Where in the World Archives

'Garbage' fish - Helsingor (Elsinore), Denmark

December 1969 Issue

'Garbage' fish - Helsingor (Elsinore), Denmark


Ecology meets art in the unusual sculpture that sits on the King's Quay in Helsingor (Elsinore), eastern Denmark, the location of our November mystery photo. Part of a community art project known as "Life in the Sound," this large, colorful fish on the marina near Kronborg Castle was completed in 2014 by Japanese artist Hideaki Shibata, who is also known as Yodogawa Technique.

Yodo-Tech has constructed several sculptures like this one, comprised of garbage and miscellaneous floating objects that have drifted to shore or onto riverbanks, in an effort to raise public awareness of environmental issues. In addition to giant fish, he has created other types of art in various parts of the world, primarily in Japan.

Twenty-four correct answers were submitted, and CAROL PEIM of Hendersonville, North Carolina, won the drawing. We thank Skip Carpenter of Coronado, California, for submitting the picture.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Shirley & Victor Becker, Skokie, IL; Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; Elfrena Foord & Bruce Hester, Sacramento, CA; Lenore Haber, Delray Beach, FL; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; David Jack, Modesto, CA; Stephen Jeffries, Centennial, CO; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Theodore Liebersfeld, Boynton Beach, FL; Judith Newell, Chicago, IL; Cheri Ng / Dorothy Pidgursky, San Ramon, CA; James B. Oerding, Capay, CA; Mukesh R. Patel, Duluth, GA; WINNER: Carol Peim, Hendersonville, NC; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove WI; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Marcia Ritter, St. Louis, MO; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Judy Spielman, Philadelphia, PA; Babette Thorson, Bethany Beach, DE; Charles Twine, Durham, NC; Jonathan van Bilsen, Port Perry, ON, Canada; Jan Wleugel, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Observation tower in Riga, Latvia

December 1969 Issue

Observation tower in Riga, Latvia


The location of the building shown in our October mystery photo was, apparently, a mystery to all of our readers, as NO correct answers were submitted.

The 115-foot-tall observation tower pictured can be found in Riga, Latvia, next to a cultural center in Ziemelblazma Park. From the top of the tower (reached, for €1, by elevator or stairs), visitors can see across the city of Riga to the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea. During the annual Festival of Light, the tower, which was built in 2012, is lit up from the interior, transforming its appearance into that of a lighthouse.

Because the person who submitted the photo — JONATHAN van BILSEN of Port Perry, Ontario, Canada — was successful in stumping our readers with this photo, he is this month's winner.
'Dog of Flanders' sculpture - Antwerp, Belgium

December 1969 Issue

'Dog of Flanders' sculpture - Antwerp, Belgium


One hundred forty-five years ago, in 1872, English author Marie Louise de la Ramee (aka Ouida) wrote a children's book that would go on to become so popular in South Korea and Japan that residents of those countries considered the book a classic. However, "A Dog of Flanders" wasn't even heard of in Belgium, where the tragic story takes place, until 1987. Inspiration for the sculpture shown in our September 2017 mystery photo comes from the Christmas tale's main characters: Nello and his dog, Patrasche.

Nello and Patrasche become inseparable and suffer a series of tragedies, at one point seeking shelter at the Antwerp Cathedral. As sculpted by Belgian artist Batist Vermeulen (Tist), the white-marble characters, who are lying together under a blanket of cobblestones, are now part of the plaza in front of the Cathedral. They were unveiled in December 2016, thanks to a contribution from a Chinese businessman.

Thirty-four correct answers were submitted, and PATRICIA TEWKSBURY of Tucson, Arizona, won the drawing. We thank Linda Beuret of Santa Barbara, California, for submitting the picture.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Nanci Alexander, Lexington, KY; Lisa Anway, Pebble Beach, CA; Shirley & Victor Becker, Skokie, IL; Lynn Boreson, Madison, WI; Lucyna Boyle, Mesa, AZ; Doug Clark, San Diego, CA; Terrel M. Emmons, Springfield, VA; Diane Powell Ferguson, Scottsdale, AZ; Carol I. Gleason, Newberg, OR; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Gary Hurt, Carolina Shores, NC; Andrea Jones, San Francisco, CA; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Robert Kaplan, Silver Spring, MD; Stan Kimer, Raleigh, NC; George C. Kingston, East Longmeadow, MA; Sarah Kirtland, New York, NY; Margitta Lebofsky, Kansas City, MO; Theodore Liebersfeld, Boynton Beach, FL; Diane Link, Pacific Palisades, CA; Mary Anne Lynch, Chicago, IL; Elizabeth McDonald, Alexandria, VA; Barbara Mojazza, Plano, TX; Sherri Morgan, Denver, CO; Margaret Norman, Gurnee, IL; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Dolores Rickenbach, Unadilla, NY; Marcia Ritter, St. Louis, MO; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Frances Symons, San Diego, CA; WINNER: Patricia Tewksbury, Tucson, AZ; Karen Warburg, Seaside, CA.
El Cristo de La Habana (Christ of Havana) - Cuba

