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BAD KREUZNACH
Not only just another German
Town |
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The beautiful historical town on the banks of the Nahe River |
It is by rare
coincidence that I was introduced to the beautiful German Town
of Bad Kreuznach in the Rheinland - Pfalz Region, some 50
minutes southwest of Frankfurt and about 35 minutes south of
Wiesbaden and Mainz.
As no hand
wrist replacement has as yet been performed in South Africa, I
was referred to an Orthopaedic Surgeon in Germany, Dr Heiner
Thabe, who practises in the Orthopaedic Diakonie Hospital. For
two weeks, this was my home to recover after the operation.
The challenge
however, was not only to recuperate, but to communicate and
understand the German language, because very little English is
spoken and understood; and my German of some 40 years ago at
school did not seem suffice! |
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During the
second week I had the opportunity to explore and walk the
pedestrian streets of Bad Kreuznach; interesting to note that
the historical remains found here dates back to the early Roman
times at the beginning of Christianity.
Today this town
is predominantly built around the wine region and health spa and
thus provides rehabilitation programmes for disabled people as
extension to the orthopaedic work performed in the hospital.
This 500 bed hospital, owned by the Lutheran church, serves not
only the local community, but performs specialised operations,
thus serving the whole of Germany.
Bad Kreuznach,
centrally located within Germany, and some 20 kilometres from
the junction of the Nahe and the Rhine, is a beautiful old town
with a population of 40,000. The town is surrounded by vineyards
and was built at the foot of Kauzenburg Hill and within the
beautiful Nahe River valley. |
The touching sculptures in front of the hospital, simbolising
the inter-dependency of people, leaning towards one
another, supported by the message of faith and hope. |
The history of this
town is phenomenal: since its earliest recorded days, Bad Kreuznach
has had a legacy of military influence that has shaped its character
to present day. Bad Kreuznach was a Celtic settlement under the name
of Crucinacum. There is evidence, however, of settlements as far
back as the Stone Age, 4,000 years ago. The Romans introduced many
arts and crafts, established manufacturing plants, demonstrated new
methods of horticulture and farming, and most importantly, they
brought the vine. As one result of the Roman influence, wine has
become a major business along the Nahe River.
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View of Kurhaus, the
Nahe River and
famous vineyards |
During the 400
years of occupation, the Romans gave the local people their
monetary system, laws, progress in agriculture, administration,
trade and business. The terms Altstadt and Neustadt
(Old and New City), were then used only to identify the parts of
the town of Kreuznach. Between 1291 and 1301, the wooden bridge
was replaced by a stone bridge – a remarkable structure,
spanning the river on eight piers. At the end of the 15th
century, the Brückenhäuser (Bridge Houses), were built on
this bridge. During this time, the Sponheims also began
constructing a fortified castle on top of the hill overlooking
the town. It was given the name Kauzenburg in the late
15th century.
During the
nineteenth century, Bad Kreuznach was the playground to the
royal families of Europe. Before the outbreak of World War I, a
local pharmacist discovered that the briny waters of the springs
contained radium. The success of these medical investigations
became the foundation of the town’s development as a spa and
health care resort. |
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Bad Kreuznach
was major headquarters for the German High Command during both
World Wars. As such, many of the leading generals of the German
Army were in residence in many of the resort areas, including
the Kurhaus, or health resort hotel.
Bad Kreuznach was badly damaged by a number of air raids during
the last months of World War II. Following the Second World War,
first French, and then American forces had been continually
based in the city. After World War II, the resort facilities
were returned to civilian use and the town won back its position
as a health resort of international acclaim.
The old part of
town is almost totally pedestrianised around Mannheimer Strasse:
it runs from one side of town through to the other side, almost
forming a curving human spine. A stroll along memory lane,
passed Klaus Nordman’s Kunsthandlung Becker, where I bought an
original Janosch etch, will commence at the historical Eier
Markt (egg market), passing the town squares Fisch, Salz
and Korn Markt and end at Salinen Platz. |
On
Salz Markt, the pedestrian square,
Holzworm and other restaurants serve traditional German food and
wine |
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Eier Markt is a popular meeting place in summer-time |
In
the middle of Eier Markt there is a statue showing how
Bad Kreuznach’s master butcher, Michel Mort, saved the town’s
ruler Count of Sponheim during the battle of Sprendlingen in the
year 1279. Robert Cauer created the sculpture in 1902, and was a
descendant of the successful Cauer dynasty of sculptors. They
worked in Bad Kreuznach for 200 years as sculptors of
international standing and had studios in different European
capitals. The renowned boutique hotel and restaurant Michel Mort
is housed in one of the historical gabled buildings facing the
square.
