Tübingen is truly one of the most prisine town in central Baden-Württemberg in South Germany. It is needless to say that it is a true university town with students seen at every corner. No wonder every third person living in this beautiful town is a student. The average population of this town is only 39 years which is one of the youngest in the entire country. My first memories of this town go back to the year 2017 when I visited this town with my wife as she was attending an advanced training course in Gynaecology in Sonography and I was a free tourist to discover this mesmerising town completely on my own. This was of-course before our daughter and son were born. To be honest I only have beautiful memories of this pristine town.
History: Let’s begin with a bit of a history of this mesmerising town. According to the legends, the city was settled around almost 1000 years ago by Romans. There are artefacts even today along the river Neckar, which flows right through the heart of the city, that clearly show that the Romans had built structures like walls around the south bank of the river.
Geography: Tübingen is located in south-west Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg and is home to one of the oldest university in Germany. It is located on confluence of National Highway 28, 29, 296 and 297.
Tübingen is located on the convergence of three rivers the main one being Neckar, the other two being Ammer and Steinlach Rivers, that empty into Neckar. The River Neckar goes through the city and there is even an island in the middle of this river on the south side of the historical old town. This island is called Neckar Insel or Neckar River Island and it’s one of the most beautiful places within the city and obviously a must visit.
This is a google Image
I started collecting the photographs and my thoughts for this blog even before the Corona pandemic started in the early 2020 and that is one of the main reasons why you may see so many people in my pictures on this blog. This blog is the culmination of my many visits and huge efforts put into this pristine and historical mediaeval town spanning the years between 2017 and 2019. Due to personal reasons the blog is being published so late in 2024.
Exploring Tübingen: A Hidden Gem in Baden-Württemberg
Nestled in the heart of Baden-Württemberg, Tübingen is a picturesque university town that effortlessly blends medieval charm with youthful energy. Known for its vibrant student population, thanks to the prestigious Eberhard Karls University, the city pulses with intellectual curiosity and cultural vibrancy.
One of Tübingen’s most iconic attractions is the Neckar River, where you can enjoy a traditional Stocherkahn ride—a gondola-like boat unique to the city. The scenic Altstadt (Old Town) is another highlight, featuring cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses, and the striking Hölderlinturm, a tower named after the famous German poet Friedrich Hölderlin.
For history enthusiasts, the Schloss Hohentübingen, a castle overlooking the town, offers stunning views and a museum showcasing archaeological treasures. Food lovers will delight in the local Swabian cuisine, with specialties like Maultaschen and Spätzle readily available in the town’s many cozy restaurants. Whether you’re visiting for its rich history, natural beauty, or vibrant cultural scene, Tübingen promises an unforgettable experience.
The city is extremely well connected by rail and road. The nearest city being Stuttgart it can be reached in less than an hour by train and roughly half an hour by car from Stuttgart. The nearest airport is the Stuttgart Airport and it’s just 25 minutes away from Tübingen.
The best time to visit Tübingen is the summer time in the months from July to October. There are a lot of activities that can be done, my favourite being the Boat ride on the River Neckar and watching the city from the river. Another favourite is to visit the beautiful castle and to take a stroll in the cobblestone streets of Altstadt (Old Town) Tübingen.
Discover the unique charm of this small yet dynamic town—it’s a place where tradition meets modernity in the most delightful way.
The following is a collection of the best pictures from my visits to Tübingen in the past. If there have been any mistakes or errors I kindly request you to write it in comments so that I can correct them.
I truly hope you will enjoy this colourful journey with me in this beautiful town of Tübingen.
I highly encourage you to share, like and comment this blog if you liked it.
