Agia Fotini - Aesthetic masterpiece

Agia Fotini is a Greek Orthodox church built in the 1970's in Mantinia, outside Tripoli, Greece. Built using local materials it is an expression of the traditional orthodox church in the language of asymmetry. A brilliant juxtaposition of traditional Greek design and Byzantine church architecture that moves the soul. A tribute to the spirit and mind of man. I took these photos in August of 1977 before the narrow minded, orthodox church hierarchy decided to whitewash the magnificent, original frescos and icons and replace them with more traditional, symmetric ones. An act of artistic, cultural rape by religion that the Greek government could have stopped on the basis of cultural preservation, but did not. This video essay is a record of its beauty before religion defaced it. At the time the church had no lighting, so this is natural light photography - no flash - using a Pentax ES-II, with 28mm wide-angle lens and exposure times in the seconds. The music is a modern composition by Tsabropoulos based on traditional orthodox liturgical music. A great work in its own right. Agia Fotini is 15 km north of Tripoli. Take the main road heading north (Ethnikis Antistaseos Kalavriton), cross E55 (Pyrgou-Tripoleos), go another 3 km and you'll see it on your left.

Coin Dealers

Contrary to popular belief, those who collect coins or deals with coins are not exactly rich. They have an interesting hobby and don't necessarily want to pay a large amount of money for coins. Coin dealers strike a balance between satisfying their customers and making a profit.

The coins' condition and state of preservation is of utmost importance to both coin dealers and collectors. The collectors prefer coins in mint condition rather than worn- out. The dealers, on the other hand, have to make sure that the coins they have in their possession match these standards.

It is obvious that an old coin cannot be expected to be in mint condition. Mint condition coins are very and command higher prices. Ancient Roman and Greek coins that exist in mint state often have reasonable prices.

Historically, the earliest coins were believed to have originated from either the Greek city-states of Asia Minor or the Lydian kingdom. The latter is not considered mutually exclusive from the Greek since the Lydian culture during that time was partly Hellenized. Lydia had been influenced by Greek styles both in art and architecture. So much so that a Greek agora was found in the capital city of Sardis.

Several indications point to Lydia as having a direct hand in the origin of coins in the Mediterranean world. First, the material of the earliest known coin can be traced back to the Lydians. Also, electrum issued from Cyzikus, Phokaea and Mytilene were composed of an artificially controlled ratio of gold to silver. Thus, the peculiarity of the use of electrum for the first coins might be attributed to its natural occurrence in Lydia.

Coins provides detailed information on Coins, Gold Coins, Rare Coins, Coin Dealers and more. Coins is affiliated with Antique Collectibles.

Glasgow Architecture: Bucks Head Building

This building dates from 1863. It is located at 59-61 Argyle Street and was designed by Alexander 'Greek' Thomson.

The sound of Hagia Sofia CONSTANTINOPLE (Istanbul)

Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Of great artistic value was its decorated interior with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings. The temple itself was so richly and artistically decorated that Justinian proclaimed, "Solomon, I have surpassed thee!" (Νενίκηκά σε Σολομών). Justinian himself had overseen the completion of the greatest cathedral ever built up to that time, and it was to remain the largest cathedral for 1000 years up until the completion of the cathedral in Seville in Spain. Justinian's basilica was at once the culminating architectural achievement of late antiquity and the first masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Its influence, both architecturally and liturgically, was widespread and enduring in the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Muslim worlds alike. Under Justinian's orders, eight Corinthian columns were disassembled from Baalbek, Lebanon and shipped to Constantinople for the construction of Hagia Sophia.

Aegean/Greek Art

Intro slide show to Cycladic, Aegean, Minoan, Mycenaean, Greek art

Armonia Bay

Armonia Bay Hotel, Kokkari, Samos, Greece. In a dream setting by Tsamadou beach on the island of Samos are the architecturally unique grounds of Armonia Bay Hotel. Turquoise blue sea. Green location. Modern architecture. Superb view of the sea. Samos hotels. Kokkari hotels. elegant hotels....

