Our next stop was Ulm, another city in the state of Baden Württemberg, situated on the river Danube. Ulm was founded around 850 and as a former free imperial city it is rich in history and traditions. One of these traditions is the Ulmer Fischerstechen (Fishermans Jousting) that only takes place every 4 years. The city is well known for the Ulmer Münster (Ulm Minster), the tallest church in the world, and of course as the birthplace of Albert Einstein.
We arrived by train in the late morning and already from a distance you could see the Ulmer Minster which is located pretty much in the city center of the city. Even though we have never been in Ulm it was easy to find, just look up and walk towards the church tower. The groundwork was laid in 1377 but the construction was split into two phases and got finished in 1890. With a height of 161 meters the Ulmer Minster is still the highest church in the world. After a short breakfast on the market place we finally went inside to take a closer look at this beautiful and very impressive building. The inside of the church with its high ceilings, wood carvings on the benches and decorated walls was more than amazing.
After taking a look around we decided to move on and 768 steps later we were on top of the tower from where you have a breathtaking view over the city and the region.
While we were still on the tower we noticed a parade in the city and we were wondering what was going on. A woman noticed it and told us that there is a festival called Fischerstechen (Fishermans Jousting) in town today and that the main event will start in the early afternoon. This festival takes places every four years and we were really lucky to visit Ulm on exactly that day. So of course we wanted to attend it and see where we can find some entrance tickets. On our way to the old city walls, next to the river where the event was taking place, we had to pass by the Fischerviertel (Fishermen’s Quarter). The Fischerviertel is the beautiful old part of the city with many half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets and picturesque footbridges. One of the most famous sights in this area is the Schiefes Haus Ulm (crooked house), a half-timbered house that was built in the 16th century and is today used as a hotel. There are also many small bars and restaurants nearby.
When we arrived on the city walls, it wasn’t that crowded yet and we found a great spot with a perfect view on the river where the Fishermans Jousting was about to start in a few minutes. Two teams compete against each other, in this case Ulm and Neu-Ulm on the other side of the river. Both teams will face each other in the middle of the river, always one participant from each side, and try to push each other off the boat during multiple rounds. The team with the last man standing wins.
It was an amazing festival and really fun to watch. We were so lucky to visit Ulm exactly on that day. What a coincidence! Before going back to the train station we stopped at one of the small restaurants in the Fischerviertel directly at the small river Blau to have a drink and some snacks. We had an amazing day in Ulm and I wish we could have stayed a little longer to explore more of the city.
Check out some of our other posts
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