Architectural Heritage E-book

HISTORY AND HERITAGE

Monuments ...Country Postcards

Architectural Heritage INTRODUCTION The

History

is

written

on

the

stones

of

each building.

To understand our heritage we have to read every small line

of them.

The

each

beauty

of

information

of

our

monument

ancestors,

gives

about

us

their

thoughts habits and believes.

Visiting

these

moments

for

countries

the

who

Erasmus+ InclusĂŁo They

places

"A -

had

students

Cultura

in

como

Issues

chance

to

important

from

participated

Culture the

were

these the

project

Ponte for

learn

five

Para

a

Inclusion". a

little

bit

more about their ancestors and understand that

there

are

common

roots

between

Potugal, Spain,Italy Turkey and Lithuania.

The

migration

movements,

commerce

and

ancient empires were responsible for some cultural and historical links.

And

the

main

conclusion

it's

that

we

have

more in common than we thought.

Let's

remember

monuments year project.

we´ve

those visited

places

during

these

and two

Index Introduction ...............................2 Maiorca .........................................4 Bellver Castle.............................

The Cathedral...........................

Almudaina's Palace.................

Pollentia...................................

Necròpoli de Son Real............

Afyon.............................................13 Mevlevi.....................................

Karahisar Castle......................

Ulu Mosque.............................

Pamukkale ...............................

Fhrygian Valley.........................

Marsala ........................................24 Marsala.....................................

Mozia.........................................

Palermo Cathedral...................

Church Matorana.....................

Norman Palace.........................

Massimo Theatre......................

Politeama Theatre....................

Erice ..........................................

Mirto Palace.............................

Segesta Ruins...........................

Kaunas .........................................44 St. Anne’s church....................

Zypliai Manor..........................

Gediminas Castle...................

Trakai Island Castle................

Vilnius Cathedral...................

Vilnius University...................

Lisboa........................................56 Jerónimos Monastery...........

Belém Palace.........................

Museum of The Presidency..

Convent and Palace of Mafra.

Belém Tower............................

Bicos House.............................

25th April Bridge......................

Baixa Pombalina (Down town).

Notes..............................................66

Organizing School IES PAU CASESNOVES

MAIORCA

From 10th to 16th February 2019

The Bellver Castle The Bellver Castle is a Gothic-style construction built between 1300 and 1310. It houses the City Historical Museum, which contains pieces from archaeological excavations, municipal art collections and the Despuig Classical Sculpture Collection. It also houses the chapel of Saint Marc, the patron saint of the castle.

The Bellver Castle is located 3 km from Palma's city centre and 112.6 m above sea level, overlooking the bay and a large part of the island of Majorca. Its construction commenced at the beginning of the 14th century on the orders of Jaime II, King of Majorca, and the castle's functions were both defensive and residential.

The plan of the building is circular with three semi-circular towers and another tower about 7 metres away from the main body of the Castle. The building is set around a central courtyard and has two levels: the ground floor with round arches and flat ceilings and the upper floor with lancet 1

arches covered with a cross vault in Gothic style.

THE CATHEDRAL The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma, more commonly known as La Seu, is a Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral located in Palma, built on the site of a pre-existing Arab mosque. It is 121 metres long, 55 metres wide and its nave is 44 metres tall. It was designed in the Catalan Gothic style but with Northern European influences, it was begun by King James I of Aragon in 1229 but it wasn´t finished until 1601. It sits within the old city of Palma atop the former citadel of the Roman city, between the royay Palace of La Almudaina and the episcopal palace. It also overlooks the Parc de la Mar and the Mediterranean Sea. In 1901, fifty years after the restoration of the cathedral had started, Antoni Gaudí, the designer of The Sagrada Família in Barcelona, was invited to take over the project. While some of his ideas were adopted – moving the choir stalls from the middle nave to be closer to the altar, as well as a large canopy – Gaudí abandoned his work in 1914 after having an argument with the contractor. The planned changes were essentially aesthetic rather than structural, and the project was cancelled soon after. We must have a look at the impressive stained glass windows

as well as the rose window which lights up the interior of the building on a bright morning.

2

The last important project is the San Pedro's chapel of Miquel Barcelรณ. He used ceramics not as objects but for the formation of a crafted mural of approximately 300m2. Barcelรณ covered the entire chapel with terracotta, creating a kind of second skin and decorated it with images related to the miracle of the Feeding of the 5,000, a theme chosen because the chapel is dedicated to the holy sacrament of the Last Supper.

3

Almudaina’s Palace

The palace is at the entrance of the city and this excellent strategic position dates back to the Talayot period, when the first people lived here a millennia ago. The Romans used the same area in the second century BC to create their new city, Palmeria, which marked the birth of the city as we know it.

In 903 when the Arabs conquered the island, the governor, or Wali as he was known, built himself a fortress on the same site. The ‘Almudayna’, which means “fortress” in Arabic, was the beginning of the building you can see now.

In the 13th century, when King James II began its transformation to the Levantine Gothic style and the palace became the headquarters for the Kingdom of Mallorca.

4

5

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF THE ROMAN CITY OF POLLENTIA The vision we have today of Pollentia is quite fragmented, as only a small part of the entire city has been excavated. Initially it was thought that the dimensions of the city were between 10 and 12 hectares, but the archaeological work of recent years has revealed that it must have covered 16 or perhaps more.

Pollentia was a newly-constructed Roman city, with a grid-style or right-angled layout that organised the design of the streets into angles creating a network of parallel and perpendicular streets, like in other cities in Roman provinces.

Most noteworthy is the arcaded street and the three houses mentioned earlier (area of La Portella) and the Forum, where the buildings used for merchant activity were along with an area for the worship of several gods, represented by various temples.

The water was supplied via an aqueduct that ran from the mountains of Ternelles in Pollenรงa.

There is an imperial necropolis located without the walls as was customary during this period.

The need existed, therefore, to defend the city, as the two walled enclosures built during the 3rd and 5th century CE bear witness to, and of which several fragments remain.

The Forum of Pollentia was a public square that was built as the political, social, economic and religious centre of the city. The main buildings were to be found here.

1

Necròpoli de Son Real This necropolis is unique in Mallorca and the western Mediterranean. Many of the tombs resemble miniature navetas and talayots with round or square floor-plans. The buildings in this Mallorcan archaeological site started housing dead people from the 7th century Before the Common Era (bce) until the final years of the Talayotic period. It was last used around the 2nd century bce, when the burials were carried out in more modest rectangular graves, concentrated in the south-east sector.

Almost all of the tombs contain burials, but cremated remains are also recorded from throughout the last phase of the Balearic period, demonstrating that over time various burial rites were adopted and various types of graves were built.

Metal, bone, glass or pottery goods were left in the graves. It is interesting to note the presence of armaments and of possible musical instruments, as well as food remains from funerary 1

banquets. This suggests that the burial rituals contributed to bonding the community of the living and connecting it with its ancestors.

The distinctiveness of the tombs and the objects of value that they contained strongly suggest that they were intended for the local elites, leaders, who possibly belonged to the community or communities close to the cemetery. In the area there are settlements from the periods mentioned, both around the current Son Real country houses, and in the entrance to Son Serra de Marina (the talayot of the Cova de sa Nineta).

