Ulm, Germany is a large university and research center and one of the most beautiful cities in the country. Due to the important historical sights and the abundance of higher educational institutions, it is never quiet here. We will walk along its noisy streets.
General information
The city of Ulm, spread in the upper Danube, lies on the territory of two federal lands: Bavaria – in the north and Baden-Württemberg – in the south. The main geographical feature of this city is the proximity of the German Alps and the multi-level landscape, due to the noticeable difference between the lowest and highest points on the surface.
The population of Ulm is about 120 thousand people. All of them live in 19 urban areas.
The history of Ulm began at the end of the 1st century AD. e., although the first settlements on this site appeared in the early Neolithic period. Over the long years of its existence, he managed to visit both the residence of German rulers, and the free imperial city, and the apple of discord between patricians and guilds, and even complete bankruptcy.
The next economic recovery of this city fell in the middle of the 19th century. Then railroads were held in it, several textile mills and a huge cement plant were opened. Unfortunately, all this was destroyed during the Second World War, which destroyed not only most enterprises, but also the bulk of the historical center.
Many years have passed since then, Ulm has long recovered. And even though now it is not among the ten most visited places in Germany, its unique attractions, picturesque parks and cozy restaurants invariably attract a modern traveler.
sights
The sights of Ulm in Germany please with an interesting history and unusual appearance. Let’s consider only the main ones.
A walk along the Fisherman’s quarter is necessarily included in the program of any tourist route around the city. The medieval district, built at the mouth of the river. Blau consists of traditional half-timbered houses, winding streets and numerous stone bridges. Most of the buildings in the quarter are directly on the water, which is why Fishermen’s Quarter is often compared to Italian Venice.
This territory was once inhabited by fishermen, tanners and soap makers. Now in the quarter of fishermen there are small hotels, souvenir shops and restaurants. And here there are many historical buildings in Germany, the most famous of which are called the Oath House, a beautiful house and an old mint.
The Cathedral in Ulm is considered not only the most important architectural landmark of this region of Germany, but also the highest Christian church in the world. The height of its bell tower together with the spire is more than 160 m, so the Ulmians call it nothing more than “the finger of God”.
The construction of the Ulm Cathedral in Germany, which was carried out exclusively for the money of local residents, began in 1377, and ended only in 1890. Curiously, neither the numerous wars nor natural disasters affected the appearance of this building – it still remains exactly like and hundreds of years ago.
The main pride of the cathedral in Ulm are stained glass windows and unique choirs carved by a famous German master. The latter are famous for being built of oak, which has been steeped in the waters of the Danube for 150 years. No less interesting are the statues of biblical characters that adorn the central portal of the cathedral. The composition is completed by a sculpture of a sparrow mounted on one of the church towers. In addition, one of the best viewing platforms of the city is equipped here, which anyone can get to. The only thing needed for this is to overcome 768 stone steps.
Address: Muensterplatz 21, 89073 Ulm, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.
Opening hours:
- April – September: from 09:00 to 19:00;
- October – March: from 10:00 to 17:00.
On a note! During worship services are not allowed for tourists. Visiting the cathedral is free, but during concerts you can only get inside with an admission ticket.
In the photo of the city of Ulm in Germany, you can see the most recognizable landmark of this place. We are talking about the Ulm Town Hall, the first mention of which dates back to 1370. Then it was an ordinary trading building, in the cellars of which for a long time there was a city prison. Thanks to the lush art paintings of the early Renaissance, it is included in the list of the most beautiful city halls in Germany. Unfortunately, the original drawings washed away with time. What we see now is the result of a large-scale reconstruction carried out today.
Another important feature of the Town Hall is the astronomical and hourglass, set back in the early 16th century and decorated with luxurious decorative elements. But the interior of the Ulm City Hall almost completely burned out during the Second World War – only the southern wing remained untouched. Now it houses a model of the aircraft, created by the legendary tailor Albrecht Berblinger. The area in front of the Town Hall deserves no less attention. There you can see the medieval fountain, which used to hold live fish, and now the townspeople and guests of the city are splashing, and several sculptural images of sparrows.
Attraction address: Marktplatz 1, city of Ulm, Germany.
Opening hours:
- Mon – cf. and Fri .: from 08:00 to 16:00;
- Th .: from 08:00 to 18:00;
- Break: from 12:30 to 14:00.
The falling half-timbered house located on the bank of the river. Blau and found in many tourist photos of the city of Ulm in Germany, is one of the most unusual sights of this place. Since its construction, which ended in 1443, this building has leaned as much as 10 degrees. A horizontal line drawn on the facade helps to evaluate the extent of curvature. The main cause of such metamorphoses is ship timber, which has become the main building material.
Initially, fish catches were kept at Leaning House, but at the end of the 16th century, the building was converted into a residential building. Currently, it houses the Hotel Schiefes Haus, the most popular city hotel listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most crooked and narrowest in the world.
You can find the attraction at Schwoerhausgasse 6, Ulm, Germany.
The list of important sights of Ulm includes the Wiblingen Monastery, located in the southern suburbs of the city. Being an integral part of the eponymous abbey, it is an important monument of temple architecture, erected before the first Crusades.
Unfortunately, the original buildings of Wiblingen Abbey, along with most religious values, were destroyed as a result of wars and fires. Almost the only relic that has been preserved in Kloster Wiblingen since its foundation remains a piece of the Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Currently, it is kept in the monastery church, attracting pilgrims from all over the world.
