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The Prince Hall Masonic Lodge (or Masonic Temple Building in the nomination form for the National Register of Historic Places) was the first lodge built by the black fraternal organizations in Raleigh. The roots of the lodge reach back just after the Civil War to the organization of Widow’s Son Lodge No. 4 in 1867 by Bishop James W. Hood. In 1870 the Masonic lodges of Raleigh, Wilmington, Fayetteville and New Bern united as the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of North Carolina. The building was constructed in 1907 and planned for lodge meetings, social gatherings such as dances, and space for business on the ground level. The Masons helped spur growth in SE Raleigh by the location of their lodge. It’s a rectangular three-story wood-frame building with a flat roof and with brick veneer and Italianate detailing. Separating the first level with the second is a metal cornice, needing a little repair. Fenestration on the upper levels of the front façade features segmental-arched windows; there are raised brick partial surrounds, an aspect of the Italianate style. Under each window is a recessed panel. The original entrance was in the cut-away corner, which is supported by cast-iron columns, fluted with a modified capital of the Corinthian order. The structure has its own listing on the National Register, added May 3, 1984 with ID#84002533.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
I wanted to try cut-outs on this vase, to reveal more of the interior pattern, which is different than that on the outside. I'm unsure of the cut-outs, but I'm very happy with the finished surface.
(further pictures and information are available by clicking on the link at the end of page!)
History of the Vienna Hofburg
First residence
With the elevation of Austria to Archduchy in 1156, Vienna became a city of residence. From the residence of the Babenberg dynasty, who was located on the present site "Am Hof", unfortunately, there do not exist any remains anymore. After the extinction of the Babenberg, Ottokar II of Bohemia (1230-1278) took over by marriage the rule in Vienna and began in 1275 with the construction of a castle within the city walls of Vienna. This castle was equipped with four towers around a rectangular court that is known as Schweizerhof today. In the battle for the German crown Ottokar was defeated at the Battle of Dürnkrut by Rudolf I of Habsburg (1218-1291) and killed during the retreat.
As the old residence of the Babenberg in 1276 burned down, Rudolf probably 1279 moved into the former castle of Ottokar. The descendants of Rudolf extended the castle only slightly: castle chapel (documentary mention in 1296), St. Augustine's Church (consecrated in 1349), reconstruction of the chapel (1423-1426). Due to the division of the lands of the Habsburg Vienna lost its importance and also lacked the financial resources to expand the castle.
Imperial residence
Under Frederick III. (1415-1493) the Habsburgs obtained the imperial title and Vienna became an imperial residence. But Friedrich and his successors used the Vienna Residence only rarely and so it happened that the imperial residence temporarily orphaned. Only under Ferdinand I (1503-1564) Vienna again became the capital of the Archduchy. Under Ferdinand set in a large construction activity: The three existing wings of the Swiss court were expanded and increased. The defensive wall in the northwest as fourth tract with the Swiss Gate (built in 1552 probably by Pietro Ferrabosco) was rebuilt. In the southwest, a tract for Ferdinand's children (the so-called "children Stöckl") was added. The newly constituted authorities Exchequer and Chancery were located in adjacent buildings at Castle Square. Were added in the castle an art chamber, a hospital, a passage from the castle to St. Augustine's Church and a new ballroom.
First major extensions of the residence
In the area of "desolate church" built Ferdinand from 1559 a solitary residence for his son. However, the construction was delayed, and Maximilian II (1527-1576) after his father's death in 1564 moved into the ancient castle. His residence he for his Spanish horses had converted into a Hofstallgebäude (Stallburg - stables) and increased from 1565 .
Ferdinand I decided to divide his lands to his three sons, which led to a reduction of Vienna as a residence. Moreover, stayed Maximilian II, who was awarded alongside Austria above and below the Enns also Bohemia and Hungary, readily in Prague and he moved also the residence there. In 1575 he decided to build a new building in front of the Swiss court for the royal household of his eldest son, Rudolf II (1552-1612). The 1577 in the style of the late Renaissance completed and in 1610 expanded building, which was significantly fitted with a turret with "welscher hood" and an astronomical clock, but by the governor of the Emperor (Archduke Ernst of Austria) was inhabited. However, the name "Amalienborg Castle" comes from Amalie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (wife of Joseph I.), which in 1711 there installed her widow seat.
In the late 16th and early 17th Century only a few extensions were carried out: extension of a separate tract in the northeast of the castle for the Treasure and Art chamber (1583-1585) and setting up of a dance hall in the area of today's Redoutensäle (1629-1631).
Under Leopold I the dance hall by Ludovico Burnacini 1659/1660 was rebuilt into an at that time modern theater ("Comedy House"). 1666 Leopold I in the area of today's castle garden a new opera house with three tiers and a capacity of 5,000 people had built.
In the 1660-ies under Leopold I (1640-1705) after the plans of architect Filiberto Lucchese an elongated wing building between the Amalienborg Castle and the Schweizerhof, the so-called Leopoldine Wing, was built. However, since the tract shortly after the completion burned down, this by Giovanni Pietro Tencala was set up newly and increased. Architecturally, this tract still connects to the late Renaissance. The connection with the Amalienborg castle followed then under Leopold's son Joseph I (1678-1711).
After completion of the Leopoldine Wing the in the southeast of castle located riding school was renewed, the south tower of the old castle pulled down, the old sacristy of the chapel replaced by an extension. Under Charles VI. (1685-1740) the Gateway Building between cabbage market (Kohlmarkt) and Courtyard by Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt was transformed into a monumental triumphal arch as a representative sign of the imperial power. However, this construction does not exist anymore, it had to give way to the Michael tract.
Baroque redesign of the Hofburg
In the early 18th Century set in a buoyant construction activity. The emperor commissioned Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach with the construction of new stables outside the city walls and a new court library.
After the death of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, his son Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach took over the construction management for the stables and the court library. 1725 the palatial front of the stables was completed. As already during the construction period has been established that the stables were dimensioned too small, the other wings were not realized anymore. The with frescoes by Daniel Gran and statues of Emperors by Paul Strudel equipped Court Library was completed in 1737.
Opposite the Leopoldine Wing a new Reich Chancellery should be built. 1723 was entrusted with the planning Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt. 1726, however, the supervision the Reich Chancellery was withdrawn and transferred to the Chancery and thus Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, who also designed the adjacent Court Chamber and the front to St. Michael's Church. 1728 the Court Chamber and the facade of the two buildings were completed. By Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach was also the Michaelertrakt, the connection between the Winter Riding School and the Imperial Chancellery Wing planned. However, since the old Burgtheater the building was in the path, this was half done for a period of 150 years and was only completed in 1889-1893 by Ferdinand Kirschner .
Under Maria Theresia (1717-1780) the at St. Michael's Square located and only as remnants existing Ballhaus was adapted as a court theater. Beside the Emperor hospital in return a new ball house was built, being eponymous for the Ballhausplatz. Subsequently, there occured again and again conversions and adaptations: reconstruction of the comedy hall according to the plans of Jean Nicolas Jadot into two ballrooms, the small and large ball room (1744-1748). The transformation of the two halls (from 1760), repair of the Court Library, and from 1769 onwards the design of the Josephsplatz took place under Joseph Nicolas of Pacassi. These buildings were completed by the successor of Pacassi Franz Anton Hillebrandt. As an extension for the Court Library in the southeast the Augustinian tract was built.
