Cathedral of Santa Maria Matricolare

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Cathedral of Santa Maria Matricolare
Piazza Duomo
Verona, May 2025

“Verona Cathedral (Cattedrale Santa Maria Matricolare; Duomo di Verona) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Verona, northern Italy, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the designation Santa Maria Matricolare. It is the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Verona. It was erected after two Palaeo-Christian churches on the same site had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1117. Built in Romanesque style, the cathedral was consecrated on September 13, 1187. The structure was later modified by several renovation interventions, although the plan has remained unchanged.” (Verona Cathedral, Wikipedia)

“Soho” on a kiosk

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“Soho” on a kiosk
Calle Casas de Campos
Málaga, March 2025

“A central neighbourhood which is an icon of urban art and underground culture in the city of Málaga thanks to a project started by the public. Its most recognisable feature is probably the large-scale graffiti art covering some of its buildings. These murals include work by internationally recognised graffiti artists like Obey and D*face. The district is easy to explore on foot and is very close to Málaga’s main tourist area. Its streets feature independent local businesses with a strong sense of identity, and several art and cultural centres, including private galleries, artists’ studios, La Alameda theatre, and the Contemporary Art Centre; many restaurants offering local, organic or gourmet food; and modern, functional, well-designed public spaces. The ‘Made in Soho’ market is held on the first Saturday of every month, with stalls selling design, crafts, works of art and audiovisual art, antiques, and vintage items.” (Soho Málaga - the Art District, Spain.info)

Basilica Palladiana

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Torre Bissara and Basilica Palladiana
Piazza dei Signori
Vicenza, May 2025

“The Basilica Palladiana is a Renaissance building in the central Piazza dei Signori in Vicenza, north-eastern Italy. The most notable feature of the edifice is the loggia, which shows one of the first examples of what have come to be known as the Palladian window, designed by a young Andrea Palladio, whose work in architecture was to have a significant effect on the field during the Renaissance and later periods. The building was originally constructed in the 15th century and was known as the Palazzo della Ragione, having been designed by Domenico da Venezia to include two pre-existing public palazzi. The building, which was in the Gothic style, served as the seat of government and also housed a number of shops on the ground floor. The 82-metre (269 ft)-tall Torre Bissara precedes this structure, as it is known from as early as 1172; however, its height was increased on this occasion, and its pinnacle was finished in 1444.” (Basilica Palladiana, Wikipedia)

El Oso y el Madroño

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“El Oso y el Madroño” by Antonio Navarro Santafé, 1967
Puerta del Sol
Madrid, September 2025

“The Statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree (Spanish: El Oso y el Madroño) is a sculpture from the second half of the 20th century, situated in the Spanish capital, Madrid. It represents the coat of arms of Madrid and is found on the east side of the Puerta del Sol, between Calle de Alcalá and Carrera de San Jerónimo, in the historical centre of the capital. The statue is a work of the sculptor Antonio Navarro Santafé (1906-1983) and it was inaugurated on 19 January 1967. It was promoted by the section of Culture of the City council of Madrid, which wanted to represent the main heraldic symbols of the city in a monument. The first appearance of a wild bear and a strawberry tree on the coat of arms of the city was in the 13th century. Previously, it only incorporated a bear in passant attitude, until it was replaced in the aforementioned century by the two current figures. With this change, they wanted to symbolise the resolution adopted by the municipality and the Chapter of Priests and Beneficiaries after a long litigation about the control of Madrilenian pastures and trees. Since this agreement, the former became property of the Chapter and the latter of the council. From here they modified the arms, including a strawberry tree and of a bear in a new posture: leaning on the tree with both paws. The sculpture has always been in the Puerta del Sol, but in two locations inside the square. Before 1986, it was situated in the east side of it, in the vicinity of the building between the Calle de Alcalá and the Carrera St. Jerónimo. That year, it was moved to the front of Carmen Street for the square's reform and remodeling, promoted by mayor Enrique Tierno Galván. In September 2009, with the integral renewal of the square promoted by Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, it has gone back to its original location.” (Statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, Wikipedia)

Abbey of Santa Giustina

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Abbey of Santa Giustina
Via Ferrari
Padua, May 2025

“The Abbey of Santa Giustina is a 10th-century Benedictine abbey complex located in front of the Prato della Valle in central Padua, region of Veneto, Italy. Adjacent to the former monastery is the basilica church of Santa Giustina, initially built in the 6th century, but whose present form derives from a 17th-century reconstruction. A church dedicated to Saint Justina of Padua and other 4th-century Christian martyrs of Padua, was present at the site by the 520s, erected under the patronage of the Prefect Opilius and housing the relics of the saint. The church was already described as lavish in decoration in the 565 biography "Life of St Martin", written by Venantius Fortunatus. By the 10th century, monks ministered to pilgrims who came to the basilica to venerate the saints' relics. In 971, the Bishop of Padua placed the community under the Rule of St. Benedict.” (Abbey of Santa Giustina, Wikipedia)

Iglesia de San Millán

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Iglesia de San Millán
Avenida del Acueducto
Segovia, September 2025

“The church of San Millán is a Catholic church located next to the Avenida del Acueducto, in the San Millán neighborhood of the city of Segovia, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the neighborhood of the same name. The pre-Romanesque tower is the oldest remains of the temple, as it dates back to the 11th century and is in the Mudejar style, an aspect that gives the building a distinctive character within the important number of Romanesque churches in the city, which together with Zamora are the largest group in Spain. The rest of the building is the product of the reform carried out between 1111 and 1126 by Alfonso I the Battler during his government in Castile for his marriage to Doña Urraca, making it one of the oldest churches in the city.” (Iglesia de San Millán, Wikipedia)

The Modest Painter

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‘Il Pittore Pudico’ (The Modest Painter) by Maurizio Rapiti, 2019
Piazza della Passera
Florence, December 2024

“‘The Birth of Venus’ by Sandro Botticelli (1486) revisited by Maurizio Rapiti.”

