Art & Architecture Trip - Day 22

We went for an excursion today - to BergischLand. It was perhaps the best day for sketching and enjoyment of the scenery. First, we went to Altenburger Cathedral (the Gothic church of the Counts of Berg). It is dedicated to "Saint" Engelbert (see below). It was raining at the cathedral, which is nestled in the middle of a green valley (much like those in New England). We ended up leaving to go further West - to the castle of the famous Berg family. When we arrived in Schlossburg, we went to a restaurant that served waffles. I had a waffle with cherries, whipped cream and ice cream on it. We also rode a lift up the side of the hill to continue our tour of Schlossburg. The castle of the Berg family is nestled on the top of a hill overlooking a deep valley. It was first constucted in the 11th Century by Adolph I and was later improved by Engelbert II. The latter was also Archbishop of Cologne, Duke of the area and Chancellor of the Holy Roman Empire (also called the First Reich). Engelbert was the most famous count of the Berg family. His brother died in 1218 on a Crusade and Engelbert (who had illegally siezed power) was murdered in 1228 by his cousin's soldiers. His remains are found in Altenberger Cathedral. He is called a saint both here and in Cologne - but he was never officially canonized. We had a guided tour of the castle and its grounds. We went to the highest point in the castle (called the keep). We also saw an exhibit in a museum inside on Etruscan Art. From 1530 to 1700, we sketched again. I liked how my picture turned out in the end and I had a good time drawing. More Americans around this place - they live in Maryland. We went home, ate dinner and relaxed until 2100, when we had a performance with our masks. Later, we walked along the Rhein in the dark. Bed at 0130.