Mespelbrunn - Home to Snow White?

Married in love and to God true, 

Brings happiness and blessings without rue, 

With hard work and care of God’s own, 

We have made this good house our home.

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.

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Live a Day in the Tannenburg Living Castle

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.

More fanstastic photos on the Tannenburg Castle Website

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Experiencing Medieval Power

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. 

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What was prostitution like in the Middle Ages?

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.


Price: 10 Euro per person

More info on the Gelnhausen website

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