A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
033: Vierortbad tower
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© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
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A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
032: Chair sculpture
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© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
023: Shaft Cross
When you walk or cycle around in Rhineland, you will meet several stone artifacts along the road. Many of them are crosses; these wayside crosses are called Shaft Crosses (schaftkreuze in German). They have a specific type of cross, the Latin or High Cross. Most of these cross monuments consist of the cross or crucifix itself. They are mostly made of sandstone, some of them are made of wood or metal. The cross is located above a shaft or column that is fixed to a foundation or base. Most of these shaft crosses can be found wayside, or near churches or cemeteries. The shaft cross in the photograph was found wayside, when walking around Freudenburg. It has a crucifix that you might associate it with a via sacra.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
022: Castle ruin Freudenberg
Freudenburg is a small village – about 1500 inhabitants – at 32 km south of Trier. In the 14th century, a Luxemburg count decided to construct a castle at the foot of the Eiderberg mountain: Burg Freudenberg (‘Freyding” at the time of the construction). The castle underwent reforms in the 16th century, when an abbey acquired Freudenberg. In 1646, in a battle between the abbey and the electoral prince of Trier, the castle was destroyed completely. It never became rebuilt. At present, there is still a trench of the Gothic castle, as well as the castle gate, and the remains of a three-story quarry stone building, and of a keep. The beam holes in the walls provide some idea how the castle would have been before its destruction.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
021: Helmed lion
The Reichsburg in Cochem is one of the principal touristic locations in the picturesque city of Cochem. From the historic center of Cochem, a steep 10-15 minute walk leads to the entrance of the castle. Inside the castle – over a thousand years old! – a guided tour leads you through various rooms with their original furniture and decorations. It is possible to climb to the top of the castle, from where you may enjoy a splendid view of the city of Cochem, the Mosel River, and the vineyards abundantly present in the mountainous region. At one of the cornes on the top, you will meet a strange statue, as shown in the photograph. My first impression was, that it should be a duck, but many are more convinced that it should be a frog with lion claws. However, it is not a frog, but a helmed lion that holds the coat of arms.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
020: Boy behind Stammbaum
When you are looking for tourist information in Cochem, it is almost impossible not to see a mosaic wall near the information office. This mosaic wall, made by the artist Carlfritz Nicolay in 1982, depicts the history of the city of Cochem, and is therefore called Stammbaum (‘family tree’). The mosaic, composed of ceramic and natural stone, tells the story – with the shield of Cochem in its center – of the Roman era , the Holy Roman Empire, the Reichsburg, the German Empire, and the German Republic. When I took this photograph, a boy was hiding himself behind the wall. Why and for who he was hiding, remains a big question.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
019: View from Reichsburg
The city of Cochem is located in the widely enchanted Mosel Valley. When I visited Cochem, I went by boat or by train. The boat trip on the Moselel River is worth the time on board, when the boat floats along a number of small cities and villages, and a large number of vineyards and wineries. The railtrack runs through a number of tunnels, and mainly follows the bends and curves of the Moselle River. The main attraction in Cochem is the historic Reichsburg, in which you can visit several rooms that are decorated with furniture from a couple of centuries ago. From the Reichsburg, you can enjoy a awesome view of the city, the river, and the vineyards.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
017: Carriage wall painting
Boppard is located in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2002. This valley, also known as the Rhine Gorge, 65 km section of the Rhine River between Koblenz and Bingen. This section gained much fame with the Lorelei legend, in which a siren named Lorelei seduced shipmen with her singing, while sitting on a treacherous rock. As a result, many of the shipmen lost their attention to navigation and had their ships wrecked against the rock. For centuries, Boppard was an important city along the track that follows the Rhine River. Carriages must have arrived and departed frequently. Close to a local hostel, at Schinderhannes Platz, this wall painting depicts a carriage pulled by two horses,
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
016: Playing giant outdoor chess
Boppard is a small town in the Rhine Gorge, in the German state of Rhine-Palatinate. Archaeologic findings have unearthed traces of early civilizations that date back some 13,000 years. The Romans that their settlement, at the border with the Germanic tribes. Until 1309 Boppard was a free imperial city, but then became part of the Holy Roman Empire. The well-conserved historic center has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2002. Tourism and wine production are the main economic activities. The picture shows a different activity. Older people that participate in an unusual outdoor chess game with giant pieces. The chess board is located at the margin of the Rhine River.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
015: Poppelsdorf Palace
One of the most beautiful constructions in Germany’s former capital is without doubt the baroque-style Poppelsdorfer Schloss (Poppelsdorf Castle). Located at walking distance from the railway station, the pale yellow-plastered castle is hard to miss. It is unknown when the original castle was built, but in 1341, the castle was acquired by an archbishop, and became a regional seat. In 1583, the castle was destroyed in a regional war (Cologne War), which occurred within the context of Protestant Reformation in Germany. Only in 1715, rebuilding of the castle was started, and finished twenty years later. About a century later, in 1818, the castle became part of the newly founded Bonn University, which moved the natural science collections to there, and transformed the garden in a botanical garden. The castle was heavily damaged during WWII in 1944, but was rebuilt in 1959. The castle still hosts important natural science collections, and several university departments. The photograph shows the reflection of the building in the pond that is part of the botanical garden.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
