Tag Archives: architecture

What’s the Point?

13 Monday Feb 2017

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As we continued through Pittsburgh, we went to the Point – arguably one of the best spots in Pittsburgh.

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It’s the spot where the three rivers converge and the city comes together.

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There’s a beautiful fountain.

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And lots to see.  We weren’t alone in that venture.  We were there on 4th of July.  People were in their boats and along the shore waiting for fireworks.

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Lesson for church: Use what you got.  One of my professors at seminary once said “Architecture trumps theology every time.”  That means use the architecture well to convey the theology.  Otherwise, if there is a conflict, the stuff wins out because it’s right there.  Pittsburgh has done a great job of using the architecture to its advantage to tell a story.  If only our churches could learn this lesson.

 

 

Inside Hallgrimskirkja

20 Tuesday Sep 2016

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When you walk into Hallgrimskirkja, it is different than most churches you walk into. You get this combination of seeing all the stuff that is typical in churches – pews, windows, an altar, pulpit, organ, etc.

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At the same time, it feels as though you are walking into a large cave, an underground cavern in the earth.  In an odd way, it feels like the cathedrals of old – you feel small and insignificant in regards to the whole of creation.  The point in earlier times was to focus on humility – you are not the center of the universe.  Not a bad thing frankly.

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On the day we went in, there was an organ concert.  The organ sounded absolutely amazing.

When you go up to the area around the altar, you are treated to a minimalist altar.  In a weird way, it kind of makes me think that this is what the chapel on the Death Star might look like.  Yet, here we are in a Christian church, worshiping something completely different than what the Sith have faith in.

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What goes into a church in important.  A seminary professor once said that architecture trumps theology every time.  Now I can’t help but think of that every time I walk into a church.  I often ask myself, what is the architecture conveying and does it match the theology?

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How are the symbols and other features of a church being used to convey the actual theology and beliefs of the people and the church?

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Turku Castle Exterior

14 Tuesday Jul 2015

Posted by in Finland, Travel

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We made our way to Turku Castle.  Let’s just say this – medieval castles are pretty neat to walk through.  You feel like you are stepping back in time.  I’m often left wondering what daily life was really like in a place like this.  The castle would be where there rich and powerful would have lived.  They would have had the best of the best for that time.  And yet, when we look back – it seems so antiquated and unfamiliar to our modern ways of living in many ways.  In some ways, the poor of today live better than the rich of the past.  Yet in others, the rich of the past live better than many today.  It’s an odd paradox.

On to the castle…

As you approach the castle, this is what you see.  Pretty cool.

Turku CathedralWhen you walk through the front gate, you are then treated with this fabulous view…

Turku CathedralIt’s the opening of the interior of the castle.

One of the truly neat things about castles are the nooks and crannies that exist in them.  Like this…

Turku CathedralNow tell me that isn’t the coolest piece of architecture you’ve seen in a while.

Once inside we started the tour.  We began at the gatekeepers room.

Turku CathedralThere are original paintings on the wall.  Talk about stepping back in history.

Next up – Chapels and prisons in the castle

Akmens Tilts and The National Library, Riga, Latvia

08 Thursday Jan 2015

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On the third day of my trip to the Baltics, I was back in Riga, Latvia.  Only this time I wanted to see some of the sites out of the confines of Old Town Riga.  So I ventured on foot for a long day of walking the streets and seeing the sites.

First up was the journey to the National Library. I came to the Akmens Tilts (or bridge in English).  It’s a long bridge to walk across, but the views are incredible.  Here I am looking back at Old Town Riga.

Akmens tilts, Riga, LatviaAnd here’s a view Vansu Tilts – another incredible bridge a little to the north along the River Daugava.

View from Akmens tilts, Riga, LatviaAfter crossing the river, I came to the first site on my list for the day – The National Library.

National Library, Riga, LatviaIt’s really quite an impressive building in so many respects.  Just look at the architecture.

National Library, Riga, LatviaI reminded me of an awesome looking sledding hill at first glance.  But when you get inside, it’s even more amazing.

National Library, Riga, LatviaLook at all the books!!!   That’s what I call heaven.

National Library, Riga, Latvia

The library had some interesting exhibits that I wanted to go through.  I also wanted to just explore the floors of the library.  And I would have taken more pictures, but there were an awful lot of guys dressed in suits with those clear ear pieces in their ear hanging around – ie Secret Service people. I was guessing that the President or another high-ranking Latvian official was on their way to the Library soon.  There was already a small crowd waiting to greet the VIP and the guys in suits kept a watchful eye on everyone there.  That makes taking pictures a little uncomfortable.  So it was time for me to move on to my next stop – The Soviet Victory Monument.