From Bathing Suits to Fall Jackets
Two days ago, it was was a high of 90 and we couldn't get cool, while today it was a high of 57 and we can't get warm!!!
It was a cool damp day with intermittent rain. Decided to venture to Thun.
Turreted Thun Castle, from the 1100s, stands on a hill above the old town. It has sweeping views of the Alps which I couldn't see today. The 14th-century City Church has an octagonal tower and a baroque hall.
As I started the climb up to the castle after touring the area by the Aare River, it started to rain so I turned around and returned home.
"It can be seen from afar – when entering Thun, from a boat, and even from the Niesen mountain: the majestic Thun Castle. The keep, with its distinctive four towers, overlooks and dominates the town surrounded by water, mountains, and rolling hills. The Dukes of Zähringen commissioned the imposing structure as early as the 12th century. With this building, they demonstrated their power in the region and along the local trade routes. At that time, the keep contained only a single room, 14 meters high, which is now called the Knights' Hall. An impressive ceremonial hall in its day, it is now one of the best-preserved state rooms of the High Middle Ages. It is part of the historical castle museum, which showcases the history of Thun across five floors."
"As early as the Middle Ages, the striking town church stood on the castle hill next to the castle complex. It is the main Reformed church of the city of Thun. The octagonal tower and the spacious Baroque nave characterize the historic building. Like other churches, Thun's town church was remodeled for preaching services after the Reformation, initially using the existing structure. However, by 1737 the old building was so dilapidated that it was completely demolished. The Baroque hall was then erected beneath the massive roof truss in just six months.
Incidentally: From the southern tower in the churchyard wall, one enjoys a particularly spectacular view of the Aare basin, Lake Thun and the Bernese Oberland Alps.
A popular subject for photographs in Thun is the Obere Hauptgasse (Upper Main Street) with its distinctive raised sidewalks, projecting roofs, and colorful house facades. The street between the town hall square and the Lauitor gate gets its unique character from its unusual street profile. Projecting lower floors on both sides and sidewalks above create a two-story row of shops. Incidentally, an elevator via the Obere Hauptgasse provides convenient access to the Schlossberg (Castle Hill).
Begonias
People stopped and commented on this window display .
Cute expressions
A cat themed store
Thun's town hall has undergone numerous changes over time. It was first mentioned in 1358. Around 1500, the building burned down and was rebuilt at the beginning of the 16th century. In 1585, the archive tower was added, and 100 years later, the town hall gained an additional story, giving it its present appearance. A characteristic feature is the spacious facade facing the square, with its windows and four arcades. The Thun city council, the legislative branch, and the municipal council, the executive branch, meet in the town hall.
Yellow flowers photograph better on a cloudy day.
Mühleplatz is a reminder of the flourishing industrial past along the Aare River. Until the 1970s, grain was milled into flour there. In the 1980s, the city acquired the land along the Aare. Subsequently, the old mill buildings were demolished and the square redesigned. Today, Mühleplatz, situated directly on the water, is the heart of Thun's vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene.
Not sure what this project is.
The Aare River is so clean that locals and tourists swim right through the heart of the city. It's been named one of the best urban swimming spots in the world.
"The Aarequai and the adjoining Brahmsquai form a magnificent promenade along the Aare River, stretching from Thun's old town to Hünibach. A stroll along the approximately two-kilometer-long quay offers impressive views of the Bernese Oberland mountains and back towards the picturesque town of Thun. The quay's origins date back some 200 years."
Interesting way to water all the flower boxes along the river. The pipes and pump go into the water.
The water is pumped up through the rubber tubing
Another pipe drops water onto the plant.
Waterworks were already established in Thun during the Middle Ages. At the site of today's mill lock, a nearly 100-meter-long transverse dam dammed the Aare River and diverted it into industrial canals powered by waterwheels. These provided energy for a variety of businesses. After the Kander Canal was cut through at the beginning of the 18th century, the raging Aare rendered the waterworks unusable. The Canton of Bern purchased them and first had the lower lock (mill lock) built, followed shortly afterward by the upper lock (Scherzlig lock). The latter served to direct the water into the former city moat. This measure transformed the Bälliz area into an island, surrounded by the inner and outer Aare River.
The water temperature of the Aare River in Thun is approximately 18.9 °C to 19.0 °C, ( 66.02 F to 66.2 F) according to recent live data from Badi-Info.ch and Aare Guru.
Can't wait to visit Luzern and compare the flowers there to those in Thun.
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