I hope you are having a lovely day today. We are waking up to a Sailor's Warning. It was a beautiful sunrise with all kinds of lovely orange and reddish tints to the clouds. Later today, a front is supposed to move off the Atlantic towards us and bring us rain. Currently, though, it is below freezing, so we'll see.
Yesterday, I mentioned the city of Eisenach as a place where Martin Luther studied as a child. I also asked what else is Eisenach famous for besides being a temporary home of Martin Luther? This lovely little city, about a third smaller than Kempten, is situated almost dead-center in Germany. It borders the German states of Thuringia on the west and Hessen on the east. It is situated on the northern side of the low mountains - an area of hilly, craggy land that runs through the middle of Germany. It is here that Luther studied. It is here that Wartburg Castle concealed Luther after his excommunication. But this quaint German town is known for more than Martin Luther.
Wartburg Castle sits high upon a precipice, overlooking the town. The castle was first built in 1067. It hosted many of the middle ages festivals and contests that we think of when we use the word Renaissance. The opera, "Tannhäuser," by Richard Wagner features the castle and events that happened within the castle during the contests.
Richard Wagner was not the only musician inspired by the town and surroundings, though. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach in 1685. Here he lived with his very musical family until his parents died, when he was just 10 years old. The Bach House, a 600 year old building near the site of Bach's original home, and a statue to Bach are featured sites in the town.
The town itself has a picturesque system of parks and open spaces. There is the town palace that is now used for community events, and the Rathaus, the city's town hall, which originally served as a wine cellar. The Rathaus was damaged heavily near the end of World War II and has only just been completely restored in 1996. The house where Luther lived is still standing and represents one of the oldest half-timbered houses in the town. The half-timbered building is the style of building that many think of when they picture Germany in their minds. There is also a monument to honor Luther in one of the city parks.
As with any German town, there are of course several churches that are just stunning inside. The artwork, metal work, and wall facades are truly breathtaking. The oldest church, Nikolaikirche, was built in 1180 and has Romanesque architecture. Georgenkirche, also constructed in the late 12th century was the baptismal site of Bach.
Perhaps one of the most unique things to see in Eisenach is The Narrow House. It is the most narrow half-timbered building in Germany, measuring only a mere 6 ft 7 in wide. Inside, visitors can see a collection of pictures and historical memorabilia.
My husband's company also has a plant in this town. Perhaps we can arrange a visit??
The word for the day is city/town (they are the same): die Stadt (shtahdt) and village: das Dorf (said as we would). To indicate a town smaller than a village, the town name often has egg or au at the end, as in Wolfegg or Legau. Another small town distinction is to have the letters Oy in front of a name, as in Oy Mittelberg. The prefix Ober as in Oberdorf, means over, while Unter means under as in Untergassen. Burg means fortress or castle, so towns like Regensburg would be a good bet to see at least some castle ruins. The word Bad before a town, like Bad Waldsee, indicate that there are pools (often heated) in the area and that there is or once was a spa/resort there for health reasons.
Auf Wiedersehen,
Frau Spitzer
