attachment of the Bikebin panniers I bought to try and add some rigidity. I ended up having to angle grind chunks out of the rack to fit the panniers, which can't have improved their structural integrity. After a month of experiencing the odd sensation of the bike wagging its tail whenever I stood up to pedal hard, I bit the bullet and upgraded the rack to a Tubus Logo. It was a tight fit with the rear disc brake, but the difference was immense. Gone was the sensation of a jelly-like bike, to be replaced by a sensation of rigid stability. Whilst the rack was expensive, it made all the difference, and I would highly recommend it.

  

Speaking of the brakes, they have saved my life on more than one occasion, usually when a Taxi decides to perform an emergency stop to pick up a fare. The brakes stop consistently in all conditions, and so far I have not had to replace the pads, althoguh I think it will be time to do it soon. Not bad considering I have travelled almost five thousand kilometres in all weathers in the stop-start conditions of London. I was concerned that the brakes might be too powerful, but the modulation provided by the levers and the flex in the arm of the brake means that whilst the power is there if necessary, you have a lot of control over it. There is some disc drag, but this is owing more to my laziness than the brakes themselves, and seems to have little impact on cruising speeds.

  

Using the bike in all conditions has been excellent. The all-over fenders (something I have never fitted to a bike previously) really keep the rain off and eliminate spray from the road. I had to saw a bit of the front fender off to fit it over the larger tyres, and a little bit off the rear for the same reason, but after the modification they have been flawless.

  

I had heard reports of spokes snapping, and nothing happened to me until recently, when I noticed a detached spoke whilst replacing the rear cassette. I had no idea how long the spoke had been damaged for, and replaced it myself. The rear wheel is slightly askew, but it does not foul on anything, which is good considering the small tolerance between it and the fender. To be fair, I have been jumping off kerbs and sometimes it is impossible to miss a massive hole in the road when you are in busy traffic. An upgrade I am considering is a stronger rear wheel, although it is not pressingly urgent.

  

The ride of the bike is super smooth, and certainly not anything like the road bikes I am used to. I use my other road bike for triathlons, and whilst it is a lot more nimble, it is much less comfortable. The Sutra is comfortable all day long, owing in no small part to the Brooks B17 saddle, which took about two thousand miles to properly break in! It was worth it though - sitting on the bike is like sitting in an armchair (albeit a very odd armchair, but an armchair nonetheless). I tend to cruise at about 20mph on her, and my 10.5 mile commute to work takes about 37 minutes. I have started seeking out hills in preparation for some touring of Wales, and the sutra certainly loves to climb. The aggressive, mountain-bike-like frame geometry no doubt assists in this, and is confidence inspiring when climbing and descending. The bar-con shifters were a novelty for me, but they make a lot of sense, especially if replacement shifters were needed on a tour. There are even bosses on the downtube to fit truly old-school shifters in an emergency.

  

The weight of the bike was a shock initially - weighing in at 15kgs without the accessories, she weighs significantly more than my Specialized Hardrock mountain bike, which is saying something! Over time I have become accustomed to the weight, and now it feels normal. The main advantage of this is that when I ride anything else, it feels super light and goes very rapidly. This makes this bike an ideal training steed.

  

In conclusion, I have found a lot to love about the Kona Sutra - she's tough, strong and surprisingly fast. There were some niggles about fitting add-ons, but they were all easy to overcome, and the result has been a reliable bike that I think will keep delivering for years.

www.charlietyack.com

Julio LE PARC 1983

Fondation César MANRIQUE

Lanzarote / Espagne

X100S vs. X100 comparison. See www.flickr.com/photos/25805910@N05/sets/72157632958348638/ for the full set.

 

Click here for my regular X100S sample set: www.flickr.com/photos/25805910@N05/sets/72157632954030903...

 

JPEG SOOC Provia, NR -2, Shadow Tone +1.

Is the X100S Lens Modulation Optimizer (LMO) positively affecting IQ at small apertures?

Having owned the 2008 Kona Sutra for ten months, and just completed the first chain/cassette replacement, I thought it was about time for a long term review, to give other people an idea of what living with the Sutra has been like. My previous post explains why I chose the Sutra - I came up with what I thought was an impossibly eclectic list of requirements from a bicycle, and the Sutra ticked every single box.

  

Here's some specs, for the statophiles out there: Frame size C54cm Frame tubing Dedacciai COM 12.5 Butted Cromoly Fork Kona P2 700c TB Disc w/Lowrider Headset TH Crankarms FSA Gossamer MegaExo Chainrings 30/39/50 B/B FSA MegaExo Pedals Shimano PD-M520 SPD - Silver Chain Shimano HG53 --> Shimano HG93 XT Freewheel Shimano Deore (11-32, 9 Spd) --> Shimano XT M760 (11-32, 9spd) F/D Shimano Tiagra Triple R/D Shimano XT Shadow Shifters Shimano Bar-Con Handlebar FSA RD30 0S Stem FSA OS-190LX Grips Velo Wrap with Gel Brakes Avid BB7 Road Disc Brake Levers Shimano BLR-600 Front Hub Shimano M525 Disc Rear Hub Shimano M525 Disc Spokes DT Stainless 14g Tires Continental Contact 700 x 32C --> Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700x38c Rims Mavic A 317 Disc Saddle Selle Italia XO SE --> Brooks B17 Seatpost FSA SL-280 Seat Clamp Kona Clamp Rear Rack Tubus Logo Panniers Bikebins Computer Sigma DTS 1606 L Fenders SKS Chromoplastic

  

My primary (i.e. 99% of the time) use of the Sutra has been for commuting. I have covered over 2700 miles (4500km) in the time I have owned it. My commuting route through London is pretty tough on bikes - the roads south of the Thames are awful and full of potholes, through the City there is broken glass all over the place, and further north of the river there are speedbumps everywhere. When I first got the Sutra she was wearing Continental Contact tyres, and they were pretty poor for commuting. They punctured easily and transmitted the bumpiness of the road right up into my forearms. Not much fun. After one puncture too many I replaced the tyres with Schwalbe Marathon Pluses, in their largest diameter, and the difference was marked. The increased volume of air provides a lot more cushioning for the arms, and I have not had a single puncture yet, despite having pulled 6mm long pieces of glass out of the tyre surfaces. The tyres are relatively heavy, but then so is the rest of the bike, and extra weight makes you stronger!

  

The original rear rack was pretty flimsy, and it did not allow the attachment of the Bikebin panniers I bought to try and add some rigidity. I ended up having to angle grind chunks out of the rack to fit the panniers, which can't have improved their structural integrity. After a month of experiencing the odd sensation of the bike wagging its tail whenever I stood up to pedal hard, I bit the bullet and upgraded the rack to a Tubus Logo. It was a tight fit with the rear disc brake, but the difference was immense. Gone was the sensation of a jelly-like bike, to be replaced by a sensation of rigid stability. Whilst the rack was expensive, it made all the difference, and I would highly recommend it.

  

Speaking of the brakes, they have saved my life on more than one occasion, usually when a Taxi decides to perform an emergency stop to pick up a fare. The brakes stop consistently in all conditions, and so far I have not had to replace the pads, althoguh I think it will be time to do it soon. Not bad considering I have travelled almost five thousand kilometres in all weathers in the stop-start conditions of London. I was concerned that the brakes might be too powerful, but the modulation provided by the levers and the flex in the arm of the brake means that whilst the power is there if necessary, you have a lot of control over it. There is some disc drag, but this is owing more to my laziness than the brakes themselves, and seems to have little impact on cruising speeds.

  

Using the bike in all conditions has been excellent. The all-over fenders (something I have never fitted to a bike previously) really keep the rain off and eliminate spray from the road. I had to saw a bit of the front fender off to fit it over the larger tyres, and a little bit off the rear for the same reason, but after the modification they have been flawless.

  

I had heard reports of spokes snapping, and nothing happened to me until recently, when I noticed a detached spoke whilst replacing the rear cassette. I had no idea how long the spoke had been damaged for, and replaced it myself. The rear wheel is slightly askew, but it does not foul on anything, which is good considering the small tolerance between it and the fender. To be fair, I have been jumping off kerbs and sometimes it is impossible to miss a massive hole in the road when you are in busy traffic. An upgrade I am considering is a stronger rear wheel, although it is not pressingly urgent.

  

The ride of the bike is super smooth, and certainly not anything like the road bikes I am used to. I use my other road bike for triathlons, and whilst it is a lot more nimble, it is much less comfortable. The Sutra is comfortable all day long, owing in no small part to the Brooks B17 saddle, which took about two thousand miles to properly break in! It was worth it though - sitting on the bike is like sitting in an armchair (albeit a very odd armchair, but an armchair nonetheless). I tend to cruise at about 20mph on her, and my 10.5 mile commute to work takes about 37 minutes. I have started seeking out hills in preparation for some touring of Wales, and the sutra certainly loves to climb. The aggressive, mountain-bike-like frame geometry no doubt assists in this, and is confidence inspiring when climbing and descending. The bar-con shifters were a novelty for me, but they make a lot of sense, especially if replacement shifters were needed on a tour. There are even bosses on the downtube to fit truly old-school shifters in an emergency.

  

The weight of the bike was a shock initially - weighing in at 15kgs without the accessories, she weighs significantly more than my Specialized Hardrock mountain bike, which is saying something! Over time I have become accustomed to the weight, and now it feels normal. The main advantage of this is that when I ride anything else, it feels super light and goes very rapidly. This makes this bike an ideal training steed.

  

In conclusion, I have found a lot to love about the Kona Sutra - she's tough, strong and surprisingly fast. There were some niggles about fitting add-ons, but they were all easy to overcome, and the result has been a reliable bike that I think will keep delivering for years.

  

www.charlietyack.com

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

Parkway 1961

 

Review by Joe Viglione

Your Twist Party is an interesting and fun album from Chubby Checker, starting off with his classic rendition of Hank Ballard's "The Twist," and continuing with "twist"-style arrangements of popular tunes of the era. Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill" gets the same treatment as Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" — sung "Twist around the clock" here. Picture the Ramones giving their trademark power-chord treatment to cover songs their fans could identify with, and you get the spirit at play on Your Twist Party. "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" gets a "twist" mutation, while Chubby adds some Big Bopper/Jerry Lee Lewis ad libs to Kal Mann's "Mister Twister." Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" receives a nice modulation — and an adaption as well — "You ain't nothing but a hound dog/twistin' all the time/little sister you're a twister and you ain't no friend of mine." Mann & Appell create the "Mexican Hat Twist" out of the "Mexican Hat Dance," just as Kal Mann may have inspired the Beach Boys with his "Twistin' U.S.A." (years before the Fat Boys brought a common denominator to both camps by charting on separate occasions with Chubby and the Beach Boys ). Lerner & Loewe's "I Could Have Danced All Night" works remarkably well in this format, and is a highlight of this collection. Though the obsession with the dance craze may be a bit much, this is also the record's charm, and the album features three of Checker's biggest songs with "Let's Twist Again," "The Hucklebuck," and "The Twist," while giving a sly nod to the singer's first hit from 1959, "The Class," where he imitated some of the people he covers here.

  

X100S vs. X100 comparison. See www.flickr.com/photos/25805910@N05/sets/72157632958348638/ for the full set.

 

Click here for my regular X100S sample set: www.flickr.com/photos/25805910@N05/sets/72157632954030903...

 

JPEG SOOC Provia, NR -2, Shadow Tone +1.

Is the X100S Lens Modulation Optimizer (LMO) positively affecting IQ at small apertures?

Copyright PS

Nakhl castle restored, inland Oman.........

 

North and inland to dramatic Nakhl and its restored rock-top fortress above oasis palmery at the base of a mountain fissure. The fort/palace thus emerges/perches above a palm grove against the backdrop of the Hajar cliffs. Earth and rock mass construction; sturdy despite the fort's antiquity. It's now a historic place -- no charge to enter. Pre-Islamic origins. It underwent earlier restoration in the 9th and 16th Cs, as well as recently.

