The Intercession Church is an Orthodox stone church built in Kyiv on Podil in 1772 according to the project of architect I. G. Grigorovich-Barsky on the site of an old wooden church.

Покровська церква — православний кам'яний храм, споруджений у Києві на Подолі у 1772 році за проектом архітектора І. Г. Григоровича-Барського на місці старої дерев'яної церкви.

Покровський храм на Подолі, побудований біля підніжжя Андріївської гори, є головною пам'яткою вулиці Покровської та острівця стародавнього міста.

Архітектурний ансамбль Покровського храму складається із самої церкви, двоповерхової прибудови початку ХІХ ст. та дзвіниці. Двір храму частково огороджений цегляним парканом з воротами та частково – металевими ґратами на ажурній цегляній парапетній стіні. У центрі знаходиться цегляна аркада з воротами та хвіртками.

Храм – довгастий у плані, має три куполи, а також напівкруглі та високі виступи з трьох сторін. По композиції храм належить до типу триголових тризрубних церков – стилістично простежується перехід до типу хрещатих храмів. Декор фасадів виконаний з характерними для І. Г. Григоровича-Барського волютними завитками, використано виразне ліплення капітелей. Храм має круглі та хрестоподібні вікна, різноманітних форм сандрики, витонченого профілю карнизи.

The former Cyril's Church - an architectural and artistic monument of the 12th-19th centuries, now a branch of the State Historical and Architectural Reserve of Sofia. Its wall paintings are of exceptional value - more than 800 m2 of 12th century frescoes, as well as some compositions of the 17th and 19th centuries. The church has paintings by the brilliant Russian painter M. Vrubel.

Унікальність Кирилівської церкви, перш за все, полягає в її достеменності. Після Софії Київської це другий храм у Києві, що зберігся до наших днів з далеких часів Київської Русі. Пам’ятка, що була заснована у ХІІ ст., пережила навалу хана Батия, пограбування, що завдали їй загарбники гетьмана Януша Радзівіла, неодноразові пожежі, перехід зі статусу монастирського храму до статусу лікарняної церкви при інвалідному будинку, період нищення культових споруд за радянських часів (тоді зруйнували дзвіницю Кирилівського монастиря), руйнівний сель, що пронісся повз пам’ятку у 60-х роках ХХ ст., забравши сотні людських життів, тощо. На щастя, незважаючи на такий перебіг подій, Кирилівська церква збереглася до наших днів у майже первісному вигляді. Храм, наперекір цим негараздам, вистояв, закарбувавши у пам’яті всі ці події, зберігши свою архітектуру, монументальний живопис, серед якого – 800 кв. м фресок ХІІ ст. з унікальними сюжетами, твори видатного художника Михайла Олександровича Врубеля, роботи відомих та невідомих українських художників ХІХ ст.

A view of the 100 block of S. Commerce St. on the east side of Lockhart's Courthouse Square. This photograph looks to the south from San Antonio St. In a previous post, we looked at the east side of the square looking north from E. Market St. The buildings in this view are contributing properties in the Caldwell County Courthouse Square Historic District listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

On the corner at 100 S. Commerce is the J. C. Fulps Building. Built originally as a dry goods business for J. C. Fulps, the one-story brick and stone building retains its original detail. The three-bay building has three round arched openings with a central double door and flanking display windows. The transoms have been enclosed. Above the arches brick pilasters divide

the upper facade into three recessed panels and a round arched parapet crowns the central bay.

Next to the Fulps Building at 102 S. Commerce St. is the Blackwell Building. This building was constructed in 1898 for a grocery and hardware store owned by J. T. Blackwell. It is a one-story brick and stone store with a plastered facade that is painted white. Although the original facade composition of alternating display windows and double doors is still evident, applied tile has been added to the window bases and the transoms have been painted.

Third from the corner at 104 S. Commerce St. is the William Ray Building. This building was constructed in 1898 for for William Ray, who operated a dry goods and millinery store. It is a two-story buff brick building with a red brick facade. Although the first floor has been altered, the second floor retains the original embellishments. Justicated stone forms a stringcourse above both the first and second floors. The four segmental arched windows are joined horizontally by buff brick stringcourses. Crowning the building is additional brick ornamentation emphasized by the use of the buff brick trim. The parapet displays the original building's name and date, "Ray, 1898."

As we enter the middle of the block, the fourth building from the corner at 108 S. Commerce St. is the B. F. Dodd Building. This is actually two buildings with the south half built in 1910 and leased to a Mr. J. P. Laney for a grocery store, and the north half built in 1912, This building was remodeled in 1967 and has a mid-century facade.

Descriptions of the four buildings on the south end of this block are described in a previous post.

Lockhart, a community of 14,811 at the 2020 census, is the seat of Caldwell County and is located just 30 miles south of the state capital in downtown Austin. Lockhart's square and downtown is filled with late 19th and early 20th century buildings, nearly all contributing properties to the historic district. The city's turn-of-the-century appearance has attracted the attention of film makers. Over 50 films for the theater and TV have been shot in whole or in part in Lockhart, including the 1996 Christopher Guest comedy film Waiting for Guffman and the 1993 drama What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

The so-called Stadlerkapelle near Kiefenholz is one of my favorite places. It has a gable roof with tail gables, pilasters and a round-arched opening and was built in the 17th century. The two large-leaved linden (Tilia platyphyllos, in German Sommerlinde) are between 100 and 200 years old.

This evening, I took a picture of its backside.

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Viewed from a vaporetto on the Grand Canal just after dawn, Il Nuovo Trionfo (1926), the last working ‘trabaccolo’ saling ship, is tied up outside the Dogana do Mar.

Right of shot, the Dogana da Mar, formerly the customs office is now home to an art gallery. The Dogana da Mar building was built between 1678 and 1682.

In the background, the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore is a 16th-century Benedictine church on the island of the same name in Venice, designed by Andrea Palladio, and built between 1566 and 1610. The church is a basilica in the classical renaissance style and its brilliant white marble gleams above the blue water of the lagoon opposite the Piazzetta and forms the focal point of the view from every part of the Riva degli Schiavoni.

The campanile (bell tower), first built in 1467, fell in 1774; it was rebuilt in neo-classic style by 1791.

The façade is brilliantly white and represents Palladio's solution to the difficulty of adapting a classical temple facade to the form of the Christian church, with its high nave and low side aisles, which had always been a problem. Palladio's solution superimposed two facades, one with a wide pediment and architrave, extending over the nave and both the aisles, apparently supported by a single order of pilasters, and the other with a narrower pediment (the width of the nave) superimposed on top of it with a giant order of engaged columns on high pedestals. On either side of the central portal are statues of Saint George and of Saint Stephen, to whom the church is also dedicated.

This description incorporates text from English Wikipedia.

The monastery was founded in Vydubychi in 1070 by Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich in conformity with his vow to build a temple in case of his recovery from the wounds inflicted during hunting.

In 1070-1088 on the slopes above the Dnipro River, a six-pier five-domed St. Michael’s Church with three naves was erected. In the 15th or 16th century the temple collapsed because of flood. After the restoration in 1766-1769 the church acquired a look of a single-domed baroque structure. Partially preserved in it were graffiti, frescoes, and mosaics of the 11th century – fragments of the composition Doomsday and ornamental patterns.

Here at the turn of the 18th century Colonel M.Miklashevsky from Starodubsk erected a stone five-domed St. George’s Cathedral and the Refectory Church of the Saviour (1686-1701), and Hetman D.Apostol – the belfry (1727-1733) designed in Ukrainian Baroque.

Спорудження надбрамної дзвіниці пов'язують з іменем гетьмана Данили Апостола (загинув як і Миклашевський у 1706р). У першій половині ХІХст. за проектом зодчого Андрія Меленського добудували верхній ярус, а в 1902р. із заходу — двоповерхову ризницю й бібліотеку.

A view looking east from S. Church St. at the north side of the 100 block of W. San Antonio St. in downtown Lockhart. My previous post showed a portion of the north side of this block looking west from S. Main St.

