Beth Hamedrash Hagodol was founded by Eastern European Jews in 1852 as Beth Hamedrash (literally "House of Study", but used colloquially in Yiddish as the term for a synagogue). The founding rabbi, Abraham Joseph Ash, was born in Siemiatycze (then in Congress Poland) in 1813 or 1821. He immigrated to New York City in 1851 or 1852. The first Eastern European Orthodox rabbi to serve in the United States, Ash "rejected the reformist tendencies of the German Jewish congregations" there. He soon organized a minyan (prayer quorum) of like-minded Polish Jews, and by 1852 began conducting services. Though the membership consisted mostly of Polish Jews, it also included "Lithuanians, two Germans, and an Englishman." For the first six years of the congregation's existence, Ash was not paid for his work as rabbi and instead earned a living as a peddler.
The congregation moved frequently in its early years: in 1852 it was located at 83 Bayard Street, then at Elm and Canal, and from 1853 to 1856 in a hall at Pearl between Chatham and Centre Streets. In 1856, with the assistance of the philanthropist Sampson Simson and wealthy Sephardi Jews who sympathized with the traditionalism of the congregation's members, the congregation purchased a Welsh chapel on Allen Street. The synagogue, which had "a good Hebrew library", was a place both of prayer and study, included a rabbinic family court, and, according to historian and long-time member Judah David Eisenstein, "rapidly became the most important center for Orthodox Jewish guidance in the country."
Synagogue dues were collected by the shamash (the equivalent of a sexton or beadle), who augmented his salary by working as a glazier and running a small food concession stand in the vestibule. There mourners who came to recite kaddish could purchase a piece of sponge cake and small glass of brandy for ten cents (today $2.90).
Beth Hamedrash was the prototypical American synagogue for early immigrant Eastern European Jews, who began entering the United States in large numbers only in the 1870s. They found the synagogues of the German Jewish immigrants who preceded them to be unfamiliar, both religiously and culturally. Russian Jews in particular had been more excluded from Russian society than were German Jews from German society, for both linguistic and social reasons. Unlike German Jews, the Jews who founded Beth Hamedrash viewed both religion and the synagogue as central to their lives. They attempted to re-create in Beth Hamedrash the kind of synagogue they had belonged to in Europe.


Ash died in 1887, and the United Hebrew Orthodox Congregations (now called The Association of American Orthodox Hebrew Congregations) began a search for a successor, to serve as rabbi of Beth Hamedrash Hagodol and as Chief Rabbi of New York City. This search was opposed by Rabbi Henry Pereira Mendes, of Congregation Shearith Israel. Mendes felt that the money and energy would be better spent on supporting the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTSA), which he had co-founded with Sabato Morais in 1886. In his view, training American-born rabbis at the Seminary would be a much more effective means of fighting the growing strength of American Reform Judaism: these native English-speaking rabbis would appeal to the younger generation far more than imported, Yiddish-speaking ones.
The Association of American Orthodox Hebrew Congregations rejected Morais's position, and offered the role to a number of "leading East European Orthodox rabbis", all of whom turned it down. They eventually narrowed the field to two candidates, Zvi Rabinovitch and Jacob Joseph. Although Rabinovitch received "massive support" from "leading east European rabbis", the congregation hired Jacob Joseph as the first—and what would turn out to be only—Chief Rabbi of New York City.
Born in Kroz, Lithuania, Joseph had studied in the Volozhin yeshiva under Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin; he was known there as Rav Yaakov Charif ("Rabbi Jacob Sharp") because of his sharp mind. He was one of the main disciples of Yisroel Salanter, and in 1883 had been appointed the maggid (preacher) of Vilna. Beth Hamedrash Hagodol, the Eldridge Street Synagogue, and 13 other Lower East Side synagogues had raised $2,500 (today $72,000) towards the creation of a European style kehilla to oversee New York's Orthodox community, and had imported Joseph in an attempt to achieve that (ultimately unfulfilled) goal. Joseph's salary was to be the then-substantial $2,500 per year, "with an additional $1000 for rent, furnishings, and utilities". Though Joseph's appointment was, in part, intended to bring prestige to the downtown Orthodox congregations, his primary task as Chief Rabbi was to bring order and regulation to New York's chaotic kosher slaughtering industry.
Joseph arrived in New York on July 7, 1888, and later that month preached his inaugural Sabbath sermon at Beth Hamedrash Hagodol. The speech attracted a huge crowd, with over 1,500 men crowded into the sanctuary, and thousands more outside. The police had to call extra reinforcements to control the throng, and to escort Joseph into the synagogue. Though he had been chosen, in part, for his "fabulous skills as an orator", his speaking style and sermons, which had been so beloved in Europe, did not impress New York audiences. According to Abraham Cahan, "[S]ome of the very people who drank in his words thirstily in Vilna left the synagogue in the middle of his sermon here."
In October 1888, Joseph made his first significant statement as Chief Rabbi. He issued new regulations for New York's Jewish poultry business, in an attempt to bring it into accordance with Jewish law. The funds for supporting the agency supervising adherence to these regulations were to be raised through an increase in the price of meat and chicken. The affected vendors and consumers, however, refused to pay this levy. They likened it to the korobka, a tax on meat in Russia they despised, and "organized a mass meeting in January 1889 against 'the imported rabbi'". Joseph never succeeded in organizing the kosher meat business.
Joseph was also unable to stop those who came to hear him speak from desecrating the Sabbath, and his Yiddish sermons had no impact on the younger generation. In addition, he had to contend with a number of obstacles: he had no administrative experience or training, local Orthodox rabbis (particularly Joshua Seigel) and Jews outside his congregation did not accept his authority, and non-Orthodox Jews and groups criticized him. These problems were exacerbated by a stroke suffered in 1895, which partially incapacitated him, followed by a relapse in 1900 which left him bedridden.
In the late 19th century, other synagogues in New York City often served a particular constituency, typically Jews from a single town in Russia, Poland, or Romania. Beth Hamedrash Hagodol prided itself in welcoming and assisting all Jews, regardless of origins. The synagogue's Passover Relief Committee—dedicated to providing funds and food to poor Jews so that they could properly celebrate the holiday of Passover—stated "In dispensing money and matzos to the poor, all are recognized as the children of one Father, and no lines are drawn between natives of different countries." By the turn of the 20th century, Beth Hamedrash Hagodol was distributing approximately $800 (today $25,000) a year to the poor for Passover supplies, compared to a total synagogue income of around $5,000 (today $156,000). This was on top of its average $15 (today $500) weekly contributions to the poor, and those of individual congregational members of around $2,000 (today $62,000) per annum. By 1901, annual revenues were around $6,000 (today $187,000), and the congregation had 150 members.
During Joseph's tenure, Beth Hamedrash Hagodol helped found the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (the "Orthodox Union"). In the spring of 1898, 50 lay officials from a number of Orthodox New York synagogues—including Congregation Ohab Zedek, the Eldridge Street Synagogue, Congregation Shearith Israel and Beth Hamedrash Hagodol—convened to create the organization. By the 1980s the Orthodox Union had over 1,000 member congregations.
Joseph served as the synagogue's rabbi from his arrival in the United States in 1888 until his death in 1902 at age 62. During this time, his family slipped into poverty, as he did not receive his salary, which had been based on the anticipated taxes on kosher meats and vendors, and on matzos. After his death, Beth Hamedrash Hagodol secured the right to bury him in its cemetery by promising his widow $1,500 (today $45,000) and a monthly $15 stipend; in turn, individuals offered the congregation large sums—$5,000 (today $150,000) in one case—for the right to be buried near him. His funeral was attended by up to 100,000 mourners, "clouded by the guilt-driven attempt of New York's Orthodox Jews to honor him for the last time, as partial compensation for the way they treated him during his life."


In the summer of 1997, a storm blew out the main two-story window at the front of the building, and the window's wooden frame was rotten, cracked and could not be saved. The window remained unrepaired, which left the sanctuary open to the elements for a month before the congregation, down to approximately 100 members, asked for assistance. The congregants had, by then, long held services in a smaller room, using the sanctuary only on the High Holidays. The New York Landmarks Conservancy's Endangered Buildings fund gave $2,500 for a temporary metal window, and assisted in getting approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission for the work required to repair the damage, but the congregation did not have the $10,000 required to pay for it. Beth Hamedrash Hagodol received an additional $2,000 from the New York Landmarks Conservancy's Sacred Sites program in 1998 for a conditions survey. In 1999 a second application for National Historical designation was made, this time successful; the building was deemed significant at the local level, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 30.
The congregation raised $40,000 in 2000 for emergency repairs, and was awarded a $230,000 grant by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for restoration work, including roof repair, but had not been able to raise the matching funds required to receive the grant. On December 6, 2001, a fire and subsequent fire-fighting efforts severely damaged the roof, ceiling, mural paintings and decorative plasterwork.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation designated the building an endangered historic site in 2003, the only synagogue on the list. It still retained a number of significant architectural features, including "the ornate ark and pulpit, central bimah (reader's platform) with etched glass lamps, cantilevered balconies, Gothic vaulted ceiling, and colorful wall paintings"; the lighting included "converted gas fixtures". Features retained from the original construction included Gothic Revival style woodwork and cast-iron railing that follows the lot line, and the original wooden pews. That same year Oshry died. His successor—designated by Oshry himself—was his son-in-law, Rabbi Mendl Greenbaum.
By 2006, $1 million of an estimated required $3.5 million had been raised for repairs to the structure. In 2007, Greenbaum made the decision to shut the synagogue down, as its membership had dwindled to around 15. The building was mostly closed to the public as its damaged interior was considered a hazard for visitors. The synagogue, "the home of the oldest Orthodox congregation continuously housed in a single location in New York" sat "padlocked and empty" with holes in the roof and plaster falling from the ceiling. In 2011, the Buildings Department issued a vacate order.
Reportedly, the Lower East Side Conservancy was trying to raise an estimate $4.5 million for repairs, with the intent of turning the building into an educational center. It was granted $215,000 by the United States Department of Education and was promised an equal amount by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. Several years earlier the Conservancy had also been promised a total of $980,000 from New York State, the City Council, Mayor Bloomberg, and the Manhattan Borough President's office, but had yet to receive most of the city funds. The group was also trying to raise $400,000 from private donors for the first phase of the renovation, which would secure the structure and roof. Led by Greenbaum, Beth Hamedrash Hagodol was down to around 20 regularly attending members, and was sharing facilities with a congregation on Henry Street.
By the end of 2012 at least a million dollars in grants for repairs to the building had gone unused and were rescinded. In December 2012 the leadership of the synagogue under Greenbaum filed a “hardship application” with the Landmarks Preservation Commission seeking permission to demolish the building to make way for a new residential development. In place of the synagogue, Greenbaum envisioned a 45,000 square foot condo building with room for a small synagogue on the ground floor, and possibly a kollel. This application was withdrawn—at least temporarily—in March 2013, but the group Friends of the Lower East Side described Beth Hamedrash Hagodol's status as "demolition by neglect".


