With its three wings surrounding a lively public square, the New Residence is easy to spot from nearly anywhere in Bamberg. Built over roughly a hundred years, from 1604 to 1703, the building blends together several architectural styles, from Renaissance to Baroque, with magnificent rooms inside decorated with stucco ceilings. Visit the collections of paintings on the first floor of the New Residence or join a tour to experience the artistic effort that went into the 40 rooms on the upper floors.
Stand in the plaza that extends out from the front door of the palace, gazing up at the hundreds of windows that look down on the milling people who gather here for fun and business. Notice the way the palace has blended with the daily lives of the people of Bamberg. For a while it was the largest secular building in the city. Notice a plaque that commemorates one of the last episodes of the Napoleonic era, as the French Louis-Alexandre Berthier leapt to his death from a window upon hearing of the Russian approach.
See the faces of the prince-bishops who built the structure in the ground floor paintings. Along with this collection are small but nice oil paintings depicting biblical scenes.
Go up to the second floor, where the tours of the former residential rooms begin. Imagine the political machinations that once took place in the imperial hall and the quiet contemplation afterward amid the 4,500 fragrant roses in the inner courtyard.
The New Residence is in the heart of the southern side of Bamberg, located near many of the town’s historical landmarks. Walk here from Bamberg’s main train station in about 25 minutes or take the bus in 15 minutes. Nuremberg is a 1-hour drive or train ride away. Metered parking lots are limited in the general vicinity.
The palace is open to visitors only on guided tours, which last 45 minutes and are conducted in German with English pamphlets. The New Residence is open daily during normal business hours, with slightly shorter hours in the winter.
