Developed over centuries as a former seat of margravial power and made world-famous by the Richard Wagner Festival, the largest town in Upper Franconia is now a modern commercial centre, conference venue and university town and is well on its way to becoming the high-tech centre of the region. With its sights, its museums and its cultural diversity, there is never a dull moment in Bayreuth.

Margravine Wilhelmine, sister of Frederick the Great, transformed Bayreuth into a glittering centre of art and culture 250 years ago. Bayreuth's Margravial Opera House is an exceptionally beautiful baroque theatre. The town also boasts a number of attractive palaces and castles, the Hermitage (Eremitage) park with its enchanted grottoes and fountains, the Festival Hall with its acclaimed acoustics and 22 interesting museums.

Bayreuth - festival and university town - has a rich cultural history legacy spanning eight hundred years of history and embracing far-reaching social, political and cultural changes. Bayreuth has accepted its duties as guardian of this important heritage and, over the decades, has developed a sophisticated and diverse array of museums.