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Spain - ancient church Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion - Trijueque (Guadalajara)

La iglesia parroquial de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción se encuentra desde la Guerra Civil en ruinas, aunque aún permanece en pie gran parte de su fábrica exterior. Fue fundada por Fray Miguel López de la Serna, obispo de Canarias, y la dotó su hermano, el arcediano de La Palma. Ocupa parte de la antigua ciudadela donde los Mendoza levantaron su casa palacio. Se trataba de una iglesia de tres naves de diferentes alturas, que a pesar de ello algunos autores han querido ver relaciones con las iglesias de planta de salón que fueron muy frecuentes en la comarca a lo largo del siglo XVI. Muestra en su fachada elementos platerescos, como su portada, con hornacina superior con medias columnas dóricas, cartelas y arabescos, habiendo sido su cubierta de bóvedas nervadas y gallonadas.
La iglesia parroquial de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción se encuentra desde la Guerra Civil en ruinas, aunque aún permanece en pie gran parte de su fábrica exterior. Fue fundada por Fray Miguel López de la Serna, obispo de Canarias, y la dotó su hermano, el arcediano de La Palma. Ocupa parte de la antigua ciudadela donde los Mendoza levantaron su casa palacio. Se trataba de una iglesia de tres naves de diferentes alturas, que a pesar de ello algunos autores han querido ver relaciones con las iglesias de planta de salón que fueron muy frecuentes en la comarca a lo largo del siglo XVI. Muestra en su fachada elementos platerescos, como su portada, con hornacina superior con medias columnas dóricas, cartelas y arabescos, habiendo sido su cubierta de bóvedas nervadas y gallonadas. Según algunos autores que describieron su interior, cuando aún estaba en servicio, “el altar mayor no llama la atención por su actura y solo la efigie de la Asunción es de buen cincel. Posee” se decía “un altar interesante que es el de San Antonio por sus pinturas ricas en colorido y factura. Hay en ella dos efigies de buena factura: una es la de la Concepción terminada en 1653 y otra la del Cristo de la Misericordia, colocada en su capilla en 1616”. El sepulcro de su fundador, el obispo de Canarias, estaba en la capilla de San Juan Bautista, que lucía una lauda sepulcral en alabastro, y que hoy se encuentra en el Museo Diocesano de Sigüenza (Guadalajara)

Poland - The Kalisz Castle

The Kalisz Castle was probably erected by stages and its construction was completed during the regin of Kazimierz the Great (1333-1370). The castle was situated in the northern part of the location city next to Torun Gate. Its shape was quadrilateral leaning against city walls. From 14 century on, as the seat of the Starost (Mayor) this was a place of trials and city authority appointment. The great fire of the city in 1537 did significant damage to the castle. From 17 c. on the castle systematically fell into decline. It was totally destroyed in a fire of 1792, which consumed most of the city. In 1803 Prussian authorities sold the ruins of the city castle to a private person, who used it as construction material. A section of the castle uncovered during excavation works is now the Archaeological Reserve.

