Medieval towns in Germany are amazing to visit. There are beautiful castles, old towns, bridges and so much more! In Germany, there are incredible sights from the Middle Ages.
Those who like learning about medieval times will love Germany! It's amazing to see some of the old towns and sights from the Middle Ages in the country. Whether you love castles, medieval architecture, town walls, or something else, it's there!
I made this list of the 16 most beautiful medieval towns in Germany you should definitely visit. Have fun exploring these idyllic places!
Table of Contents
1. Heidelberg
One of the most beautiful medieval towns in Germany is Heidelberg. There’s a lot to see, such as a medieval castle and an old bridge.
The old town of Heidelberg is wonderful. You can see incredible architecture there. Furthermore, if you walk to the Old Bridge from the old town, you'll stumble upon a medieval bridge gate. This gate was part of the defensive wall of the town.
The Karl Theodor Bridge, also known as the Old Bridge, is a long arch bridge in the town. It crosses the Neckar River. The bridge connects the Old City with another part of the town.
If you're going to Heidelberg, you should definitely see its castle. The construction of Heidelberg Castle began before 1214. At the end of the 13th century, the town made another one.
In the 16th century, lighting destroyed one of the castles. After that, the town expanded it. There were some fires, wars, and lightning strikes after that. But you can still see the remains of the castle.
Moreover, there are historical churches in Heidelberg. And there is a great walking route from where you can see the Altstadt and castle.
The name of the route is the Philosopher's Walk. That's because philosophers and professors of the University of Heidelberg walked here.
2. Goslar
Goslar is also an amazing historic town in Germany. You can find Goslar in Germany’s Harz Mountains.
The medieval old town of it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Seeing the old town and its architecture is great if you love learning about medieval times.
One of the most beautiful things to see in Goslar is the Marktplatz. It's a large square where you can admire old buildings. For that reason, it is a great place to learn about old German architecture.
Furthermore, there are great museums in the town too. One of the museums is Zinnfiguren-Museum Goslar. That's a place where you can learn about history. If you're looking for medieval towns in Germany, I'm sure you will love Goslar. Goslar is also one of the best day trips from Hanover.
3. Eisenach
Eisenach is also one of the medieval towns in Germany you should visit. It's most famous because of the medieval Wartburg Castle. The castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Nowadays, you can still see structures that are from the 12th until the 15th century. Going to the castle is amazing because of its history. And you also have an incredible view of the town from Wartburg Castle. So I’d definitely recommend visiting the castle if you’re in Eisenach!
Furthermore, you can see Lutherhaus Eisenach. This belongs to the oldest half-timbered homes in Thuringia that are still there. People believe that Martin Luther lived here for a few years. Nowadays, it's a cultural history museum that you can visit.
Moreover, you can also learn about Bach at the Bach House in Eisenach. The house is almost 600 years old. People thought this was the place where the birth of Bach took place, but that wasn't the case. Nowadays, it's a museum where you can learn about Bach and his music. This is very interesting fo those who love music.
4. Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Another medieval town you should see in Germany is Rothenburg ob der Tauber. From the late Middle Ages until 1803, it was a free imperial city in the Holy Roman Empire.
One of the best things to see in Rothenburg ob der Tauber is the medieval old town. Large parts of the medieval town are still intact, making it a popular place for tourists.
Furthermore, there are only a few towns in Germany where you can still see city walls that are intact. And Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one of these towns, making it even more unique.
It's very beautiful to see all the half-timbered houses in the town. Furthermore, the cobblestone streets look pretty as well.
Besides that, there are many other things to do in the town. You can visit St. James's Church. And you can also go to the Medieval Crime Museum. There, you can learn about crimes in the Middle Ages. In short, it’s one of the best medieval towns in Germany if you want to learn about the Middle Ages!
5. Schiltach
Another great medieval town in Germany is Schiltach. It is a town that is near the Black Forest.
In the 11th century, the people in the area created Schiltach as a parish for the farms surrounding the area.
The earliest part of the town exists since the 11th century. The first function of Schiltach was as a church for the farms surrounding the area. People created a settlement next to the church, and that's how the town started.
In the 13th century, the Dukes of Teck made Schiltach an official town to protect their lands in the area. This led to the creation of a defensive wall and a castle.
It is great to walk through the old town of Schiltach. This is where you can see a lot of remains from the Middle Ages. There are many amazing buildings from medieval times, which is great to see.
Furthermore, you can still see the church with which the town started in the 11th century. It's incredible to see!
6. Quedlinburg
Quedlinburg is also a great town in Germany from the Middle Ages. You can find it north of the Harz mountains.
The town exists since the 9th century, but it's possible that it's even older. In 922, the town was a gift by King Henry the Fowler. That's also the first mention of the Quedlinburg.
As the town has such an interesting history, it’s one of the best medieval towns in Germany to visit. Furthermore, there live about 24,000 people in the town.
Moreover, there are great things to see in Quedlinburg. There's a beautiful castle, an old town, and a church. All are UNESCO World Heritage sites. This makes visiting the place a very interesting experience.
7. Görlitz
Görlitz is the sixth largest town in the German state of Saxony. The history of Görlitz started in the 11th century. You can see amazing architecture in the old town of Görlitz.
Furthermore, the town is very special because many movies took place there. One of the most famous movies is The Grand Budapest Hotel. The hotel in the movie was in an old shopping mall in the town. Furthermore, parts of the movie Inglourious Basterds were also in Görlitz.
Besides that, there are great things to do in Görlitz. For example, it's amazing to see St. Jakobus which is a beautiful church. And there are several incredible museums in Görlitz.
