The city of Ulm is nestled comfortably alongside the River Danube and has several claims to fame. The most impressive is the Münster which boasts the Tallest Spire in the world, a mighty 161.5 metres high!
It really does strain the neck to look up to the top!….
where there is a viewing platform (143 metres high) at the top of a staggering 768 spiral steps….
Once up here the view is terrific, across the old and new city….
where you can see a harmonious blend of modern cutting edge architecture together with the old world….
towards the Danube can be see the Fischerviertel, Ulms old fishers and tanners quarter….
whilst pounding our way up the spiral staircase we saw many gargoyles at close quarters….
which we thought needed a human element, and here is Grahame’s new and fresh interpretation of one….
we really were right up in the centre of the spire! (not for those that suffer from vertigo!)….
Inside, the Münster did not disappoint with it’s scale and craftsmanship. We should add here that the Münster took over 500 years to build from the first stone laid in 1377….
The stonemasons were paid by the block and hallmarked each one of their own stones as their work….
In Ulm the sparrow is an iconic bird which takes it’s status from the legend that half-baked builders tried to shove wooden beams for the minster sideways through the city gates, their endeavours were fruitless until they were enlightened by a sparrow flying past with straw for it’s nest. The builders immediately changed how they carried the beams holding them lengthways to traverse the gate, and therefore completing the job! The sparrow has been honoured by the city ever since….
The 15th century oak choir stalls are decorated with biblical and historical characters such as Pythagoras, the males are to the left….
and the females decorate the stalls to the right. Note: the seat between the two figure heads (shown here configured for standing) has two handy armrests and a small decorative plinth which one can perch on during rather long and arduous sermons! The seat base tips forward and forms a comfy (!) chair….
To sum up, the Ulm Münster was so impressive that it warranted a blog entry all of it’s own. We close this entry with a little local tongue twister for you to try, if you can’t manage it first time then we are told that a few glasses of Bavarian beer will help….
'In Ulm, um Ulm, und um Ulm herum'
Excellent as always. That spire is so impressive. I would love to climb up inside that.
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