Romantische Strasse

I can’t remember the last ‘road trip’ that Perry and I took that wasn’t directly related to a move or a specific destination. This spring, Perry had 15 days of leave which he had to utilize prior to the end of the government fiscal year. What a great opportunity for a road trip.

After a little research, I decided upon the Romantic Road through Germany.  Based upon a medieval north/south trade route, it winds itself through western Bavaria.

The challenge here would be convincing an aviator, who knows the shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line, to relax, slow down and ‘smell the roses’, so to speak. The road itself is only 300 km long. I planned to take 3 days to travel this distance.

Wurzburg is the northern-most city on the route. Historically, it was part of the duchy of Franconia, ruled by bishop princes until Napoleon ended the power of the church in 1802. Two major places to visit are the Residenz and the Festung Marienburg.

The Residenz is considered one of the most important palaces in Europe and a masterpiece of the baroque era. It was completed in 1781, after 60 years of on and off construction.  As a result of a devastating air raid on March 16, 1945, the residence was almost completely burnt out and only the central building with the Vestibule, Garden Hall, Staircase, White Hall and Imperial Hall survived the inferno. The 20 million Euro restoration project was started in 1945 and was completed in 1987. The Residenz was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981.

       Some views of the gardens at the Residenz.

The trees reminded me of little gnome trees. Each tree truck has a carving attached to it.

Across the river Main, towering above the city, is the Festung Marienburg, another UNESCO World Heritage site. The Franconian fortress, constructed in 704 AD, contains the Mainfrankisches Museum. A must-see exhibit is a collection devoted to the Gothic master carver, Tilman Riemenschneider.

Siding with the wrong faction during the Peasants’ Revolt of 1545, he was imprisoned and tortured, dying in 1531. His incredible works are found up and down the Romantic Road.

Creglingen, a small Bavarian town on the route, is the location for the Herrgottskirsche. Built in 1389, on a sacred site, it contains the Altar of Maria. The entire piece consists of 8 panels, with the larger centre panel dedicated to the Assumption of Virgin Mary. The artist also included himself in the work in the lower right panel.

Next stop on the route is Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a completely intact walled medieval city. Rothenburg held a special significance for Nazi ideologists. For them, it was the epitome of the German 'Home Town', representing all that was quintessentially German. Many of the citizenry were sympathetic to National Socialism and in October 1938, Rothenburg expelled its Jewish citizens, much to the approval of Nazis. In March 1945, as defeat became eminent, the US forces were directed not to use artillery in taking the city and contrary to Hitler’s orders; the local German commanders surrendered the city. Both sides appreciated the significance of the city.

At the centre of the city is St Jakobskirche (St James Lutheran Church). It contains another of the Gothic works of Tilman Riemenschneider, the Altar of the Holy Blood.

For authentic Rothenburg ob der Tauber fare, one should have ‘schneeballen’, which are egg dough fried and then either sprinkled with powdered sugar or covered with chocolate.

I tried this version in Rothenburg and it was adequate. However,there is a version in Schwangau at the base of Neuschwanstein Castle which is filled with ricotta, deep-fried and sprinkled with icing sugar. I inhaled two of these. They didn't survive long enough for pictures!

Our second night was spent in Colmberg. Slightly off the Romantic Road, it was well-worth the diversion. The castle Burg Colmberg dates back to 1150. It was built by the Counts of Hohenlohe, and was later renovated in Gothic style. We could see the castle from 1 ½ km away and as we got closer, we realized that was our hotel. We had a room on the third floor with a magnificent view of the countryside.

The exteriors have been preserved and the interior is decorated with antiques. The castle was a maze of hallways and rooms, including a small chapel.

Front entrance/courtyard at Castle Colmberg

The following day, we continued south. Around three in the afternoon, we could see the Alps in the distance. How magnificent. Our destination was Schwangau, the home of two castles, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, nestled in the Bavarian Alp foothills. Our quaint hotel was 1 ½ km from the castles. We could see Neuschwanstein from our hotel room.

We headed to the castle early the next morning. It was spring break in Germany and Belgium, so we knew it would be busy with tourists. A guided tour took us through the Royal apartments and the servant quarters. King Ludwig II started work on this castle in 1869. It was never completed.

We were not permitted to take pictures inside the castle. That is always disappointing. The interiors have often been compared to Versaille. An unfair comparison, I think. Where Versaille is glamour and gilt, Neuschwanstein is regal and rich.

King Ludwig II was enamoured with the works of the composer, Richard Wagner, and the Singer's Hall (below left)was built as a venue for his works. The photo on the right is the Queen's Chamber at Versaille and is a contrast to the dark, richness of Neuschwanstein.

That afternoon, we headed back to Belgium, this time a more direct route, with an overnight in Saarbrucken. Overall, a great trip, “even if there weren’t any military cemeteries”. Oops.