My Travel and History Blog, Focussing mostly on Roman and Mediaeval Times
17 Jun 2024
My Spring Tour 2024 – Part 2: From Turku back to Kiel
Helsinki also offered the chance for a day trip. Turku, the oldest town in Finland, is only about two hours bus ride away, and a nice ride through an interesting landscape it is, too. I put it in this post because the other post got too long already.
Turku, the Aura river with the cathedral in the background
For a long time. Turku had been a Swedish town (Ǻbo), because Finland had been part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The town developed along the river Aura in the 13th century. When Finland became a Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire in 1809, Turku was its capital, but a few years later Tsar Alexander I moved the capital to Helsinki with its fortress Sveaborg/Suomenlinna.
Turku Castle
One of Turku’s landmarks is the castle. The oldest parts date back to the late 13th century, built on what then was an island in the Aura river. At the time the castle was the seat of the Swedish administration of the provice Eastland, as Finland was called. During the following years, the castle was expanded and the fortifications strengthened.
Turku Castle, the outer curtain walls
The castle played a role in inner-Swedish struggles and wars between the Scandinavian countries on several occasions. In the mid-16th century, Duke John of Finland (a son of Gustav Vasa) who was married to the Polish princess Katarzyna Jagiełłonka, added a Renaissance wing to the castle and altered rooms in the Mediaeval part as well. Since then, the castle was not changed nor damaged.
Turku Castle, the Renaissance wing
The castle lost its status as administrative centre in the 17th century. Nowadays it is a museum – a veritable maze of rooms, many of them with historical furniture – and a visitor magnet for tourists.
Tartu, European Capital of Culture 2024
Market square with the town hall in the background
Next stop was Tartu (back from Helsinki to Tallinn by ferry, and to Tartu by bus), the European Capital of Culture 2024. Many visitors of Estonia concentrate on Tallinn, but Tartu is definitely woth a visit; it has a lot of pretty corners and a relaxed atmosphere.
Tartu, ruins of the 13th century cathedral
Tartu – also known in Germany as Dorpat – is mentioned in Russian chronicles and said to have been a Russian foundation of the 11th century, but it first played a major role during the Northern Crusades in the early 13th century when the town was conquered by the Teutonic Knights in 1224, and converted into the bishopric of Dorpat. Tartu/Dorpat also became an important member of the Hanseatic League, connecting the ways from Tallinn to Pskov and Novgorod.
Tartu, view from the Angel’s Bridge
In the centuries to follow, Tartu – and with it often at least parts of Estonia – changed possession several times during various wars. 1558 to Russia, 1583 part of Poland-Lithuania, 1625 to Sweden (when King Gustav Adolf founded the university in 1332). 1704 back to Russia.
Tartu, old wooden houses in Supilinn quarter
Estonia became independent for the first time in 1920, was contested by Germans and the Sovjet army during WW2 (in 1939, many German speaking inhabitants of Tartu moved to Germany due to the Hitler-Stalin Pact), and member of the USSR until the second independence of Estonia in 1991.
Tartu, at the river Emajõgi
The town had suffered by a great fire in 1775, and again faced destruction during WW2, but after the independence, many older buildings in Tartu have been restored. Today, it is a charming town with a youthful atmosphere due to the many students.
Sigulda Castle
Next stop was Sigulda in Latvia; somewhat northeast of Riga. I picked the town as stopping point because it has two Mediaeval castles and a third in day trip distance. It is also prettily situated in the forested hills of the Gauja National Park.
Sigulda Castle, curtain wall from the inside
The two main powers in Livonia (= basically todays Latvia and Estonia) were the – predominantely German, due to the Northern Crusades – bishops and and the Livonian Branch of the Teutonic Knights, and to some extent the citizens of Riga, most of them also from Germany. All three were at cahoots more often than they worked together against outside enemies, and so a lot of castles were built.
Sigulda Castle, remains of the great hall
Sigulda (Segewold) Castle was buit by the Livonian Sword Brothers in 1207, to control the Gauja river and prevent attacks from the bishop’s castle at Turaida on the hill at the other side. There were several mutual attacks nevertheless. The castle became the seat of the Land Marshal of the Livonian Teutonic Knights in 1432. In later centuries, it suffered during the various wars I’ve already mentioned.
Sigulda, the new castle
Since 1737, Sigulda was a private property with various owners. The Kropotkin family used the ruins only as picturesque park feature and built a new palace in the Neo-Gothic style nearby in 1878. Today that building houses the Sigulda Region Council.
Gauja river valley
The Gauja valley separates the castles of Sigulda and Turaida which are only 5 kilometres apart. The area is more hilly than Estonia with its long stretches of birch and pine forests and moors; it reminded me of the German mittelgebirge.
Turaida Castle
Turaida (Treyden) Castle was commissioned by Albert of Buxthoeveden, Archbishop of Riga in 1214, and built by the Livonian Sword Brothers; both got along at that time. They had just defeated a host of pagan Estonians who had laid siege to the wooden stronghold of the Christian Livian leader Caupo. The masons of the order used bricks like in Małbork Castle and in most churches in Germany and the Baltic states.
Turaida Castle, the western building
Turaida Castle saw another siege when the citiziens of Riga – allied with the still pagan Lithuanians – attacked the Livonian Order in 1298. The Order was defeated, but after it received reinforcements from the Teutonic Knights, the residents of Riga and Lithuanians were defeated in turn.
Turaida Castle, the north-eastern wing
The defensive systems of the castle were improved in later centuries, esp. in the early 15th century as firearms became more common. At that time, the semi-rounded western tower was erected. The inner yard was filled with domestic buildings.
Turaida Castle was the seat of the bailiff of the archbishop of Riga until the secularization of the archbishopric in 1566. It lost its military importance, and after a fire in 1776, the castle became a ruin.
Cēsis Castle
Cēsis (Wenden) Castle is one of the most important castles in Latvia. It, too, was constructed by the Livonian Sword Brothers on the site of a tribal fortification, after the local tribe, the Wends, had been converted to Christianity. But the original castle from 1214 had been thoroughly altered when the Livonian Sword Brothers merged with the Teutonic Knights in 1236. The latter set up Cēsis according to the castellum pattern they used for their castles. Only the old chapel remained unchanged.
