Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: architect

Florentina was established in Roman times as a settlement for veteran soldiers. The name had changed already when young Charlemagne conquered the town in 774. It became part of the Duchy of Tuscany, with Lucca as the capital. Around 1000 Margrave Hugo chose Florence as residency instead of Lucca. After the death of Matilda of Tuscany (1115), the Florentines formed a republic ruled by a council. The town prospered, despite a constant fight between the different factions and noble families. In the 15th century, Florence was among the largest and wealthiest cities in Europe. This was when the Medici family entered the political scene. As a dynasty of art-loving, power-hungry bankers, they made Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance. The Duomo di Firenze was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to a design by Arnolfo di Cambio and completed and consecrated in 1436 with the dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. Santa Maria del Fiore was built on the site of Florence's second cathedral, the first building here was consecrated as a church in 393 by St. Ambrose of Milan. After Arnolfo's death, work stalled for about 5 decades as resources were used to build the third city wall and the construction of the Palazzo della Signoria. According to Arnolfo's designs, only the lower part of the facade had been completed by then. The project received a new impetus when the relics of St. Zenobius were discovered here in 1330. In 1331 the guild of wool merchants took over the patronage for the construction of the cathedral and commissioned Giotto with the construction management in 1334. Assisted by Andrea Pisano, Giotto continued di Cambio's design. His greatest achievement was the construction of the bell tower. When Giotto died on January 8, 1337, Andrea Pisano continued construction until work was stopped due to the Black Death in 1348. The foundations had already been laid in 1298 when construction work began. Giotto designed a bell tower that would have reached a height of over 100 m. When Giotto died in 1337, only the first floor was finished. Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti was found in the 1359 build with some modifications. The tower got a low pyramidal roof and was only 85 m high. There are some very interesting depictions of trades on the tower. Here an architect with his assistants and an astronomer looking at the stars.

The abbey was founded at the end of the 7th century by monks from the abbey Saint-Hilaire de Poitiers. In the early years only a small convent existed, dependent from the abbey in Poitiers, just 15kms away. Since 830, when the remains of Saint Junien de Poitou (once befriended with Queen Radegunde) were transferred to the convent, it is known as "Abbaye Saint-Junien". At that time a church was built, equipped with a crypt, to receive the relics. In the 11th century, under the protection of the Counts of Poitou, the abbey prospered and restorations were undertaken. In the 12th century, the vaulted nave was completed and the belltower got erected. During the 100 Years´ War, it was necessary to fortify the abbey. Walls and ditches surrounded the complex in the 14th century. After a century of prosperity, when again buildings got added, the Wars of Religion started and during the siege of Poitiers in 1569, the Protestant army of Gaspard II de Coligny pillaged and burned the abbey. When the troops left choir and cloister were gone, while the nave was relatively spared. The restoration of the damage took a century. In 1734 the abbey only had seven monks, in 1790, when the Revolution had taken over there were only four. The abbey was sold in 1792, the church since then serves the parish. Today large parts are privately owned. All along the nave are some very unusual carvings. May the artistic style be not that surprising, the themes and icons are very specific. Another enigmatic carving, but as I do have a there, I have uploaded two shots from the same capital. One person holds tools, that were used by builders/architects. The other one holds a paper (?) and a money bag. Near to him is a bird (pigeon?). OK, my theory is that the person, who holds a paper (contract) and the moneybag is the commissioner, who offers a job, while the other person is the builder, who is going to erect the church, in case they agree to the contract. The pigeon? As both persons wear the same hooded garment it could be as well the architect, offering work for eg the bricklayer or another "subcontractor". - As the building of churches mostly took many decades (sometimes centuries) neither the commissioner nor the builder ever saw the finished building.