Iglesia de San Sebastián

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Iglesia de San Sebastián
Plaza de Anaya
Salamanca, September 2025

“The church of San Sebastián is a temple located in Salamanca, in the Plaza de Anaya, adjacent to the Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé. On October 6, 2011, the Colegio de Anaya, the Hospedería and the church of San Sebastián were declared a Site of Cultural Interest with the category of Monument. The original temple was designed by the master builder Juan Álvarez de Toledo around 1410 for Don Diego de Anaya in imitation of that of San Clemente de Bolonia. Structural problems caused the building to weaken and finally had to be demolished, the Dominicans attempted to build another church. The church was developed between the years 1730 and 1739, under the direction of Alberto de Churriguera, who also directed the works of the cathedral at that time, imprinting its style both externally and internally.” (Iglesia de San Sebastián, Wikipedia)

Fountain of the Alps

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Fountain of the Alps, 1975
Piazza Bra
Verona, May 2025

“The Fountain of the Alps is the fountain located in the center of Piazza Bra and symbolizes the close union between the cities of Verona and Munich. Donated to the city in 1975 by the German city on the occasion of the twinning between the two cities, a copy of the Statue of Juliet, which currently resides inside the Town Hall, was sent in exchange. With its particular shape, it is jokingly called by the Veronese ‘strucca limoni’, because its shape reminds a citrus squeezer. Another sign of the twinning between the two cities is next to the fountain, where a memorial plaque is erected in memory of Italian deportees to German concentration camps.” (Fountain of the Alps, VisitVerona)

Basílica de San Vicente

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Basílica de San Vicente
Plaza de San Vicente
Ávila, September 2025

“The Basílica de los Santos Hermanos Mártires, Vicente, Sabina y Cristeta, best known as Basílica de San Vicente, is a church in Ávila, Spain. It is one of the best examples of Romanesque architecture in the country. According to legend, Christian martyrs Vicente, Sabina and Cristeta were martyred during the rule of the Roman Emperor Diocletian; their corpses were buried into the rock and later a basilica was built over their tombs. In 1062 their remains were moved to the monastery of San Pedro de Arlanza in Burgos, but later, in 1175, they were returned to Ávila and the construction of a new basilica was started at the location. Construction was repeatedly halted or slowed, and were finished in the fourteenth century thanks to the support of Alfonso X and Sancho IV.” (Basilica of San Vicente, Wikipedia)

Torrione di porta Castello

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Torrione di porta Castello
Corso Palladio
Vicenza, May 2025

“It was later enlarged by Ezzelino III da Romano and demolished after his death. In 1343 it was rebuilt larger during the Scaliger occupation and became part of the medieval city walls. Antonio and Mastino II della Scala restored the Ezzelinian fortress, transforming it into a real Castle that occupied a square area and surrounded by a deep moat. Subsequently, with the Visconti domination, the crenellated crowning and the upper lantern were added, taking on its current appearance. During the 17th century, the Castle, now deprived of its defensive role, was sold – except for the Tower because it was a public passage – by the Serenissima to the Valmarana family , who transformed the north wing into a palace overlooking their ancient garden. The dismantling of the remaining parts, at the end of the 18th century, left the Tower almost intact. However, between the 19th and 20th centuries, for traffic reasons, the entrance arch was doubled and flanked by two pedestrian passages. The last two restorations date back to 1999 and 2018. The internal perimeter of the ancient Castle – parade ground – is still identifiable in the large rectangular space that opens beyond the Torrione portal, overlooking the Corso. After five centuries, on April 3, 2018, the Torrione returned to being a public property. The collector Antonio Coppola , after having purchased it at auction, ceded the bare ownership of the imposing building to the Municipality of Vicenza. The Coppola Foundation will maintain the usufruct of the Torrione for 30 years, using it as a center of contemporary art, guaranteeing its management and maintenance.” (Torrione di porta Castello, VIVA)

Bodega El Pimpi

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Bodega El Pimpi
Calle Granada
Málaga, March 2025

“Founded in 1971, the Pimpi is one of the wine cellars with most solera in Málaga, where it is possible to enjoy local gastronomy and local wines, but mostly, the tradition and culture belonging to southern Spain. Its name makes reference to the figure of ‘Pimpi’, a popular character from Málaga who helped crew and passengers of boats that arrived at the Málaga port. Currently, the wine cellar is a famous meeting point for the famous, both Malagueños and visitors, who recommend us and value our cultural entity and gastronomy of top order in Málaga.” (Gastronomic and cultural history of Málaga, El Pimpi)

Porta Ognissanti

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Porta Ognissanti (Porta Portello)
Via del Portello
Padua, May 2025

“The Porta Ognissanti (Omnium Sanctorum in Latin, also called Portello Nuovo or Venezia, commonly Porta Portello) is one of the gates still existing within the sixteenth-century walls of Padua, built by the Serenissima Republic. It rises in the area of the city called Portello (that is ‘small port’, because this area hosted a sort of arrival - restored - for the boats that connected along the Riviera del Brenta Padua with Venice, but the recent hypothesis in deriving it from the fact that, previously to the current gate, there was a ‘Portello’ (a simple pedestrian gate or almost). The gate dates back to 1519, the year in which it took the place of the Portello Vecchio gate, located in today's Via San Massimo.” (Porta Ognissanti, Wikipedia)

