tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59308947196938604452024-03-13T00:18:06.283-07:00MUSEUMS OPEN FOR YOUNIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-77898680040241582382009-09-21T07:09:00.000-07:002009-09-21T07:22:48.939-07:00TANKS MUSEUM. KUBINKA, RUSSIA<div style="text-align:justify;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lMa2Eu8zlHhmpWtRHFsCmKdAzj4vMeMm_rG9XL5uMxGqlNmJRGuUXcfwpWbVDdNkpXwtifr3R2DX1uOXvhj7y2Ou1t8MGfEocHBAwJknAmNzYl9QS_-2dOQyNP717Xc0zOJF6iubRjU/s1600-h/mus_pavilion1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 336px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383925156078019762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lMa2Eu8zlHhmpWtRHFsCmKdAzj4vMeMm_rG9XL5uMxGqlNmJRGuUXcfwpWbVDdNkpXwtifr3R2DX1uOXvhj7y2Ou1t8MGfEocHBAwJknAmNzYl9QS_-2dOQyNP717Xc0zOJF6iubRjU/s400/mus_pavilion1.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">PAVILION 1</span></em><br /><br />The history of the tanks collection is the history of the Armored Forces of the Red/ Soviet/ Russian Army.<br /><br />During World War II the USSR received American & British tanks under Lend-Lease. The bulk of foreign tanks in the collection was captured during World War II. Others were obtained by exchange with the British Armor Museum or were given by Soviet allies and clients from items they captured in Viet-Nam, Korea, Cuba, Middle East Wars, etc.<br /><br />There are 129 Russian items including many prototype models of vehicles that were not produced in quantity.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegI4zIfnQFjGJx3b8PMBwsfN9Y4dOri1VZyxQ-zJkjYvD8tZqjGom6WLKwJS_s_8r8AtKOcCTiaKzKyN5lILEMQlmXtLyt625SwF3bC0l6ert-9hP8f2N6imkpavZhAPJ3rn6RyL8zds/s1600-h/mus_Heavy+assault+gun+su-152.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 178px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383925153950756850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegI4zIfnQFjGJx3b8PMBwsfN9Y4dOri1VZyxQ-zJkjYvD8tZqjGom6WLKwJS_s_8r8AtKOcCTiaKzKyN5lILEMQlmXtLyt625SwF3bC0l6ert-9hP8f2N6imkpavZhAPJ3rn6RyL8zds/s400/mus_Heavy+assault+gun+su-152.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">SOVIET SU 152 HEAVY ASSAULT GUN</span></em><br /><br />Long time the owner of this tank collection was the special secret soviet military Institution (Laboratory) specializing for the testing any kind of tanks.<br /><br />The museum was opened September 10-th 1978.<br /><br />Now the Museum of Armored Vehicles and Equipment has one of the largest collections of armored vehicles in the world. Vehicles from 11 foreign countries are represented. The 290 items range from 3-5 ton light tanks and armored cars to a super-heavy, 180 ton monster. There are 40 self-propelled guns from 57 to 600 caliber, 30 armored cars, 10 reconnaissance and command vehicles, and a variety of technical and engineer support vehicles.<br /><br />In 2000 year the old vehicles were re-painted in original manner by the Russian specialists of the historical society. Now tanks look like in their historical period.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiNRWa_dnS9FBKfxMM-OfwOOiUKfH5WRR4BetEuDVY5eZdp7ltj2MR_-UvpbWpyQK3ZeLCmYrWNkOoR-GR2nHHnZgbXGVS8BuoKbHHATj1DEaRFOB-l1hV3sceCr-p_nv0HKmOZdCTtQ/s1600-h/mus_t34-85.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 350px; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383925166892997682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiNRWa_dnS9FBKfxMM-OfwOOiUKfH5WRR4BetEuDVY5eZdp7ltj2MR_-UvpbWpyQK3ZeLCmYrWNkOoR-GR2nHHnZgbXGVS8BuoKbHHATj1DEaRFOB-l1hV3sceCr-p_nv0HKmOZdCTtQ/s400/mus_t34-85.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">THE WWII HERO - SOVIET T-34<br /></span></em><br />The T-34 is often used as a symbol for Soviet resistance and German arrogance. As such, its actual performance and impact on the war is often overrated. Nevertheless, the appearance of the T34 definitely was an unpleasant surprise for the German commanders, as it could combat all 1942 German tanks effectively. It was faster, had better armament (50mm was the predominant calibre of German tanks guns) and better armour protection, due to the technical innovation of sloped armour.<br /><br />However, direct tank to tank combat was a rather rare occurrence; the vast majority of losses suffered were from logistical and mechanical troubles (50% of Soviet tanks at the start of the German invasion), artillery and air strikes and (self-propelled) anti-tank guns. At the outset of the war, only about 10% of all Soviet tanks were T-34 variants, this number increased to 50-60% percent till mid-1943. By the time the T-34 had replaced older models and became available in greater numbers, new German tanks (including the improved German design based on the T-34, the Panzer-V 'Panther') outperformed it.<br /><br />Still, the T-34 was an adequate and effective tank and played a big part in the defeat of the German invaders.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXxUrbmSbzaf-Ie5puh0LY2io_7F9EYDmF3kHyGh7UWaXcegUs9c5iiv1hBO11O4Nny3s0yWF_xAuwoo6Yl-By5-vAEE3Sih0sXAyxj96jdr_Ylsaj-mWKnFrLHQeecdPEEVXhm2QNqg/s1600-h/mus_german_pav6.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 350px; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383925146021051282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXxUrbmSbzaf-Ie5puh0LY2io_7F9EYDmF3kHyGh7UWaXcegUs9c5iiv1hBO11O4Nny3s0yWF_xAuwoo6Yl-By5-vAEE3Sih0sXAyxj96jdr_Ylsaj-mWKnFrLHQeecdPEEVXhm2QNqg/s400/mus_german_pav6.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">PAVILION 6. GERMAN TANKS</span></em><br /></div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-33213900585498066372009-09-08T08:26:00.000-07:002009-09-08T08:37:37.236-07:00AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB MUSEUM. IT'S NOT BIG BUT WORTH TO VISIT<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb86f-3WMLVvL_88xzxGBM0fCO96HN0iO_dduba7HvxYTzEFrc-D_j54NhmPfjLe83SKRRPrtn_PSCmWGv2SZm5bHonxs_D92d98-Anp9pNxB2Y2La_lhAKWGz3QEijzHhLBg7WyA31X8/s1600-h/mus_dog.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379120514700018114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb86f-3WMLVvL_88xzxGBM0fCO96HN0iO_dduba7HvxYTzEFrc-D_j54NhmPfjLe83SKRRPrtn_PSCmWGv2SZm5bHonxs_D92d98-Anp9pNxB2Y2La_lhAKWGz3QEijzHhLBg7WyA31X8/s400/mus_dog.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog, located at 1721 S. Mason Rd., in beautiful Queeny Park, West St. Louis County, Missouri, is home to the world's finest collection of art devoted to the dog. The 14,000 sq. ft. facility, which includes historic Jarville House (1853), displays over 500 original paintings, drawings, watercolors, prints, sculptures in bronze and porcelain, and a variety of decorative arts objects depicting man's best friend throughout the age. On permanent display is Sir Edwin Landseer's oil on canvas of a Deerhound and Recumbent Foxhound and many Maud Earl portraits of various terrier breeds.<br /><br />The Museum is open year-round and available to visitors Tuesday - Saturday from 10 AM - 4 PM, and Sundays 1 PM - 5 PM (closed Mondays and holidays). Queeny Park, home of the Museum, is accessible from highway/interstate 40/64 at the Mason Rd. exit or from I-270 by taking the Manchester exit to Mason Rd.<br /><br />The Museum Gift Shop offers a wide array of gift items for you and your companion pet including tapestry pillows, ceramic and jeweled dog dishes, books on dogs, umbrellas, stationary, T-shirts, and jewelry, as well as one of a kind objects exclusive to The Dog Museum.<br /><br />A book and video library is available by appointment for research on purebred dogs and animal artists.<br /><br />The Museum also offers indoor and outdoor rental space for business meetings, dog club activities, and special events.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoBhll1HTChGtX1Gw-pnRk9XW9mVTVTFB-g9745xUkfSPZvKLuzuyUfHkuOY6kad0jRTHf-Ad3PxhpkyDPfdfwWjU3YaCScvVf9_pSKPfk5_GrousOVRBDDNRhBQ863Je52iqWydU7Gc/s1600-h/mus_dog1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379120516125461938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoBhll1HTChGtX1Gw-pnRk9XW9mVTVTFB-g9745xUkfSPZvKLuzuyUfHkuOY6kad0jRTHf-Ad3PxhpkyDPfdfwWjU3YaCScvVf9_pSKPfk5_GrousOVRBDDNRhBQ863Je52iqWydU7Gc/s400/mus_dog1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc6600;">How It All Began</span><br /><br />The genesis of The Dog Museum was a meeting held in 1971 by members of the Westminster Kennel Club. It was their intention, besides presenting the pre-eminent dog show in the country, to "improve the life of the dog through humane education, to gather and add knowledge on the care and history of the dog, and to develop and support a museum of art and books focusing on the dog." From this initial resolution, a group of interested people, members of the Westminster club, their wives and other interested parties formed the Westminster Kennel Club Foundation to pursue these aims.<br /><br />In 1973 the foundation conducted a survey to see the level of support for such a project. The results were encouraging and a brochure sent out to solicit funds brought in some financial donations as well as gifts of art and books. Invitations were sent out by the Westminster Kennel Club in February 1979 to a meeting of a diverse group of dog fanciers at which it was decided that an affiliation was needed with an organization with broader contacts. The American Kennel Club was the most fitting solution. The following June, the AKC established the American Kennel Club Foundation. Its specific goal was to set up a museum and library of the dog. The next step was the selection of a director for the museum and in May 1981 William Secord started work as the first director of what was then known as The Dog Museum of America. The AKC had space available at their headquarters in the New York Life Building at 51 Madison Avenue in New York, into which the fledgling museum promptly moved. The first exhibit opened on 8 February 1982; it was entitled "The Museum Collects." An elegant party was held to commemorate the event. The museum officially opened to the public on 15 September 1982 with an exhibition called "Best of Friends: The Dog and Art."<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEgUW4nDcd0sVt65Rj1hxBjghWugNHzGmffS8mYKbRz8cObJp4o1h-s-NZiayLPy0l3Wu1M2KlkzSBC5X2I3mx7Sqp2YNHTQiTmtpzKmKCSnNq4sefUzlnTWAuT31ENWZ4-XfgDxLq2U/s1600-h/mus_dog2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379120525331451474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEgUW4nDcd0sVt65Rj1hxBjghWugNHzGmffS8mYKbRz8cObJp4o1h-s-NZiayLPy0l3Wu1M2KlkzSBC5X2I3mx7Sqp2YNHTQiTmtpzKmKCSnNq4sefUzlnTWAuT31ENWZ4-XfgDxLq2U/s400/mus_dog2.jpg" /></a><br /><br />From the beginning, dog-related corporations have been most generous to the museum. A gift from the Gaines Dog Research Center formed the core of the museum library. The active participation of Hill's Pet Products started in 1983 when they underwrote an exhibition called 'The Dog Observed." lams has sponsored exhibitions, Ralston Purina and Pedigree/KalKan have endowed galleries in the museum and provided other services and funds as well. J.P. Morgan & Co. Inc. has provided equipment and grants. The Westminster Foundation has continued their generous support. By 1985 it was apparent that The Dog Museum was outgrowing its loaned space at 51 Madison Avenue. It seemed a good time to become a separate entity and search for a location elsewhere. Five cities (Denver; Los Angeles; Pebble Hill, Georgia; Orlando; and St. Louis) invited the consideration of the board of directors. The board, chaired by Mrs. Robert V. Lindsay and the president of the museum, Mrs. Dorothy Welsh, voted to move to St. Louis in September of 1986. By November of 1987 the move had been completed into Jarville House, the charming Monsanto Greek Revival house in the 570-acre Queeny Park outside St. Louis. An addition to the museum increasing the total space to 14,000 sq. feet was opened in the spring of 1991. The carriage house adjacent to Jarville House was transformed into a museum shop which overlooks the Charing Cross Courtyard, the gift of Mr. Gilbert S. Kahn. The museum addition provided the museum with four more galleries and a very large community room used by local dog clubs, civic groups and individuals.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jTA8nf89sfaaEYS4ti1kbI84RTIi80djakQFPtHmK7Y8x7ji_SpQym80aRv0C6QmRW18_BjSdlNDgvyKvykP_nZsgMI6uirqkBahCP7nxuOAA472NbSYn3JfX8RpWA5Ba9Fxs7umuho/s1600-h/mus_dog3.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 344px; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379120530698211890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jTA8nf89sfaaEYS4ti1kbI84RTIi80djakQFPtHmK7Y8x7ji_SpQym80aRv0C6QmRW18_BjSdlNDgvyKvykP_nZsgMI6uirqkBahCP7nxuOAA472NbSYn3JfX8RpWA5Ba9Fxs7umuho/s400/mus_dog3.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Again, generous financial support was forthcoming to help in the construction of this fine facility from the County of St. Louis, private individuals and corporations as well as the museum's original supporter, the Westminster Kennel Club.<br /><br />By 1995 it became clear to the board of directors that while the museum's collection of art was increasing in both volume and value, the financial support was not keeping pace. A re-affiliation with the AKC was completed in October of 1995 and the official name of the museum became The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog. </div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-85367785459904902702009-09-05T08:41:00.001-07:002009-09-05T08:41:34.625-07:00FINNISH HOCKEY HALL OF FAME. TAMPERE<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br />Have you ever heard about <span style="color:#cc6600;">Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame</span>. No? But there is one located in Tampere, the second large town of Finland.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGnifw9FE1Hi0m0LSuQCIcKnrHBn51o9h0mADCy4y13cIFt5h6iwjDGOAikcEPpEMS2GMBF93D4p0V8_txnpY_EEd94M2HiobwRbRCQhyphenhyphenwspfp4RHgcqNO3UEVwrloal4hH7xBBkUSgk/s1600-h/mus_tampere1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378007107767548946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGnifw9FE1Hi0m0LSuQCIcKnrHBn51o9h0mADCy4y13cIFt5h6iwjDGOAikcEPpEMS2GMBF93D4p0V8_txnpY_EEd94M2HiobwRbRCQhyphenhyphenwspfp4RHgcqNO3UEVwrloal4hH7xBBkUSgk/s400/mus_tampere1.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">The Museum exhibition rooms at the Hakametsä Ice Arena in 2000. Photo: Carlos Salinas Bascur. Tampere Museums.</span></em><br /><br />The Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame is one of the six museums in the world that have specialized in the history of the ice hockey. The museum holds more than 10,000 hockey-related objects in its collections.<br /><br />The vigorous journey of the Finnish ice hockey from the end of the 1920's up to today is introduced in the permanent exhibition of the Museum. The best-known exhibition objects are the Finnish Championship Trophy, the 'Canada Trophy', and the World Championship Trophy from 1995.<br /><br />The Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame has its foundations in the 50th anniversary of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association in 1979. In honour of the anniversary, a local bank in Tampere region (Tampereen Aluesäästöpankki) arranged a historical hockey exhibition in its premises.<br /><br />The exhibition was a tremendous success and later the same year Mr. Aarne Honkavaara, Mr. Kalervo Kummola, Mr. Kimmo Leinonen, Mr. Harry Lindblad, Mr. Juhani Linkosuo and Mr. Usko Teromaa founded the association called Suomen Jääkiekkomuseoyhdistys ry. ('Finnish Ice Hockey Museum Association').<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIVWeuWVO_s0_0xXspawH-27mh4MWeeozYLFV7m0DOahL2Xzn-a0AAoFTMLBi9DRjflc9pWKc3eruIW07L9LtyhxES6KbPsDGk2ayAft9Stm-N_2njsN3OccvrbuVD1zz_SgfUgTiOaY/s1600-h/mus_tampere2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378007112423581138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIVWeuWVO_s0_0xXspawH-27mh4MWeeozYLFV7m0DOahL2Xzn-a0AAoFTMLBi9DRjflc9pWKc3eruIW07L9LtyhxES6KbPsDGk2ayAft9Stm-N_2njsN3OccvrbuVD1zz_SgfUgTiOaY/s400/mus_tampere2.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">The Stanley Cup winner Ville Nieminen meets Aarne Honkavaara, the Honorary President of the Finnish Ice Hockey Museum Association, at the opening ceremony of the new Museum exhibition rooms in September 2001. Photo: Carlos Salinas Bascur. Tampere Museums.</span></em><br /><br />Ms. Pirkko Linkosuo who acted as the secretary of the Association was the first one to collect objects for the museum. She started this activity by contacting the players of the Finnish League of the 1930's. Suitable exhibition rooms were found at the Tampere Ice Arena and the Museum was opened for public on the 13th of December in 1979.