Travel – Tower of London (Part Two)

Posted on February 21, 2014 by barbara

There are so many interesting things to see and learn during a visit to the Tower of London and it can be very overwhelming and that is the reason I have written two separate posts. In the previous Travel post, Tower of London (Part One), I went into details about the history as a royal palace, fortress and prison. In this second post, I will discuss the history of the Jewel House which holds the famous Crown Jewels of England. I will also discuss two very different iconic residents of the Tower of London; the ravens whose presence has a legendary beginning connected to the historic Tower grounds and the Yeoman of the Guards who perform many duties such as tour guides and security force for the Tower of London.

The Jewel House and the Crown Jewels of England

Over the past centuries the Tower of London has stored the crowns, robes, jewels and other valuable items which were worn by the kings and queens of England. The tradition of the monarch’s coronation ceremony has been performed for over 1,000 years but the coronation regalia, known collectively as the Crown Jewels, are relatively modern pieces. Several buildings throughout the Tower of London have held these items for safekeeping and in 1665 the Crown Jewels were first put on display for the public to view.

The current Jewel House was built in 1967 as the west wing of the Waterloo Barracks. The Crown Jewels were displayed in a secured area in the basement of the building with the other royal items, such as the goldplate serving pieces, were displayed on an upper floor. Over time the high visitor attendance to the Jewel House in Tower of London required a larger area. Construction on the new Jewel House began in 1992 and was completed two years later in 1994. The new Jewel House was three times larger than the old one and could accommodate the large crowds more efficiently. New advanced security and display technology were also incorporated into the design, such as 2 inch thick shatter proof glass, filtered air and fiber-optic lighting were used in the construction of the display cases.

TRAVEL TIP: Before entering the Jewel House, be sure to take a photo in front with the Tower Guard sentry post, it makes a great souvenir of a day at the Tower of London!

Upon entering the Jewel House, the first area visitors will encounter is called the Hall of Monarchs. On display in this room are the crests and seals, also known as the coat of arms, of the British monarchs from William the Conqueror to the most recent, Queen Elizabeth II. It is a wonderful chance to compare both the similar and sometimes different elements used by the various monarchs during the past centuries.

As visitors proceed through the building, three short films are shown in adjoining areas. One of those films is of the 1953 coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II; it was the first time the solemn coronation ceremony was shown on television. Take a moment to stop and see the very young Queen being crowned but more importantly take note of the coronation regalia that visitors will see later on their tour of the Jewel House. (For more detailed information about the 1953 coronation ceremony, please click on the following post called the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II)

The next area in the Jewel House is a long hallway called the Processional Way; this is where the royal maces are displayed. The mace was originally a medieval weapon made of wood and metal but over time it became a symbol of the king or queen’s rank and authority. The more ornate ceremonial maces were made of precious metal and studded with jewels to reflect the sovereign’s high rank and is usually held by someone who precedes the king or queen in a procession.

Next, is the room displaying the Crown Jewels of England and two slow moving walkways are located on either side running the length of the display cases of the various crowns of the Kings and Queens of England. Don’t worry if you missed anything in the display cases or want a different view of the crowns, just take the moving walkway on the other side for another look! Be sure to look for the Imperial State Crown worn by the Queen annually at the State Opening of Parliament, the small Queen Victoria Diamond Crown, and the Queen Mother Crown with the large 105.6 carat Koh-i-Nor diamond. (For more detailed information about the crowns in the collection, please click on the following post called the Crown Jewels of England – Part Two)

In the next room, the Coronation Regalia is on display including the coronation robe worn by the current queen, Queen Elizabeth II. After the execution of King Charles I in 1649, Oliver Cromwell had the original crown jewels either sold or melted down to be made into coins. Later after the Restoration, with the loss or destruction of the crown jewels, some would say that King Charles II was “a king with no crown” and a new set of coronation regalia was made for him in 1661. More than half of the items on display in this room date back to that time in history, please sure to look for the Coronation Spoon which is the oldest item in the collection and is believed to be the only item that survived the destruction of the crown jewels by Oliver Cromwell. Another item to look for is the Sceptre with Cross with the very large 530.2 carat Cullinan I diamond which was added to the sceptre in 1910, it is the largest cut diamond in the world.

The last room on the Jewel House tour holds the royal plate collection which is a collection of serving pieces used by the king or queen for special occasions. Look for the largest item in the collection, the beautifully decorated silver gilt Grand Punch Bowl made in 1830, it is weighs 546 pounds and it was originally intended to be a wine vessel that would hold 144 bottles of wine. One of the most unique items in the collection is the Salt of State which was made after the Restoration in 1660, the function of the piece is to hold a variety of spices for a banquet but in looks like a golden fairytale castle.

