Portugal has a long and rich history in stone extraction. Its history stretches back to the heydays of the Roman Empire, where it was used in major monuments spread across Spanish and Portuguese landscapes. Interestingly, the Portuguese marble was also exported throughout Brazil, India and Africa. It underlines the importance of marble in the architecture […]
Overview of marble processingMarble is one of the many natural stones found on the surface of the earth. It is quarried and is used extensively in the field of architecture and construction. Marble is always a unique and rare material as nature is in charge of providing it for centuries. From the moment it is […]
Founded: 2nd century B.C. Abandoned: 14th century A.D. Location: Southwestern Anatolia Periods: Roman Republican to High Medieval Material: Marble, travertine, calcite alabaster, and polychromatic breccia Hierapolis is the ancient Greek Holy City, surrounded by the unreal landscape of Pamukkale in southwestern Anatolia. It is referred to as Holy City in archaeological terms due to the abundance of […]
Location: Abu Dhabi Construction: 1996 – 2007 Dimensions: 290 x 420 metres Base Area: 12 ha Capacity: 40,000 people Built for: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Materials: Marble, gold, semi-precious stones, crystals, and ceramics The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is an excellent example of timeless architecture that represents both the traditions and modernity. It […]
Finishings of natural stoneAfter the quarrying process, natural stones can be modified by the finishing process in many ways. The finishing’s are often selected based on the intended use of the stone and according to the interior and exterior application using a variety of techniques and mechanical processes. Some of the typical natural stone finishes […]
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 Life of natural stone What is natural stone? It is a stone that is dug up from the earth and is mainly quarried from a mountainous ground. There are many types of natural stones, including slate, granite, limestone, basalt, quartzite, marble, sandstone and travertine etc. The aesthetics and characteristics of natural stone are defined […]
An introduction to Armenian basaltBasalt is an aphanitic (fine-grained) igneous rock, usually black in colour, formed by rapid cooling of molten lava. It is known as the earth’s most abundant bedrock, as most of the oceans’ crust is comprised of it. Around 90% of all volcanic rock on earth is basalt. The main components of […]
Travertine is one of the most popular natural stones used for many building and construction purposes including roofing, flooring, stonework, wall covering, cladding and a variety of bath designs. As a versatile and multifaceted natural stone, travertine is available in two classic variations, namely the vein-cut and the cross-cut. Travertine Classic Vein-cutThe travertine vein-cut has […]
Basalt is one of the Earth’s most abundant igneous rock, meaning it is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma, found in the 90% of the Earth’s crust. Most Ocean beds are underlain by basalt. It is also found on the moon and even on mars. These fine-grained rocks are characteristically dark in colour […]
