Southern Germany

Baden-Württemberg + Bavaria

Esslingen, Baden-Württemberg

In 2024 I spun off my page for Germany into pages for northern + central Germany and southern Germany and seperately a 3rd page for Stuttgart. As it is my home town and the capital of the region of Baden-Württemberg I give it comprehensive coverage.  Esslingen is a town of around 94,000 residents on the Neckar River about 14 Km SE of Stuttgart well connected by S-Bahn to the metropolis. Artifacts show it was inhabited by 1000 BC and an outpost of the Roman Empire. I have been in Esslingen numerous times but finally went camera and played tourist taking these photos in May 2024. From the main train station and bus station in front of it, one lands in an area of pedestrian streets with shops. A landmark seen from here is the high brick smoke stack with the word Dick written on it. Rather than some kind of juvenile graffiti, this is actually the name of a local company with a long history of public contribution. And the word dick means thick in German rather than as a slang term for penis. Now the factory area contains the DICK shopping center.  But a few blocks strolling through the walking street and one already comes to a couple of towers (Turm in German) that were once entrances to the old city walls; the Pliensauturm to the south-east and the more picturesque Schelztorturm to the north-east. Also pictured is the Obertor AKA Wolfstor. The German word Tor means gate but usually there is a tower above the gate so I am not sure the difference made between the old “Tor” and “Turms” but half a dozen of the once over 70 in Esslingen still exist. I’m also putting a picture of the Hochwachsturm, which was off on a hill and guarded a way up to the fortress on the hill above the city known as Esslinger Burg.

Esslingen Marktplatz, Rathaus, Rathausplatz

The heart of Esslingen are the central Marktplatz and Rathausplatz. On the Rathausplatz one has the Alte Rathaus or old city hall and across from it the Ratskeller and the Neue Rathaus or new city hall – although it is also a historical building, unfortunately covered by scaffolding for renovation when I was there.

Esslingen Frauenkirche, J. F. Schreiber Museum, Esslinger Burg

North of the Marktplatz over a busy ring road one sees the Frauenkirche or “woman church” on a hill. Next to it to the east is another impressive old building now housing the J.F Schreiber Museum for 19. Century printing. Close to here among a cluster of old half-timbered historical houses starts the “Eingang zu Burgmauer” or the entrance to the castle wall. The Esslinger Burg is on a vineyard covered hill is more fortress than castle with rings of fortified wall, part of which has a wooden covered walkway. It is a nice hike up the hill, green spaces within the fortress compound to relax and beautiful views over the old city center below.

Esslingen Angesbrücke, Rosneckarkanal, Maillie Park

Back down in the center, just south of the Marktplatz and Rathaus is an area called Klein-Venedig or little Venice with many historical buildings and bridges situated along parallel canals called the Rossneckarkanal or Steed Neckar Canal. There is also a large park called the Maille. In the area is also the Stadtmuseum or city museum but I did not go inside.

Backnang Stiftshof, Schloss, Stiftskirche

Above the Stadtturm is an area known as the Stiftshof; an area of buildings that once belong to regional royalty but the name refers to it time as a monestary complex. The main castle once belonging to a Duke is now the district court; across from it is the beautiful building known as the ehlamalige Stadtverwaltung or former monastery administration building. It apparently was first built as a living space for a prince and later used as a hunting retreat for a duke. Now like most of the major historical buildings in town it is used by the local government. Next to the former castle is the Stiftskirche  (abbey) St. Pankratius. Next door is the Stiftstheater or monastery theater.

Schorndorf, Baden-Württemberg

Schorndorf is a small city of 25,000 about 28 kilometers due east of Stuttgart well connected by S-Bahn to the metropolis. Artifacts show it was settled already in the middle stone-age and from around 200 AD from the Romans but it seemed to not reach a size of significnace to be mentioned by name by existing texts until the 12th century. It has a nice core of historical half-timbered houses centering around the market place (Marktplatz) with it’s Osterbrunnen or Easter-fountain. A few blocks away is the birth house of Gottlieb Daimler of Daimler-Benz (Mercedes) fame.

Schwäbisch Gmünd, Baden-Württemberg

Schwäbisch Gmünd is a pleasant town around 50 km due east of Stuttgart in the east Schwäbisch Alps along the Rems river. Roman soldiers had encampments here from the second century AD but it seems definite documentation about the city’s status isn’t established until 1162 and the name Gmünd recorded until the Staufer regime in the 12 century. After the Staufer regime crumbled it became a “Reichsstadt” or free city in the Holy Roman Empire in the 15 hundreds. There are remains of a number of monasteries here including the Augustine and Francians orders. Notable churches are the Johanniskirche or Johannis church and the nearby Heilig Kreuz Münster of holy cross cathedral. Both Catholic, although most of the region became protestant after the reformation, the cathedral is much larger but the Johannis church has a special charm. The cathedral has an abundance of gargoyles and other stone figures both inside and out. A large number were apparently removed and put into the Johannis church to avoid risk of them falling down.

