The pulsating heart
The Island District has always been the middle-class centre of Bamberg. This is still very much the case today with the pedestrian zone and its many shops. However, window shopping is not the only pastime the enchanting old half-timbered buildings have to offer. The restaurant trade is also well established here. The spectrum extends from trendy bars to "haute cuisine". The Island District is always full of life; it is home not only to most of the faculties of the Otto Friedrich University of Bamberg but also to many residents. Among the most striking sights are the "Old Town Hall" in the middle of the River Regnitz and the former Fishermen's settlement known as "Little Venice".
"Centurione I" by Igor Mitoraj
Bronze statue by Polish born sculptor Igor Mitoraj who works in Paris and Pietrasanta (Italy). The artist's heads, torsos and figures are reminiscent of the classical beauty of antiquity, but break away from it with intentional damage to each work of art. The sculpture was acquired by the ...
"Lady with fruit" by Fernando Botero
Bronze sculpture created by the Columbian artist Fernando Botero. In 1998, it was bought by the town of Bamberg and was the first statue on the sculpture trail.
E.T.A. Hoffmann's House (closed for renovation)
E.T.A. Hoffmann lived in the narrow house on Schillerplatz in 1809/1813. He occupied the second floor and loft with the poet's little room which is still furnished as it might have been in Hoffmann's day. The other rooms are filled with information and displays as well as installations on the ...
ETA Hoffmann Theatre
Many awards are proof enough: The ETA Hoffmann Theatre stands out. The repertoire is always varied and sometimes daring, featuring everything from classical to modern, from readings to musical theatre. In 1802, a Prussian envoy and theatre lover had the buildings on Schillerplatz converted into ...
Geyerswörth Palace
The former prince-bishop's city palace was built from 1585-1587. Please note: The "Geyerswörth Palace" has been closed since 2019 due to restoration work and will remain closed until further notice.
Grüner Markt (Green Market)
The pedestrian zone of Bamberg begins at the Green Market (Grüner Markt). With its many stalls selling fruit and vegetables from the region and afar from Monday to Saturday, the many shops and cafés, and the fountain called Gabelman (local lingo for Neptune, the “man with the fork”) it is ...
Lock no. 100
Last of the locks of the old Ludwig-Main-Danube-Canal, built between 1836 and 1845. It connected the Danube near Kehlheim with the River Main just outside of Bamberg. Over the course of these 172 km ships had to pass 100 locks, surpassing around 200 metres of elevation, and needed to be towed ...
Medieval Mikvah
A medieval Jewish mikvah from the 15th century is on display on the grounds of a new city quarter encompassing remnants of the former city walls and buildings from the 13th and 15th century. You can see seven steps leading down to the ritual bath, in the ground floor of a Baroque house, that ...
Memorial for Resistance and Civil Courage
Situated centrally in town between the E.T.A.-Hoffmann Square and the Gardens of Harmony This memorial commemorates three outstanding personalities of the German resistance movement and local personalities involved in resistance to the Nazi Regime: Willy Aron, Hans Wölfel and Claus Schenk Graf ...
Natural History Museum
The major highlight of Bamberg’s natural history museum are the nature cabinets dating back to the times of prince-bishop Franz Ludwig von Erthal in the Age of Enlightenment. Effectively this ornithological hall, with its classical furnishings and the outstanding collection of stuffed animals ...
Old Town Hall
The Old Town Hall in Bamberg is quite a curiosity: The frescoes that adorn the facades are as amazing as the story behind the building's construction. According to legend the bishop of Bamberg did not grant the citizens any land for the construction of a town hall. This prompted the townsfolk to ...
Otto Friedrich University Bamberg
Bamberg is a small but busy university town with an historical spirit and a distinctive cultural life. The students never have far to go in this picturesque town and the atmosphere is very familiar. In the Old Town the student scene has led to the appearance of bookshops, restaurants, bistros and ...