2009-07-19

schloss, castle, monument, invisible

Platz des unsichtbaren Mahnmals - The Square of the Invisible Memorial

Above you can see the Saarbrücker Schloss (Palace). It has been the site of some castle or palace since mediaeval times. Its present contours were given to it by the famous baroque architect Friedrich Joachim Stengel in the 18th century, although it has suffered several bombings, fires and rebuildings since then. What you cannot see above is the aptly named invisible memorial. In 1993, the art professor Jochen Gerz and his students chiselled the names of 2,146 Jewish cemeteries on cobblestones and placed the stones in the square with the name-side down.

If you are thinking of visiting the palace, I would suggest you do it on a Sunday morning. Then a friendly ghost will give you a guided tour.

9 comments:

  1. Awesome looking structure. It must be quite a sight to see, not sure about the ghost though.

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  2. The place looks fantastic with the glass modern part. I'd love to visit especially in company of friendly ghost:)

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  3. Thanks for the explanation, I was wondering what was invisible.

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  4. Informative post! The idea of an invisible memorial is ingenious and strange at once. Anyway, it will be a great surprise for the archeologists of future times.

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  5. Well croped!!!
    The road conduces our eyes to the middle.
    Even the sky put the clouds at the middle.

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  6. What an interesting concept,and tribute.

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  7. I am a sucker for this sort of perspective.

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  8. Julie: Thanks. As I commented above, I had to work to get this shot. I had passed through the square a few times but there was always a parked car or a mass of tourists there.

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  9. Wonderful symmetry! Really nice shot!

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