Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mirrorlike glass painted with figural, floral and animal motifs that make you feel as if
you're standing inside a Fabergé egg. Destroyed in WWII, this room took eight years to
recreate in the 1980s and contains 600 sq metres of gold leaf.
You're usually set free by the guide to explore the north-wing imperial apartments
alone. Less impressive than the other parts of the palace, highlights include the velveteen-
draped bed where Napoleon I slept in 1812 and a green lacquered room with an intricately
inlaid parquet floor.
The bare corridors between the various restored rooms are given interest by fascinating
exhibitions on the restoraion techniques used here in the postwar decades.
In the residence's south wing, the
Hofkirche
(Court Church) is another Neu- mann and
Tiepolo co-production. Its marble columns, gold leaf and profusion of angels match the
Residenz in splendour and proportions .
Behind the Residenz, the
Hofgarten
has whimsical sculptures of children, mostly by
court sculptor Peter Wagner. Concerts, festivals and special events take place here during
the warmer months. Enter through intricate wrought-iron gates into the French- and
English-style gardens, partly built on the old baroque bastions.
Next to the main entrance, the
Martin-von-Wagner Museum
(
Offline map
Google map
312 288; Residenzplatz 2; admission free; Antikensammlung
1.30-5pm Tue-Sat, Gemäldegalerie 10am-1.30pm Tue-Sat, Graphische Sammlung 4-6pm
Tue & Thu)
is home to three collections. The
Antikensammlung
(Antiquities Collection)
focuses on Greek, Roman and Egyptian ceramics, vases, figurines and marble sculptures
from 1500 BC to AD 300. The
Gemäldegalerie
(Art Gallery) has primarily German,
Dutch and Italian paintings from the 15th to the 19th centuries, including works by
Tiepolo. Finally, the
Graphische Sammlung
(Graphics Collection) consists of drawings,
copperplate etchings and woodcuts, including some by Albrecht Dürer.
Atmospherically housed in the cellar of the Residenz is a winery owned and run by the
Bavarian government,
Staatlicher Hofkeller Würzburg
(
Offline map
Google map
305 0931;
www.hofkeller.de
;
Residenzplatz 3; tours €7; tours 4.30pm & 5.30pm Fri,
hourly from 10am Sat & Sun)
, Germany's second largest. It produces some exceptional
wines; tours conclude with a tasting.
Festung Marienberg
Panoramic views over the city's red rooftops and vine-covered hills extend from Festung
Marienberg (Marienberg Fortress), which has presided over Würzburg since the city's
prince-bishops commenced its construction in 1201; they governed from here until 1719.
FORTRESS
