Coburg

Münzmeisterhaus

Coin Master's House

The Münzmeisterhaus, mentioned in a document in 1288, has existed since 1333 and is one of the oldest half-timbered houses in Germany. The wooden frame is an "Alemannic" construction. The history of the house is closely linked to the influential family of mint masters, the later Lords of Rosenau. The family provided aldermen and mayors of the city on several occasions.

Münzmeisterhaus
Ketschengasse 7
96450 Coburg
www.coburg-tourist.de

Steinerne Kemenate

Stone Bower

You enter Neugasse through the archway of the mint master's house. This is where the oldest private house in the town still stands today, the Steinerne Kemenate. The building was erected in the 12th century. However, exact dates are no longer known. The rather simple façade is adorned with a massive stepped gable and typical Gothic forms are also recognisable.

Steinerne Kemenate
Neugasse 1
96450 Coburg
www.coburg-tourist.de

Schlossplatz

Palace Square

On the foot of the fortress hill lies the palace square, in the middle of which is a monument of duke Ernst I. The square was designed from 1830 and 1837. It is framed by Ehrenburg Castle (the former residential palace), the arcades with courtyard garden as well as Palais Edinburgh and state theatre. The "Open-Air-Summer" takes place annually in August with several concerts of different music genres, groups and solists. For instance, inter alia the pop-rock singer P!NK and the Reggae/Dancehall/Hip-Hop group SEEED performed in 2007. But also the opera "The Magic Flute" was performed.

Schlossplatz
Schloßplatz
96450 Coburg
www.coburg-tourist.de

Landestheater

State Theatre

The state theatre Coburg attracts with a unique ambience, where historic architecture and present culture merge with one another. Built by duke Ernst I. of Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha in 1827 as a ducal court theatre with own ensemble and from 1840 domiciled at the present central location at the palace square, the three-segment theatre belongs to the cultural centrepiece of the fortress-city.

Besides the Great House, that offers space for 488 visitors, since 1985 also a studio stage with 99 audience seats belongs to the theatre - the so-called riding hall, that gives room for more intimate stagings. All in all over 20 new productions in acting, music theatre (opera, operetta, musical) and ballet are performed at the venues of the state theatre each season. Beyond that, integral components of the programme are a versatile programme for children and youngsters, and also an extensive concert programme. Further information (only in German)

Landestheater
Schloßplatz
96450 Coburg
Telefon +49 (0) 9561 89-8989
www.landestheater-coburg.de

Rathaus

Town Hall, Townhouse and Marketplace

The town hall in Coburg was built in 1579 by the stonemason and master builder Hans Schlachter, after the old town hall has gotten too small. A large, worth seeing Renaissance building arose right next to the Gothic Old Town Hall. The art-historically considerable bay of the town hall ("Coburger Erker") is especially remarkable. Also preserved is the large council hall with its beam ceiling from the year 1598, that is supportet by three wooden columns.

The present town hall was built on the south side of the marketplace by the council of the city after four houses have been bought up there. Besides the actual function of the city council, it also was used for trading and that way merchants and craftsmen like shoemakers, butchers, weavers offered their goods for sale here. But after 100 years it turned out, that the building has already gotten too small and did not withstand the increased requirements. So, after 10 years of construction, the new building, that is still used today, was completed in the year 1580. The architect was the stonemason Hans Schlachter from Ueberlingen, who built it in Renaissance style. The bay "Coburger Erker" from the year 1593 gained special architectural importance. With this architecture the bays are always built on a round pillar on the corners of a building. These bays consist of two floors and are always crowned with a Southern European cowl.

The bays of the town hall have special ornaments and also the architect has immortalised himself here with a genuflecting self-portrait. Up on the roof of the town hall you see the patron of Coburg, Saint Mauritius, who is shown as a blackamoor here, what can be attributed to the geographical lack of knowledge of the Coburg people back then, who wrongly assumed that Valais was on the African continent.

Rathaus
Markt 1
96450 Coburg
Telefon +49 (0) 9561 89-0
www.coburg-tourist.de

Sankt-Moriz-Kirche

Saint-Moriz-Church

Building of the Saint-Moriz-Church (dedicated to St. Mauritius) as the main church of the city, instead of a predecessor church, that was already standing since about 1217. The Moriz-Church, which is property of the city, is the main church of the Protestant town centre parish St. Moritz. It reflects city history, church history and community life.

The building history of the present Moriz-Church goes back to the 14^th century (the oldest part is the eastern chancel, finished in 1330). Already since the 12^th century, a preceding building of the Moriz-Church was standing there amidst of a cleric district, surrounded by cemetery and priory buildings. The western portal with the two towers was removed in the 15^th century, and constructed anew in the present striking shape of the two unlike towers. The late Gothic hall building has been converted to a Baroque style inside in the middle of the 18^th century.

Sankt-Moriz-Kirche
Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirchengemeinde Coburg, Pfarrgasse 7
96450 Coburg
Telefon +49 (0) 9561 871424
www.morizkirche-coburg.de

Hofapotheke

Court Pharmacy

The historic court pharmacy was opened in 1543 by Cyriacus Schnauß as the town's first pharmacy. It is located in a medieval house at Markt 15 and the history of the pharmacy can still be felt today in the historic rooms, which have been lovingly maintained for centuries. A statue of the Virgin Mary with Christ on her arm (standing on a crescent moon) from around 1500 can be seen in the corner of the building.

Hofapotheke
Markt 15
96450 Coburg
Telefon +49 (0) 9561 80120
www.hofapo.com

Stadthaus

Town House

Duke Johann Casimir had the former government building erected from 1597 as an antithesis to the bourgeois administration. The building is characterised by its "Coburg bay windows" and the gables decorated with figures. The stone decorative bands of coats of arms, animal heads and allegorical representations on the oriels are particularly intricately crafted by architect Peter Sengelaub. Man-sized stone figures in knights' armour tower over the façade. The portal in Spitalgasse is a masterpiece of stonemasonry.

Stadthaus
Marktplatz
96450 Coburg
www.coburg-tourist.de

Marktplatz mit Prinz-Albert-Denkmal

Market square with Prince Albert Monument

The market square is the centrepiece of Coburg. Surrounded by impressive historic buildings, with cafés all around and a stall selling Coburg sausages roasted over pine cones and beech wood, it attracts visitors. Reason enough for the trade magazine GEO to name it "Bavaria's most beautiful market square".
In the centre is the Prince Albert Monument. It was a gift from his wife, Queen Victoria of England, to Coburg. The statue shows Albert in the regalia of a Knight of the Order of the Garter. In his right hand, he holds a sketch of the Crystal Palace in London.

Marktplatz mit Prinz-Albert-Denkmal
Marktplatz
96450 Coburg