Nuremburg

One of our first trips with Harmony's family was to Nuremburg, the city made famous by the war crimes tribunals that were held for Nazi leaders after World War II. Our first stop was to the Nazi Documentation Center at the old Nazi Congress Hall. The Congress Hall was never completed, but was designed to hold 50,000 spectators for Nazi meetings. The Documentation Center was a museum that showed the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany and in Nuremburg in particular, and the consequences of Nazi rule. It was very well done and its presence within the walls of the Nazi Congress Hall added chilling authenticity.

(L) Jack standing on a platform with a view of the center of the Congress Hall (R) Lucas listening to the audio guide inside the Nazi Documentation Center

(L) What it would have looked like if it had been completed (R) Another view of the center from the Documentation Center platform

After visiting the Documentation Center, we drove to the nearby Zeppelin Field, which is where the Nazis held massive rallies. The field pales in comparison to what it once was.

(L) Zeppelin Field during a Nazi rally (R) Zeppelin field in 2011- notice the swastika and columns are gone.

(Below) After defeating the Nazis, American troops blew up the swastika that was on top of the Zeppelin Field grandstand.

After visiting the old Nazi sites, we went to Nuremburg's old town where we saw a couple of old cathedrals and climbed up a hill to a castle.

(Above) Inside the church you see in the background, there was this photograph of the Nuremburg main square during Nazi times.

(Above) Nuremburg Castle

(L) The castle's outer walls (R) A view of the city from the castle

(Above) Nuremburg's two large cathedrals

Cologne

We made a day-trip with Harmony's family to Cologne (Köln), which is about a 2-hour drive from our home. Cologne is home to the second largest cathedral in Germany and the fifth largest church in the world (it is 516ft in height). The construction on this Gothic cathedral lasted from 1248 to 1880. This is apparently the most visited landmark in all of Germany, per Wikipedia. For just a few euros, we were given the privilege of climbing the stairs all the way up to the spires. What a workout!

(L) A view of the Rhine River from the top of the cathedral (R) One of the main doors to the cathedral

Cologne is also home to the Lindt "chocolate factory" and museum. It did not seem like the factory produced much chocolate so we suspect it was more just for show for the tourists. Lindt has a factory in Zurich, Switzerland, which is where we traveled last weekend (more to come on that trip.)

(L) Heading into the Lindt museam (R) Jack admiring chocolate bunnies

(Above) The chocolate factory -- Jack was keenly interested in the chocolate churner

(Above) Jack and Lucas enjoying the free samples

(Above) That is one freakin' large chocolate truffle!

Trier

After visiting Burg Eltz, we drove less than 2 hours to Trier, where we spent the night. Trier is Germany's oldest city. It lies just a few kilometers from the border with Luxembourg. Trier was part of the Roman Empire- it was founded by Augustus in 16 B.C. There are signs of Roman heritage all over the city.

(Above) The Porta Nigra is the north gate of what remains of Roman fortifications around the city. It survived the millennia because it was used as a church for a long period after the fall of Rome.

(Above) A view of the city from inside the Porta Nigra

(Above) St. Peter's Cathedral, the oldest Christian church in Germany. Construction on this church began in 326 A.D.

(L) Brittany, Jaxon, Barbara, and Aaron at the central market (R) Jack and Lucas waiting with Aunt Brittany for a pasta dinner. We had to bribe Lucas with gelato after he finished his dinner to keep him quiet while the rest of us ate.

(L) Jack was impressed with the big foot. (R) Not a bad family photo for a auto-timer snapshot from a rock on the ground.

(Above) The inside of the Konstantin Basilica. This is the largest intact Roman structure outside of Rome. The Emperor Constantine sat on a throne in this building. It was badly damaged in WWII

(Above) What remains of the imperial baths, which were built by Constantine. These are the most intricate Roman baths in the world; however, they apparently never worked quite properly. Jack had a wonderful time looking for "ghosts" inside the underground tunnels.