Neue Residenz Bamberg — Attraction in Bamberg

Very beautiful and well maintained residence with magnificent façade and stunning Imperial hall!

The grandiose baroque style building is certainly eye-catching and a dominant of the Domplatz. The outer façade is beautifully decorated, however if observed up close, one cannot notice the façade from the inner yard is actually painted.

The entrance fee is 6 EUR and entitles a visitor to a self-guided tour through the art gallery and some residence rooms, however guided tours are available at specific times (ask at the cashiers desk) to take visitors to the most beautifully decorated rooms. The tour is only in German (there are storyboards with English information in each room) and lasts around 45 minutes. Thankfully we were proactively notified by the cashier about the guided option, so I am glad we did it as it was worth it, although the impressive Imperial Hall can be visited on your own.

Even though the surroundings of the place were busy at all times, it's hard to believe the residence has such a low amount of visitors. There were only 7 people on our tour and only a few others around the art gallery. The staff was pleasant and nice, however the ticket office does not accept card payments and backpacks have to be stored in the locker. No restroom facilities were located inside the building, the closest ones were at the Old Court.

Visited...

Built between 1695-1704, the New Residence (Neue Residenz) lays claim to having no less than 40 gorgeous state rooms. Most notable of these elegant rooms are the Prince-Bishop's residential apartments, each beautifully decorated with stucco-work ceilings, tapestries, and original furniture dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Other must-see rooms include the Gallery of German Art with its Heisterbach Altar, and a collection of fine paintings from the 15th to 18th centuries, as well as the State Library. Also available for viewing are the 16 large portraits of past emperors painted directly onto the walls of the Emperor's Hall. Guided tours are required to view the interior, and last 45 minutes.

A highlight of any visit should be the courtyard, with its beautiful rose-garden and magnificent views. Designed by Balthasar Neumann, the garden, laid out symmetrically and festooned with numerous statues, sees in excess of 4,500 roses in bloom each summer. Afterwards, spend some time taking refreshments in the lovely pavilion café...

Neue Residenz is the elegant palace building at Domplatz. It is a 40 room Baroque complex which houses the State Rooms and State Gallery along with a charming Rose Garden. Opening hours are 10am to 4pm daily and entry is €6 per adult. The Rose Garden can be accessed freely and affords lovely views of the lower section of the historic centre of Bamberg.

Neue Residenz was constructed mostly in the 17th-century and is a fine representation of Austrian-Bohemian Baroque architecture. The State Rooms are highly decorative with outstanding ceiling frescos. The Imperial Hall fresco works by Melchior Steidl (1709) is a masterpiece, probably one of the finest of its kind in Franconia.

The State Gallery is where you find European masterpieces mostly from the Baroque period. This makes for a nice art viewing experience as well. Easy to spend 45-60 minutes between the two, make sure to allow another 10-15 for the Rose Garden as part of your...