Church of San Domenico

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Church of San Domenico
Corso Italia
Pisa, November 2024

“San Domenico is a Gothic-style, Roman Catholic church in Pisa, Italy. It was erected in 1385, under the guidance of Pietro Gambacorti, adjacent to a Dominican Convent. Pietro's daughter, the beatified Chiara Gambacorti, resided in that convent. In 1724 through 1732, the interior was decorated in the ornate late-Baroque style. The church and the adjacent convent were extensively damaged during World War II. It is today in use by the Order of the Knights of Malta. The interior is decorated by medieval frescoes and canvases by Giovanni Battista Tempesti depicting the ‘Life of the beatified Chiara’ (1782).” (San Domenico, Wikipedia)

Great Saint Martin Church

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Great Saint Martin Church
An Groß St. Martin
Cologne, September 2024

“The Great Saint Martin Church (Groß Sankt Martin, mostly shortened to Groß St. Martin) is a Romanesque Catholic church in Cologne, Germany. Its foundations (c.960 AD) rest on remnants of a Roman chapel, built on what was then an island in the Rhine. The church was later transformed into a Benedictine monastery. The current buildings, including a soaring crossing tower that is a landmark of Cologne's Old Town, were erected between 1150-1250. The architecture of its eastern end forms a triconch or trefoil plan, consisting of three apses around the crossing, similar to that at St. Maria im Kapitol. The church was badly damaged in World War II; restoration work was completed in 1985.” (Great St. Martin Church, Wikipedia)

Ferrari 360

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Ferrari 360
Piazza Roma
Modena, May 2024

“The Ferrari 360 (Type F131) is a two-seater, mid-engine, rear wheel drive sports car manufactured by Italian automotive manufacturer Ferrari from 1999 until 2004. It succeeded the Ferrari F355 and was replaced by the Ferrari F430 in 2004. Ferrari partnered with Alcoa to produce an entirely new all-aluminum space-frame chassis that was 40% stiffer than its predecessor's which had utilized steel. The design was 28% lighter despite a 10% increase in overall dimensions. Along with a lightweight frame the new Pininfarina body styling deviated from traditions of the previous decade's sharp angles and flip-up headlights. The V8 engine has a 3.6-litre capacity, a flat-plane crankshaft, and titanium connecting rods. The engine generates a power output of 400 PS (294 kW; 395 hp). According to Ferrari, weight was reduced by 60 kg (130 lb) and the 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time improved from 4.7 to 4.5 seconds.” (Ferrari 360, Wikipedia)

Junior-Haus

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Junior-Haus by Wilhelm Berentzen, 1951
Kaiserplatz
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Junior House is a striking building on Kaiserplatz in downtown Frankfurt am Main, built in 1951. Its architect is Wilhelm Berentzen (1898–1984), who also designed the Rundschau House, built in 1954 and demolished in 2005. The Junior House is named after its builder, Kurt Junior, who ran the Jacob Carl Juniorsche Liegenschaftsverwaltung (property management company). Mercedes-Benz operated a prestigious showroom in the basement for over 50 years, and a restaurant briefly operated there in 2010. A large Mercedes star still adorns the roof. Until it was destroyed in a bombing raid in 1944, there was a house with a café on the site, which Jacob Carl Junior bought and converted around 1890. The nine-story building is almost 35 meters high. With its circular, glass staircase, flanked by office wings on both sides at an acute angle, the corner building between Kaiserstraße and Friedensstraße, opposite the traditional Frankfurter Hof hotel, is considered one of the most important buildings of the reconstruction period.” (Junior-Haus, Wikipedia)

Palazzo Cassoli-Tirelli

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Palazzo Cassoli-Tirelli
Via Toschi
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“Palazzo Cassoli – Tirelli is a building located at Via Toschi, 32, in the historic centre of Reggio Emilia, Italy. It was built in 1915 as the city residence for count Giuseppe Cassoli and his wife countess Barbara Tirelli. The project of the building was made by Luigi Caldini from Florence, in the new eclectic Neo-Gothic-style with turrets and merlionated rooflines. The family kept an important art collection in the building until they lived there. The country residence of the counts was the ‘Il Più Bello’ (the most beautiful) castle, located between the towns of Albinea and Puianello in the hills near Reggio.” (Palazzo Cassoli-Tirelli, Wikipedia)

Gewandhaus

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Gewandhaus by Rudolf Skoda, 1981
Augustusplatz
Leipzig, September 2024

“The third and current Gewandhaus on Augustusplatz and the eastern part of the inner city ring road opened on 8 October 1981, two hundred years after the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra moved into the original hall. The foundation stone was laid by conductor Kurt Masur on 8 November 1977. The architect was Rudolf Skoda, who like his predecessor Dauthe was also a native of Leipzig. The design of the hall carefully took into consideration its precedents' reputation for excellent acoustics. During construction, the hall was even filled up several times with soldiers of the East German Nationale Volksarmee to test its sound quality at full capacity. During the Autumn of Nations in 1989, the Gewandhaus became a platform for political dissent against the Communist authorities, as Masur opened up the hall for public discussion on the future and reform of the GDR (the so-called ‘Gewandhaus Talks’). Today's Gewandhaus has a seating capacity of 1900, and features a Schuke concert organ with 6,845 pipes.” (Gewandhaus, Wikipedia)

Collegio Morigi

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Collegio Morigi, former Palazzo Scotti da Fombio
Via Taverna
Piacenza, May 2024

