- Charola - the round Templar church
I'm not a fan of gold, but these painted walls are just magnificent. - Charola - the round Templar church
- Charola - the round Templar church
The gothic/manueline sculptures and paintings were added by King Manuel I. - Charola - the round Templar church
- Organ pipe
A giant organ pipe (75 cm in diameter and 11,5 m tall) is all that is left of a 16-century organ. - 12th and 16th century meet
The arch that connects the 12th century Charola and the early 16th century nave. - Charola - the round Templar church
Wonderful pained walls - Charola - the round Templar church
The round church as seen from the nave - Details in the nave
Manueline details in the church nave - Manueline design
Ooooh, I love the Manueline design. Especially the belt/garter around the tower. - Claustro Principal
The Main cloister was built in the 16th century and is considered a masterpiece of European Renaissance inspired by Italian architecture. - Claustro Principal
Every cloister is different, this 16th century (1557-1591) Main Cloister was built in Renaissance style. It is also called Claustro de D. João III, cloister of John III. - Manueline design
The Manueline ornaments are just insanely beautiful. - Janela do Capítulo
The famous Manueline Window of the Chapter House (1510-1513) is best seen from the Saint Barbara Cloister. The human figure in the bottom of the window probably represents the designer, Diogo de Arruda. - Claustro da Hospedaria
This Hosterly Cloister was a place for visitors. - Janela do Capítulo
Incredible details in the window decoration. - Noviciate
The Noviciate was completely separated from the rest of the Convent. - The Virgin and Child
Gothic depictions of Virgin Mary were quite realistic. - The Virgin and Child
There was an exhibition of Gothic statues and I havve no idea why Baby Jesus is stabbing Mary in the heart... - The Virgin and Child
Yup, very realistic statues. I have no idea how it escaped being ... dressed ... in the following centuries. - Holy Trinity
- Holy Trinity
- A dragon?
This poor creature was slain by Saint George, so it's probably some kind of a dragon. - Refectory
The refectory was build in 1535-1536. - The kitchen
- Baker's oven
- Convento de Cristo
The view from the castle walls. - Aqueduct
I love how the aqueduct (1597) is incorporated into the building. - Charola - the round Templar church
The Charola from the outside - Tejo
River Tejo (Tagus) with its 1000 km is the longest river on the Iberian peninsula. - Almourol castle
The Almourol castle was part of the defensive line controlled by the Knights Templar, and a stronghold used during the Portuguese Reconquista. - Almourol castle
The castle was built on an islet and is accessible by boat only. - Almourol castle
E M CC VIIII Magister Gaudinus, Bracara que est caput Gallece ortus edificavit hoc castrum Almorel cum fratribus suis... The 1209 is now 1171. And the Master was Gualdim Pais from Braga, the Grand Master of Knights Templar. - Almourol castle
This is a popular spot: Lusitanians, Romans, Alans, Visigoths, Andalusian Berbers, Templars ... - Tejo
Tejo river as seen from the top of the three-storey high keep. - Almourol castle
The castle was built under Gualdim Pais, a crusader, Knight Templar and the founder of Tomar. - The keep
The keep is, according to Wikipedia, an innovation at this castle, appearing in the 12th century after the Castle of Tomar, the principal defensive redoubt of the Templars in Portugal. - Belver castle
Further up the river there is another casle: Belver. Unfortunately there was a heavy storm and the castle closed early. - Tejo
Tejo as seen from Belver at sunset. - Belver town
- Universidade de Lisboa
Toilet poetry at the Lisbon University :-) - Fish!
