Lily is a symbol of purity, a flower with a rich history. Lily cities Lille - a mysterious and fabulous French city - video
Lille is a historical region of French Flanders, the center of the northern region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais, a city with a Flemish accent near the border with Belgium. That is why I chose this city for my trip. I thought a lot, looked at pictures on the Internet, did not know where to go in the spring. And then pictures of Lille caught my eye, reviews of tourists who visited this city.
I was delighted. A couple of days later I flew to Lille, a mysterious and fabulous city for me. Lille - France in the palm of your hand, that's how I would call the city.
For many centuries, textile production was the only thing that kept the city of Lille in the list of the most commercial cities. But one day, unable to withstand the pressure from the new times, the city surrendered.
But now it is one of the most cultural capitals of royal France, the main commercial and shopping mall, a place of French students, but still we must pay tribute to this city: it is such a beautiful, stunning and fascinating city that welcomes its guests so brightly that you even forget why you came here, because you didn’t want to leave back at all.
How to get here?
Located 10 kilometers from the city center international Airport. It is here that regular international and domestic flights land: from Spain, Portugal, Morocco. This time I was flying from Spain, where an international conference was taking place for all of us journalists.
By the way, there are no direct flights from Russia. First you need to fly to the famous Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, take a train and come here, to Lille.
Twice an hour, high-speed trains run to Lille from the Gare du Nord. Travel time takes approximately one hour. And the fare is from 17 to 40 euros.
There is a second departure option - this is to fly to Brussels airport, which has a direct train connection with Lille. In just 40 minutes you can reach this charming city.
If you are going to go here from other cities in France, then you can get from Lyon (travel time 3 hours), Marseille (travel time 4 hours), Bordeaux (travel time 5 hours), Strasbourg (travel time takes 3 hours).
For beloved Englishmen, there is a railway connection with London: a train moves through the mysterious tunnel under the English Channel, the journey takes only an hour.
Two large stations were built in Lille: Flemish and European. They are located 400 meters from each other.
What sights are worth seeing in Lille?
When I arrived from Spain to Lille, I was immediately struck by the atmosphere of the city: friendly people, half of the people generally walked around in multi-colored clothes, with a smile on their lips. For some reason, only here there was an atmosphere of calm, no one was in a hurry, as can be seen in others. European countries where no one sees except business and money.
From this wonderful atmosphere, I even got tired of smoking, and I went for a walk along unfamiliar city Lille, the sights that began to come across already at the first step.
The Grand Place, which is named after the famous French figure Charles de Gaulle
In the center of the city of Lille is the famous Grand Place, which is named after the famous French figure Charles de Gaulle. Here in the center stands tall statue one goddess, who symbolizes the heroism of the inhabitants of the city during an unstable situation in 1792.
The landmark of the city is the house where the famous Charles de Gaulle was born. Today, this house houses a museum. But I didn’t go to the museum, because I don’t like all these boring things. Let's go further.
I walked and walked from the central square and suddenly found myself in the quarters of ancient Lille, where today you can see expensive boutiques and shops in the newly restored quarters.
For people interested in history, ancient culture and the spiritual world of cities, there is one Museum of Fine Arts. This is the second of the leading museums after the Louvre in terms of size and wealth of all masterpieces. European painting, ancient monuments, sculpture and ceramics. The map of Lille has a lot of museums and historical centers.
There are paintings in the museum famous artists- Rubens, Botticelli, Goya, Veronese. So you can safely walk around, admire the paintings and enjoy real creativity.
When I stopped at the Paris Gate, I immediately understood why they are so famous.
The construction was built a long time ago, when you were not yet born, on the day of the victory of Louis the 14th and the return of Lille.
On the right side, there is a statue of Hercules, which is a symbol of stability and reliability, and on the left, a statue of Mars, the magnificent and famous God of War.
I even took a picture against the backdrop of the gate and went on.
What is this city famous for?
Lille has won over many people with its markets, especially the Braderie market in September, where you can buy everything from food to paintings and technology. There is also a Christmas market.
The modern district of the city of Euralille, built relatively recently, is famous, and it is visited not only by residents of the city, but also by guests from all over the world. Even I visited it.
Do you know what the feature of this city is? You will never ride a Segway as freely as here! I did a couple of laps on two-wheel platforms with high handlebars. This is a Chinese novelty, as always. For half an hour of skiing, I paid 4 euros. And if you take a Segway for half a day, then you will have to fork out for 14 euros. If the full - then 20 euros.
