Page 518 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

516  GERM AN Y , A USTRIA , AND SWITZERLAND

Bavaria 7 Würzburg

Bavaria is the largest state in the Federal Republic of Germany. * 124,000. £ n Marktplatz 9,
Falkenhaus (0931-37 23 98).
Ruled by the Wittelsbach dynasty from 1180, the duchy of ∑ wuerzburg.de
Bavaria was elevated to the status of a kingdom in 1806. In
addition to historic cities, fairy-tale castles, and exquisite Baroque Located on the bank of the Main
river, Würzburg is an important
and Renaissance palaces, the region has more than its fair share cultural and commercial center,
of glorious Alpine scenery, beer halls, and colorful festivals. and home of the excellent
Franconian wine.
Romanesque and early French- The city’s most impressive
Gothic styles. The eastern choir landmark is the Residenz, where
contains the famous equestrian Würzburg’s prince-bishops lived
statue of the “Bamberg Rider” from 1744. A highlight of this
(1225–30), whose identity lavish Baroque palace is the
remains a mystery to this day. huge Treppenhaus (staircase),
The west side of Domplatz is by Balthasar Neumann (1687–
flanked by the Alte Hofhaltung, 1753). Above it is a glorious
the former bishop’s residence. ceiling fresco by the Venetian
Built in the 15th and 16th artist, Giovanni
The auditorium of Bayreuth’s centuries, it houses a Battista Tiepolo.
Markgräfliches Opernhaus museum of local history. Before the
The more recent Baroque Residenz was
5 Bayreuth Bishop’s Palace (1763) built, the city’s
* 71,000. £ n Opernstrasse 22 stands behind prince-bishops
(0921-885 88). _ Richard-Wagner- the cathedral. resided in the fortress
Festspiele (Jul–Aug). ∑ beyreuth- Also on known as the Festung
tourismus.de Domplatz is the Marienberg, which has
Neue Residenz stood on a hill over-
Music lovers associate this city (1695–1704), with its looking the river since
with the German composer richly decorated 1210. The Mainfränk-
Richard Wagner (1813–83), who apartments. Inside, Bamberger Reiter isches Museum,
lived here from 1872. The Villa the Staatsgalerie has (Bamberg Rider) in the housed inside the
Wahnfried was built for Wagner a collection of old city’s cathedral fortress, illustrates the
by Carl Wölfel and today houses German masters. history of the town
a museum dedicated to the On the east side of and holds a number
famous musician. Nearby, the the town, the Altes Rathaus, of works by the renowned
Franz-Liszt-Museum occupies originally Gothic in style, was German sculptor Tilman Riemen-
the house where the Hungarian remodeled in 1744–56 by Jakob schneider (1460–1531).
composer died in 1886. Michael Küchel. Würzburg’s cathedral, the
Other sights of interest in Dom St. Kilian, dates from 1045
Bayreuth include the Mark- P Neue Residenz and is one of Germany’s largest
gräfliches Opernhaus, the lavish Domplatz 8. Tel 0951-519 390. Romanesque churches. North
Baroque opera house, dating Open daily. & of it is the 11th-century basilica
from the mid-18th century, and Neumünster. Its imposing
the Neues Schloss. Built for Baroque dome and
Margravine Wilhelmine in the sandstone facade are
1700s, the palace has splendid 18th-century additions.
Baroque and Rococo interiors Dating from the 13th
and English-style gardens. century, the picturesque
Rathaus (Town Hall) has
6 Bamberg a late-Renaissance tower,
added 1660.
* 71,000. £ n Geyerswörth-
straße 3 (0951-297 62 00). P Residenz
∑ bamberg.info Residenzplatz 2. Tel 0931-35 51
70. Open daily. &
Bamberg’s most interesting + Festung Marienberg
historical monuments are 8 Apr–Oct: 11am, 2pm, 3pm,
clustered around Domplatz, 4pm Tue–Fri, 10am, 11am, 1pm,
including the magnificent 2pm, 3pm, 4pm Sat & Sun. &
Cathedral of St. Peter and Mainfränkisches Museum:
St. George. Begun around 1211, Neumann’s stunning Treppenhaus (staircase) at Tel 0931-205 940.
the cathedral combines the late Würzburg’s Residenz Open Tue–Sun. &
For hotels and restaurants see pp546–8 and pp549–51

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