The convent of St. Boniface
Great variety within a small space
The Benedictine convent of Fulda was the nucleus for the
town’s development. It was founded in 744 by orders of
St. Boniface.
After the Secularisation at the beginning of the 19th century the history of the Fulda territory ended and with it
its political autonomy.Today the town is the economic,
political and cultural centre of eastern Hesse.The Fulda
region is a successful economic area and the home of a
great number of internationally reputed firms.
After the relics of St. Boniface had found their ultimate
rest in Fulda, the convent developed into a favourite place
of pilgrimage that was awarded a great number of land
donations and thus took a rapid development. Particularly
owing to its famous scriptorium with its masterful illuminated manuscripts the convent became one of the cultural
centres in central Europe in the 9th century. St. Michael’s,
the former burial chapel of the convent, still reminds of
this flourishing period during the Middle Ages.
In their capacity of territorial lords the
abbots actively encouraged the
development of a settlement of
tradesmen and manual workers.
In 1019 this settlement was
granted market rights and in 1114
coins minted bore the designation
”City of Fulda”
Fulda’s historical streets and buildings are full of life. Here
are administrative offices, shops, boutiques and any number of pubs, wine bars and cafes. Museums invite to visits
to the world of the past and, if desired , competent guides
will provide still more information. For those who consider a day trip as just too short a period, there is a choice
of many good hotels.
A hospitable town, lively, forward-looking and with
a particular historic flair
Welcome to Fulda!
The Pearl
of the Baroque
Period
By a far-sighted and thrifty administration the Fulda
prince abbots in the second half of the 17th century
laid the basis for the second flourishing of town and
territory during the Baroque period. Extensive
building activities began in the early 18th century.
With the help of excellent architects and creative
interior decorators those buildings were erected in
quick succession that today represent the particular
charm of Fulda’s Baroque Quarters: the Cathedral
shaping the townscape, the new residence with
the Orangery and a number of charming palaces.
Its mostly lovingly restored buildings form an
ensemble of high urban quality and justify
the designation ”City of Baroque”.
Cupola of the Fulda Cathedral
Baroque Splendour
City Palace
(The Residence) (1)
The resplendent centre among the
secular buildings is the Residence.
This palace was built on orders of the
prince abbots between 1706 and 1721
as a baroque extension of an earlier
Renaissance building according to
plans by Johann Dientzenhofer in the
style of magnificent, beautiful baroque
splendour.
Dalberg Hall
Cathedral
Cathedral (8)
The Cathedral is one of the most
outstanding baroque edifices in Fulda.
It was erected by the architect Johann
Dientzenhofer in the then new baroque style (1704-1712), following the
architectural examples of Roman
Baroque. After extensive recent renovations both its exterior and interior
have regained their original baroque
splendour
Organ matinees are held in the
Cathedral on every Saturday in May,
June, September, October and during
the Advent season.
In the ”Historical Rooms” you can see
the private apartments of Fulda’s prince abbots, the banqueting halls and
the famous collection of Fulda and
Thuringian porcelain
The Historical Rooms of the
Residence remain closed on
December 24th and are open on
December 31st from 10.00 to 14.00 h,
provided this day is not a Friday.
Opening times:
Daily, except Friday:
10.00 to 18.00 h
Friday:
14.00 to 18.00 h
Guided Tours
From April 1st to
October 31st
daily, except Friday:
10.30 and 14.00 h
Friday:
14.00 h
From November 1st
to March 31st
Monday to Friday: 14.00 h
Saturday, Sunday, public
holiday: 10.30 and 14.00 h
Baroque Splendour
The Orangery (3)
Palace Gardens (2)
The Orangery with its enchanting
baroque halls presents a fitting frame
for Fulda’s big social events as well
as for international congresses and
national conferences.
It was built between 1722 and 1725
according to
plans by
Maximilian von
Welsch, head
of the building
concerns of the
Electorate of
Mainz.
