Limburg is a name synonamous with stinky cheese. My first encounter with limburger cheese was in France 40 years ago. The bacterium used to ferment limburger cheese is found on human skin and is partially responsible for body odor. So pronounced is this odor that mosquitoes are as attracted to smelly feet as they are to limburger cheese. They use this cheese to attract malaria mosquitoes in parts of Africa. Reacquainting myself with this pungent odor was not the motivation to make this trip yet I thought there was a good chance of an odoriferous encounter. The outdoor market in Limburg had ample supply.
Limburg has other noteworthy attractions and is particularly noted for the number of timber frame houses. This made for a pleasant and appealing promenade through the altstadt (old town). Within thirty minutes of Frankfurt, it is ideal for a day trip. It also boasts the oldest free standing house in Germany, built in 1289. Most of the others are 17th and 18th century. The cathedral is a beautiful example of Romanesque architiecture built between 1200 and 1235. This building has been well cared for and looks equally impressive inside and out. The stain glass has been replaced and the entire work was done by one of Germany's most gifted craftsman.
Weztlar, which is about a half hour from Limburg is a city of similar size and with a parallel history. It also offers elements that are unique, even fascinating, for someone whose interests extend to the history of optical technology. This is the home of Leica camera and world class innovators and inventors in optics. Ernst Leitz's name is attached to some the earliest, and still regarded as the finest, microscopes in the world. His life, the evolution of the company he founded, the legacy to Jews whose lives he saved during World War II, his contributiions to the field of optics and his followers, whose claim in the history books goes to the first functional 35 mm camera, give reason to do a little research. We were enticed into a rather unique museum dedicated to this city's premier industry. It was called Viseum (Innovation in Optics). There are 14 regional companies dedicated to high tech and the museum attempts to amalgamate their singular contributions through an interactive, learning experience, mostly related to optics. Of course, it was all in German, yet it still was interesting and informative. Every Leica camera ever made was on display as well as the first simple microscopes through advanced electron microscopes. It explained how finely crafted lenses are formed and allowed us to view a host of items at various magnifications. All in all, well worth the entry fee, as it expanded the scope of our appreciation of this great country.
Limburg has other noteworthy attractions and is particularly noted for the number of timber frame houses. This made for a pleasant and appealing promenade through the altstadt (old town). Within thirty minutes of Frankfurt, it is ideal for a day trip. It also boasts the oldest free standing house in Germany, built in 1289. Most of the others are 17th and 18th century. The cathedral is a beautiful example of Romanesque architiecture built between 1200 and 1235. This building has been well cared for and looks equally impressive inside and out. The stain glass has been replaced and the entire work was done by one of Germany's most gifted craftsman.
Weztlar, which is about a half hour from Limburg is a city of similar size and with a parallel history. It also offers elements that are unique, even fascinating, for someone whose interests extend to the history of optical technology. This is the home of Leica camera and world class innovators and inventors in optics. Ernst Leitz's name is attached to some the earliest, and still regarded as the finest, microscopes in the world. His life, the evolution of the company he founded, the legacy to Jews whose lives he saved during World War II, his contributiions to the field of optics and his followers, whose claim in the history books goes to the first functional 35 mm camera, give reason to do a little research. We were enticed into a rather unique museum dedicated to this city's premier industry. It was called Viseum (Innovation in Optics). There are 14 regional companies dedicated to high tech and the museum attempts to amalgamate their singular contributions through an interactive, learning experience, mostly related to optics. Of course, it was all in German, yet it still was interesting and informative. Every Leica camera ever made was on display as well as the first simple microscopes through advanced electron microscopes. It explained how finely crafted lenses are formed and allowed us to view a host of items at various magnifications. All in all, well worth the entry fee, as it expanded the scope of our appreciation of this great country.
This cathedral along with the schloss was built from 1200 to 1225.
It overlooked the town below.. The city wall was torn down in the 1880s leaving only telltale signs of its former existence.
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