Bamberg, part 2- Germany Trip Blog Post #10

You maybe thought that yesterday I wrote enough about the German village of Bamberg. But I was just getting started. The historic Old Town had so many great buildings.

It is probably best known for its Altes Rathaus or Old City Hall.

The first town hall was built in 1386 but burned in a fire. When the townspeople wanted to build a new one the governing bishop refused to let them use any land within the town. The citizens were not to be stopped. They constructed an island in the middle of the River Regnitz and built the town hall there, in 1461.

 

The building is covered with beautiful paintings and other artistic details.

At one spot, there is a cherub with its leg sticking out towards the river.

For lunch we met as a group at Schlenkerla, die historische Rauchbierbrauerei, for a sample of Rauchbier – famous smoked beer that Bamberg is known for. I only had a sip of my friend’s beer. It was okay. But I did like the vegetable-filled pastry I ordered, which was like a pot pie but the pastry was light and flaky.

Wandering around after lunch, we stumbled on more statues. This one is called Kreuzigungsgrupp, depicting the crucifixion and is on one of the bridges to the townhall. 

I thought Neptune’s Fountain was kind of cute.

Maximilian Fountain

But I could most relate to this guy. Supposedly it is a partial bust of a Roman centurion that was inspired by Pompeii and designed by Igor Mitoraj in 1987. It looks more like how I feel much of the time – my brain’s only half there.