WALHALLA

A neoclassical building on the Danube River stands in all its splendour with ancient statues and colonnades. No doubt about it, you are in Walhalla! In Germanic and Scandinavian mythology, Walhalla is the place where valiant warriors who have died on the battlefield are brought. Carried by the valkyries, they join the kingdom of Asgard to wait for the end of time. Less Wagnerian than Greco-Roman in inspiration, and even a little inspired by the Parthenon, the Walhalla near Regensburg was built by Leo von Klenze between 1830 and 1842 on a commission from the Bavarian king Louis I. Designed to pay homage to German and German-speaking personalities who have marked their time, it is the pantheon of the great men of the German nation. To put it in perspective, it was built at the beginning of the 19th century, a time of romantic exaltation. Other buildings commissioned by Ludwig flattered patriotic pride, such as the Halle der Befreiung in Kehlheim.

If you have just climbed the steps, you will discover the triangular pediment above the Doric colonnade. It shows an allegory of Germany - Germania - surrounded by allegories of the independent principalities and cities that made up the Germanic Confederation at the time of the construction of Walhalla. At the back, the frieze of the tympanum tells the founding myth of Arminius (shown here wearing a winged helmet), the Germanic leader who defeated the Roman legionary troops at the Battle of Teutoburg.

Through the monumental gateway, you enter the sacred circle of immortals. In this Germanic Hall of Fame , 130 busts made of Carrara marble pay tribute to the men and women who have left their mark on Germany. Through their empty eyes, 2,000 years of German history look back at you. Of these 130 busts, we counted only 6 busts of women (among them Sophie Scholl, representative of all German resistance fighters). Some of these busts are definitely more modern in size: Albert Einstein for example.

If you have a smartphone, don't forget to charge it before you leave: a very well-designed application full of anecdotes gives you all the keys to understanding the Walhalla, its history, its architecture and the biographies of a few selected personalities. You will also learn more about the selection process of the great men and women, those happy few admitted to the sacred precincts of Walhalla.