Ladies and gentlemen, I want to let you all know that I will no longer make any uploads to the 3D Warehouse, since the changes in terms and conditions as set by Trimble - they require me to accept in order for me to access it, despite me having had a preexisting account - and the fact that some of my models have been either deleted or hidden from public view - as you can see scrolling down the blog.

Thus, unless otherwise stated on this same platform (i. e. my blog), all updates and pictures of new models will be published here, along with material from those models made unavailable by Trimble.

I'll see you soon.

Two more models are expected to be avaliable for Google Earth in the next days:

Let's start with U-Bhf. Hallesches Tor.

As with some other U-Bahn stations in Berlin, Hallesches Tor was named after a historical city gate, in this case, Hallesches Tor was the start of the road that led to the city of Halle upon the Saale, in present-day Saxony-Anhalt.

Hallesches Tor around 1800

The station was built close to the former location of the gate, and opened in February 1902 as part of the Stammstrecke, first U-Bahn line.

During construction, 1902

Hallesches Tor, c.1902

The station was damaged by bombing during WW2, and had to be closed in April 1945. The structure was rebuilt in the following years.

The second model is an addition to Dresden cityscape, of course, I'm talking about the Taschenbergpalais.

Taschenbergpalais, Sophienkirche and Zwinger c. 1940

This baroque palace was built by Johann Friedrich Karcher for Countess Anna Constanze of Hoym between 1705 and 1708. This structure stood there for over 230 years, before being heavily damaged by the Allied bombing that destroyed most of Dresden in February 1945. The ruins would remain there for the next 47 years, until the construction of the current structure, which serves as a Kempinski hotel since its completion in 1995.

The Taschenbergpalais ruins in 1990

And for anyone who hasn't noticed it yet, the Berliner Stadtschloss is avaliable for download as a KMZ file since January 17th, to conmemorate the creation of the Kingdom of Prussia and the proclamation of the German Empire in January 18th, 1701 and 1871, respectively. Enjoy!

Dresden again (I)

In the last two weeks you might have noticed three more models of mine, this time in the Saxon capital city of Dresden. Since last April the Zwinger palace has been avaliable in Google Earth, and now more models are ready to be shown close to it.

Let's start with the Sophienkirche.

The story of this church started in the year 1272, when the Franciscans built a monastery (Franziskanerkloster) in the arounds of the city walls and what was to become the Dresden Castle. In the first half of the 14th century, the first structure was demolished, and a new, larger one was built, with the distinctive two choir areas.

Klosterkiche and monastery around 1550

Around 1541, in the time of the Reformation, the monastery was abolished and the Franciscans left the place. The building stood empty until it was reopened as a Lutheran church by Sophie of Brandenburg in 1610. In the following century, the Sophienkirche also became the city's Evangelical court church (Evangelische Hofkirche). Another change around the same time was the installation of a Silbermann pipe organ between 1718 and 1720, in which Bach probably performed (It shoud be noted that his son Wilhelm Friedemann was organist in the church from 1733).

Source: bildindex.de

Starting from 1864, the church configuration was modified - the baroque side tower was replaced by two neogothic spires and aisles were also added, although the Gothic nave from 1331 and the Busmannkapelle from the early 15th century remained with only minor modifications. The last prewar change were the copper-covered spires that from 1932-3 replaced the neogothic ones, which by that time were neglected because of the weather.

Before 1864

Around 1890

After 1933

Although the church, like most of Dresden, was gutted by fire as a consequence of the devastating air raids of 13-15 February 1945, the main structure remained in a relative good condition (see this photo from 1960). Some elements, like the Nosseni and Sacristy Altars were salvaged, before the ruins of the oldest church in Dresden were blown up in 1962 under SED decree. The party chief Walter Ulbricht had commented before, "A Socialist city does not need Gothic churches!".

Starting from 2009, a memorial has been under construction. Resembling the Busmannkapelle, it's scheduled to be finished this year, although no project for the church as a whole has been planned yet.

