It was three months ago when we visited this town in Bavaria, Germany. Weissenburg, also written as Weißenburg in German, is located in central Bavaria, in the south of the administrative region Mittelfranken. Despite having no snow last January 2012, the weather in this town was very cold. We walked around the walls of the town and in its historic sights.

Among the sights to see in this town are the Ellinger gate, the Gothic Old Town Hall, The Roman Bath, the city walls, St. Andrreas Church and a visit to the historical fortress which was originally a Benedictine monastery in Wülzburg.

The visit we had to this town was worth it despite the very cold winter weather.



The history of Weißenburg is generally traced back to the Roman fort that was built in the area towards the end of the first century. The settlement lay on the border of the Roman Empire and on the Tabula Peutingeriana from the 4th century it had the name Biriciana. Germanic tribes destroyed the fort and settled in what is still the city centre. The first mention of the name Weißenburg is in a deed dating from 867. The city became the seat of a royal residence during the reign of the Franks and according to legend, Charlemagne stayed there to supervise the construction of Fossa Carolina. wikipedia.

After a short notice today, we decided to drive to the town of Weissenburg in central Bavaria. The weather don't look friendly because it was very cloudy when we left. I said to myself rain or shine or else nothing will happen today. This town is actually written as Weißenburg in German and I even had a difficulty to input it in our navigator. Good to know that I had its postal code or else we will be lost. Typing the postal code of a town or city in Germany is better because sometimes there are a lot of places that have the same name. There are even Weißenburg in other states of Germany.

Since we drove on the back road which is quite slow as the Autobahn or motorway, it took us almost two hours to reach this town. One advantage of driving on this so-called Landstrasse or back road is that, you will be passing a lot of interesting small towns and villages.

Weissenburg is a historical city dating back to the Roman times. The many stages in the history of Weißenburg can still be seen today. There are many ruins from the Roman times. One of the finest is the remains of a Roman bath was excavated in 1977 and has been turned into a museum. The city wall from the Middle Ages has survived almost intact with its towers and in the Gothic Town Hall the city's elected members have held their meetings from 1476.

Sights to visit in Weissenburg are;

The Late Gothic Andreaskirche (St Andrew's Church; 14th-15th century)
Ellinger Tor, a town gate of 1469-1510
Late Gothic Town Hall (1476)
The Carmelite church (15th century; now a cultural center)

Also take a walk around the walls of the town where you can find a lot of historical buildings.

It seems that I don't want to see a lot of snow this winter. I am glad that we don't really have it in our place in Bavaria, Germany. I don't dream for white Christmas this year. I would love to be in a place where there is more sunshine and I don't need to wear thick clothes and jackets. Sad to say, it is very impossible at the moment.

Winter time in Hohenfels, Bavaria can be very bad. It happened last year when it was heavily snowing in this part of Germany. A lot of my American friends are complaining about last year's winter. It is actually over and I don't want to complain about it.

Even though I dislike very cold winter, I can still appreciate its beauty. See the image I took from above the Schlossberg, the castle ruins in Hohenfels in the Upper Palatinate part of Bavaria.

It was the second time I saw this fountain in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The first time I saw it was during our short vacation last 2006 there. There is also a big fountain near the Town Hall in this city.

The fountain I have here is a monument to commemorate the heroes of the first WW I. The words that were encrypted here says;

Most of the American soldiers who were assigned in the U.S. Base in Hohenfels in the Upper Palatinate region of Bavaria, Germany surely have ideas where Hohenburg is located. There are also army housings in and around this area.

Hohenburg is a municipality located in the district of Amberg-Sulzbach in Bavaria. Some of its areas are part of the US Army Training Area, one of the biggest training areas in Europe. In its town center, you can find historical colored houses. There is also a castle located in the are but it is inside the U.S. Base.

The St. Jacob Church in the town center is worth to visit. Among the outdoor activities in this area are biking and wandering especially on the Lauterachtalradweg and Wacholderwanderweg. There are also Gasthaus or restaurants there. The Asian grocery store of Jovita is also located near the area named Allersburg.