This picture is one of my personal favourites, that I have ever clicked in the last few years. The timing was simply perfect and I stood on this beautiful bridge across the Neckar River, just as the beautiful poled boat (locally known as Stocherkahn) passed below the bridge. It’s simply give me the feeling of being transported into the Harry Potter film where Harry and his friends are taken to Hogwarts for the first time ever in The first book of the series The Philosophers Stone. This picture was taken from top of a Alleenbridge (Alleenbrücke) that crosses the river Neckar in the city of Tübingen. Hence being the first picture in this blog. This is a view of the river Neckar with beautiful boats ferrying tourists up and down the river, taken while standing on top of a bridge known as Eberhardbrücke (or Eberhard’s-Bridge). On the right hand side one can see historical city centre with it’s multicoloured Row-Houses and on the left hand side the Neckar-River-Island in the middle of the Neckar-River. This picture shows one of the most beautiful architectural marvels of Tübingen in South Germany. It is the Town-Hall Building, locally known as Rathaus in German.A view of the old town standing on the
One of the most delicious places to eat, in the town of Tübingen was at this Lebanese restaurant called Laf Laf, located bang in the middle of the old city centre. Highly recommend this one. The food is very delicious and reasonably priced. Another impression of a modern and a historical architectural marvel mixed and matched in this beautiful southern German city called Tübingen.This image was taken standing atop the Eberhard bridge, in Tübingen facing westward showing the old town centre on the right hand side and the Neckar Island on the left hand side, on a bright sunny morning before the Corona pandemic happened in 2020.A picture showing the inside of the most beautiful churches in Baden-Würtemberg, The St. Georges Church.This image shows the St. Georges Church building below and the beautiful hills around the town of Tübingen.A beautiful picture of Eberhard’s bridge from top of the Saint Georges Church Tower (looking eastwards).A panoramic image of the river “Neckar” that flows right through the town of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg in South Germany.The beautiful classical German mediaeval buildings, that are restored to their former glory after the Second World War, seen beautifully lined up along cobblestone streets in the heart of the old town centre of Tübingen (looking northwards).A panoramic image of beautiful old town centre of Tübingen from top of the Saint George’s Church TowerA picture of the Tübingen Castle from atop the tower of Saint George’s Church. It shows the beautiful mediaeval buildings in town centre this pristine town located on the banks of Neckar (looking westwards).
A view from top of the tower of the St George’s Church, located in the old town centre of Tübingen. It shows the view of the New Town, the river Neckar and the Eberhard bridge just below.A look inside the Saint George’s Church, situated in the old town centre of Tübingen, South Germany shows the graves of some of the oldest kings and queens of Baden-Württemberg. These graves are one of the most finest examples of mediaeval sculpturing techniques and architecture intwined in one.Some of the most beautiful German architectural marvels can be visited at in the old historic town centre. Here is a symbol of one of the old Tavern’s that’s located in the town centre.This is one of the most beautiful and iconic buildings of the mediaeval town of Tübingen located at the city centre. This is the town Hall or locally known as “Rathouse” building houses typically the city council and other administrative departments.A beautiful statue of Greek God “Poseidon” at the main city Square “Am Markt” of the old town of Tübingen. In the background one can see the half timbered Redruth classical German architecture homes around the city SquareA narrow winding cobblestone street in the old town centre of Tübingen in South Germany. On both sides one can see the half timbered and roofed homes that are preserved by the city council.These type of houses or buildings are locally called “Fachwerkhäuser” and are protected by German law.The beautiful narrow cobbled streets of the old city centre of the mediaeval town of Tübingen. A pre-pandemic image from 2019.A view from the window of the city museum looking towards the castle of Tübingen.A Sign-Board showing the Sigils of the royal families of Tübingen from the bygone centuries.A picture showing the historical city of Tübingen in South Germany. This picture is located in the City Museum. Another beautiful exhibit is the book of Tübingen, that has been displayed in its original form in the city Museum of Tübingen in the old town centre.Another museum exhibit displaying the town from above during the 1960s before it’s further expansion due to the immigration of foreign students and students from other German cities. This picture shows one of the exhibits in the city Museum of Tübingen. Here are some of the prototypes of bicycles, that were being used in this town, in the early 20th century. These are some of the most beautiful buildings in the centre of the historical town with a sculpture of Poseidon in the foreground. The Square is called Am Markt and the Fountain is Neptunbrunnen. Dr. Alois Alzheimer was also a student of this prestigious university and lived in this town as he first described the Alzheimer’s disease that is named famously after this psychiatrist. This picture shows the house that he lived in during the time he spent in this town, practicing and researching at the Tübingen University. This picture depicts the beautiful sculptures that line the mediaeval cobblestone streets of this ancient town of Tübingen in South Germany. In the background one can see the Saint Georges Church, which is a Gothic church with a huge lookout tower offering one of the best views in town. And finally a picture of me standing on the Eberhard bridge with my back towards the historical city centre of Tübingen. The picture was taken by my wife Amruta.
