Uploads from egold., tagged textures

Venice... No canals, just roofs.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:21:55 -0700

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Venice (Italian: Venezia) is a city in northeast Italy sited on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. It is located in the Venetian Lagoon which stretches along the shoreline between the mouths of the Po and the Piave Rivers... It’s not my mission here to tell about wonderful venetian architecture, amazing atmosphere of this city and especially about beautiful canals which described so many times in different stories... all that exist there in Venice but I want to show here something different, what enchanted my vision... the perspective of all roofs of this wonder, creating a magic of this landscape with Alp Mountain on horizon and... even my cruise ship...

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Bruges... Madonna with Child.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 06:56:01 -0700

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We can call Bruges a “treasure island” because of so many art treasures collected in this wonderful city. But one from those treasures is very special... It’s unbelievable, but Bruges has Michelangelo statue. The sculpture can be seen in the Church of Our Lady (Onthaalkerk Onze-Lieve-Vrouw). This marble statue is the only one of Michelangelo’s sculptures to be sent outside of Italy while the artist was still alive. This statue was originally intended for Siena Cathedral and is the only one of the sculptor's works which travelled outside Italy during his lifetime. It was brought to Brugge by a Flemish merchant, Jan Van Moeskroen. Most of Michelangelo’s works still remain in Italy, although there are two of his slaves (from Pope Pious II’s tomb) in the Louvre...

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Bruges... Excited Mascaron.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:14:37 -0700

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Bruges has so many sights, that this city, like “treasure island”, attracts like a magnet thousands people from all the world... The most usual sound surrounding the visitor is the sound of crackles of the shutters... These two girls pressed the camera-buttons so often that even the mascaron was looking so excited by their activity...

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Bruges... Like Northern Venice...

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:41:06 -0700

egold. posted a photo:

Very often they call Bruges the Northern Venice. And it’s not only because here and there are many canals.All mystical, magic atmosphere of the city reminds Venice. Especially in twilight time, when the canals are empty (without tourists) you can feel that enigma and think out what’s hidden in deep dark waters of canals... like this one... Canal Rozenhoedkaai with well-proportioned beautiful Belfry in background... The belfry of Bruges, or Belfort, is a medieval bell tower in the historical center of the city. One of the most prominent symbols, the belfry formerly housed a treasury and the municipal archives, and served as an observation post for spotting fires and other danger. A narrow, steep staircase of 366 steps leads to the top of the 83-meter-high building. The belfry was added to the market square around 1240, when Bruges was prospering as an important center of the Flemish cloth industry. After a devastating fire in 1280, the tower was largely rebuilt. The city archives, however, were forever lost to the flames. The octagonal upper stage of the belfry was added between 1483 to 1487, and capped with a wooden spire bearing an image of Saint Michael, banner in hand and dragon underfoot. The spire did not last long: A lightning strike in 1493 reduced it to ashes, and destroyed the bells as well. A wooden spire crowned the summit again for some two-and-a-half centuries, before it, too, fell victim to flames in 1741. The spire was never replaced again, thus making the current height of the building somewhat lower than in the past; but an openwork stone parapet in Gothic style was added to the rooftop in 1822. A poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, titled "The Belfry of Bruges," refers to the building's checkered history:
In the market-place of Bruges stands the belfry old and brown;
Thrice consumed and thrice rebuilded, still it watches o'er the town.

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Bruges. Along the streets by carriage...

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 10:09:33 -0700

egold. posted a photo:

There are not only beautiful canals in the city... One of the most familiar sounds of Bruges is the clatter of horseshoes on cobbles. A lot of horse and carriage rides clip clopping their way through the streets of Bruges... This Horse Drawn Carriage Tour makes you feel that you have gone back to the past. By the way, the “civil rights” of the horses are defended, the horses may only work 8 hours a day and must repose two days...