<br /><br />Mr. Aarne Honkavaara, who has been awarded the title of Honorary Sports Counsellor, worked as the Museum Attendant at the Ice Arena for almost 20 years. Together with his wife Maire, he took care of the routine matters of the Museum and presented the exhibition to thousands of visitors annually. A visitor record was made in 1996 as more than 12,000 people visited the museum.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocUuru-5gBhVzH9zp8i9g12polgpNFOUgHrz7WwtPfYfYBtFTIH5asz095vnbvxoHBx8i3Ctj45v1t8Zb15v-Bv2S08xZ03xaLzTRcnidNxPKd7x7IK8Zs5EwqU1mzsjhoM6hjqKitPc/s1600-h/mus_tampere3.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 265px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378007119069516082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocUuru-5gBhVzH9zp8i9g12polgpNFOUgHrz7WwtPfYfYBtFTIH5asz095vnbvxoHBx8i3Ctj45v1t8Zb15v-Bv2S08xZ03xaLzTRcnidNxPKd7x7IK8Zs5EwqU1mzsjhoM6hjqKitPc/s400/mus_tampere3.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Goalie masks from the 1960's. Photo: Carlos Salinas Bascur. Tampere Museums.</span></em><br /><br />The exhibition room at the Tampere Ice Arena was closed for public in the end of 2000and the new permanent exhibition was opened in Museum Centre Vapriikki in April 2001<br /><br />The permanent exhibition of the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame presents the history of the Finnish ice hockey from the 1920's to the present. Jerseys, sticks and other equipment from different decades tell their own story about the development of hockey. The absolute gem of the exhibition is the original Finnish Championship Trophy, the Canada Cup, yearly awarded to the Finnish champions since 1951.<br /><br />The exhibition objects and video clips bring many memorable moments of the Finnish hockey back to the visitor's mind. Also all championship medals won by Team Finland as well as the World Championship Trophy from 1995 are on display in the Museum.<br /><br />The exhibition room also introduces a scoring simulator.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhuqMrmmPqQuGRcSEUe1K_dmM6jtv3WuDNuy8DPdbLeaxEz3SY2flfHWXvDKXRI5zxjYiHgoYh3xxKX7eBco4a-sixXpf_SOEHpP3rA2Vh_Q3iBfXbopLLKSl7eFY26lmqA1_fbULzLs/s1600-h/mus_tampere4.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 202px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378007126736328706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhuqMrmmPqQuGRcSEUe1K_dmM6jtv3WuDNuy8DPdbLeaxEz3SY2flfHWXvDKXRI5zxjYiHgoYh3xxKX7eBco4a-sixXpf_SOEHpP3rA2Vh_Q3iBfXbopLLKSl7eFY26lmqA1_fbULzLs/s400/mus_tampere4.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Finnish team in Oslo in 1952. Top row from left: Lauri Silvan, Esko Rekomaa, Christian Rapp, Erkki Hytönen, Matti Karumaa, Aarne Honkavaara, Yrjö Hakala, Keijo Kuusela and Eero Saari. Bottom row from left: Jukka Wuolio, Pentti Isotalo, Eero Salisma, Unto Wiitala, Pekka Myllylä, Ossi Kauppi, Matti Rintakoski and Kauko Mäkinen. Photo: Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame.</span></em><br /><br />The Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame preserves, studies and introduces material related to ice hockey. It has a collection of more than 10,000 objects of which the original Canada Cup (Finnish championship trophy) and the World Championship Trophy of 1995 are the best-known to the public. All Championship medals won by Team Finland can also be found in the Museum.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NsnhvoXgEh2aG3ceBTesG7fvhgm3Qv_9LQ9JMZTIPp3piZgsldVuezCFKfxx1hNwDmpX025sk327XhQxXGhwjrA528kyuVLVgz4RTpBpbCgH5LkDLqqfPWYG9dBmtQwrymJH9Ix24DM/s1600-h/mus_tampere5.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378008366220576226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NsnhvoXgEh2aG3ceBTesG7fvhgm3Qv_9LQ9JMZTIPp3piZgsldVuezCFKfxx1hNwDmpX025sk327XhQxXGhwjrA528kyuVLVgz4RTpBpbCgH5LkDLqqfPWYG9dBmtQwrymJH9Ix24DM/s400/mus_tampere5.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo by NIKALE1</span><br /></em><br />The Museum's jersey collection includes over 500 jerseys. The permanent exhibition introduces you for example Stanley Cup winner Ville Nieminen's away games jersey that he wore in the NHL finals in 2001 as he played with the Colorado Avalanche. Pekka Rautakallio's NHL All Stars Game jersey from 1982 is also on display. A wide collection of jerseys worn by Team Finland starting from the year 1948 can also be found.<br /><br />The Museum receives the objects mainly through donations. Admission costs are -Adults: 7 €, Children 7 to 16 and students: 2 €, Children under 7: Free of charge<br /><br />I hope you have enjoyed this trip. For me, I was glad to find Carl Brewer, Gustav Bubnik and Curt Lindstrom (all at coaches department) as members of Finnish Hall of Fame among all Suomi guys. </div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-87128087216588045882009-08-23T09:24:00.000-07:002009-08-23T09:48:08.325-07:00ROMANOV's MEMORIAL. EKATERINBURG, RUSSIA.<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9exhUEoy0r3lP2dvHspssq0yP0U3CnZaH1YsIs9i0zEYExRaVNW7zuIiBwXmdFMCrxagI8JgqM8MBPIR8ozN6Weww8Zyq22kxjdLnXyhX2n3sxPNlbscKNcKnM0iE53Rs3xB2Rz3hkU/s1600-h/mus_romanovs.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 330px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373199704994041858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9exhUEoy0r3lP2dvHspssq0yP0U3CnZaH1YsIs9i0zEYExRaVNW7zuIiBwXmdFMCrxagI8JgqM8MBPIR8ozN6Weww8Zyq22kxjdLnXyhX2n3sxPNlbscKNcKnM0iE53Rs3xB2Rz3hkU/s400/mus_romanovs.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">ROMANOV'S FAMILY</span></em><br /><br />In 2006 the Sverdlovsk (Ekaterinburg) Regional Museum, Russia has opened a museum in memory of the last Russia czar Nikolai the II, his family and Romanov dynasty. The permanent exhibition features documents and exhibits related to life and death of the last Russian Emperor Nikolai the II and his family.<br /><br />The exposition with its unique documents unveils the murder of the tsar`s family and the circumstances surrounding this crime.<br /><br />Visitors can also learn here about the history of the exploration of the development of the Ural region during the reign of the Romanov dynasty.<br /><br />The initiator of the museum is Alexander Avdonin, the head of the foundation Obreteniye (“Discovery”). It was he with his friends who found the remains of the Emperor`s family in Ganina Yama (Ganina Pit) in 1978. Later Alexander Avdonin went on with his research about life and death of the last Russian Emperor and provided part of the displays of the new museum.<br /><br /><em><span style="color:#cc6600;">SHORT HISTORICAL NOTES.</span></em><br /><br />When it was decided to imprison the Romanov family in Ekaterinburg, the Bolsheviks chose a house located in the historical center of the city on Voznessenski Street to be used as a jail : Ipatiev house, after its owner's name, Nicholas Ipatiev. This man lived here with his family on the first floor of the house and used the ground floor rooms of his house as offices to his metallurgy business. It was a spacious (18 by 31 square meters), modern, and comfortable house with electricity, a telephone, and even a bathroom and lavatory. The house also had a terrace and a little garden with some trees and bushes like poplar, birch, and lime.<br /><br />The house was built on ground with a double slope and part of the ground floor rooms on Voznessenski Street were almost in the basement.<br /><br />The house was built in 1897 by a man named Andrei Redikortsev, who was an engineer in the iron mines. But Andrei Redikortsev was involved in corruption cases and was forced to sell his house to another man, IG Charaviev. This man also worked in platinum mines in the west of the Urals. Later, in 1908, IG Charaviev sold the house to Nicholas Ipatiev for 6000 rubles.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztMb6Tj9HfxGwonfVW3NiUqGP0n3EWakRqQ_bMvBo_asqSnSqrjAC0Xi2g8EzwiB_ymzg6Y8ww-b8GJHA2Vs4mIg6oXuIBpYCflHYfYc4aMcHuQcmkuDsfruz3gZIXogtU12k-z3d_tE/s1600-h/mus_ipatiev-house.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 265px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373199697052570450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztMb6Tj9HfxGwonfVW3NiUqGP0n3EWakRqQ_bMvBo_asqSnSqrjAC0Xi2g8EzwiB_ymzg6Y8ww-b8GJHA2Vs4mIg6oXuIBpYCflHYfYc4aMcHuQcmkuDsfruz3gZIXogtU12k-z3d_tE/s400/mus_ipatiev-house.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">IPATIEV HOUSE<br /></span></em><br />Ten years later, on Saturday, the 27th of April, the Bolsheviks asked Nicholas Ipatiev to leave his house with two days notice after having stored his belongings in a closed, small room on the ground floor. On the map, it's the little room next to the cellar room.<br /><br />After Nicholas Ipatiev's departure, the Bolsheviks built a high wooden fence all round the Ipatiev house, transforming the house into a fortress. The house had become "the house of special purpose," ready to welcome the Romanov family...<br /><br />On July, 17, 1918, shortly after midnight, Yakov Yurovsky, the head Bolshevik captor of the royal family awoke his prisoners and asked them to go down in the house basement to take shelter. He said that the white army were encircling the city and that battle was imminent.<br />Former Czar Nicholas II, his wife Aleksandra, their four daughters, Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, Tsarevich Alexei, and their faithful: Doctor Botkin, lady-in-waiting Anna Demidova, cooker Kharitonof and footman Trupp quickly woke up.<br /><br />After getting themselves ready, the prisoners went down in the house basement under Yurovsky's leadership to a cellar room where he asked them to wait so that he could prepare their departure towards a safer place.<br />Outside, the Romanovs could hear an engine noise. Yurovsky disappeared.<br />For the prisoners, the waiting was prolonged. Aleksandra asked for some chairs. Someone brought them two. Suddenly, Yurovsky entered the room with 10 militia, armed with rifles and pistols, who formed a killing rank...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2foE8ORGzp8LTqap5z1qGXm1OoA0yQC1bNWjxaJ62YnNmlmX2IbQqrZqNClk4i0a5nJkgqOeDZwSXajBVzsJ_kfhuiCYcIkSRd1zZ8IuTZuzVL-1kqrSjkevr1Isthiybc_izAG6lOvs/s1600-h/mus_drama.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 269px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373199689641269826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2foE8ORGzp8LTqap5z1qGXm1OoA0yQC1bNWjxaJ62YnNmlmX2IbQqrZqNClk4i0a5nJkgqOeDZwSXajBVzsJ_kfhuiCYcIkSRd1zZ8IuTZuzVL-1kqrSjkevr1Isthiybc_izAG6lOvs/s400/mus_drama.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">'Execution du Tsar а Ekaterinenbourg le 17 juillet 1918'<br />by the french painter Sarmat.</span></em><br /><br />Then, they reloaded the bodies on trucks (including the 4 which were chared) in order to bury them in another deeper pit mine located not far from there.<br />But after some miles, the Fiat truck got stuck in the mud. As they were near a level crossing, they took here wood planks so that the truck might get over the mud and decided to bury the bodies in this place, under the road.<br />They started to dig a hole, quickly put the bodies in it, recovered it with wood planks and left the place, expecting to finish the work later.<br />But events did not leave them the time to end their task because some days after, on 25 th July, Ekaterinburg felt to the advancing white army...<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">I would like to thank Royal Russia News and Romanovs Memorial for this material</span></em> </div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-20700499132113815912009-08-18T13:52:00.000-07:002009-08-18T14:02:00.199-07:00GERMANY, BERLIN - SAUSAGE MUSEUM<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">By Caroline Copley, Reuters</span></em><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOZ0Pz7iV20DFOfsg01_X8ltjXmT5-WTRJUiIVbVLlHNg4oAPdR6d7D06GbXnw3OnN33FIta9BjgpYoFKkUCc5P5Fja7XtF2uJvlmXprlooVJKk0chyO380osF-S_HVzA298cC1S-TTQ/s1600-h/mus_german+sausage.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 261px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371410823118538690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOZ0Pz7iV20DFOfsg01_X8ltjXmT5-WTRJUiIVbVLlHNg4oAPdR6d7D06GbXnw3OnN33FIta9BjgpYoFKkUCc5P5Fja7XtF2uJvlmXprlooVJKk0chyO380osF-S_HVzA298cC1S-TTQ/s400/mus_german+sausage.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">A performer disguised as a currywurst sausage poses in between giant fries at the <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">German Currywurst Museum</a> in Berlin. The exhibition, thematising the history and preparation of the currywurst sausage, opened August 15, 2009 for visitors. The German speciality consists of a sausage in a sauce made of ketchup and curry powder.Photograph by: Michael Gottschalk, AFP/Getty Images</span></em><br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">BERLIN</a> -- In the year that Berlin's best loved sausage, the Currywurst, celebrates its 60th Birthday a new museum showcasing the cult snack will open in the capital this weekend.<br />The Currywurst Museum, which claims to be Germany's first dedicated to the popular dish, opens its doors on August 15, welcoming visitors with the slogan, "Currywurst is more than just a sausage - it's one of life's experiences in Germany.<br />"No other national German dish inspires so much history and has so many well-known fans," said museum curator, Martin Loewer, who came up with the idea for the museum four years ago.<br />Of Germany's wide range of sausages, the currywurst is a national favorite, made from sliced pork sausage served with a sauce made of ketchup and curry powder.<br />Germans consume about 800 million currywursts annually -- 70 million are eaten in Berlin alone each year.<br />An array of interactive exhibits guide visitors along a 'sauce trail' through the history and variety of the beloved dish that has worldwide connoisseurs and even inspired a song by German musician, Herbert Groenemeyer.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUkn53s6XbVCFUchfdmEXkbbUf0hNp0Kp7LfBPB5GldVDocJUe-h9yV5B-Tea2ZFfyXfo5EWCaw6mJgU4xoim-gSRJ0w8uDal82OtE5wLA2KJYaX4pY_86Zm34_0OePSQD3-ahLTTaT8/s1600-h/mus_germ_sous.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 236px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371411410581495890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUkn53s6XbVCFUchfdmEXkbbUf0hNp0Kp7LfBPB5GldVDocJUe-h9yV5B-Tea2ZFfyXfo5EWCaw6mJgU4xoim-gSRJ0w8uDal82OtE5wLA2KJYaX4pY_86Zm34_0OePSQD3-ahLTTaT8/s400/mus_germ_sous.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Guests can climb inside a currywurst van, slice and prepare their own computer generated offerings against the clock and watch Grace Lee's 22 minute documentary film, "Best of the Wurst" (2004).<br />A spice chamber scents the air with curry powder as guests relax on the giant 'sauce sofa', shaped like a squirt of ketchup while an eco-alley assesses the environmental impact of fast food.<br />Tickets cost between seven and 11 euros ($15.70) and the museum expects about 350,000visitors annually. Merchandise ranges from kitchenware to cuddly currywursts retailing at 29.90 euros.<br />Loewer said he expected the museum to be popular despite the current economic crisis.<br />"Precisely in times of crisis (the Currywurst) is an excellent ambassador for the experience of Berlin. If nothing else the currywurst was born out of a time of crisis."<br />According to the museum, the currywurst was concocted by Berliner Herta Heuwer in 1949 when rationing was still in place in West Berlin. She began experimenting with ingredients provided by British soldiers living in the capital.<br />Nowadays hungry punters at one of Berlin's 2,000 currywurst stands have the choice of with or without intestine.<br />"Both are very popular," said Wolfgang Klamt, 56, who works at Bier's snack bar at Friedrichstrasse train station. "But I prefer mine with intestine - that's the proper hearty Berlin sausage." </div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-63728426843003155342009-08-12T07:09:00.000-07:002009-08-17T08:31:30.862-07:00VATICAN, SISTINE CHAPEL. THE PRACTICAL HINTS<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br />If you are heading to the Vatican City this year, you might consider hopping on a guided tour. Of course, visitors are not required to be part of a tour but the Vatican Museums' outstanding art collection and the sheer size (stretching over 9 miles) of the Vatican Museums really does require a bit of guidance.<br /><br />There is a plethora of options for touring but keep in mind that the quality of tours can vary immensely. The tour company you choose can make or break your trip so be sure to do your research in order to find the tour company that best fits your requirements.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBuFr1i1xlp_cudQ42BJw_yaZzl72n-stVt-RwlcSUNZzRipe_WuJtWm86o8tyPvF7XNa_Rndcqla-6lvHnQf_P3LD1zPoWVztu3UUAApReCSzyG3pGfOSwcVZMdJp0JOAGAMgNKlCwI/s1600-h/mus_sistine-chapel.