Other structural measures under Maria Theresia: establishment of the court pharmacy into the Stallburg, relocation of the in the Stallburg housed art collection into the Upper Belvedere, razing of the two remaining towers of the old castle, the construction of two stairways (the ambassador stairway and the column stairways (Botschafter- and Säulenstiege).
Extensions in the 19th Century and early 20th century
Francis II (1768-1835) gave Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen and his wife Marie Christine (daughter of Maria Theresa) the Palais Tarouca south of the Augustinian monastery. From 1800 this was remodeled by Louis Montoyer and extended by a wing building to today's Albertina.
1804, Francis II proclaimed the hereditary Empire of Austria and was, consequently, as Franz I the first Emperor of Austria. With the by Napoleon Bonaparte provoked abdication of the emperor in 1806 ended the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.
1809 part of the old bastions was blown up at the castle in consequence of the war with Napoleon, and after it blazed. Towards today's ring road, then new outworks were created (the so-called Hornwerkskurtine and the Escarpen). In the early 20-ies of the 19th Century were layed out three gardens: the private imperial castle garden with two of Louis Remy planned steel/glass- constructed greenhouses, Heroes Square (Heldenplatz) with avenues and the People's garden (Volksgarten) with the Theseus Temple (Pietro Nobile). At the same time, emerged also the new, 1821 by Luigi Cagnola began and 1824 by Pietro Nobile completed outer castle gate.
1846 was built a monumental memorial to Francis I in Inner Castle Square. In the turmoil of the 1848 revolution the Stallburg was stormed and fought fiercely at the outer castle square and the castle gate. As a result, the roof of the court library burned. The political consequences of the revolution were the abdication of Emperor Ferdinand I (1793-1875), the dismissal of the dreaded Chancellor Clemens Lothar Fürst Metternich and the enthronement of Ferdinand's nephew Franz Joseph.
In the first years of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830-1916) the royal stables of Leopold Mayer have been redesigned and expanded. As part of the expansion of the city, the city walls were razed and instead of the fortifications arose place for a magnificent boulevard, the Ringstrasse. 1862, the idea of an Imperial Forum by architect Ludwig Förster was born. On the surface between the Hofburg and the Imperial Stables should arise court museums (Museum of Art History and Museum of Natural History).
At the outer Castle Square (today's Heldenplatz) were in the 60-ies of the 19th Century the by Anton Dominik Fernkorn created equestrian statues of Archduke Charles (victor over Napoleon at the Battle of Aspern) and Prince Eugene of Savoy (victor over the Turks in several battles) set up.
After an unsuccessful architectural competition on the design of the Heroes' Square area in 1869 Gottfried Semper could be won. This led to the involuntary and not frictionless collaboration with Carl Freiherr von Hasenauer. Planned was a two-wing complex beyond the ring road, with the two flanking twin museums (Art and Natural History Museum) and the old stables as a conclusion. 1871 was began with the Erdaushebungen (excavations) for the museums. 1889, the Museum of Natural History was opened, and in 1891, the Museum of Art History.
On a watercolor from 1873 by Rudolf Ritter von Alt (1812 - 1905) an overall view of the Imperial Forum is shown.
1888, the Old Court Theatre at St. Michael's Square was demolished, as the new KK Court Theatre (today's Burgtheater), built by Gottfried Semper and Carl Freiherr von Hasenauer, was finished. The since 150 years existing construction site at St. Michael's Square could be completed. The roundel got a dome, the concave curved Michaelertrakt was finalized by Ferdinand Kirschner. The once by Lorenzo Mattielli created cycle of statues on the facade of the Reich Chancellery was continued with four other "deeds of Hercules' at he side of the passage arches. 1893, the Hofburg had finally got its ostentatious show facade.
1901, the old greenhouses were demolished and replaced by an orangery with Art Nouveau elements according to plans by Friedrich Ohmann (completed in 1910). In 1907, the Corps de Logis, which forms the end of the Neue Burg, is completed. Since Emperor Franz Joseph I in budding 20th Century no longer was interested in lengthy construction projects and the heir to the throne Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este (1863-1914) was against the establishment of a throne hall building, but was in favour for the construction of a smaller ballroom tract, the implementation of the second wing was dropped. After the assassination of Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este in Sarajevo, the First World War broke out. Franz Joseph I died in 1916. A great-nephew of Franz Joseph I, Charles I (1887-1922), succeeded to the throne, however, he held only two years. The end of the First World War also meant the end of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. On 11 November 1918 the First Republic was proclaimed. As Karl although renounced to government business, but not to the throne, he had to go into exile with his family.
The Imperial Palace in the 20th century
The interior design of the ballroom tract and the Neue Burg continued despite the end of the monarchy until 1926. By the end of the monarchy, many of the buildings lost their purpose. Furthermore used or operated was the Riding School. The stables were used from 1921 as an exhibition site of the Vienna Fair ("Fair Palace"). In 1928, the Corps de Logis, the Museum of Ethnology, until then part of the Natural History Museum, opened. In 1935 the collection of weapons (Court, Hunting and Armour Chamber) of the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) came in the Neue Burg.
1933/1934 the outer castle gate by Rudolf Wondracek was transformed into the hero monument to the victims of the First World War. 1935 emerged on the left and on the right of the castle gate the pylon portals with eagle sculptures by William Frass. In March 1938, the Heroes Square and the balcony of the Neue Burg gained notoriety after Adolf Hitler to the cheering crowd at the Heldenplatz announced the annexation of Austria to the German Reich. The Nazis were planning a redesign of the Heroes' Square to a paved parade and ceremony space. The plans were not realized since 1943 a fire pond at Heldenplatz was dredged and the place was later used for agriculture. In the Trade Fair Palace during the period of Nazism propaganda events were held.
During the war, the Hofburg (Imperial Stables, St. Augustine's Church, Albertina, the official building of the Federal President, the current building of the Federal Chancellery) was severely damaged by bombing: The first President of the Second Republic, Dr. Karl Renner, in 1946 the Office of the President moved into the Leopoldine Wing (in the former living quarters of Maria Theresa and Joseph II).
During the occupation time the seat of the Inter-Allied Commission was housed in the Neue Burg.
1946 first events were held in the Exhibition Palace again, and were built two large halls in the main courtyard of the Exhibition Palace. In the course of the reconstruction war damages were disposed and the Imperial Palace was repaired, the barn castle (Stallburg) erected again. In 1958, in the ballroom wing the convention center has been set up.
1962-1966 the modern Library of the Austrian National Library is housed in the Neue Burg.
1989 emerged for the first time the notion of a "Museum Quarter". The museum quarter should include contemporary art and culture. The oversized design by Laurids and Manfred Ortner but was downsized several times after resistance of a citizens' initiative. It was implemented a decade later.
1992 the two Redoutensäle (ball rooms) burned out completely. Yet shortly after the fire was started with reconstruction. The roof was reconstructed and the little ball room (Kleiner Redoutensaal) could be restored. The big ball room, however, was renovated and designed with paintings by Josef Mikl. In 1997 the two halls were reopened.
From 1997-2002 the Museum Quarter (including Kunsthalle Wien, Leopold Collection) was rebuilt and the old building fabric renovated.
