5 Not to Miss Attractions in Bamberg, Germany: A UNESCO World Heritage Site Since 1993

My 5 not to miss attractions in Bamberg, Germany are worth the 2 hour train ride from Frankfurt to visit. These 5 not to miss attractions in Bamberg, Germany won’t always be mentioned in guidebooks if this Bavarian city is left out of them. Here they are in no particular order, my 5 not to miss attractions in Bamberg, Germany. For US servicemen, it’s a place that’s been voted as their favorite base several years running, according to my guided tour, and after a visit here, you’ll see why.

I attended the German National Tourist Office’s “The Making of Christmas” press trip, in which I got to experience the following things discussed in the article. I freely wrote my impressions without any editorial scrutiny from the press trip sponsor.

5 Not to Miss Attractions in Bamberg, Germany: Some City Background

The city has been described as “Franconian Rome” (because of its seven hills like Rome has), yet has another Italian namesake within its old town called “Little Venice”, which you’ll read more about. Bamberg, Germany and has been in some form of existence for the last 14 centuries, according to Bamberg for Newcomers and old Friends. The population is a little over 70,000, and was once the center of the Holy Roman Empire, according to Wikipedia. The River Regnitz runs through Bamberg, Germany, where witch trials were showcased beginning in 1628, as hundreds of men, women and children met their final earthly fate there. Aircraft designer Willy Messerschmitt lived in this Bavarian city as well as Pope Clement II of the 11^th Century, whose papacy only lasted 9 months before his untimely death. .In 1993, the city got the coveted designation as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

5 Not to Miss Attractions in Bamberg, Germany Selection Number 1: Little Venice

My day with the world while on the road always starts with a jog. Jogging around the neighborhood of my hotel through a misty fog, I first took notice of the city’s other Italian namesake “Little Venice“, where multi-colored 14^th through 18^th century houses still inconspicuously stand on tree poles. These dominated the canal front and their enchanted quality made me forget the autumn chill. I shared the streets and sidewalks with others hurriedly passing me by on bicycles (more ominous to runners here than cars) while others took a stroll with their unleashed dogs or carriage babies. The untethered dogs, unlike in my hometown in Wyoming, actually left me alone.

Located along the riverbank in the middle of town featuring walking paths

5 Not to Miss Attractions in Bamberg, Germany Selection Number 2: Bamberger Markt

A fruit and vegetable market was well underway in the city center’s Bamberger Markt when I arrived. Schoolchildren were on hand with pencil and paper rambunctiously doing an exercise identifying the nutritious items. I took notice of one kid who was wearing a traditional Bavarian hat called a trenker. Throughout the year, various other wares are sold depending on the season or occasion, especially during Christmas and Lent. It’s a great place to people watch.

Located in the middle of the old town

5 Not to Miss Attractions in Bamberg, Germany Selection Number 3: Altes Rathaus

I then headed across the River Regnitz, where right smack in the middle is another one of Bamberg’s most notable sights, the Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall), which proves the notion that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. According to legend, in the late 14^th century, the residents couldn’t get the Bishop of Bamberg to give them any land for building a town hall, so they decided to build it on the river. The first structure lasted until it was blown up in 1444. The rebuilt building I saw has exteriors in Baroque/Rococo fashion that were put there from 1744-1756. You can go inside this 5 not to miss attractions in Bamberg, Germany and see the Ludwig Collection, containing faience earthenware and porcelain.

Located at Altes Rathaus,Obere Brucke 1, 96047 Bamberg, Germany. Sammlung Ludwig museum information here.

5 Not to Miss Attractions in Bamberg, Germany Selection Number 4: Bamberg Cathedral

It’s the first church that I ever heard of that may have been built partly by the devil, according to legend. The legend being where a young builder sold his soul to ol’ Mr. Scratch himself in order to outdo his older superior in the race to completion only to find that upon finishing the 13^th century church, the young master was rewarded with Satan tossing him off one of the spires, as I understood my guide.

As I headed up to the fog-attracting Bamberg Cathedral, I couldn’t help notice the little mom and pop shops along the way which were selling Christmas items and antiques, which really appeal to me, especially when they are trains, miniature soldiers and old paper money beckoning from the window, so the stroll up one of the city’s seven hills to this cathedral alone assists its 5 not to miss attractions in Bamberg, Germany personal designation. The church contains the much heralded Der Bamberger Rider (Bamberg Horseman), which dates to around 1230. For centuries, it wasn’t known who the rider was. Now, it’s been pretty much narrowed down to St. Stephan, King of Hungary, though who created this work of art is still mysterious.

Located at Domplatz, 96049 Bamberg, Germany (You can’t miss the four spires protruding in the sky)

5 Not to Miss Attractions in Bamberg, Germany Selection Number 5: Stay at the Hotel Residenzscholoss

It is at this Bamberg, Germany hotel locale that once housed Europe’s first modern hospital, built in 1789 through the efforts of the benevolent Prince Franz Ludwig von Erthal. He really cared about his subjects, so much so that he even provided health insurance for those employed in trades. Now, the building features work tables longer than hospital beds in guest rooms and nightwatchmen who often stand guard at the entrance and entertain guests with guided tours. The internet is free for guests, too, who get a passcode at the front desk. After running and cleaning up the next morning after waking up, I ate a wonderful German breakfast full of whole grain breads and cereals plus fruit: so much for hospital food! That feast would give me the energy for my strolling around this mystical city

Located along “Little Venice” at Untere Sandstrasse 32, 96049 Bamberg, Germany. Phone: +49-951-6091-0 Website here.

Refreshment Recommendation After Visiting My Five Not to Miss Attractions in Bamberg, Germany: Rauchbier

Bamberg, Germany is known as a brewery city with its 9 major breweries, and produces a smoked beer called Rauchbier, like the one made by the Schlenkerla Brewery and Malt House. Even though I’m not much of a drinker, I just had to try the local specialty after checking out the above 5 not to miss attractions in Bamberg, Germany at a local dining establishment-pub down the hill from the cathedral called Hofbrau Restaurant & Bar. I really liked the smoky taste that went down smoothly and wasn’t that bitter. It went well with some goose liver dumplings.

Located at Karolinenstrasse 7, 96049 Bamberg, Germany. Phone: +49 (0951) 5 33 21
Website here.

Bamberg Tourist Information here

Germany Tourist Information here

Sources:

Personal notes, Guided tour of Bamberg, Germany, October 29, 2009

Heinrichs-Verlag, Gmbh, Bamberg, Bamberg for Newcomers and old Friends (5^th Edition), 2006

Bamberg: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamberg, Wikipedia