Tag: Architecture

Geometry in Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, Rome Italy

On By RupaliIn Lens-Artists-Photo-Challenge41 Comments

The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs was constructed in the 16th century following an original design by Michelangelo Buonarroti.

At the beginning of the 18th century, Pope Clement XI commissioned the astronomer, mathematician, archaeologist, historian and philosopher Francesco Bianchini to build a meridian line, a sort of sundial, within the basilica. 

There is hole in the church’s wall from which the sun can shine through and onto the meridian line.

Tthe object had a threefold purpose: the pope wanted to check the accuracy of the Gregorian reformation of the calendar, to produce a tool to predict Easter exactly, and, not least, to give Rome a meridian line as important as the one Giovanni Domenico Cassini had recently built in Bologna’s cathedral, San Petronio. Alan Cook remarked, “The disposition, the stability and the precision are much better than those of the famous meridian… in Bologna”.

Bianchini’s sundial was built along the meridian that crosses Rome, at longitude 12° 30′ E. At solar noon, which varies according to the equation of time from around 10:54 a.m. UTC in late October to 11.24 a.m. UTC in February (11:54 to 12:24 CET), the sun shines through a small hole in the wall to cast its light on this line each day. At the summer solstice, the sun appears highest, and its ray hits the meridian line at the point closest to the wall. At the winter solstice, the ray crosses the line at the point furthest from the wall. At either equinox, the sun touches the line between these two extremes. The longer the meridian line, the more accurately the observer can calculate the length of the year. The meridian line built here is 45 meters long and is composed of bronze, enclosed in yellow-white marble.

In addition to using the line to measure the sun’s meridian crossing, Bianchini also used the window behind the pope’s coat of arms and a movable telescope to observe the passage of several stars such as Arcturus and Sirius to determine their right ascensions and declinations. The meridian line was restored in 2002 for the tricentenary of its construction, and it is still operational today.

Lens-artists-photo-challenge

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_degli_Angeli_e_dei_Martiri

http://www.jgiesen.de/meridian/rome/

https://ar-tour.com/guides/rome-day-1/santa-maria-degli-angeli-e-dei-martiri.aspx

Let cat out of the bag!

On By RupaliIn Six words Saturday, Travelling51 Comments
  • Looking down at the roofs from São Jorge Castle in Lisbon Portugal.

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Tian Tan Buddha is a large bronze statue of Buddha Shakyamuni at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, in Hong Kong

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The Villa d’Este is a 16th-century villa in Tivoli, near Rome, famous for its terraced hillside Italian Renaissance garden and especially for its profusion of fountains. It is now an Italian state museum, and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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The Ghibli Clock (officially called NI-Tele Really BIG Clock) is a large clock and sculpture designed by Hayao Miyazaki, installed outside the Nittele Tower (located close to Shiodome Station) in Tokyo, Japan. The structure is made of copper and steel.

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 Giant chess board in the Rijksmuseum gardens in Amsterdam

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Charles Bridge is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the early 15th century.

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Calle Marqués de Larios, also known simply as Calle Larios, is a pedestrian and shopping street in Málaga, Spain. The street was inaugurated on 27 August, 1891. 

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Back side of the French Church of Friedrichstadt at the Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin, Germany.

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Toledo is an ancient city set on a hill above the plains of Castilla-La Mancha in central Spain. The capital of the region, it’s known for the medieval Arab, Jewish and Christian monuments in its walled old city. 

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Ulriken is the highest of the Seven Mountains that surround the city of Bergen, Norway. It has a height of 643 metres above sea level.

Six Word Saturday

Travel Challenge – Day 7

On By RupaliIn Uncategorized16 Comments

I was nominated by our fellow blogger Derrick Knight to post one favourite travel picture a day for ten days without explanation, then to nominate someone else to participate. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures and 10 nominations. Instead of nominating one person I would like to invite everyone of you to participate.

Be kind and post at least one of your favourite travel photo. Please link to me so I know you have participated. If you are not interested, no problem.

Nowhere in the rules does it say you can’t guess where the photo was taken.

Stay safe, stay healthy and be kind.

Travel Challenge – Day 6

On By RupaliIn Travelling35 Comments

I was nominated by our fellow blogger Derrick Knight to post one favourite travel picture a day for ten days without explanation, then to nominate someone else to participate. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures and 10 nominations. Instead of nominating one person I would like to invite everyone of you to participate.

Be kind and post at least one of your favourite travel photo. Please link to me so I know you have participated. If you are not interested, no problem.

Nowhere in the rules does it say you can’t guess where the photo was taken.

Stay safe, stay healthy and be kind.