# Eichstätt

Eichstätt is a small town in Upper Bavaria that has an excellently preserved baroque city center, is one of the smallest university towns in Europe, and is located in the middle of the Altmühltal Nature Park.

## Understand

Until the 1972 redrawing of municipal boundaries,mit was administratively part of Middle Franconia. The seat of a bishopric and a small university, the town is fiercely Catholic, which may have played a role in separating it from the more Lutheran Middle Franconia.

## Get in
### By train

As the first train station sat outside the town (but more conveniently along the railway line) a secondary "Eichstätt Stadt" station was built later.
* 48.86996411.1638581 Bahnhof Eichstätt.
* 48.89339111.1795292 Bahnhof Eichstätt Stadt.

## Get around

Much of Eichstätt can be explored on foot, as the distances are very short. Otherwise, there is a bus network that connects the most important points in the city and the surrounding area. Another good means of transport in Eichstätt is the bicycle. Especially in summer, the cityscape is dominated by cyclists who follow the Altmühltal cycle path.

## See

* 48.89511.16861 Jura-Museum. The Jurassic museum includes an original Archaeopteryx. (updated Dec 2020)
* 48.894811.16862 Museum für Ur- und Frühgeschichte auf der Willibaldsburg (Pre-historic and early history museum). (updated Dec 2020)
* 48.891411.18383 Diözesanmuseum Eichstätt. (updated Dec 2020)

### Religious buildings

As an arch-Catholic seat of a diocese dating back to the 8th century, Eichstätt is naturally home to numerous ornate Catholic religious buildings.
* 48.891911.18364 Dom zu Eichstätt (Cathedral). Dedicated to St. Salvator, Our Lady and St. Willibald, it is the cathedral church of the diocese of Eichstätt and is located in the centre of the city. The cathedral does not have a uniform architectural style and its origins go back to the 11th century: the Sacrament Chapel dates from the early Romanesque period, the towers from the High Romanesque period (12th century), the west choir (from 1256) with the bones of St. Willibald is early Gothic, the nave is High Gothic (14th century), the chapter sacristy with the Roritzer Chapel dates from the late Gothic period; late Baroque on the west façade. Particularly worth seeing in the interior of the church are the baroque Willibald Altar in the west choir of the cathedral, the Pappenheim Altar (11  m high), and the high Gothic main altar (from 1884, figures around 1480), the figures of the Siboto Madonna (1297) and the Buchenhüller Madonna (around 1480) and various grave monuments. (updated Dec 2020)
* 48.891411.1835 Residenz Eichstätt. The palace once used by the prince-bishops. Built in the Baroque style. The first section of the current three-wing complex was built from 1700 under court architect Jakob Engel and, according to the portal inscription, was already completed in 1702 with its west wing and probably also the east wing. Under court architect Gabriel de Gabrieli, who was appointed Engel's successor in 1716, the south wing was built while retaining the overall concept of his predecessor. From 1767 to 1768, the third court architect Maurizio Pedetti added the new staircase in the west wing and expanded the Hall of Mirrors. Even after secularization, the residence was still the residence of the last prince-bishop. From 1855 onwards, it was again owned by the Bavarian state and the seat of various courts. The building's structure was preserved, but parts of the interior were lost. It is now the seat of the Eichstätt district office. Particularly worth seeing inside are the central, representative staircase in the west wing with iron railing and ceiling fresco (“Fall of Phaethon”, by Johann Michael Franz) in the Rococo style in brilliant white, and the ballroom/hall of mirrors created by Mauritio Pedetti (architect), Johann Michael Franz (painter) and Johann Jakob Berg (stucco). The ceiling painting in the ballroom shows mythologica (updated Dec 2020)

## Eat

* 48.89237911.184061 Gasthof Krone, Domplatz 3, ☏ +49 8421-4406. Mainly classic dishes from the regional cuisine. Good value for money. When the weather is good, you can sit in front of the inn on the cathedral square or in the cozy courtyard.

## Sleep

* 48.8953311.1835851 Gästehaus der Benedektinerinnenabtei St. Walburg, Abtei St. Walburg/Marienhaus, Walburgiberg 6, ☏ +49 8421-9887-0, gaestehaus.kloster.st.walburg@bistum-eichstaett.de. 6 single rooms and 13 double rooms with shower/WC. The rooms are practically hotel standard, but the breakfast is more like a youth hostel. There is a kitchenette for guests, a small lounge with TV and direct access to the monastery's baroque garden. There are parking spaces for cars and storage for bicycles. double €72 incl. breakfast.

## Learn

* 48.88944411.1897221 Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. The only Vatholic university of Germany has its main campus here.