Vladimir. Golden Gate. Golden Gate (Historical appearance)

Javascript is required to view this map

Golden Gate in , are an outstanding monument ancient Russian architecture, annually attracting increased attention from the guests of the city. They were built in 1164, during the reign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky of Vladimir, in addition to defensive purposes, they played the role of a triumphal building, symbolizing the greatness and strength of princely power. It was through them that the princely squads entered the city, returning from the battlefields, where they were noisily met by the people. The white-stone gates are made using the technique of half-stone masonry, which is widespread in Vladimir-Suzdal architecture. Together with three more gates to the city that have not survived to this day, the Golden Gates formed a single complex that served as an important link in the defensive system of Vladimir.

The Golden Gate is a massive three-tiered structure, along the edges of which there are low powerful towers with characteristic medieval battlements. Above the second tier, in the middle of which the image of Jesus Christ is clearly visible, the Robe of the Robe was previously located. gate church, who hospitably welcomed everyone who came to Vladimir in peace. Today, in its place is an exposition of the military history museum. An impressive diorama draws attention under the vaults of the chapel, where the February events of 1238 are presented, when the Mongol-Tatar hordes of Batu Khan captured Vladimir, despite the heroic resistance of its defenders. The diorama is equipped with musical and light stereo effects, which makes it look as realistic and spectacular as possible.

For more than 50 years, the Golden Gates have been under the jurisdiction of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve and serve as an integral part of it. Here visitors can see weapons and military equipment. different years, including the combat bolts of the throwing machine used for shots at long distance, arrowheads and spearheads of the 12th-13th centuries, military chain mail of Russian knights, a captured Polish crossbow, flintlock guns from the reign of Catherine II, soldiers' blunderbusses of the Great Patriotic War 1812, captured Turkish weapons and many other historical exhibits.

For a long time, the Golden Gate has been covered with many legends and myths, many of which researchers still cannot either confirm or refute. In any case, this building is considered one of the symbols that can often be seen on advertising brochures dedicated to the city or on souvenirs that are willingly snapped up by tourists.

• Question Which towns have the "Golden Gate"? How many steps are there in the "Golden Gate" When were they built?
  Description How is the present tense used?
  

  SM date: archived

1. Answer 1.g. Vladimir Golden Gates. There is a staircase in the southern wall of the Golden Gates, facing the preserved earthen rampart. 64 steps, arranged in a six-meter thickness of the wall, lead to the gate church. An architectural monument and a museum. In the 60s of the XII century AD. in Vladimir, the festive entrance gates of the town - the Golden Gates - were built. These gates, even with their name, were supposed to show that the capital city of North-Eastern Rus' - Vladimir - is in no way inferior to Kyiv. At the end of the XVIII century. in connection with the implementation of the latest permanent layout of the town, the ramparts adjoining the walls of the Golden Gate were torn down. This weakened the design of the gate supports. To strengthen the gates, buttresses enclosed in round towers were added in the corners. Currently, only the basic cubic size of the drive-through gate is authentic; the gate church was completely rebuilt, and its initial forms are unidentified. The Golden Gate is a monument of ancient Russian fortification. Built of snow-white stone in 1158-1164. Andrey Bogolyubsky, Prince of Vladimir, as the main battle and passage tower of the fortress he newly made. Of the 5 outer gates of the fortress, only one, the Golden ones, has survived. , bound with gilded copper. A combat platform was laid over the jumper. At the top of the tower, above the arched gap, there was the Church of the Deposition of the Robe of the Virgin - a small variation of the white stone church. An internal staircase led to the church. The bypass around the church, surrounded by a battlement wall, served as the 2nd combat platform. - the Mongol horde: the Tatars leaked into the city not through the gate, but through a breach in the wooden wall on the rampart. the church "stood idle without singing almost all the summers." only in provincial times the building was seriously rebuilt: the ramparts were taken away from the sides, the tower was surrounded by outbuildings hiding the buttresses, and the gate church was rebuilt from brick and consecrated in 1810. The open bypass around the church turned into a closed gallery. The internal wall staircase was filled up, and was resumed only in 1870 ... http://sobory.ru/article/?object=00994Vladimir, photo: http://slavarik.narod.ru/Zolotie1.jpg (Ukr. Golden Gate) - a historical arrival in Kiev. The name "Golden Gate" is also worn by the nearby theater and Kiev metro station. The Golden Gate is the main, triumphal gate of old Kiev. They got their name from the Golden Gate of Constantinople, which performed similar functions. The Golden Gate was one of three big the city gates built under Yaroslav the Wise. The construction of the gate, together with the St. Sophia Cathedral, is mentioned in the annals under 1037. In 1240, the gate was badly damaged during the siege and capture of the town by the hordes of Batu. From the records of travelers of the 16th-17th centuries and drawings by A. Van Westerfeld (1651) it is clear that by this time the Golden Gate was dilapidated. The Golden Gate remained the gate to the city (often used for ceremonial purposes) until the 18th century, although over time it became more and more ruined. In 1832, the first measures were taken to preserve them. In the 1970s, a pavilion was built near the ruins, which housed a small museum dedicated to the history of the Golden Gate. In 1982, for the 1500th anniversary of Kiev, the Golden Gate was completely reconstructed, despite the fact that there are no reliable images or plans of how they looked in antiquity.http: //ru.wikipedia.o
   