You can ride a Segway in France on the Champ de Mars, there are also rentals at the Flemish railway station. Before you start riding, you go through the instructions, and then you are given a permit that allows you to ride freely on such wonderful cars throughout France.
How is the weather?
Since I came here in the spring, I was very lucky. There was no rain, it was very dry, but cloudy. Sometimes the sun was beautiful. What is the weather like in Lille?
In general, the weather in Lille is moderate, without any harsh winter or sweltering heat.
I walked around the city in April and it was +16 degrees. Of course, so that the breeze would not blow, I tied a scarf and was like that.
Taste the local cuisine
Ah, if you only knew how much I ate in the restaurants of Lille! It would seem that I arrived not very hungry, they fed me well on the plane, and in between walks I grabbed either a hot dog or a hamburger.
But, having come to one of the restaurants in Lille, I could not resist. Delicious, fragrant, delicious.
Lille is a friendly and generous city. Concerning local cuisine, then the portions here are large (you need to order one serving for two, and that will be a lot), for the preparation of delicious dishes, no one spares time and products.
The cuisine of Lille deserves close and worthy attention. There are only three tables in the city's cuisine: Flemish carbonate (appetizing pieces of beef fried in beer), waterzoi (poultry under sour cream with vegetables), potevleish (jelly from different types of meat in a pot).
You can also enjoy huge amount beers of different varieties: tart, ginger, dark, light.
Finally, I would like to add that Lille is wonderful, fabulous city. Of course, you can't get around it in one day. Try to find five days and plunge into this amazing atmosphere.
The choice of hotels in the city is rather big, for every taste. I stayed at the Au Clos Notre Dame apartment, I liked the convenient location in the city center and excellent reviews on Booking. I did not regret it - the apartments are quiet, there is a kitchen, the Internet works fine.
Lille - a mysterious and fabulous French city - VIDEO
The old town in Lille is small but elegant. There are four museums here at once, one of which is the Museum fine arts is the second largest in France. Immerse yourself in the amazing atmosphere of French Lille.
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Lily- a royal flower with a rich history. The lily acquired its fans many centuries ago. It is believed that the flower got its name from the ancient Galic word "li-li", which means white-white in translation. In many nations, the lily flower is associated with a symbol of purity, lightness and sophistication.
Lily story
Historical references to this flower date back to 1700 BC. Images of lilies on frescoes and vases were popular in Ancient Greece, in Egypt and Rome. In Persia, these flowers adorned lawns and royal courts. And the capital ancient persia Susa was called the city of lilies.
The history of this flower is surprisingly rich, interesting and sometimes contradictory. There are many legends and stories that mention these delicate flowers. Most of the references are found specifically about white lilies.
For example, according to ancient Greek tradition, these flowers appeared from the drops of milk of Hera, the wife of the god Zeus. IN beautiful legend It is said that Queen Alcmene secretly gave birth to a boy named Hercules from Zeus. Fearing the punishment of Zeus's wife Hera, she hid the baby in the bushes. But Hera found the newborn and decided to breastfeed him. Little Hercules felt the substitution and roughly pushed the goddess Hera away. Milk splashed on heaven and earth. Thus, the Milky Way appeared in the sky, and lilies sprouted on the earth.
Lily found in ancient Germanic mythology. For example, the god of thunder Thor was depicted with a scepter crowned with a lily. There is also a mention of these flowers in German old fairy tales, where each lily had its own elf. These little fabulous creatures chimed each evening with lily bells and fervently prayed.
Later, with the spread of Christianity white lily began to be considered the "flower of the Virgin Mary", as a symbol of purity and innocence. The lily was especially loved in Italy and Spain. Here it was customary to come to the First Communion in wreaths of lilies. Until now, in the Pyrenees, there is a custom on Midsummer's Day to decorate the church with bouquets of these flowers. After the sacrament of consecration, flowers were nailed over the door of each house. It was believed that from that moment until the next Midsummer Day, the residents of the house would be safe.
I must say that lilies are a very common symbol in Christianity. Many saints are depicted on icons with a branch of this flower. For example, the Archangel Gabriel on the day of the Holy Annunciation, and of course, the Virgin Mary (the icon "Fadeless Color")
Painting by French painter Adolphe-William Bouguereau “Archangel Gabriel”
Painting by French painter Adolphe-William Bouguereau “Virgin Mary”
orange-red lilies symbolized the blood of Christ. According to ancient tradition changed color on the night before the execution of the Savior. Proud and beautiful, she could not stand the humble gaze of Christ when he leaned over her. She felt ashamed and blushed. Since then, as the legend says, red lilies lower their heads and close their petals with the onset of night.
