Cool Historical Buildings

Khaju Bridge in Isfahan
Or better to say a free hotel with some restaurants and teahouses!!

Edited by Cyrus Shahmiri - 02-Jan-2007 at 13:09

Br�ncovenesti/Marosvecs, a 16th century castle having a dominant position on the river Mures, near Reghin city (Mures county)



The former Radu Voda monastery in Bucharest, 16-17th century. Until 19th century it has a fortified cells enclosure





Moigrad, Salaj county (Crisana, North-West Romania) is the locality on the place of ancient Dacian and Roman town of Porolissum. This was one of Roman Dacia's most important cities, together with Apulum and Sarmisegetusa Regia. It was the most advanced Roman settlement in the Barbaricum, a city at the edge of imense unknown world for them. Paradoxaly, here the Christianism was the most developed in 4th century. The image shows thevestiges of the Roman arena. Only two arena existed in Roman Dacia, one at Sarmisegetusa Regia (the capital of the province) and the second is this:


Edited by Menumorut - 14-Jan-2007 at 15:43

Unirii Square in Timisoara, a magnificent Baroque ensamble of 18t century




Edited by Menumorut - 14-Jan-2007 at 15:44

The Colt Castle in R�u de Mori, Hunedoara county (South Transylvania) was built by a 14th century Romanian nobiliary family (cnyazes) called C�ndea who later magyarized






The R�met monastery (Alba county, near Aiud) was founded in 13 or 14th century, from which period the church is. It was the most important religious center of Romanians in Transylvania








Edited by Menumorut - 14-Jan-2007 at 15:46

I don't see an urbanite being able to deal with such enviroments for longer then a few weeks.

Meteora's monasteries remind me of "Babak Castle"

This 2,200 years old castle is located 148 Km from Tabriz at about 3,000 meters above sea level. Surrounding the castle are valleys and only access to this structure is through a narrow track. It was from this unconquerable castle that Babak Khorram Din and his followers fought against the Arabs for 22 years. Historical evidences show that this castle was the center of rule in the 6th and 7th century, of the territory.

Edited by Cyrus Shahmiri - 14-Jan-2007 at 10:38

It has an aerial photo of the citadel imposed onto the suirrounding landscape of the mountain which it is perched.

Grado

In Roman times the city, known as ad Aquas Gradatas, was first port for ships entering the Natissa (Natisone), headed upstream to Aquileia.

Quite close is the ancient Roman city of Aquileia; during the late years of the Western Roman Empire many people fled from Aquileia to Grado in order to find a safer place, more protected from the invasions coming from the east. In 452 Nicetas, Bishop of Aquileia, took refuge briefly at Grado; of the same period is the earliest construction of Grado's first Cathedral, the first church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, and the Baptistery. Grado was the home base of the Patriarchate's fleet.

In 568, after the invasion of the Lombards, the seat of the Patriarchate of Aquileia was transferred here by the Patriarch Paulinus. After the "Schism of the Three Chapters", two different Patriarchs were elected: that of Grado exerted its jurisdiction over the Latin-origin people living in the coast and in the Venetian Lagoon, while that Aquileia, later moved to Cividale, had its jurisdiction on the mainland. A long lasting dispute over the authority of the two patriarchs ensued: in 993 the patriarch of Aquileia, Popo, conquered Grado, but was unable to maintain it. The matter was settled only in 1027 when the Pope declared the supremacy of the seat of Aquileia over Grado and the Venetian province.

The seat of the Patriarchate was transferred to Venice in 1451 by Pope Nicholas V. Reduced to a minor hamlet, Grado was sacked by the English in 1810 and by the French in 1812. Grado was handed acquired by Austria in 1815, to which it remained until 1918.
(Wikipedia)


Aerial views







Basilica S. Piero, 6th century




6th century basilica of Saint Eufemi, exterior and interior






Basilica di Santa Maria delle Grazie, 6th century







The Baptistery, 6th century

Very nice pictures, keep them coming!

You gotta love these rock-hewn Ethiopian Orthodox Churches.



The amount of dedication that would take...incredible.