There are a lot of signs in Graz mentioning the string A.E.I.O.U. Habsburg Emperor Frederick III used these vocals to mark his buildings while staying in Graz. The meaning of this string is still unsolved. [German]
Author: Amadeus
Trauttmansdorff Castle in Merano
After visiting an exhibition about tourism in the rooms of Trauttmansdorff Castle, I had a relaxed walk through the gardens. It was a great experience to see such a lush landscape of plants in a region not far from the Alps. [German]
Houses with Balcony Access in Dessau-Roßlau
The houses with balcony access (Laubenganghäuser) were built in 1929/30 according to plans by Hannes Meyer. He translated his motto Volksbedarf statt Luxusbedarf” (People’s necessities, not luxuries) into a multitude of small apartments, which are connected to the staircase via an arcade. [German]
Karmel Mayerling in Alland
The estate in the Vienna Woods was first mentioned in the 13th century. In 1887, the Austrian Crown Prince Rudolf converted the facility into a hunting lodge (Mayerling Castle). On January 30, 1889, Rudolf and his mistress Baroness Mary Vetsera died here under circumstances that were not completely solved. [German]
Dragon Bridge in Ljubljana
Do you dare to fight dragons? Pay attention! This creature is only one of four guarding the Dragon Bridge (Zmajski most) in Ljubljana. The bridge saw its completion at the beginning of the 20th century. [German]
Ozeaneum in Stralsund
The Ozeanum is a public aquarium located in the historical harbour of Stralsund. It is part of the German Oceanographic Museum (Deutsches Meeresmuseum) and displays primarily sea life of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
Sundial in Neunkirchen
You find this sundial on the facade of a 16th-century building located at the main square of Neunkirchen. The city is the capital of the district of Neunkirchen in the Austrian state of Lower Austria.
Manhole cover in Prague
This manhole cover on a platform of Prague Central Station (Praha hlavní nádraží) displays the historic station building. Today, the entrance hall of this building, created by Josef Fanta, forms a hidden gem for friends of Art Nouveau. [German]
Roman sewer in Cologne
Below the Spanische Bau in Cologne, fans of Roman architecture find the remains of the ancient Roman Praetorium. Right next to these ruins, visitors have the chance to walk through a former Roman sewer below the streets of the modern city.
Memorial plaque for Mark Twain
This memorial plaque for Samuel Langhorne Clemens, generally known as Mark Twain, is placed at that hotel in Vienna where he used to stay between October 1898 and May 1899. The hotel named Ambassador is still a prime address in Vienna.
Mural by František Gajdoš
This Socialist Realist fresco forms a decoration in the hall of the Bratislava Main Railway Station (Bratislava hlavná stanica). The mural was created by František Gajdoš in 1960. An intriguing detail is the small sputnik at the upper edge of the depiction.
Dompropstei in Constance
On my way from the Imperia statue to the Rhine Gate Tower (Rheintorturm), I notice a striking red facade. Around 1300 the St. Konrad Hospital was built in this place, which integrated an existing chapel. The hospital later changed into the Dompropstei of Constance. [German]