Würzburg Residence

We spent some time in the gardens of the Residenz which you can do at no cost. The place is neatly maintained and you can get stunning views of the huge baroque palace. There's also parking on the other side of the building as well as a free public toilet nearby.

If you want to feel like you’re floating up into heaven on a swirl of marble and fresco, this staircase delivers. The Würzburg Residence is already a masterpiece, but the grand staircase hall is in a league of its own. The moment you enter, your eyes shoot upward — that ceiling! That fresco! It’s like walking into a Rococo opera set, but somehow real and all around you. The stairs curve like a royal ribbon, and everything — from the marble floors to the sculpted stucco figures to the wrought iron railings — feels like it was built to impress the gods. And it does.

The Würzburg Residence is an absolute marvel—both architecturally and atmospherically. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it stuns with its grandeur even before you step inside. The perfectly symmetrical façade, elegant domes, and sweeping gardens immediately signal that you’ve arrived somewhere truly special. Inside, the lavish interiors are almost overwhelming in their beauty. The Baroque and Rococo details, particularly in the chapel and ceremonial rooms, are full of intricate marble, gold leaf, and awe-inspiring ceiling frescoes. You could stand there for hours just admiring the craftsmanship. But what truly sets this place apart is the Residence Garden. It’s a quiet sanctuary right in the heart of the city. The sculpted hedges, fountains, and graceful statues are all arranged with such harmony that walking through the paths feels like stepping into a painting. Whether you’re sitting in the shade of an old tree or admiring the palace from behind a leafy arch, there’s a calming elegance to every corner. This is not just a site for history or art lovers—it’s a peaceful escape where you can slow down, breathe, and enjoy beauty at your own pace.

The Würzburg Residence was stunning! Amazing architecture, gorgeous frescoes, and peaceful gardens. Totally worth a visit—history and beauty in one spot. Highly recommended!

This is a beautiful place to visit. The opulence is almost overwhelming. It was a little warm inside but not unbearable. The gardens are INCREDIBLE. Highly recommend, very walkable.

From the inside to out in the Garden, this is well worth the money for the visit. They have a lift, so I was able to bring my 92yo father in to view this incredible display of art meets architecture. Absolutely amazing.

We spent a full day in Würzburg with the Residence Palace right at the top of our must-see list, and honestly, it was worth every minute. We arrived by car and were surprised to find parking right in front of the palace, which made starting our visit super easy. From the moment we walked through the gates, the scale and elegance of the building were incredible. Inside, the grand staircase with its enormous ceiling fresco by Tiepolo completely stole the show – you really have to pause there for a moment to take it all in. Every room we walked through was more impressive than the last, with the Imperial Hall and the Mirror Cabinet standing out as absolute highlights. After soaking up the beauty inside, we headed out to the Court Gardens, which were in full spring bloom. We took our time strolling through the colourful flower beds, neatly shaped hedges, and alongside the peaceful fountains – a perfect way to unwind after all the grandeur. The gardens are free to visit and open until dusk, so you can easily spend extra time there without feeling rushed. We’d definitely recommend visiting earlier in the day to avoid the bigger crowds, especially in the warmer months when it gets quite busy. The Residence is open daily with seasonal times, so it’s a great option whether you’re on a short stop or planning a full day. If you love history, architecture or gardens, this place won’t disappoint.

The residence in Würzburg is a scaled down version of Versailles, all the grandeur without having to fight off hordes of other tourists. Whilst walking around we were saying how thankful we were that the building survived the second world war. We turned the next corner to discover the next exhibition was how the last 60 years have been spent restoring it because it was extensively damaged in the war. The attention to detail during the restoration has been off the scale and for that reason alone it is a must see!

This is our 2d visit here after 4 yr absence. We toured different rooms several yrs ago but featured rooms are included. What was new from our first visit was showing reconstruction done over the years. Be sure to find them. I took several photos to give you an idea what to look for.

The UNESCO World Heritage Residenz is a stunning Rococo palace. All the more so because it was severely damaged during World War II and completely restored only in 1987. The Residenz was constructed inn1720-1744 for the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg. We visited on a guided tour from our river cruise. Visitors first see the grand staircase. Above it is an immense ceiling fresco by Tieoplo showing the four continents paying homage to the Prince Bishop. Each room after that is a Rococo treasure. Of particular note is the stunning Mirror Room as well as the Imperial Chamber and the Audience Chamber. A display on the restoration of the palace concludes the tour. Preservation began immediately after the war under the guidance of one of the American "Monuments Men." There is a gift shop and outside are the gardens. Individual visitors may tour at their own pace. Photography is permitted.

I'm 23, and I wasn't sure how I was going to enjoy the residence because I typically wouldn't travel to places like this in the states, BUT. It was SO BEAUTIFUL. It was nothing like anything I had ever seen before. I highly recommend purchasing the audio tour in your language because it tells more about the people and happenings of each room, rather than reading the display boards. The display boards disappointingly only explain the architecture and design of each room.

The Bishop's Palace makes for a nice visit. A couple of great halls with decorations and impressive frescoes. Spliced together with the story of how some rooms survived the allied WW2 bombing, how American officers worked with German locals to save the building, and the effort that has been put into restoring the place, this is a nice spot to visit if you ever make it to Würzburg.

