Thursday, May 31, 2018

Strážna búdka

Strážna búdka, Guard's Booth by Marián Prešnajder, Hlavné námestie, Staré Mesto, Bratislava

Strážna búdka (Guard's Booth) by Marián Prešnajder, 2006
Hlavné námestie, Staré Mesto
Bratislava, September 2017

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Zemran

Zemran by William Pye, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London

“Zemran” by William Pye, 1971
Southbank Centre
Belvedere Road
London, September 2016

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Torre Arcobaleno

Torre Arcobaleno, Rainbow Tower, Via Giuseppe Ferrari, Milan

Torre Arcobaleno (Rainbow Tower)
Via Giuseppe Ferrari
Milan, May 2018

“The Torre Arcobaleno (Rainbow Tower) is a recognizable mark on the city and emotional landscape of Milan, capital of fashion and design. Founded in 1990 by a group of companies that transformed an anonymous water tower at Porta Garibaldi into a colourful tribute to the creativity of Milan, the Tower has been re-stored and returned to its original splendour. The project, designed by the firm Original Designers 6R5 Network and implemented by Baz-zea-B Construction Technology, Condor, Row Solutions, Mapei and Marazzi, is a tribute to the people of Milan and to Expo 2015 visitors. The Torre Arcobaleno is a renovated symbol of the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of Milan, now under the eyes of the world thanks to the Universal Exposition.” (Torre Arcobaleno)

Monday, May 28, 2018

Elefant

Elefant, Elephant by Gottfried Kumpf, Naturhistorisches Museum, Natural History Museum, Maria-Theresien-Platz, Vienna

Elefant (Elephant) by Gottfried Kumpf, 2004
Naturhistorisches Museum (Natural History Museum)
Maria-Theresien-Platz
Vienna, September 2017

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Édith Piaf

Tomb of Édith Piaf, Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Quartier du Père-Lachaise, 20th arrondissement, Paris

Tomb of Édith Piaf
Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, (Père Lachaise Cemetery)
Quartier du Père-Lachaise, 20th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

“Years of alcohol abuse alongside copious amounts of medications, initially for arthritic pains and later insomnia, took their toll on Piaf's health. A series of car accidents only exacerbated her addictions and she eventually underwent a series of surgeries for a stomach ulcer in 1959. Coupled with a deteriorating liver and the need for a blood transfusion, by 1962 she had lost a significant amount of weight, reaching a low of 30 kg (66 pounds). Drifting in and out of consciousness for several months, she died of a ruptured aneurysm due to liver failure at age 47 at her villa in Plascassier (Grasse), on the French Riviera, on 10 October 1963. Her last words were ‘Every damn thing you do in this life, you have to pay for.’ It is said that Sarapo drove her body back to Paris secretly so that fans would think she had died in her hometown. She is buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris next to her daughter Marcelle, where her grave is among the most visited. Buried in the same grave are her father, Louis-Alphonse Gassion, and Théo (Lamboukas) Sarapo. The name inscribed at the foot of the tombstone is Famille Gassion-Piaf. Her name is engraved on the side as Madame Lamboukas dite Édith Piaf.” (Édith Piaf, Wikipedia)

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Cortile di Michelozzo

Cortile di Michelozzo, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Via Cavour, Florence

Cortile di Michelozzo
Palazzo Medici Riccardi
Via Cavour
Florence, January 2018

Friday, May 25, 2018

Chapel of Jak

Chapel of Jak, replica of the Portal of the Church of Jak, Vajdahunyad vára, Vajdahunyad Castle, Városliget, City Park, Budapest

Chapel of Jak (replica of the Portal of the Church of Jak)
Vajdahunyad vára (Vajdahunyad Castle)
Városliget (City Park)
Budapest, September 2017

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Turbine Hall

Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, Bankside, Southwark, London

Turbine Hall, Tate Modern
Bankside, Southwark
London, September 2016

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Palazzo Lombardia

Palazzo Lombardia, Lombardy Building by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, Via Melchiorre Gioia, Milan

Palazzo Lombardia (Lombardy Building) by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, 2010
Via Melchiorre Gioia
Milan, May 2018

“Palazzo Lombardia (Lombardy Building) is a complex of buildings in Milan, Italy, including a 39-storey, 161 m (528 ft) tall skyscraper. It is the main seat of the government of Lombardy, located in the Centro Direzionale di Milano (Directional Centre of Milan) district, north-west of the city centre. It was first inaugurated on 22 January 2010, and officially completed on 21 March 2010. After its completion, the Regione Lombardia skyscraper was briefly the tallest skyscraper both in Milan and in Italy, being taller than both the Telecom Italia Tower in Naples and the Pirelli Tower in Milan. It lost its supremacy to the Unicredit Tower (also located in Milan) in 2011.” (Palazzo Lombardia, Wikipedia) Milan, May 2018

