Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Weser Renaissance

Hann. Münden (short for Hannoversch Münden) lies at the confluence of the Fulda and Werra rivers, which join to form the Weser. The founding of the city is not exactly documented. The first mention in a document from 1183 speaks of a city. Around the year 1200 the construction of the city fortifications of Münden began as a city wall with city gates and wall towers. The shoal of the Werrahohl on the outskirts of the city, which forced the boatmen to unload their goods in the city, was advantageous for Münden. In the 16th century, Münden was an important trading town. Accordingly, trading, transhipment and mooring places along the Werra and Fulda shipping routes developed on the western and northern outskirts of the old town. Above all, woad, glass, textiles and rafts with wood and grain were traded and transported. Herring and other fish came up the Weser from the North Sea. At the beginning of the 14th century there were about 500 houses in the village. In 1525 Elisabeth von Brandenburg was granted Münden as a dominion. Elisabeth came into contact with the ideas of the Reformation early on and brought the reformer Antonius Corvinus to Münden. In 1776 almost 20,000 Hessian soldiers were embarked in Münden, who had been hired out by the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel Friedrich II to the Hanoverian Elector and King of Great Britain, George III. They were "used" in combat against American troops in the American Revolutionary War. The return of the soldiers also took place via Münden in November 1783, but hardly more than half returned. - The town hall dates back to the 14th century. A conversion at the beginning of the 17th century gave it the Weser Renaissance-style facade that has been preserved to this day. There is a glockenspiel on the facade, which shows a daily rotation of figures with scenes from the life of the legendary Doctor Eisenbarth.

After the Slavs were defeated, Leitzkau became a base for Christian missions. In 1114, the bishop of the Brandenburg diocese had a stone church of St. Petri built and appointed Leitzkau as the provisional seat of the diocese in place of the cathedral chapter in Brandenburg that had been destroyed and occupied by the Slavs in 983. In 1133 a Premonstratensian monastery was established here with the task of missionizing the areas. Three years later, the Bishop of Brandenburg took up his seat in Leitzkau, which was temporarily given the status of a cathedral chapter. After St. Peter's Church no longer met the requirements despite an extension in 1140, the bishop ordered the construction of a new collegiate church in 1147. The three-nave basilica "Sancta Maria in Monte" was inaugurated in 1155. Just ten years later, Leitzkau lost his position after the destroyed cathedral chapter in Brandenburg had been restored. The monks' convent then quickly fell into poverty and had to sell the monastery property. In 1535, as a result of the Reformation, the Brandenburg Elector Joachim II decreed the dissolution of the monastery. In 1564 the buildings were sold to the colonel and mercenary leader Hilmar von Münchhausen. He began to convert the existing Romanesque buildings, some of which had already fallen into disrepair, for his purposes. A rectangular palace complex was formed from the former convent building. The monastery church was rebuilt into the castle church, whereby the side aisles and the chancel were demolished and the transept was converted into a granary, the north tower was shortened by half. Hilmar's son Statius increased the eastern wing of the convent to the so-called "Althaus" and had the cloister walled up, while he rebuilt the "Neuhaus" on the foundations of the western wing of the convent from 1593. Since father Hilmar and son Statius had already erected several Renaissance buildings in the Weser-Ems area, in particular Schwöbber, the new and old houses were also built in this style, using local stonemasons and master builders; Leitzkau is considered an eastward shifted Weser Renaissance “island” in the middle of the Saxon Renaissance area. By 1600, the former monastery of canons was transformed into a Renaissance castle.

After the Slavs were defeated, Leitzkau became a base for Christian missions. In 1114, the bishop of the Brandenburg diocese had a stone church of St. Petri built and appointed Leitzkau as the provisional seat of the diocese in place of the cathedral chapter in Brandenburg that had been destroyed and occupied by the Slavs in 983. In 1133 a Premonstratensian monastery was established here with the task of missionizing the areas. Three years later, the Bishop of Brandenburg took up his seat in Leitzkau, which was temporarily given the status of a cathedral chapter. After St. Peter's Church no longer met the requirements despite an extension in 1140, the bishop ordered the construction of a new collegiate church in 1147. The three-nave basilica "Sancta Maria in Monte" was inaugurated in 1155. Just ten years later, Leitzkau lost his position after the destroyed cathedral chapter in Brandenburg had been restored. The monks' convent then quickly fell into poverty and had to sell the monastery property. In 1535, as a result of the Reformation, the Brandenburg Elector Joachim II decreed the dissolution of the monastery. In 1564 the buildings were sold to the colonel and mercenary leader Hilmar von Münchhausen. He began to convert the existing Romanesque buildings, some of which had already fallen into disrepair, for his purposes. A rectangular palace complex was formed from the former convent building. The monastery church was rebuilt into the castle church, whereby the side aisles and the chancel were demolished and the transept was converted into a granary, the north tower was shortened by half. Hilmar's son Statius increased the eastern wing of the convent to the so-called "Althaus" and had the cloister walled up, while he rebuilt the "Neuhaus" on the foundations of the western wing of the convent from 1593. Since father Hilmar and son Statius had already erected several Renaissance buildings in the Weser-Ems area, in particular Schwöbber, the new and old houses were also built in this style, using local stonemasons and master builders; Leitzkau is considered an eastward shifted Weser Renaissance “island” in the middle of the Saxon Renaissance area. By 1600, the former monastery of canons was transformed into a Renaissance castle.

