Where in the World Archives

St. Mark's Campanile (Venice, Italy)

December 1969 Issue

St. Mark's Campanile (Venice, Italy)


Dominating the skyline of Venice, Italy, the 323-foot-tall St. Mark's Campanile is located in St. Mark's Square, and at its base is a loggia and balcony, all designed and built by Jacopo Sansovino between 1537 and 1549. The balcony was the subject of our May photo.

Three marble friezes, carved by students of Sansovino, front the balcony. The two seen in our May photo are (at left) the personification of Venice as the goddess of Justice, holding a sword and seated on a lion throne, and (to the right) an allegorical representation of the island of Cyprus, then part of the Venetian Republic. To the far left, not seen, is a representation of Crete.

Eight correct answers were submitted naming the location shown in the photo, and RAYMOND PRINCE of Maple Valley, Washington, won the drawing. We thank David J. Patten of St. Petersburg, Florida, for submitting the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Nanci Alexander, Lexington, KY; Lottaine Banfi, Jackson, NJ; Richard E. Hart, Renton, WA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; WINNER: Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Francine A. Silberman, Dunedin, FL.
Monument to Independence of Turkmenistan (Ashgabat)

December 1969 Issue

Monument to Independence of Turkmenistan (Ashgabat)


The structure shown in our April 2020 mystery photo is something that is seen by virtually everyone visiting Ashgabat, the capital of the Central Asian country of Turkmenistan. Sometimes referred to as “The Plunger,” the Monument to the Independence of Turkmenistan is 299 feet tall. Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov, who ruled the country until his death in December 2006, ordered the monument's construction, which began in August 2006. (The country's date of independence was Oct. 27, 1991.)

The monument is surrounded by 27 gold-plated statues. The statue shown in the foreground of April's picture depicts Oguz Khan, a mythical figure usually considered to be the founder of the Turkmen people.

Fifty-eight correct answers were submitted naming the location shown in the photo, and STEVEN CLIFT of North Little Rock, Arkansas, won the drawing. We thank Dan Lundberg of North Miami, Florida, for submitting the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Lucyna Boyle, Mesa, AZ; Michael Brandt, El Dorado Hills, CA; Debra Brown, Malvern, OH; Bob Canepa, Mill Valley, CA; Michael Chrusciel, Riverview, MI; WINNER: Steven A. Clift, North Little Rock, AR; Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; Erika Daileda, Torrance, CA; John Deppman, Fort Myers, FL; David Eickhoff, Burton, TX; Sandy & Jim Farrell, Fort Worth, TX; William Fitzgerald, Torrance, CA; Willis Frick, San Clemente, CA; Willis Frick, San Clemente, CA; Loren Gardner, San Diego, CA; Stanley Gorcik, Buffalo Grove, IL; Susan Greek, Corona, CA; Brice Harris, Pasadena, CA; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Doranne Jacobson, Springfield, IL; Stephen Jeffries, Centennial, CO; Andrea Jones, San Francisco, CA; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Margaret Kilgore, Sharpsburg, GA; George C. Kingston, East Longmeadow, MA; Susan Kipp, Oyster Bay, NY; Sarah Kirtland, New York, NY; Kathryn Kostrub, Landisville, PA; Fred Kranz, Potomac, MD; Mary Lao, San Francisco, CA; Phil Lutzi, St. Pete Beach, FL; Greg Mannion, Fountain Hills, AZ; William B. Mason, Jr., Tampa, FL; Bennetta McLaughlin, Dallas, TX; Ron Merlo, Glendale, CA; Margaret Norman, Gurnee, IL; Tom O'Hara, San Luis Obispo, CA; David J. Patten, St. Petersburg, FL; Carol Peim, Hendersonville, NC; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Marcia Ritter, St. Louis, MO; Pam Ross, Louisville, KY; Tricia Schierman, Richland, WA; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Rick Sinding, Princeton, NJ; Yvette Wigman-Childers, Honolulu, HI; Steven Zhong, South San Francisco, CA; Margaret J. Zimmerman, Austin, TX.
Empress of Ireland Pavilion (Rimouski, Québec, Canada)

December 1969 Issue

Empress of Ireland Pavilion (Rimouski, Québec, Canada)


Just two years after the sinking of the Titanic, another maritime disaster, one that took the lives of more than 1,000 passengers, occurred near the mouth of the St. Lawrence River in northeastern Canada. On May 29, 1914, the RMS Empress of Ireland collided with a Norwegian ship, the SS Storstad, and sank within 14 minutes.

