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)

Danza Invisible

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Street named after the band
Calle Danza Invisible
Torremolinos, March 2024

“Danza Invisible are a Spanish new wave band founded in 1981 in Torremolinos, Spain, by Ricardo Texidó from the group Cámara, together with Chris Navas and Manolo Rubio from the punk group Adrenalina. Shortly after, Antonio Gil joined the guitar section. The last to join the band was Javier Ojeda, who replaced Ricardo Texidó as lead vocalist.They are one of the bands considered to have been part of the countercultural movement in Madrid in the 1980s. Their most popular songs include Sin aliento, Sabor de amor, A este lado de la carretera, and Agua sin Sueño. In 2022 they went on a sold out tour finishing in Palais de Rei.” (Danza Invisible, Wikipedia)

Ducal Palace

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Ducal Palace
Piazza Roma
Modena, May 2024

“The Ducal Palace of Modena is a Baroque palace in Modena, Italy. It was the residence of the Este Dukes of Modena between 1452 and 1859. It currently houses a portion of the Italian Military Academy. The palace occupies the site of the former Este Castle, once at the periphery of the city. Although generally credited to Bartolomeo Avanzini, it has been suggested that advice and guidance in the design process had been sought from Pietro da Cortona, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini. The Palace has a Baroque façade, from which the Honour Court and the Honour Staircase can be accessed.” (Ducal Palace of Modena, Wikipedia)

Blueprint Event Space

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Blueprint Event Space
Butler's Wharf
Shad Thames, Bermondsey
London, May 2023

“The newly renovated events space is a hidden gem that occupies the gloriously bright space on the first floor of what used to be London’s design museum. The perfect space for corporate and private events, as well as being an iconic spot to host wedding celebrations. During the warmer months, the venue’s glass doors open to create a sense of al fresco dining with an outdoor terrace, while during the winter months, the floor-to-ceiling windows offer unrivalled views of the Thames.” (Blueprint Event Space, D&D London)

Basilica of San Prospero

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Basilica of San Prospero
Piazza di San Prospero
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“The Basilica of San Prospero is a Renaissance-style, Roman Catholic church with a late Baroque-style facade, located on Piazza di San Prospero in central Reggio Emilia, Italy.A church known as San Prospero di Castello, located inside the city walls, is known prior to 997. San Prospero, a fifth century bishop, became the patron saint of the town. In 1514, during the expansion of the city walls, the church and its adjacent monastery, the dilapidated church, nearly in ruins, was demolished. The church was moved some 600 meters and its adjacent bell tower underwent reconstructions. By 1527 a new church was completed with designs by Luca Corti and Matteo Florentino.” (San Prospero, Wikipedia)

Pergola

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Pergola by Junquera Arquitectos, 2011
Paseo del Muelle Uno
Málaga, March 2024

"For its part, the pergola is the element that unifies the whole waterfront, receiving passengers arriving by sea and providing strollers with shade. It is a metallic box beam of 1.60 meters in height and varying width, between 0.55 and 1.15 meters, which runs along a sinuous 400-meter stretch with only 16 supports placed along two parallel lines. The beam runs at a height of 11 meters, and from it hangs 265 shading pieces of white reinforced concrete." (El Palmeral de Las Sorpresas, Archello)

Palazzo Farnese

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Palazzo Farnese
Piazza della Cittadella
Piacenza, May 2024

“Palazzo Farnese is a palace in Piacenza, northern Italy. This large partly constructed palace is located on the banks of the River Po in the city of Piacenza in northern Italy. Ottavio Farnese inherited the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza from his father Pier Luigi Farnese, who was assassinated in a coup in 1547. In the aftermath of the assassination Spanish troops under the command of Ferrante Gonzaga occupied both Parma and Piacenza, however, Ottavio didn’t renounce his claim to the duchy and, in 1551, was able to retake Parma with the help of King Henry II of France, nonetheless Piacenza remained in Spanish hands until 1557 when, after the abdications of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, both Ottavio and his wife Margaret of Austria traveled to Brussels to meet Philip II of Spain who negotiated an agreement which made the duchy a Spanish fief and returned Piacenza to the Farnese family (though Spanish soldiers were to be stationed in Piacenza's citadel).” (Palazzo Farnese, Wikipedia)

