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The Lüftlmalerei-Adorned Windows of Oberammergau, Germany
Oberammergau, Germany is famous for the colorful frescoes that adorn the exteriors of its homes and businesses. This painting technique is known as Lüftlmalerei. Luft means ‘air’ in German. It’s believed that the term illustrates how fresco artists must work quickly to apply watercolor paint to the wet plaster before it dries in the open air. During…
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A Stroll Through Paris’ Sainte-Chapelle
Shimmering like a radiant jewel box, Sainte-Chapelle is often overlooked by visitors to Paris, who only visit Notre Dame Cathedral. I’d long read how Sainte-Chapelle is a must-see and favorite among shutterbugs, yet it took me several visits to the City of Light to see this Gothic masterpiece.
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Hiking to the Kofel, Oberammergau’s Signature Mountain
Towering over the village of Oberammergau is the Kofel, a Matterhorn-shaped mountain with an elevation of 1,342 meters (4,400 feet). The name Kofel means “cone-shaped mountain” in Celtic, and so hints at the different peoples who once passed through this mountainous part of Germany. The Bavarians we’ve met in this picturesque town are well-versed in the art…
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A Peek at Linderhof Palace
Schloss Linderhof is the smallest of three castles built by King Ludwig II in Germany’s state of Bavaria in the mid to late 1800s. Simultaneously referred to as the “Fairy Tale King” and “Mad King Ludwig,” eccentric Ludwig is perhaps best known for having commissioned Neuschwanstein Castle, the so-called “Cinderella” or “Disney Castle.” King Ludwig…
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The Last Days of Summer – Oberammergau, Germany
“Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” Henry James As we welcome autumn to Oberammergau – with its bounty of festivals and harvests – here’s a peek at the scenes we glimpsed during our end-of-summer strolls. Here’s to beautiful fall foliage, and Bavaria’s winter…