12. The Creation of an Icon: The Colosseum and Contemporary Architecture in Rome

Roman Architecture (HSAR 252) Professor Kleiner features the tumultuous year of 68-69 when Rome had four competing emperors. Vespasian emerged the victor, founded the Flavian dynasty, and was succeeded by his sons, Titus and Domitian. The Flavians were especially adept at using architecture to shape public policy. Professor Kleiner demonstrates that Vespasian linked himself with the divine Claudius by completing the Claudianum and distanced himself from Nero by razing the Domus Aurea to the ground and filling in the palace's artificial lake. In that location, Vespasian built the Flavian Amphitheater, nicknamed the Colosseum, thereby returning to the people land earlier stolen by Nero. Professor Kleiner discusses the technical and aesthetic features of the Colosseum at length, and surveys Vespasian's Forum Pacis and Titus' Temple to Divine Vespasian. The lecture concludes with the Baths of Titus, Rome's first preserved example of the so-called "imperial bath type" because of its grand scale, axiality, and symmetry. 00:00 - Chapter 1. The Year 68-69 and The Founding of the Flavian Dynasty 11:42 - Chapter 2. The Claudianum or The Temple of Divine Claudius 19:52 - Chapter 3. The Colosseum: Icon of Rome 33:17 - Chapter 4. The Colosseum as a Post-Antique Quarry 44:30 - Chapter 5. The Forum or Templum Pacis 01:01:39 - Chapter 6. The Imperial Baths of Titus Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: open.yale.edu This course was recorded in Spring 2009.

Ancient Art Podcast 11b, Parthenon Frieze Part 2

(Episode split into 2 parts for YouTube: 11a and 11b.) In this part of multiple episodes focusing on the Parthenon Frieze and its relationship with the Persian Apadana reliefs at Persepolis, we investigate the evidence for the transmission of ideas from Persia to Greece by way of the Ionian Greek artists, who plied their trade throughout the Mediterranean. Well look closely at an important transitional piece, the so-called Harpy Tomb at Xanthos in Lycia, as well as a couple Persian imperial sites, Susa and Persepolis, before turning westward to Athens. Well also examine the role of Persian monumental art and architecture and reveal the Greek stylistic influence passed on to Persia by the Ionian artists.

"Easter at the Acropolis" Laurenmolly's photos around Athens, Greece (laurenmolly travel blog)

Preview of Laurenmolly's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: www.travelpod.com This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Entry from: Athens, Greece Entry Title: "Easter at the Acropolis" Entry: "Well, I guess it is about time I put up my travel details on my Greece trip. Considering I slacked off writing this when I got right back from my trip, I have pretty much forgotten everything... Just Kidding. The day I got back from Istanbul, I came back to my apartment in Cyprus, unpacked and repacked and left the next morning at 5 am to get on the bus to go to the airport! (run-on sentence here was Just completely necessary to give you the "out of breath" feeling) We got on the plane around nine in the morning and took off to Athens, Greece. NOTE ON THE AIRPLANE: Aegean Airlines has been the best airline I have flown on out here. The planes are clean and roomy. All of the seats are comfortable with a good amount of leg-room *unlike some airlines I fly on...Airtran* The best part of all though is that they feed you. Ladies and gentlemen I am talking "food Food". Not the Delta peanuts or the Airtran pretzels; no no no! We get a full meal. I have eaten better on the Aegean planes than I do at my apartment. Here is the list of food, in no particular order that I have eaten during one of the flights: 1. lasagna, whole wheat rolls, cucumber/tomato salad, and chocolate cake 2. yogurt, scrambled eggs, toast and jam 3. turkey and ...

