Piazza di San Pancrazio

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Façade of the church of San Pancrazio
Now Museo Marino Marini (Marino Marini Museum)
Piazza di San Pancrazio
Florence, December 2022

“San Pancrazio is a church in Florence, Italy, in Piazza San Pancrazio, behind Palazzo Rucellai. With the exception of the Rucellai Chapel, it is deconsecrated and is home to the museum dedicated to the sculptor Marino Marini. The Rucellai Chapel contains the Rucellai Sepulchre or Tempietto del Santo Sepolcro. Since February 2013 it has been possible to visit the chapel from within the Marini museum.” (San Pancrazio, Wikipedia)

El instante preciso

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“El instante preciso” by Ramiro Megías, 2002
(from a drawing by Guillermo Pérez Villalta)
Ayuntamiento de Granada
Plaza del Carmen
Granada, September 2023

“‘El Instante Preciso’ (The Precise Instant) is a curious equestrian sculpture that represents a horse. It walks on three of its legs that rest on three golden spheres, while its tail waves in the wind. Mounted on its rump is a naked and blindfolded rider, with his left hand holding the reins, while with his right, he holds a fourth golden sphere. The work, made of patinated and polished bronze, is the idea of ??the artist from Tarifa, Guillermo Pérez Villalta. According to its author, it represents happiness, the triumphant, perfect, balanced moment; but, at the same time, also the fleeting moment, of which one is only aware when it has already passed and the blindfold falls off. Under the sculpture, there is a clock with a legend that gives us a clue: ‘Happy who sees his hours in golden present’.” (El instante preciso, Waymarking)

Venus

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“Venus” by Helaine Blumenfeld, 1993
Jubilee Park, Canary Wharf
London, May 2023

“Venus is an expression of a theme Helaine has been exploring throughout her career: Two Sides of a Woman. Essentially, it is a recognition of two different aspects of the female psyche — the side that is self-involved and self-sustaining and the side that depends upon outside influences. Every way you look at Venus you see another aspect of the figure’s character. From one side the woman is self-involved, feminine and maternal; as you go around the sculpture, just as the head thrusts back, you see an assertive warrior in power.” (Venus, Canary Wharf)

Quadrante astronomico

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Quadrante astronomico (Astronomical quadrant) by Ignazio Danti, 1575
Basilica of Santa Maria Novella
Piazza di Santa Maria Novella
Florence, December 2022

“For much of his time in Florence, Danti resided at the convent of Santa Maria Novella, and designed the quadrant and the armillary sphere that appear on the end blind arches of the lower facade of the church in 1572 and 1574, on the right and left respectively. He also designed a large-scale gnomon for the church which allowed a thin beam of light to enter the church at noon each day through a hole just beneath the facade's rose window, although it probably was not completed by the time Danti left Florence.” (Ignazio Danti, Wikipedia)

San Basilio 20

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Patio (Courtyard) by Juan Jiménez
Calle San Basilio
Córdoba, September 2023

“One of the main tourist attractions of Córdoba is its patios, a place of coexistence and center of family life. In them, history, light, water and vegetation dialogue in a unique environment. Since 1921, they have taken on a special role with the Cordovan Patios Festival, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012. It is celebrated during the month of May, where the Cordovan patios are adorned with flowers and pots that hang from their walls, or They are placed on the cobbled pavement. And to complete the essence of these emblematic places, their caretakers decorate the rooms with antique furniture or kitchen utensils, among other details.” (La Fiesta de los Patios de Córdoba, Patios de Córdoba)

Perpetual Red

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“Perpetual Red” by Merete Rasmussen, 2015
Harbour Quay Gardens, Canary Wharf
London, May 2023

“Placed in the idyllic Harbour Quay Gardens, Rasmussen has created an alluring red surface that twists and flows, shifting between curves and sharp edges, through the convex and concave. The elegant sculpture creates wonderful shapes through the form itself as well as its negative space.” (Perpetual Red, Canary Wharf)

Sfera armillare

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Sfera armillare (Armillary sphere) by Ignazio Danti, 1575
Basilica of Santa Maria Novella
Piazza di Santa Maria Novella
Florence, December 2022

“For much of his time in Florence, Danti resided at the convent of Santa Maria Novella, and designed the quadrant and the armillary sphere that appear on the end blind arches of the lower facade of the church in 1572 and 1574, on the right and left respectively. He also designed a large-scale gnomon for the church which allowed a thin beam of light to enter the church at noon each day through a hole just beneath the facade's rose window, although it probably was not completed by the time Danti left Florence.” (Ignazio Danti, Wikipedia)

Plaza de San Juan de Dios

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Plaza de San Juan de Dios
Casco Antiguo
Cádiz, September 2023

