Würzburg Residence

Huge palace with an amazing number of rooms to walk through. 10 Euro for adults. Very cool art and tapestries. Was all rebuilt after WW2 and it's amazing. The Hofgarten in back was beautiful even in January.

A day to step back in time We left hotel at 7:30am and took a long drive to Bavaria. Würzburg About 3pm, we arrived at Würzburg, a historic city in northwestern Bavaria, Germany. Despite being heavily bombed in World War II, Würzburg was meticulously rebuilt. It is known for its rich cultural heritage and scenic location along the Main River. It is a center for grape growing and rail traffic. We strolled past the famous Würzburg Residence, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its Baroque architecture and the Tiepolo frescoes. We viewed the Marienberg Fortress in the distance. We visited the beautiful St. Kilian Cathedral, and walked across the Old Main Bridge. One of the specialties in the area is Frankenwine. We had some nice pastries and cappuccino at the Köhlers Vollkornbäckerei just before the Old Main Bridge. Rothenburg At 5:30pm, we finally arrived at our destination of Rothenburg. Our coach driver had driven for nearly 10 hours today. We visited the beautiful Town Centre (buildings, fountain and square) before it got dark. We also managed to visit the famous Käthe Wohlfahrt - Weihnachtsdorf Christmas store before it closed at 6pm. For tonight, we stayed inside of the walled City at the historic Prinzhotel, built in the traditional half timbered style and located in the 15th century fortified town walls.

The Würzburg Residence is a UNESCO World Heritage Baroque palace in Würzburg, Germany. Renowned for its grand staircase, magnificent court chapel, and the world’s largest ceiling fresco by Tiepolo, it is considered one of Europe’s most impressive royal residences. The palace and its surrounding Court Gardens attract visitors with their rich history, stunning architecture, and artistic masterpieces.

The decorations were wonderful, and the optical illusions on the ceiling were so impressive that I could have mistaken them for real sculptors. I took a guided tour in English, and they explained every detail, which was very educational. Towards the end of the tour, there were photos of the building that were devastated during World War II, and I was impressed by how well it had been restored.

An absolute masterpiece — easily one of the most breathtaking palaces in all of Germany. The Würzburg Residence is the kind of place that stops you in your tracks the moment you walk in. Even if you’ve visited other European palaces, this one has a unique elegance — a perfect blend of Bavarian grandeur, Italian influence, and French sophistication. The scale, the symmetry, the attention to detail… everything feels world-class. The highlight is undeniably the grand staircase with Tiepolo’s famous ceiling fresco. It’s massive, vibrant, and so full of movement that you could stare at it for ages. The fact that it survived WWII feels almost miraculous. Every room that follows — from the mirrored hall to the intricate salons — feels like stepping deeper into a story where every wall, every frame, every piece of décor has something to say. The flow of the visit is smooth, the staff are friendly, and the signage makes it easy to understand the historical context without feeling overwhelmed. Photography restrictions apply in some areas, but honestly, that makes you focus on the craft and artistry even more. The gardens are another highlight. Perfectly manicured and incredibly serene, they create a stunning contrast with the palace’s ornate interior. If the weather is good, take your time — the angles for photos are endless. In spring and summer, it’s absolutely magical. Overall, the Würzburg Residence is a must-visit. It’s grand, inspiring, beautifully preserved, and one of the crown jewels of Franconian history. A true UNESCO treasure and an unforgettable experience.

Gorgeous rococo. Twice a day English tours but the tour is not really necessary. The small von Wagner museum is worth a quick stop (it's free) and the church is small but pretty. There is a tourist town bus that stops outside the Residence during summer months. There are no online tickets sales or time slots.

This is a unesco world heritage site. Very well maintained especially given that it was damaged during the second world war. The key highlights are the glass room, ceiling art and the gardens. The total visit time would be 2-3 hrs. Do spend time in the gardens. The rooms can feel repetitive after a while with the same greek themed tapestries

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.

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.