Rothenburg and Nuremberg

In the morning we had a lovely breakfast and then checked out of our hotel.  The Christmas market was just starting up so we decided to check it out before we left.  But we had a little time before it opened so we thought we would take David up on the walls and look around the city a little more.

I thought this vine was really cool, climbing up the wall!!!!  

David, Michael, and AJ up on the wall!

The city didn't have the money to reconstruct the city after WWII bombing, so they sold parts of the wall to help raise money.  The boys were looking to see where they all came from.

David checking out the sights beyond the walls!

We went a little farther up than the last time I was there.  It is a so nice to walk around in the quiet and the fog was pretty awesome looking!

 

There are many places in Rothenburg where they build over the streets because the only had so much room!

They have all the Christmas trees out and decorated on the streets!  So festive!

 

As we were walking the streets we came upon an almost life size manager scene.  I don't think we were suppose to be in there, but I stepped in to take a quick picture.

David and Michael duking it out!!

I am so glad they still love each other!!!!

This is St Jakob's Church which was built between 1311-1484.  They wanted to make the church bigger, so they built it over the road with the arch for the main through fare.

AJ outside the church with one of the statues.

This is Altar of the Holy Blood.  It is 500-year-old, 35-foot-high by Tilman Riemenschneider, the Michelangelo of German woodcarvers.  It was carved from 1499 to 1504 to hold a precious rock-crystal capsule (set in a cross) that contains a scrap of tablecloth miraculously stained in the shape of a cross by a drop of communion wine.

This small altar is a century older than the main altar.  The unusual Trinity: the Father and Son are literally bridged by a dove, which represents the Holy Spirit.

This is the twelve apostles altar by Friedrich in 1466.  Below Christ are statues of six saints.  St James is the one with the shell.  He's the saint of pilgrims, and this church was a stop on the medieval pilgrimage rout to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

This is on the back side of the twelve apostles altar.   These paintings represent the oldest depiction of the city of Rothenburg and rare images of the Jakobs pilgrim legend.

Christ's face on the veil of Veronica follows you as you walk from side to side.

This organ was built by the famous Austrian organ building firm Rieger Orgelbau in Vorarlberg, consecrated in 1963, with 69 registers distributed over four manuals and pedal.  The organ has two consoles, six manuals, and about 5,500 pipes.

AJ was trying to figure out what this was.  It is a Christmas Boat, original Maconde wood carving from Tanzania.  The Christmas Message represented by the Manger of Bethlehem is here connected with a boat on its way to the shores of time.  The angel with the trumpet of the Judgment Day indicates the escort of heaven and the final aim.

When we went by the main square, there were lots of children decorating the main trees there!

A day time photo in front of one of the oldest entry ways into the city.

The Christmas market is now open for business!

My first glass of gluwhein for the season!!!  After that we headed back to the car and on to Nuremberg.

We made it and Michael needed to get some energy out so we played a little game of tag.  He was telling me I couldn't get him.  :-)

It was the first day of the Nuremberg Christmas market as well.  They were telling a story, it was in German so we didn't understand much, but later in the evening the Christmas angel was coming out.

This is the angel- the symbolic figure for the Nuremberg Christmas Market and ambassador.  A touching legend claims that the angel was first made by a Nuremberg doll maker during the Thirty Years' War.  As his daughter lay dying of fever, he heard the flutter of angel's wings and was inspired to create an angel in her memory. 

We walked around town and then into the St Lorenz church.  It is a medieval church dedicated to Saint Lawrence.  Here people are setting candles around a manger scene.

The church was completed around 1400.  The building and furnishing of the church was from the city council and wealthy citizens.  This was one of the first churches in Germany to be Lutheran (1525).

You know how much I love organs?!?  Check this one out!!!  It actually has three organs!!!

I have never heard an organ play in any of the churches that I have been in.  This time I did!!!!!!!!!1  I was soooo excited!!!!  He was only practicing for the church service, but I didn't care, it was AWESOME!!!!

This is the hall choir including the sacrament house - beautiful!

Night was falling and my boys were done with the Christmas market.  So we said our farewell and headed to the apartment were a crock pot was cooking!

After dinner, the boys decided it was wrestling time with their dad!!!  Always so much fun!!!  We played a few games, had some laughs and then headed for bed to rest before another busy day tomorrow.