My Travel and History Blog, Focussing mostly on Roman and Medieval Times
13 Oct 2009
Europe's Largest Quadriga
The quadriga atop the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin may be the most famous, but the one on the portico of the palace in Braunschweig is the largest in Europe. The present one has been standing there but a year, but its history goes further back.
The neo-Classicistic facade is in fact hiding a modern shopping mall. Of course, the shopping centre is larger than the former palace, but the modern part with its glass facades is so well integrated that you don't see it when approaching the palace from the direction of the castle square.
Front of the Palace in Braunschweig, with the quadriga on top
The original palace, residency of Duke Wilhelm of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, had been built in 1833-41 to the plans of Carl Theodor Ottmer. The quadriga was part of the original plans but was left out - together with other expensive statues and colonnades - because the duke wanted to save money. Read more »
The quadriga atop the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin may be the most famous, but the one on the portico of the palace in Braunschweig is the largest in Europe. The present one has been standing there but a year, but its history goes further back.
The neo-Classicistic facade is in fact hiding a modern shopping mall. Of course, the shopping centre is larger than the former palace, but the modern part with its glass facades is so well integrated that you don't see it when approaching the palace from the direction of the castle square.
The original palace, residency of Duke Wilhelm of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, had been built in 1833-41 to the plans of Carl Theodor Ottmer. The quadriga was part of the original plans but was left out - together with other expensive statues and colonnades - because the duke wanted to save money. Read more »
2 Oct 2009
Mediaeval Braunschweig - Some Photos
Dankwarderode, palas building
This castle is not on a hilltop for a change. It dates back to the 11th century and was expanded by Heinrich the Lion in the style of the palatine castle in Goslar in the 12th century. The entire castle took up the island in the Oker river and was considerably larger than todays 'castle square'. Dankwarderode and most of the old town of Braunschweig were destroyed in a fire 1252. Read more »
I'm back from the visit to Braunschweig (English 'Brunswick'). with some photos of the Burgplatz (Castle Square) pics of the cathedral, but I really need to go back and get more photos. Preferably in sunshine.
This castle is not on a hilltop for a change. It dates back to the 11th century and was expanded by Heinrich the Lion in the style of the palatine castle in Goslar in the 12th century. The entire castle took up the island in the Oker river and was considerably larger than todays 'castle square'. Dankwarderode and most of the old town of Braunschweig were destroyed in a fire 1252. Read more »
25 Sept 2009
The Defeated Varus
Der gescheiterte Varus is the title of a 2.30 m bronze statue in Haltern am See. It was created by Wilfried Koch in 2003 and shows Varus at the moment of his defeat; the legions lost and maybe the province Germania as well, Arminius whom he trusted turned traitor.
The Defeated Varus, by Wilfried Koch
Wilfried Koch (born 1929) is a German artist and art historian, and member of the European Academy of Science and Arts. His book about 'European Architecture from Antiquity to Present Time' (1982) has become one of the standard books about the subject and was translated into 20 languages. He added a great number of his own pencil drawings as illustrations. Read more »
Der gescheiterte Varus is the title of a 2.30 m bronze statue in Haltern am See. It was created by Wilfried Koch in 2003 and shows Varus at the moment of his defeat; the legions lost and maybe the province Germania as well, Arminius whom he trusted turned traitor.
Wilfried Koch (born 1929) is a German artist and art historian, and member of the European Academy of Science and Arts. His book about 'European Architecture from Antiquity to Present Time' (1982) has become one of the standard books about the subject and was translated into 20 languages. He added a great number of his own pencil drawings as illustrations. Read more »
18 Sept 2009
Much Fun Was Had
I'm back from my visit to the Romans in Haltern am See. The exhibitions are great, and I was glad to have stayed long enough to do both of them justice and not rush through in two hours. I took a lot of photos, but the conditions were more than tricky and I suppose I'll have to count for at least 10% blurred pics this time. But some turned out fine; here are a few samples:
-- Shiny things
Cup from a set of silver ware
This one - showing a chariot race - and several other pretty cups were part of the Roman Lifestyle section in the special exhibition 'Imperium' in the Seestadthalle (Lakeside Town Hall). The level of craftmanship of those luxury items is amazing. Read more »
I'm back from my visit to the Romans in Haltern am See. The exhibitions are great, and I was glad to have stayed long enough to do both of them justice and not rush through in two hours. I took a lot of photos, but the conditions were more than tricky and I suppose I'll have to count for at least 10% blurred pics this time. But some turned out fine; here are a few samples:
-- Shiny things
This one - showing a chariot race - and several other pretty cups were part of the Roman Lifestyle section in the special exhibition 'Imperium' in the Seestadthalle (Lakeside Town Hall). The level of craftmanship of those luxury items is amazing. Read more »
7 Sept 2009
Wallace Views
There's one man you can't escape in Stirling: William Wallace, the 13th century Scottish hero who probably would love the idea of time travel into the future, so he could have a few words with Mel Gibson about that Braveheart movie.
The main reason for his popularity as tourist attraction is because of this. OK, you'll have to take a close look, but that spiky thing on the hill in the middle of the pic is the Wallace Monument.
Wallace Monument, seen from Stirling Castle
The hill is called Abbey Craig, and it's said to have been the place from where Wallace watched the gathering of Edward I's army before the battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297. Wallace won that battle, which is one of the reasons for his popularity - defeating Edward I counts as something. After the battle Wallace was proclaimed Guardian of Scotland, though I don't think there's an exact job description anywhere. Read more »
There's one man you can't escape in Stirling: William Wallace, the 13th century Scottish hero who probably would love the idea of time travel into the future, so he could have a few words with Mel Gibson about that Braveheart movie.
The main reason for his popularity as tourist attraction is because of this. OK, you'll have to take a close look, but that spiky thing on the hill in the middle of the pic is the Wallace Monument.
The hill is called Abbey Craig, and it's said to have been the place from where Wallace watched the gathering of Edward I's army before the battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297. Wallace won that battle, which is one of the reasons for his popularity - defeating Edward I counts as something. After the battle Wallace was proclaimed Guardian of Scotland, though I don't think there's an exact job description anywhere. Read more »
24 Aug 2009
Another Interesting Castle - Scharzfels
Scharzfels Castle, near Herzberg in the southern Harz foothills, was erected to protect the nearby monastery of Pöhlde. It may go back to the 10th century when Pöhlde became the widow's seat of Otto the Great's mother Mathilde (1). But I'll leave its history to another post. The remains today represent various stages of the castle's development.
Scharzfels Castle, the dolomite rock curtain wall of the middle bailey,
with additional support constructions
The trip to Scharzfels Castle made for another nice summer afternoon tour. It is not so hot any longer, and the two miles ascent through a beech wood made for a good, though not too stressful walk. There's a little café in the former inner bailey, so we got some ice cream and Alsterwasser (a mix of beer and lemon juice) as reward before we explored the castle. Read more »
Scharzfels Castle, near Herzberg in the southern Harz foothills, was erected to protect the nearby monastery of Pöhlde. It may go back to the 10th century when Pöhlde became the widow's seat of Otto the Great's mother Mathilde (1). But I'll leave its history to another post. The remains today represent various stages of the castle's development.
with additional support constructions
The trip to Scharzfels Castle made for another nice summer afternoon tour. It is not so hot any longer, and the two miles ascent through a beech wood made for a good, though not too stressful walk. There's a little café in the former inner bailey, so we got some ice cream and Alsterwasser (a mix of beer and lemon juice) as reward before we explored the castle. Read more »
19 Aug 2009
A Summer Afternoon in Germany
The weather is fine these days albeit a bit on the hot side (at least for me who thinks anything above 25°C is what hell must be like). So my father and I decided to take a little tour down to the Weser, one of our favourite areas. We found a few things on the way.
-- A pink palace:
Welfenschloss, Hann.-Münden
This pretty building is the Welfenschloss in Hannoversch-Münden, built by Duke Erich II of Calenberg-Göttingen in 1560 in the style of the so called Weser Renaissance. It was a residental palace used for living, but also provided rooms for the administration of the area. In later generations its importance as ducal seat decreased, and in 1849 the south wing burned down. Today it houses the town library, a museum, and the tax office. Read more »
The weather is fine these days albeit a bit on the hot side (at least for me who thinks anything above 25°C is what hell must be like). So my father and I decided to take a little tour down to the Weser, one of our favourite areas. We found a few things on the way.
-- A pink palace:
This pretty building is the Welfenschloss in Hannoversch-Münden, built by Duke Erich II of Calenberg-Göttingen in 1560 in the style of the so called Weser Renaissance. It was a residental palace used for living, but also provided rooms for the administration of the area. In later generations its importance as ducal seat decreased, and in 1849 the south wing burned down. Today it houses the town library, a museum, and the tax office. Read more »
13 Aug 2009
Mull - From Craignure to Fionnphort
I managed to take some photos from the bus though it was tricky. The best chances were when the bus had to stop to let a car pass on the single track road. The bus tour takes about an hour and goes through some of the most scenic parts of Mull.
Glen More
In the morning, the weather was pretty bad - typical Scottish, people say, though my experiences included a lot of sunshine both times I went to Scotland. There are eagles in Glen More, but they must have kept elevenses; we didn't see any. That's a Swiss bus in front of us. Read more »
I managed to take some photos from the bus though it was tricky. The best chances were when the bus had to stop to let a car pass on the single track road. The bus tour takes about an hour and goes through some of the most scenic parts of Mull.
In the morning, the weather was pretty bad - typical Scottish, people say, though my experiences included a lot of sunshine both times I went to Scotland. There are eagles in Glen More, but they must have kept elevenses; we didn't see any. That's a Swiss bus in front of us. Read more »
9 Aug 2009
Dunstaffnage Castle - An Ancient MacDougall Stronghold
Dunstaffnage Castle stands on a rock promontory where Loch Etive meets the Firth of Lorn, thus guarding the entrance into central Scotland via Loch Etive and the Pass of Brander. The promontory also shelters Dunstaffnage Bay from the westerly winds and provides a good harbour.
The castle looks forbidding from the outside, but it's actually a nice place to visit on a sunny summer afternoon. And because someone is bound to ask - yes, there was a plotbunny hiding in the entrance archway. :)
Dunstaffnage Castle
The rock foundation and castle walls rise to 15 metres and more, with the entrance several metres above ground. In former times, the way between the outer staircase and the gates was additionally protected by a drawbridge. Definitely not an easy place to get into back in the Middle Ages. Today you only need to pay your fee in the house outside the castle, ascend the stairs and cross a solid wooden bridge, without danger of someone shooting arrows at you from the - now completely ruined - corner tower. Read more »
Dunstaffnage Castle stands on a rock promontory where Loch Etive meets the Firth of Lorn, thus guarding the entrance into central Scotland via Loch Etive and the Pass of Brander. The promontory also shelters Dunstaffnage Bay from the westerly winds and provides a good harbour.
The castle looks forbidding from the outside, but it's actually a nice place to visit on a sunny summer afternoon. And because someone is bound to ask - yes, there was a plotbunny hiding in the entrance archway. :)
The rock foundation and castle walls rise to 15 metres and more, with the entrance several metres above ground. In former times, the way between the outer staircase and the gates was additionally protected by a drawbridge. Definitely not an easy place to get into back in the Middle Ages. Today you only need to pay your fee in the house outside the castle, ascend the stairs and cross a solid wooden bridge, without danger of someone shooting arrows at you from the - now completely ruined - corner tower. Read more »
4 Aug 2009
West Highland Line Impressions
This one can probably called a pic spam post, lol. Just some photos I took on the train from Glasgow to Oban. I'm very busy writing right now and too lazy to do a long post.
