A City Tour Through Amberg

Morning light filters into the room. Strangely, the small, overhead window is barred. The roughly plastered walls are bright and bare. The door, made of massive old beams, is reinforced with iron. A moment of alarm – is this a prison cell? Thankfully, the reporter quickly remembers: No, he hasn’t been locked up after some grand heist. Instead, he had the slightly quirky pleasure of experiencing “open prison-style lodging” at Hotel “Fronfeste.”

The former district court prison housed hardened criminals for nearly 300 years, from 1699 to 1966. The tower-like building is part of Amberg’s city wall. “When I first walked through the building, I immediately thought it looked just like a hotel,” says hotelier Gerald Stelzer enthusiastically.

Over a period of six years, Stelzer and his team painstakingly renovated the prison, battling the historic structure and preservation regulations along the way. The themed hotel opened in 2013. “At times, we worked ten hours a day – I wouldn’t do that again today,” Stelzer laughs. The “room” selection ranges from single cells to suites, including the former apartment of the prison warden. The hotel has been honored with a preservation award for its efforts.

Downriver Iron, Upriver Salt

The morning has settled in,  and a sunny autumn sky stretches over the city and its more than 40,000 residents. Amberg is located in the middle of the Upper Palatinate, about 60 kilometers east of Nuremberg and 50 kilometers north of Regensburg. The Vils River, a right-bank tributary of the Naab River, flows from north to south through the city.

Slowly, the Plätte – a traditional flat-bottomed boat once used for transporting goods – drifts downstream. The boat set off from the Schiffbrücke, a covered wooden bridge. While equipped with a motor, the boat is modeled after historic vessels. In the Middle Ages, these boats transported iron ore and iron from the region – often referred to today as the “Ruhr Area of the Middle Ages” – to the Danube for long-distance trade.

Pulled by horses, the Plätte boats would return upriver carrying salt. This trade made the citizens of Amberg wealthy, particularly since the city was situated on a second trade route, the Golden Road,  which ran east to west between Prague and Nuremberg.

A Touch of the Amazon on the Vils River

“These journeys were so important that the people of Amberg sought papal dispensation for Sunday trips,” Hans-Martin says with a smile. Tall and amiable, Hans-Martin is an IT consultant, a Plätte captain, an enthusiastic amateur historian, and also a city guide.

As soon as the Plätte boat leaves the Old Town behind, it seems to glide straight into a jungle. In the past, locals kept the riverbanks clear for towing boats, but today a thicket of grasses, shrubs, and trees thrives here. Startled ducks take flight, quacking noisily as they go. A dazzling blue damselfly flits through the warm autumn air. The colorful foliage in shades of yellow, red, and brown reflects on the still water,  where branches occasionally dip into the calm river.

The journey takes passengers to the former grounds of the State Garden Show and lasts about 30 minutes. You can return to the Old Town by boat or take a leisurely walk along the banks of this “Bavarian Amazon.”

The Landmark? The Stadtbrille!

“My favorite moment is when we head back toward the Old Town, and the tower of St. Martin’s Church appears behind the Stadtbrille,” Hans-Martin says. The city gate, with its two arches spanning the Vils River, creates the iconic glasses-like reflection in the water that gives the Stadtbrille its name – in German, Stadt means “city” and Brille means “glasses.” St. Martin’s Church was built around 1500 by the proud citizens of Amberg. It is the largest and most significant Gothic structure in the Upper Palatinate after the Regensburg Cathedral.

Amberg was first mentioned in records in 1034, though archaeological findings indicate the area has been inhabited for thousands of years. In 1269, the city came under the control of the Wittelsbach dynasty. In 1329, the Wittelsbachs divided their territory: The Bavarian line retained Old Bavaria, while the Electoral Palatinate line (which had acquired the Electoral Palatinate in 1214) took control of the Rhineland Palatinate and areas in the Bavarian Nordgau. Amberg became the administrative seat of this “Upper Palatinate,” which was distinct from the “Lower Palatinate” around Heidelberg.

Big Party: The Amberg Wedding

A massive city wall still encloses much of the oval-shaped Old Town, known as the Amberger Ei, or “Amberg Egg.” Visitors can stroll inside or outside the wall, discovering charming nooks and hidden spots along the way. One feature that stands out is the striking and robust Nabburger Gate.

During the Electoral Palatinate era, a grand event put the city in the spotlight: The Amberg Wedding of 1474. This celebrated the marriage of the Palatinate prince-elector to the daughter of the Duke of Bavaria-Landshut. The festivities lasted five days and served as the inspiration for the Landshut Wedding the following year. Thousands of liters of wine were consumed,  and an entire row of houses on the market square was torn down to give the knights more room for their tournament!

