Here we go sailing – on the Great Rivers of Europe, a trip offered by Grand Circle Travel.  We traveled 948 miles on the water, passing through 66 locks and under 365 bridges.  There were 16 people in our group, shown here with our guide, Harald.  We went first to Prague, in the Czech Republic, where we spent a few days before beginning the cruise.  

Viewing note:  pictures here are in all sizes - if any are too small to see well, just double-click on the picture to bring up a larger view.

 

PRAGUE is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Prague has been a political, cultural and economic center of central Europe during its 1,100-year existence.  Today the “City of a Hundred Spires” is a beautiful place to visit and a great start to our European adventure.

Prague was also the perfect place for a reunion!  Fran’s high school friend and classmate Tom Huguley joined our group for this trip.  Tom lives in Ohio and we don’t get to see each other very often – what a treat to spend nearly three weeks with him as we explored fascinating places in Europe.    

The history of this city begins with Prague Castle, founded in 884 A.D. It stands in a commanding position high above the Vltava River.  This is said to be the largest ancient castle in the world; it has always been (and still is) the administrative center of the city.   The buildings enclosed by the castle walls included several palaces, churches, monasteries, and other historic buildings.    

Hradcany Square is home to a large statue of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk (the first president of Czechoslovakia), the Archbishop’s Palace and the main entrance to Prague Castle.  Entry to the outer courtyard is through a gate decorated with statues of Fighting Giants and secured by two castle guards. 

 

The next gate (the Matthias Gate), which leads to the second courtyard, is the oldest Baroque secular monument in the Czech Republic.  The second courtyard was formed on a buried moat in the 16th century; it contains Kohl’s fountain and the Chapel of the Holy Cross.   The chapel today houses the Cathedral’s Treasury. 

The  innermost courtyard is home to most of the castle’s buildings, but its dominant structure is the most significant sacred monument in the Czech Republic, St. Vitus Cathedral.  These three photographs of the front, side and back give little clue to the size of this place.

 

Saint Vitus Cathedral is the Czech Republic's largest Christian building; it is the seat of the Archbishop of Prague and contains the tombs of important saints and Bohemian kings. Work began on this city landmark in 1344; it was completed in 1929:  600 years to build a this church, which houses the crown jewels, the tomb of “Good King” Wenceslas, and a magnificent hand-painted window. 

At one corner of the cathedral is the Old Provosty, the former seat of Prague’s bishops.   The statue of St. Wenceslas on the corner of the building dates back to 1662 (hard to see in this picture).  Close by is a slim granite monolith made from one piece of stone.  It was placed in 1928 in memory of victims of WWI and the 10th anniversary of independent Czechoslovakia. 

Today, the Archbishop’s Palace sits just outside the Castle walls.  It was built in 1562 on the site of eight former burgher homes, such as the ones across the street. 

The Royal Palace has been the seat of Bohemian princes since the 11th century.   The current building dates to the 14th century when Emperor Charles IV had a palace built for state functions, with further extensions being added by his son, Wenceslas. Inside is the 16th-century Vladislav Hall, used for coronations, banquets, markets, and even jousting tournaments. There’s even a Riders' Staircase, wide enough to allow knights participating in the tournaments to enter the hall on horseback.     

The Basilica of St George is the best-preserved Romanesque church in city.  There has been a church on this site since the early 10th century, but the current structure with its twin towers dates to the mid-12th century,  The fine façade was added in the 17th century.  The building to the left of the church was St. George’s Convent, founded in 974.  It was the first convent in Bohemia.  

To the right of the church was the Rosenburg Palace, which housed the Institute for Noble Women.  Girls from noble families went there to get the best education, though there is some argument that getting the best husband may have been the higher priority.              

In 1538, Emperor Rudolf II had part of the castle fortifications and an old vicarage demolished to build the Imperial Stables and Riding School.  Today this building serves as an exhibition space.   

Our Lady of Loreto was built 1626 as pilgrimage destination.  It is a faithful copy of the original building in Italy and is loaded with sacred art treasures given to the Capuchin community by rich donors.        









The Strahov Monastery and Library was founded in 1140 and rebuilt in 1258 after a fire.  It is known for its picture gallery, Renaissance library and vineyards.     

 

The Little Quarter (aka Lesser Town) is just below the castle and just across the River Vltava from the city center.  Originally named ‘the new town beneath Prague Castle,’ this is the second oldest part of Prague.  Our downhill destination was a medieval restaurant, in business nearly forever and still serving the same simple fare.  The lights were dim but the beer was cold.  

 

Lesser Town Square has been the center of life in this district since 1257.  It was originally the market square, surrounded by many fine palaces.  It is also home to the Church of Saint Nicholas, built by Jesuits in the 18th century.   

 

Kampa Island was formed by Devil’s Stream, a branch of Vltava River.  Once there were three mills in this area, which is now known as “Venice of Prague.”   We didn’t spot any gondolas. 

 

The most famous modern structure in the Little Quarter is Lennon Wall, a once-ordinary wall filled with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and pieces of lyrics from Beatles songs.  Lennon was a hero to the pacifist youth of Central and Eastern Europe during the totalitarian era.  His death led to his picture being painted on this wall, along with graffiti defying the authorities.  The Communist police tried repeatedly to whitewash over the portrait and messages of peace but they could never manage to keep the wall clean.  And today … it’s a major tourist attraction.  

The Church of Our Lady Victorious is home of the Holy Infant of Prague, a famous statue of Christ, one of the most widespread religious images in the world.  The statue of the infant Jesus is said to have once belonged to St. Theresa of Avila.  

 

The Wallenstein Palace was the Baroque home of a military commander who wanted to be king.  His efforts were unsuccessful, but his home and gardens are quite beautiful, even in the rain. 