The ancient Jews also loved this flower. He was considered a symbol of purity. According to ancient legend, the lily grew in the Garden of Eden and was a witness to the temptation of Eve by the devil. Despite everything, the flower remained pure and untouchable. That is why they decorated altars and human crowned persons. According to one version, the ancient Jewish symbol - the six-pointed star, or "Seal of King Solomon", identifies the lily flower. The influence of this flower is also reflected in architecture. For example, during the reign of King Solomon, the huge columns of the temple appeared, to which the court architect gave the form of lilies.
In Egypt, fragrant suzinon oil was made from delicate lilies, which was very popular with Egyptian beauties. This oil is mentioned in his treatise “On the Nature of Woman” by the famous ancient Greek healer Hippocrates, where he describes in detail its softening and soothing properties. There is also evidence that the bodies of dead Egyptians were decorated with white lilies. One of these mummies with a lily on his chest is now kept in the Louvre in Paris.
IN Ancient Rome, rich in spectacular masquerades, was a very popular holiday dedicated to the goddess of spring Flora. It was celebrated at the beginning of May. During these days, the doors of Roman houses were decorated with flowers. Elegant Romans brought gifts to Flora in the form of milk and. arranged everywhere fun entertainment, and the heads of the participants of the holiday were decorated with wreaths of lilies. The winners of various competitions were literally showered with flowers. For all this festive decoration, a whole sea of \u200b\u200bflowers was required. So they prepared for this holiday in advance and grew flowers in greenhouses.
Painting Italian painter frescoes by Prosper Piatti "Floralia"
Lily took second place at this beauty festival place of honor after . Rich ladies decorated themselves, their lodges, and even chariots with them, trying to shine in front of each other. It was a flower of luxury and refined taste. Therefore, lilies were incredibly popular in ancient gardens. It is not surprising that the image of a lily appeared on the coins of that time.
Lilies were minted on coins in many countries. The starting point is the Persian period, 4th century BC, when a lily flower was depicted on silver coins on one side, and a portrait of the Persian king on the other. Later this tradition moved to Europe.
But perhaps special role Lily flower has played in the history of France. According to legend, when the king of the Franks Clovis fought the Alemans at Tolbiac, he realized that he was losing. Being a pagan, he turned to God and asked him to help. Raising his hands to heaven, he received baptism for himself. And at the same moment the angel handed him a silver lily, as a new weapon. The soldiers of Clovis rushed into battle with a vengeance, and the enemy was defeated. Since then, the lily has always been present on the coats of arms of the French rulers.
19th century fresco from the Pantheon (Paris) "Battle of Tolbiac"
According to another source, lilies appeared in the heraldry of France after the victory over the Germans on the banks of the Li River. Returning after the battle, the winners decorated themselves beautiful flowers, which grew in abundance in those places. Since then, France has been called the kingdom of lilies, and three flowers, personifying the three virtues - justice, mercy and compassion, adorn the coats of arms of the kings of all French dynasties.
There was a period when the reign Louis XIV in France, coins were in circulation, bearing the names of gold and silver lilies.
Around the same time, the expression "etre assis sur des lys" appeared in secular circles, which meant "to have a high position", since all the walls and chairs in administrative buildings were decorated with lilies. During the reign of Louis 12, she becomes the queen of all French gardens. It is considered a flawless flower and continues to win the hearts of European nobility. Since the end of the 12th century, the heraldic sign of the lily has become very popular throughout Western Europe.
I must say that this flower has been valued for its beauty throughout its history. He was credited with various symbolic meanings and, depending on the traditions, they interpreted it as the Deity, beauty, purity, innocence, greatness, rebirth, purification, a symbol of fertility.
According to ancient legends woven into the cloak of Zeus and the hair of the ancient muses. Christian symbolism used the image of this flower as an indispensable attribute of the saints. It is believed that the expression "Hallelujah" refers to a stylized lily.
IN different times the beauty of this flower was considered angelic or devilish. For example, during the ruthless Inquisition, the lily began to be considered a flower of shame. Her image began to stigmatize all sinners and criminals. Since then, in Europe, the fashion for this beautiful flower acquired a dramatic connotation, and it became an indispensable attribute of a luxurious funeral.
There was a time when there were many legends in Germany linking lilies to the afterlife. According to local beliefs, she was never planted on the graves. It was believed that this flower would grow by itself on the grave of a suicide or a person who died a terrible violent death. The lily that appeared meant a bad sign, was a harbinger of revenge.
