Sunday 12th June

My Rough Guide to Germany says that the state of Hessen is the centre of half timbered houses and lists four particular examples. We have scheduled to visit two: today Wetzlar and tomorrow Marburg. I find it difficult to believe that anywhere is the centre of half timbered houses because everywhere we’ve been in Germany there seem to have been plenty.

We parked up on a good Stellplatz (50.5568, 8.4910 €11 without electricity) and put out the awning and chairs, as seems permissible in Germany, and waited for the heat to subside. Today has been another scorcher.

It was 4.30 before we made our move and it was still very hot.

In the early Middle Ages Wetzlar was an Imperial Free City and thus was very wealthy from its ability to levy duties on trade. Unfortunately due to an unsuccessful trade dispute with the neighbouring town of Solms, Wetzlar was bankrupt by the end of the 14th Century, leaving, amongst other things, its red sandstone cathedral incomplete.

In 1689 Wetzlar had a stroke of luck when the Imperial Law Courts for the whole Holy Roman Empire were relocated to the town after the previous location in Speyer had been destroyed by French armies during the wars over the Palatinate Succession (remember those from yesterday). The result was renewed wealth and prosperity for Wetzlar, further enhanced by the arrival of Huguenot merchants from France. The Cathedral was then, rather bizarrely, finished in a completely different grey stone, leaving parts of the old Cathedral unfinished.

The Rough Guide was right about the Half Timbered houses. They are everywhere and have been beautifully maintained. The oldest date to the 14th Century and clearly have been lucky to evade both fire and numerous wars.

The late afternoon sun made photography with my mobile phone difficult, but despite that it is one of the prettiest towns we have visited anywhere.

After our tour we retired to a riverside Bier Garten and Sarah was delighted to see baked potato on the menu although I think my choice of Currywurst was much the better one! The beer was excellent as it always is in Germany (with the honourable mention of Bamburg where the smoked beer (Rauchs Bier) is not to my taste.