Hari Mandir,Amritsar, India. (Singh, Grenade. sacred sites)
The Golden Temple
Few places combine amazing surroundings with a calm and peaceful atmosphere better than the Harmandir Sahib (or Hari Mandir). ‘‘More commonly known as the Golden Temple, it was officially renamed Harmandir Sahib in March 2005’’ (Hayes, Holly. Golden Temple of Amritsar). The name "Golden Temple" comes from the gold-plated crown sitting on top of the main temple building, which features copper cupolas and white marble walls encrusted with precious stones arranged in decorative floral patterns that show strong Islamic influence ("The Golden Temple. frommers). The Golden Temple is the holiest shrine in Sikhism becoming a major pilgrimage destination for Sikhs from all over the world, even today the fervour and dedication of the pilgrims keeps the city bustling with life and activity. ‘‘The Golden Temple is the most outstanding architectural monument of the Sikh Faith, which ushered a new style that deserves to be treated as Sikh Architecture’’ (S. S. Bhatti, Golden Temple: Marvel of Sikh Architecture). Although the building itself has a strong impact architecturally because of its astounding beauty and character, it is the temple's great spiritual meaning for its believers that is most memorable to visitors. In a country that is exceptionally rich with vibrant devotion, Frommer's rates the Golden Temple "the most tangibly spiritual place in the country."
Location Of The Building
The Golden Temple is located in Punjab, a north Indian state. It is situated next to the lake Amritsar, in the southern parts of the city that was named after the lake holding the meaning, ‘pool of ambrosial nectar’ (Singh, Grenade. sacred sites). ‘‘Construction of the temple be...
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...y and materials available to us today that weren't as easily accessible back then. Steel with gold plating and cement would result in a strong and reliable structure to further the decorative work on. As the original goal of the temple was to build a place that fergos of any discrimination, the new temple should follow the same ideas and still have four doors symbolizing its openness to anyone and everyone. To even further this idea, I would add a hallway or room decorated with paintings from all the cultures that dominate the surroundings, not only Hindus and Moghuls giving off a more welcoming feel to all. Once created, it would probably look similar to the original golden temple, although at a different location with a completely different history that the one it holds but still giving of a pleasent and spiritual feel attracting not only sikhs but everyone to it.
"Sikh Awareness." Sikh Awareness. © 2002-2012 THE SIKH COALITION, 12 Oct. 2001. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
I arrived at the Hsi Lai Temple in the city of Hacienda Heights around 3:00 p.m. on March 7, 2014. Although I am Chinese, I have never been to this temple before because my family does not practice Buddhism. This is my first time collecting data about the His Lai Temple. This method is referred to as participant-observation which is, “the anthropological method of collecting data by living with another people, learning their language, and understanding their culture” (Arenson and Miller-Thayer 521). The temple is built on a hill top. After driving up the long hill into the parking lot, I found that before entering the temple, I walked up many stairs. In the brochure For Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple, it said that the name Hsi Lai stands for “coming to the West”. The temple, which was founded by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, signifies the dedication of Taiwan’s largest Buddhist organizations called the Fo Guang Shan. It took ten years to build the temple and was completed in 1988. This $30 million Temple on 15 acres of land was financed by donations from Buddhist devotees from around the worlds.
The Altar of Zeus currently is on display in Berlin, Germany for anyone to see and it is assumed that the temple was dedicated to Zeus or its purpose, in addition to being a tribute to the Zeus/the gods, was most used for celebration of the Pergamene people over anyone who opposed them. As Richter explains,
Nathdwara is a small town in Rajasthan, a western state in the Indian subcontinent. The Rajasthan state houses one of the ancient most mountain ranges called the Aravali range. Nathdwara is a part of the Aravali range situated on the banks of the Banas River. Nathdwara means (nath- Lord Krishna, dwara – gate or door) the gate of lord. Nathdwara has a famous temple of Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, as depicted in one of the longest Sanskrit epics the Mahabharata.
The Taj Mahal, which translates to “Crown Palace” is a very significant monument and regarded as one of the best in the world. It is actually a mausoleum where both the bodies of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal are found. It was built from 1631 till 1648 AD in Agra, India (History of Taj Mahal). Architects from all around the world were ordered to come to India and build this Taj Mahal by the order of the Mughal, Shah Jahan (History of Taj Mahal). He built this to honor his wife after her death while she was giving birth to their child (History of Taj Mahal). Her last words for Shah Jahan was to build a tomb in her memory that the world has never seen before, and so he did what she asked for (History of Taj Mahal). Later on, the grave of Shah Jahan was added to the Taj Mahal.
Monuments such as the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and San Vitale in Ravenna, perform a great importance in Byzantine and Islamic architecture. Both of these structures did not exclusively represent the main place of worship, but most importantly as a symbol of achievement and growth within the current times of construction. Starting in 524, under the influence of Orthodox bishop Ecclesius, the development of San Vitale was to represent the achievements of the emperor Justinian. Julius Argentarius was the sponsor for this structure and it was dedicated by Bishop Maximian in 547. The Dome of the Rock is built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in 692 with the help of Abd al-Malik with the suspected intention to symbolize Islams influence in Jerusalem and its involvement in a highly Jewish and Christian supremacy. Although separated by over 100 yrs, both of these domes share multiple similarity's including a projected confidence of their originating culture.
