Welcome to Ravensburg

Ravensburg, "the city of towers and gates", is an attractive destination in Southern Germany

Ravensburg, "The city of towers and gates" is situated between Lake Constance and Allgaeu in a scenic landscape with a view of the Alps. In the past, the city was a major, medieval commercial centre. Today, with its 50,000 residents, it is the lively, economic hub of Upper Swabia and an attractive holiday destination.

Ravensburg today
Rising high above the roofs of Ravensburg, the Blaserturm marks the town’s centre. From the top of the tower, visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside as far as Lake Constance and the Alps or look down on the brightly coloured roofs of the old town below. Down on the town’s main square Marienplatz, the narrow streets and alleys round about teem with life. People stroll through the traffic-free square or relax in one of the many street cafés; young and old meet for a chat at the fountains. It is a colourful pageant in which people lingering at leisure mingle with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In the warm months of the year, Ravensburg exudes a Mediterranean flair.

Directions

By car
A8, Stuttgart – Munich, Exit Ulm-West (90km)
A81, Stuttgart – Singen, Exit Stockach A98 (70km)
A96 Munich – Lindau, Exit Wangen – West (20km)
Ravensburg is situated at the intersection of the highways B30, B32 and B33.


The Routenplaner can give you the exact directions to Ravensburg.
There are eight parking garages surrounding the old town in Ravensburg.


By long-distance bus

www.flixbus.com/

Rent a FlixBus - more information here


By train
Train route: Ulm – Friedrichshafen
www.bahn.de


By plane
Friedrichshafen Airport (approx. 20 km)

Directions

Ravensburg's history

Trade and commerce enjoy a long tradition in Ravensburg. Conveniently located at the crossroads of two international trade routes, the free imperial city grew into one of the most important trading towns in Swabia in the 14th century. Ravensburg experienced its heyday at the end of the Middle Ages, in particular in the 14th and 15th centuries.


During this time, the city of Ravensburg amassed wealth and riches thanks to its flourishing linen and textile trade and paper making industry. Many of the large buildings that still shape the face of the old town were constructed around this time. The Great Ravensburg Trading Society maintained trade relations throughout Europe and as far as Spain and the Netherlands. It was made up of members of aristocratic patrician families and merchants. The gravestone of Henggi Humpis, a founder of the company who died in 1429, is one of the oldest of its kind in Germany and can be found in the chapel of the Protestant church.


The town’s roots go back even further: From the 11th century, a settlement evolved at the foot of Ravensburg castle, the former ancestral seat of the Guelph family. The town earned its market rights early on and became a free Imperial city in 1276. Right up to the 30-Years War, Ravensburg enjoyed comfortable prosperity, and even artisans were able to make a good living there. Ravens burg was one of the first towns in Germany where paper was manufactured.

Town's history
Town's history
 

City of Towers and Gates
Ravensburg’s numerous towers can be seen from a great distance. The old trading centre boasts over a dozen of these edifices that give the town its nickname of “The city of Towers and Gates”. Most were built in the 14th and 15th centuries. They vary greatly in shape and design: some are angular, some semicircular or circular – depending on what served best to defend the town. A walk through the narrow streets and alleys of the old town reveals wellpreserved evidence of the town’s rich history.

Sights
Sights
 

Guided tours
The Tourist Information organizes guided tours for groups in English. Take a trip through historical Ravensburg, experience the most important epochs and explore the town’s sights in this 90 minute tour. 


Price per group (up to 25 people) 105 EUR.



Climbing the tower
The "Blaserturm" (51m):
The tower is open from April to September: every day  from 11 am to 4 pm.


For group reservations please contact the Tourist Information Centre.
tourist-info@ravensburg.de

Phone: 0049 (0)751-82 800.

Climbing the tower
Guided tour in Ravensburg
 

Playing in Ravensburg

Ravensburg is famous over the world for games, jigsaw puzzles and children’s books. You would have to look hard to find a child's room that does not have a toy or game with Ravensburger's trademark blue triangle on it. The company's former headquarters are located in the heart of the town. The building now houses the Museum Ravensburger. But that's not the only place where games are played: Every September at "Ravensburg at play", the entire town is transformed into a giant playroom. Just outside the town's gates, the Ravensburger Spieleland theme park offers over sixty attractions for children and adults alike to explore and have fun.


“Ravensburg spielt” every year, at the end of the summer holidays, this invitation reaches thousands of people to become acquainted with new games or to rediscover traditional ones. Adults play together with children, the young play with the old – everyone seems to be playing indoors and outside…


We invite you to play with us!
Not only because of this, people around the world associate Ravensburg with games, fun and action.