Thank you for reading to the end. I hope you loved this blog. The next one will be released soon.
View of the Ulmer Muenster, the tallest church in the world, from the Muensterplatz http://www.ulmer-muenster.de
ULM, its the first thing that comes to my mind, since i first stumbled across the series called The World from Above (must admit it’s my favorite series from The Discovery Science Channel till date), is also the city that has the tallest church in the World (pictures above and below).
An aerial view of the Ulm Old Town Centre with the Ulm Minster at the middle. This picture was taken from a Hobby Plane, flown and shot by my Mentor and Head of Department, Prof. Dr. M. Siech. Posted with his Kind permission. Picture was taken on 30.06.2020.Another aerial view of the Ulm Old Town Centre with the setting Sun casting its rays on the wallest church in the world, the Ulm Minster. his picture was taken by Prof. Dr. M. Siech. Posted with his Kind permission. Picture was taken on 30.06.2020.
Another thing that i learned about Ulm, when I got admission in masters program in Surgery in Ulm University’s Teaching Hospital in Aalen, (just north of Ulm), is that it is the birth place of one of the greatest minds of the 20th Century “Albert Einstein“. Einstein was born and raised in Ulm.
The interior of the Ulm Minster is a feast to the eyes and one should see all the chambers and ante-chambers of the church. This picture shows the central aisle of the church.
It’s also a city which according to me has the best Christmas Market in not just the region but in the entire south Germany. The Christmas market is quite small in comparison to the giants in Nuremberg, Rothenberg o. d. Tauber or Stuttgart, but it has its own charm and beauty that none other can beat. It is my personal favorite and I highly recommend it to everyone visiting Germany during the Christmas time. Below are some of the pictures of the Christmas market shops, decorations, contents of the shops and the beautifully lit up Ulm Mister.
Another impression of Ulm Minster from the west, this one in a rainy climate with very few people at the Minster Square
ULM MINSTER / ULMER MUENSTER (German)
The Church is a Lutheran Church and was originally built as a catholic church, which later got converted to Lutheran during the Reformation Years. It is currently a minster or a parish church and not a Cathedral because the Bishop lives in Stuttgart Cathedral. The Church is a 161,5 m high structure whose construction was started way back in 1377 and lasted right into the 19th century (1890). On its completion it was the tallest building in the world for 11 years, which was then succeeded by The Philadelphia City Hall (167 m) in 1901. Ulm Minster remained the tallest building in Europe till after the end of the World War II, when it was surpassed by Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building in Moscow, USSR (1952).
Entrance to Ulm Minster from the North Side of the Church (Picture taken from the inside). Its a lesser known entrance and almost hidden from the view of the tourists due to the building in front of it.
The Minster is a World Heritage site and is a must visit for young and old. It has beautiful influences from the Medieval times to the recent Gothic Styles. It could hold more then 20000 people before the pews were introduced in the churches. I have posted some of the recent pictures of the interiors of the Minster.
