Marbles

A collection of marble sculptures inside the newly refurbished wing of the Schloss Charlottenburg. I recently saw a performance of Mozart's greatest hits in one of the upper rooms. It was a real treat to see the palace "after hours" and the musicians were really talented, especially the soprano. Hopefully there will be other performances to enjoy in the future!

Angel's vantage

A view towards the heavens awaits you at the top of the Berliner Dom. It's well worth the walk up, for the wonderful views of the city and the skies. More skies can be found at Skywatch.

It's Friday again and I'm so glad! I'm going to see a basketball game this weekend, I hope it will be a win for Alba Berlin. If the weather permits, I'll probably also play some golf. What about you? Do you have any big plans for the weekend?

Horse and rider

May I introduce you to Friedrich Wilhelm, also known as The Great Elector. He was the ruler of Prussia from 1640 until his death in 1688. He was a great military leader and political strategist, as well as a staunch supporter of the protestant church. His likeness can be seen all around Berlin, but this statue is particularly notable as it stands in front of the Schloss Charlottenburg. 

I was lucky to get this shot on a blue-sky day and you can see more skies of all kinds at Skywatch. 

Unknown

Most of my posts lately come from my archives and I'm sorry to admit I can't find any additional information on this statue. I think it was taken somewhere near the Heinrich Heine Straße U-bahn station. I hope you'll enjoy it anyway! You'll find more interesting finds at Tuesday Treasures.

Another Kollwitz

We're on a Käthe Kollwitz roll! This is proabably her best known sculpture, depicting a mother cradling her dead son in her arms. Kollwitz had personal experience with the loss of a child, her own son died in battle during WWI.

This work stands inside the Neue Wache just off Unter den Linden. It's a monument to all victims of war and tyranny. It's really a beautiful and moving monument and Kollwitz's work is the perfect fit. I've featured other works of hers previously here.

I am so happy the weekend is finally here. Do you have any plans? I'm going to a birthday party on Saturday and will maybe play some golf on Sunday. Hope you have something fun to look forward to too!

Kollwitz Platz

An imposing statue of Käthe Kollwitz stands right in the middle of Kollwitz Platz in Prenzlauerberg. There are tons of cute cafes and restaurants right around here and if you're lucky enough to be in Berlin in the springtime, you'll find an abundance of cherry blossoms lining the square.

This sculpture is both of and by Kollwitz. I really love her work. The people always look so ordinary, but somehow that's what touches me about them. I've shown another one of her sculpture selfies here.

Kloster gate

I showed you the U-Bahn station Klosterstrasse last October and I tried to get back in November before I started my new job, but, unfortunately, I learned the cloister ruins are closed during the winter months. However, I did get this picture of the gate and a statue running for freedom behind it. I hope to get back during the open months to get a better look inside. Until then, I hope you enjoy this peek inside and you'll find more gates and fences at Good Fences.

Merry Christmas!

This creche is from the Schloss Charlottenburg Christmas Market. It's one of the biggest and prettiest in Berlin and they always have a nice manger scene. These figures were handmade by a local chainsaw artist. I always wonder how they can get so much detail with a chainsaw.

Enjoy the rest of your Christmas, hopefully surrounded by friends, family and those you love.

Naked man in the Tiergarten

I guess I'm just on a naughty roll... I actually took this picture a few weeks ago at the height of fall. All these leaves are probably gone now, but don't they look pretty scattered on the grass? And to be fair, you do see quite a bit of nudity in the Tiergarten during the summer. There are areas where nude sunbathing is tolerated, if not explicitly allowed.

Lenin and the blue door

You may wonder where statues of former dictators go? I can tell you where at least one is! This likeness of Lenin stands in front of a removal company in Kreuzberg. Lenin was removed from his original spot near Alexanderplatz after the fall of the Wall. I guess someone just couldn't bear to see him destroyed, or the removal company thought it would have some kitsch value. I wonder how many young people would even recognize his face today. I admit, I wouldn't have known who this was.

PS: Don't forget to stop by Halcyon Travels for a look at my recent trip to Israel.

