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

Theophil Von Hansen at the Austrian Parliament, Vienna, Austria

weekly update 014 - 2017-02-08 - Welcome to Wien, Österreich

February 8, 2017

This week I welcome you to the enchanting city of Vienna, which once was the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, these days the capital of Austria and known both as the 'City of Music' and 'City of Dreams'. For anyone who loves music, architecture or history this city is an obligatory place to visit.
And, despite being the largest city in Austria with a population close to 2 million people, most of the more interesting places to visit are within walking distance. Even if you only have three days to spend, I would advise you to use them in Vienna.
All the photos I'm showcasing in this, and also subsequent posts, were taken during last year's Easter Weekend when we visited the city for the first time. I would recommend that trip to everyone that lives around Europe, as the city is home to a very interesting Easter festival, and usually the weather is not too harsh around that time of the year. We we're lucky enough to get a couple of days with glorious sunshine, as shown in the picture above. That picture was taken at the Austrian Parliament building, which is a great building to start or end your daily walk through the Museums Quartier.

Volkstheater on a cloudy day, Vienna, Austria

On the Museums Quartier you can also find the 'People's Theater', a citizen-founded theater staging classic works and contemporary plays. The small Volkstheater building was a great prelude to what the city had to offer in terms of classic architecture.
On the day we arrived there was a cold grey ominous sky, that threatened rain. Thankfully we only had to contend with some drizzle and cold.

Heading towards the historic centre of town through some lovely gardens, you will come across the magnificent Hofburg Palace. Built in the 13th century, and expanded in the following centuries, this was the imperial palace, the seat of power of the Habsburg dynasty. Today it is the official residence, and workplace, of the President of Austria.

Hofburg palace on a cloudy day, Vienna, Austria

The side facing Michaelerplatz is shown above, and this square is usually filled with tourists, with many horse carriages awaiting to take you for a tour around town. It was slightly less crowded on this day, but when the sun appeared on the next day it was full of people again.

Old and new architecture meet at Stephansplatz, Vienna, Austria

From there it is a short walk to the heart of the city, Stephansplatz with it's impressive cathedral that dominates the entire area, the Domkirche St. Stephan. Or St. Stephen's Cathedral for the english speaking. Unfortunately there were extensive renovation works being carried out at the time, meaning that most of the external walls were covered in scaffolding. Since that is not very photogenic, I will have to come back another time.

Oddly enough for an area of such historic relevance, you can find some new buildings in Stephansplatz. The one pictured above is part commercial gallery, part hotel and also has a very good restaurant at the top. I would recommend having a meal at the DO&CO Restaurant, the food is great and the views are even better. But be prepared to pay a bit more, and dressing up is recommended but not necessary.

Vienna's subway, the U-Bahn, is the best way to get around town with regular services, stops on the most important locations and is a credit to pragmatic thinking around moving lots of people through the city. Everything is clearly marked, but expect some transfers between lines to make you walk a bit, and sometimes even come up to street level.

On the second day, under a warm early Spring sunshine, we ventured onto another obligatory spot at Karlsplatz.

On the other side of the square stands another building that caught my attention because of the stylized howls that adorn it. This new building belongs to the Vienna Technical University, and houses it's library. It is another great example of how modern glass, stone and steel can cohexist with other buildings from older centuries.

Here you will find the iconic Karlskirche, picture below in front of a bed of flowers in bloom. This 18th century cathedral is featured in most articles about Vienna, not only because of the way it looks on the inside, but because it houses an ornately painted domed ceiling.

Technische Universität Wien Hauptbibliothek, Vienna, Austria

Otto Wagner Pavilion at Karlsplatz, Vienna, Austria

Also in the Karlsplatz, do take the time to find the two pavilions that once were the entrance to the former version of the metro in 1899, the Stadtbahn. Thankfully they were moved and repurposed in 1960 to their new locations, and are now used as a café and an exhibition center.

This week I'll leave you with a photo taken on the last day of the visit on the Stadtpark, which is famous for the monuments it contains that celebrate famous musicians. I'll get to the monuments later, but wanted to show another great building. The Kursalon was built in the 19th century, in the Italian Renaissance style, and is one of the premiere location for events in Vienna.

