A TIRELESS CREATOR

Michelangelo has done it again!

Michelangelo does not rest! After Bacchos (1496/97), the great Michelangelo has created “David” (1501/04), it seems a symbol of the defence of civil liberties. Both are located in Florence. Now he presents Moses, in Rome, which is thoroughly carved with white marble. "Moses" could be one of the most important works that Michelangelo has ever done! This had been built for the tomb of Julius Pope in Saint Peter’s basilica but now it is being moved to Saint Pietro’s Church for unknown reasons.

But this never ends! The author shows at the world his first works as architect with the “Basilica of San Lawrence”, which is also in Florence; it is one of the largest churches of the town and Placed in the downtown.

In addition, he is becoming to be acknowledged by his paintings, such as “The Entombment “ and “The battle of Cascina”. Actually he is ending  “The creation of  Adam”.

This is the life of a genius, he is always creating something...Painting, designing buildings, drawing, carving sculptures, writing poetry...What will be the next thing?

By: Ana Sánchez

APOLLO AND DAPHNE TURN INTO STONE (By Angela Jimeno)

In 1625 Apollo and Dafne turn into Stone. It was an artistic charm elaborated by the powerful sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This horrible tragedy was located in Rome, Italy. After, some peolple caught this sculpture and put it in the Gallery Borghese.
This charm was caused when Bernini hear the story of this two people, which recounts how one day Apollo (God of Light and Poetry) teased an arrow-wielding Cupid, calling him too young a boy to be fit to handle such dangerous weapons. Out of spite, Cupid then pricked him with one of his amour-inducing arrows, causing the god to fall madly in love with the passing-by river nymph Daphne. However, Daphne was devoted to the goddess Diana, and had resolved never to marry and to remain a virgin for her entire life.
When Apollo pursued her, driven by his lust, she ran away in panic, calling to her father the river God to help her. He heeded her prayer by transforming her into a laurel tree. Apollo declared that if she would never be his wife, she would at least be his tree, and it is for this reason that he imbued the tree with eternal youth and adopted the crown of laurel leaves, which subsequently became the symbol of Olympic victories and Roman emperors.
Bernini became a fan of Apollo and Dafne and decided to turn them into Stone. In this way he could see them everyday and be a winner because he had part of Dafne and the laurel tree.
Now we can see the sculpture in the gallery. Bernini thought very well the charm so if we obseve clear this work we can see that Daphne is in the process of becoming a tree, with bark creeping over her legs and leaves and branches sprouting out of her fingers.

HENRY VIII GETS MARRIED FOR THE SIXTH TIME! (by Carla Llavador)

Catherine Parr has married with Henry VIII only some month after the execution of Catherine Howard, his last and fifth wife.

WHO WERE HIS OTHERS WIFES?
Catherine of Aragon was his first wife. She married Henry when he only was 18 years old. Before that, Catherine was the wife of Arthur, Henry´s brother but he had died.
Henry got divorced because Catherine didn´t give him any son, only one daughter.

After the divorce he married with Anne Bolena and they had a daughter. But when he got bored of her he accused her of been unfaithful and she was executed. This marriage only lasted 3 years.

The third wife of Henry was Jane Seymour. They married two weeks after Anne's death. With Jane, Henry could have a son but some days after the birth of the baby Jane died.

Anne of Cleves was a german princess and the fourth wife of Henry. They married five days after they meet. But this marriage didn’t work because Henry thought that she was absolutely repellent and because their likes were totally different.

His fifth wife was Catherine Howard, Anne Bolena´s cousin. She only was 19 years old and Henry was around the 50. She worked for Anne of Cleves when she was queen. Catherine and Henry were lovers for a long time and then they married sixteen days after the divorce with Anne of Cleves.
Some time after this, Henry accused Catherine of been unfaithful and she was executed.

And then some months after this he married  Catherine Parr, the current wife. How will it goes?

