Shaniwar Wada Inside and Out

The Shaniwar Wada, the bastion of the Peshwas, was burnt down from the inside in 1828. The fire burnt down this magnificent seven-storey wada to cinders. The fire burnt for a week and left nothing in its wake. A garden has been built where the fort once stood and it is now a tourist site.

This is the view from the front balcony facing the outside.

The main gate, called the Dilli Gate. The spikes are at the height of an elephant so that if the enemy tried to break the door using elephants, it would be very difficult.

This is what it looks like from the front.

Interiors of the Sardar Purandare Wada at Saswad

Here are some photographs of the interior of the Purandare Wada at Saswad. This is an extension of two previous posts - Inside the Sardar Purandare Wada at Saswad and the some exterior images of the Sardar Purandare Wada at Saswad. Saswad is a small historical town near Pune. It has other cultural sites like ancient temples besides this fortress belonging to the Purandare family. Wada is the Marathi name for a large house with a courtyard. Typically, wadas are large and sprawling houses.

This photo was taken right at the entrance, before one enters the courtyard. It is that large area between the outside and the inside. Deliberately kept this way, for safety's sake. Everything is made of stone.

Here is a view of the Purandare wada from the inside. It is taken from a first floor window and is a view of the courtyard and the rooms of the upper floors. The walls have since crumbled but as this was how it was built (with rooms on all four sides) one can image the number of rooms and the people who resided here.

A closer look at some of the wood pillars, wooden ceiling and the carved wooden decorations adorning the wada.

A glimpse of some of the ruins inside.

A narrow staircase inside the wada.

You might also like to see photos photos of Ancient Doors in India or more ancient culture from Maharashtra: Vishram Bag Wada Pune - Photos or Ancient Narsimha Temple in Pune

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Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram or Mammallapuram

The Shore Temple was built over 13 centuries ago (700-728 AD). Although it is partly in ruins, it has been well maintained. It is near the beach of the Bay of Bengal. It has been made of granite at Mahabalipuram or what is also known as Mammallapuram which is a small village near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It was built during the Pallava dynasty.

A panoramic view of the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram. It is in the centre of the image. Beyond that is the sea.

A closer look at the ancient temple at Mahabalipuram. It is an UNESCO world heritage site. The temple is dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu.

You might also like Meenakshi Temple or Tiru-alavai images or check out the scores of images filed under the label "Temples" where you will find temples from different parts of the world.

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Sistine Chapel Ceiling designs

The Sistine Chapel is where the Pope lives, the head of the Catholic Church. It lies in the Vatican City. It's painted architecture and sculpted decorations, frescoes and paintings are famous throughout the world. Renaissance artists like Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio worked on the paintings and frescoes in the chapel, creating great works of art.

This is an image of the spectacular ceiling of one of the corridors inside the church. Most of these paintings depict the life of Jesus Christ and Moses and are meant to be interpreted and read.  Symbolism was used freely.

Another equally breathtaking painting on the ceiling of the church surrounded by gold engravings. Angels and other figures from the bible were used freely in the artwork and frescoes on the ceiling.

A circular painting up inside an arch at the Roman Church. This painting shows some sort of war or battle going on. Some of the figures (angels?) are shown killing animals and also humans.

Another circular piece of renaissance art. Angles with wings and halos can be seen in the blue and gold painting.

Related Images: More Sistine Chapel Corridor Ceiling Paintings and Designs or   Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City in Rome Italy
For more pictures from Italy and Rome:  City of Roma - Pictures or  Photographs of the Colosseum at Rome, Italy or Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) in Rome or the Rome castle or Castel Sant'Angelo - photographs and sketch or try any of the labels below this post.

Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City in Rome Italy

The Sistine Chapel is the official residence of the Pope in the Vatican City. It's architecture and sculpted decorations and paintings are famous. Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio worked on the paintings and frescoes in the chapel.

The image below is a wide angle view of the famous Sistine chapel which lies in Vatican city. Hundreds of tourists are milling about. The actual chapel is quite plain from the outside.

Another view of the large Sistine Chapel area.

The crowds at the Sistine Chapel are huge and this photo captures some of them.

This is one of the doors, an exit. A guard in costume is standing at the door. Even here elaborate sculpted figures can be seen. The door is huge and at the top there is a small painting with sculptures of angels on each side of it. Like many ancient doors this one too seems to be fortified with iron protrusions.

A view of the chapel and the buildings around it in Vatican city.

The actual structures of the chapel and the buildings around it are all decorated with sculptures on the roof and the dome is also very elaborately decorated.

Related Images: City of Roma - Pictures or  Photographs of the Colosseum at Rome, Italy or Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) in Rome or the Rome castle or Castel Sant'Angelo - photographs and sketch

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VT or CST station sketch, illustration and silhouette

This colored illustration of Victoria Terminus Station or VT has been done on Photoshop. (Stylize with the solarize layer and then invert).

This is a sketch of VT or CST station.

The black background of the blog is not the right place for this silhouette of CST station to stand out. It will look okay against another background.

Related Images: VT or CST railway station in Mumbai or try the label "Heritage Buildings" or any other label below this post for more similar images.

Tower of London Photograph, Sketch and Silhouette

These are pictures of the Tower of London, an ancient Tudor castle on the River Thames. It is a tourist spot. This castle of the Tudors was built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror. This castle is seen as something evil or bad and a place of death, because it was was an ancient prison. Originally however this was built as a grand palace, and was a residence of the royals. In the16th and 17th centuries certain prominent figures were imprisoned here. , when many figures who had fallen into disgrace, such as Elizabeth I before she became queen, were held within its walls. People have been executed here as well.

This is a photo of the Tudor castel or what is popularly called the "Tower of London."

