Today.Az » Arts & Entertainment » Slovak architectural gems that stand the test of time
28 November 2022 [16:34] - Today.Az
By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova Traveling through the world opens doors to timeless architectural wonders. What can make these older buildings so magnificent to us today is their unique architecture and design. These centuries-old buildings demonstrate the whole depth of the history, religion, and cultural characteristics of a particular country. Almost all architectural structures fascinate with their incredible beauty, original design, and many legends growing around them. The historical buildings still captivate the eyes and inspire modern architects to create new masterpieces. A photo project "Architectural Masterpieces of the World" brilliantly demonstrates architectural styles typical for different countries. Launched by the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction and professional photographer Aydin Sadixov, the project is currently designed for a period of two years. The photographer told Azernews that the project features separate events including photo exhibitions and presentations on the architectural masterpieces of different countries. Each photo exhibition includes photographs of the architectural and historical sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Photo exhibitions bring viewers closer to the architectural charm of the countries through the prism of photographs. Architectural Masterpieces of Slovakia The first event within the project focuses on Slovakia, a country exceptionally rich in architectural monuments. The embassy of Slovakia in Azerbaijan acted as the event organizer. Among the attendees were the Slovak Ambassador to Azerbaijan Milan Lajcak and the Consul of the Slovak Embassy in Baku Michal Teslar. Rector of the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction Prof Gulchohra Mammadova, Slovak ambassador to Azerbaijan Milan Lajcak, director of the Italy-Azerbaijan Design Center Farid Karimov as well as the project's author and curator Aydin Sadixov delivered speeches at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. Next, Aydin Sadixov showcased photo works as part of the exhibition. Approaching each photograph, he set out in detail interesting historical references, construction features, architectural style, and even exciting legends about the famous historical sights of Slovakia. All these historical monuments and buildings have stood the test of time. Slovak Ambassador to Azerbaijan Milan Lajcak made a presentation titled "Slovakia. The country with old cultural roots, historical, and architectural gems, and innovative ideas". The ambassador spoke in detail about the country's historical and cultural features. From the Middle Ages until the fall of the Habsburg Empire, the urban architecture of Slovakia was closely connected with the Hungarian culture and was influenced by the Austrian school, however, in some cities, it developed in accordance with local traditions. Slovaks have always been and continue to be a very religious nation, so the main architectural buildings in Slovakia include cathedrals and churches. Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia is probably the first thing, which comes to my mind when thinking about the architecture of Slovakia. Well-known as the hidden gem of the Danube river, the city has a huge number of historical buildings, monuments, and architectural masterpieces. Each building in the city's old part is of great interest, both from the side of history and architecture. The St. Martin's Cathedral draws the special attention of historians and travelers. The cathedral is a magnificent example of 15th-century architecture. The interior of the cathedral is decorated with many sculptures in the Baroque style. Probably, there is no person who, while walking around Bratislava, would not notice the building, unique in its external architecture, which once housed the legendary Pharmacy Salvator. The neo-renaissance building and former pharmacy in the Old Town of Bratislava was constructed by pharmacist Rudolf Adler in 1904. The Pharmacy Salvator is known as the oldest pharmacy in Bratislava. The central place in the photo exhibition was given to the castles in Slovakia. Looking at these castles now you can easily imagine their former greatness and power. The photo exhibition consists of twenty photo works by famous photographer and traveler Aydin Sadixov. The photographs offer a wonderful journey through Slovakian architectural gems, especially Bratislava Castle, Orava Castle, Lubovna Castle, Spis Castle, etc. The exhibition aroused great interest among the event participants. After the presentation, the envoy answered all the questions asked by the event participants.
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