Fairly Old
I found this inscription over an entrance to a courtyard with small houses around it in Utrecht, The Netherlands:
It says:
D.O.M. [Deo Optimo Maximo]
Loyal to the poor[,]
Adriaen Beyer founded us and
Alet John's-daughter his housewife
A[nn]o 1597
So, what we have here is a fairly old set of buildings by European standards.
Americans may think they are ancient; it is a matter of perspective, I suppose. Things probably look older when you live in an adolescent country.
Some more texts on old buildings in Utrecht:
The house [called] of old "The Crown"
The King of Portugal
Thanks for watching!
No, Europe is old as it gets. Americans are babes in cribs.
The Chinese, Egyptians, and some others may disagree with that first bit 8-).
perhaps The Australian aborigines could also argue
😂 @ocrdu
I think the King of Portugal could do with a bit of attention to his eyebrows @ocrdu. But maybe they were all rage back them. 😂
Those buildings are looking very good for their age.
I'm fairly certain you have bushes and grassy areas older than our buildings in the west. But all our stuff IS bigger!!! (And our brick mason's all know how to pick out the same sized materials when shopping at the local hardware)...
You do have bricks? Why are so many houses over yonder made out of plywood and staples then?
Our stone masons have scars older than your buildings.
And no skin on the hands. I worked as a hod carrier years ago. Hard job. The worst was the fingers. Abraded you faster than imaginable. The masons went through two to five pairs of gloves a day. I just duct taped mine. Who needs dexterity, or major style, when responding to "MORE MUD, MORE MUD"?!!! Finally quit after mixing cement in -15 degrees, when they were inside. And don't even get me started on pushing a wheelbarrow full of mud over a 12 inch wide board crossing the 5 foot ditch at the foundation. Wonder how many buildings have a wheelbarrow-sized dollop of cement at their base, due to me? Don't even want to contemplate.
As for wood and staples.... When I lived in the Midwest of the US, there were many brick houses, which I LOVE. So gorgeous, and unique. Out west, we're in major earthquake country, and there are VERY few. Think it might even be against code??? They don't hold up well to the big tremblor's. Of which we are overdue for a real DOOZY. They say it will take over a year to recover, once it hits. I'm hoping it holds off until I am reduced to only a memory.
If I ever get to your neck of the woods, I'm pretty sure I will spend a whole lot of digi-film on bricks and buildings and such. Fascinado.