A picture taken during the famous Christmas Market Season (2018) where the church gets lit up by the famous Christmas market that takes place in front of the church at the Minster Square (Muensterplatz)
If you want to enjoy the view of not just Ulm and New Ulm, (the twin city to Ulm) but also of the entire Alpine Range from the peaks of Saentis in the south east to Zugspitze in the south west of Ulm, you should have the courage to climb the 768 steps that lead right up to the top of the West Spire of the Ulm Minster. The last few steps are so narrow that it allows only one person at a time to access the extreme top of the church.
A view of the Chirstmas Market shops that line up in neat rows at the Minster Square just opposite to the Ulm Church.
If you are planning to climb right up to the top of the West Spire at the Ulm Minster, I recommend that you put on a jacket and something to cover your ears so as to protect yourselves from the cold winds that blow sometimes, even during the summer Times. Don’t forget your DSLR or GoPro. Drones are not allowed over German Cities or Villages so the Drone can be left back at the Hotel Room or Hostel.
A view of the Ulmer Muenster (German Name of the Ulm Minster) from the south side with beautiful Christmas shops displaying attractive handmade Christmas decorations to the visitors.
The German Culture is incomplete without the Beer Festivals and Christmas Markets. Ulm boosts of one of the best Christmas Markets in South Germany, in a sense that the Shops that make up the market are unique and sell handmade goods all exclusively made in Germany, in stark contrast to the other German Christmas markets where the shops sometimes sells Chinese made mass produced goods, the goods sold in Ulm are exclusively German and handmade. Here are some of the pictures of the Ulm’s Christmas market taken in 2018. Also I have put up some pictures of the Ulm Minster beautifully lit up in the Christmas Market lights.
It was the season 2018 that attracted thousands of tourists and locals alike to the most beautiful Christmas Market in Ulm. Here a picture of a Lane of Shops fully packed with visitors to the Christmas market,The Scene of Nativity being beautifully displayed here at the center of the Ulm Christmas market.The visitors flock the beautiful glass displays of different Christmas goodies. This was an unique shops that sold beautiful handmade glass lamps made near Lake Konstanz (Bodensee) in Germany for generations now at a quite reasonable price for these antique looking pieces. http://www.glanz-licht.comAnother picture of the same shop as above where I saw some of the best glass lamps in my life. The next shop showcased lamps with candle holders and fan like structures on top of it that rotates with the heat of the candle.Another shop showing their expertise in woodwork and wood cutting art. Here a miniature piece showing a lumber mill or a wood factory. Yet another shop showing a handmade locomotive engine with quite a price tag of almost 150 Euros.This store was my personal favorite with lots of different figures like Santa Claus and numerous versions of Nutcracker Here are some pieces of art like Humpty=Dumpty, Penguin and a few others whose names i honestly don’t know.This was my favorite part of this show with beautiful rotating figures and some melodious Christmas music. They also had a huge collection of figures of Santa Claus in various poses and with different vehicles and things, perfect for any Christmas decorations.This glass container had some of the very unique figures and figurines that i have never seen before in my entire life.A Christmas decoration shop is incomplete without the figures of Jesus and Mother Mary. There were perfect depictions of scene of Nativity in miniature which I found simply mindblowing.Here were also some of the most beautiful Santa hats and Santa’s Socks where the parents hide gifts for their children during the Christmas celebrations.This was another shop with a huge display with a beautiful scene showing winter in full swing and the ongoing Christmas celebrations.The Rabbit riding the horse drawn cart was the most beautiful part for me personally. Everything was automated and the scene repeated itself after the cycle was completed.Another part of this same display was an old lady coming out of the house with her cart and cleaning some snow in front of her house. This was awesome with its technology and the beautiful figures.Empty streets of the Ulm old city center in the night after the Christmas market closes down and everybody heads home.The West Entrance to the Ulm Minster. The refection is mine and unintended (hehe)
Places of Interest in Ulm and Nearby:
Ulm Minster goes without saying, is the main attraction of Ulm, a must visit when in the city and you also should aim to climb to the top, with the appropriate gear and camera. Its open daily from 09:00 am to 07:00 pm, from April to September. From October to March the timings are reduced and are from 09:00 am to 05:00 pm. The entry to the church is free but if you are planning to climb to the top of the tallest spire, it costs 5 Euros for adults and 3.5 Euros for children above 7 years and students. For children below 7 years the entry is free.
