You only see what you know (Goethe)
Schwerin is the capital city (Landeshauptstadt) of the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The manhole covers in Schwerin show the city arms in the version of 1991. The depicted knight represents Henry the Lion. The flag in his hand is a gonfalon. [German]
The Austrian state of Burgenland is part of the Pannonian culture sphere. Compared to the Alpine regions of Austria, life is different in this plain area. The open-air museum of Gerersdorf tells you more about the Pannonian farm life of the last three centuries.
In the areas of Slovenian Styria (Slovenska Štajerska), Carniola (Kranjska)and the Austrian state of Carinthia (Kärnten), hikers find these traditionally painted bee boards (Panjske končnice). With the help of these paintings, beekeepers identify a particular hive.
What a Lego®-like castle! But Hohenzollern Castle in Heiligendamm is more a guest residence than a castle. Grand Duke Paul Friedrich commissioned the building to accommodate his noble guests. [German]
On my way to Ritzen Castle (Schloss Ritzen) in Saalfelden, I came across this lovely lake named Ritzensee. It is an artificial lake built in a former moor landscape. At the castle, I visited the local history museum.
This sign stands near a wood with a high squirrel population in Bük. It happens to be that the depiction of a squirrel turns into the mascot for children at the nearby Bükfürdő spa. The name of this very special squirrel is Otto.
The High Palace (Hohes Schloss) in the Bavarian city of Füssen is known for its Trompe l’oeil architectural paintings. For example, I was impressed by the illusionistic oriel windows. They give the building a surreal touch.
The railway station Südbahnhof closed in 2009 forever. Later, I saw the letters placed above the entrance of the Wien Museum. I wonder how many visitors realised the museum was labelled like a railway station.
While waiting for my connection train in Prague, my eye fell on a group of bronze statues at platform 1 of Prague Central Station. A man and two children stand next to me. What’s the story behind them? The answer is: Nicholas Winton.
The chapel of Querfurt Castle (Burg Querfurt) in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt dates back to the 12th century. It stands free in the court of the castle. The decoration inside is in Baroque style.
The maiden voyage of the paddle steamer “Gisela” was in 1872. Operated by the Traunsee Schifffahrt, it still runs for cruises, weddings and dinners on Traun Lake (Traunsee). In the photo above, you see the steamer in front of Gmunden. [German]
When I visited Bratislava in 2004, I walked through a captivating quarter of deserted houses. A fine example was this building. The more you look at it, the more you see. After a few minutes, I discovered several animals, a windmill, and a fake staircase.