Art Nouveau - Jugenstil - Modernisme

Riga is the capital of Latvia. With a population of more than 600.000 about a third of all Latvians live here. A settlement of the Finno-Ugric Livs existed on the bank of the Düna. At the end of the 12th century, merchants from Gotland came to trade here. Albert von Buxthoeven, a fierce missionary, was the first bishop in Riga from 1201 to 1229. Riga developed as the hub of Russian trade and the starting point of the German colonization of the Baltic. The merchants who settled here after the subjugation of the surrounding peoples rapidly gained influence. In 1225, they were able to elect the city bailiff themselves, when the City Council existed already. After the Reformation, the power of the archbishops came to an end. After the outbreak of the Livonian War in 1558 the city favoured the status of a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire. It was only when the imperial support failed to materialize that the renewed advance of Russian armies led the city to pay homage to Poland's King Stephen Báthory in 1581, who in return confirmed the city's traditional freedoms and privileges. The 40-year Polish-Lithuanian rule, under which the citizens of Riga successfully resisted anti-Reformation efforts ended with the conquest of the city by Gustav II Adolf of Sweden in 1621. The Swedish crown treated Riga by its rank as the second-largest city in the kingdom and had it lavishly fortified. During the Russo-Swedish War (1656-1658), Riga withstood the Russian siege and maintained its position as one of the most important cities in Sweden until the beginning of the 18th century. During this period the city enjoyed extensive self-government. Riga has one of the largest collections of Art Nouveau buildings in the world, with at least 800 buildings. Our hotel was one of them. There were beautiful windows

Not all shops are closed during th long siesta-break. This really nice tea- and coffee shop was open! See the exotic indians that welcome the customers on both side of the entrance.

The branch of the BNP Paribas ("La banque d'un monde qui change") has a really nice façade, that may not have changed very much since the building got erected.

Three languages are "officially" spoken in the Kingdom of Belgium: Dutch, French and German. Liège is part of the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia. So the butchery here is a "Boucherie".

The new pasta company added some strange shades of green to the historic facade. But at least, it is saved.

An "ecclesia sancte Marie" is mentioned already in 1292, when the small town must have had at least five churches. This probably Romanesque church got rebuilt mid 15th century after it burnt down, when in 1499 after the Battle of Calven "Bündner" troops (from "Graubünden" now part of Switzerland) looted Mals. The church got rebuilt, but again severely damaged by Napoleon´s armee in 1799. The church got reconstructed and enlarged in the early 19th century, it got consecrated in 1838. In 1914 the choir of Maria Himmelfahrt was painted by Austrian artist Emanuel Raffeiner in art deco style.

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". -- During WWII Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids. The first ever 1,000 bomber raid by the RAF (codenamed "Operation Millenium") was conducted on Cologne in May 1942. In April 1945, when the American armee reached Cologne, the city was completely ruined. About 90% of all houses in the inner city were - gone. In 1939 Cologne had had a population of more than 700.00. In spring 1945 there were only about 40.000, living in the ruins. This video shows parts of the destroyed city www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_pQdzhdD50 -- That means, that there are not many "complete" houses in Cologne older than 70 years, but there are many traces. Here is an "art deco" facade.

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". -- During WWII Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids. The first ever 1,000 bomber raid by the RAF ("Operation Millenium") was conducted on Cologne in May 1942. In April 1945, when the American armee reached Cologne, the city was completely ruined. About 90% of all houses in the inner city were - gone. In 1939 Cologne had had a population of more than 700.00. In spring 1945 there were only about 40.000, living in the ruins. So the very most houses and facades in the ctity of Cologne are - young. -- The Neusser Straße of today follows the antique Roman road, that once connected "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium" (Cologne) with Novaesium (Neuss). During the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, with its tremendous population increase, the city of Cologne grew along the existing roads. Just north of the medieval citywall the Agnesquarter (Agnesviertel) developed around the Neu-gothic Agnes Church (completed 1901). The impressive "Erft-Haus", seen here, was erected in 1905.

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". The Ubierring is the southern end of the Cologne Ring ("Kölner Ringe"), a semi-circular, about 6 km long urban boulevard, that encircles the old town of Cologne on the site of the former medieval city wall. The development here began late. First buildings were built from 1890 on. A large-air raid in June 1943 destroyed the rings and their houses largely, but most of them got rebuilt after WWII. Along the Ubierring all houses got reconstructed to the old splendor, so today here is the best preserved ensemble of residential buildings (1905-1910) of the Cologne rings. Many of them have Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) facades.

