What does “a cross between the Parthenon and the Reichstag” mean?












1















In Gerard Durrell's The Whispering Land I ran into the sentence below:




At that precise moment we were heading towards the massive building that looked like a cross between the Parthenon and the Reichstag in whose interior lurked the most formidable enemy of sanity and liberty in Argentina: the Aduana, or Customs.




May I ask what "cross between Parthenon and the Reichstag" means here? I guess there might be some cultural implication behind this but I cannot find anything after searching extensively.










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  • 2





    I'm guessing that architecturally it has features of both. Parthenon Reichstag

    – Hot Licks
    3 hours ago











  • @HotLicks I just found that a cross between could mean A mixture or compromise of two things in Oxford dictionary. Now it makes perfect sense as these two buildings have something in common. Thanks!

    – Xinting WANG
    3 hours ago













  • "Cross", in the sense of this idiom, likely is a metaphorical reference to "cross breeding" -- the inter-breeding of two species of plant or animal.

    – Hot Licks
    3 hours ago











  • @HotLicks Yes. Previously I fixated on the literal meaning of cross and thus get myself confused over it. Cross breeding would make sense and the sentence is easy to understand now. It's the typical satiric the author used in his book.

    – Xinting WANG
    2 hours ago
















1















In Gerard Durrell's The Whispering Land I ran into the sentence below:




At that precise moment we were heading towards the massive building that looked like a cross between the Parthenon and the Reichstag in whose interior lurked the most formidable enemy of sanity and liberty in Argentina: the Aduana, or Customs.




May I ask what "cross between Parthenon and the Reichstag" means here? I guess there might be some cultural implication behind this but I cannot find anything after searching extensively.










share|improve this question









New contributor




Xinting WANG is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 2





    I'm guessing that architecturally it has features of both. Parthenon Reichstag

    – Hot Licks
    3 hours ago











  • @HotLicks I just found that a cross between could mean A mixture or compromise of two things in Oxford dictionary. Now it makes perfect sense as these two buildings have something in common. Thanks!

    – Xinting WANG
    3 hours ago













  • "Cross", in the sense of this idiom, likely is a metaphorical reference to "cross breeding" -- the inter-breeding of two species of plant or animal.

    – Hot Licks
    3 hours ago











  • @HotLicks Yes. Previously I fixated on the literal meaning of cross and thus get myself confused over it. Cross breeding would make sense and the sentence is easy to understand now. It's the typical satiric the author used in his book.

    – Xinting WANG
    2 hours ago














1












1








1








In Gerard Durrell's The Whispering Land I ran into the sentence below:




At that precise moment we were heading towards the massive building that looked like a cross between the Parthenon and the Reichstag in whose interior lurked the most formidable enemy of sanity and liberty in Argentina: the Aduana, or Customs.




May I ask what "cross between Parthenon and the Reichstag" means here? I guess there might be some cultural implication behind this but I cannot find anything after searching extensively.










share|improve this question









New contributor




Xinting WANG is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












In Gerard Durrell's The Whispering Land I ran into the sentence below:




At that precise moment we were heading towards the massive building that looked like a cross between the Parthenon and the Reichstag in whose interior lurked the most formidable enemy of sanity and liberty in Argentina: the Aduana, or Customs.




May I ask what "cross between Parthenon and the Reichstag" means here? I guess there might be some cultural implication behind this but I cannot find anything after searching extensively.







meaning expressions phrase-meaning






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Xinting WANG is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









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Xinting WANG is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




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edited 3 mins ago









Laurel

31.8k660113




31.8k660113






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asked 3 hours ago









Xinting WANGXinting WANG

1063




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Xinting WANG is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Xinting WANG is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 2





    I'm guessing that architecturally it has features of both. Parthenon Reichstag

    – Hot Licks
    3 hours ago











  • @HotLicks I just found that a cross between could mean A mixture or compromise of two things in Oxford dictionary. Now it makes perfect sense as these two buildings have something in common. Thanks!

    – Xinting WANG
    3 hours ago













  • "Cross", in the sense of this idiom, likely is a metaphorical reference to "cross breeding" -- the inter-breeding of two species of plant or animal.

    – Hot Licks
    3 hours ago











  • @HotLicks Yes. Previously I fixated on the literal meaning of cross and thus get myself confused over it. Cross breeding would make sense and the sentence is easy to understand now. It's the typical satiric the author used in his book.

    – Xinting WANG
    2 hours ago














  • 2





    I'm guessing that architecturally it has features of both. Parthenon Reichstag

    – Hot Licks
    3 hours ago











  • @HotLicks I just found that a cross between could mean A mixture or compromise of two things in Oxford dictionary. Now it makes perfect sense as these two buildings have something in common. Thanks!