Dionysos-Brunnen

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Dionysos-Brunnen (Dionysus Fountain) by Karl Burgeff, 1973
Am Domhof
Cologne, September 2024

“Somewhat hidden, in front of the tunnel entrance Am Domhof under the east side of the Domplatte, the bronze sculpture of the Greek god Dionysus graces the concrete-heavy surroundings. Created by Karl Burgeff in 1973, the curvaceously shaped god of festivities and wine is in a contorted position that is half sitting, half reclining, and directs his gaze up to the sky, lost in thought. The god depicted here as a sculpture is a modern counterpart to the mosaic in the Roman-Germanic Museum. There, Dionysus is the central motif of the mosaic of the same name around which the museum building was erected. Even if there is no direct connection, it is somewhere fitting that homage is paid to the ancient deity in Cologne, since to a certain extent the bacchanalia of ancient Rome continued in today's carnival.” (Dionysus Fountain, Cologne Tourist Board)

Church of San Francesco

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Church of San Francesco by Vincenzo Micheli, 1932
Piazza Savonarola
Florence, December 2024

“The church of San Francesco is a Catholic place of worship located in Piazza Savonarola in Florence. The archive of the convents of the Minor Observant Fathers of the Tuscan Province is kept in the annexed convent. It was built in neo-Gothic style in 1887 by the architect Vincenzo Micheli for the Carmelite nuns of Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi, who had left their convent in Borgo Pinti. The latter then moved to via dei Massoni and were replaced in 1928 by the Franciscans, who decided to expand the church, according to the project of the architect and brother Fra' Raffaello Franci. On 15 April 1930 the church in Piazza Savonarola became a canonical parish with an Archbishop's decree and was consecrated in 1932. The building underwent a final renovation in 1971, when it was expanded with the opening of new spaces and repaved.” (Chiesa di San Francesco, Firenze)

Merkur-Brunnen

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Merkur-Brunnen (Mercury Fountain) by Hugo Lederer, 1916
Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Mercury Fountain was donated in 1909 by banker Anton L.A. Hahn, but not completed until 1916 by his sons Louis Alfred and Ludwig Arnold Hahn in memory of their father. Initially erected on Komödienplatz (later Rathenauplatz), it was relocated around 1954 to the grounds in front of the main entrance to the exhibition center. Its decor is perfectly suited to this location, as the Roman god Mercury was believed to protect trade and commerce. A bronze figure of Mercury stands on a stone fountain post with a stepped double ring decorated with rams' heads. The figure is life-size, nude, and wears the typical winged hat; its upper body slightly turned away, it weighs a bag of gold pieces in its hands. The basin of this neoclassical ornamental fountain is a monolithic granite bowl. The water runs over its scaled ring and cascades through a concealed gap into the depths. The basin stands on four spheres above a surface of two octagonal steps.” (Merkur-Brunnen, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum Frankfurt)

Ponte Pietra

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Ponte Pietra (Stone Bridge)
Via Ponte Pietra
Verona, May 2025

“The Ponte Pietra (Italian for ‘Stone Bridge’) is a Roman arch bridge crossing the Adige River in Verona, Italy. The bridge was completed in 100 BC, and the Via Postumia from Genoa to Aquileia passed over it. It is the oldest bridge in Verona. It originally flanked another Roman bridge, the Pons Postumius (called Pons Marmoreus and at Middle Ages was called Fractus - broken, now remain some fragments); both structures provided the city (on the right bank) with access to the Roman theatre on the east bank. The arch nearest to the right bank of the Adige was rebuilt in 1298 by Alberto I della Scala. Four arches of the bridge were blown up by retreating German troops in World War II, but rebuilt in 1957 with original materials.” (Ponte Pietra, Wikipedia)

Peterskirche

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Alte Peterskirche (Old St. Peter's Church)
Schletterstraße
Leipzig, September 2024

“Old St. Peter's Church (German: Alte Peterskirche) is a Lutheran parish and church in the old town of Leipzig, Germany. The present church building, in Gothic Revival style, was erected from 1882 onwards at the Gaudigplatz, and also serves as a concert venue. It replaced a former building at a different location. The former building was built in 1507. After the Reformation, it was used as a Lutheran church until 1539, and again from 1712 to 1885. It was demolished in 1886. With 87 metres (285 ft) it is Leipzig's tallest church.” (St. Peter, Wikipedia)

Fontana dei bambini

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“L'altalena” (The Swing) by Nereo Cagliato, 1984
aka “Fontana dei bambini” (Children's fountain)
Stradella dei Tre Scalini
Vicenza, May 2025

“The Children's Fountain, next to the Post Office, is certainly nice, but nothing more. It was built in 1984 based on a design by the architect Vittorio Veller thanks to funding from some citizens and donated to the Municipality in exchange for authorization to open windows on the front of the building behind. Restored and reactivated in July 2020, it is already dry. Quagliato's bronze sculpture softens the fountain, but the low system of communicating basins that underlies it lacks any monumentality. A vertical structure with a wall-mounted water jet would have been much more suitable in the same place. It would at least distract the gaze from the looming red and white mass of the Royal Post and Telegraph building” (Quattro fontane in tutto, ViPiù)

Dinglingerbrunnen

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Dinglingerbrunnen by Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann, 1718
(restored by Werner Hepel in 1966)
Gewandhausstraße
Leipzig, September 2024

