Just 25 kilometers southeast of Bamberg in Upper Franconia, the town of Ebermannstadt had been burned down in 1430, was occupied by the Swedes during the Thirty Years’ War, the Prussians in the mid-18th century, occupied by the French in the late 18th century… but it was the Beer War in 1510 that had me laughing.
A beer war? Really, the townsfolk of Ebermannstadt were literally fighting it out with neighboring Pretzfeld for the right to brew beer.
C’mon, this is Bavaria. There’s enough beer for everyone, no need to fight over it. ;-)
Thankfully, no one is duking it out in Ebermannstadt, making it quite a peaceful place to do some sightseeing and enjoy this resort town.
On the weekends a steam railway line runs a train to nearby towns — not that I want you to leave, but making it even easier to get here. Then, there are the guided tours of the town’s observatory.
Would you look at that — I think it’s the Mars!
Nevermind, I’m going to see something closer: the Burgstall Schlüsselstein. This 12th century castle wasn’t so much destroyed, but simply abandoned. Not much of anything remains, but it does have a most excellent lookout point to see the picturesque countryside.
Another castle might look really old, but it’s not. The Feuerstein Castle was made to look like a medieval one, but built during the 1940s. It was used for a number of Nazi activities — and given a Red Cross banner to avoid attack as it was used as a research facility. Having survived the war years it’s now a youth center.
A visit to Ebermannstadt’s Heimatmuseum (Local History Museum) would be a good idea to learn more about the castles and everything else. However, if you’re just looking for a good time, the town can accommodate.
There is a Fair held in October, and one held at Corpus Christi. The Christmas Market doesn’t come along until December though, and one of the most popular festivals is the Altstadtfest (Old Town Festival) in August.
In between festivals you can always enjoy the Franconian Switzerland Nature Park. This natural area is a bustle of breweries, local flora & fauna, caves, and culinary treats in the heart of Franconia. It’s quite easy to lose yourself on one of its hiking trails.
With all this, how anyone had time to fight over beer is completely beyond me. ;-)
