Photo Gallery

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Le musée de la vice-royauté du Cuzco renferme de très belles collections d'art colonial. Sa porte d'entrée est surmontée d'un linteau où l'on aperçoit les portraits des quatre frères Pizarro.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
L'architecture coloniale d'Arequipa fait emploi d'une pierre blanchâtre très facile à travailler. Les monuments religieux sont couverts d'éléments décoratifs exécutés avec un talent remarquable.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
L'une des curieuses portes à grecque scalaire de Iñak Huyo, temple et palais des Vierges de l'île de la Lune. 2000 servants et servantes de Quilla, la Lune-Mère, prenaient soin de ce sanctuaire lambrissé d'argent et en cultivaient les terrasses étagées. Les vestales inca y filaient la précieuse laine de vigogne, entretissée de plumes de colibri et filetée d'or.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
0llantaytambo est l'un des rares et derniers bourgs authentiquement inca où les Quechuas vivent encore dans les palais ancestraux. Tel cet Indien qui coud sur le seuil d'une double portada en trapèze à l'inca.

Entrance to the Church of l’Asunción in the village of Juli on the southwest bank of Lake Titicaca, which was a religious center during the colonial period. - 1969

The front side with the portal of the colonial church of San Pedro of Zepita on Lake Titicaca. - 1976

Iglesia del Espíritu Santo of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. The first church was built in 1532 by order of Bishop Francisco Marroquín. Only the façade of the Baroque church remains, as the old church was demolished in 1899 to make way for a larger one, the construction of which took up much of the twentieth century. - 1972

Iglesia del Espíritu Santo of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. The first church was built in 1532 by order of Bishop Francisco Marroquín. Only the façade of the Baroque church remains, as the old church was demolished in 1899 to make way for a larger one, the construction of which took up much of the twentieth century. - 1972

In a country where the sand is 75 degrees Celsius in summer, the main architectural problem is to create shady and cool zones. The oasis dwellers are masters in this difficult art, as here in the Bordj of Chinguetti in Mauritania. - 1970

The house door of Sassoul Moulaye in Oualata. Here the masonry is not made of stones, but of unbaked mud bricks dried in the sun and joined together with an earth mortar. Remarkably solid, as long as it does not rain, these buildings have the disadvantage of dissolving in water with astonishing rapidity, which is why constant attention must be paid to the condition of the roof. - Mauritania - 1970

This gate in Oualata (Ouig Bir) impresses with its monumental appearance. But stylistically it is already strongly influenced by nearby Mali, the home of such rich and diverse Sudanese art. Here, the masonry is no longer made of stones, but of unbaked mud bricks dried in the sun and joined together with an earth mortar. Remarkably solid, as long as it does not rain, these buildings have the disadvantage of dissolving in water with astonishing rapidity, which is why constant attention must be paid to the condition of the roof. - Mauritania - 1970

Timimoun is located north of Adrar in Algeria. The town was a caravan site where, for centuries, grain, textiles and other valuable goods from the north were exchanged for metals and ivory from the south. - Algeria - 1971

A woman steps through the ornate gateway into the City Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. Above the entrance hangs the distinctive golden coat of arms of the Mewar dynasty. The emblem is deeply rooted in Rajput history and symbolises the alliance and strength of the empire: on the left is depicted a warrior of the Bhil tribes (Rana Punja Bhil), on the right a Rajput warrior (Maharana Pratap). This symbolises the alliance between the tribal peoples and the ruling family. Above the shield stands the Sun with a Face, the symbol of the House of Mewar, which traces its lineage back to the Sun Dynasty (Suryavansha). At the bottom is the motto: ‘Jo dradh rakhe dharame, tahi rakhe kartar’ (He who holds fast to his faith/duty will be protected by the Creator). – 1990

The historic Suraj Pol (also known as the Sun Gate or Surya Gate) is one of the four successive, massive fortified gates of the famous Jaisalmer Fort in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The gate was built in 1594 and is deliberately designed in a zigzag curve. This military tactic prevented attackers (particularly those with war elephants) from gaining sufficient momentum to breach the gate with battering rams. Above the archway is a delicately carved, semi-circular stone relief imitating traditional Rajasthani motifs. – 1990

