Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: orthodox

This church was built in 1904 in the so-called "Byzantine style". Most of the church was built in 1913-16, but the north aisle and transept were not completed until 1927. At that time, this was the Anglican church of St Osmund. In 2000, the church authorities declared that the building had become too dangerous. Services were discontinued and in 2002 St Osmund's Church was declared redundant. The building was put up for sale and sold into the jurisdiction of the Eastern Orthodox Church, first to the Romanian and then to the Antiochian authorities, in whose hands it remains to this day. Today it is known under three names: St Osmond's Church, St Stephen the Great Church, St Dunstan Orthodox Church www.saint-dunstan.org

Tirana was founded in 1614 by the Ottomans, centered on the Old Mosque. The site has been inhabited since the Iron Age and was likely the core of the Illyrian Kingdom of the Taulantii. Following the Illyrian Wars, it was annexed by Rome. With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, most of Albania came under the control of the eastern Byzantine Empire. Tirana remained small and insignificant for a long time until it was designated the capital of Albania at the Congress of Lushnja in 1920. A place with just a few thousand inhabitants became the largest and most important city in the country. King Zogu had a palace built here and, with Italian help, ministries and a boulevard were constructed. At the beginning of WWII Albania was occupied by the Italian fascists. In 1941 the Communist Party of Albania was established and under Enver Hoxha it became the center of the Albanian communists. The city was liberated in November 1944, after a heavy battle lasting several days between the partisans and the Wehrmacht, in which numerous historical buildings were destroyed. A few days later Hoxha proclaimed Albania's independence in Tirana. During the communist rule the city was redesigned, with a number of buildings demolished. Tirana's former Old Bazaar and the Orthodox Cathedral were razed to the ground in order to build the Soviet-styled Palace of Culture. Because private car ownership was banned, mass transportation consisted mainly of bicycles, trucks and buses. After democratization, Tirana slipped into a period of anarchy as necessary laws just did not exist at that time. Illegal buildings were built everywhere. From 1999 onwards, the illegal buildings in the city centre were demolished and the green spaces restored. In the 21st century, Tirana experienced an economic boom. Numerous modern high-rise buildings were built. The historic main cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Albania was demolished in the late 1950s. The new Albanian Orthodox Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ was opened in 2012. It is considered one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the Balkans. The construction of the main building is modelled on the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. A mosaic stretches over 586 m² in the dome and depicts Christ Pantocrator in a blue sky with golden rays and circles.

Tirana was founded in 1614 by the Ottomans, centered on the Old Mosque. The site has been inhabited since the Iron Age and was likely the core of the Illyrian Kingdom of the Taulantii. Following the Illyrian Wars, it was annexed by Rome. With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, most of Albania came under the control of the eastern Byzantine Empire. Tirana remained small and insignificant for a long time until it was designated the capital of Albania at the Congress of Lushnja in 1920. A place with just a few thousand inhabitants became the largest and most important city in the country. King Zogu had a palace built here and, with Italian help, ministries and a boulevard were constructed. At the beginning of WWII Albania was occupied by the Italian fascists. In 1941 the Communist Party of Albania was established and under Enver Hoxha it became the center of the Albanian communists. The city was liberated in November 1944, after a heavy battle lasting several days between the partisans and the Wehrmacht, in which numerous historical buildings were destroyed. A few days later Hoxha proclaimed Albania's independence in Tirana. During the communist rule the city was redesigned, with a number of buildings demolished. Tirana's former Old Bazaar and the Orthodox Cathedral were razed to the ground in order to build the Soviet-styled Palace of Culture. Because private car ownership was banned, mass transportation consisted mainly of bicycles, trucks and buses. After democratization, Tirana slipped into a period of anarchy as necessary laws just did not exist at that time. Illegal buildings were built everywhere. From 1999 onwards, the illegal buildings in the city centre were demolished and the green spaces restored. In the 21st century, Tirana experienced an economic boom. Numerous modern high-rise buildings were built. The historic main cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Albania was demolished in the late 1950s. The new Albanian Orthodox Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ was opened in 2012. It is considered one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the Balkans. The construction of the main building is modelled on the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