“The importance of the new cathedral means that Cádiz doesn’t exactly have a ‘main’ square as such, but it is hard to look past the Plaza de San Juan de Dios when it comes to a major meeting point in this social city. The commercial centre of the city since way back in the 16th century, the square opens out onto the harbour and the Atlantic and is home to a fascinating collection of buildings, among them the City Hall and a church that takes the same name as the square, that being the Church of San Juan de Dios. There is also a Burger King, if you’re after a weird juxtaposition of the old and new.” (Plaza de San Juan de Dios, In Your Pocket)

Peninsula Spire

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Peninsula Spire by by Barr Gazetas Architects, 2006
Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula
London, May 2023

“Barr Gazetas Architects' spire - which the practice claims is the UK's highest stainless-steel sculpture - has been erected at Greenwich Peninsula, creating a new riverside landmark for the capital. The twisted and tapering stainless-steel structure, dubbed The Peninsula Spire, is 45m high - taller than the Royal Albert Hall - and was co-designed by structural engineer WhitbyBird. The spire will be a permanent centrepiece for Peninsula Square, a public space being developed for a new business district at the Greenwich Peninsula. The 34-tonne sculpture was made in three pieces, the largest weighing 25 tonnes, and was built by Swiss craftsmen Tuchschmid. Its construction required the help of a Dutch luxury yacht builder due to the complex form of the steel plates. Peninsula Square will include cafes, shops and restaurants and a regular venue for special events and performances for visitors and office workers. Barr Gazetas' Alistair Barr said: 'Greenwich has led the world with innovative ideas in astronomy, navigation and precision engineering. This is a fantastic example of truly creative collaboration between architects, engineers and craftspeople to create an inspiring and unique work of art.'” (‘UK’s tallest steel sculpture’ erected in Greenwich, Architects’ Journal)

Tramvia di Firenze

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Tramvia di Firenze (Florence tramway network)
Piazza Unità Italiana
Florence, December 2022

“During the early 2000s, the Florence administration decided to restore the tram service. Works on the first line started in December 2005. Construction works were expected to last for 1,000 days, but eventually it took more than 1,800 days to complete the line. Line 1 started operation on 14 February 2010. The first part of Line 1, at Scandicci, was the first rail public transport service in the area. During the first 10 months of service, the total passenger served were 7 million, a result considered a success. On 16 July 2018 the line was extended from Florence Santa Maria Novella railway station to the current northern terminus, Careggi.” (Trams in Florence, Wikipedia)

Don Juan Tenorio

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Monument to Don Juan Tenorio by Nicomedes Díaz Piquero, 1974
Plaza de los Refinadores
Sevilla, September 2023

“It gets its name from the leather refiners that were in the area centuries ago, but now it is popular because it depicts one of the most famous characters in Spanish literature. It is situated between the Murillo Gardens, Santa Cruz neighbourhood and Puerta de la Carne. Don Juan Tenorio stands in the centre of Plaza de los Refinadores. The bronze life-size statue was made by Nicomedes Díaz Piquero (1974). Don Juan is wearing typical 17th century clothing.” (Monument to Don Juan Tenorio, Andalucía)

The O2

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The O2 entrance hall
Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula
London, May 2023

“Various buildings are housed within the dome structure including an arena, known as The O2 Arena, smaller venue Indigo at The O2, Hollywood Bowl, Cineworld, Sky Studios and an Entertainment Avenue consisting of various restaurants and bars. A new shopping outlet opened in 2018. Backstage there is also a VIP club lounge, operations rooms, a media centre with high definition facilities and a number of dressing rooms, as well as a VIP entrance/exit for performers. All the venues in the complex use the latest lighting, sound and security technology, including RFID smart card tagging of staff and VIP guests, and digitally managed sound. There are four computer server rooms to provide this technology. The complex is also covered by CCTV and security personnel. Arena visitors and their bags are screened with X-ray machines and metal detectors at the main entrance.” (The O2, Wikipedia)

Marble and mischio

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Marble and mischio horses
Fountain of Neptune by Bartolomeo Ammannati
Piazza della Signoria
Florence, December 2022