 

Five cylindrical towers adorn the fort which occupies 3,400 sq metres. Its walls follow the shapes of the rising and falling pleats of rock; a series of courtyards at split-levels, with labyrinthine staircases from terrace to terrace. Thick walls result in deep reveals; carved woodwork doors and screens; and modulation of glare and control of heat.

  

Enlarge:

1. Simply click the upper-right diagonal arrows.

2. Further enlarge: Then press F11 on a PC, or Fullscreen. Allow re-focus.

 

More than 60 historic forts have been restored in Oman in recent years.

Many of the older castles and monasteries of Oman date back to before Islam moved in and were built by the Persians for protection.

 

Ex Batinah guide:

"Nakhl is located in the south of the Batinah, at the foot of Jebel al Akhdar in the Western Hajar Mountains. Upon entry to Nakhl, the most prominent feature is the fort, which is built on a 200m high craggy outcrop. The fort has been extended over the centuries and in 1990, was restored by Sultan Qaboos. There are a number of hot springs in Nakhl, one of which is situated close to the fort: Thuara spring is an important source of water to the residents of Nakhl, as it irrigates around 90% of the land."

  

Images link:

www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/nakhl

  

Heritage forts and castles:

www.omanet.om/english/tourism/herit/forts.asp?cat=tour&am...

 

Nakhl and al Rustaq images:

www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/nakhl&page=all

 

.

 

[This is last if in Travels2 set, return to thumbnails or to another album/set. PS

Choose another Set:

peteshep's Sets

PS ]

Messier 3 (also known as M3 or NGC 5272) is a globular cluster of stars in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici. It was discovered by Charles Messier on May 3, 1764,[7] and resolved into stars by William Herschel around 1784. Since then, it has become one of the best-studied globular clusters. Identification of the cluster's unusually large variable star population was begun in 1913 by American astronomer Solon Irving Bailey and new variable members continue to be identified up through 2004.[8]

Many amateur astronomers consider it one of the finest northern globular clusters, following only Messier 13.[1] M3 has an apparent magnitude of 6.2,[4] making it a difficult naked eye target even with dark conditions. With a moderate-sized telescope, the cluster is fully defined. It can be a challenge to locate through the technique of star hopping, but can be found by looking almost exactly halfway along an imaginary line connecting the bright star Arcturus to Cor Caroli. Using a telescope with a 25 cm (9.8 in) aperture, the cluster has a bright core with a diameter of about 6 arcminutes and spans a total of 12 arcminutes.[1]

This cluster is one of the largest and brightest, and is made up of around 500,000 stars. It is estimated to be 8 billion years old. It is located at a distance of about 33,900 light-years away from Earth.

Messier 3 is located 31.6 kly (9.7 kpc) above the Galactic plane and roughly 38.8 kly (11.9 kpc) from the center of the Milky Way. It contains 274 known variable stars; by far the highest number found in any globular cluster. These include 133 RR Lyrae variables, of which about a third display the Blazhko effect of long-period modulation. The overall abundance of elements other than hydrogen and helium, what astronomers term the metallicity, is in the range of –1.34 to –1.50 dex. This value gives the logarithm of the abundance relative to the Sun; the actual proportion is 3.2–4.6% of the solar abundance. Messier 3 is the prototype for the Oosterhoff type I cluster, which is considered "metal-rich". That is, for a globular cluster, Messier 3 has a relatively high abundance of heavier elements.[9]

 

50 subs at 25 seconds using ISO 3200 using full frame (43 used)

Captured in Images Plus V5.0

Processed in Images Plus V5.0

EDGE-11 @ f/10

HyperTuned by Ed Thomas Deep Space Products CGEM mount

FeatherTouch auto back focuser / Micro Touch SCT focuser Starizona.com

Modified by Hap Griffin Canon T1i

Hutech IDAS P2

AutoGuiding: Orion Solitaire stand alone

  

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

Some quick low res phone snaps of my 16mm scale narrow gauge setup guesting at Pendle Forest MRS Show 19th & 20th Nov. (Was too busy with the exhibit to get out the Cybershot & tripod.)

 

This image shows the exhibit's public facing PWM (pulse width modulation) signalling panel. I have replaced the original push button controls with active lever frames. The kids love it when the trains have to obey their signals.

Two busses near the Lincoln Fields bus station in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The patterns in the tail lights are caused by the drive circuitry for the lights: power is regulated by rapidly switching the lights on and off (PWM etc.)

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)

For more than a thousand years, has the Prague Castle been an important symbol of the Czech state. Founded in the 9th century, it became the permanent seat of the Czech rulers and, most recently, also of the Presidents. One of the largest castle complexes in the world consists of palaces, offices, churches and fortification buildings, gardens and picturesque corners. The castle covers an area of ​​45 hectares. The unique view to the Prague Castle is one of the most amazing panorama views in the world.

Prague Castle is the most important folk-cultural and historical monument, and is the symbol of the more than one thousand years of development of the Czech and all-Czech states. It is a monumental symbol of the palace, church, fortification, official and residential buildings which represent very valuable monuments, included in all style epochs. It covers an area of ​​45 hectares, was the seat of the Bohemian princes, kings and emperors, and since the Republic was founded in 1918, it was also the residence of the presidents. Since 1962, the Prague Castle has been known for its archaeological discoveries.

History

The initial phases of the Prague Castle are connected with the first historically documented Přemyslid Bořivoj (Bořivoj I (Czech pronunciation: [ˈbɔr̝ɪvɔj], Latin: Borzivogius, c. 852 – c. 889) was the first historically documented Duke of Bohemia from about 870 and progenitor of the Přemyslid dynasty.] The Duchy of Bohemia was at those times subordinated to Great Moravia.). This one transferred in the 80s of the 9th century his original seat from Levý Hradec to the place where on the raised spot above the river Vltava/Moldau already existed a Slavic castle and was very well situated.

The first princely palace apparently only consisted of wood. The first stone building and the oldest Christian sanctuary was the Virgin Mary Church. Its remains have been found between the Second Courtyard and the Bastion garden (original name of the garden: Na Baště). This Bořivoj church was soon reconstructed by the prince Spytihněv I, who was buried here in 915. The second church in the castle was the St. George Basilica founded by Prince Vratislaus I. The next Přemyslide, Prince Wenceslas (Saint), the third sanctuary - the St Veit Rotunda - in the twenties of the 10th century nearby had built which in the 11th century by Prince Spytihnev II was transformed into a huge basilica.

In 973, when the bishopric was established in Prague, the castle was not only the seat of the head of state, but also the seat of the Prague bishop, the highest representative of the church. At the same time arose the first monastery in Bohemia at St. George's basilica.

In the 10th century the castle occupied an area of ​​about 6 ha. In the Romanesque epoch the former fortress, especially after the year 1135 thanks to Soběslaus I, as the stony princely palace and the new masonry fortified with some towers were erected, was turned into a fortified medieval castle. Of the towers is the eastern blacktower best preserved.

Very significantly the Gothic period in the appearance of Prague Castle intervened, most of all Charles IV (1346 - 1378), who, with his father, John of Luxemburg (1310 - 1346), obtained from the pope the promotion of the Prague bishopric to the archbishopric and laid the foundations for the construction of St. Vitus Cathedral. Under Charles IV, the castle for the first time was turned into the imperial residence. Charles IV the defense of the Prague Castle had consolidated, the Royal Palace with the Chapel of All Saints he rebuilt generously. The roofs he had covered with gilded plates, which were the foundation for the binding of words "Golden Prague". Since 1382, Bohemian rulers ceased to occupy the Prague Castle for more than 100 years. The royal court was moved to the place of today's Community hall and back to the Prague castle it came only in 1483 under Wladislaus from the Jagiellonian dynasty.

Although the ruler already in 1490 moved to Ofen (Buda), he had the Prague castle renovated in the late Gothic style under the supervision of Benedikt Ried. He was the master builder of the magnificent Vladislav Hall, the largest secular vaulted room of the then Europe, with which the first Renaissance signs came to Prague. He carried out major construction works, including the construction of a new masonry, the defensive towers and the expansion of the Royal Palace. At his time, the Gothic died away and a new architectural style, the Renaissance, gradually prevailed.

The direct influence of the Italian art on the new style was most frequently observed in Prague under the reign of Ferdinand I (von Habsburg) and after his departure from Prague under the influence of the governor Ferdinand of Tyrol. At that time, the medieval castle was converted into a comfortable Renaissance castle with gardens. The typical Italian architecture of the Royal Pleasure palace arose in the northern King's garden.

For a large building activity in 1541 contributed a fire devastating the castle objects as well as the surrounding area quite a lot. Within the framework of the restoration, both the housing estates and the church buildings were rebuilt. Under the reign of the first Habsburgs, nobility palaces were added to the castle grounds (for example, the Pernstein Palace - later Lobkowicz Palace, Rosenberg Palace and others). Horse stable buildings were built in the north-west.

Under the reign of the Emperor Rudolph II (1576 - 1611), the Renaissance and Mannerism transformation of the castle, which for the second time became the center of the empire, and especially the center of European culture and science, reached its peak. On the second courtyard, new rooms were built for the collections of Rudolph - the new (now Spanish) hall and the Rudolph gallery. Also arose the connection tract between the northwestern and the southwestern part of the castle. Just here the famous Kunstkammer (Art chamber) and other rooms for Rudolph's collective activities were located. Additionally further horse stable properties were built for his rare Spanish horses. During the Rudolph times also the foundation stone of the famous Golden Alley was laid. Laboratories of the Rudolph-Alchymists were supposed to have been in the Powder tower above the Hirschgraben (Deer's ditch). The castle suffered again considerable damages when it was occupied by the Saxon army in 1631 and by the Swedes in 1648 not only was occupied but also plundered. After the Thirty Years' War, the Habsburgs did not care too much about the Prague royal seat.

Only Maria Theresia carried out an extensive reconstruction of the Prague Castle from 1755 - 1775 into a representative castle complex. The reason for the massive construction action were war damages, caused by the intense bombing of the castle during war conflicts at the beginning of her reign. The reconstruction was designed by the Viennese architect Nicolo Pacassi, who also planned the first courtyard with the monumental entrance gate. From the time of the Theresian reconstruction stems also the chapel of the Holy Cross on the 2nd castle forecourt and other buildings, especially the noblewomen institute. The south wing he imprinted the uniform monumental late Baroque facade of a representative seat. His plans influenced by Viennese Rococo and French Classicism the builders Anselmo Lurago, Anton Kunz and Anton Haffenecker brought into life.

In the 19th century, the castle fell into ruin, in several objects after the Josephine reforms the army settled. In connection with the stay of Ferdinand I the Good in the castle after his abdication in 1848 and further in connection with the preparation for the coronation of Franz Joseph I in the sixties it came to building modifications of several objects. After 1859, when the community for the completion of St Veit cathedral emerged, began first the repair, and then, under the influence of the architect Joseph Mocker, the work on the actual completion of St Veit's cathedral was started, completed in 1929.

In the years 1920 - 35, carried out extensive regulations of the Prague Castle as the seat of the Czechoslovak President the great Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik, who masterfully combined the valuable historical space with modern civilization claims. His modifications mainly concerned the 1st and 3rd court, the southern gardens of the castle, the fourth forecourt with the Bastion garden as well as numerous interiors. He created e.g. the pillared hall, private rooms of the presidential residence, including the Masaryk workroom. His pupil, Otto Rothmayer, brought to an end the incomplete solutions of some castle interior spaces after the Second World War in comparable quality.

In 1936, Pavel Janák and after him, in 1959, Jaroslav Fragner became castle architect.