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Old pearl of Flanders.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Sat, 05 May 2012 08:35:11 -0700

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Bruges is a real pearl in a necklace of Flanders. Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam, it's sometimes called as "The Venice of the North". The history of Bruges begins around 2000 years ago. Bruges still saved its medieval look. Picturesque market squares, dreamy canals and old almshouses bring in front of your eyes that old times when heroes of “The Legend of Thyl Ulenspiegel and Lamme Goedzak” by Charles De Coster walked along Bruges narrow streets, and like many years ago the water in canals is streaming and people live in same buildings...

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Bruges... or old legend about the Swan City.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:11:22 -0700

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One of the symbols of Bruges is the swan... There exists a nice legend about the swans of Bruges. In 1488 the people of Bruges had executed one of the town administrators belonging to the court of Maximilian of Austria, husband and successor of duchess Mary of Burgundy. The town administrator was called 'Pieter Lanchals', a name which means ' long neck'. The Lanchals family coat of arms featured a white swan. Legend has it that Maximilian punished Bruges by obliging the population to keep swans on their lakes and canals till eternity... Believe it or not but a lot of swans are everywhere in Bruges until now. This city and swans can’t be divided and Bruges can be called Swan City...

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The Lake of Love... or magic entrance to Bruges.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 07:21:37 -0700

egold. posted a photo:

The Minnewater and its lovely park are the entrance to the beautiful city of Bruges. Because of the idyllic surroundings it is mostly referred to as 'the lake of Love' (the Dutch word 'Minne' means 'love')...
Actually, the origins of the lake are less romantic. It was here that the coastal river 'Reie' entered the city. The river was later canalized and made to continue until the center of town. It is not sure where the name 'Minnewater' comes from. An explanation could be 'water van het gemeen', which could be translated as the 'common water'. The lake was used as a water reservoir, to keep the water of the canals at a constant level. Next to the lake is the Minnewater park, where sometimes in the summertime (rock) concerts are organized.

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Ghent... Magic of the Letter or ‘a first luxe.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:58:36 -0700

egold. posted a photo:

Window of some store with excellent logo... and her...
She was smoking and only cigarette was her best friend to whom she could open her mind... She was deep in thought... I have no idea what she was thinking about... may be about her evening date, may be she was just under magic of the letter right near her... in this case I understand her because I always thought that any letter is some enigmatic code hidden in its shape and all the people (even they, who can read) understand just small part of that mysterious riddle...

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Ghent... Cat on the bridge

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:10:33 -0700

egold. posted a photo:

“Street cat”... this expression is very seldom in New York because all the pets (including cats} usually have the owners or waiting for owners in shelters. So... even if you meet some cat on the street it’s not a “street cat”, you can be sure she has a home. It’s different in Europe. Here you can see real “street cats” who lives on the streets and don’t have owners, they are owners for themselves and for all the streets around. They are really free and sometimes very happy by their freedom...
Glorious city of Ghent was not an exception... I saw that beautiful “street cat” sitting on one of the small bridges not so far from Sain Nicolas’ Church in a very paintful place of the city. This beauty {I mean cat} doesn’t want to talk with me and right after I made two steps closer to her just run away... she probably didn’t want to sher her possession of this city with a stranger...

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Ghent... Wet city or Graslei through the rain

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:15:33 -0700

egold. posted a photo:

It was my last sunny day in Ghent... In 15 minutes after I made shots of Saint Bavo Cathedral the sky became dark and rain began... so when I came to Graslei (the pearl of Ghent architecture) I could see it just through the frequent spurts of the rain. But it brought to the picture some extra intrigue and created mystic atmosphere in here...
The Graslei is one of the most scenic places in Ghent's old city centre. Graslei means 'street of the herbs and vegetables'. It indicates that these specific products where traded or stocked in that area...
The 'SPIJKER' is the oldest house at the Graslei. It dates from the end of the 12th, beginning of the 13th century. In this house, the wheat that ships transported via Ghent had to be stocked for two or three weeks. This was due to the fact that Gent had received the privilege to stock grain and wheat in the SPIJKER to have reserves in times of famine. The guild house of the 'FREE SAILORS'. This is perhaps the most beautiful house. The original house was built in 1355 but later rebuilt after it was sold to the guild of sailors in 1530. It boasts a beautiful late-gothic facade. The guild of sailors was one of the most powerful guilds because they had the privilege for ship transportation through the harbor of Ghent. On the left side of the Spijker stands the first 'GRAIN COUNTERS HOUSE' and next to it the 'ANGEL' with its beautiful renaissance facade. This group of houses reflects the wealth and power of the medieval guilds. Even after the decay of the Flemish trade, they were still rich enough to change their original wooden houses into splendid stone mansions...