Other buildings like the Altstädtische Hauptwache were spared from total destruction. This structure was built by Joseph Thürmer following plans by Schinkel in 1830-32 as a guardhouse for the Royal Castle, located just across the street. After WW2, the city government decided to keep and restore the outer walls, although a new, modernist interior was built.

Last in this post, but not less important, is the Monument to King John of Saxony. Located in the center of the Theaterplatz, this memorial consists in a equestrian statue cast by Johannes Schilling in 1889.

Schneidemühl II - Main station and demolished church

In the last two weeks I have uploaded some new models to the Warehouse. Almost all of these buildings are located in Schneidemühl, today Piła, in Poland. The first one is the Piła Main Station complex, known as Piła Główna in Polish.

The Hauptbahnhof Schneidemühl complex was built between 1851 until the 1876, when the city was part of the Province Posen in the Kingdom of Prussia. By those years, the complex, which included a train depot 430 m. eastwards, became an important part of the Prussian Eastern Railway that connected Berlin with Königsberg, and in the following years new lines were built connecting Piła with Posen, Neustettin, Flatow, Bromberg, Danzig, Frankfurt on the Oder and Wałcz (Gr. Deutsch Krone).

Picture from schneidemuehl.net.

The station was extended westwards in the 1920s, by those years the building lost its initial ornaments and took its current shape. The building survived WW2 unscathed.

Regarding the train depot from 1874, it fel into disuse in the 1990s. The main part of the depot, i.e. the roundhouse, is waiting for a restoration. You can find more information and pictures in this website (not mine).

The next model is the Johanniskirche, which didn't have enough luck to survive to these days.

Picture from schneidemuehl.net.Note that the house next to it is still standing.

The Protestant Church of St. John (św. Jana in Polish) was built between 1909 and 1911 in a Neogothic style by German architect Friedrich Oskar Hoßfeld as home to a United Prutestant congregation.

Picture from dawna.pila.pl.

As you can see above, the church resulted with moderate damage (the roof and spire burned down), but could have been easily restored. However and as usual, the Communist government decided to blow up the building, as it did so in the 1950s. Three other churches suffered a similar fate.

As happens usually with other buildings that do not exist anymore, the geometry work was the easy part. However, looking for other churches with similar caracteristics and some reference pictures was enough to get such a beautiful result. I hope this model to serve as a basis for a future reconstruction in Piła, one day. Enjoy.

Königsberg Castle

Place of coronation of two Prussian Kings (Frederick I as King in Prussia and Wilhelm I, future German Emperor), by 1861 the Königsberg Castle was more than the walls and towers of the once Teutonic fortress. When Wilhelm I was coronated, the castle had incorporated the old defensive walls dating back from the Teutonic period (15th century), the Brick Gothic church (Schlosskirche) from 1594, the "Blood Court" (Blutgericht), a wine cellar built in the late 14th century, and some recent structures from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Konigsberg Castle: Brick gothic church and tower (middle), Blutgericht (right)

The Haberturm was the oldest tower (built ca. 1255) of the castle. It was the northeastern tower of the Schloss and a distinctive part of it, being visible from the other bank of the Schlossteich (Castle pond).

The castle contained also the Prussian Collection, with exhibits from the Prussian State Library and many art works.

All of this burnt down after the savage attack carried out by RAF in August 1944 - more than 800 airplanes bombed the city centre. Minor bombings by the Soviet air force, and later the Battle of Königsberg further damaged the castle. After the war, the Altstadt was no more than some destroyed buildings, the Königsberger Schloss and the shell of the Cathedral.

Königsberger Dom (Cathedral) as seen from the ruined Castle, 1949.

Despite all, the Castle walls remained standing. The end definetely came in 1968, when USSR leader Leonid Brezhnev decided to delete any sign of German past. The Schloss survived the first blast, - as a last showing of defiance to the Reds - that only torn down the brick gothic tower. A second explosion erased from Earth the remaining parts of this jewel (called "a symbol of Prussian fascism" by the Soviets, as other palaces like the Stadtschlösser in Berlin and Potsdam. The same they said, the same they did).

