Kulmbach

Kulmbach is a town in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany, and the capital of Kulmbach district, about 15 miles northwest of Bayreuth, with a population of 26,625 as of the end of 2024. Once a stronghold of the Principality of Bayreuth, it is home to the Plassenburg Castle, a major Renaissance fortress that also houses the largest tin soldier museum in the world. Long known for brewing, sometimes called the secret capital of beer, Kulmbach hosts the largest brewery and bakery museum in the region and is noted for its Kulmbacher Bratwurst; its economy expanded sharply after a railroad connection opened in 1846, enabling wider export of its beer.