Mountains on Steroids by Kilian Schönberger

Dolomites
@kilianschoenberger I N S T A G R A M

Kilian Schönberger: Photos

Like a dream by Agnès Perrodon

Agnès Perrodon: Photos

Between Winter and Fall by Simon W Xu

Simon W Xu: Photos

Peaceful Silence by Doug Shearer

In a world of social media, political commentary and weekly protests, I wish you a moment of peaceful silence. Have a wonderful day!

Doug Shearer: Photos

Temple of Heaven, Beijing / 北京天坛 by John S

The Temple of Heaven (Chinese: 天壇) is an imperial complex of religious buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It has been regarded as a Taoist temple, although Chinese heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the day, predates Taoism. The temple complex was constructed from 1406 to 1420 during the reign of the Yongle Emperor, who was also responsible for the construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing. The complex was extended and renamed Temple of Heaven during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor in the 16th century. Jiajing also built three other prominent temples in Beijing, the Temple of the Sun (日壇) in the east, the Temple of Earth (地壇) in the north, and the Temple of Moon (月壇) in the west. The Temple of Heaven was renovated in the 18th century under the Qianlong Emperor. By then, the state budget was insufficient, so this was the last large-scale renovation of the temple complex in imperial times. The temple was occupied by the Anglo-French Alliance during the Second Opium War. In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, the Eight Nation Alliance occupied the temple complex and turned it into the force’s temporary command in Beijing, which lasted for one year. The occupation desecrated the temple and resulted in serious damage to the building complex and the garden. Robberies of temple artifacts by the Alliance were also reported. With the downfall of the Qing, the temple complex was left un-managed. The neglect of the temple complex led to the collapse of several halls in the following years. In 1914, Yuan Shikai, then President of the Republic of China, performed a Ming prayer ceremony at the temple, as part of an effort to have himself declared Emperor of China. In 1918 the temple was turned into a park and for the first time open to the public. The Temple of Heaven was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 and was described as “a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design which simply and graphically illustrates a cosmogony of great importance for the evolution of one of the world’s great civilizations…” as the “symbolic layout and design of the Temple of Heaven had a profound influence on architecture and planning in the Far East over many centuries.”

John S: Photos

Reflection … by Ahmad Kamal

Ahmad Kamal: Photos

HARMONY V – Silence and Dynamism by Naoki Fujihara

www.naokifujihara.com/ I create this photograph with a vision to express the harmony and dynamism of a cityscape. Generally, buildings and railroads are built independently. They are not considered their harmony. But seeing them from a particular viewpoint, railroads and buildings are well-balanced. They are in harmony with each other and they create dynamism in a cityscape. Not only expressing the harmony and dynamism of a cityscape, but I also want to present an importance of seeing a subject from a particular viewpoint. This is the vision and what I want to express in this photograph.

Naoki Fujihara: Photos

blues by Efemir Art

Efemir Art: Photos

Glacier. Fellaria. Italy. by Maxim K.

Maxim K.: Photos

L’alba della libellula by Roberto Aldrovandi

Roberto Aldrovandi: Photos

Llyn Padarn by Daniel Casson

First light over the tree

Daniel Casson: Photos

Autumn sunrise by Peter Zajfrid

Foggy autumn sunrise in Jurovski Dol, Slovenia

Peter Zajfrid: Photos