Bayreuth Festival In April 1870, Wagner and his wife Cosima visited Bayreuth. On inspection, the Opera House proved to be inadequate. It was built to accommodate the baroque orchestras of the 18th century and was therefore unsuited for the complex stagings and large orchestras that Wagner's operas required. Nonetheless, the Burgermeisters proved open to assisting Wagner with the construction of an entirely new theatre and the Festival was planned to launch in 1873. After a fruitless meeting in the spring of 1871 with the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck to obtain funds, Wagner embarked on a fundraising tour across Germany, including Leipzig
Margrave Fountain (Bayreuth) Margrave Fountain (Bayreuth) The Margrave Fountain (German: "Markgrafenbrunnen") is a fountain in Bayreuth, Germany. It was built as a monument for Margrave Christian Ernest of Brandenburg-Bayreuth after he had participated in the liberation of Vienna, which had been besieged by the Turks in 1683. The Margrave's equestrian statue is placed in the centre of the fountain, surrounded by other sculpture groups representing the four known continents as well as four rivers rising in the Fichtel Mountains. The fountain was designed by German sculptor Elias Räntz in 1699-1705 by order of Margrave Christian Ernest. It was placed in the outer courtyard