Regensburg, Germany

Regensburg
Photo © Sacred Destinations.

Regensburg (also known as Ratisbon) is a charming and historic city of about 130,000 people in eastern Bavaria on the Danube River. It flourished in the Middle Ages as a major trading center - coming into contact with cultures from Italy, Bohemia, Russia and Byzantium - and as the primary meeting place of the Holy Roman Empire. Many of its medieval monuments still stand today, leading UNESCO to designate Regensburg's historic center a World Heritage Site. Among them are the remains of two 9th-century imperial palaces, a beautiful Gothic cathedral rich with medieval art, and a Romanesque monastery church with a unique carved portal.


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Schottenkirche St Jakob
Founded by Irish missionaries, this Romanesque church is famed for its fascinating sculptured portal.
Regensburg Cathedral
Built in the 1300s on the site of earlier cathedrals, this is the finest Gothic building in Bavaria. Its harmonious exterior is alive with medieval sculptures and inside is medieval stained glass.