Schloss Eberbach

Illustrations by: Yasuko Aoike

By: Margaret Price

Posted: April 28, 2006

Notes: I've been having a discussion about the physical location of Schloss Eberbach. We know from canon that it isn't in Bonn proper. Klaus takes the Autobahn to get to work, which he mentions in "Glass Target." I should probably note that I'm having this discussion with someone in Germany, so I think that rather makes them the expert here. XD

I made a remark in a fic about "the mountain air" of the Schloss. The "mountains" (Siebengebirge) East of the Rhine, South of Bonn are supposed to consist of 40 mountains and hills. Turns out, the highest is 461 metres or 286 feet. I am assuming this is above sea level. This is a low hill to me in compared to the ones I live near and those I drove through last summer. (West Virginia is one gigantic mountain range!) Mount Charleston near Las Vegas has an elevation of 3,633 metres or 11,918 feet. That's over 2 miles high. Now THAT is a mountain.

Then I remembered this picture from the first chapter of "The Seventh Seal." (Book 12) Klaus is on the roof of the Schloss looking down on the town spread out below. If nothing else, the Schloss seems to be on the top of a hill. We learn in "The Laughing Cardinals" that the Schloss is from the late 13th century, and for defensive purposes, castles were usually built on the highest point.

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