HOTEL TRANSILVANIA (by Raquel Ilas)

HOTEL TRANSILVANIA
The Bran castle is a castle in Romania. It is located near
Braşov in Transilvania, which is a nice place for tourism.
BRAN CASTLE:

This castle is known because of its relation with the novel “Count Dracula”. Perhaps it is most important because of its old architecture, because Dracula is a fictional character. Otherwise, it’s said that Vlad III Drăculea, the real historical character in which the writer (Bram Stoker) inspired his novel, had never been in this castle. His real castle was castle of Poenari.
CASTLE OF POENARI:

Castle of Poenari is a castle actually in ruins. This castle has been conquered many times until they abandoned it. It had lost a little fragment because of a landslip which felt on the river Argeş, but this has been repaired. Despite this, nowadays the castle can be visited because its walls and towers are still standing.
By: Raquel Ilas.

A TIME OF INNOVATIONS (by Ana L. Sánchez)

Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe. It was a radical change compared with the Middle Ages: its architects revived classic elements such as semicircular arches and became so popular replacing gothic architecture.
Buildings were smaller and not as tall as gothic constructions. Architects wanted to adapt the proportions of the human body and create a sense of order and harmony.
Quattrocento: it is the period of Italian art for the 15th century. During this time, theocentrism is overcome and a culture based on humanism prevails. One of the most important architects was Brunelleschi. He was also a painter and a sculptor.
Cinquocento: in the 16th century, the centre of Renaissance architecture was Rome. Here buildings were built under the patronage of Alexander VI, Julius II,

THE CITY OF THEATRE (by María Díaz Guerra)

The Corral de Comedias (comedy theatre) of Almagro is now open! It has been built by Leonardo Oviedo this year, in 1628.
Comedy Theatres use to follow the architectural model of family inns or neighbourhoods’ courtyards, enclosed in open-air spaces designed for the purpose of hosting theatrical perfomaces during this era, the Spanish Golden Age.
The theatre is built over the so-called “del Toro inn”. This reform consisted in building the stage and the corridors, based on a light wooden structure, which imitating the Plaza Mayor design will allocate the audience.
The patio serves as a transit area, giving access to the inn premises, situated under the three corridors around the wooden structure.
There are a lot of plays to see. Let’s have fun!
The City Council of Almagro has announced the construction of another theatre, but we don’t know many things yet. Some rumors say that Cirilo Vara y Soria is going to be the architect, and that he is going to use a neoclassical style.

We hope to have news soon!

    

The best Russian ruler in history

Ivan III Vasilyevich (22 January 1440, Moscow - 27 October 1505), also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow. He was one of the greatest rulers of the Russian Empire because he tripled the territory of his state, he completed the unification of Russian lands and he ended the dominance of the Golden Horde. He was one of the longest-reigning Russian rulers in history.

Picture of Ivan the Great

Ivan was the oldest son of Basil II and he get married when he was only 12 years old with the Princess Maria of Tver. Basil II died when Ivan was 22 years old. After the death of his father Ivan became the grand prince of Moscow without being confirmed by then Mongol Khan.

Picture of Princess Maria of Tver

After the death of his first wife, Ivan married Sophia Paleologue, a Byzantine princess and niece of the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI. The marriage was sponsored by the Vatican in hope of bringing Russia under the sway of the Pope and of establishing a broad front against the Turks, a goal that failed. From Ivan´s point of view, the marriage fitted well into general trend of elevating the Muscovite ruler.

Following the marriage, Ivan developed a complicated court ceremonial on the Byzantine model and began to use the title of czar and autocrat. Also during the reign of Ivan and his son, Basil III, Moscow came to by spokesmen as the Thrid Rome.

An impressive building program in Moscow took place under Ivan, directed primarily by Italian artists and craftsmen. New buildings were erected in the Kremlin, and the Kremlin walls were strengthened and furnished with towers and gates. Ivan died on October 27,1505, and was succeeded by his son,Basil.

Sculpture of Sophia Paleologue

By: Víctor Plámenov Marínov