Winter King and Industry 4.0

During the Reformation, Amberg changed its religious denomination five times, depending on the ruling sovereign: from Catholic to Protestant to Calvinist and back again. At the onset of the Thirty Years’ War, Amberg-born Elector Friedrich V, leader of the Protestant Union, was crowned King of Bohemia in 1619. However, in 1620, Catholic Duke Maximilian of Bavaria defeated his cousin Friedrich in the famous Battle of White Mountain. Friedrich, mockingly nicknamed the “Winter King,” fled soon after.

The Upper Palatinate was seized as a result of the war and returned to Bavaria, and Amberg became permanently Catholic. Much of the city’s upper class left, leading to economic decline. In 1810, the seat of the Upper Palatinate government was relocated to Regensburg.

Amberg entered the industrial era in 1859 with its connection to the railway network. In 1883, the Luitpoldhütte ironworks were established, followed shortly by the Baumann enamel factory, which exported its metal kitchenware worldwide. Today, Amberg is home to the Eastern Bavarian Technical University (OTH) and successful medium-sized companies. A leader in cutting-edge technologies and Industry 4.0, the Siemens Electronics Plant in Amberg (EWA) plays a key role in shaping the future.

Highlights from Gothic to Rococo

“It’s best to take your time and enjoy the city at a leisurely pace – there’s so much to discover,” Hans-Martin advises as the passengers disembark at the dock. “Amberg has a gem from every era since the Romanesque period,” the city guide continues.

St. Martin’s Church represents the Gothic style, while the Renaissance is embodied by the Government Chancellery, a sandstone building complex. One Baroque masterpiece is the Maria Hilf pilgrimage church, perched high above the city on the hillside. It was designed by Wolfgang Dientzenhofer and adorned with frescoes by Cosmas Damian Asam. A stroll up to the church, under a canopy of autumn-colored oak and beech leaves, is a must.  The 150-meter climb rewards visitors with stunning views of Amberg.

Every summer, thousands of visitors are drawn to the renowned 'Bergfest' festival, which is held in conjunction with the Feast of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary on July 2nd and features devotions, bratwurst, and beer. The so-called Schulkirche church shines across the region as a Rococo jewel. Not to be overlooked is the Glass Cathedral, an industrial glass factory building from the 1960s and the final masterpiece of Bauhaus architect Walter Gropius.

A One of a Kind: The Air Museum

While Amberg, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval city complexes, is steeped in history, it is also alive with fresh energy. In the Old Town, this fresh energy takes on a literal meaning, with a breeze that stirs the air.  Thanks to the initiative of artist Wilhelm Koch, the Air Museum (in German, the Luftmuseum) was established in a former manor house along the Vils River.

During his studies, Koch explored air as an artistic material, creating intricate sculptures from inflated tubes.

“We want to make air visible and audible, tangible and graspable,” says Koch. The museum accomplishes this through exhibitions that blend art, architecture, design, and technology. Visitors quickly discover that humor and irony are central to the experience, with playful elements reminiscent of Marcel Duchamp or Karl Valentin. “That’s our pet. Shh, she’s still sleeping,” Koch whispers with mock seriousness, pointing to a glass case  where a colorful air serpent is curled up contentedly.

Eight special exhibitions a year complement the permanent exhibition, which features many many inventive and quirky objects, such as an air shower or a balloon that is precisely blown from one step to the next on a ladder. Amberg has officially earned the title of Luftkunstort, or “destination for air art.

The Taste of the Upper Palatinate in Autumn!

Just downstream, five historic houses have been given a new lease on life. Lovingly restored, the 'Bootshaus' now offers guests fifteen rooms and four suites. The restaurant serves modern Upper Palatinate cuisine, such as Dotsch (potato pancakes) with kale, millet, and almonds.

The kicker? Three covered terrace platforms, where diners can enjoy the open-air ambiance with a touch of Venice as they sit over the Vils River. “We also rent out kayaks for individual trips on the Vils – it’s especially beautiful in autumn,” says owner Eva Bogner.

The “Casino” promises traditional culinary pleasures, making it the quintessential Upper Palatinate inn. For years, it has been featured in the "Slow Food Genussführer Guide". Nearly 200 years ago, Amberg’s citizens founded a civil casino as a counterpart to the officer’s casino. Today, the inn operates in the former rooms of a church, welcoming guests into a spacious dining room with dark wood paneling.

The kitchen prides itself on honest cooking without industrial pre-made products, and every Sunday, they make their potato dumplings, from scratch. Naturally, game dishes feature prominently on the autumn menu. “We get our game directly from hunters, but we butcher it ourselves,” explains innkeeper Hans Graf. “We use the entire animal, including the offal, which we prepare as sour game stew.”

In addition to seasonal beers from small breweries in Franconia and the Upper Palatinate, the “Casino” also serves beer from Amberg’s long-established Kummert Brewery. Altogether, the city is home to six family-run breweries  offering a wide variety of beers: pale lagers, dark beers, wheat beers, Märzen, Bock, and more. Just another excellent reason to enjoy Amberg – not only in autumn!