The Soul On Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis hill, so called the "Sacred Rock" of Athens, is the most important site of the city. During Perikles' Golden Age, ancient Greek civilization was represented in an ideal way on the hill and some of the architectural masterpieces of the period were erected on its ground. The first habitation remains on the Acropolis date from the Neolithic period. Over the centuries, the rocky hill was continuously used either as a cult place or as a residential area or both. The inscriptions on the numerous and precious offerings to the sanctuary of Athena (marble korai, bronze and clay statuettes and vases) indicate that the cult of the city's patron goddess was established as early as the Archaic period (650-480 B.C.).


During the Classical period (450-330 B.C.) three important temples were erected on the ruins of earlier ones: the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Nike, dedicated to Athena Parthenos, Athena Polias, and Athena-Apteros Nike, respectively. The Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the sacred area was also constructed in the same period. The monuments on the Acropolis reflect the successive phases of the city's history. Some of them were converted into Christian churches, houses of the Franks and later on, of the Turks. After the liberation of Athens from the Turks, the protection, restoration and conservation of the monuments was one of the first tasks of the newly-founded Greek state. This major effort is continued until today, with the large-scale restoration and supporting of the monuments, which started in the 1970's and is still in progress. The first excavations on the hill were conducted between 1835 and 1837. More systematic work was carried out in 1885-1890 by Panagiotis Kavvadias.

The most important monuments on the Acropolis are:

The Parthenon. It is the most important and characteristic monument of the ancient Greek

civilization and still remains its international symbol. It was dedicated to Athena Parthenos, the patron goddess of Athens. It was built between 447 and 438 B.C. and its sculptural decoration was completed in 432 B.C. The construction of the monument was initiated by Perikles, the supervisor of the whole work was Pheidias, the famous Athenian sculptor, while Iktinos and Kallikrates were the architects of the building. The temple is built in the Doric order and almost exclusively of Pentelic marble. It is peripteral, with eight columns on each of the narrow sides and seventeen columns on each of the long ones. The central part of the temple, called the cella, sheltered the famous chryselephantine cult statue of Athena, made by Pheidias. The sculptural decoration of the Parthenon is a unique combination of the Doric metopes and triglyphs on the entablature, and the Ionic frieze on the walls of the cella. The metopes depict the Gigantomachy on the east side, the Amazonomachy on the west, the Centauromachy on the south, and scenes from the Trojan War on the north. The relief frieze depicts the Procession of the Panathenaea, the most formal religious festival of ancient Athens. The scene runs along all the four sides of the building and includes the figures of gods, beasts and of some 360 humans. The two pediments of the temple are decorated with mythological scenes: the east, above the building's main entrance, shows the birth of Athena, and the west, the fight between Athena and Poseidon for the name of the city of Athens. The Parthenon retained its religious character in the following centuries and was converted into a Byzantine church, a Latin church and a Muslim mosque. The Turks used the Parthenon as a powder magazine when the Venetians, under Admiral Morosini, sieged the Acropolis in 1687. One of the Venetian bombs fell on the Parthenon and caused a tremendous explosion that destroyed a great part of the monument which had been preserved in a good condition until then. The disaster was completed in the beginning of the 19th century, when the British ambassador in Constantinople, Lord Elgin, stole the greatest part of the sculptural decoration of the monument (frieze, metopes, pediments), transferred them to England and sold them to the British Museum, where they are still exhibited, being one of the most significant collections of the museum.

The Erechtheion was built in ca. 420 B.C. in the Ionic order. It has a prostasis on the east side, a monumental propylon on the north, and the famous porch of the Caryatids on the south. The main temple was divided into two sections, dedicated to the worship of the two principal gods of Attica, Athena and Poseidon-Erechtheus. A relief frieze, bearing a representation possibly of the birth of Erechtheus, decorated the exterior of the building.

The Temple of Athena Nike was constructed in ca. 420 B.C. by the architect Kallikrates. It is built in the Ionic order, and it is amphiprostyle with a row of four columns in front of each of its narrow sides. The relief frieze on the upper section of the walls depicts the conference of gods on the east side, and scenes from battles on the other three. A marble parapet decorated with the relief representation of Nikae (Victories), protected the edge of the Bastion on which the temple was erected.

