Sunday, April 7, 2013

Wiener Impressionen


It is difficult to sum up my first impressions of a week full of seemingly endless new experiences. It has all been quite overwhelming, in an exciting way of course but nonetheless, it is a lot to take in. When I first arrived I emerged from the underground into a snow flurry- unexpected yet surprisingly pleasant. So far I must say my favorite feature of Vienna is the churches. The first gothic church I have ever set foot in was Stephansdom this past week. It was breathtaking. I have seen picture after picture, read pages in architecture books, and admired them for as long as I can remember, but nothing can prepare you for the jaw dropping shock of the building’s magnificence. The organ’s melancholy hum echoing off the vaults, the sun light filtering in, and the flickering candles draw the history out from the walls. It is truly incredible. An unmistakable presence lives in the skeletal framework.
                Apart from the beauty of the city, the sheer density has come as a surprise to me. Everywhere you look the city offers another slice of history. And the sculpture work- simply mind blowing.  Man has somehow managed to recreate the human form in nearly all its natural beauty. And so the first week has passed and the adventure continues…

2 comments:

  1. I just realized the title was a bit of a mistake haha

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  2. Stephansdom really left me such a deep impression. I was shocked when I first saw this surprising church by taking escalator from underground exit of the subway. I was extremely astonished by how magnificent it was and the countless delicate carvings on it. As what was Katie said, “It’s was breathtaking.” It is a scene that I could not express exactly in words. I will definitely tell my friends who plan to visit Vienna that Stephansdom is a must-go place, because you can never know how amazing it is only if you are there in person!

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