Regensburg, Germany
Regensburg is situated at the most northerly point of the Danube and is one of Germany’s oldest towns, at more than two thousand years. After our breakfast on the River Cloud, we were ready for our last expedition of this trip. Our visit to Regensburg started in the morning and some of us had the opportunity to go to St Peter’s Cathedral, easily recognized by the twin towers. The present building was started in the mid-13th century and the building process continued over a lengthy period. The foundation of the south tower was laid at the start of the 14th century and those of the north tower at the end of that century. The Cathedral was decorated in Baroque style but restored to its Gothic form in the 19th century. One of the most beautiful things about the Cathedral is its stained glass. The church has wonderful, colorful windows that make this Cathedral unique in all of Germany.
Our second place to visit was the Old Stone Bridge. This amazing bridge was built from 1135-1146, when Regensburg was still the capital of Bavaria. The bridge is almost one and a half centuries older than the Cathedral and is the oldest bridge anywhere in Germany. The old Stone Bridge consists of at least 16 arches and is 309 meters long. It is one of the most important landscapes in Regensburg.
After our walk downtown, exploring the tiny streets and amazing squares of this city, we had lunch in the Schloss Thurn and Taxis Café and it was a great Bavarian feast!
In the afternoon, we went into the Thurn and Taxis Castle. The Thurn and Taxis family became world famous through their postal service, or more precisely, through the first large-scale regular public transport system for mail and passengers in all of Europe. The family used a horse relay system that allowed for uninterrupted travel from one European capital to another. Around 1500, Franz Von Taxis began the postal service that made his family immensely wealthy and brought them the title of “Prince”. Since 1650 the family has been called Thurn and Taxis.
The postal service was in existence until the end of the German Confederation in 1866. In 1812, the family acquired the St Emmeram`s Monastery in Regensburg and after renovations and additions the Palace was decorated in Neo-Renaissance style in 1880. Presently, some of the family Thurn and Taxis still live in one of the areas of the Palace. At the end of the tour we were ready to return to the ship and share dinner and conversations about our wonderful experiences throughout the week.
