Würzburg 7 May 2019

07.05.19 - We sort of did it again! We’d seen a police car around the carpark a couple of times, then heard lots of youths, and kev run drivers with music booming out. Tintin did further research on Campercontact when the translation was working and found reviews of people talking about loud youths with weapons, and people not staying! We’d had alcohol by then, so couldn’t drive! We read until about 11.30pm, but only heard a bit of loud noise thereafter. We maybe should have guessed, as we were the only moho there!

Anyway, all ok in the end! We watched the final episode of Line of Duty - very enjoyable - looking forward to another series already!

Wasn’t keen this morning (no change there!) but week 3, run 1 - done ✅. Jo Whiley is our chosen person cajoling us along. There were two, three minute runs amongst others today. I know those of you that run will think so what - but when you’re overweight (me, not him!) and getting older - it does seem impossible to think that we might run for 20/30 minutes without stopping! Apart from our run being along a flat cycle path - the highlight for me was we saw a red squirrel - twice! It was too fast for me to take a picture though!

I was driving today, nearly three hours after our mid drive game of seek the moho dump station! First stop, topped up with diesel, but they no longer sell LPG. We drove to one dumping station, but it seemed unlikely we’d want to use it, a tanker was there, and then a truck with four mobile loos turned up. We left!

Colin (sat nav) got perhaps a tad confused, we ended up in a no through road, which was quite tight to turn around in. Eventually found the right sad, deserted place. Put our money in for water, but tap seized - didn’t get any!

Most of the driving today was on motorways - some have no speed limit - I keep thinking I’m about to see an accident happen, they whizz around changing lanes, generally without much use of indicators! Some roads had 5 lanes of traffic. I have to admit, I’m not the most confident of drivers some days if it’s really busy!

Anyway, we arrived at Würzburg about 1pm - the free carpark is absolutely huge! We drove around and around, then a man indicated he was going - it’s fair to say it was a fairly tight space to get into, but luckily we could drive onto the grass in front a bit so as to not overhang at the back.

Quick lunch, then moved Dave a bit so we could get the bikes out.

So Würzburg is the start of the Romantic Road (you can Google if you’re interested). Started off at Tourist information in market square in order to get a map, called the Falkenhaus, was formerly a guest house, and had an ornate stucco facade added in 1751. Next to it is the Marienkapelle, a late Gothic period hall church, started in 1377 and finished in 1480. We locked the bikes, and when for a quick wander. Saw the Neumünster (New Minster - 11th century): Romanesque basilica with dome (1710-16) and Baroque façade. Stunning inside, so high with frescoes on the ceiling.

Right next to it was St Kilian's Cathedral (approx. 1040): the fourth biggest Roman Catholic church in Germany with a cruciform plan; extended, rebuilt and added-to up to the 18th century; destroyed in 1945; reconstruction completed in 1967. Looked so ordinary from the outside, but again - stunning inside - and we’re not churchy people! Mainly white and gold, marble statues - overall very light and bright!

We then went back to collect our bikes and rode to the Residenz Würzburg, as we knew there was an English tour at 3pm. Admission was €15 for us both, which included the 45 minute tour. I wasn’t even allowed to take my handbag around, photos were forbidden, fun police were definitely out! Tintin may have sneaked a few illicit photos!

I’d just like to mention, that everything else today has been free to enter, which pleases us greatly!

From the website:

Residenz: residence of the Prince Bishops (1720-1744): major work of South German Baroque built according to plans by Balthasar Neumann; staircase with self-supporting arched ceiling and splendid ceiling fresco by Giovanni Tiepolo; late Baroque and Rococo staterooms, including the White Room, Imperial Room, Mirror Room; elaborately decorated church (Hofkirche) and Baroque Court Garden; UNESCO World Heritage Monument since 1982.

Bombs and incendiaries were dropped by the RAF in 1945, which wiped out most of Würzburg. Amazingly, some of the Residenz remained intact, including the magnificent staircase with its self supporting vault and the brilliant ceiling. The White Hall is after the ceiling, as there was so much colour, just white was used, but it was all ornate stucco. We were only shown 9 rooms, and could then explore. Apparently the layout is like Versailles, in as much as you walk from room to room, with no corridor.

I found it fascinating that the chandeliers were some of the originals. Some looked like Venetian glass but were in fact made in the region. Only one came from Venice via the Alps. In order that the glass wasn’t broken, it was stored in vats of butter, and they travelled in winter so the butter went hard and glass stayed intact - clever! Who needs bubble wrap!

Another thing I hadn’t realized was that in the rooms we saw, there were heaters in each room, ornate affairs in the corners. Open fires weren’t practical with the silks and wooden flooring - so there were corridors behind the rooms where staff kept the fires burning!

Mozart only spent 30 minutes there, but they have a festival starting soon, lasting for a whole month!

Here’s some of the forbidden photos of the main staircase, the ceiling (not good pics) and the white room.

The chapel is worth a visit too, so ornate, so much marble which looks so tactile!

Again illicit pics of the chapel so bare with me.

Also had a wander around the gardens - all in keeping with the rest of it!

Road back to the main square, and bought a traditional bratwurst - spicy sausage in a toasted bun - tea sorted!

Rode back over the Alte Mainbrücke (old bridge) - was erected from 1473 to 1543 in place of an old Romanesque bridge - statues of saints were added around 1730. It was nice to see quite a few people there, just chatting and drinking glasses of wine.

The whole town had a very nice feel about it, and we could easily spend longer there. Due to be fairly heavy rain tomorrow - so we’ll see if we go back.

This being a tourist business is quite tiring! Nice to be back in Dave enjoying a rum and coke and thinking of what to say!