Pre-Christmas Bavaria, ending
It's time to finish the description of the pre-Christmas Europe, because. she has already celebrated her holiday. Now there are a lot of reviews from trips, it's so nice to see those places with someone else's eyes. In recent days, I have seen Nuremberg, Wü rzburg, and Dinkelsbü hl on various television programs.
And then Regensburg was ahead of us. It is an hour drive from Nuremberg, very beautiful views of the city from the river (almost everything that I knew then). So let's go look.
They wrote that the city was not bombed, like Nuremberg, many surviving buildings. From the station we go immediately against the current, we need to see what the tourist, it seems, will not always be shown, or maybe the organized groups that we see go a different route.
It is believed that the city was founded by the ancient Romans, although Celtic settlements existed here long before that. Back in the 1st millennium AD. the city became the capital of Bavaria and one of the first residences of the German bishops. Today, the old part of Regensburg is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
We went to several churches, I was not ready for this, I don’t remember the names. Somehow she just looked one way, then the other.
Already at home I read that what we saw was the Church of St. Jacoba is a 12th century Romanesque basilica that takes its name from the Irish Benedictine monastery (Scoti), to which it belonged before secularization. The oldest Irish manuscripts and, in particular, texts written in 1080 by an Irish Benedictine monk were found in the monastery library. Marianus, founder of a community in Regensburg, containing the earliest recorded Gaelic words.
Why so amazed? The most famous architectural element of the church is the Schottenportal, which occupies a third of the northern wall and is richly decorated with sculptures, which is guarded by a glass dome. We see, as it were, a glass house adjoining the church. We decide that we can’t go there, something protected from human eyes and their presence. We start taking pictures, sometimes a little closer, sometimes a little further, and suddenly we touch this “glass gate”, and it opens - the main doorway is covered with very unusual carvings. But curiosity takes over. Anything is possible, let's go. We are alone, there is no one. Strictly, but very beautiful stained-glass windows. We just almost approached the church from the wrong side, but this is the beauty of an independent trip.
I really like the colored German houses, the next couple of dozen shots.
St. Peter's Cathedral (Dom St. Peter, 1250-1524) on Domplatz is one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in Bavaria. For almost three centuries, different architects worked on its construction. The western portal (1495-1440), stained-glass windows (XIV) have been preserved, in the covered galleries on the sides of the building there are two ancient Romanesque chapels: All Saints and St. Stephen. The cathedral acquired its modern look in the middle of the 19th century, when two 105-meter towers were added to it and a significant restoration was carried out. The treasury of the cathedral, located in the old episcopal palace, stores valuable jewelry and textile works of the 11th-20th centuries. On Sundays, the boys' choir performs in the cathedral - the "choir of sparrows" ("Domspatzen"). I love stained-glass windows in churches, especially when the sun hits them.
Abbey of St. Emmeram (Kloster Sankt Emmeram) is one of the oldest in Germany. Its church, built in the 13th century, is remarkable as one of the few German churches with a separate bell tower. Romanesque church Emmeramskirche (Emmeraraskirche, VII-XIII) In the underground crypt under the church - burials of the VIII-X centuries. The interior murals are dazzling. In 1809 the monastery buildings were converted into a palace for the princes of Thurn y Taxis.
A small fair is taking place in the courtyard of the Palace, but we saw it, going around from the other side, there are almost no people there. “Castle of the princes of Thurn und Taxis (Schloss Thurn und Taxis, XVIII visit only with a guide) Such luxurious halls can only be found in the most famous palaces in Europe” - we will know for the future. It turns out that the entrance is where the entrance to the Palace is.
Steinerne Brucke Bridge (1135-1146), i. e. stone, - the oldest bridge in Germany. This bridge was used in May 1147 by Conrad III and in May 1189 by Frederick I Barbarossa when crossing the Danube during the 2nd and 3rd Crusades. In the Middle Ages, it was considered one of the wonders of the world and for 800 years it was the only bridge across the Danube in Regensburg. After the war, the bridge was repaired and continues to serve the townspeople. It offers a wonderful view of Regensburg. A small museum (Bruckturm-Museum) is open in the south tower of the bridge. It is worth visiting at least in order to look at the bridge from a bird's eye view, did not go, maybe. I only read about it at home. When we stood on the bridge, the sun was shining, then the sky became dark, dark, then it started to snow. All this lasted 10-15 minutes, then the weather became more or less calmer.
