Discover Regensburg, Germany

Are you ready to discover Regensburg?  A UNESCO world heritage site, Medieval history, Jewish historical site Neupfarrplatz, and St Peter Cathedral, there is literally something here for everyone.

This beautiful German town is an easy drive from Munich, Nuremberg, and Frankfort. It lies on the international high-speed ICE linking Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, and Budapest.

What are you waiting for? Are you ready to find out what Neupfarrplatz is? It is time to discover Regensburg!

Regensburg Is An Amazing Medieval City

Did you know…

Civilization has settled on the Danube since the Stone Ages, including the Regensburg region. Regensburg’s name actually comes from the old Celtic name Radasbona.

Now you know.

The Regensburg Tourist Information Center is a wealth of knowledge, I have tapped into their resources to supplement information from our Regensburg tours.

As I researched Regensburg, I soon learned this city is filled with history. They have more than earned the UNESCO World Heritage Site distinction.

Here are a few of the historical highlights – some of them may surprise you!

• 9 A. D. The Roman fortress Castra Regina (fortress by the river Regen) is founded for the Third ltalic Legion during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.  Did you know you can touch the Roman wall from that fort? How often can you say that?
• 6th Century Castra Regina is known as Reganespurc was made the first capital city of Bavaria. A city ahead of its time.
• 1135 – 1146 Erection of the Stone Bridge. This miracle of medieval engineering served as a model for many bridge-building projects across modern-day Europe.
• 13th Century Cathedral of St. Peter (Regensburger Dom), with its two 105-meter-high spires and magnificent west front dating from 1395-1440, is the finest Gothic church in Bavaria.
• 1519 Jews were driven out of Regensburg. The Jewish quarter was systematically demolished. Regensburg has constructed a reminder of this event, named Neupfarrplatz.
• 2005 World Heritage Site nomination 

How is that for combining medieval history with sites like St Peters Cathedral and semi-modern Neupfarrplat?

Regensburg’s Medieval history.

There are so many things that make Regensburg special. For example, Regensburg is dedicated to the preservation of Medieval history.

I was really impressed by that fact.

Combine those preservation efforts against this thoroughly modern-day German city and you will be amazed.

Why is the preservation of Regensburg’s Medieval history so important? Regensburg is bordered by the Danube. In other words, Regensburg was the furthest border of the ancient Roman Empire.

That fact alone makes this an interesting destination.

Visitors can see remnants of the ancient Roman fort as they walk through the city. Touch it. I mean – how often can you touch 2000-year-old walls outside of the Middle East, Egypt, Greece, or Rome?

Not often. How is that for inspiration to discover Regensburg? That’s UNESCO World Heritage Site stuff for sure.

Miraculously, Regensburg was undamaged by the World War II bombings. This preservation allows the world to visit historical marvels.

Prime examples are the old Town Hall, the Old Stone Bridge, Neupfarrplat, St Peter Cathedral, and Donkey Tower.

Regensburg is one of Germany’s best-preserved medieval cities according to historical experts. And who am I to disagree?

What Else Is There To Do In Regensburg?

I am going to get the elephant in the room out right off the bat. My sponsors don’t like it when I discuss adult beverages. Unfortunately for my sponsors (and you), Regensburg is home to several microbreweries.

In addition, a great destination is Weltenburg Abbey (Kloster Weltenburg). This Benedictine monastery is located in Weltenburg near Kelheim and on a peninsula in the Danube Narrows.

The monastery, founded by Irish or Scottish monks in about 620, claims to be the oldest monastery in Bavaria.

Weltenburg Abbey also produces world-class brewery products. The very same brewery products that have won medals at the World Beer Cup.

Now, on to the attractions my sponsors approve of.

Discover Regensburg on the Danube River.

The first tourist river cruises on the Danube took place in the 19th century. If it was good enough for them, it is good enough for me.

For cities that were formed on major rivers, I think it is necessary to experience the river to understand the city.

Viewing the city from the river’s perspective also provides a unique vantage point for those Instagram-worth photos. Do you need more convincing?

See how beautiful the city is from the river. A river tour is a great way to discover Regensburg.

That should convince you!

St Peter Cathedral – oh my!

I’m not even sure where to start. First, it is a requirement for “the ABCs of visiting Europe” (quoting a fellow traveler here). Another bloody church.

In this case, my fellow traveler had no idea how privileged we are to have jewels like this to visit.

Enough of him, now for me.

St Peter Cathedral features 2 sky-high 105-meter-high spires and an awe-inspiring front. It is one of those churches whose facade is so enormous, it is almost impossible to get the entire gem in a single photo.

So, I’m happy to share a couple of pictures with you.

Many claim St Peter Cathedral to be the finest Gothic church in the German region of Bavaria. I will let you judge the accuracy of that statement.

St Peter Cathedral was impressive.

As incredible as St Peter’s exterior is, I was more overwhelmed by the interior.

The stained glass features date back to the 13th- and 14th-century. The designs include all the colors of the rainbow. Just imagine the vision this stained glass creates on a bright sunny day.

The figures of the Annunciation from 1280 on the two western piers of the crossing left me speechless. I mean – these are hand-carved pieces of artwork.

Imagine the workmanship!

St Peter Cathedral is famed for its boys’ choir, the Domspatzen, as well as for its hanging organ.

St Peter Cathedral Organ is huge.

It is the largest and heaviest hanging organ in the world. First, picture how large the organ is. Here are the statistics that describe how large this organ is.

• The organ has 4 keyboards plus an expression pedal, 80 stops/registers, and 5871 pipes.
• It hangs 26′ 9″ above the ground, using 4 steel ropes with a diameter of 1″ 18″ each to hold the weight.
• The organ is 61′ tall, 25′ wide, up to 14′ deep, and weighs over 36 metric tons.

