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Alpsee, Bavaria (Original Post) Old Crank Tuesday OP
It was similar all over Europe bucolic_frolic Tuesday #1
Thanks Old Crank Tuesday #3
Beautiful! Diamond_Dog Tuesday #2
One thing that hasn't happened to the extent Old Crank Tuesday #4
20 or so years ago, we visited Germany... 3catwoman3 Tuesday #5
Wonderful landscapes as well as castles! Thank you for sharing them, my dear Old Crank! CaliforniaPeggy Tuesday #6
Thanks Old Crank Tuesday #7

bucolic_frolic

(55,866 posts)
1. It was similar all over Europe
Tue May 19, 2026, 12:45 PM
Tuesday

King, nobleman, or Lord builds a castle, town grows up around it filled with peasants to service the castle. Some castles still privately owned to this day. As populations grew it was a little less haphazard, such as Cardinal Richlieu's seignerie system of peasant plots.

Nice pics btw! Must be nice to soak in the landscape and small the Alpine, in person!

Old Crank

(7,281 posts)
3. Thanks
Tue May 19, 2026, 01:53 PM
Tuesday

Yes it was. I let my wife and daughter do the castle tour while I struck out alone.

Two good things came from the monarchy/churches domination of the people. Large European parks were the property of the monarchs or churches and we benefit from those holdings now. The other is the proliferation and support of artists.

Was that worth centuries of, in many cases, brutal oppression? Not sure about that.

Old Crank

(7,281 posts)
4. One thing that hasn't happened to the extent
Tue May 19, 2026, 01:56 PM
Tuesday
that it has in US cities is urban sprawl. Cities and towns are getting bigger but a lot of that in going up.

3catwoman3

(29,813 posts)
5. 20 or so years ago, we visited Germany...
Tue May 19, 2026, 02:38 PM
Tuesday

...while my husband's son from his first marriage was stationed there in the Air Force.

We went to Burg Eltz, a castle that has been in the same family for 900 years! It was said that they still use it on weekends. To know one's family history that far back just blows my mind, and also makes me wish I could do the same.

https://burg-eltz.de/en/homepage

CaliforniaPeggy

(157,007 posts)
6. Wonderful landscapes as well as castles! Thank you for sharing them, my dear Old Crank!
Tue May 19, 2026, 05:54 PM
Tuesday

I am always amazed at how lovely the scenery (along with the castles, of course!) is. So beautiful.

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