Serving as the seat of Upper Franconia, Bayreuth is a historic Bavarian city on the banks of the Red Main River. It was famously home to the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner, whose operas are presented during the annual Bayreuth Festival. The Bayreuther Festspielhaus was built solely for the performance of his works.
Things to do in Bayreuth
In the heart of Bayreuth is the Margravial Opera House, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its exquisite Baroque architecture. Built in the mid-18th century, it features a decorative sandstone facade designed by Joseph Saint-Pierre and a gilded wooden interior conceived by Giuseppe Galli Bibiena. Take note of the trompe-l'œil ceiling and the Court Loge where the Margrave once sat.
Richard Wagner’s life and legacy are explored at Villa Wahnfried, where he lived between 1874 and his death in 1883. As you explore the period-furnished rooms, you can learn about Wagner’s methodology as a composer and some of the notable guests the family received here. Occupying a new museum building designed by Volker Staab are stage models, equipment and costumes from the Bayreuth Festival.
On the eastern outskirts of the city is the Hermitage Court Garden, which was founded by Margrave Georg Wilhelm on the site of his father’s zoo. In addition to the Old Palace and a temple dedicated to the god Apollo, the garden features grottos, a ruined theatre and several fountains. Framed views across the surrounding countryside can be enjoyed from the garden’s hilltop setting.
Getting around Bayreuth
Bayreuth is around an hour’s drive from Nuremberg and Albrecht Dürer Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe. Regular trains connect to the Bayreuth railway station while buses travel throughout the town. The centre of Bayreuth can easily be explored on foot.