Near the river, quaint shops and cafes lead to the Little Quarter Bridge Tower, entrance to the Charles Bridge.  

 

Charles Bridge, connecting the Little Quarter with Old Town, is Prague’s most familiar monument.  It is now a pedestrian walkway, but at one time it could take four carriages across.  Until 1741, Charles Bridge was the only crossing over the Vltava River.  

When the bridge was commissioned by Charles IV in 1357, its original decoration was a simple cross.  The first statue – of St. John Nepomuk – was added in 1683, inspired by Bernini’s bridge sculptures in Rome.  Touching this statue is a Prague ritual; it is supposed to bring good luck and to ensure that you return here soon.  Today the bridge is a gallery of of assorted saints and religious figures.  

 Aside from all the statues and people, the Charles Bridge offers some nice views looking back at the Castle District.  

 

The most notable building along the waterfront is the National Theater, which was built in 1868, destroyed by fire and restored.  It is known as the alma mater of Czech opera and as the national monument of Czech history and art. 

Across the river, the bridge ends at the Old Town Bridge Tower, which was built at the end of the 14th century as part of the Old Town’s fortifications. 

 

To the side at the Old Town end of the bridge is the entrance to the Jewish Quarter, also known as Josefov.  It was closed off by gates until 1848.  












The Old-New Synagogue was built 1720; oldest active synagogue in Europe and is rumored to be the resting place of the famed Prague Golem.  For the uninitiated, the Prague Golem was a supernatural figure created from a lump of clay.  In the late 16th century, the High Rabbi brought the Golem to life to do work around the Jewish quarter and to protect it from attacks.  The only care required of the Golem was that it must not be alive on the Sabbath; one Friday evening the Rabbi forgot and the Golem went berserk.  The Rabbi ran after him and managed to immobilize him.  His body was wrapped in prayer shawls and concealed in the attic of a synagogue, where the Golem is ready to be reactivated if the need arises.  

 

The Maisel Synagogue was built in the 16th century as a prayer house for the mayor.  This time period was considered to be the golden age of the ghetto; today the building is part of the Jewish Museum.  

Old Town is the heart of the city and the geographical center of Prague.  In the 11th century the settlements around the Castle spread across the river, and houses and churches sprang up around a large market square.  The marketplace is now the Old Town Square, with many buildings dating back to the 13th century.   

 


Old Town Hall and Tower is one of the most striking buildings in Prague.  It was established in 1338 as a meeting place for the city council; over the centuries a number of old houses were knocked together as the town hall expanded.  The tower was added in 1364. 

 

The Astronomical Clock was added to the tower near the beginning of the 15th century, making it the third oldest clock in world.  Every hour is marked by an amazing show.  First the figure of death, the skeleton on the right of the clock, rings the bell in his right hand and inverts the hourglass in his left hand.  On the left of the clock, two other figures move their heads – a Turk representing lust and Vanity looking at himself in a mirror.    

 

Two windows then open and the Apostles and St. Paul, led by St. Peter, move slowly around past the windows.   At the end of the procession, a cock crows and the clock chimes the hour.   











The clockmaker's view of the universe is not easy to understand since it is based on the premise that the sun revolves around the earth.  The hand with the sun on it points to the hour, but it actually records three different kinds of time.  The outer ring of Medieval Arabic numerals measures Old Bohemian time, in which a day of 24 hours was reckoned from the setting of the sun.  The ring of Roman numerals indicates time as we know it.  The inner ring shows Babylonian time, in which daylight was divided into 12 hours (varying in length from summer to winter).  The lower clock face shows the movement of the sun and moon through the 12 signs of the zodiac. Got that?  So – what time is it?  

 

The Storch House is the oldest building on the square.  It is covered with murals, including a 19th-century painting of St. Wenceslas on horseback.  Other houses are noted for animal carvings that served as house markers since most people couldn’t read or write. 



The Tyn Church, also known as The Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, was built in 1365.  Its twin Gothic towers that make it one of Old Town’s most distinctive landmarks.  Inside is the Golden Madonna, a solid gold effigy of the Virgin Mary. 

 

The Kinsky Palace is a lovely Rococo structure, with a pink and white stucco façade crowned with statues of the four elements.  Once the home of a (very) rich family, it is now part of the National Gallery.  

In the center of the square is Jan Hus Monument, a massive memorial to the religious reformer and Czech hero, Jan Hus.  Hus was burned at the stake after being pronounced a heretic; this monument was unveiled on the 500th anniversary of his death.  

The Church of St. Nicholas has had many lives.  In the 12th century, it was the Old Town’s parish church.  It later became part of a Benedictine monastery and a troop garrison church during World War I.  Today it is a popular concert venue.

Just next door is the Café Kafka, a restaurant housed in the building where Franz Kafka was born.  Kafka was a Czech writer of novels and short stories; he is generally regarded as one of the major figures of 20th century literature.  

The Powder Gate Tower is only remaining of the 13 original entrances to town.  It was built in 1496 and was a key landmark along the Royal Route – the traditional route taken by the ruling Bohemian monarchs as they made their way to St. Vitus Cathedral for coronations, funerals, and other state occasions. 

Hard Rock Cafe Prague, one of Europe's largest Hard Rock Cafes, is situated in the four-story V. J. Rott Building, which features a beautifully decorated neo-Renaissance façade with colorful frescos.  

Havel’s Market is the city center’s permanent market, popular with locals and tourists. The stalls sell fruit and vegetables, flowers, leather goods, arts and crafts, wooden toys and puppets, and ceramics. Good place to buy souvenirs - and ice cream. 

 

The Clementium is a historic complex of buildings that includes the National Library and the Church of St. Salvador.  It also houses a weather station that has been recording temperature and other data since the year 1775!   

