Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 15 March 2008 in Architecture.
When German emperors of the Middle Ages traveled through the empire (there was no real capital yet), they moved from palace to palace and stayed for a while to get their things done. The well-known Kaiser Friedrich Barbarossa built this palace (a 'Pfalz') at the end of the 12th century at Kaiserswerth, a small town nearby Düsseldorf. It was destroyed only in 1702 during the War of the Spanish Succession. What a pity!
It has a wonderful texture and looks like a great place to stroll. Excellent information and image.
15 Mar 2008 12:29am
@Michael Skorulski: This is a very old and nice town, its medieval centre is nearly untouched. The Rhine isn't stabilized there and looks very natural. It's a sleepy and somewhat old-fashioned location, full with history, I like it very much.
Very beautiful take! One can feel the strength of the wall and the voice of history speaking through its stones! A most pleasant angle leading the eye along the river, tempting us to accompany the few walkers.
15 Mar 2008 2:59am
@Japanalia: You get to the point of it: this was indeed a massive site, with metres thick walls. Hard to imagine that this small town was an important location, then!
I find the modern graffiti an ironic twist to this beautiful ancient wall. The people in the frame add a great source to fully understand the massiveness of the wall. I need to remember that. I will often wait for the people to move out of the frame.
15 Mar 2008 7:19am
@Tracey: 'Massive' is the right term, there certainly was a big bang when it exploded in 1702! Those people: usually I'm also waiting when folks have left the frame, so I think their appearance here is pure coincidence. But yes, they indicate how massive this site was and still is!
When I was in Germany many years ago, I visited a castle near a town called Burncastle (if my memory isn't failing me after 40 years). Do you know it? I think it was near Frankfurt.
15 Mar 2008 11:30am
@Craig: Perhaps Bernkastel? Looks nice, I should travel to there :)
I like the variety of stone that was used, the graffiti is a sore point.
15 Mar 2008 7:08pm
@JoeB: It will be washed away some day and just be a short episode for that building.
Such a daunting structure when seen with the pedestrians along the sidewalk. Interesting to note the "lichens" at the crevices.
17 Mar 2008 10:15am
@Steven: That's right, the whole site became sort of a biotope for a lot of lichen, mosses, and weeds. Its structure, however, is still well recognizable. A little bit like the plants in the Colosseum.
Sehr schön! Da war ich auch schon ein paar mal. Muss mal wieder hin!
17 Mar 2008 3:35pm
@Michael: Ist nicht weit vom Garten Heltorf entfernt. Sind zwei oder drei Stationen mit derselben U-Bahnlinie auseinander. Gibt 'nen schönen Tagesausflug.
PREVIEW ONLY
Add your comment ...
Canon EOS 300D1/40 secondF/14.0ISO 80020 mm
monumentrhinedusseldorf
eclectic imaging
#gallery 53cebe582717928d84eeb965294a9498
#gallery 9fadcfc7ff32174b93ad69f276ba0c8d
#gallery fc91c15287aa6c78343f1c085e5fe48d
eclectic imaging