“One of the grandest historic homes in Piacenza dating back to the second half of the 15th century; it hosted illustrious figures such as the Duke of Milan M. Sforza in 1513 and the Marquis of Mantua F. Gonzaga in 1521. The palace, which originally extended to Vicolo S. Nazaro, was built between 1479 and 1495, when the property was divided between two branches of the same family. The façade on Via Taverna retains its original 15th century appearance with a terracotta façade and a stone frieze that runs under the windows on the first floor; the marble portal sculpted in 1497 is of great value. The internal courtyard has an elegant terracotta portico with stone columns and capitals; in one of the corners stands the ancient tower decorated with sandstone mullioned windows. Since the 18th century the interiors have been enriched with decorations, while the grand staircase dates back to 1825. In 1864 the Scotti family sold the building to the executors of the will of the doctor G.Morigi who wanted to make it a college for the city's youth.” (Palazzo Scotti da Fombio, FAI)

Alter Bock auf Säule

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“Alter Bock auf Säule” (Old goat on a pillar) by Peter Fritzsche, 1988
Hauptstraße, Neustadt
Dresden, September 2024

“It's wonderful how the old goat peers down suspiciously from its column... Peter Fritzsche created this sculpture in 1988. On the column's shaft, you can see – very small – scenes from the lives of lovers, married couples, and other couples. The Old Bock stands on Dresden's main street, not far from Albertplatz.” (Funny bronze sculptures in Dresden, Das schöne Detail)

Vittorio Bottego

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Monument to Vittorio Bottego by Ettore Ximenes, 1907
Piazzale Dalla Chiesa
Parma, May 2024

“This monument, which dates back to 1907, is work of the sculptor architect from Palermo Ettore Ximenes and it was projected for free because of the friendship which bound the sculptor to Vittorio Bottego. An ample tank gathers the waters gushing out from the monument formed by a tall boulders pedestal, which on the bronze statue rises from, Bottego in colonial troops uniform facing toward East. By the sides, the two Gauloises warriors represent the rivers Giuba and Omo. The monument is situated in Piazzale dalla Chiesa, in front of the railway station.” (Vittorio Bottego monument, Parma Welcome)

Náměstí Míru

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Platform of the Metro station on Line A
Náměstí Míru, Vinohrady
Prague, September 2024

“Náměstí Míru (Peace Square) is a Prague Metro station on Line A. It is located in Vinohrady district under Korunní Street and has one exit through an escalator tunnel with a sub-surface vestibule under the plaza of the same name. The exit of the metro station is in the immediate vicinity of the Church of St. Ludmila and Vinohrady Theatre. The station was completed along with the first section of Line A, between Leninova and Náměstí Míru, and opened on 12 August 1978. It served as a terminus until the extension of Line A to Želivského station on 19 December 1980. Náměstí Míru is the deepest station of the Prague Metro, its platform is situated 53 metres below surface. The station has the longest escalators in European Union (length 87 m, vertical span 43.5 m, 533 steps, taking 2 minutes and 21 seconds to ascend or 2 minutes 19 seconds to descend without walking). Náměstí Míru, however, is not the deepest point within the Prague Metro network; this record belongs to the tunnel between Hradčanská and Malostranská stations (68 m below surface). The station is named after the square under which it is located. During the 2002 European floods the station became the western terminus for its line, with trains running to Skalka. Náměstí Míru is intended to be part of the new Line D, with trains running between the station and C-line station Pankrác. The D-line station is intended to be built closer to the surface, meaning the existing station on the A-line will continue to be the deepest on the network.” (Náměstí Míru, Wikipedia)

San Michele in Borgo

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San Michele in Borgo
Borgo Stretto
Pisa, November 2024

“The façade, in Pisan Romanesque style with Gothic influences, has a lower part from the 13th century, while the upper part with loggias dates back to the 14th century, like the tabernacle with the ‘Madonna and Child, angels and the offering abbot’ by Lupo di Francesco (a copy, the original is in the Museum of San Matteo). On the façade you can read 17th century writings for the election of the rector of the University.” (San Michele in Borgo, Wikipedia)

Frankenwerft

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Altstadt-Nord facades
Frankenwerft
Cologne, September 2024

“Today, the Frankenwerft is a car-free pedestrian area with large lawns directly on the Rhine, bordering the Martinsviertel district with the river. Since traffic in this section of the street has been relocated underground since 1982 and the open space has been landscaped, it is also called the Rheingarten ( Rhine Garden). Today, Cologne residents and tourists enjoy strolling here, as there is no longer any traffic in the Martinsviertel and along the Rhine riverbanks. One restaurant follows the next along the facades, and even in autumn, people sit outside in the evenings and enjoy the mild Rhine air. The fish market is located in the middle of the Frankenwerft at the height of the Romanesque church of Groß St. Martin, it forms the opening from the Martinsviertel to the Rhine.” (Frankenwerft, KoelnWiki)

Monumento ai Caduti

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Monumento ai Caduti nella Prima Guerra Mondiale
(Monument to the Fallen in the First World War) by Ermenegildo Luppi, 1929
Parco della Rimembranza
Modena, May 2024

“Monument with a vertical structure higher than 14 meters, formed by a central body made of four marble columns. On the top of the columns there is a large bronze statue, 4 meters high, depicting the Winged Victory, with a severe face, dressed in a long peple with a shield in her left arm and a dagger in her right arm. The columns stands on a travertine socket adorned with laurel wreaths and carved oak and placed on a circular staircase. Around the base, at the four corners, are four bronze sculptures are represent: the Offer, the Farewell, the Fighter and the Sacrifice.” (Monument to the Fallen in the First World War, Statues - Hither & Thither)

Henninger Turm

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Henninger Turm by Meixner Schlüter Wendt, 2017
Hainer Weg
Frankfurt, September 2024

“In November 2012, it was announced that Henninger Turm would be demolished because it was too costly and uneconomic for renovation. Demolition began in January 2013 and was completed by the end of the year. On its site a new 140-metre-tall (460 ft) residential tower was built. Being inspired by the former Henninger Turm, the design was conceived by the architects Meixner Schlüter Wendt.[6] Whereas both the contours and the side facing the city are strongly reminiscent of the original appearance of the old silo, the three other sides clearly indicate the new building's function as a residential tower. It contains 209 luxury apartments. The cornerstone for this project was laid in June 2014 and the tower was completed in summer 2017.” (Henninger Turm, Wikipedia)