   Vetluzhanka date: archived

2. Answer The famous capital of Atlantis is traditionally called the City of the Golden Gate. Golden Gates (Ukr. Golden Gates) - a historical check-in to Kiev. The monument "Golden Gates" in Vladimir has also been preserved.
   

   Elena kot date: archived

3. Answer There is one in Kyiv. These gates are restored as a monument. Around the mini-park.previously used as a check-in to the city.
   

   OLka date: archived

4. Answer Jest Zolotye vorota v Kieve - glavnye triumfalnye vorota drevnego Kieva, stroitelstvo upominaetsya v letopisyax pod 1037 godom, takzhe jest vorota vo Vladimire , postroennye v 1164 godu, vsio ispolzujetsya kak pamiatniki arxitektury
   

   Natalie date: archived

5. Answer Golden Gate (USA) - the strait connecting San Francisco Bay with the Pacific Ocean. Golden Gate - a bridge in the town of San Francisco, passing through the Golden Gate Strait. Golden Gate (Kyiv) - a historical check-in to Kyiv.. Golden Gate - a metro station in Kyiv. Located next to the Golden Gate. The Golden Gate (Vladimir) is an outstanding monument of ancient Russian architecture. The Golden Gate of Karadag (Crimea) The Golden Gate at the Mount of Olives (Israel) The Golden Gate. A two-step rapid on the Khangarul River in Transbaikalia.

Is one of the most beautiful cities Russia. Tourists from all over the country and the world come here to see the monuments of Russian military architecture. The most famous, among which from year to year remains a monument -. History does not know exactly in what year the gates were built, so the year of their foundation is considered to be 1164, when the gates were consecrated. Most likely, the gates were built by princely craftsmen and craftsmen. Evidence of this is the princely sign left on one of the blocks. The Zloty Gates were included in the line of city ramparts, which had a total of five entrance gates. However, only one of the five survived to this day -. In addition to their defensive functions, they were also an ornament, as they made out the main entrance to the richest part of the city. In this sense, they have no analogues among the architecture of the European Middle Ages. Throughout its history, the gate has experienced many rebuildings and reconstructions. Therefore, today they have a slightly different appearance, different from the original appearance, but still we can feel their greatness. There is a legend that tells why the prince called the gate “golden”. According to legend, during the construction of the entrance passage, the gate collapsed and fell asleep 12 people. No one doubted that everyone had died, but Prince Andrei brought an icon of the Mother of God to the scene and began to pray for the salvation of the unfortunate. When they began to dismantle the rubble, all the people were alive and unharmed. It was then in 1164 that the prince ordered to build a church over the gates and call them Golden. Enough interesting event in the history of the gate is that once the carriage of Catherine II got stuck in the arch. To solve this problem, they did not touch the gate, but only dug ditches that would adjoin the gate.

For about the last half century, the Golden Gate has been a part of the unifying unique architectural monuments Vladimir region. In the church, located above the gate, there is an exposition dedicated to the military-historical events of the city. The main place in the exposition is occupied by a diorama telling the events of 1238, when the Tatar horde broke into Vladimir. Also, military equipment and weapons of different times are presented to the attention of visitors.

