First of all, I’d like to apologize for the lack of recent updates. In addition to updating for the internship, which I get a grade for, I’ve been sick for the past week! It’s highly unusual for me to be sick for more than a day at a time and honestly it’s terrible to be sick in Germany. There are a thousand things I’d rather do–travel, keep up with the internship, or simply go to Altstadt Koblenz for lunch–but my immune system had other ideas. Maybe traveling weakens it or something, but the doctor is making sure that it’s nothing worse than the flu right now. In the meantime, let me take you on a tour of Koblenz through pictures! Here are some of the things I’ve gotten to see while here:
This is Jesuiten Platz. It is named after a Jesuit Church which was established there but which no longer exists, having been destroyed in WWII. (Side note: It is remarkable how nearly everything was destroyed in WWII. It is the exception rather than the rule when one finds any building which survived at all.) The statue in the middle is Johannes Müller, an anatomist and psychologist from Koblenz. At Christmas time they have a Weihnachtsmarkt here, thus the Christmas tree he’s holding.
This statue of Wilhelm I overlooks the Deutsches Eck or German Corner where the Rhein and Mosel rivers meet. As King of Prussia, Wilhelm I unified Germany and was declared German Emperor in 1871. The original statue was also destroyed by American bombs but was recently (I think as recently as the 1980’s or 90’s but I can’t find the exact date) restored. Maybe it isn’t all that obvious in this picture but that statue is HUGE; this whole area is quite impressive actually.
This is what the Deutsches Eck looks like from up by the monument. Isn’t the river beautiful? (/Aren’t the rivers beautiful?)
Vier Türme, located in Altstadt. Apparently they used to be the watch location for Prussian soldiers. Personally I find this to be a beautiful example of the kind of architecture to be found in Altstadt Koblenz with all its cute little streets and shops. I would like one day to just wander in and out of the shops there all day and eat at a cafe for breakfast there. I’m sure at some point during these 7 months I will have time!
One of the churches in Altstadt, Florinskirche, ca 12th Century! It’s really beautiful but also very different from the others around here, which are all built of stone.
See, the church is visible from the Deutsches Eck. Did I mention how beautiful this city is? When it warms up I think I’ll spend a lot more time there.
This is St. Kastor’s, built around the year 817. (That’s very old especially for people from America like me.) It’s a basilica in the center of town that has seen quite a bit, including Napoleon’s Russian campaign.
That’s about all I can manage for now, I hope you all enjoyed the pictures! Believe me I have many, many more.