Europe: Through the lens of a Home Inspector
It was a great August. I had the opportunity to travel throughout Europe, starting in Paris, and driving through parts of Italy, then taking the ferry to Croatia, driving through Bosnia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany and ending up in the Netherlands. During that time I didn’t take my “home inspector” glasses off though. I couldn’t help but marvel at the longevity of some of the structures, and notice some of the ingenious methods builders of time past used to keep their structures living a long and happy life. I’m including a lot of pictures to show you what I mean…
In Salzburg, many of the buildings have their year of construction visible. In this case, the building was erected in 1380. Obviously, a lot of care and attention to keep this structure in perfect condition.
A kitchen from the 1800’s. Amsterdam. From the museum in renovation “Christ in the Attic”, this simple kitchen from the late 1700’s would not please too many modern cooks. No indoor water system, no garburetor, no dishwasher, no microwave…
AMSTERDAM: outside of “Christ in the Attic” This is a roof drain scupper. Scupper drains provide a means for water to flow off roofs.
300 year old stairs. Imagine. These stairs are older than our country by over a 100 years. They led Catholics to a hidden church in the attic, built by an Amsterdam linen trader. Catholicism was forbidden in Protestant Holland in the 1700’s.
No water damage after 300 years.
The music/drawing room of the ballroom had an interesting ceiling treatment. The gold balls and diamond design would refract the light from the candles in the chandeliers, making the room much brighter.
Scaffolding in the Forum. I imagine a home inspector must have been around here in the last year or so, and told the owners about the “Leaky Temple” problem.
PARIS: Ceiling art. This beautiful ceiling treatment was in the Parisian Apartment. Owned by the family since 1913.