Where Gumbo Was (#294)
This week Gumbo visited Bamberg in the Franconia region of Germany. Congratulations to George G, who came up with the correct answer.
Bamberg has been on UNESCO's World Heritage list for 25 years – and we are not just talking about one or two monuments, but the entire town centre! There are interesting buildings everywhere you look and the core layout of the streets has not changed since medieval times.
Bamberg lies close to the confluence of the Main and Regnitz rivers and the latter's two branches flow right through the town. The wider one (depicted in the very first clue) forms part of the Main-Danube canal, the other passes through many of the oldest sections of the town – the picture at the top shows the river view at the Old Town Hall.
The photo below is of the same location, but along one of the bridges.
On the side of the Old Town Hall (hidden in the shot above by the statue) is one of Bamberg's most photographed artefacts - the painter's leg sticking out from the wall. (This also featured in one of this week's clues.)
A significant element of Bamberg's long history is its role as a bishop's seat and if you are interested in churches you will find no shortage here. The two photos below show the imposing exterior and interior of St. Martin's Church in the town centre.
The next two photos depict the Church of St. Otto and the Upper Parish Church (Obere Pfarre), respectively.
There are many more, the most famous of which is Bamberg's Cathedral - shown below from two different angles.
To say that it is an impressive building is an understatement, and the ornate portals are well in line with its grandeur.
Inside there is much to see – you can easily spend a couple of hours here looking at different things. There is no entrance charge.
The statue below is probably the Cathedral's most famous artefact. It is referred to as the 'Bamberg Rider' and is thought to have been created and positioned here in the first half of the 13th century. Various theories exist about the identity of the rider and the statue's significance within the church building. However, definitive answers remain elusive.
Any walk through Bamberg will take you past several statues and sculptures. The one below can be found on one of the bridges across the Regnitz and depicts St. Cunigunde (of Luxembourg) as Holy Roman Empress. She is buried in the Cathedral together with her husband, Henry II.
There are many bridges in Bamberg, but close to the southernmost corner of the town there is also a small passenger ferry.
Walking back along the river from there, past the Old Town Hall, takes you to what the locals call 'Little Venice'. It is a bit of a misnomer, but the old fishermen's cottages lining the riverbank make for a lovely photo opportunity.
Walking along here also provides good views of parts of the town centre. The next two photos show the old port – with its iron crane – and the 'Blue House', another well-known landmark.
Passing through the archway of the Old Town Hall, you get back to the other side of the river where the 'Green Market' (a vegetable/fruit market) and a number of larger shops are located.
One crucial fact about Bamberg has not received any mention yet: it is Germany's secret beer capital! Wherever you go, you come across pubs, inns, breweries, and beer shops.
Beer is (rightly) celebrated here as a cultural achievement and there is a huge range of different beers available. Quite a few are unfiltered (i.e. somewhat cloudy) and/or uncarbonated (i.e. relatively flat). The most famous type is the 'Rauchbier' (Smoked Beer), produced from smoked malt. It is a bit of an acquired taste – not unlike eating a smoked bacon sandwich with a glass of beer – but it is worth trying. The Schlenkerla brewery was responsible for putting Rauchbier on the map, but it is now available in many other places, too.
Below are a few photos of people enjoying a beer or two in Bamberg. My personal recommendation would be the Ambräusianum, just below the Cathedral. They brew their own beer on the premises and the food is both good and reasonably priced.
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