Church of the Eremitani

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Church of the Eremitani
Piazza Eremitani
Padua, May 2025

“The Church of the Eremitani (Chiesa degli Eremitani), or Church of the Hermits, is a former-Augustinian, 13th-century Gothic-style church in Padua, region of the Veneto, Italy. It is also now notable for being adjacent to the Cappella Scrovegni with Giotto frescoes and the municipal archeology and art gallery: the Musei Civici agli Eremitani, which is housed in the former Augustinian monastery located to the left of the entrance. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Padua's 14th-century fresco cycles (since 2021). The Augustinian hermit friars, precursors of the present Order of Saint Augustine had arrived in Padua in 1237. Through the patronage of both the wife of the local nobleman Zaccaria dell'Arena and the city, the church was erected between 1260 and 1276 and dedicated to the saints Philip and James. The friars would remain in the administration of the monastery and church until 1806, when the Napoleonic régime suppressed the order and closed the monastery. The church was re-opened to services in 1808, and in 1817 redesignated a parish church. The façade is tall with a rose window. A 15th-century side portal has bas-reliefs depicting the months, completed by Nicolò Baroncelli. The interior has a single nave.” (Church of the Eremitani, Wikipedia)

Nuestra Señora de las Nieves

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Ermita de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves
Calle Reyes Católicos
Ávila, September 2025

“The hermitage of Our Lady of the Snows is a Catholic temple in the Spanish city of Ávila. Located within the city of Ávila, within the walls, this chapel was founded by María Dávila. It is located in a central and busy spot in the city: Calle Reyes Católicos (previously known as ‘de Andrín’ or ‘del Comercio’). Solidly constructed, it is built of Berroqueña stone, laid on ashlars. According to Juan Martín Carramolino, it is thought to be a disproportionate building, as its height does not correspond to its other tiny dimensions. Next to the chapel were the houses that served as the residence of the Franciscan nuns from the time they abandoned their original convent of Villa Dei on the Gordillas mountain until they settled in a convent built in the city. In 1600, Antonio Gutiérrez de Vayas and his wife María de la Concepción obtained the right to patronage this chapel.” (Ermita de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, Wikipedia)

Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott

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“Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott” (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God)
Lutheran Evangelical church by Riccardo Mazzanti, 1901
Lungarno Torrigiani
Florence, December 2024

“‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God’ (originally written in German with the title ‘Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott’) is one of the best known hymns by the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther, a prolific hymnwriter. Luther wrote the words and composed the hymn tune between 1527 and 1529. It has been translated into English at least seventy times and also into many other languages. The words are mostly original, although the first line paraphrases that of Psalm 46.” (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, Wikipedia)

“Escape” by ROA

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“Escape” by ROA, 2013
Calle Casas de Campos
Málaga, March 2025

“ROA (born c. 1976) is a graffiti and street artist from Ghent, Belgium. He has created works on the streets of cities across Europe, the United States, Australia, Asia, New Zealand and Africa. ROA generally paints wild or urban animals and birds that are native to the area being painted. ROA usually uses a minimal color palette, such as black and white, but also creates works using vibrant colours depicting the flesh or internal systems within the animals and birds.” (ROA, Wikipedia)

Emilio Salgari

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Emilio Salgari by Sergio Pasetto, 2015
Piazzetta Capretto
Verona, May 2025

“Emilio Salgari (21 August 1862 – 25 April 1911) was an Italian writer of action adventure swashbucklers and a pioneer of science fiction. In Italy, his extensive body of work was more widely read than that of Dante Alighieri. In the 21st century, he is still among the 40 most translated Italian authors. Many of his most popular novels have been adapted as comics, animated series and feature films. He is considered the father of Italian adventure fiction and Italian pop culture, and the ‘grandfather’ of the Spaghetti Western. Emilio Salgari was born in Verona to a family of modest merchants. From a young age, he had the desire to explore the seas and studied seamanship at a nautical technical institution in Venice, but his academic performance was too poor, and he never graduated. He began his writing career as a reporter for the daily La Nuova Arena, which published some of his work as serials. As his powers of narration grew, so did his reputation for having lived a life of adventure. He claimed to have explored the Sudan desert, met Buffalo Bill in Nebraska (he had actually met him during his ‘Wild West Show’ tour of Italy), and sailed the Seven Seas. His early biographies were filled with adventurous tales set in the Far East, events which he claimed were the basis for much of his work. Salgari had actually never ventured farther than the Adriatic Sea.” (Emilio Salgari, Wikipedia)

Puerta de San Vicente

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Puerta de San Vicente
Glorieta de San Vicente
Madrid, September 2025

“The Puerta de San Vicente is a monumental gate located in the Glorieta de San Vicente in Madrid (Spain). Since 1995, it has occupied the space where the original door, designed by architect Francesco Sabatini, was located between 1775 and 1892. Throughout Madrid's history there have been several doors that have received the same name. In 1726, the Marquis of Vadillo, the town's mayor, commissioned Pedro de Ribera to build a monumental gate in the city's fence to replace a previous gate, which was in a dilapidated state and was called ‘del Parque’. The gate, which consisted of three arches, was decorated with a statue of San Vicente, which is why it was given that name, although it would also be known later as the gate of La Florida. It was demolished in 1770, due to the remodelling of the Cuesta de San Vicente (1767–1777), as part of the reorganisation of the western accesses to the Royal Palace and its connection with the Camino de El Pardo. Shortly afterwards, King Carlos III commissioned Francesco Sabatini to build a new gate to replace the previous one as the entrance to the city from the new Paseo de La Florida. The work was completed in 1775 and Sabatini placed an ornamental fountain next to it, popularly known as the Fuente de los Mascarones. The new gate was in its current location, closer to the river than the previous one. It consisted of an arch and two shutters (or portholes) and was built of granite and limestone from Colmenar de Oreja. The arch was decorated with two Doric columns on the outside and two pilasters, also Doric, on the inside. It was crowned by a triangular frontispiece finished with a military trophy. The lateral shutters were also crowned by military trophies. In front of it there were two buildings that also disappeared: the aforementioned Mascarones fountain, between 1775 and 1871, and the Washerwomen's Asylum promoted by María Victoria dal Pozzo, from 1872 to 1938.” (Puerta de San Vicente, Wikipedia)

Palazzo del Capitaniato

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Palazzo del Capitaniato
Piazza dei Signori
Vicenza, May 2025

“The palazzo del Capitaniato, also known as loggia del Capitanio or loggia Bernarda, is a palazzo in Vicenza, northern Italy, designed by Andrea Palladio in 1565 and built in 1571 and '72. It is located on the central Piazza dei Signori, facing the Basilica Palladiana. The palazzo is currently used by the town council, inside the Sala Bernarda. It was decorated by Lorenzo Rubini and, in the interior, with frescoes by Giovanni Antonio Fasolo.” (Palazzo del Capitaniato, Wikipedia)