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". The Ubierring is the southern end of the Cologne Ring ("Kölner Ringe"), a semi-circular, about 6 km long urban boulevard, that encircles the old town of Cologne on the site of the former medieval city wall. The development here began late. First buildings were built from 1890 on. A large-air raid in June 1943 destroyed the rings and their houses largely, but most of them got rebuilt after WWII. Along the Ubierring most houses got reconstructed to the old splendor, so today here is the best preserved ensemble of residential buildings (1905-1910) of the Cologne rings. Many of them have Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) facades. This well restored facade is embellished with two hard working and grim looking "Heinzelmännchen". Such house gnomes appear in an old Cologe tale. They once did all the work of the citizens during nighttime, so that the people in Cologne could be lazy during the day. According to the legend, this went on until a tailor's wife got so curious to see the gnomes that she scattered peas onto the floor of the workshop, so the gnomes slipped and fell. The "Heinzelmännchen", being infuriated, disappeared and never returned. From that night on, the citizens had to do all their work by themselves.

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". The Ubierring is the southern end of the Cologne Ring ("Kölner Ringe"), a semi-circular, about 6 km long urban boulevard, that encircles the old town of Cologne on the site of the former medieval city wall. The development here began late. First buildings were built from 1890 on. A large-air raid in June 1943 destroyed the rings and their houses largely, but most of them got rebuilt after WWII. Along the Ubierring most houses got reconstructed to the old splendor, so today here is the best preserved ensemble of residential buildings (1905-1910) of the Cologne rings. Many of them have Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) facades.

Cologne is the fourth-largest city in Germany - and one of the oldest. A Germanic tribe, the Ubii, had a settlement here, this was named by the Romans "Oppidum Ubiorum". In 50 AD, the Romans founded "Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium", the city then became the provincial capital of "Germania Inferior". -- During WWII Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids. The first ever 1,000 bomber raid by the RAF ("Operation Millenium") was conducted on Cologne in May 1942. In April 1945, when the American armee reached Cologne, the city was completely ruined. About 90% of all houses in the inner city were - gone. In 1939 Cologne had had a population of more than 700.00. In spring 1945 there were only about 40.000, living in the ruins. So the very most houses and facades in the city of Cologne are - young. -- This house (Alteburger Str. 66) with its beautiful The Art Nouveau-facade was erected around 1905, survived the war - and now is well restored.

Porto is with a population of about 250.000 is the largest city in Northern Portugal. In "Greater Porto", the metropolitan area, live even more than 1.7 million people. The historical center of Porto was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Port wine is named after Porto, since the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia on the southern banks of the river Douro are the centers for packaging, transport and export of the fortified wine. Some years ago I had been here for a couple of days before I started the "Camino Portugues" here. The center of Porto has lots of large, fantastic art-deco buildings. The "Edificio Palladium" is known for the clock and the carillon.

Since 1265 Ostend is known as a "town". It was located at the "eastern end" of an island, named Testerep. As the coastline was pretty unstable, a new Ostend was founded futher inland, behind dikes. Ostend was frequently taken, ransacked and destroyed by conquering armies. The Dutch Gueuzen took control of the town. The following siege (1601 to 1604) by Spanish troops ended in the bloodiest battle of the Eighty Years' War, costing more than 80.000 dead or wounded. When, after the War of the Spanish Succession, Ostend belonged to the Austrian Empire, Charles VI founded the "Oostendse Compagnie" in 1722, that had a trade monopoly with Africa and the Far-East and was allowed to found colonies overseas. But only five years later the "Compagnie" was forced to stop its activities because of Dutch and British pressure. Since Belgium existed in 1930 Ostend prospered. In 1838 a railway connected the twon with Brussels and Ostend became a transit harbour to England. Belgian kings Leopold I and Leopold II liked to spend their holidays here and the aristocratic Belgium followed. Posh villas were built and by end of the 19th century Ostend was known as "the queen of the Belgian sea-side resorts". Ostend was an elegant "Belle Epoque Town. This ended in WWI and WWII, as both wars brought destruction to Ostend. This devastation plus the rise of mass tourism in the 1960s and 1970s changed the architecture of Ostend. The once nice ensemble is pretty run down. Over the "Friture Kombuis" the inscription "Villa Rembrandt" is still visible.

Since 1265 Ostend is known as a "town". It was located at the "eastern end" of an island, named Testerep. As the coastline was pretty unstable, a new Ostend was founded futher inland, behind dikes. Ostend was frequently taken, ransacked and destroyed by conquering armies. The Dutch Gueuzen took control of the town. The following siege (1601 to 1604) by Spanish troops ended in the bloodiest battle of the Eighty Years' War, costing more than 80.000 dead or wounded. When, after the War of the Spanish Succession, Ostend belonged to the Austrian Empire, Charles VI founded the "Oostendse Compagnie" in 1722, that had a trade monopoly with Africa and the Far-East and was allowed to found colonies overseas. But only five years later the "Compagnie" was forced to stop its activities because of Dutch and British pressure. Since Belgium existed in 1930 Ostend prospered. In 1838 a railway connected the twon with Brussels and Ostend became a transit harbour to England. Belgian kings Leopold I and Leopold II liked to spend their holidays here and the aristocratic Belgium followed. Posh villas were built and by end of the 19th century Ostend was known as "the queen of the Belgian sea-side resorts". Ostend was an elegant "Belle Epoque Town. This ended in WWI and WWII, as both wars brought destruction to Ostend. This devastation plus the rise of mass tourism in the 1960s and 1970s changed the architecture of Ostend. A well restored art nouveau jewel between high rise apartment blocks. Most of these apartments have "seaview" and are holiday apartments.