After the year of change of 1989, the Prague Castle was opened to the public in many places. During the term of President Havel, at the castle it came to modulations of the interiors and to the expansion of two new entrances into the second courtyard after the project of the creator and designer Bořek Šípek. The puncture through the rampart of the Powder bridge in Hirschgraben was rewarded with a significant prize (Arch. Josef Pleskot). Also interesting is the modern greenhouse of the world-famous architect Eva Jiřičná. The Georgian Square (Jiřské náměstí) was re-paved and modulated. The Mosaic of the Last Judgment was renovated in collaboration with the specialists from the Getti Institute. In 1990, the Prague Castle was solemnly illuminated and this situation lasts from dusk to midnight until today. In the main tourist season, the lighting time even lasts an hour longer until 1 o'clock. The tradition of electric lighting, but on a much smaller scale, began in 1928, when the lamps were installed for the 10th anniversary of the elevation to a Republic. A little bit the present daylight resembles of those from the end of the sixties, but today it is much more detailed and in communist times it was only switched on at solemn occasions. At that time, illuminative days were state holidays or significant day of republic, which, however, did not lack recognition from the communist point of view.

In recent years the reconstruction and renovation work has been developed in many buildings of the castle and a considerable attention has been devoted to the archaeological investigation, which has been going on since 1925 and has brought many insights into the history of the castle. The investigation as well as the renovation of the individual rooms and objects is motivated by the idea of ​​invigorating them as much as possible by making them accessible to the public.

 

Prager Burg (Pražský hrad)

Die Prager Burg ist seit über tausend Jahren ein bedeutendes Symbol des tschechischen Staates. Gegründet im 9. Jahrhundert wurde sie zum ständigen Sitz der tschechischen Herrscher und zuletzt auch der Präsidenten. Einer der größten Burgkomplexe weltweit setzt sich aus Palästen, Amts-, Kirchen- und Fortifikationsgebäuden, aus Gärten und malerischen Ecken zusammen. Die Burg erstreckt sich auf einer Fläche von 45 Hektar. Der alleinige Blick auf die Prager Burg stellt einen der überwältigendsten Panoramablicke der Welt dar.

Die Prager Burg ist das bedeutendste Volkskultur- und Historiedenkmal, sie ist das Symbol der mehr als eintausendjährigen Entwicklung des böhmischen sowie gesamttschechischen Staats. Es ist ein monumentales Symbol der Palast-, Kirchen-, Fortifikations-, Amts- und Wohngebäude, die sehr wertvolle Denkmäler darstellen, einbezogen auf alle Stilepochen. Sie erstreckt sich auf einer Fläche von 45 ha, war der Sitz der böhmischen Fürsten, Könige und Kaiser und seit der Republikentstehung im Jahre 1918 war sie auch die Residenz der Präsidenten. Seit 1962 steht die Prager Burg mit ihren archäologischen Funden als bekanntester.

Geschichte

Die Anfangszeiten der Prager Burg sind mit dem ersten historisch belegten Přemysliden Bořivoj verbunden. Dieser übertrug in den 80er Jahren des 9. Jahrhunderts seinen ursprünglichen Sitz von Levý Hradec an den Ort, wo auf der erhabenen Stelle über der Moldau eine slawische Burgstätte bereits bestand und sehr gut gelegen war.

Der erste Fürstenpalast bestand offenbar aus Holz. Der erste Steinbau und das älteste christliche Heiligtum war die Jungfrau Maria Kirche. Ihre Reste wurden zwischen dem II. Vorhof und dem Basteigarten (Originalname des Gartens: Na Baště) gefunden. Diese Bořivoj-Kirche wurde durch den hier im Jahre 915 beigesetzten Fürsten Spytihněv I. bald umgebaut. Die zweite Kirche im Burgraum war die vom Fürsten Vratislaus I. gegründete St. Georg Basilika. Der nächste Přemyslide, der Fürst Wenzel (der Heilige), ließ in der Nähe in den 20er Jahren des 10. Jahrhunderts das dritte Heiligtum - die St. Veit Rotunde - bauen, die im 11. Jahrhundert vom Fürsten Spytihněv II. zu einer gewaltigen Basilika umgebaut wurde.

Im Jahre 973, als in Prag das Bistum gegründet wurde, war die Burg nicht nur der Sitz des Staatsoberhaupts, sondern auch der Sitz des Prager Bischofs, des höchsten Repräsentanten der Kirche. Zu demselben Zeitpunkt entstand an der St. Georg Basilika das erste Kloster in Böhmen.

Im 10. Jahrhundert nahm die Burg eine Fläche von ca. 6 ha in Anspruch. In der romanischen Epoche wurde die einstige Burgstätte, insbesondere nach dem Jahr 1135 dank Soběslaus I., als der steinige Fürstenpalast und das neue mit einigen Türmen verstärkte Mauerwerk aufgebaut wurden, zu einer festen mittelalterlichen Burg umgebaut. Von den Türmen ist der östliche Schwarzturm am besten erhalten.

Sehr bedeutend griff ins Aussehen der Prager Burg die Gotikzeit ein, insbesondere Karl IV. (1346 - 1378), der mit seinem Vater Johann von Luxemburg (1310 - 1346) vom Papst die Beförderung des Prager Bistums zum Erzbistum erwirkte und den Grundstein für den Bau der St. Veit Kathedrale legte. Unter Karl IV. wurde die Burg zum ersten Mal zur Kaiserlichen Residenz. Karl IV. ließ die Verschanzung der Prager Burg festigen, den Königspalast mit der Kapelle Aller Heiligen baute er großzügig um. Die Dächer ließ er mit vergoldeten Blechen decken, die das Fundament für die Wörterbindung „Goldenes Prag“ darstellten. Seit 1382 hörten böhmische Herrscher auf, die Prager Burg für mehr als 100 Jahre zu bewohnen. Der Königshof wurde an den Ort des heutigen Gemeindehauses umgezogen und zurück auf die Prager Burg kehrte er erst im Jahre 1483 unter Wladislaus aus der Jagiellonen-Dynastie.

Obwohl der Herrscher bereits 1490 nach Ofen (Buda) umsiedelte, ließ er die Prager Burg im spätgotischen Stil unter der Bauleitung von Benedikt Ried umbauen. Er war der Baumeister des großartigen Wladislaus-Saals, des größten weltlichen gewölbten Raums des damaligen Europas, mit dem die ersten Renaissancezeichen nach Prag kamen. Er führte großartige Bauregelungen einschließlich des Ausbaus eines neuen Mauerwerks, der Wehrtürme und der Erweiterung des Königspalastes durch. Zu seiner Zeit klang die Gotik aus und es setzte sich allmählich ein neuer Baustil durch, die Renaissance.

Der direkte Einfluss der italienischen Kunst des neuen Stils wurde in Prag unter der Regierung von Ferdinand I. (von Habsburg) und nach seinem Weggang von Prag unter der Wirkung des Statthalters Ferdinand von Tirol am meisten beobachtet. Damals wurde die mittelalterliche Burg in ein bequemes Renaissanceschloss mit Gärten umgewandelt. Im nördlichen Königsgarten entstand die typisch italienische Architektur des Königlichen Lustschlosses.

Zu einer großen Bauaktivität trug im Jahre 1541 ein Brand bei, der die Burgobjekte sowie die Umgebung ziemlich viel kaputt machte. Im Rahmen der Wiederherstellung wurden sowohl die Wohnräume als auch die Kirchenobjekte umgebaut. Unter der Regierung der ersten Habsburger kamen ins Burggelände auch Adelspaläste dazu (zum Beispiel der Pernstein-Palast - später Lobkowicz-Palast, Rosenberg-Palast und weitere). Im Nordwesten wurden Pferdestallgebäude erbaut.

Unter der Regierung des Kaisers Rudolph II. (1576 - 1611) erreichte der Renaissance- und Manierismusumbau der Burg, die zum zweiten Mal zum Zentrum des Reiches und insbesondere zum Zentrum der europäischen Kultur und Wissenschaft wurde, seinen Gipfel. Auf dem II. Vorhof wurden neue Räume für die Sammlungen Rudolphs erbaut - der Neue (heute Spanische) Saal und die Rudolph-Galerie. Es entstand auch der Verbindungstrakt zwischen dem Nordwest- und dem Südwestteil der Burg. Eben hier befanden sich die berühmte Kunstkammer und weitere Räume für die Sammeltätigkeit Rudolphs. Es wurden auch weitere Pferdestallobjekte für seine seltenen spanischen Pferde aufgebaut. Während der Rudolph-Zeiten wurde auch der Grundstein der berühmten Goldenen Gasse gelegt. Laboratorien der Rudolph-Alchymisten sollen im Pulverturm über dem Hirschgraben gewesen sein. Die Burg erlitt erneut erhebliche Schäden, als sie 1631 vom sächsischen Heer und 1648 von den Schweden besetzt und ausgeplündert wurde. Nach dem Dreißigjährigen Krieg kümmerten sich die Habsburger um den Prager königlichen Sitz nicht allzu sehr.

Erst Maria Theresia führte in den Jahren 1755 - 1775 einen umfangreichen Umbau der Prager Burg zu einem repräsentativen Schlosskomplex durch. Der Grund für die massive Bauaktion waren Kriegsschäden, verursacht durch die intensive Bombardierung der Burg bei Kriegskonflikten zu Beginn ihrer Regierung. Den Umbau entwarf der Wiener Architekt Nicolo Pacassi, der auch den I. Vorhof mit dem monumentalen Eingangstor projektierte. Aus der Zeit des theresianischen Umbaus stammt auch die Kapelle des Heiligen Kreuzes auf dem II. Burgvorhof und weitere Gebäude, insbesondere die Edeldamenanstalt. Dem Südflügel prägte er die einheitliche monumentale Spätbarockfassade eines Repräsentationssitzes ein. Seine durch das Wiener Rokoko und den französischen Klassizismus beeinflussten Pläne brachten die Baumeister Anselmo Lurago, Anton Kunz und Anton Haffenecker zustande.

Im 19. Jahrhundert verfiel die Burg, in mehreren Objekten ließ sich nach den josephinischen Reformen das Heer nieder. Zu Bauregelungen einiger Objekte kam es im Zusammenhang mit dem Aufenthalt von Ferdinand I. dem Guten auf der Burg nach seiner Abdikation im Jahre 1848 und weiter im Zusammenhang mit der Vorbereitung auf die vorgesehene Krönung von Franz Joseph I. in den 60er Jahren. Nach 1859, als die Gemeinde für die Fertigstellung der St. Veit Kathedrale entstand, begann zuerst die Reparatur und anschließend unter der Wirkung des Architekten Joseph Mocker wurde die Arbeit an der eigentlichen Fertigstellung der St. Veit Kathedrale aufgenommen, abgeschlossen im Jahre 1929.

In den Jahren 1920 - 35 führte ausgedehnte Regelungen der Prager Burg als des Sitzes des tschechoslowakischen Präsidenten der bedeutende slowenische Architekt Josip Plečnik durch, der den wertvollen historischen Raum mit modernen Zivilisationsansprüchen meisterlich zusammenfügte. Seine Regelungen betrafen vor allem den 1. und 3. Vorhof, die Südgärten der Burg, den 4. Vorhof mit dem Basteigarten sowie zahlreiche Innenräume. Er schuf z.B. die Säulenhalle, Privaträume der Präsidentenwohnung einschließlich des Arbeitszimmers Masaryks. Sein Schüler Otto Rothmayer brachte die unvollendeten Lösungen einiger Burginnenräume nach dem 2. Weltkrieg in vergleichbarer Qualität zu Ende.

Im Jahre 1936 ist Pavel Janák und nach ihm seit 1959 Jaroslav Fragner Burgarchitekt geworden.