The legend of the Tower of London Ravens

Over the centuries, wild ravens were very common throughout Britain and the area of the Tower of London was within their range. The ravens were thought to frequent the Tower supposedly attracted by the smell of the corpses of the executed enemies of the Crown the ravens would feed on the remains. Unfortunately, with the growth of the city London and the surrounding countryside, over time the numbers of ravens dramatically decreased.

The legend of the Tower of London ravens can be traced to the reign of King Charles II. It seems that the flight of the ravens was beginning to interfere with work of the royal astronomer, John Flamsteed, who conducted his daily observations with a telescope located in the observatory of the White Tower. King Charles, who greatly disliked the ravens’ droppings on the Tower grounds, originally ordered that the ravens would be killed but he was advised that it was unlucky to kill a raven and if this order was carried out “the Tower would fall and he would lose his kingdom”. Ever the pragmatist, King Charles sent out a new order to solve the problem and the Royal Observatory was moved to Greenwich and the ravens’ wings would be clipped to keep them at the Tower. Over the centuries, the captive ravens became associated with the tradition and superstition that as long as there were ravens held at the Tower of London “the Crown will not fail and Britain will remain strong”.

Currently the group of ravens held captive at the Tower consistently numbers a total of seven Common Ravens. At some time over the centuries, six was determined the lucky number of ravens, so there are six ravens that roam the Tower grounds and an additional raven is held as an extra. The ravens can only fly a very short distance because the flight feathers on one of their wings are clipped to prevent them from leaving the Tower grounds. To identify the individual birds, each raven is marked with a different colored band on their leg and they are also given a name by their Yeoman Warders caretakers.

The diet of the Tower ravens includes fresh fruit, cheese and fresh meat such as beef, chicken or lamb. They are also given vitamins and other supplements, such as chopped boiled eggs and cod liver oil. The ravens are well-cared for as visitors will note by the healthy weight and shining coats of the pampered Tower ravens. The visitors are also advised not to feed the birds and are warned that the ravens will bite if they feel threatened. The ravens held in captivity at the Tower of London have recorded lifespans of over 40 years.

The Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London

The Yeoman Warders are the ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London. Once responsible for guarding the prisoners of the Tower and the British Crown Jewels, today the Yeoman Warders act as tour guides who have extensive knowledge of the history of the Tower. Sometimes the Yeoman Warders are incorrectly referred to as the Yeoman of the Guard, which is the separate distinct group of royal bodyguards of the British monarch. The Yeoman Warders were first formed in 1485 by King Henry VII and then later in 1509, his son King Henry VIII moved the official royal residence of the monarch from the Tower of London and the group split into two separate groups. The majority of the Yeoman of the Guard went with the King but a much smaller group of twelve Yeoman were retained at the Tower so it could maintain the formal status of royal place. The main function of the remaining Yeomen became the warder of the Tower prisoners and the name was changed to Yeoman Warders to reflect their actual duties.

Currently there are 27 Yeoman Warders and one Chief Warder at the Tower of London. The requirement to become a Yeoman Warder is they must be a retired member of the Armed Forces of England or the Commonwealth, a former senior non-commissioned officer or petty officer with at least 22 years of service and also hold the Long Service and Good Conduct medal. In 2007, this normally male dominated institution changed and the first female Yeoman Warder, Moira Cameron, was sworn in. More changes where to come for Yeoman Warder requirements and until very recently only non-commissioned officers from the Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force were eligible to apply for the position. The Royal Navy had been exempt because they took an oath to the Admiralty and not the Queen. In 2011, this allegiance oath reverted back to the Queen and the first Naval Yeoman Warder had applied, was accepted and sworn in. The Yeoman Warders and their families are required to live within the Tower of London and some of the housing dates back to the 13^th century. The Tower has its own community with a Resident Governor, chaplain, doctor and even a pub. The only problem is that when the Tower is locked at night to keep out intruders, the Yeoman Warders and their families are locked in and are prevented from leaving the Tower until morning.

The Yeoman Warders normally wears a dark blue uniform with red trimmings. For official state occasions, such as the Queen visit to the Tower, they wear a red and gold uniform which is very similar to the Yeoman of the Guard. This uniform is referred to as the Tudor State Dress which has changed very little from when it was in the 1400s and it is very uncomfortable to wear because of the high white collar and heavy fabric.

