Rhine, which anciently washed its walls. It is partly concealed from view by trees. Inn on the Rhine, Rheinischer Hof, near the Crane. Post 1. 23 WORMS. Inns : or Schwan; Schwarzer Adler. A little more than 8000 inhab. is the actual amount of the population of Worms, which once contained 30,000. It still retains its old walls, flanked at intervals by handsome and massive towers, probably of the 13th cent. This once important Imperial Free City is still venerable even in its decay from historical associations connected with it, such as few other cities in Europe can boast of. It was called by the Romans Augusta Vangionum, and Borbetomagus. In the times succeeding their dominion it was the residence of many Frankish and Carlovingian kings; Charlemagne himself was married here, and held, near Worms, those rude legislative assemblies of the Franks, called, from the month in which they were convoked, Mai Lager (Champs de Mai). pointed arch makes its appearance in the W. end of the nave, which is more modern. It has 2 towers at each end, and within has 2 choirs and 2 high altars, one for the chapter, the other for the laity. The chancel ends in a semi-octagon. The interior, 470 ft. long, has been repaired in a very gaudy style. The side chapels date from the 14th and 15th cent. On the S. side is a magnificent pointed portal, whose sculptures deserve examination, date 1472. In the chapel of St. Nicholas are placed some remarkable mediaval sculptures (date 1487), removed from the cloister, now destroyed; they re present, 1. the Annunciation; 2. the Nativity; 3. the Genealogical Tree of the Virgin; 4. the Descent from the Cross; 5. the Resurrection. The traces of faded painting on the walls and piers are curious, as being among the earliest productions of German art, In the baptistery and chapel close to the S. door 1. are many gravestones with figures in relief, of good work. Some The red stone walls to the N. of the Dom are substructions of the ancient Bischofshof, destroyed by the French in 1689, and again in 1794. In it was held the diet of 1521, at which Luther appeared before Charles V. have incorrectly supposed that this event occurred in the Rathhaus, which stood where the Lutheran church now stands, in the market-place, and in which a poor picture representing the Diet is hung up. Worms was the seat of many Diets of the German Empire: two of them are particularly important in the history of Europe; that of 1495, which, by abolishing the right of private war (Faustrecht), first established order in Germany; and that of 1521, when Luther appeared before the young emperor, Charles V., and the assembled princes, to declare his adhesion to the Reformed doctrines, which the Diet The W. end and choir of St. Paul's finally declared to be heretical. Since Church are interesting for the antiquity the infamous burning and demolition and beauty of their architecture. They of Worms by the incendiary Melac date probably from the year 1016; the (1689), the ruffian instrument of rest of the church is recent. Louis XIV. and Louvois, the city has never regained its prosperity. The only fine edifice in the town is the Dom Kirche or Cathedral ; — a plain and massive building of red sandstone, begun 996, finished 1016, in the Byzantine or round-arched style. A part of the E. end fell down 1018, and the church was consecrated anew by Bp. Eppo 1110, a fact which would seem to mark a renovation or reconstruction of the previous edifice. The the The Synagogue is said to be more than 800 years old, and certainly dis plays in its structure the style 11th century: 2 doorways and a circular building (Thora) for holding the books of the law, deserve the architect's attention. The Jews have been esta blished in this spot from a very early period, and enjoyed privileges denied them in most other parts of Germany. The country round Worms was the favourite theme of the Minne Sängers, who speak of it under the name of Wonnegau (Land of Joy). It is partly the scene of the Niebelungenlied, an ancient heroic poem of the 5th century. which may be called a German Iliad. According to the tradition, its hero, Siegfred, killed the dragon on the borders of the Rhine opposite Worms. The island facing the Rheinischer Hof is called Rosengarten: - the combat between Chrimhelda and Brunhelda is supposed to have been fought on the square on the S. side of the Dom. Near Pfiffligheim stands Luther's Elm Tree, under which the reformer is reported to have reposed on his way to the Diet, when, in reply to the warnings of friends who wished to deter him, he said that he "would go to Worms, even though there were as many devils within its walls as there were tiles on its houses." At Herrnsheim, about 2 m. out of the town, is the Château and Park of the Dalberg