This town is dubbed as the "Christmas City" in Germany. It is a tourist attraction due to its well-preserved medieval old town. It is located in the district of Ansbach of Mittelfranken (Middle Franconia), the Franconia region of Bavaria.

The name "Rothenburg ob der Tauber" means, in German, "Red fortress above the Tauber". This is so because the town is located on a plateau overlooking the Tauber river. As to the name "Rothenburg", some say it comes from the German words Rot (Red) and Burg (burgh, medieval fortified town), referring to the red colour of the roofs of the houses which overlook the river.

I can't exactly remember how many times did I already visited this town. I believed more than fifty times and that is also the reason why I always see Burglengenfeld Castle everytime I go there. If I drive to its town center, you can see the castle perched high on a hilltop overlooking the small town of Burglengenfeld. This town is located in the district of Schwandorf in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Naab, 22 km north of Regensburg.

Burglengenfeld Castle was constructed during the 18th century by a noble family. Hubby said that today it is used as a home for special needs children.

This is a photograph that I took last spring 2009. You see the blooming cherries in the image here.

Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz is the capital of the Neumarkt district in the administrative region of the Upper Palatinate, in Bavaria, Germany.

I have below an image of the Rathaus or Town Hall of Neumarkt. The town hall was built in the late Gothic period (around 1430) and destroyed in 1945, but rebuilt in 1956/57. The town hall was extensively renovated in 1999.

It has been two years now since we visited Nabburg. It is a municipality in the district of Schwandorf, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Naab, 23 km east of Amberg. It has a small but beautiful romantic old town.

The architecture of the medieval town of Nabburg, makes it possible to attain a glimpse of ancient times. The historic old town and the nearly completely intact town wall where the Mähntor and Obertor are landmarks for the significance of the town in the Middle Ages. Some of the sights include the Old Town Hall, the Bürgerspital, Dechantturm, the Palace Court, the Schmidt-Haus, the Church, the Pulverturm and the Zehentstadel. There are guided tours offered all year round. You can also make a trip around like what we did during our visit. It was quite interesting.


This is the Obertor (translated in English as "over gate"). The two-storey, octagonal tower with an open staircase which lies on the north-western exit of the town. At the outside wall one can find traces of a portcullis. The date 1565 next to it, shows the time of a renovation.

The town hall of Nabburg, has already been built in the year 1417. In the 16th century the tower with the clock, the extension in the style of the Renaissance with the portal, the stairs and the loggia, followed. In the town hall, there were small shops, the scales of the town, a conference hall and furthermore a wedding hall. The house was misappropriated more than over 100 years until its redevelopment from 1995-1998, it became the headquarters of the Mayor and the seat for the administrative community of Nabburg.

Last June 2010, Velburg, a municipality in Neumarkt Upper Palatinate in Bavaria, Germany celebrated its 600th founding anniversary. One of the highlights of the celebration was a Medieval parade around the old town. It was a very interesting event we had witnessed last year.

Below are some snapshots I took from the parade.

there were a lot of horses with carriages who participated during the Medieval parade last June 2010. That building you see with a big watch is the town hall of Velburg.


colourful costumes with different styles and motives were worn by participants during the Medieval parade. It is once in a life time to attend such celebration. I felt honoured to be there and was able to witness it.

Let's visit this time a town in the district of Eichstätt, in Bavaria, Germany. Beilngries is situated on the river Altmühl and the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, 30 km north of Ingolstadt.

We visited this town last July 2009. They had a so-called Volfsfest celebration during our visit last time. It is a kind of a fair or festival where you can see live bands performing at the town center. Different kiosks and stalls selling products and services were also found during the said festival.

This is the castle ruins of Wolfstein Castle. It is located in Wolfstein near Neumark in der Oberpfalz (Upper Palatinate) in Bavaria, Germany.

It is located on top of the hill where you can see a very good view of Neumarkt. I had seen this castle for a hundred times already and I will always visit it again and again.

