Synagogue of Modena

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Synagogue of Modena
Piazza Mazzini
Modena, May 2024

“The Monumental Synagogue was built in the neighbourhood that originally comprised the city’s ancient Jewish ghetto, but that ghetto was closed in 1861, before the building was constructed. Today the facade of the synagogue is clearly visible from the Via Emilia, the main street of Modena old city center, but when it was initially built, the temple was hidden by the buildings that stood in the area where you find now Piazza Mazzini and the façade was the one you can still admire in Via Coltellini. Those buildings were demolished in 1904 to make way for the Piazza.” (Synagogue, VisitModena)

Estupa de la Iluminación

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Estupa de la Iluminación (Stupa of Enlightenment) by Wojtek Kossowski, 2003
Avenida de Retamar
Benalmádena, March 2024

“Benalmádena Stupa is a stupa in Benalmádena, Málaga in the Andalusian region of southern Spain, overlooking Costa del Sol. It is 33 m (108 ft) high and is the tallest stupa in Europe. It was inaugurated on 5 October 2003, and was the final project of Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche. In Buddhism, a stupa is a monument which represents peace, prosperity and harmony, as well as being a place for meditation. Benalmádena Stupa (Chan Chub Chorten in Tibetan) symbolizes Buddha's enlightenment, the realisation of the nature of the mind, and is one of the eight different forms that stupas are built. Whereas stupas are typically sealed structures, the Benalmádena Stupa is unusual as there is a 100 square metre meditation room and a room that can be used for exhibitions about Tibetan Buddhism and Himalayan culture inside the structure. The walls of the meditation room are painted with the life story of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni.” (Benalmádena Stupa, Wikipedia)

Ariosto Theatre

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Ariosto Theatre
Piazza della Vittoria
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“It was rebuilt in 1878 respecting the original project and dedicated to Ludovico Ariosto, the great poet born in Reggio Emilia in 1474. It hosts mainly theatre performances. The reconstruction of 1878 followed the ‘politeama’ concept, that is, a theatre which can be used both for theatrical and equestrian events. According to the London and Paris models borrowed by all the Italian ‘politeama’, the theatre had a cast iron structure; the cavea took on a semi-circular form; the box arrangement, maintained for the second tier, was replaced in the first and third tiers by single galleries. The orchestra pit was added in 1927 and the structures required for the equestrian shows were removed. At the same time the Theatre was completely redecorated by Anselmo Govi with late Art Nouveau style frescoes: the ones on the dome are particularly interesting, depicting the adventures of Orlando Furioso, and surrounded by a band citing the opening verses of the poem. In 1981 the Theatre underwent a series of restoration works: cleaning, demolition of precarious areas, strengthening or rebuilding of the floor structures (the stage first of all), and the laying of new flooring.” (Ariosto Theatre, Reggio Emilia Welcome)

Mint Street Adventure Playground

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Mint Street Adventure Playground
Southwark Bridge Road
London, May 2023

“Southwark’s adventure playgrounds are supervised by experienced and trained staff with facilities that cater primarily for children and young people of school age and ability. With a strong emphasis on free play, children and young people are encouraged to develop their ideas and choose their own activities. All playgrounds are free to use, registered and inspected annually.” (Mint Street Adventure Playground, One Hub)

Sant'Antonino

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Basilica of Sant'Antonino
Piazza Sant'Antonino
Piacenza, May 2024

“The Basilica of Sant'Antonino is a medieval Roman Catholic basilica in the city of Piacenza in Italy. it is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, Antoninus. The relics of Antoninus were originally found at the nearby site of the church of Santa Maria in Cortina which held an early Christian martyrium. The present building was the work of Bishop Sigifredo, who dedicated it in 1014 as a collegiate church. Siegfried chose the form of a oriented basilica with a western nave and a campanile. The interior was decorated with early Romanesque painting, a little of which survives.” (Sant'Antonino, Wikipedia)

