Dôme des Invalides Postcard

The postcard shows the Dôme des Invalides that can be found at the Invalides Complex in Paris. The Dôme des Invalides is the most recognizable and well-known part of Les Invalides. In 1676 King Louis XIV - the Sun King - charged architect Jules Hardouin Mansart with the task of creating a separate private chapel at the Invalides for exclusive use of the royal family. This gold-domed church was completed in 1708 by de Cotte after Mansart died. Inspired by Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica, this chapel, known as Église du Dôme, is considered one of the world’s most exciting examples of French Baroque architecture.

Dôme des Invalides Postcard

The dome itself is 107 meters high (351 ft), making it one of the tallest monuments in Paris, and was centrally placed in order to dominate the court of honor – one of 15 courtyards at the complex, designed for military parades. The inside of the dome was painted by Charles de La Fosse, disciple of 18th century well-known French painter, Charles Le Brun.
Napoleon Bonaparte was entombed at Les Invalides. Also buried at Invalides are several members of Napoleon’s family as well as a number of prominent French military leaders and war heroes.

SOURCE:
Dôme des Invalides

William Taylor Hotel Postcard

The 100 McAllister Street Tower was built by the Methodist Church in the “modern Gothic” style and opened in 1929 as the luxury William Taylor Hotel, designed by architect Lewis P. Hobart. It was briefly, during the 1930s, San Francisco’s tallest structure.

William Taylor Hotel Postcard

In 1936 the building was sold and reopened as the Empire Hotel featuring the Skyroom. During World War II, 100 McAllister Street was taken over by the government for federal workers before the present federal building on Golden Gate Avenue was constructed. In 1978, Hastings acquired the building and converted it to student housing, opening the facility in 1981.

NOTE: NOW A STUDENT HOUSING

SOURCE:
Hastings College of the Law Institutional Master Plan

The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel Postcard

The postcard shows the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, a famously luxurious hotel in New York. It started as two hotels: one owned by William Waldorf Astor, whose 13-story Waldorf Hotel was opened in 1893 and the other owned by his cousin, John Jacob Astor IV, called the Astoria Hotel and opened four years later and four stories higher.

The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel Postcard

The first, designed by architect Henry J. Hardenbergh, was on the Fifth Avenue site of the Empire State Building. The present building at 301 Park Avenue in Manhattan is a 47 story, 625 ft. (191 m) Art Deco landmark, designed by architects Schultze and Weaver and dating from 1931. The name, Waldorf=Astoria, now officially appears with a double hyphen.

NOTE: OPERATIONAL
301 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022 USA
Tel.: 1-212-355-3000

SOURCES:
The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel Wikipedia Entry
Waldorf=Astoria Homepage

Thermae Palace Oostende Postcard

The postcard shows the Thermae Palace Hotel Oostende. Thermae Palace was the former royal residence and casino, and was built in 1933. It is traditonal in style with an art deco feeling to it. The hotel offers a total of 153 rooms and 6 suites.

Thermae Palace Oostende Postcard

NOTE: OPERATIONAL
Koningin Astridlaan 7, B-840 Oostende
Tel.: 0032 (59) 80 66 44

SOURCE:
Thermae Palace Homepage

UPDATE: Parian Gate Postcard

I was browsing a forum about Intramuros when I came across an old postcard of the Puerta del Parian (which I blogged last June 30th). The forum gave the names of the churches that can be seen behind the gate. It states:

Puerta del Parian: the old San Juan de Dios chapel had a nice dome to complement the nearby square cupola atop San Francisco Church.

Parian Gate Postcard

So the dome is that of San Juan de Dios chapel and cupola of the San Francisco Church, first built in 1602 and damaged in the 1645 earthquake; rebuilt from 1739 until 1750 and destroyed during World War II. This is the only church then with no Bell Tower. Enshrine here is the Nuestra Senyora de los Angeles (Our Lady of the Angels).

RELATED ENTRY:
Parian Gate Postcard