Photo Gallery

This a selective photo gallery which consists of 46 color images from the Joseph Muench Collection. This gallery provides a glimpse into Josef Muench's foreign travels which include: Austria, Egypt, France, Greece, the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, Israel, Lebanon, Switzerland, and Syria.

Digital surrogates are the property of the repository. Reproduction requires permission.

Austria, Farmhouse in the Kitzbuhler Alps. Typical throughout the Alps region, roofs are weighed down with rocks and balconies and windows display flowerboxes with colorful geraniums. This one is near the summer and winter resort of Kitzbuhel. [Josef Muench]

Austria. Five lasses from the village of Lech, province of Vorarlberg. In this popular summer & winter resort, these native girls dressed in their traditional Montafoner costumes pose against a background of local houses, after having attended church service. [Josef Muench]

Austria. Waterfall in upper Stubai Valley, southwest of Innsbruck. Like a lacy curtain, this beautiful drop of water has its source in the glaciers, high up in the Stubaier Alps. [Josef Muench]

Austria. Spring comes in the summer months to the greened-out slopes of the Ruefi Peak in the Lechtaler Alps, high above the resort town of Lech in Vorarlberg. Yellow flowers brighten the shores of Monzabon Lake. [Josef Muench]

Austria. Gosau Lake and the Dachstein Mountains in the Salzburg Lake District. An atmospheric body of water with sharply rising, glacier-covered peaks beyond it. [Josef Muench]

Egypt, Cairo. The minaret of Sultan Hassan Mosque, highest in the city (267 ft.), pierces the sky. Founded in 1356, it is seen from the green park in Saladin Square. [Josef Muench]

Egypt, Temple of Karnak at Luxor. Artfully executed relief on the walls of this great temple tells of the life of ancient people in Egypt. [Josef Muench]

Egypt, Temple of Karnak at Luxor. Standing at the east bank of the Nile River, this great edifice was built by Seti I. View is down the Hypostyle Hall ending with the pink granite Obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut. [Josef Muench]

Egypt, Temple of Abu Simbel. Along the Nile River, in Upper Egypt, is this temple with the four gigantic statues (65 ft. high) of Rameses the 2nd. Over 3000 years old - it is carved entirely out of red sandstone cliffs. [Josef Muench]

Egypt, The Sphinx and Chephren Pyramid of Giza. Having withstood time and elements for centuries, they stand as symbols of Ancient Egypt under the warm desert sun. [Josef Muench]

Egypt, Sound and Light Performance. The Marvelous spectacle of night illumination of the Pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza, with the story of the ancient days of the Pharaohs told in various languages and accompanied by a musical background. [Josef Muench]

France, Paris. The Cathedral of Notre Dame, seen from across the Seine River. Founded in 1163 on the site of a 4th century church, this buttressed structure is among the greatest churches of Europe. [Josef Muench]

France, Paris. The Louvre is the most important public building in the city both for its art treasures and its architecture. It is a vast structure facing the magnificent Garden of the Tuileries. Statues of various artists decorate the area in front of it. [Josef Muench]

France, Paris. Fountain in the Place de la Concorde at night. Lights add to the fascination of the Tritons, Nereids and Dolphins, always at play here. A 76 foot Obelisk, dating from Egypt's 14th century B.C. appears as a shaft of gold at the right. [Josef Muench]

The Eiffel Tower-Paris, France. Seen across the Seine River above which it rises 984 feet. Built for the 1889 Exposition, it was the subject of heated controversy, but has proved one of the most interesting of Paris sights. It bears the name of the engineer who planned and erected it. [Josef Muench]

France, Paris. The Opera House, built in 1862-74 is one of the world's largest theaters. Its elaborate architecture climaxes the Second Empire. [Josef Muench]

France, Mont St. Michel. This rocky isle off the Normandy coast is crowned by the celebrated Benedictine abbey, founded in 708. [Josef Muench]

France, Aisne-Marne American Cemetary and Memorial near Chateau-Thierry. This World War 1 cemetary is the final resting place for 2,288 Americans who lost their lives in the immediate vicinity. [Josef Muench]

Greece, Athens. Never completed, the massive Propylaea (gateway)is the impressive entrance to the Acropolis, set high on its hill site. This is one of the important structures in the ancient city. [Josef Muench]

Greece, Athens. The Theseum, dedicated to the god of fire-Vulcan, is named for its frieze, depicting exploits of the mythical hero, Theseus. It is one of the two best preserved temples in Greece. [Josef Muench]

Athens, Greece. Temple of Olympian Zeus, started by King Pisistratus in 530 B.C. and completed by Emperor Hadrian in 130 A.D. In the distance stands the Parthenon on the Acropolis Hill. [Josef Muench]

Greece, The Temple of Tholos at Delphi. Only a few columns are left of this round structure, set with many other wonders of the ancient Greek world at about 2,000 feet on the slopes of sacred Mt. Parnassus. [Josef Muench]

Greece, Islands of the Cyclades. Men of Ios. Note the almost primitive footwear, the rugged faces, of these inhabitants of one of the tiny isles, floating on the blue Aegean, rooted in history and looking to the sea for their livlihood since time began. [Josef Muench]

Greece, Isle of Corfu. Natives of Corfu. Such healthy and smiling people blend well with the scenic charm of this most important of the Ionian Islands. The colorful costumes with flowers framing the face go well with their songs and dances. [Josef Muench]

Greece, Island of Rhodes. The harbor with its fishing boats and the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitalers of St. John of Jerusalem is seen in the background. This order fortified the town in the 14th century as a bulwark against the Turks. [Josef Muench]

Bhutan-a Himalayan Kingdom between India & Tibet. A serene setting of picturesque hamlets among terraced wheatfields in Paro Valley, situated in the foothills of the Himalayas. Opened only recently to western visitors, it's a delight to travel in this all Buddhist country. [Josef Muench]

Bhutan-a Himalayan Kingdom between India & Tibet. At Punakha, the former capital of the country situated in Sankosh River Valley. A young novice monk poses in front of the stairway that leads into the Dzong, a fortresslike palace that used to house the government and a Buddhist monastery, now the headquarters of the head of the Bhutanese monks. [Josef Muench]

Bhutan-a Himalayan Kingdom between India & Tibet. View of fortress-like Uggen Pelri Dzong (palace), a castle-monastery overlooking the emerald rice & wheat fields in picturesque Paro Valley, deep in the foothills of the Himalaya Mountians. Opened only recently to western visitors, it's a delight to travel in this all Buddhist country. [Josef Muench]

Bhutan-a Himalayan Kingdom between India & Tibet. Taktsang Monastery, known as the Tiger's Nest perches on a glacier-carved cliff, high above Paro River Valley in the foothills of the Himalayas. According to Bhutanese legend a mystic brought Buddhism to Bhutan and landed here on the back of a flying tiger. [Josef Muench]

Israel. The Dead Sea, 1,296 feet below sea level, the lowest spot on earth. The boundary between Israel and Jordan runs through the middle. [Josef Muench]

Israel, Jerusalem. The Basilica of Gethsemane, built in Byzantine style stands at the foot of Mount Olives in the midst of the Garden of Gethsemane. It is also known as the "Church of all Nations." [Josef Muench]

Israel, Crusaders Fortress of Acre. Pounded by the Mediterranean Sea, the town of Acre was once an important seaport and gateway to ancient Palestine and is rich in Biblical and medieval associations. [Josef Muench]

Lebanon. Beirut, the capital and chief port of this country, is a bustling city of over 600,00. Looking out over the blue Mediterranean Sea, modern hotels and office building face the cave-studded shoreline. [Josef Muench]

Lebanon. At the Roman Acropolis of Baalbek stand the remains of the Temple of Jupiter. The six columns (some 70 feet high with a 7 foot diameter) are a source of real history. At the foreground a fallen Lion's Head cornice, which decorated the top of this great temple. [Josef Muench]

Lebanon, Baalbek. The ancient Heliopolis speaks of the grandeur of this Roman Acropolis. The six columned remains of the Temple of Jupiter are limned against the sky, while on the left the ruins of the Temple of Bacchus. [Josef Muench]

Lebanon, Baalbek-The Temple of Bacchus. Lookiing through the portal at the richly decorated interiors of this great temple. This Roman Acropolis has some of the most imposing structures of the ancient empire. [Josef Muench]

Lebanon. Beit-ed-Din Palace, the presidential summer residence, was originally built by a Turkish Emir. It has richly adorned ceilings and walls, brilliantly colored mosaic floors, graceful arcades and murmuring fountains. [Josef Muench]

Switzerland, the Matterhorn. Along the alpine trails above the village of Zermatt, the hiker will often see these wayside shrines, symbolic of the majestic peak & the deeply religious feelings of the people who dwell in these beautiful mountains. [Josef Muench]

Switzerland, Village of Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Alps. Situated in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, it is especially famous for its many beautiful waterfalls cascading down from snowy heights. At right is Staubbach falls (980 ft. drop) and the distance, the massive breithorn. [Josef Muench]

Switzerland. The Castle of Chillon on Lake Geneva near Montreux. Dating from the 13th century, its towers rise above the dungeons where Byron's famous "The Prisoner of Chillon" was incarcerated. [Josef Muench]

Switzerland. The Castle of Chillon on Lake Geneva near Montreux. Ringed by snowy mountains and dating from the 13th century, the castle rises above the dungeons where Byron's famous "Prisoner of Chillon" was incarcerated. [Josef Muench]

Switzerland. The Lion of Lucerne was sculptured in natural rock in 1821 in memory of the Swiss Guards who faithfully defended the French king in the Tuileries and were killed by the revolutionists in the massacre on the 10th of august 1792. [Josef Muench]

Switzerland. The Castle of Thun, seen above the town square with its flower decorated shops, was built in 1190 and overlooks the Thun Lake with Alpine peaks around it. [Josef Muench]

Syria-Palmyra. The Roman Theater & Stage with the Street of Giant Pillars behind. Deep in the Syria desert are the ruins of what was once a thriving caravan city during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd century A.D. [Josef Muench]

Syria-Palmyra. Temple of Bel Shameen, built in 130 A.D. Palmyra, once the capital of Queen Zenobia's empire was a thriving caravan city between the 1st and 3rd centuries. Destroyed by the Romans in 273 A.D., it has been partially restored. [Josef Muench]

Syria-Palmyra. The Street of Giant Pillars. This mile-long street with 375 columns on each side, was the business artery of ancient Palmyra, capital of Queen Zenobia's empire. Athriving caravan city in the 1st and 3rd centuries A.D., it was destroyed by the Romans in 273. [Josef Muench]

NAU.PH.2003.11.199.2.M2590

Josef Muench's Travel Gallery