Bavaria / Bayern

We had some great breakfasts in Bavaria including pretzels and fabulous bavarian sausages ("Weisswurst"). These are made from minced veal, and eaten with special Bavarian sweet mustard What a treat! Danke, Árpád! www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Aag9ivdCtE "Take a look at this sausage, - it is white and it is hot..."

In the middle of Munich is a very small hill. On the foot of that is the "Viktualien-Markt", a popular market not only for for gourmets but also for "early drinkers", as the beer-garden there opens at 9am. On top of the hill you see Munich´s oldest parish church Saint Peter. Munich was for centuries just a village with small monastery. The name "Muenchen" derives from latin "apud Munichen" , what translates to "at the monks".

The "Frauenkirche" is a huge church built from red bricks. The towers are 98m high, being the highest structures in Munich. Buildings exceeding this height are sofar prohibited by the local authorities. The church replaced a romanesque-one, when the architect Joerg von Halsbach started to build in 1468 - and completed it within only 20 years. It is gigantic and can hold about 20.000 people. The population of Munich may have been 12.000 (or even less) at that time the hurch was built. There were always rumors, that Mr. von Halsbach had a deal with the devil, who supported him.

When the church was completed, the devil came with his friends, the winds. He asked them, to stay outside, entered the church to finish the deal with Mr. von Halsbach. The deal was, that in return of the devil´s support, the architect had to build a windowless church. From this place, you cannot see any sidewindows. The devil fouriously stamped his foot and so left his footstep. Then he vanished. He forgot his friends outside, so still today, there are always winds going around the church.

A short walk from "Viktualenmarkt" we reached "Marienplatz", named after the pillar with the golden statue in the middle. Overtowering the place is the new town-hall, built in neogothic style in the second half of the 19th century. The central tower hosts one of the biggest carillons in Europe and at full hours all tourist gather here, to listen. In the back are the two big towers of the Frauenkirche ("Cathedral of Our Blessed Lady")

"Sendlinger Strasse" - early evening. In the background the tower of the town-hall. The most remarkable building is the Asam-church on the left. Brothers Cosmas Damian Asam (1686-1739) and Egid Quirin Asam (1692-1750) were the undisputed bavarian masters of the late Baroque. Kind of popstars of Rococo. They lived in the house left of the church and when they had the chance to buy the adjacent plot (only 176m²), they did - and built their own private church. It is like a sample case of their abilities. Meanwhile it is of course open to the public, but closed early evenings.

A view from my hotel-room onto the eastern side of the central train-station. In front is the "Arnulf-Strasse", behind that the parking for taxis and police-vehicles. The hotel was easy to find, as it had "H O T E L" on the front. My room was next to the L.

Munich´s population reached 100.000 in 1852, 250.000 in the 880s, 500.000 in 1901. The tax-income grew accordingly - and the need of city planning. One of the new prestigious boulevards built in the 19th century leads to Koenigsplatz, - a copy of the Acropolis in Athens. Ludwig I was "hellenophil", his son Otto later became the first greek king. So in the middle of the place is a 1:1 copy of the Propylaia gateway. Now this is the center of Munich's gallery and museum quarter. As you see on that advertising pillar on the left grand austrian artist Maria Lassnig has an exhibtition.

Next to Koenigsplatz is St. Bonifaz Abbey, founded (and funded!) by Ludwig I, whose tomb is inside this church. To ensure the economicly stability, Ludwig bought the former Andechs abbey (see there), with it´s farmlands, brewery etc. and bestowed it to St. Bonifaz. Now Andechs is a priorate of St. Bonifaz. The whole area here was bombed during WWII and the abbey was totally destroyed. The church we see today, is a reconstruction. Outside it still has the historistic "byzantine" style of the 19th. century, inside it is airy and modern.

Blutenburg castle - just west of Munich. Place of a romantic and tragic love story. Here lived around 1432/35 Albrecht, only son of Duke Earnest of Bavaria, and his wife Agnes Bernauer, daughter of a humble craftsman. This was not an arranged marriage, they obviously fall in love to each other - and had married secretly. After some years Albrecht´s father considered the liaison unbefitting his son’s social standing. They clashed over the matter and finally - in the absence of his son - the father arranged to have Agnes condemned for witchcraft and drowned in the Donau River in 1435. Emperor Sigismund stepped in, to cool down the situation between father and son - and in the end, Albrecht bowed his head and married, just a year after Agnes´ death, Anna of Brunswick, the daughter in law, his family wanted to have.

