Armchair Travel: Photos of Germany
May 7th, 2020, 11:26 PM
#81
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May 8, 2020, 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Since many here are interested in war-related sights, let me show you one that is totally hidden and unknown to 99,99% of the world. I would never have heard of it, hadn't we been take to see it on a conference excursion.
On the outskirts of the city of Soest in Westphalia, a large casern was turned into a POW camp for French officers. While it had been a "model camp" in the beginning, the situation deteriorated more and more the longer the war lasted.
The prisoners sought comfort in their faith, there was a priest among them. A room in the attic was given to them to be used as a chapel. Two painters were allowed to decorate it together with the priest. They painted every bit of wall, ceiling, beams with scenes that reflect their faith, their longing for their homeland France, their experiences in the war and as prisoners.
Apologies for the lousy quality of the photos. The room is tiny and dark and difficult to photograph, even worse when it is full of people who all want to take photos.
Nowadays they have a little museum in there, part of which is the chapel, but with very limited opening hours. In case anyone is interested: Französische Kapelle Soest - Geschichtswerkstatt
The dead soldier, covered with the French flag, on the beam
The chapel
Portraits of the three authors
Map of France with important French saints (and a few remembrances, like wine bottles in Bordeaux)
Detail of the map, the South of France with Notre Dame de Puy and local saints - among them a little Sainte Claudine. There is no Sainte Claudine in the calendar of the Catholic Church... this is the painter's little daughter.
Saints who were important for them
I was in prison and you visited me
Since many here are interested in war-related sights, let me show you one that is totally hidden and unknown to 99,99% of the world. I would never have heard of it, hadn't we been take to see it on a conference excursion.
On the outskirts of the city of Soest in Westphalia, a large casern was turned into a POW camp for French officers. While it had been a "model camp" in the beginning, the situation deteriorated more and more the longer the war lasted.
The prisoners sought comfort in their faith, there was a priest among them. A room in the attic was given to them to be used as a chapel. Two painters were allowed to decorate it together with the priest. They painted every bit of wall, ceiling, beams with scenes that reflect their faith, their longing for their homeland France, their experiences in the war and as prisoners.
Apologies for the lousy quality of the photos. The room is tiny and dark and difficult to photograph, even worse when it is full of people who all want to take photos.
Nowadays they have a little museum in there, part of which is the chapel, but with very limited opening hours. In case anyone is interested: Französische Kapelle Soest - Geschichtswerkstatt
The dead soldier, covered with the French flag, on the beam
The chapel
Portraits of the three authors
Map of France with important French saints (and a few remembrances, like wine bottles in Bordeaux)
Detail of the map, the South of France with Notre Dame de Puy and local saints - among them a little Sainte Claudine. There is no Sainte Claudine in the calendar of the Catholic Church... this is the painter's little daughter.
Saints who were important for them
I was in prison and you visited me
May 13th, 2020, 08:12 AM
#82
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A hidden gem a few kms from my parents's house: Wolfenbüttel
Typical half-timbered architecture
Market square and town hall
"Little Venice"
Renaissance bank building
The main church, S. Beatae Mariae Virginis
The renaissance palace of the Dukes of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel
Christmas market
Lessing's house
Duke August Library - their treasure chamber holds the most expensive book in the world, the Evangeliar of Henry the Lion
Typical half-timbered architecture
Market square and town hall
"Little Venice"
Renaissance bank building
The main church, S. Beatae Mariae Virginis
The renaissance palace of the Dukes of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel
Christmas market
Lessing's house
Duke August Library - their treasure chamber holds the most expensive book in the world, the Evangeliar of Henry the Lion
May 15th, 2020, 10:31 PM
#85
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Today I want to show you one of the finest zoos in this country, the Wilhelma in Stuttgart. It is actually a combination of botanical garden and zoo in the grounds of a historical summer palace.
In the 1840s a palace in "moorish" style was built as summer resort for King Wilhelm of Württemberg, and named after him. Vast gardens and greenhouses were part of it from the beginning. Already in the late 19th century the gardens were opened to the public. After World War II, a zoo was added. Due to bomb damage, some parts of the palace are missing. others have been turned into greenhouses or animal houses. The heart of the site, the Magnolia courtyard, still gives an idea of the architectural concept.