The Palace Gardens between the
Palace and the Orangery were originally laid out in the baroque style and
redesigned as an English landscape
garden in the 19th century.
Both classical forms of gardening can
be discerned today. In the intersection
of the paths connecting the Residence
and the Orangery a fountain springing
up sixteen meters has been re-erected on its original foundations. The
adjoining park section in the form of a
landscape garden has been planted
with a multitude of rhododendrons
and roses
Opening times:
From April 1st to
October 31st:
7.00 to 22.30 h
From November 1st to
March 31st:
7.00 to 21.00 h
Orangery with Palace Gardens
The Flora Vase (3)
The Flora Vase in front of the
Orangery by the Bamberg sculptor
Friedrich Humbach is one of the
most beautiful baroque sculptures
in Germany
Buttlar Palace with Main Guard House
Baroque Palaces
of the aristocracy
Flora Vase
From Bonifatiusplatz, the square opposite
the Palace, one has a comprehensive view
of the baroque residences of the
arstocracy.They comprise the Buttlar(Tourist Information), Buseck-, Altenstein-,
von der Tann-Palaces and the Main Guard
House.These manorial buildings were the
apartments of high-ranking court officials,
all designed by the architect Andreas
Gallasini.They form a baroque ensemble
of exceptional architectural and urban
quality
Vonderau Museum (14)
The museum presents three permanent exhibitions:The exhibition on
cultural history offers a survey
of the history of Fulda from
prehistory to present times.
Original objects as well as
models and reconstructions are
on display, e.g. prehistoric burial
sites, historic interior and the
”Drogerie zum Krokodil”
(a historical chemist’s shop), as
well as the famous ”Fulda Mobil”,
a small car built in Fulda.
An exhibition of paintings and
sculptures shows artistic works
that are in various ways related
to Fulda.
The natural history department
Diorama of a „Farmer’s Attic“.
shows the geological development of the Fulda region as well
as eco-systems with their fauna
and flora in life-size dioramas
The museum remains closed on December 24th and is open on December
31st from 10.00 to 14.00 h, provided
this day is not a Monday.
Opening times:
Daily, except Monday:
10.00 to 17.00 h
Original interior of the chemist’s shop ”Zum Krokodil”
Museums
Planetarium at the
Vonderau Museum (14)
A small planetarium seating
35 visitors is part of the
museum, where regular presentations on various astronomical subjects take place.
Here the visitor sitting under
a cupola with the help of special projectors is given an
almost perfect illusion of the
starry skies and the motions
of sun, moon and the planets.
Accompanied by music and a
life comment this presentation will provide the visitor
with an exceptional ”celestial”
experience
Planetarium at the Vonderau Museum
Presentations:
For dates and topics
of presentations please
refer to the museum
programme.
Special performances
can be arranged.
Telephone:
+49(0)6 61 - 92 83 50
Prince Heinrich von Bibra’s
davenport
Historical Rooms
in the City Palace (1)
Cathedral Treasure
Chamber (Cathedral
Museum) (9)
The restored ”Historical Rooms” in
the City Palace, the former residence of the Fulda prince abbots, present a view of life in the period of
absolutism.The large Banqueting Hall
The collection of reliquaries, liturgical
robes and sacred vessels presents a
comprehensive view of the history of
the Fulda convent.The Cathedral
Museum with its exhibits continues
the tradition of the former monastic
treasure chamber
Closed from January 15th to February
15th inclusive and on the following
days: Good Friday, Easter Saturday
and Sunday,Whit Sunday and on
December 24th and 25th.
