Steve's Genealogy Blog

The Canals of Amsterdam

Posted on August 23, 2010 by Steve

While in Amsterdam, I walked along Raadhuisstraat and took photos as I crossed each of the major canals of Amsterdam . The first, the Singel was originally the moat around the medieval city of Amsterdam until 1585 . The Herengracht (Patrician’s Canal) was named after the heren regeerders who governed the city in the 16th and 17th centuries . The Keizersgracht (Emperor’s Canal) is named after Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor. The Prinsengrach (Prince’s Canal) was named after the Prince of Orange. To the casual observer, one canal looks pretty much the same as another, although I’m sure a resident of Amsterdam could easily identify which is which from the photos. If I hadn’t known which was which, I could have identified only the photo of the Prinsengracht, since that photo shows a line of people on the right, waiting to get into the Anne Frank House.

The Singel, Amsterdam

SOURCE: The Singel, Amsterdam (Amsterdam, Netherlands), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 Aug 2010.

The Herengracht, Amsterdam

SOURCE: The Herengracht, Amsterdam (Amsterdam, Netherlands), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 Aug 2010.

The Keizersgracht, Amsterdam

SOURCE: The Keizersgracht, Amsterdam (Amsterdam, Netherlands), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 Aug 2010.

The Prinsengracht, Amsterdam

SOURCE: The Prinsengracht, Amsterdam (Amsterdam, Netherlands), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 Aug 2010.

Posted in Daily Journal | Tagged Amsterdam, Baltic Vacation | Comments Off

Farewell to Stockholm

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Steve

The Grand Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden is located on part of the Saltsjön, a bay of the Baltic Sea. From the Grand Hotel one can see the Amiralitetshuset (Admiralty House) on the island of Skeppsholmen, one of the many islands that make up the Stockholm archipelago. The present designÂ wasÂ rebuilt inÂ 1844-1846 in a Neorenaissance style with turrets. The Amiralitetshuset hasÂ served various purposes in its lifetime, housing the Admiralty Board, serving as an archive, and acting as a corn stable . Today, itÂ is the home ofÂ the Swedish Tourist Association.

Looking further across the waters of the Saltsjön, one can see far into the distance, even on a day when the clouds hover low and threaten to rain, providing the opportunity for a moody photograph with dark clouds and rough waters. The third photo shows such a scene with the yellow Katarina Church to the far left. In the opposite direction, the tower of the Church of St. Jacob can be seen with flags flying nearby. And, finally, one of the few photos I have of myself taken during my trip, saying farewell to Stockholm. Unfortunately, I seem to have lostÂ the hoodie I’m wearing in this photo shortly after the photo was taken.

The Grand Hotel in Stockholm

SOURCE: The Grand Hotel in Stockholm (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Amiralitetshuset

SOURCE: Amiralitetshuset (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

A View across the Saltsjön

SOURCE: A View across the Saltsjön (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Church of St. Jacob

SOURCE: Church of St. JacobÂ (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Steve Danko in Stockholm

SOURCE: Steve Danko in StockholmÂ (Stockholm, Sweden), photographedÂ for Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Posted in Daily Journal | Tagged Baltic Vacation, Stockholm | Comments Off

St. Olov's Kirkoruin and the Mariakyrkan in Sigtuna, Sweden

Posted on August 21, 2010 by Steve

Not far from the main street of Sigtuna, Sweden lies St. Olov’s Kirkoruin, the ruins of a 13th Century Benedictine Monastery. A cemetery, including a mausoleum, lies adjacent to the ruins. Legend says that the mausoleum was built to inter an old woman who demanded that after she was interred there, the door should be locked and the key tossed through a hole in the structure so that visitors could not enter and she could rest in peace. The Mariakyrkan, or Maria Church, is also adjacent to the ruins, cemetery, and mausoleum. It is the oldest building in Sigtuna still in use, also dating from the 13th century. Inside the church is a beautiful paintingÂ entitled “Getsemane” by Bror Hjorth (1940).

St. Olov’s Kirkoruin

SOURCE: St. Olov’s Kirkoruin (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Exterior of the Mariakyrkan

SOURCE: Exterior of the MariakyrkanÂ (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Interior of the Mariakyrkan

SOURCE: Interior of the MariakyrkanÂ (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Getsemane by Bror Hjorth – 1940

SOURCE: Getsemane by Bror Hjorth – 1940Â (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

The Mausoleum

SOURCE: The MausoleumÂ (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Posted in Daily Journal | Tagged Baltic Vacation, Sigtuna | Comments Off

A Visit to Sigtuna, Sweden

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Steve

North of Stockholm lies the town of Sigtuna, the oldest medieval village in Sweden, founded around 790 AD . The town hall dates from 1744. Visitors are told that, at one time, the residents of Sigtuna all knew that a key to the town hall was hidden behind one of the shutters. On occasion, if someoneÂ had too much to drink and was reluctantÂ to deal with his wife’s scolding for getting drunk, he wouldÂ let himself into the town hall to sleep it off and then face his wife in the morning.

