Schönbrunn Palace gardens and city view, Vienna, Austria

weekly update 017 - Easter at the Schloß Schönbrunn

March 10, 2017

The Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn in German) is a former imperial summer residence located in Vienna, Austria. The 1,441-room Baroque palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historical monuments in the country. The history of the palace and its vast gardens spans over 300 years, reflecting the changing tastes, interests, and aspirations of successive Habsburg monarchs. Since the mid-1950s it has been a major tourist attraction.
This beautiful palace and its impressive gardens are located just 5Km away from the Hofburg Palace at the center of Vienna, is one of the must-see places in the city. And going there during the Easter is probably one of the best times since the gardens by then have regained the green color after the cold winter, and you get the privilege of visiting a small but very interesting Easter market just inside the main gates.

The Easter market in front of Schönbrunn Palace is considered to be one of the most romantic Easter markets. In front of the backdrop of the palace, 60 exhibitors offer all sorts of culinary pleasures as well as decorative Easter decorations and handicrafts from Austria. Children have fun in the Easter Bunny workshop, where they shape marzipan bunnies and make Easter flower arrangements, in the Easter nest hunt and in the Kindermuseum, while the adults enjoy the entertainment at "Jazz at the Easter Market".

Schönbrunn Gloriette through a fisheye, Vienna, Austria

Schönbrunn Gloriette sculpture detail, Vienna, Austria

After going through all the delicacies of the Easter market and visiting the exquisitely ornate interiors of the palace itself, a visit to the gardens is in order. Specially if you happen to have the great fortune to be presented with a glorious sunshine as we were on the day of our visit. The gardens are vast extending for 1.2 km from east to west and approximately one kilometre from north to south, it was placed together with the palace on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1996. This is a great place to visit with kids since it has a small Zoo, believed to be the worlds eldest still in function, laid out around 1720 and originally had four quadrants with a central (probably elevated) pavilion. Consisting of paths between tall, narrow hedges without the dead-ends and false turns of a classic maze, it was intended to offer an inviting setting for a gentle stroll.
On top of the hill you will find the small Gloriette, pictured here, a tower-like two storied pavilion built around 1775, probably to designs by Isidor Canevale. The octagonal structure with its balconies and built-on stairwell was probably used as a viewing pavilion. On the ground floor, the interior is decorated with Rococo architectural murals which on the second floor open up above a balustrade into a painted sky.

Having a snack, or a not so light lunch, at the café inside the Gloriette is a great way to enjoy the panoramic view of the city that it's location provides. Also a great idea is to spend some time lying on the lawn in front of it, after the snack, and contemplate the palace, gardens and the city beyond. This seems to be a favourite activity of many people on that sunny afternoon, and the grass was full of people, young and old, enjoying the Spring sunshine.

Next week I'll be showing a few selected images of statues around the city, and if you like statues like I do, this is a great city to visit as there are many, with differing styles and for all tastes.
Until then,
Keep wandering, keep shooting...

weekly update 016 - Inside the Wiener Staatsoper

March 8, 2017

Main stairwell of the Vienna State Opera, Vienna, Austria

Welcome to the inside of the Wiener Staatsoper, known to all English speakers as the Vienna State Opera, one of the world's most iconic concert hall. On the 3rd week of this Vienna, I'm concentrating on the inside of this beautiful and legendary building which has been showcasing opera since 1869. If you have more than one day in Vienna, please do try to get tickets for the tour of the inside of the building, as you will get a glimpse of the glamour that an evening at the opera here holds. If you're a fan of opera on a budget, there is better news for you, since you can get tickets for €2 to €4 for all performances if you don't mind standing. These are available 80 minutes before the show starts and are in high demand from an eclectic clientele that is always keen to make their thoughts on the performance known.

The opera house was the first major building on the Vienna Ringstraße commissioned by the Viennese "city expansion fund". Work commenced on the house in 1861 and was completed in 1869, following plans drawn up by architects August Sicard von Sicardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll. It was built in the Neo-Renaissance style by the renowned Czech architect and contractor Josef Hlávka. The building was, however, not very popular with the public. On the one hand, it did not seem as grand as the Heinrichshof. On the other, because the level of Ringstraße was raised by a metre in front of the opera house after its construction had begun, the latter was likened to "a sunken treasure chest".

Ceiling of the Schwindfoyer at the Vienna State Opera, Vienna, Austria

Towards the end of World War II, on March 12, 1945, the opera was set alight by an American bombardment. The front section, which had been walled off as a precaution, remained intact including the foyer, with frescoes by Moritz von Schwind, the main stairways, the vestibule and the tea room. The auditorium and stage were, however, destroyed by flames as well as almost the entire décor and props for more than 120 operas with around 150,000 costumes.

The Austrian Federal Chancellor Leopold Figl made the decision in 1946 to have a functioning opera house again by 1949. An architectural competition was announced, which was won by Erich Boltenstern. Boltenstern decided on a design similar to the original with some modernisation in keeping with the design of the 1950s. In order to achieve a good acoustic, wood was the favoured building materia. In addition, the number of seats in the parterre (stalls) was reduced, and the fourth gallery, which had been fitted with columns, was restructured so as not to need columns. The façade, entrance hall and the "Schwind" foyer were restored and remain in their original style.

