Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square

Unlike the Munich Residence, which evolved over some five hundred years and thus incorporates the styles of quite different periods, the Würzburg Residence was built in its entirety, with short interruptions, almost within a single generation.

The architects drew their inspiration from an area extending from Vienna to Paris and from Genoa and Venice to Amsterdam. The building embodies the attainments of Western architecture of its day, French château architecture, Viennese baroque and the religious and secular architecture of northern Italy and is a synthesis of the arts of astonishing universality.

Almost all the ecclesiastical princes from this dynasty had a passion for building, and influenced the planning not only through the level of splendour they demanded, but also through application of their own creative ideas and their astonishing professional knowledge. The Würzburg Residence, on which the patronage of the extraordinary family was concentrated, is the magnificent result of this Schönborn passion.

On completion of construction work on the Residence, the final development of the Würzburg Court Garden was tackled during the rule of the Prince Bishop of Würzburg, Adam Friedrich von Seinsheim (reigned 1755-1779). Seinsheim employed the Bohemian-born garden artist Johann Prokop Mayer (1735-1804) as new court gardener to help him in the realisation of the project.

A walk in the Würzburg Court Garden is a delight for both nature- and art-lovers. The water basin encircled by yew trees clipped into the shape of cones forms the present centre of the South Garden. In front of the magnificent east façade is a terraced garden decorated with groups of puttos by Johann Peter Wagner.

The Würzburg Residence is at once the most homogeneous and extraordinary of the Baroque palaces. It is an autonomous work of art in European Baroque style illustrated by its structure and décor elements. The Residence represents a unique artistic realisation as a result of its ambitious programme, the originality of creative spirit, and the international character of its workshop. Perhaps no monument from the same period is able to claim such a concurrence of talent.

It is on UNESCO’s World Heritage list from 1981.

Opening hours: (open daily)

April-October: 9 am-6 pm (last entry: 5.30 pm)
November-March: 10 am-4.30 pm (last entry: 4 pm)

Public holidays: the Residence is closed on 1 January, Shrove Tuesday and 24, 25 and 31 December.

The Court Garden is open daily until dusk (8 pm at the latest)

Due to restoration works the State Gallery (Branch of the Bavarian State Galleries) is closed until the end of 2016.

Admission charges 2016
7.50 euros regular / 6.50 euros reduced

Free and reduced entrance
Children under 18 are admitted free of charge.
Students over 18 from general schools, vocational schools, special schools and schools for sick children in accordance with Article 6 (2) of the Bavarian Education Law (BayEUG) are also admitted free on production of a student identity card.

The admission to the Court Chapel and the Court Garden is free.

Photography and video recording is not permitted in the Würzburg Residence and the Court Chapel. Photos and videos may be taken for personal use only (not for publication of any kind) on the square in front of the Residence and in the Court Garden. Special permission is required – and there may also be a charge – for all photography and films taken for further use, as well as for the flying of model aircraft and multicopters.

No dogs or other animals may be taken into the Residence. We regret that we cannot undertake to look after any animals you may have brought with you. Dogs are allowed in the Court Garden if kept on the lead.

How to get there by public transport:

Information on the railway you can find on www.bahn.com. It is an approximately 20-minute walk from the station to the Würzburg Residence.

The Würzburg Residence is easy to get to by public transport:

Bus from Juliuspromenade: 9 to “Residenz” (April to October only)
Bus from Juliuspromenade: 6, 16 to “Mainfranken Theater”
Bus from bus station: 12, 14, 20, 28 to “Mainfranken Theater”
Tram from central station: 1, 3, 5 to “Dom”

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