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Description
The Martian city of Elfrezulah, in the country of Mandal-Uttima from Journey to Mars: the wonderful world: its beauty and splendor; its mighty races and kingdoms; its final doom (1894) by Gustavus W. Pope. In the foreground are Giant Martian Eagles, as described in the same book.

"That is the continent of Mandal-Uttima, our destination...It is twenty five hundred miles long, by fifteen hundred wide, containing an area of about three million square miles."

"On our maps it is designated as Galileo continent, and is situated in the northwestern hemisphere."

"'Lower the ship,' ordered the Captain , and she slowly descended to within three thousand feet of the surface and to my astonishment a vast panorama of countless roofs, rows of magnificent buildings, towers, domes, etc., burst into view, all in a style of architecture unknown on earth, and brilliantly illuminated with myriads of many colored lights. There were broad streets thronged with people and vehicles, canals over which sailed pleasure boats, flocks of little air ships and quaint looking aerial chariots flying to and fro in all directions. As our ship flew onward, we passed over gardens, orchards, cultivated fields, little lakes, woodlands and long stretches of forests, interspersed with bright meshes of lattice work resembling immense ribbons of fiery lace. The whole was elevated high above the topmost trees, buildings and towers and supported by countless rows of lofty pillars.

'You behold one of our great linear cities,' said the Doctor, 'which includes within its domains the charms and beauties of rural scenery, as well as the works of man's industry, science and art. It is two thousand miles long, by twenty miles wide, containing an area of forty thousand square miles and a population of twenty five millions.'"

"Twelve great linear cities from one to two thousand miles long, and fifteen to forty miles wide, traverse our continent in crossing lines..."

"'Observe these immense frame works covering the whole length of our linear cities, with their gardens, fields, woodlands, etc.'

'I was just about to inquire about the object in constructing your cities in this geometrical style, and covering them with these great frameworks.'

'They are for the protection of out lives, sustenance and property.'

'Protection? From what?"

"From terribly destructive meteoric showers.'...

'Before the expected shower takes place, its exact date is always known, the frame works are covered with metallic plates sufficiently strong to resist the heaviest downpour.

"Elfrezulah, the capital city of Mandal-Uttima, is situated in the central part of the continent on a lofty plateau, bounded on either side by mountain chains, running north and south. The city lies on the eastern shore of lake Ambu-bhasanta, or “ Shining Water," which is about a hundred miles long by thirty wide and pours into the Havita-nadi river, so named from the dark green color of its waters and which empties into the great Tycho sea, two hundred miles distant. The city, in its ground plan, is a quadrangle ; ﬁfty miles square and is divided into a hundred departments, each nearly ﬁve miles square. Each department is subdivided into two hundred squares. Of these, one half are domiciliary, occupied by private residences, the others are parks. Their arrangement is alternate ; first a domiciliary square; second, a park, and so on; hence each square is bounded on its four sides by a park. The squares are occupied by the residences of the citizens. The parks by public buildings, and are beautifully ornamented with trees, fountains and statuary. The architecture of the private residences presents a pleasing variety. Their grounds are laid out on an ample scale, and separated from each other by shrubbery or hedge rows. The dwellings are large and commodious; their adornments, tasteful and beautiful. They are generally built of granite or marble of different colors, are from two to three stories in height, surrounded by balconies and surmounted by domes, turrets, etc., of various styles. In the centre of each department is a circular artiﬁcial lake a quarter of a mile in diameter.

The city is adorned with palaces, temples, towers, etc., whose magniﬁcence deﬁes description. Four great avenues, a thousand feet wide, and radiating from the grand centre, traverse the city at right angles. Twenty lesser avenues also traverse the city at right angles, separating the departments from each other. The squares are separated by streets. The pavement resembles dark green glass, is hard as ﬂint and smooth as a ﬂoor. The centre of the city,—Which is elevated above the environs, is occupied by an artiﬁcial, circular lake, six miles in circumference, called the Ambu-bharu, or “lake of the Golden Water," from the brilliant color of its surface, reﬂected from the bright yellow hue of the rocks and sand with which the bottom is overlaid. It is supplied by underground aqueducts from the distaut mountain streams. On a great esplanade in the centre, is a vast and magniﬁcent temple. The surroundings of the lake are of surpassing splendor. Fifty fountains equi-distant from each other, occupy its circumference, each four hundred feet high and divided into terraces of different colors, similar to the great fountain at the entrance of Gulomezal bay. Between the fountains are rows of colossal statues, single and in groups, of marbles, bronzes and brilliant metals. Sweeping around the lake are broad plazas paved in mosaic, colonnades, monoliths and towers, their pedestals carved with symbolical ﬁgures. Beyond these are rows of magniﬁcent palaces, temples, public buildings and ﬂoral gardens. The avenues are occupied in the centre by canals supplied with water from the lake and spanned by handsome bridges ; the borders are edged with mossy banks, platforms of green and white marble, and rows of trees whose branches interlacing, form archways of foliage. On either side are palatial residences, theatres, opera houses, museums, art galleries, etc.; all in splendid architectural style. The avenues and streets are thronged with all kinds of wheeled equipages propelled by electro motors, conveying the occupants to and fro with great speed. Countless air ships and chariots ﬂy overhead, ascending from or descending to the streets and residences in all directions. The canals are thronged with pleasure boats, gondolas, etc., propelled by electro motors, sails or oars, as suits the tastes of the occupants. The city is surrounded by a great boulevard paved with dark green rock and adorned with rows of trees ; beyond this are pleasure parks, gardens, etc., stretching out many miles into the surrounding country.

