Germany and the Czech Republic: April 2024
We journeyed down the Elbe River on a delightful Viking voyage, starting with three days in Berlin and ending with three days in Prague. Highlights were walking in Martin Luther's footsteps in Wittenberg, an excursion to stunning Saxon Switzerland National Park, attending a classical music concert in the elegant Rampart Pavilion of the Zwinger Palace in Dresden,
a folklore dinner with traditional dancing in Prague, and a visit to medieval Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. We thoroughly enjoyed this trip and were blessed with good weather, great food, and wonderful traveling companions, Gail and Lloyd Jacobs. (Clicking on any photo will open up a larger image.) |
Berlin
A modern museum housed in the rebuilt shell of what was once the Prussian royal family's palace, the Humboldt Forum featured the exhibit Berlin Global. Interactive and innovative, it highlighted historical and contemporary Berlin culture.
Under Nazi dictatorship, the building fell into neglect and was severely damaged during WWII.
|
We visited the Reichstag, Germany's parliament building and its rooftop dome. It was completed in 1894 and is one of Berlin's most significant historic buildings. The Reichstag served as the home of the German parliament until 1933 when the building was badly damaged in a fire.
|
The building was renovated with the addition of the glass dome, and reopened in 1999.
|
A few of the many cheerful bear sculptures scattered throughout the city.
Along with the Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate, the main attraction of the Neues Museum is undoubtedly the colorful Queen Nefertiti bust, created around 1340 BC and housed in a room all her own. (Any photographs must be taken from a distance outside this room.)
|
On our visit to Museum Island we first toured the Neues Museum with its collections of archaeological objects and Egyptian and Etruscan sculptures. In 1999, the Museum Island complex was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
|
A visit to the Pergamon-Das Panorama took us back to the year 129 A.D. and the ancient Greek city of Pergamon. Artist Yadegar Asisi created this immersive exhibit and his panoramic artwork wraps around the exhibit room as a sound and light installation simulates day and night.
|
Then it was time for a treat! The Rausch House of Chocolate claims to be the largest chocolate house in the world. Besides the extensive selection of chocolate creations, there are chocolate replicas of famous Berlin landmarks, such as the Victory Column and the Brandenburg Gate. Upstairs is a café serving yummy desserts and three kinds of hot chocolate.
Potsdam
Leaving Berlin our first stop was Glienicker Brücke (The Bridge of Spies), the Cold War border between the U.S. and Soviet sectors where prisoners and spies were exchanged. Then we visited Sanssouci Palace, the summer home of Frederick the Great. Sans souci means "without a care" and Frederick envisioned this residence as a serene retreat and a sanctuary in difficult times. Built between 1745-1747, the Palace's ornate Rococo-style architecture overlooks classically designed gardens and terraced vineyards and was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1990.
|
After having lunch in Potsdam we visited Cecilienhof, the site of the historic Potsdam Conference where world history was written in the summer of 1945. Following the end of World War II, Churchill (followed by Attlee), Truman and Stalin met here to discuss the reorganization of Europe and Germany's future.
The crew welcomed us on board the Viking Beyla and we checked into our comfy cabin. Later we joined Captain Miroslav and Hotel Manager Janos in the lounge for a welcome aboard toast. After we're introduced to the crew we enjoyed the first of many delicious dinners. Afterwards Sandi received a surprise birthday greeting by Chef Galin, Maître d' Joeriel, Program Director Eva and the crew, along with a special cake. The very nicest way to celebrate a birthday!
Wittenberg
Martin Luther's arguments against the sale of indulgences and other church practices launched the Protestant Reformation.
|
Wittenberg is famous for being the hometown of Augustinian monk Martin Luther who nailed his 95 Theses to the door of All Saints' Church, also known as the Castle Church, in 1517. The door (left) is not the original, which was destroyed in 1760, but a 19th-century bronze door engraved with Luther's theses.The Church is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
|
His tomb is inside the church and its steeple features the quote, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God", from one of Luther's hymns.
|
Torgau
We took an evening walking tour of Torgau, the site of the meeting between the forces of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union on April 25, 1945, now remembered as "Elbe Day". Commemorating the encounter is the monument below, marking an important step towards the end of World War II. Hartenfels Castle is considered the only surviving German early Renaissance castle. Martin Luther personally consecrated the Castle Church in 1544. Real brown bears can be found in the outdoor bear enclosure in front of the Castle. This is a long-standing tradition; the first bears were documented in 1425.
|
Meissen
Meissen is world famous for its porcelain, made from local kaolin clay and potter's earth. The Meissen Porcelain Factory was founded with the goal of producing porcelain wares that would rival the fine Chinese and Japanese porcelains, highly prized in Europe at the time. It took several years for the factory to perfect its techniques but by the 1720s, Meissen porcelain was highly sought after by European collectors. We were given a tour and watched several stages of production.
|
Dresden
We visited the Grünes Gewölbe, the Green Vault Museum that houses what many claim is the largest collection of treasures in the world, including priceless jewels and emeralds. These opulent objects were collected by Augustus the Strong in the early 1700s and include the 145-piece golden coffee service (below, right) which dates from 1697-1701.
A bus tour took us past many of Dresden's landmark sights. It took Dresden more than 50 years to rebuild after much of the city was destroyed during WWII.
The Semper Opera House (above), also destroyed in WWII, was reconstructed forty years later. It reopened in February 1985 with a performance of Carl Maria von Weber's "Der Freischutz", the opera last played before the bombardment in 1945.
|
Dresden's lavish Zwinger Palace was built in 1709 as a venue for tournaments and other court games played by the nobility in Saxony. The Nymph Bath (above, left) is one of the most stunning Baroque fountains in Germany. The building was completed in 1728 when it was ready to house its magnificent collections. In the evening we attended a classical
music concert in the Rampart Pavilion of the Palace (above, right).
music concert in the Rampart Pavilion of the Palace (above, right).
Bad Schandau
This morning we sailed through a scenic stretch of the Elbe with views of Bad Schandau. “Bad” means bath or spa, and Bad Schandau, known for its healing waters, has been a spa and resort town since the early 1800s. Our destination was Saxon Switzerland National Park, with its impressive rock formations and panoramic views of the Elbe Valley.
Prague
At the Kunsthalle Praha Museum we had lunch in their bistro and then were given a tour of the exhibit READ by Katerina Slavíková, who was the production assistant for the exhibit. After coffee (with a view!), we walked through Old Town Square. Below right is the.Jan Hus Memorial, the Hussite reformer who was burned at the stake as a heretic in 1415.
Our dinner destination was Vytopna Railway Restaurant on Wenceslas Square, where your food and drinks are delivered by a locomotive which is accompanied by the sounds of a real train. The model countryside includes swing bridges, a large castle and a pond. The railway runs around the entire restaurant and down the center of the tables.
In the evening we joined a small group of our Viking fellow passengers for dinner at Cicovicky Dvur, a folklore restaurant. Besides the four-course Czech meal, we were entertained by a dulcimer band and folk dancers performing Bohemian, Moravian and Slovakian dances in traditional costumes. And yes, Sandi was encouraged to join in for one of the dances!
Cesky Krumlov
About 100 miles outside Prague is the lovely medieval town of Cesky Krumlov where we spent our last day in the Czech Republic. Cesky Krumlov looks like something out of a fairy tale with its 13th century castle, impressive towers, charming red rooftops and cobblestone streets. In 1992, the town became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Click here to return to the home page.