#churches

EuroTripping – Lucerne

On our “European Pretzel” this past summer, we decided to explore Lucerne after our hike down to the town of Engelberg (the topic of last week’s post) before heading back to our home base just outside Basel.

We only spent a short time wandering about but we did cross both covered bridges over the river Reuss and meandered by some of the painted facades in the Old Town and I found myself quite charmed.

Here are some images shot while strolling around Lucerne, Switzerland back at the end of June.

Kapellbrücke and the lovely river Reuss

Franziskanerkirche

The Wasserturm along the Kappellbrücke

Other tourists

The Rathaussteg

View from the Kapellbrücke towards the baroque Jesuitenkirche

The Spreuerbrücke, the other covered bridge

Looking out from the Spreuerbrücke

Looking towards Chateau Gutsch, a hotel with a view

Fountain

Old, leaning buildings, formerly housing mills

I liked the golden cherub near the roofline

This facade has a story to tell

Another painted facade

Shutters

Stadthaus

Old square

Chateau Gutsch

Wasserturm

Another fountain

Signage details

Doors to the Alte Suidtersche Apotheke, the oldest pharmacy in the city

#Architecture #Bridges #Churches #Lucerne #Luzern #Photoblog #Photography #River #Switzerland #Travel

Composite picture linking two eras: on the left is a black and white Edwardian era postcard showing the west door of Fakenham Church, and on the right a colour picture taken by me yesterday afternoon of the self same door.
#photography #postcards #churches #architecture #doors

Altar of the church of the Monastery of Jesus, Setúbal, Portugal. The monastery, founded in 1490, is one of the oldest buildings in Manueline style (Portuguese version of Gothic) and served as a monastery of Poor Clare nuns. photo by Diego Delso
#wikimediacommons #wikipedia #photography #pictureoftheday #churches #portugal #monastery #manuelinearchitecture #gothic #altar #wikipediaphotos

EuroTripping – Heidelberg

On the 21st of June, we were comfortably settled into the early phase of our 3 week EV journey, heading from Hannover towards Basel. This was to be the first day where that “comfort” started to fizzle a bit.

We decided to stop for a couple hours in Heidelberg for a walking tour I had planned. It may not have been the best move to start our visit by walking up the steps to the Schloss — which is perched about 100 meters over the old town — on a day with a high of 36C and palpable humidity but the views were great and we wound our way back down the cobbled, hairpins to check out parts of the Altstadt.

Sadly, we decided to forgo the walk on the other side of the river as I had intended but we still saw some interesting sights in our short time poking about. Here are some images taken under the brutally unkind sun while exploring Heidelberg.

A large villa perched next to the steps we took up to the Schloss

Catching a peek of some of the Schloss’ ruins

More Schloss ruins

The Egyptian geese were smart, trying to have a siesta in the shade

A view from the top — with the Mannheim Grosskraftwerk complex in the distance

That same villa seen as we were making our way up the steps

Finally at the top — time for an ice cream!

Ruins at the Schloss

A very mischievous-looking gargoyle

Some art deco details (note the netting they had up to try and keep the pigeons away)

A University Building in the Alstadt

Details on a big house we walked by as we wound back down from the Schloss

Round tower detail

An old water tower turned into a cafe on the edge of Heidelberg

Towers at the end of the Alte Brücke

Trash bins hiding in an old tower in the wall

“In the Living Spirit” above doors to a University building

A gate in a wall along the winding road down from the Schloss

An interesting detail in the wall

Pride flag outside the Jesuitenkirche

A glimpse of Hotel Sum Ritter St Georg, the oldest residential building in the city

Another view from the Schloss, including the Alte Brücke over the Neckar River

Looking across the river to where we could have explored had it not been so hot

View of the Jusuitenkirche tower

#Architecture #BlackAndWhitePhotography #Churches #Germany #Heidelberg #OldTown #Photoblog #Photography #Schloss #Travel