I don’t know who should be credited with the phrase “It’s good to be king,” but what I do know is that it sure was good to be Bishop in 17th century Stockstadt am Main; a town that borders the Lower Franconian town of Aschaffenburg and the federal state of Hesse.
Why do I say that? Well, one glimpse of the Schloss Johannisburg can sum it all up. The red sandstone schloss was built between 1605 and 1614, and was the home of the Bishop of Mainz. Its garden pavilion is charming, gracious, and the towers & inner courtyard are just what you’d expect from a Renaissance style castle.
The good bishops don’t live in Stockstadt’s landmark any longer, as it now houses the National Gallery of Bavarian State Paint Collections. Wow, that sure is a long name to just say… That alone makes it a terrific art museum. ;-)
Stockstadt’s other museum is the Local History Museum (known as the Heimatmuseum). You’ll find this little diddy at Maingasse 1.
What you’ll also find in Stockstadt is the Waldschwimmbad outdoor pool and its 50-meter water slide. Have fun careening around its curves right into the outdoor pool.
Too much action? It’s all right if you’d rather just sit at a cafe, pub, restaurant, or beer garden instead. No one will judge harshly, I assure you.
If you want a real quiet spot, the covered bridge that runs to the Fischerinsel (Fisherman’s Island) would be ideal. Wait… I just told the whole world about the bridge, let’s hope it doesn’t get too crowded.
I’ll suggest hiking in the Spessart, if it does. OK? ;-)
Before you’re off and running, don’t go before you’ve seen the Zollhaus (built around 1514), the 18th century Leonharduskirche, and the St. Anna-Kapelle.
Funny thing about the St. Anna-Kapelle. It was built in 1458 and stood for just shy of 500 years before it was torn down in 1925. I know you’re gonna ask, “if it’s torn down, how are we supposed to see it?”
And you should know that I wouldn’t have mentioned it if there wasn’t a way to see it. The one standing before you is an exact replica that the townsfolk put here in 2007.
What else I know is that you’ll totally enjoy Stockstadt’s Christmas Market in December — where you’ll be saying “its good to be here in Stockstadt.” ;-)
