22/11/2008

#327 - Rainy days I







Yesterday I manage to get away from work at lunch time and I took a few shots from the bus.Hope you like them because i'll keep posting them tomorrow.
It's hard to me to take photos now during day because at 5.30pm its already dark and photos get really crappy!

Statue to the Duke of Saldanha

"At the heart of the Plaza Duque de Saldanha, is a monument that evokes the memory of a great military, political and Portuguese statesman. The name was evoked JJOÃO CARLOS DE SALDANHA OLIVEIRA E DAUM, 1st Earl, 1st Marquess and 1st Duke of Saldanha. Born in Lisbon on November 17 in 1790 and died in London on November 21, 1876.

Thirteen years after his death, coming to remind the relevant services to the Fatherland and Freedom, has been open tender for the construction of the monument, which was charged by public subscription. Among several competitors, won the draft submitted by statuary Tomas da Costa and the architect Miguel Ventura Terra.

On Nov. 5 of 1904, proceeded to the formal ceremony to launch the first stone, chaired by King Carlos, on February 13 of 1909, was inaugurated by King Manuel II.
The monument has a pedestal with 7.28 meters tall, square base, flanked the same order of columns and capitals cinnamon, topped with a bronze statue in the honored, that with 3.18 meters in height.

At the base, the side facing the Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, presented in a bronze allegorical figure of "Victory", draw in the right hand, a sword and winning on the left, the glorious palm. From this figure, also executed in bronze, are the weapons between branches of Portuguese laurel. In the other sides of the pedestal, there are heads of lions, arguing in the mouth range with decorative inscriptions alluding to the campaigns of Marshal: the north, campaign Montevideo (1816 - 1823); to this, Peninsular War (1806 -1814) and, to the west, the campaigns of Freedom (1826 to 1834).

The statue and all the decorative elements were merged in the Army Arsenal, the statue weighing 2354 kg and allegory of the "Victory" 1920 kg." [*]

4 comments:

PJ said...

Your beautiful pictures are perfect for today, it's rainy here so they fit my mood perfectly. Have a great weekend.

Small City Scenes said...

She came back. YAY!!
It is rainy here too and wet and windy and yes it is dark here by 4:00. Icky!!
I like that last very wet photo. MB

Anonymous said...

I don't think I've seen any rainy pictures from Lisbon - glad to see you get some of the wet stuff too! I really like that last picture as well.

George Townboy said...

Wow, that's a lot of rain! Love these photos, they are so natural and really show what the city is like on a given day. Most people on post the 'perfect' shots, thanks for posting these, and thanks for the information on the statue. I love that stuff!