Philatelic Photograph: The Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood - St. Petersburg, Russia

Interesting Places I've Photographed

The Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood

St. Petersburg, Russia

Topic: Philatelic Photographs

GPS: N59° 56.395; E030° 19.707

Quick Description: 

The Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood is located on the north end of the Griboedov Canal in St. Petersburg.

Long Description:

This famous church in St. Petersburg goes by many names. When first constructed between 1883 and 1907 it was known as the Resurrection of Christ Church. It was built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated and therefore on spilled blood. Thus, it became to be called the Church of the Savior on Blood or more commonly the Church on Spilled Blood.

The style of the church was inspired by St Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow. The onion domes, mosaics and intricately decorated facade are characteristic of 16th to 17th century Russian architecture. Thus, it differs in from most of the buildings of St. Petersburg which follow the western traditions of Neo-Classical and Baroque architecture.

As a result of the Russian Revolution the church was closed for services in the late 1920s and fell into disrepair. In 1970, the St. Isaac's Cathedral began the management and restoration of the church. Work lasted for 27 years, until restoration was complete in August 1997, and the church, once again, re-opened.

The church is one of the top tourists attractions of St. Petersburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a popular spot for taking photographs and acquiring Russian souvenirs.

The official stamp was issued by France in 2003 for use on mail posted from the UNESCO Building in Paris.

Equestrian Statue: Bertrand du Guesclin - Caen, France

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Bertrand du Guesclin Statue

Caen, France

Topic: Equestrian Statues

GPS: N49° 11.030; W000° 22.195

Quick Description: 

An equestrian statue of Bertrand du Guesclin, Constable of France, is located at Place Saint-Martin in Caen, Lower-Normandy, France.

Long Description:

An equestrian statue of Bertrand du Guesclin is located in the middle of a traffic island. This life sized bronze statue created by Arthur J. Le Duc depicts Bertrand du Guesclin riding on a galloping horse. He is wearing a full suit of armor with his visor raised. He is drawing his sword from its scabbard on his left side while he is facing slightly to the right. The horse has both front legs off the ground, his head tilted to the left, and its tail flying straight out behind. The bronze plinth, representing the ground, appears to have a stick across the path of the horse and rider. The statue was created in 1912 and installed in 1922.

The statue rests on a 7' high rectangular granite base. On the front is the inscription:


Le Connetable

Bertrand Du Guesclin
---------
Arthur J. Le Duc
Sculpteur
1848 - 1918
Bertrand du Guesclin was a knight from Brittany and French military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was born into a minor noble family at Motte-Broons near Dinan, in Brittany about 1320. During the Breton War of Succession (1341–1364), he supported Charles of Blois who, in turn, was supported by the French king.

He was knighted in 1354 after countering a raid by Hugh Calveley on the Castle of Montmuran. Using guerrilla tactics, he successfully defended the City of Rennes against an English siege by Henry of Grosmont. His victory over the army of Jean de Grailly helped the French king Charles secure Burgundy for his brother Philip.

In 1366, Bertrand du Guesclin led an expedition to Spain to help Henry of Trastámara against king Pedro I. In 1369 Bertrand and Henry defeated Pedro I decisively at the Battle of Montiel. Following Pedro I's death at the hands of Henry of Trastámara, Henry obtained the throne of Castille. Bertrand was made Duke of Molina sealing the Franco-Castllian alliance.

Shortly thereafter the war with England was renewed. In 1370, Bertrand Du Guesclin was recalled from Castile and, on October 2nd, was appointed the chief military leader of France with the title Constable of France.

He then defeated an English army led by Robert Knolles at the Battle of Pontvallain. In 1372, the Franco-Castillan fleet destroyed the English fleet at the Battle of La Rochelle and Bertrand du Guesclin organized destructive raids on the English coasts. He pursued the English into Brittany from 1370 to 1374, and defeated again the English army at the Battle of Chizé in 1373. He reconquered much of France from the English before he died of illness at Chateauneuf-de-Randon while on a military expedition in Languedoc in 1380.

Realistic Object Sculpture: Non-Violence Sculpture - Caen, France

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Non-Violence Sculpture

Memorial at Caen

Caen, France

GPS: N49° 11.873; W000° 23.062

Quick Description: 

The Memorial of Caen owns one of the 16 copies of the Non-Violence sculpture placed around the world.

Long Description:

Memorial of Caen began as a military museum to tell the story of World War II. More recently, it has been expanded to include the Cold War and the search for peace. It now considers itself a peace memorial.

