2023-08-19 07:23:45
The region in Bavaria
“Regensburg is really beautiful”, writes Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in his report “Italian Journey”. To this day, the capital of the Upper Palatinate and the entire Bavarian district on the border with the Czech Republic continue to inspire. If only because of the many castles and palaces, of which there are over 700 here, some as picturesque ruins, some in excellent condition. Among the most beautiful are Vilseck Castle, Falkenstein Castle and Wörth Castle on the Danube. The region’s website even lists the top ten spookiest castles – with gory tales of white women, petrified knights and whimpering ghosts.
In addition, holidaymakers can explore various holiday routes. The Bavarian Iron Road runs 120 kilometers along old traffic routes from Pegnitz through the Upper Palatinate to Regensburg and presents historical industrial monuments, old iron towns, natural and cultural highlights.
The Bavarian Porcelain Route and the Glass Route are also exciting. Both extend as far as the Czech Republic and, in addition to museums, places steeped in history and scenically attractive places, also offer factories that are in operation to look at and shop.
More about the Upper Palatinate:
World tour through Germany
This shows in Bärnau German Button Museum Curiosities like the world’s largest and smallest mother-of-pearl button. The medieval climatic health resort of Amberg advertises with the world’s first and only air museum.
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Outdoor and culinary fans can explore the Tirschenreuth pond pan in the district of Tirschenreuth. It is ideal for hiking or cycling – and one of the oldest fish farming areas in Europe. The delicacy Oberpfälzer carp, awarded the EU seal as a “regional quality product”, is considered to be particularly firm and tasty due to the natural rearing of the fish.
Source: Infographic The World
Summiteers and paragliders will find mountains up to 1400 meters high in the district of Cham in the Upper Bavarian Forest. And in the Upper Palatinate Forest you can try Zoigl, a local beer speciality.
Walhalla – the temple of the “Germans”
Valhalla, isn’t that Odin’s party location for fallen Vikings in Norse mythology? Not only. There is also a magnificent building in the Upper Palatinate that is named after it. The Walhalla in Donaustauf was built in 1842 by King Ludwig I of Bavaria to honor important German-speaking personalities. The background was the humiliating defeats against Napoleon.
King Ludwig I of Bavaria had the Walhalla in Donaustauf built in 1842
Source: Thomas Schmalzbauer/picture alliance/Zoonar
The neoclassical building on the Bräuberg was built on the model of ancient temples to house busts of “recognized Germans”, both men and women, as Ludwig ordered. The initially 96 portraits, including Immanuel Kant and Empress Maria Theresia, have been supplemented since 1962 by new ones, including Käthe Kollwitz and Sophie Scholl.
Important German-speaking personalities are honored in the Walhalla
Source: Manfred Segerer/ullstein picture
visitors can visit the monument – and enjoy the Walhalla view from the plateau. It stretches across the Danube valley, on clear days to the Bavarian Forest and to the Berchtesgaden Alps.
Funny bird on the coat of arms
An African ostrich in the Upper Palatinate? Despite all research, the coat of arms of Vohenstrauß remains a mystery. Likewise the place name. But there are theories. Many point out that medieval place names used variants of Vohendreze are. According to some, this is a combination of Middle High German vohe (vixen, fairy) and words for shrub, i.e. “fox bushes”.
The coat of arms of Vohenstrauss is a mystery
Source: Wiki/ City of Vohenstrauss
Others say it simply means “out front”. The ostrich in the coat of arms would then be a later, incorrect derivation.
A nicer explanation is the legend that ostriches eat iron. In the 14th century, when Vohenstrauss was already using the coat of arms, the iron industry in the Upper Palatinate was already important. That would explain the horseshoe in the beak. But why does a fox bite him? Or is it a swan, as some researchers believe? It remains mysterious.
The volcanoes in the Upper Palatinate
A good ten million years ago, 150 volcanoes were active in the Upper Palatinate – here visitors will find one of the most exciting volcanic areas in Germany. The Parkstein in the municipality of the same name is worth a visit. The famous natural scientist Alexander von Humboldt called it “Europe’s most beautiful basalt cone”. Rock pillars formed in the chimney of the Feuerberg 23 million years ago, the 38 meter high basalt wall is spectacular.
Visitors can reach the summit with the chapel via the Parksteiner Geopfad, which offers a wide view. There are castle ruins on the way. There is even a raging volcanic eruption – completely harmless as a live simulation in the Museum Vulkanerlebnis Parkstein, which provides information about the Kegelberg.
In the rock cellars in the village, visitors can then see the inside of the volcano, which is now preserved by a nature reserve and has received the awards “Bavaria’s most beautiful geotope” and “National Geotope”.
The dragon in the oldest folk drama in the world
It is almost 16 meters long, five meters high and weighs eleven tons: The Further dragon, affectionately called “Fanny” by the locals, is in the “Guinness Book of Records” as the world’s largest four-legged walking robot. It was designed as the title star of the oldest folk drama in the world, as the “Further Drachenstich” proudly advertises. After all, the local dragon has been stung in front of an audience in Furth im Wald for over 500 years. Means: killed.
The Further dragon made it into the “Guinness Book of Records” as the world’s largest four-legged walking robot
Quelle: picture alliance/A. Weigel/dpa
But Fanny is indestructible and never fails to amaze the audience. The traditional spectacle, which has since been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by Unesco, is offered during the festival in August (2023 from August 4th to 20th).
Four people control the motorized monster via radio, which can not only walk, but also roar, spit fire, flick its tail, change facial expressions and spread its wings over a span of more than twelve meters. hiss!
The quote
“One of the most beautiful cities in the world”
Regensburg often quotes what the English star architect Sir Norman Foster said about the capital of the Upper Palatinate. The city can also show all sorts of awards and superlatives.
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Regensburg is a UNESCO site, and in 2021 the second World Heritage title was added with the Danube Limes, the border of the ancient Roman Empire. The city offers over 2000 years of history with the famous cathedral, in which the world’s oldest boys’ choir sings, the Regensburger Domspatzen.
The Stone Bridge from 1135 is the oldest in Germany and was once considered the eighth wonder of the world. At the same time, Regensburg is a university town with hip festivals, shops and many pubs, while young life rages in the old town.
Bizarre, record-breaking, typical: You can find more parts of our regional geography series here.
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In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is required, since the providers of the embedded content as third-party providers require this consent [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (which can be revoked at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can withdraw your consent at any time via the switch and via privacy at the bottom of the page.
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