The manufacturies, wholesale trading establishments, markets, etc., occupy quarters beyond the city limits. On the lake side of the city are great numbers of docks" piers, warehouses, etc. The merchant marine of Elfrezulah is immense; thousands of ships traverse the oceans, and sail up the Havita-nadi river and lake. The population of the city is about ten millions, comprising thc elite of the kingdom. The Raja-vich- auda, or royal palace of the Adhi-raja Sam-tanasya, or race of the Thullivarrh Kings occupied by the Grand Duke, Prince and Princess, is situated on the great plaza surrounding the lake Ambu-bharu. Its grounds are a half mile square. The palace is quadrangle four hundred feet square, built of marble white as snow. It is surmounted by domes, minarets, and towers, and surrounded with lofty porticoes, supported on ﬂuted columns. In order to relieve the too dazzling effect of the white marble, others of different colors, are employed in the architectural details. The bases and shafts of the columns are wound spirally with flowing vines and tendrils, carved in marbles corresponding to the colors of nature; the capitals with their foliations and lilies, so perfectly resemble the living plants as to deceive the eye. The arches between the columns resemble the Moorish or Saracenic, as seen in the palace of the Alhambra, though far more beau- tiful, and are engraved with emblematical ﬁgures and ﬂamboyant tracery. The architrave of the entablature is sky blue, the frieze of light rose color, the cornice is of a bright golden hue. The effect of these different varieties of color offsetting the white marble of the palace is exceedingly beautiful. The interior apartments are decorated in various styles. The walls and ceilings are inlaid with agate, lapis lazuli, malachite, ctc., or adorned with paintings in fresco representing landscapes, sea, lake and mountain views; the apartments are floored and panelled with woods of different colors. The central court is ornamented with trees ﬂowering shrubs and statuary. In the centre is a great circular basin of bright green marble, embellished with carved water-nymphs, dolphins and sun-ﬁshes, from which upsprings a lofty fountain arranged in terraces of different colors ; in other parts of the court arc smaller fountains of liquid crystal spouting in all manner of bewildering forms.

The grand banquet hall, where State banquets are given by the Duke, is a marvel of splendor. It is elliptical in shape, and capable of seating eight hundred guests. Its architectural details and ornaments are magniﬁcent. The windows are of variously colored crystals ; the walls adorned with splendid paintings in fresco. A gallery runs around the circumference of the hall twenty feet above the ﬂoor, its entablature of colored marbles, with carvings in alto-relievo. It is surmounted by a lofty dome of sky blue crystal, supported on the uplifted wings of carved eagles. The gallery is supported by rows of caryatides, figures of beautiful girls and young men of the three different races, upholding it on their upraised hands. Around the pedestals on which they stand, are images of swans, aquatic birds, tritons and dolphins, the latter pouring from their mouths streams of variously colored and sparkling waters, falling in marble basins, While between the caryalidcs are sea and wood nymphs, dryads, hearing vases. urns and cornucopias ﬁlled with all manner of beautiful plants and ﬂowers. In another part of the palace is an immense ball room It would he superﬂuous to describe its splendid appointments and decorations. It is also surmounted by a dome. and its walls hung with great crystalline mirrors. by which the perspective is increased to an almost boundless extent. The extensive grounds surrounding the palace are ﬁlled with all varieties of trees, fragrant and ﬂowering plants, superb statuary, fountains of all varieties, some arranged in terraces ; some shooting up in lofty columns or spreading out in broad showering sheets; others resemble fans, whorals, spirals and intricate network; others, great bubbling masses of foam of all the colors of the rainbow. The trees are occupied by different varieties of birds of beautiful plumage, whose songs ﬁll the air with melody. It would be impossible adequately to describe one half the charms and beauties of this Martian Paradise."