Mercado de Salamanca

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Mercado de Salamanca by Daniel Rubio Sánchez, 1925
Calle San Bartolomé
Málaga, March 2024

“A building with one central aisle and two identical entrance porticos that are of particular interest. The side façades are formed by double lines of vendor stalls open both to the inside and to the outside. More or less centred in the lateral walls there are secondary entrance portals. The interior is decorated with tiled images of poultry, fish and fruit. Almost all the decorative elements of the building are concentrated around the main entrance porticos, which are topped by a triangular pediment framed with various different layouts of masonry and ceramics. In terms of style the Salamanca Market is Neo-Moorish with strong exotic oriental traces, reminiscent of the Arab souks.” (Salamanca Market, Diputación de Málaga)

San Francesco del Prato

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San Francesco del Prato
Piazzale San Francesco
Parma, May 2024

“San Francesco del Prato is a Gothic-style, Roman Catholic church, located on Piazzale San Francesco #4 in central Parma, Italy. In front stands the 15th-century Palazzo Cusani. Founded by the Franciscan order, the first church on the site was built 1227-1238. Their adjacent school once housed the theologian Bartholomew Mastrius. The building was lengthened and finished around 1462. The facade has a Gothic rosette in a terracotta frame. The nave had three aisles, separated by columns, with a higher central one. The cupola pinnacles were painted by Michele Anselmi. The apse has an aged fresco depicting Christ Pantocrator attributed to Bernardino Grossi and his son in law Jacopo Loschi.” (San Francesco del Prato, Wikipedia)

Old Union Yard Arches

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Old Union Yard Arches
Union Street, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Admittedly it’s our job to pick up on the excellent under the radar arrivals hitting the capital, but I’ll level with you: I only found out about this one because I happened to stroll past it on the way to Tate Modern. And to be fair, it is quite easy to miss Old Union Yard Arches, the entrance to which is squished between the railway line and a pub. But for a small street, the Yard packs in a hell of a lot of talent. Artwork across the entrance to Old Union Yard Arches encourages you to ‘Eat, Drink, See, Meet, Fly’ all of which you can do in this cute little side street (we’ll get to the flying part later). There’s also a groovy reflective sculpture courtesy of Rachel Wilberforce, which lets you know you’ve arrived. Whilst a variety of business fill the arches, the dominant forces here are food and theatre, which just so happen to be two things we love.” (Old Union Yard Arches, Secret London)

Fontana dell'Istrice

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Istrice (Porcupine) fountain by Vico Consorti, 1962
Via Malta
Siena, April 2024

“Istrice occupies the north-westernmost edge of Siena and contains the San Vincenzo e Anastasio church, home of the city's oldest surviving fresco and burial place of Pinturicchio. Traditionally, its residents were blacksmiths. Istrice's symbol is a porcupine. Its colours are white, red, blue and black.” (Contrade of Siena, Wikipedia)

Culebrina de 1578

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Culebrina de 1578 (Culverin of 1578)
(but it looks more like a mortar)
Paseo Marítimo Rey de España
Fuengirola, March 2024

“The Culebrina from 1578, on display in Fuengirola, is located at number 42 on the Paseo Marítimo Rey de España in this town in the province of Malaga. Sunk during the English attack on Cadiz and recovered from the seabed during the dredging of the Bay of Cadiz in 1952, Luis Méndez Vigo Sánchez Guerra donated it to Fuengirola. After its restoration, it was placed in its current location in 1999, resting on a robust gun carriage faithful to the original from 1578, on a circular pedestal surrounded by a chain supported by bollards.” (Culebrina de 1578, MonumentalNet)

Modena Cathedral

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Duomo di Modena (Modena Cathedral)
Piazza Duomo
Modena, May 2024