Under the bridge there is a pier for the Danube pleasure steamers. From here you can "float" to the famous "Temple of Glory of all Germans" - Valhala (about 10 km down the Danube). The father of the "mad king" Ludwig built a copy of the Greek Parthenon on the Danube hill in Bavaria in the middle of the 19th century. “One of the most ridiculous buildings in Germany, but like all the other eccentricities of the Bavarian royal family, the building has taken root and has become popular with tourists, ” one of the reviews wrote. Boats do not run in winter, so this is an attraction for the warmer season.
We passed the fair, took a cup as a keepsake, bought an angel, but we were very sorry that we were ill-prepared for the city. Somehow I just came across information about the view from the river and the main cathedral, but there are a lot of things worthy of attention. Later, information came across that it was ahead of Munich in terms of the number of beautiful sights, that the Germans themselves called Regensburg "the northernmost city in Italy. " I can’t say anything, because. I didn't plan Munich from the very beginning. I think it played its role over the course of the year. The sun, then the snow, then the wind is strong. There is only one conclusion - you must definitely come back here.
One of the days was dedicated to Furth.
It's practically Nuremberg itself. One trip for 90 minutes costs 2.40 euros in any mode of transport, I didn’t delve into it, but I think that all transfers are allowed. A ticket for 1 day - 4.20 euros, for two - 8 euros. The thought of transport working abroad always throws me off balance. After all, they can contain controllers, and machines, and a daily pass can be at the price of 2 trips, and it’s warm in transport. Again, shame on myself.
Already on all metro lines in the city there are trains without drivers, of course, they looked ahead, and there is darkness, only a tunnel. We didn't know what it was in Paris, we didn't notice it there.
Go to Fü rth for about 20 minutes by metro, part of the way on the surface. But somehow the landscapes are not very, industrial areas (Grundig from these places). It seems that you can even walk along the park or run between cities, but this is again not in winter.
The first railway in Germany was built from Fü rth to Nuremberg. In 1835, the steam locomotive Adler, made by the famous George Stephenson, began to run on it. The first mention of the city of Fü rth dates back to 1007, when Emperor Henry II granted it to the Bishop of Bamberg. During the Thirty Years' War, Fü rth was almost completely destroyed. To whom he just did not pass and did not belong, until in 1818 Fü rth passed to Bavaria. The houses were not damaged during the Second World War - they say that this is largely the merit of the Jewish community of the city, which asked the Allied command not to bomb the city, which sheltered them for 500 years and did not have military facilities on its territory.
And, of course, the City Hall building, made in the style of the Florentine Palazzo, is considered the “nail” of everything in the city, in front of it is an amusing sculpture that repeats the outlines of the town hall tower, but at an angle
Low houses, roof slopes are more often oriented along the streets, and not perpendicularly, as is customary in old German cities. Half-timbered houses are found, but do not dominate. But in an incredible concentration, they are found finished with a "thing" - something like small slate plates of various colors, reinforced along the entire facade or part of it. Many unique patterns, interspersed with wood and stone, in the sun these buildings look absolutely fantastically beautiful.
In general, there are many sculptures in the city, Fü rth ranks first in Germany in terms of the density of monuments (which means that it is far from the last in the world).
Here is the Cathedral of St. Michael is the main Lutheran community in Fü rth. The cathedral is located next to a kindergarten and, apparently, an elementary school. A teacher with children came in with us, they all sat down, maybe they were having a lesson. The cathedral reminded me of a theater, with balconies on both sides. On the pulpit of the cathedral are two large handwritten books. In them - all the dead inhabitants of Fü rth in the First and Second World Wars are listed by name. We read this in the reviews, because. could not come.