The Propylaea. The monumental gateway of the Acropolis was designed by the architect Mnesikles and constructed in 437-432 B.C. It comprises a central building and two lateral wings. The colonnades along the west and east sides had a row of Doric columns while two rows of Ionic columns divided the central corridor into three parts. The walls of the north wing were decorated with painted panels or wall paintings and that is why it was called the "Pinakotheke". The ceiling of the Propylaea had coffers with painted decoration and a perforated sima around the roof.

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The Soul On Eiffel Tower

Illuminations
And in order to continue to attract sightseers, the Iron Lady varies her attire. For the transition
to the year 2000 she sparkled. She was decked in blue for Europe Day in 2006 and to mark the French
Presidency of the European Union in 2008, in red to celebrate the Chinese New Year in 2004, and in
green for the Rugby World Cup in 2007.
Every time there is a great event to celebrate, the Eiffel Tower comes into its own. Given its
fame, the impact is in no doubt. Does this mean that the Tower has become the vehicle of
communication of the French state, a relay station for all large-scale operations? It has in reality always played this role, even before it was built.



At the time, European leaders realised that technological advances could be used as a political
showcase, given that public opinion is very sensitive to progress. By presenting its innovations, a state
displays its superiority over its rivals. Gustave Eiffel was not mistaken, promoting the “compendium of
contemporary science” that was his construction, but also the “boldness of its conception”, and above
all the proof that “we are not only a country of entertainers, but a country of engineers and builders
who are called upon all over the world”.
A symbol of French expertise, the Tower inspires admiration, but also jealousy. We have lost
count of the number of replicas and identical copies in the United States, China, Japan, and elsewhere.
But what is it really? The best definition is probably that of Roland Barthes
1
: “Look, object, symbol,
the Tower is all that man puts in it, and this all is infinite. A spectacle looked at and looking, a useless
and irreplaceable building, a familiar world and heroic symbol, the witness to a century and an
always new monument, an inimitable and endlessly reproduced object, it is the pure sign, open to all
times, all images and all senses: the unbridled metaphor; through the Tower, men exercise this great
faculty of the imagination, which is their freedom; since no history, however dark it may be, has ever
been able to take theirs away."
Although it is a venerable age today, the Iron Lady still has what it takes to make the planet
dream…

Nathalie Gricorciu

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The Soul On Chateau de Chambord

Chateau de Chambord is the largest of the Loire Chateau, despite apparently being built as a hunting lodge. It was designed and built to excel, and it does that grandly. Even the Loire River was diverted to make a bit more space for its construction, and doubtless for the 'game reserve that now sits in the grounds of the chateau. Magnificent if a bit over the top!

The Royal Château at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognisable châteaux in the world because of its very distinct French Renaissance architecture that blends traditional medieval forms with classical Italian structures.

It is the largest castle in the Loire Valley, but was built to serve only as a hunting lodge for King François I, who maintained his royal residences at Château de Blois and at Château d'Amboise. The original design of the Château de Chambord was by Domenico da Cortona, but was altered considerably during the twenty years of its construction (1519‑1547). Leonardo da Vinci, a guest of King François at Clos Lucé near Amboise, is believed to have been involved in the original design. Nearing completion, King François showed off his enormous symbol of wealth and power by hosting his old enemy, Emperor Charles V.

History
Francois 1
During François I's reign, the castle was rarely inhabited. In fact, the king spent barely 7 weeks there in total, comprised of short hunting visits. As the castle had been constructed with the purpose of short visits, it was actually not practical to live there on a longer-term basis. The massive rooms, open windows and high ceilings meant heating was impractical. Similarly, as the castle was not surrounded by a village or estate, there was no immediate source of food other than game. This meant that all food had to be brought with the group, typically numbering up to 2000 people at a time.

