Day 6 - Walking Tour of Wurzburg

We slept in until 11 am on Day 6 since we were up late partying at the amazing wedding the night before. It was my mom's last full day in Wurzburg and I wanted her to see as much as she could! We had been given a map at the hotel and in the map was a walking tour of Wurzburg that took us around all the main sites to see in Wurzburg. Look below for the map - I have drawn in the route we walked and also the purple circle indicates where our hotel was! We put Jasmine in the stroller and loaded up on supplies for the day (diapers, wipes, jackets, scarves, etc.) and took off with brightness in our steps. It was a beautiful day, I bet it was 70 degrees. Our main goal was to make it to the Residence by 3 PM for the English guided tour. They only do English tours twice a day, at 11 am and at 3 pm and since we got up at 11 am, we were determined to make the 3 pm tour. On our way to the Residence we saw:

1. The Town Hall - Originally the office of the bishops' administrator, Romanesque tower, and impressive hall 13th century.

2. Neumunster - Romanesque Basilica of the 11th century, which is built on the burial site of St. Kilian.

3. Dom St. Kilian - Cathedral, Significant work of German architecture of the 11th and 12th centuries, one of the largest Romanesque churches in Germany - lots of bishop's tombstones.

4. Franziskanerkirche - Founded in 1221 - another church

5. Alte Universitat - Extensive complex of the renaissance period, founded by Julius Echter, built in 1582.

We got the the Residence at 2:50 pm after leaving the hotel at 12:30 pm (and stopping for lunch of course - we were starving). We were so happy to go on the tour of what is called the star attraction of Wurzburg. The Residence was the Princebishops' palace and is considered one of Eurpoe's most outstanding palaces. It was built in 1720-1744. It has amazing stucco work and frescoes and an unbelievable room of mirrors. It was fun to walk around during the tour and also through the unguided parts of the tour and imagine living in the opulence that surrounded you. I think I may have gotten lost if I lived there. The artwork in the main fresco is super impressive and oozing with meaning for the times. We really enjoyed being there.

Afterwards, we had a dessert and a drink at a small cafe on the grounds of the Residence and then took a stroll through the beautiful gardens, fully in bloom.

We continued our walk and saw more interesting things such as:

1. The Theatre - the place where residents of Wurzburg go to be entertained by plays and musicals.


2. Stift Haug - The most significant work of the Italian architect Petrini, first large Baroque church in Franconia built in 1670-1691.


3. Railway Station - This was a detour not denoted on the map I provided but mom had to go purchase a train ticket for the next morning to the airport as no one was available to take her themselves.


4. Juliusspital - Founded in 1576 by Princebishop Julius Echter as a home for the poor and the invalids. Impressive Palace-like construction.
   
5. Falkenhaus - The most splendid of all Baroque mansions, formerly an inn.


6. Marienkapelle - Late Gothic chapel completed in 1480 and includes numerous tombs of Franconian knights and townsmen.
   
   

We ended our evening having dinner on the balcony of the Alte Mainmuller restaurant that we had eaten at a few nights before. It was a chilly night, but nice to sit outside and eat on the water, overlooking the lit bridge and the castle on the hill.
We arrived back at the hotel tired but proud of all we had seen and walked that day. There is no better way to see a place that to walk and take it all in!