Discover Forchheim

Imperial Palace, museums and old-town history

Forchheim’s old town is home to the Imperial Palace, a prince-bishop’s castle dating from the late 14th century. This monument of national significance is particularly known for its late Gothic wall paintings. The Imperial Palace also houses the Forchheim Palace Museum, which comprises three specialist museums: the Upper Franconia Archaeology Museum, the Town Museum and the Costume Museum at Kapellenstraße 16. The Town Museum tells Forchheim’s story through nine audiovisual townscapes and covers a period of 1,200 years.

Other distinctive details shape the appearance of the old town. The tower of St Martin’s Church is 57 metres high, visible from every direction and a visual landmark. The Frechshaus adjoins the western side of the Town Hall. Its oldest parts date from the early 15th century; together with the Town Hall, its old timber framing with projecting upper storeys defines the row of buildings on Rathausplatz.

Those interested in the history of the fortress can explore the subject at the Rote Mauer Experience Museum. It is housed in a casemate preserved in its original condition from the 16th century and presents the history of Forchheim Fortress. The entrance is at Wallstraße 19. Kammerers Mill on Wiesentstraße dates from 1698. Because it slopes down towards the Wiesent on one side, it is also known as the “Crooked House”.

The Wiesent, city views and nature

The stretch between the bridge on Vogelstraße and the Spitalkirche is known as “Little Venice”. Forchheim’s fish boxes can be seen on the banks of the Wiesent there. The river gives this part of the old town a different character from the museum and architectural history around the Imperial Palace.

A staircase leads to St Veit’s Bastion, where you can look out over the city. From there, you can see the city park below and large parts of Forchheim. To the north of the city lies the Schleuseninsel leisure area, surrounded by an arm of the Regnitz and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal. It offers opportunities to spend time outdoors. Franconian Switzerland is another option for an outing: well-signposted hiking trails lead to rock formations, and the Walberla offers views of Forchheim and the surrounding area.

Kellerwald and Franconian festival traditions

Forchheim’s Kellerwald covers around 20,000 square metres and has 23 beer cellars serving visitors. It is one of the largest beer gardens in the world. The traditional Annafest takes place there every year from late July into August. During the festival, 14 Franconian breweries welcome visitors to the Kellerwald, with around 10,000 square metres of seating beneath the leafy canopy. If you plan to time your trip to coincide with Annafest, its annual dates are an important factor when choosing your travel dates.

ZirkArt is another major event: this street theatre festival has been held in Forchheim every two years since 2012. Featuring New Circus, it is aimed at theatre lovers, families and event fans. Alongside the year-round attractions of the town and its landscapes, culture and festivals offer another possible focus for your stay.

Getting here and choosing a focus for your holiday

The Main–Danube Cycle Route makes it possible to reach Forchheim by bicycle from the north and south. Train services run via Forchheim station and the Kersbach and Forchheim Nord S-Bahn stops; EuroCity, Intercity, Interregio, Regional-Express and S-Bahn services are listed. ICE services are available from Bamberg.

When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide what you want your trip to focus on: the museums and architectural history, views of the city, nature and hiking trails, or a stay centred around Annafest. This helps you decide what kind of holiday you would like, without combining the different places and activities into a single itinerary.

More places

Also discover Hallerndorf, Kunreuth, Eggolsheim, Dormitz, Pinzberg, Langensendelbach, Gräfenberg and Effeltrich.

For the overview of the wider area: Forchheim.