Category Archives: Art

Art, History, Photos, Themes

Theme: Architecture

Architecture in Germany is historically significant for its lack of consistency. You can have buildings ranging in age from 300 years old to last year on the same block. This patchwork effect is the visible scarring from centuries of war and division. Germans feel no need to maintain their reputation for a fairytale aesthetic; you often see 18th century buildings with neighbors or additions done in a completely modern style.

Art, Berlin, Fairy Tales, Photos

Gallery: Der Märchenbrunnen im Volkspark Friedrichshain

The Fairy Tale Fountain was designed by architect Ludwig Hoffman from 1901-1913. Badly damaged in WWII, the fountain has been restored to its former glory. It includes statues of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, The Seven Ravens, Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, Sister and Brother, and Cinderella. There are also statues of Ryubetsal and Mother Hulda nearby.

Art, Berlin, History, Photos

Gallery: Alter Garnisonsfriedhof, Berlin (Old Garrison Cemetery)

My flatmate, Elliott, and I went to have Vietnamese food, which sounds strange for Berlin, but because we are in the former East Berlin there are dozens of Vietnamese restaurants that have been here since the 60s. On the way back, we found this small cemetery around the corner from our apartment on Kleine Rosenthaler Straße. It was our first cemetery here, and was a good introduction to the beauty and natural serenity of the German model for a final resting place. Cemeteries are everywhere and are treated like parks and greenspace by they community. People picnic in them, have lunch, meet with friends, take walks, even go there on dates. The cemeteries are always filled with people tending the graves and planting flowers.