En route to Vienna today we decided to take a small detour to the town of St Florian to have a quick look at the St Florian Monastery and Collegiate Basilica. It stands out across the landscape from the highway into town.
Gothic representation of the St Florian Monastery.
Both the monastery and the market town of St Florian owe their names to Austria’s earliest named saint. Florian was the chief official to the Roman Governor, Aquiline at Lauriacum, about five kilometres from the Roman Capital of Ufernoricum. When Christian persecution broke out under Emperor Diocletian, Florian and forty unknown Christians were imprisoned for their faith. Despite intense torture, Florian remained steadfast. Finally, in the year 304, he was weighted with a stone and thrown into the River Enns to drown. His companions died in the dungeons.
Legend has it that Florian’s corpse was washed ashore and found by a woman named Valeria who carried it away on an ox art. His body was buried on the spot where the Monastery of St Florian stands today.
During excavation work in the crypt of the collegiate basilica in 1952/53, wall fragments, Roman roof tiles and traces of fires dating back to Roman periods were found, confirming that the building activity on this site dated back to Roman occupation. There is no historical documentation of St Florian during the time of the Barbarian invasions, but records tell of a small wooden church built over Florian’s grave. This church may have been destroyed by the Avars and replaced by one made of stone. It is not known exactly when or by whom the Monastery of St Florian was founded.
The earliest indications of the monastery have been found in books and documents dating back to around the year 800AD. Magyar invasion and material hardship caused repeated difficulty for the small community of monks here in the 9th and 10th centuries. Thus in 1002, encouraged by the Empress Kunigunde, Emperor Henry II donated a ‘hide of land’ to alleviate the brothers’ needs at the monastery. The original document of this bestowal of land is persevered in the monastery archives.
In 1071, Bishop Altman of Passat (1065 – 1091) ushered in a new era for the monastery when he committed it to the Augustinian order that was held in high regard rafter the reformation had begun at the Cluny Abbey in Burgundy. The main occupations of the community became collective prayer, the solemn celebration of divine office, the caring for and curing of souls, and the cultivation of art and science. After the destruction of the monastery by the Hungarians, Bishop Altman had the wall and roof of the church renovated. It was later severely damaged by fire in 1235; a fire that was alleged to have been caused by the negligence of the retinue of Bishop Rudiger of Passat (1233 – 1250).
His successor Provost Bernhard (1224-1240) oversaw the restoration of the church to its former state as well as enlarged the crypt (closed today). The chancel above was vaulted in a new style that gave the nave a flat ceiling. Many of the community were dismayed by the flat ceiling and for good reason… in 1250, the chancel (after fifteen years of work), collapsed tearing sections of the walls down with it.
As a result of this, the canons wanted to abandon the church and vacate the monastery. But Wibirg, a female hermit who had been living ‘a saintly life’ secluded in a cell near the church for 41 years, convinced the community of monks to stay and rebuild the church. It wasn’t until around 1275 that the canons found the will and funds to begin rebuilding the Gothic collegiate church into dimensions that largely correspond to those of the Baroque church here today.
The hermit Wibirg didn’t live to see the re-consecration of the church. She died on December 11th, 1289.. As the patroness of the monastery she is still venerated and invoked by the community of monks today; her remains are in a sarcophagus in the crypt of the collegiate basilica.
The organs in these churches are usually off limits, but this was accessible today as there was a large crew of people setting up for a musical performance…
Views down into the nave from the organ loft.
The consecration of the Gothic collegiate church occurred on June 15th 1291 by Bishop Bernhard of Passau (1285 – 1313). An enormous medieval church feast was held to celebrate and records indicate that tens of thousands of the faithful from all over the entire diocese of Passau attended. The tower was only built after the church was completed in 1320. The four bells were cast in 1313 and 1319 and are still in use today.
The Gothic church has been the religious centre of the monastic community for more than 800 years. It has been the destination of innumerable pilgrims from far and wide who sought the sanctuary of St. Florian; the highly venerated saint is a protector of borders and the patron saint for protection against fire and floods.
The Sacrament Chapel:
Baroque representation of the Monastery of St Florian.
Very sadly… and I mean *very sadly*, we didn’t have time to go through the entire monastery and as such we missed the opportunity to see one of the most beautiful libraries in the entire world.
München! Oktoberfest, beer, pretzels, and mad kings!
We started off in the Marienplatz just in time to see the massive crowds turning up to watch/listen to the glockenspiel… and it was hot! Even though I know the cafes in the square have sandy lube prices so you can get into some shade to wait for the Thing, I felt today it would be worth it to escape the heat a bit.
Neues Rathaus.
The Nues Rathaus on Marienplatz is where the München mayor, city council and city administration are all headquartered. It was built in several phases starting in 1867 in a neo-Gothic style.
The Rathaus-Glockenspiel is a large mechanical clock located in the Marienplatz Square. It’s known for its life-sized characters which re-enact scenes from Munich’s history twice a day (three times in summer, 11am, 12pm and 5pm). It show little stories of the Marriage of Duke Wilhelm V to Renata of Lorraine in 1568 and the cooper’s dance, aka the Schäfflerstanz which is about the plague of 1517… cheerful, huh? The story goes that the coopers were said to have gone out and danced through the streets encouraging people to leave their homes after being frightened by the plague – sounds familiar… the pandemic is over, come back to the CBD people! The coopers were loyal to the duke and their dancing symbolises loyalty and perseverance. Traditionally the dance is done in Munich every seven years, and was last performed during the Fasching in 2019.
The Glockenspiel has 43 bells, and 32 life-sized figures, and was added tot he Neues Rathaus in 1908, so it’s not as old as it looks. I took a video, but will have to upload it later of find someone else’s video.
We had about 15 minutes to wait for the glock-glock-glock to go off, so sat down for some over priced Coke Zeros and shared some currywurst.
Munich’s Old Town Hall, which now houses a Spielzeug Museum… Toy Museum!
Wiesn-hertz cookies! They’re an Oktoberfest favourite – gingerbread cookies covered in bright coloured icing that often say things like ‘Ich Liebe Dich’.
