Würzburg, the northern terminus of the Romantic Road, is a surprisingly cosmopolitan Bavarian city filled with architectural and artistic treasures - and exquisite Franconian wine.

The city has welcomed visitors for 1,300 years. It all started in 686 when three Irish missionaries came to Würzburg and urged the local duke to convert to Christianity. When his wife caught wind that getting rid of her was part of the deal, she got rid of them first. A few decades later, horses pawing a stable floor uncovered the bodies, which were found in perfect condition. In light of this miracle, the three were canonized as saints, and the pilgrims started pouring in.

Along with intersecting trade routes, a favorable climate, fertile soil and a primary waterway, this influx of pilgrims helped accelerate the city's growth, power and wealth, much of it in the hands of the ruling prince-bishops. Symbols of this wealth - and the artistry it bought - are what still attract visitors: the massive, medieval Fortress Marienberg that towers over the city; the Residenz, arguably the most ornate Baroque palace in Germany; St. Kilian's Cathedral, with its Romanesque exterior and splendidly Rococo interior; and Neumünster Church, built where the missionaries were killed in 689 and the destination for thousands of pilgrims every July 7. The prince-bishops hired some of Europe's finest architects, sculptors and painters, and their legacy can be seen on nearly every block.

Würzburg (and its visitors) also benefits from its prime location on the Main. The promenade makes for delightful strolls, and riverfront cafes overflow in good weather. Sightseeing boats offer sightseeing excursions and trips to neighboring villages, and passenger ships plying the Rhine, Main and Danube make the city a prime stop. And there are few better views from a hotel room than of a river, a castle rising above it, and vineyards stretching beyond sight.

As the northern starting point of the Romantic Road, Würzburg is often overlooked by travelers who prefer the immediate gratification of nearby Rothenburg. Those who do make the trip are generally surprised by its warmth, charm and extensive variety of art, architecture and culture, due in great part to residents' high appreciation of the city's cultural heritage. By some estimates, more than 600 classical concerts are held annually. Major events range from the Mozart Festival to the Africa Festival - along with a long list of wine festivals. Clubs, bars and bistros abound.

Some of the world's finest wines attract residents and visitors to wine cellars, courtyard restaurants and outdoor cafes that stay lively well into the night. Likewise, a high concentration of students (nearly 50,000 in a city of barely 130,000) keeps an ancient town young and vital. On any given evening, the market square is filled with couples walking hand-in-hand, commuters heading home via streetcar, students having healthy debates in cafes, and spiked-hair kids showing off their most recent body piercings.

That the city is so alive and ripe with culture is especially noteworthy in that nearly 90 percent of the city was destroyed in 17 minutes during Allied saturation bombing just before the end of World War II. Thanks to extensive restoration, even the shortest walk reveals architectural masterpieces that span centuries. Many treasures were hidden outside the city during the war, however, and much of what visitors see inside the churches and palaces is original.

Würzburg lies in the heart of Franconian Wine Region, and wine and wine-making are central to life in Würzburg. Since nearly eighty percent of the wine is consumed within the region, most overseas visitors are surprised by the quality and variety of the wines. Most are Riesling, Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau and distinguished by the pear-shaped bottle, the Bocksbeutel (literally, goat's bladder!), which they can enjoy at wine festivals, during tours of wine callers, at wine tastings, in wine bars and from extensive wine lists at almost every restaurant. Indeed, the two largest charitable institutions - the Julius-Spital and the Bürgerspital - have built their endowments through wine production and sale for more than 400 years.

In autumn, the hills surrounding Würzburg and throughout Franconia are dotted with grape pickers, who fill baskets and dump them into waiting trailers. At the end of the day, tractors tow the trailers to wineries for processing - from family operations in the villages to more elaborate facilities in the cities. Even the massive Baroque Residenz, once home to the prince-bishops, still has its own winery, and it's somewhat incongruous to see farm tractors pull up to this ornate masterpiece to unload their loads of grapes.

 

This and the following pages of the article appeared in its original form in Gemuetlichkeit German Travel Newsletter. www.gemut.com