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Young Cain
Level 6: 1150 points
Last Logged In: June 16th, 2012
TEAM: Feral Cat Task Force TEAM: SØTA BART Psychogeographical Association Rank 3: Cartographer EquivalenZ Rank 1: User The University of Aesthematics Rank 2: Dealer Humanitarian Crisis Rank 1: Peacekeeper Biome Rank 1: Hiker Society For Nihilistic Intent And Disruptive Efforts Rank 2: Trickster


20 + 21 points

Urbane Exploration 1 by Young Cain

August 2nd, 2009 3:14 PM

INSTRUCTIONS: Find a building which is in active use. Explore it thoroughly and get to know its secrets.

Politely talking your way into the heart of the building is an excellent way to understand its psychogeography, and see how it affects those who occupy it. Your interactions with the building's owners and inhabitants (employees, residents, etc) are to be strictly positive; recruiting the authorities as guides is a far, far better thing than being ejected by them.

Completing this task in proper exploring attire, which may include such accoutrements as a waistcoat or a monocle, will likely result in additional votes.

I decided to task while in Berlin. While there I decided to perform this task because there are so many insane buildings. I decided on the Spandau Citadel because we were visiting it and it was... a castle. Does that not spell awesome?
This castle isn't still in use for its original purpose, but serves instead as a place of inspiration for artists with blocks,
I learned that artists and musicians live there on retreat. These artists rent out areas in the castle and work on reconstruction of the history through their art. This is, of course, helping to bring in the tourist crowd that comes to the city: the government AND artists win. Not too bad.
No one can take photographs of the gallery tho' and a guard threw us out because we didn't have tickets. :'[... however, we did run into a medieval instrument jam session. Supposedly an artist still crafts some instruments as well as making violins and other modern instruments.

So since this is a historic site, I guess I should include some information about it:
It was built sometime in the 14th century, it's not really specified.
The tower is called "Juliusturm" after Julius von Braunschweig-Wolffenbüttel, who served as a keep, to the last place of refuge in the fortress; the battlements were added by Schinkel. The castle served as a dungeon for prisoners, as well as a lookout because it is located on the intersection of the Havel and Spree rivers, so there's a moat around the castle to keep people in, or keep people out. Anyone coming in or going out of Berlin via the water would be spotted by the watchers at the Citadel.
It was fortified sometime in the 1500's by the Elector, who wanted to look after his estate and Berlin. The plans were made by Francesco Chiaramella de Gandino, and the first construction supervisor was Christoph Römer before Gandino took over. The building was completed in 1594 under Count Rochus zu Lynar.
The central structure of the citadel is a square pattern, with four pointed bastions known as "König", "Kronprinz", "Brandenburg" and "Königin" at the corners (clockwise from the entrance).

Also, for anyone who's ever watched "I was 19", which is a German film made in 1968, it was never filmed in the Citadel, because it was made in East Berlin while the Citadel is part of West Berlin: the Berlin Wall forced the directors to produce a partial copy in order to shoot a scene. :]

- smaller

Berlin 298.JPG

Berlin 298.JPG

We took the Berlin subway to the spandau Citadel. It costs 4 euro ($6) to ride anywhere for 24 hours.



Berlin 315.JPG

Berlin 315.JPG

A sculpture from one of the live-in artists, similar to those in the forbidden gallery.



Berlin 584.JPG

Berlin 584.JPG

This is the seal for the prussian royal family


Berlin 586.JPG

Berlin 586.JPG

Eva and I exchanging paparazzi shots



Berlin 600.JPG

Berlin 600.JPG

I wish I had a hat like this... :[



Berlin 339.JPG

Berlin 339.JPG

my hat just doesn't compare. :'[






Berlin 349.JPG

Berlin 349.JPG

I'm really inspired by the architecture in this building, it may be interesting to include it in a modern world as a part of a character's everyday life, as the artists live here and experience it as their everyday life... yum... writing insporation...




Berlin 358.JPG

Berlin 358.JPG

A little hole in the staircase, wonderful for little people like me!


Berlin 360.JPG

Berlin 360.JPG

This is sort of a storage unit for sculptures, smithing, etc. I actually learned that that's a family name. O___O


Berlin 361.JPG

Berlin 361.JPG

This is particularly gruesome, and was probably inspired by the more violent side of this castle's history.


Berlin 362.JPG

Berlin 362.JPG

we walked in on their jam session. It was amazingly sweet music, but I didn't understand the language...


Berlin 363.JPG

Berlin 363.JPG

an ancient instrument


Berlin 364.JPG

Berlin 364.JPG

I think I'm gonna make it a theme to graft my meal after the task. This was us, grouped together for dinner.


Berlin 372.JPG

Berlin 372.JPG

a salad for dinner... and while in Berlin, indulging occasionally german cusine...


Berlin 378.JPG

Berlin 378.JPG

some ridiculously artistic German dessert! Dankeshin für gerade, fröhlich aufgabe! (My attempt at: Thanks for watching, Happy Tasking!)



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posted by Not Here No More on August 3rd, 2009 10:41 AM

Dear friend, I give you my last 3 points, and I think that we need to make you a pinkelhaube for usage as taskin' gear.