The "Obere Pfarre" or Upper Parish Church in Bamberg, dedicated to Our Lady, is well worth the…read moredetour from the cathedral. A church was established on the site, dedicated to St Mary, in the 9th Century. It was followed by a Romanesque church in the 11th century, before the present Church replaced it in the gothic style, being consecrated in 1387. Construction of the High Gothic choir began in 1392. The overall construction was completed in 1535 with the completion of the tower. All of this Gothic wonder is rather hard to find inside, however, as at the end of the 17th, and the beginning of the 18th century, the church was thoroughly redesigned in the Baroque style: pointed arches were replaced with rounded ones and the clerestory windows widened. The interior now is beautifully whitewashed and a riot of Baroque fresco and carving: don't forget to look back at the magnificent organ over the west gallery.

A truly spectacular church in the baroque style, made all the more spectacular by the unassuming…read morecity in which it is found. It is a perfect place to spend some quiet, reflective minutes while escaping the heat of the outdoors or the bustle of nearby Nuremberg.