Europe-Church in Bavaria
 

Vierzehnheiligen Ricoco pilgrimage church, Kronach, Bavaria - Germany
My sister and I intend travelling to Germany next year and have listed the above church as one of our 'must see' tourist attractions. (We have travelled to Germany many times hence looking for unusual sites to visit).
We have checked the train lines and for convenience feel Coburg would be the place for an overnight stay. My question: has anyone visited this church by public transport, and if so, any help/hints to reach our end destination would be appreciated. There is a 5 mile/km distance between the church and nearest station - a bus, or taxi, I guess would be the answer. (This church had better be worth the time researching both before and after our visit!!!) - Thanks ..

Never been, but Googled it. Frankly, I think I prefer the lighter, airier Rococo of southern Bavaria.

It's actually just outside Bad Staffelstein, and Bamberg is much closer than Coburg: only 12 minutes with some trains.

I have no help to offer but I'm just curious how you decided on this building? Or any of the others.

My dh and I love Germany too, and have picked some fairly obscure sites to visit, like the Franz Marc Museum in Kochel am see.

My sister and I borrow many large coloured picture books on Germany from our various branch libraries here in Victoria-Australia and we often discover out of the way monasteries, abbeys, churches and other snippets of information not available in the regular travel books. This particular church sight has only appeared in one book, and we immediately Googled for further information declaring we would include this Ricoco church on our next visit - at that stage we hadn't realized it was quite so isolated although we have visited a few other churches in isolated spots in Germany. (Our librarian calls them folio books).

It is. That church is worth the effort. It's the most wonderful rococo church I've ever seen. Ever heard of the architect Balthasar Neumann?

When you're there, baroque Kloster Banz on the other side of the valley, about a generation older, is worth a closer look, too, as a contrast in style.

There are buses from Lichtenfels and Bad Staffelstein afaik (we went by car).

I am your man! I visited Vierzehnheiligen on September 2nd 2006, and did so by public transport. I stayed at Lichtenfels at the City-Hotel Garni which is adjacent to the railway station, and which was more than adequate. I paid €42 per night for a single room with breakfast. The public transport to Vierzehnheiligen is very infrequent, but I caught the bus from the stop outside the hotel (Line 6) at 9.15AM. It was the ONLY bus for the day, and I'm not surprised as I was the only passenger, and paid about €1 for the ride which lasted 15 minutes and was mainly uphill. It would be worth checking the cost of a taxi given that there are two of you, and your hotel can surely do that for you.
I'm not normally a fan of Baroque/Rococo architecture, but this might be the best church I've ever visited. From the outside it looks like a Jesuit church, and you expect the interior to be the usual nave and two aisles with a transept. However, the vaulting is made by means of seven interlocking oval domes, and is a sensational architectural feat. Balthasar Neumann is revered as Germany's architect of note, and, on the evidence of this church, plus the Residence at Wurzburg, and the altar in the Dom at Worms, it's not hard to understand why that is the case. The construction is revealed inside as Baroque in its sweeping curves, and in its largely pale pink and light grey tonings. The central altar is a bit too Rococo for my taste but is brilliantly realised. Allegedly the taking of photos is not allowed inside, but that edict was being disregarded by every visitor! I walked back to Lichtenfels after my visit, and, if I can walk back, anyone can!
Kloster Banz is now privately owned and can be a bit hard, though not impossible, to visit.
At nearby Bad Staffelstein is the spa complex called Obermain-Therme. I have visited more than twenty such spas in Germany, and this might be the best. Take your swimming gear and towel, and experience a great way to relax.

It really is a spectacular Baroque church. It is quite well known among German tourists. We visited it years ago (by car) when our younger son was almost two, and he wandered around pointing out the "babies" (cherubs)

As noted by Zerlina it is close to Bamberg which is a beautiful city worth a stay if you have never been there.

Many thanks for your replies. They are all much appreciated and will be acted upon. Yes, we have heard of the German architect B. Neumann, and have visited Wurtzberg and his Weiss church some years ago.
I was much appreciative of your details as per public transport to visit this church, and now feel an overnight visit at the same hotel would be the way to go.
My sister was most impressed with my discovering such detailed information in such a short time, as she had often referred my daily hobby of reading Fodors column as a time-waster.
Will also visit the spa town you suggested whilst so near - plus swimming gear. Again thanks to all repliers .....

Our friend Google led me to this page: http://www.lichtenfels-city.de/index.php?id=0,211. Ignore all the German on it, click on "Downloads - Busfahrplan Linie 6" and you get the bus timetable for the bus #6 from Lichtenfels.
And there is another bus route, named "Mobi 2" (whatever that's supposed to mean), timetable here: http://www.landkreis-lichtenfels.de/.../33/Mobi_2.pdf
Connections aren't too good, but it's doable.

Thanks for the time-table, Quokka. Your research is spot-on, and invaluable. Again thanks for all for help which is much appreciated.