Entrance to the deanery garden
Museums
Opening times:
daily, except Friday:
10.00 to 18.00 h
Friday:
14.00 to 18.00 h
Opening times:
April 1st to October 31st:
Tuesday to Saturday:
10.00 to 17.30 h
Sunday and public holiday:
12.30 to 17.30 h
Guided Tours:
From April 1st to
October 31st
daily, except Friday:
10.30 and 14.00 h
Friday:
14.00 h
November 1st to March 31st:
Tuesday to Saturday:
10.00 to 12.30 h
and
13.30 to 16.00 h
Sunday and public holiday:
12.30 to 16.00 h
From November 1st
to March 31st
Monday to Friday: 14.00 h
Saturday, Sunday, public
holiday: 10.30 and 14.00 h
Guided tours:
Tuesday to Friday:
10.30 h
Saturday, Sunday and public
holiday:
14.30 h
Hall of mirrors at the City Palace
with its adjoining anterooms and
18th century princely apartments, as
well as several rooms of the classic
Revival Period (19th century) are
open to visitors.
The famous collection of Fulda and
Thuringian porcelain is also exhibited in the palace.
Furthermore, there is a gallery
dedicated to Ferdinand Braun (18501918), the inventor of the cathode
ray tube.The Fulda-born scientist
was awarded the Nobel Prize for
physics in 1909
The Historical rooms of the
Residence remain closed on
December 24th and are open
from December 31st from
10.00 to 14.00 hrs, provided this day
is not a Friday.
Abbot’s staff rod with illustration of
St. Boniface ca. 1632
Fasanery Palace Museum
A guided tour of 60 exhibition rooms
with collections on courtly living,
antique arts and porcelain is almost
like a walk through history.The former residence of the Fulda prince bishops, erected in the middle of the 18th
century, is an important palace museum. In 1816, the Palace became property of the Hessian prince electors
and was refurnished in the style of
Classicism. Since 1951 the Fasanery
Palace houses a museum with an art
collection from the house of Hesse
German Fire Brigade
Museum (34)
Eichenzell,
Schloss Fasanerie,
City bus line:
7 (to Engelhelms and
3 km walking disdance),
or City bus line:
6 (to Bronzell and 4 km
walking distance).
Telephone:
+49(0)6 61 - 9 48 60
In two halls fire fighting equipment
from the Renaissance to our own
times is displayed as well as the development of fire fighting and fire prevention from the 14th century onward
shown in model and original.
A chance to take a look behind the
scenes? – That is what most visitors to
museums wish to have.This dream can
be fulfilled for groups by previous
appointment.
On a space of 1.440 square meters
museum treasures can be seen in the
new visitors depot
Museums
Courtyard at the Fasanery Palace
The museum is open on all public
holidays, including Mondays.The palace
can only be seen with a guide.
Every year on the first weekend in
June the flower and garden show
”Das Gartenfest” takes place.
The exhibition on gardening art and
rural lifestyle emphasizes the unique
flair of Fasanery Palace.
Opening times:
April 1st through
October 31st
daily, except Monday:
10.00 to 17.00 h
Guided tours only, at
every hour
Last tour at: 16.00 h
German Fire Brigade Museum
The Museum is located in
Fulda-Neuenberg
St.-Laurentius-Strasse 3
City bus lines:
4 (Haimbach) and
3 (Maberzell)
Telephone
+49(0)6 61 - 7 50 17
Opening times:
daily, except Monday:
10.00 to 17.00 h
Guided tours can be
arranged by appointment
Children’s Academy
Fulda,Workshop
museum (36)
The museum area attempts to
incite the children’s spirit of
discovery with the help of
interactive objects from science and technology.The highlight
of the museum is the ”Walkthrough Heart”, unique in
Europe with its 36 sq.m base
and 5 m height.
Mehlerstrasse 4,
City bus lines: 1 (Künzell),
5 (Pilgerzell),
7 (Edelzell/Engelhelms)
and 9A/9B (Ziehers Nord/
Petersberg Nord)
Telephone
+49(0)661 - 90 27 30
College and
State Library (18)
With a choice of about 50 objects
the exposition by the College and
State Library presents documents
from a period of 1.000 years,
among them two ”Codices
Bonifatiani” from 547 A.D. and
late 8th century
Heinrich-von-Bibra Platz 12
Telephone
+49(0)6 61 - 9 64 09 70
Opening times:
Monday to Thursday:
10.00 to 12.00 h
and
14.00 to 16.00 h
Friday:
by appointment
1st Saturday every month:
10.00 to 12.00 h
Closed on public holiday.