One reaches the citadel of Jaisalmer through the magnificent Surya Pol gateway, with its richly chiselled, harmoniously structured façade. Jaisalmer’s decline began with the development of the major sea routes, before the railway dealt the final blow to the caravan route through the desert. The partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 then put a definitive end to trade with the Indus Valley. However, the constantly simmering conflicts between the two neighbours gave the region a new strategic importance, with the result that today the army and tourism are the city’s main sources of income. – 1990

The building depicts the magnificent Tilon Ki Pol gateway leading to the artificial Gadisar Lake in the desert city of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Constructed from the region’s characteristic golden-yellow sandstone, this two-storey gateway has one of the most fascinating histories. It was commissioned in the 14th century by a wealthy and famous royal courtesan named Tilon. The then ruler (Maharawal) of Jaisalmer initially rejected the structure. As he used the lake regularly, he felt it was beneath his dignity to pass under a gate financed by a courtesan. He threatened to have the gate demolished. Whilst the king was away on a journey, Tilon had the gate completed without further ado. To permanently prevent the threatened demolition, she placed a statue of the god Vishnu (often described as a Krishna temple) atop the gate. As the building was thus regarded as a sacred site, the king was no longer permitted to destroy it. The gate is notable for its classic Rajput architectural style: the jharokhas are delicate, stone-carved, balcony-like bay windows typical of the architecture in Jaisalmer. Two striking pavilions (chattris) crown the outer corners of the gate. Through the large main arch of the gate, one looks directly out onto the calm waters of Gadisar Lake and the small shrines built within the lake. - 1990

The intricately carved torana (ornate gateway) of the historic Lodhurva Jain Temple near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. It is an outstanding example of Maru-Gurjara architecture (also known as the Solanki style). The entire structure is built from the characteristic golden-yellow Jaisalmer sandstone. In Indian temple architecture, a torana symbolises the solemn transition from the secular outside world into the sacred, spiritual realm of the temple. The original temple complex was built as early as the 9th century, when Lodhurva was still the capital of the Bhati Rajputs. Following severe destruction caused by invasions, this magnificent gateway was faithfully reconstructed in 1615 AD. – 1990

This intricately carved stone façade is located in Jaisalmer Fort in Rajasthan. The fort is world-renowned for its yellow sandstone architecture, which is why it is also known as the ‘Golden City’. The walls are made of local yellow sandstone, which has been assembled without mortar using traditional construction methods. The door on the left has a magnificently carved frame featuring floral patterns and reliefs depicting peacocks and a central wheel (chakra). The ornate, metal-studded wooden doors reflect the region’s classical craftsmanship. – 1990

The photograph shows the richly carved stone gateway of the historically significant Casa de la Inquisición (also known as the Casa de Cuentas) on the Plaza de Armas in the town of Juli in the Puno region. The portal, in the colonial Andean style, is characterised by finely crafted reliefs, columns and an 18th-century coat of arms. Juli lies on the shores of Lake Titicaca and is renowned for its significant colonial-era religious and secular architecture. – Book: Image 132 – Peru – 1976

This is one of the unusual gateways featuring the stepped meanders of Iñakuyu, the palace and temple of the maidens on the Moon Island. 2,000 male and female servants of the moon goddess Quilla tended this silver-clad sanctuary and cultivated the terraced fields. The Inca vestal virgins spun their precious vicuña wool there and wove it together with hummingbird feathers and gold. – Bolivia – 1976

This photograph depicts an everyday scene of local women and men on the steps in front of the ornate wooden gate of the Basílica de San Francisco in La Paz, Bolivia. The backdrop is a prime example of what is known as Mestizo Baroque (also Barocco Mestizo). This architectural style blends European Catholic architectural traditions with indigenous motifs and symbols from the Andean region. The artistically carved stone columns on the left of the picture display these typical, intricately detailed reliefs from the colonial era. – Bolivia – 1976

Man carrying a coffin in Potosí, Bolivia. In funeral rites, ancient indigenous beliefs are intertwined with certain Catholic elements. For example, a wake (velorio) is held, during which provisions for the journey are placed around the body alongside candles. The soul of the deceased travels for eight days to all the places the deceased had visited during their lifetime. On the eighth day, it returns, whereupon the deceased’s clothes are burnt. - Book: Picture 121 - Bolivia - 1976

A scene from the streets of Bolivia: In Potosí, a street vendor waits for customers; she is wearing the hat characteristic of this region. - Book: Picture 147 - Bolivia - 1976