Not to sound melodramatic, but I think the lime kiln in Rockwoods Reservation, which converted limestone to lime at high temperatures, is one of the most beautiful structures in the St. Louis region.
The giant vertical crack down the center is intentional; as the stones expanded and contracted, the seem allowed for the stones’ movement.
The alcove below I believe allowed for the removal of lime, or the stoking of the fire.
The giant, rusticated blocks of stone are a testament to the durability of the structure.
Aaaah, there it is! (heh-heh)
Btw, the faces of rusticated stone blocks are notable by a perimeter of chiseling, usually an inch-inch/half or so, extending inward from the edges. I I#########I I thusly.
If I’m not mistaken, the process method utilized here is basically the same one the Romans used two thousand years ago.
There is some cool-ass history in this town.
You are correct in the link to the ancient Romans, but I was told by my Renaissance art professor that the Romans originally polished the stones smooth, but by the time Renaissance architects began to look at Roman architecture, the stones had become ragged and chipped due to the passage of time. So they replicated the damaged look of the stones they saw.
I have never heard of that practice; well, you learn something new every day. It’s true, though, the Romans weren’t much on leaving rough cuts, unless they were covering it with polished marble, or a similarly finished stone. At least with public buildings and those of the wealthy. Although I do wonder if the roughness of the antique stone was also due to the stone having originally been clad in marble, and during subsequent centuries was mined for the better stone. Though it was more typical of Roman builders, at least in later years (shortly before BCE, and onward), to use brick and concrete to construct the structure, and then clad it. I’ve read that some portions of St. Peter’s in Rome was constructed from marble and limestone mined from Roman ruins.
Aaaaah, books and knowledge…makes one take to ruminatin’.
Thanks for the pix of this; it’s been a while since my wife and I got out to Rockwoods.