Bamberg Travel Guide

Bamberg
[ source: Flickr]

Bamberg Overview

Bamberg is in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from getting near to Bamberg. Bamberg is home to nearly 7,000 foreign nationals, including over 4,100 members of the United States Army and their dependents. The name Bamberg is supposed to have its origin in the House of Babenberg. The whole town of Bamberg is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Walking is best throughout the Altstadt (old city center). The Hauptbahnhof (train station) is less than two kilometers northeast of the Altstadt. Walk or take a bus.

Things to See

The Old Town of Bamberg is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage, primarily because of its authentic medieval appearance. The city established a documentation center in 2005 to support World Heritage activities.

• The Dom contains the intruiging Bamberg Rider sculpture. No one knows for sure who the young royal rider is.
• The Altes Rathaus is perched in the middle of a bridge above the Regnitz River and is a must-see.

Some of the other main sights are:

• Cathedral (1237), with the tombs of emperor Henry II and Pope Clement II
• Alte Hofhaltung, residence of the bishops in the 16th and 17th centuries
• Neue Residenz, residence of the bishops after the 17th century
• Old Town Hall (1386), built in the middle of the Regnitz River, accessible by two bridges
• Klein-Venedig ("Little Venice"), a colony of picturesque fishermen's houses from the 19th century along one side of the river Regnitz.
• Michaelsberg Abbey, built in the 12th century on one of Bamberg's "Seven Hills"
• Altenburg, castle, former residence of the bishops

Cathedral

The cathedral is a late Romanesque building with four grand towers. It was founded in 1004 by the emperor Henry II, finished in 1012 and consecrated on May 6, 1012. It was later partially destroyed by fire in 1081. The new cathedral, built by Saint Otto of Bamberg, was consecrated in 1111 and in the 13th century received its present late-Romanesque form.

The cathedral is 94 m (310 ft) long, 28 m (92 ft) broad, 26 m (85 ft) high, and the four towers are each about 81 m (270 ft) high. Of its many historic works of art may be mentioned the magnificent marble tomb of the founder and his wife, considered to be the masterpiece of sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider and carved between 1499 and 1513. Another treasure of the cathedral is an equestrian statue known as the Bamberg Horseman (German: Der Bamberger Reiter). This statue, possibly belonging to the emperor Conrad III, most likely dates to approximately 1200. The statue also serves as a symbol of the city.

Neue Residenz

The Neue Residenz (New Palace) (1698-1704) was initially occupied by the prince-bishops, and from 1864 to 1867 by the deposed King Otto of Greece. The magnificent Rosengarten (Rosengarten vacation rentals | Rosengarten travel guide) (Rose Garden) offers excellent views of the city.

The Altenburg (Altenburg vacation rentals | Altenburg travel guide) is located at the highest of Bamberg's seven hills. It was mentioned for the first time in 902 BC. Between 1251 and 1553 it was the residence of Bamberg's bishops. Destroyed in 1553 by Albert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, it was used, after scanty repairs, only as a prison, and became increasingly decayed.

In 1801 doctor A. F. Marcus bought the castle and completely repaired it. His friend, the famous German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann, who was very impressed by the building, lived there for a while. The next owner, Anton von Greifenstein (Greifenstein vacation rentals | Greifenstein travel guide), founded in 1818 an association to save the castle. This society still maintains the whole property today. The Altenburg serves as a high-class restaurant and has a beautiful view.

Other Sights

Other noteworthy churches are the Jakobskirche, an 11th-century Romanesque basilica; the St. Martinskirche; the Marienkirche or Obere Pfarrkirche (1320-1387), which has now been restored to its original pure Gothic style. The Michaelskirche, 12th-century Romanesque (restored), on the Michaelsberg, was formerly the church of the Benedictine Michaelsberg Abbey secularized in 1803 and now contains the Bürgerspital, or almshouse, and the museum and municipal art collections.

Of the bridges connecting the sections of the lower town, a very interesting one is the Obere Brücke, completed in 1455. Halfway across this, on an island, is the Rathaus or City Hall (rebuilt 1744-1756). The royal lyceum, formerly a Jesuit college, contains notable collections and the royal library of over 300,000 volumes. The picturesque Old Palace (Alte Hofhaltung) was built in 1591 on the site of an old residence of the counts of Babenberg. Noteworthy among the monuments of the town is the Maximilian fountain (1880), with statues of Maximilian I of Bavaria, the emperor Henry II and his wife, Conrad III and Saint Otto, bishop of Bamberg.

Things to Do

• Sandkerwa (site in German) Held over the last weekend in August, Sandkerwa is a six day folk festival that consumes the entire town, with some 300,000 people attending. It is a festival with offerings of beer and food that rivals - even exceeds - the likes of Oktoberfest, and includes local traditions such as "fish jousting".
• Walk around and simply enjoy.

[ source: Wikitravel,Wikipedia ]

Located only 60 km of Nuremberg and 100 km from Würzburg and surrounded by the foothills of the Steigerwald it is easily accessible by a well connected network to the autobahn.