 Markgröningen
dovetailed sky
|  Markgröningen
'Grohe' (elevated luggage rack) and matching stone bench (without backrest).
|  Markgröningen
wheat field express
|  Markgröningen, Bartholomäuskirche
The nave of the present church is late 13th century, replacement of a Romanesque predecessor church, the choir is visibly later (1472). The unequal towers may have been planned that way. (Parallel: St.Dionysius in Esslingen minus the twin tower skywalk). The church is probably the best known landmark of Marktgrönigen. (One paperweight serves all.)
|  Markgröningen
Town Square
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 Markgröningen
some half timbered show boating
|  Markgröningen
Town Hall if there is any question. 15th century (with 17th century upgrades). Did not detect any air raid siren.
|  Marktgröningen
Town hall and duke Christoph statue
|  Markgröningen
Duke Christoph statue (a rather lean Christoph one may add). Thought at first it was another Carlos V as in Weil-der-Stadt, the golden fleece necklace somewhat misleading, but the coat of arms cannot be mistaken. Württemberg in charge and tincture. 1580. Free town status eluded Markgröningen for most of its history. It briefly reached that distinction in the early 13th century (in a period of prolonged diadoche fighting after the fall of the House of Hohenstaufen). Just a brief interlude. Württemberg, formerly House of Beutelsbach (usual question marks), a minor Remstal dynasty in pre-Staufic time, Staufic 'lieu-tenant' status, prevailed in the end. Previous allegiance, the Earls of Calw. Markgöningen still did not fare too badly in the following centuries. It only became a provincial backwater after the foundation of Ludwigsburg in the 18th century. In one way a blessing in disguise, overlooked in WWII (no saturation bombing). Spared by accident. Last extensive conflagration w...
|  Markgröningen
a mace armed Duke (refined version: scepter) guarding the free water supply
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 Markgröningen
'Blowpipe' level of the fountain (which the Christoph statue tops). A guide board says that the fishmongers did formerly use the basin to keep their merchandise fresh. Nearly as exclusive as some present day sea food restaurants.
|  Markgröningen
The doorway of the Ackerbürgerhaus (ca. 1500). The non fully functional (stress is not evenly distributed over the whole arch), semi pointed arch is patterned on a stone gate (minus the keystone). In this case just a mild transitional hiccup. Could also be described as an architectural trompe l'oeil Possible extension: In Nabataen Petra the whole static of Greek temple facades has been imprinted on rock walls. (As an aside, most plastic sandals, made in Hong Kong, still imitate the sutures of their leather predecessors.) Heavy duty tools did usually fare somewhat better. No transitional copper sickle has come up so far (to the best of my knowledge) where the blade did imitate the microliths once inserted in a curved piece of wood or bone.
|  Markgröningen
Bürgerhaus, 1475. The non load bearing parts of this half timbered house are sheathed with planks. Offhand: Nearly sea worthy. The extra long wooden tenons could be regarded as an early example of Bauhaus aesthetics (even as star ribbed). In less representative buildings those tenons would be flush with the secured beam and often plastered over. - The X-props bracing the upright post are good for some alphabetical letter lore. Approximatively: the wild X-man. An horizontally mirrored Greek psi would be an even better fit.
|  Markgröningen, Bartholomäuskirche
I would have tagged this mural stylistically as Renaissance. The guide board says Gothic. 'Victory signal'.
|  Markgröningen, Bartholomäuskirche
The customer service of the goat side is not too bad. Piggyback rides and cauldron sledding for the ladies. The hair pulling is somewhat borderline. Well, at least you knew what to expect. (The spurred chicken feet are Grunewald approved, Isenhaimer Altar.) The indicated date of this terminating nave arch reads 1471. (Some of the choir murals are much later, second part of the 16th century.) The lower part of the fresco would have been omitted in later centuries. Rainbow judge (correct, Cartesian color sequence), tau cross and temple column (?) only. 20th century, the rainbow alone has to convey the salvation message.
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 Markgröningen, Bartholomäuskirche
I do not know story behind this choir stall. The fish-boar splicing is somewhat unusual. Heraldic pun? No key of heaven is actually handed over. The parts of the sculpture which look somewhat like scaled up key bits are exposed jointing. Parts of the choir stall are missing.
|  Centranthus ruber
Red Valerian. The paired, lanceolate leaves, not connated (fused) but nearly, show some similarity with those of honeysuckle. Cladistic cheat sheet: selfsame order (Dipsacales = 'drunkard', with the water gathering leaves).
|  Arum italicum
Large Cuckoo Pint (or close relative). The creamy color of the variegated leaves could be due to air bubbles embedded under the epidermis. Approved birch tree and spotted dead-nettle technique. Older leaves may also be spotted in non vein areas.
|  Arum italicum
|  Marktgrönigen, Hochtor
Hochtor, outward facing side. The gate was built in 1555 under Duke Christoph. Peak traffic during the wine harvest season. The press house was in the immediate vicinity. (The drunk tank was also in this tower. - Bleaker take, debt prison.)
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 Marktgrönigen, Hochtor
half timbered filling, town inward facing side
|  Marktgrönigen
Wimpelinhof (1599). Named after the mayor Vimplin.
|  Marktgrönigen
|  Marktgrönigen
Badgasse with Wimpelinhof
|  Marktgrönigen
Wimpelinhof, Renaissance portal with slightly Baroque gable arabesques. Patrician abode (doctor, mayor, wholesale merchant and such ilk).
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 Marktgrönigen
Spitalkirche vicinity - most likely an ecclesial marker. (Some church annex buildings with retirement home functions.) - The seal of Markgröningen is the imperial eagle. Common enough.
|  Markgröningen
Wheeled walking frame (rollator). For reasons which cannot be fully explained by demographics alone much more frequent with elderly ladies than with elderly men. May have something to do with shopping. The brake pads act directly on the wheels (no discs). The brake cable is identical with that for bicycles. The pull nibble is inserted in the brake handle. Some refinement: Two brake positions, parking (completely blocked wheel) and hand pressure related slow down. The brake cable is always under tension to counteract the brake pad spring. Well known problems: fraying and cable breaks (it does not always have to be brittle hip bones). There exists a similar, three wheeled mailman version.
|  Markgröningen
horse chestnut racemes (weakly aligned)
|  Markgröningen
Alignment starts with geostationary orbits. Bottom: Quatro-LNCs, Astra and HotBird.
|  Markgröningen
mailbox next to tubular manifold
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 Markgröningen
four lane fire engine race (PlayStation inspired?) The only thing missing is a spectator stand for flamingos.
|  Markgröningen
There exists rumors of a mysterious shepherd cult. Only the swift of foot will qualify. In a Greek version the suitor had to drop three golden apples to distract Atalanta and so win the foot race. Wheat stubble may also work (always provided the suitor wears the boots).
|  Markgröningen
Frankenstein van behind the fire engine house.
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