“Ammannati's Neptune was unique because of its incredibly large scale and even though there were several Neptune fountains around Italy at the time, none of them had Neptune atop a horse-drawn chariot. The fountain was being built to celebrate the marriage of Francesco and Joanna, and the association of chariots with festivals and pageants could be the reason for Bandinelli's unusual incorporation of a horse-chariot. Because the fountain's scale was so large, it forced Ammannati to make some innovative choices when constructing his giant Neptune. Two of the horses were white marble, but the other two were made of mischio, a marble discovered near the Duke's excavation site in Seravezza. This new marble was a type of breccia and had a variety of colors including red, yellow and purple. Because this was a new medium, its qualities were unknown to sculptors at the time and the hard, brittle quality of the mischio made Ammannati's task even more difficult. Due to the brittle quality of mischio the columns of stone broke in transit, creating delays in the fountain's completion. Ammannati was finally able to carve the remainder of the horse and complete the fountain in 1574. The project was intended to be completed by 1565 for the celebration of Francesco de' Medici I and Joanna of Austria's wedding, but due to a myriad of delays in sourcing supplies for the fountain's completion, Ammannati was forced to come up with a temporary solution for the arrival of Johanna of Austria. Through the use of stucco and paint, Ammannati was able to create the illusion of a finished product. The combination of the Neptune as the subject matter and Ammannati's use of the duke's newly found stone (mischio) made the fountain symbolic of the duke's reign over the Mediterranean and the mountains.” (Fountain of Neptune, Wikipedia)

Centre Pompidou Málaga

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Centre Pompidou Málaga
Pasaje Doctor Carrillo Casaux
Muelle Uno, Puerto de Málaga
Málaga, September 2023

“The city of Picasso's birth now plays host to the first branch of the Parisian institution outside France. Its permanent collection includes over 80 works by major artists such as Picasso, Miró, Bacon, Magritte, Frida Khalo and Giacometti. An outstanding invitation to explore the art of the 20th and 21st centuries. This branch of the Pompidou Centre will remain in Malaga for several years in the original El Cubo building, located in the heart of the city's port area overlooking the bay.Visitors will find a selection of works from the Pompidou Centre's collection, displayed in an area of 2,000 square metres. Five themes are covered in the tour: metamorphosis, the body in pieces, the political body, self portraits and the man without a face.” (Centre Pompidou Malaga, Spain.info)

The Optic Cloak

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The Optic Cloak by Conrad Shawcross, 2016
Blackwall Tunnel Approach, Greenwich Peninsula
London, May 2023

“A fusion of art, architecture and technology. There’s art everywhere on Greenwich Peninsula, and as we emerge as a new swathe of London, we’re collaborating with pioneering artists, designers and architects to embed visionary work into the fabric of this neighbourhood. The latest piece we have commissioned is The Optic Cloak by Conrad Shawcross. Overlooking the Blackwall Tunnel Approach and marking the gateway to the Peninsula, it envelopes the future low carbon energy centre that will power the 15,000 new homes on the Peninsula. At 49 meters tall, 20 metres wide and 3 meters deep, the flue is a landmark to people of the Peninsula and beyond, delighting newcomers and surprising regular commuters as its surface shifts and changes appearance depending on the light and time of day.” (Optic Cloak by Conrad Shawcross, The Peninsulist)

Neptune from behind

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Fountain of Neptune by Bartolomeo Ammannati
Piazza della Signoria
Florence, December 2022

“The Fountain of Neptune in Florence, Italy, (Fontana del Nettuno) is situated in the Piazza della Signoria (Signoria square), in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. The fountain was commissioned by Cosimo I de' Medici in 1559 to celebrate the marriage of Francesco de' Medici I to Grand Duchess Joanna of Austria. Cosimo I de' Medici was the Duke of Florence from 1537-1569 and responsible for a vast number of architectural and artistic elements in Florence that still exist today. The fountain was designed by Baccio Bandinelli, but created by Bartolomeo Ammannati with the assistance of several other artists between 1560 and 1574. It incorporates a series of mythological figures and iconographies that symbolize both Cosimo I de' Medici's power and the union of Francesco and Joanna. It has sustained a great deal of damage over the years due to vandalism and general mistreatment but underwent a major restoration completed in 2019 that restored it to its original glory.” (Fountain of Neptune, Wikipedia)

Fuente de los Leones

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Fuente de los Leones (Fountain of the Lions)
Court of the Lions, Alhambra
Calle Real de la Alhambra
Granada, September 2023

“The central fountain of the courtyard, which has been modified and restored several times over the centuries, consists of a bowl-like marble basin surrounded by twelve lions. The lions face outwards and appear as if supporting the basin on their backs. All these components are made of Macael marble from Almeria. The existence of fountains with lion sculptures is documented at other sites of al-Andalus such as the earlier Medina Azahara near Cordoba. Other zoomorphic sculptures from al-Andalus are also attested, such as the larger example of the Pisa Griffin. The marble water basin was carved from a single piece of marble. While it appears completely white today, it was originally painted with subtle colors in order to highlight its carved decoration, but these colors have been lost due to repetitive cleaning over the centuries. This decoration includes a long inscription around the border of the bowl featuring a poem by Ibn Zamrak. The original hydraulic system was designed to keep a consistent water level in the basin.” (Court of the Lions, Wikipedia)

