Guiding Architects- Touring the Beautiful Architecture of Budapest

One of the great things about the Mediterranean lifestyle is that you can so easily slip away from it for a quick, strong dose of Mitteleuropa. An 11 o'clock brunch of feta and eggs in Thessaloniki, and just four and a half hours later I was looking out at the Danube from my balcony at the Gellert.

What makes a perfect dose of Mitteleuropa? For me, architecture and urban planning. Budapest had money when it mattered- historicism run almost amok, proportion ideal, but as to scale... well, when my mouth fell open on seeing the Parliament building on the Pest side through the windows of the tram #19 in Buda, 

the man across from me said "Truly. It is a little embarrassing, so very big...." But- jaw dropping grandeur aside- I wanted history, I wanted context, and most of all I wanted to know what makes Budapest, Budapest. I wanted identity.

With Architect Arne Huber of the Guiding Architects team, I will see- and feel- just that. A hallmark of Budapest is texture- not metaphorical texture but actual, physical texture. The contemporary station of the metro I took to get here was warm and rich in poured concrete and that earthy oxidized steel like Richard Serra uses- I couldn't take my hands off it. The Főutcája- "main street"- beginning at Kálvin tér where we meet greets me right away with the same sense of textual counterpoint- granite for the street, and softer, warmer travertine for the pedestrians. This walk will take us through many facets of the city's style. 

1867 is a pivotal year in the history of the city. The Austro-Hungarian Compromise brought about the Dual Monarchy (a single Head of State- the King of Hungary and Emperor of Austria as one), a huge increase in autonomy for a Hungary previously under Military dictatorship, all aspects of life under Austrian control. It also meant there was money- the 1870's, '80's and '90's were a period of monumental building in Budapest- itself born in this very era, with the merging of Buda, Óbuda (old Buda) and Pest. The city had a population of about a million at the time- making the grandeur per capita ratio pretty extreme- the number and size of opulent buildings are suited to a city many times larger.

What was going on right before that? Lots of large scale, 2 story buildings and Baroque churches.

The 1890's saw the onset of private building commissions. It also saw the advent of advances in construction technology. These combined- there was a new freedom from the historicism that dictated the style of public buildings, and with that, the means to realize this new aesthetic. Arne Huber has cleverly directed my attention to a dull, multi-story parking garage as he gives me this background information. I'm here primarily for the Secession experience; I have some idea of what to expect. When we turn around, Szervita tér #3 surprises me all the same, its facade entirely of curved glass, the weighty (in every possible sense) most improbably supported. It's beautiful.

Ármin Hegedűs' (the name means "violinist") building, originally a luxury department store with office space above, illustrates a lot about things I already know about. Then Arne narrates the mosaic for me, the missing piece that makes it beautiful.  The heroic mosaic is not an abstraction of ideals but a very specific construct of Nationalistic identity. The central goddess Hungaria is victorious, flanked by national heroes Ferenc Rákócz,  leader of the early 18th C uprising against the Habsburgs, and Lajos Kossuth, freedom fighter in the revolution of 1848. Radical structure and avant garde style unite to convey a deeply patriotic message, and that is what makes the Hungarian Secession interesting- it is, in essence, a double secession- forging aesthetic identity against the prevailing historicist styles, and a distinctly Hungarian identity against a past of partial subjugation to Austria. Next door, the Jonas' brother's building winks at Vienna though, in a very pleasant take off of Otto Wagner's Postsparkasse- the visibly attached panels coating the iron frame. 

At the heart of a Secession tour of the architecture of Budapest is Ödön Lechner, father of a distinctly Hungarian Art Nouveau. In his wildness, he gets called "the Hungarian Gaudi" a lot. I mention to Arne that he is at least as innovative, and why aren't we talking about "the Catalan Lechner"? Arne sheds some bright light on the issue- it is not so much a stylistic issue- reliance on tile aside- but a nationalistic one- as Gaudi worked to develop something distinctly Catalan, so Lechner forged a Hungarian identity, as opposed to an Austro-Hungarian identity. Key to this was materials. The "great plain" covers much of Hungary- this is not a nation God built of granite or marble- it is built of earth. Tile, therefore, is the indigenous material, and one which can express a distinctive identity- folkloric, and often whimsical. There is also lots of glazed brick- a local, and democratic, material. I mention the appeal of so economically accessible a building material - "Yes. But also- Lechner grew up next to a brick factory- there was a deeper, more sentimental attachment to the material." His early Art Nouveau Thonet ház - heavy on the Gothic, but not heavy- the curtain wall clearly bears no weight, and is a space for exploring pattern, with a very William Morris feel- Glazed brick is used here to glorious advantage.

