My Multiply

piatok 7. februára 2014

Angle of reflection

Morning in the city

WEEKEND REFLECTIONS

štvrtok 6. februára 2014

THIS EVENING

The castle, on a hill

above the old town,

dominates our city.

The castle hill was populated as early as the late Stone Age; its first known inhabitants were the Celts, who founded a fortified settlement here called ‘Oppidum’.

For four centuries, the border of the Roman Empire, the ‘Limes Romanus’, ran through the area. During the Great Moravian Empire, Slavs built a fortress that became a significant centre for the time. In the 10th century, Bratislava became an integral part of the growing Hungarian state; a stone palace and the church of St Saviour and its chapter were built on the castle hill in the 11th century. In the 15th century, in the reign of Sigismund of Luxembourg, a castle was built in Gothic style as an anti-Hussite fortress. During this period, a new entrance to the castle was built on the eastern side – Sigismund's Gate – while 7-metre-thick fortifications were constructed on the western side, and a castle well dug in 1437.

In the 16th century, King Ferdinand ordered the rebuilding of the castle in the Renaissance style, while in the 17th century, when the castle became the seat of hereditary provincial chief, Pálffy, it was rebuilt in the baroque style.

In the reign of Maria Theresa, the castle was arranged according to the needs of her son-in-law Albert, governor of Saxony and Tessen, who was a fervent art collector and who installed his works in the castle. This collection was later moved to Vienna to become the present-day Albertina Gallery.

Since independence, the castle has served as a representative venue for the Slovak Parliament and houses collections of the Slovak National Museum. In 2008, a comprehensive restoration project was launched which is expected to take five years. As a result, the interior is currently closed to visitors, but the exterior fortifications and their views over the Danube can still be accessed.

Taken this evening...

nedeľa 2. februára 2014

SUNDAY BRIDGES

"SUNDAY BRIDGES"

As I wrote yesterday, Stockholm,

one of the most beautiful capitals

in the world, is built

on 14 islands connected

by 57 bridges.

piatok 31. januára 2014

Angle of reflection

weekend reflections

WINTERY VIEWS

Stockholm, one of the most beautiful capitals in the world, is built on 14 islands connected by 57 bridges. The beautiful buildings, the greenery, the fresh air and the proximity to the water are distinctive traits of this city...

(Photograph taken during my April 2006 business trip to Stockholm...)