57 Best Sights in Franconia and the German Danube, Germany

Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV commissioned the late-Gothic Frauenkirche in 1350, and it was built on the site of a synagogue that burned to the ground during the 1349 pogrom. The modern tabernacle, designed to look like a Torah scroll as a memorial to that despicable act, was built beneath the main altar in 1991. The church's main attraction is the Männleinlaufen, a clock dating from 1509, which is set into its facade. The clock is one of those colorful mechanical marvels at which Germans have long excelled; every day at noon, the seven electors of the Holy Roman Empire glide out of the clock to bow to Emperor Charles IV before sliding back undercover. It's worth scheduling your morning to catch the display.

The world's most comprehensive collection of European glass is housed in the historic Wilder Mann complex. The proud history of glassmaking in Central Europe—centered on Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic—is captured in more than 30,000 items, half of which are on display at any one time across the 35 rooms. Opened in 1985 by (rather randomly) Neil Armstrong, the museum is home to everything from beautiful baroque creations to eye-catching art deco pieces.

Nuremberg's central market square was once the city's Jewish Quarter. In 1349, Emperor Charles IV instigated a pogrom that left the Jewish Quarter in flames and more than 500 dead. He razed the ruins and resettled the remaining Jews so he could build this square. Towering over the northwestern corner, Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain) looks as though it should be on the summit of some lofty cathedral. Carved around the year 1400, the elegant 60-foot-high Gothic fountain is adorned with 40 figures arranged in tiers—prophets, saints, local noblemen, electors, Julius Caesar, and Alexander the Great. A golden ring set into the railing is said to bring good luck to those who touch it. A market still operates here on weekdays, with its colorful stands piled high with produce, fruit, bread, homemade cheeses and sausages, sweets, and anything else you might need for a snack or picnic. This square is also the site of the famous Christkindlesmarkt.

The municipal museum vividly relates the cultural history of Regensburg. It's one of the highlights of the city, both for its unusual and beautiful setting—a former Gothic monastery—and for its wide-ranging collections, from Roman artifacts to Renaissance tapestries and remains from Regensburg's 16th-century Jewish ghetto. The most significant exhibits are the paintings by Albrecht Altdorfer (1480–1538), a native of Regensburg and, along with Cranach, Grünewald, and Dürer, one of the leading painters of the German Renaissance. Altdorfer's work has the same sense of heightened reality found in that of his contemporaries, in which the lessons of Italian painting are used to produce an emotional rather than a rational effect; his drawings of Regensburg's old synagogue, exhibited here, are priceless documents.

This enormous abbey, which some call the \"holy mountain of Bavaria,\" sits majestically on the west bank of the Main river, 20 km (12½ miles) south of Coburg. There has been a monastery here since 1069, but the present buildings date from the end of the 17th century. The highlight of the complex is the elaborate, free-to-visit Klosterkirche (Abbey Church), the work of architect Leonard Dientzenhofer and his brother, the stuccoist Johann Dientzenhofer (1663–1726), though Balthasar Neumann later contributed a good deal of work. Concerts are occasionally held in the church, including some by members of the renowned Bamberger Symphoniker. Also here is the Museum Kloster Banz, with its permanent exhibitions on the history of the monastery. End your stay with refreshments in the Klosterschänke beer garden outside the gate.

Learn about the traditional Franconian art of brewing and cutting-edge craft techniques at this great little museum. The Maisel brewery opened on this exact spot in 1887 and is still run by the fourth generation of Maisel brothers, though the actual brewing is now done at the larger, neighboring site. Today, this brick building is given over to exhibitions on the history of brewing, including old tools and machinery, as well as windows into the working brewery next door. After learning the facts on a self-guided tour (bring your phone to download the guide app), head to the museum's pub-restaurant or beer garden to quaff a cool, freshly tapped Bavarian Weissbier (wheat beer), or opt for a \"Tasting-Board\" of some of their more experimental Maisel & Friends craft brews.