Arte dei Mercanti del Panno

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Palazzo dell'Arte dei Mercanti del Panno
Via Toschi
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“Begun at the end of the 15th century, the Palazzo dell’Arte dei Mercanti del Panno was completed in 1541 and housed the cloth merchants’ guild until the 18th century. The building, located in Via San Carlo on the corner of Via Filippo, is characterised by a noble and tall portico, now partly blind, with terracotta and sandstone columns. A capital with a goat’s head remains. The ‘purgo’ (hence the ancient name of Via del Purgo or Contrada delle Purghe) was connected to the noble building, that is, the place where the wool fabrics were freed from the grease used in their processing, and it overlooked the main branch of the Secchia canal, coming from Via del Guazzatoio, from which it drew the water needed for washing the wool and for motive power. The ‘purgo’ structure was later demolished: even the Secchia canal is no longer visible. The second floor of the Palazzo is due to the 19th-century restoration. Regarding the pictorial decoration of the building, it seems that it was designed in the sixteenth century by the famous painter from Novellara, Lelio Orsi, but it is doubtful whether it was built according to the preserved drawings.” (Palazzo dell'Arte dei Mercanti del Panno, Travel Italia)

Krochhochhaus

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Krochhochhaus (Kroch High-rise) by German Bestelmeyer, 1928
Augustusplatz
Leipzig, September 2024

“The 43 m (141 ft) tall Kroch high-rise in Leipzig was the first high-rise building in the city. It was built in 1927/28 as the headquarter of the Kroch Banking House, a private bank of the German-Jewish banker Hans Kroch (1887–1970), and is located on the west side of Augustusplatz. It is topped by a clock and two buff sentries modelled after the St Mark's Clocktower in Venice. In the 1926 architectural competition organized by Bankhaus Kroch together with the Leipzig City Council, the architect German Bestelmeyer (1874–1942) took one of the two second places. The building was so controversial that the four upper levels of the twelve-storey building were just a wooden mock-up for a time, and then a film simulation. The approval was finally granted on 16 December 1927. The building opened on 1 August 1928. The outstanding feature of the high-rise and thus the landmark of Augustusplatz is the striking mechanism on the roof, which consists of three bells. The bells are struck by two 3.3 m (11 ft) tall bellmen. Below the bells is the Latin inscription OMNIA VINCIT LABOR (Work conquers all). Below this is the display of the moon phases flanked by two relief depictions of lions, which take up the entire front section of the 12th floor. There are therefore windows on the 12th floor only at the back of the building. The 11th floor only has two windows instead of the three used on the other floors, between which there is a tower clock with a dial 4.3 m (14 ft) in diameter.” (Kroch High-rise, Wikipedia)

Cappella del Battistero

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Cappella del Battistero (Baptistery Chapel)
San Giovanni in Canale
Via Croce
Piacenza, May 2024

“On the upper front wall, an oval painting depicting the Circumcision stands out, by the renowned painter Gervasio Gatti, also known as ‘Il Soiaro,’ who was active primarily in Cremona in the 16th century. This exquisite work, dated 1585, rich in detail and chromatic appeal, was transferred to the Baptistery chapel after a long journey that saw it stolen and subsequently rediscovered in 1920. The painting exudes a powerful emotional charge, with intensely rendered faces that convey the emotions of the depicted figures to the viewer, with particular emphasis on the tender bond between Jesus and his Mother Mary. The lunette below features a fresco of The Baptism of Jesus, by the Piacenza painter Luciano Ricchetti, commissioned in 1959 following the chapel's transformation into a baptistery. Two marble columns at the corners support the statues of Faith and Charity, attributed to the sculptor Giuliano Mozzani and created between 1730 and 1734, adding further decorative elements of great refinement to the chapel. On the left wall of the chapel is a large marble epigraph from 1742 dedicated to Count Ranuccio Douglas Scotti of Agazzano, the work of Piacenza sculptor Gian Antonio Seri, which testifies to the noble Scotti family's connection to the church of San Giovanni in Canale. At the center of the chapel is the 1960 baptismal font, crafted from pink Verona marble by Piacenza sculptor Pietro Daveri, while an elegant 18th-century gate gracefully encloses this sacred space.” (>La Cappella del Battistero nella chiesa di San Giovanni in Canale, Il Nuovo Giornale)

Joseph Fröhlich

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Hofnarr Joseph Fröhlich (Royal jester Joseph Fröhlich) by Heinrich Apel, 1978
Neustädter Markt (Am Narrenhäusel)
Dresden, September 2024

“Joseph Fröhlich (18 February 1694 in Altaussee , Duchy of Styria; 24 June 1757 in Marienmont near Warsaw, Kingdom of Poland) was the court jester of Augustus the Strong. Fröhlich was born the son of a traveling merchant and the granddaughter of a mill owner in Altaussee (Scheichlmühle) in Styria, Austria. His father died before Joseph was born, so the child grew up in his grandfather's mill and initially learned the milling trade. While on his travels, he learned his first tricks of sleight of hand. In 1719 he married Ursula Lainbach, who bore him two sons and a daughter.” (Joseph Fröhlich, Wikipedia)

Teatro Regio

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Teatro Regio
Strada Garibaldi
Parma, May 2024

