Idar-Oberstein

On Monday, October 4, 2010 we visited Saalburg-a Roman Fort. This is very close to Friedrichdorf where we live. This fort was first built somewhere around 15 B.C. Of course, it became ruins and parts of it have been restored or rebuilt between 1898 and 1907. The Roman Empire extended through most of Germany during these early years and in many parts of Germany influences of the Roman Empire can be found in castles and walls.

This statue stands in front of the entrance to the fortress.

This is the outside of the walls of the fortress--it is called the Walls of the Limes. The hump in the middle of the grassy area is called the Limes, an earthen rampart and ditch. It is well preserved near the Saalburg and can be traced for many kilometers through the Taunus forests.

This was the Quartermasters living area. These vines that are turning to bright red can be seen all over the area--in the forests and in the towns.

Some of the colors of the leaves--the forests are turning quickly and are really beautiful.

Inside the Museum were display of actual tools that were found. We were interested to see that many of the tools that were used before Christ's birth look very much like our modern day tools. In the picture below is some of the keys that were used.

This picture is of the oil lamps that were used in those days. These are probably like the ones used by the Ten Virgins.

Some of the excavating that is an ongoing process.

As we were returning home this motorcycle came up behind us--we were especially interested in the passenger in the side car.

On Monday, September 27, 2010 we visited Idar-Oberstein. This has a Church that was built into the side of a mountain.

Don and I at the resturant that we ate lunch at. They served the best steaks that we have ever eaten. The steaks were marinated and then cooked over an open wood flame. Yum!

Inside the Resturant

Our lunch cooking

We were really enjoying our meal!

A walk through the town to the Church in the mountain. The name of the Church is Die Felsenkirche. Legand has it that there were two brothers that were in love with the same girl and so one of the brothers threw the other over the cliff. Later on in life his

conscience got to him and he built this church in 1482. It became the symbol of the city. It was actually built right into the rock and the back walls of the church are rock. If you look at the picture closely you can see the ruins of a castle on the top of the mountain.
Where else is there a church that can only be entered through a tunnel which was dug into the rocks? Where else does a spring bubble in the middle of the church aisle?

Looking down the tunnel from the church.

Inside the Church

We climbed up to the top where the bell tower is and were able to see the bells.

Both of these pictures are from the church overlooking the city.

Going down from the Bell Tower

The Castle ruins on the top of the mountain--and yes Don and Karen climbed to the top to see the ruins. It was a very looooooog climb and very steep--when we got to the top we discovered that we could have driven up to it. We were not amused!

Looking up to where we were going--at this point we were pretty much out of breath!

We made it! There are the walls!

Looking into the entrance

Inside the ruins

The tower of the castle--this part has been rebuilt!

Just us inside the castle ruins--the balcony above us has obviously been rebuilt!

We went into the town to a museum and this is a model of the castle that is inside the museum.

The city is the home of semi-precious stones. There is a mine nearby and the museum holds many beautiful rocks and semi-precious stones. This picture is of a waterwheel that they used to run the machines to grind the stones to the desired size.

Replicas of the crown jewels of the Queen of England