Two Churches from Mainz

This first church is architecture at its highest on the outside, and it doesn't seem to stop once you're inside. This is the church from the back. It is immense. And I think they kept wood carvers and stone masons busy for centuries. The pictures from the inside are poor. I've got a lot to learn about taking pictures in the dark!! The church is sooooo large that its immensity is filled by these floor to ceiling carvings, which were awesome and absolutely monstrous. So, inside we go... This is the pulpit from which the priest gives his sermons. They seem to wander from the front of the chapel (where the sacrament is given, etc.,) to these beautiful pulpits. Above the pulpit is an ornately carved "umbrella" of sorts that sort of covers the priest. This doesn't do it justice, as the wood was gold-leafed and so very ornate.

A typical doorway.

More gold leaf, more priests, more angels.
Same thing from a distance. I wish I knew high how high the ceilings were, but this is only about a third of the way up, (maybe halfway).

More carving...

I found this interesting. It's the entrance to the crypts. I sort of chose not to go down. I understand they re-use the "caskets," and they are often in the process of making a change!

This is the church from the front. It has been burned down several times and always rebuilt. I kind of ask myself how something made of stone could burn, but it's easy to understand how all the carvings inside are destroyed.
This church was a good, long walk from the one above, much smaller, but so interesting.

From the outside, this church won't make anyone hold their breath, although it is beautiful, but it is famous for its stained glass windows, created by Marc Chagall. You've probably heard about them. They are sooooo remarkable. My pictures don't begin to do them justice, but if you'd take a minute to Google "Chagall" on the Internet, you'd be glad. His works are so unlike any other stained glass I've seen. You just want to sit down in the church and gaze at them, especially as we had a superbly sunny day and they were highlighted as they should be.

I'll just let you browse...

The end. Get on the Internet and learn about Chagall's windows. He's Russian-born. I'd like to learn about his life.

Farmer's Market at Guttenberg

This doesn't do justice to this farmers' market, as it ran for several blocks and was "tent to tent" all the way, but we had fun looking at all the booths and seeing the wares. My first "booth" was this book display, and of course, I had to get something!! So, did I get something intellectual? Did I get a coffee table book of German scenery? Did I get some replicas of the Guttenberg Bible pages? No, I bought a used copy of Onkel Tom's Hutte, Noah's Arsche, and Die Ente Quak, the story of a goose's journey. Yes, I'm crazy, but you can all say that your kids read German literature, 'cause Noah's Arsche is identical to our Noah's Ark (which, of course, has no words, just illustrations!)!! And, the illustrations in the Uncle Tom's Cabin book are incredibly beautiful. I just love them. And the goose story is just cute. I just took this picture as we wandered among the tents, just to show the varied architecture in Germany, modern versus ancient.

And this little man was the real thing--lederhosen and all, the pointed hat, the long stockings, the boots, everything! It reminded me of one of our walks where we saw the contrast of the ages. Two men were taking a very brisk walk (with their ski poles, etc.), and one was dressed like this gentleman, lederhosen to the hilt, and his walking partner had on a very new pair of jeans, Keds, and a sweatshirt. They were both probably in their early 70s, and we got a real kick out of them. I wish I had had my camera with me then!

And these next pictures reminded me of the old Providence bazaars. I didn't know that anyone but the Relief Society would bag pasta and put a costume on it to sell! Some real imagination was used here!

This picture was taken to show you how much the Germans love their dogs! They are seldom without them. We've been in many a store or beauty salon or whatever, and next to the owner's desk will be either a large doggy pillow, a basket like this one, or whatever it takes to make the dog comfortable! Maybe you could consider taking Sammy and Jake to work, huh Jim and Matt?
This was my favorite part of the market. This aged, bent, little old lady was selling her eggs and greens, and she had her life written all over her. She is Germany!

And that was our tour of the farmers' market!! Wish you could have seen all the colorful tents! Maybe next time.

Guttenberg Museum - Saturday, March 7, 2009

We started out in winter coats, umbrellas ('cause it was raining in Bad Homburg), and wondering if we should stay home, but the farther we went, the more beautiful the weather, and the day turned out perfect. The Senior couples had a wonderful morning in Mainz, where we visited the Guttenberg Museum, learned some great history lessons, and then people-watched and church-visited!!

So, here's the front of the museum, a really beautiful building! I'm not sure what all goes on in the building itself, but our tour actually took place in another building behind this one, the basement of which housed the actual printing presses, etc. The upper floors housed incredible historical artifacts, pages from original Bibles, tools used, etc. We learned that it took a monk three years to copy a Bible by hand, and with Guttenberg's new press, he printed 180 Bibles in three years, so about 60 a year. We also learned that printing was only part of the process. Depending on how wealthy you were, you would then have an artist paint the pages; for example, making the first letter of the word on a page in beautiful calligraphy and decorating the page in various other ways. The more money, the more decoration! I'm excited to get on line and learn more about the process. Our tour was in English, done by a charming woman who spoke English better than we do. Just outside the museum is a "bench" depicting the Bible. Rather interesting!

Here's a page of "letters" ready to be printed, and one of the Elders got to do the mechanics of this and keep the printed page. He was thrilled!

This picture shows a picture of Guttenberg (far right) and his men working. We were told that no picture was made of Guttenberg until a hundred years after his death, so they dressed him in the garb of that era instead of his, and stuck a beard on him, 'cause that was also the style of that era. We learn instead, that Guttenberg was clean-shaven (they joked about how his beard would have become stuck in the press if he had had one), and the clothing was not of his era. Oh, well. I don't suppose he minded.

Here our guide is holding a block of wood where the letters are placed as they form the words and sentences.

And I throw in this picture, 'cause it teaches how we got "upper" and "lower" case. The capital letters were all kept in the top (or upper) cases, and the lower case letters were kept below them. Thus, upper and lower case letters. (Compliments of Bro. Howlett, our resident historian!)

And here's a tired Dad posing at the press for me! Neither of us should have gone on the tour, as we both had to speak in Sacrament the next day, and Dad had to give the Priesthood lesson as well. But we survived the tour and are glad we went!!