On May 14, 2017, shortly after 7 p.m., a three-alarm fire broke out in the unused synagogue after what an eyewitness called a "big explosion". The fire was brought under control at around midnight by approximately 150 firefighters—who, during the fire, allowed Rabbi Yehuda Oshry, the son of Ephraim Oshry, to rescue the Torah scrolls—but not before it "largely destroyed" the structure. Although still under investigation as of Monday May 15, the fire was said to seem "suspicious" due to surveillance video that showed three young people running from the area just before the fire broke out. The fire brought down the ceiling and walls of the synagogue, creating a 15-foot (4.6 m) pile of rubble. On May 17, three days after the fire, a 14-year-old boy was arrested and charged with setting the fire; the boy's two companions were questioned and released, although they are considered to be witnesses. The Fire Department's investigation into how the fire was started was being held up by the need to install supports in order to safely enter the building. By mid-June, the city's Legal Department was still investigating, and prosecutors had not charged the boy who had been arrested.
In the aftermath of the fire, the synagogue took steps for the possible demolition of the building. The city's Department of Buildings had determined that the remains of the building was unstable, but would not approve an emergency demolition, so a board member filed an application with the New York City Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) for a general demolition permit, which did not specify how much of the structure was planned to be razed; that will depend on a determination of "structural findings".  The synagogue also provided materials to Manhattan Community Board 3, with a request that their application be heard by an advisory panel.  Prior to the fire, Rabbi Mendel Greenbaum had been in discussion with groups such as the Chinese-American Planning Council and the Gotham Organization about selling the building's air rights in connection with the potential development of a neighboring parcel, to help pay for the possible renovation and preservation of the synagogue. The LPC responded on July 11 with a permit for removal of unsafe parts of the building, but required that other parts be evaluated for possible preservation. The LPC's engineers would monitor the demolition.
After the fire, the Chinese-American Planning Council and the Gotham Organization originally planned to incorporate the remnants of the synagogue building into their 30-story residential development. However, in June 2019, the LPC's engineers announced that the remnants of the south tower would have to be destroyed due to its structural instability.


The Bethanga Bridge is a steel truss road bridge that carries the Riverina Highway across Lake Hume, an artificial lake on the Murray River in Australia. The dual heritage-listed bridge crosses the border between the Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria, linking the Victorian towns of Bellbridge and Bethanga with the regional New South Wales city of Albury.


As a result of the construction of the weir, the water level in the Murray River backed up behind the dam to permanently inundate the floodplain, which was up to several kilometres wide in many places. Although confirmation of the construction authority is yet to be found, there is later evidence in the form of lantern slides showing the construction of the bridge and clearly intended for public presentation, that the bridge was substantially the work of the SRWSC. The involvement of the NSW Public Works Department is also implied by photographs of components fabricated by Charles Ruwolt and Sons held by Museum Victoria. It is therefore very likely that the New South Wales Public Works Department and Victorian State Rivers and Water supply commission were jointly responsible for the design and construction, as was the case with the Hume Dam itself.
Bethanga Bridge is roughly contemporary with and is similar in design to the Yarrawonga Bridge at Lake Mulwala, which was designed by NSW Department of Main Roads Engineer Percy Allen and constructed in 1924, also as a result of the creation of an artificial lake on the Murray River. The other prominent engineers involved in the Hume Project, Ettore Checchi, Ernest deBurgh, and J. S. Detheridge, were water supply engineers or had ceased to be involved when the bridge was built.
There was a pattern in NSW/Victoria relationships over the Murray River border for NSW to design Murray River bridges, and Victoria to built them. Other examples of the arrangement can be found in the Swan Hill bridge and many timber bridges. Bethanga Bridge is similar to other large NSW bridges such as the Hawkesbury bridges, and uncharacteristic of Victorian bridge design practice.
The sequence of SRWSC lantern slides show the progressive construction of the Bethanga Bridge. Construction commenced in 1927 with clearance of the foundation sites and piling. By 1928 the piers were well under way and staging commenced from each bank. By 1929 all the piers were in place and waters had risen to the base of the piers. Erection of the trusses was underway. Falsework of underslung, divided Warren-type, metal trusses supported on three intermediate steel lattice towers, were used as staging for erecting the Pratt trusses. These were assembled in situ with the use of a travelling crane running across the falsework and hot riveting of preformed, punched and cut angle and flat section steel. As the permanent trusses were completed the staging was dismantled and moved on to the next span. Steel work for the bridge was fabricated at least in part, by Vickers Ruwolt of Burnley Melbourne. Photographs of components such as the truss members and bearings are in the collection of Museum Victoria. At least one of the main trusses was trial assembled at Vickers Ruwolt's Burnley works, probably one of the largest structures to be erected in this fashion.
The bridge was clearly seen as a landmark and complementary to the Hume Dam itself in terms of national pride and potential tourist value. The State Rivers documented the bridge's construction and produced a series of lantern slides showing progress. A number of hand coloured slides and images were produced of the finished bridge to show it at its most impressive. The Victorian Railways also produced its own series of photographs in the 1940s and 50s presenting the bridge as part of a dramatic landscape and engineering achievement, probably for promoting tourist visits(by train) to the region. The bridge has been included in several Postcard series of the natural and man-made features of Albury in the 1950s and 60s under titles such as A Souvenir of Beautiful Albury. The bridge was constructed at a cost of c. A£194,000 – 210,000.
The 13.7-metre (45 ft) approach span on the New South Wales side was constructed in 1963 as part of the upgrading of the Hume Dam.
The town of Bellbridge at the southern end of the bridge, was created to replace facilities inundated by the reservoir. The bridge is currently managed by River Murray Water, although it is understood that the RTA, VicRoads and River Murray Water are negotiating on the future management responsibility for the bridge. A current 33-tonne (36-short-ton; 32-long-ton) load limit applies and recent tenders have been advertised for the cleaning and repainting of the bridge.


The Bethanga Bridge is a road bridge over a flooded section of a Murray River valley that now forms part of the Hume Dam. The bridge consists of nine spans of 82 metres (269 ft), each span being supported between double reinforced concrete pylons by a riveted steel camel back Pratt truss plus a 14-metre (46 ft) approach span on the New South Wales side. The overall span is 752 metres (2,467 ft). The road deck was initially timber but was replaced in 1961 with the current concrete waffle slab deck. The road deck is 7.7 metres (25 ft) wide. In 1961 the bridge deck and truss structure was also raised by 300 millimetres (12 in) in response to the upgrading of Hume Dam and works to increase the storage capacity of the dam. In 2005 the waffle slab decking was replaced to raise their load capacity, new guard rails were installed and the NSW approach to the bridge was widened for safety reasons. These 2005 works were undertaken with the joint advice and approval of Heritage Victoria and the NSW Heritage Office.
Bethanga Bridge comprises riveted steel Pratt through trusses on multiple reinforced concrete piers and reinforced concrete "waffle slab" deck on steel beams. There are nine identical principle spans of arched upper cord giving a truss variable depth. This form is also known as "Hog-backed" Camel-back" and "Parker" truss in the USA. There are overhead diagonally braced frames and under deck diagonal "X" bracing between riveted plate cross girder beams. The short approach span on the NSW side has RSJ beams with straight transverse cross-braces. The main truss spans have ten bays with nine vertical compression chords and eight diagonal tension chords.
The Murray River boundary between New South Wales and Victoria is on the southern bank of the river. All structures of the river are considered to be in New South Wales. Because of its unique location, over the waters of a dam with the border running down the centre of the body of water, the Bethanga Bridge is the only built structure shared by both New South Wales and Victoria and listed on both the New South Wales State Heritage Register and the Victorian Heritage Database.


WikiWeb_Bethany Congregational Church (Quincy, Massachusetts)_1

The Bethany Congregational Church (www.bethanycongchurch.org) is located at the northeast corner of Spear and Coddington Streets in downtown Quincy, just east of the Thomas Crane Public Library.  It is a roughly T-shaped stone structure, with a tall square tower at the right (southern) corner of the T.  The main facade, facing the street corner, has a projecting section in which the entrance is deeply recessed under an arch.  An elaborate multipart stained glass window stands in the gable above this projecting section.  The corners and side walls are buttressed, with three-part Gothic windows in the side walls.  The tower is the building's most striking element, with three-part rectangular windows below a pinnacled parapet.
The congregation was formed in 1832.  Its second building, erected in 1870, was torn down in the 1920s to provide space for the Granite Trust Company building.  That company gave the church this parcel of land, on which the church was built in 1927.  It was designed by J. Williams Beal, Sons, architects responsible for the Trust Company building and the Adams Building.


Initially the church began in the Little Red Schoolhouse in January 1889. The initial church was built of mostly wood from lumber from the beach with service beginning in April that year. There was little access to the church aside from by boat. A larger new lot was sought in the following years with a rectory being built in 1890 and a second church built in the spring of 1895. The second church held its last service on Easter Sunday April 12, 1925.
 The church held the first service at its current location on Christmas Day 1926.
Donald and Melania Trump were married in the church on January 22, 2005. Trump's youngest son, Barron, was christened at the church. They have attended Christmas Eve and Easter Celebrations here in 2016, 2017, and 2019 after Trump's election as President of the United States.
Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto were married at the church on April 27, 2013.


