Saint Emmeram's Abbey, Regensburg (must see)
Saint Emmeram鈥檚 Abbey weaves together over a millennium of history, faith, and aristocratic grandeur. Founded in the 8th century and dedicated to Saint Emmeram鈥攁 missionary bishop who met a tragic end while spreading Christianity鈥攖he abbey soon became one of the most powerful Benedictine monasteries in Bavaria. Legend tells that after his martyrdom, Emmeram鈥檚 body was miraculously carried to Regensburg, and the site built in his honor grew into a center of learning and devotion. For centuries, monks here preserved ancient manuscripts, illuminated religious texts, and advised emperors, turning the abbey into a cornerstone of medieval scholarship and influence.
By the Middle Ages, Saint Emmeram鈥檚 stood as one of the most prominent monasteries in the Holy Roman Empire, answering directly to the emperor himself. Beneath its sacred vaults lay the tombs of dukes, bishops, and noble families鈥攁 mark of the prestige it commanded. When Bavaria鈥檚 monasteries were dissolved in 1803, the abbey entered a new chapter: it was granted to the powerful Thurn und Taxis family, who transformed it into a magnificent residence. Their palace, still home to their descendants, fuses the spirit of the monastery with the luxury of a royal court.
Today, visitors walking through its courtyards step between eras. The abbey church glimmers with baroque frescoes and gilded altars, while the adjoining palace dazzles with marble staircases, ornate salons, and the famous Carriage Museum. Every December, the estate鈥檚 Christmas market fills the courtyards with light and song, echoing the centuries of devotion, festivity, and culture that define this place. Saint Emmeram鈥檚 is not just a relic of the past鈥攊t is a living chronicle of Bavaria itself, where monks once prayed, princes once ruled, and history continues to breathe through its walls.
By the Middle Ages, Saint Emmeram鈥檚 stood as one of the most prominent monasteries in the Holy Roman Empire, answering directly to the emperor himself. Beneath its sacred vaults lay the tombs of dukes, bishops, and noble families鈥攁 mark of the prestige it commanded. When Bavaria鈥檚 monasteries were dissolved in 1803, the abbey entered a new chapter: it was granted to the powerful Thurn und Taxis family, who transformed it into a magnificent residence. Their palace, still home to their descendants, fuses the spirit of the monastery with the luxury of a royal court.
Today, visitors walking through its courtyards step between eras. The abbey church glimmers with baroque frescoes and gilded altars, while the adjoining palace dazzles with marble staircases, ornate salons, and the famous Carriage Museum. Every December, the estate鈥檚 Christmas market fills the courtyards with light and song, echoing the centuries of devotion, festivity, and culture that define this place. Saint Emmeram鈥檚 is not just a relic of the past鈥攊t is a living chronicle of Bavaria itself, where monks once prayed, princes once ruled, and history continues to breathe through its walls.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Regensburg. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Saint Emmeram's Abbey on Map
Sight Name: Saint Emmeram's Abbey
Sight Location: Regensburg, Germany (See walking tours in Regensburg)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Regensburg, Germany (See walking tours in Regensburg)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Regensburg, Germany
Create Your Own Walk in Regensburg
Creating your own self-guided walk in Regensburg is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Regensburg Introduction Walking Tour
During a battle in 1809, Napoleon remarked that Regensburg was 鈥渨orth a crown.鈥�
The name 鈥淩egensburg鈥� reflects its roots: it comes from the River Regen, which joins the Danube here, and the Old High German word burg, meaning fortress鈥攕o Regensburg means 鈥渢he fortress by the Regen.鈥�
Long before the Romans, Celtic tribes had already settled on the high ground, taking advantage of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
The name 鈥淩egensburg鈥� reflects its roots: it comes from the River Regen, which joins the Danube here, and the Old High German word burg, meaning fortress鈥攕o Regensburg means 鈥渢he fortress by the Regen.鈥�
Long before the Romans, Celtic tribes had already settled on the high ground, taking advantage of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Roman Ruins Walking Tour
Meandering through the Old Town of Regensburg, it鈥檚 easy to forget that some 1800 years ago most of this area was occupied by a Roman fortress. Although the first settlement here dates from as early as the Stone Age, it is the Romans who put it firmly on the map.
Around 90 AD, they first built an expeditionary and then a permanent military camp called Castra Regina ("Fortress by the... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Around 90 AD, they first built an expeditionary and then a permanent military camp called Castra Regina ("Fortress by the... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles