Bamberg, UNESCO World Heritage Site in Upper Franconia, Germany.
This town in Upper Franconia sits on seven hills topped by church spires, with more than two thousand timber-frame houses filling the narrow lanes that follow the course of the Regnitz River. The old center retains its original layout, with streets winding between slopes and forming small neighborhoods on both riverbanks connected by stone bridges.
King Heinrich II created a diocese here in 1007, prompting the construction of the first cathedral, which was then consecrated by Pope Benedict VIII in 1020. The diocese grew into an important ecclesiastical center and remained an independent territory within the Holy Roman Empire for centuries.
Locals drink their smokebeer in half-liter stone mugs at cellar taverns, especially during summer evenings when the riverside terraces fill with regulars who prefer this style over standard lagers. The brewing tradition remains active across the town, with families often loyal to a single brewery and ordering their preferred beer by habit rather than menu.
Most sights sit within the center and can be reached on foot, though the steep streets leading up to the hilltop churches require some effort. The train station offers regular connections to other Bavarian cities, while local buses serve the outer neighborhoods beyond walking distance.
The old town hall sits on a man-made island in the middle of the Regnitz River, displaying both Baroque and Rococo elements from different construction phases. The small island was created to place the building between the two halves of the settlement, which were historically governed by separate authorities.
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