The Cathedral, which was spared in the destruction of the city, though the French attempted to destroy it with gunpowder, is perhaps the largest structure in the Romanesque style now existing. It was founded in 1027, on the site of a Roman temple of Venus. It is flanked by two pointed towers. The interior is chaste, and almost devoid of ornament. It contains some remarkable monuments. Eight German Emperors are buried within its walls. It has been restored within the last few years, and some fine paintings executed on the walls of the interior. There are no other public buildings worthy of particular notice. In 1529 the famous Diet was held at Spires, at which the Reformers presented the protest which originally conferred upon them the name of PROTES

TANTS.

ROUTE 109.

FRANKFORT TO EMS, BY

WIESBADEN.

89 miles; 1st class, 6 fl. 57 kr.; 2nd, 4 fl. 6 kr.; 3d, 2 fl. 39 kr. (For Route from Frankfort to Wiesbaden, see Route 106.)

EAVING Wiesbaden, we reach the Rhine at BIEBRICH (3 miles). We pass ELTVILLE (9 miles), RUDESHEIM (19 miles), ST. GOARHAUSEN (37 miles) and OBERLAHNSTEIN (54 miles), all of which have been described in Route 105. At this point our route leaves the main line to Coblenz. It is about one hour's journey from Oberlahnstein through a beautiful country to Ems (Hotels:

d'Angleterre, de Russie, Vier Thürme, Gutemberg), population, 4,000. This agreeable wateringplace is pleasantly situated on both banks of the Lahn. The Kursaal is a handsome building close to the river. It contains a café, gambling rooms, and a ballroom, with a theatre for French plays and occasional concerts. Two of the chief springs are under the old Kurhaus-the Kesselbrunnen and the Krünchen ; the temperature of the former is 116 degrees Fahr. This building is connected with the Kursaal by a fine hall. There are baths in the Kurhaus, also in the Nassauer Hof, and in the Neue Badhaus, on the left bank. A covered suspension-bridge connects the gardens with those on the right bank. There are also baths in the Vier Thürme.

The interviews between the King of Prussia and the French envoy, which preceded the declaration of war between France and Prussia in July 1870, took place at Ems.

[About six miles from the Eltville station is SCHLANGENBAD (Hotels: Nassauer Hof, Victoria), to which diligences go several times daily in one hour. It is a little village surrounded by wooded hills, much resorted to for its baths. It has two bathhouses, the Old and New Badhaus, and has generally about 850 visitors in the season. The waters are efficacious in diseases of the skin. It has a band of music, which plays frequently in the grounds, reading-room, &c., but no gaming tables. There are many pleasant excursions in the neighbourhood.

About four miles further on towards Wiesbaden, is LANGENSCHWALBACH (Hotels: du Duc de Nassau, du Promenade), a strag

gling village with a permanent population of 1,800. Its mineral springs are, the Weinbrunnen, so called from its fancied resemblance to wine, and the Stahlbrunnen, both of which contain iron. The season begins in June, and usually terminates in August. It has about 3,000 visitors during the season.]

124

ROUTE 110.

FRANKFORT-ON-THE

MAIN TO CASSEL.

miles; 1st class (express), 9 fi. 27 kr.; 2nd, 6 fl.18kr.; 3rd, 3 fl. 57 kr.

EAVING Frankfort we pass some unimportant places, and stop at FRIEDBERG (21 miles), (Hotels: Trapp,Simon), population, 3,300. This curious old town is situated on a hill, and surrounded by walls. Within the precincts of the picturesque Castle is an old Gothic Church, and there are the ruins of another in the town. We cross a viaduct 70 ft. high, and proceed to NAUHEIM (23 miles), (Hotels: de l'Europe, Henkel, Puriser Hof, Kursaal). Here is a famous hot salt spring of 96 degrees Fahr. The Kurhaus is a fine building, situated in a park adorned with a lake. There are

gaming tables here. Passing Butzbach (294 miles), we see the ruins of the Castles of Fetzberg and Gleiberg, before reaching GIESSEN (414 miles), (Hotels: Rappe, Post, Einhorn), population, 8,000. It is beautifully situated on the Lahn. The University, founded in 1607, possesses a fine library. The celebrated chemist, Liebig, was for some

