Wangen im Allgäu: Half-timbered houses, city gates and regional cuisine

City Gates and Old Town History

Several layers of history can be traced at Frauentor, also known as Ravensburger Tor: it was first mentioned in a document in 1472 and took on its present form in 1608. Like Martinstor, it has borne the mark of the Renaissance ever since. St. Martin’s Gate, now also known as Lindauer Tor, was first mentioned as early as 1347. Its present form also dates from 1608; parts of it retain their original Gothic character. Looking at the two gates, you can discover different historical features without confusing their respective names and dates.

Another place to take a closer look at historic design is Rochus Chapel in the Alter Gottesacker city park. It was built in 1592/93. Its slightly barrel-vaulted wooden ceiling is adorned with 66 painted panels from 1598. The chapel and the city gates offer different ways to explore Wangen’s history: here, the painted ceiling of a single building; there, the changing styles and recorded dates of the city gates.

Museums and Life in Earlier Times

Wangen’s museum scene comprises six museums. It ranges from the City Museum in the Eselmühle to the accessible battlement of the old city wall, the Powder Tower and the medieval bathhouse; a single admission ticket covers them all. Milling at the Eselmühle, or City Mill, ceased in 1937. Since 1978, the City of Wangen has exhibited treasures from its past there. The mill thus combines its former function with an insight into the town’s history.

In Leupolz, a district of Wangen, the Museum of Rural Cultural Heritage offers a different picture of the past. It is housed in a village barn and covers four floors and 1,000 square meters. Tools and keepsakes from crafts and household life, as well as a schoolroom, offer insights into rural life in earlier times. If you are particularly interested in everyday history, you will find a different focus here than in the Old Town’s gates, towers and town museums.

Markets, Cheese and Regional Cuisine

Every Wednesday morning, more than 70 stalls line the streets and squares of Wangen’s Old Town for the weekly market. Products on offer include fruit, vegetables, flowers, fish, meat, cheese and spices, as well as other goods from the Allgäu, Lake Constance and Upper Swabia. The market therefore combines a varied selection of goods with products from different regions. If you plan your visit for a Wednesday morning, the market is one of the memorable experiences of your stay.

Cheese also has a place among Wangen’s attractions: the Cheese Museum shows how dairy farming has shaped the region. Wangen is also on the Allgäu Cheese Route. Its signposted culinary and tourist attractions can be explored by car, bicycle or on foot. The Culinary Experience Tour combines regional and seasonal cuisine with a guided tour of the historic Old Town; both versions on offer include a three-course menu.

Views and Outdoor Activities

At the observation tower on the state garden show grounds, 113 steps sponsored by Wangen residents lead to a viewing platform. From there, the view stretches across the Allgäu, Vorarlberg and Swiss mountains. The number of steps is a useful guide if you would like to include this viewpoint in your day’s plans. For hikes, the well-marked and signposted network of trails around Wangen is another option for an outing.

Whether you would like to spend most of your time exploring the city gates and museums, the market and regional cuisine, or the viewpoints and hiking trails, these different interests can help guide your choice of holiday apartment in Wangen im Allgäu. More places to discover: Kißlegg, Vogt, Argenbühl, Isny im Allgäu, Altshausen, Berg bei Ravensburg, Fronreute and Hoßkirch.

For the main travel overview: Ravensburg.