Off the major tourist routes, Bamberg is one of Germany's most delightful and authentic towns. It has a bevy of beautifully preserved historic buildings, palaces and churches in its Unesco-recognised Altstadt, a lively student population and its own style of beer.
Bamberger DomCATHEDRAL
Beneath the quartet of spires, Bamberg’s cathedral is packed with artistic treasures, most famously the lifesize equestrian statue of the Bamberger Reiter (Bamberg Horseman), whose true identity remains a mystery. It overlooks the tomb of cathedral founders, Emperor Heinrich II and his wife Kunigunde, splendidly carved by Tilmann Riemenschneider. Themarble tomb of Clemens II in the west choir is the only papal burial site north of the Alps. Nearby, the Virgin Mary altar by Veit Stoss also warrants closer inspection.
Altes RathausHISTORIC BUILDING
Like a ship in dry dock, Bamberg's 1462 Old Town Hall was built on an artifical island in the Regnitz River, allegedly because the local bishop had refused to give the town's citizens any land for its construction. Inside is a collection of precious porcelain but even more enchanting are the richly detailed frescoes adorning its facades – note the cherub's leg cheekily sticking out from its east facade.
Neue ResidenzPALACE
This splendid episcopal palace gives you an eyeful of the lavish lifestyle of Bamberg’s prince-bishops who, between 1703 and 1802, occupied its 40-odd rooms that can only be seen on guided 45-minute tours (in German). Tickets are also good for the Bavarian State Gallery, with works by Lucas Cranach the Elder and other old masters. The baroque Rose Garden delivers fabulous views over Bamberg’s sea of red-tiled roofs.
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