Pottenstein, Germany

This German village was recom- mended to us by friends in the U. S. military who live in Germany. The old walled city (in the first picture) is unrestored. You can imagine, as you stand on top of the rocky abutment inside of the old walled city, serfs working fields in the valleys and herding livestock on the surrounding hillsides. It provides an excellent example of construction from its time. The city was begun in 918. 

The building on the right in the first picture is a museum which holds artifacts from the entire period of the city's history, from full suits of armor, pikes, and spears to early muskets and cannon. More significantly, perhaps, is that this was the home of St. Elizabeth of Thuringen (St. Elizabeth of Hungary). She was married to a noble who lived in Pottenstein to cement political ties between fiefdoms. She was widowed at 20 and died at 24. She is known for her holiness and her charity, as she gave all her belongings to the poor. 

The building on the left is an excellent example of early post and beam construction. The heavy timbers which form the frame were hand-hewn and are held together by wooden pegs.