In painting, lilies occupy a special place. This flower conquered painters of all times with its beauty. The paintings in which they are depicted always have some kind of subtext that the artist wanted to convey. Perhaps the wisdom and perfection of the world, bliss from unity with Higher powers, Dedication to all goddesses or just a declaration of Love.
Without exaggeration, we can say that this amazing flower has conquered the whole world, since its description can be found both in religious treatises and in ancient mythology, and in medieval painting, and on the coats of arms of the French kings. In terms of popularity, lilies are second only to roses, firmly occupying their niche and how indoor flower, and as a wonderful decoration for the garden and pond.
Photo reproductions of paintings with lilies
ancient fresco
Painting Brooks Thomas (English, 1818-1891) "Water Lilies"
Painting by Charles Courtney Curran (American, 1861-1942) Lotus Lilies. 1888 Terra Museum of American Art, Chicago
Painting by Walter Field (English, 1837-1901) "Water Lilies"
Icon Mother of God"Unfading Color"
Painting by Claude Monet. Water lilies. 1899
Painting English painter George Hillyard Swinstead "Sleeping with Angels"
Painting by Giovanni Bellini "Angel"
Photo of a page from the liturgical book of Hours from 1423, illustrating the legend of King Clovis who receives a lily flower
Italy is one of the most attractive countries for tourists, because its cultural riches and historical monuments seem endless. Each traveler chooses italian city, but once they see the coat of arms, its beauty, they understand that this is the place where you definitely need to visit.
true beauty
The main official symbol of the city is a vivid reminder of the historical past, rich culture, masterpieces of painting, sculpture and architecture.
The coat of arms of Florence can also be assessed with artistic point view, the main opinion of art critics is that he is flawless. This also applies to the selection colors, and selected characters, and their compositional placement.
Firstly, there is an amazing harmony of colors - silver, chosen for the shield, and scarlet, for the main composition. However, scarlet has tones and shades, which makes the image seem three-dimensional, alive.
Secondly, the coat of arms depicts two graceful lilies that look like royalty, their stems, leaves and petals are gracefully curved. These flowers, which are a symbol of the monarchy, are located against the background of the crown, its lateral ends are bent down. As experts in the field of heraldry explain, this is a kind of symbol of admiration for true beauty.
In the depths of history
Royal lilies are a symbol, first of all, of the Frankish court, representatives of the French royal dynasties. The image of flowers was present in various heraldic signs and coats of arms of representatives of the nobility.
Historians hint that thanks to the French king Louis XI, the lily flower first adorned the coat of arms of the Medici family, some of whose representatives more than once acted as rulers of Florence. Therefore, it is not surprising that the lily "grew" and official symbol of this city.
Symbolism of lilies
The main difference between the Florentine lilies, depicted on the coat of arms of the capital, from their French "colleagues" is that they have a different shape, these representatives of the royal flora are depicted at the peak of their heyday (not in buds). Next to them they always write the motto of the city - "Like a lily in bloom, so Florence flourishes."
Lily has been revered since ancient times, poets composed hymns and poems, artists captured it in their masterpieces. Based on this flower, hundreds of decorative ornaments. The plant symbolizes life and death, snow-white lily in many nations is associated with purity and innocence, red - with wealth and fertility.
Today the world is concerned about three main problems: global warming, the price of oil and the food crisis. We couldn't resist talking about the first point. Especially since we came across such an elegant, if not glamorous, solution to the problem of flooding a decent part of the land.
In the twentieth century, the total rise in the level of the world's seas was only ten centimeters, while all fifty are predicted for the current century! (But for this it is enough for only 1% of the Antarctic ice to melt.)
The French architect of Belgian origin Vincent Callebaut, already known to our readers, was imbued with the lamentations of environmentalists and decided to create Lilypad. He describes his brainchild in a simple way: “a floating ecopolis for climate refugees.”
"Biotech" Lilypad will travel from the equator to the poles, following the sea currents. Vincent does not say anything about whether the amphibian city can “stand” in one place or choose the direction of its movement (illustration by Vincent Callebaut).
The giant lily city is designed for 50,000 inhabitants, those same “emigrants” who will flee from the consequences global warming With big land. True, according to the forecasts of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an organization established under the UN in 1988, up to 25 million inhabitants of our planet may find themselves in a disaster zone. Therefore, Callebo did his best, planning the possible future of a significant part of the population of the Earth.
Outwardly, Lilypad is very similar to a floating leaf of a water lily (namely, the largest of them - the Amazonian). Hence the name of the entire project, and even to some extent its internal structure.
In all its glory and in accordance with all standards. By the way, if you look closely, you can see three marinas under the first tier (illustration by Philippe Steels/pixelab).