Meet Sam

This is a bust of the famed law reformer, Samuel von Cocceji. Under the Prussian King Frederick the Great, he made reforms to the law and judicial process which helped lay the foundations for modern German law. The museum finds him so cool, he got this special place of honor under one of the rose-style windows. You can read more about Sam here.

A bear and his shield

This week I'm taking you on a tour of the Märkisches Museum. You may remember I showed you Big Roland who stands guard outside the museum awhile back. After walking by this museum so many times, I finally visited last June on the free day. It was surprisingly interesting and would definitely be a good choice for families with older kids. It mainly showcases the history of the city of Berlin. And of course, Berlin wouldn't be complete without its bear! This guy even has his own shield, though I'm don't believe I've seen that crest before.

PS: Sorry for the long absence. I got back from Israel last week, but wasn't feeling well enough to sit in front of the computer. I think things are getting better, hope you haven't missed your daily dose of Berlin too much!

The monumental monument

As promised, here is a look at the Soviet War Memorial. I hope the people and the little biker give you an idea of the scale of this sculpture - it's massive!

The sculpture was created by Soviet artist Yevgeny Vuchetich and alledgedly represents the true store of a Soviet soldier who risked heavy machine gun fire to save a young German child during the Battle of Berlin. In reality, the Soviets ransacked the city of Berlin when they marched in, raiding homes and businesses for anything of value. Rape and abuse was also rampant during that time and it is said there is a whole generation of children who were conceived during that violent time.

Here's a look back on the rest of the memorial park from atop the plinth of the statue. The whole thing is a little too grandiose and pompous for my taste. I know bad things happen during wars, but it's hard for me to accept this view of history. I'm still glad I made the trip out to see it though.

Marble gallery

When you walk into the Altes Museum, you come directly into this domed area which is encircled with marble statues of varying ages and subjects. I just loved the way they were presented here. I hope you've enjoyed this short tour of the museum, I'm going to move on to other subjects this week. Although I might come back at sometime in the future as I still have a few nice shots from here.

Refurbished colossal

Here's one of the beautiful marbles from the museum's collection. It is entitled Colossal Statue with Cornucopia, Snake and Portrait of Antonious. It was acquired by the museum in Rome in the late 1700s, but dates back to around 130 - 140 AD. Here is more information on the work:

Head and statue are ancient but were combined as recently as in the eighteenth century. The portrait depicts Emperor Hadrian's lover Antonious. The attributes allow the statue to be interpreted as Agathos Daimon (protective spirit). Restored with support from ZDF and the Lions Club Berlin-Alexanderplatz.

Guardian for the afterlife

This Funerary Lion was found somewhere around Athens and dates back to approximately 320 BC. Here's a little more information on the piece:

This large lion either marked a grave as an individual monument or, together with a counterpart, was a corner figure of a monumental funerary precinct in late classical Athens. As a symbolic guardian, the lion grants magical protection from grave robbers. Its artistic quality is indicative of the commissioner's wealth.

Free at last!

The Altes Museum is, as its name implies, Berlin's oldest museum. The collection is made up of mainly old Greek and Roman marbles. I enjoyed my stroll through antiquity and will share a few pieces with you this week.

This work is called Funerary Relief of Publius Aiedius and his Wife Aiedia. It was found in Rome and dates back to around 30 B.C. Here's a little more information:

This type of relief belonged to funerary buildings of freed slaves who were given civic rights. Clothing (toga) and clasped hands (wedding ritual) proudly demonstrate the acquired social status. The realistic rendering of the portrait is a traditional symbol of dignity and virtue.

Hope you've enjoyed the tour so far. For more signs, take a look at Signs, Signs.

Grand staircase

Remember those three Freddies I showed you the other day? Well here they are again, ready to greet you as you ascend the grand staircase inside the Bode Museum. Just looking at the scene makes me dream of the days when balls and parties were held in places like this. I'd love to make an entrance coming down these stairs. Sigh.

Hanging out

Just a bunch of Freddies hanging out at the Bode Museum!

Looking through

There were so many wonderful architectural details at the Bode Museum. Enjoy!