The Writing Series: How Can a Trip Inspire You?
My Adventures in Magdeburg
Everything in life can serve as inspiration. Sometimes, we need to change the angle in order to see the beautiful stories unfolding right in front of us and write our personal scenario.
Seeking inspiration myself, I embarked on a journey to Magdeburg – the charming German city boasting Romanesque architecture and nestled in the Saxony-Anhalt state.
In this travel piece, I share some of my favorite writing exercises woven into my travel experiences to incite your imagination. I believe that we can all find inspiration in the world around us, especially when we take a mindful trip. You are welcomed to write to one or all of the prompts, and I reccomend you to download my guide on how to do the exercises for better results.
A little bit of background on Magdeburg
As I was riding the train from Berlin to Magdeburg, traversing through vast open fields and quaint German villages, I envisioned the scenery that awaited me.
The city is famous for the fact that the late Holy Roman Emperor Otto I the Great lived there. That’s the reason why Magdeburg is also called Ottostadt (the city of Otto). The Emperor brought Magdeburg into flourishment, and his tomb can be found in the Cathedral of Magdeburg. It is the oldest gothic cathedral in all of Germany, astonishing with its majestic architecture.
What adds even more charm to this city is Hundertwasser’s Green Citadel, also known as the Grüne Zitadelle. This was the last building the famed Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser designed before his death, leaving a lasting imprint of his exceptional talent onto the German city.
Architectural inspiration
My astonishment with state-of-the-art architectural buildings began in Berlin, before the train had even departed. If you’ve been to Berlin, you know that many of the buildings, especially those around Zoologisher Garten, are dotted in such a way that they overlap with each other. They form sort of a Lego construction of the big city.
The Museum fur Fotografie / The Helmut Newton Foundation and the Zoologisher Garten Station mingled with residential buildings that hosted miserably small apartments. They have been arranged by the city officials in sort of a timeless Lego construction, carrying the tracemarks of time. The impressive buildings of ancient eras, the gray Soviet buildings pointing to even grayer times, all told the story of the city in a silent way, echoed in the passing trains.
Now, we can hear the roaring sound of the train’s engine through a little exercise. Imagine, or better hop on the train to a random destination, or simply to the next stop of the S-Bhan, and watch the buildings you pass by.
Stop your gaze at a building, imagine it as a person, and have a conversation with it. Describe how the train station would look like if it was a person. What significant features would it have (appearance such as hair and clothing; personality traits; career). What is its name? Then, engage in a dialogue. Ask it what era is it from, what does it think about the buildings next to it, who is its architect; what is its purpose; and how does it feel.
This is a great way to form a conversation with your surroundings and think in creative and imaginative ways about the world. Who knows what we might learn or take inspiration from?
Train stations
The train continued its journey while I contemplated the changing scenery from my secluded window seat. Endless green fields, cows and horses, and undeniably charming train stations bypassed me.
Upon my arrival in Magdeburg, I noticed the conservative train station. I harbor a fondness for train stations and love observing their changing characteristics over time, as they give away the stories of the city.
Magdeburg’s train station exuded modesty through its monochromatic palette of crimson brick and elongatd structure. Unlike other more heroic ones boasting gold elements and antique clocks that speak of opulence and urban upheaval, Magdeburg’s train station carried the humbleness of a city that has suffered the war.
What about you? Do you have a favourite train station in the world? Describe it and say why it’s your favourite. How do you see yourself in it? Perhaps you’re a passer-by, or a first lady from a past era, someone who’s time-travelling, or the general of the train station.
Capture a glimpse of your life as this person and write a short story detailing the experience. What does life around a train station bring about?
Clockwork Magdeburg
I had an entire day to explore Magdeburg. When you reach the old part of the city, you enter a square where every landmark is within a foot’s reach.
Hundertwasser’s Green Citadel
The first landmark I visited was the Grüne Zitadelle. With its pink façade, round design, blooming plants and intricate windows, the Green Citadel looked like it that came straight from a child’s fantasy. There was a certain playfulness in its design, the signature work of Hundertwasser.
I walked around the building, appreciating all the small details and taking mental pictures.
Alongside cherishing the building from the outside, you can also get a glimpse into the courtyard, where several restaurants and gift shops are nestled. Paving stones form romantic pathways that lead to an oasis of colour and design, in-between the monumental pink walls of the Citadel. There, you can see the longest chain of multi-colored wooden birdcages in the world, holding a Guinness record.
The interior of the courtyard invites you to visit one of the cafes or restaurants and have a colorful culinary experience. There is also a hostel where you can stay, while in summer, visitors of the Citadel can go on the roof and marvel the abundance of plant life adorning it. Aptly named the Green Citadel, it serves as a sanctuary for plants and intriguing architectural design amidst the urban landscape.
The oldest gothic Cathedral in Germany
A few meters from it, crossing through the square, is the Cathedral of Magdeburg. I was lucky to capture the luminous sun reflecting on the cold, dark stonewalls of the Cathedral, as it stood even more majestic, piercing the clear blue sky.
On the inside, the Cathedral looked rather unique, in line with Magdeburg’s peculiar character. It boasted a monochrome color scheme once again. The sand-colored altars and sacralistic elements, such as a statue of the Ten Virgins from the Bible stories, echoed the midday prayer the priest recited.
Resembling a very impressive sand castle, the Cathedral reminded me of Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s creation in Barcelona. The exterior of the Green Cathedral did too. Perhaps the glistening sun and the child-like playfulness I captured in Magdeburg’s landscape transcended me to Gaudi’s Barcelona.
I love making associations such as this one. Think about the last landmark you visited and what associations it provoked in your imagination. What other spots from your mental travel itinerary it reminded you of?
Now, imagine that these two landmarks met and merged into one. Describe what the final version would look like. What are some of its most prominent features? Where would it be based? Would visitors go and see it? Would you also visit it? What is it famous for? Why is it famous? Set the timer for 15 minutes.
Last visits
I then decided to go for a walk along the river, and finish off the day with a visit to the Kunstenmuseum Magdeburg, where I enjoyed a photographic exhibition by Ulrich Wüst. His photographs depicted small details of Magdeburg’s landscape throughout the years.
On my way back to the train station, I walked through the new city centre, where the contrast between pre-war and Soviet Berlin became evident. In the middle stood a fountain surrounded by red pavestones. Around it, gray tower blocks and quintessentially Soviet buildings painted a different picture from clockwork Magdeburg and its historical landmarks. But it is this juxtaposition and fantasy-like architecture that my photographic memory captured.
What about you? If you could take one picture of a city with you and always have it in your personal collection of photographs, which one would it be? Describe the scene your photograph depicts. Why does it deserve a spot in your mental gallery?
Don’t forget to download my guide on how to perform the writing exercises, so you get the most of them.
If you’d like to have a personal writing session with me or attend one of my workshops, check out this page or contact me.