Würzburg in November

As we’re winding down the year and in the middle of the Christmas mayhem, we’re trying to include as many of the places we visited this year in our blog. Last month, one of the German cities we visited was Würzburg, in northern Bavaria. This was our second visit to Würzburg and we really enjoy it because it reminds us a little bit of Prague, although without the hordes of tourists. The Alte Brücke, or old bridge is reminiscent of the Charles Bridge in Prague and in the moonlight, with a glass of wine, it is very romantic.

The Würzburg Residenz

Unfortunately for Würzburg, the city was heavily bombed during the final weeks of World War II. On March 16, 1945 it took only 17 minutes for 225 British bombers to destroy 90% of the city, including virtually all of the city’s monuments, churches and cathedrals. The medieval city center was targeted with incendiary bombs designed to burn as much of the town as possible and people ran for their lives, jumping into the Main River to save themselves.

But now the city is practically 100% restored and it’s a fun place to visit.

The Juliusspital, hospital founded in 1576

On a parking lot wall

Another landmark is the Marienberg Fortress, originally built in 707 AD, sitting high on a hill overlooking Würzburg. It was a bit of a hike but we enjoyed the walk and view.