On our 3-day tour of Rome,we visited & enjoyed some amazing architectures & sculptures!Here I am posting their brief description & photos for my readers.Piazza Navona owes its name to the agonal games (in agonis), gymnastic competitions that took place in ancient Rome. Over time it is believed that the name “in agone” has changed to “Navone” and, due to its similarity to the hollow profile of a ship, the square finally assumed the name “Navona” .Piazza Navona is one of the most beautiful squares in Rome, home to some of its most famous fountains, like the Fountain of the Four Rivers and the Fountain of Neptune.Also took a stroll through the historic Domitian Stadium!Enjoyed the tasty Italian snacks-Suppli.

PIAZZA NAVONA:

In Ancient Rome, the site was a stadium built during Emperor Domitian’s rule. Nowadays, Piazza Navona is best known as a location for Baroque architecture, like Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers). It is a public open space in Rome. It is built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built in the 1st century AD.Defined as a public space in the last years of 15th century, when the city market was transferred there from the Campidoglio, Piazza Navona was transformed into a highly significant example of Baroque Roman architecture and art during the pontificate of Innocent X, who reigned from 1644 until 1655, and whose family palace, the Palazzo Pamphili, faced the piazza. It features important sculptural creations: in the centre stands the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers (1651) by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, topped by the Obelisk of Domitian, brought in pieces from the Circus of Maxentius;the church of Sant’Agnese.

Fontana del Moro (Moor Fountain)

Its a fountain located at the southern end of the Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy. It represents a Moor, or African (perhaps originally meant to be Neptune), standing in a conch shell, wrestling with a dolphin, surrounded by four Tritons. It is placed in a basin of rose-colored marble.
History:
The fountain was originally designed by Giacomo della Porta in 1575 with the dolphin and four Tritons. 16th-century artists including Gillis van den Vliete, Taddeo Landini, Simone Moschini and Giacobbe Silla Longhi sculpted the tritons, dragons and masks after the designs of della Porta.In 1653, the statue of the Moor, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and sculpted by Giannantonio Mari, was added. In 1874, during a restoration of the fountain, the original statues were moved to the Galleria Borghese and replaced with copies by Luigi Amici. In September 2011, the fountain was damaged after a vandal attacked it with a hammer. The vandal also damaged the Trevi Fountain that night.

During its history, the piazza has hosted theatrical events and other ephemeral activities. From 1652 until 1866, when the festival was suppressed, it was flooded on every Saturday and Sunday in August in elaborate celebrations of the Pamphilj family. The pavement level was raised in the 19th century, and in 1869 the market was moved to the nearby Campo de’ Fiori. A Christmas market is held in the piazza square.

SANT’ AGNESE CHURCH IN AGONE (also called Sant’Agnese in Piazza Navona):

It is a 17th-century Baroque church in Rome, Italy. It faces onto the Piazza Navona, one of the main urban spaces in the historic centre of the city and the site where the Early Christian Saint Agnes was martyred in the ancient Stadium of Domitian. Construction began in 1652 under the architects Girolamo Rainaldi and his son Carlo Rainaldi. After numerous quarrels, the other main architect involved was Francesco Borromini.The church is a titular deaconry, with Gerhard Ludwig Müller being the current Cardinal-Deacon.well as religious services, the church hosts regular classical concerts in the Borromini Sacristy, from sacred Baroque works to chamber music and operas

THE STADIUM OF DOMITIAN:

It was dedicated in AD 86, as part of an Imperial building programme at the Field of Mars, following the damage or destruction of most of its buildings by fire in AD 79. It was Rome’s first permanent venue for competitive athletics. It was patterned after the Greek model and seated approximately 15,000 – 20,000 – a smaller, more appropriate venue for foot-races than the Circus Maximus, although a catalogue complied at the end of the 4th century recorded that the stadium’s seating capacity was 33,080 persons. The substructures and support frames were made of brick and concrete – a robust, fire-retardant and relatively cheap material – clad in marble. Stylistically, the Stadium facades would have resembled those of the Colosseum; its floor plan followed the same elongated, U-shape as the Circus Maximus, though on a much smaller scale. Various modern sources estimate the arena length to have been approximately 200 – 250 metres, the height of its outer perimeter benches as 30 m (100 ft) above ground level and its inner perimeter benches as 4.5 m (15 ft) above the arena floor.This arrangement offered a clear view of the track from most seats. The typically Greek layout gave the Stadium its Latinised Greek name, in agones (the place or site of the competitions). The flattened end was sealed by two vertically staggered entrance galleries and the perimeter was arcaded beneath the seating levels, with travertine pilasters between its cavea (enclosures). The formation of a continuous arena trackway by a raised “spina” or strip has been conjectured.
The Stadium of Domitian was the northernmost of an impressive series of public buildings on the Campus Martius. To its south stood the smaller and more intimate Odeon of Domitian, used for recitals, song and orations. The southernmost end of the Campus was dominated by the Theater of Pompey, restored by Domitian during the same rebuilding program.

SUPPLI :A typically Roman cuisine :

Supplì (Italianization of the French word surprise) are Italian snacks consisting of a ball of rice (generally risotto) with tomato sauce, typical of Roman cuisine. Originally, they were filled with chicken giblets, mincemeat or provatura (a kind of cheese from Lazio),now also with a piece of mozzarella; the whole morsel is soaked in egg, coated with bread crumbs and then fried (usually deep-fried).They are closely related to Sicilian arancini and croquettes. Supplì can be also prepared without tomato sauce.
They are usually eaten with the fingers: when one is broken in two pieces, mozzarella is drawn out in a string somewhat resembling the cord connecting a telephone handset to the hook. This has led to these dishes being known as supplì al telefono (“telephone-style supplì”, in reference to cables).Supplì were originally sold at friggitorie, typical Roman shops where fried food was sold. Now they are commonly served in most pizzerias all around Italy as an antipasto.

At this restaurant we enjoyed the tasty Italian cuisine, SUPPLI !Great fulfilling taste!

My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia & for the invaluable information on the subject !Happy Reading !

On the 5th of Sept.2022,(during our 3-day trip of Rome) we set-off on a tour of some marvellous sights such as the spanish Steps ,Piazza de spagna ,Piazza Trinita Monti Church ,Palazzo Monaldeschni ,Fontana della Barcaccia & Piazza Mignanelli !We enjoyed the sights thoroughly.I will give some brief history of the places visited here!

The Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy:

Climb a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti (dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church) at the top.The monumental stairway of 135 steps was built with French diplomat Étienne Gueffier’s bequeathed funds of 20,000 scudi, in 1723–1725, linking the Trinità dei Monti church under the patronage of the Bourbon kings of France, at the top of the steps, and the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See in the Palazzo Monaldeschi at the bottom of the steps. The stairway was designed by architects Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi.The name can be a bit confusing, as construction of the steps was actually commissioned by the French (Louis XII). In the 17th century, the Spanish embassy was located on the square – ‘Piazza di Spagna’ – at the base of the stairs, hence the name ‘Spanish Steps’.Its Italian name is “Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti” and composed of 12 ramps and 135 travertine steps, it is considered the widest and longest staircase of Europe, welcoming millions of tourists and Romans who visit at all times of the day.The goal of the spanish steps was to link the church at the top of the stairs, which was also a French church, to Palazzo Manaldeschi below in Piazza di Spagna. The 135 stairs were designed by Francesco de Sanctis and were completed in 1725 after two years of hard work.

Piazza di Spagna :

In the Piazza di Spagna at the base is the Early Baroque fountain called Fontana della Barcaccia (“Fountain of the longboat”), built in 1627–29 and often credited to Pietro Bernini, father of a more famous son, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who is recently said to have collaborated on the decoration. The elder Bernini had been the pope’s architect for the Acqua Vergine, since 1623. According to a legend, Pope Urban VIII had the fountain installed after he had been impressed by a boat brought here by a flood of the Tiber.

