Tag Archives: cathedral

Themes

Theme: Churches & Cathedrals

The only thing more pervasive than cemeteries in Germany are the churches, and they usually go hand in hand. In the north the traces of Lutheranism persist, but to the south Catholicism become more common. Christianity has a strange role in modern Germany, as much of the population identifies as non-religious yet religious holidays are often considered federal holidays.

Art, History, Leipzig, Photos

Gallery: Leipzig

Leipzig gets its name from from the Slavic word Lipsk, meaning “village where the linden trees grow”. I took the train from Berlin and stayed overnight in Leipzig in order to see St. Thomas Church where J. S. Bach served as a cantor and is buried. I rented a car here and drove to Opfermoor Vogtei, Geismar, Kassel, Externsteine, and Hannover from here.

Bremen, Fairy Tales, Personal Journal, Photos

Gallery: Bremen

My search for the Bremen Town Musicians statue was thwarted because a refugee rally was taking place in the town square. I returned the next day and was able to locate my statue. I did get the chance to explore St. Petri cathedral and much of the architecture of the square. Bremen is known as a blue collar town, and in the modern day has some fairly obvious issues with drugs, alcohol, and homelessness. Someone tried to pick my pocket in the train station, and I encountered several people who were clearly either mentally ill or intoxicated who were aggressively panhandeling. I also encountered an elderly man loudly and endlessly singing a song about cuckoos on a park bench.

It is interesting to note that all 5 of Germany’s veterinary schools have a statue of the Bremen Town Musicians in front of them.

Art, Berlin, History, Photos

Gallery: Museumsinsel

Museumsinsel (“museum island”) is the heart of Berlin’s tourism industry. A literal island in the Spree River, it has 5 of the city’s major museums, the Berlin Cathedral, and the Lustgarten.