Memmingen: Old Town, Culture and Green Routes

Old Town History Amid Walls and Landmarks

The well-preserved town walls, which stretch for several kilometres around Memmingen’s old town, are the city’s largest historic monument. They once included seven gates and 26 towers; gates, towers and sections of the walls have been preserved or restored. The colourful façades, magnificent buildings and traditional craftsmen’s quarters also shape the character of the old town. Those interested in different periods and architectural styles will find several specific points of interest here.

The Siebendächerhaus recalls the craft of tanning: the building was originally used to dry leather and hides in the attic. Its half-timbering dates from 1601. After the building was badly damaged in 1945, it was rebuilt and is now considered one of Memmingen’s landmarks. Another historic site is the Kramerzunft, which has been the guildhall of the Kramer merchants since 1478. In 1525, it was the meeting place of Upper Swabian peasants, where the Twelve Articles were written down.

The town hall also reflects different design periods: it is a late-medieval building dating from 1488, while its south façade was designed in the Rococo style in 1765. The Antonierhaus is located in the former hospital complex of the Order of St. Anthony, dating from the 15th century, and today houses the municipal library and two museums. Places like these offer more than one perspective on the history of the old town, from craftsmanship and civic architecture to the use of historic buildings.

Museums and City Tours for Different Interests

Memmingen’s museums are centrally located in the old town; their buildings and collections complement each other in a particularly fitting way. In the city museum, the exhibition area “Life in the Imperial City of Memmingen” offers an immersive encounter with the city’s history. The Hermansbau, built in 1766 by Baron Benedikt von Herman as a town palace, houses the city museum and the Freudenthal/Altvater local history museum. Admission is free. For contemporary art, the MEWO Kunsthalle has offered a programme of up to ten exhibitions a year since 2005.

If you prefer to explore the city through stories, you can choose from themed tours with spooky, culinary, historical and child-focused formats; some also take you along the town walls. On the tower tours at St. Martin’s, a guide meets visitors at the tower entrance on Zangmeisterstraße and shares fascinating facts about the tower’s history during the climb. In good weather, the view extends as far as the Alps. From May to the end of October, tours of St. Martin’s church tower are scheduled daily at 3 p.m.

Green Routes and a Bike Tour Starting at the Market Square

The Green Route runs along the town walls through various parks and green spaces. It is well signposted and provides information about the gates and towers that have been preserved. Away from the pedestrian zone, it is also suitable for families with children and pull-along wagons. This lets you combine a walk with insights into the town’s fortifications, without focusing the outing on museum interiors or guided tours.

Another way to discover Memmingen and the surrounding area by bike is the “Countryside Culture and Riverside Delights” tour. It starts and ends at the market square, covers 31.7 kilometres and takes about two hours. The route runs mostly along well-maintained forest and farm tracks and is rated easy. It is suitable for touring bikes, trekking bikes and e-bikes. The tourism portal also features five individual cycling tours with varying distances, tour characteristics and difficulty levels. This allows you to choose a bike tour based on your preferred distance and type of route.

The Red Route through the old town offers a different focus: you can explore it as a personal audio guide using the free Lauschtour app. The app leads you along the route to important sights and includes information and anecdotes from the city’s female guides.

Finding Your Bearings When Choosing Accommodation

If arriving centrally and finding your way around are important to you, the market square offers a handy reference point: Memmingen railway station is centrally located in the city centre and is a ten-minute walk from the market square. When looking for a holiday apartment, you can therefore consider which part of your stay is the priority: the old town and its museums, the Green Route, city tours, or a bike tour that starts and ends at the market square.

If you’d like to discover other places: Pfaffenhausen, Buxheim, Westerheim, Erkheim, Stetten, Kirchheim in Swabia, Mindelheim and Tussenhausen.

For the broader travel overview: Unterallgäu.