Kursalon Wien at the Stadtpark, Vienna, Austria

For the next few weeks I'll carry on showing, and writing, about Vienna with some posts more dedicated to the architecture and others more to the statues. There will be one totally dedicated to the legendary opera house.
Until next week,
APN

site update : new gallery online

February 8, 2017

Just a small update for today. After procrastinating for a couple of months, with Christmas holidays and back issues to help me out with it, I have finally uploaded the full gallery for the 2015 New York photos. Here is a small sample:

Featured

APN, CityScapes, HDR, NYC, New York, Places, Rockefeller, USA, _city, _travels, ice skating, longExposures, night, project365

NewYork_20150324_164

APN, CityScapes, HDR, NYC, New York, Places, Rockefeller, USA, _city, _travels, ice skating, longExposures, night, project365

2 by 1, APN, CityScapes, Manhattan, NYC, New York, Panoramic, TopOfTheRock, USA, _Format, _travels, cityscape, format_2x1, project365, sunset

NewYork_20150324_090

2 by 1, APN, CityScapes, Manhattan, NYC, New York, Panoramic, TopOfTheRock, USA, _Format, _travels, cityscape, format_2x1, project365, sunset

APN, NYC, New York, USA, _travels, project365

NewYork_20150322_082

APN, NYC, New York, USA, _travels, project365

APN, HudsonRiver, NYC, New York, NewYorkWaterTaxi, Transport, USA, _travels, bridge, project365

NewYork_2015_446

APN, HudsonRiver, NYC, New York, NewYorkWaterTaxi, Transport, USA, _travels, bridge, project365

APN, Blue Skies, HDR, Manhattan, NYC, New York, USA, World Trade Center, World Trade Center Memorial, _Format, _travels, fisheye, memorial, project365

NewYork_20150323_093

APN, Blue Skies, HDR, Manhattan, NYC, New York, USA, World Trade Center, World Trade Center Memorial, _Format, _travels, fisheye, memorial, project365

This is now my new landing page for all the visitors hope you enjoy it, more updates to follow shortly, and the weekly updates will now focus on Wien.

APN

weekly update 013 - 2017-01-18 - Strolling through the streets of Lisbon

January 19, 2017

Ethereal sunset at the Alges Maritime Traffic Control Tower, Lisbon, Portugal

Deciding this week's first photo of the post was very complicated for me because I have three images that are really strong. Usually I would only show one per week, but this is to be the last post dedicated to Lisbon for a while. So I ended up just sorting them out by the way I could make the text flow around them.

So I start with another two images of the Maritime Traffic Control Tower in Algés, taken on Christmas Eve 2016. This site is very popular with photographers, for obvious reasons, and is usually very busy at the end of the day. Being the 24th of December, I was the only photographer there with only a few more people for company at the beach. That meant I was able to move around quite freely and make the most of the fading sunlight from a few vantage points.

This first image using a Lee Big Stopper and a Lee Hard ND Grad filter to bring the exposure down and blur the water for that ethereal look. And on the second image going for a more subtle blur effect but using that bring more impact to the wet sand and pebbles on the foreground. I will be printing this one on metallic paper and putting it on some wall around the house, should look great.

Sunset at the Alges Maritime Traffic Control Tower, Lisbon, Portugal

The last photo I wanted to highlight comes from my second visit to the site of the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology more commonly known as MAAT. I won't go into the usual details about the building, since I did that last week. I wanted to go back to this place, since realising I hadn't captured what I wanted first time around. As a plus of visiting on a regular night, I was also able to see how many people are using this area to exercise or just walk around at the end of the day. That is great to see since this used to be really underused part of town. So I decided to go for a very slow shutter speed to capture the movement of all the people walking by.

As I do every year I get a few hours of free time in Lisbon, I like to wander around the Chiado area of the city. Still remember the time when my grandmother used to take there for the afternoon for some shopping and coffee, milk for me at that time. The area used to be dominated by the great department stores of Armazéns do Chiado and Armazéns Grandella, which sadly burnt down when a great fire destroyed most of this area in 1988. After many years, both buildings were rebuilt but the two stores never came back. At least it was revitalised with the creation of a small shopping center and a couple of big stores which draw lots of people on a daily basis. On that area you can also find Bertrand, the World's Oldest Bookstore. Established in 1732, on a different site but moved to it's current location after the 1755 earthquake that completely destroyed most of Lisbon. And of course a stroll around Chiado is never without a visit to the Fernando Pessoa statue, that will always greet you at the front of his favourite cafe, A Brasileira, which you should visit as it is one of the most beautiful coffee houses in Lisbon.

