The Ruins of St. Paul's refer to the façade of what was originally the Church of Mater Dei built in 1602-1640. The façade is reached by a flight of 68 granite steps from the square below (Largo da Companhia dos Jesu?as). The façade of the Ruins of St. Paul's is 28 metres wide and 38.5 metres high and is divided into four levels and a pediment. Following the classical concept of divine ascension, the orders on each horizontal level evolve from Ionic, Corinthian and Composite, from the base upward.
The two higher levels gradually narrow into a triangular pediment at the top, which symbolizes the ultimate state of divine ascension ? the Holy Spirit. The façade is Mannerist in style carrying some distinctively Oriental decorative motifs, including the use of Chinese characters and round chrysanthemum patterns typical of Japanese artistic representations.
The two higher levels gradually narrow into a triangular pediment at the top, which symbolizes the ultimate state of divine ascension ? the Holy Spirit. The façade is Mannerist in style carrying some distinctively Oriental decorative motifs, including the use of Chinese characters and round chrysanthemum patterns typical of Japanese artistic representations.
1 comment:
great monument! true!
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