Short tour with Noris through the history.
By katarina
25 comments
This morning was cold, but the sky was clear and high. We went with Noris for a walk along the Black river.
And guardian angels with us, as all roads are dangerous…
Noris loves to sprint along the fence, which belongs to the Italian living here in our village (and you will see, his garden is the only one with “intelligent” fence). He has two older beardies (dogs) who sprint along the fence and along Noris. Of course, they are not visible, as they are on the other side of the fence, lol.
Noris will be soon long distance runner, as he usually makes ten tours here and there along the fence.
Ach, I wish so much to join Noris, sighed a German shepherd dog from the other side of the river.
Ajajaj, beautiful dresses, but for us it was problem, Noris attacked the older female dog there and I had to shackle Noris for a while.
View on a St Stephen´s Church from the black river. It was built in the 12th century and is burial place for German templar knight (it is said his grave is under the keystone). Germans introduced grapes, roses and lilies here. That is why for a certain period of time this village was called Drei Lilien Stadt – but that is all legend, nobody knows anymore how much true is in it.
Did you take away the lead? Am I free again? May I run?
Ha, what a strange and sooo large dog is this? I am slightly frightened, Kat, yes I am entertaining him, you run away….(then Noris left a s….t greeting after him)…
There is a hill, which is visible from a large distance. In fact it is a water station building, which covers ruins of old Medieval castle, which was protecting the Amber Road from the South in that era. In chronicles it is mentioned as The Castle of the Lilies. This place is connected with defeat of Turks in Europe. When Turkish army conquered New Castle (in Slovakia :-)) about 100 km away from here, Italian military general Raimondo Graf Montecúccoli, who served as the highest general for Austrian-Hungarian monarchy´s army, concentrated all his forces at this hill in order to protect Bratislava, which at that time served as coronation place for Austrian kings.
Montecúccoli´s family comes from Northern Italy. If you go to Italy for a trip, have a look on The Castello Motecuccoli in Modena. It belongs to this family. From 1661 to 1664 defended Austria against the Turks. Here he collected the army and moved to Rába, where he and Carl I. Ferdinand Count of Montenari defeated the Turks so comprehensively that they entered into a twenty-year truce. They were given the Order of the Golden Fleece, and Montecuccoli became president of the council of war and director of artillery. He also devoted much time to compiling his various works on military history and science. He opposed the progress of the French arms under Louis XIV, and when the inevitable war broke out he received command of the imperial forces. Oh, yes!
And this is another sad story, Noris. Remnants of a famous fence around huge natural park, in which the rich family of Eszterhazy grow special trees and animals from all over the world.
Once the kangaroos, which Count Eszterhazy brought from his journeys, jumped over the fence and peasants in surrinding fields shooted them. They didn t see such creatures before, of course. So they shooted in self-defence. And count understood. But he built a much higher fence.
OK. So here we are. The castle is empty. It was robbed several times – in the WW II, during socialism, in nineties and now it is just skeleton with walls and roof. Pardon. There are still angels at the gate.
This one is very special and it is a mystery worth of Dan Brown´s pen. Whoever stands at this angel with some electronic device, it is disabled. In my case, it was 100 % true. :-)
.
Well, not all precious things were stolen yet. Few fans and local patriots started archeology research on the hill where there was once a Lilien Castle. And they even have got fund from the EU. And last summer they organized so called Evening of Ruins all over Slovakia. Yes, Noris, this summer you will go there, too. Will get some medieval food, too.
Hope, you all enjoyed our brief historical tour. Yours sincerely, Noris Count von Bahnhof.
25 Jan, 2014
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Comments
Thank you, Gee, lol, at the first sight I read "Brilliant blog, Noris, but I think you need some help in English", hahaha. Well, maybe you see it like that. I live here almost half of century and must say, that during that short time some beautiful historical monuments have dissappeared.
25 Jan, 2014
Noris should get together with Molly. they are both naughty trying to bite big dogs! lovely tour, thanks Katarina.