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370954673916842050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBuFr1i1xlp_cudQ42BJw_yaZzl72n-stVt-RwlcSUNZzRipe_WuJtWm86o8tyPvF7XNa_Rndcqla-6lvHnQf_P3LD1zPoWVztu3UUAApReCSzyG3pGfOSwcVZMdJp0JOAGAMgNKlCwI/s400/mus_sistine-chapel.jpg" /></a><br /><br />A few suggestions on creating a memorable visit at the Vatican:<br /><br /><em><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Galleries.</a></em><br />Ask about the content of the tour. The Vatican collection is one of the largest in the world so the itinerary of the tours could vary greatly depending on which company you tour with. In fact, the reason that 'Vatican Museums' is plural is because there are several mini-museums that make up the 'Vatican Musuems'. (To take a peek at the collection visit Sections of the Vatican Museums) . Most all tours will visit the Sistine Chapel but check to make sure that St. Peter's Basilica is included, an architectual masterpiece in itself.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale"><em>Group Size.</em> </a><br />Inquire about group size. If you would like the opportunity to ask questions throughout your tour or to converse with your guide it is a good idea to choose a company that specializes in small group tours. Many groups are 30 people or more which makes the visit a bit impersonal and difficult to follow....but you need to ask in advance to find out the specific company's maximum group size. Presto Tours and MyVaticanTour are two companies that specialize in small group tours and have had positive reviews on the travel forums)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale"><em>Guides.</em><br /></a>Make sure your guide speaks great English (or your preferred language) with little to no accent. This can be a major deciding point in whether you enjoy your tour or not. Then again, just because your guide is a native English speaker doesn't mean they're a great guide. Inquire about guides' qualifications. Are they teachers, art historians, students, academics? Have they simply memorized a script? Do the guides have a broad education or is their knowledge limited to the Vatican in itself? Are they personable?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale"><em>Children.</em> </a><br />Find out if the company has tours that are catered to children or if the tour is recommended for children. (Sometimes you can even make a special request for a guide who is exceptional with small children)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale"><em>Reviews.</em> </a><br />Check to see what past guests have said about the tour company. Tripadvisor is a great place to start. Or, sometimes the tour company will provide you with references and you could call or write to their past guests.<br /><br /><em><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Long lines.</a> </em><br />Don't choose a tour company just because they skip the line. Quality is more important than the amount of time you spend in line. However, if you find a quality tour company and would like to avoid the long lines make sure that your company skips the line in an ethical way; the Vatican Museums has a limited number of travel agent partners who are preapproved for using their special entrance. Beware that there are also companies who claim to skip the line but merely cut in front of someone when you arrive--a bit unethical especially since other travelers sometimes stand up to 2 hours in the same line.<br /><br /><em><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Wheelchair use.</a></em><br />If you or a member of your group has physical difficulty with stairs you may want to use a wheelchair (which are available for free use in the Vatican Museums lobby). Keep in mind that oftentimes wheelchairs are not welcome on group tours because the Vatican Museums' layout is such that one in a wheel chair would need to take a different path through the museums due to lack of elevators. Check in advance.<br /><br /><em><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Walking Tour or Bus Tour?</a> </em><br />Some tour companies advertise their tours without mentioning that the first half of the tour will be spent on a bus and that the actual time spent admiring the Vatican's treasures will be very limited--an hour or less. Once you reach the Vatican City, no buses are allowed entry-all tours will be walking tours. Be sure to get the facts straight. Rome is very small so hotel pick-up is rather a nuisance if it means losing 1 or 2 hours of indulging in art, when, in reality, you could get to the Vatican on your own just as easily using public transport.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Related Reading. </a><br />Prepare yourself before you leave for your trip to Italy, read a book that is related to the Vatican's history, its artists, its Popes, and its religion. That way, you will be able to engage in the tour and pose questions to your expert guide.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale"><em>Tour Cost.</em><br /></a>Compare prices and find the best deal for a quality tour. Just because the price is high does not mean the quality is high.<br />Extras. In addition to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica there are also some lesser known attractions of the Vatican City: the Vatican Gardens, the Scavi Tour, the Papal Audience, the Pope's tombs, Michelangelo's Dome (which you can climb until the late afternoon), and the Vatican Historical Museum. Give yourself plenty of time to explore and book in advance to ensure you get to see all of these areas as the crowds tend to fill up spots very quickly.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2VdcTB3SCcCMuwzxwSf7lEd9lspYbvQUXLLOLFOA-NQMRvNnMtOGIXJNFUANRDZjbi5WtSWZv0wsCO5VJT43EGkWpYfeNU9SYjNTae6UNkyLRNVE0LSgpzbkKBPMezfiRRDoLF1YN4U/s1600-h/mus_michelangelo.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 231px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370954668571858370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2VdcTB3SCcCMuwzxwSf7lEd9lspYbvQUXLLOLFOA-NQMRvNnMtOGIXJNFUANRDZjbi5WtSWZv0wsCO5VJT43EGkWpYfeNU9SYjNTae6UNkyLRNVE0LSgpzbkKBPMezfiRRDoLF1YN4U/s400/mus_michelangelo.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">The Creation of Adam. Michelangelo. 1508-1512.<br /></span></em><br />Learning while traveling is a real joy so hopefully you will choose to reap the benefits of joining a guided tour. Whatever your decision, have a wonderul visit, remember the dress code in the warm months (women must cover knees and shoulders and men must wear long pants-no shorts or tank tops allowed), relax, and delight in the Vatican City State! </div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-9918101074655071302009-08-10T08:53:00.000-07:002009-08-14T09:29:22.576-07:00VATICAN, SISTINE CHAPEL. PART THREE<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">DECORATION</a><br /><br />The walls are divided into three main tiers. The lower is decorated with frescoed wall hangings in silver and gold. The central tier of the walls has two cycles of paintings, which complement each other, The Life of Moses and The Life of Christ. They were commissioned in 1480 by Pope Sixtus IV and executed by Ghirlandaio, Botticelli, Perugino, and Cosimo Roselli and their workshops. The upper tier is divided into two zones. At the lower level of the windows is a Gallery of Popes painted at the same time as the Lives. Around the arched tops of the windows are areas known as the lunettes which contain the Ancestors of Christ, painted by Michelangelo as part of the scheme for the ceiling.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTYbmOWBRyGKHhtgnk5XYVA-Za5oTuOxjkIQSFaoeMUMeHZS1m7BYlEv9a7qB3_seQEWHLJLgk2x3GBvHw0aZu-h29XxD33X02n-REfxPph3D6r2mEIvZzTCRlzXFScUJX35GelhFXIE/s1600-h/mus_juliusII.bmp"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 263px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369854040074358882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTYbmOWBRyGKHhtgnk5XYVA-Za5oTuOxjkIQSFaoeMUMeHZS1m7BYlEv9a7qB3_seQEWHLJLgk2x3GBvHw0aZu-h29XxD33X02n-REfxPph3D6r2mEIvZzTCRlzXFScUJX35GelhFXIE/s400/mus_juliusII.bmp" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Pope Julius II ordering Bramante, Michelangelo and Raphael to construct the Vatican and St. Peters, 1827, a painting by Horace Vernet.</span></em><br /><br />The ceiling, commissioned by Pope Julius II and painted by Michelangelo between 1508 to 1511, has a series of nine paintings showing God's Creation of the World, God's Relationship with Mankind, and Mankind's Fall from God's Grace. On the large pendentives that support the vault are painted twelve Biblical and Classical men and women who prophesied that God would send Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind.<br /><br />In 1515, Raphael was commissioned by Pope Leo X to design a series of ten tapestries to hang around the lower tier of the walls. Leo intended the works to hang beneath a series of 15th century frescos that had been commissioned by Sixtus IV. Raphael was at the time twenty-five and an established artist in Florence, with a number of wealthy patrons, yet he was ambitious, and keen to make an entry into the patronage of the papacy. Raphael was attracted by the ambition and energy of Rome.<br /><br />Raphael saw the commission as an opportunity to be compared with Michelangelo, while Leo saw hangings as his answer to the ceiling of Julius. The subjects he chose were based on the text of the Acts of the Apostles. Work began in mid-1515. Due to their large size, manufacture of the hangings was carried out in Brussels, and took four years under the hands of the weavers in the shop of Pieter van Aelst.<br /><br />Although Michelangelo's complex design for the ceiling was not quite what his patron, Pope Julius II, had in mind when he commissioned Michelangelo to paint the Twelve Apostles, the scheme displayed a consistent iconographical pattern. However, this was disrupted by a further commission to Michelangelo to decorate the wall above the altar with The Last Judgement, 1537-1541. The painting of this scene necessitated the obliteration of two episodes from the Lives, several of the Popes and two sets of Ancestors. Two of the windows were blocked and two of Raphael's tapestries became redundant.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">FRESCOS</a><br /><br />The wall paintings were executed by the most respected painters of the 15th century: Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Cosimo Rosselli, Luca Signorelli and their respective workshops, which included Pinturicchio, Piero di Cosimo and Bartolomeo della Gatta. The subjects were historical religious themes, selected and divided according to the medieval concept of the partition of world history into three epochs: before the Ten Commandments were given to Moses, between Moses and Christ's birth, and the Christian era thereafter. They underline the continuity between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, or the transition from the Mosaic law to the Christian religion.<br /><br />The walls were painted over a relatively short period of time, barely eleven months between July 1481 and May 1482. The painters were each required first to execute a sample fresco; these were to be officially examined and evaluated in January, 1482. However, it was so evident at such an early stage that the frescoes would be satisfactory that by October 1481, the artists were given the commission to execute the remaining ten stories.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhX3E9tuaf-tAUf6crW9Iof91gD9sNSgIiTaq68kQODDF3z0SoC11qfvYN9vz390J7nnoahEjEkjsV7vJBYcGbCKfC7511U074PGnN41BKxvkwa2qcEQmwjkg8U-A_vZpx0tmsMfy1LCA/s1600-h/mus_the_last_judgement-400.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 265px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369856117537475986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhX3E9tuaf-tAUf6crW9Iof91gD9sNSgIiTaq68kQODDF3z0SoC11qfvYN9vz390J7nnoahEjEkjsV7vJBYcGbCKfC7511U074PGnN41BKxvkwa2qcEQmwjkg8U-A_vZpx0tmsMfy1LCA/s400/mus_the_last_judgement-400.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Last Judgement by Michelangelo</span></em><br /><br />The pictorial programme for the chapel was composed of a cycle each from the Old and New Testament of scenes from the lives of Moses and Christ. The narratives began at the altar wall - the frescoes painted there yielding to Michelangelo's Last Judgment a mere thirty years later - continued along the long walls of the chapel, and ended at the entrance wall. A gallery of papal portraits was painted above these depictions, and the latter were completed underneath by representations of painted curtains. The individual scenes from the two cycles contain typological references to one another. The Old and New Testaments are understood as constituting a whole, with Moses appearing as the prefiguration of Christ.<br /><br />The typological positioning of the Moses and Christ cycles has a political dimension going beyond a mere illustrating of the correspondences between Old and New Testament. Sixtus IV was employing a precisely conceived program to illustrate through the entire cycle the legitimacy of papal authority, running from Moses, via Christ, to Peter, whose ultimate authority, conferred by Christ, ultimately to the Pope of present. The portraits of the latter above the narrative depictions served emphatically to illustrate the ancestral lineage of their God-given authority.<br /><br />The two most important scenes from the fresco cycle, Perugino's Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter and Botticelli's The Punishment of Korah, both contain in the background the triumphal arch of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, who gave the Pope temporal power over the Roman western world. The triumphal arch makes reference to the imperial grant of papal power of the Pope. Sixtus IV was, thereby, not only illustrating his position in a line of succession starting in the Old Testament and continuing through the New Testament up to contemporary times but simultaneously restating the view of the papacy as the legitimate successor to the Roman Empire.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter<br /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSl2JLmFbfhi876ehhkMcSCFaVxCTBiBnRRyRWUIb8kK3LjJrnn-0EHzDlWqVGyG76fLJTp_xjQGR6xSBnlTvtvLE0nSni-K7DFpzv7jhM8U5QfZQbn_OYreSJBnNSYkAQNxMvypZeQk/s1600-h/mus_perugino.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 241px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369856126133803474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSl2JLmFbfhi876ehhkMcSCFaVxCTBiBnRRyRWUIb8kK3LjJrnn-0EHzDlWqVGyG76fLJTp_xjQGR6xSBnlTvtvLE0nSni-K7DFpzv7jhM8U5QfZQbn_OYreSJBnNSYkAQNxMvypZeQk/s400/mus_perugino.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Among Perugino's frescoes in the Chapel, the Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter is stylistically the most instructive. This scene is a reference to Matthew 16 in which the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" are given to St.Peter. These keys represent the power to forgive and to share the word of God thereby giving them the power to allow others into heaven. The main figures are organized in a frieze in two tightly compressed rows close to the surface of the picture and well below the horizon. The principal group, showing Christ handing the silver and gold keys to the kneeling St. Peter, is surrounded by the other Apostles, including Judas (fifth figure to the left of Christ), all with halos, together with portraits of contemporaries, including one said to be a self-portrait (fifth from the right edge). The flat, open square is divided by coloured stones into large foreshortened rectangles, although they are not used in defining the spatial organization. Nor is the relationship between the figures and the felicitous invention of the porticoed Temple of Solomon that dominates the picture effectively resolved. The triumphal arches at the extremities appear as superfluous antiquarian references, suitable for a Roman audience. Scattered in the middle distance are two secondary scenes from the life of Christ, including the Tribute Money on the left and the Stoning of Christ on the right.<br /><br />The style of the figures is inspired by Andrea del Verrocchio. The active drapery, with its massive complexity, and the figures, particularly several apostles, including St. John the Evangelist, with beautiful features, long flowing hair, elegant demeanour, and refinement recall St Thomas from Verrocchio's bronze group in Orsanmichele. The poses of the actors fall into a small number of basic attitudes that are consistently repeated, usually in reverse from one side to the other, signifying the use of the same cartoon. They are graceful and elegant figures who tend to stand firmly on the earth. Their heads are smallish in proportion to the rest of their bodies, and their features are delicately distilled with considerable attention to minor detail.