%crMainfranken Theater Würzburg and other W&#252;rzburg, Germany Things to Do Tips

Mainfranken Theater Würzburg

by Nemorino , 4 more photos

Like nearly everything else in Würzburg, the old City Theater was destroyed in a thirty-five minute bombing raid on March 16, 1945. After the war, performances were held in the ruins, and later in the gym of the teachers' college on Wittelsbacher Platz. The current theater building, on the site of the former railroad station, was opened in 1966.

In 2004 the they celebrated their two hundredth anniversary, since the original city theater was first opened on August 3, 1804.

The Würzburg City Theater seems to have been under-financed right from the start. Throughout the 19th century they kept changing directors and declaring near-bankruptcy every few years.

Neither the 20th nor the 21st century has been much better in this respect. Operations were suspended for financial reasons in 1923 and 1930, and there were reports of eminent closure in 2003 I think it was. Despite their chronic financial difficulties they still haven't been shut down, and in fact had a very successful 2004/2005 season.

This summer for the first time they are putting on a "Theater Summer" from July 27 to August 7, 2005 (which is why it says Theatersommer above the door in the photo), featuring successful operetta and musical productions from the past season.

For the 2005/2006 season they are planning new productions of Puccini's La Bohème, Offenbach's Orpheus in der Unterwelt and Gounod's Faust, among others.

Additional photos: Front entrance, inner courtyard, lower lobby, stage entrance with bicycles.

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Phone: 0931 - 39 08 124
Address: Mainfranken Theater Würzburg, Theaterstraße 21
Website: http://www.theaterwuerzburg.de/

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Things To Do: Falkenhaus

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Written by Nemorino

on Jul 31, 2005

Falkenhaus

This historical building on the Market Square (Markt) has been rebuilt complete with the elaborate decorations that it first received in the year 1751.

In this house there is a city library, with internet access, and also a tourist information office where among other things you can get a city map, or they can find you a hotel room. They also sell tickets to concerts, operas and other events, including all performances at the Mainfranken Theater Würzburg.

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Phone: 09 31 / 37 23 98
Address: Tourist Information, Falkenhaus am Markt
Website: http://www.wuerzburg.de/system/international/englisch/

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Things To Do: Residenz

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Written by Nemorino

on Jul 31, 2005

Residenz with Court Garden & statue

The Residence of the Würzburg Prince-Bishops was built from 1720-1744. It is now on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list.

Guided tours in English are conducted daily at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Admission is EUR 4.50 regular or EUR 3.50 reduced. No photography is allowed inside the residence.

In the foreground of the photo there is a statue which I would be glad to explain to you if I could figure it out. To me it looks like a satyr fighting with a cherub, in fact the cherub seems dangerously close to gouging the satyr's eye out. Or maybe they are just playing, I don't know.

Perhaps it is a scene from Greek or Roman mythology that any educated person would have recognized two or three generations ago. As my high school Latin teacher used to say, with an endearing sneer: "That was a classical reference. You wouldn't get it."

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Phone: 09 31 - 35 51 70
Website: http://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/palace/objects/wu_res.htm

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Things To Do: Hofkirche

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Written by Nemorino

on Jul 31, 2005

Hofkirche

This Court Church is in the south wing of the Residenz. It seats up to 200 people, and you can rent it for 200 euros plus expenses if you want to hold a concert here, for instance.

You can also get married here for 50 euros plus expenses.

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Phone: 09 31 - 35 51 70
Website: http://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/rooms/objects/wu_r_kir.htm

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Things To Do: Alte Mainbrücke

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Updated by Nemorino

on Oct 16, 2005

Würzburg and the Old Bridge from

Marienberg

by Nemorino , 1 more photos

This Old Bridge over the Main River was built from 1473-1543 (a mere seventy years), to replace an earlier bridge which had been destroyed.

Second photo: A wider view of Würzburg with the Old Bridge in the middle. This one is also the lead photo on my Germany page.

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Things To Do: People on the Old Bridge

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Written by Nemorino

on Jul 31, 2005

People on the Old Bridge

The Old Bridge is now closed to automobile traffic, so it's pleasant for pedestrians and cyclists. There are nice cafés at both ends of the bridge.

In the photo we are facing east, looking towards the city center and St. Kilian's Cathedral.

At the west end of the bridge there is a big signboard with a map showing two different ways to walk up to the Marienberg Fortress.

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Things To Do: Statue on the Old Bridge

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Written by Nemorino

on Jul 31, 2005

Saint John of Nepomuk

Around 1730 a number of statues of saints were put up on the Old Bridge.

This particular one is Saint John of Nepomuk, who was murdered on March 20, 1393 by being thrown into the Moldau River (some say he was burned and tied to a wheel first) on orders of King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia.

The traditional explanation for this murder was that John of Nepomuk was a priest who was the Queen's confessor. The King wanted to know what sins his wife had confessed, and John refused to tell him.

This doesn't seem to be true, though, and the real reason seems to have been a dispute about who should become the abbot of the Benedictine monastery at Kladrau. This was part of a broader conflict between Church and State that was raging in Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic) in the late fourteenth century.

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Website: http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/encyc/encyc06/htm/iii.lvii.lxxvii.htm

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Things To Do: Looking up at Marienberg Fortress

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Written by Nemorino

on Jul 31, 2005

Looking up at Marienberg Fortress

High above Würzburg on the west side of the river is the Festung Marienberg, a fortress that was built starting around the year 1200 on the site of a much older fortified retreat of the "Hallstatt" period (about 1000 b.C.).

There are two well-marked paths leading up to the fortress, both of which begin at the west end of the Alte Mainbrücke (Old Bridge). The more direct route is by way of the Tellsteige, which leads uphill through a series of well-manicured parks and takes about 20 minutes. The longer route is through the vineyards on the slope below the castle and above the river. This route takes about 40 minutes and offers some great views from various levels, but there is no shade so don't do it on an extremely hot summer day.

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Website: http://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/palace/objects/wu_fest.htm

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Things To Do: Views from the Fortress

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Updated by Nemorino

on Oct 16, 2005

View from the Fortress

by Nemorino , 2 more photos

As you walk around the Marienberg Fortress you can get lots of good views in different directions out over the Main Valley and the city of Würzburg.

This particular view is from the garden of a self-service restaurant just inside the outer wall of the fortress.

Second photo: Ships on the Main River at Würzburg, as seen from Marienberg Fortress.
Third photo: Würzburg and the Main River from the Fortress.

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Website: http://www.mainfraenkisches-museum.de/englisch/info1.htm

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Things To Do: Residenz as seen from Marienberg Fortress

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Written by Nemorino

on Jul 31, 2005

Residenz as seen from Marienberg

Fortress