After browsing many of my vacation photos (how many of these posts come into being), I began seeing uncanny similarities in architecture between buildings in different countries. Italy? Spain? A small town in the USA? Each country had a particular edifice with a striking feature that was not easily forgotten: a semicircular colonnade with broad, sweeping arms that seemed to embrace the viewer with stone and marble. The first building, and perhaps the most famous one to employ this stunning architectural device, is the Square of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican (Rome). To read more about my take on the historic and religious area, click here. The second, more obscure area that probably only those who live in Spain have heard about is the Parque del Buen Retiro in Madrid, the capital of Spain. This sprawling park complex features a central manmade lake with a graceful colonnade right in the middle, like a floating sentinel of Spanish history and valiance. Of course, this park is all the more “European” because a grand, slightly pompous tribute to King Alfonso XII is right smack-dab in the middle of the island. The third cultural building is indeed a museum, although it is a small yet quaint one in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. The Museum of Fine Arts contains a plethora of conventional art, which is evidenced by the classical façade that forms a semicircular colonnade on the street (Beach Drive) in front of it. Skipping all the long lines and pomp of major museums in this world, this hidden gem even includes paintings by Monet, Murillo, and Corot.
Bernini, the major designer for the giant religious circle in the midst of the Vatican, even acknowledged that the sweeping columns on either side of the Square were like “motherly arms” meant to embrace Catholics and non-believers alike. The Baroque era (the time period that Bernini helped define) was rocked by the Counter-Reformation, a movement of reform in the Catholic Church that was a response to the momentous Protestant Reformation that was to change the course of religion in the Western world forever. To encourage lost Catholic believers to come back to the “true” faith, the mighty Vatican commissioned many works to show off their bottomless wealth, influence, and good standing. If the Catholics could afford such marvelous buildings and lavish adornments, surely they could nudge you into heaven as well.
Facade of St. Peter’s
Religious politics aside, I have witnessed firsthand the amazing effects these columns have on the viewer. I felt embraced, crowded in, loved, and threatened all at once; it was quite an unsettling feeling, but the overwhelming sense of grandeur and amazement temporarily quashed those other unsure sentiments completely. There are 284 marble columns that stand four deep; there is even a center point in the Square that when one stands there, all the massive giant pillars line up perfectly. When I think of the complicated mathematics employed here (and this was only the 17th century), I am truly astounded that most teenagers think high school algebra is extremely difficult. Check out Piazza San Pietro here.
Parque del Buen Retiro
Now for the hidden European jewel that most people do not know about: Parque del Buen Retiro (which translates to “Park of the Pleasant Retreat” in Spanish) in Madrid. This expansive green compound is lined with fluffy trees, contains stowed away monuments to long forgotten monarchs, and even features a central lake where mock sea battles occurred. I was lucky enough to visit this urban tour de force in the summer of 2013 just after I had beheld the priceless treasures in the Prado Museum (which is only a ten minute walk away). Although I only promenaded the main square, tree-lined streets, and adjacent restaurants, the park left such a lasting impression that I can still remember it quite clearly. Violinists projecting their sweet music to the manageable crowds, people enjoying themselves on a lazy afternoon by having a drink, and the bathrooms being monitored by a policeman are a few tidbits I remember. However, the site that has lodged itself into my memory is the columned monument to Alfonso XII in the center of the lake. I even had the opportunity to walk in and around the massive columns, completely dwarfed by their size and feeling their immense historical importance with every step (this whole park was originally constructed as a pleasure oasis for the powerful Spanish monarchs). The lake, which was rather dark and brackish, had colonies of visible fish and other wildlife. In short, this park was made 1,000 times statelier and regal by the inclusion of grand columns out of Ancient Rome; the innumerable trees and blue sky were pleasurable bookends.
MFA
The last and smallest architectural piece is not a grand park fit for royals or one of the important religious meccas of the world; in fact, it is a small museum that nevertheless houses art by the some of the most famous 19th and 20th century artists (namely, Impressionists). The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) is located in the Tampa Bay area in Florida, and its setting could not be more idyllic and classical. With the clear, open bay on one side, a hopping boulevard with fashionable restaurants and hipster shops on the other, and a large park with banyan trees close by, the location is perfect. Its curved façade is indicative of the art inside: calm, impressive, and plopped right of Paris or Italy. However, the arms of the museum are less imposing and frightening than the intimidating wings of St. Peter’s Square and Parque del Buen Retiro were. They are more pensive and serene, reflecting the whole mood of downtown St. Petersburg perfectly. MFA also has a permanent collection of African, Asian, American, and Ancient Western art as well (it’s not all snobbish European fine art!) Visit their website here.
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