Schwäbisch Gmünd Marktplatz, Rathaus, Marienbrunnen, 5 Knopfturm

The center of the city is the Marktplatz or market place with the Marienenbrunnen or Mary’s fountain and the Rathaus or city hall. In front of the Rathaus is a large playground and huge sand-box for kids. Not uncommon thing in Germany but an unusual location on the main square. There are multiple old half-timbered houses, some with elaborate exterior paintings but in contrast to many cities in the region, the foundation and lower (if not above as well) floors of many buildings are built in stone. There is an old tower called the fünf Knopfturm or 5 buttons tower with a large cross on one side and a large unicorn. Apparently, there is a history of unicorns in the city’s history as it is seen on the city flag since the 13^th century and in many symbols around the town. I don’t know which mythology it refers to but it is not just a new “woke” addition.

Schwäbisch Gmünd Stadtgarten, Rokokoschösschen, Forum

Near the main train station is the Stadtgarten or city garden surrounding the Rokokoschlösschen or little Rococo caste with multiple statues among the greenery and flowers. There are many areas with elaborate flower beds, many introduced during the Landegartenschau or regional garden show of 2014. At this time an iconic modern building “the Forum” with a lot of silver and gold was built to echo the historical local silver and gold mining trades.

Calw, Baden-Württemberg

Visited Calw in late May 2024. It’s about 50 Km west of Stuttgart in the Black Forest. No castles, cathedrals or monasteries there but lots of beautiful old, well-preserved half-timbered houses and it is the birth place of Hermann Hesse; one of my favorite German writers. Close to the train station there is a statue of Hesse on the Nikolaus bridge next to the Nikolauskapelle or Nikolaus chapel, close by is the H. Hesse fountain on the Hermann-Hesse-Platz. One can hardly walk 5 minutes without seeing another reminder of who their most famous inhabitant was.

Schwäbisch Hall, Baden-Württemberg

Schwäbisch Hall is a city of around 40,000 residents about 70 Km northeast of Stuttgart. I had been there multiple times for gigs at Würth a highly reputable company making tools and hardware accessories that has an art museum there and supports multiple cultural projects and facilities. In mid-April 2024 I made a day trip to better explore its extensive old center. The city sits in a valley on the Kocher River. From the main train station we walked north past the Katharina church and directly across the Würth art museum and restaurant. From there we east went by the Johanniter church and old stone bridge.

Schwäbisch Hall: Crossing the Kocher River to the east side where most of the historical city lays, we meandered west towards what is called the Kocher Quarter.

Schwäbisch Hall Josenturm, Josen tower

Near the northern limits of the old city is a beautiful tower that is one of the most photographed sites in Schwäbisch Hall. The Josenturm was built as part of the Judokus chapel.

Schwäbisch Hall: Heading back south towards the center of the old town one passes the old watch tower or “alte Wache”

Schwäbisch Hall: St. Michael church, Marktplatz

In the center of the old town one finds the Marktplatz or market plaza. It is a large open space bordered on the northside by the majestic protestant St. Michael’s church. The extensive stairs in front of the church is a grat palce to obseve the epole walking below and is the setting for various events like concerts and theater productions in the summer.

Schwäbisch Hall: Neubausaal, fortifications

South from the Marktplatz one comes to the edge of the old city with visible fortifications and a ditch whwre they now graze goats. Above one sees what looks like a castle but is known as the Neubausaal or “new built halls”. Called new but built in the 1500’s with 2 large rooms where events are still held.

Schwäbisch Hall: ​Hällisch-Frankisches Museum

Meandering down towards the river from the southern edge of the old town one finds the Hällisch-Frankische Museum. It occupied the old river mill and a next door major historical building called the Keckenturm. It has extensive artifacts going back showing the city and regions history to its earliest times. Lots of religious artifacts, furniture and objects both from simple people to the nobility. Particularly interesting were the many elaborate paintings on circular wood disks that were used as targets for shooting practice. Seemed hard to believe such works of art were created just to shoot at but the many bullet holes are proof enough. They even had a large section showing toys including a traditional Kasperle puppet theater. We only had time to really breeze through most of the exhibits but can imagine visiting again with more time – and the entrance is free.

Schwäbisch Hall: After the museum we circuled west down towards the river where there are wooden and stone bridges, a park on a small island which was full of construction this day but good views from the river banks on the old city in both directions

“Kloster” Grosscomburg Monastery

Just 2 kilometers south of Schwäbisch Hall is the large former monastery called Grosscomburg aka “big” Comburg. Founded by the Benedictine order in 1078 it was controlled by different authorities over the centuries and was often associated with nobility rather than the common locals. Schwäbisch Hall and the surrounding areas mostly converted to Protestantism after the reformation but Comburg maintained its Catholic association until the 1800’s when regional nobility took possession of it and soon made it a home for invalid veterans until into the early 1900s when it became an educational institution. It became a Hitler Youth center and displaced persons camp under the Nazis and a teacher’s school since 1947.

