Piazza Antelminelli

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Fountain by Lorenzo Nottolini, 1832
Piazza Antelminelli
Lucca, June 2024

"In the centre of the square there is an area surrounded by marble columns joined by chains, from which the name Piazza dei Ferri derives, inside which there is a fountain, built in marble and in a circular shape, which Lorenzo Nottolini designed and had built in 1832. It, now connected to the municipal aqueduct, was originally supplied with water by the Nottolini aqueduct coming from the fresh springs of the Pisan mountains and taken in the Guamo area." (Piazza Antelminelli, Wikipedia)

OpernTurm

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OpernTurm (Opera Tower) by Christoph Mäckler, 2009
Bockenheimer Landstraße
Frankfurt, September 2024

“OpernTurm (Opera Tower) is a 43-storey 170 m (560 ft) skyscraper in the Westend-Süd district of Frankfurt, Germany. The property is situated opposite Alte Oper on the corner of Bockenheimer Landstraße and Bockenheimer Anlage. The building was designed by Christoph Mäckler. The project developer was Tishman Speyer, a US firm that previously built the Sony Center in Berlin and the Messeturm in Frankfurt. The Opernturm consists of a 42-storey, 170 m (560 ft) tower, a 7-storey, 26 m (85 ft) podium building facing towards Alte Oper. Access is through an 18 m (59 ft) high lobby. The yellow-beige stone cladding of the facades was designed to fit in with the existing buildings surrounding Opernplatz.” (Opernturm, Wikipedia)

San Salvatore in Mustolio

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Church of San Salvatore in Mustolio
Piazza San Salvatore
Lucca, June 2024

"San Salvatore in Mustolio is a Romanesque- style, Roman Catholic church located on Piazza of the same name in central Lucca, region of Tuscany, Italy. A church at the site was documented since the first decades of the 11th-century, but the present layout derives from a 12th-century reconstruction. The lower 2 meters of the church used stones from the medieval walls of the town. The upper portion of the church was refurbished in the 19th century. The church was affiliated with the Canons of San Frediano in the 18th-century. The church was suppressed under Napoleonic occupation. In 1820, it was property of the Confraternity della Carità. The exterior facade has some 12th-century reliefs in the architraves: one depicting a Eucharistic meal; the second, a miracle of San Nicolao Prete signed by Biduino." (San Salvatore, Wikipedia)

Riquethaus

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Riquethaus by Paul Lange, 1909
Schuhmachergäßchen
Leipzig, September 2024

“The Riquet is one of the few remaining coffee houses in the city center and impresses with a mix of Art Nouveau and Chinese architecture. The former commercial building was built in 1908 and 1909 on behalf of the company Riquet & Co. and was one of the most modern and original new buildings in Leipzig at the time. The two copper-embossed elephant heads that flank the entrance door to the coffee house are the trademark of the Riquet company. Since the restoration, you can once again admire the listed interior of the corner shop in all its beauty.” (Kaffeehaus Riquet, Leipzig Travel)

Monument to Giacomo Puccini

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Monument to Giacomo Puccini by Vito Tongiani, 1994
Piazza Cittadella
Lucca, June 2024

"Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini (22 December 1858 – 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long line of composers, stemming from the late-Baroque era. Though his early work was firmly rooted in traditional late-19th-century Romantic Italian opera, he later developed his work in the realistic verismo style, of which he became one of the leading exponents. His most renowned works are La bohème (1896), Tosca (1900), Madama Butterfly (1904), and Turandot (1924), all of which are among the most frequently performed and recorded of all operas." (Giacomo Puccini, Wikipedia)

Semperoper

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Semperoper by Gottfried Semper, 1841-78
Theaterplatz
Dresden, September 2024

"The Semperoper is the opera house of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden (Saxon State Opera) and the concert hall of the Staatskapelle Dresden (Saxon State Orchestra). It is also home to the Semperoper Ballett. The building is located on the Theaterplatz near the Elbe River in the historic centre of Dresden, Germany. The opera house was originally built by the architect Gottfried Semper in 1841. After a devastating fire in 1869, the opera house was rebuilt, partly again by Semper, and completed in 1878. The opera house has a long history of premieres, including major works by Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss." (Semperoper, Wikipedia)