End of the 8th century a monastery existed here, owning the relics of Saint Kastulus, that had been "translated" to Moosburg from Rome. This monastery was converted into a collegiate, after the last Benedictian monks had moved to Weihenstephan Abbey in 1021. After the old abbey church had collapsed the erection of a new church started in 1170. This was done under the guidance of Albert I. (aka Adalbert I.), the Bishop of Freising and so there are many parallels between these two large structures, built during his time. The Freising Cathedral was the first large brick building in Bavaria (after the Romans had left) - and St. Kastulus in Moosburg was the second. The Gothic choir added to St. Kastulus later cannot be seen from this pov. The left tower is the tower of the former parish church St. John the Baptist.

The interior of the gothic chapel within the Blutenburg castle, built 1488, seems somehow untouched. It was never looted, never burnt down. The castle and it´s chapel were just "forgotten" for many years.

The Romans had a "castra" here on the banks of the Danube. There might have been even a bishop´s seat in the late Roman times. The bishopric got refounded by St. Boniface in 739, when Regensburg was the seat of the Agilolfing ruling family. Charlemagne ended that when he punished his disloyal cousin Tassilo III. Charlemagne stayed two winters here (791–793) to ensure his influence. Later this was the seat of Ludwig II ("Louis the German") in 843. The "Steinerne Bruecke" (= Stone Bridge), seen here, was built across the Danube 1135-1146. Regensburg at that time was not only important but due to long distance trade pretty wealthy. Since 1245 Regensburg was a Free Imperial City. The building of the large Cathedral (St. Peter) started in 1278 and replaced an older church, destroyed by fire. For about 300 years, the construction continued, before around 1520/1550 all building activities stopped. The two towers were actually finished in 1869, so the building history of the "prime example of Gothic architecture in Bavaria" has parallels to the cathedral in Cologne and Ulm, where as well, the towers were completed within the 19th century. The Regensburg Cathedral is the home of the famous "Regensburger Domstpatzen" ("cathedral sparrows"), a boys' choir with a history spanning more than 1000 years. - In case you consider to join the celebrated "Domspatzen", you should be a young boy - and consult this German website: www.nachwuchsspatzen.de/ Regensburg still has some fortified, medieval tower houses. Some can be seen on the right.

The Romans had a "castra" here on the banks of the Danube. There might have been even a bishop´s seat in the late Roman times. The bishopric got refounded by St. Boniface in 739, when Regensburg was the seat of the Agilolfing ruling family. Charlemagne ended that when he punished his disloyal cousin Tassilo III. Charlemagne stayed two winters here (791–793) to ensure his influence. Later this was the seat of Ludwig II ("Louis the German") in 843. The "Steinerne Bruecke" (= Stone Bridge), seen here, was built across the Danube 1135-1146. The bridge, protected by three towers during medieval times, was used by Louis VII of France ("Louis VII le Jeune") and his army on their way to the Second Crusade. Two of the three towers got demolished over the time, the remaining one can be seen here. The large, semicircular opening right to the tower was created for the tram, that used to run over the bridge. Meanwhile only pedestrians and bikers are allowed to cross the Danube here. Left to the tower is the "Salzstadel", built 1616, as a storage house, when the harbour was here. Unfortunately not visible from this point of view is the "Historische Wurstkuchl" ("Historic Sausage Kitchen"). left to the "Salzstadl". The Wurstkuchl may date back to the time, when construction work was done, catering for the workers. The Wurstkuchl is probably the oldest of it´s kind worldwide - and may be judged as the mother of all Take-Aways (incl. McDonald´s and Burger King). It is owned by the same family since 1806 - and still serves sausages with kraut and mustard. Meanwhile there is even an English website: www.wurstkuchl.de/tavern.html The large Regensburg Cathedral, seen in the back, has been a huge construction site for hundreds of years So the Wurstkuchl had customers from there as well, when the workers had their lunch hour. Now it serves to locals and tourists like me. I have tasted the sausages - and recommend them.

