This summer, while living in Barcelona, I had the chance to review Art Ticket Barcelona. And I must say this pass is the perfect thing for any art lover. If you plan on visiting any three of Barcelona’s premiere museums listed on the Art Ticket Barcelona, then you’ve already paid for the pass in one go. And with the pass, you might be pushed to discover some museums and galleries you might never have thought of seeing before. But many of these might open your eyes to works of art you will come to have a deep appreciation for.

Table Of Contents

1. About the Art Ticket BCN
2. #1. Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
3. #2. Fundació Joan Miró
4. #3. Museu Picasso
5. #4. The Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona
6. #5. The Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona
7. #6.

About the Art Ticket BCN

Barcelona Art Passport invites you to take a fascinating journey through the art at the six best museums in Barcelona. Discover the finest collection of Romanesque mural paintings in the world, enjoy Modernisme and be surprised by the most contemporary art and creation at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona and the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona. The universes of Miró, Picasso and Tàpies await you as you embark upon this unique experience. The most obvious benefit of these passes is that you will save 45% off the normal admission price. But you also get to skip the line, which can be a real-time saver, especially in the busier summer months. The pass is also valid for 12 months, so if you plan on returning, it is easily spread out over a longer period.

How it Works

The best way to purchase the Articket is online. Once you’ve purchased your ticket online, simply exchange it for your Barcelona Art Passport at the ticket desk of any Articket museum. Then enjoy the experience of seeing the best art in Barcelona!

As someone who loves pieces of ephemera, I was so gleeful when I saw them stamp my actual art passport in each museum I visited. I loved collecting all the stamps as we went!

If you’re unfamiliar with some of the museums and galleries on this list and are considering buying the pass, I’ve given you all the details about each museum. As well as some of my favourite artworks in each space. This piece better helps you understand the culture and history of the Catalan people, as well as the artistic movements that put Spain and Barcelona on the map!

#1. Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya sits in the towering Palau Nacional that looks over the city like an artful guard tower. The Palau National was the piece-de-resistance of Barcelona’s 1929 International Exhibition, so even just visiting the museum building itself is an experience. The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is the largest museum in Barcelona. It exhibits the world’s finest collection of Romanesque murals. Included in the collection are some fantastic paintings by influential Spanish painters El Greco and Diego Velázquez. It is also a wonderful place to visit to see beautiful examples of Catalan Modernism, with works by Gaudí. To end the experience, head to the roof, where you can enjoy 360º views of Barcelona.

Frescos of Church of Sant Climent de Taüll

The most important artworks to see in the museum are the Romanesque frescos. These incredibly preserved artworks from the Church of Sant Climent de Taüll were painted 1000 years ago! If they had been left in their original location they would have been lost to the ages, but art collectors and historians managed to move the fresco, by striping them off the walls and reproducing the exact same architectural details of the original churches here inside the museum. Here they will rest for ages to come in an environment which will assure their safety for hundreds of years to come. These frescoes are still as vibrant and the faces of the people painted on them still astonishingly emotive. It’s amazing to see the amount of colours used throughout and makes the world of thousands of years ago that much more amazing.

The Spanish Wedding by Marià Fortuny

Going ahead a few hundred years in Spain, we find ourselves in the middle of Catalan Modernism. Marià Fortuny is one of the most important Spanish artists of his era. He is best known for his incredibly detailed paintings, which provide an almost photo-realistic view of what life would live looked like in Spain in the 1800s. In this painting, we see the scene of a wedding party assembled to sign a wedding contract. Surrounding the group are textiles and furnishings which give us a glimpse in the styles popular at the time. Seated to the right of the wedding party are lower class groups of lower class people, highlighted with a bull-fighter in full regalia.

Address: Parc de Montjuïc, 08038 Barcelona
Hours: From 10 am to 6 pm, from Tuesday to Saturday.
Until 8 pm, from May to September.
From 10 am to 3 pm, Sunday and public holidays.
Closed: Mondays (except public holidays), Jan 1st, May 1st, Dec 25th

#2. Fundació Joan Miró

The Fundació Joan Miró is an internationally renowned museum where visi­tors can enjoy and learn more about Joan Miró. Joan Miró’s imaginative and abstract art, characterized by playful shapes, vibrant colours, and dreamlike symbolism, blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, incorporating elements from his Catalan heritage and personal experiences. He was a pioneer in surrealism and contributed significantly to 20th-century modern art. 

The Fundació is an exceptional building designed by the architect Josep Lluís Sert. It stands inside the Parc de Montjuïc, and you can enjoy magnificent views over Barcelona. So even a trip up here will provide you more than just a visit to a museum but also a fantastic view of the city.

Catalan peasant in the moonlight

Catalan Peasant in Moonlight evokes two recurring themes within Miró’s body of work: the connection between humanity and the earth, symbolized by the peasant figure, and the mystical allure of the night, represented by the moonlight. The fusion of man and the earth becomes evident through the shared use of the colour red, both for the peasant’s face and the exposed portions of the landscape. However, in Miró’s artistic universe, the boundaries between sky and earth blur, highlighting their interdependence. This interplay results in a harmonious exchange: the peasant’s attire adopts the hues of the night, while the sky assumes the tones of the field. Additionally, the moon’s shape hints at a sickle, imparting a poetic layer of meaning to the scene.

Pair of Lovers Playing with Almond Blossoms

During the 1970s, Miró began to explore larger and more ambitious sculptural projects, receiving notable commissions for outdoor pieces, which he enthusiastically embraced. Pair of Lovers Playing with Almond Blossoms embodies a minimalist approach, featuring simple shapes adorned with vibrant colours, suggesting that the larger sculpture closely adhered to the smaller original model. The artwork portrays two abstract figures within an enigmatic, perhaps surrealist, realm.

One figure is a tall cylinder with yellow and reddish sections, crowned by a blue spherical shape embellished with prehistoric-style abstract motifs imbued with symbolic significance. The second figure is a tall structure with a pointed blue element leaning away, accented by a red, claw-like feature around its midpoint. This element could be interpreted as a hand reaching out to catch the ball perched atop the other figure, though further exploration is required for a definitive interpretation.

Address: Parc de Montjuïc s/n, 08038 Barcelona
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, from April to October, from 10 am to 8 pm
Thursday, from 10 am to 9 pm
Saturday, from 10 am to 8 pm
Sunday and public holidays, from 10 am to 3 pm
Closed: Mon (except public holidays)

#3. Museu Picasso

The Museu Picasso of Barcelona is the reference centre for Pablo Picasso’s formative years. The 4,355 works of the Muse­um’s permanent collection reveal the genius of the young artist. The Picasso Museum of Barcelona is filled with a piece of Picasso’s work before he discovered Cubism, but many of which lend hints of what’s to come. Some people might be disappointed not to see any of his more famous pieces, but I think this collection is unique and truly personal to this city. We’ve all seen, at least in photographs, most of Picasso’s classic paintings, but these hidden gems are something you’ll only find in Barcelona. And they give us a glimpse of a young, burgeoning Picasso.

Science and Charity

At first glance, Science and Charity looks like it was painted by Goya or Fortuny. You’d never have imagined that a painting with such attention to realistic detail and subtle tones would be from the same man who later was defined by primitive geometric shapes and powerful colours. As a child, Picasso was a prodigy, and his father encouraged him to enter this piece into a competition, launching his career into the stars, where it would only expand from there.

Las Meninas Series

Pablo Picasso’s series of paintings based on Diego Velázquez’s masterpiece “Las Meninas” is a notable example of his exploration of art history through reinterpretation and reinvention. Picasso created a total of 58 paintings, drawings, and studies inspired by Velázquez’s iconic work between 1957 and 1961. In these reinterpretations, Picasso reimagined the characters and elements of Velázquez’s composition in his distinctive Cubist style, which he had pioneered earlier in the 20th century.

The original “Las Meninas” depicts members of the Spanish royal court, with a young princess at the center and various attendants and courtiers around her. Velázquez’s painting is celebrated for its complexity, use of mirrors, and exploration of perspective. In Picasso’s versions, he fragmented and deconstructed the figures, reshaping them into abstract and geometric forms. Faces became masks, and bodies dissolved into angular and overlapping planes. Picasso’s reinterpretations play with the viewer’s perception of space, form, and identity, challenging traditional notions of representation in art.

Address: Fundació Museu Picasso of Barcelona, Montcada 15-23
Hours: Tuesday to Sundays: 9am to 7pm (including holidays)
Thursday: until 9.30pm
Monday: 10am to 5 pm (from July 24 to September 25)
Closed: 1st Jan, 1st May, 24th June and 25th Dec.
On 24th and 31st Dec museum closes at 2.00pm.

#4. The Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona

The Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, commonly known as MACBA, is the most prominent contemporary art museum in Barcelona. The MACBA Collection consists of artworks produced by artists from Catalonia, Spain, and around the world, primarily from 1960 to the present day. These collections encompass a diverse array of artistic mediums and materials, encompassing painting, sculpture, drawing, collage, assemblage, objects, installations, audiovisual creations, and sound recordings, among various other artistic forms and expressions.

Self Portrait, Jean-Michel Basquiat

Basquiat’s self-portrait is a highly charged piece with many influences and expressions. Basquiat himself was highly inspired by Spanish painter Pablo Picasso’s work, which is especially evident in this work. He combines dynamic use of colour and abstract forms to convey layered meanings throughout his paintings. Basquiat was one of the first “graffiti” artists to make this type of work considered “good enough” to make it into the galleries and now is considered one of the seminal artists in the neo-expressionist pop movement. The brush strokes and colours used throughout the piece convey such emotion and, in this piece, anger; it is hard to view the piece without becoming enraged yourself.

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Barrière, Jaume Xifra

Jaume Xifra was a famous Catalan Conceptual artist. In 1959, he fled to France to escape the dictatorship. And it was here in France where he would pour his traumatic experiences into a new form of art. Xifra worked with cheap materials and objects to critique the world of consumerism. ‘BARRIÈRE’ is Xifra’s commentary on the police’s control over the people. A barrier, a device supposedly used to protect pedestrians, is here covered in barbed wire. Putting the supposed pedestrians at risk and creating an even more violent separation of the people from the state.

Address: Plaça dels Àngels, 1, 08001 Barcelona
Hours: From 11 am to 7.30 pm, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Until 8 pm, from June 24th until September 25th.
From 10 am to 9 pm, Saturday.
From 10 am to 3 pm, Sunday and public holidays.
Closed: Tue (except public holidays), Jan 1st, Dec 25th

#5. The Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona

The Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB) is a vibrant cultural center dedicated to contemporary culture and the arts. It serves as a multidisciplinary space where various forms of artistic expression, including visual arts, music, literature, film, and digital culture, converge. Unlike the other museums on this list, the CCCB hosts a diverse range of exhibitions and installations that explore contemporary themes, trends, and issues. These exhibitions often incorporate innovative approaches and multimedia elements, encouraging visitors to engage with contemporary art and culture in thought-provoking ways. But the program is always changing as there is not a permanent collection.

When we visited, the exhibition on display was titled “Sade: Freedom or Evil.” This exhibition explored the contemporary cultural, philosophical, and political impact of the Marquis de Sade. De Sade’s writings are seen as both liberating and corrupting, embodying a philosophy of freedom and evil simultaneously. The exhibition delves into his influence on artists and intellectuals, as well as his role as an icon in mass culture. Although the exhibition was pretty confronting, it was by far one of the best-curated art exhibitions I have seen in years. So I can confidently say that any exhibition you come to see here is bound to be of the highest quality.

Address: C/Montalegre 5, 08001 Barcelona
Hours: From 11 am to 8 pm, from Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays.
Closed: Mon (except public holidays), Jan 1st, Dec 25th

#6.

 houses a large collection of artworks by Antoni Tàpies. And the foundation was created to promote knowledge of modern art. Many people don’t even know who Antoni Tàpies is, but learning all about him is a great way to spend a breezy afternoon. The foundation is housed in a modernist building designed by architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. And the building is an architectural gem in its own right. 

For those unfamiliar with Tapies, he is one of the greatest Catalan artists. His father was a lawyer and Catalan nationalist who influenced his cultural and political identity. Tàpies initially studied law, but his artistic inclinations led him to pursue art at the Acadèmia Valls in Barcelona. His early works were influenced by Surrealism and Catalan artists like Joan Miró. Especially once you’ve visited the Joan Miró foundations, you can see how closely he was tied to the works of Tapies.

Earth on Canvas

Tàpies is famous for his ‘pintura matèrica’ style, where he often incorporated a wide range of materials, including found objects, mixed media, and unconventional materials like sand, string, and marble dust. àpies had a deep fascination with the materiality of art. His paintings are characterized by their textured surfaces, as he used thick layers of paint and collage elements to create tactile, three-dimensional effects.

Address: C/ Aragó 255, 08007 Barcelona
Hours: Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Saturday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed: Mon, public holidays, Jan 1st and 6th, Dec 25th

With so many museums to see, it’s always nice to be able to save a few bucks where you can. With Articket Barcelona, you get access to all six museums for only 38€, a savings of 45% off the normal price of admission. And with this ticket, you’ll find that you’re more inclined to visit some museums you might not have thought to see and experience something unexpected.

The post An Honest Review of Art Ticket Barcelona, A Guide to the Most Amazing Museums first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

If you’ve visited Prague, there is no doubt you will have come across Mucha’s work. He is one of the most prolific Czech painters in the world, and the city LOVES his paintings and posters. They seem to appear on every street corner and postcard in Prague. His famous prints have become so popular they are often sold at University Poster fairs and cover the walls of hundreds of dorm rooms around the world.

Mucha’s Art Nouveau

His style of art is quintessentially Art Nouveau. Most of his more commercial works feature images of beautiful young women in flowing dresses surrounded by lush flowers. He kept the tones for these advertorial pieces in pale pastels, typical of the art nouveau style. But the ‘Slav Epic’ is something completely different. A departure from his commercial work and something genuinely personal to the artist. If you are interested in learning more about the Slavic people and their history, this is an immersive and exciting way to do it!

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Where to Find the Artwork

I am SO EXCITED to finally get to update this blog with the new locations for the Slav Epic. When I visited Prague in 2015, I didn’t know I would be one of the last people to see the Slav Epic in person. I caught the exhibition just a few months before it closed. Until the end of 2016, the Slav Epic was housed in the National Gallery’s Veletržní Palace in Prague.

Moravský Krumlov

Originally, the canvases were exhibited in the city of Moravský Krumlov. They were displayed in the castle and remained a precious treasure of the town for over 50 years. Then, the city of Prague contested that the painting had been left to them by Mucha in the first place. And they shouldn’t be displayed so far away from where most tourists visit. But Prague had no space suitable for showing all these incredibly large works of art. You almost need an airport hanger! The city of Moravský Krumlov felt the paintings needed an appropriately regal and elevated space. They wanted them to be displayed inside the old palace of Moravský Krumlov, where they felt like they belonged. 

Political Battle over the Paintings

In 2012, the city of Prague eventually won the right to display the works. They found a temporary space for them in the National Gallery’s Veletržní Palace. But this space was only to house them for four years. After 2016, the paintings were boxed up, and a political battle between Prague and Moravský Krumlov erupted again. No one could agree on where they would be displayed. They travelled to Japan for international exhibitions, but when they returned, they sat in storage.

Finally, in 2020 the Prague City Council decided to return the paintings to the château in Moravský Krumlov. They will be on display here until 2026. After returning to their original home, the canvas exhibition spaces were repaired to better showcase these incredible works of art.

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Access & Admission 

As the exhibition takes place in Moravský Krumlov, most visitors will arrive via Prague, Vienna or nearby Brno.

The train from Prague to Moravský Krumlov takes about 4 hours (with one transfer.) After arriving at the stations, you can hop on a bus which will take you to the entrance to the castle. If you are travelling from Vienna, the journey is slightly shorter, only 3 hours on the train. The shortest trip will be from Brno, as it is only 1 hour on the train.

Tickets

It’s best to purchase tickets in advance to ensure you won’t be disappointed that they are sold out when you arrive.

Prices: Adults 250 CZK, Seniors 65+ 170 CZK, Students 10-25 years old 150 CZK

Hours

January–May:  9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (last entry at 3 p.m.)
June–August:  9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (last entry at 4 p.m.)
September–December  9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (last entry at 3 p.m.)
all year round: closed on Mondays

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The Size Paintings

Seeing the paintings for the first time in person, you’re immediately awestruck by the sheer size of these canvases. They feel more like walled frescos than simple pictures. Moments are frozen in time, captured in life-sized (and in some cases, larger than life) works of art. Each of the paintings depicts the history of the Slav people, their civilization, wars, and celebrations. The next thing you’ll notice about these paintings is how the people represented differ from Mucha’s other works. These are not the languid, sensual forms of Mucha’s commercial art nouveau posters. These deftly painted scenes profoundly portray the emotions and collective journey of the subjects in each brushstroke.

About Alphonse Mucha

Alfons Maria Mucha, although better known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter born in 1860. He born in the small town of Ivančice in southern Moravia. Mucha showed an aptitude for painting very early on. He received his secondary education at the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul in Brno. He was accepted into the arts school firstly as he was also an accomplished singer. Mucha was famously quoted as saying, “for me, the notions of painting, going to church, and music are so closely knit that often I cannot decide whether I like church for its music or music for its place in the mystery which it accompanies.” The dramatic scenes in many religious paintings undoubtedly influenced the art he would later go on to make. 

Mucha in Vienna

At 19 years of age, Mucha travelled to Vienna. There he became an apprentice scenery painter for theatre companies. His flair for the dramatic would continue to be influenced through these explorations. After his apprenticeship, Mucha moved back to Moravia. There he was employed by Count Belize to create portraits, decorative art and lettering for tombstones. Belasi saw Mucha had real talent. He wasn’t just an everyday artist. Belasi brought Mucha with him on his trips to Venice, Florence and Milan. There he was able to introduce him to many more professional artists.

Mucha in Paris

Eventually, Mucha moved to Paris in 1888 and started to professionally study art at the Académie Julian and Académie Colarossi. These schools specialized in studying female nudes and figurative paintings. As well as historical and religious art.

While in Paris, Mucha lived inside the Slavic community boarding houses who famously sheltered struggling artists. It was perhaps living within this community that endowed Mucha to the Slavic people even more. Mucha’s first large client was the Central Library of Fine Arts. It was from here that his career as an illustrator and graphic artist took off. He successfully made a life for himself in Paris for many years, creating commercial art. These printed works featured his iconic attractive sets of women, in flowing gowns and floral backdrops.

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History of the Slav Epic

At the age of 43, Mucha returned to his homeland of Moravia. There, he devoted himself to painting a series about the history of all the Slavic people. Mucha’s inspiration for the series first started when he was researching another assignment. While studying and travelling through the Balkans, he was genuinely struck by the hardships and sufferings of the Slav people. He also noted there was no real documentation of these people’s stories in art. Mucha decided it would be his final task to bring these stories to life with paint.

Although he secured a financier for the giant undertaking, this was more of a passion project for the artist. Sitting in his studio, surrounded by this enormous canvas, Mucha painted the past into reality. The Slav Epic depicts in chronological order the mythologies and histories of the Czechs and Slavic people.

Romanticism

Many of the themes in this series fall under romanticism. Romanticism is characterized by its emphasis on emotion and individualism and the glorification of the past and nature. In these paintings, sensations are portrayed on people’s faces in a far more sophisticated way than before. Looks of horror, terror, awe and apprehension started to round out the range of human emotion in art. Previously emotion had been stunted between pure joy or sadness. Romanticism also elevated folk art, which had previously been thought of as a lesser form of art.