Nach dem Wendejahr 1989 wurde die Prager Burg an vielen Stellen für die Öffentlichkeit geöffnet. Während der Amtszeit des Präsidenten Havel kam es auf der Burg zu Regelungen der Innenräume und zum Ausbau zweier neuer Eingänge in den 2. Vorhof nach dem Projekt des Bildners und Designers Bořek Šípek. Mit einem bedeutenden Preis wurde der Durchstich durch den Wall der Pulverbrücke im Hirschgraben belohnt (Arch. Josef Pleskot). Interessant ist auch das moderne Gewächshaus der weltberühmten Architektin Eva Jiřičná. Der Georg-Platz (Jiřské náměstí) wurde neu bepflastert und geregelt. In Zusammenarbeit mit den Fachleuten aus dem Getti-Institut wurde die Mosaik „des Letzten Gerichts“ renoviert. Im Jahre 1990 wurde die Prager Burg feierlich beleuchtet und dieser Zustand dauert von der Dämmerung bis zur Mitternacht bis heute. In der touristischen Hauptsaison dauert die Beleuchtungszeit sogar eine Stunde länger, bis 1 Uhr. Die Tradition der elektrischen Beleuchtung, jedoch im viel kleineren Umfang, begann im Jahre 1928, als die Lampen zum 10. Jubiläum der Republikentstehung installiert wurden. Ein wenig ähnelte die heutige feierliche Beleuchtung jener aus dem Ende der 60er Jahren, heute ist sie allerdings viel detaillierter und in den Kommunistenzeiten wurde sie nur bei feierlichen Gelegenheiten angemacht. Beleuchtungswürdige Tage waren damals Staatsfeiertage oder bedeutende Republiktage, denen allerdings aus der kommunistischen Sicht die Anerkennung nicht fehlte.

In den letzten Jahren entwickelte sich die Umbau- bzw. Renovierungstätigkeit in vielen Objekten der Burg und eine erhebliche Aufmerksamkeit wurde der archäologischen Untersuchung gewidmet, die bereits seit 1925 läuft und viele Erkenntnisse über die Burggeschichte brachte. Die Untersuchung sowie die Renovierung der einzelnen Räume und Objekte ist von der Idee motiviert, sie dadurch, dass sie der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich gemacht werden, möglichst viel zu beleben.

www.prague.eu/de/objekt/orte/31/prager-burg-prazsky-hrad

 

 

The technique is fast forward. Vacuum tubes (still going), Frequency Modulation, Digital Audio, 2 channel hi-fidelety and 5-channel surround ... I refuse to forget the 70's and 80's, good turntables and amplifiers. For this reason I have taken good care of several of them.

 

Per A. Høyer/coltrain2011

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

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Acrylic on canvas; 160 x 134.6 cm.

 

Julian Stanczak is an American painter and printmaker. The artist lives and works in Seven Hills, Ohio with his wife, the sculptor, Barbara Stanczak. He was born in eastern Poland in 1928. At the beginning of World War II, Stanczak was forced into a Siberian labor camp, where he permanently lost the use of his right arm. He had been right-handed. In 1942, aged thirteen, Stanczak escaped from Siberia to join the Polish army-in-exile in Persia. After deserting from the army, he spent his teenage years in a hut in a Polish refugee camp in Uganda. In Africa Stanczak learned to write and paint left-handed. He then spend some years in London, before moving to the United States in 1950. He settled in Cleveland, Ohio. Stanczak received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland Ohio in 1954, and then trained under Josef Albers and Conrad Marca-Relli at the Yale University, School of Art and Architecture, New Haven, where he received his Master of Fine Arts in 1956.

 

In 2007, Stanczak was interviewed by Brian Sherwin for Myartspace. During the interview Stanczak recalled his experiences with war and the loss of his right arm and how both influenced his art. Stanczak explained, "The transition from using my left hand as my right, main hand, was very difficult. My youthful experiences with the atrocities of the Second World War are with me,- but I wanted to forget them and live a "normal" life and adapt into society more fully. In the search for Art, you have to separate what is emotional and what is logical. I did not want to be bombarded daily by the past,- I looked for anonymity of actions through non-referential, abstract art.

 

The Op Art movement was named for his first major show, Julian Stanczak: Optical Paintings, held at the Martha Jackson Gallery in New York in 1964. His work was included in the Museum of Modern Art's 1965 exhibition The Responsive Eye. In 1966 he was named a "New Talent" by Art in America magazine. In the early 1960s he began to make the surface plane of the painting vibrate through his use of wavy lines and contrasting colors in works such as Provocative Current (1965). These paintings gave way to more complex compositions constructed with geometric rigidity yet softened with varying degrees of color transparency such as Netted Green (1972). In addition to being an artist, Stanczak was also a teacher, having worked at the Art Academy of Cincinnati from 1957–64 and as Professor of Painting, at the Cleveland Institute of Art, 1964-1995. He was named "Outstanding American Educator" by the Educators of America in 1970.

 

Stanczak uses repeating forms to create compositions that are manifestations of his visual experiences. Stanczak's work is an art of experience, and is based upon structures of color. In the 1980s and 1990s Stanczak retained his geometric structure and created compositions with bright or muted colors, often creating pieces in a series such as Soft Continuum (1981; Johnson and Johnson Co. CT, see McClelland pl. 50). More recently, Stanczak has been creating large-scale series, consisting of square panels on which he examines variations of hue and chroma in illusionistic color modulations, an example of which is Windows to the Past (2000; 50 panels).

 

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

The Travel Agent lets you use road brake levers with mountain bike calipers, by effectively doubling the amount of cable pull. It's far cheaper than going to road calipers, and if I ever go back to flat bars, I can just keep using the same brakes.

 

Brake feel at the levers is basically every bit as good as it was before, with pretty smooth modulation. Same goes for feel at the 'cross levers.

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

The Panzer II hit with Panzer grey and two modulation layers.

Have also started work on the diorama base. As this build will be done crossing a trench during a training exercise before the war.

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Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

Having owned the 2008 Kona Sutra for ten months, and just completed the first chain/cassette replacement, I thought it was about time for a long term review, to give other people an idea of what living with the Sutra has been like. My previous post explains why I chose the Sutra - I came up with what I thought was an impossibly eclectic list of requirements from a bicycle, and the Sutra ticked every single box.

  

Here's some specs, for the statophiles out there: Frame size C54cm Frame tubing Dedacciai COM 12.5 Butted Cromoly Fork Kona P2 700c TB Disc w/Lowrider Headset TH Crankarms FSA Gossamer MegaExo Chainrings 30/39/50 B/B FSA MegaExo Pedals Shimano PD-M520 SPD - Silver Chain Shimano HG53 --> Shimano HG93 XT Freewheel Shimano Deore (11-32, 9 Spd) --> Shimano XT M760 (11-32, 9spd) F/D Shimano Tiagra Triple R/D Shimano XT Shadow Shifters Shimano Bar-Con Handlebar FSA RD30 0S Stem FSA OS-190LX Grips Velo Wrap with Gel Brakes Avid BB7 Road Disc Brake Levers Shimano BLR-600 Front Hub Shimano M525 Disc Rear Hub Shimano M525 Disc Spokes DT Stainless 14g Tires Continental Contact 700 x 32C --> Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700x38c Rims Mavic A 317 Disc Saddle Selle Italia XO SE --> Brooks B17 Seatpost FSA SL-280 Seat Clamp Kona Clamp Rear Rack Tubus Logo Panniers Bikebins Computer Sigma DTS 1606 L Fenders SKS Chromoplastic

  

My primary (i.e. 99% of the time) use of the Sutra has been for commuting. I have covered over 2700 miles (4500km) in the time I have owned it. My commuting route through London is pretty tough on bikes - the roads south of the Thames are awful and full of potholes, through the City there is broken glass all over the place, and further north of the river there are speedbumps everywhere. When I first got the Sutra she was wearing Continental Contact tyres, and they were pretty poor for commuting. They punctured easily and transmitted the bumpiness of the road right up into my forearms. Not much fun. After one puncture too many I replaced the tyres with Schwalbe Marathon Pluses, in their largest diameter, and the difference was marked. The increased volume of air provides a lot more cushioning for the arms, and I have not had a single puncture yet, despite having pulled 6mm long pieces of glass out of the tyre surfaces. The tyres are relatively heavy, but then so is the rest of the bike, and extra weight makes you stronger!

  

The original rear rack was pretty flimsy, and it did not allow the attachment of the Bikebin panniers I bought to try and add some rigidity. I ended up having to angle grind chunks out of the rack to fit the panniers, which can't have improved their structural integrity. After a month of experiencing the odd sensation of the bike wagging its tail whenever I stood up to pedal hard, I bit the bullet and upgraded the rack to a Tubus Logo. It was a tight fit with the rear disc brake, but the difference was immense. Gone was the sensation of a jelly-like bike, to be replaced by a sensation of rigid stability. Whilst the rack was expensive, it made all the difference, and I would highly recommend it.

  

Speaking of the brakes, they have saved my life on more than one occasion, usually when a Taxi decides to perform an emergency stop to pick up a fare. The brakes stop consistently in all conditions, and so far I have not had to replace the pads, althoguh I think it will be time to do it soon. Not bad considering I have travelled almost five thousand kilometres in all weathers in the stop-start conditions of London. I was concerned that the brakes might be too powerful, but the modulation provided by the levers and the flex in the arm of the brake means that whilst the power is there if necessary, you have a lot of control over it. There is some disc drag, but this is owing more to my laziness than the brakes themselves, and seems to have little impact on cruising speeds.

  

Using the bike in all conditions has been excellent. The all-over fenders (something I have never fitted to a bike previously) really keep the rain off and eliminate spray from the road. I had to saw a bit of the front fender off to fit it over the larger tyres, and a little bit off the rear for the same reason, but after the modification they have been flawless.

  

I had heard reports of spokes snapping, and nothing happened to me until recently, when I noticed a detached spoke whilst replacing the rear cassette. I had no idea how long the spoke had been damaged for, and replaced it myself. The rear wheel is slightly askew, but it does not foul on anything, which is good considering the small tolerance between it and the fender. To be fair, I have been jumping off kerbs and sometimes it is impossible to miss a massive hole in the road when you are in busy traffic. An upgrade I am considering is a stronger rear wheel, although it is not pressingly urgent.

  

The ride of the bike is super smooth, and certainly not anything like the road bikes I am used to. I use my other road bike for triathlons, and whilst it is a lot more nimble, it is much less comfortable. The Sutra is comfortable all day long, owing in no small part to the Brooks B17 saddle, which took about two thousand miles to properly break in! It was worth it though - sitting on the bike is like sitting in an armchair (albeit a very odd armchair, but an armchair nonetheless). I tend to cruise at about 20mph on her, and my 10.5 mile commute to work takes about 37 minutes. I have started seeking out hills in preparation for some touring of Wales, and the sutra certainly loves to climb. The aggressive, mountain-bike-like frame geometry no doubt assists in this, and is confidence inspiring when climbing and descending. The bar-con shifters were a novelty for me, but they make a lot of sense, especially if replacement shifters were needed on a tour. There are even bosses on the downtube to fit truly old-school shifters in an emergency.

  

The weight of the bike was a shock initially - weighing in at 15kgs without the accessories, she weighs significantly more than my Specialized Hardrock mountain bike, which is saying something! Over time I have become accustomed to the weight, and now it feels normal. The main advantage of this is that when I ride anything else, it feels super light and goes very rapidly. This makes this bike an ideal training steed.

  

In conclusion, I have found a lot to love about the Kona Sutra - she's tough, strong and surprisingly fast. There were some niggles about fitting add-ons, but they were all easy to overcome, and the result has been a reliable bike that I think will keep delivering for years.