33 by Studio Weave

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33 by Studio Weave, 2018
The Gateway Pavilions
Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula
London, May 2023

“Studio Weave has unveiled a pavilion in the form of a ‘typical terraced house’, offering views over the construction site of a new design district on the Greenwich Peninsula in London. Named 33, the number of the house Studio Weave director Je Ahn used to live at, the three-storey pavilion is built in the shape of a terraced house, complete with a bright red door. The design references the housing that covers much of London, and the structure also stands near a row of surviving Georgian worker terraces on River Way. But instead of typical brick walls, 33 comprises a decorative lattice of timber elements.” (Studio Weave builds viewing tower that looks like a terraced house in London's Greenwich, Dezeen)

A dead planet

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“Fa più rumore una finsestra sporca di un pianeta morto”
(Makes more noise a dirty window than a dead planet)
Via dei Servi
Florence, December 2022

Roman bridge

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Puente romano (Roman bridge)
Plaza del Triunfo
Córdoba, September 2023

“The Roman bridge of Córdoba is a bridge in the Historic centre of Córdoba, Andalusia, southern Spain, originally built in the early 1st century BC across the Guadalquivir river, though it has been reconstructed at various times since. It is also known locally as the Old Bridge as for two thousand years, until the construction of the San Rafael Bridge in the mid-twentieth century, it was the city's only bridge across the river. Most of the present structure dates from the Arabs reconstruction in the 8th century. It is included in the small preserved area known as Sotos de la Albolafia. Since 1931, the bridge, together with the Puerta del Puente and the Calahorra tower, has been declared a Bien de Interés Cultural in the monument category. It also part of the historic centre of Cordoba, declared a World Heritage Site in 1984.” (Roman bridge of Córdoba, Wikipedia)

The Shipwrights Arms

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The Shipwrights Arms
Tooley Street, Southwark
London, May 2023

“At the junction between Tooley Street and Bermondsey Street is a historic pub called ‘The Shipwright's Arms’, recalling one of the local industries. It has a large wall of tiles showing ships being built.” (Tooley Street, Wikipedia)

Bell tower by Baccio d'Agnolo

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Bell tower by Baccio d'Agnolo, 1512
Basilica of Saint Mark
Piazza San Marco
Florence, December 2022

“The church seems to then have been in constant renovations and restoration for the next two centuries. Some of the changes include: in 1512, the bell tower was re-built on the design of Baccio d'Agnolo.” (The Church of San Marco, Visit Florence)

Balneario de Nuestra Señora de la Palma

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Balneario de Nuestra Señora de la Palma y del Real
Centro de Arqueología Subacuática de Andalucía
Playa de La Caleta
Avenida Duque de Nájera
Cádiz, September 2023

“The Spa of Our Lady of Palma and the Royal (Balneario de Nuestra Señora de la Palma y del Real) is a spa located in Cádiz, Spain. It was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 1990.” (Spa of Nuestra Señora de la Palma y del Real, Wikipedia)

Simon Milton

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Simon Milton by Philip Jackson, 2016
Potters Fields, Southwark
London, May 2023

“The third, and most recent, acts as a gatekeeper to those unlovely new apartments between Tower Bridge and City Hall. UPDATE Nov 2018: This statue has now been moved to a slightly less prominent corner of the development.” (Simon Milton: A Man With Five London Memorials, The Londonist)

Pax tibi Marce

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Winged lion on the facade
Basilica of Saint Mark
Piazza San Marco
Florence, December 2022

“Mark the Evangelist's symbol is the winged lion, the Lion of Saint Mark. Inscription: ‘Pax tibi Marce evangelista meus’ (peace be upon you, Mark, my evangelist). The same lion is also the symbol of Venice.” (Mark the Evangelist, Wikipedia)

Costurero de la Reina

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Costurero de la Reina
Parque de María Luisa
Paseo de las Delicias
Sevilla, September 2023

“The Costurero de la Reina (literally, the Queen's sewing box) is a building constructed in the late nineteenth century in the gardens of the Palace of San Telmo, now the Maria Luisa Park in Seville, Spain. This unique building takes the form of a small hexagonal castle with turrets at the corners. The building was the guard house or garden retreat. It is the oldest building in Seville in the neomudéjar style. The name comes from a popular tradition that Mercedes of Orléans, the future wife of King Alfonso XII of Spain, retired to the pavilion where she passed her time sewing. The reality is more prosaic. The formal name is the ‘Pavilion of San Telmo’. Mercedes died of typhus about fifteen years before the building was erected in 1893. Nowadays the Costurero de la Reina lodges the tourist information office on the ground floor. The opening times are 9-2 pm and 3.30 to 7.30 pm, on weekdays and 10-2pm during weekends and bank holidays. The building was restored in the spring of 2007 to repair the main structure and to arrange the interior in order to make it more functional. The first floor was refurbished recently and it is used as meetings and events room of the local government.” (Costurero de la Reina, Wikipedia)

