tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post5193796077157404522..comments2024-03-28T22:50:02.315+11:00Comments on ART and ARCHITECTURE, mainly: A very special parliamentary building - the Bundestag in BerlinHelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-22660334448713797552018-12-28T20:42:15.632+11:002018-12-28T20:42:15.632+11:00Samuel
Many thanks. I think a trip to the River S...Samuel<br /><br />Many thanks. I think a trip to the River Spree is going to be even more impressive!Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-18949632505070284122018-12-28T12:25:05.336+11:002018-12-28T12:25:05.336+11:00In 1841, Kaiser Frederick Wilhelm IV of Prussia pu...In 1841, Kaiser Frederick Wilhelm IV of Prussia put into motion his plans for a ‘sanctuary for art and science’ on a small island in the river Spree. He commissioned Friedrich August Stüler to design two grand museums – the Neues museum and the Alte Nationalgalerie – to join the existing Altes Museum. The Bode-Museum and the Perganonmuseum arrived later, in 1904 and 1930 respectively. Together, the buildings of Museum Island in Berlin stand as a symbol of national identity and self-confidence. So it will be interesting to see in 2019 how David Chipperfield’s addition – the James-Simon-Galerie, a colonnaded entranceway that links the five historic institutions together – will complement the Kaiser’s vision.<br /><br />Samuel Reilly<br />Apollo, 27/12/18Apollohttps://www.apollo-magazine.com/museum-openings-2019/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-14513921263146798092018-08-23T13:39:56.743+10:002018-08-23T13:39:56.743+10:00Jenny
my best time of year for travelling to Euro...Jenny<br /><br />my best time of year for travelling to Europe is during our winter holidays when the tertiary institutions close for 4-6 weeks - last half of June and all of July. I KNOW it is going to be hot but I was caught out only once. My suitcase went to Manchester instead of Malta and I was wearing winter clothes in 42c heat :( Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-77625157130206429222018-08-23T03:28:50.326+10:002018-08-23T03:28:50.326+10:00Very interesting to read your post and see your pi...Very interesting to read your post and see your pictures and thanks for commenting on mine. I wish I had felt like going to that restaurant, but actually it was so hot all I wanted was an icecream! In that heat I felt that the cooling system was less than perfect, eco friendly though it was, I might have been happier with a full on fridge-type a/c!!!!! Jenny Woolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16881781466502273314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-27381543114929549902018-05-17T20:34:00.030+10:002018-05-17T20:34:00.030+10:00Woofwoof
It breaks my heart when beautiful, histo...Woofwoof<br /><br />It breaks my heart when beautiful, historic architecture is intentionally pulled down and replaced by ugly, modern buildings. Out and out vandalism! A gaolable offence!<br /><br />But when the destruction was caused by war or fire, and some proportion of the building remains, there is every reason to restore the facility to its original design. In modern cities like Atlanta, that may not matter. But in medieval and early modern cities like Prague, it does matter.Helshttp://melbourneblogger.blogspot.com.aunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-27676345463465410802018-05-17T15:55:24.669+10:002018-05-17T15:55:24.669+10:00I think we should be grateful that the outer walls...I think we should be grateful that the outer walls survived the fire and the war and for the 1960s restoration. I'm sure that otherwise the whole thing would have been rebuilt as a glass and concrete monstrosity (cf new public buildings like the Scottish Parliament or City Hall in London). It's such a pity that modern architects have such a prejudice against classical, baroque and gothic styles and the use of stone.<br />Woofwoofhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11661351275523227767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-4145106378241767402018-05-16T20:04:57.492+10:002018-05-16T20:04:57.492+10:00Andrew
There are few cities I am passionate about...Andrew<br /><br />There are few cities I am passionate about, but you have picked most of them in one sentence - starting with Vienna, Berlin and Prague! <br /><br />Museum Island and Pergamon are fantastic, ditto Potsdam, Charlottenburg Palace, The Holocaust Memorial, Unter den Linden and The Brandenburg Gate, Alexanderplatz, Berlin Cathedral, Gendarmenmarkt, Wannsee, Sanssouci, the Wall and Checkpoint Charlie Museum etc etc etc. Too fantastic for words.<br /><br />Re the beer and sausages for breakfast. I don't eat meat ever, but people who do... really like "going local".Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-27988011562772391312018-05-16T18:12:37.340+10:002018-05-16T18:12:37.340+10:00A very interesting building. While it is not Vienn...A very interesting building. While it is not Vienna, Prague or Budapest, I think Berlin would be an interesting city to visit. We experienced German beer and sausages for breakfast in Germany. There wasn't too much special about either.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-23639557891669627162018-05-16T11:30:49.181+10:002018-05-16T11:30:49.181+10:00mem
