The Neo Byzantinian Empire of Stropon

[M4346]

I love the historical update!



Looking forward to Simeonpole!

[praiodan]

Once more a wonderful history lesson on Stropon. I love it and I'm very much in awe of all the story details 
And I can't wait to see Simeonepole *wink*

[Russell]

My dear Strech, this was a fine historical update, most informative. And the paintings chosen to illustrate it are magnificent.

Now I'll just have to wait (impatiently, I might add) for Simeonopole to appear.

Well done.

[Emperor Stormont]

Oh how simply wonderful. I art selected was perfect and glorious. 

Once again Stropon and yourself have impressed me, in fact when have you ever not!

I await yet more fantastic work from you and as I mentioned in my latest update before the end of August the state visit will occur. 

[Strechnitz]

Hello my friends,

Thank you for the kind posts. I'll reply them in my next post.
For today I have 2 announcements of updates that are just around the corner.



Your favorite host of this popular TV show takes you, the viewer on an exclusive tour through the Listerlunde palace and gardens. After an extensive restauration of 25 years it opens to the public. The complex of buildings and gardens will be like nothing you have seen before on this or any other site!

The exclusive bats used are purpose creations from the masterly hand of Debussyman.
Believe me, you don't want to miss it! 


the text above says it all. It will be my first attempt at animated ingame pics.
So fingers crossed

Strechnitz

[Emperor Stormont]

ooooohhhhhhhhhhh looking forward indeed to seeing the finished result.......

I'll email you some pics later on my progress also 

[kwakelaar]

Quite a few updates to take in after the holidays.

St Simeon and Simeonism, what a remarkable story. You have outdone yourself writing and explaining its origins. No doubt you have read a lot of European history to be able to come up with this. Don't think I have seen any CJ/MD that invented their own version of Christianity or any other religion for that matter. Can't wait to take a look at Simeonople.

Then there was an other update from Strechnitz as well. Heldenallee with the Arch of Glory must be the ultimate in 19th century city planning, both look very nice.
Also the old observatory and the cemetery are places with their own special charm and very original layout. Like Yoder said the use of Debussymans church for the cemetery is a good choice fitting very well in that spot.
Great to see you are using so many wonderful bats, some of which I had already forgotten they existed.

[Pat]

  Sweeeeeeeeet strech i cant wait to see the animated version.... great update at that too - pat

[Yoder7652]

looking forward to what you have in store for us.....the advertisments look intriguing!

[Snaper]

Highly images and good luck for these projects 

[Yoder7652]

ahhh...welcome to the Classics, my friend! Stropon should feel quite at home!

[dedgren]

NBEoS has always been a Classic- now it's just official.


David

[bat]

Looking forward to the updates!

And congrats for this new category!

[Russell]

Finally a classic, which is exactly what this elegantly crafted MD has been from the very start - and am I anxious to see the forthcoming animations? Yes, very! 

[mattb325]

Wow Strechnitz, these have been some big and impressive updates. I'm particularly fond of the mausoleum in the 3rd last update - the entire area surrounding that is also very carefully conceived and looks very cohesive. Nice work

[thundercrack83]

Congratulations on joining the Classics, my friend! It was an honor to move your spectacular MD here!

[Strechnitz]

Pat Thank you my friend, I'm glad you liked my Simeonism story. the city will be shown soon when it's ready. I've had a few setbacks with Simeonopole.

M Welcome back my friend. It is good to see you again And thank you for your kind words and help

Praiodan Thank you my friend. It was a fun history to construe. your patience will be rewarded

Russel I'm glad you liked it so much. the city takes longer than expected though. but here is Listerlunde to bide the time more easily.

Belfastuniguy Thank you and yes, choosing the artwork is also a fun part for me. luckily I have a large collection to choose from and if I don't find what I want there I can search the Internet for useful material

And I really look forward to the state visit. If I can be of any assistance you know you need only ask 

Kwakelaar Hello and welcome back my friend I did read a lot of history in my time. Which helps a lot to distort history for my MD Besides, when I constructed a make belief nation, why not a typical make belief state religion? The biggest issue is that already from the start Stroponian politics hijacked the idea and used it for their own petty purposes. Oh how evil is my Stroponian elite?

And I'm glad that you like Strechnitz, the capitalcity. The Helden Allee and its surroundings is indeed one of my visions for the ultimate 19th century city planning. Though not unique

Pat Thank you Pat, but other updates will come first I´m afraid.

Yoder It does, doesn't it?

Snaper Merci mon brave. Thank you my friend, you're praise is appreciated.

Yoder Jay!!! This is a very happy day indeed. I am sure to feel at home in any category which such good company 

Dedgren Aaah Thank you David! I appreciate your words highly. It is great that so many people like my hobbyism enough to reward me with this honour.  I have toasted on this milestone with a special drink.

Bat the new updates are on their way, and thank you for congratulating me 

Russel Aaah your kind words make me blush well I hope I won't disappoint you then 

Mattb Thank you for your comments Matt I appreciate them very much. I'm glad that you approve of them. I hope you like Listerlunde as well.

Thundercrack Hello and welcome back. It was an honour to be moved into this hallowed section!