25 Jan, 2014
Thank you Katarina. Most interesting blog.
Noris is enjoying life.
25 Jan, 2014
A very interesting blog, Katarina, and some lovely photos.
I have heard of Prince Nicolaus Esterhazy, re Haydn and Beethoven.
25 Jan, 2014
I heard a rumor that next Dan Brown's novel will be from Prague.
25 Jan, 2014
Melchi@Perfectly! Yes, Haydn was born not far from Slovak borders, in a small Austrian village called Rohrau. All his life he was spending time in a small area around Vienna and current Bratislava. He had strong relationship with important aristocratic family of Eszterházy. For several times his chamber orchestra played in the castle which I showed above. Did you read the historic thriller Haydn´s Head? It is based on some historical data. Nikolaus Eszterhazy was his patron and friend (by the way, it was he, who travlled a lot across the world and brough very special trees into the park in my village). He was Chancellor of her Majesty Maria Theresia, the Queen of monarchy, who is in our history listed as the only progressive emperor (even in socialistic history books) :-) She really was. She had reigned for 40 years.
25 Jan, 2014
Klahanie@yes, Dan Brown is in Prague now. Everything is kept in secret, but I guess it will be about alchemysts in Prague or about Jewish community (Golem story). We will see.
25 Jan, 2014
well done norris i love the coat how many do you have now
25 Jan, 2014
A very enjoyable history lesson Kat & Norris it's such a shame when amazing buildings go to ruin, don't you think looking at the water tower it has a face .....
25 Jan, 2014
Snoopy@Noris has one Sherlock Holmes jacket (on the photos) and two sweaters, from which one has shrunk in my washing machine, so now it is more for the guinea pig then for Noris.
Amy@ I am so sorry. I do not want to speak about it. I was once doing archeologic research here as a volunteer and my grandmother knew Eszterhazy family personally, as the count was her regular client (my grandma had restaurant, theatre, pub, mill and small shop in the village).
25 Jan, 2014
Fascinatring blog Norris and Katarina. It makes me ashamed of how little European history we are taught at school. I wondered, do the electronic devices start to work again when they are moved away from the angel??
25 Jan, 2014
Several attempts and change of position help. :-)
26 Jan, 2014
Hi Kat ..
thank you Noris for the tour :o)
27 Jan, 2014
You, are welcome, Terra.
27 Jan, 2014
Thanks for the extra information, Katarina. I have not read "Haydn's Head". I am afraid I am not very keen on historical novels. I don't know why - I just can't get into them.
1 Feb, 2014
Hm, this is more like detective story. We just call it like that if it is connected somehow with the history.
1 Feb, 2014
I shall keep an eye out for it, then! Thanks for the recommendation.
2 Feb, 2014
You are welcome.
4 Feb, 2014
I have just been researching the facts surrounding the theft of Haydn's head (which I knew nothing about). Fascinating, though rather macabre!
4 Feb, 2014
Melchi@ Freemasonism in its most primitive form. One of current candidates for president, who studied in Harvard, reminds me a guy, who plundered several historical tombs in the capital some 15 years ago, because he "was searching for historical dental protheses".
5 Feb, 2014
Oh dear!!! :-O
5 Feb, 2014
A bit late but just stumbled across your blogs, fascinating stuff. Thanks for showing us round your part of the world.
I couldn't find any ref to the book but bbc4 radio did a program on him and tells the story.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kmgrx
Lttle chuckle at your title f moris, is he a honorary 'count of station' or is there a task for him there? Lol. Is there a story behind that?
15 Jun, 2014
Hi Resi, sorry, I do not understand, what you meant. What story you mean?
15 Jun, 2014
The author is Theun de Vries, he wrote historical novels. He was more known in the Eastern Europe probably because he was leftist. His novels are really very good. Although I am not leftist. The same is Marquez.
15 Jun, 2014
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Brilliant blog, Noris, but I think you had some help from Katarina :) You live in a very beautiful area, I love those old bricks and to hear about the history. Thank you.
25 Jan, 2014