On our recent trip to Lisbon, I was struck by the variety of shapes and colours surrounding us with each step we took. From the mosaic pavement at our feet, to the dramatic yet remarkable architecture above us, the bright graffiti and tags bringing a new life to the almost collapsing walls, this city is bound to fill any soul who dares to take the time to observe.
In my travels throughout the world, I have accumulated an unbelievable amount of photos of doors and windows. Yes, you read correctly, DOORS AND WINDOWS!! If you find beauty in something as simple and mundane as a door, then carry on. If not, move on to the next post as this may well be one of the most boring you have seen so far:)
“There are so many doors to open. I am impatient to begin." - Charlie Gordan
So without further ado, please come in!
A patchwork of colours and shapes in Lisbon, Portugal.
Now let's see what doors, gates, and entrance-ways look like in the rest of the world.
We begin our little tour on the continent where I was born: EUROPE. More precisely in the country of France.
Closed double-door entrance to a small church in Burgundy, France. And below are the famous "Arcades" of Rivoli street which extend to infinity, in Paris.
Next up: Greece
I found this tiny door on the island of Amorgos, in the Cyclades - a beautiful island shaped like a seahorse.
A gate protecting the entrance to a farmer's parcel. Looks like it's had a good run!
Door found on the island of Santorini.
**The intricate designs within the structure of the door are made of wrought iron.
**Below is an iron gate adorning love locks, on what remains of the Berlin Wall, Germany.
.jpg)
Side entrance to a church located in the center of Naples. Looking at the planks, rust, moss, and general state of decrepitude, I'd say this one has seen better days. Does anyone know what SMV stands for?
Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland.
Now, let's switch continents and travel a little further East to ASIA.
Doors in Nepal are most often made of wood, painted in bright colours, and generally have a hard time combating the elements (sun, rain, dust, pollution, adolescent door slammers...)
Main entrance door to a Buddhist temple in Kathmandu.
We then continue further East to Shanghai, China, where lazy postmen often use doors directly as mailboxes. Hey, if it fits, why not?
This is the entrance door to a temple located in the beautiful Bamboo Forest in Hangzhou, China.
**The calligraphy inscriptions around the frame welcome visitors and devotees with blessings
**
Doorway in Xixi wetland park, Hangzhou.
Above: doorway in Beijing's Forbidden City
Below: Gateway entrance to a private garden located in the grounds of the Imperial summer palace in Chengde, China - former summer capital of the Qing dynasty.
All photos in this post were taken with my CANON EOS 500D, Samsung Galaxy S4, and SONY Xperia Z3 over the last 4 years.
If you like doors and windows as much as I do, check out what this guy does:
https://www.andrevicentegoncalves.com/portfolio/
He's my hero :) (and Portuguese... which might explain why he was so inspired to start such a project)
Also, have a look at these beautiful and somewhat peculiar door decorations around the world:
https://www.demilked.com/door-decorations-exterior-design-art/
Bound to fill your mind with millions of new creative ideas.
If you liked this post, please don't hesitate to leave comments, share ideas, upvote/resteem. I love to hear from all of you!
To check out some of my previous posts, click on the links below:
 Impressions of HONG KONG - Part 3 |  HONG KONG - through my lens |
|---|---|
 Impressions of HONG KONG 5 |  Autumn in Burgundy |
“Learning is not a race for information, it is a walk of discovery” - Jane Healy
