The Abbey of Bath is a prime example of England’s Pendicular Gothic architecture style. Another would be the Cathedral of Gloucester. Medieval churches tend to be very dark and somewhat sinister. The Abbey of Bath, though, is different. The light coming through the beautiful stained glass windows flows through the building, giving attractive accents and tones.
Having lived in Lisbon, Portugal, for a few months, I still missed out on some things. Revisiting the city in October this year allowed me to catch up on these experiences. High on my bucket list was a visit to the ruins of the Convento Di Carmo, a former Catholic convent destroyed in the infamous earthquake of 1755, leaving it in a state of decay for the following centuries. Today, it’s open for visitors and offers a fascinating perspective on Gothic architecture and evanescence.
The last time Cyprus was featured was about a divided island. Though the political situation is complicated, I recommend visiting both parts of the island. So, I won’t differentiate between the Turkish and the Greek parts in the following gallery. Pictures 5, 6, and 7 need some background: After the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus, former Gothic Cathedrals were converted into Mosques. Interestingly, some were not destroyed, and only minor changes were made (like the destruction of angel figures due to the ban on images in Islam). The altar was displaced within the church so the believers could pray in the direction of Mekka. According to Ottoman traditions, the former Cathedrals had carpets, and the inner church was painted white. Though inside as well as outside, you still see the Christian heritage. The clean and bright style of Islamic religious decoration combined with the dark and gothic severe style makes for a thoroughly fascinating combination.
Michael Hoffman Photography 