And I'll leave this week with the final edit of the bridge photo I showed earlier on Instagram. You can't really tell the difference on Instagram, but that image was done from a single frame, and had a few issues with noise and lack of details on the highlights. This final version is a manual blend of 6 exposures, to be able to capture the detail of the Christ Tower on the South side of the river, the few visible stars in the sky and also all the reflections of the lights on the river. This was actually taken from the top of the MAAT building, which gives an interesting vantage point when shooting the 25th of April bridge of the Tejo river.
Next week I'll start showcasing photos from last years visit to the beautiful city of Vienna in Austria, hope you enjoy it. Hope to also get new galleries up on the main website in between blog posts.
Until then,
APN

Night falls over the Tejo, Lisbon, Portugal

Sunset panorama of the Maritime Traffic Control Tower at Alges, Lisbon, Portugal

weekly update 012 - 2017-01-11 - New year, new post, still in Lisbon

January 10, 2017

Happy new year to everyone, hope that the holiday season was kind to you. For my part, it was another week of great food and better company with family and friends in my hometown of Lisbon. I decided to start off the year with a fresh batch of photos I took during Christmas week on the few hours that I was able to set apart to shoot.
There were a couple of places that I had planned to shoot this time around. First was the Algés Maritime Traffic Control Tower, pictured above. This is one of the most innovative buildings of the type, and it stands out in the area that so far was dominated by old industrial architecture. Designed by Architect Gonçalo Byrne, it was inaugurated in 2001 with the most advanced maritime technologies. Since then I had mean to go and photograph it, but until this year other places had taken my time. Going there on Christmas eve for the sunset was a great choice, as the beach was all but deserted, and a glorious sunset and dusk awaited me. I have another shot from that place that I will show next week.

The second place I wanted to shoot was the newly inaugurated MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology), inserted on the prime location by the Tejo riverside. This extraordinary building will be the subject of many photographs by everyone that visits it, or just passes by. Architect Amanda Levete has achieved the complicated task of creating a building that is modern and amazing, but at the same time melts into the background. It also encompasses the old Tejo Power Station, that was also used as a Museum before, and which is a great example of 19th century industrial architecture, although it was built in 1909.

I'll leave you with a couple more photos taken on Boxing Day, which we don't celebrate in Portugal, but is a great day to walk around town if the weather is good. I was fortunate to spot this man basking in the Winter sunshine, that was a constant this year oddly. Better yet he was leaning on the sculpture that bears the name of the town visible on the other side of the river, Almada where I've spent many great nights at concerts and more commonly eating and drinking with friends.
Below is a shot from Praia Grande, one of the beach villages around Sintra. The sea there is usually cold, and with many waves. But I recommend it for the food mainly, you can get a great seafood meal with a wonderful sea vista.

Next week I'll share my last images from that week in Portugal, and I'm also preparing an overhaul of the galleries on the website. I'll also reveal the travel plans for this year, which should give me plenty more photos to share with you.
Hope you all have a great 2017,
APN

Lisbon Oceanarium at Parque das Nações, Lisbon, Portugal

weekly update 011 - 2016-12-26 - Portugal for Christmas

December 27, 2016

Back in Portugal for the holidays, a week of eating and visiting with friends and family, and so I decided to share a few photos from my beautiful city of Lisbon. Above is a view of the Oceanarium located on the Parque das Nações area of Lisbon taken just after sunset on a Winter day. This whole area of town used to be dominated by industry, until it repurposed to be the site of the 1998 World Exhibit, known as Expo'98. Thankfully for Lisbon, after the exhibit was over, the area became one of the most sought after neighbourhoods of the city, home of great modern architecture, green spaces and expansive river views. As part of the industrial background of the area, you can still see one of the refineries tower. And from the Expo'98 legacy you can still find some working water volcanoes that gathered so much praise on the hot summer days of the exhibit.

Just over an hours drive south from Lisbon you can find the old fishing village of Sesimbra, where I used to spend all of my summer holidays at the beach

That is it for this year, I'll leave you with my favourite image of the Belem Tower, from where the Portuguese set forth on the 14th century to 'give the world new worlds'. Next week I'll start a new year with a new city in Europe.
See you soon/Até breve,
APN

Belem Tower and sunset, Lisbon, Portugal

Main staircase of the McKim Building, Boston Public Library, Boston, USA

weekly update 010 - 2016-12-19 - A farewell to Boston

December 19, 2016

This week marks the end of my showcase of last year's trip to the USA, namely to the cities of New York, Chicago and of course Boston. And to finish things off on a high, nothing better than sharing the inside of the McKim Building of the Boston Public Library. Founded in 1848, it contains 23 million items that range from books to DVDs, maps to microfilm and music scores. It's main two buildings are the Johnson building, opened in 1972, and the gorgeous McKim building which opened in 1895 pictured here.