cross

time a professor here. (Branch lines to Ems, Coblenz, and to Cologne.) Proceeding down the valley of the Lahn, we that river before reaching MarBURG (60 miles), (Hotels: Pfeiffer, Ritter), population, 7,600. It is a picturesque old town, situated on the side of a hill by the Lahn. The University, founded in 1527, has a good library. The Church of St. Elizabeth, of the 13th century, is a beautiful specimen of Pointed Gothic. It has two spires at the western end, 303 ft. high. It was built by Conrad, Grand Master of the Teutonic Order for the use of the knights, and to contain the Chapel of St. Elizabeth, a daughter of Andrew, King of Hungary, who died in 1231, and was canonised in 1235. Her shrine was for three centuries visited by pilgrims, until Philip of Hesse, in 1539, forbid the continuance of the practice. It is now contained in the sacristy. It is of oak, plated with copper, gilt, adorned with silver gilt basreliefs, and inlaid with pearls and gems. The monuments of some of the Landgraves are of stone, ornamented with brass. There are some fine painted windows in the choir, which contains the stalls of the knights of the Teutonic Order.

The Castle of the Landgraves stands on the Schlossberg. It is now converted into a Penitentiary. It is in good preservation, and the gateway, chapel, and hall are especially to be noted. Luther preached in the Chapel, and argued on Transubstantiation in the Hall, in 1529. We cross the Lahn, and pass, amongst other places, Wabern (104 miles), where the Elector has his country seat. We then cross the Fulda by a viaduct of thirteen arches, and reach GUNTERSHAUSEN, (116

the principal square, called Friedrich's Platz, is a statue of the Elector Frederick II. Here are the Elector's Palace and the Mu

seum.

The Augarten, a beautiful park, adjoins this square. The Museum contains a Library of 90,000 volumes; a Cabinet of Curiosities, comprising numerous specimens of clocks and watches of various ages, and some fine wood and ivory carvings, and gems; a Collection of Antiquities, and ancient and modern sculptures; and a Natural History Collection. The Picture Gallery, in the Belvedere, contains some good pictures, especially of the Dutch school; amongst others, several by Rembrandt; there are also pictures by Paul Potter, Van Dyck, Teniers, Holbein, &c.

The Church of St. Martin, in the Friedrich's Platz, a handsome Gothic building, contains several monuments of the Electors and their families.

In the Augarten is an elaborate marble bath, containing statues and bas reliefs. Near it is the orangery.

About 3 miles from Cassel, is WILHELMSHÖHE, which is called the Versailles of Germany. The gardens contain the Summer Palace of the Elector, near which is the Theatre, and a Fountain, said to be the largest known, except that at Chatsworth. Its jet is 190 ft. high. The New Waterfall, near the inn, is 130 ft. high.

The Cascade of the Karlsburg, consists of a number of stone steps,

extending 900 ft. up a hill to the Temple of the Winds, which is crowned by a colossal statue of Hercules. About half-way up is a representation of the Giant Enceladus, overwhelmed by the crags of Mount Etna. The statue of Hercules is of copper, 31 ft. high, standing on a pyramid, which is supported by an octagonal structure, rising to a height of 1,312 ft. above the Fulda. The construction of this work, including the statue, is said to have employed 2,000 men for fourteen years. Near the cascade is a miniature castle, called the Löwenburg, surrounded with agreeable gardens and pleasure grounds. The armoury contains a suit of mail worn by the Great Condé. In this castle is a collection of portraits of the Tudors and Stuarts, a library, some curious glasses, &c.

ROUTE 111.

FRANKFORT TO NUREMBURG, BY WURZBURG.

147 miles; 1st class, 9 fl. 42 kr. ; 2nd, 6 fi. 30 kr.; 3rd 4 fl. 24 kr.

(For the journey as far as HANAU (11 miles), see Route 103.)

ETTINGEN (18 miles)

is celebrated for the battle fought near it in 1743, between the English, and Austrians, and the French. George II. commanded the allied forces in person. ASCHAFFENBURG (25 miles), (Hotel: Friedhof), population, 10,000, is situated on the right bank of the Main. It was a Roman station. The Schloss is a square building

with towers, erected in 1606. It contains a Picture Gallery and Library. In the park, is the Roman villa, or Pompeianum, modelled after the house of Castor and Pollux at Pompeii. The Cathedral was originally founded in 974, but the existing building was constructed partly in the thirteenth century, though traces of the former structure remain. It contains two bas-reliefs in bronze, representing the Virgin, and Cardinal Albert of Brandenburg, executed by Vischer in 1525, and another of Otto, Duke of Bavaria, dating from 1574.

Leaving Aschaffenburg, we pass through the Forest of Spessart, a remnant of the ancient Hercynian Forest, and presently cross the Laufach, and go through a tunnel of about two miles long to Heigenbrücken. Beyond Partenstein, we enter the valley of the Lohr, and reach the station of that name on the right bank of the Main. Gemünden (57 miles), is the station for the celebrated baths of Kissingen. It is situated at the confluence of the Main and the Saale. Above it, see the ruined Castle of Schorenberg.

