Tag Archives: historic

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel

Eguisheim, Alsace

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“Eguisheim, Alsace” — A narrow street in the town of Eguisheim, Alsace, France.

Eguisheim is a medieval French village in Alsace, a region that has a deep German history as well. The village is definitely quaint, with timber-framed construction preserving its medieval roots with buildings that lean in sometimes-alarming ways and which are painted in striking colors. The village is laid out in concentric circles of narrow, curving streets.

We visited during out late-November stay in the nearby Alsatian village of Riquewihr. We drove over from where we were staying in Germany and spent three days enjoying the food and wine of this region and visiting a number of small villages and towns. Eguisheim was the destination of one of those day trips. We spent half of a day wandering its narrow street, stopping in to small shops, paying too much for a few souvenirs, and grabbing lunch before heading on.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Germany, Photographs: Travel

Interior, St. Lorenz Church

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“Interior, St. Lorenz Church” — The interior of the St. Lorenz Church, Nürnberg, Germany.

During our time in Germany in late 2024 we made a side trip to Nürnberg, Bavaria. This is the site of what I understand to be the most famous of the German Christmas markets. We wanted to visit since we were in Germany during the market season. The Nürnberg market(s) is(are) extensive. The huge main market is in the Hauptmarkt square, but the festivities spill over onto other streets in the city. But the markets aren’t all that is worth seeing in this city, and on this day we visited several historic churches.

Our first stop was the St. Lorenz church, an impressive medieval church. It was damaged in WWII but restored, so that you might not notice that anything has changed. It is a Lutheran church, but it feels quite similar to many European Catholic cathedrals, having the same immense scale, columns, vaulted ceilings, and natural light. I made this photograph to show the huge columns and the open feeling created by the light streaming through the many windows.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel

Shades of Blue

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“Shades of Blue” — Details of a blue wall with shutter, Equisheim, Alsace.

I think of these photographs as a sort of “found geometry” — patterns of color and texture and lines that can be viewed abstractly if you prefer. When I travel I’m usually on the lookout for these little vignettes, which are everywhere once you start looking for them. This one is simply a wall of a building in the little Alsatian town of Eguisheim.

Beyond their abstract qualities, these subjects can also hold a lot of history if you look closely. Eguisheim is a very old town, and very old towns contain a lot of, well, very old stuff. But they also are usually continuously updated, repaired, and spruced up. We can let new things go for a while without maintenance, but these old structures require a lot of attention. Here someone has obviously taken the time to paint the walls in multiple colors. But before long the old walls wear out and chip and crack.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | BlueSky | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel

Basilica Spires and Domes, Dusk

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“Basilica Spires and Domes, Dusk” — The spires and towers of the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, illuminated at dusk, Zaragoza.

This remarkable basilica stands next to the Ebro river in Zaragoza, Spain. Among its eye-catching features are the numerous towers and domes — from the four tall spires at each corner, to the large central dome, to the other smaller domes in between. It is quite a beautiful sight in the daytime, but is even more dramatic at night when it is illuminated by artificial lights. The photograph is from a bridge crossing the Ebro.

Zaragoza is perhaps not on the main tourist circuit in Spain, but we really enjoyed the place. During our visit in December there may not have been many tourists, but the town was very busy and crowded with locals — after all, it was the holiday season! The central area near this cathedral is an enchanting older part of the city, full of very narrow and twisting streets.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | BlueSky | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.