The buildings shown above in the 100 block of W. San Antonio St. (left) are contributing properties in the Caldwell County Courthouse Historic District, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

On the corner at 119 W. San Antonio St. is the Masur Hardware Building. Completed in 1910, the building was originally built as a hardware store for the Masur family. On the south (main) facade this three-story brick corner building contains the original cast iron pilasters supporting the windows and recessed entrances of the first floor. The west facade contains four (three visible) short round arched windows with fanlights (three visible in this photo.)

Separated from the first floor by an unbroken corbeled brick stringcourse, the upper two floors are divided by

brick pilasters into six bays on the south facade and eight bays (five visible) on the west facade. The south facade displays round arched windows with fanlights, while segmental arched windows form the west openings. Decorative brick corbeling crowns each bay and alternating pilasters extend beyond the roofline.

Next to the Masur Hardware Building is Joe Masur Building, also completed in 1910. Similar to the building at 107 W. San Antonio (shown in my previous post next to the Corner Drug Building), this building is a one-story brick building with cast iron pilasters supporting the double doors and display windows and a brick corbelled cornice.

The three remaining buildings in this block are:

•E. A. & Joe Masur Building, 109-111 W. San Antonio St.

•Storey and Browne Building, 107 W. San Antonio St.

•Corner Drug Building, 101 W. San Antonio St.

More detailed descriptions of these building can be found in my previous post.

Lockhart's downtown surrounding the square is filled with late 19th and early 20th century buildings, nearly all contributing properties to the historic district. Lockhart's turn-of-the-century appearance has attracted the attention of film makers. Over 50 films for the theater and TV have been shot in whole or in part in Lockhart, including the 1996 Christopher Guest comedy film Waiting for Guffman and the 1993 drama What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

Lockhart, a community of 14,811 at the 2020 census, is the seat of Caldwell County and is located just 30 miles south of the state capital in downtown Austin. Lockhart was proclaimed the "Barbecue Capital of Texas" by the Texas state legislature in 1999.

Андріївська церква — православна церква на честь Святого Андрія у стилі бароко у Києві.

“Путін ніколи не збирався дозволити слов’янській Україні стати успішною ринковою демократією в Європейському Союзі за два кроки від його застійної слов’янської російської клептократії. Контраст був би для нього нестерпним, тому він і намагається стерти Україну з лиця землі.”

/Томас Фридман, журналист, трижды лауреат Пулитцеровской премии/

«Видубицький Свято-Михайлівський монастир у Києві – чоловічий монастир, заснований у 1070-х рр. князем Всеволодом Ярославичем на південній околиці Києва – у Видубичах.

Спочатку тут була збудована літня резиденція князя і дерев'яна церква, згодом замість дерев'яної постала камяна церква святого архістратига Михаїла.

На початку 12 ст. монастир стає одним із центрів літописання, пов'язаних з ім'ям великого князя Володимира Мономаха та ігумена монастиря Сильвестра – автора 2-ї редакції давньоруського літопису "Повість временних літ".

Тут писався і Київський літопис. До володінь монастиря входили звіринецькі, либідські, наводницькі, осокорківські та інші землі з перевозами на Дніпрі та його притоку Либеді.

У 13 ст. Видубицький монастир зазнав татарських нападів, але не припиняв своєї діяльності.

На початку 17 ст. монастирем заволоділи унійці. 1637 його повернуто православній митрополії. Київ. митрополит П.Могила реставрував своїм коштом Михайлівську церкву, а монастир приписав до Софійського собору. Відродження Видубицького монастиря припадає на 2-гу половину 17 ст. Після відчуження царською владою монастирських і церковних маєтностей в Україні 1786 він став монастирем 3-го класу, у 19 ст. – 2-го, на поч. 20 ст. – чоловічим монастирем 1-го класу з цільовим призначенням – бути лікарняним.

Тут були шкільний притулок для сиріт, будинок для бідних священнослужителів.

Сучасний архітектурний ансамбль Видубицького монастиря сформувався на зламі 17–18 ст., коли були зведені Георгіївський собор (1696–1702), трапезна з церквою Спаса Преображення (1691–1701). Пізніше побудовані дзвіниця (1727–33), двоповерховий будинок ігумена (1770, 1896) та братський корпус (1846).

Георгіївський собор є центром композиції ансамблю і одним із кращих зразків архітектури украінського бароко, побудований на кошти відомого украінського діяча – стародубського полковника Михайла Миклашевського (див. Миклашевські). На територіі монастиря існував некрополь, де, зокрема, поховані педагог К.Ушинський, доктор медицини Є.Афанасьєв, професор анатомії В.Бец, мистецтвознавець і колекціонер Б.Ханенко та багато інших видатних осіб.

1921 монастир ліквідовано.

У 1930-х рр. іконостаси спалено, цвинтар зруйновано.

Від 1945 Видубицький монастир знаходиться на територіі Ботанічного саду АН УРСР (від 1994 – НАН України). 1967–82 проведено реставрацію споруд (архіт. Р. Бикова). Нині монастир належить Православній церкві України.»

/Інститут історії України, Енциклопедія історії України.

Бондаренко Раїса Іванівна. дата публікації: 2003 р./

Somewhere in Naples..

A very interesting civil building located opposite the Church of San Bartolomé. It is Baroque in style and was built in the 18th century. It currently houses the Carmona municipal library and archive.

It responds to the Baroque style typical of the period, and its exterior highlights its elegant main façade, with very pure geometric lines and two stories high, with widely spaced openings and dominated by wide sections of wall decorated with geometric designs.

The entrance portal is a beautiful example of carved brick. It is structured in two sections, with a total height equal to that of the rest of the building, even slightly surpassing it by a small arch resembling a curved pediment, which creates a wide visor at the cornice, supported by beautiful iron posts. Each of the two sections of this portal centers a facade opening, in both cases lintelled and framed by pilasters. The opening on the upper floor is crowned by a curved projection resembling a pediment, the tympanum of which bears the Domínguez family crest.

Георгіївський собор (собор святого Юрія) в Києво-Видубицькому монастирі будовано коштом Стародубського козацького полковника Михайла Миклашевського, який був меценатом українського мистецтва.

На переднем плане колокольня с храмом пророка Даниила, сооружённая на деньги гетмана Даниила Апостола. Она была возведена в 1727—1733 годах и надстроена в 1827—1831 годах.

За колокольней Собор Георгия Победоносца- жемчужина украинского барокко.

The monastery's unique architectural ensemble was developed over the years of its existence and harmonically fits in the picturesque landscape of the Dnieper's right bank.

The compositional center and the main building of the modern monastery is the St. George's Cathedral, built in 1701. It is considered to be one of the best samples of the Cossack Baroque. Almost simultaneously with it, the Church of the Saviour famous for its unique carved iconostasis and the refectory appeared on the cloister's territory. Another inherent element of the Vydubitsky Monastery's architectural ensemble is the bell tower that combines two styles: baroque and classicism. Initially it had three tiers: the first one was the driveway to the cloister, on the second one the Church of the Prophet Daniel was located, and the bells hang on the third tier. In the 19th century, the belfry was reconstructed and as a result it obtained another tier with cupola, originally designed as the firmament.

«Если ополчится против меня полк, не убоится сердце мое; если восстанет на меня война, и тогда буду надеяться» (Пс. 26: 3);

A fragment of the famous Baroque three-tiered iconostasis with its 39 unique images of the faces of saints (1754-1761), which was made according to a drawing by B. F. Rastrelli by St. Petersburg craftsmen from linden covered with gold leaf. Assembled on site in parts. The notable color of the iconostasis is bright red.

It is the only completely authentic iconostasis designed by Rastrelli in the world that has survived to this day.

Gilded pilasters with molded gilded capitals. Golden Imperial cartouches on a red background, into which picturesque icons are inserted, inform about who exactly should have been a parishioner of this church.

Фрагмент знаменитого барочного триярусного іконостаса із його 39 унікальними зображеннями ликів святих (1754-1761), який був виготовлений за малюнком Б. Ф. Растреллі петербурзькими майстрами з липи з покриттям сусальним золотом. Зібраний на місці частинами. Примітний колір іконостасу – яскраво-червоний.

Це єдиний у світі, повністю автентичний цілісний іконостас за проектом Растреллі, який зберігся незмінним до наших часів.