Near the House of the Black Madonna, we stumbled upon a busy Trdelnik stand. The trdelnik is a tasty treat made from dough that is wrapped around a wooden or metal stick, then roasted over an open fire and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.  It was fun to watch the process of making this unusual pastry, even better to eat it while it was hot. 

 

BRATISLAVA - Leaving Prague, we drove to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia and the country’s largest city.  Set along the Danube River, Bratislava borders both Austria and Hungary.  We made our way through the vineyards surrounding the city and headed into Bratislava’s pedestrian-only Old Town for lunch and a little sightseeing.

St. Martin’s Cathedral is the city’s foremost religious structure, with historical importance as coronation church of 19 Hungarian kings/emperors. On a musical note, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis premiered here.   

Town Square is heart of Old Town, with outdoor cafés, market stalls, trees in bloom, Maximillian fountain, renovated burghers’ houses, Old Town Hall, and Cumil, the modern-day mascot of Bratislava. 

 

Bratislava is known for all sorts of public art.  We didn’t have time to seek out all it, but we did visit awhile with this fellow left behind when Napoleon came through here.    

Most buildings in the old town date from 18th century – they have survived several wars, occupations and Communist rule.  At top of St. Michael’s Street is St. Michael's Gate, the only preserved gate of the medieval city fortifications.

And here is the narrowest house in Slovakia and possibly in the whole of Europe.  It dates from the end of the 18th century, when it was built in the space between the inner and outer sections of the city wall. 

The Slovak National Theatre stands at one end of Hviezdoslav Square.  It was built in 1885-1886 during the time of Austria-Hungary.  Opera and ballet are performed here.   

The UFO Bridge, also known as the Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising, crosses Danube River.  Built late 1960s in honor of 1944 resistance movement against the Nazi forces, the flying saucer structure at top of the pylon is a restaurant.  

DANUBE RIVER - Leaving Bratislava after a too-short visit, our next stop was Vienna, Austria, on the Danube River.  The Danube River starts in the Black Forest mountains of western Germany and flows some 1770 miles to the Black Sea.  It’s not blue at all.  Here we boarded the M/S River Harmony, for 14 days of cruising the Great Rivers of Europe. We had four cruise ports on the Danube: Vienna, Melk, Passau, and Regensburg.

VIENNA is the capital of Austria and one-time center of the Hapsburg Empire.  Vienna’s Old Town is encircled by a 2.5-mile-long boulevard (the Ringstrasse) that was created when the old city wall was demolished in 1857.  It’s a good way to get oriented before seeing the monumental sights of the city. 

The Hofburg Palace is also known as the Imperial Palace.  It has been the official residence of every Austrian ruler since 1275.  Today it is a huge complex of government, religious, and royal buildings. 

 

The Spanish Riding School dates back to Emperor Maximilian II, who established the school after he had Lipizzaner horses introduced to his courtesans in 1562.  The school was closed for the summer, but we got a glimpse of these beautiful animals in their very fancy stable.  

 

St. Stephen's Cathedral was originally built in the 12th century, with modifications in the 14th and 17th-19th centuries, and rebuilding after WWII.  In spite of its many modifications, it remains a symbol of Vienna and one of the most important Gothic structures in Austria. 

The Vienna State Opera House, built in 1869, is one of world's largest and most splendid theaters.  The building is also home to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.  

Parliament Building was constructed in 1883. It is highly decorated with carvings and statues, with the Pallas Athene Fountain out front. 

The National Theater was founded by Emperor Joseph II in 1776 as the Court Theater.  The building's exterior is most impressive.   

City Hall is an impressive Neo-Gothic building completed in 1883.  It is notable for the famous Rathausmann on top of its 321-foot-high tower. 

The Church of St. Peter, modeled on St. Peter's in Rome, is built on the site of an old Roman temple.  The present edifice, built in the 18th century, has a massive dome, superb frescos and many artistic treasures.  

Vienna is filled with monumental building, but it also has great street-side cafés with Viennese coffees and tasty treats.  Julius Meinl is known for its coffee, and Demel is known for sachertorte, a chocolate sponge cake with apricot jam and chocolate icing.  

 

The WACHAU VALLEY is lined with vineyards that surround cute riverfront villages.  It has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its “high visual and landscape.  

 

 

Durnstein Castle is the place where Richard the Lion-Hearted was held captive for over a year.  It seems that the King of England had offended Duke Leopold the Virtuous, who responded by locking him up. 

MELK - Located where River Danube enters the Wachau Valley, Melk is best known for its Abbey.   By 13th century it was important market town, and still great place to explore, particularly old town center, which has preserved many of its original historic buildings.

Melk Benedictine Abbey was originally a Roman fortified post and later a castle to defend the border. In 1089, the castle was handed over to the Benedictines and in 1113, the bones of St. Koloman were moved there, ensuring its fame as a place of pilgrimage. The present Baroque structure was built between 1702 and 1738.   

The buildings of Melk Abbey are laid out around seven courtyards, entered through a gate under the large octagonal dome.  The most impressive view of the complex is the west end with its twin-towered church rising above a semicircular terrace range.   

 

The interior is quite beautiful, though much of it isn’t open to the public.  We were able to visit the Marble Hall with its fine ceiling paintings and the Library with more than 90,000 volumes and rare manuscripts. 

The Abbey Church is considered the finest Baroque church north of the Alps and is famous for its high altar with figures of the patron saints of the church, St. Peter and St. Paul.  

Old Town Melk is below the Abbey. We walked to the ship along the pedestrian-only main street and back to the river.  