Cēsis Castle, remains of the hall
The castle became the seat of the commander (Komtur) of the Livonian Branch of the Teutonic Knights and the Order’s administrative headquarter for Livonia. During the rule of Wolter von Plettenberg (1450-1535), Cēsis Castle was fortified with additional towers to suit the upcoming artillery warfare, and the chapter hall and master’s chamber underwent changes to make them look more grand.
Cēsis Castle, inside the round tower
Cēsis Castle was damaged during the Livonian War (1577) by a Russian army under Ivan the Terrible. Later, the castle came to Sweden and was the property of the High Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna. In 1681, the Swedes put a garrison in the castle who obvioulsy went rough on the movable goods, including timbers and lead. The castle was further damaged during the Northern War (1700-1720) and remained a ruin.
Open Air Museum Molfsee/Kiel, a barn from Wilmsdorf
The ferry from Klaipeda arrives at Kiel in the evening, so I prefer to stay overnight and take the train home the next afternoon (better connections). Last year, I used the time for a boat tour on the Kiel Firth, this year I visited the Open Air Museum Molfsee. I had been there as a child, but that was quite a few years ago. :-)
Molfsee – house from Barsbek
The museum collects farm houses, barns, cottages, mills and more from all over the county of Schleswig-Holstein. Those buildings are often still in decent shape but are no longer used because they are too old-fashioned. So they are deconstructed and rebuilt/renovated on the museum grounds. The oldest house dates to 1596, but most are from the 18th/19th centuries.
Frisian house from Westerland, with the typical whale bone gate
The museum first opened in 1958 and has grown ever since. Today, there are more than 70 houses and other buildings. The historical northern German houses are pretty different from the ones I’ve seen in the Baltics and Finland; mostly half timbered or constructed of bricks.
Roses in the Botanical Garden Tartu
I’ll leave you with some pretty roses from the Botanical garden in Tartu.
¶ June 17, 2024 1 comments
Helsinki also offered the chance for a day trip. Turku, the oldest town in Finland, is only about two hours bus ride away, and a nice ride through an interesting landscape it is, too. I put it in this post because the other post got too long already.
For a long time. Turku had been a Swedish town (Ǻbo), because Finland had been part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The town developed along the river Aura in the 13th century. When Finland became a Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire in 1809, Turku was its capital, but a few years later Tsar Alexander I moved the capital to Helsinki with its fortress Sveaborg/Suomenlinna.
One of Turku’s landmarks is the castle. The oldest parts date back to the late 13th century, built on what then was an island in the Aura river. At the time the castle was the seat of the Swedish administration of the provice Eastland, as Finland was called. During the following years, the castle was expanded and the fortifications strengthened.
The castle played a role in inner-Swedish struggles and wars between the Scandinavian countries on several occasions. In the mid-16th century, Duke John of Finland (a son of Gustav Vasa) who was married to the Polish princess Katarzyna Jagiełłonka, added a Renaissance wing to the castle and altered rooms in the Mediaeval part as well. Since then, the castle was not changed nor damaged.
The castle lost its status as administrative centre in the 17th century. Nowadays it is a museum – a veritable maze of rooms, many of them with historical furniture – and a visitor magnet for tourists.
Market square with the town hall in the background
Next stop was Tartu (back from Helsinki to Tallinn by ferry, and to Tartu by bus), the European Capital of Culture 2024. Many visitors of Estonia concentrate on Tallinn, but Tartu is definitely woth a visit; it has a lot of pretty corners and a relaxed atmosphere.
Tartu – also known in Germany as Dorpat – is mentioned in Russian chronicles and said to have been a Russian foundation of the 11th century, but it first played a major role during the Northern Crusades in the early 13th century when the town was conquered by the Teutonic Knights in 1224, and converted into the bishopric of Dorpat. Tartu/Dorpat also became an important member of the Hanseatic League, connecting the ways from Tallinn to Pskov and Novgorod.
In the centuries to follow, Tartu – and with it often at least parts of Estonia – changed possession several times during various wars. 1558 to Russia, 1583 part of Poland-Lithuania, 1625 to Sweden (when King Gustav Adolf founded the university in 1332). 1704 back to Russia.
Estonia became independent for the first time in 1920, was contested by Germans and the Sovjet army during WW2 (in 1939, many German speaking inhabitants of Tartu moved to Germany due to the Hitler-Stalin Pact), and member of the USSR until the second independence of Estonia in 1991.
The town had suffered by a great fire in 1775, and again faced destruction during WW2, but after the independence, many older buildings in Tartu have been restored. Today, it is a charming town with a youthful atmosphere due to the many students.
Next stop was Sigulda in Latvia; somewhat northeast of Riga. I picked the town as stopping point because it has two Mediaeval castles and a third in day trip distance. It is also prettily situated in the forested hills of the Gauja National Park.
The two main powers in Livonia (= basically todays Latvia and Estonia) were the – predominantely German, due to the Northern Crusades – bishops and and the Livonian Branch of the Teutonic Knights, and to some extent the citizens of Riga, most of them also from Germany. All three were at cahoots more often than they worked together against outside enemies, and so a lot of castles were built.
Sigulda (Segewold) Castle was buit by the Livonian Sword Brothers in 1207, to control the Gauja river and prevent attacks from the bishop’s castle at Turaida on the hill at the other side. There were several mutual attacks nevertheless. The castle became the seat of the Land Marshal of the Livonian Teutonic Knights in 1432. In later centuries, it suffered during the various wars I’ve already mentioned.
Since 1737, Sigulda was a private property with various owners. The Kropotkin family used the ruins only as picturesque park feature and built a new palace in the Neo-Gothic style nearby in 1878. Today that building houses the Sigulda Region Council.
The Gauja valley separates the castles of Sigulda and Turaida which are only 5 kilometres apart. The area is more hilly than Estonia with its long stretches of birch and pine forests and moors; it reminded me of the German mittelgebirge.