Did a bit of shopping – might not have been my smartest move to decide to go shopping for a windproof, waterproof snowy weather type jacket while I’m here, but Europe does do it’s cold weather gear so well and I have bought good outer layers in Germany before. I forgot that shopping centre ‘air-conditioning’ here is more of a theory than a practice. :/ It was so hot in the worm! But I did find a good jacket for my next cold weather adventure and because it’s mid-summer, steep discounts, so score!
Right downstairs was a Lego store – with a unique München flavour. Lego pretzels, barmaids, and junge in leiderhosen.
More weisenhertz cookies.
The München Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Lady) is late period Gothic church in München’s Altstadt. It is one of the main landmark of Munich and Bavaria. Construction started on the Frauenkirche in the 1460s and it was consecrated in 1494. It is one of the two largest hall churches in the world and one of the largest brick churches north of the Alps. It’s huge – but you know, we’ve just been to Cologne, so we’ve seen bigger.
The Devil’s Footprint.
Legend has it that the Devil wanted to destroy this church. He was sickened to see another church being built in Munchen, and so he decided to destroy it, so he sneaked into the entrance hall (apparently only able to do so because the church wasn’t consecrated yet), and he looked around, laughed out loud and stamped the ground hard. He is said to have left this footprint in the pavement and he left the church. The church was finished and consecrated anyway, and when the devil saw people coming to the new church he went into a rage and tried to bring the building down with a violent storm. But it didn’t work, and they say the Devil and his demons still ‘storm’ around the church today. Occam’s Razor would suggest that some lazy person stepped on this tile before it was properly finished and for whatever reason, they decided to use it rather than discard it… but you know, the devil’s footprint story is far more likely.
From the entrance of the church, the pillars hide the windows of the church hall, you can’t seem them at all until you enter further into the church.
Tomb for Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian, who died in 1347. Designed by Hans Krumpper in 1662. It’s actually a cenotaph or false grave… Old Lugwig’s bones are not in this tomb, they’re in the crypt under the cathedral.
The light in here was really bad and I couldn’t get a good pic – but had to try and record it. This is a medieval altarpiece that has obviously lost its side panel art… and it’s been replaced with (shock, horror!) modern art. Yikes!
The Munich Madonna of Mercy is modelled after the Altötting Madonna and was donated to the Cathedral by the citizens of Munich in 1659. Carved wood and ivory, garments were embroidered in the 18thC.
Couldn’t find any information on this amazing donor painting – will have to have a hunt for details later. But what an amazingly pious, and very large, family the donor had!
Middle section of the Memmingen, c.1860.
In mid 1995, four very weary Slappers arrived in München after a hectic six weeks or so on the road already… we had every intention of doing the Cathedrals and the Museums and seeing all the things! However when confronted with another hot day walking around another city, we instead made it to the Marienplatz, saw the Glockglockglock, and decided to get out of the heat and away from the people and (of all things) we decided to go hide in a dark, quiet air-conditioned space and went to a fucking cinema to see a movie and maybe see the Pinakothek after! Yes… extended travel will do that do you. Eventually you pike; though now we call it, ‘having a Sea Day’. The movie we chose? Forrest Gump.
We bought our tickets, confirmed like, three times, that it was in English and not dubbed. Picked up some popcorn and some drinks and head into the cool dark cinema. We watched the 20 mins of ads (all in German) and looked forward to a couple of hours of cool, dark, escapism. Now, I don’t know if anyone remembers the introduction to Forrest Gump, but it has a long panning scene following a floating feather that falls at Forrest’s feet…
And when Forrest leaned down and picked up that feather, and in something that was definitely NOT Tom Hanks’ voice, he said:
”Hallo. Mein Name ist Forrest. Forrest Gump. Willst du eine Praline? Davon könnte ich ungefähr Millionen essen. Meine Mama hat immer gesagt, das Leben sei wie eine Schachtel Pralinen.”
Well… FUCK. We burst out laughing and went out to see if we could get our money back, being just povo-backpackers in those days. I’ve never forgotten it – we tried! We never made it to the Altes Pinakothek in München that day. Until today, nearly 30 years later… thought I’d go find out whether we missed much
Muchner Biergarten – Max Liebermann, 1884.
The Cathedral – Odilon Redan, 1914.
Margaret Stanborough-Wittgenstein, Gustav Klimt, 1905.
Four Breton Women – Paul Gauguin, 1886.
Water Lilies – Claude Monet, c1915.
Nativity – Te tamari no atua – Paul Gauguin, 1896.
View of Arles – Vincent van Gogh, 1889.
Sunflowers – Vincent Van Gogh, c.1888.
First room… strong start from the Pinakothek!
Large Fish Market – Jan Brueghel, c.1603.
Mary with Child and St Margaret and Dorothea – Bartholomäus Bruny the Elder, c.1515-20.
The Annunciation – Fra Carnevale, c.1445.
LEFT: St Nicholas with a Benefactor – Agnolotti Gaddi, c.1393/96 RIGHT: St Julian – Agnolotti Gaddi, c.1393/96.
Paumgartner Altarpiece – Albrecht Dürer, c.1498/1504… another original as copied at the AD musuem.
Madonna of the Carnation – Leonardo da Vinci, c.1475.
The Lamentation – Sandro Botticelli, c.1490/95.
St Sebastian’s Altarpiece – Hans Holbein, 1516.
Altarpiece of the Church Fathers: St Jerome, St Gregory, St Augustine, St Ambrose. Michael Pacher, 1480.
Diptych: Madonna and the Rose Bower and St Georgie with Donor – Hans Memling, c.1490.
The Annunciation of Mary – Unknown artist, c.1380,
Enthroned Mary with child, the auxiliary virgins, Catherine, Agnes, Apollonia, Barbara and Angels playing music that look like swallows or even bats at at distance. Unknown artist, Cologne, c.1440.
St Luke Drawing the Virgin Mary – Roger van der Weyden, c.1484.
Adoration of the Kings, also known as the St Columba Altarpiece – Roger van der Weyden, 1455. FUCKING STUNNING! These pics do not do it any justice whatsoever once they have been shrunk for the inter-webs.
LEFT: Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria – Hans Wertinger, 1526. RIGHT: Duchess Maria Jacobea of Baden – Hans Wertinger, 1526. Marraige alliance portraits, with details of her frock because it’s fabulous! Beadwork lettering across her bodice reads: ‘A BON FINE’ (to a good end!).