agreed 100%. Last time we were there, we had ...mem<br /><br />agreed 100%. Last time we were there, we had 8 days to explore Berlin and surrounding areas, and still wanted to stay longer. <br /><br />Since my brother in law was from Leipzig, we also wanted to see his beloved classical music, architecture and fine arts. Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-31611360636902759822018-05-16T11:08:49.283+10:002018-05-16T11:08:49.283+10:00I really love Berlin . There is a friendly informa...I really love Berlin . There is a friendly informal vibe and a thoughtfulness to the modern architecture and the memorials which have been built there . In some strange way it reminds me a little of Melbourne but Melbourne doesn't have the burden of all that history . Its a really wonderful city and very livable . I hope it stays that way .memhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05520080648914042943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-27822142323348308652018-05-16T11:07:29.545+10:002018-05-16T11:07:29.545+10:00Hilary
not just damaged... pulverised! Have a loo...Hilary<br /><br />not just damaged... pulverised! Have a look at a 1946 photo of the building:<br />http://berlinlayers.com/journal/2013/4/22/the-reichstagHelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-14562959823641104522018-05-16T11:04:35.918+10:002018-05-16T11:04:35.918+10:00Joseph
oops thank you. Clearly the German Bundest...Joseph<br /><br />oops thank you. Clearly the German Bundestag is not the only parliament building in the world to include a fine public restaurant. The Parliamentary Dining Room in British Columbia is open to the public every weekday for breakfast and lunch. In Quebec, Le Parlementaire is a handsome beaux arts dining room once reserved for MNAs, but for decades now its has been open to the public. Etc etcHelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-53321467947055526302018-05-16T10:56:25.166+10:002018-05-16T10:56:25.166+10:00Parnassus
I love the idea of transparency and ill...Parnassus<br /><br />I love the idea of transparency and illumination as well. Symbolically, and also in practice. Actually I think the special design of the buildings has as much to do with energy generation and supply, but that is also important!<br /><br />Every time the building was renovated or rebuilt, I imagine the architects were asked to incorporate elements from past incarnations, but that the focus should be on contemporary politics and culture. So the latest incarnation had to create a parliamentary building that was a symbol of modern German democracy but with no sign of Germany's imperial past, two world wars and Nazism.Helshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02849907428208235392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-10371004869845250242018-05-16T06:32:16.120+10:002018-05-16T06:32:16.120+10:00Hi Hels - what a great article on the transformati...Hi Hels - what a great article on the transformation of the damaged building to today's Parliament. Love the idea of it being available for the public to view ... thanks so much for letting us know the details of this - cheers HilaryHilary Melton-Butcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17596532480645510678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-34504542451924910912018-05-15T20:52:12.014+10:002018-05-15T20:52:12.014+10:00Strangers' Dining Room in London's Parliam...Strangers' Dining Room in London's Parliament House was opened to the public in 2017. Expensive food but splendid decoration.<br /><br />Parliament House in Victoria has a restaurant that is open to the public, but only when Parliament is not sitting. Strangers' Corridor looks elegant.Josephnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3067098918914268503.post-37464410539058729082018-05-15T20:29:21.115+10:002018-05-15T20:29:21.115+10:00Hello Hels, A happy ending for a building with a ...Hello Hels, A happy ending for a building with a troubled past. The metaphor of transparency is one that certainly could be adopted on a larger scale! <br /><br />You mention the "decorative figures" that had been destroyed. One wonders about the huge number of sculptural fragments from buildings destroyed in the wars, fires, and other causes of attrition. Unless reduced literally to smithereens, most of these must be extant in some way, even if buried in landfills, like the many fragments that have survived from antiquity. I wonder of this type of architectural salvage is prevalent in Europe? It seems a resource that would be imbued with extra meaning by the recent, indeed sometimes living, memories with which they are infused.<br />--Jim Parnassushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08958901307538141468noreply@blogger.com