Baden-Baden has a wealth of attractions that reflect the region's traditions, and one of them is Trinkhalle (ie Trinkhalle, Drinking Hall). As the name suggests, this is a room for drinking thermal water. Baden-Baden remains a water resort for about two thousand years, since Roman legionaries, so the main specialization of the city reflects this building perfectly well.
It was built after the transformation of Baden-Baden into the "summer capital of Europe" and water resort at the same time. High-level patients were instructed to drink thermal water daily, take baths and walk a certain distance on foot. The idea of building the Drinking Room was suitable for two of the above mentioned treatments: there you could drink thermal water and you could walk in bad weather - take the doctor's daily distance.
The Drinking Hall was built in 1842, it was attached to the Kurzal. This is a long gallery, in which one side (back) is closed by a wall, and the other is open and supported by columns. The building is very simple and very beautiful, quiet beige, around a pleasant park.
Inside the drinking hall there are columns, of which runs the thermal water, which is pumped from a natural source, there are a lot of them. You can pour and drink. A glass can be bought next door, or you can type in your bottle. The water here is directly from the source, so immediately after pouring it is warm, and it has a peculiar smell (so that it disappears, you need to pour water into the open dishes and hold it unopened for a couple of minutes).
Frescoes and their scenes
But the main decoration of the building is frescoes. They are painted on the back wall, there are 14 of them, the artist Jakob Gotzenberger drew them here according to the sketches of another famous artist - Moritz von Schwind.
Perhaps, this is the most interesting in this park. The fact is that the murals depict stories of local legends and fairy tales, and the Black Forest is probably the most fabulous place in Germany. The most part of the German fairy tales was born here: the impenetrable forest, mountains and many lakes lost in the forest were very much contributed.
Local legends here are the sea, some of them are funny, some are scary, but almost everything is in German gloomy-romantic, so it's impossible to break away from frescoes.
If you describe frescoes from left to right, then:
- First tells the legend of the local knight (the story has ended badly, the ancient cross on the site of his death has survived until now).
- Mermaelsee lake mermaids dance in the moonlight (the lake is real, you can go there)
- Wildsee lake also exists , and on the next fresco his mermaid song entices the young shepherd into the water.
- Here is the angel preaching at the Devil's Department. People listened to him, the devil became angry and stamped his foot in rage so that the footprint of his hoof remained in the rock forever. The devil's chair is a rock in the reserve, called Wolfsschlucht - the Wolves' Gorge, not far from the city.
- The local Earl of Eberstein jumps from the cliffs down to escape the enemies (he miraculously survived).
- Emperor Otto I summons the owner of the besieged they are locked in the castle of Eberstein to the tournament, wanting to lure the count outward (a royal daughter in love with this young knight was in a situation, and the idea fell through.)
- The lost Margrave of Baden is rescued by two hermits (he thanked the monastery that he did not build it was closed in the 19th century.)
- This is one of the most popular local tales: a young knight meets a beautiful maiden in the woods, asks her to become his wife, but when they come to get married, a rooster screams - and the bride disappears forever.
- The history of the appearance of the name of one local hotel (it is called "Only ready").
- Again a popular local legend is about the Forest Maiden defending the inviolability of the forest (this is a very old tale, possibly of Celtic origin, the Celts lived nearby). @
- Legend of the white chicken and the castle Windeck (the remains of the castle are preserved.)
- This is a local monastery of all the saints and a waterfall with the same name. The crow grabs the engagement ring from the maiden who mourns the bridegroom who died in the waterfall (and the waterfall and ruins of the castle can be seen.)
- The history of the castle Hohenbaden (and you can see it): the countess asked the sky to save the city from the plague, then the famous thermal springs came out Under the earth, the streets have escaped, and the plague has stopped.
- Miraculous rescue of the Lichtenthal monastery (it also exists and even works).
Practical information
Address: Baden-Baden, Kaiserallee, 3. It is in the park, so it is necessary to get there on foot, but it has many other sights.
The drinking hall is open every day from 10:00 before 2:00 (do not be surprised, everything is correct - until two in the morning).