Wurzburg

This day was a bit of a disappointment.  It seems Viking decided because it was Christmas and no one could shop, that no one would want to see the town of Rothenburg.  It is one of Germany’s most scenic routes.  It is  the best preserved medieval town in Germany with a 1.5 mile city wall from the middle ages.  The last time we tried to see it the river was low and they also cancelled it.  Writing a letter about this grrr.

We did however get to go to Wurtzburg.  There is only a tiny part of the palace that was not detroyed in WWII.  We got to go into those rooms, but could not take pictures because of the frescoes.  I have to think, “Hmm our tax dollars at work,” to have restored all of these palaces.

It was orginally built between 1720 and 1744 for the Prince Bishop Joahh Philipp Franz von Schonborn.  These Prince Bishops had both political and religious power which seemed to be quite a gravy train.  

Note: the dates on all the pictures are wrong.  I bought a “new used” camera and did not get it set right.  I wanted the dates  on the pictures because in the past when I took pictures my daughter called me a liar and accused me of buying all the pictures......so I allowed the dates and it is wrong so she will still say I lied about taking the pictures but ANYWAY!

 When coming for a visit with the Prince Bishop your carriage would approach the doors from the right.  Your status was dtermined by  how many horses pulled your carriage.  The doors would be opened to the right (the grand stairway would be on your left as your carriage entered)and your driver woudl make a U turn  placing you at the foot of the grand stair case.  The steps are low and gentle so that guests could easily ascend the long stairway in their finery a gowns.

 One third of the palace today is used for city offices, private business offices and university classrooms.

City of Wurzburg at the foot of the palace.

 You can see the Prince Bishop’s residence seeking over the city buildings.

The palace was built so that the Prince Bishop would not have to make the long commute from his residence.  This is what the old residence looks like from the Palace.

My Jim.  The trip was really hard for him.  

The first chance you get...HATE PARKINSON’S DISEASE.  It steals the very essence of a person’s being.  It is a long, sad painful process.

The best part of the palace for me was the incredible wine cellar deep below.  We sampled Germany’s renowned Reisling wine.  It was very good, however, I have to mention that the number 2 Reisling in the world is produced in the Coumbia Valley at the Cave B (Or is it B Cave) Winery in Quincy, Washington.   (Where my grandparents lived.

These pictures are not too good.  It was pouring rain outside.....they would not let us into the Christmas day mass.....so we drank Resisling.