The first thing we saw as we entered the city center was what is known as the "Stone Bridge" - they were quite creative with that one, don't you think? Good thing though because I would likely have forgotten any other name. It spans the 'blue' Danube which is not particularly blue. It's actually rather greenish really. This bridge was built from 1135 to 1146 and apparently, at the time, was referred to as the eighth wonder of the world. There is a story that the superstitious regarded the bridge to be the work of the Devil because he assisted the builder in return for the first three souls of those who crossed it. The story goes that the builder cheated the devil by chasing a dog, a rabbit and a hen over it first. Pretty smart guy - I bet the devil was annoyed.
Right next to this bridge once you cross it is a historical sausage kitchen that has apparently been around since 1616. We stopped of course and sampled them - they were delicious.
The largest structure in the town is the Cathedral of St. Peter. It is massive and apparently when it was first being constructed it could have held three times the population of the city during that time. Construction began in 1254 and took roughly 600 years to complete.
St. Emmeram's Basilica received it's name from a traveling bishop who worked in Regensburg for 3 years and then was brutally murdered on a trip to Rome. His body was brought back and this Benedictine Monastery was built in his honor. It also housed a famous school of writing. There were crypts below that we check out as well.
(I stepped on this loose tile so I bent down to see how loose it was exactly. Mr X's friend was freaking out, thinking that I was planning on stealing it.)
This is where the former Bishop lived and made beer apparently, as there was a brewery here too. But in 1810 Regensburg became Bavarian property and so did this place. Now it is a restaurant but you can still buy the Bishop's beer here.
All in all, Regensburg is a lovely town and I really enjoyed it. I would have liked to spend more time exploring the Taxis place, but maybe next time. As it is, my feet hurt from walking so much and I have a lovely blood blister on each of my big toes for proof.
3 comments:
Hello, hello, hello. Why does the outside of a 1616 saugage building look so new?
Restoration maybe? Or I guess they've just taken care of it. By the way, I guess Mozart himself stayed in the back of the sausage kitchen for a bit when passing through Regensburg. (at least that's what they say) I forgot to mention that.
Hmm, that's odd. I can't imagine why anyone would think you would steal something from a church. (I am only teasing, of course.) Sounds like an interesting town. You guys are able to make every town appear captivating and yet slightly quirky. Keep up the good work.
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