Month: December 2014

Christmas at Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

Christmas at Notre-Dame Cathedral

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With just a week to go till Christmas Eve and the big day itself, I thought it was about time that I uploaded some of the recent photographs that I took one night of Notre-Dame Cathedral being all festive. The Christmas Tree that adorns the square infant of the Cathedral was actually donated by Russia. Due to the struggle of the Cathedral to raise the money to purchase a tree, it appealed to foreign embassies in Paris for aid. According to Russia’s ambassador to France, the “Tree is a message of peace”, as I am sure that we are all aware of the current political occurrences regarding Russia. Although I’m actually not that impressed by the tree – I’m more of a gold and red Christmas decoration kinda’ girl – it is still lovely to see and photograph the beautiful Notre-Dame Cathedral during this merry time of year. What are your thoughts on the Tree?

Au Canal Saint-Martin, Paris

Au Canal Saint-Martin

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A few weeks ago, some friends and I ventured into the 10th arrondissement to enjoy a stroll along the Canal Saint-Martin. Before coming, I had heard a lot about the canal and seen many beautiful pictures – to me, and many will probably agree, it is like having a tiny part of Amsterdam here in the middle of Paris! You may well recognise the Canal Saint-Martin from its staring role in the film Amélie, which shows the audience one of her favourite past times – skipping stones across the water. I totally forgot to do that myself when I went, so I’ll will have to go back to attempt to recapture such a moment. The construction of the canal was begun during the beginning of the 19th century under the direction of Napoleon I, with its main function to supply fresh water into the city of Paris. Throughout the centuries, the canal was also used as a means of transporting food and various building materials into the heart of the city. However, today the canal is simply a magical …

A day at the Palace of Versailles

A day at the Palace of Versailles

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This weekend I had a friend stay over to attend the Saint Louis conference on Saturday at the Louvre. Since it was the first Sunday of the month, meaning that pretty much all museums and historical places are free for the day to everyone, we decided to explore the nearby Palace of Versailles. I have been outside the Palace, but this was the first time that I had gone inside, and luckily it wasn’t too busy. Sadly I confess that I actually do not know too much surrounding the history of the Palace, nor do I entirely know a lot about the Royal family at this time. However, I do know that the Palace become the political centre for King Louis XIV when he moved into the Palace. Before entering I already had preconcieved expectations of grandeur, but I was still surprised at just how lavish it was. Despite this, I didn’t really find the Palace that great, in terms of information given to the public. There wasn’t actually that much information provided, and when there was, …

This week on Instagram

This week on Instagram

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On the way to class I saw the horse guards parading outside the Cathedral Notre-Dame; Attending the Saint Louis and the Arts conference at the Louvre this Saturday; it’s officially Christmas outside the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Spending a lovely Sunday evening in front of the fire at home; Before entering the ‘Medieval Morocco: An Empire from Africa to Spain’ exhibition at the Louvre one encounters a beautiful Grand Chandelier originally from Fez, Morocco; A current work of art by Claude Lévêque within the Louvre, a neon installation piece striking the top of the pyramid. This week the Micro-Architecture conference took place at the Auditorium de la Galerie Colbert; The Louvre’s Pyramid looking stunning on the night of the Saint Louis and the Arts Conference; Pont de l’Archevêché showcasing it’s collection of locks gained throughout the years with the Cathedral Notre-Dame gazing in the back.

'Medieval Morocco: An Empire from Africa to Spain', Louvre, Paris

‘Medieval Morocco: An Empire from Africa to Spain’, Louvre, Paris

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Yesterday I was lucky enough to meet with a friend who is studying at the Courtauld, with her fellow classmates and professor, to look around the current Medieval exhibition at the Louvre. The exhibition titled, ‘Medieval Morocco: An Empire from Africa to Spain’ offers a glimpse into a period when the Medieval Western Islamic world was at the height of its glory, as much in terms of its artistic production as its place in history. Focusing from the 11th to 15th centuries of Western Islamic dynasties, this exhibition presents over 300 objects that aim to show this culture’s long and complex history, which is crucial to an understanding of Medieval Morocco and Islam. This exhibition shows many beautiful objects, including architectural decoration from various Mosques; textiles and ivory; and it also displays a plethora of illuminated manuscripts and examples of beautiful calligraphy. Many of these objects are extremely rare, not only in historical value, but because many have never been showcased in such a way to the public. Even though I have previously studied various key examples of Medieval …