Saturday, January 05, 2019

Stephansplatz Icon

You can't go to Europe without seeing a church.  Or a few hundred.  They're everywhere.  They're big.  They're small. They're tourist attractions. They're magnificent.

This one, St. Stephen's Cathedral, in Vienna, Austria, is the city's most important religious building.
I'm not very religious, so I'm not so interested in that aspect of a church.  I am more amazed by the architecture and how ornately they are appointed.

The exterior of the church is limestone, which turns black with soot and air pollution, but regular cleaning of the limestone helps to keep the color of the church closer to it's original white.
I think about, as in this case, how someone in the 12th century (the first portion of the building was completed in 1160), touched the stones that are placed to build it, worked on the intricate designs of the exterior and interior, painted frescos, installed tile, and created the stained glass windows that I am looking at in the 21st century.
 So many sculptures and generous use of gold leaf.
 An altar in an alcove.
More gold leaf, more important statues.
Stretching 364 feet in length, the roof is magnificent.  The mosaic is comprised of 230,000 vividly colored glazed tiles.
St. Stephen's Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna.  It is located in the Stephansplatz and has become one of the city's most recognizable symbols




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2018: 
Gateway Saguaro

2017: Sweet Sixteen Heartthrob
2016: The Spirit Of The West
2015: Our House, In The Middle Of Our Street
2014: I'm Pretty Sure I Was Born With One
2013: Gettin' The Juice To Stay On The Move
2012: Light On My Feet. Literally.
2011: We Got Smashed
2010: One Provides Light, The Other Just Stands There
2009: Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are!
2008: C’Mon In
2007: Eddie Hits The Bricks Friday
2006: Take It As It Comes
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

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