CinX's Travels 2014

CinX · April 02, 2014, 11:34:47 PM

Schloss Solitude von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 02, 2014, 11:39:36 PM

Schloss Solitude von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 03, 2014, 10:51:15 PM

Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated 30 km (19 mi) south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers. As of 2014 about one in three people living in Tübingen is a student.

In central Tübingen, the Neckar river divides briefly into two streams, forming the elongated Neckarinsel (Neckar Island), famous for its Platanenallee with high plane trees, some of which are more than 200 years old. Pedestrians can reach the island via stairs on the narrow ends leading down from two bridges spanning the Neckar. During the summer, the Neckarinsel is occasionally the venue for concerts, plays and literary readings. The row of historical houses across one side of the elongated Neckarinsel is called the Neckarfront and includes the house with adjoining tower where poet Friedrich Hölderlin stayed for the last 36 years of his life as he struggled with mental instability.

Tübingen's Altstadt (old town) survived the Second World War due to the city's lack of heavy industry. The result is a growing domestic tourism business as visitors come to wander through one of the few completely intact historic Altstädte in Germany. The highlights of Tübingen include its crooked cobblestone lanes, narrow-stair alleyways picking their way through the hilly terrain, streets lined with canals and well-maintained traditional half-timbered houses.

Old town landmarks include the Rathaus (City Hall) on Marktplatz (Market Square) and the castle, Schloß Hohentübingen, now part of the University of Tübingen. The central landmark is the Stiftskirche (Collegiate Church). Along with the rest of the city, the Stiftskirche was one of the first to convert to Martin Luther's protestant church. As such, it maintains (and carefully defends) several "Roman Catholic" features, such as patron saints. Below the Rathaus is a quiet, residential street called the Judengasse, the former Jewish neighborhood of Tübingen until the town's Jews were expelled in 1477. On the street corner is a plaque commemorating the fate of Tübingen's Jews.

CinX · April 03, 2014, 10:51:37 PM

Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 03, 2014, 10:56:34 PM

At 372 m (1,221 feet), the Spitzberg (also known as the Schlossberg or castle mountain) offers a magnificent view of the Neckar and Ammer Valleys. Atop the Spitzberg, the Hohentübingen Castle, a mighty renaissance construction with four wings and a round tower, rises above the city. First mention of a castle on this site dates back to 1078, referring to the former medieval castle as ,,castrum twingia" or Tübingen Castle. The rulers of Tübingen, who were promoted to Counts Palatine in the 12th century, lived in the castle until 1342 when they sold it to the Counts of Württemberg.

At the beginning of the 16th century, Duke Ulrich ordered the old castle to be razed, the moats to be filled and a castle to be built in the most modern Welch manner. Three dukes were consumed with the construction of the castle for over 100 years. The lower castle portal originates from the period of defensive fortification under Duke Friedrich and is considered one of the finest pieces of Renaissance art in the state.

Hohentübingen Castle's importance as the residence of the Dukes of Württemberg began to diminish in the 16th century. Beginning in the mid-18th century, the university acquired its first rooms in the castle and in 1816 the King of Würrtemberg, Wilhelm I, transferred ownership of the castle to the university. The university library of nearly 60,000 bands was temporarily housed in the hall of knights, a chemistry laboratory was set up in the kitchen, and an astronomical observatory was housed in the northeast tower.

After thorough renovation of the castle from 1979 – 1994, the rooms of the castle were made available to the Cultural Studies and Archeology Departments of the Eberhard-Karls-University. Current displays of the collections of these departments can be found in the east and north wings, as well as in the pentagon-tower of the Museum of the Hohentübingen Castle. . Entrance to the cellar of the north wing, where the glorious 850 hl (22,455 gallons) wine barrel is located, dating back to 1546, is unfortunately not currently possible. During the renovation of the castle, the bat colony that resided in the roof truss has been relocated to the cellar. In the interest of the greater mouse-eared bat's peace and quiet, the basement is closed to the public until further notice. Behind the fountain at the back of the courtyard, a tunnel leads through the west wing of the castle to the ,,Schänzle" or little entrenchment. Between the tunnel and the next doorway you will be able to look down upon the western castle moats, the so called ,,rabbit hole".

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Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 03, 2014, 10:58:48 PM

Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 05, 2014, 01:03:48 AM

Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 05, 2014, 01:05:16 AM

Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 05, 2014, 01:07:38 AM

Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 05, 2014, 06:53:13 PM

Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 05, 2014, 06:55:40 PM

Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 05, 2014, 06:57:37 PM

P1310277-P1310279 von cinxxx auf Flickr

Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

P1310284-P1310286 von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 09, 2014, 09:21:29 PM

Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 09, 2014, 09:22:31 PM

Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

CinX · April 09, 2014, 09:23:56 PM

Tübingen von cinxxx auf Flickr

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CinX's Travels 2014