Trip to Europe - Scenery

In countries like Italy, which shares a similar environment of frequent volcanoes and earthquakes with Japan, structures like temples built in ancient times and castles constructed on mountains over thousand years ago still exist, even though they are not in their complete original form.

This is because they are made of stone structures which can be restored even they collapsed unlike Japan's wooden buildings, which are often lost to fires.

If I have a chance to visit those countries again, I would like to learn not only about the magnificent architecture above ground but also the ancient underground infrastructure such as sewer systems and irrigation that remain hidden from view.

At the same time, I can't help wondering about the modern skyscrapers being built around the world, comapeting for titles like 'the tallest in the country' or 'the tallest in the world' will still endure 1,000 or 2,000 years from now, and will be admired by future generations for the ideas and if they see any beauty in them.

I believe that what will remain deeply in my heart as a lasting memory will not be the majestic castles or grand churches, but rather the landscapes where I can feel the lives of humble people living in harmony with nature in small villages and the breathtaking formations of nature that leave one speechless in the face of their overwhelming beauty and power.

日本と同じく火山や地震が多いイタリアなどで、紀元前の時代に造られた神殿や1000年以上も前に山の上に造られたお城などが完全な姿ではないにしても形を残して現存しているのは、石で造られているので木造建築が多くて火事で燃えてしまうと無くなってしまう日本の建築物と違い、崩れてもまた復元できるからですね。

「また来る機会があれば、今度は目に見える地上部の荘厳な建築物だけでなく、下水道や灌漑など目に見えない地下のインフラの遺跡も学びたい」

と思うと同時に、

「日本一、世界一、と高さや規模を競って次々に建てられる近代的なビルは、1,000年後、2,000年後の人たちに、その場に現そうとした思想や美しさで鑑賞に耐えうるものなのかな、、、」

と思ってしまったり。

私の心の中に長く思い出として深く残るのは、荘厳なお城や教会よりも、小さな村の自然と共に生きる人たちの生活が感じられる風景と、圧倒的な美しさとパワーの前に言葉を失う自然の造形だと思う。