Keep Smiling

During my yesterday's afternoon walk I discovered another friendly face, this time in the Stadtpark.

Plaques of Remembrance

Today Vienna commemorates the 75th anniversary of the November Pogrom, which in Vienna took place from 6 a.m. to around 4 p.m. The pogrom against Jews throughout the Third Reich was carried out by SA paramilitary forces and non-Jewish civilians. In Vienna 42 synagogues and houses of prayer were destroyed, Jewish apartments and shops were plundered and confiscated and 6.547 Jews were arrested, 4.000 of them were deported to the concentration camp Dachau. The November Pogrom changed the nature of persecution of the Jewish population from economic, political, and social to physical with beatings, incarceration, and murder; the event is often referred to as the beginning of the Holocaust.
Walking the streets in the second district, the former Jewish quarter, but also in other districts, you can see plaques on buildings or on the pavement which commemorate the Jews who had lived there. Indicated are the names, the dates of birth, the dates of deportation and the dates of their death.

Statue of a Roman Politician

We started the week with a statue, so let's finish it with another one. This statue of the Roman politician and general Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator is located in the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace. He was Roman Consul five times, Dictator twice and finally became a Roman Censor. His agnomen Cunctator means "delayer" in Latin, and refers to his tactics in deploying the troops during the Second Punic War. His cognomen Verrucosus means "warty", a reference to a wart above his upper lip.

More Beautiful Details

Looking down from yesterday's coat of arms, there are more beautiful details to be discovered. Look at the white decorations, the lamp and the wrought-iron door!

Façade Detail #27

I love to find interesting and/or beautiful details on the Viennese façades. During my last walk in the 19th district this coat of arms and the inscription "Voluntas Ferrea" (Iron will) caught my eyes. Unfortunately I couldn't find any information about this mansion on the internet.

Beautiful View

Schönbrunn Palace and a part of Vienna seen from the top of the Gloriette.

"Sparkling" Trees

When I took this photo of the trees at Ringstraße two weeks ago, I just wanted to document the atumnal trees and sun, but my camera added a "sparkling effect". No perfect photo, but I like it.

Staircase Statue

No, this is (unfortunately) no statue of my staircase. It is located in the Winter Palace of Prince Eugene of Savoy, a high-Baroque palace in the city center, constructed from 1695 to 1724. Ulitmately the palace has housed the Federal Ministry of Finance. After extensive renovations the main rooms of Prince Eugene's state apartments recently became accessible to the public as a new exhibition venue of the Belvedere. When I visited the palace on the open day, there where so many people that I could only photograph one of the staircase statues.

Sunday Flowers #96

 

“But he who dares not grasp the thorn
Should never crave the rose.” - Anne Brontë

Totem Modern

"Totem Modern" is a new permanent installation by the French artist Honet (*1972) on 14 columns along the subway line 2 in the second district. The minimalist figures visually refer to the superheroes of the 1970s and - according to the press release - transform the columns into "cult objects".

November Theme Day: Heights

The 250m tall DC Tower, designed by French architect Dominique Perrault, is the highest building in Vienna (and Austria). After slightly more than three years, the DC Tower is outwardly complete, while works inside the building are still going on. Most of the available floor space will be used for offices. The upper floors will be used for sky lofts, while the first 15 floors will house a four-star hotel. There will also be a restaurant in one of the top floors.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Happy Halloween!

I recently read in the newspaper that every second Austrian under 30 celebrates Halloween. So this festivity has gained ground since my childhood when it was completely ignored... I discovered these two pumpkins last Sunday in front of a house in the 19th district, obviously the home of some youngsters. How about you? Are you celebrating Halloween?

Japanese Autumn

Beautiful autumnal colours in the Setagaya Park, a Japanese garden in the 19th district. For a similar photo in spring please click here.

Entrance of a Courtyard

I don't like crowds (see yesterday's photo), I prefer the city's quiet corners, especially courtyards. Here is the entrance of the courtyard of the Teutonic Order. For photos of the courtyard itself please click here, here, here and here.

Sunny Holiday

Last Saturday was Austrian National Holiday and we were spoiled with sunshine and (for this time of the year) unusual temperatures of around 20°C. Everybody was out and about and a lot of people had a break at the café/restaurant "Palmenhaus" in the Burggarten.

Sunday Flowers #95

"In the garden, Autumn is, indeed the crowning glory of the year, bringing us the fruition of months of thought and care and toil. And at no season, safe perhaps in Daffodil time, do we get such superb colour effects as from August to November." - Rose G. Kingsley

The Vienna River

The Wien (Vienna River) has its source in the western Wienerwald and flows into the Danube canal. It is 34 kilometres (21 miles) long, of which 15 km are within the city of Vienna. In this photo you see the river running through the autumnal Stadtpark.

Breaking The Rules: Bratislava #4

The Old Town Hall is a complex of buildings from the 14th century. It is the oldest city hall in Slovakia and one of the oldest stone buildings still standing in Bratislava, with the tower being built approximately in 1370. It houses the city's oldest museum, the Bratislava City Museum.

Breaking The Rules: Bratislava #3

The beautiful Art Nouveau Palace of the Hungarian Exchange Bank in the main square.

Breaking The Rules: Bratislava #2

Kapitulská ulica, constructed in the 13th century, is one of the oldest streets in Bratislava. It is lined with beautiful old and landmarked but also with ruinous palaces.