My Travel and History Blog, Focussing mostly on Roman and Mediaeval Times
26 Oct 2013
Northumbrian Castles - Malcolm III and the First Battle of Alnwick
One should think that the beginning of a huge and important castle like Alnwick would be better documented than the obscure keeps dotting German hills, but unfortunately, information about the beginnings of the castle is nonexistant, though it may have predated the first evidence in 1096 where it is mentioned as in possession of one Ivo (Yves) de Vescy, who built part of the castle still in existence.
The castle guards the crossing of the river Aln and since it is so close to the Scottish border, it saw a fair deal of action during history. The first owner may have been Gilbert de Tesson (Tyson) who was the standard bearer of William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings. But in 1095, he - or his descendant - participated in a rebellion against William Rufus and lost the fief which was then given to Yves de Vescy, together with the title Baron of Alnwick.
View to Alnwick Castle from the gardens
Alnwick had come into focus already two years earlier, when King Malcolm III Canmore and his oldest son and heir Edward were killed in a battle or ambush; the sources are not clear about the details. The relationship between King Malcolm III of the Scots and William the Conqueror and his successor William Rufus, was always uneasy as we will see, and the battle of Alnwick not the only military action in Northumberland during Malcolm’s reign. Read more »
One should think that the beginning of a huge and important castle like Alnwick would be better documented than the obscure keeps dotting German hills, but unfortunately, information about the beginnings of the castle is nonexistant, though it may have predated the first evidence in 1096 where it is mentioned as in possession of one Ivo (Yves) de Vescy, who built part of the castle still in existence.
The castle guards the crossing of the river Aln and since it is so close to the Scottish border, it saw a fair deal of action during history. The first owner may have been Gilbert de Tesson (Tyson) who was the standard bearer of William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings. But in 1095, he - or his descendant - participated in a rebellion against William Rufus and lost the fief which was then given to Yves de Vescy, together with the title Baron of Alnwick.
Alnwick had come into focus already two years earlier, when King Malcolm III Canmore and his oldest son and heir Edward were killed in a battle or ambush; the sources are not clear about the details. The relationship between King Malcolm III of the Scots and William the Conqueror and his successor William Rufus, was always uneasy as we will see, and the battle of Alnwick not the only military action in Northumberland during Malcolm’s reign. Read more »
7 Sept 2013
Weser Skywalk and Hannover Cliffs
Yes, we got a skywalk, too. Not as grand as the one in Colorado, but then, the Weser river and the Hannover Cliffs are no Grand Canyon. But the scenery is beautiful and pretty typical for the German mittelgebirge. And it's free and photographing is allowed, heh.
View over the skywalk towards Bad Karlshafen
The skywalk has been erected in 2011. It is anchored in the rock, made of zinc-coated steel with grillage floors; it has two levels with the lower one stretching 4 metres outward off the cliff. The grillage floor was a bit tricky for me since I don't take heights well, and you can see right down beneath your feet - 75 metres to the river and road. But I braved it. Read more »
Yes, we got a skywalk, too. Not as grand as the one in Colorado, but then, the Weser river and the Hannover Cliffs are no Grand Canyon. But the scenery is beautiful and pretty typical for the German mittelgebirge. And it's free and photographing is allowed, heh.
The skywalk has been erected in 2011. It is anchored in the rock, made of zinc-coated steel with grillage floors; it has two levels with the lower one stretching 4 metres outward off the cliff. The grillage floor was a bit tricky for me since I don't take heights well, and you can see right down beneath your feet - 75 metres to the river and road. But I braved it. Read more »
25 Aug 2013
Ring of Brodgar, The Neolithic Landscape
The views of the Ring of Brodgar, framed by hills, with lochs on two sides, is very pretty, but it is not the original landsacpe.
Sure, the hills were there already, but the area of what today is Loch Stenness instead was a marshy bog with pools of water. Makes one wonder how those Neolithic people managed to set the stones up on such tricky ground, but I suppose the spot they chose for the ring may have been less marshy; it is a bit higher even today. That still leaves the problem of transporting heavy boulders across mossy ground, but the Neolithic people must have solved it somehow (timber causeways and such would not leave any traces).Read more »
The Ring of Brodgar
Sure, the hills were there already, but the area of what today is Loch Stenness instead was a marshy bog with pools of water. Makes one wonder how those Neolithic people managed to set the stones up on such tricky ground, but I suppose the spot they chose for the ring may have been less marshy; it is a bit higher even today. That still leaves the problem of transporting heavy boulders across mossy ground, but the Neolithic people must have solved it somehow (timber causeways and such would not leave any traces).
