The town of Bayreuth first emerged during the Middle Ages, with a typical Bavarian street market in the center of town. In its early history, Bayreuth was only a small village in the Hohenzollern Empire and suffered many plagues and wars. The town was completely destroyed during the Hussite war in 1430, suffered major plagues even until 1602, and incurred major damage by fires in 1605 and 1621. Margrave Christian from [wiki=0cccb9d1074aa24cf867436f161d7569]Kulmbach[/wiki] moved his residence here in 1603, and after the Thirty Years' War the town began to develop as a more important city with more distinct baroque architecture. When Margrave Friedrich married Wilhelmine, the sister of King Frederick II of Prussia, Bayreuth began to develop its current appearance.
Margravine Wilhelmine was an active lover of the arts and architecture. She commissioned famous Italian architects to design the Margravial Operahouse, which was the largest in Germany for over a century. It still stands today as one of the most ornate baroque opera houses in the world. In addition, Wilhelmine expanded the Margrave's summer residence and gardens and commissioned the architecturally impressive New Palace. During the reign of Friedrich and Wilhelmine, the arts flourished in Bayreuth. The magnificent opera house even attracted Richard Wagner to Bayreuth in 1872 until his death 11 years later. Since then the city has had an integral relationship with Richard Wagner. The Richard Wagner Festival started in 1876 to commemorate and perform the works of the famous composer. During the Nazi rule, Hilter considered Bayreuth one of the most important cultural centers in Germany, and as such, Bayreuth was heavily bombed during World War II. In the last half century, Bayreuth has rebuilt, continued the Richard Wagner Festival and grown quietly, mostly around the University, which was established in 1975.
Bayreuth is famous in Germany as the host of the Richard Wagner Festival (Festspiele) each year from July to August. In that respect, most of the tourist industry has evolved around the life and times of Richard Wagner as well as Margravine Wilhelmine, one of the major contributors in bringing the arts to Bayreuth. For most of the year, Bayreuth is quiet, somewhat out of the way of the major tourist itineraries. However, during the Festspiele, the town fills to capacity; hotels are nearly impossible to book and the traffic almost slows to a stop. Winter is normally overcast and wet, with temperatures not deviating too far from freezing. The springtime can be relatively cool, but the weather slowly becomes more pleasant and is welcomed by numerous street fairs and festivals (See [wiki=3626acbdddbe1bde19c12d9452e9e85e]#Events|Events[/wiki]). Summer is also pleasant, punctuated by occasional hot days. During the warmer seasons, outdoor cafes and Biergartens abound in the cobblestoned city center.
The Tourist Information[http://www.bayreuth-tourismus.de/] office provides lots of very detailed information. They are located at Luitpoldplatz 9, between the city center and the train station (office hours M-F 9AM-6PM & Sa 9:30AM-1PM yearlong, also Su 10AM-2PM May - Oct). The offer a two-hour city tour (in German) daily at 10:30AM (only Saturdays from Nov-Apr) for 5.50 €. The meeting point is the TI office. For visiting the sights and taking the buses, they offer the Bayreuth Card, which provides three days of free bus travel, the city tour, and entry to 9 different museums (11.50 €, available at the TI, at many attractions, and at some hotels). Combination tickets are also available for the Margravial Operahouse and New Palace for 8 €, and the Kombikarte Bayreuth allows entry to any three city museums for 10 €. The TI office also provides city maps and city/regional maps for bicyclists.
Frequent train services connect Bayreuth to other regions of [wiki=f190b2d6dd5f598401bcfb491cb1a458]Franconia[/wiki] and Northern [wiki=270903eb4969beb28f34647da0ccb2d6]Bavaria[/wiki]. Regular services exist seven days a week to and from
*[wiki=baa993ff1d0f2fccb0573468522a2a4a]Nuremberg[/wiki]
**Regional-Express (RE) trains once an hour (66 minutes travel time). Many times these trains separate en route, so make certain to board the correct train segment.
**As a stop on the Interregio-Express (IRE) service between [wiki=baa993ff1d0f2fccb0573468522a2a4a]Nuremberg[/wiki] and [wiki=19ed5f8ceab486afbee6b3ba5c88884d]Dresden[/wiki] (49 minutes from Nuremberg, 3.5 hours from Dresden)
*[wiki=c3da1e1b25de6b4ebb2e1adb25c116d9]Würzburg[/wiki]
**Direct RE trains every two hours (2.5 hours)
**Otherwise a change in Nuremberg or Lichtenfels is necessary
*[wiki=19ed5f8ceab486afbee6b3ba5c88884d]Dresden[/wiki] - With the IRE in 3.5 hours
*[wiki=2a355a5b0521435f8248f11b12db208a]Bamberg[/wiki] - 1.5 hours by RE, sometimes a change in Lichtenfels is necessary
The Hauptbahnhof (main train station) is located approximately 1 km north of the city center, easily accessed by foot. Several buses also run from the train station to the central bus station in the town center (Lines 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, and 13).
