Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz: City History and Culture

In Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, the City Museum, the Court Church, and the Palatinate Count’s Castle offer insights into different chapters of the city’s history. For information on nature and trails, the Neumarkt i.d.OPf. district has its own guide: it lies in the northeastern part of Altmühltal Nature Park and in the Bavarian Jura landscape area.

City history and historic buildings

The City Museum displays exhibits on Neumarkt’s history, from the city’s medieval founding through its heyday as a residence city and its garrison period with the Bavarian Chevaulegers, to its time as a spa town, the beginnings of industrialization, and the Second World War. Those particularly interested in industrial history will find a dedicated section there on the Goldschmidt & Pirzer velocipede factory, later known as the Express Works.

At Residenzplatz, the Palatinate Count’s Castle recalls the splendor of courtly life in Neumarkt, once a residence city. The Court Church of Our Lady is home to Otto II of Mosbach’s richly decorated marble tomb. The church’s late Gothic treasures also include a statue of Saint Sebastian and a stone Madonna dating from 1480. Together, the castle and church offer different perspectives on courtly history and sacred art.

Museums and cultural program

The Lothar Fischer Museum displays selected exhibits from its collection of around 450 sculptures and holds temporary exhibitions several times a year. If you would like to plan your visit around a particular exhibition, check the current schedule. Guided tours take place on Sundays at 3 p.m.; on the first Sunday of the month, a tour is held at 11:15 a.m., accompanied by a children’s tour for ages six and up. If you plan to join a tour, it is also advisable to check the date before traveling.

For an introduction to the city’s history, there is the approximately 90-minute walking tour “Neumarkt – Then and Now.” It explores the city on foot and covers Neumarkt’s history as a trading, Palatinate Count’s, and garrison city. Alternatively, the Tomis audio guide lets you discover the sights without a city guide and at your own pace. You can choose between a timed tour with a historical focus and an independent exploration. The children’s city rally “Explore Neumarkt’s History with Philipp” leads through the city to 18 stops.

The Historic Reitstadel was established in the 1980s as a cultural center with a concert hall and exhibition spaces. Concerts and performances by internationally renowned artists have become a hallmark of the city. In summer, the annual Neumarkt Castle Plays bring open-air performances to the castle courtyard; check the performance dates for your travel period. The city’s brewing tradition is also represented: Neumarkter Lammsbräu is one of Germany’s oldest organic breweries. Neumarkt is also home to the world’s only museum dedicated to historic Maybach vehicles.

City park and seasonal visits

Neumarkt City Park brings together several distinctive features: the grounds include a large playground, water terraces with fountains, a grand staircase offering views of the old town, and numerous public artworks. The entire grounds are protected as an archaeological, architectural, and garden monument. If particular park facilities are important to your plans, check their current status before visiting.

The highly visible Wolfstein Castle ruins are a historic landmark of the city. Access is seasonal: the ruins are open continuously from April 1 to October 31 and are inaccessible from November 1 to March 31. Check these access dates before you travel, especially if visiting the ruins is a fixed part of your plans.

Trails and landscapes in the district

The district offers cycling tours along the Schwarze Laber and the old Ludwig–Danube–Main Canal, as well as walks along the Weiße Laber and Wissinger Laber. The Jurasteig and the Water and Mill Trail share the same stretch along the Weiße Laber between the Lengenbach Valley near Deining and Dietfurt. This shared section is a practical distinction when planning your tour: both named trails follow the same route here.

The Ludwig–Danube–Main Canal is considered one of Germany’s most interesting industrial monuments and is particularly well preserved in the Neumarkt i.d.OPf. district. The “Zeugenbergrunde” is also listed as a hiking route near Neumarkt; it is a certified “Wanderbares Deutschland” quality trail. Together with the museums, historic buildings, and cultural events, this offers a choice between urban cultural attractions and activities in the Bavarian Jura landscape.

Discover more destinations: Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Parsberg, Velburg, Breitenbrunn, Freystadt, Hohenfels, Postbauer-Heng, Berg bei Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Berching, Pyrbaum, Lauterhofen, Pilsach, Mühlhausen, Dietfurt an der Altmühl, Lupburg, Deining.

For the overview of the wider region: Bavaria.