The Wonders of Wurzburg

Last year I gazed longingly at notices for Wurzburg.  It sounded like a terrific destination, but it was too far and complicated from Munich.  Technically Wurzburg is in Bavaria.  Even more technically it's in Franconia which is part of Bavaria now, but for one reason and another the city is more easily accessed from Frankfurt. So that's where I went today--a long, expensive journey--but so worth it.
I set out early, and this time had to buy my ticket from the ticket desk, I not having the right combination of bills for the machine.  But I got a train right away--one of those sleek Intercity Expresses whose ultimate destination was Vienna--an eight hour trip in case you were wondering.  I got off rather sooner.
Wurzburg does not appear to be sign posted, but I set off in what I thought was a good direction and ended up at the Residenz.  This is the new palace of the Prince-Bishops of Wurzburg.  For most of its history, right up until the end of the nineteenth century, Germany was what historians call a splintered state with a weak central government and a proliferation of duchies, counties, bishoprics, and free imperial cities all with their courts and palaces many in imitation of Louis XIV's Versailles. Wurzburg is one of the most splendid.
Designed by Balthasar Neumann, it ranks up there with Schonbrunn and Nymphenburg.  Fortunately I'd got my energy back and was happy to wander around the enchanting Hofgarten before taking the English tour of the palace.  These are infrequent, but it is worth trying to schedule.  For one thing tours take one to parts of the palace closed to those not on a tour, so even if you can't get on the English tour take the one in German and just gawk.
And there is plenty to gawk at.  Marble, the most elaborate Rococo stucco work I have ever seen, gilt, marvelous ceiling frescoes by Tiepolo, an incredible tapestry series on the Life of Alexander the Great, plus the usual furniture and paintings.  I can't point to a highlight.  It was all a highlight!  After the tour I wandered the north wing which was not included on the tour.
Then I wandered the town and visited the market.  I found the tourist information office and turned my nose up at overpriced postcards.  I ate some gelato--mmm hazelnut!
Now that might be enough for one day, but I had another target.  The original home of the Prince-Bishops was the Festung Marian or Marian Fortress high above the Main.  It was only after things had settled down in the eighteenth century that the Prince-Bishops felt they could move.  Uh.  No one anticipated the French Revolution.
I did not want to walk and so went back to the Resideniz to pick up the bus that would take me up that steep hill.  It was quite a harrowing ride, with us having to back up to let other buses and trucks go by on the narrow roads and then we squeezed through a couple of stone arches.
The castle is actually not very fortress-like and the battlements were closed off, so I got no panoramic views of the city.  But I did enjoy the museum.  There's a lovely collection of porcelain and pottery from the Hallstatt culture of the Celts before the Germans arrived on scene.  The heart of the museum as far as I was concerned was a marvelous exhibit of the Late Medieval wood carvings of Tilman Riemenschneider.  Apart from the amazing skill and detail, is the beautiful expression of piety he conveys.
So by that time it was hot and humid, and I was worn out.  I'd missed the bus down, so I decided to walk back to the train station.  Ha!  Mostly down hill--rather steep, and I had to recross the Main, but after all it was a pretty easy walk.
The train ride back was slow and long.  We went through gorgeous countryside of wooded hills, but we made about twenty stops as well.  I arrived home tired and hungry--but satisfied with my day out.