As for the current complex, made in the late Baroque style, it belongs to the first half of the 18th century. True, in the next century the monastery was dissolved – then the residence of one of the Bavarian dukes was placed in the former abbey, and a hall was arranged in one of the rooms for the ceremonial reception of high-ranking guests. The main highlight of this room are the frescoes of Martin Kuhn and sculptures by Dominic Herberg. Now in the main hall of the monastery is a library-museum, the heritage of which totals tens of thousands of unique manuscripts, books and incunabula. In addition to it, on the territory of the former abbey there are buildings of the Ulm Medical University, an active Catholic church and several municipal buildings.
Address: Schloss str. 38, 89079 Ulm, Germany.
Opening hours:
- 03/01. until 10.31: from 09:00 to 18:00;
- 05/18: from 10:00 to 17:00 (break – from 11:00 to 13:30);
- November 1 to February 28: from 09:00 to 18:00.
The cost of visiting is from 5 to 12.50 € and depends on the type of admission ticket.
Another “falling” structure of Ulm is the Butcher’s Tower, which at the time of its construction in 1349 was an integral part of the fortress wall. Rising above the ground by more than 30 m, it has almost the same slope as the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Despite the fact that the history of Metzgerturm is covered with myths and legends, there is no mystery gram in the solution to this phenomenon. It turns out that the main reason for its fall is marshy soil, on which the foundation of the future city attraction was erected.
No less interesting is the name of this building. It is believed that it is associated with an enterprising butcher who mixed ground sausage with sawdust. Having learned about the deception, the angry townspeople locked the negligent merchant in a stone minaret. Since then, they began to call it the Butcher’s Tower.
You can find the tower on Unter der Metzig, closer to the city wall.
Where to stay?
In a relatively small Ulm, you are unlikely to find multi-storey chain hotels – their place was taken by small hotels, stylized to the local flavor. As for pricing, it is comparable to prices in other cities in this region. So, accommodation in a double room of a three-star hotel starts from 60 €, while the daily rental of apartments will be from 80 to 120 €.
Food in the city
In Ulm, you can find a large number of national restaurants and bistros. Most of them are concentrated in the fishing quarter – they serve not only the best German dishes, but also excellent local beer. Among the most popular establishments are the Barfuber Ulm brewery and the Barfusser eatery, located in the heart of the city. In addition, there are several restaurants serving Italian and international cuisine. The most famous are Bella Vista and Ristorante Bei Salvatore.
Regarding prices:
- lunch or dinner for two in an inexpensive cafe will cost 20 €,
- a comprehensive 3-course menu in a mid-range restaurant – at 50-55 €,
- fast food visit – 8 € per person.
How to get there
Ulm in Germany does not have its own airport – the nearest air gates are located in Munich and Stuttgart. Each of them offers several transfer options, but the train is the most convenient.
| Departure point | Place of arrival | Travel time | Periodicity | Ticket price | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Munich – Ulm (distance – 140 km) | |||||
| München hbf | Ulm hbf | 1h 15 min –
2h 00 min |
from 5 to 40 minutes | 37 – 69 € | from 00:01 to 23:00 |
| Stuttgart – Ulm (distance – 90 km) | |||||
| Stuttgart hbf | Ulm hbf | about an hour | from 5 to 45 minutes | 14 – 28 € | from 03:36 to 22:14 |
On a note! Train timetables can be checked on Deutsche Bahn, the official website of German Railways – www.bahn.de.
Interesting Facts
With Ulm in Germany there are several interesting facts:
- The main symbol of this city is a sparrow. They say that during the construction of the Ulm Cathedral, the workers had a problem – they could not carry long beams through the narrow fortress gates. Unlucky builders even gathered to destroy part of the defensive wall, but then one of them saw a sparrow carrying a small straw in its beak. At the same time, he held it along, not across. Rejoiced at the fact that the solution to the problem turned out to be so simple, local residents began to glorify the sparrow in every possible way and even erected several monuments in his honor;
- Ulm’s most famous native is Albert Einstein. Despite the fact that the family of the future Nobel laureate moved to Munich when he was a little over a year old, the inhabitants of Ulm consider him their countryman. Unfortunately, the Einstein house, located in the Auf-dem-Kreuz quarter, was destroyed during the Second World War. In 1984, a fountain monument was erected in its place, made in the best traditions of surrealism. It consists of 3 parts: a rocket indicating technological progress, a snail symbolizing the wisdom of nature, and the head of Einstein looking out of her house;
- Ulm is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the city with the highest church spire and the most uneven houses;
- Ulm is called one of the most festival cities in Germany. At the same time, the most anticipated festive events include Oath Week (Schwörwoche), Christmas Market (Ulmer Weihnachtsmarkt), Fisherman’s Fight (Ulmer Fischerstechen), Promise Monday (Schwörmontag) and Harvest Festival (Volksfest).
- On the square in front of the Münster Cathedral you can see a round plate, which indicates the distance from Ulm to major European cities. It is believed that if you stand in the center of this plate and make a wish, it will come true;
Ulm (Germany) has its own special atmosphere, and acquaintance with the sights of the city will certainly give you a positive experience.
What to see in Ulm in one day:
