Nuremberg, part 1 – Germany Trip Blog Post #11

Tuesday, May 12 was our last day in Germany. Early the next morning we would board our coach bus for the two-hour drive to Frankfurt and the eight-hour flight home. Our time in Germany had flown by faster than that airplane we’d be on. But we had that one last day, and unfortunately, each day had become more of a blur. But I’ll try my best as this last city we visited packed a lot of punch.

We arrived in Nuremberg around ten o’clock and were greeted with wet, windy weather and a temperature of 44 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m gonna save those first two hours in the city until Friday and today share what we saw in the Old Town in the afternoon when the weather was a little bit better.

The walk to and around the Old Town was once again filled with ancient churches, fascinating architecture, and statues. 

St Lorenz church. Work on this Gothic church began in 1250 and was completed between 1370 and 1380. I’m disappointed that we didn’t go inside – pictures on the internet are beautiful, but then all the churches were – but we just ran out of time.

Frauenkirche. Called the Church of Our Lady in English, this Gothic Catholic Church was finished around 1362. 

From Wikipedia: Following an outbreak of the Black Death in 1349, a Christian program against the Jewish inhabitants of Nuremberg took place, and they were expelled from the city. Emperor Charles IV ordered the synagogue of Nuremberg to be destroyed to make way for the development of the grand market at which also a church was to be built on the rubble. This became the Frauenkirch.

It’s a shame that 90% of the building was destroyed in World War II, but also rather fitting considering its origins. The church was rebuilt by 1953 and extensively restored between 1989 and 1991. 

Sebalduskirche. St. Sebald Church is named after the hermit Sebaldus, who was thought to have lived near Nuremberg in the 8th century. It is the oldest Lutheran church in the city. Use of the altar is first documented on July 20, 1255.

 

Schöner Brunnen or Beautiful Fountain is a replica of a 14th-century fountain, built to resemble a Gothic spire.

Narrenschiffbrunnen or Fool’s Ship Fountain has never held water. It was created between 1984 and 1987, from drawings made by Albrecht Dürer based on the moral satire by Sebastian Brant, "The Ship of Fools", in 1497.

 

And what German medieval city would be complete without its castle overlooking the town below.

Our Father and His Ultimate Son

First, Happy Father’s Day to all you Dads out there.

We have all had fathers here on earth who disciplined us, and we respected them. So it is even more important that we accept discipline from the Father of our spirits so we will have life. (Hebrews 12:9, New Century Version)

But I’m not gonna write about Dads today. I’ve been looking at the books of the New Testament and today we’re going to study the Book of Hebrews.

The first question I always seem to ask is who wrote this book? This is one of the few books of the Bible where no one has that answer. Bible scholars used to think it was the Apostle Paul, but now many question that. It simply wasn’t written like the other letters Paul authored. The thing is it wasn’t written like anyone else’s either, so here we sit, not knowing, and reminding ourselves that it’s not that important.

Second question would be who was it written for. The other letters in the New Testament are addressed to someone – to the church in Corinth, to churches in Galatia, to Timothy, and to fellow believers. The author of Hebrews jumps right in.

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets many times and in many different ways. But now in these last days God has spoken to us through his Son. God has chosen his Son to own all things, and through him he made the world. (Hebrews 1:1-2, NCV)

Lastly, what is the point of Hebrews? Why was it written and what are we to learn from it? Its purpose is to reinforce to the reader that Jesus is the ultimate authority, superior to the angels, the prophets and anyone who came before or will come after Him.

This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names. (Hebrews 1:4, New Living Translation)

Also, we need to remember that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us by dying on the cross and He came to earth as the ultimate human, feeling all of our human weaknesses yet never sinning. 

Since these children are people with physical bodies, Jesus himself became like them. He did this so that, by dying, he could destroy the one who has the power of death—the devil. (Hebrews 2:14, NCV)

Lastly, that we always keep the faith.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1, New International Version)

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.