An important achievement is that in 1992 the Golden Gate was included in the list world heritage. Curious tourists from all over the world enjoy visiting this historical monument wishing to learn more about the culture of the distant 12th century Russia.

A country
Subject of the federation	Vladimir region
urban district	Vladimir city
Coordinates	56°08′00″ s. sh. 40°25′00″ E d.
internal division	3 districts
Based	990
Square	124.59 km²
Center height	150 m
Population	356,168 people (2017)
Density	2858.72 people/km²

Golden Gate aerial photography (Vladimir):

Golden Gate Bridge in American city San Francisco - one of the most famous bridges in the world. On May 27, 2012, this bridge turned 75 years old. A darling of movies and TV shows, the Golden Gate has been the largest suspension bridge in the world for 27 years and is the most popular place suicides on earth.

A bit of history. The Golden Gate Bridge connects the city of San Francisco and southern part Marin County. Until 1937, on the site of the bridge there was only ferry crossing which greatly hampered the development of the city.

Let's see how it was built. grand building:

Here's what the bay originally looked like.

Clickable 4000 px

San Francisco, 1910 (Photo national park service):

The construction of the Golden Gate Bridge began on January 5, 1933 and lasted over 4 years. (Photo Library of Congress):

The bridge was built in art deco style. Its architect is Irving Morrow. The photograph shows the start of construction in 1933. (Photo):

So the construction progressed in a year. 1934 (Photo by Redwood Empire Association | AP):

Almost 4 years later. 1935 (AP Photo):

On the morning of May 27, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was opened, but only for pedestrians, and for the first 12 hours it belonged only to them. (Photo by Redwood Empire Association | AP):

Soon the first cars entered the bridge. This happened at the signal of Roosevelt himself from the White House. (Photo by Ernest K. Bennett | AP):

Golden Gate Bridge for 27 years was the largest suspension bridge in the world: from opening in 1937 to 1964. (Photo Library of Congress):

A few characteristics: the length of the bridge is 1,970 meters, the length of the main span is 1,280 meters, and the weight is 894,500 tons. (AP Photo):

The top of the support. Height above water - 230 meters, 1968. (Photo Library of Congress):

Huge cargo Ship under the bridge. (Photo by Kike Calvo via AP Images):

In 1987, the 50th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge was celebrated. On May 24, 1987, traffic was blocked and approximately 300,000 people walked across the bridge. (Photo by Paul Sakuma | AP):

An interesting fact: on May 18, 2004, a deer crossed the bridge for the first time, delaying traffic for as much as 20 minutes. (Photo Courtesy of the Golden Gate Bridge | AP):

The speed limit on the bridge is ~72 km/h. On average, once a year, accidents occur here, during which the car drives into the oncoming lane and collides with the oncoming one. January 27, 2005. (Photo by Justin Sullivan | Getty Images):

The Golden Gate Bridge is the "sad record holder" and one of the most suicidal places in the world. According to statistics, someone commits suicide on this bridge every 2 weeks. 2nd place in this indicator holds the Aokigahara forest at the foot of Mount Fuji in Japan. (Photo by Robert Galbraith | Reuters):

Over the 75 years of the bridge's existence, according to unofficial data, more than 1,200 people committed suicide by throwing themselves from the Golden Gate into the water.

The fall of a person from a height of 75 meters lasts 4 seconds. The body hits the water at a speed of 142 km / h, which is almost always fatal. (Photo by Gabriel Bouys | AFP | Getty Images):

Along the bridge, there are special telephones by which suicides can call the psychological support service. The inscriptions near these phones say: “There is hope. Call. The consequences of jumping from this bridge are fatal and tragic.” (Photo by David Allen Corby):

The corporate color of the bridge. It is serviced by a team of 38 painters. (Photo by Justin Sullivan | Getty Images):

Aerobatic team in front of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, October 9, 2008. (Photo by Robert Galbraith | AP):

During the international expedition, the Russian frigate Pallada passed under the Golden Gate Bridge on July 25, 2005 in full sail. (Photo by John M. Harris | AP):

New Year's Eve-2012. (Photo by Darvin Atkeson):

In summer and early autumn, you can watch a bewitching sight, as fog covers the bay and the Golden Gate:

During the famous fogs, the Golden Gate Bridge looks especially mysterious:

Golden Gate from space. View from the ISS, November 6, 2010. (Photo by NASA):

May 27, 2012 in San Francisco was the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. An unusual shoe exhibition was held in memory of those who jumped off the bridge to end their lives. (Photo by Noah Berger | AP):

And, of course, fireworks. San Francisco, May 17, 2012. (Photo by Ezra Shaw | Getty Images):

Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. 75th anniversary.

