architecture – Allora Studios

Street Photography in Atlanta

Posted on September 24, 2020November 12, 2020 by Allora Studios in Atlanta, GA, photography, Street Photography, The U.S., Vlogs

This week, I share a collection of street photography taken in Atlanta in August of 2020.

I try to make it down to the city at least once a month for a day of shooting. I love the buildings, graffiti, streets, and views that the city has to offer. The month of August was amazing.

COVID-19 did bring the entire world to a halt, but in August the city of Atlanta is still pretty busy. The streets are less crowded, which makes it easier for me to take pictures without pedestrians in my shots, but it also makes the city feel a little empty.

But that feeling doesn’t last for long. It felt like the more we walked and rode around, the more city seemed to come to life!

Maybe it was the wild amount of caffiene in my oversized coffee, but this trip, Brianna and I covered a ton of ground.

The goal for this trip was some cool shots of the capital and the church that’s close to Underground and The Masquerade. That of course did not happen, but we went just about everywhere else in the area!

To finish out the journey today, we rode by one of my favorite spots, the Jackson Street Bridge. I know, it’s a stereotype for instagrammers and tourists, but it’s a very beautiful view of the city. Rest assured though, I am on the lookout for the perfect view of Atlanta.

Roma | There’s Almost Nothing Truly Spanish About These Steps

Posted on December 1, 2018August 3, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Roma, Travel Blog

La Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti, as the Italians call them, are not quite as Spanish as the English name implies.

The Spanish Steps

Here’s the deal. At the top of the steps there’s a monastery built around 1494 because of Pope Alexander VI and a church beside it built in 1502 because of Louis XII of France after he successfully invaded Naples.

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During his time as Pope, Pope Gregory XIII had some drawings made for a set of stairs to the church and monastery. Then Cardinal Mazarin took interest when the French Diplomat Geuffier allocated money for the stairs in his will. When he died in 1661, since the project included a statue that Romans saw as a French intrusion to the Eternal City and a nephew of Gueffier successfully contested the will and received half the funds, the project for the steps died with him.

It was revived when Pope Clement XI Albani showed interest. A competition ensued and Francesco de Sanctis became the architect of the stairs. Over the years, the steps have been restored many times.

So the “Spanish Steps” are actually a French creation. We call them the Spanish steps because of the piazza at the bottom of them. The Piazza di Spagna is called so because of the Spanish Embassy that resides there. So the Spanish Steps are actually a French-funded, Italian-designed structure.

Piazza di Spagna

The fountain in the piazza is called the Fontana della Barcaccia, or fountain of the longboat. It was built between 1627-1629 by Bernini. Pietro Bernini is most famous for fathering the really famous architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It’s recently been proposed that the two even collaborated on the project. Folklore dictates that Pope Urban VIII was so impressed by a boat along the Tiber that he had the fountain installed.

As you can see from my pictures, this place is crowded. It was really hard to move around the piazza. It’s definitely a gorgeous spot visit. Don’t bring a lunch and expect to have a picnic on the steps. Even if the tourism in this spot would allow it, Roma says you can’t do so. They have a few guards keeping a close eye on all visitors.

Roma | Ruins in Rome – A Hidden Roman Gem

Posted on November 10, 2018August 3, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Roma, Travel Blog

These are the remains of a hidden gem in Roma. This was a temple dedicated to the deified Emperor Hadrian by his successor Antoninus Pius.

The pieces that remain today are what you see, eleven columns with Corinthian bases and capitals. The rest disappeared some time ago.

This set of Roman remains is located close to the Column of Aurelius. It is another one of those that if you are interested in Roman history, you should make the detour to see what’s left of this temple. There’s nothing cooler than seeing ruins from 1800 years ago.

Roma | The Most Overlooked Roman Ruins

Posted on November 3, 2018August 3, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Roma, Travel Blog

In Latin Columna Centenaria Divorum Marci et Faustinae

In Italian Colonna di Marco Aurelio

In English Column of Marcus Aurelius

This towering column sits in Piazza Colonna in the historic heart of Roma. It’s modeled after Trajan’s column in Trajan’s forum. It stands about 130 ft. from the ground.

