REGENSBURG DAY 2 – THURN & TAXIS UND ST EMMERAN
All information on our website is for a first impression of the journey you are planning. You will find detailed information in our travel guide “3 Days in“, which you can buy as soft cover book at your book store or directly in our BKB shop on this website. There you also can buy the travel guide as an ebook.
ST EMMERAN
St Emmeram is revered in Regensburg as the first bishop of the city and its patron saint. Born in the 7th century in Poitiers in Aquitaine, during his missionary journeys Emmeram came to the court of the Bavarian duke and worked to spread the Christian faith in Regensburg. When Uta, the unmarried daughter of Duke Theodor, became pregnant, Emmeram advised her to say that he was the father in order to save her from punishment. When Emmeram then set off on a planned pilgrimage to Rome, his departure was interpreted as flight. Uta’s brother Lantpert intercepted the bishop near Munich on 22 September 652 and tortured him to death. Immediately after this martyrdom, it rained for 40 days. Having learned the truth of the matter, Duke Theodor transferred the saint’s corpse to Regensburg and ceremoniously buried it there. Since 752 the bones have rested in the crypt of the church that is dedicated to Emmeram.
THE PRINCES OF THURN & TAXIS
They originally came from Lombardy, where the Tasso family (Italian for “badger”) established an efficient courier system between the major Italian cities from 1290 onwards. When the later Emperor Maximilian I commissioned them to set up a courier service between his residences in Innsbruck and Brussels in 1490, their meteoric rise and prosperity in the empire began. The network was continually extended, with postal stations established at which horses and riders could be changed, and where travellers could spend a night – to this day, inns with the name “Zur Post” bear witness to the system. As a reward for their services, in the 17th century the family were ennobled with the title “count”. Later they were made princes and recognised as the descendants of the Torriani family, whose coat of arms and name they were also allowed to bear. The word “Turm” (Torre) became Thurn, while “Tasso” was altered to Taxis.
THE GLAMOR OF THE NOBILITY
During the tour through the princely residence, you will visit the southern wing with its splendour, the east wing, the former guest house of the Benedictine monks, the throne, ballroom and house chapel, as well as the ornate Gothic cloister and the crypt chapel. In the north wing of the Princely Treasury, outstanding artefacts such as furniture, tableware, watches, gold and silverware from the leading art workshops in Europe are presented and reflect the courtly splendour in the world of the nobility.
SCHOTTENKIRCHE ST JAKOB
One of the most important monuments of German Romanesque architecture is the Schottenportal, “Scottish doorway”, 15 metres wide and 8 metres high. Its 154 figures were once all painted, some of them also gilded or silvered, and the holes were filled with precious stones. The iconographic programme of the three-storey wall is still a matter of debate. The only certain point seems to be that this cycle represents the Last Judgement, heaven and hell.
STROLLING AND SHOPPING
SHOPPING IN REGENSBURG
Even though you have walked through the Old Town when seeing the sights, it is worth taking some time for leisurely window shopping: the Old Town of Regensburg offers something different from the mainstream retail scene of most city centres.
FURTHER INFORMATION
SHOPPING IN THE OLD TOWN
Strolling through the little streets and alleys and across the squares between Bismarckplatz and the cathedral, the Stone Bridge and Gesandtenstrasse, you will see beautiful things in historic surroundings. Many of the more than 500 shops are houses in patrician dwellings and consciously present their products in the ambience of an ancient building, whether in a former domestic chapel or beneath pointed Gothic arches. Furthermore, you will not find the standard mix of well-known chains and department stores, as most shops are small boutiques and owner-run specialists.
ACROSS THE BRIDGE: STADTAMHOF
Cross the Stone Bridge to reach the picturesque Stadtamhof district, where more owner-run retail establishments are found. Many visitors like this area for its mix of pleasant cafés and specialist shops selling crafts.
TASTY THINGS AT THE MARKTHALLE
It is also worth making a detour to the market hall right next to the Historisches Museum on Dachauplatz. To gourmets this modern glass building with its varied range of food seems like a miniature version of the famous Viktualienmarkt in Munich. And at Paul’s Boutique, a café and wine bar in classic Italian style, and the Casa della Pasta you can enjoy a delicious meal.
NETTE TOILETTE
We have all encountered this problem. You are out in the city, you feel an urgent need, and no public toilet is to be found. In Regensburg the “Nette Toilette” campaign has the answer: cafés and pubs allow anyone to use their facilities without charge. Look out for a red sticker with a smiling face!
