Out of Prague

Today's door is very far from Prague. This door is in Neufchatel, Switzerland. In itself, the door is nothing exceptional, however, I just had to share the ensemble because of the well-done trompe l'oeil paintings on the wall next to the door.

Hey! Cheer Up!

As you can imagine, I am always on the look-out for doors, but for some reason I tend to be immediately attracted to doors that are made of wood...especially wood that isn't painted.

When I saw this door and went up close to it, I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the faces on it. They don't look terribly happy, but they do provoke one to smile due to their expressions!

I can't say what epoque this door is, but it is a rather interesting mixture of carvings...geometric, floral and figurative..at least the handle is simple and sober.

Colourful Door Monday

A red door and a lion to watch over it...what else can you ask for?

Church Door Sunday

And here we are...back in front of another church! This particular door is not used to enter the church (and no, that is not graphitti on it - just chalk indicating that the 3 kings passed on the day of the 3 kings), but I like the looks of it and the view up to it so I'm sharing it with you! Enjoy!

Interesting handle!

Sad, but Kind of Funny Door Saturday

I saw this and just had to photograph it though I'm not really sure it counts as a door like the others do. I don't quite know where it goes or what it is for, but it does have a handle, a lock and so forth so it counts as a door. I like the flower decorations on it and for once, the fact that it is really quite small...I think even I might have to stoop to walk through it! It is awfully sad though...definitely a case for the S.P.C.D. And that eye-sore of an extension cord (?) above it?? What is that??

Note: I am in Switzerland now (I have pre-posted this) for a week and will try to keep posting while here, but please forgive me if I miss a day. I do have a stock of photos to use so that isn't the problem...finding the time to post is. I will be back!!

A Door with its own Angel

This beautiful and well-cared for big door doesn't enter directly into a building, but into a courtyard...and this time I was lucky enough to have been walking by it when the smaller door was open (because yes, the whole thing does open...that car didn't get in there through the small door, afterall!).

Here is a peek at what is behind this wonderful door. I like the open sky places, the repetition of the arches and to have a tree and some garden area smack in the center of the old part of Prague? That IS heavenly!! And speaking of heaven, I like the angel above this door...even if you aren't a big fan of angels you have to admit that this one just might charm you!

A little too severe for me

Personally, I find this door heavy and a bit depressing, but someone must have liked it or it wouldn't be here. The window work is nice and if it was just up to the door itself, I would be quite fine walking through it each day to go home, but I find the frame so severe that when I see the door and frame together I have the desire to make a 180 degree turn and run off. But that's just me. Maybe you like it!

Wordless Wednesday

A Big, Beautiful Door

I like this door. I like how it is big, interesting, of a light wood, has a happy wrought-iron work design and the arch around it is also cheerful and unimposing. What I also like about this door is that you look at it and unless you see the handle right away, you aren't sure which of what looks like 4 doors is the one you open.

I don't know who had the brilliant idea to put that lime-green paint around it...I'm trying to understand what they might have been thinking when they did that, but I'm not finding an answer. Oh well, the door and frame are just the same both very lovely.

Colourful Monday

Ahh...the one good thing about Monday...it's colour day!! Yay! And today's colour is RED (well, it is more of an earthy red than a blood red!)!! We haven't seen this colour since Valentine's Day (the day I started this blog!). Well, this door is not as extravagant as that door was, but this one is in an entirely different ballpark than that one, too.

This door has a bit of both an Art Nouveau and an Art Deco feel to it... this doesn't mean that it is from either of these periods (it could have been made more recently), but as those styles have long been popular, they are used and reused and we fall for them every time (or at least I do!). No matter what, the decoration on this door made me think of Spring and since we have officially entered into Spring, I offer you this Spring-ish door!! Enjoy, and have a nice, sunny day.

P.S. Unfortunately, the handle on this door was not worth photographing up close.

Church Door Sunday

A nice church door from the Church of Our Lady of the Snows. I regret that I didn't catch this when the light was optimal, but I have to say that the shadows highlight the mosaic of the church's namesake. The door speaks for itself so I won't comment more. I will, however, say that I would highly recommend visiting this church if you don't know it (click above on the name of the church to go to a website offering more information). Our Lady here isn't terribly easy to find, but when you do, you feel as if you've found a nugget of gold in a pile of polished stones.