Since 1265 Ostend is known as a "town". It was located at the "eastern end" of an island, named Testerep. As the coastline was pretty unstable, a new Ostend was founded futher inland, behind dikes. Ostend was frequently taken, ransacked and destroyed by conquering armies. The Dutch Gueuzen took control of the town. The following siege (1601 to 1604) by Spanish troops ended in the bloodiest battle of the Eighty Years' War, costing more than 80.000 dead or wounded. When, after the War of the Spanish Succession, Ostend belonged to the Austrian Empire, Charles VI founded the "Oostendse Compagnie" in 1722, that had a trade monopoly with Africa and the Far-East and was allowed to found colonies overseas. But only five years later the "Compagnie" was forced to stop its activities because of Dutch and British pressure. Since Belgium existed in 1930 Ostend prospered. In 1838 a railway connected the twon with Brussels and Ostend became a transit harbour to England. Belgian kings Leopold I and Leopold II liked to spend their holidays here and the aristocratic Belgium followed. Posh villas were built and by end of the 19th century Ostend was known as "the queen of the Belgian sea-side resorts". Ostend was an elegant "Belle Epoque Town. This ended in WWI and WWII, as both wars brought destruction to Ostend. This devastation plus the rise of mass tourism in the 1960s and 1970s changed the architecture of Ostend. Many of the old historical building, dating back to the "Belle Epoque", have "lost" their ground floor when shops moved in or existing ones got modernized. Sometimes these conversions lack any sensibility. The old inscription reads "PHARMACIE AL ELEPHANT".

Since 1265 Ostend is known as a "town". It was located at the "eastern end" of an island, named Testerep. As the coastline was pretty unstable, a new Ostend was founded futher inland, behind dikes. Ostend was frequently taken, ransacked and destroyed by conquering armies. The Dutch Gueuzen took control of the town. The following siege (1601 to 1604) by Spanish troops ended in the bloodiest battle of the Eighty Years' War, costing more than 80.000 dead or wounded. When, after the War of the Spanish Succession, Ostend belonged to the Austrian Empire, Charles VI founded the "Oostendse Compagnie" in 1722, that had a trade monopoly with Africa and the Far-East and was allowed to found colonies overseas. But only five years later the "Compagnie" was forced to stop its activities because of Dutch and British pressure. Since Belgium existed in 1930 Ostend prospered. In 1838 a railway connected the twon with Brussels and Ostend became a transit harbour to England. Belgian kings Leopold I and Leopold II liked to spend their holidays here and the aristocratic Belgium followed. Posh villas were built and by end of the 19th century Ostend was known as "the queen of the Belgian sea-side resorts". Ostend was an elegant "Belle Epoque Town. This ended in WWI and WWII, as both wars brought destruction to Ostend. This devastation plus the rise of mass tourism in the 1960s and 1970s changed the architecture of Ostend. Many of the old historical building, dating back to the "Belle Epoque", have "lost" their ground floor when shops moved in or existing ones got modernized. Sometimes these conversions lack sensibility.

Since 1265 Ostend is known as a "town". It was located at the "eastern end" of an island, named Testerep. As the coastline was pretty unstable, a new Ostend was founded futher inland, behind dikes. Ostend was frequently taken, ransacked and destroyed by conquering armies. The Dutch Gueuzen took control of the town. The following siege (1601 to 1604) by Spanish troops ended in the bloodiest battle of the Eighty Years' War, costing more than 80.000 dead or wounded. When, after the War of the Spanish Succession, Ostend belonged to the Austrian Empire, Charles VI founded the "Oostendse Compagnie" in 1722, that had a trade monopoly with Africa and the Far-East and was allowed to found colonies overseas. But only five years later the "Compagnie" was forced to stop its activities because of Dutch and British pressure. Since Belgium existed in 1930 Ostend prospered. In 1838 a railway connected the twon with Brussels and Ostend became a transit harbour to England. Belgian kings Leopold I and Leopold II liked to spend their holidays here and the aristocratic Belgium followed. Posh villas were built and by end of the 19th century Ostend was known as "the queen of the Belgian sea-side resorts". Ostend was an elegant "Belle Epoque Town. This ended in WWI and WWII, as both wars brought destruction to Ostend. This devastation plus the rise of mass tourism in the 1960s and 1970s changed the architecture of Ostend. The café "Fats Domino" is located in an old building dating to the end of the 19th century.