Questions tagged [building]
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34
questions
47
votes
9answers
15k views
Aside from the Pyramids, what is the tallest man-made structure still standing in Europe & the Near East from ancient times?
In the Americas, there is La Danta Temple (built c300 BC, 230 ft / 70.10m) in modern-day Guatemala. In Asia (Far East and South Asia), there is the Ruwanwelisaya (built c300 BC, 300 ft / 91.44m) in ...
29
votes
1answer
3k views
Anyone know what this stone building is?
It's located next to a beach and below a small hill. It has three sides and a large metal grid on top, on each of the three sides is an arch which tapers down toward a small opening on the ground. I ...
17
votes
5answers
918 views
Why are most of the world's oldest buildings in Europe and not in the Fertile Crescent?
Looking at the list of the world's ten oldest surviving human constructed buildings, many are in Europe while the oldest building in what (with a generous interpretation of the concept) could be ...
14
votes
1answer
1k views
Were there any Roman villas in Britain which were used rather than destroyed after the Romans left?
As noted in the post Are there any ideas as to what the English landscape was like before the arrival of the Angles?
, the infrastructure and buildings which the Romans left behind gradually fell ...
11
votes
1answer
252 views
When did the tilt of the tower of Pisa become seen as a feature instead of a defect?
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is well-known for its tilt, and while it's a beautiful structure, it's unlikely it would've received such world fame without the poor foundations that caused it to sink and ...
11
votes
1answer
75 views
Was the Church of St Simeon the Elder at Aleppo built while Simeon was still alive or decades after his death?
I recently read in Diarmaid MacCullochs 'A History of Christianity' that the pillar dweller and hermit, Simeon had a church built around him, almost like a "living exhibit in a Christian zoo". However ...
10
votes
10answers
2k views
Destruction of iconic structures in wars of the 20th century and later
I was thinking about this question I just asked, and I wonder whether the potential destruction of such an iconic building is even a realistic fear.
Has there been any incident of deliberate ...
9
votes
3answers
7k views
What do Florence, Genoa, Milan and Venice have in common?
This building, located in Genoa, Italy, displays the emblems of four cities: from left to right Florence, Genoa, Milan, Venice.
It is currently an university building, but I don't know how long it ...
9
votes
2answers
309 views
Why does the Ħaġar Qim seem to have drilled holes / pitted dots on its stoneworks?
Does anyone have any idea or knowledge why Neolithic temple stones have these small holes? They are facing the sun, and the other side of the stones is flat. Smaller object were drilled all over, not ...
8
votes
1answer
346 views
How long did it take to build earth dikes with low-tech tools?
Let's say you're in charge of a group of laborers anywhere from the Iron Age to the Middle Ages.
Your job is to build a dike made of earth, a couple of meters high and presumably about the same width ...
7
votes
1answer
347 views
Where was Haile Selassie's palace in the Ogaden Desert?
According to Kapuściński's informant W.A.-N., in the former's book about Haile Selassie, The Emperor:
It is true that some excesses were committed. For instance, a great Palace was constructed in ...
7
votes
1answer
330 views
Formation of underground layers of Rome
I have recently came across several news articles (for example) from various decades, talking about existing underground structures in the city of Rome, which used to be above ground at some point of ...
7
votes
0answers
326 views
How did Tenochtitlan's Templo Mayor disappear for centuries?
According to Wikipedia (amongst other sources), after the Siege of Tenochtitlan, the Templo Mayor was dismantled and a church was built over its ruins. This church would eventually become Mexico City ...
6
votes
1answer
260 views
Line houses and laws?
What were the circumstances of the construction of the various buildings through which the boundary between Vermont and Quebec passes? In particular, what were the laws affecting construction on the ...
5
votes
1answer
386 views
Why was the Old Wardour Castle not demolished after the English Civil War?
After the English Civil War, some strongholds such as Corfe Castle were slighted, that is demolished, by order of Parliament.
Another Royalist castle, the (Old) Wardour Castle appears to not have ...
4
votes
1answer
3k views
Did the Eastern Romans also use roman concrete?
When I read about Roman concrete I understand its use was forgotten after the fall of the Roman empire. But what about the Eastern Roman empire, the Byzantine Empire? Did they still make buildings ...
4
votes
1answer
69 views
Does anyone have information about a pre-1859 church in Villers-Bretonneux?
