Ulm's five hundred foot spire( top photo) is the tallest church steeple in Germany.Although the open fleche spire was only completed in the 19th century,the tower dates from the 14th century as the rest of the magnificent gothic minster.It is not a cathedral.The Rathaus( bottom photo) is the medieval city hall.
I travelled by Ice train after a weekend in Berlin to the south-western part of Germany to ULM in the state of Baden-Wurtemburg where i spent three days. My hotel was right next to the train station which made it very convenient to my excursions.
I had wanted to visit an off the beaten track part of the country,the Upper Danube
to visit the monastery in Beuron and the castle in Sigmaringen.Although not garden destinations,they are in a beautiful natural area know as the Swabian Alb.
on the third day i took the train to Obersdorf is the Algau Alps.
Most of the medieval city of Ulm was destroyed in a fire in the early 14th century,the city fathers decided to rebuild in stone as thatch roofs and timbered
buildings were fire hazards.Instead of rebuilding the many churches the city's burgers and guilds decided to build one great gothic church. Construction began in the early 15th century.For a protestant church it is full of beautiful things which were not destroyed at the reformation.More on the minster or meunster later.
Most of the today's ULM is modern because most of it was destroyed in world War two bombing.The Minster survived by only being hit by one bomb.
The medieval city hall of Rathaus( see lower photo ) is one of several buildings that escaped the bombing,they had a Ratskeler or beer hall in the basement which served Swabian cuisine and of course beer.Around a fountain was the outdoor restaurant of the Rathskeller which I enjoyed on several evenings.
While scouring the map of ULM I noticed there was a rose garden. So I decided after dinner on my first night to try to find it.It was almost twilight with a magnificent
afterglow when i found it nestled byside the peaceful Danube river.This not the mightly Danube of Vienna or Budapest but the upper reaches about a hundred miles from it's source in the Black Forest.I enjoyed the peace and quiet and smelt the roses and listened to the gentle dripping of the fountains.lovers were also making use of the beauty, so after while I moved on. Later while looking up ULM in my gay guide book i noticed that the rosengarten was a cruising ground late at night.
The next morning when the light was better I got to explore the garden further.
apart from climbing roses and many Kordes hybrids there were a lot of perennials.
Chrysanthemums and asters were in full bloom.
The Upper Danube The Swabian Alb
Another beautiful day dawned with clear skies and warm temperatures,when i was up in the north it had been damp and cool.After the morning visit to the rosengarten a caught a train around noon to Beuron.The local train runs once every hour we followed the Danube for some distance and passed small towns,about two hours later after leaving Sigmaringen;the gorge of the Danube became very pronounced.we were in the Swabian Alb which is a geologist's and hikers paradise.The alb is an example of
uplift or karst topography and the cliffs are mantled with forests while there is good agricultural land in the valleys.The adventurous can hike up hills of 900
meters which can afford views of the distant Alps,the hills have ruined castles to discover,although there are some in private hands.The whole area is honeycombed with caves.At Mohringen,the Danube drains away drains away through cracks in the limestone and ends up in another watershed the Rhine.
Beuron
In the shadows of the high cliffs,I arrived in station of the village of Beuron
pronounced Byron like the famous British poet.It was a short walk to the Abbey up a street shaded by gigantic beech trees.
founded a prosperous monastery whose Abbey Church which was rebuilt in the baroque style in the eighteen century.This all came to an end with the French Revolution
after which monasteries were suppressed and secularized in 1803.
In 1862 years after the suppression two young German monks of the Nazarenes School of Rome moved into the ruins of Beuron. The widow of the local Hohenzollern prince who owned the ruins allowed them to restore the monastery.After some problems with the Prussian government which was bent at closing Roman Catholic institutions the monastery began to prosper again.
Beuron not only founded a new school of art but revived the ancient art of Gregorian plainsong which visitors can hear with the daily singing of the offices
in the
baroque abbey church. I visited the monks art gallery and visited their bookstore,They have a shop( see photo) where one can purchase their meats,honey and
wine.Visitors can stay in their guest house Hotel Pelatin and explore the beautiful area.
I couldn't linger in Beuron because i wanted to get the last tour of the Sigmaringen castle and hoped I was reading my train schedule properly.Soon I was on the return train dubbed the Hohenzollern Express.I got into a conversation with some elderly bikers from nearby Tuttlingen who got off at next station.
Sigmaringen
My first impression of Sigmaringen was the park across the street from the stately train station.Well maintained flower beds and graceful trees gave a regal welcome
to this historic town.
Now a little bit of history...
The noble town of Sigmaringen is a suprising small provincial town with impressive buildings,statues,parks and is worthy of a capital city with a huge castle dominating the town.It is the seat of the Catholic Hohenzollerns who were directly related to the Prussian Hohenzollern(Protestant)line Frederick the Great to Kaiser Wilhelm 11.Even the area for a hundred miles around Sigmaringen was a German state in itself and a part of Prussia until it became a part of the new state of Baden-Wurttemberg in 1952.The Catholic Hohenzollerns still own the castle and live in part of it.The square tower dates from the 12th century,the castle had to be rebuilt after the Thirty years War and a fire in 1893.It is a product of many styles
and its art collections and furnishings represent the style of the wealthy artistocratic family in the early 1900's.It has the largest collection of weapons and firearms in Europe.One interesting note the family was evicted by the Nazies in 1944 at 4AM in the morning in order to acommodate the collaberators inclduing General Paetan of Vichy France.There is a wonderful museum of carriages of the family and the castle church built in 1359 is well worth visiting.
