Week One: The Leftovers – Part 2

In the same spirit as my last post: the other things we did during week one of spring break.

Versailles is important to you, but you’re probably unaware of it. I’ll give you three reasons: 1) the Treaty of Paris (1783) was signed in Versailles ending the American Revolutionary War, 2) the Treaty of Versailles (1919) was signed (cleverly enough) in Versailles ending World War One, 3) there is a giant palace there. Giant.

Here are some statistics to give you an idea – Area: 550,000+ sq. ft.; Rooms: 700; Windows: 2,153

The palace of Versailles sits about 12 miles outside of Paris in what was, back in the 17th and 18th centuries, a small town removed from the political pressures of Paris. King Louis XIV (that is ‘the fourteenth’ for my roman numeral challenged brethren) moved his entire court to Versailles and forced them to live there so he could keep an eye on them. You know what they say, “Keep your dukes close, and your arch-dukes closer.” This strategy worked pretty well until Louis XVI (sixteen) was forced to move his family back to Paris (and then he and his wife, Marie Antoinette, were later killed).

And so we go in, like so many members of the French royalty before us. The first thing we see.

This here is a statue of Louis XIV. There are a lot of statues and busts and paintings of him hanging around. He was a bit of an egomaniac. The thing is, none of the artwork is accurate. In reality, he was really fat (like Biggest Loser fat). He was also bald.

The Chapel.

Golden plated doors, walls, and organ pipes; detailed paintings on the walls and ceilings; intricate carvings on the columns and beautiful sculptures. This is a chapel… that no on is allowed in.

Here is a room that a count or someone probably slept in.

The marble (or is it granite?) is from the Pyrenees Mountains in the south of France. Louis XIV had it shipped special for his palace. Also, note the amazingly inaccurate sculpture of Louis XIV (also known as the Sun King) and a bust of some Greek or Roman ruler (I’ve seen it in history books).

You should know that the interior of the palace was designed by Charles le Brun (English translation: Charlie Brown). You don’t actually have to know that. I just though it was funny.

There are a lot more rooms where this came from, but I like the paintings better. A few of the more famous ones (that I’ve seen in more French books than I can count):

Marie Antoinette with her children; two different kings both named Louis, both in tights.

The palace is about as symmetrical as they come. Sitting at the back and center is the Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors).

It’s a huge hallway of extravagance and lavishness. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling (they were Baccarat at one point and may still be). There are mirrors everywhere. Windows let natural light in and look out into the gardens and grounds. I understand you can rent it out for parties. I understand that is expensive.

And the royal bedrooms.

His and Hers. Plus the study.

Some important documents were signed at that table. Also, the clock on the mantel is pretty boss… I mean it is embossed with gold.

The gardens from the castle.

The royalty loved their hedges. And there is something about nicely trimmed hedges, oriented in a symmetric pattern just so, that makes this math major appreciate a nice garden. Also, those trees are something.

A view of the grounds.

And looking back at the castle.

The second floor in the part that is jutting out is the Hall of Mirrors.

And there is a lot more to this palace of palaces than that. But that is a good general look.

To Strasbourg and that ugly Cathedral (everyone was thinking it, I just said it).

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg (Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg). How original? Romanesque/Gothic mixture, construction took about 400 years, there are flying buttresses involved.

First impressions: I’m not feeling the aged-terracotta red exterior. Also, it’s a little lopsided.

Indeed, the Cathedral is made from sandstone native to the surrounding area which gives it that reddish hue. It was the tallest building in the world for a few hundred years. I imagine that after completing the first tower, the builders just didn’t feel like doing it again. I can’t say that I blame them.

The intricate carvings on the exterior walls are as impressive as they are numerous. And they are numerous because the building is actually huge.

And the interior is as impressive.

That is the nave (with a hanging organ on the top left), the pulpit, and the altar.

And now the fun stuff.

In the foreground is the Pillar of Angels, an architectural interpretation of the Last Judgment. It is apparently an engineering marvel that this one column can hold up this portion of the church. In the background, the astronomical clock. This one is one of the largest in the world and was completed in the 1800’s (before electricity). A better picture.

It tells: the official time, solar time (whatever that is), day, month, year, zodiac sign, phase of the moon, position of several planets, leap years, equinoxes, date of Easter, and other fun things. Apparently the mechanism inside is quite impressive (and mysteriously accurate).

Here is one face.


And the thing in action. Every fifteen minutes, a bell rings and different stages of Man (i.e. infant, youth, adult, geriatric) parade in front of Death. At 12:30PM the 12 apostles parade in front of Jesus and he blesses them. I have videos on my facebook page.

Legend has it that the guy who made this clock had his eyes gouged out so he couldn’t make another one. I believe it.

After that spectacle of a show, a sister and I decided to climb what was the tallest building in the world back in the 1700’s. Getting up was a dizzying climb – something like 300 steps up a spiral staircase (and it was a tight spiral). Strasbourg is nice this time of year.

The people look like ants!
This one may or may not be looking into Germany.

And one final comment on the Strasbourg Cathedral: this is probably the creepiest Cathedral at night. Case and point.

It is called Gothic architecture for a reason. Zing!

Moving on to Cathedral two of two, the Cologne Cathedral in Cologne, Germany. Another original name. It is conveniently located right next door to the train station.

And the side entrance.


This Cathedral took over 600 years to build by the time it was finished in 1880. It was then the tallest building in the world for four years (take that Strasbourg!) and is one of the largest churches in Europe. Also, it suffered around 70 raids during WWII and sustained some damage, but it never toppled. There are flying buttresses.

The inside and altar.

There is also this.

The Shrine of the Three Kings: a giant, gilded, three-person coffin. That’s right friends, it is traditionally believed that the bodies of the Three Kings are in there.

Also of note, this window was installed only a few years ago, replacing one that was destroyed during the war.

The artist claims that that randomly placed “pixels” create a colorful “carpet.” I think it looks like a game of Tetris gone awry.

A short train ride away is Bonn, Germany: birthplace of Beethoven. There is a museum dedicated to the maestro himself at his childhood home. Here is the outside.

There were no pictures allowed, but I took one of his viola anyway.

You can call this picture... contraband. Perhaps more interesting to some, Bonn was also the birthplace of Natalie Horler. You may know her as Cascada (another win for pop culture).

And there is also a pretty basilica in Bonn. The Bonn Minster Basilica is one of the oldest churches in Germany. It was the seat of the archbishop of Cologne years ago, but is now just a papal basilica.


The crypt was right under the altar.

And there was a cloister. For those unsure, a cloister is an enclosed space and does not, as a general rule, necessarily imply mute religious people. This cloister happened to be a quadrangle enclosed between the church and other buildings.

My only question: how do they get the lawnmower in there?

That concludes Spring Break Week One. We’re only halfway done! Don't you love study abroad?