<br /><br />The octagonal temple of Jerusalem and its porches that dominates the central axis must have had behind it a project created by an architect, but Perugino's treatment is like the rendering of a wooden model, painted with exactitude. The building with its arches serves as a backdrop in front of which the action unfolds. Perugino has made a significant contribution in rendering the landscape. The sense of an infinite world that stretches across the horizon is stronger than in almost any other work of his contemporaries, and the feathery trees against the cloud-filled sky with the bluish-gray hills in the distance represent a solution that later painters would find instructive, especially Raphael.<br /><br />The fresco was believed to be a good omen in papal conclaves: superstition held that the cardinal who (as selected by lot) was housed in the cell beneath the fresco was likely to be elected. Contemporary records indicate at least three popes were housed beneath the fresco during the conclaves that elected them: Pope Clement VII, Pope Julius II, and Pope Paul III. </div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-71563561466112729252009-08-10T08:51:00.000-07:002009-08-12T07:09:01.387-07:00VATICAN, SISTINE CHAPEL. PART TWO<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">ARCHITECTURE </a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV3nqCfgEo-okyhdyayOmrjSbOaEXBwBizltZpXyAL-R2FLgTlZbZR8gONUWmLLroTHfF0JvqITQdsFbkGW1WiDcft1-7Dz95J0dGoqmclWT4h_VT2OfDMx8wNXCX_7S6P6BkyzB66uk/s1600-h/mus-sistine-exterior.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369078355018739170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV3nqCfgEo-okyhdyayOmrjSbOaEXBwBizltZpXyAL-R2FLgTlZbZR8gONUWmLLroTHfF0JvqITQdsFbkGW1WiDcft1-7Dz95J0dGoqmclWT4h_VT2OfDMx8wNXCX_7S6P6BkyzB66uk/s400/mus-sistine-exterior.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">EXTERIOR</a><br /><br />The Chapel is a high rectangular brick building, its exterior unadorned by architectural or decorative details, as common in many Medieval and Renaissance churches in Italy. It has no exterior facade or exterior processional doorways, as the ingress has always been from internal rooms within the Papal Palace, and the exterior can be seen only from nearby windows and light-wells in the palace. The internal spaces are divided into three stories of which the lowest is huge, with a robustly vaulted basement with several utilitarian windows and a doorway giving onto the exterior court.<br /><br />Above is the main space, the Chapel, the internal measurements of which are 40.9 metres (134 ft) long by 13.4 metres (44 ft) wide—the dimensions of the Temple of Solomon, as given in the Old Testament The vaulted ceiling rises to 20.7 metres (68 ft). The building had six tall arched windows down each side and two at either end. Several of these have been blocked, but the chapel is still accessible. Above the vault rises a third story with wardrooms for guards. At this level, an open projecting gangway was constructed, which encircled the building supported on an arcade springing from the walls. The gangway has been roofed as it was a continual source of water leaking in to the vault of the Chapel.<br /><br />Subsidence and cracking of masonry such as must also have affected the Cappella Maggiore has necessitated the building of very large buttresses to brace the exterior walls. The accretion of other buildings has further altered the exterior appearance of the Chapel.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_PNXyaHDOewJuPyzfzFTWFBJoBoJdiHFf-7kvNaoLLMmkVFxDa1vsIjUF8s8iaIexJKLGUgvA9JULcWxhbNXkd8-KnEVOHz-xLZZrgitye5YjQU4sNxBdAz0HGAeStYXtoTT5sUr74k/s1600-h/mus_sistine_chapel_interior.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369078345954732994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_PNXyaHDOewJuPyzfzFTWFBJoBoJdiHFf-7kvNaoLLMmkVFxDa1vsIjUF8s8iaIexJKLGUgvA9JULcWxhbNXkd8-KnEVOHz-xLZZrgitye5YjQU4sNxBdAz0HGAeStYXtoTT5sUr74k/s400/mus_sistine_chapel_interior.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">INTERIOR</a><br /><br />As with most buildings measured internally, absolute measurement is hard to ascertain. However, the general proportions of the chapel are clear to within a few centimetres. The length is the measurement and has been divided by three to get the width and by two to get the height. Maintaining the ratio, there were six windows down each side and two at either end. The screen that divides the chapel was originally placed halfway from the altar wall, but this has changed. Clearly-defined proportions were a feature of Renaissance architecture and reflected the growing interest in the Classical heritage of Rome.<br /><br />The ceiling of the chapel is a flattened barrel vault springing from a course that encircles the walls at the level of the springing of the window arches. This barrel vault is cut transversely by smaller vaults over each window, which divide the barrel vault at its lowest level into a series of large pendentives rising from shallow pilasters between each window. The barrel vault was originally painted brilliant-blue and dotted with gold stars, to the design of Piermatteo Lauro de' Manfredi da Amelia. The pavement is in opus alexandrinum, a decorative style using marble and coloured stone in a pattern that reflects the earlier proportion in the division of the interior and also marks the processional way form the main door, used by the Pope on important occasions such as Palm Sunday.<br /><br />The screen or transenna in marble by Mino da Fiesole, Andrea Bregno, and Giovanni Dalmata divides the chapel into two parts. Originally these made equal space for the members of the Papal Chapel within the sanctuary near the altar and the pilgrims and townsfolk without. However, with growth in the number of those attending the Pope, the screen was moved giving a reduced area for the faithful laity. The transenna is surmounted by a row of ornate candlesticks, once gilt, and has a wooden door, where once there was an ornate door of gilded wrought iron. The sculptors of the transenna also provided the cantoria or projecting choir gallery.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fjx5nz-QzN8wgWbYEUBRjrhr5nZVepIm2UrT3cceuHsgRgJ7H4_d0x9Tnfx-Uej3U7yQoqRwqadYL6A4j1Q9P4UTs0HRIMvInEPFyvm1E55codmr5CP6TRNs1oRb4X9KJIGXaydyfAw/s1600-h/mus-raph-tapestries.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369078360127554290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fjx5nz-QzN8wgWbYEUBRjrhr5nZVepIm2UrT3cceuHsgRgJ7H4_d0x9Tnfx-Uej3U7yQoqRwqadYL6A4j1Q9P4UTs0HRIMvInEPFyvm1E55codmr5CP6TRNs1oRb4X9KJIGXaydyfAw/s400/mus-raph-tapestries.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">RAPHAEL'S TAPESTRIES </a><br /><br />During occasional ceremonies of particular importance, the side walls are covered with a series of tapestries originally designed for the chapel from Raphael, but looted a few years later in the 1527 Sack of Rome and either burnt for their precious metal content or scattered around Europe. The tapestries depict events from the Life of St. Peter and the Life of St. Paul as described in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. In the late 20th century, a set was reassembled (several further sets had been made) and displayed again in the Sistine Chapel in 1983. The full-size preparatory cartoons for seven of the ten tapestries are known as the Raphael Cartoons and are in London.<br /></div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-6309263084467170482009-08-10T08:31:00.000-07:002009-08-10T08:51:36.999-07:00VATICAN, SISTINE CHAPEL. PART ONE<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br />Today we will have on-run-look (indeed! otherwise we are at risk to stuck here forever!) at the famous <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Sistine Chapel</a>, pontifical home and the place where hundreds of masterpieces were born.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7F0OHU3KmHkaNqlvISTr2HlyFZNNcusATY5QLO0MRFuK4hqhp3vxWlNrrOXnopfhyphenhyphen5Fy7EA2nEc7ybtiTWVb0vlFsLWQUzBvb8aj0kY2x95kBNfOtJILm-6-3k8cLzf5SbYG8U_Mw_I/s1600-h/mus_sist_chapp.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368360862361389778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7F0OHU3KmHkaNqlvISTr2HlyFZNNcusATY5QLO0MRFuK4hqhp3vxWlNrrOXnopfhyphenhyphen5Fy7EA2nEc7ybtiTWVb0vlFsLWQUzBvb8aj0kY2x95kBNfOtJILm-6-3k8cLzf5SbYG8U_Mw_I/s400/mus_sist_chapp.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Papal chapel in the <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Vatican Palace, Rome</a>, constructed 1473 – 81 by Giovanni dei Dolci for Pope Sixtus IV (for whom it is named). It is the site of the principal papal ceremonies. Its exterior is drab and unadorned, but its interior walls and ceiling are decorated with frescoes by Florentine Renaissance masters, including Perugino, Pinturicchio, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Luca Signorelli. Portions of the walls were once covered with tapestries designed by Raphael (1515 – 19). The most important works are the frescoes by Michelangelo on the ceiling and the western wall behind the altar, considered among the greatest achievements of Western painting. The ceiling frescoes, depicting Old Testament scenes, were commissioned by Pope Julius II and painted 1508 – 12; the Last Judgment fresco on the western wall was painted 1536 – 41 for Pope Paul III. A controversial 10-year cleaning and restoration of the ceiling was completed in 1989, and of the western wall in 1994.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Sistine Chapel</a> (Italian: Cappella Sistina) is the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. Its fame rests on its architecture, evocative of Solomon's Temple of the Old Testament and on its decoration which has been frescoed throughout by the greatest Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini, and Sandro Botticelli. Under the patronage of Pope Julius II, Michelangelo painted 12,000 square feet (1,100 m2) of the chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512. He resented the commission, and believed his work only served the Pope's need for grandeur. However, today the ceiling, and especially The Last Judgement, are widely believed to be Michelangelo's crowning achievements in painting.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyFUM9rRph9C0Zx3lE-VQ9tl-wDZMWozvn5iXBNYnT90GW152V55AzsuJFF1_Zem9cZ4iJezMplgEXihVHMNNF6AWQO29b1vtXqexqJtlwCGLlxYg1Q6MmG0njUTDhISpe6MgtLrUZoU/s1600-h/mus_Pope+Sixtus+IV.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368362227850797266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyFUM9rRph9C0Zx3lE-VQ9tl-wDZMWozvn5iXBNYnT90GW152V55AzsuJFF1_Zem9cZ4iJezMplgEXihVHMNNF6AWQO29b1vtXqexqJtlwCGLlxYg1Q6MmG0njUTDhISpe6MgtLrUZoU/s400/mus_Pope+Sixtus+IV.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">POPE SIXTUS IV WITH BARTOLOMEO PLATINA<br /></span></em><br />The <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Sistine Chapel</a> takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who restored the old Cappella Magna between 1477 and 1480. During this period a team of painters that included Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli and Domenico Ghirlandaio created a series of frescoed panels depicting the life of Moses and the life of Christ, offset by papal portraits above and trompe l’oeil drapery below. These paintings were completed in 1482, and on August 15, 1483, Sixtus IV consecrated the first mass in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption.<br /><br />Since the time of Sixtus IV, the chapel has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity. Today it is the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new Pope is selected.<br /><br />The Sistine Chapel is best known for being the location of Papal conclaves; it is, however, the physical chapel of the Papal Chapel. At the time of Pope Sixtus IV in the late 15th century, this corporate body comprised about 200 people, including clerics, officials of the Vatican and distinguished laity. There were 50 occasions during the year on which it was prescribed by the Papal Calendar that the whole Papal Chapel should meet. Of these 50 occasions, 35 were masses, of which 8 were held in Basilicas, in general St. Peters, and were attended by large congregations. These included the Christmas Day and Easter masses, at which the Pope himself was the celebrant. The other 27 masses could be held in a smaller, less public space, for which the Cappella Maggiore was used before it was rebuilt on the same site as the Sistine Chapel.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6BXyKCjrZafQU71Iyx6vsgZ2RNMHPUAf-ljv7mx_j0z84cRMynnC7rtSFPi7H83hCMGm5L12BnSAVA9EYrnQZh6ntXNn2N-0Wds-kH5UzDYmEnpbVfnQtM0euYSclbm73A3DJkjcbOc/s1600-h/mus_sistine-chapel.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 297px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368360864632628898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6BXyKCjrZafQU71Iyx6vsgZ2RNMHPUAf-ljv7mx_j0z84cRMynnC7rtSFPi7H83hCMGm5L12BnSAVA9EYrnQZh6ntXNn2N-0Wds-kH5UzDYmEnpbVfnQtM0euYSclbm73A3DJkjcbOc/s400/mus_sistine-chapel.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The Cappella Maggiore derived its name, the Greater Chapel, from the fact that there was another chapel also in use by the Pope and his retinue for daily worship. At the time of Pope Sixtus IV, this was the Chapel of Pope Nicholas V, which had been decorated by Fra Angelico. The Cappella Maggiore is recorded as existing in 1368. According to a communication from Andreas of Trebizond to Pope Sixtus IV, by the time of its demolition to make way for the present chapel, the Cappella Maggiore was in a ruinous state with its walls leaning.<br /><br />The present chapel, on the site of the Cappella Maggiore, was designed by Baccio Pontelli for Pope Sixtus IV, for whom it is named, and built under the supervision of Giovannino de Dolci between 1473 and 1481. The proportions of the present chapel appear to closely follow those of the original. After its completion, the chapel was decorated with frescoes by a number of the most famous artists of the High Renaissance, including Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Perugino, and Michelangelo.<br /><br />The first mass in the <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Sistine Chapel</a> was celebrated on August 9, 1483, the Feast of the Assumption, at which ceremony the chapel was consecrated and dedicated to the Virgin Mary.<br /><br />The Sistine Chapel has maintained its function to the present day, and continues to host the important services of the Papal Calendar, unless the Pope is travelling. There is a permanent choir for whom much original music has been written, the most famous piece being Allegri's Miserere.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigirArP58fCEPifaLxsHZKYpi7WeQBjzyGKOeHoqytgGLw3rKBUr-LloCpec2N9VFrlmSbxAFu7g74LqHTJaNGOereaqxVKbukzz09X7WxPCY0bKi9YnQL-FB-4GhLHLZOAM_wPCY4Wmg/s1600-h/mus_SistineChapel_001_512.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 313px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368360868955475042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigirArP58fCEPifaLxsHZKYpi7WeQBjzyGKOeHoqytgGLw3rKBUr-LloCpec2N9VFrlmSbxAFu7g74LqHTJaNGOereaqxVKbukzz09X7WxPCY0bKi9YnQL-FB-4GhLHLZOAM_wPCY4Wmg/s400/mus_SistineChapel_001_512.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Papal Conclave</strong><br /><br />One of the primary functions of the <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Sistine Chapel</a> is as a venue for the election of each successive pope in a conclave of the College of Cardinals. On the occasion of a conclave, a chimney is installed in the roof of the chapel, from which smoke arises as a signal. If white smoke appears, created by burning the ballots of the election and some chemical additives, a new Pope has been elected. If a candidate receives less than a two-thirds majority, the cardinals send up black smoke—created by burning the ballots along with wet straw or chemical additives—it means that no successful election has yet occurred.<br /><br />The conclave also provides for the cardinals a space in which they can hear mass, and in which they can eat, sleep, and pass time abetted by servants. From 1455, conclaves have been held in the Vatican; until the Great Schism, they were held in the Dominican convent of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.<br /><br />Canopies for each cardinal-elector were once used during conclaves—a sign of equal dignity. After the new Pope accepts his election, he would give his new name; at this time, the other Cardinals would tug on a rope attached to their seats to lower their canopies. Until reforms instituted by Saint Pius X, the canopies were of different colours to designate which Cardinals had been appointed by which Pope. Paul VI abolished the canopies altogether, since, under his papacy, the population of the College of Cardinals had increased so much to the point that they would need to be seated in rows of two against the walls, making the canopies obstruct the view of the cardinals in the back row. </div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-12570375518253612332009-08-07T10:21:00.000-07:002009-08-07T10:41:45.274-07:00GERMANY, COLOGNE CATHEDERAL - THE SECOND WORLD WAR SURVIVER<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale"><strong>Cologne Cathedral</strong></a><strong> (German: Kölner Dom, officially Hohe Domkirche St. Peter und Maria) is a church in Cologne, Germany. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne (currently Cardinal Joachim Meisner), and is under the administration of the archdiocese of Cologne.</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyrfcMtsGnk-cTMLGe2Cs-EOfl5zcM5Z_MoM5NGTGW_xhlt_KFVx3rAwGB3Ya00657Fi0zd6LGb2F7xxevqNcWj_tDZXRKcy2ERALvWP5nPhqX3czCe1Y3wHmj4tmEjKL6eC8bQyKdaQ/s1600-h/MUS-Koelner_Dom_bei_Nacht_1_RB.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367275692414355922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyrfcMtsGnk-cTMLGe2Cs-EOfl5zcM5Z_MoM5NGTGW_xhlt_KFVx3rAwGB3Ya00657Fi0zd6LGb2F7xxevqNcWj_tDZXRKcy2ERALvWP5nPhqX3czCe1Y3wHmj4tmEjKL6eC8bQyKdaQ/s400/MUS-Koelner_Dom_bei_Nacht_1_RB.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It is renowned as a monument of Christianity, of German Catholicism in particular, of Gothic architecture and of the continuing faith and perseverance of the people of the city in which it stands. It is dedicated to Saint Peter and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The cathedral is a World Heritage Site, one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany, and Cologne's most famous landmark, described by UNESCO as an "exceptional work of human creative genius"<br /><br />Construction of <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Cologne Cathedral</a> began in 1248 and took, with interruptions, until 1880 to complete – a period of over 600 years. It is 144.5 metres long, 86.5 m wide and its two towers are 157 m tall. The cathedral is one of the world's largest churches and the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. For four years, 1880-84, it was the tallest structure in the world, until the completion of the Washington Monument. It has the second-tallest church spires, only surpassed by the single spire of Ulm Cathedral, completed 10 years later in 1890. Because of its enormous twin spires, it also presents the largest façade of any church in the world. The choir of the cathedral, measured between the piers, also holds the distinction of having the largest height to width ratio of any Medieval church, 3.6:1, exceeding even Beauvais Cathedral which has a slightly higher vault.<br /><br />Cologne's medieval builders had planned a grand structure to house the reliquary of the Three Kings and fit its role as a place of worship of the Holy Roman Emperor. Despite having been left incomplete during the medieval period, <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Cologne Cathedral</a> eventually became unified as "a masterpiece of exceptional intrinsic value" and "a powerful testimony to the strength and persistence of Christian belief in medieval and modern Europe".<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_lnOgk-o3M8It5kRdXeqfT81iz-SeS9BEpW2xOfNcqApM1WhwkXB7rE79sNcRkogsBnoWjtKGQK8TTgQKU5YmsfbmHThkpdvJnoWX_Vx4MydAVc-if5hlENtgWJRm2JhC0jcHu-io9c/s1600-h/mus-CologneCathedralInSpire.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367275688502455794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_lnOgk-o3M8It5kRdXeqfT81iz-SeS9BEpW2xOfNcqApM1WhwkXB7rE79sNcRkogsBnoWjtKGQK8TTgQKU5YmsfbmHThkpdvJnoWX_Vx4MydAVc-if5hlENtgWJRm2JhC0jcHu-io9c/s400/mus-CologneCathedralInSpire.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Ancient site</strong><br /><br />When the present Cologne Cathedral was commenced in 1248, the site had been occupied by several previous structures, the earliest of which may have been a grain store, perhaps succeeded by a Roman temple built by Mercurius Augustus. From the 4th century the site was occupied by Christian buildings including a square edifice known as the "oldest cathedral" and commissioned by Maternus, the first Christian bishop of Cologne. A second church, the so-called "Old Cathedral", was completed in 818. This burned down on April 30, 1248.<br /><br /><strong>Medieval beginning</strong><br /><br />In 1164, the Archbishop of Cologne, Rainald of Dassel had acquired relics of the Three Kings which had been taken from Milan, Italy by the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa. The relics had great religious significance and could be counted upon to draw pilgrims from all over Christendom. It was important that they were properly housed. The loss of the old five-aisled cathedral prompted a building program in the new style of Gothic architecture based in particular on the <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">French Cathedral of Amiens</a>.<br /><br />The foundation stone was laid on August 15, 1248, by Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden. The eastern arm was completed under the direction of Master Gerhard, was consecrated in 1322 and sealed off by a temporary wall so it could be in use as the work proceeded. Eighty four misericords in the choir date from this building phase. In the mid 14th century work on the west front commenced under Master Michael. This work halted in 1473 leaving the south tower complete up to the belfry level and crowned with a huge crane which was destined to remain in place, and the landmark of Cologne for 400 years.<br /><br />Some work proceeded intermittently on the structure of the nave between the west front and the eastern arm but during the 16th century, this ceased.<br /><br />With the 19th century romantic enthusiasm for the Middle Ages and spurred on by the lucky discovery of the original plan for the facade, it was decided, with the commitment of the Prussian Court, to complete the cathedral. It was achieved by civic effort, the Central-Dombauverein, founded in 1842, raised two-thirds of the enormous costs (over US$ 1 billion in today's money), while the Prussian state supplied the remaining third.<br /><br />Work resumed in 1842 to the original design of the surviving medieval plans and drawings, but utilising more modern construction techniques including iron roof girders. The nave was completed and the towers were added. The bells were installed in the 1870s.<br /><br />The completion of Germany's largest cathedral was celebrated as a national event in 1880, 632 years after construction had begun. The celebration was attended by Emperor Wilhelm I.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCplaa0Kl-v-Fz9RDVHYimsj7-YQHlXE5j8ClulHrS5kIDqYq_CqXuIKlh3dmzRDpXgrTcoESoLYTwUIPPRgDwxPcFiYQlES1st8SqVk7jNjyMQ3M4uzlv4QG95vPhAky7kMb9ZtI05wM/s1600-h/mus-Cathedral_1_by_andy205.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367275685810131122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCplaa0Kl-v-Fz9RDVHYimsj7-YQHlXE5j8ClulHrS5kIDqYq_CqXuIKlh3dmzRDpXgrTcoESoLYTwUIPPRgDwxPcFiYQlES1st8SqVk7jNjyMQ3M4uzlv4QG95vPhAky7kMb9ZtI05wM/s400/mus-Cathedral_1_by_andy205.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><strong>World War II and post-war history</strong><br /><br />The cathedral suffered seventy hits by aerial bombs during World War II. It did not collapse, but stood tall in an otherwise flattened city. In June 1945, the cathedral was supposedly abused as a rifle range by American troops. The repairs to the building were completed in 1956. In the northwest tower's base, an emergency repair carried out in 1944 with bad-quality brick taken from a nearby war ruin remained visible until the late 1990s as a reminder of the War, but then it was decided to reconstruct this section according to the original appearance. The brick-filling can be seen in the image on the left.<br /><br /><br />Stained glass window by Gerhard Richter, 20 meters tallSome repair and maintenance work is constantly being carried out in some section of the building, which is almost never completely free of scaffolding, since wind, rain, and pollution slowly eat away at the stones. The Dombauhütte, which was established to build the cathedral and repair the cathedral, is said to employ the best stonemasons of the Rhineland. There is a common joke in Cologne that the leader of the Dombauhütte, the Dombaumeister (master builder of the cathedral), has to be Catholic and free from giddiness. The current Dombaumeisterin is Barbara Schock-Werner. Half of the costs of repair and maintenance are still borne by the Dombauverein.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmFUkV0ZenXNXiXJzZvgaHzX4GF339Q7blHOKqSgul-IlvXZzzHz9E_R8Vuo645si3SU9Q9QyZgLKna2VuGFdpyMxFmH39MCUM3q798rGsV0CnKTrSPBTmTVn8Ig51kztXFTRQyIQgfw/s1600-h/mus-Warning_sign_in_cologne.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 311px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367277137687581666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmFUkV0ZenXNXiXJzZvgaHzX4GF339Q7blHOKqSgul-IlvXZzzHz9E_R8Vuo645si3SU9Q9QyZgLKna2VuGFdpyMxFmH39MCUM3q798rGsV0CnKTrSPBTmTVn8Ig51kztXFTRQyIQgfw/s400/mus-Warning_sign_in_cologne.jpg" /></a><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>IT LOOKED LIKE THIS. 1945</em><br /></span><br />On August 25, 2007, the cathedral received a new stained glass in the south transept window. With 113 square metres of glass, the window was created by the German artist Gerhard Richter. It is composed of 11,500 identically sized pieces of coloured glass resembling pixels, randomly arranged by computer, which create a colorful "carpet". Since the loss of the original window in World War II, the space had been temporarily filled with plain glass. The archbishop of the cathedral, Joachim Cardinal Meisner, who had preferred a figurative depiction of 20th-century Catholic martyrs for the window, did not attend the unveiling.<br /><br />The most celebrated work of art in the cathedral is the Shrine of the Three Kings, a large gilded sarcophagus dating from the 13th century, and the largest reliquary in the Western world. It is traditionally believed to hold the remains of the Three Wise Men, whose bones and 2,000-year-old clothes were discovered at the opening of the shrine in 1864.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKEAVDs4ZiZl-RSfvbwLK5NGObR_zZlAcaLoS-RUGrpii47gvZtfK9QMvfCF34js03_1FAVbVeXhGhyDlr1KlZRmw4pg8O9JVi-y6Fecq8u8_lAThpTGhJJ9vWHpzcjb1b0D9fs9cTeA/s1600-h/mus_Cologne_Cathedral_Shrine_of_Magi.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 276px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367275679079562818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKEAVDs4ZiZl-RSfvbwLK5NGObR_zZlAcaLoS-RUGrpii47gvZtfK9QMvfCF34js03_1FAVbVeXhGhyDlr1KlZRmw4pg8O9JVi-y6Fecq8u8_lAThpTGhJJ9vWHpzcjb1b0D9fs9cTeA/s400/mus_Cologne_Cathedral_Shrine_of_Magi.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">SHRINE OF THE THREE KINGS (MAGI)</span></em><br /><br />Near the sacristy is the Gero-Kreuz, a large crucifix carved in oak and with traces of paint and gilding. Believed to have been commissioned around 960 for Archbishop Gero, it is the oldest large crucifix north of the Alps and the earliest-known large free-standing Northern sculpture of the medieval period.<br /><br />In the Sacrament Chapel is the Mailänder Madonna ("Milan Madonna"), dating from around 1290, a wooden sculpture depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus. The altar of the patron saints of Cologne with an altar piece by the International Gothic painter, Stephan Lochner is in the Marienkapelle ("St. Mary's Chapel"). Other works of art are to be found in the <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Cathedral Treasury</a>.<br /></div></div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-29412621547795538332009-08-04T11:36:00.000-07:002009-08-04T11:53:45.959-07:00THE CROATIA CAPITAL ZAGREB MUSEUMS<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /><strong>Zagreb's numerous museums reflect the history, art and culture not only of <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Zagreb</a> and <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Croatia</a>, but also of Europe and the world. Around thirty collections in museums and galleries comprise more than 3.6 million various exhibits, excluding church and private collections.</strong> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMbV6k_TOKm6ZHBfk_o0q96es6b11lPHMKSUiLNXbVFdUNtgEp4Eie0iQ4cAiUFATaB9fMK88hQDyiBIHhgp2MivHTFm2UQTpCbijfuSMg70G_OLFE4Ksl8S2JfNS93B81tj8t7IWybY/s1600-h/mus_Moderna_galerija_Zagreb.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366181404423517826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMbV6k_TOKm6ZHBfk_o0q96es6b11lPHMKSUiLNXbVFdUNtgEp4Eie0iQ4cAiUFATaB9fMK88hQDyiBIHhgp2MivHTFm2UQTpCbijfuSMg70G_OLFE4Ksl8S2JfNS93B81tj8t7IWybY/s400/mus_Moderna_galerija_Zagreb.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">MODERNA GALERIA of ZAGREB</span></em> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /><strong>Archeological Museum<br /></strong><br />The Archaeological Museum (19 Nikola Šubić Zrinski Square) collections, today consisting of nearly 400,000 varied artifacts and monuments, have been gathered over the years from many different sources. These holdings include evidence of Croatian presence in the area. The most famous are the Egyptian collection, the Zagreb mummy and bandages with the oldest Etruscan inscription in the world (Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis), as well as the numismatic collection.<br /><br /><strong>Croatian Natural History Museum<br /></strong><br />The Croatian Natural History Museum (1 Demetrova Street) holds one of the world's most important collection of Neanderthal remains found at one site. These are the remains, stone weapons and tools of prehistoric Krapina man. The holdings of the Croatian Natural History Museum comprise more than 250,000 specimens distributed among various different collections.<br /><br /><strong>Museum of Technology</strong><br /><br />The Museum of Technology (18 Savska Street) was founded in 1954 and it maintains the oldest preserved machine in the area, dating from 1830, which is still operational. The museum exhibits numerous historic aircraft, cars, machinery and equipment. There are some distinct sections in the museum: the Planetarium, the Apisarium, the Mine (model of mines for coal, iron and non-ferrous metals, about 300 m (980 ft) long), and the Nikola Tesla study.<br /><br /><strong>Museum of the City of Zagreb</strong><br /><br />The Museum of the City of Zagreb (20 Opatička Street) was established in 1907 by the Association of the Braća Hrvatskog Zmaja. It is located in a restored monumental complex (Popov toranj, the Observatory, Zakmardi Granary) of the former Convent of the Poor Clares, of 1650. The Museum deals with topics from the cultural, artistic, economic and political history of the city spanning from Roman finds to the modern period. The holdings comprise 75,000 items arranged systematically into collections of artistic and mundane objects characteristic of the city and its history.<br /><br /><strong>Arts and Crafts Museum</strong><br /><br />The Arts and Crafts Museum (10 Marshal Tito Square) was founded in 1880 with the intention of preserving the works of art and craft against the new predominance of industrial products. With its 160,000 exhibits, the Arts and Crafts Museum is a national-level museum for artistic production and the history of material culture in Croatia.<br /><br /><strong>Ethnographic Museum</strong><br /><br />The Ethnographic Museum (14 Ivan Mažuranić Square) was founded in 1919. It lies in the fine Secession building of the one-time Trades Hall of 1903. The ample holdings of about 80,000 items cover the ethnographic heritage of Croatia, classified in the three cultural zones: the Pannonian, Dinaric and Adriatic.<br /><br /><strong>Mimara Museum</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoO3sDkA2NUaK5VTQNxiEEoWPjpmdLZM_IorE7Bh8Re6sacrBhtv-FiO5Q-QJgVMfE9Nya2tNRYn76Ogg9g7cY1nVOqJHeScJCkntbWBd0oisGFcuxF93vRdv8SrBa8Da0axOFM44kVNQ/s1600-h/mus_Mimara2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366181400508772786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoO3sDkA2NUaK5VTQNxiEEoWPjpmdLZM_IorE7Bh8Re6sacrBhtv-FiO5Q-QJgVMfE9Nya2tNRYn76Ogg9g7cY1nVOqJHeScJCkntbWBd0oisGFcuxF93vRdv8SrBa8Da0axOFM44kVNQ/s400/mus_Mimara2.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">MIMARA MUSEUM</span></em><br /><br />The museum called the "Art Collection of Ante and Wiltrud Topić Mimara" or, for short, the Mimara Museum (5 Roosevelt Square), was founded with a donation from Ante "Mimara" Topić and opened to the public in 1987. It is located in a late 19th century neo-Renaissance palace. The holdings comprise 3,750 works of art of various techniques and materials, and different cultures and civilizations.<br /><br /><strong>Croatian Naïve Art Museum</strong><br /><br />The Croatian Naïve Art Museum (works by Croatian primitivists at 3 Ćirilometodska Street) is considered to be the first museum of naïve art in the world.