The Bethesda Theatre, constructed in 1938, is a historic Streamline Moderne movie theater located at 7719 Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355), Bethesda, Maryland, United States. It is a multi-level building composed of rectangular blocks: an auditorium block and a lower street-front lobby and entrance block, including shops. The theatre retains its original configuration of lobby, foyer, lounges, and auditorium. Many original interior finishes, including painted murals, remain intact, with the exception of the original seating. It was designed by the firm of the world-renowned "Dean of American Theatre Architects," John Eberson.
In 1983 it re-opened as the "Bethesda Cinema and Drafthouse" showing movies on a single screen and serving food and beer. In 1990 it changed its name to the "Bethesda Theatre Cafe". In 2007, under the leadership of Executive Director Ray Cullom, it underwent a major renovation and became a venue for theatrical productions. Cullom produced well-received DC-premiers of “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”, the hit musical “Altar Boyz”, Smokey Joe's Cafe”  and brought over several innovative productions from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2009, the theatre was forced to shut down after a severe water leak in the building directly above the auditorium and technical control booths caused the landmarked Art Deco ceiling to fall in, and rendered the theatre uninhabitable. The theatre was auctioned off on June 29, 2010, and reopened years later as the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.


WikiWeb_Bethlehem Lutheran Church (Round Top, Texas)_2

A cedar pipe organ built by John Traugott Wantke, also a German Texan, was dedicated on January 13, 1867, the day the congregation was formally organized. The organ made primarily from local cedar was restored in 1966 and 1995 and as of 2016 it remained in use. The organ is one of the most historic in the state, the largest of six organs Wantke built, and one of three surviving as of 1987. The organ received certificate number 56 from the Organ Historical Society on May 24, 1987.


The unique design of Betis Church reflects the integration of Spanish and Latin American architecture to indigenous architecture, including elements of Oriental style during the Spanish colonial era. The Church's political power of that period manifests in the architecture. It had been designed to withstand attacks during revolts and rebellions, giving the church the appearance of a fortress. The blending of religion and military portrays the manner Spain saw its situation in the Philippines. The church was also designed to withstand earthquakes that occur often in the region. This unique architectural style became known as Earthquake Baroque.
The retablo, a classic altar, is ornately decorated with carved designs. The religious frescoes in the ceiling and murals on the wall with its intricate sculpture and paintings in gold dust are reminiscent of the Renaissance age of European Art. One can behold the majesty of its ceiling, walls and the altar from the aisle near the main door. There are paintings and murals of the Holy Family, selected Biblical scenes, Catholic saints and cherubs. No wonder, it is dubbed as “the Sistine Chapel” of the Philippines.
The church was built by Augustinian priests from 1660 to 1670. The initial structure was composed of wooden materials. However, the Church was destroyed by several fires, which justified the consequent use of non-combustible concrete materials in 1770.
The artworks of the interior were extensively done in 1939 under the last Spanish friar who served as parish priest, Fr. Santiago Blanco, OSA. Native painter Macario Ligón was later commissioned to paint the ceiling of the church. Later in the 1970s, Ligón's assistant and nephew Victor Ramos restored 80 percent of the ceiling and mural paintings. The floor of the church is made of tough native wood. The main entrance to the church features some heavy details. The carvings portray the “Gates of Paradise”.
A museum (Museo Ning Betis) stands on the right side of the Church which shows some vintage photos and the history of the church.
Outside, sculptures could be found including the monuments of Santiago de Galicia, St. Joseph the Carpenter and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Also in front of the church is the Betis Artesian Well known to be the oldest deep well in the province.
Standing at the nave of the church, one can see the ceilings, walls and the retablo styled with paintings and murals of the Holy Family, selected scenes from the bible, Catholic saints and cherubs.


Victor Ramos y Gozum (1922–1986) repainted almost 80% of the ceiling and mural paintings in the interior of the Betis church which most contemporary writers mistook for Simon Flores originals. Ramos and Daning Henson from San Fernando Pampanga and a certain Mr. Pangilinan reworked the ceiling paintings in the early 1980's, commissioned by the Betis Fiesta Committee under Tatang Emias Roque. It was a flagship project for the town which was then headed by former Guagua Mayor Atty. Manuel Santiago. Based on Macario Ligón-originals (Ligón was an uncle and teacher of Ramos in painting), repainting was done due to the decaying panels infested by termites and to avoid a more devastating effect on other parts of the church's ceiling. Photographs served as guides for the painters in the restoration process which simulated the original ones especially the trompe l’oeil (fool the eye) effect of the vaults, frames and arches. The original ones were painted in the pre-war years by Macario Ligón of Barrio San Agustín Betis which was headed by the last Spanish friar of Betis named Santiago Blanco. Ramos never had a hard time repainting the ceiling in the late 1970s to early 1980s since he was also the apprentice of Macario Ligón when the latter started painting it in 1939. He was only in his teens then.
Ramos nurtured his painting skill despite being born in an impoverished family in Betis. Working as an apprentice under his uncle Macario Ligón, he became so interested with ecclesiastical painting which became his specialization. He entered the School of Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines Diliman, and after a year, made his way to work with Maximo Vicente, a well-known sculptor, in the post-war period. He became an encarnador, one who paints the skin of rebultos, and had several side jobs along Mabini and Hidalgo Streets in Quiapo before he came back to Betis and married his longtime sweetheart Ester.
His important works include “The Genesis and Apocalypse“, Betis Church Dome (1985), “The Four Evangelists”, Betis Church pendentives (1985), “St. John Baptizing Christ”, Betis Baptistry (1972), “The Four Evangelists”, Guagua Parish Church (undated), “The Four Evangelist”, San Guillermo Church of Bacolor Pampanga, “Fourteen Stations of the Cross”, Obando Parish Church, Obando Bulacan (1982).


The Betsy Ross House is a landmark in Philadelphia purported to be the site where the seamstress and flag-maker Betsy Ross (1752-1836) lived when she is said to have sewed the first American Flag. The origins of the Betsy Ross myth trace back to her relatives, particularly her grandsons, William and George Canby, and the celebrations of the Centennial of 1876.  Evidence for the precise location of Ross's home came from verification provided by several surviving family members, although the best archival evidence indicates the house would have been adjacent to the one that still stands today as The Betsy Ross House. The 1937 Philadelphia Guide noted that, after the current Betsy Ross House was selected as the Flag House, the adjacent building where Ross may have indeed lived "was torn down to lessen the hazards of fire, perhaps adding a touch of irony to what may well have been an error in research." Although the house is one of the most visited tourist sites in Philadelphia, the claim that Ross once lived there, and that she designed and sewed the first American flag, sometimes called the Betsy Ross flag, are considered false by most historians.
The house sits on Arch Street, several blocks from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The front part of the building was built around 1740, in the Pennsylvania colonial style, with the stair hall and the rear section added 10 to 20 years later.  Had she lived here, Ross would have resided in the house from 1776, the death of her first husband, John Ross, until about 1779.


It is likely that the building was constructed sometime between the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century.
Alterations to the interior and exterior occurred sometime between the 18th and 19th century, at the point when Francisco António de Araújo e Azevedo, then 7th Captain-General of the Azores was in power (the last during the absolutist regime).
Following the fire at the Episcopal Palace, on 31 July 1885, the bishop moved his residence to the Bettencourt palace.
D. Francisco José Ribeiro Vieira de Brito organized a banquet in order to hommage Augusto Castilho, commander of the corvette Duque Terceira on 21 May 1896.
Owing to an epidemic of typhus in the seminary at the Convent of São Francisco resulted in the move of the Lyceum of Angra to the palace. The bishop, who continued to live at the Palace to this period, transferred his residence to Rua D. Amélia, 74. This move lasted until 1913, when the Lyceum was returned to the Convent.
It was sometime in the 20th century, that the facade was remodelled, leading in 1956 to the installation of the public library.
The palace was classified by a resolution-in-council (126/2004) on 9 September 2004, and included within the historical classification of the historic centre of Angra. Three years later, in February, there was a presentation  of a public project for a new building for the library and regional archive for Angra.


The building is located in a central place, in the city of Angra do Heroísmo, on a subtle declive, with its lateral wings sitting flush with its neighbours. To the south is a small garden, with rectangular wing, while to the front is the Cathedral of the Santíssimo Salvador; and around it are various residences of notable architectural interest, including the palacete Violante Castro.
The principal doorway is framed and decorated with sculpted stone, and surmounted by a large rectangular cartouche with the coat-of-arms of the Bettencourt family.
The architecture conforms to a 17th-century noble residence, in an irregular "L"-shaped plan, integrating a rectangular tower with two-story facade, separated by friezes and with pilastered corners. There are many decorative elements constructed in basalt, such as the frames, rectangular windows and ornate door. The main facade is marked by picture windows on the first floor and several friezes and cornices over the coat-of-arms of the family. Its interior includes a central vestibule, open to the front by arched entrance over pilasters, from which was constructed a staircase.


It was founded in 1863 by the brothers Maurus and Placidus Wolter, in buildings which until 1802 had housed an Augustinian monastery. Between 1875 and 1887 because of political conditions during the "Kulturkampf" ("cultural struggle") the monks had to leave the abbey, but used the opportunity to found new communities elsewhere, which afterwards joined together under the leadership of Beuron as the Beuronese Congregation within the Benedictine Confederation.
Beuron Abbey was a center of the 19th century Liturgical Movement, with Anselm Schott publishing a German translation of the Roman Missal since 1884. After the forced dissolution in the 1870s, Schott ultimately ended up in Maria Laach. The "Schott" German Missals and Prayers of the Faithful are still standard equipment in German parishes.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the Beuron Art School, with its emphasis on early Christian and Byzantine art, was influential on religious art of the period.  One of the biggest exhibits of this type of art in the United States is at Conception Abbey in Missouri which was founded on principles established by Beuron.
The abbey continues to be a centre of study. The library is the largest monastic library in Germany, with over 400,000 books. Since 1884 the abbey has published the Missale Romanum, a lay missal originally produced by Father Anselm Schott of Beuron. The abbey also houses the Vetus-Latina-Institut (Ancient Latin Institute), which has for its purpose the collection and publication of all extant Old Latin translations of the Bible.