16 Aug 2013
Neolithic Orkney - The Ring of Brodgar
Orkney is rich in Neolithic sites, and the area between the Ring of Brodgar, the Standing Stones of Stenness, and Maes Howe in particular so. On the landbridge separating Loch Stenness and Loch Harray, the Ness of Brodgar, a Neolithic settlement is being excavated, with cool new finds popping up almost daily. Those guys and gals must love playing in the mud right now. *grin*
Partial view of the Ring of Brodgar
The Ring of Brodgar is the most visible and iconic of those Neolithic sites. It makes for splendid photo motives, too; I got too many to cover by one post. So I'll give you some general information about the ring here, with another post about the role of the site in Neolithic Orkney to follow. Read more »
Orkney is rich in Neolithic sites, and the area between the Ring of Brodgar, the Standing Stones of Stenness, and Maes Howe in particular so. On the landbridge separating Loch Stenness and Loch Harray, the Ness of Brodgar, a Neolithic settlement is being excavated, with cool new finds popping up almost daily. Those guys and gals must love playing in the mud right now. *grin*
The Ring of Brodgar is the most visible and iconic of those Neolithic sites. It makes for splendid photo motives, too; I got too many to cover by one post. So I'll give you some general information about the ring here, with another post about the role of the site in Neolithic Orkney to follow. Read more »
19 Jul 2013
The Most Popular Post in the Roman Empire - The Signal Station at Scarborough Castle
Aelius Rufus: If you like a desolate place with lots of cold wind, rain and fog, that is.
Gabriele: But, Aelius Rufus, it has a splendid view over the bay of Scarborough and the sea. And with the hot summer we got right now, I would not mind some cold wind.
A. So that's why you haven't been blogging. Spent all the time in the baths, eh?
G. I wish I could have, Aelius Rufus. We could have met there. *grin* I admit I did spend some time on the balcony, but mostly it was work. You know how that is.
View towards the remains of the signal station and the chapel (left)
A. I do. *sigh* But back to the splendid view from the signal station. Hah, there was fog all over. I remember you muttering that it won't be of any use to catch the view with that little picture box since all there would be was a white blob. And that you should have brought your gloves because of that icy blast. Makes you wonder if the signal stations could see each other in the first place. Merlinus told me there had been a chain of signal stations along the Yorkshire coast all the way from Filey, Scarborough, Ravenscar, Goldsborough and Huntcliffe, and maybe one at Whitby as well, to warn of Pictish raids, and another chain down in the south, called the Saxon shore. Read more »
Aelius Rufus: If you like a desolate place with lots of cold wind, rain and fog, that is.
Gabriele: But, Aelius Rufus, it has a splendid view over the bay of Scarborough and the sea. And with the hot summer we got right now, I would not mind some cold wind.
A. So that's why you haven't been blogging. Spent all the time in the baths, eh?
G. I wish I could have, Aelius Rufus. We could have met there. *grin* I admit I did spend some time on the balcony, but mostly it was work. You know how that is.
A. I do. *sigh* But back to the splendid view from the signal station. Hah, there was fog all over. I remember you muttering that it won't be of any use to catch the view with that little picture box since all there would be was a white blob. And that you should have brought your gloves because of that icy blast. Makes you wonder if the signal stations could see each other in the first place. Merlinus told me there had been a chain of signal stations along the Yorkshire coast all the way from Filey, Scarborough, Ravenscar, Goldsborough and Huntcliffe, and maybe one at Whitby as well, to warn of Pictish raids, and another chain down in the south, called the Saxon shore. Read more »
15 Jun 2013
Neolithic Remains, Picts and Vikings
Orkney was a veritable centre of Neolithic buildings, from the intriguing stone settings to a settlement like Skara Brae - a village older than the pyramids which has become one of the main tourist attractions.
Skara Brae, a Neolithic settlement on Mainland Orkney
Stone circles are very photogenic. The Ring of Brodgar may be less impressive than Stonehenge, but it's a lot more atmospheric. Especially with those dramatic clouds - though it never rained, fortunately. There's another, smaller stone setting, the one of Stenness, which I also managed to sneak in. Read more »
Orkney was a veritable centre of Neolithic buildings, from the intriguing stone settings to a settlement like Skara Brae - a village older than the pyramids which has become one of the main tourist attractions.
Stone circles are very photogenic. The Ring of Brodgar may be less impressive than Stonehenge, but it's a lot more atmospheric. Especially with those dramatic clouds - though it never rained, fortunately. There's another, smaller stone setting, the one of Stenness, which I also managed to sneak in. Read more »
13 Jun 2013
Northumberland and the Scottish East Coast
I'm back and over the next days I will present the usual photo overviews. The weather wasn't bad; in fact, the rain stopped during my way up to Scarborough Castle (my first place to visit) and never came back while I was traveling around. Must have been scared of me, lol. Several days were even warm and sunny, though Orkney was a bit on the grey and windy side.
Scarborough Castle; the keep seen from the outer gate
No wonder the Earl of Pembroke tried to coax Piers Gaveston into surrendering; laying siege to that place would not have been fun. And with the wind like the day I visited it would have been nasty and cold, too. You owe me a cookie or two for braving that wind. *grin* Read more »
I'm back and over the next days I will present the usual photo overviews. The weather wasn't bad; in fact, the rain stopped during my way up to Scarborough Castle (my first place to visit) and never came back while I was traveling around. Must have been scared of me, lol. Several days were even warm and sunny, though Orkney was a bit on the grey and windy side.