A train of the West Highland Line
The West Highland railway line is considered one of the most scenic in the world. It goes from Glasgow to Fort William and Mallaig, with a side line branching off to Oban at Crianlarich. Read more »
This one can probably called a pic spam post, lol. Just some photos I took on the train from Glasgow to Oban. I'm very busy writing right now and too lazy to do a long post.
The West Highland railway line is considered one of the most scenic in the world. It goes from Glasgow to Fort William and Mallaig, with a side line branching off to Oban at Crianlarich. Read more »
28 Jul 2009
Edinburgh Views
My first afternoon in Edinburgh was a sunny one - the clouds never got in the way but added nicely to a more interesting sky in the pictures.
Firth of Forth, seen from the castle
Ten years ago I visited Edinburgh Castle on a cold, misty morning which lent it a menacing air. But I had the place more or less to myself. This time I visited on a sunny afternoon which makes the castle look more accomodating. The flip side were lots of tourists walking through my photos. Read more »
My first afternoon in Edinburgh was a sunny one - the clouds never got in the way but added nicely to a more interesting sky in the pictures.
Ten years ago I visited Edinburgh Castle on a cold, misty morning which lent it a menacing air. But I had the place more or less to myself. This time I visited on a sunny afternoon which makes the castle look more accomodating. The flip side were lots of tourists walking through my photos. Read more »
22 Jul 2009
Staffa
The tour from Fionnphort / Mull to Staffa took place during some of the few hours of rain I had on my trip. The other one had been Inchcolm where I bought a rain cape in the gift shop (Historical Scotland knows why they sell those, lol), and it proved useful in the open boat to Staffa as well.
Staffa is a small island (200x600 metres) in the Inner Hebrides, famous for its unusual hexagonal basalt columns. It became a tourist attraction in the late 18th century after Sir Joseph Banks waxed poetic about its natural beauty that rivalled the temples in Greece.
Approaching Staffa
Staffa has severall caves (the photo above shows Boat Cave), the most famous is Fingal's Cave, named after James MacPherson's Ossianic hero Finn mac Cumhail in the 18th century. Its older name was An Uamh Binn - cave of melodies, because of the echos in the cave. Fingal's Cave is a sea cave (formed by the waves of the sea), 10 m wide and 70 m long, the walls consisting of the hexagonal basalt columns for which Staffa is known. Read more »
The tour from Fionnphort / Mull to Staffa took place during some of the few hours of rain I had on my trip. The other one had been Inchcolm where I bought a rain cape in the gift shop (Historical Scotland knows why they sell those, lol), and it proved useful in the open boat to Staffa as well.
Staffa is a small island (200x600 metres) in the Inner Hebrides, famous for its unusual hexagonal basalt columns. It became a tourist attraction in the late 18th century after Sir Joseph Banks waxed poetic about its natural beauty that rivalled the temples in Greece.
Staffa has severall caves (the photo above shows Boat Cave), the most famous is Fingal's Cave, named after James MacPherson's Ossianic hero Finn mac Cumhail in the 18th century. Its older name was An Uamh Binn - cave of melodies, because of the echos in the cave. Fingal's Cave is a sea cave (formed by the waves of the sea), 10 m wide and 70 m long, the walls consisting of the hexagonal basalt columns for which Staffa is known. Read more »
13 Jul 2009
Passing by Dunollie and Kilchurn Castles
When traveling around, you not only see lots of landscape (far more than you can ever photograph out of moving vehicles) but also a few interesting buildings. I managed to catch two castles on my journey which I didn't really visit, but of which I got some nice pictures nevertheless.
Dunollie Castle
The one that looks like some Maya ruins in the rainforest is Dunollie Castle near Oban which I caught from the sun deck of the Mull ferry. Read more »
When traveling around, you not only see lots of landscape (far more than you can ever photograph out of moving vehicles) but also a few interesting buildings. I managed to catch two castles on my journey which I didn't really visit, but of which I got some nice pictures nevertheless.
