Bamberg (, US also , German: [ˈbambɛʁk] ; East Franconian: Bambärch) is a town in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg had 79,000 inhabitants in 2022. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby Babenberch castle. Cited as one of Germany's most beautiful towns, with medieval streets and buildings, the old town of Bamberg with around 2,400 timber houses has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.
From the 10th century onwards, Bamberg became a key link with the Western Slavic peoples, notably those of Poland and Pomerania. It experienced a period of great prosperity from the 12th century onwards, during which time it was briefly the centre of the Holy Roman Empire. Emperor Henry II was buried in the old town, alongside his wife Kunigunde. The town's architecture from this period strongly influenced that in Northern Germany and Hungary. From the middle of the 13th century onwards, the bishops were princes of the Empire and ruled Bamberg, overseeing the construction of monumental buildings. This growth was complemented by the obtaining of large portions of the estates of the Counts of Meran in 1248 and 1260 by the sea, partly through purchase and partly through the appropriation of extinguished fiefs.
Bamberg lost its independence in 1802, following the secularization of church lands, becoming part of Bavaria in 1803. The town was first connected to the German rail system in 1844, which has been an important part of its infrastructure ever since. After a communist uprising took control over Bavaria in the years following World War I, the state government fled to Bamberg and stayed there for almost two years before the Bavarian capital of Munich was retaken by Freikorps units (see Bavarian Soviet Republic). The first republican constitution of Bavaria was passed in Bamberg, becoming known as the Bamberger Verfassung (Bamberg Constitution).
Following the Second World War, Bamberg was an important base for the Bavarian, German, and then American military stationed at Warner Barracks, until closing in 2014.
Contents
History
During the post-Roman centuries of Germanic migration and settlement, the region later included in the Diocese of Bamberg was inhabited for the most part by Slavs. The town, first mentioned in 902, grew up by the castle Babenberch which gave its name to the Babenberg family. On their extinction, it passed to the Saxon house. The area was Christianized chiefly by the monks of the Benedictine Fulda Abbey, and the land was under the spiritual authority of the Diocese of Würzburg. In 1007, Holy Roman Emperor Henry II made Bamberg a family inheritance, the seat of a separate diocese. The Emperor's purpose in this was to make the Diocese of Würzburg less unwieldy in size and to give Christianity a firmer footing in the districts of Franconia, east of Bamberg.
In 1008, after long negotiations with the Bishops of Würzburg and Eichstätt, who were to cede portions of their dioceses, the boundaries of the new diocese were defined, and Pope John XVIII granted the papal confirmation in the same year. Henry II ordered the building of a new cathedral, which was consecrated on 6 May 1012. The church was enriched with gifts from the pope, and Henry had it dedicated in honor of him. In 1017, Henry founded Michaelsberg Abbey on the Michaelsberg ("Mount St Michael"), near Bamberg, a Benedictine abbey for the training of the clergy. The emperor and his wife, Kunigunde, gave large temporal possessions to the new diocese, and it received many privileges out of which grew the secular power of the bishop. Pope Benedict VIII visited Bamberg in 1020 to meet Henry II for discussions concerning the Holy Roman Empire. While he was there, he placed the diocese in direct dependence on the Holy See. He also personally consecrated some of Bamberg's churches. For a short time, Bamberg was the centre of the Holy Roman Empire. Henry and Kunigunde were both buried in the cathedral.
From the middle of the 13th century onwards, the bishops were princes of the Empire and ruled Bamberg, overseeing the construction of monumental buildings. In 1248 and 1260, the See obtained large portions of the estates of the Counts of Meran, partly through purchase and partly through the appropriation of extinguished fiefs.
The old Bishopric of Bamberg was composed of an unbroken territory extending from Schlüsselfeld in a northeasterly direction to the Franconian Forest, and possessed in addition estates in the Duchies of Carinthia and Salzburg, in the Nordgau (the present Upper Palatinate), in Thuringia, and on the Danube. By the changes resulting from the Reformation, the territory of this see was reduced by nearly one half in extent. Since 1279 the coat of arms of the city of Bamberg is known in the form of a seal.
Geography
Bamberg is located in Franconia, 63 km (39 mi) north of Nuremberg by railway and 101 km (63 mi) east of Würzburg, also by rail. It is situated on the Regnitz river, 3 km (1.9 mi) before it flows into the Main river.
Its geography is shaped by the Regnitz and by the foothills of the Steigerwald, part of the German uplands. From northeast to southwest, the town is divided into first the Regnitz plain, then one large and several small islands formed by two arms of the Regnitz (Inselstadt), and finally the part of town on the hills, the "Hill Town" (Bergstadt).
