Look Up

I spend a lot of time staring at ceilings.  No, I’m probably not crazy.  But I’ve noticed that many people don’t look to see what’s above them, missing an extraordinary world of art and design.  In Spain and the rest of Europe, I’ve noticed artists pay particular attention to the design and decoration of higher spaces, which makes sense given the prominence of Catholicism in Europe.  The idea of ceilings being metaphorically closer to God has inspired artists to create exquisite works of art and complex geometric designs.  From towering vaulted ceilings and domed cathedrals to narrow stairwells, ceilings are many times the most superbly decorated parts of a building.  Take the Sistine Chapel, whose fame derives from a ceiling.  As an art history major, I remember nothing about the chapel except an unnecessary abundance of facts about the ceiling (and the Last Judgment painting on the west wall, but that doesn’t help my argument).  So naturally when I arrived in Salamanca I toted my camera while staring straight up, miserably failing to “act like a local.”  Now that I have permanent neck pains, I thought it was time to share some photos of my favorite ceilings.  These pictures were taken in Salamanca and Coimbra and Lisbon, Portugal.