“Modena Cathedral (Cattedrale Metropolitana di Santa Maria Assunta e San Geminiano but colloquially known as simply Duomo di Modena) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Modena, Italy, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saint Geminianus. Formerly the seat of the Diocese, later Archdiocese, of Modena, it has been since 1986 the archiepiscopal seat of the Archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola. Consecrated in 1184, it is an important Romanesque building in Europe, and along with its bell tower, the Torre della Ghirlandina, is designated as a World Heritage Site. Since the 5th century, two churches had existed on the site of the present cathedral: the discovery of the burial site of Saint Geminianus, Modena's patron saint, led to the destruction of those churches and building of this cathedral by 1099. The initial design and direction was provided by an architect known as Lanfranco, about whom little else is known. The Saint's remains are still exhibited in the cathedral's crypt. The present cathedral was consecrated by Pope Lucius III on July 12, 1184. This is also the place where Modena kept Bologna's Bucket from the War of the Bucket.” (Modena Cathedral, Wikipedia)

The Cut Bar & Restaurant

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The Cut Bar & Restaurant
Young Vic theatre
The Cut, Southwark
London, May 2023

“The Cut is an all-day bar-café-restaurant housed in the Young Vic theatre in Southwark. It is a relaxing and inviting space – brick walls, wood, metal, New York Style lighting – and is always packed in the evenings before the show begins. I have visited countless times over the years as I frequent the Young Vic that promotes innovative productions. Usually, I have a drink at the bar or a quick bite or bar snack. Invited to review the restaurant, it was the first time I had sat down to a three-course meal. With simple wooden tables and chairs and some of the friendliest staff I have had the pleasure to be served by, The Cut is a great venue to meet up with friends after work or before a performance.” (The Cut, London Unattached)

Galleria Parmeggiani

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Galleria Parmeggiani
Corso Cairoli
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“The Anna and Luigi Parmeggiani Gallery is a museum in Reggio Emilia that contains a collection of furniture, paintings and fabrics, a union of three different collections, collected between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century by the eclectic Luigi Parmeggiani (1860-1945) and preserved in the imaginative Gothic-Renaissance building, in French and Spanish style, specially built by Parmeggiani in 1924 to contain his art gallery.” (Galleria Parmeggiani, Wikipedia)

Gran Hotel Miramar

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Gran Hotel Miramar by Fernando Guerrero Strachan, 1926
Paseo de Reding
Málaga, March 2024

“The Miramar Hotel or Miramar Palace is a building in the Spanish city of Málaga, located at number 22 Paseo de Reding in the La Caleta neighborhood. It is a modernist style building, with the main façade facing the Bay of Málaga and the Mediterranean Sea. The building, the work of architect Fernando Guerrero Strachan and whose construction dates back to 1926, was originally designed as a hotel, although it has also served as the headquarters of the Provincial Court of Málaga (1987-2007). Currently, it is occupied by the Gran Hotel Miramar, a five-star luxury hotel that opened its doors on January 1, 2017, although the official opening took place on November 1 of that year.” (Hotel Miramar, Wikipedia)

Ranuccio I Farnese

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Ranuccio I Farnese by Francesco Mochi, 1625
Piazza Cavalli
Piacenza, May 2024

“In 1612 Ranuccio I Farnese, the reigning Duke of Parma, called Mochi to Piacenza to execute two monumental bronze equestrian statues for Piazza Cavalli, the central piazza in Piacenza, one of the Duke himself and the other of his late father, Alessandro Farnese. The Farnese had recently put down an uprising in Piacenza, and Mochi seems to have designed the statues to make an explicit political statement. The statue of Ranuccio Farnese, executed first, is linked in style and type to earlier Renaissance models that depicted the rider as peacemaker and statesman, for example Giambologna's Cosimo de' Medici I (1587-93). However, in the statue of Alessandro Farnese, Mochi broke entirely new ground to create the first dynamic equestrian monument of the Baroque. In an unprecedented manner, he used the device of a billowing cloak to unify the rider with the bulk of the horse and to create the illusion of warlike energy. The two statues presented Piacenza with a clear choice between obeisance to an enlightened prince, Ranuccio, or a return to the repressive tactics of an earlier time. Gestures of the riders and the inward tilt of the horses' heads unify the monumental bronzes across the piazza and assert the dynastic continuity of the Farnese. During the casting, Mochi quarrelled with the founder and took over the job himself; other than Domenico Guidi, he was the only major Roman sculptor with the expertise to cast his own work.” (Francesco Mochi, Web Gallery of Art)

