Regensburg to Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Walhalla Temple and The Walled Town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Happy 2nd Birthday to our Granddaughter, Lauren! 

With a low of -2 degrees centigrade this morning, it was no surprise that our slanted attic windows in our room and our car had frost.  No snow.

As we drove into Donaustauf yesterday (on the outskirts of Regensburg), we noticed a very large temple structure on the hill.  You could see it from everywhere--it dominates the valley.  Our hotel host said that it is Walhalla Temple, built by King Ludwig I.  After breakfast, we drove to Walhalla.  Since it is undergoing reconstruction on the exterior and refurbishing on the interior, we did not go inside.  However, we did walk around it.  It is massive.  Steve found it interesting in that it was constructed on the side of a steep slope—not on top of a hill.  I found the following info later on the internet since we could not get a brochure in English. 

Massive Walhalla  Temple

Walhalla Temple

The temple is a hall of fame that honors laudable and distinguished Germans, famous personalities in German history — politicians, sovereigns, scientists and artists of the German tongue".^[1] The hall is housed in a neo-classical building above the Danube River, east of Regensburg, in Bavaria, Germany. to remind the Germans of the country’s great people in their history. The Walhalla temple is named for Valhalla of Norse mythology. It was conceived in 1807 by Crown Prince Ludwig, who built it upon ascending the throne of Bavaria as King Ludwig I. Construction took place between 1830 and 1842, under the supervision of architect Leo von Klenze. The temple displays some 65 plaques and 130 busts of persons, covering 2,000 years of history — the earliest person honored is Arminius, victor at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest (9 AD).

After touring Walhalla and visiting McD’s, we set out for Rothenburg ob der Tauber.  The zimmer we usually stay at is closed—gone on holiday.  However, just up the road we get an apartment at Pension Jadgschloss.  It is very large with a balcony.  We drive into Rothenburg for dinner and a walk - it is 3 degrees (Steve is pleased - NOT).  We find a restaurant that serves Jagerschnitzel--yea.   Steve has been unsuccessfully searching for this dish at restaurants the last several nights.  It’s lighter than a Wiener Schnitzel.  I was not going to eat another picnic style dinner in our hotel room. (Steve figures time spent eating is less time spent meandering in the cold.)

Moonlit Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Even though it’s cold, 2 degrees, it’s nice to walk around the town at night without all of the tourists.  The lit up, tudor style buildings are beautiful in this walled town.  We take the Nightwatchman’s tour and remember when we took the tour with Sean several years ago.  We have been in this town many times and each time new experiences and memories are made.   We were here during our military tour and with our parents in the 70’s, later with our kids and now, once again, by ourselves.   I’m sure I’ll be here, again, with my grandchildren.