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Built in the 1840's, the Palm House at Kew is considered the world's most important surviving Victorian iron and glass structure. It was designed to accommodate the exotic palms being collected and introduced to Europe in early Victorian times and now represents one of the most threatened habitats on earth. It is considered "the world's most important surviving Victorian glass and iron structure". The structure's panes of glass are all hand-blown. There are 16,000 panes of toughened glass, some of which are curved and very expensive. The palm house has the oldest potted plant in the world here, the Encephalartos altensteinii, since 1775. We also have two very old Dioon spinulosum, one male and one female, and a Brownea X crawfordii, all since 1889.
13. Many rare and threatened species grow in the Palm House including several palms endemic to tropical islands, such as Ravenea moorei, from Comoros, of which there are very few left in their natural habitat. Another critically endangered, very beautiful palm here is the Pelagadoxa henryana.
14. Currently our tallest Palm House plant is the Cuban royal palm (Roystonea regia) but some of the giant bamboo shoots often grow taller than this before being cut back.
Architecture in Cuba: Havana
It’s well known that traveling to Havana is like traveling back in time: the weathered buildings, the old classic cars and the rich history standing out as top lures on your visit to Cuba. It’s less known however, that at the beginning of the 20th century, the Cuban capital was spectacularly rich – not unlike Newport’s Gilded Age – in which Havana underwent an extraordinary boom period, architecturally enriching with international influences such as art nouveau, art deco and eclectic design.
To this day, Havana is one of the most architecturally diverse cities in the world, and safe to say, a city photographer’s paradise. Its buildings clearly mirror its social and political history ever since the Spanish colonial times, up to the more modern present day.
Colonial & baroque period:
Ever since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, Havana became a key transshipment point between the Old World and the New World, with resources being brought from the colonialists into and through the city. As a result, Havana was the most heavily fortified city in the Americas. Most examples of early architecture can be seen in military fortifications such as La Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana (1558-1577), located at the entrance of Habana Bay, which now acts as symbol of the wealth at that time.
The biggest impact the different cultures had upon the Cuban capital can be seen in Havana's colonial architecture, with a strong Moorish and Spanish influence, including Italian, Greek and Roman styles. The Convento de Santa Clara is a good example of early Spanish influenced architecture, while the Cathedral dominating the Plaza de la Catedral (1749) is most representative of Cuban Baroque.
Neo-classical period
The beginning of the 19th century and the now implanted Spanish influence, brought upon the unequalled recurrent arcades, with many interior patios similar to the designs in Seville, Cadiz and Granada.
Neo-classicism soon took over and influenced buildings all over the city. The Aldama Palace (1844) is considered the most important neoclassical residential property in Cuba, one that exemplifies the look of this period: columns facing spacious courtyards and French inspired lavish interiors. The peak of Neoclassicism came with the construction of the Vedado district (1859), a neighborhood rich with notable buildings.
Art Nouveau, Art Deco & Eclectic influences
During the first decades of the 20th century, Havana expanded more rapidly than at any other time throughout its history. Havana became – along with Buenos Aires – the finest city in Latin America. This prompted Havana’s architecture to be infused with the art nouveau, art deco and eclectic styles from abroad. Not only that, but the 1902 Real Estate Record and Guide imposed strict levels of regulation: balconies, ornaments and even colors required approval, while the architect had to present an elevation drawing of the entire block, to make sure the house was aesthetically agreeable within the neighborhood.
Wealthy districts quickly came to existence, such as Miramar, set out on the American street grid pattern and home to diplomats and foreigners. Prado Boulevard became a Fifth Avenue of sorts, while the section around Obispo and O’Reilly Streets was home to so much banking construction that it was nicknamed “little Wall Street.”
The 1912 Spanish Railway Terminal, with its twin towers, terra-cotta medallions and broad waiting room, as well as the Capitolio, an exact replica to half its size of the Capitol building in Washington DC, are a good example of the eclectic style.
The Lopez Serrano Building (1932) by Ricardo Mira is Cuba’s first tall building, inspired by the Rockefeller Centre in New York, while The Edificio Bacardi (1930) is one of Havana's most outstanding buildings and the best example of Art Deco.
So take the leap and step back in time, for just 90 miles off the coast of the United States, there’s a fascinating aesthetic journey waiting. Whether it’s discovering Old Havana – a UNESCO World Heritage Site - or the eclectic styles of the more present days, Havana’s architectural diversity won’t disappoint!
Written by Monica Suma. You can follow her on Twitter at @MonicaSuma.
Wiltshire, England
June 19, 2015
©Dale Haussner
"Stonehenge is a massive stone monument located on a chalky plain north of the modern-day city of Salisbury, England. Research shows that the site has continuously evolved over a period of about 10,000 years. The structure that we call “Stonehenge” was built between roughly 5,000 and 4,000 years ago and that forms just one part of a larger, and highly complex, sacred landscape.
The biggest of Stonehenge’s stones, known as sarsens, are up to 30 feet (9 meters) tall and weigh 25 tons (22.6 metric tons) on average. It is widely believed that they were brought from Marlborough Downs, a distance of 20 miles (32 kilometers) to the north.
Smaller stones, referred to as “bluestones” (they have a bluish tinge when wet or freshly broken), weigh up to 4 tons and come from several different sites in western Wales, having been transported as far as 140 miles (225 km). It’s unknown how people in antiquity moved them that far. Scientists have raised the possibility that during the last ice age glaciers carried these bluestones closer to the Stonehenge area and the monument’s makers didn’t have to move them all the way from Wales. Water transport through raft is another idea that has been proposed but researchers now question whether this method was viable.
The story of how Stonehenge, and its sacred landscape, was built is evolving rapidly as new archaeological discoveries are made. The IBM Visual and Spatial Technology Centre at the University of Birmingham is using an array of technologies, including ground penetrating radar and magnetometers, to map Stonehenge and its environs. The project has produced an enormous amount of data, which scientists haven’t fully analyzed.
In addition other research projects have also made recent finds, such as evidence for widespread prehistoric hunting and what may be a new road. When the new discoveries are combined with older finds, it shows that Stonehenge was just one part of a complex and constantly changing sacred landscape.
From what scientists can tell, Salisbury Plain was considered to be a sacred area long before Stonehenge itself was constructed. As early as 10,500 years ago, three large pine posts, which were totem poles of sorts, were erected at the site.
Hunting played an important role in the area. Recently researchers uncovered roughly 350 animal bones and 12,500 flint tools or fragments, just a mile away from Stonehenge, the finds dating from 7500 B.C. to 4700 B.C. The presence of abundant game may have led people to consider the area sacred.
Recently researchers have also discovered a massive wooden building, which may have been used for burial rituals. Also, dozens of burial mounds have been discovered near Stonehenge indicating that hundreds, if not thousands, of people were buried there in ancient times. At least 17 shrines, some in the shape of a circle, have also been discovered near Stonehenge.
As time went on the landscape continued to change. Around 5,500 years ago, two earthworks known as Cursus monuments were erected, the longest of which ran for 1.8 miles (3 km).
More construction occurred around 5,000 years ago with postholes indicating that either bluestones or upright timber posts were propped up on the site. Then, around 4,600 years ago, a double circle made using dozens of bluestones was created at the site.
By 4,400 years ago, Stonehenge had changed again, having a series of sarsen stones erected in the shape of a horseshoe, with every pair of these huge stones having a stone lintel connecting them. In turn, a ring of sarsens surrounded this horseshoe, their tops connecting to each other, giving the appearance of a giant interconnected stone circle surrounding the horseshoe.
By 4,300 years ago, Stonehenge had been expanded to include the addition of two bluestone rings, one inside the horseshoe and another between the horseshoe and the outer layer of interconnected sarsen stones.
Construction at Stonehenge slowed down around 4,000 years ago. As time went on the monument fell into neglect and disuse, some of its stones fell over while others were taken away.
Recently, archaeologists found an interesting connection between the earlier Cursus monuments and the later Stonehenge. They found that the longest Cursus monument had two pits, one on the east and one on the west. These pits, in turn, align with Stonehenge’s heel stone and a processional avenue.
“Suddenly, you've got a link between [the long Cursus pit] and Stonehenge through two massive pits, which appear to be aligned on the sunrise and sunset on the mid-summer solstice," said University of Birmingham archaeologist Vincent Gaffney, who is leading the project to map Stonehenge and its environs.
While there have been many theories as to why Stonehenge was constructed, recent discoveries indicate that Stonehenge’s landscape was a sacred area, one that underwent constant change.
“It's part of a much more complex landscape with processional and ritual activities that go around it," Gaffney told Live Science, noting that people may have traveled considerable distances to come to Stonehenge.
One new theory about Stonehenge, released in 2012 by members of the Stonehenge Riverside Project, is that Stonehenge marks the “unification of Britain,” a point when people across the island worked together and used a similar style of houses, pottery and other items.
It would explain why they were able to bring bluestones all the way from west Wales and how the labor and resources for the construction were marshaled.
In a news release, professor Mike Parker Pearson of the University of Sheffield said that "this was very different to the regionalism of previous centuries. Stonehenge itself was a massive undertaking, requiring the labour of thousands to move stones from as far away as west Wales, shaping them and erecting them. Just the work itself, requiring everyone literally to pull together, would have been an act of unification."
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African young man with short frizzy hair, standing on a sandy street of rundown houses, holding a big white and black cock in front of him
Architecture in Cuba: Havana
It’s well known that traveling to Havana is like traveling back in time: the weathered buildings, the old classic cars and the rich history standing out as top lures on your visit to Cuba. It’s less known however, that at the beginning of the 20th century, the Cuban capital was spectacularly rich – not unlike Newport’s Gilded Age – in which Havana underwent an extraordinary boom period, architecturally enriching with international influences such as art nouveau, art deco and eclectic design.