Was began in 1999 with the renovation of the Albertina. The by a study building, two exhibit halls and an underground storage vault extended Museum was reopened in 2003. The Albertina ramp was built with an oversized shed roof by Hans Hollein.
In 2006, additional rooms for the convention center were created by the boiler house yard.
(Source: Trenkler, Thomas: "The Hofburg Wien", Vienna, 2004)
www.burghauptmannschaft.at/php/detail.php?ukatnr=12185&am....
En la Punta de las Negras, Cabo Silleiro (Galicia, España), está el antiguo Faro Silleiro. Fue encendido por primera vez el 31 de marzo de 1862, con una planta rectangular de 168 metros cuadrados cimentada en la roca. Al principio tenía una lámpara de mecha, con una óptica Sautter hecha en París y utilizaba aceite vegetal como combustible. Daba una luz fija con 17 millas naúticas de alcance. En 1909 se cambió la instalación por una lámpara de petróleo.
El 8 de agosto de 1924 se estrenó el nuevo faro a 800 metros del antiguo y a 80 metros sobre el nivel del mar. En la noche del 21 al 22 de diciembre, el nuevo faro sufrió un incendio y el viejo faro tuvo que ser recuperado, siendo usado de nuevo hasta que el 13 de julio de 1925 se puso definitivamente en marcha el nuevo faro.
El estado actual del antiguo Faro Silleiro es ruinoso. El techo ha desaparecido, y de su torre de granito sólo queda la base: los otros dos cuerpos octogonales ya no están. Tiene todas las ventanas selladas, salvo una ventana acristalada que está en la torre, a la que se sube por una estrecha escalera de caracol. El tabique de cierre de la puerta del faro ha sido reventado.
Former Lighthouse of Silleiro. In the Punta de las Negras, Cabo Silleiro (Galicia, Spain) there is the former Lighthouse Silleiro. It was ignited by the first time on March 31th, 1862, with a rectangular plant of 168 square meters established in the rock. Initially it had a lamp of wick, with an optics Sautter made in Paris and there was using vegetable oil as combustible. It was giving a fixed light with 17 miles naúticas of scope. In 1909 the installation changed for an petroleum lamp.
On August 8th 1924 the new beacon had its premiere to 800 meters of the former one and to 80 meters on the level of the sea. In the night from December 21th to 22th, the new beacon suffered a fire and the old beacon had to be recovered, being used again until on July 13th 1925 the new beacon was started definitively.
The current state of the former Lighthouse Silleiro is ruinous. The roof has disappeared, and of its tower of granite only the base stays: other two octogonals bodies already are not. It has all the sealed windows, except a glazed window that is in the tower, to which it is raised by a narrow stairs of snail. The partition of closing of the door of the beacon has been burst.
Chand Minar, Daulatabad Fort
Coming out of the Jain Temple, you cross the pathway to the Chand Minar, a circular tower rising to a height of 210 feet erected by Alauddin II Bahmani in 1435 AD. Its midway gallery is supported by brackets with balustrades all around. Very few of the glazed persian tiles of diamond shape and lapis lazuli color which once decorated the minar can now be seen on it. The top is accessed by a spiral staircase. On the rectangular base, there is a mosque to one side and a Drum-Hall (Nakhar Khana) on the other side.
Daulatabad also known as Devagiri, is a town which includes the Devagiri-Daulatabad fort It is a 14th-century fort city in Maharashtra state of India, about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) northwest of Aurangabad. The place was originally named Devagiri when it was an important uplands city along caravan routes (ca. sixth century AD), but the intervening centuries have reduced it to a village. However it is also considered to be one of the seven wonders of Maharashtra and a developing tourist spot.
The historical triangular fort of Daulatabad was built by first Yadava king Bhillama V in 1187.
Starting 1327, it famously remained the capital of Tughlaq dynasty, under Muhammad bin Tughluq (r. 1325-1351), who also changed its name, and forcibly moved the entire population of Delhi for two years before it was abandoned for lack of water and Tughluq was constantly known to shift the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad and Daulatabad to Delhi.
There is a belief that Devagiri was built in 1203 AD by a Dhangar or herdsman who acquired vast wealth by his good fortune. He had a brother who was a shepherd named 'Raja Ram' and in correlation with it he assumed the rank of a Raja (King).
Lord Shiva is believed to have been stayed on the hills surrounding this region. Hence the fort was originally known as Devagiri, literally (Hills of Gods)
The area of the city includes the hill-fortress of Devagiri (sometimes Latinised to Deogiri). It stands on a conical hill, about 200 meters high. Much of the lower slopes of the hill has been cut away by Yadava dynasty rulers to leave 50 meter vertical sides to improve defenses. The fort is a place of extraordinary strength. The only means of access to the summit is by a narrow bridge, with passage for not more than two people abreast, and a long gallery, excavated in the rock, which has for the most part a very gradual upward slope.
About midway along this gallery, the access gallery has steep stairs, the top of which is covered by a grating destined in time of war to form the hearth of a huge fire kept burning by the garrison above. At the summit, and at intervals on the slope, are specimens of massive old cannon facing out over the surrounding countryside. Also at the mid way, there is a cave entrance meant to confuse the enemies.
The fort had the following specialities which are listed along with their advantages :
No separate exit from the fort, only one entrance/exit - This is designed to confuse the enemy soldiers to drive deep into the fort in search of an exit, at their own peril.
No parallal gates - This is designed to break the momentum of theconfusing the invading army. Also, the flag mast is on the left hill, which the enemy will try to capitualte, thus will always turn left. But the real gates of the fort are on the right & the false ones on the left, thus confusing the enemy.
Spikes on the gates - In the era before gunpowder, intoxicated elephants were used as a battering ram to break open the gates. The presence of spikes ensured that the elephants died of injury.
Complex arrangement of entryways, curved walls, false doors - Designed to confuse the enemy, false, but well-designed gates on the left side lured the enemy soldiers in & trapped them inside, eventually feeding them to crocodiles.
The hill is shaped like a smooth tortoise back - this prevented the use of mountain lizards as climbers, because they cannot stick on it.
The site had been occupied since at least 100 BCE, and now has remains of Buddhist temples similar to those at Ajanta and Ellora.
The city is said to have been founded c. 1187 by Bhillama V, a Yadava prince who renounced his allegiance to the Chalukyas and established the power of the Yadava dynasty in the west. During the rule of the Yadava king Ramachandra, Alauddin Khalji of Delhi Sultanate raided Devagiri in 1296, forcing the Yadavas to pay a hefty tribute. When the tribute payments stopped, Alauddin sent a second expedition to Devagiri in 1308, forcing Ramachandra to become his vassal.
In 1328, Muhammad bin Tughluq of Delhi Sultanate transferred the capital of his kingdom to Devagiri, and renamed it Daulatabad. Some scholars ague that it the idea behind transfer of the capital was rational, because it lied more or less in the centre of the kingdom, and geographically secured the capital from the north-west frontier attacks.
In the Daulatabad fort, he found the area arid & dry. Hence he built a huge reservoir for water storage & connected it with a far-away river. He used siphon system to fill up the reservoir. However, his capital-shift strategy failed miserably due to lack of application & other factors. Hence he shifted back to Delhi & earned him the moniker "Mad King".
The next important event in the Daulatabad fort time-line was the construction of the Chand Minar by the Bahmani ruler Hasan Gangu Bahmani, also known as Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah (r. 3 August 1347 – 11 February 1358).