The seven hills of Bamberg
Bamberg extends over seven hills, each crowned by a church. This has led to Bamberg being called the "Franconian Rome"—although a running joke among Bamberg's tour guides is to refer to Rome instead as the "Italian Bamberg". The hills are Cathedral Hill, Michaelsberg, Kaulberg/Obere Pfarre, Stefansberg, Jakobsberg, Altenburger Hill and Abtsberg.
Climate
Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen climate classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/Oceanic climate), with a certain continental influence as indicated by average winter nighttime temperatures well below zero.
Economy
Bamberg is considered an important economic center and is one of the 15 strongest economic regions in Bavaria compared to the other 95 districts and independent cities. Central locations for industry, manufacturing and trade can be found in the north and east of the city. In the north, around the Bamberg harbor, there is a large industrial area that partly extends into the Hallstadt urban area. Bosch operates one if its largest plant in Germany in the east and is also the city's most important employer.
Relevant economic sectors in Bamberg are the automotive supply industry, electrical engineering and the food industry. The traditional industry of market gardening with large inner-city cultivation areas, which has characterized the city since its beginnings, is still present. Due to its UNESCO World Heritage status and the more than 800,000 overnight guests a year in the city alone, tourism, hotels and gastronomy also play a central role in the city's economy.
Key economic figures
In the 2010s, Bamberg's gross domestic product increased by a total of 17.7%. The city of Bamberg generated €5.1 billion in 2021 (€66,543 per capita).
In the 2016 Future Atlas, Bamberg was ranked 32nd out of 402 districts, municipal associations and independent cities in Germany, making it one of the places with "very high future prospects".
The number of business registrations in the city of Bamberg remains at a high level. In the independent city of Bamberg, the number of business registrations in 2023 was 682, compared to 655 registrations the year before. In 2021, 702 new companies were registered with the city of Bamberg. The number of businesses in the city of Bamberg for 2023 is 2,624 companies. 87 of these businesses employ more than 100 people. Of these, almost half (969) are craft businesses.
Labour market and employment figures
As the population in the city has grown, the number of employees has also risen continuously in recent years: Between 2005 and 2022, the number of employees increased by almost 20%.
There are around 56,500 people in employment in the city in 2022. The unemployment rate in December 2022 was 4.3%, above the Bavarian average of 3.1%. In the neighboring district of Bamberg, the unemployment rate was 2.3%.
Industry and manufacturing
Important sectors of the manufacturing industry in Bamberg are drive technologies and electrical engineering. Bosch has been operating a production facility in Bamberg with over 6000 employees since 1939. The company produces energy, mobility and drive systems, in particular spark plugs for the automotive industry. Due to its dependence on the combustion engine, the company announced in 2019 that it would be switching to fuel cells,[145] although around 1000 jobs are to be transferred to other locations from 2026. Coburg-based automotive supplier Brose has had an administration building with 600 employees on Berliner Ring since 2016. Together with the plant in Hallstadt, the region is the company's second-largest location with more than 2,000 employees.
Another important company is Wieland Electric in the field of electrical engineering. The company was founded in Bamberg in 1910 and is considered a pioneer in electrical connection technology and is still the world market leader for pluggable installation technology in the building sector.
Rudolf Zimmermann Bamberg (RZB), with over 800 employees worldwide, produces lights and lighting systems near the port of Bamberg. Over 70 companies are located on the 100 hectares of the port. In 2023, over 416,000 tons of goods were loaded at the port, especially foodstuffs and bulk goods. In addition, over 700 river cruise ships docked here. The Bamberg asphalt mixing plant and a Schwenk concrete plant are also located in the immediate vicinity.
Bamberg is also home to numerous small and medium-sized companies in other sectors. One special feature here is the centuries-old tradition of instrument making. Organ building, which is currently being continued by master craftsman Thomas Eichfelder, is particularly noteworthy, as is the construction of violins, clarinets and other woodwind instruments.
Tourism and retail
Bamberg's city centre is characterized by a diverse retail sector, partly due to tourism. This generated a turnover of 682 million euros in 2023. In the 2018 shopping mile ranking by real estate company Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), Bamberg was ranked first in Germany for cities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. With an average of 5,155 visitors per hour, the Grüner Markt was the 52nd most popular shopping street in Germany. In 2023, the Grüner Markt had almost 8.5 million passers-by, an increase of 130,000 visitors compared to the previous year.