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Ghent... Saint Bavo Cathedral and Van Eyck brothers.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 07:20:29 -0700

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Ghent met me not so friendly... cloudy sky and strong wind. Probably will be a storm. But now I still see some blue spots between clouds and hope on the best... Saint Bavo Cathedral and Van Eyck brothers were waiting for me...
The Saint Bavo Cathedral (also known as Sint-Baafs Cathedral, or the Dutch Sint Baafskathedraal) is the seat of the diocese of Ghent. It is named for Saint Bavo of Ghent. The building is based upon the Chapel of St. John the Baptist, a primarily wooden construction; it was consecrated in 942 by Transmarus, Bishop of Tournai and Noyon. Traces of this original structure are evident in the cathedral's crypt. The chapel was subsequently expanded in the Romanesque style in 1038. In the subsequent period from the 14th through 16th centuries, nearly continuous expansion projects in the Gothic style were executed on the structure. Construction was considered complete June 7, 1569. The cathedral is noted for the Ghent Altarpiece, originally in its Joost Vijd chapel. It is formally known as: The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb by Hubert and Jan van Eyck. This work is considered Van Eyck's masterpiece and one of the most important works of the early Northern Renaissance, as well as one of the greatest artistic masterpieces of Belgium. Several of the painting's wings were bought in 1816 by the English collector in Berlin, Edward Solly. They were bought in 1821 by the King of Prussia, Frederick William III and continued to be kept in Germany. During World War I, other panels were taken from the cathedral by Germany. As part of mandated compensation in the Versailles Treaty after the end of the war, Germany returned the pilfered panels along with the original panels that had been legitimately bought by Solly, to help compensate for other German "acts of destruction" during the war. The Germans "bitterly resented the loss of the panels", and at the start of another conflict with Germany in 1940, a decision was made in Belgium to send the painting to the Vatican to keep it safe. The painting was en route to the Vatican, in France, when Italy declared war as an Axis power alongside Germany. The painting was stored in a museum in Pau for the duration of the war, as French, Belgian and German military representatives signed an agreement which required the consent of all three before the masterpiece could be moved.[1] In 1942, Adolf Hitler ordered the painting to be seized and brought to Germany to be stored in a Bavarian castle Neuswanstein. After Allied air raids made the castle too dangerous for the painting, it was stored in a salt mine and was returned back to Saint Bavo only after WWII...
The monument in honor of the brothers Hubert and Jan Van Eyck, the painters of the Lamb of God altarpiece was solemnly unveiled on August 9, 1913. The architecture is designed by Valentin Vaerwyck, the sculpture of Geo Verbanck.

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Brussels... Beer talking.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:05:01 -0700

egold. posted a photo:

“... Do you like our beer?”, asked me man near the exit from “ beerhuis” (beer house). He didn’t need my answer and continued: “ Our beer is the best in a world and everyone who’s coming in Belgium has to be agreed with these words. Every visitor has to come each day during three weeks in beerhuis and try no less than three different kinds of Belgian beer. Only after that the traveller will be able to understand real taste of this country...”
I didn’t argue by two reasons: First of all the beer house is not the best place for arguing (especially with the person full of beer) and also was agreed with him in something. I can’t say the Belgian beer is the best in a world because during my travels I tested many different kinds of beer in different countries but (for sure) Belgian beer is ONE FROM THE BEST. I also never met someone from beer lovers who told me something opposite. Everyone who tested Belgian beers is happy as well as these two men...

