Funkmeister is German for 'Radio Operator'

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Field trip to Niederösterreich, where we got to see Klosterneuberg. Kloster means monestary, but unfortunately I didnt see any monks. The place was founded back in the days of the Babenburgs as part of one of those 'monestaries with a built in palace' deals, presumably so that God will forgive you if youre completely corrupt. Anyway, it became the obsession of Charles VI of the house of Habsburg, (a Habsburg in the 17th century), who tried to make it into a huge baroque thing out of it. The monks here apparently are the largest single producer of wine in Austria, so the whole monestary smells like... a lot of wine is being made.

Following this, we went to a .. i guess 'restored' castle nearby. It wasn't really 'restored' so much as just plain built out of spare parts. Here is what happened. In the 19th century, this guy, Graf Hans Nepomuk von Wilczek, decided that he needed a medieval castle (having fancifiul interpretations of the middle ages was really cool then), and he owned one that was in severe disrepair (as in... was naught but a pile of rubble). So, to fix this problem, he learned a whole lot about medieval stuff, and became quite the scholar apparently. Anyway, he bought all these parts of medieval buildings and walls and stuff, and then a LOT of medieval furniture, books, and apperati and built a castle out of it. It is quite possibly the coolest thing ever. Also, Teddy Rooseveldt liked it a lot, and chilled in the drinking room with the Graf.

Also, the Castle's website can be found here, it is auf Deutsch, but thats not the worst thing in the world. Kreuzenstein


P.S. Thanks to Sammi for naming my album... but it has nothing to do with anything I actually saw, and I cannot vouch for the validity of the statement therein. Prices may vary.

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Photos

Old Portion of Klosterneuberg
This is an old part of Klosterneuberg that was brushed to the side to make the grandiose waste of plaster that would become the Baroque version.

Statue
I thought this was a picture of a statue, but it's just Eric, in his stereotypical ridgid pose.
Lighten up dude.

Kloster (EDIT)
From the rear. Incl. a rare picture of Kaeda, who wouldn't let me take her actual picture.
Edit 19-11-2006 Photo of Kaeda removed at subject's request. :)

Baroque Art
Some dude painted this on commission, and it all stands for how great the Habsburgs were.

Church
The monestary's centre of worship. The outside retains its original gothic greatness, but the inside is more than tainted with baroque terribleness than any one church deserves.

WWI and II monument
This was put up in memory of the great wars.

Austria's largest cask
This is the largest cask in Austria, holding 56,000 liters (14,000 ga.) of wine. Apparently, it was filled up occassionaly but with remnants of wine batches - so it probably tasted really nasty. Napoleon's troops were the last to partake in this. Zee Germans apparently have the largest largest cask, being four times as large. They would.

Kreuzenstein
This is the first gate of Burgkreuzenstein. Children not included.

Kapelle
The chappel from outside the walls

Half Timbers
The half timber style, showing a gallery near woman's quarters.

Well
The well, with all the outfittings, including some girl.

Main tower
With a clock, and an inscription below it saying 'What rests - rusts'

Eric in love
Eric and I liked this guy's collection of medieval arms.

Spears
Spears

Kin-iggets
I wanted to steal these... somehow.

Armory
The main armory room. This isnt all there was folks!

Swordchucks, Yo
This place was at least as good as the louvre.

Boarspears
These are boarspears, and not weapons from the armory. If you dont know why then you should get off my part of the web. Incidentally, it is also where my camera ran out of batteries, so I wont bother to tell you about the other wonders of the castle.

Comments

[Tiffany]

Matt--the hand through the door was most pleasing. t

[Alia]

Statues!!
LoL I LOVE the statue picture of Eric. I'm so glad you got all those pictures of Klosterneuberg - I forgot my camera when I went. Anyway, I agree - very, very cool place. ;)

[Ben]

Yes! more weapons and boars
Thank you for adding more martial weapons. The tufts of hair around the tips of the boar spears are to absorb blood so that they do not make the shaft slippery. Very similar to Chinese pole weapons. Even the Bhudda punished evil. Nice castle pics too.

[Deana]

Just wondering....
Did you get back to Vienna with a boar spear? Eric, did you really like this place better than the Louvre? I love to see you smiling - maybe next time without weapons. Love you.