Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: minimalism

The island of Corsica is one of the 18 regions of France. It was colonized the Carthaginians, the Greeks, the Etruscans and the Romans. After the Roman empire collapsed, Corsica got invaded by the Vandals and the Ostrogoths. For a short while the island belonged to the Byzantine Empire, then the Franks granted the island to the Pope, in the early 11th century Pisa and Genoa together freed the island from the threat of Arab invasion. The island came under the influence of the Republic of Pisa, later it belonged to Genua for centuries. In 1755 after a long fight for independence from Genoa the independent Corsican Republic was proclaimed, but in 1769, when the island was conquered by France. As the areas near the coast over centuries have been threatened by attacks and raids of pirates many old hamlets and dwellings are wide inland, high in the mountains. So most of the old churches are in the mountains and some of them are hard to find. Archeologists proved, that Aregno was occupied already in Roman times and was a regional center of the surrounding hamlets in medieval times. It is known for this church. "Trinita e San Giovanni Battista", located in the center of the graveyard, is a former "pieve" (parish church) erected in the first half of the 12th century. This is a "Pisan style" single nave church 16.60 mx 6.30 m, with a semicircular apse circular and a spectacular facade with extraordenary carvings. More details of the facade: In the center the head of a bull, flanked by two clumsy quadrupeds. These are probably lions, similar to that in Murato. The right one is clearly male. It took me a while to find the snake around the round oculus-window.

This chapel, dedicated to Nikolaus von der Flue (aka "Brother Klaus") a Swiss hermit and ascetic, was erected 2005-2007 following a design by the internationally renowned Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. It was donated by local family, owner of the fields around, who had met Peter Zumthor when he built the Diocesan Art Museum "Kolumba" in (near) Cologne. With the support of many volunteers this minimalist tower-like, windowless chapel was created. It is located isolated in the fields, about half an hour walk from the next parkig lot.

The chapel, dedicated to Nikolaus von der Flue (aka "Brother Klaus") a Swiss hermit and ascetic, was erected 2005-2007 following a design by the internationally renowned Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. It was donated by local family, owner of the fields around, who had met Peter Zumthor when he built the Diocesan Art Museum "Kolumba" in (near) Cologne. With the support of many volunteers this minimalist tower-like, windowless chapel was created. It is located isolated in the fields, about half an hour walk from the next parkig lot. The chapel was inspired by the hermitage, Brother Klaus lived in for decades end of the 15th century. The building started with a tent-like structure constructed out of more than 100 spruce trunks. Around this inner construction the chapel was built by tamped concrete, what took 24 days. Later a fire was started inside, which caused the trunks to dry and peel off the concrete so that they could be removed, leaving marks on the inner walls.

This chapel, dedicated to Nikolaus von der Flue (aka "Brother Klaus") a Swiss hermit and ascetic, was erected 2005-2007 following a design by the internationally renowned Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. It was donated by local family, owner of the fields around, who had met Peter Zumthor when he built the Diocesan Art Museum "Kolumba" in (near) Cologne. With the support of many volunteers this minimalist tower-like, windowless chapel was created. It is located isolated in the fields, about half an hour walk from the next parkig lot.

This chapel, dedicated to Nikolaus von der Flue (aka "Brother Klaus") a Swiss hermit and ascetic, was erected 2005-2007 following a design by the internationally renowned Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. It was donated by local family, owner of the fields around, who had met Peter Zumthor when he built the Diocesan Art Museum "Kolumba" in (near) Cologne. With the support of many volunteers this minimalist tower-like, windowless chapel was created. It is located isolated in the fields, about half an hour walk from the next parkig lot. www.feldkapelle.de