Рами іконостасу переважно завжди виготовляли з липи. Ця порода дерева м'яка та пластична. Рідше використовували дуб. З цією породою дерева важко працювати. Наприклад, дубовий іконостас є лише у церкві Різдва Пресвятої Богородиці біля далеких печер Києво-Печерської лаври.

Покриті золотом пілястри коринфського ордера з ліпними позолоченими капітелями, особливістю яких є те, що вони відтворюють мотив кошика - калафа, чашки квітки, прикрашеної стилізованим листям аканта. Такі капітелі, прикрашені натуралістичним ліпним рослинним орнаментом, відрізняють Андріївську церкву від інших храмів України першої половини XVIII століття.

Золоті Імператорські картуші на червоному фоні, в які вставлені мальовничі ікони, однозначно сповіщають про те, хто саме мали бути парафіянами цього храму.

Інтер'єр Андріївської церкви відрізняється пишністю та різноманітністю: чудовий живопис, декоративне ліплення та різьблення по дереву створюють досконалий ансамбль. Квіткові гірлянди, пальмові гілки, головки херувимів та інший ліпний декор органічно поєднуються з архітектурою, прикрашаючи купол, двері та вікна.

Внутрішнє оздоблення Андріївської церкви неможливо уявити без хитромудрого різьблення, яке вражає не лише масштабами, а й вдалим поєднанням пласких та рельєфних візерунків, золоченої та поліхромної скульптури.

🇫🇷 En 1817, les chefs de familles non grecques lancent une souscription pour la construction d'une église de rite latin. Les travaux s'étendent de 1825 à 1828. En 1845, les aménagements intérieurs ne sont pas réalisés. En 1847, début de la construction du clocher. L'église comporte une façade antérieure scandée de pilastres plats et couronnée d'un fronton ondulant. Chevet arrondi. Elle est flanquée d'un clocher à étages, sommé d'un lanternon à oculus. L'intérieur de l'église se compose d'une nef sur laquelle s'ouvre deux chapelles latérales, et d'un choeur séparé de la nef par un emmarchement et une table de communion. La voûte est en berceau t. L'édifice a conservé partiellement un décor néo-classique.

🇬🇧 In 1817, the heads of the non-Greek families launched a subscription for the construction of a Latin rite church. The work lasted from 1825 to 1828. In 1845, the interior fittings were not completed. In 1847, construction of the bell tower began. The church has a front facade with flat pilasters and an undulating pediment. Rounded chevet. It is flanked by a multi-storey bell tower, topped by a lantern with oculus. The interior of the church consists of a nave with two side chapels, and a choir separated from the nave by a step and a communion table. The vault is barrel vaulted. The building has partially preserved its neo-classical decoration.

with ww.DeepL.com/Translator

🇩🇪 Im Jahr 1817 starteten die Oberhäupter der nicht-griechischen Familien eine Subskription für den Bau einer Kirche mit lateinischem Ritus. Die Bauarbeiten erstrecken sich von 1825 bis 1828. Im Jahr 1845 wird der Innenausbau nicht durchgeführt. Im Jahr 1847 wird mit dem Bau des Glockenturms begonnen. Die Kirche hat eine Vorderfassade, die von flachen Pilastern skandiert und von einem wellenförmigen Giebel gekrönt wird. Das Dachgeschoss ist abgerundet. Flankiert wird sie von einem mehrstöckigen Glockenturm, der von einer Laterne mit Oculus gekrönt wird. Das Innere der Kirche besteht aus einem Kirchenschiff mit zwei Seitenkapellen und einem Chor, der durch einen Absatz und einen Kommuniontisch vom Kirchenschiff getrennt ist. Das Gewölbe ist ein t-förmiges Tonnengewölbe. Das Gebäude hat teilweise eine neoklassizistische Dekoration bewahrt.

🇮🇹 Nel 1817, i capi delle famiglie non greche lanciarono una sottoscrizione per la costruzione di una chiesa di rito latino. I lavori durarono dal 1825 al 1828. Nel 1845, gli allestimenti interni non erano ancora stati completati. Nel 1847 iniziò la costruzione del campanile. La chiesa presenta una facciata con lesene piatte e un frontone ondulato. Chevet arrotondato. È affiancato da un campanile a più piani, sormontato da una lanterna con oculo. L'interno della chiesa è costituito da una navata con due cappelle laterali e un coro separato dalla navata da un gradino e da un tavolo per la comunione. La volta è a botte. L'edificio ha parzialmente conservato la sua decorazione neoclassica.

🇪🇸 En 1817, los cabezas de familia no griegos lanzaron una suscripción para la construcción de una iglesia de rito latino. La obra duró de 1825 a 1828. En 1845, el acondicionamiento interior no estaba terminado. En 1847 comenzó la construcción del campanario. La iglesia tiene una fachada frontal con pilastras planas y un frontón ondulado. Chevet redondeado. Está flanqueada por un campanario de varios pisos, rematado por una linterna con óculo. El interior de la iglesia consta de una nave con dos capillas laterales y un coro separado de la nave por un escalón y una mesa de comunión. La bóveda es de cañón. El edificio ha conservado parcialmente su decoración neoclásica.

Limburg Cathedral (Limburger Dom, also known as Georgsdom ("George's Cathedral") after its dedication to Saint George, is located above the old town of Limburg in Hesse, Germany. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Limburg. Its high location on a rock above the river Lahn provides its visibility from far away. It is the result of an Early Gothic modernization of an originally Early Romanesque building and therefore shows a Romanesque-Gothic transitional style.

The medieval patron saints of the church were Saint George and Saint Nicholas.

The cathedral is a three-aisled basilica, which combines late Romanesque and early Gothic elements. It has a narthex at the western end and a semi-circular choir with an ambulatory. The outside measures 54.5 m long, with a width of 35.4 m. The building has a complicated structure; seven spires rise from it. The number seven is a symbolic reference to the number of the sacraments. The tallest of these towers are on the western side and rise to a height of 37 m. They form the distinctive "twin-tower façade [de]" of the west front. Such twin-tower façades are common in the Rheinland, for example at Xanten, Andernach [de] and Koblenz. The pointed crossing spire stands above all the other spires with a height of 66 m at the centre of the building. This height is the result of a lightning strike in 1774, before which the tower was 6.5 metres higher. The corner towers on the southern transept were erected in 1863.

The west front is divided into five levels. The most eye-catching stylistic element is a huge round window, surrounded by eight small rosettes, which forms a clear centre of the west front. The rosette symbolises the four Evangelists. Despite the symmetry of the twin towers, there is rich variation in forms and building elements, e.g. round and pointed arches, pilaster strips, small pillars, archivolts, windows and blind arches. The upper level of the north tower includes Gothic elements (e.g. window tracery).

During restorations between 1872 and 1873, the polychrome exterior painting of the cathedral was removed (the colours were, previously, white, red, yellow-brown, black and a little green) and the stone was left bare. Between 1968 and 1972, the polychrome exterior was restored, using remains of the colour from the period before 1872 in order to reconstruct the old patterns.

The Limburg cathedral was shown on the back of the 1000-DM-Banknote of the third series. The notes with the Limburg motif were issued from the end of July 1964 and replaced from 1992 by the 1000-DM-Banknote of the fourth (and last) series.

Храм и монастырь не пропитанный духом коммерции, сохранивший ауру святого места.

Успенський собор Києво-Печерської лаври, 1073-1078 рр. Перебудований в 1720-х рр., зруйнований у 1941 р. Відтворено в 2000 р. Архітектори П. Я. Макаренко, Т. В. Філіпова, Н. П. Шепітько. Державна премія України в області ахітектури 2004 р. за відновлення храму. Обʼєкт Всесвітньої спадщини ЮНЕСКО.

Однією із найбільших втрат у роки війни став підрив Успенського собору Києво-Печерської Лаври у листопаді 1941 року. За словами видатного київського краєзнавця Дмитра Малакова, пам’ятку було знищено радянською вибухівкою. Підривати його німцям не було жодного сенсу.