In 1745 Margravine Wilhelmine commissioned the Italian architects Giuseppe and Carlo Bibiena to build this rococo jewel, sumptuously decorated in gold and blue, with Apollo and the nine Muses cavorting across the baroque frescoed ceiling. It was this delicate 500-seat theater that originally drew Wagner to Bayreuth; he felt that it might prove a suitable setting for his own operas, before realizing the limitations of its size, so he built the Festspielhaus instead. Ultimately, it has become a wonderful setting for the concerts and operas of Bayreuth's \"other\" musical festivals, which the theater hosts throughout the year. English-language tours take place daily at 12:30 pm (German at 3 pm)

A statue of Prince Albert, Victoria's high-minded consort, is surrounded by gracious Renaissance and baroque buildings in Coburg's beautiful Marktplatz. The 16th century Stadthaus, former seat of the local dukes, is the most imposing structure here, with a forest of ornate gables and spires projecting from its well-proportioned facade. Opposite is the ornate, four-story Rathaus (Town Hall) which, in January 1931, held the dubious honor of being the first public building in Germany to fly the swastika flag. For a lighter perspective, look for the figure on top of the building's tympanum (the triangular section with the clock); this is the Bratwurstmännla, whose 31-centimeter-long (12-inches) staff is said to be the official length against which the town's famous bratwursts are measured. These tasty sausages, roasted on pinecone fires, are available on the market square.

Stroll aimlessly around Inselstadt, admiring its original half-timber houses, and you'll soon find yourself in the pedestrianized Maximilliansplatz: the city's largest and most important town square. Maxplatz, as it’s known by the locals, is home to several notable landmarks, including the baroque Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) and the Maximiliansbrunnen (Maximilian Fountain), dedicated to Bamberg’s patron saint Heinrich II. But the square is perhaps best known for its markets: the daily Grüner Markt, where you can shop for local produce, and the annual Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market). If you're in town for the latter, pick up a traditional Zwetschgenmännla, a human figure made from plums, dates and walnuts, which makes for a unique souvenir.

Step inside the beautiful Neue Residenz, through the stately baroque entrance revealing a magnificent staircase—a scintillating study in marble, fresco, and stucco—and you'll find this excellent cathedral museum. It's home to one of Bavaria's largest collections of religious treasures—the legacy of Passau's rich episcopal history—along with a baroque book collection, colorful frescoes, and antique furnishings.

This glittering baroque palace was once the home of the prince-electors after they moved here from the Alten Hofhaltung. In the 18th century Lothar Franz von Schönborn—called der Quadratischer (the Cube) by Bambergers as he was reportedly as wide as he was tall—planned to extend the immense palace even further. On the corner of Obere Karolinenstrasse, the timbered bonding was intentionally left unfinished so that another wing could be added. Financial difficulties and the eventual secularization of Bavarian religious building cut short these plans. The most memorable room in the palace is the Kaisersaal (Throne Room), complete with elaborate stucco work. The impressive over-dimensional ceiling frescoes of German Emperors give the impression of looking into heaven. The rose garden behind the Neue Residenz provides an aromatic and romantic spot for a stroll with a view of Bamberg's roofscape. You have to take a German-language tour to see the Residenz itself and this is the only way to see the actual apartments. You can visit the rose garden and the Staatsbibliothek (library) at any time during opening hours; there's a lovely café here too.

A refreshingly modern attraction in the heart of town, the Neues Museum is devoted to international design since the mid-20th century. The building itself is a work of art, with its mix of traditional pink-sandstone ashlars and flowing glass edifice achieving the perfect synthesis between old and new, while its interior is all cool stone floors and white walls, with a ramp that slowly spirals up through the gallery. Inside, extraordinary things await, including an extensive collection of Gerhardt Richter's eclectic works, along with thought-provoking temporary exhibits. English language information can be a little patchy, but the expressive paintings, sculptures, photography, and video installations usually speak for themselves.