Inside Concert Hall of the Vienna State Opera, Vienna, Austria

The Vienna State Opera is closely linked to the Vienna Philharmonic, which is an incorporated society of its own, but whose members are recruited from the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. The Wiener Staatsoper is one of the busiest opera houses in the world producing 50 to 60 operas in a repertory system per year and ten ballet productions in more than 350 performances. It is quite common to find a different opera being produced each day of a week. The Staatsoper employs over 1000 people.

Gustav Mahler was one of the many conductors who has worked in Vienna. During his tenure (1897–1907), Mahler cultivated a new generation of singers, such as Anna Bahr-Mildenburg and Selma Kurz, and recruited a stage designer who replaced the lavish historical stage decors with sparse stage scenery corresponding to modernistic tastes. Mahler also introduced the practice of dimming the lighting in the theatre during performances, which was initially not appreciated by the audience. Herbert von Karajan introduced the practice of performing operas exclusively in their original language instead of being translated into German. He also strengthened the ensemble and regular principal singers and introduced the policy of predominantly engaging guest singers. He began a collaboration with La Scala in Milan, in which both productions and orchestrations were shared. This created an opening for the prominent members of the Viennese ensemble to appear in Milan, especially to perform works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Richard Strauss.

Behind the stage at the Vienna State Opera, Vienna, Austria

I leave you this week with a view of the backstage area of the opera house. This is one of the areas of the building that is only viewable during the guided tour unless you happen to work there. The guided tour is definitely worth the time and money, as not only do you get access to areas off limits during performances, you also get to know a lot about the story and inner workings of the building and it is also the best way to photograph the interiors, especially if you get a small group and an understanding guide.

This post is very late, but I had a few technical issues to sort out in the meantime. Next post should also be up this week, focusing on the Schloß Schönbrunn during the Easter time.

Until then,
Keep wandering, keep shooting...

Wiener Secessionsgebäude, the Vienna Secession Building, Vienna, Austria

weekly update 015 - Vienna's Architecture

February 15, 2017

So this week I'm focusing on Vienna's architecture, and I could only start it with a picture of the Vienna Secession Building designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich as an architectural manifesto for the secession movement. It is the home of one of the most important works by the most well known artist of the Secession movement, Gustav Klimt's Beethoven Frieze. A 34 meter wide, 2 meter tall painting homage to celebrated composer Ludwig Van Beethoven, that illustrates human desire for happiness in a suffering and tempestuous world in which one contends not only with external evil forces but also with internal weaknesses. Like all other work by Klimt that features extensive use of gold leaf, no reproduction will do it justice, and must be experience in person.

Modern and Classic Architecture at the Albertina, Vienna, Austria

A more conventional subject for a post about Viennese Architecture is the Albertina Palace, which houses one of the world's finest art collections since 1805. The palace itself, a fine example of the Neoclassical style, was built in 1744 for Count Silva-Tarouca and given as a gift to Duke Albert from which derives the name. Over the centuries it has been enlarged and updated, and by 2003 underwent a complete renovation, with the most dramatic addition being installed in 2004. Architect Hans Hollein created the spectacular 64-metre titanium wing shaped roof which has become one of its most recognizable feature.

Gutenberg Denkmal and Regensburger Hof building, Vienna, Austria

Less well known, and slightly harder to find, is the Regensburger Hof building and the Gutenberg statue in front of it. This site was home to one of the most impressive 15th-century buildings in Vienna, that was demolished in 1896 to give its place to the Orendi department store in 1897. The building was designed by Franz von Neumann, which had a long running enmity with Otto Wagner who was associated with the Vienna Secession group, and was clearly more interested in propagating the classical forms of the 19th century. In the center of the buildings facade you can find a life-size statue of Emperor Frederick III. In front of this building is the cast bronze Gutenberg Denkmal by Hans Bitterlich, and unveiled in December 1900.

Schmetterling Haus at the Burggarten, Vienna, Austria

Another great example of the variety and quality of the architecture in Vienna is the Schmetterlinghaus, The Imperial Butterfly House. Located on the Burggarten palace gardens, part of the Hofburg Royal Palace, just 200m from the Opera House, this is one of the most beautiful Art Noveau palm houses in the world. It is said that Emperor Franz Josef I and Sisi, the Empress of Austria, found tranquility and quiet inside the building surrounded by around 400 live, free flying butterflies. The main entrance of the house, pictured here, is ornamented with statues and ceiling has a lovely patina. If you're happen to be around there on a sunny day, the Palmenhaus cafe is a great place to have a snack with views to the garden. Or go at evening for a more upscale experience on their brasserie.

Facade detail of building in Stock-Im-Eisen-Platz 2, Vienna, Austria

One of the things I would recommend doing, in most cities you visit, but specially in Vienna, is to have a wander around the streets of the historic city center. Here, go for a walk from the Schmetterlinghaus, or the Albertina, towards Stephansplatz. And keep looking up at the buildings, not just the shops at ground level. You can find lots of wonderful details of the historic buildings that flank these streets. One that I really liked was at Stephansplatz, and you can read Zum Goldenen Becher, which translates to The Golden Mug. The amount of details painted on that small piece of the facade is extraordinary, and most people will just walk by not noticing it.