014: Bonn Minster
The Bonn Minster (or: Bonn Münster) is one of the oldest churches in Germany. The city of Bonn was founded by the Romans in the first century: it started as a fortress, Castra Bonnensia, Around 235 AD, two Christian Roman soldiers, Cassius and Florentius, refused the emperor’s orders to kill fellow Christians and to worship a Roman God. They were martyred, together with a large number of legionaries. Both Cassius and Florentinus were beheaded on what is believed the present location of the Minster. In the 4th century, a shrine was built over their graves. through the centuries, the construction was extended to a small church that was demolished in 1050. A new church was constructed, between the 11th and 13th centuries, with five towers: one central circular tower, and quare flanking towers on the west, and slender turrets in the east. The church, which suffered significant damage in WWII, became a papal minor basilica in 1956.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
013: Namen-Jesu-Kirche
Erected between 1686 and 1717, the late-Gothic Name of Jesus Church, is widely visible becuase of the two romantic towers. According to the legend, it all started with the discovery of a piece of birchwood with the initials ‘IHS’, referring to the name of Jesus. Interestingly, even until today, there is no consensus about the meaning of IHS. the church’s interior is a mixture of gothic and baroque elements, while the facade is typically baroque. The 53 m high towers have a Romanesque base and Boaroque tower heads. The Namen-Jesus-Kirche is located between the picturesque Marktplatz (Market Square) and Beethovenhaus.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
012: Beethoven Square
Bonn is Beethoven, Beethoven is Bonn. Many sites in Germany’s former capital honour the world famous composer. You can visit his house of birth, you can find various statues throughout the city. One of the best known is the statue that is located in front of the Old Post building. The statue – designed by Ernst Julius Hähnel and sculpted by Jacob Daniel Burgschmiet -was inaugurated in 1845 to commemorate the fact that Beethoven was born 75 years before. The Old Post (in function between 1877 and 1908) was built between 1751 and 1753, and called Fürstenberg Palais.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
011: Basilica of St Martin
Bingen is a small town in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, where the Nahe River flows into the Rhine River. This confluence was an ideal location where first Gauls settled (Binge), followed by the Romans (Bingum). Here started the Roman road to the city of Trier. Bingen has suffered much from many wars and fires. However, some principal monuments have been preserved, like Burg Klopp (Castle), MäuseTurm (Mouse Tower, from where a legend tells about a cruel archbishop eaten by mice), and the Basilica of St Martin. There is proof that the Romans had their temple for Mercurius. On the same location, a crypt was built in the 8th century. In 1006, the church was mentioned for the first time in documents. Enlargement took place in the 15th century, and large-scale restoration was performed in the 19th century. The basilica became heavily damaged during WWII, and restored in 1958.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
009: St. Michael and St Sebastian Church
One of the landmarks in the scenic city of Bernkastel, located in the Moselle Valley, is the St. Michael and St. Sebastian Church. It is dedicated to arch angel Michael (since 1324), and to St. Sebastian (since 1669). The 56 meter high tower is constructed with rubble, and was built in 1291 as a fortified tower. The church was built about a century later. During the centuries, the facade has changed various times, until the baroque facade was changed for a neo-gothic in 1870. A century later, in 1968, the baroque facade was restored. The church contains various religious sculptures, reliefs, statues and altars that date back until the 15th century. The vineyards in the background are part of the Badstube vineyards.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
007: Reflections in window
Bernkastel-Kues is a small town in the Moselle Valley, famous for the Riesling quality wines that are produced there. Bernkastel has a cozy historic center that attracts many German tourists and tourists from neighboring countries. The town’s history dates back from the 11th century, but there are indications that the region was already inhabited some five thousand years ago. One of the principal ruins is the Landshut Castle that dates back from the 13th century. Nowadays, the skyline is marked by the tall tower of the St. Michael and St. Sebastian Church. The center is marked by many half-timbered houses, of which the Spitzhäuschen, built in 1416, is the most remarkable. The window in the picture is located in one of the half-timbered houses.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 1991-2001, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
004: Houses on a bridge
It is not common to meet houses on a bridge, but in Bad Kreuznach, they are there for centuries. These so-called Brückenhaüser were constructed on the Nahebrücke (Nahe Bridge) in the fifteenth century, whereas the bridge itself was built around 1300. The bridges on the rivers Nahe, Worth and Mulhenteich served to connect the Altstadt (Old Town) and Neustadt (New Town) in Bad Kreuznach, and with the neighboring cities of Trier and Mainz. The houses were inhabited by merchants and withstood flooding and wars. One of the bridge houses in Bad Kreuznach even has a cannonball in its wall, probably shot by Swedish troops in the seventeenth century. The bridges suffered serious damage at the end of WWII, when German troops destroyed part of them during their retreat. The damage was repaired ten years later.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
003: St. Paul Church
There is evidence that already during the Stone Age, people settled in what is now Bad Kreuznach, a city in the romantic Nahe Valley, at about 40 km from Mainz. In the Roman Age, it was a Celtic settlement which the Romans named Cruciniacum. The settlement served as a supply station between Mainz and Trier. The historic center is split in Altstadt (Old Town) and Neustadt (New Town), divided by the Nahe River. In 1311, construction of the Pauluskirche (St. Paul Church) was started on an island. It was initially dedicated to Virgin Mary and St. Kylian, then it became a Reformed Church, and now it is an Evangelical Church. The church was destroyed by the troops of King Louis XIV, and rebuilt in 1781. The biggest church between Mainz and Trier, it received the marriage of Karl Marx in 1843.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017
Adriano Antoine 