What is such a large-scale "ship"? Of course, a mountain of electronics and completely "green" solutions. So, the "double skin" of the structure is made of high-strength polyester fiber coated with a layer of titanium dioxide. The latter, under the influence of ultraviolet, decomposes atmospheric pollutants through a photocatalytic reaction.
To this we add solar panels, wind and tidal energy, the energy of the Earth's biomass, water purification using the phenomenon of reverse osmosis and phyto-purification, and so on and so forth. All in all, full list. It is unlikely that Vincent thought through everything to the smallest detail. But the area (about 500 thousand square meters), of course, will allow you to stick on Lilypad any settings that will bring at least some benefit to the inhabitants of the "ecopolis".
“I took everything from nature,” Vincent Callebaut admits plagiarism without hesitation. Well, let! The giant "descendant" of the lily will save the inhabitants of New York, Bombay, Calcutta, Ho Chi Minh City, Shanghai, Miami, Lagos and Abidjan, Jakarta and Egyptian Alexandria (photo from vincent.callebaut.org).
Afloat, the three-humped colossus will be stabilized by ballast, which is actually a lagoon located in the center of Lilypad and filled with fresh water. It is completely submerged in the ocean, and rainwater will be collected and processed in it. Well, let's take the author's word for it. It remains to be hoped that rains can be "found" even in the arid regions of the planet (of course, if they remain on Earth by 2100).
Idyll, and more! about those close to perfect relationship nature-man and dreams of Callebo (illustrated by Philippe Steels/pixelab).
According to Kallebo, it is unlikely that giant amphibious cities will be mass-produced on the planet before 2058, so we will focus on the beginning of the next century, for a round count.
So. What else is interesting with this peculiar pool? Oh yes, it has a complex structure. On its surface, facing the ocean, "gardens" of marine plants will be located, and people will live and researchers of marine flora and fauna will work in the thickness of the walls themselves.
Uruguay, Egypt, Holland, Bangladesh and Oceania will be the first to be affected by the “strike of the elements”, according to IPCC. This is how Callebaut sees 2058 in the Maldives (illustrations by Vincent Callebaut and Philippe Steels/pixelab).
A variety of living creatures and vegetation will be located inside the ecopolis. Callebo proposes to use numerous hanging gardens and farms. After all, the city will have to fully provide itself with everything necessary, which means that each Lilypad will be a small state with its own production, business and developed service sector.
It will not do without politics. She will definitely not perish by the end of time! People will have to establish new rights and norms for those residents that will be scattered around the "islands of hope" around the world, but this is the tenth question. Callebo and us, what to be modest, this is the last thing we are interested in.
Bird's eye view. This is what Lilypad families would look like off the coast of Monaco (illustration by Philippe Steels/pixelab).
There is another, much more interesting question. Wouldn't such artificial land be too expensive? But no one knows this yet. In any case, there will be buyers, Vincent has no doubts, especially in the face of a reduction in the area available for housing. And if the greats of this world do not become them, then the numerous advanced “green” ones will definitely tear off the apartments on Lilypad with their hands.
Vincent himself lacked the imagination to draw a night view of Lilypad, and his friend Philippe Steels from pixelab experimented with this theme with pleasure (illustration by Philippe Steels).
Well. A self-sufficient city-island is undoubtedly a good and necessary idea, but in reality, investors, as a rule, are more interested in smaller and slightly more realistic projects, for example
Lily cities will save humanity from Flood. Eco-city made of polyester fibers coated with a layer of titanium dioxide.
The planet is warming, glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, and this will lead to mass migration of people from low-lying areas to other continental regions. To do this, the architect Vincent Callebaut designed the self-sufficient floating cities of Lilypads (lily cities).Each city can accommodate up to 50 thousand. people, and taking into account that up to 25 million inhabitants of the planet will be under the threat of flooding, Callebo worked thoroughly.
Inspired by the shape of a lily, he created an eco-city from polyester fibers coated with a layer of titanium dioxide. What is such a large-scale "ship"? Of course, a mountain of electronics and completely "green" solutions. So, the "double skin" of the structure is made of high-strength polyester fiber coated with a layer of titanium dioxide. The latter, under the influence of ultraviolet, decomposes atmospheric pollutants through a photocatalytic reaction. 
On an area of 50 thousand square meters there will be work surfaces, shops, residential areas; hanging gardens and aquaculture will be below water level. Cities should work on renewable energy sources: solar panels, wind and tidal energy, etc. Their launch is scheduled for 2058. 
