CHICHÉN ITZÁ: The so called "Caracol" which is considered to have served as an astronomic observatory is one of the most important buildings in the Maya-Toltec ruins of Chitchen Itza. It dates from the transitional time after the fall of the Maya culture, that is to say from the end of the first millenia, and already has Toltec influence. Hints: Avoid Sundays, when admission is free for locals. Try to sleep nearby and go early before the arrival of the busses from Cancún. Note: This image was scanned from a slide with Hamrick Vuescan on a Reflecta Crystalscan 7200 (Primefilm PF 7250 U).

UXMAL: The talles building at Uxmal archeological site is the "Pyramid of the Magician". It's 39 m high and it is one of the few examples of rounded architecture at Maya archeological sites (another round pyramid I saw at Cobá). There is a legend on that the governor challenged a dwarf to build a building taller than all the others in just one night. So he did, beat the old governor and became the new one... Note: This image was scanned from a slide with Hamrick Vuescan on a Reflecta Crystalscan 7200 (Primefilm PF 7250 U).

COBÁ: An aisle at a side of one of the ruins of the Cobá archeological site, state of Quintana Roo (Mexico). This is how the jungle took back this huge city of about 50 sqkm (40000 inhabitants) which was an important centre of trade and had probably an alliance with Tikal (Petén, Guatemala). Cobá was abandoned like most of the classical cities of the Maya around 900 a.d.... Note: This image was scanned from a slide with Hamrick Vuescan on a Reflecta Crystalscan 7200 (Primefilm PF 7250 U).

View of the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan (Mexico) from a side path with agave leaves in the foreground.

Monte Alban is a pre-hispanic archeological site in southern Mexico (state of Oaxaca), which was the socio-political and economic center of the Zapotecs. It was one of the earliest cities in Mesoamerica and inhabited for more than 1000 years (500 BC to 700 AD approximately). These are the southern walls of the North Platform with structure IV in the background

The World Trade Center complex in Mexico City seen from the air. The avenue to the right is Insurgentes Sur, the one to the left is Calle Dakota. Note: This image was scanned from a slide with Hamrick Vuescan on a Reflecta Crystalscan 7200 (Primefilm PF 7250 U).

The "Latin America Tower" in Mexico City at night. Illuminated for the Christmas season.

The "Palace of Fine Arts" ("Palacio de las Bellas Artes") in Mexico City at night.

Schönbrunn Castle in Vienna at night

The Church of the Holy Cross (Kreuzkirche) and the Cathedral (Dom) of Wroclaw / Breslau on the Cathedral Island (Dominsel), seen from the Sand Island (Sandinsel) in the Oder river. I took this photo towards the end of the Blue Hour both as short and long exposure. I like the short exposure version better, because the reflection in the river is more pronounced... (click for black background)

The Centennial Hall in Breslau (originally "Jahrhunderthalle", today "Hala Stulecia" in Wroclaw) is an iron-steel cinstruction erected in 1913 as an event hall for the centennial exhibition in memoriam of the liberation wars against Napoleon. It was designed by the architect Max Berg and was with a width of 65 m the largest iron-steel hall at that time. Since 2006 it is an UNESCO world-heritage site. This is a view from the Pergola designed by Hans Poelzig. Today there is a Polish flag on its top (the Wroclaw flag with coat of arms). Click for a better view on a black bachground!

Church in Sella Mendez, Tarija Department (Bolivia), September 1997. In the background the hillside is called "Santa Cruz Loma" (Ridge of the Holy Cross) and it is completely built out of lower Ordovician rocks (ca. 470 Ma) of the Sella Formation with a very famous fossil site just behind the church... Note: This image is scanned from a slide with Hamrick Vuescan on a Reflecta Crystalscan 7200 (Primefilm PF 7250 U).

pinnacles of the Cathedral of Milan in the sun, converging into the Infinite Note: This image is scanned from a slide with Hamrick Vuescan on a Reflecta Crystalscann 7200 (Primefilm PF 7250 U).

A look through the wall towards the northern flank of the Renaissance Castle of Bernburg (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) which is already reconstructed.

Flowering poppy at a rape field in front an old wooden barn. In Ramin, northwestern Uckermark (Pomerania, Germany).

Contrasts in architectutre - a visit from Stralau (Berlin-Friedrichshain) towards the Treptower of the Allianz insurance (Berlin-Treptow).

This old chimney rises behind a new apartment building directly at the river Spree, Berlin-Friedrichshain.

Central aisle, side aisle and bell tower of the St.-Jacobi-Basilika in Berlin-Kreuzberg. St. Jacobi was built in 1844/1845 in an early christian, italian style after plans of Friedrich August Stüler, the successor of Schinkel. It was burnt down in the final days of World War II and then rebuilt. It is a very simple church inside and outside and the oldest Basilika of Berlin.