File:Cathedrals and churches of the Rhine (1905) (14780308285).jpg

Identifier: cathedralschurch01mans (find matches)
Title: Cathedrals and churches of the Rhine
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: (Mansfield, Milburg Francisco), 1871- (from old catalog)
Subjects: Cathedrals. (from old catalog)
Publisher: Boston, L. C. Page and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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isdecidedly non-Christian. It is frankly pagan,being descended from Bacchi ara, — the altarof Bacchus, — which was the name originallygiven to a rock in the midst of the river, which,in varying seasons, is sometimes covered bythe flood, and again quite dry. When its sur-face appears to the light of day, the vineyardowner hails it as a sign of good vintage. In proof of the quality of the wines of Bach-arach, it is said that Pope Pius II. used everyyear to have a great tun of it brought to Romefor his special use, and that the Emperor Wen-ceslas granted their freedom to the citizens ofNuremberg in return for four tuns of the wineof Bacharach. To-day Bacharach is, withCologne, the great wine centre of the Rhinevalley. Asmanhausen, a few miles up the river, isthe central mart for the red wines of the Rhine.Near Asmanhausen is Ehrenfels, where theArchbishops of Mayence had a chateau in thethirteenth century. The chateau is still there,but it is nothing more than a magnificentruin. 174
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m\ fS It^J-- ~ ■^ p^pc= 5i iA* 1 =^H = <:i = -i. ^k <S ^-to, a; liillii iiji 1- 1i •S aq Cathedrals and Churches of the Rhine Opposite Ehrenfels is Bingen, with itsMausethiirm. The chief sentimental memoryof Bingen is unquestionably the legend ofBishop Hatto and his ^ Mouse Tower on theRhine. The legend of Hatto, versified by Southey,has stamped the memory of the Mouse Towerand its associations so indelibly upon the mindthat it overshadows in interest all else in thevicinity. Tis the safest place in Germany;The walls are high, and the shores are steep,And the stream is strong and the water deep. How the rats came and — ... whetted their teeth against the stonesAnd how they picked the Bishops bones — is an old story with which children have beenregaled for generations past. The great white Mouse Tower standsto-day on its tiny island in the middle of thewaters of the Rhine, between Bingen andEhrenfels, to perpetuate the story, while itsruined walls look down, as they alway

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