J&L Lobmeyr Store fron on Kärntner Str., Vienna, Austria

You can also find great looking shops, that by now are no longer what is advertised on the original facade, but you can still trace it back to the original purpose of the building. In this case, Lobmeyr is still operating from the same place. This family run business, now it its sixth generation, has been providing the excellent crystal products since 1823.

Below you can find a couple of detail pictures of the Hofburg Palace. Built in the 13th century and expanded in the centuries since, the palace has been the seat of power of the Habsburg dynasty rulers, and today the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria. It was the principal imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn Palace was the summer residence.
On the right is the main gate on the Michaelerplatz, this area of the palace is known as the St. Michael's Wing and was finished in 1893. The facade on this side is heavily ornamented with sculptures and gold details. On the left is a detail of the Amelienburg wing on the Internal Castle Square, that shows a 'modern' mechanical clock above a sundial.

Burgtheater on a cloudy day, Vienna, Austria

Probably the most important sights in the city of Vienna reside on the Ringstrasse. This 5.3km long road provides enough space for numerous monumental buildings, which were built during the period of historicism between the 1860s and the 1890s, and created under the orders of Emperor Franz Joseph.

One of the great buildings here is the Burgtheater, in the style of New Baroque according to designs by Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer, it was finished in 1888.
This theater, with its distinguished company, has held a leading position in the dramatic arts of the German-speaking countries. For the season 2014/15, the Burgtheater was awarded "Theater of the Year" by the German-language journal "Theater heute".

Rathaus, Vienna's City Hall, Vienna, Austria

Just on the other side of the road is the Rathaus, Vienna's City Hall. This imposing neo-Gothic building, the most important secular example of this style in the city, was designed by Friedrich von Schmidt who had been the architect of the Cathedral of Cologne. Built between 1872 and 1883, the main tower has a height of 97.9m, topped by the "Iron Rathausmann". This allowed to circumvent the Emperor's order that the building could not be taller that the nearby Votive Church, whose tower measures 99m. On the right is the main facade of the building, viewed from the Ringstrasse, and below is the also impressive view of the back of this extraordinary building.

Rathaus building viewed from the Landesgerichtsstraße, Vienna, Austria

This week has been a very extensive post, but if you love architecture, there is always more to say and share when talking about Vienna. Next week will be a shorter post, totally dedicated to the legendary Vienna Opera House.
And now to sleep, see you next week,
APN

Dailies from Wien, Österreich

March 30, 2016

Vienna, Austria, Easter 2016

Just a small post about the recent trip to Vienna over the extended Easter weekend.

Vienna is the capital, and primary city, in Austria with a population of 1.8 million. Until the beginning of the 20th century it was the largest German-speaking city in the world, and before the splitting of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I the city had 2 million inhabitants. Today it has the second largest number of German speakers after Berlin. It's city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. Apart from being regarded as the City of Music because of its musical legacy, Vienna is also said to be "The City of Dreams" because it was home to the world's first psycho-analyst – Sigmund Freud

Day one was the typical very long first day, but with a bit of time to get our bearings on the city after finding our hotel. With the weather against us, we headed to the center of town for a stroll.

Pick of the day has the Johannes Gutenberg statue in front of the Regensburger Hof building home of the Lugeck tavern.

Day 2 started with the sun barging in through the windows, setting the mood for the day. Vienna looks great in sunshine. All the opulence of the gold plated monuments around the town center shine, and you feel you are in a city that at some point in time was the center of the world. We just spent the day walking around town, starting with the Austrian Parliament building.

Day 3 was dedicated to the majestic Schonbrunn Palace, and thankfully had a glorious sunshine to make it a great day out in the gardens. Going up to the Gloriette for a light lunch is always a good idea, as it seats on top of a hill and has some of the best views of the city.

Day 4 saw the return of the clouds and the cold weather, but still had some sunshine moments. One of the must see places, the City Hall at the Rathausplatz, was the obvious choice to start the last day since it was a 5 min walk from the hotel. Visiting the Johann Strauss statue at the Stadtpark was the next stop, and a walk about the park is recommended if you like art-nouveau.

day 4 - Johann Strauß Denkmal — day 4 - Johann Strauß Denkmal

So, why is this post called Dailies from Wien, Österreich?
Well the second part is self explanatory, just the original name of Vienna and Austria, but the term dailies is not so common.

Dailies, in filmmaking, is the raw, unedited footage shot during the making of a motion picture. They are so called because usually at the end of each day, that day's footage is developed, synced to sound, and printed on film in a batch (or telecined onto video tape or disk) for viewing the next day by the director and some members of the film crew. However, the term can be used to refer to any raw footage, regardless of when it is developed or printed.(from wikipedia)

And It is a term I always liked to describe the rough first choice I tend to make every night at the hotel after a day shooting. Although they are not raw images, I always go through my dailies preset, they do represent a very raw perspective of the day just so I can post something from the day.
More on my dailies processing on a future post...