Ulm
nothing but beautiful
I have never heard of this German town called Ulm. I went there on a business trip for a week this summer. I believe I would never put it up in my buck list of visiting this little unknown city.
The flight flew from the United States to Amsterdam as a layover, where we stopped for five hours, then flew to Munich, and then took a nearly two-hour train ride. After nearly twenty hours of traveling, we arrived at this town. It was already past seven in the Sunday evening.
The hotel we stayed in was near the train station, in the busiest commercial center. It was quite modern and there was no trace of the medieval city, seems to me.
On Sunday evening, all the shops were closed earlier and there were only a few people on the street. My first impression was that this was probably a deserted rural place, at least not a popular tourist spot.
While walking, I often see this ancient medieval church. It looks very old, but it is the only landmark. I can see it everywhere from every angle. I think I will never get lost here.
This is Ulm Cathedral Church. During a chat at lunch, someone said that this is the tallest church in the world. It didn’t sound believable because you couldn’t feel its height at first when you looked at it from a distance.
Until I walked up to it, I realized that it was indeed very tall, but I was still skeptical about whether it was the tallest in the world. Until I checked it on the Internet, I decided to take some time to explore it.
Looking out the window of my hotel room, there is a monument standing here. I have to go and see what really it is.
If you were to walk by in a hurry, nine times out of ten you wouldn’t have any interest in it because it’s so mundane, until someone told me what it is.
It turns out that it is a monument dedicated to Einstein. Ulm is the birthplace of the greatest figure in our civilization history — Einstein, although he was taken to Munich by his parents when he was only six weeks old.
The inscription on the monument wall reads in German:
“Hier stand das Haus, in dem am 14. März 1879 Albert Einstein zur Welt kam.”
This sentence translates to: “Here once stood a house in which Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879.”
The flower shop next to it is full of flowers, as if they are setting off for the Einstein monument.
The basement of the hotel building is directly connected to the train station and shopping mall
The entrance displays Einstein’s life history, from his birth here in 1879 to his death in Princeton, USA in 1955.
You can feel that Ulm is proud of Einstein. You can see that many shops are named after him. I think it is a great honor to have the the greatest genius in the human history. This alone is enough to make Ulm a pilgrimage. I think this is an unexpected gain from this trip and I am quite satisfied.
The breakfast at the hotel where I stayed was located on the rooftop. It was very pleasant and the food was rich and varied. It was a great enjoyment to eat here early in the morning and bask in the summer morning sun.
Ulm has a pleasant climate in midsummer. The hotel does not need to have air conditioning, so I did not expect I would enjoy a pleasant summer here.
After get off work in the evening, I went back to the hotel and looked for a restaurant to eat. I actually had three Indian meals here. I only ordered “Lamb Masala” (lamb curry and naan) every time, because this is the menu that never changes when I eat Indian food. Masala is an Indian spice mixture, usually used to make curry and other strong-flavored dishes. Naan is a traditional flatbread originating from India and Central Asia. It is very similar to the sesame pan cakes in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. My childhood memories are constantly satisfied here.
After a full meal, we went for a walk to help digestion. On the way, we came across this ancient building. Now the ground floor is an Italian restaurant. It seems to have an unusual history.
There was a sign on the wall that read:
JOHANNES KEPLER
Astronomer 1571–1630
Here he published the Rudolphine Tables in 1627 and with this work Kepler laid the foundation for an orderly imperial system of weights and measures.
Founded by the Society of Art and Antiquities and the Society of Ulm and the City of Ulm
Here you can feel the tranquility of Ulm at night, without the crowds of tourists, without the busy traffic, the air is fresh, without the hustle and bustle of the hot summer, you seem to smell the breath of the nearby Danube
This small tower is part of the ancient city wall and seems a little crooked, but it has stood here for countless centuries, overlooking the Danube River passing by, and has taken on the responsibility of protecting the city.
As we approached the Danube, the river was rushing and a cool summer breeze was blowing. Many people were enjoying the quiet and ordinary summer night nearby.
At this moment, I naturally think of Strauss’s Blue Danube Waltz. I turn on my phone and listen to the music. This immortal dance music will shine with the sun and the moon as the Danube flows forever.
Ancient towers and city walls at night with dimming background
The company I was on business with treated us to an authentic local meal in Ulm. We all enjoyed the summer night in Ulm, drank local beer, and chatted about everything under the sun.
Speaking of German beer, this is the first time I heard that non-alcoholic beer is sold here.
The restaurant has an elegant environment
What’s interesting is that the water sold in restaurants here is more expensive than beer. It’s a bit puzzling. The locals can’t explain why, and they can only make fun of it.
The local architectural style is my focus as usual.
Very old house, a bit deformed
This is a museum. It is closed. I guess I won’t have time to visit it this time.
