Medieval Murals

 

These are from my 2018 road trip (I will go back to my Dunham Massey and Chirk photos in a day or so) and are from the Chateau du Haut Koenigsbourg in Alsace which was the region I visited after Annecy. I have recently shared some photos of this castle take during a visit last year but on that visit I didn't get to take many internal views.

This magnificent castle sits high on a hilltop with panoramic views across the Rhine valley with vineyards all around and Germany on the horizon. It has seen conflict many times in its history and the castle as it stands today is the result of significant investment and skilful restoration.

One of the features that impressed me was the ornate artwork on the walls where, as in the first image you can see even the vaulted ceiling is decorated. The interior shots of the banqueting hall are quite stunning with the highly decorated ceiling and walls as well as the heraldry and impressive chandeliers. As a place where honoured friends and guests would be entertained it makes sense that no expense has been spared on the decoration however the murals on the covered walkway above the inner courtyard is even more showy and perhaps an even bolder statement of wealth. 

Medieval Masterpiece

There is a certain fairytale quality about the Chateau de Haut Koenigsbourg in Alsace. Perched high on a rocky hilltop it was apparently the inspiration for the design on the Citadel at Minas Tirith in Peter Jackson's Lord of The Rings Trilogy.

It is a marvelous castle, with turrets and walkways in the walls, spiral staircases, a deep will and beautiful tiled roofs as well as some amazing decorative murals and painted ceilings.

Around Florence

So today will be the last from Florence for now, I have picked a couple of shots of the surrounding area to show how beautiful the countryside overlooking the city is.  I like the colours of the buildings and the tree lined slopes.

The other pictures are of the buildings around the Piazza della Santissima Annunziata in the heart of the old city. 

The courtyard in pictures 5 and 7 was inside La S.S. Annunziata di Firenze and was a real treasure. From the outside there was no indication of the beauty within.

In the far corner of the courtyard there was a small dark corridor and the 6th picture is of the ceiling. It was actually so dark inside that it wasn't possible to see any detail of the painting, thankfully my camera was able to pick it out, even handheld and without flash I was able to capture a really sharp image.

Looking at these pictures and others from my short stay I realise that there was so much more to see and of all the places I got to visit during my trip Florence is top of my list for places I would return to. I need to spend much more time exploring the city with its narrow streets, hidden courtyards, palaces, squares and gardens.