Bucharest is Romania's capital and where I spend my days.
Bucharest (UK: /ˌbuːkəˈrɛst/, US: /ˈbuːkərɛst/ -rest; Romanian: București [bukuˈreʃtʲ]) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater metropolitan area of 2.3 million, making Bucharest the 8th most-populous city in the European Union. The city area measures 240 km2 (93 sq mi) and comprises six districts (Sectoare), while the metropolitan area covers 1,811 km2 (699 sq mi). Bucharest is a major cultural, political, and economic hub, the country's seat of government, and the capital of the Muntenia region. Source
I got some data from Wikipedia to give the size of the place: a flat area of 240 km2, which, beyond the typical buildings of a city, continues a river, forest remnants, a string of lakes, and a small hill somewhere in the center. It is called Patriarchate Hill for a simple and easy-to-guess reason: Here is the palace of the Patriarch of Romania. The Patriarch of Romania is the head of the Orthodox Christian Church.
A walk through this place allowed me to take a few photos that I found more interesting in black and white, suggesting a bygone era.
Saints Emperors Constantine and Helen Patriarchal Cathedral 1656-1658.
The expectation that this place would be crowded with pilgrims and believers was not confirmed, and I found, may I say, an oasis of calm. It is hard to express the surprise of discovering such a place right in the middle of a crowded and hurried city, with people running only a few hundred meters away and utterly ignorant of this place with such an ancient history.
In the future, there will be even more peace here. The grandeur and vanity have driven the desire for something more prominent and imposing. A cathedral, which has been under construction for about ten years and has raised its forehead (tower), somewhere in the departure, can be seen near the trees in the background.
The Cathedral of the Nation, as it is called, is built next to the famous Palace of the Parliament, the former House of the People, one of the largest civil constructions in the world. You can also see this one in the background.
The monstrous building, the second largest in the world after the Pentagon, seems to dwarf the small and too old Patriarchal Cathedral.
It was just an optical illusion, I think. I found a place and photographed the parliament building and part of the new cathedral. What seemed close to the old cathedral's fence is now at least two kilometers away.
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The new and the old. The old and small Patriarchal Cathedral, the old Cathedral of half a millennium, and the grand Cathedral of the Nation that is not yet fully born.
I will remain a permanent admirer of the old Patriarchal Cathedral!
Miracles happen here, on the Hill of the Patriarchate. A millionaire gives money to those who, by chance or not, were in the area...
This is my entry for the #monomad challenge.
I rely mostly on photos in all my blogs. Words don't help me as much as photos.
I always start with photos when I want to write a blog. Photos remind me of places, events, and feelings that turn into words. When I post in Photography Lovers the words have even less importance, they are a companion to the photos I want to show. This often makes the story uninteresting or common, yet it is necessary; otherwise, the photos would merely be a series of unexciting images.
I make this statement as a plea to those reading not to over-judge the text and to focus on the photos. The story puts everything in context and provides the explanations and clarifications necessary for the blog to convey something of interest to the reader.
Since we all love photography, let’s explore the captivating details captured in these photos!
A wise saying goes that a photograph is worth a thousand words, but I don't think so..
It depends on the viewer.