Parkside Pavilion

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Parkside Pavilion by DSDHA, 2007
Potters Fields Park
Tooley Street, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Architects DSDHA have created two cafe pavilions at Potters Fields Park in London, England. Parkside Pavilion (top and above) is a charred structure set beside City Hall while the Blossom Square pavilion located next to Tower Bridge (below) is built of whitened timber. As the UK's first charred timber building, Parkside Pavilion has a distinctive silhouette that offsets the iconic structures that surround it, and continues DSDHA's research into contemporary forms of urban architecture and public space.” (Potters Fields Park pavilions by DSDHA, Dezeen)

Large Interior Form

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“Large Interior Form” by Henry Moore, 1982
Piazza della Signoria
Florence, December 2022

“It was produced in a bronze edition of six, which was first created as part of a larger work in the 1950s, and only cast as a separate work from 1981 onwards, and catalogued as LH 297b. It began as the interior component of the artist's Large Upright Internal/External Form (LH 297a), but Moore much later decided the piece worked well by itself. The artist's copy was lent in 2011 by the Henry Moore Foundation to the Snape Maltings, in Suffolk. Others are at the Art Institute of Chicago, in an outdoor setting at the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, MO. These sculptures measure 16 feet 3 inches × 561⁄4 inches × 561⁄4 inches (495.3 × 142.88 × 142.88 cm). Moore used to take pride in viewing his sculptures in the open air environment. Kunsthalle Würth at Schwabisch Hall in Germany and Trinity University in Texas are among the other locations that have Large Interior Form on public display outdoors.” (Large Interior Form, 1953–54, Wikipedia)

Reina Mariana

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“Reina Mariana” by Manolo Valdés, 2005
Calle de San Vicente Mártir
Valencia, September 2022

“Spanish artist Manolo Valdés began his artistic career at age of 15, using Spain’s rich history of art, influenced by European and African forms, to shape his early works. During the 1960s, he co-founded Equipo Crónica, an artistic team that used Pop Art to question the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, who suppressed his country’s social and cultural life between 1939 and 1975. After the group dissolved in 1981, as Spain awoke from its enforced slumber, Valdés reinvented his work creating the figurative, expressive style centered on art historical motifs in drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture. Reina Mariana (Queen Mariana) is part of Valdés’s most famous series of sculptures, based on Spanish artist Diego Velázquez’s Queen Mariana (1652-1653), a portrait of the second wife of Felipe IV. Velázquez was the chronicler of court life for the King and his family, capturing them at a time when Spain’s imperial power stretched across the globe. Mariana, from the Austrian Hapsburg family, was well known to be an unhappy participant in her adopted country’s life. The voluminous and starched costume of the regal Spanish aristocracy holds her upright and rigid, like a bird caught in a cage. Valdés pays homage to one of his country’s most iconic painters and subjects, while commenting upon the life of those who serve subservient roles in history.” (Reina Mariana, Google Arts & Culture)

Hay's on the River

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Hay's on the River
Hay's Galleria
Battle Bridge Lane, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Situated in the heart of Hay's Galleria, overlooking the Thames, you will find Hay's on the River. This is a cocktail, draught beer, pizza and Instagram hotspot you won't want to miss. Decorated seasonally, Hay's invite you to join them for a drink under a heater in the winter Alpine Bar, and a walk along the river in the summer, stopping off for a refreshing Aperol spritz.” (Hay's on the River, DesignMyNight)

Chianineria

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Chianineria - Trattoria dall'Oste
Via dei Cerchi
Florence, December 2022

Puerta de Bisagra Nueva

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View from the inside
Puerta de Bisagra Nueva (New Bisagra Gate)
Calle Real del Arrabal
Toledo, September 2022

“The Puerta de Bisagra Nueva (The New Bisagra Gate) is the best known city gate of Toledo, Spain. The gate is of Moorish origin, but the main part was built in 1559 by Alonso de Covarrubias. It carries the coat of arms of the emperor Charles V. It superseded the Puerta Bisagra Antigua as the main entrance to the city.” (Puerta de Bisagra Nueva, Wikipedia)