Hasan Gangu built the Chand Minar as a replica of the Qutb Minar of Delhi, of which he was a great fan of. He employed Iranian architects to built the Minar who used Lapis Lazuli & Red Ochre for coloring. Currently, the Minar is out of bounds for the tourists, because of a suicide case.
As we move further into the fort, we can see the Chini Mahal, a VIP prison built by Aurangzeb. In this prison, he kept Abul Hasan Tana Shah of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty of Hyderabad. The antecedents of Abul Hasan Tana Shah, the last Qutub Shahi king are shrouded in mystery. Although a kinsman of the Golconda royals, he spent his formative years as a disciple of renowned Sufi saint Shah Raju Qattal, leading a spartan existence away from the pomp and grandeur of royalty. Shah Raziuddin Hussaini, popularly known as Shah Raju, was held in high esteem by both the nobility and commoners of Hyderabad. Abdullah Qutub Shah, the seventh king of Golconda was among his most ardent devotees. He died in prison leaving no male heir to the throne.
In this Chini Mahal, Sambhaji, son of Shivaji was kept.
Most of the present-day fortification was constructed under the Bahmanis and the Nizam Shahs of Ahmadnagar. The Mughal Governor of the Deccan under Shah Jahan, captured the fortress in 1632 and imprisoned the Nizam Shahi prince Husain Shah.
Monuments
The outer wall, 2.75 miles (4.43 km) in circumference, once enclosed the ancient city of Devagiri and between this and the base of the upper fort are three lines of defences.
Along with the fortifications, Devagiri contains several notable monuments, of which the chief are the Chand Minar and the Chini Mahal. The Chand Minar is a tower 210 ft (64 m). high and 70 ft (21 m). in circumference at the base, and was originally covered with beautiful Persian glazed tiles. It was erected in 1445 by Ala-ud-din Bahmani to commemorate his capture of the fort. The Chini Mahal (literally: China Palace), is the ruin of a building once of great beauty. In it Abul Hasan Tana Shah, the last of the Qutb Shahi kings of Golconda, was imprisoned by Aurangzeb in 1687.
This custom pedicab was developing a crack where the front end connects to the rectangular rear end. The vertical post is temporarily welded on to help close the crack with a heavy duty ratchet strap.
Arsenal (Vienna)
The Vienna Arsenal, object 1
(Pictures you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page!)
The Arsenal in Vienna is a former military complex in the southeast of the city, located in the 3rd district of Vienna. The mighty, consisting of several brick buildings facility is located on a rectangular plan on a hill south of the Country Road Belt (Landstraßer Gürtel).
Meaning
The Arsenal is the most important secular assembly of Romantic Historicism in Vienna and was conducted in Italian-Medieval and Byzantine-Moorish forms. Essentially the complex is preserved in its original forms; only the former workshop buildings within the bounding, from the the outside visible wings were replaced by new constructions.
History to 1945
Bird's eye view of the complex, arsenal, lithography Alexander Kaiser, 1855
Vienna Arsenal (Museum of Military History)
Arsenal, with HGM (Heeresgeschichtliches Museum) from the East
The complex, with a total of 31 "objects" (buildings) was built from 1849 to 1856 on the occasion of the March Revolution of 1848 and was the first building of the fortress triangle, replacing the old Vienna's city walls, with the Rossauer Barracks and the now-defunct Franz Joseph barracks at Stubenring. These buildings should not serve to deter foreign enemies from the city, but to secure state power in the event of revolutionary upheavals in Vienna. The decision to build the Arsenal, it came from the 19-year-old Emperor Franz Joseph I who on 2 December 1848 had come to the throne.
The design for the Imperial Artillery Arsenal came from General Artillery Director Vincenz Freiherr von Augustin, to which, subsequently, the site management had been transferred. Under his leadership, the buildings under assignment of sectors have been planned of the architects Carl Roesner, Antonius Pius de Riegel, August Sicard von Sicardsburg, Eduard van der Nüll, Theophil von Hansen and Ludwig Förster and built by the company of the architect Leopold Mayr.
From 1853 to 1856, Arsenal church was built by the architect Carl Roesner. The K.K. Court Weapon Museum, later K.K. Army Museum, now Museum of Military History, housed in a separate representative free-standing wing, was completed structurally in 1856, but was only in 1869 for the first time accessible.
For the construction of the Arsenal 177 million bricks were used. Construction costs totaled $ 8.5 million guilders. In the following years, there have been extensions. During the two world wars, the complex served as a weapons factory and arsenal, especially as barracks.
The record number of employees in Arsenal was reached in the First World War, with around 20,000 staffers. After 1918, the military-industrial operation with own steel mill was transformed into a public service institution with the name "Austrian Factories Arsenal". However, there were almost insoluble conversion problems in the transition to peacetime production, the product range was too great and the mismanagement considerable. The number of employees declined steadily, and the company became one of the great economic scandals of the First Republic.
By the fall of 1938, the area belonged to the 10th District Favoriten. However, as was established during the "Third Reich" the Reich District of Greater Vienna, became the arsenal complex and the south-east of it lying areas in the wake of district boundary changes parts of the 3rd District.
During the Second World War, in the Arsenal tank repair workshops of the Waffen-SS were set up. In the last two years of the war several buildings were severely damaged by bombing. During the Battle of Vienna, in the days of 7 to 9 April 1945, was the arsenal, defended by the 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf", focus of the fighting, the Red Army before its victory facing heavy losses.
History since 1945
Ruins of the object 15 after the air raids 1944
Deposits at the Arsenal Street
After heavy bomb damages during the Second World War, the buildings of the Arsenal were largely restored to their original forms.
In the southern part and in the former courtyard of the arsenal several new buildings were added, among them 1959-1963 the decoration workshops of the Federal Theatre designed by the architects Erich Boltenstern and Robert Weinlich. From 1961 to 1963, the telecommunications central office was built by the architect Fritz Pfeffer. From 1973 to 1975 were built operation and office building of the Post and Telephone Head Office for Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland (now Technology Centre Arsenal of Telekom Austria) with the 150-meter high radio tower in Vienna Arsenal according to the plans of architect Kurt Eckel. In the 1990s, a rehearsal stage of the Castle Theater (Burgtheater) was built according to plans by Gustav Peichl.
Also the Austrian Research and Testing Centre Arsenal, now Arsenal Research, which has made itself wordwide a celebrity by one of the largest air chambers (now moved to Floridsdorf - 21st District), was housed in the complex. A smaller part of the complex is still used by the Austrian army as a barracks. Furthermore, the Central Institute for Disinfection of the City of Vienna and the Central Chemical Laboratory of the Federal Monuments Office are housed in the arsenal. The Military History Museum uses multiple objects as depots.
In one part of the area residential buildings were erected. The Arsenal is forming an own, two census tracts encompassing census district, which according to the census in 2001 had 2.058 inhabitants.
End of 2003, the arsenal in connection with other properties of the Federal Property Society (BIG - Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft) was sold to a private investor group. Since early 2006, the lawyer of Baden (Lower Austria, not far away from Vienna) Rudolf Fries and industrialist Walter Scherb are majority owners of the 72,000 m2 historic site that they want to refurbish and according to possibility rent new. Fries also plans to enlarge the existing living space by more than a half (about 40,000 m2).