The one that looks like some Maya ruins in the rainforest is Dunollie Castle near Oban which I caught from the sun deck of the Mull ferry. Read more »
24 Jun 2009
Crossing to Mull
I took the ferry from Oban to Craignure / Mull twice. The first pics were taken on a sunny early afternoon with a stiff breeze going on. There were some drama queen clouds, but they never did any harm.
Kerrera
I took the ferry from Oban to Craignure / Mull twice. The first pics were taken on a sunny early afternoon with a stiff breeze going on. There were some drama queen clouds, but they never did any harm.
18 Jun 2009
My Scotland Tour 2009
Here's the the usual introductory post with pictures of places I've visited.
Edinburgh Castle
I started with Edinburgh. I had visited town and castle back in 1998, but this time the weather was much nicer. Edinburgh is also a good starting point to explore some places in the surroundings. Read more »
Here's the the usual introductory post with pictures of places I've visited.
I started with Edinburgh. I had visited town and castle back in 1998, but this time the weather was much nicer. Edinburgh is also a good starting point to explore some places in the surroundings. Read more »
5 May 2009
Spring Impressions from Göttingen
Because it's raining I wanted to share some pictures of a sunny evening. Follow me on a walk through the Old Botanical Garden (Alter Botanischer Garten) in Göttingen.
The garden lies directly outside the Mediaeval town walls and has a size of 5 hectares. There are a new botanical garden and a forestry garden outside the modern town, but the old garden possesses more charm; and it provides a shortcut from the centre to the Archaeological Institute. Read more »
Because it's raining I wanted to share some pictures of a sunny evening. Follow me on a walk through the Old Botanical Garden (Alter Botanischer Garten) in Göttingen.
The garden lies directly outside the Mediaeval town walls and has a size of 5 hectares. There are a new botanical garden and a forestry garden outside the modern town, but the old garden possesses more charm; and it provides a shortcut from the centre to the Archaeological Institute. Read more »
28 Apr 2009
The Palatine Seat and Monastery of Pöhlde
Or what is left of them, which is not much. Pöhlde is a sleepy village today, especially on a warm Easter sunday afternoon, but it once played an important role in history as one ofthe palatine seats of the German emperors. Today only a few foundations of those old buildings are left, and a 17th century church with some pretty Renaissance wood paintings showing Biblical themes. The interior has been renovated last year to protect the wood from water damage.
Pöhlde Church, seen from the west
Pöhlde is first mentioned as Polithi in a charte dating from 927 in which Heinrich I 'the Fowler' (919-936) gave the palatine seat, at that time more or less a country estate, to his wife Mathilde. She lived there as widow and gifted parts of the land to the Church to have a monastery built. Her son Otto I granted the monastery of Pöhlde a number of priviledges; and it developed into an important and rich one with territorial possessions and tithing rights spreading as far Frisia. The palatine seat at Pöhlde became the so called Weihnachtspfalz of the Ottonian emperors, the place where family and court would meet during Christmas. Read more »
Or what is left of them, which is not much. Pöhlde is a sleepy village today, especially on a warm Easter sunday afternoon, but it once played an important role in history as one ofthe palatine seats of the German emperors. Today only a few foundations of those old buildings are left, and a 17th century church with some pretty Renaissance wood paintings showing Biblical themes. The interior has been renovated last year to protect the wood from water damage.
Pöhlde is first mentioned as Polithi in a charte dating from 927 in which Heinrich I 'the Fowler' (919-936) gave the palatine seat, at that time more or less a country estate, to his wife Mathilde. She lived there as widow and gifted parts of the land to the Church to have a monastery built. Her son Otto I granted the monastery of Pöhlde a number of priviledges; and it developed into an important and rich one with territorial possessions and tithing rights spreading as far Frisia. The palatine seat at Pöhlde became the so called Weihnachtspfalz of the Ottonian emperors, the place where family and court would meet during Christmas. Read more »
14 Apr 2009
Spring at the Rhume Springs
The Rhume river, a tributary of the Leine that flows through Göttingen, has an unusual source: a karstic spring south of the Harz mountains. The rock there is gypsum karst, and the water that seeps into the ground from the Harz rivers Sieber and Oder flows under the ground until it comes to light again in the funnel shaped well of the Rhume.
