Millennium-old masterpieces in the west of Germany — Several years ago, I heard about Romanesque architecture for the first time and was fascinated by its massive scale and elegant strictness. I dreamt about visiting Cologne one day and seeing its famous 12 Romanesque churches. …

It was the farthest I’ve ridden from Berlin — It was just a normal summer Thursday — warm, sunny, and dull. So, I decided to visit Wittenberg, an ancient town located outside the familiar Berlin-Brandenburg region. I had never ridden beyond Brandenburg on a bicycle before. Mmm, you can imagine my thrill! I quickly got out of Berlin on…

A glimpse into Ivan Trush’s and Max Liebermann’s homes — Have you ever seen a painter’s studio? Usually, we watch art in museums, isolated from where the artist created it. Today, I’ll tell you about two Impressionists who lived on the edge of the 19–20th centuries 900 km away from each other — in Lviv, Ukraine, and Berlin, Germany. …

Bauhaus masterpieces, brick Gothic, and a tree with a penis — Saturday morning, 5 a.m. The alarm I had set, hoping I wouldn’t be too lazy, rang insanely. I woke up, ate a small snack with coffee, and left the house. The streets were deserted, and the anticipation of a relaxing sunny day hovered in the air. First, I took a…

Brick gothic and night riding under the rain — It was one of those gloomy spring days when you don’t want to stick your nose out of the cozy home. So, anyway, I decided to go somewhere on a bike. I chose Jüterbog, a lovely town with medieval architecture 70 km south of Berlin. …

Fieldstone churches, brick stables, and horses — Remember, in the “The Lord of the Rings” lore, there was a kingdom of horsemen — Rohan? So, if some low-key Rohan exists in reality, I believe it’s in the Brandenburg Switzerland Nature Park, 30 kilometers east of Berlin. …

Medieval churches, frozen ponds, and gloomy wilderness — The famous painting “American Gothic” by Grant Wood depicts a grim farmer holding a pitchfork and his daughter standing near their old-fashioned house. I haven’t seen this artwork live but seems I experienced a similar effect recently. …

A 10-month photo diary about Ukrainians in Berlin and Berliners — I’ve never written end-of-year reviews, and won’t write one this time. Here is something different instead. For the last 10 months, I’ve been walking and collecting the spirit of the time we are living in. The Russian war against Ukraine feels so distant from Berlin, where I’ve been living for…

Remarkable Modernist buildings in Germany’s capital and the top tourist city of Ukraine — These two cities — Lviv and Berlin — don’t seem related, except for the fact I know both of them pretty well. I used to live in Lviv for 5 years, and I’ve been living in Berlin for 3 years now. …