Königslutter am Elm & Helmstedt (17/06/2023)

On a sunny weekend day in mid-June, I decided to visit a couple of cities southwest of Berlin. I took a train and then reached the city of Magdeburg, and as I had a long layover before my next train, I decided to head through the city center and visit the Cathedral once again. Unfortunately, as I got there I found it closed, and decided I would come back later on my return. After getting back to the train station I took a ride to the first town on the trip, Königslutter am Elm. Once there I first traversed the pretty old town on foot, admiring the nice timber-framed architecture typical of this town. After walking some streets I reached the southern end of town where I then proceeded to visit the Kaiserdom, a former Benedictine abbey church later turned into an Imperial Cathedral. The building was in fact founded in 1135 by the Holy Roman Emperor Lothair III, in a Romanesque style, and is one of the largest buildings in Northern Germany measuring 75m in length and 18m in height. The cathedral was inspired by medieval Italian models with an active presence of Comacine masters, such as a certain Nicolaus of Verona. The influence of these masters can be seen especially in the execution of the portals and the decorative relief apparatus, which has parallels in Italian religious buildings in the cities of Verona, Piacenza, and Modena. Another characteristic feature of this building is the presence of the Westwerk, an architectural construction typical of the medieval world in the Carolingian tradition. The interior quite simple in style, as is typical in Romanesque architecture, was refurbished and painted during the 19th century giving it a more modern look. At the center of the nave were the tombs of Lothar, his wife Richenza, and their son-in-law Henry X. I also visited the annexed cloister, with beautiful columns and decorated capitals. Once I was done visiting the cathedral I exited the building and went around it admiring its beautiful romanesque structure, with the decorated friezes, holding animal and anthropomorphic figures, and the portal with the two stone lions, typically influenced by those found in Northern Italian cathedrals. Walking back through town I then stopped at the main square with its picturesque building around its perimeter. On the northern end of the square was the town hall, and behind it, the Stadtkirche, a 12th-century church, renovated during the 18th century but which kept its original Romanesque stone tower. After the visit to the church I then headed to the train station where I took a ride to the nearby city of Helmstedt. Once there I first directed myself to the church of St Stephen, a gothic three-aisled basilica from the 14th century. Its interior mostly held Renaissance and Baroque furniture and decoration, such as the pulpit, altar, and organ, and also featured a striking brass baptismal font from 1590. Once outside the church, I continued on my walk passing by some nice old houses, many of which with decorated timber framings. I then reached the main square surrounded by buildings, including the neo-renaissance town hall from 1906. Continuing onwards I passed a picturesque street with more timber-framed houses and then came upon the Juleum, a late 16th century Weser Renaissance building. This used to be the lecture hall and library building of the Helmstedt University, a university which existed from 1576 until 1810. Unfortunately, the whole building was covered in scaffolding so I could not appreciate its beautiful architecture. Moving on I walked through some side streets, passing then under the nice Hausmannsturm, d the only surviving city gate of Helmstedt, once part of the medieval fortifications that encircled the old town. Once outside the city center, I walked westwards for a few minutes until I reached the Kloster Marienberg, a former Augustinian monastery. Located on a small hill, it was founded in the 12th century and still features a mostly Romanesque look with some Gothic additions, particularly in the apse, and later modifications such as the tower and interiors. Nowadays it is used by an evangelical congregation and was closed during my visit. Back in the city center, I continued my visit, passing by a house where the Italian philosopher and cosmological theorist Giordano Bruno, lived during his time teaching at the University of Halmstedt. Walking on I then reached another important monastery, the Kloster St. Ludgeri. This former Benedictine abbey was founded by St Ludger in 800 A.D. and held much power and land, extending in a large area just east of the old town of Helmstedt. Nowadays, much of its grandeur was lost and a road cuts right through its middle, next to the main church building. It is used by a catholic congregation and holds offices so I could not visit the surviving Romanesque church itself unfortunately. Another surviving feature of the former monastery complex is the Türkentor, a triumphal arch that once served as the main entrance built in 1716 to celebrate the victory over the Ottomans by Prince Eugene of Savoy at the Battle of Petrovaradin. It was then time to head back to the station, which I reached shortly after so that I could take the next train to Magdeburg. Once there, as I had to wait for the next one to Berlin, I decided to try again to visit the cathedral. I found it open this time and once again visited this striking gothic cathedral, one of the nicest north of the Harz. After the wonderful visit, I headed back to the train station finally able to reach Berlin. 

