Facts & figures

• The fountain was constructed in 1480 and renewed around 1720.
• The fountain figure depicts "Maria Immaculata", the immaculate virgin.
• In 1982, the market square was reassigned as a pedestrian area.

Time travel

The market square was used for farmers' markets in the olden days. Today, it is reserved mainly for cultural events.

Facts & figures

• In 1413, constructions of a new church to replace the older St. George Chapel began.
• Construction continued on into the 18th century.
• The church steeple is 54m high.

Interior

• On the western side: St. Nicholas Chapel (1463)
• Baroque altars (Johann Peter Wagner, Georg Anton Urlaub) and Rococo stucco from the 18th century
• High altar: A group of figures representing the Holy Trinity with a painting below "Aufnahme Mariens in den Himmel" (Mary's Assumption, Sebastian Urlaub, 1733) and (left to right) the figures of St. Bartholomew, St. Kilian, St. Aquilinus and St. George
• Side altar on the left: Painting "Jesus am Ölberg" (Jesus on the Mount of Olives, Peter Geist, 19th century)
• Side altar on the right: Painting "Anbetung der Heiligen Drei Könige" (The Adoration of the Magi, Peter Geist, 1853)
• Altar on the north wall: Painting "Maria Rosenkranzkönigin" (Mary Queen of the Rosary, G. A. Urlaub), next to it a church bell dating back to 1313
• Altar on the south wall: Painting "Hl. Cäcilia" (St. Cecilia, G. A. Urlaub, 1755)
• Alcove in the south wall: Late Gothic "Pieta", stone casting, approx. 1430
• Ceiling fresco (Johann Michael Wolcker, 1753)
  Oval central image: "Die Verherrlichung des hl. Altarsakraments" (Glorification of the Holy Altar Sacrament)
  The surrounding six image medallions depict scenes from the Old Testament
• Church organ: 25 registers (Klais, Bonn, 1949) with Baroque prospectus

Exterior design

• Scene of the Mount of Olives, 1581 (northern choir wall)
• Late Baroque sandstone crucifix (eastern side of the choir arch)
• Sepulchral monument of the Balbus family from the former cemetery
  at the house across from the southern choir wall

Time travel

The pilgrimage church "Maria im Weingarten" was the very first parish church for the villages along the Main River loop. The construction of the church spanned several centuries. The last great refurbishment of the structure took place between 2006 and 2008.

Tour options

Open daily between 8 am and 6 pm (5 pm in winter)

Facts & figures

• Double-storey, half-timbered building next to St. Nicholas Chapel
• Dating back to some time in the 16th century

Time travel

The old School of Latin was the workplace for the teacher, town chronicler and notary Niklas Brobst (15th/16th century). The school was reserved or boys only, and offered three classes until the middle of the 19th century. Today, the building is the home of the Küster family.

Facts & figures

• Constructed during the 16th and 17th centuries with Renaissance gables
• Once used as a chapter house and tithing administration office for Würzburg's diocesan chapter
• Royal Bavarian Revenue Office
• Police station
• Used as an office building today

Facts & figures

• Initially part of the Castell town castle, then seat of the manorial administrative offices until 1848
• The Franciscan nuns of Dillingen settled here in 1858
• Between 1869 and 1942, the convent operated a boarding school for young ladies
• After 1945, the school was reopened as a middle school for girls
• Today, the middle school for girls offers six years of education, a daycare facility and day nursery

Facts & figures

The Rococo building was constructed during the 18th century

Time travel

Originally, the building was used as an official residence of the prince-bishop's financial administrator. In the 19t century, the Royal Mail took up offices here.
Today, the building houses shops and offices.

Facts & figures

• Constructed in the 13th century
• Addition of the coat of arms over the arch in 1597 under orders from Prince-Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn
• Locally known as "Sommerach Gate" and "Tower of Thieves"

Time travel

Once the location of the town jail, which gave it the name "Diebenturm" (tower of thieves). Some of the jail cells from the 13th century still remain. The tower is not currently used. The two-storey ward was demolished in 1871, and a new gate house was constructed next to the tower in 1911 following a fire. The pedestrianised alley on the left of the gateway in direction of the town centre was added in the 1950ies.

Facts & figures

• Way station and trading location for the farming population of the surrounding region since the early days (also known as "Saumarkt" or "Pig Market"), and local trading place for wine merchants and barrel makers.
• The square was refurbished as part of the old town renovation project (1993-1999)
• Inn "Gasthaus Rose": Birth Place of the Franconian costume painter Peter Geist

On the square in front of the gate: A modern interpretation of Volkach's municipal coat of arms with the Franconian Rake (shell limestone) and the river (cast bronze), plus the outlines of former suburbs of the town etched into the cobblestone.

