Eichstatt - Harburg - Neuburg

Route: Munich - Eichstatt - Harburg - Neuburg - Munich
Duration: 10 h
Our first stop will be at the Eichstatt where a walk through town is a chance to experience a building culture funded by the landed gentry. For, the town in the Altmühltal Valley is still shaped by the time of the princely bishops to this day. They ruled over Eichstätt from 1305 until 1805 and were all of noble descent. The town of stately residences owes its famous ensemble of magnificent residences, baroque facades, capitular courtyards and churches to these rulers. You can still sense the glamorous history of Eichstätt at the stunning Residenzplatz to this day. The baroque square is ruled over by the former princely bishop residence. It is possible to visit some of the splendid rooms of the palace, including the magnificent Hall of Mirrors and the grandiose stairs with their impressive ceiling fresco. Willibaldsburg Castle is another relic of the time of the princely bishops in Franconia. The imposing castle stands on a hill and towers over the town. The castle was the seat of the Eichstätt princely bishops until 1725, when they moved into the residence. Next we will visit to Harburg Castlew hich was built the Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of the House of Hohenstaufen. Historians say that its construction began in the XI century. The castle had a task of controlling a major trade road passing through the place. However, most of the extant buildings of the castle date back to the XVIII century. By that time, the era of the Hohenstaufen in the "castle on the marsh" had already become history. The so-called "Tower of Thieves" with the authentic torture chamber is Harburg Castle’s main attraction. It is also interesting to look at the well-preserved medieval grain storage. The interior preserves a collection of paintings collected by the castle owners, as well as a collection of hunting weapons and trophies. Another local landmark is the enormous depth of the well. In the Middle Ages it was 129m deep! At that time the inhabitants of the fortress had to spend almost an hour to get water. The castle complex, including the castle house, chapel, sentry walk (complete with holes through which to pour hot oil on invading marauders!), prison tower, dungeon, and various buildings used to support the inhabitants, is surrounded by a wall supporting six towers.  In the center of the complex is a large courtyard with a well. Next we will visit to the Neuburg on the Danube where the old part of the town, built on a Jurassic limestone hill, dominates the lovely Danube valley. This imposing silhouette has remained practically unchanged for centuries. On entering the old part of the town through a gate in the medieval walls, and passing the castle built by Ottheinrich, you will taken into a fascinating world of Renaissance and Baroque. The old patrician houses and aristocrats’ mansions displaying superb facades, the imposing churches, the provincial library and the ancient mint, the medieval walls and the upper and lower gates are all constant reminders of Neuburg’s rich heritage. In Neuburg an der Donau you can experience an almost fully preserved baroque and renaissance ensemble, including an imposing Ducal Palace. Karlsplatz, with its 200-year-old linden trees and one of the most picturesque squares in southern Germany, is surrounded by numerous aristocratic and patrician houses like pearls on a chain. After we return to Munich.
Price: per person