Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. This way I can continue to produce high-quality content and keep this site running. This stunning Baroque masterpiece is a true feast for the eyes, yet hardly anyone outside of Germany knows about it.
The level of detail in every room is incredible. Many visitors do. The palace gardens are also worth exploring. It was nice strolling through the manicured grounds and imagining the grand parties that must have been held here centuries ago. It showcases the power of prince-bishops and the talents of great artists. He picked young architect Balthasar Neumann for the job in Building took over 20 years. His successors kept the dream alive.
The main structure was finished by , but interior work went on for decades. He created a masterpiece that blended different styles seamlessly. The result? A palace that still wows visitors today. Walking through the Residence, I noticed a mix of styles. Neumann drew inspiration from all over Europe. The famous staircase? What struck me most was how well it all fits together. He blended them into something new and exciting.
The Residence has seen both good times and bad. For centuries, it was a center of power and culture. Royalty and famous guests walked its halls. But World War II changed everything. In March , bombing nearly destroyed the palace. The old part of the town was nearly obliterated. Along with the town, nearly all the roofs, wooden ceilings, and floors of the Residence were consumed by fire. Only the vaulted rooms, including the grand halls in the central block, emerged from the inferno relatively unscathed.
Restoration started right after the war. It took over 40 years to bring the Residence back to life. You can see documentation and old photos of the damage in the Memorial Room. Photography is allowed in almost all areas of the Residence, except during a guided tour. However, all photos can only be for private use. The palace earned this status for good reasons. Its Baroque architecture is truly special.
