Today I shall take you on a new trip. I know it’s been a while since last time, so I hope you enjoy it. We will go to see a … Continue reading Swiming with the Gods, Enipeas waterfall
Category: places&history
Empire of the dead -Paris catacombs
ARRETE!
C’EST ICI l’EMPIRE DE LA MORT
Today I shall take you to visit a place full of history and souls. So grab my hand and let’s go. The place where we shall go is an underground tunnel situated in Paris, I think you already guessed the destination. We shall first consider if we enter as here is the empire of the dead ones.
After we crossed into their empire we shall see all of their skulls, their bones all lined on the walls. Imagine how many lives, how many stories are lurking down here. Some are old maybe they saw the French Revolution as the place was redesigned like this around the 18th century. Be careful we are deep underground at 20 m and the road can be a real labyrinth. Their history starts back to the late 18th century. Originally former quarries, these underground tunnels evolved into a unique burial site as a response to overcrowded cemeteries in Paris. In the late 1700s, bones from various graveyards were relocated to the catacombs, creating an ossuary with a display of human remains arranged in decorative patterns.
As you can imagine, during that time, tunels were used for other things like secret meetings. Over the years, secret societies and clandestine gatherings have utilized the catacombs for meetings, rituals or parties. The underground world has become a canvas for cryptic symbols, adding an air of enigma to its already hounting atmosphere.
Look! There! It is a heart made of skulls. I wonder if they would ever imagine, that their remains can decorate in such a way, a wall ? Probably not!
But, hey, it is something to be part of the bigest underground ossuary from the whole world.
You may wonder why they created such a place and why they are not in a normal graveyard as they should. History says that in the late 18 century there was a major health issue, related to the cemeteries. The city authorities decided to transfer the dead ones to un underground site, when the decision had been made, tunels were not in the city. First bones came from the largest cemetery in Paris, the Saint-Innocents cemetery. Transfers were made, from 1785 to 1787. Since 1809, Catacombs were open to the public. The name ” Catacombs” was given, as a reference to the Roman catacombs. Unfortunately, we can visit just 1500m of a total area of 11000m2.
Even so we have enough to enjoy beside the bones. We can see the Samaritan Fountain or the Sepulchral Lamp and imagine how many stories are hidding here. How many secret gatherings happen here. How many plans were made down here in time of danger. I hope you enjoyed!
Here you can visit it online: https://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en
Old ladies -Babele
March is here, already passed almost three months of this year. It is time to choose a Babă. I hope this time will be a kind one. In this part … Continue reading Old ladies -Babele
A park with enough history- Carol Park
Today I shall take you on a new trip we will go for a walk in Bucharest, in a park with history. This park was designed by the French architect … Continue reading A park with enough history- Carol Park
Lilith- first woman
Today I shall take you on a trip in time. We will go back in history at the start of times. In biblical times when God created the world and first people. So grab my hand, and let’s go in time. We are in the Eden garden. There is God, the creator of everything. He created many beautiful things, but his garden doesn’t have someone to keep it beautiful. Is too quiet. He needs to create something more. He looks at dust measuring, touching. He gets in his hands two parts of dust. He looks at them and blows on them, saying some incantations. From each hand starts to grow two humans.
One female and another male. God talks to them, telling them to inhabit the beautiful garden called Eden or earth. They look at each other they enjoy the beauty they see around. Everything is so beautiful, so perfect. These two creatures, called Adam and Lilith, grew closer to each other each day. They are the only humans in this beautiful place. They enjoy themself making love, but Adam is the one that likes to be more dominant and the one who wants to decide. Lilith doesn’t like that. She knows that she is made out of the same dust with the same divine blow, so Lilith tells Adam that she wants to decide things to be equal to enjoy both. But Adam, like a nasty child, doesn’t like that he says God blew and created him first and that God prefers him. Lilith doesn’t believe that, so she goes away to find her own path. Lilith grows wings. She becomes something different than Adam. More powerful and not easy to control. When God sees his creation has grown stronger to strong for Adam. He gave him another female who could be more like him and won’t want to grow wings and fly.