We visit Lechner's first building in Budapest. Honestly I'd have passed it without looking up, and having it pointed out I can't see what is radical until Arne points it out- the rhythm is radical- symmetrical, yes, but rather than the standard AAAAA, or even AABAA, Lechner has his huge windows to the sides, for a unique, and then radical, BAAAB rhythm. 

Our tour ends in a grand and tranquil square. The enormous Beaux Arts building flanking the whole of one side is the former Stock Exchange is "available." The world's prettiest US Embassy- Secession style- is off to one side (and cannot be photographed). Just behind the Embassy is Lechner's Postal Savings Bank, a highlight of the city but you can get no distance on it. I went to the roof of St. Stephen's the next day to do so, but too much distance by far.

It is a glorious thing- opulent, esoteric, and deeply democratic with its use of brick and tile. There is a motif- the beehives allude (sweetly) to the building's purpose. The building embodies the deep sense of identity- and whimsy- that characteristic of this classic European capital.

We ended our walk with a coffee in this glass pavilion in Liberty Square,
 a few steps from the Postal Savings Bank

For a tour like mine, or many others, contact:

http://www.guiding-architects.net/architecture-tour/budapest/

Read More »

Things That Make Mytilene Marvelous

Mytilene- Lesvos' main town - has everything you want from an island and everything you want from a capital at the same time. There is the charm of a harbor filled with "trata" (brightly painted fishing boats) and a promenade of cafes curving around it, plus the cosmopolitan allure of contemporary culture and the grandeur of Belle Epoque prosperity. 

Cinematic Belle Epoque-

Mansions! Mansions galore. And not one kind of mansion either, but a whole panoply of European styles, of mansard roofs and deep eaves. Olive oil was expensive and Lesvos was rich in it. There was also wine, and leather- goods with a market. Foreign importers drawn to Lesvos for business built in the styles of home, as did wealthy Europeans drawn by the famous spas.

These mansions define a whole neighborhood- you feel like you're on a stage set, and probably a little under dressed. 

The Pyrgos Hotel

You could live the Belle Epoque elegance first hand and stay at the Pyrgos of Mytilene boutique hotel. We went for a coffee in the lobby- you feel glamorous just being in the salon with the soaring, ultra-ornate ceiling. It's the real thing- Maria, who invited us to her wonderful island, grew up next door - her mother used to come to dances here.

Big, Bold Baroque-

A house of worship that dominates the city scape - like Notre Dame or the Blue Mosque - sets a grand tone. Mytilene's skyline is defined by the dome of Agios Therapon cathedral, designed by Argyris Adalis- native to Lesvos, and a student of Ernst Ziller (the neo-Rennaissance Numismatic Museum in Athens, among many others). They both borrowed, and borrowed well. Agio Therapon has a grand baroque mood that- like the mansions- doesn't speak of Greece specifically but of a cosmopolitan vibe of European capitals in general.

Ancient Glamour-

The mansions of the Belle Epoque continue a much earlier tradition. Mytilene was a city of wealth from at least the 2nd C BC. We had a tour with Professor Giannis Kourtzellis of the Museum of Archaeology and couldn't stop marveling at the mosaic floors of elegant homes, including the dramatist Menander's. He filled out the corners of our imaginations with symposia and banquets. What also struck us? The reliefs depicting the dinners of the dead, held on the third and ninth days after death (days we commemorate still), and funerary reliefs for heroes- depicted on horseback. Most notable and unusual is the equestrian heroine- women were rarely depicted this way, but then this was found in Eresos (birthplace of Sappho)

And of course this arresting Praxitelous-

We learn that they're easily identified - he was known for the naturalistic "S" shaped pose of his figures. There were lots of them- originals in bronze, and copies in marble.

Fortress of Intrigue-

The best view of the city is wasted on this monumental fortress- Gatalusi's (one-time pirate) home (a wedding present along with the rest of the Island when he wed the sister of Paleologos' - Byzantine Emperor John V - is one of the largest and best preserved of the whole Mediterranean. On our tour with Archaeologist Georgia Tampakopoulou we only had eyes for the ruins and crests, and ears for her stories. She herself was inspired by the place- she had an intuition that led to the discovery of something that would have been lost forever. Visiting the site with her gave us goosebumps to be so close to the thrill of discovery. It is a tale of its own, coming soon.

The mingled crests of Galausi and Paleologos
and the seal of Constantinople

A Symbol of Welcome and People of Grace-

I grew up with a meaningful statue in the harbor by my house- it was for many the first sight of America. How perfect that Mytilene has its own Statue of Liberty-

This is a gift to the island from the people who emigrated from here to New York City. It could not be more fitting: Lesvos has been much in the news, here and around the world, because of how many refugees have passed through here. Ai Wei Wei's exhibition at the Cycladic museum in Athens has the crisis as a focal point, and the images recorded by many local photographers open the exhibition-

Photographs by Petros Tsakmakis

That is one of the reasons we are here- to see how the Island is dealing with this tremendous crisis and to show through our experience how it impacts a visitor's experience. It impacts it tremendously- if you want to be inspired by a population who responds to the need of others with grace, if you want to support an island that has done so much on behalf of us all, then you should come. The only concrete signs we saw of the refugee crisis were signs in Arabic- at souvaki places, and on the public buses. 

