Finally, we’ve reached our destination , the Walhalla , the German Parthenon as they called it, a revival from the one in Acropolis, in Athens. After  almost an hour of pleasant cruising along the Danube, we embark from the ship and set our foot in Donaustauf, directly looking at the foot of the mountain.

It was indeed a pleasant ride, add the fact that we are rewarded with scenic views along the river. I am so thankful that the weather has been perfect, a sunny, around 30-34 degrees, toasty, but nevertheless, we are happy that we were not bothered by rain, otherwise, we would have cancelled this trip.

Guys, going to Walhalla with a 3-year old toddler is no joke. I wouldn’t even called it as an ideal destination to bring a toddler. It’s not a place to play.

I mean, yes, we are adventurous, strong and able, but not stupid enough to exhaust ourselves climbing the steep mountain with a stroller in hand. Looking at our group, I didn’t see anyone with a stroller, there are lots of bikes in the foot of the mountain, but no stroller. For a minute I thought that we  made a mistake in going to this place. Looking at the 300+ steep steps, the elevation, there is no way a stroller can go up there, nope. I wanted to go back, as I am already feeling tired. I am in the brink of giving up, and in a helpless blank mode, since I don’t know where to go. Taking a deep breath, I just smiled when I looked at my daughter, my busy talkative  Little travel Buddy . She said she just want to see the orca in Walhalla!

But my husband is my lifesaver. Google maps aren’t working but then He managed to find the foot path that leads us to the alternate route going up the mountain. Honestly speaking, I have high respect to German sites such as these. I knew it’s not a tourist trap. I knew from experience that they make sure that the place is accessible and always give considerations for the physically challenged, disabled, with wheelchairs, let alone strollers with very young children. I’ve seen even cows and horses goes up to the Zugspitze  or in the Alps, in a comfy cable cars! Why not here?

With the gigantic view of the massive Walhalla in front of us, we decided to head to the left side road, a small foot path leading to Walhallastrasse in the village of Donaustauf, in the direction of the backside of the mountain.We took the skimpy foot path where we came across a lady with 2 little boys who told us that the foot path going up the mountain is currently closed, and the one which goes through the forest is difficult to follow for lack of directions. We chose to stick to the highway that leads up to the main parking area, and climb  uphill. This is the best possible option if we can’t make the 358 steps.

The walk uphill is not that bad actually, it’s a 20-30 minute walk depending on your pace. The moment I saw from a distance so many cyclists and horses with people climbing up, I felt hopeful, and positive. We entertained ourselves by listening to my daughter’s ramblings and singing. She was just in a happy mood. We decided to climb the remaining steps and she’s fine with it. At the ride side of the temple, finally there is a ramp.

Hooorrraayyy, we’ve made it!

Something about Walhalla

The Walhalla is located in a dominant position high above the Danube in the east of Regensburg. This Neoclassical building in the form of a temple surrounded by a portico with gigantic columns that  represents one of the most important German national monuments of the 19th century. Created by order of  Bavarian King Ludwig I (reigned 1825-1848). The Walhalla was built by Ludwig’s I favourite architect, Leo von Klenze (1784-1864), one of the most important Neoclassical architects of the 19th century. The foundation stone was laid in 1830 and the building was ceremoniously opened twelve years later, on 18 October 1842. Klenze’s design was primarily inspired by the famous Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens dating from 5th century B.C.  The combination of colonnaded temple and massive substructure and the free design of the interior however prevents the architecture from being a mere copy of the ancient building. The temple building, which is clad inside and out with precious marble, rises above the massive tiered substructure. This was originally intended to house the ‘Hall of Expectation’ containing the busts of people to be honoured in the future.

In short, Walhalla is one great site to see!!

 

 

The memorial  Hall displays some 65 plaques and 130 busts covering 2,000 years of history, beginning with Arminius, victor at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD. Inside the temple is a striking hall, filled with busts of people, gigantic monuments and the ceiling is quite impressive. Notable people whom I recognized (at least  from which I am familiar with )  were Goethe, Richard Strauss, Alfred Einstein, Wilhelm von Oranje, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Albrecht Dürer , Erasmus of Rotterdam, Nikolaus Copernicus,Martin Luther,Johann Sebastian Bach, and of course, King Ludwig of Bavaria.

The rest I don’t know, or at least I haven’t heard of them. Most of them are really notable and made a great impact in German history, to be in this hall of fame, at least you need to be dead for 20 years…

I wonder whose going to be included in this list?

The columns in Walhalla are huge and gigantic. I find the whole place so majestic, like I imagine it would be, suddenly I thought about the Greek Mythology and the mighty Gods in Mt. Olympus. It’s a surreal experience to be on top. We arrived on a bright sunny day, perfect weather, and yes, as expected, packed with tourists, but the views are breathtaking. I couldn’t find a place in the front colonnade to be empty. Everyone was busy taking their photos, having a picnic, lounging in the floor of the temple, admiring the scenic vista in front of them. Acres and acres of different shades of greens, the graceful flow of the Danube and the beautiful skyline of this region. I never imagined that this place could be so beautiful.

I have a thing with vertigo and I am scared for my daughter. I can’t ever let her go, even for a second. There is  a warning and precaution for this place since fatal accidents  already happened if ever you slipped in the edges of the temple.

If you are exploring Bavaria and the neighboring cities like Regensburg, Weltenburg and Kelheim, this trip should not be  missed. Once you are at the top, you forget that you sweat out.Traveling with kids has never been easy, be it by car, plane or whatever means. Imagine the  chaos, but also imagine the joy you feel as you create memories as a family.

No matter how you choose to explore the beautiful Bavaria, it’s gonna be amazing!

What do you think about Walhalla Temple? would you consider exploring it with your child?

More information about this place can be found Here, and if you want further reading about spending 48 hours in Regensburg, then you might want to check out these links.

Exploring the Streets of Regensburg

Wurstkuchl: the 870 Historical Sausage Kitchen of the World

Cruising along the Danube

Hundertwasser and Kuchlbauer : When Beer and Art meets