In the early medieval period, the town of Beverley was not walled. There are records indicating that Bars had been built in the 12th and 13th centuries, but North Bar is the only survivor. It was built in 1409 at a cost of £98 (£128,000 in 2020), and was renovated in the 17th century.
In 1673 the bi-annual horse fair was held on the street within the bar and the bi-annual sheep fair in the street without the bar. In 1686 the annual cattle fair was moved to street within the bar and the sheep and horse fairs were moved to the street without the bar. The cattle fair was moved elsewhere in the town in 1865 and by 1959 all fairs had moved further afield.
The bars also acted as toll gates, passage through them having to be paid for as a sort of local tax. For example, records (extract below) for the year 1420 in which King Henry V visited the town, demonstrate that North Bar was the principal route into the town by the amount of tolls collected.
£17- 4s. 8d. received for pavage at the North bar this year by John Fletcher and John Grimsby collectors as appears by their accounts.£2. Is. 9^d. received by John Smyth the collector in Norwood for pavage this year as appears by his account examined and proved. 13s. 4d. received by William Read collector at Newbegin bar this year as appears &c.18s. 4|d. received by Richard Batty collector at Keldgate bar for pavage as appears &c.£2. 2s. 9d. received by John Fayr collector at the river for pavage this year as appears &c.
There are records of the North Bar being used as viewing gallery for the town governors in the 15th and 16th centuries during the plays that occurred at the Corpus Christi festivals. In 1643, a year into the English Civil War, the mayor, the Rt Hon Manbie, ordered that North Bar, as well as Newbigin and Keldgate Bars, be locked by constables of those wards between the hours of nine at night and six in the morning.


Beverley Beck is a short canal in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The beck runs from Grovehill Lock on the River Hull at Beverley west for about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) into the town of Beverley. Until 1802, the beck was tidal, but the  Beverley and Barmston Drain needed to pass under it, and the lock was constructed to maintain water levels over its tunnel. In 1898, a steam engine was installed, which could be used to top up the water levels in the beck by pumping water from the River Hull. A multimillion-pound refurbishment of the area concluded in 2007, with the refurbishment of the lock gates and pumping engine.


Beverley Beck was first mentioned in 1296, when the Archbishop of York sought to have fish-weirs removed from the River Hull, so that boats could reach Beverley. Grovehill, formerly known as Grevale and located near the junction with the River Hull, was used as a mooring place for barges. The agreement that the Archbishop had made with the fish-weir owners was then transferred to the burgesses of the Beverley Corporation, and by 1344 the Beck was navigable as far as Beverley. The first known accounts, for scouring and cleansing of the Beck date to this year. The Corporation assumed that they had a monopoly on the waterway, and leased it to tenants, who then had to provide two boats in which all cargo was carried. This changed to a system of tolls from 1704, which allowed other boats to use the Beck. The wharf at Grovehill was later converted into a lock.
During the seventeenth century, borough records mention several attempts to improve the Beck by scouring, and also the problems of financing these operations. In 1695, three aldermen and three burgesses were appointed to collect contributions towards the maintenance costs. In the 1720s, John Warburton proposed that a boat fitted with an engine like "those used in Holland and Flanders" should be used to loosen the reeds and silt, and that two locks or floodgates should be used to hold back the water at high tide, and used to flush away the loosened material at low tide. One would be near the Great Bridge, and the second between the Great and Little Bridges. The "engine" mentioned was probably some sort of plough. Contributions towards the estimated cost of £200 were not forthcoming, although the Corporation ordered a plough from Holland in January 1721.
The Corporation faced a crisis in 1726, as funds were inadequate to cover the cost of repairs to the Beck, and they therefore obtained an Act of Parliament which allowed them to cleanse, widen and deepen the Beck, to repair the wharves and any roads leading to it, and introduced additional tolls. The Act was sponsored by Sir Charles Hotham, the Member of Parliament for Beverley, and was granted on 24 March 1727. William Palmer, a civil engineer, advised on the work to the beck, which was completed in 1731 at a cost of £1,395, but resulted in little improvement. A second Act was obtained on 19 March 1744, for "more effectually cleansing, deepening, widening, and preserving, a Creek, called Beverley Beck, running into the River Hull, ... and for regulating the carriages to and from the said Beck and the River Hull." One new feature introduced by the Act was that the value of the tolls collected depended on the value of the goods carried. Although the Corporation continued to carry out maintenance, which consisted mostly of dredging, they let the collection of tolls to an agent from 1 May 1748, and this arrangement continued for another ninety years.
Beverley Beck was tidal, although there seems to have been attempts to maintain the water levels by the use of a stop-gate. A major change occurred in 1802, when the Beverley and Barmston Drain was constructed as part of a large drainage scheme. The drain needed to pass under the Beck, and William Chapman, the engineer for the scheme, advised the Beverley Corporation that the construction of a lock would be the best way to maintain the water levels over the tunnel which would carry the drain below the Beck. After a debate about the legality of using funds raised under the terms of the previous Acts of Parliament, and a decision that it was legitimate, Chapman's plans were agreed, and he designed the lock, which was funded by a Corporation loan of £1,000. However, Thomas Dyson carried out the work, and was paid £817, a little more than the original estimate of £733. In 1837, the Corporation decided to stop leasing the collection of tolls, and appointed William Tindall to collect them directly. Tolls for 1838 amounted to £594, on total cargoes of 31,185 tonnes.
Although Beverley was served by the Hull and Selby Railway from October 1846, the canal remained independent, and therefore competitive for trade to Hull. The competition helped to keep railway tolls lower than they might otherwise have been, and traffic on the Beck continued to grow, rising from 31,185 tons in 1838 to 51,578 tonnes in 1888 and 101,540 tonnes in 1905. However the larger tonnages were not reflected in income, as the powers of the Corporation to charge tolls on traffic outside of the municipal boundaries was restricted by the Canal Tolls and Charges Act No 3 (1894), and resulted in them making a loss in 1905. Major expenditure in 1898 included the installation of a steam engine and pump to raise water into the Beck from the River Hull.
Although some keels sailed along the Beck, most were hauled by teams of men. An experiment with a steam launch acting as a tug was tried in 1898, but was not successful. Powered keels arrived soon afterwards. Grovehill Lock was reconstructed in 1958, to take craft up to 65 by 17.5 feet (19.8 by 5.3 m) with a draft of 6.5 feet (2.0 m), at a cost of £30,000. Commercial traffic continued until quite late, with the tolls amounting to £2,365 in 1970, from the carriage of 28,169 tonnes of cargo, consisting mainly of coal and the raw materials for cattle feed.


Beverley Beck was constructed to enable larger vessels to reach the growing town of Beverley. Now it is home to a good number of leisure boats, as well as the historic barge Syntan owned by the Beverley Barge Preservation Society. The barge was built for Richard Hodgson, who owned a tannery in Beverley, and was based on the Beck from 1949 until the 1970s. After a period spent on the River Don Navigation, the remains were bought by the society in 2001, and were restored during a three-year project. Beverley Beck is popular among fishermen holding good sized pike, as well as bream, dace, eel, gudgeon and tench. It is also the home of the Beverley Beck Boating Association, most of whose members keep boats on the beck.
The Beck has been improved by a major dredging programme, which lasted for five months and was completed in April 2004. Sampling of the sediments before work began revealed high levels of heavy metals and hydrocarbons, as a result of historic industrial processes, and they therefore had to be taken to a hazardous landfill site when they were removed from the Beck. Land and Water, the contractors responsible for the project, developed a special screening plant that enabled the hazardous waste to be separated from non-hazardous sediments, and this was the first time that such a system had been used on an inland waterways contract. In mid-2005, a multimillion-pound scheme to redevelop the Beck and its immediate vicinity began. The final stage, which started in February 2007 and cost £250,000, involved restoration of the lock gates and pumping station, together with the construction of footpaths and cycle routes. The previous set of gates were fitted in 1953.


A fire in 1188 seriously damaged the minster and the town. Much of the church was damaged and complete rebuilding was required. Money was collected for the work and reconstruction began at the east end soon after the fire. During the construction, a new lantern tower over the eastern crossing designed to illuminate the shrine of St John was under construction, but it collapsed c. 1219 necessitating a partial rebuild of the church. Henry III granted 40 oaks from Sherwood Forest in 1252, and by c. 1260 the retrochoir, choir, chapter house, transepts, and crossing were complete. Filled with light, overwhelmingly tall and spacious, and speaking to the increasing skills of the stonecarvers, this new work was radically different from the old Saxon and Norman structure it replaced. It was the product of the novel structural systems and artistic development that together define the Gothic style, originating in France and brought to England in the late 12th century.
Work did not progress beyond the first bay of the nave. Of this Early Gothic building campaign, only the chapter house has been lost, although its wonderful staircase survives in the north choir aisle. The only major alteration was the insertion of a great Perpendicular east window, for which money was bequeathed in 1416.
A new shrine for St John was ordered from Roger de Faringdon of London in 1292, to which the saint's remains were translated on 25 October 1307. Collections for further rebuilding were resumed in 1308, and work on the nave had begun by 1311. The architectural style current in England had developed into something much different from the Early Gothic displayed in the first part of the rebuilding; the new style is referred to as Decorated. More structurally daring, more richly decorated forms merge with the earlier, simpler forms in the nave of Beverley Minster, in an effort both to respect the older work and to bring it up to date. Building on the nave was ongoing in 1334, and may have been halted by the Black Death in 1348 as in many other instances across England.
Work did not resume until later in the century, when the nave was completed and the west front with its two great towers was built, c. 1400. These towers are a superlative example of the Perpendicular style, and formed the inspiration for the present west towers of Westminster Abbey, designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor. By the early 15th century, with the building of the north porch, the Minster was structurally complete. The great east window (bequeathed in 1416 as previously mentioned), a chapel funded by the Percys (c. 1490, in the extreme northeast corner of the church), and the choir stalls (c. 1520) were the only major later work.
Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland (1449–1489), was buried in the church after being murdered by his own retainers at Cockslodge near Thirsk, in 1489 during the Yorkshire rebellion over high taxes imposed by King Henry VII.