New-Ulm / Neu-Ulm (Bavaria) is the twin city of Ulm and has its own beautiful attractions like: City Park Glacis, Donaubad, Reptile Zoo, Edwin-Scharff Museum. Just a walk through the city is beautiful in itself. The City although just across the River Danube is located in Bavaria. The City has its own laws according to the Bavarian State and quite a different dialect when you speak to them in German.
Fishermen’s Quarter located close to the Ulm Minster its a must see, being just walking distance to the church you simply cant miss it. It makes some beautiful spots for the perfect Instapics and profile pictures on Facebook
Ulmer Rathaus / Ulm’s City Town Hall is a beautiful building located just next to the Ulm Minster and is not just famous for its Frescoes but also for its astronomical Clock. Its a must visit because it is represents the culture and heritage of the city and regions. Its construction began in the 13th Century and lasted up to the Renaissance Era.
The Leaning House/ Hotel Schiefes Haus (German) is a hotel located also at a walking distance from Ulm Minster and makes for a perfect stop over when you are on the way from the Ulm Minster to Fisherman’s Quarter. It is a wooden building built in 1406 along the River Blau that meets River Danube (Donau as its called in German)
City Walls of Ulm along the river Danube are still standing tall and can be visited. You can combine it with a walk along the river Danube.
Loewen Brunnen / The Loins Fountain is located just opposite to the Ulm Minster and you simply cant miss it. It is located on the Ulm Minster Square. I have added a picture of it below.
River Danube, flows through the City of Ulm and divides it from New Ulm on its South Side. There is a beautiful Promenade along the Rivers Bank, which i highly recommend personally. I always make it a point to visit this place as its close to the Minster and free to enter. Danube is the second longest river of Europe and flows through 10 countries before it drains in the Black Sea.
Museums that are worth a visit are Museum der Brotkultur (National Bread Culture Museum of Germany, Ulm) dedicated to the seriousness with which the people of Germany pursue their baking of Breads and the variety and history of Breads in Germany. The Ulm Museum with the Weishaupt Gallery, The Danube Swabian Museum, The Natural History Education Centre and The Rococo library and Museum at Wiblingen Monastery are the other famous ones worth a visit when you have a day or two to spend in Ulm.
The famous third spire of the Ulmer Munester which is located at the east end of the Church.
Useful Tip: If you are a full on Museum Person, just like me, I highly recommend buying the Ulm Card (there are two types as of now: Blue Ulm Card valid for 1 Day for 17 Euros per head and Green Ulm Card valid for 2 Days for 22 Euros per head) which gives you a free entry to all the seven Museums mentioned above, a free guided tour of the city center, unlimited free use of all public transport within the city boundaries of Ulm and Neu-Ulm and many other goodies and discounts in shops, cafes and restaurants in and around Ulm and New-Ulm.
