They were built between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, and each nearly five miles in circumference. The Cathedral of Cologne, - begun in 1248 by Archbishop Conrad, is still incomplete, but is even in its present state one of the finest and purest Gothic monuments in Europe. A fresh impulse was given to the works on the accession of the present King, who contributed largely to its funds, and the efforts of an association established in Cologne, with branches in all parts of Europe, to collect subscriptions for completing the edifice according to the original design. The architect estimates the cost of finishing it at £750,000, and requiring the constant labor of the workmen for twenty years. The choir is the only part finished, and judging from its superior beauty and elegance, the Cathedral if ever completed will be one of the most uniform and most stupendous Gothic structures existing. "In a small chapel immediately behind the high altar is the celebrated Shrine of the three Kings of Cologne, or Magi, who came from the East with presents for the infant Saviour. The skulls of the three kings, inscribed with their names, Gasper, Mulchioz and Balthuzea, written in rubies, are deposited in a case of plated silver curiously wrought, surrounded by small arcades, supported on pillars, inclosing figures of the Apostles and Prophets." Many of the jewels belonging to this chapel were taken away and sold at the time of the French revolution, but the precious stones, the gems, cameos, and rich enamels, which still remain, are said to be worth more than two hundred thousand pounds, which will give you a fair idea of its riches and magnificence in its original state. Near this chapel, under a plain slab in the pavement, is buried the heart of Mary de Medicis, and in the sacristy are many relics of saints, including a bone of St. Matthew. Many other things of an interesting nature are to be seen in the Cathedral; but to one fond of the curious, a visit to the church of St. Ursula should be made without fail. It is one of the most remarkable structures in Europe, not for any architectural beauty, but as the depository of the bones of St. Ursula's companions. According to tradition, that pious woman with her eleven thousand virgins set sail from Brittany for Rome, and were slaughtered on their return at Cologne by the barbarian Hans, because they refused to break their vows of chastity. entering the church these hideous relics meet the eye, beneath, "On above, around; they are built into the walls, buried under the pavement, and displayed in gaunt array in glass cases about the choir. The saint herself reposes in a coffin behind the altar, while the skulls of a select few of her associates are admitted to the Golden Chamber encased in silver, along with a number of other relics, such as one of the stone vessels which held the water that was turned into wine at the marriage in Cana, etc." Soon after leaving Cologne we came in sight of the Seven Mountains which form the commencement to the beautiful scenery of the Rhine. They are the highest and wildest on its banks, and almost all crowned with a chapel, or the ruin of some ancient tower or hermit's cell, which adds much to their picturesque features. The most interesting of the whole group, from its shape and position, but more than all from the verses of Byron, is the famed Drachenfels, whose precipices rise abruptly from the river side crowned with ruin: "The castled crag of Drachenfels Frowns o'er the wide and winding Rhine, Many travellers ascend to the summit of Drachenfels to enjoy the beautiful view of the river, and to examine the ruined fragments which were once the seat of a noble race long since extinct, named after the mountain on which they dwelt. Having in anticipation a sufficient amount of climbing in Switzerland, we were satisfied with a view from the river, and proceeded on to the town of Coblentz, situated at the mouth of the Moselle, and regarded as one of the most strongly fortified places in the Prussian dominions. The extensive fortifications, which occupied nearly twenty years to complete, connect the works on the first bank of the Rhine with the lofty citadel of Ehrenbreitstein on the opposite bank, forming a complete bulwark or fortified camp, capable of containing one hundred thousand soldiers, and combining in this structure not only beauty, but a degree of solidity and strength superior to any fortification that we have yet seen. The next place of interest above Coblentz, is the city of Mayence, situated on the left bank of the Rhine, nearly opposite the junction of the Main. It belongs to the Grand Duke of Hesse Darmstadt, and is the most considerable and important town in his dominions; but, as the chief and strongest fortress of the German confederation, it is garrisoned by Prussian and Austrian troops, in nearly equal numbers, and is commanded by a governor elected alternately from either nation for a period of five years. Leaving the Rhine at this point, we proceeded by railroad to Frankfort on the Main, now the seat of the German Diet, and one of the most lively as well as handsome cities in Germany; it is situated on a perfect plain, and is divided into two distinct parts, called the new and old town. The streets in the new town are wide, and many of the houses inhabited by rich merchants, bankers or diplomatists, are literally palaces. "The old town, on the other hand, with its narrow streets and quaint wooden buildings, with gables overhanging their basement stories, forms a complete contrast to the new." Many of the houses are of great antiquity, especially in the quarter around the birthplace of Goethe, the poet, and the Rothschild family, still inhabited by the Jews of the city. Over the door of Goethe's house we were shown his