Castles of the Rhine

 

Marksburg Castle

Day 9 (4/25/25) 

So far we hadn’t done a lot of cruising on the boat during the day. Today was going to be the exception. We were going to cruise the section of the Rhine that is dotted with castles, over twenty in all. Besides the castles there are many other scenic sites along the way from cathedrals to vineyards. The day was quite cool with occasional rain. We were prepared for the weather however and were not going to let a little rain stand in our way. In many ways it may have been a bonus. Many people decided to just watch from indoors. At first we went up on top to the viewing deck and found that most of the best places were taken so we got creative. On the next deck down we found an alcove that was covered and out of the weather but had a great view of the cliffs along the river. Across the lobby there was another such alcove so all we had to do was watch the map and cross to the other side when needed. The best part was that we had it mostly to ourselves. Later a family that we had met earlier in the trip joined us. The weather actually added a bit of an otherworldly atmosphere for viewing castles. It turned out to be a great cruise up to Koblenz.

Ehrenfels Castle

Nollig Castle

Stahleck Castle

Sooneck Castle

Pfalzgrafenstein & Gutenfels Castles

Schonburg Castle

Schonburg 

Schonburg Castle & Cathedral

Lorelei

Cliffs of Lorelei

Katz Castle

Maus Castle

Rheinfels Castle

Sterrenberg Castle

Sterrenberg & Liebenstein Castle

Marksburg Castle

Marksburg Castle

Speyer to Rudesheim

Speyer Cathedral

Day 8 (4/24/25) 

On a tour such as this, often events start to fuse together and it isn’t until you start looking back at pictures that you start to remember the details. Speyer was one of these instances. After I started going through the pictures I couldn’t believe we packed so much in one day. Speyer Cathedral was one of the only fully Romanesque churches we visited. It is one of the largest and most significant of the churches of the Romanesque style. Unlike the Gothic Cathedrals it is very stoic and plain on the outside with its shear massiveness lending to its awe inspiring quality. Unfortunately it is under renovation so the approach is somewhat obscured. On the approach you pass a grouping of sculptures which commemorate the royal couple who financed much of the construction. As you come around to the front of the Cathedral it opens up into a large cobblestone courtyard. During medieval times they believe that the Romanesque church should represent the ideal Christian plain on the outside and glowing from within. You enter from the west, the dark end, and go into the light. Although not as light filled as the Gothic with all their stained glass windows, Romanesque interiors are covered with paintings and carving and have their own glow. Much of the art both in and out of the cathedral is aimed at instructing an uneducated populace and scaring them into church. Speyer Cathedral is along a pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. In front of a smaller Lutheran church down the street from the Cathedral there is a statue of Jakob Spilger honoring al who made the journey. As you walk the cobblestone walkway keep your eyes open for the brass stumble stones which honor the Jews who lived in that location and lost their lives during WWII. Our guide was very passionate about our tour through the Jewish section of the city.

After our tour we headed back to our bout which was now docked at Worms, Germany. The gate bridge was the highlight of the city and looked like something out of Harry Potter. Then it was down the river on a very picturesque stretch of the Rhine to Rudesheim and a taste of their signature brandy. It would have been hard to pack anymore into one day.

Approaching Speyer Cathedral

Patron King buried in Cathedral

Patron

Under Renovation

More Sculptures of the Patron King

Massive Romanesque Walls

Above the Main Portal

Government Building

Lutheran Church with Pilgrim

Gate Tower

Jakob Spilger

Bridge Gate at Worms

Sculpture at Worms

On the way to Rudesheim

Strasbourg, France

Gates to the city

Day 7 (4/23/25) 

Strasbourg was our only stop in France. Culturally, Strasbourg is a unique combination of German and French because of the constant change of rule. The tour guide told us that at his son’s school they taught in French one day and German the next to keep the traditions alive. Because of this mixed culture the Alsace region is rich with their own traditions, food and wine. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg (Notre-Dame de Strasbourg) is also a mingling of two major architectural styles. Although started as a Romanesque Cathedral it acquired more Gothic elements as time styles changed. One of the highlights of the cathedral is the Astronomical clock which features a daily procession of Christ and the Apostles. It only seems right that a city which is a mingling of cultures would have a church that combines two architectural styles.

Gate Towers

Canals

More Canals

Typical Architecture

Notre Dame Strasbourg

Rose Window

Astronomical Clock

Breisach & the Black Forest

 

St Stephan's Cathedral

Day 6 (4/22/25) 

I have to say that the older I get the less tolerant I am to those long flights. I envy people who can sleep on an airplane. By the time we got to Basel, Switzerland and the boat it had been thirty six hours since we had any sleep. We were exhausted. We then had to attend a mandatory safety demonstration and welcome. It carried on way to long and by the time it was finished and it was time to go to dinner we were just too tired so we headed to our cabin and some sleep. That first night was rough, there were a lot of new boat noises and we were starting to wonder if we had made a good decision. The next day however, we arrived at Breisach and toured the Black Forest. The forest was beautiful and we learned a great deal of what it took to live and farm in such a harsh winter environment. It was very important to clear and live on the southern exposure to maximize exposure to the sun. During the winter it was common to house the livestock in the bottom level of the dwelling both for heat and to make it easier to care for them. Lumber of course played a very important function in their economy. We stopped in the beautiful little village of Breitnau where we toured a small rural church (St. Oswald’s Chapel), a Cuckoo Clock shop, and watched a Black Forest Cake making demonstration. To this day Black Forest Cuckoo Clocks are finest in the world. Breitnau was also important because Marie Antoinette stayed there on her bridal procession to France. After we returned to the boat we had our first lunch on board, a quick nap in the sun, and set out to explore Breisach. It was a beautiful day for the long climb up to St. Stephen’s Cathedral which crowns the top of a fortified hill. Although mostly Romanesque, the apse at the east end is Gothic. It was well worth the climb.. Once on top there were great views of the city. By the end of the day we were starting to feel much better about our decision to tour the Rhine.

Marie Antoinette's Bridal Procession

St. Oswald's Chapel

St. Oswald's Chapel

Human Bones buried under chapel

A river runs through it

Border Tax Collection Office

Train Trestle

Wooden Bike at Cuckoo Clock Shop

Guard Towers

Old Fort

Another Guard Tower

Sculpture in Cathedral Square

St. Stephan's

U

Under Cathedral