Figures in Vienna

The first three figures are on buildings right by the Opera house in Vienna, and the last two are in the Unsere Gardens.



Look at this strong stud. Holding up the building with a lion carcass clothing him.

This is a sculpture of Johann Strauss.

Vienna Opera

There is a nice overall repetition of circles and elipses on the building.



I LOVE the scroll above the arch here.

Famous Dead White Guys

This building is right on Stephansplatz.
The wall of famous men from history. From left is Leonardo da Vinci, Johannes Gutenberg, Galileo Galilei, and Christopher Columbus.

DETAILS: Look at how shiny the gold is...I wonder if it's real gold leaf.



I love the design above the old famous guys. The colors are great and I think it's an interesting pattern.

Random Elements In Vienna

Here are a couple of architectural elements in Vienna that captured my attention. They were each about a block from St. Stephen's Cathedral.

This isn't beautiful, but I like shields.


The lines here are so elegant.


I love this. I think it's just a vent.

I (Heart) Gothic Elements & Gargoyles

These are all still from Stephansdom in Vienna.







I fell in love with gargoyles almost ten years ago when I was in Prague over Halloween weekend. It was a cold, nasty, rainy day/weekend. I only remember a handful of things from that weekend vividly: going to the contemporary art museum, walking across the Charles Bridge, seeing the neo-Renaissance figures sticking out of the wall at a vegetarian restaurant my friends and I ate at, my friend Daphne's rainbow umbrella, and the gargoyles spitting on me when I was up by the castle/cathedral.

I loved that the gargoyles were spitting down on me, and have never forgotten that.

A Shadow of An Architectural Element

Stephansdom, Vienna, Austria



"Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow."

Aesop 620-560 B.C.

Gothic Spidery Ceilings

This is St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna (Stephansdom.) I was drawn (as you can see from the pictures) to the repetition of the ribbed vaults on the ceiling.





I love texture, lines, and repetition! Of course ribbed vaulting holds the building up, but normally I think it is the same color as the surrounding structure, therefore it blends in. The contrast here makes it an exciting visual element as well as a functional element in the church's architecture.



The look is even repeated on the back of this man. I'm not sure if this is for structural reasons (maybe someone out there can tell me.) It really is powerful for emotional reasons though. Poor guy! How would you like to hold all that up? And look, he is still looking up to the heavens, dutifully doing his job while still focusing on God!

T & A in Architecture

I hope the title is not too gratuitous for my readers/viewers.




These pictures were both taken the same day at the Belvedere Palace. When I took the picture of the Lion's butt, I just thought it was funny looking lion's butt. Now when I look at it it looks like the sculptor was looking at a human behind, which makes it funny in a different way.

Belvedere Iron Work

I love the leaves and the ornate swirls. The reflection from the window makes it look much busier than it is. I can't tell if it makes it more interesting or if it is more distracting.

Belvedere Palace

These are elements from the outside of Belevedere Palace in Vienna. This is just one of the bazillion palaces that are in Vienna. It also serves as an art museum, which is fun. Our tour guide gave me a new appreciation for Gustav Klimt in the gallery space.


The French-style gardens above.



OUCH! Look at that sharp spear on the roof.

Mini Churches

I love the little sculptural models of churches that are outside of churches. Does anyone know the reason they are there?

Mátyás Templom, Budapest, Hungary


St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom,) Vienna, Austria

Look at These Roofs!

I love the colors. Roof tile decoration isn't something we often see in North America.

Mátyás Templom in Budapest


This is another Church in Budapest


St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom) in Vienna, Austria