Comfortably, culturally, actively – vacation in the 'Benediktiner'!

'Franconia is like a magic cabinet, new drawers always open up and show colourful, shiny treasures, and there is no end', wrote poet Karl Leberecht Immermann more than 160 years ago.

Alot of this drawers you will get to see on your vacation in the 'Benediktiner'! Here you can forget the everyday life, relax, enjoy the culture or experience recovery.

In the region:

Discover the resistant dwarves of 'Mainfranken' – between walls and towers there are little treasures hiding in the vineyards like Sommerhausen, Mainbernheim, Iphofen or Sulzfeld. The small paradises with their wine arbours and historical houses are the embodiment of the romantic franconia, and offer comfortably sociability by a glass of wine.

Real close:

A place to go to is Schloss Hallburg, two kilometers south of Volkach, by the 'Main river'. The huge mountain stands for one of the most romantic tourist attractions of franconia. You can discover culture and palate joys in the cosy wine places under enourmous chestnut-, lime- and acaia trees in the charmful winegardens.

With us:

Wine lovers and art lovers like a good glas of wine, from the franconian 'Bocksbeutelland', the best in the 'Balthasar-Neumann-Stube' in the 'Benediktiner'. Here you can enjoy culinary joys and rare wines, under the unique and highly esteemed original oil painting of the Basilika from Balthasar Neuman, which was built towards the end of the 18. century.

Objects of interest around Münsterschwarzach

To the days of 'Karl den Großen' the Benediktiner monastery in Münsterschwarzach already excisted. The baroque church, built by Balthasar Neumann 1727-1734, was torn down after the secularization in the year 1821-1827. In 1913 the 'Benediktiner' were allowed to return. They had the todays monastery built by A. Boßlet, which was inspired by the shape of the 'Speyerer Dom'.

Approximatly 300 monks are still living in the monastery in Münsterschwarzach today, a lot of them are working in the missionary. A special object of interest therefore is the missionary museum inside the monastery, which opening hours are: monday – saturday 8.30 – 12.00 and 13.00 – 17.00, also on Sunday from 10.30 – 12.00 and in the afternoon.

Towards Volkach you will first come through Sommerach, that ist famous for its asparagus and wine. Before the gates you get to admire the grey 'Marter', a late gothical sculpture. Further down the road to Volkach, there is a path off to the left, which leads to the, surrounded by vineyards, Hallburg. In the possesion of the counts of Schönborn, it is rented out today as a tourist cafe, that is just perfect to rest after an exhausting hike through the vineyards. From the Hallburg you have a beautiful view at Volkach.

In Volkach are particularly to mention the 'Schelfhaus', the typical franconian town hall and the church from the 19. century.

South of Volkach you come to the 'Kirchberg'. At stations on your 'way of the cross', through the vineyards, you get to the pilgrimage church 'Maria am Weingarten', where you can visit the famous 'rosmary madonna' from Tilman Riemenschneider.

At Volkach and over the river, by Astheim towards Würzburg you get to the 'Vogelsburg', from where you can enjoy a wonderful view over the entire main river. You also should not miss to visit the wine town Eschendorf, that lays at the bottom of the 'Vogelburg', with its well known vineyards 'Lump' and 'Fürstenberg'.

Away from the main river we turn to the 'Steigerwald'. Wiesentheid, also called the gate to the 'Steigerwald', is the residence of the counts of Schönborn, there water castle with garden lies excactly opposite to the church St. Mauritius, which was built after the plans of Balthasar Neumann.

Only 3 km from Wiesentheid, you will find Prichsenstadt, that reminds a little bit of Rothenburg o.d.T., with its medieval center, the townwall and many small towers.

In Rüdenhausen you can already and unmistakably feel the influence of the princes of Castell. They own a couple of smaller castles there.

A few kilometers away, the town named Castell 'climbes' up the 'Schloßberg'. The ruin of the upper castle lies there. The newer castle in town, built in 1687 – 1691, is the main residence of the princes of Castell. Count Friedrich Ludwig (1865), an enthusiastic botanist, planted them an english garden on the west side of the castle. Every year an atmospheric winefest takes place there, which is arranged by the prince of Castell.

Also remarkable is the protestant regional church. On your way to Iphofen, after Wiesenbronn, a path turns off to the 'Schwanberg', which is the landmark of the southern 'Steigerwald'. The castle of the princes of Castell, above the vineyards, is today the center of a protestant training course.

Eastward, the view stretches over the country and fields. It goes without saying, that there is a possibility to explore the nature park 'Steigerwald' by foot, starting from the 'Schwanberg'. Past the 'Schwanberg' and going by Rödelsee, you arrive Iphofen, with its late medieval fortification. Special tourist attractions are the 'Rödelseer gate', the town hall at the market place and the church St. Vait, with the two Johannes statues from Tilman Riemenschneider. You also shouldnt miss to visit the 'Knauf' museum.

If you go by Mainbernheims walls, you get to Kitzingen. Before the old main river bridge, off to the right, is the chapel 'Hl. Kreuz' from B. Neumann, 1741 – 1745. Unusual here is the choir ending adjusted by three arcades, whose pillars seem to belong to the dome carriers. If you look west on the bridge ramp, you see the 'Falter' tower with its inclined 'helmet' ( Today it is a museum). Further towers are formed by the gothical 'Spitzturm' of the katholic church St. Joh. Bapt., the town hall (three story block with gables and tower) and the protestant church, in whiches vestry the bible of the Wittenberger Professor Paul Eber, a friend of Martin Luthers, is shown to the visitors.

Bach to Schwarzach, by Mainstockheim, you arrive in Dettelbach. The portal of the pilgrimage church and the city hall, built in the typical franconian style, are to mention about this town.