The Hoxton, Southwark

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The Hoxton, Southwark by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, 2019
Blackfriars Road, Southwark
London, May 2023

“The Hoxton, Southwark is a slender, 16-storey building, integrating 192 hotel rooms, restaurants, bars and function rooms alongside 4,000m2 of flexible co-working office space. Located on Blackfriars Road, the building is positioned between the tall, glazed buildings of the Southbank and the mid-height buildings that flank Blackfriars Road. The site sits adjacent to the 1950s, Grade-II listed Christ Church, Southwark and surrounding Paris Gardens churchyard. The project creates an active street frontage to Blackfriars Road with the ground and first floors housing a bustling home to the hotel reception, bars and restaurants, banqueting and conference suites. Above are six floors of hotel rooms with a further six floors of flexible workspace. Crowned on the top of the building are a winter garden, a restaurant and sky-bar with panoramic views over London.” (Hoxton Southwark, RIBA)

Palazzo del Giardino

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Palazzo del Giardino
Parco Ducale
Viale Piacenza
Parma, May 2024

“The Palazzo del Giardino (Garden Palace) or Palazzo Ducale del Giardino (Ducal Garden Palace) is a historic palace in the Parco Ducale in Parma. It is not to be confused with the official Parma residence of Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma between Palazzo della Pilotta and Palazzo della Provincia in what is now known as piazzale della Pace - she also lived at the Ducal Palace of Colorno and in the Casino dei Boschi in Sala Baganza. The main Ducal Palace in Parma, the Palazzo della Pilotta and the Reinach Theater were all destroyed in an early morning air raid on 13 May 1944, carried out by the 465th Heavy Bombardment Group of the US Airforce, 781st Squadron, which dropped 9 GP bombs on the city centre. Presently, the Palazzo del Giardino houses Parma's Provincial Carabinieri Command and the Carbinieri's Reparto investigazioni scientifiche (RIS). It is due to house a local office for the European Food Safety Authority.” (Palazzo del Giardino, Wikipedia)

Beach parasol

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Beach parasol
Costa de la Carihuela
Torremolinos, March 2024

“With its golden sands, crystal-clear waters, and a wide range of amenities, La Carihuela is a must-visit destination for beach lovers. Stretching over 2 kilometers, this beach is known for its cleanliness and excellent facilities. The beach is well-maintained and regularly cleaned, ensuring a pleasant and safe environment for visitors. The soft golden sand is perfect for sunbathing, building sandcastles, or simply taking a leisurely stroll along the shore. La Carihuela is also renowned for its calm and shallow waters, making it an ideal spot for families with children. The gentle waves and gradual slope of the seabed provide a safe and enjoyable swimming experience for all ages. Lifeguards are on duty throughout the day, adding an extra layer of security for beachgoers.” (Playa La Carihuela, Vacalia)

Madonna del Rosario

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Chapel of the Madonna del Rosario
Via del Pignattello
Siena, April 2024

“The Chapel of the Madonna del Rosario is a small, Baroque style, originally Roman Catholic, but now deconsecrated oratory or church located between via San Marco and via della Diana in the contrada of the Chiocciola (snail), in the city of Siena, Tuscany, Italy. It association with the neighborhood also gained the scenic building the name of the Chapel of the Chiocciola. The chapel is located some 200 meters west and uphill of Porta San Marco.” (Chapel of the Madonna del Rosario, Wikipedia)

Great crested grebe

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Great crested grebe
Round Pond, Kensington Gardens
London, May 2023

