Regensburg, Germany
The River Cloud had remained at her mooring in Regensburg, Germany marking the beginning and most western end of our cruise along the Danube River. After a good nights rest our first day would be spent exploring this German town that was settled more than 900 years ago. Regensburg is one of Germany’s oldest towns. First settled by the Celts with written records showing this town’s status as a Roman fort in 77 AD. During the 12th and 13th centuries the town of Regensburg flourished with much of Germany and it’s rising merchants called the Hansiatic league. In 1245 it became a free city of the German Reich and was for many years South Germany’s wealthiest town. Today Regensburg is the capital of the Oberpfalz province with a university that was established in 1962. An important feature of Regensburg is that it was not damaged much during either world war, and the old town or center of the city has retained its old world character, allowing for interesting walks through many narrow streets located near the Gothic cathedral.
Our expedition leader, Lisa Trotter made her customary morning announcements going over our options for the morning. After breakfast, two busses were waiting to take part of our group to one of the important landmarks often visited in Regensburg, the Thurn & Taxis Palace. The name Thurn and Taxis is closely linked to the postal systems history of Europe. The family, who originally came from Cornello, close to Bergamo in northern Italy, had been developing a postal system in western and central Europe starting in the 15th century. Since 1595, the office of Postmaster General had been in the hands of the Taxi family. In 1748 Prince Alexander Ferdinand was appointed to the post of Principal Commissioner. He was thereafter a representative of the Emperor at the Permanent Imperial Diet of Regensburg. For this reason the court was moved from Frankfurt to the city on the banks of the Danube River. Even after the fall of the Holly Roman Empire in 1806 the House of Thurn and Taxis has remained in the Regensburg, despite the loss of both the positions of Postmaster General and Principal Commissioner. The family’s long years with a monopoly over communication or the mail system allowed for great success and wealth. It was during the time of Napoleon that this monopoly was first attacked and slowly through the 19th century the House of Thurn and Taxis lost its power over the communications movement. This did not affect the family, as with their acquired wealth, they diversified into a myriad of other enterprises ensuring their standing as members of the wealthy European elite. The main residence, since 1812 has been the buildings of the former Benedictine monastery of St. Emmeran.
We were divided into three groups accompanied by local guides, we made our way through a small section of the palace that has been opened to the public. Each room told its own story, through tapestries, furnishings and paintings. At the very end of our tour we walked through some of the outer hallways of what was once monastery, built in Romanesque and gothic style it is considered to be one of the most impressive of its kind in Germany. It oldest sections dating back to the 11th century.
After our tour of the Thurn and Taxis Palace, we had an opportunity to spend a short time wandering with some purpose towards the River Cloud, waiting for us on the Danube River. Small streets opened up into several main squares, where small churches and shops circled around. The Gothic Cathedral was a general meeting point for all of our groups, where our historians had gathered to give some history on this very impressive building. Easy landmarks in finding the Domviertel (cathedral quarter), from any point in Regensburg, the twin towers of the church are well over 100 meters tall. Construction began on the site of an older Romanesque church in the 13th century and the cathedral was completed in 1525. Leading away from this main cathedral were many, many small streets and alleys, lined with unusual and interesting shops. Regensburg is famous for one shop on this cathedral square, and that was Der Hutmacher am Dom. Considered one of Europe’s master hat makers, Andreas Nuslan handcrafts hats for men and women. His customers include the royal houses of Europe and famous celebrities throughout the world, and today, guests of the River Cloud also made a few hat purchases, which always includes your name, placed inside rim of your purchase!
All to soon, it was time to return to the River Cloud and begin our downstream journey towards tomorrow’s destination. Once on board our ship began her journey by backing out of Regensburg for some distance, turning, stern first, bringing her 300-foot length around and heading down stream towards an evening anchorage in Passau, Germany.
The River Cloud had remained at her mooring in Regensburg, Germany marking the beginning and most western end of our cruise along the Danube River. After a good nights rest our first day would be spent exploring this German town that was settled more than 900 years ago. Regensburg is one of Germany’s oldest towns. First settled by the Celts with written records showing this town’s status as a Roman fort in 77 AD. During the 12th and 13th centuries the town of Regensburg flourished with much of Germany and it’s rising merchants called the Hansiatic league. In 1245 it became a free city of the German Reich and was for many years South Germany’s wealthiest town. Today Regensburg is the capital of the Oberpfalz province with a university that was established in 1962. An important feature of Regensburg is that it was not damaged much during either world war, and the old town or center of the city has retained its old world character, allowing for interesting walks through many narrow streets located near the Gothic cathedral.
Our expedition leader, Lisa Trotter made her customary morning announcements going over our options for the morning. After breakfast, two busses were waiting to take part of our group to one of the important landmarks often visited in Regensburg, the Thurn & Taxis Palace. The name Thurn and Taxis is closely linked to the postal systems history of Europe. The family, who originally came from Cornello, close to Bergamo in northern Italy, had been developing a postal system in western and central Europe starting in the 15th century. Since 1595, the office of Postmaster General had been in the hands of the Taxi family. In 1748 Prince Alexander Ferdinand was appointed to the post of Principal Commissioner. He was thereafter a representative of the Emperor at the Permanent Imperial Diet of Regensburg. For this reason the court was moved from Frankfurt to the city on the banks of the Danube River. Even after the fall of the Holly Roman Empire in 1806 the House of Thurn and Taxis has remained in the Regensburg, despite the loss of both the positions of Postmaster General and Principal Commissioner. The family’s long years with a monopoly over communication or the mail system allowed for great success and wealth. It was during the time of Napoleon that this monopoly was first attacked and slowly through the 19th century the House of Thurn and Taxis lost its power over the communications movement. This did not affect the family, as with their acquired wealth, they diversified into a myriad of other enterprises ensuring their standing as members of the wealthy European elite. The main residence, since 1812 has been the buildings of the former Benedictine monastery of St. Emmeran.
We were divided into three groups accompanied by local guides, we made our way through a small section of the palace that has been opened to the public. Each room told its own story, through tapestries, furnishings and paintings. At the very end of our tour we walked through some of the outer hallways of what was once monastery, built in Romanesque and gothic style it is considered to be one of the most impressive of its kind in Germany. It oldest sections dating back to the 11th century.
After our tour of the Thurn and Taxis Palace, we had an opportunity to spend a short time wandering with some purpose towards the River Cloud, waiting for us on the Danube River. Small streets opened up into several main squares, where small churches and shops circled around. The Gothic Cathedral was a general meeting point for all of our groups, where our historians had gathered to give some history on this very impressive building. Easy landmarks in finding the Domviertel (cathedral quarter), from any point in Regensburg, the twin towers of the church are well over 100 meters tall. Construction began on the site of an older Romanesque church in the 13th century and the cathedral was completed in 1525. Leading away from this main cathedral were many, many small streets and alleys, lined with unusual and interesting shops. Regensburg is famous for one shop on this cathedral square, and that was Der Hutmacher am Dom. Considered one of Europe’s master hat makers, Andreas Nuslan handcrafts hats for men and women. His customers include the royal houses of Europe and famous celebrities throughout the world, and today, guests of the River Cloud also made a few hat purchases, which always includes your name, placed inside rim of your purchase!
All to soon, it was time to return to the River Cloud and begin our downstream journey towards tomorrow’s destination. Once on board our ship began her journey by backing out of Regensburg for some distance, turning, stern first, bringing her 300-foot length around and heading down stream towards an evening anchorage in Passau, Germany.