Portrait of Oswolkt Krel – Albrecht Dürer, 1499… yes! The real Oswolkt, not the copy at the AD Musuem.
Self-Portrait with Fur Trimmed Robe – Albrecht Dürer, c.1500.
The Battle of Alexander at Issus – Albrecht Aldorfer, c.1529.
This is a gorgeous art gallery stuffed full of so many important and beautiful paintings!
The Crowing of the Virtuous Hero – Peter Paul Rubens, c.1613/14,
The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus – Peter Paul Rubens, c.1618. “The abduction of the king’s daughters came to a deadly end when Castor und Pollux were killed during the pursuit. Although twins, they were the offspring of two different fathers. Castor was the son of Tyndareus, the King of Sparta, and therefore mortal; this was not the case with Pollux, the son of Jupiter. When Pollux asked not to be separated from his brother, both were transformed into celestial bodies. Through the complex composition that suggests a number of different views and the sensual rendering of textures Rubens demonstrates the superiority of painting over sculpture.”
This image feels a bit problematic to me… while those women look like they are being ‘ravished’ they don’t look like they’re fighting too hard, and the wee little cherub looking on innocently seems unconcerned and nonchalant. If it weren’t for the title and the blurb, you could mistake it for an unenthusiastic and ill-located orgy.
Madame de Pompadour – François Boucher, 1756 Official mistress of Louis XV of France, she is presented here in an elaborate tea dress surrounded by books and correspondence alluding to her political influence at court.
The Land of Cockaigne – Pieter Bruegel, 1567. Fabulous theme of the sins of idleness and gluttony/lethargy and surrendering to vice and how it pervades all social classes – the soldier, the peasant, and the learned man.
Twins of 33 Weeks – Aelbert Cuyp, c. 1625/49… is there something wrong with these kids?
Head of an Old Peasant Woman – Pieter Bruegel, c.1563.
Italia and Germnania – Friedrich Overbeck, c. 1828
I thought I would finish up on this image… because I can totally feel this woman! Vittoria Caldoni – Friedrich Overbeck, c. 1821.
Well, what an amazing museum! Chock full of gorgeous pieces and some truly iconic pieces of Northern Renaissance art. I have always regretted not seeing it years ago, but to be honest, I think I probably got much more out of it seeing it now with a couple of more decades of art history knowledge under my belt.
Muchen… thirty years on… the drive into the city was uneventful, and most of what we were concentrating on was the traffic! We had arrived well before we could check into our accomodations and the EuroCup stuff we needed to see would be this evening and tomorrow, so decided to go do a bit of touristing before braving the inner city and the football hooligans. I didn’t manage to get to Nymphenburg when I was here last; we were a bit touristed out by the time we got here in ‘95 and in desperate need for a Sea Day – only I didn’t know what those were yet!
Nymphenburg Palace was established as a summer palace residence for the birth of the long anticipated heir to the Bavarian throne, Max Emanuel. He was born in 1662 to the Bavarian Elector Ferdinand Maria and his wife, Henrietta Adelaide of Savoy after nearly ten years of marriage. This site on the edge of exisiting court lands to the west of München and the Residenz was chosen for the new palace because at that time it was some way out of the city and was surrounded by cool open countryside. Construction began in 1664 under the direction of an Italian architect Agostino Barettli, who also is responsible for the design of Munich’s Theatine Church.
Initially the Nymphenburg summer residence was to be an enormous cubic pavilion, flanked with a court church, several outbuildings and a small, walled formal garden. By 1679, the initial stages of the palace complex was nearly completed. The present day Palace with it’s simply massive scale was completed under the elector Max Emanuel (his reign was 1680-1726), and supervised by the court architect Henrico Zuccalli who added two off-set pavilions on each side of the original structure to the north and south. By 1701, the two pavilions were linked with the central edifice by galleries – because well, you can never have too much space for when unexpected relatives drop round. This is seriously the largest palace I think I have ever visited (that or my memory is playing tricks on me).
The Great Hall… Nymphenburg was presented to Henrietta with the land to mark the birth of her son and Heir in 1662; the Italian born princess called her Baroque country seat, “Borgo Delle Ninfe”, Castle of the Nymphs. It because a very popular summer residence with the Bavarian rulers and numerous members of the Wittelsbach dynasty contributed to it with Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical additions.
The light filled Great Hall is in the centre of the Palace and was redecorated under Elector Max III Joseph in the Rococo style in the mid 18thC by Bavarian artist Johann Baptist Zimmerman. The colourful ceiling depicts nymphs and flower goddess Flora in an Arcadian landscape bringing nature into the palace, under and Olympian heaven with its Gods.
Entry to the hall was via external flights of steps on the city and the garden side of the hall, making a grand staircase unnecessary. Musicians would entertain guests from the gallery in the image below.
The North Antechamber- originally the Elector’s chamber.
Another antechamber?
The Elector’s Bedchamber.
Private Cabinet.
The start of Max Emanuel’s Great Gallery of Beauties.
The North Karl-Theordor Rooms.
King Ludwig I’s Gallery of Beauties. From 1827 to 1850 by order of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, court painter Joseph Stieler created the impressive series of portraits of 36 beautiful women from a variety of social classes, ranging from the daughter of a shoemaker to the daughter of a king. What he produced was a ‘compendium of feminine beauty’ in accordance with the King’s personal preferences of course… at that time beauty was considered to be an outward sign of moral perfection; though I find myself asking what these women and their mamas were willing to do to get their daughters into the King’s Collection. King Ludwig was known to have been fascinated by female beauty from a young age, which more or less nowadays just reads like he was maybe a lecherous fucker. These paintings were hung near the Queen’s chambers – I wonder how she felt about being confronted daily by her husband’s ’beauty ideals’ in this way.
Angus: ‘She looks like Princess Leia.’
The Queen’s Study… current decorations from the late 18thC when Queen Caroline occupied these apartments. She was the second wife to King Max I Joseph.
Lady in Waiting Room
Queen’s Audience Chamber.
Waiting room outside the Queen’s Audience Chamber.
The Queen’s Bedroom – and birthplace of King Ludwig II… this room contains Queen Caroline’s original furnishings including the original mahogany furniture which was made in Munich in 1815.