Well, a little more about the bridge itself ...

Golden Gate Bridge ( golden gate) during its existence has become a real symbol not only of San Francisco, but calling card USA. This suspension bridge is considered one of the largest in the world, and is a source of pride for Americans.

This bridge is distinguished not only by its aesthetic merits, but also in other ways. He connected San Francisco with Northern California, and thus saved the California economy from a deep crisis. The authorities of San Francisco did not even have to raise funds for its construction. All construction costs - and this is $ 35 million - were borne by six districts located on the other side of the strait, because now, finally, they could quickly, without much hassle, deliver their goods to The largest city state.

Back in 1921, experienced engineer Joseph Berman Strauss (1870-1938), who had already built more than one bridge, outlined his plan to build a bridge over the Golden Gate Strait, which separated San Francisco from California's Marin County. This plan was captivatingly attractive. After all, it was possible to get to the city from the northern districts of the state only in a roundabout way, having done a huge distance in a detour or crossing by ferry. However, the project also raised a lot of concerns. Never before had a bridge been built with such great length span. In addition, the strong currents that arose here at high tide made work very difficult. The question was how to fix the piles of the bridge, how to save them from collapse?

And yet in 1923, after much hesitation, the California authorities passed a law to finance the construction of the bridge. For another six years, bureaucratic delays and political debates continued. Finally, Strauss received the order.

During his life, an engineer from Cincinnati built four hundred bridges. But this time he had to come up with something special, develop a completely new technology to build a bridge across the Golden Gate.

The most difficult thing was to build the foundation for the southern pillar of the bridge. The water depth in this place exceeded 90 m; she seethed, as in the open sea. During the ebb and flow of the tide, there was such a rapid current that the work had to be stopped - it could be carried out only in those short hours when the huge waves calmed down and the tide was replaced by an ebb tide, or vice versa. In addition, the bottom in this place turned out to be rocky - the more difficult it was to lay a 34 m high foundation here. The foundation pit had to be pierced for it, exploding underwater bombs.

Clickable 1920 px, who's wallpaper?

Finally, when supports were built on both sides of the strait and steel cables were stretched, the bridge deck began to be erected immediately on both sides, and work was carried out at the same speed in order to avoid sagging of the cables. During the construction of this bridge, the workers were forced to wear safety helmets for the first time. A net was pulled down below, and this, in fact, saved the lives of 19 workers who accidentally slipped off the bridge. And yet, ten people could not be saved - they crashed in the fall.

This legendary bridge owes its appearance to a married couple of architects - Irvizh and Gertrude Morrow. They designed the supports, rather like towers, and developed the entire design of the bridge. It is thanks to them that he turned out so elegant and light. Irving Morrow chose both the most appropriate color scheme for the bridge and the most beneficial lighting scheme.

According to his plan, when night fell on the strait, the bridge pillars were to gradually dissolve in the darkening sky - during these hours only the illuminated canvas would stand out brightly. However, the lighting system he invented required considerable expenses and, for reasons of economy, they abandoned it, remembering it only half a century later, when they were preparing to celebrate the anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. Then, finally, a long-standing plan was put into practice.

The Golden Gate Bridge is a classic suspension bridge typical of the second half of the 19th century. It is mounted on reinforced concrete supports, consisting of five sections. The supports rise above the water by almost 230 m. The height of the southern pylon, if we also count the foundation, will turn out to be even more than three and a half hundred meters.

The bridge is suspended on two huge cables 2300 m long; they reach a thickness of almost a meter and weigh 24,500 tons each. It is clear that in those days not a single construction crane could lift such a weight. The cables had to be twisted from individual steel strands using a pneumatic tensioner. In total, they consist of 27,500 threads with a diameter of 5 mm each; the threads are twisted into bundles (there are 61 of them in total), and those are intertwined into a single cable. The total length of all steel threads is 129 thousand km - this is enough to go around the equator three times. Numerous pairs of ropes, which descend vertically from each cable, support the bridge deck.

