It took me sometime to figure out the name of this church in Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany. I tried to enlarge the image in my file and finally saw the name in front of it. This is the Collegiate Church of St. John the Evangelist named after its patron saint.

Since this is the last Thursday of the year which also means that 2011 is almost ending, I would like to greet everyone a

I can't exactly remember how many times I did visited this city. I am quite sure more than ten times already. I never drive there but instead I always take the train. It is cheaper and I don't have stress driving. Sometimes, you also have a difficulty of finding a parking space.

Nuremberg (Nürnberg in German) is a city in the state of Bavaria, Germany and the largest city in the Franconia region. The city has a lot of sights to visit. Among the few are; the Nuremberg Castle, St Sebaldo Church,Frauenkirche (Our Lady's Church),Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Tiergarten Nürnberg (zoo in Nuremberg), (St. Lorenz church and a lot more.

Here are some of the few images I took during one of my visits.

The Gothic church, St Lorenz-Kirche (St. Lorenz church, St. Laurence), one of the most important buildings in Nuremberg. The main body was built around 1270-1350.

Heilig-Geist-Spital (English: Hospice of the Holy Spirit). It is located in the centre of the city, on the bank of the river Pegnitz. The Hospital of the Holy Spirit was founded in 1332. This is one of the largest hospitals of the Middle Ages. Lepers were kept here at some distance from the other patients. It now houses elderly persons and a restaurant.

Let's visit this time the south-west part of Bavaria, Germany. It's been a year now since we visited Augsburg. We only had a day-trip that time which is not really enough to see everything. At least, we saw some of its main sights like the Augsburg Rathaus (City Hall), Schaetzlerpalais, Jacob Gate, Church of St. Jacob, St. Ulrich Church and other sights and monuments in this city.

Augburg is known to be a university town. It is Germany's third oldest city, after Neuss and Trier.



Jacob Fugger: March 6, 1459 – December 30, 1525

Born into a prominent Augsburg merchant family, in his time he was Europe’s wealthiest merchant and banker. Through the clever exploitation of mineral rights, his firm held a monopoly on the European copper market and thus laid the groundwork for the prosperity and international standing of the Fugger family business. In 1511, he was elevated to the nobility.

As a banker, Jakob Fugger served members of the nobility, the European royal families and the Catholic Church. He financed wars and ascents to the monarchy and consequently achieved rapid growth and considerable political influence for his business. Even by today’s standards, his wealth was unfathomably immense—thus earning for himself the sobriquet of “Jakob the Rich”. Largely due to him, during that time Augsburg stood in the center of world affairs. augsburg.de

Volksfeste or festivals or fairs in Bavaria, Germany is already a long tradition. So is the same with Jura Volksfest in Neumarkt in Upper Palatinate, Bavaria. It is said that the first Volksfest in this city started sometime in 1829. After that the said festival did not happened from time to time. Inspite of that the Neumarkter Volksfest has been the largest fair in this city. Since 1954, it was named Jura Volksfest.

More than 200,000 visitors from around the area and other neighboring towns and cities come to take part of this famous fair. It is an eleven-days festival. For this year's celebration, it will run from August 12-22. It already started yesterday and was opened by its Mayor Thomas Thumann.

The highlight of the festival will be a parade on May 14, 2011 in the Altstadt or Old City with the Motto, "Neumarkt i.d. Opf.-Starke Stadt" which translate in English as, "Neumarkt in Upper Palatinate- a Strong City"

Neumarkt, a city in Oberpfalz or Upper Palatinate in Bavaria, Germany celebrates Jura Volksfest every year. It is an annual festival which has a long tradition which begun in 1829. Since 1954, this fair is called Jura Volksfest.

The highlight of the celebration is the Festzug or parade around the Altstadt or Old City. During the parade, you can see participants wearing the traditional Bavarian costumes, for the men are the Lederhosen (leather pants) and for the women are the Dirndl. Horse carriages, floats and bands are always present during the said parade.

This year's celebration will takes place on August 12-22, 2011.

