![[Translate to Englisch:] Wenzelschloss Lauf ©Frank Boxler](/fileadmin/_processed_/f/9/csm_Burg_Lauf_011__c_FrankBoxler_9df236d504.jpg "[Translate to Englisch:] Wenzelschloss Lauf ©Frank Boxler")
During his 32-year-long reign, the Emperor Charles IV traveled on the "Golden Road" between Bohemia, Nuremberg, Würzburg and Frankfurt 60 to 74 times. In the 14th century, the Golden Road brought prosperity as a trading route, both to the cities and villages along the way, as well as the regions between Nuremberg and Prague. The road also offered safety for travelers, as armed escorts were provided by the emperor.
The imperial route is experiencing a Renaissance today. Its ca. 300 kilometers follow the valley of the River Pegnitz to the heights of Franconian Switzerland, the valley of the River Naab, through the forest of the Upper Palatinate, through the Byrdy Mountains and over the Bohemian Karst to the valley of the Moldau.