This is a wonderful thread Anthony.  Thank you for sharing all these lovely photos.  I shall never get to see these places so it's a real treat for me to see all this amazing architecture with your interesting tidbits of information.  

You're welcome, Caroline.  I'm glad you like the photos...(however old or young you really are!)

Bratislava is famous for one significant event in European history.  It was where the Holy Roman Empire came to an end.  Charelsmagne formed it in the Middle Ages as some sort of hybrid between church and state.  By the early 1800's, it was mostly controlled by Austria and, together with its Russian allies, it challenged Napolean for control of the European continent.  The armies fought in Czechoslovakia in what was called the Battle of Austerlitz. Napolean, in what was one of his most crowning achievements, defeated the joint army despite being outnumbered.  The surrender and disbanding of the Holy Roman Empire took place at this building in Bratislava:

Napolean did not attend the formal surrender, but the citizens of Bratislava claim he was there in spirit and has been so in Bratislava ever since.

Just a wonderful town:

Next stop, Dresden, Germany.  The city was decimated in World War II, totally reduced to ash by Allied fire bombing. The Germans, determined to rebuild this historic cultural center to approximate its pre-war appearance, took photos of the old city and used them to guide the rebuilding.  The results were, as you can see, astonishing.

More of Dresden:

Some great photo's, the inside of the church on the first page is beautiful.

Are you planning to get to Berlin? (Or did you already go? Not sure if you're back home and posting pics or posting them as you travel lol).

You should check out the Victory Column statue if you do.

I'm back in the US, Stiler.  The trip was this past summer.  I post the photos when I have the time.  I did go to Berlin after Dresden and will post some shots of that city.  I saw the Victory Column and will see if I have a shot of that.

Dresden was the first city on my tour where the largest and most striking church did not belong to the Roman Catholic faith.  The Protestant Frauenkirche:

The reason why Catholicism has limited reach in Germany is explained by a statute right outside the church:

A wall commemorating Saxon kings:

This is the same river that flowed under the magnificent Charles Bridge in Prague.   Up in Dresden, it is called the Elbe:

An art museum that pays homage to the masters:

Final stop:  Berlin.  Mostly, destroyed in the war, today the city is mostly about shopping and dining.

After the war, Berlin was divided into 4 zones controlled by each of the Allies: French, British, American and Russian.  The Russian zone became communist East Germany. The other zones were combined to become West Germany.

The Berlin Wall, constructed by the East Germans, under the direction of the Soviets, to prevent talented East Germans from departing communist rule and entering the Western-controlled zone of Berlin

Checkpoint Charlie. The Americans guarded the entry into West Berlin to prevent a communist incursion from East Berlin.

The sandbags were used to protect US soldiers from gunfire directed by East German soldiers at their citizens who tried to flee to West Germany.  On the bags, it a plaque memorializing the Berlin airlift. The Soviets attempted to blockade West Berlin and halt all deliveries to the encircled city. President Kennedy had the US Army fly in food and essential supplies.

This sign marked the entrance into East Berlin, described as the haven for those looking for relief from the harmful effects of the profit-motivated capitalism prevailing in West Berlin.

The Brandenberg Gate: the rallying point for the ultimate destruction of the Berlin Wall and German unification. This is where Reagan gave his famous speech to "tear down the wall".

The Victory Column heralding Prussian military successes in the 19th Century.

This mural on a piece of the Berlin Wall comemorates an actual event. Breschnev, the Soviet leader, visited East Germany and greeted its leader Erich Honiker. Honiker was supposed to kiss the Russian on his check as a sign of endearment and respect. Breschnev got confused and tried to do the same to Honiker and the press took an embarrassing photo of the two. The press photo drove the Soviets batty but the Germans loved it.

Berlin has discreet and scattered acknowledgments of its Nazi past.

  An effort to atone for the past:  A street in Berlin pays homage to one of the founders of the nation of Israel.

A farewell dinner as the tour ends, with the accompaniment of the traditional German music.    My son is not enthusiastic:  "Dad, can we go back to the hotel, now?"

This ends our tour through Central and Eastern Europe.  We were back in the US, the next day.  Hope you enjoyed the photos:

Anthony, the photo below the Victory Column.... with the big onion dome flanked by two smaller onion domes - what is it?  Or are the photos without captions buildings that you can't remember ? 

I don't want this holiday to come to an end, I'm enjoying my vicarious trip around Europe so much.   I hope you're going somewhere interesting this year as well. 

Amazing photos Anthony.  Feel like I was touring too!  Thanks for sharing them.