The Convent of Zell, at Veitshochheim (77 miles) is now used by a firm of manufacturers. We presently reach WURZBURG (80) miles). (Hotels: Kronprinz von Baiern, Russischer Hof), population 33,000. This ancient town is pleasantly situated on the Main. It is connected with the suburb of Mainviertel by an ancient stone bridge, adorned with statues of saints, &c. There are some very quaint, picturesque old houses to be seen in various parts of the town. At the end of the Domstrasse is the Cathedral, originally founded in the 8th century. The earlier portions of the present building are of the 11th and 12th

centuries. In the interior are monuments of the Prince-bishops and others. In the crypt of the Neue Münster, near the Cathedral, is the tomb of the Irish missionary St. Kilian. In the same place is a well which is said to derive from the saint the virtue of curing diseases of the eye. To the east of this church is a monument to Vogelweide, the Minnesinger, who died in 1230, leaving a sum of money to be laid out in food for the birds, to be given to them at his tomb every day. The monument bears an inscription to that effect. The chapter subsequently appropriated the bequest to themselves.

"Vogelweide the Minnesinger,
When he left this world of ours,
Laid his body in the cloister,
Under Wurzburg's minster towers.
And he gave the monks his treasures,
Gave them all with this behest:
They should feed the birds at noontide
Daily at his place of rest;

Saying, From these wandering minstrels

I have learned the art of song;
Let me now repay the lessons
They have taught so well and long.'
Thus the bard of love departed;
And, fulfilling his desire,

On his tomb the birds were feasted
By the children of the choir.

The

ket-place is the Marienkapelle, a fine Gothic structure of the 14th and 15th centuries. The University, founded in 1582, is celebrated as a school of medicine. Citadel stands on a hill covered with vineyards. It commands a magnificent view, but permission must be obtained to visit it. The famous Stein wine is grown at Würzburg. We now pass several places of no interest, and reach FURTH (140 miles), a busy manufacturing town of about 18,000 inhabitants. It was the scene of a great battle between Wallenstein and Gustavus Adolphus, in 1632.

The next station is

NUREMBURG (145 miles). (Hotels: Baierischer Hof, Rothes Ross, Strauss), population about 65,000. This was formerly one of the most important towns in Europe. It is still distinguished in many branches of industry, especially in the manufacture of lead pencils, wooden toys, mirrors, bronzes, &c. It is a curious old town, containing numbers of mediæval houses, together with several magnificent ones of later date. The River Pegnitz runs through the town, dividing it in two equal parts, which are named after the large church in each, St. Sebald's side, on the north, and St. Lawrence's side on the south.

The

Church of St. Lawrence is a fine Gothic building of the 13th century; the towers are surmounted by handsome spires. The portal at the west end is richly decorated, and contains statues of the Virgin and several saints, and representations of various Scriptural incidents. The stained glass windows are magnificent. Many of the sculptures are by Albert Dürer.

A prominent object in this Church is the pix of white stone, 64 ft. high, beautifully carved by

Adam Krafft. It rises nearly to the roof of the church, and the top, which bends over, has been compared by Longfellow to the crest of a fountain.

In the market-place is the Catholic Church, or Frauenkirche. Its portal, like that of St. Lawrence, is adorned with figures of the Virgin, Saints, Prophets, &c. The interior contains some good paintings and sculptures.

The Schöne Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), also in the marketplace, consists of a fine Gothic obelisk, 56 ft. high, adorned with many statues. The Goose Market, near the Frauenkirche, contains a bronze fountain, called the Gänsemännchen, which represents a peasant carrying two geese, out of whose bills flow streams of water. In a street leading out of the principal market-place, is the house once inhabited by Hans Sachs, the shoemaker-poet of the 16th century. Another Nuremburg poet of the same period was Melchior Pfinzing, secretary to the Emperor Maximilian, who composed a nuptial ode called "Theuerdank," on the occasion of the Emperor's marriage with Mary of Burgundy.

The City Library, in the Dominican convent, contains several valuable works, and illuminated manuscripts, besides portraits, relics of Luther, and sundry curiosities. The Rathhaus contains a good collection of pictures. The great hall is adorned with those of Albert Dürer. Under this building are secret passages, leading in various directions to the fosse outside the walls of the town.

St. Sebald's Church was originally built in the 10th century. The greater part of the existing structure is of the 14th century. The portals are finely carved. The