Since I moved here,
I have walked up and down
these steps many times,
and each time it is as if
I were stepping back to a period
long before I was born,
but that feels present
all the same.
Photographed 11 November 2014
Images and Text © by Merisi
On the Strudlhof Steps in Vienna
When the leaves upon the steps are lying
from the old stairs is heard an autumn sighing
of all that's gone across them in the past
A moon in which a couple, holding fast,
embraces, lightweight shoes and heavy footfall
the mossed urn in the middle, by the wall,
outlasts the year between the wars and dying.
So much is past and gone, to our dismay,
And beauty shows the frailest power to stay.
Heimito von Doderer, "The Strudlhof Steps"
tranlated by Vincent Kling
The fountains are the icing on the proverbial cake. What a beautiful staircase.
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ReplyDeletelove the drinking fountain - hate the steps
ReplyDeleteoops .. reversed the comments .. duh . this should be golden moments well captured .. and the other should be fabulous reflection .. oy my brain is fried
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely place.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! and excellent photos
ReplyDeleteWhat a picturesque scene. The fountain with the fish encased within the stones is unique.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Merisi, I love the flow of the steps in that first picture, they way they wind up and then taper off to the left...
ReplyDeleteThank you all! :-)
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