Playing in Ravensburg
Playing in Ravensburg
 

Culture

Culture in Ravensburg
Ever since it was built over 100 years ago, Ravensburg’s concert hall has borne witness to its inhabitants’ passion for theatre and music. Ravensburg offers a wide variety of cultural events, many of which can be enjoyed in the historical atmosphere of architectural monuments. The Zehntscheuer offers cabaret, the Old Theatre houses the town’s art gallery, and puppet shows are put on in the Brotlaube. The Ravensburg Theatre stages spectacular performances.


Humpis-Quartier Museum
The Humpis-Quartier Museum is one of the largest historical museums in the region of Lake Constance and Upper Swabia. This impressive late-mediaeval complex in Ravensburg's upper town comprises seven buildings, in which the town’s (imperial) history and culture are presented in an authentic ambience. In addition to the permanent exhibition "Ravensburger Lebenswelten", the museum presents first-rate temporary exhibitions as well as a varied cultural program in the glass-roofed courtyard. Follow the merchant Hans Humpis on a journey into the past when the Great Ravensburg Trading Society conducted business with the whole of Europe, or listen to the artisan Johannes Wucherer as he talks about the history of the trade guilds in the Imperial city.

More about the Humpis-Quartier Museum


Kunstmuseum Ravensburg (Ravensburg Art Museum)

The Kunstmuseum Ravensburg got the German architecture prize 2013 and the Award "Museum of the Year 2015" (AICA). The Selinka Collection forms the basis of the museum. It focuses on a 20th century expressive-gestual tradition. It consists of 230 works from the school of German Experssionism and by members of the CoBrA and SPUR groups. Three other exhibitions of 20th and 21th century art also shown. Extensive programme of events, especially fpr children and teenagers.


Kunstmuseum Ravensburg
Burgstraße 9
88212 Ravensburg (D)
Tel. +49 751 82810
www.kunstmuseum-ravensburg.de

Ravensburger Museum

Visitors to Ravensburger Museum are taken on an interactive journey through the history of the company with the trademarkblue triangle right up to the present day. The tiptoi® Museum Ralley gives children and teenagers the opportunity to find out exciting and interesting things about the interactive museum.

More about the Ravensburger Museum


Ravensburg Museum of Economics

The Ravensburg Museum of Economics tells the story of the region's economy in the 19th and 20 th centuries with amusing anecdots and original exhibits. Temporary exhibitions get to the bottom of economically releveant topics.

More about the Ravensburg Museum of Economics



Rutenfest – Ravensburg`s local historical festival
Every year in July, when the small canon from the “Mehlsack”-tower echos through the town, the “Rutenfest” the main local historical festival is inaugurated. This traditional event attracts many people from all over the world, especially former inhabitants of Ravensburg who have left the town and moved elsewhere. A large number of them returns home for this festival. The highlihgt is the historical parade on Monday when schoolchildren in historical garments, music bands, horses and wagons pass through the center and show the town`s living history.

Culture
Culture
 

Shopping

Shopping in Ravensburg
The former free Imperial city of Ravensburg with 50,000 inhabitants, nestled in the heart of the countryside between the Allgäu region and Lake Constance, is still the region’s economic centre. As in former times, when Ravensburg was a thriving trading town, it is now the shopping hub of Upper Swabia.


Marienplatz in the centre of Ravensburg is the ideal starting point from which to explore the town: visit Bachstraße, for example, a bustling street with a stream flowing through it, or the lovingly restored Marktstraße. Ravensburg offers a wide choice of stores with all kinds of goods, chic boutiques and attractive shops that guarantee a pleasurable shopping experience. The town’s pedestrian areas invite you to take a leisurely stroll, or combine a browse through the shops with a tour of the historic old town – either by yourself or as part of a guided tour every Wednesday and Saturday. The historic town centre can be easily reached from the eight car parks located around the town centre or from the railway and bus stations.

Wochenmarkt Ravensburg
Shopping
 

Overnight stay

Tourist Information Office
Lederhaus

Marienplatz 35

88212 Ravensburg
Phone: +49 (0)751 82-800
www.ravensburg.de
tourist-info@ravensburg.de


Here you can check and book available hotel accomodation:

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Kontakt

Amt für Tourismus und Stadtmarketing
Abteilung: Tourist Information
Telefon: 0751 82-2828

Lederhaus

Marienplatz 35

88212 Ravensburg

 

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Öffnungszeiten
Mo bis Fr10:00 - 16:00 Uhr
Sa09:30 - 13:00 Uhr