Vinegar Yard

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Vinegar Yard
St Thomas Street, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Within striking distance of London Bridge station, Vinegar Yard is a new eating, drinking, shopping and art space. Featuring art installations (including an unmissable train carriage!), pop-up shops, bars, street food traders and an open-air garden area with seating for hundreds of people, Vinegar Yard is a must-visit destination for after-work drinkers, weekend fun-seekers and anyone seeking fabulous street food.” (Vinegar Yard, Visit London)

Monument to Giuseppe Verdi

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Monument to Giuseppe Verdi by Ettore Ximenes, 1920
Piazzale della Pace
Parma, May 2024

“Of the majestic monumental complex only the central altar area in granite with bronze high reliefs by Ximenes remains sited next to the flying buttresses of the Farnese Palace of the Pilotta in Piazzale della Pace. On the front part of the Verdi altar can be seen a bronze high relief showing Verdi in meditation surrounded by the Muses, Melody, Song, Dance Rhythm, Love and Death, who seem to be whispering inspiration. The other side of the monument holds three further bronze high reliefs: to the left is the scene in which the results of the unanimous vote of the Parma Provincial area held on 12th September 1859 to accede to the Kingdom of Italy are announced. The central relief is the joyful welcome reserved for Verdi on his arrival in Turin as delegate from Parma to present to the King the results of the plebiscite.” (The Monument to Giuseppe Verdi, Club dei 27)

Parque de Pueblosol

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Parque de Pueblosol
Plaza Adolfo Suárez
Benalmádena, March 2024

“Located in plaza Adolfo Suárez, this modern park has slides at different heights, climbing wall, hanging bridges.” (Parque de Pueblosol, Turismo Benalmádena)

Porta Camollìa

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Porta Camollìa (Camollia Gate)
Via Camollia
Siena, April 2024

“Porta Camollìa is one of the northern portals in the medieval walls of Siena. It is located on via Camollia and opens inside the city into the Contrada of Istrice. Consisting of three arches; the inner arch is surmounted by a circular marble bas-relief with the Roman Catholic IHS Christogram inside a sun symbol (San Bernardino Christogram). The outer facade has the Medici heraldic shield with a stone arch added in 1604 by Alessandro Casolani and decorated by Domenico Cafaggi. The inscription was placed to record the entry of Ferdinand I de' Medici into Siena, and states ‘Cor magis tibi sena pandit’ (Siena shows a heart that is bigger than this gate). The two central figures hold the Medici coat of arms.” (Porta Camollia, Wikipedia)

Old Billingsgate

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Old Billingsgate
Old Billingsgate Walk
Lower Thames Street, City of London
London, May 2023

“Old Billingsgate Market is the name given to what is now a hospitality and events venue in the City of London, based in the Victorian building that was originally Billingsgate Fish Market, the world's largest fish market in the 19th century. The first Billingsgate Market building was constructed on Lower Thames Street in 1850 by the builder John Jay, and the fish market was moved off the streets into its new riverside building. This was demolished in around 1873 and replaced by an arcaded market hall designed by City architect Horace Jones and built by John Mowlem & Co. in 1875, the building that still stands on the site today. In 1982, the fish market itself was relocated to a new site on the Isle of Dogs in east London. The 1875 building was then refurbished by architect Richard Rogers, originally to provide office accommodation. Now used as an events venue, it remains a major London landmark and a notable Grade II listed building.” (Old Billingsgate, Wikipedia)

Palazzina Vigarani

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Palazzina Vigarani
Giardino Ducale Estense
Corso Conte di Cavour
Modena, May 2024

Monument to Blas Infante

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Monument to Blas Infante by Jesús Martinez, 1983
Calle Cuarteles
Málaga, March 2024

“Blas Infante Pérez de Vargas (5 July 1885 – 11 August 1936) was an Andalusian socialist politician, Georgist, writer, historian and musicologist. He is considered the ‘father of Andalusia’ by Andalusian nationalists. He initiated an Andalusian regionalist assembly in Ronda in 1918; the assembly adopted a charter based on the autonomist ‘Constitución Federal de Antequera’ written in 1883 during the First Spanish Republic. It also embraced the current flag and emblem as national symbols, designed by Infante himself based on various historic Andalusian standards. During the Second Spanish Republic, the ‘Andalucismo’ was represented by the ‘Junta Liberalista’, a federalist political party led by Infante.” (Blas Infante, Wikipedia)