And I'll leave you with a different version of the same picture I showcased when I was there, the George Washington statue at the Public Garden on a cloudy afternoon. Passing through these gardens became my favourite part of the day during our short stay in town. Hope to come back for a visit soon.

Since I'm flying back to Portugal for the Holidays, expect some nice shots from the westernmost country in Europe, which I called home for most of my life. Until then, enjoy the season with your loved ones, and indulge on your favourite treats.
See y'all next week.
APN

George Washington Statue at the Public Garden, Boston, USA

weekly update 009 - 2016-12-12 - Boston's Statues tour

December 11, 2016

This week we will be going over some of the most interesting, or more important, statues in the Boston area. Unfortunately I didn't have all the time I wanted to go looking for more as it is one of my favorite urban subjects to capture, but I manage to capture an interesting mix of styles. Above you can see part of the "Irish Famine Memorial" unveiled in 1998 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Great Famine that ravaged through Ireland in the 19th century, that led to the mass migration with Boston becoming home to a massive Irish community.
Below you can see the 8 foot bronze statue of Benjamin Franklin standing in front of Boston's elaborate French Second Empire-style Old City Hall. The statue is actually older than the building, being in this place since 1856, but the building was erected in 1874 after an earlier fire devastated this part of town 2 years earlier. Besides him is the top of the "Soldiers and Sailors Monument", located on the beautiful Boston Common Garden, and is dedicated to the Soldiers and Sailors of the Civil War.

Above you can see one of the most interesting Public Artworks I've seen so far, it is created by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, and it is formed of numeric symbols arranged in the shape of a person sitting. And the Bobby Orr statue that has since moved to a new location, but continues to grace the TD Garden grounds.

I'll leave you with one of the funniest sculptures I found at Boston, at the Common Garden you can find a scattering of frogs that belong, and celebrate, the greatly named Tadpole Playground.

Next week will be the last post dedicated to Boston, and since I'll be travelling to Portugal for Christmas I will try to share with you some of the sights of my country of birth.
Until then, be merry and enjoy the cold weather :)
APN

Fishing Frogs of Tadpole Playground, Boston, USA

weekly update 008 - 2016-12-05 - a taste of Boston's architecture

December 1, 2016

This week I will be focussing on some of the buildings I found interesting in Boston. Some are historic landmarks, which I had put on my list to photograph, others just caught my eye while I was passing them by. Point in case is the first photo of this post, the facade of the Omni Parker House Hotel. Of which I knew nothing at the time, but now know to be the longest continuously operating hotel in the United States, built in 1927 on the same site as the Parker House Hotel that had been operating since October 1855. It is currently under study for becoming a Boston Landmark, but at the time it was the ornate golden entrance that made me photograph it.
On the other hand, I was intent on capturing the beautiful Old City Hall building, and the historic Old State House, pictured below. You can also find a detail of the Boston Public Library facade, and the Trinity Episcopal Church.

The Old State House is a historic building built in 1713, it was the seat of the Massachusetts General Court until 1798, and is one of the oldest public buildings in the United States. One of the landmarks on Boston's Freedom Trail, it is the oldest surviving public building in Boston.
Boston's Old City Hall was home to its city council from 1865 to 1969. It was one of the first buildings in the French Second Empire style to be built in the United States.
Trinity Church is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. The congregation, currently standing at approximately 3,000 households, was founded in 1733. The church is home to several high-level choirs, including the Trinity Choir, Trinity Schola, Trinity Choristers, and Trinity Chamber Choir. The building is currently under study for becoming a Boston Landmark.
The Boston Public Library McKim Building (built 1895) in Copley Square contains the library's research collection, exhibition rooms and administrative offices. When it opened in 1895, the new Boston Public Library was proclaimed a "palace for the people." The building includes lavish decorations, a children's room (the first in the nation), and a central courtyard surrounded by an arcaded gallery in the manner of a Renaissance cloister.

Next week I’ll be showing some of the most interesting statues and street art that I captured in Boston and Cambridge, in what should probably be the last post dedicated to this fine city.

Until we meet again,
APN