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694-23. "Merry Christmas to All" decoration on the 32 feet tall brick security wall surrounding "The Walls" prison (Huntsville TDCJ Unit), with a memorial historical plaque in foreground. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2008Similar picturesLarge thumbnails | Use small thumbnails | View as slideshow |
 Memorial plaque of Texas Historical Commission in front of 32 feet high and 2-3 feet thick brick security wall (1942) surrounding Walls Unit of TDCJ prison system. Huntsville, Texas, June 29, 2008  Christmas decoration on tall brick security walls of Huntsville prison "The Walls". Huntsville, Texas, December 20, 2009  Memorial plaque of Texas Historical Commission in front of Walls Unit of TDCJ prison system. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Huntsville Unit of Texas State Penitentiary "The Walls" (established 1849) at morning. A clock above the main entrance to the prison is a symbol of time which serves as a reminder to those inside. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2008  Old Administration Building of Walls Unit Prison. Huntsville, Texas, March 23, 2008  Huntsville Unit of Texas State Penitentiary, "The Walls" prison. Huntsville, Texas, December 20, 2009  Walls Unit of prison system, main entrance. Huntsville, Texas, June 29, 2008  Walls Unit of prison system, Main Building. Huntsville, Texas, March 23, 2008  Old Administration Building of Walls Unit Prison. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Model of Walls Unit in Prison Museum, with Main Building in the center, Infirmary to the left and Dining to the right. Huntsville, Texas, February 23, 2008  TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Prison Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, February 21, 2008  Model of Walls Unit of Texas State Penitentiary in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2010  Sam Houston statue at Road 45, view from its feet. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2008  Memorial of Chief Satanta in TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Model of old prison rodeo arena in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, February 23, 2008  Exterior of Prison Museum styled as a prison. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2010  Inmate money printed by Texas Prison System in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, February 23, 2008  Steamboat Christmas light decoration in Central Park. College Station, Texas, December 17, 2008  Huntsville Unit of Texas State Penitentiary "The Walls". Huntsville, Texas, October 31, 2009  Texas Prison Rodeo exhibit in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2010  This view emphasizes the imposing nature of Hermann Castle while revealing the stark reality of the modern frontier. From this angle, the Tall Hermann Tower looms directly overhead, showcasing its 51-meter height and white-washed stone upper sections. The massive limestone walls of the fortress rise steeply from the riverbank, illustrating why this stronghold was the northernmost defensive point of Livonia. In the foreground, the Friendship Bridge is heavily fortified, contrasting sharply with the medieval architecture. Rows of concrete "dragon s teeth" (pyramidal anti-tank obstacles) and coils of razor wire block the roadway. These fortifications, installed by Estonia around 2024-2025, serve as a physical barrier against potential military threats and unauthorized vehicle crossings, marking the bridge s transformation from a trade route into a secure defensive line. A blue, black, and white flag flies from the castle wall, asserting Estonian sovereignty. Modern security cameras are mounted on the utility pole in the foreground, highlighting the intense monitoring of this border zone. Estonia, October 16, 2025  Crosses in TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, February 21, 2008  Outhouse of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, February 21, 2008  Nafha Prison (Israeli top security prison, holds 200 Palestinians sentenced to life), view from a road to Eilat. North from Mitzpe Ramon, the Middle East, February 1, 2001  Tombstones of prisoners in TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, February 21, 2008  Rows of crosses in TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, February 21, 2008  Cross under a pine in TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, February 21, 2008  Tombs of prisoners in TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, February 21, 2008  Death penalty protests on exhibit in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, February 23, 2008  Tombs of executed prisoners in TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, February 21, 2008  Tombs of executed prisoners (TDCJ No. 41, 3, 53, and 87) in Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, April 26, 2008  TDCJ Number of an electrocuted prisoner on a cross in Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, February 21, 2008  TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Used electric chair in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2010  Recreation exhibit in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2010  Gates of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Crosses of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Headstones of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Syringe used to administer sodium thiopental to sedate inmates during first stage of lethal injection in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, February 23, 2008  Paper items with handles made by prisoners from Christian counseling literature and used as dumbbells in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, February 23, 2008  Inmate crafts