“The great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) is a member of the grebe family of water birds. The bird is characterised by its distinctive appearance, featuring striking black and white plumage, and elaborate courtship display that involves synchronised dances and displays.” (Great crested grebe, Wikipedia)

Torre della Ghirlandina

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Torre della Ghirlandina (Ghirlandina Tower)
Duomo di Modena (Modena Cathedral)
Piazza Grande
Modena, May 2024

“The Torre della Ghirlandina or simply Ghirlandina is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Standing at 86.12 metres, the tower is the traditional symbol of Modena, being visible from all directions outside the city. The structure was set up in 1179 on five floors, initially called ‘Torre di San Geminiano’. To compete with Bologna's towers, the Comune added the characteristic octagonal cusp, designed by Arrigo da Campione, one of the numerous masters from Campione who took part in the cathedral's renovation in the 13th-15th centuries. The top of the tower is decorated with two ‘ghirlande’ (two marble railings), whence the name. In the interior, the ‘Sala della Secchia’ room (with 15th-century frescoes) is home of a copy of the depiction of the ‘Secchia rapita’, a memory of the tower's former role as treasury of the Modenese Comune. Also notable are the sculpted capitals in the ‘Sala dei Torresani’ hall, in the fifth floor. The five bells are tuned in C major, cast during the Renaissance period. It also has a stand for the oaken bucket from the War of the Bucket.” (Torre della Ghirlandina, Wikipedia)

Seagulls and sailboats

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Seagulls and sailboats
Playa de la Malagueta
Paseo Marítimo Pablo Ruiz Picasso
Málaga, March 2024

“The campaign to control the nesting and breeding of seagulls is carried out annually by the urban bird control service, part of the environmental health surveillance service of the Environmental Sustainability Area. The tasks, which are carried out by the specialised company AddaOps, consist of the preventive removal of nests and eggs at points that could pose a risk to residents or users of the surroundings, given that seagulls are renowned for aggressive territorial behaviour and will fiercely protect their nest and young from what they consider predators.” (Seagull control campaign starts in Málaga, The Olive Press)

Basilica della Ghiara

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Basilica della Ghiara
Corso Garibaldi
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“The Tempio della Beata Vergine della Ghiara (Temple of the Blessed Virgin of Ghiara), also known as Basilica della Madonna della Ghiara, is a church in Reggio Emilia, northern Italy. The building is the property of the comune (municipality) of the city. The church was built in response to an alleged miracle, occurring in 1596, associated with a local votive image of the Madonna which had been painted by Lelio Orsi. The image soon became a place of pilgrimage, and the offerings of the faithful led to the construction of a new temple into which the votive fresco was moved. The cornerstone was laid on June 6, 1597 by the bishop Claudio Rangone, in the presence of Duke Alfonso II d'Este and Duchess Margherita Gonzaga. Part of the former convent and church were demolished in order to make way for the new structure. The plan was by the local architect and sculptor Francesco Pacchioni, who also designed the dome and the interior stuccoes. The church was consecrated on May 12, 1619.” (Basilica della Ghiara, Wikipedia)

The Whitechapel Threads

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“The Whitechapel Threads” by Tim and Hattie Coppard, 1996
Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch
London, May 2023

“This sculpture by artists Tim and Hattie Coppard was erected in 1996 as part of the Bethnal Green City Challenge Regeneration Programme and marks one of the entrances to Brick Lane market. The threads are a reminder of the importance of the garment and textile industries in this part of London and of the many communities who have lived and worked in the area.” (Plaque)

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

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Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta e Santa Giustina
Piazza Duomo
Piacenza, May 2024