Description
The Martian city of Elfrezulah, in the country of Mandal-Uttima from Journey to Mars: the wonderful world: its beauty and splendor; its mighty races and kingdoms; its final doom (1894) by Gustavus W. Pope. In the foreground are Giant Martian Eagles, as described in the same book.

"That is the continent of Mandal-Uttima, our destination...It is twenty five hundred miles long, by fifteen hundred wide, containing an area of about three million square miles."

"On our maps it is designated as Galileo continent, and is situated in the northwestern hemisphere."

"'Lower the ship,' ordered the Captain , and she slowly descended to within three thousand feet of the surface and to my astonishment a vast panorama of countless roofs, rows of magnificent buildings, towers, domes, etc., burst into view, all in a style of architecture unknown on earth, and brilliantly illuminated with myriads of many colored lights. There were broad streets thronged with people and vehicles, canals over which sailed pleasure boats, flocks of little air ships and quaint looking aerial chariots flying to and fro in all directions. As our ship flew onward, we passed over gardens, orchards, cultivated fields, little lakes, woodlands and long stretches of forests, interspersed with bright meshes of lattice work resembling immense ribbons of fiery lace. The whole was elevated high above the topmost trees, buildings and towers and supported by countless rows of lofty pillars.

'You behold one of our great linear cities,' said the Doctor, 'which includes within its domains the charms and beauties of rural scenery, as well as the works of man's industry, science and art. It is two thousand miles long, by twenty miles wide, containing an area of forty thousand square miles and a population of twenty five millions.'"

"Twelve great linear cities from one to two thousand miles long, and fifteen to forty miles wide, traverse our continent in crossing lines..."

"'Observe these immense frame works covering the whole length of our linear cities, with their gardens, fields, woodlands, etc.'

'I was just about to inquire about the object in constructing your cities in this geometrical style, and covering them with these great frameworks.'

'They are for the protection of out lives, sustenance and property.'

'Protection? From what?"

"From terribly destructive meteoric showers.'...

'Before the expected shower takes place, its exact date is always known, the frame works are covered with metallic plates sufficiently strong to resist the heaviest downpour.

"Elfrezulah, the capital city of Mandal-Uttima, is situated in the central part of the continent on a lofty plateau, bounded on either side by mountain chains, running north and south. The city lies on the eastern shore of lake Ambu-bhasanta, or “ Shining Water," which is about a hundred miles long by thirty wide and pours into the Havita-nadi river, so named from the dark green color of its waters and which empties into the great Tycho sea, two hundred miles distant. The city, in its ground plan, is a quadrangle ; ﬁfty miles square and is divided into a hundred departments, each nearly ﬁve miles square. Each department is subdivided into two hundred squares. Of these, one half are domiciliary, occupied by private residences, the others are parks. Their arrangement is alternate ; first a domiciliary square; second, a park, and so on; hence each square is bounded on its four sides by a park. The squares are occupied by the residences of the citizens. The parks by public buildings, and are beautifully ornamented with trees, fountains and statuary. The architecture of the private residences presents a pleasing variety. Their grounds are laid out on an ample scale, and separated from each other by shrubbery or hedge rows. The dwellings are large and commodious; their adornments, tasteful and beautiful. They are generally built of granite or marble of different colors, are from two to three stories in height, surrounded by balconies and surmounted by domes, turrets, etc., of various styles. In the centre of each department is a circular artiﬁcial lake a quarter of a mile in diameter.

The city is adorned with palaces, temples, towers, etc., whose magniﬁcence deﬁes description. Four great avenues, a thousand feet wide, and radiating from the grand centre, traverse the city at right angles. Twenty lesser avenues also traverse the city at right angles, separating the departments from each other. The squares are separated by streets. The pavement resembles dark green glass, is hard as ﬂint and smooth as a ﬂoor. The centre of the city,—Which is elevated above the environs, is occupied by an artiﬁcial, circular lake, six miles in circumference, called the Ambu-bharu, or “lake of the Golden Water," from the brilliant color of its surface, reﬂected from the bright yellow hue of the rocks and sand with which the bottom is overlaid. It is supplied by underground aqueducts from the distaut mountain streams. On a great esplanade in the centre, is a vast and magniﬁcent temple. The surroundings of the lake are of surpassing splendor. Fifty fountains equi-distant from each other, occupy its circumference, each four hundred feet high and divided into terraces of different colors, similar to the great fountain at the entrance of Gulomezal bay. Between the fountains are rows of colossal statues, single and in groups, of marbles, bronzes and brilliant metals. Sweeping around the lake are broad plazas paved in mosaic, colonnades, monoliths and towers, their pedestals carved with symbolical ﬁgures. Beyond these are rows of magniﬁcent palaces, temples, public buildings and ﬂoral gardens. The avenues are occupied in the centre by canals supplied with water from the lake and spanned by handsome bridges ; the borders are edged with mossy banks, platforms of green and white marble, and rows of trees whose branches interlacing, form archways of foliage. On either side are palatial residences, theatres, opera houses, museums, art galleries, etc.; all in splendid architectural style. The avenues and streets are thronged with all kinds of wheeled equipages propelled by electro motors, conveying the occupants to and fro with great speed. Countless air ships and chariots ﬂy overhead, ascending from or descending to the streets and residences in all directions. The canals are thronged with pleasure boats, gondolas, etc., propelled by electro motors, sails or oars, as suits the tastes of the occupants. The city is surrounded by a great boulevard paved with dark green rock and adorned with rows of trees ; beyond this are pleasure parks, gardens, etc., stretching out many miles into the surrounding country.

