Can anyone recommend any must see's in Bavaria, Swabia and Switzerland? (besides the beer! ) Particularly interested in period castles, armour museums, etc. Part of the plan is to see Konstanz/Singen for a day.

I'm not sure what particular period of history you're interested in, but here are my tips nonetheless:

The Bayrisches Museum in Munich, a small place at the southern end of the English Garden, has several unique items including one of the only extant covered breastplates from the late 14th C. (illustration 35 and 37 in "L'arte dell'Armatura in Italia" by L.G. Boccia & E.G. Coelho). Definitely worth a look.

The Germanisches National Museum in Nuremberg has perhaps the best single medieval collection in the world. Just my opinion. They have the only great helm that has a mail fringe (probably contemporary w. the helmet) - the "Kornburg" helm (see my online picts – I posted the URL a few months ago on Firestryker) . There are two bascinets and visors in excavated condition, as well as a 14th C. gauntlet. Several shields with original strapping from the 14th and 15th centuries are there as well. A few 15th C. tournament saddles too for those equestrian types. Otherwise the armor is 16th C. and later. They have a large number of home furnishing from the 14th - 16th centuries, (furniture, purses, Minnekaestchen, etc.) including a 1480s living room (Stube) that survived - amazing.

Enough said - it's a wonderful museum and the bookstore is a great place to dump some cash. There is more armor in the schloss in Nuremberg - another bascinet & loads of later things.

The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna would be another "must see", but that's quite a trip from Bavaria - 7 or 8 hours on the train.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber has some things worth a visit. The former convent has been converted to a museum, and it contains the oldest kitchen in Germany, dating back to the 12th or 13th C., if memory serves. They have an armoury as well, but nothing is older than the early 16th C. The town itself is quite beautiful, though it will be overrun w. other tourists in August - don't expect to hear any German. If you do head out to Rothenburg let me know and I'll email you a few good tips on lodgings and the like.

The Deutsches Ledermuseum in Offenbach (near Frankfurt) has literally dozens of small cases and boxes from the 14th - 15th centuries. They only have a dozen or so medieval shoes, but there are plenty of more modern and non-Western displays to please the rest of the family.

If you have time to get up to the Rhineland there's the Klingenmuseum in Solingen and several in Cologne to consider, but this is quite a ways north of Swabia & Bavaria - a full day on the train basically.

Regards

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I'm not sure what particular period of history you're interested in[/B]

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Sorry, I should have been specific. 13th-15thC overall with emphasis on 1475 era armour and horse related items. (Saddle, lances, etc.)

if you make it to Nuremberg, don´t miss the Kaiserburg- the shifted most of the arms and armour out of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum to the castle.
When I, always one to miss someting, was to Nuremberg a few years ago, most of the armour had been removed, but the exhibition on the Kaiserburg hadn´t opened yet.

Quite lose to Nuremberg is Coburg with its famous fortress the Veste Coburg. Loads of metal (from the former arsenal) and medieval art, and an interesting building.

Around the Bodensee lake there´s another opportunity, the Meersburg. The armoury holds mostly 16th century material, but the rest of the castle is beautiful and truly worth a visit.

Go and try to find the websites of the above, they provide information in English as well.

Regards

Ivo

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One of the pieces (for the back ot the horses neck) is positioned so that you can get a look at the strapping.

There is also an exact plan of the "Emporer's Crown Jewels" It's just stuck on the wall of a hallway. I found it to be the most interesting part of the tour.

The Albrecht Durrer house in Nurnberg is also pretty nice.

There is a sausage/beer cellar right next to the roman built bridge in Regensburg that claims to have been continually in operation since the builders of the bridge ate their lunches there. Little of historical interest, but the beer is very good.

Neuschwannstein in Fussen is great for a fairly tale fix, and if you go there, skip Garmisch, as the mountians are there. It is a nineteenth century palace. Hard core fairytale.

There is an excellent manuscript library in Bamberg.

[ 07-05-2002: Message edited by: freiman ]

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I have a question for our German contributors to the forum. Have you any recommendations in places to stay (either hotel or castle/hotel) in Tauberbischofsheim?

After looking at expenses and excessive driving through tourist areas, the itinerary has changed a little but in a good way!

Munich 2 days.
Nuremberg 2 days
Drive for day tour of Rothenburg
Then drive straight down to Fussen and loop around Austria along the Lech (if we can find a places to stay) and then return to Munich.
10 days total.

Unfortunately it looks like Swabia and Luzern will have to be a separate trip (unless the Lech portion does not work out), but I will have the chance to have more time to play and to drive part of the "Castle Road".