Exploring an art Object Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Exploring an art Object - Essay Example In 1990, the Leaning Tower of Pisa was closed for public as a rigorous restoration plan starting in the following years. It was reopened in 2001 and the scientific committee revealed a recovery in inclination of the tower in August 15, 2013 (Ridet, n.pag.). Due to its unusual tilted architecture, it is a popular tourist attraction and Pisa is one of Europe’s most visited cities as a result. The Tower of Pisa was constructed hundreds of years ago in Romanesque style of architecture. Its construction began in 1173 soon after which it started tilting. Its name comes from an ancient Greek word which literally means marsh land. Since it was a marshy land the soil was unbalanced because of its composition. The soil contained mud, clay, and sand due to which the tower’s foundations began tilting towards the north. After its engineers noticed the defect, they tried to make up for the tilt by making the columns taller in the north (Harris, n.pag.). However, the tower continued t o incline and it started tilting towards the south, the direction where it still tilts till today although efforts by the engineering bodies have reduced the inclination greatly. It reached its greatest tilt in 1990 when it was being feared that the tower might fall over due to gravity. Restoration project started so as to reduce its inclination to maintain the site as a remarkable historical building. Romanesque architecture was an early medieval style of architecture that was popular in Europe during the medieval times. The form of architecture was defined by the presence of arches shaped semi circularly. Although there are various other medieval buildings in Pisa, Italy that depict a Romanesque style, perhaps the Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most remarkable ones due to its tilted structure. Just like a typical Romanesque building, the tower has 6 galleries that have been laid one top of the other (Stalley, 202) making a total of 8 storeys. The tower stands at a height of 5 6 meters as a bell tower or campanile. The Tower of Pisa is made up of white marbles that has been inlaid towards the outside with colored marble. It is a part of the Cathedral of Pisa which is located close by. The building techniques that have been used during the construction of the tower include load bearing masonry, cut stone construction, inlaying, and round plan. Load bearing masonry is probably one of the oldest forms of construction which involves the layering of masonries one on top of the other thereby building walls and other structures. Load bearing masonry has given the tower strength although it has been tilting since years. Also, the technique has made aesthetically beautiful walls which give a structurally rich look to the Tower of Pisa. In order to cut stones to make dimension stones for the construction for the tower, the technique of cut stone masonry construction was used by the designers. These dimension stones were the used for the making of its walls. The tow er has various galleries with columns supporting the curved arches in between. Although white marbles were used as the masonry for the construction, the exterior side of the tower was inlaid with colored marble so as to give it a creatively rich appearance. The Leaning Tower of Pisa comes under the category of Romanesque architecture. It is a building that was built as a toure de force

Martin Luther King as a Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Martin Luther King as a Leader - Essay Example It was through bold and inspirational speeches that King established a reputation as a great orator. However, this also painted him a radical and subject to federal surveillance for the rest of his life. In addition, King is recognized for his phlegmatic way of approaching crisis as he advocated for the rights of all. Martin Luther King Jr represented the African-American community, but in essence, this translates to all minority communities who lived an oppressed life. This oppression came about following colonization and the slave trade where the rights of those perceived to a weak community were subjected to a wide range of discrimination. Segregation and discrimination with regard to race, gender and education were outlawed following advocacy for civil rights. This marks a critical step towards generating independence among communities. This clearly illustrates that even as King fought for the rights of African-Americans, the benefits would be felt across different communities both regionally and nationally. King mounted a challenge to oppression by defying the status quo, which eventually got support from other members of the community other than African-Americans. However, there still exist a wide disparity based on ethnicity, race, religion and gender in modern America. This creates the need for more activism and effective leadership to bridge the gap, eliminating existing disparities. In order to take up leadership and advocate for change, one must consider every possible angle relevant to the vision he has. This way, his vision should illustrates the benefits of the intended changes and how best to effect it. In this regard, one should develop a vision in which he firmly believes in before making it a mission. Consequently, a leader seeking to transform the beliefs held by many must establish a vivid vision of