I know that is really dry information. But without seeing this organ, you can’t begin to grasp the sheer enormity of it.

Now, I am going to ask you to close your eyes (after reading this) and open your mind. Ready?

Imagine hearing an organ so powerful, that at its maximum capacity the entire cathedral shakes.

Feel the sensation in your chest. Down to the tips of your toes.

If you can imagine that, you can imagine this impressive organ.

If you can’t – you need to experience it. And if you can, you will want to experience it.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

Adjoining the beautiful 14th-century cloister is the Romanesque All Saints Chapel with its wonderful wall paintings, and on the north side is St. Stephen’s Chapel, which dates back to AD 800.

All in all, St Peter Cathedral is just one of the reasons Regensburg has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Our St Peter Cathedral tour and organ demonstration was the highlight of my visit to Regensburg.

Regensburg’s Neupfarrplatz.

I could say so much about Neupfarrplatz.

Regensburg, as with many of the cities in this region of Germany, Austria, and Poland, was home to a significant Jewish population since the Middle Ages.

The Jewish community was actively involved with Regensburg’s economical growth in the Middle Ages. We saw that often throughout Europe. At times, Regensburg had one of Germany’s largest and most prominent Jewish communities.

Today, Neupfarrplatz represents the ancient Jewish quarter.

Why is there a memorial?

Because our ancestors lacked vision. In 1519, our ancestors drove the entire Jewish population out of Regensburg. Then our ancestors destroyed the Jewish quarter.

Brutal, right?

We should never let hatred win. Ever.

In Neupfarrplatz we have a reminder of those mistakes. For instance, excavations in the 1990’s uncovered well-preserved remains.

For those interested in Regensburg’s Jewish history and these architectural treasures, a visit to “document Neupfarrplatz” is necessary.

How Does Regensburg Blend Medieval And Current History?

Regensburg fascinated me. The colorful Old City was particularly charming. As it should be with its UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.

The Old City area of Regensburg was a lot of fun to discover.

Sporadic pops of color are common in the Old City. Many of these historic buildings are home to retail shopping and bistros.

One of these shops is the Hutkoenig shop, otherwise known as the Hut King. The Hut King has served customers at the same location for 4 generations.

This Regensburg staple has created works of art for the heads of kings, queens, and likely a few Viking River Cruise guests.

Seriously.

Another Example Of Blending Old And New Is Cuckoo Clocks

Ok, I will be honest with you here. Who invented the cuckoo clock or where the first one was made? Nobody really knows. Despite that, many believe the cuckoo clock originated in the Black Forest area of Germany.

You know, in the Regensburg area.

Cuckoo clocks appeared worldwide as early as the mid-1850s. And a great example of Regensburg’s continual meshing of historical and current is Drubba’s Clocks and Gifts.

Located in the Old Town region and near the Old Stone Bridge, Drubba’s Clocks and Gifts is a popular Regensburg tourist destination. Not enough room to pack your purchase for the trip home? No worries, they will ship your purchase home!

What great examples of blending medieval history and modern civilization! Here – explore it for yourself!

Old Town Hall was particularly charming. Its brightly colored exterior walls and baroque styling captivated me.

Other Remarkable Features Of Old Town Regensburg.

I visited Regensburg with a local guide, who shared a personal view of his amazing city. I highly recommend using local guides when traveling.

Learning about a destination’s history from one who has lived it is an incredible experience.

In this case, our guide grew up seeing the Goliath House, which features the biblical battle between David and Goliath.

The guide shared the history of Neupfarrplatz and taught us about St Peter Cathedral. He shared whimsical stories about historic Wurstkuchl, the world’s oldest sausage tavern.

And at the end of our tour, he left us at the base of the 12th-century Old Stone Bridge after sharing advice on enjoying this fully functional bridge in our free time. 

He ensured we appreciated Regensburg’s UNESCO designation.

Seriously, Our guide was instrumental in our ability to discover the true essence of Regensburg.

So much of Regensburg’s history has been serious, I want to end on a humorous note. Not only did our guide help us understand Regensburg’s UNESCO significance, but he also made sure we had a full picture of Regensburg’s history.

Here goes.

We commonly see statues of illegitimate children during our European travels. Regensburg is no different.

Don Juan D´Austria’s (John) statue is prominently placed in Regensburg.

What is Don Juan’s significance? He was the illegitimate son of Emperor Charles V. And, he is famous for his role as the admiral of the Holy Alliance fleet at the Battle of Lepanto.

Talk about merging history with modern civilization.

Let’s Wrap Up Our Discovery Of Regensburg.

I researched Regensburg before visiting, and in preparing this story. Everywhere I looked, many sources list Regensburg as one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe.

Who enjoys strolling medieval pathways? I do, and Regensburg more than delivered. Just another aspect of UNESCO sites that I enjoy.

I was skeptical, but that skepticism left after I visited this amazing city.

The Old Town of Regensburg holds nearly 1,500 historical buildings. Because of this, the Old Town features cultural diversity spanning from Roman to modern times.

For example, I literally touched the remnants of the Roman wall. Our Regensburg guide taught me Neupfarrplatz’s significance.

In other words, it is no wonder UNESCO declared Regensburg a UNESCO World Heritage site.

On the other hand, I also learned the difference between German and Hungarian beer.

Go figure.

Visiting UNESCO Sites Jazz Me Up

Regensburg more than lived up to the UNESCO hype.

Regensburg is a special destination, blending cultural histories such as Neupfarrplatz and St Peters Cathedral with modern hats and cuckoo clocks.

In other words, you will find the self-proclaimed medieval history when you discover Regensburg.

Regensburg is an amazing city. Consider a visit here if you are looking for a weekend getaway that successfully blends modern history with the medieval history of our past.