family, and a church of the 14th century, containing several of their monuments. N. B. Travellers proceeding down the Rhine, and acquainted with its scenery between Mayence and Bingen, may vary their route in an agreeable manner, and avoid going twice over the same ground, by leaving the Rhine at Worms, and proceeding through an interesting country by Alzey (p. 523.), 3 Germ. miles, to Kreuznach on the Nahe (p. 520.), 33 Germ. miles-road excellent, but hilly. The beautiful scenery of the Nahe is described in Route 100.; they should ascend it as far as Oberstein, and may then either return to the Rhine at Bingen, or proceed on by Birkenfeld to Treves, whence they may descend the Moselle to Coblenz. As far as Worms, both banks of the Rhine belong to Darmstadt: a few miles above it commence the territories of Baden on the right bank, and of Rhenish Bavaria on the left, across which our road lies. The road passes 1. Frankenthal (Inn, Rother Löwe), originally a colony of Flemings, driven out of their country by religious perse cution in 1562, who introduced manufactures not before known in Germany, and raised this small town by their industry to a state of great prosperity. It was held for some months in 1622-23 by the scanty English force under Sir Horace Vere, sent over by James I. to support the cause of his son-in-law the Elector Palatine; but neither in number nor in the skill of their commander were they fit to cope with a veteran general like Spinola, to whom and his army of "tough old blades" they were opposed, and they were accordingly obliged to surrender the town to the Spaniards. It has now 5000 inhabs. A canal connects it with the Rhine. At Grünstadt, a few miles N. W. of Frankenthal, the painter Holbein is believed to have been born. A 2 1. Oggersheim. Inn, Pfälzer Hof. rt. The Neckar enters the Rhine about mile below Mannheim. A bridge of boats over the Rhine leads from (1.) Ludwigshafen, the beginning of a new town, into Mannheim. railway connects Ludwigshafen with Spires and with the coal mines of Bexbach, in the neighbourhood of Saarbrück. It was opened between Neustadt, Ludwigshafen, and Spires in 1847, and between Kaiserslautern and Homburg, 1 July, 1848. Ludwigshafen was much injured during the defence of Mannheim in the insurrection of June, 1849. The landing-place of the steamer is just below the bridge of boats, of a mile distant from the town, where the bonding warehouses (Freihafen), a handsome building by Hübsch, have been erected at the water side, 1 MANNHEIM. Inns: H. de l'Europe (dear), close to the landing-place of the steamers, with a noble Saal, and 100 bed-rooms of all sizes, from 1 fl. upwards (servants 24 kr. daily); La Cour du Palatinat (Pfälzer Hof), in the town, very good; Russischer Hof; Rheinischer Hof. The situation of this town, on the right bank of the Rhine, and between it and the Neckar, is low and somewhat damp. A high dyke protects it from inundations. The Rhine here at 317 Eng. m. from the sea is 1200 feet in breadth. Mannheim was formerly the capital of the Palatinate, and has about 24,000 inhab. Nearly 300 English reside here, chiefly on account of the cheapness of living and of the agreeable society, to which the presence of the amiable Grand Duchess Stephanie and her court adds a charm. It was once strongly fortified, and was in conse quence several times ruined, and twice literally reduced to ashes, and levelled with the dust by sieges and bombardments: first in the Thirty Years' War; afterwards by the French, in the war of the Orleans succession. It did not exist as a town till after 1606; and, within a century, was twice rebuilt; after which it was again bombarded by the French in 1794, and by the Austrians in 1795; indeed, from the first moment of its existence it appears to have been an object of struggle. The French General, who took the town in 1689, called the townspeople together, and informed them that it was the unalterable determination of his master, Louis le Grand, to raze Mannheim with the ground; but, as a special favour, he would intrust the work of destruction to themselves, and would allow them 20 days to complete the work. As the inhabitants could not bring themselves to put into execution this diabolical sentence, the duty was performed by the soldiers, who drove out the lingering tenants, set fire to the houses, blew up the fortifications and churches. During the siege of 1795, half of the palace was burnt, and only 14 houses remained uninjured; 26,000 cannon balls and 1780 bombs were thrown at length the French garrison of 9700 men surrendered to General Wurmser. Fortunately for its future welfare, it is now defenceless, owing to the removal of its ramparts. To the cause stated above, the modern town owes its present rectangular and