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| Nordlinger Ries | ||
| federal state | Bavaria | |
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| Residents | unknown | |
no value for residents on Wikidata:  | ||
| height | unknown | |
| no value for height on Wikidata: | ||
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
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The Nordlinger Ries is a meteorite impact crater, a large circular depression to the west of Bavaria.
Regions
The ream lies between the Swabian Alb and the Franconian Alb. Most of it belongs to the Donau-Ries district in the administrative district Swabia, only a small peripheral area in the west lies on the Württemberg Eastern Alb.
places
Lying in the Bavarian part
- 1 Nordlingen
- 2 Deiningen
- 3 Harburg (Swabia)
- 4 Maihingen
- 5 Marktoffingen
- 6 Mönchsdeggingen
- 7 Oettingen in Bavaria
- 8 Reimlingen
- 9 Wallerstein
- 10 Wechingen
- 11 Wemding
Are on the Württemberg side
- 12 Bopfingen
- 13 Kirchheim am Ries
- 14 Riesbürg
Other goals
- Harburg Castle
- Baldern Castle
- Ruins of the Niederhaus and high-rise (near Hürnheim)
- Ofnet caves (between Ederheim and Nördlingen)
- Geotope Lindle and other adventure geotopes with nature trails
- Ipf near Bopfingen with the nearby Goldberg
background
14.6 million years ago an asteroid struck the Alb plateau. The resulting Nördlinger Ries is now almost 25 km in diameter. For a long time the crater was filled with water (the Ries lake) until it ripped open near Harburg and the water drained away. The Wörnitz still leaves the Ries here today.
For a long time it was assumed that the crater was created by a huge volcanic eruption. It was not until 1960 that the Suevite it can be determined that the boiler must have been caused by an impact.
The exact formation of the crater basin and the return of life after the impact is explained in detail in the Ries Crater Museum in Nördlingen.
getting there
Three federal highways lead to Nördlingen (B466, 29, 25). You can reach Nördlingen by train from Donauwörth and Aalen approximately every hour. The next motorway is the A7, approx. 30 km away (exit Westhausen or Nattheim)
mobility
In Ries, trains run every hour on the Riesbahn. Municipalities that are not on the railway line can be reached by bus, whereby one should pay attention to the school and vacation timetable as well as dial-a-bus connections.
Information is available on the homepage of Verkehrsgemeinschaft Donau-Ries evident.
Tourist Attractions
Cities
Nordlingen is the center of the Ries crater. The still fairly well-preserved old town is surrounded by Germany's only completely preserved and fully accessible city wall. A walk on the approximately 2.7 km long and almost completely covered battlement is particularly unique for children. During a circumnavigation you walk past five gates and eleven towers. You should definitely not miss the Gerberviertel. This is one of the largest and best preserved in all of Germany. During weddings, over 150 tanners were based in this district. Today the romantic tanner's houses, the museums in the quarter and a small Kneipp facility that is fed by the Eger are well worth seeing. The signposted historical tour, which leads to the most important sights, is practical. In addition to the city wall and the tanners' quarter, the bell tower is also part of it Daniel, St. Salvatorkirche and the pedestrian zone.
In Harburg In addition to the Stone Bridge and the Wörnitzufer, the castle above the city is a "must" for every visitor.
Wemding has a very well-kept old town with the two Unequal brothers downtown. The Maria Brünnlein pilgrimage church in the west of the city is also impressive. The circular hiking trail also runs here Legend trailwhich is one of the top hiking trails in the Holiday region Donau-Ries counts.
Museums
Since there are many small and large museums in Nördlinger Ries, only important or very interesting museums are mentioned below.
The Museum KulturLand Ries in Maihingen gives an exciting insight into the everyday culture of the Ries. Topics such as housing, household and medicine are dealt with. There is also a mom and pop shop, a hairdressing salon, a classroom and a dentist's practice. A second building shows agriculture between 1800 and 1950. The reapers festival takes place every year. Visitors to the museum can watch a grain harvest from earlier times that is true to the original, among other things.
in the Bavarian Railway Museum Over 200 originally preserved railway vehicles are on display in Nördlingen. Some steam locomotives even still work. These are used throughout the year for special trips to Gunzenhausen. A visit during the steam days is particularly recommended. Here the museum comes to life and visitors can look over the shoulders of the technicians, for example during vehicle repairs. In addition to the large railways, there is also a model railway system on display in an old railway carriage. This technical history museum is especially exciting for children.
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This is also located in Nördlingen Ries Crater Museum. The special geological museum deals with the effects of meteorite impacts, in particular using the example of the Ries crater. But not only the impact itself is explained precisely and at the same time understandably, but also how life returned to the crater after the impact. The highlight, however, comes at the very end of the exhibition: behind a glass showcase, you can marvel at a real piece of moon rock that astronauts from the city of Nördlingen have brought with them. Every year there are changing special exhibitions, such as 2019 about the moon landing. The offer is supplemented with a museum rally. The museum can also be visited by people in wheelchairs; it is completely barrier-free.
