Bamberg, Germany
< Start at the beginning of this series: Grand European River Cruise
I’m assuming the logistics of a cruise like this can get pretty tricky at times. Sometimes we travel through the night to knock out any number of circumstances that may not constitute the beautiful cruise we all signed up for, like if there’s a long distance without much to see or if a number of time-consuming locks are up ahead.
Usually we end up docked in a new and exciting city to explore, or there’s a scenic journey that will take us to one. This morning however, we woke up in a shipyard or industrial area – which was different. The cloudy skies yielded some dramatic lighting on the waterway presenting a perfect reflection of these fantastic buildings. I don’t remember how or why we ended up here, but these are two of my favorite photos of the trip.
Excursions were planned for today and there were several locks to go through from one end of town to the other. Our ship dropped us at our excursion, went through the locks and then docked up river in Zeil am Main. After our excursion, our bus dropped us at its new location. It all went off without a hitch, as you might expect with a fleet of Viking busses at their disposal. Of course lunch was served a little later today (at 2pm). God forbid we’d miss a meal!
Today, we’re exploring Bamberg, Germany – a medieval city in northern Bavaria which was founded in 902. We spent nearly five hours on a walking tour of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, exploring the well-preserved buildings along the city’s winding streets, without one mention of Hitler and his dirty deeds. Although just forty miles north of Nuremberg, Bamberg escaped allied bombing during World War II, so it has retained much of its original infrastructure and charm.
Since we didn’t enter the city where a shot like this was even possible, I am sharing one By Tilman2007 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0. This gorgeous photo shows a spot where we spent considerable time during our tour. Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) occupies an island in the Regnitz River and is connected to the banks by two bridges – the Lower bridge (Untere Brücke) and Upper bridge (Obere Brücke). The two arched bridges in the photo are the Upper Bridge.
“According to legend the bishop of Bamberg did not grant the citizens any land for the construction of a town hall. This prompted the townsfolk to ram stakes into the river Regnitz to create an artificial island, on which they built the town hall they so badly wanted.
Here is a closer look at the beautiful frescoes that adorn the Town Hall – the backside in the photo above. These were taken on our way into town from the Lower Bridge.
The Old Town Hall’s frescoes never fail to impress as they lend the facades a three-dimensional quality achieved with trompe d’oeil architecture. A special detail is a continual source of mirth among tourists: the leg of a cherub protrudes out of the wall as a sculpture.” – READ MORE
See the cherub leg protruding out of the wall? These photos were taken later on our tour from the Upper Bridge, but show more detail of this absolutely fabulous building, including our pathway through it to the second arched bridge.
The statue in front of the glorious blue building below is Saint Cunigunde of Luxembourg – Empress of the Holy Roman Empire by marriage to Holy Roman Emperor Saint Henry II, and later Regent of the Holy Roman Empire. Legend has it that Cunigunde saved the city from being bombed by allied aircraft during WWII by “covering the city by a cloak of fog”. Although the Unter brücke was destroyed, as you know, it could have been a lot worse.
The second photo shows the “Little Venice” quarter, where facades of the buildings face the river. The first building near the boats is the Old Slaughterhouse, which may take away some of its appeal. The day we were there they were having a swimming competition. Some were wearing wet suits so the water must have been pretty cold.
Bamberg is known for its world-famous Rauchbier – smoke beer. It gets its smokey flavor by drying malted barley over an open flame. We were encouraged to give it a try during our free time at the end of our tour at the Schlenkerla Brewpub, but we didn’t imbibe – deciding instead to continue our tour of the town. The tavern first opened in 1405 and is currently owned and operated by the sixth generation of a local family. I just loved the exterior of their building (below).
Bamberg is sometimes called the Franconia Rome because – like Rome – Bamberg is built on seven hills and each hill is crowned with a church or a castle. Its many spires can be seen from miles away and are used as landmarks. The photos below show the fabulous Imperial Cathedral on Cathedral Hill, but we weren’t able to visit the Altenburg Castle which sits at its highest point.
St. Peter’s and St. George’s Imperial Cathedral was founded in 1002 by King (and later Emperor) Heinrich II (Henry II) and consecrated in 1012. After the first two cathedrals burned down, this cathedral was built in the 13th century. Two of its four towers are covered in scaffolding, as you’ll see in the first photo. We were not allowed inside because of Sunday services, but the outside was a sight to behold! The last two photos show another entrance at the back of the cathedral near the other two towers.
The cobblestone plaza is lined with historic buildings including a museum and the 17th-century Neue Residenz.
“Until 1802 the New Residence served as the seat of Bamberg’s prince bishops. The more than 40 magnificent rooms are adorned, among others, with stucco ceilings, furniture and rugs from the 17th and 18th centuries. The imperial hall, painted by Melchior Steidl, the elector’s rooms and the prince-bishops’ appartments are particularly worth seeing. The “Old German Gallery” and the “Baroque Gallery” contain significant works of art from the Bavarian State art collections.” – READ MORE
Just beyond the New Residence, the archway below leads to a 16th-century inner courtyard called Alte Hofhaltung (Old Court). With cobbled streets, half-timbered buildings and a museum, this complex is awesome and looks just like Germany to me!
We continue on to the inner court of the New Residence, where its Rose Garden offers a sea of fragrant roses – and also a fantastic view of Michaelsberg and the Old Town. The symmetry of the sections and the sculptures “create an impressive orchestration of baroque splendor”. This beautiful garden is framed by lime trees and also has an elegant garden pavilion with a café where you can relax and enjoy your surroundings, enjoy a beverage, and plan your next trip to Bamberg.
As we continue our walk, we are amazed by how neat and tidy this town is. The bicycle-lined streets, the cobblestones and potted plants, awesome signposts and the very old and sometimes colorful buildings are a photo-enthusiast’s dream. And we’ve made the loop back to the Town Hall again.
The photos below show an area called Schönleinsplatz. Johann Schönlein was a German naturalist and professor of medicine. His bust is installed in the lovely area near park benches and a fountain (below). Near the beautiful pale yellow Messerschmitt Hotel (below), we will rendezvous with our bus and be returned to our ship.
“The sculpture „Meeting“ by the Chinese artist Wang Shugang, depicts eight lifesize squatting men, positioned in a circle on Schönleinsplatz Square near a busy crossroads in the middle of the old town. The work of art is made of bronze, varnished in red and goes back to an exhibition in the year 2013, CIRCLES, when it was first shown in Bamberg. Thanks to private donations and private funding, it was possible to buy the sculpture and return it to Bamberg for good in 2016. It has grown into a very popular subject for photos as the artwork is open to walk through and sit besides the eight men, thus becoming part of the artists creation. – READ MORE
After a fabulous day in Bamberg, we shove off for our next port-of-call. With views like these, we’re okay with that.
Up next: Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Happy trails,
Barb
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