Fodor's Expert Review Altes Rathaus
At Bamberg's historic core, the Altes Rathaus is tucked snugly on a small island in the Regnitz. To the west of the river is the so-called Bishops' Town; to the east, Burghers' Town. The citizens of Bamberg built this extravagantly decorated building on an artificial island when the bishop of Bamberg refused to give the city the land for a town hall. Industrious citizens quickly realized that the river was a tax haven as it wasn't claimed by anyone as property. The two bridges symbolically connect the spiritual side of Bamberg to the civic center. The outward appearance of the building is deceiving and gives the impression that the half-timbered section and the facade were built separately. The entire building is half-timbered, but the city plastered over the entire building in the 18th century and covered it with trompe-l'oeil frescos. In the 1960s the rear of the building was restored to its original look. Its excellent collection of porcelain is a sampling of 18th-century styles,... READ MORE
At Bamberg's historic core, the Altes Rathaus is tucked snugly on a small island in the Regnitz. To the west of the river is the so-called Bishops' Town; to the east, Burghers' Town. The citizens of Bamberg built this extravagantly decorated building on an artificial island when the bishop of Bamberg refused to give the city the land for a town hall. Industrious citizens quickly realized that the river was a tax haven as it wasn't claimed by anyone as property. The two bridges symbolically connect the spiritual side of Bamberg to the civic center. The outward appearance of the building is deceiving and gives the impression that the half-timbered section and the facade were built separately. The entire building is half-timbered, but the city plastered over the entire building in the 18th century and covered it with trompe-l'oeil frescos. In the 1960s the rear of the building was restored to its original look. Its excellent collection of porcelain is a sampling of 18th-century styles, from almost sober Meissens with bucolic Watteau scenes to simple but rare Haguenau pieces from Alsace and faience from Strasbourg.
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