Turaida (Treyden) Castle was commissioned by Albert of Buxthoeveden, Archbishop of Riga in 1214, and built by the Livonian Sword Brothers; both got along at that time. They had just defeated a host of pagan Estonians who had laid siege to the wooden stronghold of the Christian Livian leader Caupo. The masons of the order used bricks like in Małbork Castle and in most churches in Germany and the Baltic states.
Turaida Castle saw another siege when the citiziens of Riga – allied with the still pagan Lithuanians – attacked the Livonian Order in 1298. The Order was defeated, but after it received reinforcements from the Teutonic Knights, the residents of Riga and Lithuanians were defeated in turn.
The defensive systems of the castle were improved in later centuries, esp. in the early 15th century as firearms became more common. At that time, the semi-rounded western tower was erected. The inner yard was filled with domestic buildings.
Turaida Castle was the seat of the bailiff of the archbishop of Riga until the secularization of the archbishopric in 1566. It lost its military importance, and after a fire in 1776, the castle became a ruin.
Cēsis (Wenden) Castle is one of the most important castles in Latvia. It, too, was constructed by the Livonian Sword Brothers on the site of a tribal fortification, after the local tribe, the Wends, had been converted to Christianity. But the original castle from 1214 had been thoroughly altered when the Livonian Sword Brothers merged with the Teutonic Knights in 1236. The latter set up Cēsis according to the castellum pattern they used for their castles. Only the old chapel remained unchanged.
The castle became the seat of the commander (Komtur) of the Livonian Branch of the Teutonic Knights and the Order’s administrative headquarter for Livonia. During the rule of Wolter von Plettenberg (1450-1535), Cēsis Castle was fortified with additional towers to suit the upcoming artillery warfare, and the chapter hall and master’s chamber underwent changes to make them look more grand.
Cēsis Castle was damaged during the Livonian War (1577) by a Russian army under Ivan the Terrible. Later, the castle came to Sweden and was the property of the High Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna. In 1681, the Swedes put a garrison in the castle who obvioulsy went rough on the movable goods, including timbers and lead. The castle was further damaged during the Northern War (1700-1720) and remained a ruin.
The ferry from Klaipeda arrives at Kiel in the evening, so I prefer to stay overnight and take the train home the next afternoon (better connections). Last year, I used the time for a boat tour on the Kiel Firth, this year I visited the Open Air Museum Molfsee. I had been there as a child, but that was quite a few years ago. :-)
The museum collects farm houses, barns, cottages, mills and more from all over the county of Schleswig-Holstein. Those buildings are often still in decent shape but are no longer used because they are too old-fashioned. So they are deconstructed and rebuilt/renovated on the museum grounds. The oldest house dates to 1596, but most are from the 18th/19th centuries.
The museum first opened in 1958 and has grown ever since. Today, there are more than 70 houses and other buildings. The historical northern German houses are pretty different from the ones I’ve seen in the Baltics and Finland; mostly half timbered or constructed of bricks.
I’ll leave you with some pretty roses from the Botanical garden in Tartu.
¶ June 17, 2024 1 comments
12 Jun 2024
My Spring Tour 2024 – Part 1: From Riga to Helsinki
This year I wanted to complete the tour of the Baltic States, and since it’s only two hours by ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki, I decided to add a bit of Finland to the list. I enjoyed three weeks of mostly sunshine and temperatures unusually warm to hot for the countries so far north. The Fins were shaking their heads at +28 °C in late May; they are more used to about 15 °C and rain. There are also those lovely long and still bright evenings of the North I remembered from my time in Stockholm.
Helsinki archipelago
I started my tour with Riga in Latvia. I had visited the town during the Baltic Sea Cruise in 2012, but while there was reasonable time to see the most important sites, it was not enough for the less touristy places and also, there were still buildings undergoing renovation.
Riga, lane in the Konventa Sēta courtyard
The Convent Courtyard (Konventa Sēta) is situated on the former site of the first castle of the Order of the Teutonic Knights which was destroyed by the citizens of Riga in 1297. Afterwards, the place was used as a convent, and since the late 15th century, as an almshouse – in fact, several small houses that constitute the ‘yard’ – for the poor. Nowadays, most of the houses are a hotel; others are used for exhibitions.
Riga, Cathedral Square
The cathedral and cathedral square had been among the places where renovation works were going on during my first visit, so it was nice to see the place and the cathedral without scaffoldings and closed doors this time.
Riga, Freedom Monument
The 42 metres high Freedom Monument was erected in 1935. It commemorates the victims of the Latvian War of Independence (1918-1920), and is since then an important symbol for Latvia’s independence as well as a gathering place.
Riga, the canal separating the old town from the centre
Another sight I missed last time was the pretty park along part of the canal that separates Riga’s old town – Vecrīga – from the new town and the modern city. The canal fills the old moat of the former landside defense walls of Riga and is connected to the Daugava river. A nice place for a break.
Tallinn, little hidden lane
I always wanted to go back to the Estonian capital Tallinn which is another city I visited briefly in 2012. This time I could really explore the lovely old town and enjoy the warm and sunny evenings.
Tallinn, the castle
Tallinn is divided into the Toompea Hill with the castle, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and a lot of pretty houses, and All-linn, the lower town with the town hall, several more churches, the remaining town fortifications, and many more pretty old houses.
Tallinn, houses on the Toompea Hill
I spent hours walking the streets and lanes, trying to get photos with not too many tourists standing in the way. The light also changed from the bright midday sun with its clear cut shadows to the softer evening light with its gentle tones of muted turqoius and pink.
Tallinn, another charming corner in the old town
You see, I got plenty of photos. Walking the old town makes thirsty and the heat addad a craving for ice cream, but fortunately, there are cafés and restaurants aplenty, though the prices are more like western European cities these days.
Tallinn, modern skyscrapers in the city, seen from the castle hill
The modern city centre of Tallinn is rapidly growing. Usually, the high rise houses are built in the suburbs around the cities (like in Vilnius), but in Tallinn, some can be found in the city proper, not far from the historical centre. Their modern designs – contrary to the boring concrete blocks of Sovyet times – fit surprisingly well.