The Comburg complex stands out on a hill and is easily visible from Schwäbisch Hall. It would seem to be a nice walk from the city but we managed to get one of the rather infrequent buses that stop a few hundred meters below. Entrance to the complex is free but one needs to pay and take a tour to go inside and see the St. Nicholas church or the St Erhard’s chapel or the St. Michael’s chapel.  We didn’t have the time anyway so we also skipped seeing the nearby Kleincomburg or “little Comburg” a former convent apparently built 30 years later situated below the monastery. This facility was taken over by secular authorities, retaken by the Franciscans in the mid to late 1800’s, taken over by the state and returned to the local Catholic authorities in 2015.

Kloster Maulbronn, Baden-Württemberg

Kloster Maulbronn is a well preserved fortified monastery (the German word can also mean convent) about 60 Km NW of Stuttgart. No mistake that it was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1993. Founded in 1147 it was a Cistercian abbey, administrated from 1504 by local royalty and eventually taken over by the Protestants who still have a seminary here although the complex was secularized in 1806. Thus there is a church and seminary but also city hall, jail, restaurants etc. like any small municipality. I visited Maulbronn for the 2^nd time in May 2024, this time taking my camera along. One can walk around most of the complex with free access. To enter the museum or church, where a concert was being held on the day we went cost 12 euros. We were content to walk around the ground including along the outside walls and to the small lake that was a reservoir for the facility and now has a snack bar and swimming area.

There are a number of café/restaurants within the complex including the Kloster-Katz or monastery cat. And yes, there is a friendly resident cat that I got to meet and greet. There is also a book store, pharmacy, herb shop and one can buy the monastery’s beer in the information-ticket office.

Lienzingen, Baden-Württemberg

Lienzingen is a small rural village by Mühlacker just 6 Km SE of Maulbronn. No castles, monasteries or impressive city halls there. Just the Peterskirche or Peter’s church on a hill (doors were unfortunately locked when I visited there in June 2024) and lots of charming historical old timbered houses many with large barns. Many have been well preserved or renovated making it a worthwhile place to stroll through if one is in the area. The church is protestant and has historical connections to the monastery in Maulbronn.

Heidelberg

I first went through Heidelberg in 1985 with my French girlfriend. It’s one of those quaint old University towns that American tourists seem to go crazy over. It was nice but I didn’t find the audiences so great and heard that the police often made stress for performers and I never liked having to look over my shoulder. Thus, I rarely bother to go out of my way to visit Heidelberg unless I find myself in the area. Here I am sitting by the fountain in the center of the Marktplatz.

We walked around the extensive castle grounds but did not pay to go inside. I remember being a bit disappointed that much of the structures were ruins although I was more let down at other sites in Europe when I saw restoration jobs that failed to capture the original look and feel. Sometimes it is better to do nothing than to slap some ugly, modern addition on to a middle-aged structure.

Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg

This is Tübingen, a beautiful University town 40 kilometers south of Stuttgart. While I often worked in Stuttgart on weekends, I used to hang out much more in Tübingen back in my early years in Europe. I also happened to have a couple of relationships with students and met my eventual wife there.

Tübingen has the reputation of being a hotbed of liberalism like Berkley. I personally found many of the left-wingers here to be rather naive and unrealistic. They were often full of strong opinions about places they had never been to or things they had never experienced. Despite this,  I shared many of their good intentions to be socially active. Still, it was a comfortable place to be and I always had some friends living there.

Coming from the main  train station one goes over the Neckar River which has a long island with shady trees. Stone walls line the river, historical houses built above and in recent years flowers have been planted along the Neckar bridge and elsewhere in the center. The river scenes with ancient buildings, droopping willows and poled  boats provide some of Tübingen’s icon images.

Tübingen Holzmarkt, Stiftskirche, Kirschgasse

The other main plaza in the city center is the Holzmarkt or wood market with the Stiftskirche church to the right. The stairs by the church are a nice place to sit and watch people go by but there has never been the right atmosphere to do shows here. There is just one small cafe off to the side unlike the 3 or 4 big ones on the Market Place, whcih is connected by the main walking street the Kirschgasse.

Tübingen Ammergasse

Another important pedestrian street is the Ammergasse with it’s small creek, many small shops and cafe-bars. It runs from the Haagplatz to the Nonnenhaus and similarly named shopping center at the edge of the old botanical garden.

Tübingen Castle

On a hill looming over the old center of Tübingen is a relatively small but nice castle. One can walk around the outside enjoyng teh views over teh river and part of the center and in the courtyard. One has to pay to visit the interior however, which is a historical museum run by the University.

Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg

About 40 Km north of Stuttgart is the city of Ludwigsburg. Despite the occasional old building, the city is not particularly impressive with the exception of the residential palace which is one of the largest examples of Baroque architecture in Europe and the biggest royal complex in Germany. In addition to Baroque, there are many architectural elements of Rococo, Neoclassical and Empire styles. There is not just one castle but a complex of 18 buildings built around 2 large courtyards. It also has extensive gardens which alone are a trip for some people. One can take tours that show parts of a couple of the buildings but to see the whole complex, if it were open to the public would take a good day.

Besigheim

There are many small to medium sized towns in Germany that managed to escape major damage during the wars. These are 2 pictures of Besigheim about 40 Km north of Stuttgart with its typical old “Fachwerk” houses.

Bietigheim-Bissingen

Another very nice town in the Stuttgart area close to Besigheim is Bietigheim-Bissingen which has been the backdrop to some very good shows over the years. I established a friendly relationship to the head of the city Culture Office there and they hired me fairly regularly, especially for the annual XXL Festival as shown below. Beitigheim has no amazing buildings like forts or huge castles but a scattering of old half-timbered houses often accented with flowers in the summer.

Bietigheim-Bissingen; Artwork + statues

Near the Fräuleinsbrunnen is another simple but impressive statue of a woman. Throughout the center of Bietigheim are many statues in a similar style, like a baboon figue in front of the castle as well as multiple huge figures like the Pferdeturm or horse tower at eh upper end of the Hauptstrase with 4 horses vertically on top of each other with somewhat abstract human faces on the side – and a couple of single horse figures with faces nearby. At the east end of the Hauptstraasse one finds the Kronenplatz or crown plaza with its large figure of a cow on top of a milk can, known as the Kuhriosum, shooting water in different directions from its’s base. German cities tend to have many fountains, sculptures and other artworks in public places but Bietigheim seems to have more than most for its size.

Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg

Heilbronn  is a small city of around 128,000 residents about 50 Kilometers north of Stuttgart. It is a pleasant but unspectacular city that was heavily damaged in WWII. The center is a maze of pedestrian streets with large modern shops. The center of it all is the historical Rathaus or city hall which is located on one side of the Marktplatz. On the other side is the large Kilian protestant church dating back to around 1100 with its medieval gargoyles on the steeple. Supposedly there was a basilica on the spot dating back to 741 but this has not been proven. The existing structure was expanded over the centuries and first called Kilian church in 1297. WWII left it heavily damaged and it took from 1947 to 1974 to rebuild. Outside of the church is the holy or healing spring or heil-Brunnen from which the city’s name comes. Close by is the Deutschhof culture center and historical museum. Scattered throughout the center are many impressive metal sculptures. All seem to be human figures although some are rather abstract.

Bad Wimpfen

Bad Wimpfen is a well preserved small historical city about 70 kilometers north of Stuttgart, 15 Km north-west of Heilbronn, south-east of Heidelberg. The old city is on a hill over the Neckar River and has fortified walls, towers, churches and characteristic half-timbered houses. Unlike similar medieval cities there is no fortress but multiple imperial buildings that once belonged to the Kaiser. In the valley below where the city extends is also a very large Benedictine monastery which we saw from the train but did not go down to see. The photos are from a visit in early 2024. The train station itself is an old historical building. From there one walks up the hill and through the gate of the old city walls. There is a large but palin stone tower known as the red tower and along the wall another smaller tower that is actually half-timbered and partially red.

Moving west from the red tower one passes the Pfalzkappel (Pfalz chapel) and next to it the “Steinhaus” (stone house) which was originally a royal residence and is now a historical museum. Then one sees the Blaue Turm or blue tower that dominates the center of the old city. Built in 1170 it was a watchtower at the east edge of the initial city. It was modified over the centuries but is the older continuously used tower in Germany. Farther along one sees passes teh city hall and across the Marktplatz (market plaza) is the the Ev. Stadtkirch (Protestant city church). First built in 1234 and called the Marienkirche it was expanded immensely over the centuries to its present structure by 1529. After the reformation, protestant liturgy was preached here in 1529 and it became officially Lutheran in 1588. Next to the Stadtkirce is the Kreuzigungsgruppe (crucifiction group) the master piece by the acclaimed sculptor Hans Backoffen built in 1517..

Bad Wimpfen Fachwerkhäuser half-timbered houses

Throughout Bad Wimpfen are many half-timbered old houses known as Fachwerkhäuser.

Ulm, Baden-Württemberg

Ulm is about an hour east of Stuttgart by car or train. The city was founded on the northwest bank of the Danube River but in modern times expanded across the river to the southwest, which likely complicates administrative issues because that side is in teh State of Bavaria rather than Baden-Württemberg and it is called Neu-Ulm or New Ulm.  I performed on the streets in Ulm a number of times in years past and had the occasional gig or often transited through the train station but never spent much time looking around the city. Arriving at the central station one is on the edge of the downtown shopping business area. To the north and northeast is a massive area of train tracks. And arising in the background one can already see the spiral of the famous Ulm cathedral in the center of the old city. I found the contrast of the train tracks and adjacent old fortifications and bridge to be an interesting motif.