To this day, Havana is one of the most architecturally diverse cities in the world, and safe to say, a city photographer’s paradise. Its buildings clearly mirror its social and political history ever since the Spanish colonial times, up to the more modern present day.
Colonial & baroque period:
Ever since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, Havana became a key transshipment point between the Old World and the New World, with resources being brought from the colonialists into and through the city. As a result, Havana was the most heavily fortified city in the Americas. Most examples of early architecture can be seen in military fortifications such as La Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana (1558-1577), located at the entrance of Habana Bay, which now acts as symbol of the wealth at that time.
The biggest impact the different cultures had upon the Cuban capital can be seen in Havana's colonial architecture, with a strong Moorish and Spanish influence, including Italian, Greek and Roman styles. The Convento de Santa Clara is a good example of early Spanish influenced architecture, while the Cathedral dominating the Plaza de la Catedral (1749) is most representative of Cuban Baroque.
Neo-classical period
The beginning of the 19th century and the now implanted Spanish influence, brought upon the unequalled recurrent arcades, with many interior patios similar to the designs in Seville, Cadiz and Granada.
Neo-classicism soon took over and influenced buildings all over the city. The Aldama Palace (1844) is considered the most important neoclassical residential property in Cuba, one that exemplifies the look of this period: columns facing spacious courtyards and French inspired lavish interiors. The peak of Neoclassicism came with the construction of the Vedado district (1859), a neighborhood rich with notable buildings.
Art Nouveau, Art Deco & Eclectic influences
During the first decades of the 20th century, Havana expanded more rapidly than at any other time throughout its history. Havana became – along with Buenos Aires – the finest city in Latin America. This prompted Havana’s architecture to be infused with the art nouveau, art deco and eclectic styles from abroad. Not only that, but the 1902 Real Estate Record and Guide imposed strict levels of regulation: balconies, ornaments and even colors required approval, while the architect had to present an elevation drawing of the entire block, to make sure the house was aesthetically agreeable within the neighborhood.
Wealthy districts quickly came to existence, such as Miramar, set out on the American street grid pattern and home to diplomats and foreigners. Prado Boulevard became a Fifth Avenue of sorts, while the section around Obispo and O’Reilly Streets was home to so much banking construction that it was nicknamed “little Wall Street.”
The 1912 Spanish Railway Terminal, with its twin towers, terra-cotta medallions and broad waiting room, as well as the Capitolio, an exact replica to half its size of the Capitol building in Washington DC, are a good example of the eclectic style.
The Lopez Serrano Building (1932) by Ricardo Mira is Cuba’s first tall building, inspired by the Rockefeller Centre in New York, while The Edificio Bacardi (1930) is one of Havana's most outstanding buildings and the best example of Art Deco.
So take the leap and step back in time, for just 90 miles off the coast of the United States, there’s a fascinating aesthetic journey waiting. Whether it’s discovering Old Havana – a UNESCO World Heritage Site - or the eclectic styles of the more present days, Havana’s architectural diversity won’t disappoint!
Written by Monica Suma. You can follow her on Twitter at @MonicaSuma.
Interior view of the Church of the Holy Archangels, within the complex of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, in Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), the holy city and the religious center of Armenia.
© All rights reserved. You may not use this photo in website, blog or any other media without my explicit permission.
Architecture in Cuba: Havana
It’s well known that traveling to Havana is like traveling back in time: the weathered buildings, the old classic cars and the rich history standing out as top lures on your visit to Cuba. It’s less known however, that at the beginning of the 20th century, the Cuban capital was spectacularly rich – not unlike Newport’s Gilded Age – in which Havana underwent an extraordinary boom period, architecturally enriching with international influences such as art nouveau, art deco and eclectic design.
To this day, Havana is one of the most architecturally diverse cities in the world, and safe to say, a city photographer’s paradise. Its buildings clearly mirror its social and political history ever since the Spanish colonial times, up to the more modern present day.
Colonial & baroque period:
Ever since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, Havana became a key transshipment point between the Old World and the New World, with resources being brought from the colonialists into and through the city. As a result, Havana was the most heavily fortified city in the Americas. Most examples of early architecture can be seen in military fortifications such as La Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana (1558-1577), located at the entrance of Habana Bay, which now acts as symbol of the wealth at that time.
The biggest impact the different cultures had upon the Cuban capital can be seen in Havana's colonial architecture, with a strong Moorish and Spanish influence, including Italian, Greek and Roman styles. The Convento de Santa Clara is a good example of early Spanish influenced architecture, while the Cathedral dominating the Plaza de la Catedral (1749) is most representative of Cuban Baroque.
Neo-classical period
The beginning of the 19th century and the now implanted Spanish influence, brought upon the unequalled recurrent arcades, with many interior patios similar to the designs in Seville, Cadiz and Granada.
Neo-classicism soon took over and influenced buildings all over the city. The Aldama Palace (1844) is considered the most important neoclassical residential property in Cuba, one that exemplifies the look of this period: columns facing spacious courtyards and French inspired lavish interiors. The peak of Neoclassicism came with the construction of the Vedado district (1859), a neighborhood rich with notable buildings.
Art Nouveau, Art Deco & Eclectic influences
During the first decades of the 20th century, Havana expanded more rapidly than at any other time throughout its history. Havana became – along with Buenos Aires – the finest city in Latin America. This prompted Havana’s architecture to be infused with the art nouveau, art deco and eclectic styles from abroad. Not only that, but the 1902 Real Estate Record and Guide imposed strict levels of regulation: balconies, ornaments and even colors required approval, while the architect had to present an elevation drawing of the entire block, to make sure the house was aesthetically agreeable within the neighborhood.
Wealthy districts quickly came to existence, such as Miramar, set out on the American street grid pattern and home to diplomats and foreigners. Prado Boulevard became a Fifth Avenue of sorts, while the section around Obispo and O’Reilly Streets was home to so much banking construction that it was nicknamed “little Wall Street.”
The 1912 Spanish Railway Terminal, with its twin towers, terra-cotta medallions and broad waiting room, as well as the Capitolio, an exact replica to half its size of the Capitol building in Washington DC, are a good example of the eclectic style.
The Lopez Serrano Building (1932) by Ricardo Mira is Cuba’s first tall building, inspired by the Rockefeller Centre in New York, while The Edificio Bacardi (1930) is one of Havana's most outstanding buildings and the best example of Art Deco.
So take the leap and step back in time, for just 90 miles off the coast of the United States, there’s a fascinating aesthetic journey waiting. Whether it’s discovering Old Havana – a UNESCO World Heritage Site - or the eclectic styles of the more present days, Havana’s architectural diversity won’t disappoint!
Written by Monica Suma. You can follow her on Twitter at @MonicaSuma.
Wayang kulit is a traditional form of puppet-shadow play originally found in the cultures of Java, Bali and Lombok in Indonesia. In a wayang kulit performance, the puppet figures are rear-projected on a taut linen screen with a coconut-oil (or electric) light. The dalang (shadow artist) manipulates carved leather figures between the lamp and the screen to bring the shadows to life.
Wayang kulit is one of the many different forms of wayang theatre found in Indonesia; the others include wayang beber, wayang klitik, wayang golek, wayang topeng, and wayang wong. Wayang kulit is among the best known, offering a unique combination of ritual, lesson and entertainment. Today, it is spread out, in various forms and guises, across Asia - from Turkey and China to Thailand and Malaysia. On November 7, 2003, UNESCO designated wayang kulit from Indonesia as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
ETYMOLOGY
The term wayang is the Javanese word for "shadow" or "imagination". Its equivalent in standard Indonesian is bayang.
In modern daily Javanese and Indonesian vocabulary, wayang can refer to the puppet itself or the whole puppet theatre performance. Kulit means "skin" or "leather", the material from which the figures are carved.
HISTORY
Wayang kulit originated in southern India as Tholpavakoothu.[citation needed] Tholpavakoothu was dedicated to a goddess to witness the slaying of Ravana in the Hindu epic Ramayana. Hinduism arrived in Indonesia from India before the Islamic and Christian era. Sanskrit became the literary and court language of Java and later of Bali. Wayang kulit was later assimilated into local culture with changes to the appearance of the characters to resemble cultural norms.
When Islam began spreading in Indonesia, the display of God or gods in human form was prohibited, and thus this style of shadow play was suppressed. King Raden Patah of Demak, Java, wanted to see the wayang in its traditional form, but failed to obtain permission from Muslim religious leaders.
Religious leaders attempted to skirt the Muslim prohibition by converting the wayang golek into wayang purwa made from leather and displayed only the shadow instead of the puppets themselves.
WAYANG PUPPET FIGURES
The wayang comes in sizes from 25 cm to 75 cm. The important characters are usually represented by several puppets each. The wayang is usually made out of water buffalo hide and goat hide and mounted on bamboo sticks. However, the best wayang is typically made from young female buffalo parchment, cured for up to ten years. The carving and punching of the rawhide, which is most responsible for the character's image and the shadows that are cast, are guided by this sketch. A mallet is used to tap special tools, called tatah, to punch the holes through the rawhide. Making the wayang sticks from horn is a complicated process of sawing, heating, hand-molding, and sanding until the desired effect is achieved. When the materials are ready, the artist attaches the handle by precisely molding the ends of the horn around the individual wayang figure and securing it with thread. A large character may take months to produce.
There are important differences between the three islands where wayang kulit is played (due to local religious canon):
In Java (where Islam is predominant), the puppets (named ringgit) are elongated, the play lasts all night and the lamp (named blencong) is, nowadays, almost always electric. A full gamelan with (pe)sinden is typically used.