In the piazza, at the corner on the right as one begins to climb the steps, is the house where English poet John Keats lived and died in 1821; it is now a museum dedicated to his memory, full of memorabilia of the English Romantic generation. On the same right side stands the 15th-century former cardinal Lorenzo Cybo de Mari’s palace, now Ferrari di Valbona, a building altered in 1936 to designs by Marcello Piacentini, the main city planner during Fascism, with modern terraces perfectly in harmony with the surrounding baroque context.

The Fontana della Barcaccia (“Fountain of the Boat”):

It is a Baroque-style fountain found at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome’s Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Square). Pope Urban VIII commissioned Pietro Bernini in 1623 to build the fountain as part of a prior Papal project to erect a fountain in every major piazza in Rome. The fountain was completed between 1627 and 1629 by Pietro possibly along with the help of his son Gian Lorenzo Bernini, especially after his father’s death on August 29, 1629. The sculptural fountain is made into the shape of a half-sunken ship with water overflowing its sides into a small basin. The source of the water comes from the Acqua Vergine, an aqueduct from 19 BCE. Bernini built this fountain to be slightly below street level due to the low water pressure from the aqueduct. Water flows from seven points of fountain: the center baluster; two inside the boat from sun-shaped human faces; and four outside the boat.

According to legend, as the River Tiber flooded in 1598, water carried a small boat into the Piazza di Spagna. When the water receded, boat was deposited in the center of the square & this event that inspired Bernini’s creation. The fountain is decorated with the papal coat of arms of the Barberini family as a reminder of Pope Urban VIII’s ancestry.

Palazzo Gabrielli-Mignanelli:

Its a late-Renaissance palace in Rome, overlooking Piazza Mignanelli and Piazza di Spagna. The palace was built around 1575 by Alessandro Moschetti for count Girolamo Gabrielli, of a noble family from Gubbio. The chosen location was at the edge of the Pincian hill, over what remained of the fabled gardens of Lucullus. In the 16th century the area was still considered periurban, and the palace was the first monumental building erected there. As a result of the marriage between Carlo Gabrielli, Girolamo’s nephew, and Maria Mignanelli, relative of cardinal Fabio Mignanelli, celebrated in 1615, the palace was presented by the Gabriellis to the Mignanellis, who owned the building until 1871 and gave their name to the square in front of the palace. After having been rented to different institutions from the late 18th century onwards, the building became the property of the Holy See in 1887, and on that occasion was restored and enlarged by Andrea Busiri Vici. Palazzo Gabrielli-Mignanelli is today the residence of Valentino Garavani as well as the Roman headquarters of his maison.

PIAZZA MIGNANELLI :

Piazza Mignanelli takes its name from the palazzo owned by the Mignanelli family, originally from Siena. Constructed by the architect Mr. Moschetti, the building is now the headquarters of the high fashion designer, Valentino. The apartment, situated on the first floor of the ancient building, has six balconies with views of ‘Column of The Immaculate Virgin Mary’ and in the background, the Barcaccia (Boat) fountain of Lorenzo Bernini. Recently renovated with high quality finishes.

The Roman Catholic church of the Santissima Trinità dei Monti :

Its often called merely the Trinità dei Monti, is a Roman Catholic late Renaissance titular church in Rome, central Italy. It is best known for its position above the Spanish Steps which lead down to the famous Piazza di Spagna. The church and its surrounding area (including the Villa Medici) are a French State property. In 1494, Saint Francis of Paola, a hermit from Calabria, bought a vineyard from the papal scholar and former patriarch of Aquileia, Ermolao Barbaro, and then obtained the authorization from Pope Alexander VI to establish a monastery for the Minimite Friars. In 1502, Louis XII of France began construction of the church of the Trinità dei Monti next to this monastery, to celebrate his successful invasion of Naples. Building work began in a French style with pointed late Gothic arches, but construction lagged. The present Italian Renaissance church was eventually built in its place and finally consecrated in 1585 by the great urbanizer Pope Sixtus V, whose via Sistina connected the Piazza della Trinità dei Monti (outside the church) to the Piazza Barberini across the city.

Monaldeschi Palace: Headquarters of the Embassy of Spain:
The Palace of Spain located in the famous Piazzia di Spagna (Spain’s Square), in the historic center of Rome, a square that in fact takes its name from the Palace. The construction between plants and terraces that constitute one of the most beautiful and rich architectural works of the time.The Palace of Spain or Monaldeschi Palace is a baroque palace that houses the Embassy of Spain to the Holy See since 1647.

The Spanish ambassadors had rented the Monaldeschi Palace for more than a decade. In 1647, the new ambassador, Íñigo Vélez de Guevara, 8th Count of Oñate, made an offer for the palace, owned by the Monaldeschi Family, an old Roman noble family, through an Italian agent, Bernardino Barber, and later obtained the permission of purchase of the Congregation of Barons of the Pontifical State, that had the power to approve the sale of important palaces. Barber bought it for 22,000 Roman scudos and was immediately transferred to the Count of Oñate. Soon after, four other houses next to the palace were bought to expand the building. In 1654, the palace was acquired by the Spanish crown as a permanent residence for ambassadors.King Philip IV sent 19,000 ducats for maintenance and repair.

My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia & for the invaluable information on the subject !Happy Reading !

On 5/9/22 ,We got an opportunity to visit the world famous ‘Trevi Fountain’ with an amazing architecture.The incredible sculpture took thirty years for completion.The iconic tourist destination is the centre of Rome.The fountain, at the junction of three roads marks the terminal point of the “modern” Acqua Vergine—the revived Aqua Virgo, one of the aqueducts that supplied water to ancient Rome through the Baths of Agrippa.Turquoise colour of water is due to the marble surface of the fountain.Out of the numerous allegories in the heart of the fountain ,the horses reflect the states of the sea,calm or stormy.Also the statue of God Oceanus looked enchanting amidst the beautiful setting .The two statues of women to the left & right of Oceanus,represent the abundance that water brings.Aqueducts bring more clean water than the Romans will ever need allowing them to grow crops & fruits to enhance their health. Trevi fountain hosts a never ending flow of tourists all the time :very early morning to the late nights.The beautiful spectacle of the fountain will linger long in our memories.We thoroughly enjoyed the stunning fountain sculptures!

THE TREVI FOUNTAIN :
The Trevi Fountain (Italian: Fontana di Trevi) is an 18th-century fountain in the Trevi district in Rome, Italy, designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi, Giuseppe Pannini & Allessandro Galilie. Standing 26.3 metres high and 49.15 metres wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world. The fountain has appeared in several films, including Roman Holiday (1953); Three Coins in the Fountain (1954); Federico Fellini’s classic, La Dolce Vita (1960); Sabrina Goes to Rome (1998); and The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003).
History before 1629:
The fountain, at the junction of three roads marks the terminal point of the “modern” Acqua Vergine—the revived Aqua Virgo, one of the aqueducts that supplied water to ancient Rome. In 19 BC, supposedly with the help of a virgin, Roman technicians located a source of pure water some 13 km from the city. (This scene is presented on the present fountain’s façade.) This Aqua Virgo led the water into the Baths of Agrippa. It served Rome for more than 400 years.
Name origin : The name of the Latin fountain derives from the Latin word Trivium (intersection of three streets). The statue is located right in the center of De ‘Crocicchi Street, Poli Street and Delle Muratte Street.

COMMISSION, CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN :

In 1629, Pope Urban VIII, finding the earlier fountain insufficiently dramatic, asked Gian Lorenzo Bernini to sketch possible renovations, but the project was abandoned when the pope died. Though Bernini’s project was never constructed, there are many Bernini touches in the fountain as it exists today. An early influential model by Pietro da Cortona, preserved in the Albertina, Vienna, also exists, as do various early 18th century sketches, most unsigned, as well as a project attributed to Nicola Michettione attributed to Ferdinando Fuga and a French design by Edmé Bouchardon.