Son Real was without doubt a special space, magical, intended for a chosen few who, generation after generation, were buried with the hope of starting a new life, a new life beyond what their eyes could see, beyond their world and the sea, before which the necropolis still resists the passage of time.

2

Organizing School -ALİ ÇAĞLAR ANADOLU LİSESİ

AFYON

From 28th April to 4th May 2019

Organizing School -ALİ ÇAĞLAR ANADOLU LİSESİ

AFYON

From 28th April to 4th May 2019

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

The mosque is also known as “Türbe” or “Mevlevi Mosque” among local people. The main parts of the mosque are: mausoleum, special worship chamber, masjid, sherbet chamber, gathering place for sisters and place of last community. Apart from these, there are dervish rooms, “matbah-i serif ”, meeting hall, graveyard and women’s quarters. Today, meeting hall, graveyard and women’s quarters do not exist. On the door of the building there is a dervish hat in place of the scripture.

The mosque has got a single balcony minaret. The mosque was ruined by a fire disaster and it has been repaired by order of Abdülhamit II in 1905. There are 12 sarcophaguses belonging to

mevlevi sheikhs. Mevlevi fathers like Aba Puş-i Veli (one of Mevlana’s grandchildren), Sultan Divani (Mehmet Semai Çelebi), Hızır Şah Çelebi and Shah Ismail’s son Elkas Mirza are sleeping at this place. Architect Arif Turunç is the last person who had the building repaired.

The building is used as a mosque today. Afyonkarahisar Mevlevi house used to have a special significance among others, before the law that banished the dervish lodges passed. It was a big one with many facilities and comes in the second place after Konya.

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

KARAHİSAR CASTLE

Karahisar Castle, identified with Afyonkarahisar, is the first building that stands out in the city. This castle was built on a natural rock with a volcanic feature of 226 m. The castle which was used in the time of Hittite Emperor Murşil II in 1350 BC during the time of Arzava war.

These fortress, which was ruled by Lydians, Persians, Hellenic, Pergamon Kingdom, Pontic Kingdom, Romans and Byzantines in turn, changed hands several times during the expeditions to Anatolia, he joined the Seljuks in his time. It took the name of ‘Hapanuva’ in

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

the period of Hittite, ‘Akroenes’ in Roman and Byzantine times and ‘Karahisar’ in the time of the Seljuks and Ottomans.

At the peak of the castle culture traces of the Phrygians who lived in Anatolia between 1200700 BC were encountered. There are many praying places dedicated to the Mother Goddess Cybele, 4 large cisterns and water pits. During the reign of Seljuk Sultan Alaaddin Keykubat, a small mosque with dark blue tiles was built and a palace was built next to it, and the walls were renovated. Today, horoscopes, girls' towers and cisterns still retain their features.

The castle, which has changed hands many times, has always hosted a new myth, a new desta. For Karahisar Castle, many legends are told from Battal Gazi to Hazrat Ali, Beyböğrek to Çavuşbaşı and Horoz Dede. The traces of these legends are still preserved even today. The historical Karahisar Castle, with its songs, poems and manuscripts written on its behalf, sheds light from the past.

INTERESTING BELIEF The women who lie in the rocks of the human kind as well as a shrapnel sculpture beside the Kaledeki Kiz Kulesi also have various wishes. One wish in the arch of the kalenin door is a wish and 3 stones are taken. If 3 of the stones go into the bowl, it is believed that you will come to your place. There is

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao also a belief that the person who climbed Karahisar Castle once would not leave Afyonkarahisar for 7 years.

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao ULU MOSQUE

The mosque has a trapezoid plan close to rectangular and it was built by order of Sahipata Nusratüddin Hasan between 1272-1277.The outer walls are made of cut stone. The linking walls are made of undressed stone.

The ceiling cover used to be earthen but in recent times it has been reconstructed as high pyramidal dome and covered with zinc.

The mosque was built on forty wooden columns as five rows of eight groups. The capitals of the wodden columns are carved in stalactic and diamond shape. It has three gates opening to the east, west and north. There is a inscription of repair on the east-facing door. According to this inscription, the mosque was repaired by order of Muinuddin Isa Bey, son of Muzafferuddin Devle Bey in 1341. There is also a Turkish inscription on the door to the north.

The altar was made of marble and “Ayet-el Kürsi” –a verse from the Quran was written on it.

The Seljuk style wooden carved double winged door pulpit is the work of Carpenter Emir Hac Bey. The wooden joists were painted with madder in geometrical and herbal motifs

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

Pamukkale Hierapolis Ancient City

HIERAPOLIS (PAMUKKALE) It's about 20 km north of Denizli. It is called a Holy City in Archeological literature because there were many temples and religious buildings in Hierapolis. The ancient city is situated between several historical areas. According to the ancient geographers, Strabon and Ptolemaios, Hierapolis was very close to Laodicea and Tripolis which was in Kario's Border.

That's why it was a Phrygian City. There is no information about Hierapolis' history before the Hellenistic Era, but we know there was a city there before then. It's called Hierapolis because of its Mother goddess Cult.

Information about Hierapolis is limited. It is known that the king of Pergamum, Eumenes II, founded the city in 190 BC. It was named Hierapolis after the Amazon's Queen Hiera, the wife of Telephos, the founder of Pergamum. (Pergamum is also called Pergamon or

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

Pergamos).

Hierapolis was destroyed by the earthquake in 60 A.D. during the time of Roman Emperor Nero. During the reconstruction after the earthquake, the city lost its Hellenistic Style and became a typical Roman City. Right after the Roman period started, Hierapolis became an important center because of its commercial and religious position. In 80 A.D. St. Philip came to Hierapolis and was murdered by the Jewish inhabitants. The Turks conquered Hierapolis at the end of the 12th century A.D.

Ruins of Hierapolis:Entrances and Main Street: The ancient city is divided by the main street which is about 1 km long. There are columnar governmental galleries on both sides. There are also monumental entrances at the beginning and at the end of the main street. The area is outside of the Byzantine city walls, because the gates, most of the main street, and most of the side streets were built in the Roman Period. The South Byzantine Gate on the south edge of the city is dated at 5 A.D. The well-preserved North Gate has two round towers and

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

inscriptions in Greek and Latin honoring Emperor Domitian. That's why the gate is also called the Domitian Gate. The gate was built in 82-83 A.D. by Julius Sextus Frontinus. The gate is also known as Frontinus Gate because of its architect. The entrance is situated where the city walls cross the street.

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

Apollon Temple: The temple is situated in a religious cave, which is called Plutonium. The oldest religious center of the local people is the place where Apollon met the mother goddess, Kybele. The poisonous gas of that cave did not affect the priest of Kybele. The temple's foundation is dated to the late Hellenistic Period, but the rest of the temple is dated to the 3rd century A.D. There are significant steps at the Temple's entrance.

Middle Age (Selcuklu) Fortress :The fortress is on the plateau which controls to the valley, consist of full rampart system on a strategically position. The walls were built with blocks from the ruins, even a lot of blocks were marble and contained inscriptions. In an excavation in one of the fortress, a door, wide splits on ceiling and flor because of earthquake were brought to light. According to its material the fortress dated to the 9th and 13th century when there were conflicts between Byzantine and Selcuk. An important evidence is a coin dated to that period.