Stora Gatan (High Street) is the main street though the town, lined with low wooden buildings and dotted with quaint shops. Notice the dragon guarding the Tourist Information Office . Â Also on Stora Gatan is Tant Bruns Kaffestuga, a coffee house named after a characterÂ in the children’s book Aunt Green, Aunt Brown and Aunt LavenderÂ by Elsa Beskow, who lived in Sigtuna. Â More than 30 runic stones can be found in Sigtuna. The one shown here is located near Mariakyrkan, the Maria Church. The runic stone reads “The Guild-brethren of the Frisians had this stone set up in memory of their guild-brother. God help his soul. Torbjörn carved.”

Sigtuna Town Hall

SOURCE: Sigtuna Town Hall (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Dragon in Sigtuna

SOURCE: Dragon in Sigtuna (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Tant Bruns Kaffestuga

SOURCE: Tant Bruns Kaffestuga (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Runic Stone

SOURCE: Runic StoneÂ (Sigtuna, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Posted in Daily Journal | Tagged Baltic Vacation, Sigtuna | Comments Off

Trí¤dgí¥rdsgatan and Stortorget in the Old Town of Stockholm, Sweden

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Steve

A block to the south of Slottsbaken is Trí¤dgí¥rdsgatan (Garden Street) named after the Royal Gardens that were formerly maintained there. A small public square called Bollhustí¤ppan (Ball House Square) may be entered from Trí¤dgí¥rdsgatan where the diminutive statue of Jí¤rnpojke (“Iron Boy”) sits staring at the moon. Visitors leave coins and sweets for Jí¤rnpojke and rub his head in the belief that doing so will insure a return visit to Stockholm. A short distance away is Stortorget (The Big Square) with colorful buildings, the Stock Exchange Building, and a well . The Stock Exchange Building was built in 1773-1776 and now is home toÂ the Swedish Academy, the Nobel Museum, and the Nobel Library.

Trí¤dgí¥rdsgatan

SOURCE: Trí¤dgí¥rdsgatan (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Jí¤rnpojke

SOURCE: Jí¤rnpojke (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Stortorget

SOURCE: Stortorget (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

The Stock Exchange Building

SOURCE: The Stock Exchange BuildingÂ (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Posted in Daily Journal | Tagged Baltic Vacation, Stockholm | Comments Off

Slottsbacken in the Old Town of Stockholm, Sweden

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Steve

Gamla Stan is the Old Town in Stockholm, Sweden . There, on Slottsbacken (the Royal Slope), one finds the Royal Palace andÂ the Stockholm Cathedral (St. Nicholas Church). On 19 Jun 2010, just a few weeks prior to the time these photos were taken, Crown Princess Victoria (the eldest daughter of King Carl XVI Gustav and Queen Silvia) married Daniel Westling in the Stockholm Cathedral.

The Royal Palace – East Facade

SOURCE: The Royal Palace – East Facade (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

The Royal PalaceÂ from Slottsbacken

SOURCE: The Royal Palace from Slottsbacken (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

The Stockholm Cathedral

SOURCE: TheÂ Stockholm CathedralÂ (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Posted in Daily Journal | Tagged Baltic Vacation, Stockholm | Comments Off

The Vasa Museum in Stockholm, Sweden

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Steve

The Vasamuseet or Vasa Museum is located on the island of Djurgí¥rden in Stolkholm, Sweden. It is home to the Vasa, a 17th century warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was recovered after much searching on 14 Apr 1861. Remarkably, the ship remained largely intact even after over three centuries underwater, owing to the brackish nature of the water in which the ship sank.

The Vasa was built at the order of King Gustav II Adolf. Its construction took two years and the hull alone required over a thousand oak trees . On 10 Aug 1628, the Vasa set sail but, because the underwater part of the hull and the ballast were insufficient to support such a massive ship, the Vasa keeled over and sank after sailing a mere 1300 meters.

Of the original timber in the ship, over 95% survived. Six of the original ten sails have also survived. The ornamentation and detail on the hull has, of course, lost the paint that it originally had, although historians and artists have constructed replicas of the carvings and painted them as theyÂ may have beenÂ at the time the ship was constructed.

The total length of the ship, including bowsprit, was an estimated 69 meters in length andÂ 11.7 meters wide . The height of the main truck above the keel wasÂ an estimated 52.5 meters.

