FRANCONIA: Land of Wine, Half-Timber, and Imperial Memory (Hidden Germany Book 1)

Franconia is one of Germany's most fascinating historic regions — a land of medieval cities, vineyards, castles, imperial memory and traditions that have survived into the modern age. Located in northern Bavaria, Franconia has a character of its own. The Main River winds through wine country, forests and historic towns, while places such as Nuremberg, Bamberg, Würzburg, Bayreuth and Rothenburg preserve centuries of architecture and cultural heritage. But Franconia's story reaches much further back. FRANCONIA — Land of Wine, Half-Timber, and Imperial Memory follows the region from prehistoric settlement and the Celtic and Roman worlds through the arrival of Christianity, the early medieval Duchy of Franconia and the rise of powerful bishops, princes and Imperial Cities. Inside, discover: • The geography, climate and natural landscapes of Franconia • Prehistory and the first peoples of the region • Celts, Romans and the ancient frontier • The coming of Christianity • The Duchy of Franconia and the early Middle Ages • Medieval bishops, princes and Imperial Cities • Cathedrals, castles, residences and sacred architecture • The fragmented political landscape of medieval Franconia • The Reformation and the Peasants' War • The Thirty Years' War and its consequences • The margraviates and the Baroque age • The political transformation of Franconia and its incorporation into Bavaria • Industrialisation and the nineteenth-century transformation • Franconia during the First and Second World Wars • Nuremberg and the difficult history of the twentieth century • Postwar reconstruction and the modern region • Government, institutions and the regional economy • Franconian people, family life and traditions • Wine, beer and the distinctive Franconian table From the vineyards of the Main Valley to the medieval streets of Bamberg and Rothenburg, from the imperial history of Nuremberg to the Baroque splendour of Würzburg, Franconia offers a remarkable connection between landscape, history and everyday life. This is not simply a travel guide to Franconia. It is a complete portrait of a historic German region — its land, people, cities, kingdoms, churches, wars, industries, traditions and food. For readers interested in Franconia history, German history, medieval Germany, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Würzburg, Bavarian culture, German castles, German wine, historic towns and regional travel, this book offers an accessible introduction to the land behind the familiar postcard images. History. Culture. Landscape. People. Food. One region, seen as a whole.