Bamberg, part 2- Germany Trip Blog Post #10

You maybe thought that yesterday I wrote enough about the German village of Bamberg. But I was just getting started. The historic Old Town had so many great buildings.

It is probably best known for its Altes Rathaus or Old City Hall.

The first town hall was built in 1386 but burned in a fire. When the townspeople wanted to build a new one the governing bishop refused to let them use any land within the town. The citizens were not to be stopped. They constructed an island in the middle of the River Regnitz and built the town hall there, in 1461.

 

The building is covered with beautiful paintings and other artistic details.

At one spot, there is a cherub with its leg sticking out towards the river.

For lunch we met as a group at Schlenkerla, die historische Rauchbierbrauerei, for a sample of Rauchbier – famous smoked beer that Bamberg is known for. I only had a sip of my friend’s beer. It was okay. But I did like the vegetable-filled pastry I ordered, which was like a pot pie but the pastry was light and flaky.

Wandering around after lunch, we stumbled on more statues. This one is called Kreuzigungsgrupp, depicting the crucifixion and is on one of the bridges to the townhall. 

I thought Neptune’s Fountain was kind of cute.

Maximilian Fountain

But I could most relate to this guy. Supposedly it is a partial bust of a Roman centurion that was inspired by Pompeii and designed by Igor Mitoraj in 1987. It looks more like how I feel much of the time – my brain’s only half there.

Bamberg, part 1- Germany Trip Blog Post #9

I know I sound like a broken record, but Monday, May 11, was another day to visit a delightful town in Germany.

It was a one-hour drive from our hotel in Würzburg to the village of Bamberg.

 First, we strolled passed Klein-Venedig or Little Venice along the river. As at many other towns we visited, the medieval fishermen's houses were colorful and somewhat whimsical. 

Our tour guide, Elsa, led us through the winding, uphill streets of the town up to the Bamberg Cathedral. The original church was founded in 1002, but it later burned down. The current Romanesque cathedral was built in the13th century.

 

It was yet another huge and fascinating building.

Inside too.

Here’s what I found to be the most fascinating part. Less than an hour drive from my house is Saint Kunegunda Catholic Church and I always wondered what that saint’s story could possibly be. Elsa told our tour group her interesting story, but I won’t share it all here (as if I remember it all).

She was born in the year 975 and even though she wanted to be a nun, she married King Henry in 999. Supposedly their vows were never consummated and it was a marriage of companionship only. Both Cunigunde and her husband Henry II were later canonized. Their remains are entombed in the Bamberg Cathedral.

Called the New Residence, this was the home of former princes and bishops of Bamberg. Not sure why Bamberg doesn’t have a place called a castle or a palace, but that’s what I’d call this large, ornate building. (I'm also not sure why this is the only picture I have of it.)

The Rose Garden behind the New Residence.

 

I think that’s enough for today. On to the rest of the village tomorrow.

Trying Not to Muddy the Waters

             Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, New King James Version)

The apostle Paul was one of the most prolific writers of the New Testament. Besides many other books of the Bible, he wrote the Book of Romans, which I wrote about last week. (And I’m sure that all of you read the 28^th chapter as I had asked you to.)

All of these books were letters which he wrote to different churches of the time, to give them advice and encouragement. But just how many of these did he write?

Traditionally, it was thought that Paul wrote the first thirteen letters of the New Testament, starting with Romans. Over the years, scholars have disputed some of them; I don’t know why. I feel that they were all the inspired words of God, so how important is it to know which human being penned them. But for non-believers or those who are on the fence about the Holy Bible, it might give them ammunition to dispute all of Christianity. I’m not going to go there. I know what I believe. I’d like you to believe the same, but I’m not going to argue with anyone.

Okay, sorry for the ramble. Moving on.

I’m not going to spend the next thirteen weeks going into each of these letters, aka books. I will leave that to you. Instead, here are a few good verses from some of those books, nuggets to hang onto, maybe even memorize.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9, New King James Version)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9, New International Version)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:6-8, New King James Version) 

(Oh, those books most attributed to John are: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus,  and Philemon)

Würzburg – Germany Trip Blog Post #8

As I already mentioned on Wednesday’s post, Sunday, May 6, we left Ulm, Germany in the morning and first stopped at the town of Rothenburg. After the bus ride there, several hours wandering the beautiful streets plus eating lunch, and then another bus ride to the city of Würzburg, I was pretty much shot.

It was 3:00 in the afternoon, but we still had the walking tour of Würzburg ahead of us. I powered through, took way too many pictures, and remembered very little of what our tour guide told us.

But with a palace like this, what else can a person do?

The Würzburg Residence is a baroque palace, commissioned by Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn in 1720. He died before the outside was finished in 1744.

Much of the elaborate building was destroyed during World War II, but it was rebuilt from 1945 to 1987. To finance that as well as upkeep on a structure this large, our tour guide told us that many of the spaces have been renovated into apartments for rent. Can you imagine living there?

The formal gardens are extensive and beautiful.

The only place we went inside was into the Chapel. It was positively breathtaking.

Then we walked down the several blocks which made up Old Town.

And lastly crossed the Old Main Bridge before meeting up with our bus to take us to the hotel where we stayed for our last three nights of the trip.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber – Germany Trip Blog Post #7

Sunday, May 6, Mother’s Day, we checked out of our hotel in Ulm, Germany and boarded our bus for the one-and-a-half-hour drive to Rothenburg which overlooks the Tauber River (hence the full name Rothenberg ob der Tauber). 

The city was founded in 1170 and is surrounded by multiple remnants of ancient city walls.

It was one of the places we visited which hadn’t suffered major destruction during WWII, supposedly because of its beauty. Only 32% of the town needed to be repaired or rebuilt after the war compared to up to 90% of some of the cities.

So many buildings, with so much history, but I just can’t grasp it all this morning. So, you will just get to view the pictures.