At Dion, 17 kilometers south of Katerini, archaeologists have brought to light the extensive ruins of the Macedonians' sanctuaries to the gods.
Amidst the lush vegetation and springs of the Pierian plain, just before the ascent to Olympos begins, one can see the ruins of the sanctuary buildings - the temples, two theatres and a stadium - while next to them, to the north, the remains of the ancient city of Dion stretch out.
It was closely associated with Zeus as its name implies (in anicent Greek the god is called Dias). Thousands of Macedonians used to flock to this place for the festivities and games dedicated to the god, which grew in importance after the 5th century BC.
Among the sacred buildings, the following are the most notable: the sanctuary of Demeter, two temples dating to ca. 500 BC, the Asklepieion, and the whole sanctuary dedicated to Isis, with its cult statues still standing on their bases. The city of Dion was well fortified by the wall erected in the 4th century BC, and it had a splendid layout.
The excavations have exposed paved streets, public buildings, shops, workshops, and houses, as well as the orchestra, stage and lower seats of Dion's large theatre. In the vast cemetery, to the north and west of Dion, there are four subterranean, tiled-roofed macedonian tombs. In the 5th century AD violent earthquakes brought an end to the city's prosperity. Nevertheless, enough remains of it to give today's visitor a good idea of the beauty of the town with its ample public spaces, theatre, numerous statues, and impressive fortifications.
The ruins of ancient Dion was rediscovered by William Martin Leake on December 21, 1806 near Malathria. It was published in the third voulme of Travels in Northern Greece in 1835. Léon Heuzey visited the archaeological site and published in Mission archéologique de Macédoine (Archaeological Mission in Macedonia), in 1861, epigraphist G. Oikonomos published the first series of inscriptions. The systemaic exploration of ancient Dion continued in 1928. G. Sotiriadis excavated more of the site in 1931 which uncovered a Macedonian tomb from the 4th century BC. More excavations were done in 1960 by G. Bakalakis especially in the ancient theatre. Since 1973, professor D. Pandermalis from the University of Thessaloniki conducted archaeological researches in the city.
Dion was a small settlement but an important place in Macedonia. The archaeological Museum of Dion with its collection gives only an idea. Lysippus for example produced a group of 25 horsemen, companions of Alexander who was produced in memory for those who died in the Battle of Granicus. These sculptures in Dion were later transported from Dion to Rome by the Romans.
The name of Dion is derived from Dias (Zeus) the Olympian god. The Macedonian kings used to celebrate their victories and to offer to Zeus in Dion. Except the sanctuary of Zeus there was a sanctuary of Demeter and Aphrodite Hypolympidia (below Olympus), and since the Roman times also a sanctuary of the Egyptian goddess Isis Lochia. Many objects shown in the Museum are from the Roman period when many Romans lived in Dion. The Baths, and houses such as the complex known as Dionysos House were decorated with Mosaics. One important such is the Mosaic of Dionysus. Only a fraction of Dion has been studied and many more years are required to complete the archaeological work which started 1973.

Minturnae si estendeva sulla riva destra del fiume Liri, a due miglia dalla foce. La via Appia, attraversandola da una parte all'altra, passava davanti agli edifici ed i templi del Foro repubblicano ed imperiale, costituendone l'arteria principale. Una via lungo la riva destra del fiume, fiancheggiata da tabernae , conduceva al porto fluviale. Minturnae diventa colonia romana nel 296 a.C., per motivi commerciali legati alla navigabilità del fiume e per riparare alle devastazioni apportate dai Sanniti e per impedirne l'invasione.
Dopo la colonizzazione la città rientra nei confini del Latiun adiectum , e dall'età di Augusto nella Regio I Latium et Campania .
La città era una colonia marittima con i diritti della cittadinanza romana, ed era destinata a mantenere ed assicurare le comunicazioni dei Romani con la Campania.
Durante la II Guerra Punica (218-202 a.C.) cercò di ottenere l'esenzione dall'obbligo di fornire soldati al governo di Roma. Inoltre a Minturnae è legata la famosa vicenda di Mario, che si rifugiò nella palude circostante mentre fuggiva da Silla.
Il territorio della colonia si estendeva tra il territorio dei monti Aurunci ed il mare; suddiviso in una zona residenziale verso la costa ed in una zona agricola verso la fascia collinare e verso il fiume. Tra la via Appia ed il mare, sorsero, tra il finire della Repubblica e l'inizio dell'età imperiale, estese Villae maritimae per l'ozio delle famiglie nobili di Roma e Minturnae . Nello stesso periodo verso monte si impiantarono villae rusticae per la lavorazione e la produzione di prodotti agricoli e commerciali di Minturnae . Vi erano numerose fattorie con relativi fondi agricoli, dotate di approdi sul fiume ed in corrispondenza delle scafe, per il carico delle merci sulle imbarcazioni.
Infatti, Minturnae aveva un grande ed importante porto, che faceva capo a Roma e che favoriva l'economia, le attività connesse ad essa, come i cantieri navali ed il commercio di: olio, vino, attrezzi agricoli, vimini, pece, legname e sale.
Proprio il porto faceva sì che Minturnae avesse rapporti con moltissime colonie sparse per tutto il Mediterraneo, facendone una città cosmopolita e ricca di cultura.