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Polis

Polis (City-state) by Joannis Avramidis, Forecourt terrace of the Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery), Potsdamer Straße, Berlin

“Polis” (City-state) by Joannis Avramidis, 1968
Forecourt terrace of the Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery)
Potsdamer Straße
Berlin, September 2011

Monday, May 21, 2018

Allegory of Temperance

Allegory of Temperance by Charles-Alphonse Guméry, Fontaine Saint-Michel by Gabriel Davioud, Place Saint-Michel, Quartier de la Monnaie, 6th arrondissement, Paris

Allegory of Temperance by Charles-Alphonse Guméry
Fontaine Saint-Michel by Gabriel Davioud, 1860
Place Saint-Michel
Quartier de la Monnaie, 6th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

Sunday, May 20, 2018

St. Mark and the Sconce

St. Mark by Donatello (copy), Orsanmichele, Sconce by 'Il Caparra'
Via dei Lamberti
Florence

St. Mark by Donatello, 1411 (copy)
Orsanmichele
Sconce by ‘Il Caparra’
Via dei Lamberti
Florence, December 2017

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Střelecký ostrov

Sitting on a bench along the Vltava, Střelecký ostrov, Střelecký Island, Staré Město, Old City, Prague

Sitting on a bench along the Vltava
Střelecký ostrov (Střelecký Island)
Staré Město (Old City)
Prague, September 2017

“A romantic place hidden in the shade of mature trees in the heart of city under the Legion Bridge enchants visitors with its old-time atmosphere and exceptional views of the city directly from the surface of the Vltava River. Occasionally, celebrations, concerts, open-air festivals, and various other cultural events are held here.” (Střelecký Island, Prague.eu)

Friday, May 18, 2018

Orbit & London Stadium

ArcelorMittal Orbit and London Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, London

ArcelorMittal Orbit and London Stadium
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford
London, September 2016

“The ArcelorMittal Orbit (often referred to as the Orbit Tower or its original name, Orbit) is a 114.5-metre-high sculpture and observation tower in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, London. It is Britain's largest piece of public art, and is intended to be a permanent lasting legacy of London's hosting of the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, assisting in the post-Olympics regeneration of the Stratford area. Sited between the Olympic Stadium (now called London Stadium) and the Aquatics Centre, it allows visitors to view the whole Olympic Park from two observation platforms.” (ArcelorMittal Orbit, Wikipedia)
“London Stadium (formerly and also known as Olympic Stadium and the Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park) is a multi-purpose outdoor stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in the Stratford district of London. It was constructed specifically for the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics, serving as the track-and-field venue, and as the site of their opening and closing ceremonies. Following the Games, the stadium was renovated as a multi-purpose stadium and it now serves primarily as the home of West Ham United of the Premier League.” (London Stadium, Wikipedia)

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Colonne di San Lorenzo

Colonne di San Lorenzo, Columns of San Lorenzo, Corso di Porta Ticinese, Milan

Colonne di San Lorenzo (Columns of San Lorenzo)
Corso di Porta Ticinese
Milan, May 2018

“The Colonne di San Lorenzo or Columns of San Lorenzo is a group of ancient Roman ruins, located in front of the Basilica of San Lorenzo in central Milan, region of Lombardy, northern Italy. The colonnade, consisting mainly of 16 tall Corinthian columns in a row, now fronts an open square. In the 4th century, the columns were moved here, after removal from a likely 2nd century pagan temple or public bath house structure. South of the columns, one of the medieval gates still has some Roman marble decoration in place. In the 16th century, in preparations for a celebratory entrance into Milan of the monarch King Phillip II of Spain, it was proposed to raze the colonnade to widen the route; Ferrante Gonzaga declined the suggestion.” (Colonne di San Lorenzo, Wikipedia)

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Fontána Družby

Fontána Družby, Lipový kvet, Fountain of union, Linden flower, Námestie Slobody, Staré Mesto, Old Town, Bratislava

Fontána Družby (Lipový kvet) / Fountain of union (Linden flower), 1980
Námestie Slobody, Staré Mesto (Old Town)
Bratislava, September 2017

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Allegory of Justice

Allegory of Justice by Louis-Valentin Robert, Fontaine Saint-Michel by Gabriel Davioud, Place Saint-Michel, Quartier de la Monnaie, 6th arrondissement, Paris