  

www.charlietyack.com

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

please visit

sakamatra.blogspot.com

for more details

 

Sansui solid state stereophonic amplifier AU 777 A

www.youtube.com/user/sakamatra1

Specifications

Year 1969

Output power

Music power (IHF): 70W±1dB (8ohm)

Effective output: 30W/30W±1dB (8ohm)

THD 0.5% or less

Cross modulation distortion (60Hz:7kHz=4:1) 0.8% or less

Power Band Width (IHF) 20Hz - 50000Hz (0.5% of distortion)

Frequency characteristic 20Hz - 100,000Hz, ±1dB

Channel separation 20dB or more (1000Hz)

A hum and a noise (IHF) 100dB or more (closed circuit)

Input sensitivity/impedance 1V / 300kohm (an Output power, 1kHz)

Dumping factor 15 (8ohms)

Load impedance 4ohm-16ohm

Center channel Output voltage Flat output: 10V (1kHz)

High cut output (fo = 159Hz): 10V (50Hz)

Preamplifier parts

Output voltage Maximum output voltage: 4V

Output-power voltage: 1V

THD 0.1% (Output-power voltage)

Frequency characteristic 20Hz - 70,000Hz, and +0.5 -1.5 dB

A hum and a noise (IHF, maximum output voltage) Phono1, 2:80dB or more (closed circuit)

MIC: 85dB or more (closed circuit)

Tuner: 85dB or more (open circuit)

AUX: 85dB or more (open circuit)

Input sensitivity/impedance

(An Output-power voltage, 1kHz) Phono1:2mV±3dB /, 50kohm

Phono2:2mV±3dB /, 30kohm, 50kohm, 100kohm

MIC: 3.5mV±3dB /, 50kohm

Tuner: 140mV±3dB /, 100kohm

AUX: 140mV±3dB /, 100kohm

Tape Mon(Pin): 140mV±3dB /, 100kohm

Tape Recorder(Din): 140mV±3dB /, 100kohm

Sound-recording output Tape Rec(Pin): 150mV±3dB

Tape Recorder(Din): 30mV±3dB

Control Bass: 20Hz±15dB (3dB step)

Midrange: 1,500Hz±5dB (1dB step)

Treble: 20,000Hz±15dB (3dB step)

Loudness (volume 30dB): 50Hz+8dB, 10,000Hz+2.5dB

Switchpoint A high filter: 20,000Hz-18dB (12 dB/oct)

A low filter: 20Hz-26dB (12 dB/oct)

Muting: -20dB

Synthesis

Stream composition 31Tr, 5Di

Miscellaneous

Supply voltage 220V, 50Hz/60Hz

Dimensions

Width 435x height 155x depth of 334mm

Weight 12.5kg

Option The wood case made from a walnut

 

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

Coming soon, two new modules from Pittsburgh Modular. From Rick at Pittsburgh:

 

"Dual Index: ($139 available in September) An 8hp high quality dual linear VCA with both offset gain and attenuation plus a mix out and room for my big fingers. This module is based on the Generator's Index circuit. Nice warm sound.

 

VCBend: ($139 available in September) A 6hp control voltage modulation module. This module takes the bipolar control voltage input and bends it to the amount of the CV input in relation to the Internal Voltage Reference pot. This module favours esoteric applications over precision. More often than not the output voltage does not resemble the input in any way. The control voltage output of this module is always positive. Both the control voltage input and VC input are attenuverted."

 

LINK to a discussion thread at Muff's: muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41337&postdays=... .

 

New module announcement initially posted on Pittsburgh Modular's Twitter page: twitter.com/pghmodular .

Well do we have news for you… (:-D

 

Resulting from my bro, Maxsimus, latest visit to Singapore this week and the photo shoot we set up during his stay, we decided jointly to look into PP.. issues and take matters seriously... (:D into our own hands “so to speak” and create our very own processing approach that we have named : “Hallucinogeneric”.

  

Based on the saturation of lens “Aperture Mode Locking” AML and the self-amplitude “Time modulation coefficient” or TMC, Our work deals with the saturation of the lens Aperture mode locking mechanism. A quantitative description of TMC and the self-amplitude modulation effect in a laser cavity can be derived. Considering both the nonlinear and geometrical (curvature vector or CV) differences between lenses and camera sensors (full frame or not) we concluded that the “CV” differential relationship between cameras and lenses results in nonlinear light modulation.

 

The loss of the “Light Pulse Conformation Strength” or (LPCS) in a cavity due to “bleaching or excess or lack of light” creates a “Fast Saturation Absorbency” or FSA behavior of any type of camera and lens combination all together. The “Intracavity Aperture Factor” or IAF specific to a given lens type produces the appearance of “FLICKERING” or image instabilities. Our goal was then to elaborate a formidable yet simple approach that allows the prediction of “FLICKERING” or image instabilities, and develop a post processing technique or method that can be as useful for short pulse laser cavity design in general than it is compared to a mouse pad - mouse relationship.

 

The obtained “Self-Amplitude Coefficient” or SAC is included within the TMC to which LPCS and FSA are added to give a ray-pulse matrix formalism, and a simple model for the temporal pulse parameters regarding only the self amplitude “Time Modulation Coefficient” or TMC can then be solve via a simple quadratic differential integration (Patent pending).

 

This new “Hallucinogeneric” model sets a limit for the maximum pulse light energy of a stable solution for a given nonlinear modulation and “Camera Lens Combination” or CLC.

 

Our “Hallucinogeneric” post processing technique we are certain will soon become the newest and most revolutionary PP faved method yet we are certain. We simply baptized “ this new processing technique Lens Setting Dynamics” or “L.S.D.” (:D allows us not only to take night shots in broad daylight, but also gives us a stunning doubled and colored vision extremely useful for reflective photography. Combined with “ Hallucinogeneric” TM you are bound to see all sorts of colors in all sorts of way.

 

The above is the first of a series relating to this amazing Field and post-processing breakthrough.

 

To know more, thank you for sending your questions and donations to Maxsie & I at Wetakecash@ourbankaccount.com or wtc@ourbankaccount.com

 

D. Maxsie – D. Phil

 

P.S.: "caution applies as D. may stand for delusional." A. Einstein

 

Best seen in Large. Thanks.

A DIY audio electronics development platform. Very easy to plug things in and out of the breadboards and Arduino. Seed Studio oscilloscope has proven to be a worthy tool. Now cooking: an arduino synthesizer, based on some simple bitwise modulation. Audio and video demos coming up, soon maybe...

Free download under CC Attribution (CC BY 2.0). Please credit the artist and rawpixel.com

 

Hu Zhengyan (c. 1584-1674) was a Chinese traditional painter, calligrapher, seal carver and publisher during the transition of the Ming and Qing dynasties. He produced China’s first printed publication in color, and was famous for his incredible techniques achieving gradation and modulation of shades in woodblock prints.

 

Higher resolutions with no attribution required can be downloaded: rawpixel

 

LTE is a standard for wireless data communications technology and an evolution of the GSM/UMTS standards. The goal of LTE was to increase the capacity and speed of wireless data networks using new DSP (digital signal processing) techniques and modulations that were developed around the turn of the millennium. LTE stands for Long-Term Evolution, and is marketed by AT&T as as 4G LTE. LTE is a standard for wireless communication of high-speed data for mobile phones and data terminals, and is based on the GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA network technologies, which increases the capacity and speed using a different radio interface together with core network improvements.

 

AT&T adds six LTE markets, unveils plan for 77 more

April 10, 2013 7:11 AM PDT

by Roger Cheng

 

Six more AT&T markets have access to its 4G LTE network, bringing its total to 182, the carrier said today.

 

Meanwhile, seven existing AT&T markets have snagged expanded LTE coverage. The company also unveiled plans to bring the super-fast wireless connection to 77 additional markets by the end of summer.

 

AT&T is racing to catch up to market leader Verizon Wireless, which offers LTE in nearly 500 markets and plans to wrap up its deployment by the middle of the year. With the increasing consumer awareness over 4G LTE and the need for a faster wireless connection, having the breadth of coverage has become a critical selling point for the carriers.

 

AT&T, meanwhile, argues it has the highest 4G LTE speeds and also touts its HSPA+ network, which it also calls 4G, as part of its broader high-speed coverage.

 

AT&T is still ahead both of Sprint Nextel, which has lagged in its LTE roll out, particularly in the big cities, and of T-Mobile, which has just begun to roll out its next-generation network.

 

Here are the new markets:

Jackson, TN.,

Kalamazoo, Mo., Napa, Calif.,

Orangeburg, SC, Rocky Mount-Wilson, NC,

and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, Calif.

 

And here are the planned markets:

 

Florence / Muscle Shoals, AL.,

Huntsville, AL.,

Monroeville / Evergreen, AL.,

Troy / Greenville, AL.,

Tuscaloosa, AL.,

 

Flagstaff, Ariz., Chico, Calif., Merced, Calif., Visalia, Calif., Dover, Del., Lake City, Fla., Ocala, Fla., Hancock, Ga., Jefferson / Commerce (Jackson County), Ga., Valdosta, Ga., Davenport, Iowa, Champaign, Ill., Rockford, Ill., Columbus, Ind., Fort Wayne, Ind., Manhattan, Kan., Topeka, Kan.,

 

Elizabethtown, KY.,

New Iberia, LA., Shreveport, LA.,

 

Cape Cod, Mass., Leonardtown, Md., Flint, Mich., Lansing, Mich., Muskegon, Mich., Saginaw, Mich, Duluth, Minn., Cape Girardeau, Mo., Columbia, Mo.,

 

Biloxi/Gulfport, MS., Corinth / New Albany, MS., Greenwood / Cleveland, MS., Meridian / Philadelphia, MS.,

 

Asheville, N.C., Goldsboro, N.C., Kinston, N.C.,

 

Portsmouth, N.H., Atlantic City, N.J. Millville, N.J., Southern NJ Shore Points, N.J., Farmington, N.M., Gallup, N.M., Batavia, N.Y., Cortland, N.Y., Seneca Falls, N.Y., Dayton, Ohio, Wooster, Ohio, Youngstown, Ohio, Salem, Ore., Williamsport, Penn.,

 

Anderson, SC.,

 

Chattanooga, TN., Cookeville, TN.,

 

Athens, TX, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX, Corsicana, Texas, Huntsville, TX, Laredo, TX, Lufkin-Nacogdoches, TX, McAllen, TX, Paris, TX, Sherman-Denison, TX, Texarkana, TX, Victoria, TX,

 

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands,

 

Petersburg, VA., Roanoke, VA., Spokane, Wash., Huntington, WV, Morgantown, WV,

 

Laramie, Wyo.

Having owned the 2008 Kona Sutra for ten months, and just completed the first chain/cassette replacement, I thought it was about time for a long term review, to give other people an idea of what living with the Sutra has been like. My previous post explains why I chose the Sutra - I came up with what I thought was an impossibly eclectic list of requirements from a bicycle, and the Sutra ticked every single box.

  

Here's some specs, for the statophiles out there: Frame size C54cm Frame tubing Dedacciai COM 12.5 Butted Cromoly Fork Kona P2 700c TB Disc w/Lowrider Headset TH Crankarms FSA Gossamer MegaExo Chainrings 30/39/50 B/B FSA MegaExo Pedals Shimano PD-M520 SPD - Silver Chain Shimano HG53 --> Shimano HG93 XT Freewheel Shimano Deore (11-32, 9 Spd) --> Shimano XT M760 (11-32, 9spd) F/D Shimano Tiagra Triple R/D Shimano XT Shadow Shifters Shimano Bar-Con Handlebar FSA RD30 0S Stem FSA OS-190LX Grips Velo Wrap with Gel Brakes Avid BB7 Road Disc Brake Levers Shimano BLR-600 Front Hub Shimano M525 Disc Rear Hub Shimano M525 Disc Spokes DT Stainless 14g Tires Continental Contact 700 x 32C --> Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700x38c Rims Mavic A 317 Disc Saddle Selle Italia XO SE --> Brooks B17 Seatpost FSA SL-280 Seat Clamp Kona Clamp Rear Rack Tubus Logo Panniers Bikebins Computer Sigma DTS 1606 L Fenders SKS Chromoplastic

  

My primary (i.e. 99% of the time) use of the Sutra has been for commuting. I have covered over 2700 miles (4500km) in the time I have owned it. My commuting route through London is pretty tough on bikes - the roads south of the Thames are awful and full of potholes, through the City there is broken glass all over the place, and further north of the river there are speedbumps everywhere. When I first got the Sutra she was wearing Continental Contact tyres, and they were pretty poor for commuting. They punctured easily and transmitted the bumpiness of the road right up into my forearms. Not much fun. After one puncture too many I replaced the tyres with Schwalbe Marathon Pluses, in their largest diameter, and the difference was marked. The increased volume of air provides a lot more cushioning for the arms, and I have not had a single puncture yet, despite having pulled 6mm long pieces of glass out of the tyre surfaces. The tyres are relatively heavy, but then so is the rest of the bike, and extra weight makes you stronger!

