Church Door Sunday

When one has the good luck of finding a church's doors open, they have the opposite luck of getting a good picture of those doors. This is the Church of Our Lady Under the Chain (click on this link for a fabulous virtual tour from the top of the church)/ Eglise Notre Dame sous la Chaine / Kostel Panny Marie pod retezem in the Mala Strana quarter of Prague. When I arrived at the doors of this church, I was happy to find them open as it offered me a glimpse of the inside and, even better, a chance to take a couple of pictures through the old warped glass of the inner doors.

What I found especially enjoyable - given my love of door handles and accessories - were these beautiful and very unique handles!

The door to the church might seem surprisingly fragile (large multi-paned glass window and wood), but you must understand that this church is located within a locked and gated courtyard so it was not necessary to have a strong metal door like you have seen on some of the other churches I have shown you (e.g. see here).

At the Stone Ram

The name of this building comes from the relief sculpture at the top right of the above picture. Actually, the ram has just one horn so apparently the building has also been called At the Unicorn since not too many rams have just one horn!!

Nevertheless, the rest of the door is what I'm most interested in...especially the carved pillars and the stonework at the top of them. The archway is heavy and strong and probably once framed a magnificent wooden door, but sadly, the present door might be very boring if it weren't for the wrought-iron work, but luckily the iron work is the saving grace. The building is early 16th century, so I am guessing that the door frame is from the same period though it is possible that various renovations occurred over the centuries resulting in changes to the original design of the pillars - that is just my guess though.

The stonework at the tops of the pillars is fabulous!

A little too severe for me

Personally, I find this door heavy and a bit depressing, but someone must have liked it or it wouldn't be here. The window work is nice and if it was just up to the door itself, I would be quite fine walking through it each day to go home, but I find the frame so severe that when I see the door and frame together I have the desire to make a 180 degree turn and run off. But that's just me. Maybe you like it!

Sad Door Saturday

And here we are again...Saturday, the day that we all love (well, most of us love it , I think!) and the day I have dedicated to doors that deserve some love.

Today's door is, in my opinion, spectacular. When first looking at the pictures of this door, one might think that it were it not for the spray paint on it, this door wouldn't be so sad. Unfortunately, the building around this door is also sad...closed and empty shops, more spray painted walls and windows, few inhabitants, etc. I know, I find it hard to believe, too and I don't understand why this building is like it is especially considering that there are other buildings around it that look fine. I would like to believe that if it were up to this door the whole building would be alive with happiness and good and creativity, but unfortunately, this poor door, despite it's size (it is quite huge!), just doesn't have the power to change those things...the only thing that could make a difference is love. Maybe some day. I hope.