“Teatro Regio di Parma, originally constructed as the Nuovo Teatro Ducale (New Ducal Theatre), is an opera house and opera company in Parma, Italy. Replacing an obsolete house, the new Ducale achieved prominence in the years after 1829, and especially so after the composer Giuseppe Verdi, who was born near Busseto, some thirty kilometres away, had achieved fame. Also well known in Parma was the conductor Arturo Toscanini, born there in 1867. As has been noted by Lee Marshall, ‘while not as well known as La Scala in Milan or La Fenice in Venice, the city’s Teatro Regio... is considered by opera buffs to be one of the true homes of the great Italian tradition, and the well-informed audience is famous for giving voice to its approval or disapproval – not just from the gallery.’ The 1,400-seat auditorium, with four tiers of boxes topped by a gallery, was inaugurated on 16 May 1829 when it presented the premiere of Vincenzo Bellini's ‘Zaira’, a production which was staged another seven times, although it did not prove to be popular with the Parma audiences. Initially Rossini had been invited to compose a work for the inauguration of the house, but he was too busy and so the task fell to Bellini. However, that inaugural season saw three Rossini operas staged, including ‘Moïse et Pharaon’, ‘Semiramide’, and ‘Il barbiere di Siviglia’.” (Teatro Regio, Wikipedia)

Wildflowers and Butterflies

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Fontána Divoženky a poletuchy (Wildflowers and Butterflies Fountain) by Josef Klimeš, 1992
Františkánská zahrada (Franciscan Garden)
Vodičkova, Nové Město
Prague, September 2024

“The Wildflowers and Butterflies Fountain is a bronze sculpture with a drinking fountain placed on a granite pedestal. The author of the work is the sculptor Josef Klimeš (1928–2018). The work is located in the Franciscan Garden in New Town, Prague 1. The fountain, located in the western part of the garden, was created in 1992 and is made using the casting and cutting method. It depicts silhouettes and reliefs of three hollow dancing and fluttering figures (wild girls and flying birds) with prominent holes in the places of the eyes and mouths. The place is freely accessible all year round.” (Wildflowers and Butterflies Fountain, Wikipedia)

Church of Santa Cristina

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Church of Santa Cristina
Lungarno Gambacorti
Pisa, November 2024

"Santa Cristina is a Neoclassical-style, Roman Catholic church in Pisa, region of Tuscany, Italy. It is located on the Lungarno Gambacorti. The church is documented since the 9th century, but the apse area is from the 10th-11th century. Destroyed by a flood in 1115, it was rebuilt three years later. The Count Luigi Archinto, member of a prominent Milanese family, had moved to Pisa in the late 18th century, and in 1814, he had acquired the Agnello palace adjacent to this church. He then patronized and commissioned the reconstruction of the church, which by then was in poor conservation. He commissioned the works from the engineer Francesco Riccetti, who also restored the bell tower." (Santa Cristina, Wikipedia)

Pegel Köln

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Pegel Köln (Cologne water level)
Frankenwerft
Cologne, September 2024

“The Pegel Köln (Cologne water level) is located in Cologne's Old Town North on the left bank of the Rhine and measures the water level of the Rhine at river kilometer 688. It is one of 22 gauges on the Rhine and, along with the Kaub gauge, the most important. It is operated by the Rhine Waterways and Shipping Authority.” (Pegel Köln, Wikipedia)

Saint Mark and the Lion

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San Marco (Saint Mark)
Corso Duomo
Modena, May 2024

“Mark the Evangelist, also known as John Mark or Saint Mark, was the person who is traditionally ascribed to be the author of the Gospel of Mark. Most modern Bible scholars have concluded that the Gospel of Mark was written by an anonymous author rather than an identifiable historical figure, though the topic remains contentious among experts. According to Church tradition, Mark founded the episcopal see of Alexandria, which was one of the five most important sees of early Christianity. His feast day is celebrated on April 25, and his symbol is the winged lion.” (Mark the Evangelist, Wikipedia)

Städel

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Städel
Schaumainkai, Museumsufer
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Städel, officially the Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie, is an art museum in Frankfurt, with one of the most important collections in Germany. The museum is located at the Museumsufer on the Sachsenhausen bank of the River Main. The Städel Museum owns 3,100 paintings, 660 sculptures, more than 4,600 photographs and more than 100,000 drawings and prints. It has around 7,000 m2 (75,000 sq ft) of display and a library of 115,000 books. The Städel was founded in 1817, and is one of the oldest museums in Frankfurt. The founding followed a bequest by the Frankfurt banker and art patron Johann Friedrich Städel (1728–1816), who left his house, art collection and fortune with the request in his will that the institute be set up. In the early years, Städel's former living quarters at Frankfurt's Roßmarkt were used to present his collection. The collection received its first exhibition building at the Neue Mainzer Straße in 1833. In 1878, a new museum building, in the Neo-Renaissance style, was erected by Oskar Sommer on Schaumainkai, a street along the south side of the river Main.” (Städel, Wikipedia)

Palazzo Fontanelli-Ceretti

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Palazzo Fontanelli-Ceretti
Via Dante Alighieri
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“Of sober Renaissance design, from the first half of the 16th century, it preserves, with the original brick order, a small corner balcony and a very degraded sandstone flag-stand; it is located on the corner between Via Roma and Via Dante, on whose side stood out a Renaissance portal attributed to Bartolomeo Spani, now preserved in the Civic Museums. Opposite it is the church of Ss. Giacomo e Filippo, of Romanesque foundation and late Baroque reconstruction (Gianmaria Ferraroni, 1742) with an original bell tower.” (Palazzo Fontanelli-Ceretti, Touring Club Italiano)

Specks Hof

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Specks Hof by Emil Franz Hänsel, 1929
(Restoration RKW architects, 1995)
Reichsstraße / Nikolaistraße
Leipzig, September 2024

“Specks Hof is a commercial building with the oldest preserved shopping arcade in Leipzig, Germany. The complex near St. Nicholas Church is an example of Leipzig's trade fair and trading buildings, which were built at the beginning of the 20th century. Specks Hof stretches over 82 m (269.0 ft) along Schuhmachergäßchen between Reichsstrasse and Nikolaistrasse, where the building has front lengths of 40 m (131.2 ft) and 47 m (154.2 ft) respectively. To the south it borders on the Reichshof, the Hansahaus and the post-war new building with the oriel window called Fürstenerker. The postal addresses are Reichsstrasse 4 and Nikolaistrasse 3–9.” (Specks Hof, Wikipedia)