Bamberg recorded 807,294 overnight stays in 2023, an increase of 11% compared to 2022. 85% of overnight guests came from Germany, 15% from abroad. The proportion of travelers from abroad rose particularly sharply in 2023 at 22%. The most important tourist countries of origin are the US, the Netherlands, Poland and Austria. Tourism generates around 330 million euros in gross revenue in Bamberg every year – in the hospitality, retail and service sectors. This results in an income of 153 million euros.
Attractions
The Town of Bamberg was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993 due to its medieval layout and its well-preserved historic buildings. Since the Middle Ages, urban gardening has been practiced in Bamberg. The Market Gardeners’ District together with the City on the Hills and the Island District is an integral part of the World Heritage site. In 2005, the Municipality established a unit to coordinate the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in Bamberg. In 2019, a visitor and interpretation centre opened for the World Heritage site.
Some of the main sights are:
Bamberg Cathedral (1237), with the tombs of Emperor Henry II and Pope Clement II
Alte Hofhaltung, residence of the bishops in the 16th and 17th centuries
Neue Residenz, residence of the bishops after the 17th century
Bamberg State Library in the New Residence
Old town hall (1386), built in the middle of the Regnitz river, accessible by two bridges
Klein-Venedig ("Little Venice"), a colony of fishermen's houses from the 19th century along one bank of the river Regnitz
Michaelsberg Abbey, built in the 12th century on one of Bamberg's "Seven Hills." The former Benedictine abbey, which once housed a brewery, is now home to the Franconian Brewery Museum.
Altenburg, castle, former residence of the bishops
Cathedral
Bamberg Cathedral is a late Romanesque building with four towers. It was founded in 1002 by Emperor Henry II, finished in 1012 and consecrated on 6 May 1012. It was later partially destroyed by fire in 1081. The new cathedral, built by Saint Otto of Bamberg, was consecrated in 1111 and in the 13th century received its present late-Romanesque form.
Beer
Bamberg is known for its smoked Rauchbier and is home to 11 breweries, including Brauerei Fässla, Brauerei Greifenklau, Brauerei Heller-Trum (Schlenkerla), Brauerei Kaiserdom, Keesmann Bräu, Klosterbräu, Mahrs Bräu, Brauerei Spezial, Gasthausbrauerei Ambräusianum, Kron Prinz, and Weyermann Röstmalzbierbrauerei. Weyermann Specialty Malting, founded in Bamberg in 1879, supplies breweries around the world. Every August there is a five-day Sandkerwa, a kirmess celebrated with beers. The Franconia region surrounding Bamberg is home to more than 200 breweries. In October and early November many of the 70 breweries in and around Bamberg celebrate Bockbieranstiche with special releases of Bock beer.
Education
The University of Bamberg, named Otto-Friedrich University, offers higher education in the areas of social science, business studies and the humanities, and is attended by more than 12,000 students. The University of Applied Sciences Bamberg offers higher education in the areas of public health. Bamberg is also home to eight secondary schools (gymnasiums):
Clavius-Gymnasium
Dientzenhofer-Gymnasium
Eichendorff-Gymnasium
E.T.A. Hoffmann-Gymnasium
Franz-Ludwig-Gymnasium
Kaiser-Heinrich-Gymnasium
Maria-Ward-Gymnasium
Theresianum
There are also numerous other institutes for primary, secondary, technical, vocational and adult education.
Infrastructure
Transport
The InterCityExpress main line No. 28 (Munich – Nuremberg – Leipzig – Berlin / – Hamburg) and the main line No. 18 (Munich – Nuremberg – Halle – Berlin / – Hamburg) run on the Nuremberg–Bamberg and the Bamberg–Hof lines through the Bamberg station. It takes less than two hours to Munich on the train and with the Nuremberg–Erfurt high-speed railway through the Thuringian mountains finished in 2017 less than three hours to Berlin. Two intercity trains of line no. 17 (Vienna – Warnemünde) and line no. 61 (Leipzig – Nuremberg – Karlsruhe) also run through Bamberg.
East-west connections are poorer. Bamberg is connected to other towns in eastern Upper Franconia such as Bayreuth, Coburg, and Kronach via the Bamberg–Hof line with trains usually running at least every hour. Connections on the Würzburg–Bamberg line to the west are hourly regional trains to Würzburg, which is fully connected to the ICE network. Tourists arriving at Frankfurt International Airport can take advantage of the new direct connection from Frankfurt's main station.
Bamberg is not near any of the major (i.e. single-digit) autobahns. But it is nevertheless well connected to the network in all directions: the A70 from Schweinfurt (connecting to the A7 there) to Bayreuth (connecting to the A9) runs along the northern edge of the town. The A73 on the eastern side of town connects Bamberg to Nuremberg (connecting to the A9) and Thuringia, ending at Suhl.
