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.
Upper Harz Water Regale
The Upper Harz Water Regale (Oberharzer Wasserregal) is a system of dams, reservoirs and ditches built from the 16th to 19th centuries to divert and store the water that drove the water wheels of the mines in the Upper Harz region. [German]
Liechtenstein Garden Palace
The Liechtenstein Garden Palace (Gartenpalais Liechtenstein) in Vienna houses a private art collection owned by the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. Guided tours tell you about the collected masterpieces and the palace architecture.
Kamerlengo Fortress in Trogir
The fortress of Kamerlengo (Tvrđava Kamerlengo) saw its construction by the Venetians in the 15th century. At that time, it extended existing structures in the old town of Trogir. This town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. [German]
Nordkirchen Castle
Nordkirchen Castle (Schloss Nordkirchen) is one of the most magnificent moated castles in the region of Münster. As it is considered the most representative Baroque residence in Westphalia, the complex is also named “Westphalian Versailles”. [German]
Radyweg in Poysdorf
The Radyweg is considered the most extended wine cellar lane (Kellergasse) of Poysdorf. In earlier times, the buildings along the path formed wine cellars or press houses. A tour guide told me the length of all cellar lanes in Poysdorf adds up to 60 kilometres!
Kinizsi Castle in Nagyvázsony
This tower is part of a former stronghold owned by the legendary Hungarian military leader Pál Kinizsi. By climbing up Kinizsi Castle (Kinizsi-vár), I learned something new about the interior of tower houses in the medieval ages. [German]
Zeche Zollern in Dortmund
Zeche Zollern is a colliery in Dortmund built around 1900. Many castle-like buildings evoked the nickname Schloss der Arbeit (Castle of Work). The modern-equipped machine hall became famous for its art nouveau gate.
Podersdorf Windmill
There are only two operable windmills in Austria. One of them stands in Podersdorf, a place in the Austrian state of Burgenland. The Association for the Preservation of the Podersdorf Windmill offers guided tours with
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]
Hezilo Chandelier in Hildesheim
The Hezilo Chandelier in the Hildesheim Cathedral is a medieval circle-candlestick which measures stunning 6 metres in diameter. Its name origins from Bishop Hezilo of Hildesheim, who commissioned the chandelier in the 11th century.
Mausoleum of Ferdinand II in Graz
Visitors to the Austrian city of Graz often mention the Italian vibes they experienced in the streets. One reason for this perception is probably the mausoleum of Ferdinand II. The architect of this building was the Italian Giovanni Pietro de Pomis.