[citation needed] The museum keeps works of Croatian naïve expression of the 20th century. It is located in the 18th century Raffay Palace in the Gornji Grad. The museum holdings consist of 1500 works of art - paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints, mainly by Croatians but also by other well-known world artists. From time to time, the museum organizes topics and retrospective exhibitions by naïve artists, expert meetings and educational workshops and playrooms.<br /><br /><strong>Museum of Contemporary Art</strong><br /><br />The Museum of Contemporary Art was founded in 1954 and a rich collection of Croatian and foreign contemporary visual art has been collected throughout the decades. The Museum (2 St. Catherine's Square) is located in a space within the Kulmer Palace in the Gornji Grad. A new Museum building in Novi Zagreb has been under construction since 2003. The Museum's permanent art collection will be presented to the public when it moves into its new building planned for 2007.<br /><br />Valuable historical collections are also found in the <strong>Croatian School Museum</strong>, the <strong>Croatian Hunting Museum</strong>, the <strong>Croatian Sports Museum</strong>, the <strong>Croatian Post and Telecommunications Museum, the HAZU (Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts) Glyptotheque (collection of monuments), and the HAZU Graphics Cabinet</strong>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwm4f7r9i3zQ-OJuTk_7Ql7Ub3TBvQqV0gDfr4kxteAvE-dkwkkYGI0uLhEMEeYw72b52qq9ZZgVzQBvsRLbB-pzu1xidXT4PaJ7-S4kZMHAy4Ii0rlcrhvjNv3K_AfvxFWgxlkJQEok/s1600-h/mus_beato_angelico.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 229px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366181408974478050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwm4f7r9i3zQ-OJuTk_7Ql7Ub3TBvQqV0gDfr4kxteAvE-dkwkkYGI0uLhEMEeYw72b52qq9ZZgVzQBvsRLbB-pzu1xidXT4PaJ7-S4kZMHAy4Ii0rlcrhvjNv3K_AfvxFWgxlkJQEok/s400/mus_beato_angelico.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">OLD MASTERS GALLERY. BEATO ANGELICO. DEATH OF ST. PETER</span></em><br /><br /><strong>The Strossmayer's Old Masters Gallery</strong> (11 Zrinski Square) offers permanent holdings presenting European paintings from the 14th to 19th centuries, and the Ivan Meštrović Studio, (8 Mletačka Street) with sculptures, drawings, lithography portfolios and other items, was a donation of this great artist to his homeland The Museum and Gallery Center (4 Jesuit Square) introduces on various occasions the Croatian and foreign cultural and artistic heritage. The Art Pavilion (22 King Tomislav Square) by Viennese architects Hellmer and Fellmer who were the most famous designers of theaters in Central Europe is a neo-classical exhibition complex and one of the landmarks of the downtown. The exhibitions are also held in the impressive Meštrović building on Žrtava Fašizma Square — the Home of Croatian Fine Artists. The World Center "Wonder of Croatian Naïve Art" (12 Ban Jelačić Square) exhibits masterpieces of Croatian naïve art as well as the works of a new generation of artists. The Modern Gallery (1 Hebrangova Street) comprises all relevant fine artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. </div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-44988273095509832362009-07-30T15:34:00.000-07:002009-07-30T16:05:27.425-07:00THE MORAVIAN MUSEUM, BRNO, CZECHIA<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /><strong>Today our destination is a beautiful old Moravian city - Brno. Have you ever been where? I am lucky, in 1999 I have visited this lovely place. Now it's your turn!</strong><br /><br /><a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">The Moravian Museum</a>, second biggest and oldest museum in Czech republic, was founded in July 1817 by a decree of Emperor Francis I. The museum's collections include over 6 millions of objects, representing valuable scientific material from the fields of literature, music and theatre, geology, mineralogy, botany, zoology and entomology. Beside of its scientific and documentation work the museum organises temporary exhibitions, lectures etc. The Children's Museum, special education and leisure facility, is dedicated to the youngest generation of museum visitors. The Moravian Museum is contributional organization of Ministry of culture of Czech republic.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ev0gD6AMYmIWRYuJIouS6fFrRIpDockDD3j21XQr3lOF9TRZVtJWPufVW8l-pooC3WpQWqUwoO8h2ThzkIJxeox0XV7QjpNOyfd7ZpPpiA2__JC5Bb4TzK57U0GuFQy22Cq6LqoBBMA/s1600-h/mus_brno_palace.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364389335465545186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ev0gD6AMYmIWRYuJIouS6fFrRIpDockDD3j21XQr3lOF9TRZVtJWPufVW8l-pooC3WpQWqUwoO8h2ThzkIJxeox0XV7QjpNOyfd7ZpPpiA2__JC5Bb4TzK57U0GuFQy22Cq6LqoBBMA/s400/mus_brno_palace.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">DIETRICHSTEIN PALACE<br /></span></em><br />The early baroque <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Dietrichstein Palace</a> was originally erected as a representative residence for František, Cardinal Dietrchistein, the bishop of Olomouc between 1614 and 1619. The building was designed by an Italian architect Giovanni Giacomo Tencallo, later reconstructed by another Italian Domenico Martinelli (1700). The palace is recognised as one of the most typical examples of baroque style in Brno. After the recent reconstruction in 1980s the palace became the most attended exhibition facility of <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Moravian Museum</a>. It offers you an exciting tour through the centuries.<br /><br />There are five great permanent exhibitions awaiting to take you back hundreds years ago to the very beginning of the Moravia’s history. Just push the door and keep Your eyes open. The breathtaking adventure begins.<br /><br /><strong>The Extinct Life in Moravia</strong> - come and see the story of ancient Moravia with its animals, trees and flowers which were the only living creatures here, on the little piece of the Earth which will be, many years to come, called Moravia. Come and let your imagination fly back to those times and admire the polymorphous life represented by fossils, models, reconstructions and dioramas. The experts are ready to provide you with all the informations you need.<br /><br /><strong>The Prehistory of Moravia</strong> - can you even imagine that the first human beings left their footprints in the Moravian soil 800 000 years ago? How did they make their living? What did they dress on? What was their everyday life looking like? What were they thinking about? What did they trust? What were their gods? Does this all interest You? Do you really want to know the story? The exhibition will help you to answer questions as who am I, where I am coming from etc. In a chronological line the artefacts present particular evolution periods and cultures, and some unique foundings are exhibited - copper talents from Blučina, golden objects from various places, bronze pot mounting from Brno-Malomerice.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFZ0k4Zyy8jWv6RVAr6PjDKGDQ17AimfE9uB0D2CnIAAgWRdUzYh96hPlCdcHugYG-GT14766Re_u03RP4M4Nd2FMWkDo6KNdnVN8rfCWNhcURjn7yPEe5cJ8ASKDMClTKjZK2B5ahyw/s1600-h/mus_moravian.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 280px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364389336739141906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFZ0k4Zyy8jWv6RVAr6PjDKGDQ17AimfE9uB0D2CnIAAgWRdUzYh96hPlCdcHugYG-GT14766Re_u03RP4M4Nd2FMWkDo6KNdnVN8rfCWNhcURjn7yPEe5cJ8ASKDMClTKjZK2B5ahyw/s400/mus_moravian.jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">MORAVIAN LAND MUSEUM</span></em><br /><br /><strong>Great Moravia</strong> - this exhibition introduces you to the plentiful treasures documenting the remarkable phenomenon of Great Moravia, the very first Slavonic state. Coming here you will be astonished by the incredible beauty of Moravian jewellery, pottery, technological skills and handicraft of Moravian craftsmen. The central point of the exhibition - a treasury with the famous and most beautiful jewels from Stare Mesto near Uherske Hradiste, Mikulcice and Breclav - Pohansko. A great part of your attention will be attracted by models of fortified settlement (castles) near Mikulcice, reconstruction of a jewellery workshop from Stare Mesto and original wooden well boarding from the same place. Enjoy The Great Moravia journey and tell everybody you meet - It’s worth seeing it!<br /><br /><strong>Moravian Village in Middle Ages</strong> - this exhibition shows in a chronological line the main social changes brought by feudalism after Great Moravia ceased. You will be able to see the way Moravian people lived between X and XV century. Would you agree to live in a landlord’s manor or peasant’s house? This exhibition will tell you how hard it was to survive.<br /><br /><strong>The World of Minerals</strong> - if you prefer the natural history you will definitely choose the mineral exhibition which makes it easier to understand the history of our mother Earth - physical and chemical qualities of minerals, the structure of the Earth and its place in the solar system. Main part of the exhibition is dedicated to the origin of the rocks and minerals - here you can admire the wonderful world of not-living nature of Moravia and Silesia.<br /><br /><strong>Professor Karel Absolon Memorial</strong> The memorial shows the life and work of Karel Absolon (1877-1960), a famous archaeologist, geographer and spelaeologist, who worked for many years in the <a href="http://www.travelguidesecretseurope.com/?hop=nikale">Moravian Museum</a> and taught at the Charles University in Prague. The main part of the memorial is a partial reconstruction of his workroom. <br /><br><strong>Come and spend whole day here, alone or with your kids - enjoy!</strong></div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-40778123769985816782009-07-23T13:16:00.000-07:002009-07-23T13:25:43.351-07:00LONDON, ST PAUL's CATHEDERAL<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTO_6iRgtqhK1wi9cK97PxQhcF5rtIRQK4BXxi_XYE4WsJ62MiAlMk5JwvTaqpSe7pVIdTrsBl2DJ2u3guCley67xWJ0j-jg4mRXrm-O2da0-KLBR06Ls7SScAer3M-BGOevyhoemGJLk/s1600-h/mus_stpauls.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTO_6iRgtqhK1wi9cK97PxQhcF5rtIRQK4BXxi_XYE4WsJ62MiAlMk5JwvTaqpSe7pVIdTrsBl2DJ2u3guCley67xWJ0j-jg4mRXrm-O2da0-KLBR06Ls7SScAer3M-BGOevyhoemGJLk/s400/mus_stpauls.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361753459770499218" /></a><br /><div style="text-align:justify;"><br>This magnificent building, created by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666, retains its dignity and grandeur even though itis now overshadowed by enormous tower blocks.<br /><br />It is a huge structure, 515 ft long and 242 ft across at its widest point, and is elaborately decorated with columns, porticos, and balustrades. The west end of the cathedral is approached by two wide flights of steps and is surmuunted by twin towers. The whole building is crowned by a beautiful central dome which rises to 365 ft above ground level and is 112 ft in diameter.<br /><br /><a href="http://ff4f99qfo8sv2kd5rsupzdv3f0.hop.clickbank.net/"><strong>Inside the Cathedral</strong></a><br /><br />From the end of the nave there is a superb view along the whole length of the cathedral through the Choir to the High Altar and its ornate canopy. Recorded commentaries describing the cathedral can be obtained from headphones at the west end of the nave. The great dome rises above the centre of the nave. Around its interior is thefamous Whispering Gallery, where a message whispered into the wall on one side can be clearly heard 112 ft away on the other side. The Gallery is reached through a doorway in the western corner of the South Transept tha t leads to the stairs which also give access to the library and the two external galleries of the dome wi th their panoramic views across London. In the Choir are the stalls of the <a href="http://ff4f99qfo8sv2kd5rsupzdv3f0.hop.clickbank.net/">St Paul's Cathedral</a> Choir. They are the work of the great 17th-century woodcarver Grinling Gibbons. Beyond the Choir is the focal point of the whole cathedral- the High Altar. It is a modern replacement of the altar which was damaged during World War II, and is an exact copy of Wren's original design.<br /><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvigNIuZTNnRcx0RfSy32x-NvBksUEt2t8cXLslpXavwB2yDEI2fZKtl5TnU77ngZiiexdVSKN9Y6_6dDV_7BYYbZD_uxnWyGE54B5B69R4LxBsJCj8A9rvODercjXTjmzT_VP9hpIl5g/s1600-h/mus_st+paul.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvigNIuZTNnRcx0RfSy32x-NvBksUEt2t8cXLslpXavwB2yDEI2fZKtl5TnU77ngZiiexdVSKN9Y6_6dDV_7BYYbZD_uxnWyGE54B5B69R4LxBsJCj8A9rvODercjXTjmzT_VP9hpIl5g/s400/mus_st+paul.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361753457330941378" /></a><br /><br />The cathedral contains numerous chapels, many of which contain exquisite furniture and Dunstan, at the western end of the cathedral. Wren's cathedral originally contained no monuments, but towards the end of the 18th century these began to appear, and now there are several hundred in the building. The oldest is that of the metaphysical poet John Donne (1573-1631), who was Dean of St Paul's from 1621 until his death. Itis the only monument to have survived from the old cathedral and is situated in the South Choir Aisle. Almost filling the North Aisle is the huge monument to the Duke of Wellington. He is actually buried in the Crypt, beneath an imposing sarcophagus. The orna te funeral car in which his body was brought to the cathedral stands nearby.<br /><br />Also in the Crypt is the tomb of Lord Nelson. His coffin lies beneath a black marble sarcophagus that had originally been intended for Cardinal Wolsey, and was also considered for Henry VIII. Standing among the graves of several well-known artists is Wren's own tomb. Above it, his tombstone carries the famous epitaph, 'Lector, si monumentum requiris, circumspice' ('Reader, if you seek his monument, look about you'). Many other tombs and memorials are contained in the Crypt, and also here is the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, which was dedicated in 1960.<br /><br /><br />EN EXELLENT <a href="http://ff4f99qfo8sv2kd5rsupzdv3f0.hop.clickbank.net/"><strong>GUIDE TO LONDON</strong></a><br /></div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-56622581765196134712009-07-23T13:06:00.000-07:002009-07-23T13:12:59.436-07:00ENGLAND, LONDON, THE BRITISH MUSEUM...<br><a href="http://ff4f99qfo8sv2kd5rsupzdv3f0.hop.clickbank.net/"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdF3B5o3APY1scUkn8aZ2J3StLytNkj_YqzNAW5vI6P_S_5yGCXYcry_MkI7xFssrQvOZCnUufjm99Hg6MsiZEN38i1TeVX-7invs7hxihyqwvN8nid8T3A_BInjdXRsz4NeMMS55TRag/s400/mus_engl_british.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361750181951697378" /></a><br /><br><div style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Roman Britain</strong><br /><br />In AD 43, Britain became a province of the Roman Empire when it was invaded by an army under the emperor Claudius. Its links with the Empire, however, had already been long established through trade, population movement and political alliances.<br /><br />Nevertheless, there was understandably native resistance, notably by Boudicca. But by the 70s AD, much of the island was under Roman control.<br /><br />Britannia, as it became known, covered the areas of modern England and Wales. Modern Scotland was never fully conquered. By the end of the second century AD, Hadrian’s Wall was the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire, whilst Ireland always remained outside. Roman rule finally came to an end in the early fifth century AD.<br /><br /><a href="http://ff4f99qfo8sv2kd5rsupzdv3f0.hop.clickbank.net/"><strong>The British Museum</strong></a> collection includes thousands of objects that reflect these four centuries of Roman rule, and show how Roman and native culture became mixed. The Romans built towns and villas of stone, brick, tile, plaster and mosaics, and roads to link them. Latin became the official language, and the law, administrative system and currency of Rome were all introduced.<br /><br />The range of imports increased, and settlers arrived from other Roman provinces in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Native religions and classical beliefs became interlinked. Other cults from the east were introduced, and Christianity became increasingly popular in the fourth century AD.