Dovecote?

Photo taken in December 2012

The Answer to the Flensburg Files’ Frage for the Forum:

To wrap up the 2012 Tour of the Christmas Markets in Germany, and in particular Saxony-Anhalt, let’s go back to the question I had left for the people to consider while touring the Adventsmarkt in Quedlinburg, located in the western part of the state.  Take a look at this picture again, and at the tower. Do you have an idea what that is and what it was used for?

Before going to the answer, some information on its location. As mentioned in the article, the courtyard (hof) at the entrance to Word Garden, where the largest of the 24 market booths were located has a unique history in itself. The Adelshof at Wordgasse 4 features four wings with the entrance at Wordgasse, which connects the northwestern edge of the historic city center and the entrance to Word Garden (after crossing the creek). The south wing is at the old wall surrounding the city center and features a tower. On the west wing is the main residential building, where most of the inhabitants used to live. The barn is located in the north wing and the Word creek passes the East wing. Inside the courtyard one will find this particular piece of artwork, which we’ll get to in a tiny bit. The whole complex is surrounded by a wall, one side of which is part of the main wall that surrounds the city center (or old town), with Fachwerk houses sticking out on the south and east side, ensuring that the tourists will not miss this place.

Adelshof was first mentioned in 1224, as it was the built at that time. It used to be occupied by the Lords of Regenstein in the late 1200s; at that time, it was expanded to include two more building complexes. Yet three different families with royal blood occupied the complex over the next three centuries, beginning with the family of Hans von Wulffen in 1566. Hans received the property as a gift for his victory over the enemies at Sievershausen in 1553. He married Magdalena Pllotho and moved into the complex, where he rebuilt the main residence and constructed the South Wing. Upon his death in 1585, Magdalena took over the property and eventually passed it down to her daughter Elisabeth von Wulffen. During that time, the West Wing was constructed. When the von Hoym family took over in 1620, the East Wing was built. The family occupied the complex for 55 years. After many changes in ownership over the next century, the Koch family took over beginning with Jeremias Timotheus (1760-1815), Johann Andreas (1815-1820) and H. Andreas (1820-1852); during that time, the complex became part of the church.  The complex was taken over after being left idle for 20 years in 2008 and the restoration of the complex started right away. Apart from hosting many public events in the courtyard, a museum, restaurant and Medieval gardens are in the planning in addition to reconstructing many parts of the building. Already the Adelshof has been hosting the Adventsmarkt in December for a few years as one of the 24 booths that should be visited while in Quedlinburg.

And as for the tower in the center of the courtyard (as seen in the photo)? Interestingly enough, that is a dovecote. A dovecote is French for birdhouse, only it houses doves and pigeons. This dovecote was constructed in the 1800s featuring a hexagonal-sided birdhouse made of timber, a Victorian-shaped finial on top, and supported by a column-shaped pedastel made of sandstone. This dovecote was one of the first relicts to have been restored to its original form, in addition to the south and east wings upon visiting the Adelshof this past holiday season, and is one of the main features for this courtyard, in addition to the rest of the complex, parts of which are either being restored even as this article is posted or will be on the list of things to restore in the future.

As mentioned in the article, Quedlinburg is a town full of surprises that will satisfy anyone passing through. Its Christmas market is one of the most local and well-known in Germany. Its Medieval architecture, mostly in tact thanks to the town being spared the bombing in World War II, is one of the oldest in Europe and one that should not be forgotten. And despite the decline in population due to demographic changes and lack of economic opportunity, Quedlinburg, like Halle, Magdeburg and other smaller cities, is one of many reasons why Saxony-Anhalt survives in its original form today and is a magnet for tourism, commerce and business alike. If one visits Saxony-Anhalt sometime, please consider this town as a place to visit, even if it is for a day.

The owners of the Adelshof complex need your help so that the restoration of this Medieval complex is completed and open to the public year round. To find out more about how you can donate money and time to realizing the project, click onto this link. The contact details can be found here.

More about Quedlinburg’s Adventsmarkt can be found here.

 

Christmas Market Tour 2012: Quedlinburg

Quedlinburg Castle at Sundown. This and all photos taken in December 2012

The next stop on the 2012 Christmas market tour is Quedlinburg. Situated on the Bode River at the foot of the Harz Mountain region in western Saxony-Anhalt, Quedlinburg at first may be a typical town that had survived 40 years of East German Communist rule and seemed to be neglected even after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and Germany was reunified a year later. One can see signs of neglect and deterioration when passing through many towns in the region, unless they underwent massive modernization altering its identity. It is noticeable when stepping onto the platform at the train station and averting the train station building, as parts of it have deteriorated to a point where they have been closed off to the public. Yet if many home-making and children’s magazines have recommended visiting Quedlinburg because of its Christmas markets, then the town must have a gem somewhere for people to see, right?

Quedlinburg Train Station: in need of renovations

Crossing the Bahnhofsbruecke over the Bode and walking 10 minutes into the historic city center, one can see why it is a must to visit the Christmas market. Every year, the town of 25,000 inhabitants hosts the Christmas market, but based on an unusual style one will rarely see in Germany. Every weekend in the Advent season, the Adventsmarkt in den Hoefen (advent market in the courtyard) takes place, with local residents displaying and selling handcrafted goods to people looking for a perfect Christmas gift and local delicacies to those hosting a family feast on Christmas Eve. This year’s event took place in the courtyards of 24 houses and market squares throughout the historic city center.  For those wondering why this is the case, there is a reason and it has a historic twist to it.