No wonder the Earl of Pembroke tried to coax Piers Gaveston into surrendering; laying siege to that place would not have been fun. And with the wind like the day I visited it would have been nasty and cold, too. You owe me a cookie or two for braving that wind. *grin* Read more »
21 May 2013
The Imperial Palatine Seat Tilleda - Fortifications
I have mentioned Tilleda a few times already since it's one of the rare examples of a Medieaval palatine seat of which more remains than some crumbled earthen walls and a sign. Werla, albeit double the size of Tilleda shows only a few of those today, Grona has become a suburb of Göttingen, in Pöhlde only some foundations remain. Of course, most of what we can see in Tilleda has been reconstructed - earthen walls and wattle and daub houses don't preserve well - but it is the only complete complex of the sort. In Goslar, only the great hall has been restored, albeit it is a most splendid example.
Tilleda, gate of the outer bailey. The way it is drawn in between the walls enabled the defenders to throw all sorts of pointy, hot, or otherwise interesting things on attackers.
Tilleda is first mentioned as Imperial Palatine seat (imperiatoris corte) in a charte dating to 972, where it is listed among the lands Otto II gave his wife, the Byzantine princess Theophanu, as dower. But the castle on the Pfingstberg hill must have been in existence since the early 10th century (1). But Tilleda surely was part of the net of palatine seats in Thuringia and Saxony already at the time of King Heinrich I. Read more »
I have mentioned Tilleda a few times already since it's one of the rare examples of a Medieaval palatine seat of which more remains than some crumbled earthen walls and a sign. Werla, albeit double the size of Tilleda shows only a few of those today, Grona has become a suburb of Göttingen, in Pöhlde only some foundations remain. Of course, most of what we can see in Tilleda has been reconstructed - earthen walls and wattle and daub houses don't preserve well - but it is the only complete complex of the sort. In Goslar, only the great hall has been restored, albeit it is a most splendid example.
Tilleda is first mentioned as Imperial Palatine seat (imperiatoris corte) in a charte dating to 972, where it is listed among the lands Otto II gave his wife, the Byzantine princess Theophanu, as dower. But the castle on the Pfingstberg hill must have been in existence since the early 10th century (1). But Tilleda surely was part of the net of palatine seats in Thuringia and Saxony already at the time of King Heinrich I. Read more »
11 May 2013
Pilot Boat
Just a little something today. Pilot boats were a constant feature during last year's cruise since pilots were required to navigate the harbours, rivers, the Stockholm archipelago and other tricky waters. And those little red things were fun to watch.
Pilot boat arriving, full speed ahead
I took those photos in the Stockholm archipelago on a late but still sunny evening.
Another shot
It was literally dancing on the waves. Very pretty.
Just a little something today. Pilot boats were a constant feature during last year's cruise since pilots were required to navigate the harbours, rivers, the Stockholm archipelago and other tricky waters. And those little red things were fun to watch.
I took those photos in the Stockholm archipelago on a late but still sunny evening.
It was literally dancing on the waves. Very pretty.
28 Apr 2013
Otto the Quarrelsome: The Lüneburg Succession War
Otto the Quarrelsome had a thing for heritage succession wars, it seems. He had barely solved the first round of the Hessian mess - or rather, it was solved for him - when he got himself embroiled in the war about the heritage to the duchy of Braunschweig-Lüneburg. Well, this time it sorta remained in the family and Otto acted on behalf of his cousins once removed; at least that was the reason he gave.
Braunschweig, Dankwarderode Castle at night
OK, let's go back on those geneaologies a bit. We remember that Albrecht I of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel was the father of Albrecht the Fat who had a bunch of sons with Rixa of Werle. One of those was Ernst (1305-1367), the father of our Otto, another was Magnus (1304-1369; married to Sophie of Brandenburg of House Ascania), who had a son Magnus (you guessed that, right?), nicknamed Torquatus, who in turn had several sons, among them Friedrich and Bernhard - Otto the Quarrelsome's cousins once removed. Read more »
Otto the Quarrelsome had a thing for heritage succession wars, it seems. He had barely solved the first round of the Hessian mess - or rather, it was solved for him - when he got himself embroiled in the war about the heritage to the duchy of Braunschweig-Lüneburg. Well, this time it sorta remained in the family and Otto acted on behalf of his cousins once removed; at least that was the reason he gave.
