kimbofo

The Temple Church

All pictures taken: Temple Church, London.
Date: November 10, 2011.
Camera: Panasonic TZ3.

Temple is one of those mysterious and intriguing parts of London with a rich history. It's primarily a legal enclave: the area is home to two of London's four Inns of Court — Inner and Middle Temple — which are ancient societies of barristers.

Barristers have been based on the site ever since James I granted them tenure in 1608, although there's been a legal presence since the 14th century.

Walking around the traffic-free streets, gardens and courtyards is a bit like stepping back in time.

But the key focus of the area is Temple Church, built by the Knights Templar in the 12th century, which serves the Inns' staff. 

 

The interior is particularly stunning, with its high vaulted roof and beautiful stained glass windows. But what makes this church unusual is its architecture, which comprises a "normal" rectangular building (above) with a round building attached at one end.

According to a leaflet I picked up in the church, the round church (as it is known) was consecrated in 1185 and is modelled on the circular church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the site of Christ's death, burial and resurrection.

The ceiling of the round church is impressive.

As is the floor, where effigies of the Knights Templar lay (above left) — if you've ever read Dan Brown's best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code then you will know this church, and the effigies, play a starring role. (You can found out more about the links between the book and the church in this fascinating article.)

The church is open to the public but there is a £3 fee to enter. Note that times may vary, so it pays to check in advance via the official website. I've wandered past this church on numerous occasions over the past decade, but when I made a spontaneous visit on Friday, with two VIP Australian guests in tow, it was the first time I had been able to enter. It was worth the wait.

A tour of the Grand Mosque

All pictures: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Date: November 20, 2010.
Camera: Panasonic TZ3

On my last visit to Abu Dhabi in January 2009, I missed out on a chance to visit the inside of the Grand Mosque, although I did wander around it and take a few snaps in the mid-afternoon heat. This time 'round I was lucky enough to make one of the daily tours of the building, accompanied by my parents (on holiday from Australia).

In many respects, entering the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is quite a privilege because, as far as I am aware, no other mosque in the world allows non-Muslims inside for a 'look-see'. But the sheikh who commissioned this magnificent building wanted to use it as an opportunity to increase understanding about the Islamic faith -- or, as my dad so aptly pointed out, he probably just wanted everyone to see how much bloody money he'd spent on the thing.

Yes, this is a hugely expensive building using hugely expensive materials and craftmanship, but it's all done in a rather understated, almost delicate, style. The attention to detail -- mother-of-pearl inlays, marble "flowers" climbing up gleaming white-washed walls, 1,000 white columns topped with golden palm fronds -- is incredible.

I won't bombard you with facts and figures, because you'll find them online. Let's just say the place is impressive, and what's inside it -- the world's biggest chandelier, the world's biggest hand-knotted carpet -- even more so.

Of course, visiting a mosque means you have to abide by a few rules. If you're a woman it means donning an abaya and making sure your hair is covered up at all times. If you're a bloke wearing shorts you need to don a dishdash. Both items of clothing are available on loan for no charge. (In fact, the entire tour is free and there's no-one trying to make a dhiram or two flogging tacky souvenirs, aka the Church of England.)

I'm not religious in the slightest, but I came away from the entire experience having a newfound respect, not only for Islam, but for those poor women who wear abayas every day: they are heavy and hot. I can only begin to imagine how uncomfortable they must be to wear in the height of a UAE summer.

I took loads of photographs (and that's something else British churches could learn from: banning photography is pointless in this day and age). Here's a few of my favourites.