Ancient Architecture: Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Renaissance, Gothic.

I have always had a fascination with architecture. I have never had the time to study this subject, and wanted to throw a few of my favorites out there.

It is amazing how the changes of architecture over the centuries are related to movements, religion, and invasions from other countries. Castles and fortresses built on hills for protection, pyramids to bury the dead. Some of these ancient time periods figured out how to move water into their cities.
Beautiful Cathedrals with impressive ribbed vaulting, buttresses; the stories that the facades tell.

These are my three favorites, and if anyone has a few favorites, add them and tell what it is you like about the structures.
First one that I would love to see with my own eyes is the Roman Forum, known as a public square. I would like to know how they built something so large and in perfect portions and lasted many centuries.

Second is the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, which I will never get to see. Since there is nothing left to it, but must have been something to see.
Third is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres; would just love to take a walk through this beautiful Gothic Cathedral.

 

you'd probably want to check out the mezzequita in Cordoba in southern spain. what was once a medieval mosque is now a catholic church. The contrast between the two types of architecture is striking.

by far it would be one of the greatest pieces of architecture i have ever seen with my own eyes.





a few hundred km away you'd also find Al Hambra, also in southern spain which would usurp the mezzequita's splendour tenfold.

 

I find it amazing that these structures were built hundreds, even thousands of years ago with such precision. That someone could even conceptualize architecture of this magnitude with only the very basics for design and construction available is beyond comprehension.

 

Lawd 'Amighty (omg) ... I have spent a long time in Chartres Cathedral, and it burnt in impression in me like special effects in films about churches having a big impact on people who are in them. The sense of sheer SPACE ... yet ... space ENCLOSED. Enclosed not by structures where anybody would go 'of those'd hold up', but by delicate filigrees of stone that felt like you only need to stand at the altar and pull on one of the candles - then a command console would flash into being and the entire structure would begin to rise into the sky, ready to take us physically together into heaven.

I'll count that as my number one.

Second ... The natural History Museum in London.





This is one of my favourite places of all time. When I go in there, I feel like I own it, but that I am generous enough to let the public walk around in it. Own? More like 'am' ... there are times in my life when I have felt that I am travelling through my genetic history to the origins of the universe. Then I went to the Museum, it was as if all my inner trips were on the outside of my head ... dinosaurs, even dist from stars that existed during the previous cycle to the big band that incited OUR universe. It feels like a temple to my DNA. That's why I like it a lot and thin it is very, very nice indeed.


My third choice is Stone Henge.


Part of why it gets to me is that during many holidays to Cornwall in the South of England, I have made sure to visit the various Stone Circles. They all have a character, and regardless of whether 'ley lines' 'actually' 'exist', I get a feeling for the thousands of years that people happen to have Made A Fuss about that patch of ground. Stone Henge is the Biggest of the Buggers, and I take my hat off to it. People went to special lengths to Make A Fuss at Stone Henge. "Let's set it up so it goes like 'this' on 'that' day' ". It shows how people really thought about things hard, then did something magnificent to put that thought into the world where we all can see it.

 

The Roman Forum is indeed spectacular. Rome, in general, is one of my favorite cities, in no small part because of all the gorgeous architecture, both the original Roman and also the medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque. The churches there are spectacular, as is the Great Synagogue; and, of course, the Colosseum.

I loved living in Israel, in no small part because of all the ancient beautiful things one can see. There are ruins aplenty, as well as various old and lovely churches, mosques, and synagogues. This is me, at the kotel ha-ma'aravi (Western Wall)! I loved going there....



I'm also a big fan of England. Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London are both magnificent. As is Canterbury cathedral and York cathedral. But also Salisbury cathedral, which is the oldest Gothic cathedral in Britain (finished around 1206, if I recall correctly) is absolutely spectacular. And I loved the city wall of Salisbury, which is Saxon, and dates to the 9th or 10th century. Salisbury is right near Stonehenge, which is also stunning, though in a very different way.

I have yet to visit Prague, which I have always wanted to do: I understand it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with lovely architecture. And I should also like to visit Paris: Victor Hugo wrote so lovingly of it that I have always wanted to go and walk through its streets. And, I think, Istanbul. I would love to see what remains of Constantinople, and Byzantium.

 

quote="Lish, post: 128063, member: 12"]you'd probably want to check out the mezzequita in Cordoba in southern spain. what was once a medieval mosque is now a catholic church. The contrast between the two types of architecture is striking.

by far it would be one of the greatest pieces of architecture i have ever seen with my own eyes.





a few hundred km away you'd also find Al Hambra, also in southern spain which would usurp the mezzequita's splendour tenfold.[/quote]
Lish the is pretty wild looking, how high are the arches?

Exactly how I feel, it truly amazes me. I want to touch the walls and know there secrets.

Forgot about the Mayan and Aztec temples, I have only seen pictures. I will have to look up Yale now, have to see how old it is.
--- merged: Feb 7, 2013 10:20 AM ---

I want to see all three of these, the Natural History Museum in London looks like I would need a least a week to explore. The Cathedral a week also, and nice walk around Stone Henge will do.

Levite did you walk through the Roman Forum? So many places to see, to learn about. Pretty awesome.

 

One of the things that amazes me about many ancient structures is that they are still standing at all.

So many of the buildings we construct today will be gone in 100 (or much less). While I love many modern buildings, in some cases more than ancient ones, I have to wonder how they will age.

 

Warblington church The  Church of  St Thomas à Becket, Warblington, Hampshire - St Thomas a Beckett - the insides are different on each side as they were paid for by two sisters who could not agree, so both sides are different having been designed or sponsored by each sister.
Roman Palace at Fishbourne is worth a visit - always surprises me that there is so much left of the tiled floors, given all the things that must have gone on above ground during its existence - I looked for a picture and found someones video -
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFZ1Wt4W5M0

Nothing built today will weather time as well I think.
My fave has to be Kingley Vale, which is an ancient living monument
General information for Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve,West Sussex

It s brief history is on the link. One large slash of the hill slopes that you just know the romans climbed up to try to take the natives stronghold - the slope has a massive scar of dead trees - these are from the second world war when the area was used for practice and the trees were killed. There is an old Anthrax meadow - think its safe now - signs put people off of climbing in for a picnic. At the top of Bow hill, you can see where, at some point, people cut into the burial mounds of ancient kings to rob and plunder. The place has a feel to it that is very spiritual.

 

here's a pic i took when i was there. From the people in the pic you'll get the scale of the place. around 6-7m to the arches. You'll notice the vaults between the arches are much higher...its quite intricate.








this is a pic i took at Al Hambra, in Granada.

 

Levite go to Prague. It is everything you'll hope it to be. Everywhere you look there are amazing structures. Prague castle is the largest in the world, I believe. No damage in either World War. Even in crappy, snowy, cold weather it was phenomenal.

 

I did walk through the Roman Forum. It's amazing. It's impressive even today, and you really get a sweeping feeling of how absolutely overwhelming it must have been when most of the world was living in squalid little villages and farm cots, and most other places were just low wooden or mud-brick buildings, not even rock brick-- to say nothing of these massive, graceful stone structures.

I'm sold, man. My best friend went to Prague, and she said more or less the same thing.

 

Levite the only issue with Prague is the large number of tourists. The cheap flights from the UK have made it the place to go for a weekend of debauchery.

 

Sweet! Debauchery!