Reggio Emilia Cathedral

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Reggio Emilia Cathedral
Piazza Prampolini
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“Reggio Emilia Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di Reggio Emilia; Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta) is a Roman Catholic cathedral (and one of the three main religious buildings) in Reggio Emilia (Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy). The dedication is to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Formerly the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Reggio Emilia, it has been since 1986 that of the Diocese of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla. Built originally in Romanesque style, the cathedral was largely modified in the following centuries. The façade originally had 13th-century frescoes, now housed in the diocesan museum. The current façade is unfinished, with a 16th-century covering on the lower level, with pilasters surrounding niches containing the statues of the four patron saints of the city. The main portal has two statues by Prospero Spani (Prospero Sogari) in a style influenced by Michelangelo, portraying Adam and Eve.” (Reggio Emilia Cathedral, Wikipedia)

Northern & Shell Building

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The Northern & Shell Building
Lower Thames Street, City of London
London, May 2023

“The building at 10 Lower Thames Street was built in 1985 and has a distinctive blue glass facade. It was first built for Samuel Montagu & Co. It is now partly occupied by N&S and partly rented out as serviced offices.The building featured in the TV series Bergerac, Series 6 Episode 6 ‘A man of sorrows’, the building frontage badged as Insurance company Norman Deutscher Greenburg. Inside the building features some wonderful interior lifts with panoramic views overlooking the foyer.” (Northern & Shell, Wikipedia)

Santa Maria di Campagna

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Santa Maria di Campagna
Piazzale delle Crociate
Piacenza, May 2024

“The Basilica of Santa Maria di Campagna is a Roman Catholic basilica church in the city of Piacenza in the Province of Piacenza, Italy. It was built in a Greek-Cross plan with an octagonal dome in a high Renaissance style in the 16th century. It was built in 1522–28, under the patronage of a local guild. The site had housed a sanctuary dedicated to Santa Maria di Campagnola, and housed a wooden image of the Madonna and Child from the 14th century. Tradition holds that Pope Urban II in 1095 announced the First Crusade from this site.” (Santa Maria di Campagna, Wikipedia)

Monumento a la Virgen del Carmen

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Monumento a la Virgen del Carmen
Plaza Estrella de los Mares
Fuengirola, March 2024

“The Statue of the Virgin of Carmen is located in front of the seaside Playa de los Boliches, at number 57 of the Paseo Marítimo Rey de España, in the Plaza Estrella de los Mares in the town of Fuengirola, province of Malaga. This bronze statue represents the patron saint of sailors and stands on a pedestal with bouquets of flowers at its feet. The pavement surrounding it has a circular design with six lobes, between which are the twelve 8-pointed stars, a symbol that crowns or surrounds many images of the Virgin Mary.” (Monumento a la Virgen del Carmen, MonumentalNet)

San Giovanni Evangelista

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San Giovanni Evangelista
Piazzale San Giovanni
Parma, May 2024

“San Giovanni Evangelista is a Mannerist-style, Roman Catholic church located on Piazzale San Giovanni, located just behind the apse of the Parma Cathedral, in the historic center of Parma, northern Italy. The buildings surrounding the piazza were also part of a former Benedictine convent. The church is notable for its Correggio frescoes. Construction of the abbey and church were begun in the 10th century under the patronage of then Bishop Sigefredus over a pre-existing oratory dedicated to Saint Colombanus. In 1477 the whole complex was damaged by a fire. The abbey basilica was rebuilt from around 1498 to 1510, according to a design by Bernardino Zaccagni. The abbey was suppressed in 1810, although the monks were able to return in 1817.” (San Giovanni Evangelista, Wikipedia)

The trumpet

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“Walls and Trumpets” by Ofra Zimbalista, 2008
Maya House
Borough High Street, Southwark
London, May 2023

“These three figures, with their vivid shade of blue and their musical instruments, add a splash of colour and joy to the drab façade of Maya House and they brightened up my rainy autumn day. The best-known Biblical encounter between ‘Walls and Trumpets’ is, of course, at the Siege of Jericho, when the priests marched around the city walls for seven days, blowing their trumpets until the walls came tumbling down (see Joshua 6: 1-20). ” (Walls and Trumpets, Patrick Comerford)

