What to See and Eat in Schweinfurt?

Schweinfurt – a small city with a population of about 55,000 – is located in the federal state of Bavaria. It is situated in Franconia (Franken), a historic region in the Main River basin. Although it is best known for its industrial heritage, the city pleasantly surprised me with its historic center, modern galleries, and culinary specialties. So I’ve put together a few tips for you on what you should definitely see and taste here.

Why the Name Schweinfurt?
Even those who don’t speak German surely know that the word “Schwein” means “pig.” However, it’s believed that the city’s name derives from the word “swin,” referring to a ford across the Main River in the area where the first settlement was located and through which, according to tradition, pigs were herded.
Although the theory behind the name’s origin hasn’t been definitively confirmed, the city enjoys celebrating its connection to pigs. In 2003, a sculpture of a swineherd with his herd, created by regional artist Peter Vollert, was erected on Burggasse. The street is located in the Zürch district, on the site of former cattle pastures. Be sure to give one of the piglets a loving pat on the snout! It’s said to bring you good luck.

And if you walk around the city with your eyes open, you’re sure to discover other pig statues – for example, in front of the Tourist Information Center (next to City Hall) or in front of the Kreuz Apotheke pharmacy (Zehntstrasse).

Where to Have Breakfast?
It’s good to start the day with a great breakfast, especially if you have a full day of exploring the city and its sights ahead of you. I have two tips, especially for those who want to enjoy breakfast in a relaxed atmosphere around 10 a.m.
I started my walk on Apostelgasse, not far from my hotel. At the beginning of the street stands a striking green corner house – the Apostelhaus, also known as the House of the Twelve Apostles, dating from the 17th century. The house is adorned with richly carved wooden window pillars. You’ll find not only the apostles depicted there, but also Adam and Eve (on the corner post).

And it’s right on this street that our first breakfast stop is located.
Café Simply Life (Apostelgasse 12) – A cosy little café where you feel right at home. The friendly owner prepares everything fresh on the spot. The menu also includes vegetarian and vegan dishes. I had these delicious sandwiches and a bowl of spinach smoothie with banana, avocado, chia, and kiwi…

When you turn left at the end of Apostelgasse, you’ll find yourself on Spitalstrasse.
MainBar (Spitalstrasse 19) – One of the first things that catches your eye is the neon sign that reads “Fleischerei” – the café is located in the historic building of a former butcher shop. In this stylish space with a modern flair, you can spot interesting details (a golden piglet) and a plush teddy (a permanent guest). It’s the perfect spot to stop by at any time of day.

At Market Square
We continue on to the main square. The dominant feature of Market Square is the historic City Hall, one of the most beautiful examples of Renaissance architecture in southern Germany. This masterpiece by architect Nikolaus Hofmann was completed in 1572.

A coat of arms featuring a double-headed eagle – the imperial coat of arms – stands out on the large bay window, indicating that Schweinfurt was a free imperial city and its inhabitants were subject only to the emperor. In the past, the building housed not only a prison but also a pharmacy, a library, and a ballroom. It is almost a miracle that the building survived the Thirty Years’ War and the bombings of World War II.

Later, in 1959, it was damaged by a fire, so the 22 gilded statues on the gables were replaced with new works by regional artists. The allegorical figures represent the seasons, crafts, and virtues.

I arrived here just as local farmers were setting up their stalls in the square. The square came alive, and the flowers, fruits, and vegetables on display added even more color to it.
I was here in June, which is asparagus season. In Franconia, asparagus is one of the most popular delicacies. Its cultivation has a long tradition here.

I later tasted the “queen of vegetables,” served with fish, at the rustic restaurant Brauhaus am Markt on the square.

My colleague opted for a combination of asparagus and sausage. Bratwürste – sausages – are among the most famous specialties in Franconia, but every region, and even every city, prepares them differently. I chose a traditional Franconian dish called Blaue Zipfel (Blue Tips) at the Hotel Ross restaurant (Hohe Brückengasse 4).

Delicate pork sausages are slowly simmered in a vinegar marinade. This refreshing dish with a slightly tangy flavor pairs perfectly with fresh bread and a glass of good wine (the restaurant has its own wine shop!). The dish’s name comes from the slightly bluish tint the sausages take on while cooking in the marinade.
Another prominent feature of the square is the monument to Friedrich Rückert, who was born here – his birthplace still stands not far from City Hall. Rückert (1788–1866) was a prominent poet, translator, and orientalist. He was fluent in as many as 44 languages, mostly Eastern languages.