The Yeoman Warders are sometimes called “Beefeaters” which has a historical origin as the Yeoman from centuries past were given the right to eat as much beef as they wanted at the King’s table and basically the Yeoman were a very well feed group! But according the modern-day Yeoman Warder in charge as the Ravenmaster, it is the Tower Raven that are the real “beef-eaters” because of their daily diet of meat!

The Ceremony of the Keys

A long standing tradition is the Ceremony of the Keys which is held every night at the Tower of London and it has been performed in the same way since the 14^th century. The Chief Yeoman Warder, who is dressed in Tudor watchcoat, meets his military escort of Tower of London Guards at exactly 9:53 p.m. Together they will march to lock the main gates of the Tower. After securing the Tower Gate, the Chief Yeoman Warder with his military escort will march down Water Lane. On the way back into the Tower, the group is stopped by a sentry that shouts, “Halt! Who goes there?” The Yeoman Chief Warder replies, “The keys” “Who’s Keys”, the sentry says. “Queen Elizabeth’s keys” the Chief Warder answers back. The sentry states, “All is well” and allows the group to pass.

The Yeoman Chief Warder and his military escort proceed through the Bloody Tower Archway and into the main area of the Tower. The group halts at the bottom of a set of stairs known as the Broadwalk Steps. At the top of the stairs another group of Tower Guards are called to present arms (a military command shown as a sign of respect). The Chief Warder raises his hat and calls out, “God save Queen Elizabeth”. The ceremony is concluded when the Chief Warder takes the keys to the residential section of the Tower to a building known as the Queen’s House and the keys are stored for safekeeping while the Last Post is sounded for the night which officially ends the day at the Tower of London.

TRAVEL NOTE: When visiting the Tower of London, I would definitely recommend the free one hour tour given by a Yeoman Warder guide. These tours are an excellent way to learn the history of the Tower, but they are also surprising entertaining and humorous despite the serious topics of imprisonment, execution and torture.

For more information, such as hours of operation and admission cost for the Tower of London, please see their website at www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon

Travel – Tower of London (Part One)

Posted on February 20, 2014 by barbara

One of the most memorable sites we visited during our visit to London in 1998 was the historic Tower of London. There are so many interesting and dramatic stories about this well-known royal palace, military fortress and former prison. In this post I will discuss the origins of the Tower including the different buildings located within the Tower walls and their varied history over the past centuries. In the second post, Tower of London – Part Two, I will discuss the history of the Jewel House which holds the famous Crown Jewels of England, the legend of Tower ravens and the duties of the Yeoman Warders.

A brief history of the Tower of London

The Tower of London, officially known as Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, is located on the north bank of the River Thames near central London, England. The Tower has been an important location and was originally intended as the royal palace for the reigning monarch and was built as a fortress against invading forces. During the centuries the Tower functioned as a treasury and Royal Mint, an armory, a public records office and a secure place for the Crown Jewels of England. The Tower of London was also used as a prison and according to historic records it is said that some of the prisoners were very important and high ranking people, such as Sir Walter Raleigh and Princess Elizabeth who would later become Queen Elizabeth I. The Tower was also the site of many executions; some of those people executed were Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey but the most recent execution was during World War II when the German spy Josef Jakobs was killed by a firing squad.

In 1066, the site of the current Tower of London was founded during the Norman Conquest by the aptly named William the Conqueror. William set out to build several castles and fortresses throughout England as a line defense from invading forces. In 1078, the construction of the White Tower was started and when it was completed 20 years later the vast size and height of the castle dominated the surrounding city of London and for this reason it became known as the Tower of London.

Currently, the Tower of London covers 12 acres and is laid out in a series of three enclosures or wards with an additional 6 acres surrounding the area outside the walls. The inner ward was built during the reign of King Richard the Lionheart and it is the area where the main buildings, such as the White Tower, are located. The outer ward that surrounds the entire castle was built during the reign of King Edward I and the layout of the grounds has basically remained the same since that time with very little changes. These multiple enclosures of the castle were meant to protect the Tower in the case of an attack and it proved a formidable line of defense. In addition to those fortifications, a ditch was dug and filled with water to create a moat and 21 additional towers were added over time to provide increased protection.

