Sights in Bamberg
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Dom
Bamberg's princely and ecclesiastical roots are felt strongest around Domplatz on the southern bank of the Regnitz. The dominant structure is the soaring Dom, the result of a Romanesque-Gothic duel fought by church architects after the original edifice burnt down (twice) in the 12th century. Politics dictated the final floor plan, which was altered each winter during 20 years of building. The interior is renowned for its fine acoustics, and from May to October free 30-minute organ concerts take place at noon on Saturday.
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ETA-Hoffmann-Haus
The 18th-century writer and composer Ernst Theodor Amadeus (ETA) Hoffmann (1776-1822) is best known for using the fantastical and supernatural to probe the complexity of human experience. Hoffmann came to Bamberg in 1808 as the local theatre's music director, but lost his job after a disastrous first performance. He nevertheless stayed in town until 1813, working as a tutor and writer. His former home, ETA-Hoffmann-Haus, is now a small museum.
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Neue Residenz
Neue Residenz is a huge episcopal palace now housing a significant collection of baroque paintings. The 40-odd rooms vie with the artwork for your attention, especially the elaborately decorated Kaisersaal (Imperial Hall), where the ceiling is smothered in a complex allegorical fresco. The baroque Rosengarten (Rose Garden) behind the palace has fabulous views over Bamberg's red-tiled roofs.
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Schloss Concordia
After Böttinger's family of 14 outgrew the space three years later, he hired Johann Dietzenhofer to build the even grander Schloss Concordia, a moated palace a short walk south of Böttingerhaus. It's now the home of the Künstlerhaus Villa Concordia, a state-sponsored artists' residence, and is open during events and exhibits - the tourist office can let you know what's on when.
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Böttingerhaus
Two of Bamberg's most beautiful baroque mansions are on the left bank in the southern Altstadt. Both are the former homes of wealthy privy councillor Ignaz Böttinger. The former, the 1713 Böttingerhaus, is a heavily ornamented grand Italian palazzo shoehorned into narrow Judenstrasse. Its interior is closed to visitors, but it rewards a photo stop from outside.
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Alte Hofhaltung
The Renaissance-style 1570 Alte Hofhaltung is a former prince-bishops' palace, built on the site of an 11th-century fortress. Its prettiest section is the inner courtyard surrounded by half-timbered, balconied buildings, reached via the Schöne Pforte (Beautiful Gate; 1573). In summer, the Calderón Festival takes place in the courtyard.
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Sammlung Ludwig Bamberg
For closer views, turning at the end of the Geyerswörthsteg then right again onto Obere Brücke brings you face to façade with the imposing tower, a baroque addition by Balthasar Neumann. It provides access to the precious porcelain and faïences - mostly from Strassbourg and Meissen - housed in the Sammlung Ludwig Bamberg.
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Historisches Museum
Northwest of the Dom is the Alte Hofhaltung (old court hall), a former prince-bishops' palace that contains the Historisches Museum. The mixed bag of exhibits includes a model of the pilgrimage church Vierzehnheiligen and the Bamberger Götzen, ancient stone sculptures found in the region.
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St Stephanskirche
Much of Franconia is Protestant (whereas the rest of Bavaria is predominantly Catholic). Bamberg's main Protestant church, St Stephanskirche was consecrated in 1020 by Pope Benedikt VIII and turned baroque in the 17th century at the hands of Giovanni Bonalino and Antonio Petrini.
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Diözesan Museum
On the south side of the Dom, in a separate building off the cloisters, is the Diözesan Museum. Top ranking among its ecclesiastical treasures goes to Heinrich II's Blue Coat of Stars, kept not far from the pontifical knee-socks of Clemens II.
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Bayerische Staatsgalerie
Inside the Neue Residenz you'll find the Bayerische Staatsgalerie. Its strengths are in medieval, Renaissance and baroque paintings, with works by Anthony Van Dyck, Hans Baldung Grien and Cranach the Elder.
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Fränkisches Brauereimuseum
Fränkisches Brauereimuseum exhibits show plaster (ed) dummies of monks, who began brewing their Benediktiner Dunkel beer as early as 1122.
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