Fü rth was the only city where we never came across a fair. It seems that all the shopping streets have already passed, people have been seen, the station has been found. We went to the information center. I had to ask where the action takes place. It turned out that we simply did not get there, we had to turn the corner. The fair was similar to the one I saw last year in Hannover. Some kind of knightly armor, metal products, they make some crafts in front of you.
We liked Furth, it's like the outskirts of our city, for example Northern Saltovka, which only has its own face, a very cozy place and, I'm sure, even more beautiful here in the summer.
From what remains a dream, not yet realized, Neuschweinstein Castle. It was decided that we would not go beyond 300 km, the weather was unpredictable, so we had to choose.
We were in Rothenburg ob der Tauber a couple of years ago, in winter. A city where Christmas is all year round. To get from Nuremberg with a transfer, but there my friends and I then met. Once again, whether to go or not, we took it as a reserve, if suddenly there was nothing to do. Then it was very damp, the tour was short and running. But if everyone travels by car, you need to choose such towns that are not very convenient to get to by public transport. We choose Dinkelsbü hl and Nö rdlingen. Both cities are part of the route of the Romantic Road of Bavaria. Already in Germany, I read a review on the forum about spending the night in Nö rdlingen, an enthusiastic review, which means that we made the right choice.
I read that the cities are not very popular with tourists, but I can bet. There were people, however, mostly they were independent tourists.
The first was Dinkelsbü hl.
We park in front of the entrance to the city gates (one of them). The sun is shining, the snow is creaking, beauty. In the information center, I finally saw the book "The Romantic Road of Bavaria", in Russian it is the most expensive, but I have not seen it anywhere. We take, the photos are magnificent.
The first mention of Dinkelsbü hl dates back to 928. In 1273 it became a free imperial city. Its heyday was in the 14th and 15th centuries. During the Thirty Years' War 1618-1648. the city successfully withstood eight sieges, but in 1632 it was taken by the troops of the Swedish king Gustav II Adolf. According to legend, the city owes its salvation from fire and destruction to a woman (she is called Kinderlore), who, with a large crowd of children, went out to the Swedes and asked to hide the city. These events are now commemorated during the historic Kinderzeche festival, one of the oldest in Germany, which takes place every year on the third Monday in July. On this day, the Dinkelsbü hl Chapel of Fry arranges a procession in historical costumes. There was a story about this festival a couple of days ago on the Travel Channel. I must say that there were just a huge number of people at this holiday.
The city is surrounded by a fortress wall, we go behind it, and not inside it. But the city is built in such a way that we still enter the city through the next gate. When I came across information about this town, the author of the review wrote that, having met elderly Germans here, he learned from them that this city is not as popular as Rothenburg, but no less interesting. The city defensive walls (XIV-XV) have been completely preserved to our time, thanks to which the city is a true example of a small Franconian medieval city. Well-preserved four gates, including Rothenburger Tor (Rothenburger Tor), and sixteen towers. Near Rotenburger Tor is the Historical Museum.
The late Gothic Cathedral of St. George (Munster St. Georg, 1448-1499) rises on the Marktplatz square - one of the most beautiful single-nave churches in Germany with a Romanesque tower and an interesting interior. With us, a huge Christmas tree is “loaded” into the cathedral with the help of a crane. The Christmas tree is real, just beautiful, we waited until it passed through the door. You can go further, because the installation process will take a long time. Inside the cathedral, models of the ancient city are made, beautifully.
The city does not have a central square, the streets diverge in different directions, expanding from the center. On Weinmarkt Square (Wine Market) - five elegant old houses with high gables. In a building with a richly carved Renaissance facade, there is a hotel and restaurant "Deutsches House" ("Deutsches Haus", "German House", circa 1600). Next to it, in the building of the former granary “Schranne” (“Schranne”), performances are held annually in July during the festival “Kinderzeche” (“Kinderzeche”). The bookstore has been located here for 400 years. The owner kindly allows you to take photos.
