The Oldest Rotating House in the World
Nov19

The Oldest Rotating House in the World

Nowadays, rotating houses are not an innovation. There have been many fantastic examples around the world, including the magnificent Girasole in Canberra. It is no secret that its owner and designer was inspired by Italian architecture and design. Not many, however, know that our Australian Girasole’s predecessor carries the same name and was built almost 63 years ago. Villa Girasole is the oldest rotating house in the world designed by a local navy engineer, Angelo Invernizzi. Situated near Verona, Italy, the house follows the path of the sun in a circular motion. Translated from Italian, the word girasole means sunflower. An appropriate name for the house which follows the sun. The idea behind the creation of the first-of-its-kind rotating house is simple – to harness solar energy. Modern buildings use solar panels to transform it into energy. The implementation of the ambitious project took six years from 1929 to 1935. While it might seem too long for the construction of a house, we all know Girasole was no ordinary dwelling. Its unique for that era design and purpose required the use of advanced technologies. The First Rotating House Technology Girasole consists of two main body parts – a circular base (44 meter diameter) and an L-shaped rotational block. In the centre you will see a beautiful 40-meter-high tower described by many as a light-house-type construction. To rotate the 1500 tons structure, Invernizzi created an elegant mechanism powered by two diesel motors. With a speed of 4 mm per second, Girasole completes a full rotation cycle in approximately 9 hours and 20 minutes. Compared to modern rotating houses which can do make a full turn in less than 10 minutes, it might seem like an eternity. However, this is more than enough to follow the leisurely motion of the sun. Despite the genius design and advanced mechanics, each turn leaves signs of wear and tear in the foundation of the building. The vertical shaft grinds deep into the earthbound foundation, thus the very technology which awakens the structure also brings it one step closer to destruction. Today, Girasole is owned by the Invernizzi Foundation and the Swiss Mendrisio Academy of...

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Medieval Glory
Jan30

Medieval Glory

The Most Beautiful Castles in the World In complete controversy with my previous posts, I have chosen to name this one “Medieval Glory” with the more understandable subtitle “The Most Beautiful Castles in the World”. Why have I chosen to write on this topic? The reason is simple – Valentine’s Day is almost here, I am in a very, very romantic mood (who wouldn’t be after seeing all those “love posts” in other blogs), and I have been wondering how to spend the holiday with my boo. While a trip to Europe, the capital of the medieval action, at least according to my history teacher that is, is out of the question, I can’t help but dream at least a little bit. So I have decided to treat myself to a virtual excursion all around the world, searching for those romantic, tragic, yet so beautiful monuments of an age of damsels in distress, brave knights and chevaliers; princesses and princes; kings and queens who spent fortunes to build the most beautiful castles in the world. Having explained the reasons behind writing that post, I won’t keep you waiting any more: Peles Castle, Romania And off we go straight into the heart of Balkan history with the Neo-Renaissance Peles Castle in Romania. Hidden in deep forests in the Carpathian Mountains, this astonishing architectural miracle was built in the end of the 19th century. Not only is the view of the palace breathtaking, but it also hosts one of the finest art collections in Europe. Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany Most of you who are fascinated with medieval history and architecture must have seen pictures of the “castle of the fairy-tale king” Ludwig II. The wild nature surrounding the castle makes it a perfect refuge, which is the reason the shy king decided to build the Romanesque Revival castle up in the Bavarian mountains. Even the name of the palace is romantic and beautiful, as it literally means the “new swan stone”. Matsumoto Caste, Japan Leaving Europe, and its tragic history full of mythical creatures, we are heading to the “Crow Castle” in Japan. It is by far the most beautiful castles in the country, earning its name due to the entirely black exterior. Unlike most Japanese palaces, this one is built on a plane rather than high in the mountains. Guaita Castle, San Marino Just because I want to show that not only the big countries have rich history, and beautiful castles, I am returning to Europe and the small Republic of San Marino. Right above the capital, you can see the mythical Guaita Fortress. It has been guarding the city for...

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