A street in the old town of Königslutter am Elm

The interior of the Kaiserdom 

Decorations inside the church

The cloister

View of the westwerk from the cloister

View of the imperial cathedral

A timber-framed house

The Am Markt

A street in the old town of Helmstedt

The interior of the St Stephani church

Another view of the old town

A street with timber-framed houses

Another street in the old town

The Hausmannsturm

The Kloster Marienberg

Yet another street in the old town

The Helmstedt university buildings

The main square

Another view of the main square

The Madgeburg Cathedral

Hike around Schwielowsee and Templinersee (12/06/2023)

On a sunny afternoon after work, I decided to do a hike around a couple of lakes close to Potsdam. I took a train and after switching in Potsdam took a bus which brought me to the village of Geltow. Once I got off I started hiking by following the northern bank of the Schwielowsee, a relatively large lake southwest of Potsdam. As I walked I admired some nice poppy fields, though, as it hadn't rained in a long time, and the grass around them was already dry and yellow as if it was the end of summer instead. Walking further I then reached the Schloss Petzow, an early 19th century neoclassical palace designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel. I moved on following the path southward along the lake bank. The path led me through a small forest before crossing through a camping ground and another sparse village, Mittelbusch. At that point, I reached the southwestern tip of the lake where the village of Schwielowsee, which gave its name to the lake, is set. After walking through the path then left the lakeside and headed slightly uphill through a nice forest. Walking for quite some time like that I eventually came in sight of another settlement, the town of Caputh. I walked along the pretty waterfront, a canal that connects Schwielowsee to the next lake, Templinersee. Walking along the water I eventually reached a nice secluded grassy beach among the pretty housed where I decided to take a break. I took off my clothes and then went swimming in the nice warm waters of the lake. After the break, I walked onwards and came upon the Schloss Caputh, a 17th-century baroque palace right next to the lake. It is the oldest castle in the cultural landscape of Potsdam that has been preserved since the time of the Great Elector Frederick William. The castle itself was already closed but the park around it was open until sunset. I continued onward heading through more houses until I reached the forest once again. Right here a house stood out among the rest as it was Einstein’s Summerhouse, a place where he spent most of his time between April and November from 1929 to 1932. From the house, I entered the forest and walked along a nice peaceful path until I reached another beach on the lake. After stopping briefly for a photo I then headed back into the forest and onwards on my hike. Several kilometers later I eventually reached the suburb of Potsdam, walking until I reached the train station from where I then took a ride into Berlin.

Poppy fields along the way

A country road

View of the Schwielowsee

Schloss Petzow

The tiny lake near the palace

Boats on the Schwielowsee 

A trail through the forest

The canal connecting Schwielowsee to Templinersee

The small beach on the Templinersee

Schloss Caputh

Another forest trail

Neuglobsow to Fürstenberg hike (11/06/2023)

On another sunny June day, Francesco, his flatmate, and I decided to go on a hike close to Berlin. We picked an area close to Fürstenberg/Havel which we reached quickly after taking a train from the city center. Once there we got on a bus and shortly after reached the village of Neuglobsow. We started our hike from there which initially took us to the bank of the Großer Stechlinsee, a large lake with a maximum depth of 69.5 meters, making it the deepest lake in the State of Brandenburg. We first stopped at the small beach close to the village where already some people were enjoying the warmth and sun of the day taking a swim in the rather crystal clear of the lake. From that point, we started following a path that led us westwards following the lake's bank. The path continued through a nice deciduous forest made up of tall lush beech trees as well as oaks and some pines too. We followed the path enjoying the beautiful nature surrounding us. Walking as so for a few hours we then decided to stop to take a break admiring the striking colors of the lake's water and enjoying our lunch which we had brought with us from home. Eventually, after walking nearly the whole perimeter of the lake, we left the water behind us, hiking slightly uphill through a mostly pine forest to reach the smaller lake, Peetschsee. Here we followed its southern bank through another nice forest path until we reached a small beach on its eastern bank. We stopped there, where a young couple from Berlin was also hanging out, and decided to have a swim in the nice water. The temperature was rather warm and swimming quite enjoyable. After a nice break drying out in the sun where I think all three of us fell asleep at one time, we then got back on the track. We walked a little further into the forest, covering the last few kilometers along the southern bank of yet another lake, Röblinsee before eventually reaching the town of Fürstenberg. Here we eventually caught the train that would bring us back to Berlin after a nice successful 25km hike.