8/21 листопада 1998 р. почалося відновлення Успенського собору (було підірвано 21 жовтня/3 листопада 1941 р.). 11/24 серпня 2000 р. собор був освячений архієрейським чином. Відновлено храм на честь ікони Божої Матері «Всіх скорботних Радості».

The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Italian pronunciation: [katteˈdraːle di ˈsanta maˈriːa del ˈfjoːre]; in English "Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flowers") is the main church of Florence, Italy. Il Duomo di Firenze, as it is ordinarily called, was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style with the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th-century Gothic Revival façade by Emilio De Fabris.

The cathedral complex, located in Piazza del Duomo, includes the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile. These three buildings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the historic centre of Florence and are a major attraction to tourists visiting Tuscany. The basilica is one of Italy's largest churches, and until development of new structural materials in the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.

The cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Florence, whose archbishop is currently Giuseppe Betori.

Santa Maria del Fiore was built on the site of an earlier cathedral dedicated to Saint Reparata. The ancient structure, founded in the early 5th century and having undergone many repairs, was crumbling with age, according to the 14th-century Nuova Cronica of Giovanni Villani, and was no longer large enough to serve the growing population of the city. Other major Tuscan cities had undertaken ambitious reconstructions of their cathedrals during the Late Medieval period, such as Pisa and particularly Siena where the enormous proposed extensions were never completed.

Giotto's bell tower (campanile)

The new church was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio and approved by city council in 1294. Di Cambio was also architect of the church of Santa Croce and the Palazzo Vecchio. He designed three wide naves ending under the octagonal dome, with the middle nave covering the area of Santa Reparata. The first stone was laid on September 9, 1296, by Cardinal Valeriana, the first papal legate ever sent to Florence. The building of this vast project was to last 140 years; Arnolfo's plan for the eastern end, although maintained in concept, was greatly expanded in size.

After Arnolfo died in 1310, work on the cathedral slowed for thirty years. When the relics of Saint Zenobius were discovered in 1330 in Santa Reparata, the project gained a new impetus. In 1331, the Arte della Lana, the guild of wool merchants, took over patronage for the construction of the cathedral and in 1334 appointed Giotto to oversee the work. Assisted by Andrea Pisano, Giotto continued di Cambio's design. His major accomplishment was the building of the campanile. When Giotto died in 1337, Andrea Pisano continued the building until work was halted due to the Black Death in 1348.

In 1349, work resumed on the cathedral under a series of architects, starting with Francesco Talenti, who finished the campanile and enlarged the overall project to include the apse and the side chapels. In 1359, Talenti was succeeded by Giovanni di Lapo Ghini (1360–1369) who divided the center nave in four square bays. Other architects were Alberto Arnoldi, Giovanni d'Ambrogio, Neri di Fioravante and Andrea Orcagna. By 1375, the old church Santa Reparata was pulled down. The nave was finished by 1380, and by 1418, only the dome remained incomplete.

On 18 August 1418, the Arte della Lana announced an architectural design competition for erecting Neri's dome. The two main competitors were two master goldsmiths, Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi, the latter of whom was supported by Cosimo de Medici. Ghiberti had been the winner of a competition for a pair of bronze doors for the Baptistery in 1401 and lifelong competition between the two remained sharp. Brunelleschi won and received the commission.

Ghiberti, appointed coadjutator, drew a salary equal to Brunelleschi's and, though neither was awarded the announced prize of 200 florins, was promised equal credit, although he spent most of his time on other projects. When Brunelleschi became ill, or feigned illness, the project was briefly in the hands of Ghiberti. But Ghiberti soon had to admit that the whole project was beyond him. In 1423, Brunelleschi was back in charge and took over sole responsibility.

Work started on the dome in 1420 and was completed in 1436. The cathedral was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV on March 25, 1436, (the first day of the year according to the Florentine calendar). It was the first 'octagonal' dome in history to be built without a temporary wooden supporting frame. It was one of the most impressive projects of the Renaissance. During the consecration in 1436, Guillaume Dufay's motet Nuper rosarum flores was performed. The structure of this motet was strongly influenced by the structure of the dome.

The decoration of the exterior of the cathedral, begun in the 14th century, was not completed until 1887, when the polychrome marble façade was completed with the design of Emilio De Fabris. The floor of the church was relaid in marble tiles in the 16th century.

The exterior walls are faced in alternate vertical and horizontal bands of polychrome marble from Carrara (white), Prato (green), Siena (red), Lavenza and a few other places. These marble bands had to repeat the already existing bands on the walls of the earlier adjacent baptistery the Battistero di San Giovanni and Giotto's Bell Tower. There are two side doors: the Doors of the Canonici (south side) and the Door of the Mandorla (north side) with sculptures by Nanni di Banco, Donatello, and Jacopo della Quercia. The six side windows, notable for their delicate tracery and ornaments, are separated by pilasters. Only the four windows closest to the transept admit light; the other two are merely ornamental. The clerestory windows are round, a common feature in Italian Gothic.

During its long history, this cathedral has been the seat of the Council of Florence (1439), heard the preachings of Girolamo Savonarola and witnessed the murder of Giuliano di Piero de' Medici on Sunday, 26 April 1478 (with Lorenzo Il Magnifico barely escaping death), in the Pazzi conspiracy.

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_del_Duomo,_Florence

Florence (/ˈflɒrəns/ FLOR-əns; Italian: Firenze [fiˈrɛntse] ( listen)) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the Metropolitan City of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 382,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1,520,000 in the metropolitan area.

Florence was a centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of the time, is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, and has been called "the Athens of the Middle Ages". A turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family, and numerous religious and republican revolutions. From 1865 to 1871 the city was the capital of the recently established Kingdom of Italy.

The Historic Centre of Florence attracts 13 millions of tourists each year, and Euromonitor International ranked the city as the world's 89th most visited in 2012, with 1.8 million visitors. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. The city is noted for its culture, Renaissance art and architecture and monuments. The city also contains numerous museums and art galleries, such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Palazzo Pitti, and still exerts an influence in the fields of art, culture and politics. Due to Florence's artistic and architectural heritage, it has been ranked by Forbes as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Florence is an important city in Italian fashion, being ranked in the top 51 fashion capitals of the world; furthermore, it is a major national economic centre, as well as a tourist and industrial hub. In 2008, the city had the 17th highest average income in Italy.

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence

Fulda Cathedral (Fuldaer Dom, also Sankt Salvator) is the former abbey church of Fulda Abbey and the burial place of Saint Boniface. Since 1752 it has also been the cathedral of the Diocese of Fulda, of which the Prince-Abbots of Fulda were created bishops. The abbey was dissolved in 1802 but the diocese and its cathedral have continued. The dedication is to Christ the Saviour (Latin: Salvator). The cathedral constitutes the high point of the Baroque district of Fulda, and is a symbol of the town.

About the Bell towers:

The facade is flanked by two towers 65 metres high, the four storeys of which are clearly delineated by ledges. Sandstone statues, greater than life size, by Andreas Balthasar Weber, represent to the right Saint Sturm as abbot, with a mitre, abbot's staff and book, and to the left Saint Boniface as bishop with a crook and a Bible pierced by a dagger. On the third storey are copper and gilt numerals and hands belonging to a mechanical clock and a sundial.

Four massive three-quarter columns accompanied by half-pilasters stand to either side of the main portal and support the architrave, the frieze with its triglyphs and the heavy cornices. On the architrave over segments of a round arch sit two large angels, supporting the arms of the Prince-Abbot Adalbert von Schleifras, sculpted by Balthasar Esterbauer, consisting of the arms of Fulda Abbey quartering those of von Schleifras.

The upper storey of the facade is divided by massive pillars. A large round-topped window is decorated with columns, inflexed arches and urns. The window is surrounded by sandstone sculptures representing the patron saints of Fulda, the twin brothers Simplicius and Faustinus, as knights. Their shields bear their symbol - three lilies - and the cross, the device of the abbey, both of which appear in the arms of the town of Fulda.

The central part of the facade is terminated by a triangular gable filled with urns and a round window. On the point of the gable stands a figure of Christ giving a blessing.

