Warsaw to Berlin from the Prussian World to Modernity
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WARSAW TO BERLIN FROM THE PRUSSIAN WORLD TO MODERNITY MAY 8-25, 2017 TOUR LEADER: THOMAS ABBOTT Warsaw to Berlin Overview From the Prussian world to modernity With extended stays in Warsaw, Krakow, Dresden and Berlin, this tour explores these fascinating cities of Central Europe, all enjoying a new Tour dates: May 8-25, 2017 vitality since the fall of the Berlin Wall. In Poland, the attractions of major centres such as Warsaw and Krakow are complemented by country Tour leader: Thomas Abbott estates and centres of religious pilgrimage. In Germany, historic buildings such as Sanssouci Palace, the Reichstag and Dresden’s Frauenkirche vie Tour Price: $9,795 per person, twin share for attention with striking contemporary architecture. The region also boasts some exceptional art and history museums, while Berlin is a centre Single Supplement: $1,790 for sole use of for contemporary arts and is currently enjoying a major cultural double room renaissance. First documented in the 13th century, the city has been the capital of the Prussian Empire, the German Empire, the Weimar Republic Booking deposit: $500 per person and the Third Reich. Since 1989 the city has relished its role as the capital of a unified and re-energised Germany. Recommended airline: Emirates Explore beautifully restored palaces along the Royal Route in Warsaw and Maximum places: 20 its environs, with visits to Nieborow and Lazienski Park and on Wawel Hill in Krakow. Learn about Poland’s extensive Jewish heritage and head Itinerary: Warsaw (4 nights), Krakow (3 nights), down the Weilieczka Salt Mine. Art and music come to the fore on Dresden (3 nights), Leipzig (2 nights), Berlin (5 Germany with performances in Leipzig and Berlin and visits to the Green nights) Vault, Albertinum and the Gemäldegalerie gallery. Date published: June 27, 2016 Your tour leader Thomas Abbott was born in the US but has lived in Germany since 1988. He holds a degree in art history and has led many cultural tours throughout Germany, specialising in the architecture of Berlin, the art of 18th-century Germany and the Bauhaus. He has led two previous tours for Academy Travel, both highly successful, and works for leading cultural travel companies in the UK and Europe. His knowledge, experience and enthusiasm contribute in equal measure to his popularity as a tour leader. “Our tour leader Thomas was excellent in all ways – his attention to detail and his superb understanding of the art, history and culture on tour. He is a gem and a wealth of knowledge.” “Tom is the best tour leader I have travelled with. He has incredible knowledge and looks after everyone individually.” Enquiries and Feedback from tour participants on Thomas Abbott’s most recent tour with bookings Academy Travel – Berlin and Beyond, May 2015. For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Erin Laffin at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email [email protected] Tour Highlights Warsaw Four nights in Warsaw, Poland’s bustling capital, spread over a broad area with diverse architecture spanning restored gothic including its palaces, brutalist communist era concrete and modern steel and glass signifying the city's tumultuous past Krakow Three nights in medieval Krakow, perhaps Poland’s most beautiful city and one of Europe's finest historic centres. Explore the charming atmosphere of the old town including the magnificent cloth hall, focal point of commercial life in the middle-ages Old Masters’ Gallery The Old Masters’ Gallery, located in the Zwinger Palace and containing European works from the Renaissance to the 18th century Charlottenberg The 17th century palace at Charlottenberg, originally built as a modest summer residence and grandly expanded with exotic internal baroque and rococo decorations and extensive formal gardens and woodlands Potsdam A day trip to Potsdam to admire the period of Frederick the Great and his enormous influence on the Prussian World including his splendid rococo Sansouci Palace, often compared to Versailles Wealth and warfare in Dresden’s Green Vault Sometime in the early 18th century Augustus the Strong, ostrich eggs and the Dresden Green (perhaps the world’s ruler of Saxony, decided to commission a suite of rooms to largest, naturally green diamond). Such precious objects are display his magnificence. Dresden’s castle had been overwhelming by reason of their quantity – but the Green enlarged during the 16th century, and purpose-built Vault also housed ingenious inventions: automaton table chambers on the ground floor of the west wing – with barred services in silver, which mechanically pour wine or send a windows, walls two metres thick and a vaulted ceiling – had model ship the length of a table to serve diners. A diorama been earmarked for a treasure chamber and palace archive. represents the wealth of Aurangzeb, emperor of the The reinforced vaults of the ceiling