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| Bamberg Townhall in the middle of the Regnitz River |
We should have posted this a long time ago -- time just doesn't allow for this blog. We spent a wonderful Saturday in November with senior missionary friends in Bamberg. The old city is from the middle ages with many updates. The historic town hall was built in the middle of a branch of the Regnitz River on oak pilings because the local Catholic bishop, who had secular power as well, refused to give the town council land for a city hall. He was apparently afraid of competition for power. The local tourist information office rents audio devices for a 17-stop walking tour of the old city. The devices are GPS enabled, so we followed the map on the device and listened to narration at each stop, including inside the cathedral. We spent about 5 hours strolling around the old city and then finished the day with dinner in a nice Italian restaurant.
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| River channeled between buildings is apparently also a kayak course. |
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| Clock tower of the city hall |
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| Town hall walls are covered with Baroque paintings |
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| The 18th century folks loved this type of decoration |
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| The columns are painted - not actual columns. The paintings depict mythological stories or events from German legend |
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| The art isn't spectacular, but it is impressive that it covers the entire side of the building |
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| Not sure what this depicts, either. The narration wasn't that detailed. |
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| Hard to see, but there are legs or other parts of cherubs protruding from the painting just to the right of center. That is another baroque fashion that seems odd. |
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| It was cold that day. In fact, snow started to fall late in the afternoon - just a little. |
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| Sister and Elder Markle. Elder Markle is a gadget guy, so he really liked the GPS device. |
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| Bamberg is referred to as Little Venice -- a substantial part of the old city sits on an island between two branches of the Regnitz |
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| The baroque Neptune statue is a well-known landmark but is called the Gabelmann locally which means the Fork Man |
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| A more modern bronze called Woman Lying with Frucht by Fernando Botero |
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| Bull on the facade of a building on the riverfront |
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| Centurion I by Igor Mitoraj, a Polish sculptor. It appears to attract a row of pigeons. |
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| Baroque statue on the island with the town hall |
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| The Meeting -- made us laugh |
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| Catholic church in the Green Market called St. Martin |
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| Quiet and sort of warm |
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| Lots of color in the baroque churches |
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| Behind the main altar this elaborate installation |
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| A side altar |
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| Ceiling of the dome painted so that if you are seated in the pews it looks like you are looking at an angle -- a unique perspective |
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| Beautifully painted 18th century residence |
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| Detail from the facade of the baroque residence |
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| Carefully restored houses of medieval fishermen are now high end residences |
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| Walking area (or Fussgänger Zone) |
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| All of the windows of this hotel had beautiful window boxes |
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| Elder Snapp and Elder Markle trying to get the whole story from the audio devices |
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| St Christopher on the exterior of a former Kloster (monastery) |
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| Towers of the Bamberg cathedral |
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| Large palace to the right is the 17th century home of the archbishop |
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| 2016 was proclaimed by the current pope to be a year of mercy and this is the mercy gate for the cathedral |
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| Spectacular wood carving from the middle ages for this triptych. |
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| Oldest art work in the cathedral |
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| Scene of martyrdom of early Christian |
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| Gruesome depictions |
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| Bavaria has some beautiful woodcarving |
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| Close up of the lower panel of the above triptych |
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| The thumb is broken, but this sarcophagus lid was very lifelike carved marble |
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| The Catholic bishop at rest now for centuries |
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| Another entrance flanked by statures of apostles and Adam and Eve |
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| The statues are weathered |
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| Frieze above the door depicting the final judgment with Christ in the center, the righteous on His right and the wicked on his left. |
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| Entry with the final judgment depicted above the door meant to represent a portal to heaven or hell |
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| Interesting relief above a gate |
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| Gateway to an inner courtyard |
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| View from a rose garden over the red roofs of the old city |
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| We want one of these for home |
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| Organ loft of another baroque church |
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| Late afternoon sun on the main altar |
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| White marble statues |
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| Carved baptismal font |
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| Ceiling panel |
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| Typical baroque fittings with angels protruding from the wall |
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| Nice Italian place with a fun proprietor |
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| End of the day discussion before we head for home. Ahh, it was a good day. |
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