In 1580 the Hochstift von Bamberg bought Geyerswörth Castle and the adjoining grounds. The acquired property contained outdated buildings which were demolished shortly afterwards. Builder Erasmus Braun planned a five-wing complex for the vacated area, which was erected between 1585 and 1587.
At that time the castle served as a residence for the prince-bishops, who also used the rooms for representative purposes. However, when the New Residence was completed in 1705, Geyerswörth Castle quickly lost its significance for the bishops.
Faded splendour
Above the portal to the inner courtyard there is the coat of arms of the prince-bishop Ernst von Mengersdorf on the one hand, on the other hand there is the original city coat of arms in the inner courtyard, which was previously attached to the Old Town Hall and shows the holy knight St. Georg.
Historic documents prove that Geyerswörth Palace must have been a splendidly furnished building, but hardly anything of its once splendid interior could be preserved. At least parts of the Renaissance hall were reconstructed. The only room that still points to a glorious past is a vaulted room on the ground floor, on the wall of which there are tendrils and absurd paintings symbolizing the female embodiment of the liberal arts.
A bloody past
From 1623 to 1632 the castle was the official residence of the “witch burner”: Prince Bishop Johann Georg I, Fuchs von Dornheim. He was responsible for the greatest witch persecutions in the Bamberg diocese and had at least 600 innocent men, women and children burned.
During the Thirty Years’ War, Schloss Geyerwörth was completely plundered by the Swedes, so that it was not habitable for some time. Prince-Bishop Voit von Salzburg made sure that the building was made habitable again. In 1904 the castle became the property of the city of Bamberg.
Geyerswörth Castle today
Today, Geyerswörth Castle is mainly used for festive receptions and is also the seat of the Social Council of the city of Bamberg. Unfortunately, the castle’s interiors are not open to the public, but the beautiful courtyard is home to the Franconian Wine Festival, where you can taste regional wines and make yourself a comfortable stay with a glass of Franconian wine.
