Imaging Germany 015: Poppelsdorf Palace Water Reflection, BONN (RP)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

015: Poppelsdorf Palace

One of the most beautiful constructions in Germany’s former capital is without doubt the baroque-style Poppelsdorfer Schloss (Poppelsdorf Castle).  Located at walking distance from the railway station, the pale yellow-plastered castle is hard to miss. It is unknown when the original castle was built, but in 1341, the castle was acquired by an archbishop, and became a regional seat. In 1583, the castle was destroyed in a regional war (Cologne War), which occurred within the context of Protestant Reformation in Germany. Only in 1715, rebuilding of  the castle was started, and finished twenty years later. About a century later, in 1818, the castle became part of the newly founded Bonn University, which moved the natural science collections to there, and transformed the garden in a botanical garden. The castle was heavily damaged during WWII in 1944, but was rebuilt in 1959. The castle still hosts important natural science collections, and several university departments. The photograph shows  the reflection of the building in the pond that is part of the botanical garden.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017

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Imaging Brazil 369: Sunset Reflection on Cobble Stones in Belo Horizonte, MG (2012)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

369: Sunset reflection

Belo Horizonte has two main seasons: a warm and wet summer, and a cool and dry winter. The wet season starts in October and lasts until April. During the dry season, you can leave your umbrella at home, but in the wet season it is absolutely necessary to carry a good umbrella, and it is also recommended to carry spare clothes with you, in case of a serious downpour. During such a downpour, some streets and sidewalks can be transformed into little rivers, with water running very fast. When you are caught in such a stream, you’ll surely get wet feet. Your umbrella won’t give protection to your pants, but can save your shirt and your bag. After such a downpour, when the sun has returned,  the shallow pools in the streets and on the pavements provide much inspiration for beautiful pictures of reflections in water. And when you walk there during sunset, you’ll witness colorful water mirrors, as if the sky and the water are on fire. 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2012, 2017