Castel sant's angelo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Castel sant's angelo - Essay Example The monument was constructed on a special site which was on the river edge built on solid ground. The actual architectural layout of the mausoleum is uncertain even today in terms of construction and decorative. The monument composes of three overlaid bodies of architecture which are a square base, a cylindrical body, and the last piece that was a cylindrical shape too but smaller. On top of this last piece was a statute of Hadrian pulling a quadriga. The cylindrical body of the monument was filled with an embankment of earth with a hanging garden for cover. The structure which was built at the Roman period is unrecognizable now. However, some parts still survive including the foundations and masonry of the square base, the entire masonry nucleus, the entrance built with stone blocks, the ramp leasing to the top floor, and funeral hall (Zirpolo, 2010). In all transformations that have taken place in this castle, these constructions have remained the core areas. The castle was transformed into a fortress from a mausoleum in the middle ages. This transformation also changed the layout of the structure. These changes had been taking place for over ten centuries because the building was linked to the town walls, it was built around Rome, and the changes were carried out by a military architect, Nicolo Lamberti. The castle also had a defensive role because it was positioned at a point where the northern access city route was located. The castle gained immense significance throughout the transformations that took place. There was also a dispute in the middle ages regarding the possession of the castle. Papal Court took possession of the castle when he came to Rome in 1377. Eventually in efforts to make the castle a safe place, an internal passageway was created in the cylindrical body, the Roman entrance and the spiral ramp was closed. A new entrance was created on the half way f the cylindrical mole and was linked by

British Prime Minister Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

British Prime Minister - Coursework Example 10, Downing Street, the present residence of British prime minister is naturally the centre of power in Britain. As one of the most powerful offices in the world even after the receding of imperial colonialism, office of the British Prime Minister has a unique position in the political world. Prime Ministerial office of Great Britain did not come into existence all of a sudden; but had been the result of a painful and lengthy democratic revolution. Democracy in Britain has shaped in a very different way from the other democratic States of the world, because British democracy has to assert itself under the domineering rule of British Monarchs. Starting from the days of Magna Carta, British parliamentary system evolved to reach the present political model. Britain never had a written constitution and instead, depends on covenants, political and historical traditions and precedents. Still it is considered to be the mother of all constitutions in the world and all her institutions are in their respective places. "There is no lack of statutory provisions regarding the various institutions of government, considered individually. What is lacking is a documentary and authoritative statement of the relations between these institutions," Birch (1990, -p.21). Not unnaturally democracies of the world are careful about their democratic legacies and more so Britain. The Prime Minister's office is full of constitutional checks and balances that are in place, so that an unscrupulous individual who might one day happen to occupy this exalted office, would not be able to misuse the power pattern in any way. Scepticism about politicians could be harmful to some extent, but it pays to be careful. "Unlike Civil servants, however, Prime Ministers are men who may be in a job one day and out the next. And so, having pursued power and seized it, they proceed to use and abuse it in order to dominate the Press in an apparently paranoid pursuance of survival," says Margach (1978, p.3). Some of the balances and checks that prevail on the office of British Prime Minister will be discussed here. SEPARATION OF POWERS Also called Trias Politica a term used by French political thinker Baron de Montesquieu, who lived during 18th century, the Age of Enlightenment, which is closely linked with the scientific revolution, emphasizing reason, science and rationality. Montesquieu was the originator of separation of powers, today used in all democratic states, as a check on powerful heads of states, so that the constitutional powers are not misused and the constitution itself is not usurped. Separation of power mainly works on three branches, legislature, judiciary and executive. The states are worried about the tyrannical and dictatorial rules because most of the states have come out of it to become democratic. After the Glorious Revolution when Britain became a constitutional monarchy, there was a lot of hesitation and nervousness in the air thinking that dictatorial tendency might return again. So, power of monarchy was drastically reduced to an unbelievable level to give most of it to the Prime Ministe r, Cabinet and Parliament. It was again realised that Prime Minister himself could become a dictator if checks and balances are not firmly in place and thus, the Separation of Power came into existence in Britain, though not as separation of powe