Sights in Ulm

Ulm lies on the Danube in the southeast of the Swabian Alb and on the northern edge of Upper Swabia, directly on the border with Bavaria. The city forms its own urban district and is surrounded by the Alb-Donau district. The city area extends from about 459 metres above sea level on the Danube up to 646 metres in the Salenhau forest, with the historic centre situated at the confluence of the Blau and Iller rivers with the Danube. Together with Neu-Ulm, Ulm forms a cross-border twin city also known as the Two-Lands City.

Ulm was first mentioned in a document in 854, but even in Roman times the area was an important transport hub. As a royal palace and later an imperial city, it developed into a significant trading centre. After changing affiliations between Bavaria and Württemberg, Ulm is now part of Baden-Württemberg. The emigration movement of the Danube Swabians, who left Ulm for Southeast Europe in the 17th and 19th centuries, was particularly formative.

Ulm is known for its Gothic Münster, whose church tower was once the tallest in the world. The city has a long civic tradition, including the oldest German city constitution. Famous figures such as Albert Einstein, Sophie and Hans Scholl, and Hildegard Knef were born in Ulm. The International Danube Festival and the Danube Swabian Central Museum reflect the city’s ties to Southeast Europe.