This is a sketch of the Tower of London or the castle of the Tudors.

This is a silhouette of the Tower of London.

Related Viewing: Silhouettes of the London Skyline or Westminster Palace and Big Ben or  Buckingham Palace Panoramic View or Victoria Memorial Fountain outside Buckingham Palace in London or Britain's Royal Emblem and Sketch
For more pictures of London landmarks: London Eye or Free iconic scenes from London
For London scenes from daily life: Musician in the London Metro or London streets with traffic, buses, crowds and people
Or click on any of the labels below this post for more related photos.

Sketch and Silhouettes of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai

Here is a sketch of the Taj Hotel in Mumbai, a hotel which has become a landmark of Mumbai. Both the old hotel and the new wing of the iconic Taj Hotel have been represented here. This hotel has become an icon of Mumbai because of the beauty of the old heritage structure. It is directly in front of the Gateway of India in South Mumbai which is a famous tourist spot.

Here is a silhouette of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, both the new hotel and wing and the old hotel. It is a black silhouette against a white background.

Another silhouette of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, both the old and the modern structure. In this silhouette there is a background of  the sky.

Try the label Silhouettes or the label Sketches for more silhouettes and sketches of people and buildings and monuments from different parts of the world.
Photos on which these sketches and silhouettes are based can be found here: The Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai If you are looking for other hotels: Sketch of the Air India building and Oberoi Towers hotel

For photos of the Oberoi Hotel: Mumbai Skylines - Nariman Point and Malabar Hill

For more sketches and silhouettes of buildings try Skyscraper Sketches or Skyscraper silhouettes or Chinese Architecture Sketches 

Flora Fountain in Mumbai

Flora Fountain, at the Hutatma Chowk (Martyr's Square), is a heritage monument in South Mumbai in the Fort business district. It was built in 1864, during the British era. The fountain depicts the Roman goddess Flora, the goddess of flowers and spring. This is easily the most famous square in Mumbai, a point where five streets meet.Another statue (patriots holding torch) was added to the square in 1960, in memory of those who died in the struggle for the Maharashtra state.

In this photograph you can see the fountain with goddess Flora in the background and the torch-bearing patriots in the foreground. Some buildings around this square are also considered heritage buildings, like the on the extreme right of the image.

A closer look at Flora Fountain.

A close-up of the patriots holding up the torch of freedom.

More heritage structures in Mumbai: Mumbai Muncipality Heritage Building or VT or CST railway station in Mumbai
You might also like Gateway of India view from the sea or for an artistic representation of Mumbai: A blue Mumbai! (an exhibit)
Or check out all the images filed under the label Mumbai which includes skylines, malls and markets.

City of Roma - Pictures

These are photographs of the city of Rome (Roma in Italian). These images can give you a feel of what the city is like. The photographs depict ordinary life in the city, and not particular monuments.

This photographs shows us the river Tiber, on the banks of which Rome was built in 753 BC. It is not the longest river in Italy but is famous for being a part of Rome. In olden times the river used to regularly flood its banks until the Romans built high stone embankments (seen in the picture below) in the late nineteenth century. Today the river is enconsed in a canal, and to enjoy its beauty one has to climb down steep steps leading to the river. Interestingly, in ancient Rome, executed criminals were thrown into the river Tiber.

This is an ordinary street in Rome with shops and offices in the buildings. The photograph was taken from atop a tourist bus.

Another Roman street, with a hotel to the right of the picture.

Another quiet street in Rome. A distinctive feature of Rome are its massive and solid buildings with an old style architecture. These old buildings have been maintained well and give Rome its beauty. There are hardly an "modern" style buildings visible in the city of Rome and by that I mean ugly glass skyscrapers.

Some local people and tourists can be seen here. The horse buggy is used by tourists. A tiny car can be seen in the centre of the road.

Italy is famous for its small cars and here you can see how tiny the cars really are! Easy to park and helps traffic move faster. It is common to see these cars parked horizontally as well!

Road-side cafes are common is European cities and here is one in Rome. People hang out here for hours, just sipping coffee, or wine.

A photograph shot from a tourist bus which is nearing some ancient monument, a tourist spot.

This is a popular fountain in Rome. Not the Trevi Fountain, which is more famous, but the Piazza della Repubblica, a semi-circular piazza or plaza or square in Rome. It is one of several beautiful fountains in the city.

Related Images: Photographs of the Colosseum at Rome, Italy or Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) in Rome or the Rome castle or Castel Sant'Angelo - photographs and sketch

Rome castle or Castel Sant'Angelo - photographs and sketch

These are photographs of the Mausoleum of Hadrian or the "Castel Sant'Angelo". It is a cylindrical building in Rome. It was built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a castle to live in for himself and his family. The castle was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum. It is a popular tourist attraction.

The statue at the top of the castle is that of an angel, after which the castle is named.

Here you can see tourists milling around the castle in Rome. The two statues at the gates of the castle are visible in the photograph. More statues line the pathway to the entrance. This is the front view. The first two statues are of Roman personages.

This is a sketch of the Roman castle or the Mausoleum of Hadrian from the canal side.

Related images: Photographs of the Colosseum at Rome, Italy or Colosseum Sketch and Silhouette or Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City in Rome Italy
Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) in Rome or for another castle from a different part of the world: Tower of London Photograph, Sketch and Silhouette

Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) in Rome

Here are some photos of the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome. It is usually packed with tourists, and there is a legend associated with this fountain. Legend claims that if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain your wish will come true.

While we were at the Trevi fountain a newly married couple arrived there to be photographed in their wedding clothes.

Related Images: For more pictures of monuments and scenes of Italy try the label "Italy"