Bayreuth

Bayreuth (German pronunciation: [baɪˈʁɔʏt]; Upper Franconian: [ba(ː)ˈɾaɪ̯t]; English: /beɪˈruːθ/) is a sizeable town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtelgebirge Mountains. The town's roots date back to 1194 and it is nowadays the capital of Upper Franconia with a population of 72,576 (2009). It is world-famous for its annual Bayreuth Festival at which performances of operas by the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner are presented. The town is believed to have been founded by the Counts of Andechs probably around the mid-12th century, but was first mentioned in 1194 as Baierrute in a document by Bishop Otto II of Bamberg. The syllable -rute may mean Rodung or...