Dragon lamp

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Dragon lamp
Palazzo Comunale (Palazzo Gotico)
Piazza del Cavalli
Piacenza, May 2024

“In 1281, the ghibellin Alberto Scoto, wanted to build the palace and sent for four architects from Piacenza: Pietro da Cagnano, Negro De Negri, Gherardo Bellman and Pietro da Borghetto. Following the first project, the palace should have been quadrangular, but work was stopped due to an epidemic plague. Only the north side of the palace was finished. The result is an excellent example of civil ogive architecture in lombard Gothic style.” (Palazzo Comunale, Wikipedia)

Boy on a turkey

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“Boy on a turkey” by Georg Wrba, 1913
Italienisches Dörfchen
Theaterplatz
Dresden, September 2024

“The Italienisches Dörfchen (Italian Village) is a restaurant in Dresden. It is located on Theaterplatz, near the Hofkirche (Court Church), the Zwinger Palace, and the Semper Opera House, in the historic part of the city center. The name refers to earlier buildings on this site. When the Italian architect Gaetano Chiaveri built the Catholic Court Church, Chiaveri's craftsmen and artists, who presumably also came from Italy, lived in numerous small houses near the construction site on the steep left bank of the Elbe bend. This followed the principle of the cathedral construction lodges, which were established in the Middle Ages during the construction and later for the maintenance of great cathedrals. Dresden's locals soon dubbed the houses the ‘Italian Village.’ The settlement, with the exception of a few inns, was demolished to build the new Royal Court Theater, the first Semper Opera House.” (Italienisches Dörfchen, Wikipedia)

Cittadella di Parma

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Cittadella di Parma (Cittadella di Parma)
Parco Cittadella
Parma, May 2024

“The Citadel of Parma (Italian: Cittadella di Parma) is a pentagonal fortress built in the Emilian city in the last years of the 16th century. The structure was erected at the behest of the Duke of Parma and Piacenza Alessandro Farnese and entrusted to the engineers Giovanni Antonio Stirpio de' Brunelli and Genesio Bresciani with the collaboration of Smeraldo Smeraldi. To build it, the Maggiore canal was diverted, whose course was joined with that of the Comune canal up to the Porta Nuova (today's Barriera Farini). Created for defensive purposes, and for this reason equipped with ramparts and moats, it was later used as barracks, as a prison for political crimes and as a place for executions. Between the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the fortress, which retains its original pentagonal shape, was renovated and used as a public park, with spaces dedicated to sports and children's activities. The structure has five bastions. The main entrance, characterized by a monumental facade in Angera stone, is to the north, while the other, the Porta del Soccorso, is to the south. The main entrance gate, designed by Simone Moschino and built by Giambattista Carra in 1596, has been preserved without later modifications.” (Citadel of Parma, Wikipedia)

Dům U Nováků

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Dům U Nováků (Novak House)
Vodičkova, Nové Město
Prague, September 2024

“The U Nováků House is an Art Nouveau commercial and multi-purpose building at Vodičkova 699/34, 110 00 in New Town, Prague 1, near Wenceslas Square. It was named after Josef Novák, a tailor and textile entrepreneur who operated the department store and also owned a tailor's salon there. The building has been protected as a cultural monument since 1958. The plot once housed the house and shop of the butcher Vodička, after whom the street is named. Here in 1878, the brothers Antonín and Josef Nováková, originally from Česká Třebová, purchased a house and a yarn and toy shop, a former brewery, U Štajgrů, for a relatively small sum. The brothers acquired the shop from a seriously ill owner who died three days after the transaction. The brothers focused the shop solely on selling textiles. After Antonín Novák's death, Josef took over the management of the business, successfully developing it and expanding the range to include tailoring and fashion. The house was built between 1901 and 1904 according to the design of the famous architect Osvald Polívka. It is a multifunctional commercial palace with an arcade, shop and facilities, offices, sports halls, a gaming room and the U Nováků theatre for 700 spectators and a cabaret hall. The client and owner of the building, Josef Novák, died two years after its completion in 1906 , at the age of 51. However, the name J. Novák remained on the house for a long time and was returned to it after the Velvet Revolution of 1989.” (Dům U Nováků, Wikipedia)

Caryatid MTPHSCL

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“Caryatid MTPHSCL” by Alexey Morosov
Via Toselli
Pisa, November 2024

“Four sculptures will be placed outdoors, in a route that traverses the history of the city: starting from Via Duomo, in the context of Piazza dei Miracoli, a position of honour that only a few contemporary artists have had the privilege of conquering. The other works will be placed in Via Pietro Toselli, in front of Palazzo Blu, a historical residence and art centre, Lungarno Gambacorti, in front of the Church of Santa Maria della Spina, Lungarno Ranieri Simonelli, in the space in front of the Guelfa Tower.” (Exodus, Turismo Pisa)

Tauzieher

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“Der Tauzieher” (The Rope Puller) by Nikolaus Friedrich, 1911
Holzmarkt, Rheinauhafen
Cologne, September 2024

“The Tauzieher (Rope puller) is a limestone sculpture by Nikolaus Friedrich which was erected in 1911 in Rheinauhafen, Cologne. It depicts a man making a heavy rope or hawser fast to a bollard and is 6.5 metres (21 feet) in height. In 1980, it was listed as one of the first heritage sites in Cologne. Nikolaus Friedrich was a German sculptor, born in Cologne and working in Charlottenburg. In the 1908 art show of the Association of Cologne Artists at the Flora und Botanischer Garten Köln, he exhibited a sculpted male figure that excited considerable admiration in art circles. A plan was devised to install a version of the work, about twice the size of the original, on an appropriate site in the city. The Cologne friends of the arts took up a collection and when the amount collected was insufficient, the city pledged the remainder. The chosen location was a vacant piece of ground next to the timber market, opposite the new harbour. Erection of the scaffolding began on 21 September 1910. The statue was unveiled on 4 March 1911. It was the first free-standing sculpture in public space in Cologne.” (Tauzieher, Wikipedia)