The shell of the former residence of the Würzburg prince-bishops was built between 1720-1744 and fully equipped by 1780, and is one of the most important baroque palace complexes in Europe. The prince-bishops of Würzburg resided in the Festung Marienberg on a hill west of the Main River until the early 18th century. Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn (1719-24) moved the court to a palace erected in 1701-4, the predecessor of the Residenz. However, the rather small palace did not, in his opinion, measure up to his position as an absolute monarch - he was looking for something comparable to the Palace of Versailles or Schönbrunn Palace. Having won a fortune in a court case in the year of his accession, he used the funds to undertake a building project that would proclaim his political standing to all. You'll enjoy the tour when it's offered, or you can roam around the rooms on your own pace. Although there are more than 300 rooms in this palace, guided tour only takes you to about 40 rooms. They are simply magnificent with its splendid furnishings, which contain a rich wealth of furniture, knitted carpets, paintings and other art treasures from the 18th century. While you are enjoying your tour of this palace, don't miss the Hofkirche (Court Chapel) which is entered through a separate courtyard. Of course, added enjoyment is the South and East Court Gardens in season. Unfortunately, the Residenz and the Hofkirche are closed due to the current COVID infection control measures ordinance. In fact, all sights of the Bavarian Palace Administration are currently closed. The regulation currently applies until March 7, 2021. I'll be back.

The Residenz is Würzburg's biggest tourist draw. With a magnet strategically placed at the entrance, every tourist in Würzburg is pulled in. Everyone's head goes up to look at the ceilings and staircases suddenly become fascinating. Then after a good dose of history and culture, everyone piles into the gift shop.

Würzburg's Residenz is one of Europe's foremost baroque palaces and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Commissioned in 1720 by the prince-bishop Johann Phillip Frank Von Schörnborn, it was designed by Balthasar Neumann. The 360 rooms reflect both the high baroque and later, more restrained classical styles. (The former have gold leaf decoration, the latter silver-leaf.) Inevitably badly damaged in 1945, the main state apartments and rooms have been restored. You can visit the rooms on your own or as part of a guided tour. Top billing goes to the main staircase, surmounted by a Fresco by Tiepolo (allegedly the world's largest) depicting the four continents, but the formal salons and bedrooms are impressive too. Don't miss the Court Chapel, which is entered through a separate courtyard: this is a riot of Baroque decoration with marble columns, statuary, painted altar-pieces and acres of gold leaf competing for attention. After all the baroque excess, you might want to visit the Hofgarten to the rear, which has fountains, topiary, formal gardens and shady tree-lined walks to relax in.

Very disappointing compared to other palaces in Germany. Only a small number of rooms are available to tour plus a somewhat random small art collection. The grand staircase is exquisite, but the rest of the place has little to offer to make it stand out from similar palaces in Munich, Salzburg, etc. Staff was unusually brusque and there's no audio-tour (but, as every exhibit helpfully indicates, you can buy a paper guide with more information in various languages on top of your entry fee). Go check out the Marienburg Fortress instead or just enjoy the local wine.

Although I have seen pictures of the Residence's interior, the tour guide explicitly stated that there can be nophotos taken inside the Bishop's Residence which was a great disappointment. There are over 300 rooms in the Residence but the tour includes only ten. The chief architect was Balthasar Neumann who was commissioned in 1720 by the Prince-Bishop of Wurzburg Johann von Schonborn to build it. It has been a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE since 1981. The exterior is made of yellow sandstone in three neoclassical sections. The court gardens are a mixture of formal Baroque style and English garden. The gardens are beautiful, free to roam and labeling of plants is done in scientific nomenclature through part of the gardens. The front court yard is ;large and used for parking cars and buses. There is a Franconia Fountain in front of the Residence. The Grand Baroque Staircase is a highlight with the world's largest ceiling fresco painted by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo who also did paintings in the Chapel. The fresco features Apollo in the center with the four continents (Europe, America, Asia, Africa) depicted on the sides. The paintings were done in 1753 and it is interesting to note that America is depicted as inhabited by cannibals. Antonio Bossi stucco work in the White Hall has been painstakingly restored after the WW II bombing which destroyed much of the Residence, At the end of the tour right before the gift shop entrance there are pictures showing the destruction. The Imperial Hall is also on the tour and has fresco's by Tiepolo which depict the history of the diocese of Wurzburg. The Mirror Cabinets took years to restore due to the fact that the technique used to create the etchings in glass and other effects had to be rediscovered. It's a sight to see. Napoleon slept in the palace three times during the period between 1806-1813. He dubbed the Bishop's Residence as the "nicest parsonage in Europe".

Absolutely amazing, every time I go to Würzburg I have to visit this place. Last time I was so happy to take my wife here for her first time. It's to bad you're not allowed to take pictures in the main areas, but I understand. You can take pictures in the museum area, which has artifacts over thousands of years old. Plus the garden is perfect area to sit and have a picnic. If you're anywhere in Bavaria, you have to try to make it out to the Residenz.

I wrote a review earlier today about our fantastic experience here, but now I want to add a couple of pics. Plan at least 4 hours here. It really is worth 4 hours, it is a must see. We are here during the winter months, but I can imagine that the acres of gardens are absolutely beautiful in the spring and summer months.