Surprisingly, the Tower has also been the home of some very interesting animals. During the reign of King Henry III, there was a Royal Menagerie that included exotic animals such as an elephant, lions, leopards and a polar bear that attracted the public’s attention when it would occasionally be released to go “fishing” in the Thames. By the late 1800s, before the animals were relocated, the Tower held over 280 animals of 60 different species. One of the most famous animals associated with the Tower are the large black ravens and for more information about the legend of how they came to be held there, please see the Tower of London – Part Two post.

Things to see and do at the Tower of London

The White Tower –

The White Tower was one of the strongest of the Norman fortresses and measured 118 feet by 105 feet at the base and rose to a height of 90 feet, not including the corner towers. In the traditional style of a Norman keep, the White Tower’s northern side was built into an existing mound and the building entrance was accessed from a wooden staircase that could be removed in the event of an enemy attack. On the west corners of the building there are square towers, on the north corner there is a round tower with a spiral staircase that ascends to the upper floors and on the south corner there is a large semi-circular section where the St. John’s Chapel is located. Since the castle was meant to be a royal residence with additional comforts “fit for a king”, four fireplaces were added to provide warmth and latrines were built into the walls.

St. John’s Chapel (located in the White Tower) –

The St. John’s Chapel is located in the southern section of the White Tower on the second floor. The chapel is a wonderful example of Norman architecture constructed with imported stone from France, there is a vaulted nave and round piers that support simple arches with carved scallop and leaf designs and behind the altar are beautiful stained glass windows that depict the Virgin Mary and the Holy Trinity. Much later, in a windowless recess in the chapel crypt in the north wall, there was a secured room designed for the safekeeping of the royal treasures and important documents. Today the St. John’s Chapel is still used for various services held throughout the year.

Line of Kings Exhibit (located in the White Tower) –

For over 400 years, visitors to the Tower of London have come to see a wonderful display called the Line of Kings Exhibit which features royal armor and arms with full-sized wooden horses and the figures representing the Kings of England over the past centuries. The display has been changed several times since it was first put on exhibit after the Restoration.

Today, many of the wooden horses on display are over 325 years old and the exhibit shows the armors of several kings, including those of King Charles I and King James II. An interesting display case shows two contrasting suits of armor, one of a “giant” and the other a “dwarf”. But the centerpiece of the Line of King exhibit is the impressive armor of King Henry VIII.

St. Thomas Tower –

The function of the St. Thomas Tower has changed over the past centuries; it was originally intended as a royal residence for King Edward I but it was also used later as a place to hold prisoners. The St. Thomas Tower was built in the late 1270s and is known as the Medieval Palace of the Tower. Now, when visitors come to tour the Tower they will see a recreation of the bedchamber of King Edward I. During the process of researching the recreation of the room design, historians tried to be as accurate as possible. King Edward was known to travel across the country from one palace to another, so for his comfort the bedroom was made to travel with him. The large four-poster bed, required because he was an unusually tall man for that time at 6 ft. 2 in., could be taken apart and re-assembled at the different locations. In addition to the bed, the raised platform or dais, the curtains and other furnishings could easily be transported by cart from place to place.

Located below the St. Thomas Tower is a stone archway with a double gate that became known as the Traitor’s Gate. This is the famous entrance from the River Thames into the Tower and it was the place that many prisoners were brought through when they were incarcerated within the Tower.

The Bloody Tower –

At the time that this Tower was built by King Henry II in the mid-1200s it was originally intended as another line of defense for the castle and it was named the Garden Tower since the views from the upper floors looked out onto a garden area. During the centuries the purpose of the building was changed and it later used to hold prisoners and because of the cruel events that are believed to have occurred there it was given the name of the Bloody Tower.

One of the earliest prisoners to this tower was Sir Walter Raleigh, he was held here during his long imprisonment and the lower portion of the tower is currently furnished as it would have appeared during that time. On the upper floors there is a display telling the story of the two “Little Princes” of the Tower and their mysterious disappearance and possible murder. After the death of King Edward IV, the next in line to the throne was the 12 year old Prince Edward. Since he was too young to rule, he and his brother, 9 year old Prince Richard, were put under the “protection” of their uncle the Duke of Gloucester. Sadly, the two princes were last seen in June 1483 at the Tower of London and been speculated that they were murdered by suffocation. Coincidently(?) their uncle went on to become King Richard III but it is widely thought that he was ultimately responsible for the death of the two young princes.