Sad Door Saturday

And here we are again...Saturday, the day that we all love (well, most of us love it , I think!) and the day I have dedicated to doors that deserve some love.

Today's door is, in my opinion, spectacular. When first looking at the pictures of this door, one might think that it were it not for the spray paint on it, this door wouldn't be so sad. Unfortunately, the building around this door is also sad...closed and empty shops, more spray painted walls and windows, few inhabitants, etc. I know, I find it hard to believe, too and I don't understand why this building is like it is especially considering that there are other buildings around it that look fine. I would like to believe that if it were up to this door the whole building would be alive with happiness and good and creativity, but unfortunately, this poor door, despite it's size (it is quite huge!), just doesn't have the power to change those things...the only thing that could make a difference is love. Maybe some day. I hope.

A Joyful, Bubbling Door

The initials on this door are J and B...I don't know what they stand for, but I would say anyone with those initials would be proud to think that such a nice door carries their name (well, sort of!!). This door is attractive in it's own right, but what I, personally, find appealing about it is that the door is not just rectangular shaped, but has an odd shape that goes up in the center to form a sort of arc then drops back down again for the non-opening side of the door. Ok, so you aren't as excited as I am about it, I can accept that, but you do have to admit that it does have character!

The wrought-iron work is delicate and happy (I know, how can an object be 'happy'?...you don't want to get me started on that!!) and has just the right balance of gilding to make you ALMOST believe you can hear the door giggling! And how about that door handle...is that not a very respectable door handle? Yes, it most definitely is! I do like this door!

Ladies in Waiting

I don't know why, but I saw this door and the two naked ladies sitting there above it and I thought: 'what on earth are they waiting for?' The way they are sitting there under a sort of eve, makes it look as if they are waiting for the rain to stop, but surely at some time during the last 90 years the rain has stopped long enough for them to hop down and run home, or put on a dress or do whatever they set out to do when they left home.

You know, if I was one of those ladies, I would have hopped down from that roost a long time ago...at least to go take a look at the door below or to smack upside the head whoever it was that put the stickers on the windows and installed such an eyesore of a handle! (Note: the handle was so ugly I didn't even bother to take a close-up photo of it...absolute rubbish!!) I must say though that the rest of the door and especially the windows are fabulous. Granted, there is a bit of wear and tear to the door and it is in need of a cleaning and a coat of varnish, but the beveled glass that makes up the patchwork of windows is spectacular and the three etched windows above the door are endearing.

Lovely, but it makes my teeth hurt!

What do you think? Nice door? Yeah, I think so too, so when I came across it I started taking pictures of it from a distance (the doors here ARE big - tall - so a certain distance is always necessary when photographing them or else you're bound to chop something off). It was only when I got closer to it that my smile turned to a grin...Here is why:

I can't help but 'feel' for this poor guy. Seriously, can you imagine having a door grate across your teeth all day long? The idea is hilarious, but the look on this guy's face isn't so funny so just looking at him makes my teeth ache. Poor guy!! And you can see that his neighbour above is giving him NO sympathy!

At least he doesn't have to be ashamed about the door's accessories...the round handles are really nice and the functioning door handle is also not bad!

Functionalism

This is the first door like this I have seen. The lines of this door are very clean and sober and the wood is light in colour and not too oppressive. Look at it closely and you will see that it is a combination of wood and metal.

I would guess that this door is probably from the mid 1920's because it's design appears to be a product of the Functionalism period - a period defined by simple lines, geometric elements and the embodiment of a new type of construction - a sort of rationalised response to Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Note the vaguely bird-shaped door handle and the carved scrolls - in my opinion they are a simplification of what would have appeared in the Art Deco period. It is interesting to note that the lamps on each side of this door were made in the same style as the door.

Go back to the first picture and look again at the door's frame...it is rather geometric, but does not have the same feel as the door. The rest of the building is also of a different style than this door which makes me believe that the door is a product of a later period.

