Zwötzen
2007
Photos © Gary Ratay 2007
A lot of the construction that was going on previously in Gera is completed, and what a relief! The streetcar line by the hotel we've stayed at was finished. We discovered that staying in the hotel gave us a free pass to ride the streetcar... which went all the way to Zwötzen! So we hopped on and took it to the last stop shown below which happened to be right across from the only church in the town, St. Martini where Friedrich August Eduard's mother was probably baptized. Some more letters to send!
St. Trinitatis Church was founded in the 14th century and extended about 1610 and is one of the oldest churches in Gera. The steeple was built in 1899.
Medieval city fortifications date from about 1500. The tower was reconstructed in 1983. The wall pieces can be seen along Stadtgraben street.
Stadtbefestigung (City Fortifications)
Grosse Kirchstrasse shows evidence of Gera's wealth in the 18th century. Buildings are baroque and rococo design.
The Rathaus was built from original plans of 1573. A great fire in 1780 burned many buildings which had to be rebuilt.
Simson Fountain, originally built by C. Junghans the Elder 1685/86, is now only a copy.
The Apotheke is one of the oldest buildings (16th century) and has been recently rennovated.
Both Friedrich August Carl's first and third wives were from the Gera area. Johanne Marie Theresia Von Sanneisternick, the first wife and mother of Friedrich August Eduard, was from Zwötzen which is a suburb just south of Gera. Today Zwötzen has sports venues for football (soccer) and canoeing. Johanne Christiane Krauthahn, the third wife and mother of Marie, Julia and Alma, was from Gera where her father was a soapmaker.
Marketplace In Gera
Gera Photos
Photos ©2006GRatay