In the moorish garden
The former main palace has been transformed into a greenhouse after the war.
The closest I ever got to seeing the magnolia garden in bloom
Formerly a pavillon and lookout on the front terrace, now the main entrance and cash desk
Collection of water lilies in a wide basin
The acalea house in full glory
The historical greenhouses are of interest not only for the plants, but also for the construction in cast iron and glass
Cast iron and glass dome over a greenhouse. This type of construction was something totally new in the 1840s and 50s.
Belvedere on the hilltop
Cormorants inhabit the canal now
The new modern ape house
Lunchtime in the butterfly house
In the 1840s a palace in "moorish" style was built as summer resort for King Wilhelm of Württemberg, and named after him. Vast gardens and greenhouses were part of it from the beginning. Already in the late 19th century the gardens were opened to the public. After World War II, a zoo was added. Due to bomb damage, some parts of the palace are missing. others have been turned into greenhouses or animal houses. The heart of the site, the Magnolia courtyard, still gives an idea of the architectural concept.
In the moorish garden
The former main palace has been transformed into a greenhouse after the war.
The closest I ever got to seeing the magnolia garden in bloom
Formerly a pavillon and lookout on the front terrace, now the main entrance and cash desk
Collection of water lilies in a wide basin
The acalea house in full glory
The historical greenhouses are of interest not only for the plants, but also for the construction in cast iron and glass
Cast iron and glass dome over a greenhouse. This type of construction was something totally new in the 1840s and 50s.
Belvedere on the hilltop
Cormorants inhabit the canal now
The new modern ape house
Lunchtime in the butterfly house
May 16th, 2020, 12:55 AM
#87
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I admit that I'm no fan of Stuttgart. But it has a few gems, first of all the Wilhelma, the State Art Gallery, the historical museum in the old palace, Bad Cannstatt's old town, the TV tower, and for car freaks the two big car museums. I'd also throw in the pig museum. But the city centre is mostly post-war and rather ugly imho.
May 24th, 2020, 12:25 AM
#89
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Hi mokka4! Have we already had photos of Goslar? I don't think so. This here is based on 3 visits in different seasons.
The old town's typical architecture, timberframe and slate
Haus Kaiserworth
Miners marching in the Glockenspiel
Brusttuch, Goslar's most famous house
A side street that once was a suburb outside the centre
A frosty winter's day
The historical city hall in market square. Unfortunately the Christmas market was already finished.
Frankenberger Kirche
Kaiserpfalz - a 19th century reconstruction of the medieval emperors' palace
Witches...
And, finally, the Christmas market.
The old town's typical architecture, timberframe and slate
Haus Kaiserworth
Miners marching in the Glockenspiel
Brusttuch, Goslar's most famous house
A side street that once was a suburb outside the centre
A frosty winter's day
The historical city hall in market square. Unfortunately the Christmas market was already finished.
Frankenberger Kirche
Kaiserpfalz - a 19th century reconstruction of the medieval emperors' palace
Witches...
And, finally, the Christmas market.
May 29th, 2020, 11:48 PM
#90
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Many thanks to all visitors. It is nice to see that people still enjoy this.
To prevent misunderstandings, allow me to point out that this thread is not mine alone. Everyone is welcome to post photos of Germany here. Come on folks, I am sure that many of you have photos and memories in store!
My "place of the day" is Bad Kreuznach, a spa town in Rhineland-Palatine, located in the Nahe valley. I visited last year in early June, yes, this must have been my last day trip before I got too sick to travel.
Bad Kreuznach's most famous sight is the bridge with the freestanding houses on top.
Every town with a creek running through must have its "Little Venice"; this is the Bad Kreuznach version.
I hired a bike for the day to cycle along Salinental and over to neighbouring Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg, which is now a spa town in itself.
The promenade between Bad Kreuznach and Salinental has beautiful gardens with statues and little buildings.
Salinental features several long Gradierwerke. These constructions are made from countless twigs. The salty water runs over them so people can walk along and breathe the healthy aerosoles.
