City of Lily. Lille in France is an amazing and fabulous city

Italy is one of the most attractive countries for tourists because of its cultural riches and historical monuments seem endless. Each of the travelers chooses their own Italian city, but once they see the coat of arms and its beauty, they understand that this is the place where they 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 from artistic point point of view, the main opinion of art critics is that it is impeccable. This also applies to the selection color range, and the selected symbols, 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 and alive.

Secondly, the coat of arms depicts two graceful lilies that look royal, their stems, leaves and petals are gracefully curved. These flowers, a symbol of the monarchy, are located against the background of the crown, its side ends 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 up” on the official symbol of this city.

Symbolism of lilies

The main difference between the Florentine lilies depicted on the coat of arms of the capital and 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). The city’s motto is always written next to them: “Like the lily in bloom, so Florence flourishes.”

The lily has been revered since ancient times, poets composed hymns and poems, and artists depicted it in their masterpieces. Based on this flower, hundreds of decorative ornaments. The plant symbolizes life and death; many peoples associate the snow-white lily with purity and innocence, and the red one with wealth and fertility.

Lily– royal flower with rich history. Lily gained its fans many centuries ago. It is believed that the flower got its name from the ancient Galician word “li-li”, which means white-white. For many peoples, the lily flower is associated with a symbol of purity, lightness and sophistication.

History of the lily

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 decorated lawns and royal courtyards. 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 traditions that mention these delicate flowers. Most of the mentions are made about white lilies.

For example, according to ancient Greek legend, 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' wife Hera, she hid the baby in the bushes. But Hera found the newborn and decided to breastfeed him. Little Hercules sensed the change and roughly pushed the goddess Hera away. Milk splashed onto the sky and earth. So the Milky Way appeared in the sky, and lilies sprouted on the earth.

Lily It is also found in ancient Germanic mythology. For example, the thunder god Thor was depicted with a scepter crowned with a lily. There is also a mention of these flowers in ancient German fairy tales, where each lily had its own elf. These little ones fairy creatures Every evening they rang the bells with lily bells and prayed fervently.

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 approach First Communion wearing wreaths of lilies. There is still a custom in the Pyrenees on Midsummer's Day to decorate the church with bouquets of these flowers. After the sacrament of consecration, flowers were nailed above the door of each house. It was believed that from this moment until the next Midsummer, the residents of the house would be safe.

It must be said that lilies are a very common symbol in Christianity. Many saints are depicted on icons with a branch of this flower. For example, Archangel Gabriel on the day of the Holy Annunciation, and of course, the Virgin Mary (icon " Everlasting Color»)

Painting by the French painter Adolphe-William Bouguereau “The Archangel Gabriel”

Painting by the French painter Adolphe-William Bouguereau “Virgin Mary”

Orange-red lilies symbolized the blood of Christ. According to ancient legend, it changed color the night before the execution of the Savior. Proud and beautiful, she could not stand the humble gaze of Christ when he bent over her. She felt ashamed and blushed. Since then, as legend says, red lilies lower their heads and close their petals at nightfall.

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 witnessed the temptation of Eve by the devil. Despite everything, the flower remained pure and inviolable. That is why altars and crowned persons were decorated with it. 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, huge columns of the temple appeared, which the court architect gave the shape of lilies.

In Egypt, fragrant oil called suzinon was made from delicate lilies, which was very popular among 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 Egyptian women were decorated with white lilies. One of these mummies with a lily on the chest is today kept in the Louvre in Paris.

IN Ancient Rome Rich in spectacular masquerades, the holiday dedicated to the goddess of spring Flora was very popular. It was celebrated at the beginning of May. In these days, the doors of Roman houses were decorated with flowers. The elegant Romans brought gifts to Flora in the form of milk and. Fun entertainments were held everywhere, and the heads of the festival participants were decorated with wreaths of lilies. The winners of various competitions were literally showered with flowers. All this festive decoration required a whole sea of ​​flowers. So we prepared for this holiday in advance and grew flowers in greenhouses.

Painting Italian painter frescoes by Prosper Piatti “Floralia”

Lily took second place of honor at this beauty festival after. Rich ladies decorated themselves, their boxes, and even their chariots with them, trying to show off 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 coins of that time.

Lilies were minted on coins in many countries. The starting point is considered to be the Persian period, 4th century BC, when silver coins depicted a lily flower on one side and a portrait of the Persian king on the other. Later this tradition moved to Europe.

But, perhaps, the lily flower played a special role in the history of France. According to legend, when the Frankish king Clovis fought with the Alemanni at Tolbiac, he realized that he was being defeated. Being a pagan, he turned to God and asked him to help. Raising his hands to heaven, he accepted baptism for himself. And at that very moment the angel handed him a silver lily, like a new weapon. Clovis's soldiers rushed into battle with redoubled force, and the enemy was defeated. Since then, the lily has always been present on the coats of arms of French rulers.

19th century fresco from the Pantheon (Paris) “Battle of Tolbiac”

According to another source, lilies appeared in French heraldry after the victory over the Germans on the banks of the Li River. Returning after the battle, the winners decorated themselves with beautiful flowers that grew in abundance in those places. Since then, France began to be called the kingdom of lilies, and three flowers, personifying three virtues - justice, mercy and compassion, adorn the coats of arms of the kings of all French dynasties.

There was a period when, during the reign of Louis XIV in France, coins called gold and silver lilies were in circulation.

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 an impeccable flower and continues to win the hearts of European nobility. Since the end of the 12th century, the heraldic sign of the lily became very popular throughout Western Europe.