After the Slavs were defeated, Leitzkau became a base for Christian missions. In 1114, the bishop of the Brandenburg diocese had a stone church of St. Petri built and appointed Leitzkau as the provisional seat of the diocese in place of the cathedral chapter in Brandenburg that had been destroyed and occupied by the Slavs in 983. In 1133 a Premonstratensian monastery was established here with the task of missionizing the areas. Three years later, the Bishop of Brandenburg took up his seat in Leitzkau, which was temporarily given the status of a cathedral chapter. After St. Peter's Church no longer met the requirements despite an extension in 1140, the bishop ordered the construction of a new collegiate church in 1147. The three-nave basilica "Sancta Maria in Monte" was inaugurated in 1155. Just ten years later, Leitzkau lost his position after the destroyed cathedral chapter in Brandenburg had been restored. The monks' convent then quickly fell into poverty and had to sell the monastery property. In 1535, as a result of the Reformation, the Brandenburg Elector Joachim II decreed the dissolution of the monastery. In 1564 the buildings were sold to the colonel and mercenary leader Hilmar von Münchhausen. He began to convert the existing Romanesque buildings, some of which had already fallen into disrepair, for his purposes. A rectangular palace complex was formed from the former convent building. The monastery church was rebuilt into the castle church, whereby the side aisles and the chancel were demolished and the transept was converted into a granary, the north tower was shortened by half. Hilmar's son Statius increased the eastern wing of the convent to the so-called "Althaus" and had the cloister walled up, while he rebuilt the "Neuhaus" on the foundations of the western wing of the convent from 1593. Since father Hilmar and son Statius had already erected several Renaissance buildings in the Weser-Ems area, in particular Schwöbber, the new and old houses were also built in this style, using local stonemasons and master builders; Leitzkau is considered an eastward shifted Weser Renaissance “island” in the middle of the Saxon Renaissance area. By 1600, the former monastery of canons was transformed into a Renaissance castle.

After the Slavs were defeated, Leitzkau became a base for Christian missions. In 1114, the bishop of the Brandenburg diocese had a stone church of St. Petri built and appointed Leitzkau as the provisional seat of the diocese in place of the cathedral chapter in Brandenburg that had been destroyed and occupied by the Slavs in 983. In 1133 a Premonstratensian monastery was established here with the task of missionizing the areas. Three years later, the Bishop of Brandenburg took up his seat in Leitzkau, which was temporarily given the status of a cathedral chapter. After St. Peter's Church no longer met the requirements despite an extension in 1140, the bishop ordered the construction of a new collegiate church in 1147. The three-nave basilica "Sancta Maria in Monte" was inaugurated in 1155. Just ten years later, Leitzkau lost his position after the destroyed cathedral chapter in Brandenburg had been restored. The monks' convent then quickly fell into poverty and had to sell the monastery property. In 1535, as a result of the Reformation, the Brandenburg Elector Joachim II decreed the dissolution of the monastery. In 1564 the buildings were sold to the colonel and mercenary leader Hilmar von Münchhausen. He began to convert the existing Romanesque buildings, some of which had already fallen into disrepair, for his purposes. A rectangular palace complex was formed from the former convent building. The monastery church was rebuilt into the castle church, whereby the side aisles and the chancel were demolished and the transept was converted into a granary, the north tower was shortened by half. Hilmar's son Statius increased the eastern wing of the convent to the so-called "Althaus" and had the cloister walled up, while he rebuilt the "Neuhaus" on the foundations of the western wing of the convent from 1593. Since father Hilmar and son Statius had already erected several Renaissance buildings in the Weser-Ems area, in particular Schwöbber, the new and old houses were also built in this style, using local stonemasons and master builders; Leitzkau is considered an eastward shifted Weser Renaissance “island” in the middle of the Saxon Renaissance area. By 1600, the former monastery of canons was transformed into a Renaissance castle.

Horn (since 1970 part of Horn-Bad Meinberg) was founded by Bernhard III, Edler Herr zur Lippe, after 1230. It was first mentioned in 1248. Horn was located on the old road, that run from Cologne to Hamlin - and today is known as "Bundesstrasse 1" (B1). Horn got strongly fortified with a surrounding wall and a moat. The castle, was part of this fortification, though it was later used as a kind of retirement home by several widows of the House of Lippe. Armed conflicts over the city took place in particular during the Soest feud (1444–1449) and during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). In 1864, large parts of the city were destroyed in a fire, about 60 houses burnt down including the town hall. This house was erected (1563) next to the former town hall by Johann von Rintelen (* 1510 in Herford). He was secretary, later councilor and vice-chancellor of Count Simon VI. zur Lippe. The Renaissance facade is attributed to Hermann Wulff (* 1535 in Lemgo), one of the important masters builders of the "Weser Renaissance".

A document issued by the Diocese of Minden in 1025 refers to this place as "Nyge Borg" (new castle). The settlement got fortified and in 1225 it became a "civitas", when the Counts of Hoya granted the city rights. The major reason for this development was its location at a convenient ford in the Weser River, leading to multiple trade routes radiating from the location. This building originally erected in 1561 was later used as a "relais" by the House of Thurn and Taxis. This family had a kind of monopoly in all postal services in the Holy Roman Empire. In 1678 the House of Hanover was able to enter the service in their territories in Northern Germany. Around 1700 different "post lines" were established: Hannover-Osnabrueck-Muenster (twice weekly), Hannover-Wildeshausen- Netherlands (twice weekly). Passengers could travel Hannover-Osnabrueck-Amsterdam with the postal service. The Posthof was not just a "relais", where the horses were changed. It as well hosted a control station, where clerks opened letters and checked the content.