Like many of the most impressive sights in Bayreuth, this glamorous 18th-century palace was built by the Margravine Wilhelmine, a woman of enormous energy and decided tastes. Her distinctive touch is evident throughout the palace, which was rebuilt when a mysterious fire conveniently destroyed parts of the original one. Anyone with a taste for the wilder flights of rococo decoration will love it. Some rooms have been given over to one of Europe's finest collections of faience pottery. Most of the state rooms can be visited freely, but you'll need to join the guided tour (German-language only) to see the Italian Palace.

Prior to 1519, this oversized square was once the heart of the Jewish ghetto. The Neupfarrkirche (New Parish Church) here, built as a pilgrimage church, was given to the Protestants, hence its bare-bones interior. In the late 1990s, excavation work on the square uncovered well-kept cellars and, to the west of the church, the old synagogue, including the foundations of its Romanesque predecessor. Archaeologists salvaged the few items they could from the old stones. Recovered items were carefully restored and are on exhibit in the Historisches Museum. Only one small underground area to the south of the church, the Document, accommodates viewing of the foundations. In a former cellar, surrounded by the original walls, visitors can watch a short video reconstructing life in the old Jewish ghetto. Over the old synagogue, the Israeli artist Dani Karavan designed a stylized plaza where people can sit and meet.

Bamberg's wealthy burghers built no fewer than 50 churches. The Church of Our Lady, known simply as the Obere Pfarre (Upper Parish), dates back to around 1325 and is unusual because the exterior is entirely Gothic, while the interior is heavily baroque. The grand choir, which lacks any windows, was added much later. An odd squarish box tops the church tower; this watchman's post was placed there to keep the tower smaller than the neighboring cathedral, thus avoiding a medieval scandal. Note the slanted floor, which allowed crowds of pilgrims to see the object of their veneration, a 14th-century Madonna. Don't miss the Ascension of Mary by Tintoretto at the rear of the church. Around Christmas, the Obere Pfarre is the site of the city's greatest Nativity scene. Avoid the church during services, unless you've come to worship.

Built in AD 179 under the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, this is one of only two preserved Roman gates north of the Alps (the other is the Porta Nigra in Trier). A rough-hewn limestone gate, it originally served as the northern wall of the Roman legionary camp Castra Regina. Today, the most visible remaining sections are the exposed archway and the neighboring tower on Unter den Schwibbögen street, but if you look through the grille on the gate's east side, you'll also see a section of the original Roman road, about 10 feet below today's street level.

Passau's looming 14th-century town hall sits like a vast Venetian merchant's house on a small square (called, logically, Rathausplatz) fronting the Danube. The building was once home to a wealthy German merchant, before being declared the seat of city government after a 1298 uprising. Today it holds two council chambers, home to wall paintings depicting scenes from local history and legend, though it's not currently possible to visit these interiors. Even if you don't see the Rathaus, you'll probably hear it, as the tower is home to Bavaria's largest glockenspiel, which plays daily at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm.

While excavating a 17th-century pilgrimage church, archaeologists uncovered a stout Roman fortress with five defence towers and walls more than 12 feet thick. The Roman citadel Boiotro was discovered on a hill known as the Mariahilfberg on the south bank of the river Inn, with its Roman well still plentiful and fresh. Pottery, lead figures, and other artifacts from the area are housed in this museum at the edge of the site.

Perched on a hill 5 km (3 miles) northwest of Coburg, this was, until 1231, the main castle of the Knights of Callenberg. In the 16th century it was taken over by the Dukes of Coburg and from 1842 it served as the summer residence of the hereditary Coburg prince and later Duke Ernst II. It holds a number of important collections, including the Herzoglicher Kunstbesitz (the Ducal Art Collection, complete with portraits of the Dukes of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and precious baroque, Empire, and Biedermeier furniture) and the Schützenmuseum (the museum of the German Rifle Association, featuring antiques from the history of shooting—but very little information in English). There are three ways to reach the castle from Coburg: by car (10 minutes), by bus (5 minutes to Beirsdorf, then a 25-minute walk), or by foot (55 minutes).