Museums
The world of recorder
production (38)
The Walk-through Heart
The Museum moreover offers
workshops, courses in its art
school, exhibitions in the museum area and the organisation
and realization of activities with
children
Opening times:
Monday to Friday:
10.00 to 17.30 h
Wednesday (June, July, August):
open until
19.00 h
Sunday:
13.00 to 17.30 h
Shorter opening times on
public holidays.
Guided Tour of the
”Walk-through Heart”:
Monday to Friday: at 16.00 h
Sunday: at 15.00 and 16.00 h
Classes and groups by
appointment only.
Recorder production, acoustic
experiments, Historic instruments,
wood-origin riddles, recorder quiz
and much more – learn and see
and have a lot of fun.
The world of sound
Here you are welcome to
experiment with the individual steps of recorder
production yourself by
turning and fitting blocks ...
playfully comprehend
acoustic phenomena
C. Mollenhauer GmbH,
Weichselstraße 27,
Telephone
+49(0)6 61 - 94 67 15
City bus line:
4 (Kohlhaus/Edelzell)
Opening times:
Monday to Friday:
10.00 to 15.00 h
On public holiday and
weekends by appointment
Cathedral (8)
The Cathedral, built by Johann
Dientzenhofer between 1704 and
1712, is one of the most outstanding
baroque buildings in Fulda. It owes
its religious significance to the tomb
of St. Boniface, still the destination
of pilgrimages
Historical
Ch urches
St. Michael’s Church (6)
St. Michael’s originated between
819 and 822 as the burial chapel in
the Benedictine monks’
cemetery on the same
site.The church with its
crypt from Carolingian
times is one of the most
outstanding medieval
sacred buildings in
Germany
Cathedral organ
Organ matinees are
held in the Cathedral
on every Saturday in
May, June, September,
October and during
the Advent season.
Closed in January, and
on December 24th and
31st and on last Monday
before Lent.
High altar with cathedral cupola
Visiting times:
April 1st to October 31st:
Monday to Friday:
10.00 to 18.00 h
Saturday:
10.00 to 15.00 h
Sunday and public holiday:
13.00 to 18.00 h
November 1st to March 31st
Monday to Friday:
10.00 to 17.00 h
Saturday:
10.00 to 15.00 h
Sunday and public holiday:
13.00 to 18.00 h
Sightseeing in all historical churches is
only possible out of religious services.
St. Michael’s rotunda
Opening times:
April 1st to October 31st
daily:
10.00 to 18.00 h
November 1st to March 31st
daily:
14.00 to 16.00 h
Sightseeing in all historical
churches is only possible
out of religious services.
Main Parish Church (12)
Historical
Churches
Benedictine Nuns’ Abbey
of St. Mary (15)
The town’s main parish church ”Stadtpfarrkirche” was built from 1770 to
1786 by prince bishop Heinrich von
Bibra. It is the latest baroque building
of Fulda. After extensive restoration
works, the church has returned to its
full original beauty
Except during the summer school
break, there is an open meditation on
Saturdays at 11.55 h.
Visiting times:
Monday to Saturday: 10.00 to 17.00 h
Sunday and public holiday:
12.00 to 17.00 h
The abbey was founded in Fulda
already in 1626 and it continues
Benedictine traditions.The church is
a plain building with late Gothic and
Renaissance elements.The positions
of the high altar and the nuns’ choir
are particularly remarkable as well
as contemporary works of art by
M. Lioba Munz O.S.B., a former member of the abbey
Frauenberg Franciscan
Friary (24)
The Fransiscan friary founded in 1623
is situated in a park at the top of one
of Fulda’s seven hills. From here one
Main Parish Church
Frauenberg Friary is
a 15 minutes’ walk away
from the Cathedral.