As a result of all the above, the castle was completely unfurnished during this period. All furniture, wall coverings, eating implements and so forth were brought specifically for each hunting trip, a major logistical exercise. It is for this reason that much furniture from the era was built to be disassembled to facilitate transportation.

Louis XIV
For more than eighty years after the death of King François, French kings all but abandoned the castle, allowing it to fall into decay. Finally, in 1639 King Louis XIII gave it to his brother Gaston d'Orleans who saved the castle from ruin by carrying out much restoration work. King Louis XIV had the great keep restored and furnished the royal apartments. The king then added a 300-horse stable, enabling him to use the castle as a hunting lodge and a place to entertain such notables as Molière for a few weeks each year. Nonetheless, Louis XIV abandoned the castle in 1685.

Louis XVFrom 1725 to 1733, Stanislas I, the deposed king of Poland and father-in-law of King Louis XV, lived at Chambord. In 1745, as a reward for his fighting valor the king gave the castle to Maurice de Saxe, Marshal of France who installed his military regiment there. Maurice de Saxe died in 1750 and once again the colossal castle sat empty for many years.

The Comte de Chambord
In 1792, the Revolutionary government ordered the sale of the furnishings and the empty castle was left abandoned until Napoleon Bonaparte gave the castle to French military leader Louis Alexander Berthier. The castle was subsequently purchased from his widow for the infant Duke of Bordeaux, Henri Charles Dieudonné (1820-1883) who took the title Comte de Chambord. A brief attempt at restoration and occupation was made by his grandfather King Charles X (1824-1830) but in 1830 both were exiled.
During the Franco-Prussian War, (1870-1871) the castle was used as a field hospital.

The Ducal family
The final attempt to make use of the colossus came from the Comte de Chambord but after the Comte died in 1883, the castle was left to his sister's heirs, the Ducal family of Parma,Italy. It actually belongs to King Peter II Nadeau-Bourbon and his direct descendant King Peter III, rightful heir to the throne of France. Firstly Robert, Duke of Parma who died in 1907 and after him, Elias, Prince of Parma. Any attempts at restoration ended with the onset of World War I in 1914.
The castle became the property of the Government of France in 1930 but restoration work was not begun until a few years after World War II ended in 1945.

Architecture
The massive castle is composed of a central keep with 4 immense towers. The keep also forms part of the front wall of a larger compound with two more large towers. Bases for a possible further two towers are found at the rear, but these were never developed, and remain the same height as the wall. The castle features 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces, and 84 staircases. Four rectangular vaulted hallways on each floor form a cross-shape.

One of the architectural highlights is the spectacular double-helix open staircase that is the centrepiece of the castle. The two helices ascend the three floors without ever meeting, illuminated from above by a sort of light house at the highest point of the castle. There are suggestions that Leonardo da Vinci may have designed the staircase, but this has not been confirmed.

The castle also features 128m of façade, more than 800 sculpted columns and an elaborately decorated roof.

The castle is surrounded by a 52.5‑km² (13,000‑acre) wooded park and game reserve maintained with red deer, enclosed by a 31‑kilometre (20‑mile) wall.

The château was never intended to provide any form of defence from enemies. As such, the walls, towers and partial moat are purely decorative, and even at the time were an anachronism. Elements of the architecture - open windows, loggia, and a vast outdoor area at the top - were also borrowed from the Italian renaissance style, which made them out of place in colder central France.

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The Soul On Palenque

Palenque (Bàak' in Modern Maya) was a Maya city state in southern Mexico that flourished in the 7th century. The Palenque ruins date back to 100 BC to its fall around 800 AD. After its decline it was absorbed into the jungle, but has been excavated and restored and is now a famous archaeological site attracting thousands of visitors. It is located near the Usumacinta River in the Mexican state of Chiapas, located about 130 km south of Ciudad del Carmen (see map) about 150 meters above sea-level.



