Tom`s travels: Merseburg, Bad Kösen, Naumburg, Freyburg, & Weißenfels (30/04-01/05/2022)

On the last weekend in April, we decided to do a trip to Saxony Anhalt and visit a few towns along the way. Our first stop was the city of Merseburg, which we reached after switching trains once in the nearby city of Halle. After reaching the destination, we got off the train and continued on foot to explore the city center. We walked along the main street and reached then the Markt, the main square, shortly after. Most of it was surrounded by either modern buildings or reconstructed old buildings as the city was badly damaged during world war 2. On the northern side of the square was the Staupenbrunned, a nice 16th-century fountain. Walking onwards we then passed by the church of St Maximi, a late gothic structure with a tall neo-gothic spire, and behind it the renaissance old town hall. Following the street, we then came upon the Krummes Tor, a city gate that once belonged to the outermost of three wall rings of the Domburg, the fortification surrounding the city's cathedral and castle. Passing through the gate we then reached in fact the Domplatz. located on the highest point in town, where the Dom and Schloss are to be found. We first entered the castle's courtyard a renaissance-style palace that used to function as a royal palace, bishopric, and ducal residence. To the north of it was the Schloss Garten, the lovely palace garden now turned into a public park which we enjoyed strolling around after exiting the castle's courtyard. There were all kinds of flowers in bloom and some lovely blooming magnolia and cherry trees as well. Heading back then to the Domplatz we passed by the castle once more and found a large cage where a raven was kept. Apparently, an old legend recounts how Bishop Thilo von Trotha owned a golden signet ring and one morning left it by the open window and, after a short absence, noticed that the ring had disappeared. In his anger, he accused his longtime servant of theft. Although the servant protested his innocence, he had him executed. When the ring was later found in a raven's nest, Thilo von Trotha had a bird cage erected in the castle courtyard as a reminder not to pass judgment in a fit of anger, which a raven has since atoned for the theft. That seemed like a really bad excuse to now, in 2022, still hold a theft inside. There were even protests from animal rights activists in 2006 and the cage was expanded but still holds the raven inside. They could've just erected a statue or made a raven out of wood instead of keeping a live one caged. After that distressing sight, we went to visit the cathedral. Entry was unfortunately paid, and after getting the ticket, we entered the religious building. Originally built as a Romanesque building, the current aspect is that of a late Gothic structure from the end of the 15th century. The interior held a nice baptismal font from 1180, a hanging crucifix from around 1240, and a beautiful and large baroque organ from the beginning of the 18th century. After seeing the main part of the church, we visited the rest of the complex comprised of the nice cloister with some of its rooms containing the cathedral's treasury. After visiting the complex we then decided to head to the train station from where we took the next train to reach the town of Bad Kösen, about forty minutes southwest of Merseburg. Once we reached the town we continued on foot and visited the city center which was characterized by an amazing graduation tower, known in german as gradiewerk, a wooden wall-like frame stuffed with bundles of brushwood used in the production of salt which removes water from a saline solution by evaporation. I had never seen such a structure, even though there are quite some around Germany and Poland. It was quite interesting to see the water droplets dropping down from this huge and long wooden structure. At the end of it, we then continued walking and started following a trail that headed through the forest slightly uphill, eventually taking us to the nearby Rudelsburg castle. This ruined fortification sits on the edge of a cliffside overlooking the Saale river in a really scenic location. The castle was built in the Middle Ages by the Bishop of Naumburg and served to secure trade routes such as the Via Regia through the Saale Valley before being destroyed in the Thirty Years' War and thereafter falling into disrepair. At the beginning of the 19th century, Rudelsburg became a popular tourist destination thanks to the romanticization of mountains and old ruins and the rise of hiking as a