Riedlingen

The town of Riedlingen, rich in tradtion, is situated between Bussen - known as the 'Holy Mountain of Upper Swabia' - and the Swabian Alb, in the middle of a picturesque landscape of extensive meadows and fields. Long ago, the Celts also appreciated the position here on a low hill to the left of the Danube. Riedlingen is a charming little town with about 10,300 inhabitants. The historical Old Town is under preservation and the buildings are all designated historical monuments. Riedlingen, with its mediaeval town wall with its towers and gates, has a command over the lovely Danube valley between the highlands of the Swabian Alb and the morainic hills of Upper Swabia. The townscape is characterised by the Gothic church of St. George, the town hall (1447, Kaufhaus) with the two crow-stepped gables and the half-timbered houses of various sizes (Riedlingen lies on the 'German Half-timbered Houses' Road), which over the years have one after the other been restored to their former splendour. The pedestrian zone with its many narrow side streets invites the vistor to saunter and stay a while. One of Riedlingen's attactions is the Narrenbrunnen (Well of Fools) of the jesters' club 'Gole', designed by the artist Gerold Jäggle. The town history of Riedlingen is mirrored in the Narrenbrunnen - the saga of 'Mohrenwäscher', Gole masks and all the other figures of the traditional Riedlingen carnival, the placing of the fools' tree, men sliding out of a building after their meal of frogs' chitlings, and up at the top the Riedlingen stork. Riedlingen is the only town in Baden-Württemberg that can pride itself on the fact that within living memory storks have continuously nested on the gables of the Late Gothic town hall. And because people like being wherever storks like to nest, Riedlingen invites its visitors to stay longer! The Danube landscape taking in the nearby Swabian Alb with its appealing flora and the many well-signposted bike and hiking trails, is a real experience for all those who love nature. This is where to find an oasis of calm and a place for relaxation. The town has always had easy access to main transport routes, thus ensuring its position as a centre of commercial life, especially in the 18th century, with its weekly markets, its cattle markets and its annual fairs, as well as its being a hub of trade. Today, the Riedlingen street market is one of the biggest markets in Southern Württemberg. The Gallus market, the Foal Market, which counts as one of the largest markets for warmblood foals in Germany and attracts visitors from all over Europe, and also the traditional Swabian-Alemanni carnival are further highlights in the Riedlingen year.

But that is not all that Riedlingen has to offer! During the rest of the year there are many places to visit, such as the Baroque Weiler chapel on the banks of the Danube (1721 - 1724) (the Upper Swabian Baroque Road passes through Riedlingen), the Capuchin abbey, the Catholic parish church of St. George and the old hospital 'Alte Spital' , which forms part of the remains of the town wall. The local history museum 'Schöne Stiege' is also worth a visit (1580, former Ackerbürgerhaus) with its important collection of reverse glass painting that gives an impressive portrayal of Riedlingen history.

Places to see:

Picturesque Old Town with many half-timbered houses; Gothic church of St. George; Baroque Weilerkapelle; Capuchin abbey; 'Schöne Stiege' museum; historical hanging gardens of Neufra; Museum of the fire brigade

Excursions: Bussen, 'Holy Mountain of Upper Swabia'; Lake Federsee and Federsee museum in Bad Buchau; Zwiefalten abbey; village church in Steinhausen; Heuneburg museum in Hundersingen; Heiligkreuztal abbey.

Things to see and do:

Bike and hiking trails along the Danube and at the edge of the Swabian Alb; storks' nest on the gables of the town hall; Upper Swabian Baroque Road (Weilerkapelle); traditional Swabian-Alemanni carnival; street market in May; foal market in August; Gallus market in October.