Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

Published on February 27, 2018May 7, 2024 by joannaalmasude Category: 2018 Travel, Cordoba, Spain

Going to the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba is free every morning from 8:30 to 9:30 am, after that the entrance fee is 8 euros each. So, my husband and I went 2 mornings in a row (Feb 26th and Feb 27th). It is very worth getting up early to see. When the time is up, the guards chase you out. For some unknown reason, they chased us out 10 minutes early today.

The history of the building is very interesting, historians believe that there had first been a temple to the Roman god, Janus. That is easy to believe if you see the Roman bridge very close to the site – which is amazing! In 572 the temple was converted into a church by invading Visigoths who seized Cordoba. It is stated that when Muslims conquered Spain in 711, the church was first divided into Muslim and Christian halves. I find that highly doubtful

The mosque in Córdoba, to 23,400 m2, was the second largest in the world after that of Mecca, until in 1588 the Blue Mosque in Istanbul exceeded.

The mosque is divided into two distinct parts: the patio or portico sahn houses the minaret beneath the Renaissance tower, which is the only intervention that Abd al-Rahman III was in the mosque. This part also is the prayer room or haram. The second part of the mosque is the interior of it. It is characterized by the set of columns and arches that define bicolor. These make a very distinctive color and formal whole. The inner area is divided into five parts, each corresponding to the successive enlargements that the mosque has had throughout its history.

The minaret was built in times of Abderramán III and today is kept in the interior of the bell tower. Damaged after a storm, it was arranged by the Cathedral Chapter in 1593 to demolish part of the old minaret and built the bell tower. In the seventeenth century the clock was added. Faced with the danger of collapse are all better cemented by the end of the century. In 1664 the campanile was completed.

Pantheon, Rome Day 3

Published on February 11, 2018May 7, 2024 by joannaalmasude Category: 2018 Travel, Italy, Roma, Rome

February 11, 2018:

The Pantheon from Greek Πάνθειον Pantheion meaning “[temple] of every god”) is a former Roman temple. It is now a church, in Rome, Italy, on the site of an earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD). The present building was completed by the emperor Hadrian and probably dedicated about 126 AD. He retained Agrippa’s original inscription, which has caused confusion over its date of construction as the original Pantheon burned down, so it is not certain when the present one was built.

The building is circular with a portico of large granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment. A rectangular vestibule links the porch to the rotunda, which is under a coffered concrete dome, with a central opening (oculus) to the sky. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon’s dome is still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 142 feet (43 m).

It is one of the best-preserved of all Ancient Roman buildings, in large part because it has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a church dedicated to “St. Mary and the Martyrs” informally known as “Santa Maria Rotonda”. The square in front of the Pantheon is called Piazza della Rotonda. The Pantheon is a state property, ruled by Italy’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism through the Polo Museale del Lazio; in 2013 it was visited by over 6 million people.

The Pantheon’s large circular domed cella, with a conventional temple portico front, was unique in Roman architecture. Nevertheless, it became a standard exemplar when classical styles were revived, and has been copied many times by later architects.

See photos here:

Day One in Rome, Italy

Published on February 10, 2018May 7, 2024 by joannaalmasude Category: 2018 Travel, Italy, Roma, Rome

Today was our first day in Rome and we walked from our tiny studio AirBnB to the Colosseum or Coliseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. It was a 7 mile round trip walk (just going straight there and back). With all the extra tours and a total of 7 hour trip, I estimate close to 10 miles for the day!

The Colosseum is an oval amphitheatre in the center of of Rome, Italy. Built of travertine marble, tuff (a light, porous rock formed by consolidation of volcanic ash), and brick-faced concrete. It is said to be the largest amphitheatre ever built.

Address: Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM

Construction started: 70 AD

Opened: 80 AD

Height: 48 m

More interesting info: The Colosseum was used for workshops, housing, a quarry, a fortress and even as a Christian shrine.

Piazzale Michelangelo

Published on February 6, 2018May 7, 2024 by joannaalmasude Category: 2018 Travel, Architecture, Firenze, Florence, Italy

This is a bronze copy of Michelangelo’s David! It is at a Piazzale Michelangelo – which is very high on a hill! It overlooks Florence – Awesome!!! We walked from our Apartment across the river then up a very steep hill to see the Piazzale Michelangelo. It was worth it, but I was afraid I wouldn’t make it due to my very bad knees.

It rained the whole way and by the time we got to the top we were freezing and stopped in a very nice restaurant to have drinks. We got warmed up and dry then walked back to our apartment.

San Lorenzo: Day 3 in Florence

Published on February 5, 2018May 7, 2024 by joannaalmasude Category: Classes

We sent to the Basilica San Lorenzo (Basilica di San Lorenzo, Firenze) as well as the Medici Chapels (Cappelle Medicee) which belong to the complex of San Lorenzo. It was designed by Brunelleschi in the fifteenth century. Built by Michelangelo and Buontalenti between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, they are the mausoleum and burial place of the Medici family.

Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore: Day 3 in Firenza

Published on February 5, 2018May 7, 2024 by joannaalmasude Category: 2018 Travel, Architecture, Firenze, Florence

February 5th, 2018: Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower

The building started in 1296 and was completed in 1469 with the placing of Verrochio’s copper ball atop the lantern. The façade was finished in the 19th century.

still the largest masonry dome in the world.

Day Two in Florence: Accademia

Published on February 4, 2018May 7, 2024 by joannaalmasude Category: 2018 Travel, Firenze, Florence, Italy

Accademia in Florence is also called the Museum of Michelangelo. Created by the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo in 1784 as a place of study for students of the nearby Academy of Fine Arts (Accademia di Belle Arti) which was the first academy of drawing in Europe. The Academy Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence contains one of the most important sculptures by Michelangelo – “David.”

Accademia, though not easy to find, was absolutely amazing! I highly recommend going, if you go to Florence, Italy! It was well worth the entrance fee of 9 euros. The way they display Michelangelo’s David was extremely well designed. When you enter the corridor that houses David at the end. On each side of the corridor are unfinished sculptures by Michelangelo. The wall color and scale of the hall and dome are perfect to display the color of the marble.

There was also another display of plaster copies of sculptures in another large corridor off to the left of David that was very interesting. Here are some photos from that area of the museum.

Accademia Address:

Galleria dell'Accademia - Via Ricasoli 58-60 - 50122 Firenze, Italy

Sketching David

Published on February 4, 2018May 7, 2024 by joannaalmasude Category: 2018 Travel, Firenze, Florence, Italy, Michaelangelo

Day One in Florence – The Basilica di Santa Croce

Published on February 3, 2018May 7, 2024 by joannaalmasude Category: 2018 Travel, Architecture, Firenze, Florence, Italy, Michaelangelo

February 3, 2018: The trip from Venice to Florence yesterday was very easy. We left our excellent 5-star AirBnB (a review will be in another post) around 10:30 am and we arrived here in Florence (AKA “Firenze”). We took a taxi from the train to our new Florence 5-star AirBnB arriving at 4:40pm. We did a quick walk to the grocery story and found that food is a bit cheaper than in Venice. Makes perfect sense since Venice has to have everything transported in and carried to the stores on boats/by foot carts.

It was very difficult to decide what to do today; the list is way too long. Academia was first on my list, but with a bit of research I found that it is free on the first Sunday of the month, which is tomorrow!! So, we decided to visit Michelangelo and Galileo’s tombs, which are housed in The Basilica di Santa Croce (see my photo above). It was an excellent choice! Though it cost 9 euros each to get in we spent several hours looking through the main Santa Croce Basilica as well as touring through the Pazzi Chapel and even saw a leather making school(?).

To make a long day short… I took over 400 photos and to break it down for my future failing memory, I’m listing photos in sections below:

Photos from The Basilica di Santa Croce

The Tomb of Michelangelo’ Michelangelo It is currently being worked on, so it has a scaffolding in front of it. But I was still able to capture some photos.

The Tomb of Galileo Galileo Galilei

Other Tombs and Icons from Santa Crosa

Pazzi Chapel

Salute – Last Day in Venice! Saint Mary of Health… :-)

Published on February 1, 2018May 7, 2024 by joannaalmasude Category: 2018 Travel, Architecture, Articles, Italy, Venice

Still not feeling very well, but we planned one last visit to a Basilica, specifically the Santa Maria della Salute! Good news – this Basilica is Free and you can take photos as long as you do not use a flash! Wonderful, Im giving them a 10 out of 10! I would like to know more about who decides the charges as well as whether photos can be taken in Italy. Hmmmm….

More about Santa Maria della Salute… in English “Saint Mary of Health, commonly known simply as the Salute, I think I needed to visit to hopefully gain some good health!

Here is the “backstory” from Wikipedia …. Beginning in the summer of 1630, a wave of the plague assaulted Venice, and until 1631 killed nearly a third of the population. In the city, 46,000 people died whilst in the lagoons the number was far higher, some 94,000.^[1] Repeated displays of the sacrament, as well as prayers and processions to churches dedicated to San Rocco and San Lorenzo Giustiniani had failed to stem the epidemic. Echoing the architectural response to a prior assault of the plague (1575–76), when Palladio was asked to design the Redentore church, the Venetian Senate on October 22, 1630, decreed that a new church would be built.^[1] It was not to be dedicated to a mere “plague” or patron saint, but to the Virgin Mary, who for many reasons was thought to be a protector of the Republic.^[2]

Santa Maria della Salute on the Grand Canal

It was also decided that the Senate would visit the church each year. On November 21 the Feast of the Presentation of the Virgin, known as the Festa della Madonna della Salute, the city’s officials parade from San Marco to the Salute for a service in gratitude for deliverance from the plague is celebrated. This involved crossing the Grand Canal on a specially constructed pontoon bridge and is still a major event in Venice.

As usual here are a few of my photos from this, last trip in Venice!!

A few more excellent photos from the internet: