Esther's photos with the keyword: iron

"Hancock Shaker Village is a former Shaker commune in Hancock and Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It emerged in the towns of Hancock, Pittsfield, and Richmond in the 1780s, organized in 1790, and was active until 1960. It was the third of nineteen major Shaker villages established between 1774 and 1836 in New York, New England, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. The village was closed by the Shakers in 1960, and sold to a local group who formed an independent non-profit. This organization now operates the property as an open-air museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places and declared a National Historic Landmark District in 1968. The Shaker religion began in Manchester, England around the year 1747. A group of dissident Christians, they practiced ecstatic worship and egalitarianism. A young woman named Ann Lee gradually emerged as the primary leader of the group. In 1770, she experience visions and revelations taught her that only by renouncing sexual relations could humankind ever achieve entrance into heaven. After enduring persecution in England, the small group of Shakers, led by Lee, set sail for the New York colony in 1774. By 1776, they settled within Watervliet, New York, establishing what became Watervliet Shaker Village. In the winter of 1779-1780, a brief religious revival swept through Baptist and Presbyterian congregations in Columbia County, New York and Berkshire County, Massachusetts. After the revival dissipated in the summer of 1780, many ministers and congregants from these churches investigated the Shakers and began converting. Invigorated by this influx of new converts, the Shakers expanded through missionary trips from 1780 through 1784 throughout the Northeast. Ann and William Lee died in 1784, and their friend and co-minister James Whittaker died in 1787. The movement was then re-organized and institutionalized by the American converts Joseph Meacham and Lucy Wright. Shaker converts were gathered into communal villages, where all property was jointly owned." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hancock_Shaker_Village AIMG 6235

This chapel was commissioned in 1899. It is now a part of the Mystic [Connecticut] Seaport Museum. AIMG 5313

Otherwise, why fence a wall? AIMG 4347

Plaza de Armas in Trujillo, Peru is surrounded by buildings from the 16th through 19th Century. This window allows the people in the building to have perceived privacy from the street while being able to look outside. It also provides security at street level. The Sunday Challenge: Windows AIMG 1582

Nice is the fifth most populated city in France with almost 350,000 inhabitants. It became part of France in 1860, after having been ruled by Italy. It is located on the Côte d'Azur and boasts a Mediterranean climate. AIMG_2912

Although a bit off the beaten path, this Synagogue is in walking distance from the main attractions of Florence Italy and is well worth the effort. It was built between 1874 and 1882 and its exterior and stunning interior reflect the Sephardic style of Moorish Spain. It survived the German attempt to destroy it during World War II. AIMG_3076

This is the 350 year old clay and straw model that Gian Lorezno Bernini (1598-1680) made over a frame of iron and wickerwork for the casting of the bronze figures for the the altars of the throne of St. Peter between 1659 and 1665 at St. Peter's Basilica. Now in the Vatican Museums. AIMG_2356

Saint Paul de Vence is a charming hilltop fortified village in Provence, France. It is one of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera. It is known for its architecture, art galleries, boutiques and sidewalk cafes. About 300 people live within the walls of the village, yet 2.5 million tourists visit each year. AIMG_2840

A wonderfully ornate street light in Rome that illustrates the adage: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing. AIMG_2268

These twin roses were photographed in the Jardin botanique de Montréal AMontreal.08 143

Bridge in the White Mountains, New Hampshire AIMG_4148