Competitions had become popular during the Baroque era to design buildings, fountains, as well as the Spanish Steps. In 1730, Pope Clement XII organized a contest in which Nicola Salvi initially lost to Alessandro Galilei – but due to the outcry in Rome over a Florentine having won, Salvi was awarded the commission anyway. Work began in 1732. Salvi died in 1751 with his work half finished, but he had made sure a barber’s unsightly sign would not spoil the ensemble, hiding it behind a sculpted vase, called by Romans the asso di coppe, the “Ace of Cups”, because of its resemblance to a Tarot card. Four different sculptors were hired to complete the fountain’s decorations: Pietro Bracci (whose statue of Oceanus sits in the central niche), Filippo della Valle, Giovanni Grossi, and Andrea Bergondi. Giuseppe Pannini (1718-1805), son of Giovanni Paolo Panini, was hired as architect.

The Trevi Fountain was finished in 1762 by Pannini, who substituted the present allegories for planned sculptures of Agrippa and Trivia, the Roman virgin.It was officially opened and inaugurated on 22 May by Pope Clement XIII. Trevi Fountain was painted by G. P. Panini in the 18th century .The majority of the piece is made from Travertine stone, quarried near Tivoli, about 35 kilometres east of Rome.

Iconography:
The backdrop for the fountain is the Palazzo Poli, given a new façade with a giant order of Corinthian pilasters that link the two main storeys.Taming of the waters is the theme of the gigantic scheme that tumbles forward, mixing water and rockwork, and filling the small square. Tritons guide Oceanus’s shell chariot, taming hippocamps.
In the centre, a robustly-modelled triumphal arch is superimposed on the palazzo façade. The centre niche or exedra framing Oceanus has free-standing columns for maximal light and shade. In the niches flanking Oceanus, Abundance spills water from her urn and Salubrity holds a cup from which a snake drinks. Above, bas reliefs illustrate the Roman origin of the aqueducts. The Tritons and horses provide symmetrical balance, with the maximum contrast in their mood and poses.

GOD OCEANUS:The Titan God of the river Oceanos:

In Greek mythology, Oceanus was a Titan son of Uranus and Gaia, the husband of his sister the Titan Tethys, and the father of the river gods and the Oceanids, as well as being the great river which encircled the entire world.
Coin throwing:
Coins are purportedly meant to be thrown using the right hand over the left shoulder.There are some religious faiths attached to the practice.As per legend those who throw the coin will return to Rome. This was the theme of 1954’s ‘Three Coins in the Fountain‘ and the Academy Award-winning song by that name which introduced the picture. An estimated 3,000 euros are thrown into the fountain each day. The money has been used to subsidize a supermarket -a noble service for Rome’s needy people.Every week the muncipality cleans the fountain and donates a large amount of the collected coins to a charity which helps the needy.

My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia & for the invaluable information on the subject !Happy Reading !

On 5/9/22,We made a visit to the Pantheon which is one of the best-preserved monuments of ancient Rome.From the history literature we learnt that the structure, completed around 126-128 A.D. during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, features a rotunda with a massive domed ceiling that was the largest of its kind when it was built. The most fascinating part of the Pantheon is its giant dome, with its famous hole in the top (The eye of the Pantheon, or oculus). The dome was the largest in the world for 1300 years and to present remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. Its diameter is 43.30 meters .There are no windows inside but the large oculus! The Pantheon now contains the tombs of the famous artist Raphael and of several Italian Kings and poets. The marble floor, which features a design consisting of a series of geometric patterns, is still the ancient Roman original.

About Pantheon :

The Pantheon (Latin: Pantheum from Greek Pantheion, “temple of all the gods”) is a former Roman temple and, since 609 AD, a Catholic church (Basilica di Santa Maria ad Martyres or Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs) in Rome, Italy, on the site of an earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD). It was rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian and probably dedicated c. 126 AD. Its date of construction is uncertain, because Hadrian chose not to inscribe the new temple but rather to retain the inscription of Agrippa’s older temple, which had burned down.

The building is cylindrical 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, 43 metres .

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: since the 7th century, it has been a church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs (Latin: Sancta Maria ad Martyres) but informally known as “Santa Maria Rotonda”. The square in front of the Pantheon is called Piazza della Rotonda. The Pantheon is a state property, managed 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 interior of the Pantheon in the 18th century, painted by Giovanni Paolo Panini.

RENAISSANCE :

Since the Renaissance the Pantheon has been the site of several important burials. Among those buried there are the painters Raphael and Annibale Carracci, the composer Arcangelo Corelli, and the architect Baldassare Peruzzi.

MODERN :

Two kings of Italy are buried in the Pantheon: Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I, as well as Umberto’s Queen, Margherita. It was supposed to be the final resting place for the Monarchs of Italy of House of Savoy, but the Monarchy was abolished in 1946 and the authorities have refused to grant burial to the former kings who died in exile (Victor Emmanuel III and Umberto II). The Pantheon is in use as a Catholic church, and as such, visitors are asked to keep an appropriate level of deference. Masses are celebrated there on Sundays and holy days of obligation. Weddings are also held there from time to time

My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia & for the invaluable information on the subject !Happy Reading !

On 5/9/22,We proceeded from Barcelona to Rome on a 3-day trip to visit some amazing destinations.Here I am giving the list of all destinations worth visiting! Description of the destinations I will be posting alongwith the forthcoming respective blogs!Here we will also have some glimpses of famous Italian sculptors & painters

ROME :

Rome is the capital city of Italy. It is also the capital of the Lazio region, the centre of the Metropolitan City of Rome, and a special comune named Comune di Roma Capitale. Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber. Vatican City (the smallest country in the world) is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city. Rome is often referred to as the City of Seven Hills due to its geographic location, and also as the “Eternal City”.Rome is generally considered to be the “cradle of Western civilization and Christian culture”, and the centre of the Catholic Church.
Rome’s history spans 28 centuries. While Roman mythology dates the founding of Rome at around 753 BC, the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it a major human settlement for almost three millennia and one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Europe. Eventually, the city successively became the capital of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Rome became first one of the major centres of the Renaissance and then the birthplace of both the Baroque style and Neoclassicism. Famous artists, painters, sculptors, and architects made Rome the centre of their activity, creating masterpieces throughout the city. In 1871, Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, which, in 1946, became the Italian Republic.
In 2019, Rome was the 14th most visited city in the world, with 8.6 million tourists, the third most visited in the European Union, and the most popular tourist destination in Italy. Its historic centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The host city for the 1960 Summer Olympics, Rome is also the seat of several specialised agencies of the United Nations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The city also hosts the Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean.Rome’s EUR business district is the home of many oil industries, the pharmaceutical industry, and financial services companies. The presence of renowned international brands in the city has made Rome an important centre of fashion and design, and the Cinecittà Studios have been the set of many Academy Award–winning movies.

SOME WORTH VISITING DESTINATIONS OF ROME :

1)COLESSIUM ,2)ROMAN FORUM ,3)THE PANTHEON(Pizza Della Rotonda) ,4)TREVI FOUNTAIN ,5)ST.ANGELO CASTLE, 6)PIAZZA NAVONA ,7)SPANISH STEPS ,8)SAINT PETERS SQUARE ,9)VATICAN MUSEUM ,10)LEANING TOWER OF PISA

Some famous Italian Sculptors & Painters:

1)BERNINI SCULPTURES:

Impressive & realistic sculptures by the 17th-century baroque artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini can be seen in Rome’s churches, museums & squares. You’ll find his life-sized, marble “David” in the Borghese Gallery & Museum & can spot carvings of river gods in the Fiumi Fountain in Piazza Navona, an open public space on the site of Stadium of Domitian, Rome. Italian sculptor & architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) was a genius of the Baroque era who left an indelible mark on Rome’s artistic & architectural heritage. Almost three & half centuries after his death, Bernini’s masterpieces can be found in Rome’s streets as well as its churches, museums & palaces.

2)MICHAELANGELO SCULPTURES:

In his lifetime, Michelangelo (6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), was often called Il Divino (“the divine one”) was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work had a major influence on the development of Western art, particularly in relation to the Renaissance notions of humanism and naturalism.Michelangelo is one of the best-documented artists of the 16th century and several scholars have described Michelangelo as the most accomplished artist of his era.