Antiporto di Camollìa

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Antiporto di Camollìa
Viale Vittorio Emanuele II
Siena, April 2024

“Porta Camollia was not the only fortification built to defend the northern side of the city, always the most subject to attacks from the rival city of Florence. These two other fortresses were the Torrazzo di Mezzo and the Antiporto. The outermost gate of the city, also known as ‘Portone’ (gate) or ‘Portone dipinto’ (painted gate), now commonly called ‘Antiporto di Camollia’, according to documentary sources, was begun around 1270. It has long been believed that there was a fresco by Simone Martini inside the building. However, several petitions over the years, as early as 1300, have never highlighted works in this regard. The works of Giuseppe Nasini were absolutely real: in this grandiose portico he represented a sort of magical forest with the branches of the plants that, intertwining, formed circles with the coats of arms of the 17 districts inside. Despite the bombing of 1944 and the considerable damage suffered, these coats of arms of the districts survived, but what was not damaged by the war, was damaged did the man. With an ‘inappropriate’ restoration not many years ago, these drawings were definitively cancelled.” (Antiporto of Camollia, Nice Places)

Facade with flamenco dresses

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Facade with flamenco dresses
Calle Ancha del Carmen
Málaga, March 2024

“The ‘traje de flamenca’ (flamenco outfit) or ‘traje de gitana’ (Gitana outfit) is the dress traditionally worn by women at Ferias (festivals) in Andalusia, Spain. There are two forms: one worn by dancers and the other worn as a day dress. The day dress is body-hugging to mid-thigh, and then continues in multiple layers of ruffles to the ankle. Modern interpretations of the style are difficult to walk in, let alone dance. The dancers' version therefore flares out from higher on the hip to allow freedom of movement.” (Traje de flamenca, Wikipedia)

Luciano Pavarotti

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Luciano Pavarotti by Stefano Pierotti, 2017
Via Goldoni
Modena, May 2024

“Luciano Pavarotti OMRI (12 October 1935 – 6 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numerous recordings of complete operas and individual arias, gaining worldwide fame for his tone, and gaining the nickname ‘King of the High Cs’.” (Luciano Pavarotti, Wikipedia)

The bugle

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“Walls and Trumpets” by Ofra Zimbalista, 2008
Maya House
Borough High Street, Southwark
London, May 2023

“These three figures, each a vivid shade of brilliant blue, appear to be clinging to and climbing the wall of Maya House; they might be window cleaners, they might even be absailing. Looking more closely, you see two climbing figures, one holding a trumpet, the other holding a bugle, and a third seated figure who seems to be marching triumphantly atop the others, playing a drum – perhaps celebrating the fact that he has reached the top place he was trying to get to.” (Walls and Trumpets, Patrick Comerford)

Romolo Valli Municipal Theatre

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Romolo Valli Municipal Theatre
Piazza Martiri del 7 Luglio
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“The Teatro Municipale (also since the 1980s called the Teatro Municipale Valli due to being named after the actor Romolo Valli) is a theatre in Reggio Emilia, Northern Italy. Following the destruction by fire of the 1741 Teatro Cittadella in April 1851, the new theatre was designed by the architect Cesare Costa and constructed in the neoclassical style between 1852 and 1857. Its inauguration took place on 21 April 1857 with the performance of the Vittor Pisani by local composer Achille Peri.” (Teatro Municipale, Wikipedia)

La Chora and La Galfina

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“La Chora” and “La Galfina”
Costa de la Carihuela
Torremolinos, March 2024

“Playa La Carihuela in Torremolinos, Málaga, is a picturesque beach that offers a perfect combination of natural beauty, relaxation, and entertainment. With its pristine sands, calm waters, and a wide range of amenities, it is an ideal destination for families, couples, and solo travelers alike. Whether you're looking to soak up the sun, indulge in delicious cuisine, or partake in thrilling water sports, La Carihuela has something for everyone. Don't miss the opportunity to experience this enchanting beach and all that it has to offer.” (Playa La Carihuela, Vacalia)

Alessandro Farnese

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Alessandro Farnese by Francesco Mochi, 1625
Piazza Cavalli
Piacenza, May 2024

