Sights Unseen

Just when I thought I'd seen it all, I arrive at Karlskirche, the largest Baroque cathedral north of the Alps.

Despite the stale water of the pond and graffiti of nearby concrete walls, this church is definitely worth a visit. The two massive exterior pillars are wrapped with detailed illustrations that goes to show the dedication to detail people had back in the day.

So to this point, you're probably thinking what's the big deal... this is just another church in Europe.  But once you walk in and straight looking around,

you'll quickly notice the rig set up in the pew area and if you look up, way up, you'll see another contraption...

Yes, that's right.... there's an elevator that leads you to a viewing platform where you can get a closer look at the dome's artwork, and if that isn't close enough to the art for you, you can take the stairs up further to get within arms distance of the actual dome as you climb up to the tiny observation deck at the top. 

You will quickly recognize the special skills required to paint domed ceilings as you have to take into account how the mural will look from the floor and not how it looks on the curved dome surface.

Another source of entertainment was watching tourists, obviously afraid of heights, try to overcome their fears up on the platform.... LOL.

I believe the elevator and viewing platform is temporary in nature, as the cathedral undergoes restoration work, but nevertheless, the thought of seeing an elevator right smack in the middle of a church, was definitely a pleasant surprise that makes this church unique in my books.

Next stop: The Rathaus

Now when I first saw this building from afar, I thought it was yet another church but it is not.  It's Vienna's City Hall.  It was the weekend and city hall was turned over to the gamers as part of Game City 2009 festivities. So picture this, a typically stuffy, old political hub is taken over by teenagers for the day. Ahh, a clash of the generations.

After getting spritzed with the latest in technology, it was off to the next attraction but not before noting that camping is not permitted in the nearby park.

LOL... I just can't get enough of that sign!

Votivkirche is one of the most important neo-Gothic religious architectural sites in the world (according to Wikipedia). yet as you approach it, you can only start laughing at the fact that it's wrapped with advertisements including a massive Kia banner.

So there you have it, Day 3 comes to an end as I sit back on a lawn chair and enjoy the peaceful sunset in the park.