It took Mucha over 14 years to complete the series. In 1928, on the 10th anniversary of Czechoslovakia’s independence, Mucha presented the collection of paintings to the Czech nation. He considered it his most important piece of work he ever created. The Czech Republic cherished the gift. It was like nothing else they had ever seen before. Notably, during World War II, the Slav Epic was one of the first things hidden away before the Nazis took hold of the city and seized works of art.

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The Slavs in Their Original Homeland

The series is set chronological and starts with the painting entitled “The Slavs in their Original Homeland,” painted in 1912. In the 4th to 6th century, the Slavic people lived largely in unpopulated, rural areas, which often were considered marshes. Because there was no national army to protect these farmers, their lands were invaded time and time again.

In this painting, you can see a mother and child hiding in the bushes. Behind them, their village is being burned to the ground. The red fires glowing in the distance to the left of the frame. Their eyes are so vulnerable and seem to cry out to the viewer for help. They look right into your soul. This is a trope that Mucha uses throughout almost the entirety of the series.

In the top corner of the piece, you can see three figures floating in mid-air. The largest of the figures, a priest, holds his hands outstretched. In the same position as Jesus on the cross. The two on either side of him are a young boy and girl. The boy, dressed in blood-red robes represents war. The girl on the right, dressed in white represents peace. The two figures seem to foreshadow the future of the Slavic people. Their history is marred by many wars but also by the hope for peace.

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Colours in the Slav Epic

The colours used in this painting are significant in the series and also in comparison to Mucha’s other works. Most of Mucha’s artworks are pale and delicate. In this series, we find there is definitely a dark tone to his work. Colours here are not just used haphazardly. He uses colour to his advantage and to help tell the story using symbolism.

Many of the paintings throughout the series have two separate planes of existence set in the same scene. Often mythological beings are seen floating above the historic action below. This is Mucha’s way of combining the essential mythologies of the Slavic people to past events.

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 The Celebration of Svantovít 

Sventovit is a Slavic deity of war, fertility and abundance. Sventovit is depicted as a four-headed god with two heads looking forward and two looking back. These four directions are positioned like a compass, looking north, south, east and west. The different directions they point also symbolize the different seasons of the year. Mucha’s next piece, “The Celebration of Svantovít” features the god Sventovit is located in the upper right portion of the painting. The god’s head is just cut off on the top of the canvas. Almost as if we portals cannot look upon him. But we can see some of the branches which sprout forth from his head. He is surrounded by other celestial beings painted in an almost opalescent quality.

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Arcona

Before the 1200s, the Slavs headed westwards and built a temple to Sventovit in the city of Arcona. As Sventovit was also the god of the seasons the Slavs would have a grand celebration every year during the autumn. The festival was obviously held at this temple. Pilgrims would come from all over Europe to celebrate with them here.

In 1168 the Danes attacked the city and destroyed the temple in their conquest of the east. We can see the Danes in the upper left corner of the canvas. They are represented by the fearsome-looking warriors being lead by a pack of wolves.

Celebration

Below the celestial scene, the Slavs are preparing for their autumnal celebrations. The Slavs and pilgrims are all dressed in white, a symbol of purity. Only one character seems to be aware of the incoming attack. A mother holding her child in the center of the frame looks out at the viewer. She is almost begging the viewer to take notice. And save them from the horrors which are about to happen to the peaceful pilgrims and Slavs.

Introduction of the Slavonic Liturgy in Great Moravia

In this painting, the “Introduction of the Slavonic Liturgy in Great Moravia” we have a lot going on. So let’s study the earthly plane first. The scene takes place in Velehrad around the year 880. In the lower right corner of the painting, we see a ray of light shining down. A deacon, with his back turned to the audience, reads out an edict. Sitting on his throne awaiting the reading is Prince Svatopluk of Greater Moravia. The deacon is reading out the announcement that Pope John VIII has officially sanctioned the use of Slavic liturgy.

To the left of the deacon, almost hidden behind a small tree, stands Methodius. Two novices are seen kneeling by his side. The task of translating the Bible into the Slavic language was a job upon which Methodius staked his life. And it would make him a saint. Methodius, and his brother Cyril, both helped with this translation of the Bible. The Pope also made Methodius archbishop for his achievements. In the middle ages, having a bible in your native language was a way of ensuring its legacy.

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Slavic Language

But not everyone is happy to hear this news. The two German priests surrounding Svatopluk, whose faces are shaded and almost hidden in darkness, can barely conceal their anger. These Germans had been making their way through Moravia in the hopes of eliminating the Slavic language for good. They wanted to force the Slavs to learn the German language in order to practice Christianity.

In the very front of the foreground, once more staring out at the audience, stands a young man with his fist clenched. He raises his other hand in the air, which holds a large ring. The circle symbolizes this moment of strength in unity for the Slavic people.

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Boris of Bulgaria and Igor of Russia

Floating above this scene, we have members of the divine realm. In the upper left corner, we can see the Pope sitting on his throne. Beside him, sits the Byzantine emperor, who was the head of the Orthodox Church. Surrounding the great religious leaders Slav who suffered forced Germanification, who now cry out for comfort. In the center of the ethereal world, we see stylized images of Methodius and Cyril as Saints. To the very right, we have the portraits of Boris of Bulgaria and Igor of Russia and their wives. These rulers helped spread the Slavic Bible across the country which helped strengthen their rule and their culture.

Tsar Simeon I of Bulgaria 

Much as the Bible was important in the perpetuation of the Slavic language, art and literature were also significant in ensuring a legacy for this nation. When Methodius died, the Archbishop of Moravia, Prince Svatopluk, under the influence of his German priests, withdrew his support for the Slavic Bible. With this exodus, he also exiled all of Methodius’ followers out of Moravia. They were scholars without a place to call home. Methodius had died and his successor was not recognized by the Pope and therefore had no power. His followers felt they were the only ones left who could continue Methodius’ great work. But all was not yet lost.

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Tsar Simeon I

Luckily, Tsar Simeon I of Bulgaria, who had a great kindness in his heart for the Slavic people, gave the scholar refuge inside his court. Tsar Simeon I, was a powerful ruler. Simeon’s successful campaigns against the Byzantines, Magyars and Serbs led Bulgaria to its greatest territorial expansion ever! It was on its way to being one of the most powerful states in Eastern and Southeast Europe. But Simone was also a lover of literature and art. We can see Simeon himself highlighted here under a golden arch. He is seen dictating to his scribes from his raised dais. Other scholars are spread out all over the court. Almost hastily and messily, writing and reading under the golden light of the throne room.

The painting’s foreground is rather small. The upper portion, which takes up about half the space, focuses on the palace’s decor. The frescoes on the wall feature both Byzantine and Slavic designs. Slavic leaders are painted, and a circular motif is applied in gold to the front of the baldachin.

King Přemysl Otakar II of Bohemia

The fifth painting in the series is entitled “King Přemysl Otakar II of Bohemia.” This painting was made 12 years after the first. The piece depicts King Přemysl Otakar II, who ruled Bohemia from 1253-1278. The King is celebrating the marriage of his niece to the prince of Hungary. This marriage would forge a great alliance and strengthen the bonds of both countries. 

The wedding took place on October 5th, 1264. It was one of the greatest celebrations in Europe’s history to date. Held on the banks of the Danube, under a large canopy, fancy tents were set up along the river to accommodate all the royal guests. The event was dubbed the “Union of Slavic dynasty“. The King happily is greeting his guests inside an ornate tent covered in rich carpets and a beautiful mosaic dome. This scene is lit from above, as if from that celestial place. The light of the hope for the countries’ futures.

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The Coronation of Serbian Tsar Štěpán Dušan

The next painting in the series is the “The The Coronation of Serbian Tsar Štěpán Dušan.” Dušan fought many successful wars, growing the size of the country and enriching the livelihood of his people in the process. On Easter Sunday in 1346, he had himself crowned as the Tsar of the Serbs and Greeks. The painting takes place on the hillside, down from the Church of Saint Marko near Skopje. In this scene, we see crowds of peasants and nobles alike, in line for his coronation. Under Dušan’s rule, Serbia was the major power in the Balkans, and a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual empire. He enacted Dušan’s Code which was a compilation of several legal systems, which is considered to be one of the first acts of the constitution.

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The children will follow in their leader’s footsteps and bring freedom to the Czech people

Dušan is depicted at the centre of the frame, but not larger than any other person presented. Walking in front of him are some young Serbian girls in traditional attire. The children stand at the front of the procession, as Mucha always maintained that “the children will follow in their leader’s footsteps and bring freedom to the Czech people.” In their hands, they carry flowers and olive branches, the symbols of peace and victory. The children’s gaze focuses once more on the viewer, asking them to join in on the celebrations.

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Jan Milíč of Kroměříž

This painting, “Jan Milíč of Kroměříž,” is the first of a triptych in the Slav Epic series. These three paintings jump forward in history slightly and focus on the reformist preachers of the 14th and 15th centuries. Jan Milíč of Kroměříž was a Czech Catholic priest who found himself in opposition with the rest of his clergymen. He found the Catholics to be immoral and indulgent. Their greed was outweighing their piety. 

He redesigned from his official priestly duties and instead dedicated himself to helping the sick and poor of the city of Prague. Milíč made it his mission to persuade the prostitutes of a large house of ill repute to shed their sinful ways and repent. By the sheer eloquence of his words alone, they followed.

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Unlike the rest of the paintings in this series, this one is primarily made up of women. Even Milíč himself is very small in proportion to the rest of the scene. At this moment in time, we can see the former prostitutes shedding their brightly coloured clothes and lavish jewels in exchange for simple, white robes. A mode of dressings that represented their newfound purity.

Jerusalem

Milíč set about building a new church, which he would call his “Jerusalem“. This church would become the Týn Church which now stands in Prague’s Old Town Square. In this painting, we can see the women gathered around the spot that would become this church. The scaffolding reaching high up, making the verticality of the painting one of the most impactful things about this piece. One of the prostitutes in the foreground, dressed in red, has her mouth gagged in order to prevent her from gossiping, a mortal sin.

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Jan Hus Preaching at the Bethlehem Chapel

The second and largest painting in the triptych is “Jan Hus Preaching at the Bethlehem Chapel”. In this dimly lit scene, we see the Czech theologian and philosopher Jan Hus sitting in the center of the Bethlehem Chapel in 1412. Jan was at the height of his popularity at this time. Jan Hus preached against the Catholic Church of Bohemia, as he believed they were using the church for their own gains. And they would not let the Bohemian people have the Slavic language used in church. The scenes show Hus on the left side of the painting, preaching from his pulpit. But Hus, despite being perhaps the most famous character in the scene is not the central focus. The audience is filled with both everyday people and the highest rungs of Bohemia. All together, presented equally.

The church is also filled with famous characters who would shape the future of Bohemia. Perhaps influenced by the teachings of Hus. The future leader of the Hussite army Jan Žižka, stands under a fresco of St. George and the Dragon. In front of the pulpit is a small group of Hus’ students who are diligently taking notes. All of them sit there, transfixed by the words he speaks.

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Queen Sophia, wife of King Váklav IV

On the right side of the frame, we see the bright red canopy of Queen Sophia, wife of King Váklav IV. She sits with her assembly listening to the great lecturer. One of her ladies in waiting turns her head to the side, looking off at a shadowy figure in the corner. This figure represents one of the spying priests who would bring about the death of Jan Hus.

Mucha represents the Bethlehem Chapel as he imagined it. The real church was destroyed in 1836, long before Mucha started this painting. Mucha draws the interior in the high Gothic style as it feels so grand and perhaps reflects the magnificence of the sermons Jan Hus would have been giving. You can visit the new Bethlehem Chapel in Prague today, and while the architecture isn’t nearly as impressive now, its prominence in history is unparalleled.

The Gathering at Křížky

Jan Hus’ teachings were not taken kindly by the papacy. When Alexander V was elected as a pope, he excommunicated Hus. But this would not stop him from preaching. Angered at his insolence, the pope plotted to arrest Hus. He planned an assembly of the Council of Constance to discuss Hus’ opposition to the church. When Hus arrived to have what he thought would be a sensible debate, he was arrested. They repeatedly ask Hus to stop preaching and bend to the ways of the Catholic church but Hus just repeated, “I would not for a chapel of gold retreat from the truth!”.

Hus was burned at the stake for “heresy against the doctrines of the Catholic Church“. As he burned they say he could be heard singing Psalms, a peaceful protestor to the end. But his death would not be in vain. His followers, who called themselves the Hussites, rose up against the Catholic Church. They wanted to take up arms to defend their faith and their right to practice religion in the Slavic language. In 1418, there was a gathering of the Hussites before the great war they would embark on. It is depicted here, in the painting called, “The Gathering at Křížky.”

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Koranda

On the right side of the frame, atop a makeshift pulpit stands the preacher Koranda, one of Jan Hus’ most diligent followers. Koranda preaches to the thousands of followers who have concentrated on the hillside. In the foreground, a young man puts his hands around his mouth, in mid-scream. He is calling out for more pilgrims to come over to this spot and listen to Koranda. Koranda is famously quoted as saying, “the faithful should carry swords, not walking sticks.” It was perhaps this moment that the Hussite Wars began. While the painting’s hills and foreground are lit in a pale morning sunrise, there is a dark sky looming above them. This ominous tone is foreshadowing the devastation that will be brought by impending hostilities.

After the Battle of Grunewald

This scene is perhaps one of the most ghastly of all the paintings in the series. The painting depicts the morning “After the Battle of Grunewald“. The great Battle of Grunewald is one of the most significant medieval European victories in history. It was a show of unity for nations under the thumb of Germany. The Teutonic Knights, a German catholic order, had been ravaging the Baltic lands since the 1400s. They wanted to spread Christianity to the pagan nations as they deemed them “savages”. The Slavs, who were also at war with the German Catholics, saw an opportunity to join forces and create a united front against them. The Slavs, the Poles and the Lithuanians all signed a treaty on July 15th, 1410. This was done to help each other defend themselves against the great Teutonic Knights.

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Polish–Lithuanian Union

The battle at Grunewald in Poland was a bloody affair, but in the end, the Polish–Lithuanian union were the victors. The battle is thought to have been the marking point in history when the balance of power shifted in Central and Eastern Europe. Many historical war scenes are often depicted as gory and bloody and yet Mucha chose a different approach. Instead, the battleground is almost entirely white, like covered in freshly fallen snow. This is once more to show the purity of the fallen soldiers, who died for the good of their country.

At the top of the frame stands Polish King Władysław Jagiełło and his cousin the Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas. They look down at the field of dead soldiers in horror. Such a high cost for freedom which should have been granted naturally. A priest in a white hood can be seen blessing the fallen soldiers as he moves throughout the battlefield.

After the Battle of Vítkov

The 11th piece in the series is entitled “After the Battle of Vítkov.” Like the previous painting, this one also focuses on fallen soldiers. Mucha was a pacifist and hated the loss of which war incurred. The battle was between the Czech people and the then King of Hungary, Sigismund, brother of King Wenceslas. Sigismund was thought to be the one who plotted the death of the people’s prophet, Jan Hus. After Hus died, the people refused to accept Sigismund as their king and marched against the Hungarian army, which occupied Prague Castle at the time.

Zižka

The sun rising above the clouds beams down on a figure which represents Zižka, the leader of the Czech army. We have seen Zižka before, first in the church scene listening to Hus’ teachings. Here we see him still fighting for the same things Hus had preached. Zižka is painted here by Mucha almost as a saintly figure, with the light of god cast down upon him.

In the bottom left of the frame, a mother is seen with her children. But she turns away from them, towards the viewer. She looks utterly overcome with pain, exhaustion and defeat. Although her army may have won the battle, many men had to die and she is perhaps thinking about her young children, who will no doubt go to war like so many other young men. These powerful characters looking out at the audience always seem to have these discerning looks, as if they, like the viewer, know what is to come next.

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 Petr of Chelčice 

Mucha aimed with his Slav Epic series to ensure he depicted both sides of the story. And in the painting, “Petr of Chelčice ” we see this balance. While the Hussites were an oppressed people, there were also more extreme factions of Hussites who themselves terrorized many people. This extremist group was called the Taborites. In 1420 the Taborites attacked the village of Vodňany. They plundered the town and burned it to the ground. In the distance of the painting, we see a hint of this action as the black smoke fills the air and almost the entire skyline.

The remaining citizens of Vodňany came to a pond away from the city carrying their dead and wounded in the hopes they would be safe here. The dead are wrapped in white sheets and set against a white pure background. Many of Mucha’s war scenes depict not the action of the battles itself but the after-effects of these traumas on the innocent victims or those left behind. Those who needed to carry on.

Petr Chelčický

In the middle of the frame, we can see a man dressed in a long brown coat and pale blue shawl. He holds a tattered book in his hand, the Czech bible. This is Petr Chelčický. Petr is seen holding the hand of a man, who in anger wants to set off back to the village to avenger his fallen family. But Petr is attempting to calm and dissuade him from seeking revenge.

Chelčický believed and taught pacifism and hated the idea of war. Mucha himself shared in this belief and wanted to highlight the man which he himself looked up to greatly. Petr Chelčický would go on to found the Unity of the Brethren. Their motto was “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.”

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The Hussite King Jiří z Podĕbrad

Despite the strength and unity of the Czech people, Rome was still in opposition to them. In 1458 Bohemia elected its first king; Jiří z Podĕbrad portrayed here in “The Hussite King Jiří z Podĕbrad“. Jiří z Podĕbrad was well-loved by his people. With many successful battles, the Hussites had demanded an acknowledgement from the Church. Jiří z Podĕbrad sent an envoy to Rome with a treaty. He asked that the Pope confirmed his election and grant Bohemia their own religious privileges. The Pope sent back to Prague his cardinal Fantinus de Valle, to the Royal Court in Prague’s Old Town.

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Mucha’s Villains

In Mucha’s series, so many of the villains are seen painted in red. And there is no purer red, than the cardinal’s robes. He is centred in the frame, surrounded by the golden light flowing in through the gothic tracery’s stained glass windows. But instead of the golden light on the sun seeming holy or uplifting, there is an ominous, almost firey tone, to the lighting. He has not brought news of peace but of more war. The profile of Fantinus has actually been modelled off Pope Pius II. Fantinus was mere a solider in the Pope’s envoy.

The scene around him is calamitous. The king is seen turning away, his chair on its side, no doubt having been kicked down in a fit of rage. The overturned chair also represents the fact that Bohemia was still not seen as an official kingdom as the Papacy would not acknowledge it. At the bottom of the scene, in the center of the frame, we see a young boy looking out at the viewer. The boy is holding a book in his hands, which has the words “Roma” written on the cover. The book is closed, depicting the fact that Rome has closed the door on the Bohemian people.

The Defence of Sziget by Nikola Zrinski

“The Defence of Sziget by Nikola Zrinski” stands out, as the red hue is so saturated in juxtaposition to the softer tones of the rest of the series. The scene is fiery, literally. It depicts the last assault of the Bohemian forces against the Turkish army. In 1566, when this painting is set, the Ottoman Empire was spreading eastwards, taking city by city by force. Their next attack was set on the city of Sziget, a town in modern-day Hungary.

Nikola Zrinski

Within the walls of the city, the last remaining Bohemians forces gather around their leader, Croatian nobleman Nikola Zrinski. With no way out, the soldiers and common folk decided that instead of surrendering, they would fight to the very end.

One of the most dramatic moments of the siege is the burning of the city. Upon seeing the Turkish forces burst through the battlements, Zrinski’s wife Eva set fire to the city. She knew while this would no doubt kill hundreds of her own soldiers, but it would also kill thousands of Turks. And perhaps stop their advance into the rest of eastern Europe. In this scene, we can see Eva, along with other fellow women, climbing the scaffolding which contained the cities gunpowder supply. They ready themselves, for the right moment, when the Turkish army is close. Then Eva will hurl down the cresset she holds, to set the entire thing ablaze. You can see Eva at the very top of the scaffolding, standing proud and regal, brave in the face of her sacrifice. It was this decision that successfully halted the Ottoman expansion towards the city of Vienna.