Colour tracking done in 1930 showed the connections between the Harz rivers and the Rhume. The karstic stone is rich in hollow spaces where water can find its way, and the Harz rivers bring with them a lot of rain that leads to the high output of the Rhume well. Read more »
The Rhume river, a tributary of the Leine that flows through Göttingen, has an unusual source: a karstic spring south of the Harz mountains. The rock there is gypsum karst, and the water that seeps into the ground from the Harz rivers Sieber and Oder flows under the ground until it comes to light again in the funnel shaped well of the Rhume.
Colour tracking done in 1930 showed the connections between the Harz rivers and the Rhume. The karstic stone is rich in hollow spaces where water can find its way, and the Harz rivers bring with them a lot of rain that leads to the high output of the Rhume well. Read more »
28 Mar 2009
More Anglo-German Marriage Connections and Geneaology Fun
Magedburg Cathedral, sculpture form 1250, likely depicting Otto I and Eadgytha
Otto decided for Editha (Eadgytha) who was said to have been of royal bearing and sweet disposition (1). The marriage took place in 930 and Editha got the income from the bishopric of Magdeburg as morning gift. Her tomb was discovered in the cathedral of Magdeburg in November 2008. Read more »
When the German king Heinrich the Fowler looked for a suitable bride for his son Otto (912-979), he contacted King Æthelstan of Wessex who sent two of his-half sisters on a visit. Otto, the future Duke of Saxony and King of East Francia, would make a fitting brother-in-law for the king of Wessex, and both Æthelstan and Otto shared an enemy in the Danes who had that habit of making unannounced visits to the coasts of England and northern Germany. For the young House of the Liudolfings on the other hand, a daughter of Edward the Elder and granddaughter of Alfred the Great would support their claim to the kingship. After all, the West Francian Carolingians still presented some competition.
Otto decided for Editha (Eadgytha) who was said to have been of royal bearing and sweet disposition (1). The marriage took place in 930 and Editha got the income from the bishopric of Magdeburg as morning gift. Her tomb was discovered in the cathedral of Magdeburg in November 2008. Read more »
23 Mar 2009
An Unfortunate Emperor
Harzburg, outer curtain wall
The castle had been built by Heinrich IV, was destroyed during his wars with the Saxon nobles and rebuilt in the 12th century when it was an Imperial possession. Later it fell to the Welfen family. Read more »
Here is the first of the posts about Otto IV in honour of the 800 year anniversary of his coronation as Holy German Emperor.
Some pictures of the Harzburg where Otto died in 1218 will illustrate this post. The Harzburg is a hilltop castle, one of the few that could have competed with the Norman whoppers once. Today not much is left, but a few featuers have been reconstruced to give an impression of its former splendour.
The castle had been built by Heinrich IV, was destroyed during his wars with the Saxon nobles and rebuilt in the 12th century when it was an Imperial possession. Later it fell to the Welfen family. Read more »
2 Mar 2009
The Ffwrwm
No, not an unknown prehistoric lizard or some mythological wyrm, but a garden in Caerleon. The name derives from the Latin forum, and with its craft shops, art gallery and restaurant the ffwrwm resembles an odd miniature forum cozily cuddled between the walls of an 18th century town garden. I found it by chance when looking for a place to have a lunch snack.
The Ffwrwm Garden in Caerleon, with one of Harrison's carved thrones to the left
The garden is a charming mix of shrubs and trees - most of the old and gnarled - antique statues, and modern art showing scenes from the Arthurian myths that are connected with Caerleon. The wood carvings, inspired by the Mabinogion, were done by Ed Harrison. There is also a metal statue depicting the final battle between Arthur and Mordred. Read more »
No, not an unknown prehistoric lizard or some mythological wyrm, but a garden in Caerleon. The name derives from the Latin forum, and with its craft shops, art gallery and restaurant the ffwrwm resembles an odd miniature forum cozily cuddled between the walls of an 18th century town garden. I found it by chance when looking for a place to have a lunch snack.
