Würzburg: History meets modernity

Surrounded by vineyards, dotted with churches and shining in baroque splendor - Würzburg looks like a vision from a fairy tale. The ancient charm and catholic background prompts many visitors to see the city as a conservative stronghold. But there are other forces at work in this city of 300,000 residents: 30,000 students, good Franconian white wine and more.

Würzburg at a glance

 

First mentioned in A.D. 704 as 'Vurteburch', the city on the river Main is an architectural treasure trove. There are innumerable buildings and monuments of historical interest reflecting a range of epochs. Hovering above town, for example, is Marienberg Fortress - the current castle was built around 1200 - from which the bishops used to rule over their 'lowly subjects'. Just below is the oldest bridge over the river Main, and the famous "Residenz" Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Würzburg's splendor reveals the city's historical significance: It has been an Episcopal seat for 1,300 years and it's the political center of the northern Bavarian region of Lower Franconia. However, not everything that looks ancient is even old. During the Second World War, bombings reduced more than 90% of the city to ashes. In a powerful effort, the residents rebuilt their hometown in a short span of time. Today, renovated facades and exquisite stucco works again enchant visitors.
Most tourists begin their sightseeing tour in the historic center and later follow the scenic 'Romantic Road' down south to visit places such as the medieval town Rothenburg ob der Tauber 70 km away. The countryside around Würzburg is idyllic, and the vineyards are more than just scenery: Franconian wine is a way of life.
Würzburg has many secrets to staying young and vital. One of them is the abundance of green in the city. There's much more than just the green meadows on the banks of the Main. There's an extensive Ring Park that encompasses the historic center like a belt. And all in all, Würzburg can boast an impressive 40,000 trees in the city area.

 
Overview of the universities

 

Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg

Originally founded in 1402, political and financial troubles doomed the university to a short life. It was re-established in 1582, and the University of Würzburg has since become a highly ranked, internationally renowned institution. Many well-known scholars have studied there. Its alumni-register comprises eight Nobel Prize winners, including physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who received the first Nobel Prize in 1901 for his discovery of x-rays.
Today, the University of Würzburg has 21,000 students and 400 professors. A traditional full university, it offers a wide range of subjects, distributed over 10 faculties. Alongside traditional courses of study, such as Theology, Law, Medicine and Philosophy, many new ones have been added, such as Modern China or Space Master.
In addition to the broad course offerings, it's one of the universities with the highest concentration on research in Germany. It ranks top ten in terms of attracting outside funds from the central public funding organization for academic research (DFG).
Modernity and history meet on a daily basis in Würzburg. For example, a large part of the 'Residenz' and many other old buildings are used for university purposes. Not too many students outside of Würzburg can claim to study or research in a UNESCO World Heritage building.
Due to the long history of the institution, the faculties are spread all over the city. However, most of them can be easily reached by public transportation. And, as in most other German student towns, a bicycle is a must-have item.

Hochschule für Musik Würzburg
Founded in 1797 as Collegium Musicum Academicum, the institution was officially accredited as a university in 1973. Today, there are more than 500 students, and over 100 of them come from outside of Germany. The university offers a large number of courses for both musicians and teachers.

Würzburg-Schweinfurt University of Applied Sciences
The Würzburg-Schweinfurt University of Applied Sciences has two locations and offers courses in engineering sciences, informatics, business management and social sciences among others. Approximately 6,000 students enjoy future-oriented education and numerous opportunities for cooperation with partners from industry and trade.

Recreation in Würzburg

 

One of the main attractions of Würzburg is of course the baroque Residenz Palace. Especially fascinating in the inside is the staircase, built by the architect Balthasar Neumann. He wasn’t the only renowned artist who contributed to the building: The famous painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo for example created in the Residenz the biggest continuous fresco in the world. By the way: A part of the Residenz is used by the university.
If you want to get to know local art, you should visit the Mainfränkisches Museum in the Marienburg fortress, where you can take a look at works of the famous medieval sculptor Tilmann Riemenschneider.
From April to November, the small villages on the outskirts of Würzburg celebrate their wine festivals and enjoy some good Franconian wine. True experts know that this only comes in flat, big-bellied bottles - the so-called Bocksbeutel.
There are a number of festivals on the meadows of the river Main, and they attract huge audiences every year. The Afrika Festival, for example, is the largest festival for African music in Europe. This is not all: Around Easter an International Film festival takes place in Würzburg, in summer you can visit the Mozartfest or celebrate with the whole town when it comes to the open air festival “Umsonst und Draußen Festival”. And these are only a few from lots of interesting festivals and celebrations that occur in Würzburg all over the year.
The old inland harbour has developed into a popular nightlife zone. If you've never partied on a boat, check out 'Das Boot', a floating discotheque anchored on the right bank of the River Main.

Interview with John Joseph Wilkins from London

 

John Joseph Wilkins, an exchange student from Royal Holloway, University of London.

Why did you pick Würzburg?
I was looking for a typical German student town: inexpensive, not too large and with a good public transportation system.

Did Würzburg meet your expectations?
Sure. Transportation-wise, Würzburg is dominated by bicycles, just like many other German student towns. Most of the time, however, I prefers to go by foot. I know that a bike would be helpful sometimes but since my hall of residence is located on a hill, I rather walk.
The large number of students also makes for a vibrant nightlife. Of course it can never compare to a city like London, but there's always something going on in Würzburg. I enjoy the nice combination of Franconian wine culture and Bavarian beer culture.

What's your favorite spot?
There are many nice cafes in Würzburg like Schönborn, a popular hangout spot for students, located on a busy market square. But to be honest, I'm not really the cafe-going type. My favorite spot is the old river bridge. A central spot in Würzburg, the bridge offers a panoramic view on Fortress Marienburg and the vineyards around it. The view is fantastic and the bridge reminds me of Charles Bridge in Prague.

Useful links

 

The city's website in English
Student Services
Events, parties, discos in Würzburg