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Brussels... Broken roundabout or Her biggest disappointment.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 06:42:46 -0700

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The Parents brought her here in Mini-Europe just after very long time negotiations... She said she doesn’t want to see “small houses” and only her parents promises that there is magical carousel or roundabout (she better loves this word) makes her agreed... But something happened... and carousel was closed and her dream didn’t come true... It was so great disappointment, that she even gave up to eat an ice cream...
I was the witness of this situation and her parents told me the story...

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Explore #319, 03/14/2012

Brussels... New Gulliver’s travel to Mini-Europe.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 06:31:00 -0800

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I guess everybody red “Gulliver's Travels” by Jonathan Swift... And now figure out how to feel yourself Mr. Lemuel Gulliver in Lilliput country. It always happens with any visitor of Mini-Europe...
Mini-Europe is a miniature park located in Bruparck at the foot of the Atomium in Brussels, Belgium. Mini-Europe has the reproductions of the most attractive monuments in the European Union on show, at a scale of 1:25. Roughly 80 cities and 350 buildings are represented. The monuments were chosen for the quality of their architecture or their European symbolism. After this initial selection process, plans and photos needed to be found. This stage cost over €200,000 in research. Most of the monuments are made using moulds. The parts are made from various types of material, and then copied using silicone molding. The final copy used to be cast from epoxy resin, but now polyester is used. Three of the monuments were made out of stone (e.g. the tower of Pisa, in marble). A new computer-assisted milling procedure was used for two of the models. After that comes the painting. Finally, the monument is installed on site, together with decorations and lighting. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela required more than 24,000 hours of work. Many of the monuments were financed by European countries or regions. Ground covers, dwarf trees, bonsais and grafted trees are used alongside miniature monuments, and the paths are adorned with classical bushes and flowers.
So... I could see and make a shots of the best European places just for one -in-a half hours, it’s great for my budget but believe me that to travel through the real countries is much better (and expensive)...

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Brussels... Lady in red, Hotel de Ville and his stone guardians.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:06:33 -0800

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The idea of having a town hall to reflect Brussels’ growth as the major European trading centre had been under consideration since the end of the 13th century. It was not until 1401 that the first foundation stone was laid and the building was finally completed in 1459 emerging as the finest civic building in the country, a stature it still enjoys. Jaques van Thienen was commissioned to design the left wing and belfry of the building, where he used ornated columns, sculptures, turrets and arcades. The tower and spire begun in 1449 by Jan van Ruysbroeck helped seal its reputation. In 1995, the 1455 statue of the city’s patron St Michael, was restored and returned to its famous position on top of the tower in 1997...
I heard this story from very emotional lady in red who was probably a guide of one group of visitors right near Hotel de Ville, Brussels’ town hall. Her story and wonderful stone lace with its sculptures still guarding the building made me create this picture...

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Brussels... Charles Buls and a music from Tibet.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:57:53 -0800

egold. posted a photo:

When I’m travelling I always looking for something unusual what I can shoot and collect to all my other wonders. Because all European cities are full of contrasts, it’s not so difficult to find it. And Brussels which is an inofficial capital of “New Old Europe” is not an exception...
The Charles Buls (or Karel Buls in Flemish) fountain is found at the Agora Square right next to the Rue du Marché aux Herbes. It’s a memorial in the honor of Charles Buls who was mayor of Brussels from 1881 until 1899. He is remembered most of all today for his fight to vote laws to preserve and fund the restoration some of the best known jewels of the city like the Grand Place that are now considered a UNESCO World Heritage site. The fountain was erected in 1999 and the statue depicted Charles Buls with his dog (they say that they never were separated). But at the time I made my shot the glorious mayor was very busy, because he was listening the sounds of the dungchen, a long trumpet or horn used in Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies. The young man plays on that long pipe for some reason known only to him. May be he’s follower of Tibetan Buddhism, may be it was his support for Tibet, may be he just liked that kind of music - I have no idea...