Features of the interior include shafts of Purbeck Marble, stiff-leaf carving and the tomb of Lady Eleanor Percy, dating from around 1340 and covered with a richly decorated canopy, regarded by F. H. Crossley as one of the best surviving examples of Gothic art. A total of 68 16th-century misericords are located in the quire of the minster, and nearby is a sanctuary or frith stool dating back to Anglo-Saxon times.
The misericords were probably carved by the so-called "Ripon school" of carvers and bear a strong family resemblance to those at Manchester Cathedral and Ripon Cathedral.
The church contains one of the few remaining frith stools (also known as frid stools, meaning "peace chairs") in England. Anyone wanting to claim sanctuary from the law would sit in the chair. The chair dates from Saxon times before 1066.
In the central tower is a massive treadwheel crane which was used to lift building materials to the roof space. It is of medieval origin but has been largely reconstructed.
The organ is mounted above a richly carved wooden screen dating from 1877 to 1880, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, and carved by James Elwell of Beverley. There is a staircase in the north aisle which was used in collegiate times to gain access to the chapter house, since demolished.
Improvements to the choir were made during the 16th and 18th centuries, and medieval glass, which was shattered by a storm in 1608, was meticulously collected and installed in the east window in 1725. The Thornton family, great craftsmen of the early 18th century, were responsible for the font cover and the west door, and also for saving the church from being completely ruined by the fall of the north wall of the north transept between 1718 and 1731. Another notable feature is the series of carvings of musicians which adorn the nave, which date to the second quarter of the 14th century.
Location sequences for the film Lease of Life (1954), two TV series of Victoria in 2016-7 and the BBC dramas King Charles III and Gunpowder in 2017 were filmed in Beverley Minster.


Beverly Drive-In Theatre was constructed in 1948 as a cinema structure in Forrest County, Mississippi.  The main screen measured 105 feet by 75 feet (32 meters by 23 meters), and the theatre contained a paved parking area for 500 cars.  The back of the screen tower held a display of neon lights that denoted the Beverly logo with a moon and shooting stars. The original owners built their family home beneath the main screen.
In 2007, the Mississippi Heritage Trust listed the Beverly Drive-In as one of the ten most endangered historic places in Mississippi.  The theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 30, 2008.
The theatre operated from 1948 through 1987, and periodically for special events, into 2005, when Hurricane Katrina caused significant damage to the screen and buildings.  In 2005, it was the oldest drive-in theatre still operating in Mississippi.
The Beverly Drive-In Theatre burned to the ground on October 30, 2010.


As part of a larger project to double-track the South Shore Line from Gary to Michigan City, Beverly Shores will receive a second track and a second platform. While some other stations are receiving major renovations as part of the project, Beverly Shores will only see a new low-level platform to accommodate the second track, while the parking and station building will remain unchanged. This renovation is projected to be completed in mid-2024.


Bevis Marks Synagogue, officially Qahal Kadosh Sha'ar ha-Shamayim (Hebrew: קָהָל קָדוֹשׁ שַׁעַר הַשָׁמַיִם, "Holy Congregation Gate of Heaven"), is the oldest synagogue in the United Kingdom in continuous use. It is located off Bevis Marks, Aldgate, in the City of London.
The synagogue was built in 1701 and is affiliated to London's historic Spanish and Portuguese Jewish community. It is a Grade I listed building. It is the only synagogue in Europe which has held regular services continuously for more than 300 years. It is currently threatened by the development of large office buildings that would destroy its historic setting and block its natural light.


A prominent feature of the synagogue is the Renaissance-style ark (containing the Torah scrolls) located at the centre of the Eastern wall of the building. It resembles in design the reredos of the churches of the same period. Painted to look as though it is made of coloured Italian marble, it is in fact made entirely of oak. The architectural critic Ian Nairn in his book Nairn's London described the synagogue as defined by a “great luminous room, compassionate light streaming in through big clear glass windows.”
Seven hanging brass candelabra symbolise the seven days of the week, the largest of which – hanging in the centre of the synagogue – represents the Sabbath. This central candelabrum was donated by the community of the Great Synagogue of Amsterdam. The candles are still lit today for weddings and the Jewish Festivals. The rest of the year the Synagogue is lit by the electric lights added in 1928. The ner tamid (sanctuary lamp) is of silver and dates from 1876.
Twelve pillars, symbolising the twelve tribes of Israel, support the women's gallery.
The synagogue contains benches running parallel to the side walls and facing inward, leaving two aisles for the procession with the Torah scrolls. In addition, backless benches at the rear of the synagogue, taken from the original synagogue at Creechurch Lane, date from 1657 and are still regularly used.
A number of seats in the synagogue are roped off as they belong or have belonged to notable people within the community. Two seats were reserved for the most senior officials of the congregation's publishing arm, Heshaim. A third seat, fitted with a footstool, (the seat nearest the Ark on the central row of the left half of the benches) is also withheld as it belonged to Moses Montefiore. It is now only ever occupied by very senior dignitaries as a particular honour. In 2001 Prince Charles used the seat during the synagogue's tercentenary service. Prime Minister Tony Blair used it for the service celebrating the 350th anniversary of the re-settlement of the Jews in Great Britain in 2006, when the Chief Rabbi of the United Synagogue Sir Jonathan Sacks and the Lord Mayor of London were also present.
The synagogue retains notable historical records, including community circumcision and marriage records dating back to 1679.


In September 2021, it emerged that developers planned to build 21-storey and 48-storey buildings right next to the synagogue. It is claimed this would block natural light from the building for all but one hour a day. The synagogue is currently only lit by up to 240 candles and some electric lighting which was installed in 1928. A campaign has been launched to block the development with the Corporation of London saying no decision has been made. It is reported to have received 1,500 letters of objection. The alarm was raised by an article in The New York Times ahead of reporting by most of the British press. Members of the London Jewish community took to social media on the eve of Yom Kippur to draw attention to the threat to the synagogue including writer Simon Sebag-Montefiore and journalists Jonathan Freedland and Ben Judah.
According to The New York Times, a report commissioned by the developers claims that the building would have no impact on the amount of natural light the synagogue receives.


The first castle was built on the site of Bewcastle Roman Fort, around 1092. The castle is surrounded by a dry moat, the north and east sections of which re-use the Roman ditch. The castle was destroyed in 1173, but was rebuilt towards the end of the 14th century. It was decayed by the early 15th century when Edward IV granted it to his brother, the Duke of Gloucester, later to become King Richard III. The buildings were repaired and the gatehouse was possibly added at this time. From the late 15th century, the castle was held by the Musgrave family. In 1602 Thomas Musgrave was accused by Lancelot Carleton to the Privy Council of harbouring thieves in the castle . They fought a duel at Canonbie Holm to settle the issue.
Bewcastle Castle was reputedly destroyed by Cromwell in 1641. The castle was in a state of ruin by the 17th century, and although much of the stone was removed for nearby buildings, much of the gatehouse with its internal garderobe still remains.
The element "castle" in the place-name Bewcastle probably refers to the Roman fort within which it was built, giving rise to the unusual repetition of the word in the castle name. However, the Ordnance Survey gives the name as Bew Castle.


Many recreational activities take place on and around the reservoir. These include sailing and windsurfing (formerly through
Bewl Valley Sailing Club, now through Bewl Sailing Association Ltd), rowing and sculling (through Bewl Bridge Rowing Club), Canoeing and Kayaking (through Bewl Canoe Club), trout fishing, walking and cycling (on a 121⁄2 mile Round Reservoir Route).
Bewl Water Outdoor Centre offers a wide range of training, team building and adventure opportunities, on and around Bewl Water.
There is also a passenger boat and a restaurant, conference facility and gift shop.


According to a design of the Italian architect Renzo Piano the construction of the museum began in September 1994 in the Berower Park in Riehen.  The museum was meant to be embedded in the English landscape garden in the park and according to Beyeler, not only be a museum but also a small power plant in which its visitors were to regain strength. The building features a glazed façade largely looking out onto the corn fields and vines covering the Tüllinger Hills. The two perimeter walls of the original garden site inspired the idea of the museum’s layout. A red wall built with porphyry from Patagonia, South America replaced to the original in place before. The four 115-metre (377 ft) long porphyry walls running from north to south and standing 7 metres (23 ft) apart define the plan of the building. Resting on top of the solid foundation walls, the lightweight glass roof, white enamelled on the reverse, admits northern light but screens off light from the east and the west. Along the northern and the southern sides the roof projects far beyond the walls, shading the glass façades from the sun. In 1999, less than two years after the opening of the museum edifice, the building was lengthened by 12 metres (39 ft), which increased total exhibition space by 458 square metres (4,930 sq ft) to its present (as of April 2020) 3,764 square metres (40,520 sq ft).
Situated vis-à-vis the museum building, the late-Baroque Villa Berower houses the museum's administration department and a restaurant.


The mosque was built in 1895 on the site of an older mosque. The construction of the mosque was implemented by the sons of Mohammed Hashim Al-Bakuvi - Haji Baba and Haji Javad, as well as Murtuza Muhtarov, calligrapher Ibrahim Shirvani, Mir Ali an-Nagi, Mir Tagi, architect Seyid Huseyn.
During the construction of the mosque, while maintaining the local features of the architecture, new architectural style was founded. For the first time, an attempt was made to apply the techniques inherent in the architectural school of the Shirvanshahs.
Between 2014 and 2015 the mosque was restored by Austrian renowned restorer expert Erich Pummer who was involved by the Administration of State Historical-Architectural Reserve “Icherisheher”. After restoration the Administration of State Historical-Architectural Reserve “Icherisheher” decided to use the mosque as a museum too. In the mosque 73 Kuran books of various periods, 7 ancient religious books, as well as 19 religious attributes and other 99 exhibits are demonstrated. The exhibition also demonstrates The Quran belonging to ancient Derbent Mosque.


The architecture of the mosque combines western, eastern and local architectural traditions. It has a lobby, a prayer hall, and a decorated mihrab. The prayer hall is three-naved, which is characteristic for the mosques of Azerbaijan, which were built since the second half of the 19th century, and is found not only at the mosques of Baku and Absheron, but also of Shirvan, Karabakh, Guba, Sheki and Zagatala. Similar structures have Turkic peoples in the era of feudalism. Around the mosque a park is located with interesting design.