OK, let's go back on those geneaologies a bit. We remember that Albrecht I of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel was the father of Albrecht the Fat who had a bunch of sons with Rixa of Werle. One of those was Ernst (1305-1367), the father of our Otto, another was Magnus (1304-1369; married to Sophie of Brandenburg of House Ascania), who had a son Magnus (you guessed that, right?), nicknamed Torquatus, who in turn had several sons, among them Friedrich and Bernhard - Otto the Quarrelsome's cousins once removed. Read more »
7 Apr 2013
Border Castles and Conflicts - Otto the Quarrelsome and the Star Wars
No, not a sequel to a popular SF-series, but the war of an alliance called Sternerbund - Star League, led by Otto, against the landgrave of Hessia.
Otto the Quarrelsome* (Otto der Quade, 1340-1394), whose real name was Otto III Duke of Braunschweig-Lüneburg zu Göttingen (or Otto I of Braunschweig-Göttingen), was a member of the Welfen family. His ancestor Heinrich the Lion had received back the allodial lands of the family after his reconciliaton with Emperor Heinrich VI in 1189, but not the Duchy of Bavaria and not the title Duke of Saxony; the family would call itself after their main seat Braunschweig (Brunswick) from that time on. During the next generations, the land was split between several sons, creating several branches of the Welfen dynasty. Otto ended up with Göttingen and surroundings. Read more »
No, not a sequel to a popular SF-series, but the war of an alliance called Sternerbund - Star League, led by Otto, against the landgrave of Hessia.
Otto the Quarrelsome* (Otto der Quade, 1340-1394), whose real name was Otto III Duke of Braunschweig-Lüneburg zu Göttingen (or Otto I of Braunschweig-Göttingen), was a member of the Welfen family. His ancestor Heinrich the Lion had received back the allodial lands of the family after his reconciliaton with Emperor Heinrich VI in 1189, but not the Duchy of Bavaria and not the title Duke of Saxony; the family would call itself after their main seat Braunschweig (Brunswick) from that time on. During the next generations, the land was split between several sons, creating several branches of the Welfen dynasty. Otto ended up with Göttingen and surroundings. Read more »
21 Feb 2013
Gnisvärd Ship Setting / Gotland
How about some sunny pics in this grey February? I swear the sun's off vacationing somewhere else in the galaxy, having some drinks in the Milky Way Bar or whatever. But at least she sent a comet mail.
So here are some photos from a ship setting on Gotland, taken on a sunny if cold May afternoon.
Bronze Age ship setting at Gnisvärd, Gotland
Ship settings are stone settings in the shape of a boat that mark grave or cremation burials. They are mostly found in the part of Scandinavia that borders the Baltic Sea (Denmark, southern Sweden, Gotland) though some have also been found in the Baltic States, Finland, Russia and Germany. Their size varies from a hundred metres (the remains of the setting at Jellinge is the largest, it may have been 300 m, though other large ones are usually under 100 m) to just a few metres. Read more »
How about some sunny pics in this grey February? I swear the sun's off vacationing somewhere else in the galaxy, having some drinks in the Milky Way Bar or whatever. But at least she sent a comet mail.
So here are some photos from a ship setting on Gotland, taken on a sunny if cold May afternoon.
Ship settings are stone settings in the shape of a boat that mark grave or cremation burials. They are mostly found in the part of Scandinavia that borders the Baltic Sea (Denmark, southern Sweden, Gotland) though some have also been found in the Baltic States, Finland, Russia and Germany. Their size varies from a hundred metres (the remains of the setting at Jellinge is the largest, it may have been 300 m, though other large ones are usually under 100 m) to just a few metres. Read more »
7 Jan 2013
Border Castles and Conflicts - Castle Sichelnstein
Remains of Sichelnstein Castle
The first person we can trace with more surety is one Wittilo who is said to have fought bravely at the Battle of Riade against the Magyars in 933. King Heinrich I rewarded Wittilo by granting him the Sichelnstein as fief, and dubbing him. This incident is a bit curious. One possible interpretation is that Wittilo was a ministerialis, a member of the legally unfree but still high ranking men serving in administrative functions at the royal court and as heavy cavalry in war. Many ministeriales held fiefs to pay for their armour, but with less rights than freeborn nobles held their lands. Heavy cavalry secured the victory at Riade which would have given Wittilo his chance to shine. An additional dubbing could have meant that Wittilo gained the status of a freeborn knight. In that case he likely took his name of the castle from that time on. Read more »
Like most other minor castles I've posted about, the beginnings of the Sichelnstein are shrouded in obscurity and some names that may have been local legend rather than historical. The Saxon nobles Asic and Billing mentioned in Carolingian chronicles (811, 813), who fled from their own people and established local holds in the Frankian lands between Kassel and Göttingen, can not be connected with the later Sichelnstein family (or many of the others they are connected with on a certain website). A Hiddi and a certain Amelung - both Saxon nobles - who are connected with the foundation legends of the castle are obscure persons as well.
