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Stork statue with baby, BambergBamberg in Bavaria can rightly claim to be one of Germany's most beautiful small cities.
Bamberg is built along the banks of the Regnitz River and the parallel Main-Danube Canal and is best known for the sheer number of its historic buildings and its excellent beer - there are nine breweries in the city and many more in the surrounding area, supposedly the highest concentration of breweries in the world. In 1818, there were an incredible 65 breweries producing high-quality beer within the city confines.
Bamberg holds the record for the highest consumption of beer per inhabitant in Germany - and some outsiders call it "the town of pregnant men" due to the number of sizeable beer bellies on display.
Frescoes on the Old Town Hall, Bamberg (repainted by Anton Greiner around 1960)The Alt Stadt (Old Town) radiates out from the Dom (cathedral) and its lovely Domplatz square. Concecrated in 1012 but subsequently destroyed by fires, the Romanesque Dom (The Cathedral of St. Peter & St. George) with its four spires dates from the 12th century with many later additions. The present cathedral dates from 1237.
The cathedral contains the tombs of Pope Clemens II and the imperial couple Heinrich II and Kunigunde. Outside is the mysterious Bamberg Reiter equestrian statue - a medieval night on horseback, possibly Konrad III, which has become an icon of the city and was previously glorified by the Nazis as the quintessential Teutonic warrior.
The striking 14th century Altes Rathaus (Former/Old Town Hall) is built on twin bridges over the River Regnitz and nearby are the pretty half-timbered fishermen's houses of the Klein Venedig. Since 1995, the Old Town Hall has housed the largest private porcelain collection in Europe and the largest private collection of Strasbourg faience outside of France.
Half-timbered buildings, Old Court, BambergAmong Bamberg's other sights is the 17th century Neue Residenz (Tel 0951 519 390) - the episcopal palace of Bamberg's prince-bishops which is now a museum. Visitors can enjoy the frescos on the ceiling of the Kaisersaal (Imperial Hall) and the Rosengarten (Rose Garden) outside with its beautiful views over the rooftops. The symmetrical Rose Garden was commissioned by Prince Bishop Friedlich Karl von Schonborn after a plan by Balthasar Neumann.
Germany's finest square the Domplatz contains the Renaissance Ratsstube and inside the Historisches Museum (History Museum) with displays of ecclesiastical riches and relics. The huge Alte Hofhaltung (Old Palace) dates from 1591 and has an annex of the Historisches Museum.
Daily markets are held on Maxplatz near to the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall). Schillerplatz contains the former home of German writer, composer and painter E.T.A Hoffmann (1766-1822) at number 26 and the house is now a museum dedicated to the man and his Romantic outpourings of fantasy and horror stories.
Bamberger DomAs a former prince-bishopric often labeled the "Franconian Rome," it is unsurprising that Bamberg is full of historical churches and fine ecclesiastical buildings.
Among these are the 11th century Romanesque Jakobskirche, the Gothic Marienkirche (Obere Pfarrkirche) and the Jesuit St. Martinskirche.
Abtei St Michael (Abteikirche) was formerly the church of the Benedictine Michaelsberg Abbey. Abteikirche has a magnificent gilded pulpit and inlaid choir stalls, an almshouse (now an old people's home - the Bürgerspital) and the municipal art museum.
There's a beer garden and restaurant here too for refreshments in the summer. The Franconian Brewery Museum (April-October; Wednesday-Sunday; 1 pm-5 pm) is located under the former Benedictine brewery with exhibits on beer and the history of beer making.
Shuttered windows in BambergBamberg and the surrounding region have a number of excellent museums. The Natural History Museum in Bamberg dates back to the 1790s and the so-called Vogelsaal ("Bird Chamber"). The building itself is as much a wonder as the exhibits. The History Museum is located in the Old Court near the Cathedral and is noted for its medieval paintings.
The nearby Diocesan Museum has a priceless collection of books, relics and liturgical obhects from the diocese of Bamberg. The Old Town Hall boats a collection of German and European ceramics in the Ludwig Collection - the largest private collection of porcelain in Europe.
The New Residence & State Gallery (Neue Residenz) shows the private apartments, state rooms and painting collections of the prince-bishops of Bamberg. Outside Bamberg in the village of Buttenheim is the birthplace of Levi Strauss, the pioneer of American jeans. The historic, timbered house dates back to 1687 and has been restored and transformed into the Levi Strauss Museum - an award-winning modern museum that opened in 2000.
The 23rd April is Beer Day in Bamberg with the town's nine breweries putting on special promotions. In early July the Franconian Beer Museum puts on a "nostalgic beer festival." There is also a wine festival in the second half of June at Schloss Geyersworth.
Sandkerwa in the second half of August is the largest festival in Bamberg with a traditional fair and "fishermen's jousting" in Klein Venedig.
Michaelsberg AbbeyGeyerswörthstrasse 3
Tel: 0951 871 161
www.bamberg.info
Some images courtesy Berthold Werner
There's a small airport in Nuremberg, 50 km away, which is serviced by a number of airlines that fly throughout Europe, including a direct flight to London Stansted. Nuremberg airport is 6.5 km north of Nuremberg center. Tel: 01805/99-66-33. Frankfurt International Airport and Munich Airport are the nearest large international airports.
There are direct trains to Frankfurt and Nuremberg from Bamberg StationBamberg has a direct rail connection to Nuremberg (1 hour or less on express trains), Wurzburg and both Frankfurt Hauptbanhof and Frankfurt International Airport (2 hours, 20 mins).
There are hourly ICE trains to Munich (2 hours, 30 minutes) and Berlin (4 hours, 30 minutes). The main station is on Ludwigstrasse north of town. Buses #1, #2 and #14 run to the bus station.
Bamberg connects easily with Bayreuth to the east and Erlangen and Nuremberg to the south. The bus station (Zentral-Omnibus Bahnhof) is on Promenadestrasse, north off Schönleinzplatz. Bus #10 runs from Domplatz to the bus station. The A70 and A73 Autobahn intersect at Bamberg.
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Residenzschloss Hotel Bamberg
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Some recommended restaurants include Mahrs-Bräu-Keller at Oberer Stephansberg 36, Café Zuckerstueck, Die Küche and Hoffmanns Steak & Fisch at Schillerplatz 7. Vita at Obere Sandstraße 34 has Michelin stars.
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Schenkerla, BambergThere are some fantastic and historical taverns to enjoy Bamberg's fabled beer. The riverside Klosterbrau at Obere Muhlbrucke, 3, is the city's oldest brew pub going back to 1533. Eckerts Wirtshaus is another riverfront watering hole with an outside terrace.
Schenkerla is known for is Rauchbier (Smoked Beer) at Dominikanerstrasse 6 and is not to be missed for its lively atmosphere and delicious brews. Fässla Brewery at Obere Königsstraße 19-21 dates back to 1649 has excellent beer and food within its woody interior.
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Historic Schenkerla, BambergList your cafe, bar, pub or internet cafe here for FREE! Contact Us
Map of Bamberg
Klein Venedig (Little Venice) district, Bamberg