Colourful Monday

Last week I titled Monday's post 'Blue Monday' (even though the door was turquoise, 'blue' just sounded better in the title). Since blue is not the only colour used for painting a door, I've decided that Monday should instead be called 'Colourful Monday'!!

Since this door is neither blue nor turquoise nor green; I would say it's 'teal'. Whether teal was its original colour, I'm not sure, but I'm guessing that it very probably was painted some colour and was not left unpainted wood. Why? Because the clean-lined stained-glass work in and above the door as well as the sober wrought-iron work covering the windows on the door easily place it in the period of Art Deco...a time when it was common to have painted doors.

One thing bothers me about this door: the combination of the pale blue glass with the teal (dark and light) on the door...I don't think these colours would have been put together when this door was originally designed so either that blue glass was put there more recently (e.g. if the window was repaired), or the original colour of the door harmonised better with the stained glass work.

(Note: I'm sorry I don't have a better photograph of this door for you...though doors are not moving objects, they can be rather elusive as they have the annoying habit of hiding behind cars and sign posts!)

Church Door Sunday

This is not the main entrance to this church (which is, in fact, part of The Clementinum - a former Jesuit college).Actually, it isn't to the church at all but to a sort of exhibit hall. (We have seen several exhibits here including Adolph Born - excellent!!). At first, I was taken in by it's size, the richness of the carvings that adorn the door and, of course, the frame. Actually, I have gone by this door several times and never noticed it because it is in a corner just behind and to the immediate left of another big door that you go through when you come from the street Krizovnicke namesti. (Note: from where I was standing to take the above picture, 105 degrees to my left and about 50 meters/yards away is the Old Town Square side of the Charles Bridge.)

But, back to our door here...if you look closer, you can see that the door was 'adapted' (probably rather recently) so that it no longer opens in the center (as typical double doors like this do), but only on the right side.

That, I can accept - with regret, that is if we don't mention those out-of-place diamond-shaped metal pieces imbedded in various areas of the door (see an example in the close-up photo above) especially where the doors hinges presumably are. What does bother ME about this door are the keyhole accessories (yes, I'm always zeroing in on these, aren't I?)...I find the style of these items extremely odd for this door. Am I wrong when I say that they have a very eastern (and a very not-in-the-style-of-this-door) feel to their design and material?

Sad Door Saturday

Another Sad Door Saturday, but unlike last week's door and the week before that, this door isn't so sad looking (though if I caught the delinquents that 'saddened' this door THEY would be sad!!). This door has many happy elements including the repeating motif across the door's top and bottom; the uniquely-shaped windows; the diamond-shaped window panes above the door; and the really nice frame which not only has a repeating floral motif, but two ladies heads there on each side of the door just waiting to welcome everyone who passes by (too bad they don't have the power to fight off the people who saddened this door!). This slightly sad door deserves to be happy again AND some respect...and maybe a new and more interesting handle!!

Goethe Institute

As you probably know, the Art Deco period (1920's) began near the end of the Art Nouveau period (1880 - 1920 +/-), which explains why you see a lot of the Art Nouveau influence in Art Deco. Simply speaking, Art Deco took what Art Nouveau started and raised it to a new level - it rendered objects even more 'design'. In my opinion, this door is clearly a product of that overlap period. The rest speaks for itself!!

Not Bethlehem

This is another of those big doors that leads to who knows what and where exactly...a corridor? a courtyard? a garage? Once again I will venture a guess. Given that this is one of those doors within a door, I would say that if we could turn the handle to this door and walk through it, we would find ourselves in a corridor and within that corridor we could continue back towards a courtyard or we could access to the rest of the building via an internal stairwell.

What I find intriguing about this door is not so much what is behind it, but what is above it...this painting:

Given the angle that I was looking at it from the street and the fact that the painting was covered with a nice layer of city dust, I was not able to make out exactly what is in the picture other than a very Mary looking woman and another woman (oh! or is that a man?!) and donkeys. Actually, it looks like a manger scene. But why is this painting over this door? I don't know the answer to that question.

As always, I had to zero in on the door accessories (as I call them). I love the strange and well-used/loved collection of handles (including one with a regal lion's head! of course!) and the battered key-hole guard that has been attached using a variety of screws. This is one of those mish-mash situations that brings a smile to my face!!