A scaled model of the Ulm Minster placed near the West Entrance of the Church.Another picture of the Model of Ulm Minster which shows the north side of the Minster.The Northern aisle of the Ulm Minster with its confession rooms. The South aisle of the Lutheren Church in Ulm (Ulm Minster)Beautiful Art Installations that are placed in the Minster at different locations. The Church is an art gallery with most beautiful art pieces in the region.Some Emblems of Royal Families in the Wuertemmberg and Bayern Region.The View of the Alter and Jesus in the middle. The Church is so huge that there a renovation work going on constantly in and around the church constantly.Another model of the Ulm Minster but this time of only the west part of the church.The Ulm Minster also has some of the most beautiful colored glass installation at different places.The Church also has some stone art installations right in the middle of the church.Its a picture of different family sigils and emblems which have ruled in and around Ulm in the past 800 Years.The Entrance to the Ulm Minster’s main spire which is 161,5m high and has 768 steps. It costs around 2 Euros which goes into the maintenance of the church. This entrance to the stairwell of the tallest spire is near the west entrance.A picture of Loewenbrunnen or Lion’s Fountain located at the Minster Square just opposite the Ulm Minster. It represents the Sigil of Wuertemmberg the state in which Ulm is located.Another example of beautiful piece of colored glass installation in Ulm Minster.The beautiful old buildings located at the city center of Ulm. Its the Creperie Kornhaeusle selling tasty Crepes, a beautiful stop before one ascends the tallest church in the world.Another picture of old town building in the city center of UlmSome old beautiful stone architecture in Ulm old town center. This picture was taken just east of the Ulm Minster.The beautiful climate that i had on that Sunday, when I visited Ulm recently had invited a lot of tourists and locals to the open seating restaurants and cafes around Ulm Minster. Here is one such picture.A view of the tow east end spires of the Ulm Minster which is also the main attraction of the city, located in the south if Germany.An empty street on a hot afternoon on a weekend showing the old city center of Ulm The beautiful red roofed homes show that Ulm has been an advanced society right since the medieval era.
ULM is a medium sized city located in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. It is the capital of the Ulm Urban District and forms the administrative seat / capital of Alb-Donau District. It has a population of around 120000 and a University founded in 1960’s with a student population of around 10000. The city has a rich history and cultural heritage. It was founded in 850 A.D. and it counts among one of the oldest Cities in Germany. It forms a major industrial region with lots of Industrial headquarters and service industry boom in recent years. The city has three Rivers, Danube, Blau and Iller. The rivers Blau and Iller drain into Danube which is the major River flowing through the region.
HOW TO REACH?
By Air:- The closest airport to Ulm is the Memmingen – Allgaeu Airport located 60 km south of the city with continuous flight to other German cities and popular tourist destinations. It is also surrounded on all sides by cities with airports of their own. Stuttgart Airport (80km; approximately 1hr 10mins), Frankfurt Airport (295km; approximately 3hr 15mins) and Munich Airport (160km; approximately 1hr 30mins)
By Train: Ulm is a major railway station for the German railways with trains coming in from all four sides. The trains come in from North from Nuremberg, from west from Stuttgart, from east from Munich and Augsburg and from south from Austrian Cities like Bregenz. To check the connections click here.
By Car: Ulm is extremely well connected by Roads and is locates on the crossroads of A7 and A8 (German National Highways) makes it very easy to reach. B10, B19, B28 and B30 are the states Highways that connect it to the nearby cities and A7 and A8.
WHERE TO STAY?
Ulm has a over 150 hotels and a few hostels. To name a few: lmer Muenster Hotel, Riku Hotel Ulm, Confor Hotel Ulm, Hotel Neuthor, Hotel Goldenes Rad, Leonardo Royal Hotel and Maritim Hotel Ulm are a few elite ones that offer good amenities.
The Brickstone Hostel Ulm and Youth Hostel Association of Germany’s Hostel in Ulm are the only hostels available in the city.
People of Ulm do offer some fantabulous Airbnb’s. Just download the app and search away.
I personally visit Ulm very often as it has an IKEA Outlet, which is my personal favorite. Whatever the reason i can only highly recommend each and everyone to visit the City to experience its beautiful culture and heritage. Best time to visit is during the Christmas Market in December.
On the closing note I would like to thank each and every reader of this Blog post on Ulm. It is truly my readers that motivate and push me to continue writing and do better each time. Thank you once again.
I highly recommend visiting the beautiful twin cities of Ulm and Neu-Ulm (New-Ulm) during the Christmas Market Season so as to enjoy the best these cities have to offer.
Miles To Adventures 