In Bali (where Hinduism is predominant), the puppets look more real, the play lasts a few hours and, if at night, the lamp uses coconut oil. Music is mainly by the four gender wayang, with drums only if the story is from the Ramayana. There are no sinden. The dalang does the singing. Balinese dalangs are often also priests (amangku dalang). As such, they may also perform during daylight, for religious purposes (exorcism), without lamp and without screen (wayang sakral, or "lemah").
In Lombok (where Islam is predominant and Bali's influence is strong), vernacular wayang kulit is known as wayang sasak, with puppets similar to Javanese ringgits, a small orchestra with no sinden, but flutes, metallophones and drums. The repertoire is unique to the island and is based on the Muslim Menak Cycle (the adventures of Amir Hamzah).
PERFORMANCE
The stage of a wayang performance includes several components. A stretched linen canvas (kelir) acts as a canvas, dividing the dalang (puppeteer) and the spectator. A coconut-oil lamp (Javanese blencong or Balinese damar) – which in modern times is usually replaced with electric light – casts shadows onto the screen. A banana trunk (Javanese gedebog, Balinese gedebong) lies on the ground between the screen and the dalang, where the figures are stuck to hold them in place. To the right of the dalang sits the puppet chest, which the dalang uses as a drum during the performance, hitting it with a wooden mallet. In a Javanese wayang kulit performance, the dalang may use a cymbal-like percussion instrument at his feet to cue the musicians. The musicians sit behind the dalang in a gamelan orchestra setting. The gamelan orchestra is an integral part of the Javanese wayang kulit performance. The performance is accompanied by female singers (pesinden) and male singers (wirasuara).
The setting of the banana trunk on the ground and canvas in the air symbolizes the earth and the sky; the whole composition symbolizes the entire cosmos. When the dalang animates the puppet figures and moves them across the screen, divine forces are understood to be acting in his hands with which he directs the happening. The lamp is a symbol of the sun as well as the eye of the dalang.
A traditional wayang kulit performance begins after dark. The first of the three phases, in which the characters are introduced and the conflict is launched, lasts until midnight. The battles and intrigues of the second phase last about three hours. The third phase of reconciliation and friendship is finished at dawn.
Wayang shadow plays are usually tales from the two major Hindu epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The puppet master contextualizes stories from the plays, making them relevant to current community, national or global issues. Gamelan players respond to the direction of the dalang.
WIKIPEDIA
Architecture in Cuba: Havana
It’s well known that traveling to Havana is like traveling back in time: the weathered buildings, the old classic cars and the rich history standing out as top lures on your visit to Cuba. It’s less known however, that at the beginning of the 20th century, the Cuban capital was spectacularly rich – not unlike Newport’s Gilded Age – in which Havana underwent an extraordinary boom period, architecturally enriching with international influences such as art nouveau, art deco and eclectic design.
To this day, Havana is one of the most architecturally diverse cities in the world, and safe to say, a city photographer’s paradise. Its buildings clearly mirror its social and political history ever since the Spanish colonial times, up to the more modern present day.
Colonial & baroque period:
Ever since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, Havana became a key transshipment point between the Old World and the New World, with resources being brought from the colonialists into and through the city. As a result, Havana was the most heavily fortified city in the Americas. Most examples of early architecture can be seen in military fortifications such as La Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana (1558-1577), located at the entrance of Habana Bay, which now acts as symbol of the wealth at that time.
The biggest impact the different cultures had upon the Cuban capital can be seen in Havana's colonial architecture, with a strong Moorish and Spanish influence, including Italian, Greek and Roman styles. The Convento de Santa Clara is a good example of early Spanish influenced architecture, while the Cathedral dominating the Plaza de la Catedral (1749) is most representative of Cuban Baroque.
Neo-classical period
The beginning of the 19th century and the now implanted Spanish influence, brought upon the unequalled recurrent arcades, with many interior patios similar to the designs in Seville, Cadiz and Granada.
Neo-classicism soon took over and influenced buildings all over the city. The Aldama Palace (1844) is considered the most important neoclassical residential property in Cuba, one that exemplifies the look of this period: columns facing spacious courtyards and French inspired lavish interiors. The peak of Neoclassicism came with the construction of the Vedado district (1859), a neighborhood rich with notable buildings.
Art Nouveau, Art Deco & Eclectic influences
During the first decades of the 20th century, Havana expanded more rapidly than at any other time throughout its history. Havana became – along with Buenos Aires – the finest city in Latin America. This prompted Havana’s architecture to be infused with the art nouveau, art deco and eclectic styles from abroad. Not only that, but the 1902 Real Estate Record and Guide imposed strict levels of regulation: balconies, ornaments and even colors required approval, while the architect had to present an elevation drawing of the entire block, to make sure the house was aesthetically agreeable within the neighborhood.
Wealthy districts quickly came to existence, such as Miramar, set out on the American street grid pattern and home to diplomats and foreigners. Prado Boulevard became a Fifth Avenue of sorts, while the section around Obispo and O’Reilly Streets was home to so much banking construction that it was nicknamed “little Wall Street.”
The 1912 Spanish Railway Terminal, with its twin towers, terra-cotta medallions and broad waiting room, as well as the Capitolio, an exact replica to half its size of the Capitol building in Washington DC, are a good example of the eclectic style.
The Lopez Serrano Building (1932) by Ricardo Mira is Cuba’s first tall building, inspired by the Rockefeller Centre in New York, while The Edificio Bacardi (1930) is one of Havana's most outstanding buildings and the best example of Art Deco.
So take the leap and step back in time, for just 90 miles off the coast of the United States, there’s a fascinating aesthetic journey waiting. Whether it’s discovering Old Havana – a UNESCO World Heritage Site - or the eclectic styles of the more present days, Havana’s architectural diversity won’t disappoint!
Written by Monica Suma. You can follow her on Twitter at @MonicaSuma.
Restored mansion on Hoogstraat, a street in Otrabanda district in Willemstad, capital of Curacao and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This particular building is the Embassy of Colombia.
Architecture in Cuba: Havana
It’s well known that traveling to Havana is like traveling back in time: the weathered buildings, the old classic cars and the rich history standing out as top lures on your visit to Cuba. It’s less known however, that at the beginning of the 20th century, the Cuban capital was spectacularly rich – not unlike Newport’s Gilded Age – in which Havana underwent an extraordinary boom period, architecturally enriching with international influences such as art nouveau, art deco and eclectic design.
To this day, Havana is one of the most architecturally diverse cities in the world, and safe to say, a city photographer’s paradise. Its buildings clearly mirror its social and political history ever since the Spanish colonial times, up to the more modern present day.
Colonial & baroque period:
Ever since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, Havana became a key transshipment point between the Old World and the New World, with resources being brought from the colonialists into and through the city. As a result, Havana was the most heavily fortified city in the Americas. Most examples of early architecture can be seen in military fortifications such as La Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana (1558-1577), located at the entrance of Habana Bay, which now acts as symbol of the wealth at that time.
The biggest impact the different cultures had upon the Cuban capital can be seen in Havana's colonial architecture, with a strong Moorish and Spanish influence, including Italian, Greek and Roman styles. The Convento de Santa Clara is a good example of early Spanish influenced architecture, while the Cathedral dominating the Plaza de la Catedral (1749) is most representative of Cuban Baroque.
Neo-classical period
The beginning of the 19th century and the now implanted Spanish influence, brought upon the unequalled recurrent arcades, with many interior patios similar to the designs in Seville, Cadiz and Granada.
Neo-classicism soon took over and influenced buildings all over the city. The Aldama Palace (1844) is considered the most important neoclassical residential property in Cuba, one that exemplifies the look of this period: columns facing spacious courtyards and French inspired lavish interiors. The peak of Neoclassicism came with the construction of the Vedado district (1859), a neighborhood rich with notable buildings.
Art Nouveau, Art Deco & Eclectic influences
During the first decades of the 20th century, Havana expanded more rapidly than at any other time throughout its history. Havana became – along with Buenos Aires – the finest city in Latin America. This prompted Havana’s architecture to be infused with the art nouveau, art deco and eclectic styles from abroad. Not only that, but the 1902 Real Estate Record and Guide imposed strict levels of regulation: balconies, ornaments and even colors required approval, while the architect had to present an elevation drawing of the entire block, to make sure the house was aesthetically agreeable within the neighborhood.
Wealthy districts quickly came to existence, such as Miramar, set out on the American street grid pattern and home to diplomats and foreigners. Prado Boulevard became a Fifth Avenue of sorts, while the section around Obispo and O’Reilly Streets was home to so much banking construction that it was nicknamed “little Wall Street.”
The 1912 Spanish Railway Terminal, with its twin towers, terra-cotta medallions and broad waiting room, as well as the Capitolio, an exact replica to half its size of the Capitol building in Washington DC, are a good example of the eclectic style.
The Lopez Serrano Building (1932) by Ricardo Mira is Cuba’s first tall building, inspired by the Rockefeller Centre in New York, while The Edificio Bacardi (1930) is one of Havana's most outstanding buildings and the best example of Art Deco.
So take the leap and step back in time, for just 90 miles off the coast of the United States, there’s a fascinating aesthetic journey waiting. Whether it’s discovering Old Havana – a UNESCO World Heritage Site - or the eclectic styles of the more present days, Havana’s architectural diversity won’t disappoint!
Written by Monica Suma. You can follow her on Twitter at @MonicaSuma.
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.
Some wall paintings are painted on large canvases, which are then attached to the wall (e.g., with marouflage). Whether these works can be accurately called "murals" is a subject of some controversy in the art world, but the technique has been in common use since the late 19th century.
HISTORY
Murals of sorts date to Upper Paleolithic times such as the paintings in the Chauvet Cave in Ardèche department of southern France (around 30,000 BC). Many ancient murals have survived in Egyptian tombs (around 3150 BC), the Minoan palaces (Middle period III of the Neopalatial period, 1700-1600 BC) and in Pompeii (around 100 BC - AD 79).