pastime. As we reached it in fact we found it quite full as it features a restaurant and beer garden inside, and there were also some tents set up and people dressed up in medieval attire practicing sword fighting. From the castle, we then continued on the trail and reached then the nearby Saaleck Castle, which we had seen from above the Rudelsburg. Also partly in ruins, the fortification features two keep towers, one of which could be climbed to the top. After paying the entry fee, I climbed to the top, while Ania waited downstairs, and admired the nice view from there. After the visit we then walked down from the castle and into the small village of Saaleck; from there we then followed the main road and reached once again Bad Kösen, from where we eventually took the train to nearby Naumburg. Once there we then headed to visit the city center on foot from the train station, reaching then the central square, the Marktplatz, surrounded by nice old buildings from different periods. Just next to the square was the church of St. Wenzel. a late gothic building from the 15th century that was unfortunately closed. From there we then walked further through the town, reaching then the highlight and main monument of the city, the Naumburg Cathedral. The church building, most of which dates back to the 13th century, is a renowned landmark of the German late Romanesque and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018. After paying a heft entrance ticket, 7.5 euros, we entered through the southern transept which featured a large and nice Romanesque portal. We then started by visiting the crypt first, the oldest part of the building, added to the early Romanesque church during the 12th century. It was quite large and featured some nice column capitals and a very old wooden crucifix. From the crypt, we headed back up and visited the eastern choir. The particular thing about the Naumburg Cathedral, like other romanesque churches in the area, is that it features two choirs at each end, east, and west, and thus does not have a facade. The east choir was made into high gothic around 1330 replacing the older Romanesque one but still features the older hall rood screen from 1230. In the apse was also a nice crucifix, the tomb of Bishop Dietrich II, and a curious capital on the north side of the east choir featuring two monkeys playing chess. From the east choir, we then traversed the length of the Cathedral and reached the west choir, dating to the mid-13th century in early-Gothic style. The west choir also featured a rod screen, called Westlettner, that presented sculptures from the Passion of Christ, most of which are still colored. Behind the rod screen, the apse featured the Stifterfiguren, or donor figures, by the artist known as the Master of Naumburg. The sculptures were created in the middle of the 13th century and depict important figures such as Countess Uta von Ballenstedt and Margrave Ekkehard II of Meissen. For early Gothic sculptures, these figures are extremely realistic and show a large amount of individual detail. Together with the figures from the rod screen they are probably the best-known work of art in the cathedral and are often referred to as the best-known work of early Gothic sculpture in Germany. After visiting the rest of the church, including some side chapels, we then saw the nice cloister from where we could appreciate the entirety of the cathedral's imposing structure. In one of the cloister's rooms, we then saw some of the old treasures and sculptures of the Cathedral and completed then the tour of the complex. From the cathedral we then continued on foot through the rest of the city center, passing once again by the main square and through some side streets, including the picturesque Judengasse. We also passed by the Nietzsche-Haus, a museum dedicated to the life and work of Friedrich Nietzsche, who spent most of his childhood and youth in Naumburg. Further on we also passed by the small Mary Magdalene church, and the Marientor, the only surviving medieval city gate. Finally, we then decided to look for a place for dinner and ended up choosing the Kanzlei Café, right on the eastern side of the main square. Here I had a wheat beer and goulash with potato dumplings and red cabbage while Ania had a quinoa curry dish. After dinner, we then walked to the train station from where Ania then took her train back to Berlin as she was joining me just for that one day. I, on the other hand, walked to the nearby Center Hotel Kaiserhof, where I checked in my room and after a shower went to bed ready for more visiting the next day.