Bayreuth is easily accessible on the autobahn A9, approximately 70 km north of [wiki=baa993ff1d0f2fccb0573468522a2a4a]Nuremberg[/wiki] and 40 km south of [wiki=562484b32ffd5f7cf00ac69b0ac8d3f3]Hof[/wiki].
The nearest airport with regular commercial service is in [wiki=baa993ff1d0f2fccb0573468522a2a4a]Nuremberg[/wiki]. Many international flights arrive in Germany via [wiki=4312d5c8cdda027420c474e2221abc34]Frankfurt[/wiki] or [wiki=7b88a4aca50f33c258efc438d098c9f4]Munich[/wiki], however. The nearby Airport Bayreuth [http://www.bayreuth.de/verkehr_oepnv/airport_bayreuth_243.html] is available for private planes or to charter planes.
Most attractions in Bayreuth hail from the residence of Margravine Wilhelmine and her husband Margrave Friedrich. A diligent supporter of the arts and culture, Wilhelmine brought Italian architects and French builders to construct many of the town's historical landmarks. As such, much of the architecture reflects heavy baroque and rococo influences. With its wide pedestrian streets, the city center is easy to stroll, and provides a pleasant contrast to many other Bavarian towns loaded with medieval architecture. During the summer many cafes and ice cream parlors set up outdoor seating on the main shopping streets, Maximilianstrasse, Sophienstrasse, and Von-Römer-Strasse. The attractions below can easily be combined with cheaper combination tickets. A ticket to the Margravial Operahouse and New Palace are available for 8 €. In addition, a ticket to visit any three attractions (Kombikarte Bayreuth) is available for 10 €, either from the ticket office or the tourist information.
* Built in 1872, this opera house still ranks among the best in the world in design and acoustics. Home to the Richard Wagner Festival every summer (see Events below). Just north of the main train station, take bus 5 to Am Festspielhaus. The grounds are crowded, tours seldom, and tickets rare during the annual Richard Wagner Festival in late July-August each year.
* The 18th century palace designed by the daughter of Margrave Friedrich and Margravine Wilhelmine, features Germany's first garden design museum. Located 5 km west of Bayreuth, take bus 8231, 8433, 8446, or 8449 towards Donndorf to stop Fantaisie.
* The old palace of Margrave Georg Wilhelm on the outskirts of town, the palace was expanded and the gardens created by Wilhelmine as a summer residence. The ornate fountains begin their waterworks on the hour from 10AM to 5PM. Guided tours are available. The Eremitage is approximately 6 km outside Bayreuth, take bus 2 or 3 to Eremitage.
* The baroque opera house, commissioned by Margravine Wilhelmine and designed by famous Giuseppe Galli Bibiena and son Carlo from Italy, was completed in 1748 and remained Germany's largest opera house until 1871. This ornate opera house partially drew Richard Wagner's attention to Bayreuth.
* The new residence of the Margrave Friedrich and his wife Wilhelmine after their old residence burnt down. It was designed and built by the French builder Joseph Saint-Pierre, and completed in 1754. The entrance fee includes entrance to the two museums inside: The Museum "Margravine Wilhelmine's Bayreuth" and the museum "Bayreuth Faience - Rummel Collection," featuring porcelain manufactured in Bayreuth in the 18th century. Rooms of interest include the Garden Rooms, Cedar Room, Old Music Room, and the Cabinet of Fragmented Mirrors (designed by Wilhelmine herself).
The court chapel and tower were also commissioned and built by Friedrich and Wilhelmine, completed in 1758. The burial vault of the Friedrich and Wilhelmine is located here. The spiral staircase in the tower features a ramp to bring supplies up to the guardroom, which has a great view over the town and to the nearby [wiki=b37eab0ff7f8e05bbd175fe81db3f2f1]Fichtelgebirge[/wiki].
*
* The Stadtkirche is since 2006 closed and undergoing renovations.
For a town of its size, Bayreuth is rich in museums; over two dozen can be found in and around the city. Noteworthy among the many are the Richard Wagner Museum and Franz-Liszt-Museum, documenting the lives of these prominent German and Hungarian composers, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized Maisel's Brewery and Cooper's Museum, as well as the museums located in the New Palace: Bayreuther Faiences - The Rummel Collection, The State Galleries and Margravine Wilhelmine's Bayreuth. Every fall the museums offer a Bayreuth Museum Night (Bayreuther Museumsnacht). On this night, a single ticket allows entry to every museum in the city from 8PM until 2AM. (Typically either late October or early November, see Tourist Information or the website [http://www.museumsnacht.bayreuth.de/] (German only) for more precise information)
* Archeological finds from Upper Franconia and laid out in eight rooms, spanning the stone age through the middle ages. Most text descriptions might be only in German.
