Paris to Swiss Alps: Cochem (3/29/2017)

Wednesday, March 29, 2017 (continued)

St Martinskirche/Chruch of St Martin
 (1932-1933, rebuilt 1950-1951)

Moselpromenade buildings, although heeavily damaged
during World War II, the old town was rebuilt

In Cochem, we left the motor coaches for the included guided walking tour.
Cochem was also settled by Celts, then the Romans, and has become the center of the Moselle wine trade. It has been a tourist town since the 1930s with its half-timbered houses and wine taverns.

Brunnen/Fountain on the Moselpromenade;
I am sorry to say that some of the Viking passengers were
uncomfortable with all the Muslims they saw...

Our guide, Marie-Luise, with the ambitious
mosaic (1981-1982) by Carlfritz Nicolay, showing the
history of Cochem since Roman times, a sort of
Stammbaum/family tree, or better, genealogy, of the city

Next to Marie-Luise on her right, the mosaic shows the winding course of the Moselle River in a light brown background.

Some kind of Flohmarkt/Flea market on the promenade

The Enderttor/Endert Gate (1332), the largest of the
remaining city gates; to the right is the Hotel
Alte Thorschenke/Old Gateway Inn (c. 1910)

Mail box (KSS)

Endert Gate from the outside

Wood carving on a corner of the house
outside the Endert Gate

The stone building at Endertstrasse #7 (c. 1899),
a late Historicist quarrystone building
in Renaissance Revival style

It's white asparagus season, although these come from The Netherlands

Old town doorway at Bernstrasse #31

Took a shortcut through the
Fuchsloch/Foxhole

Moselpromenade façade with grapevines

Wine press planter (KSS)

Winzer- or Bockbrunnen/Vintner- or Ram Fountain,
said to be over 100 years old

This fountain represents one of the Cochemer Stückelchen/Cochem Fables, ironic narratives of circumstances from the everyday life of the inhabitants. Here, a goat was accused of eating the white grapes in the local vineyards. Not knowing how to bring an animal to justice, it was decided to put it in a wine press to squeeze out the grape juice. However, instead of white juice, there was red "juice." The goat was declared innocent, but of course by then he was dead. To honor the goat, this fountain was created as a memorial.

View of the Kapuzinerkloster/Capuchin Monastery
(1625-1628) on the hilltop, was used as a
monastery until 1802, now a cultural center; the
 half-timbered house (18C) is now the city library

Martinsbrunnen/St Martin Fountain
(1767 by architect Nikolaus Lauxen, 1935
sculpture of St Martin by Anton Nagel),
showing Martin as a Roman soldier
giving half his cloak to a beggar

Rathaus/City Hall (1739, completed by
Philipp Honorius Ravensteyn), with the tower
of St Martins Church behind it (KSS)

Half-timbered market square buildings with gables (17C)

Herrenstrasse #2 with a multi-story oriel window

Markt #11 (1690)

Markt #11 coat of arms

Markt #11 Merman corbel/support

Markt #12 with updated design

Markt #12 faces and coats of arms 

Heading up Obergasse

A blessed door as noted by the "date" at the
top, with the beginning and ending numbers
denoting the year, the + signs represent the
cross, and C M B stands for the Latin Christus
mansionem benedicat/may Christ bless the house 

The letters are also the initials of the traditional names of the three magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. The blessing is usually done on Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, on January 6.

Fancy street sign for Brandy Alley

Obergasse #24 is marked 1704,
note the figure of  St Peter in the upper corner
of the house on the right

Balduinstor/Balduin's Gate (1352), the second of
Cochem's remaining city gates

Looking back at Balduin's Gate, and the castle of Reichsburg

Archbishop Balduin of Trier had the castle enlarged and the city of Cochem fortified.

A cemetery outside the city walls (KSS)

More of the former Capuchin Monastery,
which has been renovated into senior housing

Alpha-Omega street shrine; in the book of
 Revelation 22:13, Christ refers himself as the Alpha
 and the Omega, that is the first and the last:
Christ is the beginning and the end of all creation (KSS)

Balduin's Gate, cemetery and Reichsburg

A shuttle bus took us up to Reichsburg for a tour.

Next: Reichsburg.