In the morning, I woke up a little later, and after having breakfast in the hotel, walked through the city center once again. After crossing it all I then continued walking eastwards, along the Saale river, for several kilometers until I reached the nearby village of Schönburg, which featured its nice medieval castle on a hilltop, the Burg Schönburg. Built during the 12th century, on commission by the bishops of Naumburg, it is one of several castles the bishops owned in the surrounding territory to secure their assets. After a quick stroll around the village and admiring the view of the river and surrounding landscape from the castle, I then walked back the way I came and after a few kilometers reached Naumburg once again. Here I then got on a train that took me to the nearby town Freyburg, which I did not expect to find so full of people. This was because on that day there was a celebration known as the Freyburger Weinfrühling, or Freyburg Wine Spring, a celebration for wine, which is very characteristic and important for the town. In fact, all around the city center, on the south-facing slopes of the ridge on which Freyburg is built, it is full of vineyards which at that time of the year start to show their leaves. This is the northernmost wine region in Germany and one of the northernmost in Europe. After getting off the train and continuing on foot, I walked over the bridge crossing the Unstrut river, and entered the old town. I first had a quick stroll, passing the remains of the medieval walls, through the main square, the Markt, and past the main church, St Marien, which was closed. Originally a Romanesque basilica from the 13th century, it was rebuilt during the 15th century in a mix of romanesque and gothic which closely resembled the cathedral of Naumburg. From the church, I then started the ascent of the nearby hill, at the top of which was the impressive Schloss Neuenburg. Dating between the 11th and 13th centuries, it is one of the most remarkable and large castles in the country. Once there, I paid the entry ticker and visited the castle complex; I started out with the castle chapel, known as a double chapel due to its height comprising two stories of the building in which it is housed, it was built in two sections, a lower romanesque style and an upper gothic one. After that, I continued through the rest of the rooms, including a medieval tower with the overhanging toilet still preserved and several historical rooms with antique furniture. I also particularly like the large rococo ballroom decorated with nice elegant fittings. Once the visit to the interior was over, I then headed out to see the rest of the complex, including the nice inner courtyard and the castle's cellar with a smallò exhibition on the region's wine, as the cellar was used and partly still used, to hold wine barrels. The sun was now out and had warmed the temperature; from the castle's outer wall ring, I was able to admire the beautiful view of the surrounding hilly landscape, with the old town and the river below and the vineyards and fields scattered all around. Right behind the castle I then passed by the Dicker Wilhelm, a thick round tower once part of the castle keep. A ticket was required to climb to its top so I decided to skip it and continue on. I then walked back to town and enjoyed one last stroll around the city center, passing by the area where some stands were set up for the wine festival selling wine and food. Then I was off to the train station where I then got a ride that took me to the last city on the trip: Weißenfels. After reaching the destination, from the train station, I headed on foot crossing the pedestrian bridge, Pfennigbrücke, across the Saale river and reached the old town. I first passed through the large central square, the Markt, surrounded by nice buildings including the baroque town hall, and the church of St Mary. The latter is the city's main church, rebuilt during the 15th century after the Hussite Wars in a gothic style with a 17th-century bell tower. Unfortunately, the church was closed so that meant continuing my walk through the rest of the old town. I decided then to head up the hill which dominates the city center on the southern part, on top of which was the Schloss Neu-Augustusburg. This grand castle was the residence of the Dukes of Sachsen-Weißenfels from 1680 to 1746 and is now a baroque palace holding a museum inside. The museum inside, which I then decided to visit, was not particularly interesting and featured some rooms detailing the town's local history. Apparently, Weißenfels had an important shoe manufacturing industry, which was well shown through the exhibits. Noteworthy though was the visit to the palace chapel dedicated to the Trinity, which was included in the ticket. A friendly worker of the museum, who told me he was from Afghanistan and was the only one in the whole building who could speak English, brought me then to the chapel to visit it. The interior, which was not apparent from the outside as the palace facade continued without revealing the presence of a church, was really impressive. It featured a large single nave with impressive early baroque decorations and stuccoes from Italian masters and featured an organ from 1673 and the main altar. After the visit to the church, I left the castle grounds and headed just outside the city center where I reached the Bismarckturm, an early 20th-century tower like many others around the country dedicated to the German chancellor. Here I admired the panorama over the Saale river, before then heading back toward the city center. Finally, after one last stroll through the old town, I once again reached the train station from where I eventually took my ride back to Berlin.