“The Dinglinger Fountain is a listed Baroque fountain in Dresden. It is considered the oldest surviving court fountain in the Saxon capital. It is named after Johann Melchior Dinglinger, court jeweler and goldsmith to Augustus the Strong, who had it constructed for himself. The Dinglinger Fountain is located at the northern end of the west façade of the New Gewandhaus, now the Gewandhaus Hotel, in Dresden's inner old town. It stands along a footpath and is attached directly to the building's outer wall, framing a barred window. The entire work is made of Elbe sandstone. The fountain basin rests on a double-tailed, fish-like creature. Just above this basin, an open shell, flanked by two putti with cornucopias, forms a smaller basin. Embedded in the upright shell is a head – Jochen Hänsch explains it as the head of Triton, Stefan Hertzig writes only of a ‘male mask’. Around the fountain basin rises a portal-like frame, also around a window in its original location. On each side there is a pilaster, from whose console a putti grows. Above this are volutes with dolphins. The keystone shows the head of Bacchus. Above this lies a double-open shell with a gilded pearl, framed by four putti.” (Dinglingerbrunnen, Wikipedia)

Church of San Nicolò

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Church of San Nicolò
Via San Nicolò
Padua, May 2025

“San Nicolò is a Romanesque and Gothic-style, Roman Catholic church in Padua, region of Veneto, Italy. It stands in front of a homonymous piazza, and is adjacent to the Palazzo Meschini and Palazzo Brunelli-Bonetti. The church was first documented to the 11th century, when it was consigned to monks of the order of St Peter (Monache di San Pietro). It is dedicated to San Nicholas of Myra, and apparently later acquired some relics of the saint. In a document from 1178, bishop Gerardo recalls it among the parishes of Padua. It underwent substantial refurbishment in the early 14th-century. By 1546, the church was known to have 11 altars, many owned by local neighborhood aristocratic families, including the Forzatè. Further refurbishments occurred in the 17th and 18th-centuries. The bell-tower was rebuilt in the 19th-century in a gothic-style. The latest restoration (1966-1971) stripped much of the baroque interior decoration.” (San Nicolò, Wikipedia)

Aqua viva

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“Aqua viva” by Stanislav Hanzík, 1992
Františkánská zahrada (Franciscan Garden)
Vodičkova, Nové Město
Prague, September 2024

“The garden is located next to the former Franciscan monastery at the Church of Our Lady of the Snows, which can be entered from Vodičkova Street, Wenceslas Square and Jungmann Square. Originally there was a fish tank here and in the recent past a concrete fire tank. Currently, a metal sculpture of a boy has been newly placed here, with water flowing down from a conch shell that the boy is holding above him. The sculpture was created by Stanislav Hanzík (he called it ‘Aqua viva’) in 1992 and also serves as a drinking fountain.” (Drinking bottle with a sculpture of a boy, Pražské kašny a fontány)

Monument to Savonarola

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Monument to Savonarola by Enrico Pazzi, 1875
Piazza Savonarola
Florence, December 2024

“The Monument to Savonarola in Piazza Savonarola is an outdoor marble statue on a plinth in honor of the 15th-century Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola; it is located in a piazza of the same name a few blocks outside of the Viali di Circonvallazione, in Northeastern Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy. This monument has a colorful history of migrations. The statue was completed circa 1875 by Enrico Pazzi, a native of Ravenna, at a time, when anti-papal feelings ran high in Italy. However, Savonarola has always been a polarizing historic figure, maniacal in his faith, and the perpetrator of the original Bonfire of the Vanities. His theology was not compatible with contemporary liberal thought. The statue was conceived by Pazzi in 1861, who habitually created public monuments before they were requisitioned. A committee was formed in 1869 to commission a monument to Savonarola, which was to be placed in the convent of San Marco; however, they did not choose Pazzi's model, but instead chose one by Giovanni Duprè, a former mentor of Pazzi. This was to lead to fierce conflict between the two sculptors. In 1870, another committee, chaired by Prince Ferdinando Strozzi, selected to commission Pazzi's more grandiose and more anti-papal statue, and obtained the Commune's permission to site the sculpture in the first cloister of the Florentine convent. However, the drop in revenue caused by the transfer of the capital of Italy from Florence to Rome, cancelled this project. By 1873, Duprè completed his contribution: a simple plaque and relief bust placed in the cell of the friar in San Marco. Pazzi's work, completed only in 1875, did not find enough subscribers, and was donated ultimately to the Town Hall. It remained in studio till 1882, when it was installed, to much criticism, into the niche of the southern end of the Salone dei Cinquecento in the Palazzo Vecchio. One justification for this placement was that Savonarola had commissioned the creation of this large hall in 1497. There was still rumors that it would be moved in the future to the precinct of San Marco. The statue had displaced none other than a Michelangelo statue, placed here by Vasari.” (Monument to Savonarola in Piazza Savonarola, Wikipedia)

Bastei Köln

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Bastei Köln by Wilhelm Riphahn, 1924
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer
Cologne, September 2024

“A striking example of expressionist architecture is located directly on the Rhine in the form of the Bastei, which opened in 1924. Built by architect Wilhelm Riphahn, the restaurant is built on the base of a former Prussian fortress tower and has taken on the name. The architecture, which was modern for its time, was initially controversial when it was built because there were concerns that it would spoil the panoramic view of the Rhine. However, these fears quickly gave way to enthusiasm for the modern building. For Wilhelm Riphahn, the bastion signalled his professional breakthrough. Later, after the building was destroyed in the Second World War, Riphahn rebuilt it in its original form. With its view over the Rhine, the Bastei was one of the best addresses for events for many years. Unfortunately, however, the listed building showed considerable substantial defects. It has therefore been closed. Whether and how maintenance can be guaranteed is currently being examined.” (Bastion, Cologne Tourist Board)

Ponte di Castelvecchio

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Ponte di Castelvecchio Castel Vecchio Bridge)
Corso Castelvecchio
Verona, May 2025