“After he had modelled the Ranuccio horse, Mochi went to Padua and Venice to study Donatello's Gattamelata and Verrocchio's Colleoni and the horses of St Mark's, but this cultural enrichment only brought about a few modifications in the representation of the rider. The dynamic element in the Alessandro group contrasts with the heaviness of the Ranuccio monument, which is much closer to that of Marcus Aurelius. Here the horse, foaming at the mouth, and the rider with his wind whipped cloak form an impressive unity, vibrating with movement and light, whereby the artist achieves great stylistic coherence.” (Francesco Mochi, Web Gallery of Art)

The drum

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“Walls and Trumpets” by Ofra Zimbalista, 2008
Maya House
Borough High Street, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Her installation at Maya House, ‘Walls and Trumpets’, consists of three life casts. They were cast from real people who adopted their poses and then held them while they were covered in alginate and plaster. She created her initial moulds from these, and then shaped the final figures in blue fibreglass.” (Walls and Trumpets, Patrick Comerford)

Giuseppe Verdi on a bench

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Giuseppe Verdi by Sergio Brizzolesi, 2018
Piazzale San Francesco
Parma, May 2024

“Who wouldn't like to sit next to Giuseppe Verdi and take a selfie with him? From now on you can do that! On March 24, the statue of the Maestro was finally installed in front of the House of Music, a stone's throw away from Piazza Duomo. The art work, studied and made by the artist Sergio Brizzolesi, had already been presented in Milan during Expo 2015. ‘Verdi's bench’, weighing around 400 Kg, is conceived to be a street piece of art: not only it is a commemorative monument to admire, but also a sculpture that will be part of the city, attracting hundreds of fascinated tourists.” (A selfie with Giuseppe Verdi, Parma Incoming Travel)

Hans Christian Andersen

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Hans Christian Andersen by María Córdoba, 2005
Plaza de la Marina
Málaga, March 2024

“The Danish Royal Family commissioned this statue in bronze, the work of the sculptor María Córdoba, which depicts the Danish author sitting on a bench in a relaxed pose. The author of the Little Mermaid and the Ugly Duckling was probably seen in this very attitude on many an occasion during his stay in our city in the early days of October 1862. He wrote about this period in his life in his book ‘In Spain’. Captivated by the beauty of Málaga, its sea, its luminosity and its people, Andersen wrote ‘in no other Spanish city have I been as happy and as comfortable as in Málaga’. The statue invites the viewer to sit beside the writer, admire and respect his work and appreciate that he was a pioneer among travellers, as his journey was one of the very first cultural tours of the 19th century.” (Statue of Hans Christian Andersen, Ayuntamiento de Málaga)

Colonna del Portogallo

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Colonna del Portogallo
Viale Vittorio Emanuele II
Siena, April 2024

“The Column of Portugal is a monument in Siena, located in Viale Vittorio Emanuele II, between Porta Camollia and the Antiporto di Camollia. The column commemorates the meeting that took place here on 24 February 1452 between Frederick III of Habsburg and Eleonora of Portugal, accompanied by 400 Sienese ladies, in the presence of the then bishop of Siena Enea Silvio Piccolomini. The scene had such an impact on the society of the time that it was also depicted by Pinturicchio in the Piccolomini Library. The column is surmounted by a plaque commemorating the event and by the coats of arms of the Empire and the House of Portugal.” (Colonna del Portogallo, Wikipedia)

Walls and Trumpets

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“Walls and Trumpets” by Ofra Zimbalista, 2008
Maya House
Borough High Street, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Ofra Zimbalista was one of the most important female artists in Israel, where she was born, lived and worked. She studied lithography, etching and screen-print at the Kalisher Art Academy, in Tel Aviv. She exhibited throughout Europe and Israel, and her works are displayed in public spaces around the world. Her human-sized figures casted from aluminium and bronze were often engaged in acrobatic activities. A common feature of her public artworks was to show her groups of people in transitional situations: hanging and climbing as though trying to find their place. Blue figures are a recurring motif in Zimbalista’s work. The figures are created by moulding real people in fibreglass, coloured with a deep blue pigment she imported specially from Morocco where it is used in house paint. This Yves Klein-like deep blue is one of Ofra Zimbalista’s signature motifs.” (Walls and Trumpets, Patrick Comerford)

Synagogue of Modena

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Synagogue of Modena
Piazza Mazzini
Modena, May 2024