Dividing the canvas like a scar, is a dark plume of smoke rising from the ground. The smoke is so thick it doesn’t seem to belong in the earthy realm. Instead, perhaps it is foreshadowing the demise yet to come. This battle is often referred to as “the battle that saved the civilization.”

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The Printing of the Bible of Kralice in Ivančice

“The Printing of the Bible of Kralice in Ivančice” is of particular importance to the Mucha, as it depicts his hometown. The town of Ivančice where Mucha was born is faithfully reinterpreted for us here, on a seemingly idyllic autumnal afternoon. No doubt he would have chosen his favourite time of year to paint this scene. The painting shows members of the Brethren School, gathered in 1578 to admire their new printing press, at work producing the first Czech translation of the New Testament.

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Jan the Elder

This theme of all men being equal was something Mucha believed in and was preached by the Brethren School itself. The teacher Jan the Elder of Žerotin can be seen almost obscured under the wooden shelter on the left side of the canvas despite him being one of the founders of the school. In reality, while the Brethren School was located in Ivančice, the bible had to be printed in secret in the town of Kralice. While the action is celebratory, the act of printing the bible in another language was seen as an affront to the Catholic church.

In the foreground of the frame, we see an old man reading to a young scholar. The scholar is looking out at the audience, with a look of apprehension or perhaps impending doom in his eyes. He seems to know that this act is bound to bring persecution down on the school. But printing the bible in Czech was in itself a symbol of the power of the Czech national identity. Since the bible was one of the most-read pieces of literature, having it in your own language ensured its legacy.

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Jan Amos Komenský

As foreshadowed by the look of terror in the boy from the previous painting, the religious liberties of the Bohemian people would not last. In 1619 the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II became King of Bohemia. Without a true Czech King on the throne to fight for the rights of the Bohemian people, the Catholic church was reinstated in what was now a Protestant region. But not without bloodshed. In 1620, 30,000 Bohemians died trying to defend their liberty. Noblemen and academics were given the choice to convert to Catholicism or to be exiled.

Naarden

The painting of “Jan Amos Komenský” depicts the result of this exile. Komenský had been a member of the Brethern school who faced this choice. Not wanting to bend the knee to the catholic church, he left the country he loved so much, breaking his heart in the process. He spent the rest of his life in the town of Naarden, in the Netherlands. The town is located near the water, and historically it was said that Komenský would walk along the coast every day. Perhaps the calm sound of waves crashing on land allowing him to dream about the country he left behind. One day, when he felt like his life was coming to a close, he asked for a chair to be brought out to the coast. There he sat, and let death take him home once more.

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The scene is painted in a sombre, yet peaceful swath of blues and whites. The purity of the white shores upon which he walked is framed by the melancholy blue of the sky. The sombre sky reflecting the sadness which Komenský felt being compelled to leave his homeland and many of his people. A group of his followers can be seen grieving on the shore, holding each other close. A single lantern sits on the sand, glowing brightly in the darkness, perhaps a hint at the hope which still exists for the Bohemian people.

Czech Mason Temple

This is the only painting in the series which Mucha actually signed! Mucha was deeply connected to Komenský. It is well known that Mucha was a member of the Czech Mason Temple, which was founded in Prague in 1919 and named after Komenský himself. One of the symbols of the Masonic Temple is the Eye of God often seen in a triangle surrounded by rays of light. It is thought that Mucha’s inclusion of the lantern in this scene is symbolic of this same Eye of God and therefore a masonic symbol.

The Holy Mount Athos

The 17th piece in the series is called “The Holy Mount Athos.” Mucha believed that Mount Athos was a spiritual nest for the Czechs and Slav people. Mount Athos is a mountain in northeastern Greece and an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism. Mount Athos is home to 20 monasteries under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Mucha visited the mountain himself in 1924. The spiritual haven made a huge impression on the painter.

The painting depicts the Russian pilgrimage to this holy site. Once more, we are privy to Mucha’s depiction of the heavenly and the earthly places above and below the canvas. In the upper portion of the painting, we can see the celestial realm. An ethereal glow falls in through the windows, showering the angels in heavenly light. Each of the angles holds in their hand a small model of a Slavic monastery that was built around Mount Athos. Each one of the angels seems to shelter and protect these little treasures. In the center of the frame are two female angels, identifiable by the fact they are not barechested and instead draped with immaculate white fabric. They hold an insignia in their hands which indicates they represent “faith” and “purity”.

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High Priests

In the earthly plane, we can see the Russian pilgrims entering the sanctuary in a semi-circle, bowing and praying. Four high priests stand at the back of the scene, just under the Slavic icons. Each one of them holds a relic in their hand which the pilgrims kiss upon greeting. In the foreground of the canvas, we see once more a young man, holding up an older blind man in his arms. One can imagine them to be the same two figures from the school of the Brethren a few paintings ago. The young man, being so inspired by the teaching of the older one, has helped bring him to this holy place where he can finally be at peace.

The Oath of Omladina under the Slavic Linden Tree

There are two important things to understand when reading the painting “The Oath of Omladina under the Slavic Linden Tree”. One is mythological and the other historical. The historical piece of the story is imprinted in the title with the mention of the Omladina. The Omladina were a group of Czech Nationalists made up mainly of youths created in the 1890s. 68 members of the group were furthermore put on trial for their beliefs and sent to prison for their “radical” ideas. These ideas revolved around the creation of a Czech nationalistic revival, despite the fact that Bohemia was currently occupied by the Austria-Hungary empire.

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The Daughter of Sláva

The scene which takes place here combines the Omladina with an allegorical scene of the Daughter of Sláva. Mucha was inspired by the poems of Ján Kollár whose oeuvre focused on stories of the gods and goddesses from Slavis history. The Daughter of Sláva stands in the center of the frame, beneath a Linden tree. The Linden tree is also a symbol of the Slavs. Surrounding the tree, in a circle of unity, are imagined members of the Omladina. The Omladina are in the process of taking an oath and pledging their allegiance to the goddess Slavia, and to the Czech people. While the men in the frame are portrayed in their formal, modern-day fashions, there are groups of figures surrounding them dressed in folk costumes. These are traditional representations of the first Czech people.

Jaroslava and Jiří

Sitting on what almost looks like the edge of a stage are two figures, a male and female. These characters were actually modelled off Mucha’s own children; Jaroslava and Jiří. The composition of girl on the right strumming the lyre was actually used in the posters that Mucha created to promote the exhibition of the Slav Epic in Prague in 1928. Mucha would never finish this painting, and the composition remains bare on the canvas, unvarnished. The faces are also unfinished, but in a sense that almost makes the painting more interesting as future Czech revolutionaries can imagine their own faces in the image. Inspiring them to never lose their Czech identity and the histories that come along with it.

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The Abolition of Serfdom in Russia

Mucha’s painting of the “Abolition of Serfdom in Russia” is a real reflection of the artist’s disheartening experience of visiting Russia for the first time. Mucha had always looked up to the Russians and was excited to finally visit the city. But when he got there in 1913 he was so disappointed to find the city was overrun with poverty and suffering. It was not the progressive place he thought it would be, instead, he found so many cultural practices to be years behind the rest of Europe. Especially in terms of equality, something he valued over everything else.

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Tsar Alexander II

Tsar Alexander II had given Russian serfs personal freedom in 1861. Which Mucha felt was long overdue. The term “serf”, referred to an unfree peasant of the Russian Empire. They differed from slaves only in the sense that they could not be bought and sold independently from their land. Instead were “attached” to the land they lived on. So if you bought a piece of land, the serfs came with it, but could never be moved from that spot. The emancipation movement of 1861 meant that 23 million people received their liberty. They now could marry without having to gain consent, could own property and even start a business.

When the edict was read out, as portrayed here, the serfs and nobles alike had much uncertainty about what this freedom would look like. For the peasants, having never known this kind of life before, some of them were overwhelmed and confused. Mucha’s crowd is subdued rather than excited. They sit for a moment, apprehensive that the emancipation order could be being revoked. And this liberty taken away as fast as it was given.

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St Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin

St Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin are almost completely obscured in the background of the scene by the thick fog. Making the picture more about the people than the country which looms over them. The sun is only starting to peek out of the clouds, offering a faint glimmer of hope. In the foreground of the picture, once more we see a mother and child looking out at the viewer. Their faces are a complex mixture of trepidation, anxiety and optimism.

The Apotheosis of the Slavs, Slavs for Humanity

The final painting in the series is perhaps the most impressive, the colours within its frame is almost otherworldly. It’s entitled “The Apotheosis of the Slavs, Slavs for Humanity.” In this scene, Mucha sums ups all the themes that were explored throughout the preceding paintings.

It celebrates the independence of the Slav nation in the 20th century.
The painting is divided into four sections, each separated by colour. The blue portion in the bottom right represents the mythology of the Slavic people. Those stories are the bedrock upon which their culture was built.

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The red in the top-right reflects the brutal Hussites wars fought in the middle ages. The dark shadowy figures on either side of the painting represent the enemies of the Slavic people and the oppression they surrounded the Slavs with throughout their lifetime.

Independent Czech Republic

The last group is the one marked with a bright yellow glowing light. In the centre, a man stands with his arms outstretched. So vast, they almost touch the edges of the canvas. He represents the new, independent Czech Republic. But he doesn’t stand alone. Behind him is the figure of Jesus Christ, supporting him on the journey to come. The man greets a group of soldiers, seen in their uniforms, returning from the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed after WWI, and the Slavic people were free of their reign in 1918. Just below the waist of the towering figure is a man crouched over, holding his heart. From his clenched hands, a beam of light is radiating. The light represents the Czech people’s love for their nation. And it is this love that will illuminate the future pathway for the Slavic people.

Young boys and girls wave branches with bright green leaves, saluting the men returning home from battle. They are seen wearing traditional folk costumes. Symbolic of the fact that their traditions will never die and will continue in the hearts of future generations.

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Souls of the Slav People

Mucha hoped that those who viewed these paintings would be able to see into the souls of the Slav people. He wanted all Slavs and Czechs, now more than ever, to come together through their shared history. He hoped that by documenting these stories, perhaps unknown by many, they would find peace and hope. I had never known anything about the Slavic people until I visited Prague. After experiencing this series I was so inspired to do more reading about the stories portrayed here in the Slav Epic. By understanding the past these people suffered and survived through you have so much more appreciation for the culture they had to fight to preserve.

Fully taking in the Slav Epic can take some time, but the experience is absolutely worth it. I hope that when it finally reopens in its new home in Moravský Krumlov people flock to see it. This is a collection of works of art that NEEDS to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. While learning about it online is great, seeing these gigantic paintings, overtake your field of vision is such an awe-inspiring experience and I truly hope you all manage to see it for yourself!

The post The Ultimate Guide to Exploring the Beauty and Meaning of Alphonse Mucha’s Masterpiece, the Slav Epic [UPDATED 2023] first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

#1 The Musée d’Orsay | Paris, France

The Musée d’Orsay is centred right in the heart of Paris, the city of love. It is filled with romantic masterpieces and alluring impressionist paintings. The museum is housed in what used to be the Beaux-Arts train station built in 1898. Elements of the old train station can still be seen throughout the museum.

This museum gets its reputation as one of the most romantic museums since it houses the largest impressionist and post-impressionist paintings in the world. Works of art from Monet, Degas, Manet and Renoir decorate the walls of the museum. These soft and subtle paintings lull you into a sweet and sensual world. No one can stand in front of Monet’s Lily Pond and not be transported. And Renoir’s scenes of passionate delights in the Dancing at the Moulin de la Galette in Montmartre makes you want to grab your partner’s hand and dance the day away yourself.

Google Galleries

Through the Google online galleries, you can see works from Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh. Zoom right in to see the tiny textures of the brush strokes. You can study the gentle expressions on even the background characters’ faces! Getting this close to these famous paintings is something you can only experience online.

#2 Museum of Broken Relationships | Zagreb, Croatia

An art collection dedicated to the end of a relationship might seem like an odd choice when listing off Romantic museums. But the Museum of Broken Relationships is one of the most emotionally resonant places in the world. Whether they are stories of sadness, anger or sentimentality, each piece in the museum tells the story of the power of love. And how it can change your life forever.

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Right now, the entire collection of the Museum of Broken Relationships is now up online. We’ve all experienced aspects of these stories in our own lives, and it’s only in learning from them that we can grow. Valentines doesn’t have to be celebrated just by those in a relationship, but also by those who love themselves. Even if you’re single or going through a painful breakup, there is a sense of community and understanding surrounding you, even in this online gallery. If you are in a relationship, reading through these might be the icebreaker you need to share your own stories. It might allow you to open up in ways you might not expect.

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#3 The Louvre | Paris, France

The Louvre is home to some of the most romantic sculptures from around the world. Whether is the Winged Victory of Samothrace or carvings of Eros and Psyche’s carving by the illustrious Antonio Canova or the famed Venus de Milo the museum is filled with passionate treasures.

You can view the entire museum in 4K through the virtual video tour below! Pause as you go and discuss with your Palentine, lover or partner when something catches your eye – for better or for worse! There is so much to learn from discussing art. You don’t need to be an art historian or scholar to talk about it either. This easy couch viewing is a great way to discover what you love and what interests you. And then once the world opens back up again, you can go out and pursue more of that!

#4 V&AVictoria and Albert Museum | London, England

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had one of the most poetic relationships in English history. Most court marriages are arranged to secure political alliances, so it’s rare that we see a case of true love in the monarchy. Queen Victoria loved Prince Albert so profoundly that after his death, she wore black for the rest of her life in honour of his passing and the overwhelming grief she felt in his absence. She built this museum to honour his memory. He always wanted the people to be knowledgeable and share in the riches of his kingdom. Here, at the V&A, the public can view the treasures of England’s past, present and precious objects from around the world.

Gifts of Jewels

Some of the most romantic parts of the collection include illustrated manuscripts of famous love songs from the Renaissance and sultry sculptures depicting some of the greatest love stories from antiquity. The V&A also houses over 3,000 pieces of jewellery, many of which were given as tokens of love. Here you can look down at medieval love rings, a pendant given to Elizabeth I from one of her lovers and sparkling tiaras worn by princesses on their wedding day. Their fantastic jewellery collection has all been documented online for your viewing pleasure. See what your partner thinks is your style or pick out your favourites piece for a friend as you pretend to be princesses!

#5 The Uffizi Museum | Florence, Italy

The building we now know as the Uffizi Museum didn’t start off as a museum at all. It was once the palace of Cosimo I de Medici, designed by Giorgio Vasari. These two names, Vasari and Medici, are perhaps the two most essential words in art history. The Medici family was one of the wealthiest families in Florence and shaped the history of Italy and art history forver.

Although not famous for paintings, Vasari is whom we refer to as “the first art historian.” He created an almost complete book called The Lives of the Artists. He grew up with Michelangelo, Donatello, Titian, Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael and hundreds more. His biographies are annotated with juicy pieces of gossip and personal anecdotes, which provide a glimpse into these historic artists’ real world. His love for art was unending. The same goes for the Medici’s. Although it might not be love between two people, these people’s devotion and affection for art and artists run deeper and more profoundly than many human romances.

Google Galleries

10 of the museum’s most popular galleries are now on display on their website in 360°! You can virtually walk through the gallery and zoom into each painting along the wall. If you are interested in learning more about a specific picture, then head over to Google Art and Culture Galleries. Over here, you can click on any image that catches your eye. It will bring you into a detailed description of the piece and more information about the artists. They also have a few online exhibitions. One of these walks you through every last detail of Piero di Cosimo’s famous panting “Perseus Freeing Andromeda.”

#6 Belvedere Palace and Museum | Vienna, Austria

The Belvedere Museum was once a vast baroque Palace, home to the ruling Habsburg dynasty and built for Prince Eugene of Savoy. The Prince always loved art and started collecting at a young age. In 1781 the Prince opened up parts of his imperial collection up to the public. Over the years, the state collection grew and grew, and in 1903 the Moderne Galerie was opened as a public museum. Its curator, a subordinate to the Minister of Culture, made sure to acquire art from all different epochs representing a wide breadth of art from Austria’s history. 

But what makes this museum worthwhile on our virtual journey through romantic museums is its collection of Klimt masterpieces. His pièce de résistance is entitled The Kiss and is widely thought of as one of the most romantic and passionate paintings ever made. Klimt was a fiery painter and lover. His favourite subject was the female body, and his works are all marked by intense eroticism. The Kiss depicts two figures joined together in a tight embrace as they stand on the edge of a cliff. Even the shape of the Kiss has suggestive symbolism. The man and woman together form the shape of a phallus – it doesn’t get more on the nose than that.

Google Galleries

Google’s Arts and Culture contains Belvedere’s complete collection of digitized artwork for you to view and read about. They also have an excellent digital exhibition on ‘The Kiss.‘ I was lucky enough to see this work of art in person and was absolutely mesmerized by it. Getting the chance to learn a little bit more about the painting was a great way to recall some of those treasured memories.

Belvedere’s Online Gallery

One of the most unique features of Belvedere’s online gallery is its use of augmented reality. You can visit their website and use an app on your phone to study a series of Egon Schiele’s paintings in greater detail. When you use your phone to scan the image on the screen, it will trigger an audio track that guides you through the work of art. You can also use your phone as a scanner, using infrared technology to uncover hidden secrets beneath the finished painting.

#7 Louisiana Museum of Modern Art | Øresund Sound in Humlebæk, Denmark

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is in a world of its own. Unlike most museums, it’s not in the centre of a big city. To get here, you have to take a train from the centre of the town and travel out to the calm countryside—a perfect weekend getaway for you and your loved one. The idyllic, breathtaking landscape surrounding the museum is in itself what makes this place so romantic.

As you approach the museum, you wander through a small Danish waterside fishing village. You pass little cottages and tiny farms when suddenly you come upon an unassuming yet contemporary looking building. The sound of water can be heard in the distance, and as you pass through an archway of trees, you come upon the museum’s entrance.

Outdoor Modern Art

Inside is a mixture of indoor and outdoor exhibitions. The combination of art, architecture and scenery is impeccable. You weave through the collections at your own pace. The outdoor sculptures are hidden among the trees and seem like a little secret you can discover along the way. The way you view the art is a very personal experience. Modern art can be challenging to define, and it is more up to the viewers on interpretation. Discussing the ideas and emotions that each piece brings forth inside you and your partner is such a bonding adventure. One that is sure to spark some passionate feelings.

Outside Suburbia has an excellent virtual written and photographic tour that guides you through the museum in the most charming and captivating ways. The short video I’ve inserted below was filmed by the museum and gives you a glimpse of the incredible outdoor sculpture gallery. Another great way to experience a part of this collection from your sofa at home.

#8 Rodin Museum | Paris, France

The Rodin Museum houses a collection of works from its namesake, Auguste Rodin. Rodin was one of the first sculptors of his age to depart from traditional sculpting methods (generally thought to be overly perfect and unrealistic). He loved imperfections and wanted to depict a truer to form a representation of the human figure. Instead of stiffly posed allegories, we were suddenly exposed to voluptuous, undulating women with wills and desires of their own. Like Klimt, Rodin was an intensely passionate man and this vigour can be throughout his work. Rodin had a love affair with love itself, and all of his pieces speak to a visceral part of ourselves. They awaken us. And for the lovers, they might ever enliven something else…

While The Kiss is the most notable sculpture by Rodin, many others deserve their moment in the sun. Nymphs Playing, Eternal Idol and The Cathedral are all splendidly tender pieces that bring me to my knees. And best of all, they each have been captured virutally to be viewed online.