Tirana was founded in 1614 by the Ottomans, centered on the Old Mosque. The site has been inhabited since the Iron Age and was likely the core of the Illyrian Kingdom of the Taulantii. Following the Illyrian Wars, it was annexed by Rome. With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, most of Albania came under the control of the eastern Byzantine Empire. Tirana remained small and insignificant for a long time until it was designated the capital of Albania at the Congress of Lushnja in 1920. A place with just a few thousand inhabitants became the largest and most important city in the country. King Zogu had a palace built here and, with Italian help, ministries and a boulevard were constructed. At the beginning of WWII Albania was occupied by the Italian fascists. In 1941 the Communist Party of Albania was established and under Enver Hoxha it became the center of the Albanian communists. The city was liberated in November 1944, after a heavy battle lasting several days between the partisans and the Wehrmacht, in which numerous historical buildings were destroyed. A few days later Hoxha proclaimed Albania's independence in Tirana. During the communist rule the city was redesigned, with a number of buildings demolished. Tirana's former Old Bazaar and the Orthodox Cathedral were razed to the ground in order to build the Soviet-styled Palace of Culture. Because private car ownership was banned, mass transportation consisted mainly of bicycles, trucks and buses. After democratization, Tirana slipped into a period of anarchy as necessary laws just did not exist at that time. Illegal buildings were built everywhere. From 1999 onwards, the illegal buildings in the city centre were demolished and the green spaces restored. In the 21st century, Tirana experienced an economic boom. Numerous modern high-rise buildings were built. The historic main cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Albania was demolished in the late 1950s. The new Albanian Orthodox Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ was opened in 2012. It is considered one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the Balkans. The construction of the main building is modelled on the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The bell tower consists of four oversized Easter candles symbolising the four evangelists.

Tirana was founded in 1614 by the Ottomans, centered on the Old Mosque. The site has been inhabited since the Iron Age and was likely the core of the Illyrian Kingdom of the Taulantii. Following the Illyrian Wars, it was annexed by Rome. With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, most of Albania came under the control of the eastern Byzantine Empire. Tirana remained small and insignificant for a long time until it was designated the capital of Albania at the Congress of Lushnja in 1920. A place with just a few thousand inhabitants became the largest and most important city in the country. King Zogu had a palace built here and, with Italian help, ministries and a boulevard were constructed. At the beginning of WWII Albania was occupied by the Italian fascists. In 1941 the Communist Party of Albania was established and under Enver Hoxha it became the center of the Albanian communists. The city was liberated in November 1944, after a heavy battle lasting several days between the partisans and the Wehrmacht, in which numerous historical buildings were destroyed. A few days later Hoxha proclaimed Albania's independence in Tirana. During the communist rule the city was redesigned, with a number of buildings demolished. Tirana's former Old Bazaar and the Orthodox Cathedral were razed to the ground in order to build the Soviet-styled Palace of Culture. Because private car ownership was banned, mass transportation consisted mainly of bicycles, trucks and buses. After democratization, Tirana slipped into a period of anarchy as necessary laws just did not exist at that time. Illegal buildings were built everywhere. From 1999 onwards, the illegal buildings in the city centre were demolished and the green spaces restored. In the 21st century, Tirana experienced an economic boom. Numerous modern high-rise buildings were built. The historic main cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Albania was demolished in the late 1950s. The new Albanian Orthodox Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ was opened in 2012. It is considered one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the Balkans. The construction of the main building is modelled on the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The complex of the cathedral includes the Chapel of the Nativity, seen in the forground.

