New on 500px : Basilica Ulpia by nicolamastrandrea by nicolamastrandrea

Shooted during the roman “Open Museum Night”.

The Basilica Ulpia was an ancient Roman civic building located in the Forum of Trajan. The Basilica Ulpia separates the temple from the main courtyard in the Forum of Trajan with the Trajans Column to the northwest. It was named after Roman emperor Trajan whose full name was Marcus Ulpius Traianus.

It became perhaps the most important basilica after two ancient ones, the Basilicas Aemilia and Julia. With its construction, much of the political life moved from the Roman Forum to the Forum of Trajan. It remained so until the construction of the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine.

Unlike later Christian basilicas, it had no known religious function; it was dedicated to the administration of justice, commerce and the presence of the emperor. It was the largest in Rome measuring 117 by 55 meters.

The Basilica Ulpia was composed of a great central nave with four side aisles with clerestory windows to let light into the space divided by rows of columns and two semicircular apse, one at each of the ends with the entry to the basilica located on the longitudinal side. The columns and the walls were of precious marbles; the 50 meter high roof was covered by gilded bronze tiles.

The many rows of columns separating the side aisles are a traditional means of structure for basilicas. Many of the columns still exist on site, although a large number have fallen. Part of the foundation of the basilica continues today under the modern Via dei Fori Imperiali, a trunk road constructed during the rule of Benito Mussolini. The whole of the construction was decorated with war spoils and trophies from the Dacian Wars conducted under the command of Trajan.

Later, it was used as the architectural prototype by Constantine as the basis for the layout of the new Christian churches. The Basilica Ulpia was used as to model for Constantine completion of the Basilica of Maxentius.

Technical stuff:
– double exposure with a previously shooted night sky
– Shot with a Sony A7 II 28mm wide lens F 2.0
– Real sky is the blue background

via 500px http://bit.ly/1WXxjDm

New on 500px : The Larger Gate to Rome by nicolamastrandrea by nicolamastrandrea

The Porta Maggiore (“Larger Gate”), or Porta Prenestina, is one of the eastern gates in the ancient but well-preserved 3rd-century Aurelian Walls of Rome.

Cross section of Porta Maggiore showing two aqueducts.
Through the gate ran two ancient roads: the Via Praenestina and the Via Labicana. The Via Prenestina was the eastern road to the ancient town of Praeneste (modern Palestrina). The Via Labicana (now called the Via Casilina) heads southeast from the city.

The gate[edit]

The Porta Maggiore is by far the best urban site to visit for an understanding and view of the ancient aqueducts. It is a monumental double archway built of white travertine (a type of limestone). It was first known as the Porta Prenestina, perhaps a reference to the road over which is passes (the Via Praenestina). The “gate,” built in 52 AD by the emperor Claudius, was originally intended to provide a decorative section of support for two aqueducts, the Aqua Claudia and the Anio Novus. At that time these aqueducts crossed the ancient Via Labicana and Praenestina roads thereby providing the opportunity to create at this location a sort of triumphal arch to the conquest of nature and its conqueror, the emperor Claudius. The two channels of these aqueducts, (the Aqua Claudia and Aqua Anio Novus), one lying on top of the other, can be seen when viewing the cross-section running through the travertine attic at the top of the gate.

The gate was incorporated in the Aurelian Wall in 271 by the emperor Aurelian thus truly turning it into an entrance (gate) to the city. Experts refer to this as an early example of “architectural recycling,” essentially adapting one existing structure, to another use. In this case using an aqueduct as a wall.

It was modified further when the emperor Honorius augmented the walls in 405. The foundations of a guardhouse added by Honorius are still visible, while the upper part of the gate, as built by Honorius, has been moved to the left side of the Porta.

It is currently known as the Porta Maggiore, possibly designated as such because of the road that runs through the gate leads to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. The church is an important place of prayer dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Technical stuff:
– PP with luminosity masks
– 10 images merged to compose the panorama
– triple exposure with a previously shooted night sky
– Shot with a Sony A7 II 28mm wide lens F 2.0

via 500px http://bit.ly/1WhMo28