Ravensburg’s history Trade and commerce enjoy a long High above the town, tradition in Ravensburg. Conveniently Ravensburg’s dazzling located at the crossroads of two inter - white landmark, the national trade routes, the free imperial Mehlsack, rises up. city grew into one of the most important Built in 1425, the tower trading towns in Swabia in the 14th was named “Mehlsack” century. Ravensburg experienced its or “flour bag” because heyday at the end of the Middle Ages, of its distinctive round in particular in the 14th and 15th shape and white plaster - centuries. work. During this time, the city of Ravensburg amassed wealth and riches thanks to its flourishing linen and textile trade and paper making industry. Many of the large buildings that still shape the face of the old town were constructed around this time. The Great Ravens - burg Trading Society maintained trade relations throughout Europe and as far as Spain and the Netherlands. It was made up of members of aristocratic patrician families and merchants. The gravestone of Henggi Humpis, a foun - der of the company who died in 1429, is one of the oldest of its kind in Ger - many and can be found in the chapel of the Protestant church. The town’s roots go back even further: From the 11th century, a settlement evolved at the foot of Ravensburg castle, the former ancestral seat of the Guelph family. The town earned its market rights early on and became a free Imperial city in 1276. Right up to the 30-Years War, Ravensburg enjoyed comfortable prosperity, and even arti - sans were able to make a good living The Veitsburg – first there. Ravens burg was one of the first mentioned in 1088 – towns in Germany where paper was is today a viewpoint manufactured. worth visiting Museum quarter Museum Humpis-Quartier The Humpis-Quartier is one of the best- preserved late medieval residential quar - Guided tour: Thurs 6 pm, last Sun in the month 11 am ters in southern Germany. The Humpis www.museum-humpis-quartier.d e merchant family gave this group of buil - dings its present form in the 15th cen - tury. The museum is an unusual place Museum Ravensburger in which the town’s history and culture from the 11th to the 21st century can be Ravensburg is famous the world over for experienced in an authentic ambience. games, jigsaw puzzles and children’s The quarter com prising seven buildings books. You would have to look hard to presents an ex citing world that is wai - find a child's room that does not have ting to be disco vered. Visitors can take a toy or game with Ravensburger's a journey back into the Middle Ages trademark blue triangle on it. The com - through almost 60 rooms, lofts and ba - pany’s headquarters are located in the sements, before arriving back in the heart of the old town and are home to present day. New in the museum: the new Museum Discovery rooms on the topic of “The Ravensburger. Swabian Children” and “In Clothes Visitors can enjoy Contact”. an interactive jour - ney through the Ravensburg Museum company’s history of Economics and the world of Ravens burger products. www.museum-ravensburger.de e k m o l Z h c i r n y Ravensburg W © Art Museum : o t o F Works from the collections of Peter and The Foundation of the Kreissparkasse Gudrun Selinka are presented on some Ravensburg is breaking new ground 900 m 2 of exhibition space. They include with its own exhibition hall. Visitors can works by German expressionists and the look forward to exciting stories about Cobra and Spur groups of artists. Fur - the economy from the last 200 years. thermore, the Art Six theme areas with multimedia dis - Museum presents plays explain new interrelationships. top-class tempora - Why did cows come to the Allgäu regi - ry exhibitions on on? And why did a company that made classic modernism whips and ski poles suddenly start ma - and contemporary king caravans? Come and find out! art. Extensive pro - gramme of events, Guided tour: every second Sun in the month 2 pm also for children www.wirtschaftsmuseum-ravensburg.de and teenagers. Guided tour: Sun 3 pm, first Thurs in the month 7 pm www.kunstmuseum-ravensburg.de Ravensburg – City of Towers and Gates Ravensburg’s numerous towers can be seen from a great distance. The old trading centre boasts over a dozen of the - se edifices that give the town its nickname of “The city of Towers and Gates”. Most were built in the 14th and 15th centuries. They vary greatly in shape and design: some are angular, some semicircular or circular – depend ing on what served best to defend the town. A walk through the narrow streets and alleys of the old town