The city and its symbols

Palmanova

Consecration cross, Norfolk, UK.

The city is a place, a center of meaning, par ecellence. It has many highly visible symbols. More important, the city itself is a symbol. The traditional city symbolized , first, trascendental and man-made order as against the chaotic forces of terrestrial and infernal nature. Second, it stood for an ideal human community: ¨What is the Citie, but the People?¨ True, the People are the Citie¨(Shakespeare, Coriolanus, act 3, scene 1). It was as transcendental order that ancient cities acquired their monumental aspect. Massive walls and portals demarcated sacred space. Fortifications defended a people against not only human enemies but also demons and the souls of the dead. In medieval Europe priests consecrated city walls so that they could ward oof the devil, sickness, and death -in other words, the threats of chaos.

Lotus garden, India

Masonic church

REFERENCE:

Space and Place. By Yi-Fu Tuan. P. 173. Visibility and Chaos. University of Minnesota. 2007

Pictures´references:

Palmanova http://www.fsgfort.com/DB/C083/30/19a.jpg

Consecration cross http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1394962

Lotus garden http://debu7370.blogspot.com/2009/10/shri-shirdi-sai-speaks-2nd.html

Masonic church http://media.photobucket.com/image/city+and+symbols+/FangShen/