This door may not be terribly loved, but it sure has had it's share of use!

Welcome to your local Police Station!

You might not believe me, but walking through this door will lead you to a local police station. I know, not TERRIBLY inviting, but step in for a closer look. Start with the frame...it has some really nice detail work including a repeating flower-inspired motif that makes up the second inner frame; spiraling floral designs that fill the expanse above the door; a long branch of leaves that end where the tail of a fish begins; and the tiny, delicate repeating pattern that outlines the top and underneath the balcony supported by the fish/flower scroll combination.

As for the door, it is big and solid and appealing, albeit rather sober, but it too has a lovely floral motif that decorates the tops of the double doors.

I just had to add this last picture because this is something that is pretty rare, but, in my opinion, fabulous...wood cobblestones!! This picture shows the door's threshold. At the bottom of this picture are normal basalt cobblestons (which make-up the exterior/sidewalk part of the entrance to this building) then a horizontal wood threshold, then wood cobblestones (which are in the corridor). These cobblestones are made from the heart of a hardwood tree - beech? - and are usually about 4" x 4" x 4" /10cm x 10cm x 10cm in size. Once upon a time they might have been more common, however nowadays they are pretty rare. I think they are wonderful...warm and giving and far easier on the body to walk on than concrete or tiles.

The Healing Door?

I'm going to tell you a secret about me: I have a special place in my heart for all things Belle Epoque/Art Nouveau. So, when I came upon this door I just HAD to stop and admire it. I think this is a really nice door, but as you can imagine, I especially like the door's frame.

As you can see, two cherubs flank the letters HV, but I'm not sure what the H and V stand for. The HV surrounds the universal symbol for the practice of medicine making me want to believe that maybe a hospital was here, but in Czech, hospital is 'nemocnice' so this doesn't explain the H. My next guess would be that maybe a well-known doctor lived here or had his practice in this building. I would guess something like this because when you look at the door, you can see that it is clearly not the kind of door that would withstand the frequent use that an early 20th century hospital door would have to endure.

If you look close, you can see the architect's initials and the date 1903 which is when the building was built. The larger numbers in gold on each side of the door refer to the address of the building. It used to be that a building had a number according to its cadastral registry entry, which might not make any sense when looking for a building as it could be surrounded by number completely different and not in any particular order. It seems that later, more recently, the city decided to give the buildings some kind of comprehensible address numbers so the '12', which has the word 'nove', meaning 'new', below it whereas the old (or 'stare') address was 1986. (NOTE: When I originally posted this door, I thought these numbers had to do with the date of construction and reconstruction of the building, however, since then I have learned that these numbers, in fact, have to do with the physical numbering of the building.)

The only unfortunate thing about this door is that somewhere along the way, some fool allowed for the lower left part of the frame to be cut into so that the electricity box could be installed (the brown panel on the left). What a shame!

Blue Monday

Ok...so it's not really blue...turquoise? Blue Monday just sounds better than Turquoise Monday. Either way, what a wonderful color to start off the week with!

This lovely, respectable door is not terribly old (in comparison to other doors), but it does have good clean lines, a bit of fantasy and is clearly influenced by the Art Deco period. Sure, it has not been treated terribly well and I'm guessing that the plain windows were probably once either stained glass windows or patterned glass both on the doors themselves and in the window squares above the doors. I found this door charming and it 'spoke' to me so I wanted to introduce you it to you.

Church Door Sunday

Yes, I know, you're thinking: 'Wait, she's made a mistake...this can't be a church door or any door into a church!' Well, you're wrong...it is. But you are right in questioning it because it is in a really odd place: about 2 meters / 6 feet off the ground! And there are no stairs or anything below it. Nevertheless, it is a door to/into a church...I just have NO CLUE what it's used for!! Any ideas?

Sad Door Saturday

Ah, yes...once again it is Sad Door Saturday. While there are so many lovely doors in Prague, there are also countless sad ones. What you are looking at here is just another poor, sad door that deserves an intervention from the (non-existent) Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Doors (SPCD). Seriously, can you imagine the humiliation it must feel..not only has it been so thoughtlessly defaced, it's grip on life has been taken away from it as well!