Discover the Medieval Secrets of Three Unforgettable Bavarian Towns: Regensburg

Don’t get me wrong. These are great places to visit. But if you’re looking to take a step back in time without the crowds, you might want to take the road less traveled. You might want to stroll over the cobblestoned bridges and lanes of Bamberg, Bayreuth and Regensburg, and visited their historic Old Town Halls, churches and palaces.

Regensburg: 16 Enormous Pillars Hold Up a Bridge

Regensburg, located in southeast Germany where the River Danube and Regen River meet, is one of the country’s oldest towns. The Steinerne Brücke (Stone Bridge) is a great place to begin your visit. Built in the 12th century, Steinerne Brücke sits on 16 immense pillars, reaching more than 1,000 feet across the Danube River.

Linger on the Steinerne Brücke and enjoy a stunning view of the Old Town. This 2,000 year old town is filled with ancient Roman, Romanesque and Gothic buildings and 11th to 13th century architecture. Bavaria’s largest church and most famous landmark, the Regensburg Cathedral (Dom St. Peter) with its towering twin spires, rises above the city. Steep-sloped red roofs and incredible castles, towers, patrician mansions and monasteries surround the Dom.

The Cathedral is best known for its colored stained glass windows and medieval sculptures. Take a look inside and you’ll see the popular Smiling Angel. Wander pass the south transept and you’ll discover the St. Peter Window, where you’ll find St. Peter holding the key and cruciform staff. According to the cathedral’s brochure, Christ gave St. Peter the keys of the Kingdom and named him the rock upon which he founded his church. The cathedral contains close to 100 images of St. Peter.

Not far from the cathedral you’ll come across the Old Town Hall compound (Rathausplatz 4). This complex is made up of several buildings, including the focal point of the Old Town Hall, the early Gothic Tower. The tower may have been a patrician house. The Romanesque Imperial Parliament Hall, built around 1250, was the meeting place of the first German parliament (1663-1806).

Regensburg - Maureen Bruschi

A visit to Neupfarrplatz 1 will bring you to the oldest Protestant Church in Regensburg, Neupfarrkirche (New Parish Church). Neupfarrkirche is the only church in this medieval town that stands by itself in the middle of a square.

While we were there, Neupfarrplatz served as a busy marketplace. Open tents (many with heaters because of the cold) lined the square selling an assortment of foods including fresh fruit, breads, cheeses and jellies, as well as wines.

You won’t want to miss the Goliathhaus, located at Goliathstr. 4. This old patrician 13th century building with its early Gothic tower and ornately structured windows is well known for its enormous fresco of David and Goliath.

Because the town escaped damaged from bombs during World War II, all the historic structures you see here are real, no postwar replicas. It’s easy to understand why Regensburg is called "Germany’s best preserved medieval city."

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