Cathedral of San Martino

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Cathedral of San Martino
Piazza San Martino
Lucca, June 2024

“Lucca Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di Lucca, Cattedrale di San Martino) is a Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours in Lucca, Italy. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Lucca. Construction was begun in 1063 by Bishop Anselm (later Pope Alexander II). Of the original structure, the great apse with its tall columnar arcades and the fine campanile remain. The nave and transepts of the cathedral were rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 14th century, while the west front was begun in 1204 by Guido Bigarelli of Como, and consists of a vast portico of three magnificent arches, and above them three ranges of open galleries adorned with sculptures.” (Lucca Cathedral, Wikipedia)

Betlémská kaple

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Betlémská kaple (Bethlehem Chapel)
Betlémské náměstí, Staré Město
Prague, September 2024

“The Bethlehem Chapel (Czech: Betlémská kaple) is a medieval religious building in the Old Town of Prague, Czech Republic, notable for its connection with the origins of the Bohemian Reformation, especially with the Czech reformer Jan Hus. The chapel is named for the Innocents massacred in Bethlehem by Herod the Great in an attempt to kill the newborn Jesus Christ. The Bethlehem Chapel was founded in Prague in 1391 by Wenceslas Kříž (known as 'the Merchant'), and John of Milheim, and taught solely in the Czech vernacular, thus breaking with German domination of the Medieval Bohemian church. The building was never officially called a church, only a chapel, though it could contain 3,000 people; indeed, the chapel encroached upon the parish of Sts. Philip and James, and John of Milheim paid the pastor of that church 90 grossi as compensation. Hus became a rector and a preacher in March 1402. After Hus's excommunication in 1412, the Pope ordered the Bethlehem chapel to be pulled down, although this action was rejected by the Czech majority on the Old Town council. After Hus's death, he was succeeded by Jacob of Mies.” (Bethlehem Chapel, Wikipedia)

San Paolino

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Church of San Paolino
Via San Paolino
Lucca, June 2024

"San Paolino or Santi Paolino e Donato is a Renaissance- style minor basilica church in Lucca, Tuscany, central Italy. It is dedicated to Saint Paulinus of Antioch, patron of the city. A church at the site was documented in 738, and named San Giorgio. After the year 1000, the church was rebuilt and dedicated to St Anthony. After 1261, the discovery of the relics of San Paolino, led to construction of a new church, in the process demolishing the adjacent church of San Donato. In 1515, the architect Baccio da Montelupo made the original designs for the present church, and these were completed by Bastiano Bertolani. The entrance portal of the marble façade is flanked by niches containing statues (1710) of Saints Donato and Paolino." (San Paolino, Wikipedia)

Licht und Bewegung

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“Licht und Bewegung” (Light and Movement) by Otto Piene, 1966
Hohe Straße
Cologne, September 2024

“Otto Piene's art in architecture, ‘Light and Movement’ (1966), was commissioned by the art-loving men's clothing retailer Theo Wormland for his Cologne department store. A total of 629 flat metal pyramids on a square surface cover the two fronts of the corner building. Metal structures reminiscent of round-headed pins, which are fitted with light sources, are applied to them in an irregular distribution. A wheel at the top right condenses the pins onto several differently rotating axes, and a rod points up from the facade into the sky. Unfortunately, the light and movement that gives the work its title is currently nowhere to be seen. The wheel has been standing still for years and the light sources are switched off. There is still no money for the necessary renovation of the electrical system and subsequent operation.” (Licht und Bewegung, Kulturraum.NRW)

Alfredo Catalani

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Alfredo Catalani, surrounded by the heroines of his operas, by Francesco Petroni, 1954
Baluardo San Paolino
Lucca, June 2024