During the Middle Ages murals were usually executed on dry plaster (secco). In Italy, circa 1300, the technique of painting of frescos on wet plaster was reintroduced and led to a significant increase in the quality of mural painting.
In modern times, the term became more well-known with the Mexican "muralista" art movement (Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros, or José Orozco). There are many different styles and techniques. The best-known is probably fresco, which uses water-soluble paints with a damp lime wash, a rapid use of the resulting mixture over a large surface, and often in parts (but with a sense of the whole). The colors lighten as they dry. The marouflage method has also been used for millennia.
Murals today are painted in a variety of ways, using oil or water-based media. The styles can vary from abstract to trompe-l'œil (a French term for "fool" or "trick the eye"). Initiated by the works of mural artists like Graham Rust or Rainer Maria Latzke in the 1980s, trompe-l'oeil painting has experienced a renaissance in private and public buildings in Europe. Today, the beauty of a wall mural has become much more widely available with a technique whereby a painting or photographic image is transferred to poster paper or canvas which is then pasted to a wall surface (see wallpaper, Frescography) to give the effect of either a hand-painted mural or realistic scene.
TECHNIQUE
In the history of mural several methods have been used:
A fresco painting, from the Italian word affresco which derives from the adjective fresco ("fresh"), describes a method in which the paint is applied on plaster on walls or ceilings. The buon fresco technique consists of painting in pigment mixed with water on a thin layer of wet, fresh, lime mortar or plaster. The pigment is then absorbed by the wet plaster; after a number of hours, the plaster dries and reacts with the air: it is this chemical reaction which fixes the pigment particles in the plaster. After this the painting stays for a long time up to centuries in fresh and brilliant colors.
Fresco-secco painting is done on dry plaster (secco is "dry" in Italian). The pigments thus require a binding medium, such as egg (tempera), glue or oil to attach the pigment to the wall.
Mezzo-fresco is painted on nearly-dry plaster, and was defined by the sixteenth-century author Ignazio Pozzo as "firm enough not to take a thumb-print" so that the pigment only penetrates slightly into the plaster. By the end of the sixteenth century this had largely displaced the buon fresco method, and was used by painters such as Gianbattista Tiepolo or Michelangelo. This technique had, in reduced form, the advantages of a secco work.
MATERIAL
In Greco-Roman times, mostly encaustic colors applied in a cold state were used.
Tempera painting is one of the oldest known methods in mural painting. In tempera, the pigments are bound in an albuminous medium such as egg yolk or egg white diluted in water.
In 16th-century Europe, oil painting on canvas arose as an easier method for mural painting. The advantage was that the artwork could be completed in the artist’s studio and later transported to its destination and there attached to the wall or ceiling. Oil paint can be said to be the least satisfactory medium for murals because of its lack of brilliance in colour. Also the pigments are yellowed by the binder or are more easily affected by atmospheric conditions. The canvas itself is more subject to rapid deterioration than a plaster ground. Different muralists tend to become experts in their preferred medium and application, whether that be oil paints, emulsion or acrylic paints applied by brush, roller or airbrush/aerosols. Clients will often ask for a particular style and the artist may adjust to the appropriate technique.
A consultation usually leads to a detailed design and layout of the proposed mural with a price quote that the client approves before the muralist starts on the work. The area to be painted can be gridded to match the design allowing the image to be scaled accurately step by step. In some cases the design is projected straight onto the wall and traced with pencil before painting begins. Some muralists will paint directly without any prior sketching, preferring the spontaneous technique.
Once completed the mural can be given coats of varnish or protective acrylic glaze to protect the work from UV rays and surface damage.
As an alternative to a hand-painted or airbrushed mural, digitally printed murals can also be applied to surfaces. Already existing murals can be photographed and then be reproduced in near-to-original quality.
The disadvantages of pre-fabricated murals and decals are that they are often mass-produced and lack the allure and exclusivity of an original artwork. They are often not fitted to the individual wall sizes of the client and their personal ideas or wishes can not be added to the mural as it progresses. The Frescography technique, a digital manufacturing method (CAM) invented by Rainer Maria Latzke addresses some of the personalisation and size restrictions.
Digital techniques are commonly used in advertisements. A "wallscape" is a large advertisement on or attached to the outside wall of a building. Wallscapes can be painted directly on the wall as a mural, or printed on vinyl and securely attached to the wall in the manner of a billboard. Although not strictly classed as murals, large scale printed media are often referred to as such. Advertising murals were traditionally painted onto buildings and shops by sign-writers, later as large scale poster billboards.
SIGNIFICANCE OF MURALS
Murals are important in that they bring art into the public sphere. Due to the size, cost, and work involved in creating a mural, muralists must often be commissioned by a sponsor. Often it is the local government or a business, but many murals have been paid for with grants of patronage. For artists, their work gets a wide audience who otherwise might not set foot in an art gallery. A city benefits by the beauty of a work of art.
Murals can be a relatively effective tool of social emancipation or achieving a political goal. Murals have sometimes been created against the law, or have been commissioned by local bars and coffeeshops. Often, the visual effects are an enticement to attract public attention to social issues. State-sponsored public art expressions, particularly murals, are often used by totalitarian regimes as a tool of mass-control and propaganda. However, despite the propagandist character of that works, some of them still have an artistic value.
Murals can have a dramatic impact whether consciously or subconsciously on the attitudes of passers by, when they are added to areas where people live and work. It can also be argued that the presence of large, public murals can add aesthetic improvement to the daily lives of residents or that of employees at a corporate venue.
Other world-famous murals can be found in Mexico, New York, Philadelphia, Belfast, Derry, Los Angeles, Nicaragua, Cuba and in India. They have functioned as an important means of communication for members of socially, ethnically and racially divided communities in times of conflict. They also proved to be an effective tool in establishing a dialogue and hence solving the cleavage in the long run. The Indian state Kerala has exclusive murals. These Kerala mural painting are on walls of Hindu temples. They can be dated from 9th century AD.
The San Bartolo murals of the Maya civilization in Guatemala, are the oldest example of this art in Mesoamerica and are dated at 300 BC.
Many rural towns have begun using murals to create tourist attractions in order to boost economic income. Colquitt, Georgia is one such town. Colquitt was chosen to host the 2010 Global Mural Conference. The town has more than twelve murals completed, and will host the Conference along with Dothan, Alabama, and Blakely, Georgia. In the summer of 2010, Colquitt will begin work on their Icon Mural.
WIKIPEDIA
Qutb Minar is surrounded by several other ancient and medieval structures and ruins, collectively known as Qutb complex. The complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Delhi.
View of the Blenheim cascade in poor light, but justified by the amount of water coming over!
I took two companion pictures, one with a faster shutter and one with a slower. This was taken with a 1/8" shutter in order to blur the water. See www.flickr.com/photos/martin-james/1779079640/in/set-7215... for the faster shutter speed.
The cascade was created by 'Capability Brown' the celebrated English landscape gardner, as part of a comprehensive remodelling of the grounds in the 1770's. Blenheim is regarded by many as his grandest work. The Cascade is at the end of the dam that creates the lake, which took two years to fill after construction. There isn't normally a lot of water as the Glyme, which feeds the lake, is only a small river, however the design of the cascade is such that it maximises the effect of the limited amount of water available.
For all my other Blenheim photos see
Tourists walking on the boardwalk between the lakes, in Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia.
© All rights reserved. You may not use this photo in website, blog or any other media without my explicit permission.
The town of Willimstad is accessed by this late 19th century bridge which swings open on a pivot point to allow ships to pass.
Approaching Kingston harbour and the penal settlement which was accorded World Heritage status in 2010. I just love the iconic Norfolk pine trees.
Interior of the early 14th century Church of Hodigitria-Afendiko at the World Heritage Site of Mystras, Greece.
The largest known cave system in the world, the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System, as of 2022, has 426 miles of documented passages, and sits beneath the ground in Mammoth Cave National Park, established in 1941, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, the only designation in the state of Kentucky. The park is also an International Biosphere Reserve, designated in 1990, and an International Dark Sky Park, designated in 2021. The Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System formed in Mississippian Limestone rock underneath a Big Clifty Sandstone cap, which has formed several stable arched passages of varying sizes from the intrusion of water into the rock layers, with the less porous sandstone cap preventing water intrusion at most locations, which have kept the caverns beneath intact and stable for eons. The water that passes through the cave system drains into the adjacent Green River, and has continuously eroded deeper into the rock along with the river. The cave is home to endemic species of organisms that have adapted to the dark conditions within the cave system. The cave system was known to indigenous people, whom mined gypsum from the walls of the caves and explored the caves, with human remains, signs of human activity, and artifacts from their presence in the cave. The cave became known to European settlers in the 1790s, and it started being mined by Valentine Simon for saltpeter to create gunpowder in 1798, with the mining activities intensifying around the time of the War of 1812, and becoming an industrial-scale operation under the ownership of Charles Wilkins and Hyman Gratz, whom used slave labor to exploit the cave’s resources. In 1838, with the decline in value of saltpeter, the cave was sold to Franklin Gorin, whom operated the cave as a tourist attraction, but was sold to Doctor John Croghan the following year. Under Gorin and Croghan, Black slaves served as tour guides for visitors, with Stephen Bishop being the most notable of these guides. Bishop made many maps of the caves during the 1840s and 1850s, and was the first known person to cross Bottomless Pit and discover the River Styx and Mammoth Dome on the other side. Croghan attempted to run a Tuberculosis Hospital within the cave in 1842-1843, believing the stable temperatures and air would assist patients, but this was short lived. In 1886, the Mammoth Cave Railroad was built between Park City and the historic Mammoth Cave Hotel, which operated until 1931. The caves were mapped more accurately by German visitor Max Kämper in 1908, whom mapped the surface topography and used instruments to document the cave, allowing for the opening of new entrances to the caverns from the surface and being the most accurate maps of the caves until the 1960s. Sadly, this was not appreciated by the Croghan family, whose historic cavern entrance was threatened in status by these maps, and Kämper returned to Germany, where he died as a soldier during World War I’s Battle of the Somme in 1916. Starting in the 1920s, the land around the caves was purchased by the private Mammoth Cave National Park Association, with the park being officially authorized in 1926. Between 1933 and 1942, the park’s landscape was reforested and infrastructure was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), part of the New Deal. Between 1954 and 1972, the cave system was further explored, culminating in the connection between the longer Flint Ridge System and wider Mammoth Cave being found, making it the longest known cave system in the world. Today, the park sees about half a million visitors annually, and contains the majority of the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave system, with some portions of the system extending east of the park’s boundaries under privately-owned land.