Haapsalu, the old spa house
I made some day trips from Tallinn. One led me to Haapsalu, a charming little town with pretty timber houses that had been a famous spa town in the 19th century, attracting even the Russian tsar. Today, it is quite laid back.
Haapsalu, the bishop’s castle
But the real reason I visisted Haapsalu looks more like this. *grin* The town got a whopping big castle, the so-called Bishop’s Castle.
Haapsalu Castle, view to the main hall and the church
The castle was the seat of the bishop of Ösel-Wiek since the 14th century. When the bishopric was founded in 1228, the bishops at first worked together with the Order of the Sword Brothers (later merged with the Teutonic Knights), but after some time, the rivalry between both powers increased, and the bishops decided to have a strong castle.
Haapsalu Castle, curtain walls
The buildings were altered several times during the following three centuries, adapting to the developments of arms and warfare. The castle grounds cover about 30,000 square metres, enclosed by walls at least a metre thick (in some places up to 1.80 metres) and ten metres high.
Rakvere Castle
Another Estonian castle I visited is Rakvere. It was built in the early 14th century during the Danish rule of that part of Estonia. It came to the Livonian Order of the Sword Brothers in 1343. It was badly damaged during various wars in the 17th century, albeit the ruins are still quite impressive,
Rakvere Castle, detail of the inner bailey
Unfortunately, there was some sort of concert with very loud music, so the yard was crowded with people, the great hall closed, and the noise (it was not my sort of music) drove me off sooner than I had intended.
Tallinn, park in Kadriorg
So I took the bus back to Tallinn and spent some time on a shadowy bench in the park in the Kadriorg quarter. Then I went to find some midge repellent. *grin*
Helsinki, harbour front with the cathedral in the background
Next station was Helsinki. The city, being a much younger capital, doesn’t have old towns the way Riga and Tallinn – and many other cities – possess, but Helsinki still has some landmarks popular with tourists and inhabitants alike.
Helsinki, Senate Square
One of these is the Senate Square with its steps leading up to the cathedral and the classicist buildings on both sides. The one you can see on the photo, which was taken on the steps, is the University of Helsinki (or, to be exact, one of its buildings spread across the city, and the most famous).
Helsinki, the Rock Church
Another site worth visiting is the Rock Church, a Lutheran church built in 1969. It was delved directly into the rock, with the walls left as roughly hewn rock surfaces. The dome is made of copper with skylights which are the only light source of the church. The design is pretty unusual but beautiful.
Helsinki, Open Air Museum Seurasaari
The Open Air Museum Seurasaari is located on an island close to the city and displays historical houses mostly of the 18th/19th centuries from all over Finland. The grounds are open all year round, but the interior of the houses can only be seen during summer, which means June to August.
Very Finnish - the park of Seurasaari
So no peek at historical Finnish furniture (which is probably not that different from the examples displayed at Rumšiškes, but a nice walk in the forest, despite the midges.
Suomenlinna, fortification walls
Some islands out of Helsinki are taken up by the fortress of Suomenlinna, the ‘Finnish Fortress’, or historically, Sveaborg (= Castle of Sweden, Viaporg in Finnish), since its oldest parts were built in 1748 when most of Finland belonged to Sweden. The fortress protected the coast and served as base for a fleet.
Suomenlinna, walkway on the earthen sea wall
Sweden lost the fortress to Russia during the Finnish War in 1808 when Finland became a Grand Duchy under Russian supremacy. After the Russian Revolution, Finland gained its independency, and the fortress, now named Suomenlinna, became a Finnish stronghold. The whole complex is vast and takes several hours to explore.
Suomenlinna, barrack buildings
The next part of my tour will follow in a few days – three weeks and some 3,800 photos is too much for one post.
¶ June 12, 2024 2 comments
This year I wanted to complete the tour of the Baltic States, and since it’s only two hours by ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki, I decided to add a bit of Finland to the list. I enjoyed three weeks of mostly sunshine and temperatures unusually warm to hot for the countries so far north. The Fins were shaking their heads at +28 °C in late May; they are more used to about 15 °C and rain. There are also those lovely long and still bright evenings of the North I remembered from my time in Stockholm.
I started my tour with Riga in Latvia. I had visited the town during the Baltic Sea Cruise in 2012, but while there was reasonable time to see the most important sites, it was not enough for the less touristy places and also, there were still buildings undergoing renovation.
The Convent Courtyard (Konventa Sēta) is situated on the former site of the first castle of the Order of the Teutonic Knights which was destroyed by the citizens of Riga in 1297. Afterwards, the place was used as a convent, and since the late 15th century, as an almshouse – in fact, several small houses that constitute the ‘yard’ – for the poor. Nowadays, most of the houses are a hotel; others are used for exhibitions.
The cathedral and cathedral square had been among the places where renovation works were going on during my first visit, so it was nice to see the place and the cathedral without scaffoldings and closed doors this time.
The 42 metres high Freedom Monument was erected in 1935. It commemorates the victims of the Latvian War of Independence (1918-1920), and is since then an important symbol for Latvia’s independence as well as a gathering place.
Another sight I missed last time was the pretty park along part of the canal that separates Riga’s old town – Vecrīga – from the new town and the modern city. The canal fills the old moat of the former landside defense walls of Riga and is connected to the Daugava river. A nice place for a break.
I always wanted to go back to the Estonian capital Tallinn which is another city I visited briefly in 2012. This time I could really explore the lovely old town and enjoy the warm and sunny evenings.
Tallinn is divided into the Toompea Hill with the castle, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and a lot of pretty houses, and All-linn, the lower town with the town hall, several more churches, the remaining town fortifications, and many more pretty old houses.
I spent hours walking the streets and lanes, trying to get photos with not too many tourists standing in the way. The light also changed from the bright midday sun with its clear cut shadows to the softer evening light with its gentle tones of muted turqoius and pink.
You see, I got plenty of photos. Walking the old town makes thirsty and the heat addad a craving for ice cream, but fortunately, there are cafés and restaurants aplenty, though the prices are more like western European cities these days.