To celebrate my elevation into the classics section I present you the first part out of 5 of the Listerlunde palace. Almost every building you will see in the coming updates has been made by Debussyman whom I very much admire and apreciate. Our mutual love for architecture and European palaces brought us together in this project. The entire Listerlunde complex is a collaboration between him and me and has been a great thing to do. a very pleasant experience. It has deepened my respect for this master amongst Batters. We hope that you will enjoy seeing and reading about it as we did constructing it. And now without further ado I will bring you the first update. Alexandra is waiting impatiently. Her make up is at it's best. The lights are on. The sound check was ok. Everybody is ready to roll!!!



Good evening and welcome dear viewers. My name is Alexandra von Hofenburg, and this is the new episode of your favorite show Sights and Seeings!

This year is truly becoming a regal season for Sights & Seeings for I have the pleasure of taking you to a second imperial residence this year. After Kayserbürgen we will now have an exclusive preview to Listerlunde Palace which has just been exstensively restored to its former glory. Soon it will open to the public. But now you can get a taster of the many wonders that have been hidden from the public eye for so long. The restauration of the complex that was designed in the 18th century by the worldwide renowned architect, Don Carlos Christobal San Eustacio de Merveilhosa, kept experts and restorers busy for the last 25 years!

Let me take you, dear viewer, along for an exstensive viewing of this grand monument. But let me first take you through a short history of the glory and neglect this palace has suffered. Shall we?

The original castle was the home of the Marquises of Listerfeldt. In 1680 The 9th Marquis of Listerfeldt donated the castle and grounds to Emperor Caesar Frederick I with whom he supposedly had a mad love affair. Just before he died, the famous Italian architect and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini  designed a baroque palace to be built on the spot. The renaissance castle was demolished and replaced by the palace. Unfortunately, the Marquis fell out of grace soon afterwards and the palace was never used as their love nest.


His Holy Imperial Majesty Caesar Frederick I.

In 1732 Empress Liselotte Regine II ordered for the construction of the vast terraced gardens. The infamous Empress used the residence on the shores of Lake Zerlingen for balls and garden parties and her numerous love affairs.  Her successors never used the palace much for they preferred the much larger Dampotzen palace as their summer retreat over the more secluded Listerlunde.


Her Holy Imperial Majesty Liselotte Regine II.

But in 1814 Emperor Hector Aurelianus the great, ordered the construction for a Palace as a testament of the Might of the Stroponian Empire. He had had just beaten Napoleon as a part of the allied front against the French Emperor and sent him towards the new World. Just like das neue palais in Potsdam was meant to awe the world and show the resilience of Prussia, Listerlunde palace was built for the same purpose.


His Holy Imperial Majesty Hector Aurelianus the Great.

The Imperial Architect, Don Carlos Christobal, San Eustacio de Merveilhosa who had already graced the Empire with numerous fine monuments and churches was given the honor of designing the palace, to house the spoils of war. He left the gardens and the Bernini palace intact and designed the new palace around the building of Bernini. He further extended the squares in front of the palace by means of placing the new servant wings in front of the palace instead of away from the palace as the old palace had. He also added a stable and carriage building which is in fact a palace in its own right. Rivaling with the famous stables at Chantilly and Dampotzen.


The Imperial Architect, Don Carlos Christobal, San Eustacio de Merveilhosa, an architectural genious

The 1100 room complex was finished in 1820. Emperor Hector Aurelianus died 3 months later without ever using it as he intended. His son and successor Caesar Frederick II furnished the building with the furniture and works of art taken home from France. The palace however was rarely used as a summer residence but as a Hunting retreat for the emperors and their guests who depleted the woods around lake zerlingen that were rich with game and fowls.


His Holy Imperial Majesty Caesar Frederick II

After Jerome Victor II instituted the Doctrine of Autocracy after the disastrous outcome of World War I most imperial residences faced a sober regime like the Imperial citadel whose high maintenance gardens were turned into low cost grassland, or even faced with closure like the Listerlunde complex. For a palace which was only in use for one month a year it had horrendous costs of upkeep.


The ruinous palace interior.

The magnificent palace which is amongst the largest of Europe slowly but surely fell to ruin and the enchanting terraced gardens renowned for it's fountains and statues was overgrown with weeds. The statues crumbled and the basins where once proud fountains jetted water in the air nothing but murky basins remained as cradles for algae and moss.


The heavily neglected palace exterior.

In 1982 Sleeping Beauty was carefully caressed by the Stroponin Imperial Historical Society in the role of Prince Charming before kissed back to life. Studies were made of the archive material and the original plans of Don San Eustacio de Merveilhosa's original plans, while the brambles and other trees were cut away to reveal the intricate system of terraces and gardens. After assessment of the damage of over 60 years of neglect the vast and complex restoration could start.


A toppled statue in the palace gardens.

Different teams concentrated on different parts of the palace servant buildings and the gardens while other teams would rummage through the immense imperial archives depot searching for the wagon loads of furniture, artworks and chandeliers et cetera that were locked away by Jerome Victor II as a safeguard against theft. Some pieces had found their way to other imperial or princely residences. These teams were responsible for the recreation and restoration of the parquet floors and décor of the rooms and halls.


Treasures, unearthed from the palace grounds.

Well, now that we now how it was.
I bet you all are anxious to know what it looks like now...
We'll be back after the commercials.

Strechnitz.

Well alright then, here's a teaser.

[Pat]

LoL strech my friend a great historical find we have here, i sooo cant wait to see the reconstructed area - pat

[bat]

Fantastic historical part! And also great looking teaser!

[nova vesfalo]

magnificant crambling glory !!! Love the background and the teaser is stuning  ! The building reminds me Le Louvre, and I didn't know someone did it !! Can't wait !!