The manufacturies, wholesale trading establishments, markets, etc., occupy quarters beyond the city limits. On the lake side of the city are great numbers of docks" piers, warehouses, etc. The merchant marine of Elfrezulah is immense; thousands of ships traverse the oceans, and sail up the Havita-nadi river and lake. The population of the city is about ten millions, comprising thc elite of the kingdom. The Raja-vich- auda, or royal palace of the Adhi-raja Sam-tanasya, or race of the Thullivarrh Kings occupied by the Grand Duke, Prince and Princess, is situated on the great plaza surrounding the lake Ambu-bharu. Its grounds are a half mile square. The palace is quadrangle four hundred feet square, built of marble white as snow. It is surmounted by domes, minarets, and towers, and surrounded with lofty porticoes, supported on ﬂuted columns. In order to relieve the too dazzling effect of the white marble, others of different colors, are employed in the architectural details. The bases and shafts of the columns are wound spirally with flowing vines and tendrils, carved in marbles corresponding to the colors of nature; the capitals with their foliations and lilies, so perfectly resemble the living plants as to deceive the eye. The arches between the columns resemble the Moorish or Saracenic, as seen in the palace of the Alhambra, though far more beau- tiful, and are engraved with emblematical ﬁgures and ﬂamboyant tracery. The architrave of the entablature is sky blue, the frieze of light rose color, the cornice is of a bright golden hue. The effect of these different varieties of color offsetting the white marble of the palace is exceedingly beautiful. The interior apartments are decorated in various styles. The walls and ceilings are inlaid with agate, lapis lazuli, malachite, ctc., or adorned with paintings in fresco representing landscapes, sea, lake and mountain views; the apartments are floored and panelled with woods of different colors. The central court is ornamented with trees ﬂowering shrubs and statuary. In the centre is a great circular basin of bright green marble, embellished with carved water-nymphs, dolphins and sun-ﬁshes, from which upsprings a lofty fountain arranged in terraces of different colors ; in other parts of the court arc smaller fountains of liquid crystal spouting in all manner of bewildering forms.

The grand banquet hall, where State banquets are given by the Duke, is a marvel of splendor. It is elliptical in shape, and capable of seating eight hundred guests. Its architectural details and ornaments are magniﬁcent. The windows are of variously colored crystals ; the walls adorned with splendid paintings in fresco. A gallery runs around the circumference of the hall twenty feet above the ﬂoor, its entablature of colored marbles, with carvings in alto-relievo. It is surmounted by a lofty dome of sky blue crystal, supported on the uplifted wings of carved eagles. The gallery is supported by rows of caryatides, figures of beautiful girls and young men of the three different races, upholding it on their upraised hands. Around the pedestals on which they stand, are images of swans, aquatic birds, tritons and dolphins, the latter pouring from their mouths streams of variously colored and sparkling waters, falling in marble basins, While between the caryalidcs are sea and wood nymphs, dryads, hearing vases. urns and cornucopias ﬁlled with all manner of beautiful plants and ﬂowers. In another part of the palace is an immense ball room It would he superﬂuous to describe its splendid appointments and decorations. It is also surmounted by a dome. and its walls hung with great crystalline mirrors. by which the perspective is increased to an almost boundless extent. The extensive grounds surrounding the palace are ﬁlled with all varieties of trees, fragrant and ﬂowering plants, superb statuary, fountains of all varieties, some arranged in terraces ; some shooting up in lofty columns or spreading out in broad showering sheets; others resemble fans, whorals, spirals and intricate network; others, great bubbling masses of foam of all the colors of the rainbow. The trees are occupied by different varieties of birds of beautiful plumage, whose songs ﬁll the air with melody. It would be impossible adequately to describe one half the charms and beauties of this Martian Paradise."