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Architecture Venice
Venice embodies the harmonious mixture of different styles, which characterize different eras. The picturesque town is not at the expense of nature and greenery, which will not find here in abundance, and thanks to the kaleidoscope of streets and canals, sumptuous palaces and Gothic churches, which, merging together, create a magical, colorful look of the city on the water. On the Venetian architecture was significantly influenced by four styles – Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance. It worked the architect Longhena, Palladio, Codussi, Sansovino, the painters Titian, Giorgione, Guardi, Tintoretto, Canaletto, Tiepolo and many others.
In 14-16 centuries laid the architectural appearance of Venice, which absorbed the traditions of the Byzantine, Arab and Gothic motifs. The city centre is simply filled with architectural masterpieces. St. Mark’s square, paved with marble, decorated pentagonal eponymous Cathedral, built in 829 -832 years and rebuilt in the 11th century, framed by marble edifices of Old (early 15th – early 16th centuries) and New Procuratie (16-17 CC.). The Cathedral is decorated with bronze Continue reading
A very different Spain – Gothic Spain
It should be remembered that the Gothic Cathedral is not only an architectural object, but also the example of synthesis of various arts: stained glass, sculpture, painting. In the temple could be several hundred and even thousands of stone statues, and almost always painted; along the walls hung colorful tapestries, and light fell through the stained glass. Each color had a meaning: red meant blood and jer-tsennosti, blue – sky and loyalty, purple is a mystical Color prayers, sacrifices in the name of Heaven, Green was a symbol of love, yellow – light and the Sun.
In all Catholic churches of Spain can be seen typical for this country wooden statue of the virgin Mary, Christ, apostles and saints painted in clothes, so-called yestofado. This art form originated in the XVI-XVII centuries and is rarely found outside of the Iberian Peninsula. Masters carved out of wood figure, and the painters painted her, and there was a separate profession of “abrasively body”, “abrasively clothes”, zolotilov. Some masters would put statues crystal eyes, and his face was placed a crystal tears. These images and now are sometimes the object of worship; the most valuable of them typically kept in the Cathedral museums – almost in every major city in the Cathedral of the small exhibition (entrance is usually paid), located in the former Treasury where he kept the most precious objects of sacred worship. The rich collection of carved wood, or vannoy sculptures can be seen in the national Museum of sculpture in Valladolid. Continue reading
In the Syrian desert discovered mysterious structures
Robert Mason of the Royal Ontario Museum (Canada) discovered in Syria, a mysterious stone circles and other features of the landscape that look as if they created people.
“They don’t have impressive size, as some of the megaliths, but they are clearly deliberately aligned, and therefore very interesting,” — said the archaeologist who first stumbled on them in 2009 near the monastery of Deir Mar Musa (Saint. Moses the Abyssinian), which is approximately 80 km North of Damascus.
A pile of stones (stage building) and a stone circle. Photo: Robert Mason
Alas, the tense situation in Syria have hindered excavation. A preliminary analysis of fragments of stone tools, are scattered in this area, put this date in their Neolithic and early bronze age of 6-10 thousand years ago.
According to Mr. Mason, the stones are positioned to stand out amid the empty landscape. Nearby there is nothing that would indicate a settlement. This is unusual, because the Neolithic people, as a rule, buried the dead and performed rites right there where they lived. Continue reading