8. Trier
Trier is one of the most amazing medieval towns in Germany. That's because people see it as the oldest town in the country. In the 4th century BC, the Celts founded it. It's very impressive to realize how old the town is when you're there.
Furthermore, you can learn a lot about the Middle Ages in the town.
For example, during medieval times, the archbishop of Trier ruled over a large area. He was also a very important person within the Holy Roman Empire as he was one of the electors.
There are incredible things to see in the town. For example, there are lots of medieval buildings in Trier. Furthermore, Stadtmuseum Simeonstift is great if you want to learn about medieval times. There, you can see a small model of the medieval town. It's so interesting!
9. Mittenwald
Mittenwald is a town in Bavaria that started in the 14th century. You find it near the border with Austria.
It is a very picturesque town with lots of remains from the Middle Ages. In the past, Mittenwald was part of a trading route through the Alps. Many goods went through Mittenwald.
When you go to Mittenwald, you have to visit Old Town! It is where you can see the most beautiful medieval streets.
Furthermore, you find one of the best sights in the town here. This is is the pink Church of Saint Peter and Paul.
Nowadays, Mittenwald is a great starting point for hiking through the mountains. Many hiking trails start here. Furthermore, in winter it is a great place for skiing.
10. Fritzlar
Fritzlar is also one of the medieval towns in Germany you should definitely visit. This town has a medieval center that's surrounded by a wall with many watchtowers.
It's very nice to see because it's the tallest urban defense tower in the country that's still there. The name of the tower is the Grey Tower.
Also, the city hall is the oldest one in the country that's still in use for the same purpose as in medieval times! The first mention of the city hall was in 1109. So the history of the town is definitely amazing.
Moreover, there are great things to see in Fritzlar. For example, the architecture, the market square, and the churches are amazing.
11. Monschau
If you want to visit medieval towns in Germany, you will love Monschau. It is a little resort town with an interesting history. The first mention of the town was in the 12th century.
Monschau is a pretty medieval town where you can find many Tudor-style buildings. The Altstadt is very picturesque.
One of the best things to see is Monschau Castle. Monschau Castle is from the 13th century. Nowadays, it's a youth hostel, so you can stay there if you want to! Furthermore, there are also concerts and operas in summer in the castle.
Another nice thing to see in the town is the Evangelische Stadtkirche Monschau.
12. Bamberg
Bamberg is a town that's from the 9th century. It belongs to the most beautiful medieval towns in Germany. The name of the town is Bamberg because of Babenberch castle. That's a castle near the town.
The old town of Bamberg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Bamberg, you can find one of the tallest old city walls that are still intact in Europe. You can find beautiful historic buildings in Bamberg.
If you’re going to this old town, it actually feels as if you’re living in medieval times. And there are many things to do, such as visiting the Altes Rathaus or going to the Bamberg Cathedral.
13. Tauberischofsheim
Tauberbischofsheim is another medieval town in Germany that is worth visiting. It is a popular place to visit, and many people go there every year. That's because there is a large number of remains from the Middle Ages.
The first mention of the town was already in the 9th century, so it is a very old town.
The old town in Tauberischofsheim is a great place to visit. You find here Tauberbischofsheim Castle. This is a castle that is about 750 years old. Also, there are many half-timbered houses and a wonderful town hall in the oldest part of the town.
Furthermore, there is a great event to attend when you happen to visit the town during the first weekend in July. During this weekend the old town festival happens. Here you can find all kinds of parades, music, food, and many attractions. It is a wonderful experience!
14. Dinkelsbühl
A very interesting medieval town in Germany is Dinkelsbühl. This is a town that is part of the state of Bavaria. In the past, it was a free imperial city in the Holy Roman Empire.
In 1305, the emperor Henry V created a defensive wall for Dinkelsbühl to protect the town against enemies. Nowadays, you can still see parts of this wall. It is incredible to see such an old structure that played a large role in the history of the town!
Another great sight to see in the town is the historic St. George's Minster. This is a beautiful church from the 15th century made in the Gothic architectural style.
15. Nördlingen
Nördlingen is one of the best medieval towns in Germany to visit. You find the town in the state of Bavaria in the region of Swabia.
What makes this town unique is the place where it is. People created the town inside a crater called the Nördlinger Ries. About 15 million years ago a meteorite hit the ground here and formed a crater.
The town is in a circular lower area in the middle of the crater. Because of this, the town is very round if seen from above.
The town is very old, with first mentions in the 9th century.
What's great is that the old defensive walls of the town are still intact. This is a unique thing to see. In fact, there are only three towns in Germany with walls that are still intact!
There are also many churches in the town that are worth visiting. And there are plenty of very interesting museums.
Besides that, wandering through the old town is an amazing activity. Seeing all the old houses makes you feel like you are in the Middle Ages yourself.
Also, the meteorite impact that created the crater also made many small diamonds. These diamonds spread over the crater. The people of the town used stone from the crater to create houses. That's why many houses contain a lot of small diamonds.
16. Füssen
Füssen is a very beautiful town in Bavaria. It's a very nice town to spend some time in as the architecture is incredible. There are pretty colorful houses in Füssen. But the most important reason to go here is that there are amazing castles near the town!
The most beautiful castle is Neuschwanstein Castle. You can find it on a hill above Hohenschwangau very close to Füssen. It's a very popular place for tourists because of its history and architecture.
Another great castle is Hohenschwangau Castle. It's very large and incredible to see. So if you love castles this is definitely a great town for you!
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