WikiWeb_Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center_1

George Drury Smith started publishing the magazine Beyond Baroque in 1968 from a storefront in Venice, which became a meeting place with workshops and space for readings, art, and music. Although 10,000 copies of the first issue were printed offset, subsequent issues were printed in-house using a four-color process. Later the magazines were printed on bound newsprint and distributed free. Over the years, the workshops have been attended by numerous well-known Los Angeles writers and poets, including founders Joseph Hansen and John Harris, Leland Hickman, Bob Flanagan, John Thomas, Will Alexander, Philomene Long, and Simone Forti. The center's first librarian was Exene Cervenka of the band X, who formed after Cervenka and John Doe met at the Wednesday Night Poetry Workshop. Some of LA artist Mike Kelley's first performances were at the center, and the cover of one of the early issues of Beyond Baroque, featuring several experimental filmmakers, was displayed in the Pompidou's 2006 show on Los Angeles art. The center's reading series, featuring over 200 writers a year, has featured writers including Amanda Gorman John Ashbery, Amiri Baraka, Raymond Carver, Jerry Casale of Devo, Wanda Coleman, Ed Dorn, Allen Ginsberg, Leland Hickman, Philip Levine, Lewis MacAdams, Viggo Mortensen, Harry Northup, Alice Notley, Graeme Revell from the band SPK, Patti Smith, James Tate, V Vale, who formed a tabloid format zine focusing on various counterculture and underground topics named RE/Search Publications documenting punk subculture, and CK Williams.
Beyond Baroque archives and sells chapbooks, small press poetry and experimental fiction. Center series include experimental music, film screenings, and visual art, including the Les Femmes Underground International Film Festival. Other festivals organized by Beyond Baroque include World Beyond Festival (with the World Stage and other local organizations) and the Beyond Text Festival (with LACMA and others). Its annual event with the LA Poetry Festival, the Younger Poets, presents undiscovered poets from the Los Angeles region at the Downtown Central Library. The center has also curated and organized permanent public art projects highlighting Los Angeles poets, including the Poetry Walls on the Venice Boardwalk and the lobby of the Junípero Serra State Office Building downtown.
Since Smith, an experimental fiction writer, founded the center in 1968, the center's staff and board has typically included writers and artists, including Dennis Cooper, Amy Gerstler, Tosh Berman, and the current director, Richard Modiano.


There are 77 rock-cut caves at the site. Most have rectangular spaces with rounded arch ceilings often divided into four sections, each with a mural of the Buddha. The effect is of entire ceiling covers with hundreds of Buddha murals. Some murals show a large Buddha surrounded by other figures, including Turks, Indians and Europeans. The quality of the murals vary with some being artistically naive while others are masterpieces of religious art. The murals that best represent the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves are the large-sized murals, which were given the name the "Praṇidhi Scene", paintings depicting Sakyamuni’s "promise" or "praṇidhi" from his past life.
Professor James A. Millward described the original Uyghurs as physically Mongoloid, giving as an example the images in Bezeklik at temple 9 of the Uyghur patrons, until they began to mix with the Tarim Basin's original Indo-European Tocharian inhabitants. Buddhist Uyghurs created the Bezeklik murals. However, Peter B. Golden writes that the Uyghurs not only adopted the writing system and religious faiths of the Indo-European Sogdians, such as Manichaeism, Buddhism, and Christianity, but also looked to the Sogdians as "mentors" while gradually replacing them in their roles as Silk Road traders and purveyors of culture. Indeed, Sogdians wearing silk robes are seen in the praṇidhi scenes of Bezeklik murals, particularly Scene 6 from Temple 9 showing Sogdian donors to the Buddha. The paintings of Bezeklik, while having a small amount of Indian influence, is primarily influenced by Chinese and Iranian styles, particularly Sasanian Persian landscape painting. Albert von Le Coq was the first to study the murals and published his findings in 1913. He noted how in Scene 14 from Temple 9 one of the West Eurasian-looking figures with green eyes, wearing a green fur-trimmed coat and presenting a bowl with what he assumed were bags of gold dust, wore a hat that he found reminiscent of the headgear of Sasanian Persian princes.
The Buddhist Uyghurs of the Kingdom of Qocho and Turfan were converted to Islam by conquest during a ghazat (holy war) at the hands of the Muslim Chagatai Khanate ruler Khizr Khoja (r. 1389-1399). After being converted to Islam, the descendants of the previously Buddhist Uyghurs in Turfan failed to retain memory of their ancestral legacy and falsely believed that the "infidel Kalmuks" (Dzungars) were the ones who built Buddhist monuments in their area.
The murals at Bezeklik have suffered considerable damage. Many of the temples were damaged by local Muslim population whose religion proscribed figurative images of sentient beings; all statues were destroyed, some paintings defaced and others smeared with mud, the eyes and mouths were often gouged out due to the local belief that the figures may otherwise come to life at night. Michael Dillon considered Bezeklik's Thousand Buddha Caves are an example of the religiously motivated iconoclasm against depiction of religious and human figures. Pieces of murals were also broken off for use as fertilizer by the locals. During the late nineteen and early twentieth century, European and Japanese explorers found intact murals buried in sand, and many were removed and dispersed around the world.  Some of the best preserved murals were removed by German explorer Albert von Le Coq and sent to Germany. Large pieces such as those showing Praṇidhi scene were permanently fixed to walls in the Museum of Ethnology in Berlin. During the Second World War they could not be removed for safekeeping, and were thus destroyed when the museum was caught in the bombing of Berlin by the Allies. Other pieces may now be found in various museums around the world, such as the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Tokyo National Museum in Japan, the British Museum in London, and the national museums of Korea and India.
A digital recreation of the Bezeklik murals removed by explorers was shown in Japan.


Ahmedabad was named after Ahmad Shah I of the Muzaffarid dynasty. He established Ahmedabad as the new capital of Gujarat Sultanate and built Bhadra Fort on the east bank of the Sabarmati river. It was also known as Arak Fort as described in Mirat-i-Ahmadi. The foundation stone of fort was laid down at Manek Burj in 1411. Square in form, enclosing an area of about forty-three acres, and containing 162 houses, the Bhadra fort had eight gates, three large, two in the east and one in the south-west corner; three middle-sized, two in the north and one in the south; and two small, in the west. The area within the fort had become occupied by urban developments by 1525. So a second fortification was built later by Mahmud Begada, the grandson of Ahmed Shah, with an outer wall 10 km (6.2 mi) in circumference and consisting of 12 gates, 189 bastions and over 6,000 battlements as described in Mirat-i-Ahmadi. Almost 60 governors ruled Gujarat during the Mughal period including the future Mughal emperors Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb. A seraglio was built later in the 17th century by a Mughal governor, Azam Khan, known as Azam Khan Sarai. It was used as a Musafir khana (a resting place for travellers) during Mughal rule.
Sarsenapati Umabaisaheb Khanderao Dabhade became the only female Commander-in-Chief in the history of the Marathas in 1732. She commanded the Maratha Army and fought a war near Ahmedabad at Bhadra Fort defeating Mughal Sardar Joravar Khan Babi.
Joint rule by Peshwa and Gaekwad of the Maratha Empire brought an end to the Mughal era in 1783. During the First Anglo–Maratha War (1775–1782), General Thomas Wyndham Goddard with 6,000 troops stormed Bhadra Fort and captured Ahmedabad on 15 February 1779. There was a garrison of 6,000 Arab and Sindhi infantry and 2,000 horses. Losses in the fight totalled 108, including two Britons. After the war, the fort was later handed back to Marathas under the Treaty of Salbai.
Ahmedabad was conquered by the British in 1817. The fort complex was used as a prison during the British Raj.
Azam Khan sarai currently houses the government offices, an ASI office, a post office and the city's civil courts. It is also used for flag hoisting on Independence Day and Republic Day.


Bhadra Fort housed royal palaces and the beautiful Nagina Baugh and the royal Ahmed Shah's Mosque on the west side and an open area known as Maidan-Shah on the east side. It had a fortified city wall with 14 towers, eight gates and two large openings covering an area of 43 acres. The eastern wall on the river bank can still be seen. The fort complex was used as a royal court during his reign. On the eastern side of a fort, there is a triple gateway known as Teen Darwaza which was formerly an entrance to the royal square, Maidan-Shah. The road beyond Teen Darwaza leads Manek Chowk, a mercantile square. On the south side along the road, there is a congregational mosque known as Jami Masjid.
The citadel's architecture is Indo-sarcenic with intricately carved arches and balconies. Fine latticework adorns windows and murals. There are some Islamic inscriptions on the arches of the fort. The palace contains royal suites, the imperial court, halls, and a prison.
The Maidan-Shah, or the kings market, is at least 1600 feet long and half as many broad and beset all about with rows of Palm-trees and Date-trees intermixed with Citron-trees and Orange-trees, whereof there are very many in the several streets: which is not only verry pleasant to the sight, by the delightful prospect it affords, but also makes the walking among them more convenient by reason of the coolness. Besides this Maidan, there are in the city four Bazaars, or public places, where are sold all kind of merchandise.
— Johan Albrecht de Mandelslo, German traveller; in October, 1638, Mandelslo's Travels In Western India, Page 22


Under Bhadra Plaza Development Project, an initiative of the AMC and the ASI, Bhadra Fort was renovated and the open space between the fort and Teen Darwaza, earlier known as Maidan-Shah was restored. Landscaping was recreated based on the accounts of historical past travellers. The work started on 26 January 2012 and the renovation of open areas was completed in November 2014. The cost of the project is estimated Rs 115 crore.  A stretch between the fort and Teen Darwaza earlier known as Maidan-Shah was declared a pedestrian zone. The new public amenities, marble benches and kiosks for hawkers were constructed. There are also plans for a pedestrian bridge connecting Bhadra plaza with the Sabarmati riverfront and a multilevel car park at Lal Darwaza. The museum and galleries are planned on the first floor of the fort palace while a handicraft outlet will be housed on the ground floor. A traditional restaurant, food and ethnic markets as well as an exhibition centre are also planned. It is the first heritage and pedestrianization project under JnNURM. Jaishankar Sundari hall, a performing arts venue, was renovated and reopened in 2010.
The city civil court and sessions court were operated in buildings adjacent to Azam Khan Sarai. They were transferred to old high court building on Ashram Road. The new eight-floor court building is planned after demolition of old buildings. The plan was challenged in Gujarat High Court citing protected monument laws and regulations but high court permitted the construction after presentation by authorities.


The lake is being developed into the largest Geo-Biodiversity Cultural Park – with promenades, historic caves, suspension bridges, natural trails, nesting ground and ecological reserves. Funds have also been sanctioned for strengthening the lake bund, under the HRIDAY scheme.