La rovesciata

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“La rovesciata” (The bicycle kick) by Wainer Vaccari, 2018
Corso Duomo
Modena, May 2024

“Inaugurated in September 2018, the sculpture by the Modena artist Wainer Vaccari is intended as a tribute to the Panini family, famous in the world of international publishing for the stickers in the Calciatori album, adhesive cards that have accompanied and raised an entire generation of children and young people. But, before the stickers, the Panini family and, in particular, Olga Cuoghi Panini, sold newspapers in a kiosk located exactly where the sculpture was placed. The accompanying plaque reads: ‘In this place, on 6 January 1945, Olga Cuoghi Panini and her eight children opened the doors of their newspaper kiosk, the first step in an unforgettable adventure that would bring the name of the family and of Modena to the top of world publishing with the legendary Figurine Panini’.” (A statue of the bicycle kick, Modena Today)

Europaturm

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Europaturm by Erwin Heinle, 1979
Wilhelm-Epstein-Straße
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Europaturm (Tower of Europe) is a 337.5-metre (1,107 ft) high telecommunications tower in Frankfurt, Germany. Designed by architect Erwin Heinle, the tower's construction began in 1974. At its completion five years later, it became the tallest free-standing structure in the Federal Republic of Germany. With its height of 331 metres (1,086 ft), Europaturm became Germany's second tallest structure, after the Fernsehturm Berlin (368 metres (1,207 ft)). Even without the height of the antenna at its top, the building is over 295 metres (968 ft) high, which makes it Germany's tallest structure by roof level. Its base, at 59 metres (194 ft) thick, is the widest of any similar structure in the world. The top of the tower can turn and provides a panoramic view of the Rhine Main area. For a number of years, the upper part of the structure housed a restaurant and discothèque, but since 1999, the Europaturm has been closed to the public. In September, 2004, the antenna at the top of the tower was replaced, increasing its total height to 337.5 metres (1,107 ft). The six-ton antenna was lifted to the top in two parts by helicopter.” (Europaturm, Wikipedia)

Casa Signoretti

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Casa Signoretti
Via Roma
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“Casa Signoretti is a historic aristocratic palace (palazzo) located in the heart of Reggio Emilia, Italy, at Via Emilio Casa Signoretti 4 (near Piazza Prampolini and the cathedral). Built in the late 18th century (around 1780–1790) in late-Baroque / early Neoclassical style. Commissioned by the noble Signoretti family, one of the oldest patrician families of Reggio Emilia. The façade is elegant but relatively sober; the real jewel is the interior, especially the grand staircase and the ballroom with magnificent frescoes and stucco work. The most famous artistic feature is the ballroom decorated around 1790–1800 by the Bolognese painter Gaetano Callani and his school, with neoclassical frescoes depicting mythological scenes and allegories.” (Casa Signoretti, Grok)

Hermes with winged helmet

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Hermes with winged helmet
Thomaskirchhof 21
Leipzig, September 2024

“The house at Thomaskirchhof 21 is a five-story building in a closed development on a rectangular site with a converted attic. The street façade, clad in natural stone, is 20 meters wide. It is designed in the Art Nouveau style and combined with elements of late historicism. The shop entrance is located in the center of the ground floor, and to the left is the house entrance with a passageway to the courtyard. The axes of the ground floor and first floor are connected by arches. From the second floor upwards, two bay windows rise, between which are loggias on two floors and an open balcony on the upper floor. At roof height, the bay windows each support a balcony. A dormer, the width of the bay windows, with a decorated triangular gable, sits on the gable roof. The triangular pediment with two projecting columns is decorated with a depiction of a ship's bow with the Goethe quotation ‘Perseverance be granted to every honest effort’ . On top is a bust of Hermes with a winged helmet , which, like the ship, symbolizes the builder's profession, trade. At the height of the first floor, the names of the architect and the builder are inscribed on the edges of the building.” (Thomaskirchhof 21, Wikipedia)

Compianto sul Cristo morto

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“Compianto sul Cristo morto” by Domenico Reti, 1680
Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi
Piazza Cavalli
Piacenza, May 2024

“The monumental plastic group was originally placed inside a fake cave against the left wall of the ambulatory; its placement in the former Chapel of S. Protaso, restored for the occasion, dates back to the autumn of 1940. Such an interesting baroque document could not escape criticism and tradition has tended to include it in the Mochi catalogue (Aurini 1927; Martinelli 1968); others have spoken of the environment of Begarelli (Collobi 1939 catalog) or of Leonardo Reti (Oretti). The definitive attribution, however, is that of E. Riccomini, who referred the group to Domenico Reti.” (Compianto sul Cristo morto, Catalogo generale dei Beni Culturali)

Café Apotheke

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Café Apotheke
Taschenberg
Dresden, September 2024

“Our antique furniture dates back to the founding period of 1771 and can look back on an exciting history. Shortly after its completion, it was installed in the Leipzig district of Gohlis and put into operation as a pharmacy – although it was considerably larger back then than it is today. The precious interior survived the Second World War almost entirely unscathed and was brought to the Hanseatic city by a Hamburg businessman in the postwar period. There, the pharmacy on Eppendorfer Straße was a well-known and popular destination for those seeking healing for over 50 years. In 2004, however, extensive renovations were underway on Eppendorfer Straße, and the pharmacy was put up for sale. Hamburg coffee king Albert Darboven acquired the historic gem through an antiques dealer to install it in his showroom on Pinkertweg in Hamburg. This was no surprise, as the health-promoting effects of coffee and chocolate have been valued for centuries. These soothing beverages were also sold as medicines in pharmacies for a long time.” (History, Café Apotheke)

