The townhall was constructed in 1544.
At first there was a different townhall located elsewhere in the town. The house itself, however, fell to ruin, and required a new construction at the current location. The townhall was used as an administrative building for the senate ad its meetings, and as the local court. It furthermore served as a trading location. Starting in the 19th century, the building was used as a school. After 1972, the structure was refurbished and became a state-of-the-art administrative seat for the town.
Ground floor: Tourist Information Volkacher Mainschleife, Marktplatz 1, 97332 Volkach, Phone: +49 (0) 9381-401 12
The market square was used for farmers' markets in the olden days. Today, it is reserved mainly for cultural events.
The pilgrimage church "Maria im Weingarten" was the very first parish church for the villages along the Main River loop. The construction of the church spanned several centuries. The last great refurbishment of the structure took place between 2006 and 2008.
Open daily between 8 am and 6 pm (5 pm in winter)
The old School of Latin was the workplace for the teacher, town chronicler and notary Niklas Brobst (15th/16th century). The school was reserved or boys only, and offered three classes until the middle of the 19th century. Today, the building is the home of the Küster family.
Once the location of the town jail, which gave it the name "Diebenturm" (tower of thieves). Some of the jail cells from the 13th century still remain. The tower is not currently used. The two-storey ward was demolished in 1871, and a new gate house was constructed next to the tower in 1911 following a fire. The pedestrianised alley on the left of the gateway in direction of the town centre was added in the 1950ies.
On the square in front of the gate: A modern interpretation of Volkach's municipal coat of arms with the Franconian Rake (shell limestone) and the river (cast bronze), plus the outlines of former suburbs of the town etched into the cobblestone.
Seven shell limestone plinths with bronze reliefs depicting the history of Volkach by the local-born sculptor Norbert Kleinlein were erected on the square as part of the refurbishment project:
906: | Royal seal of the Franconian King Ludwig, who presented Volkach with the Fulda Monastery |
1258: | Coat of arms of the Earls of Castell, which were the first to pronounce Volkach a town. |
1406: | Awarded with the "Right to Hold Market" |
1520: | Final transition of the town into the holdings of the prince-bishopry of Würzburg. |
1814: | Integration into the Kingdom of Bavaria. Depiction of the Constitutional Column in Gaibach in honour of the Bavarian constitution. |
1892: | Start of "modernity" with the construction of the first Main River bridge and connection to the railway network in 1909. |
1972: | Municipal incorporation of ten villages |
Volkach was catholic. Protestants had to travel to neighbouring communities for worshipping. An own protestant church community did not exist in Volkach until the 20th century.
The vestibule is open daily between 8 am and 6 pm (5 pm in winter).
Constructed in 1879 with funding from the Carl and Anna Friderich Foundation as seat of the "Juliusspital" (had several locations in the town over time) for the care of the old and sick.
During its history, the building was sometimes used as a hospital. Today, it houses a Caritas care home for the elderly.
Initially completely built up, the square was used as a place to water livestock after the great fire of 1804 – hence the name "Goose Square". Typical for the region are the "Häckerbürger" houses around the square, which are constructed from shell limestone.
The building was used as a private residence until the 1970ies. The town of Volkach purchased the house and remodelled the building to create a visitor centre between 1979 and 1992. The upper storey rooms have remained unchanged for representation purposes, while the German Academy for Children's and Youth Literature (Deutsche Akademie für Kinder- und Jugendliteratur) holds offices on the ground floor. The town library is located in the annex.
Tours of the house are offered as part of town tours. Bookings: Tourist Information Volkacher Mainschleife, Marktplatz 1, 97332 Volkach, Phone: +49 (0)9381-401 12
HEADS-UP FOR KIDS!!
The museum offers a number of interactive stations. Those who can answer all the questions will be able to open the town chronicler's safe at the end!
In the past, the barn was used as fire station and warehouse for municipal building materials. The Baroque structure was completely refurbished in 2003, and now serves as the town museum.
From Easter to 1st November: Friday 2 pm – 5 pm, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays 11 am – 5 pm.
Free entrance on each first Sunday of the month, plus free tours at 4 pm
Book you guided tour:
Tourist Information Volkacher Mainschleife
Marktplatz 1
97332 Volkach
Phone +49 (0)9381-401 12
The lower suburb near the Volkach stream was once a fishing village.
The building was used as district and regional court between 1848 and 1967. A refurbishment in the 1960ies transformed the structure into a hotel.
Please contact the hotel leaseholder for a tour date and time!