Who: Jose M. Requena, freelance VR photographer in Spain.

When: August 2007

Where: Royal Pantheon (Panteón de los Reyes), in the Royal Collegiate Church of San Isidoro (Real Colegiata de San Isidoro) Leon, North Western Spain.

click here to view the Royal Collegiate Church of San Isidoro

What: The Collegiate Church of San Isidoro is considered amongst the most interesting examples of early Romanesque art. Today, by the way, the Basilica is a brew of several styles, result of costruction works above a Roman temple that lasted for 200 years, until completion; attacks to the buildings by Al Mansour which destroyed various parts; and - finally - several other add-ons during the centuries until the XVIII. It was the coronation church for the Castilian - Leonesic dynasty and gravesite for their kings and queens. The church was consecrated to Saint Isidore of Seville, who lived in the Visigoth and pre Islamic Spain from 560 to 636 AD. Recognized as one of the Doctors of the Church, he was the first intellectual to ever compile what could be considered today a summa of universal knowledge (a first genre of encyclopaedia), under the name of Etymologiae. Moreover, he taught that the Earth was round, even though it's unclear if it meant it to be round and flat or round and globular, but by the reading of his other works, it seems almost certain that he intended the second option. In 2001 Saint Isidore was chosen by the Pope to be the cyber protector...the saint who should guard us from viruses, phishing and spam.

Now, within the Collegiate Church of San Isidoro one can experience the outstanding paintings on the vaults and the mausoleum of early Spanish Kings: a total of 23 kings and queens of Castile and Leon, 12 princes and princesses and nine counts were buried there. The sarcophagi close to the camera belongs to the Count García Sánchez of Castilla who was murdered - victim of a conspiracy - when he was about to marry to Sancha of León in 1029. Sancho el Mayor of Navarra then claimed the county of Castilla in his wife's name and installed in it their son, Fernando, as the new count of Castilla. Count Garcia was killed at the doors of San Isidoro Church on May 13 of year 1029, very close to where he is buried.

Why: José wanted to show this wonderful historical place, usually ignored by the general public.

How/technical details: The panorama was taken with a Nikon D70, Nikkor 8mm f2.8, Ipix ring pano head, Manfrotto light tripod, using natural light sources.
The panorama has been done with 4 horizontal shots, one slighty pitched up for zenith. Ipix rotator made it impossible, so the photographer had to use a second ballhead to do it, which made the stitching very difficult.

A final note...if you feel you need Saint Isidore help, at forums.catholic.com this prayer was posted by Carrie Andrews: "Almighty and eternal God, who created us in Thy image and bade us to seek after all that is good, true and beautiful, especially in the divine person of Thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee that, through the intercession of Saint Isidore, bishop and doctor, during our journeys through the internet we will direct our hands and eyes only to that which is pleasing to Thee and treat with charity and patience all those souls whom we encounter. Through Christ our Lord. Amen".
Try it. It could be that you PC will be spared a flu...

Links:
Leon360.com
Email: jmr at vista360.com