The modern city centre of Tallinn is rapidly growing. Usually, the high rise houses are built in the suburbs around the cities (like in Vilnius), but in Tallinn, some can be found in the city proper, not far from the historical centre. Their modern designs – contrary to the boring concrete blocks of Sovyet times – fit surprisingly well.
I made some day trips from Tallinn. One led me to Haapsalu, a charming little town with pretty timber houses that had been a famous spa town in the 19th century, attracting even the Russian tsar. Today, it is quite laid back.
But the real reason I visisted Haapsalu looks more like this. *grin* The town got a whopping big castle, the so-called Bishop’s Castle.
The castle was the seat of the bishop of Ösel-Wiek since the 14th century. When the bishopric was founded in 1228, the bishops at first worked together with the Order of the Sword Brothers (later merged with the Teutonic Knights), but after some time, the rivalry between both powers increased, and the bishops decided to have a strong castle.
The buildings were altered several times during the following three centuries, adapting to the developments of arms and warfare. The castle grounds cover about 30,000 square metres, enclosed by walls at least a metre thick (in some places up to 1.80 metres) and ten metres high.
Another Estonian castle I visited is Rakvere. It was built in the early 14th century during the Danish rule of that part of Estonia. It came to the Livonian Order of the Sword Brothers in 1343. It was badly damaged during various wars in the 17th century, albeit the ruins are still quite impressive,
Unfortunately, there was some sort of concert with very loud music, so the yard was crowded with people, the great hall closed, and the noise (it was not my sort of music) drove me off sooner than I had intended.
So I took the bus back to Tallinn and spent some time on a shadowy bench in the park in the Kadriorg quarter. Then I went to find some midge repellent. *grin*
Next station was Helsinki. The city, being a much younger capital, doesn’t have old towns the way Riga and Tallinn – and many other cities – possess, but Helsinki still has some landmarks popular with tourists and inhabitants alike.
One of these is the Senate Square with its steps leading up to the cathedral and the classicist buildings on both sides. The one you can see on the photo, which was taken on the steps, is the University of Helsinki (or, to be exact, one of its buildings spread across the city, and the most famous).
Another site worth visiting is the Rock Church, a Lutheran church built in 1969. It was delved directly into the rock, with the walls left as roughly hewn rock surfaces. The dome is made of copper with skylights which are the only light source of the church. The design is pretty unusual but beautiful.
The Open Air Museum Seurasaari is located on an island close to the city and displays historical houses mostly of the 18th/19th centuries from all over Finland. The grounds are open all year round, but the interior of the houses can only be seen during summer, which means June to August.
So no peek at historical Finnish furniture (which is probably not that different from the examples displayed at Rumšiškes, but a nice walk in the forest, despite the midges.
Some islands out of Helsinki are taken up by the fortress of Suomenlinna, the ‘Finnish Fortress’, or historically, Sveaborg (= Castle of Sweden, Viaporg in Finnish), since its oldest parts were built in 1748 when most of Finland belonged to Sweden. The fortress protected the coast and served as base for a fleet.
Sweden lost the fortress to Russia during the Finnish War in 1808 when Finland became a Grand Duchy under Russian supremacy. After the Russian Revolution, Finland gained its independency, and the fortress, now named Suomenlinna, became a Finnish stronghold. The whole complex is vast and takes several hours to explore.
The next part of my tour will follow in a few days – three weeks and some 3,800 photos is too much for one post.
¶ June 12, 2024 2 comments
13 Jan 2024
Photo Parade 2023
A bit of fun at the beginning of the new year. I’m following several German travel blogs, and that way came across the annual Photo Parade (Fotoparade) on Michael’s blog Erkunde die Welt (Discover the World). He’s been doing it for several years now, and the replies of the contributors have offered a whole bunch of new blogs for me to browse. Since photos are omnilingual (and there’s DeepL and Google Translate as well), I thought it would be nice to participate.
Michael offers several key words every year, and you should try to find photos – taken in that year – that match the categories. I’m not traveling as much as the majority of the participants, but in 2023, I visited at least three towns (Bad Sooden-Allendorf, Einbeck and Kiel) plus the longer tour of Lithuania I had planned since 2020, so here’s my try:
Category: Landscape (Landschaft)
Curonian Spit
The Curonian Spit is one of my favourite landscapes in Lithuania, so it’s no wonder I took the chance for another visit of a different part of the spit; this time near Juodkrantė. It was a warm, sunny day with some wind going that created pretty waves on the Baltic Sea. I walked some distance along the shore and returned through the pine forest to the lagoon side of the spit, to catch the ferry back to Klaipeda.
Category: Yummy (Lecker)
I don’t take pictures of food, so that one was a bit difficult. I finally decided to present a photo of an 18th century kitchen in a farm house in the Open Air Museum Rumšiškes (near Kaunas).
Open Air Museum Rumšiškes, kitchen in a small farm
The museum, created despite Sovjet pushbacks in 1966, today encompasses almost 200 ha, with houses transfered from all regions of Lithuania, dating from the 18th to early 20th century. Some exhibits could only be added after Lithuania became an independent state, since many aspects of Lithuanian history were not officially popular during Sovjet times.
Rumšiškes, farmhouse with orchard and garden
Some of the houses, dating to a time when the majority of Lithuanians still lived in rural villages and farms, were rather simple structures with only the most necessary commodities. A fireplace and kitchen, however small, were part of those. There also are larger farms with several outbuildings, orchards, herb gardens and a bath house. They make for pretty photo motives.
Category: Water (Wasser)
Werra weir at Bad Sooden-Allendorf
Water is an easy category to match. I love being near water and I love photographing it. This one shows a weir on the river Werra in Bad Sooden-Allendorf, a small but pretty town known for its half-timbered houses, in northern Hessia.
Baltic Sea
Another photo from the Curionian Spit. I was standing in the surf, photographing the incoming waves. I was wearing my jeans rolled up to my knees, but got them a bit wet nevertheless *grin* ‒ those waves were tricky and looked more gentle than they turned out to be. But it was fun.
