Memmingen Travel Guide

Memmingen Stadtkreis
[ source: Flickr]

Memmingen Overview

Memmingen is a town in the Bavarian administrative region of Swabia in Germany. It is the central economic, educational and administrative centre in the Danube-Iller region. To the west the town is flanked by the Iller, the river that marks the Baden-Württemberg border. To the north, east and south the town is surrounded by the district of Unterallgäu (Lower Allgäu).

With about 42,000 inhabitants, Memmingen is the 5th biggest town in the administrative region of Swabia. The origins of the town go back to the Roman Empire. The old town, with its many courtyards, castles and patricians' houses, palaces and fortifications is one of the best preserved in southern Germany. With good transport links by road, rail and air, it is the transport hub for Upper and Central Swabia, and the Allgäu. Due to its proximity to the Allgäu region, Memmingen is often called the Gateway to the Allgäu (Tor zum Allgäu). The town motto is Memmingen – Stadt mit Perspektiven (Memmingen - a town with perspectives). In recent times it has been frequently referred to as Memmingen – Stadt der Menschenrechte (Memmingen - the town of human rights). This alludes to the Twelve Articles, considered to be the first written set of human rights in Europe, which were penned in Memmingen in 1525. Every four years there is the Wallensteinfestspiel, with about 4,500 participants, one of the biggest historical reenactments in Europe. It commemorates the invasion by Wallenstein and his troops in 1630.

Things to See in Memmingen

The biggest museum in Memmingen is the Town Museum at the Hermannsbau. The town's history is described in its historical rooms. There is also a section covering the history of the Jewish people, who lived in Memmingen until 1939. Part of a Torah from the destroyed synagogue is on display there. The Freudenthal/Altvater Homeland Museum for refugees who have settled in Memmingen is also part of the town museum. It is one of 43 homeland museums recognized by the Ministry of the Interior. A foundation, founded and administered by the town, takes responsibility for the museum. The Antonier- and Strigelmuseum at the Antonierkloster have displayes of the wood carvings and paintings from the Strigel artist's family and the work of the Hospital Brothers of St. Anthony. The museum was opened in 1996. With donations from the Memminger Wohnungsbaugenossenschaft (MeWo) the MeWo-Kunsthalle (art hall) was opened in 2005 in the rooms of the old station postal depot. The museum has paintings from the Memmingen artists Max Unold and Josef Madlener as well as a rolling exhibition of other artists. Such an art gallery is unique in Middle and Upper Swabia. The former Kreuzherren monastery is used for rolling exhibitions.

The organ concerts in the St.-Martins-Church are famous in the region. Chamber music is performed in the former Kreuzherren monastery and also in some other buildings in Memmingen. There are several pubs, restaurants, wine taverns and cafés and also some discotheques in and around the City. The cultural center Kaminwerk (Chimney factory) hosts concerts, theater, program cinema, readings and special events.

Memmingen has considerable tourist interest, mainly because large areas of the medieval old town survived both World War II and the tasteless post-war reconstruction which has ruined many other German cities. There are ten city gates and towers and about two kilometres of the city wall. The old town contains many interesting houses of patricians, some in the baroque style. There are picturesque Streets with the Stadtbach (town river) alongside. There is a medieval market place, surrounded by the town hall, which is built in renaissance style, the Großzunft(Guildhouse) and the painted Steuerhaus (tax house). Also famous is St. Martin's church, built in gothic style with its over 500 year-old Choir and the 1996 restored Hospital Brothers of St. Anthony monastery (Antonierkloster), the oldest, best conserved and biggest of its kind. Most likely the oldest church in town is Unser Frauen (Church of Our Lady), also called Frauenkirche with significant frescos of the 15th and 16th century. Also the Seven Roof House, the baroque Kreuzherren monastery, the renovated whorehouse of the city, the Salzstadel (salt barn), the Kramerzunft (shopkeepers guild, also called the Twelve-Artice-House are sights in Memmingen. Not so well known is the Bismarck tower in the west of Memmingen. Beside the tower is the new soccer stadium.

[ source: wikipedia ]