Esslingen

We’re staying in Esslingen 3 nights so it’d be rude not to look around town!  So that’s what we’ll do today.  Old town is not big so we can take our time, have a coffee in the market square, and a few drinks later. It’s going to be a chill out day.
Some background:
Esslingen am Neckar (pronounced: ‘Ess-ling-in-am-Neck-cow’) is a city in the Stuttgart Region of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It’s located on the Neckar River, about 14kms southeast of the Stuttgart city centre.  Our excursions between Esslingen and Stuttgart are quick (distance-wise it’s the same as driving from Petone to Wellington).
Esslingen goes back in time quite a way. Archaeological finds trace back to the Neolithic Stone Age, and there’s traces of human settlement by the city church that date to 1000 BC!
During WW2 this city suffered very little damage, so most of the medieval appearance in the city centre has been well preserved.  The population is about 90,000.
The temperature today is expected to be mid 20’s. Outside in the morning there was blue sky!  And then the clouds broke it up.  Layer on in the afternoon it’d get quite hot out in the sun. Not complaining!  The view out our window early on this morning.

Off we go to explore Esslingen. But first Kath pops out to the car to get something. I wait in the lounge at reception. OMG.. on the table.  Seems there’s a market everywhere for crass gossip mags.

Tavern street art.

A beautiful old house at the corner of Schelztorstrasse and Bahnhofstrasse, it’s presence underwhelmed by the occupation of Starbucks on the ground floor.

Looking along Bahnhofstrasse to Pliensauturm tower/gate – built 1286.

While I’m taking this photo Kath popped into the Muller store. She announces that it’s 3 floors big and chocka with body care products, perfumes, and much more.  I poked my nose inside the door (careful not to go too far and risk being labelled a shopper).  The men’s aftershave section was massive.  I splashed on a bit of Mont Blanc from the tester sample. All done. Out the door. 🙂

Looking down Pliensaustrasse. Later at about 7pm the building on the extreme right of this photo would be well alight.  Big fire in Esslingen!  See photos further down.

Baden-Wurttembergische bank – situated in a classic old building. Possibly a hint of payments modernisation occuring here.

We now reach a small bridge Innenbrucke, which morphs into Innere Brucke.  It’s like one long bridge that crosses water, land (an island of sorts) and water. Here’s the view from the ‘island’.

The bridge empties us out into a small platz which has a fountain in it called Postmichelbrunnen (Postman Michel Fountain).
The pictures carved in stone around the fountain tell a story.  Just for you… here is the story. Once upon a time (stories always start this way)…. a very rich man from Esslingen was murdered.  His corpse disappeared and the murderer wasn’t found.  The rich man’s nephew inherited all his wealth and his death remained a mystery.
Some years later a post rider (Michel Banhard) found a precious ring on a country road.

He intended to deliver it to the authorities in Esslingen when he arrived there but in the meantime decided to wear it. He was wearing it in a tavern when it was recognised by another patron as being the ring of the rich old man who had been murdered. Michel was immediately arrested.

He claimed innocence, but no-one believed him. He was cruelly tortured for days until he finally broke under the strain and confessed.  Before Michel was to be beheaded, his last wish was to ride these streets on his white horse and blow his horn. He stopped in front of the victim’s house, now inhabited by the nephew and heir. He stated he would appear as a ghost until the true murderer was found. Then he died by the executioner’s sword.

Every year during the night of St Michael’s Day the ghost rider appeared in the streets of Esslingen, carrying his head under his arm (with the head blowing the horn!). Later it was established that the nephew had himself murdered his uncle and messenger Michel Banhard was indeed innocent. Ouch!  And so ends the story of Michel Banhard.

The super impressive Rathaus, built 1420, and described by experts as a masterpiece of the carpenter’s art. (And this is only the back of the building!).

Building art.

Close-up of the Rathaus. Note the wooden ‘nails’.

A slight detour as we walk down the side of the Rathaus. Here’s the restaurant we ate at two nights back. Weinkeller Einhorn. Totally recommended.

The front of the Rathaus at Rathausplatz.

Closer.

And back a bit.

The ‘new’ Rathaus (town hall) – built 1840 is directly opposite the old Rathaus.

Adjacent is Marktplatz, a big market square.

Opposite the buildings above is the massive Stadtkirche St Dionysius (built in the 13th century).

Meantime it’s market day in Marktplatz.  Here’s a few random snaps.

Oh yes. Knitting ladies.  Note the shop at the back that sells Wool, wine, and coffee. What does that say about knitting folk.  I poked my nose inside and saw a bunch of women all sitting together knitting and yabbering.  Not sure if they were drinking. I was unable to pick that up in the split second I was inside.




Great photo this one. If I might say so.


We headed down the back side of Stadtkirche St Dionysius hoping to get a look at the old Kessler Haus.  Let’s talk bubbly for a minute.  Esslingen is famous for its sparkling wines, and has a long-standing history of wine making and is home to Germany’s oldest Sekt (sparkling wine) manufacturer, the Sektmanufaktur Kessler.  One very entrepreneurial Swabian, Georg Christian Kessler, set it up in 1826, after having learned the tricks of his trade in France at Veuve Clicquot’s champagne cellars in Reims.  His ambition was not to duplicate the French but create a German bubbly, which he did very successfully.  And he did it right here. Unfortunately there will be no tours of the Kessler cellar while we’re here. (But it didn’t stop us buying a bottle later, in fact we bought three!).  Getting a photo of Kessler Haus was also difficult because there was a temporary stand erected in front of the building (not sure, but some performance / show was obviously coming up).  Here’s the corner of the old Kessler Haus anyway.
Trivia: Kessler is the official supplier of the Government of Germany.