He sculpted two of his best-known works, the Pietà and David, before the age of thirty. Despite holding a low opinion of painting, he also created two of the most influential frescoes in the history of Western art: the scenes from Genesis on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, and The Last Judgment on its altar wall. His design of the Laurentian Library pioneered Mannerist architecture. At the age of 71, he succeeded Antonio da Sangallo the Younger as the architect of St. Peter’s Basilica. He transformed the plan so that the western end was finished to his design, as was the dome, with some modification, after his death. Michelangelo was the first Western artist whose biography was published while he was alive. In fact, two biographies were published during his lifetime.

3)DONATELLO SCULPTURES :

Donatello was born in Florence, Italy in 1386 and started his apprenticeship as a goldsmith before becoming an apprentice to the famed architect and designer, Filippo Brunelleschi. Numerous of Donatello’s paintings depicted characters from the early Christian movement, such as John the Baptist and many of Jesus’ followers.

Donatello’s representation of the Bible’s David is one of his most renowned sculptures.

4)MARINO MARINI SCUPTURES :

Marino Marini (27 February 1901 – 6 August 1980) was a sculptor and educator from Italy.Marini created sculptures based on numerous subjects, including equestrian, Pomonas (nudes), portraits, and circus characters.

Marini is most known for his stylized equestrian sculptures, which depict a man riding a horse with extended arms. The artist’s reaction to the changing setting of the contemporary world is reflected in the development of the horse and rider as a subject in Marini’s paintings. In Florence, there is a museum devoted to his work in the old church of San Pancrazio.

5)BENVENUTO CELLINI SCUPTURES :

Cellini, Benvenuto (1500 –1571) was an Italian jeweler, sculptor, and author. Cellini’s most well-known existing works are the Cellini Salt Cellar, Perseus with the Head of Medusa, and his autobiography, which has been dubbed “one of the most significant texts of the sixteenth century.”Apart from his gold and silver creations, Cellini created sculptures on a greater scale. Probably one of the most significant works of his French time is the Golden Gate at the Château de Fontainebleau.

6)FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI SCULPTURES:

Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) was an Italian architect, designer & sculptor who is today regarded as the first modern engineer, planner & single construction supervisor. Brunelleschi received the first patent in the Western world in 1421.

He is best known for designing the dome of the Florence Cathedral, a feat of engineering not seen since antiquity, as well as for pioneering the mathematical technique of linear perspective in art, which governed pictorial representations of space until the late nineteenth century and influenced the rise of modern science. Other architectural achievements, sculpture, mathematics, engineering, &ship design are also among his talents.Majority of his surviving works are housed in Florence,Italy.

7)LUCA DELLA ROBBIA SCULPTURES:

Though he was a prominent stone sculptor, he specialized in terracotta after establishing his technique in the early 1440s. His vast studio produced both affordable mass-made works cast from molds and more pricey one-of-a-kind personally sculpted pieces.

The Nativity (about 1460) and Madonna and Child (around 1475) are two of his most renowned paintings. In stone, his most renowned work, the choir gallery, Cantoria in the Florence Cathedral (1431–1438)(shown above), is also his first important assignment.

8)ANDREA DEL VERROCCHIO SCULPTURES:

Andrea del Verrocchio (1435 – 1488), born Andrea di Michele di Francesco de’ Cioni, was an Italian sculptor, painter, and goldsmith who was the master of a prestigious studio in Florence. Leonardo da Vinci, Pietro Perugino, and Lorenzo di Credi were among his students.

His greatest accomplishment was as a sculptor, and his last work, the Equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni in Venice is widely considered a masterpiece. The monument was subsequently mounted on a Leopardi-designed pedestal in Venice’s Santi Giovanni e Paolo Basilica, where it still stands today.

9)ANDREA PISANO SCULPTURES:

Andrea Pisano (Pontedera, 1290 – Orvieto, 1348), also known as Andrea da Pontedera, was a sculptor and architect from Italy. Pisano began his career as a goldsmith. Around 1300, Pisano became a disciple of Mino di Giovanni, with whom he collaborated on the sculpture for S. Maria della Spina in Pisa and elsewhere.

Andrea Pisano also created several signicant works of marble sculpture while residing in Florence, all of which have a striking resemblance to Giotto’s work. He replaced Giotto as Master of the Florence Cathedral’s Works in 1340. In 1347, he was appointed Master of the Works at Orvieto Cathedral, which Lorenzo Maitani had previously planned & completed. Pisano’s sole known works are these &the aforementioned doors. Pisano also had a role in emancipating contemporary art from Byzantine influence.

10)LEONARDO DA VINCI :

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (1452-1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor,& architect. While his fame initially rested on his achievements as a painter, he also became known for his notebooks, in which he made drawings &notes on a variety of subjects, including anatomy, astronomy, botany, cartography, painting & paleontology. Leonardo is widely regarded to have been a genius who epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal,&his collective works comprise a contribution to later generations of artists matched only by that of his younger contemporary, Michelangelo.

Leonardo is identified as one of the greatest painters in the history of art & is often credited as the founder of the High Renaissance.Despite having many lost works and less than 25 attributed major works—including numerous unfinished works—he created some of the most influential paintings in Western art. His magnum opus, the Mona Lisa, is his best known work & often regarded as the world’s most famous painter.

11)RAPHAEL :

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (1483 –1520) was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur.Together with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, he forms the traditional trinity of great masters of that period.

My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia & for the invaluable information on the subject !Happy Reading !

On 5/9/22, we went on a visit to the Maritime museum. Its one of the best museums we have been to! Excellent exhibits, descriptive panels and beautifully explained by the staff. If you want to know about early Barcelona, from the 1200’s on, or are just curious about ship building and shipping, this is a must see place. Congratulations to the exhibit designers, curators and museologists for a job well done. Staff is very cooperative and friendly.An excellent museum, beautifully curated. A full size galley ship is inside and incredible in addition to many other exhibits. not crowd at all. Great information on the history of Spain and how the strong influence of the sea shaped Barcelona for over 1,000 years to this day. Nice canteen with a pleasant shady garden for a welcome rest.Great experience.

The Maritime Museum of Barcelona (Catalan: Museu Marítim de Barcelona, MMB) The Maritime Museum of Barcelona is a public facility dedicated to the conservation and diffusion of the cultural and cultural heritage of Catalonia.It is located in the building of Drassanes Reials de Barcelona, the royal arsenal of Barcelona, dedicated to shipbuilding between the thirteenth century & eighteenth century. The first mension of these arsenals date from 1243 in a document indicating the boundaries of the city of Barcelona where it mentions its shipyard. It shows the history of the navigation from the early days together with the history of the Spanish Navy since the Catholic Monarchs, in the 15th century, up to the present. It also hosts several navigation instruments, weapons, portolans and paintings. The museum was declared Museum of National Interest by the Government of Catalonia.

The Maritime Museum of Barcelona is a space for interpreting and sharing Catalan maritime culture in a way that is innovative, participative and in touch with society and the country through research, conservation and the protection of our heritage. It seeks to be a point of reference for Mediterranean maritime culture, open and accessible to society as a whole, an entity that works in cooperation with people and organizations. It strives for excellence in the management of heritage, the creation of knowledge and in education, with the mission of promoting social progress locally. It does all of this while focusing on the relationship between Catalonia, its people and the sea. This is what sets the Maritime Museum of Barcelona apart from other museums of its kind.

The Maritime Museum’s collections are extremely rich and varied. They include pieces ranging from a ship that still sails to a postal stamp, or from a steam engine to a 14^th-century manuscript. Of course, they also include everything you expect to find in a maritime museum: binnacles, anchors, model ships, navigational tools, etc. In other words, all sorts of documents and objects from the miniscule to the huge, from all different periods and made of all sorts of materials. For decades, the Museum has gathered examples of the maritime past, a heritage that reminds us of the lives of seafarers, the histories of ships and maritime activities in peacetime or war.

