The year is flying by, and it's time to turn the page on the calendar to August. This month's picture on the calendar that I had made with photos from trips to Germany is of the Bishop's Palace (known as the Residenz) in the Bavarian city of Würzburg.
A couple years ago, when I spent a few days in Frankfurt, I was looking for some nearby places that would be good day trips. Cologne and Heidelberg were obvious choices. Würzburg, however, is not as well known as a tourist destination. When I read about the Residenz, a baroque 18th century palace that rivals Versailles, I decided to add that city to my itinerary.
The bishop of Würzburg was also the absolute ruler of that city. Bishop Johann Phillipp Franz von Schönborn felt that his position required an imposing residence. Construction was begun in 1720. The structure was completed in 1744, but the interior was not finished until 1780 (many bishops later).
Perhaps the most impressive part of this opulent palace is the grand staircase. The vault above the stairs, a construction masterpiece, is an enormous expanse measuring 59 by 109 feet. The fresco on the ceiling, the largest in the world, was done by the Venetian painter Giovanni Tiepolo, one of the greatest decorative painters of 18th century Europe.
You have to shake your head in disbelief that a clergyman should live in such an extravagant place.