"Alfredo Catalani (19 June 1854 – 7 August 1893) was an Italian operatic composer. He is best remembered for his operas Loreley (1890) and La Wally (1892). La Wally was composed to a libretto by Luigi Illica, and features Catalani's most famous aria ‘Ebben? Ne andrò lontana.’ This aria, sung by American soprano Wilhelmenia Fernandez, was at the heart of Jean-Jacques Beineix's 1981 film Diva. Catalani's other operas were much less successful." (Alfredo Catalani, Wikipedia)

Museum für Moderne Kunst

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Museum für Moderne Kunst (Museum of Modern Art) by Hans Hollein, 1991
Domstraße
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Museum für Moderne Kunst (Museum of Modern Art), or short MMK, in Frankfurt, was founded in 1981 and opened to the public 6 June 1991. The museum was designed by the Viennese architect Hans Hollein. It is part of Frankfurt's Museumsufer (Museum Riverbank). Because of its triangular shape, the MMK is popularly called the Tortenstück (piece of cake). Since 2018, Susanne Pfeffer has been director of the MMK.” (Museum für Moderne Kunst, Wikipedia)

Lucca Historiae Fest

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Lucca Historiae Fest
Baluardo della Libertà
Lucca, June 2024

"The second edition of the Lucca Historiae Fest, organised by the town of Luccatook place from 21 to 23 June 2024. The aim of the festival is to help Lucca's residents and visitors rediscover important pages in the city's history, some of which are only partially known and others completely unknown. Dozens of costumed re-enactors from all eras set up a time clock, illustrating the history of Lucca in nine stages, six exhibitions, markets and shows. One of these stages was dedicated to the Napoleonic era, which had a profound effect on the history of Lucca, and for two days at the bastion of La Libertà it was possible to immerse oneself in the atmosphere of the Lucca of Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi." (Lucca Historiae Fest, Napoleon Cities)

Neues Bach-Denkmal

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Neues Bach-Denkmal by Carl Seffner, 1908
Thomaskirchhof
Leipzig, September 2024

“The composer Johann Sebastian Bach was Thomaskantor, director of music, from 1723 until his death in 1750 and taught at its affiliated school. A statue of Bach by the Leipzig sculptor Carl Seffner that stands next to the church was dedicated in 1908.” (St. Thomas Church, Wikipedia)

Sanctuary of Saint Gemma

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Sanctuary of Saint Gemma
Via di Tiglio
Lucca, June 2024

"The Santuario di Santa Gemma is a Roman Catholic church-sanctuary devoted to the local saint and mystic Gemma Galgani located on Via di Tiglio outside the medieval walls of Lucca, region of Tuscany, Italy. The church and monastery dates from 1935. The convent hosts nuns of the community of Passionist nuns. Gemma Galgani lived at this monastery and is buried here after her death in 1903. Design of the new convent was entrusted to Italo Baccelli. The dome and bell-tower suggest a reduced size version of the Cathedral of Berlin. The work was not completed till 1965 by the architect Adriano Marabini." (Sanctuary of Santa Gemma, Wikipedia)

Martin Luther

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Martin Luther by Ernst Rietschel & Adolf von Donndorf, 1885
Neumarkt
Dresden, September 2024

"The monument to the reformer Martin Luther, who visited Dresden in 1516 and 1517, is located on Dresden's Neumarkt, directly in front of the Frauenkirche. The monument was created by the sculptor Adolf von Donndorf (1835-1916) and cast in bronze in the Dresden art and bell foundry Christian Albert Bierling. The base is made of marble and bears Luther's name in gold lettering, among other things. The head of the monument was made from a clay model by Ernst Rietschel (1804-1861), which he had made for the Luther monument in Worms, but was not used there. Ernst Rietschel was one of the most famous sculptors of his time and a teacher of Adolf von Donndorf. On the occasion of Reformation Day in 1885, the Dresden monument, which is considered the second copy of the Luther monument in Worms after the Luther monument in Washington DC, was inaugurated after an appeal for donations for a similar statue in Dresden had been made since 1883. During the bombing of Dresden in February 1945, the monument was damaged and could not be re-erected until 1955. Until the extensive restoration between December 2003 and November 2004, the statue of Luther in front of the ruins of the destroyed Frauenkirche served as a memorial against war and destruction; today it is part of the ensemble of the newly designed Neumarkt." (Luther-Denkmal, Dresden-Lese)

