Today’s photo of the day is the amazingly ornate top half of the Old Apothecary building in Hannover, Germany.
The eye-catching and flamboyant architectural style of the Old Apothecary in Hannover, Germany
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Today’s Washington Post contains an article stating that 45,000 residents of Koblenz are being evacuated from their homes as bomb disposal squads disarm one massive unexploded bomb lying alongside another, smaller unexploded bomb. Both of these war time relics were recently discovered wedged in the banks of the Rhine River when the waterline fell to a record low level.
Several months ago, we were walking through suburban Hannover when we spotted this van in the street. Since Germany was so heavily bombed by the allies during World War II, bomb inspection units still need to be called when any excavation is planned for utilities such as water lines or gas lines. And one friend in Germany told us that the basements of houses in Germany are never built until the area has been certified bomb free.
Munition van on the streets of Hannover. Germany searching for unexploded WW II bombs
I’ve mentioned in past articles that World War II is still a living, breathing fact-of-life here in Europe and friends have frequently had their own episodes of discovering remnants of that war in their own back gardens or in the walls of their homes as they began renovations. Today’s Washington Post article just reminds us yet again that the actions of our predecessors generations ago still echo solidly through our contemporary time period. Although we might be temporarily inconvenienced, it is barely fathomable in our present mindset to even try and imagine what it would be like to live a day to day life with bombs dropping on our heads.
Our parents’ and grandparents’ generations would have known those sensations of impermanence quite intimately.
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This entry will be a series of photos of funny things we saw, odd things, and beautiful things in Hannover. Enjoy!!!
Hang on a minute — wasn’t this the Big Boy that we saw at our drive-in restaurants in the USA in the 1960s???
Big Boy statue in front of a hamburger shop
And just how many people can ride this crazy version of a bicycle???
And what about that carving that I saw high up on a brick wall? Do you think it is telling me to stay away — or just trying to ward off ‘evil spirits’ during times long gone?
Maximum pedal power
Perhaps it is telling me to stay away?
You just never know when you might need a friendly cow wearing boots to lean against whilst making a phone call.
Leaning on a cow, making a phone call
Segway tour group leader in Hannover
Segway tour group in Hannover
Yes — this is yours truly courtesy of my husband who is holding one of the cameras for awhile. Hope you enjoyed Hannover as much as we did!
Deborah in Hannover, Germany
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Like a moth to the light, I am invariably drawn to certain kinds of cathedrals or churches or abbey ruins. Thus it has always been as I travelled throughout Europe and Great Britain and this trip is proving to be no exception to that.
Arch side detail on the Marktkirche in Hannover
Overdoor detail of Death chasing a man
Marktkirche in Hannover, Germany
Discovering the beautiful old Marktkirche in the heart of the historic precinct on Hannover was made all the better when we heard music drifting outward into the plaza. Ever curious about what was going on during a Wednesday afternoon, we had a marvelous moment of serendipity as we happened upon the rehearsals for the Easter weekend concert performance of a Mozart Requiem and several other pieces in a similar vein. The music was glorious and there were less than a handful of people watching from the back.
I don’t know that I ever remember being inside such a large church where the brick vaulting was so evident instead of plastered and painted over. But lest you think that it made it feel heavy or oppressive inside, let me assure you that the height of the interior dispelled any sensation of being dark or enclosed. And the acoustics were marvelous!
Rehearsal for Mozart Requiem performance
Brick vaults and columns in the Marktkirche in Hannover
Concert poster at the Marktkirche in Hannover
Organ pipes inside the Marktkirche in Hannover
It was apparent that the church had been rebuilt — most likely after World War II — but it was not until I did some research following our visit that I discovered that Marktkirche had been built in the 14th century and was flattened by bombs in 1943. The church was then rebuilt in the 1950s.
A prominent statue of Martin Luther outside reveals that it is indeed a Lutheran church. The other giveaway is the very plain yet serene and lovely interior which is devoid of the ornate ornamentation so common amongst Roman Catholic churches and cathedrals.
The entry portal leads to doors with a rather startling subject matter — the events in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. They were created by the artist Gerhard Marcks and I found them quite compelling.
Door #1 panel on Marktkirsche in Hannover
Door panel #2 on Marktkirsche in Hannover
Door panel #3 on Marktkirsche in Hannover
Door panel #4 on Marktkirsche in Hannover
Door panel #5 on Marktkirsche in Hannover
Door panel #6 on Marktkirsche in Hannover
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©Deborah Harmes and ©A Wanderful Life
Please respect the text and photos on this page. All rights reserved.