Classic Marina Experience-

What's an island without a marina? What's a marina without a yacht club? What's a yacht club without a great kitchen, and some Frank Sinatra and Amy Winehouse? Those are not questions we had to answer, because we spent several happy hours at the Marina Yacht Club with its adorable, unpretentious, and surprisingly young owner Eirini, enjoying all those things. We tried dish after dish- all playful, delicious, but honest and real- exactly what you want to eat as the masts cast ever longer shadows. Best soundtrack, best wine glasses, best view, best hostess. Go. Tastes like holiday.

We loved this little city, crammed with mansions and little boats, with its beautiful museum and outsized cathedral, and its boutique hotel and dining by the docks. We loved the people most of all - for their culture, warmth, and virtue. Lesvos is a perfect holiday destination, and Mytilene is the first taste.

For information on visiting Lesvos, try this site:
http://www.lesvosgreece.gr/

More of Lesvos:

A fabulous party at the EVA distillery in Mytilene where we got to know Lesvos' classic drink:

The Ouzo of Lesvos: Essentials

Molyvos is the Greece of your Dreams

Falling in Love with Lesvos: One Perfect Day

Read More »

Fear and Grace in Archangel

Note- this post has some images of church frescoes you might find brutal and unnerving- I certainly did.

Nothing has prepared me for entering the monastery of Archangel Mihail in the village of the same name high in the mountains of Almopeia. The outside is painted, unique to the churches we had visited, but in a style in keeping with the charming folkloric mood we had seen in other churches of the area on this marvelous trip.*

We go in- the mood turns from folkloric simplicity to unbridled abandon. Color everywhere, and passion with it, Our tour guide, Nikos Zacharakis, refers to the frescoes as naive, and truly they are- no individual characteristics distinguish one face from another human proportions oddly rendered, an approach to color and line that is exuberant and actually zany. 

Spirals on the columns are crooked and uneven- they lend liveliness and spontaneity.

Then I see the frescoes on the outer walls. The scenes were shocking. Scenes of martyrdom in an Orthodox church are common, especially in the fore chambers. Often the martyrdom is not being enacted, but just alluded to- some arrows on the ground near an unharmed St. Sebastian, lions licking St. Ignatius. even when the martyrdom is shown, it is never with the zeal depicted here. I grew up with Buddist God-parents, Jewish friends, and Catholic holidays. Also centuries of Catholic imagery- The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, 

The martyrdom of St. Sebastian.

I've seen fantastic horrors of hell in Bosch paintings, graphic visceral death in Grunewald paintings. Nothing prepared me for the demented zeal of these images- Demons prying the soul from the mouth of an unrighteous man

in another, impassive depraved men cooperate with a huge saw

You'll notice I'm not the only one who finds these  upsetting. The faces of the soldiers and the demons have been scratched out, as well as the more gruesome evidence of harm.

I find it worrisome. Were I alone I would have  left. Our host the monk arrives, and everyone gathers around for a prayer. Amidst the demented images, it's not very comforting. I stay towards the back. 

Only when we go back outside to examine the main fresco do I feel more at ease. It's not the fresco- depicting our afterlife journey it is filled with demons and torture

It's the priest, wise, kind, and frankly looking a lot like Richard Gere (I take no credit for this observation- one of my travelling companions noticed). Rather than seeing the descent into hell, I see the possibility Pater Illarion shares that through our prayers here on earth, we better the lot of souls departed. Not damnation- potential. Then he draws our attention to the corners-

Angels are rolling out a scroll of the heavens themselves, glittering with stars, and where once was dread is now wonder.

He invites us to the reception hall to get to know us better- a personal encounter such as I have never had. He hears our ideas, and shares his own- a piece of wisdom so elegant in its directness and easily employed. It is simply that words have meaning, psychological meaning. Change your words, change your soul.  He has eliminated the words "must/have to" from his vocabulary, replacing them with "want to," in essence, replacing obligation with joy. Try it in your mind right now and see if it doesn't make the day and its tasks a lot more agreeable. When I find myself burdened, I return to Pater Illarion's advice, and I am the better for it.

He walks us to the Monastery's gate

I wonder if his wisdom and kindness has made the frescoes somehow less frightening, and slip away from the group to check. It hasn't. But if anything, their brutality sharpens the relevance of his wise and practical measures in pursuing Grace, and helping us to do so likewise, this week, and hopefully always. His inspiration has lasting relevance. 