“The Castel Vecchio Bridge (Ponte di Castel Vecchio) or Scaliger Bridge (Ponte Scaligero) is a fortified bridge in Verona, northern Italy, over the Adige River. The segmental arch bridge featured the world's largest span at the time of its construction (48.70 m). It was built (most likely in 1354-1356) by Cangrande II della Scala, to grant him a safe way of escape from the annexed eponymous castle in the event of a rebellion of the population against his tyrannic rule. The solidity of the construction allowed it to resist untouched until, in the late 18th century, the French troops destroyed the tower on the left bank (although it probably dated from the occupation of Verona by the Visconti or the Republic of Venice). The bridge was however totally destroyed, along with the Ponte Pietra, by the retreating German troops on April 24, 1945. The bridge's reconstruction by architect Libero Cecchini began in 1949 and completed in 1951, with the exception of the left tower.” (Castelvecchio Bridge, Wikipedia)

Liegende

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“Liegende” (Reclining) by Willi Schmidt, 1977
Große Bockenheimer Landstraße
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The female figure in Freßgass was modeled after a much smaller one that the sculptor Willi Schmidt had exhibited in Frankfurt's former Technical City Hall. Frankfurt city officials liked it so much that Schmidt was commissioned to create a larger version for the city center. The material used, Naxos marble, takes its name from a Greek island where it has been mined since ancient times and continues to this day. Rudolf Kipp also created reclining figures for the Taunusanlage and Christian Peschke for Feuerbachstraße.” (Liegende, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum Frankfurt)

Santa Maria Annunciata

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Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunciata
Piazzetta del Duomo
Vicenza, May 2025

“Vicenza Cathedral (Italian: Cattedrale di Santa Maria Annunziata, Duomo di Vicenza) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Vicenza, Veneto, northern Italy. It is the seat of the Bishop of Vicenza, and is dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. Construction of the cathedral was begun in 1482, to plans by Lorenzo of Bologna, and completed in the 1560s. The cupola was planned by Andrea Palladio and probably the north doorway also. Only the original façade survived the bombing of World War II; the rest of the present building has been reconstructed.” (Vicenza Cathedral, Wikipedia)

Synagogendenkmal

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Synagogue Memorial by Sebastian Helm and Anna Dilengite, 2001
Gottschedstraße / Zentralstraße
Leipzig, September 2024

“On the site of the Moorish synagogue stands today the Holocaust memorial. This powerful installation is made of 140 empty bronze chairs, representing the 14.000 Jews who once prayed there and outlining the floor plan of the destroyed synagogue.” (Leipzig, The Cultural Guide to Jewish Europe) “The site of the former synagogue had served as a parking lot and the site of a transformer station for decades. After the city of Leipzig acquired the property only in 1997, it launched a Saxony-wide, anonymous competition in 1999 in collaboration with the Jewish Religious Community, inviting ten international artists. The design by Leipzig artists Sebastian Helm and Anna Dilengite, which had only made it onto the shortlist for implementation, was ultimately chosen. Following a majority vote by the Leipzig City Council in October 2000, the site was transformed into a large-scale memorial. Inaugurated on June 24, 2001, the memorial traces the floor plan of the destroyed building on an area of ​​12 × 12 meters. The interior is a field of 140 empty bronze chairs, intended to convey a tangible sense of the loss of the architectural shell. The western boundary of the site is formed by a wall of exposed concrete, with texts in English, German, and Hebrew on three bronze plaques each.” (Große Gemeindesynagoge, Wikipedia)

Loggia dei Carraresi

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Loggia dei Carraresi (Lodge Carrarese)
Via Accademia
Padua, May 2025

“The Loggia dei Carraresi is a historic building in Padua located in via Accademia. It is the last surviving part of the Reggia Carrarese, the large residence of the Da Carrara family, lords of Padua. Since 2021 it has been included by UNESCO among the world heritage sites in the site of the 14th-century fresco cycles of Padua.” (Loggia dei Carraresi, Wikipedia)

On a drunken donkey

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“Bacchus auf einem trunkenen Esel reitend” (Bacchus riding on a drunken donkey) by Georg Wrba, 1910
(The original statue of 1952 was cast iron)
Rathausplatz
Dresden, September 2024

“Georg Wrba (3 January 1872 – 9 January 1939) was a German sculptor and graphic artist. He created some 3,000–4,000 works, including as a collaborator of the Zwinger workshop. Wrba was born in Munich in 1872, the son of a smith. His younger brother Max Wrba became an architect in Dresden. Wrba began his training with Jakob Bradl the Elder and his son Jakob Bradl the Younger. From 1891 to 1896, he studied at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste München under Syrius Eberle. After some time spent in Italy (with Egon Rheinberger), a trip made possible by a travel award from Prince Regent Luitpold, he settled in Munich as an independent sculptor in 1897 and became director of the city's school of sculpture. In 1906 and 1907, he worked in Berlin, where he created sculptures for buildings for the architects Ludwig Hoffmann and Alfred Messel. Wrba then moved to Dresden, where from 1907 to 1930 he taught at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts. He brought the Dresden school of sculpture into contact with the reforming ideas of the Deutscher Werkbund and was a founding member of the Dresden Artists' Association, known as ‘Die Zunft’ (The Guild). The basic aim of the ‘Werkbund’, and also of ‘Die Zunft’, was to achieve a collaboration between and integration of various forms of art, rejecting ornamentation for its own sake: painting and sculpture were to form integral parts of architecture. In Dresden he made, among many other works, the Marie Gey Fountain near the Dresden Hauptbahnhof in the Südvorstadt, which was donated by a Dr. Heinze for his wife, a student at the Kunstakademie, who had died young. In 1910 Wrba agreed a contract for the restoration and completion of the missing parts of the Zwinger, for which he directed the work of 53 sculptors from 1911 to 1933, and himself created many groups of figures modelled from the life. Wrba died on 9 January 1939 in Dresden, where a street is named after him. He is buried in the Munich Waldfriedhof.” (Georg Wrba, Wikipedia)