The archive: Its a public service that is open to all scholars & anyone interested in its collection it. Users may access the inventories & online catalogues or consult the documents in person at the Museum Consultation Space & obtain copies of documents.

Navigational instruments

Navigation is about moving from one place to another in the safest and fastest way possible. We need to know where we are, where we want to go and which path is best. But at sea, with no references other than the sky and the sea itself, the need to navigate drove the development of a series of techniques that combine maths, physics, astronomy, meteorology and any other possible resources. Using artificial references like latitude and longitude, sophisticated systems have been created to help us find our way. Humans have developed and built a range of instruments and mechanisms that have allowed them to measure the height of the sun and the stars (like the 14^th-century astrolabe or the sextant), find magnetic north (compasses, sometimes inside binnacles), measure time (chronometers), measure the speed of ships (chip logs), see far away (spyglasses), etc.  The combination of knowledge and use of these tools allowed for an understanding of the natural environment that has served navigation both on water and in the air. The Maritime Museum of Barcelona holds a rich collection of instruments and other artefacts related to the art of navigating and understanding the sea and the sky, applying human ingenuity to problems that once seemed impossible to solve.

Following are some important Navigation Instruments :

• 19TH-CENTURY OCTANT
• SPYGLASS
• ADKINS SEXTANT
• DIPTYCH SOLAR QUADRANT
• BRASS UNIVERSAL SOLAR QUADRANT
• ASTROLABE DISK
• CHRONOMETER MADE IN THE 19TH CENTURY BY JOHN POOLE
• BINNACLE FROM A COMPAÑÍA TRASMEDITERRÁNEA SHIP

Entrance to the Maritime Museum :

It is located inside Barcelona Royal Shipyard (Spanish: Atarazanas Reales de Barcelona) a shipyard and former military building of Gothic architecture placed at the Port Vell area of the Port of Barcelona. Construction started during the 13th century under the rule of Peter III of Aragon. The building is of Gothic style, its construction was carried out in a first stage between 1283 / 1328 and the second between 1328 / 1390. Subsequent reforms and extensions have been made, basically keeping the original structure. During excavations in it was discovered that in the late 16th century a new building was constructed on top of the old medieval dockyard, giving the building its current structure. This excavations also uncovered a Roman graveyard. The shipyard’s restoration was finished in early 2013. The Museum was reopened in 2014.

The National Maritime Museum, based in UK, is a site that deals with the preservation and showcasing of ships, astronomical observations, time, stars and many other unique items different from the ones that are routine in other museums. In simple words, the National Maritime Museum is dedicated to elaborate the relationship that exists between nature, mankind and its creations. The National Maritime Museum comprises of three different components – the Maritime galleries, the Royal Observatory and the Queen’s House which in totality make up the National Maritime Museum. Established in the 1930s, the National Maritime Museum has over the years grown to be one of the most important idea-setter on the subjects of marine engineering, ships and astronomy. The importance of the National Maritime Museum is that it serves the purpose for which it was established. It has great stores of data and examples that benefit the people visiting the museum for the purpose of understanding concepts previously unknown to them about ships and astronomy.

 My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia & for the invaluable information on the subject !Happy Reading !

In the forenoon of 5/9/22, We visited the majestic Montjuic Castle reaching the top using the Gondola amidst great panoramic views of the city below & while returning on foot enjoying the beautiful park & gardens on the way back.The iconic Castle offers an eagles eye view of Barcelona city, cruise ships & the commercial port.The castle’s entry fee is €5, & we believe that it was money worth the investment with respect to the experience gained.The museum tells the history of the Castle in an interesting way through interactive videos.In all,the visit to the Castle & nearby surrounding attractions was a magical experience. The exhibition halls are numerous, and loaded with information. A History buff can spend an entire day here. For visitors like me who are pressed on time, the exhibitions provide an overview of the historical turbulence associated with Catalonia, and the sufferings of the Catalans during various conflicts. The Barcelona harbour & Cruises can be viewed from here in its entirety. They have a nice cafe with very efficient and polite staff.

Montjuïc Castle is an old military fortress, with roots dating back from 1640, built on top of Montjuïc hill in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain .Standing on a vantage point 173 metres above the port, Montjuïc Castle commands stunning views of the city. Now a peaceful place, the memory of this fortress endures in Barcelona as a symbol of repression but also of the city’s struggles during different periods in its history. The top of Montjuïc is the ideal place for a bastion of defence, with 360º views of the city below. However, this military enclave wasn’t built until the Reapers’ War in 1640. In 1652, the fortress, which stands on the site of a watchtower, came under royal ownership and, some 50 years later, was one of the key defence points in the War of the Spanish Succession, between 1705 and 1714.

In the middle of the 18th century, the military engineer, Juan Martín Cermeño, was commissioned to restore the castle which had been badly damaged during the war, and its current appearance dates from this time. The castle has launched bombing raids on the city on a number of occasions and it has also been used as a prison. On 15th October 1940, the president of the Catalan government, Lluís Companys, was executed by firing squad at the castle. The castle was used as a military prison until 1960 when it was given back to the city and used as an army base. Three years later, Franco opened a weapons museum in the castle. In 2007, the castle came under the ownership of Barcelona City Council and, as a result, now belongs to all the citizens of Barcelona.

The green Montjuïc (213 metres) is the most famous hill in Barcelona. Because of the 1929 World Fair in Barcelona, palaces, pavilions, parks, botanical gardens, sports stadiums, and exhibition rooms were built on the hill. Some of those buildings still remain today and serve as museums.

HISTORY :
The foundation stone for the basic fortification was laid out in 1640. A year later, in January 1641, the fort saw its first battle, during the Catalan Revolt when the Principality of Catalonia challenged Spain’s authority. On orders from the King of Spain, Pedro Fajardo, heading an army of 26,000 men, proceeded to crush the revolt. The Spanish recaptured several cities, but they were defeated at the Battle of Montjuïc by Catalan, led by Francesc de Tamarit. At that battle, Colonel Shane O’Neill or known in Spain as Prince Juan O’Neill, died leading his regiment during the Battle of Montjuic near Barcelona, dying from a musket-ball wound to his chest near the town of Castelldefels. In his honor, the King of Spain granted the Colonel the death title of Viscount Montjuïc.

Fifty years later, in 1694, new bastions and battlements were erected and the fortress became a castle. In the Siege of Barcelona (1705) the fortress was captured by the British 6th Regiment of Foot led by Lt.-Col William Southwell, paving the way for the siege of Barcelona itself. Southwell was afterwards made Governor of the castle.

The fortifications are now extensively planted with parterre gardens .The old fort was however demolished in 1751 by the Spanish engineer and architect Juan Martin Cermeño, creating the current structure, still standing. The final shape of the castle took form during 1779 and 1799, when major construction works took place in order to improve the castle and accommodate the needs. It was also during this time that the castle was equipped with 120 cannons.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the French Army entered Barcelona, and, on orders from Napoleon, they also captured the castle without firing a shot as the troops guarding the castle were ordered not to fight the French. In the last 350 years Montjuïc Castle has played a decisive role in the history of Barcelona, becoming a symbol after the Catalan defeat to Spain in 1714, date that has become of significant importance. Since then the Montjuïc cannons have bombarded the city and its citizens on various occasions & Montjuïc has been used as a prison & torture centre repeatedly for three centuries. In the late 19th century, Montjuïc was synonymous with barbarism based on the torture of anarchists and others imprisoned there.

The castle is infamous in Catalan history books because of its role in the civil war from 1936 to 1939, when both sides of the conflict imprisoned, tortured and shot political prisoners at Montjuïc,among them Lluís Companys, who was the president of the Generalitat of Catalonia during the Spanish Civil War. Companys was executed upon orders from the Spanish State at Montjuïc Castle in 1940.