* A collection of porcelain manufactured in Bayreuth between 1716 and 1788. See New Palace above for more information.
* A collection of over 500 objects from British American Tobacco. The history of tobacco culture is presented, encompassing smoking, pipe, and chewing tobacco. This museum is part of the Museum of Art.
* Aktien Breweries provides an interesting tour through the sandstone beer caverns that operated from the 16th through the 19th centuries. Since the caverns stay very cool throughout the year, appropriate clothing is recommended.
* A collection of fire engines from different eras and regions.
* The house of Franz Liszt, the famous Hungarian composer and father-in-law to Richard Wagner. Very near the Richard Wagner museum.
* A museum run by the German Freemason's presenting the history of the organization.
* A collection of typewriters dating back to 1864. The collection in Bayreuth began in 1936, and has expanded ever since.
* This museum chronicles the history of Bayreuth from a small Bavarian village to one of the most culturally-important small cities in Germany. The 17th century building provides a suitable setting for the historical collections.
* Afro-cultural center of the University of Bayreuth.
* A small museum dedicated to the life and works of the German poet, who lived his last years from 1804 - 1825 in Bayreuth. The museum is in the former residence of Richard Wagner's daughter Eva.
* A collection of contemporary poster art primarily concerning popular culture advertisements (such as movie and performance advertisements).
* The Guinness Book Of World Records' Most Comprehensive Beer Museum occupies the first brewery building of Maisel's Brewery (taken out of commission in the 1970s). The 90 minute tour covers the entirety of the brewing process, and of course finishes with a glass of Maisel's Weissbier. Group tours for 12 or more people can be booked by calling in advance.
* A collection of agricultural equipment highlighting the tools and techniques of farmers from Upper Franconia. What started as a private collection by Günter Schmidt was taken over by the city and offered as a public museum starting in 1972. Housed in a historic farmhouse.
* Housed in the former city hall's Renaissance-style building, the Museum of Art offers alternating collections of sculpture and painting.
* The museum in the main pedestrian shopping area highlights the life, geology and minerology during the last 500 million years of Upper Franconia. In front of the museum looms a giant dinosaur statue, along the main shopping street.
* Museum highlighting the life and culture of Bayreuth during the time of Margravine Wilhelmine. The collections are part of the New Palace, see above for more information.
* This small museum in a farmhouse just outside the city describes the flora and fauna of Bayreuth and Upper Franconia. The museum is especially designed to engage and educate children.
* The composer's old residence (Wahnfried House, Haus Wahnfried) has been converted to a museum chronicling his life and works. The composer, his wife, and their dog are buried in the garden. The museum may be of lesser interest to non-German speakers, as it has few English translations.
* Occupying three rooms of the palace, this exhibition features 80 works of art from the late baroque.
The court garden of the Neues Schloss, this park provides a welcome bit of green in the middle of the city. On sunny days, you can find many residents here relaxing or exercising with a little sport.
* See Hermitage/Old Palace above for information.
Bayreuth is home to the Richard Wagner Festival for 30 days every year in July and August, when his operas are performed at the Festspielhaus. During the festival, huge crowds flock to Bayreuth for a chance to see the performances. It is estimated that the waiting time for tickets is between five and ten years. For inquiries, contact the Tourist Information office for ideas on the best ways to obtain tickets. Sometimes (with a little luck), last minute tickets can become available.
Maisel's brewery also hosts a Wheat Beer Festival every year in either April or May. (More information on the dates can be found through the Tourist Information or at Maisel's website, [http://www.maisel.com]. The festival usually extends over a long weekend (Thursday - Sunday) and features various bands and festivities each day. Entrance is normally always free. A Fun Run and kids programs are also offered.
The youth hostel provides adequate accommodation at very reasonable prices. As with all hostels, most beds are in dorm rooms, and the rate includes a bed, sheets, and a breakfast. Dinners are also available nightly. Guests over 27 will pay a slight surcharge. Caution, many times in summer large groups of school children will visit, making the hostel very loud.
Another small guesthouse in the city part of the attached restaurant.
* Small family-run guest house in Bayreuth with restaurant and an attached Biergarten.
*
* Highly reviewed hotel near the train station. Staff can speak English, French, and Italian.
* This self-proclaimed "Franconian" hotel sits a short walk from the city center.
*
*
* Highly reviewed hotel very near the Margravial Operahouse, featuring wireless internet and on-site parking.
*
This hotel occupies a 19th century building around 3 km from the center of Bayreuth and run by the Opel family. Free wireless internet and free parking is available.
* Chain hotel near the autobahn. Offers normal amenities such as breakfast, free parking, and wireless internet.
* Larger hotel located 3.5 km east of the city center. Features wireless internet and bicycle rental.
*
* Upscale hotel located at the Hermitage (Eremitage).