New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-15
A CASTLE IN THE AK.


ries one has no need to draw on his imag'-
nation to picture the castle as it must have
looked In those long-gone days when barons were
there continually beseging and besIeged. For by
decree of the Imperial Government at Berlin, ho-
benzollern has been constituted OF the National
monnments or landmarks, and is to be maintained
and kent in repair. Just as IL looked hye hundred
years ago-so long as the German Empire shall en-
dure. From this fortress have sprung the three
great houses of BraDdenburgh, Of Hapsburgh, and
of Hohenzollern. Hapsburgh to day rules Austria
In the perscl Of Francis JosephI Hohenzoiierh
governs United Germany In the person OF the h'ser
Wilhelm 1t is no wonder then that this castle-ony
an acre in area though it is-perched upon the
mountain top. should be rcvered and vene-
rated by the German peoples. and that such
persistent care should be taken to preserve
it from the ravages Of time. Ii Is no wonder
that the patriotic village folk. who nave Deeh
born and reared in the little hamlet at the noun
tans base have with affectionate hands inscribed
over the entrance to their railway station, where
every arriving stranger may read them, lines when
may be permitted thus to translate:
As Neckar and Danube
Here ION hand in hand,
So e'er flourish Concord
Through Germanys land.
It's a ride Of four or FIVE hours By rail to this
place from Stuttgart the nearest point OF import
ance All the way down, sees on the left the IT.
regular SUBMITS and peaks of the Suabian Alps,
their slopes covered with vineyards or
wheat fields, and their tops here and
there crowned with some sOmbre, Jag
ged ruin, standing ont in inharmonions lines
against the sky. What these fOrtresses once have
been can be better understood when stately Hohen-
zollcu itself comes in view. Fancy a mountain
L., n.lr,ol Ill. Nfat
the centre of a wide spread valley. Around its
base and partly up its slope stretch fields of yellow.
waving grain, ending at their upper border in
forest dark and Dense which from that point en-
glrdles the peak to its summit. The symmetrical
lines in which the mountain tspers upward on
either side are not married. but rather carried out and
perfected by the steepes and turrets and plDnacles
with which mans hand has artistcally capped the
summit The slope which commences so far below
in the green valley ends above in the needle point
of the tallest spire, reaching skyward and stand
ing away up IN mid-air. above the eagles flight.
Once within the great outer stone portal, where
n sentry in spiked helmet stands guard, the road
way ascends in spiral form along parapets, under
arches and over postern bridges to the plateau on
the summit, where stand the castle proper
aud the courtyard 1t encloses. Along this
spiral roadway one looks out over para
pets. and sees hills and forests far below,
and wonders that the two giant knights In stone
who, clad In full armor and with lance in hand,
stand guard on the rampant looking ont upon the
abyss, have not long ago grown dizzy
at their post. and fallen hea ilong into
the valley What surprises one most is the
y opulous community which he finds here In the
clouds First there is garrison OF hundred soldiers
or so then there are the keepers and the under
keepers and their wives and their children then
the officials and dignitaries who reside here--for
the place would be incomplete without squad OF
titled functlonaries; and last of all medley OF
priests pastors guides servants and vlsl tors. FORM
ing in the aggregate on fair day, population OF
sfour five hundred persons collected together ON
this aerial acre.
There isa restaurant. for instance. You
drop in and call tor glass OF beer
and something to eat. just then an cid,
erIy chap, with velvet cooked hat on his head and
a silver-hea mace in his hand looks in and an-
nOunces in loud voice that those who desire to 90
through the castle can now do so. "a party OF ten
the requisite number. has been MADE up Inc chaDce
is to be lost You step out from the restaurant
into the court again. and ascending short flight OF
oaken steps into quantity carved Gothic porch
find yourself at the door OF the Imperial ante-rooln
where visitors must prepare themselves for the
tramp over the smoothly polished wooden floors OF
the palace by DOMINIC PAIR OF felt slippers from
choice as they enter. This ante-rOom Is gOrgeousy
blazoned with the Hapsburgh, Hohenzollern and
andenburgh arms and on its walls are TO be read
in erteaso the family trees OF each; Next comes
the Imperial dining saloon, finished in solid
polished oak, then the picture gallery
where on successive panels are exquls-
torica scenes, in each of which the mountain and
the castle prominently figure. In one or two OF
Is is ape
rebuilt and in another still 1t looms upon the view
behind a crucifx, at which an lmpious youth paus-
ing in his quest Of game has discharged three ar
rows, the third of which. rebounding, has laid him
low in death upon the greensward. All the history
of HohenZollern is quantity yet beautifully told in
yond the gallery the visitor comes to the Imperial
bedchamber, the sitting-room, and the servants
apartments. all furnished in solid oak. There IS a
little bow-wndOw recess large enough for one per-
son only i'll Her Majesty's bedroom from which one
looks out upon dizzy depth below, and landscape
covered by sixty miles of blue ether. With good
company and plenty to eat and drink. there Is no
limit 10 the midsummer comfort or the winter
cheer which think it would be possible to evoke in
tins antique spot.
The guide takes YOU too 10 see the chapels, Cath
Ollie and Protestant, attached to the castle. At ev-
cry turn you meet empty suits OF arnor headess VI
grinning at you az you pass. and their breast
plates denied with memories OF " the dangers they
have passed" You ask him TO take YOU up to the
tOpmost tower but he dryly says that visitors are
not allowed up there. But no takes your 20 cents
with the most benign of smiles. and 10! you have
seen it all Were you 10 stay up here for year you
could not know this little square acre prIncpaIity
better than You already do after halfhOur lnspec
ton. SO fortIfyiLg yourself for the descent by an
other glass of the reyiving Plsener, You thought
fully wcnd your way down the mountain side-for
the carriage mas KOuc aneau III III nc just as tuo
shadows are lengthening, the walk back is espe-
cally beautiful. Emerging from the dense woodland
which hides the upper part of the mountain into
the yellow fields OF waving grain that surround it's
base YOU hear the sweet voices OF peasant girls
singing IN unison they wander by the paths
through the wheat and from afar the tnkng of
the angelus bells half dozen different villages
And then, looking back, you see once more the for
tress grim and stately behind yOu lifting Its taper
ing symmetrical spires heavenward.
II