Four hooded crows

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Four hooded crows
Piazza Savonarola
Florence, December 2024

“The hooded crow (Corvus corone cornix), also colloquially called just hoodie, is a Eurasian bird subspecies of the carrion crow (Corvus corone) in the genus Corvus. Widely distributed, it is found across Northern, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, as well as parts of the Middle East. It is an ashy-grey bird with black head, throat, wings, tail, and thigh feathers, as well as a black bill, eyes, and feet. Like other corvids, it is an omnivorous and opportunistic forager and feeder.” (Hooded crow, Wikipedia)

Goethe-Institut

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Goethe-Institut
Masarykovo nábřeží, Nové Město
Prague, September 2024

“The Goethe-Institut in Prague has been located in a building on Masaryk Embankment since 1991. This Art Nouveau building was built between 1903 and 1905, thanks to the renovation of previous houses. These were from the 15th century – the Šandovský house (At the Three Wild Men) and part of Nové Lázně No. 228. The current building was designed by Jiří Stibral, the sculptures on the facade were designed by sculptor Ladislav Šaloun. The investor was Fr. Schaffer. It was built for the First Czech Insurance Bank, which had its headquarters here. However, it was nationalized in 1945 and closed down in 1958. Between 1945-48, the building was used by the Bulgarian Embassy, and between 1949-1990, it was used by the Embassy of the German Democratic Republic. Since 1991, the building has been the seat of the Prague Goethe-Institut.” (Goethe-Institut Czech Republic, Wikipedia)

Arco dei Gavi

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Arco dei Gavi
Corso Cavour
Verona, May 2025

“The Arco dei Gavi is an ancient structure in Verona, northern Italy, situated at the beginning of the Via Postumia, just outside the Roman walls of the city. Built to celebrate the gens Gavia, a noble Roman family who had their hometown in Verona, the Arco dei Gavi is a very rare example of a privately funded monumental Roman arch. During the Renaissance the arch was one of the most admired monuments in Verona, being described by humanists and antiquarians, who studied in detail the proportional relationships and decoration of the structure. The arch served as inspiration for many architects and painters, such as Andrea Palladio, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Sebastiano Serlio, Giovanni Maria Falconetto, Michele Sanmicheli, Giovanni Bellini and Andrea Mantegna. It had a particularly pronounced influence on the architecture of Verona itself, serving as a model for the construction of portals, altars and chapels in the churches of the city. The arch no longer stands in its original position, as it was demolished by French military engineers in 1805, however, the numerous surveys that had previously been produced made it possible to reassemble it by anastylosis, a process completed in 1932. Subsequently, it was relocated to the small square of Castelvecchio, where it is still located today.” (Arco dei Gavi, Wikipedia)

Hohenzollern Bridge

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Hohenzollern Bridge by Franz Heinrich Schwechten, 1911
Kennedy-Ufer
Cologne, September 2024

“The Hohenzollern Bridge (German: Hohenzollernbrücke) is a bridge crossing the river Rhine in the German city of Cologne (German: Köln). It crosses the Rhine at kilometre 688.5. Originally, the bridge was both a railway and road bridge. However, after its destruction in 1945 and subsequent reconstruction, the bridge has been only accessible to rail and pedestrian traffic. It is the most heavily-used railway bridge in Germany with more than 1,200 trains crossing daily, connecting the Köln Hauptbahnhof and Köln Messe/Deutz stations. The bridge was constructed between 1907 and 1911 after the demolition of old bridge, the Cathedral Bridge (Dombrücke). The Cathedral Bridge was unable to handle the increasing rail traffic imposed by the inauguration of the Köln Hauptbahnhof. The new bridge was named after the House of Hohenzollern, the rulers of Prussia and German Emperors. (At the time, Cologne formed part of the Prussian Rhine Province.)” (Hohenzollern Bridge, Wikipedia)

Andrea Palladio

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Monument to Andrea Palladio by Vincenzo Gajassi, 1859
Piazza dei Signori
Vicenza, May 2025

Schauspielhausbrunnen

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Märchenbrunnen (Fairy Tale Fountain) by Friedrich Christoph Hausmann, 1910
Untermainanlage
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Fairytale Fountain or Schauspielhaus Fountain in Frankfurt am Main is located on the Untermainanlage next to the Frankfurt Municipal Theater. It is an Art Nouveau fountain that was completed in 1910. The construction of the fountain was initiated and financed by the art patron Leo Gans, who, as director of the Cassella works in Fechenheim, founded an art fund at the turn of the century and spent 150,000 marks (around 1.3 million euros in today's purchasing power) on the project. The sculptor Friedrich Christoph Hausmann was commissioned to create the fountain figure from white Tyrolean marble, a nymph (popularly known as the ‘Mainweibchen’). In the house of the city's well-known Jewish aristocratic family Carl and Arthur von Weinberg, where many social events took place, the choice fell on a young, pretty laundress from Niederrad who worked there: Margarete Endres, the later wife of the organist Eduard Gelbart. She was the daughter of a rubber mixer from Lower Franconia - not, as is often mistakenly believed, a baker. In 1906 (she was 19 years old at the time) she posed as a model for Städel professor Friedrich Hausmann.” (Märchenbrunnen, Wikipedia)

Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua

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Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua
Piazza del Santo
Padua, May 2025

“The Pontifical Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua (Italian: Basilica Pontificia di Sant'Antonio di Padova) is a Catholic church and minor basilica in Padua, Veneto, Northern Italy, dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. Although the basilica is visited as a place of pilgrimage by people from all over the world, it is not the cathedral of the city, a title belonging to the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Mary of Padua. The basilica is known locally as ‘il Santo’. It is one of the national shrines recognized by the Holy See. Two chapels within the Basilica of Saint Anthony — the Cappella di San Giacomo and the Cappella del beato Luca Belludi — are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Padua's fourteenth-century fresco cycles, inscribed in 2021.” (Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, Wikipedia)

Märchenbrunnen

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Märchenbrunnen (Fairy Tale Fountain) by Josef Mágr, 1906
(New bronze figures by Elfriede Ducke and Hanna Studnitzka, 1965)
Dittrichring
Leipzig, September 2024

“The Fairy Tale Fountain in the promenade on Dittrichring was created by Josef Mágr in 1906. In the grotto of the central section, life-size bronze figures of the fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel are mounted on a pedestal. Above them is a stone relief of a witch and a raven. Above the benches on either side of the central section are two bronze reliefs depicting key scenes from the fairy tale (Getting Lost in the Forest, Discovering the Gingerbread House, Returning Home). The bronze parts of the fountain were removed in 1942 and used in the armaments industry. Since 1965, the fountain has been adorned with new figures designed by Leipzig artists Elfriede Ducke and Hanna Studnitzka.” (Fountain in Leipzig, Wikipedia)

Mercato delle Cure

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Mercato delle Cure (Le Cure market)
Piazza delle Cure
Florence, December 2024

Trümmerfrau

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Trümmerfrau (Rubble woman) by Walter Reinhold, 1968
(The original statue of 1952 was cast iron)
Rathausplatz
Dresden, September 2024

“Trümmerfrauen (lit. rubble women) were women who, in the aftermath of World War II, helped clear and reconstruct the bombed cities of Germany and Austria. Hundreds of cities had suffered significant bombing and firestorm damage through aerial attacks and ground war, and with many men dead or prisoners of war, this monumental task fell to a large degree on women. 3.6 million out of the sixteen million homes in 62 cities in Germany were destroyed during Allied bombings in World War II, with another four million damaged. Half of all school buildings, forty percent of the infrastructure, and many factories were either damaged or destroyed. According to estimates, there were about 500 million cubic metres of rubble (a volume of over 150 Great Pyramids of Giza) and 7.5 million people were made homeless.” (Trümmerfrau, Wikipedia)

Porta Borsari

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Porta Borsari
Corso Porta Borsari
Verona, May 2025

“Porta Borsari is an ancient Roman gate in Verona, northern Italy. The gate dates to the 1st century AD, though it was most likely built over a pre-existing gate from the 1st century BC. An inscription dating from emperor Gallienus' reign reports another reconstruction in 265 AD. The Via Postumia (which here became the decumanus maximus) passed through the gate, which was the city's main entrance and was therefore richly decorated. It also originally had an inner court, now disappeared. The gate's Roman name was Porta Iovia, as it was located near a small temple dedicated to Jupiter lustralis. In the Middle Ages it was called Porta di San Zeno, while the current name derives from the guard soldiers which were paid the dazio (Latin bursarii). The façade, in local white limestone, has two arches flanked by semi-columns with Corinthian capitals which supports entablature and pediment. In the upper part is a two-floor wall with twelve arched windows, some of which are included in small niches with triangular pediment.” (Porta Borsari, Wikipedia)

Sedící dívka

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“Sedící dívka” (Sitting girl) by Jan Hana, 1958
U Sovových mlýnů, Malá Strana
Prague, September 2024

“The ‘Sitting girl’, also called Jarmila, is a sandstone sculpture in Kampa Park on Kampa Island in Lesser Town, Prague. Sitting Girl is a nude of a slender girl sitting on a stone, created by the academic sculptor Jan Hána (1927–1994). The sculpture was created in 1958 or 1965 and has been located in Kampa Park since 1977. The sculpture is placed on a low ashlar plinth.” (Sedící dívka, Wikipedia)

St. Mark and the Redeemer

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Column with the lion of St. Mark, 1473
Column of the Redeemer, 1640
Piazza dei Signori
Vicenza, May 2025

“Parallel to the smaller eastern side of the square, the first of the two current columns was built in 1464: the winged lion that surmounts it is the symbol of the Republic of Venice and was placed there in 1473, after Vicenza had surrendered to the Serenissima. Over a century and a half later, a second column was added next to it, with the statue of Christ the Redeemer, in 1640. The choice was widely discussed and was decided in honour of the city and its citizens. Behind the columns is the area (which also includes the small Piazza Biade) once used as a grain market (the space is still used today for seasonal markets).” (Piazza dei Signori, Wikipedia)

St. Andrew's Church

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St. Andrew's Church
Komödienstraße
Cologne, September 2024

“St. Andrew's (German: St. Andreas) is a 10th-century Romanesque church located in the old town of Cologne, Germany. It is one of twelve churches built in Cologne in that period. Archbishop Gero consecrated the church in 974, dedicating it to St. Andrew, although an earlier church at the site was dedicated to St. Matthew. In the 12th century, the church was rebuilt in the Romanesque style, and was probably completed after the great fire of Cologne in 1220. In the crypt of the church lies a Roman sarcophagus from the 3rd century, which holds the remains of the 13th-century theologian and natural philosopher St. Albertus Magnus. Since 1947, the Dominican Order has ministered to the church.” (St. Andrew's Church, Wikipedia)