Category: Blue (Blau)
Firth of Kiel, sailing ships mooring in one of the marinas
A sunny September day in the Firth of Kiel (Kieler Förde), a 17 km long firth that opens into the bay of Kiel and the Baltic Sea. There is a passenger ferry going from Kiel to the town of Laboe at the end of the firth, criscrossing the waters to connect the various suburbs and villages on both shores. It is a nice tour that offers various views of marinas, dockyards, pretty landscapes and charming spa villages.
The Meridianas in Klaipeda
The Meridianas was built in Finnland in 1948 as training sailing ship. She was put out of use as sailing ship in 1968 and converted into a restaurant on the Danė river in Klaipeda. She began to show structural problems in the 1990ies and had to undergo repairs. Ownership changed a few times, but since 2012, the refurbished Meridianas is again serving as restaurant, located in a new berth on the river.
Category: Cold (Kalt)
Since the weather was always warm when I was traveling, I don’t have 'cold' photos with snow and ice in my 2023 files. But I did take one that covers the category in a different way: The memorial tablet of the Vilnius Ghetto.
I actually missed the tablet when I passed the first time, too intent of the motives that lay ahead. I noticed it the second evening and felt cold for a moment, despite the balmy air. The area is such a lovely place today that it came as a bit of a shock to learn of its gruesome and sad history.
Vilnius, memorial tablet of the ghetto
Vilnius had a Jewish population of about 55,000 (28%) prior to WW2, which earned it the moniker 'Jerusalem of the East'. When the German army occupied the town in August 1941, the killing of Jews began. A few weeks later, on September 6, the remaining Jews were forced to move into ghettos. The ghettos – a small one for what the Nazis called ‘unproductive individuals’, old and sick people not fit for labour – and a large ghetto were set up in an area of the town that had been predominantly inhabited by Jews.
The small ghetto only existed for a few weeks; it was closed already in October 1941; the majority of the 11.000 inhabitants were killed and the rest was moved into the large ghetto. The large ghetto, which housed about 29,000 people under extreme conditions (the site was overcrowded, people suffered from hunger, cold, illness ...) existed until 24th September 1943. The remaining Jews were either sent to concentration camps in German-occupied Poland and Estonia, or killed in a mass execution in the forest of Paneriai near Vilnius.
Vilnius, lane in the former ghetto
The Jewish community never recovered; there are about 5,000 Jews living in Vilnius today; a tenth of the pre-war population. The former Jewish quarter is now one of the prettiest places in Vilnius, narrow lanes and old houses, with little shops, cafés, restaurants, and lots of young people around – the winter semester had already started in Lithuania in September, and everyone was out during evenings that still held memories of summer.
Category: Black and White (Schwarz/Weiss)
A street with half-timbered houses in Einbeck
Einbeck is another of those German towns with many surviving half-timbered houses. I played around with the filters a bit and made the photo look like an old postcard – except for the too modern cars. I had been in Einbeck before, on the way to Salzderhelden, and took some random photos, but this time I went in search of the prettiest places and most interesting history.
The categories above are the main categories, but Michael presents some extra ones for those who want to play some more.
Category: Hot (Heiß)
Chimneys on the ferry from Klaipeda to Kiel
One way to get from Germany to Lithuania is the freight and passenger ferry that goes from Kiel to Klaipeda on a daily schedule. It takes a night (in a comfortable cabin, if you want) and a day on sea, but I prefer that way of traveling to flying. Also, I love the sea. The ferry also transports a whole lot of trucks and containers; you can see some on the photo (those white boxes between the chimneys).
Category: View (Ausblick)
View of Vilnius' old town
For this category, I picked two photos I took from the Gediminas' Tower, remains of an old castle in Vilinius that sits on top of a hill overlooking the town.
View of Vilnius' modern city
More photos of Vilnius are here. It’s one of those ‘Back with Booty’-posts that are a tradition on my blog for most of my travels, giving some first impressions, since it often takes time to write more detailed posts about the places I’ve visited. More photos about Lithuania can also be found here.
Category: Animal (Tierisch)
Ducks on Lake Galvė
I’m no animal photographer, but I take the occasional shot when I come across some beasties or birdies that don’t move too fast. So here’s a raft of ducks, probably hoping for some bread crumbs magically appearing from the direction of the shore.
Category: Colours (Bunt)
A boat on the shore of Lake Galvė
Lithuania has five National Parks. I’ve managed to visit two so far: Curonian Spit and Trakai Historical National Park, which centers around Lake Galvė. It is the largest lake in the park, with 21 islands – the famous Trakai Castle is located on one of them. It’s a 4 km walk from the train station to the castle, most of the way along the lake, offering lots of pretty views, especially on a sunny day.
Categoy: Heart (Herz)
Nothing heart-shaped, but again, a symbolic photo: A view of the hill forts of Kernavė and the Pajauta valley, the first capital and once the heart of Lithuania.
The hill forts of Kernavė, with the Pajauta valley in the background
Kernavė was the first capital of Lithuania until the settlement in the Pajauta valley was destroyed by the Teutonic Knights in 1390, whereafter the capital moved to Vilnius, though the hill forts were in use for longer. Its history goes back as far as the 9th millennia BC, as the finds in the alluvial soil of the valley show, therefore, Kernavė is known as 'Lithuanian Troy'. The five hills are still visible and make for quite impressive landmarks, though the castles on their summits have disappeared. The finds of the valley are displayed in a museum on the site, and a Mediaeval village has been reconstructed in the vicinity.
Category: Modern
Simonas Daukantas Bridge in Kaunas
The Simonas Daukantas Bridge crosses the Nemunas river that runs through Kaunas. It was built in 1988 by the architect Agimantas Sprindy and is named for Simonas Daukantas (1793-1864), a Lithuanian historian and writer who was one of the first ideologists of the national revival during a time when Lithuania belonged to the Russian Empire.
The bridge is a tension bridge held by cables. The supporting arch in the middle of the bridge is covered with granite plaster and black marble inlays, and counts as one of the landmarks of Kaunaus. On top of the somewhat abstract arch is a decoration known as 'Gediminas’ Pillars' that has been in use in Lithuanian heraldry since the 13th century.