Cooling Vessel front the Pearl Service. Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory, c.1792-95.
Max Emanuel when he had the palace enlarged, had the gardens reshaped and a canal created to divert water from the Würm River tot he park. However, he ended up leaving Bavaria (the unfortunate consequence of his defeat in the Spanish War of Succession in 1703) and all his grande works were interrupted.
Max Emanuel had the palace enlarged, the gardens reshaped and a canal dug out to divert water from the Würm to the park. Max Emanuel however had to leave Bavaria, in consequence of his defeat in the Spanish War of Succession in 1704. As a result, all work was initially interrupted. It would not be until 1715 that the works recommenced.
Gala Sedan Chari of Electress Maria Antonia, c. 1685.
Seda Chair with lacquer decoration belonging to the Wittelsbachers, in their heraldic blue and silver. Made for Electress Maria Anna Sophie of Saxony in 1747.
Children’s Garden Calash (bit like a go-kart?). It was for use of the little princes and princesses in the gardens and residences. To protect the floors it had wheels of felt, and was drawn by pony, large dogs, sheep or even goats! On the front assembly is a Pelican feeding its young – a symbol of selfless parental love. Awwww.
Gala Harness for the Coronation of Emperor Karl VII on 12 February, 1742… of which, the ever so modest Karl wrote in his diary: “All are agreed that no coronation was ever more glittering or more marvellous than mine!”
Sumptuary laws at the time stated that only an Emperor or King could have a carriage pulled by 8 horses.
The ‘New Munich Coach’ or the first Coronation Coach of King Max I Joseph, 4th February 1819.
Second Coronation Coach of King Max I Joseph… Bavaria became a Kingdom through their alliance with the French Emperor Napoleon, however soon after Napoleon was exiled, Bavaria switched allegiances and King Max I Joseph require a second coronation in 1818.
Opulent, gilded sleighs with figural decorations can be dated back to the 16thC at the Munich Court. In the inventory of hte Court stables from the year 1600, they are listed separately as ordinary sleighs for overland travel. These were used as normal conveyances and had a somewhat romantic connotation (like a Venetian gondola due to the proximity of the riders), but also used as competitive amusements as sleighs were driven by their ‘cavaliers’ along a marked course while his lady would attempt to hit rings or paper mache targets with a lance or sword.
Carousel Sleigh, with Hercules and the Seven-Headed Hydra. Made for Elector Max Emanuel, c.1680.
Carousel Sleigh with Cupid, c. 1725.
Carousel Sleigh with Diana, Goddess of Hunting. Commissioned by Elector Karl Albrecht in 1740.
Child’s Slight with Jupiter. King Max I Joseph sold off seven ornate sleighs in 1818 but this one was kept to display. It was intended for indoor use and was for the amusement of the princes and princesses inside the palace.
Carousel Sleigh with Jupiter, c.1725.
Ornate Horse Blanket with gilded sleigh bells. Commissioned for Elector Karl Albrect, later Emperor Karl VII, the horse blanket contains 426 gilded bells which announced the approach of a horse drawn sleigh. C.1737/38. This museum actually has a recording running constantly of what these bells sound like on a horse when it’s moving… cute. At first.
Model of King Ludwig II’s putto Sleigh. Gold and silversmith Ferdinand Harrach, Munich, c. 1872.
LEFT: First Nymph Sleigh made for King Ludwig II, Dresden, c.late 18thC. RIGHT: Second Nymph Sleigh made for King Ludwig II, Munich, 1881.
Putti Sleigh made for King Ludwig II, Munich 1872.. then the tag enigmatically says: ‘Electrified in 1875’. With no further details! Ripped off!.
New Dress Coach for King Ludwig II, Designed by Franz von Seitz, Munich 1870/71.
SO. MUCH. GILDING!
Small Dress Coach made for Ludwig II, Designed by Franz von Seitz, Munich 1878.
There were other horsey things in the Marshall Collection at the Palace, but I have to say I’m not so much a horsey person, so didn’t pay too much attention.
Mane Clothes and Rosettes, 18thC.
Five Tassels for the Corpus Christi harnesses, c.1880.
Then we discovered there was another whole building (ex-stable) filled with even more carriages, though these were a bit more for workdays rather than ceremonial poncing about.
Hearse used for Queen Marie Theres and Crown Prince Rupprecht, c.1888.
Dress Coach of gather Pfalzgraf Max von Zweibrücken, c.1784/85.
The Karlsruhe Town Coach, later Dress Carriage of King Max I Joseph, c. 1816.
Full on visit. Walked about 3kms around the Palace… and it was like Brisbane-summer-hot, here today! What’s that about Germany?
So much over the top, golden, ostentatiousness… it’s like Trump’s decorator was here and vomited gilt all over the place!
Short drive today to Nuremberg. Uneventful for the most part, though we were mightily amused by this road sign telling drivers to slow down to 120 kmph for roadworks… for serious, it was needed though. We were in a 130 zone on the autobahn and doing roughly the speed limit with people whizzing past us like we were standing still. I don’t know how there aren’t more accidents here… but I bet when they do connect it’s horrific.
Given Europe’s typical Mondayitis, there were quite a few places that were not open today, but thankfully the well famous Nuremberg Castle wasn’t closed. Also known as the Nürnberger Burg, the castle is actually a large complex of medieval fortified buildings built on a ridge that overlooks the historical Altstadt of Nuremberg. Well located in Bavaria, the castle and its formidable city walls are considered one of Europe’s most impregnable fortified castles. The whole place was designed to represent the power and influence on the Holy Roman Empire and the distinctive role the Imperial City of Nuremberg held.
The main entrance (above) isn’t that much to look at, but as soon as you make your way into the castle walls, the extent and size of the fortress becomes apparent.
The construction of the castle was originally started around 1000, and after that there were three main periods of expansion that can be seen. 1) the main castle built under the Salian kings and respective Holy Roman Emperors front he period of about 1027-1125, 2) a newer castle section that was built under the Hohenstaufen Emperors from 1138-1254 and the reconstructed areas of the castle that became more palace in the later medieval period.
In the Middle Ages, the city of Nuremberg was one of the larges and organised municipalities in all of Europe, and was at various periods the Imperial Capital.
