Gengenbach
12 September 2017, continued
Just on the edge of the Black Forest is the small town of Gengenbach. This was a big point on my list to stop as it looked so beautiful in all the research I've done, and I was so happy to see the rain clearing up as we approached the town. We parked and walked through the Kinzigtor into the old town, and make our way to the main platz. It reminded me a bit of Dinkelsbühl the way the large square was lined with colorful buildings that stretched down the streets toward the gate towers. The main streets had little bächle running alongside them just like Freiburg. So pretty! We walked up the street, peeking in the shop windows wishing we were hungry or had time to stop for a coffee. That sounded like our time in Dinkelsbühl too! We really need to find a way to have more time in places like this, where we can stop and smell the flowers so to speak.
We turned down a side street to head to the old church. This was noted by many as a must see. We passed through the courtyard with a larger bächle running across and approached the church. It was nice looking for sure, but we had a feeling the simple exterior betrayed the beauty we would find inside. We went through the doors and were instantly blown away by the colors and decoration that covered every spot on the pillars and walls. It was stunning! There were a bunch of people ahead in the pews, and a man speaking on the podium. We weren't sure if this was a tour or a service, but felt a bit like we were intruding. We decided to walk out and come back around in a few.
Around behind the church was a really nice garden, surprisingly still full of herbs and plants even this late in the season. Little paths wound through, and each plant was marked with a sign stating what it was. The walls of the church rose around the plots. We have read that the church sits on an old monastery site, and by old we mean old. Monks had originally inhabited the site as far back as the 700s!! The current church is newer than that, and the interior has been renovated fairly recently, I believe I read somewhere that it took a lot of damage in the war. Anyway, wandering through these gardens on this ancient site makes you wonder about all the history here that has been lost to time. Monastery monks were notoriously self-sufficient, and possibly they had their gardens right on this very spot. We try as we can, but I don't know if it is really possible to accurately imagine what this was like back in the 730s when it was founded.
We circled the church and really enjoyed the grounds surrounding it, still finding ourselves surprised at the amount of flowers and fresh herbs still growing. As we were walking around, we noticed a lot of people heading to a bus in the lot, so we figured that the church had let out. We checked inside and it was empty! We stepped back through the doors and marveled at the colors working their way up the pillars, the patterns on the walls, and the paintings high overhead by the ceiling. The pulpit was especially amazing, a complete carving showing the highlights of Jesus' life in stunning detail. Then we turned to face the back, and there we saw the organ. I think this is my favorite part of these old churches. The stained glass and carvings and decor are nice to see, but it's the organs that have my heart. The shape and painting of the walls and arches leading back just seemed to point to the organ, with the instrument as the focal point from this amazing view. We have seen many small beautiful churches on our way through Europe, but this one is surely among the best so far!
We took one last stroll through town, stopping at a water wheel and a little bakery that specialized in a local bread. The bakery was a great find, just a little hole in the wall with a bunch of older local ladies vying for their place in line. I could imagine this is what Wall St would be like on a busy trading day. We decided not to wait for a loaf, saving us from getting jabbed by some old lady elbows! Back in the car we continued on our way, with only a quick pull-over for a nice shot of Ortenburg Castle, which was magnificent even from a distance!
Next stop... France!
