Developed over centuries as a former seat of margravial power and made world-famous by the Richard Wagner Festival, the largest town in Upper Franconia is now a modern commercial centre, conference venue and university town.
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With its sights, its museums and its cultural diversity, there is never a dull moment in
Bayreuth. Bayreuth has a permanent exhibition devoted to the world-famous piano virtuoso
Franz Liszt. An altogether different journey of discovery is offered by the
Brewery and Cooperage Museum. The art of brewing beer is widespread in this part of the world (the region is known as "Beer Franconia") and few other towns have more breweries and such a wide choice of beer. A detour to the
German Freemasons Museum is also well worth while.
Margravine Wilhelmine, sister of Frederick the Great, transformed
Bayreuth into a glittering centre of art and culture 250 years ago.
Bayreuth's Margravial Opera House is an exceptionally beautiful baroque theatre. The town also boasts a number of attractive palaces and castles, the Hermitage (Eremitage) park with its enchanted grottoes and fountains, the Festival Hall with its acclaimed acoustics and 22 interesting museums.
The
Richard Wagner Festival has been the highlight of
Bayreuth's cultural scene for more than 125 years. The
Festival Hall is worthy of a visit even outside festival times.
The Bayreuth Art Museum and
Iwalewa Museum of African Art contain fascinating exhibits and there are numerous music and drama festivals offering the highest calibre of cultural entertainment.
Bayreuth is at the heart of the Fichtelgebirge, Frankenwald and Franconian Switzerland holiday regions. Visitors in search of nature will also enjoy the baroque gardens of the Hermitage, the Fantaisie Park and Palace and the Sanspareil rock garden.
Bayreuth University's Ecological-Botanical Garden is a colourful display of the kinds of plants more usually seen on the American prairies or Europe's heath lands, depending on the season. Its fabulous setting between the densely wooded Fichtelgebirge Mountains and romantic Franconian Switzerland makes Bayreuth the ideal base for excursions into the beautiful countryside of the region.