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

Theater: It's an enormous, well-preserved Greek style building, which is situated on a hillside. It is 91 meters high. The theater's construction was started in 62 A.D. after the earthquake of 60 AD in the Flavius era. However, it was not completed in the Hadrian era. It was finally completed in the Severus Era in 206 A.D. The cavea is separated into 7 parts by 8 steps, and there are 50 seats. The Diozoma (a kind of passage) is in the middle of the cavea with a vomitorium with 2 vaults.

There are 10 columns in front of the kingdom box and orchestra, which are 3.66 meters high.

The front door of the scene has 5 gates and 6 niches. The niches are behind the columns which are decorated with oyster shells and among the columns adorned with statues. Many statues were found during the excavations. There are marble embossments on the wall which is behind the scene.

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

St. Philip's Martyrium: It's an octagonal building which is 20 m x 20 m. The Martyrium was built at the end of the 4th century and an early 5th century in honor of St. Philip who was murdered here.

Churches: There is a cathedral dated in the 6th or 7th century A.D., a columnar church, and two more churches. Moreover, the main hall of the Great Bath was transformed into a church.

There are also small prayer rooms in the north part of the city.

Necropolis: Except for the travertine area on the west, the other sides of the city are necropolis areas. They may especially be seen on the roads which go to Laodicea - Colossae on the south and to Tripolis - Sardis on the north. Limestone and marble were used to build the cemeteries. The north Necropolis spans the time from the Late Hellenistic era to the early Christian era with sarcophagi, house-type cemeteries, tumulus-type cemeteries, and monuments.

Great Bath Complex: There are marks that indicate that the bath's inner walls used to be covered with marble. Some of the walls and vaults of the bath and are still standing. The plan is typical of other Roman Baths. There is a large court at the entrance, large halls on both sides, a rectangular enclosed area, and the actual bathing area. Two large halls within the Palaestra (sports arena) were reserved for the Emperor's use and for celebrations. The ruins of the Great Bath Complex date to 2 A.D. The restored part of the building is used as a museum today.

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

2018-1-PT01-KA229-047384-3 Cultura como ponte para a Inclusao

History The Phrygians appeared in Anatolia in the 11th century BC, migrating across the straits from Thrace. They settled in the region covering the territories of the present day provinces of Afyonkarahisar, Ankara, Eskisehir and Kutahya. By the mid 8th century BC a vibrant civilisation centred around the capital Gordium (Gordion), present day Yassihoyuk, Polatli County of Ankara, was flourishing.

The legendary Midas was the most renowned Phrygian king. Besides the Phrygian capital Gordium, other important settlements were Pessinous (Ballihisar), and the city of Midas (Yazilikaya). The region was covered with volcanic ashes thrown out by Turkmen Mountain (called Mount Elaphoeis in antiquity), and the consolidated tuff created easily carved rocks.

The Phrygians left behind many carved rock monuments in the region. The easily worked nature of the local rock also aided in the creation of ancient roads which are still visible in many parts of the region.

The Phrygians were defeated by the Cimmerians, who migrated from the Caucuses in the 7th century BC, and disappeared from history. Phrygian writing is still to be deciphered, but we knew that they were the inventors of flutelike woodwind instruments .

Ayazini is on the 27 th km of Afyonkarahisar-EskiĹ&#x;ehir highway on the right side 4,7km away.

It is known that Ayazini village has been used as a settlement since the Phrygian period.

Because of the suitable structure of the land, family and single rock tomb chambers belonging to Roman and Byzantine periods, Byzantine churches and rock settlements were carved in

rock. There are grave rooms with lion figüre, with columns and other masterpieces carved in the rock in the Metropolis

DÖĞER ARCHAELOGICAL SITE It is 2km away Döğer Town which is 12 km away from İhsaniye County.

Döğer Town had been used as a settlement till Phrygian and also in Roman and Byzantine time. There are Aslankaya, Kapıkaya I and Kapıkaya II, rock monuments that are established as an open air temple for the memory of Goddess Cybele and Phrygian settlements in Asar and old Döğer. There are lots of grave rooms, rock settlements and churches from Roman and Byzantine times. Suluin, Memeç, Alacaasma, Urumkuş I, Urumkuş II(Karamusa), Nallıhan and Kırkmerdiven are the best-known rock settlements.

Kapıkaya I: The temple is on the way to Döğer Town to Üçlerkayası village. The temple is dated to VII century B.C. from Phrygian time. A single piece of rock was cut in the east side and two flanks were cut to make a triangular structure. In the niche that takes place in the middle of the front facade there is a standing relief of Goddess Cybele. There are four steps of a stair underneath the Cybele relief.

Kapıkaya II: It is located between the rocks extending towards the Bayramaliler village along the Emre Lake in Döğer. The temple is dated to VII century B.C The west side of a rock piece was cut and turned into a temple-like building which is made of wood. The upper roof part of the building wasted away in time. There is a niche on the front side and there is a standing Goddess Cybele figure inside of the niche in relief. There is a space in front of the monument.

Aslankaya: It is among Döğer Town, İhsaniye county and Üçlerkayası Village. The temple

which is dated to VII century B.C. has a triangular roof with a vertical front wall on a massive rock that was carved in the south surface. On the both sides of the beams of the triangular roof there are two sphinxes(lionswith human head). There is Cybele in a niche at the main side.

The main side is ornamented with embossed geometrical figures. The two sides of the monument were cut and a standing lion figure is placed in relief.

GÖYNÜŞ VADİSİ ARCHAELOGICAL SITE Location: It is in the borders of Kayıhan which is a sub-district of İhsaniye. Göynüş Valley 32th km AfyonkarahisarEskişehir highway on the west side 2 km. away .

Göynüş Valley is composed of upride rock blocks that are 5-6 metres high in a tufa land. In the valley that is known as secret, there are two monumantary grave rooms known as Aslantaş, Yılantaş and Cybele open air temple known as Maltaş and lots of Phrygian stone graves that are carved in stone.

Aslantaş: There are two solemn lion figures with baby lions under their feet at both side of the entrance. Above the door, there is a figure recalling tree of life with a sun disc extending both sides in relief. The tomb chamber has got a vault ceiling and on the left side of the chamber there is the place where they laid the dead. It is supposed that the place belongs to a great king of Phrygian dated to VII century B.C. Yılantaş: It takes place on the extension of the same rocky places 100 meters away at the west side of Aslantaş. The triangular ceiling beams can be seen because of the damage at the monument. A lion relief and a relief of a foot managed to come until our time. At the door there is a serpent relief and there are two warriors attacking to the serpents on both sides. Because the rock is upside this scene cannot be seen today down. It is dated to VII century B.C. Maltaş:It is about 500 metres away from Aslantaş and Yılantaş Monuments. A great part of the building is underground today. The front facade is with a triangular roof and the atlar is in the part that is underground now. There is a vertical scripture on the upper left side. It is dated to VIIth century B.C.