A lot of canned fish. - Tejo
- White elephant
Really, everyone has got to have a white elephant. Even Praça do Comércio. - Arco da Rua Augusta
It was built to commemorate the city's reconstruction after the 1755 earthquake. - Ocean Sunfish
Mola Mola is the world's heaviest bony fish, reaching more thatn 3 m in length and weighing over 2 tons. - Jardim da Estrela
Dragon tree - Jardim da Estrela
- Jardim da Estrela
One of the statues in the park is the farmer, O cavador, made in 1913 by sculptor Costa Motta. - Jardim da Estrela
Dombeya wallichii, also known as pinkball. - Jardim da Estrela
- Jardim da Estrela
Carris for kids - Jardim da Estrela
Well, hello! And good morning to you too! O Despertar by José Simões de Almeida. - Basílica da Estrela
Remember, someone is always watching you... - Basílica da Estrela
The Basilica was built between 1779 and 1790 by Mateus Vicente de Oliveira, an architect from the Mafra school and Reinaldo Manuel de Sousa. - Basílica da Estrela
View from the dome - Basílica da Estrela
In the dome above the church - Basílica da Estrela
You can get on the roof of the Basilica. How cool is that?!? - Lisbon
Really, Lisbon, really? - Basílica da Estrela
Rooftop decoration - Elevador de Santa Justa
The lift was opened in 1899. - Elevador de Santa Justa
- Parque das Nações
Modern tiles at the underground stop. - Parque das Nações
The site of Expo 98 world exposition is the modern part of Lisbon. The exposition was held to mark the 500th annivercary of Vasco da Gama's voyage to India. - Portugal pavilion
- Signs
One day, one day ... - Forests underwater
An exhibition by Takashi Amano - Forests underwater
- Forests underwater
Stop and listen. Nature is a great teacher. Live simply. - Oceanário
Great tile work at the Lisbon Oceanarium. - Planar alignment
- Homeotropic alignment
Sorry, professional deformation. - All Oceans in one
The central aquarium hosts species from four oceans. Devil Ray (Mobula mobular) in the spotlight. - Inca tern
Larosterna inca, living in Peru and Chile. What a mustache! - Green anemone and some funny sea stars
Giant Green Anemone (Anthopleura xanthogammica) are green due to the microscopic algae in their tissues. - Sea otter
Enhydra lutris. It is cute as hell but I am loving the waves just as much :-) - Sea otter
Enhydra lutris - Big Blue
So mesmerising... - Yellow Banded Poison Dart Frog
Dendrobates leucomelas. A poisonous frog that lives in northern parts of South America. Phantasmal poison frog (Epipedobates tricolor) is also there. - Phantasmal Poison Frog
Phantasmal poison frog (Epipedobates tricolor) is so so tiny! Officially "about" 22.6 mm. - Sharky!
Sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus), I think. - Sandy anemone
Bunodactis reynaudi. These anemones have over 300 tentacles and can be pink, brown, green, or blue. They live in Antarctic waters. - Seaweed
Seaweed looks like a crown of thorns. - Common seadragon
Common seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus). How can something like this be ever called "common"?!? How can any dragon ever be called "common"? - Giant Spider Crab
Macrocheira kaempferi. They have a span of up to 3.6 metres! And can liver over 50 years! - Fish Eating Anemone
Urticina piscivora. It feeds on small fish, but also other anemones. - White-spotted Jellyfish
Phyllorhiza punctata. Copied from the Oceanario webpage: "The small white spots on its bell are crystalline inclusions close to the surface. The colour of the umbrella varies according to the presence or absence of symbiotic algae, that provide energy to the jellyfish, through photosynthesis." - Garden Eels
Splendid Garden Eel (Gorgasia preclara) and Spotted Garden Eel (Heteroconger hassi) from Indian habitat. These creatures can be 40 cm long and live in abundant colonies - forming a "garden" - at a depth of 30 m. Creepy as hell. - Clown Anemonefish
Amphiprion ocellaris. They are protandric hermaphrodites - Nemo's Dad would actually change into Nemo's Mom once she died. - Black & white
I love black & white photos directly from the nature. This is Centro Fondo Peronaz, towards Cadore. - Monte Coldai
- Torre di Valgrande
The ridge of Monte Civetta - Palafavera
Wonderful cross-country trails - Torre di Valgrande
Civetta ridge - Monte Civetta
- It's snowing
- Mailbox
Even the mailbox is made in traditional style! - Doggo!
Another old barn transformed into a new house. Is that a dog-shaped opening? - Window shutters
I love the precise cuts of the window shutters! - Old houses in Mareson