    – Xinting WANG
    3 hours ago













  • "Cross", in the sense of this idiom, likely is a metaphorical reference to "cross breeding" -- the inter-breeding of two species of plant or animal.

    – Hot Licks
    3 hours ago











  • @HotLicks Yes. Previously I fixated on the literal meaning of cross and thus get myself confused over it. Cross breeding would make sense and the sentence is easy to understand now. It's the typical satiric the author used in his book.

    – Xinting WANG
    2 hours ago








2




2





I'm guessing that architecturally it has features of both. Parthenon Reichstag

– Hot Licks
3 hours ago





I'm guessing that architecturally it has features of both. Parthenon Reichstag

– Hot Licks
3 hours ago













@HotLicks I just found that a cross between could mean A mixture or compromise of two things in Oxford dictionary. Now it makes perfect sense as these two buildings have something in common. Thanks!

– Xinting WANG
3 hours ago







@HotLicks I just found that a cross between could mean A mixture or compromise of two things in Oxford dictionary. Now it makes perfect sense as these two buildings have something in common. Thanks!

– Xinting WANG
3 hours ago















"Cross", in the sense of this idiom, likely is a metaphorical reference to "cross breeding" -- the inter-breeding of two species of plant or animal.

– Hot Licks
3 hours ago





"Cross", in the sense of this idiom, likely is a metaphorical reference to "cross breeding" -- the inter-breeding of two species of plant or animal.

– Hot Licks
3 hours ago













@HotLicks Yes. Previously I fixated on the literal meaning of cross and thus get myself confused over it. Cross breeding would make sense and the sentence is easy to understand now. It's the typical satiric the author used in his book.

– Xinting WANG
2 hours ago





@HotLicks Yes. Previously I fixated on the literal meaning of cross and thus get myself confused over it. Cross breeding would make sense and the sentence is easy to understand now. It's the typical satiric the author used in his book.

– Xinting WANG
2 hours ago










1 Answer
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The Parthenon is a Greek Temple that is distinguished by its thick pillars which surround the perimeter to support the structure.



enter image description here



The Reichstag is a German political building that is well known for its iconic glass dome constructed on the top and its parliamentarian style.



enter image description here



When the author said cross between Parthenon and the Reichstag, he might have implied that the building was a parliamentarian type building supported by pillars, since cross between means a mixture of.






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    1 Answer
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    active

    oldest

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    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    0














    The Parthenon is a Greek Temple that is distinguished by its thick pillars which surround the perimeter to support the structure.



    enter image description here



    The Reichstag is a German political building that is well known for its iconic glass dome constructed on the top and its parliamentarian style.



    enter image description here



    When the author said cross between Parthenon and the Reichstag, he might have implied that the building was a parliamentarian type building supported by pillars, since cross between means a mixture of.






    share|improve this answer










    New contributor




    Viswalahiri Swamy Hejeebu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.

























      0














      The Parthenon is a Greek Temple that is distinguished by its thick pillars which surround the perimeter to support the structure.



      enter image description here



      The Reichstag is a German political building that is well known for its iconic glass dome constructed on the top and its parliamentarian style.



      enter image description here



      When the author said cross between Parthenon and the Reichstag, he might have implied that the building was a parliamentarian type building supported by pillars, since cross between means a mixture of.






      share|improve this answer










      New contributor




      Viswalahiri Swamy Hejeebu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.























        0












        0








        0







        The Parthenon is a Greek Temple that is distinguished by its thick pillars which surround the perimeter to support the structure.



        enter image description here



        The Reichstag is a German political building that is well known for its iconic glass dome constructed on the top and its parliamentarian style.



        enter image description here



        When the author said cross between Parthenon and the Reichstag, he might have implied that the building was a parliamentarian type building supported by pillars, since cross between means a mixture of.






        share|improve this answer










        New contributor




        Viswalahiri Swamy Hejeebu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.










        The Parthenon is a Greek Temple that is distinguished by its thick pillars which surround the perimeter to support the structure.



        enter image description here



        The Reichstag is a German political building that is well known for its iconic glass dome constructed on the top and its parliamentarian style.



        enter image description here



        When the author said cross between Parthenon and the Reichstag, he might have implied that the building was a parliamentarian type building supported by pillars, since cross between means a mixture of.







        share|improve this answer










        New contributor




        Viswalahiri Swamy Hejeebu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.









        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited 33 mins ago





















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        answered 40 mins ago









        Viswalahiri Swamy HejeebuViswalahiri Swamy Hejeebu

        444




        444




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        Viswalahiri Swamy Hejeebu is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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