Haeinsa (해인사, 海印寺: Temple of the Ocean Mudra) is a head temple of the Jogye Order (대한불교조계종, 大韓佛敎 曹溪宗) of Korean Buddhism in the Gaya Mountains (가야산, 伽倻山), South Gyeongsang Province South Korea. Haeinsa is most notable for being the home of the Tripitaka Koreana, the whole of the Buddhist Scriptures carved onto 81,350 wooden printing blocks, which it has housed since 1398.
Haeinsa is one of the Three Jewel Temples of Korea, and represents Dharma or the Buddha’s teachings. It is still an active Seon (선, 禪) practice center in modern times, and was the home temple of the influential Rev. Seongcheol (성철, 性徹), who died in 1993.
HISTORY
The temple was first built in 802. Legend says that two Korean monks returned from China, Suneung and Ijeong, and healed King Aejang's (애장왕, 哀莊王) wife of her illness. In gratitude of the Buddha's mercy, the king ordered the construction of the temple.[1] Another account, by Choe Chi-Won in 900 states that Suneung and his disciple Ijeong, gained the support of a queen dowager who converted to Buddhism and then helped to finance the construction of the temple.
The temple complex was renovated in the 10th century, 1488, 1622, and 1644. Huirang, the temple abbot enjoyed the patronage of Taejo of Goryeo during that king’s reign. Haeinsa was burned down in a fire in 1817 and was rebuilt in 1818. Another renovation in 1964 uncovered a royal robe of King Gwanghaegun, who was responsible for the 1622 renovation, and an inscription on a ridge beam.
The main hall, Daejeokkwangjeon (대적광전, 大寂光殿: Hall of Great Silence and Light), is unusual because it is dedicated to Vairocana where most other Korean temples house Shakyamuni (Kr. Seokgamoni) in their main halls.
The Temple of Haeinsa and the Depositories for the "Tripitaka Koreana" Woodblocks, were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. The UNESCO committee noted that the buildings housing the Tripitaka Koreana are unique because no other historical structure was specifically dedicated to the preservation of artifacts and the techniques used were particularly ingenious.
The temple also holds several official treasures including a realistic wooden carving of a monk and interesting Buddhist paintings, stone pagodas, and lanterns.
CRISIS
After independence, when the Korean War broke out, Haeinsa encountered a crisis. In September 1951, after the Battle of Inchon, South Korea turned the war around but then North Korea did not retreat so the remnants of one thousand North Korean soldiers around Haeinsa enacted guerrilla war. UN forces were ordered to bomb Haeinsa with four bombers. However, at that time Kim Young Hwan, Leader of Air Force pilots worried about the loss of Haeinsa Tripitaka Koreana and did not obey the command. Due to his lack of action, Haeinsa weathered the crisis and did not experience the bombing. Haeinsa gongdeokbi honors him with the landscaped grounds of Haeinsa.
JANGGYEONG PANJEON
The storage halls known as the Janggyeong Panjeon complex are the depository for the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks at Haeinsa and were also designated by the Korean government as a national treasure of Korea on December 20, 1962. They are some of the largest wooden storage facilities in the world. Remarkably, the halls were untouched during the Japanese invasion of Korea and were spared from the 1818 fire that burned most of the temple complex down. All told, the storage halls have survived seven serious fires and one near-bombing during the Korean War when a pilot disobeyed orders because he remembered that the temple held priceless treasures.
Janggyeong Panjeon complex is the oldest part of the temple and houses the 81,258 wooden printing blocks from the Tripitaka Koreana. Although the exact construction date of the hall that houses the Tripitaka Koreana is uncertain, it is believed that King Sejo expanded and renovated it in 1457. The complex is made up of four halls arranged in a rectangle and the style is very plain because of its use as a storage facility. The northern hall is called Beopbojeon (Hall of Dharma) and the southern hall is called Sudarajang (Hall of Sutras). These two main halls are 60.44 meters in length, 8.73 meters in width, and 7.8 meters in height. Both have fifteen rooms with two adjoining rooms. Additionally, there are two small halls on the east and west which house two small libraries.
Several ingenious preservation techniques are utilized to preserve the wooden printing blocks. The architects also utilized nature to help preserve the Tripitaka. The storage complex was built at the highest point of the temple and is 655 meters above sea level. Janggyeong Panjeon faces southwest to avoid damp southeasterly winds from the valley below and is blocked from the cold north wind by mountain peaks. Different sized windows on the north and south sides of both main halls are used for ventilation, utilizing principles of hydrodynamics. The windows were installed in every hall to maximize ventilation and regulate temperature. The clay floors were filled with charcoal, calcium oxide, salt, lime, and sand, which reduce humidity when it rains by absorbing excess moisture which is then retained during the dry winter months. The roof is also made with clay and the bracketing and wood rafters prevent sudden changes in temperature. Additionally, no part of the complex is exposed to sun. Apparently, animals, insects, and birds avoid the complex but the reason for this is unknown. These sophisticated preservation measures are widely credited as the reason the woodblocks have survived in such fantastic condition to this day.
In 1970, a modern storage complex was built utilizing modern preservation techniques but when test woodblocks were found to have mildewed, the intended move was canceled and the woodblocks remained at Haeinsa.
A small waterfall in the forest, in Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia.
© All rights reserved. You may not use this photo in website, blog or any other media without my explicit permission.
Konark Sun Temple ([koɳarəkə]; also Konârak) is a 13th-century Sun Temple at Konark in Odisha, India. It is believed that the temple was built by king Narasimhadeva I of Eastern Ganga Dynasty around 1250 CE. The temple is in the shape of a gigantic chariot elaborately carved stone wheels, pillars and walls. A major part of the structure is now in ruins. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has also featured on various list of Seven Wonders of India.
ETYMOLOGY
The name Konark derives from the combination of the Sanskrit words, Kona (corner) and Arka (sun), in reference to the temple which was dedicated to the Sun god Surya.
The monument was also called the Black Pagoda by European sailors. In contrast, the Jagannath Temple in Puri was called the White Pagoda. Both temples served as important landmarks for the sailors.
ARCHITECTURE
The temple was originally built at the mouth of the river Chandrabhaga, but the waterline has receded since then. The temple has been built in the form of a giant ornamented chariot of the Sun god, Surya. It has twelve pairs of elaborately carved stone wheels which are 3 meters wide and is pulled by a set of seven horses (4 on the right and 3 on the left). The temple follows the traditional style of Kalinga architecture. It is carefully oriented towards the east so that the first rays of sunrise strikes the principal entrance. The temple is built from Khondalite rocks.
The original temple had a main sanctum sanctorum (vimana), which was supposedly 70 m tall. Due to the weight of the super structure and weak soil of the area the main vimana fell in 1837. The audience hall (Jagamohana), which is about 30 m tall, still stands and is the principal structure in the surviving ruins. Among the structures, which have survived to the current day, are the dance hall (Nata mandira) and dining hall (Bhoga mandapa).
The Konark temple is also known for its erotic sculptures of maithunas.
Two smaller ruined temples have been discovered nearby. One of them is called the Mayadevi Temple and is located southwest from the entrance of the main temple. It is presumed to have been dedicated to Mayadevi, one of the Sun god's wives. It has been dated to the late 11th century, earlier than the main temple. The other one belongs to some unknown Vaishnava deity. Sculptures of Balarama, Varaha and Trivikrama have been found at the site, indicating it to be a Vaishnavite temple. Both temples have their primary idols missing.
A collection of fallen sculptures can be viewed at the Konark Archaeological Museum which is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.
HISTORY
ANCIENT TEXTS
According to Bhavishya Purana and Samba Purana, there may have been a sun temple in the region earlier than current one, dating to the 9th century or earlier. The books mention three sun temples at Mundira (possibly Konark), Kalapriya (Mathura), and Multan.
According to the scriptures, Samba, the son of Krishna, was cursed with leprosy. He was advised by the sage, Kataka, to worship the sun god to cure his aliment. Samba underwent penance for 12 years in Mitravana near the shores of Chandrabhaga. Both the original Konark temple and the Multan temple have been attributed to Samba.
The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st Century CE) mentions a port called Kainapara, which has been identified as current day Konark.
SUN DIAL AND TIME
The wheels of the temple are sundials which can be used to calculate time accurately to a minute including day and night.
SECOND TEMPLE
According to the Madala Panji, there was another temple in the region. It was built by one Pundara Kesari. He may have been Puranjaya, the 7th century ruler, of the Somavasmi Dynasty.
NARASIMHADEVA I
The current temple is attributed to Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. His reign spanned from 1238 to 1264 CE. The temple may have been a monument to his victory against Tughral Tughan Khan.
