MegMarch1880

This is a fic for @tolkienrsb, for slide #61!

So I’m trying to upload a podfic onto Archive using soundcloud and the playback bar keeps saying error. Any advice?

Hohenwerfen Castle is a castle built around 1075. It had additions made twice along with being restored after a fire in the early 1900s. The castle was built for the Archbishop of Salzburg. The picture of me is taken from the top of the bell tower with a view around us. This castle was used for protection as well as it being a residence. It was a symbol of the power of the Archbishop. Today the castle is a symbol of the Middle Ages. It has been used as a castle in several movies and tv shows such as Where Eagles Dare and Angel. Castles are a really fascinating part of history. They are a place that even though they were used for a short period of history, they captured the public imagination. Castles captured my imagination as a part of fantasy novels. To be able to visit a real-life castle was a dream come true for the little girl who dreamed of princesses and knights. I loved getting to see the falconry show while at the castle as well.

The Luxor Obelisk is a 23-meter high obelisk that talks about Pharoah Ramses II. It was originally in front of the Luxor Temple but it was moved to Paris as a gift to the French. It has symbolized power to the Egyptians and was a symbol of friendship between France and Egypt. Today it is in the area where many people were killed by the guillotine. I picked the Luxor Obelisk because of my love for Egyptian History. As a small child, I loved reading about Egypt. The mythologies contained within and the buildings they built. I was able to visit several museums that had Egyptian artifacts including a touring King Tut exhibit in Chicago. As I grew older, I saw the sadness that these pieces were so far from where they were originally made.  There are so many pieces of Egyptian history all over the world. Many of these pieces were taken from that country. I think it is incredibly cool that some pieces were given as gifts and amaze us as 3,000-year-old pieces of architecture.  These are pieces that were not taken from their land but given to show how history can unite us rather than divide us. 

Stonehenge was a magical place! While they are not entirely positive on what Stonehenge originally was for, there is some evidence from what their original purpose was. It is able to be used as a calendar because of the sun setting in certain spots only at the equinoxes. There is also evidence that at some points people would leave gifts at Stonehenge. There are several burial hills nearby indicating the importance of being buried close to here. Today Stonehenge is known to be a part of England almost as much as Big Ben is. It is a symbol of England just as the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum is of Italy. By being a symbol of England, it allows it to transcend in value. It’s no longer just a mystery, but a mystery that people see and think of England. It represents a part of English heritage and memory. It represents to me a place of magic. Not just in the fanciful sense but in the fact that these stones have stood for almost 5000 years. It was around before the time of Abraham possibly. To stand somewhere where so many people have stood before me is a very powerful feeling. 

The leaning tower of Pisa was built in 1176. The lean is caused by the foundation is on soft ground. The tower was built to be the church’s bell tower. The town came into prosperity and wanted to build a larger church and it’s associated buildings. The interruptions while building the tower revealed it’s lean, that it is now so famous for. Today it is a source of tourism for the town and is a symbol of what Italy is known for. I picked this site because of the irony I find in it being so famous. Italy is full of many beautiful buildings that are built perfectly. Yet what are two of the things that Italy is best known for? The Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which are both places that are in disarray. The Leaning Tower is an example of the focus on church architecture and beauty during this time. As shown in Our Western Heritage, cathedrals became a large part of society after the fall of Rome. While the leaning tower is not part of the cathedral, it’s role was certainly to enhance and compliment the cathedral beside it. 

The Colosseum is huge. Both in size and in what it represents. After all, it is one of the two key parts of Panem et circuses. The Colosseum was the circus. It was built in 70 AD and visually is a reminder of the Roman Empire. There were gladiator fights, naval battles, live animals, and according to some tradition Christian executions. Today it stands as a reminder of the Roman Empire. A symbol that was built that has endured the test of time. While it may not look like it did when Nero visited it, it still stands today. To me, it’s a representation of the Roman history and mythology I loved to read as a child. To stand where all these people I read about had was a very powerful sight. To be able to actually touch history is something that can not be done every day. It is something significant and powerful to see where others have stood before us.