Tag Archives: italy

Carrara Marble

Carrara Marble

Marble is an all-time favourite natural stone used by many architects, sculptors and artists to enhance the beauty of any space. This luxurious stone is famous for its royal status throughout history and has been used as flooring of monuments, cathedrals and palaces, decoration of building facades and carving of famous sculptures. Marble origins lie […]

The beauty of marble facades: Palazzo Santa Sofia

Blog-03052021-Palazzo-Santa-Sofia

Architectural Style: Venetian Gothic Location: Venice, Italy Construction started: 1428Construction stopped: 1430Material: Brick, Marble  Standing on the northern bank of Venice’s Grand Canal is The Palazzo Santa Sofia or the Ca D’Oro (House of Gold), whose intricately carved marble façade only gives a glimpse of its original glory. This house is one of the most notable examples of late Venetian Gothic architecture, […]

2x Natural Stone in Verona

Ponte Scaligero

We all know Verona has a lot more to offer than “just” natural stone. The famous city on the Adiger river is one of the main cultural centres in the north/northeast of Italy. We will take a quick glimpse at 2 spectacular buildings: The Scaligero (also: Castelvecchio) Bridge, and the Arco dei Gavi. The bridge […]

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Date built: 1372Height: 55.8mOriginal use: Churches bell towerUse during history: Supposedly by Galileo Galilei for his free fall experiments; during WW II Germans used it as an observation post Use nowadays: As a tourist attractionMaterial: Marble and limestone The tower of Pisa is amongst the four structures that make up the cathedral complex of Pisa, […]

Travertine – Armenian, Italian, and Turkish

Travertin - Armenian Italien Türkei

Travertine is one of the most commonly found and used building materials today. Having a concentric appearance and a refined touch, an exceptional rustic texture as well as neutral and striking colours, travertine is prevalent in both residential and commercial applications. Turkish TravertineTurkey has vast deposits of a broad spectrum of natural stones, travertine being […]

Carrara and Italian Marble Revisited

Carrara Revisited

Natural stone is a delicate material. On its journey from quarries to our bathrooms and table-tops, the exploitation process requires meticulous work. Italian marble, as such, is considered as one of the most luxurious masonry products. Moreover, while it is quarried from many locations around the globe, Italian marble is still the most sought-after. It […]

Ara Pacis

Ara Pacis Augustae

Date opened: 9 BC Location: Rome, Italy Architectural style: Ancient Roman Architecture Material: Marble Ara Pacis, which is also known as Ara Pacis Augustae (Latin for “Altar of the Augustan Peace”) is a shrine consisting of a marble altar which is enclosed by walls. This was erected on January 30th, 9 BC in Rome’s Campus […]

The Colosseum in Rome

Colosseum in Rome, Italy

Date built: 70 – 72 AD Dimensions: 189m (long side) and 156m (short side), 48m high Base Area: 24,000m2 Perimeter: 545m Capacity: 50,000 – 70,000 (90,000) people Built for: Vespasian Material: Travertine The Colosseum is a Roman Architectural Marvel, commissioned by Emperor Vespasian as a gift for his people of Rome. It was officially opened […]