Germany

Wuerttemberg Memorial Chapel - Tribute to a Young Queen

July 22nd, 2007 at 02:23pm Under Germany

Perched atop a vineyard-covered hill, the lonely Wuerttemberg Memorial Chapel enjoys a magnificent view of the Stuttgart area’s wine country. Although it sits in reverent silence, the chapel proclaims the timeless love of King Wilhelm I for his deceased bride, Katharina. The two now share this secluded resting place, together for eternity.

In 1819, Wilhelm and the people of Wuerttemberg lost their beloved queen at the tender age of 31. This queen had given much of her own money to further the social development of the area, including a girls’ school, hospitals, and an institution for charity – even during the extremely difficult years of famine. The enormous Wuerttemberg Hill, home to the family’s old 11th century fortress, had been a favorite place of Katharina’s. Shortly after her death, Wilhelm had the ancient fortress leveled so he could build something truly symbolic of his devotion for her. Italian architect Giovanni Salucci had been employed as the court architect and was soon put to work designing an appropriate new haunt for young queen.

The result of Salucci’s work was a neo-classic rotunda with an airy, arching dome inspired by Rome’s Pantheon. Towering Corinthian columns, stucco rosettes, and marble statues all of the palest hues reflect peace and rest as the dome’s incoming sunlight is subdued to a gentle glow. Warmly detailed cast iron accents the coolness of the circular room and is used for the doors, window frames, and a ventilated portion of the floor directly under the soaring dome. Since Katharina was a member of the Russian Orthodox Church, Wilhelm made sure that this aspect of his wife’s existence was also remembered with fitting icons and services. Even to this day, Orthodox worship is conducted in the chapel once a year on Whit Monday. Katharina quietly sleeps below in the chapel’s dark crypt, surrounded by a massive white sarcophagus, where she patiently waited for Wilhelm to join her 45 years later. Their daughter, Marie, lies nearby and remains the only other soul in the tomb. Although the crypt is simple and unadorned in décor, the cast iron floor above allows light to pour in and paint decorative patterns on the cold stones that support the chapel’s foundation. Since this iron floor/ceiling lies right under the dome, the royal couple enjoys an everlasting view of the heavens.

In addition to being a monument of love and Italian architecture, the chapel is something of an acoustical phenomenon. Sounds originating in the crypt reverberate off the hard stone walls as well as travel up through the cast iron floor to bounce around the spacious dome. Secondary echoes from the crypt also travel skyward to create deafening slap-echoes which live several seconds before dissipating. This amazing sound effect brings an unusual energy and life to a place enveloped in death and remembrance.

On its isolated peak on Wuerttemberg Hill, the memorial chapel leaves the visitor with a profound sense of marital love. Visible from even miles away, the structure immortalizes one man’s devotion to his wife. Romantic, too in the sense that the pair have this secluded spot to themselves forever.

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Travel To Germany

July 9th, 2007 at 06:49am Under Germany

Are you planning a trip to Germany?

Germany is located in central Europe and stretches from the Alps in the south up to the North Sea in the North. It is bordered by Austria and Switzerland in the south; Poland and the Czech Republic in the east; France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands in the west; and Denmark in the North.

With some of the largest cities in Europe, Germany offers all travellers a unique experience.

The south of Germany is ideal for the outdoor and adventure type. Within Germany’s border lies a portion of the Alps’ Mountain range; two of Europe’s largest rivers: the Rhine and the Danube; and the scenic Black Forest.

In any of Germany‘s cities a relaxing holiday can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Their large cities are ideal for shoppers. Weekly markets are held in all towns and the Christmas markets usually start at the end of November.

The currency of Germany is the Euro, and visitors from outside the EU zone are entitled to a VAT refund on any non-edible goods that are bought in German shops.

The German people are known for their efficiency, and this is reflected right through their transport system. Their rail system is first class and makes travelling from city to city a true pleasure. Most of the large German cities have an underground rail system with a frequent snappy service.

The climate of Germany differs - in the east the summers are very warm and the winter months are very cold. In the north the weather is very cool during the summer and the winters stay mild.

Autumn is the most popular time to travel to Germany. Most German cities hold culture festivals during September and October. If you travel to Germany during the month of October make sure you visit the city of Munich - here you can experience the largest beer festival in the world and sample some of the best beers that are brewed in Germany.

Music festivals are normally held during the summer and autumn months. Special music festivals are held yearly for famous composers. For Beethoven the festival is normally held in Bonn and in the state of Thuringia a festival is normally held for Bach.

Winter holidays are extremely enjoyable in Bavaria, the largest of Germany’s 16 states, where you can enjoy a skiing break in the Alps and the Black Forest.

With over 2000 museums, Germany has a rich culture in art and literature. Eight Germans have won the Nobel Prize for literature. The month of October also holds another large festival - in the second week of October, Frankfurt holds the largest book fair in the world which attracts writers and publishers from all parts of the globe.

So if you are travelling to Germany you have 14 international airports to choose from - where connecting flights can be made to most German cities.

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