Tag Archives: Architecture

Versailles

22 September 2024 By in Architecture, Art, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

The Palace of Versailles is the modern definition of grand opulence. Opulence beyond the comprehension of the common man. Built as a tribute to, and glorification of, himself, King Louis XIV, who stood at the apex of the world stage in the 17th century.

He built the palace to move his court out of Paris, supposedly so he could exert more control over the French nobility.

Initial construction began in 1661 with the Grand Palace and its surrounding gardens and culminated in 1710 with the completion of The Royal Chapel. The entire estate covers about 2000 acres and various estimates suggest that Versailles would cost $2-50 billion to construct today.

The Hall of Mirrors, shown in the graphic, was added, along with the wings to the Grand Palace from 1678-1684.

Source: Versailles by Perouse de Montclos, 1991. Graphic: Hall of Mirrors, Britannica.

The Hand of God

1 September 2024 By in Art, Books Nonfiction Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Guillaume de Laubier and Jacques Bosser in their book ‘Sacred Spaces: The Awe-Inspiring Architecture of Churches and Cathedrals’ capture the artistic wonderment and engineering marvels that sprang from the last two millennia of Christian faith. From St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome to St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and back to Barcelona’s Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, the authors showcase the magnificent architectural monuments to Christ that are unsurpassed in our contemporary world of concrete and steel. The beauty presented in these ‘Sacred Spaces’ were constructed with flesh and blood but only God could have provided the inspiration and the will to create them.

The photo is the baldachin, or canopy, which hangs in the Barcelona Sagrada Familia. It represents the Holy Spirit covering the cross of Christ and hangs below the representation of the Father (not shown), which taken together represent the Holy Trinity of Christian faith.

Source: Sacred Spaces: The Awe-Inspiring Architecture of Churches and Cathedrals by Jacques Bosser and Guillaume de Laubier, 2018. Graphic: The Baldachin: Representation of the Holy Spirit at the Sagrada Familia by Blog Sagrada Familia, 2018.