The best park in Aschaffenburg is Schönbusch Park, Kleine Schönbuschallee 1 (tel. 06021/625478; bus: 4), located 3km (2 miles) across the Main southwest of the center. It's a marvel of planning, using the natural surroundings as a setting for formal 18th-century gardens, shady lanes, temples, and gazebos. At the edge of the mirror-smooth lake is a small neoclassical castle, really a country house, once used by the electors of Mainz. The house is open April to September Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 6pm. Admission is free. In summer, it's possible to rent a small boat to go on the lake. There's also a cafe/restaurant open daily 8am to 8pm.
The most impressive sight in Aschaffenburg is the huge Renaissance Schloss Johannisburg, Schlossplatz 4 (tel. 06021/386570; bus: 1, 4, or 8), reflected in the waters of the Main. Erected from 1605 to 1614, it became the residence of the rulers of the town, the prince-electors of Mainz. The red-sandstone castle is almost perfectly symmetrical, with four massive lantern towers surrounding an inner courtyard. April to September, the castle is open daily 9am to 6pm; October to March, hours are daily 10am to 4pm. Admission is 5.50€ for adults and 4.50€ for children 14 and under. While here you can visit the Schlossweinstuben . From the castle gardens you can reach the Pompeiianum, built by Bavaria's King Ludwig I as a replica of the Castor and Pollux palace discovered among the ruins of Pompeii. The Pompeiianum is open April to mid-October Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 6pm. Admission is 5.50€ for adults, 4.50€ for students, and free for children 14 and under. The combination ticket for Schloss Johannisburg and the Pompeiianum is 9€ for adults, 7€ for children 14 and under.
Stiftskirche St. Peter and St. Alexander, Stiftsgasse 5 (tel. 06021/22420; www.stiftsbasilika.de; bus: 1, 4, or 10), has overlooked the town for 1,000 years and its varied architecture reflects the periods of remodeling and reconstruction, culminating as a combination of Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque. Its most precious treasure is the painted retable The Lamentation of Christ, by Mathias Grünewald. The interior is decorated with several paintings of the school of Lucas Cranach, as well as a marble-alabaster pulpit by Hans Juncker. One of the oldest pieces is a Roman-style crucifix from A.D. 980. Adjacent to the north side of the church is a Romanesque cloister from the 13th century. The church is open Wednesday to Monday 11am to 5pm. Admission is free, but a tour costs 3€ adults, 2€ students and children, and 6€ for a family ticket.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
