Page 177 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Germany

DRIVE 16: Franconia of the Prince-Bishops 175

Above left Riverside view of Bamberg
Bavarian Dynasty, whose architectural ª Leave the town of Bamberg and Kirche St Michael Above right
influence reached as far as Prague. A along the B4/Hallstädter Strasse. Visitors strolling along Obere Brücke,
guided tour goes through the richly At Breitengüssbach, follow signs Bamberg Below Pretty Altes Rathaus,
decorated state rooms but visitors are to Bad Staffelstein via Zapfendorf set on a mid-river island, Bamberg
free to admire the German medieval and Ebensfeld to Grundfeld. At
and Baroque paintings in the palace Grundfeld, follow the road sign posted
gallery at leisure. Don’t miss the lovely to Vierzehnheiligen. EAT AND DRINK IN BAMBERG
rose garden behind the palace, with
its pretty Baroque café (open summer) Bishops and Empire Brudermühle moderate
and excellent views over the old city. Formed from the eastern part of Wild boar, venison, carp and trout are
among the specialities on the menu of
Leave Domplatz along Obere Charlemagne’s empire in the 9th this atmospheric riverside restaurant.
Karolinenstrasse. On the corner of century and dissolved in 1806, the Schranne 1, 96049; 0951 95 52 20;
Domstrasse stands the Missionshaus Holy Roman Empire was a loose www.brudermuehle.de
St Heinrich 7, an elegant mansion alliance of states under the aegis Messerschmitt expensive
that was once the Bamberg residence of an emperor chosen by Kurfürsten Regional produce, including goose liver,
(electors), though in practice the
of Bayreuth’s Margraves. Turn right Habsburgs dominated. Bamberg duck and venison, features on the menu
down Michaelsberger Strasse, follow- and Würzburg were independent of the Messerschmitt’s fine dining room.
Lange Strasse 41, 96047; 0951 29 78 00;
ing the street uphill to the former Prince-Bishoprics of the empire in www.hotel-messerschmitt.de;
Benedictine monastery of Kirche which the bishops wielded temporal Jan–Mar: closed Sun
St Michael 8, whose church (open and spiritual power. Aschaffenburg Other options
daily) was rebuilt in the late-Gothic was the second seat of the archbish- Local Brauereigaststätten (brewery-
style after a fire in 1610. The Baroque ops of Mainz, since the city domi- owned restaurants) worth visiting
mon as tery build ings contain a nated the largest of their territories. include Greifenklau (Laurenziplatz 20,
brewery museum, the Fränkisches 0951 532 19; www.greifenklau.de),
Spezial (Obere Königstrasse 10, 0951
Brauereimuseum (open Wed–Sun). 7 Vierzehnheiligen 243 04; www.brauerei-spezial.de) and
On leaving the museum, stop by Bavaria; 96231 Schlenkerla (Dominkanerstrasse 6;
the garden behind the mon as tery. A worthwhile excursion from 0951 560 60; www.schlenkerla.de).
Next, return to the Aufsess Strasse, Bamberg, Vierzehnheiligen is best
which becomes Elisabethen Strasse, known for its splendid pilgrimage
to reach the river. On the opposite church, Basilika Vierzehnheiligen
bank is a pictur esque huddle of (open daily), a masterpiece of south ern
fisher men’s cottages known as Klein German Baroque and Rococo styles.
Venedig 9, or Little Venice. Turn Designed by the Franconian archi-
back up Elisabethen Strasse and left tect Balthasar Neumann, it was built
into Obere Sandstrasse, which leads between 1743 and 1772 at the site
to Dominikanerstrasse. Bear right where a shepherd had a vision of a
into Herrenstrasse, then left to the crying child accompanied by the
Obere Brücke, a bridge that passes Holy Helpers – the Vierzehnheiligen
through the Altes Rathaus 0, set – or 14 saints of intercession of the
on a mid-river island. The old town church’s name.
hall houses the Sammlung Ludwig ª Return to Bamberg and take
(closed Mon) collection of Strasbourg Unterer Kaulberg and Würzburger
and Meissen porcelain. Retrace the Strasse. Follow the yellow signs for
route, turn left on to Geyerswörthplatz Würzburg to reach the B22 and
and then left again on to the then signs to Pommersfelden and
wooden footbridge to the car park. Schloss Weissenstein.
Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under €20; moderate, €20–€40; expensive, over €40

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