Every traveler knows that visiting any new place requires maximum care, otherwise you run the risk of missing something interesting. But there are places where you should turn your head not only to the right and left, but also to extend your neck and look up.
We are talking about religious buildings, namely churches, temples and mosques, where not only thoughts, but also the gaze should be elevated. Also, the construction of the castles paid great attention to the decoration of the ceiling. Today we will talk about the incredibly beautiful ceilings of buildings around the world, which simply can not leave you indifferent.
1
Nasir ol-Molk - Shiraz, Iran
The Nasir Ol-Molk Mosque enters into a stupor with its beauty, but its ceiling can cause even greater delight. Its bright patterns, using various colors, are intertwined into intricate designs framing the vaults. Looking up, you will think that you are in a kaleidoscopic light show, where patterns replace each other for several minutes. The sophisticated ceiling design inherent in Islamic architecture will seem unusual to Europeans. Throughout the tour you will not leave the feeling of touching a miracle.
This mosque was built at the end of the century before last, its construction took 12 years. Immediately after construction, it received the second name - “Pink Mosque”. The thing is in the patterns, both outside and inside (including the ceiling), the building is decorated with roses. Also, this flower is a symbol of Shiraz, the city in which the mosque is located. It is interesting that since 1979 it has not been considered a religious building due to the large number of decorative elements inherent in European architecture. Now it works as a museum, which cannot but please millions of tourists.
By the way, on our site most-beauty.tu there is a very interesting article with photos of the most beautiful mosques in the world.
2
Sistine Chapel - Vatican
Built at the end of the 14th century, the Sistine Chapel immediately became an important part of the Vatican, playing a huge role in the life of the Catholic faith. She was ordered by Pope Sixtus IV, which explains her name. Interestingly, the initial goal was to strengthen the “Big Chapel”, as the pope was afraid of a military invasion by the ruler of the Ottoman Empire or the influential Medici family, which dominates the Florentine Republic. Ironically, having made peace with the Medici, Sixtus IV made an order to the famous Florentine artists for the interior design of the “home church”, which was then the chapel. Later on, they began to hold elections for the new pope and perceive it as the greatest monument of the Renaissance.
As for the well-known ceiling, it was decorated a little later, at the beginning of the XVI century. The work on the ceiling fresco was entrusted to the great Michelangelo, who accepted it as a professional challenge. The fact is that Michelangelo was considered a great sculptor, but not an artist. It is believed that to order the decoration of the ceiling by Michelangelo, pope Julia II was advised by the ill-wishers of the sculptor who wanted to witness his shame. However, the great master was able to meet the record-breaking deadlines, presenting to the world a true masterpiece that amazes connoisseurs even several centuries later. The ceiling depicts nine scenes from Genesis, including the Creation of Adam. Surely you saw the famous image where the Lord reaches out to touch the finger of Adam. The chapel is also decorated with the fresco "The Last Judgment", completing the work of Michelangelo. If you intend to visit the Sistine Chapel, it is worth considering that it is strictly forbidden to take pictures there, so you should be careful not to miss a single moment.
3
Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) - Istanbul, Turkey
The history of the construction of the Sultanahmet Mosque, which received the second name Blue Mosque for the cold shade of the interior, is quite interesting. The then Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Ahmed I waged exhausting wars with Iran and Austria, which ended in the actual defeat of the Ottomans. As a result, the sultan was forced to acknowledge the claims of the Habsburgs on the Austrian throne and sign an agreement removing the requirements for the annual payment of tribute to the Ottoman Empire. To rectify the situation, Ahmed decided to appease Allah by erecting a huge mosque in the very center of Istanbul. Funds for its construction were taken from the personal treasury of the Sultan, since he had not yet received profit from military campaigns (then it was customary to build mosques with funds received during military campaigns).
To build a mosque at the beginning of the XVII century, it took to destroy several buildings, including the Grand Palace, built during the Byzantine Empire. But the sacrifices were worth it. The Blue Mosque is a magnificent building, standing next to the Hagia Sophia. The richness of the interior allows us to talk about the generosity of the Sultan, but it is especially worth noting the ceiling of the mosque, which took about 20 thousand tiles to create a mosaic composition to decorate. Round stained glass windows and domes are decorated so pretentiously that immediately covering all the details will not be an easy task. At some point, you will want to lie on the floor and admire the ceiling for more than one hour.
