One of the things Days of Yore Travel does is to take you up close to the Middle Ages. Instead of touring a museum and staring at suits of armor behind glass cases, you can meet an artisan smith and watch him create real armor, just like in the Middle Ages. Meet Peter Müller from the Plattnerwerkstatt in Orschweier. He is one of the last people in Europe who smiths suits of armor exactly like they did in the Middle Ages. In a group you can tour his workshop to watch how flat sheets of metal were turned into knights’ helmets with visors.
Peter Müller not only gives courses in how to become a armory blacksmith, but also has written a number of expertise books in German on the subject, and will be happy to take on your custom order for any kind of body armor from the 1st through the 17th centuries - whether you want it for Re-enactment, Living History, Renaissance Faires, Larp or as an impressive heirloom to have in your home.
What’s the name of this place? Plattenwerkstatt in Orschweier in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.
What is it?
An authentic armory blacksmith workshop.
What will I see here?
How suits of armor are made by an expert.
Can I buy real knight’s armor here? Yes, you can! Custom-made to fit your body.
Will he show me how to make something?
Yes, he will.
These are
reconstruction of the original woven border patterns form textile found
in Hochdorf grave in Germany. Unlike other Celtic patterns with knotwork
or spirals, this particular clan chose diamond and Swastika shapes,
making it unique for Celtic clothing.
These are authentic
reconstructions from garments made 5,000 years ago. It was only in the
early 20th century did the Swastika gain a sinister meaning. Up until
then, the Swastika was a popular symbol in many cultures through out the
world, and generally were considered a good luck charm.
With
Days of Yore Travel, you can learn from Celtic experts how to weave
original celtic border or woven belt and bring home a truely original
souvenir.
Meet Friedrich
Trier from the Wihelmshöhe Castle in Kassel. Friedrich is an expert in
medieval armour care and restauration. He holds seminars about how
armour is cared for and repaired. But he also demonstrates how it was
worn and protected people.
Hands on experience with experts. Real armour that was worn into battle. Come experience Days of Yore Travel.
What would it be like to sail an original 14th century ship? Imagine you as part of the crew aboard a real medieval Cog ship, right out of the Middle Ages, sailing on the Baltic Sea!
Days of Yore Travel is all about experiential travel into the past – we don’t just take a walk-through tour of a historic ship; we take a voyage on it.
Come aboard the Wissemara, pride and joy of the Poeler Cog Club, and experience first-hand what life on a medieval merchant vessel was like. This is no ordinary passenger cruise, but a real hands-on learning experience. On the Wissemara the crew will so you how to set the sail, how medieval vessels were navigated, medieval seamanship and even shoot the ship’s own swivel gun. You can take a cruise to visit medieval castles or to a Hanse League town to learn how goods were traded in the Middle Ages.
This kind of experience will make your next trip to Europe a real adventure – because you become a part of living history when you travel into the past and experience yourself.
Can I take my kids?
Yes, or your retired parents if you like. This kind of trip is for people of all ages.
This is a medieval ship - is it really safe?
Yes, even though it's a geniune replica of a real medieval Cog, it must to conform to modern-day German passenger ship standards, which are some of the toughest safety standards in the world. That means it must have state-of-the-art safety and rescue equipment on board.
We're a Living History/Reenactment Enthusiasts. Can our group do a trip in costume? You most certainly can! This would make your experience even more authentic. The crew of the Wissemara are Living History enthusiasts, too. Who knows? You might even end up on German television that day.
What kind of accomodations do they have on board?
This is ship is designed for day cruises, so there are no cabins on board. But they do have a nice dining salon below deck for your group lunch or dinner. Can I do this alone?
Yes. They have regular scheduled trips, which
you can book as an individual person, but it's unlikely your guide will
speak English.
Do they speak English?
That's no problem. If you're worried about receiving correspondence in English, you can have it translated for free for you by sending it to Days of Yore Travel.
This is what is carved in stone over the doorway of this beautiful
castle in the Spessart. It was a reward to Sir Hamann Echter from the
Archbishop of Mainz for his faithful services as Master Woodsman.
Wait.. wasn’t it a Woodsman who was supposed to kill Snow White, but
couldn’t bring himself to do it? Hmmm…. The legend of Snow White
originated from this place in the Spessart, not 5 miles from this very
castle. I’m sure the Grimm Brothers were inside it, too.
Doesn’t look like the place that Prince Charming would “live happily
ever after” with Snow White? The castle is real. Sir Hamann Echter was
real. He raised ten children in this house.
Now, who wants to come look inside? Days of Yore Travel - We Take You There.
Don’t you wish you could travel back into time and experience what life in a castle was really like? Now you can! Your tour group can spend the day (exclusively) at Tannenburg Castle and turn back the pages of time. Whether you enjoy a sumptuous meal fit for a King or learn about work in a 14th century castle, there is something of fascinating interest for everyone. Tannenburg Castle is different from other castles you might visit in Europe, because it’s a “Living Castle”. Once you pass the castle gates, you’ll be transported direct in the Middle Ages. You’ll be mustered by gate guards, see knights practice fencing, and watch peasants and craftsmen go about their daily work. Later in the Great Hall, you be served by servants and entertained by troubadours. This isn't a do-not-touch tour down roped-off aisles, but a hands-on experience inside a real living castle, exclusively for the tour group. Here you can take a meal just like in the 14th century, stand ring-side at a sword fight, feel the heat of the metal being hammered by the blacksmith, or even get your hands dirty plastering half-timbered walls. All part of Days of Yore Travel.