Museum installation :

In the 20th century, the castle became a military museum. In June 1963, Francisco Franco inaugurated the Military Armor Museum, the official name given to the institution. In April 2007, the government transferred the castle to Barcelona City Council. Following discussions over the next months, the castle became a municipal facility. Subsequently, in 2010 the museum was closed and the City Council started a project of restoration and waterproofing of the roof and a watchtower. The current plans for the castle include L’Espai de la Memòria, El Centre d’Interpretació de la Muntanya de Montjuïc, and cultural activities.

CABLE CAR :

The castle can be accessed by the Montjuïc cable car, a gondola lift that has its upper station near the castle entrance and connects, via the Montjuïc funicular, with the Barcelona Metro at Paral·lel station. The Montjuïc Cable Car is a gondola lift in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The cable car runs from a lower terminus adjacent to the Montjuïc Park upper station of the Montjuïc funicular, and climbs higher up the Montjuïc hill to a terminal near the Montjuïc Castle on the summit of the hill. At its midpoint, the line executes a 90 degree turn and the cabins pass through Mirador station, although only down-bound cabins stop at this point.
The cable car was originally put into service in 1970, replacing a former upper stage of the Montjuïc funicular. As built, it used a fleet of open cars. It was closed between October 2004 and May 2007, for a complete overhaul in order to increase capacity. At the same time the open cars were replaced by 55 new closed cabins .The cars slow to a crawl as they pass through the station to allow passengers to board or exit. Two cars are equipped with the facility to carry wheelchairs. The line is operated by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) .Access to the castle is also available from the top funicular station via the 150 bus .

The route starts at Parc de Montjuïc, where the cable car goes directly to Castell de Montjuïc without making any stops. On the return route, the Montjuïc Cable Car stops at Mirador de l’Alcalde. This stop is optional, but highly recommended to relax in the Miramar Costa i Llobera, Cinto Verdaguer and Joan Brossa gardens, with the best views over Barcelona. The return route ends in Parc de Montjuïc. However, if you like walking, you can get off at the Mirador stop and continue walking to Parc de Montjuïc.

Park Montjuic Stop :From this stop you can visit some of Montjuïc Mountain’s main cultural attractions: Miro Foundation, the National Art Museum of Catalonia, Poble Espanyol and Barcelona Ethnological Museum. You will also be very close to the Olympic Stadium , the historic site of the Barcelona ’92 Olympic Games.

The Montjuïc circuit: 

Its a former street circuit located on the Montjuïc mountain in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The circuit was also the venue for the Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix from 1950 to 1968, and then hosted the event on even-numbered years until 1976. The last Formula One Grand Prix was held there in 1975.

MONTJUIC PARKS & GARDENS :

Montjuïc’s large, natural park is the best site for getting refreshed enjoying nature ,history and culture together, as it is full of splendid gardens and cultural facilities.

Nature, culture and sport :

There are lots of gardens on this big, green, city lung where you can walk, rest, play, do sport or just enjoy nature. The Jardí Botànic lays out its collection of Mediterranean plants on steep slopes that provide a great viewpoint. You can also enjoy the plants and views in the Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera, featuring cactus, and the Jardins de Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer,where the numerous species means there are flowers in bloom all year round. The Jardins de Laribal, with their surprising waterfalls, hide the popular Font del Gat, a fountain where Barcelona folk went to picnic on Sundays in the past. And the Jardins Joan Brossa, among the newest gardens, open out into a refreshing woodland park, with musical cushions, games and zip lines here and there to amuse the kids. Dotted with cultural and sports facilities, such as the Miró Foundation, CaixaForum, Bernat Picornell Swimming Pools and the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, Montjuïc offers culture, nature and history all in one. The Magic Fountain (Font Màgica) and Spanish Village (Poble Espanyol) are two of the sights that most appeal to visitors in an enormous natural space full of hidden corners waiting to be discovered.

VIEWS OF BARCELONA CITY AND THE PORT FROM THE CASTLE:

Apart from the visits to the exhibition halls & the museum ,the views of the city ,the port & the cruises offered from top of the historical Montjuic Castle are simply breathtaking.

My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia & for the invaluable information on the subject !Happy Reading !

On the second day (4/9/22) of our 3-day Barcelona trip ,we visited the world-renowned Architectural masterpiece Sagrada Familia Roman Catholic Church(The Basilica and the Temple of Holi Family) built by Architect, Antoni Gaudi who strived really hard to make it into his magnus opus !We were thoroughly amazed by the mesmerizing splendour of the great architecture.Here I am giving a detailed description of the monument & the Architects for my lovely supportive readers!Happy reading !

The Basílica i Temple Sagrada Família (The Basilica and the Temple of Holi Family), is a large unfinished church building in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, and is currently the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church. Designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, his work on Sagrada Família is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On 7 November 2010, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church and proclaimed it a minor basilica. On 19 March 1882, construction of the Sagrada Família began under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. In 1883, when Villar resigned, Gaudí took over as chief architect, transforming the project with his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudí devoted the remainder of his life to the project, and he is buried in the crypt. At the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete. Relying solely on private donations, the Sagrada Família’s construction was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War, progressed slowly and is still being constructed intermittently as per received donations.

Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano (1828 – 1901) was a Spanish architect.

Biography of Villar :
Villar studied architecture in Madrid at the Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, and qualified in 1852. The following year he settled in Barcelona and was elected a member of what is now known as the Reial Acadèmia Catalana de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi. In 1854 he designed a series of emergency hospitals for victims of the cholera epidemic. Amongst other public appointments he became president of the Association of Architects and director of the Higher School of Architecture.

He held the post of diocesan architect from 1874 to 1892, and was succeeded in it by his son Francesc de Paula del Villar i Carmona. He restored the church of Santa Maria del Pi, the Basílica de Santa Maria de Vilafranca and the Casa de Misericòrdia; he also designed many parish churches and the apse of the basilica of the Monastery of Montserrat, a commission on which Antoni Gaudí worked under him in a junior capacity.
In 1877 he was commissioned by the Associació de Devots de Sant Josep to build the church of the Sagrada Família. Villar planned a Neo-Gothic design, of which only the crypt was built. He abandoned the project in 1883 as a result of disagreements with Joan Martorell, the architect advising Josep Maria Bocabella, president of the Associació de Devots de Sant Josep and promoter of the project. The job was offered to Martorell, who turned it down, and instead recommended Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi then took charge of the project and made it into his magnum opus.

Although today the Basilica of the Sagrada Família is intrinsically linked to Antoni Gaudí, he wasn’t named head architect until 1883, one year after the cornerstone was laid and after architect Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano had stepped down. These circumstances, which occurred 134 years ago, have decisively conditioned the Basilica as it is today.

Developer of the temple :

The construction of the Basilica of the Sagrada Família was begun at the initiative of Barcelona-born book merchant and extremely devout Catholic Josep Maria Bocabella i Verdaguer, who founded the Associació Espiritual de Devots de Sant Josep  (Spiritual Association of the Devotees of Saint Joseph) in 1866 in order to foster the values of the Christian family. Four years later, he went to Rome to give Pope Pius IX a silver image of the Holy Family and, on his way back, he discovered the Sanctuary of the Holy House in Loreto. This building enshrines the home where, tradition says, the Holy Family lived and was supposedly moved from Nazareth to this Italian town in the 13^th century. Bocabella was extremely impressed by the symbolic and artistic beauty of this Sanctuary, which inspired him to build a replica in Barcelona. And this was the seed of the Basilica of the Sagrada Família.

The original project : Del Villars Neo-Gothic temple :

Bocabella entrusted the project to the diocesan architect Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano, who offered to waive his fees. It was an extremely dynamic era in Barcelona, socially, economically and culturally. And it was also a difficult moment in history for Christianity in Europe. This is the context in which Bocabella, intending to rekindle the people’s spirituality, decided that the temple he wanted to build on a piece of land in the Eixample district, which would be paid for with the donations of devotees of the Associació de Devots a Sant Josep, had to be an awe-inspiring building that would convey a feeling of peace to all residents.

Although he dreamt of building an exact replica of the sanctuary in Loreto, del Villar convinced him to discard this idea and build a neo-Gothic temple, as was the trend at the time, while respecting Bocabella’s intention of creating a monumental building.