December 1969 Issue

El Cristo de La Habana (Christ of Havana) - Cuba


High on La Cabaña Hill, above the village of Casablanca in Cuba, is the statue known as El Cristo de La Habana (Christ of Havana). Facing eastern Havana across Havana Bay, the 56-foot-tall figure stands on a 10-foot base.

The statue, featured in our August 2017 mystery photo, was created by Cuban sculptor Jilma Madera, who was commissioned in 1953 by Marta Fernandez de Batista, wife of the republic's dictator. The statue was erected Dec. 24, 1958, 15 days before Fidel Castro entered Havana. The statue was built from 67 blocks of white Carrara marble that had been transported from Italy after being blessed by Pope Pius XII.

Twenty-one correct answers were submitted, and EDITH MOATES of Norman, Oklahoma, won the drawing. We thank Bonnie Condit of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, for submitting the picture.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Marilyn Adelman, Chicago, IL; Lucyna Boyle, Mesa, AZ; Michael Brandt, El Dorado Hills, CA; Cathy Briner, Eugene, OR; Dave Davis, Phoenix, AZ; Ken Gould, Clearwater, FL; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Stephen Jeffries, Centennial, CO; Andrea Jones, San Francisco, CA; WINNER: Edith Moates, Norman, OK; Theodore Liebersfeld, Boynton Beach, FL; Robert McCarron, Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Ann Melody, Ottawa, IL; Sandra L. Pelletier, Capay, CA; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Marcia Ritter, St. Louis, MO; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Lina Treleaven, Pinellas Park, FL; Gail Tsuboi, Moraga, CA; Jonathan van Bilsen, Port Perry, ON, CANADA.
Plaza de la Virgen - Valencia, Spain

December 1969 Issue

Plaza de la Virgen - Valencia, Spain


Several notable structures can be seen in the July 2017 mystery photo, all connected to the Plaza de la Virgen in Valencia, Spain.

One of these is a large fountain that contains bronze sculptures representing the Turia River. Another is the 17th-century Baroque Basilica de Nuestra Señora de los Desamparado (Our Lady of the Forsaken). The other two are Saint Mary's Cathedral (Valencia Cathedral) and the Palau (Palace) de la Generalitat, both of which have been around for several centuries.

Surrounded by history, modern cafés and outdoor terraces, the plaza remains popular among locals and visitors alike.

Sixteen correct answers were submitted, and DAWN RAINBOLT of Kevinsfort, Sligo, Ireland, won the drawing. (Dawn says she used to live in Valencia, so she recognized this place immediately.) We thank Linda Beuret of Santa Barbara, California, for submitting the picture.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Svea Breckberg, Kapolei, HI; Judith Buncher, Washington, D.C.; Ada Green, New York, NY; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Yvonne Lefort, Moraga, CA; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Theodore Liebersfeld, Boynton Beach, FL; Lynn Meadows, Truckee, CA; Joseph B. Newton, San Antonio, TX; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; WINNER: Dawn Rainbolt, Kevinsfort, Sligo, IRELAND; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Mike Stooke, O'Fallon, IL; Charles Twine, Durham, NC; Jonathan van Bilsen, Port Perry, ON, CANADA.
Monastery of Saint Thaddeus, near Maku, Iran

December 1969 Issue

Monastery of Saint Thaddeus, near Maku, Iran


For the past 30 years, the monastery pictured in our June 2017 mystery photo — the Monastery of Saint Thaddeus — has held scheduled services only one day a year, the Feast Day of St. Thaddeus (which, according to the calendar of the Armenian Apostolic Church, usually falls in our late June or in July). Part of Armenia in ancient times, the region in which the monastery is located is now under Iranian jurisdiction.

St. Thaddeus, also known as St. Jude the Apostle, was martyred in Armenia around AD 65. A church is said to have been built on the site a few years later. Most of the present structure dates from 1811. The building earned its nickname of "the Black Church" due to the black and white stones used in its construction.