An architectural design competition, whose jury on 28 and 29 in June 2007 met, provided proposals amounting to substantial structural changes in the complex. Such designed competition winner Hohensinn a futuristic clouds clip modeled after El Lissitzky's cloud bracket, a multi-level horizontal structure on slender stilts over the old stock on the outskirts of the Swiss Garden. The realization of these plans is considered unlikely.
Some objects are since 2013 adapted for use by the Technical University of Vienna: Object 227, the so-called "Panzerhalle" will house laboratories of the Institute for Powertrains and Automotive Technology. In object 221, the "Siemens hall", laboratories of the Institute for Energy Technology and Thermodynamics as well as of the Institute for Manufacturing Technology and High Power Laser Technology are built. In object 214 is besides the Technical Testing and Research Institute (TVFA) also the second expansion stage of the "Vienna Scientific Cluster" housed, of a supercomputer, which was built jointly by the Vienna University of Technology, the University of Vienna and the University of Agricultural Sciences.
Accessibility
The arsenal was historically especially over the Landstraßer Gürtel developed. Today passes southeast in the immediate proximity the Südosttangente called motorway A23 with it connection Gürtel/Landstraßer Hauptstrasse. Southwest of the site runs the Eastern Railway, the new Vienna Central Station closes to the west of the arsenal. Two new bridges over the Eastern Railway, the Arsenal Stay Bridge and the Southern Railway bridge and an underpass as part of Ghegastraße and Alfred- Adler-Straße establish a connection to the on the other side of the railway facilities located Sonnwendviertel in the 10th District, which is being built on the former site of the freight train station Vienna South Station.
On the center side is between Arsenal and Landstraßer Gürtel the former Maria Josefa Park located, now known as Swiss Garden. Here stands at the Arsenal street the 21er Haus, a branch of the Austrian Gallery Belvedere, on the center-side edge of the Swiss Garden has the busy suburban main railway route the stop Vienna Quartier Belvedere, next to it the Wiener Linien D (tram) and 69A (bus) run.
Black solid Blouse in a rectangular shape with openings for the arms. It has a wide turtle neck that drapes. No sleeves only openings. This top is airy etherial and drapes.
See the Collection here: www.facebook.com/pages/RE-fashion/112229912176761?v=wall
(further pictures and information are available by clicking on the link at the end of page!)
History of the Vienna Hofburg
First residence
With the elevation of Austria to Archduchy in 1156, Vienna became a city of residence. From the residence of the Babenberg dynasty, who was located on the present site "Am Hof", unfortunately, there do not exist any remains anymore. After the extinction of the Babenberg, Ottokar II of Bohemia (1230-1278) took over by marriage the rule in Vienna and began in 1275 with the construction of a castle within the city walls of Vienna. This castle was equipped with four towers around a rectangular court that is known as Schweizerhof today. In the battle for the German crown Ottokar was defeated at the Battle of Dürnkrut by Rudolf I of Habsburg (1218-1291) and killed during the retreat.
As the old residence of the Babenberg in 1276 burned down, Rudolf probably 1279 moved into the former castle of Ottokar. The descendants of Rudolf extended the castle only slightly: castle chapel (documentary mention in 1296), St. Augustine's Church (consecrated in 1349), reconstruction of the chapel (1423-1426). Due to the division of the lands of the Habsburg Vienna lost its importance and also lacked the financial resources to expand the castle.
Imperial residence
Under Frederick III. (1415-1493) the Habsburgs obtained the imperial title and Vienna became an imperial residence. But Friedrich and his successors used the Vienna Residence only rarely and so it happened that the imperial residence temporarily orphaned. Only under Ferdinand I (1503-1564) Vienna again became the capital of the Archduchy. Under Ferdinand set in a large construction activity: The three existing wings of the Swiss court were expanded and increased. The defensive wall in the northwest as fourth tract with the Swiss Gate (built in 1552 probably by Pietro Ferrabosco) was rebuilt. In the southwest, a tract for Ferdinand's children (the so-called "children Stöckl") was added. The newly constituted authorities Exchequer and Chancery were located in adjacent buildings at Castle Square. Were added in the castle an art chamber, a hospital, a passage from the castle to St. Augustine's Church and a new ballroom.
First major extensions of the residence
In the area of "desolate church" built Ferdinand from 1559 a solitary residence for his son. However, the construction was delayed, and Maximilian II (1527-1576) after his father's death in 1564 moved into the ancient castle. His residence he for his Spanish horses had converted into a Hofstallgebäude (Stallburg - stables) and increased from 1565 .
Ferdinand I decided to divide his lands to his three sons, which led to a reduction of Vienna as a residence. Moreover, stayed Maximilian II, who was awarded alongside Austria above and below the Enns also Bohemia and Hungary, readily in Prague and he moved also the residence there. In 1575 he decided to build a new building in front of the Swiss court for the royal household of his eldest son, Rudolf II (1552-1612). The 1577 in the style of the late Renaissance completed and in 1610 expanded building, which was significantly fitted with a turret with "welscher hood" and an astronomical clock, but by the governor of the Emperor (Archduke Ernst of Austria) was inhabited. However, the name "Amalienborg Castle" comes from Amalie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (wife of Joseph I.), which in 1711 there installed her widow seat.
In the late 16th and early 17th Century only a few extensions were carried out: extension of a separate tract in the northeast of the castle for the Treasure and Art chamber (1583-1585) and setting up of a dance hall in the area of today's Redoutensäle (1629-1631).
Under Leopold I the dance hall by Ludovico Burnacini 1659/1660 was rebuilt into an at that time modern theater ("Comedy House"). 1666 Leopold I in the area of today's castle garden a new opera house with three tiers and a capacity of 5,000 people had built.
In the 1660-ies under Leopold I (1640-1705) after the plans of architect Filiberto Lucchese an elongated wing building between the Amalienborg Castle and the Schweizerhof, the so-called Leopoldine Wing, was built. However, since the tract shortly after the completion burned down, this by Giovanni Pietro Tencala was set up newly and increased. Architecturally, this tract still connects to the late Renaissance. The connection with the Amalienborg castle followed then under Leopold's son Joseph I (1678-1711).
After completion of the Leopoldine Wing the in the southeast of castle located riding school was renewed, the south tower of the old castle pulled down, the old sacristy of the chapel replaced by an extension. Under Charles VI. (1685-1740) the Gateway Building between cabbage market (Kohlmarkt) and Courtyard by Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt was transformed into a monumental triumphal arch as a representative sign of the imperial power. However, this construction does not exist anymore, it had to give way to the Michael tract.
Baroque redesign of the Hofburg
In the early 18th Century set in a buoyant construction activity. The emperor commissioned Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach with the construction of new stables outside the city walls and a new court library.
After the death of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, his son Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach took over the construction management for the stables and the court library. 1725 the palatial front of the stables was completed. As already during the construction period has been established that the stables were dimensioned too small, the other wings were not realized anymore. The with frescoes by Daniel Gran and statues of Emperors by Paul Strudel equipped Court Library was completed in 1737.
