Click thumbnail to magnify image … then click image to shrink it.
Nördlingen
Nördlingen is a charming town located in the heart of the Donau-Ries district of Bavaria. The city and its surrounding countryside is especially pretty and contains some of Germany's richest farmlands. The city originated from a Roman castle in the first century.
One special feature of Nördlingen is its wonderful city wall. The construction of the wall began circa 1327. Walking the Nördlingen city wall is a treat because the medieval town is separate from more modern construction outside the wall.
|
Free PC Tutorials! Easy-to-use, printable tutorials on Windows, Excel, Word, Internet, Accounting, and more! www.keynotesupport.com |
Another interesting feature of Nördlingen is that it sits in the Ries crater - a giant crater, about 15 miles (25km) wide, formed about 15 million years ago when a large meteorite slammed into the earth at a speed exceeding 40,000 mi/hr (70,000 km/hr). Click on the "Caves & Ruins" link above for a photo of the crater.
Because the Ries crater is similar to many moon craters, the U.S. space program sent Apollo 14 astronauts to Nördlingen in 1970 for training. In return, NASA has permanently loaned the Ries Crater Museum in Nördlingen a moon rock from a later Apollo mission.
Nördlingen is easy to find and parking is available at multiple city gates. Unlike Rothenberg and Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen is a town in which people live and work. Since it is not solely dedicated to tourism, the town is much less crowded.
St. Georgskirche (St. George's church) is located in the center of Nördlingen in the Marktplatz, where the main city streets meet. The church was constructed between 1427 and 1505. Georgskirche is built almost entirely of suevite breccia, a very strong material that is only found in meteorite craters.
One of the best reasons to visit Nördlingen is the church's tower, the "Daniel." Tower Daniel is 295 ft. high (90 meters) and its construction began in 1454. One can walk up the 350 steps to the top of the tower and experience marvelous panoramic views of the city and surrounding countryside.
The oldest stone-built house in the city, built in 1313, is the Rathaus, or town hall. It has had several additions and renovations over the centuries. Other famous buildings are the Spital, a former medieval hospital, and St. Salvator Church. There are numerous 16th- and 17th-century houses in Nördlingen.
Interesting museums include the Nördlingen City Museum (Stadtmuseum) and the Nördlingen City Wall Museum (Stadtmauermuseum).
There is a lot of wonderful information on the Nördlingen website, with translations available in English, French, and Italian. Click Places of Interest to read about the various historical buildings in Nördlingen.