Architecture Project 109 - (Cat Stevens - Wild World) (HD)

See project: proiectecasetip2.wordpress.com ;arh. Dan Mihalache: dannarchitect@gmail.com, tel.: 0770/694.945; 0748/371.353; architecture office: united architects, Iaşi, România. Brick (or wood) dwelling house ground floor and attic realized in AutoCAD. Locuinţă parter şi mansardă din cărămidă sau lemn. Proiect realizat în AutoCAD. Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou; 21 July 1948 in London, England), originally and commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is a British musician. He is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam. His early 1970s record albums Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat were both certified as Triple Platinum by the RIAA in the United States; his 1972 album Catch Bull at Four sold half a million copies in the first two weeks of release alone and was Billboard's number-one LP for three consecutive weeks. He has also earned two ASCAP songwriting awards in consecutive years for "The First Cut Is the Deepest", which has been a hit single for five different artists. Stevens converted to Islam at the height of his fame, in December 1977, and adopted his Muslim name, Yusuf Islam, the following year. In 1979, he auctioned all his guitars away for charity Steven Georgiou was the third child of a Greek-Cypriot father, Stavros Georgiou (b. 1900), and a Swedish mother, Ingrid Wickman (b. 1915). He has an older sister, Anita, and brother, David. The family lived above Moulin ...

Pictures of Bathroom Designs - What a Great Way To Get Inspired!

Pictures of other people's bathroom designs are a very good way to become inspired as to what you want in your own bathroom remodeling project. I know I was inspired to wanting a really high-tech shower/mini-steam room enclosure for my next "full-blown" bathroom remodeling project after seeing pictures of a friend's new bathroom designs.

He found a very nice unit for sale on eBay. See details of the shower unit and even bid on one yourself if you're interested on my website.

Pictures of bathroom designs are really worth the proverbial thousand words! You'll see fixtures that will excite you just as I did with my friend's shower enclosure. You will see color schemes that click with you in pictures of different bathroom designs. You will be amazed as to just how much inspiration can be obtained from pictures of bathroom designs that you come across either online or from magazines or through other means.

I have posted a number of pictures of bathroom designs on my website for you to view. These are different bathrooms that I've either had a hand in building or that I've found here & there. I really love good design in architecture and because of my eye for what works and what doesn't, I've put together quite a portfolio of different pictures of bathroom designs. Check them out for yourself at my website.

You can also do a search on Google images
for "bathroom pictures" or "pictures of bathroom designs".

The thing you need to do at this point is to start organizing your pictures of bathroom designs into a system where you will have all of the details about where you found the picture and what interested you about it.

Then you can file it in a manner that will allow you to find it again at a moment's notice. This way your initial research about pictures of bathroom designs will be as fruitful and efficient as possible.

This truly can be a very fun and inspirational time period - using pictures of bathroom designs.

=================================================

John Mann, "The Electric Mann", has been involved in the residential construction industry for over 25 years. He's worked as an Electrical Contractor and a General Contractor in Residential Remodeling and is an expert on Kitchen and Bathroom Design and Remodeling.

Signup for his "Bathroom Remodeler's Newsletter" and get a FR*EE 7-Part mini-course (Value $67.00 US) called
"How To Avoid the 7 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Remodeling a Bathroom!" by visiting http://www.TheRemodeledBathroom.com

Click Here to Learn More About Using Pictures of Bathroom Designs as Inspiration for Your Own Bathroom!

=================================================

SICILY Program Highlights AHITRAVEL

As a cultural crossroads of the ancient world, Sicily abounds with enchanting natural beauty, fascinating folklore and incomparable cuisine. Discover its many treasures from your base in the storied city of Syracuse, one of the most important cities in the ancient world. Admire its Piazza del Duomo, one of the most elegant squares in Sicily, and the impressive Archeological Park. Immerse yourself in Sicily's scenic splendor during a drive to the volcanic crater of Mt. Etna. Admire the Greek theater at Taormina and the baroque architecture of the town of Noto. Travel back in time with a visit to the necropolis at Pantalica, and marvel at the Villa Romana del Casale near Piazza Armerina, known for its spectacular mosaics. Visit the remains of the Greek colony at Agrigento, described as "the most beautiful city built by mortal men" by the Greek poet Pindar.

