Würzburg, Bayern (Bavaria):
Fränkische Biergarten-Goldene Gans

Wednesday 24th April 2019

Bob Thompson

Although this well-situated biergarten is relatively recent its background history goes back a very long way; to 1564 in fact. This was when a property in Burkarderstrasse was mentioned for the first time.

It later became the Goldene Gans or Golden Goose in English. It was completely destroyed in a bombing raid on 16th March 1945. A new building was constructed on the site and it was completed in 1967.

During the late 1980s the Will family took over the property and gave it a major makeover including the vaulted cellar. It re-opened as the American Bar and on 1st May 1990 a brewery was established in the cellar. During 2011 the Fränkische Biergarten-Goldene Gans, the subject of this article, opened on the nearby bank of the River Main.

The American Bar closed during 2016 and the pub underwent a refurbishment and re-opened under its original name at the beginning of December 2016. The brewery was dormant by this time and was re-activated from then on. If visiting the pub please be aware that it doesn’t open till 17.30.

It was another glorious day when Linda and I visited whilst enjoying a break in a river cruise. One thing that strikes you about this biergarten is the superb view of the river and the Alte Mainbrücke. This ancient bridge has many stone statues of saints in the same manner as the Charles Bridge in Prague.

Service in the garden was not great, just two serving staff to handle a large number of thirsty customers. When I asked what sort of beers they sold I was told there was Hell (Light) or Weizen (Wheat). As we don’t like wheat beers very much there wasn’t really a choice. The waiter said they normally have a Dunkel (Dark) but there was none left. The beer was unfiltered and unpasteurised and very cloudy. I noticed that they promoted a beer of the month. A week later it was Maibock but nothing when we visited.

A visit is worth it for the view alone. Should you go we hope you have better luck with the service and beer selection.

Important Information:

Biergarten: Fränkische Biergarten-Goldene Gans, Leonhard-Frank-Promenade, 97082 Würzburg.
Hours: Monday-Sunday 11.00-24.00 in good weather only.

Pub: Brauerei & Wirtshaus Goldene Gans, Burkarderstraße 2-4, 97082 Würzburg.
Hours: Monday Closed; Sunday/Tuesday-Thursday 17.30-24.00; Friday-Saturday 17.30-01.00

Würzburg has only five tram routes and four of them pass the Rathaus stop. The exception is the No 2.
From Rathaus cross the Alte Mainbrücke. Near the other bank look left and you will see the biergarten.
Off the bridge turn left into Saalgasse. After the last building there is a small entrance in the wall.
Go through it and descend the steps and the biergarten is in front of you.
To get to the pub from the biergarten locate a small pedestrian tunnel under Saalgasse near the serving kiosk. Go through it and turn right. The pub is on the other side of Burkarderstrasse.