There’s nothing that puts me in the mood more than visiting some glorious castle…
WPC – Your Photographic Groove
Hopfensee, Bavaria
Hopfensee is a lake in Bavaria, Germany, few kilometers north from Füssen in Ostallgäu.
It was formed by the Lechtal glacier and is one of the remains of a larger Füssener See. The Hopfensee-Ach flows out of the lake and into the Forggensee.
Just me admiring the panorama.
On the northeast shore is the resort Hopfen am See. There is a campground on the east shore. Besides swimming, which is possible as early as the end of May, boating, sailing, and wind surfing are common activities. There is also hiking route around the lake, as well as castle ruins on the hill nearby.
If you would like to enjoy the mountain views while eating a nice meal or just sipping a cup of coffee, there are plenty of restaurants and bars to choose from. Or, one of the many benches, or just simply lay on the grass and make a picnic. Plenty of options, all of them equally pretty.
If you go hiking around the lake, you will be greeted by some wooden statues.
Parking situation on pretty days and especially on weekends can be a bit tricky, not because there are few places available, but because of sheer amount of people that comes flocking to the lake.
Kloster Andechs, Bavaria
The Benedictine priory and erstwhile abbey of Andechs is a place of pilgrimage on a hill east of the lake Ammersee. Andechs Abbey is famed for its flamboyant Baroque church and its brewery, Klosterbrauerei Andechs. Composer Carl Orff is buried in the church, among some other famous people (Prince Konrad of Bavaria, Duke Albrecht of Bavaria, Prince Konstantin of Bavaria, Prince Heinrich of Bavaria).
The late-Gothic collegiate church which Duke Ernest I (1392 – 1438) had erected in 1423 was changed into a Benedictine monastery by Duke Albert III in 1455, and filled with monks from Tegernsee Abbey. In 1458 it was raised to the status of an abbey, and thenceforth enjoyed a period of uninterrupted prosperity, completely remodeled in Baroque style in 1712, and forming part of the Hofmark Erling (Heiliger Berg Andechs) until its secularization in 1803. It was refounded in 1850 as a Benedictine priory, affiliated to the Abbey of St Boniface in Munich. The present church dates from the 18th century.
Inside of an amazing baroque church.
Right next to the monastery is a huge parking lot that you have to pay for, and in spite of its size I can recommend you come early, at least on weekends or holidays. On a workday you probably won’t have issues.
What can you do here? Well, besides eat and drink, you can enjoy the scenery, buy some beer, visit a souvenir shop… and then drink some more beer. Same as with most monastery breweries in Germany – it is well preserved, very old, well worth a visit and quite pricey but still quite within reason. Stop by, and enjoy. Prost!
Latest from the Blog
WPC – Your Photographic Groove
There’s nothing that puts me in the mood more than visiting some glorious castle…
Hopfensee, Bavaria
Hopfensee is a lake in Bavaria, Germany, few kilometers north from Füssen in Ostallgäu. It was formed by the Lechtal glacier and is one of the remains of a larger Füssener See. The Hopfensee-Ach flows out of the lake and into the Forggensee. Just me admiring the panorama. On the northeast shore is the resort…
Trakošćan Castle, Croatia
Croatia’s most beloved castle There is a reason why Trakošćan gets so much praise and that reason is very simple – it is not left to rot like many other castles in Croatia. With by far the best condition it is a must see for any history buff, regardless from where you’re coming from. Sure,…
Trakošćan Castle, Croatia
Croatia’s most beloved castle
There is a reason why Trakošćan gets so much praise and that reason is very simple – it is not left to rot like many other castles in Croatia. With by far the best condition it is a must see for any history buff, regardless from where you’re coming from.
Sure, everyone knows seaside in Croatia is the go-to destination – and rightly so – but *everyone* should make a detour or a day trip to this piece of history. I have visited Trakošćan many times, and I shall do so again in the future, when I’m in north Croatia that is.
Unfortunately, restaurant on the lake in the picture below doesn’t follow in the museum’s step in regards to quality. Looks really nice, if you’re thirsty I do recommend dropping by, but food was really nothing to write home about.
Overall, free parking, free toilets, magnificent views and a stunning museum exhibition definitely make it worth a visit. The only downside is the fact that photographing on the inside is not allowed. Come, enjoy alone or with a family, it will be worth it.
2017 Favorite(s) + Happy New Year!
Technically, I don’t think these are the best photos I have taken this year, but they do have a strong emotional impact on me simply because of memories tied to them. So, I have decided to put them here.
Also, soon I will feature more photos of the same subjects on my new project that you can check here! Facebook / Instagram follow is much appreciated (even though I am still developing it).
So, this first picture was taken during the summer when my sister came to visit me in Augsburg. I got the feeling that this elderly couple is visiting this church for quite some time so I decided to make them a subject.
This picture was taken during a field trip I took with my girlfriend to visit this colossal beauty. Soon, I will post more details here.
Also one of the field trips, this sad looking bird is a resident of Augsburg zoo. Maybe sad is a bit strong word, on the second thought it looks like it’s contemplating about something very important :)
So, there it is, that is it for this year, wish you all the best in 2018. and thanks for stopping by and commenting during this 12 months!
WPC – Serene
A serene sunset in Osijek, Croatia.
WPC – Rounded
Rounded little snake chilling like a boss in Augsburger zoo.
WPC – Scale(d) Ships
Bremerhaven Museum Ship Model 3
Bremerhaven Museum Ship Model 2
Bremerhaven Museum Ship Model 1
For Weekly Photo Challenge a bit of recollecting of old memories: Historisches Museum Bremerhaven and three ship models. I didn’t save pictures of all of them because I wasn’t particularly happy with them, but these three are okay to give some example of what can you expect if you ever visit this museum.
WPC – Windows
Windows in old abandoned building in Osijek.
WPC – Waiting
Waiting with patience.
Monumental Europe 