On the grounds of the museum there is one of 16 copies of the famous Non-Violence sculpture, also known as The Knotted Gun by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd. The sculpture depicts an 5' long by 2.5' high Colt Python .357 Magnum revolver with a the barrel knotted and pointing upwards. The sculpture rests on a 1' high bronze plinth which rests on a 4' high by 6' long by 3' wide by rectangular stone base.

On the plinth is inscribed NON-VIOLENCE.

A small plaque on the front of the base is inscribed:

Non-Violence
Knotted Gun

Bronze,
don de l'artiste Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd (gift of the artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd) After the death of John Lennon at the hands of Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980, Yoko Ono asked his grieving friend, the sculptor Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, to create a tribute to John and his vision and advocacy for a more peaceful and non-violent world as expressed in the lyrics of many of his songs, particularly his 1971 song -

Imagine.

"You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I am not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one"

The result was the now famous bronze Non-Violence sculpture. The Non-Violence sculpture has become a worldwide symbol of the non-violence movement. Three originals of this sculpture are located at United Nations Building in New York City, Malmö, Sweden, and Luxembourg. In addition to this one in Caen, 12 others can be found in China, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa and Sweden.

Statue of Religious Figure: Saint Joan of Arc - Rouen, France

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Saint Joan of Arc

Rouen, France

Topic: Statue of Religious Figure

GPS: N49° 26.593; E001° 05.279

Quick Description: 

A statue of Saint Joan of Arc is located on the outside of the L'église Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc (The Church of Saint Joan of Arc) in Rouen, France

Long Description:

A 6' tall marble statue of nineteen year old Joan of Arc by Maxime Real del Sarte is located outside the Church of Saint Joan of Arc near the execution site of Joan of Arc which is marked by the Joan of Arc Memorial Cross. The statue was created in 1928 and places it its current location when the Church was completed in 1979. The statue was registered as a french historic monument on October 30, 2002.

The Joan of Arc statue is located in a niche outside the west end of the church. The saint is shown wearing long flowing robes. She has her hands clasped in front of her as she looks to up to the heavens with her head tilted towards her left shoulder. She is standing in front of a 2' wide by 1' deep decorated marble slab that represents the stake at which she was burned.

Joan of Arc was born into a peasant family in Domrémy, France about 1412. Beginning at about age 12 she claimed to experience visions directing her to drive the English out of France and pave the way for the coronation of a French king. Claiming to be guided by God, she led the French army to important victories in the Hundred Years' War, which led to Charles VII assuming the throne of France.

She was captured by the Burgundians, and purchased by the English from Duke Philip of Burgundy and put on trial before the Bishop Pierre Cauchon on charges of heresy. At age 19, she was found guilty and burned at the stake in Rouen on May 30, 1431 . Twenty-five years later Pope Callixtus III pronounced her innocent and declared her a martyr. Joan of Arc was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920. She is now the one of patron saint of France.

The national monument to Joan of Arc is located at the site of her death in Rouen. During World War II, Rouen was completely devastated. The church of St. Vincent, which stood near the market place was completely destroyed. A new church was build in the market place using the preserved stained glass windows of the destroyed church. L'église Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc (The Church of Saint Joan of Arc) was designed by architect Louis Arretche and completed in 1979.

The church has a modern design with a curved roof line that is based on an overturned Viking ship and also represent the flames that killed Joan of Arc. On the grounds on the west side of the church is the Joan of Arc Memorial Cross, a 65' high iron Cross of Lorraine that is visible from all directions as it soars above the roof line of the church. The cross was placed on the exact site where archaeological evidence indicates that Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. The cross is the National monument to Joan of Arc.

Napoleon: Église Saint-Roch - Paris, France

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Église Saint-Roch

Paris, France

Topic: Napoleon

GPS: N48° 51.895; E002° 19.926

Quick Description: 

Église Saint-Roch, located on 284 rue Saint-Honoré in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, was the site of a battle between General Napoleon and the Royalist forces.

Long Description:

On October 5, 1795 (13 Vendémiaire An IV) a battle between the French Revolutionary troops and Royalist forces took place on the steps of Église Saint-Roch in of Paris. The battle bolstered General Napoleon Bonaparte's career.

The anti-clerical aspects of the French Revolution created anti-republican sympathies among many many Roman Catholics. Royalist troops began marching on Paris in early October 1795 and many local supporters began to demonstrate in support of the Royalists. On October 4, 1795 (12 vendémiaire) the republican National Guard arrived in the Le Peletier section of Paris in an attempt to put down the Royalist unrest. Rumors began to circulate that the entire Paris National Guard was likely to defect.