Benedictine nuns’ abbey
In a shop within the
convent walls products
by the abbey among
other objects are
offered:
Cloister of Benedictine nuns’ abbey
The church is open
Monday to Friday:
7.30 to 17.00 h
Saturday:
8.30 to 17.00 h
Sunday:
9.30 to 17.00 h
Sightseeing in all historical churches is
only possible out of religious services.
Opening times:
Monday to Friday:
10.00 to 17.00 h
Saturday:
10.00 to 16.00 h
The shop remains
closed on all public
holidays including
religious holidays.
Refectory at the Frauenberg Friary
has a magnificent view of the town
and the Rhön and Vogelsberg mountains.The monastery is a late baroque
construction with artistically remarkable interior. Besides the church, the
baroque refectory, the princes’ hall
and also the collection of manuscripts
and early printed books belonging to
the convent are well worth a visit
Visiting times:
Convent church:
Daily:
7.30 to 18.30 h
Monastery garden:
Wednesday and Saturday:
Selected monastery halls
including the library:
Wednesday afternoon, by
appointment.
Telephone:
+49(0)6 61 - 1 09 50
Sightseeing in all historical
churches is only possible
out of religious services.
City Experience
Museum Passport
Guided Tours
Guided tours for groups can be arranged with the Tourism and
Congress Management Fulda. Please ask for the special catalogue
”Guided Tours for groups”.
The Tourism and Congress Management offers various guided
tours of the town that take place regularly.
A sixty minutes guided tour
Prices:
60 minutes guided tour:
Adults: 2,50 € per person
Pupils, students:
1,50 € per person
A tour of the Old Town Part,
including a short visit to the Cathedral,
provided there is no church service.
Meeting place:
Tourist Information (i)
Palais Buttlar, Bonifatiusplatz 1
April 1st to October 31st:
Daily: 11.30 h and 15.00 h
A two hours guided tour
Meeting place:
Cathedral portal (8)
April 1st to October 31st
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
and public holiday: 14.00 h
November 1st to March 31st
Saturday: 14.00 h
Historical Rooms
in the City Palace
Vonderau Museum
Cathedral Museum
German Fire Brigade Museum
Children’s Academy Fulda
Fasanery Palace Museum
Prices for the museum passport:
Adults:
9,50 €
Pupils, students:
8,00 €
Visitors using public transport receive
a reduction of 1,50 € per Person.
Museums and sights carrying this symbol have been adapted
to disabled person’s needs (providing ramps, lifts, special
toilets etc.)
November 1st to March 31st
Saturday, Sunday and public holiday: 11.30 h
Including visits to the Cathedral,
City Palace and either St. Michael’s
Church, or a walk through the
Old Town Part
We offer a museum passport including
tickets for the following Fulda museums:
Prices:
2 hours guided tour:
Adults: 4,00 € per person
Pupils, students:
3,00 € per person
Information and booking:
Tourist Information
(Tourismus und
Kongressmanagement Fulda)
Bonifatiusplatz 1, Palais Buttlar
D-36037 Fulda,
Telephone+49(0)6 61 - 1 02 18 13
1 02 18 14
Fax:
+49(0)6 61 - 1 02 28 11
E-mail:[email protected]
www.tourismus-fulda.de
Palais Buttlar
Opening times:
Monday to Friday:
8.30 to 18.00 h
Saturday:
9.30 to 16.00 h
Sunday and public holiday: 10.00 to 14.00 h
The Tourist Information remains closed
on the following days:
24th, 25th, 26th of December, 1st January
and Monday before Lent.
Baroque – what is that?
