Tag Archives: history

Briggegickel

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image of rooster and cross on the bridge

During my research I saw an old map view of the city of Frankfurt am Main that was engraved by Matthaus Merian, the father of Maria Sybilla Merian.  On this map were the tiny figures of a (dark) crucifix with a (gold) rooster above it.  This was placed to indicate the middle of the bridge where the river was deepest.  The larger boats needed to stay in the deep section going under the bridge; if they chose one of the other arches they could easily have ended up stuck in shallow waters.

There is a legend told of this golden rooster, called by the old name of Briggegickel.  It seems that each time a bridge was built over the river connecting Frankfurt with Sachsenhausen on the other side, before long it would be washed away by a flood.  The city decided this time the bridge should be of stone.  They hired an expert stonemason to do the job, then told him it had to be built in two days.  He rounded up a crew and they went to work.  He realized that it would not be done in time and was very worried.

A stranger appeared to the stonemason and said that he could get the bridge finished in time, and for payment he required only the soul of the first two-legged being to cross the new bridge.  The worried stonemason, seeing hope for the first time, quickly agreed.

Early the next morning the stonemason awoke with a heavy heart.  His shoulders slumped as he went to join the town council for the opening of the new bridge.  He realized that, as the stonemason hired to build this bridge, HE would be the first to cross it.  And he had agreed to exchange his soul for the completion of the bridge.  He had made an agreement with the devil.   Almost at the bridge, his footsteps slowed.  He looked around and saw a rooster strutting nearby.  He grabbed the rooster and ran to the edge of the bridge.

The devil was waiting at the other end.  The stonemason tossed the rooster onto the bridge.  The squawking rooster ran the length of the bridge to the other side.  “There’s your two-legged being!” shouted the stonemason.  And he leaped for joy because he had just beat the devil.

The stonemason told the city council what had happened; the story spread.  A sculptured golden rooster was added to the crucifix on the bridge to commemorate how the stonemason had outwitted the devil.

The golden rooster and the dark crucifix can be seen today in the Historical Museum of Frankfurt.

Hahn
Hahn

The Old Frankfurt City Hall

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RömerRömer_mkt
 The Römer, which consists of these three buildings with their stair-stepped facade, was the old City Hall where all official functions and events were held.
After being crowned Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I and his entourage walked from the church to this market square. The procession then entered the Limperberggasse on the side of the Römer and through wrought iron gates into a courtyard at the rear.  They then entered an upper level of the Römer by walking up a cupola covered circular outside stone stairway.  Entering a large room, they walked through a door on the left into the Kaisersaal.  Here is where the celebratory banquet was held for the new Emperor.
The Kaisersaal, with its large windows, was flooded with light.  The room has an arched, half-barrel ceiling.  The floor is a pattern of light colored wood squares enclosed in bands of dark wood.  But what I found to be the most interesting feature of the room is that the left side of the room is noticeably longer than the right side!
On display in the Kaisersaal is an engraving depicting the procession of Leopold I through the marketplace crowded with people.  This engraving was created by Caspar Merian who was Maria Sybilla Merian's half brother.  The engraving also shows a large wooden shed near the Nikolai Church at the corner of the marketplace.  In this open shed is a whole ox roasting on a large spit.  This is in preparation for a huge feast, not only for the officials but also for all the citizens of Frankfurt. 

Eschenheimer Tower

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Eschenheimer Tower
Eschenheimer Tower
Another part of the old city of Frankfurt is the Eschenheimer Turm (tower).  The rectangular base was completed in 1400; the circular tower in 1428.  It used to be one of the gates to get into the city.  Today the fast paced city traffic zips around and past it.
This tower was once one of 60 towers, all part of the city wall which encircled the town.  It was the only one saved when the city wall was torn down back in 1812.  Now it is a city landmark.
There is a cafe somewhere upstairs in the tower.  I would have liked to have visited this cafe; unfortunately it was closed the only time I managed to be in this area of the city.

Search for the Old City Continues

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Model of the Dom (church)
Model of the Dom (church)
  This time I had better luck in getting a feel for the size of the old city of Frankfurt am Main.  A wonderful scale model replica of the city is on display in the Frankfurt Historical Museum.  The model, built by brothers Hermann and Robert Treuner were made on a scale of 1:200.  They began working on this in 1926 but were interrupted by the devasting bombing of Frankfurt during WWII which totally destroyed everything.  (Well, everything except for one building–that's all that was left!)  Hermann Treuner finished what he could in 1955.  The model does not show the entire old city because the documentation of how it all looked was gone.  He could only finish what they already had to work with.
  Still, by comparing this model with maps showing the old city, it was much easier to get a sense of the size.  Everything still seemed close and easily within walking distance.
  The city model also showed dramatically how the St. Bartholomew Church (also known as the Dom) rose majestically above the rest of the city.  It's spire could be seen from anywhere in town.  This is the church where Leopold I was crowned Holy Roman Emperor when Maria Sybilla Merian was eleven years old.

Frankfurt City Wall

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Frankfurtcitywall
Frankfurtcitywall
Since my research in Germany began with the city of Frankfurt am Main in the 1600's, I wanted to try and get a feel for the size of the old city that for centuries had been enclosed within stone walls.
Frankfurt today is a large, busy city with a skyline of shiny steel skyscrapers.  It is the second largest metropolitan area in Germany.  A far different size city from the one I was seeking.
I decided that perhaps seeing what was left of the old city wall would help.  I knew there was a portion of it still standing; I had seen a sign pointing in its direction.
At first I didn't even see the wall.  It was set back, bordering a small, scruffy-looking area full of weeds and trash.  A splash of color–of all things, graffiti, caught my eye.  Part of the wall had been opened up to allow traffic through.  It continued on the other side of the street as a back wall for what looked like a preschool playground.  Tall apartment buildings crowded in, overwhelming the little stone wall.
Not much left.  Very disappointing.
The city hurried through and around it scarcely acknowledging its existence.  A small plaque lets any visitors who might come this way know that this stone wall is all that is left of the grand, protective city wall from the 12th century.