Forchheim is a former royal city, and is sometimes called the Gateway to the Franconian Switzerland, referring to the region of outstanding natural beauty to the north east of the town.

On 1 November 1007, Emperor Heinrich II granted Forchheim, then under Crown ownership, the Bishopric of Bamberg.

By 1039, however, Emperor Heinrich III had brought the town back under Imperial administration until it was finally made part of the Bishopric of Bamberg on 13 July 1063, a status which lasted up until the secularization in 1802–1803.

In Heinrich IV's time, Rudolf von Rheinfelden was chosen to be the Gegenkönig ("anti-king") on 15 March 1077, in Forchheim.

The Prince-Bishop of Bamberg fled the Swedes in this war, seeking shelter for himself, and also for his cathedral treasure, in the strongly defended fortress town of Forchheim.

It was also in this era of Forchheim's history that some of the townsfolk earned the rather unflattering nickname Mauerscheißer ("wall shitters").

It lost this status in 1972 under Bavarian regional government reform, and was united with Landkreis Forchheim, the local district.

Africafestival, Streetmusicfestival, Winefestival or even some special Neighborhood- or Streetfestivals with live music are pretty common.

The so-called "Jahn Halle", a kind of "Townhall," offers live music performances during the year.

In Forchheim, the Siemens company runs a large site for production and development of medical devices, particularly for computed tomography.