Unlike the Londoners, the inhabitants of Berlin work hard to preserve the face of their city, its uniqueness, its beautiful buildings.
The Buildings of Berlin, Part I
Opinions, art, debate
Opinions, art, debate
Unlike the Londoners, the inhabitants of Berlin work hard to preserve the face of their city, its uniqueness, its beautiful buildings.
Clarissa's Blog 
I too was disappointed with the architecture in London, the city is rather homely for all its gloried and wealthy past.
I was told that London was seen in the past by the ruling class as the place where the plebeians live, so no need to primp it up, and that great architecture is to be found in the country states peppered all over England.
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I remember thinking London was gorgeous when I went there, or at least the neighborhoods around Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park were gorgeous. Then again, coming from Miami, which never had any architecture to speak of except for those Art Deco buildings (which by 1981, when I went to Europe, were still in a neglected state, as this was before the resurgence of interest in Miami that started a few years later), and some old mansions and other things in Coral Gables, some of which (like Vizcaya) had literally been shipped over piece by piece from Spain. London was just so different from any place in the US I’d been that it was beautiful in my eyes. But Edinburgh was even more beautiful.
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When I make an effort and just stare at the Westminster Abbey, for example, and try hard to block out all the grey concrete buildings that are hemming it in, if I manage to block all that new architecture out, then the old buildings give me a sublime experience. But it’s an effort of imagination and concentration.
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I must tell you now that at one time to me even the gray, dreary concrete blocks of northern cities had a certain aesthetic. It’s just that I had grown up in a place with a different standard of what was ugly. For example, in Miami the slums tend to be brightly painted with hideous colors like that bright aqua they used to use to paint public swimming pools, because ugly paint is cheap. A lot of older poor communities consist of old wooden houses that are falling to pieces as well. Concrete-box-type many-storied apartment buildings are rare in Miami. We tend to build either small apartment complexes that are no more than two or three stories in height, single family homes, or duplexes. It wasn’t until I’d traveled a bit more up north that I began to appreciate the beauty of the colors in South Florida. It sure can be gray up here (I live in Virginia now–brick and gray abound! But also lovely Victorian homes that are sometimes kept up and sometimes are falling to pieces).
Anyway, it was difference that was beautiful to me. I was weird like that.
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I know what you mean, actually. I also like huge skyscrapers, glass, concrete, chrome, etc because I never saw that while growing up.
I just feel that historic buildings should be kept a little apart from skyscrapers because the resulting mix is confusing and weird.
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the neighborhoods around Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park were gorgeous.
This is indeed one of the nicest parts. Whenever I go there, I stay in that general area.
Also don’t get me wrong: London is a nice city. It just didn’t live to my expectations in the way Paris, New York, Venice or Barcelona did, to name a few.
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It’s great to have such well-traveled people visit the blog! 🙂
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I personally find London to be beautiful. (I have never been to Berlin though.) And, compared to American cities, it looks quite historic. 😉 But to me some of the beauty is partly just aura. I agree that it doesn’t have the historic “punch” of other European cities. I always assumed that this was because so much of central London was destroyed during the blitz? But I have no idea if that’s actually true……..
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The aura is precisely what I couldn’t manage to experience this time.
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it doesn’t have the historic “punch” of other European cities.
I really like your choice of wording.
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It is interesting to read other people’s perceptions… for myself, I rather like the juxtaposition of old with new that you find in London, though there are rather too many of the ugly grey concrete buildings in some places. It is true that the east of London in particular was heavily bombed in the blitz, destroying many old buildings there.
It is also possible that you didn’t have chance to visit some of the nicest (architectural) parts: I am fond of the Georgian townhouses and neat parks you see in Bloomsbury, and also the alleyways, guildhalls and churches that appear amongst the taller buildings in the ‘square mile’ City part of London.
Speaking of upkeep, I loved visiting Venice but was surprised and disappointed by the amount of grafitti on the buildings. I would have thought the residents would have more pride in their uniquely beautiful city.
I’m glad you had a fun trip, and that you enjoyed Hammleys and the Indian food: two great things in London for sure!
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Yes, I heard that Venice makes a sad impression on tourists for a variety of reasons.
I never got to go to Bloomsbury because there wasn’t enough time but I really want to!
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