Erfurt! A Declaration Of Love To One Of The Most Beautiful Cities In Germany!
Join us on a medieval walk
Katharina and I left our well-paid jobs in our early 30s and traveled the world for 365 days in 2019/2020.
We came as far as New Zealand when the lockdown ended our trip abruptly and forced us to return to Europe.
A world journey came to an end, and returning back home was not a compelling prospect for us.
To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist. — Oscar Wilde
Although we were welcomed at home by the warm and wonderful summer, it took us a few days to accept and realize that we were really back.
A few days later we had the travel fever again.
The old continent of Europe has a lot to offer.
When you walk through some old towns in countries such as Germany, France, or Italy you may wonder if you got into a time machine.
In the case of Erfurt, I traveled directly to the Middle Ages.
A dark time and yet an epoch that always fascinates me.
The Thuringian state capital has many cultural treasures to offer.
Time flies. It’s up to you to be the navigator. — Robert Orben
Among them are the “Krämerbrücke” (German for chandler bridge), an old synagogue, a lot of Churches (22 (!) in the old town alone), Renaissance houses near the fish market, the neo-Gothic town hall and the mighty cathedral, mentioned for the first time in 1117.
We visited Erfurt on our way to Poland and the Czech Republic. We originally planned to only stop for an hour or two, but the city fascinated us so much we decided to stay longer.
Do you want to walk through the city with us?
Let’s dive into this charming ancient capital.
Discover Erfurt
The old town, an unrivaled atmosphere rich in history and culture.
It’s September 2020, it’s been more than one year since we visited Erfurt.
Since then we have traveled through quite a lot of nations and observed many astonishing spots.
But, we have to admit: Germany is pretty too.
My country offers a unique combination of historical buildings, cultural events, landscapes that change again and again through the seasons, and pretty generous and welcoming residents. And not to forget the beer gardens!
Living on Earth is expensive, but it does include a free trip around the sun every year. — Unknown
We stepped into the picturesque old town of Erfurt. It was a shining Wednesday with few sightseers around at that time.
We still remembered the stunning “Krämerbrücke” from my last visit and went straight for this attraction.
Krämerbrücke
Directly in the center of the old town, you will find something that cannot be discovered anywhere else in Germany. The unique and super popular “Krämerbrücke”, this bridge is unprecedented in its location, structure, and also its usage. It is the only inhabited bridge in the whole country.
The only comparable bridge in Europe exists only in Italy; The Ponte Vecchio in Florence, though it’s a bit shorter.
Last time we were only on the bridge for a short time. This time we chose to take the time to fully enjoy the site in all its uniqueness.
‘I’m bored’ is a useless thing to say. You live in a great, big, vast world that you’ve seen non-percent of. — Louis C.K.
We wandered through the lovely tiny shops on the first floor. I discovered handicrafts, Thuringian specialties, and the famous Goldhelm chocolate (one of the best chocolate manufacturers in Europe).
Of course, the old town doesn’t just consist of the “Krämerbrücke”. Many small streets such as the legendary Andreas road are waiting to be discovered.
Erfurt Cathedral and “Severikirche”
On my way to the cathedral, I took a quick tour through old Erfurt. I admired picturesque houses, narrow alleys adorned with artwork, enjoyed lots of wildflowers, and admired many structural highlights that have been inspiring visitors for centuries.
After wandering through the winding streets, I arrived 10 minutes later at the cathedral square. For me, the Cathedral in Erfurt is one of the most magical places in Germany.
The mighty construction of the cathedral seems to float on pillars above the ground.
It’s just unbelievable what the builders constructed approximately 1,000 years ago without power or modern machines.
Erfurt Cathedral is the most important and oldest church building in Erfurt and is one of the most impressive in Germany.
It is an impressive 80 meters high, and has the largest free-swinging bell in the world; the so-called Gloriosa, which dates back to the Middle Ages.
Isn’t it crazy that the bell was used way back in the Middle Ages?
Time fascinates me.
500 years ago, settlers and villagers caught the same tones of Gloriosa
but
we live an entirely different life.
· Not even the monarch had access to streaming water.
· Medicine was experimental and limited to a few.
· Young children did not go to school but had to work hard.
· There was no justice, no fair courts, and no police force.
· People could not travel, there were no free zones.
· The fewest citizens could read or calculate.
· Most people were starving all year long and freezing in winter.
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” — Oprah Winfrey
I am glad that I am allowed to live nowadays.
Traveling expands my mind and helps me to find my spot in the world.
Traveling makes me reflect.
I’ am wondering.
Are my little everyday dilemmas really that serious?
Time To Move On
There is much more to see in Erfurt.
For example, the famous Monastery, where M. Luther studied from 1501, or the Petersberg hill where you can enjoy a great view over the whole city.
But that’s for another story.
At that point, we had to return to our car. We still had a few kilometers to go on our way to the Czech Republic.
And yes, there will be a story about this country too!
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”– Walt Disney
I hope to see you again in the future.
Disclaimer: We took all the pictures shown in this article and call ourself the proud copyright owners :)
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