Antica Porta San Donato

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Antica Porta San Donato (Old San Donato's Gate)
Piazzale San Donato
Lucca, June 2024

"The Antica Porta San Donato is a westward gateway in the ancient Walls of Lucca. Located on the left side of today's Piazzale Verdi, the gate was built in 1590 to a design by Matteo Civitali. The architect added to the construction a massive bulwark, since the medieval wall in this part of the city was considered weak. On the upper sides of the façade there are two marble statues of lions. The outer moat, that is still partially visible, was once fitted with a drawbridge. The fortification had a relatively short service life – only about 50 years, when the city's defensive system was expanded and the new Porta San Donato was built, between 1629 and 1639, leaving the old gate enclosed within the walls." (Old San Donato's Gate, GPSMyCity)

Butterfly Effect

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"Butterfly Effect" by David Černý, 2024
Obchodní dům Máj
Národní, Nové Město
Prague, September 2024

“Freedom is a delicate thing so what could be more delicate than the wings of a butterfly. Combine them together and you have two Spitfire Butterflies. These are big. A 9 metre long Spitfire fuselage with two 10 metre long wings overlaps 3 floors of the building, if you laid it in the adjacent roads it would reach both sides. In his own words, the creator David Černý describes the Spitfire Butterflies as being in honour of Czech pilots who fought in the British RAF and Army Air Corp. The sculptures also include the wheels and there’s a pilot in the cockpit. It may be accidental but the main street where the Spitfire Butterflies are located just happens to be the site of the student protest which triggered the Velvet Revolution and the end of communist rule and contains the city memorial for the 'Fight for Freedom and Against Tyranny'.” (Spitfire Butterflies, Living Prague)

Santa Caterina

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Church of Santa Caterina
Via del Crocifisso
Lucca, June 2024

"The church is one of the highest and most original examples of baroque religious architecture in Lucca, unique for its solution of the façade, placed at an angle, and for the structure, based on an oval plan. It was built, radically modifying a previous construction, between 1738 and 1748, by Francesco Pini. The designs for the sumptuous decoration of the interior are perhaps by Silvestro Giannotti. The two statues depicting Charity and Purity are attributable to Giovanni Lazzoni and Giovanni Antonio Cybei, while the wall paintings and the illusionistic decoration of the dome are by Bartolomeo de Santi. A large oval canvas with The Ecstasy of Saint Catherine by Pompeo Batoni was placed on the high altar, now preserved in the Museum of Palazzo Mansi." (Santa Caterina, Wikipedia)

Kölntriangle

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Kölntriangle by Dörte Gatermann, 2006
Ottoplatz, Deutz
Cologne, September 2024

“KölnTriangle (formerly also known as LVR-Turm) is a 103.2 metres (339 ft)[1] tall building in Deutz, Cologne, and a prominent landmark in Cologne. The building was designed by Dörte Gatermann of Cologne-based architecture firm Gatermann + Schossig and completed in 2006. Its south facade consists of a double-facade, allowing natural ventilation even at high floors. Next to the high-rise structure, part of KölnTriangle is also a much larger six-story office block with a total gross floor area of 84,300 m2 (907,000 sq ft). KölnTriangle is headquarters of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The top floor and roof houses a publicly accessible observation deck with panorama views all over Cologne, in particular Cologne Cathedral, directly opposite the Rhine.” (Kölntriangle, Wikipedia)

Casa del boia

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Casa del boia (Executioner's house)
Via dei Bacchettoni
Lucca, June 2024

"The Casa del Boia is a building in Lucca, located near the San Salvatore bastion and adjoining the old semi-circular tower from the 16th century, later incorporated into the subsequent expansion of the walls. The house took this name only after 1826 when the city government had to hire a professional executioner from Rome. The executioner in question, a certain Tommaso Jona, lived there until 1846 and was then replaced by Benedetto Paltoni who, however, remained there for a few more years due to the abolition of the death penalty." (Casa del boia, Wikipedia)