“The Monumental Synagogue was built in the neighbourhood that originally comprised the city’s ancient Jewish ghetto, but that ghetto was closed in 1861, before the building was constructed. Today the facade of the synagogue is clearly visible from the Via Emilia, the main street of Modena old city center, but when it was initially built, the temple was hidden by the buildings that stood in the area where you find now Piazza Mazzini and the façade was the one you can still admire in Via Coltellini. Those buildings were demolished in 1904 to make way for the Piazza.” (Synagogue, VisitModena)

Estupa de la Iluminación

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Estupa de la Iluminación (Stupa of Enlightenment) by Wojtek Kossowski, 2003
Avenida de Retamar
Benalmádena, March 2024

“Benalmádena Stupa is a stupa in Benalmádena, Málaga in the Andalusian region of southern Spain, overlooking Costa del Sol. It is 33 m (108 ft) high and is the tallest stupa in Europe. It was inaugurated on 5 October 2003, and was the final project of Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche. In Buddhism, a stupa is a monument which represents peace, prosperity and harmony, as well as being a place for meditation. Benalmádena Stupa (Chan Chub Chorten in Tibetan) symbolizes Buddha's enlightenment, the realisation of the nature of the mind, and is one of the eight different forms that stupas are built. Whereas stupas are typically sealed structures, the Benalmádena Stupa is unusual as there is a 100 square metre meditation room and a room that can be used for exhibitions about Tibetan Buddhism and Himalayan culture inside the structure. The walls of the meditation room are painted with the life story of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni.” (Benalmádena Stupa, Wikipedia)

Ariosto Theatre

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Ariosto Theatre
Piazza della Vittoria
Reggio Emilia, May 2024

“It was rebuilt in 1878 respecting the original project and dedicated to Ludovico Ariosto, the great poet born in Reggio Emilia in 1474. It hosts mainly theatre performances. The reconstruction of 1878 followed the ‘politeama’ concept, that is, a theatre which can be used both for theatrical and equestrian events. According to the London and Paris models borrowed by all the Italian ‘politeama’, the theatre had a cast iron structure; the cavea took on a semi-circular form; the box arrangement, maintained for the second tier, was replaced in the first and third tiers by single galleries. The orchestra pit was added in 1927 and the structures required for the equestrian shows were removed. At the same time the Theatre was completely redecorated by Anselmo Govi with late Art Nouveau style frescoes: the ones on the dome are particularly interesting, depicting the adventures of Orlando Furioso, and surrounded by a band citing the opening verses of the poem. In 1981 the Theatre underwent a series of restoration works: cleaning, demolition of precarious areas, strengthening or rebuilding of the floor structures (the stage first of all), and the laying of new flooring.” (Ariosto Theatre, Reggio Emilia Welcome)

Mint Street Adventure Playground

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Mint Street Adventure Playground
Southwark Bridge Road
London, May 2023

“Southwark’s adventure playgrounds are supervised by experienced and trained staff with facilities that cater primarily for children and young people of school age and ability. With a strong emphasis on free play, children and young people are encouraged to develop their ideas and choose their own activities. All playgrounds are free to use, registered and inspected annually.” (Mint Street Adventure Playground, One Hub)

Sant'Antonino

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Basilica of Sant'Antonino
Piazza Sant'Antonino
Piacenza, May 2024

“The Basilica of Sant'Antonino is a medieval Roman Catholic basilica in the city of Piacenza in Italy. it is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, Antoninus. The relics of Antoninus were originally found at the nearby site of the church of Santa Maria in Cortina which held an early Christian martyrium. The present building was the work of Bishop Sigifredo, who dedicated it in 1014 as a collegiate church. Siegfried chose the form of a oriented basilica with a western nave and a campanile. The interior was decorated with early Romanesque painting, a little of which survives.” (Sant'Antonino, Wikipedia)

Mercado de Salamanca

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Mercado de Salamanca by Daniel Rubio Sánchez, 1925
Calle San Bartolomé
Málaga, March 2024

