Monday, November 5, 2012

Bautzen


Bautzen is a hill-top town in eastern SaxonyGermany, and administrative centre of the eponymous district. It is located on the Spree River. As of 2008, its population is 41,161. 
Bautzen is often regarded as the unofficial, but historical capital of Upper Lusatia, and it is the most important cultural centre of the Sorbs, a Slavic people.
Bautzen has a very compact and well preserved medieval town centre with numerous churches and towers and a city wall on the steep embankment to the river Spree, with one of the oldest preserved waterworks in central Europe (built 1558).
Sites of interest include:
  • The Reichenturm, one of the steepest leaning and still passable towers north of the Alps
  • Ortenburg Castle
  • Saint Peter's Cathedral, Eastern Germany's only historic interdenominational church edifice
  • Hexenhaus (Witch's House), oldest preserved residential building (built in 1604)
There are four museums including the Stadtmuseum Bautzen ("Bautzen city Museum") and the Sorbisches Museum ("Sorbian Museum", Sorbian: Serbski muzej).

Spent a couple of hours in the Sorbisches Museum.  Bautzen is a wonderful city.




Sunday, October 28, 2012

Biosphärenreservat Elbe-Brandenburg

Das Biosphärenreservat Elbe-Brandenburg ist ein Biosphärenreservat im Bundesland Brandenburg und ist ein Teil des Biosphärenreservats Flusslandschaft Elbe.
Das Biosphärenreservat Elbe-Brandenburg befindet sich im westlichen Brandenburg. Es erstreckt sich entlang des östlichen Elbufers zwischen dem mecklenburgischen Dömitz im Nordwesten und Quitzöbel im Südosten. Diese sehr naturbelassene Flusslandschaft, die zu den artenreichsten Deutschlands gehört, ist besonders geeignet diese Gegend zu Fuß oder mit dem Fahrrad zu erkunden. Dazu gehören die Lenzer Wische, die Naturerlebnisroute über den Elbdeich oder der internationale Elberadweg. Auch weiter im Hinterland gelegenen Ziele, wie die historischen Städte LenzenBad Wilsnack,Wittenberge, die frühere Hansestadt Perleberg, das Europäische StorchendorfRühstädt, sowie das Rambower Moor und die Plattenburg, die älteste Wasserburg Brandenburgs, sind außer der ursprünglichen Natur sehr sehenswert.
I ventured to this area to explore the roots of my Urgroßmutter who was born in the small village of Babekuhl in 1874.  For several generations, her Eltern had resided in the immediate vicinity in the towns of Gadow, Cumlosen, Sükow, Bernheide and Dergenthin.  
I started in Wittenberge, staying at a fantastic renovated hotel called the Alte Öhlmühl.
Alte Öhmühl
 and walked along the Elbe towards the destination of Gadow, taking a beer midway in Cumlosen at the Landgasthaus Schmidt
Cumlosen Kirche (neue)
Gadow proved to be the highpoint of the journey defined by absolutely wonderful trees, including a 1000 year oak.
Very Old Oak Tree
Schloß Gadow
I walked approximately 24.3 km.  Here is the route map.  Still, I would like to return to really explore the backcountry West of Lanz and visit Perleberg and Dergenthin.

Isole Borromee