Half-Timbers And Full Detail…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Another blog post detailing our 2012 summer travels with visiting Singaporean friend “Velvetine”.

Recent posts are all from  the historic town of Monschau in Germany and I realised as I went to post some more photographs about the architecture around the central square that I’d forgotten to give you some information about the town.  Wikipedia to the rescue as usual:

Monschau (French: Montjoie, Walloon: Mondjoye) is a small resort town in the Eifel region of western Germany located in the district Aachern, North Rhine-Westphalia.

On the heights above the city is Monschau castle, which dates back to the 13th century — the first mention of Monschau was made in 1198. Beginning in 1433, the castle was used as a seat of the dukes of Jȕlich. In 1543, Emperor Charles V besieged it as part of the Geldern Feud, captured it and plundered the town. However, the castle stayed with Jülich until 1609, when it became part of Palatinate-Neuburg.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

In 1795, the French captured the area and, under the name Montjoie, made it the capital of a canton of the Roer département. . After the area became part of the Kingdon of Prussia in 1815, Monschau became the district capital of the Kreis Montjoie.

During World War I, some people argued that Monschau (or “Montjoie” as it was then still called) should be annexed to Belgium since they believed it historically to be a Walloon area that had been Germanized by the Prussians.

In 1918, William II, German Emperor, changed the name to Monschau.In 1972, the town was enlarged with the previous independent municipalities of Höfen, Imgenbroich, Kalterherberg, Konzen, Mützenich and Rohren. 

There are details everywhere, from the half-timbered patternes in the wood, decorations on the cafe’s, the patterns in the roof tiles, and brightly coloured and often co-ordinated flower boxes that adorn the windows. Preened and ready for the tourist cameras, Monschau knows how to present it’s pretty face to the world.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monschau