We went to this city almost two years ago to experience its famous festival called the Gäubodenvolksfest. It is held annually during the month of August. The Gäubodenvolksfest in Straubing is the second largest genuine folk festival in Bavaria, Germany, after the Munich Oktoberfest.

Straubing a city in Lower Bavaria in the southern part of Germany. This is a historical city conquest by the Romans in 16-14 BC. Until today, you can still see many traces of the 400-year Roman occupation such as the 'Römerschatz' or the roman treasure.

I hope to visit this city again in the future..maybe during its Gäubodenvolksfest this year. I will see.



Some of the famous sight to see are the following:

The Romanesque Church of St. Peter (12th century)
The gothic City tower (begun in 1316)
The gothic town hall
The medieval ducal castle Herzogsschloss (begun in 1356)
The gothic Basilica of St. Jacob (present-day church begun in 1393)
The Church St. Vitus (St. Veit) - home of the oldest still existing Confraternity in Germany, the
The Carmelite Monastery and Church Holy Spirit (since 1368; by Hans von Burghausen - the only monastery which survived the dissolution of 1802) The monks support especially Palestinian Christians
Church St.Ursula (Ursulinenkirche) of the Asam brothers
The baroque Trinity Column at Theresienplatz
The Water Tower

Munich is the capital of Bavaria, the biggest state of Germany. It is the third largest city of Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. This city is well known for its architecture and culture. It is also very famous for hosting the world's biggest fair, the Oktoberfest. In 2010, Monocle ranked Munich as the world's most livable city.

I believed, Munich has everything to offer to its tourists and visitors. It has numerous museums and galleries, amazing architecture, parks, palaces and castles, night life and so many things to see and experience in this cosmopolitan city. Always remember, that a day-visit in Munich is not enough to see and experience everything. That is also the reason why I visit this city some times in a year.

Bamberg is a city in the Upper Franconian part of Bavaria, Germany. This is a very interesting city with all its historical architecture and monuments. The whole town of Bamberg is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The best way to explore the Altstadt or Old city is by walking. Here is a picturesque of the Little Venice in Bamberg. We had a trip there last October 2010. It is such a very interesting city to visit in Bavaria.

Bamberg belongs to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage site due to its historical medieval setting. It is a city located in Upper Franconia in he state of Bavaria, Germany. One of its famous sights include its historical cathedral. Bamberg Cathedral was built in 1237 with its Romanesque style. It contains the tombs of emperor Henry II and Pope Clement II.



The cathedral is a late Romanesque building with four grand towers. It was founded in 1004 by the emperor Henry II, finished in 1012 and consecrated on May 6, 1012. It was later partially destroyed by fire in 1081. The new cathedral, built by Saint Otto of Bamberg, was consecrated in 1111 and in the 13th century received its present late-Romanesque form.

The cathedral is 94 m (308 ft) long, 28 m (92 ft) broad, 26 m (85 ft) high, and the four towers are each about 81 m (266 ft) high. Of its many historic works of art may be mentioned the magnificent marble tomb of the founder and his wife, considered the masterpiece of the sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider, and carved between 1499 and 1513. Another treasure of the cathedral is an equestrian statue known as the Bamberg Horseman (German: Der Bamberger Reiter). This statue, possibly belonging to the emperor Conrad III, most likely dates to approximately 1200. The statue also serves as a symbol of the city. more about Bamberg

Let's travel and explore Germany again. This time, we will visit one of the historical structures in Bavaria, Germany. I am featuring the Befreiungshalle, called in English as the Hall of Liberation. It is a historical classical monument upon Mount Michelsberg above the city of Kelheim in Bavaria. It stands upstream of Regensburg on the river Danube at the confluence of the Danube and the Altmühl, i.e. the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal.

I had seen this monument for a lot of times especially when we visit Kelheim but it is only one time that I was inside of this building. We had a visit here last 2007 and I am thankful that I was able to save the images that I had taken.



King Ludwig I of Bavaria ordered the Befreiungshalle to be built in order to commemorate the victories against Napoleon during the Wars of Liberation that lasted from 1813 to 1815.