Tower Green –

Tower Green was said to be the historic site of the execution of two queen consorts of England, they were Anne Boleyn the second wife of Henry VIII and Catherine Howard the fifth wife of Henry VIII. Normally executions were performed outside the Tower of London on the nearby Tower Hill so as to accommodate large crowds. The “privilege” of being beheaded in the privacy of Tower Green was in accordance with a higher ranking person so as to avoid the insults of the crowds and to die with dignity. At the time of our visit in 1998, there was only a small area in the middle of the Green paved with granite bricks as ordered by Queen Victoria to mark the place of the execution scaffold and a small plaque that was added later with the names of the people who had died on or near the spot. In 2006, a new contemporary memorial created by artist Bryan Catling was erected; it takes the form of a glass pillow resting on two polished disks, one disk is made of glass featuring the names of ten people (seven historically famous people and three soldiers that died on Tower Green) and the other disk is made of granite featuring a special remembrance poem.

For more information, such as hours of operation and admission cost for the Tower of London, please see their website at www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon

Travel – Library of Congress (Part Three)

Posted on January 31, 2014 by barbara

The Library of Congress is such an interesting building and during my research there was so much information that I had to write three different posts concerning the magnificent Thomas Jefferson Building. In the first post that featured the Library of Congress, Library of Congress – Part One, I discussed the origin and history of the Library. In the second post, Library of Congress – Part Two, I concentrated on the spectacular art and architectural details of the Thomas Jefferson Building and the grand Great Hall. Because there is so much detail to the Jefferson Building, I wrote this third post about the famous Reading Room of the Library of Congress.

Having visited the Library of Congress on a trip to Washington in 2002, I became fascinated with the beauty of the art and architecture of the Jefferson Building. There are so many details in the building and everything seems to have special meanings and symbolism designed to show America’s love of learning, science and culture. The Library of Congress has been featured in several books; two books that I especially enjoyed were “The Collectors” by David Baldacci and “Murder at the Library of Congress by Margaret Truman. In fact, the Reading Room is shown on the cover of “The Collectors” and that is the area of the Jefferson Building that will be the topic of this post.

The Reading Room is the highlight of the one-hour guided tour of the Library of Congress and can be seen from the Visitor’s Gallery. The Library of Congress is open to the public for academic research and for access to the Reading Room with a portion of the Library’s vast collection visitors are required to apply for a Reader Identification Card which is issued in the nearby Madison building. To apply for a Reader ID Card the person must be at least 16 years old, a United States Citizen and a government issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, state ID card or passport, is required for valid identification purposes. For more information about the Reader ID Card, please see the Library of Congress website at www.loc.gov/visit/tours

The Reading Room is a large octagonal room located in the center of the Jefferson Building. Upon entering the room, look up at the impressive dome ceiling which towers 125 feet from the main floor of the Reading Room. The coffered dome is made of stucco which is attached to an iron and steel frame and is designed by sculptor Albert Weinert. The dome decreases in size toward the opening at the center of the dome making the dome appear larger. At the top is a circular area with a painting by Howland Blashfield that depicts the Evolution of Civilization and shows twelve large figures that represent the various countries around the world that have made important contributions to civilization. An additional area of 35 feet rises to form the lantern area of the dome with eight windows and then another smaller shallow dome that covers the lantern area with an additional painting by Blashfield. A separate exterior dome is built over the entire interior dome to protect it from being damaged.

Now, take a look around the large Reading Room. At the edges of the room where several sets of columns form eight piers that support a series of arches that enclose the entire room. The piers are set forward into the room by 10 feet creating a series of two-story alcoves that are behind large Italian marble screens. Standing on top of the piers are eight almost 11 foot tall ivory white plaster statues that symbolically represent the important subjects needed to create and live a civilized life: religion, history, art, poetry, philosophy, law, science and commerce. On the frieze below the statues each title is inscribed in gilded letters and each statue is shown holding the appropriate symbols and objects that pertain to the different subjects.

Above the Reading Room alcoves and positioned along the balustrade are a series of sixteen bronze statues of men that have contributed important thoughts or actions that have effected civilization. The statues are arranged in pairs that flank the piers dividing the alcoves and correspond with the eight important subjects on top the piers, such as Moses and Saint Paul for their contributions to religion, Herodotus and Gibbon for history, Michelangelo and Beethoven for art, Homer and Shakespeare for poetry, Plato and Lord Bacon for philosophy, Solon and Chancellor Kent for law, Newton and Joseph Henry for science and finally Columbus and Robert Fulton for commerce.