<br /><br />All this created a complex and diverse society, which is reflected by objects in <a href="http://ff4f99qfo8sv2kd5rsupzdv3f0.hop.clickbank.net/">the British Museum</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://ff4f99qfo8sv2kd5rsupzdv3f0.hop.clickbank.net/"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueem79-pJlO1UXzvIFOWapTp7qPFZA_P1D6DhqEs7LDYtIt5hWfmcqPTkaGMuijlu8WU6duQ1TR6jMTBxB9oLQBu0H4c2Bvr3Zc5BBvobwhEMPZRN8-AQ2ZJKcKBAJDHqHNDGjyjaay4/s400/mus_british1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359501629905544674" /></a><br />Bronze head from a statue of the Emperor Hadrian Roman Britain, 2nd century AD. Found in the River Thames near London Bridge (1834)<br /><br /><strong>Medieval Europe</strong><br /><br />The late medieval period is difficult to define and different authorities understand different things by the term. It is, however, generally seen to end with the Renaissance. At <a href="http://ff4f99qfo8sv2kd5rsupzdv3f0.hop.clickbank.net/">the British Museum</a>, the years from about 1050-1540 are used to signify the period. This is with the exception of material from Italy where the Renaissance can be seen to begin around the middle of the fifteenth century.<br /><br />Two major art-historical styles characterise these years. The first is Romanesque (around 1050-1200) and the second is Gothic (around 1200-1540). The Romanesque style is identified by solid, rounded forms and a love of pattern, as demonstrated by the late twelfth century Lewis chessmen. The Gothic style places greater emphasis on graceful, slender figures as shown by the knight and his lady painted on the Shield of Parade towards the end of the fifteenth century. <br /><br />Late medieval Europe was Christian but the period also saw the establishment of Muslim states on European soil for the first time. Jews, Muslims and Christians lived peacefully in southern Italy and Spain for several hundred years. The resulting exchange of ideas saw the transfer of much scientific knowledge to western Europe along with the translation of classical texts and the transmission of chess.<br /><br />The turbulence of war, religious intolerance and plague has played a significant part in forming an unfavourable impression of the period for many. However, the same period saw the invention of printing and the foundation of modern institutions such as schools, universities and hospitals.<br /><br /><a href="http://ff4f99qfo8sv2kd5rsupzdv3f0.hop.clickbank.net/"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlONl-PBYkPOujNA7e-hgp8WLw2GS6X6CGjbxFMOYFh6ZIn5Qjy3xoLfwHcCqIx40fo9AQE-cUZDAMTiOra9wOYW2CIVF1Yg2M0mWWBslg_MA-Xj8ybIDg1g6Hex72yKZ62dGX5VRRyc/s400/mus_british2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359501634070850498" /></a><br />The Lewis Chessmen. Probably made in Norway, about AD 1150-1200. Found on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland<br /><br />EN EXELLENT <a href="http://ff4f99qfo8sv2kd5rsupzdv3f0.hop.clickbank.net/"><strong>GUIDE TO LONDON</strong></a></div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-26811225603424600142009-07-21T14:41:00.000-07:002009-07-21T14:42:11.150-07:00THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LA COUNTY. PART ONE<div style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County</strong><br /><br />The mission of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is to inspire wonder, discovery and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds. The Museum holds in its trust a vast and diverse collection of more than 35 million specimens and artifacts covering 4.5 billion years of Earth and human history. Free admission is offered to Los Angeles Unified school groups and a host of community outreach programs, monthly lectures and classes are offered to adults and children. Children's educational programs such as "Adventures in Nature" are offered each winter and summer, and the Museum houses an interactive Discovery Center and Insect Zoo where children can learn first-hand about natural science and history.<br /><strong>Vision Statement</strong><br /><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FbueWrtC-FbkR0FWTNcKuUwyjplVzG08891dsjvIsnvZKsQFY_XOEtHeWP72tpsYyk5PlicVfBM9-ovEHnrO_wc1elY9U3v0ZcH4NEUeEVJUF_dOg_eQSDoH2_nAX9UXHAf114deQ3E/s1600-h/mus_la1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FbueWrtC-FbkR0FWTNcKuUwyjplVzG08891dsjvIsnvZKsQFY_XOEtHeWP72tpsYyk5PlicVfBM9-ovEHnrO_wc1elY9U3v0ZcH4NEUeEVJUF_dOg_eQSDoH2_nAX9UXHAf114deQ3E/s400/mus_la1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361030768673972994" /></a><br /><br />Human beings are connected -- to each other, to communities, to other species, and to the Earth. As humans increasingly influence natural systems, it is critical that we understand these relationships. This understanding, in the context of the history of the Earth and its inhabitants, guides our approach to investigation and interpretation. By integrating our global research and extensive collections with engaging learning experiences that reveal all aspects of our work, we provoke curiosity and deepen understanding of our natural and cultural worlds. This dynamic learning laboratory and forum for the exchange of ideas is a new model that sets the standard for museums of the future. We inspire the widest possible audience to enjoy, value and become stewards of the living Earth.<br /><br /><strong>Natural History Museum Facts</strong><br /><br />The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is a crown jewel of Los Angeles' museums. A national leader in exhibitions, education and research, the Museum is L.A.'s second oldest cultural institution, opening its doors in 1913. It is the largest natural and historical museum in the Western United States, safe guarding more than 35 million spectacular, diverse specimens and artifacts.<br /><br />Three floors of permanent exhibits enthrall the entire family with minds-on exploration. The towering "Dueling Dinosaurs," complete skeletons of a Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops in battle, greet visitors in the majestic Grand Foyer. In addition to special exhibitions, the Museum boasts magnificent permanent halls that feature grand dioramas of African and American mammals, rare dinosaurs and fossils, marine animals, Pre-Columbian culture, and historical artifacts from California and Southwest history, as well as early Hollywood memorabilia. The exquisite Gem & Mineral Hall features the largest collection of gold in the United States. The kid-friendly Discovery Center, set to re-open in its new home on the Ground Floor of the Museum this spring, will welcome children and families with hands-on, interactive education. Children can make fossil rubbings, dig for fossils, observe live animals such as snakes, fish and lizards and touch animal pelts. The accompanying Insect Zoo, the largest in the West, presents live insects from around the world.<br /><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtN0Xf3VSlCYKfzcuS0McCIvxdGhY-avCH_Z2YYQ8gXBA3J6Es2mJODjAwGzwhl6xlBwzjWBw5EpMRm1gFZsxhkDe8GM5_IUQfoWPdBKdhdkhz-GRSFYTXQVPoK1yGXU50pkn6N1sKlvw/s1600-h/mus_la2.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtN0Xf3VSlCYKfzcuS0McCIvxdGhY-avCH_Z2YYQ8gXBA3J6Es2mJODjAwGzwhl6xlBwzjWBw5EpMRm1gFZsxhkDe8GM5_IUQfoWPdBKdhdkhz-GRSFYTXQVPoK1yGXU50pkn6N1sKlvw/s400/mus_la2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361030773402079746" /></a><br /><br />The Museum is also an active research center. The Research & Collections Department spans the areas of living and fossil invertebrates (echinoderms, crustacea, worms, entomology, and mollusks), vertebrates (birds, mammals, reptiles, fishes), mineralogy, anthropology (Native American, Pre-Columbian and Pacific) and history (California and Southwestern).<br /></div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-73980540791615661992009-07-21T14:25:00.000-07:002009-07-21T14:41:48.584-07:00THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LA COUNTY. PART TWO<div style="text-align:justify;"><br>The Museum offers free admission to Los Angeles Unified schools, and offers monthly lectures and classes. Children's educational programs and hands-on science programs such as "Adventures in Nature" are offered each winter/summer.<br /><br />The Natural History Museum is located at 900 Exposition Blvd. The Museum is open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $9 for adults, $2 for children 5 - 12 and $6.50 for students/seniors. Children under 5 are free.<br /><br />The Natural History Museum Family includes the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits and the William S. Hart Museum.<br /><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkg8teJ3wsSgV8XUIHxdD7Hn9ykBW0ffpoC8EJ24BmEtlVrCmdGJKOwt3FOAML4qQ3n6G0T6Oe6zL0wV3hp1-nGk33OdLlreTnGt4fyAkSjATF77lzB_2ehs6UHA-JaqC1BtNaxrWEKns/s1600-h/mus_la3.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkg8teJ3wsSgV8XUIHxdD7Hn9ykBW0ffpoC8EJ24BmEtlVrCmdGJKOwt3FOAML4qQ3n6G0T6Oe6zL0wV3hp1-nGk33OdLlreTnGt4fyAkSjATF77lzB_2ehs6UHA-JaqC1BtNaxrWEKns/s400/mus_la3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361030774990468146" /></a><br />Dinosaurs - the permanent exhibition, the perennial natural history museum favorite, are well represented here. Dinosaur exhibits include the Museum's hallmark, the "Dueling Dinosaurs," complete skeletons of a Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops posed in battle, a cast of the complete skeleton of a Mamenchisaurus, the largest-necked dinosaur ever discovered, one of the few and finest Tyrannosaurus rex skulls on view anywhere, and dramatic models of an Allosaurus and Carnotaurus by sculptor/paleontologist Stephen Czerkas.<br />In Dinosaur Encounters, two life-sized juvenile dinosaur puppets — a 14-foot Tyrannosaurus rex and a 9-foot Triceratops – roam the halls of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.<br /><br />To create Dinosaur Encounters, Museum paleontologists collaborated with puppet fabricators and performers to bring the dinosaurs to “life,” while still ensuring authentic detail and movement. These amazingly realistic creatures help us better understand dinosaur behavior, anatomy and survival tactics.<br /><br />Although the presentations are educational, there is also an experiential component to Dinosaur Encounters. In programs so far, children have talked to, danced with, and pet the dinosaurs – and the photo and video opportunities are endless.<br /><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEyxlmKYgg2HOC0Q-Wz4Q9FvDFE7v8xohhVPzM7BmtY8c1V1EhsFkTGDHAEwwEXGtpPumb_N3FFk1k1E2fGhrjwATqJME6NniTRXfUZl_uhtYKZ6IGjAT7fyfYtug_g_hHu3wVNyf5UQ/s1600-h/mus_la4.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEyxlmKYgg2HOC0Q-Wz4Q9FvDFE7v8xohhVPzM7BmtY8c1V1EhsFkTGDHAEwwEXGtpPumb_N3FFk1k1E2fGhrjwATqJME6NniTRXfUZl_uhtYKZ6IGjAT7fyfYtug_g_hHu3wVNyf5UQ/s400/mus_la4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361030775247406162" /></a><br /><br />YOU CAN EASY SPEND ENTIRE DAY WITH WHOLE FAMILY HERE!<br /></div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-8607213033042481162009-07-20T13:40:00.000-07:002009-07-20T13:48:01.875-07:00USA, WASHINGTON, PART 1<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vUzy44jAzwESWM_-3c6M_XeWmHndl1uobgTvi1s79DFL3fdqrNBTclq7Cp8EweH8DznL9l0wYeWA1eCsgNs62ta4EBge73CCMtgVJv4nZ1N5NoZpK7x6RS7PhpiRENtlhIceQXJsDIE/s1600-h/tour_was_Smithsonian.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vUzy44jAzwESWM_-3c6M_XeWmHndl1uobgTvi1s79DFL3fdqrNBTclq7Cp8EweH8DznL9l0wYeWA1eCsgNs62ta4EBge73CCMtgVJv4nZ1N5NoZpK7x6RS7PhpiRENtlhIceQXJsDIE/s400/tour_was_Smithsonian.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360644411619141330" /></a><br /><div style="text-align:justify;"><br><strong>Today we will visit <span style="color:#cc6600;">WASHINGTON</span> - the capital of the Unated States and the home town of Alex Ovechkin - the NHL 2009 MVP and his Capitals.</strong><br /><br />As someone once referred to the Smithsonian as the attic of the American nation. No reason was missing because it is the museum and research complex in the bigger world, with 18 museums, 16 of them in Washington and more than 142 million works of art and other objects. If you’re one of those who love museums, such that each time they visit somewhere, you have to close to them, this is one of those unmissable museums to see.<br />Moreover, the admission is free … The Smithsonian was founded in 1846 with funds bequeathed to the United States by the British scientist James Smithson. If you want to start visiting the major museums and interesting to give you an idea of what you find.<br /><br />The National Museum of Air and Space are one of the world’s most visited and compulsory for children of all ages and their parents. Do not miss the Spirit of St. Louis Charles Lindbergh, the Apollo spacecraft and the wonderful IMAX cinema films. Another museum is the Art Gallery and Freer Gallery Arthur M. Sackler, connected by an underground tunnel. Both are home to one of the best collections of Asian art in the world.<br /><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDcakhN3AImg37EgM4Y2EYDJyf6geWTV32hsHNkzKh-h1EAmeRlSI-658-LyIYJOwsnqjv4PnDZ02aP292rgMc3s78wBCg0zMlhcHByWGFfotG-xt5J5sVjiWpBRJ0h4zRu2D5UTIGnQ/s1600-h/tour_was-art.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDcakhN3AImg37EgM4Y2EYDJyf6geWTV32hsHNkzKh-h1EAmeRlSI-658-LyIYJOwsnqjv4PnDZ02aP292rgMc3s78wBCg0zMlhcHByWGFfotG-xt5J5sVjiWpBRJ0h4zRu2D5UTIGnQ/s400/tour_was-art.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360646773133312946" /></a><br /><em><strong>THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART</strong></em><br><br />The National Museum of African Art presents a comprehensive collection of art, both traditional and contemporary, of the entire African continent. The National Museum of Natural History is a magnet for visitors through the magnificent and huge dinosaurs Hope diamond of 45.5 carats. The Museum and Sculpture Garden Hirshhorn, cylindrical in shape, was built to house 11,500 books, collector’s gift, which takes its name and is a fun walk through the art of the twentieth century. The list of the properties of the Smithsonian goes on and on …<br /><br />Of the fifty-odd museums in Washington, many of them are located in front of the Capitol, where stretches of grass Mall Among them, the masterpiece is the National Gallery of Art, one of the greatest museums in the world and one of the three largest United States, along with the Metropolitan in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago. These sober buildings, constructed in 1978 by IM Pei, host a beautiful selection of Dutch and Flemish masters, French impressionists and a poetic portrait of Ginevra Benci, in 1474, the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci, which is stored in the western part of the museum.<br /><br />Mall is located near the Phillips Collection, the first modern art museum in the country. Situated in a beautiful neo-Georgian mansion was once home to the collector who takes his name. To the south, the Corcoran Gallery has an exhibition of the best collection of art from the nineteenth century of the world. However, the most powerful and grim in the city there is the Holocaust Memorial Museum, dedicated to the victims of Nazi genocide that killed between 1933 and 1945.</div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-64121291571645765232009-07-20T13:29:00.000-07:002009-07-20T13:58:48.100-07:00USA, WASHINGTON. PART TWO<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br />And where but in Washington could be the International Spy Museum, which downgrading many secrets of the espionage of all ages and from all corners of the world. For those seeking more personal jewelry and least known of the city will love Dumbarton Oaks and its wonderful collections of pre-Columbian and Byzantine art, at a fabulous mansion between elaborate gardens and terraces.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizw8tkvxvTu9qfDV2KJ0ZR0Jf5NYa0UA9Ixf-DeZcg2Cmy6Yv7qCCFYAhPWmMtHUl1xP-HnZW9FnLrcChxmtMRS-7udooVMJEp6ahES4n7msALO3ojBugajlFpjTSd2bk019_KKFZarg/s1600-h/tour_was_Museum-Smithsonian.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360644398089377826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizw8tkvxvTu9qfDV2KJ0ZR0Jf5NYa0UA9Ixf-DeZcg2Cmy6Yv7qCCFYAhPWmMtHUl1xP-HnZW9FnLrcChxmtMRS-7udooVMJEp6ahES4n7msALO3ojBugajlFpjTSd2bk019_KKFZarg/s400/tour_was_Museum-Smithsonian.jpg" /></a><br /><br />As someone once referred to the Smithsonian as the attic of the American nation. No reason was missing because it is the museum and research complex in the bigger world, with 18 museums, 16 of them in Washington and more than 142 million works of art and other objects. If you’re one of those who love museums, such that each time they visit somewhere, you have to close to them, this is one of those unmissable museums to see.<br />Moreover, the admission is free … The Smithsonian was founded in 1846 with funds bequeathed to the United States by the British scientist James Smithson. If you want to start visiting the major museums and interesting to give you an idea of what you find.<br /><br />The National Museum of Air and Space are one of the world’s most visited and compulsory for children of all ages and their parents. Do not miss the Spirit of St. Louis Charles Lindbergh, the Apollo spacecraft and the wonderful IMAX cinema films. Another museum is the Art Gallery and Freer Gallery Arthur M. Sackler, connected by an underground tunnel. Both are home to one of the best collections of Asian art in the world.