Daniel, city wall, Ries Crater Museum and five other sights and experiences you shouldn't miss when visiting Nördlingen
8 Things to Do in Nördlingen
On the Daniel
The 90-metre-high church tower on the market square is not only the emblem of Nördlingen, but can be seen from far and wide throughout the Ries. In 1538, it was completed without a spire because the formerly wealthy town had run out of money. 365 narrow, steep steps lead up to it, and the view is breathtaking.
noerdlingen.de (only in German)
Tanner Quarter
Close to the little river Eger, the Lederergasse and the Vordere Gerbergasse are home to many imposing tanners' houses, some of which have been restored beautifully. Animal skins were washed in the river, work was done on the ground floor, life was lived on the first floor and the animal skins hung to dry in the high gables. A new Kneipp facility on the Eger invites visitors to splash around and tread water.
City wall
Nördlingen's city wall with five city gates and twelve towers is 2.7 kilometres long and almost the entire length is accessible by foot. The colourful little houses squeezed against the battlements in Nördlingen are always worth a look. These "Kasarme" served as dwellings for poorer people in the Middle Ages and had to be vacated by them if soldiers had to be stationed here in the event of an attack.
noerdlingen.de (only in German)
Bavarian Railway Museum
More than 100 original vehicles, including 25 steam locomotives, are on display in the Bavarian Railway Museum in the historic halls of the former locomotive depot of the Royal Bavarian State Railway in the eastern part of the station, a treat for every railway fan.
bayerisches-eisenbahnmuseum.de
Historical festivals
The ten-day folk festival "Nördlinger Mess" dates back to the 13th century, when the town was one of the most important long-distance trading centres in southern Germany. The stalls with many regional producers line up for about one kilometre (beginning on the first Saturday after Corpus Christi). Every three years (2022), the three-day "Historic Town Wall Festival" takes place in September with musicians, jugglers, historic dances and parades.
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RiesKraterMuseum
A must-do not only for amateur astrologers and geologists. Housed in a medieval barn dating from 1503, this museum is dedicated to a central theme: the origin and significance of meteorite impacts and their craters, including their effects up to the present day.
rieskrater-museum.de (only in German)
Geopark Ries
Not only the geological but also the cultural features of the Ries are the subject of numerous "adventure geotopes", which can be found in many places. Nature trails and information points in all important Ries towns act as "windows into the history of the earth". You can explore the geological wealth of the Nördlinger Ries on guided tours or individual hikes.
geopark-ries.de
Harburg Castle
A walk through almost 1,000 years of history. The beginnings of Harburg Castle, which still towers so imposingly and well preserved over the small town of the same name, date back to 1150. Every age, from Romanesque and Gothic to Renaissance and Baroque, has left its mark on the extensive complex. During opening hours (March to November daily from 10 am to 5 pm), guided tours that are as entertaining as they are informative are offered every hour on the hour.
burg-harburg.de (only in German)