Also positioned between the piers are a series of eight semicircular stained-glass windows which measures 32 feet across at their base. In the center of each window is the Great Seal of the United States and displayed following the curve of the window are to the right and the left are the seals of individual states and territories. In between each seal is a torch and the top curve of the windows are surrounded by a border of laurel and rosettes. In each window there are three seals on each side of the United States Seal; making six seals per window and multiplied by eight windows for a total of 48 seals. The seals are listed in chronological order from the dates that they were added to the union. At the time the three territories of New Mexico (1912), Arizona (1912) and Oklahoma (1907) were not officially states until the noted dates and Alaska (1959) did not become a state until much later.

Finally, while standing in the Reading Room, look above the entrance passageway for a glimpse of the most ornate decorations in the Jefferson Building which is the John Flanagan clock. This large bronze sculpture is a life-size version of Father Time who is carrying a scythe in one hand and on either side of him are maidens with children figurines that represent the four seasons of a year. In keeping with the entire sculpture theme of measuring the passage of time, there is a four foot in diameter clock with a gilded sunburst and clock hands that are decorated with semiprecious stones.

As you can see from the description and pictures of the art and architecture of the Reading Room, and for that matter the entire Jefferson Building, immense thought went into the decorations of the Library of Congress to convey important themes that were needed to make our country, the United States of America, a strong and prosperous nation.

Travel – Library of Congress (Part Two)

Posted on January 30, 2014 by barbara

During a trip to Washington, D.C. in 2002 we were fortunate to visit the Library of Congress and it was a wonderful and fascinating experience. There are four Library of Congress facilities located in Washington, D.C. The Thomas Jefferson Building was completed in 1897, the John Adams Building in 1939 and the James Madison Memorial Building in 1980 and there is an Audio-Visual Conservation facility located on the Packard Campus in nearby Virginia. The previous post, Library of Congress – Part One, I discussed the origin and history of the Library. In this post I will concentrate on the spectacular art and architectural details of the Jefferson Building. Because there is so much detail to the Thomas Jefferson Building, please check out the next post, Library of Congress – Part Three, which will discuss the famous Reading Room.

If you are planning a visit to Washington, D.C. we highly recommend the Library of Congress free one-hour guided tours of the historic Jefferson Building. During the tour visitors will learn about the history and collections of the Library as well as the architecture and the meanings of the symbolic art displayed within the interior of the Jefferson Building. The guided tours are available Monday through Saturday during the year and no prior reservations are required but visitors are advised to check in at the Ground Floor Information Deck. Self-guides tours of the Jefferson Building and current exhibitions are also available during days that the building is open to the public. For more information, please check the Library of Congress website at www.loc.gov/visit/tours

TRAVEL NOTE: At the time that we visited Washington and the Library of Congress Jefferson Building I had never seen a building with so many lovely architectural details and beautiful artwork, it was a truly a wonderful experience! I could have stayed longer than the one hour guided tour because there were so many interesting details throughout the Jefferson Building.

The main building of the Library of Congress is the Jefferson Building, which is located near the United States Capitol Building. The building is approximately 470 feet in length and 340 feet in depth and it is three stories in height and the facade is constructed of granite. The floor plan is basically divided into four sections with an octagon shaped area, known as the Reading Room, at the intersection of the different sections known as pavilions. Overhead in the Reading Room there is a large dome and on the exterior of the building the dome is topped with a symbolic gilded torch which is known as the “Torch of Learning”.

Outside on the west side of the Jefferson building is “The Court of Neptune” fountain created by sculptor Roland Hinton Perry. The semicircular fountain extends to 50 feet wide with three niches that suggest sea grottos and in the center is the 12 foot tall bronze sculpture of the sea god Neptune and on either side are sea nymphs which appear to being riding sea-horses. Additional sea creatures such as dolphins, frogs and turtles also appear in the fountain or behind on the granite walls and there are a series of water jets with more water flowing from the mouths of monstrous sea serpents. At night the fountain is beautifully lighted.

At the west side of the Jefferson Building, which is considered the main entrance, are three arched doorways with a set of impressive bronze doors created by Frederick MacMonnies. The center door features two bas reliefs of women that represent the humanities and intellect. The semi-circular bronze piece or lunette above the door shows the seated goddess Minerva and on either side of her are two winged cherubs set to carry out the printed word as her gift to mankind. The west facade of the building rises to showcase a second story balcony with a series of windows which are marked above by the busts of nine of the world’s great writers.

