Situated amidst picturesque vineyards, Würzburg is a historic university city in Franconia. The majestic Würzburg Residence and the Marienburg Fortress stand prominently on either side of the Main River, captivating visitors with their grandeur. The Würzburg Residence, located on the right bank behind the old town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, distinguished as the lavish Baroque residence of the Prince-Bishops of Würzburg and boasts the largest fresco in the world.
Summary
On the left bank, the Marienburg Fortress served as the residence for the Prince-Bishops prior to the 18th century. This city is also home to numerous remarkable churches, chapels, and museums, many of which house works by Tilman Riemenschneider, a revered master of the Northern Renaissance. Riemenschneider created numerous religious statues and effigies in Würzburg, and notably, he was imprisoned in the fortress during the 16th-century German Peasants’ War.
Let us explore the top attractions in Würzburg:
1. Würzburg Residence
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Würzburg Residence, constructed for Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn, is an architectural marvel that must be experienced in person.
Built between 1720 and 1744, it is renowned as one of Europe’s premier Baroque palaces, regarded as the pinnacle of architect Balthasar Neumann’s accomplishments.
The residence endured damage during the Second World War, yet much of its exquisite architecture remains intact.
The grand staircase is truly stunning, featuring a self-supporting trough vault that ascends to 23 meters and adorned with a colossal fresco by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo.
This fresco, the largest in the world, represents the four continents: Europe, America, Asia, and Africa.
Prominent dignitaries were welcomed in the magnificent Imperial Hall, a breathtaking assembly of painting, stucco work, sculptures, and marble completed at an astounding expense in 1751.
2. Marienburg Fortress
Situated on the left bank of the Main, the Marienburg Fortress dominates a spur towering above the river, a site fortified since Celtic times.
The castle’s history traces back to the 1200s when defensive walls were erected around Würzburg’s first church, established during the 8th century.
Served as the seat of the Prince-Bishops for nearly five centuries until 1719, the Marienburg Fortress evolved from a defensive structure into a Renaissance, and subsequently, a Baroque palace after sustaining severe damage during the Thirty Years’ War.
The Fürstenbaumuseum showcases Würzburg’s extensive history over 1,200 years, incorporating period furnishings to convey the opulence experienced by the Prince-Bishops.
Among the intriguing aspects of the tour is the dungeon where Renaissance sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider was confined for siding with the peasants during the 16th-century German Peasants’ War.
3. Fürstengarten
In the 17th century, Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp von Schönborn established a charming formal garden atop the former gun platforms of the fortress ramparts.
The Fürstengarten, located on the eastern side of the complex, features a geometric layout with fountains, orderly flowerbeds, and pavilions.
This design is likely inspired by Italy’s Renaissance “giardini segreti” (Secret Gardens). The view of the Main and Würzburg from the balustrade is particularly breathtaking.
4. Alte Mainbrücke
Connecting Würzburg’s Altstadt with the historic fishermen’s quarter, the Alte Mainbrücke served as the city’s sole river crossing until 1886. Crossing the bridge offers splendid views towards St Kilian Cathedral and the Altstadt, as well as the Marienburg Fortress to the west.
Construction of the bridge commenced in 1476, replacing an earlier Romanesque structure that had been destroyed by flooding.
Up until the 1700s, the bridge was entirely fortified; however, around that time, Prince-Bishops Christoph Franz von Hutten and Friedrich Karl von Schönborn commissioned the sculpting of 12 statues of saints facing the roadway.
5. Museum für Franken
Housed within Marienburg’s outer fortifications, this museum is dedicated to the exquisite works of Franconian artists.
With 45 rooms, it displays archeological findings, paintings, sculptures, and applied arts from Würzburg and the Mainfranken region, spanning from the Palaeolithic to the 1800s.
Noteworthy pieces include Riemenschneider’s original statues of Adam and Eve from the Marienkapelle, a mourning Madonna dating back to 1505, intricately carved Romanesque capitals, a treasure from the late Bronze Age, and a rich collection of Baroque sculptures by notable artists such as Ferdinand Dietz and Johann Peter Wagner.
The arts and crafts section showcases exceptional glassware, silver and gold artifacts, antique clocks, and textiles dating back to the Middle Ages.
6. Würzburg Cathedral
Despite suffering considerable damage during the Second World War, Würzburg Cathedral still features a wealth of captivating art and architecture attributed to Tilman Riemenschneider and Balthasar Neumann.
The current form of the church began construction in the 11th century and, measuring over 100 meters, it is distinguished as the fourth-longest Romanesque church in Germany.
Throughout its history, Würzburg Cathedral served as the burial site for the Prince-Bishops, which explains Riemenschneider and Neumann’s involvement in its design.
Riemenschneider was responsible for the ornate tomb effigies of Rudolf von Scherenberg (1499) and Lorenz von Bibra (1519), as well as the Apostles’ Altar from 1502/06. The House of Schönborn’s Prince-Bishops were interred in a chapel designed by Neumann, which houses the tombs of four rulers.
7. Hofkirche
The chapel within the Residenz, which features both upper and lower levels with oval vaults and curved walls, is considered one of the apexes of Baroque ecclesiastical architecture.
Beautifully textured marble, elaborate giltwork, and stucco embellishments are present throughout.
The chapel’s six resplendent statues are sculpted from white marble sourced from Genoa, while the delicate marble-effect stuccowork on the high altar and ornate ceiling decorations are the work of Italian artist Antonio Giuseppe Bossi.