Every year, thousands of pilgrims from Nepal, India and other countries visit this sacred temple to worship the Bhagawati. During the festivals of Dashain and Tihar, there is presence of even more worshipers.


This is the first temple in the world to stand on granite pillars. The architectural drawings were prepared by architects from Ahmadabad, who are renowned in Indian in the field of temple construction. This temple is 105 feet tall from the ground to the golden flag on the top of the temple. There are a total of three doors on three sides of the temple.
Like the ground floor of the main Temple, the top floor also has a round verandah and shrine. The ceiling is constructed above the second level. This temple is built of pink stone on the outside and marble on the inside, which showcases its exceptional artwork. All the outer walls are made from sandstone, which are elegantly carved. All 32 doors, the shrines on both levels, and the ceilings of the verandahs are all made from Makrana marble, which was carved with very attractive and artistic designs by Makrana craftsmen.
Beautiful life sized Deities of Radha Krishna and delicately carved Deities of the Ashta Mahasakhis (8 eternal and closest friends of Radha Rani) encircle the main hall on the ground floor. Equally beautiful life sized Deities of Sita Ram, Radha Rani and Krishna Balram are present on the first floor. Apart from the main building there are two adjacent blocks which encompass the panels depicting major life events of Shri Krishna on one side and of Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on the other and have carved panels depicting the divine pastimes of Shree Radha Krishna the walls outside.


The divine deity of "Radha Krishna" in Bhakti Mandir is so mesmerizing that tens of thousands of devotees from all over the world visit and do the darshan on regular basis.
Level 1 (Ground Floor) of Bhakti Mandir is where  'Radha Krishna' idol is placed. The darshan of "Radha Krishna" in Bhakti Mandir appears exactly same as in Prem Mandir, Vrindavan. The divine deity of "Sita Ram" in Bhakti Mandir is so enticing that tens of thousands of devotees from all over the world visit for darshan.
Level 2 (Second Floor) of Bhakti Mandir is where  "Sita Ram" idol is placed.In the event of major festivals like Janmashtami, Radhashtami, the Bhakti Mandir temples gets hundreds of thousands of devotees from all over the world. It is a divine gift of JagadGuru Kripalu Ji Maharaj. Similar to Bhakti Mandir, there is
Bhakti Bhavan in Mangarh, UP, India
Prem Mandir in Vrindavan, UP, India
Rangeeli Mahal in Barsana, UP, India
Radha Madhav Dham, Austin, Texas, US


All activity at Bhaktivedanta Manor focuses around the temple room with its altar of carved wood and gilt containing three domed shrines. The first houses deity forms of Radha and Krishna, named "Radha Gokulananda". The second houses Gaura-Nitai deities, and the third, Sita, Rama, his brother Lakshmana and Hanuman. The rest of the property comprises a shop selling souvenirs and devotional paraphernalia, a bakery, a farm with working oxen, college facilities, ashrams, a primary school, and a small theatre. The latter is used for performances of the dramatic arts illustrating bhakti yoga and stories about Krishna.
The musician Jahnavi Harrison (no relation to George) grew up at the temple and teaches kirtan call-and-response singing at Bhaktivedanta College.


Bhandasar Jain Temple is a three-storey temple, famous for its beautiful leaf paintings, frescoes and ornamented mirror work. This temple was constructed using red sandstone with beautiful paintings and yellow-stone carvings on walls, pillars of the sanctum and mandapa. On the walls there are illustrations depicting the lives of the 24 tirthankaras. The temple consist of garbhagriha, antarala, mahamandapa, and ardhamandapa. The sanctum is pancharatha (five rathas) is covered by shikhara having karna-amalakas and amalakas at top.


The early 1980s saw a burgeoning of the Indian arts scene and a renewed government focus on developing arts across the nation, through regional centers for arts in state capitals. The initiative, in Madhya Pradesh, was furthered to fruition by cultural administrator, Ashok Vajpeyi, an IAS-officer in the state Ministry of Education (1966-1992), who was also behind the setting up of the literary organization, 'Kalidas Academy', in Ujjain in 1983. Though some cultural initiatives lost steam in later years in many parts of India, one project that became a success is the Bharat Bhavan (India House) in Bhopal.
The institution was inaugurated on February 13, 1982 by then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. It was established and funded by the Department of Culture, Government of Madhya Pradesh, though it is run by an autonomous 12-member Bharat Bhavan Trust. In the following decade, the institution grew to become an important cultural institution of India as it started attracting artists, scholars, students and other visitors from Indore, Jabalpur, Mumbai, Kolkata and even foreign countries.
During its formative years, theatre personality, B. V. Karanth who headed the 'Rangamandal repertory', incorporated folk forms of the region into his work, staged many productions in Hindi, especially during his stint at the Bharat Bhavan. The "Bharat Bhavan Biennial of Contemporary Indian Art" started in 1986, followed by "Bharat Bhavan International Print Biennial" in 1989. The complex is most known for its art museum, Roopankar, which houses a permanent collection of tribal art, collected by Jagdish Swaminathan in its early years, and represents the best examples of tribal art in India.
The 'Vagarth' centre of Hindi poetry and literature houses a library and archive of Indian poetry, classical music and folk music. It organizes the 'Katha Prasang' festival on Hindi literature.


The complex includes an art gallery of Indian painting and sculpture, a fine art workshop, an open-air amphitheatre ("Bahirang"), a studio theatre ("Abhirang"), an auditorium ("Antarang"), a museum of tribal & folk art and libraries of Indian poetry, classical music & folk music. Besides this, the Bhavan hosts artists and writers under its artist-in-residence program at the "Ashram". Over the years, it has also become a popular tourist attraction.
Some of the wings include:
Roopankar - Museum of Fine Art: Gallery of contemporary, folk & tribal art and a modern art gallery, a Graphic Art workshop and a Ceramics Art workshop
Rangmandal - theatre repertory
Vagarth - center of Indian poetry, library, archive and translation center
Anhad - library of classical and folk music, audio and video archives, it organizes dance recitals and classical music series like, Parampara and Saptak
Chhavi - center of classical cinema
Nirala Srijanpeeth - the chair for creative writing, founded by the Government of Madhya Pradesh


It is Named After Great Bhati Rajput Warriors.When Emperor Akbar expanded the city eastward and divided it into nine districts, Bhati Gate and its bazar marked the boundary between Mubarak Khan in the east, and Talwarra in the west.
The famed poet Allama Iqbal lived in a house near Bhati gate between 1901 and 1905.


The park has 345 plant species, including 151 different  tree species, 53  shrubs, 106 herbs and 34 climber species. The wildlife in the park includes   13 mammals, 9 reptiles, 5 birds and 5 amphibians. In addition the Forest Department has recently introduced  peacocks, deers, pythons, and cat fish.


Although the present structure of the temple appears to be of comparatively recent origin, the shrine Bhimashankaram (and the Bhimarathi river) have been referred to in literature dating back to the 13th century. Built in the Nagara style of architecture, this temple is a modest yet graceful temple and dates back to the 18th century.
It is believed that the ancient shrine was erected over a Swayambhu Lingam (that is the self emanated Shiva Lingam). It can be observed that the Lingam is exactly at the centre of the floor of the Garbagriham (the Sanctum Sanctorum) of the temple. Intricate carvings of divine beings, interspersed with human figurines adorn the pillars and the doorframes of the temple. Scenes from mythology find themselves captured in these magnificent carvings.
Within the temple precincts, there is also a small shrine dedicated to Lord Shani Mahātma (also called Shanaeshwara). The idol of Nandi, Lord Shiva's vāhan (vehicle) has been installed as is the case with all the Siva Temples, just at the entrance of the temple.
This temple is closely associated with the legend of Shiva slaying the demon Tripurāsura associated with the invincible flying citadels, the "Tripurās". Shiva is said to have taken abode in the 'Bhima Shankara' form, upon the request of the Gods, on the crest of the Sahyadri hills, and the sweat that poured forth from His body after the battle is said to have formed the Bhimarathi river.
The Gopura-shikhara of the temple was built by Nāna Phadnavis. The great Maratha ruler, Shivāji is also said to have made endowments to this temple to facilitate the carrying out, of worship services. As with other Shiva temples in this area, the sanctum is at a lower level.
The 'Shani temple' is located inside the main complex of the temple of Bhimashankar.
Between the two pillars outside the 'Shani' temple, one comes across an ancient huge Portuguese bell. Behind the temple, there is a small pathway that leads one to the banks of a river.
"Stepping out of the Temple, one is awed with a bewitching view of the virgin wilderness, occasionally interrupted by the glimpses of the majestic forts on the surrounding mountains."
History unveils itself in the peaks of the Sahyadris. Bhimashankar – a place where spiritual splendor merges with nature's magnificence is definitely a pilgrim's paradise. There are other temples and shrines, near the main temple. There is a shrine to Kamalaja near the Bhimashankar temple. Kamalaja is an incarnation of Parvathi, who aided Shiva in his battle against Tripuraasura. Kamalajaa was worshipped with offerings of lotus flowers by Brahma.
There is a shrine for Siva Ganams, Shaakini and Daakini who assisted Shiva in the battle against the demon, Bhima. Kaushika Maha Muni is said to have done 'Tapas' (penance) there. The place where he bathed is called Mokshakund thirtham, which is located behind the Bhimashankar temple. There are also the Sarvathirtha, the Kusharanya thirtha - where the Bhīmā river begins to flow eastward, and the Jnyanakund.


The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site in central India that spans the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods, as well as the historic period. It exhibits the earliest traces of human life in India and evidence of Stone Age starting at the site in Acheulian times. It is located in the Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh about 45 kilometres (28 mi) south-east of Bhopal. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of seven hills and over 750 rock shelters distributed over 10 km (6.2 mi). At least some of the shelters were inhabited more than 100,000 years ago. The rock shelters and caves provide evidence of, according to Encyclopædia Britannica, a "rare glimpse" into human settlement and cultural evolution from hunter-gatherers, to agriculture, and expressions of prehistoric spirituality.
Some of the Bhimbetka rock shelters feature prehistoric cave paintings and the earliest are about 10,000 years old (c. 8,000 BCE), corresponding to the Indian Mesolithic. These cave paintings show themes such as animals, early evidence of dance and hunting from the Stone Age as well as of warriors on horseback from a later time (perhaps the Bronze Age). The Bhimbetka site has the oldest-known rock art in India, as well as is one of the largest prehistoric complexes.
Bhimbetka rock art is considered oldest petroglyphs in the world, some of these similar to aboriginal rock art in Australia and the paleolithic Lascaux cave paintings in France. Of the 750 rock shelters, only 12 to 15 are open to visitors.
The Bhimbetka shelters also contain fossils from the Precambrian, hundreds of millions of years before the human era, including the enigmatic basal animal Dickinsonia.