As visitors proceed into the Jefferson Building, they will pass through an elaborate entrance area or vestibule and then proceed into the Great Hall. The grand Great Hall is a visual delight and there are a number of pieces of art and architecture with special meanings and symbolism designed to show America’s love of learning, science and culture. First, take a look at the intricate marble flooring which contains several brass inlays in the elegant patterned design of red and yellow Italian marble. In the center is a large sun marked with the four compass points that coincide with alignment of the building. At the outer edges of the floor are twelve brass inlays representing the signs of the Zodiac and alternating brass inlays of floral rosettes which are all set in red French marble surrounded by a border of white Italian marble.

Standing at the entrance to the Great Hall and looking directing across the room is the Library’s Commemorative Arch which leads to the entrance of the Reading Room. Large double marble columns flank both sides and above the arch are the words “Library of Congress” inscribed in large gilded letters. Then, above that is another inscription cut into the marble which gives the information pertaining to the Thomas Jefferson Building with a list of the pertinent dates and architects involved in the construction. While standing in the Great Hall, look up to see the beautiful cove ceiling which is highlighted by six stained-glass panels. In addition, the ceiling is decorated with aluminum leaf, Italian-style paintings, paneled carvings and wonderful winged figures carved in plaster by Philip Martiny are also featured in the corners of the ceiling.

Now, before ascending to the second floor, take a look at the intricate figurines also by Philip Martiny that decorate the staircases found on either side of the Great Hall. Two sets of figurines decorate the staircase buttresses; the south staircase features two cherubs representing America and Africa with a globe in between them showing the two continents and the north staircase features two cherubs representing Asia and Europe with the globe between them showing those two continents. As the stairs ascend to the second floor take a look at a series of eight figurines on each of the staircase bannisters, the cherubs represent the various occupations and pursuits of life. The south staircase features a mechanic signifying inventions, a hunter, a child holding a glass of wine, a farmer and a fisherman, a soldier represented by a child holding a gun, a chemist and a cook. The north staircase features a gardener, an entomologist holding a specimen box, a student, a printer, a musician, a physician, an electrician and an astronomer. At the top of the each staircase, the two balustrades feature a trio of cherubs, one set represents the arts of painting, architecture and sculpture and the other set represents literary topics of comedy, poetry and tragedy. At the bottom of each staircase, standing on the newel posts are bronze female figurines holding an electrified torch light. The figures are decorated in a classical style with laurel wreaths and draped clothing.

One final area adjacent to the Great Hall and located on the second floor is the entrance to the Visitor’s Gallery of the Main Reading Room. After ascending another staircase and before entering the Visitor’s Gallery, is a magnificent marble mosaic by Elihu Vedder. Located at top of the staircase landing is a 15 feet high and 9 feet wide arched panel which features Minerva, the goddess of peace and the guardian of civilization. In the mosaic she is depicted as former warrior who has set aside her armor after a victorious battle and she is now looking towards prosperity but is still prepared to protect her country and holds a staff in one hand as she stands vigil against any future enemies. In the right lower portion is a small statue of Victory which is shown as a winged woman standing on a small globe. In Minerva’s other hand she hold a scroll with the long list of subjects that are needed for a society to flourish, such as Law, Statistics, Sociology, Philosophy, etc.

As visitors pass through the doors at the top of the stairs, they will enter into the Visitor’s Gallery that overlooks the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress. In the next post, Library of Congress – Part Three, I will discuss the art and architecture of the famous Reading Room.

After viewing the Reading Room, I encourage visitors to explore the second floor where there are even more beautiful decorations along the corridors and in the various rooms. Unfortunately, the art and architecture on this floor are too numerous to mention but if you are interested in further details of these areas of the Thomas Jefferson Building, I would highly recommend a visit to the Library of Congress website, www.loc.gov/visit/tours for additional information and photos. Another source of information about the history, art and architecture of the Library of Congress is a wonderful book, “The Library of Congress – the Art and Architecture of the Thomas Jefferson Building”, published by W.W. Norton and Company.

Travel – Library of Congress (Part One)

Posted on January 29, 2014 by barbara

On a visit to Washington, D.C. in 2002 I fell in love with the Library of Congress building. The building was unlike anything I had ever seen before, the architecture and interior decorations were beautifully detailed. In researching the topic, there is so much information about the Library of Congress that there will be three separate posts. In the first post I will examine the origin and history of the Library of Congress. In the second post, Library of Congress – Part Two, I will go into more detail about some of the interesting features of the Thomas Jefferson Building’s exterior and parts of the interior. Because there is so much detail to the building, please check out an additional post, Library of Congress – Part Three, which will discuss the famous Reading Room.

