Phillip II’s Chair
From this series of stepped platforms, it is said that Philip II of Spain monitored the construction of the seat of the Spanish Empire. The platform, as well as the four seats located on the north side, was said to be engraved at the command of the king to accommodate him and his entourage.
Formed by three stone seats separated by armrests, this seat is supposedly where the king sat to supervise the works of the Monastery of El Escorial, headquarters of the immense Spanish Empire. The story behind the chair was a common legend, and while the king did come hunt and walk in the area, evidence points to a different origin story.
In 1999, the archeologist Alicia M. Canto of the Autonomous University of Madrid suggested that the whole complex could be a sacrificial altar built by the Vettones, a people of Celtic origin who lived on the Iberian Peninsula before the Romans arrived. Other altars in the area show similar Celtic influence, such as Panóias in Portugal. Not far from La Silla are the remains of another, older possible altar.
From this series of stepped platforms, it is said that Philip II of Spain monitored the construction of the seat of the Spanish Empire. The platform, as well as the four seats located on the north side, was said to be engraved at the command of the king to accommodate him and his entourage.
Formed by three stone seats separated by armrests, this seat is supposedly where the king sat to supervise the works of the Monastery of El Escorial, headquarters of the immense Spanish Empire. The story behind the chair was a common legend, and while the king did come hunt and walk in the area, evidence points to a different origin story.
In 1999, the archeologist Alicia M. Canto of the Autonomous University of Madrid suggested that the whole complex could be a sacrificial altar built by the Vettones, a people of Celtic origin who lived on the Iberian Peninsula before the Romans arrived. Other altars in the area show similar Celtic influence, such as Panóias in Portugal. Not far from La Silla are the remains of another, older possible altar.
Castel del Monte, Apulia. Italy. 13th-century
Castel del Monte, located in the municipality of Andria, rises on a rocky hill dominating the surrounding countryside of the Murgia region in southern Italy near the Adriatic Sea. A unique piece of medieval architecture, it was completed in 1240.
The castle’s location, its perfect octagonal shape, as well as the mathematical and astronomical precision of its layout all reflect the broad education and cultural vision of its founder, Emperor Frederick II.
Castel del Monte, located in the municipality of Andria, rises on a rocky hill dominating the surrounding countryside of the Murgia region in southern Italy near the Adriatic Sea. A unique piece of medieval architecture, it was completed in 1240.
The castle’s location, its perfect octagonal shape, as well as the mathematical and astronomical precision of its layout all reflect the broad education and cultural vision of its founder, Emperor Frederick II.