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Rodin’s Sculptures

Many of Rodin’s sculptures are carved in what feels like a fiery outburst. Like the figures burst forth from the stone. They are partly unfinished, as love itself as an unfinished masterpiece, never to be fully understood. That sense of mystery is what fuels the fire of love and keeps us intrigued and impassioned.

To see a complete collection of his work online, head off to the Google Arts and Culture collection. Here you can select the pieces which pique your interest and find out more information on them. To get even more insight into the artworks, you can head over to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (I know, a little bit of a detour). This museum also holds various copies of Rodin’s pieces. They offer amazing audio guides to each of the sculptures.

These audio tours are a great way to learn more about the artists and the object. If you’d rather sit back and watch something then the video below is a relaxing tour of the museum set to romantic music. While the video was shot a while ago, I find the footage to be a lovely and nostalgic view of the gallery, in all its simplicity and grace.

#9 Thorvaldsen Museum | Copenhagen, Denmark

This won’t be on many other lists. It’s a bit of a wild card. And I think I like that. It’s nice to have something a bit out of the ordinary at the top of the list because if it wasn’t, you could be reading this anywhere else. Thorvaldsen is a mostly unknown name outside of Europe. Still, within the continent, he is among some of the most famous sculptors! Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen in 1770 to poor parents, but lucky for him his father was a carver. From a young age, Thorvaldsen learned to sculpt; his eyes would trace over an object and he would memorize its lines and curves. From only his memory he could then copy the form onto a piece of wood almost perfectly.

He learned to appreciate the subtle curvatures of the human body. Eventually, his skills were recognized by the art community. He got a scholarship and the opportunity to travel to Rome. There, he studied under some of the great masters and worked there until 1838. When he was in Italy, he took on many prestigious clients and commissions. When he finally returned to Denmark, heralded as a national hero, a museum was built in his honour to house his works. Unlike many artists who never get to see their creations loved by the public, Thorvaldsen had the opportunity to see the museums built from the ground up and watch the people come to admire his artworks.

Neo-Classical Sculpture

The basis of Thorvaldsen’s oeuvre is Neo-classical art. Greek and Roman myths created the universe where his art lived. The characters and stories he told through still marble still manage to move the most hardened heart. Cupid, one of the most notorious symbols on Valentine’s Day, is celebrated throughout the Thorvaldsen’s Museum. So many of his sculptures are so sensual in nature. The way he can turn hard stone to butter to capture the softness of skin and the brush of a caress.

Google Arts and Culture have a beautifully digital collection of his sculptures that you can view online. They also have the museum captured in 360 in google street view, so you can walk through the museum yourself to discover treasures around every corner.

You can also head over to my blog post, where you get a complete tour of the museum and detailed descriptions about the objects and the artist’s history. It’s a wonderful companion to Google street view and will make you feel like you’re really there!

Hopefully, this list gave you some ideas of how to find that sense of wanderlust even amid this pandemic! Sometimes you just need to get a little creative. Let me know in the comment what your favourite romantic museum or gallery is!

Happy (virtual) Travels, Adventurers!

The post The Most Romantic Museums to Visit Virtually on Valentines first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

The Google Art and Culture site provides virtual exhibitions that they call “stories”. These “stories” are curated collections, sometimes from various museums, which are collected to tell captivating narratives. I have an entire post on some of the world’s best online museums and art galleries but, if you’re looking for something which only requires a minimal amount of time, then these exhibits are for you! Each one takes only about 10 minutes to explore but will leave you feeling artistically refreshed.

Table Of Contents

1. The Goddess Lakshmi in Popular Culture
2. Stanisław Mateusz Ignacy Wyspiański 
3. Elsa Schiaparelli Collection at the V&A
4. The Life and Art of Frida Kahlo
5. The Star Trail at the National Gallery
6. Johannes Vermeer's 'The Procuress' 
7. Heaven, Hell, and Dying Well
8. Table at Versaille
9. İstanbul: The City of Dreams
10. Question of Identity
11. Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

The Goddess Lakshmi in Popular Culture

The Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, has been etched into visual arts since time immemorial. But her modern portrayal in the 20th century is a unique study well worth looking into! Together with The Ganesh Shivaswamy Foundation, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the British Museum, this exhibition guides you through pieces of ephemera that contain images of the Goddess. The exhibition teachers you about the meaning behind these different representations as well as visual elements paired with Lakshmi.

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Stanisław Mateusz Ignacy Wyspiański 

The “fourth Polish Bard” Stanisław Mateusz Ignacy Wyspiański was one of the most multitalented artists to ever grace this earth. Wyspiański, born in Kraków, Poland, was a playwright, painter and poet, and an interior and furniture designer. His paintings were fiercely intimate, and he took great pride in continuing ancestral folk traditions. Many people outside of Poland have never heard of him despite his many contributions to arts and culture. One of the exhibitions, which are well worth your time to check out, takes you through the artist’s life. It features both photographs from his life, maps of his homes and pastel sketches and paintings. These images collected here are ones of the loved ones in his life.

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After getting this primer on his life, you can study the exhibition featuring drawings from his travels. From 1890–1895 Wyspiański travelled all over Europe and took his pastels with him. His fluid and gestural images feel like they were made in a rush of excitement upon seeing these new destinations. During his stay in Paris, where he went to study and improve his art, he missed his home of Kraków greatly. But when he returned home, he found himself missing Paris. Forever torn between the comfort of home and the thrilling excitement of the artistic community in those bustling big cities. His art seems to depict this eternal longing.

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Elsa Schiaparelli Collection at the V&A

The Victoria and Albert Museum (also known as the V&A) is the world’s leading museum of art and design. Founded in 1852, the V&A promotes innovation and communicates the importance of good design. As a graphic designer, I think these kinds of museums are so important! While the collection contains over 2.27 million objects, the most iconic part is their costume collection. The V&A’s costume collection is the most comprehensive in Britain, containing over 14,000 outfits. This also includes accessories and shoes, dating from 1600 to the present. One of the online exhibits will take you on a journey through time using items from their fashion and clothing collection. These items range from high-end couture to inspired ready-to-wear to innovative street style.

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One of my favourite parts of their collection is their assortment of Elsa Schiaparelli pieces. Elsa Schiaparelli was a genius of the 20th century. She broke the mould of traditional tailoring and combined fashion and surrealism in the most inventive ways. She used embroidery, embellishment and unusual materials to transform her garments into unique fashion statements. The online gallery will lead you through some of her most inventive pieces that you can study in great detail. Learning all about the influences and references used throughout.

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The Life and Art of Frida Kahlo

Located in Xochimilco, the Museo Dolores Olmedo is situated in an old stone house dating back to the 16th century. Inside it contains the world’s largest collections of works by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. The online exhibition tells the story of the life and art of Frida Khalo through her personal effects, photographs and live street views of where she lived. And of course, using a myriad of her paintings and sketches.

The Star Trail at the National Gallery

The National Gallery, located in Central London, was founded in 1824. The museum houses over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. Their collection contains such masterpieces as van Eyck‘s ‘Arnolfini Portrait,‘ Velázquez‘s ‘Rokeby Venus,‘ Turner‘s ‘Fighting Temeraire‘ and Van Gogh‘s ‘Sunflowers.’ One of the more interesting curated collections featured on the Google Arts and Culture website is all about the ‘Star Trail‘. In a variety of the paintings in the gallery, you can see stars painted in the skies. While some are more obvious and less metaphorical, others are hidden in less prominent places and have some deep, sometimes philosophical meanings. The exhibition guides you through this “star trail” and is an interesting way to view different pieces from their collection.

Johannes Vermeer’s ‘The Procuress’ 

The Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister or Old Masters Picture Gallery in Dresden, Germany, is home to the old empire’s most treasured paintings. The gallery is relatively small compared to some of the world’s most prolific museums. But it is honestly one of my favourites. There are about 750 paintings, lovingly curated, inside a stunningly decorated interior. The images range from the 15th to the 18th centuries. One of their most important pieces from the collection is the ‘The Procuress’ by Johannes Vermeer painted in 1656.

Having a Vermeer in your gallery is a real draw since the old master only is known to have painted 34 paintings in his lifetime. ‘The Procuress‘ is considered a very interesting and progressive painting of his. It represents sex work in a positive light. The painful woman portrayed in the photo looks contented and in control of her circumstances. But there are so many other aspects and hidden meanings to the painting that this virtual exhibit lends insight into.

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Heaven, Hell, and Dying Well

The J. Paul Getty Museum, located in Los Angeles, California, is one of the most surprising places to find some very old European artworks. The collection features European paintings, drawings, sculpture, decorative arts, and European, Asian, and American photographs dating from the eighth through the twenty-first century! But most importantly, it features a stunning collection of illuminated manuscripts. One of the most interesting online exhibitions from their collection is ‘Heaven, Hell, and Dying Well: Images of Death in the Middle Ages.’ An illuminated manuscript is a book in which the text is supplemented with such decoration as initials, borders, and miniature illustrations. Many of these little illustrations are innovative visions of heaven and hell as depicted by early Christian writings. And studying these representations of heaven, hell and the process of dying gives us a glimspe into the medieval way of life.

Table at Versaille

The Palace of Versaille has a beautiful online collection of some of their beautiful paintings that dot the castle walls. In addition to digitizing the paintings, they also have a digital collection of the palace’s antique plates and tableware used to serve the elaborate banquets. These paintings of the King’s table and old paper menus dating back to 1744, give us a peek into what Royal meals at Versaille would have looked like. But food back then wasn’t just for filling your belly; dining was considered a way to show off your greatness, wealth and power. And this exhibition takes you through those hidden meanings. It also provides a mirror into the life of the Kings and Queens of Versaille.

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İstanbul: The City of Dreams

Since we can’t be travelling the world ourselves, one of the ways we can travel virtually is through pictorial representations of faraway lands. But instead of looking at pictures, I prefer to look at art. The Pera Museum, located in Istanbul, Turkey, is an art museum that focuses on Orientalism in 19th-century art. Their collection of ‘Views of İstanbul and Daily Life in the Ottoman‘ will take you on a journey to lavishly decorated apartments and interiors. You’ll study earth-shatteringly beautiful fashions, fascinating customs and even more fantastical feasts!

Question of Identity

The Israel Museum, located in Jerusalem, contains the world’s best collections of art and Holy Land archaeology. Inside you’ll find works dating from prehistory to the present day relating to Jewish art and life. Their current online exhibitions called ‘Questions of Identity‘ is from their costume collection. The virtual art gallery examines how external appearances represent the “constant tension between segregation and integration that has always characterized Jewish existence in the Diaspora.”

Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

In London, England, the Museum of Brands has been amassing objects and packaging, which help tell the story of how brands shaped our world. As a graphic designer, I am someone who adores studying different packaging when I am travelling. And I love parts of museums where you can observe old ephemeral objects. It’s so interesting to me to see the fantastic packaging techniques employed hundreds of years ago. The Museum of Brand’s online exhibition, ‘Best Thing Since Sliced Bread: Packaging Innovation‘ studies the evolution of packaging design. It’s incredible to see how much some packaging has changed over the years and some hasn’t changed at all!

Hopefully, these fun exhibitions from all over the world give you a brief, fantastical respite from the dull world around you. Let me know if you’ve loved any other online exhibitions, and share with me the ways you are spending your time in lockdown!

Happy (Virtual) Travels, Adventurers

The post 11 of the Most Interesting Virtual Exhibitions You Can Explore Online first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

My first pilgrimage to Italy was influenced mainly by my desire to see these ancient art forms in person, to be able to look into their eyes and, in some cases, even touch their cold marble flesh. But throughout all my time researching and studying sculpture, a name I never came across was “Thorvaldsen.” It wasn’t until I stumbled upon the Thorvaldsen Museum‘s steps in Copenhagen that I knew how deep my love for the craft of sculpture could go. 

The Thorvaldsen Museum is unique because it houses works from one single artist, that of Bertel Thorvaldsen. The art displayed in the museum spans Thorvaldsen’s entire career. It even contains commissioned pieces the museum had to fight to bring home their collection. The museum is a lovingly curated experience and takes you on an intimate journey throughout Thorvaldsen’s life through moments frozen in marble.

Admission & Hours

The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm & Thursdays from 10 am to 9 pm. It is closed on Mondays and Dec 24, 25, 31 and Jan 1.
Admission to the museum is 90DKK ($14 USD) for adults, and youth and children under 18 are free. The museum is also free to enter on Wednesdays.

Locations & Directions

The museum is located in the centre of the city. It is relatively easy to get to on foot, but if you need to take the metro, just get off at the stop ‘Gammel Strand,’ across the river from the museum.

About Thorvaldsen

Bertel Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen. From the moment he could pick up a piece of stone, he seemed to find an affinity with the material and used it as his canvas. His father was a woodcarver, and from watching him at work, Thorvaldsen developed a great sense of how to work with his hands. From the age of eleven, Thorvaldsen was making waves as a child prodigy. He was admitted into the Royal Danish Academy of Art. 

Working in Rome

After winning several academic awards and receiving mass recognition in Denmark, Thorvaldsen was offered a space to study with some of Rome’s best artists. It was in Rome that the young sculptor quickly found notoriety and fame. He arrived in Rome on March 8th, 1797. Because Thorvaldsen grew up relatively poor, and his birth date was never recorded, he used this date, his “Roman birthday,” as the one he would celebrate for the rest of his life.

Thorvaldsen loved Rome, as everywhere he seemed to look, he was surrounded by the great masters of sculpture’s lessons. He lived at the Via Sistina in front of the Spanish Steps. He had his workshop in the stables of the Palazzo Barberini. His very first commission was a model of the Greek mythological hero Jason. The work was so impressive it drew the eye of Antonio Canova, the most famous sculptor in the city. With this mark of approval from his peers, the commissions began to come in in a fury, and he was able to stay in Rome for over 16 years, working on his remarkable oeuvre.

Love Life

Thorvaldsen was quite the lover, and perhaps his sensual nature can be seen in his art. His first wife, and mother of his daughter, was previously married to another man. Soon after meeting, Thorvaldsen stole her away from her previous husband with his winning charm. When Thorvaldsen fell ill in 1818, he fell madly in love with his nurse. Still, he called off that engagement when he became enamoured with yet another woman, Miss Fanny Caspers. In the end, he was unable to leave the mother of his child but continued to dabble in affairs of the heart his whole life.

Creation of the Museum

After a long career working for the nobility in Rome, he retired in his hometown of Copenhagen. After attending a performance at the Copenhagen Royal Theatre, Thorvaldsen suffered a massive heart attacked and died. In his will, he had bequeathed a significant part of his fortune for the creations of a museum in Copenhagen. Thorvaldsen left detailed instructions to fill it with all his works of art, his models and even his collection of books and drawings. Thorvaldsen’s tomb rests eternally amongst his masterpieces, buried in the centre of the museum’s courtyard. 

Themes

Canova wasn’t just a fan of Thorvaldsen; he significantly influenced the artist’s style. Thorvaldsen was a neoclassicist. While Canova’s neoclassicism had more expressive poses, Thorvaldsen stuck to a more traditional approach. His neoclassical sculptures were inspired by the Greeks. The poses and motifs are drawn from Greek mythology as well as classical art and literature. Neoclassicism came as a revolt against the Rococo style, which was popular at the time. While the Rococo embraced ornamentation and asymmetry, neoclassicism focused on homogeneity and balance.

Architecture

The hallways and rooms which houses the various works of art are stunningly decorated. The architect who designed the building was Michael Gottlieb Bindes­bøll. Bindes­bøll was inspired by the patterns and colours of ancient cities like Pompeii and Herculaneum. He used these references to create the interiors of the museum.

Bindes­bøll visited Thorvaldsen at his studio in Rome multiple times. The architect was inspired by the high, diagonal light which flooded into the artist’s studio. When creating the windows in the museum, he wanted to replicate this same effect. This bright sunshine that floods the museum changes the light and shadows that fall on the sculptures. Sculptures are so dimensional, and the way they are lit is so unique compared to matte paintings. Depending on what time you visit the museum, the light will change your viewing of each piece.

Interior Design

The first room you come across seems larger than life. The sculptures housed inside the tower over the viewer and fill the almost impossibly large room. The beautiful red, black and yellow tiled floor evoked that same neoclassical style presented in his sculptures. The walls are painted a deep maroon, which contrasts fantastically against the light marble sculptures along the walls.

Throughout the rest of the museum, brightly coloured walls frame and contrast the white marble perfectly. The ceilings are decorated with richly detailed reliefs, and even the floors are inlaid with intricate mosaics.

Józef Poniatowski

In one of the first rooms, you’ll visit, walk to find the dominant sculpture of Józef Poniatowski, made in 1827. Józef Poniatowski was a Polish freedom fighter who fought for Poland’s independence against Russia. During the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, Poniatowski was wounded. When he saw his enemies coming to capture him, he swam off into the water. Poniatowski knew he wasn’t a strong swimmer and would have rather drowned rather than be captured. His martyr-like efforts captured the hearts of the Polish population, and the statue of the great man was commissioned. They could think of no better man than Thorvaldsen to complete the job. 

Thorvaldsen wanted to portray the great warrior like the ancient statue of Marcus Aurelius, which sits in the capitol in Rome. Just like Aurelius, Poniatowski sits on his colossal warrior horse. Instead of having his hand in a gesture of “adlocutio” used to address the troops, he holds out a pointed sword, in a more aggressive pose than Aurelius. Similar to the Roman statue, Poniatowski sits on the horse with no use of stirrups. Although this was done on the original figure because they had not yet been invented, on Poniatowski’s statue, the lack of stirrups makes the man seem more powerful. It implies he doesn’t even need them to stand sturdily on his great horse.

Pius VII

Sitting on a large throne, surrounded on either side by two beautiful women, is Pope Pius VII. This incredible piece was perhaps Thorvaldsen’s most outstanding achievement, as it was commissioned for St. Peter’s Basilica in 1831. Thorvaldsen is still, to this day, the only non-catholic artist to have his work featured in the great Cathedral. While Thorvaldsen might not have been a catholic, he held great reverence for the Pope and the church. Thorvaldsen even had the chance to meet Pope Pius VII in person while he worked in Rome. The details set into the gentle Pope’s face here are very notable, proof of the artist’s personal relationship with the subject.

The Virtues

The women on either side of the Pope, dressed in classical flowing drapery, represented the allegorical virtues of Divine Power and Divine Wisdom. The Pope represents the human vessel into which god’s enlightenment is conveyed to the people. Still, this mortal body will age and die. Contrastingly, the two virtues represent the eternal nature of religion. The woman who represents divine wisdom holds her head down, looking intently at the Bible in her hands. The woman representing divine power can be seen looking up towards the sky and heaven above. Her face is much softer, and her hands clutch her chest as if in a moment of ecstasy.

Because Thorvaldsen was not a catholic, he was not allowed to sign his sculpture. Despite this, he couldn’t refuse an opportunity to have his work featured in the Vatican. But Thorvaldsen came up with the idea to sculpture his own faces into the Pope’s shoulder. In this way, he still managed to memorialize himself into the work.

Cupid & Psyche

Just down the hall from the large entrance are a series of smaller rooms containing various Thorvaldsen collection pieces. Most of the rooms are centred around a particular theme or character. One of my favourite of these pieces is the sculpture of Cupid and Psyche from 1891. The couple is wrapped up in a loving embrace. Where their shoulders meet, the two parts of marble almost looks like it is melting together. As if Cupid and Psyche are becoming one person, one whole piece. 

The Myth

The myth of Cupid and Psyche is one of the most touching of the ancient stories. Psyche was the third daughter, born to a mortal woman. As she grew, she became known as one of the most beautiful people on earth. Her loveliness seemed to rival that of even the god’s people would say. Venus, who held the title of goddess of beauty, was enraged at hearing this. She demanded that Cupid shoot Psyche with one of his love arrows and cause her to fall in love with a hideous monster.

