Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: bench

Bari was an early settlement and passed under Roman rule in the 3rd century BC. It developed strategic significance as the point of junction between the coast road and the Via Traiana and as a port for eastward trade. The first bishop of Bari was Gervasius who is known from the Council of Sardica in 347. After the decline of the Roman Empire, the town was devasted and taken by Alaric´s Visigothic troops, then was under Lombardian rule, before the Byzantines took over. In 755 it was conquered by Pepin the Short (Charlemagne´s father) and from 847 on it was an Islamic Emirate. The Byzantine fleet returned in 871 and since 885 Bari was the residence of the local Byzantine governor. Following a three-year siege, Bari was captured by Robert Guiscard in 1071. After the relics of Saint Nicholas, which were brought from Myra in Lycia, arrived in Bari, the Basilica di San Nicola was founded in 1087. This attracted pilgrims, whose encouragement and care became central to the economy of Bari. After the murder of archbishop Griso in 1117 a civil war broke our and the control was seized by Grimoald Alferanites, a native Lombard, in opposition to the Normans. He later did homage to Roger II of Sicily, but rebelled and was defeated in 1132. The Castello Normanno-Svevo (aka "Castello di Bari") was probably built around 1132 by Norman King Roger II. When in 1155 the Baresi rebelled against the Normans, the castle got destroyed, so as a retaliatory action, William I of Sicily (aka "William the Wicked") had the city destroyed except for the cathedral and the Basilica of St. Nicola. Bari recovered and had its heydays under Frederick II. When he returned from his crusade after 1229, the city gates were locked so he had to use force to gain entry. Therefore, he probably had the fort built in 1233 to keep the city in check. On the other hand, he granted the city generous trade privileges and left it the leading role in the region. I have already uploaded many photos I took in Bari during previous visits, so I will only upload a few. If you want to see more, click here: www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/album/1333318

In 1095 three noblemen donated a remote piece of land in the Black Forest to the Order of Saint Benedict in 1095. The monastery, that was founded, was settled by monks from "Kloster St. Blasien". The Bishop of Constance consecrated the first stone oratorio in 1099. In 1101 the monastery was placed under papal protection by Pope Paschal II. Emperor Heinrich V confirmed these rights in 1123. The monastery was strongly influenced by Kloster Hirsau, a centre of the Cluniac Reforms. So the second and third abbots came from Hirsau. The abbey church, a flat-roofed three-aisled basilica with a transept, a choir and side choirs was completed in 1133. It was consecrated three years earlier to Saint Nicholas. The blueprint of the church followed the Cluniac/Hirsau scheme. The founders had endowed Kloster Alpirsbach with a number of villages when Count Adalbert joined the monastery around 1100, he donated property in the wine-growing Breisgau region. The monastery to prospered and entered an economic boom in the early 15th century. The decline started some decades later and at the end of that century, the abbey was heavily in debt. In 1522, Alpirsbach's prior Ambrosius Blarer left the monastery after being stripped of his position. Blarer, who had been giving Lutheran sermons at the monastery and had met and befriended the Lutheran reformer Philip Melanchthon, returned to Württemberg in 1534 to become one of Duke Ulrich's chief reformers. In 1556, Duke Christoph dissolved the monastery. The buildings were used for Protestant seminaries and boarding schools. The Alpirsbach seminary lasted from 1556 to 1595 and taught around 200 students. Today the former abbey is used for cultural events like concerts and exhibitions. There is as well a very interesting museum. This large bench is located in one of the aisles. It is 7m long and could be dated via dendrochronological research to 1344. It is one of the few medieval furniture that is still existing unchanged.

During the heat, under such difficult circumstances I described on the previous upload, shadow can be a real treat. A bench, placed in the shadow, where you can rest a while and drink some water - is heaven. Especially, when, like here, the bench is in deed dedicated to the weary pilgrim.