Gaze upwards towards the three grand frescoes in the domes, depicting the War in Heaven, the Coronation of the Virgin, and the martyrdom of the three Franconian apostles Kolonat, Totnat, and Kilian.
8. Marienkapelle
Located at Unterer Markt square, the Marienkapelle is officially designated as a chapel, although its impressive scale suggests otherwise.
The structure is characterized by a unified Late Gothic style and was constructed between 1377 and 1480, culminating in the completion of the tower.
Once again, Tilman Riemenschneider significantly contributed to the artistic value of this monument.
He meticulously crafted the statues of Adam and Eve on the south portal and the tomb of the Franconian nobleman Konrad von Schaumburg.
This tomb is one of the few epitaphs to have survived the Allied bombing in 1945, which devastated the church.
Balthasar Neumann is also interred within the church, and a bronze plaque commemorates his legacy in the absence of a traditional monument.
9. Kollegiatstift Neumünster
This church originally functioned as a Romanesque basilica starting in the 1000s, but most of the contemporary architecture stems from a comprehensive Baroque renovation in the 18th century.
Religious structures have existed on this site since the 8th century, beginning with Bishop Meningaud, who erected a memorial to house the tombs of St Kilian and his companions Kolonat and Totnan, missionaries who met their demise in 689. Their tombs, along with Bishop Meningaud’s, can be found in the crypt, with the latter bearing the oldest known Frankish inscription.
Notable artworks on display upstairs include a Gothic plague cross dating back to the 1300s and a Madonna sculpted by Riemenschneider in 1493.
10. Martin von Wagner Museum
Located in the south wing of the Residence Palace, this museum focuses on archaeology and art, drawing from a collection established in 1832. The museum is named after Johann Martin von Wagner, who donated his own art and ancient artifacts in 1858. The antiquities gallery features a significant collection of Ancient Greek vases, numbering around 5,000, and is among the largest in the nation.
Additionally, the museum houses Dutch, German, and Italian paintings from the early Renaissance to the 1900s by artists such as Hans Leonhard Schäufelein, Pieter Claesz, and Max Liebermann, while the sculpture galleries display further works by Tilman Riemenschneider.
The graphics collection is noteworthy for its woodcuts and copper engravings by Albrecht Dürer.
11. Schloss Veitshöchheim
Historically, the Prince-Bishops of Würzburg and later the Kings of Bavaria utilized Schloss Veitshöchheim as their summer residence, located just northwest of the city.
The palace is accessible for guided tours from April to October and is renowned for its stucco work by Antonio Bossi, sculptures by Johann Peter Wagner, and the lavish private apartments once occupied by the Duke of Tuscany.
However, the main attraction lies within the Rococo garden, complemented by an exhibition detailing the remarkable landscaping and artistry achieved.
The gardens, designed in the 18th century, feature over 300 sculptures, as well as artificial ruins, arbors, pavilions, and enchanting grottoes inspired by the Boboli Gardens in Florence.
The kitchen garden is itself a marvel, featuring historic vegetables, fruits, and herbs that have largely fallen into obscurity.
12. Rathaus Würzburg
One of the most distinctive features of Würzburg’s historical skyline is the Grafeneckart, a tower associated with the Medieval town hall.
The Rathaus consists of a composite of interconnected buildings constructed over various time periods.
The oldest section, the Romanesque Grafeneckart, dates back to the 1200s and was named after its initial owner, Graf (Count) Eckard de Foro.
Within this edifice resides the Wenzelsaal (Wenceslas Hall), recognized as the oldest secular room in the city.
A memorial room within the Grafeneckart pays tribute to the bombing on March 16, 1945, which claimed the lives of 5,000 individuals in one night.
13. Käppele
An additional example of Balthasar Neumann’s Baroque brilliance, this pilgrimage church is located south of the Marienburg fortress, atop the 366-meter Nikolausberg hill on the left bank of the Main.
The church, accessible via 352 steps, was constructed within just a few years, completing in 1750, and once again features works by court sculptor Johann Peter Wagner.
Wagner sculpted the life-sized figures representing the 14 stations of the cross, positioned at small chapels along the path leading to the main church.
This was a considerable undertaking, resulting in a total of 77 sculpted figures, an ensemble that took over 30 years to finalize.
Visitors should take the opportunity to appreciate the frescoes, Neoclassical high altar, and decorative stucco work within the church.
14. Museum am Dom
The Diocese’s art museum in Würzburg was inaugurated in a contemporary building in 2003, housing approximately 700 Christian-themed sculptures and paintings dating from the 900s to the present.
Modern and contemporary artists such as Joseph Beuys, Andy Warhol, Käthe Kollwitz, Ernst Barlach, and Otto Dix coexist within this space alongside Würzburg’s historical masters: Riemenschneider, Johann Peter Wagner, and the 18th-century Baroque painters Johannes Zick and Georg Anton Urlaub.
15. Röntgen Memorial Site
At the former physics institute of the University of Würzburg, two laboratories have been preserved, wherein Wilhelm Röntgen made his groundbreaking discovery which earned him a Nobel Prize in 1901. On the evening of November 8, 1895, Röntgen observed rays that penetrated solid objects, subsequently coinings the term “X-Rays.” The small museum provides insight into the advancements in particle physics at the close of the 19th century.
Visitors can witness a recreation of Röntgen’s experiment using the same apparatus he employed, while the adjacent room displays early applications of his discovery, including vintage X-Ray tubes and a Siemens & Halske X-Ray machine from 1912.
