Schwaebisch Hall: My 2nd Favorite City in Germany

If you haven’t heard of  Schwäbisch Hall you are not alone but don’t let it’s obscurity stop you from visiting.  Next to Maulbronn, Schwäbisch Hall is my favorite city in Germany.  It’s a historic town that once flourished with salt production dating back to the medieval times.    Schwäbisch Hall’s medieval roots are still visible by its towers, wooden bridges, Fachwerk houses (half-timber houses) cobble stone streets and partially preserved city wall.  Upon entering Schwäbisch Hall I felt like I was entering a time warp that threw me back 800 years.

I loved these colorful houses in the Marketplatz.

I found the varying architecture styles of Schwäbisch Hall fascinating, even more diverse thanapartments in Berlin. Next to the Fachwerk houses is a Baroque City Hall:

Baroque City Hall in Schwäbisch Hall 's Marketplatz.

Across from that is the Roman-Gothic St. Michael’s Church.  I was in awe of so many different architectural styles in one marketplatz!  St. Michael’s Church is worth a visit in itself.  I can normally be in and out of a church in a matter of minutes, but this one held my attention with its interesting artifacts, including a mass leg bone grave dating back from the middle ages.

The Roman-Gothic style of St. Michael's Church sits prominently in the marketplatz.

And more Fachwerk houses:
I find these houses with their  laundry hanging out to dry adorable.  They remind me of something straight out of a fairytale.  J.P. (my German husband) had another opinion and was mortified that I included the photo in this post.  I think they give Berlin apartments some serious competition in the housing market.  Perhaps they’re inhabited by some of the 2000+ students who study German at the renowned Goethe Institute.   I can’t think of a more picturesque setting for learning German.

Towers and wooden bridges are part of the charm of Schwäbisch Hall.

Apparently I’m not the only one who thinks that way since despite having a population of just under 40,000, Schwäbisch Hall residents represent over 100 different countries.  I don’t think I would want to leave after a couple of months of studying German here either.

Recycling at its most creative – using the old city walls for your new house.

Schwäbisch Hall’s motto is “preserve the old construct the new.” What better way to see it in action than by using the old city wall as a new wall for your house? It’s not everyday that you see a blending of the 11th century with the 21st century! Wandering around Schwäbisch Hall was one of the most enjoyable outings I’ve had in Germany, which is saying a lot as I go sightseeing almost every weekend. If you enjoy wandering around a place that is off the beaten path with an authentic slow town feel, you would probably enjoy an afternoon in Schwäbisch Hall. I liked it even better than Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which I also enjoyed, but it’s hard to compete with the obscurity of Schwäbisch Hall.

Schwäbisch Hall is located just over 90km NW of Stuttgart and 200kkm SW of Frankfurt.