Destination Würzburg

Würzburg is a picturesque city in the region of Lower Franconia (Franken) in Bavaria, Germany, that is situated on the river Main. Historically, it was a former Celtic territory that was settled by the Francs in the 6th and 7th century. The city boasts many historic buildings with stunning architecture such as the Würzburg Residence, the Marienberg Fortress, and the Cathedral of St. Kilian.

The Würzburg Residence is one of Europe’s most renowned baroque palaces and a registered UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. The palace was built by Balthasar Neumann and includes a much-acclaimed staircase with awe-inspiring frescos by the Venetian artist Tiepolo.

The Marienberg Fortress is the most dominating feature of the city, towering above it, surrounded by vineyards. It is situated on the site of a Bronze Age refuge castle, with the construction of the fortress beginning around 1200 AD. From 1253 to 1719 AD it served as the seat of the Prince Bishops and was
remodeled into a Renaissance castle by the Prince Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn in 1600. After the conquest by Gustav Adolf of Sweden in 1631, it was further expanded into a baroque fortress with
royal gardens.

^{Marienberg Fortress and Old Main Bridge by night. Photo: © Congress Tourismus Würzburg, A. Bestle}

The city and region are inextricably linked to wine and are home to a number of famous vineyards and wineries in Germany. For example, the historic wine cellar “Staatlicher Hofkeller” (at the Würzburg Residence) has been in existence for 875 years, dating back to the Bishop Embricho. The proceeds from the Juliusspital wine estate, which was founded in 1576 and currently is the second largest in Germany, have funded its social commitment to the city including a hospital that still operates today.

Local wine can be enjoyed in many of the wine taverns in the city and also on the Old Main Bridge “Alte Mainbrücke”, which offers views of the Marienberg Fortress, the pilgrimage church “Käppele”—also built by the renowned architect Balthasar Neumann—and the famous vineyards.

^{The vineyards around Würzburg invite you to take a stroll and enjoy the scenery. Photo: © Congress Tourismus Würzburg, A. Bestle}

A vibrant city

Today, Würzburg is home to several internationally recognized institutions in higher education and
research such as the Julius-Maximilians-Universität, the Technical University of Applied Sciences and the University of Music as well as several non-university research institutions.

With around 35,000 students and a total of 129,000 inhabitants Würzburg is demographically among the youngest cities in Germany and therefore the vibrant capital of the region of Lower Franconia.

Located close to the geographical center of Germany, the city offers excellent connections to all domestic and European economic regions via rail, motorway and the river Main. Frankfurt airport, which offers
numerous direct flights to many international destinations, can easily be reached by train or car within about an hour.