  

The original rear rack was pretty flimsy, and it did not allow the attachment of the Bikebin panniers I bought to try and add some rigidity. I ended up having to angle grind chunks out of the rack to fit the panniers, which can't have improved their structural integrity. After a month of experiencing the odd sensation of the bike wagging its tail whenever I stood up to pedal hard, I bit the bullet and upgraded the rack to a Tubus Logo. It was a tight fit with the rear disc brake, but the difference was immense. Gone was the sensation of a jelly-like bike, to be replaced by a sensation of rigid stability. Whilst the rack was expensive, it made all the difference, and I would highly recommend it.

  

Speaking of the brakes, they have saved my life on more than one occasion, usually when a Taxi decides to perform an emergency stop to pick up a fare. The brakes stop consistently in all conditions, and so far I have not had to replace the pads, althoguh I think it will be time to do it soon. Not bad considering I have travelled almost five thousand kilometres in all weathers in the stop-start conditions of London. I was concerned that the brakes might be too powerful, but the modulation provided by the levers and the flex in the arm of the brake means that whilst the power is there if necessary, you have a lot of control over it. There is some disc drag, but this is owing more to my laziness than the brakes themselves, and seems to have little impact on cruising speeds.

  

Using the bike in all conditions has been excellent. The all-over fenders (something I have never fitted to a bike previously) really keep the rain off and eliminate spray from the road. I had to saw a bit of the front fender off to fit it over the larger tyres, and a little bit off the rear for the same reason, but after the modification they have been flawless.

  

I had heard reports of spokes snapping, and nothing happened to me until recently, when I noticed a detached spoke whilst replacing the rear cassette. I had no idea how long the spoke had been damaged for, and replaced it myself. The rear wheel is slightly askew, but it does not foul on anything, which is good considering the small tolerance between it and the fender. To be fair, I have been jumping off kerbs and sometimes it is impossible to miss a massive hole in the road when you are in busy traffic. An upgrade I am considering is a stronger rear wheel, although it is not pressingly urgent.

  

The ride of the bike is super smooth, and certainly not anything like the road bikes I am used to. I use my other road bike for triathlons, and whilst it is a lot more nimble, it is much less comfortable. The Sutra is comfortable all day long, owing in no small part to the Brooks B17 saddle, which took about two thousand miles to properly break in! It was worth it though - sitting on the bike is like sitting in an armchair (albeit a very odd armchair, but an armchair nonetheless). I tend to cruise at about 20mph on her, and my 10.5 mile commute to work takes about 37 minutes. I have started seeking out hills in preparation for some touring of Wales, and the sutra certainly loves to climb. The aggressive, mountain-bike-like frame geometry no doubt assists in this, and is confidence inspiring when climbing and descending. The bar-con shifters were a novelty for me, but they make a lot of sense, especially if replacement shifters were needed on a tour. There are even bosses on the downtube to fit truly old-school shifters in an emergency.

  

The weight of the bike was a shock initially - weighing in at 15kgs without the accessories, she weighs significantly more than my Specialized Hardrock mountain bike, which is saying something! Over time I have become accustomed to the weight, and now it feels normal. The main advantage of this is that when I ride anything else, it feels super light and goes very rapidly. This makes this bike an ideal training steed.

  

In conclusion, I have found a lot to love about the Kona Sutra - she's tough, strong and surprisingly fast. There were some niggles about fitting add-ons, but they were all easy to overcome, and the result has been a reliable bike that I think will keep delivering for years.

  

www.charlietyack.com

Armor Modeling Volume 3 by Kevin Townsend features the 1/48 M4 Sherman from Tamiya.

November Pageant Training Course for Ponds Femina Miss India 2013, Ponds Femina Miss India Goa 2013, Ponds Femina Miss India Kolkata 2013, Femina Miss India Bangalore 2013, Femina Miss India Indore 2013, Ponds Femina Miss India Delhi 2013, Ponds Femina Miss India Chandigarh 2013, Ponds Femina Miss India Pune 2014, I am She 2013, Gladrags Megamodel 2012/2013 and Gladrags Mrs. India 2012/2013

Urvashi Rautela groomed and coached by The Tiara wins I am She Miss India Universe 2012 and ' I am Photogenic". Dipna Patel trained by The Tiara wins 3rd Runners up at IAM SHE Miss Universe India and the subtitle I am Fit. Gunjan Tyagi wins 2nd Runner Up at Gladrags South Mrs. India 2012. She will go on to participate in the Mrs. India All India in Mumbai later this year.

17 Winners in 14 Years! A Winner Every Year at The Tiara Pageant Training Studio

1. Winner of Young Turk 1998 Sandip Soparrkar , Ace Choreographer, Ballroom dance teacher,

2. Femina Miss India Earth 2002 Gauhar Khan,

3. Femina Miss India Universe 2005 Amrita Thapar

4. Femina Miss India World 2009 Pooja Chopra,

5.Gladrags Megamodel 2009 and Femina Miss India East 2011 and Bollywood Diva 2011 Ankita Mohapatra

6.Mr. India Earth 2009, Mann Sukhija

7.Miss India Intercontinental 2009 Sonia Jain

8. Femina Miss India International 2010 Neha Hinge

9.Gladrags Megamodel 2010 Arshina Trivedi

10.Femina Miss India South 2011 Shweta Dolli

11.Gladrags Manhunt 2011 First Runner Up Maitraya Kotecha

12.Miss Tourism Queen International of the year 2011 Urvashi Rautela

13.Miss India Worldwide 2011 1st Runner Up Anvita Sudarshan

14.Femina Style Diva 2011 Dipna Patel

15.Femina Miss India Earth 2012 Prachi

16.Mrs. India International 2012, 1st Runners Up Reet Sahu

17.Urvashi Rautela I am She Miss Universe India 2012.

ELIGIBILITY

If you are participating in:

Femina Miss India: Height 5.6” upwards, Age: 18 to 25

I am She: Height 5.6 upwards, Age: 18 to 27

Gladrags Mrs India Height 5.3 upwards, Age: 20 to 50

Gladrags Megamodel: 5.3” Upwards Age: 17 to 27

November 5th to December 10th 2012(Course Fee Rs 25,000)

Monday to Friday

To ensure that you have your seat please pay the booking amount of Rs 5000 which is an advance fee. This fee is non-refundable and non-transferable to another batch in another month. The remaining 20,000 has to be paid on the first day of class, For the hostel please call Mr. Anil Shinde 9822282817 .Meetings are only by appointment.

The Tiara is located only in Pune, we have no branches.

Course Details

• Filling up Forms and Registration Help

• Developing a Pageant Strategy

• Pageant & Ramp Walk

• Personality & Grooming

• Posture & Poise.

• Camera Facing Techniques & Portfolio Assistance ( Professional Portfolio Not Included)

• Public Speaking &Voice Modulation

• Modeling Technique & Body Language

• Making a Positive First Impression

• Wardrobe Analysis & Customized Wardrobe Assistance

• Diet, Nutrition & Fitness Assistance

. Confidence Building

• Mental Preparation

• Question Handling (Preliminary Round, Prejudging, On Stage and One-on-One)

• Personalize your answers so that you sound original

• Connecting with the Judges and Handling the Stage

• Platform Development

Don't be dismayed if you find that we are at Pune. You deserve the help of a Pageant professional; don't let location stand in the way of your dream. Assistance with accommodation provided. Limited seats. Reserve your spot now!

The Tiara,

Tel: +919823156193

ritika.ramtri@gmail.com

thetiara.net/

    

Having owned the 2008 Kona Sutra for ten months, and just completed the first chain/cassette replacement, I thought it was about time for a long term review, to give other people an idea of what living with the Sutra has been like. My previous post explains why I chose the Sutra - I came up with what I thought was an impossibly eclectic list of requirements from a bicycle, and the Sutra ticked every single box.

  

Here's some specs, for the statophiles out there: Frame size C54cm Frame tubing Dedacciai COM 12.5 Butted Cromoly Fork Kona P2 700c TB Disc w/Lowrider Headset TH Crankarms FSA Gossamer MegaExo Chainrings 30/39/50 B/B FSA MegaExo Pedals Shimano PD-M520 SPD - Silver Chain Shimano HG53 --> Shimano HG93 XT Freewheel Shimano Deore (11-32, 9 Spd) --> Shimano XT M760 (11-32, 9spd) F/D Shimano Tiagra Triple R/D Shimano XT Shadow Shifters Shimano Bar-Con Handlebar FSA RD30 0S Stem FSA OS-190LX Grips Velo Wrap with Gel Brakes Avid BB7 Road Disc Brake Levers Shimano BLR-600 Front Hub Shimano M525 Disc Rear Hub Shimano M525 Disc Spokes DT Stainless 14g Tires Continental Contact 700 x 32C --> Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700x38c Rims Mavic A 317 Disc Saddle Selle Italia XO SE --> Brooks B17 Seatpost FSA SL-280 Seat Clamp Kona Clamp Rear Rack Tubus Logo Panniers Bikebins Computer Sigma DTS 1606 L Fenders SKS Chromoplastic

  

My primary (i.e. 99% of the time) use of the Sutra has been for commuting. I have covered over 2700 miles (4500km) in the time I have owned it. My commuting route through London is pretty tough on bikes - the roads south of the Thames are awful and full of potholes, through the City there is broken glass all over the place, and further north of the river there are speedbumps everywhere. When I first got the Sutra she was wearing Continental Contact tyres, and they were pretty poor for commuting. They punctured easily and transmitted the bumpiness of the road right up into my forearms. Not much fun. After one puncture too many I replaced the tyres with Schwalbe Marathon Pluses, in their largest diameter, and the difference was marked. The increased volume of air provides a lot more cushioning for the arms, and I have not had a single puncture yet, despite having pulled 6mm long pieces of glass out of the tyre surfaces. The tyres are relatively heavy, but then so is the rest of the bike, and extra weight makes you stronger!

  

The original rear rack was pretty flimsy, and it did not allow the attachment of the Bikebin panniers I bought to try and add some rigidity. I ended up having to angle grind chunks out of the rack to fit the panniers, which can't have improved their structural integrity. After a month of experiencing the odd sensation of the bike wagging its tail whenever I stood up to pedal hard, I bit the bullet and upgraded the rack to a Tubus Logo. It was a tight fit with the rear disc brake, but the difference was immense. Gone was the sensation of a jelly-like bike, to be replaced by a sensation of rigid stability. Whilst the rack was expensive, it made all the difference, and I would highly recommend it.

  

Speaking of the brakes, they have saved my life on more than one occasion, usually when a Taxi decides to perform an emergency stop to pick up a fare. The brakes stop consistently in all conditions, and so far I have not had to replace the pads, althoguh I think it will be time to do it soon. Not bad considering I have travelled almost five thousand kilometres in all weathers in the stop-start conditions of London. I was concerned that the brakes might be too powerful, but the modulation provided by the levers and the flex in the arm of the brake means that whilst the power is there if necessary, you have a lot of control over it. There is some disc drag, but this is owing more to my laziness than the brakes themselves, and seems to have little impact on cruising speeds.

