Kulmbach is a city in Franconia. Its main claim to fame is a high brewery density, which albeit much diminished with economic consolidation was historically quite remarkable.
Understand
editGet in
editGet around
editSee
editThere are regular guided tours of Kulmbach from April through October every Saturday at 10.00 meeting at Tourist Information Kulmbach. There are also themed tours, historic cellar tours, night watchmen tours, or special tours for children.
Churches
edit- 1 St. Peter's church (Petrikirche). The oldest church in town and perhaps the oldest in all of Upper Franconia , with an exterior dating back to the 15th century. The interior was remodeled in a neo-Gothic style around 1878.
Castles
edit- 2 Plassenburg. April - October: Monday-Friday 09.00 to 18.00, Saturday 10.00 to 13.00, November - March: Monday-Friday 10.00 to 17.00. The castle towering over the town. Its Pewter Figurine Museum (Zinnfigurenmuseum) holds over 300,000 pewter figures, most of which are displayed in over 220 dioramas. Special exhibitions are also frequently shown in the museums and open-air concerts are held regularly in the Schönen Hof.
- Steinenhausen (Located directly above the meeting of the red and white main in the district of Melkendorf.). Today, it houses a branch of the Bavarian State Office for the Environment. There are display boards on various nature topics in the outdoor area.
Breweries
editThere are two main breweries in Kulmbach, the small Kommunbrau Brewery and the big Kulmbacher Brauerei.
Memorials
edit- In front of the Altem Friedhof (Old cemetery) is the Ehrenmal f die Gefallenen (Memorial to the Fallen). In front of the town hall stands a statue of Hans von Kulmbach, actually Hans Suess, a painter, draftsman and graphic artist.
Do
editEvents
edit- There is a spring market in March.
- In April or May there is a public celebration (Volksfest) at Schwedensteg.
- The annual Bierfest (Kulmbach Beer Festival) begins on the last Saturday in July and continues through until the first weekend in August. Getting accommodation might be a bit difficult at the time of the Bierfest, but not impossible, if you're early enough with for reservations.
- The Alstadtfest (Old Town Festival) takes place on the first weekend in July and is organised by the restaurants, bars and pubs in the old part of the town.
- Every other year odd-numbered years), Kulmbach hosts one of the world's largest model figure shows, Internationale Zinnfigurenbörse. Thousands of miniatures from exhibitors and retailers from around the world are on sale and display. Also visit the German Museum of Miniatures inside the Castle Plassenburg. Founded in 1929, the museum has more than 300,000 individual pieces.
Hiking
editKulmbach is located in between the hiking areas of Fichtelgebirge, the Frankenwald, Obermain and Franconian Switzerland. There are also wonderful walks and short hikes in and around Kulmbach at any time of the year, especially the Hans Edelmann Ringweg around the city with very beautiful views.
Kulmbach is located on the Burgenweg (Castle Trail). This 88-km long hiking trail runs from Bayreuth to Lauenstein, via Kulmbach, Kronach, Teuschnitz, and Ludwigsstadt. It leads to the Plassenburg, Rosenberg Fortress in Kronach, and Lauenstein Castle.
Buy
editThe farmers' market in front of the town hall takes place every Wednesday and Saturday 07:00-12:00, selling fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, sausages and flowers.
Eat
editBest of Kulmbach are fried sausages (Bratwurst) and beer.
Budget
edit- 1 Imbiss Metzgerei Kleinheinz, E.-C.-Baumann-Str. 17A, 95326 Kulmbach, ☏ +49 9221 87485. The snack bar is popular with craftsmen, it is still cooked by hand and nothing comes from the bag. If you come outside business hours, you will find a vending machine that offers everything from sausage to ready-made pastries in glasses to barbecue. Schnitzelburger €4.20.
- 2 Zum Gründla, Am Gründlein 5, 95326 Kulmbach, ☏ +49 9221 823884. M 16:00-23:00, W-Su 11:00-23:00. Kulmbach's youngest brewery, with an inn with good and inexpensive Franconian food. Main courses €4 to €10.
Mid-range
edit- 3 Schweizerhof, Ziegelhüttener Straße 38, ☏ +49 9221 92830, fax: +49 9221 928360, info@schweizerhof-kulmbach.de. Former brewery with good Franconian dishes and beer garden
- 4 Zum Seelöwen, Grünwehr 32, ☏ +49 9221 84200, fax: +49 9221 8215724, info@zum-seeloewen.de. Tu-Su 10:00-13:30 and 17:00-24:00. Traditional restaurant founded 1898, with Franconian dishes and beer garden. Meats and sausages from own butchering.
- 5 Hagleite, Matth.-Schneider-Str.6, ☏ +49 9221 4231, info@hagleite.de. Tu-Sa 17:00-23:00, Su 10:00-14:30 and 17:00-23:00. Good Franconian dishes.
- 6 Zum Mönchshof Bräuhaus, Hofer Straße 20, 95326 Kulmbach, ☏ +49 9221 80514. Tu-Su 11:00-close. An inn on brewery grounds with regular events and museum beer on tap. In summer with Kulmbach's largest beer garden.
Splurge
editDrink
editKulmbacher Eisbock, ice bock, is a dark, tasty beer speciality with 9% alcoholic content. Overall Kulmbach is famous for its beer and several breweries still operate in town, though diverse factors have lead to a consolidation and reduction of independent breweries, with many either bought up by bigger companies or driven into bankruptcy.
- 1 Kulmbacher Kommunbräu, Grünwehr 17, ☏ +49 9221 84490. 10:00-24:00. The last brewpub in Kulmbach, founded in 1994 as brewing cooperative . A small group of townspeople decided to open small brewery where they could make traditional, unfiltered beer. They offering a light “Hell” and a dark beer “Bernstein” and every month a special beer. The first taste of the new brew is every first Wednesday in month. It’s in a nice location, the building is an old water mill, but it’s the in-house brewery that sets it apart.
- 2 Zunftstube, Obere Stadt 4, ☏ +49 9221 83377. M-Sa 10:00-24:00, Su 10:00-14:00. Oldest pub in town, interior furnishing from 1938.
Sleep
editHotels
edit- Hotel an der Eiche, Pörbitscher Platz 9, info@eiche-kulmbach.de. Single from €62, double from €84.
- Weisses Roß.
- Hotel Purucker.
- Hotel Ertl.
- Hotel Kronprinz.
Bed & Breakfast
edit- [dead link] Pension Maintal, Kirchweg 33a in 95336 Mainleus, ☏ +49 9229973750, kontakt@pension-maintal.info. Single from €49, double from €64.
- Pension Hilde, Mangersreuther Str. 37, ☏ +49 9221 7244, fax: +49 9221 7261.
Connect
editGo next
editWeblinks
edit- https://www.kulmbach.de/xist4c/web/Town-Hall_id_13355_.htm (en) - Official Kulmbach website