All the houses are extraordinarily beautiful, somewhere I came across a photograph of one house in the summer - (On the south side, near the Hertelsturm tower, there is a house completely overgrown with wild grapes and hats of flowers under each window - it definitely makes an impression). Maybe someone will be there in the summer.
The fair here is small, there are a lot of wooden toys, some crafts. It is located somehow inconspicuously, a little to the side.
Mostly people walk around the town, it is very colorful. There is a museum of the third dimension, they write interesting, but I don’t even know what is there.
We drive on to Nö rdlingen. Along the road there are signs with the words "Romantic Road". We passed through Wallerstein, marked on the Romantic road. . . Right in the middle of the road, there is a column called "Petssä use", which in translation means "plague column" and on its plinth there are three statues of saints-protectors from the plague - Rochus, Sebastian and Antoniusat from Padua. . . Wallersteiner has 3200 inhabitants. They write that the church is very beautiful, but we did not stop.
When you drive along the road (these are local roads, not autobahns), you can see some beautiful castles or fortresses, the signs take you a little to the side. If you go here in the summer by car, you can stop almost every kilometer.
Nö rdlingen.
An amazing city, it is planned in the form of a circle, in the center stands the church of St. George, and from it, like rays from the sun, the streets diverged in different directions. In the 14th century, it was decided to enclose the city with a fortress wall, after which it finally took shape as an almost right circle, later in the 15th and 17th centuries the fortress wall was strengthened, towers and defensive structures were added, all these buildings still stand today.
We climbed the wall, the whole city is on the left side, you walk in a circle, look at the roofs of houses, you can go down, but not very often. Going down, went straight to the fair. And next to her was a small museum or a circle of skillful hands. Entrance cost a couple of euros per person. Models of railways and highways were collected. Moreover, it is indicated there that such and such a tunnel or bridge really exists in such and such a place, or in such and such a country. There are many children who either help here or can play here. Everything moves, the trains even hum. We were interested, warmed up a little. A small orchestra played at the fair, sheep were walking in the paddock.
It is believed that the city arose at the site of a meteorite fall, there is even a museum. The museum tells that the city of Nö rdlingen, like two other small towns, is located in an ancient meteorite impact crater that occurred 14.5 million years ago. According to the calculations of scientists, 250 megatons of energy was released during the collision of a meteorite with the earth. As a result of this impact, a funnel with a diameter of 25 kilometers and a depth of 1000 meters was formed. Geologists find rock fragments from this place even in the Czech Republic and Sweden. Millions of years passed, the funnel turned into a picturesque valley, and no one could suspect a terrible catastrophe that had occurred in the past. Only at the end of the 20th century, American scientists were able to see a huge scar in the form of a ring structure on the body of Europe. To prove the "meteorite theory" they took for analysis a piece of stone that had been chipped away from the church of St. George city center. A large content of meteorite substance was found in the rock. After that, scientists from all over Europe began to seriously study the valley-crater, created a museum and research center in the city of Nö rdlingen
There is also a legend about saving the city by a pig. When one of the guards of the city was bribed and he did not close the gate tightly for the night, a pig saved the city from the penetration of intruders. She lagged behind the herd and found her way home late at night, but she could not squeeze through the gate and raised, you can imagine what kind of noise. The city was saved. The traitor is punished. Everyone is grateful to the pig. They say that since then, the caretaker of the tower, Daniel, every evening informs the townspeople from the observation deck of the tower that everything is calm in the city. They wrote that pigs are everywhere. There was only one pig. We were told that in the city of Schweinfurt all the pigs were removed, maybe here too.
The Church of St. George, it seemed to me that not only is it called like in Dinkelsbü hl, but it looks similar in appearance.
There are several trees, the trunks of which are decorated with knitted products, as if in knitted clothes. I don’t know if they came up with this for this winter, or there is some kind of tradition.
I do not think that organized tourists should be taken to such towns. Not everyone will be willing to pay money just for the fact that it is so beautiful there. They won’t give much time for such a walk, but it’s a shame just to run. Yes, and usually excursions are taken to where the guide can tell something for 1.5 hours. Maybe I'm wrong.
