2019 will be a big year around Europe, as a number of major historical milestones are marked in one way or another. Elsewhere around the world, people will be celebrating 50 years since the moon landing and the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth, but what’s happening on the continent?
These 2019 events may inspire you to visit some of the destinations mentioned below and will help you learn more about the historical milestones that they plan to mark. If you would like to experience any of the events taking place throughout the year, call us on 0800 988 3369 or click here to contact us through the website.
100 Years Of The Bauhaus
The Bauhaus (or Staatliches Bauhaus) was a majorly influential school that defined a specific style within the world of art and design. Having been established in Weimar, in 1919, many greats passed through the halls as alumni and many more moulded their genius as teachers.
Such is the widespread influence of the Bauhaus, events will be taking place all over the globe to mark this centenary. From São Paulo to Lagos and London to New Delhi, exhibitions will be held to celebrate the school and the works of art it helped to produce. This is on top of two brand new museums that will open in Weimar and Dessau – the two locations that played host to the Bauhaus for the longest time. Plus, in the Bauhaus’s third location, Berlin, a week-long performance art festival will kick-off an exciting year from January 16th until January 24th.
500 Year Anniversary Of Da Vinci’s Death
Leonardo Da Vinci’s legacy is another that has stretched across the globe and so it is no surprise to see museums in The Netherlands, UK and Germany all vying to have Da Vinci’s works showcased during this momentous year. The sheer amount of loan requests has been overwhelming, as museums clamour to display the great man’s paintings, drawings and machines.
Many of the events will be taking place in Italy. Florence (where Leonardo was born) and Milan (where he spent much of his adult life) will host the majority of these, including a nine-month schedule of events in the former. There are also plans for the Louvre to create a giant exhibition of all Da Vinci’s paintings, but this is now under consideration following concerns from sections of the new Italian government.
350th Anniversary Of Rembrandt’s Death
Keeping the art theme running, 2019 is also the 350th anniversary of the death of Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn. In what’s being dubbed ‘The Year of Rembrandt’, Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum will be taking the lead. From February 15th to June 10th, the institution plans to unite all of its works by Rembrandt – 22 paintings, 60 drawings, and more than 300 prints – in one exhibition. At the forefront of this will be the last chance to see ‘The Nightwatch’, perhaps the artist’s most famous painting, before it undergoes a prolonged (and very expensive) restoration.
Works by Rembrandt will be heading back to The Netherlands to be displayed in museums the length and breadth of the country, from Hoorn to The Hague. As well as showcasing his genius, they will help visitors understand this Golden Age in Dutch history.
500th Anniversary Of The Death Of Maximilian I
Europe is littered with the legacies left from medieval times, as rulers across the continent displayed their wealth and power through elaborate architecture which now attracts visitors in their droves. One great example of this is Maximilian I and the way he transformed the Austrian city of Innsbruck. Having moved the Imperial Court to this part of Tyrol, favouring this location and its surrounding mountains over Vienna, he put the city of Innsbruck on the map. From then on, he went about trying to spread his name and legacy far and wide, through marriage, war and treaties.
2019 marks 500 years since the death of this former Holy Roman Emperor and Innsbruck is set to acknowledge this with a range of events throughout the year. The Golden Roof, an ornate balcony in the town centre built by Maximilian so that he could watch over jousting contests, will host a special exhibition entitled ‘Life in the Age of Maximilian – What Remains?’ There will also be other events taking place around Tyrol, including many performances which celebrate the emperor’s passion for music. Plus, there is still time to see the fantastic 3D light show at the museum inside the Hofburg Palace.
75th Anniversary Of D-Day
The 6th June 1944 is a day that changed British and European history forever. On this day, thousands of men put their lives at risk so that allied forces could begin to gain control of German-occupied France and (eventually) bring about an end to WWII. 75 years later and the world is only like it is today thanks to those men.
So, to mark their ultimate sacrifice, a series of events will take place throughout the summer within the region of Normandy. The highlight of this will happen on 6th June when the D-Day Festival is held in Bayeux-Bessin, featuring a parade and a magnificent fireworks display. In the days leading up to this, the skies above Duxford Airfield and Caen Carpiquet Airport will be filled with Douglas DC-3/C-47 Dakotas, the very aircraft that played a pivotal role during the Normandy Landings. Then, on 5th June, ‘Daks Over Normandy’, as the event will be called, will culminate with 250 men and women, dressed in WWII uniforms parachuting into the Normandy landing zones to recreate the events of 1944.
Anne Frank’s 90th Birthday
In the year that would have been Anne Frank’s 90th birthday, publisher Bloomsbury Continuum plans to publish all of her writings together for the first time ever. The book will even include some, as yet, unseen pages that have never been published before alongside photographs and other documents that help to tell her tragic story.
This milestone year may also present the perfect opportunity to visit the recently renovated Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. After two years of renovations, the museum has reopened with the aim of bringing the tale of a Jewish family who hid in an attic behind a bookcase to a whole new generation. There are now more educational exhibits, a look at the other people who were in hiding with Anne, and a bigger focus on multi-media.