Allegory of Justice by Louis-Valentin Robert
Fontaine Saint-Michel by Gabriel Davioud, 1860
Place Saint-Michel
Quartier de la Monnaie, 6th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

Monday, May 14, 2018

The Wolf of Siena

upa Capitolina, Capitoline Wolf, Piazza del Duomo, Siena

Lupa Capitolina (Capitoline Wolf)
Piazza del Duomo
Siena, April 2017

“According to a legend Siena was founded by Senius and Aschius, two sons of Remus. When they fled Rome, they took the statue of the She-wolf to Siena, which became the symbol of the town.” (Capitoline Wolf, Wikipedia)

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Oberes Belvedere

Oberes Belvedere, Upper Belvedere, Prinz Eugen-Straße, Vienna

Oberes Belvedere (Upper Belvedere), 1723
Prinz Eugen-Straße
Vienna, September 2017

“The construction of the Upper Belvedere began as early as 1717, as testified by two letters that Prince Eugene sent from Belgrade to his servant Benedetti in summer 1718, describing the progress of work on the palace. Construction was so far advanced by 2 October 1719 that the prince was able to receive the Turkish ambassador Ibrahim Pasha there. The decoration of the interior started as early as 1718. In 1719 he commissioned the Italian painter Francesco Solimena to execute both the altarpiece for the Palace Chapel and the ceiling fresco in the Golden Room. In the same year Gaetano Fanti was commissioned to execute the illusionistic quadratura painting in the Marble Hall. In 1720 Carlo Carlone was entrusted with the task of painting the ceiling fresco in the Marble Hall, which he executed from 1721 to 1723.” (Upper Belvedere, Wikipedia)

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Cartier

Cartier, New Bond Street, Mayfair, London

Cartier
New Bond Street
Mayfair
London, September 2016

Friday, May 11, 2018

Centro Artistico Alik Cavaliere

Centro Artistico Alik Cavaliere, Via Edmondo De Amicis, Milan

Centro Artistico Alik Cavaliere
Via Edmondo De Amicis
Milan, May 2018

“Alik Cavaliere (1926-1998) was an Italian sculptor. He spent his life researching the meaning of life, freedom, nature, and history. Atheist and libertarian since generations, he didn't believe in any preconceived, final structure of the society, the environment, or the whole universe. Neither he followed any art movements of his times, although he knew all of them and was temporarily influenced by some. He strove along his own way, narrating his perceptions with witty irony, through sculptures made up of a wide range of materials, disposed in a chaotic labyrinth which visitors are forced to traverse without being able to find a definitive point of view.” (Alik Cavaliere, Wikipedia)

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Franz Liszt

Statue of Franz Liszt by László Marton, with József Finta and László Szlávics Jr., Nádor utca, Budapest

Statue of Franz Liszt by László Marton, 1986
(with József Finta and László Szlávics Jr.)
Nádor utca
Budapest, September 2017

“Franz Liszt's statue in the center of the square captures both the essence of the famous composer and the size of his hands, which alludes to his skill on the piano. which allude to his skill on the piano. Unveiled in 1986, it is the work of prize-winning sculptor László Marton, who also sculpted the Little Princess statue on the Danube promenade. Other artworks in the square include a bronze statue to Hungarian poet Endre Ady and a very unusual work dedicated to Sir Georg Solti, a Hungarian-born conductor and a long-serving music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.” (Franz Liszt Square, GPSMyCity)

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Allegory of Power

Allegory of Power by Claude-Jean Guillaume, Fontaine Saint-Michel by Gabriel Davioud, Place Saint-Michel, Quartier de la Monnaie, 6th arrondissement, Paris

Allegory of Power by Claude-Jean Guillaume
Fontaine Saint-Michel by Gabriel Davioud, 1860
Place Saint-Michel
Quartier de la Monnaie, 6th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Museo Stefano Bardini

Museo Stefano Bardini, Via dei Renai, Florence

Museo Stefano Bardini
Via dei Renai
Florence, January 2018

“The museum is named after its creator, Stefano Bardini (1854-1922), the most authoritative Italian antiquarian, who, after years of intense business activity, decided to transform his collection into a museum and donate it to the Municipality of Florence. The palazzo where the museum is housed was bought and renovated by Bardini himself in 1881 so he could carry out his antique business. With some changes to the structure and the addition of some authentic architectural elements such as tympanums, portals and stairs, the antiquarian Bardini transformed the old building, once the church and convent of San Gregorio della Pace, into a charming neo-Renaissance palazzo suitable for housing not only the exhibition gallery but also a series of laboratories where the works of art were restored, ready to be sold.” (Museo Stefano Bardini, Città di Firenze)

