Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm

Phone

LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Add to Favourites

Home>Art History Tours>Regensburg A Mediaeval Metropolis on the Banks of the Bavarian Danube

Regensburg A Mediaeval Metropolis on the Banks of the Bavarian Danube

29 April 2022

This tour focuses on the riches and often hidden treasures of mediaeval art and architecture in Regensburg, some of which are only accessible by special appointment. Travelling by coach and by boat we will discover this less well-known, yet culturally rich part of Bavaria.

Enjoy a stay in what is possibly Germany’s best preserved mediaeval city.
Exclusive visits to crypts, chapels and cloisters opened especially for us.
Relax during a cruise on a private boat along the Danube.
Take a boat through the nature reserve of the Danube gorge to our destination of the Benedictine monastery of Weltenburg, situated at one of the river’s most beautiful spots

The origins of Regensburg, situated on the northernmost point of the Bavarian Danube, lie behind the sturdy Roman walls of Castra Regina. Built to intimidate and ward off Germanic tribes these walls did not only defy fierce attacks but also the disintegration of the empire itself. As a mighty fortress it served the Bavarian dukes as residence and first capital of the Duchy of Bavaria. Since the 8th-century Ratisbona was favoured by visits of Frankish kings and emperors as well as by the establishment of an Episcopal see. Its citizens developed into undaunted and enterprising merchants dealing in luxury goods from all over the then known world. Regensburg’s political significance and economic prosperity soon precipitated in major ecclesiastical and secular building projects. An exceptionally large number of these outstanding architectural treasures from a Carolingian ring crypt to a grand Gothic cathedral have survived the ravages of time. Furthermore, the virtually intact mediaeval townscape, listed as UNESCO World Heritage, makes Regensburg so memorable. This tour focuses on the riches and often hidden treasures of medieval art and architecture in Regensburg, some of which are only accessible by special appointment. The region’s other towns may be less well-known but are just as attractive: Straubing and Landshut are mediaeval towns founded by the Bavarian dukes brimming with art and architecture from late-Gothic to Renaissance and Mannerism. The surrounding countryside invites exploration of an unspoilt landscape of cliffs, rivers and forests, which inspired Albrecht Altdorfer and the painters of the Danube School in the early 16th-century to “invent” landscape painting. Travelling by coach and by boat we will discover this less well-known, yet culturally rich part of Bavaria.

Day 1:
Morning flight with BA from London Heathrow to Munich. By private coach to the well-preserved town of Landshut, once second residence to the Dukes of Bavaria. Perched above the town, Trausnitz Castle contains a stunning late-Romanesque chapel and rare Renaissance wall-paintings. From there continue to Regensburg for an introductory walk past the surviving Roman city gate to the mediaeval bridge across the Danube.
Day 2:
Explore the unspoilt mediaeval centre of Regensburg on foot: the morning focuses on the Gothic cathedral embellished with beautiful sculpture and stained-glass windows. Its freshly restored cloister with 11th- and 12th century chapel is a special highlight (by special appointment). The afternoon is dedicated to the history and monuments of the Imperial Free City, such as the town hall and wealthy burghers’ houses. The church and cloister (by special appointment) of the Scottish Benedictine abbey of St James is a gem of Romanesque architecture.
Day 3:
Excursion to the market town of Straubing, where the Gäubodenmuseum houses a stunning Roman hoard treasure. The town’s main church of St James is a splendid example of a Late Gothic hall church, while the basilica of St Peter is a Romanesque building virtually untouched by later interventions. In the afternoon return to Regensburg via the Neoclassical temple of the Walhalla. Located on a hilltop above the Danube a great vista connects this national monument with the Neo-Gothic spires of Regensburg cathedral seen in the distance. From here, a private boat will take us back into the city.
Day 4:
A second day in Regensburg will take us to the abbey of St Emmeram. The church boasts an unparalleled wealth of three mediaeval crypts ranging from Carolingian to Salian (special access) while its cloister is an art historical picture book of Gothic architecture. In the afternoon, the coach will take us to Regensburg-Prüfening (special access) where another Benedictine abbey church begun in 1108 boasts stunning 12th-century fresco paintings in the church’s choir end.
Day 5:
In the morning the coach will take us to Kelheim from where we take a boat through the nature reserve of the Danube gorge, the deepest and narrowest section of the Bavarian Danube. Our destination is the Benedictine monastery of Weltenburg, situated at one of the river’s most beautiful spots. Apart from savouring some of the culinary delights of the abbey’s production we focus on the exceptional abbey church built and decorated by Cosmas Damian Asam in the early 18th-century. From here continue to the village of Rohr, to admire the spectacular “theatrum sacrum” of the Assumption by Egid Quirin Asam of the early 1720.
Day 6:
A day on foot in Regensburg. Our morning walk will take us to the subterranean chapel of St Erhard (by special access), a 10th-century edifice with a building history still not fully deciphered. The nearby Niedermünster church houses St Erhard’s outstanding early Gothic tomb. Our visit to the History Museum focuses on the paintings of Albrecht Altdorfer and further superb early Gothic sculpture. The rest of the day is free.
Day 7:
Return to Landshut to visit the recently restored Gothic parish church of St Martin whose belfry is the tallest brick structure in the world. A short walk will take us to the Stadtresidenz, an elegant Italianate Renaissance palace which came to replace the castle seen on the first day. After lunch continue to Munich for a late-afternoon flight with BA to London Heathrow.

Scheduled return flights (economy class) with British Airways.
Transfers and excursions by private coach.
Six nights’ bed & breakfast at the 4* Hotel Goliath am Dom
Three dinners and one lunch.
Guided visits to sites listed in the programme.
Services of the lecturers and a local tour manager.
Detailed programme and study notes.
All entrance fees, taxes, and gratuities for coach drivers and waiters.

Dr Ulrike Ziegler

Specialising in mediaeval art and in cultural politics of post-war Germany at the universities of Regensburg and Aberdeen, Dr Ulrike Ziegler is a well-respected member of Art Pursuits Abroad and has lectured at universities and for multiple cultural institutions, along with organising and leading many study tours in both Germany and Austria. Ulrike is now working on Art Pursuits Abroad’s German programme.

Fly from London

Return flights from London are included in our package on our specific arrival and departure dates plus one item of checked in luggage, per person.

Transfers will also be included on our specific arrival and departure dates to take you to your holiday destination. If you choose to arrive or depart on a different day, there may be an additional supplement charged to cover your transfer costs.

Overview

A 4-minute walk from Haidplatz (a historic city square), this quirky hotel is 7 minutes' walk from Regensburg Museum of History and 1.1 km from Regensburg railway station. Individually designed, colorful rooms have natural stone en suite bathrooms, plus free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and minibars. Upgraded rooms add living areas with pull-out sofas, plus designer toiletries. Room service is offered.