Gjirokastër, today a city with a population of about 20.000, developed on the hill where the castle is located in the Middle Ages. The first fortification dates to the 5th-6th centuries CE during the period of Slavic migrations. It was expanded in the 9th-10th centuries and urban development in the castle area dates to the 13th-14th centuries. During this period, Gjirokastër developed into a center known in medieval sources as Argyrokastron, meaning "Silver Castle". The city was first mentioned by the name Argyrokastro in 1336. The Albanian Zenebishi clan held Gjirokastër by the end of the century. In this era, the city was contested between the Italian and Serbian rulers. It was taken by the Ottomans in 1418. During the Ottoman period conversions to Islam and an influx of Muslim converts from the surrounding countryside made Gjirokastër go from being an overwhelmingly Christian city in the 16th century into one with a large Muslim population by the early 19th century. In the 1570s local nobles discussed as Greek representative of enslaved Greece and Albania with the head of the Holy League, John of Austria, the possibility of an anti-Ottoman armed struggle, but this initiative was fruitless. During the communist regime the city was elevated to the status of a museum town, as it was the birthplace of dictatorial ruler of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania Enver Hoxha. The Orthodox Cathedral was built between 2009 – 2016. The church spans over an area of 450 square meters and the dome reaches a height of 18.5 meters.

Around 1437 a member of the Raczków family received a wilderness area along the river Biała from Michael Žygimantaitis, pretender to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the last male descendant of Sigismund Kęstutaitis. From 1665 it belonged to the Branicki family, who developed it into a residential town. At the instigation of Stefan Branicki, Białystok received its town charter in 1692. In the first half of the 18th century, Jan Klemens Branicki transformed the palace built by his father into a magnificent residence, which was frequently visited by Polish kings, in 1748, one of the oldest theaters in Poland, the "Komedialnia", was founded here. In 1770, under the auspices of Jan Klemens Branicki´s wife Izabella Poniatowska, a midwifery school was founded, based on which the Institute of Obstetrics was established in 1805. Białystok came under Prussian rule in 1796 and in 1807 after the Peace of Tilsit fell to Russia. This circumstance and the establishment of a customs border between Congress Poland and Russia in 1831 ensured a boom for the city, as companies from Poland moved their headquarters to the now Russian Białystok to continue producing for the Russian army. The opening of the Warsaw-Petersburg railway, which ran through Białystok, turned the city into an industrial center. In 1900, 63% of the inhabitants were Jews, so the city also developed as a significant Jewish center. During WWI a German air raid took place in April 1915, which resulted in 13 dead. Heavy damage was caused by Russian troops when they retreated from the advancing Germans in August 1915. Białystok remained under German control until February 1919. At the beginning of WWII, the city was taken by German troops but, according to the secret agreement in the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, it was handed over to the troops of the Soviet Union. In the course of the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941, Białystok was again occupied by the Wehrmacht. In June 1941, the German police burned down the Great Synagogue of Białystok, into which they had previously herded hundreds of Jews. The new rulers established the Białystok ghetto here. Most of the approximately 43-60 thousand Jewish inhabitants at that time were taken to the extermination camps Treblinka and Auschwitz and murdered there. . St. Nicholas church was erected 1843 - 1846 and became the seat of the Orthodox parish. It was built in the classical style, with elements referring to the architecture of antique, as well as to Byzantine cross-dome temples. After the restoration of Polish independence in 1918, the new government viewed the Orthodox religious buildings in Bialystok as symbols of the previous Russification policy and revised them for the Catholic Church. Until 1951, St. Nicholas was an ordinary parish church. In1951, after the Orthodox diocese of Białystok-Gdańskthe, was founded, St. Nicholas became a cathedral.

The island of Saaremaa was conquered in 1227 by the Order of the Brothers of the Sword. It fell under the rule of the Teutonic Order a short time later, after the latter had united with the Order of the Brothers of the Sword. The present town formed around a bishop's castle. The settlement itself has been documented since 1424. The town grew and flourished around the fortress. It became the see of the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek. Johann von Münchhausen, bishop since 1542, converted to Protestantism. With the advance of the troops of Tsar Ivan IV of Russia in the course of the Livonian War, he sold his lands to King Frederick II of Denmark in 1559 and returned to Germany. Frederick sent his brother Magnus to Kuressaare where he was elected bishop the following year. The bishopric was finally secularised in 1572 and Kuressaare fell to the Danish Crown. In 1645, it passed to Swedish control, but the city was burnt to the ground by Russian troops in 1710 during the Great Northern War and was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1721. A small wooden church for the orthodox parish existed since about 1747. Empress Catherine II donated the necessary church utensils for Orthodox worship. This church was demolished after the new late classicist stone church was completed in 1790 .