Monday, May 7, 2018

Alexanderplatz station

Berlin Alexanderplatz station

Berlin Alexanderplatz station
Alexanderplatz
Berlin, September 2011

“Berlin Alexanderplatz is a German railway station in the Mitte district of Berlin's city centre. It is one of the busiest transport hubs in the Berlin area. The station takes its name from its location on Alexanderplatz, near the Fernsehturm and the World Clock. Like other long-distance stations, Alexanderplatz is also a shopping centre for selling merchandise to travellers. Due to its importance and central location, it is a site where tourists regularly change. Alexanderplatz thereby became the second major hub of the Berlin U-Bahn network, behind Nollendorfplatz station. Four Regional-Express and Regionalbahn lines, as well as S-Bahn lines S3, S5, S7, and S9, call at the overground station. The adjacent underground station is one of the largest on the Berlin U-Bahn network, with lines U2, U5, and U8 stopping there. The station is also served by four tram lines, as well as four bus lines during the day and many night bus lines.” (Berlin Alexanderplatz station, Wikipedia)

Sunday, May 6, 2018

Southbank Centre

Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, Southwark, Lambeth, London

Southbank Centre Belvedere Road Southwark, Lambeth London, September 2016

“Southbank Centre is a complex of artistic venues in London, England, on the South Bank of the River Thames (between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo Bridge). It comprises three main performance venues (the Royal Festival Hall including the Saison Poetry Library, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Purcell Room), together with the Hayward Gallery, and is Europe’s largest centre for the arts. It attracted 4.36 million visitors during 2019. Over two thousand paid performances of music, dance and literature are staged at Southbank Centre each year, as well as over two thousand free events and an education programme, in and around the performing arts venues. In addition, three to six major art exhibitions are presented at the Hayward Gallery yearly, and national touring exhibitions reach over 100 venues across the UK.” (Southbank Centre, Wikipedia)

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Pusterla di Sant’Ambrogio

Pusterla di Sant’Ambrogio, Saint Ambrose postern, Via Giosuè Carducci, Milan

Pusterla di Sant’Ambrogio (Saint Ambrose postern), 1171 AD (restored in 1939)
Via Giosuè Carducci
Milan, May 2018

“The Pusterla di Sant’Ambrogio (Saint Ambrose postern in English) was originally built in 1171 after the city was destroyed by Frederik I Barbarossa in 1162. This postern was one of the ten secondary gates of Milan medieval walls. When in the 16th century the new set of city walls went up (under the Spanish domination of the city), the Pusterla of Saint Ambrose was turned into a prison. In 1939 this postern was completely restored with the original features.” (Pusterla di Sant’Ambrogio, Wikipedia)

Friday, May 4, 2018

Loreta

Loreta, Loretánské náměstí, Hradčany, Castle District, Prague

Loreta
Loretánské náměstí
Hradčany (Castle District)
Prague, September 2017

“Loreta is a pilgrimage destination in Hradčany, a district of Prague, Czech Republic. It consists of a cloister, the church of the Lord’s Birth, the Santa Casa and a clock tower with a famous chime. Construction started in 1626 and the Holy Hut was blessed on 25 March 1631. The architect was the Italian Giovanni Orsi, and the project was financed by Kateřina Benigna, a noblewoman of the Lobkowicz family. Fifty years later the place of pilgrimage was surrounded by cloisters, to which an upper storey was added after 1740 by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer. The baroque facade was designed by the architects Christoph Dientzenhofer and Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, and added at the beginning of the 18th century.”

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Allegory of Prudence

Allegory of Prudence by Jean-Auguste Barre, Fontaine Saint-Michel by Gabriel Davioud, Place Saint-Michel, Quartier de la Monnaie, 6th arrondissement, Paris

Allegory of Prudence by Jean-Auguste Barre
Fontaine Saint-Michel by Gabriel Davioud, 1860
Place Saint-Michel
Quartier de la Monnaie, 6th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Lungarno degli Archibusieri

Lungarno degli Archibusieri seen from the Ponte Vecchio, Florence

Lungarno degli Archibusieri
Seen from the Ponte Vecchio
Florence, December 2017

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Národná banka Slovenska

Národná banka Slovenska, National Bank of Slovakia, Mýtna, Imricha Karvaša, Staré Mesto, Old Town, Bratislava

Národná banka Slovenska (National Bank of Slovakia), 2002
Mýtna / Imricha Karvaša
Staré Mesto (Old Town)
Bratislava, September 2017