In commemoration, the Empress of Ireland Pavilion, designed to resemble a sinking ship, was built at the Pointe-au-Pere Maritime Historic Site near Rimouski, Québec, and opened in 2000. More than 200 artifacts from the wreck are displayed in the museum, along with photos and written accounts from passengers and their descendants. Visitors also can experience a multimedia show called “The Last Journey.”

Ten correct answers were submitted naming the location shown in the March photo, and PAMELA ROSS of Louisville, Kentucky, won the drawing. We thank Marilyn Jestes of Roulette, Pennsylvania, for submitting the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Graham C. Miller, Alhambra, CA; Ardith Ortgies, Des Moines, IA; Carol Peim, Hendersonville, NC; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; WINNER: Pamela Ross, Louisville, KY; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA.
Big Fiddle of the Ceilidh (Nova Scotia, Canada)

December 1969 Issue

Big Fiddle of the Ceilidh (Nova Scotia, Canada)


Any attraction referred to as “world's largest” is likely to be at least a little bit famous, so it's no wonder so many of our readers correctly named the location in our February mystery photo.

What is believed to be the world's largest illuminated fiddle stands on the waterfront next to the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion in Sydney, on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Designed by Sydney artist Cyril Hearn, the 60-foot-tall, solid-steel fiddle was unveiled in January 2005.

In honor of the area's Celtic community, the fiddle was officially named Fidheal Mhor A' Ceilidh, or Big Fiddle of the Ceilidh. (Ceilidh is Gaelic for “social visit.”)

Seventy-four correct answers were submitted naming the location shown in the February photo, and MARVIN SOFFER of Boynton Beach, Florida, won the drawing. We thank Susan Darsey of La Selva Beach, California, for submitting the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Eugene Adelmann, St. Louis, MO; Lynn Boreson, Madison, WI; Lucyna Boyle, Mesa, AZ; Mark A. Brown & Cathy Wooley-Brown, Brandon, FL; Mary Carlson, Mission Viejo, CA; Anna Causey, Marietta, GA; Jill Cohen, Stony Brook, NY; Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; Patricia de la Cuesta, Redondo Beach, CA; John C. Deppman, Fort Myers, FL; Donald Eager, San Jose, CA; Diane Powell Ferguson, Scottsdale, AZ; Patricia Fickess, Fresno, CA; Amelia Finan, Annapolis, MD; Linda Fornelli, Carlsbad, CA; Mary Lou Fournier, Oro Valley, AZ; Willis Frick, San Clemente, CA; Charmaine Furman, Palo Alto, CA; Judy Garrett, Rochester Hills, MI; Russell Gluck, Franklin Lakes, NJ; Ken Gould, Clearwater, FL; Jane A. Green, Montvale, NJ; Cheri Guariglia, Pompano Beach, FL; S. Hains, Austin, TX; Lynn Harris, Plano, TX; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Jim Hinkle, Alameda, CA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Kembell Huyke, Flushing, NY; Stephen Jeffries, Centennial, CO; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Beryl Kay, San Francisco, CA; George C. Kingston, East Longmeadow, MA; Gert Kipnis, Tucker, GA; Judee Kline, Cecil, WI; Jason Kornmueller, Lake Forest, CA; George O. Lange, San Diego, CA; Mary Lao, San Francisco, CA; George Lauscher, Pocono Summit, PA; Vince Liggio, Norwalk, CT; John Lucas, Richmond, VA; John Maas, Raleigh, NC; Earl Mack, San Ramon, CA; Sharon A. Mazurek, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI; Barbara McMahon, Williamsburg, VA; Pat McMindes, Plano, TX; Robert Morton, St. Louis, MO; Jack Moss, Flowery Branch, GA; Barry & Ann Muhs, Rochester, NY; Dave Netzer, West Barnstable, MA; Margaret Norman, Gurnee, IL; David O'Donnell, Sacramento, CA; Sari E. Oosta, Owens Cross Roads, AL; Carol Peim, Hendersonville, NC; Glenn Peterson, Carlsbad, CA; Beth Podol, El Paso, TX; Betty Podol, Reston, VA; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Robert Quillin, Centennial, CO; Deb Riley, De Pere, WI; Marcia Ritter, St. Louis, MO; Pam Ross, Louisville, KY; Wanda Ross, Tucson, AZ; Barbara Ryan, Naples, FL; Lorenz Rychner, Denver, CO; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Gladys Sheldon, Oconomowoc, WI; Charles Shelleman, Arlington, VA; James Smith, Gilbert, AZ; WINNER: Marvin Soffer, Boynton Beach, FL; Shawn Sweeney, Santa Fe, NM; Ken Turja, Indialantic, FL; John Weiss, Canton, CT; Phil Youngberg, Dunwoody, GA.
Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral (Granada, Nicaragua)

December 1969 Issue

Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral (Granada, Nicaragua)


According to some sources, the first version of Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral (the subject of our January mystery photo), located in Granada, Nicaragua, was built almost 500 years ago, in 1525. Despite its having suffered fires twice by 1578 (the original building included a straw roof), it became known as La Iglesia Bonita (The Beautiful Church). It wasn't until 1751 that the structure was rebuilt with more durable materials: stone and and brick.

