Miltenberg in Bavaria, a Charming Town along the German Half-Timbered House Route

About an hour of driving from Frankfurt am Main, Miltenberg in Bavaria is a delight to discover. The Miltenberg outdated city lies on the left bank of Key among the Spessart and Odenwald ranges. Its dominating physical appearance is these 50 %-timbered properties dating from the 15th to 18th centuries. Virtually at every single flip, you will see crazy half-timbered homes.

The old town of Miltenberg in Bavaria has a person main road, the Hauptstraße among the two town gates, the Mainzer Tor and the Würzburger Tor. Most points of interest are alongside the Hauptstraße close to Schwarzviertel (Black Quarter), Schnatterloch (Outdated Current market Sq.), and Engelplatz in the vicinity of the town hall. From possibly the outdated current market square or Engelplatz behind the metropolis corridor, you can walk up to Miltenberg Castle. It took me a entire day to discover the previous 50 %-timbered residences and charming squares, stroll up to the Miltenburg Castle and was so fascinated by its intimate ambiance, purely natural landscape, and culinary highlights.

Now stick to me to discover the aged town of Miltenberg in Bavaria:

• Wandering by means of Schwarzviertel (Black Quarter)
• Fascinating the half-timbered homes in Schnatterloch (Previous Marketplace Sq. and fountain)
• Discover the Engelplatz in close proximity to the City Corridor
• Climbing up the Miltenberg Castle
• Strolling along the River Promenade

Wandering as a result of Schwarzviertel (Black Quarter)

I commenced my going for walks tour around the Mainzer Tor and walked toward the Schwarzviertel (Black Quarter), an region at the intersection of Mainzer Road and the Hauptstraße. Schwarzviertel is the oldest element of Miltenberg that has numerous stunning 50 %-timbered properties together the slender Hauptstraße. Simply because the hill casts its shadow over the Schwarzviertel, the solar hardly reaches the floor in the wintertime months, that’s why, the identify Black Quarter (Schwarzviertel).

Amongst the half-timbered residences in the Black Quarter, the Alte Bannhaus built-in redbricks caught my eye. It utilized to be a custom developing, and afterwards from the 19th century to the commencing of the 20th century, it was a municipal prison. Next to it is the Brauhaus Faust brewery which makes Faust beer specialties. Its Eisbock has received the Planet Beer Cup 2 times. It is doable to acquire a tour inside the brewery all through the weekend.

At the end of Schwarzviertel is the St. Jakobus church, whose neoclassical towers from 1830 dominate the cityscape and can be viewed from the Miltenberg Castle hill.

Interesting the fifty percent-timbered homes in Schnatterloch (Aged Industry Square and fountain)

Even though the coronary heart of the city is the old current market square with the industry fountain, the emphasize of this area is the outstanding fifty percent-timbered residences with slanted flooring and tilting walls. 

Perhaps you have read of the well-known German Fifty percent-Timbered Home Route, a street that hyperlinks in excess of 100 medieval towns dotted with fifty percent-timbered residences. Despite the fact that they are all timber-frame constructions,

the architectural design, these types of as shapes or colours, differs amid the areas. For illustration, the half-timbered structures in Quedlinburg have vibrant partitions amongst exposed beams. But most of the fifty percent-timbered structures in Miltenberg have dim red or brown beams. 

Other attention-grabbing properties are the Schnatterloch tower, the Renaissance archway at the entrance to the castle, and the Renaissance fountain. All historic structures sort a magic ensemble, one particular of the most photographed views in Germany. 

The Museum Stadt Miltenberg (city museum, Hauptstraße 169 – 175) is another key 50 %-timbered property developing in the old marketplace sq.. Compared to all 50 %-timbered homes, the museum building is not so desirable, but it homes a rich selection with numerous treasures, particular exhibitions, and occasions consider area often.  

Explore the Engelplatz in close proximity to the City Hall

From the previous market place, alongside the Hauptstraße, extra 50 %-timbered residences line up coming to each and every other. The ground floors are shops, places to eat, bakeries and so on. On my way to the Engelplatz, I passed the Aged City Corridor constructed in crimson limestone regular of the region, which is now readily available for gatherings of all sorts. The markings on the outer facade nonetheless bear witness to before flood concentrations.

At the crossing of Hauptstraße and Riesengasse stands the Big Inn (Zum Riesen), which promises to be the oldest princely hostel (Fürstenherberge) in Germany and housed a lot of popular persons. The resort has a cafe serving Franconia food and beer from Brauhaus Faust in the Schwarzviertel. You can book this resort on the internet.

