The sights in Ansbach can be easily discovered on a tour of the town. Here you can follow in the footsteps of the margraves and discover the history of Kaspar Hauser.
Places of interest in Ansbach: Margrave’s crypt and St. Gumbert’s crypt
St. Gumbert’s Church is located in the heart of Ansbach. Together with the neighboring church of St. Johannis, it is one of the inner city churches.
A visit to the nave is certainly an important point if you want to see the sights of Ansbach. I find it very remarkable that this church building combines architectural styles from almost a millennium ago. We were drawn to the oldest surviving part of the church – the crypt. This dates from around 1040 and can only be visited as part of a guided tour.
Through a rather inconspicuous door, we enter a room located under the nave. This is not only the crypt, but also the princely crypt. This was originally located under the choir of St. John’s Church and was moved there in 1976.
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As we enter the small room, we stand in the middle of the various sarcophagi of the Margraves of Ansbach. The Margraves of Ansbach belong to the Hohenzollern dynasty, about whom I have already learned a lot during my visit to Hohenzollernburg Castle.
There are a total of 25 sarcophagi on display and almost all of them still contain a corpse. The most famous is certainly Friederike Luise Princess of Prussia (a child of King Frederick William I of Prussia), who was married to Margrave Carl Wilhelm Friedrich of Ansbach.
Some of the coffins are very impressive and really very pompous. However, I like the somewhat simpler ones far better.
The entrance to the crypt is rather inconspicuous. You can look into the room from above and get an idea of what it looks like. In the video I found, you can find out more about this old room under the church.
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I am standing in front of a very inconspicuous building that I would certainly have walked past. This is the Ansbach Synagogue, one of the most beautiful sights in Ansbach.
But why in such an inconspicuous building?
The settlement of the Jewish population in Ansbach can be traced back to the 14th century. At that time, there was a synagogue area, a Jewish schoolyard and a Judengasse. With 6-8 tax-paying households, it was a fairly small community. However, the families did not live in the town for long. The margrave issued several decrees between 1564 and 1600, which gradually led to their expulsion.
A short time later, Jewish families were allowed to settle again and the community grew. There was no synagogue at this time and services were held in a house chapel.
In the second half of the 17th century, the importance of the Jews increased. The “court Jews” supplied the Ansbach nobility with foreign luxury goods and were thus able to improve their standing vis-à-vis the margrave. The margrave finally approved the construction of a synagogue, which was to be “hidden”. It was to be designed like an ordinary residential building. Visually, these requirements were “almost” fulfilled. Only the high arched windows show that it is no ordinary residential building after all. The synagogue was consecrated in September 1746 after almost two years of construction.
Perhaps this building, so inconspicuous from the outside, is one of the reasons why the synagogue survived the Nazi era unscathed. Today, there is no longer a Jewish community in Ansbach and it serves as a museum and can be visited as part of a guided tour.
When I step through the door into the building, I am really surprised. What a beautiful baroque synagogue!
In the middle of the room is a beautiful bima or almemor (octagonal podium). In the past, the Torah was read from there and the word of God was interpreted.
There is a shrine on the eastern side. Here stood the holy ark in which the Torah scrolls were kept. The Torah disappeared during the Reichspogromnacht and has not been found again to this day. There is a window in the roof truss above the location of the holy ark, symbolically providing a view to the east, to Jerusalem.
As is customary in the Jewish faith, only men were allowed to enter the synagogue. Women could access a gallery on the west side via a side entrance. This was not officially part of the synagogue, but allowed women to take part in the service.
The Hofgarten in Ansbach is not just a great place for a stroll in summer. The extensive park also has its charm in winter. Snow-covered paths take you past the orangery and you can visit the memorial commemorating the death of Kaspar Hauser in the town. Our article “Ansbach Residence – a visit to the Margrave” provides detailed information on opening times and the courtyard garden.
Kaspar Hauser in Ansbach
Who is Kaspar Hauser and what does he have to do with Ansbach? When I think of Kaspar Hauser, all I can think of is a song, but admittedly I wasn’t really aware that this person really existed. At the end of May 1828, a 16-year-old boy was picked up in Nuremberg on the Unschlittplatz. He barely spoke and wrote the name “caspar hauser” in barely legible handwriting. A letter he was carrying was addressed to the cavalry captain von Wessenig. However, the latter could do nothing with the boy.
So he was locked up, interrogated and suspected a criminal case. Kaspar himself could not contribute much. He just kept repeating the phrase “I want to be a horseman like my father”.