  

Using the bike in all conditions has been excellent. The all-over fenders (something I have never fitted to a bike previously) really keep the rain off and eliminate spray from the road. I had to saw a bit of the front fender off to fit it over the larger tyres, and a little bit off the rear for the same reason, but after the modification they have been flawless.

  

I had heard reports of spokes snapping, and nothing happened to me until recently, when I noticed a detached spoke whilst replacing the rear cassette. I had no idea how long the spoke had been damaged for, and replaced it myself. The rear wheel is slightly askew, but it does not foul on anything, which is good considering the small tolerance between it and the fender. To be fair, I have been jumping off kerbs and sometimes it is impossible to miss a massive hole in the road when you are in busy traffic. An upgrade I am considering is a stronger rear wheel, although it is not pressingly urgent.

  

The ride of the bike is super smooth, and certainly not anything like the road bikes I am used to. I use my other road bike for triathlons, and whilst it is a lot more nimble, it is much less comfortable. The Sutra is comfortable all day long, owing in no small part to the Brooks B17 saddle, which took about two thousand miles to properly break in! It was worth it though - sitting on the bike is like sitting in an armchair (albeit a very odd armchair, but an armchair nonetheless). I tend to cruise at about 20mph on her, and my 10.5 mile commute to work takes about 37 minutes. I have started seeking out hills in preparation for some touring of Wales, and the sutra certainly loves to climb. The aggressive, mountain-bike-like frame geometry no doubt assists in this, and is confidence inspiring when climbing and descending. The bar-con shifters were a novelty for me, but they make a lot of sense, especially if replacement shifters were needed on a tour. There are even bosses on the downtube to fit truly old-school shifters in an emergency.

  

The weight of the bike was a shock initially - weighing in at 15kgs without the accessories, she weighs significantly more than my Specialized Hardrock mountain bike, which is saying something! Over time I have become accustomed to the weight, and now it feels normal. The main advantage of this is that when I ride anything else, it feels super light and goes very rapidly. This makes this bike an ideal training steed.

  

In conclusion, I have found a lot to love about the Kona Sutra - she's tough, strong and surprisingly fast. There were some niggles about fitting add-ons, but they were all easy to overcome, and the result has been a reliable bike that I think will keep delivering for years.

 

www.charlietyack.com

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)

For more than a thousand years, has the Prague Castle been an important symbol of the Czech state. Founded in the 9th century, it became the permanent seat of the Czech rulers and, most recently, also of the Presidents. One of the largest castle complexes in the world consists of palaces, offices, churches and fortification buildings, gardens and picturesque corners. The castle covers an area of ​​45 hectares. The unique view to the Prague Castle is one of the most amazing panorama views in the world.

Prague Castle is the most important folk-cultural and historical monument, and is the symbol of the more than one thousand years of development of the Czech and all-Czech states. It is a monumental symbol of the palace, church, fortification, official and residential buildings which represent very valuable monuments, included in all style epochs. It covers an area of ​​45 hectares, was the seat of the Bohemian princes, kings and emperors, and since the Republic was founded in 1918, it was also the residence of the presidents. Since 1962, the Prague Castle has been known for its archaeological discoveries.

History

The initial phases of the Prague Castle are connected with the first historically documented Přemyslid Bořivoj (Bořivoj I (Czech pronunciation: [ˈbɔr̝ɪvɔj], Latin: Borzivogius, c. 852 – c. 889) was the first historically documented Duke of Bohemia from about 870 and progenitor of the Přemyslid dynasty.] The Duchy of Bohemia was at those times subordinated to Great Moravia.). This one transferred in the 80s of the 9th century his original seat from Levý Hradec to the place where on the raised spot above the river Vltava/Moldau already existed a Slavic castle and was very well situated.

The first princely palace apparently only consisted of wood. The first stone building and the oldest Christian sanctuary was the Virgin Mary Church. Its remains have been found between the Second Courtyard and the Bastion garden (original name of the garden: Na Baště). This Bořivoj church was soon reconstructed by the prince Spytihněv I, who was buried here in 915. The second church in the castle was the St. George Basilica founded by Prince Vratislaus I. The next Přemyslide, Prince Wenceslas (Saint), the third sanctuary - the St Veit Rotunda - in the twenties of the 10th century nearby had built which in the 11th century by Prince Spytihnev II was transformed into a huge basilica.

In 973, when the bishopric was established in Prague, the castle was not only the seat of the head of state, but also the seat of the Prague bishop, the highest representative of the church. At the same time arose the first monastery in Bohemia at St. George's basilica.

In the 10th century the castle occupied an area of ​​about 6 ha. In the Romanesque epoch the former fortress, especially after the year 1135 thanks to Soběslaus I, as the stony princely palace and the new masonry fortified with some towers were erected, was turned into a fortified medieval castle. Of the towers is the eastern blacktower best preserved.

Very significantly the Gothic period in the appearance of Prague Castle intervened, most of all Charles IV (1346 - 1378), who, with his father, John of Luxemburg (1310 - 1346), obtained from the pope the promotion of the Prague bishopric to the archbishopric and laid the foundations for the construction of St. Vitus Cathedral. Under Charles IV, the castle for the first time was turned into the imperial residence. Charles IV the defense of the Prague Castle had consolidated, the Royal Palace with the Chapel of All Saints he rebuilt generously. The roofs he had covered with gilded plates, which were the foundation for the binding of words "Golden Prague". Since 1382, Bohemian rulers ceased to occupy the Prague Castle for more than 100 years. The royal court was moved to the place of today's Community hall and back to the Prague castle it came only in 1483 under Wladislaus from the Jagiellonian dynasty.

Although the ruler already in 1490 moved to Ofen (Buda), he had the Prague castle renovated in the late Gothic style under the supervision of Benedikt Ried. He was the master builder of the magnificent Vladislav Hall, the largest secular vaulted room of the then Europe, with which the first Renaissance signs came to Prague. He carried out major construction works, including the construction of a new masonry, the defensive towers and the expansion of the Royal Palace. At his time, the Gothic died away and a new architectural style, the Renaissance, gradually prevailed.

The direct influence of the Italian art on the new style was most frequently observed in Prague under the reign of Ferdinand I (von Habsburg) and after his departure from Prague under the influence of the governor Ferdinand of Tyrol. At that time, the medieval castle was converted into a comfortable Renaissance castle with gardens. The typical Italian architecture of the Royal Pleasure palace arose in the northern King's garden.

For a large building activity in 1541 contributed a fire devastating the castle objects as well as the surrounding area quite a lot. Within the framework of the restoration, both the housing estates and the church buildings were rebuilt. Under the reign of the first Habsburgs, nobility palaces were added to the castle grounds (for example, the Pernstein Palace - later Lobkowicz Palace, Rosenberg Palace and others). Horse stable buildings were built in the north-west.

Under the reign of the Emperor Rudolph II (1576 - 1611), the Renaissance and Mannerism transformation of the castle, which for the second time became the center of the empire, and especially the center of European culture and science, reached its peak. On the second courtyard, new rooms were built for the collections of Rudolph - the new (now Spanish) hall and the Rudolph gallery. Also arose the connection tract between the northwestern and the southwestern part of the castle. Just here the famous Kunstkammer (Art chamber) and other rooms for Rudolph's collective activities were located. Additionally further horse stable properties were built for his rare Spanish horses. During the Rudolph times also the foundation stone of the famous Golden Alley was laid. Laboratories of the Rudolph-Alchymists were supposed to have been in the Powder tower above the Hirschgraben (Deer's ditch). The castle suffered again considerable damages when it was occupied by the Saxon army in 1631 and by the Swedes in 1648 not only was occupied but also plundered. After the Thirty Years' War, the Habsburgs did not care too much about the Prague royal seat.

Only Maria Theresia carried out an extensive reconstruction of the Prague Castle from 1755 - 1775 into a representative castle complex. The reason for the massive construction action were war damages, caused by the intense bombing of the castle during war conflicts at the beginning of her reign. The reconstruction was designed by the Viennese architect Nicolo Pacassi, who also planned the first courtyard with the monumental entrance gate. From the time of the Theresian reconstruction stems also the chapel of the Holy Cross on the 2nd castle forecourt and other buildings, especially the noblewomen institute. The south wing he imprinted the uniform monumental late Baroque facade of a representative seat. His plans influenced by Viennese Rococo and French Classicism the builders Anselmo Lurago, Anton Kunz and Anton Haffenecker brought into life.

In the 19th century, the castle fell into ruin, in several objects after the Josephine reforms the army settled. In connection with the stay of Ferdinand I the Good in the castle after his abdication in 1848 and further in connection with the preparation for the coronation of Franz Joseph I in the sixties it came to building modifications of several objects. After 1859, when the community for the completion of St Veit cathedral emerged, began first the repair, and then, under the influence of the architect Joseph Mocker, the work on the actual completion of St Veit's cathedral was started, completed in 1929.

In the years 1920 - 35, carried out extensive regulations of the Prague Castle as the seat of the Czechoslovak President the great Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik, who masterfully combined the valuable historical space with modern civilization claims. His modifications mainly concerned the 1st and 3rd court, the southern gardens of the castle, the fourth forecourt with the Bastion garden as well as numerous interiors. He created e.g. the pillared hall, private rooms of the presidential residence, including the Masaryk workroom. His pupil, Otto Rothmayer, brought to an end the incomplete solutions of some castle interior spaces after the Second World War in comparable quality.

In 1936, Pavel Janák and after him, in 1959, Jaroslav Fragner became castle architect.

After the year of change of 1989, the Prague Castle was opened to the public in many places. During the term of President Havel, at the castle it came to modulations of the interiors and to the expansion of two new entrances into the second courtyard after the project of the creator and designer Bořek Šípek. The puncture through the rampart of the Powder bridge in Hirschgraben was rewarded with a significant prize (Arch. Josef Pleskot). Also interesting is the modern greenhouse of the world-famous architect Eva Jiřičná. The Georgian Square (Jiřské náměstí) was re-paved and modulated. The Mosaic of the Last Judgment was renovated in collaboration with the specialists from the Getti Institute. In 1990, the Prague Castle was solemnly illuminated and this situation lasts from dusk to midnight until today. In the main tourist season, the lighting time even lasts an hour longer until 1 o'clock. The tradition of electric lighting, but on a much smaller scale, began in 1928, when the lamps were installed for the 10th anniversary of the elevation to a Republic. A little bit the present daylight resembles of those from the end of the sixties, but today it is much more detailed and in communist times it was only switched on at solemn occasions. At that time, illuminative days were state holidays or significant day of republic, which, however, did not lack recognition from the communist point of view.

In recent years the reconstruction and renovation work has been developed in many buildings of the castle and a considerable attention has been devoted to the archaeological investigation, which has been going on since 1925 and has brought many insights into the history of the castle. The investigation as well as the renovation of the individual rooms and objects is motivated by the idea of ​​invigorating them as much as possible by making them accessible to the public.

 

Prager Burg (Pražský hrad)

Die Prager Burg ist seit über tausend Jahren ein bedeutendes Symbol des tschechischen Staates. Gegründet im 9. Jahrhundert wurde sie zum ständigen Sitz der tschechischen Herrscher und zuletzt auch der Präsidenten. Einer der größten Burgkomplexe weltweit setzt sich aus Palästen, Amts-, Kirchen- und Fortifikationsgebäuden, aus Gärten und malerischen Ecken zusammen. Die Burg erstreckt sich auf einer Fläche von 45 Hektar. Der alleinige Blick auf die Prager Burg stellt einen der überwältigendsten Panoramablicke der Welt dar.