“Piacenza Cathedral (Duomo di Piacenza), fully the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta e Santa Giustina, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Piacenza, Italy. The current structure was built between 1122 and 1233 and is one of the most valuable examples of a Romanesque cathedral in northern Italy. The dedication is to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and to Saint Justina. It is the seat of the diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio. The cathedral has a total external length of 85 m, and a façade height of 32 m, dimensions which make it the largest Romanesque church in Emilia-Romagna. The façade, in Veronese pink marble and gilded stone, is horizontally divided by a gallery that dominates the three portals, decorated with capitals and Romanesque statues. The interior has a nave and two aisles, divided by twenty-five massive pillars. Its noteworthy frescoes were made in the 14th-16th centuries by Camillo Procaccini and Ludovico Carracci, while the frescos inside the dome are by Pier Francesco Mazzucchelli, ‘il Morazzone’, and Guercino. The presbytery has a wooden sculpture from 1479, wooden choirstalls by Giangiacomo da Genova (1471) and 15th-century statues of the Lombard school.” (Piacenza Cathedral, Wikipedia)

Mariposario

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Mariposario (Butterfly Park)
Calle Muérdago
Benalmádena, March 2024

“Ideal for families with young children who want a gentler up-close-with-nature experience, the Butterfly Park has over 1500 of the colourful little winged insects. The park is inside a Thai temple-style building; the blue tiles were actually made in Thailand. The butterflies mate and lay eggs in the park, so you can see all stages of reproduction including caterpillars and chrysalis, as well as new butterflies hatching in cages. Other animals include a tortoise, a wallaby and a Komodo dragon. Providing a stunning backdrop, and home, for the butterflies are the tropical plants: ornamental ones, which are exotic-looking and brightly coloured; flowering plants, whose nectar the insects feed on; and host plants, which caterpillars feed on. The warm, damp environment is ideal for plants such as orchids, heliconia and bromeliads.” (Butterfly Park of Benalmádena, Andalucia.com)

Cathedral and Baptistery

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Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and Baptistery
Piazza Duomo
Parma, May 2024

“The wide façade, made from blocks of sandstone, was completed in 1178: it has three loggia floors and three portals, whose doors were sculpted by Luchino Bianchino in 1494. The portal also has two carvings by Luchino Bianchino. The two great marble lions supporting the archivolt columns were carved in 1281 by Giambono da Bissone. Between the central and the right doors is the tomb of the mathematician Biagio Pelacani, who died in 1416. The Gothic belfry, topped by a gilt copper angel, was added later, in 1284-1294: a twin construction on the left side had been conceived, but it was never begun. Beside the Cathedral lies the octagonal Baptistery of Parma.” (Parma Cathedral, Wikipedia)
“The Baptistery of Parma is a religious edifice in Parma, northern Italy. Architecturally, the baptistery of Parma Cathedral marks a transition between the Romanesque and Gothic styles, and it is considered to be among the most important Medieval monuments in Europe.” (Parma Baptistery, Wikipedia)

Uncommon Liverpool Street

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Uncommon Liverpool Street by Rolfe Judd, 2017
Crosspoint building
Bishopsgate, City of London
London, May 2023

“Uncommon Liverpool Street is an office building in the City of London EC2. The nine-storey building comprises 41,500 sq ft of Grade A offices and approximately 8,100 sq ft of retail space. The building has been rebranded ‘Uncommon Liverpool Street’. The offices benefit from 360-degree views over the City skyline and there are two roof terrace gardens. Adjacent to Liverpool Street station, the site offers excellent access to the London underground, mainline railway services and, from 2019, the new Elizabeth Line Crossrail station. Liverpool Street is Uncommon’s fourth and largest flexible workplace facility in London, with 850 workstations.Global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group acquires The Crosspoint building from Amsprop in an off-market transaction. This investment adds to the Uncommon flexible office and co-working business that Carlyle and the Adir Group launched in June 2017. Liverpool Street is Uncommon’s fourth and largest flexible workplace facility in London, adding 850 workstations to the existing 1500-desk portfolio, which comprises operational assets in Islington and Borough, as well as a 26,000 sq ft facility in Fulham that is scheduled to open this summer.” (Uncommon Liverpool Street, Buildington)