And an arty shot of that small red door.

Just opposite we sneaked through to the Rossneckarkanal to see how the buildings sit alongside.

The back of Stadtkirche St Dionysius.

A cute little property that splits Mittlere Beutau and Obere Beutau.  It’s a restaurant called Rodenhausle.

Meanwhile, back at Marktplatz we decided to sit down for a coffee and just watch the happenings in the market. Very relaxing. Cappuccino please!  A photo from my seat.

All done. Let’s head back to base and freshen up for a walk up the hill.


An Italian restaurant at the junction of the two arms of Rossneckarkanal.

Just a couple of doors down from us on the corner of Schelztorstrasse and Berliner Strasse.

And the dude stapled to the side of the building. Difficult to say which side he bats on.

Fully charged we headed for the hills.  It’s only a 4 minute walk to get to the point where we ascended through the vines to what is left of this town’s city walls. Just a short section amongst the vines, but worth a look nonetheless.  Up we go. The sun is out and it’s starting to cook the guy with the thinning hair. Dahhh… shoulda brought my cap!

Views back into town at the half way point.

The ‘mid point’ tower.

And the bigger Dicker Turm tower (1527).

We walked through the wall (well actually, through a gate in the wall) and out the back was this restaurant.  It was past lunch time and we were a bit peckish / thirsty so in we went.

The boards inside told us virtually nothing.  Too bad. Upstairs we went and through to a courtyard out the back where we could sit in the sun.

Two beers for JB!  Naturally Murray’s is the one on the left. 🙂  It’s a Kellerteufel vom Fass Pilsner. Very tasty as well!!  Kath had a Lowen Pilsner Luxus vom Fass (whatever all that means).

Kath gets her food. She went Schwaben, and it wasn’t quite what she was expecting, but it tasted ok.  Liz, we didn’t have your list with us sooo??  Anyway her dish was called Uberbackene Maultaschen mit Kase, Schinkenstreifen Champignons und Rahmsauce, dazu ein gemischter Salat.  Which we all know is Maultaschen scalloped with cheese, hamstripes, white mushrooms and cream sauce with a mixed salad. Looked univiting but tasted fine says Kath.

Meantime, after a string of traditional German food Muzz went basic today with a schnitzel.  Actually it was just a Hawaii schnitzel Paniertes Schitael uberbacken mit Schinken Xnanas und Kase dazu pommes frites, mit salat.  OR Hawaiian Schnitzel scalloped with fresh white mushrooms and cheese there to French fries. tasted good with a few beers.  I’ve probably made a few typos with these meals but close enough is good enough for me.

Cheers.

We left quite contented and with a sunburned lid.  Across towards the wall we went.

Entering it at the half way point.

Great views from up here.

We’ll go this way.  The wall dates back to 1250

City wall art – part of the ceiling in the mid point tower, Looks original.

We reached the bottom. There was a small 14th century tower in a vineyard that we wanted to explore. It’s called 14th century Neckarhaldentor.

At this point the sun is beating down so on the way back we popped into a big church for some shade and a cool down. You can’t see the church here (it’s obscured by the tower).  I didn’t take a photo of it because it was covered in scaffolding.  For the record it’s called: Frauenkirche (Church to our Beloved Woman).  Surely they can’t be serious!  Regardless, this church (built in 1321) had a 236ft ‘late Gothic’ tower added in 1508.  So then it was back down into Marktplatz where the market folk have packed up and gone.

And back over the bridge.  To the right is Schelztorturm (Shell tower) with it’s more modern addition the ‘Alemannic Man’ beam walker.

Oh and a wading bird watched on.

And that was the end of our little walk around Esslingen.  Or so we thought.

Breaking news:

At about 6:30pm a police chopper appeared overhead, and circled and circled and circled.

And there were oodles of sirens as well. Hello … what’s going on?  Kath went for a walk (I was doing the blog).  She reports that there’s a fire two blocks down.  Off we go for a look.  It’s in the top floor of the white building on the right of this photo I took this morning. (Photo Porst occupies the ground floor, you can see their sign).

Press photographer Muzza arrives.

This bloke reckons he knows where the fire is.  “Es ist dort oben!”  It’s up there!

This’ll be big news in the morning for Esslingen.

Coppa.

We moved around the corner for another angle.  Looks like we’re not the only ones looking for another angle. Is he moving the tape or crossing the line?  You be the judge. 🙂

This woman lives up in the building.  Check out the helmets on the services folk. Classic.

Today’s police car wasn’t hard to find.

Putting out one fire and lighting another.  This guy was up the ladder in the photo further up.

Under control or?


So what’s your phone number then?

So there it is.  Our time in Esslingen is nearly done.  What a beautiful little town this is. Such a relaxing place (except when there’s a fire going on!).  Tomorrow we head further south to explore two of the more spectacular castles in the region.  Until then.. guten nacht!