An adventure tour
for children
This 1,5 hours adventure tour for
children is meant for children up
to 9.With a guide in the costume
of a craftsman’s wife from the 18th
century the children on their tour
get a first hand experience of the
attitude towards life in the baroque
period.They learn not only about
the historical background, but also
experience with the help of interactive scenes that are part of the
tour what life was like for the
middle classes and the craftsmen,
the prince and his court and also
the ordinary citizens of Fulda at
the time of the baroque period
May through September:
every first and third Saturday
in every month at 11.00 h
City Experience
Fulda’s gardens
(Gartenkulturpfad
Fulda)
Fulda, the ”City of Baroque”
has a longstanding tradition of garden culture.The
origins of garden culture
and gathering of knowledge about medicinal plants
and agricultural crop can
be traced back to the
monasteries. Baroque love
of life brought about the
royal gardens that invite
visitors to ”Lustwandeln”,
i.e. to take a leisurely stroll
Meeting place:
Tourist Information (i)
Bonifatiusplatz 1
Palais Buttlar
Guided tours across the
gardens of the town
centre last two hours.
Price:
5,00 € for adults
4,00 € for children,
students
Prices for guided
children’s tours:
Children: 2,50 €
Adults: 5,00 €
Bruno’s Museum
Adventures
Museum should be boring? This
makes Bruno Brummsel, a beetle
living in the Vonderau Museum,
laugh. He and his ancestors, have
nibbled at some of the exhibits,
to the chagrin of the Museum
Director and can tell of some
adventures.
After the one hour tour with
Bruno, a master of narrative art,
all children are smarter
January through April:
every first and third
Saturday in every month
at 15.00 h.
Meeting place:
Vonderau Museum (14)
cashier counter
April to September: every
last Sunday at 14.00 h
Dahlia garden
Meeting place:
Tourist Information (i)
Bonifatiusplatz
Palais Buttlar
Organ Recitals
in the Cathedral (8)
Directed by Prof. Hans-Jürgen
Kaiser, organ recitals are regularly
held in the Cathedral. Enjoy the
magnificent quality of the organ.
Besides choirs and organ recitals
in the evenings matinees take
place every Saturday in May, June,
September, October and Advent
season from 12.05 to 12.35 h
Please note that on these days the
Cathedral is only accessible after
11.30 h for participants of the
matinee.
City Experience
Canoeing
The countryside by the Fulda River is
charming, so that canoeing along the
Fulda meadows becomes a particular
nature experience
For programmes and
information on musical
performances:
Telephone
+49(0)6 61 - 8 72 68
”Wäck,Woarscht on
Wie”,Wine tasting in
Fulda’s vineyard (24)
Kayaks and Canadian canoes
can be rented from
”Auf und Davon”,
der Ausrüstungsladen,
Karlstrasse 33,
Telephone +49(0)6 61 - 7 64 64
Bicycle tours / bicycle
hire
Fulda is situated at the crossroads
of many national cycle paths.
Explore the Rhoen or Vogelsberg
mountains by bike.
Cycle along the national cycle
path R 1 to reach the spring of
the river Fulda (Fulda-Quelle) and
On the southern slope below
Frauenberg Friary, the ”Wine
Historical Convent” has
replanted a vineyard, to make
the extensive and old wine
history of Fulda visible. Here a
tradition of wine growers was
called into being: with a glass
of riesling-wine („Wie“), regional sausages („Woarscht“) and
rolls („Wäck“) are served
Wine tasting:
May to September:
every second Saturday in
every month at 14.00 h
Information is available
from the
Tourism and Congress
Management Fulda.
Bicycles can be hired from
Hahner Zweiradtechnik,
Beethovenstrasse 3
Telephone:
+49(0)6 61 - 9 33 99 44
Opening times:
Monday to Friday:
9.00 to 18.00 h
Saturday: 9.00 to 13.00 h
Wasserkuppe, or enjoy bike rides
along the former railroad tracks
of ”Milseburg” - cycle path and in
the Vogelsberg mountains ”Vulkan”
(volcano) - cycle path