A Rainy Day in Würzburg

My day in Würzburg was the first bad weather that I experienced on my trip.  It was overcast all day without a hint of sun, and it frequently rained lightly.  However, that did not stop me from exploring the city until it was time to catch my train back to Frankfurt.

As befits a city that was for centuries ruled by prince-bishops, many of the sights of interest are churches.  The city was destroyed by Allied bombings in World War II, but many of the old buildings, especially the historic churches, were faithfully reconstructed.

The "Marienkapelle" is a Gothic church constructed between 1337 and 1441.  It stands on the town's market square.

In spite of the rain, there were still vendors selling fruits, vegetables and flowers on the market square.

Next to the "Marienkappelle", the "Haus zum Falken" (Falcon House) is an excellent example of 18th century rococo architecture.  It was once a hotel, and now houses a library and the tourist information office.

The "Neumünster" was an 11th century Romanesque church which in the 18th century had a baroque make-over.

The Cathedral of St. Killian was built in Romanesque style in 1075.  In 1627 the interior was renovated in the baroque style.  The cathedral is dedicated to St. Killian, an Irish missionary who came to the Wurzburg area to convert the pagan population. He suffered martyrdom here in 689.

The "Rathaus" (City Hall) includes a tower built in 1453 which has the city's first public clock.

The "Juliusspital" is a hospital that was established by Prince-Bishop Julius Echter in 1576.  This impressive baroque wing was added in 1700.  The "Juliusspital" is still a functioning hospital with modern medical facilities adjacent to it.

On a hill above the city is the Marienburg Fortress.  The hill has been fortified since the Bronze Age when Celtic tribes lived in the area.  The foundations of parts of the current fortress date back to 8th century, but most of the structures are from the Renaissance and baroque eras.  I did not visit the fortress since it is closed on Mondays.  I also read that parts of it are currently closed to visitors due to renovations.

The Old Main Bridge was built between 1473 and 1543.  It crosses the Main River, the same tributary of the Rhine that passes through Frankfurt.

It was time to catch the train back to Frankfurt and pack my suitcase.  The next day I was headed to Switzerland to visit my cousins.