PASSAU, close to the Czech and Austrian borders, is our first stop in Germany.  Passau is known as ‘City of Three Rivers’ – the Old Town is almost entirely on an islet formed by the triangle of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers.  Old Town escaped WWII bombing and is widely regarded as one of the most picture-perfect townscapes in Europe.  We’ll have to go back to verify that claim as we were there on a very rainy day.  Our visit was short, but still sweet.  

Veste Oberhaus is a 13th-century fortress across the Danube from main town.   For most of its time, it served as the stronghold of the Bishop of Passau.  It is currently the site of a museum, a youth hostel, a restaurant, and an open-air theater.   








Old Town Hall has a distinctive tower and facade painted murals depicting the history of the town.  The corner wall of the tower has the historical record of serious floods that have devastated the town; June 2013 was all-time record.  

 

St. Paul’s Church is the oldest parish church in Passau, dating to 1050 AD.  After several fires, the present building dates 1678. 

Residenzplatz is home to the 18th-century New Bishop's Palace, fronted by the Wittelsbach Fountain.  The fountain has three angels representing the town’s three rivers; e.g., the little angel wearing a Tyrolean hat represents the Inn River.    

 

The Cathedral of St. Stephen is crowned by an octagonal dome’ it was built between 1668-and 1678.   Its exterior is nice enough, but the interior is over the top Baroque-rococo.   

 

The organ here is one of the largest in the world with nearly 18,000 pipes and over 200 stops.  We were delighted to be in town in time for a midday organ concert, which included pieces by Mozart and Bach.   








The Confiserie Simon is home to Passau’s Gold Bonnet, a chocolate praline in the shape of a historical ladies’ bonnet.  It is filled with apricot and hazelnut nougat, covered with chocolate and dusted with a sprinkle of 23-carat gold leaf.  Not an ordinary piece of candy, but it still didn't bear much resemblance to any bonnets we have known.  So - here's a picture showing a woman modeling the real thing, which looks a bit like gold-foil wrapping paper - very stylish.  

REGENSBURG is located on the Danube River, at confluence with the Regen River.  The town was founded by the Romans and grew to become an important trade and cultural center.  Its Old Town medieval townscape is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

As we walked into town from the ship, we got our first look at Regensburg’s famous Stone Bridge – one thousand feet long, built in the 12th century.  The bridge was one of the reasons for the city’s prosperity, as it facilitated transport of goods and the town fathers charged handsomely for crossing.  At the end of the bridge is the Bridge Tower Museum, in the last surviving of the bridge's three towers. 

Near the bridge tower is the Sausage Kitchen, which has reputedly sold its excellent treats here since the 12th-century.  We ordered sausage sandwiches with sauerkraut and sweet Bavarian mustard.  Delicious! 

 

The Cathedral of St. Peter was built in 13th century.  This Gothic Episcopal church has two 344-foot-high spires and magnificent west façade with all manner of carvings and decoration. 

 

Not far from the Cathedral is the arched gate called Porta Praetoria, a reminder of Regensburg's Roman heritage. It was built in AD 179 by Emperor Marcus Aurelius as part of the Castra Regina fortress.  

 

The Scots Monastery was built in 1150 by Irish monks as Benedictine monastery, originally named St. James Abbey.  Eventually it was named the Scottish Church after the Scottish monks and missionaries who called it home from 1560 to 1860. 

Regensburg’s Old Town Hall is a three-section building complex dating from the 13th century.  It consists of the Town Hall, the Town Hall Tower, and the Imperial Chamber.  The Imperial Chamber was the meeting-place of first German parliament from 1663-1806.   

 

Elsewhere around town, we just wandered and admired the medieval buildings.   Regensburg is one of those special places where you feel like you are walking through a postcard – just a delightful, walkable place! 

  

 For us, Regensburg had a different kind of significance – we left the ship and had dinner at a local biergarten, complete with ompah band and plenty of beer to drink. A fun evening out with the gang!

 

MAIN RIVER - The Main River is a long river (357 miles) lying entirely within Germany.  It arises near the Czech border and flows into the Rhine near the city of Mainz.  We had two cruise ports on the Main: Wertheim and Wurzburg.

WERTHEIM is located at the junction of Main and Tauber Rivers.  It is a quaint, classic postcard town with lots of pastel colors and half-timbered houses.  It is best known for its landmark castle and its medieval town center.    

We entered town at the Spitzer Turm - the Pointed Tower of Wertheim - used as a prison for "drunkards" and "quarrelsome wenches."  Original entrance was at a height of 10 meters and was only accessible via a ladder.  Nearby is a pyramidal sculpture highlighting Wertheim’s importance as a glassblowing center.   

 

A local glassblower came aboard ship for a demonstration as we were cruising to Wertheim.  This fifth-generation artist helped us gain a little insight into the amazing skill required by this trade. 











As advertised, Old Town is surely one of the most beautiful in Germany; we’ve never seen so many old half-timbered houses.  Some of the buildings have markers with the names of Jewish families who lived here before the Nazis made them all disappear.  A great effort has been made to identify the place and date of their deaths.  

 

 

Historic Market Square is home to the narrowest half-timbered house in this part of Germany.  It’s also the place to find the best pretzel. 

The Protestant Collegiate Church is a towering late-Gothic church, which is the municipal parish church and an important dynastic burial site.  It dates to 1264. 

St. Kilian’s Chapel is considered to be one of the finest Gothic double chapels in Germany.  Construction started in 1472.   

Between the two churches is the Angels' Fountain, created in 1574.  At the top of the fountain, two angels carry the coat of arms of the county. 

Last but surely not least, we visited the Wertheim Castle, once home of the Counts of Wertheim.  On a beautiful warm day, it was a nice walk to the hilltop and a fun exploration of one of the most picturesque castle ruins in these parts. 

