Richard Wagner Museum


In the early 1870s King Ludwig II, Wagner's most devoted fan, gave the composer the cash to build Haus Wahnfried, a pleasingly symmetrical minimansion on the northern edge of the Hofgarten. The building now houses the Richard Wagner Museum, Ludwig's bronze bust standing prominently outside. Crisply renovated in the early part of the decade, the bulk of the exhibition looks at Wagner's life and work. Another section in the new building examines the history of the Bayreuth Wagner Festival.

Behind the house, hidden behind a ring of rhododendron bushes, lies the completely unmarked, ivy-covered tomb containing Wagner and his wife Cosima. The sandstone grave of his loving canine companion Russ stands nearby.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Neues Schloss

0.22 MILES

Opening into the vast Hofgarten, the Neues Schloss lies a short distance south of the main shopping street, Maxmilianstrasse. A riot of rococo style, the…

2. Markgräfliches Opernhaus

0.29 MILES

Designed by Giuseppe Galli Bibiena, a famous 18th-century architect from Bologna, Bayreuth's opera house is one of Europe's most stunningly ornate baroque…

3. Maisel's Bier-Erlebnis-Welt

0.78 MILES

For a fascinating look at the brewing process, head to this enormous museum next door to the brewery of one of Germany’s top wheat-beer producers – Maisel…

4. Festspielhaus

1.31 MILES

North of the Hauptbahnhof, the main venue for Bayreuth’s annual Wagner Festival is the Festspielhaus, constructed in 1872 with King Ludwig II’s backing…

5. Eremitage

1.98 MILES

Around 6km east of the centre lies the Eremitage, a lush park girding the Altes Schloss, the summer residence that belonged to 18th-century margrave…

6. Altes Schloss

1.99 MILES

Within the Erimitage stands the Altes Schloss, King Frederick the Great of Prussia and his wife Wilhelmine’s summer residence. Visits to the palace are by…