Magnificent buildings and excellent wines

From charity to winery

The Juliusspital winery also traces its history back to an act of charity: in 1576, Prince-Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn laid the foundation stone for a large infirmary for the poor, complete with orphanage. He was convinced that whoever took in the poor and the sick would be rewarded in heaven. In return, he handed over properties to the hospital, including entire villages with their vineyards, one of which was the famous “Würzburger Stein”.

With a total growing area of 180 hectares, the Juliusspital is now the second largest winery in Germany. “For us, wine has always been our bread and butter, and therefore a pillar of our lives,” explains Winery Director Horst Kolesch. In order to meet the appropriate quality standards, the fine wines are mainly stored in oak barrels in a 250 metre long cellar under the historic Fürstenbau building. Wine tastings and guided tours of the vaulted cellars with their atmospheric lighting and stored treasures are among the highlights of any visit to Würzburg.

Horst Kolesch is full of enthusiasm: “There are magical places in the vineyards where you can look out across a sea of vines and see the entire city with all its churches, towers and bridges.”

Largest ceiling fresco in the world

One architectural delight in the centre of Würzburg is the Residence Palace. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. The building was constructed between 1720 and 1744 by Balthasar Neumann. The stairwell boasts the largest ceiling fresco ever painted, measuring 19 by 32 metres. It was created by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, an artist originally from Venice.

Another attraction is the Cathedral of St. Kilian. Its soaring towers guide visitors to the city from afar. The fourth largest Romanesque church in Germany, it is viewed as the principal work of German architecture from the reign of the Salian emperors.

However, the city’s main landmark is the Marienberg Fortress. It lies just a stone’s throw from the city centre on the left bank of the River Main, surrounded by vineyards. From here you can look down on the old university town with its domes, towers and bridges.

The southern flair of the Residence city coupled with Franconian hospitality and the combination of a young university city and ancient bishop’s seat is highly distinctive and brings the history of Bavaria to life!