 

 

The RHINE-MAIN-DANUBE CANAL connects the Main and Danube Rivers, running from Kelheim via Nuremberg to Bamberg.  The canal allows connection between the North Sea-Atlantic Ocean and the Black Sea in Eastern Europe. It was completed in 1992 and is 106 miles long. 

Cruise ports along the canal included Riedenburg, Nuremberg and Bamberg, but first we enjoyed a lovely morning cruising through Altmuhl Natural Park, which included the ruins of Randeck Castle and the “Spaghetti Bridge.”     This bridge is interesting by itself, but it is also an example of how the builders of the canal made efforts to naturalize the canal and its bridges.  Many of the bridges along this stretch were quite low – the wheelhouse moved up and down as needed and we’d have to duck our heads. 

 

RIEDENBURG - The little town of Riedenburg (seen in the distance) is proud of its three castles – two are in ruins, but the Rose Castle is quite well-preserved as it stands sentinel over the town.  

 

Riedenburg is quite charming, very walkable and very peaceful on a Sunday morning.  In fact, we had a bit of a walk to get there – our ship was docked on the opposite side of the canal.  We were right under a bridge that had just been closed for repairs, so we had to walk down stream to the next bridge – plenty of exercise that day. 

 

All that exercise turned out to be beneficial because this was the day we enjoyed a kaffeeklatsch in a home near the village.  Our hosts, Maria and Peter, were most gracious, and Maria spoke perfect English – thank goodness for that.  She served us delicious desserts and then asked us to put stickers on her U.S. map to show where we live. 

 

NUREMBERG - is an old city on the River Pegnitz, which feeds into the canal.  Once known mostly for important advances in science and technology, it is today known more for the bleakest period in Germany’s history. Nazi Party rallies were held here, as well as the post-war Nuremberg Trials.  

The Main Market Square is home to a daily fresh market as well as the 14th-century "Beautiful Fountain."  

 

Also located on the market square is the Church of Our Lady, a Gothic Catholic church dating to 1352.    Above the porch is an old clock with mechanical figures representing the seven Electors pacing round Emperor Charles IV.  We tried hard to be impressed with this performance, but after the astronomical clock in Prague, this one was pretty lame.  

 

Zeppelin Field is home to the old Nazi Party Rally Grounds. The place is growing weeds and in need of repair, but folks can’t quite bring themselves to spend money restoring it.  It’s a rather creeping place today, but not nearly as scary as back in the day …

 

The nearby Congress Hall is the largest remaining building of the Third Reich.  Unfinished but still impressive, its purpose was to house the Congress of the Nazi Party on Rally days.  Basically, it would have served as a venue for Hitler to make one speech per year.    

The city of Nuremberg was chosen as the location for the Nazi war trials because its Palace of Justice was relatively undamaged by the war and included a large prison area. The Nuremberg trials were a series of 13 trials carried out between 1945 and 1949. The defendants, who included Nazi Party officials and high-ranking military officers along with German industrialists, lawyers and doctors, were indicted on such charges as crimes against peace and crimes against humanity.  Although the legal justifications for the trials and their procedural innovations were controversial at the time, the Nuremberg trials are now regarded as a milestone toward the establishment of a permanent international court, and an important precedent for dealing with later instances of genocide and other crimes against humanity.  

We visited the Palace of Justice and Court Room 600, where the trials were held.  Its appearance today is a bit different from the scene in the 40s – then there were small windows up front to allow video-recording of the trials.  

BAMBERG is located on the Regnitz River, which joins the canal about four miles downstream. The entire historic downtown area is UNESCO World Heritage Site, containing Europe’s largest (2300) existing group of historic buildings.  Bamberg is famous for its seven hills, each crowned with an old church, and for its smoked beer made only here.

The Bamberg Cathedral, also known as St. Peter's and St. George's Imperial Cathedral, was built in the 11th century.   The tomb of Pope Clement II is here, the only Papal tomb in Germany. 

 

The Old Imperial Court, also known as the Old Residenz, was built in 1576 as the Bishop’s Palace.  It inner courtyard is lined with half-timbered buildings housing the Museum of History.  

 

The New Residenz, built around 1700, includes the Prince-Bishop’s apartments, the Gallery of German Art, and the State Library.  The courtyard has beautiful rose-garden.  

The Old Town Hall in Bamberg is quite a curiosity.  According to legend the bishop of Bamberg did not grant the citizens any land for the construction of a town hall. This prompted the townsfolk to ram stakes into the River Regnitz to create an artificial island, on which they built the town hall they so badly wanted.  The town hall was built around 1467; the murals on the outside walls were added later. 

 

 

Other than this handful of named historic structures, we spent our time just wandering around this delightful town.  Scenic views, half-timbered houses, flowers everywhere – another postcard come to life, even in the rain.  

 

 

As for the famous (or infamous) smoked beer … we missed it.  Report from fellow travelers were less than enthusiastic.

ROTHENBURG is located on Tauber River, a tributary of the Main River. It is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in all of Europe.  Half-timbered houses line its cobblestone lanes; its walls and towers have remained untouched since the Thirty Years War of 1618. 

Market Square is the heart of Rothenburg.  There is a weekly market, and this is the place where town festivals take place.  The square is framed by splendid patrician houses.   

 

The Town Hall with its renaissance facade dominates the Market Square. A local master-builder designed and built this imposing example of renaissance architecture between 1572 and 1578.  The baroque-style arcade was added in 1681. 

Imperial Hall, the former Council Tavern was once the exclusive preserve of the Town Council; today the building houses the visitor center.  The clock on the facade of the building illustrates the legend of the Master Draught:  Back in 1631, the mayor drank 3 liters of wine in a single gulp, thus saving Rothenburg from destruction by foreign invaders.  Above the large town clock, there is a display of the date, the city’s coat of arms, and a sundial from 1768. 

