Home of the Johannes Family

Bayreuth was founded in the mid 12^th century by the Counts of Andechs. Over 800 years later the city center still retains the typical structure of a Bavarian street market.  The town is grouped around a road widening into a square with the Town Hall located in the middle. The church stood apart from the square. The castle was on a small hill nearby.

Some 60 years after its founding, the town belonged to a branch of the Hohenzollern family until 1791.  During that time it suffered from plagues and wars and fires and was completely destroyed during the course of the Hussite Wars. 

Bayreuth's Golden Age was during the reign of Margravine Wilhelmine, the favorite sister of King Frederick II of Prussia. Parks and castles were built giving Bayreuth much of it's present appearance. The Opera of the Margraves is considered the most beautiful extant baroque theatre in Europe. Bayreuth was annexed by the Principality of Ansback in 1769, became Prussian in 1792, taken in 1806 by France and finally passed to Bavaria in 1810.

Today an industrial center that manufactures machinery, textiles, chemicals and pianos, it is noted as the home of Richard Wagner. He lived there from 1872 to 1883 and while there designed the Opera House. Franz Liszt and Wagner are buried there.

Wagner’s House