“A building with one central aisle and two identical entrance porticos that are of particular interest. The side façades are formed by double lines of vendor stalls open both to the inside and to the outside. More or less centred in the lateral walls there are secondary entrance portals. The interior is decorated with tiled images of poultry, fish and fruit. Almost all the decorative elements of the building are concentrated around the main entrance porticos, which are topped by a triangular pediment framed with various different layouts of masonry and ceramics. In terms of style the Salamanca Market is Neo-Moorish with strong exotic oriental traces, reminiscent of the Arab souks.” (Salamanca Market, Diputación de Málaga)

San Francesco del Prato

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San Francesco del Prato
Piazzale San Francesco
Parma, May 2024

“San Francesco del Prato is a Gothic-style, Roman Catholic church, located on Piazzale San Francesco #4 in central Parma, Italy. In front stands the 15th-century Palazzo Cusani. Founded by the Franciscan order, the first church on the site was built 1227-1238. Their adjacent school once housed the theologian Bartholomew Mastrius. The building was lengthened and finished around 1462. The facade has a Gothic rosette in a terracotta frame. The nave had three aisles, separated by columns, with a higher central one. The cupola pinnacles were painted by Michele Anselmi. The apse has an aged fresco depicting Christ Pantocrator attributed to Bernardino Grossi and his son in law Jacopo Loschi.” (San Francesco del Prato, Wikipedia)

Old Union Yard Arches

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Old Union Yard Arches
Union Street, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Admittedly it’s our job to pick up on the excellent under the radar arrivals hitting the capital, but I’ll level with you: I only found out about this one because I happened to stroll past it on the way to Tate Modern. And to be fair, it is quite easy to miss Old Union Yard Arches, the entrance to which is squished between the railway line and a pub. But for a small street, the Yard packs in a hell of a lot of talent. Artwork across the entrance to Old Union Yard Arches encourages you to ‘Eat, Drink, See, Meet, Fly’ all of which you can do in this cute little side street (we’ll get to the flying part later). There’s also a groovy reflective sculpture courtesy of Rachel Wilberforce, which lets you know you’ve arrived. Whilst a variety of business fill the arches, the dominant forces here are food and theatre, which just so happen to be two things we love.” (Old Union Yard Arches, Secret London)

Fontana dell'Istrice

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Istrice (Porcupine) fountain by Vico Consorti, 1962
Via Malta
Siena, April 2024

“Istrice occupies the north-westernmost edge of Siena and contains the San Vincenzo e Anastasio church, home of the city's oldest surviving fresco and burial place of Pinturicchio. Traditionally, its residents were blacksmiths. Istrice's symbol is a porcupine. Its colours are white, red, blue and black.” (Contrade of Siena, Wikipedia)

Culebrina de 1578

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Culebrina de 1578 (Culverin of 1578)
(but it looks more like a mortar)
Paseo Marítimo Rey de España
Fuengirola, March 2024

“The Culebrina from 1578, on display in Fuengirola, is located at number 42 on the Paseo Marítimo Rey de España in this town in the province of Malaga. Sunk during the English attack on Cadiz and recovered from the seabed during the dredging of the Bay of Cadiz in 1952, Luis Méndez Vigo Sánchez Guerra donated it to Fuengirola. After its restoration, it was placed in its current location in 1999, resting on a robust gun carriage faithful to the original from 1578, on a circular pedestal surrounded by a chain supported by bollards.” (Culebrina de 1578, MonumentalNet)

Modena Cathedral

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Duomo di Modena (Modena Cathedral)
Piazza Duomo
Modena, May 2024

“Modena Cathedral (Cattedrale Metropolitana di Santa Maria Assunta e San Geminiano but colloquially known as simply Duomo di Modena) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Modena, Italy, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saint Geminianus. Formerly the seat of the Diocese, later Archdiocese, of Modena, it has been since 1986 the archiepiscopal seat of the Archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola. Consecrated in 1184, it is an important Romanesque building in Europe, and along with its bell tower, the Torre della Ghirlandina, is designated as a World Heritage Site. Since the 5th century, two churches had existed on the site of the present cathedral: the discovery of the burial site of Saint Geminianus, Modena's patron saint, led to the destruction of those churches and building of this cathedral by 1099. The initial design and direction was provided by an architect known as Lanfranco, about whom little else is known. The Saint's remains are still exhibited in the cathedral's crypt. The present cathedral was consecrated by Pope Lucius III on July 12, 1184. This is also the place where Modena kept Bologna's Bucket from the War of the Bucket.” (Modena Cathedral, Wikipedia)