Jūrmala, located about 25 kilometres west of Riga, is a resort town with a long stretch of white-sand beaches. Jūrmala's reputation as a spa destination began in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Wealthy landowners began the tradition of relaxing at the seaside, and Russian army officers came here to rest after the Napoleonic Wars. The opening of the railway in 1877 gave a boost to the number of visitors. The sea breeze, pine aroma, mineral springs, and sandy beaches encouraged many sanatoriums to develop within the city. In Soviet times Jūrmala was popular with the Communist officials. It became one of the most popular holiday destinations in the whole Union. Since the independence Jūrmala seems to recover, many of the old houses are under renovation. Cerkiew pod wezwaniem Matki Boskiej Kazańskiej (Church of Our Lady of Kazan) is one of the orthodox churches in Jurmala.

The area was originally inhabited by the Jatwingers. In the 16th century, Lithuanians began to settle here. The settlement may be founded in 1667. At that time, the village was called Pašesupis. In 1701, the area belonged to the Prienai estate, after which the Kvietiškis estate was separated from it. Its owners gave the settlement the status of a town. In 1736 the new name of the settlement, Starapol, was mentioned in writing for the first time. Later, the Marians established a monastery in the town and built a church in 1750. After them, the town was called Marijampolė. It belonged to Prussia from 1795 to 1807, then to the Duchy of Warsaw until 1815 and from then to the Russian Empire. After Lithuania's independence in 1919, a railway line was built through the town. This led to the development of industry and the growth of the town. In 1940 Marijampolė was occupied by the Soviet Union. In 1940-1941, the Soviet authorities deported several hundred inhabitants of Marijampolė. In 1941, the city was captured by German troops. Due to the war, the town was heavily damaged and almost emptied. On 31 July 1944, the Soviet army entered the town again. In the late post-war years, the town was rebuilt and repopulated with residents from other parts of Lithuania. An orthodox church under construction.

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. - The most important day in Bari´s medieval history was May 09. 1087. At that day seamen sailed into the harbour, carrying the remains of Saint Nicholas. They had stolen (or recovered) them from the saint’s original shrine in Myra, and following the legend, the saint, passing by the city on his way to Rome, had chosen Bari as his burial place. The cathedral was constructed as a shrine. The crypt got consecrated already in 1089 in presence of Pope Urban II. The Basilica di San Nicola, built between 1087 and 1197, clearly influenced the Romanesque style in Southern Italy. It still is a place of pilgrimage for Catholic and Orthodox Christians. Frederick II called the basilica "nostra specialis capella" and for the House of Anjou it was a "basilica palatina". The oldest (and maybe most important) part of the Basilica is the crypt, erected within only two years from 1087 and 1089. Here in a shrine, located behind the iron bars, are the relics of Saint Nicholas of Myra, venerated by Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians. Catholic and Orthodox services are held here for the many pilgrims.

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. - The most important day in Bari´s medieval history was May 09. 1087. At that day seamen sailed into the harbour, carrying the remains of Saint Nicholas. They had stolen (or recovered) them from the saint’s original shrine in Myra, and following the legend, the saint, passing by the city on his way to Rome, had chosen Bari as his burial place. The cathedral was constructed as a shrine. The crypt got consecrated already in 1089 in presence of Pope Urban II. The Basilica di San Nicola, built between 1087 and 1197, clearly influenced the Romanesque style in Southern Italy. It still is a place of pilgrimage for Catholic and Orthodox Christians. Frederick II called the basilica "nostra specialis capella" and for the House of Anjou it was a "basilica palatina". The oldest (and maybe most important) part of the Basilica is the crypt, erected within only two years from 1087 and 1089. The relics of Saint Nicholas of Myra, are venerated by Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians. Catholic and Orthodox services are held here for the many pilgrims.

