Monday, August 18, 2014

Grandma's Boot Camp: The Bardo Museum, 1

As the Bardo Museum in Tunis contains one of the most spectacular collections of Roman mosaics in the world, the Camp director decided to take campers to visit and sketch. However, the palace itself is worth the visit.

The Bey (King) of Tunis resided in the Bardo Palace, which was constructed in the 19th century, until it became an antiquities museum in 1885.

The museum has been renovated and extended, however, one can see the former splendour of the palace.  Leading up to the front door, a series of lions stand watch. The National Assembly now meets in that section of the palace.
Some exquisite ceilings can be seen.



I could live under this ceiling.
Breath-taking...
Maybe the most spectacular and certainly over-the-top: an ornate mezzanine floor.
It's hard to know what to admire first, the woodwork, the painted ceilings, the metalwork, or the gorgeous marble of the columns.
And of course, lovely tile work graces many walls. 
Memories of Istanbul, for the beys were of Ottoman descent and kept ties to the center of the Empire. One can't help but admire the sophisticated use of pattern and color. 
I'll have to go back when the weather gets cooler.

8 comments:

Nifty Quilts said...

All I can say is WOW! Very nice renditions of the wedding shoes also.

Silvana Vituriano Celistre said...

Beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing!

Donna~~ said...

Incredible. And more incredible to have been made before all the modern techniques were available. A real treasure. Thanks for sharing.

O'Quilts said...

Really, life is totally amazing and history and people...love your perspective..helps me focus a bit on others...and not just our lives here...

Ms. said...

Thank goodness these treasures still exist! Stunning.

Dianne said...

Beautiful images.

Norma Schlager said...

Truly awe inspiring and such great inspiration for quilting designs. I know that I take many pictures of floors, walls and ceilings when I travel.

Ann X said...

It is breathtaking, indeed!