Old buildings

A huer's lookout post. A huer looked out for the annual pilchard shoals - large sardines - and this was big business. When they were sighted, the town sprang into action. For the past 100 years and more, the pilchard shoals haven't passed this way.

Seen here is my school French-exchange partner and his beloved Terrot 125 (an ex-army bike). Very heavy to ride (much more so than the 1972 Ducatti 750 I was riding in 1979!). We were riding this in the mountains, along unclassified country lanes (hence perfectly legal), aged 14 and 15! Happy memories! From a photo of an old print.

A church in Madrid. I'll look for it's name shortly. I do have it somewhere!! Yes, Panteón de Hombres Ilustres (Mausoleum of famous men - women were of no account when this place was built in 1901, obviously). The most famous men buried here are Sr Ríos Rosas and generals Castaños, de la Concha and Prim. Thought you'd be impressed!

Madrid has some pleasant corners such as this.

A quiet corner. By the side of the church I think.

The first raised water tower in Madrid. In use 1911 - 1952, Now an art gallery and exposition centre. Original construction (and still owned) by the water company Canal de Isabel II. Architects Luis Moya Idígoras and Ramón de Aguinaga. I also think the foreground wall is attractive in a "Mondrian / Klee / Braque / Machu Picchu" kind of way.

Puerta lateral de la torre de los Lujanes. Mediados del siglo XV. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HDdiz8MU8o Sight and sound, knocking on a door - seems reasonable!

From the public gardens of the Canal de Isabel II (a waterworks company) across Calle Santa Engracia (my street) and to 'Fire Station Number I, Madrid', the oldest fire station (1892). The light was very bright that day and the pollution non-existant (still far fewer cars on the roads and far fewer planes above - in fact last week I heard a noise and thought; 'what on Earth is that?' ... Of course it was the near-forgotten sound of an aircraft!!)

Seen on a walk and I was just attracted by the HFF potential. Parroquia de San Cristóbal y San Rafael, Arapiles, Madrid.

Right in the heart of Madrid is this (very late dynasty) Ptolomean / Meroen Egyptian temple, built in 220 BC. A gift from Gamel Abdel Nasser, President of Egypt, to the Spanish nation in 1970 as a thank you for the help of Spanish archaeologists in the dismantling and rebuilding elsewhere of ancient sites. These would otherwise have become engulfed by the rising waters caused by the contruction of the Aswan Dam. This temple was one of those saved from the inundation. I went inside the main building today. A far cry from my previous visit some years ago when I was crushed between hordes of visitors and I couldn't study a thing from the artefacts and certainly couldn't get to read any notes. Thanks to Covid-19, entrance was restricted to three visitors at a time and I was able to read the notes by the exhibits and generally learn a few things, which was impossible before. It's an ill wind ...

An old fortified town, 40 miles north of Madrid. The walls are of Moorish origin (11th century), restored in the 15th. The town lies on a peninsula surrounded by the Lozoya river (Wikipedia).

A late autumn scene. The nerve centre of Felipe II's imperial beaurocracy. It controlled the largest empire the world had known. Best on full scren.

Instituto Homeopático y Hospital de San José. I hold absolutely no truck with the snake-oil fraud that is homeopathy - but this, the first homeopathy institution in Spain, is an intriguing architectoral edifice, built by architect José Segundo de Lema in 1877. It became very derelict until rebuilt in 2008. Sadly, it is still a school for that awful pseudo-science that should have been made criminal decades ago, no matter what Prince Charles thinks..

This is the main front. I don't think I've taken it from this position before. I understand that this section is actually a church. For historic info in the notes to other shots of it, here is my album: www.ipernity.com/doc/2247598/album/1277734

The water company, Canal de Isabel II, had to keep up with Madrid's expanding population and water needs and constructed reservoirs (in the Mountains of Madrid), canals and aqueducts throught the 19th century. The first main deposit was amost in the centre of the city and opened in 1858. This is the second and the third was opened in 1905 (I have posted shots of its water tower). Since the 1950s, the water system has expanded exponentially. Deposits I, II and III have long been defunct. This is being transformed into a park and could open soon, Covid-19 permitting.

A very attractive village in the Sierra de Francia. You can see some of the 600 or so portraits on the walls. These were the residents in 1967 who were photogrphed for an album and who later agreed to have their images placed on the houses / flats where they lived at that time. Some say 'spooky!', others say 'what a great idea!' I am in two minds, but it IS different!

Now an exhibition centre. There was a photography exhibition as per next upload.

I've posted this before but couldn't resist another showing.