I could not get over the sky today – the clouds just looked absolutely surreal, and the sky so blue, I thought we were in the tropics.
The stunning panorama from the ramparts of the castle looking over the medieval city of Nuremberg.
Inner courtyard of the main keep… the buildings are so beautiful and we were fortunately not swamped with people when we arrived that I went a little nuts with the photos…
The building on the left here has been converted into a super modern cafe, but thankfully on the outside, it is still in keeping with its medieval location.
Even the museum entrance/exit and gift shop are well hidden.
Views over the city through old glass windows.
Doorway from the palace hall to the private imperial chapel.
A strongbox… sadly without a description plaque.
The private imperial chapel – there is a large hole in the floor, and another hall below where commoners could come to hear services without interacting with the castle’s more elevated inhabitants! This double chapel saw daily masses since 1216. The Emperor’s, (top part of the) chapel was likely only used when the emperor/king was in residence and was only accessible through the upper hallways of the ruler’s chambers.
Stone relics ‘The Resurrection of Christ’ and ‘The Ascension of Mary’, Augsburg, c.1530.
The side altar of the Emperor Frederick III. Figures from the shrine are (left to right) Charlamagne, St Henry, St Kunigunde, St Helena of Nuremberg, c.1487/.
Figures below are wings from a larger, now lost, altarpiece, c.1401.
Mother of God, Nuremberg, c.1450-1460… this is one of a small collection of Nuremberg Madonna’s that are characterised by being life-sized and close to resembling natural people.
These frescos are believed to have been installed prior to a visit from Charles V, King of Spain who was crowned King in 1520 and referred to himself as the ‘Chosen Roman Emperor’. Frescoes attributed to Hans Weiditz, Augsburg, c.1519.
Looking down from the Emperor’s Chapel at the multi-layered chapel for the masses.
Relief of Emperor Ludwig IV the Bavarian, from the Nuremberg Town Hall, c.1340, cast after a model in Munich… sigh. Hate this shit : a lot of the info I’m saving is acquired by translating stuff after we leave a place. I’m looking at these things in situ and thinking, that doesn’t look right, get some time later and translate any info only to find out that we are looking at a late 18thC plaster replicas or something. :/
Same with this one… Monumental statue of Emperor Charles IV from the Old Town Bridge Tower of Prague’s Charles Bridge, Peter Parker, c.1370-1400. Original in sandstone, cast (below) in plaster.
Magnificne manuscript of the Golden Bull, Prague, 1400, leather, pen and parchment… reads the first half of the description. There’s a running them here; it’s a facsimile the original is in Vienna, in the Austrian National Library. The codex of constitution documents were commissioned by King Wenceslas c.1378-1400 and oh who gives a shit, this is a copy as well executed as some of my more proficient SCA calligrapher friends could make.
Humpback cup, Ellington & Co, Birmingham, c.1886. Copper brass, gilding… another fucking copy – is nothing in this museum original? The original 16thC cup is somewhere else and it doesn’t even tell us. The cup and other objects were part of the ceremonial table dictated for use in the Golden Bull.
Holy Lance: Replica! Holy Hand Grenade: Replica! Holy Dagger thing: Replica! The original objects symbolised the military strength of the head of the empire of Otto I (936-973).
The room had these neat – but obviously modern – reliefs that depicted the famous and important houses of Nuremberg. For some reason these didn’t bother me so much, as they weren’t accompanied by an info plaque and obviously weren’t pretending to be medieval artefacts. *shrug*
Coronation of Ludwig IV the Bavarian, in Milan as King of Italy on May 31, 1327, work attributed to Agostino Di Giovanni (c. 1310-1370)… or at least the original marble one was. This is a plaster case made in Munich.
Oh thank fuck!!! I really enjoyed looking at this glass tankard, and was just now sitting here thinking, it was probably painted by some dude named Hans last week!
Imperial Eagle Tankard, 17thC glass, enamel painted, Nuremberg. The double headed eagle was often the motif of imperial allegories and represented the structure and significant of the empire. The quaternion eagle has the individual coats of arms on its wings of the various imperial estates.
So, for the sake of representation there were some large information plaques which detailed these very famous objects associated with the Crown Treasury of Nuremberg and the Holy Roman Empire. The crown, dalmatic, and under tunic in particular are objects I am hoping to see at the Kunsthistoriches… but they’ve obviously been included here for education’s sake – and I’m really beginning to think this is a very well laid out place for school kids to come learn Stuff (which shouldn’t detract from my enjoyment of the displays – but it fucking does!).
The following Palace rooms were the private chambers of the emperor/s in the upper floors of the castle; they’ve been set up post WWII to give an impression of homeliness with some furniture, portraits… Baroque Chest, Tyrols, c.17thC.
Wappendecke: Coat of arms cover, Fritz Haeberlein, Nuremberg, c.1947…?
Prunkofen: a magnificent Stove, Nuremberg, c.1675. Timber exterior and tiled interior.
Four keys from the lock of the Imperial Regalia, c.16th/17thC. In 1423, Emperor Sigmund entrusted the City of Nuremberg with the safekeeping of the Imperial Regalia. The relics were kept safely locked in a shrine, in the church of the Holy Spirit Hospital, which was under the city council jurisdiction. Access to the chapel vault was secured by multiple persons holding different keys.
The views out to the courtyard… while walking through these rooms today, I was wondering what it must have been like for the high born womenfolk who inhabited these walls. Now, I reckon these windows were probably installed after WWII and no medieval women looked out these windows.
Armbrut: Cross bow, Nurember, c.16thC,. Bow: steel. String: hemp. Column: wood, black horn and white etched horn inlay.
LEFT: Bolt case, some labeled with the name of the Nurember patrician family, “Volckamer”, c.1595. Wood, fittings of iron, partly tinned, handle of brass. RIGHT: German crossbow crankequin. Heavy craniquins like this one were indispensable for drawing the bow-string on a robust steeel bow.
Drinking vessel in the shape of a richly ornamented cannon. When the cover is opened, it becomes apparent it is for dining. Citizen’s Artillery of Nuremberg, c.15thC.