Cupid obeyed, but when he went down to perform the task, he mistakenly pricked himself on the hand fell in love with Psyche himself. Knowing Venus would be furious with him if she found out, Cupid put Psyche on an island where he secretly visited her each night. He would kiss her under the veil of darkness, and when she asked to see his face, Cupid told Psyche never to look upon his face.

The Discovery

Psyche was badgered by her jealous sisters into discovering who this mystery lover was. They claimed he must have been a monster to hide his face from her. So one night after Cupid fell asleep, Psyche picked up a lamp to gaze down upon the man who lay with her. He was beautiful, and she was stunned. In her frozen state of awe, a drop of hot oil accidentally fell from the lamp and woke Cupid up.

Cupid was furious that she had disobeyed his orders, so he fled in the hopes that Venus wouldn’t find out. Psyche was heartbroken and angry with herself that she had been so foolish. She walked the earth endlessly, searching for Cupid. Until one day, she ran into Venus. Pleading her case to the goddess, Venus told Psyche if she accomplished a series of challenging tasks, she would bring her back to Cupid. But these tasks were impossible and caused Psyche much pain and suffering, but she never gave up. Cupid, watching her misery from above, pleads her case to the gods. Psyche was granted immortality by the gods, and Cupid and Psyche were married in heaven.

Relief Carvings

On the walls of this room are additional relief carvings of the life of Cupid. They present the moment of his birth by his mother Venus to his youth with his father, Mercury, the winged messenger of the gods. It even details more scenes from the love story of Cupid and Psyche.

Maria Fjodorovna Barjatinskaja and Elizabeth Alexey Tarakanova

Down the hall, you’ll find a small room dedicated to Maria Fjodorovna Barjatinskaja and Elizabeth Alexey Tarakanova. Maria Fjodorovna Barjatinskaja was a Russian princess who visited Rome with her husband in 1818. While in Rome, Thorvaldsen was very taken with the princess and asked her to model for him. A copy of the sculpture Thorvaldsen made was sent to St. Petersburg after the princess’s death.

Princess Tarakanova, on the other hand, was a pretender to the Russian throne. But Thorvaldsen found himself just as enamoured with her. Both of these sculptures represent Thorvaldsen’s skill in capturing a moment of thoughtfulness. You can almost see these women as learned people who consider the world around them instead of just arm candy for their husbands. Their portraits have great dignity while also being wonderfully sensual and languid. Thorvaldsen was a great admirer of both these beautiful women, and his affinity for them can be seen in the work.

Cupid and the Graces

In this incredibly sensual group, we see the Three Graces. They stand in an almost lovers’ embrace, their hands encircling each other. Their fingers gently caressing each other’s bodies, so delicately, their fingertips seem to just graze the skin. The Graces are the daughters of Jupiter but are servants of the goddess of love, Venus. Below their feet sits Venus’ son Cupid, playing the lyre. The three women’s position seems to form a protective circle around the child, ensuring he is safe from harm while he plays.

The three graces represent “beauty, love and modesty.” Beauty and love can clearly be seen on display here, and modesty is represented by the swath of cloth, draped over the column behind the grouping. If someone should enter and come upon them, they could quickly cover up with this cloth. And yet here we are, gazing upon them as if unseen by any of the women. And yet Cupid stares directly at us as if he was catching us in the act.

Venus with the Apple

This sculpture captures the moment Venus received the golden apple from the mortal King Paris, which crowned her “the fairest goddess” of them all. Eris, the god of strife, created this golden apple and inscribed it with the pronouncement “the fairest goddess.” During a party on Mount Olympus, Eris asked the gods to vote on who should receive the apple. None of them could decide, so the gods asked King Paris to choose between Juno, Minerva and Venus herself. Paris was head over heels for Venus and immediately gave her the golden apple. In this scene, we can see Venus taking the apple, her hands raising the fruit towards her face to get a closer look. Her opposite arm reaches back to grab her clothes to cover her naked form. 

Her expression is a curious one. You would imagine that being named the fairest god would bring someone joy, but her appearance is reasonably demure. There is just the slightest hint of a grin beginning to form on the corners of her mouth. This expressive choice is a crucial characteristic of Thorvaldsen’s work. He can perfectly capture in marble even the briefest moment or fleeting glance. Venus wants to appear polite in front of the other women who have been scorned by Paris but allows herself this minature little celebration.

Jesus Christ

This sculpture of Jesus Christ is one of Thorvaldsen’s most famous pieces. It was so impressive that it was copied multiple times, and versions of the statue can be seen in various castles and churches around Denmark. Christ stands before us, the moment just after he has been resurrected has been captured in marble. He holds his hand towards the viewer, almost in a pose of gentle assurance. His feet and hands still bear the crucifixion’s painful marks, but his face is peaceful and unaffected by such wounds. His face is angled straight down. To meet his eyes, you must stand almost directly under the statue. But by doing so, you have this one-on-one moment with the great man. Unlike other figures that stare straight out and anyone can meet their eyes, this sculpture forces you to get up closer and personal. You are then rewarded by this intimate experience.

Ganymede with Jupiter’s Eagle

This sweet scene depicts the mortal Ganymede‘s, giving a bowl of water to a great eagle, the god Jupiter in disguise. The eagle’s enormous size is exemplified as it seems to practically mirror the size of Ganymede. Ganymede was described by Homer as “the most beautiful of mortals.” Zeus had fallen in love with his beauty and sent Jupiter down to earth in the form of an eagle to abduct him and bring him back to Olympus to serve as Zeus’ cupbearer.

But Ganymede was a gentle and kind soul, and even when he was approached by this gigantic fearsome bird, he simply knelt down and offered it some water. Ganymede is practically perfect. The smooth, unblemished marble in stark contrasts to the eagle’s rough, harsh feathers and sharp-pointed beak.

A few doors down, you’ll find another statue of Ganymede. This time presented by Thorvaldsen as an older young man. In this portrayal, Ganymede now lives on Olympus acting as Zeus’ cupbearer. He is caught in the act of pouring the precious nectar of the gods. His eyes are focused solely on the pour to ensure none of the costly liquid is lost or wasted. We cannot see anyone gathered to receive the drink, so we can imagine he is pouring it out for us in a brief moment of fantasy.

Jason with the Golden Fleece

The sculpture of Jason was the one that Canova saw in Rome and was overcome by. This Thorvaldsen’s break out work which made him a household name! But it was not just the beauty and craftsmanship of the sculpture that Canova was so drawn to. It was the message that was tied into the statue as well.

The story of Jason is also the story of democracy. Jason was the son of the Greek King Aison. When his father’s throne was stolen by his wicked uncle, Jason set out on a journey to find the Golden Fleece. It was a legend that anyone who obtained the Golden Fleece and brought it back to their home country would acquire great wealth and a fertile nation. 

Jason took an army with him to this far off land, fought in many battles, and overcame many obstacles to finally find the Golden Fleece. The moment Thorvaldsen captured here is as Jason is caught carrying the fleece back down to his ship. Jason will set off back to his homeland and rule as the rightful ruler. But not just because it is his birthright, but because he had proved himself worthy of the task and will bring prosperity to his people. This democratic ideal that human abilities are the proof of a sound ruler, not just your bloodline, was a sentiment washing over all of Europe during the 1800s when Thordvalsen sculpted this piece.

 Hebe

Before Ganymede’s was Zeus’ cupbearer, the goddess Hebe previously held the position. Hebe was the goddess of youth, and her job was to pour the drink of immortality, made from the nectar of ambrosia. This would be poured out to the gods to preserve their long life. In the one hand, Hebe holds the cherished pitcher and, in the other, the bowl from which the gods would drink. Her eyes are laser-focused upon the bowl. But this intense focus was going to be all for naught as her story is a sad one.

One day while serving the precious nectar, her dress became undone, and she accidentally exposed herself to the audience of gods on Mount Olympus. When she went to cover her naked form, she spilled some of the nectar out on the floor, a great sin. Apollo cast her out for her insolence, and this was when Ganymede was abducted to replace her.

Her dress is a classical design, the only part of the drapery, giving her a shape is the belted waist. The lines in which the dress forms almost take the shape of a marble column. Thorvaldsen created two versions of Hebe in this pose, one where her breasts are exposed as in the story and one where her form is fully covered like we caught the moment just before her fall from grace.

Cupid Triumphant

Cupid is another of one of Thorvaldsen’s favourite characters. Although Cupid might not be one of the physically strongest gods, he wields tremendous power. Thorvaldsen truly believed that love was one of the world’s strongest influences. Here we see Cupid, looking triumphantly at his arrow, which could subdue all the other gods despite being so small. Below Cupid are items from the rest of the gods’ pantheon. These tokens were left behind, perhaps to serve as a reminder of Cupid’s great superiority. You can make out the helmet of Mars, Jupiter’s thunderbolt, Hercules’ lion skin, and finally Apollo’s lyre.

Cupid’s eyes seem to focus on the arrow’s sharp tip. Cupid appears wrapped up in a moment of awe, that such a small thing could imbue such authority. Despite this moment of triumph, there is a tinge of sadness in his eyes as she realizes the weight of his powers, which will weigh on his shoulders for eternity. This sculpture is perhaps the best interpretation of the classic quote, “with great power comes great responsibility.”

Mars and Cupid

Another portrait of Cupid features his relationship with the God of War, Mars. Cupid is vastly dwarfed by the enormous figure of Mars, towering above him. Mars was Cupid’s father. This appears to be a classical scene of father and son bonding. Perhaps Mars is in the process of teaching Cupid about the responsibilities of being a god. Mars holds out his massive and sturdy hand towards Cupid. In it, Mars holds one of Cupid’s arrows, and Cupid looks up at the pointed tip with a quizzical appearance, his finger on his chin in contemplation.

Mars being the god of war, must have found himself to be at odds with his son, whose strengths lay in the polar opposite arena, that of love. This is a well-told part of life for many people who share juxtaposing passions with their parents. Yet, there is still hope for connection in this scene as their bodies seem to almost fuse together at the bottom of the sculpture where Mars’ leg meets Cupid’s shoulder. Proof that even polar opposite can still connect.

Goddess of Hope

One of my favourite pieces is this sculpture of the Goddess of Hope, Elpis. She is almost always depicted as a young woman, carrying flowers in her hands. The flower in her hand is a pomegranate flower, which symbolizes fertility and eternal life. Her body’s shape reflects Thorvaldsen’s love of antiquity and the very archaic and stiff poses that come out of that era. While her stoic face leaves much to be desired, the draping of her clothes is phenomenal. On her left leg, the fabric seems to cling to her body like a second skin. You can almost feel in your fingertips the delicateness of the cloth from just looking at how he carved the fabric atop her body.

Bertel Thorvaldsen with the Statue of Hope

One of the most essential pieces in the museum is the sculpture of Bertel Thorvaldsen himself. Seeing him in person is like being greeted by the man for whom this entire building is dedicated. He is leaning on a minature version of the previous statue, the Goddess of Hope. We catch him here, taking a break from his work, posing in front of his sculpture. But he clearly isn’t stopping for too long as his tools are still in his hand. His expression is rather stern, almost as if he is still concentrating on his work of art. It’s hard not to take notice of the lightly hung shirt he is wearing, which has casually fallen open, revealing his taut chest to the audience. Another suggestion of the pride that Throsvaldsen took in his appearance.

Mercury

With his iconic winged hat, this suspenseful and tense scene of Mercury, drawing his sword in anticipation of slaying Argus, is perfectly captured by Thorvaldsen. Argus was a terrifying many-eyed monster who had captured Jupiter’s lover Hera. Jupiter had sent Mercury to go and kill Argus and free his love. This might seem a puzzling choice at first, especially when we look at Mercury, as presented here. He doesn’t look the part of a strong, powerful fighter, able to defeat the great beast. No, Mercury was the god of trickery and thieves. Jupiter thought that instead of sending a mighty warrior, he would send Mercury, who would come up with a plot to fool the unbeatable beast. Being the cunning god he was, Mercury played his pipe for the beast and lulled him to sleep, closing all those watchful eyes. Once he was asleep, Mercury was able to draw his sword and put an end to the great monster.

Dying Lion

One of the most affecting statues in the gallery is that of the dying lion. The lion is splayed out on top of a shield with the fleur-de-lis symbol etched upon it. This sculpture was design to commemorate the six hundred Swiss Guards who died defending the Tuileries during the French Revolution. The lion almost seems to be in the morning atop this shield. Such a powerful, evocative human emotion is coming from the animal’s face. 

Thorvaldsen Library & Personal Art Collection

In addition to sculptures, the museum houses hundreds of sketches, drawings, and miniatures that Thorvaldsen used to prepare for his incredible sculptures. It’s fantastic to see the process in which he painstakingly would create to come up with his final sculpture.

On the second floor of the gallery, you’ll find hundreds of reference books that Thorvaldsen used to study to perfect his interpretation of the neo-classical sculptures.

I hope you enjoyed this tour of the Thorvaldsen museum, and if you’re never heard of him before, that you thoroughly enjoyed discovering his work as I did. Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever visited this museum before or what your favourite piece of art from the collection was.

Happy Travels, Adventurers

The post Ultimate Guide to the Treasured Thorvaldsen Museum of Sculptures in Copenhagen first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Launceston is untouched by mega-tourism and has a unique landscape only found in this part of the country. Launceston to me felt like a combination of New Zealand’s rich scenery and Australia’s vibrant culture. If you’re a tourist who wants to get off the beaten track and get a little peace and quiet, then Launceston is the place for you.

Table Of Contents

1. History
2. Access
3. Best Time to Visit
4. What to Pack?
5. Where to Stay
   • Launceston Backpackers
   • Kurrajong House
   • Hatherley Birrell Collection
6. What to do in Launceston
   • 1. Sweetbrew 
   • 2. Eat the Day Away at the Harvest Farmer's Market
   • 3. Explore Cataract Gorge
   • 4. Get up High on the Gorge Scenic Chairlift
   • 5. Wonder at the Works inside Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery
   • 6. Discover the old Craftsmanship inside the Old Umbrella Shop
   • 7. Indulge in Fine Dining at Stillwater
   • 8. Go Back in Time inside Franklin House
   • 9. Sip on Aged Ales at James Boag Brewery Experience
   • 10. Get Spooked on Launceston City Ghost Tours
   • 11. Wander down Memory Lane on a Self Guided History Walk

History

Launceston, located on the northern tip of the state of Tasmania, is one of their two main cities. The other being Hobart, located on the southern end. Launceston is Australia’s third oldest European settlement, established in 1806 after Sydney (in 1788) and Hobart (in 1803). The city is renowned for its well preserved historic buildings, artful food scene and lush countryside.

While I highly enjoyed visiting both Hobart and Launceston, and each had its own pros and cons, Launceston felt more in line with my creative travel sensibilities. The city streets were more artful, their parks lusher. The overall design seemed to be of the utmost importance, even if a bit dated. Like other Australian cities, Launceston features a thriving coffee scene, great food, excellent hikes and an intimacy with the natural environment that you wouldn’t expect from a big city.

Access

The best way to get to Launceston is by plane. A short flight from Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane will land you just 15 minutes outside the city’s centre. While renting a car is advisable to see the rest of Tasmania, we didn’t find that one was necessary at all for our time inside the confines of Launceston’s city centre and outer boroughs.

Best Time to Visit

Launceston and Tasmania, in general, is noticeably colder than the rest of Australia. Don’t come here without checking the weather! We saw a few people step off the plane in shorts and t-shirts in a climate that was more suitable for a winter coat.

From November to March are the best months to travel when the weather is at its most enjoyable. June, July and August are relatively chilly and rainy. Still, the prices of hotels are significantly discounted, and the city is almost empty! Summer is the peak travel season when you’ll find the hotels to be the priciest.

Whereas international travellers might not find their way to Tasmania, local Australians have been frequenting the island more and more, so be sure to check the dates of any Australia holidays or school breaks as these times may also be much busier and more expensive.

What to Pack?

As mentioned above, you might be surprised to see how different the weather is here compared to Australia’s arid deserts and beachy coasts. So much of Tasmania is made up of cool temperate rainforests. In addition to your regular travel essentials, there are a few critical items to bring to Launceston and Tasmania. It’s crucial to pack lots of layers that will help you keep warm in the morning, but which you can shed after a few hours of hiking which warms you right up!

It’s also essential to pack a good raincoat or waterproof windbreaker, which can be super useful since rain is a frequent visitor to Tasmania’s forecasts. The rainforests can get pretty wet. Umbrellas are also a good thing to pack in your bag for extra protection.

Where to Stay

When planning my stay in Launceston, I was so excited to find that almost every single home and hotel listed on Tripadvisor was over 4-stars. This meant that you could throw a dart and end up at a fantastic hotel. Everyone we met was so happy to see us, so proud of their city and more than willing to help us out in any way they could. Whether it was picking us up from the airport or showing us around town, Launceston’s residence were always going over and above our expectations.

Launceston Backpackers

We stayed at the Launceston Backpackers, a lovely old house renovated to hold guests. It felt more like staying in someone’s cottage rather than a hotel. I loved the architecture, the stained glass, the old furniture, pretty much everything. It was super affordable and right in the centre of town meaning we could easily walk from place to place without ever having to get on a bus or rent a car.

Price: $47 USD/night

Kurrajong House

Kurrajong House offers accommodation to adult-only guests who enjoy a quiet and tranquil stay. The house is a heritage property that has been lovingly restored. You can choose to stay in either their Heritage guest rooms within the main house or one of two courtyard rooms that overlook their small garden. They are located in Launceston’s luxury end and a short 5-minute walk to the city.

Price: $108 USD/night 

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A post shared by Kurrajong House Boutique B & B (@kurrajong_house_) on Nov 4, 2017 at 8:06pm PDT

Hatherley Birrell Collection

Hatherley Birrell Collection is a boutique hotel offering a high-end experience with some of the most exceptionally stylish rooms. With four unique spaces to stay in Hatherley Birrell Collection leaves your soul enriched and your creativity inspired during your stay in Launceston!

Price: $170 USD/night

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I’m back in Tasmania, first stop Launceston and the east coast (where I grew up). Next time you’re in Tas or plan a special trip, do yourself a favour and check in at @hatherleybirrellcollection (^ is part of their property) – my aunty and uncle have worked on every detail of their unreal boutique B&B #hatherleybirrellcollection #spring #time #boutique #art #north #tasmania

A post shared by Monique Hodson-Smith (@mhsnutrition) on Sep 7, 2018 at 8:41pm PDT

What to do in Launceston

1. Sweetbrew 

The first thing to do in the morning is to grab yourself a cup of coffee! Australia is known for its incredible coffee culture, and Tasmania is no different. Sweetbrew is a local hangout for hipsters and tourists alike. Every coffee is perfectly crafted, and their summer berry cake is something I’ll remember forever!

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A post shared by Sweetbrew (@sweetbrewespresso) on Apr 11, 2020 at 3:49pm PDT

2. Eat the Day Away at the Harvest Farmer’s Market

For breakfast, head on down to the Harvest Saturday Farmers Market. Stock up on some doughnuts from @sandyssourdough and if you’re craving something savoury, hit up a gluten-free breakfast bowl from @mountgnomonfarm.

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A post shared by Josh Crisp (@sandyssourdough) on Oct 26, 2019 at 4:05pm PDT

Don’t leave without a bottle or two of manuka honey from Tasmania, something which is sure to cure what ails you. Even if you don’t have a kitchen at your hotel, this is the best place to load up on cheese, freshly cured meats, hot-smoked salmon, fresh berries and fruits and hot from the oven bread. This all makes for a super simple picnic luncheon to enjoy later on in the day.

