Emmaus Abbey was one of our favorite places to visit while in Prague. We really liked it there for 2 particular reasons. First, the old Gothic church and cloister are quite beautiful. I wrote earlier about the Gothic and Baroque churches we saw. Although we expected the Baroque churches to be heavily ornamented we were…
Gothic and Baroque churches and palaces are a very common sight in both Prague and Vienna. They are beautiful reminders of their city’s history. They are so ubiquitous that after awhile they become less exciting. Nonetheless, the beauty is amazing and when you think of the effort that went into building them, you are in…
I love abandoned churches! They have a certain emotional draw on me. These churches once the scene of so many emotional high and low points for people now sit quietly alone. It’s as if they are waiting for someone to come learn the stories of what they witnessed before they completely disappear. I recently went…
An invitation for the curious is how I like to think of old, abandoned buildings. This is especially true for those with character. They stir our imagination and make us curious about them. Why was it abandoned? What’s the story of the people that lived, or worked, or worshipped here? Where did all the people…
Cheapside was once a thriving little town. It isn’t anymore. According to Wikipedia, “Cheapside had three grocery and general stores, a drugstore, a broom factory, a blacksmith shop, a hotel, a butcher shop, a barbershop, a confectionery, several doctors, a Masonic lodge and a Woodmen lodge, a daily stagecoach, and at least two saloons.” Now,…
An abandoned Taoist temple is not the kind of thing you come across every day. I like photographing old, abandoned churches but this caught me by surprise. As I wrote in an earlier post: I really like old churches. I think this is because the character of an aging church has a certain beauty that…
Bethel Church Park is a unique city park. It’s not a playground or a place to picnic. It’s not for hiking, jogging, fishing, or just enjoying nature and being outdoors. Instead, it is a place for quiet reflection, thought and remembrance. The park is designed to pay tribute to Bethel’s significant history, architecture, and the…
Columbus, Indiana is the quintessential small midwestern town. That is, except for one thing; the architecture. In 1991, the AIA (American Institute of Architects) rated Columbus sixth on its list of the top 10 American cities for architectural quality and innovation. It seems little Columbus is in the company of giants such as Chicago, New…
Death and dying surround the Immanuel Lutheran Church. Across the road, you have the old cemetery with burials starting in 1882 and continuing until as recently as 2018. The old church and school are still standing but are slowly decaying. Next to the church and school is a row of large dead trees. Even in…