There was a bishop´s seat in Regensburg already during the late Roman times. This bishopric got refounded by St. Boniface in 739 and a church was erected probably at the place, where the Cathedral, dedicated to St. Peter. Within the 9th century a Caroligian basilica had been built here. This got enlarged in the first decades of the 11th century. 1156 and 1172 the basilica burnt down but got rebuilt/repaired. Another fire around 1250 destroyed most of the town - and the church. The building of the large Cathedral seen now started in 1278. For nearly 300 years the construction continued, before around 1520/1550 all building activities stopped. Work was continued again in 1859 and the two towers finally got completed 10 years later. About 600 years after the start of work, the last roofs over the transept were done. The nave seen here is 86 meters long, but I did not see much from the interior. I had spent already a day in and around other churches and places in and around Regensburg before I noticed, that a sunday is not the perfect time to see a cathedral...

There was a bishop´s seat in Regensburg already during the late Roman times. This bishopric got refounded by St. Boniface in 739 and a church was erected probably at the place, where the Cathedral, dedicated to St. Peter. Within the 9th century a Caroligian basilica had been built here. This got enlarged in the first decades of the 11th century. 1156 and 1172 the basilica burnt down but got rebuilt/repaired. Another fire around 1250 destroyed most of the town - and the church. The building of the large Cathedral seen now started in 1278. For nearly 300 years the construction continued, before around 1520/1550 all building activities stopped. Work was continued again in 1859 and the two towers finally got completed 10 years later. About 600 years after the start of work, the last roofs over the transept were done. A "Judensau" -sculpture at the southern entrance of the cathedral. "Judensau" ("Jews' sow") is a common derogatory term used at many European churches since the 13th century. About 30 of these anti-semitistic medieval icons are known in the German speaking area of Europe.

There was a bishop´s seat in Regensburg already during the late Roman times. This bishopric got refounded by St. Boniface in 739 and a church was erected probably at the place, where the Cathedral, dedicated to St. Peter. Within the 9th century a Caroligian basilica had been built here. This got enlarged in the first decades of the 11th century. 1156 and 1172 the basilica burnt down but got rebuilt/repaired. Another fire around 1250 destroyed most of the town - and the church. The building of the large Cathedral seen now started in 1278. For nearly 300 years the construction continued, before around 1520/1550 all building activities stopped. Work was continued again in 1859 and the two towers finally got completed 10 years later. About 600 years after the start of work, the last roofs over the transept were done. An heavenly angel holds a scroll and focuses on the horizon, while a small monkey has all the weight on it´s little shoulders.

A Benedictian monastery was founded by Hiberno-Scottish monks in Regensburg already around 1070. Soon after, the convent moved to a place just outside the city walls and in started to erect first buildings. The first church, consecrated in 1120, was of such a poor workmanship, that the convent decided to tear it down (except one apse and the flanking towers) and restart the process. The church seen today was completed before 1200. It is one of the most important Romanesque structures in Bavaria. The northern portal (seen in a protective "aquarium" here) was done by irish masons during the 13th century. The abbey was a hub for the Irish/Scottish mission to central Europe. Daughter establishments of St. Jakob were founded in Vienna (1155), Erfurt (1136), Wuerzburg (1138), Nuremberg (1140), Constance (1142), Eichstaett (1148), Memmingen (1178), Kiev (!) (late 12th century) and Kelheim (13th century). WHile the first monks and abbots were Irish, the Scottish period started after the Reformation with Scottish abbot Ninian Vincet (1577-1592). A century later Scottish priests were educated here to do missionary work back in Scotland. Abbot Benedikt Aburthnot (1737-1820) could avoid the secularisation in 1802 by making clear, that the monastery was a Scottish (not at all Bavarian!) national treasure. It took upto 1814 to incorporate the Scottish monastery into the Bavarian sovereignty. Monastic life finally ended here in 1862, when the buildings were taken over by the bishop, who 10 years later founded a still existing seminary here. The seminary has a website: www.priesterseminar-regensburg.de/ The church as well: www.schottenkirche.de/