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A post shared by Harvest Launceston (@harvest_launceston) on Feb 27, 2020 at 2:41am PST

3. Explore Cataract Gorge

And where to eat your picnic lunch, you may ask? There’s no better place than Cataract Gorge! Cataract Gorge is a stunning park in the centre of Launceston. To get to the gorge, you begin by walking along a scenic pathway, called the King’s Bridge-Cataract Walk. This leads you around the South Esk River’s edge to the northern part of the gorge’s basin. From here, you can walk across the Alexandra Suspension Bridge. On the other side of the bridge, you’ll find a large swimming pool to be enjoyed in the summer months.

4. Get up High on the Gorge Scenic Chairlift

I found the best part of our visit to the gorge was getting to ride the antique chairlift! The chairlift, built in 1972, and is still the longest single-span lift in the world! We were one of the only people in the park during our visit and figured the lift wouldn’t be open. But to our surprise, a quiet old woman was sitting at the desk to welcome us in and let us ride. It felt almost strange like they had kept it open just for us. We giggled the entire way across the gorge, swinging our feet, nervously laughing as the chairlift climbed higher and higher. The chairlift covers 457 metres and moves pretty slowly for you to really take in the scenery around you.

When you get off the chairlift, you can explore the landscaped Victorian garden and small cottage restaurant on the other side of the basin. You’ll find unusual Tasmanian flora and fauna, including ferns, exotic plants, and even wild peacocks.

The trip costs $9 USD for a one-way ticket or $12 USD for an “Across & Back” ticket. We opted for the one-way sine we enjoyed the walk back to the entrance. The lift is open every day from 9am, 365 days a year! In the winter it closes at 4:30 pm, in the Spring and Autumn it closes at 5 pm and in Summer from 5:30 pm to 6 pm.

5. Wonder at the Works inside Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery

If you’re visiting Launceston, you should take some time to admire some local and National Australian art. I found that Australia has such a distinct fine art style and something completely unique compared to European or even American art. My favourite part of this museum was the Tasmanian art collection from the colonial era to the present day. Their gallery even has a focus on Tasmania’s convict history and the strange and powerful art produced by the prisoners.

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A post shared by QVMAG (@qvmag_official) on May 18, 2018 at 2:38am PDT

6. Discover the old Craftsmanship inside the Old Umbrella Shop

Launceston’s historic streets look as though they have been preserved in amber from the late 19th century. While other Australian cities, even in Tasmania, have moved along with modernization, Launceston captures the looks and feel of Australias at the turn of the century. One of the oldest shops which is still up and running is the Old Umbrella Shop. Three generations of the same family have produced and repaired umbrellas in this shop since 1860. The umbrellas here are even crafted from local Tasmanian wood. The historic signage out front is the same as it was in the mid-Victorian era. Giving you a glimpse of what this entire street once might have looked like.

7. Indulge in Fine Dining at Stillwater

For one of the best meals, you’ll have on your entire trip, be sure to book reservations in advance at Stillwater Restaurant. Stillwater is located inside a beautifully restored 1830s flour mill. If you’re lucky enough to get a seat with a view, you can soak in the stunning landscape of the Tamar River while you dine.

Stillwater prides itself on focusing on local food, grown by producers all across Tasmania. Their seafood options are my absolutely favourite dishes but their menu changes so often I can’t recommend one in particular. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong. Their wine bar is also stacked with Australian wines, which we know, are some of the best producers of wine world-wide. So relax and indulge in some fine dining!

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A post shared by Pete Evans (@chefpeteevans) on Nov 8, 2017 at 9:09pm PST

8. Go Back in Time inside Franklin House

Franklin House gives visitors a glimpse into what life was like for the new colony of Launceston in 1838. It’s Tasmania’s oldest house museum, which has been restored to its original appearance. The house was first built for businessman, Britton Jones. Jones himself was an ex-convict who managed to escape the system and make a new life for himself and his family. It was so exciting to explore the home and discover the original furniture and decor. This allowed us to imagine how all the home here would have looked in years past, like stepping back in time.

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First National Trust house in Tasmania, giving a glimpse of how some lived in early days.

A post shared by pds7mow (@pds7mow) on Mar 25, 2020 at 4:33am PDT

9. Sip on Aged Ales at James Boag Brewery Experience

Tasmania’s most famous beer is the Boags beer, which is sold worldwide but highly regarded in Launceston where the brewery is located. On the Brewery Tour experience, you’ll learn all about what makes their beer unique, see how its made and learn about the history of this Tasmanian Brewery.

At the end of the tour, you’ll be invited into their bar where you’ll receive a 30-minute guided beer tasting! Here you’ll be able to taste a flight of their brews paired with locally produced cheese! I’ve been to many a beer tasting but never one which included cheese, so that captured my attention straight away (I’m a HUGE cheese lover) and I did think it really gave an interesting spin on the tasting.

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A post shared by Oa (@parivolk) on Mar 4, 2017 at 12:36am PST

10. Get Spooked on Launceston City Ghost Tours

Ok, now I know ghost tours might seem like something kinda cheesy, but I LOVE them. To me, they are just like a history tour but with a slightly macabre angle. Launceston has a deep and dark convict past. It’s said that some of the prisoners who were sentenced here can still be seen roaming the streets, their ghosts clinging to the mortal world. Walking the old streets of Launceston, your guide will tell tales of the past, making the city’s history come alive. There is both an adult-only and family-friendly option, so there is something for all ages! Obviousy the family-friendly tour is a little less scary so if you spook easily that might be the tour for you.

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A post shared by Tasmania, Ghost/History Tours (@launcestonghosttours) on Aug 1, 2016 at 12:29am PDT

11. Wander down Memory Lane on a Self Guided History Walk

Launceston has some of the best colonial and Victorian architecture anywhere in Australia. Cameron street alone perfectly exemplifies what the rest of Australia would have looked like during the boom times of the 19th century. You can do your own self-guided walking tour from Albert Hall in the east to the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in the west. This tour focuses on specific buildings along the route that tell rich tales of the city’s architectural and social history. There are little plaques along the way to help inform you of the stories as you go. And it’s a great way to explore the city on foot.

While Hobart might be the more famous of the two large Tasmania cities, Launceston is my favourite. It had a quiet charm which I find intoxicating. If you’re looking for a little escape from mainland Australia’s busy beaches and modern cities, Launceston is a great place to come.

Have you ever visited Tasmania? Let me know what you’re favourite part of this island is!

Happy Travel Adventurers!

The post 11 Amazing Things to See and Do in Launceston, Tasmania first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

As someone who hates the cold, I was worried the chilly weather would keep me from seeing everything. But what surprised me most was that with proper preparations, I actually enjoyed it. The look of the icy water, snow-topped hillsides and twinkling Christmas lights against the midnight blue sky. I found my time there in the winter, more enjoyable than in the summer! Maybe just because it was so different. There are a myriad of reasons to travel during the wintertime to these snowy destinations. Hopefully, this list inspires you to get out and enjoy the world, north of the equator in the winter months.

Table Of Contents

1. #1 Embrace "hygge"
2. #2 Deals on Airfare!
3. #3 Try out the Slopes
4. #4 Christmas Markets!
5. #5 Winter Comfort Food
6. #6 Coffee Culture
7. #7 Museums are the Perfect Escape from the Cold
8. #8 See the Northern Lights
9. #9 Staying inside an Ice Hotel
10. #10 Warm up in a Sauna
11. Here are some TIPS to ensure you have the most fantastic winter vacation!

#1 Embrace “hygge”

Hygge (pronounced “hoo-ga”) is a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness. It conveys the feeling of wellness and contentment. Hygge is so crucial to the people of Scandinavia that it is considered “a defining feature of our cultural identity,” according to Meik Wiking, the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute. These countries who practice hygge means that everywhere you go; you’ll find burning candles, cozy fireplaces, delicious hot coffee or chocolate and rich homemade sweets. Hygge makes every interior you find one of the most welcoming and warm places in the world!

But hygge is not just about hybernating. It is also about enjoying long walks outside. Despite the cold weather, you’ll find parks decked out in decorations, beautiful skating rinks and a feeling of a country that embraces the winter. Welcome the spirit of hygge into your heart during this season, and you’re bound to have a wonderful time.

#2 Deals on Airfare!

Winter is by far the cheapest season for travel in Europe. From early December to about mid-March, you’ll find flights around Europe super inexpensive. This time of year people are usually looking to escape to warm-weather destinations. Keep in mind you should always be booking these trips three months in advance as that is when the flight prices are usually the cheapest, outside of any last-minute sales. Travel during the week of Christmas is at its peak since families commute home during this time, so avoid going around those days if possible. If you’re worried about not being able to see Christmas Markets because the Christmas week is expensive to travel, fear not! Christmas Market opens as early as the last week of November.

#3 Try out the Slopes

If you’re someone who loves to hit the slopes, winter isn’t a downer but instead your favourite season! Just a short train ride into the countryside you’ll find ski resorts like Hemsedal, Riksgransen, Are Duved, Ruka, Vemdalen and Lillehammer. They are easily accessible from any major city in Scandinavia. If you don’t want to stay at the resort, the towns around these ski hills are full of alternative options for every budget. Also, if skiing isn’t your bag, many of these resorts also have toboggan or snow tubing hills. This allows you to enjoy the scenery and mountain top hot chocolates without needing an ounce of skill!

#4 Christmas Markets!

There is just something about a European Christmas market that gives me all those warm and fuzzy feelings. The twinkle lights on the trees, the smell of mulled wine floating through the air and freshly baked breads ready to warm your hands. If you’re a couple, there is something truly romantic about an evening stroll under the lights of the market. Most of the big cities have multiple Christmas Markets you can visit while you’re there. These places are not only beautiful but also great spots where you can find traditional handicrafts. You can also sample some of their famous Christmas foods.

If you’re looking for something outside the big cities, visit the Christmas Market in Lapland, which is the home of Santa Claus! As such, this town goes all out at Christmas time. Tivoli Park in Copenhagen is transformed during the holiday season into a real-life fairytale book. They even perform the traditional Christmas ballet The Nutcracker on stage inside the park, which makes for the ideal Christmas evening.

#5 Winter Comfort Food

Scandinavian foods are meant to be enjoyed in the winter. This is a country that knows how to make a warm and cozy meal. Almost all of their food is comfort food. Smørrebrød, rye bread, meatballs, stewed reindeer, pancakes and waffles are all the best things to enjoy in the winter. The portions are huge, as are the flavours. After you’re finished eating you’ll be ready to take on a long walk in the winter cold, without feeling a thing as you’ll be warmed from the inside out!

#6 Coffee Culture

Did you know that Scandinavia is at the top of the list of the most coffee-consuming countries? There is a good reason for this aside from just that their coffee is delicious. Coffee in Scandinavia is more than just a to-go cup you grab alone on your way to work. Having coffee is a chance to get away from the daily grind and catch up with friends. In Sweden, they call this Fika. Fika in Swedish means “to have a cup of coffee and a snack with a friend.” It’s absolutely built into the fabric of their daily life. They embrace the idea of bettering relationships while enjoying something scrumptious.

While other Scandinavian countries don’t have that words, the concept still remains. The prevalence of this coffee culture means there is an abundance of fantastic coffee shops to stop into on your trip to warm up while you enjoy the city. Take this time to step back for a minute, stop rushing around, enjoy the moment and reflect on your adventures.

#7 Museums are the Perfect Escape from the Cold

If you’re feeling particularly chilly, museums and art galleries are the best places to pop into to escape the cold. And what’s more, in Scandinavia, most state-run museums are free of charge to enter. Unfortunately, in countries like Denmark, recent government cuts have changed these policies. However, many of those museums are still open on certain days of the week for free. In Sweden, there are over 15 different museums and galleries which you can still enter free of charge everyday of the week! They make the perfect place to hide away from the cold without worrying too much about your budget.

I went to a myriad of different museums, some of which I didn’t even know anything about before I went. Still, since they were free, I didn’t have anything to lose. I could wander around and look at what interested me and simply head out once I finished. There was no pressure to make a whole day out of it since I didn’t pay a huge admission fee, which would have made me feel more inclined to “make it worth it.” It was the ideal place to get warm and see something exciting and new while I was at it.

#8 See the Northern Lights

Scandinavia is by far the best place to see the Aurora Borealis. The high latitude in Finland, Sweden and Norway makes these countries the best place for spotting those iconic green and blue waves in the sky. And winter (September to March) is the only time you can reliably spot them! Alta in Norway is probably the most famous city to travel to see them but other popular destinations are Abisko National Park and Porjus in Sweden, Senja in Norway and many cities in Finnish Lapland. Just remember you need to go far north for this, don’t think your visit to Oslo will allow you to see the lights!

#9 Staying inside an Ice Hotel

Ice hotels are one of the trendiest new things to come out of winters in Scandinavia! These luxury creations are somewhat of a novelty but combine cozy, fireplace lit interiors with icy architecture. The Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi Sweden was the first hotel in the world to be built out of ice. Every springtime, the ice melts, and come the next winter, a new design is created to form a brand new looking hotel. So every year, there is something unique to experience. Despite being at least -10°, you’ll be nice and cozy with the special thermal PJs, and cold weather insulated sleeping bag you’re given. These will keep you snug all night long while enjoying the once-in-a-lifetime views.

There are plenty of other Ice hotels around Scandinavia from The Lapland Hotel’s Snow Village in Finland to The Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in Alta Norway. All of these locations also have on-site activities like dog-sledding, an ice bar or ice church and even snow sculptures to see in ice galleries. It’s truly something you just can’t experience anywhere, or anytime other than in the winter in Scandinavia!

#10 Warm up in a Sauna

All over Scandinavia, you’ll find strangers getting together, in a small, hot spaces to indulge in sauna . Saunas originated in Finland, and the word “sauna” comes from the Finnish word for bathhouse. Pits dug into the ground were the first saunas. Stones were added atop a burning fire to fit the pit. Water was then thrown on top of the rocks to produce steam. There have been sauna pits discovered as far back as 4000 B.C.E in Finland. It is a commonly shared belief in the Nordic countries that saunas relax muscles, soothe pain, releases endorphins, increases blood circulation, flush toxins, relieve stress, help fight illness, cleanse the skin, burn calories and also provides a social space to enjoy with friends. It’s basically thought to be a cure-all for everything.

While there are some small differences between sauna culture in the different Scandinavian countries, overall, the experience is the same. While some same-sex saunas are clothing optional, in most big cities, you can find tourist-friendly options where bathing suits are worn. This is great if you feel like you might be uncomfortable being naked around strangers. But once you take the plunge, the feeling of freedom is pretty unparalleled.

Cold Dips

Speaking of taking the plunge, some saunas also offers a dip into cold, almost freezing water. This could be just a cold bath or some spots located near bodies of water offer access right into the frozen sea. The dramatic plunge into cold water from the hot sauna is thought to increase the blood flow in the body and help increase all those other benefits we spoke of before. While some might be scared to try it, I vote to give it a go. It sure might feel unpleasant at first, but man does it wake your body up in a way that is indescribable and entirely worth it!

Here are some TIPS to ensure you have the most fantastic winter vacation!

Dress for Success

Making sure you bring the right clothing is key to ensuring you are in the right mood throughout the day. There is nothing worse than being freezing cold to ruin a perfectly lovely experience. I was terrified of this exact scenario when I was planning for my trip, so I made sure to buy warm thermals to wear to help keep that heat in. In addition to this, I bought a few 100% wool sweaters, which were perfect for keeping the heat in without overheating and making me sweat. Wool sweaters can be purchased brand new online, but also you can find them at your local thrift shop for a 10th of the price of a new one! I found some with the most amazing designs, so don’t be afraid to go digging as you might find something amazing!

Hours are odd

Although I disagree with Rick Steves about not visiting Scandinavia during the Winter, I love this quote from him, “Scandinavia’s metabolism slows down like a hibernating bear’s, and many sights and accommodations are open on a limited schedule (especially in remote fjord towns).” This is something to be aware of. Outside of the official government holidays around Christmas, I never found anything to be altogether closed. But various attractions did run on shorter winter hours. Definitely nothing to cancel your trip over just something to be aware of and plan around.

Christmas Holidays

If you’re planning on staying over the Christmas Holidays, December 24th and 25th specifically, you will want to check to see what’s open on those particular days. While I heard EVERYTHING would be closed in Sweden on Christmas day, I actually found a few museums which were still open and holding special events. I also managed to find some once a year community events to take part in while I was there that made me feel like celebrating with a huge group of new friends. So many people might tell you there will be nothing to do, but trust me, I found a bunch of things to do, you just need to dig a little bit. If you know a particular museum will be open on those government holidays, make note of that and save that activity for those days when lots of other things might be closed.

Christmas Day

I also found that attending a church service on Christmas Day was a great experience. There were plenty of services which were non-denominational if you want to enjoy the spirit of the holiday but might not identify with a particular denomination. While there are some restaurants still open on these days, I did find that the majority were closed so you might want to hit up a grocery store on the 23rd to grab some easy to make meals. If you don’t have a kitchen, you can always buy cheese and meats, which you can make into an in-hotel-room charcuterie dinner. A lot of fast food restaurants remain open on those holidays as well so that’s always a last-ditch option.

Daylight is Precious

In Scandinavia, there are only a few hours of “daylight” in the winter, and depending on how far north you’re going, this could be as short as 4 hours of light with 20 hours of darkness. While the locals might find this darkness exhausting, I actually found the long hours of darkness exciting since it wasn’t something we experience in North America. But if you’re planning on taking any photos which require the light, such as any wide cityscape shots, just be sure to plan your schedule accordingly. I always headed out early in the day to take my pictures of the city and then scheduled my indoor activities, which didn’t require sunlight, for the afternoon into the early evening.

Be Cautious with Winter Air Travel

I had a near-disastrous flight to Sweden this winter. Luckily for me, everything worked out by some Christmas miracle, but I’m sure I’m not always going to be that lucky. Flying during the winter means weather might impact you more than other times of the year. To avoid as much stress as possible, be sure to book a direct flight if at all possible. This means should your outbound flight be delayed, you won’t need to worry about missing a connection. If you can’t book direct, ensure the layover between your two flights isn’t too tight. I BARELY made my connecting flight and felt so silly, not ensuring I had more time to account for bad weather. Yes, this might mean not getting to your destination as fast as possible, but trust me, it is worth it for the peace of mind. 

Let me know if you’ve ever travelled to somewhere cold in the winter and how you enjoyed your experience. Or comment to let me know what’s holding you back from a snowy adventure in the north!

Happy Travels Adventurers!

The post 10 Reasons Why You Need to Take a Winter Vacation to Scandinavia first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

You’ll visit not only her famous residence, Casa Azul, but also explore a multitude of other significant places. These spots were essential in the formation of her identity and connection to her Mexican heritage. If this is your first time visiting Mexico City, this tour is an excellent method of discovery. Many of her famous locations are located in the heart of neighbourhoods with a variety of other popular attractions.

Tour Itinerary

This tour is divided up into four different sections, each one focusing on a particular area of Mexico City. While it might not be the most chronological journey, it allows you to explore different neighbourhoods around Mexico city cohesively. While a chronological life tour would be better in terms of following her journey, it requires bouncing all over the city. Especially for those who are on a tight schedule, that’s not the best use of your time.

The three different neighbourhoods are the Coyoacán, Historic City Centre, and Xochimilco’t. You can easily add these spots to your existing itinerary. I would advise to only tackle one neighbourhood at a time. Don’t try to fit it all in one go. The last section is a list of museums. These museums will help you get a deeper understanding of Mexican culture, insights about Frida, and art in Mexico. Since these places were not locations Frida really visited they are not part of the essential tour. Although they do add a lot of contextual information if you’re interested in that kind of thing.

