The best city hikes and walks around Donauwörth

Via Claudia Augusta in

Since the 1990s, Klappi the stork and his family have been breeding and overwintering on the roof of the Holy Cross Monastery. The monastery church contains the tomb of Maria of Brabant, who was beheaded in 1256 on the orders of her husband, Duke Louis the Strict. A special relic can also be found in the crypt chapel: fragments of the True Cross.

The Dyer's Gate in Donauwörth, a town in the Swabian district of Donau-Ries in Bavaria, was built in the second half of the 15th century. The city gate, located at Kugelplatz 24, is a protected historical monument in Bavaria. The three-story tower was part of the town's fortifications, most of which were demolished in the 19th century. It has a slightly projecting upper story constructed of timber framing, which was plastered over for a long time. The gable roof has two hipped ends. The segmental arched gateway leads to the Wörnitz River. Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A4rbertor_(Donauw%C3%B6rth)

The Fugger House in Donauwörth, a town in the Swabian district of Donau-Ries in Bavaria, was built in the 16th century. The building at Heilig-Kreuz-Straße 1/Pflegstraße 2 is a listed historical monument. In 1536, Anton Fugger (the new lord of the Imperial Bailiwick of Wörth) purchased the house that had been the residence of the imperial bailiff and, starting in 1537, commissioned the construction of a prestigious new building on the site. The plans were drawn up by the master builder Quirin Knoll. Due to war damage, the building had to be restored after 1945. The district administration office of the Donau-Ries district has been located in the building for some time. The two-story Renaissance building with high, crenellated gables features a vaulted vestibule with a staircase on the ground floor. The upper floor has a portal jamb dated 1539. Parts of the magnificent interior furnishings are housed in the Bavarian National Museum in Munich. Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuggerhaus_(Donauw%C3%B6rth)

The History of the Dance Hall You can find an overview of the Dance Hall's history over the past centuries here. The current building dates from the 1970s. However, a dance hall can be traced back to this location in the city's history as far back as the Late Middle Ages: Around 1400, the city built a department store in the heart of the economic center. Its exact interior appearance is largely unknown, but according to a later source, it likely featured a large hall that encompassed the entire upper floor. In front of it lay the main road with its surrounding commercial buildings and market squares. Goods were stored and traded there during supra-regional (annual) markets, and meat, grain, and bread were sold centrally on the ground floor. Comparable buildings can be found in other cities. Through storage fees, taxes, and rental income, the Donauwörth department store contributed a significant portion to the city's budget for centuries. At the same time, the department store was a hub for social events in Donauwörth. Due to the celebrations and dances held there, it was named the "Dance House." As in many other cities, it housed the largest hall. Moreover, at the time of its construction, it was the most significant Gothic building in Donauwörth. The city continually undertook maintenance and modernization measures, and changes in its use also necessitated adaptations. Furthermore, the building was partially destroyed several times during wars throughout its history, but was always rebuilt. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Dance House also housed a theater and various schools. The air raids on Donauwörth in April 1945 largely destroyed the Dance House shortly before the end of World War II. The remaining fragments of the outer walls were subsequently demolished during the clearing operations on Reichsstraße. In 1949, as part of the reconstruction efforts, a plan was developed to have a company construct a building with shops, a cinema, and apartments on the vacant lot. Due to a lack of interested parties, the city erected a simple brick building with a cinema and retail space that same year. To create a central town hall, the building was to be expanded upwards. The city council passed a corresponding resolution in 1970. ... Dr. Cathrin Hermann, City Archives Source: https://www.donauwoerth.de/tanzhaus/tanzhaus-historie/

The Minster of Our Lady is a Roman Catholic parish church in Donauwörth. It belongs to the parish community of Donauwörth in the Donauwörth deanery of the Diocese of Augsburg. The site of the present church was previously occupied by St. Ulrich's Church, built in the 11th century. Construction of the current three-aisled, late Gothic hall church began in 1444 under the city architect Hans Knebel. Brick was used as the building material. When a side aisle collapsed in the 13th year of construction, Hans Knebel had to relinquish responsibility for the building to Ulrich Walther of Augsburg, who completed the church. On December 4, 1467, after 23 years of construction, the church was consecrated by Jodok Seitz, Auxiliary Bishop of Augsburg. In 1607, the church was recatholicized. Until 1732, the minster's tower, which houses five bells, was adorned with a Gothic spire. However, this was destroyed twice by lightning strikes and replaced by a low pyramidal roof. In 1938, frescoes were uncovered that presumably date from the time of construction. During the air raids on Donauwörth towards the end of the Second World War on April 11 and 19, 1945, the Minster suffered severe damage. The west facade was ripped open by a high-explosive bomb, the star vaults and tracery windows in the chancel were partially destroyed, the Herrgottsruhe Chapel was completely destroyed, and the Gothic tabernacle was severely damaged. Initial stabilization work was carried out in 1945, and restoration work was carried out by the Siebinger company until 1952. In 1953, the tower was restored, including the removal of the plaster. Exterior renovations took place from 1981 to 1986 and again in 2012. The last interior renovation was carried out from 1987 to 1991; during this time, the high altar with an ambo made of gray shell limestone was created by the sculptor Franz Hämmerle from Windach. The 57-meter-high church tower can be climbed as part of a guided tour, ascending 218 steps to the viewing gallery at the tower keeper's room. Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebfrauenm%C3%BCnster_(Donauw%C3%B6rth)

Beautiful view of the Wörnitz river 🌊 and the town of Donauwörth - Donau-Ries district

Beautiful truss bridge - railway bridge 🚂 - Donauwörth–Treuchtlingen railway line - Donauwörth - Donau-Ries district