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. - The most important day in Bari´s medieval history was May 09. 1087. At that day seamen sailed into the harbour, carrying the remains of Saint Nicholas. They had stolen (or recovered) them from the saint’s original shrine in Myra, and following the legend, the saint, passing by the city on his way to Rome, had chosen Bari as his burial place. The cathedral was constructed as a shrine. The crypt got consecrated already in 1089 in presence of Pope Urban II. The Basilica di San Nicola, built between 1087 and 1197, clearly influenced the Romanesque style in Southern Italy. It still is a place of pilgrimage for Catholic and Orthodox Christians. Frederick II called the basilica "nostra specialis capella" and for the House of Anjou it was a "basilica palatina". The oldest (and maybe most important) part of the Basilica is the crypt, erected within only two years from 1087 and 1089. There are 28 columns with 28 capitals, that all differ. Probably due to the short times, here are reused antique, Byzantine, Lombardic and even overworked capitals from unknown places.

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. - The most important day in Bari´s medieval history was May 09. 1087. At that day seamen sailed into the harbour, carrying the remains of Saint Nicholas. They had stolen (or recovered) them from the saint’s original shrine in Myra, and following the legend, the saint, passing by the city on his way to Rome, had chosen Bari as his burial place. The cathedral was constructed as a shrine. The crypt got consecrated already in 1089 in presence of Pope Urban II. The Basilica di San Nicola, built between 1087 and 1197, clearly influenced the Romanesque style in Southern Italy. It still is a place of pilgrimage for Catholic and Orthodox Christians. Frederick II called the basilica "nostra specialis capella" and for the House of Anjou it was a "basilica palatina". The oldest (and maybe most important) part of the Basilica is the crypt, erected within only two years from 1087 and 1089. There are 28 columns with 28 capitals, that all differ. Probably due to the short times, here are reused antique, Byzantine, Lombardic and even overworked capitals from unknown places.

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. - The most important day in Bari´s medieval history was May 09. 1087. At that day seamen sailed into the harbour, carrying the remains of Saint Nicholas. They had stolen (or recovered) them from the saint’s original shrine in Myra, and following the legend, the saint, passing by the city on his way to Rome, had chosen Bari as his burial place. The cathedral was constructed as a shrine. The crypt got consecrated already in 1089 in presence of Pope Urban II. The Basilica di San Nicola, built between 1087 and 1197, clearly influenced the Romanesque style in Southern Italy. It still is a place of pilgrimage for Catholic and Orthodox Christians. Frederick II called the basilica "nostra specialis capella" and for the House of Anjou it was a "basilica palatina". The oldest (and maybe most important) part of the Basilica is the crypt, erected within only two years from 1087 and 1089. There are 28 columns with 28 capitals, that all differ. Probably due to the short times, here are reused antique, Byzantine, Lombardic and even overworked capitals from unknown places.

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. - The most important day in Bari´s medieval history was May 09. 1087. At that day seamen sailed into the harbour, carrying the remains of Saint Nicholas. They had stolen (or recovered) them from the saint’s original shrine in Myra, and following the legend, the saint, passing by the city on his way to Rome, had chosen Bari as his burial place. The cathedral was constructed as a shrine. The crypt got consecrated already in 1089 in presence of Pope Urban II. The Basilica di San Nicola, built between 1087 and 1197, clearly influenced the Romanesque style in Southern Italy. It still is a place of pilgrimage for Catholic and Orthodox Christians. Frederick II called the basilica "nostra specialis capella" and for the House of Anjou it was a "basilica palatina". The oldest (and maybe most important) part of the Basilica is the crypt, erected within only two years from 1087 and 1089. Here in a shrine, located behind the iron bars, are the relics of Saint Nicholas of Myra, venerated by Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians. Catholic and Orthodox services are held here for the many pilgrims.

This little russian-orthodoxe church, downtown Nice, was consecrated 1860. So the parish "St. Nicolas de Nice", that was founded here celebrated it´s 150th birthday in 2010. Having the strong support of the russian Tsar Nicholas II, the parish later built the great Cathedral Saint Nicolas, that got consecrated 1912. There is even another russina-ortodoxe chapel in nearby Antibes. Here is the website of the parish in french and russian language: acor-nice.com/spip/