The spiral tells the story of Marcus Aurelius during the Marcomannic Wars. It begins when the soldiers cross the Danube River. The story is divided by a victory on the column. There are a few theories as to what this was meant to represent, but the current common theory is that the lower half represent the Marcomanni and Quadi in 172 and 173. The upper half is said to represent the Sarmatian in 174 and 175.

Marcus Aurelius is often considered to be one of the better ancient Roman Emperors. He’s actually thought to be in the top 3 emperors, usually losing to Trajan and the Great Augustus. His reign lasted from April 121 AD to March 180 AD when he died of natural causes. He was immediately deified and sent to rest at Hadrian’s Mausoleum (Castel Sant’Angelo).

The top of the column has a statue of Marcus Aurelius himself. Actually, it did originally, but it was replaced with the current statue of the Apostle Peter.

The column is a site to see. It isn’t overly crowded with tourists. As a matter of fact, my fiancée and I were the only 2 stranieri (or foreigners) in the piazza. It’s free to visit. You can get really close to it. There is a small gate around the base. It’s truly impressive.

Roma |The Most Famous Fountain in the Eternal City

Posted on October 27, 2018September 3, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Roma, Travel Blog

Located in the Trevi district, this stone beauty is one of the top tourist attractions in Roma. The fountain is at a place where 3 roads (tre vie) meet.

Pope Urban VIII asked Gian Lorenzo Bernini to make sketches for a new fountain to replace the one that had served Roma for nearly 400 years. Before construction began, however, Pope Urban VIII died, and the project was abandoned.

During the Baroque era, competition was in full swing to build the most grand buildings, fountains, and other structures. Pope Clemente XII created a contest. Niccolò Salvi was granted the commission despite losing the contest to a Florentine architect. The Romans didn’t want a non-Roman to build any fountains in Roma.

Work began in 1732. Salvi died in 1751, leaving the fountain half finished. Four sculptors and an architect were hired to finish the job. Giusseppe Pannini was the architect. Oceanus (below) was sculpted by Pietro Bacci.

When visiting this popular attraction, you must be careful. It is usually very crowded. Once you make your way to the fountain, traditionally you must take a coin and toss it over your shoulder into the fountain while making a wish!

The Trevi Fountain is another one of those monuments that you must venture to see on your stop in Roma. It is free to visit (minus the coin you toss), and open to the public all hours. Just be mindful of restoration projects! When I saw this for the first time, it was covered in scaffolding. That didn’t stop me from stopping by though! It was still pretty awesome to see one of the most famous fountains in all of Italy!

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Venezia | A Bridge as Famous as the City

Posted on September 29, 2018October 9, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Travel Blog, Venezia

The Ponte Rialto is one of the most famous bridges in the world, and the oldest of 4 bridges in Venice that cross the Grand Canal. For those of you who don’t know, Venice is a lagoon city. It is basically a collection of 117 flat islands connected by water canals.

The islands are manmade structures. Wooden stakes were pushed into little patches of sand and dirt. The water and mud have kept these foundations from rotting over time. Bridges were built to connect the different islands, and thus Venice was founded. The Rialto sits on the biggest canal, appropriately named the Grand Canal.

The bridge’s history begins in 1181. Niccolò Barattieri built a pontoon bridge, or floating bridge, across the canal. The bridge was called Moneta. The more important the Rialto Market became, the more people that used the bridge. So in 1255, a wooden bridge was constructed in place of the pontoon.

The wooden bridge lasted for a while. However, the prosperity stopped during a revolt when it was partially burned in 1310. Trouble struck again when it collapsed under the weight of an audience watching a boat race. in 1444 It was rebuilt, but collapsed again in 1524. Enough was enough.

Antonio da Ponte created the design for the stone bridge that exists today. Architects who threw in their bid but were denied include Palladio, Vignola, and even Michelangelo. It was completed in 1591.Other contemporary architects believed the design to be flawed, but the bridge has defied critics and is one of Venice’s biggest tourist attractions today. It’s no surprise, though. The view from the bridge is undeniably amazing.