When his stay in prison could no longer be justified, the teacher Daumer took him in and taught him. After some time, the rumor arose that Kaspar was the hereditary prince of the House of Baden. He had been “removed” to clear the way for other family members to ascend to the throne.
Hauser comes to Ansbach
In October 1829, Kaspar survived an attack and moved frequently to ensure his safety. In the fall of 1831, he moved to Ansbach with Lord Stanhope, who became his patron and guardian.
The theory about his origins was still a great mystery. On December 14, 1833, a stranger lured Kaspar Hauser to the Ansbach Hofgarten. Allegedly, he wanted to tell him something about his origins. However, his murderer was waiting for him in the courtyard garden and stabbed him in the heart. A memorial commemorates this today. Three days later, Kaspar Hauser died in Ansbach.
To this day, a great mystery surrounds his person; it is still not clear who he was. Research has produced a wide variety of results and it remains to be seen whether it will ever be clarified who Kaspar Hauser really was.
Searching for clues in Ansbach
In Ansbach, you can explore the boy in great detail. Special guided tours are offered that deal exclusively with Hauser. The Margrave Museum even has a special section on the subject.
If you want to go in search of clues, you should definitely stop by the Kaspar Hauser restaurant. There is a picture frieze here that shows the stages of development and life situations.
At Montgelasplatz, I discovered a sculpture called “Kaspar Baum”. It shows a man embracing a tree. The house where Hauser lived and died is in the immediate vicinity.
If you would like to find out more, you should definitely take part in a guided tour.
Margrave Museum
One of the most important sights in Ansbach is the Margrave Museum. Here, visitors can learn all about the history of the town.
The period in which Ansbach was a residence of the Hohenzollern dynasty is certainly particularly exciting. After all, they dominated events in the town for almost 5 centuries.
We were drawn to the section on Kaspar Hauser, where not only his story is on display, but also the clothes he was wearing on the day of the fatal stabbing and a pair of underpants (said to have been worn by him).
Anyone strolling through the extensive exhibition in the Margrave Museum should also take a look at the building. There is a historic spiral staircase that leads to the upper floors and special exhibitions are held in the former battlements of the city wall.
Address:
Kaspar-Hauser-Platz 1 91522 Ansbach
Opening hours:
Tuesday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sculpture trail in Ansbach
Anyone taking a tour of Ansbach will quickly notice the countless sculptures. In a brochure published by the city, I read that there are around 48 different sculptures in the city center alone. Some are modern in design, others are quite old and of historical interest.
On my way through the city, I was able to see a few of the sculptures, such as the impressive Anscavallo, created by Jürgen Goertz.
I really liked the flute player in the Zumach garden, who sits there with his legs crossed and plays his instrument.
The figure “Man with suitcase” standing on the bridge to the Brücken-Center will have a female counterpart “Woman with suitcase and dog” on the other side.
I discover a sculpture of a man right next to the town wall at the Margrave Museum. This is Ernst von Bandel, an artist from Ansbach.
Two angels stand in front of the Gumbertus Church. This beautiful sculpture was created by Ernst Steinacker.
A special memorial is located on the south tower of St. John’s Church. The war memorial and memorial to the victims of the Second World War commemorates the victims of the First and Second World Wars. Wreaths are laid here on Remembrance Day and the victims are commemorated.
If you fancy discovering a city in a slightly different way, you should definitely go in search of sculptures!
Restaurant tips for Ansbach
Ansbach has a good selection of very different restaurants in all price categories.
Tested and approved:
Café Bar Restaurant “Alte Residenzapotheke”
The “Alte Resi” is a restaurant located in the premises of a former pharmacy. When I open the menu, I notice a text that deals with the connection between the pharmacy and the bar. I learn that it used to be customary for pharmacies to sell wine and alcoholic drinks. This was to prevent alcohol abuse. In the 18th century, many a pharmacist also ran a public bar where he sold wine and spirits. Wine was even considered a tonic for sick people for many years.
The “Alte Resi” is furnished in a very modern style and is especially popular in summer due to its large outdoor area. Everything here, from the cakes to the tomato sauce, is made from regional products wherever possible. The menu offers seasonal dishes that are also based on what is currently available.
I ate pasta Bolognese here. It was tasty and the portion size was more than enough for my appetite.
The Hürner is a brewery with an adjoining hotel. I found it less inviting from the outside, as it is a large modern hotel building that exudes little flair.