Below is a map of the entire walking tour. I have broken up the neighbourhoods into separate maps for easy-to-follow directions.

Frida Kahlo in Coyoacan

1. Tour Itinerary
2. Frida Kahlo Museum
3. Coyoacan Market
4. The Casa de Cortes, Casa Municipal
5. Cantina La Guadalupana
6. Parroquia San Juan Bautista
7. Frida Kahlo Park
8. La Escuela de Pintura y Escultura
9. Jardín Centenario
10. Casa de Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles
11. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's House-Studio
12. Former College of San Ildefonso
13. Biblioteca Pública 
14. Secretaría De Educación Pública
15. Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
16. The Palacio Nacional
17. Avenue 5 de Mayo
18. Garibaldi Square
19. Palacio de Bellas Artes
20. Alameda Central
21. Museo Mural Diego Rivera
22. La Ciudadela
23. Xochimilco Canals
24. Museo Dolores Olmedo
25. Templo Mayor Museum
26. Museum of Modern Art
27. Museo Nacional de Antropología
28. Mexican Art Gallery | GAM
29. Museo Franz Mayer
30. Museo Anahuacalli

Frida Kahlo Museum

La Casa Azul or “the blue house“, located on Londres Street in Coyoacán once belonged to Frida’s father, Guillermo Kahlo. It was here where she was born. She grew up inside these walls. It was the place where she suffered from illness but also flourished as an artist. Eventually, Frida bought the house from her parents and lived with her husband, Diego. They got divorced and remarried all within these blue walls. And ultimately, it was the place where she would pass away. It was her sanctuary but also her cage. She spent more years inside these walls than perhaps anywhere else in the world. As such, it is one of the most intimate looks into her life that you can experience.

The museum is less of a simple art gallery and more like an inside look at her private world. Although there are a few paintings from both artists, the main focus of the Casa Azul is the couple’s Mexican folk art. They collected pre-Hispanic artifacts, photographs, memorabilia, personal items, and more which is still on display. You feel a deep connection with Frida by literally walking in her footsteps. You get to see her inner sanctum and looking at the precious treasures she collected, which represented her passions, her wishes and her dreams. To learn more about the Casa Azul take my self guided tour!

Coyoacan Market

South of Frida’s house is the Coyoacán Market. This market has stood here for decades, and if you look at the roofline, you’ll see that it’s actually more than one building, pieced together. Both Frida and Diego Rivera would come to shop for their famous dinner parties held at the Casa Azul. Frida loved to cook, and there are countless recipe books out there that details her favourite recipes. At one time, she was quoted as saying,

“We could not have a child, and I cried inconsolably, but I distracted myself by cooking, dusting the house, sometimes by painting…”

Frida’s Shopping List

Frida would come to these brightly coloured corners of the marketplace to shop for her favourite ingredients, chat with her local shopkeepers and wander around to get inspired for her next creation. This marketplace feels a little more laid back and less modern than some of the ones in the inner city. Exploring it feels like more of an authentic experience to the one Frida would have had herself. Make sure you ask about the mole paste they sell here. Mole was one of Frida’s favourite things to cook and eat, and there are countless varieties here you can buy and taste! See which one if your favourite and bring some of the powdered version home with you to make in your own kitchen!

The Casa de Cortes, Casa Municipal

The Casa de Cortes, on the north side, of the Plaza Hidalgo was where the seat of government was held for many years. And it was here that Frida and Diego were married. Frida’s parents were not a fan of Diego…to say the least. Diego had already been married twice, and his reputation as an unfaithful husband wasn’t a big secret around town. He was also 21 years older than 22-year-old Frida. Her parents protested and begged Diego not to marry her, but the love birds could not be swayed. Her parents referred to the union as a “marriage between an elephant and a dove” since Diego was over 300 pounds, and due to her illnesses, Frida was only a petite 98 pounds.

Frida and Diego’s Marriage

The two were married on August 21st, 1929. Their marriage in city hall was presided by the mayor of Coyaocan, and their witnesses were a hairdresser and homeopathic doctor. Frida wore only a long skirt and simple blouse with a rebozo (shawl) wrapped around her shoulder. She would often wear these in the same way that female revolutionaries wore them during the 1910 revolution when women used the scarves to smuggle guns past government checkpoints. Diego was dressed in a plain grey suit, accessorized with a Stetson hat and a Colt revolver. After their short ceremony, they retreated to their good friend Tina Modotti’s house where the raucous reception was held.

It was recorded that after the wedding, during their reception, Diego took the colt revolver and shot it off aimlessly in a drunken stupor. Frida was none too pleased at this childish behaviour, and it would be the first signs of trouble in paradise for the couple.

Cantina La Guadalupana

Just down the street from the Casa Municipal, you’ll find Frida’s old watering hole, Cantina La Guadalupana. Although the original cantina is now closed, you can still see the old signage out front marking the spot. The building is much unchanged from the days when you’d catch a glimpse of Frida’s richly coloured skirts in the window. The Cantina La Guadalupana was the couple’s bar of choice for drinking tequila under the dim lights and surrounded by bullfighting decor. Frida was quite the prolific drinker for her small size and other than tequila, she would love to drink pulque. Pulque is made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant, native to Mexico. It was a beverage which the ancients Aztecs invented and drinking it made her feel closer to those old gods.

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Parroquia San Juan Bautista

Across the park, stands the imposing shadow of the baroque church that Frida Kahlo attended while she was growing up, Parroquia San Juan Bautista. It is also called the Iglesia de Coyoacán as the church has become the central place of worship in Coyoacán. It was built between 1520 and 1552 and run by an old Dominican order. Over the years the church has changed its appearance from its original form. Renovations and fires continued to shape its evolution, but the current church is no less beautiful than all its predecessors. But surprisingly the choir, the Rosario Chapel and the main altar are still all entirely preserved from the original construction. The facade is a classical herrerian design with geometric rigour and an overall absence of decorations.

The interior, however, is covered in baroque gilded decorations, and mindblowing ceiling frescos of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, a fantastical work of Juan de Fabregat. The interior feels grand and yet, at the same time, very intimate. Frida would have come here as a child and prayed with her parents. You can only imagine how such a richly artistic place would have inspired young Frida’s mind.

Frida Kahlo Park

Seeing as the city is the place of her birth, it seems only right that Frida would have a park dedicated after her. Frida loved the outdoor, and although not everyone can afford to go into the Casa Azul’s garden daily, they can wake their way to Frida Kahlo Park to celebrate the great artistic legacy…or at the very least, walk their dog in a lovely setting. In the centre of the park, you’ll find two large, bronze sculptures of Frida and Diego. Frida is dressed in her classic Tehuana outfit, gazing over at Diego. This park has a very structured layout, the bushes around it perfectly pruned into geometric shapes, slightly resembling Aztec pyramids popping out in the background.

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La Escuela de Pintura y Escultura

Located on the east end of Coyoacán, is La Escuela de Pintura y Escultura. Frida began teaching here in 1942. She hoped that its close proximity to her house would mean she could easily commute to and from and continue to educate Mexico City’s artistic youth. She loved her students and teaching, but her leg was bothering her more and more and eventually, she couldn’t leave the house. Luckily, the students loved her as well, and the dedicated pupils would come to the Casa Azul, where Frida could continue to instruct them. She would always inspire her students to look to Mexican culture for inspiration, instead of being influenced by European trends. While Frida might not have taught here for a long time, the school grounds are a beautiful and inspiring place to explore.

Jardín Centenario

The Jardin del Centenario is the central greenspace in Coyoacan. It is marked by a gorgeous double archway which they call the ‘Arcadas Atrial’ or the ‘Arcos del Jardín del Centenario‘. The gardens were once part of the entrance to the old 16th century Parish Church of San Juan Bautista built during the colonial period. Stone pieces from the original building were woven onto either side of the archway. Take a closer look to see how decorative motifs from that period depict both European and indigenous influence.

This beautiful garden is also where you’ll find a fountain which contains a bronze sculpture of two coyotes, which refer to the borough’s name. The name Coyoacán comes from the Nahuatland word meaning “place of coyotes.” Today you’ll see the symbol of the coyote everywhere you look; on park benches, on street corners and even in flower gardens! On either side of the garden are lush Indian laurel trees which spread out to form a canopy over the walkway below.

Frida in the Park

This delightful park is where a place Frida would frequently come to stroll or celebrate during her life in Coyoacan. It was here where the city would hold parades, festivals and fairs. Diego Rivera’s daughters have written extensively about their time living with Diego and Frida in Coyoacán. They lived with them inside the Casa Azul for two years while they completed college. The Jardín CentenarioIn is featured heavily in their accounts as Frida loved to come there to ride carnival rides and march in parades on any day of festivity and would always bring Diego’s daughters with her. Although Frida could never have children herself, she mothered so many young people along the way, acting as a parental figure any time she got the chance.

Casa de Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles

The Casa de Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles is a cultural centre, free to enter and explore. The “House of Culture” was named in honour of the distinguished historian and political scientist, Jesús Reyes Heroles. The building was originally located on the property of an Izotitlán, meaning “izotes” which is a type of wild palm. Those palm trees still grow like wild all over the property. Just inside the entrance to the Casa is a sculpture of Frida and Diego sitting on a park bench, cast in bronze. You can take a seat alongside and get your picture taken with the famous couple. The house has existed here since 1780, occupied by a variety of different families. It’s no stretch to imagine that the previous owners would have welcomed the famous couple into their garden for a visit or a dinner party from time to time.

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s House-Studio

Farther west, just outside of Coyoacán in the neighbouring district of San Angel is Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s House-Studio. Frida and Diego had this building custom designed by their friend Juan O’Gorman. The studio was intended to be two separate buildings, connected by a bridge. A way of physically showing the differences between these two artists, who despite all odds, still manage to come together. Diego’s studio is painted off-white and rust-red. Simple, natural colours. Frida’s studio, on the other hand, is painted the same ethereal cobalt blue as her home in Coyoacán. Diego’s house features thin windows along the top of the walls. Frida’s features almost floor to ceiling windows, giving the interior space that indoor/outdoor feeling. The house is separated from the street by a perimeter fence which instead of being made from wood or wrought-iron, is made from stacking rows of tall cacti along the roadside.

Studio-House

The couple lived here from 1934 to 1939. In 1939, they got divorced, and Frida moved home to Casa Azul, leaving Diego to live full time, alone in the studio-house. Even after getting back together, only 9-months later, Frida and Diego kept the studio to use as more workspace. Today the interior of the studio features a lot of Diego Rivera’s work and decor, especially his collection of papier-mâché figures.

The Frida side of the house is pretty bare since most of her treasures moved over to the Casa Azul, but it is still interesting to view the architectural designs from inside. The best part of her studio to explore is her bathroom. It was in here that she was inspired to paint ‘What the Water Gave Me’ while staring down at her feet in the bathtub in one of her fits of depression. The very tub which is portrayed in the painting can be still seen today inside the studio. Frida also painted such iconic images as ‘The eye of the eye‘ and ‘The deceased Dimas’ while she lived at the studio-house.

Former College of San Ildefonso

We begin this part of the tour at the Former College of San Ildefonso. It seems very fitting to start the journey here since it was a place of so many firsts for Frida. This was where Frida first went to college in 1922. There she met some of her best friends, her first boyfriend and, most importantly, first met the love of her life; Diego Rivera. Frida’s father had the utmost confidence in his daughter.

Even after she had spent a good deal of her adolescence homeschooled, due to her polio, he still thought she was a genius. Her father decided to send her to this former Jesuit college, at much expense to the family. She was one of only 35 girls, out of 2000 students who went to the school. But she had always gotten along with boys almost more than she did with girls, so she flourished there. Frida would even be seen wearing men’s clothes to the college from time to time and embraced her more masculine side.

The Creation

At the same time, Frida was at school here, Diego Rivera has been commissioned to paint an enormous mural on the lecture room walls. The painting, called ‘The Creation‘ was Rivera’s first gigantic mural of this kind. It was commissioned by the Mexican government to educate the masses of people who couldn’t read but wanted to learn about history. The mural covers more than a thousand square feet and portrays mythological and religious motifs.

It was here when painting the mural that Frida first laid eyes on Diego. She would sneak in to watch him paint his nude models anytime she could. Diego, although married to Lupe Marin at the time, would frequently be found by Frida in the midst of making love to one of his models. She took it upon herself to even warn the artists if she saw his wife coming. Frida would mock and tease him as he worked, but he saw her as a charming little pest. She would go on and on about him to her friends, and despite their age difference, and would proclaim that one day, she would be his wife and have a child by him. Although the latter would never come to pass, who knew how right she would be about the rest.

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Biblioteca Pública 

Down the street from her college, we find the Biblioteca Pública where Frida would come to study. She would come here to meet up with her schoolmates the ‘Los Cachuchas‘. It was here they would discuss at length the politics of the day and plan their communist rallies. But the library was not just a place of learning for Frida. The library was also where she would spend hours falling in love with her first boyfriend, Alex Gómez Arias. In addition to Alex, she also met a gorgeous female librarian and had her first affair with a woman amongst these books. This relationship caused quite the scandal in the community but was her first foray into exploring her bisexuality.

Secretaría De Educación Pública

Just to the north of the school, is the spot of another one of Diego Rivera’s masterpieces. There are 235 panels in the Secretaría de Educación Pública featuring Diego’s favourite themes of blue-collar workers, and the glorification of all things Mexican. It was here while painting these murals in 1928 that Frida Kahlo would come to see Rivera once more. After her injury from the bus accident, she needed to find a way of making money for her family and art was always something which had interested her.

But Frida didn’t know if her artwork was skilled enough to become an accomplished artist. So she went to ask the one man she admired above all others and whom she knew would tell her the truth. She marched right up to him, her work under her arms, and asked him for an honest critique. He was flabbergasted at her brash attitude and charmed by her confidence. It looks him some time to recognize her as the little pest from years before, but it was here that perhaps Diego first fell in love with Frida.

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Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral

Frida’s mother was a fiercely religious woman. The Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral was right beside where Frida would walk to school every day and as such a part of her daily life. Even though many of Frida’s paintings contain a wide variety of indigenous imagery, she was raised in a Catholic household. Elements of religious iconography can be seen in her pictures, especially in her studies of ex-votos. This church is a beautiful place to explore and discover different references you might compare to some of Frida’s famous portraits. The church itself was built after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.

The Spaniards decided to build their first church on the site of the Templo Mayor of the Aztec in the city of Tenochtitlan. Stones from the destroyed temple of the Aztecs were used to create the church. And although we now look upon the destruction of that ancient temple as something to morn, it is incredible to stare up at this church and see stones stuck throughout from over 1000 years ago. The construction of the Cathedral began in 1573 and took until 1813 to complete! The enormous cathedral is over 350 feet long and 200 feet wide. This makes it Latin America’s largest and oldest temple.

The Palacio Nacional

The Palacio Nacional or National Palace is an enormous building which stretches out across the Zocalo. While some of the Palace is still used for governmental purposes, the rest of the building is open to the public and filled with incredible gardens, murals, fountains and works of art. But the most meaningful Frida related piece in the palace is the mural by Diego Rivera entitled, ‘The History of Mexico’.

The mural features the history of Mexico from pre-Columbian ancient times to the 1930s. Rivera painted the mural between 1929 and 1935. Key events in the mural feature stories like the Spanish conquest, the colonial period, the Independence movement, and the 1910 Revolution. The right side of the mural is a chronological study of the indigenous Aztecs before colonization.

The left side of the painting is less chronological, featuring smaller groups of stories about Mexico’s Independence. Along the bottom of the mural on the left is the portrait of Frida Kahlo, her iconic monobrow making her easily distinguishable from the others. She looks over a young boys shoulder at his book and is seen wearing a necklace with the communist star. In front of her, dressed in a red, is Cristina, Frida’s sister, holding open a copy of the Communist Manifesto. Years later, Diego would have an affair with Cristina, so seeing the two women here together, years before these dramatic events would unfold feels slightly foreboding.

Avenue 5 de Mayo

Walk along Avenue 5 de Mayo, towards our next destination. While the pedestrian street Avenue Francisco Madero is more popular, I always find it’d packed with tourists and people hawking flyers. In addition to this, the stores are all American brands which don’t feel as authentic to Mexico City. Walking along the street, you’ll see that many of these shops are incredibly old.

There are dozens of stores along the way that Frida herself might have popped her head in while she worked in the city. During her adolescence, she would come into the historic centre to work both in her father’s studio or at other artists’ workshops. Frida worked as an artist apprentice in the city, where she had her first affair with a married man. All of this before the age of 18. These streets filled her life with passion, and that can be seen in her escapades.

Garibaldi Square

Plaza Garibaldi is known as the home of mariachi music. Throughout the day, you’ll find mariachi bands playing all over the square. Frida herself loved coming here. She would bring her friends and family here anytime there was a celebration or holiday. She adored dancing to the music and often took part singing songs with the band members.

NOTE: Due to it’s proximity to the dangerous neighbourhood of Tepito, this area should be visited with caution, during the daylight hours. In recent years the city has taken many precautions to help with the safety concerns including increased police presence and the creation of the Bellas Artes-Garibaldi Tourism Corridor. This corridor has improved street lighting as well as the addition of beautiful gardens and sidewalks in the neighbouring streets to help improve the appearance of the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Palacio de Bellas Artes

Palacio de Bellas Artes and its iconic rainbow stained glass roof are one of the most iconic images of Mexico City. The Palacio de Bellas Artes hosts events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature and is therefore aptly named the “Cathedral of Art in Mexico”. The exterior of the building is primarily Neoclassical, but inside you’ll discover a plethora of Art Deco and Art Nouveau stylings. On the 3rd floor is Diego Rivera’s famous ‘El hombre en el cruce de caminos‘ (Man at the Crossroads).

This mural was initially painted for New York City’s Rockefeller Center in 1933 but torn down by Rockefeller when Diego refused to paint out the image of Lenin he had sneakily included. Frida’s life in New York City, following Diego around from commission to commission, was such a significant point in her life. Gazing upon this mural, albeit the second version of it, is still such a powerful connection to the couple.

Frida’s Funeral

When Frida Kahlo died, Diego arranged for her body to be laid in state at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The government agreed, only if they would make it an entirely non-political event. Diego agreed, but unbeknownst to him, one of her students came to pay their respects and after he did, threw a huge communist flag over her casket. The government threated to have her body removed, but Diego refused to let them. He said if they tried, he would carry her dead body in his arm and sit with her on the steps of the palace. Before she died, the last words she wrote in her diary read:

“I hope the exit is joyful – and I hope never to return”.

Alameda Central

One of Rivera’s most famous paintings is the fifty-foot fresco ‘Sunday walk through Alameda Park‘. The picture is currently in the Diego Rivera mural museum, but visiting Alameda Park is an excellent opportunity to take a walk inside of the painting itself. Alameda Park was Mexico City’s first city park and was built on the grounds of an ancient Aztec marketplace. Frida is painted into the mural, wearing the traditional Tehuana dress. She is holding in her left hand the Yin-Yang symbol, which represents duality. Perhaps this is the duality of life, or maybe Diego painted it as a reference to Frida’s dual personality.

Frida is resting her hand on young Diego’s should, like a mother protecting her young one. You can imagine how many times Diego and Frida would have come to this park together, to paint and to relax. Take some time to walk around and even buy some street food snacks to enjoy under the Jacaranda trees which bloom bright purple in the springtime.

Museo Mural Diego Rivera

If you’ve visited the real Alameda Park, then it’s a treat to then see the mural of, ‘Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Central’. Look how closely Diego captured its likeness and the personalities of the people in the park. Despite being called a museum, the Museo Mural Diego Rivera is more of a housing spot for the mural, but the admission is just over a dollar. Originally the mural it was located at Hotel Del Prado. After the devastating 1985 earthquake, the hotel was condemned. Luckily, the mural was saved (in pieces) and moved the museum where it was reassembled.