4
Sammezzano Castle - Tuscany, Italy
Built at the beginning of the 17th century in the Tuscan village of Reggello, the castle of Sammezzano is one of the most mysterious sights of Italy. For some reason, it is not included in almost any guidebook and is not included in the excursion programs. He acquired a modern appearance only in the middle of the XIX century, thanks to the new owner Marquis Ferdinando Panchiatiki, who was personally involved in the reconstruction of Sammezzano. The interior is made in the Moorish style, which is quite unusual for Italy. The ceiling of each room (and there are exactly 365 of them, like days in a year) is a work of art. Looking up, you will see elaborate marble carvings, rainbow mosaics with incredible detail and other decor. The style is so amazing that you can forget where in the world you are now.
The constant change of ownership of the castle affected its operation. Either it was used as housing for wealthy families, it was redone as a hotel and bar immediately after the Second World War. In the late 1990s, it was acquired by a company from the UK, after which ... it closed the castle for tourists. Until 2012, he stood in desolation, often subjected to vandalism, however, later irregular excursions began, which required prior registration on the organizer's website. Recently, the castle was again closed due to its sale to another company based in Dubai. The deal amounted to $ 18 million.
5
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood - St. Petersburg, Russia
Erected at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood is a masterpiece of Russian architecture and one of the most beautiful temples in the world. It was built in memory of the attempt on the emperor Alexander II, which occurred at the site of the construction of the temple. The external style of the temple resembles St. Basil’s Cathedral, however, the interior design clearly exceeds its metropolitan “predecessor”. An uncountable set of tiles connected into a mosaic, the total area of which exceeds 7 thousand m², was used in the interior design. The creator of the mosaic was an outstanding Russian artist Vladimir Alexandrovich Frolov. He adorned the ceiling and walls of the temple according to the sketches of artists such as Ryabushkin, Vasnetsov, Kharlamov and others.
The temple could suffer a sad fate when the Soviet government decided to take it apart in the late 1930s. By fateful accident, plans to destroy the temple were interrupted by World War II. True, it almost became the cause of the destruction of the Savior on Spilled Blood - in the 60s a high-explosive shell was discovered in the dome that did not explode after falling inside. Today, the church is hosting parishioners again, so you have a unique chance to touch the great, seeing with your own eyes a real architectural miracle.
6
Temple of Heaven - Beijing, China
The Temple of Heaven is a whole complex of religious buildings in Beijing that were erected so that emperors can visit it annually to sacrifice to heaven. Thus, they asked for a good harvest and prosperity for the royal family and the whole people. Interestingly, it was originally called the Temple of Heaven and Earth, but later a separate temple was erected to worship the earth. This is confirmed by the architecture of the complex, namely the red walls connecting in a square and round buildings. The circle and square symbolize heaven and earth, respectively.
The complex was built in the first half of the 15th century and even today it is amazing in its scale and makes tourists from many countries of the world reach it. The main building (Temple of the Harvest) is filled with Chinese symbols necessary for religious rites. The prayer hall is crowned with four pillars symbolizing the seasons. Round roofs made of blue tiles also symbolize the sky, and the alternation of round and square indicates a constant cycle of elements. As for the ceiling inside the main temple - it is wonderful. The riot of flowers and shapes intertwined in a fabulous combination will captivate any traveler and make them admire the imagination of ancient builders.
7
Imam Mosque - Isfahan, Iran
Initially, this religious building was called the Shah Mosque, however, later received a modern name. The beginning of its construction dates back to 1611, the construction was completed only after 30 years. The result exceeded all expectations - the Imam Mosque is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful in the world. Its significance for the country is so great that the image of the mosque is printed on the rial, the national currency of Iran. The interior walls and ceiling of the mosque are covered with lines from the Koran, drawn in Arabic script. The ceiling is also decorated with mosaics using a palette of seven colors.
Under the main dome, you can observe the traditional arabesque ornament, interwoven into a fancy pattern that does not require a background. A feature of the mosque is its acoustics. Thanks to the special design of the walls, you can hear what visitors are whispering about at the other end of the main hall.
Finally
In the photo: St. Peter's Cathedral Church in Petrborough.
CC0. Posted by: George Hodan. Resource: publicdomainpictures.net
So we showed you some ceilings that shocked the editors of most-beauty.ru with their beauty. What ceilings would you add to this list? We are convinced that you know a dozen more vivid examples! Write about them in the comments.
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