Organizing School -Istituto Statale di Istruzione Secondaria Superiore" A. Damiani"

MARSALA From 20th to 26th October 2019

Marsala

Placed upon the promontory Boeo, Marsala, is the western most city in Sicily. The town, rich in history and charm, owes its name to Arab influence: Marsa Allah, the port of God, has always been a city of fundamental strategic importance for routes within Mediterranean Sea. Along with a bourgeois city center, Marsala can boast of beautiful beaches, where many athletes take delight in the new fashion of Kite Surfing, taking advantage of the winds of the Strait of Sicily.

In the vicinity of the city, the island of Mozia, one of the most important archaeological sites in Sicily.

Famous throughout the world for its excellent wine that bears its name, Marsala went down in history for being the city where Garibaldi landed in Sicily for the liberation of southern Italy from the Bourbon domination.

Marsala is a lively city all year round: the restaurants and taverns match the quality of the products of its Sicilian cuisine, with notable Arab influence. For younger people, Marsala offers several solutions: from pubs and disco clubs to local places near the beaches during the summer.

The foundation of Marsala dates from the fourth century BC through the work of people of Carthaginian origin from the nearby Mozia, who fell under the dominion of Syracuse. Along

with the peoples of the land was thus created Lilibeo (from the Greek, which looks to Libya), with massive fortifications, it was the last outpost of Carthage to fall at the hands of Rome.

During the Empire, the city became the most important harbor in the Mediterranean: however, after the collapse of the Roman Empire, Marsala went through a long period of decline, undergoing numerous lootings and pillaging by the Vandals and Goths.

With the arrival of the Arabs in 830 Marsala became the centre of the Mediterranean outpost for Muslim emigration to Europe, it reorganized its urban agglomeration according to Arabic models.

On May 11, 1860, the city of Marsala welcomed Garibaldi’s troops, who landed without any French resistance in Sicily. It was the beginning of the liberation of Sicily from Bourbon domination.

The archaeological museum The archaeological museum of Marsala has its headquarters in the former rural farm “Baglio Anselmi�. The Museum exhibits a wide variety of archaeological finds from Marsala and its surrounding areas.

Some rooms show the prehistoric remains found on the island of Mozia: there are materials from the Paleolithic era and from the Carthaginian period.

What makes a visit to the Archaeological Museum a must for lovers of history are the remains of a Carthaginian warship of the third century BC. The wreckage is unique in the world: liburna was a boat small but agile, which had about 68 oars stations. From the original vessel, and jealously guarded, are the bow and a sidewall, on which are painted letters in the Phoenician-Punic languages, which perhaps was useful during assembly of the ship. In addition to the wreckage, were also recovered materials distinguished as anchors in iron and stone, pottery and even hashish, which were used in large quantities by the crews of the time to reduce the feeling of fatigue.

MOZIA

Mozia is an ancient Phoenician city on the island of San Pantaleo, in the Stagnone Lagoon near Marsala. The island is in front of the western coast of Sicily, between the Long Island (Isola Lunga) and the mainland.

You can walk all around the island of Mozia in about 2 hours. In order to reach the main points of interest it is necessary to follow the guided paths and the different indications to be found on the various maps placed on the way.

Mozia is also called Mothia, Motya and other variations on the original Phoenician name of the ancient town, which was an important colony of Carthage, the Phoenician-founded city in north Africa. The Carthaginians were crucial in the ancient history of Sicily, building, conquering and losing settlements, generally fighting (though sometimes allied) with the various Greek cities in Sicily. Mozia was destroyed by the Greeks of Syracuse (modern Siracusa) in the fourth century BC, after which the surviving inhabitants developed a new city site on the Sicilian coast nearby, on a headland which was more defensible. The new town was called Lilybaeum, and became the modern town of Marsala. Meanwhile the waters around Mozia, sheltered from the sea by longer islands, silted up into a kind of shallow lagoon. A number of ancient shipwrecks have been found nearby, including Phoenician (Punic) warships which were probably fleeing to the shelter of Lilybaeum after the Romans defeat of the Carthaginians in naval Battle of the Egadi Islands in 241 BC. One of these shipwrecks is on display in Marsala's archaeological museum.

There was a thriving salt-extraction industry along the mainland shore, but the history of the island, now called San Pantaleo, was just about forgotten when an English exporter of Marsala wine, Joseph Whitaker, bought the land in 1902 and began excavating. It was Whitaker's enthusiasm which led to the rediscovery of Mozia's past, and the museum on the island, named after him, is still run by the Fondazione Giuseppe Whitaker.

HERE IS WHAT WE CAN VISIT: •

• •

The House of the Mosaics. It is located on the southeastern coast of the island. The mosaic floor of white, grey and black pebbles represent animals and is part of a building that has not been completely dug yet.

The Kothon is a sacred pool near a temple.

The Tofet is a sacred area dedicated to the god Baal Hammon which is to be found between the ramparts and the north coast.

•

• • • •

The archaic necropolis is a vast area in the north of the island whose graves have been dug in the rock or in the ground. This area was crossed by walls and contains a lot of graves.

The submerged road was used to connect the island to the mainland. Goods and crops were thus transported by large wagons. It is 1.7 km long and 7 meters wide.

The ramparts are 2.5 km long and surround the entire island. When you arrive, you can see its first section on the right.

The so-called “Cappiddazzu” Sanctuary is a sacred area built inside the walls where sacrifices have probably been made.

The Casermetta is located between The House of the Mosaics and the south gate, but its function is still unknown.

The entrance to the city was possible through three gates about 22 meters apart to each other.

The entrance ticket on the island includes the entrance to the Whitaker Museum, which shows a series of prestigious archaeological remains which have been found over the years on the island during excavations. The most important for its high representative value is the so-called “Giovinetto di Mozia”, the young man from Mozia.

Palermo Cathedral

The Palermo Cathedral is the main place of worship of the city and seat of the Archbishop. Since 2015 it is part of the UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The Cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary’s Assumption in Heaven while the patron saint of the city is Saint Rosalia to whom a chapel inside the cathedral is dedicated. It was built in 1185 to be enlarged and modified during the following centuries.

Because of the many influences it has received over the centuries there are different styles. From the outside towards the interior we can notice the Byzantine, Romanesque, Norman, Islamic styles and then, inside, the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical styles.

The church was erected in 1185 by Walter Ophamil (or Walter of the Mill), the Anglo-Norman archbishop of Palermo and King William II's minister, on the area of an earlier Byzantine basilica.

This earlier church was founded by Pope Gregory I and was later turned into a mosque by the Saracens after their conquest of the city in the 9th century. Ophamil is buried in a sarcophagus in the church's crypt. The medieval edifice had a basilica plan with three apses, of which only some minor architectural elements survive today.

The upper orders of the corner towers were built between the 14th and the 15th centuries, while in the early Renaissance period the southern porch was added. The present neoclassical appearance dates from the work carried out over the two decades 1781 to 1801. During this period the great retable by Gagini, decorated with statues, friezes and reliefs, was destroyed and the sculptures moved to different parts of the basilica.

The western entrance is on the current Via Matteo Bonello, and has the appearance set in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is flanked by two towers and has a Gothic portal surmounted by a niche with a precious 15th century Madonna.

The interior has a Latin cross plan, with a nave and two aisles divided by pilasters. In the first two chapels of the right aisle are the tomb of emperors and royal figures moved here in the 18th century from their original sites. Here are the remains of Emperor Henry VI, his son Frederick II, as well as those of Peter II of Sicily. A Roman sarcophagus is the tomb of Constance of Aragon, Frederick's

wife. Under the mosaic baldachins are the tombs of Roger II, the first King of Sicily, and his daughter Constance.