Спорудження надбрамної дзвіниці пов'язують з іменем гетьмана Данили Апостола (загинув як і Миклашевський у 1706р). У першій половині ХІХст. за проектом зодчого Андрія Меленського добудували верхній ярус, а в 1902р. із заходу — двоповерхову ризницю й бібліотеку.

The monastery was established between 1070 and 1077 by Vsevolod, son of Yaroslav the Wise. It was a family cloister of Vsevolod's son Vladimir Monomakh and his descendants.

The monastery, and the neighbourhood in present-day Kyiv where it is located, was named after an old Slavic legend about the pagan god Perun and the Grand Prince Vladimir the Great of Kyiv. The word "Vydubychi" comes from the word Vydobychi → Vydobych → Vydobech (Ukrainian: Видобичі → Видобич → Видобеч) which means "to swim up", "emerge from water".

The legend has it that Vladimir ordered the wooden figures of Perun (the Thunder God) and other pagan gods dumped into the Dnieper River during the mass Baptism of Kyiv. The disheartened Kyivans, though accepting the baptism, ran along the Dnieper River calling for the old gods to emerge from water (Перуне выдуби!). Accordingly, the area down the river stream where Perun emerged was named Vydubichu or Vydubychi in modern Ukrainian.

The Atomium was designed by engineer André Waterkeyn for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. It is composed of nine steel spheres linked together to form a unit cell of an iron crystal enlarged 165 billion times.

Azimuth 321.2°, 4.28 km away (2.66 mi), height 102 m (335 ft).

Address: Pl. de l'Atomium 1, 1020 Laeken (Brussels)

Photo shot in 2011 from the top of the Brusilia Residence.

FR : L'Atomium et le Palais 5 du Heysel à Laeken (Bruxelles)

Photo prise en 2011 du haut de la Résidence Brusilia.

NL: Heyzels Atomium en Paleis 5 in Laeken

Het Atomium werd ontworpen door ingenieur André Waterkeyn voor de Wereldtentoonstelling van Brussel in 1958. Het bestaat uit negen stalen bollen die met elkaar verbonden zijn tot een eenheidscel van een ijzerkristal dat 165 miljard keer vergroot is.

Azimut 321.2°, 4.28 km ver, 102 m hoog.

Adres: Pl. de l'Atomium 1, 1020 Laeken (Brussels)

Het Paleis 5 is een grote Art-Deco tentoonstellingshal (13.040 m²), gebouwd voor de Internationale Tentoonstelling van 1935 in Brussel. De vier pilasters worden bekroond door 4,3 meter hoge bronzen beelden.

Azimut 324.0°, 4.8 km ver, 47.3 m hoog.

Adres: Place de Belgique 1, 1020 Laeken (Brussels)

Foto genomen in 2011 vanaf de top van de Brusilia Residentie.

Copyright © Jacques de Selliers 2022 – All rights reserved.

Reproduction prohibited without my written consent.

Reproduction interdite sans mon accord écrit.

Reproductie verboden zonder mijn schriftelijke toestemming.

Ref.: 111104-pano6

In Explore on Mar. 9, 2022.

Artzain Onaren katedrala, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, España.

La Catedral del Buen Pastor ubicada en la ciudad de San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, País Vasco, España. Es la sede de la diócesis de San Sebastián y está subordinada a la archidiócesis de Pamplona y Tudela. El edificio religioso más notable de San Sebastián, está dotado de una fuerte verticalidad y es el más grande de Gipuzkoa. Su construcción tuvo lugar en los últimos años del siglo XIX en un estilo neogótico historicista. La iglesia, dedicada al Buen Pastor, ha mantenido el rango de catedral desde 1953.

En los planos del arquitecto Manuel de Echave, que aparentemente se inspiró en la catedral de Colonia, las dimensiones de la iglesia consisten en:

un área de 1,915 metros cuadrados (20,610 pies cuadrados),

una altura de nave de 25 metros (82 pies),

una torre de 75 metros (246 pies),

una nave central de 64 metros (210 pies) de largo por 36 metros (118 pies) de ancho en el cruce,

y una capacidad de 4.000 personas.

Esta es una iglesia con una cruz latina, tres pasillos longitudinales, una nave de crucero y un santuario pentagonal. No hay ambulatorio. Los dos frontones del crucero albergan dos grandes rosetones que acentúan la luz dentro de la iglesia. Las naves hasta el cruce, de las cuales la más ancha y la más alta es la central, están segmentadas en cinco secciones rectangulares cubiertas con bóvedas de cuatro partes de nervaduras simples. Los dos brazos del crucero consisten en dos secciones arqueadas de la misma manera. El cruce es la única sección que presenta nervaduras complejas, que incorporan niveles entre las venas principales. Desde el cruce hasta la cabecera, las naves se amplían con tres tramos. En este espacio posterior, los cuatro pasillos, dos a cada lado, equilibran el ancho del crucero, dando como resultado dos áreas separadas de igual altura y divididas en seis secciones separadas por cuatro pilares. El esbelto campanario, ubicado en el pórtico de la entrada, está claramente inspirado en las agujas de la catedral de Colonia. El conjunto de pilastras y contrafuertes que terminan en pináculos y espirales decorados con cogollos realzan la verticalidad del edificio.

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd located in the city of San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain. It is the seat of the diocese of San Sebastian and is subordinate to the archdiocese of Pamplona and Tudela. The most remarkable religious building in San Sebastian, is endowed with a strong verticality and is the largest in Gipuzkoa. Its construction took place in the last years of the 19th century in a historicist neo-Gothic style. The church, dedicated to the Good Shepherd, has maintained the rank of cathedral since 1953.

In the plans of the architect Manuel de Echave, who apparently was inspired by the cathedral of Cologne, the dimensions of the church consist of:

an area of ​​1,915 square meters (20,610 square feet),

a ship height of 25 meters (82 feet),

a tower of 75 meters (246 feet),

a central ship 64 meters (210 feet) long by 36 meters (118 feet) wide at the junction,

and a capacity of 4,000 people.

This is a church with a Latin cross, three longitudinal corridors, a cruise ship and a pentagonal sanctuary. There is no ambulatory. The two pediments of the transept house two large rose windows that accentuate the light inside the church. The ships to the crossing, of which the widest and the highest is the central one, are segmented into five rectangular sections covered with vaults of four parts of simple ribs. The two arms of the transept consist of two arched sections in the same way. The crossing is the only section that has complex ribs, which incorporate levels between the main veins. From the crossing to the head, the ships are extended with three sections. In this later space, the four corridors, two on each side, balance the width of the transept, resulting in two separate areas of equal height and divided into six sections separated by four pillars. The slender bell tower, located in the portico of the entrance, is clearly inspired by the spiers of the Cologne Cathedral. The set of pilasters and abutments that end in pinnacles and spirals decorated with buds enhance the verticality of the building.

Спорудження надбрамної дзвіниці пов'язують з іменем гетьмана Данили Апостола (загинув як і Миклашевський у 1706р). У першій половині ХІХст. за проектом зодчого Андрія Меленського добудували верхній ярус, а в 1902р. із заходу — двоповерхову ризницю й бібліотеку.

"На Великдень ми просимо в Бога великої благодаті, щоб здійснилася наша велика мрія – це ще один Великий день, день, коли в Україні настане великий мир. А з ним – вічна злагода й процвітання. З вірою та впевненістю в це я вітаю всіх вас з Великоднем".

настане".

/Президент України Зеленський на Великдень у Софії Київській 24 квітня 2022/

Le Palais des Princes-Évêques de Liège ou Palais épiscopal de Liège, se situe sur la place Saint-Lambert dans le centre de Liège. Le Palais actuel, devenu le Palais de justice de Liège, a été reconstruit au XVIe siècle à l'initiative du cardinal Érard de La Marck, à l'emplacement d'un ancien édifice détruit lors du sac de Charles le Téméraire. Une nouvelle aile néo-gothique, le Palais provincial, est construite entre 1849 et 1853.

La cour d'honneur est rectangulaire, de 59 m de longueur sur 42 m de largeur, et entourée d'une galerie ouverte, formée de 56 colonnes et 4 piliers d'angle, composés d'un faisceau de pilastres et de colonnes, qui soutiennent 60 arcades. La galerie du pourtour a 5,60 m de largeur sur 6,50 m d'élévation.