The beach near the village of Neuglobsow

The forest path

The crystal clear waters of the Großer Stechlinsee

Another view of the lake

Another section of the forest path

The northern section of the lake

Pine trees along the way

The beach at Peetschsee

Werben & Havelberg (10/06/2023)

On a sunny early June weekend, Ania and I decided to do a day trip and visit a couple of towns west of Berlin. After taking a train and then a bus we reached the first town, Werben, a former member of the Hanseatic League despite its distance from the sea. Being right on the Elbe River meant the town had easy access to the sea and trading with other Hanseatic cities such as Hamburg. Walking through the small old town we first reached the church of St John, originally dating to the 12th century but built in its current brick gothic form between the 14th and 15th centuries. Its interior holds a series of medieval stained glass windows, a beautiful 15th-century Gothic winged altar, a brass baptismal font from 1489, and a baroque organ. After visiting the church we continued our walk passing by some nice examples of timber-framed houses, many of which with roses and other flowers adorning their fronts and facades making them look even prettier. We reached the central and main square, the Markplatz, with low houses and the unassuming small town hall. Behind it was the so-called Salzkirche, formally known as the St. Spiritus chapel, once belonging to the Holy Spirit hospital founded in 1313. Its current appearance took place in the 15th century, and only the apse and half of the building was completed. Right above it was a stork nest with either one of the parents patiently waiting for its partner to bring back food for its chicks. Not too far we walked through the Elbtor, the only remaining of five city gates, built around 1470 in a Gothic style. Next to it was a wooden pole where another pair of storks had made their nest, with their chicks nearly fully grown already. At that point, we decided to walk through the countryside to the next town, Havelberg. We left Werben behind us following a cycling path that eventually took us along the bank of the Elbe River. After some time, we stopped on a small sandy beach by the water where we ate the lunch we had brought along with us. Once done, we continued along the path and eventually reached a point on the river where we were able to take a ferry to cross over to the other side. We had to wait a little while, while some cars were ferried over to our side. Then once on, we paid the pedestrian price, 1 euro 50, and crossed over. On the other side, we walked a little more until we finally reached the town of Havelberg. This too used to belong to the Hanseatic League, being located on the Havel River, right before it joins the Elbe. We first stopped at a modern-looking wooden building, the Haus der Flüsse, which held inside a small museum/information center about the Natura 2000 Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve. From there we continued on and reached the old town, walking through the pretty streets and alleyways lined by old houses and buildings from different time periods. We reached the parish church of St. Laurentius, built in a Gothic style during the 14th century but it was unfortunately closed. We continued on our walk and then left the little island surrounded by the Havel River, which held the majority of the old town and crossed over to the northern part on the other side of the river. This small part is located partly on a sloping hill over the river, at the top of which stands the Cathedral which we then reached. This beautiful and large building is one the best examples of Romanesque and early Gothic religious buildings in the country, particularly east of the Elbe. It dates to the 12th century and was expanded and refurbished between the 13th and 14th centuries. Its core and nave are Romanesque, with softly rounded arches and thick pillars, while the vaulted ceiling arches, exterior, and striking 30m high Westwork are Gothic. Once inside we marveled at its size and beauty, with a tall, long, and airy main nave, sided by lower minor naves. Particularly noteworthy was the richly decorated rood screen made in sandstone with several figures separating the apse and with a large crucifix hanging above it. Behind it were carved choir stalls from the 14th century, a baroque altar, a Renaissance baptismal font, and the tomb of bishop Johann Wopelitz. Additionally, there were also some nicely made stained glass windows from the 14th and early 15th century. Finally, we finished the visit by walking around the nice cloister, located on the southern side of the cathedral, where they were setting up a stage for a multi-day event to take place in the coming days. After the visit, it was time for us to head back, so we took a bus and eventually reached the town of Glöwen where we then took a train to Berlin from its train station. 

The old town of Werben

The interior of the church of St. John

The Gothic winged altarpiece

A street in the old town

View of the Salzkirche

The Elbtor

The countryside along the way

Elbe River bank

View of Havelberg

A street in the old town

The church of St. Laurentius

Another street in the old town

The Cathedral on top of the hill

The Cathedral westwork

View of the old town

The interior and chancel

The presbitery