reveals well-preserved evi - dence of the town’s rich history. Guided tours The Tourist Information organizes guided tours for groups in English. Take a trip through historical Ravensburg, experience the most important epochs and explore the town’s sights in this 90 minute tour. Price per group (up to 25 people) 80 EUR. Climb the towers Blaserturm: 12 April to 5 October every day from 11 am to 4 pm Mehlsack: 3 August to 28 September Saturday/Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Obertor (Upper Gate) This gate is presumably Ravensburg museum district the town’s oldest and was rebuilt in 1431/32. Four new museums at The “poor sinners’ bell” the heart of the upper high up in the gable of town: Humpis-Quartier the 42 m high tower Museum, Ravensburger used to be rung during Museum, Ravensburg executions. Museum of Economics, and Ravensburg Art Museum. Schellenberger Tower Schellenberger Tower Liebfrauenkirche has been a ruin since it (Church of Our Lady) was hit by lightning in the 17th or 18th century. It is nicknamed “Katzen- liesele’s tower” after an old woman who used to live in the ruin with her cats. The Liebfrauenkirche was built in the 14th century in the Gothic style. A beautiful tympa - num on the western portal portrays the life of Frauentor the Virgin Mary. (Lady’s Gate) The Frauentor was built as part of the town’s fortifications in the 14th century. Pitch was poured down from the Grüner Turm (Green Tower) machicolation high up Town Hall on the 36m tower. It This tower was built in was completely rebuilt the early 15th century following a devastating and owes its name to its fire in 1982. green roof tiles. Unlike Ravensburg’s other mediaeval towers it has a round shape with a pointed pinnacle and small windows under a hipped gable roof. The tower is open Mehlsack from 3 Aug. to 28 Sep. (“Flour Bag”) Saturday/Sunday 11 am to 4 pm Blaserturm (Trumpeter’s Tower) M a t th ä u s M e r ia n , 1 6 2 3 The tower ist open from 12 April to 5 Oct. every day from 11 am to 4 pm Grain from all over Up - per Swabia was traded With its flat raftered ceiling in the municipal corn and simple mon umental house, called the forms, this church that “Schranne“, up to the dates back to 1349 fea - 20th century. Today, the tures the typical archi - building that dates back tecture of the mendicant to 1451/1452 houses order and was formerly the town library. a Carmelite monastery. Kornhaus (Corn House) Evangelische Stadtkirche (Protestant church) Spitalturm Untertor (Lower Gate) The Untertor was built in 1363 as part of the town’s fortifications. Like The Seelhaus was found - the Frauentor, this gate ed in 1408 as a refuge has a machicolation to for pilgrims. The Leder - defend it against attacks. haus was built in 1400 Seelhaus for shoemakers, saddlers and Lederhaus and tanners to sell their (Almshouse and wares and was expand - Leather House) ed in 1512/13. Church of St. Jodok Gemalter Tur This church was built by (Painted Tower) the city of Ravensburg and Weißenau Monastery This tower that dates as a parish church in back to the 15th century 1385. The unplastered, is named after the former three-nave basilica has ornamental paintings retained its original char - that adorned it (diamond acter even today. patterns and coats of arms). In 1985 the paint - ings were restored. Publisher: City of Ravensburg Photos: Tourist information Ravensburg Cover picture: © Daniel Hartmann Layout: © 2013 d-werk Enjoy Ravensburg 2014 Ravensburg today Rising high above the roofs of Ravens - burg, the Blaserturm marks the town’s centre. From the top of the tower, visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside as far as Lake Constance and the Alps or look down on the brightly coloured roofs of the old town below. Down on the town’s main square Marienplatz, the narrow streets Enjoy the southern at - and alleys round about teem with life. mosphere in Ravens - People stroll through the traffic-free burg’s numerous street square or relax in one of the many street cafés. cafés; young and old meet for a chat at the fountains. It is a colourful pageant in which people lingering at leisure mingle with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In the warm months of the year, Ra - vensburg exudes a Mediterranean flair. Shopping in Ravensburg The former free Imperial city of Ravens - burg with 50,000 inhabitants, nestled in the heart of the countryside between the Allgäu region and Lake Constance, is still the region’s economic centre. As in former times, when Ravensburg was a thriving trading town, it is now the shopping hub of Upper Swabia.