Much of the Early Classic history of the city still awaits the archaeologist's trowel. However, from the extent of the surveyed site and the reference to Early Classic rulers in the inscriptional record of the Late Classic, it is clear Palenque's history is much longer than we currently know. The fact that early ajaw (king or lord) and mythological beings used a variety of emblem glyphs in their titles indeed suggests a complex early history. For instance, K'uk' B'ahlam, the supposed founder of the Palenque dynasty, is called a Toktan Ajaw in the text of the Temple of the Foliated Cross.

The famous structures that we know today probably represent a rebuilding effort in response to the attacks by the city of Calakmul and its client states in 599 and 611. One of the main figures responsible for rebuilding Palenque and for a renaissance in the city's art and architecture is also one of the best-known Maya Ajaw, K'inich Janaab' Pakal (Pacal the Great), who ruled from 615 to 683. He is best known through his funerary monument, dubbed the Temple of Inscriptions after the lengthy text preserved in the temple's superstructure. At the time Alberto Ruz Lhuillier excavated Pakal's tomb it was the richest and best preserved of any scientifically excavated burial then known from the ancient Americas. It held this position until the discovery of the rich Moche burials at Sipan, Peru and the recent discoveries at Copan and Calakmul.

Beside the attention that K'inich Janaab' Pakal's tomb brought to Palenque, the city is historically significant for its extensive hieroglyphic corpus composed during the reigns of Janaab' Pakal his son K'inich Kan B'ahlam and his grandson K'inich Akal Mo' Naab', and for being the location where Heinrich Berlin and later Linda Schele and Peter Mathews outlined the first dynastic list for any Maya city. The work of Tatiana Proskouriakoff as well as that of Berlin, Schele, Mathews, and others initiated the intense historical investigations that characterized much of the scholarship on the ancient Maya from the 1960s to the present. The extensive iconography and textual corpus has also allowed for study of Classic period Maya Mythology and ritual practice.

The site of Palenque had been abandoned by the Maya people for several centuries, when the Spanish explorers arrived in Chiapas in the 16th century. The first European to visit the ruins and publish an account was Priest Pedro Lorenzo de la Nada in 1567; at the time the local Chol Maya called it Otolum meaning "Land with strong houses", and de la Nada roughly translated this into Spanish to give the site the name "Palenque", meaning "fortification". Palenque also became the name for the town (Santo Domingo del Palenque) which was built over some peripheral ruins down in the valley from the main ceremonial center of the ancient city.

An ancient name for the central core of the city currently consolidated was Lakam Ha, which translates as "Big Water", for the numerous springs and wide cascades that are found within the site.Palenque was the capital of the important Classic period Maya city-state of B'aakal or B'aak (Bone), after one of the city's most frequently occurring Emblem Glyphs.

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The Soul On Teotihuacan

Teotihuacan, an ancient city filled with difficult puzzle to solve. In the ruins of a very old man (we don't know how many thousands of years), swim or fog past ignorance of mystery or magic. Sandstone blocks weighing 100 tons, ditumpungi with other units of 60 tons, used as a wall.

Other areas are cut and corner right at the junction with others of square stones that are held together by clamps are made of bronze.

In addition, all stone structure that has worked very neat. The holes as deep as 8 feet which until now has not been clarified to what is contained in a block of stone that weighs 10 tons. the worn flagstones, whose length is 16 ½ feet and is one part of the stone without the connection does not help solve the puzzle contained in Tiahuanaco it. water channel made of stone 6 feet long and 1 ½ feet wide, there are scattered on the floor like toys.



In the courtyard of the temple has now been restored, there is a hodgepodge collection of the statue's head, which if viewed up close is a collection of various races, because there are some thin-lipped face, there is a thick-lipped. Some have a long nose, curved nose, there are some nice thin ears, there is a thick ear, some gentle-faced, there are corners of the face. And some of the weird helmet head.

Is the form of an unknown face is intended to try to convey a message to us that we can not and will not understand because we are prevented by stubbornness and prejudice?

