TravelswithCharie

Asamkirche or St. John Nepomuk Church, 1733-1746 The Church is divided into three levels. The first level which is dimly lit is where ordinary worshippers sit for the service. The second level with the balcony is for the Emperor. The top level which benefits from light emanating from the windows, is dedicated to God. So there is an established hierarchy in the church - ordinary people, the Emperor and God. Above the lower altar are the figures of the Holy Spirit, God the Father, and Jesus on the cross. The ceiling fresco depicts the life of St. John Nepomuk, a martyr of the Catholic church. It was painted by Cosmas Damian Asam who was schooled in Rome. Notice the beautiful gallery reserved for the Emperor. Check out one of the confessionals with cherubs. View of the left side of the church from the main portal. The golden sun symbolizes eternal love. This is found in the vestibule of the church. One of the core themes of Asamkirche is the sanctity of the seal of confession which is why...

Sometimes when you revisit a place after many years of absence, you are disappointed because it is no longer what you remember it to be. I find this to be true of many cities in Europe where overtourism has transformed these once peaceful towns.  It doesn’t mean these places have lost their charm. It’s still there but it is a bit challenging to appreciate what you see when there are so many people around you (even in November) and the cacophony of herded tourist groups makes you want to run in the opposite direction. But that’s just my view. It’s been nearly two decades since I was in Lucerne where I had walked around the quiet city streets and ended up at the beautiful Jesuit Church. This same Church was my first stop on a recent day trip from Zürich. And it is everything I’ve imagined since that last visit. The white walls with its Baroque ornamentation are not exuberant as other Baroque churches in Europe tend to be. Rather, the decor livens up the stark white walls. I lo...