Quedlinburg, as a town, has existed since the 9th Century, and much of the architecture that was first built by Henry the Fowler, his wife Saint Mathilda and his successor Otto the Great, and later expanded throughout the Medieval Period still exists to this day, as the town survived almost entirely unscathed in World War II.  Among the architecture that has survived the test of time are the Fachwerk-houses, the houses whose interior is supported by a truss skeleton that can be seen from the outside. A truss is a series of triangular sides which if fastened together form or support certain architecture, like a bridge or skyscraper. Some sources claimed that the first truss was invented in Italy in the 1600s, yet that has been bluffed for such architecture, found in houses like the ones in Quedlinburg, date as far back as the 1300s.  Almost all of the architecture in Quedlinburg consist of the Fachwerk style truss design, the houses are usually formed together, making it big enough to fit three families plus belongings on average. They have been restored to their original form and every year at Advent time, families and owners of these houses open their doors to the tourists and showcase their home and the work they do, whether it is making Christmas trees from a tree branch (as seen in the pictures below) or selling local goat and deer meet and sausages with some seasonings in there to make it tasty. Some have fancy displays for people to see. In the case of one courtyard, a loyal fan of the German Railways even had a Bord Restaurant and café for people wanting to have the sense of eating on the train. The Bord Restaurant can be found on all ICE-trains. If one wants to try anything that is typical of the region, the town is the place to do it, for Quedlinburg is at the crossroads between agriculture, mountains and anything Medieval and everything sold at the Advent market is typical of the town and the region.

Quedlinburg represents a fine example of a rural community that prides itself on local goods and never embraces in the more commercialized goods, especially at the bigger Christmas markets in the big cities, like Dresden, Nuremberg and Frankfurt. There is a certain belief that if one wants to sell something, it must be self-made and have the highest quality, even if they are made in low quantities. It is not a necessity to mass produce in order to make the quickest dollar possible, for even though such methods are possible, the people will be turned off by products that are made in haste and doctored in a way that it looks good on the outside, but never satisfies the person on the inside because of the lack of appearance and taste.  It is better to strive for high quality and not worry about profits, for in the end people will talk about the experience they had and spread the word instead of just saying “Been there, nothing too spectacular.” When visiting the courtyards and stands at the Adventsmarkt in Quedlinburg, one will definitely experience the feeling of home, when seeing the products being made and sold by the locals. In many cases, Quedlinburg serves as a place where creativity is born or reborn, giving visitors an incentive to starting their own local business, creating and selling local products for others to enjoy. If one wants to be creative, then it is highly recommended to spend a day at the Adventsmarkt in Quedlinburg, talk to people and take something with to use as a starting point.

Quedlinburg is a must-see place for those traveling through Germany and not knowing where to visit (apart from the big cities). Especially in the winter time, where most of the activities take place. Apart from the Advent market, there are winter festivals taking place in February. In the summer time, one can stay at one of the Fachwerk-houses and witness farm life, which includes horseback riding, hiking, biking, etc. In terms of its architecture and history, one can see the historic old town and the castle, all of which have been nominated as part of UNESCO’s World Heritage since 1994. But at Christmas time, if one wishes for something special, Quedlinburg is the place to be, for each of the courtyards have a different theme, each to one’s liking, and when visiting the Advent market, one will come away with something special to share with others. There is something special about Quedlinburg and Christmas which makes it worth visiting, even if it’s just for a day’s visit.

Here are some photos of the Advent Market in Quedlinburg, with a Flensburg Files Frage for the Forum with regards to one of the pictures. Our last stop on the tour is Halle (Saale) and a pair of questions about the town are also found at the end of the article. In the meantime, enjoy the pictures of the Advent Market:

Photos:

Christmas tree with man-made ornaments

Christmas tree being made of a tree branch at the Blue Star Courtyard at the Adventsmarkt……

…and after it was completed and put on display to be bought.

Market Square and City Hall, one of 24 Courtyards at the Adventsmarkt. Here, one can get a tour of the town by bus or try the various food specialties.

Another example of a Fachwerk house in Quedlinburg’s old town: Hotel Zur Hoelle (think of Dante’s Inferno) because of its color. Inside you will find another Adventsmarkt courtyard with various stands

Quedlinburger Hof near Carl-Ritter-Strasse at the entrance to Word Garden: one of the largest and oldest of the Fachwerk-houses in the old town. It also has the largest of the Adventmarket stands.

Rows upon rows of Fachwerk houses along Marktstrasse, with the St Nicolas Cathedral in the background

Frage for the Forum:

Can you guess what this tower is, how old it is and what it is used for? It is found at the Quedlinburger Hof near Carl-Ritter Strasse and has a history of its own:

Photo taken in December 2012

 Please place your answers in the comment section. The question will also be posted on the Facebook site bearing the name: Flensburg Files by Monday 14 January. The answer will be provided then…..

The last stop on the tour is Halle (Saale), which will be presented next Monday. The question for the forum is the following:

1. What world renowned musician originated from Halle (and it is NOT Johann Sebastian Bach),  and

2. What else is Halle famous for, apart from its Christmas market?

Again, place your answers here as well as in the Facebook section. The answers will surprise you.

Note: The Bridgehunter’s Chronicles is looking for information on Quedlinburg’s historic bridges for there are plenty that exist in and around the city center, but little or no information on it. A link to the article can be found here.