DHARMAPADA´S TALE
According to local folklore, Narasimhadeva I had hired a chief architect called Bisu Maharana to build the temple. After a period of twelve years, a workforce of twelve thousand almost finished the construction. But, they failed to mount the crown stone. The impatient king ordered the temple to be finished in three days or the artisans be put to death. At the time, Bisu Maharana's twelve-year-old son, Dharmapada arrived at the site. Bisu Maharana had never seen his son, as he had left his village when his wife was still pregnant. Dharmapada successfully proposed a solution to mount the crown stone. But, the artisans were still apprehensive that the king will be displeased to learn that a boy succeeded where his best artisans failed. Dharmapada climbed onto the temple and leapt into the water to save his father and his co-workers.
COLLAPSE
There have been several proposed theories for the collapse of the main sanctum. The date of the collapse is also not certain.
The Kenduli copper plates of Narasimha IV (Saka 1305 or 1384 CE) states the temple to be in a perfect state.
In the 16th century Ain-i-Akbari, Abul Fazl also mentions Konark being in a proper state. The account also mentions the cost of construction being 12 years of revenue.
The cause of collapse is also placed on Kalapahad who invaded Odisha in 1568.
In 1627, the then Raja of Khurda had removed the sun idol from Konark and moved it to the Jagannath temple in Puri.
James Fergusson (1808–1886) had the opinion that marshy foundation had caused the collapse. But, the structure has shown no sign of sinking into its foundation. Fergusson, who visited the temple in 1837, recorded a corner of the main sanctum still standing. It also fell down in 1848 due to a strong gale.
According to Percy Brown (1872–1955), the temple was not properly completed and so it collapsed. This contradicts earlier recorded accounts of the temple being in a proper state.
In 1929, an analysis of a moss covered rock estimated the date of abandonment at around 1573.
Other proposed causes include lightning and earthquake.
ARUNA STAMBHA
In the last quarter of the 18th century, when worship had ceased in the temple, the Aruna stambha (Aruna pillar) was removed from the entrance of Konark temple and placed at the Singha-dwara (Lion's Gate) of the Jagannath temple in Puri by a Maratha Brahmachari called Goswain (or Goswami). The pillar is made of monolithic chlorite and is 10.26 m tall . It is dedicated to Aruna, the charioteer of the Sun god.
PRESERVATION EFFORTS
In 1803, requests were made for conservations by the East India Marine Board, but only removal of stones from the site was prohibited by the Governor General. As a result, a part of the main tower, which was still standing, collapsed in 1848.
The then Raja of Khurda removed some stones and sculptures to use in a temple he was building in Puri. A few gateways and some sculptures were destroyed in the process. In 1838, after the depredation of the Raja of Khurda, Asiatic Society of Bengal requested conservation, but the requests were denied and only preventative of human-caused damages were guaranteed. The Raja was forbidden to remove any more stones.
In 1859, Asiatic Society of Bengal proposed moving an architrave depicting the navagraha to the Indian Museum in Calcutta. The first attempt in 1867 was abandoned as the funds ran out.
In 1894, thirteen sculptures were moved to the Indian Museum.
In 1903 when a major excavation was attempted nearby, the then Lieutenant governor of Bengal, J. A. Baurdilon, ordered the temple to be sealed and filled with sand to prevent the collapse of the Jagamohana.
In 1906, casuarina and punnang trees were planted facing the sea to buffer the site against sand-laden winds.
In 1909, the Mayadevi temple was discovered while removing sand and debris.
The temple was granted World Heritage Site status by the UNESCO in 1984.
WIKIPEDIA
The largest known cave system in the world, the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System, as of 2022, has 426 miles of documented passages, and sits beneath the ground in Mammoth Cave National Park, established in 1941, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, the only designation in the state of Kentucky. The park is also an International Biosphere Reserve, designated in 1990, and an International Dark Sky Park, designated in 2021. The Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System formed in Mississippian Limestone rock underneath a Big Clifty Sandstone cap, which has formed several stable arched passages of varying sizes from the intrusion of water into the rock layers, with the less porous sandstone cap preventing water intrusion at most locations, which have kept the caverns beneath intact and stable for eons. The water that passes through the cave system drains into the adjacent Green River, and has continuously eroded deeper into the rock along with the river. The cave is home to endemic species of organisms that have adapted to the dark conditions within the cave system. The cave system was known to indigenous people, whom mined gypsum from the walls of the caves and explored the caves, with human remains, signs of human activity, and artifacts from their presence in the cave. The cave became known to European settlers in the 1790s, and it started being mined by Valentine Simon for saltpeter to create gunpowder in 1798, with the mining activities intensifying around the time of the War of 1812, and becoming an industrial-scale operation under the ownership of Charles Wilkins and Hyman Gratz, whom used slave labor to exploit the cave’s resources. In 1838, with the decline in value of saltpeter, the cave was sold to Franklin Gorin, whom operated the cave as a tourist attraction, but was sold to Doctor John Croghan the following year. Under Gorin and Croghan, Black slaves served as tour guides for visitors, with Stephen Bishop being the most notable of these guides. Bishop made many maps of the caves during the 1840s and 1850s, and was the first known person to cross Bottomless Pit and discover the River Styx and Mammoth Dome on the other side. Croghan attempted to run a Tuberculosis Hospital within the cave in 1842-1843, believing the stable temperatures and air would assist patients, but this was short lived. In 1886, the Mammoth Cave Railroad was built between Park City and the historic Mammoth Cave Hotel, which operated until 1931. The caves were mapped more accurately by German visitor Max Kämper in 1908, whom mapped the surface topography and used instruments to document the cave, allowing for the opening of new entrances to the caverns from the surface and being the most accurate maps of the caves until the 1960s. Sadly, this was not appreciated by the Croghan family, whose historic cavern entrance was threatened in status by these maps, and Kämper returned to Germany, where he died as a soldier during World War I’s Battle of the Somme in 1916. Starting in the 1920s, the land around the caves was purchased by the private Mammoth Cave National Park Association, with the park being officially authorized in 1926. Between 1933 and 1942, the park’s landscape was reforested and infrastructure was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), part of the New Deal. Between 1954 and 1972, the cave system was further explored, culminating in the connection between the longer Flint Ridge System and wider Mammoth Cave being found, making it the longest known cave system in the world. Today, the park sees about half a million visitors annually, and contains the majority of the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave system, with some portions of the system extending east of the park’s boundaries under privately-owned land.
The largest known cave system in the world, the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System, as of 2022, has 426 miles of documented passages, and sits beneath the ground in Mammoth Cave National Park, established in 1941, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, the only designation in the state of Kentucky. The park is also an International Biosphere Reserve, designated in 1990, and an International Dark Sky Park, designated in 2021. The Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System formed in Mississippian Limestone rock underneath a Big Clifty Sandstone cap, which has formed several stable arched passages of varying sizes from the intrusion of water into the rock layers, with the less porous sandstone cap preventing water intrusion at most locations, which have kept the caverns beneath intact and stable for eons. The water that passes through the cave system drains into the adjacent Green River, and has continuously eroded deeper into the rock along with the river. The cave is home to endemic species of organisms that have adapted to the dark conditions within the cave system. The cave system was known to indigenous people, whom mined gypsum from the walls of the caves and explored the caves, with human remains, signs of human activity, and artifacts from their presence in the cave. The cave became known to European settlers in the 1790s, and it started being mined by Valentine Simon for saltpeter to create gunpowder in 1798, with the mining activities intensifying around the time of the War of 1812, and becoming an industrial-scale operation under the ownership of Charles Wilkins and Hyman Gratz, whom used slave labor to exploit the cave’s resources. In 1838, with the decline in value of saltpeter, the cave was sold to Franklin Gorin, whom operated the cave as a tourist attraction, but was sold to Doctor John Croghan the following year. Under Gorin and Croghan, Black slaves served as tour guides for visitors, with Stephen Bishop being the most notable of these guides. Bishop made many maps of the caves during the 1840s and 1850s, and was the first known person to cross Bottomless Pit and discover the River Styx and Mammoth Dome on the other side. Croghan attempted to run a Tuberculosis Hospital within the cave in 1842-1843, believing the stable temperatures and air would assist patients, but this was short lived. In 1886, the Mammoth Cave Railroad was built between Park City and the historic Mammoth Cave Hotel, which operated until 1931. The caves were mapped more accurately by German visitor Max Kämper in 1908, whom mapped the surface topography and used instruments to document the cave, allowing for the opening of new entrances to the caverns from the surface and being the most accurate maps of the caves until the 1960s. Sadly, this was not appreciated by the Croghan family, whose historic cavern entrance was threatened in status by these maps, and Kämper returned to Germany, where he died as a soldier during World War I’s Battle of the Somme in 1916. Starting in the 1920s, the land around the caves was purchased by the private Mammoth Cave National Park Association, with the park being officially authorized in 1926. Between 1933 and 1942, the park’s landscape was reforested and infrastructure was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), part of the New Deal. Between 1954 and 1972, the cave system was further explored, culminating in the connection between the longer Flint Ridge System and wider Mammoth Cave being found, making it the longest known cave system in the world. Today, the park sees about half a million visitors annually, and contains the majority of the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave system, with some portions of the system extending east of the park’s boundaries under privately-owned land.
M23Aug10-10.00bst,Caernarfon library,Dell,Dell,Dell,Dell,?
The key word for this card is "hunting"
The main sketch is from a photo I found in the Telegraph, where they say they are reopening the caves at Altamira to the public against scientific advice, even though they have a copy of the cave nearby.
On the left is a copy of the drawing by Hans Holbein showing the folly of hunters in the renaissance/late Middle Ages.
round the edge
stone age paintings in Altamira near Santillana del Mar, Cantabria, North Spain
UNESCO, Site World Heritage, had made.
On wall, deer, bison, antelopes are laid.