Of the four sanctums in the temple, the ones in the north, west and south each have a vestibule (called antarala) and a common hall (called sabhamantapa or just mantapa). The common hall opens to a porch entrance (called mukhamantapa) in the east which has a minor fourth shrine attached to it. The entrance to the porch is a lateral one. According to the historian Kamath, Western Chalukya temples usually exhibit vesara style superstructure (called shikhara), and this is confirmed by the Archaeological Survey of India which designates the overall plan as vesara (a fusion of south and north Indian styles). The superstructure as a 3-tiered tower (called tritala).
The outer wall of the temple has projections and recesses creating niches. In these niches are miniature decorative towers in relief (called aedicula or turrets), the execution of which evolved during the Later Chalukya rule. The vesara style aedicula are supported by double pilasters while the dravida (south Indian) style aedicula are supported by single pilasters. The art historian Percy Brown calls the Later Chalukyan style of wall decoration "exceptionally well rendered", and according to Kamath, the miniature towers are wrought in a "most artistic refrain". Each tier of the superstructure has a  kirtimukha (gargoyle like face). Below each kirtimukha, is a relief of a deity such as the Nataraja or Maheshvara (both forms of the Hindu god Shiva). Worthy of mention is the ornate relief on the lintel and door jamb at the entrance to each sanctum (garbhagriha) which exhibit Saiva dvarapalas ("guardians" to a shrine of the god Shiva) flanked by female umbrella (chauri) bearers. Facing the west sanctum is a small sculpture of Nandi the bull. There are sculptures of various deities from the Hindu pantheon in the niches in the interior wall of the temple, such as Ganesh (elephant headed god of "beginnings" in Hinduism), Mahishasuramardhini (a form of Durga) and the Saptamatrika (the seven Hindu goddesses). The ceiling in the common hall is supported by four polished lathe turned pillars, which according to Kamath is also a characteristic feature of Western Chalukya temples.


The lake and the dam are located at an elevation of 1,375 meters (4,511 ft) in Bhimtal town in the Nainital district in Uttarakhand. The lake drains a catchment area of 17.12 square kilometers (6.61 sq mi).
According to geologists the origin of the lake is attributed to a number of faults which occurred due to shifting of the earth's crust. This caused blockade of the overland flows and resulted in creation of the lake. The catchment area of the lake, particularly the hills have dense forest cover; the type of forest vegetation consists of chir pine, ban oak and mixed deciduous forests. The basin experiences varying tropical to sub-tropical weather conditions. Precipitation in the basin is very high, mostly occurring during the monsoon period.
A peripheral road on the banks of the lake provides clear views of fish life in the lake. The lake has steep banks covered with shingle at lower elevations and bushes and grass at higher elevations. The western side of the lake is a forest area where cottages have been built; while on the opposite side there are terraced fields. A perennial tributary stream feeds the lake from the west and the banks of this stream have been extensively developed with residential complexes, after Indian Independence, which has brought in shale and debris into the lake, and this process is said to be still continuing. There is a small shopping centre on the southern shore of the lake. A small sanitarium on the northern shore of the lake at 1,525 meters (5,003 ft) elevation is said to be free from malaria and hence healthy. There is also a prison camp which was established in 1902 here at the northern end of the lake to house prisoners of the Boer war.
It is 22.5 kilometers (14.0 mi) away from the district town of Nainital. Kathgodam is the nearest rail-head which is 20 kilometers (12 mi) away.


Wildlife seen around the lake are barking deer, Kalij pheasants, Koklass pheasants white-capped laughingthrush  and migratory ducks and geese.


The fish species found in the lake are common snowtrout, catla, rohu, silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Also recorded in the lake waters are Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and major carps (Labeo rohita,  Cirrhinus mrigala and catla catla). A fish farm has been set up in the Bhima Tal. Every year large fish yields from the lake are of Mahseer, and Tor putitora) species. It is essential to get the permission of the Deputy Commissioner to fish in the lake.


The ruins of Bhir Mound were excavated from 1913-1925 by Sir John Marshall. The work was continued by Sir Mortimer Wheeler in 1944-1945 and by Dr. Mohammad Sharif in 1966-1967. Further excavations were performed in 1998-2000 by Bahadur Khan and in 2002 by Dr. Ashraf and Mahmud-al-Hassan.
Marshall came to the Bhir Mound project from earlier work in Athens, expecting very much to find a Greek city in Taxila. Klaus Karttunen says that he became more objective later on, but scholars mention various problems with his results. In his report, Marshall proposed that the Bhir Mound city of Taxila was founded by Darius I as the capital of the Achaemenid province of Hindush. Scholar David Fleming says that the identification was based on 'classical sources and a frankly pro-western bias'. The excavations were conducted without much regard to stratigraphic recording, and the pottery finds were published in such a manner as to preclude a detailed analysis.
The results of Mortimer Wheeler's excavations were never published. Later excavations by Mohammad Sharif were done more carefully with regard to chronological considerations, and they form the basis for the modern assessments.


Bhir Mound Achaemenid coin hoard
The Bhir Mound coin hoard has revealed numerous Achaemenid coins as well as several Greek coins from the 5th and 4th centuries BC which circulated in the area, at least as far as the Indus during the reign of the Achaemenids, who were in control of the areas as far as Gandhara. Many of these coins are similar to the local coins struck in Kabul, and found in the Chaman Hazouri hoard. This is the case in particular for the Achaeminid siglos type of coins of the 5th century, as well as the Gandharan bent-bar punch-marked coins, found in large quantities at Bhir Mound.
Modern numismatists tend to consider that these Gandharan bent-bar punch-marked coins are the precursors of the Indian punch-marked coins.
Coins of Philip III and Alexander the Great  were also found in Bhir Mound.
Many Indian punch-marked coins were also found.


There are important ancient Buddhist sites in this area, such as Dharmarajika, Mohra Muradu, and Jaulian.
Also, there are the remains of other ancient cities that were founded after Bhir Mound, such as Sirkap and Sirsukh.


It is a very good place to sight the giant Salt Water Crocodile, some growing to 23 feet in length, along with other reptiles like the Water Monitor Lizard and the King Cobra. Spotted deers and wild boars are abundant in the park and can be spotted at all the major locations. Eight varieties of Kingfishers are found here and can be spotted along the many creeks and riverines within the park.
The boat ride from Khola to Dangmal or vice versa is highly recommended. Khola is one of the gateways into the park. This is along an artificial creek and it passes through dense mangrove forest providing a glimpse into the estuarine ecosystem and its wealth of fauna. The best time to travel through this creek is early morning or before sunset.
Bhitarkanika has a very rich historical and cultural past. It used to be the hunting grounds of the erstwhile King of Kanika . The hunting towers and artificial watering holes can be seen at many places including Bhitarkanika trail and at Dangmal. It is also the home of medieval Hindu temples which can be found dotted throughout the sanctuary. But the major attraction remains the wildlife wealth.


It appears that the construction work stopped abruptly. The reasons are not known, but historians speculate that the abandonment may have been triggered by a sudden natural disaster, a lack of resources, or a war. Before its restoration during 2006–07, the building lacked a roof. Based on this, archaeologist KK Muhammed theorizes that the roof could have collapsed due to a mathematical error made while calculating the load; subsequently, circumstances might have prevented Bhoja from rebuilding it.
The evidence from the abandoned site has helped the scholars understand the mechanics and organisation of 11th century temple construction. To the north and the east of the temple, there are several quarry sites, where unfinished architectural fragments in various stages of carving were found. Also present are the remains of a large sloping ramp erected for carrying the carved slabs from the quarries to the temple site. Several carvings brought to the temple site from the quarries had been left at the site. The ASI moved these carvings to a warehouse in the 20th century.
Detailed architectural plans for the finished temple are engraved on the rocks in the surrounding quarries. These architectural plans indicate that the original intention was to build a massive temple complex with many more temples. The successful execution of these plans would have made Bhojpur one of the largest temple complexes in India.
The marks of over 1,300 masons are engraved on the temple building, the quarry rocks and two other shrines in the village. This includes the names of 50 masons engraved on the various portions of the temple structure. Other marks are in the form of various symbols such as circle, crossed circle, wheel, trident, swastika, conch shell, and Nagari script characters. These marks were meant to identify the amount of work completed by individuals, families or guilds involved in the construction. The marks would have been erased while giving the finishing touches, had the temple been completed.


The ceiling of the temple
By 1950, the building had become structurally weak because of the regular rainwater percolation and removal of the stone veneers. In 1951, the site was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for conservation, in accordance with the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act 1904. During the early 1990s, the ASI repaired the damaged steps of the platform and the sanctum, and also restored the missing ones. It also restored the facade on the north-west corner of the temple.
During 2006–07, the ASI team supervised by KK Muhammed restored the monument. The team added a missing pillar to the structure. The 12-tonne pillar was carved out of a single stone by expert masons and sculptors in a style that matches the original. The monolith was procured from the area near Agra after a nationwide search for material matching the stone originally used in the temple. The team was unable to procure a crane with a sufficiently long boom. So, they lifted the monolith 30 feet up with the help of a system of pulleys and levers, which took 6 months to devise. KK Muhammed noted that two other pillars in the temple weigh 33 tonnes, and are also carved out of a single stone: it must have been very challenging for the original builders to erect these pillars without modern technology and resources.
The team closed the ceiling with a new architectural component matching the original one, to stop the water percolation. This fibreglass component weighs less than the original one, thus reducing unnecessary weight which could damage the structure. To further prevent the rainwater from getting in, the ASI also closed the portion between the wall and the superstructure by placing slanting stone slabs. In addition, the ASI placed new stone veneers matching the original ones on the northern, southern and western exterior walls of the temple. The ASI also cleaned the dirt that had accumulated on the temple walls over the past few centuries.