Sue’s series of follies had me thinking. There are certainly follies in Germany (I am only talking of the architectural type, I’m sure there are enough follies in many other areas) but there is no proper name for them. I found an interesting discussion amongst translators and although a number of possible words are discussed, the final conclusion is that “folly” is best left unchanged.

The largest folly I know is the Red Mosque in the palace gardens in Schwetzingen. It was built in the late 18th century, not as house of worship but because eveything oriental was in fashion at the time. It was meant as a monument to oriental thought and wisdom, many supposedly Arabic quotes were used to decorate the insides. Oddly enough – it has been used by Muslims for worship (for example by French prisoners of war from the Maghreb after the Franco-Prussian war in 1870/71) as well as a jazz club by the US American occupying forces after world war II.

Odd Square #18