Snap Judgments for the Undeserving

Monday, July 17, 2006

Würzburg and Fulda, Germany

This past weekend I was left to my own devices (while my friends went to Roma! Oh the jealousy I feel!!). Of course, when left alone for too long, I devise long and complicated journies across Germany to see lots of obscure old stuff. This weekend took me to western Germany, where I visited the towns of Würzburg, Fulda, Frankfort (accidentally), Köln and Aachen (yes, my feet are killing me).

The town of Würzburg is the start of the celebrated "Romantic Road" through the beautiful towns of southen Germany. It has lots of Baroque stuff ... not really my thing, but very shiny none the less.
Here's a view of the city from the fortress hill
Here's the (non-Baroque) castle at the top of Würzburg's hill
This was superceeded by a Baroque monstrosity ... uh, Shloß ... in the center of town
And then I went north to Fulda, which is also known for it's Baroque architecture, but I went there for the nifty Carolingian stuff.
Here's the huge Baroque Dom
This is the increadibly amazing St. Michaelskirche, dating from 822
it's got a Romanesque facade, but a complete Carolingian choir and crypt inside
(these are technical terms generally meaning "cool")
I also got to see some great Romanesque frescoes in the crypt of a tiny church
just outside the town
(btw: I am now a criminal ... I had to sneak into the crypt whose barred door was left unlocked, then I dragged in some lighting fixtures that were sitting around in the Church ... then I took lots of illicit pictures. I'm pretty sure this means eternal damnation)
More to follow on Köln and Aachen as soon as I can get the pictures to upload ...

4 Comments:

  • I'm a religious expert, having seen the DaVinci Code twice now, and as such I can more or less confirm your eternal damnation. The lighting fixtures or illicit pictures alone would have been forgiven, but the combination of the two is a double whammy that equates to an eternity of fire, hot pokers, and ingrown toenails.

    By Blogger Dave, at 2:20 PM  

  • I am so jealous. Learning German in Toronto just isn't cutting it. But I do get to translate a paper about Merovingian architecture in Koln--with, get this, pictures of baptismal pools and a certain baptistery in Poitiers. Oh rapture!
    Miss you.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:00 PM  

  • Awesome to the max! I, too, once broke into a Cathedral and I stole a license plate. I'm glad you're in the club! The police actually caught me with the license plate and I made up a story about how my father was a diplomat... I'm so smooth. I still have it too, it is my trophy.

    Hi Marion, I miss you too! I'm back in Kansas now, cooking in the 40+ C heat. I guess I get a little preview of the hell we will both be joining (Anna, not you Marion, unless you too have broken into and/or stolen from the Church, in which case, welcome!)

    By Blogger ARM, at 12:51 AM  

  • The Merovingians ROCK. I think this is reason enough to learn German. Or ... at least we can pretend that it is :)

    I was just in Köln!!! I saw lots of Romanesque architecture, but I guess the Merovingian stuff is under it, and thus not very seeable. Alas!!

    By Blogger Anna, at 1:59 PM  

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