But once you enter the brewery restaurant, this impression is quickly forgotten. Light-colored wooden furniture and a decoration that is not too overloaded make the guest room appear cozy. The result is a modern and harmonious restaurant that offers traditional Franconian brewery food.
I opted for the oven-fresh Schäufele, a Franconian specialty. Under the crispy crust, the meat was very tender and juicy. It was served with potato dumplings and a very good gravy (which I would have liked more of). I enjoyed it and the portion was so big that I packed the rest up and took it home. Much to the delight of Patrick, who eats this dish every time we are out and about together in Franconia.
If you prefer vegetarian or vegan food, you’ll find a small selection on the menu.
I was particularly excited about the Hürner beer, which is brewed according to the company’s own recipe. There are two different beers: Hürner Hell and Hürner Naturtrüb. I tried both. I liked the naturally cloudy beer better. It is very drinkable and has a very round taste.
At first glance, “Schwarzer Bock” sounds like an old and traditional hotel in the middle of the city. Only when you read the full name “Bio Boutique Hotel & Bio Wirtshaus Schwarzer Bock” do you realize that this is a modern hotel.
After check-in, I receive a numerical code that can be used to open not only my room door, but also the hotel entrance door and the toilets next to the breakfast room. I find this super practical – just take a photo of the code with my cell phone and there’s no need to keep looking for the room key.
My room was in the main building, where there is no elevator, and after climbing a few stairs and typing in the number code, I opened the room door. A real surprise awaited me behind it: A really large room that was surprisingly furnished. For me, it was a real girl’s dream – purple tones, floral patterns, stylish furniture and, at first glance, immediately cozy and homely. It was almost too good to go out and discover the city and not relax snuggled up on the bed.
I had a lot of fun in the bathroom. At 1.60 m, I’m not the tallest, I know that. But if I wanted to look in the mirror in the bathroom, I would definitely have had to be 20 cm taller. It looked good positioned in the middle of the open space above the washbasin. But practical is different. I haven’t laughed so hard at a mirror and my attempt to look in it while blow-drying my hair for a long time. Good thing there was a large mirror in the room, which was very helpful.
The Hofgarten room number 41 has a 2m x 2m box spring bed with a 30 cm thick mattress, which I found very comfortable. There is a connecting door to the next room so it is ideal for families.
Breakfast time in the hotel restaurant
Breakfast is served in a dining room that is visually the complete opposite of the colorful room. Darker wood tones dominate here and it looks more like a traditional Franconian restaurant. I like it, it’s cozy. The breakfast was excellent and left nothing to be desired. From savory to sweet, fruit, muesli… there was a wide selection of products. According to the hotel, the products on offer are 100% organic and most of them come from the region.
From lunchtime, the breakfast room is transformed into a Franconian tavern. Here you can enjoy traditional Franconian cuisine, hearty and with 100% organic products. Some dishes are also available for vegetarians and vegans. They also brew their own beer here. Unfortunately, I didn’t try it. (Attention! Only payment with EC/credit card possible, no cash payment)
By train
Ansbach train station is only 800 meters away.
By bus
The bus station Schlossplatz is 200 meters away.
By car
The hotel is located in a pedestrian zone. For loading and unloading, it is permitted to drive up at walking speed.
Parking
Parking at the hotel
On arrival, hotel guests can drive up for loading and unloading.
The hotel has 4 parking spaces of its own, which can be booked for a fee. These may be used from 3-11 pm.
Those who have booked their parking space and room can use the e-charging station or Tesla Charging Station free of charge.
There are numerous public parking spaces near the hotel, but outside the city center.
Good to know
When is check-in and check-out time at Hotel Schwarzer Bock?
Check-in is possible from 3 pm. Check-out must be completed by 11 am
Is luggage storage possible?
Yes, but this should be booked in advance.
Darf mein Haustier mit ins Hotel?Can I bring my pet to the hotel?
Pets such as dogs or cats are allowed. Please book online in advance when making your room reservation. There are additional costs.
Are there extra beds for children?
Children up to the age of 6 may stay in their parents’ bed free of charge and eat breakfast free of charge if you have booked breakfast. It is possible to book cribs with bed linen for small children for an additional charge.
Is there an air conditioning system?
In the interior rooms, apartment 42, rooms 30 and 31, air conditioning is operated with green electricity or electricity from our PV system. In the other rooms, this service can be booked for an additional charge.
Is there an elevator or lift in the Schwarzer Bock?
The rooms in the guest house can be reached via two steps. There is a staircase in the listed main house.
I was able to discover the sights in Ansbach during a press trip to Ansbach.cken.
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