Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
The city of Bamberg is beautifully located at the 64 km long river Regnitz, created from the confluence of Pegnitz and Rednitz near Fürth and running into river Main. At Bamberg two river arms form an island which contains important parts of the city and water mills were used in different parts. The river was also important to transport goods, as you can still today see at the harbor with an ancient crane.
Continue reading “Little Venice”
What is the most important icon of Bamberg? There is only one correct answer: it is the old town hall building (Altes Rathaus) built on posts within the river Regnitz. Not only tourist books use this place is the one and only image of the city – also companies showing their connection to Bamberg use it massively. The impressive building is partly half-timbered and marks the border between the religiously ruled (Bergstadt) part of the city and the secular Bamberg (Inselstadt).
Continue reading “Surrounded by water”
When you’re walking through Regensburg you might not notice that the city is of Roman origin, but the traces are there and easy to find. In 179 CE the Romans created a fortification close to the rivers Regen and Donau. The Castra Regina was home to the third Italian legion and protected the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes which was in this area the river Donau. On the other side of the river Germanic people were living and had continuous conflicts with the Romans.
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When the Holy Roman Empire broke apart in 1806 the people in todays Germany were trying to define their identity. Who is German? What does it mean to be a German? The idea of these times was that everyone who is speaking the German language shall be defined as a German. Ludwig I, the later king of Bavaria, started to create a collection of busts showing persons whom he defined as important Germans. He planned to exhibit them in an impressive building which he named the Walhalla, after the place where fallen heroes find their eternal rest in Norse mythology.
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The two towers of the Gothic-style cathedral St. Peter dominate the skyline of the city of Regensburg. Entering the building feels like being teleported into a different world, with the high ceiling and the rich decorations it has a special atmosphere. The church was built from the year 1275 on and became usable in 1450. The creation of the towers lasted until 1869, all in all a very long construction period.
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The city of Regensburg was founded by the Romans in 179 CE. They created their military fortification called Castra Regina facing the river Donau. The main gate of every of these fortifications was called Porta praetoria and the Porta praetoria of Castra Regina has been preserved throughout the centuries. In fact, in addition to the Porta Nigra of Trier the gate at Regensburg is the only preserved Roman gate in Germany.
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Close to the city center of Regensburg a long bridge spans the river Donau, the Steinerne Brücke. It was built between 1135 and 1146 and was by that time the only bridge crossing the Donau between Ulm and Wien. The bridge is 336 meters long and eight meters wide. With its 16 arches it was the antetype for the famous Karlův most at Praha (516 meters long, built in 1357).
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High above the city of Fulda you can find the Franciscan cloister Kloster Frauenberg. If you want to enjoy great views on the city or do some sports (the ascent is quite steep) you should choose to get up. On top of the mountain you can relax in the cloister gardens or a enjoy a coffee at the terrace of the coffee bar of the cloister.
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The Fuldaer Stadtschloß is a special castle: it is used by the city administration as the town hall building, but it is also a museum. When you’re visiting it you’ll have to search for the pompous representative rooms of the past between the many simple offices of the different departments of the administration. But it is a quest absolutely worth doing, the rooms are well-preserved with ancient tapestry, endless mirrors and very rich decorations.
Continue reading “Pomp & fancy tapestry”
We’re all used to modern buildings made of steel and glass. But where was the first of these buildings standing? At New York? At Frankfurt? At Singapore? No, it was built in 1911 in rural Lower Saxony, in a small town named Alfeld an der Leine. Why is that? It has to do with the story of Carl Benscheidt (1858-1947). He was an expert in making shoe lasts, an element still necessary today to produce shoes. A replica of a foot is created from beech wood (today mostly from high-density plastics) and the shoe material is formed around.
Continue reading “Fagus-Werk”