Römerberg

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Late afternoon sunlight
Römerberg
Frankfurt, September 2024

“Römerberg (also spelled as Roemerberg, lit. ‘Roman Mountain’) is a public space in Frankfurt, Germany. It is located in front of the Römer building complex, seat of the Frankfurt city administration since the 15th century. As the site of numerous imperial coronations, trade fairs and Christmas markets, the square is the historic heart of the medieval Altstadt (old town) and a popular tourist destination. Paulsplatz, another historic square, is to the north. The Old St Nicholas Church and Historical Museum are to the south. Beyond that is the Mainkai, a promenade by the River Main. On the west side of the square is the reconstructed Römer medieval building. To the east is the Dom-Römer Project, and beyond that is Frankfurt Cathedral.” (Römerberg, Wikipedia)

San Francesco

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Church of San Francesco
Piazza San Francesco
Lucca, June 2024

"San Francesco is a former Gothic-style Roman-Catholic church and monastery located in Piazza San Francesco in central Lucca, Tuscany, Italy. Since its restoration, it is home to IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, a superior graduate school. Members of the Franciscan order were present since 1228, but the church as we see it dates from the 14th century. The church, built out of gravel, has an aisle-less with a trussed roof. It was completed in the early 15th century with the inclusion of three apsidal chapels. The façade, which has two arches either side of the doorway, adopted a coat of white limestone, which remained incomplete, and was completed only in the 20th century. The care taken with the interior design is in parallel with the construction of the complex, which took from the 14th century to the 17th century." (San Francesco, Wikipedia)

Trifugium

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Trifugium
Barfußgäßchen
Leipzig, September 2024

“Trifugium is the name for a group of three neighboring Wilhelminian-style residential and commercial buildings in Leipzig, Barfußgäßchen 11/13/15 between Klostergasse and Dittrichring. Houses no. 11 and 13 are listed buildings. As late as 1902, the Barfußgäßchen ended at Klostergasse and continued as Kleine Fleischergasse. Until 1439, the latter was still part of the Barfußgäßchen, and the only access to the Thomasring (today Dittrichring) was the narrow passage of the former Barfußpförtchen. In the following years, houses were demolished to create a street access to the Ring and the Barfußgäßchen was extended in a straight line. One of the demolished houses was the house ‘Stadtgarten’, on the corner of Klostergasse, which was named after a garden restaurant and was formerly called ‘Goldene Sonne’. On the south side of the new street section, three houses were built between 1904 and 1906 according to plans by the Leipzig architect Arthur Hänsch (1876–1947). The Leipzig Creditbank had its headquarters in house number 11. House number 13 was purchased by Phoenix Life Insurance in the 1930s. House number 15 housed the Kaiserhof Café, later the Palast Café. As the Silberstein restaurant, it survived the pogrom night of 1938. When citizens of the Jewish faith were then forbidden to visit bars and cafés, the Silberstein restaurant was the only one that kept its doors open to Jewish citizens. During the Second World War, No. 15 burned down almost completely and was demolished in 1946 except for the ground floor, where a betting office was located. House No. 11 was badly damaged - the entire roof was missing - but was repaired as best as possible. No. 13 remained almost undamaged.” (Trifugium, Wikipedia)

San Franceschetto

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San Franceschetto
Piazza San Francesco
Lucca, June 2024

"San Franceschetto is the small church on the corner of Piazza San Francesco, beside the entry of the cloister. Held by Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca Foundation, was transformed in a exhibition space: a cozy place where paintings, sculptures, modernity, originality, beauty are united to offer unique experiences." (San Franceschetto, The Lands of Giacomo Puccini)

Frescoes on the Altan

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Frescoes by Benedetto and Gabriele Tola, 1555
Großer Schlosshof (Great Courtyard)
Residenzschloss (Residential Palace)
Schloßstraße, Altstadt
Dresden, September 2024

