"St. Mary" Calvaria Church-Cluj

St. Mary Calvaria Church (today Roman Catholic affiliation) was a powerful Benedictine abbey at the western gates of the city of Cluj.

Surrounded by defensive walls, the Calvaria Church was built on the hills of Manastur village, starting from the 9th-10th centuries and completed 1095, in Romanesque style.
It was destroyed and rebuilt many times, changing many masters and affiliations.

The current monastery of Calvaria was built between 1470 and 1508 in gothic style, replacing the old church.
This is how Calvaria Church looks after the last restoration between 1995-1997.

Over the years all artistic assets were lost except a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus.

As you can see in the picture, the statue is placed on a pedestal, above the entrance door.

In the pictures at the left you can see the belfry designed in 1922 by the renowned Hungarian architect Karoly Koss.

Both the church and the belfry have their own hill, the two being separated by an abyss.

As I turn to the right, the new Manastur district reveals itself with it's large apartment ensembles built in the communist era.

At that time, many churches and monuments were pulled down to make place for these high-density apartment blocks.

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Fall flowers color explosion-flower pictures

It is Chrysanthemum time again. End of September, time when nature's colors are fading. As a compensation, the mum, with it's classical beauty offers the last color explosion before the frost hits.
Chrysanthemums are one of my favorite flowers too, so I shall post a hole series of pictures till the end of the season.
Here are some picks with a bunch of colorful chrysanthemums to brighten up your day.

The golden flower.

The name "Chrysanthemum" comes from Greek and it consists of the two words: "chrysos" meaning gold, and "anthemon" meaning flower.
These golden chrysanthemums are a real firework of color.
No wonder they are called the "Queen of the Fall Flowers."

Look how delicate these white mums are.
With the scissors in your hand, I am sure, you too, hesitate a moment before this nature's perfections.

In most European countries (in my country too) the chrysanthemum is known as the death flower and is used almost exclusively as a memorial on graves, most likely symbolizing its association with immortality.
White chrysanthemum flowers are also the symbol of honesty, truth and sincerity in many countries.
The white chrysanthemum is the flower of Triangle Fraternity, a society of engineers, architects, and scientists.


Did you know that the term "chrysanthemum" is also used to refer to a certain type of firework shell that produces a pattern of trailing sparks similar to a chrysanthemum flower.

There is also a "Festival of Happiness" in Japan that celebrates the Chrysanthemum flower.

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Golden sunset on a September evening - landscape photos

Another sunset on an ordinary September evening.
These photos are from a series of sunset photos captured at my favorite place, near the lake.

In this series of sunset scenery, the beautiful old building in the background is a Casino.

You can see more sunset photos from this series in a previous post.

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Lovely blue flower macros-to boost inspiration

Just blue flowers; that's what I want to share today.
A bunch of blue flowers are the perfect companions to boost the inspiration of an artist.
They represent serenity, openness, tranquility and peace, just what I need right now.
Here they are:

I love "forget me nots", they are so simple, yet delicate flowers.

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Goldenrod flowers - Yellow fields

This is my first time for Skywatch Friday!

I took this photo on my way home where the roadside is ablaze with the bright colors of goldenrod.
That means, summer is gone! Still, before leaving, greets fall with an amazing nature's spectacle: the blossoming of goldenrod.

The bright yellow blooms of the Goldenrod waving in the breeze signal the end of summer and begin of fall.

Though from Aster family, goldenrod is a too common plant for special attention, but few wildflowers and weeds offer such a spectacular explosion of color as goldenrod fields.

Check out beautiful Skywatch images at the Skywatch Site! You may want to join too.

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Yellow-pink roses - rose pictures

Roses again!
I love roses like everybody else does.
Here are a few photos of my yellow roses with pink tips.

With their delicate petals and vibrant colors they are wonderful subjects for photography.

Different color roses have different meanings for most of us.
Pastel or pale blends of roses together such as yellow and pink can be the meaning for friendship and sociability.

If you like roses with raindrops you can see more of them in a previous post clicking the link.

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Bella - Samoyed dog photos

Meet my newest friend!
This beautiful dog is Bella, a very classy lady with a well deserved name. She is a beautiful Samoyed dog also known as Samoiedskana Sobaka and nicknamed Smiling Sammy.

Bella is very friendly and playful and has always a happy expression on her lovely face.
The Samoyed needs a fair amount of daily exercise.
Her loving family, like many other dog owners, takes her out to the nearby river, where she can run and play together with other dogs.
This beautiful coat that appears white has a hint of silver coloring. It is kept very clean looking with only brushing and minimal bathing, as dirt falls from the outer layer of the fur with little work.
Besides Samoyeds are very good about grooming themselves.
Though the dense coat is somehow uncomfortable for Bella in summer temperatures, it is not advised to shave it. The Samoyed's fur acts as an insulator against both cold and moderate heat , and protects the dog's light colored skin from burning in the sun.

Short history of the Samoyed breed:

This dog has become known by the name of a population of hunters and fishermen known as Samoyeds.
Since ancient times there has lived in Siberia this gentle, nomadic tribe of family groups using a beautiful white dog in their daily activities: to herd reindeer, pull sledges and keep them warm in the harsh Siberian winters. The Samoyed people treated their dogs as family members being extremely loving with them. They were accompanied everywhere by them.
As a result of this loving environment, the Samoyed dog became very trustful with humans, gentle with family members, the ultimate companion.
Today the Sam seems more at home on a sofa than in harness; few of us can imagine this beautiful, white coated dog with smiling face, pulling a sled or herding reindeer.

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