Memmingen's sights: Medieval flair in Unterallgäu

Embark on a journey through time to Memmingen: the town owes its local festival - the Fischertag - to the stream that meanders through the medieval alleys. The historic district town offers numerous historical attractions such as gates and towers. There is an adventure rally for families. Travel relaxed and inexpensive with the DB Regio Bayern ticket.

Off to the medieval town of Memmingen! The exciting journey back in time begins at the railway station. From there, it's a five-minute walk to the merchants' guild on Weinmarkt. This is where the 12 Articles - one of the first declarations of human rights in Europe - were written down almost 500 years ago. Turn right from Bahnhofstraße onto Maximilianstraße and cross Kramerstraße after about 350 metres. From here, continue straight ahead until you see the legendary listed building with the eye-catching mural on the right-hand side. The motif of this sight in Memmingen illustrates the historic moment when the 12 Articles were officially proclaimed.

Animal Memmingen: Storks on the roofs and fish in the middle of town

If you would like to learn more about this historic event, you can find out more about the background to March 1525 at the "City of Freedom" information point opposite the Kramer Guild. Then continue straight ahead onto Roßmarkt. It merges seamlessly into Schweizerberg Street. When you pass the yellow Schnabelhaus, it is worth looking up: High above the rooftops, there are two animal inhabitants to marvel at from February to the end of August: a nest with two storks that have regularly chosen the chimney as their home since 2012. Other pairs of storks also feel at home in Memmingen and regularly head for the city to breed here.

The town stream meanders through the winding alleys of the tranquil town. It adds to the charm of the townscape, is clearly one of Memmingen's attractions and is a bit reminiscent of Venice, especially in the summer months. The canal is also home to three to four thousand trout, which are fished out once a year by the locals with landing nets as part of the traditional Fishermen's Day. The most successful are crowned fishing queen or king. This entertaining spectacle is the largest local festival in Memmingen and attracts many visitors to Unterallgäu.

Now follow the next turn-off to the right onto Martin-Luther-Platz. The imposing Fugger Building awaits you there. The simple façade design impresses with its impressive dimensions and was built in 1581 by the famous Augsburg merchant family Fugger as a residential and warehouse building. During the 30 Years' War, the general Albrecht von Wallenstein and the Swedish king Gustav Adolf resided here for a time. From the inner courtyard you can watch the storks or take a look at the church of St. Martin. The park behind the Fugger Building with the equestrian statue of Duke Welf VI invites visitors to linger.

A museum on the highest building in the city

The discovery tour continues to the main church of St. Martin. The church is one of Memmingen's sights. It was built between 1325 and 1500, making it one of the oldest buildings in the city. The medieval basilica impresses with its numerous well-preserved works of art, such as the elaborately carved Gothic choir stalls and the well-preserved frescoes. The highlight, in the truest sense of the word, is the church tower. It measures 66 metres and is the tallest building in the city. Guided tours of the tower are offered from May to October. As you climb the 240 steps, you will learn interesting facts about the tower and the daily work of the tower guards. Once at the top, a unique view over the roofs of Memmingen's old town awaits you. On a clear day, you can even catch a glimpse of the Zugspitze. The chamber of the former tower keeper has been converted into a small museum and houses numerous historical objects from that time.

Time out in French and cultural treasures on the market square

As soon as you have solid ground under your feet again, turn right from Herrenstraße onto Zangenmeisterstraße. After 200 metres, on your way to the next sight in the direction of the market square, treat yourself to a short break at the Café and Bistro Bienvenue: here French flair meets attention to detail. Visitors can choose between homemade cakes and tarts and hearty delicacies such as tarte flambée or quiches. Freshly fortified, the tour continues straight ahead across the Memminger Ach stream to the market square. Here you will see the magnificent, gleaming white Renaissance façade of the multi-storey town hall built in 1589, also one of Memmingen's top sights. In contrast, the spacious wheelhouse with its warm ochre tones and playful paintings exudes a Mediterranean atmosphere.

Medieval tour for families

Cultural programme for the whole family. The town of Memmingen has the right event for this: the Adventure Rally. There are a total of 16 questions to be answered about Memmingen's buildings and squares, and this is a fun way to get to know the historic old town. Pick up the questionnaire at the Tourist Information on the market square and off you go on your city adventure. At the end, a little surprise awaits the diligent explorers at the Tourist Information. The rally is designed for children up to ten years of age and lasts about 1.5 hours.

The crowning glory: hearty food and a unicorn

Just 50 metres from the market square, in Kramerstraße, you will find the traditional Zur Blauen Traube inn, one of Memmingen's attractions. This cosy, rustic pub is housed in a building that is almost 400 years old and was originally a post office with a horse stable and a bar for carriage drivers. The menu includes regional, hearty dishes such as pork knuckle or steak dishes, but also vegetarian dishes such as Kässpatzen and homemade dumplings. On sunny days, the spacious beer garden in the heart of Memmingen's old town invites you to feast and linger.

A little culture to round off the day? - Then use the way back to pay a visit to Memmingen's sightseeing attraction, the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady ) in the weavers' and tanners' quarter. It is one of the oldest churches in Upper Swabia and famous, among other things, for its depiction of a unicorn hunt. On the church forecourt of the three-nave basilica, a unicorn statue symbolises the extraordinary fresco in the Frauenkirche. Follow Kramerstraße towards Weinmarkt and after 350 metres turn left into Hirschgasse. After 100 metres, cross the Memminger Ach and turn right onto Vordere Gerbergasse. From here, walk directly towards the Einhorn. Walk a few more steps in the idyllic Reichshainpark directly opposite on Steinbogenstraße before turning onto Bahnhofstraße to return by train after an eventful day.