Kulmbach is located on the Upper Main River and on the southern edge of the Franconian Forest. The White Main River flows through the city, where it joins the Red Main River, marking the actual beginning of the Main River. Kulmbach is known far beyond its borders for its breweries and the annual Beer Week held at the end of July.

The Region

Unlike most other rivers, the Main does not begin at its source, but at the confluence of its two source rivers. The Weissmainquelle is the source of the White Main, the right and northern source river of the Main, in the Fichtelgebirge mountains, near the Ochsenkopf. The Red Main rises in the Franconian Alb and flows through Bayreuth, among other places, before joining the White Main to form the Main.

We are staying at the campsite in Stadtsteinach, the closest one to the town we are visiting and exploring on our eBikes.

The City

The town is manageable in size. But it has some interesting spots well hidden away: the old, beautifully restored houses and the narrow streets that wind through the old town are open and visible to everyone, creating a cosy atmosphere. We didn't notice any architectural eyesores from the 1960s and 1970s. Of course, there are modern buildings, but they blend in unobtrusively with the prevailing old architecture.

And towering above it all is Plassenburg Castle, which serves as a useful local landmark.

Motorhome owners will find a large parking area with all the necessary facilities: water, electricity and waste disposal. We found everything to be in amazingly good condition. The centre of the old town is within easy walking distance and can also be reached by bike, of course, with no hills to climb.

Unlike many other cities, Kulmbach is easy for individual tourists to explore: motorhome owners have their own parking area, and caravanners can reach the city by car, which is very convenient and reasonably priced in the central car park under EKU-Platz. For those who are undecided or uninformed, the friendly ladies at the tourist information office are waiting to help you just around the corner.

Actually, everything in the city is worth seeing, but the Luitpold fountains on the market square stand out from the crowd – and, of course, the museums in the city, which focus on beer, enjoyment and history. Two of the most striking areas are to be found at Plassenburg Castle and Mönchshof, which I will start with.

Castle Plassenburg

Plassenburg Castle is the symbol of Kulmbach. Until 1604, it was the seat of the Margraves of Brandenburg-Kulmbach. The current building dates from 1557 to 1570. In 1559, Georg Friedrich von Ansbach commissioned Caspar Vischer to build a four-winged complex. The Schöne Hof, an arcaded courtyard with dense relief decoration, is one of the most important creations of the German Renaissance. Also worth seeing are the Margrave Rooms with old views, portraits of rulers and the gilded canopy bed of Margravine Maria (around 1630), as well as the ‘Hohenzollern in Franconia’ museum and the ‘Frederick the Great Army Museum’ (Windsheim Collection).