Scalinata del Portello

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Scalinata del Portello (Portello's Landing)
Porta Portello
Padova, May 2025

“The river dock of Portello, overlooking the Piovego Canal, is one of the most significant water sites in Padua's historical centre. Condensed within it are the history of flourishing commerce, valuable architectonic elements, as well as the centuries old customs and traditions of the waterways. The site, the name of which refers to a passageway within the medieval walls to allow the passage of people and goods, more precisely known as a ‘portello’, is closely linked to previous navigation on the Piovego Canal, the thirteenth century waterway that was constructed to connect the Bacchiglione with the Brenta Canal, making it possible to reach Venice directly without having to navigate via Chioggia. When Padua was annexed to the Venetian republic, the medieval wall system was markedly reshaped with the construction of the monumental Porta Ognissanti, the sixteenth century architectural work which dominates the river station. Coated in white Istrian stone, very similar to a triumphal arch, you get there by means of a footbridge next to the quay. The impressive set of steps, once the historical dockings of the famous passenger boat, the Burchiello, is found close to the Santa Maria dei Barcaioli shrine.” (The river station of Portello, Water museum of Venice)

Beethoven-Denkmal

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Beethoven-Denkmal (Beethoven Monument) by Georg Kolbe, 1948
Taunusanlage
Frankfurt, September 2024

“The Beethoven Memorial in Frankfurt am Main is a monument in the Taunusanlage, created between 1926 and 1948. It honors the composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The monument stands on a hilltop in Frankfurt's Anlagenring. It consists of three bronze figures: the middle of the three larger-than-life figures depicts Ludwig van Beethoven, although not in portrait form. The two female figures are geniuses from Roman mythology. The diabase base is adorned with the inscription ‘To the Genius of Beethoven’. The monument was designed by Georg Kolbe. In 1926, Kolbe received an offer from the city of Berlin to create a Beethoven monument for a competition. Due to time constraints, he declined the offer, but began a design nonetheless. The design was not completed until 1947, and the monument was cast in Berlin in May of the following year. It was inaugurated on June 16, 1951.” (Beethoven Monument, Wikipedia)

Serre Torrigiani in Piazzetta

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Serre Torrigiani in Piazzetta
Piazza dei Tre Re
Florence, December 2024

“The first square that we visited on our quest for the Middle Ages was ‘Piazza dei Tre Re’, the Square of the Three Kings, named after the tavern that was once located there and that was known for its deep-frying. In Florence many streets and squares got new names over the years, but under the new name you can often find a sign with the old name. This square was once called the ‘Corte de' Macci’, the domain of Macci family. The only thing that reminds of their power and wealth is the Torre de’ Macci.” (A journey through Medieval Florence, intoFlorence)

Thomaskirche

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Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church)
Thomaskirchhof
Leipzig, September 2024

“The St. Thomas Church (German: Thomaskirche) is a Lutheran church in Leipzig, Germany, located at the western part of the inner city ring road in Leipzig's central district. Martin Luther preached in the church in 1539. It is associated with several well-known composers, especially Johann Sebastian Bach, who was its Thomaskantor (music director) from 1723 until his death in 1750. The church holds his remains. Although rebuilt over the centuries and damaged by Allied incendiary bombs in 1943, the church mainly retains the character of a late-Gothic hall church. The Thomanerchor, the church choir, likely founded in 1212, is an internationally known boys' choir.” (St. Thomas Church, Wikipedia)

Palazzo Barbieri

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Palazzo Barbieri by Giuseppe Barbieri, 1848
Piazza Bra
Verona, May 2025

“Palazzo Barbieri is a Neoclassical style palace located in Piazza Bra in Central Verona; it now serves as the town hall. The palace was originally named Palazzo della Gran Guardia Nuova, and housed staff associated with the Austrian Army forces. It was designed by Giuseppe Barbieri and was later named in his honor. Construction began in 1836 and was completed by 1848. The interiors contain a large canvas (1595) by Felice Brusasorzi depicting the victory of the Veronese over Benacensi in the year 829. Others who worked in the studio or contributed were Alessandro Turchi, Pasquale Ottino, and Sante Creara. A 14th-century fresco depicting a Crucifixion and the Madonna from a private house was implated into the wall near the entrance. One room has tapestries from the 16th century. One designed by Paolo Farinati depicts the 1164 Victory of the Veronese against Frederick Barbarossa. Tha palace also contains various paintings by Carlo Ferrari and Eugenio Gignous.” (Palazzo Barbieri, Wikipedia)

Friedensbrunnen

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Friedensbrunnen (Peace Fountain) by Johann Friedrich Steger, 1616
Jüdenhof
Dresden, September 2024

“The Friedensbrunnen (Peace Fountain) or Türkenbrunnen (Turkish Fountain) is located in Dresden's old town and is one of the oldest fountains in the city. The fountain stands in the Jüdenhof, west of the Neumarkt in front of the entrance to the Johanneum, which houses the Dresden Transport Museum. The sandstone fountain consists of an octagonal fountain basin with a floor plan of 4.5 by 4.5 meters. The eight sides of the basin are decorated with three eight-pointed rosettes. The basin is surrounded by a granite walkway. The fountain is 1.4 meters deep. In the center of the pool stands an octagonal column with a square pedestal, on which stands a water-spouting mask. The column's sides are decorated with oval, slightly arched reliefs bearing Latin inscriptions. On the pedestal stands a sculpture of the war goddess Bellona. At the back of the fountain basin there is an outlet pipe and below it a flat, round depression in the granite riser for the water to drain away.” (Friedensbrunnen, Wikipedia)