The first person we can trace with more surety is one Wittilo who is said to have fought bravely at the Battle of Riade against the Magyars in 933. King Heinrich I rewarded Wittilo by granting him the Sichelnstein as fief, and dubbing him. This incident is a bit curious. One possible interpretation is that Wittilo was a ministerialis, a member of the legally unfree but still high ranking men serving in administrative functions at the royal court and as heavy cavalry in war. Many ministeriales held fiefs to pay for their armour, but with less rights than freeborn nobles held their lands. Heavy cavalry secured the victory at Riade which would have given Wittilo his chance to shine. An additional dubbing could have meant that Wittilo gained the status of a freeborn knight. In that case he likely took his name of the castle from that time on. Read more »
15 Dec 2012
The Unfinished Gate - The Porta Nigra in Trier, Part 1
Porta Nigra, the town side
Ok, so here we go. The Porta Nigra is one of the best preserved gates from Antiquity, and the people in Augusta Treverorum are still proud of it; not to mention visitors who want to see the gate leave some money in the town. Read more »
Salvete amici, it's me, Aelius Rufus. Yes, it is quite some time you last saw me, and I had to have a word with Gabriele about the lack of Roman posts. She's always traveling to those barbarian places, first the Mare Suebicum and then into the lands of the Hermunduri and other, more obscure tribes. Really, no sane Roman goes there. And those posts about old rocks - not even the Greek philosophers believe the world is that old. And when she's not traveling, she's writing. Fiction, of all things, and not even trying to disguise it as a true account. ;-)
But well, I got her to transfer what I told her about the Porta Nigra in Augusta Treverorum into this funny thing with the screen which everyone everywhere can read, she says.
Ok, so here we go. The Porta Nigra is one of the best preserved gates from Antiquity, and the people in Augusta Treverorum are still proud of it; not to mention visitors who want to see the gate leave some money in the town. Read more »
25 Nov 2012
Just Some Fun Pics
In honour of a thread in a German forum about various typos that led to unexpected animals - in German, a mistyped end becomes a duck (Ende / Ente) and a robe can easily turn into a seal (Robbe) if you got clumsy fingers, I'll present my readers with some animals carved in wood.
Squirrels; a carving in the Mecklenbruch bog
This one is from the Mecklenburg Broch
An owl guiding the wanderer
There are several carvings in the Meissner Nature Park as well, like this cute owl. Close to the sculpture are signs for the various ways in the area. The third is from the Heldrastein Cliffs.
Family boar on their sunday outing
In honour of a thread in a German forum about various typos that led to unexpected animals - in German, a mistyped end becomes a duck (Ende / Ente) and a robe can easily turn into a seal (Robbe) if you got clumsy fingers, I'll present my readers with some animals carved in wood.
This one is from the Mecklenburg Broch
There are several carvings in the Meissner Nature Park as well, like this cute owl. Close to the sculpture are signs for the various ways in the area. The third is from the Heldrastein Cliffs.
28 Oct 2012
Border Castles and Conflicts - Castle Reichenbach
OK, I admit the title sounds more Scottish than it is, but some castles along the borders of Thuringia / Hessia / Lower Saxony have seen a fair bit of action thanks to sitting at the borders of former feudal or allodial possessions. And since I live right in the corner where the three counties meet, I've been visiting some of those places.
Today we'll have a look at the Castle of Reichenbach. The castle was built near a former - albeit shortlived - nunnery. What's left of the castle is mostly just the keep and that one has been partly rebuilt, too. But it sits at the top of a mountain above the village, like so many castles in Germany, so it made for a nice walk despite the paucity of motives.
Reichenbach Castle, the keep
The village of Reichenbach is first mentioned in 1098, but there is archaeological evidence for an earlier Frankish settlement. The first lord in the area who left a trace in the documents is Gozmar of Reichenbach, High Reeve of the Abbey Fulda, in 1062. Wikipedia mentions a Frankish comes (Gaugraf) Gozmar of Reichenbach in Carolingian times, but they can't even get the date right in two separate articles and I could not find any proof (1). The same goes for the castle which can be proven to date at the same time as the village, about 1050 - 1100. A Carolingian timber castle predating the stone fortress and the 5th century 'Chattian walled fort' are pure speculation at this point since no traces have been found (though archaeological research wasn't very thorough due to costs). Read more »
OK, I admit the title sounds more Scottish than it is, but some castles along the borders of Thuringia / Hessia / Lower Saxony have seen a fair bit of action thanks to sitting at the borders of former feudal or allodial possessions. And since I live right in the corner where the three counties meet, I've been visiting some of those places.
Today we'll have a look at the Castle of Reichenbach. The castle was built near a former - albeit shortlived - nunnery. What's left of the castle is mostly just the keep and that one has been partly rebuilt, too. But it sits at the top of a mountain above the village, like so many castles in Germany, so it made for a nice walk despite the paucity of motives.
