Stein-am-Rhein and Schaffhausen (2/21/1982)

Sunday, February 21, 1982

Train day pass

I could see all the way to the second hill today! I hoped for the best, and took the 8:20 train to Zürich, arriving at 10:05, then boarded the 10:28 train to Schaffhausen. I was in a Swiss compartment, and it was filthy; a non-smoking section full of cigarette butts and beer cans. When we went through Neuhausen, you could see a clear view of the Rheinfall/Rhine Falls (150 m/450’ wide and 23 m/75’ high). Water tumbled over huge rocks, but they were not as high as the mist I had seen before indicated.

Arrived about 10:55 and switched to the local train going to Stein-am-Rhein. This train left the Rhein River to head into rolling hills and farmland. Like yesterday, I saw hawks sitting in the bare branches of trees. When riding the local trains, you note the activity at the local stations. You can hear the bell they ring to signal an approaching train. The station master often comes out to turn a key in the middle car of the train (to tell the engineer it’s okay to go?). At other stations they might wave the giant lollipop, a 6’ diameter white circle on a stick, with a green diagonal stripe.

Arrived in Stein-am-Rhein at 11:25, where I had to hike down hill and across a modern bridge before entering the old town.

Approaching Stein-am-Rhein

Entering the old town

Quickly reached the Rathausplatz/Town Hall Square with the clock tower of the Rathaus/Town Hall (1539-42). Around the square were tall buildings with painted façades and in the center was the typical fountain.

Rathausplatz buildings with painted façades

More painted façades

The square was full of Americans snapping photos. Turned left up the main street to go through the Untertor/Lower Gate, where I saw the tour bus that belonged to the Americans.

Untertor/Lower Gate

Crossed the parking lot to see the Burg/Castle Hohenklingen on the hilltop.

Hohenklingen Castle

Walked behind the old town towards a church steeple that belonged to the Katholische Kirche Herz Jesu/Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart. Returned through the Obertor/upper gate (1723) to the Town Hall then headed east to the 12C Stadtkirche/City Church and the Kloster Sankt Georgen/St George’s Abbey.

Side street

Rathaus/Town Hall to the right

Painted façade detail

The Rhein River here is wide enough to be called a river, and although slow-flowing, it doesn’t freeze. I arrived at the train station in time to watch the kiosk lady open up. She had to bring out a rack of magazines, two racks of newspapers, and a rack of postcards. She raised the shutter over the main counter full of magazines, newspapers, paperback and hardcover books, candies, chips, small toys, and cigarettes.

Took the 12:46 train to Schaffhausen, arriving at 13:15, and headed right out to Fronwagplatz with its two fountains, the Landsknectbrunnen/Farmhand Fountain or Metzgerbrunnen/Butcher Fountain and Mohrenbrunnen/Moor Fountain (1535 representing Kaspar).

Fronwagplatz with Moor Fountain

The old town is mostly cobblestoned streets for pedestrians only. Went down Vordergasse to see the old buildings with oriel windows, often with the name of the house painted on it.

Vordergasse

Oriel window

The Haus zum Ritter/House of the Knight at No. 65 had a detailed painted façade.

Haus zum Ritter

Timbered government building

Turned down Münstergasse to see the step-gabled Regierungsgebäude/government buildings, then the Kloster Allerheiligen/All Saints Abbey. The museum here was still closed for the winter. A peek in the window showed prehistoric pottery shards and books. I found myself in the cloister which was dark with shade trees and had various-sized stones lying here and there, covered with ice.

Münster/Cathedral cloister

After I figured out that the modern square doorknob did turn, I entered the Münster/Cathedral, very simple in a dark mustard yellow color with plain wooden benches and a wood ceiling. Back in the cloister, I saw several bells, but wasn’t sure which was the Schillerglocke/bell (1486).

A bell

Schillerglocke/Schiller's bell

Weighing 4.5 tons, it was the largest bell used at the Münster until 1895. Friedrich Schiller used its inscription as the motto for his famous poem "Das Lied von der Glocke/Song of the Bell." The bell now sits on a pedestal with a large chunk missing. An old man was singing “Alouette,” perhaps for the echo effect?
The cloister also had an herb garden.

Another oriel

Next headed to the 16C Munot Keep, using a long stairway leading up and up to it through vineyards. Entered the round fortress lit by sunlight coming through slit windows and a lamp near a tunnel.

View West through slit window

View South through slit window

Inside, people were testing the acoustics with a few “La, Las.” Through the tunnel, and I was on a bridge over the moat, now a deer park. The deer appeared to be grazing on bare dirt.

Deer park in Munot moat

I climbed the spiral ramp in the tower to the roof of the keep for views. It looked like they held concerts up here with a stage and tables and chairs. Next down the ramp, down the stairs, and back to the train station.

Munot Keep

Wrought-iron gate

Caught the 14:30 train to Winterthur (saw the Rhein Falls again), arriving at 15:10 and switching to the 15:20 train to Bern. A girl in her twenties was with a boy about 8 years old, and they were playing the squares game, where you alternately mark line segments on graph paper and try to enclose a greater number of squares. The boy was conceding lots of squares to the girl, so once I pointed out where he could mark where the girl would get no more than two squares. The boy marked a line perpendicular to what I indicated, and the girl got zero squares! I didn’t “help” anymore! Arrived in Bern at 17:50, and this time got a hold of Rosie on the phone. She wouldn’t be able to put me up next Friday night, but she did tell me about an interesting course. Took the 18:43 train to Biel.