“The history of the frescoes begins in the 16th century. Elector Moritz I of Saxony, like so many rulers and nobles of his time, had a soft spot for the Italian Renaissance. And after visiting the country in 1549, he brought capable artists and master builders to the Elbe. They were to transform Dresden Castle into the most modern residence north of the Alps, following the Italian model, and to let the Elector's power shine through their work. The highlight of the imposing Renaissance building was the Altan in the Great Courtyard with its giant paintings 19 metres long and up to 5.70 metres high, which Moritz commissioned the brothers Benedict and Gabriel Tola from Brescia to create. For centuries, they were considered the Saxon wonder of the world. But nothing had been seen of the original for a long time: A large part of the pictures was destroyed by the great castle fire of 1701, and another was simply painted over at the end of the 19th century. The little that remained was destroyed by the bombs in 1945. But the frescoes, which covered an area of 250 square metres, were not irretrievably lost: Already in the 1970s there were initial plans to recreate the paintings. In 2015, Matthias Zahn, who had been involved in planning the reconstruction of Dresden Castle since 1988, was finally commissioned to restore the loggia. Over several years, the restorer evaluated old models of the castle, studied historical engravings and oil paintings from the 17th century. Fortunately, some sketches by the Tola brothers for the Altan were found in the Kupferstichkabinett. A photo by the Dresden photographer Hermann Krone from 1865 also provided information about the motifs. But in which style did the artists paint? ‘Because the Tola brothers didn't leave any paintings behind, we had to look for other role models,’ reports Matthias Zahn.” (The frescoes on the Altan are finished, Dresden Magazin)

Francesco Geminiani

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Francesco Geminiani by Nicola Domenici, 2017
Piazza Guidiccioni
Lucca, June 2024

"Francesco Xaverio Geminiani (baptised 5 December 1687 – 17 September 1762) was an Italian violinist, composer, and music theorist. BBC Radio 3 once described him as ‘now largely forgotten, but in his time considered almost a musical god, deemed to be the equal of Handel and Corelli’. Born in Lucca, he received lessons in music from Alessandro Scarlatti, and studied the violin under Carlo Ambrogio Lonati in Milan and afterwards under Arcangelo Corelli. From 1707 he took the place of his father in the Cappella Palatina of Lucca. From 1711, he led the opera orchestra at Naples, as Leader of the Opera Orchestra and concertmaster, which gave him many opportunities for contact with Alessandro Scarlatti. After a brief return to Lucca, in 1714, he set off for London in the company of Francesco Barsanti, where he arrived with the reputation of a virtuoso violinist, and soon attracted attention and patrons, including William Capel, 3rd Earl of Essex, who remained a consistent patron. In 1715 Geminiani played his violin concerti for the court of George I, with Handel at the keyboard." (Francesco Geminiani, Wikipedia)

Meran Hotel

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Meran Hotel
Václavské náměstí, Nové Město
Prague, September 2024

“The Meran Hotel, Wenceslas Square (formerly the Hotel Garni) was designed by Alois Dryák and Jan Letzel, and constructed between 1895 and 1906. Directly abutting on this building is another fine example of contemporary art nouveau work, the Grand Hotel Evropa.” (Meran Hotel, The Prague Vitruvius)

Monumento ai Caduti

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Monumento ai Caduti (War Memorial) by Alfredo Angeloni, 1930
Piazzale del Risorgimento
Lucca, June 2024

"The monument, situated in piazza del Risorgimento near Lucca train station and S. Pietro gate in the town walls, has a large, tall stone base with steps. Above this there is a vertical element where, at either side, there are two high-relief statues (the Sacrifice; the Warrior). The structure is topped by a bronze equestrian statue of a classical warrior on a horse, with a small winged victory in his left hand and a flag pole in the right. The Lucca War Memorial was inaugurated, after eight years of work, numerous bureaucratic iterative, changes of plan and differences of opinion on its location, in 1930 in the presence of the King." (Lucca War Memorial, The Lands of Giacomo Puccini)