I finally had the chance to visit for the second time the romantic town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. This place is very famous for its well-preserved medieval old town. It is located in the district of Ansbach of Mittelfranken (Middle Franconia) in the state of Bavaria, Germany. Its history dates back around 970. In 1274 Rothenburg became a free imperial city.

This historical town is also called the Christmas capital of Germany. Due to this, it has become a destination of tourists from around the globe.

I wish to share more about this very interesting town in my future articles. Please also find below the snapshots I took during our visit last December 5, 2010

The Rathaus or the Town Hall on the left side and on the right side is the Ratsherrntrinkstube or the City Chancellors' Tavern. It now houses the tourist information office of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

Velburg is a municipality in Neumarkt Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany. Last June 25-27, 2010, Velburg celebrated its 600 years foundation anniversary. The highlight of the celebration was the Medieval parade and and the different acrtivities during the three-day celebration like concerts, tribal dance, fireshows, camp life and some other more. There are also stalls that sell different products.

It was quite a very interesting and spectacular celebration.
Below are some snapshots I took during our visit last June 2010.

colourfully decorated horses also participated during the Medieval parade.



The building in the background with a big watch is the Rathaus or the Municipal Hall in Velburg. I am happy seeing the first and the last Middle Age parade in Velburg during its 600th foundation anniversary.

It was summer of August when we had the chance to drive around Bayerischerwald or Bavaria Forest. One of the mountains we passed-by and drove in is the Großer Arber , known in English as Great Arber. It has an elevation of 1,456 metres (4,777 ft) and the the highest peak of the Bavarian-Bohemian-mountain ridge. Near the Great Arber is a smaller mountain called in German as the Kleiner Arber.

That was a fascinating scenery to see in this part of Bavaria in Germany.

Although geographically belonging to the Bohemian Forest, it is often referred to as "King of the Bavarian Forest". It is one of Germany's most famous skiing resorts besides the Bavarian Alps.
Großer Arber is the only peak of the Bavarian-Bohemian-Mountain Ridge above the climatic timberline.
On top were two military radar stations, built during the Cold War as the mountain is very close to the Czech border. They are still operational at a reduced scale, serving both civilian and military purposes.

me and a friend named Nonna from the U.S. during our road trip in Bavarian Forest last August 26, 2010.

Last June 2010 was the celebration of the 850 years of founding of the city of Neumarkt in Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany. If I am not mistaken, the Altstadtfest (Old City festival) in Neumarkt is also held annually sometime in June. The celebration was quite interesting with a lot of programs to experience. Some stalls selling food from Turkish to Chinese, Greeks, Mexican and of course German delicacies were also present at the Old City. There are also live bands playing there. Some stalls were also selling different products and services. It was a delightful celebration during our visit last June.

Here are some of the snaphots I took last time.



the white building on the right is the Rathaus or City Hall of Neumarkt. That building on the middle is one of the churches in Neumarkt.

HISTORY OF NEUMARKT

Traces of the earliest settlement at Neumarkt go back as far as the Neolithic period. Around Neumarkt there are numerous burial mounds and multiple Celtic embankments. The town is assumed to have been first founded by the Bavarii in the 6th or 7th century, for example, the quarter of the city now named Pölling.

The precise date of the city's founding is unknown, but its founding as "neuer Markt" is assumed to have happened in the beginning of the 12th century, on the trade route between Nuremberg and Regensburg. The city was first mentioned in a document in 1135, and city fortifications were mentioned for the first time in 1315. In the 13th century Emperor Frederick II granted Neumarkt Reichsfreiheit, and with it, the right to collect customs on trade between Nuremberg and Regensburg and itself. However, the city never enforced this status, because the city fell to the Wittelsbachs in 1329 through the Treaty of Pavia. more here

This is how Hohenfels looks during winter time. If you google Hohenfels, you might find a lot of information but be very careful which Hohenfels you really mean. There is Hohenfels in Belgium and a lot of Hohenfels in Germany. I am actually talking about Hohenfels in the state of Bavaria, Germany. I wish to talk about honda eu1000ia in my other blog later if given enough time. For now, I would like to tackle about Hohenfels. This place is especially famous especially to American civilans, soldiers and their families who were and are currently stationed in the U.S. Base here. The town is host to the United States Army Garrison Hohenfels , which operates the Joint Multinational Readiness Center for training NATO armed forces.

