SPANISH WINDOWS, LAMPS & SHADOWS
Those who have traveled overseas might do a double take when they stroll past the statue of Sir Winston Churchill. Just steps away two of Spain's landmarks--the Giralda Tower and the Seville Light -- tower majestically on the horizon. Down the street in a quiet courtyard sits an original bronze of Pomona by Italian sculptor Donatello Gabrielli. Is this England, or maybe Spain, or could it be Italy? What a surprise to the traveler to find these magnificent European works of art in the heart of the Midwest -- on Kansas City's famed Country Club Plaza.
Built in 1922, the Country Club Plaza is one of this country's architectural and cultural treasures. It was designed as America's first shopping center. But today it's much more than that. The Plaza is a virtual outdoor museum with over $1 million in art work found in its monumental fountains and over 30 statues and tile-laced murals. Every street on the 14-square block Plaza is worthy of an attentive stroll.
Uploaded on August 05, 2009