The Zürch District
During my walks around the city, I discovered three interesting churches, but they were all closed, so I only looked at them from the outside:
– The Protestant Church of St. John (St. Johannis Kirche), with foundations dating back to the 13th century, is the oldest surviving historic building in Schweinfurt. On the exterior walls, you can see holes that were used for sharpening knives.

– The Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit, with its fortified western section, impressed me with its grandeur and size.

– The Church of St. Salvator, originally built as a chapel, is located in the historic part of Zürch. An angel with a trumpet rotates on the dome according to the wind.

Zürch is a very pretty neighborhood – small winding streets, cobblestones, rose bushes next to the entrance gates, historic houses…

One of the most beautiful examples of Franconian architecture is the 16th-century townhouse at Burggasse 17.

At Café Ella (Rittergasse 16), an iced matcha latte with strawberries and delicious bagels went down a treat.

If you like fish, then you should stop by Am Fischerrain at the small historic shop Fischhandlung Dittmar, where you’ll find all kinds of fish delicacies as well as the traditional fish roll (herring, matjes, or smoked fish from their own smokehouse).

The shop is run by Frank, who goes fishing in the Mohan River himself. He complained that he supposedly only catches what the cormorants leave him. Due to climate change (warm winters), many of them don’t migrate and remain in the Mohan.

Other Places Worth Seeing:
The Schrotturm Tower – a unique symbol of the city. Built in 1611 as a staircase to provide access to both wings of a residential building, it was later raised by four stories and used for the production of shot. From its top, molten lead was poured in free fall into a water tank at the base of the tower, forming perfectly round shot pellets.

The Old Gymnasium – a three-story Renaissance building with interesting decorative elements (snails). The former humanities high school, once the center of learning for the entire region, now houses the archaeological and historical collection of the City Museum.

Höpperle – a section of the 17th-century city walls. The walls once had many towers, and their inner side was supported by a massive earthen rampart.

Gutermann Promenade – horses once pulled boats upstream here. Today, the promenade invites visitors to take pleasant walks along the Main River; you’ll also encounter historic engineering structures here, such as a cast-iron, manually operated swing crane or the control mechanism from the former weir.

Zeughaus – I can hardly believe that this beautiful Renaissance building from 1589 was originally an armory. Cannons, gunpowder, and cannonballs were stored on the ground floor, while swords, crossbows, spears, helmets, armor, and other military equipment were kept on the upper floor. Two hundred years later, however, debts forced the city to auction off its entire arsenal. The building served as a barracks, a customs house, a paint shop, and even as the editorial office of a certain newspaper. As recently as 150 years ago, it was common to see cows and pigs in the adjacent square, which the town herdsman led out to graze beyond the city walls every morning.

Today, it houses a family center. Around the building, you can try out various fun games with balls (not cannonballs).

Bocksbeutel – A Symbol of the Region
Although most people associate Franconia with beer, grapevines have thrived on the sun-drenched slopes along the Main River since the 8th century, particularly white varieties such as Silvan, Müller-Thurgau, and Bacchus. Silvan wine celebrated its 365th anniversary in 2024 – according to historical documents, the first 25 vine cuttings, imported from Austria, were planted here in April 1659. The most important variety is Green Silvan, followed by Blue Silvan, named for the shade of the grape skins at the end of ripening. The area around Schweinfurt is also known for growing these typical varieties. You’ll recognize Franconian wines right away by their special flat, round bottles, which are called Bocksbeutel here.
The most famous wine bar in town is PINOT – Pascal’s Cafe. Wein.Bar. The young owner, Pascal, full of enthusiasm, immediately mixed us a refreshing drink – a Weinbergspritz (peach liqueur, prosecco, and water).

In addition to excellent wines, you can also sample the traditional savory cake Zwiebelplootz, which is mainly served with young wine. The most popular version is the Alsatian one with diced ham or bacon, but the Greek variation – with feta cheese, walnuts, honey, herbs, and a touch of chili – also pairs wonderfully with wine.