General Napoleon Bonaparte became aware of the unrest and mustered a force in defense of the Republic. Napoleon ordered Joachim Murat, a sous-lieutenant in the 21th Regiment de Chasseurs à Cheval, to ride to the plain of Sablons and to return with the 40 cannon which were located there. Murat's squadron retrieved the cannon and Napoleon placing them in position by the Church of Saint Roch.

A preliminary attack by the royalist forces was repulsed. Five hours later, the major Royalist assault began. The Republican forces held their perimeter by using the cannons to fire grapeshot into the massed Royalist forces. Local patriot battalions supported the artillery, and the Royalist forces were defeated. Napoleon commanded throughout the battle and survived unharmed even though his horse was shot from under him. At the close of the battle, around three hundred Royalists were killed.

An historical marker in front of the church is gives the history of the church. The last part has the history of Napoleon's battle with the Royalists. inscribed:

Histoire de Paris
Eglise Saint-Roch
_______________
En 1521 s'élève ici une chapell dite se Saint-Suzanne
ou des Cinq-Plaies. Agrandie en 1577, ell est placée
sous le patronage de saint Roch. Erigée en 1633 en
église paroissiale, Saint-Roch est reconstruite par
Le Mercier, Faute d'argent, le chantier s'éternise
En 1719, le fancier John Law s'y convertit au
catholicisme et fait un don de 100 000 livres qui
permet de terminer la neuf. La façade dessinée
par Robert de Cotte est enfin édifiée, et l'église
consacrée le 10 juillet 1740. Le 5 octobre 1795
(13 Vendémiaire an IV), le général Bonaparte
installe une pièce d'artillerie
dan le cul-de-sac Dauphin
(prolongement de la sud) et
mitraille les insurgés
royalistes massés
sur le marches
de l'église.
English:

History of Paris
Saint-Roch Church
_______________
In 1521 stood here the chapel of Saint-Suzanne
of the five wounds. Enlarged in 1577, it is placed
under the patronage of Saint Roch. Erected in 1633 in
Parish Church, Saint-Roch is rebuilt by
Mercier. Due to a lack of money the construction drags.
In 1719, the financier John Law, a convert to
Catholicism, makes a donation of 100,000 books in order
to finish the new (church). The façade, designed
by Robert de Cotte, and the Church is finally built,
on July 10, 1740. On October 5, 1795
(13 Vendémiaire year IV), General Bonaparte
installs a piece of artillery
In the cul-de-sac Dauphin
(extension of the South) and (fires)
shrapnel at insurgent
royalists massed
on the stairs
of the Church.

Fountains: Fontaine du Palmier - Paris, France

Interesting Places I've Photographed

Fontaine du Palmier

(Palmier Fountain)

Paris, France

Topic:  Fountains

GPS: N 48° 51.443; E002° 20.828

Quick Description:

The Fontaine du Palmier is located in the  Place du Châtelet in Paris, France.

Long Description:

The Fontaine du Palmier was commissioned by Napoleon and constructed by Bralle between 1806 and 1808. The fountain was erected to celebrate the victory of Napoleon in Egypt. A gilder winged figure of Victory tops the column. In each hand she is holding a wreath, the symbol of victory. Four sphinxes at the corners of the monument spout water into the basin below. Rings that encircle the column commemorate Napoleon victories at:  the Siege of Danzig in 1807, the Battle of Ulm in 1805,  the Battle of Marengo in 1800, the Battle of the Pyramids in 1798, and the Battle of Lodi in 1796.

Stained Glass Window: North Rose Window - Cathedral of Notre Dame - Paris, France

Interesting Places I've Photographed

North Rose Window

Cathedral of Notre Dame

Paris, France

Topic: Stained Glass Windows

Central Detail

GPS: N48° 51.193; E02° 21.008

Short Description:

The Cathedral of Notre Dame is located at the east end of the Ile de la Cité in Paris.

Long Description:

The north transept of the Cathedral of Notre Dame contains a large rose window above  18 smaller windows. it was designed and built around. 1250-1260 by architect Jean de Chelles. .Most of the original glass is still intact, The spectrum of colors is achieved by varying both the proportion of metal added to molten glass and the temperature to which the mixture was heated. Impurities in the metals, bubbles in the cooled glass and variations in the thickness of the cut panes give the jewel like appearance of the windows.  In the center of the north rose window is the image of Mary holding the child Jesus. Surrounding them are images of kings and prophets of the Old Testament.