Ulm Münster (Minster), Münsterplatz

The iconic symbol of Ulm is the Münster aka Minster which towers over the skyline and the center of the city. It is Lutheran and despite its size technically not a cathedral since no bishop was stationed here. It is the highest church in the world and was the 5th highest structure built before the 20th century. Construction started in 1377 and went on for hundreds of years. The major pedestrian shopping streets cross here at the large square in front known as the Münsterplatz. A weekly outdoor market is hosted here, interestingly not on the nearby market plaza. There is a modern building housing the tourist information that contrast yet doesn’t clash with the gothic architecture of the Münster. Strolling behind the Münster there is a scattering of historic half-timbered buildings and not far is the pictured protestant Dreifaltigkeitskirche or holy trinity church with its Petrusbrunnen or Peter’s fountain.

Ulmer Rathaus city-hall, Rathausplatz

A few hundred meters to the south of the Münsterplatz towards the Donau River is the old city-hall or Rathaus and adjacent Rathausplatz. There is a decrative fountain on the Marktplatz called the Fischkastenbrunnen or fish-box fountain.

Ulm Metzgerturm, Stadtmauer

South from the Rathaus one sees the Metzgerturm or butchers-tower and connected old city walls or Stadtmauer dating back to 1480. There is a nice walkway on the old walls with  plenty of outdoor restaurants and cafes; below is the Danube river and a promenade and green areas.

Günzburg, Bavaria

Marktplatz, Unteres Tor, Marktplatzbrunnen

Günzburg is a small city in Bavaria about 35 Kilometers northeast of Ulm. The Altstadt or old city center is about 10 blocks centered around the Marketplatz or market place with lots of outdoor café/restaurants. At one end of the Marktplatz is a watch tower known as the Unteres Tor or lower tower. In the middle of the plaza is a fountain the Marktplatzbrunnen.

Günzburg restaurants, beer garden

These photos are rather random. One is the Poseidon Trabenkeller a Greek restaurant and beer garden close to the Günburg main train station. The other is a Indian restaurant in the center a bit south of the Marktplatz. We didn’t eat at either place but I liked their architecture and at least as far as food is concerned, even a small town in Bavaria has diversity.

Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg

About 60 Km west of Stuttgart is the sizable city of Karlsruhe. It has some big open spaces but I never cared much for the street scene there. Otherwise, I was often in Karlsruhe’s central train station as it is a major transit place for lines running north or south through the Rhine valley. I took some photos there in late May 2024. Coming out of the main train station almost directly across is a major zoo although the Germans more often use the word Tierpark (animal-park) or in Karlsruhe Stadtgarten zoo (city-garden zoo). The Germans usually use the word zoo for a pet store. We didn’t go in but walked partially around it. The facilities are extensive and indeed there are nice gardens rather than just animals in cages or enclosures.

Karlsruhe; Schloss, Schlossgarden, Platz der Grundgerecht

Heading north from the Marktplatz one already sees the most iconic building of the city the Karlsruhe Schloss (Castle) with its many statues and greenery in front. Just before arriving one passed through the Platz der Grundgerecht or plaza of basic rights. There are numerous quotations about human rights posted on signs. This reflects that Karlsruhe is the home of the constitutional court. After WWII Germans gave a lot of thought to a new constitution that emphasizes human rights. There are many memorials to the victims of Hitler but this is another approach, dwelling on the positive, embellishing on what freedoms are seen as essential. And coincidentally I took this picture just days after  the officially 75^th anniversary of the implementation of German constitution.

The castle itself is very extensive in Baroque style very similar to the castle in Ludwigsburg 20 KM north of Stuttgart. Behind the castle are the extensive castle gardens or Schlossgarten.

Karlsruhe, European Juggling Convention 2008

 In 2008, the big European Juggling Convention (EJC) was held in Karlsruhe. The parade through the center of the city ended at the Schlossplatz where thousands of residents were pretty blown away by the antics of crazy jugglers.The first photo is of Martin, a juggler from the Hamburg area that I first meet around 1985 as he did a show by the pyramide on the Marktpaltz

Not so well received by the police was the idea to pass clubs from on top of one of the castle fountains. Would have been quite the mishap to accidentally damage a historical structure. Karlsruhe hosted the EJC, a big juggling convention, a couple of times to great success as they had plenty of room for training indoors and space for tents for shows and camping outside. With upwards of 6000 visitors, the setting was almost overwhelming but fun.

Ettlingen, Rathaus, Marktplatz Georgsbrunnen

A few block through the pedestrian street from the Ettlingen castle, one comes to the central Ettlinger Marktplatz or market place with the Georgsbrunnen or George Fountain and the Rathaus or city-hall. The fountain statue depicts a dragon being slayed by St. George and above the archway under the Rathausturm or city-hall-tower is an antiwar memorial depiction of death slaughtering victims.