It must be said that this flower has been valued for its beauty throughout its history. A wide variety of things were attributed to him symbolic meanings and, depending on traditions, interpreted as Divinity, beauty, purity, innocence, greatness, rebirth, purification, a symbol of fertility.

According to ancient legends, the hair of the ancient muses was woven into Zeus’s cloak. Christian symbolism used the image of this flower as an indispensable attribute of 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 time of the ruthless Inquisition, the lily began to be considered a flower of shame. All sinners and criminals began to be branded with her image. Since then, this has become fashionable in Europe. beautiful flower acquired a dramatic connotation, and it became an indispensable attribute of luxurious funerals.

There was a time when there were many legends in Germany connecting lilies with the afterlife. According to local beliefs, it was never planted on graves. It was believed that this flower would certainly grow on the grave of a suicide or a person who died a terrible, violent death. The appearance of a lily meant a bad sign and was a harbinger of revenge.

Lilies occupy a special place in painting. This flower has captivated 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, the bliss of union with By higher powers, Dedication to all goddesses or simply a declaration of Love.

Without exaggeration, we can say that this amazing flower has conquered the whole world, since its description can be found in religious treatises and in ancient mythology, and in medieval painting, and on the coats of arms of 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 by 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"Fadeless Color"

Painting by Claude Monet. Water lilies. 1899

Painting by English artist George Hillyard Swinstead “Dreams 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 receiving a lily flower

Today the world is worried about three main problems: global warming, the price of oil and the food crisis. We couldn't resist talking about the first point. Moreover, 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 oceans was only ten centimeters, but for the current century, fifty centimeters are predicted! (But for this, it is enough for only 1% of 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 simply: “a floating ecopolis for climate refugees.”

The “biotech” Lilypad will travel from the equator to the poles, following sea currents. Vincent says nothing about whether the amphibious city will be able to “stand” in one place or choose the direction of its movement (illustration by Vincent Callebaut).

The giant lily city is designed for 50 thousand inhabitants, the same “emigrants” who will flee the consequences of global warming from the mainland. True, according to forecasts of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an organization created by the UN in 1988, up to 25 million inhabitants of our planet may find themselves in the disaster zone. Therefore, Callebo did his best, planning the possible future of a significant part of the world's population.

Externally, Lilypad is very similar to the 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 yacht marinas under the first tier (illustrations by Philippe Steels/pixelab).

What is such a large-scale “ship”? Of course, a mountain of electronics and entirely “green” solutions. Thus, 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 radiation, decomposes air 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 phytopurification, 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) will undoubtedly make it possible to plug into Lilypad any installations that will bring at least some benefit to the residents of the “ecopolis”.

“I took everything from nature,” Vincent Callebaut does not hesitate to admit to plagiarism. Well, let! The giant “descendant” of the lily will save the residents of New York, Bombay, Calcutta, Ho Chi Minh City, Shanghai, Miami, Lagos and Abidjan, Jakarta and Egyptian Alexandria (photo from vincent.callebaut.org).

Once 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 immersed in the ocean and will be collected and processed in it. rainwater. Well, let's take the author's word for it. We can only hope that rain can be “found” even in the arid regions of the planet (of course, if there are any left on Earth by 2100).

Idyll, and nothing more! About those close to perfect relationship nature is man and Callebo dreams (illustrations by Philippe Steels/pixelab).

According to Callebo, it is unlikely that giant amphibious cities will be created en masse on the planet before 2058, so we will focus on the beginning of the next century, for good measure.

So here it is. What else is interesting about this peculiar pool? Oh yes he has complex structure. On its surface, facing the ocean, there will be “gardens” of marine plants, and within the walls themselves people will live and researchers of marine flora and fauna will work.

According to the IPCC, Uruguay, Egypt, Holland, Bangladesh and Oceania will be the first to suffer from the “disaster strike”. 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 also be located inside the ecopolis. Callebo suggests using 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 definitely won’t disappear even by the end of time! People will have to establish new rights and norms for those residents who will be scattered across “islands of hope” around the world, but this is the tenth question. Callebo and us, to be modest, are interested in this last resort.

Bird's eye view. This is what Lilypad “families” would look like off the coast of Monaco (illustrations by Philippe Steels/pixelab).

There is another, much more interesting question. Wouldn't there be something similar? artificial earth too expensive? But no one knows this yet. In any case, there will be buyers, Vincent has no doubt, especially given the reduction in available housing space. And if they don’t become the greats of this world, then numerous advanced “green” ones will definitely tear off their 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 was happy to experiment on this topic (illustration by Philippe Steels).

Well. A self-sufficient island city is undoubtedly a good and necessary idea, but in reality investors, as a rule, are more interested in smaller and a little more real 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 a massive migration of people from low-lying areas to other continental areas. For this purpose, architect Vincent Callebaut developed self-sufficient floating cities Lilypads (lily cities).Each city can accommodate up to 50 thousand. people, and considering that up to 25 million people on the planet are at risk of flooding, Callebo did a thorough job.
Inspired by the shape of the 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 entirely “green” solutions. Thus, 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 radiation, decomposes air 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 located below the water level. Cities should run on renewable energy sources: solar panels, wind and tidal energy, etc. Their launch is planned for 2058.

Lily cities will save humanity from the 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 a massive migration of people from low-lying areas to other continental areas. For this purpose, architect Vincent Callebaut developed self-sufficient floating cities Lilypads (lily cities).Each city can accommodate up to 50 thousand. people, and considering that up to 25 million people on the planet are at risk of flooding, Callebo did a thorough job.
Inspired by the shape of the 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 entirely “green” solutions. Thus, 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 radiation, decomposes air 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 located below the water level. Cities should run on renewable energy sources: solar panels, wind and tidal energy, etc. Their launch is planned for 2058.