Wurzburg Residenz

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After toasted sandwiches (yes with the $10 toaster) and a quick run around in dewy grass with Em, we began our drive to Wurzburg. As we wanted to get there in a timely manner, we chose the motorway and smashed through half a tank of diesel at about 140km/h most of the way. That’s a lot of fuel for a little four-pot! Anyway, having arrived about lunchtime, we made sure we knew where the hotel was then headed for the Wurzburg Residenz.

The Residenz is a bit like the Palace of Versaille near Paris but without the crowds. Not as lavish with the gold leaf on the outside, but inside it was simply stunning! This really is a must-see for anyone coming to Germany. It was built in the 17^th century as a (you guessed it) residence in the city for the Prince-Bishops of the region who were both political and religious leaders of the larger region. Unfortunately it was almost destroyed during WW2 by a fire which completely burnt all the timber in the entire structure. Fortunately, some of the tapestries and furnishings had been removed for safe storage beforehand but many more were incinerated. It took 45 years and 20 million euros to repair and refurbish the areas open to the public and the work is still ongoing although at a slower pace now. Unfortunately, they do not allow photography inside the building although I think this is more to make you buy the tourist books than to preserve anything. It is still absolutely worth the entry price as it is lavishly decorated and beautifully restored.

Surrounding the palace and free of charge, are the gardens and fountains, topiaries and perfectly trimmed hedges. To one side is a complete orchard and orangerie. We walked around the walls of the gardens until Em spied a playground in the park outside. Of course that was it – we had to go. Making our way out, we saw our first red squirrel which ran along the wall in front of us before taking a flying leap to a nearby tree, much to Em’s astonishment.

The back of the complex is surrounded by a large park area with a popular playground in the middle. After a good run around, we made our way back to the car and along the way we spied our second red squirrel. Em loved watching it dart around in the garden digging and foraging for its food.

We returned to check into our hotel. One of the difficulties of travelling with a 3 year old is laundry. Laundromats are fine if you are alone – you just listen to some music or use the time to update your blog. But it doesn’t really work when you have to kill 2 hours in a room full of washing machines with a small child. We actually ended up having dinner at the laundromat – just salad rolls and fruit with yoghurt but at least we managed to entertain the munchkin for long enough to get everything done!

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Photos

The Orangerie
This time at the Wurzburg Rezidenz