Cruising along the Havel and then the Elbe Rivers, we came to Magdeburg.
We explored the Cathedral, the oldest Gothic church in Germany:
and I was fascinated by the Hundertwasser Citadel:
Designed by the Austrian artist/architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, a building for commercial and residential use, and known also as the Green Citadel, it was built in 2004/05. The quirky architecture surprises from every angle, and includes courtyards, shops, and 55 apartments. Hundertwasser believed in the existence of a close relationship between architectural design and the wellbeing of those living within a building. Concepts include 'tree obligation' and 'window rights' - there are even trees growing out of windows, and wildflower meadows on the roofs and slopes.
We found a model of the entire Citadel in a coffee shop. It covers about one city block:
Back on board...
and on to Lutherstadt Wittenberg:
Wittenberg University was made famous by its teachers, religious reformers Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon.
The Reformation started here on October 31, 1517, when Luther reputedly nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the wooden doors of the Castle Church:
We explored the preserved University and home of Luther and his wife Catherine..
who apparently are still walking around the city...
His personal hymn book
The lectern of the University..
The City Square...
And there was Luther on the river bank as we sailed on to Dresden...
Dresden, it is well-known, suffered much destruction of its Royal Palace and historic buildings during the last few months of World War II.
After German reunification, reconstruction began on the palace,the beautiful Frauenkirche, the Opera House, and the city centre..
including this fantastic mosaic mural of the Kings of Saxony
Frauenkirche..
and its beautiful interior..
The Semper Opera House, originally opened in 1841, razed to the ground in 1945, and opened again after reconstruction in 1985.
The dazzling interior, where we enjoyed The Marriage of Figaro
and so to bed....
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The Hundertwasser Citadel is truly a quirky and rather intriguing new building.
ReplyDeleteWhen I visited Germany I was amazed at all the wonderful churches there. For some reason they don't seem to figure much in the books I have read or on any TV programmes.
I am reminded that Lutherism reached our shores in the early 16th century.
By the way what does HB stand for in the comment you left on my blog? I feel that I should know, but don't.
Yes, there are many wonderful churches, and I enjoyed and photographed a great many of them. Particularly along the rivers, lovely little chapels and church spires appear across the countryside. I read that Reformation Day is now a public holiday in most parts of Germany.
DeleteApologies Rosemary, I have slipped into social media habits, using HB as shorthand for husband. It is insidious how it has crept into my life via Facebook etc.
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DeleteThat Opera House is gorgeous...it remoinds me of the Paris Opera House. What a beautiful place to visit...such interesting architecture.
ReplyDeleteYes, now you remind me, the Dresden Opera House does indeed look a lot like the one in Paris, both highly decorated in the Rococo style. We had an Architectural Historian with us for the whole tour and he was a wonderful guide. We learnt a great deal about the architecture of Germany and the Czech Republic.
DeleteLovely photos Patricia....quite a trip!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Linda:o)
Thank you Linda, it was a new experience for us, a challenge which we enjoyed very much.
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