The Nördlinger city Museum shows a collection on the history of the city and the Thirty Years' War. In this museum, too, a new special exhibition awaits visitors every year.
In Oettingen that is Local museum worth seeing. This shows a permanent exhibition on the city's history on three floors. This museum is also barrier-free.
It is very small, but no less worth seeing Goldberg Museum in Goldburghausen. It documents the prehistoric and early historical settlement of the nearby Goldberg using tools and equipment from the Stone Age. You can visit it with a hike on the signposted Celtic way join one of the 17 top hiking trails in the Holiday region Donau-Ries is.
The Art Museum Donau-Ries in Wemding shows both paintings and sculptures by the artists Ernst Steinacker, Prof. Caspar Schlötter and Annette Steinacker-Holst. The museum also offers workshops on the topics covered.
Castles and Palaces
1 Harburg Castle (Harburg Castle), Burgstrasse 1, 86655 Harburg (Swabia). Tel.: 49 (0)9080 968 60, Fax: 49 (0)9080 96 86 66, Email: [email protected]. 
The Harburg is probably the highlight of all castles and palaces in the Ries crater. It is one of the best preserved castle complexes in southern Germany. The unique wooden eyes can also be examined during a tour. Guided tours of the castle take place during the season from mid-March to the end of October daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. by the Fürst zu Oettingen-Wallerstein Cultural Foundation. In addition, various special tours and other cultural events are offered, more on this in the Calendar of events.Open: Mon-Sun: 10: 00-17: 00.Methods of payment accepted: cash.
2 Oettingen Castle, Schlossstrasse 1. Tel.: 49 (0)9082 9694-24, Email: [email protected]. During the season from Palm Sunday to All Saints' Day, guided tours through the Residenzschloss are offered from Tuesday to Sunday at 2 p.m. There is also the possibility to visit the special exhibition "Hofgeschichten" together with a guided tour. Guided tours through the special exhibition on Sundays and public holidays at 2:30 p.m.
3 Baldern Castle. 
Baldern Castle is probably a masterpiece of baroque architecture. The castle contains one of the largest collections of weapons in Germany. These include exhibits from a total of 5 centuries.
That is in Reimlingen German Order Castle. Built in 1595, it was the headquarters of the imperial family at the Battle of the Albuch. Today, among other things, a conference center is housed in the castle. It is only open on request.
The Ruins of high-rise and low-rise buildings near Hürnheim are the remains of two impressive castles from the 12th and 13th centuries. The leads past the ruins Südries Panorama Trail, one of the top hiking trails in the Holiday region Donau-Ries.
The Flochberg castle ruins rises above Bopfingen. In 1648 it was besieged and blown up by the Swedish army. The remains have been preserved to this day.
Harburg Castle
Oettingen Residential Palace
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Baldern Castle
Reimlingen Castle
Niederhaus ruins
Ruin high-rise building
Flochberg castle ruins
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Churches and monasteries
Particularly worth seeing are:
Monastery ruins St. Peter (Christgarten), Catholic parish church St. Gallus (Fremdingen), Castle church St. Michael (Harburg), Former monastery and parish church of the Assumption of Mary (Kirchheim am Ries), Former monastery and monastery church of the Assumption of Mary (Maihingen), Former monastery of St. Martin (Mönchsdeggingen), Evangelical parish church St. Georg (Nördlingen), Catholic parish church St. Salvator (Nördlingen), pilgrimage basilica Maria Brünnlein (Wemding)
Christgarten Monastery
Mönchsdeggingen monastery church
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Maihingen monastery church with baroque organ
St. Georg in Nördlingen
Maria Brünnlein in Wemding
Kirchheim am Ries monastery
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Viewpoints
Heaven near the Ofnet caves, Goldberg near Goldburghausen, Ipf near Bopfingen, Burgfelsen Wallerstein, Hessenbühl near Wemding, Wennenberg near Alerheim, Bockberg near Harburg, Buchberg near Mönchsdeggingen
activities
hike
Through the Ries Geopark and the Holiday region Donau-Ries numerous hiking trails are signposted. Some are labeled as top hiking trails. These are particularly beautiful and signposted according to the criteria of the German Hiking Association.