Rheingrafenstein is the name of this rock opposite Bad Münster. Hence the name "am Stein"! For people in need of exercise, there is a castle ruin on top that can be visited.
Bad Münster is a spa in itself. The main spa buildings date from the art nouveau era and translate this style into half-timbered architecture. This is only the rear side. They had a festival in the grounds that day and I did not want to pay the steep entrance fee just to take a few photos.
Ebernburg castle. It got (in)famous in the era of the Reformation as refuge of Franz von Sickingen and his crowd of radical reformators.
Rotenfels, a spectacular rock formation upstream from Bad Münster.
To prevent misunderstandings, allow me to point out that this thread is not mine alone. Everyone is welcome to post photos of Germany here. Come on folks, I am sure that many of you have photos and memories in store!
My "place of the day" is Bad Kreuznach, a spa town in Rhineland-Palatine, located in the Nahe valley. I visited last year in early June, yes, this must have been my last day trip before I got too sick to travel.
Bad Kreuznach's most famous sight is the bridge with the freestanding houses on top.
Every town with a creek running through must have its "Little Venice"; this is the Bad Kreuznach version.
I hired a bike for the day to cycle along Salinental and over to neighbouring Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg, which is now a spa town in itself.
The promenade between Bad Kreuznach and Salinental has beautiful gardens with statues and little buildings.
Salinental features several long Gradierwerke. These constructions are made from countless twigs. The salty water runs over them so people can walk along and breathe the healthy aerosoles.
Rheingrafenstein is the name of this rock opposite Bad Münster. Hence the name "am Stein"! For people in need of exercise, there is a castle ruin on top that can be visited.
Bad Münster is a spa in itself. The main spa buildings date from the art nouveau era and translate this style into half-timbered architecture. This is only the rear side. They had a festival in the grounds that day and I did not want to pay the steep entrance fee just to take a few photos.
Ebernburg castle. It got (in)famous in the era of the Reformation as refuge of Franz von Sickingen and his crowd of radical reformators.
Rotenfels, a spectacular rock formation upstream from Bad Münster.
May 30th, 2020, 03:32 AM
#92
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Okay, to entertain you, Adelaidean, let me take you on a sunny day trip in the south of the country, starting from Kempten.
Our first stop was Wangen im Allgäu, a hidden gem of an old town.
Despite its Bavarian flair, this place is part of Baden-Württemberg.
Wangen's fanciest historical buildings are the two gate towers.
The next stop was Lindau. The old town and harbour are located on an island in Lake of Constance.
In the port of Lindau
Lindau's market square
Time for lunch and a refreshing drink..
We drove back through the Allgäu along Deutsche Alpenstraße, a scenic route with many views. The Allgäu is a landscape at the foot of the Alps, beginning with rolling hills, then the mountains get higher and higher.
Photo stoop somewhere near Oberstaufen with a view of the snowcapped Allgäuer Alpen in the background
Back in Kempten, we had dinner in a rooftop restaurant.
Kempten's abbey church at sunset
Our first stop was Wangen im Allgäu, a hidden gem of an old town.
Despite its Bavarian flair, this place is part of Baden-Württemberg.
Wangen's fanciest historical buildings are the two gate towers.
The next stop was Lindau. The old town and harbour are located on an island in Lake of Constance.
In the port of Lindau
Lindau's market square
Time for lunch and a refreshing drink..
We drove back through the Allgäu along Deutsche Alpenstraße, a scenic route with many views. The Allgäu is a landscape at the foot of the Alps, beginning with rolling hills, then the mountains get higher and higher.
Photo stoop somewhere near Oberstaufen with a view of the snowcapped Allgäuer Alpen in the background
Back in Kempten, we had dinner in a rooftop restaurant.
Kempten's abbey church at sunset
May 30th, 2020, 11:16 AM
#94
quokka, you've inspired me to pull up some more photos. Unfortunately, I'm not as good at labeling mine as you are, but I'll start with the easy bit, our trip to Munich this past December.
Viktualienmarkt
Asam Church
Asam Church
Hotel Mueller breakfast buffet
Hotel Mueller breakfast buffet
Viktualienmarkt
Asam Church
Asam Church
Hotel Mueller breakfast buffet
Hotel Mueller breakfast buffet
