Seniors Stop In Kitzingen

Senior travelers in Germany will find Kitzingen in the south-central part of Bavaria in Germany and is the capital of the district Kitzingen, numbering around 21,000. According to legend, Kitzingen was founded when the Countess of Schwanberg lost her jeweled scarf while standing on the ramparts of her castle.

The castle was located high above the fertile section of the Main River Valley where Kitzingen now lies. The Countess promised to build a cloister on the spot where the scarf was found. When it was found by a shepherd named Kitz, she kept her word and built a cloister which she called Kitzingen.

If you are a fan of Bram Stoker’s 1897 book Dracula or any of its many spin-off novels, movies and TV shows, it may draw you to Kitzingen.  The “FALTERTURM” (Market tower) is one of the most recognizable sites in Kitzingen. The ivy covered tower was built between 1469 and 1496 as a watchtower of the outer city walls.

Seniors Find The Crooked Tower

One of the city’s most well known landmarks is a tower built in the 1200’s, called the Crooked Tower because of its unbalanced roof. Legend has it that the golden ball that sits at the top of the crooked roof contains the heart of the original Count Dracula. Whether the legend is true or not, the tower and the town make interesting places to visit.

There is a carnival museum located in the Crooked Tower, today, and senior visitors can read the story of its construction. It was built during a wine festival, as the tale is told, and the masons used wine instead of water, that was rare, to mix the mortar. That is what caused the roof to lean.

There are many cultural attractions in Kitzingen. There are two well known sculptures at the City Hall, the “Hacker”, a laborer working in the vineyards,  and his partner the “Cathedral”, holding goblets in his hands.

Seniors Enjoy Germany’s Wine Region

Regardless of its true history, it is undeniable that the Crooked Tower stands as a sentinel in the middle of Germany’s largest wine-producing region.  Franconia has a reputation for producing some unique and flavorful white wines.

Throughout history the selling of wine has a been the main source of income for the citizens of Kitzingen.  Producers in the area use a distinctive wine bottle called a Bocksbeutel, which has a short round neck and a wide body. Potential customers can tell at a glance that the wine they are considering is Franconian in origin by this bottle.

Kitzingen hosts wine festivals throughout the harvesting and bottling seasons. In October the town holds a big festival called Letzte Fuhre or last load when the final grapes are brought in from the vineyards.

Enjoy your stay in Kitzingen. -jeb