Maximilian style armour. “The suit of plate armor is a complex artistic and technological masterpiece. In development since around 1300, full body armor made up of many different parts had reached its highest level of complexity by 1500. In principle, the individual parts had to be adapted to the individual wearer if the armor was to be fully functional. Not everyone could afford such tailor-made armor, however. Many fighters put together their protective equipment from parts that were already available. In order to increase mobility, individual parts of the armor could be left out at any time. A suit of plate armor is a complex artistic and technological masterpiece. It was developed from ca. 1300 on and reached its highest complexity around 1500. Generally, each part had to be fitted to the individual wearer, if the armour was to function properly. However, not every fighting man could afford customised armour. Protection often had to be improvised and adapted from available parts. In order to increase mobility, parts would be left off.” Sounds familiar…
Two breastplates of late Gothic Armour; from the town hall in Spittal, Carinthia, Austria. C.1450-1500. Iron, forged, steeled, filed, and originally polished.
Late Gothic armoured gloves. Germany, iron, forged, steeled, ground, polished, leather later addition, c.1450.
Two backplates of Late Gothic armour from the town hall in Spittal, Carinthia, Austria. C.1450-1500. Iron – forged, steeled, filed and originally polished.
Helms: 1) Bascine, 14thC. 2) Bascinet, German, late 14thC. 3) Kettle hat or Chapel-de fer, Tirol c1400. 4) Jousing helm, Tyrol, late 15thC. 5) Sallet, Frankie, c.1450/60. 6) Italian bascinet, Northern Italian late 15thC.
Gothic suit of equestrian armour – almost complete condition which is extremely rare apparently. Nuremberg armoury, the fancy shoe tips made it unsuitable for combat. It could have Ben worn only be a rider. The help is not original to this suit.
Nuremberg, c.1470/80. Iron – steeled, ground and originally polished to a high sheen.
Iron-clad door with iron fittings. . Dates from the reign on fate Bohemian and German Kings Charles IV or his son Wenceslas. 2nd half 14thC.
There was a very small section that dealt with the history of Nuremberg after the period of theHoly Roman Empire and glossed over WWII fairly quickly.
Ok… the Castle was very cool and I really enjoyed seeing the buildings a the layout of the fortress complex… but fuck me, I was so dirty when I discovered how many of the artefacts were just bloody modern replicas. I know it shouldn’t detract from the enjoyment of seeing these things in this context, but it fucking does! I walked up (and back down – which is sometimes even more painful) four storeys of stairs with a severely torn meniscus to see stupid copies of things? My heart rate was up around 150bpm the whole time, and I was overheating due to the excessive pain from my knee joint (and an involuntary habit of holding my breath inappropriately while in pain) and for what? To see shit that I would have been better off looking up high res images of the originals, online? It was so deflating.
Encountered this amazing vending machine in a shopping centre car park of all places – full of cheese and charcuterie! And here’s me thinking Japan has the best vending machines.
After the castle, we made our way to Haupmarkt to see the famous Schöner Brunnen fountain, a 14thC Gothic fountain locate next to Nuremberg’s main markets and the town hall. It is 19m high and in the shape of a church spire. It was built by Heinrich Beheim in 1385.
The Frauenkirche is not far away and is the Roman Catholic parish church of Nuremberg. It was built at the commission of Emperor Charles VI from 1352-1362 as a hall church. It is full of sculptures, many of them have been preserved from around the time of construction, so they are c.1360 also. There wasn’t a lot of information available in the church, an it was smaller than I expected.
The facade of the Frauenkirche has as clock called the ‘Männleinlaufen’ (Little Men Running) which is activated at noon, and has seven little men – representing electors of Nuremberg – that move with chimes. It was built/ordered by Charles IV in 1356 to commemorate the Nuremberg code of Laws, the Golden Bull. The clock was removed during WWII and stored in a Nuremberg Art Bunker.
The inner vestibule was full of brightly painted relief art work – I imagine this is what a lot of the old cathedrals looked like but haven’t been restored over the centuries.
The Tucher Alter c.1440/50 came from a demolished Augustinian Church – the Frauenkirche was used as a Protestant church for several centuries and much of the art and sculpture came back into he church when it was redesignated? reconsecrated? by the Catholic Church.
There has been an organ in this church since 1492, however this one is from the 1950s.
I got nothing on this sculpture, other than that Baby Jee looks stoned.
Pergenstorfer Epitaph.
Stopped by a bookshop, having decided to acquire a couple of well known books to try to read in German. I figure this immersion stuff has to help at some point. It’s sure not helping here; every time I try to speak with people in German they can tell I’m not a native speaker immediately and they switch to English. How are you supposed to get any better if people won’t talk to you? :/
St Seibald’s Church apparently began with a grave in 1070, and not long afterwards reports of healing miracles occurring at his grave are documented.
The Chruch that is here today was built in the first half of the 13thC as a late Romanesque pillared basilica with a double choir. It was around this time that Nuremberg was becoming an important centre of commerce in Central Europe. In the early 1300s the side aisles were expanded, and the high Gothic choir loft was added between 1361 and 1379. Seibald became the patron saint of aspiring commercial ventures, even though he was apparently not canonised until 1425.
Master of the Tucher Altar, c.1440 and Elizabeth Starch Epitath, c.1450.
’Schüsslesfeider’, Saint Christoper, c.1442.
Most of the partially preserved stained glass in this church was donated by the families of City Council members of the Free Imperial City of Nuremberg, in the 14thC. Some was replaced c.1500, and the ‘newest’ glass in the cathedral was installed in 1601.
Madonna on the Crescent Moon, c.1437.
Glass: Behaim Window with the Annunciation and the Nativity, c.1330.
Altar of Saint Peter, c.1477.
Memborial for the Schroeder-Landaeur families, c.1490-92.
Peter Vischer and Sons tomb of St Seibald, c.1508-1519.
The organ was a late addition – we were just discussing how it wasn’t up in a specific organ loft like we had seen in many cathedrals, and actually looked to be a free-standing object. Then we discovered it was only added to the church in 1975.
St Catherine – originally on the Exterior of the Last Judgement Portal c.1310.
And of course the bit I’m always curious about – during WWII, between 1943 and 1945, the church was repeatedly hit by bombs and severely damaged (hence the partially preserved stained glass). As late as April 20, 1945, both towers were bombarded until fires broke out and melted the medieval bells. The first phase of reconstruction lasted 12 years and ended in 1957. There are still repair and removal of war damage happening today.
