You only see what you know (Goethe)
This Socialist Realist fresco forms a decoration in the hall of the Bratislava Main Railway Station (Bratislava hlavná stanica). The mural was created by František Gajdoš in 1960. An intriguing detail is the small sputnik at the upper edge of the depiction.
A mural near the railway station Wien Meidling reminds us that one of the first Austrian locomotives originated from the USA. The Norris Locomotive Works in Philadelphia assembled the WRB Philadelphia in 1837.
Many years ago, a monastery stood on the Dominican Island next to Constance (Konstanz). Today the old walls accommodate a hotel, where guests enjoy the former cloister with wall paintings by Carl von Haeberlin.
The Holy Trinity Church in Hrastovlje formed a fortified church in earlier times. Nevertheless, it offers an outstanding range of frescoes inside. The depictions show both biblical events and a dance macabre.
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.
This mosaic at a building in Vienna reminds pedestrians of an ancient gate (porta principalis dextra) that stood here in the 1st century. It was part of the Roman fort Vindobona, the nucleus of modern Vienna.
A pretty narrative mural on the Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing (Inštitut za hmeljarstvo in pivovarstvo Slovenije) in Žalec. This institute is located next to the museum about hop-growing and brewing industry in Slovenia.
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.
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 At the central staircase you can see a restored mural, originally made by Oskar Schlemmer.
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]
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]
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]