eclectic imaging
Silly Tuesday: You never know.
Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 3 November 2009 in Documentary & Street.
Sightseeing at the bottom. Seen at Domplatte, Cologne.
Download my coffee-table book of selected postings here. Enjoy!
Linerberry from Sumner, Christchurch, New Zealand
Hehehehe brilliant...what a find!!! And was it a place of historical importance?? Happy ST!
3 Nov 2009 6:08am
@Linerberry: Yes, see Peter's reply. :-)
Peter from Amsterdam, Netherlands
Of course this is near a historical site! It is next to the largest Gothic Cathedral in Germany and maybe even in Europe.
Construction of Cologne Cathedral began in 1248 and took, with interruptions, until 1880 to complete – a period of over 600 years. It is 144.5 metres long, 86.5 m wide and its two towers are 157 m tall.
The cathedral is one of the world's largest churches and the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. For four years, 1880-84, it was the tallest structure in the world, until the completion of the Washington Monument. It has the second-tallest church spires, only surpassed by the single spire of Ulm Cathedral, completed 10 years later in 1890. Because of its enormous twin spires, it also presents the largest façade of any church in the world. The choir of the cathedral, measured between the piers, also holds the distinction of having the largest height to width ratio of any Medieval church, 3.6:1, exceeding even Beauvais Cathedral which has a slightly higher vault.
Cologne's medieval builders had planned a grand structure to house the reliquary of the Three Kings and fit its role as a place of worship of the Holy Roman Emperor. Despite having been left incomplete during the medieval period, Cologne Cathedral eventually became unified as "a masterpiece of exceptional intrinsic value" and "a powerful testimony to the strength and persistence of Christian belief in medieval and modern Europe".
3 Nov 2009 7:15am
@Peter: So it is, Peter! Thanks a lot for summarizing this! Many of the Gothic revival churches I've shown here wouldn't have been possible without the impact of Cologne Cathedral that inspired and still inspires architects, creative and ordinary people like me.
@k@: My pleasure! :-)
MrsAmber from West Wickham, United Kingdom
This is so funny! Could be? You'd think they would know one way or the other by now!! Love it.
3 Nov 2009 10:18am
@MrsAmber: Maybe useful for a doormat design...?
@MARIANA: Polished! ;)
Steven from Chicagoland, United States
I thought this may have been spotted outside your front door. Seems a bit like a paradox seeing the cigarette butt next to it.
3 Nov 2009 1:50pm
@Steven: Trash can't beat true importance. ;)
Cricket-TammyWarren from somewhere, United States
Great creativity with this image. I also enjoyed reading the description by Peter.
3 Nov 2009 4:11pm
@Cricket-TammyWarren: At that place you definitely would be able to confirm this statement with a strong "yes".
LauraS from Chico, United States
Wonderful! So glad you picked this to share on ST.
3 Nov 2009 4:21pm
@LauraS: You're welcome! :-)
Philip from Cowbridge, United Kingdom
On the other hand.....or should I say foot. You do think that if they went to the trouble of laying an inscribed slab they would have worked out if there was historical importance. If not sure, why bother?
3 Nov 2009 6:06pm
@Philip: At that particular place you would have got a quite long inscription! :-D
Ronnie 2¢ from Atlantic Shores, United Kingdom
wow . . ST kinda turned round and bit here but it has still left me delightfully confused and mystified ! ST with a punch.
3 Nov 2009 6:59pm
@Ronnie 2¢: I'm visiting this place for many years, but this was the first time I noticed this slab. Quite unusual find for a German city. :-D
B.Held from Santa Fe, United States
Superb composition and lighting. It really draws you in. . . .
3 Nov 2009 10:42pm
@B.Held: If that would happen, it would result in a crash-landing! :-)
Samantha from Toronto, Canada
Amazing image! I like the use of 'could' in the sentence. Haha! Just great.
3 Nov 2009 11:10pm
@Samantha: Glad you like it! Thanks, Samantha!
Michael from Shell village, United Kingdom
Could be.... but will we know if it is...?
3 Nov 2009 11:52pm
@Michael: At this particular place: yes. If it would be my doormat, I'm not sure...
akarui from Kagoshima, Japan
A nice documentary picture with Peter's comment. I like that you have include your foot.
4 Nov 2009 12:27am
@akarui: Just to show that this slab is on the ground (otherwise it could also have been a wall).
@Joan Felix: Thanks very much, Joan Felix!
dj.tigersprout from New York City, United States
faaabulous!! and i love the toe bottom left! beautiful grains and tones!
4 Nov 2009 3:14pm
@dj.tigersprout: Thanks a lot, Jaycee!
sebastian from Germany
ein gutes bild! gefällt mir sehr gut.... da ist mal jemand nicht einfach drüber hinweg gelaufen :)
keep on watching...
sebastian.
4 Nov 2009 10:22pm
@sebastian: Dankeschön! Wenn ich schon mal da bin, will ich auch alles sehen. :-)
@Twelvebit: Who knows. Maybe he experienced Cologne Carneval and then fled to America.
Canon EOS 40D
1/400 second
F/10.0
ISO 640
25 mm