The portico

The sarcophagus of Emperor Frederick II

“La Martorana” Church The Church of Saint Mary of the Admiral, or "La Martorana", along with the small church of San Cataldo, dominates Bellini Square. Built in 1145 by George of Antioch, Roger II's admiral, the church takes its present name from the adjacent monastery founded in 1193 by Eloisa Martorana. In the Aragonese period (1438) it was ceded to the Benedectine Nuns of the Monastery by King Alfonso "the Magnanimous".

The church boasts a remarkable beauty because of the various styles that are shown as in the various centuries it has been enriched by different artistic, cultural and architectural details.

It is intimately tied to the theology and liturgical practices and to the artistic culture of the Orthodox Church. Since 1937 the church has belonged to the Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi whose liturgy is still in Greek - Byzantine rite.

Nowadays the “Martorana” Church is considered a monumental church, which can be admired and visited in all its beauty. The most beautiful treasure of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio is the majestic mosaic decorations, made by Byzantine artists around 1151. The composition starts from the Christ situated on the dome and continues with circles of angels and saints.

The walls display two mosaics depicting King Roger II receiving the crown of Sicily from Jesus and, on the other side of the aisle, George of Antioch at the feet of the Virgin. The depiction of Roger is the only known portrait of the king.

The newer part of the church is constituted by the nuns’ choir, built in the late 16th century and decorated with precious frescos and paintings attributed to the Flemish painter Guglielmo Borremans.

The nuns were famous for the preparation of marzipan fruit, called "frutta martorana", which is a feast for the eyes even today especially in the context of the Sicilian "Feast of the Dead" (Festa dei Morti) on November 2nd when the colorful and delicious sweets are prepared and offered to the children as a gift from the dead.

The Norman Palace and the Palatine Chapel The Norman Palace The Norman Palace, or rather the Royal Palace, is the oldest royal residence in Europe. It was the residence of the kings of Sicily and the imperial seat with Frederick II and Corrado IV. The Palace of the Normans has a very long history which will be illustrated step by step from the PhoenicianPunic Period to the modern times.

Phoenician-Punic Period The present palace includes in the foundations stratifications of the first fortified settlements of Phoenician origin dating from the VIII to the V century. These fortifications formed the ‘paleopolis’, an aggregate opposed to the sacred zone, destined for pagan worship and burial.

Byzantine period - Arabic period Flavio Bellisario conquered the city and took possession of the fortification in 535 A.D.; the Byzantine domination lasted for almost three centuries. Under the reign of Constantine IX, Constantinople emperor and king of Sicily, the fortification took the rank of palace. The first building with functions of royal residence called in Arabic 'al qasr or Kasr (Alcassar, the residence of the emirs), is attributed to the Islamic period .

Norman period During the Norman era, the Palace was enlarged in its middle part.

Swabian-Angioin-Aragonese Period In 1194 the castle was sacked by Henry VI of Swabia, who ordered the transportation of all the gold and precious objects. With the Swabians it was the seat of Sciences and Letters, praised by Dante Alighieri. With Frederick II of Swabia and his son Manfredi the government and administrative activities were maintained in the palace.

In 1269 for the palace began a phase of decadence. During the Sicilian Vespers culminated in 1282 the people of Palermo in revolt conquered it once again.

After the year 1340 the Palazzo Regio was not inhabited anymore and it was used as quarry from which to extract building material used for the construction of places of worship or cemeteries.

Spanish Period During the Spanish times the Royal Palace was the seat of the Tribunal of the Inquisition between 1513 and 1553. The palace returned to have an important role in the second half of 1700 when the Spanish Viceroys elected it as their residence.

Bourbon period During the Bourbon era some renovations took place and the Palace became majestic as we see it today.

Recent years Since the Unification of Italy in 186, the The Norman Palace has undergone modifications and restoration work due to various damages caused by the various wars and especially by the earthquake in 2002.

Outside the building the Tower of Pisa, built by William II with the contribution of the Pisan workers, was used for the conservation of treasures.

The Norman Palace: the17th century courtyard with portico

The Palatine Chapel The Palatine Chapel is situated on the second floor at the centre of the Norman Palace. It used to be the royal chapel of the Norman kings of Kingdom of Sicily. The Palatine Chapel, consecrated on Palm Sunday, 28 April, 1140, is inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. We do not know for certain when the mosaics were made, but we are sure they are appreciated for their majestic beauty. The chapel is a great symbol of multi-cultural cooperation. Craftsmen of three different religious traditions worked alongside each other. Originally there were 50 windows (later blocked) designed to illuminate at all times of the day the stories told on the wall. The texts in the chapel are written in Greek, Arabic and Latin.

The Palatine Chapel

Teatro Massimo Palermo’s beautiful opera house, the Teatro Massimo, is the largest opera house in the entire country. It’s an important landmark in the center of historic Palermo, and even if you don’t like opera you will aprreciate the theater’s imposing front staircase.

The Teatro Massimo was built in the late 1800s, opening in 1897 The original plan called for seating for 3,000 in the audience, but the theater seats 1,350 today. There are seven levels of theater boxes in a semi-circle around the seats on the floor, all pointed toward the stage. It’s the largest opera house in Italy - and the third in size in Europe. The regular opera season in the Teatro Massimo excludes the summer.

In order to make room for the huge theater, Palermo had to destroy two churches and a convent.

A legend tells that the mother superior of the convent still haunts the Teatro Massimo; one of the steps to the theater is called “the nun’s step,” and those who do not believe in the haunting will trip over it.

The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele in Palermo opened its doors to the public on the evening of 16 May 1897 with a production of “Falstaff” by Giuseppe Verdi; it was twenty-two years after the laying of the first stone. From the opening in 1897 to 1935 the opera seasons were put together by private firms, often a different one each year, that would organize the performances.

In 1935 the theatre was officially designated with a Decree from the Italian Ministry of Culture "Ente Teatrale Autonomo", and thus recognized as a public theatre. In 1974 the theatre was closed for reconstruction works that were supposed to be finished in a relatively short time. It remained closed for 23 years and was reopened with the concert on May 12 1997, conducted by Franco Mannino in the first part and by Claudio Abbado in the second, with the Berliner Philharmoniker.

Golden stuccoes, wooden decorations, velvet and glass: the horseshoe-shaped auditiorium hosts up to up to 1.247 people in the stalls, five floors of boxes and a gallery. Acoustically perfect, it is dominated by the so-called "Symbolic wheel" that forms its ceiling. The wheel resembles a wide flower with eleven petals. Each of them is part of the original cooling system of the theatre, as they can be opened to let the hot air flow out.

Beside the institutional musical events, the auditorium is the place of meetings, dinner and workshops.

The Teatro Massimo from outside

The auditiorium

Politeama Theatre The Politeama Theatre (Italian: Teatro Politeama, complete name Teatro Politeama Garibaldi) is located in the central Piazza Ruggero Settimo which nowadays is called Politeama Square. It represents the second most important theatre of the city after the Teatro Massimo. It houses the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana.

