The orb with cross, the globus cruciger, symbolised Christ’s domination over the world in the hand of a worthy ruler during the Middle Ages. I have no idea whether this particular ruler, a figure in a facade of the Heidelberg Castle that is not completely in ruins, was a particular worthy ruler. In fact I tried to find out who he was because I liked the kitty at his feet but I gave up because there are so many of these figures.
Ragtag Daily Prompt: Sovereignity
That’s the crest on top of the huge wine vat in the cellar of the Heidelberg Castle – not the BIG vat, though, but quite big. And it’s dusty. FOWC with Fandango: Dusty
What a lozenge is in heraldry is a diamond or a rhomb in geometry. This crest is on top of a large vat in the Heidelberg castle – although not THE large vat in the castle but big enough (more than 5m tall, judging by … Continue reading Not a Sore Throat
On 6 September 1693 the French troops used 27,000 pounds of explosives to blow up Heidelberg Castle. In the process they arguably created one of the most pictoresque ruins ever. The tower didn’t collapse but to this day displays the thick walls and arches.
Thanks to its ruined castle (thank you, France!) Heidelberg has been a tourist attraction for several hundreds of years. It became particularly popular during the Romantic era and many poets used it as inspiration for their writings. Since then it has never been unpopular and … Continue reading Alt Heidelberg, du feine
Six Word Saturday
The headdress gives it away, this is Herakles. son of Alcmene and Zeus. He is wearing the head of the Nemean lion. It was the first labour he accomplished, ridding the countryside of a fearful lion with impenetrable fur which had been terrorising the locals. … Continue reading The Original
The Heidelberg Castle houses a huge wine vat. Over the years there were actually four huge vats: the first one, built in 1591, held 127,000 litres. It was used to store the wine given as tributes and taxes to the Elector Palatine. The fourth and … Continue reading His Optimism Gave Him His Name
When the French laid waste the castle in Heidelberg one final time in 1693 they wanted to destroy the castle and the town. Their spoils would have been the Kurpfalz, the Electorate of the Palatinate, the state consisting of many smallish areas in the Upper … Continue reading The Jewel on the Neckar
The Heidelberg Castle as seen from behind.
Silent Sunday
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