Stadio Ennio Tardini

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Stadio Ennio Tardini
Viale Partigiani d'Italia
Parma, May 2024

“Stadio Ennio Tardini, commonly referred to as just Il Tardini, is a football stadium in Parma, Italy, located near the centre of Parma, between the town centre and the city walls. It is the home of Parma Calcio 1913. The stadium was built in 1923 and was named after one of Parma's former presidents, Ennio Tardini. The stadium is the nineteenth largest football stadium in Italy and the second largest in Emilia–Romagna with a capacity of 22,352 spectators. The stadium is the sixth oldest Italian football ground still in use.” (Stadio Ennio Tardini, Wikipedia)

Nobles of Bohemia

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Figural columns (27 executed nobles of Bohemia) by Karel Nepraš, 1995
Liechtenstein Palace
Malostranské náměstí, Malá Strana
Prague, September 2024

“Continued cooperation with arch. Kupka was important for his projects for architecture also in the 1990s. At that time he abandoned assemblages and created a series of stylistically pure cast-iron torso casts (‘Measure of Responsibility’, 1993), figural columns for Liechtenstein Palace (realized by SVOAS, Stará Huť's foundry and engineering plant), semi-figures – columns ‘Three Figures’ (1999, Museum Kampa) or designs for the stone elements of the staircase of Liechtenstein Palace. In his inventive design of the balustrades and railings of the stair hall, he applied the motif of singing angelic choirs in profile.” (Karel Nepraš, Wikipedia)

Bastione Sangallo

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Bastione Sangallo
Piazza Toniolo
Pisa, November 2024

“The Scotto Garden, also called Cittadella Nuova, is a fortress located in Pisa in Lungarno Fibonacci. The structure was built during the first Florentine domination, starting from 1440, where there was the Church of Sant’Andrea in Kinzica; the construction of the fortress, to which also Filippo Brunelleschi contributed, involved the reuse of part of the medieval walls and the disappearance of the ancient quarter. In 1494, during the insurrection of the citizens of Pisa, the fortress was partially destroyed and, following the second Florentine conquest, restored by the architect Giuliano da Sangallo. In 1785 the Bastione Sangallo was dismantled and in its place rose a noble palace that, in 1798, became the property of Domenico Scotto, from which today’s name. The rest of the fortress was transformed into a private garden by the architect Giovanni Caluri and donated to the Municipality of Pisa. The last renovation dates back to 2008 and recently has been completed the restoration of the bastion.” (Giardino Scotto, Terre di Pisa)

Kölner Drehbrücke

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Kölner Drehbrücke (Cologne Swing Bridge), 1896
Drehbrücke, Rheinauhafen
Cologne, September 2024

“The Kölner Drehbrücke (Cologne Swing Bridge) over the Rheinauhafen on the left bank of the Rhine between the Malakoff Tower and the Imhoff Chocolate Museum is Cologne's oldest bridge over the Rhine and is a listed building. It was opened on August 5, 1896, when the branch of the Rhine was being developed into a harbor. This industrial monument was completely renovated in 1986/87 and now belongs to the Imhoff Chocolate Museum Foundation, to which it also provides access. The repair of the hydraulic system, carried out in 1984, cost almost 1 million DM. The bridge is a steel truss bridge with spans of 28.334 m for the long arm and 18.30 m for the short arm. It is 10 m wide, including 5 m for the roadway. To compensate for the unequal weights, the short arm was paved with stone, and the long arm with wooden paving. The rotating mechanism is operated by an electro-hydraulic control system with a pressure of 5 MPa in the Malakoff Tower (from 1850). Originally, the pressure came from a power plant built for the entire port, which was expanded between 1892 and 1898. Before rotating, the bridge is raised by 11.2 cm. The clearance height is 8.20 m (Cologne gauge).” (Kölner Drehbrücke, Wikipedia)

Nicola Fabrizi

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Monument to Nicola Fabrizi by Francesco Fasce, 1896
Giardino Ducale Estense
Modena, May 2024

“Nicola Fabrizi (4 April 1804 – 31 March 1885) was an Italian politician. He was one of the most militant and dedicated leaders of the Risorgimento, the movement aimed at the unification of Italy. Nicola Fabrizi was born on 4 April 1804 in Modena. He took part in the Modena insurrection of 1831, and attempted to succour Ancona, but was arrested. After his release he went to Marseille where he joined the Young Italy movement. Afterwards he organized, with Giuseppe Mazzini, the ill-fated Savoy expedition. Taking refuge in Spain, he fought against the Carlists, and was decorated for valour on the battlefield (18 July 1837).” (Nicola Fabrizi, Wikipedia)

Frankfurter Hof

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Frankfurter Hof
Am Kaiserplatz, Bethmannstraße
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Frankfurter Hof is a hotel in Frankfurt am Main and is part of the Steigenberger Hotel Group. The hotel building is located on Kaiserplatz in Frankfurt's city center. It is a listed building. The hotel lobby, which houses the Hofgarten breakfast restaurant, the OSCAR'S restaurant, and the ‘Autorenbar’, is also open to non-hotel guests. The hotel was built between 1872 and 1876 on the site of the former Weisser Hirsch by Karl Jonas Mylius and Alfred Friedrich Bluntschli. It immediately became one of Frankfurt's top restaurants. The first director was J. Fauchère-Schimon. Albert Steigenberger acquired the hotel in 1940. Just four years later, the building was destroyed by bombs during the Second World War air raids on Frankfurt am Main. The temporary reopening took place in 1948, initially with 20 beds. Five years later, the house was rebuilt in a simplified form—with a penthouse floor replacing the original mansard roof.” (Frankfurter Hof, Wikipedia)

Marble lions

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Marble lions by Gaspare Bigi
Basilica of San Prospero
Piazza di San Prospero
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“On the dais in front of the church are placed six lions (1501), sculpted in rose-colored marble by Gaspare Bigi, and meant to be bases for columns of a portico that had been planned for the church front. In the past, some guides had attributed the lions to Romanesque period sculptors.” (San Prospero, Wikipedia)

