Just finished watching a rather fab programmme on the world's great monuments, which this week took in the great South East Asian temples of Angkor Wat and Borobudur. I've always loved awesome structures like these and it got me itching to go travelling again. But I also wondered, where are today's breathtaking monuments that will provide our ancestors with an insight into our lives? If they exist, what are they? And what motivates their contruction? Almost without exception, the ancient monuments were motivated by religious belief. In today's materialistic world, do we have a substitute to inspire us?
Rich.
Originally posted by richhoeyInteresting, and different, idea for a debate thread. I'm inclined to think such awesome, long-lasting monuments will not be constructed in the "modern" world. I think the rise of the common tends to work against the construction of the uncommon, at least in terms of monuments. We certainly have remarkable examples of modern engineering, bridges etc., but they will be replaced by even more modern structures eventually. Construction costs and the lack of slave labor probably also works against the construction of monuments equal to ancient monuments.
Just finished watching a rather fab programmme on the world's great monuments, which this week took in the great South East Asian temples of Angkor Wat and Borobudur. I've always loved awesome structures like these and it got me itching to go travelling again. But I also wondered, where are today's breathtaking monuments that will provide our ancestors w ...[text shortened]... ligious belief. In today's materialistic world, do we have a substitute to inspire us?
Rich.
Originally posted by richhoeyGo to Washington D.C. sometime. We've got the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Wall, etc. Those are the modern equivalent.
Just finished watching a rather fab programmme on the world's great monuments, which this week took in the great South East Asian temples of Angkor Wat and Borobudur. I've always loved awesome structures like these and it got me itching to go travelling again. But I also wondered, where are today's breathtaking monuments that will provide our ancestors w ...[text shortened]... ligious belief. In today's materialistic world, do we have a substitute to inspire us?
Rich.
I don't think with out current system we will ever see anything like the pyramids or angkor wat again. Its just not economically viable and we don't have the slaves 😉
I guess i would say that hotel in Dubai, the burj al arab, built offshore and in the shape of a sail. Pretty cool if you ask me.
http://www.hillmanwonders.com/burj_al_arab/burj_al_arab.htm
I think there are a few amazing buildings left, but nowadays it seems that practicality is more important than craftsmanship. Health and Safety, as well as costs, limit design. My personal favourite is the Mezquita of Cordoba, an absolutely massive mosque which used to have solid gold doors. It has 1013 pillars and you really can get lost wondering around in it, then suddenly you find yourself in the middle of a Roman Catholic cathedral! Right in the centre of the mosque. The irony is almost as powerful as the grandeur and decorative craftsmanship. An amazing building indeed.
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Originally posted by rwingettWell I'd be interested to see them, certainly. How old are they? There were certainly great civic monuments being built in the early part of the century - I'm just not convinced there are so many now. Mainly because power and money are mainly concentrated in the hands of the corporations these days, and while there are some pretty impressive banks and finance houses, in general companies are more interested in efficiency than aesthetic sense.
Go to Washington D.C. sometime. We've got the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Wall, etc. Those are the modern equivalent.
Saying that, the greatest truly modern structure I've seen is the London Eye, which was only put only put up for a year as a kind of glorified big wheel, and is now being lauded as the British equivalent of the Eifel Tower. The London Eye was erected by British Airways as a gigantic advertisement...
Rich.
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Originally posted by richhoeyPerhaps the greatest ancient monument that I have seen... and certainly the most surreal was the stadium granite monument "of races" in Ulumbattar where I and my wife stood as honored guests and were "read" to Ghingas Khan. I was invited to ride in the race but declined. I did make ten rounds of the arena as a "great guest" on my little pony that I had ridden in the desert for a week. Warning. To qualify, you must spend a week alone in the near gobi without food. Anyway.
Just finished watching a rather fab programmme on the world's great monuments, which this week took in the great South East Asian temples of Angkor Wat and Borobudur. I've always loved awesome structures like these and it got me itching ...[text shortened]... terialistic world, do we have a substitute to inspire us?
Rich.
The wonderful thing about people and places is that the monuments they build are a religion to them and a bit of history to us... Until we become part of it. Then they become really important. for some unknown reason.
I looked in a round-about way to the mountains as I circled,
About my Star Valley in a way.
Except in the soft and powerful foot of my little friend,
did I see the end.
What was in Star Valley was only mountain.
What was in my head as I looped about was real.
The mountains comfort here in the shade. In grand Khan Ani,
In the warmth of sun and the flow of water.
But I can't stay here.
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Originally posted by PullhardYea. Icelanders unite!
The big trout at Rakaia
Actually. It is very sad. And wonderful to see. I liked it a lot. I wandered for a half day and had a good twenty conversations. Good day.
OOOOps.
Sorry. All you trout killers. Sorry. Missed it. I was stuck in Iceland before an ancient fishermans monument. Stupid. One should learn to transpose "avant garde" to subject of thread. Sorry. Go on an kill fish. Sorry.
Originally posted by StarValleyWySounds interesting, I'll have to check it out. May need to get into training before committing myself to 10 days in the Gobi though...
Perhaps the greatest ancient monument that I have seen... and certainly the most surreal was the stadium granite monument "of races" in Ulumbattar where I and my wife stood as honored guests and were "read" to Ghingas Khan. I was invited to ride in the race but declined. I did make ten rounds of the arena as a "great guest" on my little pony that ...[text shortened]... ade. In grand Khan Ani,
In the warmth of sun and the flow of water.
But I can't stay here.
Rich.
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Originally posted by richhoeyDo you mean with monuments a structure build for remembrance or structures that are monumental (or both)? I speak in the case of structures that are monumental. Most of those monuments (the temples you mention) where build for a function. In your example it was a religious function. Modern monuments server other functions aswell. Up here in (coastal) Den Haag (The Hague) we have a history of the second world war when the Netherlands were invaded by the Germans. The Germans have build the Atlanktikwall along the coast of western Europa for protection against an invasion over sea. Parts of this huge wall are still present, some parts are walls to prevent tanks crossing them, some are bunkers. These had a function at that time. Nowadays their function is different; they carry a piece of history with them and have a historical function. The history provides the next generations insights into lives of people at the time a certain structure was build, merely because it was needed at that time (well, nowadays a lot of buildings are only being build to generate money only, tearing down a socalled old building, building an ugly new one and increase the rent compared to the former rent of the old building at the same location (A local example: de Zwarte Madonna, a building not old enough to tear down, but placed on a high-valued area in downtown Den Haag so is condemned to get replaced by high towers in the next few months...)).
And what motivates their contruction? Almost without exception, the ancient monuments were motivated by religious belief. In today's materialistic world, do we have a substitute to inspire us?
Rich.
I think for almost all structures their is at first only a functional motivation for building, that eventually - depending on the historical context a structure gets - could be part of history and turn out to be monuments.
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Originally posted by AikoAin't ancestor worship a bitch? When those with a key just dance in and claim the world?
Do you mean with monuments a structure build for remembrance or structures that are monumental (or both)? I speak in the case of structures that are monumental. Most of those monuments (the temples you mention) where build for a function. In y ...[text shortened]... ture gets - could be part of history and turn out to be monuments.