Hohenfels is a quaint town with typical Bavarian farm and buildings. Some of its sights include St. Ullrich Church with its beautiful frescos on its ceiling, the Castle remains located on top of the hill and also the old but historical buildings around.

Hohenfels is a municipality in the district of Neumarkt in the region of Upper Palatinate in Bavaria, Germany.
This images was taken last December 6, 2010.

Neukirchen beim Heiligen Blut is a municipality in the district of Cham in Bavaria, Germany. It is known as a pilgrimage place in Bayerischen Wald or Bavarian forest. It is located near the border of Folmava, Czech Republic and between the municipalities of Eschlkam and Lam.

The church below is pilgrimage church located in this place and is full of history. The legend of the Holy Blood dates from 1422, when the market was largely destroyed by the invasion of the Hussites.

These are the images I took during our visit last June 13, 2010.

This is the pilgrimage church in Neukirchen beim Heiligen Blut (Neukirchen by the Holy Blood).



The supposedly original wooden statue of the Virgin Mary is kept in the church at Neukirchen. The former chapel in the forest no longer exists, instead, a new chapel was built and renovated several times. She is dedicated to St. Anne. Both in the sanctuary and in the St. Anne's Chapel, there fountains whose water has a curative effect is attributed, comparable to the source of Lourdes. The wells, however, are not accessible to the public, is at the chapel, a pump, which can be used in the summer of pumping water from the source.

The relics of the Saint Claire, virgin and martyr from Priscilla, a catacomb in Rome, Italy is also found inside this side.

Bayerischer Wald, known as Bavarian Forest in English, is a wooded low-mountain region in Bavaria, Germany.

It extends along the Czech border and is continued on the Czech side by the Šumava (Bohemian Forest). Geographically the Bavarian Forest and Bohemian Forest are sections of the same mountain range. A part of the Bavarian Forest belongs to the Bavarian Forest National Park (Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald) (240 km²), established in 1970 as the first national park in Germany. Another 3008 km² belong to the Bavarian Forest Nature Park (Naturpark Bayerischer Wald), established 1967, and 1738 km² to the Eastern Bavarian Forest Nature Park (Naturpark Oberer Bayerischer Wald), established 1965.


The Bavarian Forest is a remnant of the Hercynian Forest that stretched across southern Germania in Roman times. It is the largest protected forest area in central Europe.

The highest mountain in the region is the Großer Arber ("Great Arber", 1456 m). The main river is the Regen, which is formed by the conjunction of White Regen and Black Regen and leaves the mountains towards the city of Regensburg. more here

Let's travel and explore this time the famous "Christmas town" in Germany called Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It is a town in the district of Ansbach of Mittelfranken (Middle Franconia), the Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany, well known for its well-preserved medieval old town, a destination for tourists from around the world. In the Middle Ages, it was an Imperial Free City. I wondered why this town is called Christmas one. During my visit with good friends last January 2008, I knew the reason why. You can find and shop for Christmas decorations round the year in this town. It is the home of Käthe Wohlfahrt, a signature store and the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Village. Filled with handcrafted pieces celebrating the magic of Christmas and traditional German craftsmanship, this one-of-a-kind shop inspires joy and goodwill.



The name "Rothenburg ob der Tauber" means, in German, "Red fortress above the Tauber". This is so because the town is located on a plateau overlooking the Tauber river. As to the name "Rothenburg", some say it comes from the German words Rot (Red) and Burg (burg, medieval fortified town), referring to the red colour of the roofs of the houses which overlook the river. The name may also refer to the process of retting ("rotten" in German) flax for linen production.