The Engelplatz got its name from the hotel “Zum Engel’, which is component of the town hall setting up. The Vacationer Info office environment is inside the town hall. I acquired a city map and queried a several concerns. The friendly staff from the vacationer place of work would respond to any queries about guided excursions, accommodation, events, and excursion tips with unique information. And tourist information and facts is also offered in English. There is also a community toilet within the making.

Opposite the city hall is the church Franziskaner Klosterkirche. The Franciscans, who had been in the city given that 1630, originally lived in the medical center. Since of the Thirty Years’ War, the church construction did not commence till 1660. And from 1667, the church was constructed in accordance to the options. The central portal donated by the Archbishop of Mainz, Johann Philipp von Schönborn, and the Baroque interior style and design of the church is significantly worthy of observing.

Climbing up the Miltenberg Castle

Powering the town hall at the corner of the Burgweg stands the Evangelical church designed in 1897, a monument truly worth looking at due to its architectural fashion and the selection of elements. The colourful home windows with depictions from the Bible are also well worth browsing.

The avenue Burweg is a tranquil and quick walkway subsequent to the outdated metropolis wall. On the way, I observed the Jewish Cemetery on the left aspect, which appears cluttered following to the wall. It took me only a couple minutes to achieve Miltenberg Castle.

The Miltenburg Castle was constructed all around 1150 by buy of the Hohenstaufen King Konrad III. The castle obtained its present-day visual appearance in the 16th century. In the 19th and 20th hundreds of years, the castle modified hands numerous times. It also partly got expanded and modernized the complex.

In 1979, the town of Miltenberg in Bavaria acquired the building. Right after substantial development do the job, the Mildenberg Castle is open to the general public once more. Previous icons (among the 17th to 19th hundreds of years from Russian and Greek) and up to date artwork have been offered in the Miltenberg Castle Museum.

For the reason that the castle was partially underneath renovation, I gave up the idea of checking out the inside of of the castle. Rather, I relished the attractive watch about the Most important valley and the town. It is the ideal put to seize the two towers of St. Jakobus church, the bridge, the Major River, and the previous city!

Strolling together the River Promenade

From the castle, I walked back again to the Schnatterloch and Schulstraße avenue to the promenade of the Primary River. The new path is an appealing path alongside the Most important. It is made up of two amounts, an higher paved terrace with a view of the Primary and decreased open space together the river linked by stairs and ramps.

The flood protection consists of a concrete wall up to 2.20 metres higher with sandstone cladding on both equally sides. This kind of measurement aims to management the flood that experienced ruined the aged city numerous times in heritage. At street level, on the other hand, the wall only has a greatest height of .9 metre. The homogeneous coloration impact of the Miltenberg sandstone underlines the twisted form of the flood security wall.

I walked alongside the river aimlessly right up until I saw the bizarre pink sandstone fountain Staffelbrunserbrunnen (The Stair Piddlers’ Fountain) with three peeing gentlemen. Immediately after my study, I figured out that the Staffelbrunserbrunnen depicts the actions when defecating during a flood.

Vacation tips for Miltenberg in Bavaria

Where by to continue to be

Some of the accommodations in Miltenberg in Bavaria have dining establishments and effortless areas, for illustration: 

• Schmuckkästchen: a lodge with a wine home and is at the Outdated Market Square (Schnatterloch)
• Giant Inn: the old resort I mentioned earlier mentioned and in the middle of the old town

How to get there

If you would like to go to nearby villages this kind of as Michelstadt (a compact city with several internet sites and fifty percent-timbered properties), I suggest renting a car or truck to make it possible for you a lot more flexibility and leisure. Coming from Frankfurt, the finest route is to acquire Freeway A3 in the way of Wurzburg/Aschaffenburg and then alter to B469 in the direction of Miltenberg at the exit of Aschaffenburg-Stockstadt. The driving time is about 1 hour. There are a lot of compensated parking sites alongside the Primary River.

The Miltenberg Practice Station is about 1 kilometre of strolling distance from the outdated city centre. If you just take the more quickly intercity trains IC (Inter Town) or ICE (Inter City Express), you have to have to alter trains in Aschaffenburg. You can also get the regional trains (RE, Regional Categorical) or RB (Regional trains). You should check connections on the DB Bahn. The ride is about a single and a fifty percent several hours.