Why I Love Tubingen, Germany.

Last September, my husband Bill and I returned to the United States after a two year stint living near Tübingen, Germany. We were in Germany because Bill was posted in Stuttgart with the U.S. Army. Bill and I didn't know a thing about Tubingen before we went to Germany, but ended up renting a house in the nearby town of Pfaffingen. I remember being kind of disappointed that we weren't going to be closer to Stuttgart, but as it turned out, Pfaffingen was a real treat... especially since it was so close to Tubingen, which turned out to be a great town.

Where is Tubingen?

Tubingen is located about 30 miles southwest of Stuttgart, in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. It's well-known for being a university town; indeed, this is where the University of Tubingen is located. Its most recent population was estimated to be approximately 85,000 people, about 22,000 of which are university students. It's a small, charming city that enjoys proximity to the Swabian Alb mountains and the Ammer, Steinlach, and Neckar Rivers.

History

Tubingen has a long, colorful history. The area was settled in the 12th milennium B.C. and the city itself has a history that dates back to the 6th or 7th century.

Why I love Tubingen

I will always have a special place in my heart for Tubingen, because it's an incredibly beautiful, yet untouristed German city. Bill and I used to park our car at the Konig parking garage and walk into Tubingen's old city, meandering along the cobblestones and enjoying the quaint little shops and fine restaurants situated there. Because it's a university town, there are a lot of young people in Tubingen.

The town was not badly affected by World War II, so there are many old, charming buildings there that date back hundreds of years. Indeed, Tubingen boasts one of the best preserved old towns in all of Germany. The streets are bordered by canals that lead to the nearby Neckar River, which flows through the town. There are also lots of stairways that ease navigation through the city and to its impressive schloss (castle).

I love Tubingen for the fact that there is an excellent biergarten there. The Neckarmuller is a microbrewery/restaurant located right next to the river. During the summer, the restaurant opens a lovely outdoor area where patrons can buy beer and pretzels and sit at a long table, where the view of the river is enchanting. Bill and I spent many wonderful Saturday afternoons at the Neckarmuller sipping excellent brews and watching young men in gondolas take groups of people for a ride down the river.

Just across the street from the Neckarmuller, there's a lovely park that borders the river. Huge oak trees grow there and it's a great place to stroll at any time of the year.

Walk through the main cobblestoned drag of Tubingen and you will eventually reach the town square, where markets are held several times a week. The impressive rathaus (city hall) stands majestically to the west of the square. Its beautiful facade is the setting for many wedding pictures. Its cobblestoned streets are frequently the setting for many festivals.

Because Tubingen is a big university town, it's also the home of some very famous scholars. Friedrich Miescher, the first person to discover DNA called Tübingen home, as well as Alois Alzheimer, the neurologist who identified presenile dementia, a condition which was later named Alzheimer's Disease. And Pope Benedict XVI once served on the faculty at the University of Tubingen. Back then, he was known as Joseph Alois Ratzinger.

Personally...

I love Tubingen, not just for its place in history and because it was the biggest town closest to where I lived when I was in Germany. I love it because it's a beautiful place in a strategic area. The weather is usually very temperate and the city's hills make it easy to get a workout walking there.

Although Stuttgart is a larger and better known city, I would much prefer to spend time in Tubingen. It offers a castle, a museum, great shopping, fine restaurants, and a fantastic biergarten. Writing this article makes me miss Tubingen as if I were born there. It's a place I highly recommend to anyone who is headed to Baden-Württemberg for a visit or even to live, courtesy of the U.S. military.

For more information: http://www.tuebingen.de/