Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: jester

In medieval times the area around was fought for by different parties. In 1232 Konrad of Thuringia, brother in law of Saint Eliabeth, had a fortified complex built here, that dominated the entire middle valley of the Eder river. There was a castle and an ecclesiastical area. Immediately the city was built with a large marketplace. It was obviously planned to have a stronh bastion and to take advantage of the favorable traffic conditions. The inhabitants of the new town were composed of the inhabitants of the surrounding villages and hamlets, who were resettled or voluntarily left their old homes. Frankenberg was soon surrounded by a mighty wall. Of the 25 towers and gates of the old town, only one still exists, the five city gates have disappeared. The Town Hall of Frankenberg (Rathaus) is located right in the historic center of the city. The first town hall here was demolished in 1421, the successor burnt down in 1476. The third town hall building, which is preserved today, was built from 1509 to 1513. It is embellished with carvings. Here are two jesters.

Carnival has a long tradition not only in Cologne, where it is known and often got suppressed since medieval times. The French did not like it, but allowed carnival in 1804, from then on, carneval societies were founded often making fun of (French and later Prussian) militarism. The "fifth season" (carnival season) is declared open at 11 minutes past 11 on the 11th of the 11th month November. That is the time of balls and sessions. The carneval hits the streets on Fat Thursday (Weiberfastnacht) with a declaration at the Alter Markt square at 11.11h. on the Thursday before the beginning of Lent. Shops are closed, pubs are open, Cologne folks are masqueraded, sing and dance. For somebody not born here - it feels a bit strange. The emperor and his jester return from the bottle shop.

The parish church of Saint-Julien-de-l'Escap, a small village in the outskirts of Saint-Jean-d'Angély, was erected in the 12th and altered in the 14th century. Some nice capitals flank the nave. Jesters or horned devils?

..like this. Maybe the official jester of the monastery...