In Spain, is built near Santillan' del Mar,
A copied cave, all come to see from far.
Sight see-ers' breath put mould on stone- age art.
So scientists say we should stay apart.
Old Altamira caves fromn stone-age man
Are open for a few to fill cash-can.
Hoysaleswara temple (Kannada: ಹೊಯ್ಸಳೇಶ್ವರ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ) (also spelt "Hoysaleshwara" or Hoysaleshvara") is a temple dedicated to Hindu god Shiva. It was built in Halebidu (in modern Karnataka state, India) during the rule of King Vishnuvardhana of the Hoysala Empire in the 12th century. The construction was started around 1120 CE and completed in 1150 CE. During the early 14th century, Halebidu was sacked and looted by Muslim invaders from northern India and the temple fell into a state of ruin and neglect. Previously known as Dorasamudra or Dwarasamudra, Halebidu is 16 km from Belur, 31 km from Hassan and 149 km from Mysore, in the state of Karnataka, India.
HISTORY
According to art critic and historian S. Settar, from contemporary inscriptions it is known that the temple derives its name from the Hoysala ruler at that time, King Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleswara, though interestingly, the construction of the temple was initiated and financed by wealthy Shaiva (a Hindu sect) citizens of the city, prominent among who were Ketamala and Kesarasetti. The temple building activity was taken up in competition to the construction of the Chennakesava Temple at Belur, a Vaishnava (a Hindu sect) temple. Surrounded by numerous tanks, ponds and mantapas, the temple is built in the vicinity of the large Dorasamudhra lake. The tank preceded the temple by nearly 75 years. It is one of the largest temples dedicated to the god Shiva in South India.
TEMPLE PLAN
The temple is a simple dvikuta vimana (plan with two shrines and two superstructures), one for "Hoysaleswara" (the king) and the other for "Shantaleswara" (named after Shantala Devi, queen of King Vishnuvardhana) and is built with chloritic chist (more commonly known as Soapstone or potstone). The temple complex as a whole is elevated on a jagati (platform), which according to historian Kamath, is a feature that became popular in contemporary Hoysala constructions. According to art historian Foekema, the two shrines which are adjoining, face east and each have a mantapa (hall) in front. The two mantapas are connected giving a large and imposing view of the hall. Individually, each shrine is smaller than the one at the Chennakesava Temple at Belur and contains a simple linga, the universal symbol of the god Shiva. The plan of the inside of the temple is simple but the exterior looks different because of the introduction of many projections and recesses in the walls. The towers of the shrines that are missing must have followed the star shape of the shrine, just as in many existing well-preserved towers in other Hoysala temples. The superstructure over the vestibule which connects the shrine to the mantapa, called sukanasi (a low tower that looks like an extension of the main tower), and the row of decorated miniature roofs above the eaves of the hall are all missing. The temple was built at a height that provided the architects sufficient horizontal and vertical space to depict large and small sculptures. According to the art critic James Fergusson, the overall effect of the vertical and horizontal lines, the play of the outline, the effect of light and shade and the plan of the projections and recesses all amounts to a "marvellous exhibition of human labor to be found even in the patient east and surpasses anything in Gothic art". The outer walls of these temples contain an intricate array of stone sculptures. The temple of Halebidu, has been described by art critics James Fergusson and Percy Brown as an "outstanding example of Hindu architecture" and as the "supreme climax of Indian architecture".
The temple has four porches for entry and the one normally used by visitors as main entry is actually a lateral entrance (north). There is one entry on the south side and two on the east side, facing two large detached open pavilions whose ceiling is supported by lathe turned pillars. All entry porches have miniature shrines as flanking. In addition there is a sanctuary for the Sun god Surya, whose image stands 2.1 m tall. The pavilions enshrine large images of Nandi, the bull, an attendant of Shiva. The pavilions share the same jagati as the main temple. As in the Chennakesava temple, this temple originally had an open mantapa to which outer walls with pierced window screens made with the same material were erected, making the mantapa a closed one. The window screens are devoid of any art work. The interior of the temple is quite plain except for the lathe turned pillars that run in rows between the north and south entrances. According to Settar, the four pillars in front of each shrine are the most ornate and the only ones that have the madanika (chaste maidens) sculptures in their pillar brackets. There are no other madanikas in the temple.
SCULPTURES
The Hoysaleswara temple is most well known for its sculptures that run all along the outer wall, starting with an dancing image of the god Ganesha on the left side of the south entrance and ending with another image of Ganesha on the right hand side of the north entrance. In all there are two hundred and forty such images. According to the art critic Gerard Foekema, perhaps no other Hoysala temple is as articulate in sculpture as this is and these sculptures are "second to none in all of India". The most intricate of all sculptures are found in the lintels over two of the doorways, one on the south side doorway and the other on one of the eastern doorways.
HORIZONTAL TREATMENT
In this temple the Hoysala architects have broken from the tradition of using five moldings with friezes (which is the "old stlye") at the base of the temple, below the large wall sculptures and the window screens. The outer walls have two eaves that run around the temple. The top eaves is at the roof of the temple where the superstructure meets the wall, and the second eaves is about a meter below. In between there are decorated miniature towers (aedicule). Below the lower eaves are the wall sculptures and below them, the eight moldings. Historian Kamath calls this type of relief work "horizontal treatment". Each of the eight friezes carries an array of decoration. Going from the bottom where the temple wall meets the platform, the lowest frieze depicts charging elephants which symbolize strength and stability, above which, in order, are friezes with lions which symbolize courage, floral scrolls as decoration, horses symbolizing speed, another band of floral scrolls, depictions from the Hindu epics, mythical beasts called makara and finally a frieze with hansas (swans). According to Foekema, no two animals are alike in a total frieze span of over 200 m. In the epic frieze, the epics are not continuous as they are mixed with other depictions. After the construction of this temple, Hoysala architects used this new kind of horizontal treatment only fifty years later, making it a standard style, though they reduced it to six molding friezes.
GARUDA PILLAR
Another interesting object in the temple complex is the rare Garuda Sthamba (Garuda pillar). According to Settar, these are different from virgals (Hero stone). Garudas were elite bodyguards of the kings and queens. They moved and lived with the royal family and their only purpose was to protect their master. Upon the death of their master, they committed suicide. The rare pillar on the south side depicts heroes brandishing knives and cutting their own heads. The inscription honors Kuruva Lakshma, a bodyguard of Veera Ballala II. A devoted officer, he took his life and that of his wife and other bodyguards after the death of his master. This event is narrated in an old Kannada inscription on the pillar. A 2.4 m tall sculpture of Ganesha including the platform rests at the South entrance
WIKIPEDIA
The Imperial Council building is the chamber in which the ministers of state, council ministers and the Imperial Council, consisting of the Grand Vizier, viziers, and other leading officials of the Ottoman state) held meetings.
The largest known cave system in the world, the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System, as of 2022, has 426 miles of documented passages, and sits beneath the ground in Mammoth Cave National Park, established in 1941, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, the only designation in the state of Kentucky. The park is also an International Biosphere Reserve, designated in 1990, and an International Dark Sky Park, designated in 2021. The Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System formed in Mississippian Limestone rock underneath a Big Clifty Sandstone cap, which has formed several stable arched passages of varying sizes from the intrusion of water into the rock layers, with the less porous sandstone cap preventing water intrusion at most locations, which have kept the caverns beneath intact and stable for eons. The water that passes through the cave system drains into the adjacent Green River, and has continuously eroded deeper into the rock along with the river. The cave is home to endemic species of organisms that have adapted to the dark conditions within the cave system. The cave system was known to indigenous people, whom mined gypsum from the walls of the caves and explored the caves, with human remains, signs of human activity, and artifacts from their presence in the cave. The cave became known to European settlers in the 1790s, and it started being mined by Valentine Simon for saltpeter to create gunpowder in 1798, with the mining activities intensifying around the time of the War of 1812, and becoming an industrial-scale operation under the ownership of Charles Wilkins and Hyman Gratz, whom used slave labor to exploit the cave’s resources. In 1838, with the decline in value of saltpeter, the cave was sold to Franklin Gorin, whom operated the cave as a tourist attraction, but was sold to Doctor John Croghan the following year. Under Gorin and Croghan, Black slaves served as tour guides for visitors, with Stephen Bishop being the most notable of these guides. Bishop made many maps of the caves during the 1840s and 1850s, and was the first known person to cross Bottomless Pit and discover the River Styx and Mammoth Dome on the other side. Croghan attempted to run a Tuberculosis Hospital within the cave in 1842-1843, believing the stable temperatures and air would assist patients, but this was short lived. In 1886, the Mammoth Cave Railroad was built between Park City and the historic Mammoth Cave Hotel, which operated until 1931. The caves were mapped more accurately by German visitor Max Kämper in 1908, whom mapped the surface topography and used instruments to document the cave, allowing for the opening of new entrances to the caverns from the surface and being the most accurate maps of the caves until the 1960s. Sadly, this was not appreciated by the Croghan family, whose historic cavern entrance was threatened in status by these maps, and Kämper returned to Germany, where he died as a soldier during World War I’s Battle of the Somme in 1916. Starting in the 1920s, the land around the caves was purchased by the private Mammoth Cave National Park Association, with the park being officially authorized in 1926. Between 1933 and 1942, the park’s landscape was reforested and infrastructure was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), part of the New Deal. Between 1954 and 1972, the cave system was further explored, culminating in the connection between the longer Flint Ridge System and wider Mammoth Cave being found, making it the longest known cave system in the world. Today, the park sees about half a million visitors annually, and contains the majority of the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave system, with some portions of the system extending east of the park’s boundaries under privately-owned land.
