There are only two countries without a capital, Switzerland being one of them. Unofficially, though, the city of Bern, situated in the heart of the Alpine country, is considered the nation’s political center. Located on a peninsula that is engulfed by the Aare River, the old town of Bern is vast and beautiful. Particularly striking are the characteristic rooftops and pergolas.
The Kvarner Bay in the north of Croatia is characterized by a number of smaller and larger islands. All of them have a long history and are rich in nature. The following shots were taken on the islands of Cres and Losinj.
Together with Cres Krk is the largest island in the Adria sea. Rich in history and beautiful architecture Krk is always worth a visit. Some perspectives.
Košljun is a small island situated close to Punat at the shore of the Croatian island of Krk. In Roman times, there was a villa rustica (country house); later in the Middle Ages, monks from the order of St. Benedictine founded a monastery on the little island. Besides a church and the convent buildings, which still exist and can be visited, it is quite a green and diverse landmass. There are dense forests, meadows, and Mediterranean gardens.
Impressions of travelling through Austria in Summer 2021.
The architectural style of Art Nouveau or Jugendstil had its heyday around 1900 and faded away until WW I. It was the last bloom of the bourgeois styles of Europe in the previous decades before the war. Decorative elements played an important role, and there were a lot of floral and figurative elements in the layout of the facades and the interiors. Later, architecture became much more pragmatic and frugal.
Ljubljana, albeit a relatively small town, became one of the centers of Art Nouveau in Europe, and you will find a lot of exciting examples built by famous Austro-Hungarian architects in the city. The buildings are well cared for and seem made just yesterday.
Michael Hoffman Photography 