Ettlingen, Rathaus, Nepomuk Statue Albbrücke, Alb River

If one goes through the archway under the Rathausturm there is a bridge going over the small Alb River. On the bridge is a statue of Johannes Nepomuk, a 14^th century German priest and martyr declared holy by the Catholic Church. A block away is the Herz Jesu Kirche or Jesus’s heart church. Back along the Alb River are views of the historical center and some of the oldest remains of the first city wall fortifications commemorated by a ceramic plaque.

Ettlingen, Kanalstrasse St. Martinskirche

Back by the Marktplatz the Kanalstrasse or canal street takes one to the large St. Martinskirche or St Martin’s church. A building across from the front of the church has an interesting small figure of Mary and baby Jesus, so one can assume it was church built property. The last few photos are old houses in adjacent streets.

Würzburg, Bavaria – Residenz

Würzburg is a pretty University town on the Main river about 150 KM northeast of Stuttgart. With a population of around 130,000 and a large historical center dating back over 1300 years, it is a laid back and interesting city. The city was heavily bombed in WW II but better restored afterwards than many German cities. One of its main attractions in the UNESCO site known as the Residenz or residence, an extensive baroque palace and accompanying gardens where the local royalty once lived. The building is now a musuem and art gallary. I’ve visted the Residenz on a guided tour but had no camera with me. All of the following photos from Würzburg were taken in early November 2018 while attending the Würzburg Juggling Convention although it was at least my 4th or 5th visit.

Würzburg Cathedral

Some hundreds of meters from the Residenz is the large Würzburg Cathedral known as St. Kilian Dom. It was built starting in 1040 A.D. as the third Catholic cathedral on the spot as the earlier ones built 787 and 855 were mostly destroyed by fire. The main basilica entrance is flanked by twin towers and is in baroque style while the later added side wing known as the Schönborn chapel is late gothic.

Old Main Bridge Würzburg

The Main River (pronounced “mine”) flows through Würzburg. There remains an old bridge on a spot where previous badges had stood going back until at least the 11^th century. They were destroyed by flooding over the centuries and its present stone foundation was erected 1476 to 1488. Between the stone pillars the archways were originally wood but overlaid with stone as well in 1512 until 1703. Into the 18^th century the bridge was occupied with a strong military presence for defense. In the late 1720’s and early 1730s the iconic religious statutes were added, similar in style to the famous Karl’s Bridge in Prague. Both tourists and locals like to hang out on the bridge or stroll along the adjacent river walkways.

Marienberg Fortress Würzburg

There is a long ridge above the Main River in Würzburg known as Marienberg or the Frauen Berg. At an elevation  of around 100 meters is the Marienberg Fortress with a good view over the historical center. On an adjacent hill is the Marienkapelle or Marien Chapel. As an ideal defensible location, this location had some sort of settlement going back into antiquity. The oldest remaining part of the often expanded structure goes back to 704 A. D. From 1253 until 1719 the Marienberg was occupied by the count-bishop of Würzburg although also occupied by the Swedes 1631 – 1648 during the 30 year war. In the 18 hundreds the Prussian army took the Marienberg and turned it over to the Bavarian monarchy. There is a museum in the fortress which can be visited. Unfortunately, the only picture I got of chapel that belongs to the fortress located on the next hill is almost unrecognizable as I was shooting into the sun.

Nuremberg, Bavaria southern Germany

Nuremberg, known as Nürnberg in German, is a good sized city with over 526,000 inhabitants but has the feel of being even larger as it is the center of a metropolis including the nearby cities of Fürth, Erlangen and Schwabach. It was a significant center for the Nazi movement and it was a symbolic move that the Nuremberg trials were thus held there. On the other hand, as a symbol of forgiveness trying to go forward rather than just punish the population, there was a great effort to reconstruct the damages from the war and many historical buildings have been preserved while in similar cases elsewhere building were just razed and built a new.

I performed multiple times in Nuremberg in the distant past but never explored the city extensively or took pictures until I made these in June 2024. The main train station is very extensive and a majestic construction but unfortunately a meeting place for many junkies and bums and not the place to unnecessarily hang around at. Just across the street from the station one sees the Frauentorturm or womans’s gate tower and fortress known as the Handwerkerhof or handworkers courtyard. Extensive old city walls with a deep dry moat extend from there. Within the Handwerkerhof are cafes and shops where once craftsmen once prevailed. But according to a sign at the main entrance, it was earlier called the Waffenhof or weapons courtyard, which fits to its heavy fortification

Nuremberg, Operhaus, Zeughaus, St. Lorenzkirche, Lorenzplatz

Having seen the Handwerkerhof and following the old city walls west one comes to the Operhaus or opera house.  Heading north through more of a shopping area we passed the Zeughaus which is cornered in front by 2 towers and is now a police station. Earlier it was part of the old city fortifications and used to store weapons. Once flanked by granaries, the rest of the walls in this section are gone.