father's coat of arms, which, by a singular coincidence, bears the poetical device of three lyres, and is pointed out to strangers who visit the place by an old lady, and described in language too pathetic to dwell upon. The citizens of Frankfort have erected a monumental statue of him in the Allee or public place; it is of bronze, pedestal and figure, and is a superior work ; the subjects of the bas-reliefs are said to be taken from Goethe's works. The most interesting object of this nature, and the pride of the city, is Dannecker's statue of Ariadne, in the garden of a private gentleman. It is placed in a pavilion built for his reception, and is allowed by artists to be one of the most distinguished productions of modern art. I do not profess to be much of a critic in the fine arts, but as far as I am capable of judging, it is, next to the Greek Slave, the most perfect and beautiful of all modern statues. Frankfort is encircled with handsome gardens and agreeable promenades, which, together with its public galleries and places of intellectual resort, make it one of the most agreeable cities in Ger many. One or two hours on the railroad brought us from Frankfort to this old town, situated on the Neckar, and renowned for its Castle and University. Being surrounded on either side by lofty hills, Heidelberg is necessarily confined to a single street, nearly three miles in length, and containing about 14,000 inhabitants. The beauty of many places is much exaggerated, but that of Heidelberg cannot be too much extolled. From the ruins of the old Castle which overlooks the entire town and valley below, as far as the Rhine, a panorama is presented calculated to inspire genius, and make it a fit place for the student's home. As an edifice, the University, which* was once the pride of Germany, is not remarkable. It is a plain and not very large house, situated in a small square near the centre of the town. The famous Palatine Library, carried off by the Bavarians during the thirty years' war, and restored by Pope Pius VII., now comprises only about 900 volumes, and the entire Library only 120,000 volumes. In the days of its prosperity this institution was overrun with students from all parts of Europe; but the desolating influences of war, time after time, have reduced it almost to ruin, and it at present numbers only three or four hundred students. "To those fond of the antique, the Castle of Heidelberg presents many attractions. The building displays the work of various hands, the taste of different founders, and the styles of successive centuries; it is highly interesting for its varied fortunes, its picturesque situation, its vastness, and the relics of architectural magnificence which it displays after having been three times burnt, and having ten times experienced the horrors of war." Aside from the Castle itself, many interesting relics of antiquity are shown to visitors, among which are several old wine casks, of enormous dimensions. In a cellar under the Castle is the famous Heidelberg Butt, constructed one hundred years ago; it is the largest wine cask in the world, thirty-six feet long and twenty-four feet high; being capable of holding 800 hogsheads or 283,200 bottles. In former days, when the tierce was filled with the produce of the vintage, it was usual to dance on the platform erected on the top of the tierce. It has, however, remained empty more than half a century, and is now preserved as one of the lions of Heidelberg, and as an evidence of the sumptuous modes of living in ancient times. LETTER TWENTY-FIVE. FALLS OF THE RHINE. Fashionable Watering Places in Germany-Detour to Strasburg-Cathedral at FreiburgFirst Adventure on a Diligence-Customs-Cultivation of Tobacco and Indián Corn in Germany-Falls of the Rhine, etc. HAVING heard a great deal of the fashionable summer resorts in Germany, and feeling a little curiosity to learn something about their way of doing things, and compare them with our own places of the same character, we made visits during the gay season, both to Wiesbaden and Baden Baden, two of the most celebrated watering places now in Europe. Wiesbaden is the capital of the Duchy of Nassau, and residence of the Duke. It is composed almost entirely of lodging houses, and contains a population exceeding twelve thousand. The celebrity of its baths and mineral waters is so great, that visitors in search of health and pleasure flock there from all quarters of the globe, to the amount of fifteen thousand annually. Situated in a kind of basin, formed by the contiguity of several hills, and being a regularly built town, it is necessarily devoid of many of the chief attractions that combine to render such a place pleasant; pure air, shady groves, and fragrant breezes, are out of the question; and all that one may expect to find, is strange tasting water, and extensive gaming at a saloon called the Kursaal, which forms the centre of attraction and gayety. The stranger's attention is soon attracted, as he walks along the streets, by the clouds of vapor arising on all sides out of the ground, produced as is supposed by the numerous boiling springs that abound there. Walking through a long avenue of little short trees, serving as a kind of promenade for the water drinkers, we found the principal spring called the Kochbrunnen (boiling spring) sending forth its heated vapor in volumes, greater than the escape from a steam enginegiving it more the appearance of a caldron in violent ebullition, than a spring of water fresh from the bowels of the earth. From five to eight in the morning, and from six to seven in the evening, are the hours for drinking the water; at which time, ladies and gentlemen from the various hotels and boarding houses repair to the spring, and receiving their portion boiling hot, walk about, glass in |