Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: sleeping Magi

In 192 BC, the Romans conquered the area and founded the outpost Toletum. Due to its iron ore deposits, Toledo developed into an important settlement. Since the first barbarian invasions, the ancient walls were reinforced. In 411 the Alans and later the Visigoths conquered the city. Toledo was the capital of the Visigoths' empire from about 531 to 711. The Moors conquered the place in 712. Toledo experienced its heyday during the period of Moorish rule as Ṭulayṭula during the Caliphate of Córdoba until its conquest by Alfonso VI in 1085, after a four-year siege. In 1088, only a few years after the conquest, Archbishop Bernard of Toledo obtained confirmation from Pope Urban II that Toledo should hold the "primatus in totis Hispaniarum regnis" (primacy in all the kingdoms of the Iberian dominions). The Archbishop of Toledo is still today the Primate of the Catholic Church of Spain. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Toledo school of translators translated ancient philosophical writings (Plato, Aristotle) that had been translated from Greek into Arabic, but also genuinely Arabic writings from the fields of astronomy, mathematics, Islamic religion and theology into Latin. After the conquest by Alfonso VI, Toledo became the residence of the Kingdom of Castile in 1087 and remained the capital of Spain until 1561. The cathedral was founded in 1226. Ferdinand III (aka “the Saint”) laid the first stone in 1227 after he had the old Visigothic church demolished. This had previously been converted into a mosque by the Moors and they wanted to radically remove this influence. The first architect, named “Master Martín” is mentioned in 1227. He either was French or had worked there before, as this building was clearly modeled after the Bourges Cathedral. It is widely believed to be one of the most important Gothic churches in Spain. It measures 120 meters in length by 59 meters in width and 44.5 meters high. It consists of five naves with a transept and double ambulatory. The sleeping Magi

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 Baptistery of San Giovanni is the baptistery of Florence Cathedral. The time of origin is disputed, the church was consecrated in the 11th century. The church stands on the foundations of a Roman building. The first reliable source dates from 897, when an ecclesia (church) dedicated to John the Baptist and facing the bishop's palace is mentioned. Today's building dates from the 11th century at the earliest. The octagon had been a common shape for baptisteries for many centuries since early Christian times. The construction was finished in 1128. An octagonal lantern was added to the roof around 1150. It was enlarged with a rectangular entrance porch in 1202, leading into the original western entrance of the building, that in the 15th century became an apse, after the opening of the eastern door facing the western door of the cathedral by Lorenzo Ghiberti. The interior is divided into a lower part with columns and an upper part with a corridor. The interior walls are clad in dark green and white marble inlaid with geometric designs. The marble lining of the interior began in the second half of the eleventh century. From 1225, the dome was decorated with one of the world's largest mosaic cycles, with a diameter of 26 m in eight rings by famous artists such as Giotto or Cimabue; This mosaic, dominated by a mighty figure of Christ, was only completed after 50 years. The cyclorama was created between 1260 and 1275 and has a diameter of eight meters. Details of the mosaic: The sleeping Magi

A first church may have existed around 1100. Some parts of a church erected around 1170 still exist. This was already dedicated to Saint Sulpitius the Pious ("Sulpice le Pieux"), chaplain on the court of Clotaire II, King of the Franks, and later Bishop of Bourges. As the church kept relics of Saint-Sulpice, this was a place for many pilgrims from the very beginning. The construction of the High Gothic church seen today began around 1260. It is for sure the work of an experienced architect, who even may have had ties to the royal court, as the building was financed by Louis IX (aka "Saint Louis") and the Bishopric of Paris. By promoting the pilgrimage to this church, Louis IX from the House of Capet tracked his roots over six centuries back to Merovingian Clotaire II. This church was built during the "siècle d’or de St. Louis", when the Kingdom of France was politically and economically at its height in Europe. Of course, such a "royal symbol" had to suffer in the centuries to come. In 1652, during the civil wars ("Fronde"), the church was set on fire. The roof burnt down and the vaultings over four bays collapsed. During the French Revolution the church was severely damaged and later converted into a "Temple of Reason". The church is known for the elegant, delicate High Gothic architecture and for the beautiful stained glass windows from the 13th century. Here are details. The sleeping Magi.