Today I decided to show you how beautiful Germany can be. For this reason, I would like to present to you a selection of the most beautiful old towns in Germany. This time it is not about cities, such as Berlin, Munich or Hamburg, but rather idyllic, often - but not always - smaller cities that you would otherwise not necessarily visit. One thing beforehand: You will be amazed how much some villages can be enchanted by their historic old town alone.
1. Lübeck's old town
Lübeck's well-preserved old town, surrounded by several idyllic tributaries of the Trave, is the historical heart of the Hanseatic city and at the same time one of the most important sights on the German Baltic Sea coast. The old town is separated from the mainland by the two rivers of the Trave and the Elbe-Lübeck Canal and thus to its own island in the middle of the city of Lübeck. In 1987, the closed cityscape was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The water-filled old town boasts over 1,800 listed buildings, including the famous Holstentor, the landmark of the city, as well as several other attractions, such as the Lübeck City Hall, the castle gate, St. Mary's Church and the Holy Spirit Hospital.
Directly behind the Holstentor is the river arm "Stadt-Trave", which still today corresponds to the original course of the Trave, at which the city of Lübeck was founded in 1143. With its medieval gabled houses and romantic sailing boats right on the shore, this water arm is one of the city's most idyllic squares. Also on the shore is the famous Lübeck Cathedral with its two towers.
2. Picturesque old town of Konstanz
An equally fascinating city is the Baden-Württemberg city of Konstanz. Not only because of its great location right on Lake Constance and the close to the city center bordering Switzerland, this city is worth a visit. The medieval and very well preserved old town attracts many visitors to the beautifully situated Konstanz. Here you can admire sights and monuments from two millennia as well as many fully preserved medieval streets that remained intact even in the last world war. Strolling through the many narrow streets and squares you can discover famous sights of Constance's Old Town, such as the 16th-century town hall built in the Florentine Renaissance style or the Trinity Church.
You have a very special view of the old town from the cathedral tower of the Konstanzer Münster, one of the largest Romanesque churches in southwestern Germany, which is the highest building in the historic old town and still dominates the cityscape today. Incidentally, the oldest part of this delightful old town is Niederburg, which stretches between Münster, Konzilstraße, Rhein and Unterer Laube. In Niederburg you will find the famous Stadttheater Konstanz. Of course, there are in the historic center of the university city in addition to the numerous attractions also a variety of nightlife and shopping.
3. The old town of Heidelberg
Another charming old town awaits you in Baden-Württemberg, in the beautiful Neckar city of Heidelberg. It is not without reason that Heidelberg is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. Thus, it is obvious that the old town has much to offer. The old town of Heidelberg is not only called the historical heart, but even the heart of Heidelberg. It is characterized mainly by its medieval layout with narrow streets and baroque buildings. Every year, around three million tourists visit this stunning city, on their own, to visit the world-famous Heidelberg Castle towering over the Old Town. Important buildings in the old town include the Karl Theodor Bridge over the Neckar, also called Old Bridge, which connects the Old Town with the Neckar River at the eastern end of the district Neuenheim, the associated 600-year-old bridge gate and the Old University, the oldest university Germany.
In the old town of Heidelberg alone, there are so many squares, churches, museums and many other historic buildings that you can not simply enumerate them without explaining them in more detail. Convince yourself of the beauty of this fascinating and at the same time idyllic old town and visit Heidelberg, for example, during a romantic weekend trip for two. It's worth it anyway!
4. The old town of Bamberg - Simply quaint!
Already in 1993, the Bamberg old town was awarded by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site due to its model. Given its geographical location at two river ports of the Regnitz, the Bavarian city is divided into three different, historic city centers. Thus, there is the episcopal and religious mountain town, the bourgeois island town with its romantic patrician houses and the idyllic gardener town. From medieval churches to baroque town houses to imposing palaces, there is a lot to see here. Buildings worth seeing are, for example, the Old Town Hall on a small island in the Regnitz, the Bamberg Cathedral of St. Peter and St. George as the dominant building of the world cultural heritage of Bamberg's old town and the former monastery of St. Michael on the Michaelsberg, which stands out from the old town.
Also very popular and definitely recommendable is the former fishing village in the Bamberg island town, which is affectionately referred to as "Little Venice". Also, I can just recommend this place to you, which - just like Rome - was built on seven hills and is therefore even called the Franconian Rome. What can I say, just visit this fascinating city and make your own picture. Anyway, I was thrilled!
5. Medieval flair in the old town of Dinkelsbühl
Also in Bavaria, but a little further west in the district of Middle Franconia, is the more manageable city Dinkelsbühl with its approximately 11,000 inhabitants, which may be slightly less well-known than Heidelberg or Lübeck. The Dinkelsbühler old town is referred to today as the core city and should be very interesting, especially for medieval fans, as it is one of the most beautiful and best preserved from this period. No wonder, because the old part of the city can be particularly impressive with its numerous historic buildings and is still surrounded by a completely preserved city wall with defense towers and city gates.
Colorful patrician houses that contribute to a unique ensemble await you, as well as the famous and probably most striking late-Gothic hall church St. Georg on the market place. More than half of the ornate half-timbered houses date back to 1600 and are completely preserved and renovated. Other attractions in the old town include the hospital complex, the Rothenburger Tor from the 14th century and the Old Town Hall, which is one of the most important architectural monuments in Dinkelsbühl both due to its former function and due to the special urban development position.
I'm sure you will not be disappointed when visiting Dinkelsbühl's old town. Let yourself be enchanted by a journey back in time to the Middle Ages and experience a romantic city, which is only 35 km away from the beautiful Bavarian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which also has one of the most beautiful old towns in Germany.
More beautiful old towns
Tips:
Augsburg in Bavaria
Hattingen in North Rhine-Westphalia
Erfurt in Thuringia
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria
Meersburg in Baden-Wuerttemberg
Quedlinburg in Saxony-Anhalt
Husum in Schleswig-Holstein
Weimar in Thuringia
Eichstätt in Bavaria
Bad Wimpfen in Baden-Wuerttemberg
Eppingen in Baden-Wuerttemberg
Lohr am Main in Bavaria
Miltenberg in Bavaria
Ladenburg in Baden-Wuerttemberg
Weinheim in Baden-Wuerttemberg
Freinsheim in Rhineland-Palatinate
Deidesheim in Rhineland-Palatinate
Nordlingen in Bavaria
Regensburg in Bavaria
Goslar in Lower Saxony
Alsfeld in the Vogelsbergkreis in Hesse
A little tip: especially at Christmas time, some cities, especially the old towns, shine with their Christmas markets in a wonderful splendor.