Nördlingen is the chief town of the fertile Ries depression (a crater 10-25km/6-15mi across caused by the fall of a meteorite 15 million years ago). Between the Swabian and the Franconian Alb, it is one of the three charming old free imperial cities, the others being Dinkelsbühl and Rothenburg, on the Romantische Strasse between Würzburg and Augsburg. In the center of the town is St George's Church, surrounded by a circular core of old houses, two outer rings of 16th and 17th century houses and a completely preserved circuit of medieval town walls.
20km/12.5mi southwest of Nördlingen is the little town of Neresheim, which is dominated by its Benedictine abbey (1699-1714), with a magnificent Baroque church (by Balthasar Neumann, 1745-92; ceiling paintings by Martin Knoller).
In a former hospital in Nördlingen, is the Municipal Museum (geology of the Ries, prehistory and the early historical period, history of the town). There is also a new Ries Crater Museum.
From the Markt, Eisengasse in Nördlingen leads to the Hafermarkt, in which is the Klösterle, a church that originally belonged to a house of Discalced friars.
In the Markt, in the exact center of Nördlingen, is St George's Church, a Late Gothic hall-church (1427-1501) with a Baroque high altar with Late Gothic carved figures. From the 90m/295ft high tower ("Daniel") there are fine panoramic views.
To the north of St George's Church in Nördlingen is the Late Gothic Town Hall (renovated 1934), with a handsome Renaissance external staircase of 1618.
Opposite the Town Hall is the Tanzhaus (1442-44; altered in 19th c.), with a statue of the Emperor Maximilian I (1513).
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Neresheim - Abbey, Germany
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