You only see what you know (Goethe)
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.
It was in Halle when I first heard the term Kulissenbibliothek. After I visited the Library Hall of the Francke Foundations, I understood the meaning of this word. The position of the bookshelves reminded me of the sceneries (Kulissen) in a theatre. [German]
The Counts of Gorizia built Bruck Castle (Schloss Bruck) in the 13th century. The creator of the frescoes in the worth-seeing chapel was the late Gothic artist Simon von Taisten. At the museum, you find monumental paintings by Albin Egger-Lienz. [German]
At first, I was surprised to see embrasures at this part of the former curacy. Later, I learned the Baroque building was erected on top of the walls of a former defence tower. The fresco above the richly ornamented portal depicts Saint Nicholas, to whom the nearby church is consecrated.
While exploring the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm World Heritage Site, a Doric domed building may attract your attention. Then, you have found the former mausoleum of the Dukes of Anhalt in Dessau-Roßlau. [German]
I came across these two struggling oryxes while walking through the Salzburg Zoo. I loved the symmetry of their horns in the depicted situation. You find the Salzburg Zoo next to a big rock. That way, guests see the animals in a rugged setting.
A protective building in the style of an ancient Roman sanctuary shelters the remains of the Mithras Shrine III in Ptuj. The shrine was erected in the sixties of the 3rd century by soldiers of the Legio XIII Gemina.
The manhole covers in Erfurt show the local city arms. The wheel in this coat of arms originates from the Wheel of Mainz (Mainzer Rad). In this way, the symbol refers to the period when Erfurt formed a part of the Electorate of Mainz. [German]
The electric locomotive Class 1099 was produced in 1910-1914 for the particular needs of the narrow-gauge Mariazell Railway. There, they were in operation for regular schedules until 2013.
Rotenturn Manor (Dvorec Rotenturn) stands in the Slovenian city of Slovenj Gradec. It is one of the town’s most important venues for cultural events. [German]
On my urban walk through Naumburg (Saale), a monument with two sculptures attracted me. A young girl stood in front of an old man with a huge moustache. The man obviously represented Friedrich Nietzsche. [German]
Salzburg is a very traditional city. Nevertheless, you see a lot of contemporary art in the streets. E.g. the “Gurken” (Gherkins) created by the Austrian artist Erwin Wurm. I like this piece of public art as the pickles seem to have some personality.