Prince Albert spent much of his childhood in this ducal palace in the heart of Coburg. Built in the mid-16th century, it has been greatly altered over the years, principally following a fire in the early 19th century. Duke Ernst I invited Karl Friedrich Schinkel from Berlin to redo the palace in the then-popular neo-Gothic style. Some of the original Renaissance features were kept. The rooms of the castle are quite special, especially those upstairs, where the ceilings are heavily decorated with stucco and the floors have wonderful patterns of various woods. The Hall of Giants is named for the larger-than-life caryatids that support the ceiling; the favorite sight downstairs is Queen Victoria's flush toilet, which was the first one installed in Germany. Here, too, the ceiling is worth noting for its playful, gentle stuccowork.

Formerly a Benedictine monastery, this is the ancestral home of the princely Thurn und Taxis family, which made its fortune after being granted the right to carry official and private mail throughout the empire ruled by Emperor Maximilian I (1493–1519) and by Philip I, King of Spain. Their horn still symbolizes the post office in several European countries.

A guided tour (English audio guide available) of the State Rooms includes the splendid ballroom and throne room, allowing you to witness the setting of courtly life in the 19th century, as well as visit to the fine Kreuzgang (cloister) of the former abbey. Without a tour, but for a small fee, you can visit the Princely Treasury, home to carefully selected items displaying fine craftsmanship—be it dueling pistols, a plain marshal's staff, a boudoir, or a snuffbox—and the Carriage Museum, home to the family's coaches, carriages, and related items. Also on the grounds is the Basilika St. Emmeram (the family church), with foundations dating to the 7th and 8th centuries and a richly decorated 18th-century baroque interior. The church also contains the graves of the 7th-century martyred Regensburg bishop Emmeram and the 10th-century saint Wolfgang.

Near the village of Rödental, 9 km (5½ miles) northeast of Coburg, the 550-year-old Schloss Rosenau sits in all its neo-Gothic glory in the midst of an English-style park. Prince Albert was born here in 1819, and one room is devoted entirely to Albert and his queen, Victoria. Much of the castle furniture was made especially for the Saxe-Coburg family by noted Viennese craftsmen. In the garden's Orangerie is the Museum für Modernes Glas (Museum of Modern Glass), which displays nearly 40 years' worth of glass sculptures (dating from 1950 to 1990) that provide an interesting juxtaposition with the venerable architecture of the castle itself. To get here, either drive 15 minutes from Coburg via Neustadter Str. or catch a 10-minute bus to Rödental then walk the last mile.

The family church of the Thurn und Taxis family stands across from their ancestral palace, the Schloss Emmeram. The foundations of the church date to the 7th and 8th centuries. A richly decorated baroque interior was added in 1730 by the Asam brothers. St. Emmeram contains the graves of the 7th-century martyred Regensburg bishop Emmeram and the 10th-century saint Wolfgang.

In a city with several striking churches, St. Lorenz is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all. Construction began around 1250 and was completed around 225 years later. Two towers flank the main entrance, which is covered with a forest of carvings. In the lofty interior, note the eye-catching works by sculptors Adam Kraft and Veit Stoss: in particular, seek out Kraft's great stone tabernacle, to the left of the high altar, and Stoss's Annunciation, suspended on a metal chain and facing the altar. There are many other carvings throughout the building, testimony to the artistic wealth of late-medieval Nuremberg.

East of Regensburg, this mammoth monument is a none-too-subtle expression of 19th-century pan-Germanic nationalism. In Norse mythology, Valhalla was where the god Odin received the souls of dead heroes, and when Ludwig I erected this neoclassical Parthenon-style temple in 1840, it was to honor German heroes from ages past (more recent additions include busts of Albert Einstein and Sophie Scholl). The expanses of costly marble are evidence of both the financial resources and the craftsmanship at Ludwig's command.

Walhalla may be kitschy, but the fantastic view it affords over the Danube and the countryside is worth the trip alone. You can either drive here (parking's €2.50 for two hours) or, every day between late April and early October, take a charming two-hour boat ride from the Steinerne Brücke in Regensburg. Opt for a round-trip on the Swarovski-decorated Crystal Queen and Crystal Princess ships (€19.50 return), and prepare for a climb up 358 marble steps from the river to the temple.