Über Ulm

In German there is a "Zungenbrecher" (tongue-breaker) about a city in Baden-Würtemberg, Ulm. It goes like so: In Ulm, um Ulm, und um Ulm herum. Try saying that 5x fast! "It doesn't flow as well in English, "in Ulm, about Ulm and all around Ulm." On our third full day in Germany, we added a preposition; we went Über Ulm. The thing that the city is most famous for is its church tower, the tallest in the world (aside from the yet incomplete Sagrada Familia). On the recommendation of a friend's friend, we headed over to hike to the top.

To fuel our adventure, our first stop was at a cafe in downtown Ulm. The same friend of a friend recommended it (thanks, Rebecca!), and it was the perfect jumping off point for our adventure. It turns out that M recognizes "banana bread" regardless of what language it's said in, so with a thick slice and a cappuccino we were on our way.

The Ulmer Münster itself is a giant church in the center of the city. You can see it from nearly everywhere. It towers 162m above the medieval city, and visitors can walk up to the viewing platform at a height of 143m (469’). The narrow stairs spiral up at the outside corner of the building, feeling very exposed as the people on the Münsterplatz become smaller and smaller.

From the roof of the tower, there is a slim lattice stair that corkscrews up to the “third gallery.” M had to cajole me up to the narrow viewing platform, but it was worth it for the 360 degree view over the Danube and surrounding regions of Baden-Würtemberg and Bayern (Bavaria). On clear days you can see all the way to the Zugspitze, the highest point in the German Alps. Despite clouds covering the mountains, it was a spectacular view!

On the way down we visited the inside of the Minster. While I enjoyed the medieval woodcarvings and Renaissance artwork, my legs were still shaking from our descent!

Why yes, I do stare open-mouthed at medieval carvings

Admiring heavy hinges