Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
Eisenach, Germany has a long tradition in car manufacturing. In 1896 the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach was founded which was in 1928 became part of the well-known Bayrischen Motoren Werke (BMW). After World War II and the establishment of the GDR it became a state-owned company, the VEB Automobilwerk Eisenach (AWE). It produced a famous car called Wartburg.
Continue reading “Automobile Welt Eisenach”
High above Eisenach, Germany you can find a wonderful castle that played an important role in German history: the Wartburg. It was created in the year 1067 CE and is today a UNESCO world heritage site. The castle is well known as the place where Martin Luther translated the New Testament of the bible from Latin to German between 1521-1522 (using the pseudonym ‘Junker Jörg‘ to hide away).
Continue reading “Wartburg”
It’s a bizarre landscape. A vast area without bushes and trees, strangely formed rocks on one of the surrounding mountains, many people walking around and climbing these rocks and gliders starting on an airfield in between. That is what you can all find close to Zierenberg, Germany (15 kilometers northwest of Kassel). The strangely shaped rocks are called Helfensteine and are visible because of the erosion of the surrounding area over a very long time.
Continue reading “Helfensteine”
It is a lost place within the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe at Kassel, Germany: the Neuer Wasserfall (new waterfall). During the ancient water show the water runs from down from the Herkules monument to the Steinhöfer Wasserfall. It passes the Teufelsbrücke and the Aquädukt ruin before a large fountain starts. But there was another section that was added in 1826 – another waterfall. It was last in operation in 1943 before it was hit by bombs. It hasn’t been destroyed much but it can’t be used until today and most people don’t know about it.
Continue reading “Unused waterfall”
The Tannenkuppe (fir summit) is a hill in the city quarter Vorderer Westen (fore west) of Kassel, Germany – not far away from the railway station Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe. It consists of limestone (like nearby Kratzenberg) which was gathered and until the mid of the 19th century also burned there to receive Calcium oxide; a material needed for buildings and industry. In the 1880s local industrial Sigmund Aschrott bought this place and converted it into a landscape garden.
Continue reading “Aschrottpark”
The city of Mitrovicë, Kosovo is mainly known for two things: that river Ibër splits the city and the country itself into the Serbian north and the Albanian south and for its mining tradition. On Serbian-controlled territory in the northeast you can find the Miniera e Trepçës or Rudnik Trepča – the largest mine for lead and zinc ore in Europe (which is additionally also gathering silver and gold). Up to 23000 workers were once employed there at the same time.
Continue reading “Miners monument”
At the border between Kosovo and North Macedonia you can find a fantastic mountain range called Malet e Sharrit, Sharr or Šar Planina. It is a great contrast to the flat land in the Kosovo Polje and contains high mountains, deep valleys and endless green forests. The area is especially known for the artisan products created here and the possibility to go skiing in the upper parts. A good way to explore the Malet e Sharrit nature protection zone is to start from Prizren and to drive into the direction of Brod – you will then cross the complete mountain range
Continue reading “Malet e Sharrit”
The Kalaja fortress is located high above Prizren, Kosovo. Under its protection the city became an important trade city connecting Albania and its coasts with the Kosovo Polje. The medieval fortress was built in the 6th century CE on a place that was already used by earlier generations of the Illyrians and Romans. The terrace 200 meters above the city gives great views on the area.
Continue reading “Kalaja”
When coming to the city center of Prizren, Kosovo you cannot overlook the Xhamia e Sinan Pashës, the biggest and most beautiful mosque of the city. It is located close to the river Bistrica and the ancient stone bridge (Ura e gurit). It was built between 1608 and 1615; the main room is 14 x 14 meters large and therefore the biggest Osman mosque in Kosovo. To build the mosque stones from a former Christian cloister were recycled.
Continue reading “Xhamia e Sinan Pashës”
The Mirusha valley is one of the natural highlights of Kosovo. It is located in the middle between Pejë and Prizren in a mountainous region with wonderful forests. The river Mirusha here creates 16 waterfalls connecting 13 small lakes. The largest waterfall is 22 meters high. Animals living in this nature protection zone include wild boars, badgers, wolves, turtles and otters. It is a wonderful place full of nature that is a little bit hard to reach.
Continue reading “Mirusha valley”