monotonous regularity. It consists of 11 straight streets, crossed by 10 other streets at right angles to them, and at equal distances; an arrangement which renders it difficult for a stranger to distinguish one part of the town from another. "The streets are not named, and the system by which houses are identified is so singu. lar, that it merits explanation. Each block of houses is distinguished in the following manner :- -The town is divided into two parts by the great street leading from the palace to the suspension bridge over the Neckar. The first row of blocks of houses parallel to this street, on each side, is numbered 1 ; the second row of blocks of houses on each side, parallel to the first, is numbered 2, and so on. But taking the blocks in cross rows, on one side of abovementioned great street, the row nearest to the palace is lettered A, the se cond B, and so on; and on the other side the street, the row nearest the palace is lettered L, the second M, and so on. Thus a letter and a figure are necessary to define any block of houses. In each block the houses are numbered 1, 2, 3, &c. Thus in looking in the Mannheim Directory for a person's residence, you will find (for instance) C. 3, 6. This means No. 6. in the block which is defined by the mark C. 3. The letter C shows in which row of blocks it is as taken one way, and the figure 3 shows in which row of blocks it is as taken the other way.”— G. B. A. In the public squares are fountains, which want only water to render them useful as well as orna. mental; indeed, good water is scarce here. The town is remarkable for its cleanliness; Göthe calls it "Das freundliche, reinliche Mannheim." Mannheim does not possess many objects of interest, and need not detain a traveller long. A Theatre in The principal building is the Palace, a huge structure of red sandstone, more remarkable for size than architecture, erected by the Elector Palatine Kar! Philip, when he removed his court from Heidelberg, and made Mannheim his capital (1720). one wing, which was reduced to a mere shell by the Austrian bombardment, has been repaired and rebuilt A part of the palace is inhabited by the Dowager Grand Duchess of Baden. Stephanie; and another wing serves as a Museum to contain the Gallery of Paintings, the majority of which, except some specimens of the Dutch school, are very mediocre; a Collection of Plaster Casts, and a Cabinet of Natural History, with some good specimens of minerals and fossils. The best part of all the Mannheim collections were transferred to Munich in 1778. a The Gardens behind the palace, ending in a raised terrace (Rheindamm) upon the brink of the Rhine, are a delightful walk. The Planken, broad street, planted with trees, between the Heidelberg and Rhine gates, is another promenade of the inhabitants. The private gardens along the banks of the Neckar are a great ornament to the outskirts of the town. A pretty chain bridge has been thrown across the Neckar. If we except the Jesuits' Church, which, after all is not of first-rate architecture, and, though imposing, is overloaded with marble inside, there is no remarkable building here. The Theatre is on a good footing; the orchestra, under Lachner, is not surpassed in this part of Germany. Here Schiller's "Robbers" was first brought out in 1782. Opposite the principal entrance to the theatre is the house of Kotzebue, where he was assassinated by the mad student Sand; the victim and murderer are both buried in the Lutheran churchyard. Schiller lived on the Parade Platz, in the house called Zum Karlsberg. English Church Service on Sundays. The reading room of the club called the Harmony, in the Planken, is thrown open to strangers properly introduced. A very agreeable lounge here is the establishment of Messrs. Artaria and Co., where all the productions of the fine arts and literature in Germany and Italy are to be met with, and a tourist can supply himself with all sorts of maps, views, &c., indispensable on a foreign journey. M. A. has a fine collection of original paintings. [Schwetzingen should be visited from Mannheim. It is about 9 m. distant. Inns: Erb Prinz; Pfälzer N. Germ. Hof; Goldner Ochse. A small town of 2500 inhab. Its Château had been from early times a seat of the Electors Palatine, when the Elector Charles Theodore made it his summer residence in 1743, and employed the 20 following years, and vast sums of money, in converting into an ornamental garden a flat sandy desert, indebted to nature for no favour but the very distant prospect of a picturesque chain of hills. Those who desire to see all the sights here may prolong their walk for 2 or 3 hrs.: at any rate it is well to take a guide at the gate. The objects best worth notice are the Mosque, the temples of Mercury and