The building was erected as a theatre by architect Wilhelm Vernukken in 1603/1606. The commissioner was Landgraf Moritz, who named the Ottoneum after his son Otto. Today, a natural history museum is housed here. [German]
Knappenwelt in Angertal
The Knappenwelt (Pitmen’s World) in Angertal is an open-air museum about the late medieval gold and silver smelting in the Gasteinertal area. It is a station of the Via Aurea, which focuses on gold mining in the Austrian Tauern mountain ranges. [German]
Klopotec in Slovenia
An iconic rural element in Slovenia is the Klopotec. It is a sort of bird-scaring rattle. You find it in many traditional Slovenian wine-growing areas. They are also common in some parts of Austria (esp. Styria) and Croatia (esp. Zagorje).
Otto Wagner Pavillon Karlsplatz
This Art Nouveau pavilion dates back to 1898. Architect Otto Wagner designed it as a station building for the Viennese Metropolitan Railway (Wiener Stadtbahn). Today the Otto Wagner Pavillon houses a museum about this famous urban planner.
Wiesberg Castle in Tobadill
The castle above the mouth of the Paznaun in the Stanzer Valley dates back to the 13th century. Several of today’s structures result from a renovation at the beginning of the 20th century. In May 1945, parts of the German Wehrmacht surrendered to American troops after negotiations in this castle. [German]
Sundial in Merano
While I walked through Merano in Italy, I came across this sundial. I was impressed by how many elements and codes are compiled in this depiction. For example, you see the motto of Frederick III (A.E.I.O.U.) as well as a skull with an hourglass on top of it. [German]
Sebastian’s Cemetery (Salzburg)
The Sebastian’s Cemetery (Sebastiansfriedhof) dates back to the end of the 16th century. It was built in the style of an Italian campo santo. You find here the graves of Mozart’s widow and Paracelsus, founder of the discipline of toxicology. [German]
Art Nouveau station hall in Prague
The Art Nouveau hall in Prague’s Central Station (Praha hlavní nádraží) gives a glimpse of the former splendour and glory of the Habsburg Empire. It was designed by Josef Fanta (1856-1954) and opened in 1909. [German]
Yenidze in Dresden
The former cigarette factory building was designed by architect Martin Hammitzsch in 1907. The company name referred to the Ottoman place Yenidze (the Greek Genisea of today), where the tobacco was bought from. Today, the house serves as an office building. [German]
Trenčín Castle in Slovakia
Trenčín Castle (Trenčiansky hrad) is a castle high above Trenčín, a city in the west of Slovakia. For many years, it was the residence of Máté Csák of Trencsén. Today, a castle museum tells about the history of the building and the region.
Bauhaus University in Weimar
This building, designed by Henry van de Velde, saw its completion in 1911. At that time, it housed the sculptors’ studios at the Grand Ducal Saxon Art School. Today, it forms the main building of the Bauhaus University and is considered a World Heritage Site.
Monument to Franz Wirer
This monument commemorates Franz Wirer von Rettenbach. He is considered the founder of the first Austrian saline water health spa in Bad Ischl. I found this bust in the local spa park (Kurpark). I was pretty impressed by the extraordinary size of the sculpture. [German]