Continuing north one comes to the Lorenzplalz dominated by the large St. Lorenzkirche (St. Lorenz church)  at the intersection of the 2 most important pedestrian street the Karolinenstrasse and the Königstrasse (Kings street). Diagonal from the NW corner of the Lorenz church is an impressive building known as the Nassauerhaus. This was originally known as the  Schlüsselfelderisches Stiftungshaus when built in the 1300’s but later mistakenly named after a German king Nassau who owned some nearby properties but not this one. It has a sundial on one side and very intricate window on another side.

Nuremberg, Operhaus, Zeughaus, Weißer Turm

From Lorenzplatz we took a U-bahn west train to the nearby by city of Fürth for a quick look-around. Retruning we took teh same line and got out one stop before the Lorenz  stop at the Weißer Turm or white tower that guarded a city gate. On one side of the tower is an elaborate sculpture and fountain. On the other side is an old building housing the Paulus Buchhandlung or (pope) Paul bookstore next door to the St. Elisabeth Catholic Church and across the St. Jacobs protestant church.

Nürnberg; Albrecht Dürer memorial + birth house, Tiergärtnertorturm

North from the Sebaldus church one sees a statue of Albrecht Dürer a renowned German artist and mathematician. A few hundred meters farther is a large plaza where his birth house, now a museum is located. Thre are some impressive other historical buildings here including the Pilatushaus with it’s statue of a knight killing a dragon and across from it a restaurant pub known as the “Zum Albrecht Dürer Haus”. This is all nestled under the view of the Tiergärtnertorturm or animal garden gate tower, part of the city wall fortification that connects here to the Kaiserburg castle.

Nuremberg; Kaiserburg castle, Sinwellturm, Heidenturm

One goes through the Teirgärtnertor gate under the tower and has impressive walls and moats to the north entrance to the Kaiserburg castle complex with great views over the old city center. Within the caslte complex are shops, a museum, a chapel and multiple towers including the Sinwellturm and Heidenturm. Unfortuantely, we had no time to go inside any of these structures.

Nuremberg; Königstrassemauer, Blue K Tor

Heading back to the main train station, by the Frauentorturm we ended our site seeing with a diversion NE down a narrow street called the Königstormauer or King’s gate wall, a continuation of the old city walls including another small tower. On Google maps it is listed as the Blue K tower but I didn’t find any specific information about it.

Munich, Bavaria

Munich is the third largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg and the capital of the southeastern region of Bavaria. I’ve spent a lot of time there over the years, mostly in years past when I was working the streets. I’ve had a some stress with the local conservative Bavarian mentality but it is also very cosmopolitan and a lot to see. I have photos of me juggling in the pedestrian streets in the center but never really took tourist photos of the sites. The photos I am including below were from the European Juggling Convention held in Munich in 2011. It was held at the Olympic Park site which includes various halls and sports facilities which were set up for the Olympics in 1972. The official attendance for the EJC was 7200 making it until now the largest ever gathering of jugglers world-wide.

Although the convention attracted a good number of top juggler there were a number of complaints. It seems the police were often around to make sure everyone was following all of the rules, which turned some people off. The other problem was that the park is so big. We used not just various buildings but there were tents set up and many things happening outdoors. I had a bicycle with me but it was still a long ways between different activities spread out over the site.

Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg’s oldest city

In early September 2024 we stopped for some hours in Rottweil which is about 80 kilometers south of Stuttgart. It only has 25,000 inhabitants and the old center situated on a high hill is rather compact. The architectural style is unusual for Germany and was strongly influenced by close ties to Switzerland in the middle ages. Some notable buildings are the old city hall across from the tourist information. One of the major streets in the old city is the Hochbrücktorstrasse or high bridge gate street whr3e many of the following photos were taken. The perpendicular Hauptstrasse or main street is also significant; half of it being a pedestrian zone where the Apostelbrunnen or Apostle Fountain, old city hall and city museum are located. At the upper end is the iconic Schwarzes Tor or Black Gate a remnant of the early city fortifications. In front of the museum and the black gate are also statutes of a Rottweiler dog, which make the name Rottweil recognizable world-wide.

I had a good impression of Rottweil although it has a reputation of being rather conservative with some questionable history. It has a very traditional carnival celebration with scary witch costumes being prevalent. Kind of ironic since from 1546 – 1661, 266 people, mostly woman were convicted of witchcraft and either burned or beheaded. And it only took 400 years before they were posthumously.pardoned.

Rottweil Heilig-Kreuz Münster Cathedral, Kapellenkirche

In a side street near the upper Hauptstrasse is the Cathedral known as the Heilig-Kreuz Münster. It is the most important Catholic Church in town. Farther down the Hauptstrasse across the large Hochbrücktorstrasse just off a block is the Kapellenkirche or chapel church which is even older, higher in my opinion more interesting although it was partially obstructed by scaffolding when we were there.  But the church tower stands out on the city skyline – contrasting to the modern tower a few kilometers away which is an elevator testing-tower from the Thysen-Krupps company. Both can be seen well from the Hochbrücke or high bridge at the beginning of the Hochbrückestrasse.

