In pictures of Ismayil MAMMADOV

THERE ARE MANY WONDERFUL PLACES ON OUR VAST PLANET, THE BEAUTY OF WHICH HAS BEEN SUNG BY MANY GENERATIONS OF PAINTERS ...

İt would be unfair if I did not share these impressions with the audience. In 2001, I had the fortunate opportunity to see London, of which I knew only from books and fi lms. Works from the series “My colorful dreams” were on display for 10 days in the HUMAY gallery at my solo exhibition, while I was wandering and drawing London. All this time, these drawings were languishing on the shelves in anticipation of their audience.

London is, fi rst of all, a city with a rich history that greets you at every turn.

- You cannot walk past the famous Big Ben, the clock on which has been keeping track of time since 1859. In fact, the Big Ben is the name not of the tower and the clock, but of the clock bell.

- The Tower of London – an ancient fortress with legendary ravens and a prison - stands just fi rmly on the bank of the river. Its grim walls have seen a lot of blood, including royal blood.

- Over the dark waters of the Thames, the famous Tower Bridge stretches. It is recognizable, perhaps, all over the world. It is a symbol of London just like the Eiff el Tower is that of Paris and the Statue of Liberty is that of New York. It shakes the viewer again and again with its grandeur and severity of forms.

At night, the medieval gloom of Tower Bridge disappears and, thanks to modern lighting, it appears to us as a kind of fantastic, fabulous building.

- The parks and manicured gardens of London with park sculptures are magnifi cent: the most famous of the royal parks is Hyde Park, the oldest one - St James’s Park and one of the most elegant ones – the Regent’s Park, which is located next to the Madame Tussauds Museum.

England is a country of traditions. Probably, the oldest and most beloved national tradition is the monarchy. Its symbol - Buckingham Palace – the residency of Queen Elizabeth II - is now open to the public. In the western part of London, there is one of the most famous landmarks of London - St Paul’s Cathedral (architect Christopher Wren). After the Great Fire of London, work began at the site of the burnt 7th century church to restore the temple. Christopher Wren laid the fi rst stone at the foundation of the future temple (21 June 1675) and wrote on it - “I will rise again”. It took him 35 years to build a new temple.

Since the end of the 18th century, St Paul’s Cathedral has been the traditional burial place of British celebrities (the tomb of Lord Nelson). The founder of St Paul’s Cathedral, Christopher Wren, also found the fi nal resting place here (died in 1723). The inscription on the architect’s tombstone says: “If you are seeking his monument, look around you.”