La Ciudadela

Another iconic destination on the tour of Frida’s Mexico City is to the La Ciudadela marketplace. While this market only opened up in 1968, Frida would have frequented markets like this many times throughout her life in Mexico City. Places like this would have been where she came to purchase folk art, traditional textiles and elaborate, locally-made jewellery. So many of the old Tehuana patterns and dresses which Frida was known for can still be found in marketplaces like this.

Because this market is so large, you’ll have the largest selection and artisans comes from all over the country. Oaxaca is the best place to buy textiles from so if you see signage saying the products are from there you know they’ll be top-notch. If you’ve visited the Casa Azul already, you can even buy replicas of her favourite objects since many of those folk pieces are still made in the same way today. It’s like shopping in a Frida Kahlo-themed store!

Xochimilco Canals

Xochimilco is the Venice of Mexico. In the southern district of Mexico City, you’ll find is over 170 km of waterways which spread out in all different directions. Before the Spanish arrived in Mexico City, the indigenous people had created an incredible network of canals. They used these channels for transportation and to supply water throughout the country. Xochimilco means “Floating Gardens” as it refers to the Aztecs creation of the chinampas. Chinampas are artificial agricultural plots, rich in minerals, that are grown in shallow lake beds. In Xochimilco, they were used to produce thousands of flowers which looked like they were floating in the water. After the Spanish invasion, they dried up many of the canals in the centre of Mexico City to make room for modern roads. But the channels in Xochimilco remained.

Frida adored her Mexican heritage and the colourful culture which Mexico is all about. Today, Xochimilco is the best place to bask in that colour and energy. Along the canals, you can listen to mariachi bands, call over boats with mobile kitchens to serve up fresh tacos or delicious elote. Paddling along the stream are artisans selling flower crowns that resemble the flowers that Frida herself would wear in her hair. Even here, her iconic image is prevalent. To learn more about Xochimilco read my full guide here >> 

Museo Dolores Olmedo

While in Xochimilco, make sure you make a stop at the Museo Dolores Olmedo Museum. The museum is located inside the grounds of an old 16th-century residence. In 1962, Dolores Olmedo bought the house. Dolores was a fierce collector of art as well as a lover of Mexican culture. It is no surprise to learn then that she old became the largest collector of private works of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. In 1994, her collection was transformed into the museum we now find today. Luckily, Dolores lived until 2002, so she was able to see this fantastic house converted into an art gallery for the public.

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Today you can explore gardens filled with exotic Mexican plants, magical peacocks and Xoloitzcuintles. Xoloitzcuintles are a dog breed which was once only thought it exists in mythical stories of the afterlife but is actually an ancient Aztec dog. Frida herself loved these dogs and owned multiple throughout her lifetime. Inside the museum, you can find such famous Frida Kahlo’s as ‘The Broken Column’, ‘Henry Ford Hospital’, ‘Self-portrait with Changuito’, ‘A few Piquetitos‘ and ‘Mi nana Nand Me‘. If there is a particular painting, you wish to see be SURE to check online as so often her pictures are out on loan, being shown around the world.

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Templo Mayor Museum

Mexican culture and history were so essential to Frida’s life. Although Templo Mayor wasn’t discovered until after her death in 1978, Frida would have loved to have seen this relic from the past unveiled. Today, you can visit the museum and see what archaeologists discovered; the remains of the Aztec temple which the Spanish destroyed on their conquest into Mexico. The 10-foot carving of the Mexican goddess Coyolxauhqui and the over 7,000 Mexica artefacts is an entire half days worth of discovery!

Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City has a stunning collection of 20th-century Mexican art. The most important being Frida Kahlo’s “The Two Fridas“. This painting is one of the most essential pieces in her oeuvre. It was painted after she divorced Diego and depicts what she saw as her two different personalities. The one on the left is dressed in traditional Tehuana costume, with a broken heart, her blood spilling out on the white of her dress. This Frida’s makeup is done, her lips painted deep red and rouge on her cheeks.

The Frida on the right is dressed in a more modern outfit. She is the independent Frida, whose heart is not broken and who can take on the world without Diego. But the two exist together, shattered and complete, heartbroken and confident. I love this painting as I feel it is so poignant to all of our lives and how we can be all things at once. Strong and weak, shy and loud, brave and scared. You don’t need to commit to one thing alone, we are complex beings, and this painting is a beautiful interpretation of that.

NOTE: Before visiting, be sure to check the website to see if the painting is on loan to another museum. Since this is the only piece of Kahlo’s inside the museum if you’re going expecting to see that and it’s on loan I know how disappointing that might be. So checking in advance is super important!

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Museo Nacional de Antropología

Throughout her life, Frida would often refer to “being the daughter and Mexico“. Her mother was unable to breastfeed young Frida, and so she was breastfed by her indigenous wetnurse. This is an image Frida has painted in a myriad of artworks. Frida always thought that by feeding on the milk of her country, she absorbed the cultural roots of her heritage from the minute she was born. Visiting the National Anthropology Museum is a window into the pre-colonial history of Mexico and those roots Frida so often referred to. The museum is also filled with many indigenous artworks as well as some of Frida and Diego’s student’s artwork they helped inspire.

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Mexican Art Gallery | GAM

Inés Amor founded the original Mexican Art Gallery in Mexico’s City in 1935. This was where Frida’s first art show in Mexico would take place. She exhibited her artworks during the inaugural International Surrealist Exhibition in 1940 with her painting ‘Las Fridas‘ (The Two Fridas, which is now at the Modern Art Gallery of Mexico). Even though there are no longer any of her pictures hanging on the walls, this is still an extraordinary place to visit. The gallery was the first to recognize the talents of Frida Kahlo professionally, and they are doing the same thing with current, contemporary Mexican artists today.

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Museo Franz Mayer

The Franz Mayer Museum is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in Mexico City. It also houses a wonderful personal art collection from collector Franz Mayer. Here you can find over six centuries of objects he took great care in collecting throughout his lifetime. These collections feature ceramics, furniture, silver, sculpture, paintings and engravings.

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But there is also a room, called the Marguerite Rostan gallery, which highlights traditional Mexican textiles and costumes. The collection contains clothing from 14 different ethnicities such as Amusgos, Triquis, Chinantecos, Mazatecos, Nahuas from various places across Mexico. This acquisition represents and embodies an important contribution to the knowledge of traditional Mexican costumes. Many of these dresses are so similar to the ones Frida wore throughout her life. If you’re interested in learning more about traditional Mexican fashion, this is a great place to visit.

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Museo Anahuacalli

On your way to Xochimilco, you should stop by the Museo Anahuacalli. Your ticket into the Casa Azul actually also covers your entry into this museum as well, so you kinda get a two for one! The Museo Anahuacalli was another one of Diego Rivera’s homes. Diego and Frida were both fierce nationalists who loved their home country and wanted to preserve its history. Diego and Frida dreamed of opening their own museum dedicated to these objects. Sadly, in their lifetime, this dream never came to fruition. But after Diego’s death, his daughter took up the project and created what is now the Museo Anahuacalli. Architect, Juan O’Gorman who designed their studio, also designed this house as well.

The exterior of the house was made using black volcanic stone, taken from an old volcano in Mexico and the texture is something truly unique. There are over 50,000 pre-Hispanic pieces inside the museum. Some of these Diego would collect while he and Frida would travel to ancient Aztec pyramids outside of Mexico City. Each one of them was a piece of Mexico’s heritage, a heritage that inspired the work of Frida Kahlo and I know she would be proud to have helped in the creation of this museum which stands today.

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If you’ve made it all the way through this post, I commend you! There is so much in Mexico City to see in the footsteps of Frida Kahlo. You can easily adapt this tour to your personal interests or locations you’re already planning on visiting. Frida is one of the most exciting artists I’ve ever studied, and I loved writing and researching this tour, so I hope you have as much fun following it as I did in creating it!

Happy Travels Adventurers!

The post The Ultimate Guide to Following the Colorful Life of Frida Kahlo in Mexico City first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

While some people find this to be a bit like a living museum, that’s exactly what I liked. I always try to imagine what these ancient cities would have felt like in their day but here in Dresden you actually get a taste of what that might have been like – but with wifi. The city is both bursting with gorgeous architecture but also has its fair share of cute cafes, bars and restaurants ideal for instagrammers. Here are some of my favourite locations that photo savvy travellers must visit on their next trip to Dresden! There is a google map at the bottom of this post you can use to find each and every location mentioned on the list.

Table Of Contents

1. Old Masters Gallery
2. Coselpalais
3. Brühl’s Terrace
4. Münzgasse 
5. Zwinger
6. The Royal Palace
7. Procession of Princes
8. Royal Stables
9. Neumarkt
10. Pfunds Molkieri
11. Neustadt Street Art
12. Kunsthof Passage
13. Cinema Thalia
14. Yenidze
15. Stammhaus

Old Masters Gallery

The Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (or Old Masters Gallery) is honestly the best art gallery I ever had the pleasure of visiting. It doesn’t feel too big nor too small. It’s like a grand old home that someone has decorated with exquisite pieces of arts — a stellar collection that’s lovingly curated. While it may seem much smaller than the Louvre or the Prado, there are over 700 paintings on display, all ranging from the 15th to 18th century. Treasures from major Italian Renaissance artists, Dutch and Flemish masters and other works by German, French and Spanish painters combine to form this hidden gem in Dresden. Standing amongst these iconic images feels like standing inside a great storybook and makes for such an incredible photo.

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Coselpalais

Food and architecture fans will find common ground here at the Coselpalais. The old palace has been reconstructed in late Baroque style and now serves as a charming little cafe and restaurant in the old town. The original building was built in 1550 and looks like a buttercream yellow castle out of Beauty and the Beast. Grab a latte, and a fanciful teacake served on the iconic Meissen porcelain and enjoy the views all around you on the patio under the blue skies. If you’re looking to try a traditional German dessert, order up to the apple cake with streusel!

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Brühl’s Terrace

Brühl’s Terrace is known as the Balcony of Europe. It is an enormous platform that stretches along the shores of the Elbe River. Here you’ll see both tourists and locals alike, strolling down the promenade enjoying the fantastic views. The terrace was once built as a fort to protect the city from invaders, but in the 19th century, it was transformed into this lovely pedestrian walkway. Along this riverside path, you’ll see framed the iconic skyline of the city and gorgeous flowerbeds colouring the grey concrete. During the holidays this is a great place to come for pop-up markets, especially exciting during Christmas time!

Münzgasse 

Münzgasse is a street just across from the Elbe River which feels almost too curated to be real. The two blocks of apartments flanking the road frame the stunning Frauenkirche perfectly. Walking down the street feels like stepping into a painting. On either side of the pedestrian street are various touristy restaurants which are not worth your money but do provide the the backdrop for this stunning scene.

Zwinger

The Zwinger is to this day one of the most incredible baroque buildings in Germany. It was built for Augustus II the Strong, who had been inspired by King Louis XIV. He had returned from a visit to his new court of Versaille and was eager to create a similar elaborate palace for himself. But this was would be located in his hometown of Dresden.

The Zwinger was built in the late baroque style called ‘Rococo’. The Rococo style embraced curves and elaborate ornaments but amped-up the drama. Rococo added a sense of play to the designs. Rococo designers felt that architecture should have a sense of motion, and they used dramatic curves, which made the viewer feel as though the building was alive. The Rococo style loved to emphasize piety. Plants and vines are featured prominently, carved into so many parts of the Zwinger. Construction began in 1710 and it took over 18 years to be completed. Anywhere you look here there are gorgeous shots to be found. Since the Zwinger is so large it’s easy to find more private spaces, ideal for framing that perfect shot.

The Royal Palace

The Royal Palace is one of the oldest buildings in Dresden, originally built around 1200. Additional wings were constructed over the years, creating an almost patchwork quilt of architecture styles from Renaissance to Baroque and Romanesque. These days, the royal family no longer resides inside. Instead, the building contains a museum complex where you can explore the treasury, the armory and even see collections of prints and drawings as well as old photographs of Dresden before the bombing. The exterior of the Palace is where the real visual treat lies. It’s fascinating to see this Palace so integrated with the rest of the city, instead of walled off like so many other royal residences around Europe.

Procession of Princes

Along Schloßstraße, you’ll find one of the greatest remnants of old Dresden, the Procession of Princes. This 101-meter long porcelain portrait depicts the entire history of Dresden through the men who built, controlled, governed and sparked new thoughts and ideas within it. It features Dukes, Electors, Kings and other leading figures from the arts and sciences. This is the world’s largest porcelain artwork. The mural was first installed in 1871 and took more than five years to complete. Shockingly enough this mural withstood the great Dresden bombing of WWII. It suffered minimal damage and was a beacon of hope to the people of Dresden after the war. Today its still one of the most striking images you can find in the city.

Royal Stables

Just down from the Procession of Princes is the Stallhof und Langer Gang or Royal Stables. These stables were used as the location for horse tournaments since the 15th century. Some of the most exciting jousting activities took place here and where the who’s who of Germany elite came to be entertained. Today, the stalls are the site of the Dresden Christmas Market. If you’re lucky enough to be visiting during the holiday season, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most magical sights in the world. There really is nothing like a Christmas market in Europe when the snow is falling and catches the twinkling fairy lights as it touches the ground. But throughout the rest of the year the architectural curves and the effect of the light in the arcade is out of this world!

Neumarkt

The Neumarkt is the cultural centre of the Dresden’s historic district. The original Neumarkt was designed in the German Baroque style. Baroque designers loved pastel colours, not just on their frescos; but everywhere they could put them. Today it feels like walking through a miniature buttercream village. Standing in the center of the square is the iconic Frauenkirche, which was completely destroyed during a bombing run in WWII. But after the bombs had fell, hundreds of volunteer collected the burn rumble from the original church and stored it away, waiting for the day it would be rebuilt. And it was, and used many piece of that original structure which so many people help preserve for future generations.

Pfunds Molkieri

Pfunds Molkieri, covered floor to ceiling in the most incredible tiles and Meissen porcelain, is the oldest dairy shop in East Germany. Built in 1879 this shop was the first place where German’s could buy high-quality, concentrated milk. Although the dairy was mostly destroyed in WWII, the family made sure to rebuild in the exact same fashion as the original. Now, visitors can come to see and taste the extraordinary place which is Pfunds Molkieri. Guests can try different kinds of milk from farms across Germany as well as cheese, wines and more!

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Neustadt Street Art

While most of the historical parts of Dresden were destroyed in WWII, the “new” town built across the river was spared from the destruction as it proved no real military threat to the attackers. This meant that despite being called “new town” the structures here are actually older than the reconstructions found in the “old town”. Neustadt or “new town” remains a bohemian stronghold in Dresden and even today is where you can find some of the coolest shops, bars and exciting nightlife. But if those things aren’t for you, just wandering the streets is a feast for the eyes. Neustadt has become a popular neighbourhood for local street artists who bring otherwise boring walls to life with colours, textures and even sculptural details. You can find some of the most lively street art found anywhere in Dresden right here.

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Kunsthof Passage

Inside the walls of Neustadt, you’ll find the famous Kunsthof Passage. These dreamlike courtyards come from the visionary mind of various Dresden artists who turned these empty spaces into an art experiment. There are four different themed courtyards to visit; Elements, Animals, Light, and Metamorphoses. Each one features strange and intriguing details which draw in your eye and ask your to question what you’re looking at. In the Courtyard of the Elements, you’ll find a piece inspired by the Rube Goldberg Machine which turns rainfall in a symphonic orchestra! Even without rain it’s a gorgeous work of art to admire.

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Cinema Thalia

Inside the inner walls of the Neustadt, you’ll find one of the oldest cinemas still standing in Germany. Built in 1889, Cinema Thalia once used to host people from all over Dresden, and at one time the cinema would extend into what is now the beer garden to hold over 700 people! After being destroyed in 1945, it lay dormant, untouched by the modern era until it was plucked from obscurity in 2004 and returned to live as a hipster mecca. The large theatre was transformed into a cafe and cinema where, and until 2008, people were still allowed to smoke, hence the name on the front “Cinema. Coffee and Cigarettes”. Today it’s still a gorgeous icon east German, retro design.

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Yenidze

To experience one of the most unique beer gardens in the city and catch a stunning view across Dresden, head over to Yenidze. From afar you might think that this building is an Ottoman mosque, but originally it was actually a tobacco factory. Built in 1907 by Hugo Zietz, the Yenidze tobacco company, was designed in “oriental” style to recall the “exotic origins of tobacco”. The chimney used to process smoke from the factory was incorporated into the architecture as a fake minaret. Today, the building is used as an office but the top floor is home to an incredible restaurant with rooftop views across the city and over to the mountains in the distance.

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Stammhaus

The most iconic picture from Germany must be of a beer hall, and the Stammhaus in the centre of Dresden is one of the best! This brewery dates all the way back to 1858! Inside the new three-story restaurant, beer gardens and bar are antiques collected by the brewing family from over the years. The food is as traditional as you can get and it all washes down deliciously with a glass of Feldschlößchen Pilsner or Zwickelbier. Sitting in the restaurant, you feel like you’re dining inside a piece of Dresden’s history! My favourite visual of the restaurant is the giant copper brewing lid which serves as a roof atop the bar!

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Dresden is such a wonderful place to explore and get away from the crowds which you’ll find in more popular cities across Germany like Berlin and Munich. It’s still that untapped gem which only those in the know are want to find. If you’re interested in explore more of Dresden, check out my guided walking tour which will take your across old town to discover the history and people who helped created this amazing city. Let me know if you’ve visited Dresden before and what your favourite photo spot was on your last trip to Florence of the North.

Happy Travels Adventurers!

The post The Most Instagrammable Places in Dresden, Germany first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

History of Street Art in Barcelona

Graffiti in Barcelona will always be part of the city. The city became a center of fashion, design, art and creativity after the Olympics in 1992. The new art expression became popular in Barcelona. As a consequence, many Graffiti artists visited the city just to paint a part of the city.

Jordi and Miguel changed the urban art industry in 1994 when they created Montana Colors, the first store to sell spray cans. Barcelona and New York were the most popular cities for urban art until restrictions came along. New York carried out a project in 1990 that erased all Graffiti from the city and Barcelona, was next.

Restrictions for Urban Art in Barcelona 

When Barcelona became a touristic destination, people related Graffiti with vandalism and therefore, the “clean up” project was implemented. Barcelona’s Government banned Graffiti in 2006 and fines were charged up to 3,000€. Some artists started painting in private indoor spaces or decided to open art galleries. Others just left town due to these regulations. As a result, the old good days were over for Graffiti lovers in Barcelona. But that didn’t stop some of them from doing what they loved.

Graffiti in Barcelona Today

Even with the current Graffiti restrictions in Barcelona, you can still find amazing street art around the city. Artists continue to stand up and fight to express themselves through art as it’s only allowed in some authorized public spaces. You’ll certainly find Graffiti masterpieces in the following neighborhoods: el Raval, Gràcia, Poble Nou and Gothic Quarter.

Graffiti Tours

Graffiti Tours in Barcelona are now more popular within locals and tourists. The main objective is to promote urban art and provide their knowledge on this trendy topic. The good thing about Graffiti paintings is that you’ll always have something new to look at as it’s constantly changing!

Who is Barcelona Explorers?

Barcelona Explorers is the ultimate guide to the city with a local touch that everyone should know about! This up-to-date Barcelona Blog has travel tips, curiosities, attractions, off-the-beaten-paths, events, traditions and many more for you to explore.

Are you ready to explore?

The post The Best Outdoor Art Galleries in Spain, Discover the Incredible Street Art and Graffiti of Barcelona first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.