We shared breakfast this morning with a Grandmother and grandson, who are staying here as well. From the little pieces of lingual common ground, she is taking him on a tour of the museums, and hiking trails of the area. She is very sprightly for her age (or at least the age she seems to be), talking flat out and more energy than her grandson. Makes us wish we are like that when we reach her age.
After breakfast we headed to the train station, our intention, to catch the train to Triberg, a pretty little town framed by three mountains and home to two house-sized, dueling cuckoo clocks. But as it transpired, we didn’t have the pleasure. The hourly train had left 3 minutes before we arrived and we didn’t feel inspired to wait for the next one. We caught the train to Freudenstadt instead, and stopped at Alpirsbach on the way.
Alpirsbach is another pretty little town comprising of more half timbered houses and houses and buildings constructed out of red sandstone. This town’s biggest feature is the 12th Century Benedictine Abbey, and the brewery that sprung from it. We didn’t stay here long, just long enough to browse the streets, around the outside of the monastery and hop on the next train.
Freudenstadt isn’t as pretty as some of the other towns that we have seen in the region, but from the photos that we have seen this place was severely damaged in 1945, so you don’t get to see the old architecture. The story goes that the German commander in residence here was given the option by the invading forces of surrendering and saving the town, but he decided to defend with his small handful of remaining men. Consequently, it was flattened. At least that is the story that our host told us. What this town does have is the largest marketplace in the country, lined with strong looking buildings, painted in light colours and accented with bright flowerboxes. To one end of the square, and across the green, is a large, red sandstone protestant church. The fount, the large crucifix, and the lectern, are the only remaining pieces here that survived the destruction and fire from the bombing. Outside, between here and the marketplace, is a large fountain area. A flat area of cobbles with random jets of water giving the local kids an active summer playground. Being a hot summers day with clear blue sky, this was being put to good use.
After catching the train back to Schiltach, we had another browse around the town, finishing with a nice big slab of Schwarzwalderkirschtorte each (Black Forest Cherry Cake), delicious.
After breakfast we headed to the train station, our intention, to catch the train to Triberg, a pretty little town framed by three mountains and home to two house-sized, dueling cuckoo clocks. But as it transpired, we didn’t have the pleasure. The hourly train had left 3 minutes before we arrived and we didn’t feel inspired to wait for the next one. We caught the train to Freudenstadt instead, and stopped at Alpirsbach on the way.
Alpirsbach is another pretty little town comprising of more half timbered houses and houses and buildings constructed out of red sandstone. This town’s biggest feature is the 12th Century Benedictine Abbey, and the brewery that sprung from it. We didn’t stay here long, just long enough to browse the streets, around the outside of the monastery and hop on the next train.
Freudenstadt isn’t as pretty as some of the other towns that we have seen in the region, but from the photos that we have seen this place was severely damaged in 1945, so you don’t get to see the old architecture. The story goes that the German commander in residence here was given the option by the invading forces of surrendering and saving the town, but he decided to defend with his small handful of remaining men. Consequently, it was flattened. At least that is the story that our host told us. What this town does have is the largest marketplace in the country, lined with strong looking buildings, painted in light colours and accented with bright flowerboxes. To one end of the square, and across the green, is a large, red sandstone protestant church. The fount, the large crucifix, and the lectern, are the only remaining pieces here that survived the destruction and fire from the bombing. Outside, between here and the marketplace, is a large fountain area. A flat area of cobbles with random jets of water giving the local kids an active summer playground. Being a hot summers day with clear blue sky, this was being put to good use.
After catching the train back to Schiltach, we had another browse around the town, finishing with a nice big slab of Schwarzwalderkirschtorte each (Black Forest Cherry Cake), delicious.
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