Sunday, October 17, 2010

Floodlights on the Citadel

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We looked at this bridge in an earlier post for Louis' Sunday Bridges.
But that was in the daytime.

Take a look at night!!
The Tower of David (the Citadel) is even more glorious at night.
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On the right is the 16th century gatehouse.
The dry moat was built earlier, probably in Crusader times (12th C.).
The moat originally reached the entrance and was partly spanned by a wooden drawbridge.
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The people you see on the present wooden bridge were lined up waiting to go in to the sound and light show inside the courtyard.
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Here is the continuation of the bridge up to the big heavy entrance gate.

The Citadel has something nice for Hey Harriet's Shadow Shots Sunday too.
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Floodlit from below, the rusticated stones throw sharp shadows.
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Rustication (leaving the center of the stone rough and projecting) has a military purpose.
It protects the joints of the masonry and when struck by projectiles, it is more likely than smooth masonry to dissipate their force by fracturing harmlessly.
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Imagine yourself a Crusader attacking the Citadel, looking up at these tall walls with those fearsome arrow slits and machicolations!

That wall is on the left in this photo, the bridge and entrance are on the right, and in between, behind the low wall is a lovely garden with a bubbling fountain and benches and little trees.
The garden is my favorite secluded place for a picnic in Jerusalem's Old City.
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10 comments:

  1. Those are great photos, Dina. They really give you the feeling of the antiquity of those ancient structures. Maybe it's even more fascinating because most of the buildings we see in the US is so new in comparison. I love the night-floodlight effect.

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  2. It must be quite a transposing experience to be there. The golden floodlights is proper for the historically glorious place.

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  3. Jerusalem is truly magical at night, that's really when its beauty shines out best.

    I never realized that those rough edges had a purpose, I always learn something interesting here.

    -----------------------------------
    My photography is available for purchase - visit Around the Island Photography and bring home something beautiful today!

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  4. That building and its history are so compelling. Wouldn't it be amazing to see it at night without a crowd?

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  5. Love that yellow light. Really enhances the imagination in an already magical place.

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  6. What a beautiful scenery for Psalm 31. Thank you for the many memories reading it.

    A good start into the new week for you.

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  7. Somehow, this looks very operatic to me!

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  8. New or old, big or small, we welcome them all at Sunday Bridges!

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  9. Friends, thank you all for sharing in the love of old Jerusalem with your comments.

    Violet Sky, that's a good description, operatic. Indeed, a lot of music is performed inside the Citadel walls.

    Robert, how do you like THIS translation of Psalm 31?!
    http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2031&version=MSG
    It is the strong modern one from "The Message."

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  10. They did a very good work, I can't remember how it was at night in the 90s, but it wasn't bad either.

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