By total surprise, on my last trip to England, on the quest of gothic cathedrals, I have discovered beautiful garden around Canterbury cathedral! Travelling around different places always make me search for possibility to find garden related subjects.
This time apart of the architectonic beauty I discovered weird Platanus tree, beautiful fig tree, wisteria - amazingly pleasing not only eyes, but also nose and lavenders growing at gravel paving. For me that was enough to make me happy.
This contemporary planter at the entrance fits very well the historic place.
Entrance to private parts just next to the cathedral.
Plants are growing everywhere.
Fig tree at the brick wall.
Abnormal Platanus - it's huge, but why so weird? I haven't found the answer, but maybe you know?
Canterbury Cathedral in the background.
Lavender at the gravel paving.
And those nude decorations of the balcony.
You may ask me then why
gothic cathedrals? I study art historyat the Warsaw University and this year there is focus on medieval art.
Because gothic cathedrals are one of the most magnificent and spectacular achievements
of medieval architecture, I decided to take part in the trip organised by
students with patronage of Warsaw University and our great tutor on the subject
of gothic, Jakub Adamski PhD.
Canterbury cathedral in the
history is connected with saint Thomas (Archbishop Thomas Becket) that had not
been a popular, saintly or even particularly likeable person, but the way he
was murdered fired up public discussion – as a result within two years he had
become an extra European celebrity, was canonized
as saint, because credited with a heap of miracles (illustrated later in several
whole window ensembles in Canterbury Cathedral).
Archbishop Thomas Becket (1118-1170)
was murdered (attacked, beheaded and brained) on 29 December 1170 in his own
cathedral in Canterbury, during the holy mass, by four knights responding to the urgings of Plantagenet King Henry II (1133-1189). This is
probably still one of the best known in English history.
Graphic representations of
his life and more specifically death appeared in very far places as Palestine,
Sicily (Mosaic in Monreale Cathedral), Spoleto (Umbria - fresco in the church
of Saints John and Paul) and the pilgrimage churches of France such as Chartres
(an entire window sponsored by the Guild of Tanners dedicated to Becket's life).
I enjoyed looking at the photos. The plants look like part of the walls of the structures. The abnormal platanus is really scary. It looks like a devil tree in a horror movie. It gives me the shivers.
ReplyDeleteI also love your pictures. The wisteria looks so dreamy! X
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos! I've always wanted to visit the Cathedral at Canterbury for its history, but I had no idea there were lovely gardens there as well. That is indeed a huge tree trunk!
ReplyDeleteMakes us want to visit Canterbury now, not far from us!
ReplyDeleteI know Canterbury and its cathedral well.
ReplyDeleteYour beautiful photos do it justice.
Gothic cathedrals are really spectacular. I admire the medieval architects who designed these magnificent structures. BTW, I love the story of Archbishop Thomas Becket. Thanks for all these beautiful photos. :-D
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