The current church of Villers-Bretonneux, Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Villers-Bretonneux was built after WWI. Before this was a church built in 1859; here is an historic photo. There was a church ...
4
votes
0answers
81 views
Did any Western consulates remain open or re-open after WWII in the same buildings in which they had resided in Wuhan, Hebei, China?
The recent CNN article From one-time Chinese capital to coronavirus epicenter, Wuhan has a long history that the West had forgotten
Two generations ago, this city of 11 million people, on the ...
3
votes
1answer
289 views
Is there, or was there ever a venue known as “Cobo Arena” in Detroit?
I'm having much confusion with identifying the history of the venues in downtown Detroit, Michigan. What was known as "Cobo Hall" at the time was built in 1960. Currently, what is at the site is known ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Is a wheel older than a wall?
I caught a snippet from the president’s remarks. He was talking about the wheel and how it is older than the wall.
Is there historical fact to back such a statement? Or the other way around?
2
votes
1answer
1k views
History of Moti Masjid
Who built the Moti Masjid?
Google says it's Sahjahan who built it, but Wikipedia says it was built by Jahangir.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moti_Masjid_(Red_Fort) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
2
votes
1answer
172 views
Does somebody know anything about the original “Tour de Croy” tower?
In Chatillion one can find today this tower. Before this, there was the Biret tower, built in 1870. Before the Biret tower there was the Croy tower (tour de Croy). A short history of the towers
The ...
2
votes
2answers
787 views
Were there any Ancient Greek theatres not built on a hill/slope?
I was wondering the other day whether there were any Ancient Greek theatres that weren't built on the side of a hill. Normally we associate them with having a curved, raised seating area. The purposes ...
2
votes
1answer
350 views
Was the wall of the Second Temple part of the fortification of Jerusalem?
In the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, there is a 1:50 model of Jerusalem from the Roman period (Holyland Model of Jerusalem). There it shows that the Temple was at the edge of the city and seemingly one ...
2
votes
2answers
182 views
What are good predictors of the construction year of residential buildings? [closed]
I follow a suggestion from a question on meta stackexchange to ask about actual, physical architecture here. I hope that is acceptable.
I am interested in the information and features which a ...
2
votes
1answer
259 views
What was this building and what happend to it?
I recently visited Lofoten in Norway and in small village called Myrland there was a building of some sort near the beach. It looked like docks. It was protected by the sea wall that was build from ...
2
votes
0answers
108 views
Was construction work involving hydraulic cements in ancient Rome restricted to the summer season?
Are Italian winter temperatures reliably warm enough for processing of opus caementicium ?
Was building activity seasonal for other reasons?
2
votes
0answers
131 views
What is the usage of a small wash-house in Versailles during Louis XIV times?
I was searching for the usage of a small construction on the edge of the Versailles Castle gardens (the stone thing on the left on the picture below, one of the gates (Saint-Antoine) is on the right):
...
1
vote
2answers
271 views
How was the first carpenter's square made?
A "square" is a tool, typically L or triangle shaped, that gives a craftsperson a quick and accurate 90° angle to use as a baseline in many important trades.
It's easy to find a right angle if you ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
Where in San Francisco did the Land Commission meet?
After taking California, the U.S. needed a way to sort through land claims and established a Public Land Commission. This operated from 1852 to 1856, principally in San Francisco but also briefly in ...
1
vote
0answers
170 views
How exactly was the Second Temple destroyed?
What is known regarding the techniques used to destroy the Second Temple?
It was quite a large set of buildings made of stone blocks, and Romans didn't know (afaik) explosive techniques good for ...
0
votes
1answer
1k views
What is this building called? (It was built in 2002)
I have tried google image'ing it, but it doesn't work. Also it is a building that has a history as far as from 3th century before anno domini.
-3
votes
1answer
400 views
Is there any historical evidence that Sultan Mehmed II bought the Hagia Sophia? [closed]
Due to current events regarding the status of Hagia Sophia, I have heard from some people, saying that Sultan Mehmed II bought the Hagia Sophia before using it as a mosque.
I have searched for proof, ...
-4
votes
2answers
78 views
How long have there been huge malls in Thailand, Singapore and other Asian countries?
The last few years, I've watched a number of live video streams from Asia. From Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, South Korea, Japan, etc. In the case of South Korea and Japan, I'm not at all ...
