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Post by genazzano on Dec 12, 2014 10:54:17 GMT -5
Genazzano dates back to Roman times when Emperor Antoninus Pius had a luxurious villa nearby. Buildings here date back to medieval times clustered on the top of a bedrock outcropping. This first image is of the valley below the town. As seen from the mountainside across the valley, our building which dates back to the 14th century when it was a granary and stables for the Colonna castle towering behind it. The valley as seen from our windows. The streets of town.
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Dec 12, 2014 12:56:24 GMT -5
Nice atmospheric shots, the one of the streets with the border as the look of an Autochrome colour shot! It looks the kind of place where any view is a picture!
Stephen.
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Post by genazzano on Dec 12, 2014 13:49:35 GMT -5
It does look like an autochrome, Stephen. I suppose I am making images from photographs. On the festa del Cuore di Gesu, the town comes out to watch the procession of biblical characters pass through the streets. This shot was into the sun with strong backlighting everywhere. David
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Post by genazzano on Dec 13, 2014 4:27:56 GMT -5
Telephoto from the road in the valley, you can see masonary dating from around 2000 on the right, back to around the 17th century on the left, and even further back to around the 13th century in the center. A wonderful jumble of human activity for a milenium... The narrow shaded alleyways open to the sunlight of the mountain valleys surrounding the ancient town. David
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Post by genazzano on Dec 13, 2014 13:06:32 GMT -5
Walking toward the main gate of the ancient Colonna castle one can look up and see beautiful stone bifora, stone windows, from the 1300's. David
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mickeyobe
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Post by mickeyobe on Dec 14, 2014 5:55:14 GMT -5
This town must have been built for photographers.
A gorgeous place but the decay is sad.
Your pictures do it justice.
Mickey
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Post by belgiumreporter on Dec 14, 2014 6:20:20 GMT -5
I, very badly, want to go there, my wife has visited Italy on several occasions, i never did and it is high on my bucket list. I've just had a look on google maps and it is "only" 1554Km from where i live. I have some friends in Switzerland so maybe i can combine a visit. Or i could take a plain to Rome and go from there. It is the Genazzano next to the strada statale 155 isn't it ?
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Post by genazzano on Dec 14, 2014 6:59:28 GMT -5
Our small town isn't on the tourist's lists. It is basically home to the Genazzanese who often have been here for generations. Like my family in another mountain village called Vico nel Lazio located through a mountain pass we can see on the horizon, they have lived there for hundreds of years. In the park above town here, there are trees that appear in drawings and artwork of the 17th and 18th centuries. Sadly we loss some in a heavy snow storm two years ago. Although bus service is excellent, the trains stop in Valmontone not far away, as is the Autostrada running between Roma and Napoli. David
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Post by genazzano on Dec 14, 2014 7:16:32 GMT -5
I try to capture the feeling that is experienced walking through the back narrow streets lined with ancient doorways to catinas used for olive oil or wine. The colors are naturally vivid and change with the weather and time of day. Here there was a green cast to the light as heavy rain storms were approaching. Here in the blazing afternoon sun, the light is bright and golden, reflecting off the reds and golds of the buildings. During this annual festival, the people stay up all through the night to decorate the streets with images made with flower petals and seeds. Most were inside away from the heat when I shot this. David
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Post by genazzano on Dec 14, 2014 9:42:14 GMT -5
Our town isn't a tourist destination though it should be. Restaurants are simple and comfortable and serve wonderful food. We have the historic sanctuary of Santa Maria del Buon Consiglio, a popular attraction to many pilgrims and visitors alike. The wonderful ruins of a ninfeo by Bramante. The massive castle of the Colonna family dominates the vista where various activities and art exhibits are held continuously during the year. My wife, who is an architect, is restoring an apartment located on the street that appears in an image above. It dates back to midieval days and shows evidence of renovations performed at various times through the centuries. Repair and preservation of buildings here is of utmost importance for the survival of our town and its heritage.
David
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Post by genazzano on Dec 23, 2014 3:06:56 GMT -5
The small town grew up around the castle of the Colonna family. In a narrow street below the walls of the castle is a doorway marked by a sign of the armourer's shop where nobility and wealthy knights could order very expensive chainmail. The original doorway is still there and has survived over 500 years. David
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hansz
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Post by hansz on Dec 23, 2014 4:03:55 GMT -5
Beautiful door! I like doors as a subject, here is one from Utrechts main church, also about 500 years old: Utrecht 3Q2003 by hanszeiss, on Flickr
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Post by genazzano on Dec 23, 2014 4:46:35 GMT -5
I agree. I love doors... Old doors with thresholds worn by centuries. Here's another. It's the doorway to the castle high on an arched bridge that leads to the town's park. The park and castle appear in several 18th century prints. It was a rare day when we had snow.
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Post by julio1fer on Dec 23, 2014 20:36:43 GMT -5
Very beautiful tour of your town. You do not have a shortage of good subjects!
The flower petal decoration is awesome.
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Post by genazzano on Dec 24, 2014 9:01:18 GMT -5
Very beautiful tour of your town. You do not have a shortage of good subjects! The flower petal decoration is awesome. Thank you sincerely. I wish I could go on with these. There are hidden places are town that are fascinating reminants of life here in the Middle Ages. At the base of the hill a laundry with constantly flowing spring water that comes through a passage cut in solid rock extending to a cistern still buried under the parking lot of the piazale. You can still see ancient frescoes inside the opening if you stick the camera in and shoot blindly with a flash. The passage through which the water passes is about 3ft in diameter and was cut by hand, usually by traveling bands of dwarf workman. The water arrives in the cistern through pipes that replaced the Roman aqueduct ruins of which line the walk through the town park. The oportunities for photography here in my town would occupy me for a long time. David
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