The village of Reichenbach is first mentioned in 1098, but there is archaeological evidence for an earlier Frankish settlement. The first lord in the area who left a trace in the documents is Gozmar of Reichenbach, High Reeve of the Abbey Fulda, in 1062. Wikipedia mentions a Frankish comes (Gaugraf) Gozmar of Reichenbach in Carolingian times, but they can't even get the date right in two separate articles and I could not find any proof (1). The same goes for the castle which can be proven to date at the same time as the village, about 1050 - 1100. A Carolingian timber castle predating the stone fortress and the 5th century 'Chattian walled fort' are pure speculation at this point since no traces have been found (though archaeological research wasn't very thorough due to costs). Read more »
20 Oct 2012
Trees and a Squirrel
My way to work (well, after I got off a 35 min bus ride)
There's a little pond, too, which looks lovely right now. Read more »
We got some glorious autumn days right now, and since the way to my job place goes through part of the Forest Botanical Garden, I decided to bring my camera yesterday.
There's a little pond, too, which looks lovely right now. Read more »
29 Sept 2012
In the Land of Saale and Unstrut
We followed some stations on the Romanesque Road in southern Saxony-Anhalt, and kept running into castles. Like this one we saw from the breakfast room in our hotel - what a nice view to wake up to.
Neuenburg Castle near Freyburg
The Neuenburg was founded in 1090 by Ludwig the Leaper who also built the Wartburg. The castle was extended in the 12th century and its most beautiful features date from that time, like the chapel. It also got several towers, halls, walls and gates to turn it into the big boy you can see today. Read more »
We followed some stations on the Romanesque Road in southern Saxony-Anhalt, and kept running into castles. Like this one we saw from the breakfast room in our hotel - what a nice view to wake up to.
The Neuenburg was founded in 1090 by Ludwig the Leaper who also built the Wartburg. The castle was extended in the 12th century and its most beautiful features date from that time, like the chapel. It also got several towers, halls, walls and gates to turn it into the big boy you can see today. Read more »
Vineyards and Rivers
And finally some photos of the surroundings. You can't travel in the Saale-Unstrut region without catching some vineyeards - the area is famous for its wines.
Vineyard in the morning sun, seen from my hotel room
Our little hotel is situated in the middle of the Ducal Vineyard (which today is owned by a farm cooperative), so we got a close look into a vineyard in autumn. Read more »
And finally some photos of the surroundings. You can't travel in the Saale-Unstrut region without catching some vineyeards - the area is famous for its wines.
Our little hotel is situated in the middle of the Ducal Vineyard (which today is owned by a farm cooperative), so we got a close look into a vineyard in autumn. Read more »
5 Sept 2012
Hiking in the Hoher Meissner Reserve
I did some hiking tours with my father to collect more photos. Our latest hangout has been the Nature Reservation Meissner and Kaufunger Wald, halfway between Göttingen and Kassel and thus an easy target for day tours.
Karst formations in the Meissner mountains
The foothills of the Meissner mountain are another of those dolomite karst mountain areas (like the southern Harz) that developed out of the Zechstein Sea some 250 million years ago. The karst makes for picturesque formations and nice photos. Read more »
I did some hiking tours with my father to collect more photos. Our latest hangout has been the Nature Reservation Meissner and Kaufunger Wald, halfway between Göttingen and Kassel and thus an easy target for day tours.
The foothills of the Meissner mountain are another of those dolomite karst mountain areas (like the southern Harz) that developed out of the Zechstein Sea some 250 million years ago. The karst makes for picturesque formations and nice photos. Read more »
18 Aug 2012
Once Upon a Time - The Geology of the Curonian Spit
Neringa's nightly work
So Neringa was a stranger in the village more than a member, and she watched people and often beheld the women cry when their husbands and sons did not return from their fishing tours. Then she saw the storms and high waves that capsized the boats and killed the men, and she decided to use her strength to help the villagers. Read more »
Once upon a time there were a fisherman and his wife who got a child late in life. Neringa they named their daughter, and she grew up big and strong. Indeed, so big and strong she was that the other children did not want to play with her, because she sometimes hurt them, She never wanted to hurt anyone, but she could not control her strength, and so she became a lonely child and sat at the shore for long times, watching the sea. She grew to a young maid, but still most villagers were wary of her because of her size and strength, and did not see her kindness and gentle heart.
So Neringa was a stranger in the village more than a member, and she watched people and often beheld the women cry when their husbands and sons did not return from their fishing tours. Then she saw the storms and high waves that capsized the boats and killed the men, and she decided to use her strength to help the villagers. Read more »
25 Jul 2012
It's Too Hot, So Here Are Some Beach Photos
The title pretty much says it; summer is doing a guest visit, and as usual, really shows off. 30°C is not my favourite temperature, nor do I like the increasingly high humidity.
The Baltic coast at the Curonian Spit
It was hot, too, when we visited the Curonian Spit, but water on both sides made it bearable. The beaches facing the Baltic Sea are lovely, and not so full of people except during high summer. The beaches at the German coasts are a lot more crowded. Though I still have happy childhood memories of our holidays there. Read more »
The title pretty much says it; summer is doing a guest visit, and as usual, really shows off. 30°C is not my favourite temperature, nor do I like the increasingly high humidity.