Built in neoclassical style, which was in vogue at the end of the Eighteen Century, the Politeama Theatre illuminates the Piazza. Designed as a "polytheama", or performance space for a variety of shows, it has a central role in the social and cultural life of Palermo.

Equestrian exhibitions, gymnastics, acrobatics, operettas and plays were held and seen here. Just before the Politeama was built, moral in Palermo was low after an epidemic of cholera and the authorities encouraged its construction despite budget restrictions. In fact it was completed thirty years before the more aristocratic theatre Massimo.

Following the ancient theme of entertainment for the masses, structurally the Politeama reminds the Greek and Roman traditions: circular, with Doric and Ionic columns, originally made for open air shows.

The building is an important example of Neoclassical architecture. The faรงade is designed like a Roman triumphal arch, like the theatres of Pompeii. It has a large entrance by way of triumphal arch topped by the bronze quadriga designed by Mario Rutelli. This quadriga depicts the "Triumph of Apollo and Euterpe" flanked by two statues of knights on horseback, representation of the "Olympic Games". The outside is decorated with a frieze depicting circus performers.

The Politeama Theatre

Erice The town Erice on top mount Erice (751 mt high) has an old, interesting history. It stands, grave and lonesome, protected by nature, as a small and precious jewel. According to Thucydides, Erice was founded by some inhabitants of the Greek city Troy who took refuge here after their city was destroyed. This gave origin to the Elimi people, of which Erice became, together with Segesta, the most important centre. The city then passed under the influence of the Carthaginians until it was destroyed during the first Punic war, making it necessary to transfer the inhabitants to Drepanon, today's Trapani.

The city was then conquered by Byzantines, Arabs and Normans. During the Norman domination the famous castle was built.

During the Middle Ages the numerous churches and convents that still characterize the city today were built. They make Erice unique. For centuries, the beauty of the views, the stillness of the place, and the mist that often makes it safe from prying eyes, has made Erice the preferred place for the studies of the scholars and for the prayers of the monks. Made of narrow and winding little streets, typically medieval arches, richly decorated courtyards and small shops, up to now it preserves the ancient fascination unchanging.

Porta Trapani (Trapani gate) is named so because it faces Trapani. It has an ogival shape and is inserted between two strong ramparts. It is part of the medieval walls.

The castle of Venus

The narrow streets

Palace Mirto The building is located at the Kalsa, ancient Moorish fortified headquarters of the Emir. Just off Piazza Marina, this palace is one of the few in Palermo which are open to the public. Dating back to the 17th century, the building served for four centuries as the Palermo residence of the Filangeri family. The Filangeri were the most important Norman family in Sicily and southern Italy who descended from the legendary dynasty of the Dukes of Normandy that came to Italy around the year 1069. The Palace Mirto offers visitors a glimpse of the lavish, lost world of the Sicilian nobility. The walls of its 21 rooms are covered in acres of silk and velvet wallpaper, with vast embroidered wall hangings, frescoed ceilings, chandeliers and floors paved in colored marbles, majolica tiles and mosaics. Memorable rooms include the tiny but extravagant “Salottino Cinese” (Chinese Salon) full of black lacquer, silken wallpaper and a rather conceited ceiling painting of European aristocrats viewing the room from above. It also features a leatherwalled Fumoir (Smoking Salon), with walls of colorfully dyed Cordovan leather, and the “Salottino di Diana” (Lounge of Diana), with a swiveling statue of Apollo that leads to a secret passageway.

Segesta Ruins The origin and foundation of Segesta is extremely obscure. The tradition ascribes its foundation to Trojan settlers, fugitives from the destruction of their city. This tradition was accepted by the Romans. The first historical information about the Segestans represent them as enemies of the people living in Selinus (modern Selinunte) as early as 580 BC. Both cities had already extended their territories so far as to come into conflict with each other. But the Segestans at this time had an advantage over their enemies. In the mid-5th century BC Segesta reached the zenith of its prosperity and importance. This brought with it an end to the friendly relations which had finally been established with Selinus, and, in the year 458 BC, a treaty of mutual cooperation with Athens.

In 416 BC a rivalry with Selinus resulted in another war and Athens was called upon and gave military aid. Selinus was sacked in 409 BC by the Carthaginians but they, eager to maintain their grip on Mediterranean trade, firmly planted themselves as masters of western Sicily and established a garrison at Segesta. In 405 BC a treaty was signed between Syracuse and Carthage to divide up the island of Sicily between these two dominant parties.

In 210 BC the whole of Sicily became a province of the new masters of the Mediterranean: the Romans. Under Roman rule Segesta once more enjoyed a period of prosperity. The town expanded its territory and was, in 225 BC, given the status of civitas immunis et libera, which resulted in fewer taxes and an increase in political autonomy. Indicators of this return to the good times are the 2nd century BC theatre, agora and city walls. However, from the late 1st century the town begins a slow decline and recedes from the historical scene, to be finally abandoned from the 2nd century in favor of the nearby Aquae Segestanae.

The Temple

On a hill just outside the site of the ancient city of Segesta lies an unusually well preserved Doric temple. It is thought to have been built in the 420s BC by an Athenian architect, despite the city not having a large Greek population. The temple has six by fourteen columns on a base measuring 21 by 56 meters, on a platform three steps high. Several elements suggest that the temple was never finished. The columns have not been fluted as they normally would have been in a Doric temple and there are still tabs present in the blocks of the base (used for lifting the blocks into place but then normally removed). The temple also lacks a cella, any ornamentation, altar or deity dedication, and was never roofed over. The temple escaped destruction by the Carthaginians in the late 5 th century.

The Theatre

The theatre, nestling in the side of Mount Barbaro, today commands a spectacular view of the Gulf of Castellamare. First built from the late 4th to early 3rd century BC, the theatre as it is seen today dates to the 2nd century BC. Originally it had 29 rows of seats divided vertically into seven sections by access steps. The capacity would, therefore, have been around 4,000 spectators. The theatre is supported by a containing wall constructed of limestone blocks. The orchestra, scene building (once decorated with scenes connected to the pastoral god Pan), and entrances (paradoi) on either side have been lost. The theatre continues to host theatre events and Greek dramas throughout the summer months.

Organizing School - Sakiu rajono Lekeciu mokykla daugiafunkcis centras

KAUNAS From 26th January to 1st February 2020

St. Anne’s church

is a Roman Catholic church in Vilnius' Old Town, on the right bank of the Vilnia River established circa 1495-1500. It is a prominent example of both Flamboyant Gothic and Brick Gothic styles. St. Anne's is a prominent landmark in the Old Town of Vilnius that enabled the district to be included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. And it is one of the most interesting examples of Gothic architecture in Lithuania.

Zypliai manor

Ensemble of Zypliai manor estate is composed of 13 buildings: mansion, two houses of servants, cow house, stables, barn, coach house, kennel and others. The estate is surrounded by the park which is one of the oldest in Lithuania. There you can find quite rare species of trees as sycamore maple, simple and red oaks, silver maples, white and balmy poplars and 380-year-old oak.

Presently art event of watercolorists from international artist cooperation is being held here. After some time Lithuanian disabled association (artists of various branches) are going to organize an art event called ‘Zypliai manor grasshoppers’.