Anna Oelhafen Epitaph, c.1528.
Having a very sparse breakfast, and having skipped lunch, we gave up on our churching and went hunting for some dinner. Angus found this place which is a local Franconian ‘field to table’ restaurant – the beers, wine, water, juice tea are all sourced from Franconia; vegetables are all grown locally in Knoblauchsland, fishes are sauced from Heinl an Erlangen fishmonger, sausages come from the Nuremberg butcher, and game is delivered by someone named Waffler from his local hunting ground. It made me think of the 40 Happy Cows that Le Cinq have on a farm some 20kms out of Paris just to make butter for the restaurant!
Angus opted for the bratwurst platter which came with rye bread and the most sour of sauerkraut you’ve ever tried in your life, and I opted for a pork shoulder because it seems I have a habit of panic ordering when I’m not speaking English! It was a sizeable and somewhat fatty portion that came with potato dumplings (which Angus enjoyed), and red cabbage – not sour.
After we finished our meal, we stopped in a grocery store for some toothpaste (weirdly, we both thought the other would have a decent sized tube and neither of us did!) and I saw these – these lemon wafer biscuits are, without a doubt, one of my FAVOURITE European snacks that I can’t get back home… it took all my ‘keine zucker’ willpower to not buy them, especially as they were selling them in packs of 5 for like €2.39. Insta-regret kicked in as soon as we got back! LOLi
Our next stop in Nuremberg was to ferret out Albrect Drurers house – which you wouldn’t think would be that difficult to find, but it’s easy to get turned around in the windy little medieval streets.
This is a cool house, but not Drurer’s house.
Finally found it – Albrect Dürer (1471-1528), is Germany’s most famous painter lived in this house now turned musuem.
St Jerome in his Study, Albrect Durer, c.1521
Paumgartner Altar, c.1498.
Portrait of Oswolt Krel, c. 1499.
Adoration of the Magi, c.1517. The covered chalices and chains demonstrate Durer’s background as a goldsmith.
The Four Apostles, Guardians of Justice, c.1526. Guardians of Justice.
Maria with the Pear Slice, c.1512.
Self Portrait with Eryngium, c.1493
Self Portrait, c. 1498.
Dürer originally trained as a goldsmith and in 1487, ended his goldsmith’s apprenticeship with his father in order to start anew as an apprentice at the workshop of the famous painter Michael Wolgemut. Additionally, he specialised in a completely new profession: that of book illustrator and free graphic artist. Before too long his talents attracted rich and highly educated customers. In 1496, he met the man who would become his most important patron, Elector Frederick of Saxony.
Dürer’s House is a typical Nuremberg Fachwerkhaus, where he lived from 1509 to 1528. It is in Nuremberg’s Altstadt near the Kaiserburg section of the Nuremberg Castle and the Tiergätnertor. It is the only artist’s house turned museum of its kind… apparently?
Living rooms and study spaces are furnished with period furniture. Dürer’s family life was rather out of the ordinary: in 1494, he married Agnes Frey, at the behest of both his father and hers. While Dürer’s mother had been pregnant eighteen times, his own marriage remained childless.
I love these windows… why don’t we make windows like this anymore?
A small cupboard and a hand washing space.
Wall clock… no information on these. But plenty of small plaques asking visitors to not touch things!
The downstairs kitchen is designed in such a way as the heat rises to warm the upper floors.
The upper floors contain a recreation of the artists workshop spaces.
An engraving plate and a glass sphere that could be used as a magnifier.
Printing systems.
Was very cool hour or so checking out Dürer’s house… even knowing most of the art works are replicas didn’t detract from how cool it is to be walking through this living museum space with its smoky hallway and centuries old furniture. The rest of the day was spent working before we moved on!
Arrived in Bamberg after driving through a bit of a storm… deep water on the streets, some hail, small trees down – quite the mess. It’s always interesting seeing how other places deal with what in Brisbane is summer afternoon on a Tuesday. Seriously, this wee storm hit the news. You can tell their drains and systems are not set up for it at all, whereas when I was growing up, summer afternoon thunderstorms were a dime a dozen and at least a few a week. Roads are nasty when they don’t have sufficient storm surge drains.
Anyway, it all made for a pretty sunset, and if it hadn’t been raining still and if we had noticed the sky turning bright red sooner, we would have tried to bop around to the Rat Haus for a photo of it in the cool colours. Knew it would be gone by the time we got there though… so the shot below is not my photo!
Wandering through the old town towards the famous Bamberg Altes Rathaus, we saw many cool wood and stone buildings typical of these small German towns. They’re so picturesque and quaint, it’s lovely to just walk through and admire the buildings.
The Altes Rathaus or town hall was first mentioned in records in 1387. It is also known to have been rebuilt in 1461 and 1467 to its current state; during those construction stages, it fortunately kept its Gothic style.
Johann Jakob Michael Küchel redesigned the Altes Rathaus in a more Baroque and Rococo between 1744 and 1756. The Altes Rathaus is the most iconic symbol of Bamberg built into the middle of the River Regnitz, between the Upper and Lower Bridges.
The facade paintings were originally created by Johann Anwander in 1755 but they have been restored many times. In the Post WWII era, the paintings were particularly faint and dirty, and a painter named Anton Greiner was commissioned to repaint them between 1959 and 1962. Both sides of the Rathaus are completely decorated with allegorical scenes and trompe l’oeil architectural details.
If you look below the Rathaus, you can see some churning water which local kayakers have set up into a slalom course. There must have been a dozen of them in the water on the gentle rapids while we were there.
Facade of the Goldschmiede area – shops full of jewellers.
Brauhaus row.
Wandeirng up towards the Cathedral Dom.
It was a fair bit steeper than you led us to believe, Google Maps…
Sadly, the Cathedral is usually closed on Sunday mornings (presumably for services), and today it wasn’t opening at all, but this did weirdly lead to a free entracne to the nearby Bamberg History Museum.
The Old Court House houses the Bamberg City Museum.
Saints Henry and Kunigunde, Unknown artist/s, c.1370, sandstone.
Crucifixion, Unknown Southern German copied from Christoph Schwartz, (Munich, 1545-1592). Oil on wood.
