The post On the Scene: Travel Daily Media experiences Europe with Avalon Waterways – Day 4 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.
TDM’s Gary Marshall poses across from the Avalon Envision
Day 5 of Avalon Waterways’ northbound Romantic Rhine cruise took guests to the German cities of Mainz and Heidelberg, two historically important areas for both Germany and the world.
Sailing in from Strasbourg in France’s Grand Est region, the Avalon Envision docked in the port city of Ludwigshafen.
While Ludwigshafen itself is a key location in German history, being both the birthplace and final resting place of Chancellor Helmut Kohl, guests aboard the Envision made their way further into the country with Heidelberg as their first destination of the day.
Historic Heidelberg
To say that Heidelberg is historic would be an understatement: the area has been populated for nearly 600,000 years, with archaeologists noting that the city boasts of the earliest proof of human habitation anywhere in the world.
The area gets its name from Celtic settlers who came to the area in the 5th century BC and built a place of worship on the highest peak, referring to it as Heiligenberg or the Holy Mountain.
In terms of recorded history, however, the earliest mention of Heidelberg in any records dates back to 769AD during a census that named the area Bergheim or Mountain Home.
Since then, it has evolved into a city of learning as it is considered one of the centres for Western philosophy, having been a key area for mediaeval scholasticism, Renaissance-era humanism, as well as the German Reformation.
Indeed, Martin Luther himself was summoned to the city to defend his Ninety-five Theses in April 1518, just months after he initially proposed them.
Today, Heidelberg continues to draw in tourists as well as thinkers, impressing travellers from the world over with its beautifully preserved mediaeval and Renaissance architecture and numerous points of interest.
It is also important to note that Heidelberg is also one of Europe’s largest university cities, with students making up close to 25 percent of its total population.
Guests aboard the Avalon Envision who chose to learn more about the city’s academic history were taken on a more detailed Philosophers’ Walk with cruise Adventure Host Raluca.
Into Mainz and the history of the printed word
As Gary recalls: “We stepped into the birthplace of the printing revolution at the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, Germany. Founded in 1900, this world-famous museum celebrates Johannes Gutenberg, the genius who gave us movable type printing. We saw original Gutenberg Bibles, a replica of a 15th-century printing press, and centuries of global book culture under one roof.”
Indeed, the Guterberg Museum is a dynamic tribute to a native son who changed the history of global communication, making the written word more accessible and thus boosting the level of literacy throughout the world.
As the museum’s official website puts it: “The museum is primarily dedicated to Johannes Gutenberg, a native of Mainz and Man of the Millennium, who invented printing with movable metal type more than 550 years ago, initiating a media revolution.”
Aside from comprehensive information regarding Guteberg’s life, work, and innovations, the museum also presents several key artefacts from the history of letterpress printing, and has advocated for the art of printing since it initially opened its doors in 1900.
Here, the permanent exhibition gives travellers a closer look at two jewels of the history of printing: two copies of the world-renowned 42-line Gutenberg Bible which may be seen and compared in the walk-in vault.
The museum’s permanent collection also includes technical printing tools, typesetting machines, and printing presses, along with exceptional examples of European book culture from the 15th century to the present day.
After an afternoon exploring the history of printing, guests hied back to the Avalon Envision to enjoy a spot of Kaffee und Kuchen before the vessel made its way to its next port of call in Rüdesheim.
Catch up with Gary’s earlier adventures aboard the Avalon Envision:
For those looking into a European experience of their own on the water, get in touch directly with Avalon Waterways’ Asia team at https://www.avalonwaterways.asia/contact/ or contact their country-specific call centres at the following numbers:
All photos: Gary Marshall on Instagram
The post On the Scene: Travel Daily Media experiences Europe with Avalon Waterways – Day 4 appeared first on Travel Daily Media.
Source: traveldailymedia