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Fortifications
Founded in the year 1044 by Prince Yaroslav . Novgorod Kremlin — the oldest surviving in Russia Kremlins.
The history of the first Novgorod fortress dates back to the mid XI century . It was located on a small hill between two ravines where is now the Cathedral of St. Sophia with the adjacent area. When the princes of Novgorod, Vladimir Yaroslavich and Mstislav Vladimirovich (XI-XII century), the Kremlin has expanded and reached today’s size. Since ancient times there has been massive ramparts, on which at the end of the XV century were built stone walls and towers on the Italian sample.
To walk round the Kremlin in just half an hour. The length of its walls is 1350 m . the thickness reaches four. Of the twelve nine towers have survived . Five (the number of all administrative districts of Novgorod the Great) of them were travel and was a small architectural ensembles: a tower, gate Church. Continue reading
The Gothic Cathedral
The Gothic Cathedral contains in itself the whole world of the medieval city, is an encyclopedia. The Gothic temperamental and dramatic, and stressful life of the medieval city. The birthplace of Gothic architecture was France, a little later it spread into Germany (Cologne Cathedral, “brick Gothic”), England (Westminster Abbey in London), Czech Republic (St. Vitus Cathedral) and other countries of the Catholic world.
The most famous cathedrals in France dedicated to our lady: Notre Dame u Amiens, Chartres, Rouen and, of course, in Reims and Paris. It’s “a huge stone Symphony” (V. Hugo) with complex sculptural decoration, where each element of the architecture “humanized”, is inhabited by various living creatures, and the Gothic statue is a striking expression of inspired ecstasy, which transforms, ennobles emaciated bodies. After all, in the Gothic art expressed itself, the third estate, with its dreams and suffering, despair and hope.
In the temple synthesis of arts, in the creation of the image of God the world trailing dot put music. Continue reading
Dobele castle
Castle and forest
In 1729, the last inhabitants left the castle, and it has never lived. The surrounding people noticed it and began to slowly disassemble the walls and buildings, using stones for the construction of their homes and farm structures.
We decided to go to one of the most sacred and the most mysterious places of Latvia, on the way stopped in the town of Dobele is to inspect it and what is left of the ancient castle there. The route is a pleasant, interesting, exactly on the day. First on the itinerary was a castle.
Castle
Once in our limits came the sword-crusaders, they just did what they built fortresses and fortified castles. Historians all built counted and found that in the period from 1185 to 1562 in the year in the territory of Latvia was erected about 150 castles. About because the exact number impossible to establish, because a lot of built was completely destroyed, as a building material disappeared up to the last stone. And some of the locks, being of wood, burned down to the present day have not reached at all. Continue reading