I got to walk along the Danube below the castle to hear the rush of the water over the dam.I walked back through the historic town center.I wish i could have stayed in Sigmaringen.I hadn't read my train schedule correctly so I had to wait until
1900 hours to catch one for the trip back to ULM.
My Trip to Obersdorf in the Algau Alps
I left on the 10.15AM train for Obersdorf which took three hours from ULM,the distant Alps came into view around Kempten.After Immenstadt the train slows down as we enter the foothills.Wide green meadows with cows with bells around their necks,clear mountains streams,and paths full of hikers increase our enthusiasm for the mountain air at Sonthofen(see photo)
Obersdorf
Exploring Oberdorf,a beautiful town in the Tyrol. It is full of small hotels,shops,restaurants,with flowing window boxes of petunias and Ivy leaf geraniums and and hanging baskets of fushias and blue loberia. it is full of people and it is hot. thirty celcius to be exact.We are right in the mountains. a vapour trail is evi
In the center of the town across from the church is a beautiful park with colourful gardens and soft green lawns to walk upon.there was a small pond and splashing fountains. I went into the visitors center there were flag of all the united nations.You could join a horse and wagon tour.
I arrived about noon time in Obersdorf the bells of the catholic church were ringing whose white steeple added to the alpine theme.
I thought about some lunch.I sat outside and had a good lunch and two wheat beers.The owner of the cafe was very welcoming and spoke English.The wasps were a real problem,they liked the ladies pastries;I stood completely still as i didn't want to get stung.Some women were being hysterical about the wasps and one got stung. I had to put a cover on my beer because they liked it too. From under the umbrella,wow it was hot;I had a panorama of the stately trees,the gardens,and the surrounding mountains.I further explored the town and tried to find the gondola for the Nebelhorn and got lost.I managed to find it again and was ready to go up when the woman told me i didn't have much time left as i would have to go up and then line up to get down again.She asked me to come back tomorrow.I told her it was a long way from Canada.She said suit your but you won't have any time to get to the very,very,top and your won't have time to walk around up there.I decided to pay my 22 euros and go anyway.
Well we're up at 1,992 meters. not much to see but distant mountain peaks,clouds,the sky etc.
Not much to see up the Nebelhorn except rock,sky peaks at 2,224 meters.
The lady was right there were long lines to come down.People had come from Munich
for the day to hike in the mountains with their ski poles and walking boots in hand.
crusing spot or the internet had taken over.I walked along the river until i came to a bridge crossed it and found the gay bar club.It was closed. i walked back on the other side of the Danube through a prosperous part of the city know as Nieu Ulm to my hotel.
ULM Minster Thursday Sept 10th 2009
After breakfast and checkig out of my hotel at 11AM,and deciding to catch the 1600 train to Wurzburg my next stop on my itinerary;I made my way to the meunster,I was seriously debating if i would climb the 768 steps to the top of the spire. I knew of two of my friends who did and survived.
I'll call this really magnificent building a minster which is a word for a monastic church.See preable at the beginning of this blog about its beginnings.As we enter this mighty church we marvel at the height of the nave with the light shining through the upper clestory windows.Half way up the nave we turn around to look at the mighty organ in the gallery in the back.People are assembling for the 12.15 organ concert which I paid 6 euros for as I entered the church.
look up above the chancel arch above the crucifix and we see the "Doom" Frescoes.in medieval churches the faithful were reminded of which afterlife they might be going to heaven or hell? These were whitewashed over after the reformation and restored recently. Next picture see the tall black spire with the people gathered before it?
That is the tabernacle created between 1467 and 1471 in stone masonry which in catholic churches is a repository for the consecrated bread and wine,the body and blood of Christ.It wasn't destroyed in the reformation.Next medieval churches made use of stained glass which makes the worshipper glorify God.Next picture St.Michael the Archangel makes a beautiful silhouette under the organ gallery with a view of the church.The windows behind the high altar are the only surviving glass from the middle ages.In 1530 work stopped on the mighty church when Ulm voted to be protestant,it only resumed in the 19th century.
I sat out on the square and had lunch Bestitos tapas y mas a chain of Spanish tapas restaurants. Once fortified I decided to make the climb.You pay 9 euros then the trek begins on the 786 steps.Around and around we go on a stone spiral.Once we reach
the ceiling of the church I get to look out over the square and city's new buildings made to blend in with the old.A friendly gargole greets me on the next
climb.Next we get to view the great church bells which are silent,except for the clock chimes.I wonder if I'll make it to the top?
to the top just below the cross.A view looking down shows the chancel and it's spires way down below.
Up we go,it's fun when we encounter people on the stair case
Finally I am at the top.Pant pant.I am also sweating something else.on the narrow outlook I can look out in all directions. The only other visitors are a family from Minesota.They are quite friendly.i heard one kid remark about the leather vest which
I wear. I heard him remark boy does that vest stink. he must wear it to bed. Not too wrong kid. His parents reprimanded him for being so rude.you sweat a lot when it is hot and you need a safe place for your valuables when you travel.
Well we couldn't see the Alps,
it was too hazy. The Spire cast it's shadow on the red tiled roofs below.The spire gallery is 143 meters wile the spire is 1.61 meters.
i could hear the trains coming into the main railway ststion It was coming time for my visit to ULM to end,there was more to see;I'll have to come back someday.
My treck going down was easier but i had to watch each step as i didn't want to fall,
I reached the bottom feeling quite proud of myself. I decided to take a last look
at the great minster.it was the most impressive cathedral that i had seen in the long time,it rivaled Cologne,
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