Located 10 miles from the nearest town, Maku, in northwestern Iran, the monastery was named a UNESCO Heritage Site in July 2008.

Six correct answers were submitted, and SIGNE HAUGEN of San Carlos, California, won the drawing. We thank Margaret Sonnek of Easton, Minnesota, for submitting the picture.

Correct answers were submitted by: Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; WINNER: Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Owen Trappe, Panama City, FL; Jonathan van Bilsen, Port Perry, ON, CANADA.

* Please see clarification regarding this article.
'Man Meets the Sea' statues, Esbjerg, Denmark

December 1969 Issue

'Man Meets the Sea' statues, Esbjerg, Denmark


Nearly 22 years ago, in October 1995, a new attraction appeared in the coastal city of Esbjerg, Denmark, in the form of four huge statues. Referred to as 'Man Meets the Sea,' these 30-foot-tall, white-alabaster male figures were the subject of our May 2017 mystery photo.

Wanting the "men" to have a universal appeal, Danish artist Svend Wiig Hansen created them to look identical to each other, portraying them with neutral expressions. Their lower legs, with longer-than-normal proportions, were designed to resemble the columns of a Greek temple.

Located on a shoreline 2-1/2 miles west of Esbjerg, in southwestern Denmark, the sculptures were created in honor of the city's 100th anniversary (in 1994) as an independent municipality.

Twenty-three correct answers were submitted, and MARIA CUETO of Weehawken, New Jersey, won the drawing. We thank Richard Finerman of Palm Springs, California, for submitting the picture.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Nanci Alexander, Lexington, KY; Deepak Awasthi, Destrehan, LA; BJ Bjorklund, Frisco, TX; Luciana Boyle, Mesa, AZ; Michael Brandt, El Dorado Hills, CA; WINNER: Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; Shari Draeger, Pine Island, MN; Edwin "Toby" Earl, Laguna Beach, CA; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Andrea Jones, San Francisco, CA; Karyn Kandell, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, JAPAN; Theodore Liebersfeld, Boynton Beach, FL; Ruth Niederuaer, Bakersfield, CA; Carol Peim, Hendersonville, NC; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Marcia Ritter, St. Louis, MO; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Christina Smith, New Braunfels, TX; Jill Sullivan, Waynesboro, VA; Charles Twine, Durham, NC; Jonathan van Bilsen, Port Perry, Ontario, CANADA.
Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration, Santiago, Dominican Republic

December 1969 Issue

Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration, Santiago, Dominican Republic


When the dictator Rafael Trujillo ordered the construction of the monument pictured in our April 2017 mystery photo, the Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration — located on a hill in the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, or simply Santiago, in the Dominican Republic — he intended the structure to honor only himself. That was in 1944. After his assassination in 1961, the country's government changed the structure's name from Trujillo's Monument to Peace; to its current name.

The heroes honored were those who fought for independence from Spain in the War of Restoration in 1863-1865. Standing about 230 feet tall, the monument is now a familiar landmark to anyone visiting the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic, the country that comprises the eastern portion of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, the western side of which is Haiti. Inside the monument is a museum honoring the heroes, and visitors willing to climb the building's 365-step stairway are rewarded with a panoramic view of the island.

Eight correct answers were submitted, and KARYN KANDELL of Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan, won the drawing. We thank Richard Reid of Clarkston, Washington, for submitting the picture.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Michael Brandt, El Dorado Hills, CA; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; WINNER: Karyn Kandell, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan; Theodore Liebersfeld, Boynton Beach, FL; Carol Peim, Hendersonville, NC; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Jonathan van Bilsen, Port Perry, ON, CANADA.
UFO Bridge & Tower, Bratislava, Slovakia

December 1969 Issue

UFO Bridge & Tower, Bratislava, Slovakia


It's known as the UFO bridge, due to the flying-saucer design of its towering observation deck, but the official name of the 1,400-foot-long structure in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, is Most Sovenského národného povstania (Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising), or Most SNP, and it was the subject of our mystery photo for March.

Under construction for five years, this cable-stayed bridge spanning the Danube was opened in August 1972. On the upper level are four lanes for motor traffic, while pedestrians and bicycles use the lower level. The observation deck houses a restaurant called UFO.

Some people still refer to the bridge as Nový Most (New Bridge), its official name from 1993 to 2012.

