The past

Lenin & Stalin, Tirana

Especially communist states love to create big statues of their leaders. But what to do with them when times change? In some countries they were simply destroyed, others created exhibitions like the Memento Park near Budapest, Hungary. In Tirana, Albania the big memorials have just been moved into the backyard of the national art gallery Galeria Kombëtare e Arteve. Without any explanation these contemporary witnesses are standing there like an odd silent crowd.

Continue reading “The past”

Piramida

Pyramid, Tirana

The pyramid of Tirana, Albania is a ruin at the city center: it was supposed to be teared down to make place for a new parliament building – now it is planned to be a youth centre, but yet no progress is visible. It was opened in 1988 is a museum about the former leader Enver Hoxha who died in 1985. On top of it there was a red star and red light illuminated its shape. It was the materialized personality cult arround Hoxha.

Continue reading “Piramida”

Blloku

Heart tunnel, Tirana

The city quarter ‘Blloku‘ of Tirana, Albania is the place to be for young Albanians in the evening hours. Here you can find good bars and restaurants, next to the right places for nightlife. But that wasn’t always like this – the city quarter was during communist times reserved for the representatives and truest followers of the party (Partia e Punës e Shqipërisë, PPSH).

Continue reading “Blloku”

Along river Ahne

Ahne, Ahnegraben, Kassel

The Naturpark Habichtswald close to Kassel, Germany offers numerous nice hiking trails. One of the best leads along the river Ahne – beginning at its source near the Essigberg. Following this trail you will pass a three kilometers long chestnut alley (the ‘Kastanienallee‘), you can make a detour to the Silbersee lake and you will see the Ahnegraben; an area where the river floats through a deep valley and creates little waterfalls.

Continue reading “Along river Ahne”

Silbersee

Silbersee, Habichtswald, Kassel

From the year 1880 to the year 1936 basalt was gathered at a quarry named ‘Igelsburg‘ (after a former wooden castle close-by) in the Habichtswald near Kassel, Germany. It existed there because of volcanic activity millions of years ago. Basalt was in the past used for buildings like the Herkules monument or the Löwenburg castle – but it is an imperfect material that deteriorates fast. As there was no need for the quarry anymore the area filled with water and a new lake was created: the Silbersee (‘silver lake’).

Continue reading “Silbersee”

Weidelsburg

Weidelsburg, Wolfhagen

It is the largest castle ruin of northern Hesse and you can’t overlook it because it is located on the 492 meters high Weidelsberg mountain: the Weidelsburg at Wolfhagen, Germany. It has been built somewhen around the year 1111 CE and was important because of its strategic location between the landgraviate of Hesse, the electorate of Mainz and the principality of Waldeck. From the 16th century on it was not used anymore and became a ruin.

Continue reading “Weidelsburg”

In foreign soil

Niederzwehren cemetery, Kassel

The horrors of World War I seem far away and are overshadowed by the successor of this war. Between 1914 and 1918 around 17 million people lost their lifes. Even if this feels far away in time sometimes it’s pretty close in space: at the city quarter Niederzwehren of Kassel, Germany you can find two large cemeteries for soldiers of World War I – one for the British, one for the Russians. It is quite far away from civilization but you might spot it from the motorways A44 and A49.

Continue reading “In foreign soil”

Künstler-Nekropole

Künstler-Nekropole, Kassel

Close to the city quarter Harleshausen of Kassel, Germany you can find an artificial lake in an old quarry: the Blauer See (‘blue lake’). It is a nice lake in a wavy forest, but it is especially interesting as the area surrounding it is a special cemetery – for artists whose works are shown at the documenta art exhibition. A round course leads you to the graves and future graves of the artists. The graves are designed and created while the owners are still living. Everybody participating in this collective artwork agrees on being buried there later.

Continue reading “Künstler-Nekropole”