Old Town Hall, Bamberg

Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 4 November 2009 in Architecture.

As promised: the paintings of Bamberg's old Town Hall - at least the paintings on one side. These frescoes were done by Johann Anwander in 1755, depicting various allegorical scenes, combined with illusionistic effects and architectonical details.

Download my coffee-table book of selected postings here. Enjoy!

Comments (18)

Linerberry from Sumner, Christchurch, New Zealand

Wow that look amazing!!!! You have done this justice indeed:-) Brilliant light, perspective and composition!!

4 Nov 2009 7:05am

@Linerberry: This was taken from one of the bridges flanking the town hall.

Ted from South Wales, United Kingdom

Beautifully preserved and captured MS!

4 Nov 2009 7:20am

@Ted: This is indeed a unique building. There were many beautiful old townhalls in Germany, but those that survived the war were unfortunately teared down in the 1960s too often!

Ana Lúcia from Leiria, Portugal

This is a beautiful building.

4 Nov 2009 9:02am

@Ana Lúcia: It is, especially on that location at its own artificial island.

akarui from Kagoshima, Japan

Very interesting facade with those paintings. There are still in very good shape. They have been some renovations I suppose. Unique and beautiful!

4 Nov 2009 10:40am

@akarui: I don't have any schedules, but I think every few decades renovations are due.

Japanalia from Yokohama, Japan

Oh, yesssss! You wouldn't take me away easily from this building! We're still lucky to enjoy it......in a hundred years or so.....who knows(?)

4 Nov 2009 11:37am

@Japanalia: The flipside has paintings too! :-)

António Pires from Lisbon, Portugal

Your photos of Bamberg (this one is but an example) shows us how to visit a town, slowly, observing the details, enjoying what we are seeing. To be in a hurry is not the way to do.

4 Nov 2009 11:40am

@António Pires: Don't laugh, we've been there only for two days. But this town is so inviting and easily explorable, you just want to see more of it. Good weather was also very supportive! :-)

Steven from Chicagoland, United States

Great job of preservation on the town's part and a great job of capturing the facade. I was thinking about how the building would look from afar, but given the fact that a nearby building's shadow is cast upon it, there probably aren't any real opportunities to do so.

4 Nov 2009 1:12pm

@Steven: The density of buildings is quite high, see here.

MARIANA from Waterloo, Canada

Gorgeous architecture . Excellent shot !

4 Nov 2009 1:43pm

@MARIANA: Cheers, Mariana!

Laurie from New Jersey, United States

Wonderful. They must take a lot of attention to keep them in such pristine condition.

4 Nov 2009 1:43pm

@Laurie: Folks there are very proud of their city. But I think that's a bit easier in small cities.

dj.tigersprout from New York City, United States

a gorgeous mural and composition! lovely!

4 Nov 2009 3:14pm

@dj.tigersprout: Watching these photos again on a cold and rainy day in November makes me want to return to there as soon as possible...

B.Held from Santa Fe, United States

what an awesome atmosphere!

4 Nov 2009 6:30pm

@B.Held: Inmidst a very romantic cityscape, a really lovely spot, yes!

`Paul from Minneapolis, United States

.. awesome mural.. well shot - detailed and crisp

4 Nov 2009 8:42pm

@`Paul: Cheers, `Paul!

Philip from Cowbridge, United Kingdom

Fabolous paintings. Great capture. Over 250 years old. They look in good condition. Do you know when they were last restored?

4 Nov 2009 9:03pm

@Philip: This is beyond my knowledge, but I purchased a tourist guide from the early 1960s where the murals seemed to be a bit in a somewhat worse shape, so I guess they got their renovation afterwards.

Michael from Shell village, United Kingdom

What a magnificent piece of work, it's gorgeous. Also amazing how it has survived the elements.

4 Nov 2009 10:14pm

@Michael: And the war, but Bamberg was lucky. The only real catastrophes were coming from the river.

PD from Overland Park, Kansas, United States

Wow - amazing they can last this long on the exterior of a building

4 Nov 2009 10:20pm

@PD: I think there are frequent renovations every five or six decades.

Curly from South Shields, United Kingdom

I'm amazed at the ornateness of this Town Hall.

4 Nov 2009 10:51pm

@Curly: Apart from its portal and the truss parts on the other side, this is a rather simple structure. Almost all decoration is concentrated on these paintings, quite typical for Baroque buildings.