The Jewish Museum and Bergkirche

The Jewish Museum wasn't nearly as incredibly depressing as I thought it was going to be.

While there were sections of the museum that focused on the Holocaust, the museum didn't focus on that as a whole. I learned a lot about Jewish culture there that I didn't expect to. Perhaps that's my own fault for immediately associating Jews in Austria to the Holocaust. Although I still didn't feel comfortable taking pictures.

I was surprised to learn about how few Jews live there and in Austria in general nowadays, but I guess not wanting to inhabit a place of tragedy is to be expected.

It's weird to think that this city that I'm having so much fun in could have been the location of so much injustice and suffering. It gives me chills sometimes to think that the roads and building I'm standing in once belonged to a state that condemned antisemitism and mass murder...

I guess it's true that everyone has the capacity to become a monster if left unopposed.

But I guess Austria as it stands now is a testament to the fact that you can always try to be better.

On a lighter note, Bergkirche was interesting if only for the architecture of the place and the fact that it has Haydn's tomb. Which are two very important things.

I guess the architecture shouldn't be all that surprising considering that it isn't that old of a church, but the way that all the stations of the cross seemed to fit into what appeared to be such a small church was something I found impressive.

Speaking of the stations of the cross; I'd never heard about this idea before.  I still don't fully understand why reflecting on the suffering of Christ such an important thing, but then again I don't know a lot about religious practices in general.

Very interesting if not somewhat morbid practice though.

Bonus Esterhazy House Photos