It was hot, too, when we visited the Curonian Spit, but water on both sides made it bearable. The beaches facing the Baltic Sea are lovely, and not so full of people except during high summer. The beaches at the German coasts are a lot more crowded. Though I still have happy childhood memories of our holidays there. Read more »
13 Jul 2012
St.Petersburg - Impressions from the Neva River
A smaller ship like our cruise ship has a few advantages, among them the fact that the ship could get closer (in)to the towns than the big monsters that have to stay in the larger outer harbours. So she sailed up the Neva to anchor directly in town. That will make for a little series of photos.
Cranes in the inner freight harbour
I took those photos when the ship left St.Petersburg - with an extra swing towards the first of the bridges that connects the Vasilyevsky Island with the mainland to the south. There had been a thunderstorm in the morning after a hot day before, and towards the evening, the clouds started to let up, though they still were pretty impressive. I liked the surrealistic look of the cranes against the sky. Read more »
A smaller ship like our cruise ship has a few advantages, among them the fact that the ship could get closer (in)to the towns than the big monsters that have to stay in the larger outer harbours. So she sailed up the Neva to anchor directly in town. That will make for a little series of photos.
I took those photos when the ship left St.Petersburg - with an extra swing towards the first of the bridges that connects the Vasilyevsky Island with the mainland to the south. There had been a thunderstorm in the morning after a hot day before, and towards the evening, the clouds started to let up, though they still were pretty impressive. I liked the surrealistic look of the cranes against the sky. Read more »
11 Jun 2012
Raised Bog in the Solling-Vogler Nature Park
The weather didn't play nice last week, raining on the Queen's jubilee and generally making a nuisance of itself. Though around here the trees and plants needed the water; it had been very dry. Still, it's a good reason to post some sunny photos.
Timber trackway in the Mecklenbruch bog
The Solling-Vogler Nature Park lies to the north-west of Göttingen, stretching down to the Weser river. The other Nature/National Park I've been posting about several times, the Harz, is to the north-east. The mountains in the Solling are gentler than the highest Harz ones, but both landscapes belong to the German mittelgebirge (another word the English language snagged out of our pocket, it seems). Read more »
The weather didn't play nice last week, raining on the Queen's jubilee and generally making a nuisance of itself. Though around here the trees and plants needed the water; it had been very dry. Still, it's a good reason to post some sunny photos.
The Solling-Vogler Nature Park lies to the north-west of Göttingen, stretching down to the Weser river. The other Nature/National Park I've been posting about several times, the Harz, is to the north-east. The mountains in the Solling are gentler than the highest Harz ones, but both landscapes belong to the German mittelgebirge (another word the English language snagged out of our pocket, it seems). Read more »
25 May 2012
A Baltic Sea Cruise
I'm back from my cruise which took place on a smaller ship than the usual monsters (800 passengers maximum) and therefore was a lot more fun for me. As usual, I got a truckload of photos. So here's the traditional overview post of the places I've visited.
Visby and Gotland's west coast (Sweden)
A Medieaval town that belonged to the Hanseatic League and to the Gotland Trade League before, with some well conserved town fortifications, a cathedral, nice old houses (trade made for rich merchants who in turn built pretty houses to show off), and a few ruins.
Visby, the town walls
I took a bus tour along part of the west coast of Gotland so I could catch some impressions of the landscape, too. We had some interesting stops; one of them the ship setting at Gnisvärd. The flip side to guided tours are the other people in the group, but I managed to keep their appearance on photos to a minimum. Read more »
I'm back from my cruise which took place on a smaller ship than the usual monsters (800 passengers maximum) and therefore was a lot more fun for me. As usual, I got a truckload of photos. So here's the traditional overview post of the places I've visited.
Visby and Gotland's west coast (Sweden)
A Medieaval town that belonged to the Hanseatic League and to the Gotland Trade League before, with some well conserved town fortifications, a cathedral, nice old houses (trade made for rich merchants who in turn built pretty houses to show off), and a few ruins.
I took a bus tour along part of the west coast of Gotland so I could catch some impressions of the landscape, too. We had some interesting stops; one of them the ship setting at Gnisvärd. The flip side to guided tours are the other people in the group, but I managed to keep their appearance on photos to a minimum. Read more »
8 May 2012
Dunstaffnage Chapel
Not much is known about the chapel that lies abut 150 metres from the castle, except that is was built by Duncan MacDougall of Lorn, builder of the castle, as well.
Way from the castle to the chapel
(maybe the place of Lord John's assassination?)
Duncan must have had access to some really good masons because the stonework and the decorations are quite outstanding for the time. The guidebook even says that no other chapel on the Scottish mainland from that time (~ 1220) can rival it. Read more »
Not much is known about the chapel that lies abut 150 metres from the castle, except that is was built by Duncan MacDougall of Lorn, builder of the castle, as well.
(maybe the place of Lord John's assassination?)