items in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2010  Old Sparky electric chair in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2010  Inmate crafts exhibit in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2010  Back rows of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Back fence of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Aligned crosses of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Rows of crosses of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Recent tombs of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Pine trees in TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Lines of crosses of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Recent headstones of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Rows of tombs in TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Mu"u"rivahe Street (Mu"u"rivahe ta"nav), specifically the section near the famous "Knit Market" wall. The name Mu"u"rivahe translates to "Between the Walls," referring to its historical location between the city s main defensive wall and a lower, secondary wall. This area is famous for the open-air market where local craftswomen sell traditional Estonian hand-knitted items like wool sweaters, mittens, and socks directly off the medieval stone wall. This specific spot (near Mu"u"rivahe 21) is close to the Viru Gate entrance to the Old Town and connects towards St. Catherine s Passage, another famous medieval walkway. Tallinn, Estonia, October 16, 2025  Old Sparky electric chair used for capital punishment of several hundred death row inmates in 1924-1964 in Prison Museum. Huntsville, Texas, February 23, 2008  Cross on a tomb of executed prisoner TDCJ No. 740 decorated by a plastic heart and spiderwort flowers behind it in Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, April 26, 2008  A prisoner preparing plywood caskets in TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Group of inmates burying deceased prisoners in TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Graveyard of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery in fog, with a tomb of an executed prisoner No. 783 Justin Lee May to the left. Huntsville, Texas, December 29, 2011  Bronze plaque in Bonfire Memorial on campus of Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, February 3, 2008  Christmas decoration of a mall under Prudential Tower. Boston, Massachusetts, December 13, 2005  Christmas decoration in Hamad International Airport. Doha, Qatar, December 30, 2015  Brick cap (Hypholoma) mushrooms in Huntsville Park. Texas, December 28, 2013  Giant statue of Sam Houston on Highway 45, view from its feet. Huntsville, Texas, November 23, 2012  Steamboat Christmas light decoration on a pond in Central Park. College Station, Texas, December 29, 2009  Christmas light decoration "Santa s Lane" in Central Park. College Station, Texas, December 29, 2009  Brick cap (Hypholoma) mushrooms on a base of a tree in Huntsville Park. Texas, December 28, 2013  Brick cap (Hypholoma) mushrooms among pine needles in Huntsville Park. Texas, December 28, 2013  Christmas light tunnel decoration "Santa s Lane" in Central Park at rain. College Station, Texas, December 29, 2009  This panoramic view from the tower of St. Nicholas Church looks south-west towards Toompea Hill, capturing the dense layering of Tallinn s medieval and religious history. The striking structure with black onion domes is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, an Orthodox cathedral built in 1900 in the Russian Revival style. Its imposing presence on Toompea Hill contrasts sharply with the surrounding red-tiled roofs, symbolizing the complex history of the Russian era in Estonia. In the foreground and middle distance, you can see key parts of the city s defensive network: The square tower with the tall red roof in the foreground is the Maiden Tower, a 14th-century defensive structure that now houses a cafe. Just behind and slightly to the left of the Maiden Tower (partially obscured) is the massive Kiek in de Ko"k artillery tower, whose Low German name ("Peep into the Kitchen") referred to the guards ability to see into nearby homes. Connective sections of the medieval city wall run between these towers, marking the boundary between the lower town and the upper citadel. The green space visible near the base of the wall is the Danish King s Garden (Taani kuninga aed). According to legend, this is where the Danish flag (Dannebrog) fell from the sky during a battle in 1219, turning the tide in favor of the Danes. The garden sits on the slope directly facing St. Nicholas Church. Estonia, October 16, 2025  TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, October 31, 2009  Crosses of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, October 31, 2009  Rows of crosses of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, October 31, 2009  Rows of tombs of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, October 31, 2009  Crosses on tombs of TDCJ Captain Joe Byrd (Peckerwood Hill) Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, October 31, 2009  Decoration with voting(?) saints on ivory plaque (book cover, Italy, early 12th century) in Hermitage Museum. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 1, 2010  This broader aerial shot, taken from an aircraft heading north towards Helsinki, captures the expansive geography of Tallinn s coastline. The large landmass stretching into the sea on the left is the Kopli Peninsula. Once an industrial zone, it is now a rapidly developing area with trendy neighborhoods like Kalamaja (closer to the center) and burgeoning cultural hubs. The calm, blue waters of Tallinn Bay dominate the background, illustrating the city s intimate connection with the Baltic Sea. Further in the distance, beyond Kopli, one can see the tip of the Paljassaare Peninsula, known for its bird conservation area and beaches. The area in the foreground, characterized by a regular grid of streets and lower-rise buildings (many of them historic wooden houses), is the Kalamaja district. On the coastline to the right, the massive concrete hangars of the Seaplane Harbour museum are visible, a key maritime landmark. Near the Seaplane Harbour, the curved, defensive walls of the Patarei Sea Fortress (a former prison) stand on the water s edge, marking a grim but significant historical site. View from a window of an airplane from Tallinn to Helsinki, Estonia, October 17, 2025  Back entrance of Hermitage museum, with Atlante s feet in foreground and Saint Isaac Cathedral in background. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 22, 2005  Sam Houston statue in fog at Road 45. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2008  Interior of a shaft for a "disappearing" Moncrieff gun within the fort s underground galleries in the historical Coastal Fort "Reef". The large hole in the ceiling "Oculus" is not a window or a skylight, but a gun pit. The rough, stained concrete walls and heavy metal brackets on the walls are remnants of the lifting mechanism and the platforms where the gun crew would operate. Kronstadt, Russia, September 27, 2025  Headstones of Oakwood Cemetery in mist. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2008  Top security Nafha Prison in Negev Desert north from Mitzpe Ramon, holds around 200 Palestinians sentenced for life, view from a bus on Road 40 (destination of half of the bus passengers going from Beer-Sheva). The Middle East, March 22, 2001  This picturesque courtyard is located at Ru"u"tli 28, tucked away near the medieval city wall and the fortifications of Toompea. The site features a charming, small white building with red doors and window frames, nestled directly against the limestone cliff and city wall fortifications. The lush ivy covering the stone walls turns a vibrant red in autumn, creating a "fairytale" aesthetic that contrasts with the defensive nature of the surrounding structures. The wooden walkway visible above the cliff is part of the Kiek in de Ko"k Fortifications Museum complex. This gallery connects the Maiden Tower (Neitsitorn), the Stable Tower (Marstall), and the Kiek in de Ko"k artillery tower, allowing visitors to walk along the old defensive perimeter. The courtyard below sits in the shadow of these massive fortifications, which once protected the city from invaders. Estonia, October 16, 2025  Northern end of Vene Street (Vene ta"nav) at the intersection with Olevima"gi and Bremeni ka"ik. The red brick building on the immediate left is located at Vene 28. It is a historic structure that was originally built in 1912 as a residential building and briefly housed the Estonian Provisional Government in 1918. It stands out with its industrial-style red brick facade contrasting with the medieval stone walls nearby. The large limestone wall with the archway on the far left is part of the city s defensive fortifications, specifically near the Bremen Tower (Bremeni torn). The archway leads into Bremen Passage (Bremeni ka"ik), a short, atmospheric walkway that connects Vene Street to Uus Street through the city wall. The tower itself, a 15th-century horseshoe-shaped defensive structure, is located just behind this wall. In the background, at the end of the street, you can see the yellow tower and facade of the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas (Nikolai kirik) at Vene 24. Designed by architect Luigi Rusca and built between 1820-1827, this Neoclassical church serves a congregation under the Moscow Patriarchate and is known for its valuable iconostasis. It sits on the site of a much older church that served Novgorod merchants in the Middle Ages. Tallinn, Estonia, October 16, 2025  Extra head of Sam Houston statue in a roadside park of Road 45. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2008  Memorial plaque with J. Stalin depicting Second Congress of Soviets in Vosstaniya Metro (subway) Station. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 8, 2009  Bronze statue of robed Jesus Christ ("Blessing Christ", also known as "Comforting Christ" and "The Christus", a copy of Bertel Thorvaldsen s Resurrected Christ, made for Vor Frue Kirke, Copenhagen Cathedral) in Rawler Rather Powell Memorial Park on north border of Oakwood Cemetery. Huntsville, Texas, June 29, 2008  Bronze plaque in Bonfire Memorial on campus of Texas A&M University. College Station, Texas, September 30, 2024  Aerial view of Tallinn. The heart of the image is the medieval Old Town, identifiable by its dense cluster of red-tiled roofs, church spires (including the tall St. Olaf s Church), and the fortified Toompea Hill. Surrounding the Old Town are the modern high-rises of the financial district (left foreground), including the Swisso^tel and Tornima"e towers. To the right, the Port of Tallinn (Vanasadam) stretches out into the Baltic Sea, with ferries and cruise ships visible. The sweeping coastline of the Tallinn Bay dominates the background. The clear blue sky and the calm sea suggest a crisp, sunny morning. View from a window of an airplane from Tallinn to Helsinki. Estonia, October 17, 2025  Clock Tower with walls of Mary and Olaf Cathedral in foreground. Vyborg, Russia, February 14, 2013  Crosses in Negro Section of Oakwood Cemetery on a strip of land where many slaves were buried in unmarked graves. Huntsville, Texas, December 18, 2008  Christmas lights reflected in a lake in Central Park. College Station, Texas, December 17, 2008  Christmas show "Santa s Lane" in Central Park. College Station, Texas, December 17, 2008  Christmas lights reflected in a pond of Central Park. College Station, Texas, December 17, 2008 |