LEFT: Death of the Virgin, Unknown Franconian artist, late 15thC, oil on wood. RIGHT: Death of the Virgin, Unknown Southern German artist, 16thC, oil on wood.
Reading Mary with Child, crowned by Angels. Unknown Dutch artist, early 16thC, oil on wood.
Death of the Virgin (again!), Workshop of Hans Pleydenwurff, (Bamberg 1420-1472), c.1460, oil on wood.
Bamberg Clare Altar, form the Workshop of the Master of Bamberg Clare, c.14500/1500, oil on wood.
Hortolona, the mother of Saint Clare in prayer, Unknown Nuremberg artist, c.1360, tempera on oak.
Saint Clare Raises the Dead, Unknown Nuremberg artist, c.1360, tempura on oak.
Jesus and John the Baptist as Children, Lucas Cranach the Elder, c.1535. Oil on wood.
The Ploughshares Legend, Unknown Franconian artist, City of Bamberg, c.1550-1600, oil on wood.
The Penny Miracle, Unknown Franconian artist, Bamberg Municipality, c.1550-1600. Oil on wood.
Saint Catherine, Unknown South German artist, Late 15thC, tempera on wood.
The Adoration of the Magi, Unknonw artist, copy after Lucas Cranach the Elder, c.1600, oil on wood.
Portrait of the Mayor of Cologne, Peter von Heimbach, artist: Bathrolomäus Bruyd (Wesel of Cologne, 1493-1555), c.1545, tempera on wood.
Young Bacchus, Unknown Roman artist, 17th-18thC, oil on canvas.
Young Bacchus, circle of Nicolas Poussin (Les Andelys, Normandy 1594-1665), 17thC,m oil on canvas.
Latona with her children Apollo and Diana, Anton Raphael Mengs (Aussig/Bohemia 1728-1779), 18thC, oil on canvas.
Winter Landscape, Circleof Joos de Mompher II (Antwerp 1564-1635), late 16thC/early 17thC. Oil on wood.
The Bread Eater / The Arrow Carver Peter Breugehel the Younger, (Brussels 1564-1638, Antwerp), c.1620. Oil on wood.
The Gift / The Punished Licker Peter Breugehel the Younger, (Brussels 1564-1638, Antwerp), c.1620. Oil on wood.
So, Still Life artworks confuse me. I can see and appreciate the skill involved in rendering the tableau so perfectly, but I just don’t understand why they became so popular… particularly in the Low Countries in the 17thC. Still life paintings depict carefully selected and arranged inanimate objects (that bit I can get – it’s kinda like a small product creative advertising shoot!), such as fruit, flowers, kitchen utensils, goods at the market, hunting spoils, weapons or musical instruments. But they are also supposed to be creating a an illusion of reality that can convey a deeper meaning, such as the transience and fragility of life… umm, yeah! All these flowers, and food items are gonna rot eventually, so they’re all temporary. I don’t know, apparently some of them contain allegories, proverbs, ríddles or humorous tales, but who knows?
Still Life, copy after Jan Davidsz De Heem (Utrecht 1606-1684, Antwerp), c.1638. Oil on canvas… needs more lobster.
The Anatomy of Dr. Tulp, Willy Fries (Zurich, 1881-1865) copied after a Rembrandt. Oil on canvas.
Children at the Window, Johann Nikolaus Treu (Bamberg 1734-1786(, c.1760. Oil on canvas.
Death of Mary, unknown artist, c.1500, relief from the Carmalite Church and thought to be part of a winged altar. Workmanship is of a high quality and thought to be connected with the workshop of Dürer and his teacher, Michael Wolgemut. Linden wood.
St Katharine, c.1500. Bamberg, carved and painted Linden wood.
The next few objects were interesting, but I couldn’t find any information on them at all.
Hallways of the Old Court House which houses the museum.
GIRAFFE WINGS – Christoph Ehrlich (1782- 1830) cherry veneer, ebony, ivory, in oil. C.1828. The trained organ builder Christoph Ehrlich set up an instrument factory for pianos and guitars in Bamberg and offered the special shape of this giraffe grand piano: tall instead of long, it fit into small Biedermeier rooms.
STANDARD OF THE VELOCIPED CLUB, Bamberg, 1893, silk, bouillon threads, brass. On June 17, 1882, the new cycling fashion found expression in Bamberg when 20 men founded the Velociped Club. It is one of the early German cycling clubs. Races were held on the cycling track, which required great skill on the fast but dangerous high-wheelers. The cyclist greeting “All Heil” that was common at the time was printed on the flag.
St George fighting the Dragon, wood, papier-mache, modelling clay, glass, pearls. C. 1852.
Most of the objects in these galleries were very modern and were related to the recent history of Bamberg; as a medieval enthusiast, they were not my primary area of interest.
Granatschmuck – Garnet jewellery: gold, garnet, silver, c. 1850.
Two Bridal Crowns, Franconia. Copper wire, brass sheet ‘tinsel’, cardboard, glass beads, linen, silk, cotton. Late 19thC/early 20thC. Bridal crowns or holiday crowns were worn by young unmarried women in procession on important holidays until their wedding. Common in Franconian Switzerland and the Mistelgau region to the north.
The Nues Residence, which contains a large collection of Asian ceramics and porcelain that we didn’t want to spend $$$$ to go see.
Through this building is the entrance to the Rosengarten.
The Rose Garden is in the inner courtyard of the New Residence and offers a great view over Bamberg. The garden itself is formal in nature and is mostly roses… not sure what else you can say about that. It was quite busy while we were there, and sadly lacking in benches where visitors could loiter.
Having skipped breakfast and having wandered 5.4kms around the rather small old town and museum, we decided it was time to hunt for some brunch… alas, by 13:00, fruhstuck options were all gone, and we ended up at a Bavarian Brauhaus. Angus chose the Jagerschnitzel and I opted for what I thought was going to be something lighter: a couple of bratwurst sausages. Delicious – we are now losing track of our rating system for mushroom sauce served with schnitzels!
Little bit of souvenir shopping – looking for the tackiest things ever, of course – before heading back to the hotel to get some work done.
Which mean coming back past the RatHaus – looks totally different in the afternoon light, and I couldn’t see the aura around the sun with the naked eye at all. Something something atmospheric weirdness.