Ancient Rome - Part 1

The objective is to present the Hystory through Art, passing by Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, The Middle Age, The Renaissance, The Baroque, The Romantism, The Enlightenment, The Pre-Modern Era, ... The art of Ancient Greece is one of her greatest gifts to posterity.But when one thinks of Ancient Rome ...... her gladiators, her government, or perhaps her armies are the conspicuous mementos. True, the vividly colored murals at Pompeii are spectacular. So are the murals in neighboring towns, also preserved by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD But Pompeii and its neighbors were gay seaside resorts, only provincial cousins of Rome. According to descriptions by Roman historians, the wall paintings in Rome itself far surpassed these from Pompeii. Indeed, it is probably because there is little else that survives to compare with it, that we prize the art of Pompeii and its neighbors so highly. Is this to say, then, that Roman art has little merit, that it is a second-rate rerun of the glorious Greek art which preceded it? The relative merits of Greek and Roman art have been debated by scholars for centuries. Let's leave the debate to the scholars and turn instead to a more meaningful way in which all art may be judged: that is, as a reflection of the culture that produced it. Just as pop art, like it or not, will give future ages a meaningful image of our society and its values ... ... so Roman art is an excellent indicator of what mattered to people in Roman times. And just as ...

Elounda Bay Palace Villas & Suites - Palace Suite

www.elounda.com The Elounda Bay Palace is a picturesque resort, designed with respect to Cretan architecture, located on lush, colourful gardens! Natural beauty combined with cutting-edge technology! It is the ideal place for those seeking relaxation. You can call us @ +30 2810 220088 For more informations : www.elounda.com

Different Types of Decorative Moldings

A decorative molding can be defined as any continuous projection that is used to enhance the look of a wall. In ancient Greece, they were first used to throw water away from the wall. The contours, measurements, and projections of moldings vary greatly.

Frieze
One type of molding - the frieze (or frieze board) - was first used on the Parthenon at the Acropolis. The frieze is considered a part of the Greek architectural style.

The Parthenon was built for the goddess Athena. The frieze moldings that were used were meant to tell the story of her triumph over Poseidon in becoming the patron of the ancient city which is now Athens.

The frieze panels are a series of designed pediments which are filled with the images of Athena's birth and rise to power. Today, a frieze board is the flat panel just below a crown molding or cornice. Often, low relief is applied to this panel for added decoration.

Today, frieze moldings are most common as a portion of a decorative molding that follows the neoclassical architecture or decorating style.

You need a pretty high ceiling (minimum of 9 feet), and it's a good idea to paint or stain the frieze and the crown molding the same color. The frieze is a good way to visually bring the ceiling down and make the room appear cozier.

Crown Molding
Crown molding is the most popular type of cornice molding. Crown molding is generally a single-piece of decorative molding, installed at the top of a wall, at an angle to the adjoining ceiling. However, I have seen crown molding assemblies of 5 or more pieces in more elaborate settings.

Crown molding often has a profile that projects out on the ceiling and down the wall, adding a rich appearance to a room. It is often used at the top of cabinets or built-in furniture.

Introducing this type of decorative molding to a relatively simple room provides a historic character that the room would not otherwise have. Crown molding is also used in combination with other moldings to add details to fireplace mantels and shelves. (For what it's worth, this is probably my favorite architectural feature).

Crown molding is a form of Cornice Molding. The term "cornice" describes molding installed along the top of a wall or above the window. When this treatment is made from multiple pieces of molding, it is called a "build-up cornice." The other form of cornice molding is the Cove Molding.

Cove Molding

Cove molding is very similar to crown molding, with the same application and function. The difference between the two is in the profile. Cove molding has a concave profile (which bows inward) while crown molding has a convex (outward) profile.

While crown is most at home in traditional settings, Cove moldings are equally comfortable in country, or even contemporary settings. You don't normally see multi-piece assemblies of cove moldings. You can occasionally see it "beaded" at top and bottom for a little accent.

Entries, formal living rooms, formal dining rooms, and master bedrooms usually receive decorative moldings with ornate or traditional patterns.

Kitchens and other more functional areas of the home might be where you will find the simpler design of the cove molding. Over the years, coves and crowns have become much smaller, but most still bear the shapes and styles of the original Greek and Roman designers.

