Cambridge Encyclopedia :: Cambridge Encyclopedia Vol. 9

Bayreuth - Richard Wagner and Bayreuth, Sights, City partnerships, Famous Citizens, Economy and traffic

49°56N 11°35E, pop (2000e) 73 500. Industrial and marketing town, capital of Oberfranken district, Germany, on a tributary of R Main; world famous as a festival city committed to the operas of Wagner; railway; university (1975); textiles, machinery, electricity supply; 16th-c old palace, new palace (1753), Wagner theatre (1872–6); Wagner Festival (Jul–Aug).

Coordinates: 49°57′N 11°35′E

Bayreuth
Country Germany
State Bavaria
Administrative region Upper Franconia
District urban district
Population 74,392 (2004)
Area 66.96 km²
Population density 1,111 /km²
Elevation 344 m
Coordinates 49°57′ N 11°35′ E
Postal code 95401-95448
Area code 0921, 09201
Licence plate code BT
Mayor Michael Hohl (CSU)
Website bayreuth.de

Bayreuth (pronounced [baɪˈɾɔʏt]) is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Frankish Alb and the Fichtelgebirge.

The turning point of the town's history was in 1603, when Christian the margrave of Kulmbach (in the meantime also called Brandenburg-Kulmbach) decided to move his residence to Bayreuth.

In 1872 the composer Richard Wagner moved to Bayreuth.

Richard Wagner and Bayreuth

The city is best known for its association with the composer Richard Wagner, who lived in Bayreuth from 1872 until his death in 1883. Wagner's villa, "Wahnfried", was constructed in Bayreuth under the sponsorship of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, and has been converted after World War II into a Wagner Museum. To the north of Bayreuth is the Bayreuth Festspielhaus, an opera house specially constructed for and exclusively devoted to the performance of Wagner's operas.

Every summer, Wagner's operas are performed at the Festspielhaus during the month-long Richard Wagner Festival, commonly known as the Bayreuth Festival.

Sights

New Castle, seat of the margraves from 1753 on Bayreuth Festspielhaus Richard Wagner Museum (Villa Wahnfried) Jean-Paul Museum Margrave's Opera House, one of the finest Baroque theatres of Europe, built in the 18th century The German Masonic Museum The Goldener Anker hotel baroque parks park of Eremitage and Old Castle, former seat of the margraves, outside the inner town castle and park of Fantaisie, in the vicinity of Bayreuth park Sanspareil, about 30 km west of Bayreuth

City partnerships

Annecy, France Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany La Spezia, Italy

Famous Citizens

Friederike Sophie Wilhelmine, Princess of Prussia 1709-1758 Jean Paul, writer 1763-1825 Franz Liszt, composer 1811-1886 Richard Wagner, composer 1813-1883 German industrial/gothic band Das Ich Florian Mayer, tennis player

Economy and traffic

Bayreuth has an airport.

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