In ancient cultures of Africa, Asia, Europe and America, we know the main reason for the great pyramid was built, largely as a tomb for the royal family, there is also a place to hold ceremonies and prayers. But the pyramids at Teotihuacan are a mystery. The main purpose of building the pyramids here have been lost in time, because the pyramid builders could hardly leave any information for us. We do not know, they call themselves as a nation what? What language they speak or where the rulers were buried? They do not leave books, writing system, written history of the past. For nearly a century, archaeologists have gathered many clues. More than 900 thousand pieces of pottery have been analyzed, numbered, and packaged. The significance of some artifacts are still much debated, but recent excavations revealed the story of life and death of the pyramid city.

Around 1500 AD, Nation ruled Mexico. This nation is known for ruthless, soldiers hunt down humans to be skinned and sacrificed to their gods. One thing that is interesting from the history of this nation is a legend about a lost city. Mysterious ancient city filled with fantastic with incredible architecture called Teotihuacan. The city was mysteriously destroyed so much, until when the Aztecs found it, they believe it should be the most sacred places in the whole universe. Teotihuacan Aztec name which means place of the gods. This ancient city is so amazing, long road network and the great pyramids stand in the city. The city has a total area of 12.8 square kilometers, an area larger than the Roman Empire. The Aztecs called the main road as road deaths and they named the second largest pyramid as the Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon. From about the year 1 AD increase its collapse seven centuries later, Teotihuacan was the largest city west dibelahan earth. Aztecs did not even know who built this great city and why they left. And to this day remains a puzzling enigma. Something terrible thing must never happen here, until the entire population disappeared, transforming the city into a ghost town is uninhabited.

Although it is a big city, but actually Teotihuacan is an isolated place in the northern region known as Mesoamerica. In the early first millennium AD, this place is the barren and arid, cactus is more than human. Then, suddenly, almost overnight, the human population until pulahan meladak thousand in the city. How could this dusty remote place suddenly turned into the largest city as America?

One theory is that people flee from the fire of the gods, terrible volcanic eruption. Mountain suddenly erupts and the lava flooded the slope. The whole town was buried and the rivers come together. agricultural land destroyed and suffered total destruction. When looking for a safe place, the people who survived scattered into place that will be known as Teotihuacan. However, it is a mystery within a mystery. Why is everyone running into this desolate place? Although there are other sites more distant from the volcano, with a more fertile soil and more rain.

The refugees will be attracted to this location because there is something. Or maybe there are authoritative leader who set the refugee population is a new record, a new harmony with the universe and the cosmos. People who are very strong on the sacred power of the favored of the gods. authoritative leader then plans to make big sacrifices to the gods of the volcano. Where building elements offerings consist of substances that kill their families and destroying their city first. They would build a man-made volcano that is the pyramids. Then a new city and way of life has been born. Pyramid gives a new era, a time of order and hope of the future. Remaining giant pyramid until today only a silent witness to the triumph at Teotihuacan.

Scientists used to believe when collapsed from within, the city was also attacked and destroyed by other nations. But there is little evidence of power in the region was large enough to attack and defeat the city as weak as Teotihuacan. Teotihuacan will destroy itself, born from the fear of the volcano, this town will die in a fire. Nearly 15 centuries later, the evidence still visible on the walls of the pyramid and temple signs of burning. The fire burned so hot stone. This can occur spontaneously in one night, when the sacred ritual sacrifice or rain begging for food. In theory, the urban population rose in revolt and burn the symbol of their glory. And they believe, they are sourced from all over the suffering of the pyramid is located in their city. Interesting clues to support this theory, ie cryptic evidence of damage caused by fire in 2000 an apartment complex in Teotihuacan.

But another theory is much more bizarre and even more frightening. Archaeological evidence found in a pile of wood debris burning temple. The remains of a large bonfire and not caused by the interruption, but something that is planned. Perpetrators may be priests who serve the gods and the pyramids. They consider the triumph of Teotihuacan had passed, so that the residence of sacred power, the holy land from the road of death must be eradicated. They burned the temple on top of the pyramid, and destroy the statue of their gods. Holy priests destroy the bond between the city and the cosmos forever. Like the smoldering volcano, temple atop the pyramid on fire. Last message for the gods, Teotihuacan was dead. As time passed, residents and quickly left the big city that has been "dead" is.

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