Another night, and once again at the Danube
It is said that Neu-Ulm is located across the bridge from the city wall, but it belongs to Bavaria, while Ulm is located in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. People here often make fun of people there, just like people in Hangzhou often make fun of people in Shanghai.
We walked across the bridge to Neu-Ulm that evening, but found nothing impressive.
However, the view of Ulm from Neu-Ulm is a very classical view.
Back in Ulm, we climbed the city wall and saw the quaint old buildings.
The ancient tower still stands silently guarding the ancient city
I passed by the old church again, but I still haven’t got time to explore it yet.
This evening, tents were set up in the open space next to the church, and the crowds were bustling.
It turned out to be the local “Ulmer Weinfest” — Ulm Wine Festival is happening right there!
Nearby, many couples are dancing to nostalgic music.
It was not until the last day that I had time to explore the world’s tallest church, Ulm Minster.
But I was a few minutes late and couldn’t buy a ticket to climb to the top of the church, which was a big pity.
It is a Gothic building with the tallest church spire in the world. Its construction began in 1377 and was completed in 1530, which took more than 150 years. The church was originally built to replace the previous Romanesque church as the main religious place in Ulm.
The church spire is 161.5 meters high and still holds the record for the world’s tallest church spire. The architectural style of Ulm Cathedral combines the characteristics of Gothic and Renaissance, and is famous for its magnificent architecture and exquisite decoration.
Walking into the church, its towering roof makes you feel as if you are experiencing the realm of God’s heaven…
High-rise, unfathomable, heart-wrenching
The organ in Ulm Cathedral is famous for its majestic sound and complex organ structure.
At this time, the organ began to play beautiful music, resonated inside the church, which immediately made people feel good.
The Ulm Pulpit is an important work of art in the interior of the cathedral, located in the central area of the cathedral. The pulpit was created by the famous engraver Hermann Haller in the mid-15th century. It is known for its exquisite Gothic carvings, showing rich religious images and details.
The windows of Ulm Cathedral are famous for their exquisite stained glass windows, most of which were created in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and display typical features of Gothic architecture and religious themes.
The design of the windows includes biblical stories, portraits of saints and symbolic patterns, and has high artistic value and historical significance.
The church’s stained glass windows are not only beautiful, but also enhance the mystery and solemnity of the church interior through rich color and light effects. These windows help create an atmosphere suitable for worship and meditation.
The choir of Ulm Cathedral is located on the east side of the church and is an important part of the church building. The choir area is usually used for chorus and reading in religious ceremonies and has high artistic value and historical significance.
At Ulm Cathedral, the choir area is built in the style of Gothic architecture, with fine vaulting and intricate carvings. The choir was designed to provide good acoustics for the chorus and to enhance the solemn atmosphere of religious ceremonies.
The Hulz Altar is a famous work of art inside the church. The altar was created by the woodcarver Balthasar Hulz in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Known for its exquisite woodcarvings and intricate details, the Hulz Altar is one of the outstanding examples of Gothic art.
The design and carving of the altar demonstrate the superb skills of the craftsmen in the fields of art and religion at that time. The Hurtz Altar not only has an important position in art, but also plays an important role in religious history. Its creation is closely related to the architectural style and religious background of Ulm Cathedral, and is an important material for studying medieval religious art and carving skills.
I bought this Ulm Sparrow at the church gift shop. It has an interesting history with the Ulm Cathedral. During the construction of the Ulm Cathedral, the workers encountered a problem of how to fit a large wooden beam into the interior of the church. One day, they observed the ingenious way sparrows built their nests in a narrow space and were inspired by it.
Eventually, they learned the nesting skills of sparrows and successfully transported the large wooden beams into the church. The sparrow has become part of Ulm’s history.
There is a sign in the square in front of the church indicating the distances to famous cities in all directions.
After leaving the church, explore the famous attractions nearby — the “Schiefes Haus” is a historical building in Ulm
The construction of the Leaning House dates back to the 16th century. The ground on which the building was built was uneven, which caused the building to gradually tilt.
The house is particularly striking for its tilted appearance. Its tilted angle and special structural design give it a unique place in architectural history. Despite the tilt, the house has retained its original style and has been properly maintained.
Aimless walk in the city center
Old buildings of different styles
A small river with clear water flows through the city
Ducks playing in the stream
Model of the city of Ulm
Obviously Ulm is a very livable town with a long history and rich culture. It is accompanied by the beautiful Danube River and has R&D centers of a few large high-tech companies, which has attracted many engineers to work and live here.
This trip left a deep impression on me. It can be said in a Chinese old saying “山不在高有仙则名，水不在深有龙则灵” which is translated here:
“A mountain doesn’t have to be tall to be famous; if it has an immortal, it is renowned. A body of water doesn’t have to be deep to be miraculous; if it has a dragon, it is spiritual.”
Hope you understand what I mean by saying that.