Pascal’s mom bakes the savory cake, and she recommended that I try another local specialty – Dürrplätz, a very thin, crispy flatbread that also pairs wonderfully with wine. I found it in the Drescher bakery at Judengasse 7.

Visual Arts – A Highlight of the Visit to Schweinfurt
Art lovers are sure to find something to enjoy in Schweinfurt, at two locations in particular:
The Georg Schäfer Museum, listed among Germany’s 200 most interesting cultural destinations, is an unmissable modern building (designed by architect Volker Staab) located right near the aforementioned wine bar.

The raised ground floor is open to the public; it houses a café and a gift shop, and visitors at least have the opportunity to get a glimpse of this bold architectural design.

But I definitely recommend visiting the museum as well. The former art collection of industrialist Georg Schäfer is one of the most significant private collections of 19th-century German art! Here you’ll find paintings by artists such as Max Liebermann, Caspar David Friedrich, and Adolph Menzel, but above all, it houses the world’s most extensive collection of paintings by Carl Spitzweg. He is known for his humorous genre scenes, sometimes slightly caricatured, other times with a mildly critical edge (“The Bookworm,” “The Cactus Friend” and others).

And imagine – I even came across a painting here that I’d already seen in Vienna as part of a special Art Nouveau exhibition at the Wien Museum in 2024. It’s Pallas Athena by Franz von Stuck (1898). This portrait of the patroness of the arts served in the past as the model for the famous work of the same name by Gustav Klimt! Both paintings were on display at the exhibition in Vienna.
From the upper floor, you can enjoy a view of the Ebracher Hof – a former farmstead belonging to the Cistercian monks of Ebrach Abbey. The former granary, which was used to store agricultural products, now houses the city library.

Kunsthalle Schweinfurt
As I walked down Hadergasse past the remains of the city walls, Châteaudon Park (named after the sister city in France) with the Municipal Theater spread out before me.

But I continued to the left toward a large white building with a tall chimney. Industrialist Ernst Sachs had it built in 1932 as a public municipal bathhouse, which operated until 2004. It was then closed and, after a complete renovation, reopened in 2009 as an art gallery specializing in German art from the mid-20th century to the present.

A spray-painted banana next to the entrance won’t escape the attentive eye. German street artist Thomas Baumgärtel, known as Bananensprayer, reportedly uses this method to mark institutions where interesting art is on display.

The interior architecture respects the building’s original use. The main exhibition hall, with a ceiling height of 9 meters, is located exactly where the former swimming pool once stood. I could hardly believe that this was the very place where many residents of Schweinfurt learned to swim.

The building’s original purpose is also revealed by some preserved items – tiles or a hair dryer that, when you insert a coin, emits the typical clatter heard in a swimming pool locker room.

A Sweet Finale
Franconian cuisine has a long tradition, but it’s also constantly evolving. Old recipes are being given a more modern twist, and at the same time, new products are emerging that expand the traditional offerings. One example is the Molina Chocolate Shop (Am Zeughaus 15, near the Armory). It’s located in a beautiful historic building, where you can relax in the cozy interior with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee, or take part in a special tasting that pairs chocolate with a late-harvest vintage of the excellent Franconian Silvaner.

The chocolate shop’s selection also includes chocolate truffles, broken chocolate, and chocolate bars with unique spices and other interesting ingredients. All products are made in-house using only the freshest, highest-quality ingredients.

Where to Stay
During my visit, I stayed at the Hotel Stadtvilla Central – a typical city hotel with an excellent central location.

By the way, there’s an educational center right next to the hotel. From the photographs displayed on its walls, I learned that it was in Schweinfurt that Philipp Moritz Fischer invented the pedal-powered bicycle in 1853. However, he didn’t patent his invention, so several other inventors are vying for this distinction.
When you walk past the tourist information center near City Hall, be sure to notice another spray-painted banana that Thomas Baumgärtel created during the pandemic as a symbol of solidarity with healthcare workers. And I have one more tip for you to wrap things up. At the tourist information center or at the Kunsthalle, you can purchase a starter spray-paint kit (€5.50) with one color of your choice. Paper stencils are also available, but there are no limits to your imagination. Then all you have to do is find one of the so-called “graffiti cubes” – legal public concrete surfaces designated for spray painting (for example, on the Gutermann Promenade, near the Armory, or the Kunsthalle). I left my graffiti on a cube on the promenade.