Seventy-three correct answers were submitted, and SHARON LEGGAT of Cedarhurst, New York, won the drawing. ITN Assistant Editor Dan Barr took the photo.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Stephen Addison, Charlotte, NC; Margaret Arthur, Kure Beach, NC; John Barnhart, Birmingham, AL; Shirley Becker, Skokie, IL; Russell E. Benton, Due West, SC; Lucyna Boyle, Mesa, AZ; John Brimhall, West Richland, WA; David Bujan, North Andover, MA; Pat Bunyard, Cambria, CA; Roy J. Caffrey, Irvine, CA; Maria Cueto, Weehawken, NJ; Erika & Joe Daileda, Torrance, CA; P.L. de la Cuesta, Redondo Beach, CA; H.H. Dibbern, Santa Cruz, CA; Jack Dini, Livermore, CA; David Durstine, Denver, CO; Donald R. Eager, San Jose, CA; Edwin "Toby" Earl, Laguna Beach, CA; Femi Faminu, Los Angeles, CA; Don Fate, Puyallup, WA; Don & Linda Florida, Sacramento, CA; George N. Gianopulos, Fresno, CA; Russell Gluck, Franklin Lakes, NJ; Kenneth Gould, Clearwater, FL; Katie Gregory, Orlando, FL; Signe Haugen, San Carlos, CA; Robert Hess, Naugatuck, CT; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Kembell Huyke, Flushing, NY; Stephen Jeffries, Centennial, CO; Steve Jones, Fiddletown, CA; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Robert Kowalczyk, North Dartmouth, MA; WINNER: Sharon Leggat, Cedarhurst, NY; Theodore Liebersfeld, Boynton Beach, FL; Joy Lutzi, North Mankato, MN; Earl Mack, San Ramon, CA; Jacinta Maritato, Moorhead, MN; James McGee, Sun City, CA; Joyce Roberta Miller-Alper, Sugar Land, TX; Brad Mobley, Salisbury, NC; Carolyn L. Morgan, Brandon, FL; Margaret Norman, Gurnee, IL; Constance M. O'Dwyer, Millbrae, CA; Robert T. Pandolfo, Punta Gorda, FL; Steve Peck, Lake Forest, CA; Carol Peim, Hendersonville, NC; Donna Peterson, Patch Grove, WI; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Marcia Ritter, St. Louis, MO; Mitchell Rodgers, Lexington, NC; Joe Rushton, Flagler Beach, FL; Marilyn Santiago, Port Angeles, WA; Nanci Scheithauer, Santa Fe, NM; John Scheleur, Arnold, MD; R. Schindler, Charleston, WV; Ed Schlenk, Marshalltown, IA; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; Ben Seidman, Longmont, CO; James P. Sibley, Houston, TX; Jim Simpson, Glen Mills, PA; David Smith, Bend, OR; Kay Stevens, Santa Barbara, CA; Marcia Taylor, Forestville, NY; Charles Twine, Durham, NC; Carolyn Tyssen, Clifton, TX; Ron Vlietstra, Lakeland, FL; Michael C. Wells, Vestavia, AL; Ann White, Concord, CA; Kathy Wilhelm, Cary, NC; Joseph Wolfe, Scottsdale, AZ; Victor Wyman, Santa Clara, CA; Sandra Yon, Virginia Beach, VA.
Bust of El Greco, Heraklion, Crete (Greece)

December 1969 Issue

Bust of El Greco, Heraklion, Crete (Greece)


The bust of the artist Domenikos Theotokopoulos (aka El Greco), pictured in our February mystery photo, is located in El Greco Park in Heraklion, the largest city on the island of Crete, Greece's largest island. Heraklion's claim to fame as El Greco's birthplace changed in 1934, when researchers visiting the small village of Fodele, 17 miles west of the city, informed the residents that the artist had actually been born and raised in their community.

Born in 1541, El Greco was in his mid-20s when he left for Venice, where he studied art and gained the nickname "Il Greco." About 10 years later he traveled to Toledo, Spain, where his paintings earned him lasting recognition (as El Greco) and where he lived until his death in 1614.

Ten correct answers were submitted, and EARL MACK of San Ramon, California, won the drawing. We thank David J. Patten of St. Petersburg, Florida, for submitting the picture.

Correct answers were submitted by:

Marian Anderson, San Francisco, CA; Jill Athey, St. Petersburg, FL; Jane & Clyde Holt, Hinesburg, VT; Karyn Kandell, Kyoto, Japan; Theodore Liebersfeld, Boynton Beach, FL; WINNER: Earl Mack, San Ramon, CA; Raymond Prince, Maple Valley, WA; Steven Reiff, Decatur, GA; Mary Schmidt, Fairfax, VA; James Stefan, Sarasota, FL.