In 1856, the church was completely destroyed by American-born mercenary William Walker. In 1915, three years after the Roman Catholic Church created the Diocese of Granada, the church was rebuilt, its central dome now with an iron frame. In 1972, the yellow-and-white Spanish-colonial structure would reach its full measure, almost 39,000 square feet.

Twenty-one correct answers were submitted naming the location shown in the January photo, and PIOTR KUMELOWSKI of Forest Hills, New York, won the drawing. We thank Jim Simpson of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, for submitting the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Michael Brandt, El Dorado Hills, CA; Jose N. Cruz, San Antonio, TX; Juanjo Cuenca, Hollywood, FL; Marcia Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Robert Havlen, Albuquerque, NM; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; David Jack, Modesto, CA; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; WINNER: Piotr Kumelowski, Forest Hills, NY; William B. Mason, Jr., Memphis, TN; Peggy Nute, Palo Alto, CA; Arne Pedersen, Little Silver, NJ; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Robert H. Rhoads, Sullivan, MO; Pamela Ross, Louisville, KY; Karen Schaeffer, Tigard, OR; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Helga Smith, New York, NY; Linda Tabb, Champaign, IL.
'Big Seated' sculpture (Würzburg, Germany)

December 1969 Issue

'Big Seated' sculpture (Würzburg, Germany)


Gazing into the sky while seated on a stairway between the Würzburg Cathedral (Dom St. Kilian) and the Museum am Dom in the Bavarian city of Würzburg, Germany, is a life-sized iron statue that looks more like a mummy than a man. Known as the “Big Seated,” this statue was the subject of our December mystery photo.

Several years ago, after the short flight of stairs was added to improve the square's appearance, city planners realized that the stairs posed a safety hazard and ordered the museum to add a railing. Not wanting to ruin the aesthetics, the museum instead asked German artist Maria Lehnen to create a statue, which was then placed in a central spot at the top of the stairs. It's been said the bound-up man represents a way of following the letter of the law but not its spirit.

Fourteen correct answers were submitted naming the location shown in the December photo, and SIGNE HAUGEN of San Carlos, California, won the drawing. We thank Wanda Bahde of Summerfield, Florida, for submitting the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; Willis Frick, San Clemente, CA; Thomasina Gurule, Jamestown, TN; Nancy Hamilton, Red Lodge, MT; WINNER: Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Stephen Jeffries, Centennial, CO; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Carol Peim, Hendersonville, NC; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; Edward Pinsky, Montrose, NY; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Pam Ross, Louisville, KY; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Linda Vargo, Laguna Beach, CA.
Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque (Provence, France)

December 1969 Issue

Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque (Provence, France)


Founded in 1148 by Cistercian monks, the Sénanque Abbey (Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque) was the fourth Cistercian abbey founded in Provence, France. The abbey is the building pictured in our November mystery photo.

Other structures at the site were built over the next few centuries, most during the 13th and 14th centuries. During that time, the abbey operated four mills, seven granges and large estates in Provence. The lands were auctioned off during the French Revolution and, for a time, used as a farm. The French government bought the land in 1846, but serious renovation of the buildings didn't start until the 1990s.

Twenty-two correct answers were submitted naming the location shown in our November mystery photo, and TIMOTHY SLATER of New Orleans, Louisiana, won the drawing. We thank Nanci Alexander of Lexington, Kentucky, for submitting the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Bill Bittner, Lake Worth, FL; Judith & Chet Bowie, Kaneohe, HI; Cathy Briner, Eugene, OR; Mary Carlson, Mission Viejo, CA; Michael Chrusciel, Riverview, MI; Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; Greg Duckworth, Charlotte, NC; Rita K. Fisher, Des Moines, IA; Brinda Gala, Johnson City, TN; Benjamin Glick, Naples, FL; John Haseman, Grand Junction, CO; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Allan Little III, Atlanta, GA; Margaret Norman, Gurnee, IL; Ron Oakham, Phoenix, AZ; Robert Ono, Davis, CA; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; WINNER: Timothy Slater, New Orleans, LA; Martha Sternitzke, New Orleans, LA; Jonathan van Bilsen, Port Perry, ON, Canada; Jim Wenck, Carlsbad, CA.
Mausoleum of António Agostinho Neto (Luanda, Angola)

December 1969 Issue

Mausoleum of António Agostinho Neto (Luanda, Angola)


The final resting place of the first president of Angola (and the subject of our October photo), the Mausoleum of António Agostinho Neto rises, obelisk-like, 393 feet from the center of Luanda, the capital of Angola. Despite Neto's having died in 1979, the brutalist-style mausoleum was not completed until 2012.