The Golden Gate Bridge has a six-lane freeway and a footpath. The height of the canvas is 67 m above the water level. About 120,000 cars pass the bridge every year. Its construction paid off very quickly. Already a quarter of a century after its opening, the total amount of fees collected for travel was 4 times higher than all expenses.

The bridge got its name because of the strait of the same name. "Golden Gate" - this is the name of the strait that connects Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. Such a romantic name was given to the strait by the military topographer John Fremont.

Soon after his official opening, another, not at all romantic name was assigned to the bridge - “suicide bridge”. The first suicide happened here a few weeks after the opening of the bridge, and by the end of the 20th century, the number of people who died here exceeded a thousand people! On this moment official statistics are not kept, but it is known that once every two weeks one person dies on the bridge!

Clickable 1920 px

The bridge is painted bright orange. The paint for the bridge was selected by one of the architects of the project, Irving Morrow. This color not only makes the bridge highly visible even in dense fog, which is not uncommon here, but also protects it! The fact is that the composition of the paint of this color includes a number of components that perfectly protect metal structures from rust. The bridge is painted almost daily, but only in those places where it is really necessary.

Over the years, the bridge has proven to be a very solid structure. The Golden Gate's biggest test came during the 1951 hurricane. The storm wind in those days reached a speed of 130 km / h, and the bridge deviated horizontally by as much as 8 meters. When the hurricane ended, it turned out that no serious damage was found on the bridge!

The historical monument is striking in its grandeur, despite the fact that it has not completely survived to this day. The oak gate leaves were covered with gilded plates, for this reason the gate got its name - Golden.

The monument is interesting for its history, architecture and is definitely worth a visit. At the top of the building there is a museum with an exposition representing weapons and military equipment of past centuries - spearheads and arrowheads, weapons from the times of Catherine and the Patriotic War with Napoleon, as well as captured weapons of the 17th-19th centuries.

Your attention will undoubtedly be attracted by a small diorama with musical and announcer accompaniment, which tells about the assault on Vladimir by Batu Khan in 1238. The entrance fee to the museum is quite low, but the performance at the diorama exposition, which lasts only 15 minutes, will be interesting for both adults and children.

Golden Gate in Vladimir - address

Vladimir, Dvoryanskaya street, 1A.

How to get to the Golden Gate in Vladimir

The Golden Gate is located in the very center of the city. You can walk from the railway and bus stations in 20-25 minutes: walk two blocks along Kommunalny Spusk to Bolshaya Moskovskaya Street. Turn left and follow Bolshaya Moskovskaya street.

Within walking distance are the main attractions of Vladimir, for example, the observation deck, Assumption and Dmitrievsky Cathedrals.

Golden Gate - opening hours in 2019

Opening hours of the military-historical exposition in the Golden Gate

• Daily from 10:00 to 18:00
• On Saturdays, the opening hours are extended until 19:00
• Third Tuesday of every month - sanitary day

Golden Gate - ticket prices in 2019

• Adults - 150 rubles.
• Children under 16 - free of charge
• Children from 16 years old, students and pensioners (citizens of the Russian Federation and the CIS) - 75 rubles.

From the history

In 1157, Prince Andrei Bogolyubov, son of Yuri Dolgoruky, moved the capital of his principality from Suzdal to Vladimir and began to fortify the city. Around Vladimir, ramparts 5 km long were poured, and a wooden fortress wall with towers and seven gates was built. Some of them were called Golden, they were built for 6 years - from 1158 to 1164 on the western side of the wall and served as the main entrance to Vladimir.

In addition, the Silver Gates were built leading to Suzdal, Ivanovsky - to Ivanovo, Trade and Volga, Copper and Irinina gates.

According to legend, Prince Andrei, who sincerely loved the city, wanted to please the townspeople and open the Golden Gate on the feast of the Assumption. Holy Mother of God. The builders did not wait for the building to shrink and immediately after the masonry was completed, they hung the gate. As a result, the doors fell and crushed 12 citizens.