Around the corner is the other famous restaurant Im Kittchen,
(meaning in jail) serving small tapas-portions of typical German
cuisine. The Saturday evening after my operation, I slipped
out of the hospital (but luckily with one of the doctors,
Birgit, and her fiancé, Christian) to enjoy some specialities on
their menu (cold venison salad, scallops and shrimp terrine and
wild hare pie) and sip some excellent local Riesling and
Gewürztraminer from the Nahe Region. |
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The
bridge houses, built from 1480 onwards, are an architectural
delicacy and symbol of Bad Kreuznach. These half-timbered houses
which were built on the pillars of the old Nahe bridge (around
1300) form the centuries old silhouette and are the connection
between the old and new town.
The most impressive view of the bridge houses is from the
Geißenbrücke (bridge) over the mill pond next to St. Paul’s
church. The characteristic method of construction is easily
recognisable from here. The parts of the houses jutting out are
supported by wooden buttresses which means the houses are
virtually unaffected by flooding.
The
Korn Markt (Corn Market) fountain is the main attraction
of the corn market square on which fruit and grain markets have
been held for over 200 years (even today once a week). The
fountain was created by sculptor Karl Steiner in 1975. It shows
well-known and highly respected citizens from the town’s past.
This group of sculptures, together with the figures in front of
the central bank building, reminds one of the well-known town
sculpture, found in Bremen. |
The bridge houses are still used as shops and restaurants |
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A
leisurely stroll of half a mile high above the unspoilt shore of
the river nave leads through vineyards and shrubs and affords
magnificent views of the spa center and the Nahe Valley.
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You'll find the entry after crossing the Old Nahe Bridge
coming from direction of the Paulus church. Turn left in the
first narrow street - the ancient "Klappergasse" (rattle
lane). At
the beginning of the 13th century the counts of Sponheim
built castle Kauzenburg around which the historical new town
grew. The troops of King Ludwig XIV destroyed the castle in
1689. After various alterations it was given its final
appearance by the architect Gottfried Böhm (1972).
On the way up to the Kauzenburg you pass the tea temple
offering one of the most beautiful views of Bad Kreuznach. |
Panoramic view of the historic Altstadt and the Pauluskirche,
adjacent to the
Nahe River,
as seen
from Hill Kauzenburg. |
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Little
Venice are the
terraced
houses at the confluence of the rivers Ellerbach and Nahe; they
stand with their picturesque rear façades directly on the river
wall. For the sake of harmony the historically evolved structures
were copied when building new houses on the opposite river bank. The
river Ellerbach flows through the historical “new” town and was once
used as a sewer for waste from tanners, butchers and for household
waste. Many houses were built close to the river and even crossed
the Ellerbach at several points.
Today, Bad
Kreuznach is the home of the Schneider Optic Factory, whose
cinematographic, photo, and projection lenses are world famous. This
factory is over 100 years old, and along with another long time
resident, the Seitz Machine and Filter Works, and the Michelin Tyre
Factory, forms the backbone of the city's industry. The other major
industry of the region is the world renowned wine production of Nahe
Valley.
Three well-known
rivers, the Rhine, Mosel and Nahe converge and thus form very
fertile wine-growing slopes and vineyards. Both within and outside
the town limits of BadKreuznach one will find some interesting, but
small privately owned vineyards.
The area on the
left bank of the river Rhine between Mainz, Worms and Bingen is one
of the most tradition-rich wine regions of Germany. The Romans
already cultivated wine here and even the oldest official document
mentioning a German vineyard location refers to a location in Rhine-Hesse,
namely the Glöck in world-famous Nierstein.
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One late
afternoon we went to the beautiful fortified ham lock,
Bacharach, situated along the lower River Rhine just passed
the well-known Lorelei - rock. Although it was out of
season (the tourist season only starts after the Easter
weekend), even the quiet cobbled streets gush with history over
many centuries; the first wine guild was also established here
some centuries ago and until today plays an active role in the
viniculture of the region.
Many
interesting little artistic studios, many of which relate to the
wine-background, line the narrow winding streets. This is surely
a place I would like to re-visit in September, when I have to
return for the other wrist replacement: something at least to
look forward to! |
- Johann
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