Nördlingen

Medieval Times Meet Geology in the Ries Crater

Nördlingen is not only situated on the Romantic Road but also encircled by the only completely preserved town wall in Germany.  A walk on the 2.7-kilometer-long battlement parapet with its numerous gates and towers offers a lovely view of the charming and winding lanes.

If you climb the bell tower - affectionately called "Daniel" in the vernacular - of the late Gothic St. George's Church, you will meet a tower watchman even today.  And you will enjoy a wonderful panorama of the medieval town and the Ries. This one-of-a-kind landscape was created almost 15 million years ago by the impact of a meteorite. Learn more about this cosmic event and its geological consequences in the Ries Crater Museum.