Tag Archives: cathedral

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Woman and Cathedral Columns

Image May 22, 2025 G Dan Mitchell 2 Comments

Montpellier’s huge St. Pierre Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Montpellier) is a historic Catholic Church in gothic style that was established almost 750 years ago. The south facade features a high exterior arch supported by these two gigantic round columns and topped with very pointed roof caps.

Such churches often seem to be found in the centers of historic districts cities like this, but in Montpellier it is a bit off to the side. When we visited there few people were walking near the cathedral, aside from a few passers-by and a couple of people entering the church. (We did not go inside since it wasn’t open for visits.) I photographed this woman walking past the base of one of the columns.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

2 responses to “Woman and Cathedral Columns”

CRAIG W MYERS

May 22, 2025

This is riveting, Dan. The difference in magnitude between the solitary figure against the column, the muted tones that still deliver depth, and the graduated vertical play of light combine to create an engaging and beautiful image.

Reply
1. G Dan Mitchell
  
  May 22, 2025
  
  Thanks, Craig. Those columns are absolutely massive, and I was happy when the woman walked past and introduced a sense of their real size.
  
  Dan
  
  Reply

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Germany, Photographs: Travel

Eingang

Image April 13, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

The small “EINGANG” or “entrance” sign directs visitors toward the main entrance of the Frauenkirche in Munich. As I was looking for more information on the church I searched on photos and found only one that might have included a detail from this entryway — all of the others are of the main entrance. Suffice it to say that these doors don’t get that much attention and they deserve more.

The church is a landmark location in Munich. Although these doors don’t appear to be used that much, the carving work on them is quite impressive. The church’s two tall towers are visible from a great distance. Unlike many European church towers that that I’ve seen, these are topped with rounded domes rather than spires.

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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel

Basilica Spires and Domes, Dusk

Image January 12, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

This remarkable basilica stands next to the Ebro river in Zaragoza, Spain. Among its eye-catching features are the numerous towers and domes — from the four tall spires at each corner, to the large central dome, to the other smaller domes in between. It is quite a beautiful sight in the daytime, but is even more dramatic at night when it is illuminated by artificial lights. The photograph is from a bridge crossing the Ebro.

Zaragoza is perhaps not on the main tourist circuit in Spain, but we really enjoyed the place. During our visit in December there may not have been many tourists, but the town was very busy and crowded with locals — after all, it was the holiday season! The central area near this cathedral is an enchanting older part of the city, full of very narrow and twisting streets.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel

Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar

Image January 1, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar — “*Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar*” — Dusk view of the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar and the Ebro River, Zaragoza, Spain.

As the new year begins we are still thinking about our travels at the end of the old year. In late 2024 we spent six weeks visiting in Germany, France, Spain, and New York City — and we’ve only been back a few days. This photograph comes from Zaragoza, Spain, one of the pleasant surprises of this trip. We spent several days there and we loved the place. Seen here is the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, a remarkable cathedral on the banks of the Ebro River.

Something about this church feels different from many other European cathedrals. Perhaps it is the numerous domes and tall, thin spires. From some angles these structures almost remind me of mosques. The setting alongside the river is beautiful, and especially so in the evening when the place is lit up.