The construction was started in 1842 by Friedrich von Gärtner in a mixture of classical and Christian styles. At the behest of the King, Leo von Klenze altered the plans and completed the building in 1863. The ceremonial opening took place on October 18, 1863 - the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Nations (Völkerschlacht) near Leipzig.

The following dictum by King Ludwig I, embedded into the marble floor, commemorates the occasion of the construction of the Befreiungshalle:

DEN TEUTSCHEN

BEFREIUNGSKAEMPFERN

LUDWIG I

KOENIG VON BAYERN

(To the German

Liberation Fighters

Ludwig I

King of Bavaria)

Bamberg is a city in Upper Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. This city was not destroyed during the World War II bombing because there was an Artillery Factory nearby which prevented planes from getting near this city. This city is very famous to American people because there is a U.S. Army Base outside of the citiy. Bamberg is included in the list of the UNESCO World Heritage since 1993.

I have below an image of the Altes Rathaus, known in English as the Old City Hall. It is also known as the island or bridge town hall since it was built on an artificial island in the river and is connected to the banks by two bridges each. Its construction was mentioned in 1386. It was built in the middle of the Regnitz River.

Altes Rathaus (former city hall), the Old Town Hall in Bamberg with both bridges.

This is the Festung Marienberg, called in English as Fortress Marienberg. It is a famous landmark on the Main river in Würzburg, in the state of Bavaria, Germany. Now it is use as a park and museum.

Here are some images I took last August 2010.

In 704 A.D., the Marienkirche was built atop a former Celtic shelter, and in the 13th century it was surrounded by the first fortification. In 1482, the main castle was encircled by a medieval ring wall with the Scherenberg gate. Some of the parts of the fortress accessible to the public are the Scherenberg-Tor (Gate) the Burgfried (keep), a chapel, a well house and Fürstenbaumuseum (Bibra Stairs / Lorenz von Bibra apartments, and the Julius Echter apartments).
wikipedia

Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated at the confluence of Danube and Regen rivers. It has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage since 2006.

I have below some images of the Old Town Hall of Regensburg. Its constructions have evolved in the 13th centruy.




Today the buildings can be roughly divided into three parts: the centre is formed by the old patrician castle, consisting of the tower and the great hall to the west of it. On the left there is the building used by the Imperial Diet with the city scribe's house, and on the right the Baroque town hall. The oldest part is the former patrician castle with a high tower.

This is the Schöner Brunnen or Beautiful Fountain in Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany. It was built around 1385. It is located in the Hauptmarkt or main market where you can also see the famous market of the ginger bread. It is said that the original one can be found in Germanisches Nationalmuseum in this city and the one that you can see now in the Hauptmarkt is its replica.

I had a great time with friends today. We made a trip to Nürnberg or Nuremberg, a city in the state of Bavaria, Germany. We made a little sightseeing and shopping too. I don't plan to go shopping today but I ended up buying some winter boots that are on sale. It was a wonderful day despite the raindrops the whole day.

Here is one of the images I took during our visit today in this Franconian City. This is called the Ehekarussel, known in English as Marriage Carousel. It was created by Jürgen Weber in 1984 according to a poem by Hans Sachs. That is also the reason why it is also named as Hans Sachs Brunnen or Hans Sachs Fountain.

this is a heart -shaped stone in front of the Marriage Carousel where you can read the poem of Hans Sachs in German language.
The Ehekarussel is a modern fountain located near the Weisser Turm or White Tower, one of the gate towers of the older town fortification in Nuremberg.

Bamberg is a city in Upper Franconia in the state of Bavaria, Germany. It is located on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is an old and historical town and belongs to the list of UNESCO World Heritage due to its original appearance and structure. Its name has known its origin from the House of Babenberg.

There is also an American Base in the area. That is also the reason why there are thousands of foreigners living here and most of them are Americans and their dependents.