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Brussels... Grand-Place and magic flower carpet.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:15:59 -0800

egold. posted a photo:

I’m returning back to my “traveler’s diary”. As you remember, it’s Belgium and now I’m in Brussels. I began my shooting day from La Grand-Place or Grote Markt, the most beautiful place here...
So... we are in a center of the city. The central square is surrounded by public as well as private buildings which were 300 years old, being constructed mostly in the 17th century. Those buildings exhibit eclectic and highly successful blending of architectural and artistic styles that characterize the culture and society of Brussels during that time. La Grand-Place is an example of the achievement of a highly successful mercantile city at the height of its prosperity. Every two years in August, an enormous "flower carpet" is set up in the Grand Place for a few days. A million colorful begonias are set up in patterns, and the display covers 79 by 253 ft, for area total of 19,000 sq ft.] The first flower carpet was made in 1971, and due to its popularity, the tradition continued...
Unfortunately I’ve been in Brussels in a very cold spring but even at that time the square was full of flowers and I could see the wonderful guild-buildings through that colorful tangles...

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The Breeze Team... or break dance in Water World.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:20:52 -0800

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Break dance on the streets and even in subway trains is one of the ‘business cards’ of New York... Those guys call themselves Breeze Team. They performed very special break dance in many places of New York always collecting the crowd around. But now they are the guests, guests of 5th avenue with her wonderful store- windows and... simply saying, they are the guests of Water World for performing their dance right here with the Queen of Water World who creates her own magic dance together with Breeze Team.

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Brussels... Morning near St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral.

nobody@flickr.com (egold.) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:07:47 -0800

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That morning was cloudy and not so many people walked along the streets near St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral. I saw just single woman who was going probably to the market... The clouds flying through the sky and silhouette of gothic cathedral created mysterious atmosphere...
The St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church at the Treurenberg hill in Brussels, Belgium. In French, it is called Cathédrale Saints-Michel-et-Gudule and in Dutch Sint-Michiels- en Sint-Goedelekathedraal, usually shortened to "Sint-Goedele". In 1047, Lambert II, Count of Leuven founded a chapter in this church and organized the transportation of the relics of Saint Gudula, housed before then in Saint Gaugericus Church on Saint-Géry Island. The patron saints of the church, archangel St. Michael and the martyr St. Gudula, are also the patron saints of the city of Brussels.
In the thirteenth century, the cathedral was renovated in the Gothic style. The choir was constructed between 1226 and 1276. The facade was completed in the mid-fifteenth century. Perhaps the most outstanding feature of the interior are the stained glass windows, designed by various artists. Those by Bernard van Orley, a 16th century court painter, are the most spectacular...
But history of this cathedral contains not only light but also dark pages. In 1370, the Jewish community of Brussels was accused of the profanation of the Holy Sacrament and punished for this act. It was claimed that on Good Friday 1370 Jews used daggers to stab communion wafers which had been stolen from a chapel. Blood was said to have flowed from these wafers. It is a fact that in May 1370 some six Jews living in Brussels and Leuven were burnt at the stake after being accused of the theft and desecration of the Blessed Sacrament (the so called ‘Blood Libel’). Jewish property was confiscated, and that from the very beginning it was believed that the holy hosts had actually bled. Later on, in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was asserted that in 1370 all Jews had been expelled forever from the Duchy of Brabant. The guilt of the Jews was never established. On the contrary, it has never even been proven that the hosts had in fact been desecrated. Belief in the alleged miracle was the only justification for executing the Jews. The local devotion to the Miraculous Sacrament however survived up to the Second World War. Moreover, the stained glass windows, paintings and tapestries kept the alleged history of the ‘blood libel’ alive. Only after the tragedy of the Holocaust, and under the influence of a more enlightened mentality, was a critical attitude with regard to this anti-Jewish medieval legend...

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