 

St. Mary's Pharmacy is a genuine apothecary’s shop. It has been catering to the health needs of Rothenburg’s local population and its visitors since 1812. The building was constructed in 1448 for the town’s mayor at that time.  

The Meat and Dance House was built on the foundations of the old town hall, which burned down in 1240.  The vaulted rooms on the top floor were a place for dancing and celebrations, while butchers sold their wares down below.  

The Church of St. James was completed in 1485, and its tall spires still dominate the town’s skyline today.  The people of the town have donated an impressive array of valuable art works to the church.  Its greatest treasure is the Altar of the Holy Blood which was produced in Rothenburg between 1499 and 1505.  

 

The Little Square is arguably the most picturesque spot in town.  A tall, skinny half-timbered building divides two streets; one heads up to the Siebers Tower, and the other slopes down to the Kobolzeller Tower.  Both towers date from the 13th century and are part of the old town wall.    

Nearby we found a schneeball shop and stopped for a snack before walking around the city wall.  Schneeball is a local pastry made from piecrust dough and shaped into a ball 3-4 inches in diameter. 

The Old Town Walls are perfectly intact and loaded with towers and gateways, which were of vital importance when it came to protecting the town from its enemies. In some cases, attackers would have to pass through up to seven gates before they could enter the town.  There are 42 gatehouses and towers, and it’s a delightful 30-minute walk all the way around. 

 

 

 

 


Around every corner is another scene from a picture book.  Lots of half-timbered houses, lots of flowers, lots of fun to wander around.   

 

 

WURZBURG is an old university town on the Main River, in the heart of the wine-growing region. Founded in 10th century, much of old town destroyed in WWII, but has since been restored and rebuilt. 

The Residenz was the palace of the Prince-Bishops and one of the grandest Baroque buildings in Germany.  It was built between 1719 and 1744 and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Marienberg Fortress is a massive fort that was the seat of the Prince-Bishops from the mid-13th century until the construction of the Residenz.  It is located high above the river, looking down on the city.

Old Main Bridge links the Old Town to the fortress district.  It is lined with Baroque statues of saints and other historically important people.  The bridge was built between 1473 and 1543 to replace an earlier bridge in same location.  The Old Town Hall, built around 1250, with its Romanesque tower, is located at the end of the bridge. 

 

The Würzburg Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of St. Kilian, dates to the 11th century.  It has served as the burial place for the Prince-Bishops for hundreds of years.

The New Minster Church was built on the site where missionaries were killed in 689.  Every summer, it is a destination for thousands of pilgrims. 

St. Mary's Chapel was built between 1377 and 1479 and is thought to be the finest Late Gothic building in the city.  This picturesque old building is surround by small shops.

Just behind the church is the Market Square, with lots of vendors selling flowers, fruit and cheese. 

HEIDELBERG is located on the Neckar River, just before it empties into the Rhine.  It is a romantic city, thanks to its riverside location, beautiful bridges, medieval architecture and castle ruins. Its streets are narrow, with lots of side streets and alleys to explore. It is perhaps best known for Heidelberg University, founded in the 14th century.

Old Town stretches along the riverfront; it is a wonderful combination of old and new buildings, market squares, shops, restaurants, and cafes.  

 

 

Market Square is the heart of Old Town, with the Church of the Holy Ghost on one side and Town Hall on the other.  It has been used for public proceedings – including the burning of witches at the stake – since the Middle Ages.

The Church of the Holy Ghost is one of the few buildings in town to survive the many wars of centuries past.  The foundation was laid in 1398, but it took until 1544 to finish the tower. 

The Corn Market was once used for collection and trade of farm goods.  It is home to a gold-fringed Madonna statue erected in 1718 by the Jesuits, in an effort to motivate the people of Heidelberg to switch to Catholicism. 

Heidelberg Castle was built of red sandstone in the 16^th century.  It is an excellent example of German Renaissance architecture. It is the largest and most picturesque such ruin in Germany.

 

Heidelberg University was founded in 1386.  It is the oldest University in Germany and the third oldest in Europe.   Consistently ranked among Europe’s top research universities, it is an international education venue for doctoral students.  Approximately 1,000 doctorates are awarded every year, with more than one-third of these students coming from abroad.   

Karl Theodor Bridge, also known as the Old Bridge, spans the Neckar River and joins the two sides of Heidelberg.  It was built in 1788 from local red sandstone; it is one of the few remaining examples of classical stone bridge-building.  On the city side of the bridge is the medieval Bridge Gate, part of the former city wall, and the Heidelberg Bridge Monkey, holding up a mirror to those who look at it.  

 

The RHINE RIVER flows from Switzerland to the Netherlands and is 820 miles in length.  Cruise ports on the Rhine included Boppard and Cologne, but first some famous castles on the Rhine. 

CASTLES ON THE RHINE - UNESCO has designated a 40-mile stretch of the Upper Middle Rhine as a World Heritage Site.  This valley encompasses sixty small towns, extensive terraced vineyards and the ruins of defensive castles. Our guides did a great job of helping us identify towns, villages and castles – lots of castles.

First, the Niederwald Monument, near Rudesheim, was built in 1870 to commemorate the unification of Germany.

The Mauseturm Tower is one of many Rhine River toll stations, built in the middle ages as one part local taxation, one part extortion. 

Ehrenfels Castle was built in 1212 by the Archbishop of Mainz, owner of the Mauseturm Tower, just across the river.

Rheinstein Castle was built in 1316 and was important for its strategic defensive position.  It, too, was controlled by the Archbishop of Mainz. 

 

Reichenstein Castle was built in the early 1200s and is located on a mountain above the town of Trechtingshausen.  At the time of its destruction, it was in the hands of unruly robber barons.

