Although it has been a common sight to see German tourists along the Croatian coast from Pula down to Dubrovnik, oneCroatian tried out the opposite: being a tourist in Germany.
Albert Anthony, who is Croatian and American, as well as an occasional contributor to The Dubrovnik Times, happens to be a fan of European castles and discovered a centuries-old one in the center of Germany, in the historic college city of Marburg in the Hessen region of central Germany.
A Symbol of Europe’s Past Heraldry
Overlooking the old town, the castle in Marburg was, according to Wikipedia, originally built in the 11th century and later became the residence of the Landgrave (Count) of Hesse. The title of landgrave (german Landgraf) was like a provincial Count in the time of the Holy Roman Empire, when today’s Germany existed as many smaller states or entities. Today, it remains a museum and sightseeing destination for photography enthusiasts.
From Medieval Fort to Bustling College Town
The first stop for this Croatian visitor was to find a great coffee place.
“While trying the local German version of cappuccino and macchiato, it is common to see many students darting to and fro, but also the occasional person with a laptop in the corner, not far from buildings that are centuries old and architecture typical of that period in central European history. It is truly a synergy of the old with the new and modern,” Albert Anthony writes.
“If you come from a place like Zadar or Split, where the older architecture was largely influenced by Venetian and Roman cultures, here you can experience the look and feel of north central Europe, something some of us only read about in storybooks as schoolchildren many years ago,” he added.
An Agricultural Heritage That Lives On
Being from the Dalmatian coastal wine region in Croatia, Albert Anthony is no stranger to various wine and olive oil varieties, so by chance he stumbled upon an old vineyard with the German riesling variety of white grapes.
“I learned that riesling is a common variety of white wine in Germany, and that there is an entire region dedicated to this grape, which is something I can appreciate as someone with centuries of Croatian ancestors who cultivated vineyards on the Adriatic coast and islands,” he remarked.
“In summary, what Croatia and Germany both have in common are a long agricultural history and heritage that continues to live on among the current generation in different ways,” he commented.
About the Contributor: Albert Anthony Bozulic writes under pen name Albert Anthony as a markets columnist/analyst for global financial portal Seeking Alpha, and is an occasional contributor to The Dubrovnik Times. In 2024 he was also an independent candidate for the Croatian Parliament, in the 9th electoral district. His roots hail from the Croatian diaspora of the NYC area and Zadar.
Photos and text: Albert Anthony
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