were painted a rich Mughals, who receives in miniature myriad dishes of gold malachite green, leading to the nickname of the Green Vault. coins and gem-studded elephants on his 50th birthday. It is Augustus undertook some reconstruction, but in the Green 58 centimetres tall, and is made of more than 4000 Vault he had a perfect space for his collection of wonder. diamonds, a single sapphire, rubies, emeralds and pearls. It cost Augustus more than the entire castle of Moritzburg. For centuries Europe’s intellectual and ruling elite had assembled cabinets of curiosities, the so-called Today, there are two Green Vaults: the so-called Historic Wunderkammers that simultaneously demonstrated Green Vault and the New Green Vault. The latter is a knowledge, connoisseurship and wealth. There was often a triumph of modern museum display, with sleek, well-lit taxonomic dimension to the collections (animal specimens, cabinets showcasing the craftsmanship of the original for example, or rare minerals), so that these cabinets of objects. It was constructed because, during the Allied curiosities were the forerunners of modern museums. bombing of Dresden in February 1945, much of the original Augustus’ treasury was no exception, with a dedication to Green Vault was destroyed. Foresight had ensured that the the decorative arts that flourished as he sponsored the majority of the precious works were moved to safety, but the sculptors, goldsmiths and painters who created beautiful Red Army confiscated most of them and they were not pieces. returned to Dresden until 1958. In the meantime, the Historic Green Vault was reconstructed to give a sense of the Ornament is the main theme of Augustus’ collection: original environment’s fusion of artefact and architecture. medieval enamels from Limoges and Renaissance bronzes And since 2013 the New Green Vault allows close from Italy; tiny, detailed artworks carved from amber or ivory examination of Augustus’ curiosities, opening a window onto (magnifying glasses are supplied for their examination); this celebrated Wunderkammer. Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the symbols B, L and D. Monday 8 May Arrive Warsaw The tour begins at the Sofitel Warsaw Victoria Hotel where we meet this evening for introductory drinks and a light dinner in the hotel. (D) Tuesday 9 May Warsaw Today is spent exploring the many interesting sites in Warsaw’s centre both, on foot and by coach. This includes the ‘Royal Route, a 10km-long boulevard of palaces, hotels Above: The Mermaid Statue situated in the Old Town is a symbol of and parks linking the royal residences of Warsaw; the walled Warsaw, armed and ready to protect the city and its people Old Town, and the Jewish district of Muranow. In the Below: The red drawing room at Nieborow featuring fine French furniture afternoon we visit the ‘Canaletto Room’ at the Royal Castle. and a portrait of Anna Orzelska, the bastard child of August II; The 20-or-so paintings in the room are of such precise detail bottom, the Palace on the Isle at Lazienski Park started as a baroque bath- that they were an invaluable historical resource in the house in 1680 before being transformed into a palace by Stanislaw August reconstruction of the city after World War II. We share a welcome dinner this evening. (B, D) Wednesday 10 May Warsaw environs An hour’s drive from Warsaw is Nieborow Palace, built in the Baroque style in 1696 and preserving its original interior, with portraits, furniture, porcelain and a library of the period. The large landscaped garden surrounding the palace is a delight. After lunch in a nearby restaurant we travel to Zelazowa Wola, birthplace of one of Poland’s most famous sons, romantic composer Frederick Chopin, and visit the modest manor house where he lived. We return to Warsaw in the late afternoon. (B, L) Thursday 11 May Lazienski palace We spend the morning at Lazienski Park and Palace, a complex of 15 buildings and numerous statues standing among trees, ponds and picturesque bridges. Lazienski was planned and built in the 1780s, at the same time Frederick the Great was working on Sanssouci at Potsdam. The afternoon and evening are at leisure. (B) Friday 12 May Towards Krakow We depart Warsaw this morning and head south, stopping to visit the Tokarni Ethnographic Park, an open air museum comprising historic 18th and 19th-century original wooden buildings exhibiting how life was lived in the region. After lunch in a local restaurant we continue to Krakow where there is time for a short orientation walk before dinner in a local restaurant. (B, L, D) Saturday 13 May Krakow Krakow, for several centuries the capital of the Polish kingdom, boasts one of Europe’s finest historic centres. We tour the Cathedral and Royal Palace on Wawel Hill, overlooking the city in the morning. In the afternoon we visit Market Square, containing the medieval church of St Mary’s and an impressive cloth hall, focal point of Krakow’s thriving commercial life in the Middle Ages.