Small Towns of Germany

The 10th-century royal palace became a prosperous imperial and Hanseatic city. Even today the Mühlhausen wall, the town hall, eleven Gothic churches and many stone and half-timbered houses characterize the urban landscape. The sermons of the radical reformer Thomas Müntzer made Mühlhausen in 1524/25 a center of peasant reform and warfare. Since the 16th century, poets and composers have made the city a place of worship for Protestant church music, the highlight of which was the work of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Even a short stroll illustrates how the historic center of Stade has been beautifully restored. Many small stores invite you to shop. In the place where ships were long ago loaded and unloaded, today you can find small shops, bars and cafes with inviting summer terraces at the water's edge.

Meißen owes its founding to the German king Henry I, who had a castle built in 929. In 1423, Meißen became the capital of the Saxon electors. The city is therefore considered the birthplace of Saxony. Countless grandiose monuments bear witness to this. Meißen is also a wine city. In the steep mountains of one of Germany's smallest wine regions, there are delicious wines - another landmark of the thousand-year-old city on the Elbe River.

The location on the old trade route between Frankfurt and Leipzig has brought wealth to the city of Alsfeld. This can be admired today in the streets and alleys of the small town. With more than 400 preserved half-timbered houses, Alsfeld is considered a "European model town for monument protection".

Nowhere else in Germany half-timbered houses are ordered as accurately as in Freudenberg. The main reason for this is that they were rebuilt after a fire in 1666 as a joint complex. The "Old Spot", which is the name of the historic center of Freudenberg, is still as neatly aligned as on a chessboard, as it was created in the 17th century.

Hannoversch Münden or simply Hann. Münden, with its idyllic location on the three rivers Fulda, Werra and Weser and the more than 700 half-timbered houses from six centuries, invites you to discover history live. Magnificent half-timbered buildings, defense towers, the castle of the Welf noble family and the old town hall are a reflection of the rich commercial city on the water's edge.

Wismar has the largest market square in northern Germany, many beautiful old churches and a charming old town, which invites you to take a stroll. The Fürstenhof Palace still stands as an impressive witness of the period when the Dukes of Mecklenburg ruled the city. However, Wismar's landmark is the tower of St. Mary's Church. From a height of 80 m visitors have a fantastic view over the ancient Hanseatic city.

Where the river Tanger flows into the river Elbe lies Tangermünde, the "jewel of the Altmark". The small town in the central German Altmark region has a history of almost 1,000 years. Brick buildings, an almost closed, sometimes massive wall with defensive gates, the castle complex and the multitude of half-timbered houses give Tangermünde a unique charm.

The picturesque town of Heppenheim lies in the gentle vineyards between the Odenwald mountains and the Rhine river plain. The urban landscape is characterized by numerous half-timbered houses. The historic market square, with the luxuriously restored town hall, is one of the most beautiful in the German federal state of Hessen. In total, Heppenheim is home to more than 400 designated cultural monuments – including Starkenburg Castle, which rises above the old town on Mount Schlossberg.

The old city of Goslar is located in the beautiful nature of the central German Harz region. Its special historical flair and cultural treasures make the imperial city a magnet for many visitors from near and far. Impressive views, churches and museums are a special experience (not only) for culture enthusiasts. But even those who just want to rest on vacation have the right place in Goslar. The unique atmosphere in the narrow medieval streets or the lively market square with its cafes invites you to stroll and enjoy.

No other city in the Moselle Valley receives as many visitors from all over the world as the twin city of Bernkastel-Kues. The picturesque old town of Bernkastel invites you with its many beautiful half-timbered houses from the Middle Ages and attractions such as the historic market square or the Landshut castle ruins to stroll and explore. In the Kues district, however, you will find many wine producers and wine bars.

The former free imperial city of Lindau is located on the northeastern shore of Lake Constance, with its historic center on the island of Lindau. Although the island is connected to the mainland (Bavaria) via a combined railway and road bridge, the "pearl of Lake Constance", as Lindau is also called, has largely retained its medieval character.

Quedlinburg is located in the northeast of the central German Harz region and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city received the title for its beautiful historic center, where more than 2,000 eight-century-old half-timbered houses line the streets and alleys. Gothic and Romanesque churches characterize the well-preserved medieval landscape, which is dominated by the Renaissance castle and the church of Saint Servatius with its twin towers.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a symbol of German romanticism, with its historic center largely preserved. The medieval old town, with its completely preserved city wall and its 42 gates and defense towers that characterize Rothenburg's skyline, takes visitors back to times gone by.

The small medieval town of Monschau is picturesquely nestled between the mountain slopes of the Belgian-German nature park Hohes Venn-Eifel. Restored half-timbered houses line Monschau's network of ancient alleys, creating a movie-ready setting. Particularly worth seeing is the so-called Red House, the former headquarters of the Scheibler textile dynasty and the Monschau mustard factory.

Wernigerode is also called the "colorful city in the Harz". With its colorful houses, the city lives up to its nickname, given by the poet Hermann Löns. In Wernigerode, life pulses. With countless cafes, restaurants and hotels, the city offers everything a tourist's heart desires. And all this embedded in a beautiful half-timbered setting, on which the imposing Wernigerode Castle stands.