from whence there is an extensive Prospect of various Beauties.
The City of Bamberg is very well built, and has beautiful Churches. Herein is to be seen the Tomb of the Emperor Henry II. and his Wife the Empress Cunegonda. This Princess lies at the right hand of her Husband, because she kept her Virginity to her Death. Was not this abusing the Sacrament of Marriage?
The Bishop who fills the Episcopal See of Bamberg is Frederic-Charles, Count de Schonborn, Vice-Chancellor of the Empire. This Prelate being Minister of State to the Emperor commonly resides at Vienna, and is now there, so that I have nothing to say to you of his Court; but I reckon I shall be able to give you some Account of him after I have paid my Respects to him at Vienna.
The Neighbourhood of Bamberg is very agreeable, but as one comes to it from Nuremberg thro' a certain Forest of Fir-Trees, it strikes a Man with Horror to find an Avenue to it a quarter of a League in length form'd by Wheels and Gibbets. This, at first sight gives a Stranger no very great Idea of the Honesty of the People; but he is of another Opinion when he comes to know that these expos'd Malefactors are for the most part Foreigners. The Bishoprick of Bamberg is contiguous to seven or eight different States, and the Town it self lies in the greatest Road of all Germany, which is the Reason that 'tis so infested by Rogues from all Quarters. In the time of the Elector of Mentz, Bamberg was their Ne plus ultra, for that Prince gave them no Quarter: Being an Enemy to Wickedness, and one of the greatest Justiciaries that we have had in Germany, he sent all to the Gallows that deserv'd Hanging.
About a League out of the Town the Bishop has a charming Pleasure-House; but there is nothing in
all Germany more magnificent than the Castle of Pommersfelden belonging to the Count de Schonborn, which is three Leagues from Bamberg. Francis Lotharius de Schonborn Elector of Mentz caus'd this stately Fabric to be built, the whole of which forms a great Body of Building flank'd by two Pavilions with two advanc'd Wings. The whole is regularly built, and decorated with well-fancy'd Architecture. The Entry is supported by several Colonnades, where the first thing that presents it self is the grand Stair-Case, which is extraordinary magnificent, and perhaps one of the best contrived in Europe. This Entry leads into a Salon which serves as a Passage to the Garden; 'tis in form of a Grotto adorn'd with several Fountains, Columns, and Statues of Marble: The Cieling is painted as well as the Sky-Light of the Stair-Case, and the Arches of the principal Apartments. They are all painted by Hands that the Elector sent for on purpose from Italy. I don't give you the Particulars of the great Salon, nor of the Apartments, because it would take up a Volume. The whole are laid out with Art, and furnish'd with great Choice, Judgment and Splendor.
The Stables answer exactly to the Castle which they front. They are built in form of a Half-Moon with a Pavilion in the middle, which is an oval Salon, from both Sides of which you see all the Horses. The Mangers are of Marble in form of Shells, and the Racks of Iron neatly wrought in form of a Basket or Scuttle.
The Salon in the middle of the two Stables is painted in Fresco, and looks one way to the Court, and the other to the Riding-House, where the Elector us'd to see the Horses manag'd belonging to the Studs of his Bishoprick near Bamberg, one of the best in Germany.
The Gardens of Pommersfelden are very answerable to the Magnificence of the Buildings: In a
word, every Thing belonging to this fine House is worthy of it. The Builder of it had sublime Ideas: He spared no Cost to leave Monuments of his Grandeur and Wealth to Posterity, and has made a House of Pommersfelden which really surpasses some Royal Palaces. But 'tis time to take you out of this fine Place and to carry you back to Bamberg.