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Affichage des articles du octobre, 2023

79 Paris 10th arrondissement : Saint Laurent. Executioners' burial place.

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Located in the tenth arrondissement, Saint Laurent church dates mostly from the 15th to 17th centuries. During the French Revolution, it became for a while « a temple of reason » in the period of atempts to massively reduce the influence of the Catholic Church, without encouraging atheism, by establishing other forms of worship. This was Robespierre’s idea, and lasted eight years or so. Several members of the Sanson family, professional executioners from father to son up till the 1840s, are buried here. They could also do torture for you for a bit extra. You can see some fine paintings such as « Jesus on his visit to Hell » (I am not making this up – but I guess everyone needs a holiday from time to time). Also interesting stained glass : Clovis getting baptized etc. The Stations of the Cross are very pretty.

78 Barcelona - The Holy Family : the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world

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  Masterpiece of Gaudi, who is supposed to have said, of the fact that it was taking him many decades to build his basicila that his client was in no hurry. These are some photos I took ten years ago. I need to go back because they have built more of it. It’s hard to say much about, it being so unique. Building was begun in 1882, and Gaudi had finished   a quarter by the time he died in 1926. Today there are only ten spires left to build. I love that feeling when you are down to your last ten spires. It costs quite a bit to get in, but that’s how they pay for the building. Lots of angular statues.   Information in English Information in Catalan Information in Arabic