The Palace of the Princes-Bishops of Liège or the Episcopal Palace of Liège, is located on the Place Saint-Lambert in the center of Liège. The present-day Palace, now the Palace of Justice of Liège, was rebuilt in the 16th century at the initiative of Cardinal Érard de La Marck, on the site of an old building destroyed during the sack of Charles the Bold. A new neo-Gothic wing, the Provincial Palace, was built between 1849 and 1853.

The courtyard is rectangular, 59 m long by 42 m wide, and surrounded by an open gallery, consisting of 56 columns and 4 corner pillars, consisting of a bundle of pilasters and columns, Support 60 arcades. The perimeter gallery is 5.60 m wide by 6.50 m elevation

На переднем плане колокольня с храмом пророка Даниила, сооружённая на деньги гетмана Даниила Апостола. Она была возведена в 1727—1733 годах и надстроена в 1827—1831 годах.

За колокольней Собор Георгия Победоносца- жемчужина украинского барокко.

На заднем плане слева Миха́йловский собо́р, храм во и́мя Архистрати́га Михаи́ла — одна из древнейших построек и памятник архитектуры XI—XVIII веков в ансамбле Выдубицкого монастыря. Собор был сооружён в 1070—1088 годах Всеволодом Ярославичем, сыном Ярослава Мудрого.

Слева, перед Михайловским собором виден купол трапезной церкви Преображения Господня.

Изначально трапезная церковь была посвящена вмч. Георгию Победоносцу. В 1781 г., когда состоялось переосвящение всех главных храмов обители, церковь стала Преображенской (этот престол был перенесен из нового собора). Со стороны центральной площади трапезная одноэтажная, с обратной у нее 2 этажа.

Андріївська церква — православна церква на честь Святого Андрія у стилі бароко у Києві.

Fulda Cathedral (Fuldaer Dom, also Sankt Salvator) is the former abbey church of Fulda Abbey and the burial place of Saint Boniface. Since 1752 it has also been the cathedral of the Diocese of Fulda, of which the Prince-Abbots of Fulda were created bishops. The abbey was dissolved in 1802 but the diocese and its cathedral have continued. The dedication is to Christ the Saviour (Latin: Salvator). The cathedral constitutes the high point of the Baroque district of Fulda, and is a symbol of the town.

About the Bell towers:

The facade is flanked by two towers 65 metres high, the four storeys of which are clearly delineated by ledges. Sandstone statues, greater than life size, by Andreas Balthasar Weber, represent to the right Saint Sturm as abbot, with a mitre, abbot's staff and book, and to the left Saint Boniface as bishop with a crook and a Bible pierced by a dagger. On the third storey are copper and gilt numerals and hands belonging to a mechanical clock and a sundial.

Four massive three-quarter columns accompanied by half-pilasters stand to either side of the main portal and support the architrave, the frieze with its triglyphs and the heavy cornices. On the architrave over segments of a round arch sit two large angels, supporting the arms of the Prince-Abbot Adalbert von Schleifras, sculpted by Balthasar Esterbauer, consisting of the arms of Fulda Abbey quartering those of von Schleifras.

The upper storey of the facade is divided by massive pillars. A large round-topped window is decorated with columns, inflexed arches and urns. The window is surrounded by sandstone sculptures representing the patron saints of Fulda, the twin brothers Simplicius and Faustinus, as knights. Their shields bear their symbol - three lilies - and the cross, the device of the abbey, both of which appear in the arms of the town of Fulda.

The central part of the facade is terminated by a triangular gable filled with urns and a round window. On the point of the gable stands a figure of Christ giving a blessing.

«Ми як народ не прагнемо смерті тих, хто є нашими сусідами. Але оскільки вони прийшли в наш дім, ми захищаємо свою родину, свою Батьківщину, свою землю. Наші воїни захищають усіх українців.

Захищати, вбивати ворога – це не гріх. Ми захищаємо, ми не прагнемо чужого. І той, хто прийшов до нас з мечем, він від того меча і загине".

/Предстоятель ПЦУ митрополит Епіфаній в ефірі телемарафону, якого цитує "Дзеркало тижня"./

Cathedral of St. George the Victorious. Kyiv. Ukraine.

“Царська велич Господа Спасителя” - фрагмент ікони іконостасу центральної нави. Художник Віктор Михайлович Васнєцов (1848 – 1926). Це перша ікона правої сторони іконостасу, рахуючи від Царської брами. Володимирський собор. Київ.

While working on the image of Christ, Vasnetsov wrote: “I am again looking for the face of Christ - no small task, the task of whole centuries! My searches in the cathedral, of course, are a feeble attempt to find his image, but I truly believe that it is the Russian artist who is destined to find the image of the World Christ ... And how joyful that our art has such a great ideal - there is something to live for. “I believe that in Rus' there is no holier and more fruitful work for a Russian artist than the decoration of a temple - this is truly both a people’s work and a work of the highest art.”

Під час роботи над образом Христа Васнєцов писав: «Я знову шукаю обличчя Христа – неабияке завдання, завдання цілих століть! Шукання мої в соборі, звичайно, слабка спроба знайти його образ, але я істинно вірю, що саме російському художнику судилося знайти образ Світового Христа… І як радісно, ​​що мистецтво наше має такий великий ідеал, – є чим жити». «Я вірю, що немає на Русі для російського художника святіші та плідніші справи, як прикраса храму, – це вже воістину і справа народна, і справа найвищого мистецтва».

«Образ Спасителя является невероятно трудной проблемой для художников. Иногда Он является в одном виде, иногда в другом. К изображениям сим применялись иногда черты древних героев. Из этой постановки дела видно, что каких-либо определенных, так сказать, портретных черт лица Спасителя не было, и художники изображали Его по своему усмотрению. Однако же с течением времени все более и более выясняется определенный тип изображения Христа Спасителя. С IV века тип этот окончательно укрепляется в христианском искусстве и наконец становится неизменным. Из описаний черт этого типа заслуживает особенного внимания следующее описание, принадлежащее святому Иоанну Дамаскину:

Иисус Христос, по словам Дамаскина, был высок и строен, имел прекрасные глаза, прямой нос, вьющиеся волосы, черную бороду, голову, склоненную несколько вперед, цвет тела желтоватый, как пшеница, подобно Матери Своей. Сходными чертами описывает этот тип другой христианский писатель XIV века, Никифор Каллист. По словам его, Христос был прекрасен лицом, имел волосы русые, не особенно густые, брови черные не особенно наклонные, глаза русые и веселые, нос длинный, бороду не длинную, шею наклоненную, лицо круглое, выражение безгневное, важное и умное и т. д., во всем подобен Своей Матери. То же самое, с некоторыми вариациями, повторяют апокрифическое письмо Публия Лентула к Пилату, наши иконописные подлинники и составители отдельных статей о наружном виде Спасителя в наших славяно-русских сборниках.»

(Очерки памятников православной иконографии и искусства Н. Покровского. СПб. 1894 г.).

The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Italian pronunciation: [katteˈdraːle di ˈsanta maˈriːa del ˈfjoːre]; in English "Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flowers") is the main church of Florence, Italy. Il Duomo di Firenze, as it is ordinarily called, was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style with the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th-century Gothic Revival façade by Emilio De Fabris.

The cathedral complex, located in Piazza del Duomo, includes the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile. These three buildings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the historic centre of Florence and are a major attraction to tourists visiting Tuscany. The basilica is one of Italy's largest churches, and until development of new structural materials in the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.

The cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Florence, whose archbishop is currently Giuseppe Betori.

Santa Maria del Fiore was built on the site of an earlier cathedral dedicated to Saint Reparata. The ancient structure, founded in the early 5th century and having undergone many repairs, was crumbling with age, according to the 14th-century Nuova Cronica of Giovanni Villani, and was no longer large enough to serve the growing population of the city. Other major Tuscan cities had undertaken ambitious reconstructions of their cathedrals during the Late Medieval period, such as Pisa and particularly Siena where the enormous proposed extensions were never completed.