Zypliai choir constantly rehearses in the manor. It plays not only folklore but also country music.

Considering activity in the manor, there are as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it. By various means, it is tried to reach even brighter vision. If dimensions were implemented, Zypliai manor would become the center of propagation and demonstration of live crafts. Outhouses would become workshops of smithery, stone, ceramics and wood. Sōduva region manors’ exhibition would be established in the central mansion. Rooms for exhibitions, representations would be equipped. Moreover, fund of Lithuanian film directors would be established where copies of documentaries would be preserved.

Even today Zypliai manor is a center of cultural attraction. Local people make boast of it. It is an object of spiritual freshness and improvement.

Gediminas castle.

All Lithuanians know a legend about establishment of Vilnius city. It was the beginning of 14th century when Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas stopped for an overnight near confluence of Neris and Vilnele rivers.

That night he dreamt an iron wolf howling on a hill.

In the morning his soothsayer Lizdeika explained his dream as a sign for him to build here a city as it will become a well known and widely resounded in all over the World.

Gediminas ordered to pour a mound at the same place he slept. On the hill there a castle was built, the predecessor for the nowadays Gediminas castle.

According to archeological researches, the hill where Gediminas castle stands nowadays was already inhabited in a Neolithic period. In 11-13th centuries a wooden castle here stood. The same as Vilnius city, it was mentioned in 1323 for the first time. For more than 250 years since 1315, when a dynasty of Gediminaičiai ruled the Grand Duke of Lithuania, the complex of Vilnius castles served as a solid defensive structure. The complex included the Bottom castle, the Upper castle and the Skew castle. The Bottom castle extended in a territory of a few hectares. It stood at the same place where now the Vilnius Cathedral stands. It looked as a separate city as it included a school, an arsenal, stables, living buildings, a cathedral. However, it finally vanished in 1800. The newly built Palace of Grand Dukes of Lithuania nowadays symbolizes the former Bottom Castle. The Skew castle stood on the Skew hill, the same one which nowadays is known as the Bleak hill where a monument called “Three Crosses” is erected. The Skew castle was burnt in 1390 by German Order. Remains of the Upper castle are still standing on Gediminas hill. This castle is also called Gediminas castle. There were times when it was one of the most important political centers in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. There is also a tower of Gediminas castle located which can be seen well from any place in Vilnius Old Town. The tower nowadays serves as a museum, an observation square and a symbol of Vilnius and the whole Lithuania.

Trakai Island Castle

is an island castle located in Trakai, Lithuania, on an island in Lake Galvė. The construction of the Castle was started by Grand Duke Kęstutis of Lithuania and finished by his son Vytautas. The latter managed to strengthen and modernise the initial design of the Castle. A new Gothic-style brick castle was built with a smart combination of residential and defensive purposes. In 1409, Vytautas the Great made Trakai the capital of Lithuania and moved the state treasury and the Metrics of

Lithuania there. For a long time, the majestic stone castle decorated with red bricks served as a royal residence for the Grand Dukes of Lithuania as well as being a cultural centre of attraction. Vytautas the Great died there on 27 October 1430.

Every year, Trakai Island Castle holds a very special event. It lasts for a few days in August and takes everyone back to medieval times introducing people to ancient arts and crafts. The celebration dates back to 1495 when it was first mentioned in a statute approved by Duke Alexander. The statute granted privileges to the first guild of Goldsmiths of Vilnius.

Jewellers present their creations and introduce people to the intricacies of their craft.

They display pieces that would have been used by the brave knights and noble women of the medieval times. During the celebration, many other crafts are displayed including wood carving, bookbinding, smithy, archaic fishing gear production etc.

Everyone can learn how to make beads from a piece of glass, make butter, squeeze cheese or cast bronze alloy.

Vilnius Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Vladislaus

St. John Paul II started his historic visit to Lithuania with a prayer at the Vilnius Cathedral Basilica, which he called “the beating heart of the Lithuanian nation�. Vilnius Cathedral is one of the oldest Lithuanian churches. It was mentioned for the first time in recorded history in 1387, the same year as the Christianization of Lithuania. The Cathedral received the title of St. Vladislaus, because it was the baptismal name of Jogaila, the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland. The main altar features a painting portraying the death of St. Stanislaus, the patron of Vilnius Cathedral and the Bishop of Krakow. St. Stanislaus chastised the Polish King Boleslaw II the Bold for his cruelty and injustice, and eventually he excommunicated the King.

In retaliation the King murdered St. Stanislaus during a Holy Mass. The painting was done by Pranciskus Smuglevicius, a famous Lithuanian artist.

Throughout 600 years of its existence Vilnius Cathedral was rebuilt several times, until it acquired its current Neoclassical style at the beginning of the 19th century (architect Laurynas Gucevicius). The Cathedral was closed (1949-1988) during the Soviet occupation, and for a long period of time it housed the Vilnius Art Gallery. Only in 1988, was the Cathedral returned to the faithful and then solemnly re-consecrated. The relics of St. Casimir, the patron of Lithuania and youth, were also returned to the Cathedral, and are now venerated in the magnificent Chapel of St. Casimir. The Gostautai Chapel in the right nave of the Cathedral features the painting of Sapiega Madonna. In 1750 the pope crowned this painting for numerous graces granted to the faithful. There are 11 chapels in the Cathedral. In addition to the previously-mentioned Chapels of St. Casimir and Gostautai, the pilgrims can also pray at the Holy Eucharist and Exiles Chapels, located in the right nave, and St. Vladislaus and Valaviciai Chapels in the left nave.

From: https://cityofmercy.lt/en_GB/objektai/vilniaus-arkikatedra-bazilika/

Vilnius University

is the oldest university in the Baltic states, one of the oldest and most famous in Central Europe, preceded only by the universities of Prague, KrakĂłw, PĂŠcs, Budapest, Bratislava and KĂśnigsberg. Founded in the 16th century, it was the easternmost university in the world. Today it is the largest university in Lithuania.

Organizing School -Escola Secundรกria de Camarate

LISBOA

From 22nd to 27th March 2020

Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Jerónimos monastery) King Manuel I had the idea of erecting a large monastery close to the site where Henry the Navigator had built a church dedicated to Santa Maria de Belém in the 15th century. With a view to perpetuating the memory of Henry and acknowledging his own great devotion to Our Lady and St. Jerome, Manuel I chose to establish the Monastery of Santa Maria de Belém on a site just outside Lisbon on the banks of the River Tagus. The monastery was given to the Order of St. Jerome, which is why it was given the name of Jerónimos (or Hieronymite) Monastery.

The Monastery is a cultural reference point that has attracted artists, chroniclers and travellers in the course of its five centuries of existence. It received, and became a burial place, for kings, and later poets. Today it is admired by one and all, not only as a remarkable piece of architecture but also as integral part of Portuguese culture and identity.

The Hieronymite Monastery was declared a National Monument in 1907 and in 1983 UNESCO classified it as a World Heritage Site.

1

Palácio de Belém (Belém Palace) The Palace was built in 1559 by the nobleman D. Manuel de Portugal, son of D. Francisco de Portugal, 1st Count of Vimioso. It is located in the southwestern area of the city of Lisbon, Belém. The palace had gardens on the edge of the Tagus, when the river had the nearest bank than at present. In the 18th century, D. João V bought it from the Count of Aveiras, and changed it radically. He added a riding school (the stables are now part of the National Museum of Coches) and adapted the interior to be able to make his loving achievements with discretion.