Time travel

Seven shell limestone plinths with bronze reliefs depicting the history of Volkach by the local-born sculptor Norbert Kleinlein were erected on the square as part of the refurbishment project:

Facts & figures

• Constructed in 1420 by the Earls of Castell as "St. Maria vor den Mauern" (St. Mary Outside-the-Walls) with entrance portal "Krönung Mariens" (Coronation of the Virgin)
• Used as a cemetery chapel since 1544
• 1739 new patron: St. Michael
• Reconstruction in Neo-Gothic style in 1865 following its destruction in a large-scale fire
•  

Time travel

Volkach was catholic. Protestants had to travel to neighbouring communities for worshipping. An own protestant church community did not exist in Volkach until the 20th century.

Tour options

The vestibule is open daily between 8 am and 6 pm (5 pm in winter).

Facts & figures

Constructed in 1879 with funding from the Carl and Anna Friderich Foundation as seat of the "Juliusspital" (had several locations in the town over time) for the care of the old and sick.

Time travel

During its history, the building was sometimes used as a hospital. Today, it houses a Caritas care home for the elderly.

Facts & figures

• The square was constructed after the great fire of 1804
• The location was refurbished in 1996, and a "Goose Fountain" (Gänsebrunnen) and public benches were added.

Time travel

Initially completely built up, the square was used as a place to water livestock after the great fire of 1804 – hence the name "Goose Square". Typical for the region are the "Häckerbürger" houses around the square, which are constructed from shell limestone.

Facts & figures

• Constructed by the merchant and councillor Johann Georg Adam Schelf between 1719 and 1729.
• The owner's coat of arms is displayed over the main entrance portal.
• Historical rooms on the first floor (Oven Room, Picture Room, White Room, and "Professor-Rösser" Room)

Time travel

The building was used as a private residence until the 1970ies. The town of Volkach purchased the house and remodelled the building to create a visitor centre between 1979 and 1992. The upper storey rooms have remained unchanged for representation purposes, while the German Academy for Children's and Youth Literature (Deutsche Akademie für Kinder- und Jugendliteratur) holds offices on the ground floor. The town library is located in the annex.

Tour options

Tours of the house are offered as part of town tours. Bookings: Tourist Information Volkacher Mainschleife, Marktplatz 1, 97332 Volkach, Phone: +49 (0)9381-401 12

Facts & figures

• Constructed as a barn from small format shell limestone bricks in 1714.
• The mansard roof is its most outstanding feature.

The museum displays

• a scale model of the town
• Volkach's town chronicle ("Salbuch")
• interesting facts about wine growing
• a collection of "Bocksbeutel" bottles from 1710 to the present day
• a cooper's workshop
• various exhibitions over the course of the year in the foyer

HEADS-UP FOR KIDS!!

The museum offers a number of interactive stations. Those who can answer all the questions will be able to open the town chronicler's safe at the end!

Time travel

In the past, the barn was used as fire station and warehouse for municipal building materials. The Baroque structure was completely refurbished in 2003, and now serves as the town museum.

Tour options

From Easter to 1st November: Friday 2 pm – 5 pm, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays 11 am – 5 pm.
Free entrance on each first Sunday of the month, plus free tours at 4 pm

Book you guided tour:
Tourist Information Volkacher Mainschleife 
Marktplatz 1 
97332 Volkach 
Phone +49 (0)9381-401 12

Museum Website

Facts & figures

• Constructed in the 13th century
• Extended in the 16th century
• On the left side of the gate arch (out-of-town direction), high water marks dating back over the centuries can be seen
• Popularly known as "Gaibach Gate" or "Krakenturm" ("Kraken Tower")

Time travel

The lower suburb near the Volkach stream was once a fishing village.

Facts & figures

• Constructed by Valentin Echter von Mespelbrunn in 1605 as an administrative building of the prince-bishopry
• Renaissance structure featuring the Echter coat of arms over the round arch portal
• Previously owned by the Juliusspital, privately owned today

Time travel

The building was used as district and regional court between 1848 and 1967. A refurbishment in the 1960ies transformed the structure into a hotel.

Tour options

Please contact the hotel leaseholder for a tour date and time!

Inn "Gasthaus Behringer"

• The building was originally a dye-house and later a candlemaker workshop.
• A refurbishment in 1892 transformed the building into an inn.
• The structure features extensive half-timbering.

"Haupt House"

• Two-storey, late Baroque-style construction (1698)
• Named after the initial owner Kasper Haupt
• Restored around 1950
• Currently used as a commercial and residential building

Corner building towards Spitalstrasse

• Distinctive roof shape with stepped gables
• Historically documented since 1574
• Completely refurbished in 1965
• Currently used as a commercial and residential building