Lipsia-Brunnen

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Lipsia-Brunnen
Kleine Fleischergasse / Barfußgäßchen
Leipzig, September 2024

“The Lipsia Fountain is located on the small triangular square created by the slanting confluence of Kleine Fleischergasse and Barfußgäßchen. It faces the historic ‘Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum’ restaurant, the oldest café in Germany. The fountain is made of red granite. From a lower basin, approximately five meters in diameter, rises a second basin on a mighty column depicting four bearded men's faces. Above it, a third basin, narrower still, stands. Beneath this basin, four naked boys hold hands, seeking protection from the water overflowing from a small fountain in the upper basin. The fountain was praised as ‘a significant example of the concept of an organic connection between architecture and sculpture’. In 1913, Max Lange (1868–1947), a physician and sculptor then working in Leipzig, designed this fountain and won first prize in a competition to beautify the city. It was initially intended to be placed on the Naschmarkt. Why this was not done is unknown. It eventually ended up at its current location. The fountain was originally called Puttenbrunnen (Putten Fountain). In art, depictions of naked children are called putti; if they have wings, they are also called angels. However, these are missing here. Because of the Lipsia House, which stands west of the fountain, the name Lipsia Fountain became common and is now officially used. Lipsia is the Latin name for Leipzig.” (Lipsia Fountain, Wikipedia)

Piacenza Cathedral

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Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta e Santa Giustina
Piazza Duomo
Piacenza, May 2024

“The structure has a Latin cross basilica plan, with three naves and three bays. The naves are divided from each other by twenty-five massive cylindrical pillars and end with semi-cylindrical apses. The transept, whose axis is not perpendicular to that of the nave, is also divided into three naves. At the intersection between the nave and the transept is the octagonal dome inside which is the dome, decorated with seventeenth-century frescoes depicting the prophets, the work of Guercino and Morazzone. Some of the pillars were built by the paratici, the trade corporations, or by individual citizens. Seven of these have, as a signature, some small panels with the representation of the association's activity. The name of the paratico is also reported on the panel, written in Latin, almost as if to indicate ownership: Haec est columna furnariorum. In some cases the written signature reports not only the name of the paratico, but also the name of the citizen who sponsored its construction, such as Hugo tinctor or magister Johannes, the latter a cart builder.” (Duomo di Piacenza, Wikipedia)

Kronentor

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Kronentor (Crown Gate)
Ostra-Allee
Dresden, September 2024

“The Kronentor is a pavilion and, alongside the Wallpavillon, the most well-known part of the Dresden Zwinger and is often depicted as the symbol. With its long galleries on either side, its frontage rests on the old fortress wall; however, the gate and galleries form a slight angle to it. The Crown Gate originally provided access from outside the city through the fortress wall via the Wallgraben Bridge. Therefore, there was no stone bridge over the Zwinger Moat to the Crown Gate, commensurate with the structure's importance, but only a narrow wooden footbridge, which would have been quickly dismantled in the event of an attack. It was rebuilt in this form when the Zwinger Moat was exposed and expanded in the 20th century.” (Kronentor, Wikipedia)

Ercole e Anteo

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Ercole e Anteo (Hercules and Antaeus) by Teodoro Vanderstruck, 1687
Palazzo Cusani (Casa della Musica)
Piazzale San Francesco
Parma, May 2024

“The copper sculpture group of Hercules and Antaeus was created between 1684 and 1687 by the Flemish sculptor Van der Struck based on a design by Reti, at the Ducal Hammersmith in Colorno. The statue, depicting the fight between the mythological hero Hercules and the giant Antaeus, was intended to be an integral part of the fountain, as the water flowed directly from Antaeus' mouth. Today the original is located in the center of the courtyard of Palazzo Cusani, known as the House of Music, while the copy is in Via Repubblica leaning against the Palazzo del Comune in Parma. The statue was commissioned by Ranuccio II Farnese in 1684, to decorate a new fountain in the Ducal Garden. In fact, in that period various works were started to arrange the park in view of the wedding of Ranuccio's son, Odoardo III. The work was completed only in 1689, even if the engraving on the foot of Antaeus is dated 1687. The statue walking through the city The statue was dismantled around the middle of the eighteenth century on the occasion of the restructuring of the garden by Petitot. In May 1784 the sculptural group was requested from Duke Ferdinando by Count Cesare Ventura to be placed under the loggia of the internal courtyard of the Palazzo della Zecca di Governo, the current Casa della Musica.” (Ercole e Anteo, Talking Teens)

U Černého medvěda

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U Černého medvěda (At the Black Bear)
Týn, Staré Město
Prague, September 2024

“The House at the Black Bear is a house at No. 642/6 in Týn in the Old Town of Prague in the historical area of Ungelt, which also extends into Štupartská Street (No. 5) with its rear part. It stands next to the House at the Blue Eagle, and on Štupartská Street the House of Šviks from Lukonos is also adjacent to it. The first mention of the house dates back to 1428, the current ground plan was originally intersected by the Týn wall (remains of a moat and palisade were also discovered during archaeological research), and one house stood outside and the other inside. These two houses were already connected in the Middle Ages. During the Renaissance, the main facade on the ground floor was rebuilt and a new one was built on the first floor. After the fire of Prague in 1689 , the house was rebuilt in Baroque style, and it underwent another Baroque reconstruction in 1718. In 1915, the entrance from Štupartská Street was closed. In the 1980s, the house was converted into a hotel, and its building permit was issued in 1984. The facade facing Týn is decorated with statues of St. Leopold (right) and St. Florian (left). There was also a statue of St. John of Nepomuk. At the top of the tympanum is a bust of Charles VI.” (Dům U Černého medvěda, Wikipedia)