Sooneck Castle was built around 1250 as yet another station for collecting fees from ships that wished to pass this point.  It, too, fell into the hands of robber barons.

Nollig Castle was built around 1300 for defense of the town of Lorch, below on the river’s edge.  

 

Furstenburg Castle, built in 1219, was built by order of the Archbishop of Cologne. It provided protection of his estates and was used for the levying of tolls.

Stahlbeck Castle was built around 1130.  It was first owned by the Archbishop of Cologne, but later was acquired by the Emperor Barbarossa.  Today it is a popular youth hostel.

The Pfalzgrafenstein Castle was built in 1327 by Ludwig the Bavarian and served as a toll station until 1866.  It is one of the few Rhine castles that was never destroyed or damaged.  

Gutenfels Castle was built in 1220 and was used with the toll castle (Pfalzgrafenstein) and the fortified town of Kaub.  Together these provided an impenetrable toll zone for the Holy Roman Emperor.    

Schönburg Castle was built around the 10th century.  From here the Dukes of Schönburg ruled over the town of Oberwesel and had also the right to levy customs on the Rhine River.  Today it is a first class hotel. 

The town of Oberwesel retains its medieval silhouette - 16 of its original 21 towers and much of the town wall still stand.  The "town of towers" is also known for its Riesling wines. 

In this stretch of river is the Lorelei, a sheer-sided 400-foot slate peak that forces a sharp bend in the river, which winds around it fast, narrow, and deep.  Nowadays a road around the foot of the rock makes its downward plunge seem less extreme, but the passage is still perilous.  The story is that a nymph named Lorelei lived atop this steep rock.  She was beautiful, but more than her physical beauty was the song she sang -- a song so alluring, no one could resist its pull. People said that anyone sailing close to that rock would lose his life for her song was irresistible, and no sailors who tried to reach Lorelei ever returned.  

 

Katz Castle was built by Count Wilhelm II in the 14th century as a bastion and military base to protect the Rheinfels Castle. Together they formed an effective barrier for levying the Rhine toll.  Just below the castle is the town of Goarshausen.  

 

Rheinfels Castle was built around 1245 as the residence of a count.  It was later expanded into a fortress and served to defend the nearby town of St. Goar.  

 

Maus Castle was built around 1360 for the protection of the territory of the Archbishop of Trier. 

Kestert is a 1200 years old city of mariners and wine-growers.  It is perhaps best known for the only known building that houses both a church and a pub.  

 

We greatly enjoyed castle-watching, or as our guides called it, castle-ping pong.  The beautiful scenery disguises the fact that the Rhine is very much a working river. The banks are lined with vineyards and the water is often crowded with boats, especially barges loaded down with cargo.  And of course, our ship was loaded with crazy photographers, trying to capture it all.

BOPPARD lies in the middle of the UNESCO World Heritage Area of the Middle Rhine.  People have lived here – at the biggest horseshoe bend of the Rhine River - for thousands of years.  

The twin-towered St. Severus Church was built in the 13th century over the original military baths of the Roman fortress.  It is a good example of Romanesque architecture. 

Town Square is next to the church and has beautiful fountain dedicated to Michael Thonet, a native of Boppard and creator of the famous bentwood furniture. 

There are many half-timbered houses to admire in the town center.  Some are residential, some now businesses.  

 

Up the hill is another church; this is the Protestant Christ Church.  It is a cruciform aisle-less church, built in the Romanesque Revival style of architecture.

 Wandering around narrow streets, finally reached the Bingen Gate – the one remaining gate in the old city wall.  Here are two views; inside looking out and outside looking in. 

 

Heading downhill again, we reached the river and several old ‘gentry’ houses.  Though very different in style, there’s no doubt that these folks had the money.  

 

Elsewhere along the beautiful river promenade, there are houses of another era.  In the 19th century, Boppard was a popular health spa and resort area.  Many of these houses have been converted to hotels or bed/breakfast inns.  

 

COLOGNE was established on the Rhine River as a Roman provincial capital and military stronghold in first century A.D.   It has become an important commercial and cultural center, famous for its 12 great Romanesque churches - especially the magnificent Cologne Cathedral.  WWII destroyed 95% of the old town, but not the Cathedral.  Eau-de-cologne was invented here 1709. 

Cologne Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Mary, is an impressive example of High Gothic architecture. One of largest churches in Europe, construction started in 1248 and was completed in 1880.  It was by far the most ambitious building project of Middle Ages. Its twin towers are 515 feet high; its inside area is over 1.5 acres, with 56 pillars.  Two photographs here – view from the river and another from the front porch.

On the square in front of the cathedral is a very interesting model of the finial on top of the Cathedral towers – in its original size, 15 feet wide and 31 feet tall.  It was placed here in celebration of the Cathedral’s completion.   Wow. 

Roman Gate – Near one corner of the cathedral, the north gate to Roman City of Colonia Agrippina still stands.  The city was founded in 38 AD at place where trade route crossed River Rhine.          

 

Old Town Hall is the oldest such public building in Germany; its history dates back more than 900 years. The Town Hall Tower is a bit newer (15th century).  It is adorned with 124 sculptures of historical figures. 

 

Great St. Martin is a Romanesque church, dating back to 960 A.D.  Its foundations rest on remnants of a Roman chapel, built on what was then an island in the Rhine.  From our ship on the river, we could see the soaring tower of this church. 

The original Eau de Cologne is a perfume launched in Cologne in 1709 by an Italian-born perfume maker.  He named his fragrance in honor of his new hometown. The most famous original Eau de Cologne is called 4711, named after the address of the factory where it was made. We were in Cologne for only a short time, but we did stay long enough to sniff some perfume. 