When Sikhs speak of the Guru they are referring to God, the Great Teacher. God, the unknowable, becomes the teacher who reveals God to those who follow. God created everything, so all life is good, but attachment to material things leads to reincarnation and the sufferings of birth and death. The goal of Sikhism is to end the cycle of rebirth and be united with God.
Yukio Mishima’s Temple of the Golden Pavilion, set in postwar Japan, gives way to a reflection of the postwar experience both the representation of military aggression and in use of symbolism of beauty, loss, and destruction. A story about Mizoguchi, a young, stuttering acolyte’s obsession with beauty lends itself to the conflagration of the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, based loosely on a true story about the Kinkaku-ji.
I think a gigantic funerary mosque of white marble, built in Agra by order of the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, the Taj Mahal is the most perfect jewel of Moslem art in India and is one of the universally admired architectures of the world’s heritage. Not only see the beautiful Taj Mahal from the video, I also knew the history of itself and its country. A white marble tomb sums up many of the formal themes that have played through Islamic architecture. The video did talk a lot of how much Shah Jahan himself and his father loved art and made many gorgeous artworks. Taj Mahal’s refined style is a conspicuous contrast to the Hindu architecture of pre-Islamic India, with its thick walls, arches, and heavy supports. Even though Taj Mahal is the symbol of grief and sadness, it still has it beauty looks from marble and sand stone.
Michelangelo’s work in the Sistine Chapel is one of the greatest pieces of fresco work in the Italian Renaissance. Every year millions of people travel to the Vatican to see this impressive work . Not only is the Sistine Chapel an attraction for art lovers, but for Christians the Sistine Chapel is considered one of the holiest chapels in our world today . However, the Sistine Chapel like any other works of art was designed to send a message to its viewers.
One of the world’s greatest love stories produced a timeless monument. The structure’s sheer beauty inspired poetic words from the builder himself. The monument is an engineering marvel that has been studied by scholars and historians alike. Visitors throughout history have been infatuated by the shrine’s elegance. Count Hermann Keyserling describes the monument as, "A massive marble structure, without weight, as if formed of ether, perfectly rational and at the same time entirely decorative (Taj Mahal, 2008).Keyserling went on to say, “It is perhaps the greatest art work which the forming spirit of mankind has ever brought forth (Taj Mahal, 2008)." An American novelist, Bayard Taylor referred to this structure as a castle in the air (Taj Mahal, 2008). Constructed as a tomb for the emperor’s deceased wife, the Taj Mahal stands as one of the greatest manmade creations in the history of the world.
The Temple was very large and beautiful. My friend and I were both stunned by how gorgeously built the Mandir was. The buildings were big and stretched across several acres of the land. Next to the temple was another large building, which was used as a center for gatherings and entertainment purposes. The temple had many different entrances, the main one we noticed were the big steps ...
The word sacred has a variety of different meaning to different people depending on what context “sacred” is used. So for definition purposes according to the Oxford English Dictionary (2013) sacred is “Regarded with a great respect and reverence by a particular religion, group or individual” this is just one of the example of the definition as it hold many more but this one incorporates the meaning of a sacred place or space. Sacred Places are found in different countries and cultures, past and present. Such places are marked or embellished by architectural structures and art, therefor having the ability to appeal to a multitude of different people, but still being sacred to each individual person or group in its own specific way. The question is how much of a places sacredness or character is directly linked to the human activity that the place attracts
The Roman Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is perhaps the most famous ancient landmark in the world. The Colosseum was the host to thousands of gladiatorial shows, mock naval battles, executions, and animal hunts. Today, the Colosseum still stands in the center of Rome, Italy, however, not quite as it used to be. Still, today, the Roman Colosseum is a large tourist attraction, thousands of tourists from all over the world still come to view this marveled arena. The Roman Colosseum has a rich history, and remains a prized possession of the Roman citizens.
Taj Mahal. ( Mahal is the word in urdu language used for Palace) How can I describe The Taj Mahal? You can’t its impossible. You just have to experience it. To gaze in wonder at that magnificent dome and elegant gardens will be a moment that you remember for the rest of your life. It is one of the greatest sights in the world, some say the greatest, and like Victoria Falls, The Grand Canyon, and Macchu Picchu, it simply is one of those things you have to see in your life. The architectural grace and symmetry of the Taj Mahal just takes your breath away. We had chosen our visit carefully--the sun was setting and the light that washed over the Taj was golden in color. The minarets were now stark against the setting sun . The actual dome was a surprise, it is not yellow-white but blue-white and covered in inscriptions and detail. From below it looked like something out of "Arabian Nights." But inside were the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. The central tomb is a lofty chamber with light streaming through fine latticework, and hanging above was an elaborate lamp. Words cannot describe its beauty when you stand on that marble platform overlooking the Yamuna, with the setting sun turning it into a golden ribbon. You may a...