Forchheim: Imperial Palace, Museums and Annafest
Accommodation in Forchheim
Forchheim focuses on local history, museums and Franconian beer culture. The Imperial Palace is located in the heart of the old town. This prince-bishop's castle, built in the late 14th century, is known for its precious late Gothic wall paintings. The city offers several specific ways to plan a culturally focused stay. When looking for hotels in Forchheim, you can plan around whether you mainly want to explore the palace and collections, local history or a festival in the Kellerwald.
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Photo: Reinhold Möller via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Imperial Palace and its museums
The Forchheim Palatinate Museum is located in the east wing of the Imperial Palace. It comprises three specialist museums: the Archaeology Museum of Upper Franconia, the City Museum and the Costume Museum. The museum has 1,300 m² of exhibition space and around 500 m² of usable space; it also hosts rotating special exhibitions. The various collections offer several thematic perspectives, from Upper Franconia’s prehistoric finds to local history and regional clothing.
The Archaeology Museum of Upper Franconia explores the region’s significant prehistoric finds. The Costume Museum focuses on knowledge of the last traditional costumes and a collection of unique original costumes from Franconian Switzerland. The City Museum tells the story of Forchheim in nine scenes, using images and sound. It also features a model of the medieval city’s massive fortifications. The museum cinema shows how Forchheim became a film location in the post-war period for an international film starring Kirk Douglas and Christine Kaufmann.
A tour of the palace and collections
The highlight tour of the Imperial Palace lasts 60 to 90 minutes. It takes you through the entire building, to the precious late Gothic wall paintings and through the three specialist museums. The tour brings together the palace and museum areas within a single time slot. Check the available dates before your trip; the stated duration can help you fit the visit into your plans.
Beer cellars, guided tours and Annafest
Beer traditions are also part of what Forchheim has to offer. The beer cellar tour explains the origins of the rock passages and the city’s beer and brewing traditions. It offers a different focus from the museums, centering on the cellars and the history of brewing. Check the available tour dates when planning your visit.
The eleven-day Annafest is the highlight of the beer cellar year in Forchheim’s Kellerwald. It takes place in late July for the feast day of Saint Anne. If your stay falls during this period, the festival can become a focal point of your travel plans. As the exact dates are important, check them before your trip.
Culture beyond the city, too
Beyond the city museums, the Kulturerlebnis Fränkische Schweiz hiking trail links cultural projects across more than 280 kilometres in Forchheim district. This offers a different scale from a visit to the Imperial Palace: here, the focus is on a longer trail through the region, while the palace offers a concentrated look at the castle, collections and local history. Local trail conditions can change, so take them into account when planning your hike.
Discover more destinations: Obertrubach, Gößweinstein, Ebermannstadt, Wiesenttal, Coburg Region, Oberallgäu, Ostallgäu and Bad Kissingen.
Go to the main travel overview: Bavaria.
