The convent of St John’s in Müstair in Graubünden is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage listed site mostly visited for its magnificent Carolingian and Romanesque frescoes, the most important cycle of figurative murals in Switzerland. Also worth seeing are the Carolingian architecture of the church and Holy Cross Chapel, the oldest multistory fortress in the … Read more
The Carolingian and Romanesque wall paintings in the abbey church of St Johan in Müstair are the greatest series of medieval figurative murals in Switzerland. The church architecture of this UNESCO World Cultural Heritage-listed site in Graubünden is still predominantly Carolingian despite later Gothic additions. However, the cycle of Carolingian wall paintings featuring the lives … Read more
The Romanesque painted wooden ceilings in the St Martin’s Church in Zillis, canton Graubünden in Switzerland, is one of very few to have been preserved in Europe. The early 12th-century ceiling consists of 153 painted wooden squares with mythical images, Biblical scenes and episodes from the life of St Martin of Tours. Zillis is at … Read more
From 8 February to 28 June 2015, the Fondation Beyeler in Basel will stage the biggest Paul Gauguin special exhibition in Switzerland for half a century. Fifty works from various museums and private owners in 13 countries will feature in this important and colorful Paul Gauguin retrospective – the most elaborate exhibition project ever arranged … Read more
Top exhibitions in Vienna in early 2015 include celebrations of the Congress of Vienna and the Ringstrasse and a variety of contemporary and older art. Two centuries ago, the power elite of Europe met in Vienna to reshape Europe following the defeat of Napoleon – art and artifacts from this top diplomatic and social event … Read more
Schloss Belvedere has some of the best art in Vienna. The permanent collection including Klimt’s The Kiss is frequently enhanced by major temporary shows. In 2015, the temporary exhibitions include a celebration of the Congress of Vienna (1814/15), the 150th anniversary of the Ringstraße, Klimt, Schiele and Kokoschka’s view of woman, grand old masters, contemporary … Read more
The Tränenpalast at the Friedrichstraße S-Bahn train station was the main departure point for travelers from the former East Germany to West Berlin. During the Cold War, travelers crossed the border here rather than at the far more famous Checkpoint Charlie. A free museum in the Tränenpalast – literally Palace of Tears – explains the … Read more
The Topographie des Terrors is a free documentation center, memorial and museum in Berlin on the regime of official state terror during the Nazi period. The permanent exhibitions focus on the period 1933 to 1945 when the headquarters of the Gestapo and SS were located here. The longest surviving piece of the Berlin Wall is … Read more
The free Museum in der Kulturbrauerei in Berlin explains everyday life in East Germany (Alltag in der DDR) and the influences of Communist party planning. The museum shows how the Socialist United Party was involved in every aspect of life in East Germany. It also illustrates how this collective approach came into conflict with individual … Read more
Bargain shoppers save on brand-name fashion labels at the factory stores in the Designer Outlet Soltau village mall between Hamburg and Hannover in Germany. The outlet is directly off the autobahn A7 (exit Soltau Ost) making it an easy stopover to pick up bargains on designer clothes when traveling in northern Germany. The factory stores … Read more