Some sights of the city include the Old Town Hall, Klein Venedig or the Little Venice, St. Martin Church, St. Peters and George Cathedral, Geyerswörth Castle, Maximiliansplatz, Green Market and some other more.

Below is an image of the Old Town Hall taken during our visit last Oct. 9, 2010.

Oktoberfest, one of Germany's famous fair and the world's biggest festival is coming soon! This fair usually runs from late September to early October every year in Munich, the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. This year's Oktoberfest celebration will take place from September 18- October 3, 2010. This year is a special event because it is the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest. It is said that around six million people visit this famous festival every year. The festival is held on an area called the Theresienwiese (field, or meadow, of Therese), often called d’ Wiesn for short.

For those who love to drink beer, this year's price of 1-liter Mass Krug ranges from €8.30–8.90. Don't forget to try some German delicacies and traditional food when you visit this festival. To name a few are Hendl (chicken), Schweinsbraten (roast pork), Haxn (pork knuckle), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), Sauerkraut or Blaukraut (red cabbage) along with such Bavarian delicacies as Obatzda (a fatty, spiced cheese-butter concoction), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Würstl (sausages) along with Brezn (Pretzel), Knödel (potato or bread dumplings), Kasspatzn (cheese noodles) and a lot more.

Here are some of the snapshots taken by me and hubby during our visit last 2009. Don't forget, it is starting soon this coming Saturday.


Hippodrom – One of the smaller tents, it's the first tent that many visitors see at the fest. As well as serving normal Wiesn beer, it has a Sekt (sparkling wine) bar and Maß of Weißbier. Considered one of the trendiest tents, and attracts the occasional celebrity. Traditionally in the evening the Oktoberfest band the Münchner Zwietracht plays all the Oktoberfest classics.

The Regensburg Cathedral or Regensburger Dom (in German) is considered to be the most important church and landmark of the city of Regensburg. It is also an example of Gothic architecture in southern Germany.

Here are some images I took during our visit last week.


A first bishop's church was built around 700, at the site of the present-day cathedral parish church Niedermünster (St. Erhard's tomb). Around 739, St. Boniface chose the area of the Porta Praetoria (North Gate of the old Roman fort) for the bishop's seat, and the site of the cathedral has remained there since. The Cathedral was rebuilt in Carolingian times and expanded in the early 11th century , with an approximately 15-meter-wide transept, two towers and an atrium.

In 1156-1172 the edifice burnt twice, and was also rebuilt starting from 1273 in High Gothic style. The three choirs of the new cathedral were ready for use in 1320, while the old cathedral was demolished at the same time. In 1385-1415 the elaborate main entrance to the west was completed, with the most of the new edifice being finished around 1520; the cloister was constructed in 1514-1538. more infos here

I finally had the chance to visit the city of Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany for the second time last August 24, 2010. The first time I paid a visit in this city was last 2008. One of the images I took is the Kilian Fountain located in front of the Banhhof or train station. I did not noticed this fountain during my first visit. It is probably because we did not pass-by this area during that time. The fountain is adorned with beautiful flowers around.

Let's go travel and explore again Germany! How about visiting and seeing this time one of Munich's famous sights? You can see in my picture below the Marienplatz, also called in English as Mary's Square or Our Lady's Square. Since 1158 this place becomes the city center in Munich, Germany. I have been to this capital city of Bavaria for more than three times already. I took this photo below during our visit last September 2008. You can also see part of Mariensäule or Marian Column in the picture where the flowers are.

In the Middle Ages markets and tournaments were held in this city square. Marienplatz was named after the Mariensäule, a Marian column erected in its centre in 1638 to celebrate the end of Swedish occupation. Today the Marienplatz is dominated by the New City Hall (Neues Rathaus) on the north side. The Glockenspiel in the tower of the new city hall was inspired by these tournaments, and draws millions of tourists a year. At the east side Munich's Old City Hall (Altes Rathaus) is located. It's a gothic council hall and ballroom and tower, which have been reconstructed.

The pedestrian zone between Karlsplatz and Marienplatz is a crowded area with numerous shops and restaurants. wikipedia