During a stay at an IBIS hotel in Erfurt, I had this view from my room: It shows the ruins of the Barfüsserkirche, a church named after an order of the Franciscan (Barfüsser). A bombing raid destroyed the building in 1944.
Piber Castle in Köflach
Piber Castle (Schloss Piber) is a palace in the Austrian state of Styria. It stands next to the Federal Stud Piber. The stud breeds the famous Lipizzan stallions performing at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. [German]
Ludwigsburg Residential Palace
The Residential Palace of Ludwigsburg (Residenzschloss Ludwigsburg) is one of the largest Baroque complexes among the castles of Baden-Württemberg. A park behind the palace shows scenes from well-known children’s fairy tales with elaborate buildings. [German]
Finger pulling in Ehrenhausen
On a sunny spring day in 2012, I came across this sculpture in Ehrenhausen. At first view, it looked like public art portraying something fictitious. But this is wrong. It stands for a real sport with official championships: Finger pulling.
Van de Velde Building in Weimar
The Van de Velde Building was designed by Henry van de Velde for the Grand Ducal Saxon School of Arts and Crafts. Today it houses the Faculty of Art and Design of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. At the central staircase you can see a restored mural, originally made by Oskar Schlemmer.
Vorarlberg Museum in Bregenz
The Vorarlberg Museum in Bregenz offers some fascinating architectural details. The play of colours in the stairwell results from stairs made of oak and a handrail made of brass. [German]
Quotes at Weimar Houses
The quotes on the house walls of Weimar are a challenge for attentive walks. They inspire not only to look at gable ends but also to reflect. This quote from Jules Renard made me pensive: “If you know life, please give me its address”. [German]
Kronland (crown land) in Winkl
On my walk from the railway station of Traunkirchen to the town centre, I came across this vintage place-name sign. The Austrian State of Upper Austria (Oberösterreich) is still labelled as crown land (Kronland).
Bellevue Palace in Berlin
Designed by architect Michael Philipp Boumann, Bellevue Palace (Schloss Bellevue) was erected in 1786 as a summer residence for Prince Augustus Ferdinand of Prussia. Since 1994, it is the official residence of the Federal President of Germany.
Over the rooftops of Salzburg
A narrow panoramic path leads in front of the Museum der Moderne in Salzburg. From there, I had this formidable view over the rooftops of Salzburg and Hohensalzburg Fortress.
Railcar SVT 137 225 in Leipzig
While waiting for my connection train, I came across this DMU (diesel multiple unit) dating back to 1935. Before WWII, it ran as one of the first high-speed trains in Germany. After 1945, the train depicted above (SVT 137 225) operated for the GDR government.
Majolikahaus in Vienna
The Majolikahaus saw its completion in 1898. The architect of the building was Otto Wagner. His student Alois Ludwig created the floral design on the façade. The decoration with Majolica ([ger.] = Majolika) elements leads to today’s house name.