I have tried to make it the most accurate as possible, using a ground plan of the castle. The geometry work was the easy part - texturizing it was the difficult one. Although I could find many photos of the east, south and western parts, and three photocromes (Südseite, Ostseite and courtyard), I did not found pre-war photos of the northern side, for them I reviewed pictures displaying the ruined building.

Hope you like it.

The 'Mosque' on the Havelbucht

Until the early 1840s, the fountains on Sanssouci Park couldn't receive water from the reservoir Frederick II designated for them. In 1942 an engine built by businessman August Borsig (the original owner of the Palais Borsig in Berlin) was used to rise the water on the Great Fountain to a height of ca. 38 m. The then Prussian King, Friedrich Wilhelm IV, ordered the construction of this pumping station. Built by architect Ludwig Persius, the "Pumpenhaus" was designed with the shape of a Turquish mosque.

From Berlin to Potsdam

Two days ago, I uploaded three new models to the Warehouse. Three palaces located in Sanssouci Park.

The first one is, obviously, Schloss Sanssouci.

Easily one of the most famous palaces in Germany, Sanssouci is the former summer palace of Prussian king Frederick II, "the Great". The palace was designed by Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff following plans of Frederick himself, as a private residence for the King. The palace was built between 1745 and 1747 in the so-called "Frederician Rococo".

The palace remained as a residence of the Hohenzollern Family until Wilhelm II abtidation. From then and although the building was still property of the former Imperial family, it was no longer used as a palace.

After WWII Sanssouci became mantained by the East German government, as a tourist attraction. Following German reunification, the body of King Frederick II was returned to Sanssouci, and buried in a new tomb.

The New Palace in Potsdam (Gr. Neues Palais) was built under the rule of Frederick II, King of Prussia, to conmemorate the end of the Seven Years' War. The palace was built in a baroque style, and was intended to demonstrate the glory and power of the Kingdom of Prussia after tthe war. After his death, the palace fell in disuse until 1859, when it became the summer residence of Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, later Kaiser Friedrich III. The palace was restored under the rule of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

After German Revolution, the palace was used as a museum.

The Orangery Palace was built between 1851 and 1854 in Sanssouci Park, Potsdam, by Friedrich August Stüler, a student of Schinkel, and L.F. Hesse according to drawings by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV.

These models are only part of a group of models I will make. The group will include:

• New Chambers
• Bildergalerie
• Belvedere
• The Communs near Neues Palais
• Antique Temple
• Temple of Friedship
• Historical Windmill
• Potsdamer Stadtschloss
• Nikolaikirche, Potsdam
• And finally, maybe, Schloss Charlottenhof and the Roman Baths.

And more Bahnhöfe

Today two new models were accepted in Google Earth 3D Layer.

First, the Berlin Hauptbahnhof.



The Berlin Central Station (Hauptbahnhof, or simply Hbf) is the main railway station in Germany and the largest crossing station in Europe. It was built between 2001 and 2006 on the site of the Lehrter Bahnhof/Stadtbahnhof. The Hbf has served as the Central Station of Berlin since 26 May, 2006. Before that, a part of the in-work building was used as S-Bahnhof ("Hauptbahnhof - Lehrter Bahnhof").

Well, this model is not so new - I made (and uploaded it) on April 3th evening. The difficult part of it was the S-Bahn route, since it's made of about 20 arches, as you can see. In this model, I made only one arch, and then copied and resized it according to the width of that part.

New Mosse-Palais

The Mosse-Palais ("Mossepalais, "Mosse Palais" or "Palais Mosse") was a building located in Voßstraße, first property of Rudolf Mosse. The façade at Voßstraße was made of Sliesian sandstone, and the front at Leipziger Platz was provided with a relief of scluptor Max Klein (called "The Survey of German Genius", Die Erhebung des deutschen Genius). The old Mosse-Palais was destroyed (along other historical buildings) in November 1943 by a massive air raid.



I'm already working on the old Mosse-Palais (actually, I first started it), but since there are no more than three useful pictures, it will be difficult to get it textured soon.