The garden is a charming mix of shrubs and trees - most of the old and gnarled - antique statues, and modern art showing scenes from the Arthurian myths that are connected with Caerleon. The wood carvings, inspired by the Mabinogion, were done by Ed Harrison. There is also a metal statue depicting the final battle between Arthur and Mordred. Read more »
15 Feb 2009
Hazy Welsh Views, With Castles
Few of the photos I took of the Welsh landscape are not veiled by the hazy atmosphere, but judging from the picutures in my guidebook that problem is a persistant one. Does something like a clear Welsh sky actually exist?
Mountains at Dolwyddelan Castle
Of all the castles I visited, Dolwyddelan was the one with the most spectacular location, and the one offering the best climb. A bit like those German hilltop castles, just with fewer tourists and more sheep. The view of the Conwy Vale is breathtaking. Read more »
Few of the photos I took of the Welsh landscape are not veiled by the hazy atmosphere, but judging from the picutures in my guidebook that problem is a persistant one. Does something like a clear Welsh sky actually exist?
Of all the castles I visited, Dolwyddelan was the one with the most spectacular location, and the one offering the best climb. A bit like those German hilltop castles, just with fewer tourists and more sheep. The view of the Conwy Vale is breathtaking. Read more »
11 Feb 2009
Outside the Saalburg Fortress
Here's another quick picture post, showing the vicus outside the Saalburg. Almost all Roman frontier forts attracted a settlement at their threshold where the inofficial families of the soldiers, craftsmen and traders lived. Some of those villages developed from the local huts into a more sophisticated place with stone-built forum, baths and temples.
The main gate seen from the outside
Contrary to the fortress, the vicus has not been reconstructed except for the mithraeum, but the foundations that appeared during excavations in the 19th century have been preserved. Read more »
Here's another quick picture post, showing the vicus outside the Saalburg. Almost all Roman frontier forts attracted a settlement at their threshold where the inofficial families of the soldiers, craftsmen and traders lived. Some of those villages developed from the local huts into a more sophisticated place with stone-built forum, baths and temples.
Contrary to the fortress, the vicus has not been reconstructed except for the mithraeum, but the foundations that appeared during excavations in the 19th century have been preserved. Read more »
7 Feb 2009
Pembroke Pictures
I've had a busy week and the next one doesn't look any better; right now I don't even get as much writing done as I want, thanks to the complicated mess that is business administration studies. So it will only be a photo post today. I chose a collection of another southern Welsh castle: the famous Pembroke.
Pembroke Castle in the evening sun
There will be a post with more information later, but for now let's enjoy what my Travel in Wales guidebook calls a 'big, whopping caste.' The castle and the main road more or less make the town of Pembroke. The disadvantage is that the station is at one end of the road and the castle (and my hotel) at the other. Dragging luggage made that road appear very long. Read more »
I've had a busy week and the next one doesn't look any better; right now I don't even get as much writing done as I want, thanks to the complicated mess that is business administration studies. So it will only be a photo post today. I chose a collection of another southern Welsh castle: the famous Pembroke.
There will be a post with more information later, but for now let's enjoy what my Travel in Wales guidebook calls a 'big, whopping caste.' The castle and the main road more or less make the town of Pembroke. The disadvantage is that the station is at one end of the road and the castle (and my hotel) at the other. Dragging luggage made that road appear very long. Read more »
22 Jan 2009
The Caledonians Are Coming!
Today the view from the remains of a fortress tower or mile castle along the Hadrian's Wall shows a peaceful scenery.
View from the ruins of a mile castle near Birdoswald
Back when the towers still stood proud, a Roman sentinel on guard service may have seen something else. Read more »
Today the view from the remains of a fortress tower or mile castle along the Hadrian's Wall shows a peaceful scenery.
Back when the towers still stood proud, a Roman sentinel on guard service may have seen something else. Read more »