God can’t make this one from dust again as he is afraid it will grow wings and fly again, so he is choosing another material this time. He asks Adam to give one of his ribs to make a female feel more attached to Adam and won’t want to leave him. He obeys as he is all alone, so Eve is created. God makes angels flying creatures to keep the link between Eden’s garden and God’s home. In this time, Lilith is experimenting with her powers and her freedom. But God sees that she grows stronger and enjoys too much of the power taste. Lilith can create children like her, powerful to powerful. She starts to obey less God… why should she. She has enough power, but God doesn’t like that, so he sends some angels to kill her children so her army won’t get big. He says to his angels that this is a punishment for not living where he put her. She still finds a way to have more children. She goes to Adam and finds him with another female more obeying from his flesh. Lilith decides to steal some seeds from Adam while he is asleep so she can make more children. And so she does.
Eden garden changed as time passed, and Adam and Eve had children. But for the significant change of Eden, everyone blames Eve for that because they say she gave in to temptation and did the forbidden thing. The only one God said to not do, and Eve did, even more; she corrupted Adam. But Adam was easy to convince even if he knew he shouldn’t. That he should obey God. After tasting the knowledge, both Adam and Eve felt naked, both physical and mental. So many things this garden cold hold that they didn’t see before. After conceived children, their children tasted the power and the possession. So one chooses to send into dust his brother. So humankind knew the first crime.
Lilith, like any mother, would do decided to avenge because God chose to kill her children, so she decided to kill some of God’s creations. So she kills at times newborn. God decided to stop her, so he told Adam and Eve that all the kids they make won’t die if they wear an amulet. Lilith will know God doesn’t let her approach them. She is always flying, trying to get more children to replace hers that angels are killing every day. She is a mother and a powerful creature. A creature that brought many times fear. But also a creature that chose freedom even if for that freedom she had to leave that beautiful place. So God’s creation does have their own mind and their own way to decide even if at times they suffer consequences. Lilith decided to follow her path, got power but suffered because of her children, but she still found a way. Adam and Eve disobeyed and created the world as we know it. Where people decide what to do and what to not do. But also to endure the consequences. So whatever you choose, choose wisely and be always ready to pay the price. But sometimes the price to pay is good to enjoy the freedom, the knowledge, the power… so choose wisely.
Balea lake
This time I will take you on a bit of a hiking trip. We will go to a beautiful lake as you can see from the pics. It is in the heart of the Fagaras Mountains at 2040 m altitude. I hope you can enjoy the view.
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Saint Andrew traditions
This time I won’t write about a nice place in Romania, I will tell u a bit about Romanian traditions.Saint Andrew is a bit like Halloween, except there are no … Continue reading Saint Andrew traditions
Mogosoaia
A new journey is ahead,this time i will take U to a place not to far from Bucharest. It is situated 10 km from Bucharest , it is a beautiful palace as U will see in the pictures. Around the palace it is a nice park were U can take a walk and admire the view.
But lets take a walk trough the history of the palace :).
It was built between 1698-1702 by Constantin Brancoveanu( prince of Wallachia) on the land that was owned before by the widow of boyar Mogos, from this the palace was named Mogosoaia .
The palace is in a Romanian Renaissance style or what is also called Brancoveanu style .
The palace became an inn after 1714 when the owner Brancoveanu and his family were executed by the otomans and their wealth confiscated.
The palace suffered some damage on the Russo-Turkish war between 1768-1774, later it was granted by prince Grigore to his daughter Zoe Mavrocordat. She married George Bibescu, sovereign prince of Wallachia , the palace remained in the family and was renovated by Nicolae Bibescu.
In 1916, the palace was bombed by Germans air forces. Princess Martha spent all her private fortune for reconstruction.
Later in 1920-1930, the palace became the meeting place for politicians and for the international high society.
After the second war in 1945 the palace was forcibly nationalized by communist authorities and the owners were arrested.
In 1957, the palace became a museum, what it is also today .
Coming back to present 🙂 the palace is nice for a walk and to admire some nice architecture. Also at the basement of the palace U can see the walls that belonged to the Vacaresti monastery and read a bit about the history of this monastery. Talking about monasteries and churches there is one in the garden of the palace .
