- Santa Maria Assunta
Madonna con Bambino e i Santi Agostino, Girolamo, Martino e Nicola by Matteo di Giovanni (1463). - Palazzo Comunale
In 1405 Pope Pius II renamed his home town Corsignano to Pienza and rebuilt it in 1459 as an ideal Renaissance town. Once a town, it needed a town hall. - Santa Maria Assunta
The entrance to the church Santa Maria Assunta. - Eroica bike race
Even the town decorations were dedicated to the bicycle race. - Montalcino
I don't quite know what to think of this one... - Local graffiti
Mona Lisa... the Montalcino way. - Eroica bike race
There were bikes everywhere. - Church of Sant'Antonio Abate
The church was mentioned already in 1448, but the facade is from the 18th century. - Eroica bike race
Plenty of retro knitted jerseys. - Eroica bike race
They were selling old bikes. And retro jerseys. - Eroica bike race
We stumbled upon the Eroica Montalcino bicycle race. - Eroica bike race
It kind of looked ... familiar ;-) - Fortress
- Fortress
The inner courtyard of the fortress - Tuscan countryside
View from the fortress. The other side. - Montalcino
View from the fortress - Oldtimers
There must have been some sort of an old-timer meeting. - Fortress
The 14th century fortress was expanded under the Medicis. - Fortress
The Montalcino fortress was built in 1361. - Tuscan countryside
- Tuscan countryside
- Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
The church with the visible apse of the original Carolingian Chapel on the left. - Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
I did say a lot of strange creatures, right? - Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
- Ospitalità
- Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
Another lovely creature on the church. - Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
Capital with Daniel and the Lions by Master von Cabestany (12th century). - Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
The exterior is full of funny creatures. - Abbazia di Sant'Antimo
The monastery was founded by Charlemagne in 781, but I think this church was built between 1118 and 1260. - Tuscan countryside
- Tuscan countryside
- Tuscan countryside
- Spring in Umbria
- Spoleto underground
Spoleto has an interesting (and very practical) underground. - Piazza Pianciani
- Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
The mosaic portraying Christ giving a Benediction, signed by Solsternus (1207). Let that sink in. 1207. - Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
The cathedral was built in the 12th century after an older one was ruined by Frederick Barbarossa's troops. - Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
A pulpit outside the church. - Piazza del Duomo
- Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
Coronation of the Virgin, Filippo Lippi (1467-69). - Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
Transition of the Virgin, Filippo Lippi (1467-69). - Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
Frescoes (1477) - Chiesa di San Pietro Extra Moenia
Saint Peter 'outside the walls'. Founded in 419 and reconstructed in the 12th-15th century. - Chiesa di San Pietro Extra Moenia
The story about the lion and the woodcutter. - Chiesa di San Pietro Extra Moenia
The reliefs depicting Christ washing Peter's feet (top) and the calling of Peter and Andrew on the Sea of Galilee (bottom) - Chiesa di San Pietro Extra Moenia
The main portal with the reliefs of a peacock pecking grapes (top), a grazing cow (middle), and a man driving a yoke of oxen, while his dog jumps up in front (bottom). - Chiesa di San Pietro Extra Moenia
The two panels indicating the contrast between posthumous fates of a righteous man (above) and of a sinner (below). - Ponte delle torri
The aqueduct, which was built in the 13th century, is 230 meters long and nearly 80 meters high. Unfortunately it was closed for public. - Giro dei Condotti
A wonderful walking path with views of the town, the castle and Ponte delle torri. - Cyclamen
- View of Spoleto
- View of Spoleto
- San Salvatore
OK, now, this may be my favourite church in Spoleto. Built in the 4th and 5th century, and renovated by the Lombards in the 8th century. - San Salvatore
The church is made mostly from 'salvaged material' from the Romans. - San Salvatore
The Lombards took the columns, capitals etc from the Romans, and assembled them into a new church ;-) Unfortunately, the church was quite damaged in the 2016 earthquake and is closed for visitors now. - Spring in Umbria
- Montanuniversität Leoben
Well... I don't quite understand what's saying, but the google translate surely is wrong: "every time you surrendered to the six months old muse" :-) - The ostriches!
The coat of arms of Leoben is an ostrich. Apparently, they were considered as the only animals being able to eat iron. And since this is a mining town... ostriches are the obvious choice. - Altes Rathaus
The town hall was built in 1485 with the tower added in 1568. They added the coats of arms in 1728. - St. Francis Xavier church
The altar in the church. The interior is basically the same since the 17th century. - St. Francis Xavier church
Daytime view of the St Francis Xavier church (1660). - Gustav-Adolf-Kirche
The evangelical church was built in 1908/09. - Saint Barbara
Saint Barbara by Katarina Sweda (2017). - Hacklhaus
Daytime view of the Hacklhaus. The house was built in the 16th century and decorated in 1680. - Tender clouds
Fairy clouds above La Blanche (2954 m) and La Rouya (2751 m) - Tender clouds
More playful clouds over La Blanche (2954 m) and La Rouya (2751 m) - Madame Carle
Statue of Madame Carle by Christian Burger (2017). Plenty of legends about the Madame Carle, but basically she lived here in the early 16th century as the wife of Geoffroy Carle, Président du parlement du Dauphiné. Now Pré de Madame Carle up the valley is a very touristic spot. Next time. - Edward Whymper mural
A graffiti of Edward Whymper, FRSE (1840-1911). When climbing Mont Pelvoux (3946 m), he realised that there was a taller mountain nearby: Barre des Écrins (4102 m). He was the first to climb the Barre des Écrins (4102 m). Also, the first who climbed Matterhorn :-) And - the one who invented the A shaped tents :-D - Saint Etienne Church in Vallouise
Church of Saint Etienne, a 15th century church. Fresco of Saint Etienne partially covers the painting of Saint Christophe (of whom only legs are visible). - Saint Etienne Church in Vallouise
The bell tower with an octagonal spire - Saint Etienne Church in Vallouise
What a lovely pretty ceiling. - Saint Etienne Church in Vallouise
The main nave of the church. First row of pillars is rectangular, the rest is cylindrical. Someone changed their mind during the construction! A baptismal font from 1518. - Saint Etienne Church in Vallouise
Pietà in the Altar of the souls in purgatory (16th century). Apparently there are: Pentecost, God the Father, Saint Paul, Saint Anthony, Saint Sebastian, Saint John and Saint John the Baptist... - French pattiserie
I wish we could have taken more... - Pic de Peyre Eyraute
Winter holidays in Puy Saint Vincent. This is the view of Pic de Peyre Eyraute (2903 m) from Residence la Dame Blanche. - Pic de Peyre Eyraute
View of Pic de Peyre Eyraute (2903 m) from Puy Saint Vincent 1800.