Opposite the Leopoldine Wing a new Reich Chancellery should be built. 1723 was entrusted with the planning Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt. 1726, however, the supervision the Reich Chancellery was withdrawn and transferred to the Chancery and thus Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, who also designed the adjacent Court Chamber and the front to St. Michael's Church. 1728 the Court Chamber and the facade of the two buildings were completed. By Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach was also the Michaelertrakt, the connection between the Winter Riding School and the Imperial Chancellery Wing planned. However, since the old Burgtheater the building was in the path, this was half done for a period of 150 years and was only completed in 1889-1893 by Ferdinand Kirschner .
Under Maria Theresia (1717-1780) the at St. Michael's Square located and only as remnants existing Ballhaus was adapted as a court theater. Beside the Emperor hospital in return a new ball house was built, being eponymous for the Ballhausplatz. Subsequently, there occured again and again conversions and adaptations: reconstruction of the comedy hall according to the plans of Jean Nicolas Jadot into two ballrooms, the small and large ball room (1744-1748). The transformation of the two halls (from 1760), repair of the Court Library, and from 1769 onwards the design of the Josephsplatz took place under Joseph Nicolas of Pacassi. These buildings were completed by the successor of Pacassi Franz Anton Hillebrandt. As an extension for the Court Library in the southeast the Augustinian tract was built.
Other structural measures under Maria Theresia: establishment of the court pharmacy into the Stallburg, relocation of the in the Stallburg housed art collection into the Upper Belvedere, razing of the two remaining towers of the old castle, the construction of two stairways (the ambassador stairway and the column stairways (Botschafter- and Säulenstiege).
Extensions in the 19th Century and early 20th century
Francis II (1768-1835) gave Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen and his wife Marie Christine (daughter of Maria Theresa) the Palais Tarouca south of the Augustinian monastery. From 1800 this was remodeled by Louis Montoyer and extended by a wing building to today's Albertina.
1804, Francis II proclaimed the hereditary Empire of Austria and was, consequently, as Franz I the first Emperor of Austria. With the by Napoleon Bonaparte provoked abdication of the emperor in 1806 ended the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.
1809 part of the old bastions was blown up at the castle in consequence of the war with Napoleon, and after it blazed. Towards today's ring road, then new outworks were created (the so-called Hornwerkskurtine and the Escarpen). In the early 20-ies of the 19th Century were layed out three gardens: the private imperial castle garden with two of Louis Remy planned steel/glass- constructed greenhouses, Heroes Square (Heldenplatz) with avenues and the People's garden (Volksgarten) with the Theseus Temple (Pietro Nobile). At the same time, emerged also the new, 1821 by Luigi Cagnola began and 1824 by Pietro Nobile completed outer castle gate.
1846 was built a monumental memorial to Francis I in Inner Castle Square. In the turmoil of the 1848 revolution the Stallburg was stormed and fought fiercely at the outer castle square and the castle gate. As a result, the roof of the court library burned. The political consequences of the revolution were the abdication of Emperor Ferdinand I (1793-1875), the dismissal of the dreaded Chancellor Clemens Lothar Fürst Metternich and the enthronement of Ferdinand's nephew Franz Joseph.
In the first years of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830-1916) the royal stables of Leopold Mayer have been redesigned and expanded. As part of the expansion of the city, the city walls were razed and instead of the fortifications arose place for a magnificent boulevard, the Ringstrasse. 1862, the idea of an Imperial Forum by architect Ludwig Förster was born. On the surface between the Hofburg and the Imperial Stables should arise court museums (Museum of Art History and Museum of Natural History).
At the outer Castle Square (today's Heldenplatz) were in the 60-ies of the 19th Century the by Anton Dominik Fernkorn created equestrian statues of Archduke Charles (victor over Napoleon at the Battle of Aspern) and Prince Eugene of Savoy (victor over the Turks in several battles) set up.
After an unsuccessful architectural competition on the design of the Heroes' Square area in 1869 Gottfried Semper could be won. This led to the involuntary and not frictionless collaboration with Carl Freiherr von Hasenauer. Planned was a two-wing complex beyond the ring road, with the two flanking twin museums (Art and Natural History Museum) and the old stables as a conclusion. 1871 was began with the Erdaushebungen (excavations) for the museums. 1889, the Museum of Natural History was opened, and in 1891, the Museum of Art History.
On a watercolor from 1873 by Rudolf Ritter von Alt (1812 - 1905) an overall view of the Imperial Forum is shown.
1888, the Old Court Theatre at St. Michael's Square was demolished, as the new KK Court Theatre (today's Burgtheater), built by Gottfried Semper and Carl Freiherr von Hasenauer, was finished. The since 150 years existing construction site at St. Michael's Square could be completed. The roundel got a dome, the concave curved Michaelertrakt was finalized by Ferdinand Kirschner. The once by Lorenzo Mattielli created cycle of statues on the facade of the Reich Chancellery was continued with four other "deeds of Hercules' at he side of the passage arches. 1893, the Hofburg had finally got its ostentatious show facade.
1901, the old greenhouses were demolished and replaced by an orangery with Art Nouveau elements according to plans by Friedrich Ohmann (completed in 1910). In 1907, the Corps de Logis, which forms the end of the Neue Burg, is completed. Since Emperor Franz Joseph I in budding 20th Century no longer was interested in lengthy construction projects and the heir to the throne Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este (1863-1914) was against the establishment of a throne hall building, but was in favour for the construction of a smaller ballroom tract, the implementation of the second wing was dropped. After the assassination of Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este in Sarajevo, the First World War broke out. Franz Joseph I died in 1916. A great-nephew of Franz Joseph I, Charles I (1887-1922), succeeded to the throne, however, he held only two years. The end of the First World War also meant the end of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. On 11 November 1918 the First Republic was proclaimed. As Karl although renounced to government business, but not to the throne, he had to go into exile with his family.
The Imperial Palace in the 20th century
The interior design of the ballroom tract and the Neue Burg continued despite the end of the monarchy until 1926. By the end of the monarchy, many of the buildings lost their purpose. Furthermore used or operated was the Riding School. The stables were used from 1921 as an exhibition site of the Vienna Fair ("Fair Palace"). In 1928, the Corps de Logis, the Museum of Ethnology, until then part of the Natural History Museum, opened. In 1935 the collection of weapons (Court, Hunting and Armour Chamber) of the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) came in the Neue Burg.
1933/1934 the outer castle gate by Rudolf Wondracek was transformed into the hero monument to the victims of the First World War. 1935 emerged on the left and on the right of the castle gate the pylon portals with eagle sculptures by William Frass. In March 1938, the Heroes Square and the balcony of the Neue Burg gained notoriety after Adolf Hitler to the cheering crowd at the Heldenplatz announced the annexation of Austria to the German Reich. The Nazis were planning a redesign of the Heroes' Square to a paved parade and ceremony space. The plans were not realized since 1943 a fire pond at Heldenplatz was dredged and the place was later used for agriculture. In the Trade Fair Palace during the period of Nazism propaganda events were held.
During the war, the Hofburg (Imperial Stables, St. Augustine's Church, Albertina, the official building of the Federal President, the current building of the Federal Chancellery) was severely damaged by bombing: The first President of the Second Republic, Dr. Karl Renner, in 1946 the Office of the President moved into the Leopoldine Wing (in the former living quarters of Maria Theresa and Joseph II).
During the occupation time the seat of the Inter-Allied Commission was housed in the Neue Burg.
1946 first events were held in the Exhibition Palace again, and were built two large halls in the main courtyard of the Exhibition Palace. In the course of the reconstruction war damages were disposed and the Imperial Palace was repaired, the barn castle (Stallburg) erected again. In 1958, in the ballroom wing the convention center has been set up.