Happy Holy Week!

*Clleagues and I have been invited to the region of Almopeia for a familiarization trip under the auspices of the program Living History/Living Nature. Their generosity has no bearing on opinions expressed- it was an incredible experience, and a joy to share it.

Read More »

Open House- Falling in Love With Your Hometown.

Travelers strive to experience destinations like a local. Open House encourages us in the very opposite - experiencing our hometowns with the fresh and appreciative eyes of a tourist. It's an inspiring approach to everyday urban life.  

For my Thessaloniki Open House agenda, I picked places not ordinarily accessible -  and that's the beauty of it. Of the nearly 70 spaces that had opened their doors, many were offices and residences. Having just visited the city's more officially historic buildings for some articles I am writing, I decided to focus on places that you can usually never see, unless you are really quite ballsy and fresh.

I did start with one big name building that is rarely open to the public- I remember seeing the Villa Petridi in a state of ruin, just after the courthouse off to the right as we would turn to go to Mylos. It was easy to spot- a shamble of a splendid three story Art Nouveau house all by itself among sad looking office buildings from the 70's. The view from the Villa itself was all industrial romance- the high red brick walls of the working harbor and the cranes peeking above. You'd go by the villa and say "Wow they should fix that beauty up!" Now I kind of wish they hadn't. 

Home depot stencils run amok, and a gracelessly interrupted pattern. The floors shone like a diamond. The tales though- imagining the brook running by and the tram lines intersecting, that was nice. A not at all surprising truth-

Ruin is imagination's best companion.

Well, it was nothing but nice surprises after the Villa Petridi:

Some lawyers had generously opened their offices; it used to be an apartment, or perhaps one could say, the apartment.

The corner penthouse of the prime and first of Aristotle plaza's defining buildings was worth seeing. Replete with charming features, like the dramatic bathtub niche:

But of course everyone's favorite was this, the Clark Kent of architectural devices:

(Residents of Thessaloniki who are good at 3D puzzles will know that, logically, on the other side of this bookcase must be Pavlou Zanna screening room of the Olympion cinema. It used to be a theater for live performances, which means that this bookcase covers the opening that was once the family's private box- complete with bedrooms, kitchen, and bath!) 

The terrace was every bit as defined- and refined- as the interior:

The industrial lands to the west have the slaughterhouse, and the waterworks. The slaughterhouse, like the villa Petridi, had been sanitized of all atmosphere (but not of imposing symmetry):

Less sanitized was the guard house:

And best of all was the unsettling collection of busts, stored without name or ceremony at the lot's edge:

Pensive and timeless- to say nothing of eerie:
dismembered figures on the grounds of the slaughterhouse

Why is Poselli such a well-known name in Thessaloniki? These days the mad good pizza, more delicious still for their impeccable taste in choice of name- the architect Vitaliano Poselli, of the Arcade in which the stellar pizza oven is housed, and many of Thessaloniki's most elegant Jahrhundertwende buildings, among them the Catholic Church, of 1897-

This splendid Campanile once towered
over the neighborhood.

- a little piece of the West in our city of the East. (More Poselli buildings soon- a tremendous presence in our urban landscape.)

The 14th C Byzantine Baths of Koule Kafe (a UNESCO world heritage site) were ultra-photogenic. Or at least I can only imagine- photos were sadly prohibited (until the restoration is complete). Like at many sites of historic and archaeological interest in the abundance that is Greece, there was a lot of "stuff" that the rest of the world would probably have in a museum. Here is some of it-

These intricate indentations-
not unlike the muqarnas of the nearby Alaja Imaret-
 seem to anticipate the Islamic architecture
that would shortly be marking the city.

Corinthian fragments like lions' feet.

A curiously modern motif.

The last notable building was commercial- an Art Deco gem with an atrium, metal elevator cage, grand staircase, and huge central common areas:

Design Rorschach test:
Our guide said that rumor has it that this eagle motif
is a remnant of the German occupation.
A lady in the group proposed that, in fact, it also resembles a pair of scissors-
entirely appropriate to our textile district.

And after that, an unexpected treat: from the roof of a soon-to-be Bed and Breakfast, a rare view of the interior courtyard of the "Alkazar" (the Hamza Bey Mosque):

Do you love the variety of marbles in these columns?
Perhaps, like those in Agios Dimitrios, they are "recycled" from
Roman or Byzntine structures.

The two days made for a rich collage of images- spaces both commercial and private, sacred and secular, raw and ornate, and, this being Thessaloniki, several centuries' worth. It was a special occasion, but exploring doesn't have to be: that is perhaps the point of Open House- it wakes you to the architectural variety and beauty that is around you every day. I resolved to be more of a tourist in my home town (and maybe a little more fresh)- an easy resolution.

Read More »