| Name of the trail | length | Starting point | Tourist Attractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic way | 14.9 km | Kirchheim, Ipf | Kirchheim Monastery, Goldberg, Ipf |
| Schäferweg | 19.2 km | Nordlingen | Hexenfelsen, Ofnethöhlen, Alte Bürg, Geotop Lindle, Adlersberg |
| Südries panorama path | 15.5 km | Reimlingen, Ederheim | Reimlingen Castle, Geotop Lindle, ruins of high-rise and low-rise buildings |
| Oettinger Fürstenweg | 19.9 km | Oettingen | Hirschbrunn Hunting Lodge, Oettingen Ethnological Museum |
| Wörnitztal-Riesrandweg | 12.7 km | Oettingen, Hainsfarth | Ries-See-Kalke Hainsfahrt |
| Hill hike in the Kesseltal | 14.4 km | Thalheim | Hanseleshohl |
| Weiherweg | 13 km | Mönchsdeggingen | Hunger well, prelate pond, artificial forest |
| Eisbrunn circuit | 8.8 km | Eisbrunn | |
| Bock circuit | 9.4 km | Harburg | Bockberg, Harburg Castle |
| Monheimer Alb 17 | 9.7 km | Huisheim | Mariengrotte, Silbersee |
| Legend trail | 13.8 km | Wemding | Waldsee, Doosweiher, Hessenbühl, Maria Brünnlein |
| Name of the trail | length | Starting point | Tourist Attractions | Other Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jagstheim circular hiking trail | 5 km | Kirchheim, Jagstheim | Kirchheim Monastery | |
| Goldbergweg | 12 km | Utzmemmingen | Goldberg, Goldberg Museum | |
| Rieser Mühlenweg | 20 km | Bopfingen, Nordlingen | no circular route | |
| Albblickweg | 12 km | Utzmemmingen | Ofnethöhlen, Alte Bürg | |
| Residenzweg | 3.3 km | Wallerstein | Wallersteiner rocks | |
| Historical tour | 4.8 km | Nordlingen | Old town Nördlingen | |
| 7 hill way | 18 km | Alerheim | Wennenberg, witch's kitchen | |
| Schwedenweg | 25 km | Bopfingen, Ederheim | Albuch | no circular route |
| Monheimer Alb 16 | 13.5 km | Gosheim | Kalvarienberg, Gosheimer Weiher | |
| Monheimer Alb 18 | 8 kilometers | Huisheim | Dry grass slopes |
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The six adventure geotopes are expanded with educational trails.
| Name of the geotope | Length of the nature trail | Starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Lindle | 3.3 km or 1.8 km | Holheim |
| Calvary | 1.0 km | Gosheim |
| Faith Mountain | 2.7 km | Großsorheim |
| Klosterberg | 2.6 km | Maihingen |
| Kühstein | 2.7 km | Mönchsdeggingen |
| Calvary Wörnitzstein | 1.7 km | Wörnitzstein |
To go biking
Over 1000 km of signposted cycle paths lead through the Nördlinger Ries. In addition to smaller, easier tours, there are also longer, partly demanding routes, such as the 185 km long bike path From crater to crater, which connects the Nördlinger Ries with the Steinheimer basin. Also the bike path romantic street crosses the ream. The Rieskrater Planet Trail leads from Nördlingen to Bockberg near Harburg. Along the way you will learn interesting facts about the solar system and the individual planets. The Wörnitz cycle path begins near Schillingsfürst at the Wörnitz spring and ends in Donauwörth at the confluence with the Danube. If you want to go around the Ries crater completely, you can do the 105 km long Big Ries round drive on.
leisure
In summer you can visit numerous Outdoor pools cool down, for example in Nördlingen, Wemding or Oettingen.
There are two in Nördlingen Cinemas. One each in Oettingen and Wemding.
In Nördlingen, the Dramatic Ensemble and the Alt Nördlingen Association regularly run high-quality Plays on. It is played here in the Stadtsaal Klösterle and in the open-air theater Alte Bastei. In small giant communities there is sometimes a farmer's theater in winter.
Festivals and markets
There are many different markets in Nördlingen. In addition to several market Sundays, the rose market and the old town flea market have firmly anchored themselves in the calendar of events for everyone. Larger events are the annual Stabenfest, the street food festival and the Nördlinger Mess. The city wall festival and the CittaSlow festival take place every three years.
In Oettingen the historical market attracts numerous visitors, in Wemding the fuchsia market takes place regularly.
kitchen
- The Rieser festive menu consists of the Rieser wedding soup, the Rieser festive goose, the Rieser Kiachle and the Rieser Bauerntorte
- The Rieser Bauerntorte is a round, flat apple sauce cake with a diameter of about 60 cm.
- Stabenwürscht or Messwürscht (long, slender sausages) are usually found at markets and festivals
Practical advice
Advice on local attractions is available from the respective tourist information offices in the individual cities.
- Nördlingen: Tourist Information, Marktplatz 2, [email protected]
- Wemding: Tourist Information, Mangoldstrasse 5
- Harburg: Office for Tourism, Schlossstrasse 1
- Oettingen: Tourist Information, Schlossstrasse 36
- Bopfingen: City of Bopfingen, Marktplatz 1
The Geopark information centers and offices provide useful information about the region using maps and text material. Brochures about the region are also available from the information centers and the Wemding information center.
- Info center Nördlingen: Eugene-Shoemaker-Platz 3 (opposite Rieskratermuseum)
- Info center Oettingen: Schlossstrasse 36 (Tourist Information)
- Information point Wemding: Mangoldstraße 5 (opposite the tourist information)
- Information point Nördlingen (JUFA-Hotel): Bleichgraben 3a
- Information point Harburg: Donauwörther Straße 25
- Deiningen information point: Alerheimer Straße 4
literature
Sponsel, Wilfried / Schierk, Brigitte: The holiday region of Donau-Ries. Insights into a charming landscape, Nördlingen 2002.
Sponsel, Wilfried (Ed.): District of Donau-Ries. Nature and culture in a unique landscape. 2008.