Chair Rail Molding

A chair rail is a decorative molding that divides a wall horizontally, usually about 32" to 36" above the floor. They protect the walls in areas where damage might occur from people getting up out of chairs.

For this reason, the more traditional chair rails will have a nosing in the center, with curved and beveled surfaces that taper back to the wall above and below the nosing.

Today, chair rails remain a common detail in traditional interiors. They serve the decorating effect of unifying the various architectural details of a room, such as door and window trim, and fireplace surrounds.

Chair rail can also be used as a cap for wainscoting or other wood paneling. This decorative molding adds a feeling of detail and charm while achieving continuity in a room by unifying the various decorative elements.

Panel Molding
Panel molding, commonly called a picture frame molding, looks like a large empty frame, and is often part of designs on walls of old Colonial and, Georgian, and Early American homes. The placement of this molding should be above the chair rail height and about 10 to 12 inches down from the ceiling.

The size of this type of decorative molding, measuring 1" to 3" in width, should be proportionate to the ceiling height of the room. Like the other moldings, panel molding adds a feeling of charm and delicate detail to a room.

Wall framing appears at the Georgian period of American architecture, when plaster began to replace wood panels on the walls. Panel molding also is a good way to divide walls into large, aesthetically pleasing units, without the same expense of full wall paneling.

Another application of this versatile molding is to trim openings made by wider planks which are assembled as rails and styles. Often, the centers of these frames are left open. By applying panel moldings around the perimeter of the opening, you create the look of a picture frame.

When this decorative molding is painted in the same color as the surrounding walls, you achieve a sculptural quality to a wall, adding texture and shadows. If moldings are painted in contrasting colors, they can create a striking three dimensional appearance, giving depth and dimension. This type of treatment is popular for staircases and entries.

Baseboard & Base Molding

Baseboard molding protects the bottom of the wall from ware and tear, while hiding openings and other irregularities where the wall meets the floor. Base moldings give the floor line a higher profile, and can be as elaborate or simple as you like.

Whereas it is relatively easy to install chair rail on a level plane, baseboard (like crown) can be tricky if your floors (or ceilings) are not level. For this reason, I recommend getting a professional woodworker for the installation of these moldings.

As one remedy to uneven floors, you can install a "shoe molding" along the bottom front edge to give the baseboard a finished look. Something else you can do with baseboard (as well as with the toe kick of your kitchen cabinets) is incorporate accent lighting.

This isn't in keeping with the pure traditionalist, but it's a pretty nifty way to have accent lighting around the perimeter of a room. You couldn't do this until they created the small LED rope lights of today.

Rope lights come in different lengths and colors, and can be easily installed behind baseboard. Simply make a notch in the back side of the baseboard, at the top, and run the rope lights into the notch.

This is more often used in commercial spaces, but has been added in entries and hallways - especially in contemporary homes.

Flexible Moldings
If you have a curved wall or arch, you can probably have a good craftsman create a curved molding for about 3 times the cost of a straight molding. Or, you can buy a flexible molding for about the same price as the straight one.

These allow you to install moldings onto curved surfaces or arches, without the delay and expense of having them made from wood. The stock profiles (there are hundreds) are identical to the rigid versions and they are compatible as far as paint finish is concerned.

Charles Gueli invites you to ask questions about decorative molding, and take advantage of the resources on http://www.continuous-home-improvement-help.com, where guidance, information and support are always available - helping homeowners make better decisions.

Rio Antirrio Bridge

Rio Antirrio Bridge Official name "Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge" from the name of the 19th Century Greek Prime Minister who envisaged the link between Rio and Antirrio, the small ports on either side of the bridge belonging to Peloponesse and the Northern mainland Greece respectively. The bridge has a length of 2880 metres and is one of the largest suspended cable construction bridges worldwide.

Your Front Door - Designing The Entry To Your Home

Here's a subject that's rarely given enough thought in custom home design...the way you enter and leave your house. We're just talking about a door, right? A hole in the wall, a way in and a way out; what more is there to consider?