Bishop's Hall

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Bishop's Hall
Red Cross Garden
Redcross Way, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Adjacent to Redcross Cottages is the community hall, originally called Red Cross Hall, and now called Bishop's Hall, and in private ownership. In 1889 Hill and Hoole commissioned Walter Crane to decorate the interior with ten deeds of heroism in the daily life of ordinary people, of which three were executed and survive.” (Red Cross Garden, Wikipedia)

Santissima Annunziata

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Basilica della Santissima Annunziata (Basilica of the Most Holy Annunciation)
Piazza Santissima Annunziata
Florence, December 2022

“The Basilica della Santissima Annunziata (Basilica of the Most Holy Annunciation) is a Renaissance-style, Catholic minor basilica in Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy. This is considered the mother church of the Servite Order. It is located at the northeastern side of the Piazza Santissima Annunziata near the city center.” (Santissima Annunziata, Wikipedia)

Museo de América

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Museo de América (Museum of America)
Avenida de los Reyes Católicos
Madrid, September 2022

“The Museo de América (Museum of America) is a Spanish national museum of arts, archaeology and ethnography in Madrid. Its collections cover the whole of the Americas and range from the Paleolithic period to the present day. It is owned by the Spanish State and its initial pieces came from the former collection of American archaeological and ethnographic artifacts from the National Archaeological Museum, also exhibiting a number of unrelated donations, deposits and purchases. The institution was founded via a decree from 19 April 1941 and opened in 1944 inside the building hosting the National Archaeological Museum. After all the initial pieces were moved to a newly built premises in the Ciudad Universitaria, the building was thus inaugurated on 12 October 1965. After a series of refurbishment works on the building (previously shared with a number of unrelated institutions), the museum was reopened on 12 October 1994, this time while holding the exclusivity on the use of the building. As part of preparation for the re-opening, a collecting programme was established, with Dominican and Haitian artefacts sourced by the anthropologist Soraya Aracena.” (Museo de América, Wikipedia)

Mosaic roundel

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“The Sower” mosaic roundel by James Powell and Sons, 1896
Red Cross Garden
Redcross Way, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Two mosaics were donated by the Myatt's Fields philanthropist Julia Minet and installed by Hill in 1896. The mosaics were ‘The Sower’, by the glass-makers James Powell and Sons after a design by Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford, and ‘The Good Shepherd’, by Antonio Salviati. ‘The Good Shepherd’ has since been lost, but ‘The Sower’ survives, having been restored first in 1956 and again in 2005. It is now mounted on a modern building, Octavia House (occupied by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine), which is built on the former children's play area.” (Red Cross Garden, Wikipedia)

Cloister of Sant'Apollonia

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Former cloister of Sant'Apollonia
Via Santa Reparata
Florence, December 2022

“Sant'Apollonia was a former Benedictine convent, founded in 1339, just north of the center of Florence, in Italy. Some of the remaining structures are demarcated on three sides by via Ventisette Aprile, via Santa Reparata, and Via San Gallo, located about a block west of Piazza San Marco, just north of the city center. The structures of the convent, suppressed since the 19th-century, are now put to different uses. The small church building is still present on the corner of Via Ventisette Aprile and San Gallo.” (Sant'Apollonia, Wikipedia)

Plaza de la Compañía

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Triunfo de San Rafael and bell tower of Santo Domingo de Silos
Plaza de la Compañía
Córdoba, September 2022

“According to popular tradition, when Córdoba suffered a devastating plague epidemic in the 16th century, it was the intervention of Saint Raphael, who appeared to Father Roelas in a dream, that saved the city. Since then, the so-called Triumphs of San Rafael began to be erected, next to the city gates and in the historic neighborhoods, columns crowned by a commemorative statue to honor the custodian of Córdoba, the triumph that presides over the Plaza de la Compañía being one of the most outstanding. The monument, built in the 18th century thanks to donations from the faithful, coexists in the square with other notable buildings, such as the Iglesia de la Compañía, the main building in the square, or the Church of Santo Domingo de Silos, which currently houses the Provincial Historical Archive. This function is not coincidental, since this building is intertwined with the history of Córdoba, as it functioned as the headquarters of the Tertulia Patriótica held following the proclamation of the Constitution of 1812.” (Plaza de la Compañía, Ayuntamiento de Córdoba)

Red Cross Garden

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Red Cross Garden
Redcross Way, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Red Cross Garden is a small park in Southwark, London. It is located on Redcross Way, and named after the street, although the name of the garden is spelt with two words while the street is spelt with one. It is in the London Borough of Southwark. The garden and the associated cottages designed by Elijah Hoole form an early example of one of Octavia Hill’s social housing schemes.” (Red Cross Garden, Wikipedia)

Basilica of San Lorenzo

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Basilica of San Lorenzo
Piazza di San Lorenzo
Florence, December 2022