The plans were to drive past the small town of Schwabach, but it did not work out. Parking in Nö rdlingen in the central part is allowed free of charge for 3 hours, as read in the booklet taken near the information center. You can change the place every 3 hours, you need to lay out a special device in the cabin for a while. Well, it gets dark early, so we decided to move towards the house. Another point - it seemed to me that in Nuremberg, a little away from the center, it is not so bright and light at night, and in a small town we will be like white crows.
It was Saturday evening, the next day we have a morning plane. Sunday decided to hallow the city, a joint dinner.
Sunday greeted us with frost and snow. For lunch we go to a beer restaurant, which used to be a monastery. I am amazed there by a large number of elderly people in restaurants, and just people. It's just a snowstorm outside, almost all the seats are occupied, but somehow everyone quickly sits down, there are a lot of halls. Can be seen in the depths of the vats of beer, it is brewed here. As the husband said, he would live here, because. their cuisine suits him. I would like to see someone who would not like this amount of meat.
The snow never stopped, which made the city even more beautiful. We took a ride on the tram, the purchased travel card should not disappear. It's warm, cozy, the seats are soft, just like in Hyundai. I do not want to return to our minibuses.
And in the morning we are waiting for the road home. We check in for the flight the day before, at the control they ask if we know that we will receive the luggage in Kyiv. Yes, we know.
Everyone, wave your hand, the guys are leaving. We are carrying a suitcase of memories, 17 gigabytes of photos.
We fly back through Dusseldorf, docking 1.5 hours. The airport is smaller than in Munich. Not very convenient, because. the entire party zone remains if you go through border control. We decided that 1.5 hours was not long, we found our reception desk, we are waiting. The flight is transferred to another gate, everyone is transferred, we are waiting again. Something is being said all the time about the cancellation of flights within Germany. But now they are starting to let us through. This time a small plane comes across on this section of the path.
Of course, I know that it is better to know foreign languages, but here I was especially convinced of this. For some reason, all the suitcases are standing by the plane, we see our own, we didn’t get lost. Someone points to their suitcases, they move it back and forth, we sit down. I look out the window behind my suitcase, part there, part here, ours aside. Again a part is loaded, ours and a few more aside again. But when our suitcase and a couple more are put in a cart, covered with a tent and driven, we jump up and forward. The neighbor behind says that they have a technical staff strike and they asked to indicate whose luggage they have and then they will load it. And since we did not indicate, it means that we are not here, on the plane, and luggage is not being loaded. Yes, it happens. Two bags remained in the cart, I don’t know if these people weren’t on the plane, or if they didn’t understand. I said about it, of course, in Russian, 2 more people came out. The stewardess said nothing to the passengers. So saving your luggage even in punctual Germany is up to you. We do not know for sure whether the strike was to blame or something else.
Therefore, we are happy to meet the offered hot food, calm down, drink coffee and wait for boarding. Since the flight was delayed, we have only half an hour before the bus leaves Boryspil. We see, we feel that the weather in Kyiv is not very comfortable, because. 20 minutes to land we go in full "milk", and only when we saw the runway, we realized that we were landing. Luggage, border control, on the street. There are no schedules for when the bus runs between the terminals, but they say that soon. He comes, we go, he has several stops that he does not announce, we are in terminal B, and he is another 7 minutes. will stand in terminal D, grab a suitcase, run through the snow and puddles (porridge underfoot) to the terminal. At the box office, 17.30, departure in 5 minutes. There are tickets, but there is no bus yet. The daughter dissuaded me from going, what roads, better tomorrow by train. But a little beyond Kyiv, there is no snow at all. In Kharkov then it was not yet.
By 2 o'clock in the morning we were already at home, with a suitcase and warm.
That's all adventure. We realized that once again we were lucky with the weather on a winter trip, we saw what we wanted. Most importantly, we know that we need to return there.
It is possible that the trip was not as fair-Christmas as it was thought, but more just familiarization with the cities. But she was.
To everyone who read, thank you. Most likely, I wrote this for myself, so it looks more like a school essay “How I Met Winter”.