Giotto's bell tower (campanile)

The new church was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio and approved by city council in 1294. Di Cambio was also architect of the church of Santa Croce and the Palazzo Vecchio. He designed three wide naves ending under the octagonal dome, with the middle nave covering the area of Santa Reparata. The first stone was laid on September 9, 1296, by Cardinal Valeriana, the first papal legate ever sent to Florence. The building of this vast project was to last 140 years; Arnolfo's plan for the eastern end, although maintained in concept, was greatly expanded in size.

After Arnolfo died in 1310, work on the cathedral slowed for thirty years. When the relics of Saint Zenobius were discovered in 1330 in Santa Reparata, the project gained a new impetus. In 1331, the Arte della Lana, the guild of wool merchants, took over patronage for the construction of the cathedral and in 1334 appointed Giotto to oversee the work. Assisted by Andrea Pisano, Giotto continued di Cambio's design. His major accomplishment was the building of the campanile. When Giotto died in 1337, Andrea Pisano continued the building until work was halted due to the Black Death in 1348.

In 1349, work resumed on the cathedral under a series of architects, starting with Francesco Talenti, who finished the campanile and enlarged the overall project to include the apse and the side chapels. In 1359, Talenti was succeeded by Giovanni di Lapo Ghini (1360–1369) who divided the center nave in four square bays. Other architects were Alberto Arnoldi, Giovanni d'Ambrogio, Neri di Fioravante and Andrea Orcagna. By 1375, the old church Santa Reparata was pulled down. The nave was finished by 1380, and by 1418, only the dome remained incomplete.

On 18 August 1418, the Arte della Lana announced an architectural design competition for erecting Neri's dome. The two main competitors were two master goldsmiths, Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi, the latter of whom was supported by Cosimo de Medici. Ghiberti had been the winner of a competition for a pair of bronze doors for the Baptistery in 1401 and lifelong competition between the two remained sharp. Brunelleschi won and received the commission.

Ghiberti, appointed coadjutator, drew a salary equal to Brunelleschi's and, though neither was awarded the announced prize of 200 florins, was promised equal credit, although he spent most of his time on other projects. When Brunelleschi became ill, or feigned illness, the project was briefly in the hands of Ghiberti. But Ghiberti soon had to admit that the whole project was beyond him. In 1423, Brunelleschi was back in charge and took over sole responsibility.

Work started on the dome in 1420 and was completed in 1436. The cathedral was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV on March 25, 1436, (the first day of the year according to the Florentine calendar). It was the first 'octagonal' dome in history to be built without a temporary wooden supporting frame. It was one of the most impressive projects of the Renaissance. During the consecration in 1436, Guillaume Dufay's motet Nuper rosarum flores was performed. The structure of this motet was strongly influenced by the structure of the dome.

The decoration of the exterior of the cathedral, begun in the 14th century, was not completed until 1887, when the polychrome marble façade was completed with the design of Emilio De Fabris. The floor of the church was relaid in marble tiles in the 16th century.

The exterior walls are faced in alternate vertical and horizontal bands of polychrome marble from Carrara (white), Prato (green), Siena (red), Lavenza and a few other places. These marble bands had to repeat the already existing bands on the walls of the earlier adjacent baptistery the Battistero di San Giovanni and Giotto's Bell Tower. There are two side doors: the Doors of the Canonici (south side) and the Door of the Mandorla (north side) with sculptures by Nanni di Banco, Donatello, and Jacopo della Quercia. The six side windows, notable for their delicate tracery and ornaments, are separated by pilasters. Only the four windows closest to the transept admit light; the other two are merely ornamental. The clerestory windows are round, a common feature in Italian Gothic.

During its long history, this cathedral has been the seat of the Council of Florence (1439), heard the preachings of Girolamo Savonarola and witnessed the murder of Giuliano di Piero de' Medici on Sunday, 26 April 1478 (with Lorenzo Il Magnifico barely escaping death), in the Pazzi conspiracy.

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_del_Duomo,_Florence

Florence (/ˈflɒrəns/ FLOR-əns; Italian: Firenze [fiˈrɛntse] ( listen)) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the Metropolitan City of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 382,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1,520,000 in the metropolitan area.

Florence was a centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of the time, is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, and has been called "the Athens of the Middle Ages". A turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family, and numerous religious and republican revolutions. From 1865 to 1871 the city was the capital of the recently established Kingdom of Italy.

The Historic Centre of Florence attracts 13 millions of tourists each year, and Euromonitor International ranked the city as the world's 89th most visited in 2012, with 1.8 million visitors. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. The city is noted for its culture, Renaissance art and architecture and monuments. The city also contains numerous museums and art galleries, such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Palazzo Pitti, and still exerts an influence in the fields of art, culture and politics. Due to Florence's artistic and architectural heritage, it has been ranked by Forbes as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Florence is an important city in Italian fashion, being ranked in the top 51 fashion capitals of the world; furthermore, it is a major national economic centre, as well as a tourist and industrial hub. In 2008, the city had the 17th highest average income in Italy.

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence

Андріївська церква — православна церква на честь Святого Андрія у стилі бароко у Києві.

Впервые Видубицкий монастырь упоминается в летописи под 1070 г.: «В се же лето заложена бысть церкы святаго Михаила в монастыре Всеволожи» (ПСРЛ. Т. 1. Стб. 174), «на Выдобычи» (Там же. Т. 2. Стб. 164). Согласно этому сообщению, ктитором обители был переяславский (впоследствии Киевский) князь Всеволод (Андрей) Ярославич (около 1030-1093).

Освящать закладку каменного храма на Выдубичах должен был Киевский митрополит Георгий (около 1062 - после 1073). Монастырь располагался вблизи загородной резиденции князя Всеволода - Красного двора (в 1096 сожжена при нападении половецкого хана Боняка на Киев - Там же. Т. 1. Стб. 233). Первый известный по имени выдубицкий игумен Софроний в 1072 г. участвовал в переносе мощей св. князей Бориса и Глеба в Вышгороде под Киевом (Там же. Стб. 181; ПВЛ. 1996. Ч. 2. С. 78).

Limburg Cathedral (Limburger Dom, also known as Georgsdom ("George's Cathedral") after its dedication to Saint George, is located above the old town of Limburg in Hesse, Germany. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Limburg. Its high location on a rock above the river Lahn provides its visibility from far away. It is the result of an Early Gothic modernization of an originally Early Romanesque building and therefore shows a Romanesque-Gothic transitional style.

The medieval patron saints of the church were Saint George and Saint Nicholas.

The cathedral is a three-aisled basilica, which combines late Romanesque and early Gothic elements. It has a narthex at the western end and a semi-circular choir with an ambulatory. The outside measures 54.5 m long, with a width of 35.4 m. The building has a complicated structure; seven spires rise from it. The number seven is a symbolic reference to the number of the sacraments. The tallest of these towers are on the western side and rise to a height of 37 m. They form the distinctive "twin-tower façade [de]" of the west front. Such twin-tower façades are common in the Rheinland, for example at Xanten, Andernach [de] and Koblenz. The pointed crossing spire stands above all the other spires with a height of 66 m at the centre of the building. This height is the result of a lightning strike in 1774, before which the tower was 6.5 metres higher. The corner towers on the southern transept were erected in 1863.

The west front is divided into five levels. The most eye-catching stylistic element is a huge round window, surrounded by eight small rosettes, which forms a clear centre of the west front. The rosette symbolises the four Evangelists. Despite the symmetry of the twin towers, there is rich variation in forms and building elements, e.g. round and pointed arches, pilaster strips, small pillars, archivolts, windows and blind arches. The upper level of the north tower includes Gothic elements (e.g. window tracery).

During restorations between 1872 and 1873, the polychrome exterior painting of the cathedral was removed (the colours were, previously, white, red, yellow-brown, black and a little green) and the stone was left bare. Between 1968 and 1972, the polychrome exterior was restored, using remains of the colour from the period before 1872 in order to reconstruct the old patterns.

The Limburg cathedral was shown on the back of the 1000-DM-Banknote of the third series. The notes with the Limburg motif were issued from the end of July 1964 and replaced from 1992 by the 1000-DM-Banknote of the fourth (and last) series.

