After arriving at Essen Main Station, I came across this sculpture near the station hall. The work “Steile Lagerung” by sculptor Max Kratz reminded me that Essen was one of the largest mining town in Europe for a certain period. [German]
Monument to Marcus Aurelius
This equestrian statue of emperor Marcus Aurelius is a replica of the one that stood on Capitols Square (Piazza del Campidoglio) in Rome. The sculpture in Tulln commemorates that a Roman camp named Comagena was the predecessor of the modern city. [German]
Bogenšperk Castle in Šmartno pri Litiji
Bogenšperk Castle (Grad Bogenšperk) was the home of the natural historian and polymath Johann Weichard Valvasor (1641-1693). He became famous for publishing several books about topics like the Karst or the history of Carniola. [German]
Goliathhaus in Regensburg
The Goliath House (Goliathhaus) in Regensburg shows the legend of David and Goliath. The first depiction dates back to the 16th century. Several renewals followed. That one from 1900 produced an unusually relaxed Goliath. [German]
Schwammerlturm in Leoben
Master builder Peter Carlone built this tower in 1615. In the beginning, the name of this building referred to its function. It was called Mautturm (toll tower). After getting its unique roof in 1794, the name Schwammerlturm (mushroom tower) became common.
Pharmacy in Uherský Brod
An old pharmacy decorated with an intriguing facade made me curious about Uherský Brod. This Moravian town is considered one of the possible birthplaces of philosopher John Amos Comenius (Jan Amos Komenský). [German]
Saalburg in Bad Homburg
The Saalburg is a reconstructed Roman fort in Hesse. Inside its walls, a museum tells about the life of the soldiers along the border. The castellum was a part of the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes. Today the remains of the Limes are enlisted as UNESCO World Heritage Site. [German]
Palm House Schönbrunn
The Great Palm House Schönbrunn (Großes Palmenhaus Schönbrunn) stands on the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. Its construction bases of 720 tons of wrought iron and cast iron. About 45,000 glass tiles enable a fabulous light.
Altinum in Quarto d’Altino
The ancient Roman city of Altinum was a settlement in the region of today’s Quarto d’Altino. During its flowering, it had over 20,000 inhabitants. After being destroyed by the Huns, the inhabitants fled to the small islands in the lagoon of later Venice. [German]
Procession of Princes
The Fürstenzug (Procession of Princes) is a 102-meter-long mural in Dresden. It is applied to 23,000 Meissen porcelain tiles and displays portraits of 35 members of the House of Wettin. These people formed the rulers of Saxony between 1127 and 1904. [German]
Monument to Alexander Girardi
The monument to Alexander Girardi (1850-1918) stands in the Girardipark of Vienna. Extensive traffic surrounds the white statue, so the actor and operetta singer does not have to complain about a small audience. Most people overlook the message of the sculpture, though. [German]
Festetics Palace in Keszthely
On a sunny day in the fall, I visited Festetics Palace (Festetics-kastély) near Lake Balaton in Hungary. On my walk through the Baroque Palace, I had the chance to see the famous Helikon Library.