The largest known cave system in the world, the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System, as of 2022, has 426 miles of documented passages, and sits beneath the ground in Mammoth Cave National Park, established in 1941, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, the only designation in the state of Kentucky. The park is also an International Biosphere Reserve, designated in 1990, and an International Dark Sky Park, designated in 2021. The Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System formed in Mississippian Limestone rock underneath a Big Clifty Sandstone cap, which has formed several stable arched passages of varying sizes from the intrusion of water into the rock layers, with the less porous sandstone cap preventing water intrusion at most locations, which have kept the caverns beneath intact and stable for eons. The water that passes through the cave system drains into the adjacent Green River, and has continuously eroded deeper into the rock along with the river. The cave is home to endemic species of organisms that have adapted to the dark conditions within the cave system. The cave system was known to indigenous people, whom mined gypsum from the walls of the caves and explored the caves, with human remains, signs of human activity, and artifacts from their presence in the cave. The cave became known to European settlers in the 1790s, and it started being mined by Valentine Simon for saltpeter to create gunpowder in 1798, with the mining activities intensifying around the time of the War of 1812, and becoming an industrial-scale operation under the ownership of Charles Wilkins and Hyman Gratz, whom used slave labor to exploit the cave’s resources. In 1838, with the decline in value of saltpeter, the cave was sold to Franklin Gorin, whom operated the cave as a tourist attraction, but was sold to Doctor John Croghan the following year. Under Gorin and Croghan, Black slaves served as tour guides for visitors, with Stephen Bishop being the most notable of these guides. Bishop made many maps of the caves during the 1840s and 1850s, and was the first known person to cross Bottomless Pit and discover the River Styx and Mammoth Dome on the other side. Croghan attempted to run a Tuberculosis Hospital within the cave in 1842-1843, believing the stable temperatures and air would assist patients, but this was short lived. In 1886, the Mammoth Cave Railroad was built between Park City and the historic Mammoth Cave Hotel, which operated until 1931. The caves were mapped more accurately by German visitor Max Kämper in 1908, whom mapped the surface topography and used instruments to document the cave, allowing for the opening of new entrances to the caverns from the surface and being the most accurate maps of the caves until the 1960s. Sadly, this was not appreciated by the Croghan family, whose historic cavern entrance was threatened in status by these maps, and Kämper returned to Germany, where he died as a soldier during World War I’s Battle of the Somme in 1916. Starting in the 1920s, the land around the caves was purchased by the private Mammoth Cave National Park Association, with the park being officially authorized in 1926. Between 1933 and 1942, the park’s landscape was reforested and infrastructure was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), part of the New Deal. Between 1954 and 1972, the cave system was further explored, culminating in the connection between the longer Flint Ridge System and wider Mammoth Cave being found, making it the longest known cave system in the world. Today, the park sees about half a million visitors annually, and contains the majority of the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave system, with some portions of the system extending east of the park’s boundaries under privately-owned land.
The largest known cave system in the world, the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System, as of 2022, has 426 miles of documented passages, and sits beneath the ground in Mammoth Cave National Park, established in 1941, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, the only designation in the state of Kentucky. The park is also an International Biosphere Reserve, designated in 1990, and an International Dark Sky Park, designated in 2021. The Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System formed in Mississippian Limestone rock underneath a Big Clifty Sandstone cap, which has formed several stable arched passages of varying sizes from the intrusion of water into the rock layers, with the less porous sandstone cap preventing water intrusion at most locations, which have kept the caverns beneath intact and stable for eons. The water that passes through the cave system drains into the adjacent Green River, and has continuously eroded deeper into the rock along with the river. The cave is home to endemic species of organisms that have adapted to the dark conditions within the cave system. The cave system was known to indigenous people, whom mined gypsum from the walls of the caves and explored the caves, with human remains, signs of human activity, and artifacts from their presence in the cave. The cave became known to European settlers in the 1790s, and it started being mined by Valentine Simon for saltpeter to create gunpowder in 1798, with the mining activities intensifying around the time of the War of 1812, and becoming an industrial-scale operation under the ownership of Charles Wilkins and Hyman Gratz, whom used slave labor to exploit the cave’s resources. In 1838, with the decline in value of saltpeter, the cave was sold to Franklin Gorin, whom operated the cave as a tourist attraction, but was sold to Doctor John Croghan the following year. Under Gorin and Croghan, Black slaves served as tour guides for visitors, with Stephen Bishop being the most notable of these guides. Bishop made many maps of the caves during the 1840s and 1850s, and was the first known person to cross Bottomless Pit and discover the River Styx and Mammoth Dome on the other side. Croghan attempted to run a Tuberculosis Hospital within the cave in 1842-1843, believing the stable temperatures and air would assist patients, but this was short lived. In 1886, the Mammoth Cave Railroad was built between Park City and the historic Mammoth Cave Hotel, which operated until 1931. The caves were mapped more accurately by German visitor Max Kämper in 1908, whom mapped the surface topography and used instruments to document the cave, allowing for the opening of new entrances to the caverns from the surface and being the most accurate maps of the caves until the 1960s. Sadly, this was not appreciated by the Croghan family, whose historic cavern entrance was threatened in status by these maps, and Kämper returned to Germany, where he died as a soldier during World War I’s Battle of the Somme in 1916. Starting in the 1920s, the land around the caves was purchased by the private Mammoth Cave National Park Association, with the park being officially authorized in 1926. Between 1933 and 1942, the park’s landscape was reforested and infrastructure was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), part of the New Deal. Between 1954 and 1972, the cave system was further explored, culminating in the connection between the longer Flint Ridge System and wider Mammoth Cave being found, making it the longest known cave system in the world. Today, the park sees about half a million visitors annually, and contains the majority of the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave system, with some portions of the system extending east of the park’s boundaries under privately-owned land.
Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park is a well-preserved fortress on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. It is one of the best preserved historical fortifications in the Americas.
Construction of the fortress began in 1689 by the French. It was captured by the British in 1690. It went on to be held by the British, the French and then back to the British. The fortress was abandoned by the British in 1853.
It has been called the 'Gibraltar of the West Indies' and the 'Gibraltar of the Caribbean'.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The fortress is definitely worth a visit when on St. Kitts.
The picture shows the infantry officers' quarters (the long low building) and the artillery officers' quarters (ruins in the distance).
This well endowed figure stands looking towards the Palace on the upper level of the Water Terrace Gardens.
December 28, 2018 - "The city of Petra, capital of the Nabataean Arabs, is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, it is Located 240 km south of the capital Amman and 120 km north of the red sea town of Aqaba (see the Map), Petra the world wonder is undoubtedly Jordan's most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction, and it is visited by tourists from all over the world.
It is not known precisely when Petra was built, but the city began to prosper as the capital of the Nabataean Empire from the 1st century BC, which grew rich through trade in frankincense, myrrh, and spices.
Petra was later annexed to the Roman Empire and continued to thrive until a large earthquake in 363 AD destroyed much of the city in the 4th century AD.
The earthquake combined with changes in trade routes, eventually led to the downfall of the city which was ultimately abandoned.
By the middle of the 7th century Petra appears to have been largely deserted and it was then lost to all except local Bedouin from the area.
In 1812 a Swiss explorer named Johannes Burckhardt set out to ‘rediscover’ Petra; he dressed up as an Arab and convinced his Bedouin guide to take him to the lost city, After this, Petra became increasingly known in the West as a fascinating and beautiful ancient city, and it began attracting visitors and continues to do so today.
Petra is also known as the rose-red city, a name it gets from the wonderful colour of the rock from which many of the city’s structures were carved.
The Nabataeans buried their dead in intricate tombs that were cut out of the mountain sides and the city also had temples, a theater, and following the Roman annexation and later the Byzantine influence, a colonnaded street and churches.
In addition to the magnificent remains of the Nabataean city, human settlement and land use for over 10,000 years can be traced in Petra, where great natural, cultural, archaeological and geological features merge.
On December 6, 1985, Petra was designated a World Heritage Site,, also Petra was chosen by the Smithsonian Magazine as one of the 28 places you should visit them before you die." Previous text from the following website: visitpetra.jo/Pages/viewpage.aspx?pageID=124
Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park is a well-preserved fortress on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. It is one of the best preserved historical fortifications in the Americas.
Construction of the fortress began in 1689 by the French. It was captured by the British in 1690. It went on to be held by the British, the French and then back to the British. The fortress was abandoned by the British in 1853.
It has been called the 'Gibraltar of the West Indies' and the 'Gibraltar of the Caribbean'.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The fortress is definitely worth a visit when on St. Kitts.
The picture shows the ruins of the artillery officers' quarters.
Ha Long Bay (Descending Dragon Bay, Vịnh Hạ Long) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a popular travel destination, located in Quảng Ninh province, Vietnam.
Ha Long Bay includes 1,960 islets, most of which are limestone. The limestone in this bay has gone through 500 million years of formation in different conditions and environments. The evolution of the karst in this bay has taken 20 million years under the impact of the tropical wet climate. The geo-diversity of the environment in the area has created biodiversity, including a tropical evergreen biosystem, oceanic and sea shore biosystem. Ha Long Bay is home to 14 endemic floral species and 60 endemic faunal species.
According to local legend, when the Vietnamese were fighting Chinese invaders, the gods sent a family of dragons to help defend the land. This family of dragons began spitting out jewels and jade. These jewels turned into the islands and islets dotting the bay, linking together to form a great wall against the invaders. The people kept their land safe and formed what later became the country of Vietnam. After that, dragons were interested in peaceful sightseeing of the earth, and then decided to live here. The place where the mother dragon descended was named Hạ Long, the place where the dragon's children attended upon their mother was called Bái Tử Long island, and the place where the dragon's children wriggled their tails violently was called Bạch Long Vỹ island.
EOS 5D + Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Lydith 30mm f/3.5