Monasterio de Valvanera, La Rioja, España.

El monasterio de Nuestra Señora de Valvanera es una abadía benedictina situada a las faldas de los Montes Mori y Redonda, en la sierra de la Demanda, perteneciente al municipio de Anguiano, en La Rioja (España). La abadía se halla en el valle del mismo nombre, a algo más de 1000 m sobre el nivel del mar, rodeado de espesos bosques de frondosas, y entre las cimas de los montes Pancrudos, La Rioja, Gomare y de San Lorenzo.

El monasterio acoge la advocación mariana de la Virgen de Valvanera, patrona de la comunidad autónoma de La Rioja, siendo por tanto un punto importante de peregrinaje para creyentes y de obligada visita para turistas en la región.

Actualmente está regido por cuatro monjes del Instituto del Verbo Encarnado.

La primera iglesia visigótica se construiría en el siglo X con la llegada de los primeros ermitaños, esta sería sucedida por otra prerrománica consagrada en el 1073 por el obispo Fortunio, siendo rey Sancho Garcés IV de Navarra. Tras esta se construyó una iglesia románica consagrada por Rodrigo, Obispo de Calahorra el 16 de septiembre de 1183.

La actual es del gótico tardío, de finales del siglo XIV, es de una sola nave con forma de cruz y en ella se venera a la Virgen de Valvanera, patrona de La Rioja.

Durante todo el siglo XVI se realizaron numerosas reformas sobre el edificio del claustro, aumentando las diferentes pandas, y construyendo una cámara abacial, las escaleras de acceso, la biblioteca, el refectorio, nuevas celdas, entre otras muchas reformas. Incluso se reconstruyeron por completo las cubiertas, siendo uno de los periodos de mayor actividad arquitectónica del monasterio.

Ya en el siglo XVII, se construyeron la nueva portería, las nuevas cocinas (la Cocina Santa o Cocina de San Atanasio), y uno de los elementos más característicos del monasterio, la galería porticada de la fachada sur. Esta galería contaba con 5 arcos al Sur y 3 al Oeste, generando una gran entrada protegida al monasterio, ya que el acceso a este se realizaba por su cara Oeste, no como actualmente que ser realiza por el Este. Los arcos originales estaban fechados en 1640, y eran neoclásicos de medio punto. El último de los arcos originales se derribó en 1949, para dar lugar a los actuales apuntados.

La portada de la fachada sur, y actual acceso a la hospedería, se realizó en la reforma de 1763, siendo de estilo neoclásico. Está construida con piedra toba roja, por dos pilastras toscanas y rematada por entablamento y frontón recto. Esta fachada se derribó y se volvió a construir en 1949, recolocando dicha portada.

The Monastery of Our Lady of Valvanera is a Benedictine abbey located at the foot of the Mori and Redonda Mountains, in the Sierra de la Demanda, part of the municipality of Anguiano, in La Rioja (Spain). The abbey is located in the valley of the same name, at just over 1,000 m above sea level, surrounded by dense deciduous forests, and between the peaks of the Pancrudos, La Rioja, Gomare, and San Lorenzo mountains.

The monastery embraces the Marian devotion of the Virgin of Valvanera, patron saint of the autonomous community of La Rioja, and is therefore an important pilgrimage site for believers and a must-see for tourists in the region.

It is currently governed by four monks of the Institute of the Incarnate Word.

The first Visigothic church was built in the 10th century with the arrival of the first hermits. This was followed by another pre-Romanesque church consecrated in 1073 by Bishop Fortunio, during the reign of Sancho Garcés IV of Navarre. After this, a Romanesque church was built, consecrated by Rodrigo, Bishop of Calahorra, on September 16, 1183.

The current church is late Gothic, dating from the late 14th century. It has a single nave in the shape of a cross and venerates the Virgin of Valvanera, patron saint of La Rioja.

Throughout the 16th century, numerous renovations were carried out on the cloister building, including enlarging the various galleries and constructing an abbatial chamber, the access stairs, the library, the refectory, and new cells, among many other improvements. Even the roofs were completely rebuilt, marking one of the monastery's periods of greatest architectural activity.

As early as the 17th century, the new gatehouse, the new kitchens (the Holy Kitchen or Kitchen of Saint Athanasius), and one of the monastery's most characteristic elements, the porticoed gallery on the south façade, were built. This gallery had five arches to the south and three to the west, creating a large, protected entrance to the monastery, as access was via its west face, rather than the east as is currently the case. The original arches were dated 1640 and were semicircular neoclassical. The last of the original arches was demolished in 1949, to make way for the current pointed arches.

The doorway on the south façade, and the current entrance to the guest house, was completed during the renovation of 1763 and is in the neoclassical style. It is built with red tuff stone, with two Tuscan pilasters and an entablature and a straight pediment. This façade was demolished and rebuilt in 1949, with the portal replaced.

Un autre angle de prise de vue pour ce bel hôtel des Trois Rois. Sa belle façade prend le soleil et met en lumière les riches détails d'inspiration renaissance, classique et même d'un peu d'art nouveau. Le petit espace portuaire qu'on peut voir en bas à gauche est tout ce qui reste du chantier naval qu'a eu la municipalité dans son Histoire intra-muros. Il avait été mis en place au XIVe siècle par la guilde des navigateurs et sert encore aujourd'hui comme embarcadère pour quelques bateaux de passage.

Sources : Site du vieux Bâle présentant les légendes et l'histoire du lieu (DE) && Wiki de l'hôtel (EN) && Magazine voyage présentant l'hôtel (FR) && Site de l'hôtel présentant son histoire (PDF)(FR) && Site sur le sujet des montres de luxe présentant l'hôtel (FR) (Pourquoi = Suisse) && Magazine d'information sur le luxe suisse présentant l'hôtel (FR) && Site d'information concernant les grandes fortunes présentant l'hôtel (FR) && Journal suisse présentant l'hôtel (FR) && Wiki sur le chantier naval (DE)

Георгиевский собор является выдающимся памятником украинской барочной архитектуры.

Имя архитектора остается неизвестным (предположительно указываются Д. В. Аксамитов, М. Ефимов). Собор возведен по инициативе митр. Киевского Варлаама (Ясинского), который привлек к строительству богатого стародубского полковника М. А. Миклашевского.

Первоначально собор был посвящен Чуду арх. Михаила. Торжественная закладка собора состоялась 11 июня 1696 года, строительство продолжалось 5 лет. В 1701 году его освятил митрополит Варлаам Ясинский.

Пятикупольный собор был возведен в топографическом центре монастыря, что определило его архитектурную композицию. В основании храма - крест, рукава которого создают объемы в виде высоких восьмериков, объединенных вокруг такого же восьмерика в центре. Каждый восьмерик увенчан стройным грушевидным куполом: центральный с 2 заломами, а боковые - с одним.

Сдержанный внешний декор собора (сильно раскрепованные угловые пилястры, капители, многопрофильные карнизы и прорезанные в форме визант. крестов окна) подчеркивает его стройность и стремление вверх.

“У київській архітектурі закоханість у декоративне прикрашання будинків була настільки великою, що оздоблювали не лише нові, а й старі споруди. Наприклад, Софійський, Успенський та Микільський собори, Братська церква. Особливо багато декорувалися фронтони і бані Софійського, Михайлівського, Кирилівського, Успенського соборів. Прагнення пишно оздобити верхні частини будинків виявилося в тому, що на високих точках фронтонів та інших частинах даху встановлювали на шпилях ковані з металу й позолочені зображення дисків сонця з променями, а самі бані часто прикрашали зображенням зірок. Архітектурний декор у вигляді барельєфа, здебільшого на рослинні мотиви, іноді розміщувався за принципом української плахти – на площині стіни більш-менш рівномірно (Софійська дзвіниця, західні частини Успенського собору Києво-Печерської лаври).

Саме в Києві у XVII-XVIII ст. найяскравіше виявилися національні особливості мурованої архітектури України. Вона відзначається розмаїтістю і відбиває національну специфіку, що відрізняє українську архітектуру від архітектури інших народів.”

/Наталя Будзинська, музей історії Києва/