Great start to the week with a postcard showing one of the best known Galician landmarks, the cruceiros!
María Pérez, an ESO 4 student, has written the card on behalf of all the members of Ciencia Activa, a successful school project whose aim has been and still is to approach science in a meaningful and motivating way!
Two other members of Ciencia Activa, Outeriño and Ledicia Blanco, have done some research on the Galician Cruceiros and have share their findings in DISCOVER OURENSE.
They have also explored the destination of this card, the city of Leipzig in Germany, and have posted an interesting text in EXPLORING PLACES. Thank you, guys!
Another Ciencia Activa student, Carlos Cuesta, has very kindly recorded a podcast with further information about Leipzig. Listen to Carlos here. Thanks a million!
Postcard 49, sent by Ciencia Activa students, features
one of the most distinctive Galician landmarks, "os cruceiros", stone
crosses on long slender shafts that be found in a town or city main square and
also at some random point on a road, usually a crossroads (where roads
intersect)
Galician cruceiros
often include small sculptures of Christ on the cross on one side and a Madonna
and Child on the other.
Their origin is uncertain yet most
historians agree that the cruceiros’ origin can be traced back to thelares (laribus vialibus) or gods of the hearth that magically protected
the road and to whom the Romans dedicated altars with inscriptions, mainly
building them by crossroads. Ancient Galicians would light candles on the
altars because they believed they were connected with the underworld. As the
Christianization of the region progressed in the course of the Middle Ages,
said altars were torn down and in their place the cruceiros were put
up. The oldest cruceiros are said to date back to the thirteenth century and
have continued to be built into the twentieth century.
Here's what Alex Outeriño and Ledicia Blanco, ESO 4 students, have found out about this city. Thanks for letting us know, guys!
WHERE IS LEIPZIG?
Leipzig is the largestcityin thefederal stateofSaxony,Germany. Leipzig lies at the confluence of the riversWhite Elster,Pleisse, andParthe, in theLeipzig Bay, on the most southerly part of theNorth German Plain, which in turn belongs to theNorth European Plain.
...its large parks. Leipzig Botanical Garden is the oldest of its kind in Germany. It contains a total of some 7,000 species, 3,000 comprise ten unique collections.
Many other well-known figures worked for much of their life in here, including Johann Sebastian Bach, who died in Leipzg in 1750, and Felix MendelssohnBartholdy, philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, the Nobel Prize in physics Werner Heisenbergorthe and car manufacturer August Horch.
The historic downtown area of Leipzig features arenaissance styleensemble of buildings from the 16th century, including the old city hall in the market place.
Leipzig's zoo is one of tne of the most modern zoos in Europe with approximately 850 different species. It houses the world's largest zoological facilities for primates(Pongoland). Gondwanaland is the world's largest indoor rainforest hall.
The city's new administrative building was built upon the remains of thePleissenburg, a castle that was the site ofthe 1519 debatebetweenJohann Eck and Martin Luther. It is also Germany's tallest town hall.
We have received a card from the capital of the French Riviera,
the Côte d'Azur crown jewel! Merci beaucoup Yves for choosing a lovely card showing
some of towns and villages of this French region that inspired painters like Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse.
Nice is located in the Côte d'Azur area on the south
east coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea. It is about 13 kilometres from
the principality of Monaco, and its airport is a gateway to the principality as
well.
NICE IS FAMOUS FOR...
...its natural beauty and its mild Mediterranean
climate, which make the area a favourite holiday destination for tourists
worldwide.
The city's main seaside promenade, the Promenade des Anglais
("Walkway of the English') owes its name to British upper classes who
spent their winters here in the 18th century seeking relaxation and good
weather. The clear air and soft light have also appealed to some outstanding
painters, such as Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Niki de Saint Phalle and Arman.
Their work is commemorated in many of the city's museums, including Musée Marc
Chagall, Musée Matisse and Musée des Beaux-Arts.
This walkway extends from the airport on the west to the Quai
des États-Unis (United States Quay) on the east, a distance of approximately 7
km. On Sundays, bicyclists, baby strollers, and whole families can be seen out
for a stroll along the Promenade. It has also become a favorite place for
skateboarders and in-line skaters.
Located on the Promenade des Anglais, this beautiful
hotel was inaugurated in 1913 and stands today as one of the most amazing
buildings in the city. The Negresco has a total of 119 guest rooms plus 22
suites and was listed by the government
of France as a National Historic Building in 2003.
The Castle of Nice was originally a citadel used for
military purposes. Built at the top of a hill, it stood overlooking the bay of
Nice from the 11th century to the 18th century. It was besieged several times,
especially in 1543 and in 1691, before it was taken by French troops in 1705
and finally destroyed in 1706 by command of Louis XIV.
Nowadays, Castle Hill is used as a park. It's the most
famous public garden in Nice, and a "must see" place for the numerous
tourists who visit the city. It offers many amazing panoramas, and provides a
beautiful view all day long from sunrise to sundown, highlighting various
landscapes depending on where one looks: the Harbor at sunrise, the Promenade
des Anglais at sundown. That's why Castle Hill is called "the cradle of
the sun".
Located in the old town, the cathedral of Nice was
built between 1650 and 1699, the year of its consecration. It is dedicated to
the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saint Reparata. It has been classed as a
monument historique since 9 August 1906.
LIFESTYLE
Apart from being a holiday resort, Nice has a very
rich cultural offer. There are numerous museums of all kinds: Musée Marc
Chagall, Musée Matisse (arenas of Cimiez containing Roman ruins), Musée des
Beaux-Arts, Musée international d'Art naïf Anatole Jakovsky, Musée Terra-Amata,
Museum of Asian Art, Musée d'art moderne et d'art contemporain which devotes
much space to the well-known École of Nice ”), Museum of Natural History, Musée
Masséna, Naval Museum and Galerie des Ponchettes.
Nice also hosts many festivals throughout the year,
such as the Carnaval de Nice and the Nice Jazz Festival and has a diverse
cuisine given its geographical location: it is especially close to those of
Provence but also Liguria and Piedmont
in Italy and uses local ingredients (olive oil, anchovies, fruit and
vegetables).
