Art Pursuits 2022 brochure

GERMANY
REGENSBURG
Mediaeval Metropolis on the Banks of the Bavarian Danube
Regensburg
The origins of Regensburg, situated on the northernmost point of the Bavarian Danube, lie behind the sturdy Roman walls
of Castra Regina. Built to intimidate and ward off Germanic tribes these walls did not only defy fierce attacks but also the
disintegration of the empire itself. As a mighty fortress it served the Bavarian dukes as residence and first capital of the
Duchy of Bavaria. Since the 8th-Century Ratisbona was favoured by visits of Frankish kings and emperors as well as by
the establishment of an Episcopal see. Its citizens developed into undaunted and enterprising merchants dealing in luxury
goods from all over the then known world. Regensburg’s political significance and economic prosperity soon precipitated
in major ecclesiastical and secular building projects. An exceptionally large number of these outstanding architectural
treasures from a Carolingian ring crypt to a grand Gothic cathedral have survived the ravages of time. Furthermore, the
virtually intact mediaeval townscape, listed as UNESCO World Heritage, makes Regensburg so memorable. This tour focuses
on the riches and often hidden treasures of mediaeval art and architecture in Regensburg, some of which are only accessible
by special appointment. The region’s other towns may be less well-known but are just as attractive: Straubing and Landshut
are mediaeval towns founded by the Bavarian dukes brimming with art and architecture from late-Gothic to Renaissance
and Mannerism. The surrounding countryside invites exploration of an unspoilt landscape of cliffs, rivers and forests, which
inspired Albrecht Altdorfer and the painters of the Danube School in the early 16th-Century to “invent” landscape painting.
Travelling by coach and by boat we will discover this less well-known, yet culturally rich part of Bavaria.
32 To book call 01280 736 115 or visit artpursuits.com