Hi Mummy,
today we made a long walk again. Katja showed us Schloss Burg, a medieval castle in the neighbour city Solingen. We walked there through the environment of Remscheid.
We walked through one of the valleys, several creeks are running here.
You can find steep rocks along the path.
We reached Solingen-Unterburg than, a really old district.
We had to walk uphill to reach the castle, which is situated high upon a hill above the River Wupper.
Behind the trees you can see the castle, still some time to walk.
We went to this outlook pavilion.
Wow! What a wonderful view! In the valley you can see Solingen-Unterburg.
The ceiling of the pavilion is painted with the crests of the surrounding cities. The one with the lion and the sickle is the one of Remscheid.
Finally we reached the castle.
Schloss Burg was built in 1133 by Count Adolf I von Berg on a hill above the river Wupper.That's why this region is called "Bergisches Land". Many people believe that it's name refers to the landscape with hills and valleys. (For those who do not speak German: The German word for mountain or hill is "Berg", so many people think that the name "Bergisches Land" means "land with many hills" )
About a hundred years later it was enlarged by Count Engelberg II von Berg. This is the guy on the horse in the courtyard.
In Thirty Years War (17th century) many parts of the castle were destroyed. It was rebuilt then, but it was used for industrial purposes for many years. In the end of the 19th century they began to rebuild it as it appears today.
In the castle courtyard you can find souvenir shops and shops whose owners are doing an "old" handcraft. For example someone makes soap, another makes brushes, then you can buy things that were used by knights for the kids, like swords and helmets.
The following photos were taken in the courtyard.
This monument is showing Count Engelberg II von Berg.
Here all sorts of wine are sold, especially wine made of fruits like apples, red currants, blackberries and more.
Katja bought beads with the letters of my name here.
We also visited a shop where wool is sold. The shopkeeper was working at her spinning-wheel.
Katja bought double pointed knitting needles here, made of rosewood.
If you don't want to walk to the castle, you can use the ropeway. Here you can see how steep this slope is.
We walked home than.
We had to cross River Wupper, which is flowing through Solingen-Unterburg.
We also walked underneath Germany's highest railway bridge, Muengsten Bridge. It is 107 m high.
My feet are aching and I am sooo tired ...
Bye
Roo
