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City of Bamberg http://www.bavaria.by/christmas-market-in-bamberg
View of the Old Town Hall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamberg#/media/File:Bamberg_town_hall_from_opposite_bridge.jpg
The city of Bamberg is located in the Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany. The city spreads over seven hills, each of which is appropriately topped with a church, given the number's biblical significance.
The city's location on the river Main allowed it to be easily accessible for travelers and trade, making it a culturally and artistically rich city. Bamberg is also home to the Michaelsberg Abbey, which housed an important scriptorium. Although this occurred in a later time, the first ever book printed in the German language was made in Bamberg.
The city of Bamberg had a significant Jewish population, and we can see the relationship between Christians and Jews in some of the cathedral's sculpture. The bishops were responsible for making sure the Jews didn't cause trouble, but in return for paying higher taxes, the Jews were protected against violence. In the Middle Ages, Jews were required to distinguish themselves visibly, usually by a pointy hat, referred to as a Judenhut in Germany.
Woodcut of Bamberg from 1493 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamberg#/media/File:Nuremberg_chronicles_-_BAMBERGA.png
In relation to the cathedral, we can see that the city was prosperous since the cathedral was able to be rebuilt twice with little to no financial issues. If Bamberg Cathedral is the quintessential German cathedral, Bamberg was the quintessential German town for it to be built in. Rolling hills, an easy river, and not too distant mountains set the scene for a cathedral that could reflect the beauty that the city already had.
Bailey McCulloch // Bibliography
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