2

Museu da PresidĂŞncia da RepĂşblica -The museum of the Presidency of the Republic

The Museum of the Presidency of the Republic was created with two main objectives. The first concerns civic pedagogy and aims to provide citizens in general and young people, up-to-date and scientifically grounded information about the presidential institution and its holders, its history and the place that occupies in Portuguese constitutional architecture. To this civic - and linked to it - joins another, culturally and scientific in nature. The Museum and the Associated Archive function as an incentive for historical, political and sociological studies, indispensable to a deeper knowledge of our institutional history and the evolution of our society in its relationship with the state.

The Museum was conceived as a modern, dynamic space, based on new museum techniques, integrating into a democratic and participatory conception of the exercise of political power that supposes the openness and approximation of institutions to citizens.

3

Convento de Mafra

Convento de Mafra, also known as”Convent and Palace of Mafra”and the”Royal Building of Mafra”, is a monumental Baroque and Italianized Neoclassical palace-monastery located in Mafra, Portugal, some 28 kilometres from Lisbon.

Construction began in 1717 and was completely concluded in 1755. The palace was classified as a National Monument in 1910, and was also one of the finalists of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.

On 7 July 2019, the Royal Building of Mafra – Palace, Basilica, Convent, Cerco Garden and Hunting Park (Tapada) was designed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Having been a summer residence of the royal family, the Palace has several collections of Portuguese, Italian and French origin, including baroque painting and sculpture, liturgical vestments and murals, made by leading Portuguese artists such as Cirilo Volkmar Machado and Domingos Sequeira.

The Royal Convent of Mafra has a set of two chimes that is a series of musically tuned bells. In the case of Mafra there are ninety-eight bells, which make them one of the largest historical chimes in the world. The story is about the King João V , who ordered one carillon to Marquis of Abrantes,. This informed the King that it would cost him 400.000$00 réis – an astronomic price for a country as small as Portugal. Offended with this remark, King João V said: “Well if it is that cheap, I’ll have two”. Besides the carillon, there are eleven liturgical bells of Portuguese and Italian foundry, dating from 1730 to the late 19th century.

1

Torre de Belém - Belém Tower

Built on the northern bank of the Tagus between 1514 and 1520 as part of the Tagus estuary defence system, the Tower of Belém is one of the architectural jewels of the reign of ManuelI. In the tower as a whole, one can distinguish two distinct volumes and military architectural models: the mediaeval keep tower and the modern bulwark which allowed for long-distance cannon firing, as well as keep ricochet shots over the water.

The Tower of Belém is a cultural reference, a symbol of the specificity of Portugal at the time, including its privileged exchange with other cultures and civilisations. As a protector of Portuguese individuality and universality, the tower saw its role confirmed in 1983 when it was classified by UNESCO as Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

2

Casa dos Bicos Located in the riverside area and opened on July 14, 2014, this archaeological nucleus is located in a building that is one of the most representative examples of Lisbon's civil architecture of the 19th century. XVI. Casa dos Bicos was built between 1521 and 1523, by order of BrĂĄs Albuquerque, son of the second Viceroy of India and second project attributed to Francisco de Arruda.

Following the Earthquake of 1755, he suffered a profound destruction. In 1981, it was the target of rehabilitation, under the patronage of the Organizing Committee of the XVII European Exhibition of Art, Science and Culture, to house the exhibition nucleus "The Portuguese Discoveries and the Renaissance Europe".

The project, authored by architects Manuel Vicente and Daniel Santa-Rita, restored the original volumetry of the building. In 2008, the municipality gave way to the upper floors for the installation of the JosĂŠ Saramago Foundation, reserving the ground floor for the creation of an archaeological nucleus, which integrated other traces recovered in a new archaeological campaign developed in 2010 by the municipality, being visible, namely, sections of the Roman wall of Lisbon and cage, elements of a unit Roman factory of fish preparations and condiments, intended primarily for export.

3

Ponte 25 de abril - 25th April Bridge

The 25 de Abril Bridge is a suspended bridge on the Tagus River connecting the city of Lisbon (north bank) to the city of Almada (south bank) in Portugal. The bridge crosses the Tagus estuary at the end and narrowest the so-called Tagus bottleneck.

The Bridge is 2,277 meters long. With a free span of 1,013 meters, the 25th de Abril Bridge is the 33rd largest suspension bridge in the world. The upper tray is 6 road lanes while the bottom tray is home to two electrified railway lines.

Projects for the construction of a bridge over the Tagus estuary have existed since the late 19th century; however, only in the 1950s did the Portuguese government of the Estado Novo starts the construction of a bridge to connect the two banks of the Lisbon metropolitan area.

The construction began in November 1962 and lasted for four years. The Bridge was inaugurated on August 6, 1966, then with only one road board. On July 29, 1999, the railway board was set.

The Ponte 25 de Abril was called Salazar Bridge. The name 25 April comes after the revolution of April 25, 1974.

4

Baixa Pombalina (Downtown)

On November 1, 1755 a violent earthquake, followed by the fire that destroyed the center of Lisbon. The Royal Palace, the House of India, palaces of the aristocracy, the new Opera House were then built, works of art and royal treasures, were lost.

From the ruins of medieval Lisbon, this area was redesigned on a modern and functional scale, which was linked to the will and pragmatism of the powerful Minister of D. JosĂŠ I, Marquis of Pombal, who quickly had a reconstruction project designed to be implemented by Carlos Mardel and EugĂŠnio dos Santos.

After the destructive cataclysm it was a first priority to relocate people, rehabilitating mercantile life and for this it was necessary to rebuild quickly. Lisbon of the second half of the 19th century. XVIII thus acquires the rigor of a geometric moth, on a grid on which the buildings endowed with an anti-seismic system, the "cage", structure of crosswood beams on which the walls are erected.

The construction is an absolutely revolutionary for the time because it uses serial production for the first time, with the normalization of certain elements: the windows, the balconies of the first floor, the steps of the inside parts coated with tile sills.

If "Baixa" of Lisbon, or "Baixa Pombalina", as it is also known, in honor of Pombal, is not characterized by the monumentality of its buildings, representative of a new social order that 5

values the merchant and financial class, in return, the harmony of the set, the perpendicular streets from which the Tagus River, traditional shops and interesting monuments are glimpsed, make this tour in the heart of Lisbon a very pleasant experience.

6

Notes:

The authors of this book were all students involved in the Erasmus project "A Cultura como Ponte para a Inclusão", as well as the teachers who developed

the project

and organized the program visits in their own countries.

My thanks to all of them, specially to Ester Martinez; Maria Montserrat Cueto Garcia; Maria José Baena; Nuray Sariboga Alagöz; Ismail Emre Keceli; Giuliana Zerilli; Matilde Sciarrino; Antonella Alfano; RūtaKrikštopaitienė; as

well

as

Rimanta

Albertina

and

Ramos

and

Vilma, other

colleagues who gave their support during the mobilities or those who had to go to other schools .

Ana Lino Project Coordinator january/2020