“The Basilica di San Lorenzo (Basilica of St. Lawrence) is one of the largest churches of Florence, Italy, situated at the centre of the main market district of the city, and it is the burial place of all the principal members of the Medici family from Cosimo il Vecchio to Cosimo III. It is one of several churches that claim to be the oldest in Florence, having been consecrated in 393 AD, at which time it stood outside the city walls. For three hundred years it was the city's cathedral, before the official seat of the bishop was transferred to Santa Reparata.” (Basilica of San Lorenzo, Wikipedia)

Avenida de Europa

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Avenida de Europa
Isla de La Cartuja
Seville, September 2022

“The European Union, and Nations of the European Union - were all located along the Avenue of Europe, which featured twelve massive white-coloured towers, and a central multi-coloured tower featuring the flags of the (then) twelve nations of the European Union - which underground hosted the European Union Pavilion itself. The rest of the pavilions of the Union were located at the left and right flank of the Avenue.” (Seville Expo '92, Wikipedia)

Our Lady, Queen of Heaven

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Our Lady, Queen of Heaven
Queensway
London, May 2023

“A tall, double galleried former Nonconformist church, designed on a horseshoe plan. Originally built for the United Methodist Free Church, it was used by the West London Ethical Society and the West London Unitarian Fellowship, before being converted to Catholic use in 1954. The fitting out is largely modern. Externally, the Gothic Revival design stands out amidst the brick and stucco terraces of Queensway.The church was built in 1868 for the United Methodist Free Church, replacing a small Wesleyan Methodist chapel of 1828. The architect is not known. In 1909, the building was sold to the West London Ethical Society who rented it from about 1946 to the West London Unitarian Fellowship. In March 1954, it was bought for £22,000 (plus £1,000 for the organ) by Fr Horace Tennant, Superior of St Mary of the Angels, Bayswater. It was opened for Catholic use by Cardinal Griffin on 12 September 1954. Queensway became an independent parish in 1973. In the early 1990s, the hall was refurbished and renamed Carpenter Hall, after Fr Philip Carpenter, the first parish priest.In 2000-02, the architect Gerald Murphy oversaw the refurbishment and reordering of the church (cost: £300,000). This included the removal of a 1920s sloping floor and its replacement by a new floor at the original level, the removal of the altar rails, new pews, new sanctuary furniture (including a freestanding altar to replace the old wall-fixed one), a reconciliation room within a former light well, a new organ and a new lighting system. The church was consecrated by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor on 21 April 2002.” (Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Taking Stock)

47 rosso

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Bas-relief of a fish
Borgo San Lorenzo
Florence, December 2022

Santos Juanes

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Church of the Santos Juanes, rear (apse) facade
Plaza del Mercado
Valencia, September 2022

“Santos Juanes or Sant Joan del Mercat is a Roman Catholic church located in the Mercat neighborhood of the city of Valencia, Spain. The church is also denominated the Real Parroquia de los Santos Juanes (Royal Parish of the St Johns) or San Juan del Mercado (Sant Joan del Mercat in Valencian or St John of the Market) due to its location adjacent to the city Central Market and facing the Llotja de la Seda building. By the mid-13th century, a church was built atop the site of a former mosque, initially in a Gothic style; however, fires in the 14th century necessitated reconstruction. A major fire in 1592 led to another reconstruction, commissioned by the Archbishop and Viceroy Juan de Ribera in an exuberant Baroque style completed in 1700. This was located in the Boatella neighborhood, then working class quarters, outside the town walls, that housed some of the Morisco population. The main facade of the church retains a walled-up oculus of a rose window from the older church. The square exterior of the apse, facing the piazza, houses a central niche decorated with a stucco statuary group of the Virgen del Rosario (Virgin of the Rosary) attributed to Jacopo Bertesi. The group display the Virgin and Child (his hand on the globe) ensconced in a burst of rays, angels, and cherubs. Other portals contain the symbols of John the Baptist (lamb) and John the Evangelist (eagle). The center is surmounted by a clock tower, and a roofline dominated by statues of the Juanes: including the Baptist, the Evangelist, and Saints Francesco Borgia and Luis Bertrán. This facade includes profuse complex iconography including a lamb atop a book with five seals.” (Santos Juanes, Wikipedia)

Speke Monument

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Speke Monument by Philip Hardwick, 1866
Kensington Gardens
London, May 2023

