Souvenir Shopping in Europe: Harry M’s Report

Fellow collector Harry M. recently traveled to Europe and added a few buildings to his collection. “I thought you might like to see some of the current souvenir buildings offered at Central European tourist destinations, and some older ones we found in antique shops and flea markets. Julia and I spent a month in Germany, Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary.  We visited Munich, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, as well as Salzburg. On a cruise up the Danube we visited Melk, Linz, Passau, Regensburg and Nuremburg.  We also visited Rothenburg and Newschweinstien. Along the way, they found some souvenir building.  Some are produced in metal, but resin predominates. In the photo, above, (click on it the enlarge)  there are 5 rows of 21 buildings on the tray.  From back to front, they are, Row 5: (back) Rothenburg cathedral in resin. Rothenburg cathedral in metal - old one from the 40s or 50s found in a Nuremburg antique shop. Newschwanstien castle - an old one from Ward Smith via eBay.  Anonymous Statue from Budapest city park. The Sphinz was Vienna flea market find – very heavy plastic, resin or bone to scale with lots of accurate detail. Row 4: Vienna opera house in resin. Regensburg “sausage kitchen”, an historic structure serving the local sausage since 1250. Prague City Hall as a metal jewel box. St Stevens cathedral in Vienna in pewter. Row 3: Munich town hall (Rathaus) in pewter. Passau cathedral (very ornate baroque church). St Stevens cathedral in Vienna as a metal jewel box. Salzburg cathedral. Nuremburg “beautiful fountain” in the central market square. Row 2: Munich city hall in resin. St Vitus cathedral at Prague Castle in resin. Hungarian Parliament in resin. Melk Abbey in resin. Schonbrun Palace in Vienna in resin. Row 1 (front): Rothenburg cityscape in resin, an intact medieval walled city. Newschwanstien castle, miniature in pewter. We saw lots more souvenir buildings in the tourist shops and they are nearly all resin, and many were not well done. We limited ourselves to buildings that we visited.  They are all wonderful memories of a fabulous trip.” - Harry