Graben SquareVienna's Grand Piazza

La Sonnambula
The Sleepwalker
"Ah, non credea mirarti
sì presto estinto, o fiore
passasti al par d'amore
che un giorno sol durò" *)
Caryatid at the corner of
Graben, Bognergasse
and Tuchlauben

Yesterday's was one of those grey mornings
where the whole city seems to be wrapped
in grey cotton wool, in a dull greyness
that lacks any reflection of light
and even damps noises everywhere.

The building at center left, Graben 19,
dates back to 1798/99.
It borders to its right onto Naglergasse.
"Meinl's Café" and Delicatessen
are housed in the first and second floor of the building.
The neighbouring grey building's
most distinctive features are its two caryatids,
one at the Naglergasse corner,
the other one looking over Bognergasse and Tuchlauben.

The Meinl Moor
Looking towards Kohlmarkt from its perch
on the building next to Meinl's
Kohlmarkt

Graben
Vienna's grand piazza
or boulevard, a partial view

Grabenhof
Built by Otto Thieneman and Otto Wagner
1874/76
Graben 14-15

Josefsbrunnen
St. Joseph's Fountain
Graben

*

*) Click on the Italian text
to listen to the great Renata Scotto
singing this aria from Vincenzo Bellino's
opera "La Sonnambula" - here the translation:
"Oh, I didn't believe to see
you so quickly extinct, o flowers;
you have passed away like love
that one day only lasted."

*

The aria's words
are Felice Romani's
All other text and images
© by Merisi
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