Sightseeing in Würzburg

The Residenz

The Residenz (Residence), Residenzplatz 2, was constructed between 1720 and 1744 by Balthasar Neumann for the bishops of Würzburg. It is one of the finest Baroque palaces in Europe and is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. Large parts of the Residenz were destroyed in 1945 but reconstructed. Original parts include the magnificent monumental Treppenhaus (staircase) with the vaulted ceiling containing the 600 m² (6,400 square foot) fresco by Tiepolo; the Weißer Saal (White Hall) with stuccos by Bossi; the Kaisersaal (Imperial Hall) with more frescoes by Tiepolo; and the Gartensaal (Garden Hall) with frescoes by Johann Zick. The rich Rococo Paradezimmer (Parade Room) was reconstructed.

The Hofkirche (Court Chapel) is in the South Wing of the Residenz, but visitors use a separate entrance. It was the private chapel of the bishop and a superb example of Baroque architecture. Neumann had to adapt to the existing building and used hidden windows and mirrors to draw in light. The gilding here uses real gold, although the marble is fake. The frescoes are by Rudolf Byss, but the two paintings above the side altars are by Tiepolo.

The Hofgarten (Court Garden) is a formal Baroque garden with Italian and French sections. The eastern part of the garden gives great views of the palace façade.

The Martin von Wagner Museum, is in the South Wing of the Residenz. It has a fine art gallery of European paintings and statues from the 14th to 19th centuries. There is also an interesting antiquities collection with Egyptian jewelry, Roman pottery, and Greek vases.

Guided tours of the Staatlicher Hofkeller (National Wine Cellar), Residenzplatz 2, are available on weekends. The wine estate is one of the largest in Germany.

East Bank and Old Town

The Dom St Kilian (Cathedral), Domerpfarrgasse 10, retains its original 1188 exterior and, at 105-m (340 feet) long is the fourth-largest Romanesque church in Germany. Its interior has been changed throughout the centuries. The church burned out in 1945 and the nave collapsed a year later, but was restored to its original condition. The Baroque Schönbornkapelle (Schönborn Chapel) was constructed in 1721-36 by Balthasar Neumann. The interior of the Dom has several noteworthy works of art, including sandstone statues by Tilman Riemenschneider and 12th- to 17th-century funerary monuments for the bishops.

The oldest part of the Neumünster Church, Kürschnerhof, is a triple-aisle Romanesque basilica built in the 11th century over the place where the Irish missionary St Kilian was murdered in AD 689. However, later Baroque additions now dominate, with the impressive western façade attributed to Johann Dientzenhofer. The structural components survived the bombing of 1945, but much of the interior was destroyed. Some noteworthy works of art survived, including a Madonna and Christ by Tilman Riemenschneider (at right). Behind the church, in the Lusamgärtlein, is the grave of medieval troubadour Walther von der Vogelweide (1170-1230) who died in Würzburg.

The Falkenhaus on the Markt has the loveliest Rococo façade in Würzburg, with mid-18th-century stucco work. It currently houses the municipal library and information office.

Adjacent is the Marienkapelle (St Mary’s Chapel), a Gothic hall church erected by the town between 1377 and 1440. The Neo-Gothic steeple has a double gilded 18th-century Madonna. The interior has noteworthy works by Tilman Riemenschneider, including the 1502 tombstone of Konrad von Schaumberg, and copies of the statues of Adam and Eve in the portal. (The originals are in the Mainfränkisches Museum). The church has the grave of the master Baroque architect Balthasar Neumann (1687-1753).

Parts of the Rathaus (Town Hall) date to the 13th century, while the Renaissance façade is from 1660. The tower is 55m(180 feet) high. Ironically, the oldest parts of the building survived the bombing of 1945, while most of the newer additions were destroyed and subsequently rebuilt.

West Bank and Marienberg

The Alte Mainbrücke (Old Main Bridge) was constructed between 1473 and 1543 to replace a previous Romanesque bridge destroyed by floods. Twelve huge Baroque statues of saints, including Charlemagne, were added in the early 18th century.

Festung Marienberg (Fortress) served as primary residence for the bishops from 1253 to 1719. Its history, however, is much older. Celts first built a fort here around 1000 BC. In AD 706, the first Marienkapelle (St Mary’s Chapel) was erected. Construction of the fortress started about 1200. In the 17th century, it was altered to a Renaissance palace but, after the Thirty Years’ War, was converted into a Baroque fortress.

The former Baroque Zeughaus (Arsenal) now houses the Mainfränkisches Museum. It has the largest collection of Tilman Riemenschneider works in the world, including the originals removed from the Dom. It also has exhibitions on local history as well as the role of wine in the regional economy and way of life. Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 7 pm. Admission is i3 or i5 with the Fürstenbaumuseum.

The Fürstenbaumuseum is in the east wing. It includes the former bishops’ apartments, treasury, and a section on the town’s history.

The finest views of Würzburg are from the terrace of the Käppele, Nikolausberg/ Leutfresserweg, on a hill slightly farther upstream from the Marienfestung. This pilgrim’s chapel is the last work by the Baroque master architect Balthasar Neumann. The stuccos are by Johann Feuchtmayer and Materno Bossi and the frescos by Matthäus Günther. A passage leads to the adjacent chapel of mercy. The Käppele is reached on foot via a steep walkway with many stairs and the Stations of the Cross.