Apollo, the Bath, the Roman aqueduct, and the Temple of Pan. The vista looking over the great basin towards the Vosges Mountains has the pleasing effect of a natural diorama. The Gardens themselves are not without beauty, though laid out in the formal French style, carried to perfection by Le Notre at Versailles, with straight basins edged with stone, and ruffled by ever-spurting fountains; with prim parterres, peopled with statues, flanked by cropped hedges, and intersected by long avenues. They contain about 114 English acres. The Botanic Garden, included within their circuit, contains a fine collection of Alpine plants. The conservatories and the orangery are worth notice. The Château, originally a small hunting-lodge augmented from time to time by wings, orangeries, and other additions to accommodate a court, is honoured with few and short visits from the reigning Grand Duke, and is not worth notice; but the grounds are kept in good order, and well deserve a visit.] Eilwagen daily to Kreuznach in 7 hrs; to Dürkheim (Rte. 104.); from Ludwigshafen, opposite Mannheim, several times a-day. Railroad to Heidelberg, 15 Eng. m., trains in 1 hour to Frankfurt and Carlsruhe. (Rte. 105.) Steamers go several times a-day to Coblenz, and every evening up to Strasburg. A A Schifferstadt Stat. Here is the junction of the lines from Spires and Ludwigshafen, with the line which runs westward to Neustadt, and ultimately to Kaiserslautern and Bexbach. 1. SPIRES (Germ. SPEYER) Stat.. Inns: Post (Wittelsbacher Hof), good; Adler. This ancient and venerable city, one of the oldest, and originally one of the chief cities in Germany, lies upon the 1. bank of the Rhine. Its population, which in the 14th cent. amounted to 27,000, is now reduced to about 9000, and it is in all other respects a mere shadow of its former self. It received from the Romans the name Civitas Nemetun, or Noviomagus; but in their time it was only a fortified outpost on the Rhine to resist the attacks of the neighbouring Allemanni. Charlemagne, however, and the Emperors of Germany who followed him, especially those of the Franconian and Suabian lines, made it their chosen place of residence, and the seat of the Germanic Diet, bestowing upon it, at the same time, the privileges of a Free City of the Empire, which made it the centre of a flourishing trade, and poured wealth into its walls. The Charter (Freibrief) conferred by Henry V. in 1111, gave to its citizens a monopoly of the carrying trade up and down the Rhine, and entitled them to destroy any baronial castle which might be built within 3 German miles of their gates- -an enactment intended effectually to secure them from troublesome and rapacious neighbours. The history of Spires during the period of the middle ages is an alternate record of Imperial festivities and courtly show, and of scenes of tumult and violence within its walls, and deadly feuds and combats without. Its citizens, in those unquiet times, were as well versed in the use of arms as in the arts of trade. At one time they were called upon to issue from their walls in order to chastise the lawless rapacity of some feudal baron, who had waylaid their merchants, and pillaged their property on the high road, and who often paid for his insolence by having his castle burnt about his ears and levelled with the ground: at another they were engaged in a quarrel with a neighbouring town, or in a feud with their bishop, or even with the Emperor himself. On several occasions armies of 20,000 men, composed of the levies of more than 100 different barons and towns, each marshalled under their Own banners, in vain laid siege to Spires, being repulsed by the bravery of the citizens. Now and then fortune de clared against them, and they suffered from the plundering inroads of hostile armies. In the 14th century the city maintained in its pay an army of knights and soldiers, to whom it partly intrusted its defence, and whom it engaged to fight its battles. At length the Im perial Edict, which abolished the right of private war, in 1530, restored peace to Germany. The Imperial Chamber Reichs-Kammergericht, by which its enactments were enforced, and all in fringements of them punished, was established at Spires. This tribunal the paramount court of appeal in Ger many, existed here 200 years, unti removed to Wetzlar. The trade and prosperity of Spire began to decay in the 17th century; but the final blow and the greates injury was inflicted upon it by the atrocities of the French under Lou XIV., during the Orleans Successio War, called by the Germans "Mor brenner Krieg." In 1689, the tow was taken by the French, who short after issued a proclamation to th citizens, commanding them to quit with their wives and children, with the space of 6 days; and to beta |