Würzburg Things to Do

2 more images

Like all castles Fortress Marienberg is up a hill, i did it and i am not young. The path is sloping and steps. I believe there is a bus service. The Fortress is well kept and is used for events and conferences.

3 more images

Further sights that Wuerzburg has to offer, include St. Kilian's Cathedral and the adjacent Neumeunster with the Lusam Garden, where the tombstone of Walther von der Vogelweide is to be found. Varied cultural events staged in Wuerzburg, range from the the unique Africa Festival (May) and the world-famous Mozart Festival (June) to the Bach-Festival and Jazz-Festival (November). Medieval plays like Historische Buergermahlzeit, and Barbarossa Spectaculum happen, as well as sport events like the Wuerzburg-Marathon. Then many restaurants, and wine festivals in summer, provide Franconian cooking and the excellent local wines. For more information about guided walking tours, pls take a look at link below.

4 more images

Würzburg’s cathedral is dedicated to the local saint, St Kilian, although his grave is not in here but in the neighbouring Neumünster church. Würzburg has been the seat of a bishop since the mid 8th century. The construction of the present cathedral was begun around 1040 and took, with some changes in the plans, about 150 years. In the 13th century the eastern parts were refurbished and the two spires beside the choir were added. The cathedral is one of the largest Romanesque churches in Germany.

In the following centuries the church underwent more changes, like the refurbishing of the interior with baroque stucco, altars etc. around 1700, the addition of a historistic façade and portal on the western front in the late 19th century. The air raid of March 1945 set the cathedral on fire. In 1946 the ruin partly collapsed. The rebuilding after the war was only finished in the 1960s.

The Dom is undergoing restoration works in the immediate future. It will be closed because of these works from July 25, 2011 onwards and only be reopened in Advent 2012. Masses take place in the neighbouring Neumünster in the meantime.
That's why I am not writing about the interior now!

4 more images

There are two ways to climb Marienberg on foot. The straight short way up the northeastern slope (in the plan: the red line) is faster, but steeper and has less views. The longer trail through the vineyards (in the plan: the yellow line) is herewith recommended. It leads up in a zigzag through the vineyards of Schlossberg and around the fortress to a gate in the back. This trail offers much better views and gives an idea of the dimensions of the 17th century fortress.

The trail through the vineyards begins behind the church of St Burkhard – the yellow church on the western river bank next to the youth hostel. Walk past the northern side of the church (where the church’s entrance is), over the little courtyard and up the stairs in the back

The first part of the trail is the steepest. It begins with some ascents and stairs to reach the path halfway up the slope, then it zigzags through the vineyards. The view of the valley and the old town opens more and more, the higher you get. The path has gravel only in the beginning, the rest is well paved. To anyone who walks at least moderately well this is an easy hike, all it takes are comfortable shoes. Total walking time is about 40 minutes, plus time to enjoy the view and take photos.

Two gates lead through the long wall that descends from the corner of the castle. Afterwards you reach the southern slope of Marienberg. Two modern statues before and after the gates show St Kilian, the missionary of Franconia, and Alberich Degen, abbot of Ebrach, who planted the first Silvaner vines in Würzburger Stein in the 17th century and thus introduced what became Franconia’s most typical variety of wine.

Behind the gate you have the best view of Käppele and the Way of the Cross (see separate tip) on the opposite hillside.

The walk continues along the southern flank of the fortress. The trail rises sslowly and leads through another wall and gate with the Maschiculi tower and further up. On the southwestern corner of the fortress it finally reaches the foot of the ramparts. A small gate, protected by bulwarks, leads into the outer bailey, now a parking lot (footnote: there are toilets in the wall on the left). It is still a long way through several more gates, beileys and courtyards until you finally reach the castle.

More photos in this travelogue

4 more images

The dome and the baroque façade face the main shopping street and are hard to overlook. There is little understanding for baroque architecture in our functionalist modern taste, I’m afraid. Give the church a chance, though.

The name is betraying, this church was new some time in the middle ages. Behind the baroque dome there is a Romanesque church. Look at the facades from the back and you’ll think you are looking at a different church. The nave dates back to the 11th, the choir and steeple to the 13th century. The front part with the huge dome was added in 170 – 1716.

Neumünster, not the cathedral, holds the grave with the relics of the most important local saints: the martyrs Kilian and his companions Kolonat and Totnan, Irish missionaries who brought the Christian faith to Franconia in the 7th century (see separate tip). They were murdered in 689 exactly in this place. An inscription on the floor underneath the centre of the dome marks the spot. The tomb can be visited in the crypt underneath the baroque dome.

The church contains a number of remarkable art works, like Riemenschneider's busts of the three martyrs above the altar (now copies), some medieval sculptures, the baroque frescoes in the vaults and the dome.

4 more images

Juliusspital was founded by Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn, Prince Bishop of Würzburg 1573-1617, in 1576. The original renaissance buildings burned down in 1699 and were replaced by the present baroque complex. About the only remains of the first hospital are two reliefs which are on display on the walls of the passage through Fürstenbau. One shows the founder's coat of arms, the other is a lot more interesting: it illustrates the purposes of the foundation.

The hospital was to take care of sick and injured people of all social classes and wounded soldiers. At the same time it served as a home for poor old people in need and for foundlings and orphaned children. All these are depicted in the scenes on the relief.

The large figure on the right is the founder, bishop Julius, kneeling and praying for his foundation and the inmates.

4 more images

The hospital was founded by Prince Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn in 1576. The original renaissance buildings were destroyed by a fire in 1699 and had to be replaced. The new central wing, the so-called Fürstenbau, was designed by architect Antonio Petrini. The front wing along the street was added around 1790. It is the counterpart ion the bishop’s side to the much older Bürgerspital, a foundation by citizens of the town. The hospital took care of the sick and injured and also accommodated needy people and orphaned children.

Like all those early hospital foundations, Juliusspital was equipped with a property of real estate which was to provide sufficient financial resources to maintain the hospital. Among the land there were vineyards in the best locations all over Franconia. Some of the land was rented out but the vineyards stayed with the hospital’s own winery that still cultivates them to this very day. Juliusspital is currently ranked the best winery in town and rated (DLG ranking for 2010) among the 100 best wineries in the whole country.

Nowadays the central and western wings still serve as hospital, the western wing being a modern post-war building. The eastern side wing, however, contain the winery with tasting room and shop and a wine restaurant.

The backyard behind Fürstenbau is worth a look. It is a pretty garden with baroque sculptures. The statues on the fountain in the middle of the garden impersonate the rivers of Franconia. On the right there is a small yellow baroque pavilion, the Old Anatomy (around 1710), that served for university lectures.

A statue of the founder, Prince Bishop Julius, has been placed in the street crossing of Promenade and Schönbornstraße in front of the hospital in the mid 19th century.

4 more images

A walk around the castle on top of the ramparts should not be missed. You are on top of the second last belt of fortifications, still outside the moat. The castle is still a bit higher. But you are high enough for a wide view of the valley and the city.

The access from the second courtyard (where the horsepond is) is a bit hidden, it leads through the doorway at the end of the stable building on the right.

If Fürstengarten is open, the view from there is better because it is one step higher up, but it is limited to one side of the hill. On the ramparts you can walk around three sides of the castle and enjoy the view to different directions. The rampart trail is open any day and any season.