U can also go up in the tower and admire everything from up, the view is really beautiful as U would see in the pictures,or U can just take a walk and admire the view of the lake .
I hope U will enjoy the view and maybe come to really visit it!
The Old Court in Bucharest
I will start my story in a simple way and I hope my reader won’t get bored. I’ll just tell you a few things about București (Bucharest), which remains my favorite city.
Many will say it’s an ugly city, very crowded and very loud at times, but I think if you will take a walk and start exploring it, you will find a beautiful town that waits for you to discover. If you like history and old architecture you will probably agree.
First a bit of history about it so you can know what you can expect on this little journey where I try to convince you how nice my city is.
The legend say that the city got its name from a shepherd called Bucur who came in this place and liked it so much that he settled here. We have a little church and a market with that name but we’ll talk about those later.
Another legend that it’s more likely to be based on real facts tells that București was founded by Neagu Voda, the one that founded and ruled Wallachia around 1290. Another legend says that București was founded somewhere in the 14th century by Mircea the Elder, the ruler of Wallachia from 1386 to 1418.
The historical document where the name București appears for the first time is in the year 1459 in a property document during the reign of Vlad the Impaler, the guy that everyone knows as Dracula. It’s a pity he wasn’t a real vampire because we might have won all the fights against the turks who were always visiting us.
At that time București wasn’t yet the capital of Romania… but then we didn’t have yet what we call today Romania. Back then it was just Wallachia, Moldova and Transilvania, different countries ruled by different rulers. At that time, the capital of Wallachia was Targoviște. Soon București becomes a summer residence of the princely court. During the reign of Radu cel Frumos ( the Handsome ) București becomes the capital of Wallachia.
Between 1459 and 1660 București and Targoviște swapped places as Wallachia’s ruler’s residence. After 1659 București becomes the only capital.
That’s the beginning of București. I will tell you more later. Now, I’ll take you to my first stop, a place full of history, the old Princely Court. It is situated in the old center of București. Probably if you never heard of it you will just walk by without giving it a chance. But if you are in the center near it you should go and take a look.
Here you can have a look at some pictures of how it looks now, after more than 600 years after it was constructed.
The old Princely Court, that probably dates from the 14th century, was the residence of the wallachian rulers starting around that time. Since then, the court suffered many reconstructions and periods when it was badly damaged.
Over the time, when the rulers rebuilt it, they’ve made it bigger and nicer. This happen mostly when the country was ruled by Laiota Basarab, Mircea Ciobanul ( the Shepard ), Patrascu cel Bun ( the Good ) and Matei Basarab.
In 1660 the ottomans pillaged the palace damaging it badly. We don’t know the exact how it looked prior it’s reconstruction.
Later, in Șerban Cantacuzino’s reign,1678 to 1688, it was added a new building in the north of the palace.
At the beginning of the 18th century, a big fire damaged the court badly and it was partially abandoned.
Șerban Cantacuzino will completely reconstruct the part built by Laiota Basarab.
Another ruler that improved the looks of the palace was Constantin Brâncoveanu (1688 – 1714). During his reign, the court was looking very elegant. He constructed a new princely manor.
The decline of the court came during the phanariot rule. The phanariots were greek guys brought by the turks to rull us, most of them greedy guys. Before them, the court endured the fires from 1718 and 1719, than the Russian-Austro-Turkish war between 1736 and 1739, the earthquakeof 1738, the Russian-Turkish war between 1768 and 1774. To that you can add the lack of interest of the phanariot rullers for the court.
The history of the princely court used as a palace ends with Alexandru Ipsilanti. In 1775 he builds another court on top of the Spirii hill, somewhere around the actual Parliament palace.
The court was sold by Vodă Constantin Hangerli. The transactions were done between 1798 abd 1799 and it was sold to more than 50 buyers.
In 1847, there is a big fire that burns a big part of București that also affected the court.
In the 19th century, near the court walls appears a lot of new streets full of shops. The place becomes a commercial center. One of the streets near the court gets it’s name “Lipscani” from the merchants that came from Lipsca, the actual Leipzig.
The princely court was restored between 1967 and 1972 and it was made a museum and you can visit it ever since.
cursedtraveler 