Miltenberg

Miltenberg is a town in Lower Franconia.

Understand

The old town lies on the Main’s left bank on the "left knee" of the Mainviereck ("Main Square") between the Spessart and Odenwald ranges. Since the Main riverbed in the Miltenberg area is relatively near the foot of the Odenwald, only a narrow strip of usable land is left, little over 150 m in width,  which in past centuries was time and again flooded by the Main. The historic centre, which stands on this land, often sustained considerable damage in these floods. Only in the 21st century efficient flood control measures, most of all a wall, have significantly reduced the adverse effects of these floods. Since about the beginning of the 20th century, after buying land from the neighbouring community of Großheubach, Miltenberg has been expanding on the right bank.

Tourist information

• Miltenberg Tourism website

Get in

• 1 Bahnhof Miltenberg. It is on the Main Valley Railway (Maintalbahn) between Aschaffenburg and Wertheim.  

See

Marktplatz/Market Square

• Historic town centre. Miltenberg has around 150 half-timbered houses.
• There are a number of defensive towers around the town.
• Market square. It has historic timber framed buildings such as the Schnatterloch, and a fountain dating from 1583. 
• 1 Museum der Stadt Miltenberg, Hauptstraße 169-175 (am Schnatterloch), ☏ +49 9371 668504. (updated Mar 2017)
• 2 Mildenburg. The local castle houses a museum of icons and contemporary art (Museum.Burg.Miltenberg). The castle’s inner ward once held the Teutonenstein, a 5-m-tall sandstone column found on Greinberg, the inscription of which remain a puzzle.  
• 3 Hotel Zum Riesen. One of Germany’s oldest inns, if not the oldest. 
• 4 Altes Rathaus, Hauptstraße 137. the old town hall 
• Mainz Gate (Mainzer Tor)
• Würzburg Gate (Würzburger Tor)
• 5 Laurentiuskapelle, Laurentiusstraße 3. The Gothic "Saint Lawrence’s chapel" with its abutting graveyard. (updated Dec 2024)
• The Route der Industriekultur Rhein-Main (“Rhine-Main Industrial Culture Route”) covers the 160 km between Miltenberg and Bingen. Industrial buildings in this area provide the visitors with the opportunity to learn about the industrial heritage in a regional context. 700 buildings have already been scientifically catalogued, including Miltenberg’s old railway station.

Do

• The Fränkischer Rotwein Wanderweg ("Franconian Red Wine Hiking Trail") was established in 1990, and leads from Großwallstadt through Miltenberg to Bürgstadt.
• 1 Theater Lilli Chapeau, Fischergasse 7, ☏ +49 9371 959 184, chapeau@online.de. W–Su 11:00–19:00. Claims to be the smallest theater in the world. 

Buy

• 1 Brauhaus Faust (Brewery shop), Hauptstraße 219. Wood-barrel-matured Eisbock. 

Eat

• 1 Faust Bräustüble, Löwengasse 3, 63897 Miltenberg, ☏ +49 9371 2709. Lounge, Biergarten. 

Sleep

Guesthouse "Riesen" the owners call it the oldest guesthouse of Germany

• 1 Campingplatz Mainwiese, ☏ +49 9371 3985. 
• 2 Jugendgästehaus St. Kilian, Bürgstädter Str. 8. Run by the Catholic Church. 
• 3 Adler Landhotel, Hauptstraße 30, Bürgstadt, ☏ +49 9371 97880. (updated Mar 2017)
• 4 Zum Riesen, Hauptstraße 219, ☏ +49 9371 989948. One of the oldest hotels in Germany, dating back to at least 1411. (updated Mar 2017)

Go next

• Aschaffenburg
• Michelstadt
• Wertheim