Fulda, Germany

Fulda is a city of about 68,000 residents situated on the Fulda River in the German state of Hesse. It was founded in 744 as Fulda Abbey by Saint Sturm and grew into the largest monastery north of the Alps, becoming a major medieval centre of learning. The Baroque Fulda Cathedral, built between 1704 and 1712 by Johann Dientzenhofer, holds the relics of Saint Boniface, the "Apostle of Germany," who was martyred in 754. The 1707 Stadtschloss served as the summer residence of the Prince-Abbots and later the Princes of Orange-Nassau, while the 1579 Michaeliskirche ranks among the oldest Holy Sepulchre replica churches still standing.