This is the Church of Empress Alexandra Martyr, located at the market square in Turku. It’s an orthodox church, and a beautiful building, ordered by Nicholas I of Russia in the early 1800’s. I don’t know if Nicholas also ordered the impressive wrought iron fence, or if that was a later addition, but I like it. Luckily, the gates are kept open so no one will have to sacrifice their nuts to get in when the bells are ringing.
This post is a part of the 30 Days of Photographs II challenge. Please visit the rest of the participants for more fantastic photos: MikeWJ, Nicky and Mike, Mo, Meleah, John, aka nonamedufus, Bryan, aka Unfinished Person, Mariann, Malisa, Nora, LaughingMom, Tanya, Elizabeth A., 00dozo, Cheryl, Kristen, Pam and Katherine. *
That is lucky. I took a few (unpublished) shots of old churches for this subject and a few of them were closed, so I had to sacrifice my nuts.
ReplyDeleteDamn. As beautiful as this photo is, I think it would be much more interesting if there were sacrificial nuts dangling from the fence. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of religion makes you sacrifice your nuts? A sports religion. Yeah cause you shout "Go nads, go nads. I'm here all week.
ReplyDeleteGreat picture Ziva. Churches really do provide a great example of architecture don't they. You've aptly captured it here.
I like how you got the tree in the photo too. I've always been drawn to photos of trees. I know, I know it's supposed to focus on the architecture but you never can tell what will draw a person's eye can you?
ReplyDeleteI really like how you focused on the fence and let the church be in the background. The fence looks daunting - I would definitely send a companion over first to let me in.
ReplyDeleteI like how you and Michael got different perspectives on churches. Mine was too straight ahead, straight on. Yours and his both focused and unfocused from other angles. If this were a competition, you two would be the front runners.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your nuts. Good thing you were able to crank out some offspring before ripping the sac open.
ReplyDeleteI guess I should have sent Mo ahead of me before taking the photo, eh?
ReplyDeleteIt was either the church, or my utterly boring, fairly newly-built apartment building. I think I chose the right one..
ReplyDeleteI agree, Nicky! I already have that mental image in my head.
ReplyDeleteYour photo captured so many shapes and textures. Amazing! There are round curves (like me), sharp sticks (like Michael) and a bunch of little twigs just ready to stick you in the eye. Nice work.
ReplyDeleteWell, seeing as the focus is, in fact, on the fence and the tree instead of the church, I say you're perfectly normal to notice the tree first. Now, this weird fascination with photos of trees, on the other hand.... yeah, not so normal. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'm glad you liked the photo. :) And you're in luck, Mo already volunteered to go first!
ReplyDeleteI didn't think your photo was too straight on at all, in fact, I took a whole bunch of straight on photos when trying to get a photo for architecture, I just happened to go with this in the end because I liked it best, but the straight-on ones can be pretty stunning.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about being front runners.. I mean, surely not Michael? ;)
I wonder if that makes me the little twigs. ;)
ReplyDeleteAre you and Mike in cahoots with the church and "balls" thing on this one? I like the photo and think you captured the drama and the importance of Russia in Finland. Nice work, Ziva!
ReplyDeleteI think it would have been too late. You need to find someone else. Michael?
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your concern. Sending me some flowers?
ReplyDeleteIs the spiked fence designed to keep people out, or in? I know they practically needed to strap me into a straight jacket to keep me in church back in the days when I attended.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photograph, Ziva. It almost makes me want to come to Turku and become a worshipper.
I'm fairly sure Michael's had his balls hacked off already.
ReplyDeleteOf course, some really girly and pink flowers, too, that smell nice.
ReplyDeleteI worry about Nora. Let's all agree to keep a close watch on her going forward, okay?
ReplyDeleteMike and I are in cahoots regarding a lot of things, but this, believe it or not, is not one of them. I guess churches and balls just bring people together.
ReplyDeleteRussia really did play a huge role in making Finland what it is today. I'm sure there aren't that many people attending the orthodox church in Turku anymore, but every time I walk by, there's at least one or two people hanging on that fence. It warms my heart.
Coming to Turku to worship the Goddess Ziva really should be on everyone's to-do list. I'm like Mecca, but cleaner.
ReplyDeleteI've been married 32 years. My balls are long gone.
ReplyDeleteThat picture is lovely. But I don't have any nuts, so I don't know if it's worth sacrificing them if you had to.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure it's a good thing you don't have any nuts. Nuts seem very impractical to me.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's probably a good idea.. Do you still have that padded room in case we need it?
ReplyDeleteI think I have changed my interpretation of your photo. After some serious contemplation and Diet Dr. Pepper, I believe the curves represent you, the sharp sticks represent Michael and all those little twigs are the participants in this meme and we are all trying to poke your eyes out. There. My final answer.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Meleah!
ReplyDeleteHaha! Awesome, I like this interpretation.
ReplyDeleteI am LOVING this 30-Day-Photo-Challenge.
ReplyDeleteSeriously!
Those spikes look very sharp. Thanks for the mental image, Z.
ReplyDeleteAnytime, Mike!
ReplyDeleteMe, too! Everyone is so incredibly creative, I'm completely blown away.
ReplyDeleteI didn't expect that last little nugget of wisdom! Diet Coke & laptops do not make fast friends.
ReplyDeleteTerrific shot. Love the leading line of that gorgeous fence right to the church's spire.
Vhat? No Synagogues? Oy! Damn goyim.
ReplyDeleteLike BonyMike's photo, if you hadn't pointed out that it was a church, none would be the wiser. It's still an interesting composition on the theme, except for the nuts reference. Ouch.
;-)
Ohh, yes, I'm just full of nut wisdom. Like, to get by in this world, you either have to have nuts, or be nuts.
ReplyDeleteYou can quote me on that. ;)
It's not always about what you can see, but rather about what you can't see. ;) Wow, I'm deep today.
ReplyDelete