One last word before we leave Germany.  The German language has some LONG words, maybe even more than the Icelandic language.  Here’s one of our favorites:    
    

AMSTERDAM is the capital and cultural center of Netherlands.  It is famous for its canal system – some 160 of them, home to many houseboats.  Bridges – including some old wooden drawbridges - link the city's 90 islands.  Historic homes are laid out in a pattern of concentric segments in shape of a fan and built on piles driven through mud into firm ground below. 

Our introduction to the city was a canal boat ride through the larger canals crisscrossing Amsterdam.  The three main canals were dug in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age and form concentric belts around the city.  Lots to see from the water …   

 

Houseboats line every canal and come in all sizes and shapes.  All have bicycles handy and many of them had a smaller boat as well.  

 

 

Behind the houseboats, houses line the canals – as well as the streets in between.  They do come in all colors, but most are tall and skinny. 

In some areas, houses seem to lean at an angle from vertical.  Not surprising since some date from the 15th century and all were built on pilings sunk into the mud. 

Bridges over the canals number over 1,200.  Most are picturesque; some are historic (the oldest is from 1648), some are romantic and several are amazing feats of engineering.  

 

 

One of the most famous of these is the Mager Bridge, the famous skinny bridge across the river Amstel.  It is an Old Dutch design wooden bridge known as a double-swipe (balanced) bridge. Tradition says that the bridge was named after the sisters Mager, who were supposed to live on opposite sides of the river. It seems more likely that the original bridge was named because it was so narrow that it was hard for pedestrians to pass each other.  

Bicycles are everywhere – there are over 1 million bicycles in Amsterdam and we soon learned that their riders are not kindly disposed to pedestrians.   They were parked along canals, along streets – just about anywhere that a chain would fit.  

 

Leaving our canal boat and setting out on foot, we stopped first at the Anne Frank House – the place where Anne Frank, her family and four other people hid from Nazi persecution during World War II.  Today it is a biographical museum dedicated to her memory.   

The nearby West Church was the location of the wedding of former Queen Beatrix in 1966.  Completed in 1630, this Renaissance church is unusual due to its many Gothic features. It has an 85-meter tower with a carillon with 48 bells.  

Old Church was built in 1306 and became the model for many other churches in the region. There have been numerous additions over the centuries – side chapels, Iron Chapel, tower, carillon. 

Dam Square, known simply as “The Dam,” is a historic square built around 1270 to separate the Amstel River from the IJ – thus, the square gave the city its name.  It is the home of the Royal Palace, which serves as the monarch’s residence when s/he is in the city.  Its construction was a huge task when started in 1648 and required the sinking of 13,659 piles to support the mammoth structure.   New Church, the official coronation church of Dutch monarchs since 1814, is located next to the Royal Palace.   One of its stained glass windows dates from 1650 and depicts the granting of the city's coat of arms by William IV.

The National Monument is on the opposite side of the square.  It is a 72-foot-high obelisk, erected here after WWII as memorial for its victims and a symbol of Liberation.  Decorated with sculptures symbolizing War (four male figures), Peace (woman and child), and Resistance (two men with howling dogs).  

The Red Light District is a warren of medieval alleyways lined with brothels, sex shops, coffee shops, bars, strip shows, museums.  Women, of all nationalities, parade their wares in red-fringed window parlors, ready to offer more than a peep-show in a private cabin.  There are over 290 red-lit window brothels in Amsterdam; the industry generates about $725 million annually. 

 

 

Coffee houses are unique to the Netherlands and are found in abundance all over Amsterdam.  If you want a cup of coffee, you should go to a café; if you want hashish or marijuana, the coffee shop is the place be.  

 

Last, perhaps the most unusual thing we say in this city filled with unusual things – an underground car-park reached by a car elevator.  Not enough room for ramps, so … next best thing is an elevator.  What will those Dutch think of next?

A FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR SHIP

We sailed on the M/S River Harmony, which is owned by the Grand Circle Cruise Line.  It carries 143 passengers and 35 international crew members.  Our Captain was Richard Schork from Wertheim, Germany.    The crew was outstanding and the food was excellent – the chef made a real effort to introduce us to dishes coming from the region where we were sailing. 

Every good cruise starts with the safety briefing and this was no different.  Here Dennis and Vicky check out their lifejackets.   

For us, the cruise started with an invitation to dine at the Captain’s table.  It turned out to be more fun than expected – the Captain spoke excellent English and had a wonderful sense of humor. 

Throughout the trip, there were many “Learning and Discovery” events.  Some of these included: a chance to meet and talk with a Syrian refugee now living in Vienna, a discussion of immigration in the European Union, presentation on the Rhine-Danube-Main Canal, presentation on the Right Wing Party in Germany today, a discussion about the Jewish community in Germany today, and a chat with a Heidelberg University student.   

When we were sailing, the crew offered a variety of onboard activities to keep us busy.   Some of these included a nautical talk with the Captain, an ice cream party, towel folding demonstration and a galley tour with the Executive Chef Alex. 

 

 

One day after a tough morning of sailing, we were treated to a taste of Germany – beer, pretzels, and sausages.  

 

Every evening there was some type of entertainment, always followed by music provided by Reggie, a very talented singer and keyboard player. 

A couple of evenings, they brought in some local entertainers.  One night it was a German Folk Dance group, another time it was Shanty Choir of Lahnstein (singing sailors). 

Other times, the so-called entertainment was home-grown efforts by the crew and our guides.  These included a German lesson, an apple-strudel making demonstration and contest, the life story of a tour guide, Karaoke night, Liar’s Club, Q&A with selected crew members, and the one and only River Harmony Crew Show. 

All in all, it was a fun trip, filled with beautiful scenery, made even better by the very excellent ship's crew.