Bamberg Old Town (Altstadt)
Bamberg's Altstadt is one of the best-preserved medieval town centres in the German-speaking world, earning UNESCO World Heritage status in 1993. Wander cobbled lanes flanked by 2,400 listed buildings and you'll feel the Middle Ages pressing in from every direction.
The Heart of the Heritage Zone
Start at the Domplatz, the cathedral square that anchors the entire ensemble. The four-towered Bamberg Cathedral (Bamberger Dom) dates to 1237 and shelters the famous Bamberger Reiter, a life-size equestrian sandstone sculpture whose rider's identity has puzzled art historians for eight centuries.
Drop down the hill to the Alte Hofhaltung, the former imperial and episcopal residence whose Renaissance courtyard hosts an open-air theatre every summer. The carved timber galleries are among the most photogenic in Bavaria.
Crossing the Regnitz
Cross to the Inselstadt — the island district — and you'll find the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) perched improbably on an artificial island mid-river, connected to both banks by bridges. Its trompe-l'œil frescoes spill painted cherubs and stone balconies across the facade in a trick that still fools the eye.
The bridge views up and down the Regnitz are among the most photographed in Franconia; arrive at golden hour and the reflection of the town hall in the slow green water is genuinely breathtaking.
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