As plain and simple
as this throne is, there is something almost magical about it. Everyone
who touches it can sense the spark of medieval power.Charlemagne's
Throne is one of Europe's oldest thrones - older than Edward's Chair in
Westminister Abbey. Unlike King Edward's Chair, which is unaproachable
to the public, you can get up close to Charlemagne's Throne - let your
hand glide over the marble that was carried all the way from Jerusalem
to this cathedral in Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle).
A
curious throne, because unlike King Edward's Chair, there are no fancy ornaments, precious jewels or gold. Not that they were destroyed or stolen. It was built
like this on purpose. Yes, the coronation chair in which 31 German Kings
were crowned Holy Roman Emperors is missing that expected pomp and glory. At
least until you find out that this throne wasn't built for Charlemagne.
He didn't rule here. It was built for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The marble throne is allegedly made from the steps
of Pilate's Palace, where Jesus dribbled blood all over his floor after being tortured. But more even mystery! You can still see the faint traces of not only Christian graffitti, but pagan as well.
On the right side of the chair, you can obviously see the outline for a
Nine Men's Morris game.
The throne is authentic.
The original wooden construction under it carbon-dates back to the 9th Century.
While it's debateable if the marble really was from Pilate's Palace -
the marble is really all the way from Jerusalem. Even the floor paving
under the throne is original 9th Century. The throne even had a secret
compartment which once housed Saint Stephan's Purse (now located in
Vienna). The arch underneath the throne was for royal subjects to crawl
through, to demonstrate their fealty to the newly crowned Holy Roman
Emperor.
Would would it feel like to be crowned on this throne?
In the sobre atmosphere of this ancient cathedral and its stainglass
windows? Come experience medieval power and travel back to the Days of
Yore.
Really want to find
out about the nitty-gritty details? Then take a tour of Gelnhausen with
the "High Maid from the High Market", and the "Low Maid from the Low
Market" to find out all about medieval bath houses, bathers,
prostitution and how the church accepted it, and health & hygiene at
the height of Holy Roman Empire.
Careful though! The ladies of the evening will try to seduce fair maidens into a medieval career as a "bath attendent", and good sirs into spending time in a medieval bathhouse with song, wine and women.
This tour is appropriate for guests above the age of 16.
Lands of the ancient Mediomatrici Celts in modern-day Lorraine in France
Clan Name:Mediomatrici, given to them by the Romans, which means “the people between the Matrona (Marne) and the Matra (rivers)” Belong to: The Gallia Belgica of the Belgae Nation Geographic Location: Area known today as Lorraine in the region known as Alsace Lorraine located in modern-day France. Capital City:Divodurum - better known today as Metz in modern-day France. Language believed to have been spoken:Gallic Celtic, known as Belgae Closest surviving language: Cornish Language spoken in the region today: French and German
Temple gardens in the Roman Museum in Schwarzenacker
Each year more new and sensational archaeological finds are being made in Central Europe, and they’re waiting for you to re-discover them. Last year a brand new Roman museum opened its doors to the public in the town of Schwarzenacker, a town in Germany. This brand new museum houses not only a collection of unique artifacts depicting the every day lives of Iron Age Romans and Celts, but it’s also an archaeological dig-site in progress. Schwarzenacker (which means “Black Acre” in English) used to be a thriving Roman-Gallic town in Gaul. Of course, that’s not the original name of the town. Unfortunately it’s been lost to history. Based on the extensive ruins uncovered, archaeologists are certain Schwarzenacker was an important trading center located on the crossroads between four major Roman-Gallic cities: Metz (Divodurum) and Strasbourg (Argentoratum) in modern-day France; Mainz (Mogontiacum) and Trier (Treverorum) in modern-day Germany. The archaeological record shows much evidence that the town was a thriving Roman/Celtic community. Most of the better artifacts are religious cult objects, found side-by-side in temples dedicated to Mercury, the Roman God of commerce and Epona, the Celtic horse Goddess. Historically Epona was worshiped by Celtic horse breeders and wagoners. The fact that both these particular deities were worshiped side-by-side points to the fact that Schwarzenacker was an important Roman-Gallic trade center. The Celtic clan who lived in Schwarzenacker were the Mediomatrici; a clan who belonged to the Belgae Nation. The Mediomatrici are one of the best examples that not all Celtic clans were enemies of Rome. They had very good reasons for cooperating with the Romans. For centuries they’d fought against a Germanic clan known as the Alemanni, who belonged to the Suebi Nation. It’s the age-old fight over dominance of the lush and fertile Upper Rhine River Valley and the Saar Region. Both lay claim to the entire Valley as rightfully theirs. Fights between the Germans and Gauls for dominance over this area have lasted all the way into the middle of the 20th century. When the Mediomatrici Celts formed an alliance with the Romans they not only succeeded in driving the Germans out of the Rhine River Valley, but became rich through “government contracts” for providing the Roman Army with horses, wagons, food, clothing, personnel and weaponry. But Pax Romana didn’t last forever. It only lasted as long as Rome had enough money and resources to govern Gaul, and so, in the year of 276 CE, the Germanic Alemanni returned to sack and loot Schwarzenacker and drive the Celts back to to the other side of the Saar River. Today you can see the restored temple gardens dedicated to the Godf Mercury, along with a few Roman-Gallic settlement buildings. The museum houses a myriad of unique Roman and Celtic artifacts. The museum also offers an interactive program for experiencing first-hand what Roman-Gallic life was like in 1st Century CE. If you would like more information about the true Roman-Celtic experience in Iron Age Europe, contact us here at Days of Yore Travel.
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