sâmbătă, 7 iunie 2014

Colosseum from Rome

Colosseum is a tourist monument in Rome visited by many tourists from all over the world. He is probably the most impressive ruins building of the Roman Empire. Originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater, the Colosseum was the largest building of its time, and today is the largest ancient amphitheater that can be visited.

Colosseum Lighting In The Night



Colosseum, recently elected as one of the "New 7 Wonders of the World". Named as Flavian Amphitheatre, actually called and known as the "Colosseum" gets its this last name from a giant statue "a colossus", depicting Emperor Nero the statue with huge king house, representing the  Domus Aurea. Colosseum, as it was designed it, was a symbol of the greatness and power that Rome would exercise over the centuries. It was probably one of the most famous buildings of antiquity.

The project of an enormous building was launched in the reign of Vespasian and is attributed to Rabirius, the architect of the Palace of Emperor Domitian. The construction started in 72 after Christ, under Vespasian, and was completed eight years later, was inaugurated by Titus, his son. The amphitheater, is the largest monument of Roman civilization, has an elliptical shape, axes measuring 188 and 156 meters and a height of 57 meters. The four structures of the walls are entirely covered with travertine.

Exterior has three levels with 80 arcs in a classic progression. The lower level, with Doric arches, have above that Ionic and above Ionic is that Corinthian. Above those three levels, the walls are divided into equal sections with pillars and perforated by windows. With a capacity of 50.000 seats, have a special box for the emperor and for the state rulers.

Favorite shows in the Roman arena were Munera, or fighting to the death, who were given by professional gladiators in front of crowds delighted by cruel battles. Wealthy patrons paying huge prices for them, therefore gaining fame for their families or attracting the votes of citizens. Organization of fightings was done by strict state rules, and with passing years, the shows were becoming more grandiose. Other "shows" were held in the Colosseum as Navalia Proelia a simulation of naval battles (when the arena was flooded perhaps through a central channel) Sylvae, recreating scenes from nature (they were brought into the central arena bushes, trees, and many animals) and Venatio hunting of wild animals. Sometimes, even executions of prisoners have taken the appearance from the mythology, and in these shows, at finally the victim being killed.

The Colosseum has undergone many changes during the Middle Ages. A small church was built in the late sixth century, and the Arena was used as a cemetery. The earthquake of 1349 that caused the collapse of one of the sides of the amphitheater.

The Colosseum is considered a symbol of Imperial Rome. Today is one of modern Rome's tourist attraction but also a place of prayer of the Roman Catholic Church. On Great Friday the Pope leads the procession of the "Way of the Cross" in the Colosseum.
Lighting 
Evening Time 
Colosseum In Day 
Colosseum Interior 
Colosseum With Arena 
Colosseum Inside View 








miercuri, 28 mai 2014

Taj Mahal - An Eternal Love Story






"It's a marble tear resting on the cheek of time."TAGORE


Taj Mahal means "Crown Palace", is considered one of the most beautiful and fascinating building. 
Since 2007 it's part of the Seven Wonders Of The World and the magnetism is due in part to the legend that surrounds him.

The Taj Mahal is situated on the banks of river Yamuna in Agra, Northern India
It was built by the fifth Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan in 1631 in memory of his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal who was a native Princess of Persia.
Mumtaz Mahal died during a campaign of rebellion crush, while she accompanied her husband to Behrampur. She has just already given birth to their fourteenth child. Her death was a real tragedy for the emperor, he arrived at the point that his hair and beard in a few months became completely white from the pain.

While Mumtaz Mahal was still alive, she had asked the emperor to accomplish the following four promises in case she'll die before him: 
  * As the first promise was that him to build the Taj;
  * The second was that he should marry again to give a new mother to their children's;
  * The third promise was that he would always be good and be understanding with their children; 
  * and fourth that, he always visited his grave on the anniversary of his death.

The construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1631 and was completed in 22 years. They were probably more than a thousand elephants used to drag the heavy marble and legend has it, that all workers involved in the titanic undertaking were amputated hands at the finish of building construction. Why Shah Jahan wanted that? Wanted not for that work was not perfect, wanted because of that, never to be repeated.

The Taj stands on a base of red sandstone topped by a huge white marble terrace on which rests the famous dome flanked by four tapering minarets. The dome is made of white marble, but the location near the river it gives a magical play of colors that change during the hours of the day and the seasons, giving the Taj Mahal reflected colors that make it unique but always different. Like a jewel, the Taj sparkles in moonlight when the semi-precious stones set into the white marble on the main mausoleum grab the glow of the moonlight. The Taj is pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines. It seems that these color changes, reflect the changing mood of women, or so they say in India. To describe it would be enough to say that the Taj Mahal lives, as A Monument To Eternal Love.

On this matter of topic also was making the Bollywood film: Taj Mahal - An Eternal Love Story (2005)


The Taj Mahal viewed in different hours of the day (24 hours)

1. Sunrise 
2. Morning
3. Day
4. Sunset
5. Moonlight 
6. Night