Bamberg is served by Bamberg-Breitenau Airfield. Mostly public aircraft operate there. It used to be a military airport. (IATA-Code: ZCD, ICAO-Code: EDQA) It is also possible to charter public flights to and from this airport.
Most international tourists who travel by plane arrive at Frankfurt International Airport or Munich Airport. The nearest major airport is Nuremberg Airport which can be reached within 45mins by car or one hour by train and subway.
Both the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and its predecessor, the Ludwig Canal, begin near Bamberg. The Ludwig Canal was opened in 1846 but closed in 1950 after damage during the second world war. With the completion of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal in 1992, uninterrupted water transport was again made possible between the North Sea and the Black Sea.
Military bases
Bamberg was an important base for the Bavarian, German, and then American military stationed at Warner Barracks. Warner Barracks was closed in the fall of 2014, with the last battalion leaving being the 54th Engineer Battalion, and the grounds returned to the German government. In 2016, a large part of the facility was taken over by the German Federal Police for training purposes. Muna Kasserne was a small base occupied by the 504th Maintenance Company, 71st Maintenance Bn. It was part of Warner Barracks although located separately.
Governance
Bamberg is an urban district, or kreisfreie Stadt. Its town council (Stadtrat) and its mayor (Oberbürgermeister) are elected every six years, though not in the same year. Thus, the last municipal election for the town council was in 2014, for the mayor in 2012. As an exception to the six-year term, the term starting in 2012 will take eight years to synchronize the elections with those in the rest of Bavaria.
As of the elections of 15 March 2020, the 44 member strong town council comprises 11 CSU councillors, 11 Green councillors, 6 SPD councillors, 3 councillors of the Bamberger Bürger-Block and 3 of the BuB-Stadtratsfraktion, both local political movements. These five parties achieved the number of councillors necessary to form a parliamentary group. In addition, there are 2 councillors of the Bamberger Unabhängige Bürger, 2 councillors of the AfD and the BaLi and two committee groups – the FW-FDP and the VOLT-öpd, each consisting of two members.
The previous council, elected on 2 March 2008, was composed of 15 CSU councillors, 10 SPD councillors, 7 Green councillors, 5 councillors of the Bamberger Bürger-Block and 3 of the Freie Wähler (Free Voters), both local political movements. These five parties achieved the number of councillors necessary to form a parliamentary group. In addition, there were 2 councillors of the Bamberger Realisten and one of the FDP and the Republikaner, making them ineligible for caucus status.
Twin towns – sister cities
Bamberg is twinned with:
Notable people
Henry II (973–1024), Holy Roman Emperor
Cunigunde of Luxembourg (c. 975–1040), empress consort, regent of the Holy Roman Empire and wife of Henry II
Pope Clement II (died 1047), bishop of Bamberg from 1040 to 1046
Ulrich of Bamberg (c. 1100), Roman Catholic priest and chronicler
Conrad III of Germany (1093–1152), king of Germany
Heinrich Finck (1444–1527), conductor and composer
Johann of Schwarzenberg (1463–1528), moralist, reformer and judge of the episcopal court at Bamberg
Paul Lautensack (1478–1558), painter and organist
Joachim Camerarius (1500–1574), humanist, polymath and poet
Christopher Clavius (1538–1612), mathematician, astronomer and Jesuit
Johannes Junius (1573–1628), Mayor of Bamberg, and a victim of the Bamberg witch trials
Christina Morhaubt (died 1627), convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to death by burning during the Bamberg witch trials
Georg Haan (died 1628), prominent victim of the Bamberg witch trials
Dominic Schram (1722-1797), Benedictine theologian and canonist
Louis-Alexandre Berthier (1753–1815), Chief of Staff to Napoleon Bonaparte
Sport
Josef Manger (1913–1991), heavyweight weightlifter, gold medallist at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Karl Bögelein (1927–2016), football goalkeeper, played 320 games
Harald Spörl (born 1966), footballer who played 333 games
Harry Koch (born 1969), football player, played over 320 games
Martin Meichelbeck (born 1976), footballer who played 250 games
Sven Schultze (born 1978), basketball player
Thomas Kraus (born 1987), footballer, played over 450 games
Tom Schütz (born 1988), football player, played 390 games
Karsten Tadda (born 1988), basketball player
Andrew Wooten (born 1989), German-American soccer player, played about 400 games
Fabian Baumgärtel (1989), footballer who has played over 400 games
Lukas Görtler (born 1994), football player, played over 370 games