1962-1966 the modern Library of the Austrian National Library is housed in the Neue Burg.
1989 emerged for the first time the notion of a "Museum Quarter". The museum quarter should include contemporary art and culture. The oversized design by Laurids and Manfred Ortner but was downsized several times after resistance of a citizens' initiative. It was implemented a decade later.
1992 the two Redoutensäle (ball rooms) burned out completely. Yet shortly after the fire was started with reconstruction. The roof was reconstructed and the little ball room (Kleiner Redoutensaal) could be restored. The big ball room, however, was renovated and designed with paintings by Josef Mikl. In 1997 the two halls were reopened.
From 1997-2002 the Museum Quarter (including Kunsthalle Wien, Leopold Collection) was rebuilt and the old building fabric renovated.
Was began in 1999 with the renovation of the Albertina. The by a study building, two exhibit halls and an underground storage vault extended Museum was reopened in 2003. The Albertina ramp was built with an oversized shed roof by Hans Hollein.
In 2006, additional rooms for the convention center were created by the boiler house yard.
(Source: Trenkler, Thomas: "The Hofburg Wien", Vienna, 2004)
www.burghauptmannschaft.at/php/detail.php?ukatnr=12185&am....
The playhouse front has two rectangular windows set at different heights with window boxes underneath. Also on the front there is one octagonal window and a stable door with heart shape cut out and letter box in it. The right hand side has a 2ft veranda on it, under the veranda is a door with heart shape cut out and one rectangular window. Internally the walls are lined with plywood, this gives a smooth finish should you or your children wish to decorate it. A bench and foldaway table have been fitted.
I was just imagining one of these for dessert next time I go to my favorite Chinese restaurant here in MN . . . but it might be tough to eat with chopsticks. I'd figure it out.
Descripció:
El castell és format per tres recintes succesius, adaptats al relleu del promontori i en estat més o menys ruïnós. El més alt, que constitueix el baluard defensiu per la part de la muntanya, comprèn un clos d'altes muralles, reforçat per una torre semiel.líptica rera la qual es troba la plaça del Pedró. El recinte central té a la part baixa una gran torre de planta rectangular, que dóna pas al recinte inferior, on hi ha l'església. Els dos primers recintes ja existeixen al segle XI, el clos on es troba l'església fou afegit al segle XII L'església del castell és d'origen pre-romànic (és documentada ja l'any 945), però ha experimentat reformes i ampliacions succesives, la més important de les quals en època barroca. És d'una nau coberta amb volta de canó sobre arcs torals de ferradura. L'absis , bastit vers el 1664, és poligonal amb volta de creueria. Als segles XVI-XVII foren afegides diverses capelles laterals i s'obrí el portal de la façana de ponent. A finals del segle XVIII es bastí el campanar. Durant la restauració, acabada al 1979, es descobriren tres finestres pre-romàniques. La necròpolis del castell fou excavada l'any 1971 per l'Equip Recerca, de Gelida. S'hi trobà una tomba excavada a la roca i encarada a Ponent com les del Castell d'Olèrdola, amb un esquelet sense el cap, que ja desaparegué mercès a la construcció gòtica del cos de guàrdia del Castell. Hi trobarem també ceràmica grisa a l'entorn i indicis d'altres tombes.
Notícies històriques:
El castell de Gelida es troba situat al capdammunt d'un penyasegat, a la dreta del riu Anoia, dominant el poble i el curs baix del riu, a més de l'entrada a la plana del Penedès. Documentat des del 963, fou possessió dels Cervelló, el 1297 revertí a domini reial però posteriorment fou infeudat a diversos llinatges, fins que fou enderrocat després de la Guerra de Successió. Des de fa uns anys és en curs de restauració. El 1980 se n'havia incoat expedient de declaració de monument (Resolució 19791213 i BOE 19800225).
patmapa.gencat.cat/web/guest/patrimoni/arquitectura?artic...
Descripció:
El conjunt monumental del Castell de Gelida (que inclou també l'església de Sant Pere del Castell) està emplaçat sobre una plataforma allargassada encimbellada a la banda dreta del riu Anoia, delimitada al nord i al sud-oest per dos torrents força encaixats. Domina el poble de Gelida (a l'oest/nord-oest), el curs baix de l'Anoia i l'entrada a la Plana del Penedès, des dels últims estreps de la carena de l'Ordal. S'hi accedeix pel camí del Castell, que parteix del carrer Anselm Clavé o bé carretera C-243b (Sant Sadurní d'Anoia-Gelida), a l'entrada d'aquesta última població, just en el punt on s'emplaça la font de Cantillepa. El camí puja al recinte monumental travessant el fondal de Cantillepa i la zona residencial que hi ha al peu del castell (Els Tarongers). Aquest és documentat des del 963, entre els termes del Castell de Masquefa. El 998 Ènnec Bonfill, el primer senyor de Cervelló, el vengué i tornà a adquirir per permuta amb el Monestir de Sant Cugat del Vallès. Fou possessió dels Cervelló, senyor de la Baronia de Gelida, fins el 1297, any en què el vengueren al rei Jaume I. El 1367 l'adquirí el ciutadà de Barcelona Berenguer Bertran, que n'emprengué la restauració. A mitjan segle XVI passà per successió als Erill, i posteriorment fou tingut en indivís per diferents llinatges. Després de la Guerra de Successió, fou enderrocat. El 1968 l'Ajuntament de Gelida n'adquirí la propietat, després que el 1965 es constituís l'Associació d'Amics del Castell, que n'ha impulsat la restauració. Així doncs, el castell fou centre de la jurisdicció senyorial de la Baronia de Gelida, Sant Llorenç d'Hortons i Sant Joan Samora, petites poblacions veïnes que en depengueren en molts aspectes fins al segle XIX. Etimològicament hi ha qui considera Gelida com un nom d'arrel berber (BARCELÓ, M. [et al.]. Informe de la segona campanya d'excavacions al Castell de Mediona (Alt Penedès), 1990, p.11-12), i en un estudi general sobre l'època al Penedès es considera que, com per exemple passaria al Castell de Mediona, "l'activitat constructora castral posterior a la conquesta fins als segles XIV i XV han arrasat per complert qualsevol resta anterior." (p.16). De tota manera, aquest plantejament s'ha qüestionat, intentant contrastar-lo arqueològicament. Pel que fa a l'església de Sant Pere del Castell, aquesta és d'origen preromànic (documentada des del 945), i ha experimentat reformes i ampliacions successives, la més important en època barroca. És d'una nau coberta amb volta de canó seguit, cintrada amb canyes, sobre arcs torals d'insinuada forma de ferradura. Té un portal lateral adovellat. L'absis (1644) és poligonal i està cobert amb volta de creueria. Té dues capelles laterals (façana sud, 1595) i una altra al costat nord (1672). El 1609 fou obert un portal a la façana de ponent amb escalinata d'accés. Altres dependències són el cor (desaparegut, tan sols resta l'arcada) i la sagristia, del XVII. Entre el 1780 i el 1796 es construí el campanar de planta quadrangular que esdevé octogonal. Elements religiosos destacables de l'interior d'aquest edifici són: un sarcòfag d'època gòtica (1375) de Berenguer Bertran i el seu fill Nicolau, un enteixinat renaixentista (Capella de Sant Roc) i