<br /><br />The National Museum of African Art presents a comprehensive collection of art, both traditional and contemporary, of the entire African continent. The National Museum of Natural History is a magnet for visitors through the magnificent and huge dinosaurs Hope diamond of 45.5 carats. The Museum and Sculpture Garden Hirshhorn, cylindrical in shape, was built to house 11,500 books, collector’s gift, which takes its name and is a fun walk through the art of the twentieth century. The list of the properties of the Smithsonian goes on and on …<br /><br />Of the fifty-odd museums in Washington, many of them are located in front of the Capitol, where stretches of grass Mall Among them, the masterpiece is the National Gallery of Art, one of the greatest museums in the world and one of the three largest United States, along with the Metropolitan in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago. These sober buildings, constructed in 1978 by IM Pei, host a beautiful selection of Dutch and Flemish masters, French impressionists and a poetic portrait of Ginevra Benci, in 1474, the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci, which is stored in the western part of the museum.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_RMzuqWWPM0SaM2wYQwTra1pArKX5E0fDAcIeZoRsScV0nsuv8dRZ1Af3yvsRs_XistaGe74gmXh-pPy0yvs9m5O3TPXRnDz1Ov_juOGzsDfj9ima6RwWi5WMb1aun_5tQQmY0mzXzc/s1600-h/tour_was_UdvarHazyCenter_002.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360644406051658882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_RMzuqWWPM0SaM2wYQwTra1pArKX5E0fDAcIeZoRsScV0nsuv8dRZ1Af3yvsRs_XistaGe74gmXh-pPy0yvs9m5O3TPXRnDz1Ov_juOGzsDfj9ima6RwWi5WMb1aun_5tQQmY0mzXzc/s400/tour_was_UdvarHazyCenter_002.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Mall is located near the Phillips Collection, the first modern art museum in the country. Situated in a beautiful neo-Georgian mansion was once home to the collector who takes his name. To the south, the Corcoran Gallery has an exhibition of the best collection of art from the nineteenth century of the world. However, the most powerful and grim in the city there is the Holocaust Memorial Museum, dedicated to the victims of Nazi genocide that killed between 1933 and 1945.<br /><br />And where but in Washington could be the International Spy Museum, which downgrading many secrets of the espionage of all ages and from all corners of the world. For those seeking more personal jewelry and least known of the city will love Dumbarton Oaks and its wonderful collections of pre-Columbian and Byzantine art, at a fabulous mansion between elaborate gardens and terraces.<br />As someone once referred to the Smithsonian as the attic of the American nation. No reason was missing because it is the museum and research complex in the bigger world, with 18 museums, 16 of them in Washington and more than 142 million works of art and other objects. If you’re one of those who love museums, such that each time they visit somewhere, you have to close to them, this is one of those unmissable museums to see.<br />Moreover, the admission is free … The Smithsonian was founded in 1846 with funds bequeathed to the United States by the British scientist James Smithson. If you want to start visiting the major museums and interesting to give you an idea of what you find.<br />The National Museum of Air and Space are one of the world’s most visited and compulsory for children of all ages and their parents. Do not miss the Spirit of St. Louis Charles Lindbergh, the Apollo spacecraft and the wonderful IMAX cinema films. Another museum is the Art Gallery and Freer Gallery Arthur M. Sackler, connected by an underground tunnel. Both are home to one of the best collections of Asian art in the world. </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc6600;">USA, WASHINGTON. PART THREE</span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br />The National Museum of African Art presents a comprehensive collection of art, both traditional and contemporary, of the entire African continent. The National Museum of Natural History is a magnet for visitors through the magnificent and huge dinosaurs Hope diamond of 45.5 carats. The Museum and Sculpture Garden Hirshhorn, cylindrical in shape, was built to house 11,500 books, collector’s gift, which takes its name and is a fun walk through the art of the twentieth century. The list of the properties of the Smithsonian goes on and on …<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JKwDkftmZ7WUkzXETK90uvp76eVAtoIV0WQw_0QnLpFZq9JIfH7Suazhv2wUy6PujbfvGb_Yk0xASYw8S8Mt9bQTJqjrhxuJ75YaJfLbOQedtyaT87atiMNubOY2TbIziA3bNgUg1GE/s1600-h/tour_was_leonardo.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 226px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360648218872843362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JKwDkftmZ7WUkzXETK90uvp76eVAtoIV0WQw_0QnLpFZq9JIfH7Suazhv2wUy6PujbfvGb_Yk0xASYw8S8Mt9bQTJqjrhxuJ75YaJfLbOQedtyaT87atiMNubOY2TbIziA3bNgUg1GE/s400/tour_was_leonardo.jpg" /></a><br /><em><strong>LEONARDO. PORTRAIT OF GINEVRA DI BENCI</strong></em><br /><br />Of the fifty-odd museums in Washington, many of them are located in front of the Capitol, where stretches of grass Mall Among them, the masterpiece is the National Gallery of Art, one of the greatest museums in the world and one of the three largest United States, along with the Metropolitan in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago. These sober buildings, constructed in 1978 by IM Pei, host a beautiful selection of Dutch and Flemish masters, French impressionists and a poetic portrait of Ginevra Benci, in 1474, the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci, which is stored in the western part of the museum.<br /><br />Mall is located near the Phillips Collection, the first modern art museum in the country. Situated in a beautiful neo-Georgian mansion was once home to the collector who takes his name. To the south, the Corcoran Gallery has an exhibition of the best collection of art from the nineteenth century of the world. However, the most powerful and grim in the city there is the Holocaust Memorial Museum, dedicated to the victims of Nazi genocide that killed between 1933 and 1945.<br /><br />And where but in Washington could be the International Spy Museum, which downgrading many secrets of the espionage of all ages and from all corners of the world. For those seeking more personal jewelry and least known of the city will love Dumbarton Oaks and its wonderful collections of pre-Columbian and Byzantine art, at a fabulous mansion between elaborate gardens and terraces.<br />In the northwest, opposite to Rock Creek Park, are the Hillwood Museum and Gardens, once a 40-bedroom Georgian house, home of Marjorie Merriweather Post, heir to the empire of the grain and the high society lady. At present it houses the vast collection of old master of decorative objects from France and the imperial Russia, as icons and Fabergé eggs.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lEQpLxB1-HDekcmNjl6HHNPEp56KrZm8SoX-fSd3RqQDL5OD5SaV8jNY2hIxUbGyCThN5W840XVc1ivov46Qolb-c4zw72gEnsz-Z8tQyrBZ7775xY6n3UXdVloBLWFXZKFL0qVZsYc/s1600-h/tour_was_faberge.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 258px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360645976366309618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lEQpLxB1-HDekcmNjl6HHNPEp56KrZm8SoX-fSd3RqQDL5OD5SaV8jNY2hIxUbGyCThN5W840XVc1ivov46Qolb-c4zw72gEnsz-Z8tQyrBZ7775xY6n3UXdVloBLWFXZKFL0qVZsYc/s400/tour_was_faberge.jpg" /></a><br /><em><strong>RUSSIAN FABERGE EGGS</strong></em><br /></div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-33636847670399041312009-07-13T15:55:00.003-07:002009-07-13T16:08:14.699-07:00FRANCE, PARIS, LOUVRE...<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br>Located in Paris, the <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Louvre</span></strong> has been one of the most famous and most visited museums in the world. Placed on the Right Bank in the First Arrondissement, the Louvre was built in an area between the Seine River and the Rue de Rivoli. This building was originally used as a fortress, and later was used to display art and transformed into a museum.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dR68cChUis_Nf9ekkMSuK6ZZmxNhRa1dS4ZnLFtQHZ4xbE-OkYVwHkGbNduDxSOEYzoKNXfH7_H08bhwF-OYLbupC4yZN1UcTwHIO48rmpWwQfh6SJEk_gW702nStzfQHJxwLd23shdV/"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 271px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355435868087696450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dR68cChUis_Nf9ekkMSuK6ZZmxNhRa1dS4ZnLFtQHZ4xbE-OkYVwHkGbNduDxSOEYzoKNXfH7_H08bhwF-OYLbupC4yZN1UcTwHIO48rmpWwQfh6SJEk_gW702nStzfQHJxwLd23shdV/s400/museum_lo" /></a><br /><br />The museum was formally opened in 1750, and much of the building was used as a gallery to showcase artist's works. It allowed all common people from within France and abroad to view the gallery. Entrance to the museum in the form of a combined ticket (which grants admission to all permanent collections as well as any temporary exhibits) is 13 euros.<br /><br />The Louvre has over 380,000 pieces of art within its collection. However, only 35,000of it is on public display. Famous artworks like the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo are two of the 11,900 pieces that is publicly displayed at the Louvre. Other lesser known but famous pieces include the Madonna on the Rocks and Oath of the Horatii.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5kfb8HIEmrA0gwAa6opY7t1MjcAO7WsysgPTmbKhlUczYa38rr-ZPfeYUXq31RM6z9jLvr8OhuYmAZAWvykXFQRaVMTLIq8lXlwkoxyUEdSHjTOjvgS61PpoWxY3PWQHvU9tYLHzIX4t/"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 238px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355435874171439922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5kfb8HIEmrA0gwAa6opY7t1MjcAO7WsysgPTmbKhlUczYa38rr-ZPfeYUXq31RM6z9jLvr8OhuYmAZAWvykXFQRaVMTLIq8lXlwkoxyUEdSHjTOjvgS61PpoWxY3PWQHvU9tYLHzIX4t/s400/museum_lo" /></a><br /><br />Art enthusiasts can venture into the museum's different sections to view the mass amounts of art work on display. There are eight total sections in the museum: Islamic Art, Paintings, Sculptures, Prints and Drawings, Near Eastern Antiquities, Egyptian Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, and Decorative Arts.<br /><br />Amongst their collection, they have large collections of pieces from famous artists such as Rembrandt and David. Famous sculptures such as the Venus de Milo can be found on display within the museum. These famous pieces are some of the many works that visitors often ask about. Plus the Louvre holds one the largest collections of several popular artists, as well as a large collection of pictorials in the world.<br /><br />While the Louvre is well known for its art collection, there are other collections within the museum that will surprise many people. Outside of the art, the museum has archeology, sculptures, and objest d'art from across the globe. They also have a permanent gallery showing large holdings of furniture, including the Bureau du Roi by Jean Henri Riesener. Some of these works are available in books that are sold at the museum. Temporary exhibits are also held throughout the year on various other elements of the various art movements, in which other parts of the hidden collection will be presented to the public.<br /><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdljjA5bH7ZPm-47G9PxgIiahx51GeVnyLDXaxdma-_HUnHh8v0Veh3j_AunzYEzXkiatnRY3_xecWOrlj_vihGPmNgbPDLm1UFMlw-04gM1H8lK7XGYPB11L2AQeVF7KATQX-yp7M7To/s1600-h/mus_louvre_1830_delacroix_liberty.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdljjA5bH7ZPm-47G9PxgIiahx51GeVnyLDXaxdma-_HUnHh8v0Veh3j_AunzYEzXkiatnRY3_xecWOrlj_vihGPmNgbPDLm1UFMlw-04gM1H8lK7XGYPB11L2AQeVF7KATQX-yp7M7To/s400/mus_louvre_1830_delacroix_liberty.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358085332790649410" /></a><br /><em><strong>DELACROIX. LIBERTY. 1830 LOUVRE COLLECTION</strong></em></div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5930894719693860445.post-82776496726064305362009-07-13T15:55:00.001-07:002009-07-13T16:04:58.792-07:00SPAIN, MADRID, PRADO...<div style="text-align:justify;"><br>For those booking their resort and planning to travel abroad to the beautiful country of Spain, Madrid is likely you first stop. While there, you should invest the time in visiting the Prado Museum, called <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Museo del Prado</span></strong>. <br /><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSthIi0SPyusfraPFhg-3W7BIETPyXRY2LjPzIajc1P1iMPzg5zXhA_efskMp6Zbl6tc4gL5NvbmDMmdAj8z0U2qnXgmzm5RJ6bguU4ZFtOj6gAeCg4U7DCs6cgwTzsTxcqe7u7S2yTQY/s1600-h/museum_prado1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSthIi0SPyusfraPFhg-3W7BIETPyXRY2LjPzIajc1P1iMPzg5zXhA_efskMp6Zbl6tc4gL5NvbmDMmdAj8z0U2qnXgmzm5RJ6bguU4ZFtOj6gAeCg4U7DCs6cgwTzsTxcqe7u7S2yTQY/s400/museum_prado1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355407077005378946" /></a><br><br />It offers some 7000 paintings and other art displays. You will find three of the most well known Spanish artists represented here. This includes Goya, El Greco and Velazquez. Still, there are dozens of other artists from around the world represented in this beautiful museum.<br /><br /><strong>The Museum</strong><br /><br />The museum is located in Madrid centrally. It has beautiful garden surrounding it. Many enjoy spending hours here with its 19th century beauty. It was finally completed in building in 1819. Much of the work here is from the collections purchased by Spanish nobility at that time and over time.<br /><br />Soon, a new wing will be completed, though there has been some disagreement about it. Many of the pieces that will be displayed here will be those that have been in storage for most of their existence. This includes Pereda and Zurbaran to name a couple that will be now able to be viewed. Even without them, you can enjoy a full day of art works when you visit the museum. You will find plenty from Spanish masters in art. You will also find works by other famous people including Italians, Flemish, Dutch and French artists. Many of these were purchased or taken during the time of Spain's conquests throughout Europe. No matter how they were collected, the fact is that they are a timeless piece of work that can not be overlooked.<br /><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLaFUnhy6U8hFSA_6OhuDPy2GvEco18GXr-jxtAYknzqmD6v7zBARlzg4OF3jFc1EZNJ0vXhTUL-Y0R2LypxG5NyxNyhODGUKTDzsLfADIQqar6P-wp2SlG5g9k-2IwlKcuJJC9xP32aU/s1600-h/museum_prado.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLaFUnhy6U8hFSA_6OhuDPy2GvEco18GXr-jxtAYknzqmD6v7zBARlzg4OF3jFc1EZNJ0vXhTUL-Y0R2LypxG5NyxNyhODGUKTDzsLfADIQqar6P-wp2SlG5g9k-2IwlKcuJJC9xP32aU/s400/museum_prado.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355407068925046306" /></a><br><br /><strong>Where To Go</strong><br /><br />You will want to stroll through the Goya enterance located on the ground floor. While there, stop to enjoy the work of Fra Angelico, called La Anunciacion a la Virgen Maria. You will enjoy a range of other pieces here as well. A few steps away is a masterpiece from the Italian Botticelli, Mantegna del Sarto and Corregio. You also want to enjoy the Titian's Venus located here.<br /><br />You will enjoy Bosch who is considered to be one of the world's best in the genre of surrealism. You will see the Seven Deadly Sins work as well as Garden of Earthly Delights here, too. These were painted in the 16th century, though they are still one of the most amazing you will see. These were once called the artist's vivid imagination. When you move up to the second floor, you will see many 17th century Flemish pieces. This includes Rubens and van Dyck.<br /><br />Perhaps the main reason to visit is the Goy and El Greco works you will see here. These are the most popular with John the Baptist, The Resurrection and Adoration of the Shepards by El Greco. Goya are here as well, with Saturn Devouring One Of His Sons as one of the most popular.<br /><br />A visit to the Museo del Prado is one that is a must for anyone visiting Spain's famed Madrid. There is so much to enjoy here, plan to spend the entire day.<br /><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlOqDh8HEiIZgp2U5msFm1QHC2hAdboUtpF5r5gOUQmbNsT3lNjnGw3K3B1lWxhyphenhyphenMl4Nw41gWRIfy5Qn_h3Z6Utd9DD2d6RDnI-KrioU4ghBxH5Sbve44pSq2GJ9ag22d6MLSKK1NRNeh/s1600-h/mus_prad-The+Garden+of+Earthly+Delights+by+Hyeronymus+Bosch.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlOqDh8HEiIZgp2U5msFm1QHC2hAdboUtpF5r5gOUQmbNsT3lNjnGw3K3B1lWxhyphenhyphenMl4Nw41gWRIfy5Qn_h3Z6Utd9DD2d6RDnI-KrioU4ghBxH5Sbve44pSq2GJ9ag22d6MLSKK1NRNeh/s400/mus_prad-The+Garden+of+Earthly+Delights+by+Hyeronymus+Bosch.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355407063674103570" /></a><br /><em><strong>THE GARDEN OF EARLY DELIGHT. HYERONYMUS BOSCH. PRADO OLLECTION</strong></em></div>NIKALE1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13741751683028236908noreply@blogger.com0