Categories: germany, postcards
Date: 11 July 2008 00:31:37
My visit to Trier was rounded off with a boat trip down the Mosel. In the local paper, the quaintly named Trierer Volksfreund, which sounds like something from the 19th century, I spotted an advert for a free trip down the river. The Lödgerin duly filled in the coupon, belatedly realising that this would subject her to decades of unwanted junk mail, (tee-hee) and off we marched to the quayside.
It was a pleasant way to spend an hour at the end of the afternoon. We passed under the Römerbrücke (Roman Bridge) which we were told is the oldest bridge north of the Alps still crossed by traffic; and saw two cranes, the Trierer Moselkran built in 1413 and the alte Zollkran (customs crane) built in 1774. My eyes may have deceived me but I thought I saw a crane of the feathered variety sitting on a post nearby!
The Lödgerin told me the story of the Mariensäule (St Mary's column) which is high up on the Markusberg and past which we sailed. You will remember that I told you in postcard no. 5 that the ancient Basilika was given to the Protestants. Well, after Trier was returned to Prussia (largely Protestant) in 1815, the Catholics were less than delighted so they resolved to build the highest statue in Germany in Mary's honour on the Markusberg. It was not intended for pilgrimage purposes - it would have been better placed on the Petrisberg on the right bank of the river for that, apparently. The chosen spot is directly above the town and almost directly opposite the Basilika. The Lödgerin explained that as the Catholics couldn't have the "best" building, they were going to remind those pesky Protestants of their superiority by making sure they couldn't avoid seeing Mary. And it seems that their attempts were advanced by WWII. Damage inflicted on the town meant that several buildings were destroyed and not rebuilt - which further opened up the view between the Basilika and the column!