As well as being a politician, Neto was known in his native country as an accomplished poet. According to some, the design of the monument is based on his poem “A Path to the Stars.” During its construction, it was locally nicknamed “Sputnik” due to its spaceship-like shape.

Ten correct answers were submitted naming the location shown in our October mystery photo, and DONNA PETERSON of Patch Grove, Wisconsin, won the drawing. We thank Gunter and Ginny Arndt of Solomons, Maryland, for submitting the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by:

John Haseman, Grand Junction, CO; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Justine Kirby, New York, NY; Earl Mack, San Ramon, CA; WINNER: Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Pamela Ross, Louisville, KY; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; JoAnn Schwartz, Los Altos, CA.
"La Conversacion" sculpture (Old Havana, Cuba)

December 1969 Issue

"La Conversacion" sculpture (Old Havana, Cuba)


In Cuba, Old Havana saw a new addition to its Plaza de San Francisco de Asís in May 2012. The bronze abstract statue seen in the September mystery photo portrays two people having a conversation. Mounted on a marble slab, “La Conversación” was created by French sculptor Etienne and donated to the city by Havana's French ambassador, Vittorio Perrota.

The missing portions of the bodies are said to represent the need to “read between the lines” when talking with others, not to mention the importance of communicating face to face instead of through social media or texting.

Twenty-three correct answers were submitted naming the location shown in our September mystery photo, and EUGENE ADELMANN of St. Louis, Missouri, won the drawing. We thank Skip Carpenter of Coronado, California, for submitting the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by:

WINNER: Eugene Adelmann, St. Louis, MO; Antoinette Anderson, Carson, CA; Bobbi Benson, Burlingame, CA; BJ Bjorklund, Frisco, TX; Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; John C. Deppman, Fort Myers, FL; Barbara L. Fenby, Marlborough, MA; Elizabeth Hamel, Monroeville, PA; Joan Hollis, Torrance, CA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Melanie Jones, Cathedral City, CA; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Beth Klob, La Junta, CO; William A. Lang, Tucson, AZ; Phil Lutzi, St. Pete Beach, FL; David J. Patten, St. Petersburg, FL; Carol Peim, Hendersonville, NC; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Lyn Scanlon, Naples, FL; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Louise Talley, Wauna, WA; John Williamson, Beavercreek, OH.
Il Pozzo dei Grifi e dei Leoni (Montepulciano, Italy)

December 1969 Issue

Il Pozzo dei Grifi e dei Leoni (Montepulciano, Italy)


Almost 500 years ago, in 1520, Renaissance architect Antonio da Sangallo (Sangallo the Elder) built the structure shown in our August mystery photo. Sometimes referred to as a fountain, the well is called Il Pozzo dei Grifi e dei Leoni (the Well of the Griffins and Lions), and it can be found in the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, central Italy.

Located in the Piazza Grande, the well is situated between the Palazzo Nobili Tarugi and the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo. Two stone lions sitting atop it hold the Medici coat of arms.

Twenty-four correct answers were submitted naming the location shown in our August mystery photo, and MICHAEL BRANDT of El Dorado Hills, California, won the drawing. We thank Gordon Kitchens of Atlanta, Georgia, for submitting the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by: Nanci Alexander, Lexington, KY; Cynthia Anchondo, Moreno Valley, CA; Vince Anderson, Tempe, AZ; Svetlana Bogorad, Cherry Hill, NJ; WINNER: Michael Brandt, El Dorado Hills, CA; Cathy Briner, Eugene, OR; Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; Willis Frick, San Clemente, CA; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; George C. Kingston, East Longmeadow, MA; Rick Madden, Frisco, TX; Bill Mainar, Paris, TX; Barbara McMahon, Williamsburg, VA; Margaret Norman, Gurnee, IL; Carol Peim, Hedersonvile, NC; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Marcia Ritter, St. Louis, MO; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Gladys Sheldon, Oconomowoc, WI; Jonathan van Bilsen, Port Perry, ON, Canada; Charles Zahn, San Diego, CA.