A brief history of the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is the main research library for the United States Congress and is considered one of the largest libraries in the world. Although the library is open to the public for general research purposes, only members of Congress, the Supreme Court justices and high-ranking government officials may check out the books.

In 1800, President John Adams signed an Act of Congress designating that the seat of the United States federal government would be moved from Philadelphia, PA and relocated to the new capital city of Washington. As part of the legislation, $5000 was intended for the purchase of books that would be necessary for the use of the United States Congress. 740 books and 3 maps were ordered from London, England and a new research library was established and conveniently located in a special room within the United States Capitol building.

Later, Thomas Jefferson was to play an important role in the history of the Library of Congress. In 1802, President Jefferson signed into law legislation to establish a permanent building for the Library of Congress and also a permanent Librarian of Congress was appointed to oversee and regulate the administration of the Library. Unfortunately, before the structure could be built, invading British forces during the War of 1812 set fire to the city of Washington. At the time the small library of 3,000 books was still located in the Capitol building and much of the collection was destroyed.

To recover from the loss, the now former President Jefferson offered his entire personal collection of 6,487 books to the United States government to replace the damaged books for the Library of Congress. Jefferson had acquired his vast collection of books over a period of 50 years and the books covered such topics as literature, philosophy, science and architecture including many foreign language books. By 1817, Congress had officially accepted the generous offer from Jefferson and the books were sold for $23,950.

Plans were now needed to build a permanent structure for the Library of Congress and a design competition was held and the winning architects were John Smithmeyer and Paul Pelz. Construction started on the new building in 1890 and by 1897 it was completed at a cost of almost $6.5 million dollars and it eventually became known as the Thomas Jefferson Building. Over the years as the Library’s collection and administration staff grew and more buildings were added, the John Adams Building was completed in 1939 and the James Madison Memorial Building in 1980. In addition, there is an Audio-Visual Conservation facility of the Library of Congress located on the Packard Campus in Virginia.

Currently, the Library of Congress collections includes more than 32 million books and other printed materials in 470 different languages. The Library has one the largest rare book collections in North America with items such as a draft of the Declaration of Independence and a Gutenberg Bible. In addition, the Library has over 1 million issues from the past three centuries of newspapers from around the world, over 5 million maps, 120,000 comic book issues, 6 million items of sheet music, 3 million sound recordings and over 14 million prints and photographic images. The Library of Congress estimates that their collections fill over 830 miles of bookshelves.

The Library is also a base for the United States Copyright Office and holds records for both copyright registration and protection. All publishers are required to submit two copies of their published books and nearly 22,000 of these new publications arrive at the Library every day. The Library does not keep all of these items but trades with other libraries around the world or donates them to schools or city & state libraries within the United States. In addition, on the average 10,000 new items such as newspaper, magazines, maps or prints are also received daily.

The Library of Congress is open to the public for academic research and for access to the Reading Room and the Library’s vast collection visitors are required to apply for a Reader Identification Card which is issued in the nearby Madison building. To apply for a Reader ID Card the person must be at least 16 years old, a United States Citizen and a government issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, state ID card or passport, is required for valid identification purposes. For more information about the Reader ID Card, please see the Library of Congress website at www.loc.gov/visit/tours

TRAVEL NOTE: During our visit to the Library of Congress we applied for a Reader’s ID card, it was a relatively short process and it is a really fun and free souvenir!!

The Library of Congress also offers free one-hour guided tours of the historic Thomas Jefferson Building Monday through Saturday during the year. During the tour visitors will learn about the history and collections of the Library as well as the symbolic art and architecture of the spectacular Thomas Jefferson Building. No prior reservations for the guided tours are required but when you arrive please check in at the Ground Floor Information Deck to meet the docents. Self-guides tours of the building and current exhibitions are also available any time during days that the building is open. For more information, please check out the Library of Congress website at www.loc.gov/visit/tours

Please check out the upcoming post, Library of Congress – Part Two, for more details about some of the interesting features of the beautiful Thomas Jefferson Building’s exterior and interior.

The Enchanted Manor

a lifestyle blog by Barbara Jones

Category Archives: Travel

Travel – Tower of London (Part Two)

Like this:

Travel – Tower of London (Part One)

Like this:

Travel – Library of Congress (Part Three)

Like this:

Travel – Library of Congress (Part Two)

Like this:

Travel – Library of Congress (Part One)

Like this:

Share:

Like this:

Share:

Like this:

Share:

Like this:

Share:

Like this:

Share:

Like this: