Historic City Views | MONOVISIONS - Black & White Photography Magazine

Vintage: Historic B&W Photos of Victorian-era Chepstow, Wales

17 April 2025 0

During the Victorian era, Chepstow, a market town on the banks of the River Wye, thrived as a center of trade, tourism, and industry. Nestled in the picturesque landscape of Monmouthshire, its strategic location near the Welsh-English border made it…

Vintage: Historic B&W Photos of Victorian-era Yorkshire, England

17 March 2025 0

The Victorian era saw a growing interest in leisure and travel, particularly for those who could afford to escape the smog-filled cities. Seaside resorts like Saltburn-by-the-Sea and Redcar flourished as railways expanded, making it easier for city dwellers to enjoy…

Vintage: Historic B&W Photos of Victorian-Era Bristol, England

12 March 2025 0

During the Victorian era (1837–1901), Bristol underwent profound changes, transforming from a historic port city into a thriving hub of industry, commerce, and culture. The city’s population grew rapidly, and with it came both opportunities and challenges characteristic of the…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Norderney, Germany (1890s)

20 February 2025 0

It is believed that the first durable settlements were established during the 13th and 14th centuries. A town developed in the western part of the island, protected by high dunes. The first documented mention of the island was in 1398.…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany (1890s)

21 January 2025 0

At the 1815 Congress of Vienna, Frederick Francis joined the newly established German Confederation, and like his Strelitz cousin Charles II, was elevated to the title of a “Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin”. In 1819 serfdom was finally abolished in his…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Leipzig, Saxony, Germany (1890s)

18 October 2024 0

The Leipzig region was the arena of the 1813 Battle of Leipzig between Napoleonic France and an allied coalition of Prussia, Russia, Austria and Sweden. It was the largest battle in Europe before the First World War and the coalition…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Towns in Switzerland (1890s)

12 September 2024 0

In 1798, the revolutionary French government invaded Switzerland and imposed a new unified constitution. This centralised the government of the country, effectively abolishing the cantons: moreover, Mülhausen joined France and the Valtellina valley became part of the Cisalpine Republic, separating…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Hesse-Nassau, Germany (1890s)

17 August 2024 0

Hesse-Nassau was created as a consequence of the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 by combining the previously independent Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel), the Duchy of Nassau, the Free City of Frankfurt, areas gained from the Kingdom of Bavaria, and areas gained from…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Halle and Madgeburg, Saxony (1890s)

16 July 2024 0

Halle’s early history is connected with the harvesting of salt. The name of the river Saale contains the Germanic root for salt, and salt-harvesting has taken place in Halle since at least the Bronze Age (2300–600 BC). Magdeburg was annexed…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Hannover, Germany (1890s)

26 May 2024 0

After Napoleon imposed the Convention of Artlenburg (Convention of the Elbe) on 5 July 1803, about 35,000 French soldiers occupied Hanover. The Convention also required disbanding the army of Hanover. However, George III did not recognise the Convention of the…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Bolton Abbey, England (1890s)

30 April 2024 0

The monastery was founded at Embsay in 1120. Led by a prior, Bolton Abbey was technically a priory, despite its name. It was founded in 1154 by the Augustinian order, on the banks of the River Wharfe. The land at…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Baden, Germany (1890s)

4 April 2024 0

The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden is named after the margraves’ residence, Hohenbaden Castle in Baden-Baden. Hermann II of Baden first claimed the title of Margrave of Baden in 1112. A united Margraviate of Baden…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Upper Bavaria, Germany (1890s)

10 March 2024 0

After the founding of the Kingdom of Bavaria the state was totally reorganised and, in 1808, divided into 15 administrative districts (Regierungsbezirke (singular Regierungsbezirk)), in Bavaria called (Kreise (singular Kreis)). They were created in the fashion of the French departements,…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Schaffhausen, Switzerland (1890s)

22 December 2023 0

Schaffhausen was a city state in the Middle Ages, documented to have struck its own coins from 1045. About 1050 the counts of Nellenburg founded the Benedictine monastery of All Saints, which became the centre of the town. Perhaps as…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Alsace Lorraine, Germany (1890s)

10 December 2023 0

In 1871, the newly created German Empire’s demand for Alsace from France after its victory in the Franco-Prussian War was not simply a punitive measure. The transfer was controversial even among the Germans: The German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, was…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Nuremberg, Germany (1890s)

25 November 2023 0

After the Thirty Years’ War, Nuremberg attempted to remain detached from external affairs, but contributions were demanded for the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years’ War and restrictions of imports and exports deprived the city of many…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Lucerne, Switzerland (1890s)

9 September 2023 0

It was during the latter part of the 19th century that Lucerne became a popular destination for artists, royalty and others to escape to. The German composer Richard Wagner established a residence at Tribschen in 1866 from which he lived…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Towns in Wales (1890s)

10 July 2023 0

Prior to the industrial revolution in Wales there were small-scale industries scattered throughout Wales. These ranged from those connected to agriculture, such as milling and the manufacture of woollen textiles, through to mining and quarrying. Agriculture remained the dominant source…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Edinburgh, Scotland (1890s)

1 July 2023 0

Despite an enduring myth to the contrary, Edinburgh became an industrial centre with its traditional industries of printing, brewing and distilling continuing to grow in the 19th century and joined by new industries such as rubber works, engineering works and…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of County Dublin, Ireland (1890s)

1 May 2023 0

Despite harsh penal laws and unfavourable trade restrictions imposed upon Ireland, Dublin flourished in the 18th century. The Georgian buildings which still define much of Dublin’s architectural landscape to this day were mostly built over a 50-year period spanning from…

Vintage: Historic B&W Photos of Victorian-era Chepstow, Wales

Vintage: Historic B&W Photos of Victorian-era Yorkshire, England

Vintage: Historic B&W Photos of Victorian-Era Bristol, England

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Norderney, Germany (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Leipzig, Saxony, Germany (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Towns in Switzerland (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Hesse-Nassau, Germany (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Halle and Madgeburg, Saxony (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Hannover, Germany (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Bolton Abbey, England (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Baden, Germany (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Upper Bavaria, Germany (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Schaffhausen, Switzerland (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Alsace Lorraine, Germany (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Nuremberg, Germany (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Lucerne, Switzerland (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Towns in Wales (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Edinburgh, Scotland (1890s)

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of County Dublin, Ireland (1890s)

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