The Würzburg Residence is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, while the Old Main Bridge offers views of Marienberg Fortress, the Käppele chapel and the vineyards. There are also paths with their own distinct character: a Stations of the Cross path to the Käppele and a hiking trail from St. Burkard to the fortress. This lets you explore cultural history, wine country and outdoor activities as different focuses of your stay.

Baroque architecture and Franconian art

The Würzburg Residence was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981 as the third building in Germany to receive this distinction; its UNESCO World Heritage status is permanent. It is the principal work of South German Baroque and one of Europe’s most significant palaces. The Residence’s court garden incorporates the Baroque bastions into its design and is adorned with numerous garden sculptures. The palace and garden thus offer different perspectives on the Baroque complex.

Marienberg Fortress also shapes Würzburg’s cultural identity: it is a landmark visible from afar and a testament to more than 1,000 years of history. The Museum für Franken is housed in the fortress’s Baroque arsenal. Its collection includes works of Franconian art, among them sculptures by Tilman Riemenschneider. The Residence and the fortress thus represent different themes: the architecture of the South German Baroque, and the history and art of Franconia.

The Main Bridge and Würzburg wine

The Old Main Bridge offers views of Marienberg Fortress, the Käppele chapel and Würzburg’s vineyards. The bridge also has its own wine tradition: the local Brückenschoppen is enjoyed there. Its design includes distinctive Baroque statues of saints, 4.5 metres tall, which were added around 1730. The view from the bridge brings together several of Würzburg’s signature sights, while the Brückenschoppen reflects wine’s place in local tradition.

North of Würzburg’s Old Town, the world-famous Würzburger Stein vineyard stretches along the Main in a shell-like shape. It covers 85 hectares and is Germany’s largest contiguous single vineyard site. Wines made from Silvaner, Riesling and Pinot Blanc grapes come from the Würzburger Stein. On guided Steinwein hikes, knowledgeable guides lead visitors along well-maintained vineyard paths and explain wine growing, the winemaker’s craft and the wines of the Würzburger Steinberg. The tour focuses on viticulture and the winemaker’s craft; the view from the Main Bridge offers a different perspective on the wine country.

Paths to the Käppele and the fortress

The Käppele can be reached on foot via a picturesque Stations of the Cross path. Along the way are 14 chapels with life-size groups of figures by Peter Wagner. The pilgrimage church also has ties to an earlier site: from 1747 to 1750, it was built according to plans by Balthasar Neumann alongside an existing chapel of grace. The Stations of the Cross path, chapels and groups of figures give this route its own religious and artistic character.

Another appealing hiking trail leads from St. Burkard to Marienberg Fortress. The differences between the routes are clear: the path to the Käppele is defined by its chapels and groups of figures, while the route from St. Burkard leads to the fortress. For those who want to make wine the main theme, the guided Steinwein hike offers another way to discover Würzburg’s vineyard. This allows you to focus on architecture, sacred art, fortress history or viticulture according to your interests.

Discover more travel destinations: Kist, Röttingen, Tauberrettersheim, Hausen Bei Würzburg, Randersacker, Aub, Thüngersheim, Gerbrunn.

For the overarching travel overview: Würzburg.