Tag Archives: architectural details

Photos of Beauty In Stone & Iron Atop Montmartre

You know that the skies are colourless when practically every exterior photo that you take looks as if it’s in black and white — but it isn’t. These three pictures from the exterior of the Basilica of Sacre Couer atop Montmartre in Paris are a perfect example.

It is an extraordinarily ornate building and visually quite interesting.

Gargoyle on the exterior facade of Sacre Couer in Paris, France

Ornate ironwork on the exterior of Sacre Couer in Paris, France

The ornate domes of Sacre Couer in Paris, France

Inside the History Museum in Barcelona

As promised, here are images from inside the Museu d’Història de la Ciutat, the city museum of Barcelona.

Museu d’Història de la Ciutat entry sign

After going through several ground floor galleries full of archaeological discoveries from the ancient Roman city beneath Barcelona, visitors enter an elevator and descend several levels until they are two stories beneath their starting point. An audio track played as you enter the elevator reminds you that you are going back 2,000 years in time as you descend.

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This museum was an unexpected discovery. We had arrived in Barcelona with plans to visit several Gaudi sites, the Miro museum, and the Picasso Museum. But this was certainly a place worth devoting an afternoon to!

Days Out In Barcelona: Gaudi’s Casa Mila aka La Pedrera – Part 2

Constructed between 1905 to 1910, Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera, is an interesting mix of almost futuristic exterior, as seen in yesterday’s rooftop sculptures post, and the very traditional interiors that certainly reflect the time in which the house was built.

Mark on the fascinating sculptural rooftop of Casa Mila — La Pedrera.

An example of the custom furniture Antoni Gaudi made is seen in this settee on display in the Casa Mila — La Pedrera.

The slide show below may be a surprise to some people who think of Gaudi as an architect of the fantastic and futuristic.

We need to remember that this was a commission for a family home and that the family surrounded themselves with the type of furniture, fabrics, and accessories that would have felt familiar and comfortable in the early years of the 1900s. You even get a tiny peek at the work spaces for the family’s housemaid.

One additional thing to note, this is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and should be high on the list of places to visit in Barcelona for anyone who is interested in the history of architecture.

The pictures begin in the amazing vaulted brick-tile attic space where there are displays of Gaudi’s building miniatures, discussions of his methodology in film segments, and exhibits of his unique furniture and hardware designs.

Enjoy!

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Barcelona Days Out: Sagrada Familia

The day was gray and gloomy, but we eagerly took the two fast and efficient Metro trains to reach a site we had been longing to see, the uncompleted Antoni Gaudi masterpiece work, the massive Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.

We emerged from the Metro onto the sidewalk and Mark laughed as I looked left and right and didn’t see the looming structure. “I did the same thing, Sweetie. Turn around!” I did, and here was what was immediately behind me.

Gaudi’s unfinished Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

The visible difference between the old section and the new additions to Gaudi’s masterpiece Sagrada Famila in Barcelona, Spain

It was quite a shock since neither of us had the excited response to this massive landmark that we had expected to have and we had absolutely no desire to explore further than standing outside and taking exterior shots. The line to gain entry to the interior was wrapped around the entire right-hand block but when I asked Mark if he wanted to go in, he confirmed my ‘neutral’ sensation and said no, he didn’t want to investigate the interior either.

It was an interesting reaction since we had each been looking forward to seeing this place for several months! But my initial sensation as I turned around from the Metro exit was disappointment, not enchantment. There will be many people who read this entry and think that I am daft to say that, but it is a personal opinion. It looked like a vast, blobby mess adorned with cranes and I felt no thrill or curiosity whatsoever as I viewed it.

Sidewalk cafe on the Avinguda de Gaudi with Antoni Gaudi’s uncompleted masterpiece, the massive Sagrada Familia, looming in the near distance.

We ate lunch at a sidewalk cafe and began walking down the Avinguda de Gaudi. As we walked, I turned around and took the photo above which did please me since it clearly illustrates the size and scale of the Sagrada Famila as it sits in the neighbourhood landscape.

The ornate street lamps pictured below were also amongst the more pleasing photos that I took on that very mixed day.

Extremely ornate ironwork and glass street lamps on stone columns line the avenues near the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.

Come back soon for more sights, suggestions, and truthful reactions from Barcelona!

Photo Of The Day: Bright In Blue

Today’s photo of the day is a charming little building in the Midi-Pyrenees town of Seix in the South of France. The blue shuttered and blue painted building houses a hairdresser below and apartments above. This building certainly stood out amongst the other plain stone structures in the small town.

Look at the shop window and you will see a woman sitting and talking on the phone. And to the left of her? A Betty Boop sculpture. Looks like a fun place to get your hair cut. And by the way, ‘Coiffure Mixte’ means Unisex Hair, so they do both women and men’s hair!

Two vivid shades of blue make this hairdresser’s shop stand out in Seix, Midi-Pyrenees, France.

Photo Of The Day: Old Apothecary in Hannover, Germany

Today’s photo of the day is the amazingly ornate top half of the Old Apothecary building in Hannover, Germany.

The eye-catching and flamboyant architectural style of the Old Apothecary in Hannover, Germany

Berlin – Picture of the Day – Landmarks on Manhole Cover

I’m always reminding myself to look up when I walk through a new city so I don’t miss the wonderful architectural details on period buildings — but here is a reminder to also look down for similar reasons!

I’ve ‘popped’ the colour a bit to add saturation so you can see the details. Here’s a shot of one of the manhole covers that are sprinkled throughout the historic district in Berlin.

Berlin sewer manhole cover

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