The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is near the Brandenburg Gate, in the center of Berlin. It’s made up of rectangular concrete columns of varying height set on undulating ground. I tried to take a photo to show what’s it like walking through them.
Here’s a closer view of the Plaza De Espana, which I’ve posted on this site before. The moat is semi-circular and runs the length of the buildings in the plaza. People were renting row boats to travel from one end to the other. I think I even saw a small motorboat which seemed a little like overkill.
Here’s another view of what’s left of the temple of Apollo at Delphi. This is the angle that pilgrims would have approached from as they made their way up the sacred way. You’ve got to imagine it with a giant ornate pediment suspended high atop the columns that still remain.
My second stop in Berlin, in my attempt to stay out of the cold was the Altes Museum containing Greek, Roman and Etrsucan antiquities. The central hall of the building is a stunning round dome surrounded by statues. I took the below photo in an attempt to make a panorama of the whole room, but that hasn’t worked out. I liked this photo as a stand alone image so thought I’d share it.
Wandering around the completely over the top Plaza de Espana it’s pretty obvious why so many movies (from Star Wars to The Dictator) have used this structure as a backdrop. This is the view looking out from the central entrance. It took me quite a while to figure out how to get the towers, light posts and fountains framed up under the archways. It involved sitting on the floor and ignoring the strange looks.
I’m not sure If I focused solely on the Pantheon’s giant doors intentionally or if it was a mistake. I like the kind of surreal feel it’s created in this image though. It seems to add to the feeling that the building is looming over you.
Extra points for anyone who translates the inscription for me.
It took me quite a while to find an angle to get an oblique shot of the Pantheon showing off the amazing pillars and pediment as well as the immensity of the cylinder supporting the dome. I also had to wait for a number of people to stop chatting and move out of frame. I decided I was happy to keep the person sitting on the stairs to give you a sense of scale.
You could get a sore neck from trying to take in La Sagrada Familia’s interior.
This is the inside of Gaudi’s incomplete cathedral, La Sagrada Familia. It’s a weird structure that will only get weirder as they continue building it.The columns shape was inspired by trees, hence the branches at the top. It was pretty tricky to get this shot as tripods were not allowed.
