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Sightseeing in Fulda

Sightseeing in Fulda

Fulda Dom

Fulda's sights are primarily concentrated in a small area in the vicinity of the cathedral and palace, a few minutes walk from the station. Which essentially make he town ideally suited to exploring on foot.

The current Baroque Dom (Cathedral), Domplatz, was erected between 1704 and 1712 to replace the ninth-century Romanesque church. Decorations on the exterior are limited, but the dome and other roof parts are unmistakably Baroque. The interior is bright with typical Baroque touches, but not as fussy as Bavarian Rococo. A major attraction is the tomb of St Boniface. Although his grave has been here since 819, the current Baroque tomb and altar date from 1731.

Fulda Dommuseum

Adjacent to the Dom is the Dommuseum (Cathedral Museum), Domplatz, with a large collection of religious art and paraphernalia. In addition to a collection of liturgical robes, the museum also has sacred vessels, reliquaries, and medieval tapestries. The Sword of St Boniface, a reliquary containing his head and a codex that belonged to him are important displays. The painting collection includes The Adulteress by Lucas Cranach and The Crucifixion by Johann Tischbein.

Michaelskirche (St Michael’s Church)

The Michaelskirche (St Michael’s Church), Hinterburg 2, is a small chapel, but its Carolingian crypt, dating from 819, is one of the most significant structures from this era. The vaulted crypt rests on a single pillar, while the small rotunda is on eight pillars.

About 15 minutes walk from the Dom past the Paulustor and up the hill is Kloster Frauenberg, a Franciscan monastery.

The Baroque church is not particularly interesting but on a clear day, the views of Fulda and the surrounding mountains are wonderful. The Baroque Stadtschloss/Residenz (City Palace/Residence), was built by the prince-abbots between 1706 and 1721.

Most of the building is used as the city offices, but the original rooms, including the lavishly decorated reception rooms and private apartments of the Fulda prince-abbots, are open to visitors. A collection of Thuringian and rare Fulda porcelain, only produced between 1764 and 1789, is also on display.

Schlossgarten (Residence Garden)

The Schlossgarten (Residence Garden) was originally Baroque, but altered to an English landscape style in the 19th century. Currently it has elements from both styles. In front of the Orangery is a beautiful Baroque garden sculpture, the Flora Vase, a 1728 work by Johann Humnach. Note the pineapples on the roof of the Orangery. Pineapples were the fashionable fruit of the Baroque, grown in the Orangery together with citrus; they also feature on other Baroque palaces in the vicinity.

Although the emphasis in Fulda is on the Baroque, other styles are also represented. The small St Severikirche, Severiberg, is the only Gothic church in town. The former Rathaus, (Town Hall) Marktstraße, now a clothing store, is a wonderful 16th-century half-timbered building with interesting little towers. The adjacent St Blasiuskirche, with its distinct red-white exterior, has a lovely restored Baroque interior. 

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Last updated June 28, 2011
Posted in   Germany  |  Lahn Valley
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