Category of my own: Castles
Those who follow my blog regularly should have known, lol. I collect castles.
Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania
The castle was built by Duke Kęstutis in the 14th century and expanded by his son Vytautas after he had reconciled with his cousin in 1409 und became grand duke of Lithuania. The predominantly brick architecture was influenced by Vytautas’ visits to brick castles of the Teutonic Knights in Livonia (= Latvia and Estonia) and Poland, albeit the foundations and parts of the towers are constructed of stone. Vytautas also added the 35 metres high keep. The outer curtain walls were strengthened and three more towers added in mid-15th century. The style of the castle is predominantly Gothic, with some Romanesque elements; the brick parts have been restored in the 1960ies.
The Stork Tower (Storchenturm) in Einbeck, Germany
Not exactly a castle, but part of the remaining Mediaeval town fortifications of Einbeck. The Stork Tower is a half tower (Schalenturm in German), which means it is open to the town side, albeit protected by timber railings. There also were floors to partition the tower into storeys. Most of the Einbeck town fortifications were built in the 15th century and strengthened in later times. The Stork Tower still rises to its original height of 22 metres. It even survived the siege of the town by the imperial army of Octavio Piccolomini in 1641 (during the Thirty Years War). The name changed to Stork Tower after a pair of storks nested there for several years; before it was known as Crow Tower (Krähenturm).
Category: Favourites
The lighthouse 'Friedrichsort' (Kiel Firth) in the evening
I like the way the light plays here – the photo was taken from the ferry sailing into Kiel Harbour. There had been a signal fire on the little island in the narrowest past of the firth since 1815. In 1866, it was replaced by the first lighthouse which stood there for about a hundred years. A new lighthouse was built in 1971, because the old one was only 14,5 metres in high, and a larger one was needed; the present tower rises to 31,7 metres. Today, the lighthouse not only signals the smallest part of the firth and its shallows, but also the entrance to the Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostee-Kanal) at Kiel-Holtenau.
Afternoon sun on the Baltic Sea
And finally the afternoon sun reflecting on the Baltic Sea – photo taken during the ferry crossing from Klaipeda to Kiel.
¶ January 13, 2024 0 comments
A bit of fun at the beginning of the new year. I’m following several German travel blogs, and that way came across the annual Photo Parade (Fotoparade) on Michael’s blog Erkunde die Welt (Discover the World). He’s been doing it for several years now, and the replies of the contributors have offered a whole bunch of new blogs for me to browse. Since photos are omnilingual (and there’s DeepL and Google Translate as well), I thought it would be nice to participate.
Michael offers several key words every year, and you should try to find photos – taken in that year – that match the categories. I’m not traveling as much as the majority of the participants, but in 2023, I visited at least three towns (Bad Sooden-Allendorf, Einbeck and Kiel) plus the longer tour of Lithuania I had planned since 2020, so here’s my try:
Category: Landscape (Landschaft)
The Curonian Spit is one of my favourite landscapes in Lithuania, so it’s no wonder I took the chance for another visit of a different part of the spit; this time near Juodkrantė. It was a warm, sunny day with some wind going that created pretty waves on the Baltic Sea. I walked some distance along the shore and returned through the pine forest to the lagoon side of the spit, to catch the ferry back to Klaipeda.
Category: Yummy (Lecker)
I don’t take pictures of food, so that one was a bit difficult. I finally decided to present a photo of an 18th century kitchen in a farm house in the Open Air Museum Rumšiškes (near Kaunas).
The museum, created despite Sovjet pushbacks in 1966, today encompasses almost 200 ha, with houses transfered from all regions of Lithuania, dating from the 18th to early 20th century. Some exhibits could only be added after Lithuania became an independent state, since many aspects of Lithuanian history were not officially popular during Sovjet times.
Some of the houses, dating to a time when the majority of Lithuanians still lived in rural villages and farms, were rather simple structures with only the most necessary commodities. A fireplace and kitchen, however small, were part of those. There also are larger farms with several outbuildings, orchards, herb gardens and a bath house. They make for pretty photo motives.
Category: Water (Wasser)
Water is an easy category to match. I love being near water and I love photographing it. This one shows a weir on the river Werra in Bad Sooden-Allendorf, a small but pretty town known for its half-timbered houses, in northern Hessia.
Another photo from the Curionian Spit. I was standing in the surf, photographing the incoming waves. I was wearing my jeans rolled up to my knees, but got them a bit wet nevertheless *grin* ‒ those waves were tricky and looked more gentle than they turned out to be. But it was fun.
Category: Blue (Blau)
A sunny September day in the Firth of Kiel (Kieler Förde), a 17 km long firth that opens into the bay of Kiel and the Baltic Sea. There is a passenger ferry going from Kiel to the town of Laboe at the end of the firth, criscrossing the waters to connect the various suburbs and villages on both shores. It is a nice tour that offers various views of marinas, dockyards, pretty landscapes and charming spa villages.
The Meridianas was built in Finnland in 1948 as training sailing ship. She was put out of use as sailing ship in 1968 and converted into a restaurant on the Danė river in Klaipeda. She began to show structural problems in the 1990ies and had to undergo repairs. Ownership changed a few times, but since 2012, the refurbished Meridianas is again serving as restaurant, located in a new berth on the river.
Category: Cold (Kalt)
Since the weather was always warm when I was traveling, I don’t have 'cold' photos with snow and ice in my 2023 files. But I did take one that covers the category in a different way: The memorial tablet of the Vilnius Ghetto.
I actually missed the tablet when I passed the first time, too intent of the motives that lay ahead. I noticed it the second evening and felt cold for a moment, despite the balmy air. The area is such a lovely place today that it came as a bit of a shock to learn of its gruesome and sad history.
Vilnius had a Jewish population of about 55,000 (28%) prior to WW2, which earned it the moniker 'Jerusalem of the East'. When the German army occupied the town in August 1941, the killing of Jews began. A few weeks later, on September 6, the remaining Jews were forced to move into ghettos. The ghettos – a small one for what the Nazis called ‘unproductive individuals’, old and sick people not fit for labour – and a large ghetto were set up in an area of the town that had been predominantly inhabited by Jews.