“John Hanning Speke (1827-1864) was the Victorian explorer who discovered the source of the Nile. However, his discovery was surrounded by contention. He died on the very eve of a crucial debate about it with Sir Richard Burton, when his own shotgun went off during a partridge shoot. Some thought Speke might have committed suicide. At any rate, Sir Roderick Murchison, President of the Royal Geographical Society, who had called for the debate, now called for a monument to be erected by public subscription in this prominent location — not far from the RGS's present headquarters on Kensington Gore. Over 2000 mourners had attended Speke's funeral, and advertisements for subscriptions were placed even in the Delhi Gazette in India (see Godsall 256). Nevertheless, it was hard to garner the funds. When at last the monument was erected, no unveiling was reported either in The Times or in the Royal Geographical Society's own journal. In 1855, Philip Hardwick had designed a similar monument for another adventurer who had met a tragic end — Lieutenant Bellot. Clearly, obelisk-style memorials were still in vogue. On Speke's, the inscription reads: In memory of Speke / Victoria Nyanza / and the Nile / 1864. This avoids crediting him with the actual discovery of the river's source. Speke's claim was later vindicated, and a more informative ground plaque was finally placed in front of the monument in 1995.” (Speke Monument, The Victorian Web)

No entry

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No entry sign hacked by Clet Abraham
Via degli Strozzi
Florence, December 2022

“‘Street art, or guerilla art, needs to be reinvented in dialogue with the Renaissance city,’ says Clet Abraham, the French-born artist who has come into the public eye for his surprising interventions in public spaces. I sat down with him to learn more about his project and to discuss the role of street art in Florence. You may not know it, but you've probably seen work by Clet out on the streets. Since last summer, he's been conducting night-time blitzes to alter traffic signs: a silhouette of a man carrying away the no-entry bar; a dead-end ‘T’ sign becomes a pietà or a crucifix. The figure is created with a black sticker that is easily removable.” (CLET, The Florentine)

Santa Leocadia

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Church of Santa Leocadia
Calle Santa Leocadia
Toledo, September 2022

“The Church of St Leocadia (Iglesia de Santa Leocadia) is a medieval church located in Toledo, in Castile-La Mancha, Spain. Toledan tradition maintains that this church was built on the site of the house where Saint Leocadia of Toledo was born. This house supposedly had a small underground room, where it is affirmed that she prayed. This cave corresponds to the crypt located next to the right pillar of the presbytery and is covered with a plaster rib vault, which can be dated to the first half of the 16th century. Both the present church and the tower are in the Toledan variant of the Mudéjar style and are datable, in their older parts, to the end of the 13th century. However, there is reason to assume that there existed an earlier building. The parish of "Santa Leocadia within Toledo" (see note1) is mentioned in documents from the middle of the 12th century. In the tower and on the façade of the church are preserved, embedded, some fragments of reliefs in Visigothic style. There are only references to think that the primitive arrangement was that of an isolated building, separated from the Monastery of Santo Domingo el Antiguo by a street that was suppressed, in times of Alfonso X of Castile, when extending that convent.” (Church of Santa Leocadia, Wikipedia)

The Wild Table of Love

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“The Wild Table of Love” by Gillie and Marc, 2022
Paternoster Square, City of London
London, May 2023

“We were walking past St Paul's Cathedral the other day, when we noticed a zebra dining with a lion and and giraffe. This isn't a PR stunt for a new Madagascar movie, but a temporary art installation. Called Wild Table of Love, the huge tableau features a circle of bronze animals tucking into platefuls of food. It's the most bonkers banquet since the Mad Hatter's tea party... and it, too, includes a rabbit. That rabbit may give you a clue to the sculptors. This is the work of Gillie and Marc, whose Rabbitwoman and Dogman sculptures are frequent visitors to our city. The prolific duo are also behind the chimp sculptures near London Bridge, and the recent exhibition of bronze lions near Waterloo. This new installation is endearing, to say the least. Two seats at the table have been left free, so that passers-by can sit down with the animals and enjoy the mock repast. Besides the rabbit and dog, the table features 10 of the most beloved mammals on the planet, including several endangered species.” (See the ‘Wild Table of Love’ Animal Sculpture in Paternoster Square, Londonist)

Louis Vuitton Firenze

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Christmas tree
Louis Vuitton Firenze
Via dei Sassetti
Florence, December 2022

Faro de Moncloa

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Faro de Moncloa (Moncloa's Lighthouse)
Avenida de la Memoria
Madrid, September 2022

“As the expression goes From Madrid to Heaven, because once you've been to Madrid the only place that can top it is paradise itself. Enjoy the city from up high, taking in the wonderful views the Faro de Moncloa affords. Step into the panoramic lift that takes you up 92 metres to the observation deck which stands tall over the heart of Madrid's Ciudad Universitaria. This former transmission tower was built by architect Salvador Pérez Arroyo in 1992, the year in which the city was named European Capital of Culture, and stands at 110 metres tall.” (Faro de Moncloa, Turismo Madrid)