It's easy to overlook the design of the entrance to our houses. We spend our time working on the design of the exterior and creating the spaces inside the house. But the front door and the spaces connected to it occupy an important middle ground between indoors and out and set the stage for the success of the entire custom home design. The entry begins to establish your home's personality and suggests how the rest of the house should be. The entry is a symbolic passage from the public realm of the street to the private realm of the family and tells the world something about the people within.

If Walls Could Speak

It's a cliché to say that the front of a house "makes a statement", but clichés usually have some basis in truth. The entry can be a barrier or an invitation, obvious or concealed, pompous or humble; it can welcome you in or it can keep you at arm's length. The front door and the area around it can be a message board for the neighborhood - hung with wreaths and ivy during the holidays, festooned with red, white, and blue on the Fourth of July, and decorated with pumpkins and corn shocks at Halloween.

Each element that makes up the home's entry has something to say. The classic American front porch is a good example; it's the outdoor social center, a place to watch the activity of the street, a place to meet and greet neighbors and friends. A front porch is an outdoor room, neither completely public nor private and easing the transition into and out of the house. A house with a big, broad front porch tells the world that the family inside values the social fabric of the street, welcoming neighbors and friends and inviting them to stop and visit.

The Entry Sequence

But the front porch is just one part of a sequence of spaces and elements creating a transition from the public realm (the street) to the private realm (the house). That sequence includes walks, landscaping, steps, porches, overhangs, lights, doors, and interior entry spaces. A successful entry sequence considers the placement and design of all of these elements and their relationship to each other.

The entry to a home begins long before you've stepped onto the property. It starts in the street with the initial visual cues -- where the entrance to the property is, and where the entrance to the house is.

At first glance from the street, the entry to the house should be seen or at least hinted at to provide a clear destination for our guests. Our old friend the front porch is a great way to indicate clearly where the entrance is to be found. A porch or overhang at the entry also keeps your guests out of the weather while they're waiting for you to answer the door.

A path from the street or driveway to the front door should be direct - people look ahead subconsciously as they approach a building, searching for the shortest path to the entrance. The beginning of the path should be well lit so that it can be found in the dark, and should be wide enough for two people to walk comfortably abreast. This is also a great place for colorful landscaping. In temperate and cold climates, leave areas open where shoveled snow can be piled alongside the walk without burying the planting beds.

A little mystery isn't a bad idea here either - vary the direction of the path a bit so the scenery changes and the front door moves in and out of view.

It's A House, Not A Greek Temple

Historically, the design of a home's entry gave the public an indication of the wealth and status of its owners. The entrances to grand homes are often flanked by huge classical columns, their doors framed by elaborately carved surrounds. But when more modest homes take up these motifs, they often feel out of place and forced. An entry can be too easily seen from the street, announcing itself too boldly (as if it were an entrance to an office building), and draining all of the warmth from the entry sequence.

Better to design the entry on a human scale, using familiar elements that don't overwhelm the visitor. Benches, small windows, potted plants, brick paths and porch railings all contribute to the comfort we want our guests to feel as they are welcomed into our homes.

The human scale should continue on the other side of the door. Although some larger homes are appropriately fitted with double curved stairs and four hundred square foot entry halls, these features overwhelm a typical family home. Entry halls and foyers should welcome guests, allow them to get oriented to the house, provide a place to hang their coats, and direct them efficiently to the "public" rooms of the house. There's a place for splendor and majesty of course, but that's best left to the grand homes.

Hey, I didn't invent this stuff...

Other cultures also place a high value on the design of a home's entry. The Ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui dictates exactly where a home's front door should be to attract good Chi (energy flow) and block harmful Chi. It's a complex relationship between compass position, proximity to other structures, roads and paths, access to sunlight, and views to the outside. According to Feng Shui, a well-placed and well-designed front door can enhance luck, promote business success, and increase the health of the occupants. Although deeply rooted in ancient culture, much of Feng Shui is simply good design practice that we can apply to the design of the ways that we enter and exit our own homes.

Welcome Home To... Your Laundry Room?