Model of the Vasa

SOURCE: Model of the Vasa (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

The Deck of the Vasa

SOURCE: The DeckÂ of the Vasa (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Ornamentation on the Stern of the Vasa

SOURCE: Ornamentation on the SternÂ of the Vasa (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Painted Replica of the Ornamentation on the Stern of the Vasa

SOURCE: Painted Replica of the Ornamentation on the Stern of the Vasa (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Beakhead of the Vasa

SOURCE: BeakheadÂ of the Vasa (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Gunport of the Vasa

SOURCE: GunportÂ of the Vasa (Stockholm, Sweden), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 04 Aug 2010.

Posted in Daily Journal | Tagged Baltic Vacation, Stockholm | 1 Comment

THe Church of the Rock in Helsinki, Finland

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Steve

Temppeliaukio Kirkko or the Church of the Rock, located in Helsinki, Finland, was constructed by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and completed in 1969. It was built inside a 40 foot tall outcrop of granite by blasting the granite from within. From the outside, the Church of the Rock is barely noticeable except for the copper dome just above the level of the rock. The church is a popular tourist attraction in Helsinki, serving as a Lutheran Church and hosting classical concerts. During the day, the interior of the church is well lit by natural light and is highlighted by copper accents and a dome of copper wire.

The Church of the Rock – Exterior

SOURCE: The Church of the Rock – Exterior (Helsinki, Finland), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Aug 2010.

The Church of the Rock – Interior

SOURCE: The Church of the Rock – Interior (Helsinki, Finland), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Aug 2010.

The Church of the Rock – Organ

SOURCE: The Church of the Rock -Â Organ (Helsinki, Finland), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Aug 2010.

The Church of the Rock – Copper Dome Ceiling

SOURCE: The Church of the Rock -Â Copper Dome CeilingÂ (Helsinki, Finland), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Aug 2010.

Posted in Daily Journal | Tagged Baltic Vacation, Helsinki | Comments Off

Halosenniemi – The Home of Pekka Halonen in Tuusula, Finland

Posted on August 15, 2010 by Steve

Pekka Halonen (September 23, 1865 – December 1, 1933) was a painter of Finnish landscapes and people. He lived with his family inÂ a home and studio on Lake Tuusula in Tuusula, Finland that he, himself, designed and named Halosenniemi. The beautiful and serene building is now a museum that includes original furnishings and Halonen’sÂ own art on the walls. There, on the shores of Lake Tuusula where Pekka Halonen resided, an artists’ community developed and flourished, helping to develop a sense of Finnish national identity. Halosenniemi was designed with the two story studios of Paris in mind with high ceilings and tall windows in the studio and second floor living quarters accessible by a set of stairs and a balcony that overlooked the studio. Adjacent to the house, Halonen built a sauna and, in typical Finnish tradition, the sauna also served as a laundry . Halonen stated that he never painted for anyone but himself. He feltÂ that â€œArt should not jar the nerves like sandpaper – it should produce a feeling of peace.”

Halosenniemi

SOURCE: Halosenniemi (Tuusula, Finland), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Aug 2010.

Entrance to Halosenniemi

SOURCE: Entrance to Halosenniemi (Tuusula, Finland), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Aug 2010.

Sauna

SOURCE: Sauna (Tuusula, Finland), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Aug 2010.

Laundry Room in Sauna

SOURCE: Laundry Room in SaunaÂ (Tuusula, Finland), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 03 Aug 2010.

Posted in Daily Journal | Tagged Baltic Vacation, Tuusula | 2 Comments

Ainola – The Home of Jean Sibelius in Jí¤rvenpí¤í¤, Finland

Posted on August 14, 2010 by Steve

In Finland, a short drive from Helsinki lies Ainola, the home of the noted Finnish composer Jean Sibelius inÂ Jí¤rvenpí¤í¤ on Lake Tuusula . Sibelius and his family moved into the house in 1904. During construction of Ainola, Sibelius had two requests: thatÂ his study should haveÂ a green fireplace and a view of Lake Tuusula. Sibelius’s works are widely admired and are considered to have contributed to the development of the Finnish national identity. Sibelius usually composed his works in his head, writing them down onlyÂ after he had thoroughly developed them. On his 50th birthday, he received the gift of a grand piano, which he accepted with some reluctance since he did not use a piano to compose. He preferred to work in silence and so, when his five daughters were at play, they were sure to stayÂ far enough away from the house so that their father could not hear them. Sibelius was born on 8 December 1865Â and died onÂ 20 September 1957. He and his wife AinoÂ are buried in the garden of Ainola. In 1967, a monument to Sibelius was unveiled in Helsinki. The artist, Eila Hiltunen, created an abstract sculpture of 600 hollow steel pipes welded together. Although the objective of the artist was to capture the essence of Sibelius’s music, the sculpture was so controversial that Hiltunen was asked to create an additional sculpture of the likenessÂ of Sibelius whichÂ was installed close to the original abstract monument.