Archaeology · Architecture · Heritage · Rome
Another set of ancient Roman doors has kept its original position and stands to this day in the Forum, in the Temple of Romulus, which is, first and foremost, remarkable precisely for these most ancient doors. True, the doorways are partly bricked up, and the doors themselves are not usually
Architecture · Faith · Observations · Heritage · Rome
I confess I became curious as to which doors in Rome might be called the oldest. Among the contenders are the doors of the Curia Julia, made in the 1st century BC and preserved even though the curia itself was destroyed. These doors now stand in the treasury of the
NB! · Architecture · Heritage
Architecture · Books · Heritage
The Main Public Library of Cincinnati was once considered the most beautiful library in America. Behind an unremarkable façade lay a modest building with an interior of extraordinary workmanship by the architect McLaughlin. The heart of the library was a four-storey atrium with five levels of cast-iron book
Archaeology · Architecture · Rome
The ancient history of cities lives on in their layout. One of the most beautiful squares in Rome, Piazza Navona, owes its rounded northern end to the fact that in 46 BC Julius Caesar built a stadium here, which the Emperor Domitian later considerably enlarged, giving it the shape of
Architecture · Cinema · Observations · Heritage
My favourite part of any castle is the drawbridge. Unfortunately, the cinema pays this feature attention only in siege scenes; after that, the focus falls wholly on walls and arrow slits. And for the most part the bridges shown are monotonous and dull. Here is an example of an interesting
Architecture · Faith · Observations · Heritage · Society
I watch with interest as my French colleagues argue over a church in Bordeaux that has been turned into a garage. The arguments touch on the sacredness of religious buildings, on the preservation of heritage and memory, and on respect for the labour of architects and artists. In short, it
NB! · Archive · Architecture · Faith · Heritage
NB! · Architecture · Faith · Heritage
Architecture · Art · Moscow · Observations
The works of della Robbia recalled the sculptures at Rimskaya metro station in Moscow, opened in 1995. Rimskaya is a most unusual station, both in its architecture and in its decorative scheme. Where else on the metro would you find a fountain? The station was built with the participation of
Architecture · Art · Museums · Observations · Paris
It has been announced that the artist Christo Javacheff's grandiose project to wrap the Arc de Triomphe in Paris is postponed from this autumn to 2021. The married duo of pioneering artists, Christo and Jeanne-Claude (who died in 2009), who won worldwide fame for their art projects
NB! · Architecture · Heritage · Society · People
The Shakhmatovo estate, where Blok spent 36 of the 40 years of his life, was plundered in 1918. The furnishings and furniture were sold off at auction. In July 1921 the house and its outbuildings burned down, most probably set alight through carelessness or plain, dull-witted spite.