Although the introduction of the automobile has had a profound impact on the way we enter our houses, it was the popularization of the attached garage in the mid 20th century that eventually relegated the traditional front door and porch to ceremonial status. Ironically, we rarely use the impressive entries we build in our homes. We're content to enter our own house through the garage - often through a laundry room or mudroom. Is that what we've worked so hard for? Providing grand entry experiences for our few visitors or the annual holiday gatherings while we trudge daily through the dirty laundry? The owners of the house should be welcomed into their sanctuary through a space designed to greet them, to acknowledge them, and to recognize them as the reason it exists.

On a recent pre-design tour through a remodeling client's home, the client and I entered through the garage and laundry room, moving aside bicycles, toys, and baskets of dirty clothes to get into the kitchen. She hadn't thought about it, but I suggested we consider reworking the way she enters her house as a part of the remodeling. She agreed, and the result is a small but well appointed "owner's entry hall" directly off of the garage and connecting to the kitchen and breakfast room. The laundry and mudrooms are adjacent to but closed off from this entry. She's already told me how much she enjoys the new space and how it brightens her spirits at the end of the day.

Knock, knock...

But what about the front door itself? The front door is at once a bridge and a barrier. Should it be big, small, opaque, transparent, rectangular or arched? I prefer a big door wide enough to make the furniture movers happy - at least 42 inches wide. Because the front door will be used every day, durability and resistance to weather damage are important. A bit of glass in the door allows permits residents to see someone outside without allowing the stranger a view of the interior. A lot of glass in the door is less private, but brings in more light from the outside.

Although a wood door is susceptible to damage from the elements, it always looks better than metal or fiberglass imitations. And if properly protected with an overhanging roof, a quality wood door should last the life of the house.

An Open And Shut Case

The front door is one part of many elements that make up an entry design. A successful entry sequence starts in the public realm of the street and moves through a sequence of spaces on its way to the private realm of the house. The design of the entry communicates with the neighborhood and is scaled appropriately to the rest of the house.

That "hole-in-the-wall" is much more than just a way in and a way out.

Richard L. Taylor, AIA is a published author and recognized expert in Residential Architecture. He is President of Richard Taylor Architects, a 5-person firm in Historic Dublin, Ohio. Residential Architect | Luxury Home Plans

ST SOPHIA AGIA SOPHIA - ISTANBUL CHURCHES

St. Sophia - Chora church- St. Mary Diakonissa ******************************************************** H Agia Sophia or Saint Sophia. The Greek name in full is *Ναός τῆς Ἁγίας τοῦ Θεοῦ Σοφίας* Church of the Holy Wisdom of God, it was dedicated to the Holy Wisdom of God rather than a specific saint named Sophia. It is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Of great artistic value was its decorated interior with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings. The temple itself was so richly and artistically decorated that Justinian proclaimed, "Solomon, I have outdone thee!" *Νενίκηκά σε Σολομών*. Justinian himself had overseen the completion of the greatest cathedral ever built up to that time, and it was to remain the largest cathedral for 1000 years. It is an enormous and magnificent structure with an extremely large dome which dominates the exterior of the building. The Architectural style of this Byzantine Temple is domed basilica. Its architects were Anthemius from Tralles and Isidorus from Miletus. In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and Sultan Mehmed II ordered the Chrisian Temple to be converted into a mosque. The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were destroyed, and many of the Mosaics were eventually plastered over. The Islamic Features such as the mihrab, the minbar, and the four Minarets outside were added over the course of its history under the Ottomans. For almost 500 years the principal mosque of ...

Mani peninsula, Peloponnese, Greek

( video 2000, Mani peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece). Mani, the southernmost and middle peninsula of the Peloponnese or Morea, straddling the districts of Lakonia and Messenia in southern Greece, is a treasure trove of Byzantine and post Byzantine churches, Frankish castles and stunning scenery. The isolated aspect of this beautiful area, combined with the independent nature of its inhabitants meant that some traditions developed separately from the rest of the Peloponnese and Greece so that a distinct society made its mark on the landscape. To this day the architecture of the area is famed for the tower houses and fortified family dwellings from the period of the Ottoman occupation of Greece.