restes de pintura mural a l'arcada del cor (representació de Santa Llúcia). Durant la restauració es descobriren tres finestres preromàniques que estaven tapiades, dues a la façana nord i una a la sud-oest, i l'ara primitiva. Hi ha una finestra geminada al mur de ponent. El castell és format per tres recintes successius adaptats al relleu de l'estret promontori on s'emplaça, d'uns 200 m de punta a punta: - El recinte més alt comprèn un clos d'altes muralles, reforçat al punt més elevat per una gran torre semiel·líptica amb base atalussada, baluard defensiu per la part de la muntanya. Aquest clos engloba l'anomenada Plaça del Pedró. - El recinte central, defensat per muralles laterals, amb una petita torre quadrada a la dreta i dues més a l'esquerra, té, en la part inferior, una gran torre de planta rectangular (amb restes d'opus spicatum a l'interior dels murs) que protegeix el pas al recinte inferior. - L'espai inferior està format per un cos de guàrdia i l'església del castell. Al segle XI ja existia tota l'edificació corresponent als dos cossos centrals, amb extensió idèntica a l'actual i fins i tot els mateixos elements bàsics. Al segle XII hi fou afegit el primer clos o jussà, dins el qual es troba l'església. Pel que fa a les diferents troballes i intervencions arqueològiques realitzades al llarg del temps, les primeres referències fan esment a troballes superficials en la plataforma del castell (no es precisa la localització) de ceràmica ibèrica a torn, ceràmica a mà i campaniana A i B (la presència d'aquests fragments d'importació mai ha estat, però, contrastada), així com també en els vessants del turó. Quant a la documentació procedent dels treballs realitzats per l'Associació d'Amics del Castell de Gelida d'ençà de la seva fundació l'any 1965, cal destacar el següent: - Recinte superior: D'entrada, pel que fa a aquest sector, cal desmentir algunes interpretacions que consideren d'obra romana la base constructiva (gran carreus escairats) de l'angle sud-est, just en la part baixa del baluard de planta segmentada (Plaça del Pedró, torre semiel·líptica...). És de factura medieval i tan sols destaca la distinta coloració degut al tipus de pedra (gres roig-groguenc). Els descobriments i les actuacions més interessants han estat: - Descobriment d'un possible absis semicircular al sector nord de la muralla. - Excavació parcial d'una torre irregular enganxada a la muralla amb restes d'opus spicatum (1983). - Localització d'un distribuïdor o decantador d'aigües en un fossat rectangular de la Plaça del Pedró, format per una pica gòtica esculturada, de la qual parteixen dos tubs, un que dóna a la cisterna i l'altre a les dependències de fora de la plaça (1983). Aquesta xarxa d'aigües prové de la Font del Senyor (prop del Puig d'Oller) i entrava al recinte castlà pel costat de la torre semiel·líptica. - Durant l'extracció de runa de l'interior de la cisterna (1975-1980) es recuperaren grans quantitats de ceràmica medieval i de fins el segle XVIII, d'ús domèstic (plats, gerres, cassoles, tupins, càntirs...), i materials d'amortització d'altres espais o d'abocament d'escombraries. Quant als tipus, apareixen ceràmiques vidrades, d'esmalt blau i verd, monocromes, etc. El conjunt sembla majoritàriament baix-medieval i modern. - Neteja de les fonamentacions d'una sala gòtica (amb pilar central) a la plaça del Pedró (1983). - Recinte central: D'aquest sector destaca la localització d'un dipòsit darrera el campanar, en relació amb la xarxa de serveis d'aquesta zona (també s'han identificat canalitzacions excavades a la roca, etc) (1972). - Recinte inferior: Aquest sector religiós ha proporcionat dades evidents sobre l'existència d'una necròpolis de tombes antropomorfes excavades en el subsòl calcari, associada cronològicament a l'església preromànica del segle X. Concretament es localitzaren: - Tombes en l'àrea del cementiri del segle XIX (on s'instal·là un cos de guàrdia) en fer unes obres l'any 1875, amb la presència d'esquelets de mida superior a la "normal" (?). Posteriorment, durant els anys 70, se'n localitzà i excavà una altra en la mateixa àrea, a prop de la porta d'accés al recinte. - L'any 1970, durant les obres de restauració de l'església es localitzà una tomba també antropomorfa sota el mateix enrajolat, al bell mig de la nau actual. D'altra banda, durant la realització de treballs de restauració de l'església, es descobriren 3 finestres preromàniques i l'ara de la mateixa època, amb l'espai buidat per a reliquiari (1970-1979). L'any 1991 es realitzà una intervenció arqueològica a l'interior i a l'entorn de la torre del recinte jussà (torre situada entre el clos jussà i el central). Es documentaren estructures romàniques, la porta de comunicació entre el recinte d'habitatge del castell i de la pròpia torre, així com diferents paviments baix medievals i es va datar la destrucció de les estructures en el segle XVII. L'any 1996, s'efectuà una altra intervenció en una àrea al sud-est de la torre quadrangular intervinguda al 1991. Es documentaren tres àmbits diferents i es va poder datar la seva construcció en la segona meitat del segle XIV, quan el castell pertanyia a Berenguer Bertran. Les estructures localitzades havien de correspondre segurament a una zona auxiliar de magatzem o quadres del nucli d'hàbitat del castell. L'any 1998 s'efectuà una intervenció arqueològica consistent en dos sondejos en el recinte jussà del castell per tal d'esbrinar la potència arqueològica existent per tal d'efectuar un projecte d'adequació i consolidació d'aquest sector. Els sondejos confirmaren la presència de nivells arqueològics i d'estructures d'una alçada considerable. El sondeig 1 confirmà la presència d'una planta baixa de l'edifici existent, la qual es trobava completament colmatada amb diferents nivells d'enderroc (dels quals només es pogué datar un en el segle XX) fins a les cotes de pavimentació. La potència d'aquests enderrocs és de 3 m, però en altres punts de recinte és superior i fins i tot podria arribar fins als 5 m. La rasa-sondeig 2 aportà indicis de noves estructures fins el moment desconegudes, com per exemple un mur. Una vegada extrets els enderrocs, ben datats en la segona meitat del segle XVII, apareixien els possibles nivells de pavimentació. Es constatà que la potència estratigràfica en aquesta zona pot variar des d'1 m fins a els pocs centímetres. Quant a les cronologies, l'estratigrafia excavada en el sondeig 1 no permet la datació de l'edificació existent per manca de material ceràmic, tot i que per comparació amb les estructures del seu voltant, podria situar-se en la baixa edat mitjana. Quant al sondeig 2, la datació del segle XVII per als enderrocs coincideix amb les datacions obtingudes a les campanyes de 1991 i 1996, i els diferents murs també es situarien en època baix medieval. Durant el 2001-2002 s'ha excavat la mateixa àrea que fou sondejada el 1998, la qual està afectada per la construcció d'un centre d'acolliment de visitants.
Context:
Situat al capdamunt d'un penya-segat, a la banda dreta del riu Anoia, que domina el poble de Gelida (a l'O/NO) i el curs baix del riu, a més de l'entrada de la plana del Penedès. En una plataforma allargassada dels darrers estreps de la serra de l'Ordal.
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