Then the prince prayed to the Queen of Heaven, asking her to save the victims: "If You do not save these people, I, a sinner, will be guilty of their death." Andrei's prayer was heard and a miracle happened: when the gates were raised, it turned out that all the people crushed by them remained alive and unharmed.

After the assassination of Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1174, his younger brother Vsevolod the Big Nest, who was also called Vsevolod III, took the throne.

A monument of history and architecture has come down to us in a highly distorted form. For the first time, the travel arch was probably destroyed in 1238 during the assault on the city by the Tatar-Mongol army. The gates also suffered from frequent fires, after which they were restored. The last global restructuring was the work done at the end of the 18th century.

According to legend, the reason for this reconstruction could be a large puddle in which the carriage of Catherine II got stuck. The empress was unable to pass through the arch and ordered to tear down the ramparts on the side of the span and arrange a passage for her carriage.

One way or another, but in 1795 the ramparts from the north and south of the arch were torn down, and to strengthen the Golden Gate, buttresses (vertical structures to support the walls) were brought up on both sides, disguised round towers. In addition, the vault, dilapidated by this time, was strengthened and a new Rizopolozhenskaya gate church made of brick was built over it. In this form, the building has come down to our time.

In 1991, the Golden Gate met the relics of Seraphim of Sarov, who were transported from St. Petersburg to Diveevo (Diveevsky monastery is located in the Nizhny Novgorod region).

Description

The structure is distinguished by its height and slender proportions. Huge oak doors were covered with gilded copper sheets. The wooden walls of the fortress of the New City adjoined the gate.

The height of the building is 14 meters. The golden gates of Vladimir - the main, front, they led to the richest part of the city, where the Vladimir prince and the boyars lived. Accordingly, this structure performed the most important functions:

• The Golden Gate served as the entrance to Vladimir on the most solemn occasions - they were opened for important guests even after successful military campaigns.
• The construction also played a defensive role, above it was a battlefield to protect the city from an attacking enemy.
• The Golden Gate shimmering in the sun served as a decoration of the main entrance to Vladimir, emphasized the power and might of the prince, that is, they also performed a decorative function. There is an assumption that the gate leaves were decorated not with ordinary gold sheets, but with a gold tip according to an engraved pattern (like the doors of the Mother of God-Nativity Cathedral in Suzdal)
• Considering that at the top, on the battlefield, there was a gate church, the building also had a religious significance.

The Golden Gate is made in the form of a travel arch with a hemispherical vault, around which graceful towers are arranged. A deep ditch was dug in front of the shaft, a wooden impassable bridge was thrown over it, which was burned in case of danger.

The most ancient part of the Golden Gate is the travel arch with massive pilasters (fortifications that support the arch from its two sides). The white-stone walls are made of rubble stone on a strong limestone base. By our time, the walls have gone into the ground by about 1.5 meters, which means that at the beginning of the 12th century they were even higher. The vault was built from lighter porous tuff.

Such a height of the passage arch created difficulties in the defense of the western entrance to the city. Therefore, approximately in the middle of the arch, a jumper was arranged, and loops were attached to the side for hanging panels. These loops and the groove for the bolt have survived to our time.

Although the oak gates were originally covered with gilded copper, at the present time we will not see gold on them, since the golden plates from the gates were removed and hidden by the inhabitants of the city when there was a threat that Vladimir would be taken by the army of Batu Khan. UNESCO has included this relic in the list of lost objects.

There is another version of the loss of the Golden Gate, according to which Batu Khan removed the gold and loaded it into the convoy. However, he could not take away the valuable cargo. The thin ice of the Klyazma cracked and the convoy went under water.

The Japanese offered to clear the bottom of the river, and instead of paying, take everything they find at the bottom. But our archaeologists did not agree with such conditions.

The monument of architecture was created by princely craftsmen, two princely signs of Rurikovich, preserved on the stones of the building, are confirmation of this. At present, the Rizopolozhenskaya Church is not functioning.

Golden Gate in Vladimir - official site

The exposition is part of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve: www.vladmuseum.ru

According to historians, in the XII century the Golden Gate was a unique building not only in Rus', but throughout Europe. IN Western countries fortress towers played only a defensive role, and in Vladimir the Golden Gate, in addition to this function, served as a front entrance and an important decorative element.