The small ghetto only existed for a few weeks; it was closed already in October 1941; the majority of the 11.000 inhabitants were killed and the rest was moved into the large ghetto. The large ghetto, which housed about 29,000 people under extreme conditions (the site was overcrowded, people suffered from hunger, cold, illness ...) existed until 24th September 1943. The remaining Jews were either sent to concentration camps in German-occupied Poland and Estonia, or killed in a mass execution in the forest of Paneriai near Vilnius.
The Jewish community never recovered; there are about 5,000 Jews living in Vilnius today; a tenth of the pre-war population. The former Jewish quarter is now one of the prettiest places in Vilnius, narrow lanes and old houses, with little shops, cafés, restaurants, and lots of young people around – the winter semester had already started in Lithuania in September, and everyone was out during evenings that still held memories of summer.
Category: Black and White (Schwarz/Weiss)
Einbeck is another of those German towns with many surviving half-timbered houses. I played around with the filters a bit and made the photo look like an old postcard – except for the too modern cars. I had been in Einbeck before, on the way to Salzderhelden, and took some random photos, but this time I went in search of the prettiest places and most interesting history.
The categories above are the main categories, but Michael presents some extra ones for those who want to play some more.
Category: Hot (Heiß)
One way to get from Germany to Lithuania is the freight and passenger ferry that goes from Kiel to Klaipeda on a daily schedule. It takes a night (in a comfortable cabin, if you want) and a day on sea, but I prefer that way of traveling to flying. Also, I love the sea. The ferry also transports a whole lot of trucks and containers; you can see some on the photo (those white boxes between the chimneys).
Category: View (Ausblick)
For this category, I picked two photos I took from the Gediminas' Tower, remains of an old castle in Vilinius that sits on top of a hill overlooking the town.
More photos of Vilnius are here. It’s one of those ‘Back with Booty’-posts that are a tradition on my blog for most of my travels, giving some first impressions, since it often takes time to write more detailed posts about the places I’ve visited. More photos about Lithuania can also be found here.
Category: Animal (Tierisch)
I’m no animal photographer, but I take the occasional shot when I come across some beasties or birdies that don’t move too fast. So here’s a raft of ducks, probably hoping for some bread crumbs magically appearing from the direction of the shore.
Category: Colours (Bunt)
Lithuania has five National Parks. I’ve managed to visit two so far: Curonian Spit and Trakai Historical National Park, which centers around Lake Galvė. It is the largest lake in the park, with 21 islands – the famous Trakai Castle is located on one of them. It’s a 4 km walk from the train station to the castle, most of the way along the lake, offering lots of pretty views, especially on a sunny day.
Categoy: Heart (Herz)
Nothing heart-shaped, but again, a symbolic photo: A view of the hill forts of Kernavė and the Pajauta valley, the first capital and once the heart of Lithuania.
Kernavė was the first capital of Lithuania until the settlement in the Pajauta valley was destroyed by the Teutonic Knights in 1390, whereafter the capital moved to Vilnius, though the hill forts were in use for longer. Its history goes back as far as the 9th millennia BC, as the finds in the alluvial soil of the valley show, therefore, Kernavė is known as 'Lithuanian Troy'. The five hills are still visible and make for quite impressive landmarks, though the castles on their summits have disappeared. The finds of the valley are displayed in a museum on the site, and a Mediaeval village has been reconstructed in the vicinity.
Category: Modern
The Simonas Daukantas Bridge crosses the Nemunas river that runs through Kaunas. It was built in 1988 by the architect Agimantas Sprindy and is named for Simonas Daukantas (1793-1864), a Lithuanian historian and writer who was one of the first ideologists of the national revival during a time when Lithuania belonged to the Russian Empire.
The bridge is a tension bridge held by cables. The supporting arch in the middle of the bridge is covered with granite plaster and black marble inlays, and counts as one of the landmarks of Kaunaus. On top of the somewhat abstract arch is a decoration known as 'Gediminas’ Pillars' that has been in use in Lithuanian heraldry since the 13th century.
Category of my own: Castles
Those who follow my blog regularly should have known, lol. I collect castles.
The castle was built by Duke Kęstutis in the 14th century and expanded by his son Vytautas after he had reconciled with his cousin in 1409 und became grand duke of Lithuania. The predominantly brick architecture was influenced by Vytautas’ visits to brick castles of the Teutonic Knights in Livonia (= Latvia and Estonia) and Poland, albeit the foundations and parts of the towers are constructed of stone. Vytautas also added the 35 metres high keep. The outer curtain walls were strengthened and three more towers added in mid-15th century. The style of the castle is predominantly Gothic, with some Romanesque elements; the brick parts have been restored in the 1960ies.
Not exactly a castle, but part of the remaining Mediaeval town fortifications of Einbeck. The Stork Tower is a half tower (Schalenturm in German), which means it is open to the town side, albeit protected by timber railings. There also were floors to partition the tower into storeys. Most of the Einbeck town fortifications were built in the 15th century and strengthened in later times. The Stork Tower still rises to its original height of 22 metres. It even survived the siege of the town by the imperial army of Octavio Piccolomini in 1641 (during the Thirty Years War). The name changed to Stork Tower after a pair of storks nested there for several years; before it was known as Crow Tower (Krähenturm).
Category: Favourites
I like the way the light plays here – the photo was taken from the ferry sailing into Kiel Harbour. There had been a signal fire on the little island in the narrowest past of the firth since 1815. In 1866, it was replaced by the first lighthouse which stood there for about a hundred years. A new lighthouse was built in 1971, because the old one was only 14,5 metres in high, and a larger one was needed; the present tower rises to 31,7 metres. Today, the lighthouse not only signals the smallest part of the firth and its shallows, but also the entrance to the Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostee-Kanal) at Kiel-Holtenau.
And finally the afternoon sun reflecting on the Baltic Sea – photo taken during the ferry crossing from Klaipeda to Kiel.
¶ January 13, 2024 0 comments