Die Prager Burg ist das bedeutendste Volkskultur- und Historiedenkmal, sie ist das Symbol der mehr als eintausendjährigen Entwicklung des böhmischen sowie gesamttschechischen Staats. Es ist ein monumentales Symbol der Palast-, Kirchen-, Fortifikations-, Amts- und Wohngebäude, die sehr wertvolle Denkmäler darstellen, einbezogen auf alle Stilepochen. Sie erstreckt sich auf einer Fläche von 45 ha, war der Sitz der böhmischen Fürsten, Könige und Kaiser und seit der Republikentstehung im Jahre 1918 war sie auch die Residenz der Präsidenten. Seit 1962 steht die Prager Burg mit ihren archäologischen Funden als bekanntester.

Geschichte

Die Anfangszeiten der Prager Burg sind mit dem ersten historisch belegten Přemysliden Bořivoj verbunden. Dieser übertrug in den 80er Jahren des 9. Jahrhunderts seinen ursprünglichen Sitz von Levý Hradec an den Ort, wo auf der erhabenen Stelle über der Moldau eine slawische Burgstätte bereits bestand und sehr gut gelegen war.

Der erste Fürstenpalast bestand offenbar aus Holz. Der erste Steinbau und das älteste christliche Heiligtum war die Jungfrau Maria Kirche. Ihre Reste wurden zwischen dem II. Vorhof und dem Basteigarten (Originalname des Gartens: Na Baště) gefunden. Diese Bořivoj-Kirche wurde durch den hier im Jahre 915 beigesetzten Fürsten Spytihněv I. bald umgebaut. Die zweite Kirche im Burgraum war die vom Fürsten Vratislaus I. gegründete St. Georg Basilika. Der nächste Přemyslide, der Fürst Wenzel (der Heilige), ließ in der Nähe in den 20er Jahren des 10. Jahrhunderts das dritte Heiligtum - die St. Veit Rotunde - bauen, die im 11. Jahrhundert vom Fürsten Spytihněv II. zu einer gewaltigen Basilika umgebaut wurde.

Im Jahre 973, als in Prag das Bistum gegründet wurde, war die Burg nicht nur der Sitz des Staatsoberhaupts, sondern auch der Sitz des Prager Bischofs, des höchsten Repräsentanten der Kirche. Zu demselben Zeitpunkt entstand an der St. Georg Basilika das erste Kloster in Böhmen.

Im 10. Jahrhundert nahm die Burg eine Fläche von ca. 6 ha in Anspruch. In der romanischen Epoche wurde die einstige Burgstätte, insbesondere nach dem Jahr 1135 dank Soběslaus I., als der steinige Fürstenpalast und das neue mit einigen Türmen verstärkte Mauerwerk aufgebaut wurden, zu einer festen mittelalterlichen Burg umgebaut. Von den Türmen ist der östliche Schwarzturm am besten erhalten.

Sehr bedeutend griff ins Aussehen der Prager Burg die Gotikzeit ein, insbesondere Karl IV. (1346 - 1378), der mit seinem Vater Johann von Luxemburg (1310 - 1346) vom Papst die Beförderung des Prager Bistums zum Erzbistum erwirkte und den Grundstein für den Bau der St. Veit Kathedrale legte. Unter Karl IV. wurde die Burg zum ersten Mal zur Kaiserlichen Residenz. Karl IV. ließ die Verschanzung der Prager Burg festigen, den Königspalast mit der Kapelle Aller Heiligen baute er großzügig um. Die Dächer ließ er mit vergoldeten Blechen decken, die das Fundament für die Wörterbindung „Goldenes Prag“ darstellten. Seit 1382 hörten böhmische Herrscher auf, die Prager Burg für mehr als 100 Jahre zu bewohnen. Der Königshof wurde an den Ort des heutigen Gemeindehauses umgezogen und zurück auf die Prager Burg kehrte er erst im Jahre 1483 unter Wladislaus aus der Jagiellonen-Dynastie.

Obwohl der Herrscher bereits 1490 nach Ofen (Buda) umsiedelte, ließ er die Prager Burg im spätgotischen Stil unter der Bauleitung von Benedikt Ried umbauen. Er war der Baumeister des großartigen Wladislaus-Saals, des größten weltlichen gewölbten Raums des damaligen Europas, mit dem die ersten Renaissancezeichen nach Prag kamen. Er führte großartige Bauregelungen einschließlich des Ausbaus eines neuen Mauerwerks, der Wehrtürme und der Erweiterung des Königspalastes durch. Zu seiner Zeit klang die Gotik aus und es setzte sich allmählich ein neuer Baustil durch, die Renaissance.

Der direkte Einfluss der italienischen Kunst des neuen Stils wurde in Prag unter der Regierung von Ferdinand I. (von Habsburg) und nach seinem Weggang von Prag unter der Wirkung des Statthalters Ferdinand von Tirol am meisten beobachtet. Damals wurde die mittelalterliche Burg in ein bequemes Renaissanceschloss mit Gärten umgewandelt. Im nördlichen Königsgarten entstand die typisch italienische Architektur des Königlichen Lustschlosses.

Zu einer großen Bauaktivität trug im Jahre 1541 ein Brand bei, der die Burgobjekte sowie die Umgebung ziemlich viel kaputt machte. Im Rahmen der Wiederherstellung wurden sowohl die Wohnräume als auch die Kirchenobjekte umgebaut. Unter der Regierung der ersten Habsburger kamen ins Burggelände auch Adelspaläste dazu (zum Beispiel der Pernstein-Palast - später Lobkowicz-Palast, Rosenberg-Palast und weitere). Im Nordwesten wurden Pferdestallgebäude erbaut.

Unter der Regierung des Kaisers Rudolph II. (1576 - 1611) erreichte der Renaissance- und Manierismusumbau der Burg, die zum zweiten Mal zum Zentrum des Reiches und insbesondere zum Zentrum der europäischen Kultur und Wissenschaft wurde, seinen Gipfel. Auf dem II. Vorhof wurden neue Räume für die Sammlungen Rudolphs erbaut - der Neue (heute Spanische) Saal und die Rudolph-Galerie. Es entstand auch der Verbindungstrakt zwischen dem Nordwest- und dem Südwestteil der Burg. Eben hier befanden sich die berühmte Kunstkammer und weitere Räume für die Sammeltätigkeit Rudolphs. Es wurden auch weitere Pferdestallobjekte für seine seltenen spanischen Pferde aufgebaut. Während der Rudolph-Zeiten wurde auch der Grundstein der berühmten Goldenen Gasse gelegt. Laboratorien der Rudolph-Alchymisten sollen im Pulverturm über dem Hirschgraben gewesen sein. Die Burg erlitt erneut erhebliche Schäden, als sie 1631 vom sächsischen Heer und 1648 von den Schweden besetzt und ausgeplündert wurde. Nach dem Dreißigjährigen Krieg kümmerten sich die Habsburger um den Prager königlichen Sitz nicht allzu sehr.

Erst Maria Theresia führte in den Jahren 1755 - 1775 einen umfangreichen Umbau der Prager Burg zu einem repräsentativen Schlosskomplex durch. Der Grund für die massive Bauaktion waren Kriegsschäden, verursacht durch die intensive Bombardierung der Burg bei Kriegskonflikten zu Beginn ihrer Regierung. Den Umbau entwarf der Wiener Architekt Nicolo Pacassi, der auch den I. Vorhof mit dem monumentalen Eingangstor projektierte. Aus der Zeit des theresianischen Umbaus stammt auch die Kapelle des Heiligen Kreuzes auf dem II. Burgvorhof und weitere Gebäude, insbesondere die Edeldamenanstalt. Dem Südflügel prägte er die einheitliche monumentale Spätbarockfassade eines Repräsentationssitzes ein. Seine durch das Wiener Rokoko und den französischen Klassizismus beeinflussten Pläne brachten die Baumeister Anselmo Lurago, Anton Kunz und Anton Haffenecker zustande.

Im 19. Jahrhundert verfiel die Burg, in mehreren Objekten ließ sich nach den josephinischen Reformen das Heer nieder. Zu Bauregelungen einiger Objekte kam es im Zusammenhang mit dem Aufenthalt von Ferdinand I. dem Guten auf der Burg nach seiner Abdikation im Jahre 1848 und weiter im Zusammenhang mit der Vorbereitung auf die vorgesehene Krönung von Franz Joseph I. in den 60er Jahren. Nach 1859, als die Gemeinde für die Fertigstellung der St. Veit Kathedrale entstand, begann zuerst die Reparatur und anschließend unter der Wirkung des Architekten Joseph Mocker wurde die Arbeit an der eigentlichen Fertigstellung der St. Veit Kathedrale aufgenommen, abgeschlossen im Jahre 1929.

In den Jahren 1920 - 35 führte ausgedehnte Regelungen der Prager Burg als des Sitzes des tschechoslowakischen Präsidenten der bedeutende slowenische Architekt Josip Plečnik durch, der den wertvollen historischen Raum mit modernen Zivilisationsansprüchen meisterlich zusammenfügte. Seine Regelungen betrafen vor allem den 1. und 3. Vorhof, die Südgärten der Burg, den 4. Vorhof mit dem Basteigarten sowie zahlreiche Innenräume. Er schuf z.B. die Säulenhalle, Privaträume der Präsidentenwohnung einschließlich des Arbeitszimmers Masaryks. Sein Schüler Otto Rothmayer brachte die unvollendeten Lösungen einiger Burginnenräume nach dem 2. Weltkrieg in vergleichbarer Qualität zu Ende.

Im Jahre 1936 ist Pavel Janák und nach ihm seit 1959 Jaroslav Fragner Burgarchitekt geworden.

Nach dem Wendejahr 1989 wurde die Prager Burg an vielen Stellen für die Öffentlichkeit geöffnet. Während der Amtszeit des Präsidenten Havel kam es auf der Burg zu Regelungen der Innenräume und zum Ausbau zweier neuer Eingänge in den 2. Vorhof nach dem Projekt des Bildners und Designers Bořek Šípek. Mit einem bedeutenden Preis wurde der Durchstich durch den Wall der Pulverbrücke im Hirschgraben belohnt (Arch. Josef Pleskot). Interessant ist auch das moderne Gewächshaus der weltberühmten Architektin Eva Jiřičná. Der Georg-Platz (Jiřské náměstí) wurde neu bepflastert und geregelt. In Zusammenarbeit mit den Fachleuten aus dem Getti-Institut wurde die Mosaik „des Letzten Gerichts“ renoviert. Im Jahre 1990 wurde die Prager Burg feierlich beleuchtet und dieser Zustand dauert von der Dämmerung bis zur Mitternacht bis heute. In der touristischen Hauptsaison dauert die Beleuchtungszeit sogar eine Stunde länger, bis 1 Uhr. Die Tradition der elektrischen Beleuchtung, jedoch im viel kleineren Umfang, begann im Jahre 1928, als die Lampen zum 10. Jubiläum der Republikentstehung installiert wurden. Ein wenig ähnelte die heutige feierliche Beleuchtung jener aus dem Ende der 60er Jahren, heute ist sie allerdings viel detaillierter und in den Kommunistenzeiten wurde sie nur bei feierlichen Gelegenheiten angemacht. Beleuchtungswürdige Tage waren damals Staatsfeiertage oder bedeutende Republiktage, denen allerdings aus der kommunistischen Sicht die Anerkennung nicht fehlte.

In den letzten Jahren entwickelte sich die Umbau- bzw. Renovierungstätigkeit in vielen Objekten der Burg und eine erhebliche Aufmerksamkeit wurde der archäologischen Untersuchung gewidmet, die bereits seit 1925 läuft und viele Erkenntnisse über die Burggeschichte brachte. Die Untersuchung sowie die Renovierung der einzelnen Räume und Objekte ist von der Idee motiviert, sie dadurch, dass sie der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich gemacht werden, möglichst viel zu beleben.

www.prague.eu/de/objekt/orte/31/prager-burg-prazsky-hrad

 

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