Janice Cruises Europe 2017

Did You Know? - The town is located on both sides of the Main in the southwest part of Germany, 41 kilometers (25 mi) southeast of Frankfurt am Main. In the western part of the municipal territory, the smaller Aschaff flows into the Main. The region is also known as Bayerischer Untermain ("Bavarian Lower Main"). Aschaffenburg lies in the far northwest of the state of Bavaria, close to the border to the state of Hesse.

In World War II, Aschaffenburg was heavily damaged by Allied area bombing, including Schloss Johannisburg which was completely restored several years later. The Germans chose to defend Aschaffenburg with particular steadfastness, which resulted in the "Battle of Aschaffenburg" fought 28 March - 3 April 1945. The U.S. 45th Infantry Division was forced to take the fortified town against stiff German resistance in a series of frontal assaults that involved house-to-house fighting and vicious close combat. The resulting widespread urban destruction was quite severe, as cannon fire was used point-blank to blast through structures.

Did You Know? - The old town lies on the Main’s left bank on the "left knee" of the Mainviereck ("Main Square") between the Spessart and Odenwald ranges. Since the Main riverbed in the Miltenberg area is relatively near the foot of the Odenwald, only a narrow strip of usable land is left, little over 150 meters in width,[2]:79 which in past centuries was time and again flooded by the Main. The historic centre, which stands on this land, often sustained considerable damage in these floods. Only in the 21st century efficient flood control measures, most of all a wall, have significantly reduced the adverse effects of these floods. Since about the beginning of the 20th century, after buying land from the neighbouring community of Großheubach, Miltenberg has been expanding on the right bank.

Did You Know? - Records show that a building existed on the site for some time previous, though the earliest known mention of the hotel is the registration of Trestam zum Riesen as landlord in 1411, making it one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in the world.

The hotel was rebuilt in the half-timbered, Renaissance style in 1590 by architect Jacob Stoer, using 100 logs donated by the city council.

The building has been renovated a number of times since; first in 1948 for DM 250,000; and again in 1970 after being purchased for DM 194,000.

In 2001 it was purchased by local chain Faust Brauhaus.

A number of famous guests have stayed at Zum Riesen; including two Holy Roman Emperors, Frederick Barbarossa and Charles IV; the leaders from both sides of the Thirty Years' War, Johann Tserclaes and Gustavus Adolphus; Napoléon Bonaparte; and Elvis Presley.

Did You Know? - Cobblestones are typically either set in sand or similar material, or are bound together with mortar. Paving with cobblestones allows a road to be heavily used all year long. It prevents the build-up of ruts often found in dirt roads. It has the additional advantage of not getting muddy in wet weather or dusty in dry weather. Shod horses are also able to get better traction on stone cobbles, pitches or setts than tarmac/asphalt.

The fact that carriage wheels, horse hooves and even modern automobiles make a lot of noise when rolling over cobblestone paving might be thought a disadvantage, but it has the advantage of warning pedestrians of their approach. In England, the custom was to strew the cobbles outside the house of a sick or dying person with straw to dampen the sound.
Cobblestones set in sand have the environmental advantage of being permeable paving, and of moving rather than cracking with movements in the ground.