Shopping in Wurzburg

Wurzburg is a very pretty town of 140,000 inhabitants and the last before leaving Bavaria.  It contains many churches, one of which holds a side-chapel decorated with many (artificial) human bones and skulls.  

Massacres of Jews took place in 1147 and 1298 and expulsions throughout the Middle Ages.  During the Nazi rule almost the whole Jewish and Gypsy population of the city was wiped out.

90% of the city was destroyed by UK Lancaster bombers in 17 minutes in 1945.

The local economy benefitted greatly by US military presence until 2008.

We elected to give the conducted tours a miss today and make our own way into and through the town on foot, yielding a few more Euros to the local community.

The Fortress Marienberg overlooking the town and surrounding hills.

The Fortress dominates the skyline. Note the grape vines on steep slopes below the wall.

This section alongside the canal has been covered in sand and deck chairs placed to give the impression of a beach. This is a commercial venue.

The flowers are spectacular. The rows of vines are planted up the hill so the machinery can negotiate the slope which is much steeper than the photo indicates.

Locks ensure the water level in the canal is deep enough for the cruise ships and the excess flow passes over a wall as it flows downstream.

Photo taken from the old Main Bridge (1473 ) and adorned with well known statues of Saints.

Another town square and church.  Wurzburg has many impressive churches with winding streets and markets. They also have an excellent tram system for their 140,000 residents. The trams are almost silent and traverse the highly populated tourist areas seemingly just missing the shoppers and tourists.