High above the old town rises Michaelsberg, one of Bamberg's seven hills. It has shaped the cityscape for over a thousand years. Impressive buildings, a terraced garden, orchards and a vineyard surround the former Baroque monastery complex. From here, you can enjoy an incomparable view of the World Heritage city.
Hoch über den Dächern der Bamberger Altstadt erhebt sich einer der eindrucksvollsten Orte der UNESCO-Welterbe Stadt.
Garden of Heaven
The vaulted ceiling of St Michael’s Church is one of the most extraordinary works of art of the Baroque period. More than 580 plant species are depicted here in great detail – including native medicinal and useful plants as well as exotic species.
The Monastery Church of St Michael
In St Michael’s Church, the main attractions are the Baroque façade with its impressive flight of steps, the tomb of St Otto and the Neo-Gothic net vault. The highlight inside the church is the ‘Garden of Heaven’.
View of Bamberg from Michaelsberg
The freely accessible East Plateau offers one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Bamberg. From here, the view stretches across the rooftops of the Old Town to the surrounding hills of the region.
Northern and southern stairways lead down to the Baroque terraced garden, which features old fruit trees, cornel cherry hedges, the Dolphin Fountain and small pavilions. The historic lime-tree avenue leads to a viewing platform from which, on a clear day, you can even see the Staffelberg.
Guided tours on Michaelsberg
Anyone wishing to find out more about the history of the former monastery, the Himmelsgarten and the significance of the Michaelsberg for Bamberg can explore the site with certified tour guides.
On public and bookable guided tours, you can experience Michaelsberg from a variety of perspectives – from the history of the former monastery complex to the famous ‘Garden of Heaven’.
This guided tour is offered in German only. Audio guides in English are available in the Bamberg Stiftsgarten.
St Michael’s for your ears
Audio guide for your visit to the church
The "Bamberger Stiftsladen" offers an audio guide in German or English. If you use your own mobile device, the audio guide costs 3 euros; if you need a rental device with headphones, the cost is 4 euros. The tour lasts around 30 minutes.
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Benedictine Way
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Creation Path on Michaelsberg Hill
Length: 5 km
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Franconian Brewery Museum
Closed, opens at 11AM
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Himmelsgarten in church of St. Michael
Closed, opens at 11AM
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Information Centre on Michaelsberg Hill
Closed, opens at 11:30AM
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Michaelsberg 360 Degrees – Together from Michaelsberg to Domberg
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Monastery Shop on Michaelsberg Hill
Closed, opens at 10:30AM
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Monastery church St. Michael
Closed, opens at 11AM
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Monastery gardens of St. Michael’s
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North pavilion of the St. Michael monastery garden
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Ostplateau on Michaelsberg
open
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St. Michael's Monastery
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Urban Ecological Experience Path
Length: 4 km
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Vineyard on Michaelsberg
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Winegrower's cottage
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“Wandelung” by Kazuo Katase
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Guided tours
May to December
So close to heaven – guided tour of St. Michael's Church
Duration: 1 hour
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Guided tours
Freitag und Samstag, von Mai bis Oktober
15:00 till 16:00
"So close to heaven" – guided tour of St. Michael's Church - Only in german
Good to know
Der Michaelsberg ist gut mit der Buslinie 910 oder zu Fuß über den Benediktinerweg erreichbar. Vor Ort stehen nur wenige kostenpflichtige Parkmöglichkeiten zur Verfügung.
Direkt auf dem Klosterareal und im nahen Umfeld des Michaelbergs gibt es verschiedene Möglichkeiten zum Einkehren.
Für Kirche, Terrassengärten und Spazierwege rund um den Michaelsberg empfiehlt sich ein halber Tag.
Regelmäßig finden öffentliche Führungen durch die Kirche St. Michael statt. Zusätzlich können individuelle Gruppenführungen gebucht werden.
Teile des Ensembles sind barrierearm zugänglich. Aufgrund der historischen Anlage bestehen stellenweise Steigungen und unebene Wege.