Del Villar’s project was inspired by the great medieval cathedrals and planned for a church with three naves in a Latin-cross floor plan, a sizeable crypt, an apse with seven chapels and a pointed bell tower located over the portico and rising 85 metres above street level. This verticality, along with the outer buttresses and large cloisonné windows, gave the building a clearly Gothic look.

The cornerstone was laid on 19 March 1882, the feast of Saint Joseph, and construction began, as was the custom, on the foundations for the crypt.

Del villar steps down ……

One year later, in 1883, the first discrepancies arose between del Villar, on the one hand, & Bocabella & his top advisor, architect Joan Martorell, on the other. Del Villar wanted to use solid stone pillars in the crypt, making each section between horizontal joints a single piece, while the developer & Martorell believed this was way too expensive. Their differences of opinion would drive del Villar to step down for the first time in his career as an architect.

…..and Gaudi comes on the scene : After del Villar stepped down, Bocabella offered his position to Martorell. He declined out of professional courtesy and because of his advanced age, but proposed his most outstanding disciple: Antoni Gaudí. He was just 31 years old and had also worked for del Villar.

Gaudí was named architect of the Temple on 3 November 1883 and found a fully drafted project and work already under way: the foundation of the crypt had already been laid and the columns were half built. Despite being a young architect with only five years of experience, Gaudí tackled this new challenge confidently and enthusiastically, which would end up marking the rest of his career. Right from the beginning, he regretted the orientation of the Temple, as it could not be built diagonally on the land with canonical orientation, facing Jerusalem: the head of the cross (the apse) facing the rising sun and the main entrance (the foot of the cross) towards the setting sun. As the works on the crypt had already begun, however, there was no other option than to respect the orientation del Villar had already established.

About the chief Architect : Antony Gaudi :

Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalan architect from Spain known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism.Gaudí’s works have a highly individualized, sui generis style. Most are located in Barcelona, including his main work, the church of the Sagrada Família.
Gaudí’s work was influenced by his passions in life: architecture, nature, and religion. He considered every detail of his creations and integrated into his architecture such crafts as ceramics, stained glass, wrought ironwork forging and carpentry. He also introduced new techniques in the treatment of materials, such as trencadís which used waste ceramic pieces.
Under the influence of neo-Gothic art and Oriental techniques, Gaudí became part of the Modernista movement which was reaching its peak in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work transcended mainstream Modernisme, culminating in an organic style inspired by natural forms. Gaudí rarely drew detailed plans of his works, instead preferring to create them as three-dimensional scale models and moulding the details as he conceived them.

Architectural excellence of Gaudi’s monuments is world-renowned. Gaudí’s work enjoys global popularity and continuing admiration and study by architects. His masterpiece, the still-incomplete Sagrada Família, is the most-visited monument in Spain.Between 1984 and 2005, seven of his works were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Gaudí’s Roman Catholic faith intensified during his life & religious images appear in many of his works. This earned him the nickname “God’s Architect” & led to calls for his beatification at Paral·lel station.

Alongwith Sagrada Familia, some more famous monuments by Antonio Gaudi :

My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia & for the invaluable information on the subject !Happy Reading !

On 3/9/22, We proceeded from Lisbon on a 3-day visit to Barcelona’s tourist destinations & today we visited some beautiful spots full of amazing architecture keeping us spell-bound.Here I am posting the same for my valued readers.

Barcelona :

Barcelona is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia , as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. Founded as a Roman city, in the Middle Ages Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona. After joining with the Kingdom of Aragon to form the confederation of the Crown of Aragon, Barcelona, which continued to be the capital of the Principality of Catalonia .Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage & is today an important cultural centre& a major tourist destination. Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antini Gaudi & Lluis Nonenech i Montaner, which have been designated UNESCO World heritage sites. The city is home to two of the most prestigious universities in Spain: the University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University The headquarters of the Union for the Mediteranean are located in Barcelona. The city is known for hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as world-class conferences & Expositions & also many International Sports tournaments.FC Barcelona is a sports club best known worldwide for its Football team & second richest football club in the world.

Nova Icària Beach :

The Nova Icària Beach is rightly considered to be a very peaceful beach, and is a popular choice for families and groups of friends. Lying very close to the Port Olímpic, it is surrounded by a great variety of restaurants and bars, as well as the most comprehensive range of facilities for sports and other activities on the entire coastline.
Lifeguard and safety, Local Police, beach information point, cloakroom, adapted showers, adapted public toilets, children games area, sun loungers, changing rooms, beach umbrellas, drinks and ice cream kiosks, sports, restaurants and Wi-fi.

Bathing assistance for people with reduced mobility
Accessible beaches with assistance for bathers have a changing room, amphibian wheelchairs, a winch, life vests, parasols and a volunteer service to assist people with reduced mobility to enter and leave the water and enjoy bathing .

Sports, sailing and other activities
Beach volleyball and table tennis. Centre Municipal de Vela – CMV: Dinghy sailing courses by the hour with a monitor, kayak and windsurfing.

PARK GUELL :

Parc Güell is a privatized park system composed of gardens and architectural elements located on Carmel Hill, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Carmel Hill belongs to the mountain range of Collserola – the Parc del Carmel is located on the northern face. Park Güell is located in La Salut, a neighborhood in the Gràcia district of Barcelona. With urbanization in mind, Eusebi Güell assigned the design of the park to Antoni Gaudí, a renowned architect and the face of Catalan modernism. The park was built from 1900 to 1914 and was officially opened as a public park in 1926. In 1984, UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site under “Works of Antoni Gaudí”.

CASA MILA :

Casa Milà popularly known as La Pedrera or “The stone quarry”, a reference to its unconventional rough-hewn appearance, is a Modernista building in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was the last private residence designed by architect Antoni Gaudí and was built between 1906 and 1912.

The building was commissioned in 1906 by Pere Milà and his wife Roser Segimon. At the time, it was controversial because of its undulating stone facade, twisting wrought iron balconies and designed by Josep Maria Jujol. Several structural innovations include a self-supporting stone façade, and a free-plan floor, underground garage and the spectacular terrace on the roof. In 1984, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Since 2013 it has been the headquarters of the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera which manages the visit to the building,^[1] exhibitions and other cultural and educative activities at Casa Milà.

GOTHIC QUARTERS :

The Gothic Quarter is the historic centre of the old city of Barcelona. It stretches from La Rambla to Via Laietana, and from the Mediterranean seafront to the Ronda de Sant Pere. It is a part of Ciutat Vella district. The quarter encompasses the oldest parts of the city of Barcelona, and includes the remains of the city’s Roman wall and several notable medieval landmarks. Much of the present-day fabric of the quarter, however, dates to the 19th and early 20th centuries. El Call, the medieval Jewish quarter, is located within this area, along with the former Sinagoga Major. The Barri Gòtic retains a labyrinthine street plan, with many small streets opening out into squares. Most of the quarter is closed to regular traffic although open to service vehicles and taxis.

 

THE MAGIC FOUNTAIN OF MONTJUIC :

The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc is a fountain located at the head of Avinguda Maria Cristina in the Montjuïc neighborhood of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The fountain is situated below the Palau Nacional on the Montjuïc mountain and near the Plaça d’Espanya and Poble Espanyol de Barcelona. The fountain, like most of the surrounding developments, was constructed for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition. The fountain sprays 700 gallons of water a second through 3620 jets to create its effect. The highest water spout is 170 feet.

THE PICASSO MUSEUM :

The Museu Picasso is an art museum in Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. It houses an extensive collection of artworks by the twentieth-century Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, with a total of 4251 of his works. It is housed in five adjoining medieval palaces on Montcada Street in the La Ribera neighborhood in the Old City of Barcelona. It opened to the public on 9 March 1963, becoming the first museum dedicated to Picasso’s work and the only one created during his lifetime. It has since been declared a museum of national interest by the Government of Catalonia. Highlights of the collection include two of his first major works, The First Communion, and Science and Charity. In particular, the Museu Picasso reveals Picasso’s relationship with the city of Barcelona, a relationship that was shaped in his youth and adolescence and continued until his death.