Freiburg, southwestern Baden-Württemberg

Freiburg is known as one of the most alternative cities in Germany. Pretty much in the southwestern corner of the country it is a University town surrounded by some of the Black Forest’s nicest scenery. Despite the mountains, it has the warmest climate in the country. Back in my street performing days used to occasionally go there to play on the Augustiner Platz which was one of the best pitches ever. I always had huge responsive audiences and did good hats despite the high ratio of students. The problem was that there was always a large contingency of punks that also hung out there yelling around, begging, throwing bottles and pissing in public. The city decided the solution would be to disallow street performing after 6 pm which was before people even showed up. The theory was that with no shows there would be little reason for people to hang around on this plaza. The result was that there was no longer a really good place for performers and the punks, who weren’t there for the shows anyway remained.

The other reason to go to Freiburg is the Kulturbörse, the largest performing arts showcase in Germany. I twice had a stand there but didn’t find it cost effective without having a performance on one of the stages. But the stages, which are ideal for comedians and magicians, are not really the best place to present a show relying on and audience participation or improvisation. The spontaneous reaction to things like someone going through my show with a baby carriage or dog, or eating an ice cream cone are often the highlight of my performance and just don’t happen on a stage in a hall. But the event is also a place to see shows, meet new people and run into performer colleagues and friends. I never really bothered to take any photos in Freiburg until Jan 2019 when I went back to the Kulturebörse for my first visit in a good 5 or 6 years absence. I didn’t take any photos at the event but did manage a couple of shots of the old city center including a couple of towers, Schwabentor and Martinstor, that would have ringed the early city fortifications.

Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg, Southern Germany

South of Stuttgart at the Swiss and Austrian borders is the Bodensee, Germany’s largest lake. It is a very pleasant place to swim, sail or bike ride. There are some very pretty towns along Bodensee but I never bothered to take photos despite spending a lot of time over the years performing and relaxing. There is also a historical pretty town about 18 KM north of Bodensee called Ravensburg. This is a collection of photos from the city center taken in 2019.

Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg, Bodensee Southern Germany

Konstanz is a lovely university city of over 85,000 in the southwestern part of Germany at the border to Switzerland. The Bodensee aka Lake Konstanz is the largest fresh water lake in Germany and also borders a small section of Austria. The Rhine River flows out of the Bodensee and the historical old center of Konstanz is actually on the south side of this junction; an enclave on otherwise Swiss territory. Coming from the train station there is now a nearby large shopping center called Lagos right at the border. Convenient since the residents  of the Swiss town of Kreuzlingen on the other side refer to Konstanz as “downtown” and being significantly cheaper is where they do most of their shopping. A few hundred meters away is the Schnetztor, a tower with a gate to the city an iconic remnant of the old city fortifications. Through the gateway and one is in the Hussenstrasse, one of the major pedestrian streets. It’s a mix of modern and historical buildings.

Old city hall, Marktstätte, Kaiserbrunnen

At the corner of Hussenstr. and Kanzleistrasee is an old pharmacy. Going east from here one passes the elaborately painted old city hall or Altes Rathaus before one comes to the Kaiserbrunnen or “kings fountain”  with its many unusual statues at the edge of the Marktstätte or central market place. In the late 1980s, ‘90s and even into the ‘00s. I was often there to make street performances.

Konstanz Habor, Konzil, City Garden, Imperia

Going under a passageway from the Marktstätte one comes in the harbor area. Multiple ferries to various destinations around the Bodensee leave from here. In direction Switzerland is the tourist infomation office, the train station again and an area with multiple beer gardens and further on an Aquarium called Sealife. In the other direction is the Stadtgarten or city gardens with a band-shell for performances. In the middle by the ferries and rental paddle-boats is a large statue to a son of Konstanz the count Zeppelin and an even larger statute called the Imperia, which is a rotating female figure with upraised arms holding figures of a naked man in each hand. There is a large historical building called the Konzil that now houses a cafe on the ground floor.

Konstanz Stadttheater, Rheinsteig, Rheintorturm, Pulverturm, Rhine River

Leaving the city garden one passes the city theater or Stadttheater to teh left and on the right a large monastery that is now a hotel is at the junction where the Rhine River flows out of the sea. Here one sees the main bridge over the Rhine and going west along the river bank one sees the Rheintorturm which is a historical tower that was one of the city’s most important fortifications. Nearby is the Pulverturm which specifically was used to store armaments. There are a number of statues along the banks here and a bicycle and pedestrian bridge the north side of which is a popular swimming place right in the city including a free sun-lotion dispenser. One is not supposed to jump off of the bridge since many boats pass underneath but the young and daring seem to ignore this risk.