Bamberg Old Town

Bamberg's old town in northern Bavaria is one of Germany's best-preserved medieval urban centres, awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1993. Built across seven hills mirroring ancient Rome, the Altstadt is divided by the Regnitz River into three historical zones: the episcopal quarter on the hill, the bourgeois town on the island, and the gardeners' quarter on the eastern bank. The most distinctive sight is the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), built in the middle of the river on an artificial island because the bishop refused to donate land — its timbered upper storey leans over the water, and the facade is decorated with elaborate trompe-l'oeil frescoes. The Cathedral (Dom) on the hill is a Romanesque and early Gothic structure with four towers, housing the tomb of Pope Clement II — the only papal tomb north of the Alps — and the Bamberg Horseman, a famous equestrian statue from around 1230 whose rider remains unidentified. Below the cathedral, Domplatz opens to views across the entire old town. Bamberg is unique in Germany for its brewing culture: nine historic breweries operate in the town, producing a diverse range of styles. The local speciality, Rauchbier (smoked beer), has been brewed at Schlenkerla tavern on Dominikanerstrasse since at least the 17th century using malt kilned over beech wood — the result is a dark lager with a distinctive bacon-smoke flavour unlike anything else produced anywhere. The narrow alleyways of the Klein Venedig (Little Venice) quarter, where former fishermen's half-timbered houses back directly onto the Regnitz, are best seen from the Untere Brücke bridge.