Franconia, Germany Photos

Photograph by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson, Keenpress

Girded by a sturdy ring wall and watch towers, the Marienberg Fortress stands guard over the ancient town of Würzburg and the Main River. The monument today operates as a museum, where headliners include acclaimed works by Gothic master sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider.

Read more in "Germany's Treasure House" in the May/June 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson, Keenpress

Würzburg boasts one of the oldest wine producers in Europe, the Staatlicher Hofkeller Würzburg, founded in the 12th century and located around the royal Würzburg Residence, the seat of Würzburg's prince-bishops. Known for its Rieslaner, Riesling, and Silvaner vintages, the Staatlicher Hofkeller Würzburg offers wine tastings near the imposing barrels in the medieval-era cellar (keller) of the Residence—complete with evocative candlelight.

Read more in "Germany's Treasure House" in the May/June 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson, Keenpress

Free-standing marble columns, a feature usually found in churches, distinguish the Gartensaal (Garden Hall), one of the highlights of the Würzburg Residence. Designed by famed 18th-century architect Balthasar Neumann and a World Heritage site, the residence is considered one of the most important baroque palace complexes in Europe.

Read more in "Germany's Treasure House" in the May/June 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson, Keenpress

Festive holiday markets herald the seasons in Franconia's towns—here a Christmas market (a popular German tradition) in the town of Bayreuth, home of the annual Richard Wagner Festival.

Read more in "Germany's Treasure House" in the May/June 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson, Keenpress

Nuremberg landmark, the colorful Schöner Brunnen Fountain was crafted in the 14th century and adorned with statues of noted philosophers, religious figures, heroes, and other luminaries. It is famous for a "gold ring" that, when turned three times, is said to make wishes come true.

Read more in "Germany's Treasure House" in the May/June 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson, Keenpress

Still printing after all these years: A centuries-old press delivers a print in the Albrecht Dürer House, the Nuremberg home of the Renaissance artist and printer.

Read more in "Germany's Treasure House" in the May/June 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson, Keenpress

The Catholic religion remains a visible presence on Bamberg's streets: Baroque statues of angels and saints adorn numerous city buildings, including this gold-tinged confection on the facade of the Restaurant Brudermuehle.

Read more in "Germany's Treasure House" in the May/June 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson, Keenpress

Medieval oddity: Bamberg's striking Old Town Hall was erected in the middle of the Regnitz River in the 1400s. Lore has it that its unusual location was chosen by citizens frustrated by the powerful bishopric's reluctance to cede them land.

Read more in "Germany's Treasure House" in the May/June 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson, Keenpress

Elaborately constructed nativity scenes, which enjoy a long tradition among Bavaria's wood carvers, fill Bamberg's Krippen (Crib) Museum. Here, museum founder Erk Baumann arranges scenery in one of dozens of creches he has collected from around the world.

Read more in "Germany's Treasure House" in the May/June 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson, Keenpress

Riverside dining takes on new meaning at Bamberg's Kaminrestaurant, in the Hotel St. Nepomuk: The dining room cantilevers out over the Regnitz River, offering guests a chance to sit—and walk—over water.

Read more in "Germany's Treasure House" in the May/June 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson, Keenpress

Early morning mist casts a moody patina on the cobblestone streets by Bamberg's frescoed Old Town Hall.

Read more in "Germany's Treasure House" in the May/June 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.