Germany - A Saxony Culture Tour
Pirna, Wagner Museum & Königstein

Tuesday 4th July 2006 Pirna, Wagner Museum & Königstein

South-East Day. We went along the motorway to Pirna & stopped for the Tourist Office (parking E0.50). It turned out the Wagner Museum was some way out, so we had a good look round Pirna but, in the heat, baulked at going up to the castle.

Markt

Schulstrasse

Restoration

Wagner's House

There is a lot of restoration going on & the place looks very manicured. (Canaletto painted it several times). We drove out to the Wagner Museum, getting lost at first, as the main roads were not labelled but finally got there. The house he actually wrote "Lohengrin" in was closed for refurbishment but the museum was squatting in the Old School, with the children buzzing round it. The curator could not have been more helpful for our E6, speaking bad English a bit better than my German. But I knew some facts he didn't. The museum will go into the old castle here in Graupa at the end of next year, its centenary.

Königstein

Casements

Summer house

Food Store & Garrison Church

We drove back to Pirna & on to Königstein, an enormous castle which is really one of these Saxon mesas fortified where necessary with extra masonry. The car park was E4.50 & there was a road train to take you up for E6 (for 2). Then, it was E10 to get in. A lift takes you up (it was too hot to even think about walking) & we had a snack break of coffee & cheesecake of superb quality all for E8.80. We walked round the casements & although it was originally built in the 1590s, it had been kept up-to-date to 1884.

The village from the castle	Wall & Saxon Switzerland	Commandant's parlour
The entrance	From the South-East	Bridging Nature's gaps

The view is worth the cost alone. We had ice creams (E3.60) & then, I drove us round Saxon Switzerland on some dubious but scenic roads: "Strassen Schaden" being a frequent sign, "Shameful Street" in my unkind translation. Back along the motorway to the hotel was quite quick. Avis had a salad for dinner & I, something called pork goulash with Czech dumplings. We were tucked in a corner of the restaurant, as most of the best places were reserved for the Germany-Italy cup semi-final. We watched the Wops put two goals in during the last two minutes of extra time. The faces of the German supporters were a treat. Serves them right for cheering when England went out.

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