Duncan must have had access to some really good masons because the stonework and the decorations are quite outstanding for the time. The guidebook even says that no other chapel on the Scottish mainland from that time (~ 1220) can rival it. Read more »
6 May 2012
Dunstaffnage Castle - The Campbells Are Coming
For some 150 years, Dunstaffnage Castle remained a crown possession. It appeared in the spotlight of history a few times, like in 1431, when King James I took the castle and hanged about 300 rebels who had sheltered there after the battle of Inverlochy. James had taken Alexander MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross prisoner and that of course, led a number of Scottish clans to rebellion. They were successful at first, but as so often, the rebellion disintegrated and Alexander only came free with King James' death in 1437.
Another view of the battlements
Another sad affair took place in 1463. The keeper of Dunstaffnage at the time was John Stewart 2nd Lord of Lorn. He had a rival in Alan MacDougall, my guess is about the woman John was going to marry and who already was the mother of, or pregnant with, his son. I could not find out her name, maybe she was the 'unknown MacLaren' cited in the Peerage (10798). Alan and his men attacked John on the way to Dunstaffnage chapel close to the castle and fatally wounded him. But John managed to crawl to the altar and complete the marriage vows before he expired. You could not find a better opera scene, lol. Read more »
For some 150 years, Dunstaffnage Castle remained a crown possession. It appeared in the spotlight of history a few times, like in 1431, when King James I took the castle and hanged about 300 rebels who had sheltered there after the battle of Inverlochy. James had taken Alexander MacDonald of Islay, Earl of Ross prisoner and that of course, led a number of Scottish clans to rebellion. They were successful at first, but as so often, the rebellion disintegrated and Alexander only came free with King James' death in 1437.
Another sad affair took place in 1463. The keeper of Dunstaffnage at the time was John Stewart 2nd Lord of Lorn. He had a rival in Alan MacDougall, my guess is about the woman John was going to marry and who already was the mother of, or pregnant with, his son. I could not find out her name, maybe she was the 'unknown MacLaren' cited in the Peerage (10798). Alan and his men attacked John on the way to Dunstaffnage chapel close to the castle and fatally wounded him. But John managed to crawl to the altar and complete the marriage vows before he expired. You could not find a better opera scene, lol. Read more »
30 Apr 2012
Dunstaffnage Castle - The Wars of Independence
This is the continuation of the first post about Dunstaffnage Castle.
Revised and reposted (with additional photos), since I got hold of an interesting book (see Sources) that sheds some new light onto the matter.
Alexander Lord of Lorn, 4th chief of clan MacDougall, married Julienne Comyn, daughter of John Comyn of Badenoch, thus allying himself with the powerful Comyn and Baliol families. When John Baliol became King of the Scots in 1292, he made Alexander MacDougall - also known as Alexander of Argyll - the Sheriff of Lorn, and Alexander became a powerful representative of the Scottish king over a large territory on the west coast and the islands.
His namesake of the MacDonald line, Alexander of the Isles, threw his lot with King Edward I instead, in hope to gain the contested Lismore heritage of his wife (a sister of Alexander of Argyll - that was a marriage alliance that didn't work out). Over the next years gained in power while Alexander of Argyll's influence declined, esp, after John Baliol fell out of favour with Edward.
Dunstaffnage Castle, seaside view
The big turn of events came when Robert the Bruce assassinated John 'the Red' Comyn in February 1306,, a nephew of Alexander's wife, and from that moment on it was blood feud between the MacDougall chief and Bruce. Robert Bruce crowned himself king six weeks later, and Alexander then supported King Edward I of England against Bruce, together with the Baliol-Comyn faction. Read more »
This is the continuation of the first post about Dunstaffnage Castle.
Revised and reposted (with additional photos), since I got hold of an interesting book (see Sources) that sheds some new light onto the matter.
Alexander Lord of Lorn, 4th chief of clan MacDougall, married Julienne Comyn, daughter of John Comyn of Badenoch, thus allying himself with the powerful Comyn and Baliol families. When John Baliol became King of the Scots in 1292, he made Alexander MacDougall - also known as Alexander of Argyll - the Sheriff of Lorn, and Alexander became a powerful representative of the Scottish king over a large territory on the west coast and the islands.
His namesake of the MacDonald line, Alexander of the Isles, threw his lot with King Edward I instead, in hope to gain the contested Lismore heritage of his wife (a sister of Alexander of Argyll - that was a marriage alliance that didn't work out). Over the next years gained in power while Alexander of Argyll's influence declined, esp, after John Baliol fell out of favour with Edward.
The big turn of events came when Robert the Bruce assassinated John 'the Red' Comyn in February 1306,, a nephew of Alexander's wife, and from that moment on it was blood feud between the MacDougall chief and Bruce. Robert Bruce crowned himself king six weeks later, and Alexander then supported King Edward I of England against Bruce, together with the Baliol-Comyn faction. Read more »
