Discover Forchheim: Imperial Palace, Wiesent and Kellerwald

Forchheim combines historic architecture in the Old Town with the banks of the Wiesent and the Kellerwald’s beer-cellar tradition. It also offers a leisure area between waterways, special viewpoints and paths into Franconian Switzerland.

The Imperial Palace and the history of the Old Town

The Imperial Palace in Forchheim’s Old Town is a prince-bishop’s castle dating from the late 14th century. A monument of national significance, it is particularly known for its Late Gothic wall paintings. The Forchheim Palace Museum, housed in the Imperial Palace, comprises three specialist museums: the Upper Franconia Archaeology Museum, the City Museum and the Costume Museum at Kapellenstraße 16. In the City Museum, nine audiovisual city scenes tell the story of Forchheim over a period of 1,200 years.

The Red Wall Experience Museum is housed in a casemate preserved in its original condition and dating from the 16th century. It tells the story of Forchheim’s fortress. The entrance is at Wallstraße 19. Frechshaus at Rathausplatz also reflects the city’s long architectural history: its oldest parts date from the early 15th century. Old half-timbered buildings with projecting upper storeys line the street alongside the Town Hall; Frechshaus is immediately west of the Town Hall.

Another landmark in the Old Town is the tower of St. Martin’s Church. It is 57 metres tall, visible from all directions and a prominent feature of Forchheim’s skyline. St. Veit’s Bastion, accessible by a staircase, offers views of the city park below and much of the city.

The Wiesent and Little Venice

“Little Venice” is the stretch between the bridge on Vogelstraße and the Hospital Church. Forchheim’s fish boxes can be seen there along the picturesque banks of the Wiesent. Also in this area, on Wiesentstraße, is Kammerers Mill, built in 1698. Its one-sided slant towards the Wiesent has earned it the name “Crooked House”.

Kellerwald and Forchheim’s festivals

Covering around 20,000 square metres, Forchheim’s Kellerwald has 23 beer cellars serving visitors, making it one of the largest beer gardens in the world. The Kellerwald is also the setting for the traditional Annafest, held every year from late July into August. During the Annafest, 23 beer cellars and 14 Franconian breweries invite visitors to relax under the canopy of leaves across an area of around 10,000 square metres. The specific arrangements may vary from one future edition to another.

Forchheim also hosts a different kind of event: the ZirkArt street theatre festival, held every two years since 2012. Featuring New Circus, it is aimed at theatre lovers, families and event fans; individual editions may differ. If events are part of your travel plans, check the dates for the relevant edition.

Getting here and excursions in the region

The Main-Danube Cycle Route provides a way to reach Forchheim by bike from both the north and the south. Forchheim railway station and the Kersbach and Forchheim Nord S-Bahn stations offer connections by EuroCity, Intercity, Interregio, Regional-Express and S-Bahn; ICE services are available from Bamberg. Check current timetables for your specific journey.

Schleuseninsel leisure area lies north of Forchheim, surrounded by the Regnitz arm and the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. It offers opportunities to spend time outdoors. As a gateway to Franconian Switzerland, Forchheim also serves as a starting point for exploring the wider region: well-marked hiking trails lead to impressive rock formations, and the Walberla offers views of Forchheim and the surrounding area. The Kulturerlebnis Fränkische Schweiz hiking trail links key cultural projects over more than 280 kilometres in the Forchheim district.

Discover more destinations: Ebermannstadt, Poxdorf, Obertrubach, Pretzfeld, Eggolsheim, Gosberg, Langensendelbach, Neunkirchen Am Brand.

Return to the main travel overview: Forchheim.