THE COLUMBUS MONUMENT:

The Columbus Monument is a 60 m tall monument to Christopher Columbus at the lower end of La Rambla, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was constructed for the Exposición Universal de Barcelona in honor of Columbus’ first voyage to the Americas. The monument serves as a reminder that Christopher Columbus reported to Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand V in Barcelona after his first trip to the new continent.

THE CATHEDRAL OF BARCELONA :

The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, also known as Barcelona Cathedral, is the Gothic cathedral and seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The cathedral was constructed from the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries, with the principal work done in the fourteenth century. The cloister, which encloses the Well of the Geese, was completed in 1448. In the late nineteenth century, the neo-Gothic façade was constructed over the nondescript exterior that was common to Catalan churches. The roof is notable for its gargoyles, featuring a wide range of animals, both domestic and mythical. Its form is pseudo-basilica, vaulted over five aisles, the outer two divided into chapels. The transept is truncated. The east end is a chevet of nine radiating chapels connected by an ambulatory. The high altar is raised, allowing a clear view into the crypt. The cathedral is dedicated to Eulalia of Barcelona, co-patron saint of Barcelona, a young virgin who, according to Catholic tradition, suffered martyrdom during Roman times in the city. One story says that she was exposed naked in the public square and a miraculous snowfall in mid-spring covered her nudity.

MONTSERRAT :

Montserrat is a multi-peaked mountain range near Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. It is part of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range. The main peaks are Sant Jeroni, Montgrós and Miranda de les Agulles. It is well known as the site of the Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat, which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat sanctuary. “Montserrat” literally means “serrated mountain” in Catalan. It describes its peculiar aspect with a multitude of rock formations that are visible from a great distance. The mountain is composed of strikingly pink conglomerate, a form of sedimentary rock. Montserrat was designated as a National Park in 1987. The Monastery of Montserrat which houses the virgin that gives its name to the monastery is also on the mountain, although it is also known as La Moreneta. 

SOME IMPORTANT LANDMARK BUILDINGS OF BARCELONA :

My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia & for the invaluable information on the subject !Happy Reading !

On the third day of our Lisbon trip we visited the majestic Saint George’s Castle & the museum. Found the architecture of the medieval castle very attractive with spectacular 360* views of the Lisbon city & the Tagus river.Wonderful experience!

CASTELO DE SAO JORGE :

Saint George’s Castle (Portuguese: Castelo de São Jorge is a historic castle in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, located in the freguesia of Santa Maria Maior. Human occupation of the castle hill dates to at least the 8th century BC while the first fortifications built date from the 1st century BC. The hill on which Saint George’s Castle stands has played an important part in the history of Lisbon, having served as the location of fortifications occupied successively by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, and Moors, before its conquest by the Portuguese in the 1147 Siege of Lisbon. Since the 12th century, the castle has variously served as a royal palace, a military barracks, home of the Torre do Tombo National Archive, and now as a national monument and museum.

Saint George’s Castle can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. Its oldest parts date from the 6th century, when it was fortified by the Romans, Visigoths, and eventually the Moors. It served as a royal Moorish residence, until Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques, captured it in 1147 with the help of northern European crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. It was later dedicated to St. George, the patron saint of England, commemorating the Anglo-Portuguese pact dating from 1371, and became the royal palace until another one (that was destroyed in the Great Earthquake) was built in today’s Comercio Square. It’s now an oasis of peace, but just past the main gate is a statue of King Afonso Henriques and a series of cannons, reminding you of its original purpose. What remains of the Alcaçovas Palace where medieval kings lived, is a stone building now housing a restaurant, and round the back, a small archaeological museum in three underground chambers (including the one where Vasco da Gama was received by King Manuel in 1499, after his voyage to India).

HISTORY:

Although the first fortifications on this hilltop date from the 1st century BC, archaealogical  excavations have identified a human presence in the Tagus valley as far back as the 8th century BC. The first fortification was, presumably, erected in 48 BC, when Lisbon was classified as a Roman municipality. The hill was first used by Celtic tribes, then by Phoenicians, followed by Greeks and later the Carthaginians as a defensive outpost that was later expropriated successively by the Romans, the Suebi, the Visigoths, and the Moors. During the 10th century, the fortifications were built by Berber forces; these included the walls or Cerca Moura (Moorish Encirclement .The hill on which St George’s Castle sits was inhabited as early as the 6th century BC, with the first fortifications dating back to the 2nd century BC. This hill was of military importance to a number of peoples, including Lisbon’s indigenous Celtic and Iberian tribes as well as the Romans, the Visigoths (5th century) and the Moors (mid-11th century). The earliest mentions of St George’s Castle date back to the 11th century, when Arab geographers mention it defending the ‘quasabah’ or ‘fortress’. In 1147, St George’s Castle was conquered from the Moors by Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques helped by crusaders as part of the Seige of Lisbon. In 1255, when Lisbon became the capital city, St George’s Castle served as the royal palace and was later renovated by King Dinis I. The castle was dedicated to Saint George ,patron Saint of England, by King João I in the 14th century, commemorating the 1371 Anglo-Portuguese pact. However, St George’s Castle began to lose its stature in the 16th century, when King Manuel I built the Ribeira Palace, particularly when St George’s Castle was damaged by earthquakes in 1531 and 1755 and never properly rebuilt. A major restoration project of the Castle took place in the 1940’s which completely rebuilt the ramparts, embellished the watchtowers and added gardens to the courtyards.

ARCHITECTURE: The castle is in the centre of Lisbon, on a hill, while many of its walls extend around the citadel into the civil parishes that surround it to the east and south.

The castle’s plan is roughly square, and it was originally encircled by a wall, to form a Citadel. The castle complex consists of the castle itself (the castelejo) , some ancillary buildings (including the ruins of the royal palace), gardens, and a large terraced square from which an impressive panorama of Lisbon is visible. The main entrance to the citadel is a 19th-century gate surmounted by the coat of Arms of Portugal, the name of Queen Maria II, and the date 1846. This gate permits access to the main square (Praça d’Armas), which is decorated with old cannons and a bronze statue of Afonso Henricks, the Portuguese monarch who took the castle from the Moors. This statue is a copy of the 19th-century original, by the romantic sculptor Antonio Soares Reis, which is located near Guimaraes Castle in northern Portugal. The remnants of the royal palace are located near the main square, but all that is left are some walls and a few rebuilt rooms such as the Casa Ogival. It now hosts the Olissipónia, a multimedia show about the history of Lisbon.

The medieval castle is located toward the northwest corner of the citadel, at its highest point. Hypothetically, during a siege, if attackers managed to enter the citadel, the castle was the last stronghold, the last place in which to take refuge. It is rectangular, with ten towers. A wall with a tower and a connecting door divides the castle courtyard into halves. A series of stairways allow visitors to reach the walkway atop the wall and the towers, from which magnificent views of Lisbon can be enjoyed. The Tower of Ulysses (where the Torre do Tombo archive used to be) had in 1998 a camera obscura installed that allows spectators a 360-degree view of the city and Tagus River. Apart from its main walls, the castle is protected, on its southern and eastern sides, by a barbican (barbacã), a low wall that prevented siege engines from approaching the main castle walls. The northern and western sides of the castle, on the other hand, were naturally protected by the steep hillside sloping downward from the castle’s foundations. The castle is also partially encircled by a moat, now dry. The main entrance is fronted by a stone bridge across the moat. On the west side, there is a long curtain wall extending downhill, ending at a tower (the Torre de São Lourenço).This tower guarded a gate in the Cerca Fernandina.

SAINT GEORGE CASTLE MUSEUM :

We visited the museum with great collection of artefacts of the medieval period enhancing our knowledge of the bygone times:

My dear readers may kindly point out any incorrect information in my above writeup needing any corrections! I am truly indebted to Wikipedia for the invaluable information on the subject ! Happy Reading !